Christmas 2015

Since I haven't blogged since Annabelle was born, I figured I needed to start back up again and today is the perfect day to do it. We had the best Christmas, even though my family is out of town. We celebrated with them this past Sunday. We were lucky to spend Christmas Eve with JTs mom and sisters and our Christmas morning with his dad. I didn't take a single picture last night until we got home for our PJ pictures. But we had so much fun with family and the kids were extra spoiled this year. 

This little miss turned 5 months 2 days ago. We just love her!

Thomas really didn't want to do pictures last night. I'm surprised we even got a good one! We couldn't find our camera tripod so we put the selfie stick we got for free a few months ago to good use. 

The kids woke up a little before 8 this morning and JTs dad and shelle came over a little after 8. We woke up to so much snow! JT went out with Thomas to shovel a path so people could get through. 

Thomas had a hard time waiting to open everything, but we wanted to wait for grandma and grandpa so he dealt with it and just stared at presents. We brought his Santa presents and stocking out when they got there. He has already mastered riding his scooter so well!

He had so much fun and loved every minute of it. I can honestly say there is nothing better then Christmas morning as a parent. 

I made breakfast and we ate and relaxed the rest of the day! We did go on a drive through American fork canyon to see all the snow. But Thomas got whiney and Annabelle was tired so it didn't last long. It was beautiful though!! 

I'm so grateful for my savior and this time of year where we can remember all we have to be thankful for. My family is my greatest blessing and I never imagined having the life I've been blessed with. Merry Christmas!

Annabelle Grace

After not sleeping much the night before little Annie came, we got a call at 5:30 telling us to be at the hospital by 6:30. We got up and ready and Thomas stayed sleeping, thanks to my mom who came over early to be with him. He woke up and ate breakfast with her then went to my parents house with all his cousins. I guess he was an angel and napped great so I am thankful for that! Anyways. 

We made it to the hospital and got all checked in. They put my IV in, which made me almost pass out. I am such a wimp. Needles make my blood pressure drop like crazy, it went down to 70/30!! After I came out of that, they started the pitocin and shortly after the doctor came in to break my water. SO much liquid. With Thomas, my water broke after my epidural so I didn't feel any of it. It made me grateful that my water has never gushed in public. 

My last huge belly picture of pregnancy with Annabelle. 

I thought it would take awhile for painful contractions to start, but by 9ish I was at a 5 almost and I literally felt like I was dying. JT handled my meanness like the good husband he is and pushed on my knees through every contraction, trying to talk me through them and help me despite me constantly telling him to stop talking. He is the best. I love him. After about half an hour of really painful contractions the anesthesiologist finally came and started me on the epidural. Anyone who can go natural is amazing. I however never will. 

Things progressed really fast from there-I was at an 8 by 10, and when she came to check me at 1040ish I was ready and at a 10! She called the doctor in and Annabelle came at 11:18 am, after 4 pushes. Somehow I got a 10 pound 2 oz 21 inch long baby out like it was nothing. I ripped a tiny bit. After one push she was already crowning!! JT got to cut the cord and the doctors and nurses were all in shock and taking guesses on what she would weigh. Nobody could believe how smoothly my labor went for such a big baby. 

I am so thankful for this labor experience. Thomas was so hard, pushing three hours and having him get stuck. This experience was the complete opposite and she was so much bigger then he was. The recovery has been easy too, almost no pain. She's started latching to breastfeed today, again something Thomas and I really struggled with. I'm hoping these are all good signs that she will be an easy going baby. We are so in love with her! I'm anxious to get home and see how I can handle life with two little ones. 

It's baby day

Baby will be here today. Im feeling all kinds of emotional about it. Mostly worried for Thomas and how he will handle all the changes headed our way. He's almost two but I still consider him very much a baby, he is so small and I feel like he just got here yesterday. Two years has flown by. I hope we can handle this transition as smoothly as possible. And I also hope he develops a love for his new sister. I'm so happy they will grow up close together in age and be buddies, but finding a balance and system that works has me all kinds of worried. Despite all the worry, I cannot wait to meet our little girl. I know she is meant to be apart of our growing family and I am so thankful the Lord has trusted us to be parents of another sweet baby. Getting pregnant this time happened SO fast, and I know she's ready to be here and be ours. 

We went on one last family date tonight as a family of three. We ate at pizza factory and then went to kangaroo zoo for the first time. Thomas was not interested at all when we got there--JT basically threw him on screaming. But this was right before we left. He left so sad because he didn't want to go. He absolutely loved it and went down all the biggest slides. 

It totally wore him out. He just laid here like a dead fish at one point because he was playing so hard. JT got quite the workout too. 

The hospital will call me this morning at some point and let me know when to come in. They have two c sections scheduled but I'm first on the induction list so it should be early hopefully. Why is labor so scary?! Even though I've done it once I am petrified all over again. 

Thomas is going to my moms for the day. Allison is still in town with her boys so he should be in heaven playing with them. JT will come home at night to sleep with him so I'll be there tonight and most likely tomorrow by myself if I stay two nights. With Thomas I ran a fever all throughout labor which is why he was in the NICU. I'm just praying and praying that doesn't happen again. I haven't slept much tonight which I expected. It's 330 and I'm hoping I hear from them in a few hours! Wish us luck. We're about to be a family of four. The real question is-will she be another ginger baby?? We shall see. 

Night at a basketball game.

JT seems to make friends instantly with whoever he talks too. We hadn't met our neighbors on one side after living here two months or so. I went outside one day to see JT talking to an older man, both deeply into their conversation of sports and other things. I am usually really reserved and have occasionally hidden when new people come around...sad I know. I'm totally an introvert and shy and quiet, so I love this about JT. He is so so good for me. Thanks to him we have met some amazing people in our neighborhood and we love them all. When this nice older man learned we were from Utah, he instantly offered us basketball tickets to the Jazz and trailblazers game without even asking if we were free that night. So nice right? Of course we said yes and we have been excited for the last month to have something to look forward too. It started close to Thomas's bed time but he surprisingly lasted almost the whole game! And I think he even had a good time for the most part. 

The loudness and hundreds of people freaked him out at first and he just cuddled. And jumped every time the stadium clapped. But he warmed up soon enough and joined in the cheering. 

I'm not sure why his blanket was in his mouth. But he kept it there a good minute or so. He loves his blankies. 

He also really loves his daddy. 

Id say we wore him out! And the Jazz even ended up winning. 

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm

Oh it's just 4 in the morning again. Why is insomnia part of pregnancy?! At least I'm  blogging more. 

Yesterday we drove about 45 minutes outside portland to the Wooden Shoe tulip farm. I pictured this being just like the tulip festival at Thanksgiving point-it was beautiful. But not the same at all. Literally a huge farm in the middle of nowhere with tulips as far as you can see. Which resulted in SO. MUCH. MUD. No paved walkways at all. We slipped and trudged through that mud and just laughed the whole time, I'm surprised none of us wiped out. I was wearing sandals-bad idea. And thomas was dressed all cute, I thought we would get pictures among the tulips and it would be wonderful and perfect. Instead I just gave up and his church shoes are now more brown then grey. Oops. Isn't that how life usually works out? JT didn't wear a coat and it ended up being freezing way out there. But we had fun and it really was so pretty. My mom would have loved this place. The northwest is one of the prettiest places. 

23 weeks today!!

See all that mud and water? Our stroller wheels were caked in it, along with my toes and Thomas's everything. 

They had a big area set up with music and blow up inflatable things and sandboxes and slides for the kids. It really was so fun and Thomas didn't know how to handle all the excitement going on around him. He just walked around taking it all in. 

This was his favorite thing to do by far. JT went to get us some food and Thomas didn't move from here for a good half an hour. We need a sand box I guess! And more big trucks. Whenever he sees a truck driving he asks over and over again "what's that?" Trucks and airplanes are his thing. 

Our new mattress came today too. We caved and bought a king size bed. We were used to it back in Utah and our queen was a million years old and so uncomfortable that we were using here. I blame my pregnant body/insomnia for that random purchase right now-but it is heavenly to have my own sleep bubble back. And it is so nice to have with kids, especially a new baby! So even though I'm awake at least I'm comfy.  

And finally-the Rec center had a free swim night so we took Thomas tonight. We haven't been since last summer-i thought he would love it. He hated it for the first 20 minutes! But I refused to give up and leave, so we gave him a ball and sat him on this raft and he was okay. But only on the raft-with as many balls as possible. 

"Give me all the balls mom!!"

We will have to keep trying so he loves it more. 

And now-sleep I hope! 9 am church comes way too early sometimes. 

3 years!

3 years ago JT and I got married. It seems like we've been married FOREVER, in a good way obviously, but it also seems crazy that three years is already here. 

He is my best friend. I truly don't know what I would do without him in my life. He is my rock and the glue that holds our family together. He has a way of keeping me sane and also much more relaxed and easy going. We talk often about how uptight and stressed I was in our early dating days, certain little things would get under my skin and I would turn into this crazy person. Or every little thing would be something huge and dramatic and ridiculously hard to handle. I really can see a difference in myself since meeting him, and I know I have grown a lot but I truly do have him to thank for a lot of it. I feel so blessed to have him as my husband and dad for our kids. He knows exactly when I just need a hug, or a break, or some chocolate, or someone to tell me I look pretty. I love him so so much and I can't wait to see what the rest of our lives have in store for us! 

Since moving to Washington we have yet to leave Thomas with anyone. We haven't really found a babysitter and I have never left him with anyone other then family, so for awhile he gets to be our little date buddy! I decided we would celebrate today as not only our anniversary, but also our "family birth day" and start of our family! JT came home early with some flowers and the sweetest note, right when thomas went down for a nap. So we took a nice long long nap too, then woke up and went to an early dinner at a place called Saltys, right on the Columbia River. 

Thomas was an angel, surprising after his rough morning, and now we are home watching the Voice. We seriously love this show-I think JT asks a few times a week when the next episode is on. It was a perfect day, or I should say afternoon, little stinker-and I am so grateful for my eternal marriage and family!