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In the past month or so I've given Abe a few haircuts.  I didn't really post about it because well, they were nothing really to brag about.  Each time it did get a little better, but this third time I am much happier with it.  I think I've got the general hang of it and now, I just need to polish my skills.  Next a friend of mine is going to teach me how to give Josh a hair cut and yes, he is much, much more picky than my son!   
 
I'm so excited to have just found out that I received a scholarship to participate in A Peasant's Feast: Nourishing e-course.  Kimi at the Nourishing Gourmet is offering this e-course.  Not only is it focused on how to do nourishing food, but she really focuses on how to do it on a tight budget.  I applied for a scholarship to participate in the course, but am so excited after just reading the email that I am one of the recipients.
 
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Monday some friends of ours invited us along to the lake.  We had a spot on a nice "beachers only no boats" beach.  Our pass to get in was still good, so we went back today for some more sun and fun.  Here are some pictures to enjoy.
 
We had another appointment with Margie.  I'm very happy with how Abe will play with the toys all throughout the appointment and not get into trouble.  We still have a little bit of work to do on interrupting.  But part of me thinks it is cute to how he'll bring in a toy to show Margie, take it up to her and say "Marggg, Marggg."  But, I know now is the best chance to teach him and train him correctly.

First Margie told me this is going to be a chunky baby.  She said if she had to guess he or she is already 7 or 8 pounds.  Then she measured me, thought she was wrong and measured me again with the same results.  I measured in at 41 cm.  (Typically these measurements correspond with weeks.  I've been consistently ahead for the past few months with this one, but I was right on track with Abe).  So the most likely possibilities are that either a)this is going to be a big baby or b)he or she is going to come pretty soon.  I'm so thankful I can just trust in the Lord's timing, but it would be kind of fun if he or she comes on Saturday (Dani Jo and Uncle Ick's wedding day!).
 
I remembered this week how thankful I am for a couple of things (especially this far along in the pregnancy, living in the desert).   I am thankful for the treadmill (I can walk in the shade or the AC and not have to worry about a son who is still sleeping or dogs who might be vicious.)  And I am thankful for water.  Yes, of course to drink, but I’m referring to the swimming pool, the river, the lake or any other such thing.  It allows me to be outside in the heat a little bit and it sure is nice on a big ol’ preggo belly.  

Also there are a couple of neat giveaways going on at Ke

 
This week started swimming lessons.  And we’re having a great time!  We obviously had to miss the first day, but that didn’t seem to be a problem, at least not for Abe.  He jumped right in to the swing of things on our first day there.  We’ve been working on blowing bubbles, kicking, and going under water.  Then we play a game at the end of class.  After lessons, we come home, have an ice pop and “practice” in our pool for a while longer.  Yay, for the little bit of refreshment that comes from the water on a hot desert day.

 
Monday and Tuesday were spent on hospital time.  We are used to “real time,” even if I am running late on real time.  I knew to expect “hospital time” to be different, but it still can be frustrating.  20 minutes can equal 2 hours and 7am can be 6pm.  But finally, Josh got to come home a bit before 7pm.  He was ready.  He was slightly less than happy with the care he was receiving, the answers he was getting and figured he could lay in bed or walk around just as easily at home as he could there.  He’s recovering well.  Sore and a bit slow moving, but that is to be expected.  We thank you all for your prayers and are thankful for how God is answering them.

 
Yesterday was a long day.  We spent the day at hospital doing a lot of waiting.  There are many things I am thankful for though.  Here are just a few of them: a surgery that while slow, seems to be coming out ok; a great friend who I can absolutely trust my son with; other fantastic friends who were more than willing to help out if we needed; a yummy casserole; an iPod and a cell phone; family and many more things.  Here's the story of our "adventure."

Sunday night Josh was feeling pretty cruddy.  I, being the wonderful wife that I am, didn't have a lot of sympathy for him, I thought it was just that second bowl of ice cream that he had.  But after a very sleepless, painful night for him and checking out the symptoms online we decided bright and early that we should probably take him in.  The symptoms were very much in line with everything we read about appendicitis, and that wasn't something we thought we should mess with.   

We headed to the Emergency Room.  I thought it might be busy since it was still before hours anywhere, but nope, we basically got right in.  We spent the morning doing tests and more tests as they drugged Josh up and pricked him, x-rayed him and wheeled him around.  Thankfully, though, he was able to start getting a little rest as pain medications started to help.  My friend, Shannon, came to pick up Abe for us sometime between 8 and 9.  Around noon, they confirmed what we had expected.  Appendicitis.  And a few other "minor" things that were probably just a result of his body slowing down because of the appendicitis.  After Josh gave the OK to take it ok, the doc wanted to do it as soon as possible, but it turns out the surgeon must have had a busy afternoon.  Late afternoon they took us over to OR.  The surgeon had told me it was actually only a 10-20 minute procedure and then 45 min-1 hour in OR recovery before going to the regular recover.  He'd come and fill me in on how the surgery went and let me know he was in OR recover once it was done. I stayed with him until they told me they were taking him to the Operating Room.  2 hours later the doc came and let me know he was out of surgery and would be in the recovery room for 45 min-1 hour.  I went to go get Abe since it was late, it was bedtime and it was nice for this very hungry, very preggo, getting emotional momma to have her son to keep entertained while waiting for Daddy.  An hour and a half after the doc came, a nurse to tell me they were getting ready to move him to a different room.  While she meant good, she was way too cheery in the fake sort of way, and wouldn't give me answers to what I really wanted to know.  Like...what do you mean "He didn't like the anes?"  How was it that he didn't handle it well.  Can I just have a straight answer?  And when you gave him more meds to handle the other meds and tell me that he doesn't look like we know him, does that mean you sedated him or what?


The nurse upstairs was a little bit more helpful, but she didn't know quite as much.  She filled me in on the fact that they were giving him steroids because he wasn't doing well with the oxygen.  She took me to find the Respitorary guy so he could tell me what was going with that.  He had temporarily gone missing though.  They wheeled Josh past us.  He didn't recognize us at all and he didn't look good.  We went in to kiss him goodnight and headed home way past this little boys bed time and way thankful for the casserole that would finally give momma some food.


This morning Josh is finally coming out of the anes and looks a little more like himself.  The surgeon will be in sometime between surgeries to check on him.  And hopefully, we'll get to bring him home sometime before bedtime and even more hopefully sometime before baby comes.
 
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Today Abe and I took off early this morning (while it was only 94 degrees outside) and headed over to the Laughlin Park and then the library.  The park has these fountains you can turn on and I thought he would enjoy them.  Turns out I was right.  We stayed and played for quite a while!    He figured out how to turn the fountains on himself, he had a blast run and splashing through them.  He played follow the leader with a bird (quite funny to watch!).  After all that, we headed over to the play equipment and then eventually the library.  We were there early enough that he was the only kid there so he got to enjoy it all to himself.


Along with all of our library books we rented the movie Cars for Abe.  He's been in to cars (and trains and building with blocks) a lot lately.  Daddy thought he'd really enjoy it and turns out he was right.  Mater seems to be his favorite.  I also thought it was cool because the setting is along Route 66 and Radiator Springs in modeled after Peach Springs--all in our neck of the woods.


Anyways, here are some more pics of Abe having fun at the park.
 
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