Here we go again...

This may not be our first rodeo, but I assure you it will be our last, so we're ready to hang on and enjoy the ride!  

I found out I was pregnant on July 15, early on a Sunday morning.  We have been trying for quite some time and I kept telling myself I wasn't going to take a test until I had reason to believe I may actually be pregnant.  But each month my impatience would win over and the day I knew a test would be accurate I'd go ahead and take one so as not to be left under a cloud of uncertainty any longer.  So I've taken many, many negative pregnancy tests in past months.  That's the only reason I even believed the faint result of a test from the Dollar Tree (hey, I was taking them too often to buy the fancy kind!), because by now I KNOW what a negative test looks like and this one was different.  I laid awake in bed for nearly two hours after that, mostly just praying.  Michael's alarm finally went off to get ready for church, and then I told him.  It was a happy morning.  We left later that afternoon for Jupiter.  For the past 6 weeks I've just tried to stay busy and keep my mind off the fact I'm pregnant... I didn't want to get too excited or attached until I saw the ultrasound and knew the pregnancy would "stick."  It got a little more difficult to keep my mind off it for the past three weeks because I've been really sick!  I thought surely my kids were going to figure it out since I kept saying I didn't feel well and Anna Kate kept asking why I was always lying down.  But apparently I give them too much credit, because even after all the signs, they were completely clueless last night when we sat them down to give them the news! 

We had our appointment yesterday morning.  I'm 9 1/2 weeks and my official due date is March 26, but the doctor said I'll most likely deliver between 37 and 38 weeks as I have with the other three.  Everything looked great and Michael and I both let out a huge sigh of relief when we saw it was only ONE baby in there!  We were both beyond ready to tell the kids!  We videotaped it... it was cute.  I kept trying to prompt them, asking them why they thought I'd been saying I didn't feel well and why I was sleeping so much.  Anna Kate just said, "Because your tummy hurts."  And Carigan said, "Mommy, your tummy is sleeping!"  Since they weren't figuring it out, I walked over and picked up the ultrasound photos (and Wesley and Anna Kate both KNOW what an ultrasound photo is), so at that moment I thought it would finally register.  Not so much... I held it up and said, "Do you know what this is?"  Wesley said, "Me."  Seriously, still not catching on AT ALL.  I finally said, "No, it's your new baby brother or sister."  You can actually see the light start to come on with Wesley watching the video... his slow change of expressions is priceless.  He finally got a word out - "REALLY??"  And then Wesley and Anna Kate both started squealing and running around (and AK started spanking her bottom, which is her ultimate display of enthusiasm).  Carigan soon followed suit with the squealing and the jumping but I had to clarify with her why we were celebrating.  The celebrations continued for quite awhile... they were singing, "Baby! Baby! Baby!"

Watching the video Michael took on his phone of us telling them... They think they're hilarious! 

After dinner and baths the kids Skyped with Mimi and Grandpa and with Uncle Fluffy to tell them their big news.  This is actually the first time we've even Skyped from home - Michael just got us set up.  They held up the photo and Carigan kept saying, "I want to tell you something!" until they'd say, "What?" and then she'd exclaim, "Mommy has a baby in her tummy!"  Then she'd go back to Step 1 and keep repeating, "I want to tell you something!"  And again the news would be, "Mommy has a baby in her tummy!"  Again and again...  At this point I'd had all the excitement I could take so I sneaked off to my room to rest for a minute... next thing I knew I rolled over and it was 10 p.m. and Michael had already put the kids to bed.  Oops.  We'll let the kids make some more phone calls today for fun, but having them out on the loose at school today means our secret is NOT a secret anymore, so I figured I'd better go ahead and make our official announcement.  All the kids have been so sweet.  From the moment they woke up this morning, each one of them has been hugging on me, loving on my tummy, putting an ear to my belly and declaring they hear the baby.  Carigan keeps lifting my shirt and saying, "Mommy, can you open it?"   

Praising God for this truly undeserved gift... Michael and I have always dreamed of having a family of six, with four healthy, hilarious children.  We're just overwhelmed that God has brought us to this place and fulfilled what has long been the desire of our hearts.  Great is His faithfulness!

Back to School!

Oh Happy Day!!!  I LOVE back to school!  My little social butterflies NEED as much adult attention and social interaction as humanly possible, and school serves their needs much better than being stuck in a house with two siblings and only one mom to provide a listening ear and an attentive audience.  I'm sure the day will come when watching my kids go off to school will be tinged with sadness, but right now it's still pretty much the best thing ever.  I love that all of my kids love school and have been SO excited about starting!  Back to school was a slow burn this year... three consecutive orientations and three consecutive first days.  Parent orientation for all three kids was the evening of August 16, Wesley's birthday.  Michael's parents were still here so we had free babysitting ~ Woohoo!  We only made it to half of Carigan's orientation at the preschool before having to dash to LCS, where we stopped in Anna Kate's class to get her folder but then skipped out in favor of Wesley's 1st grade orientation (since this is my 3rd year in a row having a kindergartner at LCS, I think I got that one down!).  I was very excited that Anna Kate's very best friend Isabella Cano is in her class, and Wesley's new class is also full of many of his best friends.  Could not be happier!  Friday morning was Wesley's student orientation.  He has been SO excited about being in Mrs. Palm's class, because his best friend Will from his first year of Kindergarten had Mrs. Palm last year, and Wes has been anxiously awaiting following in his footsteps!  Mrs. Palm had a little treat for Wesley since his birthday had been the day before.

 

Kindergarten student orientation wasn't until Tuesday, but that was also Carigan's first day of school and I wasn't sure we'd make it, so after meeting Mrs. Palm, we stopped by Anna Kate's classroom to see if her teachers were there.  They were, and the kids got a kick out of having the whole classroom and the teachers' attention all to themselves!  I could not be more excited about Anna Kate's teachers this year - not only does she have Mrs. Latimer (who Wesley had last year), but Mrs. Latham is her helper this year!  Mrs. Latham was Mrs. Stubblefield's helper when Wesley had her two years ago, and we truly became good friends.  I almost cried when I walked into orientation and Julie told me she was with Karen this year!  Anna Kate truly has the dream team this year!  -BELOW- Wesley kicked off our parade of first-days on Monday, August 20th.  Daddy praying with Wesley before walking out the door for his big first day of 1st grade!  

The traditional 1st-day-of-school pic by the front door...

I usually take the kids to school on their first day, but I had to take Carigan to her orientation that same morning and we were informed parents should not linger for long in 1st grade, so I asked Wes if he was okay with Daddy taking him and he said yes.  Michael was texting me photos from his phone the whole time though.  Now instead of going to the Kindergarten playground when he arrives, Wesley gets to go to the 1st grade playground when he arrives - Big stuff!  Here the kids are lining up to head into their classrooms.  Wesley is so happy that Hyatt is in his class!

Mrs. Palm had told us that she wouldn't be there for the first few hours on the first day, because she flew to New York over the weekend to get her college freshman daughter settled.  She took the earliest flight she could back to Florida Monday morning, but she was still a few hours late.  So instead of Mrs. Palm, the kids were greeted by Mrs. O'Byrne, the elementary principal.  All the kids love Mrs. O'Byrne and I'm sure it was very reassuring for them to be welcomed by a familiar face.  Michael said Luci asked Wesley first about his summer, and he immediately started telling her about his trip to Kentucky and Tennessee.  I love how he's sitting up so straight and proper in his chair - he's taking this 1st grade business seriously!  And once again, he sits next to Grace Rodda.  :o) I told him he will probably be sitting next to Grace for the next 12 years - just like I (being a Rhodes) sat next to Phillip Patterson in nearly every class from 5th grade through graduation!

Meanwhile, I loaded up the girls and headed to Carigan's student orientation at the preschool.  She was SO excited about all the toys!  -BELOW- Carigan with our beloved Miss Bah-bwah.  I spent the whole morning marveling at the fact that Carigan is big enough to be in Miss Barbara's 2-year-old class, since Anna Kate was in Miss B's 2-year-old class when Carigan was born!  In fact, Barbara was watching both Wesley & Anna Kate at the preschool while I was giving birth - we had told her we may be late picking them up that day.  :o)  This truly feels like coming full circle!

Carigan did not want to leave - it took a long time to coax her out of the classroom, and even then the only was I was able to convince her was to promise to let her play on the playground for a few minutes! 

-BELOW- First Day of School #2:  Tuesday, August 21st - Carigan's first day of school EVER!  I know that's supposed to be a boy backpack, but she has always been our monkey and it just fit her - at least I sewed a bow on it!  :o)  I could have chosen from many of the girl designs, like the ladybug or the butterfly, but nothing says Carigan like MONKEY.

Miss Barbara's helper Miss Susan had jury duty on the first day, so guess who got to fill in... Miss Jacquie!  Miss Barbara and her daughter Marybeth watched Carigan while Michael and I went to Bible camp with Wesley & Anna Kate last month, so between Barbara & Jacquie, Carigan did not bat an eyelash when I left her!  She had a GREAT first day!  And last but not least, Anna Kate started Kindergarten on Wednesday, August 22 (Aunt Erin's birthday!).  None of the kids wanted to be left out of the picture:
 

My big Kindergarten girl!  Anna Kate and Isa practically knocked each other down hugging when they both arrived for their first day of Kindergarten.  SO excited that they get to be in the same class.  In all three states I lived in growing up, we always lived in a smaller suburb and drove into a larger city for church, so I never once had a good friend from church that also went to my school.  It would have been the ultimate dream for me - I'm SO excited for Anna Kate!

Saying goodbye to Anna Kate... clearly she's really upset I'm leaving.  ;o)  As I was heading out the door, Mrs. Latimer looked up and noticed that half of the parents that had just left were hovering outside the classroom peering in through the windows.  Karen & Julie laughed and remarked that it was like being in a fish bowl before telling all the kids to turn and wave at their parents.  So funny.

I'd only been home for a couple of hours with Carigan when it became apparent that I'm going to miss having those extra sets of eyes around here... happy they're in school, but I'm already missing my informants!  At least she'll be in school on Tuesday and Thursday mornings ~ which henceforth shall be known as "The Golden Hours." 

Wesley's Seven Year Portraits

My boy in 7th Heaven...

Thanks to some expert target marketing and incessant commercials, Wesley decided nearly a year ago that his 7th birthday party would be at Chuck E. Cheese.  We rolled back into town just in time to throw him a party the day before school orientations.  Many of his friends were out of town enjoying the last days of summer, but all of his best friends were able to make it so he hardly seemed to notice it was a small crowd.  I could have filled all the empty spots with the many, many girls his age at church, but every birthday Wesley has had up to this point has been more girls than boys... this time I was determined to make it a boy party for him!  Four of his best buds came and we let Anna Kate bring a friend as well.  Wes had a big time.

The first thing Wesley did was drag his chair to the head of the table... he is ALL about this birthday boy business!  -BELOW- Carigan chomping down on the LEGO brick chocolates we made for the party.

You know she's having fun when you can spot the tonsils!  I love it when they ride this because I have a very clear memory of riding this exact same thing at Chuck E Cheese when I was 3 or 4. 

-BELOW- Wesley's crew ~ Jacob, Hyatt, Reece and Will.  I did not notice that Will was upset until I finished snapping several pictures.  Apparently he had asked for a drink and I guess he thought I was snubbing him... poor guy!

Receiving his much-awaited crown... Anna Kate had her party at Chuck E. Cheese when she turned three and her crown and medal have been prized possessions in the house for years!  Wes could not WAIT to get his hands on his own!  Raymond the birthday host and Chuck E Cheese were dancing and jiving and putting on a big show, and all the kids just stared off into space for the most part... thinking we were their most underwhelming audience ever!  I couldn't get any of them to get up and dance.  Not even Anna Kate.  

Wesley's #7 LEGO minifigure cake... his cakes are getting less and less attractive as he's getting more and more opinionated about exactly how he wants his cake every year!  Already missing the days when I had full decision-making power.  :o)  -BELOW- Wes sportin' his birthday medal (which he immediately gave a place of honor next to his baseball medals and graduation medals when we got home).  

I'm pretty sure this is the whole entire reason Wesley wanted to have his party at Chuck E. Cheese... the Ticket Blaster.  They advertise this thing like the Fountain of Youth all over youth programming, and the only way you can get in the Ticket Blaster is to be the birthday kid at a Chuck E Cheese birthday party.  Wesley went in for Anna Kate two years ago when she was too scared, but back then he had never heard of it.  This time he'd spent a full year in anticipation!!  They heavily advertise on commercials that there is a card for 1,000 tickets in there.  Wes had his little heart set on it.  You could see it sitting there on the floor before the cyclone started, but then he could never find it.  Instead of giggling and grabbing the whole time like he did two years ago, he stood frozen, deep in concentration the entire 30 seconds trying to spot it.  I have to admit my heart was a little crushed when he didn't get it, but he didn't get upset, even though I could tell he was very disappointed.  Way to build up that one 1,000 ticket card SO HUGE, Chuck E. Cheese!  But he did catch a couple of 100 ticket cards in his crown and some other odds and ends, and he ended up being able to redeem about 400 tickets worth, and he was excited about that. 

I tried the whole party to get a picture of Kerrigan with Carigan and this is the closest I got!  One was always on the run or looking away.  They have missed each other since wrapping up Kindermusik and Bible study (when they got to play together in the nursery).  The only picture I got with my boy all day was in the Chuck E. Cheese photo booth:

My little monkey climbed all the way to the top by herself multiple times in a row.  -BELOW- Michael taking on Marianne in the official family sport.

Anna Kate loved making cards with her picture on them and was sure to make one for every parent & grandparent and one for each & every friend.  Wesley had a great birthday party and the best part was that we got it out of the way the day before his actual birthday so on the 16th Mommy got to just sit back and enjoy her birthday boy!  And I don't have to plan another birthday party until January.  Woo-hoo!!