I am feelin' good. On a whim, today, I decided I'm going to start preschool with Scarlet tomorrow. I'M SO EXCITED!!!! I've got my whole week planned out and almost completely prepped. It is very simple, but I think can be very fruitful, if it all turns out. We will see. Some of it MAY be too advanced, but we'll just try it out and see how it goes. Most of it, I know will definitely be on her level. I found some great websites that have been SUPER helpful. I always see these things on pinterest and think, "Who has time for this! I can't cut out crafts and plan multiple lessons!"

But today, after church we were all eating, and before I knew it, Scarlet said she wanted to spell her name. So Greg helped her write it out and next thing he's drawing shapes on paper and explaining all sorts of things and she was so into it! Questions and it was obvious she loved learning about it! The whole thing happened right before my eyes and I thought, "Wow! Now is the time! I cannot waste this!" It was just a big awakening. Realizing how ready she was and watching Greg made me realize how simple it CAN be.

I was a little worried I'd be googling and searching pinterest for hours trying to figure out what to buy or arrange by myself. But within two clicks I end up on mudhutmamma.com and I felt so on the same page as her. Beyond the fact that she lives in AFRICA literally amongst elephants and baboons- our lives are COMPLETELY different- I couldn't help relate a bit in the fact that she's living sort of remotely in a strange land. I just liked her ideas and the way she lays things out. Gives great perspective on the simplicity that can be preschool at home. It gave me great confidence.

I'm really psyched. We'll see how it goes. The plan for this week is to learn the letters d, o, g and HOPEFULLY be able to READ them- like DOG. THAT is the part that might be too advanced for now- actual READING. We'll try it and if it works, awesome. If not, we'll just focus on the letters and the sounds they make and that is totally enough for me.

We're also gonna learn about shapes- circles, ovals, rectangles, and such.

We're gonna do a cool garden craft and talk about plants and plant a basil seed. She was already telling me today she wanted to plant seeds and watch them grow! So that will work out perfectly.

The first 3 days we'll learn something new and review the old stuff in new ways. And just keep building and reviewing the rest of the week. I think it's a good plan! I'm really excited!

I want to focus on READING, MATH and SCIENCE every week. And here and there work in health/bodies, maybe world cultures, dance/exercise, just whatever comes to mind.

I'm so excited! This is something I used to DREAD- feeling I could never find the time or energy and suddenly it seems so simple and I just can't wait. I'm excited because I think Scarlet will really like it too and learning new things never hurt anybody. It will also be good for us to do together, one on one, and one more activity that isn't TV.

I'm tired. My baby is coming in 8.5 weeks! That is so soon! We're leaving in 2 1/2 weeks! That is even sooner! Suddenly time is coming SO crazy fast and it blows my mind a little bit. But I'm really excited! I've been trying to catch up on our blurb books so I'm constantly staring at little newborn pics of Scarlet and the things I was writing then and it melts me every time I sit down to work on that book. It gets me so excited to have this little baby. The reality of a newborn and a new little personality to add to our family. We're excited.

He kicks me in the ribs. My other babies never did that to me. Not even once. This is new for me. I don't like it. He's always on my right side. What is up with that? He is just always over there. Sometimes I want a break. I wish he'd just stay in the middle.

I think about labor and PUSHING HIM OUT and I just cringe and get a stomach ache thinking about it. So not fun. I wish I could avoid it. I don't like saying that because if something goes wrong and I suddenly have to c-section of COURSE I'll wish I COULD have pushed him out. So I don't like saying it out loud, but really- it's sort of haunting when I think about my other labors. They're just not fun. Not in the slightest.

Everyday I grow more and more physically incapable. It's getting pretty rapid. We want to go to the mountains tomorrow, but I know I'm just a little weakling now that can hardly do anything without getting winded and sore.

I'm so excited to get my body back. I think about it more than I probably should. I'm really vain too. I'll look at certain pics of myself and think how skinny I look with just a belly. No one around here EVER tells me I look good, except Greg. If anyone says anything, it's about how I'm BIG. What is wrong with people! I look amazing! Why don't they acknowledge! I know this sounds soooo conceited, but seriously- a pregnant woman needs to be appreciated!

My babysitter got a new job, so when we come back we'll have to find someone new!!!! Oh this is not good timing, but it is what it is. I wonder about our life when we return. Everything will be different. And the winter will come soon after we arrive.

I wonder how long it will take me to "bounce back" after the baby. I keep hoping it will be faster this time. I feel like I'm finally in a good place and we keep adding new/positive things into our life, like preschool and music class and more playdates. We're just revving up just to come to an immediate halt and who knows how things will be when we come back.

Alright. I need to be in bed. I was just too excited and had to talk about it! Bye!

Oh my gosh. Greg is in the other room doing YOGA, but he must've fallen asleep because I can hear him snoring!!!!