pregnancy induced ADD, the flu, and other fun stuff...

Wow, it's been a while... Things are going great with the girls and the baby. The girls started school mid-August and have been doing well.
We had a few behavior issues with Meron the first week of school, but since then she has caught on to what is expected of her behavior. Yesterday, we got their first report cards and I was happily surprised by Meron's. She is on track with all but reading, on which we are working regularly. Leigh, of course, is doing fantastic. We had a conference with Leigh's teacher, which somehow ended in a long discussion about the teacher's 2 year-old son and his very terrible 2's... Leigh's teacher was very happy to hear about Leigh's monster-like terrible 2's (one particularly bad incident ended in the loss of my front teeth) and was "thrilled to think that [her son] may turn out like Leigh." When thinking about the girls and school, I am happy that there are several grades between them. School, every aspect of it, comes very easy to Leigh. I can imagine that had the girls been closer in age, it would be a very strong point of contention for Meron to see Leigh excel while she struggles. As it is (2.3 years age difference, 3 grades levels), Meron just assumes that the difference in our involvement/oversight in Leigh's school work (very little) as compared to hers (constant) is due to their ages & grades. I know that Meron will do well in school once she understands the importance of it. Case in point... Doug worked with Meron all summer to get her to memorize and write the alphabet and numbers (1-20). It would take close to 3 hours everyday, and for weeks it was beginning to look as if she just couldn't get it. Finally, I was working from home one day, and Meron saw that I was writing numbers on a notepad and furiously typing emails. She asked "Mom, you use numbers at work?"... like it was some kind of revelation. The next day, she wrote her numbers and alphabet in less than 20 minutes, perfectly; perfectly spaced (not required, and completely unexpedted) & in the right order. It's hard to for me to comprehend that a child would choose to waste 3 hours of her own time every week day just to be obstinant, but that appears to be what happened. It's not a new thing with Meron... it's something that Doug and I understood about her personality pretty quickly after bringing her home and have come up with techniques to disuade her from it, but still we were surprised this time.

All of the girls extra activities have started up again and they are loving it. Meron is in dance one day of week (which she likes, but does not love), tennis one day a week (absolutely loves it), and 1 soccer practice and one soccer game a week. Meron has turned into an amazing soccer player. We always knew she was fast when she chose to be, but seeing her bring it to the soccer field is new. She runs circles around the other girls and scores goals left and right. She didn't enjoy it at all last year, and I wasn't certain that we should even put her in it this year... but what a difference a year makes.

Leigh is also very busy with activities, but she decided to stop the horse back riding lessons. A horse decided to take off with Leigh on it's back this summer and Leigh ended up falling off. Leigh has always been a very cautious kid and that was the last straw for her. I think we will try again in a few years (it may take her that long to get over it). She is also back in tennis one day a week and she loves it. She has moved up in Soccer to a new age group which goes up to 10 years which has been quite a change for her. She now has practice twice a week and 1 game. Also, playing with girls who are 2 years older is a little bit of hit to her confidence. They are definitely faster, and Leigh is struggling to keep up. She is still enjoying it, but is absolutely exhausted after practice and games.

We are moving right along with the pregnancy. I am now at 29 weeks and not on bedrest. I know that seems pretty normal, but I am thrilled. I started early labor when I was pregnant with Leigh at 26 weeks; spent several days in the hospital, and was on bedrest until she was born at 36 weeks. At 25 weeks with this one, I started having regular contractions and other signs of impending labor (click the link if you want gross details). I went to the hospital, and they were able to stop the labor without much change to my cervix. I was home in about 7 hours with instructions to take it easy (not bedrest). I have since taken it very easy and do even less than before.
This past week, both Doug and I caught the flu and it has been rough. I am finally starting to get better, but I have spent almost the whole week either in either in bed or on the sofa. I haven't been this sick since I caught Mono in high school... This flu has also hit Doug really hard. I have never seen him this sick and was shocked when he took several naps this week.
Unfortunately, the worse thing this flu has done is use up the rest of my paid time off at work. I get a substantial amount of leave from my work (25 days vacation, 10 sick days per year), but between vacation taken early in the year and all of the illness and doctor's appointments for the pregnancy I have managed to use it all. My management has been great, and I know they will work with me on this, but I despise having to ask (especially since I got a big promotion this summer for which I am very grateful). Already, my bosses have allowed me to work from home 3 days a week to help with reducing my stress (doctor recommended). They have also reduced my work load. I now only carry one major project, and assist with the big issues (i.e. satellite failure, or uber-big customer screaming their heads off about multi-million dollar service). I am no longer working through issues like trying to keep in contact and assist an untrained technician in the Congo trying to repair an antenna (satellite dish) that has been overrun with vines in the middle of the jungle (yes, I have dealt with this type of thing many times, and never enjoy it).

This change in my work is great, because I do not have the attention span, as of late, for the little issues that don't really pique my interest. The super technical and super complicated issues I have no problem with, but the little issues, the logistical issues, just annoy me. This, I know, is due to pregnancy hormones. I had the same issue when I was pregnant with Leigh and it applies accross the board. I cannot sit through a whole movie (and not just because I have to go pee five times). I really just cannot concentrate that long. I also have no patience for adult books, but have no problem reading through sci-fi/fantasy novels that are intended for 9-12 year-olds. My favorite activity, which can hold my interest for hours on end, depending on his activity level, is watching Ben kick aroung in my belly. It is fascinating to me to see my stomach look as if an alien is about to pop out of it.

Every so often, when I have rested a great deal in advance, we go out shopping for baby stuff. We have been very blessed with great friends, so we have not had to purchase any of the big stuff needed for the baby. A good friend from work gave us a crib & mattress, changing table, basinet, carseat & matching stroller, 2 boppy pillows, travel basinet (the kind that can go in bed with you), and jumperoo. Our good friends, the Kinards, gave us an old dresser which the Doug repaired and refinished (it looks so amazing). So, we have had to buy only the little stuff for the baby. I am so different now shopping for him. When I was pregnant with Leigh, I wanted her to have everything. If I though a certain outfit was cute, we got it in every pattern available. She had more onsies in the newborn size than days she actually fit in that size. She had enough socks for a whole orphanage full of babies to wear for a week. This time, I have a much better understanding of what we actually need, and what we will use. I know now that 4 really soft baby towels will be more than sufficient and that 10 pairs of socks will last longer than they will be wearable. It is nice change. One thing that I am unsure of, is diapers. We (I) have decided that we will be using gdiapers with Ben, but I am unsure how many g-pants we will actually need in the different sizes. I have purchased 2 of the starter packs which gives us 4 g pants and 6 liners. This sounds like enough... I think... anyone that has used them have any advice?

Anyway, I will try to over come my pregnancy induced ADD and give updates more often. Until my next update, please enjoy the video of Doug painting the baby's room which I cannot be happier about.


Oh and here are some gargantu-belly pics the first at 7 months pregnant with Leigh, the second at 7 months pregnant with Ben, over eight years later...