Odds and Ends

One more week until my 20 week ultrasound. I will actually be 21 weeks. I'm beginning to have a little anxiety about it. I want a HEALTHY baby and I've started to worry. And I think I told a little fib a few weeks ago when I said I don't care if it's a boy or a girl. Don't misunderstand me--I will absolutely love a boy with all my heart, but this pregnancy has been a bit difficult for me and I do not plan on doing this again so I still say silent pleading prayers that Heavenly Father will let me have a daughter. However, I will accept his plan for my family so if we have another boy, so be it. I will be one of those moms of boys, and I know plenty that I look up to so that will be fine.

On Monday night I was telling Marc I was beginning to get worried that I hadn't been feeling the baby move all too often. But when I laid down to go to bed that night, he or she got their groove on and hasn't really stopped moving since. It's fine with me--this is the most magical part of pregnancy anyway. Though I've already forgotten how it feels to have a non growing, non moving stomach.

One pregnancy symptom stands out more than others with each pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Carter it was sickness--not necessarily morning sickness because I only threw up once or twice and both times at night--but all the other sicknesses that I had: I literally lost my entire voice twice. I had constant congestion. I had a kidney infection, a bladder infection, a sinus infection, and a yeast infection--all at different times, thank goodness. It was definitely not a pleasant pregnancy. During Anderson's pregnancy I was plagued with fatigue. And at this point, this pregnancy seems to be rocking my emotions. Case and point: last week.

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Last week I was an emotional wreck. I literally cried all week. For one reason. I was released from my Primary calling. I never really expected to cry about being released. Without being too personal, I can say this, serving in that capacity was a difficult learning process for me, one where I felt very much like the Prophet Joseph Smith when he said:

I am like a huge, rough stone rolling down from a high mountain; and the only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in contact with something else. . . knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus I will become a smooth and polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 304).

But much to my surprise, a slew of complex emotions grew in my heart when I learned I wouldn't be serving in Primary anymore and it was really hard for me. I'm okay now, but I do have one favor of my friends here: please stop congratulating me because I do not feel that way about it at all. Thank you.

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I have my appetite back and have been making dinner quite a bit more than I was a few months ago. On Monday, I caught a craving for clam chowder. I haven't successfully made clam chowder in years. I made it around Christmas time for a few years after Marc and I got married and it turned out fine, but in the last few years it's turned out too thick and rich and gross. But I was craving it, so I decided to give it another shot. Turns out I had been draining the boiled veggies and I wasn't supposed to so this batch turned out just great and my stomach is so thankful. Next up is Giada's chicken parmesan served over spaghetti squash and some semi-homemade breadsticks. Yum.

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I cannot believe how utterly cold it's been the last 3 days. I haven't gone out at all and I've kept Carter home from school. I'm sorry, below zero when school starts is simply too cold for us to be out and about.

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We got a bit behind in homework when I was lying in bed for three months. (Thank goodness, Carter doesn't have to turn it in!) But now we're on homework attack and I vow that we'll be caught up by the time Carter goes back after Christmas break. It's going to take some dedication on my part and patience on his. It's a good thing he enjoys doing it.

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We bought a new ride almost two weeks ago. It looks like this:

With our soon to be expanded family, it was necessary. We are proud to be part of the mini van brigade. Merry Christmas to us.

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This morning after I bathed the boys, Carter tried to explain to Anderson that we had church tomorrow. I told him we didn't. He asked why they got a bath then. Great. He must notice that all too often, a week goes by before they bathe again. In my defense, it is winter and we no longer go out and sweat and play at the park. Not to mention my children both have eczema and they really shouldn't bathe too often to avoid patchy, dry skin.