The details

Alright....now that I've got it out in the open that I'm pregnant--*sigh* (Keeping secrets are HARD!)--Here's the scoop on how we discovered that our family of 4 will become 5!
That's right...it wasn't planned. I say that, and yet, we weren't preventing...but we were pretty much relying on the "fact" that I've I needed fertility pills to get pregnant in the past. It was a blessing in a strange way, that we "couldn't" get pregnant without fertility pills because I can't use birth control pills due to a blood disorder. I could get pregnant so easily on the pills with our last two, so we just saw the whole situation as a blessing in disguise.

After a few obvious signs that I COMPLETELY ignored because my brain was totally not there, it hit me....uh, time to take a pregnancy test. I thought it was impossible so I figured I'd take one to rule it out. I stared at the test like a dummy....I had no directions on how to read it, so I was staring at the test going, what does that mean? That's impossible, okay not impossible but what? How? Heh? So instead of planning on getting pregnant next summer, we're having a baby next summer. Funny how the Lord works. I was feeling unsure about our plans to wait and I felt like it would be nice if I could just leave it up to chance to get pregnant instead of planning the exact month. (I know I know...some of you are saying--hello?!?!? At least you CAN plan when to get pregnant and actually have it WORK!) I totally get that. But, at the same time, I was struggling with having that decision fall totally on me (and Dan of course--but it's my sanity and my body we're talking about here--I get ultimate decision :). I was starting to get "the itch" whenever I held new babies and I was starting to wonder if the time was supposed to be sooner than later.

Selfishly, I thought, well, Dan's brother is getting married in the summer, I don't want to be a pregnant bridesmaid, and our family reunion is this summer, and it would be nice to take a nice vacation not being pregnant or nursing. Funny thing is, when I discovered I was pregnant, I really felt like it was supposed to be this way and I almost felt prepared for it...even though my brain was totally not there.

I was already 7 weeks along when I found out and I had already been feeling BLECK for a few days and that lasted until about 9 1/2 weeks and then just stopped. I got really nervous that I suddenly wasn't sick anymore. I actually felt sick like virus sick and not pregnancy nauseous anymore. So I waited nervously until my appointment on Monday to hear the heartbeat. I was really feeling like chances were 50/50 at that point, not knowing what was going to happen. I had no other signs really of anything abnormal, besides the point that I usually gain like 10 pounds by this point and can't fit my jeans, but I've only gained a miraculous 3 and still fit the jeans fine. --Something of course you'd be thrilled over unless of course you were already worried something was wrong. So my sister came with me to my appointment to hear the heartbeat. My doctor looked and looked for it and couldn't find it. I kept nodding my head, like I knew it, I knew it. So she took me to the ultrasound room to take a look. While we waited, I started talking like we weren't going to find the heart beat. I was sort of unemotional about it. At least at that moment. I was just trying to prepare myself for whatever came my way. So we ate some chocolate Hershey kisses that were sitting in the room to comfort the depression. She came in, and I saw the baby (to be expected) I was just waiting to see a beating heart. And then...there it was. She turned up the sound and I took a loud sigh of relief. I decided that at least the cool part about it is my sister (and I) got to SEE the baby too! Everything was fine. And so we ate one more chocolate--this time, a celebration chocolate :)

I wasn't sick a day with Allison, I had morning sickness with Cole for 15 weeks, and I was sick all day (no puking or anything) for 9 1/2 weeks with this one and now I feel great! I am feeling really really blessed.

I think it's a girl...that heart beat is fast....but Dan is feeling pretty convinced it's a boy. So.... YAY for summer babies! At least our little baby Dobes will have some friends close in age :)

Hope that answers all the questions! ...oh, and Summer is a name we talk about for girls...we liked it for Allison but she was born in January. Won't it be fitting for a summer baby. To add to it...Dan says all the girls named Summer that he knew were HOT. Hmm....so do I want a little girl that's hot? A blessing and a curse right?

And if you don't like the name, I don't want to hear about it. :)

Breakfast with Santa

OK--forgive me, I'm totally posting out of order but that's how my brain is currently working. We had a really cool opportunity, thanks to Dan's dad and his wife Jodi, to attend a breakfast with Santa. There was cookie decorating, a puppet show, pictures with Santa....the MOST SINCERE coolest Santa man EVER...., face painting,(or in Cole's case--hand painting) and food galore. The kids LOVED it and it will be a great memory for our family!

Traditions

Growing up, my family always had a lot of traditions surrounding Christmas. Christmas time was always very magical...especially Christmas Eve. Since Dan and I have been married, we've had the chance to carry on many of those traditions and start some of our own. I feel blessed to have a husband who has allowed our family to carry on many of my family traditions that mean a lot to me....some are simple but I know that changing the way you did things growing up can be hard. I like how we've started our own family's traditions by continuing some from each of our families. Here are a few:

Of course, there's decorating the tree. But now I have a new found appreciation for my mom and her efforts with the tree. I HATE lighting the tree but Dan leaves it up to me, not only because I am particular with the way it is lit...each bulb must be securely attached to each branch... but I've watched my mom light our tree with the big old fashioned bulbs year after year.

We usually take a night with the kids and hang the ornaments. I think this is Dan's least favorite part. He gets burned out after untangling ornament hooks for ever. He especially loves undoing my box of random ornaments from past teachers, aunts and uncles, friends and family. I tell him that's what gives the tree character!

In addition to the large bulbs we have the bubble lights! After the heat up a while, they send these cool fizzy bubbles up a long skinny tube. Those are my favorite, and a family I grew up with gave us some as a wedding gift to help us carry on the tradition they knew I loved.

To finish off the look of the tree, we set up a little village like Dan's family always had.


One year, Dan's mom made us a book compiled with a scripture, a story, and a song for each day of December leading to Christmas. Every year we try to be diligent about doing it every day but we always seem to miss on or two. I think as the kids grow up they will really appreciate the stories and understand the true meaning of Christmas from them.
I also grew up with a tradition of the "Thankful Tree." Each day, we take a round piece of construction paper (our ornament) and write something we're thankful for, then tape it to a tree made out of green wrapping paper. Anyone who comes to visit can't leave without adding to our thankful tree.....

or without taking one of these...
Another family tradition--candy planes and trains

I'm sure there are tons more I could post but I'll leave you with one last one that I love. My mom handmade Bucilla felt stockings for us and I have loved making them for each of my kids. I guess it's time to make another one for next year!

Letters to Santa

For Family Night this last Monday, we had the kids write letters to Santa asking him for things for Christmas...that was after we read a story about how it was better to give than to receive--talk about mixed messages. Oh well...this is the first year Allison wrote a letter and she did it all by herself. We told her the letters to write after she told us what she wanted. I had no idea she could take on a task that big! She's growing up fast. She really couldn't think of much so we sort of helped her along (since Santa has already finished the shopping for the most part.)
If you can't read Allison's it says:
Dear Santa, I want *Toy cat *Bike *doll *movies Love, Allison





Cole's was a bunch of scribbles on top of what Dan wrote on there. I copied both of them before they put them in envelopes to mail. Allison colored on it with yellow a couple days later and now I can't find Cole's currently. They loved putting the letters in the mail box. Allison helped put the stamps on. (Yes there are 2 41 centers on there---doh!) I heard the letters actually get collected at the post office and put in some random huge stock pile! I wonder how long our kids will love the wonder of Santa this much. These ages are sooo much fun to do things like this. Christmas is going to be so fun this year, even if it is a little smaller.

He must REALLY love her

For a husband to do this she must be one pretty sweet ace wife with a husband who will do ANYTHING for her...

Kids say the darndest things!

It seems that I thought that since EVERY single day this month wasn't filled with something, I'd better add something else--feed the missionaries, why not?! So I was getting the dinner ready, Dan and Allison were watching American Tail together on the couch and I was trying to get the salad bowl out of the most inconvenient cupboard---the sippy cup cupboard. They are stored behind all the sippy cups on the bottom shelf so of course with no effort to prevent a big mess, I grabbed the bowl and let it knock all the cups out on the way, then I proceeded to chuck the cups back in the cupboard and shut it before they all came tumbling out. Suddenly, I hear a little voice from the family room, "Mom? Do you need a hammer?"

The searing look from me immediately followed....aimed at her daddy. Yes, most often when I'm making dinner....let's face it, I'm my mother's daughter, cabinets don't get shut, they get slammed---helloo??! When mom's in the kitchen she doesn't have 3 hands....just two to grab something and an elbow to shut the cupboard! Well, Allison has heard her daddy plenty of times ask me if I need a hammer when I'm in the kitchen, stacking glass pans, or getting bowls out.

The funniest part....Allison was so sincere, wondering if I really needed a hammer! I love how kids take things so literally.

A long over due ARRIVAL annoucement!

Blogging has taken a back seat. Reading them hasn't, posting has. SO....here is a long over due post of my newest cutest nephew--Weston! He was born on October 27th and he is the newest addition to my brother, James' family. He and Leah make CUTE babies! Isn't he sooo cute! I think I might never have a child with hair this dark-I just kept staring at it. I just LOVE it! He looks JUST like his big brother Cameron (except with jet-black hair!) Holding him gives me the itch!