Friday, September 24, 2010

Just for Laughs!

Brooklynn and I were on Skype with Jenny tonight and the web cam program always pops open giving us the option to take photos and play around. I rediscovered some photos we had fun taking while in Invermere and thought they were definitely worth sharing. Enjoy!

Either Brooklynn isn't impressed yet, or is scared at what she sees... I think it might be the latter.

I'm pretty sure Amanda is wiping her tears in this picture. We were in hysterics.





Brooklynn and Jenn are going to take over the world with those brains. Oh, and looks like Brookynn gives this a "thumbs-up!"
I think this one is soo cute in a rather weird distorted way...
And last but Not least, a normal looking one we took tonight. I LOVE that little grin!

Just a little update....

September is well on it's way to being over soon and it went by so fast I can't even explain it. We saw Jason back off to school and he's already talking about midterms- where does time go! I think September is by far the busiest month of the year- just throwing that out there.
We also said a sad "good bye" to Jenn and Justin who headed out to Victoria for a year. Justin is doing a year at Royal Roads University to finish his degree. On one hand I'm just soo happy for them but one the other I was devastated to know they'd be gone, and not live down the hallway anymore. I can't use the excuse to Brooklynn of going to Auntie Jenny's after dinner, or after bath or simply see her when she's home from work. She would run down the hall and spend time at her house just about everyday and I know that change is hard for the both of us. Lets be honest I loved her going over there as much as she did! It was a luxury. I'll be honest I would have LOVED her around with a new baby coming into the mix so soon too, however I KNOW they had to do this and I'm sure the year will go by quicker than slower. I really hope that it's just a great experience all around for them too.
On another side note because they moved out we had some friends move into their unit. Yes, Mark and Emily are joining the Hamlet spot and I think that's awesome. It'll be great to with them expecting, having soo many young families and kids here I'm sure Emily will find a lot of fun and support once she's at home with her little one- It's sure been a blessing for me!
We also did the long weekend in Invermere, celebrated Grandma Lee's 80th birthday, family dinners, doctors appointments and the list going on. I've enjoyed what the month has had to offer so far (except the goodbye's) and can't believe how soon time is winding down to the due date of this baby. If the second pregnancy flies by this quick I can only imagine that they go even faster each time around.
I have felt a little neglectful with recording or updating on my blog about this pregnancy but I'm just so busy and more relaxed this time I suppose. I still like to check online for weekly updates and see how she's doing, and the kicks and punches make my heart melt just as much as they did with Brooklynn. When I see pictures of couples with their newborn babies on Facebook I get excited to be there again and to hold this little angel in my arms. My pregnancy has been a blessing all the way for how amazing I feel. Heavenly Father knows I need this, especially in my circumstances and I'm so grateful for the energy and comfort I have with the AMAZING support of Jason, family and friends- you're awesome!
I will be 28 weeks soon and there is so much going on in that time I am not worried about anything feeling like a waiting game, I can actually be a little patient... WHILE I continue to pray this baby doesn't come on Christmas Eve/ Day. You can go ahead and pray for that too- that would be great :)

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

My Perfect Solution


If you are pregnant, planning on it or have been and know anything about painful joints or that nasty pinched sciatic nerve please hear me out. I am also recording this so I don't forget next time around.
SO my story is that I have really suffered this pregnancy and found myself spending almost every evening stretching on my family room floor during the day and before bed, or even after being on my feet for a while. The muscles in my lower back and hips would just seize right up and my sciatic nerve and muslces would ache and send a shooting pain down my left leg/side. I went to the chiropractor and received some valuable stretching tips but it only seemed to be temporary relief from this on going pain. I would constantly hit, rub do ANYTHING to numb the achy muscles on my lower left side.
I started to think, "okay, I just have to put up with this, and suffer until the baby comes." Your hips and joints make some serious changes over the course of a pregnancy/pregnancies. It really becomes so crucial to give your body what it needs because a baby will take everything it needs from you if you don't supply enough for the both of you.
Your body actually slows down in absorbing calcium after the age of 25. This being said you don't absorb and build strong bones the way you did prior and when you are pregnant and can't supply enough calcium in your diet or through supplements for your baby, it will get pulled from your supply, or rather your bones and given to the baby. One sign of this is nasty legs cramps. I suffered from those when pregnant with Brooklynn and I thought I was getting enough calcium through my diet, but I have almost doubled up this time around and haven't had to get out of the bed once to stretch out a nasty charlie horse! There is NOTHING fun about being woken up spontaneously with shooting pains down your leg, having to work/ stretch it out and then go back to sleep. IT SUCKS.
Another thing I came across this time around was fish oil. I took some with Brooklynn but I just started taking it regularly (every day) this pregnancy and it has almost made my sore joint issues vanish. The results were instantaneous. I am still a little sore in the lower back due to that extra weight but feel soo much better and I don't wake up sore on my left side, rely on constant stretching and massaging. The change has been astonishing. I have to admit I was pretty ignorant about this stuff and probably because I don't like anything fishy. I ended up, almost flukishly coming across some great and basic info through a friends blog. I learned some valuable tips (thanks Jen) through some discussion and simply reaffirmed why I needed to take these supplements. I always thought I would get enough Omega 3 through flax, eggs, etc but that type of Omega requires a conversion process and breakdown through certain enzymes. If you don't have enough enzymes to break it down, you don't get the benefits. As a family who lacks/ dislikes a lot of fish in our diets I figured I needed to step it up a notch and give this baby those precious omegas. Omega 3's in fish oil don't need to be broken down and your body uses them right away, they are also an anti inflammatory. Most proteins we eat build up a lot of acidity in our joints and fish oil can counter that. THUS being an answer and solution to my issues during pregnancy.
I basically want to conclude that I'm sharing this info/ research because I'm acknowledging how blessed I feel to have found this and felt prompted to make certain changes in my diet. So make sure you get lots of calcium, not just through milk but a good supplement you take with your meals and Fish oil. I purchased a brand from Norweigan Gold at Planet Organic. All I need is one a day and they have a great amount of DHA for me and baby.
If anyone finds this info valuable I'm so happy for that and if not, I'm recording it for myself to remember because this prego brain ain't what it used to be and I don't want to forget what has helped me so much this time around!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Summer Wrap-Up Part I

A summer trend... Naps did not come soon enough after having fun outside.

Stampede:
Her first Stampede expereince. She was blowing kisses to all the animals in the Agriculture building.
She was pretty much in heaven.
I thought this was the funniest looking bird!
Having some lunch before we went and saw the Super Dogs show.
We played that gmbling game where you put money on a certain month of the year. Anyways they roled April (her bday month) and we got to choose a prize. Very exciting to win right off the bat!


More Ottawa:
At the airport waiting to board our plane.
She was soo spoiled there the whole time. I was too actually. I have never had soo many hours of the day with my hands free, and not to mention sleeping in!
Back to me being spoiled. This is a breakfast that my dad made me- how cute!
Mini Me, you complete me.
Going to the park with Grandma.

Bedtime stories with uncle Steve.
Cuddles from unlce Matthew
Ottawa was so much fun for the both of us. We look forward to visiting again in October.


More Cabin time in Shuswap:

Swimsuit, shoes and cover-up on and ready to go spend the day in the sun.
Most of our time outside consisted of hanging out on the dock with all of our family. Brooklynn enjoys the kidding pool filled with lake water, and also drinking shovel fulls of lake water, yuck.
She also enjoyed this baby swing. She spent hours and hours in it the summer before and for some reason I think she thought it was still hers to enjoy even though she is definitely too big now.
Oh and she also enjoyed the baby arch again but preferred to manhandle it this around.
We had the chance to master stairs out at the cabin. We are not so fortunate to have them at home and it was high time that she got used to them so I felt a little more at ease when she was near them.
On the boat with mom.
She was daddy`s little helper out at the cabin. She loved steering the boat with him,
and helping him do work in the canoe.

We also had out first and LAST (for a while) happy meal.

Mmmmm, grilled cheese and orange juice!

Summer Wrap-Up Part II

We had a couple trips out to Invermere this summer and I fell in love with that place. Such a beautiful town and great place to spend summer, or anytime of year for that matter. The summer is pretty upbeat though and we enjoyed the lake, pool, hot tubs, mini golf, petting zoo, hot springs, the market, gelato cafe and I guess the list goes on. If you haven`t been there it is less than 3 hours from Calgary and well worth checking out.
This time we snuck out with my sister`s and brother in law. I was not that great at taking tons of photos and I`m sad I don`t really have many of the rest of us... But lets be honest here, Brooklynn is the only reason I take as many photos as I do wherever we go. I`ll get better at capturing the other people I love in due time :)


Enjoying lunch on the patio.
We hung out on the patio a lot and Amanda had purchased Brooklynn her own special chair and she loved it! Sometimes she was successful on her own or we w would help hoist her up into it, she would then place her sippy cup and just relax. She looked like such a big girl.
These were the nasty hot springs, or rather Indian bathtubs we ventured to one evening.
Sorry if you have sensitive eyes but Jason+water+summer= SPEEEEDOS, and if you ever vacation with us in the summer you`ll get used to it FAST!

On top of the hot springs, we were overlooking part of the valley and I snagged this cute shot of dad and his girl.
``Little Bubble Chaser Brooklynn``
A new found summer activity that we love, blowing bubbles.
Just a shot of the lake and mountains off in the distance, beautiful BC!
Playing in the sand with Auntie Jenny at the beach.

Taking it all in I guess... this little girl is such a water baby! She was throwing rocks, and after that she plunked herself down and forbade us to remove her from the water. When we asked her if she was all done she would pout and then sign to us that she wanted ``more``.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Iiee-Yuv-Ooo

I wish I recorded this a while ago but somewhere in the midst of Brooklynn's little parrot stage (seriously trying to roll whatever word you ask her to say off her tongue) she has gotten pretty good at "I love you" Let me tell you how this is one heart melting milestone! About 2 1/2 -3 weeks ago she grasped it's meaning and started to associate it with hugs and kisses.
While were at the cabin and had her sleeping in the same room as us we would often drag her into bed with us when she woke up in the morning and she would crawl all over us, give us tons of kisses and randomly out of know where she planted one on my lips and followed it with "Iiee-Yuv-Ooo" That's what it sounds like, and moments like that make being a mom/ parent soooo worth it. She now says it to us everyday and just about everyone-that she loves!