Homeschool update

I got a big box in the mail today filled to the top with the Provincial Grade 2 Curriculum. It is quite in depth and heavy but I am going to wade through it over the next little while. I hope to get the books soon if I can as well so at least I can prepare for September. I also found out that if I want to, they will allow me to do the A Beka curriculum. So, I will think about that as well. I am on two hands, I will either go ahead and purchase the A Beka or I will try the Provincial Curriculum for this year, and then if I don't like it, go to A Beka next year. I am not sure. I hate that they make this so complicated for me!

Belly Pic

I am finally sharing a belly pic. I have to warn you that I am ginormous!!! I am not sure why I am soooo large and round this time. I must be growing another really big baby in here, even if I would love a small little bundle of joy this time. And embarressed as I am by just how big and round I am right now (and trust me, as bad as these pics are, it actually is all belly), I am going to share my belly pics anyway. So here I am at 12 weeks pg.




I have to confess, I would love a little baby this time. My Princess Magpie is just so precious and sweet and I wish she would have stayed small a little longer. She is just so big and getting bigger each day. She doesn't feel like she is staying a baby nearly long enough for me. I try to soak it up as much as I can, but given the choice I would maybe pic a smaller baby like Princess Belle because she just seemed to stay a baby so much longer.

Eleven Months Old

Princess Magpie is Eleven months old now! I can't believe it. Time has really flown by. She is such a joy to have in our lives, so full of giggles and smiles. I am so grateful for her.

Twelve Weeks Pregnant

I am twelve weeks today and according to the newsletter I got this morning that puts me into my second trimester!!! Woohoo!! Time is going so fast with this pregnancy! I find it surprising that given how sick I am most of the time and the headaches I have had, you would think that time would be dragging by. But it really isn't. I am 1/3 of the way towards having my very last baby. Wow.

Here is what is going on with my baby right now:

Your baby's face is beginning to look more human, even though she is only about 2 inches/5.5cms long from her crown to her rump and weighs slightly less than half an ounce/ 14 grams. The eyes, which started out on the sides of the head, have moved closer together. The ears are almost in their normal position on the side of the head. The liver is making bile and the kidneys are secreting urine in the bladder.

The fetus squirms if your abdomen is prodded, although you cannot yet feel movement. Fetal nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly and synapses (neurological connections in your brain) are forming. The fetus has acquired more reflexes: touching the palms makes the fingers close, touching the soles of the feet makes the toes curl down and touching the eyelids makes the eye muscles clench.

Your doctor or midwife can now feel the top of the uterus, also known as the fundus, low in the abdomen. As you enter the second trimester, you may find yourself donning looser, less restrictive clothing. Soon you won't be able to fit into your regular clothes any more.

First and Last day of School

Here is Princess Belle on the first and last days of school! Be sure to compare her head to the window behind her in the last two pics.

late

Sorry I am so late posting, but I am just really sick today. I woke up sick today and I just keep getting sick. UGH, I hate days like today.

Homeschool Update

I called my contact at the Department of Education and he informed me that I would not be approved to follow the curriculum that I have chosen but would have to follow the provincial curriculum. While I am willing to do that, I am disappointed. In the long run, it will cost me less money, as they will provide my books, but it isn't what I wanted. He did say that I could probably do most of what I wanted to do anyway as long as in the end, what Princess Belle learned met with the guidelines of the Provincial curriculum. AND, I won't get official approval until SEPTEMBER!!!!!! I am going to meet with the school Principal as soon as I can and get as much information as I can on the Grade 2 curriculum, try to get the books ahead of time, and get planning anyway. I am fairly confident that I will get approved once I resign myself to doing the provincial curriculum. It will work out fine, maybe better in some ways. And I can still be creative in my approach to teaching her. The curriculum has never been the problem with her learning, it has always been the environment.

Cloth Diapering

Prince Charming finally agreed that I could try cloth diapering! (although he probably won't change any poopy diapers) LOL. Now I have to find a cost effective way to get started. Anyone have any advice? I have been looking at some All-in-one, one size, cloth diapers online, but I am open to suggestions from anyone more experienced than I am.

Prince Charming is too funny. His reaction to this whole thing was, "How in the world did I end up married to a cloth diapering, breast feeding, nuts, roots and treebark momma?" He says it jokingly of course and I just laugh at him. I guess I had him fooled into thinking I was normal or something. LOL now that was a neat trick!

Wordless Wednesday -- Musical Toy Reflections

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For more Wordless Wednesday go check out 5 minutes for mom and 7 Clown Circus!

Cutest shirts

I recently came across this website, LTDChix, that had the cutest t-shirts. They have illustrations that show a mom laughing at the less glamorous aspects of raising a household and as all moms know there certainly are some things about motherhood that are less than glamorous. I decided to get a pink fitted (for after the baby is born) t-shirt that featured Laundry mom because as I have mentioned in the past on this blog, I have a never ending battle to conquer Mount Laundry:



I love the sense of humor in their illustrations and these shirts are a great, humorous look at the reality of motherhood, and keeping a home.

Blessed

I was thinking today about how incredibly lucky I am. I am at a place in my life where I just feel completely blessed. I am so blessed to be having this baby. To be adding the final piece of the puzzle to our family portrait, to be bringing this beautiful little baby into the world. I am so lucky to have the two girls that I have. They are joyful, happy, loving, wonderful girls and I wouldn't change them at all.

• Princess Belle has ADHD but if I could take that away and change the person that she is, I wouldn't do it. She is sweet and loving and caring and energetic and fun and loves her family with all her heart.
  
• Princess Magpie is the sweetest, happiest, giggliest, funniest, baby I have ever seen. She is just so happy all the time.
  
• Prince Charming is my rock. He supports me, listens to me, defends me, makes me laugh, and cares for me.
• And now I get to add another person to our family. With the wonderful family that I already have, how can I expect anything less than a perfect fit with our family?
  

I have things I think about. I vascillate between a VBAC and another C-section (but my babies have a history of being transverse), I would like to get into a bigger house before the baby is born (but then that would involve moving, packing and unpacking while pg), I would like to be closer to my best friend, I would like to get a car after the baby is born, I wish I had more energy to keep up with the housework. But these are all things that will work themselves out in time. For now I am just feeling incredibly blessed to have this family, this baby, this life. I couldn't ask for more.

(this last pic was taken today at 11 weeks 2 days pg. You can almost see how round my belly is and how flat my belly butt is already in this pic. LOL)

11 Weeks!

Can you believe I am 11 weeks pg now? I can't. It is going so quickly. I am trying not to hurry this along. I know this is my last baby and I want to be sure to enjoy it, even if I am sick most of the time. I am growing a whole new person inside me, this is a special time.

My baby is about the size of fig now. It seems like just yesterday I was reading that she/he was the size of an apple seed. Even on the inside, this baby is growing so fast!

Click the pic below to get to the one that has the roll-over feature

Sunday's Rambling Thoughts

How will I ever survive all summer long??? I am sitting here, sucking on popsicles, wearing shorts with my hideously white, unshaven legs, trying to survive and it is only 20 degrees celsius. It is only JUNE!!!! How will my pregnant butt survive this summer??

On the upside, I am noticing that I weigh less with this pg than I did with Princess Magpie. Pants that were really tight in the legs when I wore them while pg with her are now looser in the legs and even a bit too loose!! I am glad about that. I do hope that I am not still loosing weight though. I just have such problems eating supper every day.

I changed around my living room today. It looks a lot better, more spacious and organized. I need to sweep and wash the floor, but I am too exhausted to do it right now.

My favorite snacks these days are fruit, baby carrots, cheese and green onions and whole grain crunchy crackers. I have been making myself a little plate of this every afternoon. Mmmm . . . yummy!

Saturday 9: Never Say Never Again

Saturday 9: Never Say Never Again

1. Do you like James Bond films? If yes, what’s your favorite? They are pretty good. I have seen them all because growing up they were my brother's favorite and now Prince Charming likes them. I don't have a favorite.

2. Are you daring enough to go snorkeling in the water fountain at the mall? Probably not. LOL

3. Do you sometimes hate everything and everyone around you? Not often, but sometimes when my hormones are getting the best of me and I am low on sleep.

4. Do you secretly or openly believe the world revolves around you? Nope, it revolves around my kids and if you ask them, they would probably agree with me.

5. Would you rather buy a moped or a Harley Davidson? A Harley of course!!

6. Do you water ski or ice ski? Nope

7. Tell us about the last time that you tailgated. Never, now I am beginning to feel boring. But to be fair, I don't know anyone who has tailgated either.

8. What was the last concert that you attended? Hmmm . . . Dr. Hook I think.

9. What’s the most exotic food that you’ve ate? I am not sure, I love to try new foods. I have tried all sorts of things and there are not many foods I wouldn't try given the opportunity.

woohoo, it came!

You remember that I mentioned that I had found this great site, ‘kids furniture’. I decided to order a children's desk. It will be perfect for when Princess Belle starts homeschooling in September and when she outgrows it, it will be great to pass along to her younger siblings.

It came the day before yesterday!! It took only two weeks for it to get here! That is amazing from so far away. Whenever I order things from the US, it usually takes a month at least (usually even more) for it to get here, but their service was amazing and it arrived far earlier than I expected it to. I am really impressed with their product (I love the storage shelf under the seat and the easy assembly), their service, and the timely manner with which the whole interaction was handled.

Thursday Thirteen #83

Thirteen Things that are on Twisted Cinderella's mind today Princess Magpie pulled herself up for the first time. She did it in her crib and fell out!!!! So now Prince Charming has to move her mattress down. It scared her and it took a long time to get her to calm down. I have to admit, I bribed her with Big Comfy Couch and cookies. I just needed her be her happy self and she didn't seem to be hurt, just upset. I already had to move her crib and dresser because she was pulling things out of and off of the dresser and pulling them into her crib. LOL, my little monkey. A friend dropped by with about a dozen boxes that were left behind in my last move, 3 YEARS ago! It was fun going through them and finding out books, yearbooks, other other goodies. I found bunches of poetry and things I wrote when I was in high school. It was fun to read them and share them with Prince Charming. We found out our cable/internet/phone bill has been messed up for a few months. We called them and they are going to take $120 off our bill!!! I am getting a few groceries and I plan on getting some goodies to make a pg girl happy! I can't wait. I am thinking of having the new baby share a room with Princess Magpie. Has anyone out there ever had a baby and a toddler in the same room? How did it work out for you? Princess Magpie got me up early early and I was tired. So, when she went for a nap, I decided to go for one too. We both slept for THREE HOURS!!! boy did I feel rested afterwards. Princess Belle has been having great fun playing outside lately. She has a new friend down the road. I love that his mother knows that she has adhd, understands how she is and still enjoys having her come over. I like that I can relax about it. I have been watching old episodes of The Outer Limits lately. It is fun to see which stars are in the episodes. I can't wait until Big Brother comes on for this year! I get so addicted to that show. I am STILL anxiously awaiting approval to homeschool Princess Belle this coming year! I am buying her curriculum anyway next month.

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Giveaway ending soon!

Don't forget the free giveaway I posted about on the weekend! I will be closing the post for entries as of Sunday, June 21st! So get your entries in soon!

Easy Decaf Mocha

I was asked how I make my decaf mocha drinks. This was something I invented years ago and I play with it depending on my mood, I sometimes make it more chocolately, I sometimes add milk or cream, I sometimes add extra coffee.

The basic idea is:

• I put one tsp of decaf instant coffee in a mug
• add instant hot chocolate to taste (start with the amount you would use to make a mug of hot choc)
  
• (if you want to add cream, add it here and mix with the hot choc and coffee)
• fill mug with boiled water
• Stir and drink.

The completely adorable and the amazing

I saw these two clips and I had to share. One is completely adorable and one is simply amazing. You have to see them!

The adorable

The Amazing

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I absolutely DID NOT check Princess Belle's lunch bag after school to find that of the big lunch I had provided all she ate was crackers and candy. And having found that, I absolutely did not give her french fries and gravy for an after school snack (secretly thinking it was reason number 168 why I am glad to be homeschooling, I can make sure my skinny Princess actually eats a substantial lunch.) Nope, Not Me!

I certainly DID NOT put a tape of Big Comfy Couch on while Princess Magpie played in her chair and proceed to lay down beside her and sleep for an hour. Princess Belle didn't watch tv until she was nearly two years old, I do not let my 10 month daughter watch tv, really I don't. Nope Not Me!

I DID NOT discover that I love making homemade decaf mocha's to get me through until I can replace my coffee maker. I am not addicted to the feeling of having a nice hot drink in my hands and I did not discover that a mocha covers both my coffee needs and my chocolate needs all in one shot. I am eating only healthy foods while pg and would never drink anything so frivolous. Nope, Not Me!

I DID NOT totally ignore the housework that needs to be done in our house today because I am just too tired and sick to care. Nope, Not Me!

Sunday Sum up

I am spending much of my time feeling yucky these days. On one hand, I will be glad when I get out of the first trimester and maybe some of this nausea will go way but on the other hand, I know if all goes as planned this will my last pregnancy and I don't want to wish it away. In the meantime, I am doing the best I can to get some real nutrition into this baby with all the foods limits this baby has placed on our consumption. I am getting good at making supper for the family and then eating a bowl of cereal or a sandwich instead.

I am considering putting the baby and Princess Magpie into one room once the baby comes. They could have the change table in their room, they could have rocking chair in there. It would be nice as long as I can figure out the sleeping arrangements and how to get two little ones sleeping in the same room.

I find that when I am pregnant I have to change my expectations of my house. I can't get everything done that I want to, I just can't. I am too sick and too tired. So I settle for doing the best that I can. Keep the house as presentable as possible and leave the rest for when I can get it done. I have asked a friend of mine if I could pay her to wash my floors for me occasionally. It would make me feel better since washing the floors really hurts my back and it would make my life easier. I have asked Prince Charming to bring the laundry downstairs for me, I can sit in the basement on the couch and read while I am doing laundry, saving me from having to walk up and down the stairs all those times.

Giveaway!!

I have a giveaway I can offer a Stonyfield YoBaby bowl with lid, an organic YoBaby bib, and a bundle of 5 Free YoBaby coupons! I use a random number generator to pick the winner! Also unfortunately due to shipping cost, prizes can only be shipped within the United States.

Saturday 9: Games People Play

Saturday 9: Games People Play

1. What was your favorite active game as a child? I used to love to play softball when I was younger.

2. What was your favorite board game as a child? I loved monopoly. It used to be fun to spend an evening playing it as a family.

3. Tell us about a friend you played these games with in your youth. Mostly we played these as a family. We would have snack foods, play games, and watch movies. It was a great time.

4. What is your favorite card game? I used to play Canasta quite a bit. I don't even know if I would remember how anymore.

5. What board games do you enjoy now? Scrabble is fun, but no one will play with me because I always win. LOL

6. Do you play video games? Which ones? I don't play video games.

7. Tell us about the friends you play games with now. I honestly don't remember the last time I played a game. I guess I played card games a few times with my best friend, Notsosnowwhite but it has been years. I want to start this type of thing with my kids so that they can have the kind of memories that I do.

8. Do you play any sports now? NOPE

9. What’s your favorite sport to watch? I hardly watch sports but I guess figure skating or baseball would be the ones I would choose.

Don't Forget to Laugh!

Your baby can learn sign language!

Here's how to say:

• "Please change my diaper": Turn beet red and make straining expression, then smile.
• "I'd like something to eat, please": Cram fist in mouth and suck wildly.
• "I'm tired": Make a series of weeping gestures before closing eyes and lolling head backward.
• "Please pass me that thing up there that I can't reach": Point and grunt, then continue pointing and open mouth into screaming position.
• "No thank you. I think I've had enough": Throw food or object to floor with exaggerated grin.

Rough day

Yesterday started out well. I felt pretty good and I even spent 1/2 hour talking on the phone to my Mother-in-law (whom I adore) and I hate talking on the phone. I tidied up and swept the floor. Sweeping the floor is really hard for me since I got pg. I am not sure why but it hurts my back BAAAD. After I swept the floor, I started to get a headache again. But supper, I was on the couch, couldn't lift my head and I was throwing up constantly. I was like that until bedtime. Ugh. It is a good thing I am on Diclectin to keep from getting sick, I can't imagine how often I would be getting sick if I wasn't.

I am feeling slightly better today, but I can feel my headache getting worse and my stomach is rolling, so I am hoping to be able to fight this off in some way so I don't spend a whole day like yesterday.

powerful video

It's 6 minutes long, but really powerful.

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Wordless Wednesday -- Daddy's Hat

Click the pic above to get to other Wordless Wednesday Participants.

For more Wordless Wednesday go check out 5 minutes for mom and 7 Clown Circus!

Prince Charming called from the ER

I am so relieved. Prince Charming just called and he said that the first thing they did was pack it up and stop the bleeding (it was bleeding a LOT, just gushes and gushes). Then they did something other than stitches. I talked to her and she was fine, she said they were nice to her and she has two funny looking bandages on her finger. I am so glad she didn't have to go through stitches, I am in tears. Isn't that silly?

freaking out

Prince Charming has Princess Belle at the emergency dept. She wanted a Mr. Freezie and I was making supper. Rather than wait for me to cut it open for her, she decided to get a steak knife and do it herself and she cut finger pretty badly. I had Princess Magpie screaming for her supper, supper for the family on the stove and cookies in the oven so I let Princess Belle go with Prince Charming and without me. She has never gone to the ER without me. I HATE waiting and not knowing. My poor baby. Hopefully from now on she will remember that the only knifes she is (and always has been) allowed to use are plastic butter knives. UGH I am freaking out. Maybe I will make some biscuits to keep busy while I wait.

Yay

I am so glad to share that my headache is gone! It makes plain old morning sickness easier to deal with. I can lift my head, I can blog and visit my friends. It is going to be a good day!

I am going to my first healthy baby club of this pregnancy, I am looking forward to it. Prince Charming will watch Princess Magpie for me and I will get to have a little time to visit with other mommies baby-free.

I feel so positive, I can almost forget that my coffee perk is broken and I have to face the coffee free. I can't even have my decaf.

I can't wait

I am soooo looking forward to seeing this! Are any of you as into this series as I am?


The Twilight Saga: New Moon teaser

Weekend Wrap-up

Saturday was a great day. We had a community clean-up and I went out with Princess Magpie and spent some time with the neighbours. It was fun and it was nice to get out of the house.

Sunday, I woke up feeling sick with a sunburn, and a wicked, awful headache. I spent the whole day and night getting sick and unable to lift my head.

This morning I woke up still miserable and determined to try to do something to fight this awful headache. I took a long warm bath to try to relax my neck muscles (I took 4 yesterday). I went to make a nice cup of real coffee with caffeine (I don't remember my last one) and everything and after I had the perk all set up, I pushed the button and nothing happened. My perk picked today of all desperate days to up and die. We had a really really short power outage and I think a power surge fried my coffee perk. So, I relaxed with a couple of tylenol and did my best to survive this headache. When Prince Charming got up, he was wonderful enough to go down to Tim Horton's and pick me up a coffee to try to combat this misery.

So my lesson I learned is watch how much time I spend in the sun while pregnant. And now I need to add a coffee perk to my grocery list.

Cool!

I have just seen a really awesome animation of childbirth! I just had to share it here. (Never mind why I am posting in the middle of the night. Just know the story involves a baby screaming for not aparrent reason and my desire not to wake the whole neighbourhood. LOL)

CHECK OUT THIS LINK

Saturday 9: It's My Party

Saturday 9: It's My Party

1. Do you prefer to host or be a guest at a party? A guest. I can relax better that way.

2. Would you rather go to a large party or a small dinner party? a small dinner party. I get intimidated by large crowds.

3. What is you worst flaw? my weight or lack of self-confidence.

4. What is you best character trait? my creativity or my ability to be a good listener.

5. What habit in others annoys you? people who habitually lie

6. What qualities in others do you admire? honesty, kindness,

7. If you could change something about yourself, what would it be? lose weight (after the baby of course)

8. Do you tend to be shy with strangers? Yes

9. Do you prefer to lead or follow in a group of people? It depends on the situation, but I do tend to lead.

Doctor's appt.

I had my appointment with my GP today. I don't get to see my OB until later. I did't really care for my doctor's way of handling things. I had to explain to him why I was on the medication I was when I was pg with Princess Magpie. I had to get him to check my blood pressure (considering I have a history of pre-eclampsia that is awful!), I had to get him to weigh me. He forgot to prescribe my prenatal vitamins. He just didn't seem on the ball at all. The only good thing he had going for him is that he listened to me when I called him on his stuff and he even looked it up while I was there and verified that I was right. I guess he will do until I get to see my OB but I am going to have to be on the ball and really aware of everything until then.

Cool site

I love that this site shows how big your baby is by comparing it to food that we can all visualize! Right now my little one is:

Your baby is growing like mad, putting on about a millimeter every day and continuing to straighten out in the trunk. Though you can't feel it yet, baby is moving those little arms, legs and (now only slightly) webbed fingers and toes like crazy.