Cam's Gotten into Smokin'

Cameron has been really wanting to get a smoker for a while now.  He finally found one for a great price and got it.  After much preparation he came up w/ this...

Yep!  He smoked up a brisket!  YUMMY!  I think it took about 8 hours to smoke, plus all the preparation of shopping, making a rub putting it all together, checking on it every once in a while took longer than he would have liked, but the outcome was amazing.  Let's just say I'm one lucky gal ;)

Pregnancy Update

I have been being asked to update everyone w/ belly pictures and w/ what's going on during this pregnancy.  So here ya go!

 

16 Week (4 Months)

 

20 Weeks (5 Months)

24 Weeks (6 Months)

26 Weeks (6 1/2 Months)

28 Weeks (7 Months)

32 Weeks (8 Months)

 

 

34 Weeks (8 1/2 Months)

34 Weeks + 2 Days  (Sunday, and yes, I might have been crying, just a little)

 

And b/c some of you have asked for updates, then here's the long version of the story from this past week:

 

Sunday I had contractions all day, but I didn't think much of it, I just thought it was annoying and after church I pretty much sat on the couch all day.  By the time evening rolls around they started becoming painful and more consistent.  I told my mom, she then kept calling to check on me and then 3-way called Bonny.  They both told me I should call the doctor.  So finally I did and he encouraged me to go to the hospital since the contractions were only 5 minutes apart and I still had just under 6 weeks to go w/ the pregnancy.  So I decided to go.  But, before I went I had Cameron take a picture of me, just in case that night was the night I had the baby (I have taken a just before shot w/ my previous 2 kids, so I couldn't stop the tradition).  I figured I wasn't going to have the baby that night, and knew/hoped they would just give me something to stop the contractions.  When I got to the hospital just before 11 PM, they got me set-up in a room.  They told me I was dilated to a 2 (which I've never dilated early!!!) and I was contracting every 2-5 minutes and were pretty intense.  They then gave me 2 different doses of shots to slow down my contractions.  They worked great but each time it sped up my heart rate and made me really light headed.  Then they gave me a prescription to keep the contractions under controls, which I have to take every 4-6 hours for the next 3 weeksish.  They released me around 1:15 AM w/ directions to take it easy, relieve stress and told me I wouldn't be on complete bed rest and then we headed home.  We didn't get to bed until just before 2 AM.  I felt so bad for Cameron b/c he had to work the next day and still had to wake up at least twice w/ a bed wetter and a bad dream.  As for me, I did not sleep well at all.  I was still having contractions and everytime I turned my left side hurt really bad (something to do w/ whatever's holding my uterus in place being stretched).  The next day I was exhausted and still having occasional contractions and still didn't have that great of a nights sleep.  Tuesday during the day I was a lot better, but if I tried to do too much mt stomach would remind me to slow down by tightening up and making it very uncomfortable to do anything. My friend Kristy took the boys for me for a couple of hours so I could relax. By later afternoon (after the boys wouldn't nap for me) contractions started up again and the boys were totally taking advantage of me.  My mom called several times to check on me and was very concerned.  Around 5 pm I got a knock at the door only to find a pizza delivery guy w/ 2 pizzas, Cinnamon stix, Parmesan bread bights and root beer!!  I looked at him confused and said, "What's this?" He told me, "You should be smiling, it's a surprise from your mom, in TN, right?" I was trying too hard not to cry from being so happy to smile too much.  She totally made my day.  That night I slept a lot better, only uncomfortable.  Yesterday I felt really good most of the day, after preschool they boys went to play group for 2 1/2 hours, which left w/ w/ the whole afternoon to myself!  Later we had a ward Halloween Party which I decided to go to b/c I figured I wouldn't be doing anything to strain myself.  I was wrong, half-way through the night my contractions started back up and I had to mainly just sit, I volunteered to hand out candy while Cameron took the boys around for Trunk-or-treating.  Then we headed home.  By the time we went to bed the contractions had calmed and I slept so good!  I hardly woke up!  As for today, I have felt great, just occasional tightening when I try to do too much.  Contractions are kicking in a little (there's something about night time that brings them) but nothing too bad.  My sister-in-law, Erin, brought us over a wonderful dinner consisting of Meat Loaf, restaurant quality twice baked potatoes, green salad and white chocolate macadamia cookies. All very good!!  I have really appreciated all the help I have received from everyone, and all the offers for future help.  Through all of this I have really come to love and appreciate my family and friends even more.  Thank you everyone!  Now, let's all just hope I can keep this little guy in for at least another 2 weeks.

 

**Update, I have really been well looked after.  The day after I went to the hospital my friend Jamie watched the boys so I could go pick up my meds w/o them and then Annie picked them up and took Cade to school  and watched Connor for me while I went to my Doctor's appt. 

 

This past Sunday I started feeling sick and having pains in my stomach.  I woke up to still feeling horrible and started getting really nervous when I read that was a warning sign of pre-term labor.  I normally would have just thought I was sick, but I didn't want to take any chances b/c of the week before.  So, I called the dr and they told me to go in and get checked out.  I once again called my friend Annie to see if she was ok picking up Cade from school and she very graciously offered to keep Connor too!  So nice!  It turned out that my body hadn't advanced any since the week before (wahoo!!!)  and I was told if the pain got worse to call again.  I'm pretty sure I was just sick, but better safe than sorry right?!

 

That night my sister-in-law, Lisa brought us a yummy stuffed shell Italian meal and chocolate chip pumpkin cookies for dinner.  It was such a perfect time to receive a meal!  Thanks Lisa :)

 

The next day the boys went to their friend Ryder's house for a couple of hours where my friend Nikki even fed them lunch.  It was so nice!  That night my friend Jennae brought us dinner consisting of Chicken Alfredo and peas.  Later my neighbor came over and had me roll some sushi and take a ton home, along w/ cinnamon rolls.

 

Yesterday my friend Kristy offered to take Cade w/ her and her kids to Animal Farm while Connor was at school...it was nice to be childless for a little while.  Actually as we speak, Connor is at their house playing while Cade is at school.  Did I mention she's only a week further along in her pregnancy than me?

 

I have really, honestly been so blessed!

Baby Sprinkle

Saturday, October 20th, I threw my first ever baby shower for my friend Kychelle.  I got some ideas from one of the showers my old roomie, Carly, threw a couple of years ago.  It was a simple milk and cookies sprinkle, so I thought that would be perfect for me to re-create. (A sprinkle is a shower for someone who already has kids.)  I, of course, took some ideas from pinterest.

 

My good friend Lori actually loaned me the letters for the banner, the pom poms and the doilies I wrapped around the mini milk jugs.

 

My friend Amy loaned me the mini milk jugs, the pink polka dot paper straws and one of the glass jars.

My friend Jamie loaned me the drink dispenser and one of the glass jars.

I also had my friends Cassandra and Chelsi loan me some of their glassware.

I made rain drops and hung them from the pom poms to go along w/ the "Sprinkle Theme."  I made white chocolate covered oreos and chocolate chip cookies while my friends Cassandra, Lori, Jamie and Kristie all brought cookies too.

I found templates for these vintage labels on pinterest and the paper ribbon really great priced at Hobby Lobby.

See the polka dotted bags in the background?  They were take-home bags for everyone to fill so I wasn't stuck w/ all the cookies.

My good friend Kychelle, she's due to have her 5th child and 4th baby girl.  I figured she was due for a shower since her youngest girl will be 7 years older than this new little one.  She is due a month before me!

 

Maternity Pictures

My good friend Annie was nice enough to take maternity pictures of me last Friday, luckily it was a beautiful day.  I was really excited b/c she does wonders w/ making pregnant women look amazing, I was very excited to feel good about myself too.  Here are some previews of her work.

Cade was at preschool so I only had Connor, I gave him my phone to take a few pictures w/ while we were busy w/ the shoot.

He's such a cutie.

This was taken on my phone, Bonny wanted a preview.

Cornbelly's

The boys have been looking forward to going to Cornbelly's since they saw the corn starting to grow.  We finally took them last Monday, the 15th, and met up w/ Geoff, Erin and Cora for Family Home Evening.

 

 

We went on a hay ride around the corn maze, and this was Connor's little hand the whole time, I loved it!

Watching the pig races.

 

The cow train, yes I was lucky enough to ride w/ the boys ;)  

 

Leaving for the night, the boys were exhausted.

October...The start of Halloween Festivites

We were invited to go along w/ my friend Kristy and her kids to Barnyard Boo at Thanksgiving Point Friday the 12th.  It was sprinkling and a bit chilly, but we still had lots of fun!

 

 

 

 

They even got their faces painted, Connor's was obviously the better artist.

Did I mention I got a new phone?!  Yep that's right!  I've entered into the smart phone world.  So, I've literally got a camera at my finger tips.  The boys ask me to take pictures of them all the time now.  I also take full advantage of Instagram.

My baby bump as of 2 weeks ago.  (I'll put up my monthly belly pictures soon, I promise.)

We were lucky enough to have Mason, Ellie and Cassidy over twice a couple of weeks ago.  This was them during one of the evenings watching Tangled.  They had so much fun together.

 

October 13th I took the boys to get their first professional haircuts.  Much needed!

Besides his adorable smiles, this is a face I see often.

This weirdo decided that frozen green beans are "yummy" I dropped one on the floor, he ate it, and continued coming back and asking for more!

Just put this up the 17th to display the boys artwork. We were overflowing w/ it all!

The cute knobs I found to hold up their artwork.

Finally got my decorations up last Wednesday!! Yay!

A few weeks ago we started up a playgroup for kids around Cade's age.  It was my turn to host last week, we made paper plate jack-o-lanterns, read a Halloween story, watched some of Cars, played and...

Made Spooky Monster Pudding Cups.  I think the kids had fun!