Month 3 Week #3 - Springtime

Our one and only tree has buds on it. Exciting!
Sam and Luke found some ladybugs today.

Another sign of Spring is that we are now walking to the bustop in the afternoon everyday to meet Andrew.

The kids are playing outside a lot more these days. Hockey, soccer, riding bikes etc. Other than that not too much is green and we haven't spotted any signs of flowers peeking out. We are supposed to get flurries this weekend so we are trying to be patient with Spring coming, especially since we had such a great winter. The days are definitely longer and it's still light out when the kids go to bed.

Random's

Me tonight. Having a hard time keeping that belly tucked into my clothes the last few days.
Luke made this family drawing at preschool today. What a bunch of pumpkin heads!

This was last week when Luke was learning to write his name. He's got it mastered now. Pretty good for 3 3/4 years old. I remember Andrew refused to do anything but an "A" until almost kindergarten.

Isaac sick and in his zombie mode. We had a bad fever bug go through all of the kids over the last few weeks. This was Isaac's turn.

This was one Sunday when Andrew had it. Those watery eyes weren't from crying either.

Luke playing with the dress up clothes. His shirt says it all.

Andrew on ice.

What a sweet little puppy. He wore this around happily for the whole morning.

Month 3 Week #2 - Free Week

This is supposed to be the hands on the tummy shot. Kids weren't having it!

For my free week I decided to post my maternity shoot that my Niece Tara-Lee did for fun, and tell you how I'm feeling with only a 3-4 weeks left.

• pretty good compared to other pregnancies. I keep telling people maybe it's because I'm so busy with the other four that I don't have time to dwell on aches and pains.
• maybe that's why I notice my aches and pains the most at night once the kids are in bed
• I eat lots and by lots I mean I'm eating something every two hours or so. The other day I ate chicken Alfredo leftovers at 10am because I was starving. I also sometimes eat 4-5 cookies a day. I might have to stop making those cookies once babe comes. I try to eat fruit at night but usually end up eating fruit plus something else that is salty or chocolaty.
• My back hurts at the end of the day but I think it's because I'm carrying most of the baby weight out front, also possibly from lifting Isaac in and out of the car seat/stroller/bed etc. His weight currently is 35 pounds only 2 pounds less than Luke.
• I have such ugly varicose veins on one leg, only on one leg. weird I think but my legs don't bug me too bad as long as I soak in the tub everyday at some point.
• I actually sometimes nap during the day while Luke is up and watching a movie. This is a nice treat from other pregnancies.
• Pretty sure it is a boy again which is fine. We are used to boys but a little part of me is anxious to see if I'm proven wrong.
• We had a hard time coming up with boy names this time, looking back at our previous lists we have used a lot of our favorite names as first or second names of our boys that we have. I had two picked that I really like but Ken actually has picked the first name if we have a boy and after I had decided on 3 girl names that I love Ken threw another one in there that I think we will go with if it's a girl.
• I think this pregnancy has gone the fastest of them all.
• I'm feeling pretty weepy lately but haven't had much chance to let the tears flow.
• For the last four days I have been feeding the neighbors daughters fish while they are away. Her name is Jenna and she is in grade 3. The other day I just froze in her room and absorbed all the pink and girly stuff and wondered if I may never ever experience that in my house.
• This time round no stretch marks again(hurray...5 pregnancies without stretch marks)
• No arm or leg twitches while sleeping
• I've been physically lazy, no exercise since maybe 12 weeks other than the everyday taking care of kids.
• I've really missed running and boot camp but I do realize there is a time for everything and that frankly exhausts me to even think about.
• It's neat to see the three oldest so excited and asking about the baby all the time. Every night they hug my belly and say good night baby.
• I've been telling Isaac he is going to be a big brother soon but he doesn't really get it.
• Once again I've been given 2 due dates one April 11 and one April 26. I asked my Dr. this week if she could help narrow that down at all and she said to aim for the earlier one based on size etc.
• I am ready. Room's ready. Stay tuned for pics of that.
• Dad and Denise and Nannie booked their flights and are coming for 10 days starting May 4.

Lists 2012 #11 - Places I'd like to spend the night

1. Nannie's cottage.
2. Dad and Denises's cottage
3. Grampie's cottage with the Jackson clan.
4. in a beach hut that sits over the water like you see on Pinterest
5. at Melinda and Tyler's house
6. in an African safari hut with Ken
7. somewhere tropical
8. anywhere with my hubby alone for the night.
9. anywhere in NS with Ken and the kids
10. my aunt Marlene's, just like old times

Month -3 Week #2 - the siblings

It was pretty easy to find sibling pictures of our boys because where one is the others are not far behind. I can't even begin to describe how close these brothers are, they are best friends and we hope it continues to be this way. As much time as they do spend together I do like to see their personalities shine and come out when they are apart. Currently Andrew is in school full time so we see him the least, Sam goes two days a week which allows Luke and Isaac to bond a bit and now that Luke is in preschool 2 mornings a week I actually have Isaac to myself for a few hours. The dynamics are always changing with each addition to the family but it isn't long before each little boy has found their place in the mix. These guys care so much about each other and want the same things for each other. Examples of this are: whoever is with me when I drop off the recyclables always wants enough suckers for the other boys even if they aren't there. Yesterday Luke and I went to Old Navy and he got to take home a coloring sheet from the kids table in the store, well we couldn't leave without one for Andrew and Sam as well. When Sam first was assessed for his speech he got a sticker after from the teacher and he immediately asked if he could have one for Andrew. These are just a few little things but it says alot about their characters I believe. Sometimes people are in shock when I say I have 4 boys under 6 but I wouldn`t change it ever, they are so close and take such good care of each other that my job is probably easier than a mom who has 1 or two kids. We are so thankful for these blessings in our lives.

Lists 2012 #10 - Things I haven't finished.

1. yearly photobooks of our blog. 2008-2011
2. Isaac's 1st year photobook
3. getting baby room ready
4. buying/hanging curtains for a few rooms in our house
5. refinishing deacon's bench
6. organizing and cleaning the storage room to my satisfaction
7. parenting course with friends "Growing Kids God's Way"
8. hemming(learning how to hem) Ken's pants
9. patching holes in the boys jeans

Month 3 Week #1 - Our office

Well...our assignment was a picture of our office this week. Pretty sad office eh? All of our rooms are pretty much occupied in our house so our office is the laptop on the kitchen counter or wherever we decide to sit with it. This desk and chair area is in our family room in a corner. Basically our office consists of a 2-drawer filing cabinet and a printer and 2 laptops. On the desk is our old one which we only really use for our budget and entering receipts. We have bookcases scattered throughout the house full of books and some even piled on the floor in our storage room. Someday maybe I will have a craft room/office but for now this works and forces us to keep things organized.