3 seems like a good number :)

I've stopped updating this thing for the past couple months. I also took a break from taking hair appointments, (or doing my own hair for that matter).  Also, I've been a big time slacker in terms of cooking and cleaning.  Chalk it up to being in survival mode--only the most important things get attention--like keeping my 2 sweet kids alive and happy, and trying my hardest to have a peaceful home for my hubby to come home to at the end of the day.

Oh, and of course, I've been busy growing our newest addition :)

By now most of my friends already know that I'm pregnant ... 3rd time around, my belly didn't wait for my first trimester to end-- I started showing by about ... 8 weeks ;)  I'm now just a few days away from completing my 12th week, quickly coming to the end of my first trimester ... A time of my life that I lovingly describe with 2 words: Joyful Nausea.

I read this E-card a few weeks ago that said something like this:  "Pregnancy--the one and only reason to be happy that you feel like crap."  And really, I couldn't be more excited and grateful to be pregnant again.  Let me back up and spend some time writing about the months that led up to my positive test result.

Wesley and I were ready to jump back in with another baby in early spring last year. Pretty much the only thing stopping me from going for it was knowing that I would be spending my entire summer traveling: Utah, Virginia, Germany.. Maybe it was a little selfish, but I didn't see the harm in postponing pregnancy for just a few months so that I could go on this amazing trip! We ultimately decided that after I came home from my summer travels, we would try for #3.

This next part is probably a little TMI for some people, but for my close friends and family I want to write it like it happened.  After a couple months of trying to conceive, I skipped a period. For a couple weeks I was incredibly confused (skipping was not normal for me).  I retested every few days, but I just knew I wasn't pregnant. One early morning, I woke up in so much pain that we considered going to the emergency room.  After some research, I realized that I had experienced a ruptured ovarian cyst.  (I've never had any issues with this, so it was a pretty big surprise).  That week I made an appointment with my OB, who confirmed my suspicion.  At this point I was more than 2 weeks late, with no signs of an impending cycle.  So they put me on Provera (hormones to jump-start my cycle), for 10 days.

It really wasn't the end of the world.  I was surprised to find out that I was having any fertility issues at all, given my track record, but I guess it happens to lots of women, and is usually a quick fix.  That was definitely the case for me! On December 3rd, just one cycle later, I woke up early, grabbed that little white stick, and saw something special, something I'd only seen 2 other times in my life. :)

It's definitely been challenging this time around, keeping up with two kids while I feel like I have the flu most days.  But it could be a lot worse--At least I can be home..My kids could care less if I haven't washed my hair in 4 days :).  It would also be worse if I couldn't get pregnant at all.  I'm grateful that my body came through again, for the 3rd time! I feel very blessed.  People ask me all the time if I'd rather have a boy or a girl this time around--Honestly, I don't really care. Every night, I pray to Heavenly Father that this little miracle can grow properly, that its tiny organs will come together the way they should, that its brain fully develops.  For now, I just have to have faith--up in Heaven their is a very special spirit waiting to come to our family.  It chose me for a mom, and my heart feels full.  I can't wait to get to know this amazing person! I think about how much I love Jake, and Mia, and I know I'll have the same unique love for the cute gummy bear growing in my belly.

My official due date right now is August 9th.  I'm not looking forward to being 8-9 months pregnant in the Arizona heat.  But you know what? Jake came along about a year before we were hoping to start a family. Mia arrived just 10 days before Christmas.  And this little baby will be born the week Jake starts Kindergarten, while it's 115 outside. But it's ok, because these babies come when they are supposed to. I really do believe that.  I can't wait to meet you kid!

I have a lot of other things to catch up on, lots of past holiday pictures, fun outings, a trip to Vegas. I'll get to those someday--sometime when I stop feeling like I have the flu coming on.  For now, I'll leave this with one last update:  a few weeks before my baby is born, MY PARENTS WILL BE MOVING TO ARIZONA!!!!!!!  I can't believe its coming together like this, I feel like it's too good to be true! But they are building a house in Gilbert.  I haven't been lucky enough to live near my parents since I was 19 years old, so this will be awesome.  I'll really love having the extra support when this new baby comes into the picture, but most importantly, I'm just excited to have them so close.  My parents are some of my best friends.  We have a great relationship, and I also get to live near my brother David!!!

Feeling blessed. 

Baby #3, ready or not, here we go!