Catching Up

I need to do some blog catching up.  First off, I thought I would write something about this strange pregnancy I am having.  This pregnancy has been unlike either of my other pregnancies.

1.  I have the mask of pregnancy.  I have little freckles and brown spots all along my hair line.  That is completely new for me.

2.  My blood sugar was borderline and so I have been put on the diabetic diet.

3.  I was anemic and so I am taking iron supplements.

4.  I have only gained like 14 lbs and the last two appointments I have actually lost weight.

5.  I went into preterm labor which isn't unusual for me, but I was put on bed rest and Terb to keep the contractions under control.  I have never done that before.

6.  I have been contracting pretty much constantly for months.  I have never had false labor before and so this is very confusing for me.

7.  I have been to the hospital way too many times.  I went in over a month ago for preterm labor and was given a shot.  Then Sunday I went in because I thought I was in labor.  In Relief Society I was contracting every 2 to 3 minutes and I really don't want to have the baby in the car (almost did that with Avalon), so I am overly cautious and went to the hospital and they gave me a shot.  Monday morning, I thought my water had broken and we went to the hospital.  Turns out that the baby had just kicked me really hard in the bladder, I guess.

Well, I was put on bed rest almost two weeks ago.    Luckily, my mother-in-law Sharon was nice enough to come down and take care of the kids and me, while I was down.  Then last Wednesday I was taken off of bed rest because I was almost 36 weeks and at 36 weeks it is okay if the baby comes.  I have been feeling pretty rough and contracting a lot.  Though after two false scares, I think the baby is going to stay in here full term.  That will be a change for me.  Sterling was born at 34 weeks and Avalon at 36 weeks.  To say the least I am feeling way overdue.

In other news, we have had a really fun time with Sharon.  The kids have gone on treasure hunts and long walks.  They have gone shopping and planted a little garden and all sorts of things.  We even went swimming a couple of times.

Sharon and Sterling have been going on treasure hunts. Sterling is becoming a hoarder/junk collector. Here is Sterling in his treasure hunting outfit.

Every morning Avalon has Sharon do her hair.

In news about the kids,  Sterling has been telling Sharon everything.  When Sharon first got here, she started spring cleaning my house (wonderful, huh?).  She told Sterling that they were going to clean his room and he told her that we don't clean upstairs (embarrassing, right?).  Then they started cleaning the fabric on our dining chairs and Sterling asked Sharon why?  Sharon told him it was so that we didn't have dirty bums while we ate.  Sterling told her that we always have dirty bums.  According to Sharon, Sterling tells her everything.  I can only imagine. 

The other day Sharon told Sterling that they could do whatever he wanted that day.  First he wanted to do a treasure hunt.  Then he told her he wanted to go to a store.  The store he chose Walgreens.  He said that we go there after he is asleep and he never gets to go.  I have no idea what he was talking about, but apparently Walgreens was all he imagined it to be.

Sterling has started dressing himself.  He has all of the planets memorized and can name them.  He was the reverence child in church and did a great job.  He is growing up.

Avalon has developed a temper and attitude.  She tells me "no" and "no way, mommy" all of the time.  Here is her angry face.

Or one of her many angry faces.  She is working on learning to dress herself.  Sunday was Father's day and all of the kids went up to sing in church.  We couldn't talk Sterling into going up, but Avalon turned to me and handed me her Giraffe and walked up, even though she is in nursery and not old enough to go up and sing.  Avalon is now sleeping in a twin size bed and she loves her big girl bed.  She is growing up into a feisty toddler.

Aaron is doing well at work.  He now manages a group of 7 people and likes being in charge.  I'm afraid he didn't have a great Fathers Day.  Sterling woke us up at 6:30 (he has been getting up early because Grandma Russell is here).  Then, he had to take me to the hospital on a false alarm.  At least he had a good cake (that he bought himself) and I did manage to make meatloaf and funeral potatoes.

Well, that is our life up to date.

Oh and I also got a new camera that I am totally in love with.  For my birthday last year, Aaron bought me a really nice expensive camera, but the pictures it took weren't very good and I was frustrated.  I talked Aaron into letting me buy a DSLR camera before the baby came and I am loving the pictures that it takes.  What do you think?