i can see the finish line

(somewhere around 36 or 37 weeks, i think - the doc keeps changing my due date so who knows)

(up close and personal)

i'm not too fond of these of photos but for documentation purposes i decided to post them anyway.

it's hard to believe the end is here... actually it's not.

scratch that.

the end of this pregnancy has seemed like 20 billion years.

what is hard to believe is that i'm going to have 4 stinkin' kids!

i'd like to say that i'm ready for the challenge but my mind knows better.

i guess it's just going to be even crazier around here for a while.

the exciting part is i won't be pregnant anymore and i will have a precious new baby to make me smile :)

i know ava is getting more than excited and that she will be my little helper whether i like it or not; jack is realizing his days as the only boy are numbered, and eden... oh little eden.

i'm just going to have make sure that she doesn't poke his eyes out.

i am due in a week or two but have been dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced for about a week now.

so, i guess anytime.

but my luck, this little tease will make me wait till my due date.

either way, this bun is done.

(just ask my massive protruding belly button)

"valentime's" week/day

here is our valentine's week in pictures...

{a note that jack made for his dad.}

{jack working on his class valentines.}

{jacks's valentine loot.}

{the beautiful red roses that the mr. left for me before leaving for work. what a charmer.}

{eden showing off her cookie valentine post nap.}

{ava's artistic valentine bag which is so 4 year old precious.}

we have been enjoying making valentines and sharing them with those we like and love.

also, eating lots of junk.

i feel like we have had a sugar overload for some reason.

like almost worse than halloween.

what's up with that??

tangled

ever since this cute thang saw the movie tangled, she has wanted long locks just like rapunzel.

only problem is that her hair fits the title: TANGLED.

she has the most tangled knotted hair and would hate to have it brushed it out.

it was a constant fight.

so, i finally convinced her to let me cut off some of those tangles or "tingles" as she would say.

3 or so inches to be exact.

hallelujah.

she still puts up a fight when it comes to brushing out her hair

but it only takes half the time to brush out now.

(and she looks pretty darn cute)

even if she has ketchup all over her face from eating her mickey mouse chicken nuggets

which she has to have every day for lunch.

if you remember, rapunzel cut her too...in the end... but try telling an obsessed 4 year old that.

although, i think she secretly likes it better now :)

all we need is love

happy february

since february is supposed to be a month of love, i wanted to do something that would bring a

little love inside our home. hopefully.

so, i came up with a love chart for each kid.

all throughout the month, i will be closely watching each of my children to see what acts of love they can show towards one another.

for each unintentional act of love they do, they receive a sticker on their chart.

5 stickers = a toy from the treasure basket.

if they make it to 40 stickers, they get to go to peter piper pizza.

i just hope i can make it through the month without my kids driving me crazy and asking

me if they get a sticker for every single little thing they do.

for instance, ava gave me a kiss as she left for pre-school and then asked if she would

get a sticker for giving me kiss.

what!?!

you should want to give me kiss anyway. silly girl.

in the end, i really hope we have love-ly month.

here, their charts will hang all month long.

time that doesn't fly

i know i mentioned that this year seems to be flying by. However, it does not seem to be flying by in pregnancy time. the last 6-8 weeks of being pregnant last forever. it's hard to convince myself that this baby who is taking up my entire torso is easier to take care of inside the womb than outside the womb. especially, that i have began to feel nauseous again, i get bad RLS (restless leg syndrome) at night, i have to pee all the time, i can't breathe, i'm anemic so i have to take iron which increases constipation (bring on the dried apricots).... and the list goes on. i'm such a complainer, i know. but, really i am so thankful to be able to be pregnant and i know it really is a blessing. i just wish it didn't have to be so darn uncomfortable and last for what seems like an eternity.

meanwhile, i let the time pass by watching my girls spin each other over and over again in an office chair that seems to keep them laughing uncontrollably.

what sweet kids i have :)

a new year

it's hard to believe that january is already about half over.

it seems like we were just toasting to a new year.

like yesterday.

if the rest of this year is going to fly by, i don't know what i'm going to do.

i have a bunch of goals i want to achieve

(obviously, blogging on a regular basis isn't one of them)

and who knows if i will get around to achieving them.

life just seems to take up so much time.

although, some of my goals i can't really start working on until after childbirth....

for instance, running more marathons and stuff.

but, most of them i can start on and i better get to it or else the year

will be over before i know it.

regardless, i am excited for 2011 and can't wait to see what adventures it will bring us.

hopefully good ones :)

(ava crashing before the official arizona new year.)

christmas was here

santa did come.

he left some pretty great stuff.

not one was said to be disappointed.

eden: a new dog she can walk, more toy story guys, and books.

ava: baby "olive" (baby alive) in a high chair, books, make up, silly bands and lots of candy.

jack: toy story train legos, cars, junie b. jones books, silly bands, and candy.

mom: a lap top computer.

dad: a long board with a rowing stick.

it was a jolly morning in the breinholt home.

(mom and dad gave some pretty good presents, too)

merry be-lated christmas to all.