Don't Be Jealous

But, is is pretty much pleasant summer weather here right now.
We went to the beach.

Gorgeous day.

Digging in the sand.

Lots of laughing, being chased by waves,
and getting caught a few times.

The very pregnant momma didn't do much but sit back & watch.

i is for inchworm - Preschool Lesson

It has been a long time since I have posted a preschool lesson.
(That's because it has been a long time since I've done one.
The kids had to start begging for the next letter.)

i is for inchworm -preschool craft card directions from Totally Tots - as always.

The kids were thrilled.

The theme has been inchworms & measuring.

I haven't been too creative here lately, friends.  

We've mostly been reading books.

Here's our list.

Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni

This book is a Caldecott Honor book.  It is pretty, fun & short.  The kids love it.

Inchworm and a Half by Elinor Pinczes

This book teaches a little bit about measuring, 

very simplistically, using worms & inches.

Length

This book is a little bit above preschool level in the measurement lessons.  

But, it is still good exposure.  Gillian found it interesting.  

It didn't hold Peyton's interest.

Measuring Penny by Loreen Leedy

This book is also above preschool level in the measurement lesson.

But, the story is fun.  

The character is measuring dogs with various units of measure.

The kids love it & again, 

it is just early exposure on stuff they will learn in a few years.

Find the Insect

This book only had one picture of an inchworm.  But we found it at the library.

And, it is a real photo.  

Totally different from the cute cartoon depictions of the inchworm in our other books.

The book shows neat photographs of insects blending in with their surroundings.

Insectlopedia 

This is another library book that had one things about an inchworm.

The book was pretty cute with poetry & art work for various insects.  

I liked most of them.  They were pretty clever.

We played a tossing game with our letter "i" beanbag.

When the bag got tossed to you, you had to say 

a word that started with "i". 

I had to offer a lot of help.

• insect
• inchworm
• inside
• inch
• internet
• itch
• interesting
• imagination
• italy
• impossible
• if

We tried to inch across the carpet like inch worms.

By saying "we" I mean the kids.  It looked pretty hard.  

There was no way I figured I should attempt an inchworm crawl,
at 9 months pregnant.

I cut a bunch of ribbons into various lengths 

& let the kids choose one of each ribbon from a jar.

After each ribbon pick, we measured out how many inches long the piece was.

We made comparisons for what was shorter or longer.

After all the measuring, they arranged the ribbons how they liked it on paper 

& then glued them down.

That's about all, folks.  Other than the standard letter tracing & sand writing.

Kendall's Quilt

...is finished!

When I showed Scott, he said, "Now we can have a baby."
Ha!  Yep.  As soon as the stomach virus that has been
hanging out at our house this week decides to leave.

These kids are feeling excited to meet the baby.

Me, too.
I feel ready, too.

Sweet & Empowering

Daddy brought home some strawberries today.

The kids were crazy for them.

Sweet yumminess.

Frighteningly large.

What happens when you eat them?

You get stronger.  

(This is Peyton showing his strong muscles.)

I Didn't Forget, Baby

A week or two ago, I decided I should write down a "to do" list,
of anything I should try to get done before Kendall is born.
In my head the list was pretty short.
I was thinking that we would need to get Moira established in the big kid's room,
& clean the infant car seat & then call it good & done & ready.
As I started writing, I realized I had more stuff to do.
One thing that finally came to mind was,
I had made baby quilts & a little toy animal for all the other kids.
But, it had not yet crossed my mind to make anything for Kendall.

Poor baby!  Mommy didn't forget you.  I've been thinking about you,
and anticipating your arrival.
It just took me a while to remember this thing.
I am trying to make up for lost time.
This last week has been productive.
I am loving the way your baby quilt is turning out.
I hope you will love it, too.
(Like your biggest sister, who literally has been loving her baby quilt to pieces.)

I finished the quilt top for you this past week.  

I am pretty well pleased.

This next week I'll hopefully get the front & batting 

& back all sewn together & bound up.

I'm going to get it done for you baby girl!

Help Me Pack My Hospital Bag - I'm Having a Baby

I've got to pack for the hospital.  That's the current "to do".
What would you bring?
Have a brilliant idea of something you loved having with you when you had a baby?
Tell us.  Give us a hand!
I've done this a few times before.
But, you know, I always wonder if I am packing too much, or not enough.

For Baby -
Hat
Swaddler Blankie - a Christmas gift from Nana
Nightgowns - 2 - all the babies have worn that white lambie gown home.  
I love that one.
Undershirts - 3
Tiny Socks - 4

For Me -
Chap stick - for labor & beyond
Coconut Oil - for good leg massaging during labor
Hairbands - keeping my hair out of my face
Lotion - just because it is ice to have it
I don't need hard candies - I like to suck on ice chips instead during labor.
Socks
Nightgown for after baby is born - I've never minded the hospital gown for l/d.  
My Robe
I don't want to get my own nightgown all messy...
Comfy Undies & Comfy Nursing bra & Camisole
Luxury Toiletries - I've only tried the chap stick & it is dreamy.
I grabbed a little travel toiletries kit at Whole Foods.
Razor & shaving Cream - it's nice to be able to shave again, after the baby is born.  
A seat in the shower & no huge belly in the way.
Jeans & Shirt (Early Maternity size) - for going home

For Daddy -
Camera (no video camera though.  I don't want to watch a movie of me in labor.)
Chocolate - Sort of for me, too.
Books
Lite Reading - X-Box magazine, or Rare Fruit Growers magazine, or Martha?
Snack - What?!  I can't figure a good power snack for the labor coach.  
I almost got him beef jerky.  I know he'd like that.  But, the thing is, 
I can hardly stomach the smell on a normal day.  Mid labor?  NO!!!!
Maybe I'll make him some of these.  
I made them for my sis for Christmas & I was surprised to love them, too.
Change of clothes
His Pillow - with a flowery pillowcase, so it doesn't get mistaken for hospital property

A Gift for my Kids - 
When Moira was born, Scott & I wrapped up presents for the other kids.
It was fun.  But, it was way over kill.
They don't really need more little toys.
We had picked out way too much candy.
(We still have some of that candy around the house, nearly 2 years later...)
This time, I am making a cookie decorating present for them.
I've made up some buttercream frosting that can go in the freezer.
I'll start making some sugar cookies today, that will also go in the freezer.
Then I'll wrap a little box of sprinkles & decorations up like a present.
My little sister Liz says she'll do cookies with them, while we are at the hospital.



What about you?  Would you add something?  What am I missing?
Have you given a gift to your older kids, when the baby is born? 
 If so, what was it?

A Month, more or less

This afternoon, this baby girl took a nap for the first time in the big kid room.

She moved in for night time sleeping two nights ago.
No more crib.

I have been laying with her as she falls asleep in her new big kid bed every time, so far.
Tonight is night number three.  And, I am not in there.  So far, things seem okay.
All is quiet...

She seems young to move out of the nursery.
Even though she is older than the other kids were, when they did it.
She is 20 months old.

(Today she also started refusing to wear a diaper.
I didn't want to potty train at the moment.  We'll see...)

Kendall Ruth will be here soon.
The nursery is being changed over for her.
I am 36 weeks pregnant.

That means I have about 2 -6 weeks left to get ready.

While the kids napped today, I packed all of Moira's clothes up
& moved them out.

Tomorrow the newborn clothes will move in.

The Truth Will Find You Out

Sometimes, we think we told a great story, to throw everyone of the track.  

They'll never figure out this lie.

Like when my oldest girl somehow came up with the idea to 

"decorate" the bathroom with a marker.  

The walls, the floor, the cabinet, the sink...

and the toilet was a dead giveaway.

I walked into the bathroom totally shocked.  

Of course, my first response was, "Everyone come in here.  Who did this?"

Everyone denied having anything to do with it.

I noticed the sink bowl was colored in.  

I wasn't sure that Peyton could reach that high.

I turned around & saw the toilet seat.

And, I knew.

And, when I turned to Gillian to address the issue 

(of coloring on the house & of lying)

I noticed the same brown marker color on her lip.

Hmmmmmm.....

(After she took to heart what I had to say to her, 

she shyly asked me if she could show me something...  

"Do you see this guy I made here on the toilet, though?")

It reminds me of when Peyton was being potty trained over a year ago.  

One day, when he was pretty much there, (You know, he "got it".)

I smelled something wrong in his pants.  

I looked to see that he had indeed soiled his shorts.

I asked, "what happened here?"

He responded solemnly, "Gillian Blythe did it."

Update: The incident this afternoon, after I wrote this...  

Gillian told me she was going to her room to play.

Apparently the game was cooking eggs.

There was raw egg all over the windowsill & floor below.

Yum.