Pregnancy update

Wow, a lot can happen in only a couple weeks of finding out we're pregnant. Last week I had ANOTHER doctors appt to get some more blood test results. I found out that my thyroid is now UNDER active, awesome. If you don't remember, I used to have an overactive thyroid after having the twins and then it went back to normal over a year ago, and now it's under active. So this can be dangerous for the baby's development, so they have me on some pills for that. By the way the pills have to be taken an hour before eating breakfast, so I instantly feel sick in the mornings with having an empty stomach for an hour! Oh and it's 2 hours if i'm going to eat dairy. So I don't eat dairy obviously. He also wanted to talk to me about my iron and how it keeps dropping, i'm not the best at taking iron pills for those who have taken them before understand. But this time he was worried being pregnant and having it keep going down. So he said if it keeps dropping i'll have to get a blood transfusion. I'm on a huge load of iron now. I have to get my blood done once a month for the thyroid to see how my levels are. That appointment was crappy and that day was hard. I'm not one to stress until I have too, but I was stressed, overwhelmed, and worried. Within one week, I found out I was pregnant, have hypothyroidism, which could affect the baby, and might have to get a blood transfusion. That's a lot to take in in a week! I was pretty much a mess that day.

I was also starting to feel SO tired lately, so I was completely worn out. Now I know why i'm exhausted 24/7! I could sleep all day and still feel tired. I have no hope with all those problems, they all cause exhaustion. PLUS i'm now on Diclectin which also makes me super tired. I had a 10 and 1/2 hour sleep on Sunday night and still had a good nap that day, and could have went to bed at like 6pm. Dustin has been amazing. Seriously. He was finished work on Thursday so since then I have done nothing and he has been doing everything. I haven't been throwing up, but just feeling sick enough to have to lay down a lot. I'm waiting for either this Diclectin to work or for it to get worse, because my last two pregnancies I got REALLY sick around 8 weeks. I'm praying that doesn't happen. I feel so guilty, and feel like i'm such a bad mom and wife and there is nothing I can do about it. I'm insanely blessed having a husband like Dustin. He gets up with the kids in the morning gets them breakfast and lets me sleep. He leaves for school around 8 (I think) ha, i'm usually still sleeping when he leaves, and then luckily my girls just watch a movie or play until I get enough energy to get out of bed. He cleans, cooks, does laundry, puts them to bed, all the jobs of both parents into one. Makes me realize how much work being a parent is though! I sure love him and I can tell how much he cares that I feel miserable and wants me to feel better again. He is great.

I hate being high maintenance and needy, so it's been really hard on me that way too. I just want this next month or two to fly by so I can feel normal again. The thyroid meds take a couple weeks to kick in, and the iron I think takes a couple months for it to effect your levels, and Diclectin, who knows. But the exhaustion from pregnancy doesn't help either. I have everything going against me for having energy!! Oh and the moodiness, I SO remember it with my other two pregnancies and it's already started. Poor Dustin. I get annoyed so easily, and it's weird because I feel so different but i'm not doing anything! We watched Backup Plan last night, and in it he asks his pregnant girlfriend "are you still in there?" and she says "yes i'm still here". That's exactly how I feel!!!! Like i'm miserable, whiny, tired, annoyed, and sick but somewhere in here I think it's me.

I feel so bad for the girls, but I do sit on the floor a lot and just play with them to give them some attention. I feel like I already have to give up all my attention to them and i'm barely pregnant! I know it'll get better, and this is the hard part, but I want it to be over now. I'm ready to just feel fatter and that's it.

As my family always says, "this too shall pass," and it will. In the meantime, i'll just lay on the couch a lot, ok? Sounds good to me.

We are hoping to go south this weekend. Britt needs to have her baby because we planned the shower for Saturday! ha. If not it'll be pushed to next weekend. It would be nice for this weekend instead so Dustin wouldn't have to miss any school, but we'll just wait and see! I'll have to take all my maternity clothes back that I let her borrow, and she's lending me all her clothes too. I love having sisters!

Well that's all the whining for now. By the way, I still don't think i'm pregnant, even with all this going on. I still haven't wrapped my mind around it. Last 2 times, I was into reading up on what's happening with the baby, what I should and shouldn't be doing, I knew everything. My whole mindset was on pregnancy. This time, not so much, I think it'll hit when my stomach starts growing maybe? The constant reminders of wanting to puke help though!

A planned Surprise!

First of all, THANK YOU!!! I totally felt the love with all your comments. It made me feel so happy! I still don't believe it and have a lot going on right now but i'll fill you all in next post. This one I am dedicating to this weekend.

Dustin turned 27 yesterday and I threw him a surprise party on Saturday night. At least one surprise lately has been planned! It was a blast and he had no idea. We played some great games and ate some really good food with some awesome friends. It wasn't a ton of work either, and I had help from friends bringing food and especially Jill for hosting it for me and preparing for when we arrived. We also had a small party for him with the kids because Kyla really wanted to "come to his birthday this time." We usually just go out for dinner with friends or something, so the kids just stay home. But I decided to make a cake and we decorated with balloons and they made him a cute sign. They loved it.

Here are some pics from the weekend. Thanks everyone for coming! It was a great success!

I know your all jealous of our friends.

We know how to have a good time, that's all.

(Missing Greg and Emily)

Waiting for us to show up. Alison and Emily.

Greg, Kimball, Becky, Lindsay, Tim

Surprise!! Wait, where's Dustin. Oh hiding behind me!

Jordana, Gibb, and Dust

Kimball, Becky, Lindsay, Alison, Tim and Travis

Birthday with the kids. Breakfast, of course.

And cake!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUSTIN!

ps: this post sucked to blog. Took FOREVER to upload the pictures. I endured though.

Surprises!

I LOVE surprises! It's really hard to surprise me because I figure it out every time, I can always tell when somethings up and usually I figure it out. Most the time I don't say anything because I feel bad for wrecking it and i'm just grateful for the surprise. There was one time I was super surprised and that was my 16th birthday party. It was so random, I thought me and my friends were going to Pearl Harbour in the theaters and we had to "stop" to see someones dad or something at this barn? I was so confused but didn't care because I was SO excited to see that movie. Well of course we walked in and SURPRISE! It was great, I LOVED it.

There is nothing like a good old surprise. Other than this one. Remember? Ya my wall is still stained from some of it.

Or when my girls spill cereal from the box all over the floor. That's always fun.

Or when i'm in the shower they find my makeup remover and open it and spill it all over the bathroom floor.

Or when they are taking a "nap" but taking forever to go to sleep and all I hear is jumping around and then some crying, then more jumping, and then crying. So I finally decide to go up and check out what's going on and find them without diapers on and Presley pooped all over the crib and Jayci is in the other corner crying freaked out from it. Oh goodness. That was last week by the way.

Well last week I got another surprise that I totally didn't expect.

It came out of nowhere.

I almost passed out.

and may have cried a little.

well, wouldn't you??......

WHAT THE!!!!!!!

ARE YOU SURPRISED??

SO WAS I!!!!!

Those were my exact words!! "What the?!"I also may have been pacing around my upstairs naked saying over and over "I'm Pregnant, I'm Pregnant, holy crap, I'm Pregnant!!" Your probably wondering why I take my pregnancy tests naked? Ya thought so.

Here's the story! I know your probably dying to hear it!

First of all, we were definitely NOT trying. I was on birth control, I had an IUD in. They are just as effective as the pill (99.9%), which I cannot take because I puke like crazy and pretty much want to die. So i've tried the pill, the patch, and then I decided on the IUD after the twins were born. It has been great! Until now! Holy Mother. Yes i'm pregnant. Just thought i'd confirm it again. This last week has been an emotional roller coaster! Not knowing if it was an ectopic pregnancy (which are very common with the IUD), or if I was going to miscarry because the IUD was still in place. They wouldn't take it out until the blood tests confirmed pregnancy, which took over 2 days. Then I got a little impatient and they sent me for an ultrasound to see where everything was before doing anything. The IUD was far from the sac so my dr. FINALLY took it out. Everything looks great from the ultrasound so we are good to go. That day was also emotional because it confirmed it! I was preparing myself for every option so finally getting an answer was all a bit overwhelming. I cried a lot this past week.

Oh back to why I was naked. I was a day late for my cycle, and normally I wouldn't care. But I had no sign of it and had this feeling that I needed to take a pregnancy test. I know only a day after? I thought it was weird too. So I had one laying around, and decided to take it right before I jumped in the shower and if it was negative I wouldn't tell Dustin (cuz he thinks i'm a freak like that) and just go on like nothing happened, no big deal right? So I did the deed, put it on the counter and covered it up. Next thing you know i'm prancing around nude upstairs in complete shock talking to myself! Dustin was out quading for the day and I had no way to get a hold of him and he didn't get home until 9 that night. Awesome. I was with his family for the day and I called the doctor right away and he got me in that day. Well it took all week to finally get it out and get some answers but i'm glad it's all over and we can now enjoy (while still in complete shock) that we will be having our 4th CHILD, 4TH!!

Do you want to hear how I told Dustin? Well this last month i've been a little overwhelmed with life, him working and maybe being pregnant. ha. Also I noticed i've gained a few pounds and it came out of nowhere and was actually really hard for me. Dustin always told me I was beautiful no matter what and I still looked good. Well that morning he left quading at 5am, losers, and wrote me a little love note on the counter saying bye, have a good day, and so on. Well I thought it would be cute to write him a little note too! It went something like this at the end, "thanks for making me feel beautiful all the time.....etc, and in 9 months when I look like a whale you better still tell me i'm hot and that you want me! Love Mind.

He looks up, "aw thanks babes", looks down at the note, looks up with this look on his face, "are you pregnant?" me, "yes!", him "what, really??" with the BEST shocked and excited look i've ever seen on a face! Me "Yes! I took a test this morning!" He grabbed me and gave me a huge hug and I bawled. It was such a great moment. He was so happy and that made me happy.

The chances of being pregnant with an IUD are slim, the chances of having a NORMAL pregnancy are even slimmer! So all I can tell myself is how meant to be this was. Dustin is so excited and told me he knows it's a boy. Right. BUT he also said he'd be happy with another girl too.

Are you still shocked? Me too.

I also debated whether to tell right away or wait until 12 weeks, but no I don't care, if i'm in shock everyone else can be in shock with me and maybe it'll seem more real! Our families freaked. Both my sister Kristy and Britt wouldn't believe me and told me to prove it. How dare they doubt me. I guess I do randomly say it in conversations, "I'm pregnant!" (cuz it's funny) and eventually they just say, whatever Min, your such a dork.

Well i'm due April 23rd and feeling good so far. I may have lied last post about the tired thing. Or not, because I am anemic on top of it and I have been for a while so the exhaustion just feels normal. But the nauseous has started. It's random and not super bad, but thats about the only symptom I have so far. Oh and bloating, I already feel 3 months and I just found out! Awesome. not really.

It's like i'm just going along living my crazy life and BAM! I'm pregnant, here's a few pounds and some sickness to go along with it!! And i'm supposed to adjust within a week!

We are really excited, and we were going to maybe start trying in the spring, but now i'm DUE in the spring, so a little sooner than planned. But at least we were planning on more kids, so that's a good thing! Dustin just laughs every time we talk about it. I cry. Not because i'm not happy but because i'm still in complete shock. It's a little overwhelming! Mixed with the emotions of pregnancy and the thought of taking care of a house, 3 kids, and ME PREGNANT! I usually come last or not at all. Isn't that normal? I thought so!

I also feel so blessed, that I can have this many children. I love my girls with all my heart so I definitely feel like I have the love to give.

Kyla is SO excited, it's all she talks about. "Mom can I hold the baby when it comes, because it won't be too big?", "Can I hug and kiss the baby goodnight", and this morning Jayci was on my lap, she goes, "mom Jayci can't sit on you she'll hurt the baby!" How adorable is this. It's pure joy, that's what it is. I may be tearing up just writing this, thinking about everything that has gone through my head and now writing it down for the world to see.

I also don't want to talk about the chances of it being twins again. Nope don't want to hear it. But hey, if I did once, I can do it again. Right?

Well there now you know, and now I won't go crazy anymore!

All about Kyla

Kyla never ceases to amaze me with what comes out of her mouth. She thinks she is me and can act like she is in charge all the time, even when i'm there. Always bossing people around and telling them what to do, but she's not rude about it, she just likes to be in charge. I was just like that when I was little so it's kind of funny seeing her like that now. She loves to boss her cousin Emma around, and she says to me sometimes before we go over, "mom I won't boss Emma around ok?" At least she's trying!

I had to write a couple of things down, that she has been doing lately. Like yesterday, I was going to church with just me and the girls. (Dustin had to work.)

So we just got in the van to leave to church yesterday and right before I pull away, Kyla says,

"Mom, you didn't do your hair!"

Me "Yes I did, what do you mean?"

Kyla (getting frustrated) "No mom you forgot, you forgot to do your hair!"

Me "Kyla I did my hair already" (It was kind of a messy and loosely curled look)

She looks at me with this grossed out look, and says "Well it looks kinda weird, it looks like when you get out of bed."

Thanks Kyla.

So then she says, "mom don't do it like that for church next time k?

At least I know I can always get honesty from her! Although, I thought it looked good!

After we got home from church I was exhausted, especially after carrying the girls in from the car one at a time passed out. I also run out of energy really quickly because I just found out my iron is super low, so it all makes sense now why I want to fall asleep EVERYWHERE! So I sat down on the couch and Kyla woke up and was in a good mood. I grabbed the computer while I waited for the oven to heat up. I was making an awesome dinner of frozen pizza. My Sunday meals are rarely amazing when Dustin's working, I just don't have the time and well, just don't care. So she goes, "mom can I have some juice"

Me "ya Kyla just a sec k?"

a couple seconds later, "Mom I really want a drink of juice!"

Me "ok ya i'm coming" but I didn't get up

Another couple seconds later Kyla goes "MOM GET OFF YOUR BUTT AND GET ME A DRINK OF JUICE!"

Alrighty then. So we laughed and I got her some juice.

Sometimes I just need a little motivation!

Last week she decided she was going to clean the living room, I definitely wasn't going to argue with that. So she cleaned it spotless actually! I was impressed! Then she says "mom I need a treat for cleaning the living room." So I had to explain how we don't get treats every time we do something good. It just makes mommy and her happy. So she was fine with that. I don't know where that came from. Okay maybe I have used bribery a few times to get her to do stuff, but not all the time! Well since then she has cleaned the living room everyday for 6 days now, she has counted and she will tell you! She also got sent up to her room for a timeout one day right before Dustin came home. He walked in the door and she was still in her room, I may have forgot about her. But a couple minutes later she comes walking downstairs and says, "mom, dad, come see!"

So we went up and she had the biggest grin on her face. She cleaned her room, spotless! The girls decided to dump all the toys all over her room that day so it was a mess. But thanks to her it was now perfectly cleaned! I'm talking, bed made, everything put away and her clothes in a little pile in the corner that she picked up. I told her everytime she comes to her room she can clean it so it makes her calm down and be happy, she said she would, so I am definitely liking that. I've been trying to teach Jayci and Presley to clean up but they could care less. I guess I should try a little harder before they get too used to Kyla doing it all. She definitely picked up stuff at their age, so they should too.

She is sure a character that one, and I love her. She starts pre-school in a couple weeks and she is so excited. She is getting so big and way too smart!

Exciting stuff!!

My sister Kristy had her baby on August 17th at 12:15am! He was 3 weeks early and was 6lbs 8oz. It was seriously so hard for me to not be there for her. I wanted to jump on a plane that day and get down there. He is so cute and i've seen him on Skype lots and wish I could actually hold him! He has a ton of black hair and is so adorable. Here he is!

Deklin Grady Bird

My other sister Brittany is due the same time Kristy was, they were 2 days apart. She doesn't know what she's having and we can't wait to find out! This is her last week at 37 weeks, doing her maternity pictures. How gorgeous is she?? I LOVE this picture of her, she is so beautiful! I can't wait for her to have this baby! We will be going down for Sept long weekend so lets hope she has it by then, or i'll be goin down again. I'll get to meet Deklin and Britt's baby! I'm so excited!

This is so fun!! I love you girls!

Family fun

We've been super busy lately around here. Dustin's parents, Grandma and younger brother, Denim, came up to visit and are staying at Jill's so we've been over there everyday and out doing stuff with them. We went fishing, quading, and then just the boys went out to 6 lakes today for the day. 6 lakes is sand dunes with wicked warm water and it's beautiful out there! I want to go out there next year, since i've never had the chance. Dustin loved it. He just got back and I don't have any pics of them out there yet. When I get some i'll post them to show you how nice it looks out there. It's like paradise in the north pole! (Even though we have warmer weather than Southern AB) Who knew way up here we could have such a nice place like that!

So here i'll share a few pics of us out and about hangin with the fam. Dustin also had 5 days off, so it's been WAY nice. Let me also just say he only has 9 days left then he starts school!! I'm just a little excited that he'll have every weekend off.

Fishin! I married into a fishing family, and I really like it! I never fished growing up, maybe a couple times but as soon as I met Dustin I knew it would be a hobby of ours. Right after Dustin and I got married we took a day and went fishing all day, it was seriously so fun. Especially since I caught all the big fish. I just don't have the patience to sit there forever without getting anything though, so if nothin's biting, i'm done. We didn't catch anything here the other day because the main spot was all blocked off to clean out the river, so where we were was all weeds. But the kids loved it and we bought Kyla her own fishing rod and she didn't put it down the entire time. I'd have to say her princess rod casts pretty darn good, so I may have tried to steal it a couple times.

Teaching her how to fish, he was a proud father

They just liked throwing rocks, and walking in the water.

What? Her rod is better?

She's hardcore, she said she kept catching weed fish.

Jill and Travis bought a quad and side by side this year and this is the first time we've been out with them. I loved the quad, and can't wait to get one of our own.

Dustin, Greg, Travis and Denim

Me driving the side by side with Shirley, and random Travis.

BTW i'm wearing Emma's helmet, she's 4. I'm cool like that.

I can't upload any more pictures, it's taking forever. So this is all you get!

Things are good

First of all how awesome was the response to my last post!? I definitely LOVE knowing who is readin up on us, even if I don't know you! Thanks for all the comments, and thanks to those who came out of the closet! Well not the "closet", but you know what I mean. I love meeting new people!

So, as I was saying, things are good. Summer is going awesome, Dustin will be done his 24 in 4 days, the house is clean (for now), and I have a tan. Plus I have these three crazy faces running around me all day. I'm not gonna say this 24 was easy, cuz it wasn't. It sucked. Ok it sucked a lot! I told him he is NEVER working a 24 again. Ever. And we all know I wear the pants...

Kyla says daddy is working lots and going to school so we can buy a bigger house. I wonder where she heard that. weird.

So I don't have much to say today, shocking I know. But I do have some pictures of my happy girls that I wanted to post. Ok so the first one they aren't happy, but this is proof we've had a busy week!

Ok now here are the happy girls. kyla looks a little like she's on something, I find it quite hilarious.

"fraternal" twins eh?

I've got no more room in these arms, they are full!

Loving Summer!

Ok ignore my hormonal posts, must be a girl/mom/crazy person thing. I'm so up and down lately and blogging is therapeutic for me. Especially when I get comments telling me how awesome I am. Thanks to the 4 people who did that.... the rest of you....well, you suck. Just kidding, but seriously, ok not that serious, I am thinking of going private because a million people read my blog, the least they can do is leave a comment! I'm this close, if you could see my fingers they are really close. I love feedback I really do, and if I wanted a blog with no comments, i'd go private and invite no one! makes sense right? So i'll go private and only invite those who comment. I know I comment on as much as I can. It's just blog courtesy, it says so in the rules of blogging. Ok maybe not but it should.

Lets move on.

Summer is awesome!!! Lovin it!

We have been doing so much and I told you about it in the last post but here are some pictures to show you how awesome it is! Dustin took yesterday off, HALLELUJAH!! So he got to come out to the lake with us. it wasn't as hot as the weather said but it was good enough. I also got stung by a wasp, man those things really hurt! I haven't been stung since I was little and yes I cried a little. I was wicked paranoid of them after that.

The first two pictures are from the first time we went to the lake.

This was heritage days. Kyla loved the soccer and she was pretty hardcore! I guess we know what sport to put her into. They got facepaint, played games, and Kyla rode on a horse for the first time ever! She loved it! She must have her grandma's gene's in her. Dustin's mom used to jump horses, and my mom used to ride them lots. Oh and my grandpa Petersen owned riding stables in penticton. So it's in the blood. Too bad I hate animals.


This was yesterday, we went out with my friend Becky and her kids. They love playing with my girls and their oldest daughter wants to babysit so bad. She is not even 10 but I thought she was 12 already! She is awesome.

Me and my posse of kids.

I LOVE this picture. Love it, and love her.

I love how they are doing the exact same thing.

Ha Jayci, "ya"!!

They made "sand angels" all on their own.

Dust and Presley

These last two pictures were yesterday. Ignore the mouths full of pizza but these are the first pictures i've gotten in a long time of the girls looking at the camera and SMILING!! They are the happiest craziest girls but when the camera comes out they won't even look at it and totally ignore you. So I love these pictures, they show their personality so much! The first one is Presley and then Jayci.

Today we are headed to the spray park with Becky and her kids again to enjoy the sun that never came yesterday. Oh and by the way, only 6 days until Dustin is done his 24!! (minus one day yesterday)