There's a new "dancing queen" in the house!

Abigail loves to dance but recently we've disovered that so does her sister!

Enjoy!

Rollercoaster and Normal?

Whew! This last week has definitely been a crazy one! I actually had two decent days, Monday and Wednesday. I cleaned and cooked a bit on those days. Then I had days like Thursday, from which I still feel wiped out from.

I just simply woke up with what felt like a really bad sinus headache. I remember not even feeling like I could walk around because the movement felt too jarring! It got worse during the day so I eventually called my husband and asked him to come home from work.

I seriously could not function. Anyway, I started feeling better around bedtime. I certainly hope that never happens again. Since then I have really continued with the nausea and exhaution!

I'm 12 weeks on Tuesday so I hope to start seeing some slight improvement soon!

Elsie is starting to sleep a little better. At least she did last night. This is a huge blessing and I hope it continues! I still got up with her once but it wasn't until 5:45 am! That feels like a record even though she did have a month (between 6 and 7 months) where she slept through the night. Not since then though!!

Speaking of Elsie, the girl is definitely going through a stage. She does not like to be set down and have me walk out of the room. Even when I'm just home alone with her and Abigail. It is tiring! I know it's just a phase but it's a hard phase for me! What a mama's girl!

My apologies for this being boring but honestly, this is about all that is going on right now. Most days I am just thankful to make it through with reasonably well-fed and healthy children (and spouse). I know that these days of feeling continually overwhelmed will pass (they will. right?) but boy they are difficult when they are here.

I am thanking the Lord for a wonderful husband and family. I don't know what I'd do otherwise!

Improving?

This weekend has not been the most fun weekend of my life, that's for sure. It started late last week with Abigail catching a cold. Nothing bad, just cough, sniffles, etc. She ran a fever for about a day and then was better. She still has a runny nose and a cough but it could be much worse.

Then it was Elsie's turn. Poor Elsie. The girl just doesn't know how to be sick. I think I got up with her seven times on Saturday night. I also woke up on Sunday with a sore throat. Whoa! Try packing that all on a pregnant lady! Not fun. The usual nausea and tiredness from pregnancy, then add on probably only sleeping 4 hours (not in one stretch) the night before, and adding a nasty sore throat. I was a mess on Sunday morning until I got a nap.

But . . . in the midst of all this. . . I woke up with something this morning that I haven't felt in a long time. . . ambition!!

I WANT to get something done. We're all still a little sick and you wouldn't know it from looking at my schedule from this morning but I actually desire to get something accomplished today. That's a big step for me! Maybe the nastiness of the first trimester is slowly wearing off.

I'll be 11 weeks tomorrow so it's a little early for that but we'll see. I certainly hope so!! I'm hopeful!!

(Elsie woke up at 10:30 pm, 3:30 am, 7:00 am and then slept until 8:30 am - as did I. That's a pretty good night for a sick Elsie. Then I laid down on the couch at 9:30 while the girls played and fell asleep again! Craziness!)

Happy Birthday!

I have been such a slacker lately but I don't want to let this opportunity go by to wish my husband a very happy birthday.

I apologize that your favorite food wasn't waiting for you when you got home and that I didn't have a cake!

We did win in Spouseology tonight at small group so hopefully that was a highlight of your day!

Thank you for being patient and kind when I am not! Thank you for putting up with my whining and complaining! Thank you for taking the kids, even if just for a moment, when I feel like I can't take the fussiness one more second.

I am extremely blessed to have you as my husband! Happy Birthday!

I'm still here! - Thoughts on 1st trimesters!

Wow! The blogging has really been neglected lately!

It was seriously unintentional but everything else in my life has been neglected too - so just goes along with it all, I guess.

This past month has seriously been one of the hardest of my life. I feel kind of wimpy saying that because honestly no one has died, we both still have great jobs, our family is healthy and happy, we have a wonderful support system, etc. Just physically - and if I'm honest with myself and you - emotionally, it's been really difficult for me.

The person who gets to take the brunt of this is my husband. Who, for the record, is really pretty good about my whining. Especially my emotional whining. He listens, he advises, and he goes on.

I don't want to wish the time away and I do want to treasure these sweet ages of my children - but boy . . . it with it were April and that this baby would be almost ready to arrive. I don't think anyone likes it when life feels like a constant struggle and I'm not exception.

Well, I'm off - to load the dishwasher and lay on the couch.

My family is coming!! Yeah!

We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of my parents and brother this afternoon. They are bringing a playhouse (yes, all the way from KS - they're crazy!) for the girls. I know Abigail will love playing in it while they are here!

Elsie has still been getting me up 2x a night for about a week now (maybe more). She'sll 11 months old today. Sleep girl, sleep!

I have a dilemma with my oldest. She is totally addicted to Dora and Boots (as she calls it). It is the first thing out of her mouth in the morning (Mama, I want to watch . . . ). I don't have a problem telling her "no" or at least "wait a while" but then she wanders around the house for 10 minutes looking for something to do before asking me again. It's getting crazy. The child has toys - but perhaps they aren't really at her age level and so they aren't entertaining. I know that Elsie will soon be older and they will be great play partners. Still, I'm at a loss for how to help Abigail play (or play for a while by herself).

It doesn't help that in this season, I do want to take a nap on the couch so I turn on a show for her. She's spoiled with it, I know that!! Any ideas on great things for kids to do? She colors, plays with playdoh, play with baby dolls, dances, reads, etc. It's just that she doesn't do those things for very long.

Okay, I've got to help the little one go down for a nap. Wishing I could do the same!!

Neglect and Appointment

Hey all!

Sorry about the blog neglect. I guess it is a true reflection of how my life is going lately. I consider it a successful day if I just get my kids fed!

I had my first midwife appointment today. It went great. I found out that I'm (approximately) 9 weeks pregnant today. She did an ultrasound but got different readings from each measurement (the little one was squirmy!) so she took the sum of all three measurements.

Other than that, things are fine at this point.

Hopefully I'll be able to post something more exciting later.

Oh . . . Elsie's getting a top tooth in. That also means multiple night wakings and a cranky baby during the day.

Toota loo!