There are so many things to tell about this week. I really don't think I can cut any of them out. So, here is a list of the things that kept us busy this week:
1. Fish
This week, the fish that have been living in our house for less than a month have multiplied. One afternoon, Jordan found babies swimming along the bottom of the tank. After googling "Molly fish babies", we learned that Molly fish (we have two) almost always leave the pet store pregnant and can have 12-15 fish a month for up to 6 months even without a mate. So far, we have 11 baby Mollies, but there is no telling how much excitement the next few months will hold. It would figure that we ended up with very fertile fish. The *little* idea of getting fish for the girls for Valentine's Day has turned into quite the situation, with a separate baby net in the tank and everything.
2. Growing a baby
And I do mean growing a baby. I am rapidly expanding. I ended up taking the advanced track on pregnancy weight gain and am roughly double the recommended weight for my stage of pregnancy (I'm mirroring about what I gained with Avery). Baby Girl is almost 1 pound now and has begun moving enough to let Jordan occasionally get a kick.
Baby Girl also has a name. She will be Reese Suzanne. Reese is derived from Theresa, Jordan's oldest living relative (and Reese's great-great grandmother!). She is the matriarch of the McClinton side of the family and we are thrilled to have the chance to honor such a fun-loving, welcoming bunch of folks. Suzanne is after my sister's middle name, which we feel is fitting - Reese's gift to us and our gift to her is sisterhood, and it seems appropriate to name her after the very same gift I've enjoyed throughout my life - my sister.
Avery seems excited about Reese and has big plans to wake up when she cries at night to feed her. Kate has taken to lifting up my shirt, yelling, "Oh, Reese!", and spanking my stomach repeatedly.
Baby Reese deserves her own blog post. Maybe she'll get one soon... riiiiight.
3. Avery's animal obsession
Recently Avery has become obsessed with Dottie. Dottie has never been highly favored in this home... until recently. As Jordan and I have said, anyone that my beloved loves becomes my beloved. So, in retribution for Dottie's endless hours of being chased, pounced on and drug around, we repay her with love and acceptance. We think the worst part of this current obsession is that she cannot get away - if she hides in her dog bed, Avery will drag it across the floor, Dottie in tow. It's a dog's life.
Avery and Kate stayed their first night with Popi and Mimi recently and Avery was in absolute heaven. Their dogs are very friendly to children and the dogs would allow Avery to hold them, rub them, and attack them with sweetness for hours on end.
4. Floors
Jordan has been hard at work on upgrading our dog-dirty carpet to new wood floors all week. With a LOT of help from his dad and mine, the progress has been amazing. I cannot believe what a difference the new flooring makes.
Our home is currently in absolute disarray... furniture everywhere and a thin layer of dust covering everything. By the end of this week, my nesting can go into overtime and I can clean and arrange to my heart's content. I'm so, so thankful for the hard work of the men in our lives this week and for the difference the floors are going to make in our home.
5. The Great Ooh Ooh Rescue
On the way to school today, we had the car windows down. Kate's beloved lovey, Ooh Ooh, somehow took a dive out the window. Kate, Avery and Hannah were all devastated, so I promised to circle back and get him on the way home. Sure enough, once we dropped off the older girls and headed back down Kingsland, I found Ooh Ooh in the middle of the street. We pulled over, put on the hazards, and then watched as no less than 10 cars ran Ooh Ooh over. Once the cars had cleared, I was able to dart out and get the treasured Ooh Ooh. He looks none the worse for wear - no skid marks or dirt. Kate was proud to get the guy back and couldn't wait to tell Daddy all about the adventure: "Ooh Ooh fly 'way! Out window!"
If we stay this busy on an average week with 2 kids, I have no idea what to expect with 3! It'll be a ride worth sharing, I'm sure.