finally friday

it is 8 a.m. and spankings have been given all around. i love to start my day straight out of bed that way. (for anyone who doesn't actually know me, please note the sarcasm in that last sentence.) i can not tell you how glad i am that it is friday and that i have 2 glorious days to have help with the evil powers that live in bedroom #2 in my house. i'm to that point where i have absolutely no patience left. it is hard for this mama to recite her Bible verse b/c that would mean i have to have control first and seriously, there is pretty much none left. I'm trying, but not succeeding. the battle we still have in the house is back talk/smart mouth stuff. and oh my goodness, i have never so much in my life wanted to cut little tongues out. you know how in the Bible they would cut people's hands off when they stole...i wonder....sorry. hormone surge plus lack of sleep. (and yes, i will milk that for the next 11 days as it is my last time to ever get to use it!!) wow...11 days...almost in the single digits.

people keep asking us if we are ready. well, i guess. i mean, are you ever ready? i have my bag packed, her bag packed, her seat in the car, all of her clothes washed, bottles and formula, diapers and wipes, passys and our beloved friend mylecon. the real question is am i ready for "the week after"? if i don't blog the week micah goes back to work, you may want to check on me and make sure i'm not locked in some room foaming at the mouth. (ashley, if you read this, you may want to come peek in my windows!!) it's only been in the last week or so that i have wondered how on earth i was gonna take care of 3 when i am still trying to figure out 2. but i'm not the first and definitely won't be the last. i'm sure my bi-line at the top will change from "the life and times of micah, becky, luke, seth & ally claire" to "the tuckers-our attempt at controlled chaos"...or something like that.

in some good news, i will get to go to a movie with my hubby tomorrow. what could be better? watching my boyfriend, patrick dempsey-a.k.a mcdreamy-on the big screen while holding hands with my main man over some popcorn and milk duds. nice.

i have got to get my camera cleared off, so when i do that, i'll add some pics of the monkeys. i'm not a good blogger mama like that to remember to include pics most of the time...or to remember to take the pictures and then download them. that requires effort!!

thankful thursday

today, i am seriously most thankful that this last little journey is almost over.

I am thankful that this is a girl and not a boy. don't get me wrong. i love my little (cave)men and would have loved whomever God saw fit to send my way. however, after the last 2 days confined by the rain, i am CERTAIN i was never meant to have 3 boys. my new address would have been bryce mental hospital, tuscaloosa, alabama.

I am thankful that I finally got the inside of my van all spiffed out and squeaky clean and even went ahead and put her seat in. (a very much pregnant woman can dream about early comers.)

I am thankful that my hair dresser could squeeze me in on Saturday for a shape up b/c it has been 8 weeks since I had a haircut. Prenatal vitamins plus naturally rockin' thick hair...you do the math. one word...banshee.

I am thankful that i have an excuse not to be the one out in the heat with the boys. unfortunately, in about 3 weeks, the gig is up.

I am thankful that I can get rid of maternity gear forevah!! summer is plenty motivation not to stay in it, that's for sure!!

I am still hoping i can have one last date with my main squeeze. i mean seriously, people. where is the love? One friend is going out of town, the other has her mama in the hospital and isn't doing well...gracious. is a quiet dinner with some movie time hand holdin too much to ask for? looks like Digiorno and Movie Gallery. (don't yall feel sorry for me?)

some Word on wednesday

So, my friend Kristen has been doing something really neat with her kids. They have daily devotional time where her kids say a memory verse. However, the completely brilliant thing is the verses that she started with. The first (and the one I'm gonna focus on) is Ephesians 6:1. "Children obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do." (NLT) When they need to discipline their kiddos, they have their little miss sit down, say this verse, have her to say what it means and how she disobeyed, and give her the correction she needs. Thanks UK for being a good mommy example even when the kiddos have you, sometimes literally, hanging by a rope.

In our Bible school class, a point was made, very quickly, but it struck a chord. It was along the lines of not just disciplining our children, but also giving them the instruction they need to do what is right. So the verse that I'm going to do my best to take a couple of seconds to say to myself before I go ape on them (lol!) is just a few down from the original in Ephesians 6:4. "Fathers (i'll say parents to myself) do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord."

A month or so ago I had gotten so much better at not just reacting when getting on to the kids and I feel like it was because i was starting my day off with even a few verses and prayer before I even saw them. Just getting a focus. And now, as I prepare to be bleary eyed in the early morning, that is my plan again. Goodness knows I'm gonna need it.

nothing in general

not a whole lot going on around here. i'm just sitting and waiting basically. i finished with work on friday...and not a moment too soon. it was really starting to wear me out and that is one day a week. luke finished with school the week before that. so basically i either wait out the 2 weeks until she comes, or see if anything happens on it's own. my feet have started swelling a little, but nothing too bad. sleeping is never very good these days, but i just consider it preparation for what is to come the next couple of months. so basically i get up, eat, pee, break up fights and repeat.

tonight i have a "shower" with some people from church. i think basically it will be some of the other moms i know eating supper at Rosie's and they will give me a gift certificate. i should sound and be more greatful, but it's just kind of the way things have been done. which makes me even more ready to move so we can get back to the church family that we love and have truly missed.

luke and seth are loving going outside everyday and actually as long as they are outside, they play sooooo good together. boys are just territorial and need space is all i can figure out. today it is raining so it's a little hairy around our house. they are getting so used to spending hours outside everyday. it makes me wonder if they are gonna want to be at the hospital much or if they'd just rather be at home. i figure that is just something we'll have to figure out as we go.

luke's observation this weekend was made while walking into church sunday morning. we passed an older lady going getting out of her car and big mouth says "hey...her hair is white!" i wanted to dig a hole in the cement and crawl in. fortunately she just went right along with it and said "no baby. it's blonde. that's what my mama used to always say." now, remember, my child has a blonde mama and it's not the "blonde" that he knows. so he just went on about his business.

well, if you have read this, it means you are a true friend with nothing else to do but to bore yourself to tears. sorry about that. but i guess that is just kind of where we are. the daily routine of endless laundry, trips to the potty (for all 3 of us), use of a jillion wipes on faces, hineys and tables, and just making sure i'm ready for what is to come!

thankful thursday

1. I'm thankful I had enough energy yesterday to get a lot done (wash the van, clean out the garage, strip and remake 2 beds, get the cradle into our room...)

2. I'm thankful that when the kids are outside, they play really well together. I think we should live outside.

3. I'm thankful we have enough stuff for them to play with outside so that they don't require me to do things for them.

4. I'm thankful that when I attempted to make pretzel salad today, I didn't screw it up for the very first time. Now I wish i would have made it with strawberry instead of peach!

5. I'm thankful that I have stuck to it this week and cooked everyday and not just picked up something quick. Getting back in that habit really does help the budget!

6. I'm thankful that even though I have had to bring my kids with me to the last 2 doctor's visits, Micah hasn't minded to sit and watch the boys instead of coming in with me.

7. I'm thankful that sister is hanging in there until full term and that everything was good today at the visit. (Still doesn't explain these last 2 nights of dreaming my water is going to break!)

8. I'm thankful that in 2 weeks at my doctor's appointment, I will get a glance at sister one last time since he wants to do one last ultrasound.

9. I'm thankful that there are only 19 days left b/c sleeping, or lact thereof, is getting crazy. On tonight's menu...benedryl!!

10. I'm thankful for little moments with my kids that i never write about. On tuesday we were outside and they wanted to pick "flowers". (Also known as weeds.) While picking the flowers, Luke noticed a couple of ladybugs crawling around. He just sat and watched them. Of course, he also encouraged his brother to stick his finger out there and try to pick one up. But it had been a bad morning with them and I'm glad I get to be here to see the truly sweet times, as well as the truly devil times!

Bonus: As always, I'm thankful for Micah. I'm interested to see how he takes to this little girl. I'm also anxious to have one last date with him. I better be finding a babysitter!

random wednesday mommy wonderings

I wonder when...

I'm gonna get to use the "potty" alone
I'm gonna get to shower alone
I'll be completely done potty training people, and therefore be completely done with diapers/pullups
I'll get to reinhabit my old body
I'll stop cleaning the floors and table 5x a day
I'll have the opportunity to have real life friends and not just the ones that live in my computer
I'll get to go away overnight with just my hubby
I'll get to hear about friend problems
I'll get to hear about boy/girl problems
I'll not worry that I'll need to take little people to the E.R.
I will get to stop breaking up fights
I will get to start going on field trips
I will get to tell my daughter that gymnastics and cheerleading are awesome and hope that she agrees
I will remember what girl world is like
I will quit fixing sippy cups
I will stay up late waiting for someone to come home
I will sit in the stands and cheer for my little ones...and not want to cry about how big they are
I will tell them about the mistakes I've made in the past
I will quit having to say "no" and "stop that"
I will quit saying "just a minute"
All of these things are just a memory, I'll wonder where the time went

Menu Monday

(actually my menu starts on sunday) i have been taking a serious hiatus from the cooking world. by the end of a season, i get burned out. and with everything that was going on with selling the house/visiting parents/preschool/work...i just let it go only cooking a real meal (meaning something that requires effort) 2-3 x a week. but now preschool is over, we are waiting on the house, i'm done with work on friday and sissy will be here in 3 weeks, i'm back on the cooking scene. i have no choice b/c i will need to save money anywhere i can with 3 kids. plus, i don't enjoy going out to eat with the 2 i have...i doubt i'm gonna want to drag 3 with me!!

Sunday:
BBQ Meatballs
Rice
Corn on Cob
Salad

PM: leftovers/sandwiches, whatever you can find

Monday:
Chicken & Dressing
Butter Peas
Carrot Souffle' (recipe to follow on tasty tuesday if it's good)

Tuesday:
Hotdogs
Baked Beans
Mac-n-cheese

Wednesday:
Mexican Casserole

Thursday:
Steak Fingers
Tater Tots
Broccoli w/cheese
salad

Friday:
whatever i pick up on the way home

Saturday:
Baked lemon pepper fish
garlic mashed potatoes
corn on cob

sometime this week i will be making zucchini bread. some to eat now and some to freeze for when sister gets here. speaking of, i will be grocery shopping in a major way this weekend as i take next week to get some meals put together and frozen in preps for sister. i'll try to remember to post next week on my freezer plans.

35 weeks

so i find that after every time that i eat, sister gets the hiccups. i wonder if it annoys her as much as it does me. i've also noticed that as the weeks wear on, my patience is wearing thin. like i said...there is a reason there is a cut off point in carrying babies. i haven't been sleeping as good, but i didn't really think it had anything to do with being uncomfortable. and i have been really sleepy during the day. turns out...i've started snoring. now, i knew there always came a time in my pregnancies that i snore a little bit. can't help it when a person is diminishing your lung capacity and you have to sleep on your sides or if they need a break, your back for a little bit. but micah said it's a little more consistant this time and i have woken myself up a few times also, so i'm guessing i may be having a little bit of apnea, which means i'm waking up more, which makes me more tired during the day. 3.5 more weeks and she'll be here. i'm ready to have my body back for good. this baby comes at a good time. nothing like needing to be outside with your kids in shorts and going to the pool to motivate you to lose any and all baby weight. in the mean time, i'm going to convince myself to enjoy every last kick because this will be the last time!!

thankful thursday

(zoo pics added to the post below)





i'm thankful that seth has a more willing attitude about most things than luke does.

(swollen mama on mother's day!)


i'm thankful that i get a vacation in less than 4 weeks, even though i have to be sliced and diced to get it.

i'm thankful that MY family (which actually includes some of my friends) sees the importance of being there for me, micah and ACs birth, even though she is the 3rd.

i'm thankful that i don't live around water b/c there are too many kids getting hurt within a few seconds right now. their families are just on my heart.


i'm thankful that i felt better yesterday and today than i did the last few days. mama is getting too old for this.

i'm thankful that DHR isn't within earshot of my house most days.


i'm thankful that school is over tomorrow. no more driving that much.


i'm thankful that my life isn't complicated.

i WILL be thankful when it is naptime...that is the bestest part of my day...well, actually bedtime is. at least then i can spend time with micah...well, an hour, but that counts, right?

our last outing

this past weekend we took the boys to nashville for the day for our last outing as the tucker 4. it was the last weekend i could travel that far so we needed to fit it in. we took the kids to the zoo and after that to opry mills to the rainforest cafe.


well...let me just say that i never know what to expect from my kids when we plan to do things with them. we never know if they will enjoy it or just be little pills. they are fun like that. and i have to say that this was actually the most unprepared i have ever been for a trip. i was scrambling around that morning getting things together, but i knew i had everything. we left at about 8:30 and headed out. the trip was uneventful, which is always good. we went into the zoo, but i left our snacks in the van b/c i wasn't sure you could take them in. (for anyone's future reference...take them with you.) we paid and went on in. we decided to rent a double stroller (the kind like they have at disney and that everyone should have) just in case the kids got tired. luke was lovin the zoo. now granted, he's look at the animals and be ready to move right on along. seth...well, he was his usual "charming" self. he decided it best to pitch a fit for a lot of the visit. that is how he operates a lot these days. but we made it through and went on to the restaurant.




this is where i wasn't sure how luke would react. he doesn't love loud stuff (which is surprising due to how loud he is around the house) but i thought he would think it was pretty neat. and he did. but once the monkeys and gorillas started their thing he would just say "they are being too loud" and cover his ears. but other than that, no reaction at all. i guess i was the only one impressed by it. party poopers.

i'll post the couple of pics i made later when my battery isn't almost dead!! but we made it. no one got killed and it's doubtful that we'll go back. but we made the effort and that's what matters. at least luke enjoyed most of it.

off to deal with a major whiney hiney. someone is in for a majorly rude awakening in 4 weeks!!

(i'd be that tired too if i pitched a fit that big!!)

My Mother's Day gift

On this mother's day, I am 30 years old, I have a 4.5 year old son, a 2.5 year old son and am 30 days from delivering my daughter. This year, I'm not actually receiving a gift. But that is ok. I don't think I deserve one. I don't think I have been the essence of a mother this year. I know I haven't been what or who my kids deserve. But this year, what I want is to turn the tables and give them the Mother's Day gift. I want them to have who and what they deserve. I want to be the mom who realizes that time is precious and short. The one who realizes that the only difference between the child who is 4 and the one who will be born in 4 weeks is that the unborn has the benefit of not having been let down repeatedly. I want to be the mom who realizes that they are more important than clean laundry, swept floors or tv reruns. I want them to see me and feel comfort. I want to put them above all of my wants, b/c there was a time when all i wanted was them. I want their physical, emotional and spiritual well being to be what matters most. I never want to go to bed without having prayed for them by name. I want to understand that they are only with me for a short time and that i should make the most of every moment. God may take them before me. They may leave on their own will. But if or when either happens, I don't want to have any regrets. Some people struggle for one little blessing and i have been easily blessed 3 times. I am ashamed for any moment that they have been taken for granted. I want the discipline I have to give my children to be in correction, not in frustration. I want to love and praise them for who and who's they are, never because of what they do. I don't want to be perfect or even give the impression that it is my goal. I can only hope that my kids can learn from my mistakes. but i do want to be mindful and responsible with my thoughts, my actions, my words and my time. You can't get back what has already passed, but you can change the future. That is the very least of what they deserve. I owe them that. I want this to be my gift to them starting on this mother's day.

(and just to clarify i asked for a book for mother's day, but it's not out until close to Christmas. so I'll be treating myself to the "mother" of all pedicures just before sissy comes. i didn't want anyone to think my man was slacking!)

thankful thursday

-Luke ate his applesauce the last couple of days. score for us and still having a link to the fruit/veggie world.

-Cervix is closed which is good b/c i've had a lot of pressure over the last few days.

-We are taking the kids to the Nashville Zoo and to the Rainforest Cafe this weekend for our final family of 4 hoorah.

-I have 3 weeks of work left.

-I'll have a baby girl in 4.5 weeks, thus ending my new sciatic pain.

-Luke only has 3 days of preschool left, which means i'll be saving 100$ a month in gas until the fall.

-b/c of the stimulus check, we will pay off more debt, save money for Christmas and put money on a giftcard that will only be used for formula and diapers. thanks GW.

-my sunday morning class is awesome this quarter and i will be sad to miss it a couple of weeks after sissy gets here. i hope our teacher and his family are completely blessed for the effort he is putting into the study.

-my hubby who is my bestest pal in the whole world. i just love 'im and he always deserves a shout out.

the weekend

luke was sick over the weekend. all he wanted was his daddy. which is absolutely nothing new, however when your baby is sick and you are the mama and a nurse, it kinda kills you and you basically take it as "i only think daddy can take care of me. i don't trust you." it was a wonderful little combination of all the junk he ate on saturday. so that helped me decide that he no longer gets (much of ) a say in what he eats. i have mentioned before how picky he is, but man!! i know he is plenty big enough to at least try things. he absolutely refuses...but i guess he will have to wait until the next meal if he can't at least take one bite. and i have tried everything under the sun. but it's his personality. seth has always been good to take 1 bite. luke never would. he's fun like that.

today he started the day acting just kind of puny. however all i had to mention was "craft time" and he was himself. (can you say "i want some attention?") he still doesn't have much of an appetite, but he has enough energy to fight with seth, so that's a positive sign.

well, i better cut this short as i have luke on one side wanting me to build a house with blocks and seth on the other wanting me to play "don't break the ice"...or hammers as they call it. i'm wondering if this is what is in my future in the next couple of weeks when micah is back at work and i have 3 to myself, 2 of which will still be in adjustment.

yaaaaaayyyy!!!

Ally Claire will be here June 10th at 7am! (now i'm NOT pumped about getting up at 3:45, but it's not like i'll be sleeping. i mean i have to be there at 5!!!)