Christmas 2013

Christmas was amazing this year! Mason is at such a fun age and loved everything about Christmas! I'll let the pictures tell the story...

Saturday before Christmas we exchanged gifts with Brad's siblings. Uncle Kirt gave Mason an airplane that actually flies around...he is just a little obsessed with it!

That night we went to the Bowles family Christmas party. Mason had so much fun playing with the balloons and his Great-Grandma even joined in the fun! This picture is priceless to me.

Christmas Eve we went and ate dinner (the yummiest homemade Chinese food) at my parent's house. When we got home we opened our Christmas jammies and watched The Santa Clause before putting Mason down for the night.

Santa came!!

Christmas morning we had to wake up Mason so we'd have time for everything we had planned. We brought him downstairs and he ran right for his presents!

We let him play with all of his new stuff for a little bit and then it was time to open presents.

 He LOVED his dalmatian!

Men and their power tools...

 My new camera (and all of the accessories) were a huge part of my Christmas this year but Brad still got me a few other things. New pillows that I have wanted for so long and the Fast & Furious 6 movie.

I got Brad a new t-shirt, a gift card to Village Baker and a Tablet. He was NOT expecting the last one!

After opening presents we let Mason play again and he did what any 17 month old would do, turn his ball pit upside down!

Then we headed over to Brad's parent's house to open presents and talk to Uncle Jantzen!

 After that we headed over to my parent's house to eat homemade cinnamon rolls, open gifts and talk with Uncle Brian!

Grandma Santa brought Mason an inflatable sword...he knew just what to do with it!

Grandma gave him new chairs for his little table and he thinks they are so cool!!

Later that night we headed over to Grandma & Grandpa Bowles' house and Mason enjoyed the veggie dip...

He doesn't so much like big crowds of people so he snuck off with his Great-Grandpa Bowles to have a snuggle and some peace and quiet.

Brad's cute Grandma reads Annie & Willie's Prayer aloud to everyone every Christmas. So sweet because HER mother used to read it to her!

Mason was spoiled this Christmas!

Ball pit, new outfit, slinky, giant coloring pad, giant Crayons, Planes & Despicable Me 2, a giant box of Nerds, 3 new cardboard puzzles, stuffed dalmatian, giant magnetic letters, 2 different tool sets complete with a working drill, 2 new adorable wood puzzles from Grandma & Grandpa Bowles, flying airplane from Uncle Kirt, rainbow caterpillar and book from a cousin, chapstick, Grandma Jepson gave him a new outfit, two chairs for his table, a personalized chair cover, story books, sword and tons of candy in his stocking, Payton gave him a wild animals toy set, Aunt Lisa gave him a zipper pull and LOTS of stuffed puppets, Brooklynn gave him a stuffed frog, Uncle Braddy gave him a little "woof woof" and Uncle Bob gave him a giant poster of daddy that says, "My Hero" on it. It was a picture I took of Brad awhile back when we went to the mall an now Mason is obsessed with it! He LOVES that he has his own giant picture of daddy!

I love Christmas!

11 Weeks

Saturday morning I woke up and got ready for the day as usual. Shortly after I got out of the shower I noticed that I had started spotting and my heart sunk. I know that a lot of women spot throughout their pregnancies, but I never did with Mason so I was extremely worried.

I talked with Brad about it and we decided that because it wasn't bright red and I didn't have any cramping that I shouldn't read too much into it.

We headed out for the day and finished our Christmas shopping. Our last stop was Target and I decided to try on a maternity skirt and I noticed that I had started spotting again...quite a bit more than I had been all day. I had a breakdown in the dressing room and had to pull myself together before I walked out. I didn't want the Target employees thinking I was THAT upset that the skirt didn't fit. I looked at Brad, quietly told him that I was spotting again and that we just needed to go. I made it to the car and then I lost it. I was so scared and worried for our sweet baby and felt so powerless...I had no control over what was happening.

That night I didn't sleep.

Sunday morning I woke up and not only was I still spotting, I started having cramps. I bawled again not knowing what I should do. I called my mom and gave her the update. She asked if she could have my aunt call me and talk with me because she has been through this (and worse) many times. Of course I agreed and I couldn't wait to get her phone call.

After I hung up with my mom I decided to just call labor and delivery at the hospital. I knew my doctor's office was closed for the weekend and I knew that there would be a doctor in labor and delivery that maybe I could talk to. Well, the Spirit prompted me to call labor and delivery for a reason, MY doctor was the on call doctor that day. I was able to talk with him and he calmed my nerves quite a bit. He told me that I shouldn't worry either way because at this point in the pregnancy there is no way to prevent a miscarriage and there is nothing to cause one. He told me to take it easy for the remainder of the day (which meant no going to church and chasing after Mason for three hours) and that even if the bleeding stopped he wanted me to come into his office the next day.

Right after I hung up with him my aunt called and talking with her made me feel even better. I am so grateful for my amazing family.

Monday morning I called my doctor's office and they scheduled me for an ultrasound just to make sure everything was OK. 11:00 rolled around and Brad met Mason and me at the hospital. Only a few minutes later they called me back.

I was SO nervous and was hoping for the best but deep down I had prepared myself for the worst.

The ultrasound tech squirted the warm jelly onto my belly and the ultrasound began...

She paused for only a moment and said, "There is the heartbeat!" I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief and almost cried! Watching our baby kick their little arms and legs around was pure joy.

She checked all the baby's measurements, heartbeat (137 bpm), etc. and then checked my insides. Everything looked good. She said that her best guess as to why I was spotting is because my placenta is sitting really low and that if I overdo it even a little bit then it can cause a little bit of spotting.

She told me to continue to take it easy for the next week or so (I'm not even allowed to vacuum) and I should be alright.

Walking out of the hospital I could not wipe the smile off my face! I felt so much better knowing that our baby is doing great and growing just as they should!

10 Weeks (Almost)

Yesterday was my first doctor's appointment and I was so incredibly anxious, nervous and excited all at the same time. When I was pregnant with Mason I found out I was pregnant and a week later went to hear the heartbeat...this time around I found out at the beginning of October and waited over a MONTH to go hear a heartbeat!

My worst nightmare would be to go to the doctor and have them tell me there is no heartbeat so I was having some serious anxiety about that...just thinking about it made me sick.

Because I don't have morning sickness, I am barely showing, my face hasn't broken out like last time and I am NOT tired one bit I was nervous. Brad kept telling me to calm down because it is something I have no control over.

I didn't sleep the night before my appointment.

Yesterday came and I was SO anxious for 3:20 to roll around.

I went and dropped Mason off at my mom's and Brad met me at the doctor's office.

They weighed me and took my blood pressure ~ I've gained three pounds already (YIKES) and my blood pressure was 106/62 (SUPER SUPER LOW).

They took me back to a room and I sat anxiously with Bradly, just waiting for Dr. Monte to come in. A few minutes later he knocked on the door.

He absolutely made my day for two reasons.

1. He told me that I am, and I quote, "Super skinny," so I am allowed to gain up to 35 pounds without worrying about it. I laughed when he said super skinny and he said, "No, you are." I laughed again and told him that if I gained 35 pounds then I would be using pregnancy as an excuse to eat junk food and get fat. No thanks. Because he is hilarious he said, "Well, you are skinny, but there are not so skinny people, like myself, who shouldn't be gaining weight while they are pregnant. I've told some people that if they only gain 10 pounds during their pregnancy then that is great, their baby won't die!" So basically, he gave me a little confidence boost by telling me that I am not fat. So nice to hear when you feel bloated with a little pooch just starting to poke out!

2. He said he was hesitant to try to listen for a heartbeat at 10 weeks because sometimes you don't hear it and then parents "freak out." I told him we heard Mason's heartbeat at 7 weeks so we should try. Luckily he gave in to my pressure and put the doppler on my tummy. There it was...baby's heartbeat...the best sound in the whole world! 170 bpm and healthy as can be! My face lit up and so did Brad's. I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief and couldn't wipe the smile off my face!

After listening to the heartbeat he told me that because I had a C-Section last time that it would be up to me if I wanted to do a C-Section or a VBAC this time around. He did say that if I opt for a VBAC then I would have to schedule it so he could be there with me the whole time. The moment I heard that I knew what that meant...pitocin. Blah! No way! Never again! So chances are pretty high that I will opt for a scheduled C-Section.
On the way out they took my blood for all the usual tests...and in case anyone was wondering, the lady still sucks at drawing blood.

Leaving the doctor's office I felt so giddy and much more relaxed. It finally feels a bit more real to me and I can't wait to find out if this baby is a boy or a girl...just over a month away and we will know!!

My belly right now is how I looked at around 16 weeks with Mason!

Halloween

Although Mason was around for Halloween last year he didn't really get to experience it for the first time until this year. I thought he would LOVE painting a pumpkin...well I was dead wrong. He doesn't like messy hands one bit and the moment the paint touched his hands he was done.

I was very excited for his costume because he just looked so stinkin' cute! I was a little surprised that he didn't pull off the hood.

The few days before Halloween he had a blast! 

We took him to the pumpkin patch more than once.

He came and helped me with Payton's class Halloween party and loved it!

We went to my parent's ward Halloween carnival.

Then came Halloween! My little lion got to go trick-or-treating for his very first time. After the first couple of houses he understood what he was supposed to do and didn't need daddy's help anymore! He ended up with mostly suckers because most of the houses let him pick what he wanted.

After trick-or-treating they came back to my mom's house and ate lots of homemade donuts!

After we left my mom's house we headed over to Brad's grandparents to let Mason run around with the other kids for a bit.

By the end of the night he was exhausted and passed out on the way home!

A successful (and very cute) first Halloween!!