Today's Doctor's Appointment

I had my appointment with Doctor Gourley this morning and it went great! My blood pressure is still WAY down at 103/72. During my last pregnancy it was 160's/90's at this point. My weight was down from my last visit by a few pounds (thanks to that fantastic loss of appetite) but my abdomen measured two cm larger. The funny thing is that I feel like I am bigger right now than I ever was with Connor, but I am still measuring smaller than I did with him. I also feel like James is bigger than Connor was...not huge, just bigger than four pounds. We'll be finding out soon. My C-Section is officially scheduled for July 25th at 7:30 a.m.

Dr. G. said my loss of appetite was fine, most likely a result of a super-crowded abdomen. He said as long as I take my vitamin's and stay hydrated nothing else really matters. My favorite line was when he asked, "who really needs an appetite anyway?"

So, that's that. I actually do not have another appointment until the 14th of July when I'll receive further instructions for the big day. Until then I'm good to go and if I happen to go into labor or my water breaks between now and then he said that would be just fine. So...here's to hoping!

Marcus' Last Night of Overtime Shifts

Last night was Marcus' last night of overtime shifts. He has been working almost every single night for the last two months. Now he will only need to go in M-Th every week until James' comes! Wahoo!

The best part about his last shift last night was that he didn't even have to work it! When he arrived at PCS another girl showed up hoping to pick up the shift so he gave it to her and came home to me and Connor.

I'm thankful he's had the opportunity to get all of the hours that we needed, but I am now glad it's over.

Pictures from the Happiest Place on Earth

O.K., so I am well aware that the happiest place on earth generally is Disney Land/World, but if you were to ask Connor right now, he would say it is out little neighborhood park. We've been going every night this week (with the exception of last night when our home teachers were here) and it's been a lot of fun for us. It's the perfect time of evening--no one is there, the temperature is extremely comfortable, and we don't have to convince Connor to leave when it's time because it is too dark to stay and he knows it.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of tonight's adventures as well as a video to illustrate his stalling abilities once the "countdown" to leave begins.

Question for Those of You Who Have Been Pregnant Before

This last week I have had a huge loss of appetite. I am not necessarily nauseous or sick, I just do not have much of an appetite anymore. This happened about the same time during my last pregnancy as well, but when I ended up with eclampsia I figured it was linked to that. Well, I have no reason to think I am developing eclampsia again, so I am starting to think this is just what happens to me during my ninth month.

I have looked up "loss of appetite during ninth month of pregnancy" on babycenter and webmd as well as just googling it. I have been surprised to not find other people say the same thing has happened to them (although I have read many things about people who have morning sickness all nine months or who have it at the beginning and the end...this is not me...I do not get morning sickness much at all). Anyway, has this happened to any of you? Surely it cannot be that uncommon!

I have a Dr's appointment this Monday and I definitely plan on asking him about it then...but I'm curious in the meantime.

One Month and Counting!

One month from today James will be delivered (if he isn't already)! WAHOO!

Sesame Street Song: That's How We Got Here

Connor is watching an episode of Sesame Street right now while I'm on the computer. Anyway, I have not been paying attention to what's been going on, but a song that was just on really caught my attention and now I can't stop laughing. I'm not exactly sure why I found it to be so funny (mostly the rabbits) but I did. I googled it and lucky for you, it was on youtube. Enjoy!

"The Big Dirt" and "One More Time"

Tonight Connor was looking out our living room window up at the mountain that is right behind us. He begged us to take him up to it, or as he put it, he wanted to go to the "big dirt". Obviously I was in no mood to go for a hike, so instead we got into our car and drove up to a place in our neighborhood where they have undeveloped home sites (aka a big pile of dirt and rocks with a 50ft. long walking trail at the base of the mountain). Connor was in heaven. We saw grasshoppers, walked around, looked at rocks, and saw the dirt.

When it was time to leave we drove around the neighborhood a little to make the 1 minute drive home a little longer. We noticed that they had recently added a little playground over in the tiny community park and so we stopped at it. It was the PERFECT find for us! Connor loved playing on the slides and swings and Marcus and I enjoyed sitting on the grass in the shade and just watching him have fun. We're planning on going back again tomorrow night, so stay tuned for some pictures.

Oh yeah, the "one more time" story. When it was time to go Connor kept running past us and asking (as cute as could be) "one more time?" Of course we said yes since we were really in no hurry to leave and it would be too dark soon enough anyway. Well, after about 20-30 "one more times" I told Connor he had five more chances to slide and then we really did need to go. Once I said that he said, "OK Mommy" and then proceeded to creep up the stairs as slowly as possible, making sure to even stop on the steps and look through the holes. He creatively found something to do to stall every time he went until he reached his fifth turn down the slide. It was hilarious.

20 Year Tag

20 Years Ago:
1-I was going into Kindergarten at Ephraim Elementary School.
2-I had a horrible "pixie" haircut.
3-I played everyday with my best friend Becky Barlow.

10 Years Ago:
1-I was heading into my Sophomore year at Manti High School.
2-My life revolved around hanging out with my friends.
3-I wrecked my Mom's car when my brother Matt made me drive it even though I didn't even have a learners permit and was completely terrified of learning to drive. Luckily, the accident was deemed not my fault (a truck ran a stop sign and I hit it) and life went on. I didn't get into any trouble...but Matt got a $100 ticket for allowing me to drive.

5 Years Ago:
1-I was a Junior at BYU-Hawaii and I LOVED it!
2-I had a Samoan "local" boyfriend that was TOTALLY not right for me...what was I thinking?
3-I spent the summer working as a counselor for EFY in Idaho and Washington and thought it was the best experience of my life up to that point...and it probably was.

3 Years Ago:
1-Marcus and I were spending our first year married...and we were loving it!
2-I was pregnant with Connor...but didn't know it for a while after conception. Is it possible to really be that naive?
3-I was working at Heritage Residential Treatment Center and it was a great job to have.

1 Year Ago:
1-I was beginning my senior year at UVSC and was taking Social Statistics and Advanced Writing during the summer. Although I was dreading them I ended up loving both classes.
2-Marcus, Connor, and I spent almost every evening outside playing in the "kiddie pools" with some of our neighbors.
3-I got an ipod and the nike+ running gear and loved taking Connor out around the neighborhood in the mornings.

So Far This Year:
1-I was surprised to find out I was pregnant again after being forced to take a pregnancy test when doing my physical as part of getting hired to do a practicum at Provo Canyon Schools...Seriously, how could I be that naive twice! I really was wanting a baby, though, so I was thrilled. I also ended up not doing the practicum because I am a "high risk" pregnancy.
2-I graduated from UVSC with my husband Marcus.
3-I went to Disney World for the first time and got food poisoning while I was there. I still loved it though.

Yesterday I:
1-Went grocery shopping for the week.
2-Cleaned my kitchen and did some laundry.
3-Ate L&L's Hawaiian BBQ for dinner...so good.

Today I:
1-Am still in my pajama's.
2-Played catch with Connor until I was so sick of it I bribed him with a new Elmo DVD to stop.
3-Folded laundry and have more to do.

Tomorrow I Will:
1-Still be sick of being pregnant.
2-Still be running my central air at an uneconomical level.
3-Be one day closer to having James.

In The Next Year I Will:
1-Lose the weight I gained between having Connor and James. I do not know why I have such an easy time keeping my weight gain down while I'm pregnant but have a hard time keeping it down when I'm not...especially since I don't get morning sickness.
2-Move to Irving, Texas.
3-Be a stay-at-home Mommy with two little boys that I'm sure will drive me nuts...but I'll LOVE it!

I now tag...Alyssa, Christy Ciccotelli, and Shirly Hale. I'd Tag Marcus but he always refuses to do it...although it would be cool to have his list too to put in our blog book...Hint Hint.

Contractions and Cramps...Oh What Fun.

This pregnancy has been pretty different from my one with Connor. Which is a good thing in many ways and a bummer in others.

Anyway, I had Braxton Hicks contractions quite a bit with Connor once I was about 34 weeks but they were never painful...I actually liked getting them. This pregnancy I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions for over a month now (especially when I am walking or moving around much) but have recently started getting uncomfortable ones and cramps even when I'm laying down or sleeping. I know it is normal for this to be happening, and I hope it means I'll go into labor before July 25, but right now I am sick of them. Ouch.

UVSC...What It's Meant to Me

My cute husband Marcus and I had one of those "life" discussions last night before he went to work. We were reflecting on our experience here the last 3 1/2 years, how we feel now that it's coming to an end, and what we want in the next stage of our lives. He wrote a blog post about some of what we talked about (you can read it by visiting www.marcusjpoole.blogspot.com) and challenged me to do the same. So...here it is:

Basically I told Marcus last night that even though I worked very hard the last couple of years at UVSC and graduated with a Behavioral Science degree I feel very incomplete because I do not have a Bachelor's in Social Work (which is the degree I spent the first three years of college working towards...UVSC just didn't offer it and it wasn't feasible for us to move so I could finish).

Anyway, those of you who know me well may know that I have a strong desire to have a meaningful career as a Social Worker at some point in my life. I know there are several related jobs I could hold with the education and experience I have now, but none of them are really what I want to do...just a bunch of jobs I could do but would really rather not (I don't like working unless I love what I'm doing).

So last night I found myself feeling very incomplete with my education and feeling like I'm having a hard time putting it to rest as we move on to the next part of our life.

Before I go on let me explain what I REALLY want out of life for myself in our next stage. I want to be a 100% stay at home mother who LOVES it more than anything else she could possibly be doing. I will only have these two little boys once and I really want to indulge myself in that role with them and not worry about classes, work, or anything else that might be a distraction. I have spent Connor's entire life like that already and I want to be done for now.

I know it will be a challenge for me to become that kind of mother (you know, the one who cries when summer break is over because she has enjoyed having her kids at home with her all day every day so much...Sister Hinckley once said she felt that way and it made me jealous...I want that tender quality). Anyway, I know it will take time, effort, and the Lord's help for me to develop those qualities but I know there is nothing more important for me to be working on at this point in my life.

My problem lies in the fact that I have been having a hard time putting to rest my desire to complete my BSW...the thought of not being done haunts me. I told Marcus last night that I just want to be settled in my mind with what I have done so far and be able to move on in my life and return to schooling when the time is right again. I do not want to be constantly thinking about education and career when I'm trying to become the mother that I really want to be...and becoming that mother REALLY is what I want to be doing right now, NOT school and work.

That's how I was feeling last night.

BUT THEN Marcus said something to me that really put my mind to rest. He said, "You did everything you could have done at UVSC to become closer to getting your BSW". This is true! I had never thought of that before. There were several general classes that I needed to finish before I could graduate from any school I had attended previously but kept putting them off because they were not as enjoyable to take as Social Work classes were. Now they are complete! When I do go back to school all I will have to do is finish a few Social Work classes and complete my licensure practicum...things UVSC did not offer. That's not so bad!

I may not be a licensed Social Worker yet but so what? I am not wanting to use that license right now anyway. My time at UVSC was not wasted because it definitely moved me closer to my dream and it gave Marcus and I the experience of going to school together, and that experience really is priceless to us. We learned how to support one another, to sacrifice together, and to work hard as a team. Going to school at the same time has definitely helped us strengthen our marriage and grow closer as a couple.

I hope the work we've done in school and will do in school will really impact Connor and James in the future. I think that as they watch their father go to medical school and eventually become a Doctor that they will see for themselves that dreams can come true if you're willing to do the work it takes...and spend the time it takes. I hope they will never question their own potential or ability to become who they want to become.

So, Marcus, this is what I've learned the last couple years at UVSC:
-Three years go by quickly!
-Education (formal or informal) matters...a lot.
-Getting what you really want REALLY does take A LOT of hard work, time, and sacrifice, but there's no other way to do it.
-When you want something enough you'll find a way to make it happen.
-I can do and enjoy things I never thought I could (aka LOVING my Statistics and Advanced Writing classes and earning good grades in both).
-It's never too late to go after your dreams.
-AND not being 100% done yet does not mean the education I have so far is worthless...it's not.

Pregnancy Highs, Lows, and the Borning Parts In Between

This pregnancy has just been so funny for me. I wanted to have another baby SO badly but was still totally surprised when I found out I was. I was on a definite pregnancy high for the first six months where I just loved that I was expecting. Then I hit the third trimester and started thinking, "Aaah!!! What have I done?". I became nervous about the reality of the possibility of having ecclampsia again.

Well, now I'm past the point of being too nervous and am just bored. I am far enough along and have prepared everything that I wanted to for James' arrival that I am no longer concerned about anything happening health wise or the baby coming early. In fact, I desperately hope he does come before July 25 (which means he definitely won't). I keep trying to remind myself that I need to enjoy this time of my life, and I am, but I really want this baby to get here. I hate the waiting game.

"It Just Feels That Much Better to Sleep In"

This afternoon I crawled into bed with Marcus (who had been sleeping for a while since he worked last night and will work again tonight) to take a little nap while Connor was down. When I got into bed he said, "It just feels that much better to sleep in." I have never heard him talk in his sleep before so I figured he was awake. He wasn't. Here's how the rest went.

Marcus: "It just feels that much better to sleep in."

Me: "What?"

Marcus: (More persistent now) "It just feels that much better to sleep in!"

Me: "What does?"

Marcus: (As cheerful sounding as can be) "Rounding up your nemesis' favorite sleeping clothes."

Me: Laughing hysterically because I just now realized he was actually talking in his sleep.

Marcus: Chuckles a bit and says, "Mmmhmm."

The end.

Rubbermaid Produce Saver...My Favorite New Thing!

I bought some Rubbermaid Produce Saver tupperware last week and decided to give them a try. They claim to keep your produce fresher longer...and guess what?...they do!

Every Monday (grocery shopping day) I buy a bunch of produce and by the next Monday I have to buy more...usually because what is left of what we bought has since gone bad. Well, today we popped open the strawberries we put in our fridge last week (inside of the produce saver) and they tasted totally fresh, as if we just bought them today. Amazing!

So, this tupperware is my new favorite thing and I HIGHLY recommend them. You can get a $1.00 off coupon by going to rubbermaid.com.

Tiger Won!

In double over-time. Very cool.

The Golf...as we call it

I do not like watching sports on tv very much...I know, I know...please don't go off on me in the comments section telling me I'm crazy and missing out on all the fun. I do not know why I do not enjoy it, but I just do not. Probably the same reason I don't like watching movies unless I'm totally dying to see one of them. I get bored.

Anyway, there is one sport I actually really enjoy watching on tv and that is professional men's golf (women's golf still doesn't cut it for me). I, like most people, am a huge Tiger Woods fan and I am excited to see him go for a win today in the U.S. Open Playoff. Marcus and I will be watching it this afternoon as lil' C naps...pretty exciting stuff.

Painting Done, Cleaning Still To Come

Since I'm sure you are all DYING for an update on "Project: Get our stinkin' place ready to move out of" I thought I'd give you one.

Work has DEFINITELY slowed down since Connor came home, but at least it has continued to progress. My finished rooms are all still clean and Marcus has finished with all the painting. The place is a little blah all tan, but it does look nice. I have our bedroom cleaned out and just have to finish putting a few more things away in there. The livingroom...let's just say it needs some definite TLC. It has been the room we've worked out of to get the other rooms done.

Hopefully I'll be able to report that it is all finished sometime later on today. Here's to hoping it happens!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the Daddy's out there! I hope you all have a great day today and feel as special as you are!

Marcus...I just want to let you know what a fantastic father you are to our little Connor. Your outstanding qualities are definitely love, patience, sacrifice, hard work, faith, and fun. I love you a lot and know that Connor does as well. And let's face it, Bevo and Hemi couldn't live without you.

New Blog Template

I was looking at my sister-in-law Joy's cute blog today when I noticed a link she had at the bottom of it for a website that has digital-scrapbook blog templates. They are all super-cute and free! If you're looking for a fun new look for your blog I highly recommend checking it out at http://www.leeloublogs.blogspot.com/

Connor Comes Home...And We're Not Done Yet

Our little Connor comes home today! We have REALLY enjoyed being able to work on our home without him helping out but Marcus and I are pretty tired of all the work and are ready to get our little guy back.

Yesterday we FINALLY completed the bathroom. It was the smallest room that needed to be painted, dejunked, reorganized, and cleaned but it BY FAR took the longest. Because of all the edges and tight spaces Marcus spent five hours painting in there. I thought once he was done I would be able to breeze through it...wrong. I spent four and a half more hours getting it finished. Oh well, it's done now.

Last night we chose to go out and run some errands and take a little break from the apartment. We still have to finish the bedroom and living room (which doesn't need to be painted). Our plan is to take turns on "Connor Duty" and "Cleaning Duty". Our goal is to get this work totally done by Sunday.

Here's a picture of our completed bathroom:


This is one of our little helper Bevo totally crashed out after a long day of hard work (he has been supervising EVERYTHING that has been going on). And yes, he really sleeps like this:

Finished with Connor's Room

Yesterday was a little more sluggish than Marcus and I would have liked it to be, but we did get a lot of work done and were able to finish Connor's room this morning. I definitely preferred the Jungle Green walls that were in there before, but the Khaki looks nice and will definitely be more appealing to whoever moves in next (unless they wanted a jungle room too).

Marcus has been working hard in the bathroom this morning. When he's done painting it I'll go in and get it all cleaned and put back together while he sleeps (he worked last night and has to work again tonight). We're hoping to make some good progress in our bedroom this evening...wish us luck! Connor comes back tomorrow and our time to get things done without his help is running out.

Kitchen...Complete!

Yesterday Marcus and I were able to get our kitchen totally completed. Marcus painted our bright yellow walls a much calmer Irish creme color. I loved my spunky kitchen, but I am happy to not have to worry about repainting it before we move out anymore. I was able to get a deep clean done throughout the room and I am happy to say that the only things left in there are things we want to take with us on the move. Everything else is gone! I suddenly have a ton of space. Today we are hoping to finish Connor's bedroom and our bathroom. Wish us luck.

Connor's Little Vacation

We met my mother and sister in Nephi this morning to drop Connor off to them. He will be spending the next few days in Ephraim while Marcus and I finish getting our apartment ready for the big move. We will be cleaning, painting, and completing the de-junking. It's amazing how much stuff we've gotten rid of and don't miss a bit. Anyway, we'll miss our little Connor but know he's in good hands and will have a blast with everyone down there.

Another Great Dr.'s Appointment

I had another prenatal appointment this morning with Dr. Gourley and everything is still going great. For me this was the most pivotal appointment so far. I am 32 1/2weeks along in my pregnancy with James and when I was 32 weeks with Connor my blood pressure was really starting to get high. Today it was 102/64...wahoo!

James' heartbeat sounded good and my weight gain is 14 lbs to date. My abdomen measured 32cm which really surprised me. I feel like I have a bigger pregnant belly this time, but I guess I really do not. I was 32cm at my last appointment as well (which does not necessarily indicate that James is not growing, just that my abdomen is not). Last pregnancy I got stuck at the 33cm mark for six weeks and finally topped off at 35cm. We'll see what happens this time around.

Dr. Gourley is not concerned about the growth of the baby at all. My last ultrasound was fine and he even cancelled one he had scheduled for 34 weeks. With my blood pressure remaining so low this time and my weight gain staying down it really doesn't matter what size my baby is, you can't have ecclmapsia without high blood pressure and swelling. I may just be a person who has small babies.

Anyway, my next appointment isn't for three more weeks (because the Doc is going to be on vacation during the week I should have it). I will be 35 1/2 weeks along at that point and will be so close to the end! I am excited for this baby to get here and to be done with this pregnancy. Although everything has been progressing well it has been filled with a lot of anxious anticipation, worry, and "what if's". I am ready to just have my baby and get on with life (with him in it)! Here's to hoping these next 21 days go by smoothly and my next visit is as good as this one was.

Today Is National Doughnut Day!

What a great surprise...I logged on to MSN to check my hotmail account when I saw an announcement that would change the mood of my entire day. It read, "Today Is National Doughnut Day"! WAHOO! I LOVE doughnuts (especially when I'm pregnant...they just taste better I swear). How dare I disrespect this National celebration of doughnuts and not go out and get some? I simply will not do such a thing. Anyway, apparently you can go get a free doughnut at Krispy Kreme today (even though they give them away for free every time they're hot)...so go out and celebrate this important day in our country!

The Last Morning with Abby

I have been watching Abigail every weekday morning while both of her parents have been at work since the very beginning of May. I was so excited to get to have her come up at first because she and Connor play together so well and I thought they would have a lot of fun. Well...they did...until the lack of sleep (because they each have to wake up much earlier than normal now) caught up to them. The last few weeks have been tough with Connor being easily provoked and Abigail being super emotional.

Point of this post: Tomorrow morning is Abigail's mom's last day of work! Hooray! We love little Abigail but are excited to let her and Connor just get back to being the good friends that they are.

I have decided that daily babysitting is really not my thing (which is funny because I have been a full-time babysitter for three different families in the past). I think it is just difficult for me to make it a daily thing when I'm already taking care of my own child. Connor and I have developed quite a system and it simply doesn't work the same when it's not just the two of us. I also feel so weird having to discipline my best friend's little girl...I just want to be "Conya's Mom" again, as Abby calls me, and not have to tell her no and set rules and such.

Anyway, I guess that's about it! Hooray for tomorrow morning!

Funny Story I Forgot to Post Earlier

Last Sunday during church while the young men were blessing the bread for the sacrament Connor yelled out at the top of his lungs, "You better not forget the butter!" He loves to eat bread and butter (what a simple kid) and he desperately wanted them to know he would like some on his sacrament. I know it was a naughty thing to do, but Marcus and I just laughed and laughed...so did most everyone else.

Nice People and Nice Things

These last few days I feel like I have been surrounded by a lot of nice people who have done a lot of nice things for me. I won't write them all down, but I'd like to share a few simple things that have totally made my day.

*Marcus staying up in the morning after a night shift to help me watch ornery kids (Connor and Abigail) so I wouldn't lose my sanity.

*Amelia spending so much time with Connor while she was here with us on Sunday and Monday morning.

*My downstairs neighbors randomly brining us up a plate full of cheesecake bites just to say thank you for letting them borrow aluminum foil and watching their kids a few times.

*My mother-in-law going way out of her way twice to help Marcus and I find and secure the apartment we wanted in Texas.

*My friend Jessica taking Connor for an afternoon so Marcus and I could sort through our closets and clean up a bit.

*My little brother Tommy driving up to our apartment after a LONG day of construction work just to help us get some things moved out of our apartment that we are not taking with to Texas.

*My mother offering to take Connor for us a few days next week so Marcus and I can get some things done here as well as have a little down time.

*One of Marcus' coworkers (who doesn't even know me) letting me borrow all of her Season DVD's of Scrubs just so I can indulge my new addiction.

*My Grandma and Grandpa Olson just being themselves...extremely generous and always very entertaining. I love that they act so happy just to have us (mostly Connor) around for a visit.

I'm thankful for fantastic people in my life who do kind things for me and family! Little things really can brighten my day!

Annual Vehicle Registration

I have created an incredibly detailed budget for Marcus and I to follow this summer as we're having to live on his PCS income only (for the first time of our entire marriage). So far, we have been doing a pretty good job of sticking to it and Marcus has been picking up overtime shifts to cover any shortfalls as well as expenses we did not originally foresee. Every time we think he has signed up for his last overtime shift we end up with another bill we weren't expecting or an expense we overlooked. It's amazing how many things come up when you're trying to live on a certain income.

Anyway, we had just gotten to the point where he had all the shifts he needed to cover the costs of our stinkin expensive pet deposit for this fall (because Bevo and Hemi refuse to pay it themselves) when our annual vehicle registration packet showed up in the mail. How could I forget about car registration, especially when it's as costly as it is here in Utah?! Oh well, life goes on and at least I have a husband willing to do what it takes to support us.

That's my rant for the day...the end.

Weekend in Ephraim

Marcus finally ended his 11 night work streak after his shift Thursday to Friday. He had the following two nights off so we headed down to Ephraim for the weekend. We had a pretty relaxing time and Marcus was able to catch up on his sleep...Connor slept less than he should have and is EXHAUSTED now. We brought Amelia back up with us and will be taking her to EFY tomorrow...I miss EFY. Anyway, that was our weekend.