Feeling Better Today...

So I know, as Jeremiah put it, my last post was a little blunt, a little negative. That's why I titled it "It's the Pregnancy Talking." It was just one of those days. But I'm doing better and looking forward to today.

It's a Saturday but Jeremiah is at the law library studying until 6pm and I have no plans to go anywhere until after dinner. We are all hanging out in our pajamas, Hayden is playing with all his "bad guys" and Roman is watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (which I had a dream about, do you think maybe I watch it too much?).

Why am I in a good mood? As if I have to have a reason, but in this case, I actually do. First, I slept in until 8:30am today. Sleep always makes me happy. And we are going out tonight to find me a second scrapbook table. I have outgrown my first one and need a second one just to manage my workspace. My table has been so chaotic due to lots of stuff and lack of space that I haven't scrapbooked in about a month, and I'm excited to get everything in order so I can try to catch up as much as I can before baby #3 gets here.

Here's some pictures of my crazy kids this morning:

Hayden is introducing some of his toys to his newest toy, a skeleton pirate he got in his Happy Meal yesterday. All I caught was something about "This is Pirate" and "He's from Africa where you go see new animals." Then he introduced Pirate to all his toys, letting him know who the good guys and bad guys are. Apparently, Optimus Prime is a bad guy??

This is what Roman chose to wear for pajamas last night. Footless jammies and his Nemo swim trunks. They must have a charm because he slept until 8:30am. In the picture he's grabbing his knee, and I later found a splinter there. How does one get a splinter watching Mickey Mouse? This cartoon is more dangerous than I thought!

It's the pregnancy talking...

I really should be folding the laundry or washing the dishes, but I've been in the kitchen all morning making deviled eggs and lemon cookies for Hayden's preschool potluck tonight, and I would rather just sit down and watch my DVR'd Rachael Ray show. The subject? Frazzled moms. It's like it was calling out to me! Why can't that be me on the show talking about my busy life with Rachael?! I can't even hear the advice that is being given because Hayden and Roman are playing with a basketball and it's a fierce game.

I had another "sort-of" appointment yesterday. It was supposed to be my big appointment where I hear the heartbeat and have that super-fun physical, but instead they called me in and said some of the midwives had called in sick and they were running behind. I couldn't wait because I had to get Hayden at preschool, so I had to reschedule. I must have a looked a little sad, because the nurse offered to at least listen for the heartbeat. So, there are two pieces of good news that came from this: 1) I heard the heartbeat and there is only one and it sounds healthy and 2) I haven't gained any weight since my last sort-of appointment!

Why am I just finding out that my brother has a girlfriend that he classifies as "serious"?!?! Apparently they've been dating for a few months...wait, hasn't he only been off his mission for a few months? I think people don't tell me because they assume I already know (or they're my mother who thinks she told me something when really she told Carissa). From now on, if you have news, let's just assume I'm in the dark about it.

I won't be blogging about Easter. It really wasn't a huge deal. The kids got a chocolate bunny, a "Cars" car, and searched for some eggs filled with jelly beans. Dinner really just felt like any other dinner, since we normally eat ham steaks once or twice a month. Anyway, the menu consisted for ham steaks with an apricot glaze, mashed potatoes, raspberry jello, rolls, and creme brulee. I didn't even take Easter pictures because I didn't buy them anything new to wear.

A Tall Tale of Some Small Mice

Back in November, I was watching Without a Trace, part of my daily while-the-kids-are-napping routine, when I heard this scratching noise under the entertainment center. I figured it was our neighbor's cat outside the house, since our walls are pretty thin, but then realized there was definately something scratching on our pretty much brand new IKEA entertainment center. I called Carissa and said, "I'm 90% sure there is a mouse in my house, what do I do?" She suggested I call my landlord, which I did, and my landlord laughed as I freaked out about our newest house guest, and suggested I get a mouse trap, put some peanut butter on it to lure the mouse, and just wait. That night, I went out and got some mouse traps, and slid one far under the entertainment center. The next morning, though, Hayden started crying hysterically, and I didn't know what was wrong until I saw peanut butter on his hand. One of his cars had rolled under the entertainment center (a drawback to hardwood floors), apparently Hayden will go to great lengths to retrieve his cars, and his fingers got caught in the trap. Luckily they weren't broken, and he wasn't too shook up over it. We set up a new trap, and a few days later we found a dead mouse in the trap. Jeremiah disposed of it (through dry heaves), and we were happy in our own home again.

About two weeks ago, we found our second mouse, this time by our pantry in the kitchen. We set up a few more traps, and eventually this one also met its fate and it was now my turn to dispose of the mouse. What?! We're supposed to take turns doing this stuff?! So I told Jeremiah, "Fine, if we're taking turns disposing of mice, then we're also taking turns cleaning up the kids after they throw up. Have fun with that." We all know how weak Jeremiah's stomach is =) So I disposed of the second mouse, through my own dry heaves.

The same night I got rid of mouse #2, I went into the kitchen to make myself a snack, when I saw a mouse run across the third shelf of our pantry. It had eaten through the kids instant oatmeal. We were so frustrated! We set up three traps, and the next morning woke up to find that the stupid mouse had somehow eaten all the peanut butter but had not set off any of the traps. This went on for days. Stupid mouse is really smart! Finally, yesterday I got really mad that this mouse was evading all our traps, including the sticky traps you buy (the mouse gets stuck and then the sticky glue euthanizes them). I put some peanut butter on some parchment paper and surrounded it with the sticky traps....

This is where the drama unfolds. This morning Roman woke up at 6:45am (he doesn't really love me does he?) and I took him downstairs. While I got him some chocolate milk, I noticed a dark shape on top of one of the traps. Sweet! We finally got our mouse! While I was getting dressed, Jeremiah told me he was not touching that mouse because it was still alive. What?! Still alive?! What happened to the euthanization? I went downstairs and saw that the mouse was only half on the trap, its hind legs and one foreleg were on the trap, and its head and one leg were still moving around the floor, trying to escape from the trap. I started dry heaving in the kitchen sink, and probably would have thrown up if I'd eaten already. Jeremiah kicked another trap under the mouse, so that it's face and free arm were now stuck on the second trap, and it was taking turns flipping its body trying to get loose, and all I could hear was plastic traps hitting the hard wood floor while the mouse struggled to escape. After breakfast, I went in and the mouse was still moving, and I threw up my breakfast.

We just returned from lunch with Jeremiah, it's like 1pm. The mouse is still moving, but just barely. It's not flipping around, but it is still breathing. I cannot go back in the kitchen until Jeremiah gets home and gets rid of it, I'd like to hold down my lunch =) Let's hope this is the last of the mice, because next time it's my turn to get rid of it!

UPDATE: It's like 2:30pm and I went in the kitchen to throw away Roman's diaper and the mouse has escaped from the 2nd trap, so he's back to his original position. And, to make it worse, his face is laying on the floor, and there are spots of blood all over, probably because he's slowly dying. This poor mouse is having like the worst death ever and I'm about to have a panic attack because it just won't die! What do I do, besides pass out? =)

FINAL POSTING *crossing my fingers* This is like a major car accident, you don't want to look at it but you just can't help it. What's wrong with me?! I had to clean up a bit before Jeremiah got home, and decided to take just one last peek at Mr. Mouse. His head is laying on the floor in a deathly kind of way, although I thought that before only to have him start moving around. But this time it looks pretty realistic. After my last little peek, I threw up. No more mice for me. Can I ever watch Ratatouille again?!

FINAL POSTING FOR REAL: Jeremiah got home, the poor thing was still struggling. He killed the mouse (although I refuse to hear how he did so), got the snow shovel, and put it in the garbage. I was even helpful and held the garbage bag open for him, although I shuddered and looked away, feeling sick. He then put the garbage bag outside. Drama done. Why do I feel like a mouse murderer?!?!

Pretending It's Summer

So Saturday night Jeremiah took time off of studying to run some errands with us. We finally got our federal tax return and decided to get an elliptical, but after looking at a few we decided that we don't know a whole lot of anything about ellipticals and figured we ought to do some homework about them first. We took Hayden to the Disney store and Jeremiah did some shopping for some church shoes. While Jeremiah was in Macy's, I took the kids to see the Easter Bunny. It was actually kind of a sad thing, because they both waved with super excitement at the bunny in costume, but it cost $16 to visit the bunny and get a picture, and I just couldn't swallow the idea of paying that amount. Hayden, however, with no concept of money, was really confused as to why he could not sit on the Easter Bunny's lap like the other kids. I understand he won't remember the next day (well, he might, he sort of remembers all sorts of things I wish he wouldn't) but I was still a bit teary-eyed when Roman was waving like a prom queen and yelling "HI!" and Hayden was begging to sit on his lap. Maybe next year right?

Well Saturday was in the 30s *surprise, surprise, right?* and you could still see snow on the ground (*sniff*) but we promised the kids ice cream if they were good at the mall, so we drove to Netty's, a local ice cream shop that is actually quite good. They each got a kiddie cone, Jeremiah got a lime freeze, and I got a chocolate malt shake, but a small one so as to not have too much sugar. It was a blast watching the kids eat ice cream cones, especially Roman, who'd never had one and made a huge mess but loved it all the same. Except that it took him half hour to eat his cone and they went to bed a bit later than normal, it was quite nice to get out of the house as a family and just hang out. I felt more like myself than I have in awhile!

On a bright note, some of you know that I failed my glucose tolerance test on Tuesday, and I was scheduled for a 3-hour test on Thursday. My doctor's office isn't open on Fridays, so I didn't find out until today whether I passed that test. I was quite worried I wouldn't, and I was sad that I would have to watch a strict diet with this pregnancy. Well, party on, I passed the test! All of my numbers were quite short of the cut-off line for gestational diabetes, and I was relieved. Since I was pre-diabetic with Roman, Jeremiah and I both agreed that I should still watch my sugar intake, which means probably no blueberry doughnuts from Giant Eagle, which is a huge sacrifice, but at least I can be a little bit more relaxed about my diet.

Hayden eating his cone. Well, not exactly the cone, since he thought it was weird to eat the "bowl" holding his ice cream. He is searching through the "Birthday Express" catalog and planning his Spiderman/Cars/Transformers birthday party.

Roman with an ice cream beard. Isn't he cute no matter what?

This was actually taken Friday, but I have to say Roman loves to wear Jeremiah's "ats". So much that no matter where Jeremiah puts them so he can find them later, Roman always finds them and puts them somewhere else. Roman would also be the happiest baby on the block if he had a sucker in his mouth and Playhouse Disney on TV.

The Sort-Of Appointment

So like three weeks ago I went to the midwife clinic by the hospital to confirm my pregnancy. They scheduled another appointment for today, and I was so excited. Who isn't excited to hear their baby's heartbeat right?! So Jeremiah took time off of school (a shocker) and we asked friends to watch Roman (Hayden was at preschool).

So our name is called and are sent to an office, like with a desk and chairs. A nurse goes through all our paperwork, like family history of illnesses, yes diabetes runs in the family, so does mental craziness, aka Steve (which was Jeremiah's little input). We go through my first two pregnancies, I mention that I was pre-diabetic with Roman and they give me a glucose drink - NASTY! - and she continues to talk. She tells me the "difference" between midwives and doctors, and the only thing we got from it is that they are more patient-oriented, they are by your hospital bed quite a bit during labor. Is that really the only difference? Anyway, Jeremiah finally asks (after an HOUR of questions) if we are going to hear the heartbeat. The nurse states that well, I'm only 9 weeks and 2 days along, and chances are they won't hear it. So what, I'm only hear to fill out paperwork?! They finally try to hear the heartbeat but without luck. They couldn't make the paperwork-filling-out-thingy like two weeks later so we could just get it all done in one big shot?! At least they had me do my blood work since my blood sugar needed to be measured anyways. But I don't even get those results until tomorrow. So my actually real first appointment is March 25. Maybe then we'll actually have some progress and I might actually have some physical confirmation that I'm pregnant (besides the minor morning sickness and my intense cravings for a million different things). Oh, and they say my due date is October 11, not October 7, and she lectured me on the evils of the internet for suggesting my due date be anything other than what she predicted. The internet adds 40 weeks from the date of my last period, the doctor subtracts 3 months and adds 7 days...so they're methods are just a little off. I don't care. I will wait until my ultrasound to see how baby is measuring before I determine for myself my due date.

My American Idol Obsession

I love this kid. I can watch this video over and over again. I had to blog this in case someone is crazy enough out there to not have heard it yet...

Visiting Cleveland

Today we are supposed to get like a foot of snow, and we're under what they call a "Level 2" snow advisory, meaning we are not to drive in the snow unless absolutely necessary (so, is the need for shredded cheese for dinner tonight "necessary"?!). So...since I can't go to the grocery store or anywhere else for that matter, I am updating my blog.

This past weekend, we went to Cleveland to visit Carissa and her family. I was feeling a bit homesick and needed to get out of the house and with family, so the obvious choice was a 2 hour drive east (as opposed to a plane ticket elsewhere...as much as I would have liked to do that too). The drive was long, mostly because I forgot the portable DVD player, so the kids were extra cranky and we visited two rest stops just to get their wiggles out. The best part of the weekend? I got a girl's day out...kind of. Adam watched the kids while they napped (and where Roman woke up, he's such a poor napper lately!) and Carissa and I went to TGIFridays for their $12.99 3-course meals. I had an amazing pulled pork sandwich, it made me quite happy to eat it. We then dropped by Old Navy where I was really good and didn't buy anything. I lovelovelove my kids, but I honestly need a break every once in a while, and with Jeremiah married to his law school right now, I'm sort of out of luck when it comes to getting breaks from the kids. It was fun to watch my kids interact with Carissa's kids, and it was also quite frustrating because they are still not quite at the age where they can play really well together. So although it wasn't a relaxing, catch-up-on-sleep, enjoy every moment kind of vacation, it was definatly worth it. I rarely get adult interaction during the day, mostly because Hayden is only 3 and really does not do a whole lot of adult-like talking. It was nice to have another adult around me for the weekend and to spend some time with people I love.

Roman with a handful of cars, he hordes cars and just carries them around everywhere. The thing is to notice his shoes...a Disney shoe and a flower church shoe. Apparently he and Jack got into Olivia's closet.


Another of my dear sweet little boys...boys I say! Hayden is not only lovingly playing with a Barbie Island Princess doll but he is also wearing pink Minnie socks. What is it about Carissa's house that brings out the estrogen in my boys?!

Just as a reminder, we got rid of Roman's binkies in November after he continually flushed them all down the toilet...so maybe Roman got rid of Roman's binkies? Anyway, he found one of Jack's binkies that he doesn't use anymore and latched on for about an hour. He cried if I took it away but eventually put it down and did not care for it much after that.