This Anderson Life

3rd Tri... here we go...

2014-12-14T14:10:00.002-08:00

Photo: almost 28 weeks

I can NOT believe I'm headed into my third trimester this week. This is crazy. I have still felt great for the most part. We had a LOVELY trip to Washington to celebrate thanksgiving with my family. It was so nice to enjoy my Gpa's turkey dinner- he is 88 and still does the WHOLE meal by himself. With only one oven. And it tastes incredible. How does one do that? I had the privileged of bringing a dessert alongside my Gma's pie. She made her famous banana cream pie and I made an Apple custard tart with a shortbread like crust. Both were so delicious and made completely from scratch- that's how we roll.
Jack was a good boy at thanksgiving he stayed up late, played cars, guitar and sat in his "seat". He loved visiting with all the family and the big dog Sooey (lucy-great dane). It was a quick trip up and back- I'm so sorry if I didn't see you while we were up- We spent all our time either resting or playing with Gigi (gma pat) and Gpa.
Since we have been home Caleb had his second surgery to repair the surgery he originally had in June. He has been on bed rest for 10 days- Which isn't ideal for the church... but, as his wife- I couldn't be happier. I'm so grateful for all this quality time with my man. I feel so bad that he is in pain, but it is so fun to have his undivided attention. He is anxious to get back to work- but wants to do exactly what is needed to heal properly so we are following Doctors orders. Jack loves that dad is home- but doesnt love that he is always "sleep". I'm so grateful for this special Christmas season that I had my husband home with me for 10 days!!! BEST gift ever.
I spoke at our ladies Christmas Brunch this past week. I was asked 9 months ago, and tried to forget that I said "yes" to speak. I do not feel qualified to speak at an event- and public speaking absolutely terrifies me. But as the day approached Caleb helped me put together a 20 minute message to share with the ladies. I spoke about what it means to be an encouraging friend like Elizabeth was to Mary (Luke 1), and I can honestly say that I think it went great... Mainly because I have so many encouraging friends who have given me plenty of stories and illustrations to pull from. While I didn't enjoy public speaking- I was completely honored to speak to the ladies of our church and to share what God put on my heart to share.
Pregnancy has been so great. Still working out. Still chasing down a toddler! :) I saw the Dr. this week and we are on track. Measuring a little small-as did Jack my whole pregnancy!

I've been busy nesting getting ready for baby- I made curtains for our living room- and I love them! I lined them with a blackout liner- a lot of work but totally worth it. Nursery and big boy room are next!

Jack still loves Santa. When we got home from Washington I wanted to put the tree up immediately and decorate it. It was at night so jack was already asleep... I begged Caleb to go get jack so he could see the tree and put the first ornament up. I will never forget his face when he saw the tree- he said wow and put his hand to his face. He happily put the first ornament on the tree and asked for mo. We did a few and put him back to sleep and waited until the next day to finish the tree together. I ALMOST missed it. In my need to have everything done quickly I almost missed out on the memory of doing it together. Now I know.

We are continuing our internet christmas card tradition. 😁🌲

Número dos...

2014-11-10T20:52:00.001-08:00

Caleb and I have had such a busy past couple of months... Starting with getting pregnant- which was achieved through IVF (technically FET) again... I thought the process would be easier this time because we had frozen embryos stored to use... But, when copius amounts of needles and medications showed up at my door I tearfully remembered how challenging the process was. This time I thankfully had my sweet Jack to remind me how worth it all the needles were. I am so grateful that we had the opportunity and privledge to have access to this treatment that helps us grow our family, but dang, that was brutal.

We found out that it worked just five days after the procedure. We were elated, and shocked, we found out so fast. My first trimester was not the best. I felt nauseous the whole time, and was so incredibly tired. Poor Jack, I was boring mama! During the first trimester we began searching for a home to buy which we found quickly--and we just knew it was the one!! When we pulled up we noticed the park across the street. (Jack calls it the "butt." I'm sure he thinks he is saying park, but it comes out butt.) The escrow process was a lot of work but went rather fast. I dutifully packed us up--during my first trimester. Don't do that. It's not fun.

(Photo infront of our new home)

With the help of men's ministry and a short time frame we were moved out of our condo and into our new home in 2 hours. 2. Hours. Crazy! We have been busy unpacking and getting settled-- hence the lack of bump photos and gender reveal updates. So without further ado...

Our friend Lori did our ultrasound at 17 weeks to find out the gender. Going into the ultrasound I thought perhaps it was a girl because I was so much sicker this time. But we honestly were just so excited to be pregnant we didn't care. She wrote down the gender and handed us a sealed envelope that made it all the way to the car. Ha! We were so impatient. We decided if it was a boy we would go get a burger and a beer and if it was a girl we would go buy an outfit...

Burger and beer it was. We are so so so excited to have another silly boy to add to our family. No names yet- just lots of joy in our hearts.

Photo of jack in our backyard- that has a lemon tree, lime tree and an avocado tree.

Infront of our lime tree.

22 Weeks-

Cravings-cottage cheese.

Kicks- yes, lots! Caleb has even felt them.

Working out- body pump twice a week and Pilates almost daily- really light on the ab work since first trimester though.

Swelling- occasionally

10 and 11 months

2014-01-07T20:51:00.000-08:00

Welp- December kicked my booty, and I didn't write Jack's post for 10 months. I DID get his photo at 10 months though! :)

In the last two months Jack has grown so much- and not just in the height/weight department. He is developing into such a wonderful little person. His silly, snugglie all-boy nature has me and Caleb absolutely enamored with him.

He is so into music these days- He loves his drum, xylophone, and shakers. He even sings and taps his leg while occasionally playing the air guitar. He loves listening to music- especially live music.

Jack loves his Raja- Can't sleep without him. He actually loves all Jellycats stuffed animals. He has had quite the infatuation with his groundhog puppet- Mommy making the groundhog come to life. Jack squeals, pets, hugs and pulls the groundhog around. He has recently become a little less interested- since he has found the groundhog lifeless on the floor a few times. :( mommy fail.

Jack loves to play outdoors. When we go to the park- He likes to swing for a while and then crawl around. He goes in circles and normally ends up by the cement slab with holes in it. For some reason he doesn't throw sand in his hair at the park.... At the beach- oh man- the kid is a sand throwing machine. He is content to sit by himself and throw sand in his hair. It makes quite the mess.

Jack is a great sleeper- going to bed anywhere from 7-7:30 and waking up anywhere from 6:30-7:15
He rarely wakes up at night, but when he does he usually turns on his baby Einstein music and falls back asleep on his own. Jack wakes up so happy, sweet and cuddly. He normally likes to snuggle and talk first thing.

No bueno naps over here. I'm lucky to get two 45 minute naps out of him. He fights going down for naps half of the time, and sometimes he just plays in his crib for his nap. There are days that I would love to sleep when he sleeps- but it is pointless, once I get him down then I have to put myself down and by the time I'm asleep... He wakes up. I think I will take another pot of coffee instead, thank you very much.

Jack isn't close to walking, and why would you be when you can motor around so fast on your hands and knees!? He isn't really interested in trying either- he'd rather be drumming.

I'm still nursing this little man- despite lots of issues. (Seriously, I have gone through everything) I'm proud that we made it this far. I've dropped it down to two feedings, and then will wean him completely at 12 months. I'm so grateful that I have been able to nurse as long as I have...

Jack's first Christmas was a blur. I hardly wrapped anything. I thought our lives were hectic before- then you add a baby to the mix and the small little fact that Caleb is a PASTOR. Dang, I bet most of you guys forget I'm a pastors wife. I do. Well, sometimes I do. Other times I am very aware of our role and December is a great reminder. No biggie, I still got our advent calendar up around Dec 22. Cool. keeping it real. Those of you out there who know me- or remember pictures of my Christmas tree up mid November would know that my advent calendar going up around the 22nd is just NOT hilbot style. That being said Christmas Cards are done-zo for us Andersons. You can tell on facebook- we are so happy and we love our little man. And I'm sure I would have picked out the cutest flippin Christmas Card from minted or tiny prints. But, It just isn't worth my precious Jack time. Plus where do you draw the line? We have lived in three different states and love so many people. I want to be with my son playing on his drums. Or walking to the park with a friend, Not searching for addresses.

In conclusion.. I am loving each day more then yesterday. Jack is a perfect blend of Caleb and I and the perfect version of Jack. I am honored that I get to be his mommy.

9 months

2013-11-04T14:15:00.000-08:00

This month flew by. Poor mama (me) has had mastitis- twice. In one week. TWICE people. SOOOOO... we might be done nursing once I get all better. I cant believe what we can go through for our babes. Caleb and Auntie Monica have helped me tremendously while I have been sick.

I keep reading in my BabyCenter app how my 9 month old baby will start to have stranger anxiety, will only want to be with mommy or daddy. Not so much with Jackaroo- he will go to anyone. I mean AN-E-ONE. Person in line behind us at the Dr. office, sure why not jack- they might have bronchitis but go for it. (I didn't let him go to said person in dr. office) He will go to anyone with ease and doesn't seem to mind when we aren't around. But, boy is he excited when mommy or daddy come home. When Caleb comes home he waits at the door and says jackaroo- Jack stops what he is doing immediately, whips his head around to see daddy, smiles his biggest smile and starts hauling baby a$$ towards his daddy, trampling over anything in his way. It is pretty precious.

Jack loves to laugh- and knows the difference between a real laugh and a fake laugh. If I laugh, like really laugh- he will start laughing too. When he dressed up as a pumpkin, he was so cute I started laughing, so he started laughing too and kicked his little legs and flapped his arms. Which is the sweetest sound.

He loves eating his happy puffs and can grab them and put them in his mouth all by himself. Jack is fascinated with his hands again, watching them rotate around.

Jack has 4 teeth on top two on bottom and cutting another one on bottom. He loves saying daddadadada and making tooty noises with his mouth. He is pretty noisy these days. He recognizes his own name and will crawl to you if you say "come over here Jack."

At 9 month check up Jack weighed in at 19.7 pounds and 28 inches long. Healthy on all accounts.

So grateful for this silly, rumble-tumble, playful little dude.

pumpkin patch

this is what happens when daddy dresses me

8 months.

2013-10-10T10:35:00.003-07:00

Jack is so fun these days, this is my favorite age so far. He has made four teeth now, his two bottom and top front teeth and loves to show them off. We adults have the perfect angle for a picture, head cocked down and slightly angled to the right with just the right amount of teeth showing. Not my Jack. He is chin out, teeth out, nose scrunched, eyes squinty and cooing all the while. It melts my heart. He smiles all the time, and loves to be with people. Last night we had our small group over and he wanted to play play play and show off his new tricks. His new tricks are sitting up from laying down and then pulling himself to stand. Daddy worked on Jack's walking skills the other day- I'm not ready for that. After Jack does a new trick, he looks around the room for applause and smiles. He will either laugh with everyone or hide his face as if he is embarrassed.

He loves to play with all his non-toy toys. His favorites are a paper clip, his spoons, my workout band, and his nose sucker. Ridiculous! He plays quietly by himself in the morning, but loves to play mid day with mama. He plays well with his other baby friends and has a little baby crush on his girlfriend Chiara. We always catch him looking at her all dopey eyed. He loves going to story time at the library and sing along time as well. We learned the song, "3 little monkeys jumping on the bed."
It's a fave- and comes in handy when he is cranky.

He is sleeping and eating good. Favorite food is peaches for sure. He has learned how to stand up in his crib- and that is his new favorite thing to do, pretty cute walking in to pick him up when he is standing there. He naps really well in the car or stroller and loves to nap in his swing.

We had the no fun, awful trip to the hospital for croup. Jack went to bed at night a little cranky and with a low grade fever, but no cough. Caleb was in Atlanta at a conference so I had my friend Monica staying with me to help with Jackaroo. Thank GOD she was staying with me- I gave her my bed so I was sleeping on the couch about 10 feet from Jack. I left his door open just in case he woke up feeling worse- and woke up he did. At around 1am Jack woke up struggling to breathe and beginning to cry. I grabbed him right away knowing instantly something was wrong. I woke up Monica and asked her what she thought. After sitting in the bathroom with the hot shower running for 20 minutes, a phone call to the nurse hotline and a late night call to caleb we decided we needed to take him to the ER... I didn't know the severity of his croup and wouldn't have debated for a second had I known how bad it was. The drive to Kaiser ER is 25 minutes and Jack fell asleep en route. He woke up and began crying- which activated, what I call a "fit." The Doctor in the ER was quick to get jack a steroid shot and a nebulizer treatment, and we were able to calm him down which helped him to breathe easier. The Dr. in the ER wasn't totally calm and reassuring which made it challenging for me to relax. After our first "fit" Jack woke up hungry so I began nursing him- he was having difficulty breathing and eating which started another "fit" and second nebulizer treatment. He cried throughout the treatment, but we were able to calm him down towards the end and get him to fall asleep again. The Dr. Came in to tell me that he wanted us to stay around for another couple of hours to monitor us... He spoke too loud, waking Jack up- another "fit." The Dr. ordered another treatment and a transfer to Anaheim because they had a pediatric ward- A new nurse came in to help us, Gloria- she was not our favorite. She had Monica give Jack the treatment this time and we sang "3 little monkeys" which got jack to calm down and breathe in his treatment. Next came the IV. In retrospect I wish I would have said, lets wait until we get to Anaheim to make sure they need/want one. They didn't. But, Gloria tried anyway. Multiple times on both hands. She wasn't able to get his IV started but was able to collect some of his blood- which she accidentally squeezed all over Jack and my face. UGH!

Next up was the ambulance ride. Jack cried the whole way over to Anaheim. No fun. There was pediatric Doctors in the ER and they were so much more relaxed, which made it easier for me to be calm for Jack. I didn't dare google croup because I didn't want to know what google said. I didn't want to hear a horror story. I wanted a Dr. to tell me my son would be fine. And that is exactly what they did in Anaheim. The Dr.s admitted us for further surveillance- which was great. We loved our pediatric nurses and felt relieved to stay there and have help monitoring Jack.

Caleb was able to get a flight home and was there to spend the night in the hospital with Jack and I. Jack got better and better once dad arrived. It was such a precious moment when Caleb walked into the hospital room. My stress level went down and Jack was so excited to see Daddy. Monica was finally relieved from helping me. What a help she was! I am so grateful to have a friend like her who wouldn't leave my side. I tried to tell her to go to work, and she looked at me with her big blue eyes and said, "I would never leave you in the ER alone." Tears ran down my face as I thanked her. Jack was happy to have his two favorite gals there caring for him.

We learned a lot about Croup and what to do next time. God, I pray there is no next time. We are so grateful for prayers and kind words. It was terrifying to see Jack so sick and not have Caleb with me. I kept thinking- he is the strong one, why am I here by myself... I need him. But, I'm stronger then I give myself credit for!

there is that smile im talking about.

resting at the hospital

after the IV

ambulance driver- Jack liked him

DADDY!

sleeping with Mon

oh hey

first ambulance ride.

Jack looking at his girlfriend.

the sidelay

7 months

2013-09-04T14:28:00.004-07:00

Oh my goodness, Jack is like a little boy now! His interactions with me are so real- he loves to laugh and smile and play... but, he has a very serious side too. When he gets focused on something- like my necklace- that takes all his attention. He furrows his brow and with his big brown eyes studies the object. If it will fit in his mouth it of course will go there first. Then he will look at it while he passes it from hand to hand. He does this with people too. He looks them deep in their eyes, grabs their nose, gives them an open mouth slobbery kiss and tops it off with a giggle and smile. Jack loves to be with people. I can drop him off with anyone and he is content... but he has his favorites. He has gotten increasingly excited for when Daddy comes home. He starts flapping his arms and kicking his legs and grunting to get close to that silly daddy. Dad and Jack love to go to the pool together and kick around. With this warm weather we have gone almost everyday to cool off. This weather has also made going to sleep a little tricky for Jack. He hasn't gone down as easily as normal and naps are pretty inconsistent. I lay him down next to a fan and for naps I put him in his swing, that actually doesn't really swing anymore now that he weighs so much.

Jack has a favorite stuffy- the dog. Jack gets a big smile when I bring him stuffy and he smothers his face into stuffy. Super cute. Jack has pretty much outgrown his playmat and is totally over his exercauser- I think mainly because he wants to be crawling... I'm hoping he will enjoy it again soon! Jack loves to scoot around the house, I need to finish baby proofing. He is always hunting down the non toy objects- smart kid! Luckily he doesn't move very fast yet. He thinks whispering is so funny. I could whisper the news paper to him and he would LOVE it.

He has loved being a big boy and eating food, so far he has eaten...
avocados, bananas, peaches, sweet potatoes, plums, yams, carrots, parsnips, and pear.
It's fun to bring him to dinner and get a high chair for him and he happily eats with us.

I am beyond blessed to do life with him and my loving husband. Life is good.

I am honored that I get to do life with my little man and I'm so grateful that I have a fun Hubs to raise this silly kid with.

Making baby food

2013-08-29T13:16:00.001-07:00

It probably will take me longer to write this post then it does to make baby food. I have loved making Jacks food- but I was nervous at first, I didn't have a fancy baby food maker that all my friends had... I went to the store to buy one but they were so expensive and i figured i had all the appliances at home to make the food- so i decided I would give it a try. I'm glad I did because you totally don't need the fancy food maker- it's nice it steams and purées the food all in one place. But, anytime I can cut down on costs and space- I will do it. Speaking of costs... Making your own baby food saves you oodles of money! Each organic little pouch of food is up to 2 dollars- for 2 dollars I can feed jack for a week making the food. So- here's how I make jacks food;

Pears- yummy!

Peel the fruit/veggie, this takes the most of the time.

Cut up your fruit into pieces

Throw chopped fruit into your steamer.

Cover and steam until soft.

Choose your method of food processors. I have two- I use them both, but because this is a big batch I chose to use the big food processor. You can also use your blender!

Hit it!

Sometimes I add the water I steamed the fruit with- depending on consistency of fruit/veggie. With pear you probably don't need to add liquid but sweet potato yes.

Using the liquid from steaming is great because it has yummy nutrients.

I like to make big batches of food and freeze them in my ice cube trays. Once frozen I pop them out and store them in a labeled plastic bag. Then all I have to do is thaw the cube and dinner is served.

See- its not scary! Give it a try... Your baby will love the food you make and you will save money. For more recipes and tips check out The Super Baby foods book.

Baby Faves

2013-08-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

I have so many friends having babies and asking for advice on what items to register for. Every baby is different so every mom is going to like certain items more then others. For us, this is what worked...

The Ergo Baby Carrier. We loved this particular carrier because you are carrying all the weight on your hips instead of your shoulders. I highly recommend purchasing the infant insert so you can wear baby right away. I can remember countless days/nights wearing jack in the Ergo because it was the only place he would sleep. I also would snap myself out of the Ergo and jack would stay asleep in the infant insert all snuggle buggle.

I figured out how to nurse Jack in the Ergo and walk around... I can't walk super fast but I can walk and nurse. FABULOUS!

We also have the Bjorn and the Moby wrap. I like the moby wrap a little more then the Bjorn because it is more comfortable to wear. Caleb primarily wears the Bjorn-he has yet to try the wrap on, I don't know why? I don't love the Bjorn because all the weight is on your shoulders- I get sore pretty easy wearing it. That being said it's better then nothing. We keep one carrier with us in the car in case Jack is fussy- he ALWAYS loves to be in the carrier. * This is a great place to save money, two of our 3 carriers are hand me downs. You can find great carriers in consignment shops as well- wash them up and they are good to go!

Aden and Anais Bamboo Swaddle blankets. I LOVE these. I have one with me at all times, They are so versatile! They are bigger then the average swaddle blanket and have a bit of stretch so I got THE best swaddles out of them- Jack couldn't move a bit and would not break out of it. Jack loves the blankets he grabs them and pulls them up to his face and snuggles with it.

I also used them as a nursing cover in a pinch. I would just tuck it into my bra and cover! I would use the blankets to clean up a spit up here and there and wash at the end of the day. One of my favorite items of all time.

Stroller- We love our Uppababy! The height of the handlebar is adjustable and moves up higher then most strollers- which is nice for us tall peeps. The Uppa maneuvers so smoothly, I can also run with it if I lock the front tires. Although- I would prefer to have a jogging stroller for running (for many reasons) but, while I don't the Uppa is just fine. I love that you can stroll with 3 babes in the uppa! AMAZING- So as our family grows we just purchase the Rumbleseat and away we go.

When thinking about buying a stroller, I highly recommend going to a store and testing them out and picking what works best for your family. We purchased ours new in box from a consignment shop for half the price. For you Orange County peeps- Check out Posh tots and Newport resale in Costa Mesa area (by Bel Bambini). The owner at Posh Tots has a wish list, we put our name/number on it and a week later she called us to say that the Uppababy came in. :)

An exersaucer and play mat are pretty amazing. Jack started playing under his mat at around 2/3 months I believe. He is pretty content there and still hangs out underneath it. The exersaucer is the deal! Jack will play in that thing forever, and I love that he is stuck there- I don't have to worry about him cruising around. Both our exersaucer and playmat were hand me downs. love me some hand me downs.

Because I breastfeed exclusively I didn't need a ton of bottles and whatnot. I DO recommend getting a pump... But, if you are planning on doing mainly breastfeeding I would wait before you stock up on bottles in case your baby doesn't like the bottle you purchased, pre-washed and can no longer take back.

This is just a list of my favorite/most used items. There are so many things you can buy for baby but maybe don't need. I'm a huge fan of simplicity- so if we don't NEED it, we don't have it. For instance a baby wipe warmer- don't need it. I'm sure Jack's bum would prefer a warmed wipe, but what happens when we are out and about and don't have the warmed wipe... Will he pitch a fit over a room temp wipe? Anyway, that's my two cents.

6 months

2013-08-12T21:33:00.001-07:00

Our little man is 6 months old... well, plus a week. We were in Washington on vacay so I wasn't able to update the blog. Jackaroo has grown quiet a bit in the past month. At his checkup today he weighed 16.10 oz and measured 26 1/2 inches tall. In the past month, Jack has began (army) crawling although his favorite mode of transportation is the back scoot. He rolls easily from front to back and sits up by himself wonderfully. Jack was busy making two teeth while we were in Washington- with minimum fuss I might add. Probably the biggest change was the introduction of food. We began with avocado at his mid day feeding. After four days we moved onto banana- He LOVES him some banana. Next came peaches which weren't a hit the first day because I just mushed up the peach. Later that day I cooked the peach and pureed it- then the peach was a hit. My goal is to make all of his food- for a number of reasons. I will know exactly what he is eating and so that his first bites of food are just that- food. Another reason is its cheap, I like cheap. Lastly, I enjoy cooking if I didn't enjoy cooking I would probably buy his food.

I am loving this 6 month stage, Jack is so full of life and joy. I love watching the world through his perspective. Many people have commented on what a happy baby he is, and how silly he is. I agree, I think he will be making us laugh for years to come. He is pretty rumble tumble... when he rolls over and bonks his head on the table it doesn't phase him... he keeps on smiling.

5th month

2013-07-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

I sure have loved this last month. Caleb and I are feeling like we are in the groove as parents. I actually have a hard time remembering life without Jack. When Caleb gets home I get to work on the dinner while he plays with Jack. Caleb is a busy guy but when he is home, he is really home. We have a nice little rhythm to our life, our favorite day being Monday- Caleb's day off. We spend the day connecting as a fam and relaxing. This past week we headed up to Long Beach to walk around my favorite thrift stores and grab dinner. Jackaroo loves when he get's both of us all to himself. And we love it too!

Jack has began saying bababa and he's rolling his tongue- I think he is working on his Spanish. I do my best to speak to him in Spanish when I can. He also has this really awful screech noise he makes... Sounds like the pterodactyl from Jurassic Park- super fun. He is pretty vocal. My new favorite noise being his laugh. He loves to laugh- and he has quickly figured out who the funniest parent is, ME! Last night while Caleb was holding him, he looked over at me and just started laughing- I wasn't even doing anything. I am a sucker for a laugh, so you will find me doing crazy dances as I'm out walking with him. Anything for a giggle.

People comment on how joyful Jack is... some people who don't know him will get so excited and exclaim, "I got a smile!" I want to tell him that the kid would probably smile at a palm tree... but, I let them be excited about their smile. Jack is also super mellow- he chills out at the beach while we watch daddy play volleyball. He is comfortable going from person to person but definitely has his favorites *cough, Monica. While Jack get's passed around he always likes to keep an eye out for Mom or Dad. Jack was lucky enough to get some quality time with Gma Gina. She came and hung out with Jackaroo while I went to a conference for 3 days. It was so nice to have her help.

Jack has mastered the scoot on his back. He is actually pretty good at it, and can move pretty quickly. He is rolling like crazy without any effort now and is lifting up pretty high. We are mere weeks from having a crawler on our hands. Jack loves to play peek a boo- and will lift the blanket by himself, and laugh when the blanket drops and we tickle him and say peek a boo! Jack hangs out in his exersaucer for like 20 minutes at a time, sometimes more. He is able to intentionally grab things and put them... in his mouth of course. Including his new favorite thing to put in his mouth, his foot. He has been teething still but no teeth yet. He can sit by himself for a little bit but then will topple over. He is getting too long for his 3-6 month pajamas but his onsies all still fit him. His hair is lightning up- blonde at the roots. His eyes are still blue but they seem like they might be turning brown. Time will tell.

Jack has gone from liking his binky, to not liking it, to chewing on it, and now back to liking it. He loves white noise, but needs nothing to aide him in going to bed at night. He is down at 9/10pm and sleeps until 7:30 normally. His naps are another story. He fights going down for a nap during the day, I normally have to let him sleep in the ERGO so he can get a good rest. We are still just breastfeeding- he doesn't much like taking a bottle so it is pretty rare when we have to give him one. We haven't thought about food yet- although he seems sorta interested in food, I think the colors and textures of the food are more appealing to him then actually wanting to eat anything.

We call him Jackaroo, Mr. Jack, Mon fer, Jackarooski, Jackyboy, Jackers, Sillyboy.

We love him.

His gummy smile is my favorite.

4 months

2013-06-06T22:07:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness! Mama has loved this past month. Jack is totally rolling these days back to front, front to back... scooting around-ish. Which means crawling must be around the corner! His diaper changes have become so quick- he has learned how to lift his legs while we wipe and then when its time to fasten the diaper he kicks his legs straight and looks up at us and giggles. Pretty cute if you ask me. He thinks his play mat is fun, but he is already getting sick of it- I think. The binky has become a thing of the past, he will take it every now and again but mostly he will bite on it or stick his tongue in defiance. His hand eye coordination is getting much better as well, he focuses in on an object and reaches for it. Last month he found his hands and they were pretty cool, this month he has found his feet... he is always reaching for them and holding his toes.

Jack is still rockin the blue eyes, and I think they are my shape- but who knows. He is weighing in at 14.7 pounds, which is a little less then double his newborn weight. His leg strength is astonishing, already standing but needing help with the balance part. I swear his hair is turning blonde. I never would have guessed I would have a blonde haired blue eyed boy. :)

Jack logged 4 flights in his first 4th month of life. We first went to Denver, CO to visit the Brooks family... We had a blast in Denver, and Jack did amazing on the flights. He would not sleep without mommy or daddy so we slept in the bed together, which was great for me- Nursing is so much easier when I don't have to get out of bed. Caleb on the other hand didn't appreciate Jack's noisy eating. Tough cookies Caleb! When we got home Jack seemed to be genuinely happy to be back. He was so cute when I put him in his crib. He looked around realizing where he was began to flap his arms and legs and smile... He fell sound asleep 5 minutes later.

We also celebrated Grandma Gina and Grandpa Larry's 60th birthdays. Both of Caleb's brothers and their wives were all together in Orange County for the occasion. Jack was a hit! He loved to play with everyone and didn't mind being passed around.

All smiles

napping with grandma

nani

our sweet fam

the cuteness

love

Aunties and Uncles

they don't look like they are old enough to be grandparents

family time

Auntie Tera

mommy fail.

oh hey there

mommy's first mothers day & birthday

mothers day

mom's day

bubbles

Santa Barbara

favorite family photo yet

hi silly boy

so nani

working it out with handsome

and we are teething...

rolling with my homies..

2013-05-20T21:09:00.001-07:00

Our sweet babe is showing more of his personality day by day. I have found him on his tummy a few times in the past while he was playing on his mat- and figured it was a fluke. Well, on my birthday I could tell this was an intentional roll. We got home from Santa Barbara on Tuesday and I decided that we needed a mommy & Jack day at home- sensing he wanted to work on his roll and I was right. The minute I laid him down he began flapping his arms around and rolled from his back to tummy. He would stay on his tummy and try to roll back on to his back- which for some reason is harder for him to do, I think normally it is easier for babies to go from tummy to back. So after a few minutes of trying to roll onto his back he would start to fuss and I would come help him with the roll.. Finally after a few hours of this he did it. He rolled onto his back! I cheered for him and tickled his tummy while he gave me a huge gummy grin.

He stopped trying rolling for the afternoon. He set himself a goal and accomplished it. He didn't start rolling again until later in the evening when Daddy got home.

With Jack's new roll trick he wants to be on the ground more then ever. That being said the car seat is the enemy. lol.

Rolling gone Awry...

Birthday/mothers day

2013-05-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

Caleb and Jack took me to Santa Barbara for an overnight Birthday/Mother's Day trip. We got a late start, after we took a million photos and chatted with all our friends at church.

Our trip to Santa Barbara was amazing... next time we will stay longer, go wine tasting earlier, and bring a sitter for Jack. I loved the downtown area, we walked around the city the whole time we were there. Caleb treated me to a facial at the spa and we both took advantage of the jacuzzi and sauna.

Jack was a trooper, and gave mommy a fun birthday present- a roll. I loved our trip and being spoiled... But honestly (as cheesy as it sounds) just spending time with Caleb and Jack was all I ever needed or wanted. I am so grateful to have this sweet babe in my arms and handsome Hubby by my side.

Mother's Day

2013-05-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

I have been excited about celebrating Mother's Day since the moment I realized I was pregnant. Like most people who's birthday occasionally falls on Mother's Day, I was very aware that this year my birthday would be sharing the day with all the mamas. Mother's Day has not been my favorite day for a few years now. Having lost my mother in 2009 and struggling with infertility ever since it always felt like a double whammy. And I am so so incredibly thankful that God saved me from having to go through another Mother's day without a baby in my arms. Jack is more then I could have imagined and I am incredibly grateful to have my sweet son.

But, it's safe to say this girl still misses her mommy. In my only quiet moment today-drying my hair (not too many quiet moments with a 3 month old) I began to weep. Oh how I wish I could show my mom my baby, and ask her about this crazy rash on his face, giggle about his sweet gummy smile, and try and figure out who he looks like.

She was so... everything. I was so incredibly blessed to have her. She was so quirky and silly, comfortable in her own skin. She cared more about how others felt then herself. The woman could do anything; technologically savvy, total green thumb, cooking genius, seamstress, knitter and quilter... the list goes on.

I am so excited about celebrating my birthday and first mother's day, but I will always miss my mom.

Jack turns 3 months old! :)

2013-05-06T19:17:00.000-07:00

3 months young

And what a fun month it has been. Jack has proven himself to be a very good sleeper. At 6/7 weeks he began sleeping 5/6 hour stretches- which technically is through the night. At 8 weeks he began sleeping for 6-8 hour stretches. He normally wakes up ready to eat, but offers up a few smiles when I get to his crib. I love the late night/early morning feeding. There is something so sweet about it... perhaps its because I'm so excited to see Jack or he is so excited to see me... Either way, it's my favorite moment with my little buddy. Jack has moved from the couch, to his swing and finally to his crib. I personally wanted him to be in his crib as soon as he could do it- while I miss sleeping near my buddy, I think it's important for Caleb and I to have our bed be OUR bed. It's crazy how soundly I will be sleeping and I will hear Jack's smallest little noise and be in Jack's room before he starts to cry. (we don't use a monitor).

Jack has found his hands, and they are the coolest. They entertain him for hours on end. He focuses intently on his hands as he brings them together and then into his mouth. Speaking of his mouth, he has LOVED blowing bubbles and started drooling. At 10 weeks Jack began showing signs of teething. Now at 12 weeks he is most certainly experiencing some teeth pain. He is chewing on my finger/his finger/anything I put near his chompers. I noticed a little white bump on his gums.

Jack LOVES to interact with people. We facetime with family and he is so cute interacting with the phone. He leans forward like he wants to touch the people in the phone. Jack loves to giggle with mom and dad. He smiles and wiggles around when we talk to him. He really just loves to make eye contact with us. He loves to be facing the action- he wants to be apart of the party.

Jack responds to noises and can track us with his eyes... When he finds us he gives us a huge gummy grin.

Jack still doesn't really care for bath time. He is very particular about the water temperature- that being said we only bathe him every other day or two.

I like to think of myself as a mom on the go. We often leave the house in the morning for a few hours. We go walking or to have lunch with a friend. Jack is an absolute angel. He loves to walk in the stroller- he will make noises and play with his hands until he falls asleep.

Jack is a strong baby, he loves to stand on his legs... with our help of course. He has great control of his neck and a heck of a grip.

2 Month Checkup

2013-04-08T19:09:00.000-07:00

Jack got shots...

Poor little buddy did not love getting his shots, but who does right? He was in an exceptionally good mood before the shots... I made Daddy hold him while he got the shots. He actually did better then I thought he would. He only cried for about a minute after and that was it. :) Dr. Joe said that Jack is gaining weight on track... He currently weighs 11.7 pounds and is 23 inches long.


before the shots...

Daddy... What is happening?


Why? I hated that!

Mommy, do you have anything to say for yourself?

I trusted you.

don't do that again.

2 months

2013-04-06T10:27:00.002-07:00

Jack is 2 months old! It is really starting to get fun. Jack is smiling and cooing all the time. He loves to connect with Dad or I. He will giggle and smile and wiggle all around- and this smile of his- OH my heart. He smiles literally from ear to ear, and takes deep breaths and coos while he does it... like he is really trying to savor the moment. He likes to have sweet conversations with us about nothing and giggle and smile until he falls asleep.

Speaking of sleep... at 5/6 weeks he was still only sleeping 2/3 hour chunks and at about 7 weeks he started to sometimes go for 4 hours and finally at 8 weeks he began sleeping for 5/6 hour chunks. I feel like a whole new woman with 5 hours of consecutive sleep- so what if my shirt is wet when I wake up! :)

Aside from loving to connect with Dad and I, Jack loves to observe. His eyes dart around the rooms/outside trying to track noises and take in his surroundings. He lights up when he makes eye contact with people.

We had our first trip to Palm springs to visit Gma and Gpa great. (my grandparents) While we were there Auntie Cindy and Uncle Jack surprised us with a visit. It was so fun for them to meet Jack and visit with them. Jack loved meeting the other Jacks!

Grandpa Dave (my dad) got to meet Jack as well, they had fun getting to know each other. Auntie Amber and Uncle Double are regular visitors as well- They take turns holding Jack and giggling at him.

Jack's eyes are still blue- although I still think they will change- who knows. He is wearing size 1 diapers and is starting to get snug in some of his 0-3 month clothes. His favorite outfit is the robot onesie made by my friend Coco and hand me down pants from Shepard (Rhea's son). He loves his binky and noise machine to help him sleep. at about 6 weeks he began to enjoy his swing, he did not like it before then. He will laugh and point at the mobile- which looks super lame to me, but he loves it!

I am loving Jack being mine, for this short moment in time he is mine. I know that one day he will grow up and marry a beautiful woman (whom I've been praying for) and he won't be mine anymore. I pray that he will be as wonderful to his wife as his Dad is to me. I pray that he is confident, loving and kind like his father and silly, creative and determined like his Mama. I am loving watching his personality take shape- so far I would say he is mellow, sweet, loving, a connector... I think he loves making me smile and laugh- we might have a comedian on our hands! :)

Jack has great hand/eye coordination and can track me with his eyes. He is so strong! Although he bonks me quite a bit- he has pretty good control of his neck. His legs are always kicking and trying to stand up. His grip is constant, he loves to hold fingers.

Jack is so far loving going to the beach while mom and dad play volleyball. I hope he will continue to like it! :) He hangs out with his buddy Gaige (only 6 weeks older then him). I take Jack on walks almost every day and he does great- he likes to look around and listen to the noises. He has gone to church twice now and barely said a peep.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the last month...

Jack and Jack

Jack and Cindy

Favorite calm down technique when sleepy- rocking side to side with the binky, sometimes i have to shhhh in your ear.

Gma great

Gpa Great

Jack's on their phones

Nursing on the go

Jack's doting Aunt Amber and Uncle Double

Two of my favorite girls- God is so good!

Gaige and Jack- chilin at the beach

Gpa Dave

1 Month

2013-03-15T11:32:00.001-07:00

Jack's first month has been better then my wildest dreams. He is seriously a very sweet baby. He loves sucking on his fingers/our fingers/his pacifier. We call him our "touch" baby- he loves to be held and cuddled. He only sleeps about a half hour on his own but if one of us lay with him he might sleep for 3 hours! :) SO... mama sleeps with him on the couch while dad is in the bedroom. Sometimes dad comes out if Jack is too fussy and mama needs a break. Because he likes to be held so much, I RELY on the ergo baby to get things done around the house.

At about the end of four weeks I got a smile out of my little bug. We like to call him our crinkle mouse, groundhog, little buddy, Baby Jack, sweet baby, sweet heart and angel boy. So far it has been a whole lot of sleeping/pooping and eating. Eating has NOT been easy.

Breast feeding is quite a challenge, I'm so thankful for the lactation consultants and friend offering advice. I knew it wasn't going to be easy- but WOW! Jack and I have both worked to get into a rhythm. I think we had everything that could go wrong- go wrong, but I am so grateful we stuck with it. I know my son is getting the best nutrients I can give him... I remind myself that when it hurts so bad!

I have been just as much panicked as a mom as I was pregnant. I didn't sleep the first 3 night worrying about SIDS- I didn't even fully trust Caleb with him. Sleep eventually won me over and I relaxed enough to get some much needed zzzz's.

My only complaint is that I can't physically show him to my mother. This is by far my proudest moment- one that I so long to share with her. Sometimes during a late night feeding, looking down at my angel I shed a few tears imagining Kimi looking down at a little Hilary or Aaron when we were that small. I bet she loved us as much as I love Jack.

All in all, Caleb and I feel so grateful to be blessed with such a sweet baby. Here are some photos from his first month of life...

2 weeks later...

2013-02-16T18:33:00.000-08:00

Baby Size- at birth 7.7 pounds 19 inches, currently 7.10 and not sure on height
Working out- I've taken Jack for a stroll around the block... trying not to rush it, still have some healing to do.
Weight gain- I gained 35 pounds with Jack, plus an additional 10 from IVF. I'm down 20 pounds but still have a ways to go! :) I know I have time, no rush.
Cravings- Oatmeal! oatmeal and more oatmeal.
Aches and Pains- My ribs no longer hurt! :) hurray! I actually feel pretty good- still hurts down there a little bit, but better then I anticipated.
Stretch Marks?- nope! I got lucky, no stretch marks. skin is firming up pretty well.
Nursery- we are hardly in there... Jack and I sleep in the living room and if he is really fussy and I don't sleep at all, I get Caleb to come in and watch Jack for a few hours... lots of nursing.
Sleeping-??? not so much. I'm lucky to get 5/6 hours in a day- sometimes more sometimes less. It is all worth it.
Dr. Appt- Jack did great, he is right on track.
Things I couldn't live without-

I originally used the Medela gel pads for sore nips- but, I got an allergic reaction... So my lactation consultant had me switch to these and my allergic reaction has cleared up, plus they are sooo soft!

Not only does this sustain me all morning, it helps with milk production. I add fruit and nuts to the mix... delicious! Also, I have been making these oatmeal cookie bites from a recipe I found on pinterest... It is just bananas and oatmeal- that is it, I add dried cherries and walnuts and they are a great one handed bite to eat while breast feeding.

WATER! I drink a huge glass every time I sit down to nurse. The nurses in the hospital thought I had so much milk/colostrum because I drank so much water.

Also you should checkout Postagram- It takes your Instragram photos and sends them as postcards to family members. It is my new favorite thing to do! :) so easy and inexpensive to get snail mail out!

Here some of my favorite Jack photos

3.5 years, 39 weeks, 30 hours.

2013-02-09T12:55:00.001-08:00

It has been 3.5 years of praying to get pregnant, 39 weeks of blissful pregnancy, 30 hours of tedious labor to finally meet our son Jack... There is nothing I could have done in all that time to prepare me for the amount of joy and love I felt the instant they placed my sweet boy on my chest.

3.5 years of infertility was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced. I felt so broken, ashamed and powerless. I prayed desperately for a baby, relying on God, my husband and friends for support and comfort. It was a difficult season for both Caleb and I... I wish I could say I handled it as well as Caleb did. He was steady and confident that God would give us a child. He wouldn't give in to the waves of pain that would sweep over me like a tidal wave. My sweet friend Shavon spent hours listening to me cry and might bring me a bottle of wine and sit with me, even when I said I just wanted to be alone- she knew better. My friends and family helped carry the burden for me. Towards the end of the 3.5 years my prayers changed from wanting a child to wanting healing and hope again. Hope came on Valentines day last year when we received a call from a dear friend Janey and her daughter Chelsea. They wanted to help start a baby-raising fund for us to move forward with IVF. To our joy and delight they raised enough for us to begin the process. IVF is not for the faint of heart, but we were determined and hopeful that it would result in a baby, so we pushed on. Multiple shots a day, hormones going all cray cray, countless exams... and in the end, there it was... The positive pregnancy test.

39 weeks of joy. I so so so loved being pregnant. I mean, there is so much not to love about being pregnant and I felt that too. But, there was also years of prayer and hope for a baby. Everytime I looked in the mirror and saw my growing tummy I would get giddy. Sharing the news of our pregnancy with friends and family was so fun. There was tears of joy, relief, praise, restored hope and love. I get emotional thinking back on the moments. I have never felt so celebrated and loved.

Week by week I saw my husband become more doting and loving. He was constantly rubbing my feet and shoulders. He took over kitty litter duty- HE TOOK OVER KITTY LITTER DUTY. He doesn't even like our cat. He was already a tremendous husband- but he took it to a whole new level. Our pregnancy was such a sweet, intimate time together.

Jack was due February 7th, and we both thought he would probably arrive late. Both our mom's delivered us late and we figured it would be the same for Jack. You can imagine my surprise when my water broke on the 1st of February. I wasn't ready. I wanted another week or so with my husband. I started to panic a little bit, wondering if I would love having a baby in my arms as much as I loved having him in my tummy- sounds strange I know, but for so long I prayed and desired to get pregnant... I began to wonder if I would enjoy this baby as much as I thought I would. I began to fear that this baby might not look like us... I mean, they could have made an error in the petri dish and gave us another person's baby. What if I suck at being a mom? What if I can't nurse? What if I am awkward and don't know how to hold him and care for him?

We had a very long labor (I will write a post on that later) and in the end when they placed Jack on my chest. I knew he was ours. He is half Caleb and half me. My heart ripped open. In an instant all my fears were gone, and I loved this baby more then I could ever imagine. I instantly knew how to take care of him. God equipped me to care for our Jack, and I'm loving every minute of it. I love that he projectile pooped on me at 3am. I love that he can only be soothed by his mama or daddy. I love that he is sweet and mild tempered. I love his smell. I love not sleeping... because I get to spend time with my angel.

Infertility left a deep wound, pregnancy began to heal the wound and the minute I met my son the wounds turned into scars that left me with such gratitude and thankfulness for our son.

Mom and son

So content

Water broke- last tummy pic

HERE WE GO...

1st moment with my son.

Daddy and son

LOVE LOVE.

Sweetest boy

Tummy time of Gma Kimi's quilt.

Jack's Nursery

2013-02-01T17:49:00.003-08:00

So, I went with a Mid Century Modern- Nautical themed nursery... without further ado... here are the pics...

Rocking chair from bel bambini... It reclines, I love it, Caleb loves it... Freaking Emma loves it.

Curtains I made with fabric I had bought a long time ago that turned out to be more like Upholstery fabric, so I took a crack at curtains, I love them and love my husband for putting the curtain rod up- not his favorite.

The dresser, we found at a thrift shop in Long Beach... I am in love with Mid-Century-Modern furniture, so when we found this beauty for $275 we pounced on it! :)

I found these globes at West Elm and filled them with sand and the most adorable little boats that were Christmas ornaments from Tuvalu.

One of my favorite Kimi pics... She is in a sailboat looking so presh.

This is a Seagull that my Grandpa Dick made... I've had it forever... pretty perfect.

Book shelves installed by Caleb :) from IKEA, I think they were like $15 each, and I LOVE how they turned out!

Love this crib by Babyletto. Sheets by Land of Nod. Bed skirt by Hilary! :) I used the same fabric that is on the changing pad cover- Joel Dewberry, Modern meadow. I wish I could say I used a pattern... But, I just winged it.

Map is a nautical map of Puget Sound... Love the colors and love the nod to Washington!

Baby mobile I made out of paper- Pinterest project! :) I had so much fun making it, and it probably only cost me $10.

AND... The bag, from Pbarn kids... I am so happy with it. It's huge and not too girly so Caleb can carry it. I love it.

38 1/2 weeks pregnant

2013-01-27T15:50:00.001-08:00

38 1/2 weeks

Baby Size- Watermelon (19 to 22 in, 7pds)
Working out- Walking, breathing.
Cravings- Eggs on toast, Oatmeal cookies, cuties, orange juice, water, liquids... I get mad at Caleb when he tries to take a sip from my water glass at night.
Aches and Pains- There is this one spot in my back, right side under my ribs that kills. I am constantly rubbing it. My ribs hurt SO BAD, and the skin under my boobs is super sensitive too... It feels less numb and more like a sunburn these days. It also feels like someone is pinching me on and off in my sunburn skin spot. My low back has been aching along with my tummy... Which I think is just my body getting ready for Jack to come.
Stretch Marks?- nope! I got lucky, no stretch marks.
Labor and Delivery- One more trip to labor and delivery since 35 weeks! :) at my Dr. appt. my blood pressure was high the four times they checked it, the following morning when driving to work my heart was racing and I couldn't quite catch my breath so they had me come in to get checked for preeclampsia... I checked out ok and we have been keeping eye on my blood pressure. I was in to see the Dr. on Thursday of this week, again my blood pressure was high which she thinks might be my thyroid medication- so she had me get blood work done and lower my dosage so hopefully that will change the blood pressure. She also checked my cervix- So far I am not dialated at all but Jack is head down and on my bladder! :) side note- getting my cervix checked was not fun, I wanted to punch Dr. Hong.
Nursery- I have been sewing like crazy. I made two crib skirts and finished up the curtains. Gma pat came over and helped me get started... I'm anxious to get them hanging up. Pretty close to done in there! :) Will put photos up soon!
Sleeping- Pretty good- I still go to the bathroom every 1 to 3 hours. I started putting a little pillow under my tummy and it seems to be helping with my rib pain.
Dr. Appt- Last time I wrote that Dr. hong had me get an ultrasound to check Jack's size- He is totally fine! :) perfect even! It was fun to see him in the ultrasound, he looked pretty squished in there!
Labor- I'm getting calmer and more ready for Jack to come. I know that it is so important to remain calm relaxed to help get Jack to come out so I will do my best. I ran into a doula last week who offered me this advice, "your baby knows what to do, your body knows what to do, you just need to relax enough to get out of the way and let it happen."
Jack- I am so anxious to meet you. I wonder who you will look like. I wonder what it will feel like to hold you in my arms. I am SO grateful you have such a good Daddy to raise you. I hope you become just like him as you grow up.

35 Weeks!

2013-01-03T21:45:00.000-08:00

Holy crap, I am two weeks from full term- baby would be fine outside of my body- I, on the other hand, am freaking out a little bit. I have done a lot of not thinking about labor for the past couple of months. I am sure I will find the strength and courage somewhere inside of me, but that doesn't mean I can't be a little terrified. The one thing I can count on is a great coach and partner - Caleb will remain steady per his usual.

Baby Size- Large Cantelope (19-22 inches, 5.5 lbs)
Working out- Walking... ER, waddling.
Cravings- Tuna melty, Burrito, Applesauce, Granola, Nuts, Orange Juice, Milk, Water
Aches and Pains- My ribs still hurt. I now have a 2 inch thick band right under my boobs that is numbs- really bizarre feeling. Kidney's still hurt, stomach is starting to ache a little bit. Jack is keeping a foot or two lodged under my ribs- it's really pleasant.
Labor and Delivery- my best friend! I have now made three trips to L & D... First one was silly false alarm, second one was for my kidneys, this last one I didn't feel Jack kicking like normal. His movements had decreased last friday and by saturday morning despite what I ate or drank I didn't feel him, so away I went. Deep down I knew he was fine, but also felt like I needed to do my do-diligence and go in to make sure that everything was ok. After I arrived they gave me ice water, which woke Jack up! :) They had me hooked up to monitors and they could see he was moving lots, and I just couldn't feel him. The Dr. told me it was partially due to my placenta being in the front acting as a sponge to movements. She also said that the last month or so the movements change as they are not able to flip around as much which is good in my book because Jack is head down!
Nursery- I can't wait to finish up in there! Caleb has been so helpful getting projects going with me! :)
Sleeping- OK... Lots of potty trips. I think it's funny when people say "get your rest while you can" While I'm sure having a baby takes it up another notch- it's not like this is the most restful time ever.
Dr. Appt- Was great, I love seeing Dr. Hong! She did although request that I get another ultrasound to check Jack's size. Evidently my tummy is measuring small so she want to have it checked out. She reassured me that it was probably because I was so tall and Jack had so much space to move around. I am still trying to schedule the ultrasound.
Holy birthing classes, Batman- It's safe to say we procrastinated a little bit on getting into classes... The month of January we are going from one class to the next- the upside is that it will be fresh in our minds! :)

Arizona Shower

2013-01-01T14:08:00.002-08:00

On December 8th Caleb's mom Gina threw me a beautiful shower in her home in Arizona. It was so fun to see so many of my favorite friends and family who have been faithfully praying for baby Jack to come into our lives. Gina had the house prepared when we arrived a few days earlier. It was set up so cute! Our dear friend Kathy Merwin came over and helped decorate (she decorated our wedding and made our wedding cake.) She had beautiful Hydrangeas on all the tables and -get this- She made our wedding cake in cupcake form! The cupcakes were divine! Carrot cake with extra nuts and raisins and the best cream cheese frosting ever! Caleb and I each ate at least two. Here are some pics of the set up and ladies...

the table

the wedding cake cupcakes

more Hydrangeas

orange roses- my favorite

The girls

It was such a special day. Gina had asked Renee Worcester to lead a prayer for Caleb and I and then one for Jack. I loved hearing all the prayers for Jack knowing that these women have been praying for a while for this babe. I received so many wonderful gifts that day but the best gift of all was the all the love and support in the room.

Gina also invited some girls I didn't know from her "prayer group" she told me that they are prayer warriors and that they have been praying for Jack for a while- and that they had been teaching her something. I was clueless as to what it could possibly be. I found out when I opened my gift from Gina. My initial reaction was absolute shock- My sweet mother in law had learned to knit, and knit Jack a blanket with her prayer group- AKA- knitting group! I couldn't believe it, she began knitting this blanket before Jack was even conceived, believing in faith that God would bless us with a baby! She worked and prayed over it from April to October! She did great! Her tension was perfect throughout the blanket. Caleb cried when he saw the blanket! A treasure for sure! My mama Kimi would have been sooo impressed!

Caleb, Gina and Myself with the blanket

The whole blanket!

Huntington Beach Shower

2013-01-01T13:40:00.000-08:00

On Dec 3rd (I'm so behind on updating) My friend Christen and I were blessed with a joint shower from our church community. Lori, Marilyn, Heather, Monica and Cayce helped put together a beautiful shower at Lori's house. We were showered with lots of fun gifts and giggles. I loved every second of the shower with my sweet friend Christen. We got a couple matching outfits for our boys which makes me SOOOO excited! I LOVE matching babies! :) Christen had her baby on the 23rd of December, and Jack has a couple more weeks of "cooking" before he enters the world! :)

Here are some pics from the night.

The group of girls

Group of girls getting cray.

Christen, Pamela and Myself (minus the dutchess)

Tracy, Pamela, Me and Christen in order of due date

our lovely hostesses, Cayce, Lori, Heather, Marilyn, Christen, me and Monica

Having fun at the shower!