2013 Goals

I've tried several different methods for sticking with my New Year's Resolutions. Needless to say, none of them has worked. I've tried just setting one or two for the year, a different one for each month, etc. This year I will, once again, try something new. I'm going to have daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals. I plan on keeping track of them with a page I'm creating.

Daily Goals
1. Bible Time - I hate to say "quiet time" because that implies a 30 minute Bible reading and note taking session. Instead I'll say Bible Time. This could be anything from sitting down and reading a whole book of the Bible to memorizing Scripture, to looking up specific verses I need. I've started memorizing a verse a day using the guide in my Bible and it's been super beneficial. I figure any time is better than no time.
2. Thank someone - This can be anyone including strangers, workers, Kaleb and Peyton's teachers, Eric, family members friends, etc. I saw on a documentary that people who are thankful are happier.

Weekly Goals
1. Quality Kaleb time - Things get so crazy with 2 kids, a job, and a husband in school that I feel like I can unintentionally neglect Kaleb. So the goal is to spend some one-on-one time with him playing in the yard, watching movies, going to the park, driving around, or even at WalMart
2. New recipes - With so many great ideas on Pinterest, I hate not to take advantage of them. So each week I'll try a new recipe.
3. Exercise - Yes, it's true, I'm supposed to excercise every day. News flash! I don't. Once a week is a good jumping off point.
4. Blog - My poor blog ebbs and flows in its use. I'm going to try to blog something at least once a week.

Monthly Goals
1. DIY something - It doesn't matter what, I just want to be more crafty.
2. Read a book - Truthfully, some months I'll read way more than one book, but this is a baseline goal.
3. Date - Eric and I need to date more. I guess we'll have to find a local babysitter.

Yearly Goals
1. Run a 5k - If I'm going to do a 5k (which I want to) I want it to be a super fun one. I'm signing up for the Color Run in Atlanta, GA on April 9 and the Color Me Rad Run in Jackson on March 23. My mom's going to do the one in Jackson with me. My sisters, mom, mother in law, sister's mother in law, other sister's friend, and mom's friends are going to join us in ATL. It'll be fun! Couch to 5k here I come!

Our New Christmas

We've always felt like we got too much for Christmas. Of course, we always want way too much so that contributes to the over-gifting. This year we decided to move away from the traditional gifts piled high under the tree. We still wanted to give gifts to each other, but without having to spend hundreds of dollars doing so. Our solution? Stockings! I always loved looking through my stocking as a kid. (Honestly, I also loved the gifts piled high under the tree, too.) By just stuffing stockings, we are able to give gifts without going overboard. Maybe our tradition will change, but, honestly, the kids (and us) get so much from grandparents that stockings seem like a good alternative for our little family of 4. We're going to try to emphasize that the three wise men gave gifts to Jesus and that we are celebrating his birthday. Hopefully we'll incorporate some more Jesus-centered traditions. Maybe making a birthday cake or baking cookies to give to local missions or spending the present money on angels from the angel tree. Who knows?

Our stockings all lined up in a row. No fireplace = creative solutions

 

 Kaleb's haul includes some excavator jammies, an Angry Birds toothbrush with a timer, 2 suckers, Madagascar 3, marshmallows, some Hot Wheels, and a dump truck that flips into a tank.

Peyton's haul are all things that make him happy at this age. He got some construction truck jammies, a paci thermometer, some rice cereal, a bottle of infant gas drops, some spoons for when he starts eating baby food in a couple of months, and a rattle.

I told Eric that it doesn't seem like much, but he reminded me that that was the point. This year, and for years to come, the focus won't be on over indulging in presents. He was incredibly happy with what he got and doesn't miss all the gifts from us. We'll let his Happy, P-Daddy, Mimi, Pops, and aunts and uncles spoil them. :)

Book Review: The City of Dreaming Books

I basically picked this book up because of the cover. It's a book by a German author that has been translated to English. It's kind of difficult to describe this book. It's a little bit like Shel Silverstein meets The Phantom Tollbooth. It's an entirely different world with unknown creatures and places. It's almost TOO unknown. I like a good fantasy book as much as the the next gal, but I need some sort of "base." Something I can relate to. Once I got into the book it was pretty good. It's about this dinosaur who goes in search of an author who wrote what is supposedly the best piece of literature ever. He travels to Bookholm, the city of books, looking for someone who might point him in the direction of this author. While in Bookholm he runs into some crazy creatures and is eventually sent into the Catacombs of Bookholm - the scary domain of The Shadow King in which few ever return. While down there he encounters the legends he's read about and has to try to survive by learning who he can trust and who he needs to stay far, far away from.

2 Month Comparison

I hope I remember to do this each month. I keep thinking they look alike...then I see pictures of them together.

 

Kaleb at 2 months

Peyton at 2 months

2 Months Old

Sweet sleeping baby Peyton

Length: 23 inches
Weight: Almost 10 lbs
Sleep: During the day he's awake for 2 hours, sleeps for 2 hours, eats, and repeats. At night he can go up to 7 hours between feedings and that makes Mama and Daddy very happy!
Likes: Being held!
Dislikes: When his paci falls out.
News: He's started spitting up now that he's on formula full time. Hopefully we can get that under control. He also gave us his first smiles this month and has started cooing more.

Bookshelf Make Over

 This is the main bookshelf in the living room. I've had it for awhile now and I really like the dark color of it. I've been wanting to touch it up a little, give it some more color, but I couldn't decide on how to do that. If it was a wooden bookshelf I would have painted the back of it. But it's not. It's that fake, cardboardy stuff that kind of bends and wouldn't hold the paint. Then I thought about putting wallpaper on it, but I couldn't really find any that I liked. So I moved on to fabric. I figured I'd only need about a yard, but it wasn't in my price range. That's when I settled on a table cloth from WalMart. $1.74 for the table cloth and the modge podge was already laying around. I had to cut the pieces to size, take all the books off, and glue them on. Voila!

 I know it doesn't create a dramatic difference, but it's just enough to make me smile when I look at it. I get to keep the dark colors, but I also get some of the greens and browns from the dining room table and chairs. It all ties together nicely.

This is the close up of what each shelf looks like.

New, DIY Coasters

I really needed some coasters and I couldn't find any that I liked, so I decided to make some myself. I searched Pinterest (of course) for ideas and found one I thought was pretty cute. I modified so that it fit with my style, but the basic instructions helped. My sister made some coasters too so I waited until a weekend we'd both be in Jackson to do them. I bought 10 plain white tiles at Lowes, 5 pieces of scrapbook paper and some modge podge at Hobby Lobby, and had the paint brush at home. Haley gave me the idea to mix and match with the S - super smart, that sister of mine - so it was just a matter of combinations. I'm not one of those people who can visualize what I want. I have to actually see it. So I cut out a bunch of squares to fit the tiles and a bunch of S's to go on them. Then I started laying out the combinations. When I found 5 I liked, I used each one twice to make 10. I put a layer of modge podge on the tiles and then put on the base paper. Once that dried I put a coat of modge podge on the base. After that I glued on the S's then added several layers of modge podge over the whole thing. Overall I think they turned out super cute. If a glass stays on there too long the modge podge starts to melt? and I can see a ring of white. I think I'm going to have to do a top coat of clear spray paint or something. Score 1 for me in the DIY ring.

Book Review: Mark of the Lion series

 This series can be summed up in 2 words: SO good. It's set (mostly) in Rome during the time closely following the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The series follows 4 main characters - Hadassah, Marcus, Julia, and Atretes. Hadassah is a Christian house slave who is sure of her faith yet timid in sharing it. Her masters include Julia, a self-centered, insecure young lady who tries to find acceptance and peace by doing everything Rome tells her will help her achieve it, and Marcus, a wealthy, handsome Roman who wants nothing to do with Jesus. Through Hadassah's uncompromising morals and service, she influences everyone in her master's house...and beyond.
As a substory (and the basis for the third book) is the life of Atretes. He is a Germanic warrior who is captured by Rome and forced to become a gladiator in the arena. Through his innate will to survive and extensive hatred of Rome, Atretes becomes the greatest, most revered gladiator in Rome. His connections to Julia and Hadassah fuel the storyline for the third book in which he tries to return to his homelands in Germania.
I've never fully comprehended the full extent of how dangerous and life-threatening it was to be a Christan in biblical times. I've also completely underestimated the amount of depravity and horror that infected Rome and Ephesus. In truth, it sounds a lot like America today. Homosexuality, pleasure, gore, deception, and revenge ruled the time period. The books clearly illustrate that the power, mercy, and grace of God are the only things that can save a decaying world. And it can all start with one person. To say I recommend this series is an understatement. I'm thinking about requiring all of my friends to read it.

For Which I'm Thankful: Days 6 -10

Day 6 - health. There are so many people who aren't healthy and I take for granted everything I am able to do (even if I don't do them all). But I'm not just thankful for my health. I read blogs and stories of people who have lost children or who have children with chronic or terminal illnesses and it just makes me sick to think about it. I'm so very thankful that I have two healthy children, a healthy husband, parents, sisters, and friends.

Day 7 - job. I LOVE my job. Obviously there are days when I go home frustrated or angry, but for the most part I couldn't imagine doing anything else. I'm thankful that I discovered my passion early in life and have never wavered. Teaching is something that is ingrained in me. Whenever people ask me what I do and I tell them I teach, they say they could tell. Haha ~ not exactly sure what that means, but it's always a confirmation that I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. I love working with children each day and doing something different. I can't imagine sitting in a cubicle or working on a computer all day (if you do that, more power to you). I need the challenge and diversity of teaching.

Day 8 - Nutella. Yes, it's trivial, but I'm loving some Nutella right now. It's so yummy and it tricks me into thinking I'm eating healthier than if I eat ice cream. Something and Nutella is usually my dessert each day. Apples, bananas, graham crackers, nila wafers, etc. It's all yummy!

Day 9 - hot and running water. One thing I can't deal with is a cold shower. I'd rather not bathe. So today I'm thankful that I have hot water. Along those same lines, I'm thankful for running water in general. I seriously take for granted the ability to wash dishes, go to the bathroom, take a shower, brush my teeth, and wash clothes. None of these things would be possible without running water. Think about how your day would be different if you had to go to a spring or well and haul up the water you needed.

Day 10 - cell phones. I lived in the pre-cell phone era. I didn't think anything of it because I didn't know any better. Now I know. What did parents do when emergencies arose and they couldn't get in touch with someone immediately. What did people do when their cars broke down or they had a flat tire and couldn't change it themselves? Cell phones have made my life easier and given me such a peace of mind.

For Which I'm Thankful: Days 1 - 5

My original plan was to post every 5 days during November about what I'm thankful for and include a picture for each day. However, my computer is currently unavailable and I can't upload pictures onto Eric's. So instead I'm going to post every 5 days about what I'm thankful for and then at the end of the month (or as soon as my computer gets fixed) add the pictures.

Day 1 - Eric. I'm so thankful that God gave me a man who is exactly right for me. He is hardworking, loving, an awesome dad, dedicated, funny, and talented. He makes my day better and is the strength I need when trying to parent and feel like I'm on the brink of disaster. He is amazing.

Day 2 - Kaleb. My sweet, precious first baby who showed me what love means. He challenges me daily. He makes me laugh and scream all within the same hour. He is strong willed, incredibly loving, brilliant, protective, and funny. He has shown me that he has a huge capacity for love and is friends with everyone. Well, almost everyone. He is learning that not everyone is a good friend and that sometimes he needs to stay away from certain people. I really hope that he can understand that God is in control and has chosen us to be his parents. We may not be perfect, but we are perfect for him.

Day 3 - Peyton. I haven't known Peyton very long, but he has already moved into my heart. He is such a sweet baby and has made the transition from one to two relatively easy. He cries when he's sleepy and hungry, but that's about it. He is my little cuddlebug. He loves being held and I love taking this time of maternity leave to hold him. I can't wait to see how he grows up. Okay, I can totally wait, but I'm also looking forward to it.

Day 4 - my parents. I know that I am incredibly lucky to have parents to be a role model for me. They are still married and actually like each other! They gave me and my sisters everything they could growing up while still teaching us to be responsible and help others. I know that even as a grown adult, they would drop everything to help me and my family if I needed them. They have transformed from amazing parents to amazing grandparents. My boys are enamored with them and cry when it's time to leave. Blessed doesn't even cover it.

Day 5 - my sisters. I've always known I wanted to have more than one child because of my sisters. While we were all home for my dad's birthday last weekend it really hit me that we have become friends. Sure, we fought and drove each other (and our parents) crazy when we were younger, but we've moved into the friend stage. My sisters are both creative, strong role models for me. They love my children and I know they'll make amazing mothers themselves.

First Family Outing

We took our first family outing tonight. Since October is the season of the fair, that's where we went. It was a very uninteresting trip and that's how we like it. We missed the Jackson fair because I was still pregnant with Peyton and sure that I would have him early. Luckily, the Laurel fair came in town a couple of days ago so we didn't have to miss the entire fair experience. A couple friend of ours came with us and I'm sure they were bored out of their minds at the slow pace we had to take.

 



Family of four!

 When we got there we got corn dogs to serve as our "real food" but they were pretty gross. I didn't even finish mine. We walked around a little bit to the circus part and they had sea lions dancing around. Kaleb sat on Eric's shoulders to watch them (picture out of order) and was pretty entertained for a little while. Once he got bored with that, I took him to get some nachos and cotton candy while Eric stayed with Peyton. Kaleb had a good time looking at all of the rides and really wanted to ride the ferris wheel and the "horses" aka the merry-go-round. Neither of these things happened because 1. he would have been terrified of the ferris wheel once he got up there, 2. the merry-go-round was going pretty fast so I don't think he would have liked it either, and 3. it cost $1.25 per ticket and that's just ridiculous.

The bag of cotton candy was bigger than him

 He wasn't happy that we weren't going to ride any of the rides, but they had a little train looking thing that he got to climb into a couple of times. That satisfied him enough. After our little group got finished eating, we decided to walk around and see everything the Laurel fair had to offer. We didn't walk long. Kaleb still wanted to ride the rides and we were still out of money. We decided to bypass looking around the fair and head to the petting zoo instead since it was free and on our way out. Kaleb got to feed the animals carrots. At first he was pretty shy (or scared) but eventually he fed the goats, llama, and a few other things I can't pronounce. He wasn't too keen with feeding the giant goat with horns so Eric took that one.

His favorite was the llama because of the song "Down by the Bay" in which the llamas eat their pajamas. That's his favorite part.

 After we left the petting zoo, Kaleb got a green balloon and we headed to the car. Let me just say that it takes a lot more time (and effort) to get two kids ready to go than one. Even if one of them doesn't move or talk. All in all it wasn't a bad experience. Peyton slept the whole time and I got to hear the "awww"s from the people who saw me carrying him.

Here's the out of place picture of Kaleb looking at the se lions dance. Oh yeah, in front of a tank.

Forty Weeks

How Far Along: 40 Weeks
Size of Baby: He was 7 lbs and 12 oz and was 21" long. We were way off...thank goodness!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I was at + 12 for the pregnancy and now I'm down to -8. Yeah, I weigh 8 lbs less than when I got pregnant.
Maternity Clothes: I'm still in some maternity pants, but I've been able to wear some of my regular shirts again.
Movement: He's not much of a mover now that he's born. He's a good sleeper though.
Gender: It's a boy! Peyton Graham Satterwhite
Sleep: He's doing great! He sleeps most of the day (and night really) and only wakes up to nurse or when he has a dirty diaper. I'm not saying it's easy, but it's very managable.
What I Miss: I'm super content right now. I guess I could say I miss the "ease" of one child.
Cravings: Happy to say that all my cravings have been satisfied. However, my body isn't used to my new old diet and my stomach's been hurting because of all the carbs. Now that I've eaten everything I was denied I'm back to a lower carb diet. Sorta...
Symptoms:  Ohhhhh recovery
Best Moment This Week: The little guy I'm holding.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Watching Peyton grow up to be a little boy.

Peyton's Birth Story

There were several days when I just KNEW Peyton would be born...but wasn't. Those stories are for another day. This is the story of Peyton's birthday. I was scheduled to be induced on quite possibly the coolest birthday ever: 10-11-12. No one thought I'd make it to that date. Not me, my doctors, friends, coworkers, family, no one. But I did. We got to the hospital at 5:30 am and got checked in. My doctor predicted that if I got there at 5:30, they'd break my water by 8:00, and I'd have him by lunch. I was a bit skeptical. First of all, why would it take 2 1/2 hours for them to break my water? Then, only be in labor and delivery for 4 hours? Really? Well, sort of. We got into the room and I changed into the lovely gown. I had to answer the typical questions about whether I was a smoker, was I taking prenatal vitamins, etc. Eric and I just kind of sat around and waited for awhile before the nurse came in to check me. I was 4 cm dialated, which is what I was a week ago during one of Peyton's non-birthdays. The next time she came in I expected her to start the pitocin and break my water. Ooooohhhh not yet. First I had to experience something I never thought I would - an enema. I won't go into the details, but I'll just say it wasn't as terrifyingly awful as I was imagining. ANYWAY, after that she finally started me on pitocin and things got going.
The doctor came in about an hour later (9:30 at this point) to check the progress, but still didn't break my water. I was really getting discouraged because it seemed like this would be a long labor and delivery like with Kaleb's. I wasn't really feeling the contractions all that much so 30 minutes later the nurse came in and upped the pitocin again. I started feeling things, but it wasn't anything like what I'd heard contractions were like. The nurse said I had a "uterus of steel" and upped me again. Now it was 10:30 and I was feeling them pretty good. Still not awful, just like cramps. At 11:10 my water broke on it's own. Yay! I probably waited 10 minutes and then I was asking for the epidural. Now, before you start calling me a sissy, you need to understand something. These contractions weren't very spaced out. I'd have one and then 20 seconds after it let up I'd have another one. I kept thinking that things were moving along a bit quicker than I was expecting.
By the time the doctor came to give me the epidural, I might as well have sent her away. The contractions were blindingly painful and I thought I was going to be paralyzed by the epidural because I couldn't be still long enough for her to get the needle in. At one point, while I was sitting on the edge of the bed, I had this urge to push. The nurses kept telling me to breathe and not to push, but I knew then that I wouldn't be "laboring" very much longer. Sure enough, after I was laid back down, before the epidural even kicked in, the doctor checked me and I was fully dialted. I went from 5 1/2 cm to 10 cm in about 10 minutes. No wonder it hurt so much. I didn't even get to feel the benefits of my epidural before it was time to start pushing.
As Eric said, the atmosphere changed instantly when the doctor declared I was fully dialated. It went from a calm, almost hotel-like atmosphere, to a delivery room atmosphere real quick. I heard them asking for a "baby catcher" (what?) and they were getting their gowns on toot sweet. I was scooted to the edge of the bed and the leg thingys were put up. Keep in mind, I could feel all of this because the epidural wouldn't kick in for another 5 minutes or so. The way things were progressing I (and I think everyone else) was expecting 2 pushes and a baby. Not so. Granted, I didn't have to push as long as with Kaleb (2 1/2 hours) but it wasn't as fast as the labor part. I probably pushed for 45 minutes to an hour before they decided to use forceps. I was super relieved because there was no way that kid was coming out on his own. Once the doctor got the forceps, I pushed twice, maybe three times, and out came his head. A few seconds later the rest of him was born and I could see just how amazing he was!

He started crying and relief washed over me. They took him to the warmer right by my bed and, after he warmed up a bit, was just as content as could be. So far he's proven to be just as chill as a baby. He weighed 7 lbs, 12 oz and was 21 inches long. Exactly the same measurements as Kaleb! He got cleaned up a bit and then I got to hold him. He looked like a little bitty old man. He was so wrinkled and scrunchy, but he was also so perfect. He is great at nursing and is just as content as he could be. Peyton's birth experience was so different than Kaleb's and I'm excited to see how he and Kaleb will be alike and different as they grow up.

Thirty Nine Weeks

Yay! Last one! I've been cramping today so I though I'd go ahead and put the picture up just in case he decides to come tonight.

How Far Along: 39 Weeks
Size of Baby: We'll see tomorrow!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm hanging tight at +12 for this week and thereby the pregnancy. That's alot better than the +40 the first go around.
Maternity Clothes: Most definitely. I'm starting to think that maternity clothes should come with a built in belly button flap to hide the outie.
Movement: He's a bit out of room at the moment, but he's still meeting his 10 times in a 12 hour period quota.
Gender: It's a boy! Peyton Graham Satterwhite
Sleep: During school I'm fine, but as soon as I get home it's like I can't move. Bed is my friend.
What I Miss: I'm anticipating the answer being sleep very soon.
Cravings: Kit Kats
Symptoms: Feeling the low pressure system moving in.
Best Moment This Week: KNOWING that there won't be another weekly update post without baby Peyton.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Having this baby! Being able to see him and hold him.

A Teacher's Dilemma

I love my job. I know I'm blessed to even be able to type that, but it's true. I've always wanted to teach, and now that I'm a teacher I know that it's what I was meant to do. But being a teacher poses a dilemma. Okay, it poses many dilemmas, but one in particular that is relevant to me at this point in time: maternity leave. I'm caught between two loves. On one hand, I can't wait for Peyton to get here so I can snuggle with him and just take him in. I'm so excited to spend 6 weeks getting to know him as only a mother can. I can't say I'm particularly looking forward to the sleepless nights and recovery of childbirth, but I know that those things are only temporary. On the other hand, I have 20 children already at school. I don't love them as my own, but I do love them, and I'm concerned about their progress. I get extremely nervous about leaving them for 6 weeks with another teacher who doesn't know them as well as I do. I know what they are good at, what they struggle with, who they get along with, who they have a little crush on, and who they need to avoid. As capable as the sub teacher is going to be, I know that I can deliver the lessons a particular way that will be best for them. I'm trying to prepare my students and my sub as best as I can, but eventually I'm going to have to let go of my school children to focus on my real, newborn child. I know how this post must sound. Like I don't love my children as much as my students. That's incredibly NOT true. But to say that I won't worry about them and ask about them is also incredibly not true. Like I said, it's a teacher's dilemma. If you teach (and you love it), you get it.

Thirty Eight Weeks

Just got finished walking around the block 4 times in an attempt for this to be the last weekly pregnancy photo.

How Far Along: 38 Weeks
Size of Baby: The doctor guesses that he'll weight 8 lbs 3 oz. I'm leaning more along the lines of 8 lbs 8 oz. I hope she's right.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm hanging tight at +12 for this week.
Maternity Clothes: Most definitely
Movement: This kid sure is active. When I went to my appointment today his heartrate was in the 160s when it's normally in the 140s. I started to panic a little, but the nurse and the doctor both said it was because he was moving around so much.
Gender: It's a boy! Peyton Graham Satterwhite
Sleep: Every night I go to sleep thinking I'm going to wake up to my water breaking. No such luck yet.
What I Miss: Peace of mind. I'm so nervous that I'm going to go into labor and not know it or wait too long to go to the hospital and end up having him in the car. I'll be glad when I actually go into labor just so I can stop worrying about it. But then I'll be worrying about the delivery...
Cravings: Pizza. More specifically, pepperoni and black olive personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut.
Symptoms: Just trying to stay calm. I've been feeling a lot of pressure low down so I'm thinking that's him getting ready to make his appearance.
Best Moment This Week: I'm dialted to 4 cm and I'm 80% effaced so that should mean my labor will be fairly short when it actually gets here.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Having this baby! Being able to see him and hold him.

Itty Bitty Reminders of What's to Come

As I was sorting through the last of the baby stuff and getting everything ready for Peyton, I came across a few things that made me say "Awwww." I really needed that today. I need to remember that, even though I'm tired of waiting, when he gets here, Peyton will be here for me to love on and cuddle with and enjoy. So here are the itty bitty reminders of what's to come.

Peyton will be here around Halloween time. I'm not sure if this will even fit his head, but it's just so cute I'll try it anyway.

This was Kaleb's and I think it's just adorable.

These next few I had to take a picture next to my phone just to show how small they really are. This is a newborn diaper! It seems unreal to me that anything could fit in something so tiny. And if I remember correctly, they were too big for Kaleb at first. Of course, the way Peyton's growing, I may need to bring some 1s too.

Ok, c'mon. Shoes that are smaller than a cell phone! Awwww

And finally, tiny little socks. Oh my goodness. I can't wait to kiss the little toes that will go in them.

SO Different Already

Everyone says that every child is different. Well, Peyton hasn't even been born yet and the experience is already completely different than when I was pregnant with Kaleb. I was scheduled to be induced with Kaleb (which, technically I am with Peyton, too) because of the gestational diabetes (okay, another similarity), but this go around I don't think I'll make it. It's supposed to be the 11th, but I've been having a lot of contractions and feeling him really low. I've dialated at least 3 cm (last update was a week ago) and I'm sure I've dialated more since then. I'll be surprised if I'm not 4 cm when I go to my doctor's appointment tomorrow just because I've been having so many contractions. I'm hoping that after I see her tomorrow she'll tell me that I've dialated enough that I can just go on to the hospital, ahve them break my water, and get this started. But if not, it's more waiting. That's one thing that I wasn't ready for. The waiting and anticipating. I'm ready for this thing to happen already! I have this huge fear that I'm going to be at school and not be able to make it to the hospital in time to have him. When I'm at home I'm more aware of the contractions and can time them better. But when I'm up teaching I'm vaguely aware that I'm having one, but can't pay enough attention to it to time it or tell if they're coming with any type of consistency. That's why I kind of just want to start my maternity leave even though I have about a week until I know I'll HAVE to start it. I'm just tired of worrying about it. Who knows? Maybe Peyton will decide now's the time and today's the day and I won't have to think about it anymore. But probably not since I haven't had many contractions this morning. I almost feel stupid typing that I won't know when I'm in real labor. In all the movies the women are so sure because they're doubled over in pain or their water has broken in the middle of a huge fight. Well, the truth is that water breaking only happens at the beginning of labor for about 12% of women. And that 75% of the time it doesn't break until you've reached 9-10 cm. I guess the other 13% breaks sometime during labor...I don't know. But I've been thinking this whole time that I'm okay until my water breaks....well, chances are that may not happen for me. Another fun fact: my doctor said that real contractions could feel just like Braxton-Hicks contractions but just be more consistent and get closer together. Well, Braxton-Hicks contractions don't really hurt. I was counting on the pain as another indicator that I was in true labor. Now what? I guess just time the contractions I get whether they're painful or not. Another thing that's happening is that I'll have contractions all day but they're 7-10 mintues apart. The doctor said wait until they're 5 minutes apart for an hour. Yesterday when I was cleaning up some I had them about 3 minutes apart for 45 minutes. Once I finished and sat down, they slowed way down to 10 minutes apart again! My body is just fighting this consistency thing. I mean, I guess I wasn't in true labor after all because I didn't have the baby last night, but it makes me feel ridiculous to take a day off work because I think I'm going to have him and then not. It's all just a guessing game and it is for the birds!

Thirty Seven Weeks

In case you can't tell, this is me being so tired I didn't even change out of my pajamas to take the picture.

How Far Along: 37 Weeks
Size of Baby: He's supposedly the length of a stalk of swiss chard. We shall see soon.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm at +12 for this week.
Maternity Clothes: Yeah, and I'm realizing that I'll probably be in them for at least the full 6 weeks of maternity leave, too.
Movement: I can definitely tell he is running out of room.
Gender: It's a boy! Peyton Graham Satterwhite
Sleep: It's been pretty good, but I've developed a runny and/or stuffy nose so that makes it a little harder. Taking a knock off benadryl helps, but it knocks me out so much that I stay tired all day.
What I Miss: Having energy.
Cravings: I'll admit that I haven't been doing as well with my low carb diet this week. I'm not saying I've gone crazy, but I've probably had 100 carbs a few days instead of 70. I've indulged in a couple of things that I've been avoiding.
Symptoms: I'm still getting that dead leg feeling and it's more frequent. I've also started nesting some. I still have to finish packing my bag, but I've been vacuuming and keeping up with dishes and laundry. Okay, so maybe it's not nesting. Maybe it's just cleaning up after myself.
Best Moment This Week: 1. Realizing that I only have about 2 more weeks on this low carb diet. 2. Hearing the doctor say she thinks I'll actually have him next week.
What I'm Looking Forward To: October! It will finally be Peyton's birth month (hopefully). I really want to make it to October because it just has such a good connotation for me. The fair, fall, cooler weather, pumpkin patches. October sounds much better than September.

Thirty Six Weeks

How Far Along: 36 Weeks
Size of Baby: I'm not even going to put the average size on here anymore because he's not going to be in it. I'm going to guess that he's somewhere close to 7 lbs now.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm at +14 for this week. According to all the books this is when I'm supposed to be leveling out, but it seems like now is when I'm actually gaining. I think I've been doing okay on my diet so I don't know what the deal is.
Maternity Clothes: All day every day.
Movement: He's still wiggling but in smaller movements.
Gender: It's a boy! Peyton Graham Satterwhite
Sleep: When I can breathe it's fine. I still get up about once a night to go to the bathroom though.
What I Miss: Being able to bend down without my legs going numb.
Cravings: Still thinking about fruit a alot. Bananas, apples, and grapes in particular.
Symptoms: This little dude must be sitting close to a nerve or something because there are moments throughout the day that my leg just goes numb or I get that dead leg feeling.
Best Moment This Week: I went to the doctor today and she said I'm already 2 cm dialated. Hopefully this means I'll progress much more quickly this go around.
What I'm Looking Forward To: We have a field trip next week to the library. Haha! Super fun

End of September Goals

I've set two goals for myself to accomplish before September ends. I know, ambitious.

Goal One: Spend more intentional time playing with Kaleb. It kind of hit me last night that these next (potentially) three weeks are the last ones where we'll be a family of three and Kaleb will be the only child. Because of that Eric and I have decided to try to be very intentional about playing with him instead of just sitting in the same room with him while he's playing. It's not like we're lazy parents, but he's really good at playing by himself. He's pretty independent. But we're going to try to actually play with him.



It seems like he transformed from a baby to a big boy in the blink of an eye. I don't want to miss anything!

 

Goal Two: Finish all of my maternity leave lesson plans. I know it seems kind of crazy to write 6 weeks of lesson plans in advance, but I'm not sure when this baby is going to decide to come and I don't want to have to worry about it when he gets here. It shouldn't be too hard because the programs we use follow a pretty predictable. I figure if I do all of the reading and math this week then I can finish science and social studies next week. It's totally doable.

My Favorite Things

Every month or so I want to do a post on some of my new favorite things. Since this is my first one, it'll include some things that are not so new to me.

 

First, the Atkins chocolate bars and shakes. These have been a lifesaver while having diabetes. The chocolate is obviously not real chocolate, but once you get use to it you don't even notice anymore. The shakes tell you not to freeze them, but if you put them in the freezer for about an hour and a half they don't freeze all the way but they get slushy enough to make them kinda taste like milkshakes. This is my dessert most days.

 

 

 
 

 

Next is our new programs in school. Reading Street is obviously the reading program and enVision Math is the math program. I love them because there are so many extra things geared specifically for students. They have a website where the students can go online and play vocabulary games or practice their math skills. The textbooks and workbooks are online, too if parents want to give them extra help. The only thing about all of these Internet friendly options is that many parents don't go online to utilize them.

 

 Here is the new conditioner I got at WalMart the other day. It's kind of amazing. It's called Honey, I'm Strong. It's super creamy and I don't need as much of it as I did my other kind.

 Finally, "New Girl." This is one of those that isn't necessarily a new thing since it's been on the air a whole season, but Eric and I just started watching it this summer on Hulu and it's so funny. I can't wait for the new season to start. In fact, I can't wait for all of the new seasons to start. I'm ready to see what happens on "New Girl," "Grey's Anatomy," "Vampire Diaries," and "Modern Family."

So there's my short list for this month. Maybe next month I'll make notes as I go so I can have some more.

A 35 Week Comparison

This is me 35 weeks with Kaleb

 

 

This is me 35 weeks with Peyton



Just a little comparison study. With Kaleb I felt a lot bigger than I do with Peyton, but it's pretty obvious that me & Peyton is an all baby relationship while me & Kaleb was an all over relationship. I feel thinner through the face, arms, and legs this go around. I also feel like I'm going to have Peyton earlier than I had Kaleb. When I go to the doctor next week she'll check me and see if I've dialted any. I don't expect much, but I really feel like something is happening.


Book Review: The Hobbit

I know. I know. I'm 27 years old and I just read The Hobbit. It should be illegal. But let me explain. Everything I've head about Tolkien is that his books are so difficult to read...so I put it off. When I saw the preview for the new movie I thought I should probably read it first. Now that I've read The Hobbit, I'm thinking that The Lord of the Rings trilogy must be what everyone was going on about because The Hobbit really wasn't that difficult. I went into it focusing a lot on what I was reading so I wouldn't have to reread anything. My strategy? I read it in my head like I would read it to my students. That way I know I understand it and it's much more animated. Anyway, I guess I should review the book since that's what the post is titled. I ended up really liking it and would defnitely recommend it to someone else. Bilbo and his band of merry men - I mean dwarves - go through the adventure of his lifetime. Their goal is to reach The Lonely Mountain where Smaug, the evil dragon, is lording over the gold, jewels, and treasures of the dwarves ancestors. (Apparently dwarves are all about some gold.) They meet goblins, wolves, elves, eagles, a bear-man, wizards, trolls, and people-men along the way. I'm sad to say that not everyone survives, but the rate of survival is pretty good considering the number of people went on the journey. I wonder if anything from The Hobbit carries over into The Lord of the Rings. Hmmm. Well, I wasn't very into the trilogy movies when I saw them so I probably won't read those books until later in life. Maybe when I'm retired. But don't let the reputation of the trilogy scare you out of reading The Hobbit. It really is worth the read.