Sometimes Vahn can be so much like his father it’s scary.  Sometimes he completely amazes me and leaps out that box.

We were driving home after cleaning the church.  It was just the boys because Cozette was at Grandma’s for the weekend.  The boys helped a lot and were really good.  Kevin asked them what kind of a treat they wanted.  Chandlur sitting in the very back “hhhmmm”.  Vahn immediately pipes up, very excitedly I might add, “SALAD!!”.  Kevin and I exchanged glances.  Trying not to laugh I said, “Vahn you want salad for a treat?”.  Enthusiastically, “YEAH!”  I thought we were going to get in an accident because Kevin was laughing so hard.  That kid always has us laughing whether he means to or not.  When we got home sure enough, he still wanted salad so we made him one and he happily ate it.  How can you deny a kid when they want to eat their veggies?

I know I haven’t written in awhile.  This little one in my belly is causing a  severe case of lethargy and a mild case of nausea.  The dishes don’t get done every day as they usually do, the laundry has been known to sit on the couch an extra day before being folded, and the kids have been loving chicken nuggets.  Thank goodness they like veggies and salad!

Life has been humming along.  As of last week I have begun my many doctor visits.  I had my normal ob visit and my first with the perinatalogist.  We talked about what the protocol will be for my treatment.  He said somethings have changed in the last 3 1/2 years.  I will probably only have to have one cordosyntesis at 32 weeks instead of one also around 20-24 weeks.  That brought a smile to my face because that procedure freaks me out.  I knew NAIT was rare, however I don’t think it really sank in.  He told me he has treated 6 women with this in the last 20 years, and 3 of those were while he was at university!  He is supposed to be a specialist too!  It hit me how rare this really is.  I was reading some material from a yahoo group I am a part of.  Not until the mid/late 80’s was there much successful work done on this condition.  Reading the reports was very sobering.  I didn’t realize how new this treatment and recognition of NAIT is.  Just one generation back and I would only have one child with my other kids dying soon after birth.  I couldn’t imagine my life without a house full of kids.

On a lighter note, I will be having “the” ultrasound on January 7th along with the usual appointment.  I have to go back on the 8th for my visit with the perinatologist.  We are going to nail down the exact protocol.  We are pretty sure what it will be but he wants to check the medical journals so he has the most updated info.  Also I started feeling a little bean movement at the end of week 16 (about a week and half ago)!

My kids think Crystal Light (of which they have just been poured) is juice and Quaker granola bars are candy bars. I get teased at how healthy we are here…i have never bought Caprisuns or Sunny Delight. Cany happens during holidays (and Halloween, some of which we still are consuming), bribes to potty train, and treasure hunts. When the kids get hungry between meals and snacks, they grab some carrots. Red, yellow, and orange peppers are some of their favorite foods and don’t blink at eating broccoli. We think our youngest is going to be a tree hugging, animal loving, vegatarian because the only meat he eats 100% is fish, chicken once in awhile, and for the times we do have cows for dinner he won’t eat any of it. The part that makes me laugh the most, they love black coffee and coffee beans. When i make my daily coffee (decaf of course), many times they ask for a bean and volunteer to take my cup to the counter to drink the drops in the bottom.
Now, if only i can convince my hubby not to love me with food…..i joke he keeps me fat so no one else will want me:) My weight has been a lifetime struggle. i was always the chubby kid even though i ate less (mom was our portion control) than my 4 other siblings, we didn’t have video games, nor were we allowed to watch much boob tube. In my teen years i ate much less than my counter parts and yet, was still always the chubby friend. All the walking to/from school and to my job, you would think i’d be a toothpick. In my early twenties i hunkered down, ate perfectly and worked out 1-2 hours 6 days a week. I was almost down to my goal, and guess what? The stick had 2 pink lines. i gained 40 pounds with my first and haven’t been able to shake it (Starbuck’s java chip ice cream babe!) i didn’t seem to gain much of anything (10lbs then 15lbs) with the other two. However, after i had them i did. After my third i was up to 208 (my heaviest). Keep in mind, i am only 5′2. Thankfully i am a solid girls and my muscle mass is much higher than the ‘average’ gal. i am now back down to 180 which was my weight after my first baby. It is much harder now, than it was back then to shed this fat. Having 3 kids back to back and the fact i am quickly encroaching the big 3-0 (althought thankfully my ‘real age’ is 25.4 according to RealAge.com and that’s about how old i feel. i mean, 30! REALLY??!!) had begun to show.
Lately i have come to peace with my fat. i have a wonderful man who really doesn’t care as long as i don’t make it an issue. i am very healthy, eating good foods, running, walking, and lifting my weights. i have changed my focus from just getting rid of my fat, to just being healthy. As long as i have healthy habits, that’s all that matters, right? i find peace in the fact i can run a mile of some serious hills without stopping, and the fact i can carry an 80lb hurt child hundreds of yards across the playground to her house without getting winded.
i am strong in spirit and health. i have 3 miracle children whom i adore. i am passing down great healthy habits to the next generation. If my body isn’t what society says is perfect, that’s ok because i am perfectly happy.