Memorial Day and Baby Update

We had so much fun down in Utah with the Jensens! It was a very much needed little break from Idaho, and was just nice to relax and be with family.  Brynlee did so good down there to.  She loved playing with her cousin Bentz and was slightly obsessed with Rich.  Saturday evening Rich and Ben watched Frozen with Brynlee while I tried to rest up since I wasn't feeling well at all.  The first thing she said when she woke up on Sunday was of course "pretty dress, Queen Brynlee".  She loves Frozen and her little nightgowns.  Anyways, she then looked at me and said "Grandpa nice, Grandpa fun".  Wherever Rich was Brynlee was right there with him.  It was so stinking sweet.

We had a yummy breakfast with all of the Jensen side Sunday morning and then we headed back to Idaho since I was feeling really crummy.  This pregnancy has definitely been different then with Brynlee.  Not this past Friday, but the one before I had an appointment with my midwife and my blood pressure has been rising considerably over the past few weeks.  She was concerned with some pain that I was having in the upper right of my belly as well as my swelling and some vision problems.  They were concerned with was preclampsia since they found protein in my urine and bad headaches.  They monitored the baby, took some blood work, took my blood pressure 5 or 6 times and I was there for like 4 hours with Brynlee.  It was a long day!  They finally said I could leave but I was on bed rest for the weekend and I had to do a 24 hour urine sample for them and come back in first thing Monday morning.  At my appointment on Monday there was no good news.  They found even more protein in my urine and my blood pressure was actually at its highest.  I also was feeling a decrease of movement from the baby.  They monitored me there for a couple of hours and then my blood pressure spiked and they sent me over to the hospital ERMC.  My midwife said that if I was 36 or 37 weeks they would have to induce me because of the blood pressure, but since I was only barely 34 weeks at the time that really wanted that to be the last option so the baby had some more time to develop.  It was actually pretty terrifying, because me being the worrier that I am immediately thought that the worst possible thing was going to happen.  I also had Brynlee with me to so I went and picked up Ben from work and we headed on over to the hospital.  I was having some small contractions while I was there, but I wasn't feeling any pain or discomfort and literally anything.  I never felt any Braxton hicks contractions with Brynlee so I don't even know what they feel like anyways haha.  Thankfully at the hospital my blood pressure went down and they got the blood work back so my kidneys and liver were working fine and hadn't been affected yet.  So they are just monitoring my blood pressure, blood work, and urine really closely at every appointment.  And told me to take it easy and take more baths haha.  I'm actually feeling quite a bit better then before so I hope we are out of the woods.  My midwife and I both don't think I'll go 40 weeks, but I don't want to get my hopes up or anything so I try not to think about it.

I plan on going naturally just like with Brynlee, with laboring at home as much as possible and then heading to the hospital.  I'm not one of those die hard natural birth ladies though.  If the pain got completely unbearable, I'm not completely opposed to an epidural.  It's my choice.  I'd rather not get one, but if I am induced and the contractions are too much for me to handle then I might possibly consider it.  My muscles aren't as strong this time around.  I keep telling Ben that I feel like this baby is going to just fall out of me.  I can't move well and my entire pelvic region is constantly in pain.  My midwife said it's because my ligaments are stretching out and because it's my second birth my pelvic floor isn't as strong as it was the first time around.  It's horrible pain, but other than a hot pad, baths, and taking it easy there isn't much more I can do just have to wait it out.  Thankfully it should go away after the baby is born.  I'd really really like to go natural because the recovery time was nothing.  I felt wonderful physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I'm frankly more nervous of the side effects of an epidural, not being in control of my own body, and any potential side effects to the baby then I am of giving birth unmedicated again.  The first time was great (and fast) so I'm crossing my fingers that it will be somewhat similar.

Newborn Boy Photography

16 more weeks!  My excitement is seriously bubbling.  At my last dr's appointment I gained 1 lb.  So that makes it so this pregnancy I lost 15 lbs. during my 1st trimester and of those 15 lbs. I've gained back 3 lbs.  Baby boy is growing great and I'm measuring at 25 weeks.  My midwife said that she will be surprised if I even reach my pre pregnancy weight when he arrives, :/ I guess that's one plus of being fat when your pregnant?  Woowho I'm more than half way!  I can't wait to meet this little man.  I've completely changed since Brynlee's pregnancy and how I was eating.  I'm so much healthy now and my portion size has gone down.  Thankfully I also have a very active 2 year old to keep up with.  I'm so excited to try breastfeeding again and hopefully I'll be more successful than last time.  Especially now that I know that everything I was eating (aka lots of dairy, broccoli, spices, lots of acidic fruit, etc) can irritate some newborns and that I'm going to pump a lot to hopefully keep my milk supply up.  I'm just so excited to try again!

I'm also excited to do his newborn pictures.  It's going to be so much fun and I got a bunch of new stuff for it.  My style is changing quite a bit and for newborns I seem to be favoring more natural and organic colors than lots of bright colors.  This is quite the change because I have been a huge fan of color!  So obviously I needed to be some new things for his session ;)  We have also begun switching out Brynlee's room and my studio.  I still have 4 more sessions before we move furniture.  This Saturday though we did some major spring cleaning and I got rid and organized the closet in Brynlee's room (which will be new babys room) and I will be using that closet to store my props and backdrops.  Tetris must have taught me something great because I'm amazed at what I can stack :)  I only moved newborn props and blankets and will keep my actual backdrops in my studio until I'm completely done with scheduled sessions.  I'm so glad that we did this though because it made me realize how pregnant I was getting haha It's getting more uncomfortable to squat down so its a good thing that I don't have any more newborn sessions until my own! I've also become obsessed with this little upcycled pants.  I don't like a lot of hats on newborn boys but I did get a good deal on the mini blanket and hat combo and I just about died over the matching beanie and pants set.  I'm also so excited that I got this little twig bed, it's so stinking cute and I'm going to keep it forever and ever.  I'm going to start newborns up again when my little man is around 4 months old.  We'll probably still be here so I will be going on-location to peoples homes to do them.  Much easier for parents and baby, but more work for me.  Hopefully though when we move in a year or two we'll be able to rent a house that either has a finished basement or 4 bedrooms so I can do them again in our home.

Brynlee is just as cute as ever and just as sassy.  She keeps me on my toes that's for sure.  She's learning so many new words which is really fun.  She's also a great little helper.  She loves playing in her kitchen, and in our sink.  Any loves trains, cars, and princesses.  I think she's going to like having a brother :)

Here are a few boys names that we like:  Boston, Jameson, Parker.  We haven't decided on anything yet and probably won't until we see and meet him.  Boys are harder for us to name then girls apparently!

Newborn Boy Photography by brittanystanly on Polyvore

The house is clean, Brynlee is sleeping....so this is how I spend my time

I should probably be working on pictures, but they aren't due until Saturday...so I'd rather procrastinate ;)

As soon as we found out we were having a boy I new what colors I wanted in his nursery.  Navy, gray, and orange.  I saw this amazing room on Pinterest (of course) and couldn't get it out of my mind.

While I'm not completely sold on the bedding, it will most likely have to do and it's the one that I have liked the best and is the most affordable.  Thankfully we are actually using Brynlee's crib, dresser, rocker, and changing table, so the only big things we need buy are another dresser for Brynlee and her toddler bed.

I started getting Brynlees nursery ready as soon as we found out we were having a girl.  This time though we have to wait until May to actually buy anything and set it up.  I'm going to be selling about half of my studio off and putting the other half into storage.  Then Brynlee moves into the bigger room (where my studio is now) and baby Boston will sleep in our room for at least a few months but we'll have his nursery all set up in what is now Brynlee's room.

So for now I will just keep dreaming up different layouts for Boston's and Brynlee's new rooms.  Granted I can usually find cheaper versions (on etsy, TJMaxx, hobbylobby, ross, etc) or make things myself that are just as cute, but this gives me an idea of what I'm looking to design.

Navy, Coral, and Gold Toddler Room/ Nursery by brittanystanly featuring rod pocket curtains

Tiffany Blue, Gold, and Blush Pink Girls Room by brittanystanly featuring silk accent pillows

Boston's Nursery by brittanystanly

Happenings

It's been pretty low key around here.  Our big news is that we found out that we are having a BOY! I still can't really believe it.  I thought it was a boy, but when the ultrasound technician said 100% boy I was a little shocked.  I don't really know anything about boys haha We are so excited for this new adventure with becoming a family of 4.  We are pretty set on his name, Boston John Stanly but who knows if we'll change our minds right at the end of the pregnancy like with did with Brynlee (who was originally going to be named Sadie).  

I absolutely stink at taking pictures of Brynlee during the day.  Our apartment has horrible lighting (with the exception of our little nook in the kitchen).  I want to get an external flash, but thats kind of on the last of the things we need before baby comes.  I am going to make a better effort though to get some pictures of Brynlee other than on my phone.  

We have also been redecorating.  I have been wanting to do this for over a year (since we moved here), but there was always something more important to put money into.  I honestly haven't bought anything for our home until recently, so we really needed an update badly.  I am just working on our living room and its basically done.  We are just waiting for the sofa that we bought a couple of weeks ago to get here.  We have never had new furniture ever.  We have always bought ours second hand and it was really starting to look funky ;) It was a splurge for us, but the furniture store was having a 60% off liquidation sale so we didn't want to pass it up.  In the living room are color scheme is gray, light blue, white, and accents of yellow.  I absolutely love it right now.  It's calming and bright and just makes me happy to be in.  Once it's all finished I'll put up some pictures.  Gosh I can't wait till we have a home of our own and we can paint these walls!  Thankfully we have a nice two tone paint in our apartment and not stark white wals, but I would like a light neutral soft gray one day.  

Since Ben gave me basically complete free range on the living room, with the exception of the sofa.  He likes leather furniture while I prefer fabric (not microfiber though).  The living room does have some feminine touches. I have to admit it haha but I love it and it looks really nice and coordinated!  Any body else ever have designer disagreements with your spouse?  Ben loves darker richer colors and I'm moving more into neutrals with pops of color.  So we are basically opposite right now.  I caved and gave Ben free range of what color scheme to do our bedroom.  Granted the only thing we are actually going to be getting our some frames, curtains, and a new bedspread.  Let's cross our fingers that it isn't brown haha  

So other than just trying to get ready for baby, and waiting till my sessions our over in the next few months to get started on his room we are just playing around.  I want to do his nursery in Navy, light gray, and accents of burnt orange.  I've been searching high and low for bedding and I'm really coming up short.  There are way more options of girls!  If I new how to sew I would probably just make the crib sheets and skirt myself and just buy a bumper.  Bens only request was that we get a couple of small planes to hang in the corner of his room.  

This pregnancy has definitely been rough on my body and my mind.  It was never this physically difficult with Brynlee so deep down inside I have this worry that something just isn't right. And I'm scared to think that I have another 20 weeks of this pain.

As I write this its almost 12 am in the morning and I've just woke up in horrible pain. I dislocated my ribs once again while i was sleeping, this is now the third time. If you've never dislocated them you may think I'm a big baby, but if you have then you understand the pain I am in. I wake up feeling like somebody is crushing my spin, it feels like there is 100 lbs crushing me making it difficult to breath, I'm so dizzy because of it and I can't even take a deep breath. Sometimes the pain hurts so bad that i throw up. Not just a little either, I'm talking projectile vomiting everything I had for dinner. It reminds me.exactly when I started labor with Brynlee, I woke up said I didn't feel.good and then made a mad dash to the bathroom. My throwing up kick started my contractions. So every time I throw up like.that I am so scared that I'm going to go into labor too early. I can't sleep when this happens and I'm one of those people that need sleep. This pain doesnt stop either, And there is nothing to relieve the pain until i get adjusted the next day.

I'm so tired. I never sleep well and I'm just exhausted and short tempered.  I have no support around here except Ben, who works 9 hours a day. I am on egg shells all day about when the pain is going to start. I am going to start going to the chiropractor at least every other week to get adjusted but the dislocating will not stop for the rest of the pregnancy. To be totally blunt and honest I'm so scared of the next 4 months and how it's only going to get worse as time progresses, this makes it really hard to enjoy the process of the wonderful miracle and gift of life that I am blessed enough to participate in.

I feel so bad for complaining about my pain when others struggle to get pregnant and to keep those pregnancies viable. We have experienced some of those same struggles ourselves and i can recall my feelings. At the same time though I wish I could talk about it with someone who understands what it's like to have chronic pain.  It's affecting my attitude and my Outlook right now and not in a positive way. Ben ran out to get me a heating pad and I'll be getting a blessing from him when he gets home.

Right now I just needed to write down what I'm feeling to get it out of my system. I need to remind myself that this will pass and in just a matter of months I will have a sweet little baby in my arms as a reward. Heavenly Father doesn't give us what we can't handle, so I am strong enough to get through this and there is a purpose for this pain.

2 Years Old!

I can't believe that I have a two year old!

Brynlee is the absolute best thing that has happened to our family.  She brought us together in a way that I didn't know was possible and is just a little ray of sunshine.

Here are just a few things that I love about you Brynlee bear at two years old...

• You're talkative- it's the cutest thing, you have so much to say and sometimes you don't know the right words but something comes out anyway.  You tell us (usually) exactly what you want.  haha you've also become a little bit bossy, I wonder where you got that from? ;) 
• You're energetic and playful- oh my is this an understatement!  You have so much energy for such a little body!  You get excited about everything, and you let that excitement be known.  You're pretty loud haha But I love your happy screams, I think they are endearing.  When Dad comes home you just light up and run around screaming "daddy home!! Daddy home!!" And immediately you make all of us run after you.  
• You're loving- You love your stuffed animals and babies.  You are so good at rocking them gently and you share your hats and blankets with them really well.  You are quick to say sorry and give me a hug when you have had to sit in time-out for a bad choice.  You love playing with other kids and are quick to give hugs and kisses.  You love to snuggle with me right before nap time.  It's one of the best parts of my day.  You just get your blanky, binkie, and come snuggle up to me no matter what I am doing.  I will stop anything at the drop of a hat when you do that.  You love your dad and I so much and we know it.  We aren't short on kisses, hugs, and high fives.  You set a good example for me to remember to tell you everyday how much I love you.  
• You're athletic- Man girl, you have a really good kick.  You love kicking your ball around the house and are pretty good about kicking it back and forth to us.  You also love your trampoline, possibly a little too much!  You are a very intense jumper haha and I can tell how you are trying to do your best, and jump as high as you can.  You also love to swing off the handle of the trampoline and hang from anything.  You've got a good throwing arm too.  This can be a good and bad thing though :) Sometimes when you're really happy you just like to throw something, other times when you're mad you will throw something.  We call this "hulking out"!  You are also so fast.  I'm amazed when I watch your little legs run up and down the hall way or outside.  Or how fast you spin when you are dancing.  You love dancing!  We have dance parties throughout the day and I hope we always do this.  You remind me to have fun and not care who's watching.  
• You're persistent (and a little stubborn)- I actually love this about you, you don't give up on something easily.  You always try harder and harder.  This is going to get you far in life in whatever you decide to do.  You know what you like and that's that. 
• You're funny- When you do something that makes us laugh you definitely know it, and will do it over and over again with the big grin on your face.  Just the other day we were eating dinner and we took your dress off to not get dirty and you just turned around and started dancing in the window.  It was hilarious.  You will make funny faces and do shake your shoulders too.  You keep me laughing throughout the day.  

So those are just a few things that I love about you :) Here's what you like these days. 

Favorite Foods- Turkey, cheese, cucumbers, apples, and broccoli 

Favorite Books- The Little Engine that Could, Sofia the First, and the Monster Love book

Favorite Toys- Any trains!  Your little kitchen, and your little people princess castle 

Favorite Clothes- of my gosh you are obsessed with dresses right now.  Everything is "pretty dress" 

Favorite TV Show- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Favorite Movie- Tie between Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast 

We also got Brynlee's stats and no wonder her clothes don't fit her well!  She only 24 lbs (27th percentile) and 35 inches (75th percentile).  We've got a tall little chickadee.  Ben and I took bets the other day to see how much she weighed and we were both off.  I said 32 lbs and Ben said 34, haha I don't think we can handle a 34lb Brynlee carrying her up our apartment stairs, it's hard enough as it is!

The Silly Things We Do

So I have a few kind of weird quirky things.  I can't have any doors open in our home without getting anxiety (I'm for real).  Even when Brynlee is playing with her toy kitchen I find myself constantly shutting her little door because it drives nuts. I also can't stand when puzzles aren't finished!  Brynlee has these 3 little wooden puzzles that she loves, but she will decide to take each puzzle and dump out all of the pieces and then put half of them away and then leave the rest.  I think she actually likes scattering the pieces more than anything haha.  One of Brynlee's funny little things is instead of saying "Thank You" she simply says "To".  It started when she was like 10 months old and we thought it was just the cutest thing so we kind of just accepted it as Thank You.  But, now that she can actually say thank you, she still does it and it kind of drives me nuts.  Brynlee also does this funny little head but with me at the end of the night.  When we are reading books in bed she will cuddle up and then randomly start laughing, smiling, and then gently head but me!  It doesn't hurt and we are both laughing through the whole things.  It's really the funniest thing.

Another odd thing I do is I plan out clothing a little obsessively.  I hope this doesn't sound vain, but I love picking out cute outfits for Brynlee, it's one of my favorite things in the world haha.  At least when she's throwing a fit over something she looks cute (obviously afterwards when she's said sorry!).  It kind of relieves some stress. We love our comfy clothes too though!

So we have a limited budget for clothes and I try to save as much as I can.  I usually don't buy clothes in-store, rather online during really good sales (and ebay!).  We have a pretty good system down so I only end up buying Brynlee clothes like every few months inside of going out on a regular basis just to browse.  I plan out Brynlee's clothes using a little site called Polyvore.  When I'm browsing online I will clip a product to polyvore and create a set of items.  This just helps me to keep track of what Brynlee has in regards to pants, skirts/dresses, and tops.  It's a good way for me to organize and think about what we really need to buy her and it helps me to see how I get the most out of each piece of clothing by just swapping different parts out for a new outfits.  I love that I can plan outfits on it!  It's just a little fun thing for me to do :) So I subscribe to newsletters from my favorite stores to get updates on sales and I also get special coupons.  And slowly check off the items on my list depending on which store is having a sale.  I typically spend enough to get free shipping on my orders as well which saves us extra money.  Another thing is opening up the store credit card (but paying it off in full each month you use it) and using that I will get an even better discount.  Also you get like loyalty money from alot of stores when you use their credit card.  For every certain amount they will give you a credit that you can use for an order.

Here's my most recent little outfit planner for Brynlee as she's getting bigger and more and more clothes aren't fitting her.  Can you tell I like little jean jackets!

My Kid Has Style- Sprint 2014 by brittanystanly featuring a denim jacket