Apparently...

Cats outta the bag and our little family secret is not such a secret these days...

When people started to approach us about this I was so surprised that word had gotten out so far, but Jon put it well... "Good news travels fast".

SO

We are VERY pleased to announce that Ollie Pop, is now


We are havin' a baby!!

It's so surreal to say those words... and to say that I am pregnant.
That was not in the plan. That was not going to happen for us... not for a long time, if ever.
To say we are thrilled out of our minds and unbelievably grateful is an understatement by a long way.
We started working with the fertility team again at the first of the year, and they found a way... we found a way, and we are pregnant :)

I just love saying that!

I am currently 10 weeks along. Yes, we know this is a bit soon to go public with the news, but word had spread so much we decided there was no point in hiding. Plus, the pace I am already gaining weight leaves me little room for hiding.

We have had two ultrasounds so far and heard/saw a healthy baby and heartbeat at both.
The most recent was on Thursday and I don't know how else to describe it but just magic. I had no idea that this early in pregnancy that there was a real live baby in there... like wiggling, waving, smiling (at least I like to think he was smiling) adorable little baby. And seeing that was such an overwhelming feeling. GRATITUDE, JOY, BLISS, RELIEF, JOY, JOY, JOY.

We are still just in shock that this is actually happening to us... and so soon!
I am due December 4th so baby Layne and Ollie will be almost exactly 2 years apart. This both excites me and scares me. I love Ollie so much, and I love our life with just him, I love spending my days with just him. He's my little buddy, my shadow, my world, and part of me is just not ready to share him. But the other part of me is excited for the years to come and for Ollie to have someone to play with and grow with and get into trouble with.
It will be good.
Life is good.
Our Father in heaven is so very kind and good and I feel so honored that he has trusted me with this gift. I really just feel so honored that I get to do this. That I get to experience a new way of becoming a Mommy. Holy cow, I am happy.

Like Family

These people... they are family.
I have been so fortunate to make so many wonderful friends and neighbors here the past 5-6 years, but this particular bunch, have a very special place with me.

We all met the first year we moved here. None of us had kids, we were all newlyweds, and I am pretty sure, this was all our first time being homeowners. We were all starting such a new and exciting phase in our lives and for me, it was a bit of an overwhelming time of adjustment in moving away from my home and family in St George. I was pretty homesick... and these people changed that.

It started with dinners and game nights that kept us all up laughing our heads off until the wee hours of the night or morning. Now, we all have kids and bedtimes, but we manage to have just as much fun, just in different ways. :)

I have really grown to rely on and love them all. They have completely been there for me when I needed family. And now, as so many are moving away and starting new chapters in their lives I can't help but feel sad. They are not moving far away, but far enough that things will never be quite the same and I'm really going to miss that. I'm really going to miss them.

Thank you all for being the greatest friends I could ever hope for. See you soon?? Right??

16 months

Man, without my monthly Ollie shoots I have been really slacking on the ol' blog. I really need to keep it up, it's such a great journal so I am gonna try real hard to do better!

Ollie at 16 months... he is a wild man. This boy scares me... he has NO fear. No reservations. He just goes for it.

While I admire his courage, it also freaks me right out. He would walk straight off a cliff if I wasn't there to stop him. He is my little daredevil. Even the park is a scary place sometimes because he will just walk right on down a slide or a ledge and tumble all the way down. Eek. I fear broken bones are in this boys future.

Other than that, he is completely adorable and wonderful and my little buddy. I LOVE spending my days with him. I love when he picks up a book, brings it to me, and turns around and backs up to plop on my lap. I love when he laughs at himself. I love when he shows off when people are around. I just love him.

I also kind of love meal time... he is so funny about eating. He is happy, he is sad, he is confused. Also, when it comes to food, this is the only time he shows caution... when I try to give him something to eat... he has to carefully stare and study it before he will put it in his mouth. Go figure. Here is what it generally looks like...

This is the face he gives me when I present the new food... everytime.

ok... I can try that

success!!

Or perhaps not...

Or, maybe it's ok...

Who knows. This boy is all over the place... and I adore it. I adore him.

Cowboys and Cupcakes

My first little niece ever, Allie, had her birthday party this weekend in St. George. It was so stinkin' adorable I couldn't help but get a little snap happy with my camera. They had everything...

ridin'

prizes

The birthday girl, rodeo queen, miss Allie cat

horses and ropin'

Of course my little guy had to dress the part... what a studly little cowboy I have.

Checking for eggs...

more ropin'

Breezy, Allie and their pretty Mamma, Sharla

adorable decor

villains...

good food

Oh so much fun!! Sharla always says her parties will be "no big deal". I beg to differ. It was a perfect afternoon and a very happy 8th birthday for my Allie! Love you all, thanks so much for letting us come to your big day!

Love

Happy Valentines Day friends

A laugh

This is from the early fall last year and I just found it...
and I can't stop laughing at myself.

So have a laugh, on me :)

(you need sound for this)

I was about 1/2 an inch from running into that tree and falling down the mountain.
I am a dork.
This is proof.

Private

So sorry friends... due to a lot of hits on my blog from places like Nigeria where I do not know a soul, I have decided to make the ol' blog private. I hate to do that because I like for ALL my friends and family and friends of friends and friends of family or whoever has any kind of connection with me to be able to see it, SO, if you ever read my blog and you would like to continue, please leave your name and email address so I can add you! :)

Thanks all!

Here's a picture of my handsome little dude
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Oh sorry, that's my big handsome dude with a creepy look on his face.
Just as good :)