Deacon's Valentines

Deacon's class is filled with toddlers, so I thought something other than candy would be best for his exchange. What kid doesn't like goldfish??

This project was so cheap; I spent less than $10 for two boxes of goldfish, bags, and tags! I printed these as 4x6 pictures at Walgreens and cut them in half, but also included a larger blank version if you want to make your own message. (To steal: click picture, right click and choose "save picture as")

Carson's Valentines

I am obsessed with pinterest and have boards dedicated to crafts for each holiday. I am scared to recreate any of the gifts I have found out of fear that someone else will have seen it and will be making the same one (kind of like not wanting to show up to an event in the same outfit lol). So for now, I use them as inspiration for craftiness, but still do my own thing.

For Carson's Valentine party next week I decided to hit up my favorite dollar store: Dollar Tree and found these adorable bobble head robots. At $1 each, I spent less than $30 to get a candy robot for each kid in his class.
I wasn't a big fan of the nutrition label on the tube, so instead of trying to peel each one off, I used shipping labels (2 inch x 4 inch) and covered them up.

Next, using shutterfly studio and pinterest I created 4x6 cards to cut in half and attach with ribbon. I was torn between 2 different sayings and decided to go with the top one, but included the other one if you like it better. You should be able to click the image to make it larger, right click and choose "save as" to download on your computer, then just add your child's name. I had them printed at Walgreens for less than $5.

Carson's 1st Day of Kindergarten - Take 2

Carson started school in the district where I work, and was super lucky to have been accepted into the dual language program. Due to my bed rest it will be close to impossible to drive him 45 minutes to and from school there. We made the tough decision to move him into the elementary where our neighborhood is zoned.

He, along with us, has had mixed emotions about the transition. He loves his teachers and friends at his old school, and was really excited to be learning Spanish. But, his new school is only a couple of minutes from our house (which means not having to spend two hours in the car each day and getting home close to dark), he will get to go to school with friends from our neighborhood, and in his opinion, the best benefit is that he gets to ride the school bus home each day! The dress codes are fairly similar, both schools requiring collared shirts, but his old school allowed it to have patterns and pictures, his new school only solid colors with logo smaller than a quarter. But, his new school doesn't require shirts to be tucked in (notice how excited he is about this in his picture).

We waited until yesterday to withdraw him from his old school because it was class picture day and we wanted to be sure he would get one and also be in their yearbook. Brian picked him up early yesterday so that he could complete the necessary paperwork, and said Carson cried in the office and on the way home. :( He also cried himself to sleep last night, making my heart break for him.

Luckily, Carson has never been a shy kid and has always been able to make friends easily, so we made sure to talk that up last night and before school today. He was all enrolled by 10:00am this morning, and even saw our neighbor, James in the hallway before going in to meet his new class and teacher.

This afternoon, he was all smiles! When asked how his first day was and he said "GREAT!" He already made a new friend (couldn't remember his name, of course) that showed him the ropes, ate tacos and an ice cream sandwich at lunch ("tasted even better" than his old school), got to run and play basketball in PE, and "didn't get any homework!" It is not even 4:00, and he is already outside playing with the kids from the neighborhood!

It is such a relief that today went so well. Thank God for making children so adaptable to change!

Bed Rest

This pregnancy has been a little different than the first two go-rounds. I'm not sure if it is because I already have two children that keep me busy, the fact that I am pushing 30, or that by body is over making babies and wanting to make sure I don't have more kiddos.

I am gaining weight at a faster rate, swelling started early this pregnancy and isn't just in my ankles and calves, but some days all the way up to my knees and thighs. Standing for too long causes me to be out of breath and feel like my heart is pounding out of my chest. On top of all that I am more emotional/moody, and just now beginning to understand why pregnant women don't go around smiling and glowing all the time.

I have been busy dealing with all of the above, along with a 2 hour commute each day, getting both boys ready and dropped off at two separate locations for school and making it to work before eight, Deacon's therapy needs, Carson's reading and Spanish for kindergarten, teaching, student council, holidays, and so on...and somehow making it all work without going crazy. But then, the contractions started.

In early January, I would periodically get what felt like Braxton Hicks during the later part of an especially busy day and would disappear by the time I got home and relaxed. By the end of the month the contractions were definitely stronger and coming at regular intervals about 10-15 minutes apart. After work on the 31st I figured I would call my doctor and just schedule an appointment to share my concerns. As soon as I mentioned contractions to the receptionist she immediately put me through to the nurse, who told me to go to the hospital for monitoring. The hospital hooked me up to monitors and did an ultrasound of Bennett to see how he was and check his size (1lb. 11oz.) and called my doctor for her opinion. She wanted me to stay on bed rest for two days and follow up with her on the second day.

At my appointment I was still having a little cramping and my doctor asked me what was more important: Bennett or work? When I chose Bennett, she said she would feel safer putting me on bed rest because she was concerned of pre-term labor and with a 14 week premature baby, the outcome could be scary.

So here I am.

For those of you who know me, laying around doing nothing is not my thing. I am a week into this and already trying to find activities in the house to keep me busy. I wish I could do the paperwork end of my job from home to help out my colleagues and long-term sub, but have been firmly told that I could no longer do anything work related. I have been able to do a few projects from bed (100 day shirt and Deacon's party invitations), but other than that, my day mostly consists of reading, watching movies, and playing on the computer.

I was in such shock at the initial appointment when I was told that I would be on bed rest, that I didn't even know there were stages of bed rest or think to ask which stage I would be placed on. So, at today's appointment I got a few more details.

I am on modified/regular bed rest, which means no: work, strenuous chores, heavy lifting, standing/walking for more than 5-10 minutes, climbing stairs, long shopping trips, etc. I am allowed to leave the house occasionally for non-strenuous activities like sitting at church or the movies, as long as I don't have to climb stairs, or stand or walk a long distance. (And luckily got permission for Deacon's birthday party this weekend as long as I rest before and after and stay seated during the party!)

I am making myself stick to the rules, because I have already been warned that next comes strict bed rest and I don't want complete bed confinement!

Be prepared, with all of this free time on my hands, I may be busy blogging!

Carson's 100th Day

Carson has already been in school for 100 days! As a celebration, all of the kindergarteners get to have a parade through the school sporting homemade shirts. The only instructions we were given was to be creative and represent the number 100. So here is what we came up with:

100 football beads (purchased at Hobby Lobby) each individually glued (Aleene's Super Thick Tacky Glue). Carson loved it, and we all placed bets last night to see how many footballs would still be on it by the time he got home from school. Carson guessed 10, Brian said 73, and I am hoping for 85.

Winterfest

The great thing about Texas is that in the middle of January we get 70 degree weather! We took advantage this weekend at a local festival. Our city hosts Winterfest each year, where you pay an admission, and then most activities are free, like carnival rides, inflatables, and snow hill.

Brian worked, so he couldn't go, but his parents and nephew joined the boys and me. I think Carson and Jakob rode every ride they had!

This was the first festival where Deacon got to play too. He giggled on every ride and had a huge, glowing smile from the excitement.


We spent about 4 hours having fun and filled up on all that healthy carnival food, including deep fried hot chocolate! By the end of our fun-filled day, we were all exhausted.

6 Month Pregnancy Update

How far along? 25 weeks

Mood: Is fat a mood?!?

Maternity clothes? Yes, and even some of those are getting too small in the stomach...

Sleep: It is getting a little harder to find that comfortable position, but once I do I sleep great.

Energy Level: Slowing down again. I start the day with energy, but just don't have the stamina to keep it going.

Best moments in the last month: Feeling lots of baby kicks!

Movement? Yes! Brian and a few friends have also gotten to feel Bennett in action.

Cravings: Lemon meringue pie and Big Red soda. (Probably the main contributors to the fat feelings!)

Baby purchases this month: No purchases, but a wonderful coworker gave us a gorgeous crib!

What I miss: Not having cankles at the end of the day from swollen legs.

What I am looking forward to: Spring Break