Doctor, Doctor, Mr. MD

How much easier life would be if we didn't need doctors!!

Several months ago, my OBGYN told me he was leaving at the end of August to teach / practice in a larger city about an hour from here. So since June, I've been going back and forth over whether to stay with him and just drive an hour for my appointments, or to transfer to the only other OB in our city. I've been with him for the deliveries of all three of the munchkins, and let's face it - a good OB is one doctor that's hard to replace!

In the end, I decided to stay here, mainly because with the delivery of our fourth child, I'm thinking an hour's drive to the hospital would only result in Danny having to deliver the baby in the van on the way there! The hospital here is about 2 blocks from our house, so the drive just didn't make sense. The only other option was to be induced several weeks early, but, as tempting as that is right now, I really, really don't want to go that route. We've been there already with both girls, and I'd love to go on my own this time if possible.

So now it's been 2 1/2 weeks since my last appointment, and I'm still waiting to have my records transferred. Once that happens (I've been told it may be a couple more weeks), the new doctor is so overbooked that it may be several more weeks before I even get an appointment with her, and by that time I may be in labor! So I'm thinking maybe I should stay with my current dr after all, and maybe just deliver here in town with whoever is on call. As far as insurance, we're covered either way. Aaaggghhh! I don't know what to do! I hate being this far along (34 weeks) and having no doctor.

And today I found out that the kids' pediatritian, who I absolutely love (and so do they), is going to be practicing 3 days a week at another branch that's also an hour from where we live, and only one day at the branch we currently go to. That one day just happens to be a not-good day for us to schedule appointments. So I'm thinking I may need to find another pediatritian as well. This wouldn't be nearly as big a deal if I wasn't about to have a baby, who's going to be going in about every 2-3 months for a while!

Don't our doctors know they're supposed to schedule their lives around us??

Fruitabu Queen

Talk about random!!

Last week, a marketing assistant from the Stretch Island fruit company left a comment asking me to contact her, which I did. It turns out they are sending us a large assortment of Fruitabu products, including some that are brand new and that we haven't even tried!

Apparently, several of my blog entries have put us in the category of "huge fans", which, of course, we are. Hey, as long as we're getting free Fruitabu products, they can call us whatever they want!

I've never seen Danny so proud. Well, maybe the days when he first held each of our children, he was almost as proud, but not quite. I'm telling you, this is great stuff. And this package will more than make up for the cost of the first one we ordered . . .

Party Time!

Rachel turned 5 on Friday, and I really don't think it would have been possible to have a much girlier party.

We had planned to celebrate Rach's & Kari Bou's birthdays together on Saturday with the extended fam; but since this was kind of a "big" one for Rach, I finally gave in to her begging and agreed she could have a sleepover the night before, with 5 friends of her choice.

We started off the evening by painting terra cotta flower pots. Danny took Kari Bou and Zekers to the fair to finish out our ride tickets, since they didn't seem to understand why they couldn't participate in the painting frenzy. When the girls were finished, everyone wanted their fingernails painted as well, so they all chose a color they wanted, and the manicures began (along with a few pedicures!). I couldn't help laughing - I had about 50 different colors to choose from, and I could have gotten away with just three - bright bright red, purple, and baby blue!

I brought out a big pan of "dirt cake" and Rach blew out her candles. Then, while she opened gifts I spooned some dirt into each flower pot (they had dried by this time), along with a flower and some gummy worms. Sheesh, I could have saved myself at least an hour and not even bothered with the cake - they went nuts over the worms!! We went through 2 packages in about 10 minutes.

They played with Rachel's birthday loot for a while, then went downstairs and watched Peter Pan. Afterward everyone got their PJ's on and we made a "fun house" out of sheets and couch cushions. Three of the girls slept there, and 2 went upstairs and slept on the floor in the baby room.

I have to confess, this was the part where I had no idea what to expect. 2 of the girls had already asked if they could come and sleep in our bed when - not if - they woke up in the middle of the night. And by 11, no one had shown any signs of winding down. But miraculously, by about 12:30, everyone was out cold, and not one of them woke up before 7:30 the next morning. I couldn't believe it!

After breakfast, we started making "flip-flop shirts" (an idea I found in Family Fun Magazine). It seemed like a really cool idea, but I realized it wasn't an age-appropriate activity for 5-yr-olds, so I finished the shirts while Danny became a human jungle gym and played Tickle Monster with the girls and Zekers, which may well have been the highlight of the party. Speaking of Zekers, he felt pretty left out with everyone getting special Tinkerbell cups and having their nails painted; so we finally told him he could wear a pirate's hat and be Captain Hook, which made him very happy.
















All the girls went home around 10:30, and we started getting ready for Rach & Kari Bou's combined party that evening, with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. I wanted to have the festivities outside, but it poured rain about an hour before everyone was to arrive, so we all crowded into the house. These are the times I'm thankful for the basement - at least the kids had room to run around & play a little. Of course, by the time everyone left, it was beautiful outside.

Since it worked with Zekers' Thomas cake a few months ago, I tried the same idea for Kari Bou's cake. She loves Dora and Care Bears, and I thought Dora looked easier to make, so I downloaded a picture, got it enlarged and used it as a guide. I must have been insane - it took 8 colors of frosting and a total of about 4 hours and made a HUGE mess. Don't ever try to use Wilton food coloring with an almost-2-yr-old around! She went around with a bright pink mouth (and hands, and shirt) for a while, but it eventually came out.

What a weekend! When we asked Kari Bou if she had fun, she said "Yep!", accompanied by an emphatic head nod. And I don't think Rachel's feet touched the ground the whole time - she's been looking forward to this for about 7 months. I guess the sleepover must have been somewhat of a success, as one of the girls informed me Friday night that it was a "rockin' party"! I have to say, it was very entertaining for Danny & me as well!

And now Kari Bou gets to say good-bye to her beloved binky . . . so sad . . .

After a Week of Fair Food

This is life from my current vantage point . . . I'm not sure what inspired this photo; we were standing near the Grand stand at the fairgrounds waiting for the rain to stop and I guess I had nothing better to do. The good news is, I can still see my feet!









Monday we went to the fair with my sister Hannah, her 2 kids Esther and Luke, and my mom. This has become an annual tradition for us; Hannah & I are just looking forward to the year we can attend the fair without one of us being pregnant! (and I think, so is Mom)







OK, I had to post this series of pix, because they are just too funny. This first one is Rachel and Zekers on their absolute favorite ride from last summer - the Dragon Wagon. They both loved raising their hands high and whooping and hollering through the ride's entirety.







This is about halfway in . . . and the expression on Zekers' face never changed! Isn't it just awful and hilarious at the same time? I know, I'm such a cruel mom, but I couldn't stop laughing when I saw the picture. Seriously, click on the picture for a closer look! I asked him after he got off if he wanted to go again, and he ran over to the entrance steps yelling excitedly, so it obviously didn't traumatize him too much . . . .


He seemed much more relaxed on the kiddie ferris wheel with Esther and Rachel. Karis rode with 2 other girls in a different seat, and nearly fell asleep.









They rode until about 2:00, at which point it began pouring down rain. This pic was taken just before a peal of thunder sent everyone into a panic and we had to unload all the kiddos before the ride began. By 3:30, every ride was shut down except the carousel, so guess what we rode about 8 times in a row? We all came home soaking wet and got into our sweats and watched a movie. What a day!

Just as a side note . . . the funnel cakes and the lemon shake-ups and the $1 corn dogs are worth consuming. I can't say the same for the $5 mugs of root beer that come with a lifetime of $1 refills. I think this "deal" is only available because they know there's no danger of having repeat customers (unless they don't mind paying $1 for tepid, flat sludge).

The Great County Fair, part 1

OK, you know you've lived here too long when you actually arrange your August schedule around the opening weekend of the county fair!!

The kids and I have been looking forward to this week all summer. I mean, why wouldn't I eagerly anticipate the chance to consume the greasiest food known to man, while walking around getting covered with dust from head to toe and throwing large amounts of cash away with both hands? I love it!


The first three days of the fair have been spent getting acquainted with all the animals - sheep, pigs, cows, goats, dogs, rabbits, horses, chickens and ducks. Their owners are so friendly - or just extremely bored - and more than willing for the kids to pet and spend time around their animals.

These are a few snapshots of our first 3 days. My personal favorite was meeting several very large dogs, including a beautiful Newfoundland who weighs about what I will weigh in several more weeks. (don't even ask)

Hungry?

I drove past this sign the other day on the way back from the park, and couldn't believe my eyes. People actually advertise this stuff?? Now I know why we haven't been to KFC since last summer . . .











In other news . . . I had to laugh. While we were at the park, Rachel discovered a twin! She has hair the same consistency and just as curly as Rach's; and they seem to have the same personality. We also discovered they'll be going to kindergarten together this fall.

A Flash of Color

The weekend was once again packed, but lots of fun . . .

Friday we spent the afternoon at the pool, then in the evening we headed over to the city park and got some cute pix of Rach. (I've decided to try taking some pix of the kids myself this fall and making copies, rather than getting studio poses. I like the backgrounds - and the poses - better!) The one with all three kiddos was taken just for fun, outisde a historic fort-type structure.






























Saturday morning we took off around 7:30, dropped Danny off at the hospital to be with a friend and neighbor who was having surgery, and the kids and I drove to my sister & bro-in-law's house to watch our niece and nephew for the day. Everything went pretty smoothly . . . until lunchtime, when Karis yanked the tablecloth off the table, bringing with it Luke's bowl of pureed fruit, which splattered EVERYWHERE, including the area rug. She then proceeded to fling her plate full of mac & cheese onto the floor. Afterward, all of the kiddos thought it would be great fun to dance on top of the table . . . until Mommy/Aunt Charity caught them (about 5 seconds into their fun)! The highlight of Rachel's day was giving Luke his bottle, while Kari Bou and Esther enjoyed going to the potty about 57 times each.

Karis also enjoyed playing "Let's make wierd faces" with Luke.






















Later that evening, we met some friends at an outdoor mall nearby. We ate at a sandwich shop and all the kiddos had a blast playing in the fountains while us Mommies and Daddies sat and talked and listened to '80's music by a local band and ran after the kids. They danced in the water and at one point Zekers decided to do push-ups over one of the fountains. We ended the evening with ice cream from Coldstone Creamery - yum!



Sunday I attempted to play guitar and sing with the worship team, although I felt like I was gasping my way through both services. Yep- definitely the third trimester! In the evening, Danny gave me the best gift ever: 5 hours to myself! He took the kiddos to visit Grandma & Grandpa so I could get some things done around the house in peace. I know this sounds kinda strange, but there is nothing more therapeudic for me than clean and organize the house without little munchkinds trashing it behind me as I go! I finished a ton of paperwork, cleaned a lot of the basement as well as the kids' rooms, did 5 loads of laundry and reorganized closets and drawers for when the baby comes.

I thouroughly enjoyed the time to myself, and I also enjoyed having everyone back again. I realized how nice it is to miss and to be missed; to receive great big bear hugs; to sit around the table eating blueberries, strawberries and cantalope and just being a family, enjoying the calm before the next week hits like a storm . . .

Sigh of Relief

Rachel and I went to the doctor yesterday to get her kindergarten shots . . . and I'm not sure who was most dreading the encounter.

Several months back, I had to hold Rach down, kicking and screaming, at the prospect of a simple finger stick. So you can imagine my agitation at the thought of her receiving 3 actual shots. But, she had lunch at McD's afterward to look forward to, and then a trip to Dippin' Dots. And she knew she'd receive a sticker and maybe even get Tweetie bandaids. Really, does it get any better than that?

It actually went much more smoothly than I thought. There were lots of tears - sheesh, it's so much more difficult now that she knows what's coming than when she was just a baby! But she got to sit in my lap, and I tried to make a joke out of the whole thing by telling her they were injecting her with mushroom juice (she absolutely hates mushrooms, as she should). It at least made her laugh a little - until she saw the needle coming at her.

But hey - she's all the way up to the 55th percentile for height, and the 35th for weight. Time was, I rejoiced that her weight was even on the chart (barely)! In several years, she'll be the only second grader still not heavy enough for a booster car seat, but the doctor pronounced her in excellent health.

Best of all, she got to wear a little paper gown while she waited for the doctor to see her. And got a Tinkerbell sticker. And the hoped-for Tweetie bandaids.

And now, we're officially on our way to kindergarten!

A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That

FruitaBu Update
Since I'm sure you've all been holding your breath about this one . . .

Today I purchased 2 boxes of Fruitabu from our local Kroger (for only 3.29 per box)! Thanks to some helpful suggestions, I went in a couple of weeks ago and asked if they could stock it, and they agreed. So everyone who lives in our town - buy some FruitaBu so they keep stocking it!!

Week in a nutshell
Something is in the air, and it definitely isn't love . . .

More like allergies . . .

I think my head is going to explode. And Kari Bou's. And Danny's.

Weekend Wedding
Danny had the privilege of marrying Ralph and Andrea, who we have known for a very long time and sort of watched grow up. Plus, we realized they've been dating for almost half of our married life . . . so they'd been waiting for this day for what probably seemed like forever. It was a sweet, beautiful wedding and a fun reception.

As usual, I once again didn't get a picture of the bride and groom at their own wedding. However, I did get some pretty sweet pix of Rachel and Danny dancing together, and of Rach with a little friend.























Reading Frenzy
I was up in the attic several days ago, desperately searching for some clothes that might fit me for the next couple of months, when my eyes fell on a box of books I collected while in college - mostly classics in paperback. I grabbed a couple from the top, and ever since have wanted to do nothing other than devour them. Reading for pure pleasure is something I haven't done since . . . I don't even know when. It was almost like a pregnancy craving; the first day I stayed up past midnight reading Fahrenheit 451 and the next I stayed up even later reading The Old Man and the Sea. I am now nearly finished with Pride and Predjudice, and have already stopped by the library to reserve A Clockwork Orange and A Brave New World - neither of which, I was shocked to discover, our library even carries! I now have to wait nearly 2 weeks to get them through interlibrary loan! The librarian herself seemed a little sheepish about this. I've read most of these before, but it was so long ago and a good book absolutely must be read more than once.

So . . . if I don't post very often for the rest of the summer, it's either because I'm lost in a good book, or because we're doing this: