I really am not a drug user, I'm not!!!

So, yesterday at the hospital I was asked tons of questions, as usual. All about my health, safety in home, smoking, and substance abuse. As she was asking me about substance abuse I glanced down at my left arm. I had to suppress a laugh. I have track marks all in the crook of my arm. Not from drugs, but from my diabetes testing. Most of the time I prick my fingers. However, if I can't wash my hands my test will come back really high due to oils and residue on my fingers. Sometimes even if I wash my hands I may have not rinsed the soap off well enough or something so it will come back high. So, if a test comes back higher than I am allowed or if I am not able to wash my hands, I test in my arm. I have some really good veins in my left arm so I use it often. I now have about six marks and bruises on that arm. (It is harder for me to draw enough blood from my arm than my fingers....therefore, I only use it as a last resort). If anyone saw my arm they would really think I was a drug user. But really, I am NOT!!!

Easter Preschool

I had preschool the week of Easter. We had a fun Easter party making Rice Krispie bird nests and having an Easter egg hunt indoor due to bad weather.

32 Week Update

So, it is time to give a pregnancy update. I really should take a picture of my ever expanding belly. Makayla keeps reminding me, I just keep forgetting to do it. Anyway, I went to my 32 week appointment. Things will now be kind of crazy for this mom of 4 kids, but no worries. I am measuring normal, which is good. My favorite thing though was my doctor asked how I was feeling about the size of my baby. He said that is actually the best indicator. He said it is a better indicator than an ultrasound or the doctors measurements. I was glad to know he would listen to me, because when I had my Makayla I didn't feel like I was listened to when I said "this baby will be extremely large." So, I will now just have to pray for discernment so I and my doctor will know if he is getting too big. I am so paranoid about having a 9-11 lb baby that I have to put those feelings aside and see how I feel he really is growing. I will say at this point I am not worried about him being too small....not even remotely. I don't know if I would say he is abnormally large....but that is where it is hard to tell at this stage. Around 36 weeks I will have a much better feel, I do believe.
Anyway, I now have to go to the doctor once a week and do a non-stress test at the hospital once a week. The only down side I see to this is finding babysitters. I want to do the non-stress test right after my doctors each week because the hospital is right across the street from my doctors and 12 minutes away from me, so I don't want to go twice. But, the non-stress tests could take awhile depending on whether this little guy is awake or not. Today he was sleeping quite nicely during the test. Which meant I was there for around an hour instead of just 30 minutes. His heart beat was great. He even had the hiccups which I heard on the monitor....that was priceless. I loved it!!! He just wouldn't move neough. We tried the lovely stimulator to get him going. Finally, we had to resort to juice to get him going. (I don't drink juice because of the diabetes...too many non filling carbs) I knew this should get him going a bit as it would be a good jolt of sugar to him. It worked, he wasn't going nuts but it got him active enough that I could go home. It made me greatly appreciate my sweet sister in law who has had to do this every two weeks for the past couple of months. She was saying what a pain it was because they had to get two babies to move enough. I now truly understand!!!
Anyway, rather than looking at having to go every week as a pain I will look at it as a wonderful relaxing time where I have to do nothing but listen to my childs heartbeat for 30-60 minutes. I will take books, conference talks, etc and just relax. Let's be honest, when do I get to sit for even 30 minutes and read a book without feeling guilty about doing nothing? NEVER!!!! So, I will savor this quiet moments that I get to share with my little one....and the nurses trying to probe him awake. I am grateful that my doctor is seeming on top of all of this. My blood sugar levels are great so there really are no worries. We are just taking precautionary measures to make sure everything stays okay. I am grateful for that.
Next week we will do another ultrasound to get a better idea of how he is doing size wise. That should be interesting and enlightening....hopefully. No matter what it will be fun to see him again.
Well, that is the medical update. As far as how I am doing, well, I am okay. I am tired all of the time and have days when I am almost in tears because I am crawling out of skin with discomfort. However, it isn't every day so that helps. My lower back kills constantly and my heartburn is only controlled through constant medication. However, I have been blessed with the best husband in the world. He saw how crazy my week is this week between teaching preschool, doctors appointments, teaching piano, driving carpool, etc. and he has really stepped up to ease my burden wherever he can. I could not do this without him and am so grateful to have him. I don't know how women do it alone, or with an non-supportive spouse!! I will be okay. I have hopefully only 6 weeks and 3 days left until he comes. I can do it!!! Right?!!!

Cute Moments with Becca

Becca is talking more and more and it is getting more and more funny. She is the most polite child I have. She says "please" and "thank you's" "no thanks", etc. Here are a couple of funny moments we have had with Becca's verbage.
On Sunday we were in Sacrament Meeting and she really wanted a pen over her ear like I had. So, I gave her one. She got this smile and her face and I could tell she was ready to say something. I thought it was going to be "Look, I look like Mommy!!" Nope. Instead she said "I'm Handy Mandy!!!" (For those who don't know who that is, it is a cartoon on Disney. Handy Mandy is a hispanic fix it guy that always puts a pencil above his ear).
One of my favorites is Becca's nighttime ritual. She is now sharing a room with Ashlyn which is working out quite well. As long as Mom (and no one else if mom is in the hosue) sings her a ritual of specific songs, she goes right to sleep. The songs are these (in this pretty specific order) I love to See the Temple, Daddy's Little Girl (I change it to Mommy's), I am a child of God, Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam, Jingle Bells (thank you christmas), How much is that doggy in the window, and finally the Ant's High Hopes song (it is a Bell favorite). Now, she is quite particular about what to sing when. Temple is ALWAYS first and ANT'S can NEVER be anywhere but last. If you do that, she will then say "Night night" when the songs are done and you leave. Well, since she has been sharing with Ashlyn she has decided it is nice for Ash to get a turn to choose. So she will say "Ashie's turn." Ashlyn will then choose. However, Ashlyn has not mastered the art of choosing the right song at the right time and inevitably Becca will say "NO, NOT THAT ONE!!" Well, at least she is trying to share on some level!!!
The third one was yesterday. Ashlyn got her hair cut (I will post pictures soon) and it is ADORABLE!! When we got in the car Becca looked at Ashlyn and said "Ashlyn, you are so pretty!!"
The fourth happened last night. I was having a hard night as I walked through my extremely messy house (the priority this week has been helping my mom with pictures and website stuff instead of house cleaning). Well, I walked into the little girls room to sing Becca her nightly ritual of songs. I saw what a HUGE mess it was knowing that is what I would be doing tomorrow. I started crying. It was just too much for me. Becca looks at me and says "Let me kiss it better" to which she then kisses my cheeks where the tears had fallen. She said that and did it a couple of times and then she said "Say Thank You!!" Of course I ended up laughing and realizing that is what life is all about. I can clean up the messes and they will reappear tomorrow, but I can NEVER get moments like that back!! I love my sweet little girl that puts a smile on my face every day.