Pregnancy Details and catching up on the week

I was so good about taking notes during my first pregnancy.  I had pictures of my belly every month, Dr.'s comments, weight gain, how I felt, when I felt the baby move, the whole nine yards.  With Cohen, I remember 2 things: 1. I only gains 25 lbs. (compared to the 43 with Landon) and 2. I only had one real day of nausea.  Other than that, I vaguely remember having pain in my leg, having a hard time sleeping, and feeling him move really early.  So, some things I want to remember about this pregnancy are...

1. I didn't show for a very long time (I really thought I was going to stay small like I did with Co)

2. When I started to show, I REALLY popped out fast.

3. I was actually very nauseous for the first time until week 15.

4. I have big growing pains in my belly from getting big, so fast

5. I have a separated pelvis (super painful).

6. I gained most of my weight in only 2 months (whoa!! 27 lbs to date, I don't care about telling people as you can see.)

7. I am starting the leg pain thing I remember with Cohen

8. I definitely can't sleep.

9. I feel like I can't get any bigger and I have 6-8 wks to go

10. I am starting to show in my face (yuck! I didn't do that with Co, but did with Landon)

11. I have had the weirdest sensitivity to food coloring this pregnancy.  Nothing tastes right, it all tastes like food dye. (pop, gatorade, icing, candy)

So the rest of the week:

1. Steve had his tonsils out on Wednesday (he is doing way better than I thought he would, but he is still feeling crummy)

2. Landon started T-ball (he is so excited, but man it is an investment to start a new sport...)

3. We had a basketball game (Landon made 3 or 4 baskets, his defense is getting really good and he quit giving us the "did you get a load of that" look when he makes a basket.)

4. Cohen is still loving school and now they love "lunch bunch" because they get to go together and play on the playground together

5. Cohen had his first accident in his bed since starting potty training, because he was crying for me and I didn't hear him and he still won't get out of bed unless I say it's OK (so cute!)

6. The boys are LOVING having daddy home and between my trip the other weekend and this, they are getting really used to having him around. (actually Monday and Tuesday were a bear because they really wanted their daddy home and he traveled both days)

It has been a crazy week taking care of 3 kids, but Steve has actually been trying to help out, so I feel pretty lucky to have him here.  I can't wait to get some pictures of Landon in his cute T-ball outfit.  

Landon's First Suit

Sometime around Christmas we were doing some shopping and we saw the cutest suit in the little boys section of Nordstrom.  Steve was totally sold!  It was on sale, but on sale was still almost $200.  I vetoed the excitement and told the extremely excited daddy and Landon there was no way we were spending that much on a suit.  Man was I on everyones "s" list that day.  I was doing a little time killing the other day, and ran in the The Rack, which I never do.  They happened to have this suit, for only $50 (and by the way, it happened to be the only one and it was his size!).  Now that, I can see getting, with 3 boys it ought to be worth the money.  We finally got the pants and coat altered and you can see that our boy was SO EXciTeD!  I don't think he has ever been that reverent or sat that still at church.  His daddy had told him that if he was going to wear a suit like him, he had to act like a big boy.  There was no crawling on the floor, no wiggling everywhere.  He pretty much just colored a tiny bit and sat there.  He thought it was SO cool that he had pockets on the inside of his coat, and stashed his fruit snack there until after the sacrament.  I am not sure why clothes are so important to him, but he always wants a button down shirt and tie, and is so loving the new suit.  What a cutie!

Valentine's Day

With Valentine's Day being on a Saturday, I felt like I should make it special for all my boys.  I had planned on doing a simple, but fun, breakfast for the family.  I decided in my quest for not having the worlds lamest table setting, a trip to Target was in order to get some cute, yet inexpensive, stuff for a table setting.  It ended up being a hit for all my boys, and Landon and Cohen loved that there was candy for breakfast (see the little jars filled with candy hearts in the second picture?).  

We did heart shaped pancakes (which I cut out after I made them because I don't have a pancake form), fresh berries, and bacon.  It was really simple, but everyone loved it.  I had plastic plates, paper napkins, and the cheapest flowers I could find at the grocery store, but just having some color was cute.  This would totally not have been practical on a weekday, but I guess you only get weekend Valentine's day every 5 or 6 years.  I am so glad I made it fun. 

I tried to be really simple in my gift for Steve this year.  I had a hard time coming up with an idea, because everything paled in comparison to his gift last year ( a chipboard album, complete with the 10 things I love about him, pictures and love notes), but I decided to put together a few things I love about him.  It is amazing that after almost 11 years that I could have put way more than 101 things that I love in that little jar.  He loved it of course.  Some were serious, some were silly, but all were very much little bits of him that I love.
Steve had gone totally overboard when I was away last week on gifts and flowers for me, so my gifts were actually for the baby.  He is so cute.  He wanted me to know how excited he is for this new baby and so he went on a shopping spree for little tiny outfits for our little guy.  I knew he would never make me feel like I talked him into having this baby once we made the decision, but I always feel that little tinge of guilt when I am overwhelmed and I think he is totally saying "I told you we should have been done" to himself.  But he's not, and he shows me more and more how good of a thing this is the closer it gets.  Sniff, sniff.  I love you, babe!

Oh, and yes I am totally showing belly skin, no bra, and looking my nastiest again, but with 2 months to go, here is my HUGE belly in all its glory.  Hope everyone had a great Valentines day.  

Good to be missed!

So I made a little trip to my home state this last weekend.  Kindof a last hurrah before I am too big to go anywhere.  I was dearly missed!  The first morning I got a phone call from a weepy Landon that he just wanted his mommy home.  Daddy, always trying to make it sound better than it is, said they were great.  I got the truth in bits and pieces, but all in all they had their moments and they were overall good.  It is nice to be the one who is gone for a change.  So here is a list of the things I got to do while in AZ!

1.  Eat at Houston's (it has been a fav since I was young)

2. Have my teeth cleaned (to most this isn't a big deal, but I love Diane since she has been cleaning my teeth since I was 2!)

3. Have pizza a Raphaels (ok, so the decor isn't great, but my parents have eaten there since before me and they have the worlds best pizza!)

4. Finally get some maternity clothes (there is NOWHERE to shop here!)

5. Have dinner and shop with my daughter/friend/sister (she is all of the above to me) Chloe. Happy birthday sweetie!

6. Have Rainbow donuts

7.  Have Katie do my mani/pedi (are you seeing a trend that I have favorite people here!)

8. Have lunch, see a movie, and chat for hours with Corin

9. Have dinner and dessert with Summer (and loiter at Barnes and Noble so we can chat for hours in comfy chairs!)

10.  Have Hot Bagels

11. See Tiff, my friend who delivered a near 11 lb. bundle of love last month

12. Shoe shop at Nordstrom, and eat at the cafe

13. Have a Sprinkles cupcake

14. Smell the beautiful smells of AZ after it rains

15. Know I am somewhere that no matter what, I can never get lost

16. Rest my frazzled nerves, and know that no one is waiting for me to come home to do my momly duties and so I can visit for as long as I want with some of the dearest people in my life.  

I had such an amazing time there.  I needed the break.  I came home to a clean house, a grateful husband, flowers, gifts, vacuum lines, and sleeping children.  What more could a girl ask for.  Thank you Steve for always understanding that I need time to relax, and for making me feel like it was NO BIG DEAL.  Because I know it really was.  

Now back to reality, with screaming kids, traveling husband, separated pelvis and no rest for the weary.  Reality....is always bliss!!!!

Grandma Carter

Somehow, I didn't get one good shot of Grandma Carter while she was here with the boys.  We just put Grandma back on a plane after a fun 2 week visit.  She came to be here for Co's 3rd birthday and just to see her boys.  She has pretty much been here for almost every birthday of both of my boys and I think the only exception was Co's second birthday, because we were leaving for Hawaii a few days after and they were meeting us there.  There are too many things I could say about her that I could actually go on and on and bore everyone to death, but overall, I just wanted to remember how grateful I was that she was here.  I never get sick of her (which as far as house guests goes, is very rare!), she understands all my weird quirkiness and loves me anyway, she is the best listener, she adores my boys (even when they are sassy), she is a huge help around the house without making you feel like you don't do things good enough, you can ask her to help with anything and not feel bad for asking, she is good company and I know she is happy to be here.  I can't say enough how much I love her.  I am grateful the boys have a relationship with her and get to experience what having grandparents is all about.  I really wish that they lived close, but I think that it is even better sometimes, because when she is here, she stays with us, and we get her undivided attention.  We already miss her so much, and I always realize how much she does for me after she is gone, because somehow, my house always looks perfect when she is here and after she is gone, I realize no one picks up toys and clothes, but me and her!  We love you to pieces Grandma!  Thank you for loving our boys!

(Landon and Grandma on his 1st birthday)

Cohen's 3rd birthday party

So I have always felt super guilty when it came to birthday parties and Cohen.  By the time his birthday rolls around, we have just gotten past the holidays, and I am on my post-holiday, emotional let-down.  And on top of that he has never really cared the way that Landon did about his birthday.  Well, this year he totally got it, so I told him to pick whatever he wanted to do and we would do it.  Of course, he picked Pump-It-Up.  I love that place, but I swore after Landon's party there last year, that because of cost, I would never do that again.  Well, never say never!  He had the most incredible time.  We kept it to the smallest party we could, and it was perfect.  He really wanted a Dora party, but I convinced him that Diego was way cooler and so I did a Diego cake and Diego invitations, but I let him have a few Dora figures on the cupcakes, just so he got what he really wanted.  He got the coolest gifts, had so much fun with his friends and Grandma Carter even flew all the way here to celebrate with us.  I can't believe my baby is 3.  I am so grateful for his incredibly sweet personality.  He has a tight, tight hold on my heart.  I hope you enjoyed your birthday as much as we enjoyed celebrating it with you.  Happy birthday, BIG brother! (he thought he has to be 3 to get to be the big brother.  Too cute!)

3rd birthday stats:

height: 41 3/4" tall

weight: 40 lbs.

Seriously!!!

So I went to see the Dr today and we will just say that I have been having nightmares about the size of my baby.  It didn't help that my good friend who is in the world's most amazing shape (a professional bodybuilder, no less)  and is only around 5'3" delivered a very healthy 10 lb. 11 oz. baby about a week ago.  So much to my dismay, my Dr. confirmed that indeed, I am HUGE!  I am already measuring 2 weeks ahead of my due date.  Oh, and he doesn't believe in inductions!  WHAT?!?!?!?  I am getting more and more stressed and am back to considering having this baby with my induction loving Dr in Arizona!  At 27 weeks, my wight gain is really good, but my belly is BiG!  I refuse to push a baby that is bigger than 8 1/2 lbs out of my body!  Aaaahhhhhh!!!!  Help me!!!