Riding on the Potty Train

At 18 months, Eleri really started to show interest in sitting on the potty.  I was doing pretty good at taking her and just letting her "play" at it.  But then I got sick.  The last few months she has showed zero interest and I have to admit I've felt way too bad to encourage it.  But last night, just as I was having these feelings of guilt at maybe "missing the window" she asked to sit on her potty seat during bath and what do you know?  She pooped!!!!  I gave her a candy corn for her success.  Then later she asked for candy and I said "if you got peepee or poopoo" so she went and sat on the potty and peed! I was so excited for her and gave her another candy corn.  Today she hasn't used the potty at all but I've asked her and offered candy which really has just caused some meltdowns because she wants the candy without going to the bathroom.  She seems to be just as strong willed as Mali and our plan is just to watch her signs and go with her and not push her.  Although the potty training

Do not buy or give your kids green cupcakes

Eleri is a big mess!  She loves getting into a mess and making a mess.  Reason #1 seems to be that she wants to do everything 5 year old sister does but that 20 month old Eleri isn't quite old enough to accomplish without making a mess.  This stage can be hard, so I just got out my camera and snapped pictures so that I could laugh at the mess.  Also, her hair is always crazy when she gets up from her nap!

Donuts with Dad

Two weeks ago, Mali was sooo excited that her Daddy got to take her to school and have donuts with her. It may just have been the highlight of her year!

#1

Amarillo High's Defense is #1 right now...that's my husband!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so proud of him and those outside linebackers he coaches! I can't wait to watch them stop the #1 running back on Friday (or rather listen)

http://amarillo.com/sports/high-school-sports/2010-09-23/high-school-football-statistics

All her 20 month cuteness

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Kindergarten Update

Yesterday, Eric and I had Mali's parent teacher conference. It went really well. Mali was tested about a month ago and so her teacher said that she has probably improved a lot since then. To sum it up, I would say Mali is achieving at a B level. She was above average in most of her testing. And really this testing was more of a baseline for us and the teacher. We still LOVE her teacher and love that she loves Mali. Mrs. Von Netzer said that Mali really brings a balance to her classroom. I just know she is an answer to my specific prayers that Mali get a teacher that sees her strengths. Von Netzer (as the students call her) said that Mali really is great and that even her "little sass" is cute. She said this is really the only behavior issue they have but that she just looks at Mali and Mali changes the way she said whatever it was. Von Netzer said that Mali has several little boys that "like" Mali. Right now it is Jack and Trent. Jack's mom even came up to me yesterday and introduced herself because Jack talks so much about Mali and thought maybe we could have a play date. Umm, I'm thinking that won't be unchaperoned!;) Von Netzer also said that at rug time, all the kids are just surrounding Mali and that the whole class is sort of just drawn to her and her personality! I love this and am so proud of her and that we are able to see her strengths. This sounds a lot like her daddy to me! Mali seems to be learning sooo very much. She recognizes tons of sight words and comes home and asks for books to circle sight words in. She is also learning sentence structure like "finger space" between words. One of my very favorite things is that nearly every day she brings home a drawing that she made for me and usually of me and her. That really warms my heart and is just a reminder of the sweetness in her for her mommy. Today was Von Netzer's birthday. Mali helped me make a Chai Tea mix for her and decoupage a container for it for her. Mali also insisted on bringing her a football cupcake, because Von Netzer "likes" football because she is at the AHS games!;) It was a crazy day walking to school, in the rain, with all those things!!! I came home covered in green frosting, but Mali loved giving those sweet treats to her teacher. At 1pm, we went early and had a birthday party for her too. Really it must have been for the kids because they got the juice boxes and cupcakes!;) I loved watching the kids and Mrs. Von Netzer in "action". She really is wonderful and very gifted as a teacher. We love her! Mali loves her and nearly every day tells me how much she loves Kindergarten. I'm so thankful that Mrs. Von Netzer has set this awesome foundation for Mali! I don't ever want to move away from her or this school until all three kids have her!;)
(Mali drew this drawing this week. It is me in the hospital after having the baby. My IV and fluids are to my right. Mali is behind the baby. She made sure to point out it was just me, her and the new baby and not Eleri).

Tiny Movements

I THINK I am starting to feel the baby move. I'm still not just like oh this is the baby moving for some reason, but every once and a while I think I feel baby. Its strange because I was like 12 weeks with Eleri and 14 with Mali when I felt them moved and I knew for certain with Eleri! I would have thought that by #3 I would also know for certain. I've pretty much decided its because of my sheer exhaustion and if I'm still enough to feel baby, I'm asleep! I'm still sick but hoping and praying that any day know it will completely leave. I actually made a big dinner last night and ate most of it. It felt good to be so productive and to eat!

Family Fun Time

Last Friday, Josh and Kisha surprised us with a visit home. They showed up with Rory and Judy Friday morning for the AHS pep rally. The Gomez family took Eleri to the pep rally and I went and took Mali out of school for the pep rally and met them there. I have to admit, I felt a little guilty taking her out of school, but there WERE too other parents there taking their kids out too for the pep rally. After the pep rally, I took Mali back to school and met everyone else for lunch at Rosa's. Eleri and I came back to the house and enjoyed reading books and resting while our house got cleaned. We were so blessed to have Kisha and Josh pay for a house cleaner to come help us! Thank you guys SO much. After school, Mali and Eleri got to hang out with Mimi, Papa, Josh and Kisha outside in the front yard sans chairs of course. They bought items from her fundraising for school and just had fun watching the girls go crazy. The guys mowed and did some yardwork for Eric. After hanging out, we all went to Blue Sky to eat and met Eric's grandparents there. It was Homecoming week and so we headed to the game a little early. The guys got to watch pre-game and everyone entertained Mali and Eleri. One of Eric's cousins, Mario, and his wife Destiny and their two boys came with us to the game too. We had a full section of Gomez/Hopsons. It was really great. Eleri was back and forth the whole game and I was so glad to have all the help. All she wanted was Papa and I think all Papa wanted was to watch the game. Mali sat with Kisha most of the time. The girls and I made it to the third quarter and we were winning 14-0 and beating Midland High who was 3-0. By the time I got home, got the girls to bed and crawled in bed and turned on the TV we were loosing 21-14. We ended up loosing 28-21 in a very sad loss. After Eric got off work on Saturday, we drove to Dalhart to get some extra time with Josh and Kisha. The girls played and played and then Mimi made a big meal and everyone some what watched the sad Tech game. The girls and I left and headed to bed before the game was over, but not before Mali made some more sales to Nana and Aunt Megan!;)
Of course I have NO pictures. I completely blame it on not having my camera out because of the house cleaning and being so yuck with this pregnancy. I hate that I missed the opportunity to take pictures with Kisha and Josh and the girls!!

Every heartbeat bears your name

So, first, I did copy this post title from another blog but it was sooo fitting. Today I am 16 weeks pregnant and had my monthly OB appointment. My appointment was at 9:00am and I was out in my car by 9:05am. Just makes me love my OB even more! He listened to #3's heartbeat and found it right away. It was 160. I haven't really felt #3 move (but had felt both girls by now and surely I should be able to feel my third by now?) and combined with reading another mom's blog, I was starting to get worried and prepare myself a little for a not so good appointment. I'm so thankful to hear that sweet sound that bears God's name. This sweet baby was HIS plan and He has brought this baby this far! My appointment was good overall. I've lost 1lb since my last appointment a month ago. I was certain I'd have gained since I've been able to eat again, but my OB wasn't hugely concerned about that 1lb as long as I can eat something and "keep sugars down". I'm trying to drink a lot of powerade but that makes me a little queasy into the afternoon/evening. These last few weeks (okay now we are at months) have been so hard and I've not had the best attitude about this pregnancy and part of me just wondered if God was going to sort of give me what I asked for (I haven't asked for no baby but my attitude sort of has). However, I really do not believe that is how our God works. He is full of grace and mercy, the two things that prove he doesn't give us what we "deserve" and He is a loving God that has a bigger plan through my misery. Now that doesn't mean he gives me an easy path by no means, just look at this pregnancy. He is using the hardness of it all to shape me and without that hardness I might just go about life without my thought life being changed. Part of that I really believe is transforming my heart/attitude and thoughts. I just started a bible study with Hillside on Tuesdays and it is teaching about our thought patterns and how what we think about ourselves, or say to ourselves in our mind/heart, affects us so deeply. My thoughts and in return attitude has been pretty stinky lately. So bring on the transformation, but can I please stop puking????
I am still throwing up each day, at least once on a good day and sometimes more, all day on a bad day. The more active I am or more I do or least I sleep, the sicker I am. I feel horrible and miserable and I really want all the feeling bad to end. I'm counting down the days and really know that any day I could suddenly stop puking and stop feeling bad. But I also know I may continue to feel bad. Its taking such a toll on my entire life and that's what I want to end. I don't feel like doing anything because my body is just exhausted. I take a nap and "wake up" and my mind is awake but my body never seems to really wake up. Doing ANYTHING just drains my energy, even taking Eric a pillow up to school! I just go downhill all day and I'm realizing that my afternoons are my valuable time that I have with my children and I need to be making the most of it and being intentional, but I'm not. I'm sitting there like a zombie, pregnant woman. They aren't being neglected, but they aren't really being engaged by me either. I loose patience so quickly with Eleri for making 18 month old messes and I hate that at this age with Mali I was so much more patient and loving. I want to believe that this is a season and it will get better, but I don't want to loose the days and hours either! I would so appreciate your prayers as this difficult difficult season continues in my life. Pray for my sweet sweet girls and that they would get their mommy back soon. Pray for Eric that he would get his helpmate back (especially one he so desperately needs during this SEASON for him!)
I have a sweet big girl to go pick up and a baby that is mysteriously waking up at 1:25pm instead of 2:30...can you say LONGGGGG day!

Oh and we also scheduled our BIG sonogram for October 14th...but the question is will the rest of the world find out with us the gender of our baby?

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend and Memorial Day weekend happen to fall right in the middle of football season, both fall and spring ball. Mali was a little disappointed that we didn't go anywhere, but we made the most of it. Friday, Mimi and Papa came down (and brought me a very nice decaf latte from Starbucks) and we went to the pep rally, ate lunch and then rested at home. They also helped me get the girls ready, got us dinner and helped me at the game with the girls. It was our first home game. It was a little nerve racking now that Eric's job really depends on wins, add to that my pregnancy hormones and I just almost cried. I was so thankful to have help at the game. Saturday was a pretty morning and the girls drug blankets and pillows into the front yard to camp. After playing out front for a while, we set up the tent in the backyard and had a picnic there. After lunch, Eleri and I came inside to nap and Mali stayed in the tent and rested with the dogs. Saturday after Eric got off work he went to get a haircut and took Mali with him. We "tagged" in the parking lot and I went to work. When I got home I found that Mali had a chunk of hair died pink courtesy of her little daddy/daughter time (I should have taken a picture right then because sadly enough it has faded). Sunday before Eric had to work we went out to Palo Duro Canyon. Mali was not thrilled about all the bugs and screamed and cried every 5 seconds over a bug or pokey thorn. We took the dogs with us and tried a little walking trail but Mali's major fear put a halt to that. We did have a good talk about fear and how God didn't create us to be fearful. We spent our last little bit at PDC playing in the water. Eleri loved it and so did the dogs. Mali finally got out the car and spent the last few minutes playing and looking for minnows. The rest of the weekend was spent with lots of good sister time. We enjoyed no school on Monday, getting to sleep in and just getting to play.
And in the picture with Mimi and Papa, I with great sadness announce this was the last picture in my favorite favorite chairs! Tuesday night our chairs were stolen from our front yard. I'm so sad and MAD about it. They were very sentimental to me and I LOVED sitting in them outside under our tree.

Baby #3 update

Just a quick update. I got the results from last week's ultrasound and the bleeding is probably because of a low lying placenta. I'm just on activity restrictions. No pulling, pushing, straining, picking up! So still taking it easy. I have another appointment on the 16th. My energy still is pretty much non existent and I'm sick about once a day now. Still not fun, but much improvement. I hit my 15th week tomorrow and that was the magic week for my pregnancy with Eleri in regards to throwing up...so we will see! Any day now I hope!

Queen of the Day Addendum

We got Mali's Queen of the Day book today. She was so excited to show it to me that she got dressed up in the same outfit she wore that day and had me close my eyes. The book clarified what Queen of the Day entailed as well. "My new friends interviewed me to get to know me. I also got to be Mrs. Von Netzer's helper all day. This book has my interview, self-portrait, and all the pictures my friends drew of me. I hope you like it."
This is the response of Mali's interview:
Queen Mali

I have 3 dogs but I wish I had a cat. I love my blanket. I have a baby sister and maybe a baby brother. I like donuts. I love to go to the cabin. My favorite color is pink.

I was pretty surprised by the baby brother part but not the rest! I LOVE this sweet girl that knows what she wants and what she loves! Mali's favorite picture drawn of her was by her teacher. I had fun looking at all the drawings of Mali and putting my play therapist hat on as I looked at them. It made me wish I knew the other kids a little better. The most surprising one was by the boy that Mali says in mean and gets his clipped moved down a lot. His drawing was great and probably the best one. There were a few interesting ones. I never anticipated this aspect of my therapist and mom hat clashing. Artwork is SO subjective so I can't exactly interpret exactly what the child means by it all without knowing them, but it was though provoking.

Queen of the Day

I should have waited to blog until Mali got home from school today. When I saw her at pick up she was wearing the Queen of the Day crown!!!!! I'm not exactly sure how you get to be Queen of the Day but I do know that the teacher picks who is Queen/King and today was Mali's day. Her teacher told me that the entire school is out of ink so she couldn't make a copy of Mali's special book. Each student, including Mali, draws a picture of the Queen of the Day and asks them questions and I think this is what goes in the book. I'm excited to see her book and will definitely be blogging about that! Mali also got a heart again at the end of the week. She told me that she can "save" up her hearts and earn things like eating with her teacher or sitting at the teacher's desk, but she chose to get another jump rope. Can you say instant gratification? She is not her mother's child in that area! Mali also was on the winning team that got the most sticks and so they could choose to take your shoes off or get an extra heart stamp. Can you guess what she chose? To take her shoes off! I LOVE this girl and I'm so proud of how she is doing in school. I just love her teacher and know that she is an answer to prayers!!!!

School Days

Yesterday, Mali came home with this in her folder!!!! We were sooo proud of her. Mali couldn't seem to tell me that she'd done anything special or different yesterday to earn this sweet little note, but we were proud of her and celebrated anyway. School seems to be going really great for her. I couldn't be happier with her teacher or what she is learning. She has a new friend named Brynn that she talks to a lot and talks about. Brynn's dad said that Brynn talks about Mali all the time, so its nice to know its mutual! Mali really seems to have a great class. The only downside to school has been getting Mali out of bed and ready. She has always been a morning person so I wasn't anticipating how hard the mornings would be! Wednesdays tend to hit us especially hard! Today Mali spent about ten minutes arguing with me that she didn't have school today! At least we do get a break on Monday!

#3 update

Yesterday I had a follow up sonogram with the OB/Gyn associates. The baby still looked great. Heartbeat was great at 158. She spent a lot of time looking at my uterus and placenta but didn't give me any suggestions as to what was causing the bleeding. She did say she didn't see any signs of crucial bleeding. I did ask if my placenta was low lying (placenta previa) and if that was the cause of bleeding. Her response was that at this stage of pregnancy placenta previa is not an accurate diagnosis. So, I'm not sure if that means it is or not. I'm still waiting to hear back from my nurse.

Please Vote

If you haven't received my emails or facebook message, this is for you! Mali and Eleri are taking part in Carol McKinney's Cute Kid Contest. If either one of them wins, we win free pictures for a YEAR!!!! And boy do we need that with #3 on the way. Go here to her website to view all the contestants. If you agree that our girls are cute please email Carol at photosbycarolmckinney@yahoo.com
As the subject line please put, "I vote for Contestant 6-Eleri"
and then you can vote again and put "I vote for Contestant 7-Mali"
Thanks so much!