Trying to force Spring

I love Spring. It has gotten so warm down here in the lower south that we are playing and staying outside most of the day. I got this idea from my Mom to force some bulbs in pots for our indoor enjoyment this spring. You need to get pre-chilled bulbs for the forcing to be a success and that tulips, crocus, hyacinths, paper whites, and daffodils all can be successfully "forced" to grow indoors. I absolutely have a BLACK thumb and always have, but I am hopeful that this time it will be different. I really am hoping that these bulbs all grow into beautiful blooms that brighten our home during this early spring season. I ordered some bulbs off the internet, received them in the mail a few days later, collected some pots together, filled them with gravel, and planted the bulbs down into the gravel, added enough water for the roots to take hold and grow, and in just a few days we have seen major growth. When the bulbs get a little larger I will then place moss around the bulbs so to cover the not so attractive gravel. I used this as a project with Alder to teach some basic "science" ideas. He loved the project and now has the job of spraying them down with some water every few days (of course I add more water as well since it is important to either keep changing the water or adding to it). I'll let you know if my BLACK thumb prevails or if we have beautiful spring flowers in a few weeks. 

The hyacinth bulbs....

4 tulip bulbs in one of the white pots. My pots DO NOT have holes in them and I am assured that as long as there is plenty of gravel for drainage it should all work fine.

My little sprayer...

The hyacinth bulbs planted.

                                    

And our little Kingser whom we adore. Isn't he precious? We think so.

As Big as a House AND My Funny Valentines

So here she or he is at 36 weeks. I have friends I never see that always ask for a "shot" of the baby belly. Its big I tell you! and scarily getting bigger by the day. Remember, I have over 9 lb. babies (Alder was 9 lbs. 8 oz. and Kingsers was 9 lbs. 2 oz.) so I still have a ways to go in growing an absurdly large belly. 

I am feeling great and bee bop along during the day until about 5-6 in the afternoon and then I start feeling like...I may just die. A hot bath tends to help reduce this feeling a bit and the wonderful foot rubs my hubby is giving me almost every night. Thanks babe!

We are all super excited around here for the arrival of this little one. Alder is constantly talking to my belly and asking where the baby's head is so he can "talk right into its ear." He thought that two good names would be "John" and "Peter Pan." Good ideas Alder. Kingston loves to just kiss and kiss my belly by pulling up my shirt and then laying his head on my belly for a bit. I love this time and I am having serious nesting urges. I will post of my productiveness later. 

I am happy to say we are finally better and eating regular foods, enjoying other people, the shining sun, the warm weather, and the joys of playing outside.

We had a Happy Valentine's Day with pink pancakes, cute little boys who I can still hold and kiss to my heart's content, and a special Valentine's cake we all are enjoying. 

Life right now: baths at 7 am

 I wish that I could report that we have totally gotten over our sickness and moved on to bigger and better things. Sadly, we have not. I am routinely every morning bathing Kingston at 7 am due to the diarrhea. I know that the readers of this blog are probably not interested in tales of caring for and cleaning up after my toddler who continues to have "poop-plosions" multiple times a day. It really isn't a pleasant topic. I can understand that. But, as this is a running journal of our day to day life (and in the hopes of me writing it down will keep me from losing my mind) I must say....we still have poop and throw up at our house! I haven't had to clean up the horrid throw up since Thursday night and I am hoping that that was the last of it, but as far as diarrhea goes....oh, my my. 

We are struggling. I am struggling and poor Kingston is starting to look like he is from Ethiopia( do know we have seen our pediatrician and we are waiting on some test results that should come back today). 10 days now and I think I am about to go crazy. All of this made worse by the fact that it rained EVERYDAY last week and it is dreary and yucky today too. It is gray and gloomy and just plain sad outside. I am sorry. I realize I don't have a very good attitude. I just don't love winter. I spoke to my sister-n-law today and she worded it well, "I feel like I am a terrible motivator for my children during the months of January and February." I agree Jen. I think a lot of Mamas can relate, that it is just plain hard to mother cheerfully during the "JanFebs."

So here we are making Valentine's Day cards this morning trying to find new and exciting things to do to occupy our time while stuck in the house. We enjoyed our crafting and as long as I keep a smile on my face....the boys do too. 

We celebrated.....

We celebrated and celebrated Alder's birthday for like 2 weeks with just the four of us, my parents, friends, our co-op school group, and then with Jared's parents. We celebrated by letting Alder blow out so many candles on cupcakes that I think he could now be a "professional cupcake candle blower-outer" if there was such a thing. We did it so many times and sang "Happy Birthday" so many times that Kingston (who can't talk yet) can now "sing" the "Happy Birthday" song and he then knows to blow after the song is over. It was very fun to celebrate Alder's birthday like this. It is amazing how little you can do or give at this age and they are so incredibly delighted. The circus came to town on his birthday and it was (let me assure you not of any kind you have ever seen) literally a one-family show. There weren't any animals, or fancy lights, or flying acrobats, but there was tumbling, light sabers for sale, flaming torches being juggled in the air, and arrows being shot from gigantic bows into apples above ladies' heads. Jared and I agreed that this circus had a very European feel to it, like something you would stumble across as you shopped at a market somewhere in Europe. So it was no Barnum and Bailey circus, but we all enjoyed the show. 

Our gift to Alder was a Auburn bean bag toss that he had requested since seeing one at his cousins' at Christmas. Well, Jared and I are too cheap to buy the "official" Auburn bean bag toss so we made our own. Alder loves it, so does Kingston, and Jared and I do too. We have been getting into some heated competitions at night long after the boys are in bed. The game has been a very fun addition to our house. The birthday celebrating was so fun that it made me wish that all adults could have such celebrated birthdays. 

And then.....8 days ago and shortly after this last picture of celebrating took place with Jared's mom, we got it. We got our first stomach bug and WHEW! it was rough. I have been dreading this, this particular sickness and my ability to cope with it as mother. I (if I had to give an evaluation of myself) did really well with it, didn't gag my brains out, freak out, nor scar my children in some way in my response to them throwing up. I have always been phobic of throwing up...my throw up, other people's throw up, dog throw up, the word throw up. I think it stems from a terrible childhood throw up story having to do with the cafeteria, in 1st grade, in front of everyone kind of experience. I never quite managed to get over how embarrassing and traumatizing that experience was for me, but now I can safely say I have conquered that fear. My Mom was right. When it is your own children you can deal with it. It was violent for 12 hours and then the boys seemingly rallied by the next morning. I eventually got 48 hours later, Daddy has missed it, and KIngston STILL has it. I feel exhausted by that fact that I have either been cleaning up throw up or diarrhea for the past 8 days. I mean, seriously? 8 days Kingser? Its just running its course, but I must say it has been a tiring last week. It wasn't until today that I thought I might just sit down on the floor and cry if I have to clean up one more mess or change one more crib sheet. Of course being 34 weeks pregnant doesn't help with the overwhelming desire to scream and cry at the same time. I pray we move pass this soon, that Kingston feels better, and that the month of Feb. passes quickly and we move into an early, warm, and sunny Spring. 

Happy Friday to you!