Baby Names

We don't typically play the baby name game until later - or as my husband has reminded me "it's not the third trimester yet." I think that has something to do with when we were expecting Gabi and I had a whole list and we went through names like they were going out of style... had very few we could actually agree upon. When it came down to it, we had two names for Gabi - the one could only be used if she had black hair because it was Spanish and I just couldn't imagine a Spanish name on a blond... Gabi had black hair for all of one week. So much for that theory. Needless to say, she wasn't actually named until she came.

Bethie was even harder because we didn't learn that she was a girl until she was born. We had a boy's name picked out - though I could not, for the life of me, tell you what it was. And it was the night before going into labor with her that I suddenly had a first name for a girl. Her middle name was written on a scrap of paper and handed to me to okay before the nurses were told her name. Yup... we just take our time.

Jeremy was hard for a number of reasons - and we did finally settle on his name before he came, but not certain enough to announce his name before hand. And Peter - well, I knew his first name about four days or so before he came. And I knew the middle name would be one of two. I was in labor when we decided.

Anyway - though we take our jolly good time about it, it's not like names aren't discussed at least on some level... normally between me and the kids. This time, well, I don't have any names sticking out like sore thumbs just begging to be tried out. Apparently this is one boy too many - or I'm just lacking the brain cells to compute. (Most like it's the latter). So I've been asking the kids what they think...

Part of the problem is we've got some Thomas the Tank Engine fans around here - and as anyone who knows Thomas the Tank Engine will know, there are a lot of names used up there. Not a big deal except that Peter is so into it that any name they have that we might have wanted to use ever now screams "TRAINS! THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE! FRIENDS OF THOMAS!" So that makes it hard already. (But as my husband already said, we're not in the third trimester yet - thus we're not really trying to come up with a name yet)

The cute part to this is that the other day when I asked Peter if he had any ideas he comes up with Isaac. "Isaac?" I said, "Where did you hear that name?"

Beth piped up with something about Gabi's friend back in Maine. To which I said, "yeah, I remember, but I don't think Peter does." So I asked him again "Where did you hear the name Isaac?"

And Peter's response "Because Isaac was a prophet."

(Yeah, we've been listening to the Prophet song which will be used later this year in the Primary Presentation)

Funny Appointment

I know I need to post something with pictures - but that will have to wait.

Yesterday we had another appointment. Being in a rather good mood -most likely because I've been dealing with children who are less than willing to be respectful and obedient when Dad is not around and they were are a sitter - it was a rather humorous visit.

First the doctor tried to tell me I was at 27 weeks. We corrected him, and he glanced at the chart again and tried to tell us again that I was 27 weeks. After a minute of that, he looked closer at the chart and noticed the first markings were listed at 12 weeks, so decided I was at 16 weeks. Nope... corrected again - he looked at the chart again and finally just got out the little dating wheel all over again. Wanted to know when my due date was - so I told him - and I'm guessing he tried to go backwards from there... and ended up with 26 weeks.

Trying not to laugh - because we know I'm not that far along - Bob finally told him when my last period was and he started all over with the wheel going the right direction... bingo - 20 weeks 4 days. It was very comical.

After that, things were pretty much normal routine. Baby was good about hiding off to the side - not unusual - but was found fairly easily this time - let's hear it for baby getting to be too big to really hide! And I got paperwork for my glucose test - which I'm thrilled to report does not involve drinking that nasty "soda-like" sugar drink! Oh how I dislike that stuff! Unfortunately, it does mean I need to have my blood drawn again - and since the first time here I was bruised for over a week (this is not a normal thing for me - my veins have always been good and easy to use and therefore, except when I had hyperemesis and was seriously dehydrated, I've never bruised before - never - and I gave blood all the time)... anyway, I'm not looking forward to that again! Hoping to get someone who "knows what they're doing" - in that they go with the bigger vein, not the small one way off to the side that no one else would touch unless they had to, and that they do a clean stick and draw - not the jab you and wiggle it all over the place routine! Oh well.. we'll see what happens when we do it.

Anyway - it would seem we're both doing well - healthy enough to not worry about! Up 7 pounds - which seems crazy considering the back and forth of gaining and loosing and then slowly beginning to gain again - but then I found that's not so abnormal in the second trimester - just abnormal for me. Always put on my "bulk weight" in the third with my other four.... so, just another way this baby and pregnancy are proving to not follow the pattern - but being much more "normal" in terms of the book.

White Fabric

I finally washed Gabi's fabric for her baptism dress. I'll confess I was nervous to do so because the one fabric cannot go through the dryer and I was a bit fearful as to what might happen in the washer. I'm happy to report, the washer did no harm! Anyway, because the fabric could not go in the dryer (and thus the dress will always have to be hung to dry) I hung up the fabric in the living room (freshly cleaned from yesterday) to dry over night while little hands couldn't ruin it.

Wanting to be sure I got it put away before hands got sticky and yucky from the days adventures, I headed out - and took a picture (last night the lighting was perfect to catch the beauty of the fabric as it glistened.. not so much this morning). Then I proceeded to gather up the fabric and fold it to put away until little hands were preoccupied and I knew I would have sufficient time to pin and cut.

As Peter watched me do this, he said "Is Gabi getting married? When's the wedding? Can we go?"

Too cute - that even at his young age glistening, pure white fabric means marriage!

Snip, Snip

Last weekend I finally "fixed" Gabi's bangs. She had been working on a project for school - laying down, bent over whatever it was she was cutting and caught a small chunk in the scissors. I had waited for a few weeks because it was short enough that it would have just looked awful... for that matter, even now that we've "evened it out" it doesn't look great. Her bangs are still rather short. But, since she'll be getting baptized next month, I wanted plenty of time for everything to grow out - to not look so "freshly cut".

Anyway, while I was at it, I trimmed the bottom of her hair - it'd been at least a year. And then moved on to Beth. I think I should have done what my mother always did for me - flip her over the table and just cut one fresh, straight line. Natural layers and maybe more luck with the curls. Beth wanted layers, so that's what we did - and though her hair is cute, we rarely see a curl any more. And even though I layered it with the longest layer on the bottom, shortest on the top, it's acting like it was cut the other way around. Yup - it has a slight curl under (if you can call it a curl). Very cute, but we miss her dancing curls. I'm hoping that within a couple of weeks (when the hair fully relaxes and realizes it doesn't have to hang like it's heavy) that the curls will start to pop up again. Water does help a little - but we'll just have to see.

The good news to the short hair cut (which she's not had in at least two years, maybe three) is that she can brush it herself - and she doesn't wake up with horrid rats nests that have to be ripped from her head! It looks healthier and more full. And it's still long enough to pull up (and her hair grows really fast) so dance recital should not be an issue.

I'll post pictures after I locate the camera (which seems to have found a new home) and after there have been a couple weeks to see what the hair will really do.

What We Do Matters

Back in November, the father of two boys (both classmates of my girls) was killed in an emergency helicopter flight accident after delivering a patient. Though I do not know this family - not really - the accident impacted our family as well as our children. Our hearts have pulled and hurt for them.

The younger boy made a connection with me when I volunteer - so much so that whenever he sees me he runs to me for a hug. He's so precious, so innocent to it all. And so hurt. His brother has likewise been hurt and even angry at times. His reaction was so strong and so confusing to Gabi that she asked me about it back in December.

It was a wonderful discussion that we had about how grief affects different people in different ways. That the important thing for us was to remember that they were hurting and continue to be the friend we were before the accident happened. Gabi has spent many a night and day sobbing for the hurt of this young boy - while at the same time reaching out to him and being his friend even during the times when he tried to shut everyone out.

Today was full of valentine parties at school. The girls were eager to look over all their precious valentines when they arrived home. Gabi pulled one out - a very special, way more than expected valentine. She was the only one in the class to receive one. It came from this same boy because he was grateful for her continued friendship through all he's been and continues to go through.

Gabi was not looking for reward or compensation. She was simply reaching out to a friend in need, refusing to turn her back on him. She was shining forth as a remarkable example of Christ-like Love - true Charity.

Our family is so blessed and so lucky to have her as part of it. Her example shines through and we are constantly learning from it. But what amazes me most of all is that this little boy noticed - and it made a difference. We are always watched - our examples are seen by all around us - and what we do really does make a difference in the lives of someone else.

Things To Do

Yesterday I took Lynne to the airport so she could visit Marie's family (and help out with the new baby). We're excited for her return so we can see lots of pictures, but truly hope she has a terrific time while she's there!

While in the area, she and I stopped in and found fabric for Gabi's baptism dress! Gabi had told us several things to look for, and in the end we found stuff that we were fairly certain Gabi would really love, but it wasn't exactly what she told us to look for. We went with it - and sure enough, Gabi loves it! She's so excited. I'll be cutting out the pattern between today and tomorrow and then she'll help me get it pinned to the fabric on Saturday. I'm not sure we'll get it cut Saturday - likely I'll wait and do that part once the girls are back to school this week. Gabi will get to help with some of the sewing - though it will be limited - since she's had experience already with sewing clothes and she wants to be involved!

But, the bulk of the day today will be spent trying to get the house back in order. It's gone rapidly down hill - at first it was because sick kids (even with just a cold) are cranky and mean and I was too tired because I spent my days dealing with that instead of slipping in a nap here and there.

Then, because that wasn't enough, I cut my finger last Friday night. I was cutting onions and apparently had my finger set just right to slice a small chunk off. Fun. Washed up and wrapped up - but knocked around numerous times - and it was throbbing by bed time - it kept me up most of that night. The next day it felt a little better - I figured it must have been positioning - but then the pain picked up again. With some Tylenol I got through a good chunk of the day (reading a book mostly) but finally gave up. After a shower, I unwrapped it to reveal a slight infection and then, on the completely opposite side of the finger, what appeared to be a second infection - or at least fluid gathering. I guess that should have made sense since that's where the pain was radiating from (at the worst points it was all through my hand and running up to my elbow).

Well, I had Bob rewrap the finger with some really good, heavy duty, antibacterial cream, took more Tylenol and laid down. When I woke up, the pain was contained to the finger. This was good - and we had it rewrapped another time the same way - the fluid pocket appeared to be going down, though we were only treating the actual cut on the finger.

Yesterday, I noticed what appeared to be a change in color at the "fluid pocket" tip of my finger at the top of the band-aid. I pulled it off, the sliced part was healed enough that there was no longer a flap of skin to worry about (just tender with direct pressure), but I definately had an infection at the "fluid pocket" - which no longer appeared to have fluid. It was a weird whitish - yellow at the tip, but there was a "blood stain" under the skin that extended most of the way to the first knuckle. Needless to say, the finger is still being wrapped, but the antibacterial cream is being focused at this other point - already the "blood stain" has subsided...

Who would have thought onions were so deadly?

Anyway, so the house is no where near ideal, and that's what I'm attempting today.... we'll see if I can put that finger in water for dishes - but even not, there is plenty else that has need to be completed!

It Would Seem...

that we're having another boy.... Peter may not have gotten his twins, but he did get his first choice of brother... the girls, on the other hand, don't think it's quite fair.

Safe Arrival

It's my understanding that our nephew made his grand arrival last night! Welcome Eli Scott Johnson - 8 lbs, 20 inches long, nurses say he's a red head.

Okay - so the details come from Bob who talked to (I believe) both his mother and his sister... but he's a guy and sometimes such details aren't as detailed so we'll forgive him if we're off a little.

Congrats, Marie and family! (Peter's excited that his cousin has red hair just like him)

To Make Me Smile

We've been pretty lucky to not be sick much or for very long this winter... especially when you consider we moved to a new location, which normally spells trouble for such things. But, this week we've had a cold moving through the family - rapidly, but it's still around since it didn't hit everyone all at once.

Last night the boys came down with all the wonderful symptoms - mostly just a crazy runny nose with runny eyes. Nothing that can't be survived easily, just symptoms that make you shake your head and yell "ARGHHH"!

This morning every time Peter's eye would fill with tears and start to spill over and he needed a tissue to dab at it, he'd yell to me "My eye has water in it! My eye has water in it!"

Though I know the feeling of runny eyes (by far worse than a runny nose in my book), I couldn't help but smile. The way he said it, and with such innocence, not frustration, was just way too cute!

Nature Lovers Unite

Talking in the wee hours of the night with Bob, I learned that Gabi and at least one other friend had started a Nature Club at school. He didn't really have any details, but said he hoped it wasn't (and wouldn't become) exclusive and have to be shut down.

So this morning, as I'm preparing her breakfast, Gabi starts to tell me about the Nature Club. I don't know how many people are in it, though it's enough to play tag and hide and go seek. But not just any tag or any hide and go seek... their first order of business was to create their own versions in a true nature theme. It's Monkey Tag (and, no, I don't remember how to play that one) and then Lion Hide and Go Seek (where when the lion is done counting he / she just creeps up on the people never having hollered "ready or not" - when the lion tags someone, then the lion yells "NEW LION" and everyone scatters to hide again while the new lion counts).

She's hoping as it warms up that they can look for birds - she's excited to have at least one other member over to "play" while they explore the nature around them.

Seriously - what a great club - and so easy, since, at least for now, it's all kid ideas that don't cost money and just explore what God has given us all!

Now What?

At school, the girls are part of a reading program. It's one that I don't mind so much. It involves a reading log that keeps track of books read, time spent, and then signed by mom or dad. My children love to read - never have (as yet) had a problem with that. Each grade has a different "bench mark" to reach each month. Kindergarten is 6 hours each month, 2nd grade is 10 hours each month. As you can see, it goes up by 2 hours each grade.

The problem in the beginning for my children is that they've always read and never had to worry about recording time. So, often we'd find a girl reading and discover that they hadn't looked at the clock before starting and had no idea how long they were reading. Beth still struggles with this - though if we hear or see her starting to get into reading mode, we try to remind her to grab a clock and her reading log. Gabi has less problems with it - in part, I believe, because it's a personally assigned (by herself) challenge for her to meet (and well exceed) the goals. There are times, though, that I still find I'm reminding even her.

Well - a bench mark can be made for the month, or one can earn more than one in the month. Each bench mark takes the child's marking pin to a new location on the world map. Each month, as part of the experience, the children learn about a new place in the world.

Today, I signed the reading log which will bring Gabi completely around the world... yes, she's officially met every bench mark for the whole year! I'm not hugely surprised, but apparently this was her goal for herself all along! I mentioned to her that I thought her continuing to keep track of her reading would count toward the entire schools reading goal - now she has another reason to keep track of it all.

(The best part, she's reading and rereading books all around her - becoming less picky about what she reads. And, Bob and I've begun a list of "classics" we think she'll enjoy that we can look for at the library. She's thrilled!)

***As a side note, Jeremy is beginning to read the Magic Tree House series. He's not reading well enough to do it on his own yet, but he loves these stories and can read most of the words in them so far. Peter sits near and listens, so it's a great way to encourage Jeremy's reading fluency and decoding while spending some great time in the world of imagination with both boys.***