Baby, Chores and Cooking

So after 3 years of deciding we were done having kids, Free and I both kept getting a nagging feeling that we weren't done.  After a few months of trying to make this life changing decision, we decided that there was one more waiting to join our family.

The way I found out I was pregnant was that one of the kids leaned into my stomach while cuddling on the couch and I had to run to the bathroom and throw up.  Then I realized..."Am I pregnant?" I tried a pregnancy test and there was a FAINT line that I wasn't even sure if there really was one, or if my mind was playing a trick on me. I decided to wait a day or two, and then as soon as I woke up, I ran to Albertson's got one and hurried back.  There was another faint line but more clear... I was pregnant :)  

See what I am talking about?  

The left round circle indicates if your pregnant and I was all..

" I think I see something, but, not really..."

 March 4th, 2013- 6 weeks

There goes my flat stomach that I finally got back after South Beach Diet :(

... bump already showing

April 16th, 2013- 11 weeks  

     May 8th, 2013-15 weeks

                  BOOM!!July 16th, 2013-26 weeks

         ( I know that is one round tummy!..

and I still have 14 weeks left)

First trimester was the worst out of all pregnancies I have had and had finally recovered around the 19th week. This pregnancy is completely different than my others so I think many people believe we are having a girl.  Possibly, but in my mind it's a boy, and when I talk to the baby it's always, "He" or "Buddy".  So we will see.  ;)

I hit my 27th week and have already started the nesting phase. I think I just know from experience that once this baby comes, I am going to have no desire to get things done. I know I want to enjoy the moments of bonding with this new baby and I need to give it the attention that it needs, and not worry about oil changes, house repairs, dental appointments, etc.  

One thing I am excited about that I've been working on with the kids are chores and teaching them to cook.  They have finally come to terms with chores and that while I am doing dishes, cleaning up after dinner and straightening up the kitchen, that somewhere in the house, something is getting cleaned and put away at the same time.  My 2 hours of cleaning, have now been fit into 30-45 minutes because the kids are now on board and taking responsibility for their mess. What a life saver, and perfect for when this baby comes. 

Along with these family chores, 1 child is assigned as my kitchen helper.  In the past when I attempted to teach them to cook/bake, it was 3 boys fighting about taking turns or who got to pour more, etc.  Because of this I was always shooing kids out of the kitchen and telling them, "no," when they asked to help because I didn't want to deal with their fighting.  So back to the kitchen helper assignment. Now that they know that they will have 1 full week of helping during the month, they don't bother me when I am showing another child how to cook.  The two oldest have been able to make scrambled eggs, cheese crisps, heat soup on the stove top, pancakes, sandwiches, and salads.  They are also responsible for filling up everyone's drinks and serving the prepared plates out (and I teach them to serve others first and then themselves last) It has been a great experience for them and I know it will teach them to be more self sufficient, and when I have my hands full with the baby, they can do more things for themselves, and have that practice and confidence when the time comes.

**My motivation for teaching them to cook was actually not for the new baby, but because I heard on talk radio that the skill of cooking is not being passed down to kids and our next generation is going to have an extreme obesity epidemic. The only cooking skills kids are learning are putting things in the microwave.  I was recently talking to my husband about how I remember when we first were married and I thought making Hamburger Helper and Boxed food was homemade cooking. :) He told me he really made a leap of faith marrying me ;) LOL.  I have come a long ways from then, but luckily I had the desire, time, and willing friends that had experience to teach me how to cook.  So anyways, I took this talk radio announcement to heart and knew that I needed to start that day to teach our kids to cook and be more self-sufficient. Along with teaching how to cook, I am also pointing out the names of the cooking tools and how to use them correctly.  I know that starting now, my kids will have the skills to take good care of themselves and their future families to come.