Ultrasound photos and our baby is a...

I am 20 weeks along in the pregnancy and we were blessed to have an ultrasound today to find out if this wee one is a boy or girl.

Turns out ,

 When she is born that puts us at 5 girls and 1 boy! It is going to be so fun pulling out all the cutesy baby girl clothes again. And, the bright side is I also have a baby boy still. I can mug on that little guy all I want and he will still be my baby boy!

 Large Left photo is of her face. See the chubby baby cheek? The cord is blocking view of the other side of her face. 

On the other side, starting with the small squares, (top left  square ) She looks like a thumb sucker! 

Photo on top right, also looking like a thumb sucker. 

Bottom  left small square, She yawned, It was so cute to see! Her eyes are open and she looks bright eyed and bushy tailed! (kinda looks funny in this pic but I love it anyways)

Bottom right, I chose to share this because she seems to be doing the hand sign language of "I Love you" . 

She was so active. She moved her hands up and down. She yawned and blinked. She kicked and squirmed. It was such a fun ultrasound especially since all of us were there to see. The kids loved it and are so excited. Sophie kept saying "aww. She's so cute. I'm so excited to have a baby sister!" 

Thank you to all who have expressed your excitement and congrats. We are super excited and know this is the path the Lord has for us. I cannot wait to hold another baby girl in my arms! She is meant to be with us! 

Have an awesome week! 

 

Baby #6. A bit about this pregnancy so far.

A few days ago I announced to friends on Instagram and Facebook that we are expecting! We are very excited for this new sweet little baby. We do not know yet if it is a boy or girl but find out on May 7th. We have names picked out for each. That has usually been the hard part but this go around not so much.

This is the longest I have ever gone without me telling friends on the blog, facebook etc about being pregnant. Usually I tell right away. People who we associate with daily knew earlier because either I mentioned it or the kids did. I decided I better get some stuff written down on the blog about this pregnancy before I forget the details.

So, it has been a crazy past 7 months. I was pregnant in late October and miscarried the baby around week 9 in December. This was horrible and I wish miscarriages upon no one. I felt the whole time that I was still pregnant and that I possibly miscarried a twin and still had another baby in me. My hormones were wack and never felt like they went back to normal. I cried all the time and felt so sad for no reasons excitement for things I normally got excited about. Somedays I found myself just sitting and staring and not interested in anything.We had a great Christmas and a fun Birthday for Sophie and New Years but amidst all of that I just felt horrible. I was not myself through the holidays and did not have alot of energy to do just about anything. The stress of wanting things to go as I had planned or wished was too much.

Around February I suspected still I was pregnant and decided to get in to the Drs again and see what was going on. Before that I took a test and it came up positive. At my appointment with my midwife we really had no idea how far along I was or if it was a twin from the miscarriage etc. The only way to know was to have an ultrasound. The ultrasound revealed a cute little baby about 7 weeks along. I was indeed pregnant again! No wonder my hormones never went back to normal and I felt so out of balance. 

Before it was confirmed I had known through my typical pregnancy symptoms that I was. I am always sensitive to smells, nauseous, and just "weird". It became so horrible around week 10, Throwing up most days 4 times a day. For months this was going on. I went weeks, except for Sundays without makeup. Probably looked like a mess when I got the kids at school. Many days I was so sick Daniel would be sweet to get them or drop them off for me. I could hardly keep anything down yet I needed food in my stomach constantly to keep myself from getting too sick.

Anything and everything made me sick.

Things that made me gag and throwup: 
 (I still get nauseous but thankfully have not thrown up in a week 1/2)

• anything hot, steamy or anything super cold. (opening the fridge or freezer, steam from the shower or going in the bathroom when my kids were bathing)

•  The heater or air conditioner in the car.

• The blow of air coming from the ceiling right when you walk in a walmart or some grocery stores
• Walmart (in general. many days I got so sick just thinking about going in I'd have to get back in the car and go home or to a different store much further away)

• smell of my trash bags 
• hugs, touches, anyone close to me . SO SO hard on my family and hubby. I still get very claustrophobic but don't gag now. 
• kissing, gag. hated being close period. 
• The smell of my closet. No matter what I did to fix it. It just bugged me. 
• looking at a toilet could send me over the edge, so, public restrooms were a no go. 

Foods I have craved and obsessed over :

• Cherry Tomatoes (ate one pack every 4 days alone) Seriously. I popped them like candy until about a week ago.
• Banana Peppers. YUM! Still obsessed. 
• Water Water Water. I have never drank so much water. So good for me anyways but seriously, I cannot get enough of it. 
• Juice. Particularly, Orange Juice. 
• Eggs. Probably not good for me but I have LOVED and have eaten almost everyday one egg, fried in olive oil and put on top of toast. So good. (this is really the only time I have loved bread this pregnancy. only with an egg. only like this. Any other way it has tasted yuk to me) 
• No sweets. No chocolate. yuk. Just one week I craved Sour Patch kids. I ate a whole bag on my own in a week and then that's it. No more. Haven't wanted candy since. 
• Everynow and then I still want a rootbeer float. Always will be my favorite. 
• Carrots and Onions. LOVE this. Sauteed in Olive oil. Cooks so sweet. 
• Pretty much any vegetable and a few fruits have been what I have lived off of the past 18 weeks. 

I feel so far this is the healthiest pregnancy I have had as far as foods go. Usually I crave burgers, fries, or Thai peanut sauce chicken, pasta etc. Nope. Not this time. Just want as much veggies as possible.

I had only gained 3lbs by week 17 which was good considering how sick I was. My midwife said it was enough and not to worry about it. I certainly am not. I do feel that my face thinned out a bit and lots a bit of water weight but not sure.

I felt the baby move for the first time around week 16. I feel some movement everyday. I LOVE that. Such a miracle.

Well, that's all I can think of for now. Just wanted to make sure I got these little details jotted down before they blend with the previous pregnancy's and I forget.

I hope you have a great day! Thanks for reading if you stopped by!

Hugs to all,
 

Hello! We are alive!

Our 12 yr Anniversary Dinner date at Jasohs

Wow! It has been a long time! It is so hard to jump back into the blog. I have thought about what to post so many times. I have even sat down a few times and started writing. It reminds me of when I was big into scrapbooking. The further "behind" I felt the harder it was to get started. I have heard friends say they are " SO behind" on their blogging and I never really related. My blogging has never been specific to documenting events with the kids etc. I have blogged about whatever pulls at my heart, whatever I am excited about at the time. 

This unplanned blogging break has been weird. I would love to fill you in on what our family has been up to but I feel it too overwhelming to start that. So for now, I say HI! I will blog little bits here and there but want to feel no pressure to get it all. Many of you are friends with us and have followed us on Instagram or facebook so you probably don't need a lengthy update..thank goodness! 

A few  updates for fun:

As of today we now have a 10 year old, an 8 year old, a 71/2 year old, a 3 year old, and our little Man Mr. T is 18 months old in just a week or so! (that means I get to drop him off at church nursury!Yay!)   

We have been in Utah now for 3 1/2 years! Time flies when you are having fun! We love it here. We have formed some amazing friendships and have a blast. The kids miss living near Grandma and Grandpa tons though. I do too. Utah is such a family oriented place. So many people have large amounts of extended family living close by. I think this is wonderful but sometimes I think a few people should get out of town and experience life outside Utah. Just for a little adventure. 

We have stopped homeschooling this year for the time being. I will always support homeschooling, Defend it and always feel a part of the homeschooling community. Maybe one day we will homeschool again. I hope so. Just for now we feel it best to go this route. The kids have been in school 3 days a week and have homeschool 2 days a week. Though, one of those days we enrolled them in an all day program where they take lots of great classes with other homeschoolers in the community.

 Examples of classes for that day that my girls have taken or currently are taking are: Bitty Broadway, Science Lab, American Sign Language,Violin, Guitar, Fencing, poetry, Cooking, Musical Theater, Lego robotics, Super Heroes(about amazing people in history), Square Dance/Line Dance  etc. It has been a wonderful program and is free! Such a blessing for them to take these classes and help us hone in more on what talents they have and would like to pursue/strengthen. Next year we plan for them to take a full 5 day schedule. I will miss the homeschool extra curricular classes but know this is what is best for them at the moment. (more on that another post)

Olea turned 8 recently which for our faith was a very exciting time. She was baptized! She was so happy to have that blessing in her life and looked beautiful in her Baptism dress/s. We had a bunch of family come in town for it too. I loved that! It was such a special weekend to remember. I am grateful for the friends and family who came to her Baptism. 

Tobin got his first buzz cut! (sorry for the messy nose)

Tobin is a HUGE climber. He is a winner and if he wants to get to something he will figure out a way. Though frustrating right now, I know this character trait will be a blessing to him later in life. His favorite schemes are to pull any little tub, box, toy etc tall enough to use as a step stool up to our green media dresser. He is a little obsessed with Daniels phone. Have to keep a close watch on him! He is fast. Today he pulled a #10 can filled with dry milk up to my hutch and started grabbing my vintage dishes his little monkey fingers could reach. He likes to climb on our kitchen chairs, and onto the table to do a a little dance or to climb in a highchair that is connected to the table. If he is not climbing he is in my cupboards pulling stuff out in the kitchen, in the bathroom fishing in the toilet, or in the oldest 2 gals room getting into the game closet. Somedays he is non stop and I just have to buckle him in his highchair or put him in his crib for little breaks. Do you know how I stay sane through it? He is the sweetest little baby ever. Says "dank you" all the time to everyone. He gives kisses with huge sucked in cheeks in fish face mode all the time. He snuggles me (only for a few seconds) long enough to refill his tank and just started saying "yuah mam" (yes mam) to me!   

Our Dapper boy complete with a fish kiss

 I LOVE and adore all my kiddos and am so thankful I get to be their mommy. It is so fun to have an almost teenager (she is very proud of this fact) and so fun to have a baby around and all the ages in between. They are all so different and unique. They keep us laughing and praying.

I have an Instagram account if you would like to follow me there for daily pictures. My profile name is momentsbyjl . I will share a few photos I have access to easily today below taken by Daniel or I. Hope you are well! Please if you stopped by, leave me a comment to say hello so I can say hello back! Thanks!

Hugs! 

The kids in their Christmas outfits. A little photoshoot at Union Station

Silly pic!

They love their camping chairs.

Count your Blessings

I have been cleaning throw up off the carpet in Anakha's room for the past hour 1/2.. It was a crime scene for sure. She woke up and had no notice of the coming event. We had spaghetti and choc.pudding dirt dessert for FHE treat. Yup. DIS-GUS-TING!

I was mad. I am tired of our family passing this uck bug around. Out East we rarely got the flu. Maybe one or 2 of us got it once a year. Since moving here we have gotten sick every few months. I am so done with it. I am exhausted with laundry piling up in general and then add this mess in every 6 weeks or so and it is too much.

As she was showering and I looked at the mess I had ahead of me I just started to cry. I went in the living room and cried and prayed. I wanted this bug, flu, bacteria, whatever it was to be gone. Tobin has suffered for a week now with every diaper blowouts, fever, and throw up as well. I wanted to know what I could do to keep it away and how to clean up the mess properly.

I have been told and know to disinfect, clean, freshen the house with fresh air, open windows, clean clean clean. Everything.walls, doorknobs beds, chairs, carpets etc. But somehow this bug is lurking. Or we just keep getting it out of the house. While cleaning the mess, mad a crying, the words to a hymn often sung in our church came to mind. Before I went back to bed I felt the need to share it here with you.

I guess even though my hardships of this horrible bug may seem just too much to me, I really can feel the Lords hand reminding me how many blessings I have in our life.
So, this is me wishing you the ability to remember your blessings despite any difficulties or annoyances Life may throw at ya today.Happy Tuesday!  And now , I sleep.

Count Your Many Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

[Chorus]
Count your blessings;
Name them one by one.
Count your blessings;
See what God hath done.
Count your blessings;
Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings;
See what God hath done.

2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings; ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.
Count your many blessings; money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.

4. So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged; God is over all.
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Text: Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1856–1922

Music: Edwin O. Excell, 1851–1921

signing off. at good ol' 3:41 am. nightnight.

Our Family Photos

In the Spring we were privileged to have our family photos taken by Remi Stoneman. We met her many years ago when she was a missionary for our church back east. Remi has since been married, has had two beautiful babies and has a successful business as a photographer. I love how fresh and clean her images were and worked it out so we could get photos done by her when she was in town for a film workshop. She is switching to film so we agreed to have the session in film. I am not sure if you remember but film is not an easy task. No previews, no cheating. Its all about light and proper settings. She did amazing! So here today I want to share with you a few of my favorites!

We ordered the largest possible resolution so we can have them printed the size of our wall if we wanted. Of course I won't print them that large but I do plan on a very large print for our living room. and a few large ones for possibly our hallway. I am beyond excited!

she would never keep her hair all cute. But I adore this photo!

I think this is the one I want super big for above our sofa. It will need to be cropped up top a bit but will look awesome!

photos credit : Remi Stoneman