Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Did you catch the Shrek reference in the title? Maybe it's the former cheerleader in me or simply a reflection of the fact that I am a mom of young kids and there is a constant loop of annoying catchy songs playing in my head at any given moment. Either way 9 times out of 10 when I hear a certain word or phrase I can be caught busting into song or cheer. Annoying...yes. Ever gonna change...probably not! I digress.

I have often said that you can tell a lot about what is going on in my life at any given time based on my blog. That's kind of what I love about it...I can look back and see a reflection of what was going on at different moments. Like a virtual scrapbook!

I can tell you that in the next few weeks and months you will once again see my posts reflect the upcoming changes in our lives. Over the next 5 weeks we have 3 birthdays in our house so you can expect to see party posts and projects revolved around robots and bugs (the chosen themes of my soon to be 5 and 4 year old). Since one of the birthdays is my second 29th you may see some freak-outs/attempts to make peace with the fact that I am soon going to be officially "old", in my mind at least.

As if all of that wasn't enough to keep us busy my oldest is also starting full-day kindergarten the day after my birthday. That brings on a whole new set of things for me to fret over and become nostalgic about. I promise to keep most of those thoughts to myself but some of are bound to seep out here and there. In the midst of all of that there will also be some getting ready for school posts that hopefully some of you will find useful. As a first-time mom of a school aged kid I am sure these posts will change over the years especially as more of my kids enter that phase. Again, it will one day be fun for me to peek back and see how it all looked at this moment in time.

I have never had a consistent theme here other than life as it looks to me and I don't anticipate that changing. I feel like the day I stop doing this for myself it will totally lose all meaning and consequently it won't be enjoyable anymore. While I liken my blog to a virtual scrapbook at times it is also my therapy. I process best by getting things out so this gives me a place to do that. Creatively, emotionally, spiritually. That being said I hope that in the midst of all of it you are able to find posts that you can relate to or learn from or that can cause you to reflect. I know that I have learned so much from all of you in this process.

So hold on for the ride. It is bound to be a mix of fun, family, feelings and a slew of other f words (this site is G-rated so not THAT f word;). Hope you are all up for joining me!

5 weeks

5 weeks from now we will be meeting our little man. That is if all goes according to plan, which we all know with babies is a toss up! As of right now I am scheduled to be induced two weeks early because of my high blood pressure so unless he decides to make his own entrance before then, we are counting on 5 weeks. The question that I have begun to hear almost daily is, "You must be so ready to be done!"  I don't know if it is because this is my third child or because it most likely is my last pregnancy, but I am actually perfectly content right where I am. I truly enjoy pregnancy and am in no rush to have it over with. I love feeling him rolling around in there and bumping around. I guess part of it is selfish...right now he is all mine and this is the only time I will have him all to myself. It is a special bond that I cherish and am not ready to give up. I will admit that all of my motives for staying pregnant as long as possible aren't as sweet as all of that. Having already had two other children I know what's coming once he arrives and I am in no hurry to lose sleep and be strapped to a completely dependent little person 24 hours a day. Right now I still have total control over him, and those who know me know I love control!

Having said all that, there are plenty of things that I am looking forward to. I can't wait to see his little face. I am so curious to see if he will resemble one or both of his brothers or be his own completely unique looking person. I am already dreaming of that wonderful baby smell and snuggling a sleepy baby on my chest. I can't wait to see him and Jeremy taking naps in the recliner. There is something so beautiful about watching daddy and baby together. Introducing him to his brothers is another thing I am looking forward to. I am waiting for the look on their faces not only the first time they meet him but when we bring him home and they realize he is staying forever. In my mind I am already fast forwarding 2 years and seeing them all playing and wrestling and laughing together. Its a great thing, I can't wait to live it!

Soon our family of 4 will become 5. This mother of 2 boys will be the mother of 3 boys. Life is going to get hectic...that crazy hectic that comes when life as you knew it before changes and will never go back to what it was. I am soaking up these last few weeks of what we have and getting ready for whatever is in store in our new life. I see bigger piles of laundry, more dishes in the sink, having to leave even earlier if we want to attempt to make it anywhere on time. Mixed in that is a lot of giggles, hugs, tickle fests, wrestling matches and dirty little faces. This is not the life that I would have wrote out on paper 10 years ago. It is so much better than anything I could have come up with.