Misery

I'm now on Day 2, Night 2 of being miserable. I came down with a bad cold a few days ago and, combined with the ordinary discomforts of being 8 months pregnant -- being big & awkward, having baby jabbing & beating me up from the inside, heartburn -- along with long nights, inability to breathe & swallow, and living with sleep deprivation during the day, I'm pretty much a mess. Of course, even without all the rest, the sleep deprivation would be enough to put me over the top. I just don't do well without sleep. And going through it yesterday, knowing I had more to look forward to regularly in just another months' time made me spend a good majority of the day bawling. (Which is when my husband's like "What's wrong? I'll do anything! Just stop crying!!" ;-) Men - they just don't get it.) I'm praying this virus runs its course quickly and Matt & Madison don't catch it. We'd been doing so well this winter in regard to staying healthy...

What's It Worth?

Thought this was fascinating and somewhat alarming to see what the gvnt. is doing with our currency --

(I'm a little addlepated when it comes to embedding video & using the right format on the blog... so click on this link to see the 4 min. video.)

Mad Hatter

Madison turns 18 months old today! Wow! Where did a year and a half go? At 18 months, Madison is at 50% for both weight and height. She's also exactly in 18 month clothes right now. She's very into climbing right now - anything she can pull herself up onto, she does. Here are a couple pictures from this morning. She found Daddy's hat and ski mask and decided to try them on - and then enjoy a good laugh at herself in the mirror.

Here are a couple more -- Hair is getting longer all the time. I always did like to fix my dolls' hair when I was little...

In other news, Matt took a ski/snowboard trip with some friends last week. They had a great day and Matt enjoyed hitting the slopes for the first time in a couple years. It's good to be back in an area where skiing is available nearby. I, yet again, missed out on the skiing fun because my body is busy acting as baby incubator. ;-) But NEXT year... hopefully... I'll get back out there.

I'm measuring about 35 weeks right now - just about a month left! At this point, I'm waiting for either labor pains or March 6th, whichever comes first. If not before, baby's birthday will be March 6 by c-section. Please be praying that the Lord's will be done as far as how the baby arrives! I'm feeling mostly OK -- ready to have my body back but nothing adverse except occasional discomfort from heartburn. As far as I can tell, I'm all "ready" for the baby's arrival - newborn clothes pulled out of storage, carseat ready to go. And of course, bracing once again for the the 'trauma' of sleep-deprived recovery.

Reading

Lately Madison's 'thing' has been reading. Her current favorite is a Pooh book. She brings it to us to read to her, but more often than not, we'll hear her reading to herself, sitting in her little chair or on the floor. It's always nice 'cause when you hear that you know she's occupying herself & not getting into mischief! (and Mama doesn't have to go hunt her down to find out what's been destroyed!) It has been SO hard to get her reading on video. This is the best I've done so far... and as you can see by Daddy's one little outburst, she's very easily distracted, and even more so when she notices a camera on her.

A Little Chatter

Her hair is just starting to get long enough to try some more things with it.

The Monkey Princess

She's a princess all right -- I just wish she'd cooperate a little more when I want to pose her!

33 Weeks

One more week down, few more to go...