Been a while – TOTAL KID ENTRY!
Well, not as long as some take to update, but long enough.
I am seven weeks pregnant today. I’m feeling great, except for the mornings when I can’t seem to figure out what to eat that will stay down. Thankfully nothing has come back up – yet – although this morning it almost did. My first midwife appointment is next Saturday, so close! The mom and her daughter will be making the drive down here. We’re all hoping that we’ll be a rare lucky one and be able to hear the heartbeat by doppler. I didn’t hear Katherine’s until 13 weeks, but Mimi (my 1st surro daughter) we heard at 8 1/2 weeks, so I’m crossing my fingers 😀
Tonight I have 4mo little Luke for the night! The WHOLE night, his first sleepover :D, while his parents have a night to themselves. I have looked forward to this since the day he was born. I adore this little guy 🙂
Today was a busy one for me! I had two new girls who I am caring for today and Monday. One is 2yo and speaks no english and had never stayed with anyone outside of mom and dad, and the other is her sister who is 6yo and in 1st grade. I also had the normal 9mo baby I care for, and my own three children. Today was the first time my car was stuffed to the brim – well, six kids took up all six seats, only one wasn’t in a child restraint of some sort (10yo). Towards the end of the day today, the 9mo who came with a stuffy nose ended up getting a little fever. Poor thing, its either the teething or she’s got a little bug. I hope she feels better.
Errands were certainly interesting to run today, and then came the trip to McDonalds after all the kids got out of school. To top it off, all three young ones had to have their diapers changed as soon as we arrived. Wow – thank GOD for my son, who did an amazing job as we all piled into the womans bathroom. Changed the 9mo and handed her to him. Changed my own 2yo daughter, and then took care of the other 2yo on the potty and a new diaper put on. Hand washing for everyone, and off to order meals and play on the play yard. I chuckled to myself as we seat eating cones at the end of our meals. Six children around the table…. 9mo in my lap, 2yo daughter, 2yo visitor, 6yo visitor, 7yo* daughter, and 10yo* son, and myself, quietly eating ice cream cones. No arguing, no fighting, nothing but sweetness. 😀
Then came loading them all back up into the van. With baby in arms and holding 2yo daughters hand while she held the other 2yo’s hand, we crossed the parking lot to the van. Jonah, 10yo* came with Alyssa and the 6yo. Everyone loaded, and off to head back home!! LOL Certainly quite the adventure 🙂
Monday I’m going to come up with a few different little crafts that we can do that should be a lot of fun. If the weather cooperates, I think we’ll take a trip to the salmon hatchery in town also. Nothing like seeing all the big salmon swimming up the river 🙂
I just got a call today from a friend who asked if I’d be able to watch her two daughters (2yo & 4yo) Tues, Wed, and Thurs. No charge for them even though she offered, maybe I’ll sneak in a Reiki trade 😛
I absolutely LOVE taking care of kids during the day. I love keeping Amandine the baby, and have had to resist the urge to bring in another full time little one – it wouldn’t be fair to her. Normally, right now, it is JUST her and my own 2yo. I do need to find another full time child. Eventually. The right one will come. In the meantime, I enjoy these full days 🙂
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Lets see, wow, if I haven’t updated for a while then I missed talking about the outings Katherine (2yo) and I had this week. Amandine (9mo) was on vacation Mon-Thurs giving Katherine and I A LOT of time together alone. Monday we went to the Salmon hatchery. Katherine LOVED it! We walked from tank to tank, and just stared at the river and all the salmon. It was difficult talking her into leaving, but I have found ways to do it to where she just says, "Ok" and it’s not a struggle in the slightest.
Tuesday we went to the pet store to look around. She LOVED visiting the birds, the reptiles (although she says turtles scare her, lol), the fish, the rodents… she LOVES the bunnies! LOL
Wednesday she and I, just us, went to Starbucks and enjoyed time together. These moments are so special to me. Thursday was a lazy day, an attempt to get the house put back together.
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Although I love all of my children to pieces, and each care such a unique quality about them and a presense I can’t imagine my life without, Katherine is one I spend all of my days with right now – and each day she finds a way to melt my heart, repeatedly. She has these bouncy curls that fall on both sides of her face to her jawline, and bright blue eyes that just sparke, with a grin that leaves you smiling yourself. She also can stick up for herself to her siblings, while holding a heart that is as tender and as loving as can be.
She is 2yo – 2yo’s are suppose to be self centered and all about "Me! and Mine!" I always, and can’t help myself, tell her how amazing she is, how beautiful, smart, and gorgeous she is. I’m sure she’ll have one heck of a complex as she gets older 😛
Anyway, on Monday as we left the hatchery, I said "Katherine!" "What?" "You are the most beautiful girl in the whole world!" *silence* "No", she says. "Sister and me!" 🙂
She also leaves me giggling now – I often look at her in my rear view mirror and say, "Katherine, I love you!". Now as soon as she sees me look at her she smiles and says, "LOVE YOU!" 😛 LOL
I LOVE BEING A MOM!!! 😀
My son keeps commenting to me about how much he really would like a brother one day. He’s always wanted this. OMG. I can’t even begin to phathom such a thing. Three children is a WONDERFUL number, yes? Yes. Absolutely. Definitely! My priority for the next 16 years until my youngest is out of the house, is raising my children, so I highly doubt I’ll have a partner who’s help I’ll have in raising the kids, and I am NOT raising another one as a single mom. THREE! Not to mention the kids through the day. I also have college to look forward to, and the ability to FINALLY go back to training horses full time! Nooo nonono …..
It would have to be the perfect man to fall into my lap, to delightfully takes on my crazy passions of horses and kids, with a smile to boot
! I just have to shake my head and chuckle, although they say things happen when you least expect it. I am certainly not expecting it. I have no time anyway 😛
It certainly doesn’t mean that I don’t crave that closeness, that partnership, that passion.
In 16 years I’ll be 45yo. Although, I’ll be going to college then too! Finally reaching my dream of nursing. Oh how I crave to work in the ER. I really do wonder where my life will take me 🙂 I’m excited to see! And excited to see how my kids will turn out. It’s not easy being a parent, and it’s certainly not easy being a single parent! Tonight Jennifer, who’s son I’m watching, offered the idea of taking the kids for the night sometime soon. OMG – how nice that would be! A WHOLE night to myself! What would I do with it??