Ultrasound

Yesterday morning I had my 20 week ultrasound, and the kids, Ben, and I were all there together for it. Carissa and Gabe were really excited to go and they both did well. Carissa was completely thrilled to hear that she will have a little sister, and Gabe is happy to have a little sister too. The baby is measuring pretty much right on time and she looks healthy (no concerns at this point). We got to watch her wiggle around including moving her hand up to her face and watching her open and close her mouth. We also heard the heartbeat at about 150 bpm, and Carissa and Gabe were excited to hear it. The four of us went out yesterday and today to shop for the baby's coming home outfit, and we have one picked out and bought now. We are going to have to start thinking about names for a little girl now, but we still have about 4 months to decide on one.

Art

On Friday, Carissa's school had one piece of artwork on display from every child in the school for everyone to come look at. Also, each grade and class did a dance performance for parents to watch. Carissa's class picked the color green for their dance and then her class actually did the choreography for their dance. They danced/moved like grass, green leaves, and other green things. Gabe and I had a good time watching the kindergartners perform.

18 week appointment

I had my 18 week appointment this morning. Everything is going well. This time we talked a little bit about the delivery. My doctor asked me if I was planning on getting an epidural this time, since I had one with each of my other two. I told her that I didn't want to get an epidural this time, and I originally didn't want one the first time either. I made it through 12 hours of labor and 2 of those with petocin before I gave up, and got the epidural. But, this time I want someone to make sure that my water is broke all the way before I get petocin or an epidural. Because, with the other two deliveries once someone finally noticed that my water wasn't broke all the way, and broke it I finished dialating and delivered in less than an hour. So, I'm really hoping that this delivery goes more the way that I want it to. Also, I still haven't gained any weight yet, so I'm still 4 lbs. under my starting weight. But, the baby is growing and doing fine. The heart beat today was 140-144 bpm. I have just under 2 weeks until the ultrasound, and I am excited to find out the sex of the baby. I'm hoping the baby will co-operate, we almost didn't find out with Gabe because he was sitting on his legs. And, my next check-up is in a month.

Dentist

Carissa and Gabe had their 6 month check up today. Carissa did great, and Gabe started out doing great. But, he went to play a video game while waiting for his x-rays and he apparently lost. So, he wanted to leave and go out to the front waiting area to play a different game and I wouldn't let him leave. He got very upset, and stayed that way for a while. I told him that I would let him play the other game on our way out only if he stopped crying and complaining and finished his appointment. It took him a little while, but he came around and finished his check up. Carissa has no cavities. Gabe is going to get fillings in 3 of his molars, because he is starting to get cavities. He has really deep pits on the top of his molars just because that is the way his teeth are, and we have been watching them and doing our best to keep them clean. But, it was almost inevitable that it was going to happen one day. Gabe also needs to get an appliance for the roof of his mouth to widen his jaw. He has a cross bite, which we have also been watching for probably the last couple of years. And the dentist finally recommended that we do something about it. But, it is orthodontics and we have no coverage for orthodontics so it would cost $780. For now it is going to have to wait, but hopefully by a year from now if not a little sooner we can do it.

Conferences

Gabe's parent teacher conference was on Wed. and his teacher said that he is doing really well. She thinks that he will be ready for kindergarten in August although there he does still have some problems with his behavior/socially. But, most of the time he is doing well. His teacher loves Gabe's ability to sit down and make anything out of anything. She said that he is the only one in her class like that. She also said that Gabe catches on to concepts very fast, and that he catches on to concepts that she doesn't expect any of her class to get yet. She also said that it seems that Gabe takes changes really hard. The few times that he has had a rough time at school it has corresponded with other changes in his life. So, having a brand new brother or sister a few weeks before he starts kindergarten might be a little rough, but a hopefully few weeks should be enough time to adjust.

Carissa's parent teacher conference was this morning, and her teacher again said that Carissa is doing wonderfully and that she is a joy to teach. Carissa got the highest scores/grades in everything on her report card again. She has been on reading level C for a little while now, which the goal for kindergarten is for them to be on C by the end of the school year. Her teacher expects Carissa to be on level D by the end of the school year. Carissa passed reading all of her numbers through 20, and most of her class missed a couple of the teen numbers. Her handwriting and math are also very good. Her teacher has no concerns, and I don't have any either. We have a few lists of words for Carissa to practice, and her teacher said if Carissa knows all of those words when she starts 1st grade that her 1st grade teacher will be very happy. We will probably work on those over the summer.

Conversations

The other day Gabe had a great idea or at least he thought so. He told me that if I didn't want to buy clothes for the baby that I should just put his and Carissa's clothes in the dryer and leave them. Then they would be small enough for the baby to wear. This was shortly after he saw a cartoon that showed someone's clothes being shrunk by the dryer.

Then today Carissa was talking to me in the car and told me that soon I would have 3 kids to take care of and that it will be more work for me. (She has told me that a few times, and it sounds like she is teasing me.) Both Carissa and Gabe have been asking for a little brother and little sister for a couple of years now. So, after she said that to me today, I told her that if they get what they want I will have to end up with 4 kids to take care of. (I was curious what she would say to that.) Her response, "Well, you love daddy, right?" I said, "yes." She then responded with, "Well, then you just can't stop." Then she went on to explain to me that I have 3 siblings.

No Divorce

I figured that I should probably post a little update on here too. I dismissed my divorce case a few weeks ago. Ben and I have decided to work on things, and are pretty much figuring it out as we go. But, we are staying married and for now Ben is still living in CO.