Spring

I spent the majority of yesterday cleaning my very neglected house. It's about half done. Just the basement left to organize and vacuum. I used to love winter, but now I love spring cleaning. It's so fresh and new and feels like a reset button. The windows are open, foods at the store change, the kids play outside, and the tv is OFF. 

As I worked on dinner Lewis "helped" me, and Augustine played with the neighborhood kids. He stays where I can see him from my kitchen and living room windows, and I can also hear his fire truck siren no matter where he is outside. For once it's helpful and not driving me completely nuts. 

Every so often I step out the open front door onto the porch and check on him that way. I hadn't heard his siren or seen him for a bit so I was a little nervous, but I found him here:

I mean, where else would I want to find him?! Of course, I should have known. He was talking the ears off the CK Sisters...silly me. I love our life. 

After a normal day on Thursday for Lewis, Friday wasn't so great. He was really naughty and he threw crying fits about everything...from the jelly on his bagel to being in timeout for smacking his brother over and over. Turns out he wasn't feeling good again. I should know his pattern by now. He doesn't get sick with one thing. No no. He spirals. He will get 3-4 illnesses back to back before actually getting better. So here we are with illness #2 on the horizon. Logan read him three books, which isn't many in our house, and then asked to go to bed at 745pm...and DID.

Here's hoping for more spring days and less illnesses!

This Week

Spring is coming and it's just fantastic! We hit up a new park this week (twice) and the boys love it. It even has sand...which I prefer because I will never have a sandbox at home again and if we bring sand toys there is that much more to do. We can easily spend 4 hours at a park on a really good day. 

We bring sand toys, bikes, lunch, and play on the equipment. 

While at the park I could tell Lewis wasn't feeling well, so we packed up early and headed home. He had a stomach virus for a solid 3 days. It's been a while since he's been down that long. We did a lot of cuddling and sleeping, which was awesome. One morning Logan took Augustine to school and Lewis and I slept until 930am! Heaven for an 8 month pregnant Mom who is up every two hours at night consistently these days. 

While Lewis was being cuddled, Augustine was a trooper about playing with me from the couch. His best idea was post office and he actually wrote some letters with words! He is really starting to pick up on putting letters together. He wrote "Lynn I love you and baby" a lot. He has mastered writing my proper name, and not so much "mom", but that's ok. 

Augustine spent the morning/afternoon with Grandma Susan and brought home the cars/track. The boys have had a lot of fun making up multiple games with it. 

Today is finally back to normal with Lewis. No puking for 3 days now and no fever for 1.5 days, so we celebrated with gelato and the park and good friends.

Thanks, Daddy

It's here. Those last 4 weeks of pregnancy that I just. can't. stand. The waiting, the wondering, the mental preparation, the intense physical limitations. It's so hard to surrender to what will be, and trust that it's what's best. 

There's also that annoying thing that happens at the end where you notice trials from first trimester wiggle their way back in and make it hard. Needing the exact right food or you may puke. Crying at the drop of a hat. Hunger attacks. 

Didn't I already overcome all of that?!

Enter the heroic husband. 

He took the boys to the bike trail and their smiles were as long as the trail...

He let them run and release pent-up winter energy. 

He has cleaned the entire kitchen after dinner twice this week, which is usually my job. 

He prepared the bathroom for putting in new lighting and cupboards, which was no small task. 

He cleaned out the garage and got us ready for playing outside and porch sitting in a few weeks. 

He has refilled my giant water cup more times than I can count. It may not seem like a huge deal, but when you're carrying 40 extra pounds and they are mostly in the front of your body and you can't bend, it's really nice not to get up over and over. 

In the meantime, I did whatever I wanted, which was mostly eat the right food so I wouldn't feel sick, but hey...mission accomplished. The newest boy in our family is growing well. He's measuring a week ahead. Here's hoping he comes a week early to compensate!

Thanks, husband, for being the family glue when I can't be. 

Lewis Talks...A Lot

Lewis was so sweet yesterday. He gave Grandma Kathleen's shoulder a kiss & said, "Mama hurt inside. The bones?"

Me: thank u for being good listeners in hyvee. You both did a good job. 

Lewis: mommy happy?

Me: yes. You should feel happy too. 

Lewis: me tell daddy me nice boy. 

As we arrive at home:

A: mom can you pull the car all the way up?

Lewis: (before I can answer) Sure A!

As we are getting out of the car:

Me: Lewis we are done eating when we get inside. It's time for nap. 

Lewis: alright. Me sit outside. Me eat. 

Me: nice try. 

After dropping his beloved piggy bank he painted, Lewis keeps his money in the money barrel game barrel. It was up high on his shelf (where I prefer it to be) and he couldn't see or find it. He was on Augustine's back when he realized it was missing and said, "A! Find me monies!"

Augustine was at Grandma Kathleen's house for a sleepover, Logan was on retreat, and Lewis wanted to stay at Grandma Susan's overnight. The conversation went like this:

Lewis: me sleep Momma's house. 

Me: but I'll be lonely all by myself! Stay with me. 

Lewis: no. Me sleep Momma's house, you sleep home, baby! (Meaning I'll be with the baby, not alone.)

Getting in the car:

Lewis: A! Sit in seat. (With fingers...) One. Two. Fee. Four. Five. Sit down.  

Me: ouch. Don't pull my hand like that. 

Lewis: me pull hand off. 

Me: why?

Lewis: me see Mommy bones. 

More Baby Prep

These dates are supposed to shorten labor. Don't ask me why, but if it works...great! They are delicious dipped in peanut butter. 4-6 a day the last 4-6 weeks. I'll also be drinking raspberry leaf tea to prep for labor, eating fresh pineapple smoothies by the gallon, and a slew of other things that are supposed to help labor start naturally, but not for a few more weeks. 

The changing table is ready! We got a new one to match the boy's furniture and I love it. So much storage! My friend's husband helped me hack it a bit and I am very pleased how it turned out. The drawers are full and it feels so good to be that much more ready. 

Five and a half weeks to go!

More Normal Life

Going from warm days to cold days over and over is killing me. Pick one already, Jesus. Stop teasing us. 

The other married couple on Logan's team stopped over this week to chat. It was great to see them, and Lewis enjoyed a bedtime story with them. 

Grandma Susan brought each boy a cake to frost. Instant fun!

We spent the day with our cousins yesterday and Augustine didn't eat lunch until 2pm! "There are just too many fun things to do Mom!" Including bubbles, which turned into ice skating. 

And Lewis' kind of fun, laundry. Weirdo. 

Naps

Lewis is to the age where I start having a love/hate relationship with naps. I love the break in the middle of the day because 3 year olds are exhausting, especially when they are only at about a two year old level of language development. But I hate that said 3 year old stays up later at night because of the nap. Soooooo we have to occupy him for an extra hour at the end of the day. 

Most nights he and Logan read. Some nights he's got too much energy for that. 

This particular night we sat down to do art and he worked with me for 40 minutes! We had big paper from IKEA packages so he used that, as well as a coloring book. It was interesting how he colored the book pages. He chose 3-4 teeny tiny details in the picture, colored them in meticulously and then asked for a new picture. I'm also impressed with how well he holds the marker/pen. He can write the letter L, knows it's his letter and can point it out on signs and papers. 

On the large paper he drew the baby in my tummy (see above), the baby in Logan's tummy (hahaha!), and the baby when it "pop out Mommy tummy" (see below). He has inquired a lot more about the baby coming out than his big brother. He has asked me if they will cut the baby out and if the baby will pop out onto the changing table we set up. I keep the answers vague. ;)

He pays a lot more attention to art and detail than his brother so it's been interesting for me to see the differences. Lewis also said, "Cool Mommy!" when I would color something, which his brother doesn't do. And when I would compliment him, "I like your work!" he would say "thank you Mommy!". Also not used to that...compliments taken well. 

They are so different.