I rarely ever post anything on here.... for one, I don't know if anyone really reads it anymore. Well, i thought I would give a quick update for those that might still be active on the world of pleo.... Natalie, now almost 7, is doing great in first grade. We are actually about 99% decided that we are going to try homeschooling next year for her. She just hasn't enjoyed school at all this year. She told me a few weeks ago that when she asked her computer lab teacher for help on a math problem, she was apparently told that she was above where she needed to be in math so she didn't need to worry about getting anymore right. I even brought this up to her teacher assistant, and her basic response was that th ere is just some math they don't even cover in first grade... like is wasn't even an option for her to learn more or something. I understand how the school system works.... I've been there. Which is why we think it might be best to pull her out.

Lydia will be starting K this fall. We haven't completely decided if we want to do the homeschooling thing with her, or let her try a year in K. I think she could benefit from a year in a school setting, but we aren't totally convinced. We call her our ADD child... and in some ways I can't imagine trying to teach her at home. I think I would pull my hair my out at the end of the day. I would just love her to have proctice sitting and listening to other adults... with other children. But we'll see.

Jonathan is now 2.... and acting much like a 2 year old. :) He's expressing himself more lately.... and testing his limits. He's a good little toddler and LOVES his cars. He'll play with them for hours a day. He loves to follow his big sisters around and do whatever they are doing. And we just found out that he's going to be a big brother! This came as quite a surprise to us. I had already gotten rid of all my baby things.... I have no maternity clothes.... nothing. So we'll be starting over again in a lot of ways.

The pregnancy is going well so far. Of course, it's just beginning. I'm starting to get the usual nasuea and fatigue. Lydia thinks my belly is already getting bigger. I don't think it is, even though it feels like it already! I guess with #4, your stomach just kid of falls out, huh? I feel like I will be needing maternity clothes in another month or something. We haven't been to the doctor yet, I do next week, but by my estimation the baby will be due around Thanksgiving. I guess I won't be making any holiday plans this year. :)

As far as my own life in concerned... I'm trying to simplify all aspects of my life. We are trying more and more to live the "less is more" mentality. Our house is small, and getting smaller all the time it seems, so I am constantly trying to purge "stuff", and have less stuff taking over our lives. I do not like feeling overwhelmed by things or being controlled by my possessions. This is a constant process. For years, our long term plan was for me to eventually go back to teaching full-time once our kids were in school. Well, with the prospect of homeschooling, and now with #4 on the way, that whole idea is seeming less and less likely. And honestly, I don't want to teach full time. I've been thinking more about doing something I'm passionate about. I really want to become a certified doula. I have looked into workshops and what the qualifications are. I've not aggressively pursuing this right now, but I would like to get started this year.

Well, that's my update for now. I have some anxious children awaiting my attention. Hope the world of pleo is well!!

Okay.... those of you who I see on FB have already seen this picture, but wanted to update it on here, too. It was long overdue! We are keeping very busy with our three little ones. And changes are coming to our household... good changes! After almost 2 years of Daryl being on second shift and me working part-time in the mornings, he has gotten a higher paying position and will be moving to 1st shift starting in May. (yeah!) The day his job was confirmed, I went to my employer and told them I would not be returning from my maternity leave. I'm so thankful to get to be home again with my sweet kids. The last couple of years has been hard on our family. Daryl and I have been tag-teaming being parents and haven't seen much of each other. I'm hoping that once he's on 1st shift, we will have a more normal and structured family life. We've all been on an awful schedule of staying up late and sleeping in way to late ever since Daryl has been working 2nd. So I'm eager to start giving my kids the structure they need... and I need, too!

Also, we are getting ready to get Natalie registered for kindergarten! I can't believe my little girl will be starting school! She is so excited about it, and I think it will be very good for her. She will thrive in that type of environment that I am just not able to give her right now. We weren't sure for a long time if we would be able to send her to K with Daryl being on 2nd shift. It was looking like I would have to homeschool because she would never see her daddy if she were in school all day. But now we will be able to let her go to K. For her, I think she needs to be taught by someone other than myself. She gets impatient and very frustrated when I try to "teach" her. She will really benefit from being accountable to other adults and being with other kids her age. She will attend the same school where I've been working. So I feel like I have a "leg up" as far as knowing what's being taught/who is teaching her, etc. I plan on being a very active parent volunteer.... and I think they will pretty much expect as much from me seeing as I'm a teacher. :)

Jonathan is such a sweet baby! He is smilng a lot now and even trying to laugh. He's starting to sleep longer stretches at night, which is nice. I haven't been rigid about a routine for him because none of the rest of us are doing well with that right now. I figured once we are on a "normal" schedule, I will start getting all the kids on a better sleep routine.

Well, I haven't been very productive yet today, so I need to get some things done. I would appreciate any of you sharing a family schedule/routine that you have established. I don't want to be really rigid about it, but I need to be more disciplined with my time and more devoted to doing family bible lessons with the kids and teaching them to do more chores around the house. Oh, and I need good ideas for a chore chart, too. My girls are 4 and 3. They can be very helpful, and I know I'm not making them do enough around the house. What kind of system do you have in place with your kids? I'd love some suggestions! Thanks!

So far Jonathan is doing beautifully fitting into our little family. The house suddenly feels smaller, but I guess that's to be expected. So far, I have to say that adjusting to 3 kids has been far more easier than going from 1 to 2. I know the age difference of the girls made it more challenging.... and this time I have two girls that are able to help and do things for themselves. Natalie has been the ideal big sister. It has been so neat to see how she's reacting to him since she wasn't old enough to really understand what was going on when Lydia was born. If she catches him watching her, she will commentate everything she is doing. She wants to read to him and sing. I was explaining to her last night that babies at this age don't understand the difference between day and night.. that they sleep whenever they want. She suggested that we find a book about the planets, stars, and sun so that we could show him what day and night is. She was absolutely determined to find a book on creation. So we read him a book, all the while, she explained to him all about the things God made. So sweet.

Lydia has taken on the role as the "paci getter." She believes that if he makes a noise, he MUST have his paci! She just swoons over him telling me how cute he is. She has been very gentle and easy with him. I think my being away at the hospital has made her more clingy. She hasn't wanted to go to Bible class, and has been upset by me going to the store or something without her.

Jonathan has been such a good baby so far. He doesn't love sleeping in his bassinet... seems to prefer sleeping with mommy... but other than that, he's pretty calm and laid back. He's pretty content to just hang out in his bouncy seat and look around. I don't remember either of the girls being able to just lay there for as long as he does without crying. Sometimes he'll just fall asleep where I've put him down. I have enough experience to know that things could change tomorrow... but, he definately has a calm disposition. I'm really trying to cherish all of his babyhood since we are planning on this being our last baby. He has been a perfect completion to our family. I feel so blessed to have him!

Well, the girls are getting antsy to go outside and play in the snow. I think they like to go outside so they can come inside and get hot chocolate. :) They know what's good!

I know it's been forever since I've posted anything. I finally have something "post-worthy". We welcomed our third child into the world early Sunday morning at 4:31am... (our first boy!). His name is Jonathan Luke. He weighed 9lbs, 1 oz., 20 inches long. We are both doing great. It was a very fast birth! It wasn't until about 2am that I started having consistent contractions that I had to actually think about. We checked into the hospital around 3:10am, and which point I was 8-9 cm dialated. And he was born at 4:31am. I pushed for about 2-3 min. I never would have thought things would go SO fast... especially considering I labored with Lydia for about 25 hrs and pushed for 2 1/2. I am so thankful things went quickly.

Please keep us in your prayers as we adjust to being a family of 5!

I had a touch of something this weekend. My temp never got higher than just a little above 100... at which point I started taking Tylenol to keep it down not wanting it to get too high since I'm pregnant. My fever never got really high. Although still very stuffy, I otherwise feel fine. Well, then Daryl started getting sick. Started the same way.... accept his temp has climbed to 103. We went to an urgent care tonight, and he has a confirmed case of the flu. Doctor said it was most likely swine flu. We both looked at each other in surprised because although he feels bad, he doesn't feel HORRIBLY bad like you would think with the flu. So now he's doped up on IBProfen and Tamiflu.

So now I'm left feeling very confused about what I had. I THOUGHT I made HIM sick. But I didn't get nearly as sick. So did I already have a touch of the swine flu and just didn't get that sick? Or does he have something totally different and now I'm really at risk at getting the same thing? I can't help but think that I must of had a touch of it because it seems like more often than not when I get something, he will end up getting it a lot worse. I am taking prenatal vitamins... and he's not taking anything. It would be really nice to know if I did have the a touch of the flu, then I would be worrying so much about getting the full fledge flu. Well, anyway... I'm just rambling.

Tomorrow I'm off of work for Veteran's Day, but I don't think that day will be used to do anything really fun. Looks like I will be nursing my sick hubby. He's been off work this week, and I'm not sure he'll be well enough to go in at all. We'll just have to wait and see. I figured I'll be calling my OB and the girls' doctor to see if the rest of us need to get on Tamiflu. Being sick is just never fun for the family. It just plain stinks. And today was such a wet, dreary, and rainy day. I will be thankful when we all return to full health and get back to "normal." :)

BTW, I still need boy name suggestions!!