End of January

So busy this MONTH. I went to the gym for my last  two weeks (4 days a week for an hour), hoping to not swell up with the pregnancy. It worked, until I stopped going..haha. I swelled up instantly. Not as much as I thought, but enough for clothes to be tight. Everyone kept saying I looked ready to have this baby "really? You think so?" Sometimes, people just say the wrong things at the wrong time. YES! I am so ready to have this baby! He stretches SO MUCH, it hurts...mostly mid afternoon and in the middle of the night. He stretches both ways- so I feel pain on both sides of my belly. WE predict he's going to be at least 8 lbs and probably long like his brothers....he probably doesn't fit and that's probably why he stretches so much. I sleep on my back because it feels good. I know you're not suppose to, but sleeping on my side, hurts my hips too much....the only bad thing about sleeping on your back is that the baby doesn't like it, and he moves even more. I can actually make out his elbows and knees...it's so weird.

Sunday Selfie. 

Dominic had a good time in school. We're doing better with the anxiety of it all. I no longer go to the morning announcements with him. I just walk him up to the entrance (double doors) and kiss him goodbye. I"m hoping to just drop him off at some point after the baby is born. I don't think I will want to carry three kids in order to drop off one. But we'll see....I don't want Dom to think he's not important just because I'm so focused on the baby. He knows most of the sight words and can read very well.....when he actually tries. We read 20 minutes a day, and he gets to pick the book. They go to the school library on Mondays and pick a book. Whatever he picks, he has to read several times so he can get acquainted with the new words he encounters. We also bought books at the book fair and Ethan's preschool sends the monthly scholastic order form. We have quite a few new books from the collections he picks from- pig the pug, the pigeon, pete the cat....as long as he picks it, he has to read it. He got some books for Christmas too (lego books and blaze and the monster machines). The latter came with a follow along cd, which he enjoys and makes it easy to read . He has discovered his artistic side and loves to create artwork for everyone. He likes to draw people and scenery. He also likes to glue crafts to paper. I think Kinder has been good to him. He says his favorite class is PE, because he loves to run and loves the games the teacher comes up with. His least favorite is music because they are not allowed to touch the instruments. So they just watch videos, or sit down and sing....and he doesn't like that. We gotta find an after school music program for him...videos?! Seriously?!
No parties this year, but we gotta prepare for the Valentine's day party here soon. It will be my last pre-pregnancy and I'm freaking out a bit. I'm so big and I'm running out of time. After this, we just got teacher appreciation and end of the year party (both in May)....hopefully I'll recapture my sanity by then.

For MLK day, Dom had to color this. Two things popped out at me:
1) He's so patriotic. Has always loved the USA.
2) He colored the hands in different colors.I thought that was neat.He includes everyone.
Children really are amazing!

Ethan had dino and dads day. Luckily, Dad was here to go with him, and they had a blast. Ethan loves school. He loves learning and his friends....and more specifically, the playground. He loves going outside and story time. He loves being able to have lunch with his teacher on Tuesdays and I enjoy not having him home haha. It's good that he spent his energy somewhere else. He has become quite destructive around here...and quite the threenager. I liked him much better before. You know there's always THAT one kid that is having the rough phase and is your least favorite (for now)? That's Ethan right now.  He make messes, doesn't clean up, says "I don't want to" way too much, and does whatever you tell him NOT to do. I know it's just a phase, but my super fat self can't handle it right now. I can't bend down and clean constantly...it's starting to genuinely hurt. And then Spencer is not here for weeks at a time....it's just awful. But he's pretty sweet and snuggles and sleeps for me.

He started Sunbeams in church and he is so excited to be there during singing time. He loves to sing and learn new songs. He comes home and sings them all the time...ALL THE TIME. He's actually really good at memorizing. Then he'll find them on youtube and learn them even more. Glad to know that youtube has good qualities.  He also loves to find the sight words and addition videos. He goes around saying "3 plus 8 is.....3 plus 8 is....3 plus 8 is eleven!" It's funny to watch.

First day in primary

The kids had to go to their annual well check. They are about 4 inches apart (Dom being taller...but not by much) and about 5 lbs apart (Dom being the heaviest). These kids are 3 years apart! Ethan is a beast. We will have to see if we can remove E's eye tubes next month as well as his annual eye exam to see if we can lower his eye RX. He'll probably have to get new glasses. Right now, he's really into dressing himself. He's my metro kid- he'll pick sunday shirts and loafers everytime! He needs help to button them, but he's the only one around here....that as soon as he wakes up, he gets properly dressed for the day. No one has to tell him to get dressed or what to wear. For now, I'm liking it.

Annual checkup

they love to watch the washing machine

Spencer had to leave for St Louis work for two weeks and we almost made it through. Dad missed us terribly. He stays at an airbnb for a while, to save money. A hotel would be way more expensive. The kids were naughty after like 11 days haha.....so we almost made it to the 17 day martk. Yes...he was gone for 17 days (as a whole)....two whole weeks and then some....it's been rough. The kids act out, and I yell a lot because quite frankly I can't chase them even if I wanted to.  He plans to be here more in February, but we'll see.

Park day

Park day

Leaving for the first time- he left us for 17 days straight!