24 weeks and it's a GIRL!

Sweet baby girl.  You have been living inside of me for 24 weeks now.  You are head down and very low, and I have a feeling I know why... your crazy brothers LOVE bouncing on you, poking, prodding, and rubbing you.  Eli loves to rest balls in my belly button and push them down until they bounce back up.  Braedon can't resist tickling you.  You are so lucky, my daughter.  Your brothers are two amazing little people.  They know you already.  They giggle when you kick them in the back during story time, and they cover you with blankets when they think you are cold.  I can't wait for you to meet them.

I can't wait to meet YOU.  I feel you in there, growing, moving... you are a night-owl, a chocolate lover, you love a good beat.  

Most days you leave me sore and tired.  I go through the day frustrated that I am hindered from doing even the simplest of my daily tasks.  I feel myself get heavier, I watch myself get heavier, and I can't help but feel a sense of dread and anxiety.  Most days I am so focused on ME that it it is easy to forget about YOU.  About all of the things you have accomplished in your 24 weeks.  All that you have ahead of you in the next 16 weeks.  From nothing to something, just like that. 

Then at night, when I crawl in bed, shove a pillow between my legs, and spoon with your daddy, you remind me why all of the pain is worth it every single day with your dancing and kicking.  You love letting Daddy know you're there with your steady rhythm of kick-kick-kicks against his back.

I know you love your family.  Know that we love you too. 

My sweet baby girl.

Does this face not SCREAM "I LOVE BEING PREGNANT!"?? 

My Shameless Plea to iTunes

To whom it may concern:

I come to you with an epic tale of woe, hoping you will take mercy on my empty, lonely, music-less life. 

Our tale begins with a 10 year old computer and a shiny new iPod touch.  You see, it is necessary to reinstall Windows on my ancient Dell at LEAST every six months to keep it running semi-functionally, as I did that fateful day so many months ago.  I hastily and foolishly did NOT back up my music, as I assumed it was safe on my iPod.  And it was. 

For the time being…

After the lengthy re-install and several updates were finished, I immediately went to work putting my music back from my iPod to iTunes.  I watched the hour glass spin.  I watched the transfer bar progress.  I then watched, frozen in horror, as my 1 year old unplugged my iPod from the computer.  That’s right… mid-transfer.  I am sure you know what this means.  Had I thought it through, I would have called tech support right that second and begged for another option rather than restoring my iPod to factory settings, but let me tell you.  I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in over 3 years, as I decided it would be a good idea to pop out all of my kids in as short amount of time as possible so I could be a young, vibrant mother. 

Yet here I sit… not-so-vibrant, not getting any younger, and music-less. 

As a stay at home mom, or SAHM as we are known on the interweb, music is my only lifeline to my former life.  I depend on it.  I clean the house to it.  I occasionally download albums with as many swear words as possible so I can rock out to something utterly inappropriate, although responsibly safe from the kids ears through the miracle of ear buds. 

Now… my house is messy, I am high-strung, and my children are suffering the ill effects of their mother’s music-less soul. 

Oh, friendly staff at iTunes, please hear my heart cry out to you!!  I understand the reasons that purchased music is only available for download once.  I truly do.  But we are your average, middle class family, and we just can’t afford to purchase all of that music again. 

Take mercy.

Please, take mercy.

Is there any way I can get any of my music back?  Pretty please?  Perhaps a trade is in order.  You get my first-born, I get my music.  Deal?  …he’s potty trained…

Thank you for your time.  I look forward to your reply.

18.5 Weeks!

Now that I am feeling better, this pregnancy is zooming.  I am trying to enjoy it as much as I can, but I often feel like I am too busy to bask in the glory of pregnancy.  Knowing that this is probably going to be our last baby, I am trying so hard to remember every little detail about being pregnant.

I am proud of myself this time around for being more aware of my health.  I am eating better than ever and walk for an hour 3-5 times a week. (Pushing 2 boys in a stroller!  Extra bonus!) 

Eli has taken to kissing my belly now, and Braedon knows way more than any 3 year old boy should know about pregnancy and reproduction!  He is just SO interested in it all.  I can't wait to take him with us to our ultrasound.  1.5 more weeks!  Jordon is dying for a girl.  He won't admit how deep his desire to have a girl truly is, but... he also can't hide it.  I know he will be happy either way, but I certainly wouldn't mind a girl either!  We shall see.

I feel rich beyond measure.