The Fabulous Mrs. C

funny.....

First day home from the hospital:

Mr. C: you know, his eyes look a little yellow

Me: yeah, probably a little jaundice, we'll stick him in the sun for a little bit for the next few days and it should be gone

Mr. C: ummmm, yeah.  let's talk to the dr. instead

At the pediatrician's office for baby's check-up:

Mr. C: his eyes seem a little yellow

Pediatrician: yep, looks like a little jaundice.  it isn't serious, it always starts in the eyes and then moves down so if you just put him in a diaper and let him nap in the sun coming through a window, that yellow in his eyes should clear up in a few days

Mr. C: (to me) you're going to make me say you're right aren't you?

Me: for a looooooong time

Sometimes, I think he forgets that I have had three newborns before this one. :)

Happy Saturday! 

thankful.....

Today it's probably oh so obvious what my post is going to be about. :)

This Thursday I am thankful for my family.  As scared as I am about having a large family and what that means for the future (5 kids to clothe and feed, 7 people to keep happy and healthy, 7 dentist appointments each year, 7 doctor's check-ups, 5 kids to put through college!), I am very thankful that today we got to sit together as a family for the very first time and it almost made me cry to know that as bad as things seemed a few years ago, it all worked out and now I have these beautiful people to come home to every day for the rest of my life. 

And I am so thankful that this little guy is finally here! 

Dash and Belle are thankful as well.

And Sharpay is ecstatic.  :)

Jasmine is happy too, but Mr. C is not that comfortable with her picture being here, so you'll have to take my word for it. :)

Happy Thursday!

ww.....

we're home and so far everything is going great!  :)

out of time.....

Well, I don't get my 7 days. :)

My water broke this morning and as soon as my mom picks up Sharpay we'll be on our way to the hospital!  No contractions yet, but I know it's just a matter of time before they're here!!!!!

i need a few more days....

Mr. C is absolutely convinced that this baby is coming now.  Like, tonight.  #1- I don't think so.  #2- I need more time!!!!!!  I still have stuff to do.  And even though the scare of last week kicked me into high gear at work, I wasn't able to complete everything.  It's to the point that if I weren't to come in on Monday, she could make it through, but I feel bad leaving her with so much stuff since she's not losing her workload to take on mine, she's just adding to it. 

Speaking of work- I heard they are going to take me up on my offer to work from home before my 6 weeks is up.  Which is good for me, since it means my paycheck comes back, but it's also good for me because I made it sound like i was doing it to help THEM out.  Which I kind of am, I feel bad leaving them stuck like they are, but I'm also doing it to get back to a full paycheck without daycare coming out.  And gas, since I won't be running kids to daycare/school and then going to work.  Even if I have to go in once a week, that still saves me a ton of money!

Mr. C and I got into it last night regarding my apparent lack of self-control when it comes to the level of crazy that comes out of my mouth!  I swear, it was never this bad before, poor thing has to deal with this person who is NOT the person he married and he's not dealing with it well.  He said "I want you to not be pregnant anymore because I miss the girl I married".  Believe me, I miss her too!  But last night we sat down and I apologized for what I had said and we talked about it.....I don't know that it will help, but at least we were able to talk without one or both of us getting frustrated and leaving the room. 

Belle's birthday lunch was today- I was going to do it up big like I normally do, but there was just no way I was feeling up to it.  So, I sent her with Mr. C this morning so I could go get some last minute presents and then I got pizza and salad and that's what we had.  I stopped at the store and got ice and sodas, and we were good to go.  And you know what?  Belle didn't notice one bit that it wasn't the big fancy meal that I normally cook for birthdays.  She was just as happy with pizza and salad. :) 

As of today- I have 7 days left.  7 DAYS!!!!!!! 

Happy Saturday!

still here......

no baby yet.  YIPPEE!  I know I shouldn't jinx it, it's only 8:45pm, a lot can happen in four hours!  :)  But, for now, I'll be happy that he's still safely where he belongs and I made it through a rather productive day at work.  Funny how the motivation of someone else taking over your unorganized mess really kicks you into high gear! 

Although, I've heard a rumor that our dept is being "restructured" again at tomorrow's staff meeting, so all plans that have been made up until this point may be non-existent after tomorrow.  I think the changes are for the better for the company as a whole, but for myself and the other girl who are the only two who know our part of the job?  Not so much.  :(  I'm not really looking forward to tomorrow's meeting.

It must be very obvious that I *love* bags.  Bags, purses, totes, anything with straps that I can put stuff in.  I got 3 birthday gifts today from various people and each one of them included a bag of some sort.  My best friend got a super cute pink striped tote bag filled with all kinds of misc. kitchen stuff (what do I love more than bags?  KITCHEN STUFF!), my co-worker got me a really cool beach tote filled with Starbucks stuff (okay, maybe I like Starbucks more than kitchen stuff) and then my mom made me a tote bag that I'd been asking for since like, February.  It's crocheted out of plastic grocery bags and it's pretty much indestructible.  PERFECT for the beach/park/pool/etc.  Wet stuff won't destroy it and sand will fall right out of the holes!  And since it's making use of something we'd normally throw away, I feel better carrying it too!  :)

Mr. C is trying to kick caffeine again.  He was doing sooooo good, and then all of a sudden I noticed a change in his behavior and then came the complete crashing every night around 7:00pm (sometimes earlier).  I didn't say anything, even though I knew what had happened, but a week or so later he says he's been drinking the AMPs again.  :(  I put up with it for a few weeks, but I finally told him two days ago that I was fed up with it.  It's amazing how much of an effect it has on his daily life, and not only the crashing early in the evenings, but his personality is affected as well.  He's just much more pleasant to be around when he's not had the caffeine.  The funny part is, he knows how to fix his sleeping issues, he's just a procrastinator and the caffeine is an easier, quicker fix.  And it's not something I can fix for him, since it requires a dr. appt. and then a new mouthpiece to wear at night.  So, I think he may have called today (hopefully), but in the meantime the caffeine withdrawals are so bad it almost makes me want to scream "GO GET SOME CAFFEINE!!!!"   I can't imagine having to deal with withdrawals from anything serious, I can barely handle this!! :)

I really should have done a load of laundry tonight.  It's been piling up and I'm pretty sure one of the people in this household will be out of underwear come tomorrow morning.  And that person might be me.  :)  Hopefully it is, it's much easier to deal with than a child that says "ummmm, maybe we should do some laundry?"  *sigh*  I was doing so good.........

oh no!!!!!!

So, I went to the dr today for my check up.   These once a week exams are BRUTAL.  I don't think I fully remembered how truly awful these were.  Anyway, he says the same thing "I wouldn't be surprised to see you next week, but if I don't, I won't be surprised".  Thanks.  That tells me a lot. 

Tonight my friend came over for dinner and as we were sitting and talking, she noticed that I was not entirely comfortable.  And then said "you know, if this baby comes tomorrow, you'll have the same birthday!"  Ummm, NO!  That's MY birthday!  He needs to get his own!  But, I had been having contractions and as of right now they haven't fully gone away.  Still nothing like what I remember them to be from the last time, but they are definitely there and definitely making me not so comfortable.  But I also know that having those exams can bring on the contractions so I'm not starting to worry.

Yet.

Give me another hour or so and I might start.  :)

I can't have this baby tonight!  Or tomorrow!  Or any time this week!  My desk at work is not ready to be handed over yet, we haven't returned the pack and play to get the right one, Mr. C doesn't have his carseat yet, the floors haven't been washed yet this week, I don't have my bag fully packed (that's ENTIRELY my procrastinator-self's fault!), my baby shower thank you notes aren't written, and did I mention my desk at work is not ready for someone else to take over????? 

Ugh.  I'm facing the birth of my child and the only thing I can think about is work.  ;)

I need a few more days.  PLEASE stay put for just a few more days.  Maybe until Saturday night?  That would be good, since Belle's "party" for her birthday is on Saturday afternoon and she will be CRUSHED if it doesn't happen.  Never mind the new addition to her family, she just wants her presents! 

I don't know.   If you don't hear from me for a few days.........

Happy Monday! 

unhappy 4th......

Today I took full advantage of being within weeks of my due date.  I feel bad that I did it, but sometimes you just gotta do what is best for YOU.

I wasn't planning on going to my mother-in-laws house today, that's probably what set me off on the wrong foot.  I was going to spend some quiet time at home while Mr. C went and visited.  But, that idea didn't go over very well, so instead of being semi-comfortable on my own couch I was entirely UNcomfortable on hers.  Not the best way to spend an afternoon.

Then we went to see my parents at a local park where they watch the fireworks.  I had already told them that we were leaving the kids with them to watch the show and they could drop them off afterwards.  Which was fine until Mr. C decided he was going to stay as well.  Okay fine, but I'M still going home because #1- I have to pee every 5 minutes and port-a-potties in the pitch black darkness are NOT okay, and #2- I'm uncomfortable and we're outside in camping chairs and it's cold and I'm already tired, and #3- I don't like fireworks.  That's not a pregnancy thing, I just really have never enjoyed sitting under FIRE falling from the sky.  Especially when we've had drought-like conditions and brush fires all over the county this past week. 

So, I went home.  I'm sure Mr. C will have some lovely words for me when he gets here, but in my defense he did know in advance that I wasn't staying.  And I did suggest he bring his car as well so he wouldn't have to ride home with my family.  But with gas being the ridiculous amount that it is right now, that really wasn't a practical idea anyway.  I did offer to go back and pick them up, but he called and said that wasn't necessary so now I'm just waiting for them to come through the door.  Exhausted and half-asleep, I'm sure. :)

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Belle said to me this morning "mommy, I didn't get my special breakfast".  I had to think about what in the world she was talking about when I realized that she was referring to the fact that back when it was Jasmine's birthday I said we would be starting a new tradition of having a "special breakfast" on everyone's birthday, since it was more likely that we would be together for breakfast instead of dinner.  So, I had to quickly find a special breakfast that I could make tomorrow morning for her.  Better late than never, right?  :)

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16 days to go................... and still so much to do!!!!!!!

Happy Friday (and 4th!)!!!!!!

WW.......

Tuesday randomness......

Belle's birthday is in two days.  Mr. C is taking her to the fair, since she is my thrill seeker child and wants to ride the BIGGEST, SCARIEST rides that she is tall enough for- and she always wears big shoes to add *just* a little more height.  I am not a thrill seeker in any sense of the word, so seeing her on the rides that spin you in five different directions while you're upside down or launch you 100 feet into the air on a bungee cord is not my idea of a good time.  Plus, with bathroom breaks being mandatory every 25 minutes, I'd spend the entire day in the restroom line.  So, Mr. C is taking her and Jasmine to ride the rides and they'll have a fabulous time. 

And then she'll come home completely exhausted and go to bed early.  Happy Birthday to me!

Her actual family get-together birthday "party" will not be for another two weeks.  Which she is fully okay with, since she would rather everyone be able to attend and that was as close as we could get to the date of her actual birthday.  We're doing good this year, last year it was 4 weeks after the fact!  I went to the store with the kids (I think pregnancy makes me think I can do things I normally wouldn't THINK of doing) and I had to buy cake mix for her birthday cake.

"mommy, are you making my cake?"

"well, I was going to"

"can Grandma do it instead?"

ouch. 

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I am about to do something so completely insane that I think I need my head examined.  My job, which is currently in major turmoil and chaos due to departmental changes, no training, extensive meetings (and did I mention no training), is not getting any slower as I get closer to the time when I am going to leave.  My boss is less than proactive and has no plan for who is taking over my entire workload while I am gone.  I am going to talk to her tomorrow morning, but I'm sure her answer is "I'm working on that and I'll get back to you".  Seems to be her standard answer which really means "I have no clue and I really don't have the time to think about it right now".  Add to that the fact that there are only 3 of us in the entire department that know the job, and one is moving out of state in less than 2 weeks.  So that will leave ONE person to not only do her own job, but try and keep everyone else who is TRYING to do the job from screwing up too bad. 

I shudder to think what I might be returning to.

So tomorrow, I am going to go to the head of the department (meaning, my boss's boss) and tell him that while I technically can't come back to work for 6 weeks, that rule is only in place because daycare won't take an infant any earlier than that and since this is my fourth child and I know what is going to happen and my dr. will sign off on anything, can I please work from home after 2-3 weeks?  I really think I might be insane.  But, the benefit is that #1- I'll get my full salary back, which is a huge source of stress right now since we can't really take a cut for too long and #2- I'm going to sell it as "I know the projects coming up will all hit before I am set to return and you're not going to have enough people to do all the work, I can take all of the data entry and focus on that so everyone else can focus on managing the clients and keeping them happy". 

I'll let you know how that goes. 

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Dash has decided that the new baby is "ruining his life".  Mainly because I wouldn't take him to Target because I was worn out and just couldn't move anymore.  Sorry kid, I don't take you to Target when I'm NOT pregnant and tired.  ;)  But I'll let him think it's the baby. 

Happy Tuesday!