Sprinkle Shower

On Friday night, Shannon and my mom threw Matt and I a "Sprinkle Shower". Basically, it's a shower for a second baby, but only for necessary things like diapers, clothes and such! I was so happy when Shannon offered the idea to have this shower - the parties are the best part about being pregnant and I was bummed when I thought I wasn't going to have any for this baby. The party turned out to be so fun and enjoyable! We had appetizers, drinks and dinner at the Village Tavern with close family and friends! It was a perfect evening - relaxing and enjoying my friends and family - it reminded me of my wedding way back when!

We got tons of cute outfits and diapers to stock the nursery with!

I just want to say "Thank You" to Shannon and Kole for having this party and celebrating our second baby! It was so sweet and generous of you both and I LOVE you both so much - your friendship and support means the world to Matt and I!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Ashtyn has been a little copy cat lately - anything she sees a grown up doing she wants to take part in it and of course is constantly saying "I do it, I do it!" Well, in the last week these little instances have made us laugh... One afternoon this week while I was washing the stroller and baby car seat, Ashtyn decided she would wash her bike, so she got everything out herself and starting washing her bike - looked just like her dad, especially with the amount of attention she gave the wheels - she said she wanted them "shiny"!

My feet have been swelling horribly by the end of the day lately, so I try to elevate them when I am relaxing before bed, well Ashtyn has now been doing the same thing - she will get a couple pillows together, lay right beside me, put her feet up then look at me and say "Feet Up!" It's so cute...

This weekend at the lake, we went camping and when we sat around the camp fire Ashtyn had to grab her chair sit it next to Papa and then cross her legs just like him...

It's so fun and amusing to watch Ashtyn learn how to be so independent! Now that she is repeating everything we say and do, we better be on our best behavior!

38 Week Check Up...

On Friday I had my 38 week check up and was very excited to see if I was progressing towards actual labor... All my vitals checked out good and Eli's heart rate was in the 140's like usual. The nurse checked me and I was 3CM dilated and 70% effaced, so it looks like things are headed in the right direction. I have definitely been having some contractions - nothing consistent though, and tons of Braxton Hicks - At this point I am ready! I am ready to meet my little boy and get this new adventure going... I am hoping he comes June 1st, but not sure if that will actually happen or not - I guess it's really not up to me! I hope to enjoy my Memorial Day weekend, relax and maybe, just maybe meet this little man next week - I can't believe that the LONG 40 weeks are almost over! My plan is to eat a ton of Mexican food, take lots of walks and go for a bumpy boat ride this weekend to hurry along the process, we will see what happens...

Nursery Completed

This past week we finally completed the nursery for Eli - it turned out just as I had planned, although my projects always seem to get a little out of control always taking longer then I would have imagined! The orange walls were my initial inspiration - mainly because I didn't want to repaint and I was fortunate enough to find bedding that would work with the bold color. The theme for his room is monkeys inspired from the bedding I found at Pottery Barn. Kevin and Matt did a wall treatment which I LOVE! I still have items to add, but it is NOW at least ready for Eli's arrival home - I hope he enjoys the room as much as I have putting it together...

It's sad to think this is the last time I get to put a nursery together, but I will make sure to enjoy every minute of caring for Eli and watching him grow up in his new room. Can't wait to actually have him here!

36 Weeks and counting...

Just had my 36 week check up - I am getting so close! Things are still doing good - baby's heart rate was good, still kicking around all the time and they did an ultra sound to make sure he was in position, which he is - head down and flipped over the correct way - GOOD! Just wonder how big he is? - that is a major concern of mine at the moment. All my vitals checked out OK - I had some protein in my urine, but no high blood pressure or swelling, so I am going back again next week to make sure that doesn't get out of control. I have also developed PUPPS which is the most uncomfortable thing in the world - basically I have an itchy rash all over my legs and belly - so sleeping at the moment is horrible. The doctor prescribed some cream and medicine to help me sleep - hopefully it will work. Not only do I have the rash I have major heart burn when I lay down as well - so let's just say going to bed right now is dreadful, but I am still so tired. Needless to say - I AM READY! I am craving root beer floats at the moment and enjoy one every evening after dinner - not sure where that came from, but it gives me peace for the 5 minutes I enjoy them! Starting to get scared of what my life is going to be like in 4 short weeks and if I can handle all this - 2 year old with a new born, God be with me!

Mother's Day

Mother's day this year was very busy as usual, but very enjoyable. Typically, Matt doesn't do much for gifts for any type of holiday or celebration, so when he does it is a very BIG surprise and very exciting! I guess this year I was the best mama ever because presents kept showing up all week long for me to open - it was great! Finally, on Friday night Matt said I could open them since the next couple days were booked...Well I ended up getting a new phone - touch screen with Internet and everything! I finally feel cool having a nice phone - now if I just learn to use it. I also got a new camera - and not just any camera a really nice, expensive one that actually will capture pictures of my children instead of me always missing them because the camera is so slow! I having been complaining about my old camera for months now and constantly talking about wanting a really nice one, but thought it was a long shot - but Happy Mother's Day to me because I got one - again, now I have to figure out how to use it! Thank you Matt and Ashtyn for my presents - it made me feel so special and loved!

On the morning of mother's day we headed to church bright and early at St. Louis to watch Carson and Brooke make their first communion. Afterwards we headed to Debbie and John's house for the best brunch ever - waffles, breakfast burritos, desserts, eggs and much more - delicious as usual.

After a trip home and a quick nap for Ashtyn, we headed over to the Trujillo house for some dinner and fun. We went to the park since the weather was actually nice and Ashtyn enjoyed running around like a little monkey - Matt used our new camera and got some great pictures of Ashtyn, actually looking into the camera - YEAH!

We had a great dinner and dessert and then settled down to watch It's Complicated - which happens to be a VERY funny movie! All in all, it was a great mother's day - I am so blessed to be surrounded by such great family but most of all my wonderful husband - whom totally out did himself this year - and my beautiful daughter who makes being a mom the best thing in the whole world - Love you all!

32 Week Check Up

32 Weeks - Almost there! My appointment this check up was no different then any other one -blood pressure good, baby good, no problems besides normal pregnancy complaints - I had moderate weight gain - which I was very excited about, since the months prior were very frightening! Eli's heart rate was in the 140's like usual and he stuck his butt out for the doctor to see - HE is constantly moving! I know constant action is a positive, reassuring thing when you are pregnant, but Eli seems very strong, and my stomach actually hurts at the end of the day because of how much kicking, moving and pushing he does - I guess I better just get ready for the life a boy brings, quite different I am sure then a delicate girl! I am getting a bit scared now about the thought of going through labor again, but hopefully as I get more uncomfortable that fear will exit and I will just want to have this baby boy out! My craving for spicy food is in full swing again - just like with Ashtyn - I could eat Mexican food every night from here on out! Ashtyn now always asks about the baby, and will rub my belly when I say it hurts. She will also ask - "Kicking?" when I make a funny face, but she still calls him Robbie - she thinks every baby is Robbie at the moment! We continue to add things to the nursery hopefully nearing the finish, and I have started buying little outfits - boy clothes are so fun, they look like little men! I am definitely getting excited, and thankfully April is moving FAST!

Pacifier NO MORE!

...SO far behind on blogging, but better late then totally forgetting about it!

Ashtyn was totally successful having the pacifier taken away - she has been without for about a month now - YEAH for her! We started the process the weekend after she tunred 2... We decided to start on a Friday, that way she would be home for the next 4 days and Grandma would not have to deal with it, just in case it was WAR! So Thursday night after she fell asleep we took the pacifier and threw it away - FOREVER - felt great as a parent, but I feared for the morning and what our weekend would be like. Now, typically when Ashtyn wakes up in the morning she babbles a bit and then will call for me to come get her, but always in a good mood - well instantly that Friday morning Ashtyn knew something was changing because the first word I heard on the monitor was "PAS!" - yep, she wanted her pacifier! So I went in there and she started crying and wanted her Pas, and I just kept telling her the pas was gone and she was now a big girl who didn't need the pas...well it really didn't matter what I said to her she just wanted her pas. Dora didn't even suffice that morning, and so basically she threw a fit for a good hour - Luckily, I had a doctor's appointment so I rushed out the door and Matt was left to deal with her...

When I returned home she was contently playing - with no pas! Great, but nap time was around the corner, so I knew it would be another tantrum... Well much to our suprise, Ashtyn went to nap just like she did every other day for the past year but with NO PAS! It was amazing! And ever since that Friday morning we have had NO problems! She will occasionally ask for it, and we just say "You are a big girl now, and those are for babies!" and she moves on! Matt and I would have done this a long time ago if we knew how easy it was going to be - do you know how nice it is to not have to look for that thing all the time! We are so happy we moved though this little stage in her life and our so thankful we were blessed with such an easy going child!

Ashtyn - Mommy and Daddy are so PROUD of you! We love you!