Friday, May 25, 2012

Updates

Considering I haven’t blogged here in quite a while and never officially announced my pregnancy here either (but I’m guessing everyone who looks at this are either family/friends/know me on Facebook so it isn’t a surprise, right?), I thought some updates on our family were in order. Taking it from youngest to oldest…

Reese

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Our little lady is due October 4 and has a name! She will be Reese Elizabeth Nelson. I’ve actually been really blessed and have had five ultrasounds already (one at 6.5 weeks to confirm a heartbeat, 8 weeks for my first doctor appointment, 12 weeks because my doctor likes to check on the baby again, 16 weeks because a resident started my appointment and couldn’t find the heartbeat, and then 20 weeks to find out the gender and make sure everything was ok). It has been so fun to watch her growing and developing! She is right where she should be size-wise and everything about her ultrasound and my blood work was just as it should be. She’s a much calmer baby inside of me than Jace was—I tend to feel her moving when I first wake up, then again late morning, maybe a few kicks in the afternoon, and then something before bed every few days. The placenta is at the front of the uterus, adding another layer between her and my belly, as well as she’s sitting very low, so both of those factors make her harder for me to feel. We’re so excited for her and are making plans for a beautiful nursery!

Jace

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At almost 28 months old, our two-year-old is busy, funny, passionate, emotional, imaginative, adventuresome, whiney, sweet, expressive, verbal and bossy.

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He still loves his beloved Bluey (blanket) and Nowie (stuffed kitty). The other day I had pulled everything out of his bed to wash his sheets, Bluey and Nowie. He noticed his pillows on the floor, held out his hands from his sides and said, “Where’s Bluey?" Then started calling out, “Bluey! Where are you!?” He was only semi-okay with Bluey taking a bath.

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He LOVES playing outside, running after Toby, drawing with chalk, blowing bubbles and hitting our fence with his plastic golf clubs. The park is a special treat and leaving is always met with major tears and meltdowns. He likes to tell the things around him what to do. Right now he’s playing at his table, talking to his stuffed Clifford, “Criffer, sit in a Nahm-ing (Lightning from Cars) chair. Jace a-sit in a Nahm-ing chair too. Jace a-color pit-chur. Yew-oh crayon. Jace a-draw a hub-a-cop-cer (helicopter) with yew-oh crayon.” Gets up, walks around table, picks up Clifford. “Criffer! Sit in Nahm-ing chair!” Puts Clifford back, walks around the table and takes his seat again.

We find ourselves very entertained by him.

Jill

17 weeks

This picture is from a few weeks ago, but I don’t think I look too different now than I did then. I’m at 21 weeks now and enjoying this pregnancy now that I’m out of the first trimester and on heartburn medicine. I’ve been loving being a stay-at-home-mom and have so much fun filling my days with Jace. I’ve noticed my crafting/sewing has slowed down considerably since stepping down from work, but that could be partly due to pregnancy. I have a feeling it’ll be picking up quite a bit as we prepare for our little girl! I’ve been letting the writer in me have a voice again by starting a devotional-type blog called Satisfied with Adequate. Click HERE to check it out. I’m still having fun with my craft blog and have some fun sponsorship opportunities coming up. It’s pretty exciting to get paid for trying out craft products!

Nolan

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Nolan is still loving his job with the City of Albany. It’s nice to see him heading into the summer season with construction projects to oversee and keep him busy, while also trying to find the time to design plans for upcoming projects. He’s much happier at work when he’s busy. His boss is very complimentary of the work he does—both directly to Nolan and in front of others, so that’s very affirming. We foresee a great future for him in this job! When he’s not working he’s an awesome daddy to Jace. They have so much fun building trains together, cuddling, playing a Dora game on the computer, and just talking with one another. He works so hard and keeps our yard looking nice (or getting it there at least), is the most loved teacher in the 9 am two-year-olds class at church (one of the dads jokingly calls Nolan his son’s other dad) and I respect him so much.


We’re looking forward to a fun summer since we’ll have the ability to do fun things on the weekends now that I’m not working. I have a feeling these upcoming months will fly by and then we’ll be a family of four!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Why I love being the mom of a little boy…

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Rescueman Dan now has a great partner for fire fighting—Woody.

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Two tractors, upside down.

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Trains on tracks. Jace calls this set up the “train’s house.”

Friday, March 30, 2012

When it won’t stop raining…

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You go out and play anyways!

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Jace became very attached to the ability to just go outside and play while we were in California last week for my grandpa’s funeral.

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So when he asked to go out and play today, and there was no end in sight to the rain, I bundled him up and sent him out!

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He loved it. Toby (our dog) loved it. Jace just didn’t understand why I didn’t want to join him.

Saturday, December 31, 2011

A Fun Trip to OMSI

Our friends Katie and Alex have passes to OMSI, so they invited me, Jace and Mary to come up to Portland and enjoy one of my first days as a stay-at-home-mom.

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Alex and Jace thought this vacuums and balls room was really cool.

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Katie helping Jace shoot a ball from a tube.

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Jace and Mary.

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Another room had all sorts of fun stations for the kids to play at. Jace LOVED the water tables…

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…but he thought the water was for drinking. After I stopped him from treating it like a drinking fountain, he would scoop it with his hands and suck it off his fingers.

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SO we went and played in a ball pit for a while instead.

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Alex spent just about the whole time play in a squirrels exhibit, collecting nuts and putting them in a nest.

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And posing in a giant tree.


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Jace also thought the giant sandbox with big tractors was pretty great.

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As we were getting ready to leave he noticed a big block station and went back and forth between it and…

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…a giant steering wheel (it was attached to a propeller above him, but he never noticed that).

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Heading back to the car and having fun jumping with Mary and Mommy.

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Checking out the trains on the tracks by the parking lot.

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He has officially mastered the cheesy smile for pictures.

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Me and my dear friend Katie at McDonalds for ice cream before heading home.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Some December Life

I just couldn’t resist having some fun with Jace, the lights and my camera before decorating the tree…

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Giving his precious Nowie a kiss.

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Leading worship with the kinder-third graders on my last Sunday on staff at Morning Star.

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Saying “Cheese!”

Thursday, December 29, 2011

A Tree Hunting We Went


As has become our tradition, the day after Thanksgiving we headed out to breakfast and then went tree hunting.

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For the second year in a row, Nolan’s parents joined us.

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We go to one of the few tree farms in Albany, Volsteads, and LOVE the experience there.

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You ride in a tractor pulled wagon out to the right tree lot for the size and type you’re looking for.

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It’s fun because they take you past barns and fields of animals.

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Then it’s a matter of heading out into the trees to find the perfect one.

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And, of course, you have to check out the birds along the way.

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Then hauling the tree back out to wait for the wagon to come by and pick you up.

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We have yet to be rained on during our tree hunt and love it!

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Back at the entrance to the farm, it’s fun to check out the model train and have some hot chocolate while waiting for the tree to be shaken and bailed.

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What a perfect day for family pictures!

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Jace thought the whole experience was really cool.

jace in trees

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Fall Holidays

Before we get to the holidays, I have to show you one of Jace’s favorite things to do…

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He loves to sit on our bottom step. One evening, he hadn’t made any noise for a little while, and I found him laying like this.

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For Halloween I made Jace an Elmo costume. We had a movie night at church the Friday before, and the theme was super heroes, so I went as Super Grover and added a cape to Jace’s costume so he could be Super Elmo.

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He was pretty proud of his costume.

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Our first time trick or treating made him a little nervous. It didn’t help that he had shots that day and ended the evening with a fever.

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Watching a movie with Daddy while Mommy handed out candy.

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Our Muppet family.

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Thanksgiving was at Jared and Rayanna’s with the Nelsons and Kneppers. Jace LOVED Aunt Rayanna’s dolly highchair from when she was little. This is a typical moment between Jace and Nowie, his kitty. He loves to chew on her face.

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An attempt at a family photo.

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Jace, Nowie and Daddy hanging out.