4 Weeks

While trying to get pregnant with Olivia, I had a million ideas and plans floating through my mind of things I would do. And one of those was taking weekly pictures. I have a few pictures of myself while pregnant but they weren't weekly - just random from different activities and events. Looking back I am sad that I didn't, so I am going to try and take a picture each month with this pregnancy. I seriously just lost all of my baby weight a couple weeks ago, and was hoping to lose a few more before getting pregnant again. So - here's my starting picture:

The Deets on Baby #2

I am thrilled to announce that we are going to be having a baby this October. With our past history, we didn't know if we were going to be able to get pregnant again, and if so - how long it would take to get pregnant. With Olivia it took over 2 years and during that time we worked with a fertility specialist. In the end I got pregnant on an off month when we weren't trying. I was eating clean and had taken any and all processed foods out of my diet.

When Olivia was 9 months old I got my cycle back and life got real again. It was so nice those first 9 soaking up every moment with Olivia and not having to worry about getting pregnant, like I had been previously. Because of our prior situation, we never went on birth control after her birth. Once my cycle was back I was hopeful that something would happen. I didn't want to miss a chance that we could get pregnant - even if our babies would be close.

In January I decided that I needed to go back to a clean eating diet. I had some weight to lose, and also wanted to have a healthy body to prepare for a pregnancy one day. I dove in hard and ate super well, and was at the gym for an hour each day. I lost my last 10 pounds and was starting to feel good in my body again. It had been 6 months since my cycle returned and I was getting a little antsy. One Sunday night I was talking with Bob about what we should do next. Should I go see my natural herbal lady and see what she thinks? Should I go back to the fertility specialist and get blood work done and try a cycle with them?

That next Wednesday I took a pregnancy test (I usually always test on day 29… haha) and to my surprise it was positive. I had been feeling sick on and off a couple of days prior but I thought that it had been something to do with how many calories I was eating. Olivia had woken up and I grabbed her from her crib. I handed her the positive test and had her give it to Bob. He was in complete shock. "How did this happen so fast? We were just discussing our next step a couple days ago." As much as he was shocked, he was just as excited. I figured my due date to be around the end of October, 2 weeks before Olivia's 2nd birthday.

With my first pregnancy I knew that my diet change was a part in helping us to get pregnant. With it happening again for the second time, I know that it was a huge part in my ability to get pregnant. I know from some research that I have done about endometriosis that processed foods, sugar, and flour agitate and make it worse. I also know regardless of health problems, when you eat a clean lifestyle you feel so much better. I set a goal to eat clean for 90 days to see what could happen. Happy to say my positive came sooner than I thought, after only 50 days.

We are both excited about the new baby. Olivia has no idea what is going on, but she sure does love her baby doll. I hope that that will rub off on her new sibling. I am nervous about the jump from 1 to 2 kids, but can't wait to experience it.

15 Months

(By the time we took this picture, you were all out of smiles from your Valentines photo shoot.)

Mom doesn't know if she should keep calling you baby Livy, you are growing up and are acting more and more like a Toddler. (Throwing fits included.) Your new convertible carseat came and we made the upgrade. You enjoy sitting up, but you still like to sit in your old car seat when we are in Dad's car.

Your first molar is completely in (bottom right) and the second molar (bottom left) is just starting to make an appearance. You will have 8 teeth once it pops through.

Sleeping at night has been peaceful the last few weeks, and you are back to your regular 8:00 - 8:00. Mom is preparing for you to start waking up again because that seems to be the pattern lately. A few good weeks, a few rough weeks. Oh, teething!

You love your naps. You still nap twice a day and still average 3-4 hours total.

Your words lately are: Da Da, Uh Oh, Yum, Cheese, Jesus, Duck, Hi, Hey, No, and Nose. While at Grandma's you were mimicking Mom say Keeli when you saw the dog.

This month you have started to take on the role of 'little mom' to your baby doll. You carry her everywhere, want to swaddle her up, feed her bottles of milk & juice, and give her kisses.

Your biggest achievement this month is you learned how to go down the stairs. You are getting better every time you try it and are excited to show off your skills at Grandma & Grandpa Barber's next month.

When you wake up we give you a cup of milk and cereal/bread/fruit/pancakes. You play for a few hours and usually take a nap (still in pajamas) around 10:30. When you wake up we give you some more milk and lunch, usually whatever mom is eating. We play again until 2 and then you go down for another nap. When you wake up you sometimes have a pouch of baby food and we play for a little while before dinner. You eat your own dinner around 5:30 and then again with Mom and Dad when Dad gets off work around 7:30. Pajamas are on by 8, and then it's off to bed usually by 8:30 at the latest.

Even with all of the meals you eat, you are still tiny. The doctor was a little worried about your weight at your last appointment.

You have been enjoying fruit, turkey or ham, chicken nuggets, quesadillas, avocado, carrots and enjoyed having your first juice box.

Still wearing size 3 diapers and 12-18 month clothes. Your feet have gotten a little bigger and are around a 2.5. A lot of 2's don't fit you but 3's are still too big.

You are very observant and are picking up on a lot of things. When you find Mom's watch you try to put it on your wrist.

You think you are really funny when you put your head on the ground and your bum in the air. You look like you are in ready position to do a summersault. Usually you will bounce your bum up and down and laugh.

Church is getting harder and harder. You do not want to stay still. In Relief Society you run circles around the ladies, you get into all of the purses and bags, and want to stand up by the teacher. 3 more months until nursery!

This month you visited the library, music class at the pharmacy, and a play date with friends in the ward. You love to be social. You especially love your cousin Jensen.

At your 15 month appointment your stats were:
Weight - 17 pounds, 10 ounces   6%
Length - 29.5 inches tall            17%
Head Circumference  18 in.       52%

Valentines Pictures

This year Andrea came up with the idea to get Olivia and Jensen's pictures taken for Valentines Day. We decided to surprise my Mom and have them printed for her. We met at Janae's house who also took some of our other family pictures. (Hales family pictures last May, Olivia's 1st, & our Christmas card) She had just got some new backdrops and had set up her new in house studio. Andrea found a cute headband and shoes for Olivia while shopping for Jensen. I am thrilled with how cute these pictures turned out. Janae did an amazing job. Especially with 2 babies, or a baby and a toddler??? (What is Olivia?) The other hard thing is that Jensen isn't quite at the sitting up stage and we didn't really have anything to prop him up with. Andrea would sit him up and then Janae would snap away. Then Andrea would catch him before he fell. The picture of Olivia and Jensen is so cute, and such a miracle. Love that we got both of them smiling. My Mom was so happy with the pictures, it was a great Valentines surprise.

Valentine's Day

Before I ran off to the gym, I made Olivia breakfast. She loves pancakes and fruit - she is very easy to please. I was going to make her milk pink, but all of her cups are colored, so there was no point. A pink cup worked perfectly.

I got my hair cut that morning, which was a gift to myself. My hair had been in a braid for the past month since my ends were so bad. I feel like a new person and I love the cut.

I made Bob and I turkey burgers and asparagus for lunch. (The other night Bob got a hamburger and fries after scouts. He told me he felt like he deserved it since he had been eating so many healthy meals at home.)

Olivia and I left to go to the doctors and Bob left for work. For some reason in my mind the 15 month appointment was like the 9 month - no shots. If I had known better I wouldn't have scheduled it for Valentines day. Olivia got 3 shots, she wasn't happy when they poked her but she was back to her normal chipper self as we left the doctor's office.

Olivia went straight down for a nap when we got home. I grabbed a couple cookies (fake health cookies) and read in bed. I usually tidy up the house and get caught up on my to do list, but today I just relaxed.

When Olivia woke up we took her 15 month pictures. I should've done it before the shots, what was I thinking?

We went to Grandma and Grandpa Hales house and she opened her Valentines card.

We had a great dinner of Cafe Rio pork and brownies for dessert. Olivia loved hers.

She opened a present from grandma. 

And last but not least we compared thighs with baby Jensen. At 4 months, his are definitely bigger than Olivia's.

Ed's 60th

This weekend I helped my Aunt Carrie prepare for my Uncle Ed's 60th birthday party. It was held at the White Church here in Mapleton. It was so fun to have family in town to celebrate. It was a surprise which made it that much better.

Trying to be better at taking more pictures of the two of us. 

The surprise! 

She loves sugar.

Cupcakes and faces of Ed.

Ed & Carrie with their kids and grandkids.

Mia and Olivia

While at my Uncle Ed's birthday party we took a few pictures of Olivia and Mia. It is so fun to see them together and how much they have grown since the last time they were together. Next time we will have to get Grandma in the picture. (All 3 share the same birthday.) She had left the party before we took these pictures. Here they are 14.5 months olds.

And a little flash back to this summer when they were 8.5 months old. 

{Olivia & Mia}