Maternity Pictures from August 16th, 2011

So I had a great friend of mine who is talented and just plain AWESOME take some pictures of me a few weeks ago.   Here are some of my favorites.   And now, it's just a few more days until the arrival of our little Esther girl.   Tuesday SEPT 6th will be her birthday ....UNLESS something changes between now (Sept 2nd) and then.   Chris is taking me out tonight for a "last FRIDAY date night" before we have a baby again.  And last night on top of all the regular pregnancy pains and ailments... I stepped on a bee or wasp and ended up with a "sting".   YES it hurt!!!  YES I cried!!!  YES it throbbed most of the night causing me to get very little sleep!!  YES this resulted in me taking a two hour nap today!!   

But Chris being his funny self ... when he realized that I was stung and I was hysterical and completely freaking out and crying like a big baby ... said something like, " Oh my, I think you are allergic your foot is already swelling up"     REMINDER:  I have had swollen feet for 2 months now.   I wasn't laughing when he first said it, but about 15 - 20 minutes later it came back to my mind and I was laughing in the middle of crying ....If that is even possible.

I like this picture ALOT... except you can really see how fat and ugly my feet are and have been. haha.

 

Random summer/pregnancy thoughts

Okay so I've been pushing along the last few weeks since summer has started for my kids and for me, for that matter.

We had the first week as a break with no waking up early to have anyone anywhere on time. Then the last two weeks for four days each week, I've had to have two of my kids at the school for their summer reading camp. Which hasn't been bad either. After that we head up to a local school where they provide lunch free for kids. Which my kids have enjoyed. (So have I, because I don't have to come up with anything for lunch)

I've also woke up a few mornings this last week and completely forgot that I was pregnant. I know, how can I forget?? Trust me, I don't know how it happened, but I can assure you that it didn't last forever. I woke up and was shocked to see that I had a swollen tummy and then it all comes rushing back to me. OH yeah... I'm growing a little person inside of me.

And as this pregnancy started as an unexpected surprise for us, I also feel confident in knowing that this baby will also be the caboose for our family. We know this baby is a little girl, and though I was fighting back the tears when I found out, I'm now overly joyed to welcome a little girl again to our home.

I still have moments though, when my other girls are in each others faces and fighting or just having a hard time getting along for whatever reason, that I start to cry because I know another girl is on the way. I'm hoping though that she will have a mellow personality and that she won't be full of Drama like her older sister Heidi is. (and sometimes Kaylee and Katherine).

I feel this lady moving around all the time, and my kids are telling me how big my belly is now. (To them it looks HUGE and to me, I feel huge). Ethan is so excited to be a big brother, and he's always so concerned about the baby. He likes to come up and rub my belly and he says .."baby".

We're down to 3 more months until she'll make her grand appearance, and I think I'll still need all that time to mentally get ready for being a mom to a precious little child of God again. I'm totally overwhelmed at the task at hand again, but knowing that this is the last one, make me want to be better at remembering these things.

So here are a few more pictures from the pregnancy.

 

Taken May 12, 2011  --- 23 Weeks 

 Taken May 26, 2011  -- 25 Weeks

 Taken June 15, 2011  ---  28 Weeks

 And here's my brave belly picture at 28 weeks. 

Can hardly believe I have a little human growing inside there.

It's a .....

GIRL!!! 

I was in denial at first because I was really hoping for a boy to even things out.  Ethan was a little sad that 

we found out this baby is a girl, but then I had to let him know, he gets to protect her and look out for her.  And when someone is being mean to his little sister he can tell them to be nice.  So I think it'll take some time, but he just might warm up to the idea.  So now, time to bring on the frill and lace again.  It's been a long time since I've had a little girl.  Seeing how my youngest daughter now is 8 and half, and will be 9 by the time this little girl arrives.  Crazy!!  

At least we got to see fingers on one of her hands and her cute little feet and everything looks good so far.   Name choices :  hmmm... we are thinking about Esther as a first name and really liking Rose with that name. = Esther Rose??    (Family names all around!)  According to their estimated weight of the baby she's about 13 oz already so almost a whole pound.  Yay... 

More for myself than anyone else.

So I've been busy working on yearbook pages in photoshop elements for the school my kids attend. We're coming down to the last few days/weeks, and my stress level is starting to PEAK!!

We've got birthday's coming up, volleyball games to attend, hunting for Easter eggs, and dying some as well. Lots of stuff is going on in the next few weeks, not to mention the item that I've been waiting for since, I found out I was expecting baby #6. So that maybe this child can go from being called baby #6 to "my little girl", or "my little boy". That's right I'm halfway through this pregnancy already and I have a list at least two pages long of things that need to be done before the baby arrives.

My anticipation of finding out is so huge right now, that I almost can't stand it. And I know that I'm going to be "hating" myself all day next Wednesday the 27th of April because I scheduled the ultrasound for 4pm that day!!! Did you hear me? I said 4 pm!!!

I did it mainly to accommodate schedules and such, so that the kidlets can all be there as well as my husband. But I know I'm going to be like a kid at Christmas waiting to see what the "big" gift is. Hopefully I'll be kept preoccupied with getting the yearbook finalized (or mostly anyway).

I've been feeling the baby move for almost 7 weeks now, and the movements are getting stronger every day. I can't believe how much movement I feel ALL THE TIME!! This kid is already all over the place in that little space it's in.

I've started a major project of "CLEAN UP THE DESK AND THE AREA AROUND IT" just yesterday, and now I can really see progress. The area underneath where our lovely feet are supposed to go, was cluttered with "CRAP". It's all gone now!! And I cleaned out the floor space where the paper shredder is supposed to go, and plugged it back in after being unusable for the last few months. I know-- huge slacker I am!! The part of the desk where the monitor sits, is now dejunked ... but unfortunately most of that mess just moved to the love seat to be "gone" through tomorrow.

I seriously have visions of a clean home that is spotless, and clutter free... but man oh man, it sure is hard trying to get there!! But hopefully with the new baby coming, and spring here ... I'll have some huge nesting instincts kick in and I can get a huge jump on a lot of the "clutter-free" cleaning that needs to take place. I have so many examples around me, that I just wish I could be like Samantha from Bewitched and twinkle my nose and it's immaculate. But alas, that isn't the life I get to live, so I have to be patient and do I dare say..."long-suffering" in waiting for that to happen.

Emotional pregnancy hormones.... (probably part 1 of many more to come)

I can't believe the roller coaster ride I'm constantly on right now. These darn emotions are almost kicking my tush.

It's crazy how the slightest little thing will make me tear up and start crying. I really don't know why this happens to pregnant women. Or at least I hope it happens to more then just me. But this go around seems to be hardcore with the emotional roller coaster.

I'll hear a phrase, and BAM! I see a picture ... BAM! I am faced with being told that something I thought was right isn't ...Bam!! (Okay I don't like being told I'm not right when I'm not pregnant ... but in a grocery store at 8:30 in the morning..doesn't bode well to help me believe the rest of the day will be okay)

And HELLO, taking a trip to the grocery store doesn't normally bring on the urge to cry. But this morning it did!! Now, I don't want to say "they were right, I was wrong, or the opposite" because seriously, I'm still trying to find out if I really was misinformed. But seriously, these feelings that bring on the tears really are getting me this pregnancy. I've never been this bad before, (Not that it's bad, but it happens so often).

I'm starting to feel the first little flutters over the last few weeks, and now I'm feeling more excited now that we are having another baby. BUT --- I'm still terrified at the same time. I know ...a lot of you are probably saying "what's one more when you already have 5!" That's just it, I have to start over with all the parenting stuff on another child. Maybe there is hope with this little one that I'll actually get it down, and this will be my "perfect child". haha...

So it's nice to hope for! But I know there will still be rough moments, and the moments where I'm at my utter worst and feel like ... crud! But I'm realizing that's okay, I'll do what I can, and the stuff I have no control over, I'm not going to fret about.

But there is so much to do to get ready for this baby --- it's almost overwhelming. But if I can just get through this yearbook project, and then get into May, I think life will start looking a little more hopeful that those "baby tasks" will be able to be done before the baby comes.

I'm getting excited to that the ultrasound is set for the 27th of April so just under three weeks till we can find out what this little one's gender is! It's a special day too, because Kaylee, our oldest, is turning 12 that day!!

Crazy month of APRIL!!

My third OB appointment.

I had my third OB appointment last week on Wednesday March 23rd.

I haven't really gained any weight -- which is fine with me, since I started this one about 20 pounds heavier then I wanted to be. My blood pressure was fine ...actually I think they said it was kind of low. And asked if I was having issues with dizziness very often. Of course, I said YES. Because I have had those issues.

We listened to the babies heartbeat and Ethan's expression when he hears it is just so priceless. He really is excited for a new baby to come!

They measured me for the first time this checkup and I measured at 17 when they think I am only 15 weeks along. (That's a story all on it's own) I have self proclaimed my due date to be Sept 6th rather than the Sept 14th date that the early ultrasound gave. So according to that, I was 16 weeks and measuring at 17 isn't such a big deal then.  But who knows, we'll find out more at the next appointment.

So the DR. said that's a big growth. Matter of fact thats a HUGE growth!

But now we have our Ultrasound scheduled for the 27th of April. Which is Kaylee's 12th birthday!

My morning sickness isn't as severe as it was a month ago. I still have issues with nausea but at least it isn't 24/7 as it used to be. And I'm starting to have a little more energy then I did in February.  I still get tired pretty easily though.  And my five kids seriously keep me busy.                                                               

Here are a few pictures that I've taken so far.

6 weeks- a few days after we found out we were expecting.

Taken January 18th, 2011 

This is around 11 weeks. 

Taken February 18th, 2011 

And this is the most recent one taken around 15 weeks. 

Taken March 17th, 2011

Baby Boy turns 18 Months Old!!

Technically not until Friday, but I want to get a head start on what I want to say right now. This was Easter Sunday 2007 just two days before I had this bundle of joy, frustration, silliness, pain, tears, and love.
April 10th, 2007 my fifth little child made his debut. The birth story goes something like this: On Wednesday April 4th I had an appointment with the OBGYN, and was said to be dialated to almost a 3 but because I wasn't technically due for another 3 1/2 weeks they weren't going to do anything about it -- despite the fact that I was having labor pains on and off for the last few weeks before that. Plus they also told me that the presentation of the baby was breech. OH GREAT - NOT AGAIN!! So I got a little freaked out hearing this since child #2 was breech also. Which required a c-section for hers. So Friday the 6th of April, our family drove to Manti to attend a wedding there for a friend of my husbands. My sister was visiting us this weekend and was staying with us, so she came along as well, to watch the four kids outside the temple while we were inside. While in the middle of the ceremony, I started having contractions!! Mind you I was in Manti and about a good almost 2 hours from the hospital we needed to go to. The contractions were coming regularly and were hurting, and everything was by the book. I was having the contractions for nearly 30 minutes and then they graciously subsided while we drove frantically the rest of the way home. But as soon as we hit Spanish Fork headed north on the freeway they started up again. And they were happening for the next few hours. I decided to finally go to the hospital to see if I was in fact in labor or what. (these were starting to get painful) -- we had my sister watch the kids for us while we ran to the hospital, and then were there for nearly 6 hours before they finally sent us home. The doctor wanted to give me a morphine shot but I refused due to the extreme effects it had on me with child #4 T-Man. (Which story I will retell later) -- But while at the hospital the nurses checked me and said that I was a four but they wouldn't do anything because I wasn't showing any progress since I showed up there.
I seriously was fuming because here I am a pregnant lady and was told just a few days earlier that my baby was breech and chances were good that I was going to have a c-section for the delivery of this child, and I've been having labor pains up the ying-yang and was not sleeping well, and pains galore all over the place and they were sending me home. AAGGHHH!!! So they simply put me on bedrest for the next few days and said that I needed to take it easy because they didn't want the baby being born too early. The due date was April 21st, and it was April 7th now. So all day Saturday I was in bed, and left getting Easter stuff ready up to my husband, who said he would take care of it. I think that was the first time ever since we had kids that he was taking care of it. He made the dinner too!! Which was nice by the way!!

Tuesday April 10th, I had my next appointment and while I was there I explained what was going on and that despite the fact that I was put on bed rest, I still had contractions on and off all weekend long. Bless the lady who I saw that day because she checked me and said that I was an easy 4 and was surprised that I was told to go home on Friday. She did check to see if the baby was still breech and then talked with the doctor to see what could be done. That was all that was needed all plans were now in motion and the baby was being born that day. I had left my two kids that weren't in school yet with my friend Brenda. The older two were at school already, so I called my sister to see if she could come down from Roy to watch the kids until Chris was able to go back home and be with them. She was on her way but would take a good 2 hours or so before she could get there. So I called the school and talked with my daughters teacher, Cheryl who lives in my neigborhood, and asked her if she could bring home the girls because I wouldn't be able to get them. She quickly agreed -- she was pregnant also but not due for a few more months. I called Brenda and let her know what was going on and she said that she could watch the other two until my sister came down. Let my sister know what was going on with the kids and where they would be. And left it at that. I called Chris before all of this of course, and he was granted the rest of the day off and then had the rest of the week off so that he could be with the kids while I was recovering in the hospital from the last minute scheduled c-section. I was nervous, of course, but with a reassuring blessing from my husband I was able to feel more calmed and was able to go through the ordeal a little less frightened. Our little guy was born breech and had his cord wrapped around his neck, when just a week earlier they had done an ultrasound that said the cord was nowhere near his head. Luckily we had the baby that day, because any later he probably would have died. Luckily he didn't and now 18 months later he is quite the boy.

Here he is at his first Halloween. 6 months.


This is from our vacation in August 2008 when he was almost 16 months old. What a journey it has been. I have his well child check up on Friday morning which is the 10th of October and we'll see how he measures up. This kid is a CUTE MONSTER!!

Baby Shower Bliss !!

So this news is kind of old, but I thought that I'd post a few pics anyway!! My husband has a cousin in Tooele, Utah who is married and expecting their first child!! We're so excited for them. This child is said to be arriving in full boyhood!! Back in September they had a baby shower for her and I took a few pics to especially share with those that couldn't make it!! So enjoy!!

Tabi's sister Miti.

This is Juston's mother, forgive me I don't remember her name.

Here's another group shot looking towards the kitchen but this one happens to have Tabi's mother in it. The lady with the pink and white striped shirt with long dark hair.

This is a bear that Tabi's parents had made for the baby, says a cute little thing like "Grandpa and Grandma love you" or something like that.

Group shot looking towards the kitchen, with some family and friends most of which I don't know. Sorry Juston!!

Isn't this outfit just darling with those little wings!!

A quilt that a family member had made for the new little guy!!

Another blanket that was made for the baby!! I love the frogs!!

In this picture, only because this is the side of the family that I share with Tabi, I can tell you who they are, left to right Mary (Tabi's cousin) Mary (Tabi's Aunt), Dani (Tabi's sister) Rebecca (who is also expecting is Tabi's sister in law)

Group shot from Tabi's upper level Kitchen. Of course I'm not in any of these photos, I should have remembered to have someone else take them also.

Tabi opening up some gifts, and little Isabella (my niece -- Amy's child) looking intently on.

Juston the proud PAPA!! Looking on to see if someone got the 50" HDTV that he'd put on the baby registry. Sorry Juston no such luck -- the baby is going to have to just watch Baby Einstein videos on your current TV.

Tabi showing us the crib that I believe someone on Justons side of the family had given to them as a gift. Juston had just finished painting the room within a week or two of this I believe and it took him all night to set up this beautiful crib with a changing table connected just behind Tabi.

Here's the other side of the room with a lot of gifts for the new little guy!!

It's a girl!!!

Ha ha !! You thought I was having another baby didn't you? Well, I'm not having another baby but my sister is.

So I got a phone call telling me that my sister who is expecting baby number 3 is having a girl!! So I'll now have 1 nephew and two nieces. So all together my parents will have 8 grandchildren which I have five of!!

It's so crazy to think that I've got 5!! I feel like time is just whizzing by!! Granted of course, some days seem to last a lifetime, or at least they take longer to pass by then others but hindsight looking back -- it's flying by!! My oldest is now 8 and I can remember when she was just born!! So too, will this new baby quickly come and then be 8 years old herself!!