March 24, 2011

~Update~

I haven't really talked too much about how I have been doing, and have kind of backed away from my blog a bit. Not really intentionally, but mostly because I just haven't been feeling that great. Don't start feeling too bad for me now, because the reason I haven't been feeling good is because I got pregnant right away after the last miscarriage. Never thought I would be pregnant two times in one month, talk about hormone overload! That was back in January, and now it is almost April. I am happy to say that at six weeks I had an ultrasound to date the pregnancy (because I never had a menstrual cycle, so I didn't have an LMP to date this pregnancy), and I got to hear the heartbeat through the ultrasound. It was beating away at 121 bpm, and to say I felt relieved would be an understatement. All day sickness hit hard right at 6 weeks, which I never really had with my three boys, and then seemed to let up through week seven, back on again week 8 but not so bad. Now as I am approaching week 10 (I will be 10 weeks tomorrow), I am doing pretty good as far as the sickies go but not sleeping the best.

Last week a friend sent me her doppler to borrow, and the first couple of times I could pick up the placenta but I couldn't find the heartbeat. I actually wasn't too worried (weird for me!), because I knew it was really early. I tried again the third day and found it nice and strong, galloping away at 175bpm! I couldn't find it the next day, but then found it again the day after with the same 175 bpm. I haven't checked in a few days, but I am sure I will soon! What was really neat about hearing the heartbeat, was that we (Ted, Landon, Trevor, and Ethan) were all sitting together on the couch and all heard it together for the first time. Landon and Trevor loved it, Ethan just wanted me to do it to him.

We have told our immediate family and some close friends, and I guess now the rest of the world! I understand that announcing a fourth baby is not as exciting, but there is something about this pregnancy that is extra special and extra exciting for Ted and me. First of all, it was a crazy roller coaster of the joy of getting pregnant and the sorrow of loosing that pregnancy. Twice. But, what really makes this pregnancy exciting for Ted and me is that this will be our last baby. It is a final chapter in a book that has been ongoing for almost six years now. I thought I would be very sad knowing that there would never be another pregnancy, and never another baby. I am not sad at all, this feels so right and makes me so happy. We can really start planning for the future, and that is very exciting. October is going to be a very special month!!!

Why in the heck would we tell so early, I mean I am only 10 weeks. Uhhmmm, I show crazy fast! With Landon I was normal, not really showing much that others could tell until like 16-18 weeks. With Trevor, I looked about 20 weeks by only 12. With Ethan I had a little bump already at 9 weeks, noticeable enough for comments. This time I was noticeable bigger by 7 weeks, but hid it under sweatshirts (which I am still doing for the most part). Let's just say I tend to get the twins comment quite a bit, nope just one folks. To end this post, I have to add pictures of course:)
The first set of test (yes, I am addicted to these things!)
The second set of test (told you, ADDICTED!)
8 weeks
9wks

March 21, 2011

~Chickens~

(the two eggs in the back are the size of grade A large, and the two in front are huge. The egg carton almost didn't close and they almost didn't fit in the holes)

Ted has been working on our chicken coop whenever he gets a chance, and we are now to the point where it is ready for some chickens! Ted just framed in a corner of our barn, put in a door and a window, and some nesting boxes. Then with some dog kennel fence we had, he put together a run for the chickens right outside the barn and connected to the coop. Right now we have four nesting boxes, where the chickens will lay eggs, but only two of them are ready to go. Ted also built a roost for them out of left over stair railing. Pretty much everything he used to build the coop was recycled. The nesting boxes where a closet that we tore out while remodeling our bathroom. The door and window were also from remodeling our house.

We are getting our chickens tonight, and the boys are so excited! Landon was telling anyone and everyone while walking into school that he was getting chickens after school. We are going to start out with 6 laying hens and hope it goes well. I am sure we will have some trial and error. I really can't wait for the fresh eggs!!

Editing to add pictures and show off some of the eggs we have gotten already! A day and a half into having the girls and we have gotten 9 eggs, they seem to like to lay late morning through afternoon so we will be out checking on them again this evening:)

March 16, 2011

~Drawing~

I was doing some work at my computer desk today while Trevor was coloring on an old cardboard box. Then it was getting close to the time I needed to leave to pick up Landon from preschool, when I noticed more drawings. These drawings were all over my kitchen cabinets, and upon further inspection of the house, also on the entertainment center and the bookcase. I then asked Trevor if he did the drawings, shaking his head with a big NO was his answer. I actually may have believed him and thought it was Ethan, except for one BIG thing in all of these drawings.....the letter T. Yes, he marked all of his furniture artwork with nice big T's. I ask him about the T's, and then of course he spilled the beans. I gave another reminder how drawings go on paper, and I explain how we can keep his drawings if they are on paper but we have to wash them off when they are on furniture in hopes of keeping the rest of the drawings on the paper (and I am so thankful that it wasn't a permanent marker he was using!).
The "acceptable" drawing
After one scrubbing, a lot came off already!




That's a lot of incriminating evidence!

March 14, 2011

~Soup~

I have been MIA for a bit, lets just say the sickies hit this house hard and **cross fingers, knock on wood** hopefully we are getting over them for good. Besides a giant batch of chicken soup that was filled with so much good stuff (celery, carrots, onions, garlic, cabbage, and of course chicken), I also made a big batch of butternut squash soup. I have made it a few times, but this time it turned out great so I wanted to share what I did to finally get a great batch of squash soup!

Ingredients:

  • 1 large butternut squash (about 6+ cups cubed)
  • 3 Tb butter
  • 1 cup chopped onion (I used white)
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (use less if you don't want a big kick)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 3 Tb. cream cheese
  • a dash or two of cinnamon
  1. First I cut the squash into quarters and microwaved for about 8 minutes (cut side down), or until skin cut easily from the meat of the squash. Meanwhile I heated the butter in my stock pot, then added my onions and apples and sauteed until soft. 
  2. Cube the squash and add it to the onion mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the cream cheese. If squash is not soft yet, heat until completely soft. 
  3. Next put the soup and cream cheese, in batches, into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (or desired consistency). Add the soup back to the pot and cook until hot, making sure not to let it boil (if it boils it will curdle due to the cream cheese).
That's it! This has some kick to it, if you don't want the spice then omit the cayenne pepper. This would be so good with some bacon crumbles on top and served with some hard bread. Ethan and I are big fans, the rest of the family not so much.