recent reading

A surprisingly interesting read.

I love to read, and would every day if I could.  I say could, because I know a little something about myself when it comes to reading.  If I start a good book, I can't put it down.  I will stay up way past my bedtime.  I will read at stoplights.  I will let the kids watch a bit more PBS to get in an extra hour of whatever story has me captured.  Laundry will pile, toys remain un-picked up.  My Honey has been known to say "I can't wait until you finish that book."  That's how I read.  So I know I simply can't do it every day.

I also know that if a story doesn't grab me in the first couple chapters, then I don't hesitate taking it back to the library with nary another thought.

I love discovering authors.  If I've enjoyed a book by an author, I will pile up on the others she or he has written.  (Same goes for discovering an interesting new show.  I'm guilty of following an innocent looking link from Molly late one night last week, and ended up watching the entire first season of Downton Abbey within 24 hours.  Thank God for Netflix.  But that's another story.)

So I know this about myself.  Be careful what I begin reading.  (And watching.)  Because all else comes to a halt.  Blogging included, that's why it's been quiet around here.  So sorry friends.

But I don't have any novels or biographies from the library right now.  Phew.  I do have my nesting list to attend to.  Oh, and kids to clothe and feed.

Thank goodness the books I read to them are a bit shorter.  So this is what I'm sticking to for awhile.

Preparing for a trip...

What a joy to read-aloud and share this book with Buddy.

Of course, art imitating life.

Do tell, what have you been reading?

this moment {"homework"}

Joining Soulemama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are savoring this week!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

the list

Um, anyone there?

So sorry, it's been awhile.  So long actually that my dear friend confessed to me that she worries a bit when I haven't posted for awhile.  She's pretty intuitive that friend.

Not much to worry about really.  Except the crazy anxiety that sets in as you get into single-digit weeks left of a pregnancy.  Well the crazy anxiety that sets in for this Mama anyway.  For this Mama, that means nesting like no other.  And I am a champion nester.  My lists are legendary.  The help I recruit is top notch (and much appreciated!)  The drive to prepare our house for a new family member is unmatched.  Every floor, wall and ceiling is clean.  The attic and basement, and everything in between, is organized.

You would think that I keep having kids just to get home projects done and the house deep-cleaned.

I'm not.

Not really.

So, we've begun.  And I say we because Honey has a very big part of getting the work done.  I stopped counting at 63 for the number of items on The List.  I didn't want to feel more overwhelmed than I already am.

Adding a wee bit to the overwhelm has been our asking ourselves the question "should we consider moving right now?"

(Go ahead, gasp.  I'll wait.  I'll wait for all of those thoughts that come to your mind: Are they crazy?  Too much stress with a newborn!  Now?  Single-digit weeks!)

We need a bigger house. 

Really we do.  Four kids.  Oh my.  (As I type this, one child is on my lap trying to type along, and two others are doing their very convincing banshee routine just feet away.  Within earshot is Daddy putting the finishing touches on dinner.) 

We haven't answered the question yet.  But are close, and are leaning towards staying cozily put for a bit longer.  We are in single-digit weeks after all.

So, meanwhile, we are living by The List as best we can.  Luckily one of the biggies was accomplished last weekend.  A much-needed freshening up of the bathroom, painting, replacing baseboards, some caulking, and, and, and...

So glad Honey is handy.

So glad to be having another baby, our house needs a good cleaning.

this moment {markers}

Joining Soulemama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are savoring this week!

Wishing you a colorful weekend!

confessions from she who is pregnant

:: I am a sucker for a cute pair of socks.  And being pregnant and wearing the same three maternity shirts over and over and over, gosh it seems reasonable to splurge $2.50 for a cute pair of argyles at Target, especially if they match one of those said maternity tops.

:: I had to lean over to get a picture of my socks.  That big roundish blur is my huge belly. 

:: I just finished eating an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food.  There is another pint of Java Chip waiting in the freezer for another day soon.  When I am pregnant, I eat as much ice cream as I want, and I don't feel badly about it.  That big roundish blur would be there ice cream or not.

:: I think pregnant women are adorable.  At times when I haven't been pregnant and saw pregnant women, it was always with a huge dose of nostaglia about how great it is to be pregnant.

::  I must have selective memory about being pregnant.  Because until today I completely forgot about the incredible back aches that have accompanied me during the third trimester of all of my pregnancies.  The back aches alone warrant the ice cream. (See confession #2.)

:: When my first child was born, I was delighted to learn that while in the hospital you could eat as much pudding as you wanted.  That was great news, I love pudding, even though in every day life I really never eat pudding.

:: With the positive pregnancy tests of my second, third and fourth children, the immediate thought has always been "oh, another sweet baby."  My very next thought has always been, always, "as much pudding as I want, yum!"

:: I am tired.  All. The. Time.  Okay, if these are confessions, I need to be accurately honest.  I am tired 93% of the time.  There are eight or nine minutes around 10:30 a.m. that I feel pretty darn good.

:: People keep telling me it's no surprise I am tired, I already have three kids that I am mothering.  I think I am tired because I am 40 years old.

:: I am fine with being pregnant at 40.  As a matter of fact, it can be downright humorous when you are categorized as "elderly multigravida" on all of your medical documentation.

:: The Bradley Method of Childbirth rocks.  Even when it doesn't go quite as you've prepared, everything about it rocks.

:: Breastfeeding rocks.  And those first few days with a new nursling are simply magical.  Amazing how they know just what to do, and my body does too.

::  If my mathematical estimates are accurate, by the time baby number four is done breastfeeding, I will have nursed babies for over 10 years.  Straight.  Yep, I'm a tandem nurser.  That is over a decade of breastfeeding my friends.  That is alot of breastfeeding.  That is alot of milk.

:: Being pregnant while already having older children is an adventure all its own.  The baby, well really my belly, gets hugged throughout the day.  I've been able to have in-depth conversations on how the baby comes out of my body, the amazing attributes of the placenta, and that, yes, the baby can hear you talking.  There is an excitement that comes with each question about how soon? what about this name? can I feel the baby kick?  Yep, the excitement is definitely up a notch this time around.  And no, I don't think we will consider any names of Lego Ninja characters.

:: It is at about this point in my pregnancy when I don't just feel pregnant, but feel like I have a constant companion.  I love that feeling.  I am never lonely.  I think that also explains some moments of feeling a bit alone once the baby is actually born.

:: Even with the back aches, being pregnant is pretty great.

:: This time around I plan on eating two pudding cups every hour I am at the hospital.  One chocolate and one vanilla.

:: And I will likely order four with each meal.

hello monday

Linking up with the lovely Lisa Leonard today.

Hello blue skies.  Nice to see you, but please can you send along a wee bit of snow already?

Hello big dustbunnies left behind the Christmas decorations.  I am in for alot of cleaning this week.

Hello kittie pjs.  They are getting much too small, but still the requested favorite every day.  Even on errands to Target.

Hello start of the nesting list.  And boy I am a pro at making a nesting list.

Hello little honey bear.  And you too Burt's Bees cough drops, trying to keep a sore throat feeling not so sore.

Hello school routine.  We've missed you.  Oh how we've needed you.

Hello great movie on Netflix Spirit of the Marathon.   Whether you are a runner or not, so inspiring!

Hello sewing projects still in the works from the holidays.  Oh they need to get completed and mailed soon!

What are you saying hello to today?

my word

This is the third year that I will be choosing one little word for the year.

My word in 2010 was create.

My word in 2011 was discovering.

This year, 2012, my word is calm.

I've been thinking about my word for quite some time, actually since early fall when I realized the many transitions my life would be taking.  At that point of the year I felt as if I had reached that point of "discovering" what it was I was intended to discover.  The next big phase of my life.

So since then, I've had time to really think about what word I wanted to focus on and embrace next.  I had been thinking of several, and at the turn of the year had it narrowed down to two:  either home or calm.

And after a couple decidedly un-calm days this week (ahem), I recognized that I indeed needed calm to be my word for 2012.

So I am thoroughly embracing calm this year.  And I am so, so lucky because I won the very generous giveaway from Tamara at Smiling for Grandma to participate in the One Little Word class.  This is definitely going to be a good thing for me to fully concentrate and reflect on calm in my life.

Have you chosen your word yet?  Do tell.

this moment

Joining Soulemama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are savoring this week!

May the force be with you this weekend!

truth be told

I was ecstatic to hear the predictions from the meteorologists to expect blizzard-like conditions.  I kept waiting anxiously, watching for snowflakes, hoping to feel a bit of the chill.

This all may sound crazy, I know.  But, truth be told, we've had a bit of a cranky start to 2012.  Oh nothing serious, but I think a full-blown case of "we've-had-such-fun-and-too-many-treats-and-not-enough-sleep-itis" has caught hold of our little family.  Grown-ups and kids alike.

Our holidays have been fabulous, for the first time staying close to home.  We've had some extra day trips and treats, which have been much fun.  But this tired Mama is definitely in need of some down time and fresh air.

And this blizzard is just the cure.

Fresh air, albeit a bit chilly, but fresh no less.

And the cold bringing a whole new realm of fun for the kids.  Anything to freeze over that swamp that has been created in our backyard from record rains, that continued into the holidays.  Humbug. (But I won't mention the rain.  I've promised my husband.  That prince who has listened to me, the eternal glass is half-full gal, complain about the rain for weeks now.)

So blizzard, welcome!  Bring your snowflakes big and fluffy.  Bring your fresh air that seems to dance its own dance as we breathe.  Bring your piles of snow-drenched hats and gloves and boots.   I'll figure out a system of keeping up with the piles soon enough.  Bring your warm drinks and your post-play snuggles to get warm. Welcome!  Give us forts to build, sidewalks to shovel, slick spots on which to sled.  Bring us the just-right antidote for the New Year crankies, for all of us.