Merry Christmas...IT'S A...

GIRL!!!!!!!

We decided to do a family gift this year...The kids got a Wii! There was a lot of screaming!

Dan's new Disc and Belt Sander. He's a happy boy.

Kids new PJ's. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Johnson!

HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAYS!

34 weeks...

Look at that belly! Holy cow! I am getting so excited and impatient for this little one to arrive! I also can't wait to let everyone know what this baby is! Dan and I finally decided how we would tell the kids what we are having Christmas Morning. I will fill you in on all the details Christmas Day, so stay tuned ;) It's getting very difficult to keep this a secret as it's becoming so real! I want to refer to what this baby is all the time, and have to make a huge effort to NOT say he or she.

Since getting over the terrible cough I had a month ago, things have gotten so much better! I still fight getting good sleep. I usually get insomnia in the last couple of months before baby comes. I average 2-4 hours of sleep each night. If I sleep during the day, it gets worse, so I walk around with bags under my eyes and everyone asks if I'm okay. The crazy thing is I feel pretty good. It's so weird. I miss exercise the most. I miss being able to move quickly, to run or take stairs two at a time. That probably seems weird, but this moving slow business is for the birds. My left hip gives out if I get up too quickly, lol! I feel like an old woman! I am totally in love with carbs right now! Any kind of bread, pasta, rice, you name it, I love it! It's been difficult for me to love meat during this pregnancy. My favorite thing right now is not chocolate and not the packaged stuff...I have to make my own :) 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa in a large glass, rice milk (yes seems weird, but I love it), a pinch of cinnamon, and 7-8 drops of stevia. It's so yummy!

This baby is a mover. None of my kids moved as much as this one! The most active time is during the night, although it moves a lot during the day as well, especially from 9 to 11 and then again in the afternoon a bunch. If you push on my tummy, then he/she pushes back. The last visit I had with the doc, this baby was breech. I know that he/she has turned a few times since then. I'm very worried about have a c-section. I've never had one, and am desperately praying that I don't. So keep us in your prayers, please?!

My next visit is on New Years Eve. My doc is nervous about how quickly my babies come, so I will be almost 36 weeks and I'm interested to know if I will be dilated, and how much. Usually I'm at least dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced. Crazy, I know. I am very curious to know if this one will be different. I've exercised regularly and watched my weight over the last 5 years, where I didn't do much of that with the other kids. I know that I have carried this baby differently as well. As much as I would love to have this baby now, I also don't want to deal with my water breaking 5 weeks early as it did with Hailey. She was 5 pounds and that was scary! I hope this little one stays in there for at least another 3-4 weeks, if not to term.

Well, next post Christmas Day... stay tuned!

Rachel's 7th Birthday

Every year I tell the kids their story. I had a doctors appointment in the late afternoon December 11th. I was 37, almost 38 weeks along. The doctor was already delivering a baby and so the nurse checked me. I was dilated to a 6! I couldn't believe it! She was worried about a prolapse cord, because Rachels head moved from her hand and that could cause the cord to come out first. Dan was working across the street from our doctors office, so he met me there and we went to the hospital together. My Mom took the other kids. I was very excited! For some reason my body doesn't contract steadily on it's own, but I manage to dilate easily...lucky me ;) Rachel was born just after 10:00 p.m. It took about 4 hours to have her. She was my first baby natural, with no pain meds. It was tough! I was sold though. It was so much easier to recover afterwards. I hate not being able to control my own body. Rachel weighed 6 lb's 7 oz. She had blonde hair and super big blue (later green) eyes. She is such a sweet girl! She is so feisty but super sweet! I love her sweet spirit! Happy Birthday Rachel...We Love You!

Being Thankful at 30 Weeks!

For those of you who had the privilege of reading my rant, I'm sorry! I am changing it ;) Who wants to read a blog that is depressing, not I! I am 30 weeks along in my pregnancy. I technically have 10 weeks left. I have never gone to my due date. Hailey was 5 weeks early, Abby was 3 weeks early, Rachel was 2 weeks early and Joe was 1 week early. Everyone teases me that this one will go to it's due date. I don't think so. This pregnancy feels a lot like it did with Abby. With Hailey and Abby, my water broke. With Rachel and Joe, I had my babies natural. I'm always dilated to a 4,5, or 6 when checked at 36 weeks. We'll see how this one goes. It's been a rough couple of weeks...had a horrible cold/cough and no energy. I'm keeping in perspective the fact that I'm happy this cold is before baby and not after baby. I'm anxious to feel more like myself. I'm very happy I'm on the home stretch, what's a couple of more months, especially when Christmas is on the horizon! These next 4-5 weeks will fly by!

Well...to move on to a more positive note...the things I'm enjoying right now ;) (My Thanksgiving Grateful List)

Kids are off track, this is a good thing actually. I have lots of little helpers. I can't tell you how many times Hailey takes out the garbage. Abby is a great at cleaning bathrooms. My kids really are awesome! I just love them to death! They have been pretty patient with me and I'm grateful to them for that.

Dan is awesome! He is blessed to hear me whine constantly. He just listens. Poor guy. He put up our Christmas lights this year and put up our insanely easy to put up artificial Christmas Tree. I appreciate him so much!

Although I hate pregnancy, the one thing I do love and marvel at is the fact that I have a baby in me that weighs approx. 3 lbs. That's amazing! I love to feel him/her move. I love it that I only have a couple of months to go and that I'm not in the beginning stage. I'm nervous to deliver this one, it's been 5 years. It's crazy what you forget in that time. I'm also so very excited to have this baby! I can't wait!

I'm grateful that my husband has a great job! I'm so grateful for him and the time he spends supporting us!

I'm so grateful for online shopping, it makes life so much easier!

I'm grateful to my awesome Mom who helps with the kids and makes life so much easier!

I'm grateful for Shawn, who makes me laugh, understands my love for video games, likes to hang out with his old, huge sister and helps me bring in groceries and put them away. He's the best!

I'm grateful for all of my family in general and that I live near most of them. I miss Dan's family and wish we could see them more often. I miss the old days when we would get together and play games.

I'm grateful for my wonderful friends! Just to mention a few...Tricia, I can always go months without talking to her and we just pick up where we left off! I love it that age doesn't matter, she older than I and I always enjoy hearing her words of wisdom. Melba, my GBFF (gym best friend forever) for making exercise/lifting one of the most fun things I've ever done! I can't wait to get back! Rayna, my old college buddy, who introduced me to some good country music to which I would never have been a fan of. Mark and Trish, my game buddies. Nicole, my visiting teaching buddy, mia maid buddy, jewelry buddy, and healthy food fanatic. Chi-Wen, how I miss my old friend from Portland/Taiwan. I miss her cooking, her smile, her constant stream of compliments and always positive attitude and her love for the Lord. I've never met a person, not of my faith that is more honest and true. She is my Mom's age and I love how age has no relevance when it comes to friendship. The list goes on...I'm very blessed to have such wonderful friends in my life!

I am so grateful for my Savior. I'm grateful for my eternal family!

I truly am blessed! Thanksgiving was a great day! It was pretty crazy when the family all got together around 5 p.m. for dinner, but it's always fun to see my brothers and to visit and laugh with them. They are such good guys!

I hope Thanksgiving was wonderful for all of you! Bring on Christmas!!!

Goodbye Blankie

I just walked into the kitchen to find Joe's baby blanket that he carries around with him everywhere in the garbage! I asked Joe why it was in the garbage and he said "because it's really old". How sad! I seriously feel like crying! My baby is growing up!

Date Nights

We recently started up our "old" tradition of taking each child out on a "date". Every Thursday Dan and I take turns with each of our children. For the month of October, we decided to take them out on an "expensive" date. This was a great opportunity to do something with them that we just don't do very often because of cost. We also thought it would be a good idea to teach the kids a little about manners in restraunts and things like that. Hailey went first. She went out on a date with me (Mom). She had been wanting to go and check out that new store Rue 21. We had a lot of fun trying on clothes (she tried on clothes, not me...lol). We found a few cute shirts. We then went out for fast food at Wendy's. I had a lot of fun having one on one time with her. She is growing so fast!

The next week Dan took Abby out to "Desert Star". It's a melodramatic theater where they do spoofs on movies/stories. Abby went to see "Snooty and the Beast". Dan and I had just recently seen this on our date night a few weeks earlier and thought Abby would love it! Abby loves acting/singing/dancing. We also found a great class called "Up With Kids" for Abby to attend once a week. She will perform in a play called Wicked/The Wizard of Oz in May. She has been loving this class! She learns how to perform and also all about acting. On her date Dan, they ordered pizza and hollared and hooted with the rest of the crowd during this fun play. I was super jealous Dan got to take her out, I really wanted to watch her face as they performed. Dan had a lot of fun with Abby.

The following week it was my turn again and I took out Rachel. She has been begging me to get her ears pierced. So we took a trip to Claires. She chose some very cute star earrings. She was a little nervous but did really well! She loves her new earrings! She then wanted to go out to Applebee's for dinner. I had so much fun with her! She is such a sweet little lady. We talked and laughed and took lots of pictures!

Joe changed his mind about a hundred times on where he wanted to go on his date with Dad. At first it was riding motorcycles, then it was bowling, movies...but he finally settled on Chucky Cheeses..LOL! I was so glad that it was Dan's turn! I wish we had pictures of Hailey and Joe but didn't take our camera with us on these dates. Dan said Joe earned like 300 tickets and was really excited to "buy" a little toy gun with his tickets.

This months is free month. It's interesting listening to the kids brainstorm about what they want to do with us on their dates this month. Hailey went shopping to the mall. Our price limit is $5. Hailey found a cute necklace on sale. Dan helped her look. It's fun to see him in action with our girls. He is such a good Daddy.

Abby wanted to make necklaces (I have recently acquired a new fun hobby of making necklaces, watches and earrings). So she chose some beads from my collection and we made a necklace and went out for an ice cream cone.

I'm excited to see what Rachel and Joe will decide to do. This has been the BEST thing for us and our kids! I also love getting in the habit of having time with each one, especially with a new little one arriving in the next few months.

Rachel before her ears were pierced.

Ray after her ears were pierced.
Ray and I at Applebee's

Abby in front of the stage at Desert Star.

Halloween Parade

Rachel (Princess)

Joe at home before parade (Darth Vader)
Hailey (Witch) Blurry, dang it!

Abby (in the middle, Runway Diva)