This Week

The week is almost over. We have had homeschool day camp all week. The kids have had a blast and are worn out. The girls and I have Girl Scouts tonight and the girls have a Girl Scout sleep over tomorrow. I am thinking by Sunday this entire house will be out.

My dads legs are worse, he starts back to wound care Monday. He insists on staying at his house to guard it. So he sleeps in a chair, doesn't eat well and is just a mess on his legs. I need to get him to find a new doctor too. He is great on so many levels except his care. This is a very frustrating thing to watch someone that has always been so independent move to needing care. We deal with this as we do all things, knowledge, patience and faith.

Madelynn has grown very active the last two days. She kicks and moves almost all the time. She is already showing signs of a night owl.

IT'S A GIRL

This was screamed throughout my house today. We found out our newest family member will be a girl. She is due August 18th. Everything looks great.

Seeded vs Seedless

Kate is my youngest, at least until August. She is six years old. The other morning she was up early and chattering about things.

Kate: Mom, do all men have seeds?

Mom: Well I guess if they want to garden the go out and buy them.

Kate: No mom seeds, you know for making babies.

Mom: Ohh seeds. Umm yes they do. (mom is now wondering where this is coming from and if maybe a cup of coffee would be in order)

Kate: Can a man be seedless?

Mom: Well, yes they can I suppose.

Kate: I am going to have any man I marry checked for seeds.

Mom: Kate, I thought you said you weren't going to "have" a baby but adopt.

Kate: I am but I don't want a seedless husband.

Mom: Kate they aren't watermelons. (totally wondering why I got up this morning)

Kids come up with the wildest things. This seemed to have been on her mind for a while. I never even thought about a "seedless" husband. Obviously as we are going on our sixth child he isn't but I never thought about it before.

Spring

With Spring comes eczema for Caleb. The rest get a bit of sniffles, easily handled. The eczema is a different matter. We now must lotion the boy. This involves catching him as he streaks past, one parent holding him while the other greases him up. Caleb's asperger's brings with it the certainty that lotion, creams or any oils will cause great harm to him. I used to sneak in his room and lotion his hands while he was asleep. Now that I am pregnant I never seem to be awake longer than him. I know that must be an easier way but we haven't found it.

Evan on the other hand has slipped back to his previous ocd about traveling. He is doing much better with his homeschooling group but getting to events is an event in itself. First it is several trips to the bathroom, then the please not the freeway speech. We may also have to stop midway for another bathroom stop. I will put up with this as long as he is doing better at reading social cues and getting along with others.

Pregnancy and Puberty

Pregnancy and puberty should not live in a home at the same time. I have come to realize this as I am pregnant and my 12 year old is entering the wonderful world of puberty. It has become a contest to see how many mood swings we can cover in a day.

I am now in my second trimester, yea. The morning sickness, that stuff that lasts 24/7 is now mostly in the evenings. I feel more human and have more energy. The energy part does no bode well for my children. I have the urge to clean the entire house and then do it again. I have gathered no baby stuff, we got rid of all of our baby stuff as we were done with babies. I will probably get to that by the end of my third trimester.

Evan is in his early puberty. The hair and skin still look good but the mood is dark and dreary. He is not the least bit interested in chores and school work. Talking back and girls however have become a new hobby. I thought Andrew was a joy in puberty, no Evan has topped that. Andrew has settled into himself and calmed down. Evan doesn't seem to be comfortable with himself or anyone. I am not sure about a child in puberty with asperger's but oh boy this is no fun. Old worries have come back, fears I thought were gone are back also. We had come so far in traveling and socializing now he prefers to have nothing to do with both.

I have Caleb to look forward to next. His asperger's is a bit harder than Evans. Maybe a cure for puberty will be discovered by then. Hey, I can dream.

Room for one more

We made it through Christmas and New Years. Kids got their gifts and were happy. My dad was pleasant and the husband and I still have our sanity, well most of it. New Years was uneventful. Emma spent New Years at her friends Zoe's. The rest of us stayed up until 11:00 then we gave up and went to bed. I was awakened by kids running in to ask if we had heard the gun shots at midnight, well yea those and fireworks. The boys still fear gun shots due to one New Years when a bullet came through our roof and landed next to our oldest son. That then involved a lot of crying, on the kids part, and screaming.

So for 2008 is looking better. Last year was a hard year on us a lot happened. My dad became ill and was hospitalized and then had to come live with us. My youngest daughter had a close call with a woman in a park trying to take her with her. Never assume your 5 year old will not bolt from you at the first chance and will not then go with a stranger. Our youngest son had the end of his finger removed and reattached in a rather bizarre accident. We had other small but annoying things happen. This lasted up to December 23 when my newly repaired washer proceeded to fill itself for two straight hours. We were bailing water at midnight in a very cold basement. No corner of the downstairs was left dry.

One good thing from last year that will happen this year. We are going to be parents again. Yes a new addition, another rug rat, curtain climber whatever you wish to call them. This is why I have been away from the computer for so long. 24 hour a day sickness has kept me down more. This will make number 6 for us. This made Christmas dinner rather hard, I am not much into meat. We had a wonderful prime rib roast and I could not even look at it. This baby seems to be fine with smoked salmon and some chicken but otherwise meat is a no go.

Now to the name game. My wonderful husband, this was typed sarcastically, thinks we should name the baby with the middle name six. Our last child has the middle name Quinn meaning five. That is not why she got that middle name. I can not for the life of me figure out why he thinks he is funny when I am pregnant. By this time you would think he would have learned to be quiet and avoid eye contact.

Bah Humbug

It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas around here. Fighting, bickering, screaming, deal making and chaos. I don't think I like Christmas, in fact I know I don't, as much as I once did. Five children equals five active volcano's. Oh sure they simmer and smoke quietly until we get down to the last two weeks. Then they explode, spewing chaos everywhere. School is never done around here, we have lessons in everything we do. Right now I am learning about peace talks. They on the other hand are practicing open warfare.

Andrew is trying but still blows steam and spews nonsense. He is now 15 and calming down. He can however be goaded into and argument by Evan or Emma quickly. I have noticed how as Andrew has gotten older his gifts have gotten smaller but more expensive. He will be 16 by next Christmas, I have already told him not to expect a car. Well that's not entirely true, he will get his usual Matchbox car, a family tradition.

Evan is not trying anything but my patience. He forgets his chores mid chore. Argues, with everyone including the dogs it seems. Evan is 12, oh yes the joy of puberty has come to roost here again. Evan is harder to shop for, he is a tween. Still loves to play with toys but more interested in older kids stuff, video games, mp3 players and such.

Caleb, well Caleb is something. He has been trying, and getting better at social interaction. I saw a shirt that was perfect for him the other day, it said "Dear Santa, I was framed.". Caleb is 10, no signs up puberty, but plenty of defiance. Caleb has never been easy to shop for, he will not say what he wants. Santa has never been big with Caleb so no finding out that way. We know he loves Lego's, and any building toys. He also loves chemistry sets and chess boards.

Emma is all about the argument and drama. Should an argument break out mid chore she is very happy. A dramatic moment can be had, she storms up the stairs crying loudly and yelling "Thats it, I am going to my room I am not doing my chores.". This never works but she tries anyhow. Emma is 8 and very sweet most of the time. Emma is still easy to shop for and happy with pretty much anything you give her.

Kate is just Kate. She will fight with anyone in a heartbeat. She tries to help out and do her chores. She sings and dances one minute and slugs and kicks the next. She is our "Katie Kaboom" for good reason. Katie is 5 and enjoying every minute of it. Katie wants a bike this year, that's it that's all, a bike. I have a feeling this will be the only easy year with her.

The closer we get to the big day the more tension mounts. The kids have tried. The pressure seems to be too much. It is cold outside, well cold for Vegas, the kids don't want to go out as much. The tree is too much of a temptation, must move the ornaments around, crawl behind it or under it. This has been a long year and this is the big moment before its done. We have in-laws to dine with Christmas eve then our home for Christmas day.


Now I must go upstairs and finish folding laundry, figure out how to mop the floors and keep kids off of them. Check and make sure the tree is not crooked again. I hope we make it to the big day without a massive blow up, the tree still standing and my sanity at least somewhat on this side of reality.