Never Grow Up!

Enjoying the lollipop Mom brought back from Disneyland & the EverGreen Awards Nov. 14.

Brendan and his gal pal Camille at the Museum of Natural History in Oct. '11.

Brendan helping Dad to mow the lawn Oct. 1, 2011.

All is well with our family. Brendan is growing so quickly. We have a running game in the house where we tell him he's not allowed to grow up and he has to stay small forever. He likes to come with I'm getting bigger and growing. It also works quite well with eating veggies. "Don't eat that broccoli or you may keep getting bigger."

Having a fresh apple in Sedona on Dad's birthday (Nov. 6), proudly wearing the hat Aunt Cindy knit.

Brendan is still a big fan of hats. He wears a hat everywhere he goes-- as if you couldn't tell from the photos. I think it is fair to say the firefighter hat is his favorite, but he'll also wear the policeman hat, pirate, and all kinds of ball caps he borrowed from his Dad and Papa.

For Halloween we did our little family tradition and went to the Farm to see the animals and pick out pumpkins. Somehow Brendan and I both fit in a little car and got pulled by an ATV. We carved our pumpkins and Brendan did some trick-or-treating with 15 or so neighborhood kids on Halloween after visiting his Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa. The neighbors had a pot-luck and it was super fun for all. He dressed as a firefighter and worse his costume all day even while shopping at Trader Joe's.




We have to get out the video camera and film his speech & mannerisms. We don't exactly have a frame of reference but strangers are constantly asking how old he is then surprised when we say two. He has pretty advanced verbal skills for his age. It's great until we are trying to give him two options and then he makes a third suggestion- he probably gets it from his Dad! I will try to get up some video of the firehouse visit in October. Below is a photo from Brendan's first time bowling with Mom, Dad, & Uncle Bill. He absolutely loved it!



Baby number 2 is on the way and we are due May 12. All seems to be well. I am just starting to show but still squeezing in my normal clothes. This time we do not have maternity insurance and having a baby is more expensive than you would think. Money is tighter these days especially with the 36 solar panels we purchased in Sept.

I have been in the care of Dr. Hunt, the OB that delivered Brendan but I am very seriously considering leaving and going with a midwife and having homebirth instead. I saw two documentaries (unknowingly within a week of conception), one of them called "The Business of Being Born" and it really made me think about how crazy our culture is in treating birth like a medical procedures and instilling fear in women. Hospital births are now the norm with insurance and doctors jacking up the price and dictating much of the terms. My doc won't even let you video tape the birth now as she fears a potential lawsuit. After a surprise $1,100 bill came in the mail from my 2nd visit at the OB including a pap smear and a blood and urine test for things I really did not need to be tested for I am just about at a point where I have had enough and want to get back to how I think things should be. I haven't made the final choice yet but think I am going to follow my gut. Stay tuned!

cousins

Sedona

We have been in Sedona 5 days to celebrate Daddy Lou's birthday. Here is a family photo. More to come.

Thanksgiving in Sedona

We drove up to Sedona for Thanksgiving the day before despite Brendan's cold. He did just fine and we had a wonderful time spending time with the family, playing cards, talking trash, playing with Brendan, and of course eating a fabulous meal. We also went shopping on black Friday and got some Christmas presents.

Brendan ate rice cereal for the first time on Thanksgiving afternoon and he actually ate it instead of spitting most of it out. We were excited for him. Today he tried sweet potatoes for the first time but didn't eat much of it.

Visit to Sedona

Yesterday was were in Sedona visiting Mama Sue and Daddy Lou. We love going up there as it reminds us of getting married there, not to mention it is truly a magical place. It was the most beautiful fall weather. We sat outside and played Euchre for hours. Mama Sue and Daddy Lou kicked my and Lou's butts the first match. Susie and Louie then snuck by Daddy Lou and I in the last tie breaker match to win. It was good fun. 

We continued to get some predictions on Baby Camp's sex. Both Lou's parents said they thought the baby was a boy. Mama Sue said she meditates and prays for the baby and she sees a boy when she meditates. Daddy Lou made his prediction using the family tree and history of boys and girls already in the family. Either way, we all decided we would be happy and hope our baby is healthy. 

On our hour and a half drive up to Sedona I was reading aloud from The Baby Bible. We learned some fascinating information about the pregnancy. We got a little refresher on how the sex of the baby is determined, how my body is changing and will continue to change, and on the growth of the baby. We are now are 12 weeks along and the baby is almost fully developed. All organs are functioning but continuing to grow- especially the brain. The baby has hair, nails, tooth buds, irises to protect it's eyes from light. The fingers and toes have separated and the pituitary gland is now producing hormones. The book says Baby Camp can smile, frown, suck it's thumb, and yawn. He or she is about the size of a plum or about two and a half inches long and weighs about a half of an ounce. It's pretty amazing to think about!