Family Pictures 2014

This past Sunday we had our family pictures taken.  After trying for a few years we finally go in with a local photographer.  Every time before she was booked by the time I got around to calling.  We were so pleased with our session and even happier once we saw the pictures.  And let me say I am super impressed with her turn around time!  Less than 24 hours!  I can't wait for her to do Elsie's 3 year photos and our baby's newborn photos in the spring :).  

Even though I was "on the ball" in scheduling our session that was not the case when it came to our outfits.  Our session was at 5:00 and by 3:00 I still didn't know what I was wearing (mainly trying to decide between scarves) and John was still shirtless :).  I think by 4:00 I finally had our outfits figured out but I did end up taking a different scarf for me and a shirt for John-ha!  I am happy with our choices though.  

Elsie did really good throughout the session too.  I have to add that as we were walking to meet up with the photographer Elsie found a big, yellow Maple leaf and did not let go of it for the entire session.  Ha Ha this is so her right now with her obsession with leaves,  So here are just a few of my favorites ;).

The photographer said we had to get a few maternity pics which at first I was a little hesitant about but a, so happy we did :)  

Y Camp Fall Excursion

This past Sunday, Elsie, John and I went on a YCamp Alumni event.  It was a train ride on the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad which goes right through camp.  When living out at camp I saw this train go through ALL THE TIME!  I never rode it though.  So for this event the train would stop at camp and drop us off.  Then take a hayride out to a campfire where we would enjoy songs and s'mores.  I wasn't going to sign us up at first because it started at one which is nap time and was worried how Elsie would react since she is such a nap girl but I threw caution to the wind-ha and said risked it hoping there was enough action to keep her happy.  I also laid her down at 11:00 AM for a little nap before we left.  This particular afternoon was just wonderful.  The weather was perfect!  In fact, I was warm in a sweatshirt and Elsie shed her sweater the minute we got on the train.  

All Aboard! 

Elsie was pretty excited about the idea of riding on a train and she kept saying "we're up high Mommy!" but she got over it quickly and ended up laying down on the seat with her blanket.  Thank goodness we only were on for half of the train ride-not sure how it would have turned out if we were on for the full trip because this girl got restless. 

Views from atop the Bass Point Creek High Bride-154 FT High

Getting dropped off at camp.  

Our old house-Crawford Cabin where we lived from Jan 2009-June 2010 when we had to move out because of the flooding of the Des Moines River.  Now it is built up so there is no more worries about flooding.  

Train going back through camp.

We took a tractor ride out to The Preserve-a part of camp that was just in the beginning stages of development when I worked there.  I remember doing research about the fish to use to stock this pond for kids to fish-little did I know my own little girl would be trying to catch those fish :)

After a little fishing and exploring it was time for the fire and sing a long.  

The guy on the left is Alex-the new summer camp director.  On the right is Mike-one of my most favorite people.  He is the naturalist on staff and is so talented and knowlegeable.  He even humored Elsie by teaching her owl sounds.  

Adult vs kid marshmallow fight.  Elsie had fun throwing them at Mommy and Daddy.  

The bison on the prairie.  Well not really-they are steel cute outs.  John was trying to make a "bison sound" pretending it was coming from them.  Elsie exclaimed "Daddy that is not the buffaloes, that noise is from a cow!"  

More exploring.  It was really fun to head back out to camp since it has been since Elsie was just 6 months old since I have been out there and so much has changed.  It was also fun to see Elsie have so much fun there and I hope to participate in many more programs over the years to come-only two more years until she is old enough for Mother/Child and Father/Child campouts.  

The sign to camp say "The Closest Place to Heaven on Earth" and this Sunday was a great reminder of that.  

Baby #2: The First Few Weeks

So now that the news is out there in blog land and I can catch myself up on the pregnancy up until this far.  And now that I am close to 17 weeks I have a lot to cover so I apologize for these text heavy posts.  :)

John and I found out that we were expecting back on July 22nd.  I had a pretty good feeling I was pregnant because I had heartburn at night again and had to take tums before bed like three nights in a row.  Occassionally, when I am not pregnant I get heartburn but that is after I eat  a lots of yummy, bad for you food.  That was not the case this time and not three nights in a row.  So I had a good feeling.  And of course, this was something we were hoping for.  We had returned for Poland and was hoping for this to happen as soon as possible so we were over the moon with the positive test.

Because I had the heartburn, I had a feeling I was pregnant.  Well on the 23rd I had a massage scheduled with a sitter lined up to watch Elsie in the morning.  A few days before my appointment I made a mental note not to take a test until after my appointment because I know my massage therapist doesn't want to give massages during the first trimester.  Well that slipped my mind the night of the 22nd and I decided to take the test.  John was working late, Elsie was in bed and I just wanted to know.  After I took the test, saw it was positive it finally dawned on me that I had my appointment the next morning.  I quickly shot off an email to Missy begging for some form of massage and of course, she said to let my baby grown big and strong and she would see me in the second tri.  This same thing happened with my third pregnancy so I knew her stance on it but what are the odds.  The last two appointments made I had to cancel the night before because I found out I was pregnant-ha!  I shared the news with John when he got home that night.

The next day instead of my appointment, I did a little shopping since I had Tanner lined up to babysit and I didn't want to bail on her.  That evening we were supposed to go to Zoo Brew down in Des Moines for date night but instead hit up one our favorite restaurants in Ames instead since I wouldn't be able to partake in any of the beer at Zoo Brew.

On Thursday (7/24) I finally put a call into my doctor.  The last time around (my third pregnancy) they didn't have me come in for any testing (bloodwork) which helps determine if my pregnancy is progressing the way it should.  This was the testing done during my first pregnancy that led them to believe I had an ectopic pregnancy.  With Elsie the bloodwork showed things seems normal and with the third, well I believe if they had done the early bloodwork to monitor hormone levels they would have discovered earlier that it would end in a miscarriage.  I figured it would be the same this time around but when I called they wanted me in that day for my first blood test.  The first test was just used as a baseline and then I went in for a second test and like we hoped it has increased to the level it should be.  I REALLY wish I would have written the numbers down and maybe I will ask the next time.  When they called with the results from the second test they said they wanted to schedule an ultrasound.  So on August 7th at  6w1d I went in for our first ultrasound.  And much to our relief we saw the baby.  Having this be the fourth time we have had an early ultrasound done I know the feeling too well of discovering a problem at this appointment and so I did not go into it with excitement as most women probably do.   So not only did we see the baby where it should be but were able to see the little flicker of a heartbeat.  Which is crazy to me because this babe was only 2mm big!

Like Elsie, they told me that once a heartbeat was detected the risk of miscarriage decreases.  Although I was relieved to see everything so far was so good I knew until my next appointment at 10 weeks when they do another ultrasound I just wouldn't feel 100% reassured.  In fact, we waited a little bit to even tell Elsie.  Even though she had no idea she was going to be a big sister or her mom had a "baby in her belly" she was still telling people.  Little did she know she was right.  I think she was originally saying it because two of her friends from daycare were going to be big sisters and thier mom's had a baby in their belly.

In fact, the weekend we told my parents at (5w5d) Elsie had spent the weekend with them.  When we shared the news on Sunday my mom said she already  knew because Elsie had told them.  WHAT?  We had never even said anything of the sort to Elsie or talked about it around her.  I asked her why she said that and she ran off and got one of her Little Lutheran books that has a picture of an ultrasound and we had talked about what that was.  So anyways...long story short she was just talking randomly and didn't even know she was right or that she spilled the beans :).

The main symptom at this point was heartburn-otherwise I felt great.

Night Eyes 2014

On Friday October 17th, John, Elsie and I went to Night Eyes at the Blank Park Zoo.  We had plans to meet up with our friends, Nick, Hillary, Owen and Brady but they were going to be arriving a little later than us.  I had no idea what to expect.  What we discovered was that pretty much once you got in, you get on the "treat trail" that takes you around the zoo.  You just follow the crowd.  I wasn't really expecting that which meant we didn't meet up with the others until the very end.  Also, as we were getting out of the vehicle we looked a few cars down and there was Kara, her friend Jamie and the boys getting out of their van.  We started out together but split up towards the beginning.

My beautiful Princess-Belle.  The crown lasted as long as it took for this picture :)

Hans and Franz (and Jamie)

First Treat Station.  It took her a few stations to get the hang of this whole trick or treat business.

While I went to buy tickets for the train Elsie and John walked around and took all these pictures.  Haha

One of the most interesting things about going to the zoo at night was that the big cats were actually acvitve.  We are members of the zoo so we have gone numerous times and never once have the lions or tigers been up moving around-just lounging.  But this night the male was running around, it would squat down, then take off running towards the female.  The tiger was also up wandering around and walked right in front of us.  

 Of course we had to ride the carousel.  

Finally met up with Owen, Brady, Nick and Hillary.  

And these two had a blast running around.  The alligator chasing after the princess :)

We were litterally one of the last vehicles in the lot!  Although it wasn't quite what I expected we still had a fun time!