Downside

These are just the facts. I mainly like to post about the positive that happens in our lives. Sometimes though, I like to have a record of some of the hard things we do too, so when my kids tell me about their struggles some day I will remember that I maybe had those struggles too.

This pregnancy is by far the hardest one yet. We only have about 2 1/2 months left and I still wake up every morning feeling like I'm going to hurl. I also have the worst heartburn that has made me throw up a couple times. I have had heartburn since the very beginning of this pregnancy.

I am in a serious amount of pain most of the time. The bones through my hips feel like they're being torn apart. I have tried to be faithful about exercising like I was with my first two pregnancies, but it has been a struggle because I can barely walk. I can walk and even run in place a little, but for some reason the forward motion of a treadmill or a walk outside or in a store just about does me in. I am praying this pain will leave my body right when the baby does.

Ezra is challenging me. Big time. I love so many things about him, but I do not love taking him shopping!! He has got to be the worst shopping companion in the history of the world! He doesn't want to sit in the cart. He wants to walk. If he walks he has to stop and check everything out, sometimes knocking things off shelves, or he runs away. Those measly buckles in shopping carts can't even sort of hold him in. He can wiggle his way out of those in about two seconds. Then he usually stands up and jumps out of the cart at me. Luckily, so far, I have been able to catch him. He is either jumping out at me or sitting some crazy way which always causes those store employees concern about his safety, which they just have to mention to me, which I hate so very much.

Yesterday we went to Walmart to get some things for our upcoming trip. After wrestling with Ezra and the cart issue for far too long I found a bench for him to have a time-out. We have time-outs at home pretty much figured out, but he was not about to sit there on that bench. I put him back a million times, and then finally decided to just hold him tightly on my lap. He screamed and cried the whole time, while dozens of people walked by us and got to witness our spectacle. That did eventually work, and I think it is the method I will use in the future. He whimpered for the rest of the trip, and I was completely exhausted and frustrated by the time we got out to the pickup...which is a whole other issue!

Every time we have to get in the pickup I have to get myself pumped up for the challenge I know lies ahead. First there's the struggle of getting his shoes and coat on. A wrestle. Every time. Then I put him in and he immediately jumps to the front seat and works to avoid me for as long as possible. I can not for the life of me figure out how to handle this. I have tried lots of bribing, but it usually doesn't work. The main problem is that I need a really quick solution because I am generally in a hurry by the time we get out there.

I'm sure we will get something figured out eventually in these situations, because I know we had these sorts of issues with Darcy (Why can't I remember how we handled them?!) and she is in an extremely agreeable phase at the moment. She is our "yes child" and Ezra is our "I will never say yes to anything you ask or tell me child" at the moment.

The end. 

Scripture Power

Today Darcy gave a scripture in primary for the first time. To get ready for it I asked her what she would like to teach her friends in primary about. She said she wanted to teach them to "help the Lord." I thought about it for a bit and talked to Drew and we decided Mosiah 2:17 from the Book of Mormon was the way to go.

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

I was actually a bit nervous about it, but Darcy had no reservations. She was excited to get up there, and she spoke loud and clear just like we had talked about and practiced. 

Seahawk's Game

I had been trying to figure out how to throw a surprise party for Drew's 30th birthday, but I was not getting it figured out and it was freaking me out. So I was really excited when Drew tried to get tickets to the Seahawk's playoff game, but they were sold out pretty much instantly. He wasn't doing it for his birthday so he wasn't willing to spend as much as I was. I spent a couple days researching and finally bit the bullet and bought them. I really had no idea what I was doing and I ended up paying too much money for some pretty lame seats. When Drew opened the envelope though, he was so excited and he didn't care where we were sitting, just that we were going. :)

 On our way to the game.

This is a silly picture, but I didn't see any other pregnant people at that game and I was feeling like a pretty dedicated wife and fan!

 Drew signing the 12th man flag before the game.

 Drew could have been the 12th man by himself. He yelled the whole game! We were in the very last row in one of the few uncovered sections. It rained like crazy and the wind blew like crazy pretty much the whole game. It was SOO cold!! We served as a wind break for everyone in front of us.

This was the field right after we beat the Saints 23-15! We had so much fun! I hope we can go to another game some day when the weather is nicer and we can sit a little closer.

Drew's 30th Birthday

 Drew turned the big 3-0! I have to say, he makes 30 look good! We had a fun day of celebrating.

 We did this last year and Darcy insisted we do it again.

 Darcy was so anxious for him to get home to walk through his balloons, and she loved it when he finally did!

 Ezra woke up from his nap just in time to catch the action too. 

 Opening his present.

 A Seahawk's shirt to go with the tickets to the game I had given him a couple days earlier. (I'm sad I didn't take any pictures of that.)

 We had a few of our friends and their families over for a little party that night. I thought this picture of Drew surrounded by these three little girls was pretty cute. What a wild 30th birthday! :)

Some of the group watching the candle action.

Although I'm positive Drew could have easily blown out 30 candles we just went with the numbers this year.

Christmas with the Christensen's

We ate lunch with Drew's parents and both sets of grandparents on Christmas day, but we got together with his siblings to open gifts on the 26th. It was actually really nice to spread it all out a bit, and it gave us a whole extra day of excitement.

 Misty offered to sell me one of her extra prime lenses, and she let me use it to see if I really wanted it or not. I am convinced! I was loving every picture!

 Ezra getting some help from Brayden and Darcy.

 Ezra got his hat on all by himself.

 Darcy has been loving her new Barbie RV that is seriously the Ritz!

 The front of the RV comes off and then pulls out into a horse trailer!

 Justin with his new knife from Ezra. 

 Drew with his new sander from Justin.

 Grandpa Neil with his new atomic alarm clock! Dream come true for him! :)

 Jamie & Brayden working on a lego jet.

 Misty reading Darcy her fun new book from Case. Seriously a funny book.

 

After I spent a couple hours putting that thing together, Darcy finally got to play with it.

Christmas with the Jenne's

 We were back and forth a couple times to my parents' house on Christmas day.

 My mom got Ezra Chuck's friends from the Chuck the Truck show and they are all now his best buddies. He takes them everywhere. They jump on the trampoline with him, take a bath with him, go up and down the stairs with him, and we can't leave the house without at least one or two of them. 

 Darcy got Candy Land! I love this game for little girls!

 Ashley opening her new robe. Man that thing is soft!

 The only picture of me on Christmas. I am pretty excited about that new cake stand!

 Drew opening his new webcam that he needed for his online teaching job. Yes!!

 My parents are planning on building a house this year, and I have been reading a blog online that talks about how complicated and stressful it can be. So after doing some research on Pinterest I attempted to put together a home-building organization binder for them.

 Emily is so sweet to always think of these kids on the holidays. She sent some great new slippers!

 My dad was SO excited about his new Outhouses calendar! :)

 Slowing down to watch Despicable Me 2.

 I am so sad this picture is blurry. Mr. Jase is killing me with his cuteness! Here he is sporting his cool new slippers too.

 I had to add this picture because of Darcy's silliness. She told me she was doing a Jase face. (He tends to get pretty wide-eyed at noises going on around him.) Her version is a little bit scary! Haha.

 A cute mom and baby moment.

 My parents' made Matthew a cool new tent and the kids had lots of fun playing in it together. Darcy and Ashley even slept in there one night. Because the tent was set up in the middle of the family room Darcy ended up staying up really late with all the adults. She was so tired she was laughing so hard at everything and being so very silly. I really think that had to be one of the best nights of her life so far.

Oddly enough I didn't get any pictures of Matthew in his tent...

Christmas Eve

 I guess this is a little bit backwards, since I already posted about Christmas, but on Christmas Eve we went to Drew's Rexius grandparents' house. We felt less rushed there than we usually do, and we had so much fun spending time with that side of his family.

 G.G. handing out presents.

 Ezra's little gator was a big hit!

 Darcy LOVES nightgowns for some reason, so when she opened a new Rapunzel nightgown she was thrilled!

 Playing the night before Christmas game while Grandma Donna reads the story.

 Adult version. :)

 Grandpa Bill opening his present.

 Grandma Donna opening her gift.

 Darcy and Avery both came to the party dressed up in their fancy dresses! Such pretty little ladies!