Happy 9th Birthday Phoenix!

Happy 9th birthday Phoenix! You are such a joy to our family. You are smart and witty and cute and petite. You'll only be the baby of the family for a few more months so enjoy it but then you'll even have a more important role, big sister. I can't wait to watch you flourish and grow as a big sister. I'm proud of the young lady you are becoming. You definitely are not a baby anymore. Keep up the good work. We love you!

Baby Phoenix on the right

Phoenix's 1st day of kindergarten

My beautiful ballerina, 2010

July 2011

The birthday table all set for the birthday girl

The birthday girl on her way to school this morning

2012 Goals

Last year writing out my goals on my blog and updating on my progress throughout the year helped keep me accountable so for 2012 I'm doing the same. Some are personal goals, some are financial goals, some are fitness goals, and some are family goals.


1. Be more patient with my children. Generally speaking I am a relatively patient person but I know I could grow in this area this year. Honestly now that my kids are older my expectations for them are high and I get frustrated when they do things like ignore me over and over again or fight non-stop with each other. These and other behaviors are not acceptable but my response needs to be more patient and I need to institute appropriate consequences for the misbehavior, and not lose my temper or yell. I think this is a very important goal for me this year with the new baby coming in May.


2. Spend more quality time with my husband, go on dates more, and make it a priority to spend at least two weekends with him this year completely kid-free. Last week we had a nice treat, 24 hours kid-free. I can't even describe how it refreshed my soul. Hubby and I had a wonderful date and lots of time to just be a couple and take a break from parenting. We got about halfway through The Love Dare book last year and we need to make it a priority to finish it over the next couple months. I'd also love to get involved with a small group or marriage study at church if there is one available that fits our schedule.


3. Make more local friends. Spend more time with my long time friends. I'm a people person, plain and simple. People feed my soul and I need that interaction with friends on a regular basis. I'd love to meet more local women to get together with regularly. I'd also love to get together more regularly with my long time girlfriends who I love spending time with but most live 45 minutes away or so. A little progress in both regards this year would make me happy.


4. Learn more about parenting tweens and teens. I feel very unprepared for the challenges that lay ahead now that I have an 11, 11, and almost 9 year old. Babies, toddler, preschoolers, I'm an expert at, but teens they are almost alien like creatures. Luckily none of my kids have gotten to the stage where they "hate" me and think everything I do is wrong. Both 11 year olds have attitudes though drastically different due to gender and personality. The 9 year still hasn't hit the attitude, pre-teen stage yet but I told hubby we've got 1 more good year out of her at most before it starts with her too.


5. Stick to a budget! I am awful at this. I make a budget, I'm frugal, yet we still overspend. It is vicious cycle. Life with three kids isn't cheap but we should be saving and paying off debt quicker than we are. My number one financial goal this year is to stick to a budget. Nate is now helping more with the finances instead of all of it resting on my shoulders and we implemented a new system to track the budget this year so I am hoping it works.


6. Find little ways to cut back on spending. Cut grocery bill down even more, restart The Grocery Game, 2nd hand shop for the kids as much as possible (in 2011 I had great luck with consignment sales and a local consignment shop), cut back on eating out, and any other little way I can figure out. It may only total up to $100-$200 per month but if that can be paid towards student loans and less interest the impact is magnified.


7. Fully fund a 6 month emergency fund, then start paying down student loans. We're having a baby in May. We have a lot of large expenses the first half of this year, $3000 deductible and co-insurance for delivery, a new car that seats 6, finishing a bedroom in the basement for Brennan, and re-decorating Phoenix's old room for the baby. These things are going to take a lot of our extra income for the first 6 months of the year, not to mention everything the baby needs like furniture, gear, clothes, etc. Being realistic my goal would be to have our 6 month emergency fund fully funded by the end of April. Given the expenses we have coming up this year, after our emergency fund is fully funded my goal for our student loans would be to pay $10,000 towards student loans by the end of 2012. That isn't much at all considering the huge amount of student loans hubby and I have but it would be a start in the right direction. I think that amount could at least pay off both of our private student loans and leave us both with only Federal Stafford loans which have low interest rates and the most flexible repayment terms.


8. Get back into running. I was running until about 13-14 weeks pregnant but then it got cold here in Colorado and I can't seem to get the motivation back. I was really hoping to keep running my entire pregnancy and run a fall 2012 half marathon but that goal may be too big for this year. Plus the half marathon I wanted to run is now when we'll be out of town in September. Running a summer 5K and a fall 10K and training well for them are probably better postpartum goals. This will leave me ready to train for a spring 2013 half marathon and the Colorado Marathon is my first choice. It will also leave me very well trained to run a fast (for me) 2013 Bolder Boulder. Running the Bolder Boulder has been my dream since I got into running but this year I'll only be a couple weeks postpartum so it will have to be delayed until 2013.

So those are my goals for 2012. Thanks for helping keep me accountable!

Introducing Baby Brown

The baby's first photos! We had our first and likely only ultrasound on Tuesday. It was the 20 week anatomy scan though we waited until I was 22 weeks 4 days so it would be in the 2012 plan year for our insurance deductible.

It was so amazing to see the baby. My favorite part was the tech got an up close shot of the baby's little lips and nose, and they looked just adorable. The tech said everything looked great and got all the measurements we needed. We left there with about 15 profile photos of the baby and a live action DVD of the whole thing. Technology has definitely improved over the past 12 years since I've been pregnant!

We also got a call from our midwife yesterday going over the ultrasound report and she said everything looked perfect. We have a healthy baby growing in there! I wasn't worried something was wrong but hearing those words, "your baby looks perfect" sure felt great.

At my 22 week appointment I was measuring 24 weeks or 2 weeks ahead according to fundal height. At the ultrasound the baby was 1 pound 4 oz and measuring 5 days ahead. Since we're past the first trimester and babies grow at all different rates according to their genetics they will not adjust my due date but I'll likely have a bigger than average baby. Brennan was 8 lbs 1oz and I was 8lbs 12oz and hubby is 6'0" tall and 180 pounds so I wasn't expecting a small baby to start with. We were just happy to hear everything looks great and get a sneak peek at the baby. The day was even more special because hubby and the kids all got to be there to see the baby too. I can't believe the baby will be here in a little under 4 months!

Mommy and baby photos

Side view

The frame for our dresser

Baby

Love this profile shot!

A One Day Can Change the Course of the Rest of Your Life

6 years ago today, despite hubby going to the wrong Starbucks (there is one on every corner in Colorado) hubby and I had our first date. It is amazing how something so simple can truly change the course of the rest of your life. We had met on Match.com and had a few long phone conversations but had never met in person. If I hadn't realized he was at a different Starbucks we both would've probably thought we were stood up and moved on in our dating adventure. Lucky for both of us that isn't how things turned out. Our first date was wonderful and we spent hours sitting in Starbucks talking and laughing. The rest is pretty much history but 13 months later we were engaged and 2 1/2 years after our first date we were married. Now 6 years later we've been married 3 1/2 years and are expecting our first "together" baby.

I love you so much Nate and thank God each day for bringing you into my life. You are a wonderful husband, father, provider, companion, and my best friend. I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for us with the arrival of our new baby and all the excitement that brings. Here's to 6 more and 60 more years of happiness together! I love you!

If you want to read more about our love story I wrote about it here.

Then

Now

Pregnancy: 20 Weeks

Due date: May 4, 2012

How far along: 20 weeks

Weight gain: 17 pounds. I think my 16 week update was a little off with 10 pounds because I was up 17 at my 18 week appointment. I gained 10 first trimester and still am hungry all the time. I've just come to terms with the fact I am going to gain 40 pounds again this time. Luckily with Brennan it came off right away with no work. Hoping for slow and steady the rest of my pregnancy.

Maternity clothes: All maternity clothes. A couple pre-pregnancy shirts and dresses fit. The dress and tank in the pictures above are not maternity.

Baby bump: Between 13-14 weeks my belly definitely "popped". While it has gotten bigger since then I think it has been more gradual. It also depends a lot upon what I'm wearing.

Gender: We aren't going to find out the gender. We are really excited to announce both the gender and the name on the day the baby is born.

Heartbeat: We got to hear the heartbeat at my 18 week appointment again. The baby had a nice strong heartbeat of 152 BPM. I can't wait to hear it again next week!

Movement: Still waiting to feel lots of movement throughout the day. Brennan and Wynter were able to feel the baby move around 18 weeks when the baby was really hyper. Nate and Phoenix still haven't been able to feel it :-( This last week I have been feeling a bit more spontaneous movement throughout the day which is exciting. I'll be interested to see if I have an anterior placenta at my ultrasound because that can muffle the movement of the baby's kicks. Either that or I just have a really chill baby. The baby is still most active around 9pm.

Symptoms: Overall I still feel great! I'm happy to report my blood pressure has been great since early November! After several weeks of normal readings at home and a great reading at my last appointment I have stopped monitoring it. I think worrying about it non-stop doesn't help and now that it has been normal I don't worry. I still severely limit my caffeine intake though I have been cheating more this past week. I also still take all my heart health supplements and the liquid iron and herbs the acupuncturist recommended and will continue those throughout my pregnancy as a preventative measure. After 4 sessions of acupuncture I have stopped that now due to cost and that my blood pressure is normal again. I would definitely consider it again in the future if my blood pressure goes up. I also happy to report the mid-pregnancy headaches that I complained of last update have subsided too. I'm still tired if I do a lot during the day and occasional sneak in a 30 minute nap but I can stay up late getting stuff done if need be. I did have horrible pregnancy insomnia from about 8 weeks until about 18 weeks. I tried to just chalk it up to normal pregnancy stuff but it was starting to wear on me. After chatting with some other women at similar stages of pregnancy the biggest things I've done is add a snack right before bed so I don't wake up hungry, limit water intake after dinner which was hard because I am a water-o-holic, and sleep with a body pillow. The body pillow helps a lot more than I thought. I still toss and turn a bit and often I don't wake up with the body pillow but I always start with it. I really can't complain much though, just like with Brennan I am having a pretty easy pregnancy!

Exercise: I am still doing horrible with exercise which is disappointing to me since I was so active before. The cold weather really is my enemy! I signed up for an hour long prenatal water aerobics class two days per week the entire month of January so I hope paying for that and putting in on my calendar will keep me accountable. I need to get running again because I know if I take 6 months off it will be harder to pick up postpartum. Anyone want to be my running buddy? I run really slowly, especially pregnant ;-)

Next Appointment: Friday, December 30th. I'll be 22 weeks and Nate and the kids will all be coming. The kids don't have school so I thought I'd take the opportunity to let them meet the midwives and hear the baby's heartbeat. I know they can't wait. I hope the exam room doesn't feel too crowded with 6 people in it. Our ultrasound is scheduled for January 3rd and the kids get to come to that too!

Here is the link to the Baby Center: Your Pregnancy: 20 weeks. Some of the highlights are: baby is now 10 1/2 ounces and 6 1/2 inches. He is swallowing more these days and his digestive system is getting some practice. Your uterus is now level with your belly button and you've likely gained around 10 pounds (ha!). Expect to gain about a pound or so per week the rest of your pregnancy. 

Brennan's New Etsy Shop

My 11 year old son, Brennan recently opened his own Etsy shop. I'm so proud of him! He makes custom made duct tape items. Right now his shop is offering wallets, purses, checker boards, and bull whips with plans to add more items as business expands. Each item is made to order with your specifications. You chose the color and can even add a custom design. His prices are very reasonable too. Please take the time to click over and check out his shop.

Orders placed by 12/16 will be shipped in time for Christmas delivery.

An example of a wallet

Woven wallet

Bull whip

Checker board, includes duct tape checkers

Purse, size can be customized as well as colors

Current colors he has available

Thanks for looking!

Bedtime Battles

You would think with two 11 year olds and an 8 year old the bedtime battles would be over but they're not! Sure I can get them to go to bed, stay in bed, and sleep through the night but now that we have entered the tween stage we have entered a new battle: the fair bedtime battle.

I am not some sort of routine or sleep Nazi but my kids have always had a pretty early bedtime. This is mainly due to the fact that they've always had to get up early for school. Experts still recommend children ages 7-12 get 10-11 hours of sleep. Over the years my kids school schedule has dictated how early that have to get up from 5:45am until 7am. For my 8 year old who has to wake up at 7am and truly needs more sleep than the older to that means to get 11 hours she would have to be sleeping by 8pm. For my two 11 year olds who get up around 5:45am and need a little less sleep, in order for them to get 10 hours of sleep they would have to be sleeping by 7:45pm.

Getting ready for bed, bedtime, and when the kids are actually asleep are three very different things in our house. I will admit how smoothly the process goes depends how involved I am that night, if they had after school activities, how early I was able to serve dinner, and how early we start the process. The earlier we start getting ready for bed, the smoother the process goes, and the earlier they are sleeping. Up until this year 8pm was their bedtime and we would start getting ready at 7pm. Usually all three take showers at night which makes the process a bit long but alleviates morning stress. They also pack their lunches, pick out their clothes for the next day, pick up their rooms, do their chores, and take care of their other personal hygiene items like brushing teeth and hair.

Last year Brennan was in 5th grade and began complaining about his early bedtime. Most of his friends had bedtimes of at least 9pm and he felt he was being babied. He really began bringing this up at the end of the year while we were preparing for our move and hubby was living in Colorado already so I told him we would reevaluate this year when he entered middle school. With three children 2 years 8 months apart it is difficult to institute separate bedtimes, especially for the older two who are only 6 months apart. My youngest needs more sleep but the older two get up earlier so the same bedtime makes sense. After some discussions we decided on an 8:30pm bedtime, and 7:30pm get ready for bed time. This seemed ok if it was strictly enforced but it seems like life keeps getting in the way and they aren't sleeping until 9pm a lot of nights.

I began to realize the later bedtime wasn't working especially for my middle daughter who goes to the middle school for math so she is up early and at school late. Her school day is 1 1/2 hours longer than the other two kids. There have been several instances over the past few months where I have sent her to her room at 5pm or 6pm because she was in trouble only to go up there and find she had fallen asleep and stayed asleep the entire night. They truly need the sleep and I was tired of bedtime always getting pushed back.

So yesterday I instituted a new rule. We now start getting ready for bed at 7pm. Anytime they are ready before 8pm is their free time to play video games, watch TV, etc. but at 8pm I want them in their beds to start winding down. I told them they can read or listen to music quietly or relax but they had to be in bed. I then came around at 8:20pm last night and tucked everyone in and turned the lights out. It was a lot less stressful for me because I had some quiet time after they were sleeping before I went to sleep. I know the bedtime isn't too early because they all fall asleep right away. A long day of school with a 40 minute bus ride each way makes for a long day. Plus whatever we do after school usually wears them out too.

I hate being the mean mom or the strict mom but sometimes it needs to be done. We are only one night in but I hope I can keep it up and keep them on track with their earlier bedtime and getting the sleep they need. I guess we will see.