6 Week Update

I am cleared to go driving and lifting all I want. Whoo hoo!

Baby Zap now weighs 6 lbs 13 ounces. I am only 10 away from pre-pregnancy weight as well. So, in that respect, all is good.

I have less frequent headaches, and I suspect that it was from sleep deprivation. I have discovered that a bit of caffination helps and confirmed with the doc that a sip of coffee now and then won't hurt if it helps the headache. If it doesn't a bit of advil does the trick. I think sleep and rest post semester will help more than any of that. Oh, and a long hot bath soaking in yummy bath salts my friend Maggie sent me. That's on the menu for tonight.

Some of you may know that I suffered a bit of depression recently. Adjusting to three wee ones was not the hard part, but dealing with the early delivery and dissappointment in my last chance at a normal birth not working out (ie almost dying) with the addition of the financial stress of not having sold the Des Moines House going into another winter were hard on me. Add a pinch of family drama (on my side of the family, like usual), my brother being overseas, and the isolation of the farm and I was really in need of a helping hand.

And that's what I got. A handful of friends kept the encouragement coming via facebook and blogger and the ladies a church threw a baby shower for me and brought meals. One mama friend chatted with me in the wee hours and the next week brought me tea. I needed this, I prayed for help, and my prayers were answered in many ways, some unexpected.

Chad has been super busy with work and even busier with the farm and livestock. I am sure things would be better if he were at home more, and I keep praying for blizzards and snowpocolypes until I remember....that weather makes him want to go to Walmart or the mall. The rest of the year, he's a homebody but someones says the highways are closing and Chad wants to hop in the truck and go. He's a midwesterner through and through.

Don't Turn Down Help When Offered

Yesterday Lil'Bug came to me and asked if there was something she could clean and mop. Why yes! I gave her the three tasks of the downstairs bathroom: spray and wipe down the shower stall with vinegar mix, scrub the fingerpaint and toothpaste off the sink, and sweep and mop the floors. 30 minutes later she had done all three tasks and done them pretty well. Not perfect (still blue and green on the sink and the shower was only done as high as she could reach) BUT there was no way I was going to touch what she did.

It might have crushed her if I had finished them up, saying by my actions that she had not done a good enough job. Instead, I praised her and gushed over how much her help made ME feel appreciated. She tried to get Blueberry Girl to help, but that little ninja didn't think the task was naughty enough to sound fun. She's more into the mess making side of things right now. She tried to recreate the flour incident with a small box of baking soda. I still can't believe that the picture we sent to SMKR didn't make the daily posts? Oh well.

I will add that I HATE this bathroom. It needs so much work. There is no working light or outlet, the window falls in when I try to open it, and a panel of wall next to the toilet is out right now to better keep the pipes from freezing.

And still, it is nice to have a working shower (especially when working pigs) and a second bathroom and a bathroom on the main floor for guests and potty training ninja babies. Once our Des Moines house sells, this bathroom will get a nice spa treatment with a mudmask and makeover. It will be lovely.

Pictures of Ewe.....

 

From left to right, Buttercup, three lambs, and the famous Marshmallow! I know, I can actually count. There are actually two brown lambs, one is hiding behind Mama Buttercup. Welcome to our little piece of Iowa heaven dears!

Pictures of You.....