Doctors and Star Trek

Funny story from the doctor's office today. My family has come down with a cold, and the doctor was obviously concerned that I might have the flu, which I don't. She asked if I had a fever or felt really hot lately. Well, I haven't taken my temperature, but I'm 9 months pregnant so of course I'm feeling hot (remember Father of the Bride 2?). Then she asked if I was feeling achy. Again, I'm 9 months pregnant and thus ache everywhere. So she gave up and told me to call the office if my symptoms worsen. She knows medicine better than I do, but sometimes you have to consider your audience before asking certain questions.

Star Trek opened up today! Yes, we saw it, and it was excellent. I appreciated how they kept true to the characters' personalities, and the inside jokes were a lot of fun. We dragged the kids along - didn't want to bring a babysitter into our sick house. Lisy kept trying to escape or get into the diaper bag. Benjamin almost fell asleep several times. Samuel repeatedly asked to go home. However, the end was exciting enough that they all gave it a good review.

Beached Whale

Yes, folks, I am at the beached whale stage of pregnancy: I have no energy and don't want to do anything. I haven't even turned on my computer for days. I have decided not to go out in public unless absolutely necessary. I'm getting tired of all the bug-eyed stares and people asking if I'm going into labor. Although I know people have good intentions, it's getting old. However, there are other things to write about.

Elisa working on the computer, just like Mom.

A few weeks ago we went to a Pow Wow, but arrived just as they were taking a break. We milled about, bought a few things from the vendors, and left before the activities reconvened for the evening. Dominic and I were too tired and/or sick to stay longer. I didn't even take pictures. The boys each got a balloon sword, which they really enjoyed. Lisy got a balloon dog, which she eventually popped. At first she was sad, but when Dominic pointed out that she could throw it away in a trash can, she was happy again. Ah, the simplicity of childhood.

Easter was low-key. Again, no pictures. Friday night we realized Easter was in 2 days; it just snuck up on us. So on Saturday I found our baskets and bought the candy and toys (I kept it simple). Let me just say that the day before Easter at Walmart is a madhouse. I hard boiled the eggs, but we never got around to dyeing them; no one cared. I was a bit nervous about dropping off the kids at nursery and primary. Who thought that stuffing kids with candy and sending them off to church was a good idea? But apparently all the children were in sugar-induced comas and not bouncing off the walls like I feared.

Samuel and Benjamin. Luckily this is a 1-story house.

Last weekend Devin and Maran came for a visit. The activities we planned didn't pan out, but it was still a good weekend. Our kids were very happy to see Courtney again. Dominic and I played with the baby while the new parents went on a couple of dates; a win-win situation.

Benjamin and Lisy are getting along better now than ever before. They actually play and laugh together. Though there is still a bit of animosity between them, mostly when Benjamin is trying to stop Lisy from breaking a rule. When Benjamin plays too rough and hurts her, Lisy comes crying to me and says, "Min Min did it." A minute later she'll be fine and runs off to play with him again.

Benjamin, Elisa and Samuel with the 3-D glasses from the "Monsters vs. Aliens" movie.

Samuel is outgoing and easily makes new friends. But he still tells me he wants to move back to Ogden. I couldn't figure out why until last night. We went to an Elder's Quorum BBQ (I didn't have to cook!) and watched him play. He kept trying to join the big group of kids, running around with them and playing along. They never included him. Eventually one girl left the group and played with him, and they had fun together. Darn, I'm getting teary-eyed just thinking about it again. Back in Ogden Sammy had a lot of friends from the very beginning. I realize now that he is probably lonely. He gets along great with his siblings, but he's a social butterfly without a social outlet. Although he never needed it before, I think I need to set up playdates for him.

Road trip to Rexburg

This past weekend we took a (long) trip to eastern Idaho to meet our new niece, Courtney. She's a cutie, and she has the dark hair I always thought my children would have. (Who knew blonde was a dominate gene?)

Uncles are so much fun. The boys rocked out with Devin's gaming instruments.














And of course they held the obligatory wrestling match.











Oh yeah, the reason we're here: baby!












The happy new mom, Maran
And the proud Grandma














Everyone took a turn holding little Courtney.
Elisa:
Benjamin:














Samuel even got to feed her, which he was very proud of:

The whole crew












We brought Llama Grandma home with us, and the kids thought they were having a slumber party. On Sunday we took her to the airport. Time to say good-bye until our baby is born in 6 1/2 weeks.












And my favorite picture of Dominic and Lisy

Planet Earth

Kids watching t.v. The couch was just too far away.

Two Christmases ago my parents gave us a copy of the Planet Earth series. I really like it for the cinematography, the education, and the funny side effects on my kids.

We have had very interesting dinner conversations about the significance of predator-prey relationships, as well as ecosystems. I didn't even know what an ecosystem was until I was much older.

The very first time we watched an episode, my boys weren't paying attention but were busy wrestling. Or so I thought. I noticed Sammy kept biting Benjamin's shirt and asked him what he was doing. Through gritted teeth and fabric came the muffled reply, "I'm a shark." Then Benjamin resignedly stated, "I a seal." The segment currently playing was sharks catching seals.

One day Samuel was slinking around the living room on hands and feet while narrating his own actions. In a British accent he said, "The lion was moving through the forest in search of prey and to find a mate." Dominic couldn't stop laughing.

And just recently, I asked Benjamin why he kept biting his own arm. He said, "I'm poisonous. [bite] I died. Ugh." Then he closed his eyes, stuck out his tongue, and tilted his head to the side. I wish I had the camera; that face was hysterical.

Letter to the Editor

I have very strong political views, but I keep quiet to avoid conflict. There have also been times when something happens and I want to write to the editor, but the fire of my indignation fizzles before any writing occurs. This week, however, I actually wrote a letter that was actually published.

Background: Idaho state law says that breastfed infants can be removed from their car seats while the car is moving. Furthermore, if there are more children than seatbelts, they don't all have to be buckled up. A bill was introduced to stop both practices. It barely passed in the Senate, but the House committee won't even see it. According to the transportation chairwoman, it is too invasive on families. In my letter I also refer to another bill that passed both the House and Senate in a matter of weeks: a mussel species was accidentally brought to the U.S. and has spread across the country, so they're taking immediate action to deal with its unavoidable entry into Idaho. Apparently, it clogs things up and is very expensive to clean out.

Child safety seat law would save lives
A few months ago, my family moved here from out of state. So I was unaware and surprised to learn that Idaho law allows infants and children to roam free in a moving car.

Furthermore, a bill that will protect our most vulnerable citizens will die in the House. At least the state Senators understood its importance.

I'm at a loss for words to describe this situation. The state understands the importance of preventative measures when it comes to the invasive mussel species. What I cannot comprehend is how they fail to see that the "loose cannon" bill can save lives.

If this law is too intrusive, perhaps we should repeal drunk driving laws.

Side note - the letter before mine hailed the chairwoman for protecting families from overreaching government.

Fun dinnertime

I had so much fun with the kids tonight at dinner. Usually dinner consists of "sit down, turn around, eat your food." But tonight the kids kept making me laugh.

First, we had shrimp with tails. Normally I buy tail-less shrimp, but I couldn't find any at the store. At the beginning of dinner, I showed the boys how to take the tails off. My little pile of tails was from me and Lisy. Then I noticed Benjamin had left his tails on the table, so I put them on my plate, too. When Samuel noticed, he had to add his tails to my pile, which included leaning across the table to reach my plate. This is honestly not an area where I thought peer pressure would matter.

Sammy was completely enthralled with the shrimp tails to the point that he forgot the rest of his dinner. He kept snagging more shrimp from the pan just so he could remove the tails (fortunately he did eat the shrimp).

Benjamin ate all his shrimp, and Lisy ate all her noodles (although neither ate the vegetables). I pointed it out to Dominic, and he suggested switching their plates. It worked! When they saw their favorite foods magically appear before them, they literally laughed and cheered and gobbled up the food. It was so funny watching their reactions.

As dinner ended I finished off my water but was still thirsty. Jokingly I said, "Waiter, can I please have more water? Too bad that doesn't work at home. At home I'm the waiter." But Samuel jumped up and said, "I'll be your waiter" and ran to the fridge. All the cold water was gone, so he brought back soda. Just as I was in the middle of telling him no soda, I saw that it was my favorite, so then I sheepishly agreed. And of course all the kids had to have some, too. I laughed watching them guzzle their water so they could have soda.

I don't remember what happened next, but somehow dinner ended with a lot of laughing and tickling and silly songs (ok, so I was the one doing all the singing). I blame it on the sugar high. Then, as each one finished, I would bounce them on my knees, which made them laugh even more.

First Imperialist

Hm, well not much has been happening lately, hence the 2 week hiatus from writing. We all had colds and didn't do much. In other news . . .

Dominic started a blog today! That's right folks, my husband has jumped on the bandwagon. It's nothing like mine, or anyone else's for that matter. He makes me laugh! I wasn't sure if I wanted the link in my Fun Sites or Family Blogs categories, but he said it belongs with the family. I encourage you to check it out: http://firstimperialist.blogspot.com/ And scroll all the way to the bottom to see the slide show; you don't want to miss it (I think the flames are a great touch).

Busy week

So busy it's taken me another half week to write about it! Actually, I was finishing a couple of really good books: the 2nd Fablehaven book by Brandon Mull, and Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler.

To begin, last Monday I had a doctor's appointment, which was significant for the blood test. Yes, it was the dreaded glucose screening, but I do not have gestational diabetes! Such a relief. However, due to a family history, I asked them to check my thyroid levels, which are low. So now I'm taking thyroid hormones. I looked it up on webMD, and I think I either had a subclinical level, or I just confused the symptoms with pregnancy: fatigue, weight gain, problems concentrating, etc.

Next, the kids went to the dentist. This was Lisy's first dental visit, and she liked it. In fact, she screamed whenever I took away her new toothbrush and mini toothpaste. At nap time she didn't want a doll or stuffed animal - she snuggled up with that toothbrush and toothpaste. As a side note, the dentist said all 3 kids have healthy teeth but will need orthodontics in a few years (sigh).

And Dominic turned 30! It's been 15 agonizing months, but we're finally in the same decade. Just kidding; I really don't care about that stuff. Dominic is a low-key person so we had a low-key party, but he raved about the turtle cake I made. It's so rich that we don't have it very often, and a birthday is the perfect time for such a decadent cake. You can find the recipe here. And this is the shirt he got from the kids; it cracks me up.
P.S. Dominic has adjusted to his new medication. He doesn't struggle to stay awake anymore; he was drinking 2-3 Mountain Dews a day. He is now off the Dews, and his sleep patterns resemble mine.

Then I got a haircut. I almost got a haircut last Spring but was racked with indecision about styling. My hair finally got too annoying. I realized it had been 6 years since my last cut, and I felt obligated to go once I made the appointment. I love my haircut! My family likes it, too, except Benjamin who said it's funny. It's a lot easier to take care of now than when it was long.

Before:
After (I look funny, but it's the best picture of my hair):














Finally, we went to a kid's fair at the Boise Expo Center. The kids had a blast, but it completely wore out Dominic and me. Sammy was enthralled with the magician. Benjamin couldn't get enough stickers. Lisy kept asking for "pop pop," aka lollipops. They really enjoyed the petting zoo area and the inflatable slide and bouncy rooms.

Boys petting a miniature horse
Lisy spent a lot of time on Dominic's shoulders














I think Sammy is trying to hide



See the stickers on his arms?
He had more on his face




Lisy happily jumping

We bought a van!

We've somehow survived with 3 car seats in the back of our Toyota Corolla, but 4 car seats just won't fit. So with our tax refund in hand, we scoured the ads, internet and used car lots for the last 2 weeks. Yesterday we came home with our new van, an '03 Chevrolet Venture, paid in-full. It's newer, nicer and less expensive than we were hoping for. My favorite feature is that it has 8 seats, so we won't grow out of it too soon. We even have enough of the refund left to fix our Corolla - needs new struts.

I have my own car! Freedom! I think I've been very patient and supportive with Dominic's crazy schedule and our one car. But today I felt happy every time I thought about my van.

I've been so focused on car hunting that I let the house fall into chaos. I came home last night and thought, how could anyone live in this dump? Today I had a miraculous burst of energy and cleaned all day. I didn't even need a nap for the first time in ages.

When lunch time and nap time collide

It's quite unfortunate that Lisy's nap time is also around lunch time. Oh I've tried to let her just go to sleep, but then she wakes up hungry and cranky. So now I hope she eats enough before collapsing. It doesn't always work. (You can almost see the remnants of her sandwich in her hands.)





And while going through old pictures with the kids, I discovered this little gem from last May. By that time Benjamin had sworn off all naps. Uh, yeah, he still needs them occasionally.



I'm such a cruel mother. I should put those children to bed! But they make such cute pictures. Unfortunately, I don't have any documentation of Sammy, so either he never fell asleep at the table or I just never caught it on film (I can't remember). However, he does sleep with his eyes open, just like his dad did as a child:

May Cause Drowsiness

Sums up our weekend. Dominic's doctor put him on a new medication, which knocks him out. On Saturday it was easier to count the hours he was awake. Today he managed to stay awake long enough to dress the kids but was unconscious again by the time we left for church. I really hope his body can adjust to this side effect quickly. He did say he's doing better today than yesterday, but
"those are some serious side effects. They better be doing me a world of good."

On the brighter side, for Valentine's day I bought myself flowers and chocolates. I got exactly what I wanted, and he appreciated that I didn't feel neglected. I also bought his birthday present, and his sleeping made it easy to hide :) And I didn't try to keep the kids quiet all weekend - Dominic just rolled over and went back to sleep.

Outback's Alice Chicken

Although I don't usually mention food, this chicken was amazing. It's the meal I ordered on our date night. It was so good we tried to make it ourselves. It wasn't the same of course, but still scrumptious. Even the kids ate it up!

The original: Seasoned chicken breast topped with mushrooms, bacon, and melted cheese. Yummy.

Our variation: Marinated chicken breast topped with mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, bacon, and melted cheddar and monterey jack cheeses. Very good.

We knew we'd never figure out their seasonings, so we tried a marinade. It was too spicy, and we had to scrape it off. Then to counteract the lingering spiciness, Dominic used the only citrus we had in the house: pineapple starfruit juice concentrate. He added a little coffee creamer (milk would work, too), then let it simmer and carmelize before adding the chicken. The toppings were easy and delicious.

The best part was the price. We fed the entire family with 2 side dishes for the same price as my one meal at the restaurant.

Date night

Alright, so it was a couple of weeks ago, but it was a great date. First, it was our first date in 4 months. Second, it saved our children's lives. I woke up from my nap and heard "Mom is going to be soo mad." And then, "Don't worry, we'll tell her we're unpacking." Ok, take deep breaths, now open the door, and . . . I didn't scream. We had 2 stacks of boxes left in the living room, and the contents, mostly books and cd's, were scattered haphazardly over the entire floor. When Dominic came home an hour later, most of the mess was straightened up, but he sent me to the store to decompress while he put together our new bookshelves.

I happily ditched the kids with the new babysitter, who turned out to be very good with children, and went off to the movies with Dominic. We finally saw Twilight. Even though it's been in theaters for over 2 months, it still fills up 1/3 of the theater. I liked that Edward couldn't stop smiling when he and Bella started dating, because it reminded me of when Dominic and I started dating - my roommates always knew when I'd been talking to him on the phone, because I couldn't stop smiling. Dominic really liked the fight scene at the end. He said it was almost exactly like he had imagined it, which made it more amazing to watch on the big screen.

We hadn't had time to eat dinner before the movie, so we stopped by Outback, Dominic's favorite steakhouse conveniently located next to the mall. The entire night was fun and carefree; a great date. The best part was coming back to my sleeping children and liking them again.

It's a girl!

That puts me at 3 to 1. I was right about the genders of my first 3 children, so I was overconfident about guessing this one. Dominic enjoyed saying "I was right" all the way home. Elisa must have broken the trend. You see, in Dominic's family, girls are born about every 80 years. His brother's wife is also expecting a girl next month. The family gets 3 girls in 2 years! My in-laws are absolutely thrilled. Now the problem is coming up with a name; we named Lisy 2 days after she was born.

The children are very excited about their new baby. When I kiss them goodnight, they have to kiss the baby, too, which is really weird when they kiss my belly. They loved seeing the baby on the ultrasound, and they behaved well enough to stay in the room the entire time (the tech was nervous when she saw them come in). Our baby girl has no obvious birth defects :)

Before I forget, here's a story from a few months ago. I don't like to announce my pregnancies until after the first trimester, when the chance of miscarriage decreases. So I didn't tell my kids because they can't keep secrets. When I called to set up my first doctor's appointment, Sammy heard me and asked what is was for. I told him I just needed to see the doctor. He looked disappointed and said, "oh, I thought you were going to have a baby." So I confirmed his suspicion, and he was very happy. I did make him promise not to tell anyone until after my first appointment, and he actually kept his promise. Then he told everyone he met.

Robert Burns Day

Happy 250th Birthday! We didn't do much to celebrate this year, mostly because I haven't had the energy. Usually we have corned beef and hash and other Americanized-Scottish food, plus root beer in place of actual beer. And we always read Burns' poetry.

It is so much fun! He was a prolific and diversified poet, filling his poems and songs with thoughtfulness, passion, and a great sense of humor. He proudly proclaims to be a lover not a fighter:
"I'm better pleased to make one more,
Than be the death of twenty."
-I Murder Hate

Address of Beelzebub addresses his passion for America's freedom:

"Some daring Hancock, or a Franklin,
May set their Highland blood a-ranklin';
Some Washington again may head them,
Or some Montgomery, fearless, lead them"

and Scottish oppression:

". . . what right have they
To meat or sleep or light of day,
Far less to riches, power or freedom,
But what your lordships please to give them?"

And of course we finished off with Auld Lang Syne. One day we'll be able to read more, when the children's attention spans lengthen.

Speech development

I've often heard that girls develop communication skills sooner than boys and that boys tend to focus on sounds. My experiences didn't entirely convince me. Samuel started talking early, and people thought he was older because of his speech. Conversely, Elisa loves growling like dinosaurs. (Benjamin is right on the money here.)

As toddlers the boys loved singing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" in the car. We liked that it calmed them down and gave them something fun to do. They loved making the animal noises as loud as possible, and they made up sounds for unusual animals, like aardvarks.

Lisy is at the perfect age to enjoy "Old McDonald." So while driving down the road last week, we energetically launched into the first verse. She just looked at us. We tried several more animals, each with the same result. She eventually started singing, but without the animal noises. (She loves to sing, especially songs with hand gestures. "Do As I'm Doing" is at the top of her list, sounding more like "dewey doing.")

Now I'm wondering if this is indicative of her female leanings to communicate rather than make noises. And is that why the boys loved it so much? An excuse to make noise and experiment with sounds - because they're boys? Just in case it's because she isn't familiar enough with the sounds, I've been reading more animal books to her. Her favorite part of Sandra Boynton's Moo, Baa, LaLaLa is the singing pigs, of course.

Potty Training Update: Benjamin averaged 1 accident a day this past week. He even wore underwear to church today without any problems! Turns out I didn't need that quick exit strategy I planned.

Self Understanding

Sunset from my kitchen window

My normal routine includes a nap right after lunch, because I feel exhausted and a bit more irritable. I just never realized how vital that nap is, until I put away the Christmas decorations this week. (3 weeks sooner than last year!)

Just after snack time I pulled out the empty boxes. I put off lunch until the children started pestering each other and my voice grew louder. I made lunch. Everyone calmed down. I went straight back to packing, feeling an intense need to get it all out of my house right now. Lisy started clinging to my legs, and I realized I forgot to put her to bed.

Ok, peacefully sleeping toddler should mean quicker packing. Well, not when I'm constantly yelling at the boys and putting them in time-outs. At one point Sammy tried to explain that I was wrong about something, but I knew I was right, and my yelling made him cry. When we both calmed down, I discovered he was in the right. I felt worse than awful.

By this time, most of the decorations were packed, including all the breakables. I finally put myself to bed. When I woke up, I was me again - happy, playful, loving.

That night, while ruminating about the day, I realized that I need a daily nap. Up until now I felt guilty every time I fell asleep, leaving the boys to themselves for 1 to 2 hours a day. But now that I see what happens when I don't sleep, the guilt is gone. They are old enough to work the tv and dvd player; they can get their own snacks; they can survive. Conversely, everyone suffers when I stay awake; everything irritates me and I am incapable of speaking at a normal volume. I just hope my children remember the real me, and not the hormonal pregnant monster I sometimes turn into - kind of like the Incredible Hulk.

Potty Training, take 32

Or so it seems. It's been about 10 months since I first introduced Ben Ben to the potty. There have been several stops and starts, with plenty of progress and backsliding. He was doing pretty well until we moved, when I couldn't handle any more and just pulled out the ol' diapers. However, over the last 2 months he often told me when he needed a diaper change. Yesterday I thought, why not?

First, I asked him if he wanted to wear his underwear. Yes. Good start.
Next, I made him a deal: try to stay dry until lunch, then he's back in his diaper. He agreed.
Finally, his incentives are 1) keep Spiderman dry (thanks for the superhero underwear, Llama!) and 2) we started using 2000 Flushes, and he likes to make the blue water turn green when he pees (thank you, chemistry!).

Results so far: yesterday he kept his underwear dry until well past lunch. But we put him back in a diaper to go to the store; my crutch, not his. Today he wore his underwear for several hours until the accident - he was too busy playing to stop. He was so upset that he cried. This is really important to him. Even though he wore a diaper from then on, he successfully used the potty the rest of the day.

It boils down to extrinsic versus intrinsic motivations. At first I wanted him to learn, but although he enjoyed the candy and stickers, he never really cared. Now he wants to do it to be a big boy like his brother. (Let's hear it for peer pressure!) The only physical rewards are dry pants and hugs.

Silliness runs in the family

If you're wondering about my last post, it's because my sister mentioned that website with the personality quizzes. They are very silly, and Dominic says they are as accurate as a horoscope. But he thought their description of me as a breakfast food was fairly close, so I shared it with you. To be honest, I was answering those silly quizzes until Dominic went to bed, and then I realized how late it had gotten. Oops.

So the children aren't the only ones who act silly sometimes. Here are some recent conversations that made me laugh.

Me: "Do you want some more?"
Lisy: "No"
Me: "Do you mean yes?"
Lisy: "Esss" or "Esshh"

Dup = cup






Me: "Hey, get your toes out of your mouth."
Benjamin: "They're not in my mouth. They're in my eyes."
Me: "You're poking yourself in the eyes with your toes?"
Benjamin: "Yeah, hehehe."

Benjamin's new name for me: Mommy-uel (spin-off of 'Ammy-uel, aka Samuel)


Samuel: "We need to order more milk from the cows right away."

Both the boys, when they want to emphasize how hungry or thirsty they are: "I'm 99 hungry/thirsty!"

Me, as I was putting the kids to bed tonight: "This is bedtime, not jump-on-your-brother time."

I am:

What Kind of Breakfast Are You? You Are Cereal

Playful and lighthearted, breakfast is likely your favorite meal of the day. (In fact, you're probably the type who sneaks cereal as a midnight snack.) Your culinary skills are probably a bit lacking... and you are a sucker for junk food. Some people accuse you of eating like a kid, but you prefer to think of yourself as low maintenance.