Little Miss Itchy

Ugg.

I've found my threshold.

Hot day, seven months pregnant, 82 degree house, windy, allergies, itchy eyes, itchy nose, stuffed up, sneezing, HOT, 4 whiney kids who are also hot, 3 whiney kids who are upset that I don't have any paint brushes to do the promised craft, 2 whiney kids who have actually been very good helpers today - until the paint brushes went MIA and are now kicking, hitting, and crying. Peeling shoulders that are also itching . . .

Did I mention pregnant and hot? I'm just one big, fat ball of itching, hot, uncomfortable, and irritable. Even my "nerves" feel itchy.

That's it. 

I've managed to install the window A.C. unit in the kitchen window all by myself. - Just couldn't wait 3 more hours for Nels to get home.

And now . . .

I'm retreating to the basement with Netflix, Claritin, a roll of toilet paper, yarn, crochet hooks, some new patterns, a WHOLE box of candy, and some Tums.

Afterall. Ripping my eyes and nose off my face is not really an option. Darn allergies.

Tick Tock

picture and post are unrelated, but I love this photo
Yellowstone, May 2011

Life just keeps on ticking right away and somehow it is the end of June. I knew this day was coming, but I wasn't quite expecting it to come so quickly.

Today I am 3/4 of the way through this pregnancy. With only another 10 weeks to go, I'm truly in no hurry. As Nels's eight-year-old nephew pointed out this last weekend (after asking what happened to my belly - LOL!), "You already have a baby!" Yes, Winston. I sure do. Each day that goes by before this next little chickie makes her debut is a blessing to me. - However, edging up on thirty, with my fifth baby, and having only given my body 9 months between pregnancies, seems to be catching up with me. - As does a very busy life and very busy summer, with four busy ladies. We'll just say - as I've said before - "The old grey mare, she ain't what she used to be."

Now all that being said, hopefully the next few weeks will be slightly slower. We're settling in to a summer routine. I finally made it to the bottom of the endless laundry pit that had been growing in my basement. We have one fun-filled family reunion already under our belts. The rows of beans that I planted in my garden are not thriving. And I have six months of backlogged blogging beckoning. Which I plan on working on over the next month as Nels's work schedule picks up {you know, sun-up to sun-up} and I have tons of time to sit about and do nothing. :) {Sarcasm is not well-conveyed in written form.}

What I'm trying to say is this. I plan on finally recording Christmas, birthdays, family vacations, and a few thoughts in the coming weeks.

I just needed to tell you that I'm tired first. And get that off my chest. And record that I'm still alive {my mother texted me this morning, wondering if I was}. And to give a shout out to having spent roughly 185 weeks of my adult life pregnant.

Now let's all go eat some ice cream, shall we? And maybe afterward we'll top it off with some Tums and a nap. :)

Today and Yesterdays

Today the girls are unloading the van. All by themselves. And vacuuming it. Sometimes I forget to utilize the assets I have.

Today we are home from Utah. Today is sunny. Today my beans and peas are still not poking up through the ground in my garden.

The last couple of yesterdays we spent some fun time with lots of family. We went to the zoo with my sisters, cousins, and 21 children! After spending a stressful two hours losing my children repeatedly and only making it to the playground, carousel, and the elephants, we split ways and I spent the rest of the afternoon with only my four little chickies to keep track of. The zoo is not a place for catching up with friends. :) The zoo IS, however, a wonderful place to take a one-year-old who loves all fuzzy things. (She thinks that all non-fuzzy things - like iguanas - should only be viewed in peeps from around mommy's legs. :)

Today Elsie is finally riding her big-girl bike (with training wheels). She's been a champ on the trike and now really likes her new, pink princess bike. Today she looks adorable with her long straight hair and pretty dress with her new flip-flops.

Yesterday I repeatedly yelled at my older girls to go to bed and stop playing around in their room. Yesterday when Elsie came downstairs at 9:30 after everyone else was asleep, I picked her up and let her snuggle in between Mommy and Daddy and watch TV. Because Elsie has magical powers that bend the universe to her will. Yesterday Elsie told me that when she grows up, she wants to be a mommy. And then she will be really smart. :) I think she's already really smart.

Today Hazel squealed with delight when I told her she "got to" vacuum out the van. :)

Today, while it is currently 68 degrees, Lilie is wearing a white turtleneck with a purple tank top (over the top) and red sweat pants. With flip flops.

Yesterday we had a "dancing party" in the basement with a strobe light on Nels's iphone. It. Was. Hilarious. The girls loved it.

Today Violet thinks that her pigtails are "pitty" and was so excited to get "dessed" (dressed).

Yesterday my girls were babies.

Conclusion

I've come to an important conclusion.

Riding my bike at 6 month pregnant, pulling a bike trailer with 65+ pounds of children, books, lunch, and gear - while also turning around every 20 feet to check on two little girls on their own bikes . . . .

. . . . for almost EIGHT MILES . . . .

. . . . is not nearly as exhausting as holding a crazy, squirmy, tired, 15 month-old at the library for an hour.