I'm about 5 hours away

from holding my baby girl!!! I've been so excited I have been waking up every hour...I just can't wait!

3 minutes....

She took the chair from the kitchen to the front door, pulled the chord for my vacuum, took the chair back to the kitchen, checked on the dryer, climbed up onto the table, moved two chairs to the counter so she could get into the butter...and that is my day...chasing after this kid.

1 1/2 days!!!

So I'm kind of freaking out...I feel like I still have so much to do still and we leave early in the morning to get my car serviced and then my pre op appointment. Today I was super busy and instead of doing the things I should have been doing like packing bags...I cleaned out the laundry room and organized the cupboards. And so now I'm blogging instead of packing...but really I can't pack since kids are asleep in their rooms. Dan has 3 weeks off starting tomorrow...YAY! Today he tried helping me with the laundry...it went a little some thing like this:

"Can I help do anything?"

"Sure, can you take the clothes out of the dryer and then put the clothes in the washing machine in the dryer?"

"Hmmm...the clothes are still really wet."

"That's the washer sweetie. The other one is the dryer."

He tries...we both had a good laugh. He's really great at doing other things around the house so I can't complain too much about not knowing the dryer from the washing machine...

and more Bells

bXZ' BVF
?M , ,/B2 JKUMYUY KYNYUVX2 KUNFUE FUJ[RC8UVJ B

Bells typed that all by herself...Dan and I found her sitting in the computer chair hacking away at the keyboard...she apparently found where to make posts on blogger...fabulous!

The Bells

Bells doesn't like to eat food with her hands...she insists on using a fork on pretty much everything. She's learned that it doesn't really work on Teddy Grams and things like that so she just uses her fingers. The other day I spaced giving her a fork with dinner and so I turn around to see her planting her face on her plate and eating her food that way! Nice! She really doesn't like getting her fingers dirty! I'm not complaining...I like my kids tidy.

Craziness that turned out to be needed in the end

I had my last doctor appointment today...YAY...well for the pregnancy at least. I had to reschedule it since we're down to 1 car still and so the only time they could squeeze me in was 9:30. I thought, great! Then this morning I realized I was just going to have to take ALL the kids to it since there just wouldn't be enough time to drop them off and drive the 50 minute drive. And so I threatened...they HAD to be well behaved...I can't stand just taking Bells and nopw I was taking all three. And so we all went and the girls were pretty positive...DSis in hand and we made our trip. We got there and they were running behind...people were just walking in so it was a mad house in there. They called me back just to get my vitals and I had Madison and Hannah wait out in the waiting area. They did well...I came back and then they started bickering a bit. I was just thinking please not right now. They got over it...we were called back and I was going to leave them there again but the lady told me I could just bring them back...there was enough room. So we head back to the room...I find out I need to lie down for 30 minutes...seriously...did they not just see me bring 3 kids back there???!!! They offered to help...I told them we should be fine...but really I was thinking...how are Madison and Hannah going to keep Bells out of all this stuff in this room that isn't too small but has a million things she could get into???!!! And so they sat, we sang, they played, Bells tried to be sneaky and touch things she shouldn't like the computer as well as the cabinet with sterile stuff. Madison and Hannah did it all since I just had to lie there and "try" to relax. The 30 minutes passed...Madison and Hannah's faces were priceless when they saw the devices they were going to use...no I didn't make my kids watch...they were by my head but Bells did and the other 2 were very concerned. The tech told them not to worry...she was too little to remember....

Everything turned out fine...the baby is doing great....I unfortunately don't have ruptured membranes and so we still have one more week to go. The doctors were super impressed by my well behaved children...they couldn't believe they didn't hear anything for the 30 minutes they had to keep themselves busy. And so even though I was dreading taking all of them, I was glad I did...otherwise...me taking care of Bells alone laying on a bed...yeah right!

Hot pink shoes

I have been cleaning out closets....well yesterday was Dan and my closet...holy cow that man has a lot of clothes. Anyway....Madison volunteered to do my shoes...these hot pink ones were found. Bells was all over them yesterday....I love it....Dan was helping her try to walk in them. It was pretty much the cutest thing ever...he knows he has girly girls and has just accepted that. This morning I came down and Madison was watching a little TV like this:

Tomorrow...Hannah?

Oh Hannah...

Hannah can really make me laugh sometimes with the things she says...

This evening, Madison, Hannah and I went out to go rent some movies and pick up some sweets...Hannah sat in the front on the way home and we had a little conversation like this...

"Mum, mums work really hard right?"

"Yes, we sometimes do."

"Yeah, like you have to clean the house and take care of us and feed us."

"Yes we do."

"Well when I'm a mom I'm not going to clean my house....I might clean my barn but only sometimes." (She is going to have a house with a barn she's decided.)

"Oh really...then who's going to clean your house?"

"The house cleaners! But mine will come every day, not like ours who comes only sometimes, and they will have to clean up all my things. I'm not going to clean for them like you do."

"Oh ok." (I'm busting up right now.)

"So being a mom for me really won't be that hard...but I don't want to have a baby come out of my vagina...that's really gross."

Oh 5 year olds....

2 weeks!

It's going fairly quickly! I didn't have to go in this week for a doctor's visit...apparently I'm doing great and they didn't feel the need to schedule me in for weekly visits. Nice...well kind of....some nights I think we're going to have to call and drop our kids off at a friend's house.

And it's a 3 day weekend for Dan! Woo hoo! Tomorrow...date night...we're trying to get in as many as we can before the new one comes.

Now...I think it's nap time...so Bells is playing in her bed but I'm beat...these last nights have not been good...story of my life though.

I think she knows...

Bells now shouts, "DAD" whenever we drive up to his work to pick him up and we turn into the gate...it's pretty much the cutest thing ever. We've been having to give him rides every day....oh VW factory...could you please work on my husband's car a little bit faster....really, it isn't that bad taking him.

She's also discovered the word, "me." It means mine...she says it a lot. Honestly...she needs to know that word...she has 2 big sisters...she needs to speak up.

Bells no longer runs for the street...we have it down so now she just walks up to her car door to be let in...well picked up to be put into her car seat. Today though, she thought it was pretty funny to have me chase her while we were at the coffee shop on base and would run out to the doors that go outside. Yeah...that wasn't so fun. Hannah helped out a lot though and we took turns chasing her down.

We got the blanket my mom made for the baby. She can now come. All the girls have had a "Grandma Nancy" blanket for the hospital...I told my mom she was slacking since this baby hadn't received hers yet. She has been working on one but it wasn't done and she said she'd send it this week...well when we spoke it was last week and so she ran to her friend's, picked out some fabric and made one in an hour! She's pretty much amazing! And good job USPS...I got a package in 5 days from the west coast! And mom...Dan loved the outfits you guys sent...especially the feet. Christina...we're still waiting on Isabella's and now you have Abigale's....(I'm so kidding...it's not like you have a life with 2 kids 2 and under.)

Oh and Bells is a booger. She hates napping and tends to poop before she falls asleep for her nap. I heard her yelling for me but I was on the phone so she could wait a minute and finish up. So I hear her babbling up there while I'm downstairs chatting. I get off the phone and I notice her bedroom light is on. I'm like..nice...she figured out how to turn the light on. I had to move her crib for the changing table. So then I walk in her room and where is she...oh she's standing on the changing table (it's connected to the crib) and everything that was on the table is on the floor...except the wipe box. That was in her crib...she used it as a step stool to get up there. I asked her what she was doing...she laughed. That crazy kid. We have since then moved the wipes...which is at least keeping her off the table...she now thinks it's pretty cool to wake up and then turn on the light though...I just hope she doesn't start doing it at night when she wakes up.

Who needs toys???

When mom has canned food in the cupboard...

(Please excuse my dirty table and chairs...first...it's the craft table and so there is paint and glue on it and I am too lazy to scrub it since I know the cleaners are coming Thursday.) And so it's the game of taking the cans out and then putting them back...at least she puts them back now. Before I would just find cans all over the house in the oddest places.

It's official...

Dan received his orders yesterday for Bahrain. Reality is more of a reality now. I had a good cry about it...and I'm sure I will many more...but it's life....well life in the military which is what we signed up for. We leave here in June...I'm excited about that part...I need to get out of this dreary weather. It's down right depressing. 5 1/2 years of weather like this...I am so DONE! (I'm including the years spent in Washington State.) I'm hoping we can now get plane tickets...I want an exact date now....and I want to be able to start planning our trip back to the states...things the "6" of us (that still sounds so CRAZY to me...6!!!) want to do and all that. I have some ideas...one of them...eating In-N-Out.

Hiding out

That's what I've been doing lately. Hannah and I took a little drive today...I needed to get out of the house...we didn't go to church...I have this fear we're going to get sick since it's a small little building with too many people in it and people coughing and kids with snot and so I pass on going (yes, I may go to hell...but at least I won't be sick. I also have a baby coming in less than 3 weeks and I want us all to be healthy...last year was horrible!)...she had me busting out laughing. She is such a little romantic. Taylor Swift's song, "Last Kiss" was on and she sighed and said, "This is me and Ludivico's song." He is the little Italian boy who was in her Montessori class like 2 years ago...she still isn't over him. It made me laugh especially since she was like so serious about it. Then we were on our way home and I asked if she was going to go for a walk with her dad. She looked at me with the "are you crazy" look and said, "Uhh...NO! Do you feel how cold it is outside...I do not want to freezing my knickers off!" It was her facial expression that was super funny...it was one of those things you wish you could capture with a camera but you can't...and so it's in my memory. We came home, all the girls ended up going with Dan for a walk...even Hannah...and Bells wore her hat and gloves which she never does unless she knows she's going with her dad on a walk. I had the place to myself and did nothing but talked on the phone to my sister which was nice...nice to not have people interrupting...since that changed the moment they came home. Madison chatted with my dad online, wait it's more like played checkers with my dad online...computers and web cams are so great...and I rearranged Bell's room so we could add baby stuff. How is it we keep getting a bigger house every time and we're needing a bigger one still since we have so much stuff...and I really am not a pack rat. Anyway...I'm rambling....and my back aches and this baby feels as though she's trying to dive on out but nothing is happening yet...well except pain for me. And I just drank some water and it's past 8 pm...heart burn is brewing...I can feel it. Yuck! (Seriously...who gets heartburn from water???!!!!)

Girls

My kids wear me out sometimes and I just don't have the energy right now. They are 3 very busy girls and not as in jumping all over the place and being destructive...but more like emotionally draining. I'm grumpy and short tempered and lacking sleep these days. And so it kills me that I'm not in the best of moods with them before I come into the kitchen and then I see that my girls have emptied the dishwasher and Madison is standing there loading it up after dinner. It makes me think how lucky I am to have such wonderful, sweet girls. They help out a lot...they are 5 and 7 and doing dishes without being asked...they really are good to me. Luckily we received a package from one of my sisters and inside it included a rainbow chip cake along with rainbow chip frosting. The 5 of us enjoyed our cake and milk and sat around and talked about our day and the listen to the random things that come into the minds of children as well as Bells contributing with her own language. I do love listening to them tell me about their day and their interpretation of things...and I have to be honest...it sometimes drives me crazy since at times it doesn't stop and there are constant questions being asked that I can't answer...and so that is when I tell them to call Grandpa Gary...he'll know the answer...which they do a lot of the time...it'll sure be nice when my cell phone bill isn't as high and we have the same provider since we have to call him at that instant where ever we are. I love my girls...they are pretty fabulous.

Random Pictures...

I caught Bells watching TV like this...first...she really doesn't watch TV but she likes to turn it on and off...she apparently was interested in this show...

This is our "Painted Ponies" collection...Hannah and Madison did such a great job...they are on our fireplace mantel for display....

Hannimal...she's been living up to her name....

They were doing something....

It's really happening!!!

The 28th...we get to meet our baby girl....the Doctor "penned" me in for that day. 3 weeks 2 days...oh I'm so excited!!! I can still hope...she is pretty low...maybe I'll get 1-11-11 like my sister wants....my luck...most likely not...I'll get the 28th.

Over it!

I'm so done being pregnant...3 weeks...5 days...LONG days. Uncomfortable, nauseated, dizzy, tired, back pain, contractions....YUCK! Last one though....and I'm sure once she gets here I'll be having those nights I wish she was back in my uterus...yes...I just typed the word "uterus." I'm so not in the mood to do anything. Last night as Dan and I watched the Rose Bowl, we also watched this kid move all over the place in the belly. Dan tried tell her to just come out again....it didn't work. When I walk...I feel as though she is going to just drop out sometimes. I have to mention...Madison is a sweetie. She got Bells out of bed this morning and played with her while Dan and I slept in until 8:45. She's such a good big sister. Usually I'm in this crazy mood and clean everything...I'm not this time...so much...I asked my cleaners to do my "nesting" for me. And so they will come while I'm in the hospital and clean up my house from ceiling to floor and all my furniture and make everything super duper clean since they already make things clean. I really don't feel like busting out the cleaning supplies and wiping everything down...chair legs and all. I don't have time...I have three other kids and I just want to nap....wait...sleep all day. Unfortunately life still has to go on and so I can't. Life at the Brown house has been emotional...well emotional for the moody pregnant lady. Dan has been a trooper and puts up with my "moments" and the girls have been really good about chores and helping keep the house tidy and being patient with my grumpiness. I did get a boost of energy after laying around all morning and took down all the Christmas decorations...it felt so good to get rid of all that stuff. I even changed my house around a little bit...I will always be that way. I'm sure my sisters remember me rearranging our bedroom all the time. I get tired of the house being the same way...tired of clutter...I like things neat and so my entry way has nothing in it but a few pictures and the coat rack that came with the house. I like it...it opens it up. Dan looked at me funny when I asked him to move the entry table into our living room...but he likes it after I fixed it up...of course...he always does and I love how he just goes with it now even though he thinks my requests are sometimes not the most logical at the moment...once I do it and fix it up he's happy. I now feel as though I can go through the baby things and get ready for our arrival..and possibly moving around some more furniture (well Dan moving it) since I'm liking the change.

Happy New Year!!!

It's been 2011 for 11 minutes here....I would just like to make note that Dan and I both stayed up for the count down. It's been years...as in I'm pretty sure the last time we stayed awake was 8 years ago when we were dating and he was home from OCS so we pretty much stayed up late every night we were together since he was leaving in a couple of days. We tend to fall asleep...I blame young children and pregnancy. Happy New Year! We're excited and a little anxious for this coming up year. YAY...our baby girl comes in 4 weeks and we're moving to California this summer...I'm having occasional anxiety attacks about my husband being away for a full year...I kind of like the guy...I can't help it.