Appointments and more appointments...

Had another ob appointment today! Not to be confused with my ultrasound appointments and my nurse/progesterone appointments, dental appointments and of course Elyse's pediatrician appointments :)

Thankfully, Cole was home today to help with Elyse. But I started my lovely morning at the dentist, then my OB and then paclab to get blood drawn. Tomorrow the nurse is coming to give me my second progesterone shot.. woo... hoo..

Thankfully the nurse is really really nice and does the injection quickly :)

And next week I have another ultrasound! Hopefully they can confirm the sex next week :)

Seriously, pregnancy... seriously?!

So since I have become pregnant, I noticed I have had a runny nose. At first I thought, oh I must have a cold or something. But, seeing that its been almost 4 whole months and its STILL happening made me wonder.

So my second idea was that some people just have more mucus with pregnant and this could be from that. I went with that for a long time. Finally last night, when I realized I've gone through my second box of tissue in a week that this is just ridiculous. So I looked it up and of course... OF COURSE, it is pregnancy related but not really just a mucus thing. It's something called pregnancy Rhinitis. Sounds like I don't have it quite as bad so some other ladies out there, but still annoying enough.

I don't know why putting a label on it made me feel better, but it does. I think I feel better because it means it will stop at least when pregnancy is over, if not sooner. Until then, people can think I'm an irresponsible pregnant woman who let myself get sick. (because I have complete control on getting sick or not.. or getting my child sick, right? oh thats right...I DON'T!)

Speaking of, my little lady, Elyse has become ill lately. Just randomly threw up Sunday morning at 2am. Then again around 1030am. But she's been getting better and and hasn't thrown up ALL day! woo hoo!! No fever, and is acting completely unfazed. Not cranky, running around, laughing, smiling, dancing. After talking to some people it doesn't sound like a flu at all. Sound like a GI bug. Also, it sounds like its starting to go away... yay!! Hope it's completely gone soon!! :)

I have no idea where she got it, and I don't think I will find out. It could be one of a hundred places since I bring her out in public in general. But I don't really find "how" she got it as important of "how do I make her feel better". So hopefully what I am doing is the right thing, but I guess we'll find out soon!

Finally - Some Pictures!

I've been having a hard time figuring out how to get pictures from my phone to blogger. But I think I figured out a fairly simple way. If anyone has suggestions, let me know! I downloaded the blogger app, and added pictures to a draft. Then went online and am editing from here... is there an easier way?


Anyways, Here's some recent ones!! Elyse and Brody getting cozy this morning :)

We went and checked out the house last weekend. It's starting to look more and more like a new home!

The Kitchen and nook

The Great Room off of the kitchen

Downstairs guest bath

Upstairs kids bath

Master bath

Formal dining room

The unpainted outside :)

New home!

I want so badly to rant again about how rude people are on Facebook, especially now that everyone is discussing gun control. Oh wait.. did I say discussing? I'm sorry, I mean ranting about what they think is right, but more so, how others are wrong...blah.

I'll keep this part short. (or I'll try). I think healthy discussion is fine, but its very very difficult to not only keep myself in check but for others to do so as well. So going on facebook and telling me how to raise my child or what I should do with my child regarding gun control is completely out of line and even more so, when you are not a parent. Yes, I am going to be protective about my child, and family. They are the most precious things in this world to me. If you are not protective, then thats your choice.

Since this is my blog and you have a choice to read this, then here is what I think. Just as I can "unfriend" people on fb, you can stop reading this if it upsets you. I want to try to be even minded when I speak about these things, but it is not always easy and I know not everyone agrees. But this is a place for me to vent at times.


Ok, was that short enough? Haha


Less heavy stuff now!

So if I haven't mentioned it before... We bought a house!!

With the arrival of our second child coming sometime between may and july, we decided that finding a bigger place would be beneficial for our upcoming needs. Staying in our place is doable, with a young baby or even 2 toddlers, but it wouldn't be as comfortable, and prefer to expand.

First thing on our "want" list was Issaquah school district since its in the top 10 districts in the state. Unfortunately, Issaquah school houses are very expensive and even more so in Issaquah. But thankfully, some of the school district bleeds into the Renton highlands, which is where our new house is. Not that our house was cheap, but we got more house for our buck in Renton than in Issaquah. Although I would have loved a smaller home in the Issaquah Highlands, a 3 car garage house there would have been well into the $800k and that was not in our price range at all.

Cole really wanted a 3 car garage, and I understand why. Mostly for storage. So our new house is in the Issaquah school district, 3 car garage, 3+ rooms. These were our top requirements. The extra pluses to our new home is that its in a cul-de-sac, brand new(still being built), 5 bedrooms plus formal living and dining and a great room, decent back yard, and we got to pick most of the finishings. Unfortunately, we didn't get the pick the cabinets and I really wanted white cabinets, so I will be painting those eventually. It's near 2 grocery stores, a 24 hour fitness, and closer to some of our friends that live on the eastside.

The only downside is that I have come to really really love Issaquah. Its such a cute and beautiful town. I love driving down Gilman blvd to target or Fred Meyer and seeing Tiger mt and the fog rolling over it. Or the snow on top!! It really is beautiful. So I will be finding reasons to be there still. My OB and Elyse's pediatrician is in Issaquah and I have no plans to change them since I think they are both fantastic and one of a kind.

But we close Feb 28 2013. We are sooo excited!!! To have more space!

I will post pictures as I take some :)

Darn you RLP you are a pain in my side!!

My left side that is!!!

RLP or round ligament pain is a shooting or consistent pain that develops sometimes in your second trimester. Now that I am in my second trimester, I am definitely getting these pains. I didn't with Elyse so its  new feeling and its horrible. For me its a consistent pain that I will suddenly feel. Sometimes in the middle of the night it will wake me up from sleeping, others in the middle of the day. It can come at anytime.

Since I didn't have this last time, my first instinct was "something is wrong!!". But after doing some research and talking to friends, I've decided to not alert my OB as it appears to be RLP and there isn't much they can do for me besides tell me its "normal" and that I can take tylenol or something like that.

So now that I'm 15 weeks along, I figured I should talk about my pregnancy again. Things are going fairly well. I don't vomit as much but maybe 1 time every week. Unfortunately, I am still throwing, but it's slowly down and its not as much. I do still have lots of fun extra mucus as all time... yuck.

I'm definitely "showing". It kind of sucks because I am much bigger than I was last time around. I know its normal the second time to be bigger earlier, but it still it's a great feeling when I am just like 5x bigger than what I would have been on my first. It was like my uterus was like "well the last time there was something in here I was THIS big. So I'll just go immediately back to that size..."

So for those of you that want to tell me I'm big or give me a dirty look for not taking better care of myself or not being small, you can ... ahem...(a nicer way to put it would be to) keep it to yourself. The worst things you think of me, I think of myself and even worst than that. So I don't need the help of your judgement, believe me.

As of next week a nurse will be coming to my house weekly to give me progesterone shots. Yes, WEEKLY. If I could avoid it I would since its costing us $15+ a visit and I have to do it from week 16-34. Thats a LOT of money if you add it up. But it's for the health of our new baby so it will be worth it.

Plus every 3 weeks I have to go in for an ultra sound to check my cervix. If my cervix does start to open, .. ugh.. they will consider going in an putting a stitch in there which would be surgery and sounds TERRIBLE!!! So I'm really hoping that doesn't happen :)

Unfortunately, with the cost of all of my extra appointments and visits, it's become much more expensive for us than last time. So if we decline an offer to do something with you, it's not because we don't want it, its really that we are having budget to due to the pregnancy and watch our spending. So staying in and doing dinners at home work better for us :)

So far pregnancy hasn't been too bad. It's been interesting trying to keep up with Elyse and be pregnant, but it's doable. I'm just slower and more tired than usual. But we're adjusting to each other.

A friend of mine sent me this amazing article the other day. It just made my day. It;s about what Stay at Home Mom's do. Since I've been doing this SAHM thing, I have had a really hard time adjusting to not working. I felt like I lost my identity and that I am no longer helpful or productive. Anytime someone would ask me what I did all day I couldn't even think of what I did. Mostly because I know they are looking for answer of something that they would consider productive. But the truth is, I would barely accomplish showering... then I would feel worthless.

But this article really spells out everything I do and could never think to say. What takes an average person 15min takes me 45+min because I have to bring my cutie pie with me, and everything she needs to avoid a melt down. Plus everything I need to get.

I'm so busy with her, and I'm not saying "I have it harder", its more like "it's not as easy as it sounds". My mind is constantly split between what I'm actually doing and what Elyse is doing. Now, its between what I'm trying to do, like feed Elyse, to reading her cues of if shes done also to what my body(my new little baby) is telling me what s/he wants. And it never ends. The minute you decide to have a child, you have to let go of that selfish part of your life. So here's the well written article that I'm talking about:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/22/AR2007052201554.html

please check it out!!!

Lastly, we planned a little babymoon :) Every year we go to hawaii at my mom's condo. Usually in August. Since we're pregnant we decided going in August would be very difficult and changed it to February. Yes, next month!! We're going with our friends the McCarthys. They are also pregnant and wanted to go to hawaii as a babymoon so it worked out well :)

I'm actually flying down just before we leave for hawaii to Sacramento and dropping Elyse off with my mom for the week in hawaii. So we will be toddler-less! Im excited but also really really nervous about how sad i will be without her. Don't get me wrong, being on a flight with the option to fall asleep sounds amazing. But I'm so used to thinking about her and I that my mind really will be able to relax, but I will miss how exciting she makes everything. Sitting on the beach isn't just sitting on the beach, it's feeding her, putting sunscreen on her, hat on her, change her diaper, make sure her water is available, lunch for cole and I, etc. One of us watching the stuff the other taking her in the water... now it will be ... lunch for cole and I ... and sitting.. maybe reading?? haha

This will be the longest time I've been away from her since she was born. I've been away probably 3-4 nights max in the past and multiple times.

ok enough for today :)

Blogging vs Facebook

Ugh...

I am really beginning to hate facebook. When I started my facebook back in college, it was nice because so few people were on there and no one was very active on it. So in a way, it was private. As it grew more popular it became more fun to get into contact with people from high school and stay in touch with people in college. It also was a great way to stay in touch with groups and deliver messages since people log into it all the time.

I would add old acquaintances and people I had classes with or people I met randomly. Unfortunately, it opens you up to more and more opinions and judgement. On the bright side, its good to hear other opinions and keep an open mind. On the down side, its constant. It's become this never ending string of negativity or bragging. I am absolutely guilty of both, I will admit.

But my problem with facebook is that I have to be SO careful about what I post, how I post it and to who. You can't make a "status update" without thinking of all the penalties involved. That has just dragged all the fun out of it. Who wants to be constantly ridiculed or told their sporting team "sucks" or that they post "too many baby pictures". MY question is, "why do others care SO much to criticize others?"

I like to use facebook as a way for my family, friends and those acquaintances that care to be updated about my life. But it's become harder to do that without someone's negative comment. Also those comments where they don't post it directly to you (or your wall) but you can tell, you're grouped into that negative comment. For example, I am a Seahawks fan. It's probably the only sports team I actually care about, watch the games etc. They won a game a few weeks back against the niners. Then I see an acquaintance put "seahawks fans are annoying."Its like.. really? was that needed? So I would naturally lump myself into one of those annoying people. Even though I didn't say anything about rude about the opposing team. I didn't say anything to this person as the issue is too stupid to retaliate.  This is a very small example.

But it made me think, facebook is suppose to be fun. I usually don't like it when people just "unfriend" me out of the blue, but I'm thinking, maybe I get it. They want their info meant just for the people they are close to and for me, I only want my info meant for people that 1. don't offend me, 2. people I care about. soo... I hate to admit it, but I think I am slowly going to start downsizing my friend list. Or remove my account all together. (I don't want to do the later because I don't think its fair to my parents and family who actually only use facebook as a way to see Elyse and what is up with my family)

The reason I like blogging better is I get the chance to explain myself more. Although I would absolutely encourage people to comment, I know most don't. But I don't have as much retaliation, not very many people read this, but I get the chance to go back a year or 2 later and see what I was thinking. I can add pictures and explain them, and post about trips.

It's like my little soap box(which I understand is what people do on fb) but it's more private. People have a choice to read this, they have to go to the page(or the few of you that receive it via email).

I'm not trying to say facebook is bad, it's just not the same anymore. I don't feel I can share things on it as openly as before without SOMEONE having a negative opinion. ("what does your comment mean?" "Why don't you post more picture with me?" "how could you hang out with THAT person?" "you aren't allowed to be a dem" "I hate it when you post pictures of THAT person" "you spelled that wrong" "you're being vauge"...it never ends..)

I realize this post is pretty negative, and I just needed to get it off my chest. I've been pretty down the last few months, and after talking to a friend, I feel like I have been able to better pinpoint the root of my depression. Fb negativity being one of them. Yes, I realize its silly to let it get to me, but what can I say, Im sensitive.

Anyways, now that I'm more aware of what is upsetting me, I am able to think of new ways to handle things. So I've been feeling better and feel like I can start moving forward in a positive way and do things(like delete negative people from my news feed) and hopefully we won't have too many downer posts in the future :)

well, I smell a surprise my daughter left for me, so I think its time for me to go :)

Holidays!!

The recent holidays were great :)

We went to california and spent a lot of time with family and friends. We tried very hard to spent time with as many people as possible. Also those that we worry will be the last time we will see, like my grandma and Cole's grandma in Fresno.

But heres a few pictures of our trip!!