a perfect end to 2011

Isn't it crazy how quickly Christmas seems to come each year? And even crazier how quickly it all goes by. I can't say if there was a specific reason, but this year felt extra special. I had been looking forward to the break away from school and schedules and to have some down-time. And down-time we have had. We have had SO much fun being with our families.
Christmas eve and day were a very good type of busy, with non-stop family parties. I love being surrounded by people I love, and I know love and care about us just as much- it's such a reassuring feeling. Trey had such a great time playing with cousins and aunties and opening his new toy's from everyone. He's really soaking up all the "only grandchild" attention while he can from my family.
Brock and I went on our first trip without Trey {my first night(s)away from him!} I won't lie, pretty much everything we did we talked about what Trey would think about it: hotel pool- he'd love, dinner and a movie- not his style.
I was so sad to leave him, but my sisters texted us pictures of {almost} everything he was up to, so I didn't feel too far away. On another note, it was so, so, so great to have a few days of Brock all to myself. He is always doing everything he can to make me happy {even if it means 2+ hours in IKEA and a foot-rub afterwards}. I love him very, very much- he's just the most handsome, funny, and sweetest guy I know :) The highlight of the trip though was seeing how excited Trey was to see us again!
I give this Christmas holiday an 11 out of 10.
And now to prepare for a new year's eve night of "just dance 3" on the Wii until I beat all my sister's high scores. We take it pretty seriously around here :) and this baby belly has some good moves!
Happy New Year... 2012, I can't wait to meet you!

Christmas

I love Christmas. I am sure you do too. Each year I look forward to being with family, my favorite traditions, visiting friends and, of course, all of the yummy food! It is so fun to shop for gifts, and to watch the little kids excitement as the advent calenders move closer and closer to the end. But in the weeks leading up to Christmas this year I felt like I wasn't feeling that feeling I look forward to feeling...Does that make sense? So much has been going on in our families lately. Too many people we love have been sick and in the hospital and going through difficult challenges. And I know our family is no exception. It seemed like everywhere there was just so much tragedy and sadness. I was feeling discouraged. Brock and I have had many conversations about it all. Is this just a part of getting older? Or are hardships really coming at a more frequent and intense pace?

My Grandma's {mom's mom} family was asked to be the actors in their stake's live nativity this year, and Trey and I went to watch the performance Saturday night. Sitting there in the dark watching my parents, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins act out this sacred night was so special. My four year old cousin was such a reverent little shepard, and I couldn't hold back my tears any longer when at the end they were all bowing down to the baby in the manger.

I realized I didn't have to feel like Christmas was "ruined" by everything I had been worrying about, but rather it was a blessing to have Christmas during this time. That this is why that tiny baby was born. He can take away all of our worries and sorrow and pain. I felt it so strongly at that moment. I know that is His gift to us, and I am so thankful to have this time of year to remind us, and to give us the oppurtunity to worship Him more. I needed to have Nativity pagents to go to, Christmas music on the radio, friends to give goodies to, Christmas concerts to attend and time to be with our families. I needed Christmas.

I am so grateful for the gifts I have been given. To know I am a child of God. To know He loves and watches over me. For my health. For a loving husband and little boy, and for a baby on the way. I really couldn't ask for more.

I hope everyone can enjoy the feelings of peace, joy and love that this time of year bring. Merry Christmas!

just another manic...Thursday?

This morning Trey woke up at 8:13 and I thought darn, no sleeping in today {he usually sleeps until 9:00. I know, I'm spoiled} I rolled out of bed and caught a glimpse of my awesome bed-head hair on my way to bathroom. Then I had that feeling that no one likes... I yelled to Brock, "IS IT THURSDAY!?" to which of course he responded, "yes."

I had a doctor's appointment in 10 minutes.

Thankfully we only live a few minutes away from the clinic, and thankfully the sun doesn't rise until 9:00, so no one even saw my "hairstyle," well except for the nurse and doctor, but they've seen me in much worse conditions.

I had a "to-do" list a mile long today- and I think my adrenaline rush from this morning carried me through it. Trey and I spent our morning delivering Christmas goodies, getting gas, an oil change and cleaning the car. Then while the little man slept I cleaned and did laundry and now we are all packed and ready to go to Alberta tomorrow :) {Brock will be joining us on Tuesday}

I am SO excited to see our families and start partying! 

Did you know there is only 10 days until Christmas?! WaHoooooo!

{It didn't scan very well- but here's this years Christmas card!} 

"the choice to be grateful"

I always look forward to reading the First Presidency Message in the Ensign. {read this month's here!} I feel, as I am sure many others do, that they are often exactly what I needed support and encouragement with. I love the message this month! December is such a special month, it really is "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"- the Christmas season seems to bring out the best in people! With our thoughts turned to the Savior and His birth, it seems everyone is trying just a little harder to be more like Him- it is amazing. As we have helped out with different service projects at church I kept being reminded of how truly blessed we are. I loved the "challenge" at the end of the message. So here is what I am "choosing to be grateful for"

10 physical abilities
*being able to walk and run- ever since my grandpa had his leg amputated when I was 7 I have never taken my ability to move for for granted, he was always my inspiration in sports and my love of running. And watching Brock's mom and his sister struggle with Muscular Dystrophy has really enforced my gratitude for this blessing.
*the ability to have children
*good eyesight {even though I have glasses I still don't wear them!}
*my voice- I love to sing!
*I can read and write
*being able to carry Trey and my groceries up the 3 flights of stairs to our apartment
*I have a full set of healthy teeth- working as a dental assistant really made me appreciate this!
*I love to cook
*I know how to sew
*I can get a good night's sleep
10 material possessions
*our apartment
*a full fridge and storage room
*a reliable car
*pictures of our families
*our beds
*fridge and stove
*books
*phones
*computer and SKYPE
*winter coats
10 living people
*Brock
*Trey
*our baby girl!
*my parents
*Brock's Dad
*my 3 grandparents
*Brock's 3 grandparents
*our sisters and brothers-in-law
*nieces and nephews
*the Prophet
10 deceased people
*my beautiful mother-in-law
*my grandpa
*Brock's grandpa
*my great aunt Della
*my great aunt Carol
*my great uncle Marlin
*my Nana
*my great grandma and grandpa Wood
*President Hinckley
*Joseph Smith
10 things about nature
*the changing seasons
*thunder and lightning
*sunsets and sunrises
*the mountains
*watching everything bloom in the spring
*the smell after rain
*a tree covered with frost
*the sound of birds
*the feeling of jumping in the lake on a hot day
*all of the colors
10 things about today
*being woken up in the middle of the night from little kicks inside my stomach
*waking up in a warm safe bed
*bringing Trey into our bed when he woke up, and listening to him babble away
*it's Saturday
*eating breakfast with my two boys
*only 2 weeks until Christmas eve!
*tomorrow is Sunday- so Trey and I get Brock all to ourselves :)
*the smell of cookies baking- oh wait, that's my Scentsy
*all the books and blocks and cars on the floor
*that I can write all of this while Trey naps
10 places on earth
*our apartment in Saskatoon
*my parents house
*Brock's parents house {happy his Dad still owns it!}
*Temples
*my Grandma's house
*the cabins in Waterton and Lake Five
*my hometown of Claresholm
*my Grandpa's park in Barnwell
*the Zoo {all of them- we love the Zoo!}
*time shares in Arizona
10 modern inventions
*all medical inventions- especially "club foot" treatment
*cell phones
*the interenet
*cameras and video cameras
*ultrasound machines :)
*cars
*airplanes
*i-pods {will my kids even understand what a CD is?!}
*tv and radio
*flushable toilets {is that considered modern anymore?}
10 foods
*pickles
*cheese
*milk
*eggs
*lasagna
*steak
*potatoes
*carrots
*yogurt
*my grandma's jam
{yes, that is my pregnancy craving list}
10 things about the Gospel 
*Jesus Christ, His Atonement and the Sacrament
*my relationship with Heavenly Father
*the power of Prayer
*repentance and forgiveness
*the temple and the blessing of an eternal family
*the power of the Priesthood
*the scriptures
*a living Prophet and the Apostles
*the hymns
*my understanding of my purpose on the Earth and what will happen to my spirit when I die

I need to do lists like this more often! It's hard to narrow it down to just 10 for each category- I am so grateful I have so much to be grateful for!

 {I found Trey here yesterday. He's grateful he can climb, and that we have food too.}

a picture says a thousand words.

especially when that "picture" is your little baby squirming and swimming around on a fuzzy, black and white monitor.
I was so anxious for my ultrasound today. Anxious that I might pee my pants {I hate having to "fill my bladder"} Anxious that it was at 1pm and Brock had to be writing a final at 2pm {he made it, with 5 minutes to spare} and just plain anxious to find out what it was.
I have been telling everyone I felt like it was another boy. I have felt the exact same this time around, and I think when you just have one it's hard to imagine another baby could LOOK any different, let alone be another gender!
I picked Brock up from the school for this "study break" and we got there with plenty of time to spare. The three of us sat with the other 3 or 4 "moms-to-be" and waited, as Trey "oooo'd and awwww'd" at the Christmas decorations.
He was so good during the ultrasound. Just sat and watched while he ate "fishy crackers"
The tech did all the measuring. I love seeing that little heart pumping away! And it's so fun to see and feel the baby moving at the same time! She asked if we wanted to know the gender, we said yes, so she tried to find the right "angle" but this little baby was curled up nice and cozy. She had me "empty my bladder" {THANK YOU!} and said she would try again after that. After I was done the emptying process I proceeded to jump and wiggle and shake to try and get this baby to move around for us....please, please, please!
She started scanning again and said, "well you two will have your hands full, it looks like a GIRL!"
I think I may have responded, "WHAT!?" a little too loudly. Brock just smiled at me because he has been saying all along he thinks it's a girl.
She zoomed in a bit so I could see the "three lines" or "hamburger" {if you don't know this lingo, Google it."} I was/am totally shocked!
A girl...a daughter?!
I never {never, never, never} thought it would be. I think the part of me that wanted a girl got put on the "back-burner" because I was certain it was a boy. I am so So SO excited!
Of course they can never be 100% sure, which is why I came home and booked a 3D ultrasound for Wednesday- if "she" was hiding a "little something" down there they'll find it.
And for now, I'm happy I don't have to stop calling Trey my best boy :)

on my mind...

I feel like I have a baZillion things going through my head lately.
Not really bad, or good, just a lot.
I write a lot about Trey {who, by the way, has started going into his room when he's tired, grabbing his blanket out of his crib and saying "sh sh sh"- so cute!}
And I feel like I do a pretty good job of keeping up with our family's comings and goings. You're welcome future posterity- because that is one of my main reasons for blogging.
But sometimes I forget to just write about me.
So if you care to know more about Amy Wilde- read on.

{here's a few of things taking up my brain space...and keeping me up at night}

I am so happy I am a mother. Being married teaches me a lot about being more selfless and putting Brock's needs above my own- but, being a mom not only teaches, but sometimes forces me into learning lessons about sacrificing and the meaning of unconditional love. The simplest way to say it is, I absolutely love being a mom. Love, love, love it. I am beyond excited for my ultrasound tomorrow. I already love this little kicking baby so much, I can't wait to see him/her again and I really, really, really want to find out if it is a him or her.

I am so grateful for our little apartment, that we have a car, and that we have groceries in the fridge. Such simple things, but things that so many people don't have. I feel so blessed that I can be at home with Trey, and that Brock can go to school. We were laying in bed the other night, making plans for Christmas holidays which led us to talking about next semester and eventually talking about all the different places we could be in the next 5 years. It is fun {and crazy} to think about all the options. I'm excited for the future. I love Brock so much. He works so hard in school. I was going to say I don't know how he maintains a 4.0, but I do know how: he is so obedient, and I know he wouldn't say he is, but he is amazing at prioritizing  He is our ward mission leader, it keeps him busy, but he never complains. He has to sacrifice study time a lot in order for me to fulfill my callings and he makes being with Trey and I a very important part of his busy day. He has often times gotten up in the wee hours of a Monday morning to study for a test, so that Sunday remains a sacred and special day. I bug him all the time, that there is no way he is getting the marks he has on his own- we laugh, but it is true. How did I get so lucky to have him for my husband?!

I was called as the Relief Society secretary in May {I think?} and I have loved it. I love the ladies I serve with- I really, truly do. I feel like I have been able to become more confident in getting to know new people. I have learned to listen more to the promptings about who and how to serve. And being pushed out of my comfort zone has given me so many great experiences- visiting women I wouldn't have otherwise, and really talking about their lives has confirmed to me over and over, that we really are all the same. We all have fears and trials, and we all have goals and dreams, and most importantly we are all children of God.
And I am sllllowly conquering my fear of calling people. Yay for me!

In October {when it started getting cold} I was getting really tired of going to the grocery store like every other day for something that I needed to make dinner. So I made a meal plan for 3 months- yes, I may have gone a little crazy. I planned up to the 20th of December which is when we head to Alberta for Christmas. I will never go back to no meals plans! I picked all the different recipes I wanted to make, listed all the ingredients for each, then I divided that into "perishable" and "non-perishable" and then made my shopping lists. I did one HUGE trip to Costco and then every other Monday Trey and I do a small trip to Superstore for the "perishable items" it has been so wonderful to not have to think about what to make everyday, I just look at the calender.

I want a dog so bad. Brock and I both love dogs. And Trey seems to have inherited that trait. When he is upset a sure way to cheer him up is to "google" pictures of dogs. He sits and squeals while we scroll through all the pictures, saying "dog, dog, dog" over and over. I wish we could have pet's in our building! One day it will happen, and maybe by then Trey will be big enough to clean up after it!

I am addicted to pickles. I hate how cliche it is- but there is no denying that this pregnant girl is a little bit crazy for them. I ate a whole jar in two days. Between them and Christmas oranges I have had a permanent canker in my mouth since September.

I am excited/nervous/sad/worried about our first trip away from Trey. It doesn't seem crazy, except when I say it out loud- I have never spent more that 6 hours away from Trey at once {5 out of those he was sleeping}. Is that weird? Mom's give me some feed back here. Brock and I are going away for a few days over Christmas for our first "mom and dad only" vacation. We figured we better get one in before baby #2 shows up :) I know he will be more than fine, {he is staying at my parents, and with 4 aunties around I know he will be nothing but smothered} but I am already sad thinking about leaving him. Extra cuddles before and after our trip will have to fill the void from the 3 days apart. Okay I have to stop thinking about it, I'm starting to cry.

and on that note, I think that's enough for one night.

{everyone cross their fingers and toes that this baby decides to "reveal" themselves tomorrow!}

20 weeks!

time is fllllllying!

and now that I am halfway though this pregancy

the countDOWN is officially on!

We get to see "it" again on Friday and 

{hopefully} find out what "it" is.

With Trey I was SO sure it was a boy- I just knew.

And this time I feel the same way. 

I ALmost bought some matching little shirts...but I decided to wait and see if my "maternal instincts" can go 2 for 2.

{what I am really wanting to find out is if we have another member of the "clubfoot club" on the way!?}

blanket

When bedtime comes he burrows right into it's soft, snuggly folds, and holds it against his chubby cheek. He will still let me wrap him up in it, and cuddle and squeeze him- this little guy fills out a hug just perfectly.

Trey loves this blanket.

{And I love him a little bit more because of it.}

 

bad. and good.

bad: spilling mustard on my shirt at 10am.
good: I was showered and dressed before 10am, AND it landed right on a yellow part of the pattern of the shirt. No, I didn't change all day.

bad: the oven sparking and starting on fire.
good: a friend bringing a DElicious supper to us!

bad: realizing I had not done laundry for...let's just say a long time.
good: finding that shirt I had been searching for.

bad: not being able to button up my jeans this morning.
good: my little baby is growing!

bad: Brock's entering "finals time"
good: Christmas is coming soon!

{this one's all good: I found Trey like this- this boy's learned how to lounge}

{the best} little boy

Trey amazes me with how patient he is. 

We have so much fun watching him discover things- and especially his little srunched-up face when he is figuring out how something works.

And for only being one-year old (plus 2 months) I think he gets an award for how patient he is.  

{like every other toddler} He is fascinated by the garbage can, or as we refer to it now, "the cave of wonders." He flips the lid up and just stares into it. When he first made this discovery, it was "grab as much as I can reach before Mom stops me!" But now he has learned the meaning of "YUCK!" He still opens it, but now he just looks. And our new favorite game is to put some garbage on the floor {like a wrapper or paper towel, no banana peels or used kleenex, we're not THAT gross} and watch him as he picks it up and carries it over to the garbage and throws it away.

Another daily battle with his self-restraint is the Christmas tree. Trey LOVES balls, so I felt bad putting up all the ornaments. It only a took a few days, but now he just stands in front of it, and points his little pointer finger and "oooooooo's"

I think my favorite is how patient he is when he wakes up. I love to listen to him talk and babble away. Trey loves his beauty, I mean handsome{?} sleep...but even after a good nights rest, he just lays there {because of his boots and bar, he has no other choice...see, he really is patient!} and practices his vocabulary until we go in and get him {it's not like hours later, only like 10 or 20 minutes, maaaybe 30 if it's the morning...he's nice to his pregnant mommy} and EVERY time, as soon as his door is opened he says. "dada!?" I guess I know who his favorite is...

We love our walking, {kinda}talking, dancing, happy, patient little Trey.

 

 {one more thing I don't want to forget- Trey loves to lay down on piles of pillows or blankets. He takes all the pillows off the the couches and throws his little body into the heap. It is SO. cute. I love to lay beside him, nose to nose. He just laughs. It's funny to lay on the floor I guess}