Ten on Tuesday

1. HaPpY nEw YeAr!!! There’s just something about the start of a new year that causes me to slow down and reflect. I’ve been trying to write a new years post for a few days now… but my brain is easily tired these days, so any deep thought on my part requires a little more time than usual 🙂

2. Last week we took the kids to see the movie Tangled. We ended up having to go back to the theater twice since the first time we tried the movie had sold out 45 mins before. Our kids were pretty disappointed. Especially our three year old. She couldn’t understand why we couldn’t just sit on the floor to watch the movie 🙂
But, we went back the next day {a little wiser- note to self: do not attempt to go to a matinee on a holiday tuesday 1/2 hour before the show starts} and were easily able to get seats. This was the first theater movie our littlest has been to. She did amazing! I think it helped that the movie was incredible. Seriously, if you have small kids take them to see it. All three of ours LOVED it, and actually both Chris and I thought it was pretty fantastic too!
Here’s my sweetie at her very first movie in her very stylish 3D glasses (which, by the way, she refused to wear for the movie.)

3. I am participating in LPM’s Siesta Scripture Memory Challenge again this year. I am so looking forward to the discipline of memorizing 2 scriptures a month (very doable!)

4. I had a doctor’s apt today. The baby’s heartbeat was lower than normal so, I was sent straight from my apt. to the hospital to do a Fetal Non-Stress Test. Basically they monitor the baby’s heartbeat and movement to ensure that there aren’t any problems. Admittedly I was a little stressed, but all is well. The sent me home after about 45 minutes, satisfied that baby was fine.

5. I am SO relieved that everything is ok with baby but that little scare just made me realize how far I am from being ready. Yes, I am only 33 weeks, but all three of our kids were born at 37 weeks. That gives me (possibly) a month. A MONTH! Ack! So much to do. Plus, while laying there with a heart monitor strapped to my belly my mind kept wandering to the “what if’s”. And as it wandered to the possible “what if my baby needs to come out today” it also wandered to the current state of our home. To the mountains of laundry, the sticky floors, the counter tops littered with dishes. While laying there, I could picture my mother-in-love coming over to help with the kids and having to clean {blush!} my entire house. I need to get organized and realize that as we near the end here, I need to be ready to go in at any time.

6. Which reminds me. Maybe I should think about getting my hospital bag packed.

7. In December I made up my mind to take one picture everyday, starting January 1st. I tried doing this a couple years ago and did well for awhile and then just sorta fell off the bandwagon. But I was determined that with the new year quickly approaching I had the perfect opportunity to start it up again. Well, it’s January 4th and I’ve taken one picture. So, needless to say- I give up. I am realizing that I do indeed have limits and this just may not be the season for a project like that 🙂

8. The kids and I went on an {unplanned} trip the zoo yesterday. It was really fun. I decided to leave the stroller at home. I was so excited! I figured the kids were all big enough to walk and since it would probably be one of the last few times I’d have that option, we could just enjoy the zoo without having to worry about pushing a stroller through the snow!

9. It was all joy and merriment until it was time to go. We were pushing nap time, the wind was picking up making it pretty chilly and so I went to take both girls by the hand to walk a little quicker together. Our spirited three year old decided that she didn’t want to hold my hand and it quickly escalated from a whine of “I don’t want to hold your hand” to a full-blown-crazy-three-year-old-MELTDOWN.

{Ugh. Remind me again WHO came up with that brilliant plan to leave the stroller at home?!}

Anyways, I did what any of you would do. I put big brother in change of our littlest- who decided that giving her a piggy back ride was the best way to keep her under control. Smart boy! I thanked him and said a silent thank you Jesus for my son, while I proceeded to drag said three year old towards the exit.
People. I have never, NEVER survived a temper tantrum like that in my 7 years of parenting. She SCREAMMMMMMMED for the entire walk {about 15 minutes}. She tried hitting my hand away from hers, biting me {don’t worry, I was wearing mittens}, digging her heels in and throwing herself on the ground.
BUT.I.WAS.DETERMINED. I had my eye on the prize. We marched our way through the last part of the zoo. Over the bridge. Through the tunnel. Out the main doors. Down to the parking lot, and into the van with that wailing child.
Oh boy. That one was for the records.
I get that she was cold. I get that it was nap time. And I also get that, basically, she just wanted her way.
But that was NOT ok.
Not ok at all.
It’s all good now, though.
We survived, her and I.

10. I will bring the stroller next time.