the future. . . .

The day you deliver, outside will be breezy. Your baby will arrive in wee hours of the morning . After a labor lasting approximately 8 hours, your child, a girl, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 6 pounds, 13 ounces, and will be 20-1/2 inches long. This child will have dark brown eyes and dark hair.

I found this prediction of what my baby's date of delivery will be like at http://pregnancyandbaby.com/pregnancy/baby/Madame-Zaritska-predicts-your-birth-experience-736.htm

I wonder if I should get excited because Madame Zaritska says I'm having a girl after all! And only 6 pounds?!? Amazing since they think I have gestational diabetes! At least good for a laugh!

I have to take it back...

I decided I can't complain about being pregnant anymore because I just found out one of my friends from high school is having her second set of twins in 3 years! AHHH!!! Good Luck Leah and I know you can do it!! You really are the best and the bravest!

Less than 100 days. . . .

Well, according to the little thingie on my blog I have only 99 days left of this pregnancy. I have officially decided that I suck at being a pregnant lady. I just dislike everything about it, except the fact that I will have a baby at the end of it. I think it is good that you forget all the stinky parts of getting a new baby or no one would have more than one. Of course, I keep remembering sooner and sooner with each kid I have. I have been worrying about labor already and reliving the pain in my dreams already. I may have to rethink my no epidural stance this time! I guess Heavenly Father is pretty smart to make women lose their minds again and again so that you think getting pregnant again sounds like fun! Only 99 days to go!

Halloween

We had a fun and simple Halloween this year. We carved pumpkins on Thursday. The kids got a kick out of that, especially designing their own faces. Kiara wanted hers to say BOO and Aidan wanted a scary one. After Aidan's was done Rowan checked it out and started talking to it in his best scary voice. It was pretty funny to listen to him.

On Friday we went to our stake's Trunk or Treat at the Central ballfield (for the last year there since the new temple is going there!) and had fun saying trick or treat and eating hotdogs.

Kiara was a cheerleader, but at the last minute decided she needed to be something scary, so we opted for her being a dead cheerleader (or at least a severely injured one). I told her she fell off the top of the pyramid. Aidan was all for being a puppy again and since his costume still fit from last year, I was all for it too. Rowan was Tigger with a costume I got from my aunt. It was lovely not to have to buy anything at all this year in the way of costumes! They do look pretty cute, at least I think so :)

Kiara and her best dead cheerleader face

Aidan, the puppy

Rowan, the cutest Tigger I've ever seen!

My mom was all dressed in her witchy best at the Trunk or Treat to give out candy too. The big kids recognized her, but Rowan wasn't too sure. I think he recognized her voice, but she didn't look like herself at all. They got plenty of candy and were very happy!

With their jack o' lanterns

Joyous Things

I was going through some old boxes from college and found a list Rebekah and I made of joyous things. We started it one day while she was visiting and I hung it on my wall and added to it until I got married. It had such things as the perfect pair of jeans, boys calling you, red mustangs, first kisses, looking at the stars, etc. I was thinking about all those things and decided I needed a new list of joyous things for this new point in my life. It would still include the perfect pair of jeans (although a few sizes bigger), red mustangs and looking at the stars, but it would have to have a whole new section for being a mom and wife. Here are some of the things on my new list of joyous things:
~the first time you feel a new baby kick in your tummy
~the first time you hold that new baby in your arms
~home from work kisses
~getting all the kids in bed before 8 p.m.
~grown-up movies
~sticky kid kisses
~days off of work
~ice cream
~chocolate
~kids all dressed up for Halloween
~dance recitals
~preschool
~the way sick kids just want their mommies
~dates
~fireworks
~cookie dough
~kids stealing cookie dough
~having someone to lick the bowl with me
~having someone just as excited about Christmas as me.

What's on your joyous things list? I keep thinking about what the General Authorities all seemed to say at this last General Conference: that we need to be thankful for all that we do have no matter what kind of other things are going on. Plus with almost 4 kids there are a lot of things to find joy in!

The letter A

Aidan has a new obsession: the letter A. Ever since he discovered that his name starts with the letter A, he has been looking for As everywhere, in signs, books, on TV, everywhere. He asks all the time if words or names have As in them. He has discovered that everyone in our family has an A in their name but me. I cannot convince him that Celissa has an A in it because that really isn't my name apparently. My name is Mom and only Mom. However, lucky for me, he still likes me even though I don't have an A in my name. He doesn't make many exceptions. (He is asking me if Backyardigans has an A in it as I type this). Things and/or people without As in their name he doesn't like, so sorry to houses, trees, dogs, trucks, etc. He has been glad to find out that Thomas the train engine, Spongebob Squarepants and McQueen the racecar all have As in their names. Who would have guessed that A could be so wonderful or so important!!

A Wonderful Weekend

This last weekend was very busy and very wonderful. It was fair weekend here in Graham County which is always fun. Shane took Friday off so he could go to the parade with us and see Kiara march. This was the first time she marched with her dance company instead of riding on the trailer. She did such a great job, staying in line and even dancing while walking. I was very impressed and she had a fun time. We made sure she was well hydrated to avoid any headaches that would ruin the day. After going to lunch we went home to take a nap and then on to the fair that afternoon. We looked at all the exhibits, especially the animals, got cotton candy and kettle corn and free balloons. Really, what more could you ask for from the fair?

Saturday Shane and I dropped the kids off at my mom's house and headed to Glendale for Shane's 10 year high school reunion. We stopped to do a little shopping and catch a movie before checking into the hotel. Then we got to take a nap before the party started. The party was at the hotel so we just went downstairs. Not very many people showed up, but there were some people there that he was glad to see. One of his groomsmen that I had known in college too was there and told us he is now in New York City building sets for the New York Metropolitan Opera. What a job! He had fun talking with old friends. The next morning we had breakfast with Shane's dad and then headed back to Pima. The kids had fun with grandma and grandpa running all over the town. Their cousin, Dallen, my brother's little boy had his first birthday party and they went to that and then back to the fair to see Kiara dance in the rain.

Monday morning I woke up early and realized that Shane hadn't left for work yet. I pushed him awake very worried that he wasn't at work and had forgot to set his alarm. He rolled over and told me to go back to sleep, he wasn't going to work today. It was a fun surprise to get to hang out with him on Monday too especially when he told me what his plan for the day was. He went and got the tractor, cleaned up the weeds and then finished the fence. The kids played outside all day long and I worked inside on some stuff I have been needing to do. By the end of the day, we had a backyard that was available to everyone. We even let Moly out. He didn't get the gates done, but he put some chain link we have across the gate areas so everyone can play safely back there. The boys got up and went out right after breakfast this morning even though it was cold.

Hooray for husbands and for backyards!!! I can't wait to plant grass and a garden in the spring.

PS I need to take some pictures to post. I just have been anti-camera lately for some reason.