Photos of Champ

Hi all! So, today was Champ's due date-that is a little crazy to realize since it already seems like he has been here forever and has gotten so big already since leaving the hospital (he is already at 7lb 10 oz, and had dropped to 6lb 15 oz) Since it has been SO LONG since I put anything on here, I thought I would share some photos!

Here is me on the 23rd, the very last belly shot we got. Champ came 3 days later and you can check out all the adorable photos below. I sorta miss being pregnant; but at the same time, it is very fun to sleep on my stomach again!

So far, Champ is an amazing baby-all calm until time to eat or poop, which is just AWESOME. Last night and the night before he actually when 5 hours at one stretch; a nice break from the around-the-clock 2 hour feedings he was demanding. I'm hoping this nice trend continues; we will find out tonight!

Little Dude and JR are in love with him and very proud to help out; so far we have had quite a nice adjustment to becoming a family of 5-and partly because we have such amazing friends and family that have brought us dinners and helped us out so very much over the last two weeks.

OK, now for cute photos:

Here is Champ on his birthday, 3-26-11. He was born at 5:55am  at 7lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long. (my contractions started at 4am; I am very glad he didn't come in the truck)

Here is Bill and Champ, with Bill being silly and staging his pose to act like Champ's and predict our future for the coming weeks. Even though it is staged, I love this photo :)

Here are our three boys! To get Champ's jaundice numbers down quickly we had to do formula and breastfeeding, so Little Dude and JR got to help feed when they came to see us Sat. night.

Here is one very proud Papa and  his cute namesake, Champ.

So, that is all the news around here-I will work hard to get on here more often now that we are kinda getting a new normal going on around here. Now I need to hurry and clean before Bill gets home so it looks like I did "something" today.

Surely you guys all do that too, right? Right?

20 Days!

The countdown is on-there are only 20 days to my due date, and going on my previous history, it should be less, since both the other boys were early.

SQUEAL!

I went to the dr. today and found out I'm not 4 cm dilated, though no contractions of any kind yet. That makes me nervous, since I'm obviously not feeling whatever contractions are causing the dilation, so when they DO really start I'm really crossing my fingers (and legs) that I make it to the hospital....I REALLY don't want to end up on the news as the subject of "Baby Born on Highway!"

SO, when will Champ get here?

I can't wait, I really can't. I'm so anxious and just want to meet him and start our routine as a family of 5. Right now I am just cleaning like crazy, spending time playing super heroes with Little Dude and JR, and finding ways to avoid work, like updating my blog before finally getting back to the tasks at hand. That is actually pretty fun, since I am always able to find something else to do, like put my feet up. (Don't tell Bill I could put them up as my desk; I prefer the recliner, which is faaarrr away from my desk).

Anyways, not much to report, just playing the waiting game.

Now, back to some actual work that pays me....

Contractions

So, apparently with the more preganancies you have, the better your body jumps into gear to "get ready for baby".

Meaning that I have all kinds of fun "practice contractions" or Braxton Hicks going on-and at times I start to think they are real ones, only have them go away or stop.

Sigh.

Well, we are ready, and currently I am 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced, and the baby has dropped to station 0 (whatever that means, I keep trying to find station info in my pregnancy books and haven't yet, so I might just google it when I am done here) according to my latest dr. check up. Now that I am well into 36 weeks, the dr. has also declared that if labor starts now they won't try to stop it, since our little Champ is measuring a week ahead anyway AND we have crossed into the more full term time period of the third trimester.

Very exciting to be so close to having him here with us-and I am so hoping he does come in March because I just love March. Don't know why, just do.

Also a bit scary, as I really do want to make it to the hospital, so the more dilated and effaced I get BEFORE any contractions really start, the more nervous I am about how quickly this labor might go....

But then, this pregnancy has been so different, that I feel I might be jinxing myself-he will probably go 2 weeks past my due date and then have a hard 24 hour labor.

Or be scary fast and I'll have him in the driveway.

Oh my. I'm ready to be done with labor already....

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2011

I LOVE St. Patrick's Day. Most of my family's heritage is Irish, wish some Native American, Mexican, and British heritage for good measure. Everyone in my family though has naturally dark DARK hair, and my sisters both got the brown/black eyes, along with the natural tendency to tan easily without burning.

Me? I'm super pale white even if I DO try to tan, super short to the point that I may or may not be borderline needed a booster seat according to the new child car seat laws height requirements and I'm way shorter than both my little sisters. I have auburn red hair that gets redder in the sun and had super strawberry red hair when I was really young). While most members of my family have no trouble keeping weight off their more slender frames, I have the hips of a cow, which have come in super handy when having children, but don't work well with skinny jeans. Fashion icon I can not be. I also have blue green eyes and my face turns red when I drink.

Sigh.

But you know what? On St. Patrick's Day, all those features are cool! So, I love St. Patrick's Day.

Yesterday, the kids and I colored shamrocks and taped them all over the dinning room. Then we baked banana bread and made green cream cheese icing with green sprinkles for it, AND we made our own St. Patty's Day necklaces (the boys did a super great job getting the beads on their strings!)

It was SO FUN. We talked about who St. Patrick was, and why we celebrate a day for him, and how he was important to everyone. I may have not actually DONE anything, but just sitting at the table, doing crafts with the kids and talking was FANTASTIC. I need to set aside days to do just that way more often.

I'm thinking that with dinner I might have green milk for the kids, though our traditional corned beef dinner will be held on Saturday when my in laws and sister in law can all come over to share.

I'll have to see what else I can make green today.

Little Dude is at preschool, JR went to my awesome friend Teresa's house to play while I go to a Dr. apt for Champ, then it will be on to see what other Irish stuff we can do today! Yippie!

Hospitals, Nurses, and Shots, Oh My!

Well, I think I jinxed myself with my huge to do list-I started having super strong contractions during dinner, and each one got closer in time, until around the 10 minute time space we called up my awesome neighbor to stay with the boys until my sister in law could get here, and then Bill and I bolted for the hospital.

By the time we got to the hospital, my contractions were about 3 minutes apart and getting really strong.

So, I was admitted, and checked, and luckily, I had not dilated or effaced any further along from that morning, so I was given a shot to try to stop the contractions. My doctor really REALLY wants Champ to stay in at least another week, and I would really like to get two, but we will have to see what happens.

Eventually I got enough meds to stop the contractions, though I did dilate a little bit more, but after some more watching everything finally stopped. I'm on Motrin now to help stop or block the production of something that would induce contractions again-I can't remember what it is supposed to be stopping-but at any case, it is working.

Today I am being super lazy, sitting at the computer finishing up a little work, the kids are playing with play-doh. Awesomeness.

2 CM Dilated

OMG. For real.

I went to the doctor today for my start of week 36 check up and found out that I'm 2 cm dilated, 50 % effaced, and Champ is at station 1. I still haven't stopped to look up what that means, but he is also head down and ready to go, according to my doctor.

SOOOOO, can I tell you that I'm a little freaked? If he came to day, he would be early, but not as early as JR, and the doctor assured me that since everything is starting on its own, then chanced are he is just really ready to come. With JR I had to be induced and it took forever for contractions or dilation to start (though when it did, it happened fast).

Previous stats:

Little Dude-3 hours from the time my water broke to delivery
JR-Got induced around 1pm, contractions didn't start til around 8pm and he was born at 11.

So what will Champ's stats be? I'm really nervous about not making it to the hospital.

So, I have butterflies all in my belly and a suddenly HUGE, GINORMOUS list of things I MUST do before Champ can come (ha, that means he's coming in a few hours, right? ) Anyways, I finally got the laundry put away (Bill will be so proud) and I actually finished going through JR's clothes and getting the outgrown stuff out of his drawers. Little Dude I still haven't tackled; I figured it was better to just put everything away than to have numerous, half crazy sorted/unsorted piles of 4t and 5t cloths all over the place when Grandma got here to take over...

And now, I am trying really hard to get all my small tasks I have left for Dakno done asap so I don't have to worry about handing anything off.

Oh I have butterflies. And I know, I know, it could still be weeks of walking around at 2 cm, BUT I can't help but worry because for the last half hour the light braxton hicks I've been having on and off for the last few months have actually started to get stronger, though I'm not sure if they are regular yet or not. I'm going to start timing them now and see if I need to call Bill.

I'd be a little embarrassed to be sent home, but at the same time, I'd hate it more to have Champ in the car....

40 Days

OMG, there are only 40 days left to my due date! I can not believe we are already here. Next week I have another baby appointment, then I go ever week to be checked for progress until delivery.

The bags are packed, the carseat is ready, a name is finally picked and the grandparents are on standby (as are the neighbors since we might need someone to help with the boys until grandparents can get here)

Both of our other sons were early, and I had VERY fast labors. Little Dude was about 3 hours total from the time my water broke (and contractions started after that, in the car) to when he was born. JR was induced early since my water broke way too soon; however, once labor and contractions started, it was only a few hours of actual contractions until he came out.

I am a little nervous about this one being a fast labor-I know it sounds crazy, but I am hoping that it starts off slowly so we can have the grandparents get here for the boys before we have to leave for the hospital, but I am thinking, and preparing myself, for the fact that we probably will need to head to the hospital as soon as my water breaks or contractions start, and just call on one of our super awesome neighbors to watch the kids until Patty and Ed get here (they are about 2 hours away).

I'm super excited for our little Champ to get here and sleep in the bassinet by our bed. I can't wait to put the little outfits on him and carry him around in one of my slings. I'm super excited to see how the big brothers do with Champ; judging by how excited they are for him now, I think it will go well, even if Champ does end up crying non stop.

I ordered some "Big Bro" and "Little Bro" shirts for the guys; I can't wait for the two big brothers to wear their "Big Bro" shirts and to get a nice photo of the three of them together. Even if all three defy me and stare off into different directions, it will still be so cute to get them all in their shirts. I'm crazy excited about them. I ordered them from my friend Christy, who runs a little consignment shop right around the corner, and go tall three shirts for less than I had been able to get one big brother shirt from a shop I found downtown. I'm SUPER excited to see them done and on the boys!

In a few weeks, it could be any moment for him to get here; this is by far the worst part of pregnancy for me-just waiting for the big day to come.

Pregnancy Aches and Pains

So, I am there. I'm feeling done with being pregnant, as bad as that is for someone who has had a premature baby to feel.

Last night, my sciatic kept pinching on whatever pressure point our little Champ was providing and it HURT LIKE HELL. Nice, sharp, stabbing pains every so often in each hip are enough to drive one batty. Especially if one is trying to sleep. Sigh.

Today, I have been cleaning like crazy, and trying to get the boys over whatever gross nose/sneezing/cough thing they have. Ugh on both parts, because laundry was involved as well.

And even my usual list of somewhat enjoyable house chores (like mopping the floors or picking up toys-those are WAY higher on my list than laundry) where slow going an exhausting with the stupid sciatic nerve pinching. And are there two nerves? I'm feeling the pain in both hips-and even right now they are both super sore and feel like I got punched in them multiple times.

Sometimes walking now, I almost stumble from the pain of moving my hips/legs. Mostly my right is giving me trouble just walking around-and the stairs in our house aren't helping any. I don't remember having the pinching never pain as badly with the other two, but I have heard most symptoms-like varicose veins, stretch marks, swelling, heart burn and sciatic nerve pinches get stronger or occur more quickly with each pregnancy.

Someone needs to remind me of that fact when, 2 years from now I start talking about babies again....

Anyways, I think tonight is a pizza night. I'm going to go put my feet up and see if I can find some position that makes my hips feel better. And then not move until Bill gets home.

60 Days

There are only 60 days left til my due date! Yippie!

I am super excited and super nervous.

I can't wait to hold our little Champ and break out all my slings and see cute toothless smiles again.

But I do have to admit, before each birth I get a little nervous about the future.

Like, will I do OK as a mom to three boys?

What will it be like getting the baby seat back in the van? What is the best way to arrange all the carseats for quick in an out buckling of everyone?

I actually have been thinking about that a lot. I'm lucky that Little Dude's preschool offers a drop off lane, so I won't have to actually get Champ and JR AND Little Dude out of the car to drop off and pick up-BUT I will need to figure out how to situate the seats so Little Dude can easily get in and out, I can easily get to him, and yet still easily get everyone in and out. I am almost thinking baby seat in the very back-then too if I need to stop and nurse in the car, I can sit right in the back easily and be hidden by the seats and dark windows while the other two either entertain themselves or complain to be set free.

I know, completely weird of me to obsess over how to set up the car seats, but at any case, I see a few days of moving things around pre-Champ's arrival just so I know how I will want it.

Though, since Bill and I will probably bring Champ home in Bill's truck, while Little Dude and JR are at home with Grandma and Papa (and thus they will need the van, unless we decide to drive the van home with all the boys...hmmm) I guess I will just leave the car seat and base at home and then we can put it in whatever car we decide to come home from the hospital in.

So many decisions, haha!

Anyways, on a different note, my cramps have stopped, and I'm just ordered to not lift anything even remotely heavy, which I really need to take advantage of. Laundry is heavy, right? Should I be folding clothes in my condition? I think not...

So, thus far, everything is going great, I'm taking it easy, and even go out of having to help Bill with our taxes by coming down here to "work" (aka write this blog post).

And now, we are off to the park, to enjoy the lovely sunny weather!

Deliver Me

I'm right at 31 weeks...and up until Sunday I was feeling fantastic. Starting Saturday night, into all day Sunday though, I had cramps in my lower abs.

Nothing regular, and nothing quite like contractions, since my whole belly wasn't getting in on the action, but every so often, everything would clench up and it would feel like someone had stabbed me.

It went on ALL DAY.

Needless to say, by Sunday night, I felt like I had done 1000 crunches. Which isn't fair, since I had not done 1000 crunches.

Today I took it really easy and mostly just sat around doing work on the computer (which I REALLY needed to catch up on) and my stomach acted much more nicely to me. So far I have only have the pains come a few times.

I see the doctor tomorrow morning, so for sure I'll be talking to them about the pains I have been having and what they might mean.

I have to admit, I'm terrified of coming early again. Little Dude was only 2 weeks early, which was really nothing, but it was so very scary when JR ended up coming an entire month early. Now I'm right around 2 months away from my due date (April 13th), and I want so very badly to keep this little guy growing until the end of March. Even better-the beginning of April. I'm really nervous about it, even though I realize I should just do what I can, and then leave the rest to God.

It is just so hard to not worry about delivering early, especially now that I'm having all these weird cramps. We are so close to being done and I'm just crossing my fingers we can keep going.

Just for Kicks

Oh my goodness, I really can not believe it is February already! The time seriously has flown this pregnancy.

I still have so much to do to get ready, but on the flip side, we all free pretty ready.

We still don't have a name, but we DO have it narrowed down to two, so Bill and I have pretty much given up on picking one at this point and will probably just wait until we see him at the hospital before we can choose. Both are awesome names, in our opinion, so I think we cant go wrong with either one.

I still need to pack my bag. Yes, I realize it is kinda early to start worrying about that; however, I don't want another replay of JR's birthday, where everyone was gone, no bag was packed, and panicked calls to everyone that they were inducing me a month early....

So, yes, I have started gathering the stuff for my bag and getting it all packed (and including stuff for Bill to spend the night, too) just so there is no chance I'll be caught without it ready, should this guy come a month early, too.

I think the nursery is all ready.

We have the diapers all ready and washed (I cloth diaper) and the little clothes all folded.

I think even the boys are ready for their little brother-and for a fun overnight visit with Grandma and Papa. Little Dude and JR have been getting really excited about feeding and holding Champ, and I am crazy excited to get photos of the three of them all together.

Photos of the Champ Bump

So I finally got about a thousand photos off my camera. There were some on there from BEFORE Thanksgiving.....I should have never gotten the bigger memory card; it just makes me lazy about downloading (let alone printing) photos!

Anyways, without making you wait any longer, here are photos:

This one is from the beginning of November 2010, there is just a slight bump:

This one is From after Thanksgiving; clearly I ate well-the bump is much bigger here:

This is from the beginning of January 2011; ignore the dirty mirror. Clearly I have loved having all the holiday food around me while I wear stretchy pants:

Here is an awesome front one photo from the last week of January:

The belly, side view at the end of January 2011 (that is Emily petting Champ on her last day hanging out with us):

So, don't I look cute?  The best part is that NOW we can watch my belly move and roll around as the baby moves and kicks-it is really the coolest thing ever. Not much longer, only 72 days to my due date! Yay!

The Acid Reflux

There is one thing I don't enjoy about my pregnancies-acid reflux. I even have a more sinister type of acid reflux called "silent reflux". That means the acid actually comes up into my mouth, burns my throat, and causes damage to my voice box and whatever that little flap of skin is called that helps with your swallowing.

The damage I've had over my previous two pregnancies is/was BAD. I was at the point where I couldn't swallow, my throat just wouldn't work in unison to push food down. So it would it in my throat until so much saliva and acid build up that it would just come back up.

Not quite as gross as throwing up stomach contents, at least to me, but still, pretty gross. More really on the embarrassing side, because I never know when it might hit, and it has hit me a few times at the mall-once when I was out with my sister in law while I was pregnant with JR. I didn't make it to the bathroom and had to throw up in a trash can in the food court. I was completely mortified.

The good thing is that there is medicine I can take that controls it and has really made all my acid problems go away.

The bad thing is that you can't take it while you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Thus far in my pregnancy with Champ, I haven't had any problems. Until last night. Then I made the mistake of trying to eat some spicy sausage and I guess the spicy-ness set off my acid. I have been struggling to swallow since dinner last night and STILL can't keep anything down, even water.

And I am a bit anxious, which I have found makes it worse, because I am supposed to have lunch with a friend today.

If I can't get my throat to work by then, there is no way I can go eat in public and risk having to suddenly run to the bathroom.

Arg.

The Tummy

So I have about a zillion pictures on my camera, patiently waiting to be loaded onto my computer and then shared on here. Why must they wait there? Because I am lazy. The camera is upstairs in my bag; the computer is downstairs.

You can see how this is just a logistical problem.

Eventually, I will remember to grab the camera out of my bag and bring it downstairs with me.

Anyways, I have some super cute tummy pictures I want to share-or at least save in one spot for quick view by family and friends (and me!).

And when I say cute, I do mean it. I seriously have the cutest pregnant tummy in the entire world. No stretch marks, and perfect curvy-ness. Can you tell I love being pregnant? I do.

I absolutely love my body when I'm pregnant. I almost wish I could just have the big belly the whole entire time, because really, this is the most fun part for me.

I feel absolutely gorgeous and glamorous in pregnant clothes and I just love showing off the tummy. And I don't really feel quite that way when I'm not. I guess in a way, part of the adoration I have for my cute belly is the fact that all my curves and lumps are quite expected, natural, and considered so beautiful by everyone, myself included.

I'll have to work hard on keeping the body euphoria going, even after Champ comes, though I will probably do what I've done after the last two pregnancies and just go crazy making sure I work the weight off (breastfeeding helps like crazy) and then still poke and prod my lumpy belly with a sigh.

So, I have roughly 90 days left to enjoy the freedom of not sucking in, and walking with my belly proudly stuck out. And all the work I'll have to do after? Oh so totally worth it for the cute little guy I know is cooking in there.

I swear I'll get photos at some point. Eventually.

On Being Pregnant a Third Time

Even with varicose vein troubles with this one, and acid reflux problems with the previous two, I have to report the third pregnancy has been my favorite so far.

Why?

For one, I'm no longer a "new" mom. I'm sorta a "pro" at this point. Little unknowns,like "how will I remember to feed the baby at night???" Don't have me worried like I did back as a new mom to be, pregnant with my first son.

I have come to realize that the baby WILL let me know what it needs.

Having a second child enabled me to realize that I can't break the baby. And it is OK if he eats a cheerio off the floor. That was certainly something I would have swooned over with my first, by with the second, I would shrug and go, well, the germs will make him stronger....and at least he isn't crying.

With the THIRD boy on the way, I have to say, I feel completely relaxed about it. A sorta "I got this" kinda of sentiment. Sure, I know three is way more outnumbering to me than two, but on the flip side, the two have each other to play with, and unlike when I went from one to two, I already know what a shock the whole juggling thing will be. In fact, I do really anticipate the juggling act to be a bit easier with the third, just because the other two do play and entertain each other so very well.

When Little Dude was not yet two, we had JR, and let me just TELL you how much of a shock that was, so suddenly juggle entertaining a VERY active Toddler (that couldn't talk yet either) and a very fussy preemie. OMG is all I have to say to that. And thank GOD (and Fisher Price) for this swing.

But now, with Little Dude being 4 1/2 and JR being almost 3 when Champ gets here, I really do have a calmness about it that I certainly did NOT have with my other two. I could sum up the last trimester of my other two pregnancies as a "bundle of nervousness" , but this one, so far, I still just feel excited to hold a little baby again, and in a way, I am looking forward to the midnight feedings.

Perhaps because I know they will be gone all too quickly, and this will probably be last time to experience them.

It's A .......

BOY!!!

We found out a few weeks ago that we are going to have a third son here soon!! I have been so busy I haven't had a chance to get on here an update.

We are super duper excited and it is SO FUN to pull out all the itty-bitty baby boy clothes and remember all the things the other two did in them-and wonder about what this new little guy will do in them!

I have to admit, at first I was a bit bummed it wasn't a girl-this pregnancy has been SO DIFFERENT from the other two, that I think I just had it in my head that it was a girl, so the ultrasound was a bit of a shock.

All the Men (little and big) are SO EXCITED for another guy to play with, and I have to admit, it is SO nice to know what to expect. Been there, done that, I think I know how to handle a boy-and from what I've been told, I seem to do a pretty great job of raising boys, thus far at least.

ALSO-I found THE PERFECT little boy outfit for this guy and snatched it right up, so I am pretty happy. Pictures of his new outfit to come in about 5 months! Whoo hoo!.

So, boy it is, my three sons. I see lots of football, baseball, and soccer in my future. And, if I'm lucky, maybe I can get one of them to be in band! That would be SO awesome.


And Bill has said I must come up with another blog name for "pumpkin" as that is just not manly enough. Pumpkin has kind of grown on me though, so we will see :)

Getting To Know You

I'm 18 weeks, exactly today, and tomorrow we find out if a little boy or a little girl is growing and kicking inside me.

I'm terribly excited and CAN.NOT.WAIT. to find out.

But on the flip side, I am a little sad, because I know today will be the last day of our "wondering" what if it is a boy, maybe we will do...or what if it is a girl, we will do this....

I feel the little kicks, the little flutterings and I want SO badly to know who it is growing inside me.

But on the flip side, I can't believe I'm already about halfway done. I want to slow down time and hang onto these last few moments of "early" pregnancy. The unknown, the excitement of counting down the days to knowing.

Time just seems to be going too quickly for me, and perhaps because it seems that the holidays get promoted earlier and earlier every year, and that just seems to coincide with my pregnancy going by so quickly this time around, unlike my other two.

Or perhaps it is because this will most likely be our last pregnancy.

And I'm just a basket of tears lately; finding the silliest things to cry about. I cried thinking about not watching Emily anymore when the baby comes, I cried during Toy Story 3 like no other. I mean, heck, I'm crying over the fact that I find out tomorrow what the baby is...even though there is no way I wouldn't want to find out. I know, I'm crazy.

Anyways, today I'm 18 weeks, and I don't know who is baking inside me. Tomorrow I'll be 18 weeks and one day, and I'll know who is going to be here in April. And I'll finally be able to go through the increasing piles of baby clothes and things that have taken over the nursery.

We Felt The Baby Kick

On the 27th of October, I felt the first, huge KICK from Pumpkin. It was right in the middle of dinner, and seriously I about jumped out of my skin; I just wasn't expecting to get smacked on the inside at that moment.

But now, the few kicks and pushes that have come are not quite the surprise, since I am now aware Pumpkin is big enough and strong enough to say hi.

I need to start taking photos of my belly each week; I'm at 17 now and just starting to really show a baby bump-which is nice, since now I don't just feel fat with my jeans not wanting to zip. I've broken out the maternity items early-really as soon as my jeans got snug. No messing with rubber bands and do hickeys to make my pants last longer-I figure I'll have to buy (or bought) maternity pants, so I might as well get some good use out of them.

For being super short, I did get a treat from my super hubby in the form of TWO pairs of short maternity jeans from Motherhood. They are divine and fit my leg length perfectly. Love. Really.

And I have a nice group of mom friends who are letting me borrow/have winter maternity clothes, since both of my other pregnancies were in the summer. Love them, too.

Those are all the updates for now. The countdown is on to blue or pink day-we go in on the 11th to find out and seriously, I don't know how people wait til delivery day to find out. I think I am going to pee myself with excitement and anticipation and I still have 8 WHOLE DAYS we have to wait. Sigh.

I Lost My Domain

I've been gone for awhile, even though I had said I was going to keep everyone updated more often.

Why the absence? Well, any of you reading this now have come to realize my old url, the most awesome, alliteration happy Coordinated Chaos dot com is no longer functioning, and it is all to my own silly self to blame.

So now I am located here: www.coordiantedchaosblog.blogspot.com, which I feel is just way to long and not as fun, but I didn't want to use my last name (I feel weird sharing too much info about my family on the internet) and the default blogspot url was my last name at blogspot dot com. And coordinatedchaos.blogspot.com was already taken, much to my dismay.

I changed my defualt url quickly, and then set about trying to update all my ads, sponsors, family, and of course, you, my awesome friends and readers, so I wouldn't lose touch with anyone.

So how did this happen? I neglected to realize my domain renewal was up, until the domain had been sold. I last renewed my custom domain back in 2007, and it completely slipped my mind that it was coming up this fall to renew again. Then my blog went down last week, for which I posted many a pleas for help in the blogger forum, and could not figure out what in the world was going on.Then, my url started going to godaddy.com. So I called them to find out what was up, and found out my url had JUST been sold that same day to someone.

Oh sigh.

So, no more custom domain for me, and I tried to rationalize how this is good, since it means I now have $10 I can spend at Target instead, but I only got an eye roll from my husband...

Anyways, I'm annoyed at myself for not being more on top of everything, but in the long run, it isn't a huge deal.

After all, this blog was started to update friends and family while we lived far away after the birth of our first child. (Yea, we moved 4 days after giving birth)and then it continued when we moved, yet again, after the birth of our second son. In the last 3 years I felt pretty accomplished; meeting lots of moms, getting to do product reviews, having the chance to do MomTalk radio appearances, and participating in mom forums and being part of a mom test group for Wal-Mart, Avon, and more.

So, losing my domain, after putting all the time in, was quite upsetting, but you know, I'm pretty used to moves coming with each kid, so perhaps, this will be the only move we have to do with baby number 3? And if that is the case, then I say piece of cake.

And on that note, I am going to get something to eat, because I'm pregnant, and typing the word cake, made me really want the cheesecake yogurt I have in the fridge. Pregnancy is awesome that way.

So I Walked Into The OB's Office

Last week I had a heartbeat checkup for Pumpkin. Exciting, but not quite as exciting as the other visits, since we didn't get any pictures of the baby. Our next appointment we find out if Pumpkin will be wearing blue or pink-squeal!! So, yea, this one, while fun to hear the heart, the actual visit with the doc. was super short, and more of a circus.

Oh, OB visit and circus don't automatically seem to go together? Oh but they DO, that is, IF you are pregnant, and go to your doctor toting 3 kids between the ages of 4 and 2. That in and of itself is enough to scare all the ladies there getting refills on their birth control.

But the REAL fun, is, if, let us say, the moment you get in the office and go to sign in, one kid starts to LICK the walls like she hasn't eaten in years, another starts rolling on the floor and the other declares very loudly that he has to PEE NOW-also doing the typical potty dance in a very exaggerated form.

Did I mention we had JUST walked in the door? And we had all eaten, peed, and done all that fun stuff RIGHT before the left the house to go to said doctor?

So, that, my friends, is how you scare all the pregnant ladies at the OB office and officially turn your group (I like entourage) into a traveling circus.

I am quite certain I will be the topic of discussion at many dinner tables, and many smug first time mama's-to-be will be declaring that THEIR child will never behave in such ways.

Trust me, I was was there 4 years ago.

And in 4 years, they too will realize, sometimes kids just do what kids do best:

Be sweet, silly, crazy, unpredictable even in predictable moments, able to humble confident parents, fun kids.