Cameron's Intuition

I have no doubt that Cameron is completely aware that something is about to change. Over the past few weeks, he has brought up Allie constantly.

Recent Conversations:
Cam (totally randomly in the car last night): "Share toys with Allie."
Me: "Are you going to share your toys? That's so nice."
Cam: "Play basketball with Allie. Allie play basketball with Cameron. Share basketball."
Cam: "Give Allie hugs and kisses."

Today Cameron brought me some paper and a pen:
Cam: "Write Mommy's name."
I wrote Mommy.
Cam: "Write Daddy's name."
I wrote Daddy.
Cam: "Write Cameron."
I did.
Cam: "Write Allie."
I did.
He then happily took the paper and walked away.

Miss Lists

It's Friday night. The weather outside is frightful. Our temple square lights outing got cancelled. Nate and Cam are playing trains. I'm gonna blog.

What I WILL miss about being pregnant:
1. My belly. Even though it's heavy, I love my prego belly!
2. My maternity clothes. Most of them anyway....
3. Feeling the baby move....BEST part of being pregnant!
4. Strangers and random people being overly nice to me. The baggers at my grocery store never offered to take my cart out to my car for me before I started showing!
5. Nate doing all of the laundry and trash take-out for me!
6. Looking at tiny baby clothes at the store and getting the nursery ready.
7. Looking forward to OB appts to hear the heartbeat and see ultrasounds.
8. Having a HUGE appetite and indulging at every meal.
9. The "pregnancy waddle". I used to think women faked that, but we really do walk like that at the end anyway!!
10. Thinking about, talking about and picking out baby names.

What I WILL NOT miss about being prenant:
1. My belly. It's heavy and I keep bumping into everything! (yes I love and hate it!)
2. Atleast one part of my body being in pain all the time (usually my back)
3. Not being able to sleep on my stomach.
4. Not being able to wear my cute, normal, "skinny" clothes.
5. Bawling over EVERYTHING and being overly emotional.
6. Not being able to put my own socks on and shave my ankles.
7. Not being able to get in and out of my car or my bed without feeling like I just ran a mile.
8. Wondering and worrying if my baby is safe and normal and cute!
9. Wondering if I will go into labor during a snowstorm or while Nate is stuck in class and him missing it.
10. Not having ANY energy to play with Cameron and keep up on my daily tasks.

Since Nate is around to help out, I have started doing all of Allie's laundry. I almost started crying as I looked through all of her sweet blankets and onesies. I'm such a nerd! I just still can't believe I'm really having a little GIRL sometimes! I really really can't wait to meet her!

Diaper Bag Dilemma

Do any of you recommend (or NOT recommend) a certain brand or type of diaper bag? I don't know why, but I am having the hardest time finding one I like. We went to Target yesterday and found this one that we both loved.....

BUT I came home and looked online and found out that it got awful reviews....everyone said the zippers broke after only a few weeks, and a few other negative comments. So now I'm wondering if I should return it.

I looked around online and saw this one that got all great reviews. I might try this one out instead.

36 Weeks

Wow, less than 4 weeks left! This blog won't exist much longer, so let me know if there are any other pregnancy/baby/toddler/motherhood issues you want to 'discuss' on here! I've avoided some topics....like potty training, haha! Most of you know my experience with that....dumbest parenting mistake I've made so far, oh well! Atleast I've learned from it!

Anyway, I'm wondering if she has started to drop....??? I'm breathing a bit easier, and I'm feeling like there is more "pressure", if you know what I mean!! People keep asking me if I feel like "anything is happening" yet. They haven't checked for any dilating yet, but I honestly don't think anything has happened yet. I have another appt in a week, so I'll keep you all updated. I'm really hoping to make to ATLEAST Jan 10. Any earlier just feels too close to the New Year, for some reason. They'll induce January 15 if I don't go into labor sooner.

I hope you all enjoy Christmas this week. Be SAFE....sounds like we're all getting pummeled with Winter storms, no matter what you all live!

35 1/2 Weeks!!

Can someone tell me where my pregnancy has gone?? I cannot believe I am almost 36 weeks! I had an OB appt today. As of today, I've gained 31 pounds, which is the exact amount I gained with Cameron's whole pregnancy. We'll see if I hit 40!! Lots of yummy Holiday parties coming up to feast at, haha!! I got to hear her heartbeat, it was nice and strong.

Today on my way out of the doctor's office, I was about 10 steps behind 2 pregnant women who had been seen right before and after me. As soon as they left the building, they both lit cigarettes. It broke my heart that they would put their babies at risk like that. I don't think it's fair that innocent babies who can't make choices about their environment are forced to be subjected to things that can harm them. Why are Cameron and Allison so lucky and blessed to be born into a loving family who want nothing more than their safety and happiness.....and yet millions and millions of babies are born into situations where they are NOT safe and loved and sheltered? One of those 'impossible-to-answer questions' I guess!!

Random Question

I have a question for you fabulous moms who are always SO great about giving me your opinions and advice!! How soon after your babies were born did you nurse (or try and nurse)?? My only real regret about Cameron's whole birth experience was that there was a lot of craziness right after he was born, and I didn't even get to just sit and hold and enjoy him until about 4 hours after he was born. By then he was too sleep to nurse. I really think we might have had a better start with nursing if I had been able to try feeding him right after he was born. I think this time I am going to tell family and visitors that they are welcome to be at the Hospital, but I want some time right away with just me, Nate and her. I wanted that with Cam too, but I wasn't vocal enough about it, and by the time he arrived, I was too exhausted and hungry to care! I just wanted food, haha!! Anyway, this time I'd really like to nurse Allie as soon as I can.

More clothes....

Remember adorable Miss Ashlan that I babysat all last Winter and Spring? Her mom gave us 2 huge bags of clothes today. The CUTEST stuff ever, and it's all size 12-18 mo, which is perfect! Abby's mom and my friend Kari both gave me tons and tons of 0-9 month size, and now I have up to 18 mo size! I can't believe how generous people have been! Miss Allison is going to be very well-dressed, and we won't have spent a dime!!

Pageant Madness

So tonight I was channel surfing and came across a show on TLC documenting baby and child Beauty pageants. It was SO unbelievable that Nate and I seriously couldn't help ourselves from watching! We sat there in complete shock over what some parents will make their children do. These cute girls were SO into their hair, makeup, costumes, etc.... Not to mention the provocative and sassy way they were walking and posing. Talk about sending an awful message at such a young age! I kept telling Nate, "These poor kids, they deserve a real childhood....let them run around outside and play at the park...."

So now our new joke is that I'm going become on obsessive 'pageant mom' and force Allison to strut her stuff at 9 months old!!!

I'm not against beauty pageants....I'm just against them starting SO young....before the child has a real choice in the matter. What do you think???

Better

Things are always better when Nate's around. I'm sitting here enjoying some hot apple cider and my Winter Wonderland Scentsy burning while watching Nate and Cameron out the window having a snowball fight and playing basketball!! Nate always makes everything okay.

Blame it on the pregnancy??

So I have seriously been such an emotional MESS lately! And it's driving me CRAZY!!!! I hate not feeling like I have ANY control over my emotions. I snap at Cameron over the littlest thing, and then I start bawling cuz I feel bad....yeah, I think Nate is sort of scared of me!! I wake up each day praying so hard to keep my cool with Cameron, and I seriously last about 10 minutes before I'm a basket case!

I've been sort of worried about it and hoping I'm not a bad mom. I want NOTHING more than for Cameron and my future children to have the best childhood possible....to feel loved and safe and comfort in their home. I want the Spirit to be in our home and for us to always keep our eye on our goal of being an eternal family. But lately I feel like I haven't been a good mom AT ALL. I just cannot describe how exhausted I am! I keep telling myself "You're pregnant, just relax". But that doesnt' help when I'm in the middle of a meltdown!

Anyway, so tonight I went back and was reading some of my old blog entries back from last year and earlier this year. I read what I wrote, and I feel like I don't even recognize that voice! I obviously was a LOT more stable and enjoyed motherhood (and babysitting) much MUCH more than I have been the past few weeks, but it actually made me feel a LOT better. I'm not a horrible mom who hates motherhood! I'm just a VERY VERY hormonal pregnant woman.....RIGHT???? Someone please tell me that I will feel better soon....!!!!!

Tick Tock

I cannot believe how fast this past week flew by! Thanksgiving feels like it was yesterday! Less than 6 weeks left of this pregnancy, and I CANNOT believe it!

Thanks to my fabulous friends and family, I am pretty much all set for Allie girl to come. I need a few things still....a diaper bag (still can't decide what type to get), a baby monitor (I found one I like, I just need to order it), a few more odds and ends (more burp clothes, some newborn size pants, and some pack n play sheets).

So now I am RELAXING. Every night while Nate does homework, I snuggle up with a good book and some apple cider. I am taking in EVERY moment I have to enjoy how easy I have it right now!! Cameron is back to sleeping like an angel, and I am soaking in my evenings while they last!!!! My Christmas gifts are pretty much all ready, Allie's clothes are as organized as I could possibly make them, and I have been working on getting lots of crockpot recipes together for the weeks after she's born. Primary should be smooth this month....I have Sharing Time today, but that's it for the month! The kids have been so good lately!! And finally....only FOUR more days of babysitting left! Two days this week, two days next week, and I will finally be DONE!! I have been babysitting for over a year now, and I'm more than ready to be done with that. It has been a HUGE blessing for me to be able to stay home with Cameron, and I am so grateful for the kids I have watched, but it's really exhausting!!!

Another success....

So we think Cameron is successfully off of his night-time cup of milk! It wasn't a big deal to us, I know some mom's are all weird about their kids drinking milk in bed and their teeth rotting. We didn't care about that, we probably should have! We'd always brush his teeth, but then he'd have atleast 1 or 2 cups of milk before falling asleep. I just didn't even think about it.
But for some RANDOM reason, 3 nights ago, I decided to only give him water after we brushed his teeth. We gave him a nice big cup of milk during his book time and while we tucked him in, then we brushed his teeth, said prayers, and told him he could have water. It worked! And 3 nights later he is still off his milk at night. Yay!! So we're at no binkies during the day and no milk at night....progress!! I am learning that as a mother, I am afraid of change....if something is working well, I get really nervous to change it, even if it's in the best interest of Cameron! BUT I am also learning not to be too hard on myself!! I think mom's feel SO much pressure to parent the same way their friends or family do, but every parent and child combination is different, and I think we are all trying our best!! I don't think there is one right way to do things....especially when it comes to routines, bedtimes, binkies, bottles, soothing, discipline, etc etc etc.

I also have to give a HUGE shout-out to my sweet friend Tristan. The flannel blanket she made for Allie came today, and I LOVE IT!! She made Cam's alphabet blanket that he is in love with, and now Allie will have a "Tristan blanket" too! I love how durable these flannel blankets are....they can get dragged around, stepped on, spilled on, etc, and they just last and last. This way I can keep the kids' "great-great grandma quilts" from being destroyed!! Thanks Tristan, love and miss ya!!

A quick vent session....

I know a lot of pregnant women probably feel a lot worse than I do during pregnancy, but I deserve to whine a little too! I AM MISERABLE!!! I don't know what has happened this week, but I am SO uncomfortable. My back is in horrible pain all the time, and Allie is growing MUCH faster than my belly is accomodating her!!! I can't breathe....I swear the neighbors can probably hear me breathing, that's how loud I breathe all the time!!! It takes me several minutes to lie down or sit back up..... And don't even get me started on how hard it is to get up off the floor after Cam's diaper changes or cleaning up his toys!!

I KNOW I wasn't this uncomfortable during the last 2 months with Cam....maybe the last 2 weeks, but not the last 8 weeks!!! All I can say is THANK HEAVENS that starting December 19, Nate is DONE with school for 3 full weeks, and I will be DONE with babysitting!! We keep joking about how we should go celebrate that evening, it will be a happy day!! Nate has been a HUGE help, and I cannot say enough about how grateful for him I am! He has taken over a lot of the dishwashing (when he's home) and does most of the laundry. I physically can't carry the wet loads down the stairs to the dryers anymore, so he does that too. He vacuums and takes out the garbage....and he always tells me to go lie down. What a man!!! (now the real test is if he'll keep these things up AFTER she's born, haha!! Oh well, I'm gonna take what I get and love him for it!!)

Well, even as I sit here, pains are shooting down my back and sides.....hence my severe lack in blogging lately!! There is my vent session for you all to enjoy!! Can't wait to meet my sweet baby girl at the end of this!! I already love her more than anything, and she's worth it!!

PS....Yesterday Cameron kept setting goldfish crackers on my belly "for the baby". Cute!

33 Week Update

So I've been in a LOT of pain this week. My abdomen and back just hurt, and it was starting to make me nervous!! It didn't feel like typical ligament pain either. So I had a non-stress test done, and everything is fine, thank goodness! I really don't want a premature baby!! The pain has gone way down, so I'm grateful for that as well. My belly is measuring at 34, and I've gained 23 pounds so far. I think I gained 30 total with Cam, if I remember right. I have another appt in 2 weeks. Down home stretch!!

So I discovered last night that Cam can now climb out of a pack n play! NOT cool..... I woke up at midnight last night to find him standing next to me....SO weird! So he climbed in bed with me and slept the rest of the night! He did fine, but now I'm worried that we can't travel anywhere with him! (we're at my parents this weekend). Good thing we hardly EVER travel, haha!!

My Usual Babbling....

I finally remembered to buy baby hangers at Walmart last night. So I have been able to start getting the kids' closet organized. We found out that we are for SURE moving to a 3-bed in May. It still seems really far away (and it is), but we know what apartment we are getting, and it's our first choice as far as location in the complex. It's on the top floor, which will be a pain, but great at the same time. It has a WHITE backsplash instead of our nasty brown flowers, so that right there is worth it, haha! And I like knowing that we will for sure be here for the first 4 months of Allison so now I can plan better. I have been looking around for a changing table, but I think we're gonna just use the one that came with her pack n play for now, and then when we move, I'll put Cam's dresser in Allie's room to use as a changing table and open his room up for all of his toys and hopefully a train table!!! I think when we move, we will try to get Cam moved to a big bed (MAYBE...) and then Allie can start using the crib since she'll be old enough to start sleeping through the night and on a nap schedule. We technically don't need 3 bedrooms until then anyway, so we're happy to save our money and be crammed in here a little longer!! I'm sure you all care sooo much about all of this, haha!

So random question: Cam feels a tad warm to me, and the only thermometer I have is his bum one from when he was a baby. I've seen the ear ones in the store, but I'm not sure if they are worth buying? I know he's old enough for an ear one, but at the same time, I don't want to waste my money. What do you all use to take your toddler's temps with??

Another question: Any specific brand or kind of baby monitor you recommend? I never had one with Cam, but I am getting one for this baby so Cam and I can go play outside while she's napping. The problem is that SO many people live around here and have babies and monitors, so the frequencies get all jumbled easily.

Wow, I'll be 32 weeks tomorrow! I'm starting to get uncomfortable at night. Luckily Cam is sleeping all night again, so it's not as bad, but I'm still awake a lot. I've been having really painful BH contractions still, so I'm hoping everything is still going okay! I've been trying to rest as much as possible. Cameron and Abby have suddenly become best buddies and entertain each other SOO well when they are both awake. It's been such a relief because usually I was breaking up their fighting, and disciplining Cam for bullying her, and it was wearing me out! Now I just lie on the sofa while they play! Thanks kids!! :)

Bed & Night time update

I bought Allie this bed yesterday. I got a sweet deal off craigslist, of course!! It's in perfect condition, and ironically, it matches our infant carseat and stroller pattern!! (Not that it matters, but it's still weird!) I love how it has the bassinet and changing table attachments. Anyway, this should work for her for atleast the first 6 months, so we can move Cam into his big bed without feeling rushed. Speaking of Cam....the night time waking is seriously out of control. For the past several weeks, he's been waking up crying for binkies, a drink, his blanket, to get down and play, basically anything he can think of to get us in his room! We've had enough of it! So between 7 pm and 7 am, we do NOT go in his room, no matter what. I feel like he's 5 months again and we're doing the cry it out thing! But I'm just sick of it. He does NOT need milk at 2 am, and he needs to learn to stop throwing his blankie and binkies out of his bed. So 2 nights ago, Cam woke up at 2:30 and screamed for over an hour. It was awful, but we were strong! He fell asleep at 4 and slept until 7. Last night, Nate went to bed with ear plugs (haha!) and Cam only woke up maybe twice, and only whimpered for a few minutes. Progress! I'm sure it's going to take a full week or two for Cam to totally stop trying to get his way, but I am tired of him being in control of our nights!!! WE are the parents.....right?!? Yes we are!! :)

Missing you all....

Today Cam and I went up to Woods Cross to hang out with Merilee and her girls. Merilee is throwing me a baby shower in a few weeks, and I'm SO touched by how sweet she is to host it and put so much work into it! The invitations are CUTE! Still can't believe I'm really having a girl sometimes!
Anyway, but as I went to make my invite list, I realized how many of my dear friends and family don't live in Utah. It made me sad! I miss you all, and I really wish we could hang out MUCH more often than we get to!!

31 Weeks

Time is ticking away....!!!

So I think that whoever this Mr. Braxton-Hicks MAN was didn't know what he was talking about when he said "mild" contractions! To quote Rachel from friends: "No uterus? No opinion!!" I didn't start having BH contractions with Cam's pregnancy until I was about 36-37 weeks, and turns out I was dilating!! But THIS pregnancy has been completely different. I have had them the entire time, and they don't feel very good!! One minute I can push on my belly and it's all squishy, and the next it's like a rock! So weird (and painful!).

Other than that, I'm physically feeling about as good as I could hope to be feeling. Other than Cameron STILL waking us up several times a night (seriously, it's getting OLD), I'm sleeping well. I feel like I'm WAY tiny for only have 2 months left. If I tuck a pillow under me, I can still sleep on my stomach!!! And I still have a few non-maternity tops that fit me fine. She is still super active, so I don't worry that she's not growing, it's just weird how different your body can be with 2 pregnancies. I don't have any stretch marks yet either. BUT I know that she will more than double in size in the next 2 months, so I'm not expecting to stay this way!!!

Emotionally I have been sort of a wreck the past few weeks! I think part of it was coming from my being really nervous about teaching my Finance class, because I felt a HUGE weight lifted off my shoulders when that was done! BUT I can tell that the overall exhaustion of pregnancy and my nervousness about handling 2 kids is starting to take over!! Not good!! :) Poor Cameron gets the brunt of most of my moodiness, and I'm working on that daily! The past 2 days have been really great though, so I have hopes that it's just the normal pregnancy emotion swings and not me having SERIOUS issues, haha!

I'm still on a baking frenzy...I think I am single-handedly supporting the companies that supply butter, sugar, flour and chocolate chips!! Tonight I'm making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Come get some!!

Wanted: Activity Ideas for 2 yr old!!

Okay, so I thought we moms could share ideas for keeping our toddlers entertained indoors this Winter!!
Today is Wednesday, so it's No TV Day for us. Cam is SO sick of his toys, and if he gets bored, he just whines and hangs on me.
So here are some of my ideas:
1. Bubbles (unfortunately we are out today)
2. Water fun at the sink (still a huge hit)
3. Coloring (Cam is getting pretty good at staying in the lines, for a 2 yr old anyway!)
4. Baking (Cam loves to help with this)
5. Playing with stickers (amazing how long this will ocupy him as well, but be prepared for sticker to be stuck EVERYWHERE!!)

Anyway, I just wanted to hear any more ideas you guys might have. Happy Winter!!

The Final Result

Well, I'm not sure if I should say that Operation Binkie failed or not.... Last night I went to bed early and had been asleep for about 10 minutes when Cam woke up and was hysterical again. Nate and I had talked to some of our neighbors at church and asked if they had been hearing him. They said they had, and we felt soooo bad! They were nice about it, but nobody wants to hear someone else's kid screaming all night! Anyway, so we decided to just give him his binkie at night. Nate didn't want to lose sleep again last night cuz he has a HUGE test today he needed to get up early and study for, and I can just feel my body getting weaker and more sore since I'm not getting enough rest. We just decided that getting him totally off his binkie at night wasn't worth all the negatives that have been coming out of it!! So I went in and gave him his binkie. He was yelling "Get out, get down", he wanted to get out of his bed. So I handed him his binkie, he layed right down and closed his eyes, and we didn't hear from him for the rest of the night. Crazy!

This morning I went in and took his binkie for the day, he handed it to me with no problem. So overall, I feel like even though he still needs it at night, we've completely weaned him from having it during the day, which is actually sort of a big deal for him. We're only going to let him have it in his bed ONLY, and I don't feel like we've failed. I'm depending on Cameron to keep sleeping well after this baby comes so that I can get as much sleep as possible. I think once we've moved, the baby is old enough to sleep through the night, Cam is moved to a big bed and we don't have any other major changes coming up, then we can maybe try again.

Sorry to drag you all through this with us, thanks for reading! Hope the end result didn't disappoint.... Motherhood is a crazy learning process!!

30 Weeks!

Wow, there's a '3' in front of my weekly number now! CRAZY!! Less than 10 weeks now!!

The Binkie War rages on....he does GREAT during the day and goes down for naps and bed with no crying at all. He just can't STAY asleep. It's so sad to listen to him, so we'll see what happens. Nate is going to give him a blessing tonight, and I'm really hoping that after a few more nights, he'll just stop fighting it and sleep all night again. If NOT, then obviously we'll just wait until he's more ready to give them up. I can't lose sleep like this right before a baby is coming!!!!! He's not even 2 1/2 yet...it's not like he's 5 and still can't sleep without a binkie!! If he's not over this in another few nights, then I will wait and try again after Allie is born and we are all adjusted and moved into our new apartment and such. I can't handle being up with BOTH kids!!!

Shocked

Cameron went to bed WITHOUT A PEEP tonight!!!!!!!! Nate and I are completely shocked! He was really exhausted, which I think helped, but right at 7:00 he layed down for a jammies, climbed in his crib by himself and layed right down. He said "Binkies? Garbage." It's 8:30 and he's out like a light! WOW, I was seriously gearing myself up for an awful couple of days. I'm anticipating that he'll wake up during the night and cry for them, but I seriously think it's safe to say that the Binkie Battle is won!! YAY CAMERON!!

Cranky Days

Wow, we're in for some CRANKY days around here! He didn't nap well AT ALL, so he's insanely tired which sadly means he's overly cranky! He won't stop crying and he keeps throwing everything. POOR baby! I feel awful, but I know this is the best thing for all of us....and boy am I glad I'm gonna go through this BEFORE the baby comes!!!

Binkie Decision

Okay, I talked to Nate this morning, and we decided to try going cold turkey with Cam's binkies. I thought we should wait so he can have that comfort after Allie comes, but Nate pointed out that it would be easier NOW so he wouldn't associate no binkies with the baby (I love how Nate is so good to help with these sorts of parenting issues! Makes me not feel so alone!) So when he woke up, we told him he is a big boy and it's time to say bye-bye to his Binkies and throw them in the garbage. He threw them in the garbage (I was surprised) and said "Binkies all gone." I told him he can have his milk and blanket in his bed now. (Tristan, him being so attached to your blanket might help us with this!!). He's in a great mood, but we'll see how things go in a few hours when it gets closer to naptime and he wants his binkies back! We kept one in case of an emergency.....Abby cries a lot, I'm pregnant and exhausted....if it gets to be too much, I will have to wait, I can't bring more stress on myself right now!!!
WISH US LUCK!!!!

The Great Binkie Debate

Cameron is a Binkie Baby.....always has been.....

Up until now, I haven't really minded him being to attached to his pacifier. He has always been a great sleeper, and I attribute some of that to him having his binkie. But lately, his binkies have been becoming a major source of drama in our house!! For whatever reason, he HAS to have no less than 5 or so binkies when he sleeps. Lately, he has been throwing them out of his crib at night and screams until I get up and go digging around in and under his bed at 1 am for his binkies....NOT FUN! He knows how to unclip them from his clothes, so clips don't help anymore. I've tried just leaving him alone, but he seriously does NOT sleep without them....he will cry for the rest of the night.

Overall,I'm okay with him having binkies, I don't worry about his teeth or his talking.....I just hate how they are running our lives!!!!!!! I know he'll give them up eventually, I just wish I could think of a way to keep them in his bed with him!!

He also wants his binkies when he's lounging watching a movie. He wants ALL of them. Today I tried to just let him have ONE binkie and keep the rest in his bed. He seriously cried for TWO HOURS this morning because he wanted all of them, not just one. I told him he could have them in his bed, so he went into his room, climbed into his crib and was happy. Goofy kid!! Any suggestions?? Or is this a battle that isn't worth fighting???

Bun in the Oven

Normally I don't love to bake. I don't hate it, but I don't usually do it unless I have to. (I HATE cooking, but that's a different issue!). But for some odd reason, during my 3rd trimesters (apparently), I get this sudden urge to bake like crazy! When I was pregnant with Cam, I baked almost every day for the last several weeks. And now I'm doing the same thing! My obsessions right now are Snickerdoodle cake, peanut butter bars and right now there are sugar cookies in the oven. Weird, huh! But it's fun, and I know Nate isn't complaining!!!!! Cameron is having fun with it this time around too. He gets scared when I turn on my mixer, but he loves dumping stuff in the bowl and helping put cookie dough balls on the pans. So cute! (Except now I think he's sneaking dough while I'm not looking....)

I'm excited that the holidays are coming up so I can bake cookies for some of my Christmas gifts this year! I'm actually not very good at baking, but I'm getting better! Hopefully I'll enjoy it enough to keep it up after the baby comes and not stop like I did after I had Cam.

Send any yummy recipes my way!!
These are the cookies I just made and they are GOOD (Nate just walked in the door and ate like 6 of them without stopping!) http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Sugar-Cookies/Detail.aspx?prop31=1

OB Appt

I had a pre-natal appointment today. I've gained another 6 pounds! Allie's heartbeat was good, and my belly is measuring perfectly. They did say my urine didn't look very good, which they said means I'm not drinking enough water and I'm overworking myself....hmm....does that mean I have permission to stop babysitting now??? I wish!! I just need to lie down more often, I guess! I don't feel like I overwork myself....my apartment is rarely clean, I'm always behind on laundry and dishes, and I'm usually home all day!!! I feel like I'm too lazy most of the time!! So who knows....

My next appt is in 3 weeks, time is ticking away sooo fast!

My sister sent me a few of her baby girl clothes that were still in tact after 3 daughters, and she sent me a gorgeous dress that I've decided to use for Allie's blessing dress. I'm so excited! I've been sort of looking around for something cute, but I'm so glad I waited because this dress is perfect! DeAnn's daughter Karen wore it for her blessing, so they can be matchy cousins! Thanks DeAnn!!

So random question: At what age did you take your kids to the dentist? Nate is renewing our health/dental insurance next week, and we aren't sure if we should put Cam on our dental plan or not. He'll be 3 next summer. I should probably just call our dentist and ask, but I thought I'd ask some of you mommies first!! Plus, if we add him, it's an extra $20/month that will come out of Nate's paycheck, so we want to make sure that it's worth it. I know $20 doesn't seem like much, but hey...that's $20 we could be buying diapers with, right?? :) We brush his teeth pretty regularly, and they look healthy.....so I dunno!! Thanks ladies!

29 Weeks

Sorry I've slowed down on this blog.....things are going really well. Nothing too new to report...Allison is still VERY active. I'm becoming more tired and nauseous lately, but overall I still feel pretty good. I have a doctors appt on Monday. I can't believe it's November already....heading down home stretch!!

Allie's little headbands came in the mail this week, and they are SO cute! I'm going to wait until she's born to get anything else like that though.....I think you have to see the baby's face and hair first!!

Cameron is becoming more and more of a 2 yr old every day! He freaks out and throws tantrums over the dumbest things now....things that didn't used to bother him! It's sort of frustrating! We have been trying SO hard to not cave-in to his tantrums and give him what he wants.... Oh the joys of toddlers!! He's a sweet kid though. My friend Mycah works at a candy store called Taffy Town. We went and saw her last week, and somehow Cameron got the impression that her name is Taffy! So whenever he sees her now, he runs up to her "Taffy!! Taffy!" I tried to explain that her name is Mycah, but he just looks at me like he's seriously confused. It's pretty cute!

28 Weeks

I am 28 weeks pregnant now. I was born at 28 weeks, so this is probably what my baby looks like!!

Holding Mom's finger in my incubator.

Check out how HUGE the preemie diaper looks on me! Crazy.... I weighed 2 lb 7 oz. Doctors told my family at the beginning that I had about a 50/50 chance of survival. Apparently Heavenly Father wanted me here, and every day I am grateful that I have been so healthy and "normal"...(my family likes to joke that I never fully developed mentally, haha!).

Getting plumper.... I was in the hospital for 9 weeks and got to go home on Mother's Day!!

Missionary Work vs Pregnancy??

So last night I went on splits with the sister missionaries. It was sort of a spur-of-the-moment thing, and I was already exhausted from a long day with 2 kids who love to make each other mad....(ugh, don't ask). Anyway, it was really fun, and brought back a lot of fun mission memories, but it turned out that we did a LOT of walking (I'd say a mile maybe). I have one thing to say: I don't think the Lord intended for women to be 6 months pregnant and doing 'physical' missionary work!! Sciatic nerve pain, sore hips, a baby kicking you in the ribs and the bladder, pulling abdominal muscles and constant shortness of breath......seriously!!! I thought I was tired as a full-time missionary.....NOPE, I don't think I collapsed one time in Korea the way I collapsed last night when I got home!!!!!

Some much-needed pampering

Lately I have been feeling so lazy about my appearance. It's just SO hard to spend the time and energy to get all ready when I just sit home changing diapers and picking up toys all day. Nate is an amazing husband and has NEVER ONCE made me feel like he wishes I spent more time on myself, but like Dr. Laura says, why is it that when you are dating, you spend so much energy getting dolled up, and then once you're married, you just let it go? Anyway, so this past week while I had my Nate around to help watch Cam, I went out and bought a bunch of new cute maternity clothes. I swore I'd never spend money on maternity clothes cuz it seems like a waste, BUT I will admit that now that I feel like I have some cute stuff, I finally take the time to get ready every day, and overall it makes me feel SOOO much better. Even if I have nowhere to go, which is usually the case, it's nice to see myself in the mirror in something other than pj pants and a t-shirt! I also splurged a TON and went and got my hair cut and highlighted. I LOVE IT! I probably won't be able to afford that again for awhile, but it was really worth it!

Some 27-week Babble

My belly has finally reached the point where I can use it to my advantage!! I love being able to set my cereal or drink or the remote or just whatever on my belly if I'm sitting down! HAHA, it's fun! The best was at the movie with Nate the other night. My popcorn sat nicely on my belly! My lap is too far away now!! Haha, I'm a nerd.

So good news, my Braxton Hicks and my horribly achy hips have eased way up. I have been sleeping with pillows between my legs, and that has helped. Allie has really grown a lot too, and so I think my body was just adjusting to that. I still have a hard time standing up if I'm on the floor (which is quite often having to change both Cam and Abby's diapers), and I'm always out of breath. I feel like I'm always breathing really loud like I just ran sprints up the stairs or something....even if all I did was walk across the room!! I think this is where working out during pregnancy helps!! Oh well!! Although I've decided that I'm really excited to be due in January because by the time March-ish rolls around, I should be ready to start running again. I want to get back in good shape and run all next summer. Although do any of you know if it's true that your milk can dry up if you exercise a lot? I've heard that, but I'm not sure if it's true. Let me know!! I'd rather nurse my baby than exercise if that's the case though!!

Cameron has been throwing the WORST tantrums lately! So unlike him!! It's not very fun. I usually let him thrash around on the floor and calm down before I try to talk to him. The joys of a 2 yr old!! Good thing he's SO stinkin' cute!!!

More on Baby Names

Last night, Nate and I were talking more about boy names. Sounds pointless, I know, but it was fun. We both want #3 to be a boy, and for some random reason, we got on the subject of baby boy names. Anyway, we mostly joked about some pretty awful names, but I've decided that I REALLY like the name Jamison. Isn't it cute? (you don't have to agree with me) Jamison Wood! I love it.

Anyway, I was looking at some baby girl names online the other day. I'm still not totally set on Jane for a middle name because I REALLY like it for a first name. So I'm tempted to keep it around for a first name if we have more girls. Jane Wood is sort of plain-sounding, but she won't have that last name forever, and I just think it's so cute! Anyway, I haven't really found any good names that sound nice with Allison. I'd like to stick to a family name (Jane is my middle name, and my great-aunt's name), but if you have any other suggestions that sound good with Allison Wood, let me know!

Diaper Mania

First of all, I just want to whine about the fact that I'm starting to break out really bad.....I feel 15 again!! (well, except for the minor detail that I'm pregnant....that doesn't make me feel 15, just the bad acne!!!!!)

Anyway, I've been saving up my Huggies coupons I get in the mail or from people, and I'm starting to stock up on diapers. It's not fun, but it must be done!!!! I've been putting about $160/month of my Abby money into savings each month. But I think for the next 2-3 months, I will just use that money to buy diapers each week. I bought 2 boxes in Cam's size and 2 packs in newborn size on Saturday. I think I will be glad when January rolls around, and I won't have to buy diapers for a few months! My SWEET friend, Merilee, is also planning an "essentials-only" baby shower for me in December. I have the bestest friends in the world!!

Cute Headbands

Thanks to my awesome friend Jordan, I got hooked up with this awesome lady who makes normal, SMALL bows....just what I want! I can't wait to order some!! Aren't they CUTE?

http://kimsprojectsandideas.blogspot.com/2008/10/hair-bow-clip-headbands.html


These are the ones I ended up choosing! I wanted to order every color though!! But these colors will go with a ton of her outfits, and I figured I'll just use the white one for her red and blue outfits she has.

Seriously.....!!

I am the sloppiest prego woman ever! EVERY TIME I look down, I have something spilled on my belly or my lap. Usually it's yogurt, juice, toothpaste or milk. And it gets worse the bigger my belly gets!! I had this problem with Cam's pregnancy too. I'm messier than my 2 year old lately! I swear it is a pregnancy symptom....along with the spaciness and forgetfulness! Am I alone in this??

Introducing Allie

Okay, so I think everybody who reads already knows this anyway, but we've decided to name our baby girl Allison Jane! We cannot wait for our little Allie to arrive. I was getting tired of referring to her as Baby Girl when we already just call her Allie. I suppose when we actually see her, we could change our minds, so we aren't going to buy her wall letters or get anything with her name printed just yet....but since most of you already knew anyway, I might as well just blog about it!!

25 Week Check

I just had my 25 wk OB check-up. Everything looks great. But I've gained 8 pounds in the past 4 weeks....haha! All those peanut butter bars I keep making and shoving in my face!! No, honestly, I'm actually grateful to finally be gaining some weight. I can tell it's starting to come on, and obviously Baby is growing, so for me, it's great news!!

More Room!

I feel like this baby is growing, but my belly is not!! It feels like she is taking up every inch of space from my lungs to my bladder! My skin feels all tight, and I wish I could give her more room!! I can also tell she's growing because her movements have changed a ton. They've gone from feeling like flutters to being full-fledged kicks and jabs! Sometimes she'll stick a limb out, and my whole belly will be lopsided! Or her butt or head will be sticking out, so half of my belly will feel like a rock, and the other half is all squishy.... SO FUN, I LOVE BEING PREGNANT!!!

I have an OB appt tomorrow, and I'm anxious to see how things are going. It will be sort of an anti-climatic appt, probably just a weight, BP, pee-in-a-cup check.....but it'll be fun to hear her heartbeat and if there is time, we can hopefully say hi to her on ultrasound.

Time is FLYING! I cannot believe I am almost 25 weeks already. And I think time is only gonna keep flying with the Holidays coming up. I'm just really glad I'm due in the later half of January so I will have a few weeks after all the Christmas madness! It will be interesting to see when she comes because the dates have been back and forth between January 17 and the 23rd.

Special Girl

So for years and years, I've always wanted to name my first baby girl Katelyn. Kate has been my favorite girl's name for the longest time. When Nate and I were dating, we talked about that name, and it was pretty much set. The whole time I was pregnant with Cam, before we found out he was a boy, we were always like "Are you Kate or Cameron?". And same with this baby. The second we found out I was pregnant, it started again, "Do you think Katelyn's in there?" (Or Kater, as Nate called her....he likes to put an "er" on the end of everything.....this is why I call him Nater!)

But it's weird....right when we found out she was a girl, I just didn't feel as excited as I thought I'd be to name her Katelyn. I still love the name to peices, but I don't think this baby girl is our Kater! So we've decided on a different name (her middle name is still in discussion), and I am SOOOO excited! When I call her this name, I just feel very happy, and for whatever reason, it just fits! Chances are that if we have another girl, she'll be Kate, but this baby is just not!

Now I can't wait to meet her! She's going to be really cool, I think!! haha! I just really think she's going to be special. Last night I was watching the Relief Socity General Meeting (so good!) and I kept thinking that maybe she'll be General RS, YW or Primary President or something like that! I hope and pray that she (and Cam and our other children) will serve a mission. My mission was such an amazing experience, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love picturing what our children are destined for in this Church. So now Nate and I just have to do our absolute best to provide a home that is a "sacred and safe haven" in this scary world! I'm grateful that this baby girl will have Cameron for a big brother to help keep her safe. He is such a sweetheart, and his little spirit is already growing. He LOVES to pray (kido....one of the few Korean words we've taught him), and sometimes, he is the one to remind US to pray before dinner! He loves the temple, going to Church and pointing out every picture of Jesus and the prophets and apostles that he sees. I'm so grateful that he will be the oldest sibling to be such a great example for his little brothers/sisters just like my oldest brother was for me!

Baby Baths and Hospital Gowns

When Cam was a newborn, I was sooooo scared to give him a bath! I made Nate's mom bathe him for the first several weeks....how lame am I? So I still don't really know how to bathe a brand new newborn! Once he was a few months old, Cam loved his bathtime (he still does), so obviously it wasn't such a scary thing for me. We did have a little baby bath for him that we used for quite awhile. We have since gotten rid of it though, so I'm trying to decide if I should get another one or just use the bath/sink. Hopefully with this baby, I will be brave and just bathe her myself instead of making my poor mother-in-law do it!

Earlier this week, my sister-in-law, Andrea gave me some cute maternity clothes (and some of Ivy's smaller diapers, THANKS Andrea!!). She gave me some nursing nightgowns that she had worn in the hospital. I didn't even think to bring my own nightgowns to the hospital, but it would have been really nice! I hate how hospital gowns open in the back, so when you're trying to figure out how to nurse, or if you have to get up and walk around....you're NOT very covered!! I might take these with me this time and see if I like using them better.

Thinking Pink!

Today I organized the kids' closet and dresser. It's really exciting (and a little weird, still) to see dresses and pink onesies next to Cam's boy clothes! I got everything organized by size. Most of what Harmony gave me are 3-9 month sizes, so I will still need to get a few basics for the first few weeks.

Last night while we were singing songs before bed, I asked Cam if he wants to be a big brother. He looked right at me and said "No....No big brother!" It was funny.

Sometimes during the day, I turn on TLC and watch "Bringing Home Baby." It basically is a show documenting families during the first 36 hours of being home with their new baby. Sometimes I watch it and get excited, other days I watch it and remember how hard it was! My emotions about having this baby seem to change every other minute.

Today I was looking at the scrapbook I made for Cam during his first year of life. I can't stand scrapbooking, but I'm so grateful I took the time to make his. I'm going to force myself to make her one too. I wish I could keep going past the first year, but I just can't commit to that!! I love his book because each month, I wrote a journal entry from Cam's point of view. I wrote about what he liked to eat, his favorite toys, activities, and anything exciting we had done that month. I wrote his sleep habits and any little "Cameron-isms" he had. There are little things I NEVER would remember now. I also wrote a list when he was 11 months old of 50 random things I loved about him. SO much fun to read now!!

Oh the joys....

Okay, so even though I've had a GREAT morning (see my other blog), I am in SO MUCH PAIN! I haven't had this problem so far with this pregnancy, but I am having the worst sciatic nerve pain EVER! I seriously can't move! I had it with Cam pretty bad too, so fun for me!! Any ideas on how to help?

Nickname Fun

Nicknames we have for our little Cameron:
--Cam
--Cameroo
--Cam-Bop (this came from a fabulous Korean dish called Kimbop)
--Crammon (Merilee's little girl says his name like this, and it totally caught on)
--Cam-Bam
--Cammers
--Duder (this is sadly, probably the most common one we use....I totally blame Nater....!!!)
--Cram-Bop
--Baby Boy

What do you call your kids?

She's Growing!

I'd like to thank Merilee for the cute blog backgrounds....I'd never heard of this site before! Thanks Erm!
So it seems like my tummy has grown....I feel like it looks bigger today than it has been, and Nate thinks so too. Hi Baby!!
So you know what I realized yesterday? If I had this baby when my mom had me, this baby would be born on Halloween! I was born at 28 weeks, crazy, huh! I can't even imagine....I would only have 6 weeks left!

I Love My Girl

This baby girl is SUCH an active baby! I'm starting to learn her wake/sleep routine, and so far, it's the exact same as Cam's. A few brief kicks during the day, but once we hit about 8:30 pm....BAM, it's a party in my uterus!! Cameron goes to bed at 7, and Nate is usually busy with homework or watching something lame on TV, so I love to just relax and enjoy "bonding" with Baby. I could sit and watch my tummy bounce around for HOURS. I always make Nate sit there and feel her too, but after about 15 kicks every night, I think he gets bored with it.... Can't really blame him, cuz it's SUCH a different feeling when you can feel it inside AND outside. I love how she's already alive with personality, and she's already my 2nd child. I don't feel like I have to wait until she arrives in person to start a relationship with her. I can be in a bad mood or just plain exhausted and ready to cry....but the moment I feel her, I am immediately happy, I can't help it!
Sometimes I already feel like I am hanging out with both of my kids. Yesterday I took Cameron to the toy store again to play with the trains (he once again played nonstop for an hour....we got him a great train set just like it for CHEAP on Ebay....should be coming any day!!). Anyway, I sat there watching Cam have the time of his life, and Baby started having her own party, and I just smiled knowing that both my kids were safe and happy and content.....(that is until I had to drag Cameron screaming out of the store....then I only had 1 happy baby for a few minutes! haha!)
I am learning that you don't have to divide your love amongst your children, and your love doesn't stretch thinner with the more children you have.....I have realized that you just are capable of suddenly developing MORE love. I don't have to divide my love between Cameron and this baby....I will keep loving Cameron as much as I do right now....AND I will have more than enough love to give to her! That's SOOOO awesome!! How much love must our Heavenly Father have in Him at all times?? Wow!!
Well, I'm off to bed. I've been going to bed early lately and soaking up every luxurious hour of sleep I can get between now and January!!

Baby, Are you there?

I've been starting to worry a little because I don't feel like I'm growing at all. I can still wear most of my normal shirts, and I can still sleep on my stomach. There's a tiny bump, but I swear I was bigger than this when my pregnancy was halfway with Cam. I guess I shouldn't worry since we just saw her healthy and moving like crazy on the ultrasound last week.....but it's my personality to worry!! NOBODY believes me when I say I'm 21 weeks, and I just hope that she's growing okay. I feel her daily, but I just have NO idea where on earth she is!!!!!
She was a busy beaver tonight, and Nate and I got to watch my belly bouncing all over the place. We were testing out baby names on her, seeing if she moved more in response to certain names (obviously we were just joking). Nate kept trying all these AWFUL names on her, it was hilarious.
I'm watching Supernanny while Nate is at basketball. Can I just say how brilliant she is? I try to watch it weekly because Cam is REALLY starting to respond to her methods, and I love it. If he is breaking a rule, I can say, "Cameron do you want to go to Time-Out?" and he will say No. So then I will say, "If you keep ........, then you will go to Time-Out." More often than not, he stops! It's amazing! His Time-Out time is 2 minutes right now (since he's 2!) and that's a LONG time for him to sit on his stool, and I think he's really learning that its easier to just behave than it is to sit there! Yay Supernanny!!

21 Weeks & Feeling Great!

I have been feeling really great these past several weeks. I'm so grateful! I felt so good after my first trimester with Cam, so when I didn't start feeling better by then with this pregnancy, I was a little worried. But I'd say around 18 or 19 weeks, I got that little burst of energy. The nausea has pretty much ended, and I haven't been feeling all of those stretching/pulling pains that can be really annoying! Baby is really active, she puts on a show for us nearly every evening! Hopefully she won't be too fussy in the evenings when she gets here!
My friend Jenn brought me her bassinet today that we will use for Baby. Thanks Jenn! Our main office told me today that a 3-bedroom will mostly likely open up for us in mid-January....great timing, huh! So I'm really not doing much as far as decorating until we move, sad!! The move will be pretty easy though, probably just across the lawn! Since Cam is still in the crib, we aren't going to buy any crib bedding right now for her. She'll probably use the Papasan and the bassinet for the first few months, and then we'll get Cam switched over. They won't be sharing a room now (atleast not for the first year), so I'm trying to think of fun color schemes for her room. Any ideas? Anything but baby pink!
So for those of you who took birthing classes, did you find them useful? I didn't take one, but during labor and delivery, I remember thinking that it wasn't a huge deal, and I wondered what people learned that was so valuable. Not to mention, I didn't think ANY sort of special breathing would have made some of those contractions any better!! Let me know!!

Just for Fun....

Nate and I have 2 girl names that we're pretty set on, although we're not sure which one we'll be using yet (you might hear me randomly call her one or the other just to feel them out). But I still want to hear some suggestions! What Girl Names do you like??

A Hot Topic....

This morning I was watching Good Morning America, and they were talking about working moms vs stay-at-home moms. So I'm just wondering what your opinions are on this topic??
Here are my thoughts, and you are welcome to agree or disagree with me!!

In general, I think that children should be raised by their OWN parents. I feel that if parents make the decision to have a baby, then it is their responsibility to raise it, not somebody else's. Children DESERVE to be raised in a loving environment where they can feel safe and valuable.

However, I understand that it's not always possible for a mom (or a dad) to stay at home with the kids. But this is also where it gets blurry.....because it becomes an issue of whether both parents are working because they HAVE to or because they enjoy a lifestyle that can accompany duel incomes. It's a tricky issue. In most cases when the couple is young and trying to get on their feet, it becomes necessary for the wife to work while her husband is in school. In fact, I think that is a great idea for wives to help hold the family above water while the husband is getting an education (or vice versa if the mom is in school....I know a LOT of women who are in school while their husbands are home, especially around here). I don't think that moms who work are "bad moms" or are selfish. Most of the time, they don't even want to be working, but they are doing what their family needs at that time. I have been babysitting for about a year now, and I've made a point to only babysit children who's moms work only part-time, or they or their husbands are in school. I also don't see a problem in mothers working (perhaps part-time) once all of their kids are in school for the day.

But it breaks my heart when I see overly career-driven women who drive VERY fancy SUVs and shop at expensive stores and have large, luxuriously-furnished homes....but they never see their children. I've seen children call their nannies "mom". That's when it becomes an issue of selfishness vs necessity. I just think that some people aren't willing to give up the "luxuries of life" to stay at home. You might not have the biggest house on the block, have the designer clothes or drive a BMW, but I think true happiness comes from making sacrifices for your family and spending time with them. I have a friend who's mother-in-law makes her feel like a failure for being a stay at home mom. She thinks that "successful women" should go earn degrees and have driven careers while a nanny raises the kids. So sad, I think.

Now, that being said, I will admit that staying home all day every day is NOT easy. When Cam was 3 months old, I went back to work 2 days a week until he was a year old. The extra cash was nice, but we didn't NEED it to survive. Looking back, I think I did it mostly to "get out of the house" and feel "useful". I decided to quit when Cam was a year old, and it was a real struggle for me. I loved the idea of being a stay-at-home mom, but at the same time, I struggle with it. I don't enjoy being home all day. There are days I want to go back to work. But I know that Cam (and now Baby) need to be raised by their mom and need to feel that security. Nate and I made the decision to get married and have children, and in my opinion, I am obligated to raise my children. It's a real sacrifice for me some days. I get tired of playing with cars and Legoes and watching Signing Time day after day after day after day.....and wiping bums and noses and doing laundry and dishes. I pray daily to find JOY in that....but I know it's what the Lord wants me to be doing. He has provided a way for me to stay home, and I am grateful.

I would LOVE to go back to school someday. I have always planned on returning to school when the kids are grown, or perhaps do some online classes when they are in school or something. I don't think that moms should stop learning EVER.

And my final note is that I think the word "mom" in this post can be swapped with "dad" in any case. I know a few stay-at-home dads who raise the kids while Mom goes to work. As long as they feel that is best for their family, I think that is excellent.

Cute Outfits

I just bought these....only $4/each! They are size 6-12 mo, so I can just put a white onesie under them (my daughter won't wear tanks alone, Nate and I have agreed on that). CUTE, huh!! I will probably hit Target on Saturday and then I have to STOP!!!!

LOVE these!

I'm taking Bethany's great advice and just going to splurge on an outfit. I thought I'd have to spend some cash, but look what I found at Target, I LOVE THESE, and I am going to go get them soon!!
So the question is, what size? Should I get them in newborn or in an older size that she might wear for longer???

Resisting

I am having a hard time resisting the urge to go out and spend every penny in our bank account on Baby Girl clothes! I'm going to the outlet mall in Park City on Monday to do a quick errand, and I have a feeling that I might have to stick around and browse a bit....maybe I should leave my wallet at home?? So many people have offered to let us use their baby girl stuff, plus with her being due right after Christmas, I expect that we will have PLENTY for her, atleast for the first few sizes. It's just hard to resist....
Although today I went through all of Cam's baby clothes and organized them all to either give away or sell, and it was a little bit hard to be getting rid of his stuff. I think little boy clothes are SO CUTE. But we just don't see the point in keeping it boxed up for another 4 years or so....and our 3rd could be another girl anyway. So we might as well free up the space, and let some other little boys wear it all.

She's a Girl!

I wanted to blog the details of today on our family blog, so I will do that tomorrow, but obviously I had to mention on this blog too!
We all guessed right....good job! We've decided that for our 3rd and 4th, we aren't going to find out...fun!

48 More Hours....

I seriously don't know why I am so excited for this ultrasound! I'm sure I was excited for Cam's, but I swear I'm like bouncing off the walls waiting for this one! Maybe it's because the gender of this baby will affect our family dynamics so much? I really don't know! I'm glad tomorrow is Labor Day because Nate will be off work and school. He'll have some homework to keep caught up on, but other than that, it will be a fun family day. No big plans, we had a BBQ yesterday with his family already. We'll just hang out and relax.

Tuesday morning Nate is in class, so Nate's mom is going to watch Cam while I go to the temple, and then when Nate's done, we'll head down to Salem....yay! My ultrasound is at 5 pm, so I'll post the results as soon as I can!!
So I've blogged about this before, but Nate and Cam are busy wrestling, so I'm going to sit here and write!

Why I Want A Girl:

Well, like I've said, I am guessing that this baby is a girl, simply based on the fact that the two pregnancies have been pretty different. I was quite a bit sicker at the beginning with this one, and the nausea lasted longer too. I've been more tired (probably Cam's fault) and I just overall feel and look yuckier. But really, who knows! So my main reason for wanting this baby to be a girl is so that we will have one of each and won't even have to think about what our next babies are. It would be fun to have a boy and a girl. Baby girls are just sweet too. Some of their clothes can get a little froofy (?) for my taste, but for the most part, you can't beat the sweet little girl outfits. It would be really fun going baby clothes shopping!!

I do have one question though. When did PSYCHO FLOWER HEADBANDS become the trend? Nate and I found this website that sells these bows, and we are like doubled over laughing at how retarded these poor babies look. I think it's child abuse to make your baby look like this:

I'm sorry, I don't care what anybody says, that's NOT CUTE!!! (Okay, I should apologize if I just offended anybody there....if you do like these bows for your baby girls, I'm sorry!) I do, however, LOVE the little bows , like my friend Jordan put on her sweet girl, Lauren Beth:

Ooh I think that is the sweetest look ever, a tiny little bow on a tiny little baby girl! I don't mind these either: (once again we have our gorgeous model baby, Lauren!! Thanks for being normal, Jordan!!)

Other than that though, I can't stand bows and flowers on infants. Drives me nuts.

Moving on: Why I Want A Boy:

Well, didn't I just make that clear with the whole bow fiasco? Haha, jk. I really really just want another boy. Not just because we already have a lot of boy clothes, bedding, etc. but mostly because for some reason, I REALLY want Cam to have a brother. I think part of it is because Nate doesn't have any brothers, and even though he had a great childhood, I think he always missed that family dynamic. Also, NONE of my siblings have 2 boys. They all have 2 or 3 girls, and only 1 boy. None of my nephews have brothers, it's weird! And finally, Cam is such a "boy" boy...if you know what I mean. He is just such a typical little boy. He's SO into sports, running, puddle jumping, toy cars and trucks, Legoes, wrestling, etc. I know he would adore his little sister, but I just picture two little boys just being best best friends growing up. We don't want our 3rd baby for several years, so if this baby isn't a boy, then the next chance for Cam to have a brother would be farther away. Cam will probably be around 6 or so when we have our 3rd, so he'd be quite a bit older than his brother if that's what happens.

Well, all fun stuff and logistics aside, we really just want a HEALTHY, FULL-TERM baby. We are watching some coverage of Hurricane Gustav, and they are talking about the children's hospital in New Orleans and how they are preparing for the hurricane. It just made me stop and think how hard and scary that must be for those parents right now! I want NOTHING MORE than to bring home my healthy, thriving baby from the hospital and never have a reason to bring that baby back!!!

Well, how's that for some Baby Babble!

20 Weeks....Halfway There!!!

Eew, I look beyond nasty in this picture and I'm in my jammies, but I'm wishing I had a 20-week pic of when I was pregnant with Cam, so I had Nate take one last night. Told ya there was a belly!!
I've been feeling really good the past week or two, so I have been able to get a TON done around here. I am so grateful for that! I have cleared out all of the junk in Cam's room that doesn't need to be there (clothes that don't fit, toys he doesn't use, expired baby lotions & soaps, etc). There is plenty of room for Baby's stuff now....I just have to wait 4 more days until I can start filling up the closet and drawers with either pink or blue!! (Actually, I am not a huge fan of pink, so Baby Girl will get lots of other colors besides just pink). Although now that we might be moving around when the baby comes, I'm not going to obsess over making the room perfect. I'll wait until we're settled into our new apt to get too comfy.

Last night Baby was having a party. I swear Baby knows when Nate's around because it gets super hyper (so does Cam....these kids love their daddy!!). So we layed on our bed and watched and felt my belly move for awhile. It's so cool! And Nate loves those moments to bond with the baby. I think some dads feel like they aren't included during pregnancy, so I love that Nate takes the time to sit still with me and enjoy feeling the baby kick. With Cam, I was so anxious to have him, that I sort of rushed myself through the pregnancy. With this baby, I am enjoying every day....in fact, I'm sort of hoping it will go by super slow....I already dread sleepless nights!!!

Baby Genie

I found this hilarious website today and have been having way too much fun with it. Enjoy!

Papasan

I just bought this for the baby. It's a Papasan infant seat, and I'm excited! Guess how much....anyone? $15 bucks...Yep! I rock. I'm trying to chip away at my "List of things I need for Baby" slowly and steadily instead of cramming it all in at the end....the holidays will be crazy enough as it is!!
So I know you all voted on what you think we're having, but I don't know who voted boy or girl! Let me know what you think!

Baby Names

Wow, this pregnancy is almost half over! I can't believe it!
Anyway, I don't have time to write much, but I read this funny baby naming tip online:

"One of the best tests for a baby name is to yell it out loud, preferably at a playground. If you feel uncomfortable saying the name in that setting, it might not be the best choice."

So for those of you who live around here, don't be surprised to hear me yelling random names on the playground!! haha!! Actually I've already tested out several boy names on Cameron!

So instead of doing a poll, I'll just post a few fun questions on here that you can answer in comments if you want:
1. Have you ever regretted giving your child the name you did? I have a friend who actually told me that she hates both of her son's names. She said she just didn't know what else to choose, so she let her hubby choose. Sad, huh!
2. Did you ever agree to a name simply because your man wouldn't back down? Or vice versa....were you ever SO set on a name that you forced it even though your husband wasn't on board?

More Nesting....

This morning, Nate took Cameron to play tennis at the park (Cam's newest obsession is tennis, he can actually hit the ball really well!). So I had a quiet few hours to get some things done....SO nice! I packed away all of the clothes that I can no longer stuff myself into, and I washed and hung up all of my maternity clothes. So fun! I also washed 2 huge sinks full of dishes (have I mentioned that I HATE not having a dishwasher???) and did 4 loads of laundry (including folding and putting away!!!). I forgot how productive you can be when you don't have a toddler on your heels every second!!
I've decided to stock up on paper plates/cups/bowls & plastic utinsels for when the baby comes. That will cut down a TON on dish-washing during the first few weeks, I think. Nate will be busy with school, and the last thing I will want to do in any spare moment I might get is to wash dishes!
I also have a goal to make and freeze a bunch of meals ahead of time. So I have a request for all of you fabulous Super Moms out there: PLEASE send me some ideas of some good meals that FREEZE WELL. Thanks!

Pop!

Yesterday I was in a lot of pain all day. My whole abdomen and around to my back just hurt. There were moments when I couldn't even stand up straight. I called my doctor to make sure it was normal, and he didn't seem too worried.
Well, I woke up this morning and all that pain was all just me growing! I have an official baby bump now, and I am so excited!

18 Week Update

I've been slacking on this blog lately. I haven't been feeling very well though. No specific symptom, just exhausted. I'm tired of the heat.....it's making me even more annoyed at Utah than I usually am!! I can't wait to live somewhere where the weather is much more mild....less hot in the summer and MUCH less snow in the winter!
My appetite is insane with this pregnancy. I am starving ALL THE TIME! I try to fill up on healthy snacks....my latest obsession is oranges. And bagels. And Taco Bell still! I will eat a large meal, and literally 20 minutes later, my stomach will growl.
According to babycenter.com (a GREAT site, I think!), my baby is now about the size of a bell pepper! Go Baby! I am officially in maternity pants....NONE of my regular pants/skirts/capris fit. Shirts are also becoming a slight dilemma. Most of my shirts don't fit anymore, but maternity shirts look ridiculous on me still.
I'm over my "freaking out" phase I had last week about having 2 kids. I am pretty calm about it now....although today I hauled Cam and Abby to Wheeler Farm, and I vow NEVER to take them out without Nate again! Luckily DeAnn and Andrea were there to help chase Cam, but it was still way more work than it was worth!! The insane heat wasn't helping either! I know Cam will get easier as he gets older, but until he gets easier....I'm done with "2-Kid Outings"!!!!
I feel like I have been a bad mom to Cam lately. I can tell this pregnancy and the hormonal effects of it are making me more emotional and uptight, and I feel awful about it. It's not his fault! He is starting to throw tantrums more often, and his newest hobby is screaming at the top of his lungs,which Nate and I do NOT tolerate. I hate getting mad at him all the time, and Nate does too, but we feel strongly that he needs discipline and routine and boundaries during these early toddler years in order to become a well-behaved kid later on. I just wish I had the energy to take him places and play with him like I used to. I cry a lot because I feel like he is getting the shaft...even though I know he's not! This summer has been FILLED with fun days for Cam. Crazy Hormones, leave me alone!!

Simple

I decided to take off that crazy background. It was bothering me. I don't like really busy blog backgrounds that make my eyes hurt!
When we find out what we're having, I will probably change the background to an appropriate color. Only 2 more weeks!! But for now, it is white.
I think Nate wants a girl.

Freaking a little.....

I'm not sure why, but today for the first time since I got pregnant, I am completely FREAKED out about having 2 kids. I know it will be okay, and I'm actually not looking for a bunch of comments telling me "it's not as hard as you think" or "you will adjust"....because I already know that. I'm just putting my feelings out there. I'm just glad I still have over half my pregnancy left!!

So I also had another slight panic attack last night (I miss my Zoloft!) about how Cameron is still in a crib. I feel like he's the only 2 year old on the planet who still sleeps in a crib. But Nate calmed me down and said, "Who cares if he's in a crib. We know our kid, we know he does great in a crib, so let's not even worry about moving him until after the baby comes. We'll buy another crib or a bassinet if we have to." That helped a lot. Thanks Nate!


On a happier note, I bought these dresses yesterday.....Very Cute!!

(with this grey dress, I switched the tie around to the back of the dress. No bows in front for me, please! MUCH cuter in the back! I also like to wear a cami under it.....yep, I finally have some cleavage and I'm NOT gonna show it off!! haha!)

This dress is SO comfortable (and was on sale!).

Once I actually have a belly to put into these dresses, I'll take some pics! I decided to go with more dresses & skirts with this pregnancy. I'm not sure why, but pants are already uncomfortable. I can't have ANY pressure on my abdomen at all....it just hurts! Poor Nate always drapes an arm over me when he's sleeping and I have to move it off cuz it just kills! I don't remember having this problem with Cam's pregnancy. I have 2 other dresses too, so I will probably just hang out in all of these dresses until it gets too cold.

Skirt

Today Nate is taking Cam to the zoo so I can go shopping with my sister! I'm so excited! We're going to Motherhood Maternity, so I'm hoping they have that cute brown skirt in my size! If not, I might have to buy it online, which I hate doing cuz I'm cheap and hate paying for shipping! If I get it today, I will try to post a picture of it. Trying on maternity clothes will be tough today though cuz I really don't have a belly yet. I swear I'm smaller than I was with Cam at this point, which is weird. But I feel the baby moving every day, so I know there's one in there!! :) I will probably be one of those people who doesn't show....doesn't show....and then BAM, I'm huge. But right now I still just look like I have this little fat bulge instead of a baby. Nobody thinks I look pregnant, except for Nate and my family....just cuz they know me so well.
I feel really nauseous again this morning. This is my ONLY reason I'm guessing girl....I felt like a million bucks during my whole pregnancy with Cam, and so when I got prego again, I was like "yay, here we go again!" But I have felt MUCH worse with this pregnancy. But you just never know. I have talked to people who have 2 boys, and their pregnancies were as different as night and day. And I've talked to people who have one of each and said their pregnancies were identical. I think the heat is making me feel worse. I LOVE to spent the day outside, but it's just been too darn hot. I love fresh air, and one advantage of living up on the U of U mountains now is that the air seems fresher. I can't wait for Fall to come!

Daddy Day Care

So how involved is Daddy in the daily routine of taking care of Baby/Kids??
Nate is an AWESOME daddy. He and Cameron are best best friends, and Nate will spend hours each week just playing basketball, soccer, Legoes, coloring, cars, & other games/toys with Cam. Like I've said, Nate doesn't have any brothers, so he's loving having a little dude to play with. As far as diaper changing, feeding, etc. Nate is really great. When he's around and not swamped with homework, he is usually really quick to change Cam's diaper or get him a snack. I do honestly feel like we are a 50/50 team when it comes to things like that. However, if Nate is stressed with school or work, he likes to be left alone! I have learned this, and I don't mind taking over during those moments because I think he deserves to have the time to focus on those things. Parenting is about give & take of BOTH parents. Nothing bugs me more than a dead-beat dad who thinks Mom should do everything.
However, when Cam was a baby, I felt very alone in the childcare aspect of it all. I realize now that Nate was just really nervous around newborns and didn't really know what to do! Things got better when Cam was about 3 months old, and I went back to work 2 days a week. Every other week, Nate would watch Cam while I was at work....ALL DAY. Needless to say, I got about 20 phone calls a day, but he did it! I think that he appreciated how tough it is because to this day, Nate has NEVER made me feel like I just "sit home all day and do nothing." I think that Nate being with Cam those few days a month was the best thing ever for him!! I can already tell that things will be MUCH different with this baby. Even with Abby, Nate is quicker to pick her up or entertain her if she's crying. He is a lot more comfortable with babies now.
My ONLY beef with Nate is at night. Nate rarely got up with Cam during the night. I hated that! So I made him promise to help more at night with this baby.....even if I'm nursing, he can still help with diapers, soothing & give bottles. We'll see if it actually happens......

Growing

I only packed a few outfits for this little trip, and this morning I went to get dressed and literally could NOT button my capri pants!! I wore them just a few days ago! Grow Baby, Grow!! We might go get another "just for fun" ultrasound next week so my sister can see Baby kicking around. I wish we could find out what we're having while she's still here, but unfortunately it's still too early.
My nausea seems to be completely gone, but I am exhausted ALL THE TIME! No matter how much sleep I get, no matter what I eat, etc....this Baby is just sucking the energy right out of me! I don't remember being this tired with Cam, but I probably was. Pregnancy takes a lot out of you!!
Yesterday my sister and I looked through all of our Boy 0-3 month clothes that she brought back that Cameron and Isaac wore. Oh they were SO cute and totally made me want another boy even more than I already do! I had forgotten about all of the cute little outfits that Cam used to wear, and DeAnn had a bunch of new stuff she'd gotten for Isaac. Makes me sad that they grow so quickly!
We've been sitting around talking baby names all week. We're having fun coming up with funny names that go with "wood"....like Holly, Glen (only funny if you know my family very well), Petrified, Forest! My sister's last name is Green, so we have fun with her last name too!

Maternity Clothes

Well ladies, this is my last baby babble post for a week or two, I will miss you!! :)

Anyway, so let's talk maternity clothes!! I think it's annoying that you have to buy a whole new wardrobe when you are prego, and then it's pointless once you shrink back down after baby comes! Atleast maternity clothes are CUTER THAN EVER lately! I have always shared maternity clothes with my sister, DeAnn. We are the same size and have the same taste. So when I got prego with Cam, she mailed me all of her clothes. I used what I wanted, tossed what I didn't, and bought some new stuff. She got pregnant with Isaac when Cam was about 5 months old, so I sent her everything. Same thing, she wore what she wanted, tossed what was too trashed, and bought some new cute stuff. Needless to say, I got 2 HUGE boxes of maternity clothes in the mail when I told her I was prego! Yay! It works out perfectly and saves us both a lot of money! DeAnn says she's done though, so I'll just keep everything for Baby 3 now.


I might have to buy a few Winter things since both Cam and Isaac were summer babies, so most everything that is still cute and wearable is for summer.


So anyway, I think panel pants are the most UNCOMFORTABLE thing ever:
They always dug into my belly when I tried to wear them. Do any of you like them? So now every single pair of my maternity jeans and pants are like these: they sit just under the belly. MUCH better!! (these pants are too cute, by the way, I want them! But I already have like 8 pair of maternity pants thanks to me and DeAnn, so I can't go buy more!)

I WANT THIS SKIRT!!!!!! Despite the panel-ness of it. I might have to splurge. I wish I could find this skirt in "non-maternity" so I could just have it forever! SO CUTE!

At the very end of my pregnancy with Cameron, I wore the same 3 outfits every day! It all came down to comfort at the end! I have these fabulous black pants that feel like pj pants, but they look really nice too, so I just lived in those. I was working full-time, so I just told the staff to not make fun of me, and I promised I did laundry often!! :) Atleast with this baby it won't be smack dab in the middle of summer, so hopefully I won't be quite as uncomfortable at the very end. Although honestly, I think it probably doesn't remotely matter what time of year it is....not much keeps you comfortable at the end!!!!

Planned vs Unplanned

That's crazy how my poll turned out! Guess they should label birth control as "50% effective" huh! JK!
This baby was VERY planned. I wasn't remotely ready for a 2nd baby for the first 18 months of Cam's life, but in February, it hit me like a ton of bricks....just that feeling that it was time to add to our family. Nate said that he was feeling the same way. So we prayed and thought about it for a few weeks, and the decision was final. I got my IUD taken out in April, and 2 weeks later....BAM, here's baby!! :) We feel very blessed.
When people ask me if Cameron was planned, I'm not always sure whether to say yes or no. Here's the story: We got married in February, and by September, I was VERY ready for a baby. I was tired of working full-time, I didn't necessarily want to go back to school since Nate was in school, and I just felt like at 25, it was time to become a mom. So we started trying in September, and nothing happened. No big deal, we weren't in a hurry. But in October, we started seriously house-hunting. Nate and I talked and decided that the financial stress of buying a home AND having a baby at the same time would be a bit too much on our newlywed bank account! So we decided to get into a home and wait 6 months or a year for the baby. Well, turns out we should have had that conversation a little bit sooner cuz it was too late!! On the exact same day that the offer on our house was accepted, we got the positive pregnancy test!! Funny how things work sometimes! And obviously financially everything worked out, and we wouldn't trade in our little Cam dude for anything!!

A Small Glimpse.....

Today I got a small glimpse into the reality of having 2 kids. Usually with Abby we just stay home, so it's not bad, but today we ventured up to Bountiful to hang out with Merilee. Maybe I'm a wimp, but hauling 2 kids and all their stuff in and out of a car is HARD WORK!! Granted I'm also pregnant and it's like 100 degrees outside, but still, I'm just glad that it won't be my regular life for another 5 1/2 months!! All of you mothers who have more than one kid.....I'm impressed!! It's harder than I was expecting!!

"The" Ultrasound

I just scheduled my "official ultrasound" for September 2 at 5 pm!! We can't wait to find out what we're having. It's with the same tech who did the u/s with Cameron, he's really good. With Cam's, we recorded it all on dvd, so we have a cute little movie of Cam as a fetus. He was cute! You could see every finger and toe, and I was SO grateful that he was healthy. That's all I'm hoping for with this baby too....just a healthy, active baby. I don't care what the gender is.
I do have another ultrasound in about 2 weeks, but that's just a regular office visit one, so we won't know anything until September 2. Wow, time is flying too fast! I was hoping this pregnancy would go slowly so I could enjoy every last minute of having just one kid, but at this rate, this baby will be here before I know it!

One downside of pregnancy......

I have noticed quite a few differences between this pregnancy and Cam's, but I think that the biggest difference would have to be how AWFUL smells are to me. It's driving me CRAZY!!! I don't remember ever noticing smells as much as I do right now. I can smell our garbage all the time, that wretched hand sanitizer is still making me gag......and the latest offender......(this is SO sad)......Nate's cologne!!!!!!!!! That sad thing is that I LOVE his cologne. Usually when he puts it on, I want to attack his neck. But lately, the smell of his cologne has been making me gag. I can smell it across the room, and poor Nate has been wondering why he's not getting his usual hugs and kisses lately (Lesley, keep your mouth SHUT....!!!!!). I feel like the worst wife EVER right now.

It's a Party......Apparently!!!

Man, this is one active baby we have ourselves here! Cameron was extremely active in the womb also, so I have a feeling I'm in for another overly-energetic child!!! Baby moves all the time now, and Nate can feel it sometimes too. I'm so grateful though, because it makes me feel like Baby is healthy since he/she's so active!!
So it looks like most of you who answered my poll delivered before your due date. Cameron was due on July 16 and was born on July 9, so we were at 39 weeks 1 day with him. I was dilated to a 3 at my 38 week check, and on July 7, I started having majorly painful contractions. We all thought that was it. But after a few hours, everything stopped, and I felt GREAT. It was so weird. That got me dilated to a 4, and nearly 100% effaced. We all thought for sure I would go the next day, but all that Saturday, I felt SOOO good. We BBQed, hung out with family.....I basically begged to get induced, and so Sunday morning I went in (still feeling GREAT) and got put on Pitocin. I lasted about 20 minutes before I got an epidural. I don't consider myself wimpy either......I was seriously paralyzed with pain! I have had some painful experiences in my life, and I thought my level of pain tolerance was pretty good, but I wanted to relax and enjoy giving birth to Cam, so bring on the drugs!!!! It was a relaxing day, and I had Cameron later that night. Not to mention, Cameron weighed 8.5 pounds, so I hate to think about how much he would have weighed if he hadn't of been born for another week!!!!!
This baby's birthday will most likely be either January 10 or 11. I will probably be induced that weekend so that Nate can be there. He's so busy during the week, and with me delivering an hour away from where we live, I would be devastated if he missed it. Some of you may or may not think that "planning" like that is appropriate, but we have NO problems with it, as long as my doctor says my body and the baby is ready. We shall see.......!!!!!!