Get Me to the Hospital On Time

Kennedy and I have been spending the day together since this is her last full day of having mommy all to herself. Tomorrow I will be heading to the hospital at 10:00 to be prepped for surgery at noon, and shortly after Noah will make his appearance in the world. Kennedy came to the doctor with me this morning, we had a mommy/daughter lunch out complete with cookies, and we watched Up together. When she wakes up from her nap, we will play with sidewalk chalk.

She will be home with grandpa for 3 days without mommy or daddy and then, when I come home, it will be with a baby brother. She deserves some special attention today. I'm sure she'll have lots of fun with my dad while I'm recovering, and she'll get to come see me and Noah everyday.

I will get to call Brett tomorrow, and his company commander is going to print out a couple of pictures for him (and show them to the whole company). Brett specifically requested that I not send any naked pictures of Noah because he would never hear the end of it. :)

I can't believe it's almost here! In less than 24 hours, I will have a son. In 4 days, Brett will be home with us. In 8 days we will be moving to Oregon. Wish me luck for tomorrow, and I will try my best to put pictures of Noah up on Friday when I get back from the hospital!

I Have Some Catching Up To Do

I'm sorry that I have been so bad about posting pictures lately. My camera situation, as I have said before, is slightly complicated. Once we get to Oregon and get settled though, the pictures should come more frequently. In any case, here are a bunch. First off, we went to the grocery store a few weeks ago and Kennedy absolutely refused to sit in the cart. While she was walking around, she found a nice place to sit. On a beer display.

It looked so funny that I had to take a picture. Then, I was on the computer one day and Kennedy was watching a show. I kept hearing her say, "Change a diaper!" which usually means that she needs me to change her. I walked over to her, and it turns out that Rosie, her bear, was the one that had pooped. She had gotten out a diaper and a few wipes and I sat and watched while she wiped Rosie and attempted to put the diaper on. I am sure that she will be wanting to try this with Noah.

She has found YouTube as well. She has some favorite videos that she wants to watch over, and over, and over again. One of those is a little animation that is set to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. She loves it and is obviously enthralled.

She has started singing it to herself too, which is way cute. Her rendition goes something like this: "Twinkle star. How I wonder. What you are. Up, up, up high. Like a diamond. Sky." I love it because she randomly sings it to herself, especially in the car.

Next up, a picture of me at about 37.5 weeks pregnant. I haven't changed too much since then, but this boy is definitely big!

Today I got a pre-baby pedicure and took one last run to Sprinkles Cupcakes since I won't be able to have one again for quite some time. If you've never had one, here's a taste of what you are missing.

Pictured here are the Cinnamon Sugar (my new favorite), Pumpkin, Lemon Coconut, and a mess of crumbs that used to be a Dark Chocolate. That Dark Chocolate was eaten within minutes of getting into the car by the one who requested the "chocolate muffin."

She scarfed that thing faster than I've seen her scarf anything. She also tried calamari today at dinner and couldn't get enough of it! She kept asking for more, even after it was all gone. And on the note of cute things Kennedy does, she has been trying to say her name more correctly lately. She used to say "Kendy", but lately she has been trying to add the third syllable in there and it has turned out something like "Kendedy". Yesterday we were going to play at Gymboree and she got so excited (as she always does) that she was walking around saying, "Gym-bo-bree Kendedy!" It was so cute!

We are really coming up on starting this adventure of ours for real! Since I am posting this late, as of Saturday morning Noah will be here in 3 days, Brett will be home in 6, and we will be moving to Oregon in 10. Crazy! I will probably post one more time on Monday and then I will do my best to have pictures of Noah up on the blog on Friday! And check out the cooking blog for some delicious cookies.

Good Thing My Phone Was Charged

Brett had on base liberty last night, and he was able to call me for 2.5 hours! It was wonderful to be able to actually talk to him. I got to hear a lot of stories (including one about his company commander making some recruits smell a girl's feet), got to tell a lot of stories (including how cute Kennedy is when she sings Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star), and he was able to give me quite a bit of information.

His official report date is April 8th. We will be driving out there via Santaquin to see Brett's parents and pick up our things from them. Apparently at small boat stations (which is what Chetco River is) they are on a rotation like at a fire house. He will be on duty for 2-3 days, sleeping and eating there and answering rescue calls as they come in. Then he will be home for 2-3 days. That is so much better than if he were on a cutter and out for weeks at a time. Our official move date is now March 30, so here is the rundown. 9 days until Noah. 12 days until Brett comes home. 16 days until move time. It's all coming up so fast!

Shiny Shoes

Brett's letter today said that his company is considered the sharpest there because they have the sharpest uniforms, shiniest shoes and know their required knowledge better than any other company. He said that he was told that at our station he will pretty much only be doing search and rescue in really rough waters. Of course, he's thrilled about that, especially since some people got sent to places where they will be cutting grass and painting parking lots. He is still having a great time and has done a lot to earn the respect and trust of his lead company commander. Our life events have come down to a matter of days.

Noah comes - 12 days

Brett comes home - 15 days

We move to Oregon - about 18 days

And within all of that we will all (including Lucy) have our birthdays!

Lucy - March 15 - 3 years old

Noah - March 23 - 0 years old

Ashley - April 5 - 25 years old

Brett - April 13 - 28 years old

Kennedy - April 17 - 2 years old

We have decided that the months of March and April are going to get really expensive for us in a few years! That's a lot of birthday cake to eat in a month's time!

If You're Happy and You Know It

It is a beautiful day here in Plano - 70 and sunny. Kennedy and I went outside and played with sidewalk chalk for about 45 minutes. I had my second to last baby appointment and everything is going well. 2 weeks until baby! Brett's company posted a journal today that you can read here. 2.5 weeks until Brett comes home! Today has been a good day. And it will only get better! Lost is on tonight, and I have a pot luck at church to go to, which I made some delicious cookies for. My cross stitch is really coming along. Pretty much, my life is amazing. I am so happy today and I just thought I would share that with all of you.

Doing Fine

Thank you so much for all of the support that you have been giving me over the past few days! I know it may seem impersonal on the computer, but I really do appreciate your comments and feel your support when I have so much going on! We have been doing really well since Brett left, and although Kennedy is starting to notice his absence, it hasn't really affected her behavior. She has been her sweet self, which includes dressing up in tutus and fancy shoes.

She has also been finding new uses for the kitty house.

Some of you have asked who will be with me during the c-section. The answer is my mom and my sister. They will be there for the operation (as long as Christine can get out of school, if it ends up being in the morning) and there to help in the hospital. Kennedy will of course be staying with my dad while I am cooped up in the hospital for a few days. And I may seem strong on the computer, but I promise you I was bawling all the night before and the morning that Brett left. Thankfully I've been ok since, but we'll see how long that lasts. :) Also, check out my cooking blog for the most beautiful blueberry muffins you've ever seen!

Officially Military

Yesterday was the big day. Brett had to report to boot camp, so at 9:00 we arrived at the Coast Guard recruiting station to finish up his paperwork.

Everybody there was very nice. They gave Kennedy a big bag of stuff including a Coast Guard blanket, 2 boats that she can take in the bath and a helicopter. We finished all of the paperwork and then Brett was officially sworn in as a member of the Coast Guard.

As of that swearing in Brett is an active duty member of the Coast Guard. After that we got a little surprise because Kennedy and I were actually able to take him to the airport for his flight to Philadelphia. We got him there just in time and he made it there safely.

He hung out at the USO at the airport and he said that it was totally stocked with hot dogs, sodas, Girl Scout cookies and a bunch of other things that were really tempting him. He was trying to not eat much in order to ensure that he makes weight. :) He got pulled into the office by the guy running the place who asked how old he is. When he said he is 27 the guy told him that his officers would know that before the week was out and that they would expect maturity and leadership out of him, but that that is a good thing. I don't think they will get anything less than that from Brett. Not long after that they got on the bus to go to Cape May, New Jersey where the training is. They had to turn off their phones at that point, so I didn't get to talk to him anymore and probably won't for a few weeks.

In other news, I went to my first baby appointment here in Texas yesterday as well. I got to do another ultrasound and got some great pictures, including one that shows that there is absolutely no doubt he is a boy. :) The doctor felt that medically the whole thing would be safer if we did another c-section this time around, which is exactly what I was expecting him to say. So Noah already has a birthday! He'll be coming on March 23! That's nice because although Brett won't be here, I get to be pregnant for one less week than normal, and I'll be able to have a little bit of recovery time before Brett comes home and we have to move again.

A Very Merry Un-Birthday to You!

I used a Sprinkles Cupcake mix on Sunday to make some red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (my favorite). When Kennedy saw them she pulled out everything she knew to get one of them. She told me, "Want it!" and I told her no. So she tried to grab one and I said no. Then she went into broken record mode - "Please, please, please, please!" We decided that she deserved to tackle one, so after dinner we stripped her down first birthday party style and let her go at it.

She loved it, and even proceeded to eat all of the crumbs and frosting that she had dropped on the table. She even asked for a bite of my cupcake when she was finished.

She's actually pretty good about not making too big of a mess when we do stuff like this. Even so it took 6 wipes to clean her and the table up. On a different note, I am starting my third trimester today and have less than 100 days to go before baby Noah arrives! We're really excited for him to come and I'm really excited that I don't have that much longer to be pregnant! Although I don't mind being pregnant and I like feeling him move around in there, I think I prefer to have them out. :)

How Do You Manage?

I have been thinking a lot lately about how much having a child changes your life. Probably because I'm soon to have another one in the house. I have no idea what it is like to juggle two children, but I figure that literally billions of people have done it before me, so I will survive and adjust. Some of the things that Kennedy has been doing lately have made me wonder how it will be when I have several kids in the house who are her age or older. There are some cute, and some not so cute.

*Every time I ask her what color something is she says "Yewow." I don't know why yellow seems to stick in her head, because she actually knows some of her colors, but that's always the first one out of her mouth.

*We now have to buy a new camera because yesterday Kennedy dropped ours and bent the lens. I guess that should teach me not to let a 19 month old handle technology.

*Kennedy is getting into the movie stage. She is always wanting to watch something. "Mouse" (Ratatouille), "Kitty" (Aristocats), "Meeno" (Finding Nemo) and so on. What if our kids all disagree on the movie that should be watched at any given time?

*Kennedy has been coughing so bad lately that it makes her throw up, usually in the mornings. So almost everyday lately I've had to change and wash her sheets, multiple blankets and her bear.

To be honest, I don't even know how I am going to manage to give two kids a bath everyday. At least Noah won't need a bath everyday for the first little while. I am looking forward to seeing him grow, just like I love watching Kennedy grow. I am definitely a little bit nervous, but I'm sure that it will all work out in the end. Especially since I still plan on having more kids. It will be hectic, but it was hectic when Kennedy came and we adjusted. I would never give her back and I am so happy that she is a part of my life. I know that Noah will make me feel the exact same way.

Oh Baby!

Oh man did Brett's turkey turn out beautifully on Thanksgiving! I wish I had taken a picture before it got carved up, but it took an hour longer to cook than we anticipated so it was in high demand! It really was wonderful though, and the gravy was pretty much the best gravy I've ever tasted.

It was a small Thanksgiving, and pretty much no one went back for seconds. After one plate and half a piece of pumpkin pie I felt sick. And then I realized that I had eaten so much that my belly button was sticking out. For those of you who don't know, towards the end of pregnancy that happens anyway. Mine hasn't done that yet, but it did that night.

And yes, I'm already huge. I'll be 23 weeks along on Tuesday. I've gained about 15 pounds so far which doesn't sound like a lot, but I still had some weight on me from Kennedy, so I got big fast. We have also finally settled on a name for this little boy. We had been going back and forth with lots of names and going through tons of lists, but in the end we came back to Noah. I know it's popular right now, but my name is a popular one and I have survived. In any case, we had a great holiday weekend, full of Black Friday shopping (which Brett got up at 4:30 for) and the BYU/Utah game. Also, I have put some new posts on my cooking blog, so check it out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I probably will not be posting too much this weekend, so I thought I would go ahead and do my Thanksgiving post today. Here are the things I have been most grateful for lately.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ - I am so grateful that everyone has access to this incredible gift. I am so grateful for the influence it has had in my life and in the lives of those I love.

My Growing Little Family - I'm going to have to go through each of these separately.

• Lucy - Her little fuzzy face makes me happy. On days when Kennedy is being a pill I am always so thankful that Lucy can take care of herself and is so quiet. I love when she comes to lay with me and get a pet - it makes my day.
• Baby boy - I am so grateful that he is growing so well and is so healthy. And even though his kicks are really hard sometimes, I'm glad to feel him moving around. I'm so excited to meet him in March!
• Kennedy - She is so sweet and so happy. In general she is an easy kid to take care of and spoils me big time. She is so smart and I love hearing her pick up on new words and concepts almost daily. I love her more every day and am so glad that she is part of our family.
• Brett - I am of course grateful for Brett. But I am grateful for him everyday. He is everything and more I could ask for in a husband. He brings me so much joy. He is constantly striving to be a better man and a better husband and father. He is so concerned about me and I see his love for me everyday. I am so proud of him for being brave enough to change the path he thought his life was going to take and I am excited to start this adventure with him. I am thankful everyday that Heavenly Father lead me to him and that we were married in the temple for time and all eternity. I love you!

Midway Point!

I am officially halfway done with my pregnancy today! I have gone through 20 weeks and have 20 to go. I haven't even gained 10 pounds yet, which I'm really excited about since I never lost all of my weight from Kennedy. Hopefully my body feels like it already has plenty of weight and I won't put on as much. And the best news is that we had our ultrasound today! This baby is very healthy, no problems, and is measuring just about right for its due date. I know that you are all waiting for the news that you really want to know, so here it is -- it's a BOY! I had my suspicions (call it mother's intuition) and I was right. :) Brett is thrilled and I am excited to have a baby boy! I get to buy a whole new wardrobe too. :) We are having some serious trouble coming up with names, so any help would be great! The middle name is going to be Tyson, so I would love to hear suggestions for a first name.

Some Things I Have Been Thinking About

1. I'm officially in my 2nd trimester today.  I actually feel like this pregnancy is going much faster than the first, and it must be because I have Kennedy to keep me occupied and distracted all day.  In a few weeks I should be able to feel the baby move, which will be awesome, because then I won't have to wait to go to the doctor and hear a heartbeat to be sure the baby is in there.

2. I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ.  I don't know how I would get through without it, since I am completely imperfect.

3. How much I love my husband.  He is an incredible man and an amazing example to me.  I know he loves me and he shows it everyday.  He is my best friend and I love him more than I can say.

4. Halloween is coming up and so is the fall weather.  I am so ready for some cool air and to put my little ghost on my front door.  Holiday baking is going to start and I'll get to dress Kennedy up as something cute.  And I think we may actually make it to Boo at the Zoo this year. :)

25% Done

I am officially 1/4 of the way done with my pregnancy!  I found out 4 weeks ago, and so far the time has flown by.  With a little girl to run around after and exciting plans for the near future, I haven't been able to really take much time thinking about this new baby.  I am, unfortunately, already starting to not fit in my normal clothes, even though I have only gained two pounds.  My tummy is just expanding like crazy!  And yesterday I had my first doctor's appointment.  I was not even thinking about this, but I was able to hear the baby's heartbeat!  It was an unexpected surprise that made this baby much more real.  Hopefully the time will continue to go just as fast though. :)  So the next milestone is the end of the first trimester, which is in just a few weeks, and then we'll be able to find out the sex!

My Favorite Part

Hawaii was great, and there were tons of awesome things that I could nominate to be my favorite part.  Taking Kennedy to the beach was awesome and she had so much fun.  Having Roy's molten lava soufflé, which is pretty much my favorite dessert ever, was great.  Being with my family was fun, and hearing Kennedy learn new words like "woohoo" and "chicken" was fantastic.  But I have to say that my favorite part of Hawaii was the positive pregnancy test.  Yes, you read that correctly.  We're going to have another addition to our family!  We are so excited for Kennedy to have a baby brother or sister in March.  And although I am getting bigger much faster this time around, I know it will be fun to feel the movement again in a few weeks.  We will also be moving around a little bit while I'm pregnant, but I'm sure that it will be fine.  Brett is a wonderful father who takes care of us so well, and I know he'll do everything he can to make me comfortable.  I'm so excited to share my news with you all!