Hearts and Windmills: Summer and 16 weeks pregnant

Where do I begin? This pregnancy has been much of the same in a lot of ways and different in others. Magnesium oil and Natural Calm have been my best friend. Ancient Mineral Magnesium Oil morning and night and 2 scoops of Natural Calm in warm water before bed have kept my morning sickness at a semi manageable level. Also B6 and Unisom three times a day, taking all my pills and taking floradix iron and staying away from zofran. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less about the lawsuit and supposed birth defects, I took it like water for three kids who are completely fine. My worry is the extreme constipation zofran causes. Staying regular is a MAJOR factor in lessening morning sickness, it doesn't stop it, but it sure makes it better.

So besides feeling full term at only 16 weeks, I went back and compared all my pictures, I'm always this big, and I always lose the weight after. I look like I've swallowed a basketball. I guess the upside this time around, I'm actually eating real food and not surviving off of ice cream in between vomiting all day long. All in all, I'm a pretty cute pregnant lady. The leg swelling and headaches have me a little concerned, but my blood pressure machine always clocks me in at zombie level, so when it starts reading normal, I'll get worried.

In other news, my love and I have been married for 6 years and we were able to get away for an evening without the mini munchkins. It was fantastic, great food, good musical, amazing company. That night out reminds me that we need to schedule more date nights. I love our children, but mommy needs a night out with daddy once in awhile. Thank you to our amazing friends who helped to watch the kids

Summer in Minnesota is always interesting, add pregnancy hormones and I can die of heat and freeze to death within the same 3 minute time frame. I have yet to turn on the AC, it's against every fiber of my being in the month of June. Last August, the bill almost caused a heart attack, I refuse to repeat last summer. It's hot, but we have all survived so far.

Speaking of surviving, we successfully completed Miriam's pre k year with Seton homeschool and have enrolled her in Seton kindergarten! Meanwhile over the summer we will work on reading, numbers and a variety of fun kindergarden activity books. Homeschooling seems daunting at first, I was terrified I wouldn't be able to teach her, but guess what? Children learn, and they absorb everything around them. This doesn't mean homeschooling will be easy, but I have a lot more confidence then I did a year ago.

What else? Family pictures are important. Even if that means you set up a self timer and take a bunch, but regardless, take family pictures. This summer, a friend from elementary school took our pictures and did an amazing job. Pictures are important for memories and spending time together, and realizing both happy and difficult times need remembering.

As June draws to a close we look forward to summer learning, birthday parties, graduations, and a very much needed trip to Tahoe in August to celebrate 50 years of marriage for Brendan's parents. I hope and pray that pre term labor starts AFTER we get back, better yet, not at all. But really, it's going to start sometime, I just pray we can make it to late September.