At Least it's a Post!

I have to write this really fast I have about 2 minutes. I am a nice cocktail of emotions right now, from completely exhausted to feeling more energetic than I have in a long time to total *stress* to calm and happiness to blissful. 

Right now I'm feeling quite happy and blissful together with a whole lot of stress. Brad's school is taking A LOT more time than we thought and he's really busy at work. Plus my baby's pretty sick and isn't eating well, and I have a midwife appointment today where they are going to try to give me a solution to the fact that my baby isn't gaining weight properly but there is no solution. Plus I have a bunch to do today.

But I'm so excited for Christmas. And I love my baby. And I have the best job in the whole world (being a Mom) and I've been really, really spoiled this past couple of weeks since having Afton. I love my good friends, my family, and the Saints and their hearts of gold. Thank-you for taking care of me. I haven't cooked a meal YET! :)

I love these two together. Evie is a bright shining star.

All the girls went to the Nutcracker and Breanna sat on the edge of her seat for all 3 hours of it, in awe, clapping whenever she got the chance.  

On the way to the sledding hill at night.

This is random. That took more than 2 minutes. So now I might not get to shower. But there you go. A new post :)

Baby Pics

I think most of the people who read my blog have seen these but I wanted to post them here too. I am so content and happy and that's what having a baby does for me. It's like her little spirit glows and fills my whole house with heaven. I am soaking in every chubby little moment with this baby. I sit there with her face in my hand and stare. That's what I love about these pictures, because I think when I look at them when Afton's all grown up I will remember how it felt to have a newborn baby.

Breanna's Birthday

I know this is a bit (ahem) overdue, but Breanna had a birthday party! It was really fun to make her feel special and she soaked it all in. We mostly had family there and one church friend, I didn't want to make it too stressful, but my sisters were there to help and that made the party go really smooth.  I have to say the star of the show was my niece Evie, she even kept the conversation going. They really were having conversations as they ate cake. It was sooo cute!! And I must give a special shout-out to my sister Candace who played the "real princess". She was for sure the highlight and did this only, and I mean ONLY because she loves Breanna. Haha-thanks, Candace :)

Baby Afton Ruth

Baby girl, little piece of heaven, you are here!

(If you want to read Afton's very detailed birth story, go here)

Memory

Lately I've realized something. Nothing makes it past Jesse. He's too smart. These are just a few recent examples.

(Jesse and his cousin Maren)

- Yesterday morning Brad promised Jesse he would bring a treat home from work. He forgot, but Jesse didn't! Brad had to turn around when he got home from work an hour late and go to the store for a treat. Brad likes to make promises to Jesse to get him to do this or that and Jesse never lets him get away with anything. We ask him how he remembers and he says "my brain works good".

- A few weeks ago we told Jesse Brad's work was having a coloring contest for little kids and he should go in it. Well, I forgot about it. Brad forgot about it. But then yesterday Jesse said to me "remember I have to color a picture for the contest?" Oh yah!

- The past few school days Jesse has worn his boots to preschool and I keep forgetting his indoor shoes. So on Friday I said, Jesse, next time you need to remind me to bring your indoor shoes to school. Of course I forgot again, but thank goodness for Jesse who on our way out the door said "Mom! My indoor shoes!"

And finally the kicker:

- Yesterday when Brad was taking a long time getting home I said to Jesse in frustration "where is daddy?"

He replied, very calmly, "I don't freakin' know where he the heck is."

Haha! Oooooooops! How were we supposed to know he was listening? :S

First Snow Day

Can I just say, I love love love snow. I think it is one of God's most beautiful creations.

Breanna asked to play in the snow and I was so excited about that. I told Jesse to get his snow pants on, he didn't want to, so I said, well it's either outside or in bed. He went to bed. As you can see, I feel very strongly about my kids' outside time. Breanna went out and had a great time. About half an hour later I went into Jesse's room, dragged him out of bed and got him dressed in his snow gear myself. He went outside and had so much fun he didn't want to come in. He could stay out there all day if he had someone to play with and Breanna comes in the second her hands start to get a teensy bit cold. My kids have played outside more in the last few days than they have in a long time. It makes me so happy. I can't wait to take them sledding! I just wish I could get out there and roll around in it with them. I can't, though. I have no coat or snow pants that fit. Look at how happy Breanna is!!

Speaking of beautiful creations, look at this little boy. Beautiful inside and out. I swear he's in overdrive all the time. But then at night when Brad and I go to tuck him in he's always asleep with his scriptures open beside him. Last week was the primary presentation. Jesse was all over the place as he stood in his chair-bouncing, twisting, leaning this way and that way- but he knew all the words to all the songs and sang loud. Really loud. But in tune! He has a very nice voice.

See my puffy red face reflected in the mirror? Yes I am in my underwear. These kids are ready for church, but I didn't go to church today. Even though I wanted to. I am the never-ending pregnant woman. I look like I'm ready to have the baby by the time I'm 6 1/2 months. You can imagine the comments I get at 9 months pregnant. Like, when are you going to have that baby? It makes me uncomfortable just looking at you! I've never seen a belly like that. You must be ready to pop now! Girl, when are you due? Is it twins? Etc. Etc. I just couldn't bear it today, or to wear the same dress I've worn for the past 6 Sundays in a row. Yes, the mumu. Brad said to me last Sunday: "That dress is a bit...played." Yes, yes it is.

I am trying everything to hurry up and have this baby. Today would have been perfect. Alas. Just one teensy contraction? Please? I was overdue with both of my other children. Jesse 8 days, Breanna 10. So I'm envisioning myself missing 3 more weeks of church. Or going next week and listening to this from everyone I see in the hallway: "you're still pregnant??????????" 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :)

A Bit More Grateful

This morning I woke up to a beautiful thing. The familiar sight of soft white snow covering the ground and resting on the branches of my pine tree, reflecting the orange light of the street lamps. It's a comfortable, sweet picture to behold.

Makes me think of this:

Our new favorite thing around here? Brad takes the kids outside and plays "No Bears are Out Tonight" Last night after Family Home Evening I was inside cleaning up supper and baking the cookies (thanks, Alyson!) and all I could hear was the laughing and screaming of the "villagers". Then a few minutes later Jesse came in crying. He was scared. Breanna wasn't scared but she pretended to cry anyway. They went back out and when the cookies were ready we all ate them together. That night I sat in the rocking chair and read Winnie the Pooh. It was a pretty perfect evening.

I love coming downstairs to evidence that my kids are playing:

I also found a park right by my midwives...

That has a merry go round!! Yay!

My kids are so lucky to have Grandma's house and lots of cousin friends!

I have a week and a half until my due date. Could be any day! That is if I was normal, which I'm not....it will probably be another 3 weeks, which is almost a month, if my other labors are any indication. And yes, I get rude comments at the grocery store. Ahhhhhhhh!

A week ago I wrote a long complaining post, but as you can see I really have nothing to complain about. I am surrounded by family, friends, and a church community who care and are there to support me. I deleted it when I realized I was being kinda pathetic. BUT I'm not gonna lie....I wish I had

Nothing.

To.

Do.

This is a picture of me eating a caramel apple and wishing I had nothing to do. Brad loves to take flattering pictures of me, as you can see. In it, I am wearing socks and sandals, because none of my shoes fit anymore and I can't bend down to tie my running shoes. My fingers are too swollen anyway and I have pregnancy carpel tunnel. My maternity clothes are too small and I have spilled on my shirt, right on top of my belly. So charming. Thanks, Brad. Someday I'll make a montage of all the flattering pictures Brad takes of me. Also, the flattering video. His favorite angle? Camera right in my face, angled upwards, usually while I'm eating.

Have a happy snow day!! :)

Breanna ballet

I'm not sure if you can really call this "ballet" but she sure loves it and I sure love watching it!!

Halloween

Because we are so stinkin' creative around here I thought I'd post our Halloween experience so you could ooo and aaah and think to yourself, I better step up my game next year.

Just kidding! But really, we did have fun even though we didn't do the traditional trick or treating. I like holidays because they mean family time and traditions. I looooove family time. We had a little party on Friday night, carved pumpkins, danced to Halloween music, decorated cookies and watched The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. My kids did well during that scary movie, but we were cuddling them really close :)

Our handy Brad carving the pumpkin with a suspicious light glowing above it.

Mmmmm icing....

Wow aren't we good.

The Bride and The Ninja at Trunk or Treat. 

The Ninja kicking some butt!

Our pumpkins.  One is Tinkerbell. 

Now my kids are exhausted and have had too much sugar, but no time to waste, we're on to the next thing(s) and I'm not even close to being ready for all of it. And why is it that every Friday my house is clean and every Monday it looks like a tornado has blasted through it?

It's a Date

One day a couple of weeks ago I realized I have never really had a lot of alone time with Breanna. And as soon as baby is here, we will really never have alone time. So I decided to take her on a date.

I was only slightly more excited to give her this dress than she was to get it. I've been waiting for weeks to give it to her. She always wants to dress up and all we have are church dresses. So today before we left I said "what dress do you want to wear?" I brought her to her closet where I had it hung up and she saw it. She was pretty stunned, but mellow and even-keeled as usual. "Uhmmm...I want to wear Snow White!"

We went to Storybook Theater and watched Once Upon a Lily Pad and ate popcorn. Breanna was so sweet- she sat very still and quiet the whole time and clapped enthusiastically after all the songs.

When it was all over the kids went and played on the set. Breanna loved it! She would have stayed there forever.

Dancing on the lily pad

She kept jumping off this "log" over and over and over.

Then of course I said, let's go get a treat. What do you want, Breanna? And guess what she picked? JUICE! So we went to Booster Juice. I even said 'cupcake?' a couple of times because Crave was just around the corner...but juice it was. I love her little personality, how pensive and thoughtful she is. How laid-back and nice she is. Just so easy to be with. So precious.

THE END

What?

This morning at about 9:30am I was upstairs. My kids were downstairs watching TV. I was sneaking a piece of leftover birthday cake. As I sat there in my housecoat, my kids still in pajamas, breakfast not cleaned up, eating cake at 9:30am, I thought...what has become of me??? And I went back to bed.

What has become of me? I get very little sleep at night because I'm either getting up to pee or blowing my nose and sneezing for hours due to some strange new allergy thing that has popped up. I've gained 50 pounds so far. Most of my maternity clothes don't fit anymore. Although some of it must be water because my fingers look like sausages and my nose is huge. It hurts to roll over, stand up, or walk. In summary: HUGE, PUFFY, EXHAUSTED, HURTING, NO CLOTHES.

Yep, it looks as though I've entered that last phase of pregnancy that makes labor seem less and less scary-the just get this thing out of me phase.

On the other hand, I have so much to be glad about!!

1. I do not have heartburn like I did in the first trimester.Well, just a little, but it's not that bad. THANK-you baby!
2. It's nowhere near as bad as the first 6 months. Besides being huge, exhausted and in pain, I feel great.
3. I never have to do this again if I don't want to!
4. I only have 5 more weeks!!!! Before the due date, so really I have 6 or 7, but that's doable!
5. When this is over I get to have a baby.

I am so so very excited to meet this baby. I ask Brad every day, aren't you SO excited?

I'm In Love

With a 30-year-old boy named Brad. 

He's super rad.

He's a great dad. 

He doesn't get sad.

He's no longer just a lad

And if I had

To make a husband want ad

He'd get the job and I'd be glad.

I could go on and on and say lots of nice things but Brad would be embarrassed and, well, it probably wouldn't rhyme.

Happy Birthday, Brad!

Vain

I bought this dress at the same time as I bought my bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding. There was a sign in the change room and it said something like "you're pregnant-indulge yourself." I fell for it like a sucker. Brad and I went on a date that night and I had nothing to wear so I came out in the new dress. He said "you can't be serious. You're wearing a moo-moo (sp?) on our date?" Since then he's also commented that it is a bit showy.


But I feel pretty in it. Pretty enough to be super vain and take pictures of myself in it.

A story about this very mirror: I was a strange and unusual young adult. I liked to turn up my music really, really loud when I thought no one was around. A few times someone was around. Like the time I was listening to Wu-Tang and the poor pregnant lady in the basement had to scream at the top of her lungs to get me to turn it down. And the time I was listening to Outkast and dancing all crazy-like and one of the guys living in the basement passed the window and waved. He laughed. I've never been so embarrassed ever. Well I got the last laugh because the other day Brad took the kids to the park and I was cleaning up the kitchen. So naturally I turned up the music loud (but not that loud). I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror- 7 1/2 months pregnant, hair in a big bun on top of my head, dancing away. Can you picture it?


Speaking of vanity, you know that song "You're so Vian" by Madonna? The chorus says "you're so vain, you prob'ly think this song is about you." Well, how would you feel if someone kept singing that song every time you were in the room? This has happened to me. And it's a very awkward position to be in. 

Thanks and Tears

Okay, first of all, my windows are NOT dirty. It's condensation and it's all on the inside...so don't judge me :) Second of all, I got something to put in my plant-pot! Not a plant, but I like it BETTER than a plant! It's a... thankfulness tree! My kids spent a long time coloring all the leaves and then every night last week we each thought of things we were grateful for, wrote on the back of a leaf and put it on the tree.  I'm sooo creative, right? Okay not my idea. But I'm smart enough to know a good idea when I hear one! When I think of all the things I am grateful for I get a little overwhelmed. It starts with the gospel and plan of salvation, moves to nature and my country and family and kids and goes from there. Our prophet told us to be grateful (read about it here) so that's what I'm going to do. And believe it or not, I'm grateful that being grateful is such an enjoyable thing for me to do, and now I can feel righteous for doing it! Ha...I'm kidding...kinda.

Brad has his big CMA entrance exam on Thursday and I can't sit in a car for more than 15 minutes these days, so we didn't go to Thanksgiving in Taber this year. I wanted Brad to have a turkey dinner so we had one at our house and Brad's parents and sister came. It was so nice! And the weather was beautiful, so we were outside lots. So what if my fruit salad was actually a marshmallow salad and my buns were flat? My sweet potatoes were pretty darn perfect. Everyone else took care of the rest so I was pretty relaxed.

Funny story--I love my MIL's stuffing because it's crispy. And she always uses torn-up stale hotdog buns to make it. So in my attempt to make the stuffing as delicious as her's Breanna and I tore up hot dog buns the day before dinner to ensure they were stale and hard for the stuffing the next day. My MIL saw this and said 'you know, you can use fresh hotdog buns for this-mine are always stale because I tear them up so they dry up, I store them that way so they don't go mouldy."

Oh.

That'll save a bit of stress for next time.

Someone made me sad, hurt my feelings and such... so I've spent the evening crying. I wonder if I'm still allowed to cry over hurt feelings when I'm 33 and a Mom. It doesn't sound right, but I also wonder, when does the toughness kick in. Hopefully before my kids are teenagers. I feel better now because Brad is watching Remi videos and they are funny. I'm grateful for funny stuff.

AND in conclusion, I have to say it, I can't resist...I love love love my little kids! Thanks for listening to me gush all the time :)