Halloween + Update

Here are some of our Halloween pictures! Lizzie was an angel, Caitlin a ballerina, I was an Indian, and Rod was Tony Stark (if you haven't seen Iron Man, it won't make any sense!)

I made Lizzie's angel dress and Caitlin's ballerina skirt, and they made their annual Halloween treat boxes (cereal boxes cut in half). I really like the cereal boxes- they don't stretch much and have a limit to the candy they can hold!

Our fam- I don't think the flash went off. I know you'll all mock me for this, but I have to tell you anyway. My Indian costume I made from a blanket from D.I. for $3.00. And my moccasins are rejected garden shoes (which I also got a D.I. for $3.00 a year or two ago) that I hot-glued the extra blanket fabric on. I know- laugh! But it's so cheap and so recycling!!!

(By the way, Kate, I laughed at your birthday card you sent me!! I guess I know why...)

Iron Man just came out on video a week or two ago, and everyone knew Rod was Tony Stark - his chest light was on, but didn't show up in any of the pictures. Just one of those stick-on L.E.D. lights from the dollar store. He worked on his goatee for a few days before and picked up some dollar-store glasses and viola- is that Robert Downey Jr. or what?

This was a few weeks before Halloween. I just thought it was funny. Here we are, trying to have some family fun, and Lizzie is just ticked off she was dragged along. Seriously, this kid's attitude belongs in the body of a 16-year-old!

Also, I have had a great birthday so far (although it's 10 am on my birthday...). Rod took me out the dinner last night and a little shopping. Really, just getting a babysitter is exciting enough! This morning Rod and the girls made a yummy breakfast for me...though Rod says I can't open any presents until tonight. I did open my cards from Kate and Em, they were hilarious! Mom, I got your box, but haven't opened my presents yet! The girls were very excited about their Halloween cards and tootsie pops!

Also, just to update everyone, I had to go the hospital to get a bulge in my calf checked out. I woke up on Tuesday with this bulge in my calf, some pain, and some redness, along with the veins behind my knee bulging. Since it could have been a blood clot, I went to an imaging center on Tuesday (after my midwife came over and looked at it) and they said it wasn't a clot. But we (us and my midwife) wanted to be 100% sure so I went the hopsital on Wednesday and got it checked again, and they said it's okay- it's varicose veins!! AAAHHHH!!!! I guess pregnancy brings them on a lot. But I still have this bulge in my calf (think a macaroni noodle under your skin- it's wierd) and have to wear these compression nylons probably the rest of my pregnancy. The stockings won't make them go away, but sometimes the veins hurt and they help a lot with that. The good thing about all this is it's recommited me to exercise- I have to do something cardio 6 days/week to keep them from getting worse. I'm grateful I don't have a complication where I have to stay in bed or something. I read they sometimes go away after pregnancy, but sometimes they don't. Hopefully they will! Anyway, hopefully it won't turn into an episode of Rescue 911 where it turns out I have a super rare macaroni-vein disorder. Rod keeps reassuring me that's not the case, but I think I watched too many Rescue 911's as a kid!!!