Sleeping Boys (almost)

Last night when I went in to check on the boys this is what I found...

Wilson still awake reading on the top bunk and...

Holden and Josef snuggled up, and fast asleep. A couple of months ago, Josef was having a hard time all alone in his room. He started sleeping with Holden, and the two have been happy ever since! They are sleeping on a full size bed, but every night they sleep this close or closer to each other. I adore their brotherly love!

Neurofeedback

Wilson unfortunately inherited my difficult of falling asleep. When he was a toddler, I could hear him in his crib gibbering to himself for about 45 minutes until he would fall asleep. This past year Fall it has been even more difficult for him. I learned about neurofeedback from a friend that had utilized the treatment for her son with ADHD. It is the process of retraining the brain. In the Fall, Ken and I decided to try it for Wilson's sleep challenges. He had two treatments, and it has really helped him fall asleep quickly. The last two weeks he has struggled again, so last night we went in for another treatment. Last night he was sleep with in 15 minutes of turning off his reading light, what a blessing!

I have struggled all my life with falling asleep, it is so FRUSTRATING! I am so grateful we have found a way to help Wilson without medication. Neurofeedback is not covered by insurance, but some day I hope that I can go too:)

This is a link to the clinic that we go to http://www.intralifeperformance.com/ . I know several people that have really been helped by this treatment.

Valentine's Day

Our Valentine's Day was a little slow getting started, but it had a good finish. Wilson & Holden were both so exited to get their valentine's ready for their friends at school, and have their parties. I did make heart shaped sandwiches for lunch...

We had a yummy dinner together!

The Valentine's Day scavenger hunt was a big hit!

Chocolate cake and ice cream ended the day!

Wilson turned 7!

I can't believe that my sweet Wilson is 7, but he is! His day started out early (pretty excited of course), he and I went to get bagels for breakfast. He opened his presents, LEGO Star Wars pjs and shirt, Boba Fett LEGO alarm clock (not that he needs it, he just wanted it), and the big hit...TIN TIN wii game.

He wanted a red velvet cake, like we had for Aunt Becky's birthday, so we made a Costco run right at 9:30am.

He got to take Holden, Keaton, and his friend Isaac to Boondocks. We had pizza, and they played laser tag twice, go carts, and lots of games! We had some family over for cake and ice cream to end that day!

My personal favorite thing of the day was watching Holden drive the go carts. He was last out of the gates, and was totally content to move along at his own pace. He could barely seen over the stirring wheel, but was totally loving it! Oh, how that little boy can make me smile!

It is a GIrl!

Like I said before, this pregnancy is a total surprise! I have felt a lot different this pregnancy this time, than the other three. I have been more sick (nausea) than I ever have, probably longer this time than all the other three put together. Smells have bothered me tremendously. The smell of fabric softener, air freshener, perfume, soap, lotion (really anything I enjoyed before) has been a real problem...gagging, headache, and wanting to throw up!
Ken and I really thought we were finished having children, in October we gave away the last of the baby stuff. All the clothes and blankets (even the ones we both adored) were given away. Everything except an infant car seat, crib, and high chair are gone (which now I am very grateful we still have!) Thanksgiving weekend I really didn't feel right, I decided to just put my mind at ease I would take a pregnancy test. The test popped positive immediately! Ken and I were both shocked. I made an appointment with a doctor immediately, because I was out of thyroid medication, and I knew being pregnant I needed a new prescription ASAP. I got into an OB/GYN that next week. I got my thyroid tested, and had an ultrasound. I still didn't really think I was pregnant until I saw the little heart beating on the screen. It still took awhile to sink on, and become reality.
I have a different OB/GYN this time, because my last doctor stopped performing labor and delivery right after Josef was born. It really stinks having a new doctor on my fourth pregnancy, and I really miss Dr. Hinson (and I think Ken misses her more than I do!)
This entire pregnancy I have felt like it is a girl. It has been a real struggle, because I didn't want to get my hopes up, and then find out it was another boy (yes, another boy would have been fine, but I really wanted to have a daughter). I don't have any sisters, and the relationship I have with my mom is one that I treasure, and I really wanted to have that with a daughter of my own. The people that have found out that I am pregnant have all responded this is your girl. Of course, that was my hope, but I really didn't want to get hopes up! I found out from my doctor that he didn't want me to have an ultrasound for another 5 weeks, I decided to go to accuscan at Gateway Mall, and that is what we did on Friday! I have been so relieved to find out that my feelings were correct, and that we really are going to have a little girl.
The few friends that have known, up to this point, have been really excited to find out what we are having too! My cute friend, Amy, ran to the store right after I texted her, and bought all the pink stuff she could find. When I pulled in the driveway from picking up the kids at school, there she was with a big bag of pink to celebrate! I am grateful for the good friends that I have!
This might be TMI, but too bad, this is the closet thing to a journal I have, so if you don't want to know, don't read it:)

A BIG Announcement

Drum roll please...we are having a baby girl! She is due to arrive on July 21, 2012! The boys are adjusting to the thought that there could (and now will) be a girl in our family (besides me, of course!) This has been a big surprise for us, but the best things in life are a surprise, right? We thought that our family was complete, but we were wrong!

3D image of the little girl at 17 weeks, she has her little arms up behind just like her big brothers!

Her cute profile!

Oh, the Life...

Josef has not being consistent with a nap in months. Every afternoon, I try to get him to lay down, and watch a movie. This afternoon he fell asleep to The Rescuers. Bernard and Ms. Bianca hadn't even made it on the plane yet! He is so sweet when he sleeps!

Family Update

I don't know where the month of January went but...it is now gone! January, like the end of December, has been a whirlwind of the sickies, Wilson had strep throat, and the rest of us have had a yuckie cold. I am hoping that February is much nicer to us health wise!

Ken celebrated his 40th birthday! We had fun night out with Eric & Heidi, and Bart & Shell at Mikado. It was fun to get out with just adults, which none of us do enough! Evan babysat the boys, I can't believe he is old enough to do that, but he is! I am sure we will be using him often!

The boys finally got to play in some snow! It has been such a mild winter...I am not complaining!

Wilson finished another successful term in First grade. It is getting a little harder to get him to do his homework, but he does it. He is a great speller, and consistently gets 100% plus his challenge words.

Holden loves preschool, and playing with LEGOs. He is funny and entertaining as always.

Josef is Josef! He keeps himself busy getting into trouble. He loves to fill the toilets with toilet paper, play in the sinks and bathtubs (with water of course), turn off the power to the TV while his brothers are watching it, and play with his brothers! He has started sleeping in the big boys room, and loves sharing a full size bed with Holden. They are so cute together at night, all cuddled up together with their blankets, stuffed animals, and pillow pets! They love to chat, and frequently get in trouble for not falling asleep.

Josef wanting a picture with a necklace on....

I will try and do better at keeping the blog updated in February!