2 more weeks

My doctor asked if I'd like to schedule an induction for Aug 24th. I'm due Aug 30th. I had told myself prior to this that I wanted to go into labor on my own. I did that with the girls and things went smoother and were less painful than with Jake's induced birth. However; I immediately answered "YES!" Now I know when I can finally meet this baby, and that I can be home for Grace's first day of kindergarten. I also feel like Chad and I know that these will be the last 2 weeks I will ever be pregnant again...ever. It's exciting but also bittersweet. It took us nearly 4 years of trying and the help of fertility for Grace to arrive. We had been married for 9 years and the bonus was that we traveled and built a home together. When Grace arrived we felt complete.

Kate arrived about 3 years later, with a little fertility help, and I felt so blessed to have 2 healthy girls and to have had the experience of being pregnant and seeing what a little Chad/Angie would be like. Then Jake surprised us just a few months later. I was able to tell Chad on April 1st, 2009. This was a shock for Chad, but I was so happy. After 12 years of marriage we finally conceived on our own. The fact that Jake was a boy was the icing on the cake. When he arrived 2 days after Kate turned 1, I realized our lives were completely changed and the chaos began. My body had also changed. I welcomed back fat, varicose veins, ingrown toenails, stretch marks, sagging everything. I was worn out and tired... and very happy.

The decision to brave pregnancy again was less of a decision and more of a gamble. A gamble I felt was a safe bet. We thought 3 kids was perfect. It had been a year since Jake arrived and we were starting to think how nice a future would be without diapers, interrupted sleep, veggie baby food, spit up. I was thinking how nice it would be to lose those last 10 pounds and start enjoying bike rides, tennis, hiking, dare I say free time. Then our answer came on January 1st in the form of a positive pregnancy test. Wow. Our plan to just see what happens in the next year hadn't even started. Every Mom has her own story. I never thought mine would include being pregnant 3 out of the last 4 years. I'm excited to start the next chapter but appreciate the journey.

Hope my next labor goes as well as the others. My last two were each 6-7 hours long once I arrived at the hospital. Most importantly I hope she's healthy. We are trying to decide on a name. The top choices are Leah, Claire, or Faith.

The 4th

We usually go to Idaho Falls for the 4th, but I didn't feel like going this year being so pregnant. We just had a fun low key day at home as a family.

Water Party

Leave it to Grace to pretend her water balloons are baby chicks. We had to call Amy to get the names of her pet chicks:  Rocky, Flip, Maple and Buck

Apparantly no one celebrates the 4th here. It's all about Pioneer Day. The parks were empty.

 On our way to get a snow cone

No thanks, I don't want a bite.

 So we have no photos of the kids with me pregnant. These were all so good I just couldn't choose.

Icecream Mistake

Jake can turn anything into a big mess. He did not disappoint!

On the Farm

We took the kids to the farm at Thanksgiving Point and it was a hit.

The Latest

Jake eating apples and trying to make us laugh. His latest joke is yelling "Hi". That's it.

He loves a hat and sunglasses

He's getting into everything



 Loves to say "cheese" when I take his picture

Grace started gymnastics preschool and loves it. I had her dressed in jeans and a shirt but she changed at the last minute into a dress. I had to talk her into the leggings so she wouldn't be on display.

Jake and Kate on their way to a water park. I love that they held hands.

Oral Surgery

Grace went to the oral surgeon to have an extra front tooth removed. She had a loose baby tooth, a new extra tooth coming in, then an adult tooth behind it. She was so excited about the surgery. Here's the outfit she picked out on her "oral surgery day".

Her Smile Before



The Extraction, bloody shot courtesy of Chad

Post Surgery Smile

They gave her an IV and put her to sleep and the recovery has been really easy. She gets the pink medicine (who doesn't like that - yum!)

The tooth fairy gave her two gold dollar coins which she used to buy slushies.



Best of Times, Worst of Times

Kate and Jake love/hate eachother right now. They were laughing so hard in the van the other day. I let them each have a little snack container and they would run away from me when I would try to get them out. Here they are in all their messy 18 month and 2 1/2 year glory. Jake has a big goose egg on his forehead and scratch from a fall; one of many lately!

Cheers!

It's the best of times and the worst of times right now. Kate and Jake are so cute/so whiny. I'm so thankful to be pregnant, but I'm so tired and big. I don't recognize myself anymore. Kate and I were eating lunch yesterday and she leaned over, gave me a hug and said "Thank you Mommy." She then did it over and over saying "Thank you Mommy, Love you." Today when I put her down for a nap she kept crying and saying "turn around, turn around!" I had no idea what she wanted. I then saw her CD player was turned sideways and put it back straight and she smiled and closed her eyes. Yikes!