Let me just start by saying the baby is not here, but we have a name. Yes, I did say I was going to wait until she was born to reveal the name, but apparently I am not good at waiting. First of all, I do use blog nicknames. It’s for privacy, but at the same time I am really laid back about it. I have said things or posted things with all of our names at some point. So if you were ever curious here is the real name run down.

J= Jeremy I have talked about this before when I have written about “the other Jeremy and Natalie”

Z= Zion He is our first born and we had his name picked out long before we were ever pregnant. It definitely has biblical significance, but it’s also inspired by a Lauren Hill song.

SJ= Sedona (or Sedona Jean) she was named after Sedona Arizona.

Ezie= Ezra and he is named after his great grandfather

Lastly…..drumroll…….

Elle= Ellis

I announced it on my personal Facebook page the day of our anniversary. The significance there is because J and I met, married, and started our family in Ellis county and we really liked the name. It reminds us of Alice or Ella which are both girl names, but Ellis itself is more predominantly a boy name. Because of this we were reluctant to choose it for our girl (even though there are other girl’s named Ellis), but we kept on coming back to it over and over. Her name will be Ellis Evelyn. It’s fitting that she has a name so intricately connected to our marriage since she will be born the same month we celebrate 15 years.

The middle name is after her grandmother. All of our children have family middle names. Z’s is my dad’s, SJ is mine (and it’s also my aunt’s name from my mom’s side) and Ezie shares his grandfather’s middle name.

Obviously we put a lot of thought behind the meaning and history behind our children’s names and in Ellis’s case her name means God is Jehovah.

I threw this post together at the last minute, because I wanted to start doing daily updates about the last days of pregnancy and I really long to call her by name. I do already at home and the kids have for a while now, but now I can finally say it on the blog even if it is the “Elle” nickname.

So Ellis Evelyn it is!

We should be meeting her soon.

Just a heads up, things are starting to get a little more quiet here on Messy Mom as my due date approaches. My focus is on other things right now as you can imagine. Today we are 18 days away from the big November 24th due date. I am really tired, but in a way I am also revved up because I have been nesting like crazy. J and I plan to spend the whole weekend preparing the house for the arrival of our little one and for our parents who will be coming to help in a week.

I have a tradition where I try to guess the stats before the baby comes. Everyone is welcome to join in. There are no prizes other than bragging rights. I think my dad won last time with Ezie. He came a little sooner and was a wee bit smaller than the rest of us thought. Speaking of which, Ezie was born just shy of 39 weeks. I am 38 weeks on Tuesday so it would be like going into labor next week. Ahhhh! I am still blown away that I could be that close. On the other hand, while none of us are expecting me to go past my due date because all three of my children have been early, wouldn’t it be interesting if I went past my due date this time? Or what if she came on Thanksgiving!? So many unknowns. I’m getting really exciting!

Now then, given that history here are some of my predictions for baby #4.

Birth date/time: November 17th 11:04 pm

Weight: 8 lbs 4 ounces

Height: 21 inches

I’ll hopefully have more clues on Tuesday after my next appointment. I guess they’ll check me since I’m full term now. I am lucky enough that I dilate some beforehand so it’s like I get some of my laboring out of the way by just walking around doing my usual thing. With the first two it was just a matter of a centimeter or so, but with Ezie I found out days before that I was 70% effaced, at a zero station, and about 4 cm dilated! So we knew after that appointment that I was more than likely going to go into full blown labor that weekend and I did.

Anyway, all this rambling and still only God knows when that special birth day will be. I’m just so curious. I am probably going to give my login info to a family member which is what I’ve done in the past so that I can update all my social media accounts and post a pic when she comes so you’ll be informed.

Let the games begin!

The title might sound lighthearted, but I am actually dealing with a serious medical condition. I think I have mentioned before that I am anemic. This is not unusual for me during pregnancy. That’s why I crave ice like an addict. In fact it’s not that uncommon for any pregnant woman to have a dip in red blood cells during this time. The problem is that despite taking all the prescribed supplements, upping and even doubling the dosage of supplements my iron levels continue to drop. Right now my blood count is an 8.3 and it should be twice that amount. I am really close to needing a blood transfusion and since I loose a lot of blood during birth it’s just not looking good.

After months of supplements it’s safe to say my body just isn’t absorbing the nutrients through the pills. So my mom hit up the health food store and stocked me up on everything the midwife recommended.

I am eating iron rich foods at ever single meal and then some. I am drinking all kinds of crazy things that I have to forcefully swallow. I am eliminating or decreasing a lot of things that block absorption (like milk which is probably a big culprit since I love milk).

The more I research the more overwhelmed I am. I was going to explain why iron absorption is so complicated, but that would be really boring. Let’s just say it is a big balancing act! So I am doing the best I can and I’ll have another test in a week for my 38 week check up.

So that’s the bad news. The good news I got another test result back today and I am GBS negative!!! With the boys I was positive and had to have antibiotics and an IV which is not fun for water birth, even if it is capped off. So I was really relieved by this news.

Anyway, I just wanted to give a brief update and ask for your prayers. I will let you know next week what the test results show. Thanks for being so supportive during this time.

We packed in a lot of activity this past weekend I think it almost sent me into labor!

Friday morning I volunteered at Z’s school for Pumpkin Math.

I was in charge of leading a small group of kids through various hands on math problems that involved predicting, measuring, weighing, carving, and gutting a pumpkin.

The seeds were sent home with all the leaders to roast and send back in for the kids on Monday. It was my first time roasting pumpkin seeds, but I plan to do it again!

Right after leaving Z’s school I went to the Halloween party at SJ’s school. By this time I was already getting a little tired and achey, but I’ve gone every year she’s been at her school so I’m glad I got to participate again.

After that we went home and I frantically got all dressed up just in time to turn around and hit the town with J for our anniversary/baby moon. I wore a black lace dress that was a rental from Bella Gravida. The tags were still on it when it came in the mail.

We originally wanted to go on our first cruise for our 15th anniversary, until we found out that we would be having a baby instead. So we had to take things down a notch and that’s okay. Being together is really what matters to us. Getting to wear a fancy new dress doesn’t hurt either.

Before our date would officially begin we had to stop by the birth center to go over some final details and paperwork with them because as of today I AM FULL TERM! This means I could go into labor any minute and go straight to the birth center. That doesn’t mean that I will (Thank goodness! I am not ready yet). It’s still such an exciting thresh hold to have crossed and I feel like things are really starting to line up!

After our appointment we went to the Cheesecake Factory. This was significant because the last time we ate there was the night we found out we were pregnant.

The next day was spent walking around, shopping, eating and just enjoying being alone. I think the last time we did an overnight was very similar circumstances when Ezie was about to be born, and that was three years ago. So we were thrilled to have the opportunity and soaked up every minute of it.

The only thing that was a bit stressful about our relaxing getaway was that I had a slight concern that I might actually be going into labor. So we downloaded a contraction timer app and got to spend some of our afternoon practicing timing contractions while shopping. Luckily it ended up being a false alarm.

Lastly, we still managed to squeeze in trunk or treat with the kids that night. They had a great time and walked away with far too much candy!

That’s the weekend in a nutshell. I’m so glad it all coincided with turning the clocks back. We needed that extra hour.

It’s a big dilemma. Now that school is back in session parents everywhere are struggling with what in the world to do with their circus animals after the show is over. I have gone through different seasons in my life and I am sure there are many, MANY more to come. But for now structure is our friend. At least my own hippy-dippy version of it.

J and I have coordinated in regards to this schedule and there are still a few things left to tweak, but for the most part this is it. The whole shebang. What we do after school, when we do it and why.

4:00- 4:10 Take off shoes, unload back packs/lunch boxes, and get a snack

We don’t get home from school until about 4:00 and the first thing you have to do is unload. Also, most of us are hungry.

4:10-5:00 Watch TV

We have cut the TV down to 90 minutes maximum during school days (30 in the morning and an hour after school). If you knew our “after school taxi routine” you would know why it is completely exhausting! So immediately after we get in the door seems to be the best opportunity to veg. I know not everyone does it this way, but I prefer it and the kids like it too.

5:00-6:00 Go outside weather permitting, otherwise play in the basement

Sometime between school and bed the kids are going to have some energy to burn. This is the hour to play hard and get exercise. Thankfully I don’t have to be as creative in this area as when we lived the apartment, but if that is the case for you hang in there. It can be done.

6:00 -6:30 Do chores

Chores are really important in our house. This is one that I adjust accordingly. They don’t all have to get done in this time slot, but I at least want to know that there is some allotment for them regardless of how it’s distributed.

6:30-7:00  Eat Dinner

I originally scheduled more time for dinner, but we didn’t need it. The kids (ages 2, 5, and 7) won’t stay in their seats for that long.

7:00-7:30 Homework or shower

This slice is kind of flexible because at this age my kids rarely have homework and they rarely shower. I’m joking. Kind of. Anyway, this little sliver of time is negotiable depending on our needs for that day.

7:30-7:40 Brush teeth, go potty, put on PJs

Sometimes they don’t want to use the restroom, but at this age I make them try and I tell them full stomach+empty bladder=good nights sleep. That’s my theory.

7:40-8:00 Read Stories 

I don’t think I really need to go into all the numerous benefits of reading aloud to your children. I haven’t done it every night of my child’s life that’s for sure, but I try to make it a priority. This is our 20 minute block of reading time and the dynamics are really fun right now because sometimes Z reads to the younger siblings, or J will read a more advanced story with Z in another room. It’s worked out really well!

8:00- Lights out 

Can I just say that my children have NEVER had a bedtime this early. They total night owls and I have always been envious of parents that have hours to themselves after tucking their kids in at 7:30. There are many reasons I think this earlier bedtime is going so smoothly right now, but what I attribute it to most of all is not having a movie or tv show before bed. I used to see the TV as a nice way to wind down. I mean, who hasn’t fallen asleep during a movie or a late night show or two? Research shows otherwise though and after the results I’ve seen I have definitely become a little obsessive about no screen time at nighttime during the week. One day during chore time someone turned on the TV and was watching Rescue Bots and when I saw it my eyes got all crazy, my hair turned green, and I started flying around the living room on a broom stick screaming TURN THAT TV OFF!!! NOW!!!!! It wasn’t that bad, but I did overreact a little and I have repented. That’s really how passionate I am though.

There you have it. My schedules are always subject to change and of course stuff coms up, but I really see this one working for us. I hope to keep it up throughout the year.

Do you have an after school routine?

This is a repost that I wrote a couple years ago, but it’s a great reminder for me and it might be helpful to some of you. I have mentioned that my number one goal for this school year is to get my kids to and from school on time!

Maybe for you it’s get to the bus stop, or get to church, or go to work on time. I don’t claim to be an expert, but when I actually do implement these tips they really work. So here it is my 5 tips to get there on time (originally posted on September 11, 2013).

1. Time yourself

In order to know how much time you need, you need to know how much time you take.
When I had my second child I was shocked by how difficult it was to be even close to on time. So for a while I set a timer each morning and then stopped it when we were leaving. I was shocked to see how much one little newborn changed our routine, but once I was realistic about it I gave myself more time to get to where I needed to go and we were back on track.

Time how long you spend getting ready in the morning then write down your typical schedule. Once you see the pattern you can plan your mornings and set your alarms accordingly.

2. Dress to the shoes


This is a Fly Lady thing, but it’s helpful. She will tell you to get fully dressed including your lace up shoes. She even advises you to do your hair and makeup so you feel motivated and in the zone. When you are in your pjs and socks you feel comfy and lazy. This doesn’t mean you have to get all dolled up. Trust me. I usually look like a bad tabloid photo most days, but I do like to get myself ready first and have some solitude while the little ones are still in bed. Then I wake the kids up. I think of it like securing my life jacket before assisting a minor.

3. Set everything out the night before


Last year before SJ started school I posted a question on Facebook for advice on the matter of getting up early and getting to school on time. “Have everything ready and laid out the night before” was the most popular suggestion I received. I am going to work on it.

4. Give yourself extra time


Something unexpected always happens. You may have to go back to the house because your child forgot their backpack. Or maybe you can’t find your keys at the last minute because the lining of your purse has a hole in it and your keys slipped in there to become a part of some secret society. Or who knows you could even arrive at school to find that your child took both shoelaces out of her shoes and retied them into a the most intricate of knots that not even a high ranking boy scout could undo. These are real life examples here. When you have done #1 and timed yourself add 10 minutes to whatever amount of time you have concluded you need for each task.

5. DO NOT HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON!!! 


When I asked for advice on Facebook last year the best tip I received was in all caps it said “DO NOT HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON”. This is critical!

Comedian  Jim Gaffigan jokes

“The snooze bar is a wonderful invention. Nothing like starting the day off with a little procrastination! As my first decision of the day I will go back to bed.”

https://youtu.be/UahqgK60vuk?list=RDUahqgK60vuk

*The snooze bar bit begins at 3:54*

Not to get all serious, but his snooze bar joke did get me thinking. Do I really want to spend the first 30 minute of my day in a groggy debate with myself about whether or not I have more time to sleep? Maybe you can’t think of a better gift to yourself than hitting snooze and that’s cool. I like to think of the snooze bar like a real bar. Some people can go to the bar and have a drink and it’s a delightful little treat. Other people go to the bar to have a drink and wake up the next day with an enormous headache and a hideous pair of celtic boots they paid a gypsy $700 for (true story from my neighbor). I think I am a snoozaholic and saying no to the snooze last year made all the difference in getting to school on time.

Alright ladies, or should I say “late-ies”, he he. That’s all the tips I’ve got for you today, but feel free to share your own. I’m still a work in progress myself.