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Today's post will most definitely be all over the place.  We just have so much going on that narrowing this one down would be too difficult for my puny little over-stuffed brain right now.  I'm either pregnant or I have early on-set dimensia.  I think I'm pregnant. 

The Willster
Will is doing muuuuccccchhhh better thank the good Lord!  He's eating most of his usual foods again and has stopped with this whole "I'm gonna choke" thing.  He does chew very very slowly, which drags our usual 30 minute meals into an hour or so, but I'm not complaining (at least not to him).  If I tell you how we trumped this phobia, you have to promise not to judge.  Promise?  Okay.  Here's how we broke solved this problem:  after two weeks of my child not eating, or chewing his food and then spitting it out before swallowing, I sat at work all day and cried.  I was devasted.  So I went home and in a moment of desperation, concocted my own "medicine".  I emptied and washed an expired medicine bottle and filled it with sugar water.  Next I added a few drops of blue food coloring.  I went to pick Will up from his grandparent's house and showed him his new "No Choke" medicine that the doctor just called in.  He took the medicine (and said it tasted like water) and then ate a few bites.  The next day, he ate a few more bites, and the next day a few more.  It took about three doses of "No Choke" medicine in total.  So don't judge me.  Yes, I stooped to a level that I'm not proud of.  Yes, I lied to my kid.  But he's eating.  He's not afraid to swallow, and that little crease in his forearm where his little infant self had it's first fat roll is back.  I'm a happy girl.

The no dairy thing is going wonderfully.  He hasn't had dairy milk, yogurt or cheese in nearly three weeks and the child has only complained about his tummy once in that time.  The one time he complained about his tummy was right after he had started eating again after his little sabitical and I honestly think he just ate too much.  Anyway, it's all almond milk (chocolate or vanilla - both of which are really yummy!), veggie cheese, and soy or coconut yogurt (which also has all the good bacteria of dairy yogurt in it.  Beware though - that coconut yogurt will crack your tooth it's so sweet!). 

Will is doing well at school (as far as I know - we'll have a parent teacher conference in a few weeks) .  He loves school and his little buddies there.  We have already agreed that we will send him there again next year for their 4 year program.  It will be a three day/week program and it's a little more money, but he's happy there and a lot of his buddies from this year's program will be returning.  If there is anything that I've learned in my short four years of being a mother, it's "don't fix what ain't broke" if you don't have to :)  He does have a little issue with helping the class clean up after center time (see photo) and one of his teachers divulged that he doesn't like being reprimanded - he tends to pout and give the 'ol slant eyes once he's been corrected.  That doesn't sound that unusual.  Heck, I don't even like being corrected!

Brooks
February is Brooks' birthday month!  My little sweet cheeks will be turning 2 on the 27th and we are going to be celebrating with a "Construction Party."  He's all about all things construction related - dump trucks, "diggers", hammers, etc...  I've been scouring the internet for weeks and have tons of cute ideas.  His party won't actually be until March 3rd due to my work schedule, but I've already placed orders with some of my favorite Etsy retailers. 

He's talking more and more.  It's still hard to make out what he's saying most of the time, but I can usually guess by his timing what he's talking about.  One funny about his speech - he usually just says one word at a time and rarely uses two words together.  When he does, it's so jumbled up that you can't make it out.  Well one night at dinner, as he was fussing to get out of his chair, I tried to distract him by asking "What do you want Brooks, a baby boy or a baby girl?"  Just as plain as day, he replied "Baby Gurl."  It was so clear and so definite that it took us all by surprise and after we processed what he said, we all started laughing.  I've asked him 1,000 different ways since that night if he wants a baby boy or a baby girl and he always replies the same - "Baby gurl."  Will says the same thing and only refers to "his baby" as a "she".  I hope these boys aren't too disappointed come Sunday.

Bean 3
Our little surprise dinner guest, or "Bean 3" as I refer to it, is hanging tight (quite literally).  I will spare you guys the obligatory "belly shots."  You Facebook friends may notice that you won't find any pregnant pictures of me with any of my pregnancies.  Yuck.  "I don't choose that choice" as Will would say.  Don't fuss at me about that.  You won't get anywhere.

We will find out Sunday (yes - Sunday) if Bean 3 is a boy or a "gurl".  We're going to a place called Baby Vision in Atlanta to do an early gender reveal ultrasound.  This place isn't a doctor's office, but rather a place where you can find out your baby's gender as early as 14 weeks or even do the more extensive 4D ultrasounds.  I didn't do this with the boys.  We just waiting for the OB to tell us the gender at the 20 week ultrasound.  This time however, I want to find out early.  As I mentioned in a previous post, we gave away any and all things baby related this fall when we were told we couldn't have any more children.  All of it.  Clothes, car seats, strollers, blankets, boppies, wipe warmers, even toys.  By finding out if Bean 3 is a boy or girl early, I will have more time to prepare for our new addition.  A few of my friends have used this place for early gender reveals and have loved it.  Our appointment is at 11, so all you Facebook friends should find out around lunch time.  I'm not patient enough to make you guys wait any longer. 

EVERYONE but one person has predicted that Bean 3 is a girl.  I'm not sure if that is because they're simply hoping that I'll eventually have a girl, or perhaps because the odds of having at least one girl out of three pregnancies is in my favor, or (and I think this is most likely) because this child is most definitely a miracle sent straight from God (not that my boys weren't miracles) and that He is giving me a girl this time.  Contrary to belief, I don't have a preference and I also don't have a "hunch" about whether Bean 3 is a he or a she.  A girl would be wonderful.  I would finally be able to buy some of these adorable girl clothes that I pass by each time I'm shopping for my boys.  But another boy would be swell too.  Let's face it - I'm a tomboy myself.  Any of you that know me personally can attest to that.  I hate dolls and fake makeup.  I would have to either learn to tolerate that stuff, or send her to Gram's house for her Barbie fix.  AND - I've got the boy thing down.  I'm almost accostumed to the craziness of a house full of boys - the noise, the broken things, and the trucks, trains and superheroes that fill my house.  PLUS - there's nothing like the way a little boy loves his momma :)  So don't worry about me.  I'll be happy with either a boy or a girl. 

So I'll leave you with my pregnancy symptoms.  You guys can use these symptoms to better determine if I'm having a boy or a girl.  I will put a * by the symptoms that are different than with my boys (who had very similar pregnancies).

Sickness: Yes*.  Worse at weeks 5-9.  Not at all in the AM, mostly around lunch and the worst at night.
Tiredness: Yes. 
Tender "areas":  Yes but not as bad as with the boys.
Cravings: They change from day to day.  I consistently want cereal - mostly Fruit Loops.  But I've also craved spicy buffalo wings and salsa.  I didn't really have any cravings with the boys (except chocolate milk with Will).
Carrying High or Low:  I think it's too early to tell.  People are just now telling me that I'm starting to look pregnant.  Plus I think with the third pregnancy in 4 years, this child will have no choice but to carry low.  I mean, my muscles are nonexistant.  Let's just hope it doesn't fall out.
Acne: YES*.  This has been horrible.  I look like a stinkin' teenager (no offense to my teenage readers!)

So y'all continue to ponder.... I'll be sure to keep you posted!