Thank You!

Y'all are awesome! I appreciate every one of your comments. It's fun to have so many people to share such a great time with. So, thank you for all your comments and phone calls. I'm still on cloud 9 - surfin' all the little girl stores on the internet. This is going to be so much fun.

The Day our Family Changed Forever

Um, tonight Tom and I went to the mall. We left our little boys with a friend ( thanks so much, Meisja) and headed up to Fetal Studio - the ultrasound studio at the mall. Sounds funny, I know, but for a mere $75 you can find out your baby's gender as early as 15 weeks. Since I'm almost 16, I thought we'd be safe. And we were. And guess what. It's a GIRL!!! No, really. I'm serious. I'm having a baby girl! This just proves that my mother's instincts are dead wrong because I just knew the others were girls and this was a boy. But, no. It really is a girl. The doctor there said that he was 100% sure of it. He showed me her stuff and everything - and it's definitely different than anything I've ever seen in an ultrasound before. I don't even know what to think. Part of me is nervous about venturing over on the other side, but a bigger part can't get over the excitement of actually having a daughter. Yay, me. Ben and Garrett are disappointed but Scotty is ecstatic. (I think he just wants an excuse to play with Polly Pockets.) Jake has no idea what's going on but acted excited. So, here's my list of things to do in the next 5+ months.

Paint a room
Buy a crib, swing, etc.
Buy lots of girl clothes
Buy lots of bows (I'll be calling you, Brynn)
Buy all the girl Disney DVDs
Buy more girl clothes
Shuffle the boys' rooms around
Change my whole identity. I've always been a boy mom. Now I'll just be a mom.

This just goes to show that God knows what He's doing. For those who don't know, Tom and I were actually preventing pregnancy. We'd gotten rid of everything baby related. When I got pregnant, I was definitely not ready. But, I decided to trust in the Lord - He's never failed me before. And honestly, girl or boy, I would have seen His hand in this. But, I feel enormously blessed right now. This makes the constant vomiting, the postponed Hawaiian vacation and everything else seem so minimal. I'm going to have a daughter and I couldn't be happier.

PS - I don't know why the font is wiggin' out on me, but I can't fix it. Sorry.

I Can NOT Handle. . .

I absolutely despise the show Yo, Gabba Gabba .It's on Nick Jr. and it is as disturbing as anything I've seen for children on TV. They tried this whole retro 70's theme. And guess what - the 70's are meant to be forgotten. The only good things that came out of them are the births of most of my friends. But styles and colors and ambiance were not pretty. Any movies you see set in the 70s seem sad and dismal. It's like God made another flood on January 1, 1980 to clean up the world and add some color. Anyway, I don't like that show and I hate that Scott does. But. . . I absolutely LOVE the Wonder Pets. That show is everything that I want out of TV for my kids. It's got an innoncence and sweetness that (I hope) might rub off on my children as the cute little animals save other baby animals to classical music.

Night at the Movies

I hope you are sitting down. Are you ready? Tom Tillman bought popcorn at the movies tonight. No sneaking in candy, no coupons. He went to the counter and purchased the overpriced treat. Now, honestly, I even have a hard time doing it. But Tom - well, that's just against everything he stands for. So, clap your hands and take note, because I doubt it will happen for a VERY long time. And, as the one who manages the bank account, I appreciate the fact that he saves us a few bucks when we go out.

Now, for the movie. We both highly recommend August Rush. Good, clean flick that keeps you interested and makes you smile. And, if you love music, inspires you to play. Oh, and made me cry - but really, that's not so hard lately. I liked it a lot and would even go back and see it again. Somebody said it was parallel to Oliver Twist. Dang, I wish I were up on more classics so I could discuss it and sound as smart as I used to think I was. But, Oliver Twist or no Oliver Twist, it's worth the full price movie - and even some $5 popcorn.

I apologize from the bottom of my heart

Over the past week I've become very aware of how horrific I am as a mother. My boys have been complaining and I have been listening - and I'm ready to fess up and apologize. Now, I'm not sure how sincere my apologies may be and if I'm ready to change my behaviors, but I am now very aware of their grievances.

1- I'm sorry, Garrett, for making you eat things other than hamburgers and candy and chips. Our "three big bites" rule has always been a burden on you. Hey, as a little boy, you used to even throw up anything green. It was (and is) very cruel for me to continue to make you eat things that might help your body function.

2- Along those same lines, I'm sorry Ben for making you eat casseroles. Honestly, I'm not too big a fan of them either. But, you get meat and vegetables in one dish. And, by the way, how is it that you prefer vegetables to chicken?

3 - I'm sorry, from the bottom of my heart, for folding so much laundry. I know, I know, the more I fold, the more you have to put in your closet and drawers. Well, in some cases, right back on the floor so it can have an expidited return to the laundry.

4- I'm sorry for making you do chores. It doesn't matter that you will be self-sufficient one day when you know how to clean your apartment. It doesn't matter that your wife will kiss my feet for making you a contributing husband. It's tough. I get it. Especially when all your friends knock on the doors 30 times an hour on Saturday mornings when they've been told that you will be busy for a while.

5- I'm sorry for an early bedtime. Stupid mom for reading studies that prove that growing boys need more sleep than they are getting. Actually, to be honest, I just want a break so bedtime comes as early as possible.

6- I'm sorry that you are now in charge of cleaning your own toilet. No more vomitting from mom when she goes to clean it. Which reminds me, as soon as you are home from school, you have a job to do.

7 - I'm sorry that I make you do your homework EVERY day. Something about good grades and college. I know you like BYU, but it takes more than a cute smile to get in. But, yes, I am mean because all your friends get to stay up late to do homework and play after school. Refer to number 5.

I know there are several more things that I need to apologize for. Brushing teeth, taking showers, washing hands, etc. But, I'm feeling less apologetic right now. Besides, I have to go grocery shopping for more vegetables and casseroles - oh, and toilet cleaner.

Grandad!!! and some other stuff

What a great weekend we had. First and foremost - a visit from Texas Grandad. He came just to visit the boys and meet the puppy. We had a great time and he got to know the boys a bit better. It's fun to see them connect with him. Even though they only see him a couple times a year, they have a strong bond - and he seems to adore them. He brought Dallas Cowboys jerseys for each one - just to feed the out of control addiction. Just a side note - there is something about seeing your dad after a long time. I go from independent mommy and wife to daddy's little girl in seconds. It feels safe and comfortable.

Next. . .

Kristin tagged me to do a 7 random things about me list. This must be popular right now because I've seen people not connected to eachother doing it. Since I already did a 100 things about me list back in August, I'll see if I can come up with something new.

1 - I'm unnaturally obsessed with food. I think about it all the time. I don't cook so much because I hate working for a long time on a meal just to get complaints. But, I love food and love thinking about what I'd rather be having for dinner instead of the boring things we do have.

2- I'm a total homebody - especially when it's cold. When it's nice out, I love to have fun. But from October to May I can't think of anything better than staying inside with a good chick flick and avoiding anything that might make my body even the littlest bit uncomfortable. My temperature comfort zone is between 65 and 85 degrees. Other than that, I don't want to deal with it.

3- I love working out. But, I have to do it my way. I'm not coordinated enough for aerobics, I hate treadmills and the bounce of a run is not so good on some body parts. I mostly like to do my stationary bike with my itunes in one ear and a good tv show on. I have to be totally distracted so I don't know that I'm doing it. I set goals for myself and I love accomplishing them. Also, Gunner Peterson's Core whatever is my favorite toning exercise. That ball is awesome. I'm just now coming out of the too sick to function trimester, so I'm excited to start up again.

4 - Laundry bites. I hate it. And, for some reason, even when he isn't involved, I resent Tom every time I do it. I know that's not rational. But, I feel like I have to blame someone, and he is the easiest target. I don't blame him for too many other things, though - so our relationship only suffers while I'm rolling his socks.

5 - I really am excited at the prospect of this baby being a boy. I don't know why. While a girl would be a dream come true, a boy seems just as great. The boys have already named him Antonio and we don't even talk about girl names. (Antonio is out of the question but I even refer to him that way.) I was reading a book about 5 little monkeys and I thought - yeah, that's what I'll call them, "my five little monkeys." Oh, my gosh. I'm going to have five kids. That just hits me every once in a while.

6- I'm pretty laid back. But, when I get my mind wrapped around an issue that I feel strongly about, watch out. I can argue you down to submission - not that I'm proud of that. I try to temper my comments and honestly look at other sides. But, if you see me starting to spout off some belief, back off because it's just not worth it.

7- I'm bad at plucking my eyebrows. I just read in my friend, Tracie's, blog that she was embarassed because she'd been sick and hadn't taken care of them and she saw friends with her unkept eyebrows. I then became very ashamed at my eyebrows. If I have disgusted any of you, I apologize. Honestly, I would like to be better at that. But, I would also like to be better at painting my nails, vacuuming the floor, practicing my viola, etc. Sometimes I'm not great at the follow through portion of my good intentions. Love me if you can.

What Not to Watch and Wives Tales

I'm finding that when you are pregnant, there are several shows that you shouldn't watch.
1 - Biggest Loser
2 - Dancing with the Stars - How does Jane Seymore look like that in her sixties when I look like this in my thirties? Even when I'm not pregnant, I'm no Jane Seymore. Not fishing for compliments. Don't worry. I have a good body image so you don't have to stroke my ego. But really, she's a menopausal hottie.
3 - Desperate Housewives. I got bored of the silly drama a couple of seasons ago anyway. But, do those ladies eat?
4 - Anything else on tv. When did a size 4 turn into too fat for tv?

So, I've looked at the wive's tales and I'm definitely having a boy. Here are some that I'm going by.
1 - Leg hair growth. Gross, I know. But, if it grows faster then that means you have more testosterone in you and you are having a boy. Now, I'm a quarter Mexican so it's hard to tell. I'm an everyday shaver because I need to be anyway.
2 - Fat under-the-tongue vein. My friend Lyndi is a natural everything kind of girl who doesn't believe in ultrasounds. (I'm too impatient to be that natural. And I like epidurals.) Anyway, her midwife says to look under the tongue. Fat vein = little boy.
3- I'm carrying like a football. At first I thought I was more watermelony, but that was just my lovely body expanding.
4- Chinese calendar says it's definitely a girl. It's said that with the last three pregnancies. You just can't trust that puppy.
5 - I keep running into complete strangers who feel it's their duty to tell me about the 8 boys in a row they have - or their sister has - or their second cousin once removed has. In other words, I think that kharma is trying to prepare me for the inevitable. By the way, I don't know much about Kharma, being Mormon and all, so maybe it's not kharma telling me that. Maybe there is another word that works better.

Are there any wive's tales that any of you have heard of that might work? Oh, and don't tell me to put a string over my belly. I'm supposed to have two girls by now with that method. At the end of it all, a wive's tale is just silly - but it's still fun to do until I can go find out.

My domestic habits

Today I pulled out the iron to press the boys' Sunday shirts. Scott walked in and asked, "What are you going to sew?" In other words, "you don't iron or sew enough for me to know the difference between the appropriate machines." I laughed and felt kind of sheepish. But, in my defense, I try to only iron when I know my rambunctious little boys aren't going to be in the room risking life-long disfigurement from the iron. So, that's usually done after bed time. And for the sewing - let's just say that my sewing machine is simply there for emergencies - and an emergency hasn't come up in a LONG time. (But the boys do love their warm quilts I made them 2 Christmases ago. Aren't I a nice mom?)

So I got to thinking about my domestic habits and here is what I came up with. I am not domestic. I work very hard to keep my house sanitary. The toilets are cleaned regularly. The kitchen is sprayed down with Clorox Clean Up or 409 at least once a day. And I do laundry a couple times a week. But, other than that, I'm not so domestic. The last costume I sewed was two years ago (surprisingly, it turned out well). I gave up scrap booking when I realized that my projects I'd spend hours on looked like middle school art project. I now just stick pictures in albums and label them to the side. I just don't find the satisfaction that some people find. Maybe if I had a daughter and I could use pink more, things would be different - but probably not. So, you crafty people - please love and accept me for who I am and not who I'm not. And Emily, if you're ever in Utah, stop by and try to inspire me. It can't hurt.