Thanksgiving 2012

This was our 3rd thanksgiving in Colorado and I loved how relaxing it was. No travel, no fuss, no big plans - just a day to enjoy and shopping for diapers.

We again spent it with the Scottorns. Tyson played turkey bowl with the Westminster ward @ 9 am. Sydney and I hung out at home and looked at the black Friday ads.

I made homemade rolls, stuffing and apple pie. We headed to the scottorns at 1 and ate at 2 pm. We hung out and watched a movie. Tyson played football with the kids. We headed home at 6 pm.

We got home, hung out and put Sydney down at 715. We facetimed with my family. I got ready and then I headed out to Walmart. This year the deals started at 8 pm which was PERFECT for me since I can't stay up late. I got there and headed for the diapers, wipes and Tupperware.

This year we got 20 boxes of diapers @ $10/box and 11 boxes of wipes @ $5/box. According to our useage. We should be covered in wipes for a both babies for a little over a year and with diapers we should last give or take 10 months. So we really are spending $150 on wipes and diapers per baby! I know it sounds crazy but with me not working with London is born I wanted to make sure we have the basics covered.

I got home at 930 pm and went straight to bed. The next morning both Tyson and I woke up at 730, got Sydney ready and headed out once more to get more diapers. We got 5 more boxes of diapers and 4 more of wipes. We were pretty happy with our results.

Overall it was a great time and relaxing day.

Six Months Prego Update

I am 6 months now and thankfully not much to report. My belly is growing and I feel very very big, at the same time my energy is better. Sydney is getting better at being ok with me not holding her all of the time. She is loving mastering how to walk by herself. She also is getting awesome at walking up the stairs which was my hardest part of the day.

London continues to be a non stop mover. I'm just amazed at how much she seems to move. One funny thing is that I am really sad I can't sleep on my back. With Sydney it was never an issue or a desire but at night I just pray I can sleep on my back but it only last 4 minutes before my back hurts.

My appetite is different from Sydney's pregnancy. I am much more aware of what I eat - not that I ate bad with Sydney but it felt like I was eating more often. With London I love having a BIG breakfast - 3 eggs, toast, fruit, milk - I mean a BIG breakfast.

I find that if I have a big breakfast, my lunches and specially my dinner is smaller. I love this. My body feels much better since I won't die of heartburn during the night.

Lately I've been having a big chocolate/banana protein shake for dinner and it feels like a treat and fills me up.

I remember with Sydney I craved lots and lots of carbs - I still crave some but I much rather munch on fruit and have been eating many more salads.

I've been lucky to have Desi Rogers from my ward let me borrow pregnancy clothes. For some reason this has made me feel like I have so many more options and I feel much better dressed.

My hair is still growing fast and same with my nails. I'm peeing like crazy all the time but my water intake has stayed the same. I remember with Sydney I would drink 100 oz, but now I'm only doing 70 oz, so I do feel thristy even though I am drinking plenty.

Overall I'm feeling much better. Sydney keeps me busy and Tyson continues to be a champ at helping me around the house.

Grateful for .....

1. A healthy pregnancy and growing baby. London is a moving machine. She's pretty violent sometimes. Sometimes we will watch my belly and see it move and move and move.

2. A healthy Sydney. She is growing, learning and exploring. Nothing brings me more joy.

3. Tyson. What can I say. He's my partner in crime and I could not see my life with anyone else. He's sweet, kind, SO patient, loving. I could not imagine parenting without him. He is my rock.

4. Our families. They are so different but so wonderful in their own ways. Brothers and sisters are such a blessing. They make us laugh and cry. They fill our lives with sound advice and love.

5. Our jobs. This year has been so different for us. It was a big turning point in our lives. So many things have changed in our point of view of making money. We feel blessed that we have had jobs and the free housing that comes with it.

6. Our warm home. So many don't have the small luxuries I take for granted. I'm so thankful for a warm home. A warm bed.

7. The gospel. For my life, this is the single thing that helps me keep a perspective and stay away from my selfish side.

8. Mentors - this year I feel like I have found a whole world of like minded mothers. Being my first year as a mother, I'm so thankful for friends who understand and love and are willing to help. My mindset as a mom has been shaped so much by people not related to me but willing to answer my constant questions.

9. Being a mother. I'm so thankful for my sweet Sydney. I'm excited to meet London. Motherhood has humbled and frustrated me in ways I could not have even imagined. Yet sometimes I look into Sydney's eyes - how much she longs for me. How she loves to play with me. How to loves to follow me. I see that and I realize why God put us as families in this world. He knew, just knew the pure joy that comes with it.

10. Being in the USA. I feel so blessed to live here. I never forget how lucky I am to come from Nicaragua and the blessings that Sydney will have because she is a citizen and living in this great country.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Vegas Gerber family trip

In a crazy turn of events we were able to figure out a way to head to Vegas for 4 days to be with all the Gerber family. This has been the first time this happened since last Christmas. We flew in Thursday morning (11/14) and flew back Monday (11/19).

Even though I HATE last minute rushes I have to admit it turned out pretty fun and I'm glad we went. Thursday we arrived at 10 am and spent the day shopping for the new vacation home. We put together beds, bought more house stuff and Tyson worked with his dad. Sydney was a trooper. I think the hardest part for me of traveling is how much it effects Sydney. She usually naps during a plane ride but this time she stayed up all morning with no nap. She was cranky to say the least.

Friday Tyson worked some more and we went to a pottery show. At 1 pm Tyson and I got to go get hour long massages - IT. WAS. AMAZING. We have been wanting massages for a long time and to get a couples massage was fun and relaxing. I literally fell sleep on the bed.

After lunch we went shopping until 4 pm when we headed to the strip. We cruised around the Bellagio and watched the watershow. By 7 pm we were all tired so we went home. We picked up fried chicken and panda express. I was in bed by 8 pm and Sydney by 730.

Saturday Straton and Lauren arrived. We went to Target and then to Walmart to shop for our early thanksgiving dinner. After shopping we went down to the Flamingo Hotel and went to the Paradise Buffet. It was really good. Tyson had a ton of crab legs. I loved filet minog and Sydney loved fruit. The only crappy thing is that we kept Sydney up until 930 which is WAY too late. By the end of the night she was so tired but still got up at 6 am Vegas time. Sigh.

Sunday we all went to church. Tyson and I drove around trying to give Sydney a nap. After church we went home and made dinner. By this time I was beyond exhausted. Tyson had also caught some kind of bug. His throat hurt pretty much since the 2nd day we got there. We tried everything - medicine, oils, gargles - nothing really made him get better. Sunday night we were pretty wiped out due to pregnancy, Sydney being super clingy and Tyson being sick. So Sydney was in bed at 645 and we followed at 8 pm.

Monday we got up and got everything ready. We flew out at 10:50 am. Sydney did really really well on this trip back home. No crying spells. We were soooo happy to be back home.

Oh and I can't forget. Sydney can walk! She decided to really go for it this trip - perhaps it was the dogs that got her so excited. But now at 12.5 months she is walking across entire rooms. She is so proud of herself. We are beyond thrilled. She is a rockstar.

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree

The missionaries were over for dinner and we kept our tradition of having them put up our Christmas tree. We also had a great dinner with Sugey Ostergaard and her darling mom. We had so much fun seeing Sydney and izzy play.

Rock and roll

Reading Time

Sydney is loving reading with daddy. In fact Tyson is the only one that will get her to sit still for more than 5 minutes. This was taken the first day she felt good after her sickness. Welcome back Lou Lou

Sydney Loves Mr. Dishwasher

Sydney has been loving our dishwasher, it's so funny because all she loves to do it take out all the utensils. I've come use to putting all the knives in the very last slot so it's safer for her. I've also started cooking in the back burner, turning my handle inside, checking any outlets before letting Sydney in the room - just so many things that you become aware of when you are a parent.

Sydney is breaking her top teeth - make me so sad since it seems so painful to me. This on top of her being sick - not fun. She is a champ though and outside of being super needy, she is still pretty happy.

Get better soon sweet Sydney.

Look What I Made!

Went to a girls night a couple of weeks ago. It was to a "made by me" pottery painting place. I found a plate on clearance for $5 and then it was half night off for painting, so I paid $8.50 for the whole thing! I was pretty proud of myself. I have always wanted a "special day" plate and now we have one!