Maternity Update (photo included!)

After one of the church meetings on Sunday a friend leaned over the pew to chat with me. 

"So!  Any day now, huh?  You getting excited for this to be over?"

Me: "I'm not getting excited yet, since I still have eight or nine weeks. I'm not due till the end of August."

Her eyes blinked and widened and the friendly smile sort of melted as her mind tried to visualize my current state PLUS an additional eight or nine weeks of growth. 

"Wow.  Last month I thought you were on the home stretch. That's why I was surprised to see you here again, still pregnant."

This is the #3 reason why I fantacize about home-churching it until the baby comes.  The pain I see in other people's eyes when they look at me is almost as uncomfortable as my heartburn.


{The first two reasons:

#1: It's uncomfortable to sit for three hours. My ankles end up like sausages and my feet look like bear paws. After the meetings I have to limp out to my car.

#2:  I'm running out of properly fitting dresses.  Pretty soon I'm going to have to paint a dress on my ever expanding body. And my shoes have become torture devices.}


I've been trying, with limited success, to not complain when people ask me how I'm doing.  For the record, I feel extremely lucky to have a tiny human growing in me.  I recognize that this isn't an experience that everyone gets to have.  But at the same time I really want to hurt my husband or any other well-intentioned soul that cheerfully suggests, "Just try to enjoy it!"

I'll admit it: I'm a bear. I'm a big, sweaty, cranky mama bear.  Living in the hot, hot desert. 

the speed of life

Life is happening fast! #3 is is doing her best to grow up as fast as she can before #4 comes along at the end of the summer.  Here is she at 8:45 am:

"Mom, my toof really popped out!"

And here she is at 5:45 pm.

This afternoon we were swimming at a friend's house. #3 had just been showing off the hole in her gum left by the first tooth and telling the group about the upcoming visit of the tooth fairy.  Moments later she swam over to me with an even bigger gap in her mouth. "My odder toof just got lost!" She was so excited that she wasn't even bothered that her tooth was now at the bottom of my friends speckled bottom pool.

I was a little mortified. Isn't that kind of gross to leave body parts in a friend's pool?

A mom can brag (sometimes), can't she?

Before we get any further into the summer (today is our 2 week school-free anniversary) I must take a moment to write a word about my children's academic successes for the 2011-2012 school year.

#1's successes include:

• mastering all her multiplication and division facts
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• being the only 3rd grader in her school to score 100% on her benchmark exams in reading
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• making it to the final 3 of her class spelling bee and intentionally spelling her word wrong so she wouldn't be subjected to the attention of having to compete in her school wide spelling bee

Favorite book in 3rd grade: "Where the Red Fern Grows"

Hardest thing about 3rd grade: "coming up with original ideas for writing assignments"



 #2's successes include:

• upgrading to chapter books
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• writing engaging and imaginative journal entries
•  
• mastering his addition and subtraction facts

Favorite unit of study: Ancient Egypt

Hardest part about 1st grade: "homework!"

#3's successes include:

• greater emotional maturity
• 
  
• tons of new vocabulary words including: assume, awkward, prefer, and gracious.  (These words may or may not be used in correct context but they are nonetheless adorable in her munchkin, lisp-ridden voice.)
• 
  
•  learning that it's OK to make mistakes

Favorite thing to draw: "a cat on a roller coaster"

Hardest thing at Joy School: "when my friend took away my toy"


Let's hear it for wonderful teachers!  Hip hip Hooray!  Seriously, we were so lucky to have such excellent teachers this year.  They made such a difference.


PS. I am loving being on a schedule of our own making.  The kids are happy, I'm happy.  I love summer break!