Lawrence Welk and Other Stuff

My favorite part of the day is both nap time and bed time for J. Not because he is out of my hair for a clip of time, but because it is our snuggle time, and I looove it. I pick him up, close the shades and the door to his room, hand him his blanket and like a well trained Pavlovian dog, he instantly puts his soft little head on my shoulder. I then stand next to his crib and sing him some songs and then drop his sweet little bean into his crib and off to dream land he goes. My heart warms each time I get to put him to bed. (please remind me of this in 6 months when he turns on me and hates to be put to bed, or starts demanding 'one more song' till I rue the day when I started this bed time routine.). But right now, I love it. My standard repertoire of lullabies is just that, standard. Jesus loves me, Moon Moon Moon, God is So Good, Jesus Loves the Little Children. All songs I've sung to all of my babes. Well, for some reason the other night, the closing song from the Lawrence Welk Show popped into my head, and I sang that. Yes, Lawrence Welk. I'm laughing as I type it.
All of my grandparents had a strange addiction to this show. No matter where we were, our house, their house, some strangers house, a hospital, or nursing home bed, when it hit 7pm on a Sunday evening, they all had one request. "Hey Katie, go turn on the T.V. and see if Lawrence Welk is on." And most likely it would be. So this song is forever burned in my brain (which is largely musical, I remember words from songs from 7th grade better than current ones). "Good night, sleep tight, and pleasant dreams to you. Here's a wish, and a prayer that all your dreams come true...." Its a nice song. J likes it.
But all this to say, after singing this song to him on Sunday night, Monday evening I sat down to watch some DVR shows. And don't you know at the very top of my DVR list was the Lawrence Welk Show! For real. Three things strike me about this discovery.
A. The Lawrence Welk Show is STILL on. On Sunday nights.
B. Who is messing with me? I didn't DVR it. Scott didn't, and I'm sure the kids wouldn't hit record on a show like that. (I still think Scott must have heard me sing that song and DVR'd it just to mess with me, but I'm pretty sure if he heard that song, he wouldn't know it was from LW.)
C. Why would that song pop in my head, and then LW show up on my DVR the next day. Weird. I'm sure a psychic palm reader would say my Grandparents are trying to get my attention.

And in other random weird things that have happened in my home,

-B ate a spinach salad last night for dinner. Seriously, I was eating mine, and he was like, "can I have a leaf?" Sure. Then he proceed to mooch the rest of mine and Scott's and eventually, I made him his own spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

-J is walking. And has been somewhat happy, which is weird. But nice.

-I've had two productive days in a row. Which hasn't happened in lets say, 10 weeks or so. I cleaned out the boys closet and room, which was a two day job, made dinner 3 nights in a row, and went grocery shopping AND did laundry. Is it a full moon?
Since being pregnant, I haven't had any motivation to do anything at all for a while now.

And that is all.

I blame you.

Truth: I wasn't expecting to be expecting. But I'm getting excited about it.
Truth: I like to blame other people for things. Don't we all? Every time I'm faced with a difficult decision, I like to try and get someone else to make it for me, so I can blame them if I don't like the outcome.

So, in efforts to be humorous, I have composed a list as to who to blame for me being pregnant with number 4. (I'm just kidding, so no lectures...)
So, I blame...

1. Jedidiah. Look at him, he's delicious and he gave me baby fever.

2. My father-in-law. He actually told me back in the summer, point blank, "You have really great kids, you don't need anymore." My rebellious nature subconsciously made me want to have 10 more kids, just to see what he'd to say.

3. Shay. Back in September/October, after I had told her that I had given away or sold most of my baby stuff, she told me I would be pregnant before Thanksgiving.

4. Apparently, selling one's baby stuff is a recipe for a baby.

5. Scott. Cause no list would be complete if I didn't blame him.

6. Janet. Cause she keeps saying things like, I really wish you had a girl. And all the other people that keep saying I need a little girl. Not that I know I'm having a girl, but even strangers keep asking me if I'm trying for a girl (this was before I was pregnant, in fact, I think someone asked me this on the c-section table when J was born.)

Should I blame you too?;)

Let the Madness Begin.

Actually, the madness has already begun in my house. It happened maybe 3 years ago when B was born. When you have one kid, everything is so controllable and easy (even if you didn't think it was, and were about to lose your mind every afternoon waiting for hubby to get home). Then you add another one, and it doesn't seem that bad when the second is a baby. But then you find yourself with TWO bigger kids that make messes, and say to yourself, wow! This is boring stuff, I need to add another to make life REALLY interesting. And you do. And the baby is so cute and easy to deal with, but then something happens. That cute, sweet, innocent baby turns one and someone snatches him away in his sleep and replaces him with a one year old, that looks just like the cute, sweet model. But you KNOW its not the same kid. Cause instead of smiling at you sweetly, he is now this scratching at you, chasing you around the kitchen, whining to be picked up-kid. The instant you pick him up he's smacking you in the face and wants to be put down. He's all the sudden in seek and destroy mode, and pulls the corner bead molding off the wall, throws toys and bites the older brothers, and is no longer happy-ever. And the madness continues. He is the 2011 Mess Maker Model. He is determined to win the fastest mess maker award. Tearing through kitchen cabinets at lightening speed. He refuses to eat dinner and throws the food on the floor, which is enough to make you want to do things that are not well, acceptable.
And then you think (or maybe you don't)that you need more excitement in your life and find yourself adding to the madness by adding a 4th mess maker into the mix.

Yes, for anyone that doesn't know. We are expecting a fourth baby. In July. And I refuse to think about what life will look like in 6.5months. I'm just trying to get through today, and will not think past dinner time. It works better that way. And just so you know, I wasn't trying for the girl. I'm not sure if a girl would make things better or worse. Ha! For the record, I always wanted all boys, and 4 kids. (but to be totally honest, this was before I even had any kids). But let the madness begin, or rather continue. Ha.

We have started preparations this weekend for the list of things that we need to do in order to sell our house. And it brings out the best side of my husband who, loves lists and getting things done. He is a slave driver! (Don't tell him I said that, but he's a focused individual on the to-do list and I am far from that, and it creates a fun environment!) There is something for him which involves a deadline and a to-do list which creates a machine. I'm guessing its a lot like his old work routine.

Anyway. I'm confident that God will provide the skills it will take for me to manage 4 kids and my sanity. Doesn't He always? If I rely on Him and not me, it will be okay.

Its the season!

I have probably written a post like this every year...
Since December 18th, our family has been living under the cloud of illness. I'm ready for everyone to be healthy and happy, but I know that this is winter and this is what happens. I'm handling it better than I have in previous years, but I'm needing to see my friends again, and to get out of the house to do more than run an errand. We have had the gamut of virus things, hacking coughs, fevers, stomach bugs and strep throat, all in the last 3 weeks. Thank you, I've had my fill.
My dad is still hospitalized, now having seizures and out of control blood sugar, still disoriented. But when I saw him yesterday, he was a bit more awake and knew my name which I am considering is a good sign.
Please pray that things improve with him. And that we have fulfilled our quota of virus suffering for a month and are spared for a while!