It seems hard to believe it has been over a month since I last blogged. I have always loved spending my time updating this blog with pictures, however when you are as far behind as I am, it is easy to let it keep getting further behind. I have been debating on whether to update my blog with past pictures, or just move forward and I have finally decided on an in between solution: I am going to begin blogging forward and as for the past, I'll post date and add in the those updates when I have time. For those of you receiving my posts by e-mail, please bare with the old pictures.

As for now, here is a little update on our family:

Oliver continues to be the light of our day. He is so smart and is usually so sweet. He is very excited to be a big brother and often talks to my tummy and wants to include the baby in things we do. He does things all the time that amaze me. The other night he asked me in what year our home was built and when I told him a long time before he was born in 1996, he said "Oh, I thought it was like in the 1960's". I have no idea where that came from because as far as I know, this child doesn't even know what year it is today. Oliver is one of the most strong willed three year olds I know; both Clayton and I agree that he gets that from me. Listening and cooperation are things we work on every day. Oliver works towards rewards for going a set number of days without timeouts. He is currently working towards a track expansion kit to go with his beloved GeoTrax train set Santa brought him for Christmas. He is still fascinated by all things transportation including cars, garbage trucks, tractors, construction equipment, airplanes...not so much boats, but I bet if he ever rode on one, he would be.

The baby seems to be growing well, and so far, everything is normal. For the last week and a half, I feel the baby move a little more each day. Both Clayton and Oliver are excited for the time when they will be able to feel the baby move. We just started talking about names, and we are not even in the ballpark of making a decision...there is still plenty of time for that. However, my calender has made me realize I have a 20 week sonogram next week which means I am half way. Wow, that first 20 really went fast. This week I took down Oliver's newborn and 0-3 month size clothes to try to help me decide what I need to buy. It seems that I may need to buy a few things since Oliver and the baby are different seasons, but we are well prepared for the most part.

Clayton is busy with work and school as usual. He is taking two of the last three classes he needs before he qualifies to take the CPA examination. Fortunately, both of the classes he is taking are online which means he doesn't have to travel to South Dallas this semester. Clayton's weekends are spent playing with Oliver, which is exactly how the two of them want to spend it. I really love how much the two of them enjoy each other's company and I envy how Clayton can just completely be in the moment with Oliver. I couldn't have picked a better Daddy-O!

I have spent the last couple of weeks trying to get our home and lives back in order after being in Salt Lake for a month. It is definitely bitter sweet to be home. I don't know what it is about this pregnancy, but it seems like it takes me at least twice as long to do anything. It probably doesn't help that I have had a cold since the middle of December which my doctor says is completely normal. Really, a month and a half is normal??? She said that your immune system doesn't function normally when you are pregnant so your body doesn't reject the baby, so it takes a long time to get rid of anything. I really hope I am not going to be sick for the duration of my pregnancy. As a result of being sick and pregnant, it took forever to put away Christmas, but I am happy to report that aside for our outdoor lighting, it was all put away as of last Sunday. On a completely happy note, I made my goal at 24 Hour Fitness and will be ordering my free bodybugg in the next couple of days. Unfortunately, I haven't seen much of the gym in the last month, but I am hoping to gather up the energy to go back tomorrow for my 8:00 AM 24 S.E.T class. I guess now that I am showing more, I am going to have to invest in some maternity exercise clothes. Oliver and I started another session of Mommy & Me class at the Spanish Schoolhouse today and it was fun to have something normal to attend and see some of the people from last session. I don't know if we will start back at gymnastics or not, as we are not certain when we will be heading back to Salt Lake, nor for how long, but I know Oliver misses it. Maybe I will have to talk Clayton into a trampoline since that was Oliver's favorite part! :)

Nap time is over now, but look for pictures soon!

Budding Artist(s)?

Maybe budding artists only a mother could love. But who couldn't love those goofy smiles and messy hairdos? :)

Hard at work in the kitchen

Oliver is a great help in the kitchen. But it sure takes a lot of work to spin that salad.

I need a break just watching him! :)

Look at all that snow!

We had really bad timing as far as choosing when to make our two-day drive both too and from Salt Lake. The snow you see is the first snow in weeks. However we were really fortunate and the roads were NOT bad at all. This snow mound is in Monticello, Utah. The previous three days were snowy, hence all the snow pack, but fortunately the day we drove was pretty good. All in all, aside from this snow, a few snow drifts, and some fog, our drive was pretty good. We consider ourselves lucky we traveled this week instead of the following week when New Mexico and Western Texas really got snow.

I don't know if you can tell, but Oliver was absolutely livid with me for setting him down to take these pictures; he yelled at me for a minute straight!

We'll miss you too Grammy!

I hate saying goodbye.

My mom was so sad because she thought it might be the last time we ever saw each other and she hates that we have to be in masks because we have had a cold for weeks and can't give her any hugs because we don't want to get her sick.  

We love you, Mom!

It took a week, but he did it!

Oliver loved the Timbertown Railway Geotrax set Santa brought him for Christmas. Inside the box was a DVD featuring his train and others in the Geotrax family. He fell in love with Aero and his engineer Eric. All he talked about for well over a week was them; in fact, he would even pretend his set Steamer and Samuel were Aero and Eric. Since Oliver was struggling with time outs and listening, Clayton and I decided he needed to earn the train and so the rules were that he had to have two consecutive days where he listened and didn't go into time out. There were a couple of times when he would go into the second day and then lose it, but I was actually surprised it only took a week. On the day before he actually earned it, my parents went and bought the train for him, but stuck to our rules and didn't give it to him until he made his two days. The morning after he did it he was so excited that it was an Aero and Eric day. It was even more exciting that he didn't have to go to the store to buy it and he got it right after he woke up. Thanks for making his day Grammy & Gramps! He loves the train and he loves you two, too!

Video of him with his new train

check out how happy this little guy is!

TRAX to Clark Planetarium

Oliver has been cooped up in a house for too many days, so he and I decided to ride TRAX downtown to the Gateway Plaza and check out the Clark Planetarium. This fit in perfectly with Oliver's new found love of trains and he and I had a great time.

We arrived just in time to check out the 3D film Bugs. This was both of our first times to see 3D, and Oliver wore his glasses for about 1/3 of the 40 minute show. He was very interested for the first 30 minutes, and remained interested with some well-timed snacks for the last 10 minutes. Who couldn't sit still with M&M's and Goldfish crackers? :)

Afterwards we checked out some of the exhibits. Here is Oliver exploring the moon.

Do you think we can take this moon rock home?

Exploring Mars and scratching his head wondering why everything is red.

Still tired at the end of nap time after our morning exploring. I love pictures of him snuggled up with his bunny! :)

Geo Trax, All Aboard

Oliver and Grammy getting Steamer ready to ride the rails.

Oliver and Aunt Shell

One of the benefits of staying at my parents for a month was for Oliver to become better acquainted with his aunts and uncles. Oliver was able to spend quality time with Michele, Jerone and April. Quality time that I don't think he will soon forget. Here is a picture of him and his Aunt Shell that I just loved!

Making messes is a part of cooking, right?

At least that is what I have tried to convince Clayton, because I'll admit that I am the messiest cook I know. Fortunately, I have been blessed with a husband that doesn't mind cleaning up after me as long as he gets to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Oliver has totally bought into the idea about messy cooking!

New Year's Eve Snow Shoveling

My poor Mom

Things are not going well for my mom, but she is trying to keep her spirits up.  I've often questioned if this was the best time to be pregnant, but I know she looks forward to meeting her 13th and final grandchild and that is helping her stay positive.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Christmas Day in Utah!

Oliver had an amazing Christmas and thanks to big help from my mom earlier this month, he got everything he wished for including a Tonka Crane Truck that he had been wanting.

Merry Christmas

Oliver loved his scissors

tractors and trucks

Using his scissors to open his big present

It's a crane truck!

My parents got baby Miles a bear and a blanket

The bear is giving me loves

Oliver building his Geotrax set

He loves it!

That is a lot of Christmas loot!

.

My mom hasn't been feeling good for quite some time, she had chest pain and lots of trouble breathing and has been sick with what we thought was a cold for a while.  My Dad finally took her to the doctor the same day I had my ultrasound and almost two weeks ago, we found out she has Uterine Cancer.  It is a very fast growing cancer and it has already advanced to Stage IV cancer.  We are all heartbroken.  She has been in the hospital for a while and I got to go see her today and take a walk with her to wish her Merry Christmas.  

My mom walking at the hospital

My mom's new bedroom suite for Christmas