Romantic Activity

by sarahmfry, January 26, 2009
I made the mistake on Sunday at dinner of telling David across the table that I think I may have seen some "Romantic Activity" between the dogs and that we'd better watch them close because Mya may be "ready to go" soon.

Sometimes it's obnoxious to have sharp and attentive children. Kayla's little ears perked up and she started asking questions, wanting me to fill in the missing information. We have a pretty open philosophy about teaching the facts of life around here, and she knows quite a bit. I told her that I thought Mya might be able to get pregnant soon. That wasn't enough. This kid always pushes you past the 6-year-old answers that you're comfortable enough and makes you squirm. I didn't feel like delving into it in front of my father-in-law, brother-in-law and dingy and giggly but curious 4-year-old. So I just gave that age old cop-out....

"I'll explain it to you later, Dear."

The moral of the story? Never tell your husband at the dinner table that you saw "romantic activity" between your dogs.

Never forget that wise piece of advice.

First Baby Visit

by sarahmfry, January 26, 2009
I finally got to my first OB appointment. It was amazing how many setbacks I seemed to have actually getting there. (I chose Witham, by the way, for all of you ladies who have given me advice for about a year and a half on who to go to around here!) I love my doctor, and she came up with an excuse to give me an early ultrasound. Love it when docs do that. Baby #4 looks curled and cozy. Caiden and Karissa were not impressed with the ultrasound picture. Kayla thought it was pretty cool. Don't have the picture to scan now, because it's hanging in David's office at school.

Official due date: July 31st.

I've had some improvement in my exhaustion and nausea, too! Not entirely gone, but I definetely have good days now. What a relief to be dug out from under the Holidays mountain!

I think Caiden is finally catching on that there's something going on about a baby. He just can't figure out what. He's rooted around in my shirt trying to find the baby, then came up with some story about swallowing it. (How else would one get a baby in one's tummy?)

I think we're all going to be very impatient waiting for this kid. We're already missing it, and talking about where it will sit and where we'll fit it around the bed during prayer time and where it will fit when we're all cuddled up together. It's a good thing we've got a nutso-busy summer. Maybe that will help the time pass.

From the Shelf :: Reading List - 2009

in , by sarahmfry, January 18, 2009


Who is Hiding: Under the Sea (Who is Hiding)
Who is Hiding Under the Sea?  A Lift-the-flap Board Book.  2001 Grandreams Inc. illustrated by David crossley

Big Trucks (Explorer, First, Ladybird)
Big Trucks. Ladybird First Explorers

Insects Do the Strangest Things
 By leonora and Arthur Hornblow


Read and Learn With Classic Stories.  Grade 1.  McGraw-Hill Children's Publishing (collection)

Kayla:


Pony Pals: Super Special #1 - The Baby Pony.  by Jeanne Betancourt



Pony Pals:  #8 - Good-bye Pony. by Jeanne Betanourt (Lib)

By the way....

by sarahmfry, January 10, 2009
We have lots & lots more pictures from our N. Ireland trip. (around 1500 or so). I put in the general skeleton of what we did each day, and David added a few pictures below...

But we have jumped back into real life, and I'm afraid the story was not told very well. Sorry.

I'd love to tell the rest of the lovely story of our days with De and Mark....But no promises. Energy is being seriously rationed these days.

I do miss them already - so much.

I just made my first pavlova (delectable Irish fruit-and-meringue dessert). It's HUGE! I had no idea it would double in size. Maybe I'll take a picture of the finished product. I have so much more about the food I wanted to tell you. But like I said....energy rations.

Water, Mommy?

by sarahmfry, January 10, 2009
End of very, very rough day.

Girls in bed. Daddy gone late. Bubba in bed with me because of a late nap and noisy wiggles that would keep the room in an uproar.

Sick, exhausted, and cranky Mommy trying desperately to get to sleep. Bubba has more wiggles than his tiny 2-year-old body can hold.

Finally, I set it to him straight.

"Mommy is sick. I'm tired. And you're going to have to settle down so I can get some rest. Move over, lay still, and let me sleep. You can rub my back if you want to. "

He likes the idea to expend his energy and help the mother he loves.

"Okay. Scoot ovuh, Mommy." He makes a nest and tries to scratch my back, but realizes it's hard to scratch a back when you're laying down. I start to fade into beautiful oblivion. I feel him rustle, vaguely hear him ask me if I want some water. I don't respond. My back is to him.

Next thing I know, he's HANDING me a drink - with the water bottle upside down!

The little, sweet booger poured half a bottle of water ON MY HEAD!

I scream and jump up as the cold water soaks my head, my hair, my pillow, my sheets.

"Bubby, WHY did you do that?!"

(in shock) "I just try give water, Mommy!" "I just try water!" "I can clean it up!"

He grabs a tiny shred of tissue and starts dabbing at the wet mess on my pillow.

I stop his efforts, tell him it's okay......And my heart melts. I'm still wet and cold and mildly irritated, but I hug and love this little bundle who tried so hard to help mommy feel better.

I feel pretty loved. Wet...but loved.

For the love of air

by sarahmfry, January 10, 2009
Kids are being silly on my bed. I hear from the other room a very loud, very hard crash. I wait patiently as the wails begin to see which child will appear around the corner.

The wails belong to Karissa, who holds her tummy and presents her banged elbow for kisses. I kiss and coo awhile. She continues to hold her tummy and sobs..."It makes me want to not breave, it hurts so bad!"

"Well, then why don't you just stop breaving for awhile?"

(through sincere sobs) "I CAN'T!......I love to breave!"

Trip to Northern Ireland

by sarahmfry, January 03, 2009
(NOTE - Trip updates are posted below in order to keep them chronological. We have added some pictures but there are more to come.)
I'm sitting at the kitchen table in my sister's adorable home in Northern Ireland. Thanks to a generous skymiles donation, David and I were able to come for a holiday visit. I thought you might like to follow along!

Mark just got home from physical therapy and I need to go fix myself up and get ready to leave. We're off to get a traditional "Fry" for breakfast. I can't remember what's included in this unique dish. I'll have to tell you later. I do know one thing - I won't be trying the "brown pudding" (blood pudding).

N. Ireland - Day One, Friday

by sarahmfry, January 02, 2009
It all started on a dark and foggy night......

And that's why our trip took THREE DAYS!

It was hard saying goodbye to the kids at the airport. They did great. I cried when they walked away, of course. I believe in leaving your kids. It helps them to be secure. But 11 days is a l-o-n-g time. We're so grateful to David's parents and our parents for keeping the kids during our trip.

Because of the extreme fog, our flight out of Indy was delayed about 2 hours. Unfortunately, that got us unto Atlanta too late to catch our transatlantic flight to Dublin. So we were stuck in Atlanta for about 24 hours. We got a fantastic priceline deal online for a hotel for the night and got a good night's rest instead of sleeping in the airport.

N. Ireland - Day 2, Saturday

by sarahmfry, January 01, 2009
ATLANTA - 24 hour layover

We slept in, enjoyed a yummy free breakfast, then headed back to the airport to catch the Metra (train) into the city. We had visited Atlanta with the kids a couple of years back, but we enjoyed spending the day visiting again.

Lennox Mall (Buckhead area)- I traded my cute airplane shoes for some good walking shoes and we had lunch.

Arts district - saw Symphony hall & the High Museum of Art, walked through a quaint old neighborhood with grand homes.

Caught the bus down Peachtree to

Peachtree Center - purchased a pack of Rolos, then continued walking past

Bum park and chess park (where an enormous amount of the city homeless men hang out, checkout chess boards and play chess at a speed that will blow your mind) It's the only place we've ever been where they almost make being homeless look fun.

Then on to The Underground - they've actually built the city streets above the old town. So below the street, there's an underground street and city with stores and restaurants. It was much more crowded this time than our last visit.

Curb cry - My pregnancy hormones suddenly arrested me, and I stopped for a brief cleansing cry on the curb. Then we borded the Metra again to return back to the

Airport - Our flight to Dublin, Ireland left around 8:20 - 24 hours after our scheduled departure. We met some neet people in line at the flight gate. One man was an organizer for a Messiah performance at St. Peter's Cathedral in Dublin. He saw my violin and we got to talking. He invited me to play for the gig and gave me his contact information just in case.

Flight - The flight itself was a mixed experience. I've been on many, many domestic flights. But there was an entirely different feeling settling in for an 8 hour transatlantic flight. We got to the know the travelers on either side of us. The lady to our left was an Irish lady who has lived in Texas for about 18 years. The man to our left was a homosexual deeply involved in ministry at his Methodist church in Atlanta. He and David had some deep religious conversation much of the flight. The meal was an experience all its own. Not fantastic, but a fun experience. They turned off the cabin lights, but the dear lady behind me kept her reading light on and shining brightly into my seat the whole night! And another dear couple had a young daughter who screamed and wailed for hours through the night. Add to that pregnancy nausea and a spilled water cup. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well.
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