(Insert Witty Title Here)

I really am horrible at thinking of good titles for my blogs. All I could come up for this one was "FHE Fun" or "Gingerbread House"...yeah, pretty boring. Anyway, we made a gingerbread house with Jimmy last night. It was lots of fun. We bought one of those kits that has "all you need." Jimmy really enjoyed it. He's so funny, he doesn't like to have messy hands so each time frosting would get on his hands he would try and wipe it off on the house and exclaim, "Ew!" I'm pretty sure he gets that from his dad who gets easily grossed out and will probably not eat any of the candy off this house due to the fact that our two year old touched it!

Young Love

Jimmy and Braelyn


Aren't these two so cute? What can I say...I'm sure Jimmy isn't the first to have a cousin crush!

Candy Anyone?

We are still working on eating Jimmy's Halloween candy...by we I mean mostly me. I really think I may be getting a cavity. Was it worth it? I haven't decided and yet I also haven't stopped eating it!

Glade Carter Higley

Last belly shot taken Sunday night just before going to the hospital.

Jimmy meets Glade!

Going Home

Glade Carter Higley was born Monday, October 8th at 11:46 am. He weighed 6 lbs 9 oz and was 19 inches long. Everything went really well with the labor and delivery and he is home and healthy. He is such a sweet baby and so content. Jimmy absolutely loves him and thankfully hasn't gotten sick of him or jealous yet. He loves to give him kisses and tickle him! So far he has been a great big brother and gets so concerned whenever Glade cries. Glade was Jarom's grandpa's name and Carter was Erika's grandma's maiden name (we got that idea from Kenna...thanks, hope you don't mind!). We're so happy to have him here!

Such An Inspiration

I found this picture of Grandma Lyn not too long ago and I have wanted to get it developed and framed. I love this picture of her. With it being her birthday today, I thought I'd post this picture on here. I can't even begin to describe what an incredible influence she has had on my life and what an inspiration she is to me. What an amazing woman...I hope to be more like her.

Three, Two, One...

The countdown is on...I have only three more days of bed rest left! I had a doctor's appointment today and she told me to stay down until Sunday and then I can be finished with the bed rest. I was expecting her to keep me on bed rest until next Thursday so I'm very happy with the news. Thankfully no progress has been made. I'm still dilated to a three and 70% effaced. On Sunday I'll be 35 1/2 weeks along.

I have some pictures to post but I can't find my plug to my camera to hook it up to the computer. No pictures for now. I pulled out Jimmy's 0-3 month clothes last night and was looking through them. I'm starting to get even more excited and anxious. It brought back fun memories of when Jimmy was so tiny. I'm excited for Jimmy to meet his little brother. I think he'll be a great big brother. He just loves babies.

Fall Into Reading Book List

I found out about this reading challenge through my Aunt's blog (thanks Karlene) and I am excited to try it out. I'm on bedrest for another two weeks so that should give me a head start on my reading list. The challenge is just to set a reading goal and complete it between now and December 21st. I'm sure my list may change but here's what I have so far.

1.Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
2. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
4. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
5. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
6. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
7. Austenland by Shannon Hale
8. Any book by Charles Dickens
9. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
10. The War: An Intimate History, 1941-1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward (this one will be a stretch for me and we'll see if I can make it through it...I find history books so difficult to get into)
11. That's My Son: How Moms Can Influence Boys to Become Men of Character by Rick Johnson
12. For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men by Shaunti Feldhahn
13. The Mommy Manual: Planting Roots That Give Your Children Wings by Barbara Curtis

I stumbled upon the last three while browsing Amazon so I'm a little uncertain about them. I added them because they sounded interesting. If any of you have read them or even heard anything about them let me know if they're worth reading. Also let me know if you have a favorite Charles Dickens book. Thanks!

Please let me clean the toilet!

I'm going on my 13th day of bed rest and I still have 3 more weeks of bed rest to go. For those of you who don't know the story yet here it is (sorry, it is quite long, feel free to skim)...

It all started the Sunday night before Labor Day. We were at Jarom's parent's house for dinner. We had finished dinner and were playing a game together. Jimmy was playing with his cousin, Braelyn, who is pretty close to his age. We hadn't seen or heard them in a little while and assumed they were downstairs playing but weren't sure so thought we should go check on them. It had probably been at least 30 minutes since anyone had seen them. As Jarom's cousin got up to check she yelled, "The front door is open!" All of us jumped up and ran to the front door and couldn't see Jimmy or Braelyn anywhere. The front yard is pretty big and they live on a fairly busy street (40 mph). There were cars going by in both directions and of course I was just thinking the worst and becoming frantic. We all started running in different directions and I happened to get to both Jimmy and Braelyn first (ha, the pregnant woman beat them all!). I saw them on the sidewalk almost to the neighbor's house and just sprinted for them...well, it probably wasn't really a sprint but it was definitely as fast as I could run with this belly in the way. I'm sure I looked quite ridiculous actually! I picked them both up. I could tell before I even got to them that I had done something to myself. I could feel so much pain in my lower abdomen and into my upper legs. I just assumed I pulled something. I had a hard time walking home that night. The next day was Labor Day so I figured I would wait until Tuesday to call my doctor even though the pain was so much worse and I could hardly walk. Again, I just assumed I pulled something and it would take time to heal.

Tuesday I woke up sore but slightly better than Monday so I called my doctor but secretly hoped she would tell me to not come in and just that it would take time to heal. She confirmed what I thought in saying that I probably just pulled something but told me to just stop by for a minute so she could make sure everything was okay. This little guy is always so wiggly and he had been just as wiggly after I hurt myself so I wasn't worried about him. Anyway, Jarom took me in since I couldn't really drive and she listened to the baby's heartbeat and everything sounded great. Then she said maybe she should check me just to make sure everything was okay. She said I was dilated to a three...yikes! I was almost 32 weeks along so it was definitely not time to start dilating yet. She asked if I was having contractions and I said yes, but I thought they were just Braxton Hicks ones because they weren't very strong nor painful. She told me to head straight to the hospital. We were in shock but did as we were told.

We arrived at the hospital around noon on Tuesday. They gave me an IV and said I was dehydrated. I know I don't drink enough water and I had drank even less the past day since I couldn't get up and get a drink very easily. They also gave me a few shots of terbutaline over the course of a few hours to help stop the contractions I was having. I also received a steroid shot in my hip (ouch!) to help mature the baby's lungs in case they couldn't stop the contractions. It took 8 hours for my contractions to stop or at least slow down enough that they would let me go home. We were sent home with terbutaline pills which I was to take every four hours (yes, even during the middle of the night...that's one way to get used to having a newborn before he's here. I had to set my phone to go off every four hours in the night so I would wake up.). I hate being on the pills because they make me jittery/shaky and make it hard to breathe and talk for long.

I was told to be on bed rest for the next four weeks until I am 36 weeks along at which that point she'll just let me go whenever I go. Bed rest means I can get up to go to the bathroom and to eat but other than that I am to be reclined either in bed or on the recliner. Jarom's mom and sister have been watching Jimmy during the day. Jarom just drops him off on his way to work and picks him up again when he comes home. Jimmy is having a blast so I'm very glad about that. He gets so excited to go and puts his stuff in his backpack, waves and says, "Bye!" I miss him not being here during the day but I'm so grateful he gets to be with family and that he has so much fun. There have been a few times when he hasn't wanted to come home when Jarom goes to pick him up!

I had an appointment the day after we came home from the hospital and my doctor gave me the second steroid shot and checked me again. My dilation had regressed (I didn't know that could happen) so she let me go off the pills...yay! I had another appointment this past Thursday and I was again dilated to a three and he's head down so she got worried once again and did an ultrasound. It was hard for her to get the little guy's measurements because he was so wiggly...I wasn't at all surprised! He's measuring a little bit small for how far along I am but pretty close to average. I was 33 weeks along this past Thursday. She said he's probably about 4 pounds and wants to keep him in there for at least two more weeks and will keep me on bed rest for three weeks. He was doing the practice breathing movements so that's a good sign. He seems to be doing just fine as long as I can keep him in. She told me to take the terbutaline pills when I have contractions and if they don't stop to head immediately to the hospital. I almost woke Jarom up Thursday night because the contractions got so bad but just when I was about to they slowed down a little.

Sorry this is getting so long! I promise I am almost done! So I've just been trying to keep busy. I'm on my 4th book now and I've crocheted around a baby blanket and two burp cloths, made three baby hats, watched many movies and even started on my Christmas cards. Although those are hard to do while reclining! I'm trying to enjoy it as much as I can but I never thought bed rest would be so difficult and I never thought I'd have such a deep desire to go clean my toilet! Jarom has been SO helpful and done so much and I'm so grateful to have such a loving and supportive husband who keeps me laughing through it all. I also couldn't do it without all of our family, friends and neighbors. We have neighbors bringing in dinner three times a week and Jarom's mom brings us dinner the other nights. It feels so weird to be on the receiving end but I am so grateful for all the help and even just phone calls from people to express their love and concern. Thanks to all of you that have helped so much already. I better get off now. Jarom set up a computer in our room next to our bed for me but I have to be laying on my side to use it so it's really not all that comfortable. My arm has been asleep for the past 5 paragraphs! Thanks again to all of you and please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Watch, he'll probably end up coming late and I'll have to be induced. It'll be all my fault because this whole pregnancy I've been saying how easy it's been and how fast it's gone by! I totally jinxed myself!

Florida!

Well I think it's about time for another post! I've had this saved as a draft for quite some time (our trip to Florida was back in July) but I've had problems connecting with Blogger. We'll give it another try.

We went to Florida for 8 days with almost all of Jarom's family. We had lots of fun but I did feel like I needed another vacation when we got home. Being at the parks and out in the heat, humidity and rain all day can be tiring. It was so much fun to watch Jimmy. His favorite show was the dog/cat/duck show at Sea World. He sat on his Grandma's lap and pointed out all the animals, cheered and clapped. He quacked like a duck when the ducks came out and was laughing throughout the whole show. His favorite ride was the carousel, which we couldn't even tell he was enjoying while on it. However, when we went to take him off he threw a huge fit and clung to the pole and screamed. We thought it was quite funny...we didn't even know he was liking it! He also loved looking at all the fish at Disney World. He'd get right up next to the glass and point them all out and get all excited and then cry each time we had to leave to look at different fish. Although he was a lot better on the plane rides than I thought he would be, I still would not look forward to another flight with a toddler. It's not at all relaxing to say the least!

Plane rides are so much fun with toddlers!

The Carousel...
...and the aftermath of the Carousel. If you can't tell, he really liked it! No really, he did!
Looking at the fish
Ooh, more fish!
Sack-o-Jimmy
It was so hot and humid. Jimmy constantly had sweat on his little nose and head. I didn't think little kids could sweat so much.
Boy did he love the rain. We finally let him run around in it and get totally drenched!
More water fun!

It's A BOY!!!

He was giving us a thumbs up to let us know everything was just fine!
This one is his arm and face.
I'm sure he'll love this picture one day...and love the fact that it's displayed online!
We had our big ultrasound today and found out we are having a boy! We are very excited! "Jimmy needs a brother to wrestle with," claims Jarom. Before the ultrasound I had to drink about as much water in about 15 minutes as I drink all day long. I seriously almost threw up. Then they were running late and my appointment didn't start until 35 minutes after it was supposed to, 1 hour and 20 minutes after I guzzled all that water. I was almost in tears and so afraid that I couldn't hold it any longer. Luckily they had pity on me and let me partially empty my bladder before pushing on it for the ultrasound.

We saw a specialist since Jimmy was born with a cleft lip and palate. I spent all last night up worrying and searching the internet for ultrasound pictures of clefts and I was pretty good at seeing the cleft after many hours online. I searched for that cleft throughout the whole procedure and I never saw anything but just kept praying that when the doctor came in he would confirm what I thought I saw. I also thought I saw the little boy part before the lady announced it but who knows, it's hard to know what's what in there! Jarom thought he saw it too and then the lady pointed out the umbilical cord (the part he thought was the boy part)! When she finally said it was a boy I smiled and looked at Jarom and he was of course grinning! He really wanted two little boys in a row. Although I was craving (is that the right word…I use that a lot when I’m pregnant) a little girl I am truly equally excited for this little boy and I know these two boys (actually three) will have so much fun together and I can't wait to see them grow up together. According to the ultrasound my due date is four days earlier (October 28th), but I doubt they will actually change my due date with it being so close to the original. He'll probably be an October baby...the first on my and Jarom's side.

After the specialist finished the ultrasound she called the doctor in to look everything over and he said he saw NO cleft!!! And the baby looks perfectly healthy. He does want us to come back next month though for another ultrasound to check things out again and make sure everything is okay. I hope he wasn't hiding something from us...some worry of something different he saw or didn't see...but of course I will try to stop my worrying.

After the ultrasound and after emptying my bladder a few more times (I know you wanted to know that part) we went to Red Robin for lunch and made some fun phone calls to waiting family members and friends. Don't feel bad if you didn't get a call, I really only called like four people! So long story short...we are having a perfectly healthy baby BOY!!! I am SO happy and couldn't be more excited!

And here's the most recent belly picture taken today just after the ultrasound.

Kissin' Cousins

Lara and Renae watched Jimmy and his cousin, Braelyn, for the day while some of us went to the Parade of Homes. Lara took some very cute pictures of the two kiddos. Jimmy and Braelyn are 2 1/2 months apart. They love playing together. Jimmy loves to give kisses but I don't think Braelyn likes to receive them!

Eyem uh kohledge gradjewit

Congrats to Dad and Jarom on graduating!!! Dad graduated with his Master's in Public Administration and Jarom graduated with his BS in Information Systems. It was neat to be able to be there with both of them. Jimmy was amazingly good for the graduation ceremonies. I was especially worried for the Thursday event where we had to be there hours early since Dick Cheney was speaking and once inside the building we couldn't leave. He was passed from person to person and entertained by everyone including a nice old man in front of us that happened to have a lot of candy and a lady behind us with a cute little girl and lots of books. Jimmy was very glad when we finally got to go outside and run around! Congratulations Dad and Jarom...I'm so proud of both of you!

Happy Easter Everyone!

We had a great Easter weekend. We took Jimmy to the Clearfield city Easter egg hunt. He was a little intimidated by all the people and didn't do much. Later that day Grandma Vickie and Aunt Kali had an Easter party for all the grandkids. Jimmy had a lot of fun and did better at this one picking up the eggs. His favorite part was being able to be outside all day long. The Easter bunny at the city egg hunt was quite freaky looking though...don't you think?

Jimmy's Vacuum Obsession

Click here to see a video of Jimmy and his vacuum! He literally walks around all day saying "kah-koom" and searching for the vacuum.

I've been trying to post the actual video here on the blog but I can't get it to work for some reason. If anyone knows why, let me know! Also the picture on the video isn't the best quality for some reason...maybe I have our video camera on the wrong setting or something.

Jimmy's Vacation

Aunt Lara did a good job of taking cute pictures of Jimmy's vacation at Grandma Kim's and Grandpa Don's house! He had a blast with them! I think he wants to go back...I'm not nearly as exciting as all of them.

He didn't even care I was leaving for one week. He just wanted to get down and play. He even smiled and waved goodbye to me!

He has always loved french fries!

How can you say no to those eyes! What a stylin' boy!

"Look what my Aunts did to me!"

"Grandma always spoils me!"

"Grandpa gives the best shoulder rides!"

"I got to eat peanut butter by the spoonful...see, Grandma spoils me!"

"I helped Grandma at the post office."

Thanks for showing Jimmy such a good time! He misses all of you!