40 weeks...and counting

My belly and I on my due date on Saturday. Please forgive me for wearing the same tank in every single picture I take. It's just so stretchy! And comfy! And some other things I have look mu-muish now, so I'd rather not wear them. I wanted to make sure I got a few shots of my belly before it went away, and it looks like I didn't need to worry. It's now Tuesday and no signs of baby yet. People always comment how I'm all baby, and marvel at how narrow, long and pointy my belly is. I think it looks much more normal than some of my other pregnancies, when it really did look like one of those super long watermelons stuffed under my shirt. My favorite is when I'm shopping and someone says something to me, I turn around, and they react with a "Woah, I didn't even realize you were pregnant" while putting their hand out. It's like I smacked them in the face with my belly or something. Not sure what I'm supposed to look like from the back, but I guess you can't tell I'm pregnant until I swing myself around. :)

I'm trying to be patient, and sometimes I'm glad to have extra time to get some things done or to relax a little, and other times I just feel completely miserable and feel sorry for myself. I've tried to stay really active and busy because I'm one of those deadline-oriented people, and once this deadline passes, I won't have half the motivation to get things done that I have now. This last week I cleaned all the downstairs blinds, washed every window inside and out, hosed off the screens, weeded and cleaned up the yard, planted our garden, cleaned the fridge, ironed a huge basket of clothes that's been sitting around, tried lots of new recipes, worked on the baby room, watched a couple more documentaries (I highly recommend The Business of Birthing on Netflix), and did lots of shopping. I thought I was going to die walking around the mall the day before I was due, but I got what I needed, survived, and this baby stayed in. So when I look at it that way, I'm glad I haven't had the baby yet. And whoever's been calling or texting, no news...is no news. :) Trust me, I'm not keeping secrets over here.

xoxo,
Tanya

She's on fire

Soccer season is officially over. Mila had her last game on Saturday, and Ben had his the weekend before that. I'm looking forward to slower evenings at home, and with only seven more days of school left, we will be home a lot more. Less driving, less interrupted dinner prep, less piling kids in the car over and over again.

Mila loves soccer, and has enjoyed every minute of it. She seems like she's had years more practice than some of the other girls, but it's only her second season. I just think she's a natural (forgive me, I'm bragging; okay, I'm not sorry). I have to explain to other parents sometimes that no, she's not older, and no, she hasn't been playing forever. She's just kind of crazy. I swear, when she kicks, the other girls better watch out. She has no fear of taking another girl down while she's trying to get the ball away. And her kicks are powerful. Good thing they all have shin guards. It's nice that she has a sport she loves and is good at, and it doesn't hurt that her best friend is on her team, either. So far we've had a good experience with soccer.

This is the usual scene. B on the phone, Ben hanging out or shooting hoops nearby, and Olivia running around with her bestie, ignoring me when I tell her she can't go too far away from us.

xoxo,
Tanya

They are our world

These kids of ours have grown so much this past year in their short little lives, and I can't seem to keep up. I am surprised sometimes at how independent each of them has become, and it's been a nice break for me for sure. They can basically take care of themselves, from getting cereal in the morning to brushing their hair to getting dressed for bed. They can get their own jar of water, paint, and paintbrush when they want to paint. They get their yogurt by themselves and open it. Seems trivial, but it makes such a difference in my day. I can always send someone to get me something, and they are eager to help. I hope each of them become strong, intelligent, driven people with soft, caring hearts and a desire to please God in all they do. These kids are our world.


Mila seems to need my hugs and smiles more than the other two these days. She loves to walk up to me and put her arm around me or touch faces at random times during the day. She is getting so tall so fast. She loves her long hair and endures the pain when I brush it because she won't cut it. I've never once said that long hair is better than short, but she knows what she wants. :) She loves her friends and doesn't like to be alone much. She has lost eight teeth and every time she loses one, the new tooth is already out in a day or two. I've had to put a lot of fives under her pillow lately. She ate one of her teeth at dinner one night, and we always laugh about it. She has a cross bite that will need a spacer and braces in a year, and she's actually looking forward to it. Mila is my tomboy, and she is so good at sports--so coordinated, powerful, and competitive. She doesn't mind playing with boys. She's excited to start gymnastics, hopefully this fall. She makes beautiful art, and everything has to be super colorful, just like I used to do. She looks the most like B but acts the most like me. She feels things strongly and cries from frustration or when she's exhausted (just like me). She is reading like a pro and doing so well in kindergarten. She worries too much, and tries to remind me where we have to be at what time. She does chores without me asking, and loves to be helpful. I love that girl.

I'm kind of shocked that Ben will be ten this summer. It doesn't quite seem real that that much time has gone by since I became a mother. I experience every part of motherhood for the first time with Ben, and B and I always have talks about how to handle this or that situation with him. That's why I think it's hard to be the firstborn, because sometimes we expect too much. Ben loves to walk or ride something to school. He is such a good student, and does awesome, except he's always been too chatty. :) Every teacher says that about him. I love that his current teacher is so lighthearted, and just says that being social is not the worst thing in the world to be. He loves to play with his friends, ride his longboard around the neighborhood, and is obsessed with origami. He will sit for hours watching youtube videos and making things. He always has to show me what he made so I can praise him. He also loves shows where they build things and experiment with them or show how something is made. That's how I can tell he's going to be an amazing builder or designer someday. He has so much energy and zest for life, and loves telling me about things they're doing in school like tie dye tshirts or a special field trip for those who ran 50 miles or more in their school running club. Ben is one of only 25 kids to have done that this year. Ben hates doing his hair and tries to skip out on brushing his teeth on the weekends. And he leaves his underwear everywhere and forgets to take a towel with him when he showers. Such a boy. He would wear one of his two Under Armour sweatshirts every day if I let him and is always trying to dress sporty. And I'm always trying to get him to be more stylish. Ben is so tall and skinny that I have the hardest time dressing him. Gap has been our salvation with their long jeans in slim sizes. I love that boy.

Olivia is still my baby. She loves to be one, so it's a good fit. B and I always laugh about Olivia and share stories about how slow she is. Ever since she was born, you could not rush this child. From the time she started talking, she would be telling everyone to wait. Wait for her to tell a story, wait for her because she's the last one to put her shoes on, wait for her because she's not done with her last activity. Her stories are all two hours long, with every detail intact. She won't let you rush her when she talks, and she talks so much these days. Everything needs to be said. :) Meals are stressful because she just sits there and forgets to eat. When we say, "Put some food in your mouth, right now" she just yells "Okaaay!" and takes 10 seconds to pick up her fork and another 30 to actually get the food to her mouth. So frustrating and funny at the same time. Sometimes we forget she's still at the table when we've all left, and half an hour later, she calls out, "Can I be done now?" She loves cartoons and dances along to the ballerinas or rock stars on her shows. She needs to be in ballet stat. Olivia is a performer, with her dance moves and curtsying and graceful hand gestures. She likes to be silly and likes when we laugh at her. She is so good at copying what Mila and Ben do and completely fits in with whatever they're doing. I'm in trouble if there's no drawing pad or notebook in the car or at church because she just can't handle it without constantly drawing her little stick figures. Olivia has the best natural highlights I have ever seen, and she's the blondest in our family. She really wants her hair short and I keep trying to talk her out of it because it's finally nice and long. I love that girl.

xoxo,
Tanya

Today I made magic cake

I found this recipe on Pinterest yesterday, and it's actually from this blog. You can find the recipe there. Since I've been wanting to bake something in keeping with my goal of doing something artsy/creative every day this week, today was the day. The ingredients are so simple, and I had everything on hand. 

It's called magic cake because you actually only make one layer, and it separates into three distinct layers as it bakes. Amazing, right? I've baked plenty of things in my day, but I never knew this was possible! I was worried my top layer would deflate since I noticed other people were having that problem, but I am proud to say that my top layer is as fluffy as can be! There is also a chocolate version, which I'm definitely trying next.

The cake was delicious, with a cakey layer on top, a custard layer in the middle, and a denser custard on the bottom. It is a perfect cake to impress dinner guests with, but I have to say my kids didn't love it. Two of the three little critics ate it, but they weren't raving about it. I think it's more of an adult taste because kids just want a crumby cake with some sweet frosting, and chocolate makes it even better, and this cake is not that. I personally loved it, however.

xoxo,
Tanya

Gold Leafed Paper-Mache Bowl DIY

This was my big project for the week, and it seriously did take all week long to complete! I finished my paper-mache bowl today, so perfect timing on my part, since I'm due tomorrow and all. I think I will always remember my last week of pregnancy and trying to stay busy while waiting for this baby when I look at this  bowl.

I saw the DIY instructions on Kelly Murray's blog, and since it looked easy enough and oh-so-beautiful, I thought I'd give it a go. It was more complicated and involved than it looked, but I always run into that problem with projects. Everything looks easy until you start doing it. Considering it was my first time using Mod Podge and gold leaf, I actually did pretty well and my bowl turned out just as pretty as I had hoped. It's actually much bigger than I thought it would be, but I don't mind. I definitely want to make more of these in the future and give some as gifts, but I will definitely be buying smaller balloons to make smaller bowls.

Step One:  Cut newspaper into strips. Blow up a balloon, place upside down in something stable, like a bowl, and start brushing Mod Podge on each strip of newspaper and adding to the balloon. Be generous with your layers of newspaper. My layers turned out too thick in one area and really thin in another, so next time I need to regulate that better. Let dry overnight.

Step Two: Pop the balloon and cut your bowl down to the size you want. Place on a flat surface so the bowl finds its balancing point and cut bits off until you get an even bowl. Eyeballing it works perfectly here.

Step Three: Paint your bowl with acrylic paint. This step took the longest for me because I painted either the inside or the outside at one time, and the paint wasn't covering the newspaper well so I seriously had to do 4-5 layers of paint per side. It may be that I was using a foam brush instead of a bristle brush.

Step Four: I wanted dots on my bowl just like Kelly's, so I stopped by Office Depot and got myself a pack. After sticking those on, brush on a very thin layer of gold leaf adhesive (called size).

Step Five: Start putting your gold leaf on, overlapping whenever necessary to cover all the adhesive. It will not be perfect, so don't worry if it gets a little messy. You can see I have some small white spots showing through, and I'm okay with that. Take your dot stickers off with an exacto knife (this part was tricky, and some dots got too wet and only the top layer would lift while the sticky layer stayed on--oy!).

Step Six: Flatten all your bits of gold leaf and spray lightly with gold leaf sealer. Now you have a beautiful bowl for jewelry, keys, loose change, pine cones, rocks--whatever your heart desires!

This project was pretty spendy at about $35 for all the supplies, mostly because of the gold leaf, but I have plenty of supplies left over for more bowls. The biggest investment is time.

xoxo, 

Tanya

Wisdom

Sometimes things come to us easily. There are things we are naturally good at, instinctively know how to do, and we don't think twice about them. Then there are things that take so much effort, seem to come so slowly, and take so much determination that we wonder if it's ever going to work out. We wonder if maybe we just aren't supposed to have that life or accomplish that goal. But those thoughts are lies, because I believe with all my heart that we are meant to be happy, that the dreams God has planted in our hearts are meant to be there. They are meant to be accomplished and experienced. Many times we are our own worst enemies, and we reap the consequences of bad choices and bad behaviors. Sometimes it takes a long, long time to get where we're going, but all that matters is that we get there in the end.

I've been thinking lately about how difficult some things have come to me in my life, and specifically how B and I have struggled to figure out how to build our family. I always wanted four kids, but we thought we were done with three. We were faced with many challenges that all seemed to point away from growing our family. My health was the biggest factor, with my arthritis and my pelvic and back pain taking years to resolve, followed by plenty of financial issues, and I felt I was stretched to the limit and couldn't handle one more anyway. Time went by and things didn't change like we would have wanted, so it seemed our decision was made for us. I always said I wanted all my kids close in age, and I was this close to being able to get a job and do something outside the home. I thought God was simply telling us no.

It seemed I had to let go of the dream in my mind, and I thought I had. I was kind of bitter that our circumstances made the decision for us, that we didn't have the freedom to decide for ourselves, but I figured sometimes life is like that. Then came a day when I realized that though things are less than perfect, and we are still dealing with those same issues even today, I wanted another baby. I have always believed you can make anything happen if you try hard enough or want it badly enough, and though that has been tested over and over through the years, I still believe it.

If everything came to us quickly and easily, we wouldn't know the satisfaction of enduring a struggle and coming out the other end. It's only when we go through hard things that we can appreciate the good things--the blessings and the easy victories.

This baby is going to be with us any day now, and she is going to be such a blessing in our lives. I've had nine months to prepare, but I still can't believe that it's really happening, and to me! I get giddy inside thinking about doing the mom thing all over again with another little person that God gives us. It's been five years since Olivia was born, and in many ways I feel like we're doing this for the first time. It's definitely going to be an adventure. But I know from experience that those first few months fly right by, and I know to soak up every minute of it. And I'm an expert at changing diapers, so there's that. Also, I have built-in babysitters, which will be amazing!

God has been good through all of it, and going through all the back and forth, back and forth over the years has taught me that sometimes I need to see things differently and let go of the picture in my mind of how things are supposed to be or are supposed to happen. I'm so glad we decided to go for it, and that God opened my eyes to see things differently. There are many things in life that we can't control, but that doesn't mean we give up. We adjust our sails and keep sailing. It didn't happen my way, but it's happening anyway, and I can't wait! Hurry up, baby!

xoxo,
Tanya

Easter really happened, I swear

My belly at 33 weeks was so little, though I felt huge at the time. Now I know for sure I was little, because I'm huge right now!

I missed posting Easter pictures on here, and I just can't let it go, so I'll do a little recap. After all, these kids were so excited for Easter, and they definitely had a good one. I made sure to talk to them whenever Easter came up that the holiday celebrates the day Jesus died for us and thus allowed us to have eternal life with him in heaven. Very different from chicks, eggs, and bunnies. And nothing to do with candy. I think it's so important for kids to know the real reason for doing something, no matter what it is.

We did a neighborhood egg hunt Saturday morning, then headed over to my parents' house for another hunt and dinner later that afternoon. Dinner at my parents' house never disappoints, so everyone was happy at the end of it all, adults and kids alike. The next day on Easter, the kids recited their little Easter poems that they memorized, sang their songs, and looked so good in their Easter clothes while doing it. :)

Christ has risen! He has done everything that needs to be done in order to save us from our sins. When I stop to really think about that, I am overcome by gratitude. We are saved not by the good lives we lead or the good things we do, because those things are never enough. We are saved by grace, and only grace. Such good news.

xoxo, 

Tanya

Thoughts on a Monday

This weekend was full of ups and downs, and left me feeling confused and a little disoriented. It was good, don't get me wrong, but we had a few unexpected things happen on Saturday that just cast a haze over the whole weekend for us. Saturday also involved two soccer games, only one of which I attended because the heat was just too much for me in my pregnant state. I actually got a sunburn on my shoulders from Mila's game, which I didn't expect. But I get a sunburn every year at the beginning of the season because I don't realize how easily I'll burn.

We tried to blow up the inflatable pool in the backyard, but it looks like the pool got a couple holes while being stored in the garage, so while B took Ben to his last soccer game of the season, I got out two big tubs that we usually keep toys in, filled them up with water in the driveway, and Mila and Olivia spent hours playing in them. They even had a water gun fight with some neighbor boys. They enjoyed being in their swimsuits, and I stayed inside and had some nice quiet time to myself. I am finally not feeling guilty that I'm not getting something done at any given moment in time, and am taking some time to relax before this baby comes. I just don't have the energy for it all anymore, and all I want above anything else is to go to the hospital and meet. this. baby! The birthing part still makes me nervous, but I love how you get so uncomfortable at the end that labor seems like a good idea all of a sudden.

I haven't mentioned this before, but I have been getting my blood drawn every four weeks at my OB checkups because my platelet count is low, and it has been dipping lower and lower at each checkup. The number it's at now is making me nervous, but there's nothing they can do about it except be prepared. It just basically means I could bleed out easier than the average person because my body could have a harder time clotting and stopping blood flow. I would sooo appreciate prayers about this, and I am just going to trust God that He's in control and He will take care of me.

We ended Saturday by getting our favorite pizza at Louie's--half pizza margherita (my favorite) and half pizza pollo Toscana (B's favorite)--and getting our moms gifts and flowers. I just love Saturdays and getting to have fun all day and get things done with my other half by my side. Everything is funner when we're doing it together.

On Sunday I had a huge breakfast in bed, and opened all the sweet handmade gifts the kids had made for me. They love making things for me, and I love that they know how much I treasure things their two little hands have made. Then the family went off to church while I stayed home and had some quiet time by myself. I made handmade cards for our moms and my sister, wrapped their gifts, and wrapped their flowers up all pretty in tissue paper and ribbon (I forgot to get pictures--dang it), and we all headed off for lunch with my parents, my in-laws, and my sister and her family. We spent the evening at home, and B made me take a walk with him and the kids that I really didn't want to go on. He really wants to get this baby out of me. It was pretty torturous and sweaty, and my back and stomach hurt with each step, but it failed to get this baby out. It seems like it's never going to happen!

A few recent items to note:

•  I was at a BBQ at my sister-in-laws on Friday when I started getting contractions, so I went home early because they were getting more and more painful. I thought for sure it was time to head to the hospital, and I called B to come home from work asap because this was it. By the time I showered, however, and he came home, the contractions had subsided. It was about two solid hours of contractions, and then...gone. So disappointing. I love that B was really disappointed, though. It was cute that he was excited to meet our baby. :)
• I am so emotional these days, I can't wait to feel like myself again. B and I had a fight because of lunch plans on Friday and I was sooo upset all day until we figured it out that evening. I feel like I'm being way too clingy and needy, and I definitely don't want to be that person.
• Our kids love to be the one to pray out loud over our food when we eat, especially Olivia. That's just her thing. And they love it so much, even though it's always the same few words. It's kind of cute and not cute at the same time, because it causes a fight before every meal.
• Olivia has been so affectionate lately, and has been kissing my hand, or my thigh, or whatever she can reach at random times. Perfect timing for Mother's Day.
• My house is completely purged and free of all clutter, which I am loving. It hasn't felt this clean and organized since we moved in 7 years ago, and we only have what we need. Now to keep it that way. I have realized I need to live with less, and it will actually make me happier.
• I have been reading so much lately. It's really destressing for me, and it relaxes me and helps me sleep--all good things. I finished one book since War and Peace already and am working on my third book of the year (my goal is 12 a year). I'm excited about all the downtime I will have while feeding the baby because I get to catch up on my magazines, books, and blogs.
• I fit into maybe 4 shirts and 2 pairs of jeans (all my skirts are too tight in the waist), so I will be so glad to be able to wear normal clothes again. I need a bit more variety in my life, and I miss dressing for fun.
• A good friend is in Europe right now for a month, and my sister will be leaving to Hawaii soon for several weeks. I am definitely not in a place to go anywhere right now, but I'm still jealous.
• Ben is an origami addict, and he basically knows how to make anything you want. He is always on the computer or on some phone app making something.
• B and I are really wanting to do a juice cleanse after seeing Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead last night. We have been watching food documentaries on Netflix lately, and they have really changed our outlook on the way we eat. Food Matters and Hungry for Change are the other two we've seen.

The Paint by Numbers above is something I started probably two years ago now, and I finally sat down and thoroughly enjoyed finishing it today! Now that a lot of really pressing things are off my to-do list, I find that I can do some more creative things with my time. So, in that spirit, I want to do something fun/diy every day this week, whether for myself or with my kids. It will definitely help me keep my mind off this baby...

xoxo,
Tanya

My heart is full this morning

I am feeling especially grateful for my wonderful husband this morning, and I'm getting teary just thinking about it. I get teary just thinking about tears these days, I'm not kidding, but I really am grateful for my husband today. B saw that I was having an especially rough morning, after I called out from the girls' room to get up and help his pregnant wife out. He could tell by my voice I wasn't messing around today, and he jumped out of bed, made breakfast for the kids, and even washed the full sink of dishes before heading out the door. He also instructed me to sit on the couch and hang out this morning. :) If there's one thing he hates, it's getting up in the morning.  And I hate getting him up. It puts me in a bad mood a lot because I have to nag and nag, and he will still sneak into someone else's bed after I made him get out of ours and keep sleeping. Well, he knew I had had it today, and jumped up and got to work. Ha ha! 

I've been having really tough mornings the past two weeks, probably due to the baby dropping down even lower on my already painful pelvis. I just can't get out of bed, and when I sit up from a laying position and the baby drops into place, my stomach hurts until it adjusts to bearing the weight again. And dressing the kids, every move is so painful in my hips. I hate getting down on the floor to help Olivia dress and then back up to reach some clothes in the closet, then back down, etc. It's kind of torturous. 

Today was pretty brutal because I spent a good chunk of time cleaning the house yesterday because our carpets were going to be cleaned. That meant picking up some heavy things, washing the floor on my hands and knees to get it spotless, and moving the couch back to the living room on my own because B was working late into the night. (I needed that couch because I had a rented movie I wanted to watch and I hate falling asleep in bed without him. So I just fall asleep on the couch and he wakes me when he gets home.) I woke up today with painfully swollen feet AND hands, I could barely walk, and I was CRANKY.

There are times where I complain to him that he doesn't do this or that, or that he's never home to provide support and an extra pair of hands when I can't keep up with the daily chores and activities, but when I step back and look at the big picture, I am so grateful. I realize I am a blessed woman. B has really stepped up his game this last year in our marriage, and he starts tasks without me even telling him what to do anymore. He has become much more aware of the things necessary to be done for this household to run smoothly, and he just does them. He knows how happy it makes me when something that has been on my mind for weeks (or months) gets done--it's the best feeling in the world for me. I can see how much he just wants to make me happy, and I fall a little more in love with him each time. Thank you, God, for my hard-working husband!

So today had a rough start, some tears, and I already spilled Pero on the freshly-cleaned carpet and on every coloring book we own, and I ate candy for breakfast, but the day is set to be a warm one, and the birds chirping outside are doing wonders for my soul. I may just bring out the inflatable pool and give it a good scrub (too lazy last year to do that before packing it up for the season) and let the kids enjoy some water today. I think they'd be in heaven. And hopefully I can work on the baby room and hang a few prints around the house. It's a good day when I can check one or two things off my before-baby-arrives to-do list. And there are still plenty of things on that list, so I guess it's a good thing I haven't had this baby yet.

xoxo, 

Tanya

Things I'm loving

Today I'm sharing some products that have caught my eye lately. My favorites are the first three--the beautiful vessels, the market basket, and the tea towel. All gorgeous. I would love one of those vessels on the mantle--I can just tell I would love that thing forever. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 / No. 4 / No. 5 / No. 6 / No. 7 / No. 8 / No. 9 / No. 10

April on my phone

1. Found my crew playing basketball when I woke from a nap. 2. Except her, who was enjoying the playground. 3. Pita bread was a success! 4. Delicious king's cake from Natasha's Kitchen. 5 & 6. Shaving cream fun. 7. Mila's favorite jeans. That girl loves jeans, just like me. 8. Baby in the bassinet. 9. Blue skies 10. Soccer practice 11. Table settting 12. Brunch with friends 13. Dinner 14. French toast and strawberries 15. New hedgehogs at our house. 16. Park 17. I finished War and Peace!! 18. Burgers 19. Croque madame--the best. 20. Girls' breakfast 21. Weekending with my other half. 22. Lots of doctor visits lately.

This month was a good one, with lots of fun outdoors and some fun indoors as well. We've had beautiful weather, and it's only getting better. The forecast says we'll hit the 90s on Saturday. I had a lot of energy in April still (so much has changed since then), and my belly wasn't big enough yet to really weigh me down, so it was a good month to get lots done around the house. I kind of feel like I'm moving, except everything I organize and weed through gets put back on the shelves instead of in boxes. It feels like I'm getting a fresh start in my life in a lot of ways, and without going into too much detail about it all, I'm happy with the changes I'm seeing. My sister and I finally had our garage sale this past weekend, and though it was pretty hard on me to get things ready for it at 38 weeks pregnant, I'm so glad to be rid of all the clutter, and I made some good money too.

We are at soccer practice four nights a  week these days, which makes it that much harder to get dinner on the table in a timely manner. That has always been my struggle. Evenings tend to fly by, and before I know it it's time to eat, not time to start cooking. I am constantly working on this, but I'm also looking forward to the end of the soccer season so my evenings are freer. Ben's last game is this Saturday and Mila's is the one after that. Which is also my due date, so I don't know if I'm going to be there or not. :( I missed out on a fun field trip Ben took to the state penitentiary and a museum, and I'm going to miss his 4th grade rendezvous field trip as well because it's the day before I'm due. I did rendezvous in 4th grade when we just moved to Idaho, and I would love to see his version of it. It was so fun! I am also not up for going to the zoo with Olivia's class next week, which makes me sad. I've just not been involved in her class or Mila's kindergarten class as much as I was last year with Mila in preschool, and next year isn't going to be any better in that regard. I will definitely be busy at home!

I have had constant contractions for the last couple days and my doctor told me yesterday that my cervix is ready, we're just waiting on contractions to get things going. I'm usually late going into labor, but I'm thinking maybe this time I will be a bit earlier. The contractions are just so constant and never stop anymore, day or night, that I'm thinking something might be up. I'm finishing packing my hospital bag today and going to try to get some things done around the house just in case.

xoxo,
Tanya