No matter how many times you go through it...

pregnancy is always different, just like every one of your children are...I told my father-in-law the other day that i had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  He asked  "why'd ya go and do that?" : )   My reply?  "to make this one more interesting of course!"

At 26.5 weeks (or so) i'm still learning new stuff (and this is far from my first pregnancy!) Its actually quite interesting because i am learning more about my brother and what he has gone through over the years.  He has Type 1 diabetes, and while some would consider gestational diabetes no where near as problematic as type 1 or even type 2, it has, and causes its own, issues.

So now i am supposed to be eating breakfast, lunch and dinner along with 3 snacks a day.  Each meal and snack has a certain amount of carbs i should be eating.  Its neat to watch how different foods do different things to your numbers ... sometimes just the time of day causes a change.  I can eat the same amount of waffles and syrup for breakfast as for lunch (two different days of course!) and the numbers are very different. 

Also, exercise affects the numbers ....its all about the numbers. 

The other thing that has been interesting about this whole change has been the kids.  They too are interested in learning and helping me keep track of things.  They ask what my numbers are, and if i have had a snack (that is one of the hardest things for me - i really don't eat enough most days.)

So, along with the finger pricking diabetes, with this pregnancy i have the usual (for me...) carpal tunnel, and as my brother Joe so lovingly puts it 'that pregnancy leg thing.' :  P  Gotta love the guys and their descriptive endeavors (and this from a young man who has been published! yikes!)

Otherwise things are swimming along.  The wee one is due around Sept 16th... some interesting saints to choose from on that day •St. Abundius •St. Curcodomus •St. Dulcissima, i don't know... those might be too hard for people to remember how to spell!  The kids are making lots of suggestions - the little ones are leaning towards Rescue Hero names, Jacob (Jake Justice) and William (Billy Blazes) seem to be the front runners - its way too funny to hear their reasoning for choosing certain names! Oh well. 

Oh! and don't bother asking what name we decide on as we never tell until the wee one is born! :  )

Blog Names

Well, i tried to beat the question ... everyone was being so polite and not asking where the names came from or why they even exist, but someone finally asked before i got to answering the question. 

So for all of you who do not know ..... (which is many of you)...

The kids have a Great-aunt (she's great of course, but Great as well).  Aunt Pat is Free Cherokee and a clan Chief.  In Cherokee society, women are leaders and decision-makers. 

When we visited my Aunt and Uncle, Aunt Pat gave each of our children an Indian Name.  Those are what you see here.

Our oldest son is Running Buffalo

Our second oldest son is Strong Arrow

Our oldest daughter is Star Feather

Our youngest son is Spirit Walking Bear

Our youngest daughter is Smiling Butterfly

The picture below is from that day.  My cousin and his children were with us as well.  They received names from Aunt Pat too.

I decided to use their Indian Names as the children like them, and to help keep their privacy. 

The names fit the children really well... and they are well loved. 

Thank you Chief Spirit Shadow! We love you!