Old stomping grounds...

This past weekend we spent Mothers Day in Idaho. Its just a short 2 hour drive from us so I knew I would be going back to visit sooner than later. Oh my goodness, SOOOO much has changed in that little college town where I learned to spread my wings and fly on my own. In fact, certain streets I felt like I was in a major city. They have built these ENORMOUS apartment complex's around the town that look like they are straight from NYC. Seriously, I am talking about shuttle service from the apartment to the grocery store JUST for those who live there. And Rexburg is NOT huge by any means...I lived on one end of town and would walk to work, Albertsons, which was on the OTHER end of town and it took no more than 20 minutes. So I was baffled when these places offered their own shuttle service around town. Especially since the grocery stores will deliver your groceries for you! Spoiled little peeps be going there these days I tell ya! ;) 

Anyway, we were able to meet up with a couple of my friends who still live around there. We did lunch at the BEST sandwich shop HANDS DOWN. Not just the best in Rexburg, like the best EVER! Millhallow, with Annica and it was great just catching up. She has a little girl and is also pregnant with her second so sharing stories and enjoying some great grub was so fun. We also met up with Sheridan, who has always been like my big brother I never had. Him and I met my very first semester, so 2005. It has been TEN YEARS so I met this guy and I still cherish his friendship and words. There was always a running joke between him and I that he would never approve of the guy I got with. Lets just say, I had a VERY bad stage where I dated HORRIBLE guys. Well, I am happy to report he was wrong and he told me himself, without prompting, that he FINALLY approves! YAY lol !!! I am soooo sad I didn't get a picture with either of these peeps BUT I know I will be going back in a few short months so I will just have to do it then! 

We went to Bear World Saturday afternoon and its always such a little fun gem. You can drive through the park as many times as you want. And although we only did it once, before some of us got sick, it was just perfect. The animals roam free, and sometimes the bears will even come up to your doors, or get ontop of your cars! Its so fun! After you drive through the park they have a petting zoo, baby bears that you can watch play or pay extra to bottle feed them, and then they have about 6 free amusement rides! You get to ride them as many times as you want BUT we warned, they are NOT made for adults of my size...haha and being 6 months pregnant trying to squeeze into the small spaces is NOT fun!!! We loved everything about it though and Shaun even said if we lived a little closer we would get season passes and go all the time. It is so nicely done and small its great! :) 

Our hotel was in Idaho Falls and we had a balcony with a perfect view of the LDS temple that pretty much glowed all night long. The sounds of the waterfalls around it was pure perfection, except the fact that it made me have to pee about 10x more than usual that night! Lincoln was THRILLED for the hotel pool and spent the last couple hours swimming in it with daddy. He is only 3 and already turning into a hotel snob...its pretty cute! 

Sunday we drove home Sunday and enjoyed lounging around the house before we had to face the week head on. We completed the day with Dinner at Garcias and snuggling on the couch. I am so thankful for the weekends that I get to spend with my family and going back to my old stomping grounds was sooo fun although it made me feel OLD! 

Well that's NOT male anatomy...

So today I had my 6 month doctor appointment. Because I went to the doctor later than you normally do (as in how far along I was) my appointments have been off so today is actually when they did the big ultrasound/measurements even though I am 24 weeks. ANYWAY, after my last appointment, I left completely confused and upset. I am not going to lie, I cried when I left the doctors office that day.

You see, I had been told 2 months ago that he was 90% certain I was having a boy. And to be honest, I have felt this ENTIRE TIME that I am having a boy. Everything feels exactly the same as it did with Lincoln and the horror stories you hear from those who have girls (acne, skin color changes, widen hips, etc) were not happening. Plus, I never had morning sickness which they say you are MORE prone to if you have a girl. So I was (and still kinda am) fully convinced it was a boy. When the doctor said he agreed, I was over the moon! Fast forward 4 weeks and I am told with 97% certainty its a girl! WHAT!? You mean his peecee (as Lincoln calls it) fell off? Where did it go? Then he said "although the image isnt great I have a pretty good batting average". UHHH, OKAY?!?!? I was so confused and my hormones were spinning out of control! I was alone and I was a MESS!

Now let me clear something up. I have been getting some backlash because I cried over the thought of a girl. It has NOTHING to do with not loving the child. It has EVERYTHING to do with hormones, being told one day you are having a boy so you get all your boy stuff out, decorate the nursery, you know, the whole enchilada. Only to be told 4 weeks later that its a girl...BOTH times with almost 100% certainty. Tell me what pregnant lady is NOT going to cry with that news?!? Obviously we are going to love her a million times over, spoil her, and I already know she will wrap daddy around her little finger just like Lincoln does. We are forever thankful that so far we have a healthy child growing inside me, that both of us dont have any MAJOR medical issues (again so far) and that is the most important thing.

Okay rant over, back to today. I told the ultrasound tech she had ONE JOB today and that was to find out the sex of the baby. She was shocked, as were most people, the doctor would say one thing, then change it, then go ahead and say that the picture still wasn't clear. Well, within the first 2 minutes of putting the gel and the wand on my stomach, we had a clear image. I am telling ya folks, while there is a small bulge there (apparently her lady parts are still forming and will become normal size in the upcoming weeks) it was NOTHING like Lincoln's ultrasound. I knew it the moment she put it on the screen...even though I said "so its a boy right?!" And you know what, I am becoming okay with it. Now that I know the sex of the baby, I feel like a weight is off my shoulders. I dont know how people go all 9 months not knowing. Although it would probably be easier than being told you are having a child of BOTH sexes haha.

After the appointment Lincoln and I did some retail shopping. He was confused why were were getting girl things...because you know, 2 months ago, we told him he was having a little brother named Wyatt...and NOW we are saying he is having a little sister named Brynlee...yeah he is confused and he yells at us when we "get it wrong" poor kiddo...just as confused as we were!!!

Anyway, we did get 2 cute 3D shots of the little nugget. Technology these days...soooo amazing!!!

Mid Afternoon Pick Me Up

Sometimes when the days are long and hot, you just need to take a break and head to your local Starbucks. After an eventful couple hours at the library, that is exactly what we needed yesterday...vanilla bean frap never tasted so good to this wee one!

It's no AT&T park...

We FINALLY had another Family Fun Day on Saturday...after about a month of no fun things on the weekends except projects we decided it was time to do something fun as a family. Obviously we are HUGE baseball fans, (have you seen the tattoos, or even the wee ones bedroom!??) so when we heard there was a local AAA team in SLC we were sooo excited! We go to baseball games a few times every month in California so I was a little nervous how we would do without SF right down the road from us. We hoped on the website and guess what we saw!? SLC Bees were playing Sacramento River Cats...which is the AAA affiliate Giants team!!! We had to get tickets and we HAD to go!!!

The Bees stadium is cute! It is obviously insanely smaller than we are used to but with a lovely grass area for the kids to run around, how could you not love it?!? We know we will be sitting on the grass for the games, and actually, we are so okay with that. It means the tickets are less than $10 each AND Lincoln will have somewhere to run around. At AT&T park, we always sit in my inlaws season ticket area which is handicapped so there is TONS of room for him to roam around and not be in peoples way. I am so glad they have a grass area in SLC.

The weather was perfect. My little family was back in our element, AND there are even free train rides during the entire game, so Lincoln was beyond excited. Baseball AND trains at the same time?!? Oh man, his little heart was sooo happy! As we walked out of the stadium Lincoln goes, "I miss baseball, can we come back tomorrow?" Well not today little man, BUT I have a feeling if the Bees are in town, you can catch us at one of the weekend games from now till the end of the season! :)

When you wake to pee more than twice at night...

Last night was the night. I knew it after waking up the 4th time to pee. I knew when I looked in the mirror in the morning there was going to be a big round belly. It's the moment you have to pee more than twice at night you know the baby has officially decided to pop out. I was spot on!!! The baby is here to stay...hard, round, and poking out like no ones business...thank goodness we are past the halfway mark!!! Hurry up August!

Then you realize your 3 year old can do it better...

What a crazy couple days of weather around here!!! First steady winds about 35mph with gusts up to 75MPH. Which was so loud it scared Lincoln (okay and MAYBE myself too) so we snuggled in my bed for naps and bedtime...it was the best. Of course, when your hubby drives over the road in these conditions there isn't much sleep to be had. You stay awake all night hoping to hear from him. Anyway, yesterday it snowed...ALL DAY LONG! Not scary snow though, it melted from the streets and sidewalk, so you could walk or drive with no real issues. Well, at least around here you could. Lincoln was ANTSY to go outside to play so we bundled him up and off he went to play. I am pretty certain he would have played all day/night outside but momma was freezing so we came in after several hours. Out back I can send him and stay inside, but he got bored outback quickly so to the garage we went. It was there I realized, my 3 year old can build a way better snowman that I can. By that I mean, he can actually ROLL the snow into a ball. I am still NOT SURE how he did it...but he did!!! Impressive I tell ya, impressive. Only he didn't want to roll anymore after the bottom layer so he just said it was a snow baby. HA I love how the simplest things keep him happy.

Nice weather=Nice Yard

Holy Moly were you in Utah this past weekend?!? If so, you got to witness some of the MOST GORGEOUS weather!!! It was perfectly warm with a crisp windy breeze coming through every now and then to cool you off. Of course we HAD to take advantage of this weather and be outside the entire time.

Our original plan was JUST to cut down the one tree closest to the house. It would scrape on the window on windy nights and creep me out. Plus, I was TERRIFIED it would blow over when the kids were in the front room and squish them (weird pregnancy dreams I tell ya).

Well, Friday evening we were sitting outside and these 2 dinky trees that were next to the street really started to bug us. So Shaun got up, and being the ever so strong guy he is, pulled those two trees out, WITH HIS HANDS! HA...tells you how dinky they were! They were ugly, and pointless. They weren't going to bloom into pretty flowers or anything and I HATE trees so away they went. INSTANTLY, the front yard was looking better.

Then Saturday came, and we put on shorts and tank tops (I have to get a tan if I am going to be out in the weather...) and away we went to work. We stopped by Home Depot to rent a chain saw and Shaun tackled the tree by the house. I guess you are supposed to yell TIMBER when it comes down...well I yelled "EEK its REALLY coming down now" I guess that works too! ;) It took a LONG time to get that tree down...it was STUBBORN!!! Then it was a matter of cutting it into smaller chunks to take away to the dump. STUBBORN STUBBORN TREE!!! Of course, I tried to help here and there but I am supposed to be taking it easy so really, I sat in the chair, got a tan, and watched Shaun work...it was lovely! :) We spent the rest of the day digging up roots and clearing out what USED to be (I think) a garden/flower patch. It was so overgrown it was hard to tell...but regardless, we cleared it all out.

We were just going to leave it like that for the weekend and rest on Sunday but now that we could both SEE what it was going to look like, we were anxious to get back outside and work on it. Off to Home Depot again (they REALLY should have a rewards program) and we found some of this great stone edging stuff and grabbed 'the black sheet' as I call it, AKA weed block. Of course, you NEVER get the right amount of stuff you need, we were FIVE stones short of being able to complete the project so again, to Home Depot I went. It is all laid down now and ready for our Mulch (we are getting it at the dump because it is WAAAYYYY cheap there but they were closed on Sunday) and for some shrubs to go in. We will either tackle the rest next weekend or wait till the following. Next weekend is our first SLC baseball game, BOTH boys keep talking about it so I am not sure how much work around the house will get done lol

So another project started and ALMOST finished but seriously, look at the before and after...it is soooo much better and more open and just looks awesome! :) We both said MAY is the month for the firepit...and we have a great idea for Lincoln's birthday this summer with an outside Movie Party so we are now VERY anxious to get that started and finished! Of course, more pictures to come!

PS BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUT TO MY NUMBER 1 SISTER: BETHIE!!!