The hard part of homeschooling is when:

• you realize that you have bought the wrong curriculum and it is not working for your child.
• when money is tight so the thought that you bought something that isn’t working right now (even though it may work later as a review if nothing else) causes you major consternation.
• when you don’t feel like you’ve had enough time to plan so you feel behind from step one.
• when it is “half-way” through the year and you still feel like you are on step one.

Sigh….

I think I’ve decided what will work better, now I just have to figure out how to implement it while trying to keep the kids occupied and not just in front of the tube while I work furiously (if I can keep my mind on task). Which is not easy being so tired.  Fiona finally slept 6 hours straight last night, but I was only in bed for 5 of them since I was trying to help Michael get ready for his classes today.

Some of my ideas that I want to implement:

Workboxes

I think the girls will function better through the day if I have activities for them all setup for them to pull and go work on.  I definitely do not have the space or the desire to setup the system exactly like Sue Patrick does.  There a ton of posts on the web if you type in workboxes but I think I’m going to base mine around something like this, this or this.

A New Phonics/Reading Program

I’m currently printing out sample lessons from All About Reading to see how they would work with the girls.  Horizons Phonics was not working for us and we will see how the sample seems to go, modified a bit to try it out.  Granted Cayli is the only one that is officially being schooled but usually Lia wants to do things too.  And really she knows stuff, she is way too smart for me and I need to help her keep the love of learning going like I was unable to do for Cayli while I was so very pregnant with Fiona two years ago.  I want to get that back into Cayli for more than just math and keep it going for Lia.

Calendar Time

I know, I know many are probably wondering why was I not doing a “formal” calendar time?  For so long the kids were asking the questions and just doing that on their own.  Now that has gone down and I’ve noticed that not all of it stuck.  So I’m going to implement something, just have to figure out where, with some of these ideas.

We will see how things go… Right now I’m a bit overwhelmed but I’m trusting that God will help me figure out what works best with us right now.  And now it is time to make dinner to get ready to go to handbells.

Has it really been almost a year since I’ve posted here?  That is so sad.  There is so much I have wanted to post and to write and to change the way I do things.  A resolution for the new year perhaps?  Even though I don’t do resolutions?

Michael is finishing his last day of teaching for the semester today.  I’m looking at the calendar and realizing that it is December and we should be getting ready for Christmas.  Maybe it is just the warm weather we’ve had – mind you it is now cold and there are actually snowflakes flying in the air as I type this – but it has been hard to realize exactly where we are in the year.  I read the Christmas stories, hear the shows on the tv, see the cards coming in the mail and it just doesn’t really seem really that time of year yet.  I’m hoping this changes soon.

So I’m going to try and be better.  Really.  I know family and friends are wanting to know what we want for Christmas and I’m trying to get that done today.

In my mind there is so much that I would like to accomplish in the 16 days before Christmas and I know a lot of it is going to remain in my brain as a wish for another year.  Hopefully I can keep my brain going amidst the fevers and craziness going on here at the house this week and last.

This is the last week for this semester that we have to do the split household thing.  I know family is eager to see us and we want to go visiting, and we will.  But Michael and I are also just as eager to get some things done here at the house that have been “hanging” over our heads like getting the girls room switched, and setting up the crib for Fiona.

Today there was snow and ice for Michael to head down to Utica.  I’m so glad that he got there safely and am praying that there is not too much lake effect snow that Michael and Dad will have to shovel this week.  I’ve already resigned myself to the fact that if we get enough I’m going to have to call to have the driveway plowed.  My back is still a bit tender from shoveling 3 times last week.

I’ve realized that I never got the gift post updated for Fiona’s needs.  So I’m going to be doing that update next.

The girls are eager for Christmas.  They have even begun taking any blanket that they can get their hands on and “wrapping presents” with the blankets and their toys.  I’m hoping I can catch them doing it and get a picture later today.  Yesterday I was nursing and couldn’t get my camera ready in time.

I did manage to get a picture (albeit blurry) of their town that they made from their blocks, yes every last single block.  And then they were decorating with the small square ones (Klondikers).  It was adorable, so here it is…

C & L city, with the decorations

I’m trying to get organized.  Trying to figure out what we can do for gifts for people that we want to give to, even though we don’t have a ton of money this year either.  Yes I know Christmas is not about presents, but giving is important to me.  So whether it is a store bought present or something we manage to whip up here at home, I hope to have something to give everyone this year.  A little harder when it comes to the kids, but we will see what we can do.

I am also hoping that for next year I can have a setup for pictures for family to see online and now that we have a printer, hopefully be able to get more actually printed out!

Time to get back to my to-do list.  Seems like Fiona might stay down this time. 

Blessings, Becky

Yes I know that isn’t a big surprise given the fact that it is December.  But given the fact we spent all night under a Winter Weather Warning and the snow didn’t start until 2 hours after that ended, I find that rather funny.

Michael just called on his way up laughing that he had no snow until he got to Canton and then had ice.  Should be interesting.

The kids keep asking to go out in the snow, Fiona just wants to stay nice and warm cuddled up next to me.  Boy it would have been nice to have been in that house in Utica with the fenced in backyard this winter!   Maybe next year.

**update was made to the gift list

We have all been sick, to at least some degree.  We tried to go visit family and couldn’t because the girls came down sick.  They are now  better and Michael and I are dealing with the aftermath of not having had much time to get things done while he was home over Thanksgiving Break.  I still can’t believe it is almost the end of November.

I still hope we will get down soon to see family.

Thanksgiving is over.  And family is asking about Christmas Ideas.  I can’t remember at this point who I’ve told what.  So I’m hoping family will chime in here to help each other out.

I’ve made a post entitled Gift Ideas.  I’m trying to get the ideas for each of us here on this one page.  If you want to say you’ve gotten something and make a comment to that fact, in theory other family can check the page to see what other things we might be needing/wanting.  Since I was recently told by someone that some things on this list should be things we would not purchase for ourselves.

So check out the post, leave a comment if you want to let other family know what is “off” the list.  I promise I won’t ruin the surprise.  And when if I add to it, I’ll try to send another email out to everyone.

Missing you all…

I was reading a post on one of the mothering blogs that I read called The Girl is a Mom. I’m so glad for her that she has found a rhythm. Jealous, but her baby is over a year old so that should make me not so jealous right?

Yeah I’m trying to find my rhythm. We thought we would have time to establish a new routine when my Michael returned to work before the baby was born. Didn’t happen. Weekly doctor’s appointments in Syracuse, extra fluid and lack of energy that I did not plan on having happen, and just plain running out of time due to her early arrival.

Fiona is now 6 weeks and the four of us (two older ones 4 1/2 and 3) are trying to find a rhythm that will work for us. I have a feeling it is going to be a bit yet, but we will get there. As I sit here typing I’m rocking back and forth with the baby in the moby wrap and I’m hearing her two older sisters wake up upstairs.

Thank God that today we have a friend coming over for a playdate with them. They need to get out of the house and it is too cold to take the Fiona out (it was 20 last night). It is a whole whopping 49 now so yeah if I was up to going out then it’s not s bad.  But we setup the playdate yesterday and I have to go to the post office.  Why do we not have drive through post offices?  Wouldn’t that be so nice for all of us much less mom’s like me who don’t want to bundle 3 kids up to take them inside the post office?

And the wanting to go outside bit is going to be a problem I know all winter.  What I wouldn’t give for a fenced in yard right now.   And a Leaf Fairy to take care of all of the leaves….

Today is Day 1, Week 1.

We have 6 weeks before the end of the semesters when Michael will be home for a chunk of time again for the winter break.  Two-day weekends are not enough.  Given the choice I am hoping that we will be out of adjunct work after this coming semester.  If not, I am hoping he is high enough up on the totem pole, so to speak, so that we can have the option of at least having a Three-day weekend.  It would make the time that he spends away a little easier.  There is always they “honey-do” list at home and we want to make sure the girls also feel like they have gotten time with Daddy as well.  Oh and perhaps try and squeeze sometime out for ourselves in there as well before he leaves again.  So usually we have not even grand plans, but just some hopes of getting a few things done and unfortunately they usually do not get done.

But now that I have been cleared to do as I tolerate we will see what I can get done during the week(s) on my own with the three girls.

Right now we joked that my goals for this week are:

1. Not to lose my sanity (this is the doubtful one.)
2. Get some sleep and food and not just take care of the kids needs for these
3. Try to keep up with the dishes and laundry and
4. Maybe get some work done

Since this is the first time with three kids on my own for more than a couple of hours we didn’t want me to be too ambitious this week. 

Of course there are tons of things I’d like to accomplish before Michael gets home on Friday, a lot of little things that in theory when they are completed should make things a little easier for me with the girls.  Some of it is setting up things for Fiona to hopefully have something to entertain her as I help the other two girls as they get ready for bed at night or get dressed for the day.

And some of it is also adjusting and trying things out…  My body to wearing Fiona in the Moby Wrap.  Trying the cloth inserts we have now that Fiona is big enough for the small gDiapers.  Trying the GroVia diapers we have to see how she likes and wears those.

I have a feeling the “schedule” we are on will have to have some tweaking.  But that is to be expected. We will see how we do.

Well our baby is here.  Actually as of today she is 2 weeks old but this is the first chance I’ve had to actually sit down and try to write out the post announcing her arrival. Fiona Joy Walters arrived on September 18th at 6:43am by emergency c-section.  So I’m not sure if she came out screaming or not, but all is well, she is healthy and even with everything had apgar scores of 8/9.  We are very happy she is here completing our “set” of middle names.  I am doing well, recovering better from this unexpected c-section than I did the one eight years ago with Angela but I still find myself getting frustrated easily by what I can and often cannot do as of yet.

The story is a bit long but if you’d like to read it, you can below her picture.  Otherwise, enjoy the picture of “Mini Michael #4″.    As soon as I can I’ll be completing my one scrapbook page which shows each of the girls pictures right after they were born, where they all really do look alike.

Fiona Joy’s Birth Story…

We went to the doctor on September 16th for my amnio to check for the baby’s lung maturity.  By now I have been seeing the doctor in Syracuse for over a month weekly, each time they were noting my fluid levels which continued to remain high.  Fortunately I never showed any other problems, but I was getting very uncomfortable.  My fluid levels that day were 32.  More than a bit high.  Michael managed to stay with me while the actual amnio was done but as soon as it was complete, he had to leave for Utica to be able to teach.  Leaving me at the doctor’s office until he could return for me that afternoon.

The biggest advantage was my split appointment, amnio in morning and everything else in the afternoon, got changed.  They managed to get me in for everything else before lunch.  So we just waited on the test results from the amnio to return.  They had already been talking that if the lungs were mature, he wanted me to take the first available slot to get the inducing going.  Shortly after 1?  I think?  They brought me back.  Lung maturity was there.  Even on the short test.  So there was no longer any concern about when the baby came.  They brought me back to talk.  There was an open spot for inducing that evening.  And they wanted me to take it.

So talking with Michael while he’s trying to finish his work for the day, okay we guess we’re doing it.  He drives in from Utica, picks me up, we go get groceries for his parents and the girls, pick up some things so we have an “actual hospital bag” and back we go to “check-in” that night.

We started pitocin that night.  I wasn’t really dilated at all, maybe 1cm.  22 hours later, I was about the same.  So after letting me eat, shower, and take a walk around we tried a dose of another medicine, cervidil, just around midnight on the 18th.  One hour later, I was calling the nurse telling them they had to take it out.  I was having contractions  lasting a minute and a half, one right after another.  Out it came.  Fluids, medicine to try and slow the contractions.  Back labor started to try and kick in, so poor Michael is up and rubbing my back.

Just before 4am, it seemed like everything was slowing down and we might get some sleep…  Nope.  My body kicked in by 4:30am and decided it was time to have a baby.  So off we go.  My brain goes into labor land but for the next hour and a little more my body does like it’s supposed to.  Then just after 6:15, I told Michael my water broke.  Called the nurse.  Explained the tug and pop sound and that my water had broken.  They started to move me around so the resident could check me.  Trying to get a fetal heart rate and that was not working.  But the more they moved me around the more fluid came out.  So we weren’t concerned yet.  The resident decided to check to see if she could get a monitor on the baby’s head.  Up she reaches and says I’m 4cm and she can’t put the monitor on and then calls “code-C”…  She jumps up on the bed with me and pushes as the nurse starts pulling chords out of the equipment and the wall.  Michael doesn’t know what’s going on but he starts to help.  I’m being told not to push even though I can tell my body is in full on labor mode and it wouldn’t be too long before I’d be ready to have the baby.  Then they are whisking me down the hall…  All I could do was clench my hands and pray that someone was telling Michael what was going on as I was being told not to push and to keep my hands in the bed.

Code-C is for a prolapsed chord.  The fluid that was gushing out pushed the baby’s umbilical chord out first.  So the resident was holding the baby’s head up off of the chord to keep the baby’s oxygen supply from being cut off as they raced me down the hall to the OR for an emergency c-section.  I remember them asking questions about prior surgeries as they were trying to put the mask on me, I spouted off very quickly also making to sure to tell them of the mesh in me from the previous c-section hernia repair before I was out under general anesthesia.  We found out there was only 12 minutes between the time that they called the code to the time that Fiona was born.  Her hands and feet were apparently a little purple/blue but otherwise she was fine.

We were in the right place.  God was with us.  He was watching over us to make sure that everything was going to be okay.

And really other than the unplanned c-section, everything has been.  I’m a little sore.  Adhesions from previous surgeries apparently made things interesting for them when they were trying to sew me back up. I managed to get up the second time we tried.  Still within the first day, unlike c-section number 1 where it was day 2 before I managed to get up.  Fiona only spent a few minutes in the NICU where she got an adorable hat, before she was brought down to recovery with me.  And then on to my room.  The same room we had after Lia was born.

We left the hospital right on time.  Stayed down in Utica for the rest of the week and have family (from both sides) now helping us up here during the week.  We got to let Angela’s neonatologist play general pediatricinan and see Fiona for her first appointment since we couldn’t make it back up here for that in the middle of the week.

Michael has spent his first full week doing as we planned this whole split household thing would work out. It’s going to work, just going to be interesting.  The girls miss him.  Cayli actually expresses it that way, Lia is pushing at every possible opportunity which I think is a lot of her missing her Daddy and our whole routine having been completely messed up.  So we are trying to get into a routine, but know that it will change as well later when family is not up here to help.  But since I can’t lift anything more than Fiona (or am not supposed to) until my 6 week appointment, we need the help.  We’ll deal with the “new” routine after that help is gone then.  God willing a full time position will show up sooner than later so we can be together again.

I’d much rather have more pictures like this one showing Michael here with Fiona as she is growing up.  And I know he’d rather be here to be in them.  Or us be with him down there.  I have a job to apply for down there too.  On the docket for tomorrow.  So we will see….

Fiona is just waking up now, yes I know it’s late.  But why go to bed when you know the baby is going to be up within a half hour?  Besides, I wanted to get this out there for anyone who has been wondering what is going on.

God is good.  And I have my angels, both in heaven and on earth to prove it. I love all my girls … Angela Faith, Cayli Grace, Lia Hope and now Fiona Joy…

Well things are a little uncertain right now.

Michael does have his job, actually he is now working for two different colleges, both in the same town.  Yeah!

But baby dropped last week, and yesterday at the doctor’s appointment measured the size of a linebacker… seriously.  At 32 weeks, the baby measured 6lbs 11oz!!!!!  So… since baby is measuring a bit bigger than normal for this stage, I’m not thinking we are going to make it until the October due date.  The goal right now is 2-4 weeks.

We go back in two weeks to check the growth, check me and possibly have an amnio to check for lung maturity.  Okay the amnio is probably a given, but I can still hope.

At the same time, moving is uncomfortable and I have to keep careful not to overdue it right now as they are watching me for signs of preeclampsia.  As long as my blood pressure keeps going down when I rest, we should be okay.  Yeah I know, rest, right.

But it is all going to work out.  I’m updating the Baby Needs list today, we’ve bought some stuff given the fact that things are moving up in dates and we don’t want to be without them when everything does happen. 

We are waiting…

Before we were waiting because we didn’t know what the next step was going to be.  Before we were waiting to figure out if Michael was going to have a job for the fall and where we would be.

Now we know…

Now we know he has at least one adjunct teaching position.  Now we know we have some money coming into purchase the things we need for the baby and for him to go to work in.  Yes he’s needed some clothes but we put it off not knowing the type of clothes that he would need for whatever job God gave him.

Now we are just waiting for the money to arrive in the account so we can inact the plan that is in our heads but can’t take affect until the check shows up.

The waiting is harder I think because we know we have a plan, we know there should be a date we can do it by but instead the days seem to tick by and we wait.  Trying not to overplan, trying not to drive myself nuts when I see good sales or free shipping now.

Knowing that…

… in just about 70 days we will have a new baby

… in just about one month Michael will be teaching and I’ll be here with the girls

… in that same time we will have had to figure out where and when I’m having doctor’s appointments (here or Syracuse) and juggling how much time we spend at the in-laws vs at home.

It’s hard right now.  I want to move forward.  I want to go on and yet I don’t want those days to leave me because it is that much shorter of a time we have together as a family being unseparated for days at a time. I just have to keep remembering that God is going to take care of it.  Every detail, every need… the ones I’ve thought of and the ones I haven’t.