Can we say Spring?

I can't believe the weather this winter. I could take these winters any year. I am feeling much better today and got some errands done. We then went for a power wheel ride on this beyond gorgeous day. Makay is staying with us because she is catching the cold and grama didn't want to get sick. We went to the pharmacy, bank, walmart and stop and shop and the kids were amazing! It isn't always easy with a wheelchair but he holds onto the front of the cart and I pull from the back and off we go. They were really well behaved the whole time and didn't get on my nerves at all!

Can I vent about a very old lady STARING! I don't mean looking I mean total staring and actually turning around to continue to stare as we walked down the aisle. I swear the old people are worse than anyone else. I even looked at her and smiled and she said nothing just continued to STARE at Brendan. Yes people he is in a wheelchair and out in public ~ OH MY! I understand they grew up in a different generation..she was very old...but common sense can't tell you that kind of staring isn't polite? I often wonder why I dislike people and there is a perfect example why.

I seriously need to clean this house but this pregnancy makes me exhausted. I am done for the day right now when usually I could do all that and clean the house. It is frustrating but I know not to overwork myself. I need to keep this bean safe. My mom and possibly Aunt is coming to visit tomorrow and I really want to mop but have no energy...maybe if I rest for a bit I will regain some.

Vacation and sick! Make your Guess!

Brendan and I have horrible colds and feel like junk. Makayla seems to be coming down with it as well. Brendan coughed so much during lunch he then threw up his lunch. YUCK! My head pounds every time I stand up. The kids are on vacation this week and I haven't done anything in two days. I couldn't even make it to the grocery store so thank goodness for my stock pile. I think it is pancakes tonight. Once I think about a certain food I have to have it. DH said to just order pizza but I don't want pizza I want pancakes!

We had a very lazy day of computers, wii games, and t.v. I have ZERO motivation. I did manage to do some laundry and shower but that is about it.

Grama offered to have the girls tomorrow and my mom might take them Thursday so I could just be Brendan and I. Hope we will feel somewhat better so we can actually leave the house, at least go for a bike ride or something.

I added a poll for fun. You can guess boy or girl. I have been super sick, I am not gaining much weight and my stomach seems to be a basketball so far, I have headaches, I did not go through a super emotional stage....11 people guess boy based on the nub theory from an ultrasound picture. I will post the picture on my blog. Have fun! I should find out in less than 6 weeks.

Already Therapy time! Exhausted and NT Scan!

It is somehow already Thursday. Another 3 hour ordeal of therapy. He is in the pool tonight which is harder for me and it takes even longer.....I can't wait! I am so exhausted all the time. I know this baby has to be a boy because I haven't stopped feeling horrible since 6 weeks. I do get a day here and there where I feel pretty good but the exhaustion never stops! This is my first pregnancy not working so I should feel great! Boys just take their toll on me. It seriously better be a boy! :) The baby measured ahead so I am technically 13 weeks. I am ready for the 2nd trimester energy to kick in...not sure it will. I never felt good with Brendan so I am starting to think this feeling won't go away until he is born. I complain so much to my poor husband but it is so hard feeling so bad with 3 kids and a house to take care of. I told him this is the LAST baby....I am so glad I will feel done! I already feel done. haha 1/3 of the way there!
I had my NT scan yesterday and everything looked great to me. I don't know the results yet. The baby was moving his arms and legs and flipping over. I loved seeing the baby move and think about how he is doing that right inside of me. I can't wait to feel the movement. Heartbeat is 159 which is great. 4-6 more weeks til the gender reveal!
I had Brendan's Parent teacher conference last night. His teacher said he is progressing which is always good. The kids love him and he is asking to walk more. He gets to walk into the typical classroom in the morning and I guess all the kids love seeing him walk in in his walker. I love his school. :) We are still struggling big time with attention issues and I know this is hugely impacting his learning. I just don't know what else to do. He is on medication and they try many tactics to help him but he is so far behind. I try not to worry and let him learn at his own pace. I am sure one day he will amaze me as he always does! I told him he can't drive unless he learns to read....I think that may have hit a nerve with him. He brought his book to me last night and said he wanted to read it. Oh ya, cars and driving will motivate this child!

Special Olympics is AWESOME! & Neuro appt coming up

I am loving the winter season. A gymnastics place right in town donated their entire building for our kiddo's to use. 23 kids have joined and there is a ton of volunteers. The kids are constantly moving and doing things. Brendan has a huge smile the entire time. He has really amazing buddies who work really really hard with him.
He gets to play modified basketball, gymnastics, and do an obstacle course. Once again we don't always feel like going on a Sunday at 3pm but seeing him enjoy it so much for one full hour makes it beyond worth it. I feel like he works harder here than at therapy. I will try and post a few pics...I need to take more but there are sooo many people in there it is a bit crazy.
It is already that time. I feel like we just saw his neurologist. The big question is will she feel he needs botox???? He hasn't had botox injections since October 2010! Personally I don't think he needs it yet. We have been having him wear his ankle casts at night since PERCS and I think they are the best type of brace yet. He is still walking flat footed and his right leg isn't turning in as much and he still isn't tripping over his feet all that much. His teacher wrote me a note that he has been asking to walk a lot at school lately and they are letting him! AWESOME!

1 hour therapy is a 3 hour ordeal!

I sometimes dread therapy. Some weeks it is at 4 and others 5pm. There are positives and negatives to both times. Therapy is 40 minutes away in the city so if it starts at 4pm I have to pick up both kids from school early. I leave at 2:40pm grab Chloe and head to Brendan's school for 3pm. We get to therapy about 3:45 and get in and settled. Therapy is until 5pm and we get home at 5:45 just in time for dinner. I try to cook ahead of time on therapy days. If it is at 5pm I get to stay home until they get home from school and leave at 4:15 but we don't get home until basically 7 PM due to traffic or if he has aquatherapy. We still have to eat dinner and I am beyond exhausted. Today is a 4pm day and I was sitting here dreading leaving in 9 minutes for a 3 hour ordeal so he can get one (if we are lucky one full hour) of therapy. Some days I wonder why I bother since 30 minutes is just stretching and if he is in a bad mood we almost get nothing accomplished. What 9 year old wants to go do physical work after being in school all day???

And yet again this is a reminder of how different lives can be with a disabled child. I think I would much rather take him to soccer right down the street!!!! Thank goodness I love him with all my heart and will do anything and everything I can for him because some days I just don't want to!

I know I have been MIA!!! Sorry!

I have been totally out of commission because I am FINALLY pregnant!!! I am almost 12 weeks. This baby has been wanted since my 4 year old turned 1 but it wasn't the right time. When it was the right time it just wasn't working out in my favor and after 3 horrible losses and years of trying we are finally having a successful pregnancy! This is the very last baby in our household and it is already kicking my butt. I am thinking it is a boy. Brendan's pregnancy was far worse but Makayla was so easy. I am constantly nauseous and beyond exhausted...which may be due to having 3 kids to take care of along with growing this human. I am so thrilled it finally happened but I am ready for it to be August! I am having a very hard time functioning. I had a good week but today is one awful reminder of how I felt for 5 long weeks.

Brendan is doing well. I am hiring a PASS worker and can NOT wait until she starts...which should be soon. I am still taking him to hippotherapy, aquatherapy and Special Olympics weekly so that can also be challenging. We got to go for a bike ride the other day and he did so well for not riding for a few months. He was so excited to go and I can't believe the weather was warm enough in FEBRUARY to go for a bike ride. I am not complaining about this winter at all! I am hoping the weather stays decent for school vacation which I am dreading. I am not sure how I will handle these kids all day feeling like I do. Maybe just maybe the sickness will be gone by then???

It has been just about 5 months since my dad passed and I still can't think about him without crying. Part of my problem is that I just think about how he died and how awful his last few years of life were. I need to get past that and think about the good times. It is very hard but as time goes on I am sure it will get easier.

My sister is pregnant with me! I think that is pretty neat. We are keeping my mom busy that's for sure. I am happy she has two little things to keep her mind busy. She is already shopping for baby furniture for her house :). My sister is only 6 weeks ahead of me so my mom is thinking of taking the summer off to help us out. That would be nice. She is due in July and I am due in August - if I make it that far-.

Due to my past I need progesterone injections starting at 16 weeks and I will have monthly ultrasounds after 20 weeks. Maybe I will have a full term baby afterall! I will try to update more often. I am trying to get out of this pregnancy haze I have been stuck in. I am so thankful to finally be pregnant but I don't think I thought it completely through having 3 children and one being disabled! It is NOT easy. It probably doesn't help my husband is gone from 6:30am until 6:30 pm or later. It is all me all day. Thank goodness my 4 year old is 'taking care of me' and even lets me nap when I need to. She is beyond sweet. We just told the kids last week and they are all very very excited!

I hate Christmas!!! Deal of the week :)

I am starting to hate Christmas as I get older!! JUST KIDDING.... Actually I just hate buying pointless gifts. I love spending time with the family and having holiday spirit. I love seeing the kids get all excited. I love having a real tree. I am even starting my own Santa's village this year. I remember how much I loved them at my grandmother's house when I was a kid. Now my kids can enjoy it.

3 months after Makayla was born we were broke so for Christmas gifts I just made everyone a basket with some mugs, hot chocolate, and homemade goodies like truffles chocolate dipped pretzels, fudge etc. They were a hit and it they seemed so personal. I really enjoyed making everything for everyone. Compared to buying gifts for 5 families it really eased the stress of spending money we didn't have. I haven't really done that since but feel like doing it this year. Actually, I am doing it but I am also giving some other gifts along with the baskets, especially for my mom since my dad won't be here to spoil her at all.

It adds up so fast and I have already used so many credit cards and it stresses me out! We spend way to much on our kids but my husband just says but they are OUR KIDS!! He never thinks their piles are big enough and always makes me go and buy more. I feel like our house is exploding with toys and now we will have even more. He was very spoiled as a child and I can't say that I wasn't but I think everything costs so much today. In total we buy for my mom, sister and her husband, his parents, his sister and baby, and 3 nephew's and nieces plus I am sending a package to my nephew who is deployed during Christmas. No wonder it adds up! I guess I never thought one gift was enough because I always go overboard. I really really need to stop that mentality. I am trying this year....I really am! How much do you spend? I used to just give $20 to the older niece and nephews but the last year I started being more personal but it definitely cost more!

I got some free stuff at Target this week! I love the drug store deals but I love getting products for free just by using coupons so much more!! You have to print Target coupons (off their website) and combine them with manufacturers coupons to get things for FREE! Here is what I got: 3 TGIF frozen meals for one FOR FREE, 5 travel Johnson & Johnson first aid kits FOR FREE (well I actually made $.15), 4 bags of Purina cat treats for FREE (well I actually made $.32), and 1 Rimmel eye shadow for FREE.
TGIF were on sale $1.99 use $1 T coupon and $1 M coupon to make $.01
First aid kit just use $1 M coupon and make $.03 each
Purina Cat treats B1G1 T coupon and $1.50 off two Purina cat treats coupon and make $.16 on two bags
Rimmel eye shadow $1.52 use $1 T coupon and $1 M coupon combined with overage from products I just bought made it free!

I now have 7 bags of Purina Cat Treats to donate to our local animal shelter and am so excited to do this!!