The never-ending story

So, on the one hand, these contractions are doing something, but on the other, they're not doing enough. ;) I went to the doctor's today and I'm now dilated to a 4 and 30% effaced and she is head down and engaged, but no consistency. I'm not technically in "active labor" and so I'm home just waiting for a baby to come. I'm scheduled for an induction Friday morning at 6 a.m. but I'm calling on the forces that be to put me out of my misery. I thought maybe this baby would come on Sunday by the sheer intensity of the contractions but I'm still here. I'll keep ya'll posted.

A worldwide sisterhood

I wasn't able to attend the General Relief Society Broadcast last night, but I was so beyond grateful when I discovered I could watch it live from my home. As I sat in my bed having contraction after contraction, I was overwhelmed with a sense of "sisterhood" and a deep connection to each of my friends and family and those sisters I have not met...and I was grateful. So very grateful. I was especially moved by the second verse of the hymn that was sung, "How Firm a Foundation". In primary we are singing that song, but only the first and third verses and so the second verse just popped out at me and it hit home.

"In every condition, in sickness, in health...at home or abroad...As thy days may demand...so thy succor shall be."

I found it especially amusing as I was listening to these words and watching my children run circles around me crying and screaming at each other that my days do indeed demand a lot from me, but that if I will but be willing, the Lord's out-stretched hand is there waiting to succor me. For every moment of pain or frustration or "demand" on me is equal to my Savior's grace and love and willingness to succor me. Why is it so easy to forget that? Why do I constantly think I can do it on my own? I can't. I've tried and failed and continue to try and fail and all along I've known how much easier it is with the Lord by my side. So, with this knowledge I have a choice. You'd think it would be easy to make, but why is it so hard? I want so much to "choose the better part".

I'm so grateful for my dear sisters in the world that give of their time and talents and testimonies and for brief moments like last night that remind me I am a part of something so great.

Nathan-ism

Dad: You need to eat your dinner so the nutrients can help your body grow big and strong.
Nathan: Why do "new tramps" help my body grow?
Dad: They just do...eat your dinner.
Nathan: What are "old tramps" for?
Dad: What?
Nathan: What are "old tramps" for?
Dad: Ummm....
Mom: Get it? "New-trients" and "Old-trients"?
Dad: Oh, the old-trients come out of your body as the nutrients go in.

The conversation continued, but I'll spare you the in-depth dialogue. Just suffice it to say that Nathan will use any tactic to not eat dinner (or food in general) and he thrives on asking "why" questions.

Still no pictures...

Okay so last night Eddie and the boys got into their baking mode and decided to make some cupcakes. However, this was done BEFORE dinner and so you can imagine the numerous fights that were had in our home. We had a wonderful dinner: grilled chicken, red mashed potatoes, artichokes, and cantalope. We are in the process of trying to teach our children the joy of "human food" and not just chicken nuggets. So we have initiated the "no thank you bite" into our daily dinner. I put everything that Eddie and I are eating on their plate (and last night I made an exception and gave them a peice of toast because I knew they wouldn't eat the potatoes and chicken. Oh, and I also gave them carrots cause I was NOT about to give away some of the precious artichoke..ummm). Sure enough, they ate the carrots, toast and cantalope, but refused the chicken and mashed potatoes. (Mashed potatoes! Who doesn't like mashed potatoes?!) We gave them ample opportunity to try a "no thank you bite" and Drew got awfully close to it, but in the end we had total melt down mode on our hands.

They wanted the cupcakes. We wanted them to try ONE, JUST ONE, bite of something they don't normally eat. In the end, we won. If you can call it that. They cried and cried for cupcakes and we ignored them...until they woke up Eddie at 4:30 in the morning asking where the cupcakes were. Eddie goes out to put them back into their bed and notices the kitchen chair has been dragged over to where the cupcakes had been the night before. Thankfully Eddie had the idea to put them up on top of the fridge or we would have had two very sugar hyped boys in the morning. Once they were in bed, and Eddie re-settled, we heard their door open again. Eddie very smartly shut our door (that they can't open) and waited for their little voices. Sure enough, out comes Nate asking, "But you didn't eat them all, right Dad?" Eddie replies, "No. Now go to bed!"

We don't actually know if they ever went back to bed, but by the noise level of their fighting this morning I'm gonna venture a guess and say no, they did not. When they finally came knocking on our door this morning (they know not to come in till the clock in the kitchen reads 7:00) they proudly announced, "Daddy, it's morning time. The time says 7-0-60." Eddie opens the door and in walks two little sleepy eyed boys proclaiming, "Now can we have a cupcake?"

No pictures yet...and calling "Uncle"

I haven't put up any pictures from our trip...but I'm trying to keep afloat and somehow the pictures keep getting pushed further and further down the "to do" list. I HAVE to get those up...maybe today?

And I'm calling "Uncle" and asking for all moms to give me some help! I don't know what to do with Nathan. He is old enough to start understanding the concept of "lying" and "dishonesty" but no matter how many heart to heart talks, time-outs, and punishments, he's not getting it. Most recent case in point:

J & B came over last night to visit teach (let me just add that it totally changed my attitude for the day and I haven't slept that good in months!) and B brought over a plateful of some super yummy chocolate chip cookies. I left them on the kitchen counter and went to bed. This morning the boys come into our room to wake us up and to tell us "it's morning, you're supposed to be up." Eddie has a major presentation today so I got up (I know, I am spoiled and normally Eddie gets up and lets me sleep a little longer) with the boys and started to make breakfast. Nathan starts to complain of his tummy hurting and doesn't want to eat his Cheerios and peaches. (You thought I actually MADE breakfast?) I take a closer look at his face and there is chocolate all over his lips. I begin to suspect...when I go look for the plate and see that it is gone, I begin to really suspect. But I didn't want to jump to conclusions because Eddie has been known to munch his way through a dozen cookies but the plate wasn't in the trash. I begin a search of the house and for the life of me I can't find them anywhere. I'm getting nervous, because after all, how clean can a 4 year old eat a cookie?

I finally confront Nate, and he just looks at me like, "What? I didnt' do anything?" After some prodding and verbal game play on my part, I finally con him into showing me where he hid the plate of cookies. His defense, "Well I didn't eat all of them." I SHOULD HOPE NOT! There were at least 8 cookies left on that plate last night. And what did he bring me? A plate with 1 1/2 cookies on it. Well no wonder his tummy hurt. And where was it hidden? His current location that I can't get to because I can't bend over...under his bed. He just kept asking me as he was pulling them out, "But how did you see them? How did you know they were under there? How did you see them?" I told him, "I didn't know...but I suspected." I won't go into the "explanation" conversation that then took place as he wanted a detailed explanation of what "suspected" means and then he sat in a time out.

This was all after Eddie had a very long, in depth talk with him LAST NIGHT, as in the last thing he was told before he stole the cookies. It's obviously not sinking in...what do I do?