{ it's a......... }

we're having a baby BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we took rowan to our appointment this morning (left greer with aunt lindsay) and they took the three of us right back to the ultrasound room. i was just excited to find out, jord really wanted a baby boy and rowan definitely wanted a baby brother. \\\\ funny story... yesterday as we were driving, rowan was talking about her baby brother, and i said "but you know this could be a baby sister too, right?" and she immediately flew off the handle and was claiming that this was a baby brother! and it dawned on me that all the conversations that jord and i, and everyone else, have had with her about the baby have been "do you want a baby brother, or a baby sister? and it hit me that she probably thought that when she was asked this question so many times, that she got to choose! and of course she decided that she wanted a baby brother, so this baby was a boy! it never occurred to me that we were confusing her so much. i felt so bad! //// anyways. the ultrasound tech put the wand on my tummy and immediately went to the money shot, and that baby's legs were WIDE open! now..... i knew what i saw. there was a half of another leg right there in the middle. but given our previous 'reveal' that was incorrect, i wanted to be 10000% sure that were right. so i told her to point out all the parts to me. jord was like "okay, so you are POSITIVE that this is a boy?" and she said "i've done hundreds and hundreds of ultrasounds, and i've never been wrong." and that gave me all the confidence i needed. WE ARE HAVING A BOY! i don't think that i had allowed myself to hope or think either way, but man, i was SO surprised and so happy. rowan was being her usual shy self and wouldn't say anything, but i could tell she was excited, and jord was on cloud 9. we went and picked up greer girl, and some balloons, and my sister Taryn took these pics for us for our big "reveal" to send to our families.
and although the girls weren't showing it for one of these pics (rowan wasn't feeling well and greer was g.r.u.m.p.y) , we're soooooooooooooooooo excited!!!

{oh baby....}

well.... surprise!

we're havin' another baby. and surprise, yes! it definitely was ;) i am currently 14 weeks and due november 22nd. we talked about when we another baby would be good for our family and this definitely wasn't when it was supposed to happen, ha ha. at the time, we were actually having alot of house drama (almost ready to walk away from it, it got really bad), my girls were really sick, jord was about to leave town for a week and we got this little surprise. i actually was in denial for a couple weeks (i was a couple weeks late) because we had to try really hard for both of our girls, and being late wasn't completely out of the ordinary for me, when all of a sudden the feeling of "morning sickness" hit me like a ton of bricks. and i knew exactly what it was. so i made jord go pick up a couple tests and sure enough.... not even 15 seconds after i did my thing, the crazy positive sign showed up. AHHHHHHHH!!!!! i freaked out, jord freaked out, we both laughed, then i cried... for a long time.... maybe a few weeks... and now we are finally getting used to the fact that we're havin' another babe! ;)

i haven't been feeling too great. nausea, tired, no energy, tired, no energy. all the normal pregnancy stuff. i really am trying to see the positive side of it all, however. there is alot to be grateful for. and as one of my friends so eloquently put, a surprise baby makes you realize who is really in charge. it's humbling! so now that we aren't in denial... we are excited! we told rowan a few days ago, and she got the really excited/shy smile on her face and just stared at my belly. she is super happy and also has a lot of questions (insert awkward face). but now she tells everyone that her momma is having a baby (thank you for that) and that she really wants a baby brother ;) greer.... well ya know, she doesn't understand one bit. and we will let her live in her own world for the next six months until it's completely rocked by another sibling in the picture.

so, yay! baby staple's numero three coming your way. (3? ahhhh!)

{38 weeks..}

i know, i know. im very large. i begged my sisters not to take this picture because i was going to be the biggest. of course, it should be expected, i'm the furthest along. but it's not the most comforting thing to look the biggest in a picture. but hey... how many times are you pregs with your sisters?!? had to do it.

me: 38 weeks, linds: 32 weeks, brynne: 17 weeks



Update: 38 weeks

I am pretty much the most emotional, up and down, pregnant girl there ever was on the planet. last week, i was freaking out about this baby coming..... and everything that comes with it. this week, i'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. and i think its because there is NO sign of baby coming anytime soon. so now i'm kind of like "what the heck?" And i really don't think i expected her to be here, 3 weeks early like her big sister, but i think by 38.5 weeks, i expected there to be some sort of sign of her coming. The doc said that absolutely NOTHIN is going on down there. and now i don't even know if i'm going to be able to be induced on the 28th like i thought. so let's just say, i'm emotional about all of it.  we'll see how my apt goes this week!

{the last few weeks..}

36 Weeks: What I Know Now

- I am having sheer panic attacks knowing that our baby is coming in such a short amount of time. I think that fact that it's October now just made everything really real. And don't get me wrong, I am so happy and excited.... but I want to feel ready. And right now I don't feel ready.

- I am not sleeping at all. If it's not the heartburn, its because I have to pee. If it's not because I have to pee, it's because my hips are throbbing and I need to change sides. If it's not my hips, than it's my back. And if it's not my back, it's because rowan wakes up. Blah blah... and if it's not one of those 100 reasons that any (very) pregnant girl can relate too, than it's just because I can't shut my brain off. It's just REALLY hard to sleep these days!

- I am down to my one-week appointments now. Crazy! So far I've gained 24 lbs. I'm pretty much exactly where I was with Rowan.

- My belly is gettin biiiiiiiiiiiig. I feel like baby girl has totally popped these last two weeks. I catch all my crumbs and spills on my belly these days.

- This may be TMI, but I look, walk, and especially feel like someone has kicked me over and over in the crotch. I am SO incredibly sore down there. ouch.

- Baby girl's moves are not to sweet and little anymore. They are getting fewer, just because she has so little room to move around now, but they are hard!

- Rowan talks about the baby all the time now, and it's really sweet. Part of my anxiety of doing this all again was because now I have a toddler who needs my attention as well as a newborn. But the way rowan talks about helping "baby gurl" with her woobie, and her passie... just makes me excited for their future as sisters.

- I am not really swollen at all anywhere, I feel pretty lucky. and no stretchmarks.... yet.

- I am finally able to cross things off my "to-do" list lately, and it's helping ease the anxiety. I think I'm way more freakishly "nesting" than I did with rowan. I just want everything to be clean, and I especially want everything to be organized so that my only worry is for my two little girls.

- I have been crying alot over everything lately. dang hormones. and poor jord.

- Did I mention how bad my back has been hurting? ugh.

- Still at the same place with names. I think, I THINK, we have it narrowed down to two names. and I bounce between both daily.

- I think that I have mentioned before.. but I became overly obsessed with buying clothes for this baby girl. Mostly because her and Rowan are being born in opposite seasons, so I pretty much had to start from scratch. But also because I feel like my style has changed alot since Rowan was born. But I literally go in her room, and look at her outfits i've bought, over and over again! It's rediculous. But they're so cute and tiny!!

{the journal..}

32 Weeks: What I Know Now

- This pregnancy really is just absolutely flying. Now that summer is officially over, I feel like our baby girl is going to be here so soon. I better get a move on it!

- My "episodes" where I feel like i'm going to pass out have gotten worse than EVER. at my apt this week, i actually passed out at the doctors. We were in a room that was hot, it had been a couple hours since I ate, and I was just sitting in a bad position. All of a sudden, the voices in the room just started getting muffled, and everything started getting dark and i just slumped over on the bed. it was awful, and embarrassing. But I guess if you're gonna have troubles, it might as well be in front of your doctor.

- I've gained 19 lbs so far this pregnancy. I think i'm pretty much where I was with Rowan.

- My dreams are so real and intense these days!

- Recently, I'm lovin on salads and soups. (zupa's is my fave.)

- We got family/maternity pictures taken this week..... and one thing is for sure, i'll never try and get away with wearing non-maternity pants again. I feel like I look HUGE in these pictures. oh well.

- I feel you getting the hiccups more often now and its sweet and sad. sweet, because they're just little rythmic bumps on my tummy. sad, because you jolt a leg or an arm out after everyone.. which probably means they bother you. sorry baby girl!

- I don't sleep at all anymore. Sometimes I'm awake for 2-3 or sometimes 4 hours a night. It's miserable.

- I can't believe we are down to single digits until you get here. ahhhhh!

- Still struggling with names. I really have a hard time getting Jord to agree on anything I like. And then I finally convince him, and then I'm the one who doesn't like it anymore. Naming a baby comes with alot of pressure and responsibility.

{pregnancy journal..}

28 Weeks: What I Know Now

- I absolutely loathe heartburn. I cannot believe how bad it is already. And I still feel like I have forever and ever to go.

- I just want to say how much I love our doctor. (Dr. Judd). He delivered alot of my siblings, Jord & alot of his siblings. He's been an OBGYN for over 40 years... which means he knows what he's doing. I just feel like our "chemistry" works with him. He always spends as much time with us as we need. He answers all of my questions. I just really like him alot.

- Baby Girl has found a very uncomfortable resting place for her feet in my right ribs.. just like her big sister. Some of those kicks reeealllllyyyyy hurt and make my whole body jolt. Not fun.

- I've gained 15 lbs so far. Still doing pretty good about working out.

- I'm starting to lose more and more sleep. There are alot of reasons. But the main one is that my hips THROB at night. I have to switch to the other side, what feels like, every hour. I seriously can't believe how much, and how easy, they hurt. 

- I have these weird "episodes" where I all-of-a-sudden feel like i'm going to pass out. It's hard to find relief unless I can immediately lay down on a flat surface. I think that i've figured out it's just a really bad combination of pregnancy, bad circulation, and heat. But it's no fun.

- I have become horribly addicted to shopping for this baby girl. Because she will be born in the opposite season as rowan, we really had to start over with the clothes (minus the jammies). I mean, i'm not complaining or anything. ha ha!

- I am losing energy quickly. We have been quite busy lately, but I still feel like I lack a ton of energy these days.

- My back is killing me. Especially when im really active and moving one day, I almost have to crawl around my house the next day it's so bad. I really didn't ever experience this with rowan. My doctor just keeps telling me, "each pregnancy gets harder and harder on your body." yay. ; /

- I'm happy to be in the third and final trimester, wahoo! 

{the last few weeks...}

24 Weeks: What I Know Now

- So, since my last "what i know now" we found out that we are NOT having a boy, and we are actually having a girl. what are the chances? it's such a crazy story, and so weird. but now that we've had some time to wrap our heads around it, and change our minds to thinking that the same baby we have been calling a boy, is now in fact a girl, we are THRILLED. i am especially excited for rowan, to have a sister.

- we have been trying to convince rowan that the baby in momma's tummy is a girl now. and she just keeps saying, "no, baby BOY!" poor girl, i think we have confused her to no end.

- the dreaded heartburn as started already and i am not happy about it. to the point where i am waking up in the middle of the night gasping for air because i am choking on the acid coming up my throat. i thought i would have a few more weeks of just enjoying pregnancy, but i guess not. ;)

- i've gained 12 lbs so far. still doing pretty good about going to the gym. but seeing as how i've gained 4 more lbs at this point, than when i was pregnant with rowan, maybe i'm not doing as well as i thought.

- i am shocked at how much my chest has grown. when i first found out i was pregnant, i actually felt pain as they grew. i know they got bigger when i was pregnant with rowan, but i never felt like they hurt. boy, this time i really feel it. and i hate it. it just makes me feel bigger and more chubs when they get big like this. sorry for TMI?!?

- baby girls kicks are still so sweet. i love feeling them, but i especially love watching them.

- i am not enjoying the heat of the summer. but we have, for the first time, a pool in our backyard and rowan and i go swimming at least 4-5 times a week. it helps cool me off and take some weight off of the belly.

- we have been busy busy busy lately with spending time with the twinner girls before they leave on their missions. mini vacations, and lots of sister time. we leave our house in the morning, and dont come back til late at night, so i've been SO tired lately! i know it's a combination of the two- busy and pregnant.

- i can't believe we're over halfway, time is going by so fast!

{um... confused?}

SO....... um. we're not having a boy. 

we're having a girl!

we are as confused as anyone. but laughing at the same time. it's kind of a funny story....

We went to our 20 week ultrasound last tuesday (the 18th) really just anxious to see that everything looked good with our little boy. You never know when something appears out of the blue.. and I work myself up and get anxious before these kinds of appointments. Well go figure that we waited 45 minutes before we got back to see the ultrasound technician. I know things happen, but when you are already anxious, waiting for an extra long period of time doesn't help.

Ultrasound Technician: So is this a gender reveal for you guys?

Me: We actually already know it's a boy.

Jord: We're just confirming it's a boy.

Ultrasound Technician: Okay, well let's get to it.

She proceeds to go over the baby's brain, and the baby's heart, and the baby's spine. She was very careful and very specific which kind of made me nervous because our 20 week ultrasound with rowan wasn't as specific as this one. Naturally, I started to get worried. But she reassured me everything was fine. So i was relieved and thought the hard part was over.

Ultrasound technician: You have a really active baby, i'm having a hard time getting a clear shot of anything.

Me: Yes, this I know.

Ultrasound technician: But you said it was a boy, right?

Me: That's what we were told! How come?

Ultrasound technician: I'm just not seeing anything down there that would tell me this was a boy. 

Me: Really, how funny.

Jord: Oh, gosh. Are you serious?

Ultrasound technician: You guys, there isn't anything down there. 

Me: laughing, Like, REALLY? cause that would be really funny if this wasn't a boy.

Ultrasound technician: I just am not seeing anything that would tell me this was a boy. And if you hadn't told me that this was a boy, I would have absolutely told you that this was a girl.

Me and Jord are laughing at this point and so confused: Are you sure?

Ultrasound Technician: Your baby is really moving around a lot, and it's legs are close together, so i'm really sorry if i'm wrong, but all is see is a girl.

So we finish the ultrasound SO confused. We kind of didn't really feel like we got an answer?!? So we laughed hysterically on the way out of the dr. office and thought well, what? We were back to not knowing what our baby was. We had a row of sonograms that said we were having a boy, and a row of sonograms saying we were having a girl. We immediately went home and called Fetal Studio, the place where we were told it was a boy. We told them the story and they said that they would re-check us for free, but they wanted the "head hauncho" to do our ultrasound and he was out of town. The soonest we could get in would be the next Monday (the 24th). Everyone we told the story to after that had heard of people being told they were having girls, and then bringing home boys from the hospital. But no one told me the other way around. So I was still kind of convinced we were having a boy, that maybe he was just hiding the goods. 

Well, yesterday was the appointment. The guy didn't waste any time trying to show us cute pictures or positions of the baby, he knew what we wanted. WITHIN SECONDS of getting down to the goods, he said "Oh yes, this is definitely a girl. I am 300% positive." And he went out of his way to show us every single little line, and the pubic bone and how there was NO way that this could be a boy. He was very apologetic and gave us a free DVD of the ultrasound, with a ton of pictures. It was funny.

I am not mad at all, or wish I hadn't gone in early to find out... because I know PLENTY of people who have gone in as early as we did and they were right. I just think it was some kind of fluke, and our baby girl's goods were bigger than normal. Mistakes happen. Of course, I wish we had known it was a girl from the beginning so I wouldn't have called our little girl a boy for so long, OR bought all the boy things I did. But i'm glad we found out before we thought were bringing home a baby boy from the hospital. And it actually is pretty funny. It will take me a minute to re-adjust my thoughts into thinking this baby is NOT a boy. But I can't help but look at Rowan and be soooooo excited that she is going to have a little sister. I am thrilled for her! 

So that's our story. Sorry baby girl, for calling you a boy for that long. I'm glad we got it right this time ;)

{halfway there...}

20 Weeks: What I Know Now

- I can't believe how much I have popped this last week! Literally it comes out of nowhere. I think I am probably about two weeks ahead of where I was with rowan. It's crazy how big I feel already since i've made that pop.... but i know it's just begun ;)

- This little guy's kicks are getting stronger and stronger and it's so amazing. I am surprised how low they are, though. And maybe that's why my back hurts more with this pregnancy. Maybe he is just sitting lower than Rowan did.

- I'm not gonna lie, I thought the exhaustion would go away with the second trimester but it hasn't. I am tired all the time. And i'm grateful that rowan is still taking naps because I usually sleep during her nap, unless i'm busy with something else. I really enjoy sleep these days.

- I've gained 6 lb's so far. That hate seeing the scale go up ;(

- We are slowly, but surely starting to collect boy things and it's so fun! Jord doesn't like the financial part of starting over, but it's still fun and exciting.

- The dreaded heartburn as already started. I have woken up from naps almost choking because it's coming up my throat, and sometimes out my nose. I'll hopefully get a prescription from the doctor this next appointment, because to think i have 20 more weeks of heartburn is really not-so fun.

- We have tried to tell rowan about her baby brother and she kind of understands, and kind of doesn't. When we ask here where the baby is, she usually points to the ultrasound on the fridge. But the most embarrassing thing she does is when we try and ask her in front of other people. I'll say "Where is Momma's baby?" and she'll point to the wrong bump on momma. ;) it's very lovely. I'm very excited for her to be a big sister though!

- We went to St. George with our friends a couple weeks ago, and we went to St. George again this week with my side of the family to spend a last vacation with the twinners before they leave on their missions. It's been HOT, but im grateful for a swimming pool to relax and cool off. Pregnancy + Me + Heat is not a good mix. My circulation is out of control, especially when it's HOT!

- Our 20 week ultrasound is coming up in a few days and we are really excited to see our babe! I hope everything looks good, and that he's healthy. We'll see!

- YAY FOR BEING HALFWAY!!!!

{16 weeks...}

Like I mentioned before, I kept a very detailed baby journal when I was pregnant with Rowan. I got it printed off into a book and I love looking back and reading about the good, the bad, the ugly.. and the growing belly ;) So I'm doing it again with this little munchkin! Here's the journal, so far..

16 Weeks: What I Know Now

- It seemed like it took forever to get pregnant this time around. It wasn't with rowan, so it was really hard and really frustrating. It was a huge faith building experience to realize that even though we have righteous desires, they still come when they are supposed to, and not when you want them to. We are extremely grateful for this little one.

- This pregnancy has been SO different thus far. I've experience a whole different sort of "ugly" with migraines, headaches & backaches; which I never did with Rowan. I'm grateful to not be throwing up- but it hasn't been all rainbows and roses. However, i'm just grateful to be pregnant, and to have a healthy baby so far. So I'll take whatever comes my way!

- Since becoming a mom, and since i have more "mom" friends.. i've heard of much more miscarriages recently. I wasn't oblivious when I was pregnant with rowan, but I really didn't worry as much with her. It has been quite the opposite this time around. Up until we saw the Dr for the first time, at 11 weeks, I was beyond stressed. I would cry and cry to Jord because it's all I thought about. We had waited for this baby for so long, and I was filled with anxiety thinking that something was wrong. Those were probably the longest days and weeks of my life before we saw that Dr for the first time. And words cant express the joy and relief I felt when we saw our sweet little babe wiggling on that ultrasound for the first time. 166 bpm was the babe's heartbeat... the sweetest little sound in the whole world.

- We got a new Dr since our last one was up in Logan. Dr. Thomas Judd- he has been around for years. He delivered alot of my siblings, and well and Jord and his siblings! He's a goof, but we like him so far.

- I've gained 2 lb's so far during this pregnancy. But I know it's comin....

- I've started feeling the babe's tiniest little kicks! The greatest feeling in the world.

- My bra size has tripled so far. For reals. And it hasn't felt too great either.

- We decided to find out early what the flavor of our babe is, and it's a BOY!!! we are BEYOND excited. I of course wanted rowan to have a little sister, but as soon as I saw/heard it was a boy, I couldn't stop smiling. We are really SO excited. I can't wait to start buying boy stuff.

{blue or pink?}

Is it blue or pink, what do you think?

well, as an early mother's day present we got to find out that it's a....

It's a BOY!!!!

I, of course, wanted a little sister for rowan...

but as soon as we saw/heard boy, I couldn't stop smiling.

and I haven't stopped smiling since!

(Jord threw his arm up in the air in triumph)

We are REALLY excited. 

{about babe #2...}

I kept a really detailed baby journal when I was pregnant with rowan. I got it printed off into a book and I LOVE looking back and reading about being pregnant with her.... the growing belly, the good experiences, the hard experiences, baby showers (etc.) so I really want to do it again with babe #2.Sso here it begins!

was this a surprise?
Yes and no. No, because we've actually been trying for this babe for quite awhile. 9 months to be exact. They were filled with lots of frustration and lots of tears. Especially because we didn't have to wait very long at all to get pregnant with rowan. So you can imagine how frustrating it would be to not get pregnant month after month after month. It was a really hard time emotionally for me... and for jord as well. I really had no idea what was wrong, and I was so close to calling a doctor and asking for help. January, I thought for sure I was pregnant. (you know, you kind of "make" yourself believe that the signs are there.) and when that wonderful mother nature gifted me with her presence, 4 days early, on my birthday, I absolutely broke down in hysteria. Worst birthday ever. I probably cried for 5 hours straight. Anyways, February rolls around and I decided that I needed to make sure that I was doing everything I could to put myself in a situation where I was really ready to have a baby; physically, emotionally, and especially spiritually. So I went back to the gym. The only time that worked the best was to go at 5:30 in the morning before jord left for work. It was so hard to get up when it was freezing and pitch black outside, but I did it. I started making time to really study and read the scriptures. I also made sure that Jord and I got to the temple. It was such a great night. And I felt so at ease knowing that I just needed to turn everything to the Lord and be at peace with where I was in my life. Everything just started to fall into place that month....
February 27, 2013. I woke up and it just popped into my mind that I wanted to check if I was pregnant. I wasn't too hopeful since I really didn't have any "signs" that I could be. But I happened to have one pregnancy test left and I just thought I would check. Jord was in the shower and I hurried and took it, and like it was for rowan, that "pregnant" popped up within 30 seconds. I was totally shocked! I couldn't stop shaking, and smiling, and I ran upstairs and put the stick on the counter so Jord would see it when he got out of the shower, and then I jumped in bed. He got out and I heard, "NO WAY!!!" He came out of the bathroom and with the biggest smile on his face and said "Babe.. for real?!?" and we hugged and laughed for a few minutes. Right before he left for work, he offered the sweetest prayer of thanks because we had been waiting for this baby for so long! We were, and still are SO thrilled!

have you been sick?
Not really at all. I was so sick with Rowan and threw up all the time with her, until I was about 18 weeks. But this pregnancy has been 100% different than it was with Rowan. I have the usual nauseous spells once and awhile, but what has been the hardest has been the migrains, the headaches and the backaches. Even when I was 37 weeks pregnant with rowan, my back didn't hurt... so it's bizarre to me that when the baby is the size of a grape, that my back could be hurting so bad! It's quite strange. I have only thrown up twice, and it's because I had bad migraines. So no, I technically haven't been "sick", but it's sort of been a different kind of ugly this first trimester! But I also know some girls have it so much worse, so i'll count my blessings. And truly, I am so grateful to be pregnant, that I will take anything that comes my way.

do you think it's a boy or girl?
I kind of think it's a boy. Jord is 100% confident that it's a boy. For the reasons that this pregnancy has been so different, and maybe because the chinese calendar says so?! Ha ha. I would really like a baby sister for rowan. My sisters are my best friends, so I want the same for her. It would also help financially, to have two girls in a row. But either way, we will be so excited!

{surprise!}

it's getting hard to hide this growing bump,

but bebe staples part deux is coming Nov 1..

and we are BEYOND excited!

14 weeks and feelin good.

showered....

my mom and sissies threw me an unbelievable family shower over the weekend.
you wouldnt believe the detail that was put into all of it. the pictures dont even do it justice.

the theme: start spreadin the news


{i already posted the invite, but here it is again..i just about died when i saw it!}

 

{the decor}

{this banner was to DIE for... again, the detail!}

 {the delicious food}

{the ice cream bar}

{the fun games}

-- i neglected to take a picture of the "guess how big paige's belly is" game--

it wasn't so good for my self esteem ;) {grandma!}

{the darling favors}

{..and the best family i know..}

thank you to everyone who came, and for the kindness and generosity 

in spoiling me & our sweet baby girl. 

but the biggest thank you....

you cant believe the time and effort that goes into throwing a shower,

let alone a shower of this magnitude and amazing-ness ;)

i love you mom and sisters SO SO MUCH. you guys never cease to amaze me.

baby and i are oh-so-lucky to have your love and support.

thank you a million jillion times over.