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July 25, 2012

INSTAGRAM wednesdays: SNOWBIRD

My grandparents have a timeshare at the Snowbird Resort in Utah.  And they graciously share their accommodations with everyone in the family.  I only managed to take one picture during our visit, but what a beautiful picture it is!


There's something about the daddy/daughter relationship that I just can't put into words.

July 24, 2012

my JOURNEY to BABY #2

A little over three months ago, I started a part-time job.  At the time, Dustin and I had been trying for the better part of a year to get pregnant.  For some reason, I didn't think there was physically anything wrong with either of us.  I guess my intuition let me know it was more about timing than anything else.

I decided to work again because I felt like there was a specific reason why I wasn't getting pregnant.  The most obvious being finances.  Maybe we needed to get a bit more into our savings account before another little one could join our family?  Or, something like that.

A month after I started my job, I was asked about a promotion.  I still had a lot to learn about the job responsibilities, and if I accepted the promotion I wouldn't have been promoted right away but rather trained for a few months until I was really ready.

I talked to my husband about it.  This new job would mean working full-time and putting Isabelle into daycare.  I have nothing against daycare until the majority of my paycheck goes to pay for it, making my job somewhat pointless.

At the end of the day, I just couldn't feel right about.  But I didn't necessarily feel like it was the wrong thing to do either.  I chalked up my feelings to perhaps being nervous about being promoted or feeling like things were moving too fast.

I told my managers that I was interested in the promotion, hoping if I moved forward with things I'd get a clear answer of, "Yes, this is the right thing."  Or, "No, don't accept the job offer."  But, again, I continued to feel hopelessly confused.  There didn't seem to be a clear, cut and dry solution to my dilemma.

Then, one day, I had this thought:

Try one more month to get pregnant.  If it doesn't work, you'll know you should take the job.

It was a very clear and distinct thought, one that I believe to be an answer to my prayers.  I told Dustin about the impression I had been given, and he agreed to try for one more month.  I warned him that I felt very strongly about this and to prepare for me to finally get pregnant.  But, honestly, in the back of my mind I didn't think it would happen.

In early June, a few days before my period was expected to begin, I thought I saw a little pink on my toilet paper.  My heart sank.  I wasn't pregnant.  It was nighttime, so as I climbed into bed I began to sob.  It was the first time I had ever become emotional during the entire time we were trying.  Dustin held me in his arms as I cried, feeling more confused than ever.

But then something weird happened.  My period didn't really start.  To make things more complicated, I needed to make some changes to my seizure medication, and didn't want to if I was pregnant.  So, against my better judgement, I took a pregnancy test.  It was still a day or two before my period was actually suppose to start.  The test looked weird, but it was negative.  It certainly didn't look positive.

I spent the next week on edge, waiting for the dang thing to start.  After all, the test had been negative and I had started to sort of spot days earlier.

Finally, 9 days after my missed period, which just so happened to be on Father's Day, I took another test.  I felt stupid doing so, but I just had to know for certain one way or the other.

And, holy cow, the test was positive!

Now, a little over a month later, I continue to be in awe about our little adventure.  I'm not completely sure why things happened the way they did.  Maybe I'll know when the baby is here.  Maybe I'll never know.  In the end, it doesn't really matter.

...

I'm 11 weeks today.  This pregnancy is kicking my butt.  I feel sick all the time.  The summer heat makes everything worse.  We spend most of our time inside because I have no energy to go out and do anything.  Food is my worst enemy.  Work is no longer fun.  I long to always be at home resting.  I miss my beloved Dr. Pepper.

But, it's totally worth it.


July 23, 2012

MUSIC mondays: FAMILY TREE

One of my very favorite artists is FRANCES ENGLAND.  I have actually featured her before here on MUSIC mondays, but I had to feature her again because of her song FAMILY TREE.

The first time I heard this song, I knew, if I ever had another baby, I'd use it when announcing the pregnancy to my friends and family.

Well, my friends, I was finally able to make that video.  It's one of me talking with Isabelle and asking her if she'd like a baby brother or sister, and then I tell her that a new sibling is one the way!  In the background, the song is playing.  It's just how I imagined it would be!

  I would love to share it on my blog, but don't feel comfortable doing so since it's all Isabelle and I'm not sure I want her out there on the WWW.

Anyway, below is a playlist I managed to find on England's website.  Check out them out!


Oh, and in case there is any confusion, I am pregnant.  Due in Februrary.  More details to come!

July 3, 2012

NO KIDS allowed

Here are a few of my thoughts on businesses that are choosing to be anti-kid.

You want my child to be well-mannered and behaved in a restaurant?  How am I suppose to do that if the only restaurant she's allowed to be in is McDonald's?

You don't want to hear a peep from my daughter during a movie?  I don't want to hear you chomping on your popcorn and looking at your cell phone every five seconds.  Oh, and I also don't want to hear you and your friend discuss the movie, during the movie.

You don't think my child shouldn't be allowed in an airplane?  May I remind you that you were once a child and chances are you rode on an airplane when you were young.  Can you imagine if some bratty flight attendant told you you couldn't go to Disneyland?

...

Intolerance for "kids being kids" is getting to the point of being completely out of control.  I can't teach my child how to be a good child in public if she's not allowed in public.  And, let's not forget how rude, annoying and down right disrespectful adults can be.  

We've all been to a movie when we've wanted to clobber the adult people behind us because they won't shut up.

We've all been to a restaurant where a group of adults are carrying on as if they are the only people on earth.

I get that parents need to control their kids.  I get it.  Believe me I do.

And I don't believe children should be allowed everywhere.  If I ever plan on going to a fancy restaurant, believe me, my daughter will not be in attendance.

But, grocery stores?

Is hearing a child misbehave really that big of a deal in terms of the overall wellness of your grocery shopping experience?

...

To sum things up, how in the world do people expect me to raise a well-rounded, polite, well-behaved, cultured daughter if she's not allowed to go anywhere?

Thoughts?

July 2, 2012

MUSIC mondays: COOKIE JAR

I wouldn't consider myself to be a huge Jack Johnson fan, but his song


is a great, great song. 

It's a pretty straight forward song, in terms of meaning and all of that.  Plus, because of Jack's smooth, easy going style, it's really simple to understand the words as he sings them.



But, just in case anyone is wondering, this song is about "kids killing kids" and personal responsibility.

My favorite line from the song is:

"We only receive what we demand,
and if we want hell then hell's what we'll have."

It's a thinker!

Enjoy!