31 weeks

Ciera and Logan have had a 50% success rate remembering to take their lunch to school this week. I can only hope that next week is better. I'm also wondering how all of the other kids have managed to get their lunches to school all week!

For several weeks now, I've had a hard time figuring out what I want to eat. There's not really anything that I 'want' to have, but there are definitely things that sound bad. The family will throw out ideas, and they all sound bad. Well, I've finally figured out what I want-mashed potatoes! I can't seem to get enough of them, especially if there's some form of meat with them (except chicken of course). I've done mashed potatoes with ham, turkey burgers and my mushroom patty burgers. I actually got everyone to eat dinner again tonight. Brian, Ciera and I all had mashed potatoes with mushroom patties and green beans. Logan only ate the meat, but at least he didn't fix something else to eat. And, nobody made Top Ramen today!!

Ciera got a new wire for her braces today and a new spot for her rubber band! Logan had a consultation and we're now debating whether to do his teeth in 2 phases, expander and something with his bite now and braces when he's 12, or just wait and do it all in 2 years. I think we're leaning towards the 2 phase model. He's pretty crowded already, which makes flossing very difficult and it's only going to get worse as his adult molars come in over the next two years. Plus she suggests doing a removable retainer which would make it very easy for us to keep up with his dental hygiene, rather than a fixed appliance that could make cleaning difficult for us all. If you have any opinions or experience we'd love the feedback.

I have another gushing moment for both of my kids. Generally the first week back to school after a break has been brutal for Logan. He'd complain about the work and have difficulty planning out how much work to do each day (he gets a weekly plan and has to decide how to get it all done by Friday). He brings home the assignment sheet on Monday's and we read through it and discuss when to do what assignment. He generally doesn't take my advice about how to schedule it, but it at least assures me that he's read the entire assignment sheet so that there are no surprises come Friday. He had an all day field trip on Wednesday and I was certain that he wouldn't have all of his work done if he didn't bring some home in the evening. I was shocked to hear this afternoon that he'd already finished all of his weekly work except for a pie chart and he needed to start his outline for an assignment that is due next Friday. And, he hasn't complained all week about the amount of work-which is also a first! Ciera told me on Tuesday that she had an essay due at the end of the month, a persuasive essay and she chose to write about why they should not wear school uniforms. Well last night when I went to tuck her in she told me that she'd finished her essay. She was in between books, so she decided to do her research and write the essay that afternoon (all on her new laptop). Now I'm hoping she'll use the next few weeks to continue editing it, but I'm so proud of her for getting it done, on her own without any nagging from me! Ever since she started school our biggest fear was that she'd be a procrastinator like her father and do the bare minimum to get by. I'm so pleased to see that there's some self-motivation within her.

I had a pretty nice day as well. I picked up a couple of movies and some ground turkey and potatoes for dinner. I picked up Becoming Jane and found that I'd already seen it. I still enjoyed the beginning and the end, plus I was able to take a little nap during the middle of it. Logan had basketball practice tonight and it was a pretty fun practice to watch. We're of course running late getting to bed, but soon we'll all be asleep.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. The only thing I have to do tomorrow is take lunch to the kids. I imagine I'll read some more, watch the other horrible movie I rented and nap some more. It definitely feels good to take it easy. At this point in the pregnancy there are a lot of little movements and sensations that aren't 'comfy' and every time I feel something 'odd' I worry that it's a sign of pre-term labor and I worry that I won't notice in time to stop anything. I didn't have any pre-term labor last time, so I probably have nothing to worry about, but I worry anyhow. Since I haven't really contracted in over 9 years, I'm worried that I won't recognize it until it's too late. I don't mean to give the impression that I worry all day long, but taking it easy and resting is always on my mind. I don't ever want to feel as though I just overdid it. So here's to 8 weeks of taking it easy and trying not to worry too much.