Counting Down a Month!

 Claire

She has a new obsession with Chris's computer game and always wants to "help" when he plays and even plays a level on her own! She has learned the basics and can win one of the practice levels where the enemy only attacks you if you attack first. I can tell part of Chris doesn't like it because it interrupts him when he is trying to relax after a long day at work with a quick game, but it's a little cute how much Claire loves her daddy. The weekend is her favorite because he is home and can play games, go outside to build snowmen, and cuddle while watching TV with her. She had a total of 3 days off this week with two snow days and didn't think they were as fun especially since she is excited she gets to read a book from home to her class. It is one of those baby Usborne books called "That's Not My Bunny" and she can read the whole thing because she has memorized the long words. Unfortunately, we got a report card saying she is still behind in reading for her grade level, but I think she has progressed so much! She has officially upgraded to a booster seat now and can buckle and unbuckle without me needing to help so she can get in and out for school at drop-off...she's growing up so fast! And yet she probably should have been able to be in a booster seat a year ago because she's so small!

Shay

She has been very helpful as I've been collecting the last few things I needed to be fully ready for baby to come and she gets excited to bring them in. She loves doing her homework and we are sprinting through it so quickly! I feel like she is going to be well prepared to start Kindergarten and where I was worried about Claire knowing enough when she started. I'm making plans to help her pronounce sounds better and she is receptive when I'm correcting her in something she is saying, but I wonder how she will do when we are focusing on a sound a day. Last time fizzled out because she got frustrated so I'm trying to gather pictures that all start with the same sound for our work each day. I also may need to find a playgroup so she can have more time socializing with friends than just when we go to church. Shay's big job while helping build snowmen yesterday was picking the rocks that we used for the faces and helping me get the sticks. While we were up there she found the ice that she had earlier kicked from our chain drain to use as hair for mommy snowman! I think the girls like our little baby snowman the best because they really want me to have this baby already.

Baby

We are getting so close to having our baby join us outside of my belly! The girls are extra excited because they got a new cousin this past weekend and now Claire wants to know how many days I have left. Officially at 4 weeks until the due date and since I had inductions for both of my girls I don't know if I should expect him to come early or late. All I know is that I'm super uncomfortable and very ready for him so if he came tomorrow I would be okay with that! Not really...my midwife is going to be coming to help us be ready for the arrival date by bringing a few delivery essentials soon, but once she's done that I will say I'm ready.  Not having a baby shower for him was a little of a disappointment for me because I would have liked to get to know more people around here to celebrate my first boy, but I went to a girl's night this week and enjoyed that so much! I hope to get my identity back and not just be known as the pregnant one, most of my conversations are about how I'm feeling because I look so big.