Austin's Scrapbook Pages

Here is Austin's Story....

Austin's Room

We've had a little bit of drama surrounding Baby Austin's room the last few months. Before it became his room, it was the room we NEVER went in....like EVER. It was pretty much storage for Christmas stuff & random extra furniture & stuff so when we were cleaning everything out to get it ready for baby, I was SO upset to find out that BEHIND a bookshelf...BEHIND the wall, the roof was leaking & had been for a while & we found some mold. YUCK! If it had been anywhere else in the house, I would've seen it but of course not. That's not how it works. So, Adam (with all of his impressive man skills...) took care of it & ripped out all the drywall & insulation & stuff & this is how my sweet babies room looked.

So, after about $350 of roof repair & help from Ben (our hero..thank goodness he knew how to do drywall) & Adam...and a little sanding and painting myself, it looked like this...

 I was driving Adam CRAZY cause the Blain's gave us a crib & dresser & stuff for Austin's room & I was DYING to start decorating & putting it together. So much so, that he was out with the Elders one night & came home to the crib completely put together...yep. I'm awesome (or just really impatient). 

 I still have a couple things to do but after Adam got the paint up...I went to work.

So, here is the finished product so far.

The Beautiful Crib...

My favorite thing ever. Meggan made Austin a BEAUTIFUL quilt with all the exact colors I wanted &it is so beautiful. He is going to love it. It matches perfect & took so much time & effort. And then Cortney helped her accessorize all the other bed linens to match. It turned out SOO cute!!

Rocking chair...

 Futon...for sleepy mommies later...And I LOVE the rug that Leslie got to match.

 And this is the dresser. 

After that night, I sat in that room for an hour almost just taking it all it. It is totally real now.

It is my favorite room in the house now. I even caught Adam in there the other day just sitting in the rocking chair when I got home. We could not be MORE excited to meet our little guy!
Adam is practicing with our nephew Charlie...so funny.

We can't wait to be parents of sweet baby Austin.

April & May...

We have been quite busy the last few months with work & life & our callings. We are having so much fun getting ready for baby too...more of that to follow! Here are some of the big things we've been up to. I've still  been doing lots of couponing. Since the baby is coming, I felt like I definitely needed to get back into it. These are a few shopping trips I've had fun with. 

I ran out of room with our one shelf so I couldn't even fit everything or put things away. 

 So, Adam bought me another shelf to go in our laundry room.

 And here it is...already filled that one up unfortunately. haha. But, I'm not stopping...no way! haha.

I've got lots of baby wash & about 60 things of diaper wipes now I'm just waiting for a good diaper deal to stock up on those. It's funny to me. I've noticed that when I coupon, we always seem to have money (especially now we're saving everything for baby) and I am WAY more frugal in all areas of my life, but when I don't coupon or I stop for a while, we seem to be living paycheck to paycheck. Lame. So, I really do love it. It makes me happy to have things we need for our family for pennies. 

Next, in preparation for our sweet baby, we decided we needed a new car...We had 2 cars & were still making payments on one that we couldn't even drive because it had so many problems. 

And neither had AC. Lame! I couldn't very well put my new baby in a car with no AC with our sweltering heat in August...so we traded both of them in & got this beauty!!!

2009 Ford Edge with automatic locks & windows (it's the simple things really...) and AC!! Woot woot! So excited...it rides so smooth & I love it tons!

I have been having so much fun with my calling. I love my Beehives. They are awesome. 

It's about to kill me being 8 months pregnant & having to do things like go to trek a couple times...

I was really bummed that I had to buy a pioneer dress that would fit my belly just for 2 nights of having to go but Meggan & Heidi were so sweet to come with me & Meggan totally made it fun trying on crazy clothes.

 She is WAY more flexible than me...Can you imagine me trying to get my leg up this high with my belly? She's freakin hilarious. This was the finished product. After a long day at work, sweating outside in a pioneer dress is the last thing I wanted to do but I sure do love my young women.

We also got to go to a Le Bonheur Zoo night with Adam's mom & his family. We had to run to Josh's championship game afterwards, but we were able to snap a quick shot. haha.

 It's been a fun Summer so far!

Trip to Nashville...Priceless.

We went on a "babymoon" this past weekend to Nashville before the baby comes to visit our friends Megan & Sam Whittier & just to have a little down time away from work & life & responsibilities. It was WONDERFUL!! We left Thursday right after work & spent the night with Megan & Sam & they were the PERFECT hosts & had the most amazingly super cute house. Made me want to come home & completely redecorate mine. It was so cool! They have really built an amazing "home" for themselves in such a short time. So, Friday, we woke up & got ready, had lunch at a bakery & walked around downtown Franklin. Then, we headed off 30 minutes away to wear we had gotten our hotel room to check in. We went out to dinner cause I was craving a steak REAL bad...(weird..). The next morning was the part we were looking forward to...an HOUR LONG COUPLES MASSAGE!!! YESSSSS!!! It was amazing. I didn't realize how bad my hips & back were hurting til someone started pushing on those parts...wonderful. Then we went shopping at the Opry Mills Mall & had lunch at the Rainforest Cafe & finished the day playing games & having dinner with Megan & Sam & sweet little Grace. It was such a fun amazing trip. Now, I tell you all this to preface the fact that I left my good camera at home & we didn't get a lot of pictures (lame of me I know..) but the ones we did get were most definitely too ridiculous not to share or point out. They were terrible quality cause Adam was annoyed & was just trying to take them fast. But besides that...there is something worth mentioning. I have the most amazing husband!! He is fun & funny & handsome & my favorite person to be around always....but when the camera comes out....something happens....

Awkward, right?...then it gets worse...

He starts being sarcastic...

Annoying...

Creeper....

So, then I try again later...maybe...if I take one with him...he won't be as bad...nope!

Bug eyes...

Open mouth??? Why? 

Creeper face...again....

So, not sure why...but I tried to take a couple of just him....without food. UGH!

Fake smile...

At least he's looking this time...

CREEPER?!?!?!

Thanks Adam....Thanks for these TWO pictures I got of our trip. One not even containing us.

Don't even remember this one...why is it our best picture?!

 And....the End!

It's a Boy!! And Halfway!!

We are so excited we are having a little baby boy!! He was such a shy & stubborn stinker though. When we went in for the ultrasound, we were in there forever cause he had his legs really tightly closed & the cord between his legs. She was bouncing my stomach around (yeah...that was fun...boo.) to try & get him to move, &finally after a while he kicked the cord out of the way. Then, about 30 minutes later, he opened his legs for about 20 second & flashed us & then shut them back! Punk! haha. He is already stubborn like his daddy! But, I'm just happy we know now. NOW I can start planning!! :) I've kind of been waiting on that to do anything. 

This is the first thing I bought for our baby boy...I saw it at Time Out for Women for a great price & thought it was really sweet. It has a matching plaque that you can put pictures on to switch out.

So, I've pretty much decided that this is going to be our theme for our nursery. I'm really excited to get things that match now. The red on the mirror is darker than it looks so it'll match our rocking chair & futon so now we'll just put in some blue to add the boy touch. I guess it's time to start planning & getting ready now. I can't WAIT to start!

I was a little bummed that we weren't having a girl at first until I saw Adam's face. It was the cutest thing EVER! He was so thrilled & couldn't stop grinning and it made it all worth it! I can't wait to meet my sweet baby boy! 

I am officially HALFWAY through!! I have lost 15 lbs.and haven't gained anything yet but it totally doesn't make any sense to me because my bosoms are bigger & so is my belly but I don't feel skinnier anywhere else. Ugh. And I'm still in that awkward phase where I have a belly but don't look REALLY pregnant yet. Ugh...I need to get some maternity shirts so at least people won't stare at my belly & try to figure it out.

Adam has been really sweet through the whole thing...worrying about me & taking care of me & just checking in on my during the day. I have the most AMAZING husband! He's going to be an amazing dad. I'm hoping I start feeling better soon so I can get to the point of feeling great before I get too big. Here's hoping I feel our baby kick soon! I can't wait for that milestone!

My Sister From Another Mister!

This is my sister in law, Vianney.

She is amazing, wonderful, SO funny, sweet, smart & is going to be SUCH an amazing mom! 

We have become fast friends since she married Adam's brother, Andrew & it's been so fun having another married in-law in the family to talk to and hang out with and talk about our crazy husbands. And just having fun at random stores...Like this one.

We thought this bra was SO funny and she thought it was huge enough to be a hat apparently (until I looked at the tag & it was the size I wear...I didn't think it was AS funny after that, but she still makes me laugh)

When we found out that we were pregnant & told Adam's family Christmas day, she was the MOST excited & cried with me cause frankly, I think she was just excited someone knew how she felt and could relate. She's had a rough pregnancy with her gallbladder and has been sick a lot. But is such an amazing woman. If you don't believe, just listen to her story. They found out they were pregnant a week after Andrew signed up for active duty in Afghanistan. Man! 

He left a little after Christmas & she has been such a trooper as he has been gone. So, when she asked me to be there to help her through labor...how could I say no?? This buddy of mine was in need & I couldn't imagine my husband not being there when I have our baby, so of course I said yes. She is due Feb 20th so I made plans to be off that day. Then, last week she asked me to take her to her doctor's appointment since every one of the Blain's was busy so I said of course! We even got Snocones afterwards! So fun! (Total Craving)

And this is how she looked when on that Friday the doctor told her she would be induced the following Wednesday (Feb 6th) so they could hurry & take out her gallbladder a few weeks later! Yep..we were both freaking out!

We freaked out but were SOOO excited!! We couldn't wait to meet him. Thank goodness we had her baby shower planned for the next day. I'm pretty proud of this beaut I made for her!

I love this girl so much! She is an amazing example of strength & conviction & I couldn't ask for a better friend in the family! Love you Vianney!!

The Day My Life Changed Forever...

November 20th, 2012---This is the day my life changed forever.
(Only continue to read if you want to know...I wanted to write this so I would have it for us & wanted to share with those I love that have been going through this with me..) 
Maybe I should back up just a little.
I have not been happy with my doctor I had because after we had been trying to get pregnant for a year, she said it wasn't long enough & to try another year. I felt like she just herded people in & I never really got her full attention. So a great friend of mine (Jenn Fearnley), after doing her hair one night, we got to talking about our situation & what was going on & a few days later, I get a call from her saying she found this doctor that specializes in PCOS & that she wasn't going that route for this pregnancy but she thought of me. AMAZING! Love her forever! So, I scheduled an appointment with him for Nov 6th. I went in, talked to him a while about PCOS (my issue...) and he was so great. Lots of answers...it was great. I really liked him. I felt like he actually cared. He had me do an ultrasound to make sure my ovaries were okay & they noticed a 2.5 mm cyst on my left ovary. The tech went to go get the doctor. I was clueless & thinking the worst of course...Tumor? Growth? I had no clue. A few minutes of silently freaking out later, he came back in & told me that cyst meant I was about to ovulate. He said "Go home & have sex tonight & every other night for a week..." I know! TMI...but I have to tell you that so you can appreciate that I had NEVER been given such blunt (due to the fact he was a man I'm sure) & direct instructions in MY LIFE!! It was awesome. No questions, no fuss...just follow directions. So we did. Back to date....

November 20th-I was going into Dr. Stinson's office for my second appointment with him to follow up to see if my cycle had started on it's own yet for that month seeing as how I've of course had unreliable issues in the past and it was nothing new in the first place. (He told me a few weeks earlier that he wanted to me to come in on that day since I would be due to start & he wanted to start me on the provera if I hadn't yet so I could start all the fertility treatments again...Provera, Clomid..etc.)

I came in, peed in a cup (always fun...). Then, he sent me in to do an ultra sound. My ovaries were normal. He came in, told me we were going to start all the fertility stuff seeing as how I didn't start on my own...AGAIN. So, he wrote me 4 prescriptions & as I was about to leave, the ultrasound tech ran in looking frantic & asked to speak to the doctor really quick. So...again...silent freak out mode...a few seconds later, he came back in & slid something across the counter & said "Well, I guess I'm going to be needing those prescriptions back..." It was this...

I immediately started BALLING! I couldn't believe it! "Are you serious??? Are you serious??" She said "I watched the test go all the way across & it was negative, & I came back in a few minutes later & they were BOTH postitive! I couldn't believe it!" So...I was still so early (like barely 2 days late) so of course he told me to not tell anyone & to come in the next couple weeks to make sure everything is okay. It was the greatest day of my life!! I came back to the office & luckily Ben was gone so he wouldn't be freaked out by my hysterical crying & I told Adam!! It was amazing!! I still can't believe it. I feel so blessed in my life right now. It truly changed my life...that day, I will always remember. 3 years of fasting, praying & pleading with the Lord to bless up with a baby and it was all COMPLETELY worth it! Just to hear those words...November 20th will go down in history for me.