A Week of Traveling

A few weeks ago we made two quick trips out of town. First we headed to Salt Lake for a few days so Kaden could do some training for work and then we quickly came home, washed clothes, repacked and headed to California.

Salt Lake

While up North we got to see my cousin and his wife (Brian and Tiffany). It was really nice catching up with them. We have been so busy that we haven't seen each other since before Leighton was born.

Leighton and I did way too much shopping but how could we not with all the amazing stores calling our names at City Creek and Fashion Place malls.

It was a hot week but Leighton is lucky enough to have a dad who loved running through the splash pads with her.

California

We made the drive to California from Cedar in one day and went straight to Soak City water park.

Kaden instantly turned into a little kid again running from slide to slide with his brothers.

Leighton enjoyed swimming around all of the little pools and i am sure everyone else loved seeing this pregnant lady in a bikini still.

Our second day we headed off to a seriously PERFECT day at Disneyland. There wasn't anyone there, we never waited longer than 30 minutes in a line and the weather was sooo nice being in the 70s to 80s.

Leighton danced of course to every song she heard, took a few naps, and was in awe with the rides.

Kaden had a much needed stress free day and I LOVED eating every single thing that i saw.

Little Things

I wanted to start a new weekly post about little things i am loving and not loving so much lately.

Loving

- running in the mornings
- chasing Leighton in the grass
- watering our flowers
- feeling babies kicks
- wearing maternity clothes
- eating zucchini brownies

Not Loving So Much

- having pain in my knees and ankles
- watching the lorax for the billionth time
- having tons of organizing to do
- not being able to sleep on my stomach
- not being able to sleep at all

Dear Leighton

Dear Leighton,

Somedays I just watch you in amazement. You have such a unique personality and you are only 1 year old. I laugh when I try to imagine what parts of you are from me and what parts are from your dad. Besides your blue eyes and your cute nose you are completely your own person. Auntie Maymay says your a little human. You are communicating so well using baby sign language, a few words and lots of screams. You throw the funniest fits and I never give in to them so I'm not sure why you keep trying but they do make us giggle. You have your own language filled with hey, hereyougo, tigletigle, pease, and mmm mmmm. Lately you have been very clingy and will stand on my toes and hold my legs when I do the dishes or make breakfast. Then you laugh and show me your toothy smile when I walk with you that way. I hope to always remember everyday that we get to spend together alone and that I never take them for granted. You melt my heart every morning with your tired eyes and messy hair and again each night when you have both a baba and Binki in hand and rock to sleep to my singing. I love you so much and am so blessed to have you for a daughter.

XOXO
Love,
Mom

Surprise!

Lived, Learned, and Loved.

I think I've mentioned a few times now how crazy of a year this has turned out to be and how much crazier it will be getting. If you don't already know let me start to tell you. (Everything at once might just blow your mind.)

Due 10- 30-13

Back in January something happened that made me realize I wanted some "me" time before ever having another baby. Part of it may have been that winter is never an emotionally easy time for me but another part loved having the freedom to travel and play as much as Leighton and I do.

After coming home from my first Seattle trip I told Kaden "I refuse to have another baby before Leighton is 3 years old." I think he was in shock but knew I was serious and every form of birth control was started.

After coming home from my second Seattle trip Kaden walked in the house and I said with a mixture of laughing and crying "I am pregnant!"

If you follow the blog at all then you would know that my second trip to Seattle was in February. So we have kept baby number 2 a secret for quite some time now.

This pregnancy has been very similar to Leightons. During the first trimester I had morning sickness everyday along with a migraine and acne. This time it was nice though because I didn't have any classes to go to and I didn't have to leave the house for work. Poor Leighton went a little stir crazy but somehow we both survived.

The second trimester has been good to me. The sickness is all gone and I feel amazing. So far I've gained more than I would have liked but its probably better since I have not slowed down on running and working out at all. I thought I was active when I was pregnant with Leighton but I've kicked it up a notch this time. The baby has been busy kicking around since about 16 weeks and so far everything seems to be healthy and great.

 We Are Having A Girl!!!

Kaden really went through a thing of not wanting to find out the sex of the baby. As this is my second pregnancy and i have been so busy and excited with other things and loving my time with just Leighton i felt a little less connected with the baby than i felt like i should be, i thought finding out the sex of the baby would help this.

At our 20 week ultrasound the tech asked if we wanted to know the sex and Kaden said "might as well i already know its a girl." I laughed because honestly i thought it might be a boy but Kaden was right.

We are all three very excited to invite our new little one into our family. Leighton helped me pick out a blanket and stuffed animal just for our new little one. With all the changes coming our way it only seems to fit that we will be having a baby as well. Even though Kaden and I thought we wouldn't be having another child so soon we know the Lord had a different idea in mind for us. When i was in shock with finding out, Kaden calmly said "We are obviously meant to have this baby for a reason. It took us two years and a lot of help to have Leighton and this baby came while we were trying everything possible not to have a baby." I was so grateful for his reaction and for how excited he has been through out the entire pregnancy. Only 20 weeks to go and our little girl will be here and Leighton will be a big sister!

Motherly Advice {A Little Loving Support}

Loved

Or should i say marriage advice...?

Kaden has been working like a crazy person ever since he got out of school. When i say crazy person i really mean it. 100+ hours a week is not what any sane person would work. Especially if they worked at a job where they weren't treated well, ever given enough credit, or paid nearly as much as any other person in their same position. (Can you tell the mine is not my favorite place?)

Sometimes it is really frustrating to go at least 12 hours a day with out seeing Kaden and with Leighton running around the house asking for Dada. To add to the frustration I tend to work all day every day as well. I may be home with Leighton but i am usually on the phone with her pulling at my legs or trying to find a high enough place to sit where she won't bang on my computer while i'm sending emails.

So anyways once we finally sit down to dinner at 8:00-9:30 at night we have to take the time to talk and ease one-anothers day, even if it is only for a few minutes. Kaden comes home soooo tired but always willing to help with Leighton and listen to me talk about all of the things i did through out the day. I can not even tell you how supportive it is to me.

What makes Kaden feel supported? I took a few days off of emails and most calls and deep cleaned our entire house. Honestly our bedroom has never looked this good. With the house so spotless it is so much easier to keep everything put away and cleaned during the day. So when Kaden gets home the house is clean. He is honestly somewhat of a clean freak and it makes him so much more comfortable when he walks in to a clean space, especially because he feels like work is such a dirty place. The other thing that he loves is having dinner ready. He is one cranky guy if he is hungry, eating first thing keeps the cranky away.

We are not perfect in this area but we are definitely doing really well in it. We sat down awhile ago and actually talked about what the most important things were that we appreciated from one another and what the things were that we felt were hard for us to deal with. Ever since we have both made such huge efforts and have seen such a difference in how much happier our marriage is and how much easier it is to do things for each other, we only wish we would have thought to do this sooner.

How to support each other?
- do not complain about each others jobs.
- talk about what would help you to feel better everyday.
- make a solid effort to do whatever will help each other overall.
- make time for each other every day.

Why support each other?

To me a marriage is a partnership. Both people need to be willing to do their part to make it work. As much as we all like to think marriage is about being googley eyed in love. It really isn't. No matter how much Kaden and I love each other we would never stay together if we didn't commit to one-another every day to make our marriage succeed. Supporting each other in all of our endeavors is what makes our marriage succeed. When one of us feels a greater weight on shoulders than the other we tend to become frustrated and overwhelmed only causing us to argue more often and have contention in our home. We have come to realize supporting each other is key to our marriage being happy and strong. It helps us to feel like equals in both work and family matters and allows us to communicate more and best of all love more as well. When we were first married i would always say i need to feel more loved and Kaden would say the same thing. Little did we know that our definition of love really meant we needed to feel supported.

Summer Time

Lived

We are loving this summer season so far and can not get enough of the sun! Leighton and i find any excuse possible to hang out in our swimsuits and shorts. Cedar City has blessed us with some amazing weather, i think it is trying to convince us to stay. (hint hint)

Last week we visited Logandale for a few days. Minus melting in the heat we enjoyed our time there. I could have lived in this pool if my life didn't consist of sitting in front of a computer, iPad, and two different phones. Side note, how in the world does anyone work out in the Valley? I woke up early every day to run and it was way too hot. 

Leighton is such a little fish! She loved being in the water so much she even convinced Grandpa to take her swimming. Can you believe it, this little red head still hasn't been sun burned. I am so grateful and so crazy about sun screen.

Motherly Advice {Get out of the house}

Leighton and I spend a lot of time outside. I tend to get depressed if I'm sitting in the house for too long. During the winter this means we are running a lot of errands and making a lot of unnecessary trips to cute little boutiques around Cedar. During the summer we find ourselves at a different park every other

day, at the gym and at the city pool.

Not only is this for my own sanity but for Leighton's as well. My little 1 year old is too smart for her own good but really I wouldn't have it any other way. She is so interested in the world around her I feel like I need to support that now so she can continue her joy for learning later.

We dig in the dirt, color with chalk, slash in water, dance to any sound that resembles music, climb whatever should be and look at everything.

The more we get out of the house the easier it is to do things in the house. I tend to keep the house cleaner, make meals more often and do more educational and productive things with Leighton and for myself (read more, play more, watch way less tv).

I highly recommend trying it. Take the next week to spend time outside. Now that its summer go soak up some vitamin D, learn something new and become happier at home.