Life is Good....Soak It Up

I have come to realize that life can be so short, and that we need to soak up every moment we can with our loved ones. Of course I already knew this but the last couple of months it has really hit me. I had a rough couple of months with health issues. I started having dizzy spells and after one of the dizzy spells I realized that I had a VERY low heart rate. It rests in the low 40s to 50. While this can be normal for professional athletes, I can assure you it's not because I'm in as good of shape as one =) I also have had a constant headache since about a month after Landen was born. I have had a bunch of tests done and they didn't really find anything wrong other than confirming that I do in fact, have low heart rate. Luckily for now nothing needs to be done. If I continue to have dizzy spells, or if it gets lower and I pass out then they will consider treating it. But the only way to permanently treat it is to put a pacemaker in. Nothing like being told at the age of 25 that a pacemaker could be a future possibility. Yikes! It's not likely it will come to that though. Thank goodness! So for now I just deal with a constant headache (fun right?) and I have an extremely slow resting  heart rate, which the doctor said could be a good thing because then it won't wear out as fast =) I realize that life so far has gone by so fast, and I'm trying more to live in the moment rather than wanting time to go by faster. I'm trying to enjoy my kiddos at the age they are more, even tho a lot of days can be a challenge. I am taking the time to soak it all in! Enjoy the little moments in day to day life, and make every day a good one! We are responsible for whether we have a good day or bad one!

3 Months and Spit Up

Our little Landen is headed up to Spokane tomorrow to see a gastroenterologist and hopefully get some answers about his spitting up problems. We have literally tried EVERYTHING and the kid just constantly is spitting up. Which in turn also means he is constantly eating, and we are going through formula like crazy! We have changed his type of formula countless times, had him on different meds for reflux, thickened his formula, used probiotics and enzyme supplements, and so many other things but he continues to spit up. A lot. Like so much that some days he goes through all the clothes that currently fit him in a day. I'm really hoping we can get some answers and we don't drive up there for no reason. Despite his constant spitting up, he is still rapidly gaining weight. So the doctor isn't too concerned. But it sure would be nice to not have him spitting up so much!

Here are his 3 month stats: (which are a little late)

~ 13 lbs 11 ounces! (He is SO big!)
~Loves watching his sis
~Loves bath time
~Like sucking on his hands
~Sleeps really good most nights!
~Loves his swing now
~Hates having a dirty diaper
~Hates riding in the car, especially when its dark
~Sits in the bumbo, but his head is so big he struggles keeping it up after a while! =)
~Wears 6 month size clothes, some 9 month jammies
~Has started to laugh a bit, and is very smiley!

He is such a sweet boy! Wish us luck tomorrow and I will update more about that appointment later!

Thankful November...Even Though it's Already December!

So I didn't do so awesome at posting every day in November about what I was thankful for. Life has just been super crazy. I did however take the time to realize the little (or big) things that I am grateful for even though I didn't post about it every day. Here are some of the things I thought of.

Awesome friends and family
Lysol wipes (some days I just dont know what I would do without them)
A warm cozy house
My comfy bed
Running hot water
The gospel
Family time
A dishwasher
My jacuzzi bath...oh how I love it
Electricity
No debt other than our house
Our business and all our customers
Chocolate
Date nights with my hubby
Food on our table
So many thoughtful people who help me on a regular basis that dont even know me (like people at the grocery store who return my cart for me because I have 2 young kids. Things like that have happened a lot to me lately!)
Modern medicine
Good doctors
Good health

We had a good thanksgiving and hope you did too!

Days 2-5

Ok it isn't as easy as I thought it would be to find the time to post every day. :-)  so I have some catching up to do!

Day 2- I'm grateful for my two adorable kiddos! Sydney makes me laugh and keeps me on my toes! Landen is such a sweet baby and always makes me smile! I can't imagine life without either of them and even tho life is crazy with two little ones, I wouldn't have it any other way!

Day 3- I'm thankful for my parents! They have taught me so much and are always willing to help out when I need them! I love living close to them! They are the best and I love them so much!

Day 4- The gospel. It is such a HUGE blessing in our lives and I can't imagine how life would be without it. I know its true! I love Sundays, its my favorite day of the week!

Day 5- The country we live in and all the freedoms we enjoy! I've seen firsthand how some people in other countries live and we are beyond blessed!

Thankful November

I'm going to attempt to update each day with something I (or we) are thankful for. Today I am thankful for my hubbs of 6 years. He works so hard to provide and take care of his family and I love him like crazy. He is the best husband and Dad! I love watching him play with Sydney or hold and talk to Landen. I look forward to spending eternity with this man!!

Halloween

We ended up going trick or treating with some friends and I was so suprised at how well Sydney did! She is normally very shy, so all day I was prepping her and telling her that to get candy she had to say trick or treat to people that she didn't know. She was such a champ and said it at every house and even told some people Happy Halloween after they gave her candy! She LOVED trick or treating and already can't wait to go again next year! Landen slept through all of it this year, but it will be fun to have him in on the fun next time!

Nursing and naps

A little update on both kiddos. Sydney is 3 and has recently decided that she no longer needs a nap. I still put her down most every day, but instead of sleeping most days she just talks and sings. I'm so not ready to give up nap time! That girl is so full of energy and life and I just love her, but I sure love nap time too and I'm sad to see it on its way out!

Landen is 2 and a half months old and is growing like a weed! He is the size Sydney was at 6 months old! We've had a rough couple of weeks and after lots of pain and problems I was forced to quit nursing. I never have loved the nursing stage, but I am so sad to be forced to stop. :-(  luckily Landen does great with a bottle and the transition has been easy on him. I'm just so bummed! I wish he would have been a bit older.

6 weeks

Our sweet little Landen is already six weeks old! He is such a good baby and we just love him to pieces! At one month he weighed in at 8 lbs 14 ounces and now weighs 10 lbs 4 ounces! He is growing so fast!

~Loves to eat

~Starting to smile and coo at us

~Sleeps great most nights!

~Loves to be swaddled and cuddled

~Spits up. A lot.

~Went to his first hockey game and slept through most of it

~Loves bath time

Meanwhile I am adjusting to the craziness of having two young kids, which most of the time feels sort of like a circus act! =)

Three!

Our sweet Sydney is 3! I decided to start a tradition of every year on her birthday asking her 20 questions to remember her favorite things. Here are her responses at age 3!

1. What is your favorite color? Blue
2. What is your favorite toy? My play food
3. What is your favorite fruit? strawberries
4. What is your favorite tv show? Little Ensteins
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? pizza
6. What is your favorite outfit? Brown one piece romper
7. What is your favorite game? Hungry hippos
8. What is your favorite snack? Fruit leather and brownie bites
9. What is your favorite animal? moose
10. What is your favorite song? Twinkle twinkle little star
11. What is your favorite book? Farm animals
12. Who is your best friend? Mom and Dad, Livi, Layken, Marcella
13. What is your favorite cereal? Special K with chocolate pieces, granola
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Blow bubbles
15. What is your favorite drink? Pink lemonade
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Cow blanket
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Special K

19. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? lasagna
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? I don't want to be anything. Just Sydney.

Sydney is such a blessing! She is my buddy, my helper, she is sweet, smart, and sassy! We love her so much and are so blessed to have her as part of our little family!

Baby Landen's Arrival

Thursday August 16th, I went in to the doctor for my regular 38 week checkup and I was very excited to learn that I was already 3.5 centimeters dialated! I was sent over to the hospital for my twice weekly NST, and then also an ultrasound. Both went great and I was sent on my way.

Later that evening I started having more contractions than usual, but they were never consistent. I headed to the grocery store after that night and thats when the contractions really started picking up. I could tell then that they were more serious ones and that it was definitely possible that I was headed into labor. However I didn't really want to be because I had been having insomnia and I was so dang tired. I wasn't feeling awesome so we picked up some KFC for dinner, and I spent the rest of the evening having semi uncomfortable contractions, but they still weren't consistently closer together.

We put Sydney to bed and I decided to try to rest a bit just in case I was in labor. I wasn't able to sleep at all because the contractions were getting more and more painful, and I finally agreed that I was probably in labor whether I was ready or not! I woke Marshall up around 10:45 and told him to pack things up so we could head to the hospital. I figured I could go in and get my epidural and then try to get some rest before it was pushing time. My Mom and Dad were kind enough to come hang out at our house so we could leave Sydney sleeping at home.

We pulled into the hospital at 11:50 Thursday evening. We were taken to labor and delivery where we were put in a triage room. And then we waited. We waited for them to come in and give me a gown to change into. We waited for the admission people. We waited and waited some more for them to finally hook me up to the monitor to watch my contractions. I stayed on the monitor for a LONG time, they finally came in and checked me, I was at a 5 and they finally declared I was in fact in labor and that I could be taken to my own room. But first we had to wait for them to give me an IV and draw blood. And then we waited some more for who knows what. All this time I was having super painful contractions.

I was finally taken to my own room and hooked up to IV fluids, and I learned that I couldn't have the epidural until they gave me so much fluids through the IV and until they heard back about my blood work. Talk about the worst news ever. By this point I was shaking all over from the pain and because I was progressing so fast. They gave me some meds in my IV that helped a little bit to take the edge off the pain. Finally the time came and I was able to get the epidural. Hallelujah. I love those epidurals. Amazing I tell ya. Right after I received the epidural, Dr. Salisbury (who was on call, and who also delivered Sydney) came in and checked me again, I was at a 7, and then broke my water. Just a short time later they checked again and I was a 9. And then just minutes later I was a 10 and it was time to push! I pushed for 13 minutes and just 4 hours after walking into the hospital Landen Marshall DeCoria arrived at 3:53 am on Friday the 17th! Everything went SO fast and I hardly had time to process that I was in labor before he arrived!

He is now a week old and we just love him! We are adjusting to once again having a newborn, and changing lots of diapers and not getting lots of sleep. We feel so blessed to have Landen in our family!

He's Here!

Landen Marshall DeCoria

7 lbs 11 ounces

20.5 inches

Born August 17th at 3:53 am

 

 

Birth story and more pics to come! =)

Thoughts for today.

Holidays sure are more fun when you have a kid.

Super excited for fireworks tonight. Mainly excited to see how sydney reacts.

I'm 32 weeks prego today. Yay!

32 weeks? Do I really still have two months of this left?!?

Painting toenails at this stage of pregnancy is kind of challenging.

I'm hungry. Always.

My hubby is awesome but I wish he could take the day off.

I hate that my feet are beginning to swell.

I want a pool.

And a new puppy.

I am super grateful to live in this country!

That is all. Happy fourth!

Diabetic.

Well at my 28 week check up I got to do the 1 hour glucose test, I was called back a couple days later and was told I failed, miserably. So then I got to do the super fun 3 hour glucose test. I thought for sure I would pass it, but again a couple days later I got the call that I failed again. I wasn't even close to passing. So I am now considered gestational diabetic.

At first I was pretty bummed, but I had a couple of weeks to get used to the idea before meeting with the diabetic and nutritional counselor. After my first appointment I actually left feeling way optomistic about everything. It has almost been a week of counting carbs, writing down everything I eat, and taking my blood sugar. And I gotta say. It kind of sucks.

This has become my new buddy (see pic below)

I wake up, I take my blood. I eat a small breakfast, 2 hours later I take my blood sugar. I eat lunch, 2 hours later I take my blood. I eat dinner, 2 hours later I do it again. My numbers have been good so far, so I can't complain too much. But it's crazy how many carbs things have in them! I have to count the carbs I eat, and that also means that I have to eat smaller portions of things. And this prego girl is kind of hungry. All. The. Time.

Also, among other things gestational diabetes can cause the baby to be big. I have this weird irrational fear of giving birth to a large baby. So this freaks me out a little. Maybe it's because Sydney was small at only 6 lbs 11 ounces but she did some pretty decent damage? I don't know what it is but I'm hoping this little guy doesn't grow too big before he decides to make his appearance!

I'm sure I will get used to all of it, and by the time I do I will be popping this kid out and I won't have to worry about this as much anymore. I'm hoping these last 8 weeks fly by!

31

Well here I am just 9 weeks from my due date! I''m not going to lie, that still seems like forever away but I know its going to fly by. A few updates about this pregnancy:

~I failed my glucose test, like bad. Then went on to fail my 3 hour glucose test also. Therefore I am considered gestational diabetic. More about that another time.
~This boy still doesn't have a name picked out. But I'm not really stressed about it. I want one name, husband wants another. We will see...
~I can still fit into a pair of pre prego jeans, I can button them and everything. I kinda like this. Just sayin.
~Pretty sure this kid will come out doing somersaults. Because thats what it feels like he is constantly doing. It has me slightly worried that he will be a hyperactive one ;-)
~The heartburn this time around has been horrendous. Not joking. I think we finally found a combo of meds that helps tho. Wahoo!
~I not so secretly am hoping this kid comes early, like a couple weeks early. But I'm fairly certain that every pregnant woman feels this way.
~I never want to go camping again while prego. Ever.
~I am so excited to see what this little guy looks like and to snuggle him!

Preggers

So I realized today that I haven't really recorded anything about this pregnancy...and here I am almost 25 weeks so I thought I should write a few things for the sake of remembering!

How far along? 24....almost 25 weeks
Maternity clothes? Not so much...I can't seem to find where I stored my maternity clothes, so I am just using what fits from my regular wardrobe, which is very quickly diminishing!
Stretch marks? Nope! Yay!
Best moment this week: Just love feeling this little guy move, move, move!
Miss Anything? Being able to fit in clothes, sleeping comfortably.
Movement: Oh yes lots of movements!
Food Cravings: Coconut anything currently, used to be black beans.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, haven't felt sick in a long time!
Gender: Boy!
Labor Signs: No.
Symptoms: Oh boy where to start....the biggest one is HEARTBURN. All. The. Time. Also itchy skin on my legs and belly. Some days I feel like I may itch my skin right off, and this baby will be able to just climb right out =) Braxton hicks on a regular basis as well.
Wedding ring on or off? On!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy, altho patience runs thin towards bed time...
Looking forward to: Getting some relief from this heartburn....Sydney is starting to walk around the house saying oh man I have heartburn...I'm pretty sure she hears that a lot from me =)

We have a few options for names, but haven't narrowed it down yet. Sydney is very excited to be a big sister, and constantly talks about being a helper when he comes =) I think this 3 year age gap is going to be pretty nice!


***Sorry for the lack of pictures, I am still trying to figure out why blogger won't let me upload them!****

Grass.

Grass

I have such a love/hate relationship with the stuff.

At our house grass = money.

In our house grass = everywhere.

I love it, because if it weren't for the stuff we wouldn't have business. From April to October the stuff provides us with a great income. And I'm grateful for that.

But also from April to October, we have the stuff ALL. OVER. OUR. HOUSE. I sweep and sweep and sweep and it seems I can never get rid of it all.

I just got done sweeping for the 50th time in a week. And the stuff is just still there. Everywhere. I find it in my bed. In our clean laundry. And ALL over our gosh darn house. I get so tired of the stuff. Especially because I loathe sweeping.

But I can'o hate the stuff too much, it brings in the green.

Perfect love/hate relationship.

Count your blessings

I am feeling so grateful today for so many things. Not for any reason in particular, just one of those days where I realize how truly blessed I am. I have a wonderful hubby that is so hard working, he is such a sweet dad, and can still bring a smile to my face when I need it most. I love him so much and am so glad I have him!

My sweet Sydney. My little buddy that follows me around and does everything with me. She has been having a case of the terrible two's lately, but I still just love her and want to squeeze her! She makes me laugh, she keeps me on my toes, she is such a joy! Even on the days when she makes me want to pull my hair out! =)

Our house, our car, clean running water, etc.....I haven't posted about our trip to Peru yet, mainly because I'm waiting to upload some pics from my mom's camera because we didn't take many pictures while we were there. But ever since we got back I have been so very grateful for the small every day things that make my life so easy and comfortable! We are so blessed to live where we live! I won't take for granted being able to drink water from my faucet, or go to a clean grocery store and buy groceries, or having a dishwasher, or washer and dryer. They don't have things like that down there. You haven't seen anything even close to poor until you have been to a country like that. I am grateful for the way we live.

Friends and family. They are the BEST. It is so great to have such an awesome support system! I love my family and my friends!

A healthy baby on the way. I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for blessing us with this! We are so excited, we have been wanting this for a while. We had some hiccups along the way, but now we just can't wait to meet this new addition to our family in August!!

Spring. Spring is on it's way and I am so ready and excited for the warmer weather, the sun and to be able to spend more time outside! Yay!

The gospel. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel and the many blessings it brings into our lives. Without out it I don't know where I would be.

So much to be grateful for. Take the time to count YOUR blessings.

You Know....

You know you are preggo when....

-You wake up at 8, take a 2 hour afternoon nap, and still go to bed before 10 pm.

-You get heartburn after just THINKING about eating or drinking anything.

-You become exhausted by considering doing some house work.

-You can smell your child's poopy diaper from a mile away (hence the potty training)

-You have to go to the bathroom 35 times a day.

-You gag every time you brush your teeth.

-You have a mad craving for sushi and would eat it for every meal if you could.

Ahhh the joys! =) I'm almost 16 weeks now, I am starting to feel little flutters, and I am just trying to enjoy this pregnancy and relax with the one kid we have and the hubby before life gets even more crazy and hectic!

And then there were 4!

We are SO very excited to announce that baby #2 will be joining us sometime around the end of August!! It has been a long road to get to this point and we could not be more excited that we are adding to our family! I am just over 14 weeks, and my official due date is August 29th. We feel so blessed!!