I want to call your attention to the most ear shattering annoying videos on youtube.  Macie found these videos somehow, and she LOVES them.  I guess I just want to spread the pain, so enjoy!

Baby shower

I have some pretty amazing friends. They threw me a spectacular baby shower. I felt so spoiled and I was so excited that I got so many essentials and fun things, like my crib bedding!

 I brought Chloe along thinking she would be my right hand man, but she was too interested in playing with her friends, which was totally fine.  I had a great time and am so grateful for so many wonderful people in my life.

P.S. Last night we discovered 2 out of 3 of Chloe's fish died.  And it was a slightly tragic end to their short lives.  We found them smashed up against the fake rock in the aquarium.  Poor Chloe was so sad.
P.P.S Today is her last day of school.  She did not want to go today but would not tell me why. I finally got it out of her.  I guess yesterday they were given another student in their class to write something nice about.  She was given a boy that she says is mean.  she said she couldn't think of anything nice to say, so she wrote something like "He gets the right answers."  But she told me, "It's not true, he doesn't get the right answers."
And then she said she was afraid she was going to have to get up in front of the class today and tell everyone what she wrote about him.  I think more than having to "lie" in front of the class, she was more afraid of public speaking.  I hope she ends up having a good day.  I feel her pain, but I know that doing things you don't like, are just a part of life.  Speaking of  doing things I don't like...hooray! Today was the last day for 2 months that I had to get up to drive her to school!

Chloe Turns 7

 Chloe's long awaited birthday finally came and went. And it was a busy weekend. Friday she celebrated with her school class.  Then on Saturday night, her cousin came with us to Manuels.  The girls didn't eat any of their enchiladas, complaining they were too spicy, but when the fried ice cream came out, amazingly their appetites returned.  I was so exhausted from the busy day (I also had my baby shower), that I came home and fell asleep. Then I had to wake myself up to go to the grocery store at midnight so I could buy Chloe her requested strawberry shortcake.  Thankfully Saturday afternoon, Don went shopping for her gifts with Macie, while I attended my baby shower.  Chloe got a fish aquarium and 3 fish that she named Pinkie, Stripe, and Sunshine.  She also got a new bike.  Sunday morning I gave her a beautiful new dress to wear to church, and made her a happy face pancake.  After church my family came over for strawberry shortcake, as well as Paloma's family.  I had no time to make lunch, so we had dessert first, and then I finally got around to making Chloe mac and cheese, her requested dinner item.  And then Don left for Vegas, and we basically watched t.v. the rest of her birthday.  For a "low key" birthday, it didn't feel too low key!  But maybe that is because I have zilch energy these days and I have to talk myself into getting up off my couch multiple times a day. I think she had a good birthday, she deserved it. I sure love my Chloe.  I am so excited for school to be out (tomorrow!!) and I get her to myself. also, not having to drive her to school at 7:35 every morning is a very nice thought.

Chloe birthday

All About Chloe

 Today was a day Chloe has been counting down for.  It was her field trip and her school birthday. (Her real birthday is Sunday)  I chaperoned the field trip.  And I was exhausted afterwards.  We walked around the Desert Botanical Garden, and it was HOT.  My spray bottle fan kept me cool and made me the most popular chaperon on the trip.  I don't remember anything about the garden.  I am sure it was nice.  The kids said they had fun, but you wouldn't know it from the amount of complaining they did about being hungry and hot. (I could relate)

 When we got back to school, Chloe got to blow out her "candles" and share her birthday treat.  Glad I got to be there for that.

 I bought Chloe a fedora hat.  I wish I could pull one of those off, she looked really cute.

 A couple nights ago she left this note for the tooth fairy. She didn't lose a tooth, she just had a question she needed answered.  The tooth fairy must have been too tired because she never came and Chloe was so disappointed.  The tooth fairy felt like a major failure.

 She made a special fairy place in her room too. It included her poem :"In a blink you will see a fairy. Do fairies eat cherries?" I like how she taped glitter to the top of the paper too.

 And a note that said "Fairies welcome."

I am not sure what the white tub was for, but she also left a book about fairies.

Chloe asked me the other day why people get married.
I said, "Because they love each other. And then they can live with each other and have kids if they want."
And then she said, "How does Jesus know they want kids?"
And I could not think of any way to answer that that didn't lead to a billion other questions I didn't know how to answer.
So I just changed the subject!

Mother's Day

 Why So Serious?
Macie had this punch mustache for a good 16 hours...plus the crazy hair...she kinda is a dead ringer for the Joker.

 I had a most delightful Mother's Day. I was very spoiled by Don and my kiddos.  In the morning Don made me stuffed crepes and hashbrowns, oh and toaster strudel!  And Chloe helped him clean up and wrap my gift, which was Tupperware, a hose, a dish wand, and a brownie mix! Chloe wrote me a poem that said, "Dear Mom You are nice.  Raindrops are blue just like you!"  which made me laugh, and hurt Chloe's feelings. So I had to reassure her that it was the best card I had ever seen in my life  (which it was). Then Don made a lasagna dinner for me and we had my friend Heather over with her kids and had a lovely time.  I think the best part of the whole day was I didn't do a single dish.  Not a single one.  Don cleaned the kitchen about 5 times over, I think he spent half the day in the kitchen cooking and cleaning.  He is a pretty amazing guy.  I am pretty lucky to have a considerate husband and sweet children.  I am going to have to up my game for Father's Day!  The day before we had our usual Mother's Day lunch with all the Mother in laws and sisters in the family.

 Oh and also, I made a skirt!  All by myself!  It was pretty easy, although it still needs some tweeking.  I might just make a new skirt every day to get me through this pregnancy.  It is definitely cheaper than buying maternity clothes.

Chloe's birthday is this Sunday and she is very excited.  She wrote this invitation for her cousin Paloma, since we are not having a friend party this year, but I told her she could invite a friend to go out to dinner with us.  She wanted to include "You can bring the present on Friday" but I convinced her that might be a little tack-ay.

Gestational Diabetes

I got a call this past week from the nurse saying I "failed" my 1 hr glucose test.  Well, she didn't technically use the word "fail."  She said my blood sugar was borderline (132) so I would have the delightful opportunity to take the 3 hr glucose test.  I might mention that I ate a chicken salad sandwich literally 5 minutes before I chugged down the glucose, which I think did not help my results.
Anyway, this morning was my 3 hour test.  I don't know why, but the whole thing was making me very nervous.  I was mostly nervous about having to fast for 11 hours.  I know, that sounds pathetic.  As soon as someone tells me I can't do something, like not eat, that becomes the only thing I think about.
I woke up even more than usual through the night,  and every time I regained consciousness my first thought was, "I cannot eat."
I was very happy when 8 AM came and I could finally start the stupid test and just get it over with.
It only took a few minutes after drinking the sugar water for my body to say, "no thank you."
I tried to sit outside, hoping the fresh air would help.
And then without warning, 45 minutes into my waiting period, it all just came back up in an explosive fashion.
Luckily I was outside, but fortunately I had a couple spectators walk by right as it happened. (maybe I am paranoid, but I swear the husband whispered something to his wife when he saw me walk in the office 5 minutes later.  I think something along the lines of, "ewww. That disgusting lady is a patient here too.")
At any rate it all worked out to my benefit.
The nurse told me I didn't have to retake the test and that from now on they would just check my blood sugar when I came in for my bi-weekly appointments since they said my first test was borderline anyway.
What a relief.
My sincere compliments to anyone that actually can get through the whole 3 hrs of that test.
I failed twice, but in the end, I think I came out victor.
Have I mentioned how much I love being pregnant?

Talent Show

 Chloe and her friends sang" Let It Go" at their school talent show.  They were pretty cute.  Chloe likes to sway when she sings.  I didn't see her blink her one eye though.  She has this new thing where she just randomly makes one eye blink.  It looks really  funny.

 Macie is pretty excited to be taking swim and gymnastics lesson.  I can tell she really loves the special attention and getting to do her own things as opposed to always just being Chloe's cheerleader.  She listens to her teachers really well and has a very content smile for the whole class.

 Chloe also had her Let's Play Music recital this past week.

St David "Gig"

We went to St. David this weekend. My in laws asked if I would come sing for an activity they were in charge of for the mature single adults in their area.  I noticed they had decorated it like a fiesta. But it wasn't until the next day when someone pointed out something about Cinco de Mayo that I put the two together.  No wonder a woman asked me if I would be singing music in spanish.  I sang for about a half hour and Don took this amazing picture of me.  I went to the OB last week and was informed I was 28 weeks and 4 days.  I almost cried.  I have been telling people I was 30 weeks.  This is the longest pregnancy yet.  The ultrasound tech also asked me if my husband had a really round head...because "your baby has a really round head...he's probably fine since everything else looks normal. Sometimes babies with really round heads get and ultrasound of their head after they are born to make sure everything is normal."
Uh, thanks for the heads up I guess?  (no pun intended)
Anyway, we had a nice time visiting St. David.  Everything went smoothly, well except that I got the Pro-Hauler stuck in the mud and had to get Don and his Dad to get it out, oh and Chloe tipped over a potted plant that left a huge mess in their formal living room.