Fall 2015

Catching up on some of the things that happened during fall this year.

Eating popcorn and watching BYU football with my little spiderman

We hung out with Oakley while her mom and dad went to their gender ultrasound!

Mason's version of a sleeve.

Salsa prep!

Favorite morning of the week when the garbage truck comes!

BYU Volleyball with the YW in my ward. Autumn was there while Zach worked, and we were sitting right next to the football team, including Tanner Magnum! The girls were smitten lol

The night before Sean left for one of his interviews. 

Carly and I met up at the outlets to buy a few things for our upcoming babies, and then of course had to go to In-N-Out for dinner!

Hanging out with my little guy while Dad flew around the country interviewing for PA schools

We went to do laundry one afternoon at Sean's parents, and decided to decorate their door for Halloween!

Such a good helper!

Also, who said he could grow up??

Aunt Jenny moved back to Utah!! We went to BYU so I could buy a couple things, and Jenny bought Mason a treat. He's trying to figure out WHY ON EARTH we are taking pictures when there is goodness to be inhaled...

One of the weekends Sean was gone, Mason and I stayed at Kelly's house. One morning, I couldn't find the boys, and searched the whole house and backyard. 

Finally found them doing this. I died laughing!

Cute cousins!

Fun fort to color in!

Well, I need to find a new hiding spot for the treats...

Park time! Kid looooves playing, no matter the temperature 

Sword fighting with Violet! She thinks he's pretty awesome.

Snow day! 

Bath time giggles

Gorgeous fall sunset!!

Love this goof

I wrapped that bunny up like a baby and he carried it around for a few minutes patting it's back :)

Dad gets a pretty good workout with Mason around

Bean Museum! Thank goodness it's free!

More snow! 

Laundry day! He wanted to wear this. "Dad, work!" 

Thanksgiving 2015

One of my aunts shared this the week of Thanksgiving. I laughed so hard!

We had a pretty low-key Thanksgiving this year! The Saturday before we had a Friendsgiving with two couples from our old ward. It was so great to hang out and see them again! Apparently 15 minutes is really far away when there are like 10 stakes in between, and who knows how many wards. Anyway, I got a free turkey voucher from work so of course we had to put it to good use. The food all turned out so good!

Left to right: Zach and Autumn, me Sean and Mason, and Penny Sarah and Mark

Autumn is due a few weeks after I am with a little girl. So fun for my two sons to have potential wives in this little group lol!

The boys discovered a new show called Dinotrux. 

The girls sat in the kitchen and laughed at their interest in the show.

Love these girls, and that beautiful little baby!

Actual Thanksgiving was spent at my Aunt Linda's house with my parents, Linda, Larry, Heidi, Aunt Jeanne and Zack. Mason had fun playing with the new toys that Linda has. We enjoyed yummy food and had some laughs! We missed our other siblings (Carly and Bryce were home with Oakley, who was recovering from Hand-Foot-Mouth disease, Tim decided to stay in Salt Lake because my parents were coming up anyway, and Jenny was sick in Bakersfield). 

Mom and I took Mason on a pre-dinner walk. Linda and Larry live in Salem. We saw a couple horses and threw rocks into a little creek :)

Mason kept trying to drink out of my dad's water cup. When my dad left, Mason wasn't told no!

Also, my dad snapped that picture of Mason pulling off his shoes and socks. He's just like me.

Mason and my dad played dinosaurs for a good 20+ minutes. I love watching them interact!

The day after, my mom met me at Joann's so I could buy fabric on major sale for the projects I have been wanting to do, while Sean, Mason, and my dad went to Cabella's. Seriously one of Mason's favorite places. He cried when we left. We went to lunch at Johnny Rocket's at the outlets, where Carly, Bryce and Oakley met us. Then we shopped for the babies! Well, Sean, Mason and my dad went home while the rest of us shopped.

Mom bought that little pj outfit for baby, and when I pointed out the dinosaur to Mason he said "No! Raus!" (which means stegosaurus). You're right Mason, how could I be so silly to make that mistake lol.

Mom also got Mason those adorable dinosaur jammies. He's obsessed. And the dinosaurs are all wearing slippers.

The rest of the weekend was spent at home playing. Sean is the best jungle gym and Mason loves showing off lol.

 

I love this time of year! And I also love that I am nearing the end of my pregnancy and the holidays are helping it go faster :)

Pregnancy update: 35 weeks!

I am so stoked to be typing that number, 35 weeks! My doctor officially sent in the paperwork so I can schedule my induction on December 30th, 4 weeks from today! This pregnancy has been more physically painful than my last so needless to say I am ready for little one to be here! 

How many weeks?: 35 weeks today!
Size of Baby: Apparently, about the size of a honeydew melon, weighing in at about 5 1/4 lb and measuring about 18 inches. Except at my last ultrasound baby was measuring big, so he's really probably almost 6 lbs by now. Eek!
Countdown: 4 more weeks to go! Unless little man decides to come sooner! Just not next week because my doctor is out of town haha.
Total weight gain/loss: + about 39lbs. And I'm to the point where I don't think I care anymore.
Maternity Clothes?: All the time. My maternity jeans are starting to get painful when I'm sitting so I usually just wear sweat pants unless I am actually going somewhere.
Energy Levels: About the same. Energy levels are good, but depending on the day, my actual physical condition prevents me from doing much of anything. (Like yesterday, I could barely stand to do the dishes or straighten my hair.)
Exercise Habits: Getting a little better. My good friend from high school released a third trimester exercise book and I've been doing a few exercises a day out of that (when I can actually do them). Thanks Amber!
Sleeping?: I'm waking up a couple times a night to use the bathroom. And I am super thirsty when I wake up so I always have to get some water. Then baby moves around for a few minutes before I can fall back asleep. But I feel good during the day most days so I guess I'm getting enough sleep!
Worst Moment in the past 5 weeks: Finding out baby will be much bigger! Okay so I'm making it seem worse than it really is. Baby is estimated at being about 8.5 lbs at 40 weeks. Since I am inducing at 39, he probably won't be that big. But he could. And I'm slightly terrified.
Best Moment in the past 5 weeks:  Realizing that I'm to the point where I don't have to shave my legs! My leg hairs almost stop growing when I'm pregnant. It's the best.
Miss anything?: Rolling over with ease, a normal eating schedule, exercising.
Movement: All the time. I can feel him stretch a lot, and he wiggles around quite a bit too.
Morning Sickness?: Nope.
Food Cravings: Chocolate, but I settle for wintergreen lifesavers if we don't have any
Food Aversions: Not really.
Showing yet?: I'm a beached whale
Gender: Boy!
Labor signs: Wow yes. About a week ago it was to the point where I had to lay down for a couple hours before they subsided. Since then I've had bad contractions but they go away after no more than an hour. Doc said after 36 weeks go ahead and keep 'em coming and I plan to!
Moods: Getting more emotional. Poor Sean. I have to keep apologizing for/reminding him that my crazy preggo emotions
Not Looking Forward to: Swelling. So far I've been mostly okay, but as baby gets lower I will probably get a lot of swelling in my legs again.
Looking Forward To: Meeting baby! This will be my last pregnancy post before he comes and I am so excited!!

We washed/sorted through all our newborn/0-3 month baby clothes, and added what my awesome mom bought us last week. Mason LOVED looking at everything, and his reaction to almost every piece of clothing (onesies, jammies, socks, shoes, anything) was "Aww, baby!" Hopefully he is as excited when baby is no longer in my tummy and is home with us!

35 week belly. No face because I looked terrible and tired when I took the picture haha.

Halloween Fun 2015

We had such a fun Halloween season! Normally I don't really like Halloween, I think trying to come up with fun costumes is stressful and kind of annoying since it is only for one night. But with a toddler around, it got a little more fun! Sure, my window clings got torn to shreds but they were cheap and old anyway ;)

We went to Jakers Jackolantern farm one day and Mason loved it! I wish the weather had been a little cooler, it was still in the upper 80's that day!

We also picked out little pumpkins! Mason was very excited that we got to bring them home.

We went to Walmart one day to let Mason roam the toy aisles for ideas for him for Christmas. We found the Iron Man dress-up (Mason likes Iron Man a lot haha).

A family from our Orem ward gave us a frog costume, I think even before Mason was born. I totally forgot about it last year, but remembered this year, only to find it is too small! Whatever. I picked out the footie part and Mason was a frog. And he LOVED it. He hoped everywhere. (I was a princess, so we were the princess and the frog.)

We carved our pumpkins and Mason really enjoyed when we lit the "fire" to make them glow!

Someone brought kittens to our ward party! Mason loved them! Sean is wearing a shirt that looks like The Winter Soldier.

We also took him trick or treating! He loved getting candy from everyone. We didn't stop by every house possible, just stopped by to say hi to some friends from our old Provo neighborhoods. I made him this little bag to hold his candy in. I found the Frankenstein face online, and drew/colored it with Sharpie!

Yes, that is my son finding frosting and a spoon to eat it with. In his Halloween costume. The day after Halloween. Oh kid...

Pregnancy Update: 30 Weeks

Holy Cow! It feels like this pregnancy is going so much faster than the last. Maybe because of the two year old I chase around all day?

How many weeks?: 30 weeks, as of last Wednesday, the 28th
Size of Baby: About the size of a large cabbage, about 3 pounds and about almost 16 inches from head to heel. Have they seen the cabbages my dad grew at his old work though? I'm thinking not. Because I'm pretty sure baby is not a foot and a half across yet haha.
Countdown: My dr. will be inducing me at 39 weeks, so 9 more! Can I just say I have a lot more sanity this pregnancy knowing an end date, instead of just a guess date? For me personally, it is a much better situation.
Total weight gain/loss: + about 27 lbs. Guys, I just gain a lot during pregnancy. I'm learning to accept it.
Maternity Clothes?: Every day. I just ordered a few more shirts off Amazon and my cousin Kelly gave me what she had left (she had hid them somewhere different from what she already gave me). Thanks Kelly!
Energy Levels: Same, feeling pretty good most of the time! I'm always exhausted after lunch, but that's when Mason naps and I work, so I usually eat something sweet and drink a ton of water.
Exercise Habits: Not so great lately. While energy has been good, hip pain has been B.A.D. this time around. I go to Sean's work and do the Stim/heat treatment twice a week and do stretches.
Sleeping?: Much harder lately. My hips are killing me and they fall asleep and ache, which makes it hard to get back to sleep.
Worst Moment in the past 5 weeks: Hip pain. And diastisis recti. I didn't get that with Mason and it is the worst.
Best Moment in the past 5 weeks:  Passing my glucose test, cooler weather, Mason kissing my belly every night "night baby!". So cute!
Miss anything?: Rolling over with ease, a normal eating schedule.
Movement: This kid still doesn't stop moving. They had me start doing the kick count chart and I don't even have to count to 15 minutes most of the time. It's 10 movements in about 5 minutes.
Morning Sickness?: Nope.
Food Cravings: Chocolate. Thank goodness for Mason's Halloween candy lol!
Food Aversions: Not really anymore, except for brothy soups (chicken noodle).
Showing yet?: Totally huge.
Gender: Boy!
Labor signs: Braxton hicks occasionally, which have calmed down. I think I've been drinking more water which is always helpful.
Moods: Just your normal preggo emotions.
Not Looking Forward to: Getting bigger and swelling. Still the same fear as last time.
Looking Forward To: Thanksgiving and Christmas, they will hopefully be good distractions and things for me to look forward to! My mom is coming for Thanksgiving (Dad has to work, boo!). Also looking forward to Sean being done with interviews and being home on the weekends! He finished his last one the weekend before Halloween and I am so glad! But more on that in another post haha.

Baby boy, we are so excited for you to get here. Mostly to see how much changes from inside to out (will you move as much as you do now??) but also to have another little boy to snuggle. We can't wait for you and Mason to develop your relationship, I have a feeling Mason will be a wonderful, caring older brother who will want to share everything with you from the beginning! So if your baby seat or bassinet has cars or animals in them all the time, know it is all out of love from Mason. Also, if you decided to come before Christmas, that wouldn't be too bad :) We love you little one! See you after Christmas!

 

The 28th was also my baby brother's 21st birthday! We probably should have taken the sibling picture BEFORE dinner. Ah well. Lessons for next time haha.

Family quote

In his last General Conference address, Elder L. Tom Perry said this: "Family is the center of life and the key to eternal happiness." I LOVE that quote! I love family, immediate and extended, and love having get-togethers, and know this is a true principle. So, I took one of my favorite photos that Sean took a few years ago, and added the quote. Feel free to use or pin or whatever :)