17 weeks pregnant

Today I am 17 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  My last post was when I was 11 weeks pregnant.  I thought that I was over the morning sickness at that point.  Little did I realize that it would hold on for another 4 weeks!!!

Somewhere around week 15 it finally subsided.  Shesh, that is longer than any of my other pregnancies!   I am grateful it is gone and for the most part I now only randomly get nauseous for seemingly no reason.  All in all, I am feeling very good.  Happy about being pregnant, mixed with the usual amount of anxiety.

I have my big diagnostic ultrasound next Thursday and I am thrilled to see our baby again, and ensure that s/he is healthy and growing normally.

I will admit that Jeff and I cheated and went to a fun ultrasound place 2 weeks ago to determine the gender of the baby.  And, while I know...I wont be telling until after I get final confirmation next week :)

Enjoy the suspense.  Oh, and this picture taken this morning.

Field Trip

I accompanied Elliott and his classroom on their first school field trip to the pumpkin patch.  This was taken on the school bus on the way there.  Can you see the joy and happiness on his face?

Sea World

With Elliott at school all day, I was afforded a opportunity to take Spencer to Sea World.  I was a wonderful day where he got to decide what we would do! 

He decided on a craft---making a polar bear mask and claw!  So proud!

Spencer's first day of preschool

I am seriously delinquent in posting about Spencer, but I wanted to get this picture into the blog.

This was Spencer's first day of preschool (March 2012?), taken earlier this year.

My Kindergartner-Elliott

Elliott started kinder 3 weeks ago.  He was pretty nervous about it, and felt certain he wouldn't like it.  We attended an orientation that left me feeling more nervous than I was before the orientation, instead of less.  It was poorly organized, the information wasn't comforting, and the teachers seemed cold and slightly mean.

I stayed dry eyed the first day, and I think that helped Elliott remain brave and strong.  He decided after the first day, that he still didn't like it.  The next day was the same.  I was starting to worry, as Elliott had always loved learning.  I was even considering the idea of home schooling...maybe this forced structure wasn't for us after all.  

The third day we participated in run club.  The school hosts a running club that begins when the campus opens and goes until it is time to line up for classes.  The premise is simple--you have a card with your name on it, you run a lap, you receive a stamp on your card.  When you acquire 26 stamps, or approx. 5 miles, you get a plastic shoe charm on a string.  

On the 3rd day, he decided he loved school.  We have participated in run club every morning since.  He shows off his shoe charm to anyone who will pay attention.  Parents and siblings are encouraged to participate as well.  So, on the days I have Spencer, I walk with him.  He even has his own card!

Thankfully, I wont be homeschool this year.