The Boys: An Update

Cruise

Cruise has been having a great summer. He has been doing ABA and is working really well with his tutors. He has been flying through all the lessons that they can't keep up!

Lately he's been having to carry his hammer around because he wants to be like Fix -it-Felix from Wreck-it-Ralph, but luckily we've been able to get him to be okay with leaving it at home sometimes. He is getting really excited for his 6th birthday which, of course, will be a Wreck-it-Ralph theme. We asked him if he'd like a new bike for his birthday and he responded, "No, my bike is good. I don't need a new one. I want a Fix-it-Felix watch!" There is no other child I know of that would refuse a brand new bike. But Cruise knows what he wants, and he wants a Fix-it-Felix watch! So, luckily I was able to find one on Amazon. Whew!

Cruise has been getting better at identifying his sensitivities. A couple weeks ago at church he came running out of Primary, hugged me and said, "Mommy, it's too loud in there. Can I wait with you?" I was so proud of him for leaving rather than having a meltdown! And just this past week he approached me with a coupon to Kangaroo Zoo asking if we could go there. For those of you who don't know, Kangaroo Zoo is a giant warehouse full of blow-up bounce houses, which Cruise is notorious for being deathly afraid of. Ever since he was a baby, he would run from them, FAR. He had been there for a birthday party earlier this year and despite it taking him 5 minutes to even enter the building, he did really great once he got playing. So I was really surprised when he insisted on going to Kangaroo Zoo just out of nowhere. I said, "Are you sure? It's not too loud?" He replied, "It's okay. I'll wear my headphones, or cover my ears!" So after ABA the other day, we headed to Kangaroo Zoo. When we pulled up, he started to get a bit worried, but insisted that we go inside. I put his headphones on him and he entered the building, only wearing his headphones for no more than a minute. He got a big smile on his face and said, "See, it's not so bad!" He and Jett had a blast from there on out. I was so proud of him for confronting his fears and pushing through his sensitivities.

We finally got the letter from the district telling us where Cruise will be going to school this next year. I was able to find out a little about who the teacher is and I am very hopeful! He is supposed to be an excellent teacher! I'm so glad I have one less thing to stress about. 

Jett
Jett has also been enjoying his summer. He and Cruise spend a lot of time outside, especially in their pool. He has been very patient with Cruise and loves to play with him. He also looks forward to the evenings to play with his little buddy Dylan.

I've been trying to prep him for the new baby, seeing that he is used to being the baby right now. I gave him a lesson in diaper changing and swaddling. He even took the initiative and put the "baby Teddy" in the crib and read him a story. I am hoping he will adjust nicely to the new baby come September.

Jett has been really into "roly polies" aka potato bugs and worms. He likes to go out into the garden and dig for them, then spends an hour or two playing with them until they die from too much "fun". I try to get him to keep the worms alive, but the potato bugs I give him full access to. Which he loves.

Jett has been practicing his drawing and has actually been drawing people now. It's fun to see him develop and learn new things, especially when he's so excited about it! He likes to draw pictures of monsters as well and tell us stories about them.

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Miles
Well, I'm at about 29 weeks now. Last week I went in for the one hour glucose test feeling very hopeful, but ended up failing it. Again. So I had to make arrangements to go in for the three hour. The three hour sounds about as fun as it is. You have to go in fasting, get your glucose checked, drink an orange solution with about 10 times more sugar than regular soda (this drink doesn't have the fun carbonation), and get your glucose checked every hour for 3 hours. I don't know how I did it with the other two boys, but this was just not my day.

De-lish.

I went in feeling fine, drank the solution without gagging, and then left to get some things at the grocery store. As I walked around the store, I started feeling a bit nauseated and began praying I could keep that horrible devil juice in my stomach. I made it out to the car, got inside, shut the door, opened the door, and threw up every last drop. Oh, it gets better. Because of how many kids I've had, I have zero control of my bladder when I puke, so needless to say, I was sick and very wet.

After crying and wiping off the side of my car, I got back in and headed for my doctor's office. I waddled my soggy bottom into the foyer and told the nurses that I had thrown up all the solution. They responded, "Oh, well, you'll have to come back and do it again another time then." I looked at them as if they had told me I'd have to do back handsprings and said, "NO. I will do the diet, I will check my blood sugar every two hours, I don't care. I am NOT doing that AGAIN!" Luckily my doctor is awesome and said to just follow the diet for the rest of my pregnancy without having to check my glucose levels. So I can live with that.

Now being in my 3rd trimester, things have gotten a lot more difficult. Braxton-Hicks have begun and I am constantly contracting in the evenings and throughout the day. My ligaments in my abdomen are being tested and are painfully stabbing me while I try to sleep. Charlie Horses are aplenty. And I have about as much energy as a slug. I feel like a walking zeppelin. So yeah, it's a lot of fun.

However, Miles seems to be growing healthy and strong. He is moderately active. I'd say he fits between Cruise's constant moving and Jett's need to snuggle. When I'm in the car by myself and crank the radio, he dances until I turn the music off. He moves a lot when he hears Cruise talking as well.

I have gotten pretty much everything ready for the little guy. I just need a lamp for his room and lots of diapers, wipes and formula. The boys helped me pick out his Teddy and have been joining in the anticipation for a new little baby. Cruise doesn't remember when Jett was born, so they are experiencing this together and it's a lot of fun to see them talk about the baby.

Here's to the next 10 weeks!