I'm still here, or at least I think I am

Well here I am again at the doctor for my three hour glucose test for baby number three. Yes...again, since I failed the one hour and will now get to endure the quiet of the morning in the cozy lab room across the hall from the doctors office. Oh did I say endure...silly me I mean enjoy! I did not want to fail the test and I’m hoping I pass this one with flying colors but this time I’m embracing the alone time to write on here, read a little from my book, and get more acclimated with the curriculum I have selected for high school bible study that starts up again this next week.

I haven't had a moment to blog this holiday season with all the hustle, celebration, and visiting. It was a good holiday, not without it’s foully but enjoyable all the same. 

I am in awe of how much the girls are growing these days. Lauren has started taking showers, with mommy’s assistance of course, but she’s big enough now. I also kept thinking- how on earth are we doing to bath all three of them? So I set some goals for the girls and I to achieve prior to the baby’s arrival in April. Lauren is going to learn to take showers (mission accomplished) and Olivia is going to get herself potty trained (I hope you're laughing with me not at me on that comment).

Some might think these goals random but not me. You see my girls are growing and as much as I want to hold them in my lap and pray they don't get any older...just yet, they keep doing just that- growing. Lauren has so naturally become more independent these days and Olivia is just coming into her own. Oh her fun, crazy little personality is too much. She has a few words she likes to use these days but she can say a lot more than that when prompted- so I'm waiting for the day when she just burst forth with some crazy decoration or goofy remark. She is a little independent girl with one of her favorite words being ‘me.’ She likes to do things for herself and sometimes that is so appreciated but when there is a time crunch situation, oh man it can be painful for this mama to endure. But never the less, I try to encourage the independence since in just a few months I'll look forward to it as I am tending to the baby who will need me to do everything for her.

I’m getting so excited for little ones arrival although I don't want it to come any faster than it needs to because I'm also enjoying life as a family of four. I'm very curious about the family dynamics with three kids. I grew up with just one older sister but Matt was the oldest of three so he can envision it better than I. I have no idea what to expect and I like that there are no expectations just possibilities.

So back to those goals. Well I started them both this past Saturday but they were both flops...and oh big flops. I put Olivia in underwear all morning and she went through five pairs of Cinderella and princess undies before nap. Not once did she actually pee in the pot even though she desperately needed to many times, and she sat there resisting. All I have to say is our floors are cleaner than they've been in months right now! By nap I was so happy to see her monkey diapers I think I could have danced around like a monkey. You see I feel she is ready because she has been using the potty on and off for months. She uses it before bath, sometimes in the morning, and other random moments that pop up here and there. She is well aware of how to ‘release’ the goods into the pot but sometimes she fights it- like she’s got some better pressing plans to tend to- like dancing around the bathroom?!? It makes me laugh most of the time but other times I get so flustered because I know she’s got it but yet she’s just being a kid- so I can’t blame her for all. She'll get it, now when I’m not sure. But oh how her personality plays such a big roll in her development it just amazes me. So very different from her older sister.

Speaking of that crazy older sister, she also enjoyed her first ‘independent’ shower on Saturday. She fussed and carried on the whole shower. Yet another fail. But I’m one who doesn’t give up so easily. I came at the situation from a different angle and on Sunday Lauren and mommy took a trip to Target and she picked out three new ‘shower’ washcloths. She got her wild watermelon (aka pink), blue, and mint green washcloths and then Monday nights shower was “a whole new world!” (and yes I was singing that Aladdin song right there). Not a single fuss, whine, or crab about anything- it was like she had showered all her life. I tell you never a dull moment or a predictable moment when it comes to kids!

Me on the other hand, I've been as unpredictable as them. I seriously have no brains inside my head. I've been so forgetful or just plan out of sorts. I try and hold it together but most of the time I look like that dancing monkey I was talking about earlier than anything! I'm enjoying all of baby's movements and trying to find moments when Matt can enjoy them too but when I'm not dancing around like monkey, I'm sleeping like a cat- but we still have three months of my belly getting bigger, baby getting bigger, and movements being easier for others to enjoy too! She likes to kick my bladder and all the other organs in my lower half- which makes for some interesting moments. She has also, thankfully, moved out of my pelvis area causing me to find much relief on my poor, frail hips and for this I'm so thankful. It won't be long before she heads back down there causing me to walk and sit in funny ways- maybe by then I'll have to throw in the white flag and quit my monkey dance, throw my feet up and do more of those cat naps...hahaha, oh I crack myself up! No it will most likely be more slow and awkward dancing for this mama- aren't you glad you don't get to watch this?!? 

So I guess you can say we're getting along just fine. Slowly making our way through these days with joy and craziness in the midst of it all. We've met one goal...now about that diaper thing...well we've got until April right...maybe we'll make it. Well life continues to keep us on our toes and always wondering what is behind the next door- most of the time we end up with the the door full of crazy but we come out smiling all the same.

The silliness of us. I got new
kitchen towels and this is what the
girls did with them. So goofy!

"Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs" Psalm 100:2 (Or crazy monkey dances;-)