A Much Needed Update

Where do I start? The move. We have moved. I sent out a mass email with our current and new info. If you didn't get one and want one, leave a comment with your email address. We are settling into our new place and it's going to be a good thing for us in a lot of ways for the next while. There are a lot of things we have to get in order to finish the move in process. Big and small, it's a lot. But within a couple months, we'll have this place in order and the way we want it. Unfortunately, it won't be all done before little brother comes. I am going to get as much done as I can before that. A surprise to us was the fact that this place has no carpet, none. Every inch of floor is a dark faux wood. We've only been here a week but I can tell it is going to be impossible to keep it clean. You can see every crumb! We'll be getting lots of rugs though and hopefully I can keep my sanity with it.

The move in was well organized on our part (thanks to me) but the apartment complex didn't have the apartment ready. We knew this when we showed up the day before to pick up our keys and they asked us to come back later...um, no. Even so, we were moving in the next day people! And...it wasn't ready. We had to do a lot of cleaning ourselves. They did send over a floor cleaning guy who tried to work around us. These guys are huge hypocrites because the fact is, we wanted to move in a week later but because of they're holding policy, we were forced to move in a week early, wasting a lot of our money and obviously rushing them because again...the apartment wasn't ready! I'm a positive make the best of it person, so I'm over it and moving on to what I can control...and that is making this our home and a place we like and want to be. Sharrid was very annoyed! I totally understand why, but just handle it a little differently. Just move on and adapt, or rather, make your apartment adapt to you.

Every Saturday for us in the near future will be packed with shopping, furnishing, organizing, errands, ect. I love our location. There is a lot of convenience really close to us without us being in the middle of everything. There's a nice Hospital a block away, so that will be nice when the baby is born. Plus my OB/GYN office is there in the Hospital and also the kids new Pediatrician. The shopping around here is also great and I'm closer to Connie. Everything about the location is a win-win for us. Sharrid's school is the only thing that is farther away now.

So basically nothing else is happening right now. We are in post moving mode and like I said, will be for the next couple months. Today I had a doctor's appointment. I am going to be 35 weeks on Monday. I didn't gain any weight from my last appointment (2 weeks ago) which I thought was really weird. I feel heavier...? Anyway, I'm not complaining too much. The baby is growing. The doctor looked at my chart and mentioned I had about 6 weeks left...um, no I have 5 left. Don't make this any worse! Then she measured me and said "36". So I guess she's just not great with math. Bottom line, I'll be 35 weeks on Monday but I am measuring at 36 weeks already. Good. I am at least a week ahead then probably. I am counting on having an April baby, which is why I hate telling people my due date is May 2nd. That sounds so far away. It's awful! The baby was head down today and he was also head down last appt. (2 weeks ago). I can only hope he stays and comes soon. Amar'e has been my most active baby. Marcelus maybe would be competition and frankly I don't remember how active Phoenix was. Amar'e is just plain getting bigger and squished because he just isn't moving like he used to and I am grateful for anything he gives me now. I do not have 2 hours to waste on lying down and kick counting, but I am trying to pay attention to him to make sure he's moving enough. I am going back in a week for my group B strep test/swab, so I am now officially on the one week schedule and I'll be going every week til I have him, which I predict will be 4 weeks.

Sharrid is just trying to keep up in school and with the move and baby, it'll be a sigh of relief when he passes these classes. I don't think he could handle anymore on his plate right now. I am back into reading my book "The Help" which is good but sad. I am enjoying it. I am also missing my cable (basketball games)...just trying to keep up online with scores and such :(

Happy Friday...I've been working my butt off lately with the move and organization of this place, I am so ready for the weekend...like it will be any less work. HA!

Marcelus' Last Day

Because of Spring Break, Marcelus' last day of Preschool was Friday. We're moving and this Preschool was in my ward boundaries. I also had a friend helping to car pool Marcelus. I just can't get him there after we move. I have stewed over this for a long time but there's nothing that I can do and for the first time as a mother with a handicap, I feel like the handicap has now affected my child in a pretty big way. For your kid to have to drop out of Preschool solely because of your handicap feels terrible. His teacher has been wonderful! He loves it and has done very well. We are going to try and get him back for the Easter Egg Hunt/Party and the big events like that. He is going back Friday to finish a couple projects they have been working on all year. He'll get some great one on one with his teacher since it's spring break. She's so great to help him finish some things. I'm really glad the move and the new baby will take his mind (and mine) off of it. Marcelus is ready for Kindergarten. I have picked a school that I really feel good about and I did not want to pick a school because it was the closest, or in other words because I had to. My kids opportunities shouldn't have to be limited or different because of me. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get him there, but if it comes to paying someone to do it, then so be it. I am always so grateful to the friends that help me. It never seems like a big deal for them but it's a huge deal to me.

Being on the end of always receiving service can be hard, but it's really not for me. I NEED help. I can't deny that or act like I don't. I have to swallow my pride every single day. I know people who are fully capable it seems of a lot. Some people have a hard time accepting help. I'm glad I'm not one of those people. I like the fact that I am made to be humble in some sort of way, there is no choice. This problem I have will always help me to accept service and to not be so prideful that I can't...even after the problem is fixed. I'm grateful for that aspect of it.

Here is Marcelus with his teacher Miss Christina (left) and her helpers/aides, her daughter Maddie, and Miss Keri.
This is Marcelus' Preschool, the Lady Bug Learning Center. It has been wonderful!

Today was our last day in our ward. Sharrid and I both agree it has been the best ward we've been in. I'm trying not to think about it too much. The people in this ward are gold. We wonder what awaits us next, but we know where to find this ward if we ever want to visit, or better yet, move back in.

This week is packing, packing, packing. I'm so glad it's Spring Break for Sharrid. I really need him! We're out of here in 5 days and we might not have Internet for a few after that, so if you don't here from me for a while, you know what I'm up to. Family, if you need/want to call us, we do have minutes on our cell phone. The home phone will be down sometime Friday.

The Before And After

Phoenix had such a physical melt down during his hair cut, he just wiped out when we got home!

Here is the only after shot I have. His hair turned out perfect (once he let the lady do it) and it's exactly as I imagined, a really short fade up to just enough curl to run your fingers through. It is so worth it to take my boys in I've decided. I just can't duplicate the job they do...especially with the crappy clippers I have. You have to see it in person. It looks so good!
The before(s)...this is a great picture of Phoenix! I love this one! Marcelus' after shot. I actually was just starting to like Marce' length but thought I'd cut it since it's getting hot and since he just learned how to shower, it would be easier for him to wash shorter hair. Is it me, or does Phoenix have a really skinny neck...Maybe he just has a really big head. After his hair cut I'd say it's the head. I can't believe these two are brothers when I look at this picture... Marce always looks like he could have anything in him...white, black, mexican... ...and oriental?...

Candids

Look at this beautiful hair!
Phoenix has probably the biggest forehead I've ever seen in my life. Marcelus doing his "exercises". These are his "exercise clothes". More exercises.

Milestones & Hair Talk

Phoenix showed Grandma and Grandpa his headstand!

He bit the dust right away of course and hit his face on an end table.

Phoenix is back home now after being at Grandma's for 2 weeks! I think it was the perfect span of time for everyone. My mom is the best Grandma in the world. She's very hands on and goes right along with what we are trying to do as parents. Needless to say while Phoenix was there, she got him off of the sippy cup and drinking from a real cup. That will help me a lot in getting his milk intake down and it has solved the problem of him thinking he needs a sippy to go to bed. With no more sippies, he gets a small drink before bed and gets in bed with nothing. He had been having pee through the night issues, and those are now solved too. He is very partial to his "bubble cup" he used at Grandma's...(I might need the rest of those mom)

Meanwhile, while I had Marce alone (which was too easy by the way) I thought I'd teach him how to shower. I know I'll still have to give Phoenix baths but still, it's been nice. I wanted to teach Marce before he started Kindergarten this year anyway so I thought why not now. He did great. He turns the water on and gets in all by himself, he does a great job on his hair and body, and then turns the water off and gets out all by himself. He dries himself and puts underwear and clothes on. I do nothing except hang his towel up (He can't reach) and remind him about the most important parts to wash. I had to get him a pump wash because he couldn't handle the big bottle but now we're good to go.

So that's two big milestones for the two boys! As for the rest of us, Amar'e is growing steadily and still thinks he can poke a hole through me! Sharrid is doing well in school and on tests even though he always gets real worried before one and doubts he's studied enough. The classes are keeping him on his toes! I have started to pack so that gradually it is done by the time we move. We pick up our new keys in a week and within a week and a half, we'll be out of here and in the new place unpacking, organizing, furnishing, and preparing for Amar'e to come.

I have decided to cut Phoenix' hair. It has been growing out for about a year now and I had decided to do some corn rows or something but with the move, the adjustment, and all the changes that brings I have decided against it. Not only that but I just have a feeling that even if he was good and got through the braiding process, he'd ruin it within a week or less. Maybe I'm underestimating these braids but I know how rough and tumble Phoenix is. His headstands alone would do them in and it's more expensive then getting a hair cut. Keeping it up would be pricey even if you only got them once a month. They should last 3 weeks or so but I just don't know with Phoenix, so I've decided to cut off the mop and let him grow it back and do braids another time when he's a little older. When he's a little older, he won't be rubbing his head into the ground! He'll be able to understand how to take care of them better, and he'll do MUCH better at getting them in! Phoenix' hair is so cute when it's clean and done. It's not bad otherwise as long as it looks even everywhere, but sometimes....it's just a mess. So to those of you who love the fro mop, sorry. He'll grow it out again but until then, it looks very cute short too, and it's been a while! Marcelus will also be getting a hair cut. He looks great with short hair!

It will just be easier having short cuts on everybody with the new baby coming. It'll be interesting to see what HIS hair is like! I had to cut Phoenix' hair off at 4 months because it kept getting all tangled when breast milk would get in it! He was a messy eater I guess!

Netflix

I've had an idea to post my most recent Netflix'. I'm not even going to give a review of them all and I might do it on my sidebar, but for the first one I'm going to post several I've recently seen, and then I'll be caught up and post one at a time. If you have Netflix, this may give you ideas to put on your own Queue. I'm not a huge movie person. I watch a lot of basketball games and Sports Center on TV. I watch Project Runway (can't wait til that starts up again) and Biggest Loser also. Other than that I don't watch TV so it's good to have Netflix to have something else to watch if I want. Most movies that are coming out are mediocre to me, but it doesn't hurt to see them once anyway (especially when Netflix is so cheap!). My favorite movies tend to be musicals and old classics, along with scattered random choices like Dave and Phenomenon. I usually love the movies of the books I've read too, like the Harry Potter movies. Having said that I have all kinds of movies and other footage in my Queue.

Here's a list of the most recent movies I've Netflixed. I usually don't Netflix movies and things I've already seen, but occasionally. If the movie has an Asterisk after it, then that means I had seen it before.

• Valentine's Day
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding
• Ocean's 12 & 13
• Killers
• Charlie St. Cloud
• Seven Pounds
• Date Night*
• Remember Me
• The Box
• City Of Angels

So, when I watch the most recent Netflix, I'll put it on the sidebar.