Doctor Update

I am sure all of you have been wondering how all the doctor and hospital visits have been going. Well, other than the fact that a hospital is one of the most unorganized and inefficient places in the world the tests are going great. Elizabeth has had excellent heart rates every time and seems to be moving very well. "Active little girl" is what they say about her. I was however told that I need to slow down, drink a gallon of water everyday, go in the pool every day, and no marathon shopping trips. This is because my amniotic fluid dropped from a level 11 to a level 8 in only one week which is most likely a cause of dehydration. We don't want Lizzy to be coming earlier than we planned (ONLY 3 WEEKS and 3 DAYS LEFT) so I am taking the doctor's advise and letting Brandon do a lot more for me. This is not easy being a self sufficient and stubborn mother, however I am learning to like being waited on a little. Otherwise everything seems to be going great and we will be meeting our little Lizzy bug very soon.

Party for Elizabeth

Last weekend a few girls from my mother's group threw me a beautiful baby shower in honor of Lizzy's soon arival. The girls were so supportive and brought wonderful gifts for our little girl. Lots of girl clothes, which I must say are way more fun than boy clothes. They also made me a wonderful cake and played some I'll say, challenging, baby games. For some many moms being there, a lot of us were not too good at the baby games, lol. It was so wonderful, I couldn't have asked for a better shower. And now I have all kinds of stuff for the new baby which is even more exciting. Thanks again to everyone who came, I had a great time.

Elizabeth Grace. . .watch out world!

I went to the ob this past week and lots of things are evolving in the pregnancy. I am now almost 34 weeks (in 2 days) and it is getting time to make some big decisions. There is a little bit of concern because she is really small, only about 4lbs so the doc is taking some precautions. First I have to go to the hospital 2 times each week for testing. They do a NST (non-stress test) two times a week and an ultrasound 1 time each week. This is to make sure that her heartbeat is strong, amniotic fluid is stable, and she is growing. So far so good though. I have been twice and each time her heart-rate is great and everything seems to be going well. She is small but very strong. I am also going to the ob once a week now for regular check ups, therefor most of my days are spent at the doctor's office these days. We also set a date for the c-section. Since it will only have been 17 months since I had the first c, we decided it was best to have another one and not risk any problems like uterine rupture. The doc suggested delivery around the 39th week (so I don't go into labor) which means SEPTEMBER 24th is the offical date of Lizzy entering the world. ONLY 5 WEEKS AWAY!

It is funny because picking her due date was harder than picking her name. This is going to be her birthday for the next 80 years or so, and may I add that Brandon was no help. He just kept saying, "whenever is fine with me." Her actual due date is Sept 30th which is Brandon's birthday so I kind of wanted to avoid that day and make sure I am out of the hospital by then. No body wants to spend their bday in the hospital, no matter what he says.

It is a little scary worrying about her and how she is doing but I am sure everything will work out fine. I was about the same size with Jack and he ended up being 7lb 2oz. I just keep telling myself that I am in good shape, I've gained the weight I should be gaining, and she still has a lot of growing to do. I am sure she is just going to come out a little fireball! Here are some pictures from the ultra sound. She is so funny because every time I get an ultrasound she tries to hide from the camera either using her hand to cover her face or in this case her foot. No matter where I moved she kept smelling her foot. Maybe she is just really long like Jackson was, and is all scrunched up in my belly.

3D picture, she has Brandon's lips. And yes that is her foot blocking her face, lol.

1st Hair Cut

Jackson is now 16 months old and his hair was getting a little out of control. Starting to look like a mullet actually. So I decided to be brave and take action into my own hands. I had trimmed the top and sides a few times but nothing big and I am sure he is not ready for a barber or clippers, so it was up to me, and let me tell you my lack of experience shinned through.

First we stuck all his hair up just to document how long the hair really was. Then Jackson started to freak out when I got him in the chair on my lap. However after a few moments of terror he calmed down and let me start the snipping process. I got most of it done when he decided that he had enough and ran away. Then I proceeded to follow him around getting a snip here and a cut there until I was done. Not the best way to give a hair cut chasing Jack around the yard with scissors (now that I say it that way it does sound horrible) but at least he was outside and he really didn't cry much after that first shock. We rewarded him with an ice cream cone when he was finished and I must say that his hair looked pretty good and even. I was proud of myself and my baby boy. Needless to say next time I think we might take a different approach. Any suggestions are welcome.

Summer in Seattle part 5

The last day we were in Seattle we went to Pike Place Market and the waterfront. One of my favorite restaurants is on the waterfront, The Fisherman's. It has the best clam chowder I have ever tasted. Brandon I went there right after we got married and I have going there every time I'm in Seattle since. The market is the best too. They have so many vendors selling things from fresh fish, fruits and veggies, flowers, and handmade crafts like T shirts, jewelry, and paintings. It is a culture festival everyday and so much fun to walk around looking at all the cool stuff. I really like their candy coated nuts (raspberry honey almonds, yum) and fresh made doughnuts. We bought 4lbs of steamer clams for $20 and a big think of smoked salmon which is my fav. I ever brought the salmon home so Brandon could get a taste of Seattle. Jackson loved looking at all the people and the flowers especially. We had to carry Jack most of the time because it was so crowded but he still loved it. Then we went to the pier where he fed the pigeons. It was so cute because he wanted them to take the bread out of his hand but they would never get that close. So he would hold the bread out and when they wouldn't take it he would just pop it into his own mouth. Silly boy.

Summer in Seattle part 4

The best part about Seattle is that most of my family still lives there. Here is a little background. I live on a street that has 4 houses on it and a cold-a-sac at the end. We have a joke that the street should be named Miller Lane because 3 of the 4 houses belong to my family. The other house belongs to our neighbors from our previous house which means they have been our neighbors for about 20 years which makes them like family. My dad has 2 brothers (who own the other two houses on the street) as well as two sisters. I grew up with my cousins just 2 houses away so they are like brothers and sisters to me.

Then on the other side of the family, my mom's side, she has 12 kids in her family. Most of them still live close so I have lots of Aunts and Uncles (but mainly Aunts because 8 of the 12 were girls) around. A few have passed on but many of them are still around and up for a party. So that's what we did. We had a family BBQ in our backyard and almost everyone came. It was great and even my younger cousins (who are now 15 and 17 came to spend time with Jack and me).

We also got to spend a lot of time with my brother which was nice because last time I was in town, which was over a year ago, Adam only saw me for 1 day. He has been through a lot and made some mistakes but now he has cleaned himself up and is doing well. I am so proud of him and what he has accomplished over the past year. When I was 16 my dad passed away and my brother is my main link to him. He reminds me so much of my dad and even looks like him sometimes which makes me really happy because Jackson needs a link to his grandfather. My dad was a great dad and I know he would just be thrilled with Jack, so it is always a little hard to go home knowing he is not there. But my mom has a boyfriend Derek who is incredibly good for my mom and the best with Jackson. He loves Jack so much and I always refer to him as my stand-in dad.

One thing that my brother, mom and I did was visit the cemetary where my dad is burried. I haven't been there in probably 5 years so it was really nice to go. It is hard because a lot of our family is burried around each other in that cemetary so I realize how many people in our family we have lost. But, I needed to go and put some flowers on the grave, say a little prayer, and spend some time remembering my dad. I think about him everyday of course but I don't always take the time to reflect on what a wonderful father and role model he was to me. He made me the person I am today, even after he is gone I know I would not be where I am now had he not passed away. When someone close to you passes away you learn something new. One thing I learned was to always tell people how I feel about them especially people that are close to me. I always say I love you to Jack and Brandon whenever I go anywhere. Even if it just down the street or a quick phone call. You never know when the last I LOVE YOU will happen.

Summer in Seattle part 3: ZOO TRIPS

There are so many things to do in Seattle that I don't even know where to go or begin when I am there. The problem is Seattle can get a little expensive, actually really expensive. So I had to contemplate what we could afford and what Jackson would enjoy the most. We decided that we would go to the zoo. There are 2 zoos and we went to both.

The first zoo is the Point Defiance Zoo. This zoo is great because it has a large aquarium with real sharks, seahorses, and even an area for the kids to touch some sea life. It also has a lot of other sea animals like walruses, penguins, and seals. Jack loved the sharks and the walrus because he came right up to the glass and gave big kisses. It also has a great kids area with bugs, snakes, and toys to play on. I think Jackson liked the fake animals better than the real ones though because he could touch those animals, lol.

We took our neighbor Elijah with us (he is 8) which ended up being great because he helped a lot with Jack. It was also great because I ran into one of my high school friends and his family. He was one of my best friends in high school but he lives in Eastern Washington so I didn't expect to see him during my trip. It was great to see Matt and catch up.

The second zoo we went to was the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. This zoo is huge and so much better than the Point Defiance Zoo (which is much smaller). It was also great because we got to go with one of my best friends from high school Shelby and her 13 month old daughter, Saydee. Saydee was so cute because she kept trying to give Jackson kisses and Jack was not having it. She is really smart too, repeating words and talking much more than Jackson (Jack is all action no explanation). We got to see all the animals of interest: zebras, penguins, tigers, jaguar, monkeys, etc. It was a great day for the zoo because it was a little overcast so the zoo was pretty empty. I even got to spend some time with my sister there.

My favorite part was the hippos because it has a special meaning to me. When I was pregnant with Jackson I complained a lot about getting bigger. Brandon would just compliment me and tell me I was like a little bumble bee. Then when I got really big he said I was more like a hippo (but in a sweet way). Then one day I was watching TV flipping through the guide when I saw the title of a show that caught my attention: Jessica the Hippo. I flipped to the channel and it was about a family that was raising a hippo. I thought it was so hilarious that there was a hippo named Jessica. Well this time I am hippo shape again and Jackson and I actually got to pose by a fake hippo. Those pictures are for Brandon to remind him what a real hippo looks like, lol. It was so much fun to get some exercise and enjoy time with our friends.

Summer in Seattle part 2

Sorry I have been so out of touch. I'm sure all of you have been waiting and wondering if the weather ever cooled down or if I am still up and kicking. Well. . . I am still pregnant (33 weeks) and the weather did cool down in Seattle, thankfully. We are now back in sunny AZ and enjoying our own beds, especially Jackson who practically jumped out of my arms to sleep in his own crib. We had a great time but it is always nice to come home. I am going to post some pictures of our trip as I document all the fun stuff we did. Here is the first taste.

We went to Hood Canal for the day to enjoy some peace, quite, and visit my grandparents. My aunt happened to be there at the same time too which was great because I haven't seen her in like 3 years. We spent the day on the beach, throwing rocks in the water and I am proud to say that I still know how to skip a mean rock. My grandpa tried to teach Jack to play the organ but Jackson was more interested in the pedals than the actual keys. Then we had lunch and Jackson played in the water fountain. It was great to be outside and to enjoy time with my family.