And three become Four!

I have put off even making contact with the blogging world because we are adding one more to our family! Logan and I had talked about adding one more to our family and Logan knew immediately we were ready, I however wasn't there yet, so I prayed and prayed for a confirmation that our family would become four and one day I had an overwhelming feeling that Heavenly Father was telling me it's time, your family is ready and your little one is ready to meet you. I of course was so excited to see one of my prayers answered I told Logan that night that we could now add one more. We found out I was pregnant in February and wanted to keep quiet about it until I was further along. We told our immediate family but asked them to wait to tell anyone else, in case the worse was to happen. I was feeling awfully sick up until I was 13 weeks, the first trimester always takes a toll on my body! I even put off my first appoint with my OB (with #1, James, we were in the Doctors office once we found out and for the ultrasound he looked like a gummy bear, so we waited so I could see a better image of my baby) I was feeling great beside morning sickness! My first appointment was wonderful! The ultrasound was perfect we were able to see our little one and it actually looked like a BABY! What joy! The Second visit was just as great, listening to a speedy heart rate is so calming! Surprisingly I have been gaining weight at a normally rate that I haven't been asked to calorie overload like I was with James. I have gained 12 pounds and a small belly. I haven't noticed any extra pounds anywhere else and I am hoping it stays that way...

We just had our 20 week check-up, I cannot believe I am already half way through this pregnancy! It really has gone by so fast! I love watching my body change and grow, my belly button is on the verge of popping out. So naturally with 20 weeks none of my pants can even come close to buttoning. My Belly Band is my best friend and the only way I can walk out of the house looking decent. Our Doctors visit was perfect I measure perfectly and the little one is doing wonderful! As for our 20 week ultra sound, we were able to watch our little BOY move and stretch. It was priceless! He stretched just like James did when he was a baby! I loved every minute of watching him.I had a feeling we would have another boy, I just did not want to accept or declare that I knew this pregnancy would not bring a little girl, I have wanted a little girl to pamper and spoil since as long as I can remember. Dresses, flowers and bows are what I have wanted since the mister and I talked about babies. Being the only girl growing up, I knew I always wanted a house full of girls! But obviously the Lord has a different view for my life which I will gladly accept, I love little boys! James is so fun to watch, he is completely one hundred percent boy, it just comes so natural for him and I love being apart of it! Plus I think James would love a little brother! Being able to play with another boy will complete him, he already is a big helper and loves to think he is in charge of everyone. Sometimes when Noah, James's cousin who is three months younger, comes to visit and play, James tells him no when he is getting into something he shouldn't, loves to help even if Noah doesn't need any at all. He thinks because he is older that all of a sudden he is the boss and Noah must follow, thank goodness Noah is a happy little boy who just plays along with James, not knowing what James has planned.

Food has been my best and worst friend this whole pregnancy, I love Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwiches! I cannot go one day without eating at least one, normally two and a peanut butter and honey sandwich as well. I love sour candy, and Mexican food is a big craving! I absolutely hate the smell of cooking chicken, Chinese food and Hamburgers even the sight of one make me a bit queasy  Everything I eat has to have some sort of spiciness added, I add salsa, hot sauce, jalapenos, really anything that will give me more spice I am enjoying completely. If I remember correctly James was the same way, hot wings were my go to food! Oh and anything potatoes also hits the spot and is my go to food when everything else makes me sick.

I absolutely miss having my mom around like I did for my last pregnancy, it was so nice to have an expert around to tell me what to do and not to, plus she always made sure I was eating and drinking whereas now I get so side tracked with James that I will be feeling a bit sick and realized oh my I need to eat now and drink an extra glass of water. I can't believe how easy it is to forget to drink water. I struggle the most with my water intake. We are preparing to see our family in Arizona in a few days I am so excited yet not so excited for the stressful packing and traveling part.

Engagement

{Logan and I at a friends house the moment after he put that beautiful on my finger!}

On the 31st of January 2010, Logan and I were Engaged. He asked me a very special question that changed my life forever! I am so happy that I married such a wonderful man! He is the best thing that has ever happened to me! I love him dearly!

Sleep Training

James is fully sleep trained! I put training him properly for the longest time. I let James make his own schedule, he slept however long and when ever he wanted to. So when we moved into our new apartment and James was weaned and had his very own room, we had the opportunity placed infront of us. Time to train! I looked at a sleeping therapy Facebook page Sleeping Family and read posts from families who had similar sleeping problems and I applied them to James and our schedule. Within a few days we saw progress. First I set a set nap time and routine, one cup of milk before bed, he sleeps with a humidifier and a heater which is used for the noise. Second we worked on our bedtime routine, one cup of milk and a snack. Once again he sleeps with a heater and humidifier, we always say prayers and give his animals kisses and snuggle with his blankets, we say our goodnights turn the lights off and close the door.  If we stick to the same routine he sleeps wonderfully every time. He normally sleeps about 11.5 hours at night and 2.5 during the day, according to Cameron, the sleeping coach from Sleeping Family, he is getting just the right amount of sleep. I don't know why I put off training him for so long. It really wasn't that hard. With him sleeping in his own bed and own room, both Logan and I have been sleeping wonderfully! With our nest baby I will definitely be working on a set schedule as soon as possible!

Take Two

A few weeks ago James was sick and has fully recovered! Thank goodness! Except that I have been sick for the last week, it has been miserable. A sore throat, congestion, coughing, runny nose: I have had to deal with all of the above symptoms. It has been a horrible week and to make it worse James has a runny nose. So we have been quarantined to the house. Although we are recovering, it feels like  it has been forever since I've felt healthy. I am so thankful for priesthood blessings! My wonderful husband was able to give me a blessing on one of my worse days and since then I have been feeling so much better. I love the power of the Priesthood and all the blessings it brings to my family.

Sick days, Ice and Soup

For the last four days little James has had a horrible cough, low fever, little sleep runny nose and puffy eyes. My poor little guy is miserable with a cold! He woke up Saturday with all the symptoms and they have been non stop for him. All he wants to do is play and run around but doesn't have the energy to do anything! I feel so bad for him. We have been so lucky with him, he has probably only been sick 2 other times and we haven't had any ear infections or teething problems. I am so grateful for a healthy baby. Other than James been sick, Logan and I just recently had to buy a new computer. Our last one crashed and was beyond repair so we searched around and found one at a decent price. Thank goodness Logan was able to save all my projects and pictures before such crashing occurred. We are grateful for our new computer, but I still miss our last one.
Have I mentioned how stinking cold Missouri is? Well actually I suppose other places may be just as cold or colder but for me the humidity brings cold down to a new level. In Arizona if it was 10 degrees outside, it was 10 degrees with a low humidity percentage or no percentage at all. Here in Missouri it is 10 degrees and 80 percent humidity so it feels below zero! Humidity and I are not friends. I experienced my first frozen rain just the other night. We went to Logan's Brother's house and when we went inside it was raining and when we walked out it was raining and freezing!! This doesn't happen in Flagstaff! I was shocked at how cold it was and it was still not snowing! I miss Flagstaff weather, I miss the snow, I miss the trees and I miss seeing the Peaks. I hope it snows here soon! Since it has been so cold  have been a soup mood! In the last week we have had soup three times for dinner. I made Homemade Chicken Noodle soup for the first time. I even tried to make my own noodles but they were more like dumplings than noodles. Next time I will be rolling the noodles a lot more thin than I did this time. I also experimented with a Pasta E Fagioli recipe, I love Olive Gardens Soup. So I found a recipe and it was delicious except it was a bit more salty than I like and since I added a little more noodles than needed and they absorbed all my broth. Next time use I know not to add to many noodles and find ways to decrease the salt added. I also made our favorite Taco Soup! It was delicious as always. We have perfected that recipe there were no problems, it tasted just like it should. I have been trying to incorporate new recipes into our family menu, and this last week has been a success! We have had: Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles Olive Garden's Pasta E Fagioli Soup Italian Crock Pot Chicken I linked all the recipes so you can try them too! We loved the Italian Chicken! Well we loved them all and cannot wait for more new recipes to be added to our dinner menu!