Baby Update!

Throughout the beginning of this pregnancy, I felt like time was DRAGGING!  Maybe it had to do with the fact that we were stuck in a polar vortex all winter, or something, but now that it is July, I can't believe that we are just a month away from meeting this kid!

I already feel sorry for the little guy, as I have been barely able to keep up with everything going on with the other two kids this summer, so I have been terrible at documenting this pregnancy.  Things are just going along well, though.  I am now technically 8 months (by my terms...I think everyone considers themselves at different stages based on weeks or whatever...I just go by my due date, and take every month on the 16th as another month...get it?).

I have been feeling pretty great.  Honestly, my lower back pain doesn't seem as bad this time around as it did with Miley and Landon.  Maybe it is due to the fact that I am still really active, and getting to the gym about 3 times a week, or maybe I am just too busy to notice!  Either way, I will take it.

I thought that I would gain about the same amount of weight this pregnancy that I did with Landon, but considering the fact that I started about 15 pounds less than I did with Landon, I thought I would end up at least 10 pounds less than I was when I had him.  Well, it looks like my body just has a happy pregnancy weight, and I am on track to end up at the same end point, which means I gained more weight!  How unfair is that?  I am hoping since I have been running more this pregnancy, and kind of had figured out how to get my weight in check before I got pregnant, it will come off a little easier this time, but who knows.

We are getting ready to head out for Cameron's family reunion in Wisconsin.  My doctor didn't really want me traveling past 32 weeks, but she said if everything looked ok at my appointment right before, that she would give me the go ahead.  Well, of course, baby boy's heart was slower than she would have liked, so I had to do a non-stress test before I got the all clear.  That was a little freaky...I have never had that done with either of my other kids, so it was all new to me.  They hooked me up to a monitor to check my contractions and his heart rate, and I had a button I had to press everytime he moved.  Basically, they wanted to see his heart have accelerations every time he moved, and they wanted to see at least 3 in a 20-minute time frame.  He was still a little sluggish at first, so they had be drink some juice, and then stuck a vibrator thing on my stomach to kind of freak him out.  Poor kid!  Well that got him moving, and everything looked ok, so I got the all clear to go to the reunion.

I am definitely starting to feel ready to have him, even though I know life is going to be a bit uncomfortable again with a newborn!  I feel like I have a handle on life right now...we are in a good routine, it isn't too hard to get around with 2 kids, etc.  I know that having a baby can throw all that off for a long time!  But hopefully we settle in soon, and get adjusted to our new "normal!"

We are sure looking forward to meeting the little guy!!

And now for some belly pics....yikes.  Can't believe how big I am getting in just a span of a couple months!

6 months...

7 months...

8 months...

4th of July Fun!

This year for the 4th of July, we were able to spend the day with Katie and Jarett, Cameron's niece and her husband who recently moved to Minnesota.  We have been having so much fun hanging out with them.  We love that they live here now!

We decided to go to Minnehaha Falls this year.  I can't believe that in the 7 years we have lived here, we have never been to this beautiful park right in the middle of the city!  It was fun to hike around the waterfall, and eat lunch at the little seafood place they have there.  The weather was beautiful...we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day!

After we left the falls, we had to stop at Nelson's for ice cream.  Nelson's is seriously the best ice cream place ever!  The flavors are amazing, and you get HUGE portions for really cheap....the picture below is a double scoop!

We were all pretty worn out after the full day out, so we went home and grilled for dinner that night.  When it was almost dark we lit off some fireworks in our driveway!  It was a great 4th....relaxing, warm, and fun!  Couldn't ask for a better day! 

She's Six!

Today, our (not so) little Miley turned six!

The week leading up to her birthday was very busy, since we had Ben staying with us.  About a month or so before her birthday, I had asked her if she wanted to do her first real friend party this year or have a low-key family thing instead.  To my surprise, she chose to have the low-key family party.  Since that was what she wanted, I decided that we would take a girls day to the Mall of America to go to the American Girl store.  We brought Katie with us, and it was so much fun to just do something special to celebrate my girl.  I let her pick out a couple things for her doll, Julie, then we ate lunch at the bistro.  She picked out a pet bunny, and an ice skating outfit.  She was thrilled.  :)

The next day we were able to open presents, go to church, then have her birthday dinner.  She requested tacos and princess cupcakes, so that is what she got!  I love how simple everything was her birthday weekend, but she was still so happy.  I am happy to hold onto the simple parties for now, because I know before long she will be wanting those friend parties!

Miley has grown up so much.  She is so much more independent, and is such a great big sister to Landon.  I know she will be a huge help when her new little brother is born also.  She is such a go-getter, and if she puts her mind to something she is determined to accomplish it.  She is a little performer (as we learned this year with dance) and will get up in front of a crowd without thinking twice about it.  She loves dance, reading, riding her bike, playing with her friends, jumping on the trampoline, swimming, and being around people.  We is such a fun personality and I don't know what our family would be like without her.

Happy 6th birthday, sweet girl!  

Summer Fun!

Summer vacation started right off with a bang this year.  We have stayed very busy for the first couple weeks of summer, but we are loving just getting to be outside and have fun!

We took the kids to a Twins game.  The game was supposed to start at 7:00, but they had a "rain delay" (there was actually no rain, just the threat of lightening), so it didn't actually start till about 8:15 or so.  We also found out that there were fireworks after the game, and we had promised our kids we could stay to watch them.  After all was said and done, the fireworks didn't start till after 11 pm, and we didn't end up getting home till around 12:30 am!  Needless to say, our kids were exhausted, but despite the delays, they had a great time and were troopers staying up that late!

Then, the week of June 15th-21st, Don and Cindy went on a trip to Mexico, so Ben came to stay with us for the week.  Our kids thought it was so great to have him here, and he was such a huge help to me as well!  We stayed very busy.  In between my kids swimming lessons we went to Camp Arbor, a kids event that our local mall holds every week.  The kids were able to plant a flower and get their faces painted there.  We did a few days at the park, sometimes with a picnic lunch.  On the one rainy day, we went and bought some perler beads, and the kids sat all day and did that.  It was great!  On Saturday, we went to the county fair.  The kids each rode a few rides, and they got to hold the cutest baby bunnies!  It was a fun week, but we were on the go, and this 7-month pregnant mama was feeling a little tired by the end of it.  :)

With as fast as these first couple weeks have gone, summer is going to fly by, and before I know it, it is going to be time for the kids to go back to school again!

Kindergarten Is In the Books

I cannot believe that Miley's first year of "real" school is over!  It has been a whirlwind of a month, with all the visitors, and my trip, and dance stuff, so it seems to have really snuck up on me.

They kept the last couple weeks of school pretty fun for the kids.  One day, I got to go in to her class for a "Reading Cafe" where they were able to demonstrate their reading skills to us in a restaurant format.  They has made menus of books to choose from for them to read to us, and they were dressed up as little waiters.  It was so cute, and it was so fun for me to have that special time with Miley.

The last day of school was Thursday, June 5th.  Of course, we had to get the obligatory last day of school pictures, and the comparison picture of the first day to the last day.

It has been a great year, but we are looking forward to a fun-filled summer!  I just can't believe that Miley will be in first grade and gone all day next year!