I'm going to be transparent for a minute

I know I usually use my blog to document our lives and our family, and I rarely get too personal as to what I think and feel...that's just not my personality. But after reading what MckMama had to say last night I feel like I now have something to say.

When Ben and I first got married I think we always felt like our lives would start once he was out of school, and we had money and we would be living the American Dream. It's shallow I know...God slowly began to change my heart about what my life would look like when one day Ben said he felt like God had plans for his band to "make it big" and they would be out on the road spreading the Gospel...well I didn't like that idea because to me being on the road all the time and staying up late was not, "The American Dream". Ben basically told me, "Get on board or get out of the way". So after some tears I decided I'd be on board...and I need to trust God and his plan...not mine...well nothing much happened with that, and Ben was dissapointed and not sure exactly God was saying.

So more time goes by, Ben graduates with his Bachelor's and decides God wants him to go on to Grad School...Great! That means we'll be more financially secure down the road.

I start feeling that the Holy Spirit is leading me to not be on birth control and I never did enough research on it before I started taking it...you can read that story here...again...trust God!...Then SURPRISE we get pregnant with Kyle...not in our plan...though we're thrilled. Especially me cause all I've ever felt called to be is a stay-at-home mom. So Kyle comes, I quit my job, Ben is blessed enough with his job that I don't have to work outside the home. Again...trust God.

So life is going great...I'm getting back into shape and feel like myself again, I play tennis multiple times a week, loving being a mom. Kyle is so much fun then...SURPRISE...here comes #2...again...not our plan...but God's...this one took me a little longer to get used to it...but again we're thrilled...trust God.

Now backup to last year and I was doing a Bible Study on God leading the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land...by the end of the Bible Study I was really feeling that God was going to ask us to do something out of our comfort zone that was going to require us to have our trust and faith 100% in Him and His plan...

I still feel that way now...Ben is waiting to hear about a job offer from his current employer and he feels if he doesn't get it, he feels God might want us to go somewhere else and do something else...I find myself hoping he doesn't get the job...I now want to go on adventure for God...I don't feel called to overseas missions but who knows what else God might have for us. The possibility of having to leave everything we know and TRUST GOD is really exciting to me. Yes it's scary too. I've never lived anywhere else but here. But doing it for God and having to live moment by moment trusting Him and His provsion sounds awesome. But for now I'm learning how to do that here at home while we wait and see what God has planned.

Bye Bye Binky

With Kyle's little brother or sister on the way we knew at some point we wanted to get rid of the binky. We've been diligent in only letting him use it for naps and at night, but he was starting to throw it out of his crib and refuse to sleep unless we came in and gave it back. He is very attached to his blankie so I wasn't worried we'd be taking away his only comfort item.

Pacifiers are one of those things that you can't believe you ever gave your child one and so thankful you did kind of things. I say now I won't give #2 one but I know when the kid is screaming and I just want 2 minutes of peace I will give them one...Anyhow...I digress...

We planned to take the binky away before the holidays and other changes would occur, moving to a new room/big boy bed, etc. I asked the Dr. about it at Kyle's 15 month appt. this week and he recommended we do it between now and 20 months...the longer we wait the harder it will be...and we also don't want it to mess up his teeth or mouth development...so with Ben going out of town for the weekend I decided it would be the perfect time (Ben is a softie (in a good way) so the crying is harder on him than me).

I really did not know what to expect. We decided to get rid of it cold turkey. Just tell him, "no more binky". It was really harder for me t not give it to him than I expected...I mean when you have visions of this sweet little face in your mind,

getting rid of the binky is just another reminder that your little baby boy is growing up....

Friday night he cried for like 7 minutes and was fast asleep...success! Saturday at his nap there was no crying, just talking and then sleep. Saturday night again, about 10 minutes of talking and then sleep! So far so good! I really thought this would be more difficult. I'm guessing he just wasn't as attached to it as I thought he was.

17 weeks

So I just wasn't in the mood for a bump picture this week. I promise to get you one on Tuesday though for 18 weeks. Since I had an appt last Friday at 16 weeks I will update you.

Stats:
Weight- up 9lbs (exact same as with Kyle)
Symptoms- finally feeling more normal this week! still hungry all the time
Maternity clothes- probably going to buy a couple more pairs of maternity pants...the bellaband isn't working much anymore because my hips are spreading already and making my pre pg pants unwearable. Shirts are still ok.
Labor signs- braxton hicks still but that's normal for me.
Cravings- none I can think of.
Movement- lots of movement when I sit still. So weird how much more I feel this time...thinking placenta is anterior this time.
Baby- doing great! heart rate was high 140's to low 150's.

Kyle does this funny thing now, anytime he sees my bare belly he get's the huge smile and pats (sometimes slaps) it and blows on it and just laughs! I just keep telling him to, "be gentle to the baby"...it is really funny.

Kyle's Room

It's Show us your Life Friday over on Kelly's Korner. Today it is nurseries. So here's a picture of Kyle's.

View from the door...Verse on his wall, I LOVE.

Lamp I made him...Our beautiful $700 Bonivita crib I found on craigslist for $200.
The bedding is Lambs and Ivy...We love the music theme. I'm going to be selling it if anyone is interested.

Letters we bought unfinished online and my mom painted...so cute.

Now we have the task of figuring out what to do for his big boy room. We will probably have the kiddos share a room so we can keep an office. Kyle current room will become the office and the office is larger so it will be the kids room. If it's a girl I will have to do something that will work for both. We want to move Kyle to a big boy bed before #2 so we don't have to buy another crib.

Pumpkin Patch!

I took Kyle to the pumpkin patch for his first time this year! It was so much fun! He picked out his own pumpkin and we went on a hay ride. He absolutely loved it!

15 months...a little late

Kyle is just growing up so fast. He is saying more words everyday and just jabbers all the time. He has all the voice inflections down just not the words. He also got his first hair cut (trim) from mommy. His eating has been better; not so picky. He sleeps well at night but goes back and forth taking one or two naps during the day. Mommy hopes he keeps two naps a day for a little longer. He also LOVES to be outside. It's nice because our kitchen is right off the back porch so I can make dinner and let him play in his sand box or little see-saw toy on the back porch. His first two bottom molars have been coming in this month too...no fun.

He is 21 lbs, 31" long, and his head is 46cm.
He has moved up to size 4 diapers at night and is in 18 month clothes for the length.
He is trying to say more words too- up, down, yes, and dog. His words are becoming more clear, and he is still signing, more, please, all-done, and eat.

Here's pictures of what Kyle's been up to this month....

Getting in the last of the water fun for the year.

Hiking in the mountains

Eating oreos and milk...yum!!

I just noticed all the pictures have Kyle either putting something in his mouth or having food (or sand) in his mouth or around it...LOL

Pregnancy #2

I will be keeping a record of the stats for this pg. like I did with Kyle's. You can always locate the link to it in the sidebar on the left.

7/30/10- found out we're pg again- kids will be 20 mo. apart.
9/15/10- 12 weeks, +4lb pre-pg, hb 160's.
10/15/20- 16 weeks, +9lbs, hb high 140's to low 150's., Vit. D low- have to start taking supplements. Slightly low platelets, will monitor.
Big U/S scheduled for 10/29- Ben's birthday!
10/29/10- It's a boy!! Baby looks healthy. No anterior placenta this time. Cervix is 3.5cm
11/12/10- 20 weeks appt. +14lbs pre pg. hb in the 150's. Platelets went up, thyroid levels stabilized.
12/10/10- 24 week appt. +20lbs pre pg., hb in the 140's, measuring 25cm. Midwife not going to subject me to horrid 1 hr. glucose test yay! Just get blood drawn 2 hrs. after meal of my choice, will check vit. D, antibodies, and thyroid levels again. Rhogam shot at next appt.
1/5/11- 28 week appt. +25lb pre pg., hb in the 130's-140's, measuring 28cm. Thyroid is low again...waiting to hear from Endo. about it., have to go back for Rhogam shot, they were out of it. Appt's every 2 weeks now.
1/19/11- 30 week appt. +25lbs pre pg, hb 145, 30 cm, bp 120/82.
2/4/11- 32 week appt. +29lbs pre pg., hb 133-140, 31cm, bp 114/??. Gor thyroid bw redone, waiting on results. if TSH is lower, may go on meds for hyperthyroidism.
2/17/11- 34 week appt + 30lbs pre pg, hb 130's, bp 116/76, thyroid levels staying the same, just keep getting bw checked every few months, fundal height 34cm.
3/2/11- 36 week appt. + 28.5lbs pre pg, hb 120's, bp 122/86, fundal height 36cm, 1cm dialated, 50% effaced, -2 station.
3/8/11- 37 week appt.

no words...

To describe how much I love this little boy in his little monkey hat.

16 weeks

This week little bean is the size of an avocado.

Symptoms: Still starving all the time. Morning sickness is mostly gone. Hopefully that will help me feel a little better overall. Been dealing with some anxiety but that's nothing new since I've been having issues with my thyroid...which by the way is still acting up...we'll see what the midwife says about it at my appt. on Friday.

Movement: Feeling more everyday. Felt some good kicks from the outside this week!

Cravings: I'll let the picture speak for itself...

Corned beef and cabbage

Appt. on Friday so I will update next Tuesday.

The most photographed event in the world

With his Omi (Ben's mom)

Just a little dirty

Sometimes you just got to let them be boys :)

Dirty toes

Like the plumbers crack...LOL

Just put him in the tub clothes 'n all!

yucky tub!

All clean!!

15 weeks

15 weeks with #2 15 weeks 2 days with Kyle

Little bean is now the size of an orange...I can't eat oranges anymore...or drink orange juice...HEARTBURN!! I had it so bad on Saturday I was eating tums like candy. I never had heartburn like that with Kyle.

Symptoms: morning sickness will not go away. More fatigued than in previous weeks. Holy moly heartburn. Still needing snack and potty break at 4am.

Cravings: Anything salty, vinegary...Monte Cristo sandwhich, pickles. Yum!

Movement: Yes! Have been feeling Little Bean more regularly, still not from the outside yet, probably will in a few weeks.

No appt. this week.

Picking apples!