Thanksgiving and Other Stuff

Less words, more pictures. Maybe that will become my signature style.

Christmas Wreaths with the girls: Mom, Celice, Melaina, and Katie





The Cousins: Can you feel the love? Reagan, Audrey, Ty, Bryce, and Lainey


My kids. Three kids looking three different places.


The girls (Audrey was mad at Reagan)


Tim's Family


Katie and Jason (She's showing already - twins!)


Randall and Celice


After Thanksgiving, we crashed.


Then it was off to Abilene for bowling, kittens and Christmas Parades! It has been a fun week!





Uncle Jason is a sore loser...

I should probably update.

Never, ever say that you can't believe that your baby hasn't had an ear infection yet. Never. Because they will get an ear infection about 20 minutes later. And you'll be out of state. That will result in an Urgent Care visit where the co-pay is $40 instead of $20. Then the nurse will ask if you dropped your baby and could that be the reason that she won't stop crying. When you tell her that dropping the baby would be an important piece of information that you probably wouldn't forget, she will then ask if she has older siblings that could hurt her. This will go on for a long time while they examine your baby for broken bones and they will eventually conclude that she does, in fact, have the ear infection that you told them you suspected in the first place. So, really, don't ever say that you can't believe that your baby hasn't had an ear infection yet.

Bryce is now saying that his ear hurts. Josh is out of town on business. I think that I am ready to take my week-long business trip where I hang out and go to dinner with my friends while my spouse stays at home with the kids with ear infections. Sign.Me.Up.

Why I might say bad things about children...

It took 7 hours to clean up the games that apparently took 10 minutes to dump ALL over floor.

NOTE: See how the books are still neatly on the shelf? I swear their room is usually fairly neat.

FOCA

Currently driving me crazy

The thing that is (at this moment) driving me nuts is the commercial that claims that the View is a news show with tough interrogating questions. Puh-lease. I love watching Joy and Elisabeth go at it as much as the next person (though I do wish that the Conservative viewpoint was a little more intelligently represented), but there is no hard-hitting anything going on there.

I mean all they did when Barack was on was talk about sexy he is and they asked McCain if they should be worried about instituting slavery again. Yes, that is what you should be worried about. Grrr...

The second most irritating thing in my life is my beautiful daughter who got shots today and WILL.NOT.STOP.SCREAMING. I feel really bad for her but the Dr says it is a normal reaction and I am losing my mind. She needs to stop. For reals.

My Bryce is Two!

Today my baby is two. He woke up, toddled into my room and (after a brief segment of the birthday song) said, "No Happy Birthday." That sums up Bryce. He also, though, sang (to the tune of the Wiggles "Yummy, Yummy"), "Mommy, Mommy, Brycie wub you." That also sums up Bryce.

He is the most loving baby that I have ever seen. He loves to rub your face when he is sleeping and he snuggles right in. He is quick to say that he loves you and he always wants hugs. He also is boy through and through. He is the first to wrestle and rough-house. He loves bugs and rocks and puppies (Poor Baxter almost lost his life this week due to the Bryce love). I am constantly apologizing for his temperament because he is quick to anger. I will say that he was two before his time.

I love my Bryce. He is my miracle baby that I couldn't have known if not for tragedy. He helped me through a crazy time in my life without even knowing it. He is sunshine and compassion and sympathy and just a mess!!! Happy Birthday Bryce!!

For Melaina and Katie

Here is Lainey after church yesterday. The dress is from Melaina and the cardigan is from Katie.




In more funny news, I begin training to run a half marathon today. HaHaHaHa!

Oh my goodness!

A month has passed so quickly!! We are loving having Lainey as a part of our family. She fits in really nicely and the boys LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her.

Ty started soccer this month and it is entertaining to say the least. I would love to say that he always looks like this:


but he generally looks like this (Yes, this is a member of the other team) :


Bryce is doing well adjusting to Lainey. He still is a little off of his sleep schedule so this is a common face:


He does love soccer, though, so we have a few happier times:


And, last but not least, some pictures of LJ:

Who needs a doctor?

Well.... it is hard to believe, but we have a baby girl!

And we did it without a doctor!

Serious contractions started around 2:00 this morning, so I woke Josh up and we packed the bags (and cleaned the house a bit more). After waking all the family up with phone calls, we headed to drop Ty and Bryce off at Tim and Melaina's place (thanks guys!) and headed to the hospital. We basically got right in, because it was a slow night with very few people. They had the epidural stuff waiting in the room for us after we were admitted, and I wasn't feeling too much pain after 5:30 or so.

The nurses kept calling my doctor, but he wasn't available, so we knew we would get the on call doctor instead. They called her several times, and told us that she would make it because she lives across the street. The nurses tried to slow things down so that she would make it, but after a couple of minutes (without me pushing), it was clear that Lainey was coming without the doctor. So the nurses basically caught her, and she was here just like that! Funny that my folks from Texas can make it, but the doc across the street can't...

A couple of notes: The boys didn't go back to sleep, so they have been up with Tim and Melaina since 3:00. We are in the same room that Preston and Sara used at the hospital. She looks like Bryce, but has a full head of dark hair. Ty already asked where her tee-tee was. Lainey Jean is 6 pounds even, and 17.5 inches long!

We're having a baby...

That's all!! More info as we have it!

OK, I have to share...

While it is no FAIL Blog (which is oh so funny), this cake website is really great for laughs.

My personal favorite? The edible baby. Because, really, there is nothing wrong with baby for dessert. Or this one. Read the story. It made me laugh.

Progress

Well, I haven't been a very good pregnancy blogger this time around. I think it is because I have "been there, done that" so often that it isn't really new or exciting. Until now. I had a Dr appt this morning (35 weeks, 4 days) and had to get a GBS test. While they were occupied, they decided to check for any progress. Ready? 3 cm and 25-30% effaced. YAY! The Dr said that it was a little early to have so much progress and that the baby could come at any time. First he said that he wouldn't stop labor and then he said he might half-heartedly try to stop it. To me that just means I will labor at home for a while so they can't stop it.

Anyway, that is all that I know. Life is boring around here lately. The boys are good and I will put a picture up so you can have something to look at. Hopefully the next time I write there will be a Lainey picture to put up!

A baby shower X 2

So, I had a girl's night out last night that we were terming a pre-baby party. We all went to the Melting Pot for lots of chocolate, friends, and NO KIDS!! It was so much fun. There were a lot of people there (I think 14 or so) and we just ate and ate. I was also given presents! We have a no-shower policy for 3rd babies so I was pretty excited to get showered with bows, clothes, shoes, a picture book, a car seat cover, lovies and more clothes! I think that everyone knew that I was really not prepared for a little girl!

*I might add pictures if my camera ever cooperates*

I am sad, though, because Melaina had planned a surprise shower for me (She knew about the no-shower policy) for this weekend. When she heard about the church shower she had to cancel because I have a limited number of friends and they brought gifts to the Melting Pot. I'm sad that she had to cancel but am so touched that she thought about me to do this. Isn't that so nice? I just can't believe that she was so thoughtful! I love my family and am really blessed to have so many that love me and Lainey and want to take care of us!

Work in Progress

So, I haven't put anything up here in a while. I am going to blame it on being super busy trying to get all of the things that I don't have to get done finished before Lainey makes her grand entrance.

The first task was to get the boys moved into one room. It is a little tight but, hopefully, Bryce will grow out of the crib eventually. Ty wanted a Pokemon room and Bryce loves "Chu" so that is what we did. I free-handed all of the pictures and the letters on the wall!! I actually felt really crafty. I feel like it needs more but this will do for now.




The next job was Lainey's room. We bought bedding to match the pre-existing paint color. I painted the letters and we were off. This room is NOT done, but it is close. I am only putting up one picture to give you a brief idea of what it looks like.






Finally, I painted my kitchen cabinets blue. They are also not done but they are looking really good - but that is a story (and pictures) for another day.

And so it begins...

Yesterday, Ty ran in and handed me his red blanket (his FAVORITE) and told me that it was time to wash it. I asked him why and he informed me that he had an accident and so it needed to be washed. Now, I start laying in to him about how he knows better and accidents are unacceptable. I am telling him haw disappointed I am that he didn't use the potty. Since he still had his undies on, I checked to see if he was sitting in nastiness. Nope -dry as a bone. I asked him if he changed his undies. Nope. I was so confused. I said, "Ty, did you take off your undies and pee on your blanket?" He nodded. I saw red. I was so mad at him. I walked over to him to spank his bottom because he knows better and he breaks out in to a huge grin and tells me, "It was just a joke, mom. I didn't go pee pee yet." A quick check of the blanket revealed no wetness. What a goober.

Can you believe that kid? He is funny and smart and devious. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. He kills me!

What could inspire me to post?

I know, I know, I need to sit down and write about ALOT of things that have happened in the last long while. Did my cute children inspire this blog? No. They are cute and I am downloading pictures from the camera to blog about but that was not my inspiration.

My inspiration was my Dr's appointment today. I am 24 1/2 weeks pregnant. I went to the Dr last month (20 wks) and he basically said, "Hey, Fatty McFatterson, stop eating. You gained 6 pounds last month and 7 pounds this month. This is not okay and your cottage thighs are begging you to STOP!" Okay, he may have said it more nicely than that but that was the gist. I didn't fight and argue even though 13 pounds in 20 weeks didn't seem awful to me.

What did I do? I started eating salads - covered in Ranch dressing. That might not have been my healthiest choice but it is better than a fried chicken sandwich or a double cheeseburger. I obviously was right because I LOST 2 pounds this month!! Yay! Of course they weren't jumping up and down like I was. Oh well.

Oh, Come On!

EDIT - Josh says that writing about the pregnant "man" fuels her publicity. I am editing so that I am not aiding the madness.

Jen

We might have a name

I think that this kid is gonna be named Lainey Jean Foster. I think I like it. I am having a really hard time committing, though. For some reason it seems much harder to name a little girl. I mean, who really cares what a boy is named? They all go by their last names anyway. Give a name that sounds mature enough for an adult and tough enough for a sports star and they are good to go. Girls need a cute name that can sound smart (for an attorney) or cute (for a cheerleader). They need a name that will go with most last names since the name they start with isn't the name they generally wind up with. They need a name that doesn't remind you of the girl in school that had no friends at all (not even dorky ones). It is hard, I tell you.

Thanks to all for all of the suggestions. I love a lot of the names that were recommended. Josh, however, is a different story. Several times I was told that I was free to use a suggested name as long as Josh had passed away first. Grrr.

Anyway, I will be sure to post again Monday because my husband is turning 30! I never thought I'd be married to a 30 year old! Ack! I am firmly entrenched in my 20's... forever.

PSA

Quick public service announcement:

Peach and Love are one syllable words. They are not, however, one syllable girl names. That is all.

It's a GIRL!!!

How's that for an upbeat, exciting post? Now, when I say that it is a girl, I mean it is probably a girl with a chance that it is a boy that is taking his time to, ummm, develop. We will hopefully go back in a couple of weeks to confirm the gender. I am very positive that it is a girl since we were able to see boy parts with Bryce at this age.

Now it is a new ball game. What do you do with a girl? Besides buy lots of cute dresses and really big hairbows? What to name her? A cute girly name that could be a cheerleader or a tomboy would be great. Any suggestions?

Blogs are for griping, right?

I have recently realized that I use my blog (generally) to post about the negative things that are going on with our family. Random ailments, prayer requests, sleep issues are all featured here. I have decided that I do this because misery loves company. I will try to be better about posting more positive things in the future, but today is another bummer post.

I am sick. Not just baby sick (which still SUCKS, by the way) but honest to goodness sick. I am hot. I am tired. My stomach is in knots. My 1 year old is running a fever of 101 and my 3 year old is running 103. My husband is at work. Bless his heart, he offered to stay home if I would just say the word, but I couldn't do that to him. I just want out of my house. Is that too much to ask?

That's the end of my pity party. The next time I write I WILL be upbeat. I swear.

What did you do?

So, did we all have a great Valentine's Day? I did! We did nothing and it was really nice. Josh got me a great picture frame that I LOVE and I also got some loungewear (since all I do lately is sit on my couch in my PJs and puke) from a great friend. Ty got Mickey Mouse ears and a Transformer and Bryce got a stuffed Mickey and Mickey Mouse ears.

I surprised Josh and cleaned the kitchen and made Lasagna, salad, peas, and yeast rolls. We finished off with heart-shaped cookies. It was really nice and a lot less hassle than getting us all out to dinner. After dinner, Dax came over and we watched him while Court and JC had a date. Dax was perfect and slept the whole time - even with Ty hugging him every 2 seconds!

Today, though, is a new day. We are all tired and grumpy. I am betting that it has to do with the cold and whatever germ of the day is running its course. In good news, we paid off our credit card! That thing has been a monkey on our back for years. We are SO happy to be done with it and to be living the Dave Ramsey lifestyle again. Unfortunately, our next debt is a student loan that has a balance of 17,000 or so dollars on it. I am thinking it will be awhile before we pay off (completely) anything else.

I can tell you now...

that I am having a baby! I couldn't post it before because I think that some of Josh's family reads here and we hadn't told them yet. Anyway, I am 9 weeks pregnant and due on September 7 (6 days before my birthday). I would be really excited if I weren't throwing up all of the time. I have already done the IV fluid thing in the hospital (SUCKS!) and am heavily medicated at all times. BLECH!

I am holding my breath that it is a girl because this is it, I am done with babies! So, for all of you that pray, pray for a happy, healthy little girl to enter our family this fall!! I would love to see a little Ty/Bryce clone with pigtails!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Brett!!

Today is a big day in the Foster house. It is Brett's birthday. We want to celebrate and have a good time and make sure to remember the blessing that Brett was to our family. I think the plan is to watch the video of his birth (we haven't seen it before) and go to the cemetery for a balloon release. After that, I think we are going to go to Jenks, OK and take the kids to the aquarium. We want the day to be very special and let the boys do the things that they normally do not get the chance to do. I will try to update with pictures later.

I need advice

Okay, I need you all to tell me what you do on a daily basis. I ask this because I am currently sitting on my couch while Ty watches Pokemon (again) and Bryce wanders about aimlessly. How much TV does your kid watch? What do you do so that they aren't watching TV/ playing XBOX all day?

I tried playing with Ty in his his room yesterday but I only get to be bad guys and none of them stand a chance against LarryBoy's Super Suction Ears. You can only get defeated so many times before it ceases to be fun.

Help me make a schedule so that I don't ruin my kids!!