Too Funny... Don't Want To Forget!

     There are times when kids say the craziest things, and I just want to remember them forever. Since my memory isn't positively stellar, I need to write them down, or blog about them. Yesterday, Halle was on a roll. She really doesn't have a quiet filter, so she just says things out loud, all the time, even in the middle of Sacrament.
      Yesterday, while we were walking up the stairs to go into the church, there was a cute older couple in front of us. The gentleman wasn't too tall, in fact, he was about the same height as his wife. Well, I don't know what Halle was thinking, but she started to say very loudly, "Excuse me, ladies....     Excuse me, ladies.... Excuse me...." Halle also doesn't stop saying things until you acknowledge her or respond back. I've tried to ignore her, but it just doesn't work. In fact, sometimes I purposely don't answer her just to see how long she'll say the same thing over, and over, and over again.... I think she's gotten up to saying something 40-50 times before I finally answered her... so I knew that she wouldn't stop saying, "Excuse me, ladies" until I said something... I gently informed her that it was a man and a woman, not two ladies in front of us. The older couple just smiled and thought Halle was cute, while I was mortified that she called the older gentleman a lady...
     Then, during Sacrament, the Relief Society was asked to sing a musical number. I went up and sang with them (since I am in the presidency and all...) and when I sat down, Halle was hanging upside down on Nate's  lap, and she says, "Good job, Mommy! I'm so proud of you!" Yay for me! Glad to know I make my 2 year old proud!
     Finally, during the closing song, Hal informs me she needs to go potty. We rush to the potty, where she does her business, and I try to quietly slip into the chapel and sit down. Does that happen? Well, I made it to the bench, but Halle was so proud of herself that when I opened the chapel doors to go sit down, she loudly exclaims, "DADDY! I GO PEE-PEE ON THE POTTY!" Oi.
   
    While I was taking Halle to nursery, she proceeds to wave and smile at everyone and give them all a friendly, "Hi!" I'm pretty used to her saying hi to everyone. She does it in the stores, at the park, wherever she goes. She is super friendly and just wants to greet everyone she meets! I love it, though. It's fun to see strangers get caught off guard by a little girl, and then I love it when they start to smile. You can't help but smile and respond when Halle says hi to you.

     On our way home from church, Halle sticks her finger in her ear and says, "Mom! Look! I have a mustache in my ear!" I was totally confused at first, but then I figured out she was telling me that she has ear wax in her ear.

     Halle also has a pretty hilarious vocabulary...
Swimming Soup = Swimming Suit
Mickilish = Licorice
Goes to be = Supposed to be
Mountains =  Fountains
Nate = Dad (She calls him Nate most of the time)
Eeeva = Ava
Buzz Light-there = Buzz Lightyear
Hoody = Woody
Messy = Jessie (Can you tell she's totally into Toy Story?)

Oh, how this girl keeps me on my toes.

Seattle!

Warning! There will be lots of pictures of food and of random people...

This past weekend, Nate and I were able to take a quick little trip up to Seattle to see the San Francisco Giants play against the Mariners. We were super excited to go because A) It's the first time since being parents that we have been able to just get away from our children B) We got to see the Giants play C) It was my first MLB game ever! D) Nate's mom came up and watched our kids, plus she stayed for a few days after, so it was fun to spend time with her and E) Nate's bro, Ryan, and his girlfriend, Jayme, flew in from Virginia to go to the games with us, so we got to spend some time with them! Yahoo!!

We left early Friday morning and drove the short 3 hrs to Seattle. Of course, we were hungry when we got there, so we had a little BBQ... mmmmm, it was soooooo delicious! You just can't go wrong with BBQ!

After we checked into our hotel, we decided to stroll around Pike's Place Market before the game.

While we were strolling, we saw a real live cop on a horse! I've never seen that before, and it was so cool! I know, I'm probably nerdy for thinking that, but whatevs. I thought it was awesome, so I snapped a pic.

I also love all the street performers. It amazes me that this is what people do for a living...

Here's a banjo guy...

And we strolled around the shops. We saw this shirt, and thought it was pretty funny. 

It says, "Fish Naked... show off your rod" 

Oh, come on... you know you smiled when you read that. :)

We walked along the pier and saw some jelly fish floating around.

And I was mesmerized by this guy... I don't know why, but it was fun to watch him.

And this lady was awesome. She would move when you put money into her pot. It was creepy, but fun.

We met up with Ryan and Jayme at the game, and had to eat all the delicious food that accompanies going to an MLB game....

Mmmm... I love me a loaded hot dog!

And how about some garlic fries? They are fries with gobs of minced garlic on top... needless to say, they were pretty potent. Oh, and don't mind all the ketchup. Nate's a little obsessed when it comes to putting ketchup on food. He practically drowns anything he puts ketchup on, so I ate the bottom part of the fries. 

This was my favorite beer guy. No, I didn't buy any beer from him, but I thought it was highly entertaining to watch him.

And this is one hot Gamer Babe! She had little panda bears attached to her hat. It was awesome. She better watch out, because next game I go to, I'm gonna get all decked out! Ha!

And of course I had to take a pic of the BYU fans that were sitting in the row in front of us. 

BYU fans are everywhere!

Nate and Ryan want to make going to SF Giants game a yearly tradition, so Nate bought a scorebook so they can keep score of at least one game each year. Here they are, filling out their very first scorebook page! 

=

Ryan and Jayme

Me and Mr. Nate

My awesome chocolate covered strawberry. It looked like it was 2 strawberries from the top, but it was actually just one gigantic strawberry. I called my siamese strawberry.

On Saturday, we took a ferry out to Bainbridge Island and ate some delicious ice cream. 

After we were done eating ice cream, we had about 5 minutes until the next ferry came, or we could wait another hour for the next ferry. Well, we were feeling a little adventurous, and decided to catch the ferry the left in 5 minutes.... and we were about 1/2 a mile away from the ferry. So, we started walking, and then walking faster, and then speed walking, and finally jogging... as we reached the docking terminal thingy, the time said 2:54 and 34 seconds, and the ferry was scheduled to leave promptly at 2:55, so Nate ran ahead, speeding past some old people to tell them to wait just a few seconds longer. It was pretty funny cause he actually pulled the "pregnant card"... as he was rounding the corner to get on the ferry, he shouted "Hold on! Pregnant lady coming!" The worker just looked at him and said, "Calm down, sir. No need to hurt yourself." 

We made it just in time, and they closed the gate right after we made it onto the ferry. 

Let me tell you.... my uterus was not made to run!! :) 

The beautiful Seattle skyline. I cannot tell you how much I love the water, and how I love the smell of salty water... I loved riding the ferry and feeling the spray of the water come up and having the wind through my hair... oh, and while we were on the ferry ride, we saw some man dressed as a woman. He had on some nice looking shades, a cute little sundress, and some cute sandals. If you haven't been on a ferry, you should know that it's extremely windy, and his little sundress was blowing everywhere. He was trying his best to keep it down, but right when he walked by Nate and me, his dress blew completely up, and we saw his bum  cheeks. The man was wearing nothing under the dress except for a jockstrap. It made us giggle.

Saturday night's game.... 

My first little belly shot of this pregnancy. 

And some delicious nachos that we ate. 

I was super excited for Saturday, because Tim Lincecum was pitching,

and I may have a little school girl crush on him... just because I think he is awesome. He honestly isn't that cute, but I kept telling Nate how cute Tim's legs looked... they were just so skinny and bow-legged... I kinda liked it. :) So, I had to get some pics of him pitching.

And to round out our trip, on the way home, Nate and I stopped for some lunch, and as we were getting back on the freeway, we saw this ghetto chapel... It's called the Shotgun Chapel, and it's opening in June... It's where you can have your Bad-A wedding...

Come on, isn't that where every girl dreams of having her wedding?

We had such a fun time, and it was fun to just walk around and hold hands... which we did a lot. When you have kids, you don't really get the chance to hold hands all that often, so we took advantage of it, and held hands everywhere. It's good to know that after almost 7 years of being together, that I still get giddy when Nate holds my hand. :) 

How I Changed This Weekend

There is none,   

In all this cold and hollow world, no fount

Of deep, strong, deathless love, save

that within

A mother's heart.

~Felicia D. Hermans

  One of my good friends just had a baby. I took dinner to her on Saturday night, and was excited to see her and the wee little one. Of course I had to hold her baby. As soon as I held little Savannah, I was overcome with emotion. For the first time in my pregnancy, I was struck with the reality that in 5 short months, I'll be holding and snuggling my own baby. And I actually wanted to hold my own baby. Up until that moment, my feelings about having another baby have been completely muddled. It's not that I didn't want to have another child, it's just that I wasn't really excited or even emotionally attached. I have kept myself distanced from really feeling anything besides stress, worry, fear, and anxiety. I've been sick, exhausted, overwhelmed, and most days I would get out of bed and ask "What have I gotten myself into?" I know some people are gonna think that I'm a terrible person for thinking these things, but it's the truth. I haven't really wanted this child.
     But it's simply amazing how in one simple moment, emotions rather than logic, take over. When I held Savannah, I was so overcome with love for my own baby that I cast aside all the worry and stress that I've built up over the past 16 weeks. I just wanted November to be here so I can snuggle and mooch on my own little one. I finally wanted this baby to come into our family.
     Babies are such precious gifts from God. Their spirits are so strong, and the love a mother has for her child is something that cannot be put into words. There are times when my children drive me absolutely bonkers, but every night when I check on them before I go to sleep, I just sit and stare at them and think how beautiful and amazing they are. They fill my heart with such happiness and joy that I simply can't imagine my life without them... and to think that we've been blessed to have another one to love and care for!
     My heart was filled this weekend, and my life was changed, all by holding a sweet newborn. Sure, the worries and fears and anxieties that I had before are still there, but they've been overcome by love and by a longing to have this baby in my arms.

This Is How This Pregnancy Will Go

 A couple of weeks ago, I met with my OBGYN for my first visit. We went over all the regular stuff, yadda, yadda, yadda. Since Halle's labor was such a circus, my doctor wanted to have my case reviewed by a perinatologist  to see if they want to monitor me a little closer this time.  A few days later, I got a call from the doctor's office saying that my case has been reviewed, and that I will be seen by a perinatologist, as well as by my OB. Ok, fine, whatever. Well, today was my first appointment, and I came away with a mother-load of information and instructions on what's going to happen this pregnancy.

 I first met with the lovely nurse who took my lovely urine sample (heaven bless them for dealing with that!), and my blood pressure, which was 130/64, a little higher than last month. She also took my weight, and it was nice to know that I haven't gained anything so far. I'm not worried, I tend to pack on the pounds late in my pregnancy.... I also heard the little baby's heart beat. I can't tell you what a comforting sound that was. Then she looked at me and said, "I looked at your chart this morning, and it looks like you had a lovely little dose of preeclampsia and you went into labor on your own... you delivery looked crazy on paper, I can't imagine what it was like in person." Yeah, you're telling me. I told her she should meet my child that gave me such a crazy labor. Halle's pretty darn crazy her self.... it explains everything. Ha, ha, ha!!  She went on to explain that I have a muddy situation... Since having preeclampsia was so out of the normal for my 2nd baby and for a girl, they don't really know what to think. And they can't tell if the preeclampsia assisted in my preterm labor, or if it just happened to be a coincidence. She told me that I have an "interesting case and that in the medical world, you don't really want to be interesting". Now, some people might be offended at what she was saying, but I know that it's the truth, and she was really an awesome nurse.
     After she helped me, my OB came in. Let me tell you, small miracles have happened with this baby. When I first called to be seen by this doctor's office, my friend had actually referred me to see another doctor, but that doctor was booked the month I was due, so they asked if I would like to see Dr. Kondrat. I said sure, why not? Come to find out, Dr. Kondrat works jointly with the perinatology clinic, so she knows what goes on over there. Coincidence? I think not. I know the Lord has been watching over me. :) So, Dr. Kondrat came in to tell me what she had discussed with the perinatologist. Here's what's going to happen:

Today, I got my blood drawn again so they can have some normal lab work to compare future lab work to. They also want me to monitor and collect my urine for 24 hours so they can see how my kidneys function normally.

I will be put on a low-dose of daily aspirin. Dr. K said that's the only thing they have that can even mildly slow down preeclampsia. It hasn't been proven to stop it, but it can possibly help.

Weeks 16 (which is next week) through week 34, I will be given weekly progesterone shots that have to be administered through the butt. Progesterone can slow down preterm labor by 10%, which may not seem like a lot, but it's still better than nothing. The problem is I either have to go in to the clinic every week, which means finding a weekly babysitter for an hour or so, or she asked if I knew a nurse that could do it for me. If I were at home, that would be easy because my mom is a nurse, and I don't mind if she sees my lovely bum. But I'm a little far away from Utah, so that's not possible. However, here is another tender mercy of the Lord... my visiting teacher is a nurse, and I would actually feel comfortable with her giving me the shots. She is the sweetest girl, and I know that I would be okay with her seeing that area of me.

I will be seen by the doctor every 2 weeks instead of every month. I will also be getting vaginal ultra sounds to measure my cervix to see if it's opening. If it looks like it's starting to open, a stitch will be put in to stop the cervix from opening further. This will be done in a hospital under general anesthetic and will be removed a few weeks before my due date. They also want to see me closely to see if signs of preeclampsia come early and if I need to be put on bed rest.


I don't really have time to be put on bed rest, so I'm praying that things will go well. I have a family to take care of, we're moving on August 1st, and I have no family around... but I'll take whatever comes my way, and I know that I have a good ward to lean on, and most importantly, a fantastic husband who will take care of me.

My doctor said that if I feel worried, or have concerns and want to be seen, to call immediately, and they will fit me in that same day.

This baby has been a huge trial for me. I know I'm probably not supposed to say that, but it has been. Not only physically has it been a trial, but spiritually and emotionally. Most people think of a major trial in life as not being able to get pregnant, and while that can be a trial, so can getting pregnant when you're not even trying. That happened with Halle and this baby. They are seriously fluke babies... This has been a trial because I have had to lean on my Father in Heaven to know that he'll take care of us financially. Just because Nate now has a job, doesn't mean that we're rolling in the dough, and it has really stressed me out on how we're going to provide for another little human. But small miracles have taken place (a friend giving us a swing and playmat, another friend giving us a car seat, another finding a cheap changing table for us) and other friends offering to lend me their baby clothes. One of my biggest worries has been where we are going to live, and how we are going to afford another place, but this past week, we were able find a place in our ward that is sufficient for our needs. My faith has been greatly tested. I have had a few meltdowns, and I'm sure Nate thinks I'm crazy by now, but I don't care. He'll have to listen to me anyways. :)

I have been taught great lessons, and it's going to be a long road ahead of our little family, but I know that the Lord is mindful of us and will look out for us.

Why Did We Wait So Long?

Every single time I'm pregnant, I crave BBQ food. Like, it becomes this crazy obsession, and I nearly go crazy every time I smell a grill cooking. It's absolutely maddening! Well, we finally broke down and bought a teeny-weensy grill. Who knew that spending $20 would bring us such great joy? Seriously... $20. Are Nate and I really that cheap that we couldn't justify spending extra money on a little grill? Yep... we are that cheap. And it took me becoming practically ravenous to spend that money. So, on Wednesday night, we fired up that grill.

 Can't you practically smell the charcoal burning? Oh my good gracious, I wish they made a deoderant or something that had that smell... I would wear it all day! Just kidding.... or am I?
We had 2 fabulous helpers that were completely intrigued with this new gadget. Of course Halle was drawn to the fire... constantly wanting to touch it and look at it and get dangerously close to it....

     And Ava was perfectly content to just sit back and stay away from the flames. I guess that's why I call my girls Sugar and Spice. One is always looking for thrills and adventure, while the other is content to cuddle and stay safe. 

     I knew the initiation dinner had to be perfect. So, I wanted some BBQ chicken, which did not disappoint! Ava even asked for seconds, and we all know how she proclaims to be a vegetarian these days. (Yes, she once told me she is a vegetarian. She really doesn't like a lot of meats... she much prefers fruits and veggies. She doesn't even like pepperoni on her pizza. I am a little concerned that she has hippie tendancies in her. But then again, we are raising her in Oregon, so I guess she will fit in.... Just kidding again.)

We not only had BBQ chicken, but I wanted corn (or KERN as Halle called it) on the cob, crispy cold watermelon, and my mom's potato salad. 

Our girls loved eating their KERN. I love this picture of Ava. It's nice to finally get a candid shot of her.

I know that posting about a grill is probably lame, but it's what occupies my mind 24/7. It's brought back a desire to eat again (I'm 14 wks prego and still get sick when I look at food) and I already have my menu planned for next week which hasn't happened since March. Now, I just need to get Nate one of those aprons that say "Kiss the Cook" or "Master of the Grill" or something lame like that. Ha!