25 random things about me

1. I am happy to be expecting a baby boy this summer
2. My little girls are the apple of my eye and I am constantly in awe of how beautiful and amazing they are
3. My husband has been amazing at pulling through during these hard times...I love him even more for that.
4. I just had a stent placed in my urinary tract due to problems with kidney stones :( yuck
5. Ever since I started working night shift 4 1/2 years ago I have problems sleeping at night. It's like it permanently messed up my sleep center.
6. Ever since my pregnancy with Hailey (that involved a lot of puking) once I start puking, I might never stop without some sort of medical intervention. Again, I think the puke center in my brain is permanently messed up.
7. I love giving birth to my baby's and find it very empowering, but I HATE the 40 week leading up to it.
8. I am very blessed to have one of those best friends that most people just dream of having. The type of friend that feels like a soul mate and one you can call on with absolutely anything! I love you Wendy!
9. I used to be a crazy active basketball player in high school, and I don't think I have even picked up a ball ever since.
10. I love to shop online! I love hearing the UPS truck pull up, knowing he has a surprise for you :)
11. I love reality TV...the bachelor, biggest looser, jon and kate plus 8, little people big world, and of course AMERICAN IDOL!!!
12. I HATE it when people eat really loud and with their mouth open, it feels like nails on the chalkboard to me
13. On that same note, I hate it when people (Grant) chug everything they drink and you can hear the gulp half way across the room.
14. On of my very favorite things to do it taking walks with Wendy and the kids down by the park. I am not sure how we are going to figure it out this summer now that 6 kids will be involved! It was so much easier when we both had 1!
15. I am very thankful for my parents and everything they do for us. I don't know how we could have made it through some of these hard times without them.
16. I love going to my in laws for Sunday dinner.
17 I am a neonatal nurse, and have only ever been a neonatal nurse, so I no nothing about adult health care! People often try to ask me questions, but really, all I know is babys!
18. I have a secret desire to be trained as a labor and delivery nurse, but have never even had the time to commit to do it. Maybe once the kids are all a little older.
19. I love making jewelery, and I think I am getting pretty decent at it. I made some very pretty Christmas presents this year. I learned how to do it from my lovely SIL Melissa.
20. I love Christmas music. I generally will start listening to it at the beginning of November and don't stop until well into January!
21. I desperately want to take the girls to Disneyland soon. They are at the age that they are in LOVE with all the princesses. I think they would get a thrill out of it. Not sure if it will happen though, at least until next fall maybe.
22. I have a small group of friends that have been with me since elementary school. We get together about one time a month to chat and catch up.
23. I am loving this new laptop Grant bought. I am typing in my bed while watching TV...it is awesome!
24. I am afraid of most dogs, and of heights
25. I am so excited to meet my little boy in approx. 20 more weeks!

It's a BOY!!!

I had an ultrasound today and found out we are having a boy! I spent the rest of the morning in a state of pure joyous disbelief. I think having had only girls, I was just kind of expecting a girl. Also, the doctor did an ultrasound at 15 weeks and thought it looked like a girl, but wasn't sure. In our heads, it was another girl that we were going to name Leah. I should have been tipped off right there...us, already having a name, it could never be that easy! We are beside ourselves with happiness. It is just really cool to know one way or the other, but honestly...two girls and then a boy is what I always wanted. I know people who wait until their delivery to find out the sex of the baby and I honestly don't know how they do it! It is such an amazing piece of news that gives me a little bit of happiness and excitement in the middle of a very hard pregnancy. Hopefully this excitment will last the next 22 weeks and take me through to the end :)
Most of you who know us know that Grant and I did not easily come to a decision on a name for either of the girls until after they were born. We went into Ella's birth with two names picked out, and Hailey's with 6, three a piece! I am sure this one will not be any different. We have always liked the name Jackson. I also really like Casey and Aiden. I haven't ever spent much time skimming the boy portion of the baby name books, so I'll have to take a look. I am totally open to suggestions (as long as you don't get mad at me if we don't jump on it!!).

Change...

Let me start by saying I have been feeling pretty crappy for some time now. Lack of energy, heart pounding, trouble sleeping, and PAIN!!! Granted I am 16 weeks pregnant, but this was going on long before this pregnancy. Also, I didn't feel this crappy when I was pregnant with Ella and taking care of myself better.

I don't always watch Oprah...but I record it. Today I watched yesterdays show of her Best life week with Dr. Oz. Halfway through the show I got up, went to my cubbard and swallowed my prenatal vitamin and my iron pill!!! I know that there have been many people in my life telling me the life changes I should do to start feeling better (MOM) but I think today I finally got it!

I haven't been the wife I want to be, the mom I want to be, the nurse I want to be, the daughter I want to be, or the friend I want to be. I am better than this...I just know it. I need to change...and it has to be know.

So...I am going to start a list and put it on my fridge. Here it goes:
-Take my vitamins...every day. At the very least my prenatal plus a vitamin D
-Take my iron as prescribed...I think one time a day (I'll look). Don't forget!!! It will make me feel better
- Eat breakfast every day. Shoot for oatmeal or cream of wheat. Figure out something for in a hurry (any suggestions).
-Cut WAY back on sugar. This means soda...which I love right now. This will probably become mandatory due to the diabetes I have dealt with in my previous pregnancies. It is torture at time, but makes you feel better.
-Stretch every day
-Exercise 3-4 times a week. Prenatal water aerobics, yoga, walk.
-Wake up at the same time everyday. Between 7:30 and 8:00

Alright, so I'll start with that. That is actually a lot of changes for me.
Encouragement is much appreciated!

Elf Yourself

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Snow Bunnies!

The girls were so excited about the snow this morning! Ella thought snow on the ground meant it was Christmas and shortly after she woke up she ran downstairs and then came up to report that "Santa didn't leave any presents for me, Hailey, Mommy or Daddy!" She was so upset. We had to explain to her that it wasn't Christmas yet. "But it snowed" she said. The Christmas anticipation is really starting to get to her!
Grant bundled them up and took them out to play and use the sled. Their little friend Harrison from next door joined them. They had a really good time until the end when Hailey lost her glove and her hand got cold and she screamed for like 30 minutes like she thought her hand was going to fall off. Not that she is a bit of a drama queen or anything!

Christmas getting to know you...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? both...mostly wrapping paper though

2. Real tree or Artificial? artificial. We had a real one in our first Christmas in a house together...and it was full of spiders. That was the end of it for Grant!

3. When do you put up the tree? The weekend after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down? The week after Christmas

5. Do you like egg nog? I don't know that I've ever tried it!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? An American Girls doll

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, a very pretty Jim Shore one

8. Hardest person to buy for? My parents

9. Easiest person to buy for? My girls

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Fudge!

15. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear

16. Favorite Christmas song? I really like them all

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay Home

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comit, Cubit, Donner and Blitzen, and of course the most famous reindeer of all, Rudolph

19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? I grew up opening them on Christmas eve and Grant on Christmas morning. Now it works out well because we go to my family's house on Christmas eve and then have our own little thing Christmas morning and then head over to his family's house. Still...I feel like there is something weird about opening presents in your PJ's.

20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Idiot shoppers in the stores and parking lots!!! They are soooo rude!

21. Favorite thing about this time of year? Watching it through Ella and Hailey's eyes

22. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? I don't really have a theme...I just like things around me that are meaningful in some way

23. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? I like a traditional dinner for Christmas day...turkey, mashed potatoes, the works. Lately on Christmas eve I think my dad has been BBQing steak...it usually hits the spot.

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? We got a family gift...and new camera, Nikon D60. It is awesome!

Baby Braids

In the bathtub last night I was actually able to keep Hailey distracted long enough to braid her hair in two little baby french braids!! It looked so adorable and she looked like such a "big girl". They are not the best braids in the world but the best I could do with soaking wet, short, fine baby hair!! I knew they wouldn't last so I quickly had to grab the camera and start shooting a few photos...which posed it's own challenge to get her to sit still long enough to capture one of the back of her head!