Whoops...I got pregnant.

Unlike my title insinuates - we actually got pregnant on purpose...

But whoops...I stopped blogging because I got pregnant!

I just looked at when my last post was and what it was about and it was literally probably 3 days later that the pregnancy "hit" me. We actually found out the day before Josh's birthday in September and we were absolutely thrilled. It was such good news in the midst of lots of hard news we had in late August/early September.

Then I felt horrible. I mean, I'm sure it wasn't Princess Kate having to go to the hospital horrible, but WAY worse than I recall with Noelle. I was tired more than anything I remember with Noelle. I could barely get out of bed, and just wanted to sleep all day. On top of that the nausea was horrible. I didn't want to eat anything and of course we all know, the less you eat the worse you feel. All I did was try to think of something I wanted to eat and that process was horrible because you inevitably think of something and that food suddenly makes you feel nauseous.

After a few weeks of suffering I tried the vitamin B6 and Unisom combo I had read so much about on the internet, and it actually helped quite a bit. It definitely made food more appealing, but I still had my strong gag reflex (had it with Noelle too) that could make eating quite difficult. I definitely have thrown up way more with this kiddo - 2 to 3 times more than I did with Noelle. It hasn't been excessive but for me, throwing up is torture, so it's been rough.

Mostly I have been so exhausted that I have just been trying to get through this pregnancy as much as possible.

Then life got even more complicated! At the end of October, Josh and the rest of the staff at Quest was notified that we would need to make significant staffing cuts. After a 3 week process where people we know, love, and trust really sought God and tried to discern the best plan for our church, we were notified that Josh was being let go. We were not surprised and we were ready to head into the next season for our family.

From the end of November until today in late January, we have had such a healing and sweet time as a family. Josh and I have spent so much more time together and we have had so much family time with Noelle. Our relationships with each other have grown deeper and stronger and we are so grateful for the extra time we have had together.

Josh has started out as a freelancer for now and we feel this is the best plan for our family at the moment. We've seen lots of opportunities so far and have not had to go without so far...even though we are just now entering the end of our severance pay. I don't question that we will have everything we need, when we need it!

Ok enough with the life catch up. Most of you who might read this know all this any way because you see me - but for those of you far away, there are the brief details.

So, now I'm nearly 23 weeks in and haven't shared anything much about this pregnancy. So here are the answers to the standard questions that we pregnant folk tend to get pretty standardly :)

Are you excited it's a boy?
Absolutely! Though I am a bit bummed I don't get to use the magnificent cute mounds of girl clothing I have from Noelle, we are thrilled it's a boy. One of each is so awesome, and I am confident that Noelle is going to love her little brother. This will be a huge adventure to me, as I grew up in a house where my dad and the cat were the only boys! Pretty much by 12 weeks I was pretty convinced he was a boy, so I wasn't surprised when my "mother's intuition" was correct for the 2nd time :)

Any names yet?
We haven't decided on any names and are terrible at trying to figure it out this go round. We will tell when we know the full name - so feel free to make a suggestion and put in your two cents!!

Any cravings?
I always have the fleeting cravings at random, but mostly I am eating all the same stuff that I did with Noelle. Lots of fruits and lots of fresh veggies. I have noticed that I want meat a bit more than Noelle (especially red meat) and I have a very odd love of fruit roll ups.

Does Noelle understand?
Yes, and not totally. Thanks to my friend Rachel being 10 weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy, Noelle learned about a "baby in there" from Rachel's daughter Meaghan (who is 10). So she is excited that there is a "baby in there" and loves to mention it but she doesn't quite comprehend that it's a boy. She does call him "baby brother" right now, but we're not sure that means very much to her.

Are you doing a new nursery?
Nope - I went neutral with Noelle for this very purpose. I intend to use the same stuff and the same room for baby brother. Noelle is being upgraded to the "guest room" and they will have their own rooms.

When are you actually due?
The doctor is keeping it at May 28, 2015...though according to the first 2 ultrasounds it should be May 26, 2015. So I have decided to go in between those two dates, and tell people he is due on Noelle's birthday (May 27). We'll see if he is like his big sister and waits to come out late...hopefully not 10 days like her...or if he wants to be funny and come early. I just think May is a wonderful month to have a baby :)

Hopefully I'll get some more blogs in now that my energy levels are going back up. This next week we will be doing some home re-organization while my parents are in town as we prepare for an extra human living in our little home. The nesting has begun!!

The Next Level

If you follow me on instagram you probably have noticed the potty training posts. We started potty training the second week of September, and it hasn't been the easiest or the hardest thing in parenting. I would mostly describe it as annoying. Mostly annoying because I haven't felt like I can go about my life normally until she gets this one down pat.

I kind of went with a modified version of the 3 day potty training method. We had pants off and basically I watched her like a hawk the first two days to try and catch her going so that I could sit her on the potty. By day 3 we had some mild success but then our schedule got busy so we weren't quite as focused for 4 days. We started back up the following week and she was peeing and pooping like a champ at home. I will say I introduced candy rewards that day, and it really helped!

Then we were doing great at going potty at home with minimal accidents but we remained pants off.  I was doing pull ups out and about because they weren't short trips, and if she wasn't with me no one would have known to take her to the bathroom. You can't ask Noelle, "do you need to go potty?" - the answer will always be no right now. So I don't ask, I take her to sit on it and remind her that if she makes peepies then she gets candy. It works some of the time.

Then I noticed she seemed to HATE going to the bathroom outside of the home. She really really protested. If I had a pull up on her though she wouldn't go on the toilet and she would conveniently wait until I was driving to mention "potty" and by then it was too late...into the pull up it went. Sigh.

So I was telling my mom friends about the situation who have successfully potty trained one or more. They told me I have to rip the band aid off. No more pull ups while out and about. Time for the real deal, and if she makes a mess - well then I just have to have back up clothing. That is the only way she is going to get it. Yikes.

It was scary to me because I don't want to set her up to fail! And yet, for her to learn control, there has to be some failing (and some being upset about failing). It's a hard reality, and seriously very minor in the big scheme of things, but as parents we have to let our kids fail sometimes. It's the only way they will become who they were meant to be - we just have to love them through the whole process.

So we are doing it. And I will be doing more laundry possibly. But who knows - maybe by the end of October we will be done with most of the messes!! A mom can dream, right?

Next on the list is the crib to bed transition. That one doesn't scare me as much as the end of sleep time pacifiers. I keep thinking once THIS milestone is reached, then it will be super easy....oh wait - except there will always be another milestone. And I'm learning that mostly, parenting doesn't get easier...maybe after she's 18. We'll see :)

Where are you Moon?

A few months ago, Josh taught Noelle where the moon was in the sky. She would love it when she saw it in the daytime, and was always so excited to point it out.

Since it has been getting darker earlier these days, she has started looking for it at night as well. I don't know why she is so obsessed at finding the moon, but she is...and it is totally endearing. I kind of get it - the moon is really cool and I have always been fascinated with the stars.  She is just taking it to another level though.

I wanted to distract her one night earlier this month when we were leaving a restaurant and she didn't want to go. So I told her maybe we will see the moon! Well, the moon was late in rising that night. And let me tell you, Noelle was pretty upset about it. She was literally weeping because she couldn't find the moon. She cried all the way home for it, poor thing.

And now every time it is dark out side and she is awake she is on a mission to find that moon. If you were not aware, we recently had a new moon, so there was much disappointment that she couldn't find it. Sometimes I can convince her it is behind clouds, but she wasn't having it.

Then last night we got our sliver of moon back, and Noelle saw it as we left church. The moon wasn't very high though, so it continually disappeared on the car ride home. I managed to catch her asking for the moon. I know I am driving. I know it is very very very wrong to film and drive, but she only does this in the car!!!!! I promise it was a very quiet road and no one was endangered from the making of this moon video.

Please enjoy her search for the moon :)

Some New Favorites...

So back on my old blog - ONE time I listed out some of my favorite things. I had no idea at the time, but apparently that is a "blog" thing to do.

So I thought I would share a few new favorites in case you needed to add value to your life!

In no particular order...

Clorox Foaming Bleach 

I know - it's just bleach. But my father in law changed my cleaning life with this product. We have an old bathroom (well, old tile in a bathroom). And even though our old tile is in beautiful shape, we battle the mildew in the grout. I did everything I could think of over the last 4 years to keep that tile as clean as possible. I just assumed it had to be re-grouted or something. I pretty much had given up. Then one visit Gary came and cleaned my bathroom to love on me...and he introduced me to Clorox Foaming Bleach. My life was changed. I couldn't have been more grateful for such a beautiful shower again restored to it's former glory! I've also found some other uses for it since I have a white kitchen sink now. It is a beautiful product. Because it is foamy it sits there long enough to do it's job. If you need nice clean tile, grab you some of this!

Maybelline the Falsies Mascara

Let me just say this, mascara is personal and what is great on one person will suck on another. If you have long eyelashes already, and you like a natural bristle mascara brush (not a plastic one) then this mascara will be so wonderful for you! I LOVE it - and it stays on for me all day, no flaking or yuckiness. I have tried some higher-end mascaras, and they have not even come close to this drugstore miracle worker!

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

I got this as a splurge with my birthday money. I ended up with the coral color and pretty much I want to wear it every day. I am a huge chapstick fiend, but in my old age my lips are not as colorful as they used to be. In the olden days I could put on chapstick and it was all I needed to look put together after my makeup. Nowadays, not so much. I had been on the hunt for the perfect chapsticky feeling lip product that had beautiful color. This is it! Love it, and am now considering what color should be added to my collection next!

Not Your Mother's Sea Salt Spray

This is how I get my beachy waves. My hair is not naturally wavy - it is naturally not fully straight but not actually wavy/curly.  My sister recommended this product to me and I love it. It is affordable and it works! I can use it on damp hair, and I use it the next day after I have slept on my hair in braids to "refresh" it. Very affordable, and smells like coconut. Very yummy!

Noelle - 28 months

I know I am rounding up because she won't be 28 months until the END of the month, but it's close enough in my book. I keep thinking each age is so much fun, and then she just gets more fun. I believe I might keep saying that until she is 13 and then all the poop hits the fan, right?

But seriously, 2 has been really really fun. Sleep is good, though with eating we have some pickiness it is still relatively simple, she has a longer attention span, plays well with others, and is downright hilarious. This kid picks up so many funny things from what people around her do and say (it's a good reminder that our children are SPONGES) and overall she is sheer delight to us and so many others.

Every day she is saying something new or doing something new. And she loves loves loves learning new things. We are in the potty training process and it hasn't been super simple, but I think we've fully committed her to this transition now. She's made progress and shown that she is capable and ready. But during the process I told her "great job!" and Now everything is "great job!" So cute.

CC and G were here last week and took some great photos of her that capture her sweet nature. Enjoy!!

The child is serious about her coloring.

No, Seriously. We color every. single. day. Multiple times a day.

Cheesing for the camera and looking FAR too old.

Life Update - I Love My Church

So, yeah. I managed to not post ONE time in August. There you have it people. That just about sums up August in my opinion!

I felt the need to get any distant family/friend readers out there up to speed. And by distant I mean you check my blog because you are literally far away. This isn't for facebook and isn't meant to generate any attention whatsoever (I'm actually on a facebook fast at the moment). It is more to update those who love me and might know (or might not know) what has been going on.

On September 2 we received news that drastically changed our lives in the fact that it drastically changed our church. I am not here to give details, you are welcome to read the statement on our church website (www.questcommunity.com)

Let me sum it up for you: Our lead pastor and executive pastor are no longer pastors of our church. It was not for good reasons, and it is a very difficult situation.

That being said, we have never been more in love with our church, and the capital "C" church than we are right now.

These are two people and their families that I love and care about. I am confident that Jesus will heal them and their families, and I am hopeful for their futures and the plans God has for them. That is all I have to say about them.

If you know what I did for my former pastor and how I supported him in his ministry, you might wonder - how am I doing? I am sad, I am disappointed, but I am doing so very well at the same time. Nothing has shaken my joy - and somehow, somehow... Jesus gave me a heads up that times were changing - not that I ever expected this, but He got me ready. God has tended me and cared for me so personally during this time - and I am so grateful.

But mostly I am grateful for my church. This situation is the type of stuff that church splits are made of. It's where you see some churches fall apart and never recover. But I have witnessed a miracle in these days as our church has gotten closer, loved more, and lived in more hope than I have ever seen before. It is hard to describe, but if you live nearby and are reading this - then just come and see! I promise you I am not making this up. I am convinced that if you walk through the doors of Quest Community Church you will be overwhelmed by love and hope right now...against all odds it is so true!! Even if you don't live nearby you can watch online and I believe you will experience the same.

This is a horrible thing to have gone through but God is and always will be greater. He will finish what He started and bring healing and hope by the truckloads in the process!! The best days are ahead! And out of my favorite bible chapter...

Isaiah 43:18-19a - But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun!

Cuter by the second!

Noelle does something unbelievably cute every day I think. Probably much more than once a day, but at least each day it seems to be something new and cute that she hasn't done before.

I think her official first sentence is "I got you!" Mostly from playing lots and lots of games of trying to catch her.

She is recently obsessed with carrying her blanket around and trying to wear it. I think this is partly my fault since I am almost always sitting or walking around with a blanket, and also the fact that she likes to pretend it is a dress.

Being coy and snuggly

Just surveying the yard with her blanket.

She likes to dress up in other things too - like the poncho! She thought it was so fun to wear it, and even started calling it a "tent" at one point.

Ponchos are cheap fun!

Everything looks pink...

Mama, how does this work?!

Poncho model in the making

She also is so very attached to all her stuffed animals. This past week it was Mr. Peanut ("Peanut") and a baby My Little Pony doll ("Pony"). And for whatever strange reason, she associates them together. So when I asked her if she wanted to go for a walk, she grabbed Pony & Peanut and asked if they could come along. We got some strange looks along the way, but she was happy to have her buddies on the walk with her.

Pony & Peanut

She is mixing up her pronouns now, which is extremely common for toddlers. There is lots of "hold you" when she wants to be picked up. And I just realized she also says "down?" when she wants to get on a chair and also when she wants to get off of it.

She so sweetly will call for me to come play with her or color with her. She make her voice really high & gentle and says, "C'mon Mama, coolioo?" or "C'mon Mama, go play?"  Lately she has even been asking me to dance on occasion which would be so fun if she didn't constantly want me to spin around. Old people get dizzy fast!

And whenever she is looking for something or knows that I am looking for something, she calls out to it. This is something I taught her along the way - though it wasn't intentional. But I LOVE it when she does it. She might know that I am looking for my keys and so she will walk around as if she is searching for them and say "KEY! WHERE ARE YOUUUUUU? Oh KEY?!?" Sometimes she is looking for something on her own, maybe her Ariel doll, and I hear her in her room...."ARIEL! WHERE ARE YOUUUUUUU? ... THERE SHE IS!"

2 is turning out to be super cute and I know it is only to get cuter as she adds to her vocabulary and is able to communicate exactly what that precious mind is thinking!