It's Been Awhile

It has been over a month since my last post. All kinds of stuff going on, none of it earth shattering or interesting. Too much to do to post regularly. I have been reading a lot too. My oldest and I have a "reading hour" every day where we each read our individual books. He has really progressed to enjoying adventure and mystery chapter books, and I was getting at least one novel read a week. That slowed down last week though because we started playing a game instead of reading. With such a short time left before school starts, I wanted to spend time doing something with him, rather than just reading next to him.

We have been busy getting ready for "back to school". My oldest starts back on Monday, entering second grade. I have a meeting with his teacher tomorrow to go over his allergies and special accommodations. This year he is in a portable. There is no running water in it, so therefore no sink. This has me concerned because of his allergies. He needs to be close to a sink so that he can wash any allergens off of him should he come into contact with them. Since they will have food in the classroom, this is a concern. I am going to suggest that they have all class parties in the cafeteria, but I don't think that will go over well.

There are two other children in his class with life threatening allergies. This will be the first time there has ever been another food allergic child in his class. I think that will be a good experience for him - to not be the only one. And his class will be very allergy aware, so that will be good. He also has three good friends from his first grade class in this class, so he is excited about that. I don't want to move him to another class, but the portable does worry me.

Tomorrow morning, I have to go to the Nursery School to help set up the classroom. One of the responsibilities of committee members, and not a very fun one, especially since I have to take all three children with me. But I will get through, then have my meeting with the second grade teacher, then come home and crash from exhaustion. This pregnancy makes it impossible to do too many things in one day without going to bed early - usually before dinner!

We did find out that we are having another boy! We are very excited about that. I was having a lot of guilt over this baby and my youngest being so close in age. The boys were spaced out enough that they each had two years with me before I was even pregnant with another child. But my little girl only had 10 months. She will only be 19 months when this baby is born. So I am glad that she will be my only girl. She and I will have that special connection that mothers and daughters do. And she will be the luckiest girl around with three brothers looking out for her (and such a large pool of young men to date when she gets to that age!).

So we are trying to pick names, and trying not to let any one else's opinions bother us. That is so hard. I completely understand couples who don't share the baby's name until the baby is born. Everyone seems to have an opinion on the names we are considering. Liking one over the other, not liking any of them. It is a very difficult decision to make and a very personal one. It is really no one's business but mine, my husband's and my childrens'. I think I might mention the idea of keeping our name choice a secret to my husband so that I don't have to hear anyone's negative comments on the name. Or any "but I liked the other one better". Once the baby is born and has been given a name, no one will say anything about it. Definitely a benefit of keeping it to ourselves.

Off I go to play a game with my son. Only a few days until he will be gone all day. Bittersweet, really. I won't have to break up fights all day between the kids or worry about them horsing around and hurting each other. But, I will miss him and so will his little brother. They really are good play mates.