Um Happy Thanksgiving?!?

No I mean it Happy Thanksgiving!  I'm just in shock that it is already here and needless to say I'm behind on blogging.  I'm usually just a sleepy momma come nighttime and zone out on the couch versus use my brain in anyway.  But whats new with my family?  Well we are doing pretty great!  God has blessed me with a wonderful family and I am blessed to be the woman in all my boys lives!  Each week gets a bit easier as Leo evolves from a newborn to a baby!  Somehow he is already 10 weeks old and he is just amazing.  Such a sweet soul and a wonderful baby.  We had a couple rough weeks with nursing but after a visit to the lactation consultant everyday has gotten easier and I've learned Leo's cues etc.  He loves his naps and I am fortunate at this point that he doesn't fight sleep!  He eats has some play time and is ready for his nap.  He takes about 3 a day with his longest being in the middle of the day....when Dylan naps too!  How lucky am I?  I know the coinciding naps may not last but I'll take it while I can.  Dylan continues to happily take about a 2 hour nap a day!  Leo gets up 1-2 times a night but is definitely sleeping longer stretches and after he eats he goes right back down.  He is about 12 pounds much bigger than Dylan was at this age!  He is completely in 3 mo clothing and I think he's so darn adorable.  Thank you Lord for our baby boy!

Dylan is doing great also and weighing in at a whopping 22 pounds!  Yeah little bro is going to pass him!  Dylan just doesn't have a huge appetite and is a picky eater but you'd never know it by his energy!  He doesn't throw many tantrums but has his moments as is to be expected.  It is a lesson in patience for both of us!  He has an incredible personality and makes us all laugh very often.  I love that he is so smart and talking more each day!  He's my little buddy that's for sure!

I've joined some mom groups and am meeting new people.  Its very fulfilling and wonderful to meet other moms at this same stage in life as myself!

Dylan just woke up from his nap so I have to cut this short but all in all we are adjusting well as a family of four and feel very blessed this time of year and always!  Here are a couple of pics!

1+1 equals 2!

NOT!  At least not when it comes to raising children aged 1 month and 2 years.  Everyone told me that having 2 kids is more than twice the work and now I know that to be true.  In my new role as mother of two I learn something new everyday.  I find it is a "2 steps forward, 1 step back" kind of process.  I get more patient with more practice, I know what to expect more than 3 weeks ago, and I'm slowly getting more sleep.  I want to keep blogging but I usually just like to zone out at night for a couple hours with Jake and that usually does not involve my computer.  So I'll post some highlights since last time!

#1- My baby Dylan turned 2 on 10/17/11.  To say time went by quickly is a massive understatement.  It flew by and I am so glad to be getting so much time with him now.  He is talking up a storm and we have small conversations.  He is absolutely hilarious and I love almost every minute with him.  Most of the time he is so well behaved at home with me and I am so blessed.  He loves his new birthday toys, mostly his train table and train set.  He is eating better these days but still picky, and he is a great sleeper both at night and at nap time.  My upcoming goals for him are losing the paci for sleep, otherwise he doesn't care about it, and eventually potty training!  I know he will do great though, he is a fast learner!

#2 - Leo is already 5 weeks old and getting so big!  He is a very sweet baby but of course has his fussy moments.  I remind myself that I cannot tend to every cry within a split second like I could with Dylan because I am busier, so like me my children are practicing patience and Leo does pretty good.  He is sleeping better at night, getting up about 130, and 5, and then its anyones guess how much more he will sleep in the am.  I always try to get to about 730am....I still love the newborn stage of cuddling and looking at Dylan I know how fast it will all change.

#3 - I have my 6 week postpartum appointment next week and look forward to working out again - but who knows when I'll have time.  I know I'll figure it out eventually.  I enjoy working out and its my sanity saver.  I don't miss being pregnant, physically I feel very well and recovered and enjoying my old wardrobe.  To say my body looks the same as it did 2 years ago before kids...well I don't know, but I am embracing it.

#4 - I am trying out a few mommy groups so me and the boys can socialize.  I am nervous and excited and will update on all of it soon!  Tomorrow is my first go at it!

#5 - I'm still tired.

That is all for now, I want to be better at blogging so I have a journal of my adventures and the boys but I'll take it one week at a time!  Night!!

My first day alone!

Today Jake went back to work and we all missed him terribly. Dylan asked all day where daddy was. Having hubby home for two weeks was so special for our family time and obviously a great help to me having that other set of arms. Fortunately we made it through the day pretty well. I was mostly worried Dylan would act out because Jake was gone and he wasn't getting as much one on one attention. However, he was sweet and patient most of the day. I'm super excited to be taking care of my boys but I was nervous about doing it all well. Kind friends have told me sometimes that's not possible and that's ok. I planned to do my best and go from there.

My day started at 6am...kind of. Leo sleeps between feedings but still eats every three hours at night. I know that will stretch longer soon but right now nights are tiring. He ate at 6am but stirred again at 7am so I woke up and got dressed. I fed Leo then went and got Dylan who was still sleeping or quietly laying in his bed. I dressed the boys and then Leo fell asleep so I ate breakfast with Dylan. After that we left for the library at 9am for toddler tales. Dylan had fun. Leo got a little fussy in car on the way there so I wore him in the ergo and he was happy as can be. At 1030am we headed home Dylan had a snack while I fed Leo and then I played with D while Leo had alert/tummy time. Dylan and I had lunch then I changed him and put him down for a nap at 12. Then I put Leo down by 1215. Dylan is a great napper but lately he's been whiny and calling for me. I feel bad but I know he needs to rest and that he is ok so I let him be. He napped ok. Around 145p Leo woke up which is short for him but he'd peed himself...then Dylan woke up so that was the end of nap time. Not horrible. I fed Leo, Dylan got a snack and off on a long walk we went. Mommy needs exercise! After that it was about 330 and we had chill time. Dylan played with toys and the dog, while I allowed myself some time to hold Leo...because it's hard to find time to just hold him with a busy toddler. At 4-430 I prepared dinner and then dad was home!! At 5 Leo got his one bottle a day from dad while I pumped(fun) and Dylan played! We ate at 530p Jake wore a sleepy Leo in the moby and played with D while I did dishes and stored milk in the freezer(lovely). Then we went up to bathe both boys, put Dylan to bed and Jake left at 715p to work tonight again. Between 707-715 I showered while Jake watched Leo but he fell asleep. It's 8pm now and I have to wake Leo to feed him(bummer) but I hope he goes right back to sleep...maybe even for 4 hours!

Anyway that was my day, fulfilling and busy! I'm excited to see what fun things we will do, what lessons I will learn, and watch a routine unfold so that I'll have some idea what to expect! For all I know tomorrow will look completely different. BUT...one thing will remain the same-I'll be with with my babies! God is good and so is family!

Leo's Birth Story

I am behind on blogging, but for good reason of course.  I want to write about the birth story, being a mom of 2 kids, all about Leo, siblings, and I'm sure many other topic that come to me on a daily basis.  Today, however, I will write the Birth Story of Leo while it is still fresh in my mind.  I can't believe my littlest love is 2 weeks old already.

September 10, 2011-I rarely got a good nights rest in the later months of pregnancy and that night was no exception.  I went to bed and before long got my usual braxton hicks I would get at bedtime and Leo would always move a lot at night.  But this night it seemed to last forever, like 2.5 hours of braxton hicks about 10 minutes apart.  I was texting my best friend who was awake in AZ and she said maybe it was early labor.  I kept telling myself I'd know when they were real contractions.  If you recall from birth story #1 my water broke at home and so I really never had to time contractions.  I obviously couldn't sleep so I downloaded a contraction  timer on my phone to entertain myself and decided if I fell asleep it obviously meant nothing other than another uncomfortable night.  I fell asleep.

September 11, 2011-Thank goodness Dylan slept in until 930am since I had gotten so little sleep the night before.  I woke up feeling pretty darn tired and just generally icky.  I told Jake about my night and said I thought I'd have a baby by the next day, that my body had to be doing something.  He decided to go grocery shopping with Dylan because I slow things down and he told me to go rest.  Well, cliche as it sounds, I didn't rest!  I cleaned the whole house top to bottom and I moved fast!  Something just got into me and I wanted my house clean NOW.  Shortly after 1pm before Jake and Dylan got home, I got a very noticeable, and painful cramp....my first real contraction that I was aware of.  I rested for a few minutes to see if anything else would happen and it didn't.  I went downstairs to eat lunch with the family, and yep there it was another contraction.  How could I have ever mistook a braxton hick for a real one?  They are NOT the same.  I called my mom to say something could be happening but not to book her flight just yet.  We finished lunch, Dylan went down for a nap, and I went upstairs to shower.  I think I knew something was coming because I wanted to make sure I had a shower.  I certainly had an uncomfortable shower, but contractions were probably 10-20 minutes apart.  I finally decided to lay down and rest and see what happened.  Jake was convinced they would slow down and this probably wasn't it.  I was very on the fence.  Well about an hour later they were 7-10 minutes apart and I called my mom to tell her I still wasn't sure, but she said she knew this was it and had already booked her ticket for the first flight out the next morning.  I told her I hoped she was right!  I also called my OB office and the doc on call said I could go in or wait until they were 5 minutes apart.  I asked him if he thought at this point if things would slow down...he said probably not, they were more likely go come with a vengeance.  Hmmm ok, we'll see.  At this point it was about 430p and I told Jake since I'd been having contractions for nearly 4 hours I felt I at least needed to be seen at labor and delivery.  So I did what any woman would do in this situation...my hair and makeup!  I was kind of killing time to see if contractions would get closer.  They did!  I was doubled over many times doing my makeup and when I got to my hair I started to get a little nervous   They were 4-6 minutes apart and all of a sudden it hit me that we should probably get moving.  All of a sudden bags were being finished packing, Jake was loading the car, Dylan was still sleeping somehow.  I called the sitter to let her know he was coming and I was praying that I wasn't insane and not actually in labor.  By the time we got everything and Dylan in the car I was in a lot of pain and feeling extremely anxious.

At close to 6pm we dropped Dylan off and took what would be our last photo as a family of 3.  I told the sitter I wasn't sure if this was it but we would let her know.  It was extremely emotional for me saying goodbye to Dylan.  I was leaving the child I knew and loved to probably meet a new one.  It was all very confusing and fast and my emotions were all over the map.

The car ride to the hospital was brutal as contractions were 4 minutes apart and strong.  We had to check in at ER because it was a Sunday night and wait for labor and delivery to come get me.  I chose to walk instead of get in a wheelchair.  I wasn't convinced I was in labor until somebody told me so.  Well they took one look at me on the Labor and Delivery floor and got me in a room and into a gown quickly.  It was just before 7pm so it was shift change.  The day nurse quickly took my vitals and said she would check my cervix to see if anything was happening.  This is where I start to get really anxious.  She says I'm at 6cm and calls me a rockstar for laboring at home all day.  It hits me and Jake at this point we are having a baby...probably soon.  She asks if I want the epidural and before I'm even checked in, its on its way.  Why is everything moving so fast??  The new nurse comes in as well as the doctor, who is the same doctor who delivered Dylan.  I'm thrilled.  He checks me and I am 7cm.  I realize I am not quite ready for all this yet, I need a few minutes to clear my head, to emotionally daydream like I did with Dylan, to take in the experience.  It's going too fast.  I get the epidural through horrible contractions and then the doc breaks my water.  Jake and I have maybe 20 minutes alone after all is said and done between the epidural, water breakage, and all the check in questions.

Doc comes back in shorty and is watching some football with Jake, we all talk about our careers a few minutes and then doc looks at my contractions on the monitor and decides to check my progress.  I look at Jake who had just gotten some dinner and I told him before the doc even checked that he better eat fast.  I knew.  Sure enough doc says "lets have a baby".  Within minutes I felt as if the baby was going to fall out, I know that sounds graphic but that is how it felt.  7 minutes and 3 pushes later Leo Oliver Frese was born-at 9:11pm on 9/11/11.  You can't make that up!  He weighed 7.4lbs and was 19.5 inches long.  He was perfect.  I was happy, in love, and in shock.

You see, I had a 12 hour labor in the hospital with Dylan and many epiduraled hours to daydream about his birth, that I was almost a mom, and what it would all feel like.  With Leo, I showed up at the hospital and had a baby.  It took some time for my emotions to catch up with my reality.  I loved him instantly but thought it was all a dream for a moment.  We dropped Dylan off Sunday night around 6pm and three hours later his brother was born.  I had two very different labor and delivery experiences that both ended with healthy beautiful sons.  You don't really ease of your pregnancy concerns until you see your baby, count their fingers and toes, breathe them in.  Right after Leo was born I felt enormously blessed to have had two healthy pregnancies and children, despite my struggle to conceive, my body had not failed me or my boys on their journey to my arms.

Less than 24 hours later we were discharged from the hospital and returned home to start our life as a family of four.  Once I get another stretch of time (right now the boys are napping at the same time in their own rooms) I will write about what life at home has been like.  But for now that is the birth story of little Leo!  It was a pretty cool day if I do say so myself and I think Leo brings light on what was once a day of darkness.  I know he will do amazing things in this world!

A Birth Stoy

But not the one you were expecting!  Sorry folks I have not had baby #2 yet, but I'd sure like to!  I thought since I didn't have THAT birth story to tell quite yet I would write Dylan's instead.  It is a great memory for me and I can only hope and pray that things go the same with #2.  Although all that really matters is that Leo is born healthy!  But back to Dylan!

Jumping back in time almost 2 years (wow) and I was due October 22, 2009.  I was always told first timers tend to go late so I didn't feel a sense of urgency to get everything ready a month in advance etc.  I did not pack my hospital bag until 39 weeks!  Other than extreme morning sickness that lasted the ENTIRE pregnancy I had no complications.  On October 16 (Friday) Jake and I went for a walk with the dog and then went to our neighbors house for dinner and cards.  Since it was a Friday night and nobody had work in the morning we probably stayed over until nearly 1am playing poker and relaxing.  I remember them saying "we could be parents at anytime" and "tomorrow would be a great day to have a baby".  Jake and I finally came home and headed to bed.  Our direct neighbors who we don't really like left their dog out all night and it kept us up barking so we got no sleep.  I also had a bad stomach ache but attributed it to Dominos!  I kept telling myself if I could fall asleep between the dog and the cramps then it was nothing!

I did fall back asleep!  HOWEVER...I woke up at 7am nearly on the dot Saturday morning (Oct 17) to a huge gush, aka my water breaking.  Talk to any 9 month pregnant woman and all they will say is how ready they are!  I was no exception, but in that moment all I thought was "I'm not ready, what do I do?!?"  Well I called the doctor who said to come to the hospital and based on what I was telling them, it was baby day!  I was 39 weeks and 2 days!  Jake was not even packed so he threw a bag together, I got cleaned up and off we went!  It was a Saturday so there was no traffic and my mom wasn't at work so was easily able to schedule and fly in that day.  I remember on the drive to the hospital having some contractions and thinking that it was totally manageable.  Haha I didn't know it would get much worse!

We got checked into the hospital, they verified my water had broken, and that I would be having a baby that day!  Woo hoo!  We were very excited of course.  The bad part was my blood pressure...for 39 weeks I had great blood pressure, I always run low which is good!  But when I was checked at hospital it was 145/90 which is super high anyway but horrendous for me.  They did a blood test to rule out preeclampsia, but nope it came back positive and I had it.  I had developed it virtually overnight.  The bad part was I would be hooked up and monitored my entire labor...the good part is the cure for preeclampsia is birth and I was well on my way.  Second minor hiccup was getting my IV.  My usually great veins were being stubborn and it took 4 people and 8 pokes to get it right.  I looked like a heroin  addict and was crying.  After that though all was pretty easy breezy.  I was amazingly calm and breathed through my contractions.  Around 230p I opted for the epidural.  At this point our neighbors from the night before came to the hospital and we played cards while I labored pain free!

Around 6p, Jake and Doug went to get a pizza while his wife Shellie stayed with me.  At around 630p the doctor showed up and wanted to check my progress.  To our surprise he said I was 10cm and it was time to push.  I was shocked as I felt no different and I also felt dumb because I was like, "Uh what do I do now?" Doug and Shellie left with the pizza, the doctor said he'd be back soon, and it was me, Jake and the nurse Tracy.  I was happy that I'd have the same nurse for delivery as I'd had all day.  I did a couple of pushes and she told me to stop and went to get the doctor.  Turns out this was going to be quick and after 20 minutes of pushing we welcomed Dylan Jacob Frese.  He was 6.7lbs and 19.5 inches and he was perfect.  I mostly remember the day like it was yesterday.  I remember Jake cheering me on and his excitement.  I remember being fortunate to fall instantly in love with Dylan.  I was blessed to have an easy labor and delivery that is for sure.  Jake's favorite sports team is the Yankees and they were in the playoffs.  The game was on in the background and we have video of Jake saying "The baby is here and the Yankees are winning."  It is a great memory and we were just so....us!!

Of course I get tears remembering that day....the day I became MOM....well "mommy".  I look at Dylan now almost 2 years old and it seems impossible how they can change.  It seems impossible how I have changed.  I feel so so lucky I get to experience having a child again, it is so exciting and miraculous.  I'm still so nervous even though I have done it before.  In some ways more so because I know things can go so differently this time but I pray all goes well.  I hope you will keep us in your prayers.  Even though I feel like I'll be pregnant forever, I know that I will be back in that delivery room at any moment.  Bags are packed.  Birth story #2 coming soon!

Does it all look the way you thought it would?

I ALWAYS knew I wanted children.  I'll be the first to say I don't always gush over random strangers children, and I didn't love to babysit as a teenager.  As an adult I do adore my friends children and of course my own child.  I always knew I wanted a family and to be a mom.  I was raised as an only child with a single parent-my mom.  She worked hard to provide me with a generous lifestyle and I grew up knowing I would go to college, get a job, and be a career woman.  This is what I did.  I graduated on a Friday, went to my first "real" job the next Monday.  I've worked hard the last six years since I have graduated college to get better jobs, get promotions, and make a good living.  I have always wanted to work and contribute.  I never imagined I'd feel any other way.  When I became pregnant in 2009 I knew I'd return to my job and be a working mom.  I wanted to work and we never planned otherwise.  I didn't think it would be easy or that I would not be emotional leaving my son....I just assumed being a working mom was what best suited me, and my family.  So back to work I went when Dylan was about three months old.

The night before my first day as a working mom, I sobbed in bed and told Jake I had no idea how I would leave Dylan the next morning and how I was so sure I'd made a mistake.  I spoke to so many women who had been where I was and everyone said the same thing.  "Yes, it is very hard, but it gets better".  I assumed this to be true and of course got up and went to work the next day.  I was very lucky at the time to be returning to a job with some scheduling flexibility and supportive coworkers and an amazingly supportive boss.  It did make actually working still enjoyable.  However, as Dylan got older and more interactive, it got harder for me to leave.  I felt like I was missing a lot and was sad a lot.  Time went by and we stuck to the plan of a two person income with what was seemingly a willing working mom.  That was the PLAN, I never asked to be a stay at home mom, I never planned to want to be.  Why wasn't it getting easier though?  Why was I having such a hard time emotionally when other WONDERFUL working mom friends of mine seemed to find that "balance" I so expected myself to have.  Why wasn't I the person I thought I'd be?

Sometimes I hurt so badly I'd cry and tell Jake I was miserable and even though it wasn't an option, he would tell me just to quit, that it wasn't worth me feeling this way.  He was constantly having to reassure me I was a good mom, that Dylan was bonded to me.  He would always tell me how I could not see how much I gave to Dylan and how he knew I was his one and only mom.  But you see, this was the problem.  I emotionally could not get over this emotional hump.  Jake and I would both agree, we didn't think I'd ever be that mom who wanted to be a stay at home mom.  But I did.

I think we spend a lot of time, perhaps in our younger years trying to define who we are and who we will be.  We try to meet the expectations of others and of ourselves and figure that is who we have to be.  I thought I had to be a driven career woman and a working mom.  I found pride in both those things.  My mom worked hard and raised me to be independent.  She was a working mom and I turned out fine.  Would she be disappointed in me if I didn't work?  Would Jake think I wasn't the same feisty, smart woman he married if I didn't work?  Turns out the moms who work don't love their children any less and the ones who stay home aren't any less driven or interesting.  They might be the same woman!  My mom was a single parent-she never had a choice to work or not and so having that emotional battle with herself was not something she was at liberty to do.  When I first started questioning working as a mom it wasn't a liberty I had either-Jake and I had never financially planned to be without my income.  I guess my point of this whole post is this-sometimes in life you have a grand plan, and if you are lucky it works out.  But don't expect it to look or feel the way you thought it would.  It might....but you could end up in a totally different place than you thought you would and the plan has to be revised.  Again, if you are lucky, you can revise it.

I am fortunate to be married to a man who sees me as....Kim!  Not defined by WHAT I DO, but WHO I AM.  I am also lucky the man I married was willing to change the plan.  Right now I am officially on maternity leave for the second time.  I do not know exactly what the future looks like with two children.  What I know(and have) now that I didn't two years ago....is choices.  Whether working out of the home is full time, part time, or not at all, I have realized that it DOESN'T look the way I thought it would and that it is ok.  I am blessed to have a husband who was willing to rewrite the rules with me if that is what I need.  No matter what decisions we make in life, the big ones always have a sacrifice somewhere.  You just have to make the one you are most comfortable with-and then it won't feel like a sacrifice.  Might not look the way you thought it would, but it will start to look the way it should!

- Kim (38 weeks pregnant...maybe my next post will be a birth story?)

I was right!

A few weeks ago I posted that August was going to fly....and it has!  I have 5 days of work left until I am on leave.  I'm so happy about that.  We have had a heat wave in Colorado, and that combined with lifting my bag in and out of my car and standing has not had the most desirable effects.  BUT baby and I remain healthy and full term!  Yea!!  It is such a blessing to get to this point in pregnancy and it really did come so fast.  Last Saturday I felt awful and had some contractions and that was enough to push us through the rest of the baby prep.  Bags are packed and we feel ready whenever he is.

I am trying to summon as much energy as possible for Dylan being that he has TONS.  He goes to in-home daycare where apparently he is the funny man of the group.  He is this way at home so it doesn't surprise me.  What does surprise me is where this HUGE personality of his came from.  Jake and I are fun people and love to laugh but Dylan is in a league of his own.  He's such a ham and I love it.  I pray he never loses that.  I was so shy for a lot of my childhood and I love that he has so much personality to offer.  He is still hesitant with new people and situations but has come so far with moving through that quickly and being comfortable.  Tonight he ran across the house dozens of times into our arms, danced in circles, and proceeded to act like a monkey and get on my back while I crawled around with him.   Yes, my almost 2 year old was on my back while I'm hugely pregnant.  It was like I was wearing a kangaroo and a monkey!  Jake looked at me like I was insane.  I told him I am no longer in danger of going into preterm labor so I'm going to enjoy my son.  I am so uncomfortable just sitting that playing physically with Dylan is actually a distraction.  I love that kid so much.

I am looking forward to being home for a while and trying to compile a mental activity list of things I can do that are both educational and fun for Dylan and somewhat easy to tote a newborn along.  I know my initial "to do" is survive but once I'm past that stage I'll need activities.  I'm not one to be idle.  I will be enrolling Dylan in tumbling/gymnastics in the fall, I plan to do library days, museum days, art, reading, etc at home.  I am sure we will all stay very busy.  I'm really excited to be home with my boys.  I pray that Leo is like Dylan as a baby.  We were so lucky he was pretty easy.  Of course we didn't get a lot of sleep but he was never much of a fussy baby and we took him everywhere.

I am going to do my very best to keep up with this blog and share the adventures I'm sure to have!  I'm sure I will have a few more pre-birth posts but we shall see.  We are on labor watch, which is kinda like waiting for a pot of water to boil.....

35 weeks down, 35 DAYS to go!

Yeah probably not!  I went a week early with Dylan so with no medical basis I am kind of assuming I'll go early this time too.  As long as he's healthy and ready a week early is fine!  So...35 days or less.  We are pretty ready.  The nursery is done.  It is adorable.  It is Lion King theme but very tasteful with browns and sage.  I love it.  Just like with Dylan's room, Jake hand drew and painted a mural on the wall.  Pretty darn special that our kids can say their dad did that.  Littlest boy's clothes and linens are all washed and put away.  I have little things to do like sterilize bottles, bring the swing out from the basement, etc.  The major things I have left to do are pack for the hospital and put the car seat in the car.  I'm hoping I still have plenty of time for all that though.  I have 14 work days left and am SO ready to be on leave.  Being on my feet most of the day and carrying my heavy bag is taking its toll on me.  I have an ultrasound this coming Thursday to check the baby's size and see what position he is in!  I hope everything looks perfect, I have faith that it will!

I remember last fall when I was trying to get pregnant I had 5 friends either pregnant or trying to conceive.  Every night I would pray for their healthy pregnancies, deliveries, or to be blessed with a baby.  The sixth prayer was for conceiving our baby.  I am happy to say that as of yesterday ALL of those women have gone on to conceive and deliver healthy babies.  Sure, there has been fights with infertility, complicated pregnancies, and sleepless nights with newborns, but the prayers worked and what a blessing for all these women!  Now its just time for me to deliver my bundle soon and its come full circle!  Wow God....you done good!

I check in with Dylan to see if we have any concept of this whole "baby" thing but I don't think he does.  He will hug my belly and say baby but I don't think he comprehends what a gift we have coming for him.  Haha, that's probably because he will NOT see it that way for a little while.  He likes his mommy time so I hope he'll be somewhat open to sharing it.  I am enjoying every moment I have left with him as an only child.  He continues to become smarter, sweeter, and funnier everyday.  I hope I have the instantaneous bond with my new son as I had with Dylan.  He is the light of my life and silly as it may sounds...I think I'm his :)

IT'S AUGUST!!

I'm very happy that it is August because I go on maternity leave at the end of the month and I can now say....I'm having a baby NEXT month.  WOAH!  Can we all just take a second and ask where the heck 2011 has gone?  I've been pregnant this whole year so far, pretty funny to think of it that way.  I am obviously very excited to meet our new baby and be done with pregnancy.  These days I'm not feeling so well.  I have very bad acid reflux so I have to take medicine before bed so I don't wake up puking in the middle of the night and choking.  I know, gross.  Morning nausea has been bad but for the most part it passes.  My left hip well, that is a lost cause.  Exhaustion?  CHECK!  But you know what?  It's ok, because baby is healthy and moving, and we are so close.  I am so so grateful that despite my troubles getting pregnant and feeling crappy once pregnant....I have healthy pregnancies for my babies.  What more could you ask for?  I am also taking a moment each day to take a deep breath and feel the excitement and anticipation of my life at this time.  When I said to Jake last night that expecting a child is about the most exciting thing you can do in your life, he couldn't help but agree.  I am strangely relieved that I feel slightly unprepared and butterflies because this is my second baby.  I kinda thought maybe the fact that I had done it before would change that feeling, but it hasn't and I love that nervous excitement!  I also hope some of that knowledge from having done this once before will help though ;)

I am trying to work through any feelings I have about this most likely being my last baby.  I know we won't do fertility again, but more than that, I don't know if we know for sure if we feel "done" after our second or not.  I really am hoping that I know after this baby is here that our family feels complete in our hearts or not.  I feel like I know I can be happy with 2 without question.  I would be ok not having that miracle 3rd conceiving on our own.  We are so blessed to be having this second child.  I know only God knows if another is in our future, but deep down I think I know if we will have another or not and I think Jake knows the answer to that too.

One thing that amuses me about pregnancy is the outsider commentary....in the last week I have gotten..."you don't look like you have put on much weight, but you could still blow up".  Hmmm thanks, I'm gonna assume that won't happen.  "You don't even look pregnant from the back".  Hey thanks be sure to update me if that status changes!  "Your baby looks anxious".  Oh I know readers this is a good one.  "Anxious?" I asked....cause what does that mean right??  He said the baby looked low and ready to come out and play.  Uh eww and such a strange way of putting it.  For the record baby boy hasn't dropped which is good we still have a few weeks.

In all the Frese family is doing well...Jake works his butt off and D gives him a hard time but he loves his daddy.  D is doing great despite typical toddler moments from time to time.  Nothing I can't handle.....yet!  And me....I'm sitting back at this moment feeling my littlest love move amidst the butterflies in my tummy.  August is gonna fly.

Is that a Prius?

Hi loyal readers.....however few of you there may be!  Wednesday is my usual blog night but its 10pm and I am just sitting down because I was at a business dinner all evening.  I decided I would have my first guest blogger fill the spot tonight.  That honor went to my one and only husband, Jake!  So enjoy the post from my beloved!  Thanks for filling in babe!

Being the parent of a toddler is like that feeling you get when you are driving down the freeway and you suddenly realize you are being tailgated by someone driving a Prius. The first thought that comes to your mind is probably " What the Heck?". You get feelings of confusion, anxiety, you maybe even start to sweat a little, all while wondering if its your fault. I recommend that everyone experience being the parent of a toddler at least once in their lives. If not, thats ok too, but its an experience unlike no other, at least that I have had. In just 21 months I have been peed on, pooped on, puked on, and drooled on. I have pulled all nighters, stayed in the hospital for three days, been to the pediatrician at least what I swear is a thousand times, and I even now have the luxury of having to wake up at 6:45 on a weekend. Yeah, thats what a toddler is capable of. 

During your experience as the parent of a toddler, you may even start pondering any of the great philosophies of life. One being the theory of Intelligent Design! 

According to Wikipedia(the most trusted resource on the planet), Intelligent Design is the theory that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection."  Then how is it that my toddler just screamed bloody murder when I put baked 5 cheese-homemade macaroni and cheese in front of him, but 45 minutes later proceeded to happily eat a two day old cheerio he found in his playroom. And to top it off, 30 minutes after that, he refused his nice fresh cup of milk only to take a couple gulps of bath water. Maybe he needed to wash down the cheerio? 

On the intelligence scale, I believe most people fall somewhere in between Lindsay Lohan, and Albert Einstein. And some people just fake it better than others. But if we were intelligently designed, why were we designed so,.......Toddler-ish? This applies to adults too, as confirmed by a recent episode of Cops that I saw. Grown men and women throwing tantrums, fighting with one another, he said, she said, all to have someone else come in and set them straight again. Kind of makes me think the QA department of the heavens needs to do a little review on procedure eh?

Tonight I was assigned with taking the reigns of "the beast"(one of his many nicknames), since Kim is at a company function, and I have to admit I did learn some things. I now know the words to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Dog song, and I also figured out how to discreetly wipe gigantoid boogers out of my kids nose in a Target parking lot all while not making him cry. I can also now guarantee that a week in my house would be more entertaining than 5 years of watching the Kardashians. I even have a nicer butt than Kim Kardashian. Or, if you want to think even bigger, how about James Cameron leaves the Titanic alone and creates, "The Toddler Experience, in 3D!". Where is James Cameron when you need him anyway?  Dylan is asleep now, his bedtime is somewhere around 7:30. But, even after all the toddler-isms he can throw at me, I always miss him when he's not around. If there is one thing he definitely is, it's that he is always happy, even when he's washing down a two day old cheerio with bath water. At least that is one aspect of the design they got right. I wonder if James Cameron owns a Prius?

I'm 32 weeks pregnant

I remember thinking that being this far along seemed so far away just a short time ago.  This pregnancy really has flown by.  That being said, I feel every week of my pregnancy today.  The baby is lying head down on my left hip and won't budge and I'm in a ton of pain.  I'm nauseous first thing in the morning and during every shower, and I'm exhausted.  I'm whining but it's just how I feel today.  I'm so close, but not close enough to say the end.  I also have no desire for an early baby so I just have to get through 8 weeks.  I know most days I'm pretty positive but sometimes everyone hits a wall....today is that day for me.

In other news, Dylan is doing great, eating well and making me proud.  He is saying a lot of new words and is so good to me.  He is seriously so sweet to me, it melts my heart and instantly made my day better when I picked him up.  He is also very demanding of me though, he won't let dad help...mom has to do it all and be present at all times at home.  I know its a stage and I both love and am exhausted by it.  I told Jake not to worry they will be best buds in September when our new addition is here. (Did I mention I can LITERALLY feel the baby's head on my hip bone right this second OMG)

Overall I'm extremely excited about having a newborn soon.  I don't pretend to be naive to the work involved with one and how those challenges will be amplified by having a toddler to care for, but I am just so blessed to experience this again.  I absolutely loved the newborn stage and hope I can manage it so well the second time.  On that note, a big congratulations to my friend Ashley on her precious baby boy Bennett.  I met Ashley on the first day of high school in 1997 on the school bus and now she is a beautiful mommy.  Ashley and David are going to be amazing parents!  Thank you Ashley for letting me share in your journey thus far and I cannot wait to see you and Bennett grow as mother and son.

This post is so random....what else?  Oh last weekend Jake and I made a big trip to Babies R' Us and I have most everything checked off my list so that's a relief.  I am by no means ready but closer!  Well I think that is all for tonight as I am tired and entirely unwitty this evening!

-Kim

I totally forgot I was a mom....

.....until today!  I'm kidding of course.  Most days motherhood is just my way of life.  I am a mom, I love being one and it is just my "normal".  However, every once in a while there are moments in parenting that stand out like, "holy cow, I'm such a mom".  Now you may be thinking this is one of those sappy moments I divulge into about my son......but it is SO NOT.  It is however funny....at least now.  

So I have a little boy who has a new habit of playing with his diaper....as in he basically can pull it off during the night and wake up with a useless diaper.  So we started putting him in onesies while he slept forgoing the super cute pj sets, because, really, nothing soaked in pee is cute.  We moved up one size in diapers to account for what seemed to be wetter diapers and figured we were on the road to dry mornings.  Last night D went to sleep in a onesie, with cute pj shirt and shorts over it.  Double protection!  Yeah...NO!  At 545am, my usually sleeps till I wake him up baby started crying....not like a whine which usually is shortlived and he falls back asleep, but full on cry.  So of course I dragged my overtired pregnant self to his room to make sure all was well.  It wasn't....soggy baby, diaper half off.  Who are you kid, houdini??  So I change the baby wipe him down to smell baby fresh and prepare to put him back down because...ya know....its 6am and I still have to get ready for work.  He usually sleeps while I'm getting ready.  It's a pretty sweet deal for all involved.  Well before I lay him back down I check his bed....sheet cover, sheet, mattress all drenched.  Awesome.  I lay groggy baby on floor and he watches as preggo mom changes the pee sheet in the dark.  I tell Dylan its too early for him so back to bed he goes.  Surprisingly he is agreeable and quiet.  I go lay back down for 15 minutes because....its 6am and I'm pregnant.  Yes I'm whining....then and now.  I finally decide to get ready for work, quiet dry baby taken care of, when he starts whining off and on seriously the minute I get up.  Mind you we are in different rooms....does he know I'm up?  What's with this kid?  I hurry to get ready etc and when I do go to get Dylan ready for daycare....of course....he's fallen asleep again.  I wake obviously tired baby and dress him for the day, he cracks a smile because he's just that cool until the shoe he is playing with as I snap some buttons on his romper drops on his face and he's not happy about it.  Kid....its that kind of morning, I feel your pain.  Onward, we give the dogs their "cookies" (dog bones), D gets his sippy with carnation instant breakfast....cause sidestory he's a lean machine and needs extra calories per the pediatrician...and off to start our respective days we go.  Tired but ok.  We get to daycare where as I get Dylan out of the car he turns said sippy upside down and all over my shirt it goes.  I go inside when I drop him off to try and redeem myself and bid farewell to my son for the day with a soaked shirt and a prompt "I'm in a very bad mood" call to Jake.  This is of course useless but its what I did.

At this point its about 830am and the rest of the day was fairly uneventful...but as it went on I found humor in my morning and also that astonishing "I'm a mom" moment that in some weird way I was proud to have.  This is not always easy, but gosh darn it, I'm doing it, and I think I'm doing it pretty well.  I never lost my cool, my D was still happy and life just goes on, but I found humor and pride in being a mom today.  I'll leverage slightly into sappy mode because my day ended at Chick-fil-a where D actually ate, full on ankle pjs for D were bought at Target, dogs chased bubbles in the backyard, dancing was done inside, and according to Jake, I performed perhaps the most comical rendition of "old macdonald" during Dylan's bath.  Like every night I sang to Dylan before putting him down for bed to his gracious smile... and here I live to tell the tale.

Ah Motherhood....ain't it grand?  :)

I'm older!

Not much to say this week! I've enjoyed a shorter work week due to the holiday and yesterday was my birthday! 28! A little too close to 30 for my comfort but I am so happy with where I am at in life and I am only here because of the years that have passed! I'm thankful to my wonderful husband who always tries so hard to make me feel special on my birthday! He does that everyday but makes an extra effort for my birthday that doesn't go unnoticed. I'm very blessed to have him! The best part of my birthday was blowing out candles on my cake with my Dylan on my lap while he scooped icing into his mouth!

Meanwhile we are 30 weeks with #2 and morning sickness and heartburn visit me regularly along with sciatic pain so I am looking forward to September! This is hard work but again another blessing! I guess that's all for now!!

Mommy Guilt

I will be really happy when this week is over, but I am glad its downhill from here.  Monday I dropped Dylan at daycare at 7am drove all day in Colorado making sales calls and ended the night in Grand Junction 11 hours later and 300 miles from home.  The next day I drove back.  Today I had an all day work meeting.  Some times the scales are tipped in favor of work and it upsets the work/life balance.  On the outside I handle this fine... smiles in the morning, smiles at pickup for Dylan!  I genuinely enjoy that time with him, but some weeks it is just not enough, not even close.  I wish I could say "oh well some weeks are busier than others" but as Jake can attest....I emotionally crumble because it breaks my heart to not get more time with D.  I get over the emotions after a good cry and move on, but it happens.  I know I leave Dylan everyday in good hands, but I feel bad for him....he doesn't understand why I was gone overnight or why he can't actually see me when we do video chat.  The early morning dropoffs are hard on my little guy who is sleepy and just wants to stay with me.  I know he is fine after I leave, but I also know he hates to see me go.  Guilt.  It is nearly impossible to avoid for any mother and working mom's have a whole subset of it.  I don't know if this post has much of a point and I certainly don't need to explain what mommy guilt is.  Only that I have it, and I am doing the best I can to deal with it.  Right now that means giving Dylan my all when were together...meaning I may be 7 months pregnant but we will race around the kitchen, and I will throw the bouncy balls up and down the hall, and we will do the hot dog dance more than once (Hello Mickey Mouse Clubhouse).  I will talk to him tirelessly about our day if that's what he needs to calm down, because I love that the sound of my voice can soothe him, I will sing to him every night, and I will remind myself that RIGHT NOW I am doing my best and even if I judge myself, I know that little boy doesn't.

I dedicate this blog post to my working mom friends....who have the right to work, the right to enjoy it, the right to feel guilt, the right to NOT enjoy it, and the right to say....I'm doing my best and I love my child.  Whether you stay at home or work outside of the home, being a mom is the toughest job in the world and I support all my mom friends, but this post goes out to those facing the work/life balance!  Kudos ladies!

Body Beautiful?

Ahh pregnancy, such a beautiful phase in a women's life with her growing shape, new curves, that pregnancy glow....doesn't every pregnant woman just love it?  NO!!  Is it beautiful to be growing another human being, your own son or daughter?  Absolutely. But find me 10 pregnant ladies and 9 of them will tell you they could do without the new shape and curves.  We're bigger, we're uncomfortable, we want to be skinny again.  I know this sounds vain and silly but its just the truth.  I do not ever wish to miss this experience because I'd rather not gain weight etc., but i think it's OK to say it is not my favorite part.  I have not gained much weight so far, but I feel huge and my belly is somewhat impressive.  With my first pregnancy I hardly showed until the end, now I have people asking me if  its "time".  No folks, God willing this baby will stay put until September!  I had a checkup yesterday and when doc measured me I had to know....he said I was measuring right on at 27/28 weeks.  That was good to hear.  It's funny because in one day I can hear "you're so tiny" and one hour later" its "woah you really popped".  Why the need for narrative when I'm pregnant?  I'm either "all belly" or "pregnant all over" and to be honest sometimes I let it get to me either way.  I just am not comfortable with people always analyzing my body...or bump!  That of course is due to my own insecurities and I know that.  Most days I take it in stride and just realize...yep this is what happens you get pregnant, grow a human, you get bigger.  Ideally you go back to your smaller version after.  I was lucky with #1, I lost the weight crazy fast due to luck and nursing and decided to get in killer shape with a trainer once I could.  I will follow the same protocol this time around if I can.  Until then I will try to embrace my body....I do love my belly and the little guy moving inside it.  Sometimes it's just hard to ignore that voice in your head that says...."I believe the baby may also be in your lovely puffy face".

To all my pregnant friends and new moms, you are stunning, you are neither too big, or too small, you are just perfect :)  Hey, sometimes we just need to be told!  Thank you to my husband and kind friends who always have something nice to say!  It never goes unnoticed!

-Kim :)

My baby boy.....

.....is sick!  :(  Hopefully he is on the mend.  Had a high temp yesterday and it was still holding on today so we took him to the doc to make sure nothing major was going on.  Looks like its just a stupid virus going around.  I think all parents tend to worry when their child is sick.  However, last time Dylan had a high temp he basically could not breathe and ended up in the hospital for 3 days....so we REALLY worry.  If you have ever spent time with Dylan you know he is a super happy kid on the move, so its obvious and heartbreaking to me when he is sick.  He just sits or lays next to me with sad eyes.  He amazes me though because I truly don't have a fussy kid, he takes life in stride always happy and inquisitive and when he is sick, he just becomes this sweet little boy who can still manage a smile.  He teaches me so much about positive attitude and resilience....all 20 months of him.  I thank God everyday for that little boy!

Besides being sick, Dylan is doing great in life and thriving.  He's so darn smart, I know I sound like THAT mom who gushes about her kid, but hey if I don't who will?  He is saying new words and understands it seems like everything we say.  I'm thankful everyday he is an overall healthy, happy, thriving boy.  I get a little teary eyed writing this post because I cannot quite put into words the bond we have and how happy he makes me.  He says mommy about a hundred times a day and I joke to Jake that he never demands as much from his dada, but truly I love it.  As mothers we always wonder if we are enough, and in rare moments I realize that even though I never think I do enough or can be enough, Dylan thinks I'm more than enough.  I'm cherishing my time with him and squeezing in extra where I can....because soon my baby won't be the baby anymore.  We are officially under the 3 month mark until baby brother gets here, and I am SO excited to meet our new son and have two children.

Some days the time cannot go fast enough, but days like today...when my baby that is here is sick and reaching for me and snuggles in, I know that these few months belong to us...me and my first born.  I love you  Dylan, truly more everyday!

How did I get here?

I was not sure if I wanted to write about this topic, but it is one that I have many a thought on and is very important in my life and who I am today, so I thought this is my blog to write about what matters to me so I'll go forth with it.  That topic?  Infertility.  The title of this post refers to how I got to motherhood...and for me it was not simple or idealistic, but so far the outcome has been so it has all been worth it.  In 2008, Jake and I decided we wanted to start a family.  Goodbye birth control pills, hello Hawaii vacation we always promised each other we would take BEFORE having kids, and then it would be baby time.  Of course this is life and it rarely goes to plan.  Oh we went to Hawaii and it was amazing and fun and while I know there will be other trips to the islands, I'm glad Jake and I had our last true baby free vacation.  That was in September.  We...or more clearly, "I", told the "world" we wanted a baby and thus when we got back from Hawaii the questions of "are you pregnant" began rolling in.  We waited somewhat patiently for my body to decide to get on track..or do something...anything, but it didn't.  Like any good woman I trusted my instincts and went to my doctor who told me I wasn't cycling and there was no indication that I would....since folks I was 25 years old and still waiting for things to get started.  So I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility and put on meds to get things moving.  Fine, let's do this I thought, I want a baby, I'll take some meds.  So I did....5 days on this med...wait.  5 days later...next med.  Wait.  Go to doctor for ultrasound to see if my ovaries cooperate.  Fail.  Wipe tears and promptly try again.  I had this idea in my head I would be expecting at Christmas, so when I was told the week of Christmas 2008 that there was no chance a baby would be made I was pretty bummed.  I realized at this time that once you make the decision to have a baby it can turn into an obsession and I know many women who have felt the same way.  By January of 2009 we were onto another medicated cycle....which let me add turned me into a hormonal, emotional, hot flash mess.  Not ideal for making a baby but that didn't matter this was happening!  And....it did.  On February 11 I followed those pesky instincts of mine and for the first time the test said PREGNANT.  I hit my knees and thanked the good Lord and promptly forgot that it had been challenging at all for me to get pregnant.  In retrospect I felt that although I had to do fertility treatments my challenges were meager compared to many other wishful moms to be and I was grateful for the  journey that would bring us our first child never doubting how much we wanted him.  I never wished for a boy or girl, just a baby, and Jake felt the same way.  I come from a family of women....my mom, aunt, cousin, 2 female dogs haha, and I myself am quite the girly girl.  I think Jake thought it was his destiny to have little girls, but when the tech told us BOY I saw it on my husbands face true joy and shock, and I realized what a gift I carried for him.  Our son Dylan has never ceased to be a blessing and a miracle and we always knew we wanted more children, or at least 1 more.  So...the journey continues doesn't it?  The doctors told me I would either have similar issues with my cycles and conceiving OR my body would reset and I'd have no issues getting pregnant a second time.  I figured I might need some mild intervention like I did the first go round and I knew I could handle that....but that's not what happened.  We knew we wanted our children close together, within 2 years, so we waited for my body to cycle so we could try again.  Except, shocker, it never did.  I went to the doctor and they ran tests to see if all my hormone levels were normal and I should be cycling.  Everything was normal, I was healthy, and back at square one again.  "It's ok" I thought I'll just do the meds like last time and boom we will be on our way again.  Four months of trying the old fashioned way, 3 medicated cycles later, my faithful and trusted OB doc told me it was time for me to go to a reproductive endocrinologist, aka, the infertility clinic.  I was heartbroken and scared we'd never have another child, but happy that God had welcomed me into motherhood once.  Jake and I underwent testing, and to no surprise he was not the problem.  I had ultrasounds and painful tests done to find out why I would not ovulate.  A clear diagnosis was never made, so I was given "secondary infertility".  Meaning, even though you have had a kiddo, you are still infertile.  Bummer.  But my new doc was positive and aggressive and we had a new plan.  New meds, new procedure.  We'd give it three months and then move onto the ultimate plan...IVF.  Jake and I agreed we would try it once since insurance covered it and that would be it.  So in December 2010 I took new meds, I had painful shots, and went in for an IUI (google it if you need to).  This was December 23, 2010.  I was glad this holiday season I wouldn't know until it was over if I was pregnant, I went to church on Christmas Eve and I prayed for the other moms to be in my life.  I had 4 pregnant friends at the time, one who had suffered a miscarriage and nearly a year of trying to finally be blessed, I told God I know its HER time, keep that baby safe.  I prayed for my other friend suffering from infertility, it was HER time, to be a mom and like me she was waiting over this holiday season.  I knew how lucky I was to have my Dylan and I could wait a little longer for #2.  In January 2011, my friends wait was over and she was expecting and I was ecstatic for her.  I now had 5 pregnant friends.  God is good.  He blessed me too, once again, in January 2011 I found out I'd have another baby.  I never had to do IVF.  It almost seemed more unreal the second time.  I never realized how much you could want a second baby as much as the first.  It was never that Dylan was not enough, he was always going to be enough, but we wanted siblings, I wasn't done having children and God knew that too.  Like I said at the beginning of this, getting HERE has not been ideal, its been scary, and hormonal, and medical, and at times sad, but its been worth it.  It feels good to get this out, to tell my story.  SO many women struggle with conception and nobody wants to talk about it.  I was always a healthy slim girl who rarely drank, never smoked or did drugs, and I struggled and I don't know why.  It happens to millions of couples everyday who want children, they struggle, and many much more than I.  This pregnancy people would ask, "do you want a girl this time", to which I always replied, "nope, just a healthy baby".  After we found out Dylan would have a little brother, people would ask "oh are you sad its not a girl"...."nope, just happy to be expecting another healthy baby".  People don't get it, they don't know my story, and thats ok. People ask if we will have a 3rd child and the short answer is....probably not.  We are leaving the option open for a few years but have decided we will not pursue infertility treatment again.  Its draining and consumes your life.  I will have 2 children soon....brothers!  What a blessing!  We say that if a miracle happens and we conceive on our own, great, but if not, we made it HERE!  Parenthood.  I never wanted boys or girls...I wanted children.  I wanted to be mommy, and I am.

Weighty matters!

When you are 19 months old, extremely active, a picky eater, oh and bronchilitis survivor.....its tough to gain weight.  To make a long story short, our little guy has always been on the lean side, which is ok, he's got lean genes ;).  However, it has been something we have had to monitor for the better part of his short life and we were on the right track until he got sick and could not breathe on his own, let alone eat for a couple weeks.  So mom and Dylan make special trips to the doc to check his weight.  I am so happy that Dylan is fully recovered from bronchilitis and has gained over a pound since April.  He is a whopping 20.12 pounds which means he is on the growth scale...barely! It is also the first time he has been 20 pounds.  He also got a shot and did great.  I stress DAILY about my son's eating habits and growth and all any mom wants is a healthy kiddo.  You are a trooper Dylan and momma is proud!  I hope someone is equally proud of me during my short period of weight gain!  Ha! -Kim

Blogging....

I'm not sure where to start!  I like to read other people's blogs, mostly those of young mom's like myself whom I can relate to.  I also generally have a lot on my mind and a lot to say, so maybe this will be a way I enjoy getting those thoughts out.  Then again, maybe not.  We shall see!  I think this will mainly be a blog about my life as a wife and mom as I slowly (no rapidly) approach being a mom of 2....to two boys no less!  I'm not ashamed to admit my nickname to my husband is Boo, and thus this blog is Boo's boys.  So far I wouldn't have it any other way, Jake and Dylan are the light of my life and I'm one loved momma.  I can't wait to see where life goes from here, hopefully I'll stick to blogging so I'll have a place to write down all my adventures!  Stay tuned!  -Kim