6 Weeks

I've made it to the 6 week mark today. And, boy does it feel like I've hit the 6 week mark.

Here are some updates on the growing belly and me.

Size: Lentil

Weight Gain: -1 pound. I am 113.

Symptoms: I don't think I can get much more tired. I am EXHAUSTED! Not just sleepy tired, but believe me I could fall asleep any time of the day if someone let me. But, I was pushing Alden on the swings at the park the other day and I was out of breath by the end of it. How horrible is that?? I vacuumed and swept the living room and dining room and was winded. Crazy how tired I am. Nausea has increased slightly. I am having more waves of nausea throughout the day. Nothing too horrible, I can handle it right now, but it's definitely not fun.

Sleep: Yes, please. And more of it??? LOL! I am ZONKED when my head hits the pillow at night. The last two nights have been nice. The boys have slept really well and slept in a little. THANK YOU LORD! That means, I've been able to get another hour of sleep. I could sleep all day if someone let me. I would love to take naps during the day, but with 2 kids that doesn't really work. So, I try to take some rest periods during the day and kick my feet up. But, more sleep would be wonderful. I hate feeling like I'm in a fog all the time.

Cravings: None. Food doesn't sound great right now. I eat to stay healthy, but nothing really hits the spot or sounds good. Good ol' morning sickness.

Best Moment: Sleeping through the night, two nights in a row. :) I also had a doctors appointment today. Everything looks good. I'm not sure why I came in so early in the pregnancy, but it was good. They did an ultrasound and since I'm only 6 weeks 0 days, it was too early to detect a heartbeat. It freaked me out that there was no heartbeat, but of course, I came home and googled it. Within the 6th week, there is only a 50% chance of detecting a heartbeat, and I was on the first day of the 6th week, so it was even more unlikely. So, no heartbeat detection yet, but everything else inside there was looking healthy.

Looking Forward To: My sister and her family coming next week for the weekend!!!! We haven't seen them since Thanksgiving. Also, my 9 week doctors appointment, where they will do a 2nd ultrasound, to recheck everything. :) I am also looking forward to feeling better, but I still have many weeks of misery before then.

I haven't taken a belly picture yet, since there isn't really a belly. I'm definitely bloated, but no belly. So, within the next few weeks I will take one.

6 weeks down, 34 to go.

Until next time.

Stacy

Baby #3: 5 Weeks

I hit the 5 week mark yesterday with Baby #3. Obviously, not much has changed from last week, but here is the update. No baby bump, so no picture.

Size: Sesame Seed.

Weight Gain: None. Still 114.

Symptoms: Exhaustion!!! Morning sickness has been pretty good. I've had a few days where I have waves of nausea, but nothing to strong yet. Still super sleepy a lot. Not too hungry ever.

Sleep: I would love to have more of it!!! The boys haven't been sleeping well, and I'm not sure why?? Maybe the news of a new baby in the house has them thrown off. I try to lay down for bed around 8:30 and Lyndon gets the kids in bed for me. He also lets me sleep in until he leaves for work and gets the kids breakfast before I get up. Just one less thing I have to do.

Cravings: None.

Best Moment: Telling family and friends!!! Telling the boys!!!

Looking forward to: Our doctors appointment next week!


5 weeks down. 35 to go.

Until next week...

Stacy

Here Comes #3! 4 weeks pregnant

It has been SOOO long since I have written on the blog.
It has been since August! Holy moly! Lots of things have been happening in the Haines house since August. We traveled to Idaho twice, once in October and for Thanksgiving, Lyndon's parents came for Christmas, and Alden celebrated his 4th Birthday in January! I cannot believe it is already March!

Plus, a week ago, we got some amazing news!

Baby #3 is on it's way.

This pregnancy was planned, unlike the other two, so I knew I was pregnant earlier on. We are so thrilled to have another addition to the family.

I am currently 4 weeks pregnant. My due date is November 5, 2015. Of course, like the other pregnancies, I will be doing weekly updates on the baby, me, the family, and what is going on in our lives.

Here is my first Update:

4 WEEKS:

Size: Poppy seed

Weight Gain: None. I was weighed last month at my doctors appointment and I was 114. I am still 114.

Symptoms: Some nausea, here and there. Tired, but not too bad. Feeling like I need to nap some afternoons. I had some light cramping for a few days but it went away.

Sleep: I am exhausted by the end of the day. I am ready for bed about 8 PM. I haven't been able to sleep through the night because the boys have been getting up crying for me for some reason.

Cravings: None.

Best Moment: Positive pregnancy test!!!! (Or 3)

Looking forward to: Our first doctors appointment to make sure everything is good!

Until next week.

Stacy

To The Mom Who Is Questioning Herself...

With all this Social Media there is one thing that I've noticed, everything is out there to question your ability to basically be a human being. There are "Life Hacks" for everything. Pinterest has every possible way to make your house, your kids, your family, your marriage, your dinner, and your dog.... Perfect. There are articles at our fingertips that make us question ourselves every day, whether we like it or not. I just want to sit and browse through the Facebook feed and BOOM! "Are you Poisoning Your Child?!" Of course I click on it and it is someone explaining every ingredient in Mac and Cheese that is going to put my kid in a whirlwind of obesity and depression and it is MY FAULT because some days, heaven forbid, I am just too tired to make a well-balanced, every food group called-for meal.

I've also noticed, with myself, I hear and read about "Fat Bashing" "Breast Feeding Bashing" Bottle-Feeding Bashing" "Discipline Bashing" Bash bash bash bash bash... I don't question others, I question myself. So, I am pro-circumcision, does that make me a bad person? I'm pro-vaccination, does that make me a bad person? I don't vacuum my house every day, does that make me a bad person? I question myself as a mom, EVERY SINGLE DAY and the Internet makes it 100 times easier to do so. There are those moms out there whose house is spotless, nothing out of place, her 4 kids are perfectly dressed in ironed clothes, hair in place, she makes all organic meals and carries snacks every where she goes, she drives the perfect black SUV with tinted windows and has the top-of-the-line car seats for all her kids. I'm over here with snot on my shirt, putting my kid in the corner for tying a scarf around his brother and dragging him around the house, making lunch of mac & cheese, trying to get a load of laundry going so the mountain of clothes isn't SO tall, trying to turn on a show on Netflix to entertain the scarf victim while discipline the guilty party. I question myself Every. Single. Day.

How do these mom's do it perfectly?

I am the one that sees others and compares them..... to myself. I'm not keeping my house clean enough, I'm not taking my kids to the park enough, I'm not teaching my children enough. I would wake up every morning and start cleaning. Front of the house to the back.... Before breakfast and a shower. Then, I would keep cleaning. With a 2 and 3 year old, after I was done cleaning, I would start over again because toys would be scattered across the floor in every room.

One day, I decided I was too exhausted to deep clean my house. My kids played, I left the toys. There were dirty dishes, I left them. There was a pile of dirty laundry, I stepped over it. Around 4 PM, I decided to throw a load of laundry in, only to hear a knock at my door and a 'Hello! Just stopped by to say hi!" (My laundry room is at the back of my house) this person walked ALL THE WAY THROUGH my horribly dirty house. The first thing I did.... Apologize for a dirty house. Why!? Because I have been told from different sources that I should always have a clean house, my kid should look perfect.... Not in a diaper and cowboy boots like they were... I was so embarrassed. I couldn't even pay attention to the conversation, I tried to casually pick up toys off the floor while talking. Not that she didn't notice I have two little boys running around... No, in my head my house and life needed to be perfect. How ridiculous! What was I thinking?!

And, then I realized... Who cares?! My kids love me. That is all that matters. Some day I'm going to have a perfectly clean house with beige carpet and a manicured lawn with no trikes on lawn and chalk covering the sidewalks. I'm going to have well-balanced meals and no laundry pile. I'm not going to have my hair thrown up in a messy ponytail. I will have time and money to go to the salon regularly. I will wear make-up everyday, or more than just Sunday mornings. I will have time to sit and read a book quietly in a "reading chair", I will have a quiet conversation with my husband about his day without interruptions, I will go on dates with my husband regularly without tag-a-longs, I will be able to test that new recipe I've been dying to try, I will be able to buy that blouse that is out of my price range and not shop at Goodwill on a regular basis for all my clothes and my kids clothes, I will actually have a realistic grocery budget and not have to scrounge for meals those last 3 days before payday....

But, you know what will be missing? The tiny little giggles and "Mommy, I Love You's", The "Mommy, I want to sleep in your bed tonight" (Which is also an internet no-no.... Co-Sleeping... How dare you!), The little hands who reach up and grab yours, the funny conversations with a 3-year-old, the tiny underwear that come through the laundry that makes me giggle every time because of their size, the pillow fights, the movie nights, the grocery shopping buddies who take up the whole cart, my two sidekicks who keep me going, The kid shows that run continuously which in a way are somewhat entertaining especially when you know every answer on Super Why!.

My kids are going to grow up. They are going to graduate high school. They are going to move on and away. They will be married someday. And, my house will be clean and quiet.... And, I will want ALL of this back, even just for one day. The messy house, the dirty dishes, the Kraft mac and cheese, the co-sleepers, the poopy diapers, the little hugs.

Cherish every moment. You only get them once. Ignore all those stupid articles that make you question yourself as a mom. You are a PERFECT mom for your kids. You are doing the best you can. They love you and wouldn't want anyone else as their mom. Who cares if your house is a mess, your hair hasn't been washed in 3 days, and you know every word to every theme song to every PBS Kids show.....

You are amazing.

Enjoy the chaos!

Embracing Who I Am

I'm an introvert. I will come out and say it. I'm an introvert in a society of extroverts. I almost feel put down for being an introvert. I am perfectly comfortable being alone all day with my kids, cleaning the house, making meals, reading books... alone. The problem is... I've always put myself down for this.

It started when I was younger, way younger... About 6 or 7 years old. I was extremely, painfully shy. I couldn't order at a restaurant for myself without getting sick to my stomach. I would hide behind my mom's legs when an adult I didn't know came and said 'Hi' to me. I almost broke into tears I was so shy. My mom noticed this and put me in different activities to help with this. I was put into dance and gymnastics at a young age. I used to always joke, you can't be shy when you are on a 4 inch balance beam with a wedgie you can't pick (You will get marked down for that) in front of an audience of hundreds of people and four judges. These activities helped. I was able to travel lots of places and meet lots of good friends.

Onto high school, I was a cheerleader. I LOVED it! Most people think all cheerleaders are peppy, excited, wants to be in the spotlight all the time, extroverts who are always the life of the party.

Eh.

I had my moments.

I loved the group of girls I cheered with. I have so many wonderful memories! They were my comfort zone. I had no problem getting out and cheering in front of a crowd because I had all my good friends surrounding me. I learned to hide this shyness and introverted-ness. I began modelling my junior year of high school. Once I entered that, I realized I was in a dog-eat-dog world that wasn't for me. I booked clients here and there but I wasn't tough enough for the industry. I kept modelling until I was 20 and then pulled out all together. My contract was up and I didn't re-sign with my talent agency.

I pushed myself to be out there, in the crowd, trying to be talkative and open. It wasn't me and I know people saw through it.

To make it even worse, I have the relaxed face that looks like I am pissed at the world. It is called something not too nice (-W-itch face, but with a B). People perceive me as a snob, stuck-up, and witchy when they first meet me because I'm not the one to start a conversation and I have the lovely angry face when I'm not smiling.

I've pushed myself so hard to try to be an extrovert. The world tells me I should be. You need to be a go-getter! You need to be out with a group of friends every weekend doing wild things.... "Enjoying Life". If you don't, you aren't fully embracing life. I have come to the conclusion that is NOT me and I don't have to pretend anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE an invitation to do something fun with friends. I won't be the one to get that group or friends together. I love parties, get-togethers, BBQ's, church functions, etc. But I am not going to be the one going table to table striking up a conversation with everyone. I find it more enjoyable to sit at a table and watch those people, or have a one-on-one conversation with someone.

I love to be involved, but I like to be behind the scenes. I love cooking meals for youth group every week. It brings so much joy to me. But, it is really hard for me to get involved with the game they are playing that night. It makes me uncomfortable. I would always beat myself up afterward that I wasn't involved enough or stepped out of my comfort zone a little.

I don't pray out loud in crowds. I always felt horrible because I didn't. Then, I came to the conclusion that when I get to heaven God isn't going to meet me at the gates and say, "Yeah, so... you were going to come in, but you never prayed out loud in a group, so sorry...." and slam the door in my face.

I don't want to speak in front of crowds. I don't feel like I need to. That is Lyndon's job, he's the preacher (Wink, wink)

In all, I am learning to embrace who I am. I like to sit with my kids and read books. I like to crochet. I like to read novels. I like to sit outside in the mornings with a cup of coffee. I like to have good one-on-one conversations with people. I like evenings as a family. I like to talk to my husband while cuddling. I like to find random movies on Netflix and watch them in bed.

I shouldn't beat myself up because I am not always comfortable around large crowds. I am not going to hate myself for enjoying alone time. I'm not going to look down on myself because I'm not comfortable praying out loud in a crowd. I'm not going to hate myself because people think I am snobby because of my relaxed, serious, face.

I am going to embrace who I am and start enjoying life more.

I'm an introvert in an extrovert world.

And, I'm proud of it.

Kiddo Updates

I haven't done these forever! I thought I would, just for fun.

Here we go!

Mr. Alden Update:

Age: 3 Years 4 Months

GROWTH:
Weight: 32 pounds (50th percentile)
Height: 38 inches (75th percentile) His dad is 6 ft 4 in. He's going to be tall, most likely.

SLEEP: Oh, my Alden.... How I love you kid, but you don't sleep. I swear my oldest will sneak into our bed every night. He sleeps majority of the night in his bed and then sneaks in without waking us around 4:30-5. I know this only because he's woke me up a few times doing this. Most of the time, I wake up with another body in the middle of Lyndon and I, zonked out. We are working on this issue, but it's hard to fix while sleeping. We've talked to him about it, but there isn't much else we can do. His bedtime is 9 PM and sleeps until about 7:30 AM, besides his little walk to our room. He rarely takes naps any more. Only when he is completely exhausted will he take naps, but for the most part, no naps.

EATING: Alden is my picky one. Peanut butter no jelly sandwiches, certain types of apple juice, only chicken (I can sometimes sneak beef, but rarely). Very picky. It's a struggle, but he eats tons of fruits and veggies (The one thing is isn't picky over, fresh fruits and veggies), lots of rice, potatoes, beans, peanuts, etc to get those good nutrients in him. He is my bird. We leave his meal on the table for a good 2 hours after he is finished because he will come back and eat the rest here and there. He will finish the meal, you just have to be patient with him. He is a normal 3 year old. 3 solid meals per day, snacks in between. Juice, milk, water. His favorite food is peanut butter sandwiches and grapes.

CLOTHING: 4T

DIAPERS: WE ARE POTTY TRAINED!!!!! YEAH! He has been potty trained since late December, right before his 3rd birthday. He wears pull-ups at night, just in case, but he tends to be dry in the morning. I would rather have him wear training pants than wash sheets every morning. :)

DEVELOPMENT: We are homeschooling for preschool. We have learned the letter A Through N and 1 through 4. He knows his colors and shapes (More than he is supposed to), he is riding his bike with training wheels, practicing T-Ball and Hockey, He is drawing with a purpose now and trying to stay within the lines while coloring. He can write his name. His vocabulary is great.

Mr. Collyn

Age: 1 year 9 Months

GROWTH:
Weight: 22 pounds (Not even on the chart... itty bitty)
Height: 31 inches (Below the 3rd percentile)
This kid is tiny. And, he eats like a horse!!!!

SLEEP: Collyn sleeps amazing! He is now in a big boy bed with a safety railing. His bedtime is 9PM just like his brothers and he sleeps through the night until 7:30 or 8 AM. He loves his big boy bed! He climbs right in for bedtime and goes right to sleep at night. He is such a good sleeper. He naps at 12:30 or 1 everyday and sleeps until about 2:30 or 3:30 depending on how tired he is. He also naps well. I get him laid down, and he closes his eyes and goes to sleep, unlike his brother. ;) I am very satisfied with his sleeping habits.

EATING: Like I said, this kid eats like a horse. Anything you put in front of him, he will eat it. He loves meat (Unlike his brother). His favorite meal is Shepherds Pie. He loves Cheese Sticks (The Sargento Colby Jack kind) and bananas.

CLOTHING: 18 Month - 2T

DIAPERS: Size 4. He is not interested in potty training at all, and we aren't pushing it one bit. He sees his brother go, but no interest yet. Plus, he is still too little to even get up onto the toilet and I refuse to use the toddler toilets on the floor. A stool and real toilet work great for us and less cleanup!

DEVELOPMENT: He is talking a lot slower than Alden did. He isn't too interested in saying much. He says about 7-10 words that you can understand and will combine them like, "Bye, Daddy." but, he isn't too interested in talking. His motor skills are out of this world. He can run and kick a ball at the same time, maneuver a bike wherever he wants it, throw a ball accurately, stack blocks, etc. He loves to do artwork when Alden is doing his preschool lessons. He "does preschool" also. ;)

Family Photo's Spring 2014