Friday, September 23, 2011

The appointment on Monday went great! I had an ultra sound and saw the little babe and a heart beat! That was a huge relief!

I've been majorly sucking at blogging lately. And everything else that doesn't involve sitting in front of the AC, sipping ice water and eating popsicles.

I have been nauseous 24/7 and lately that's being accompanied by throwing up. So until this improves- I''ll probably continue to be a sucky blogger.

I have been trying to catch up on all your blogs though from my Iphone though! Can't wait to feel better and be back to my regular self, just with a bigger belly :)

Monday, September 19, 2011

Keeping things..interesting?

So we took the red eye from Denver to North Carolina on Tuesday night/ Wednesday morning. Our flight left at 1 AM- and by 1:15 I was throwing up. I wanted to make sure I stayed hydrated so in between every time I threw up I was drinking water and taking bites out of my apple I brought along.

When we landed I wasn't feeling the greatest, heavy breathing and a little dizzy so I waited till everyone else got off before Jasper and I got off.

We were standing right outside the plane waiting for Jasper's stroller when the lady in front of me asked if I was okay. I was in the middle of telling her I was fine (my face must have said differently) when I started to fall backwards. I ended up fainting.

I 'came to' immediately so I wasn't ever unconscious for more than a few seconds, but then I don't know if I had a panic attack or what because as I was laying there I couldn't breathe very well.

Within seconds people were surrounding me (someone sat with jasper the Whole time this was happening, just a few feet from me so I could see them) and helping. They wouldn't let me sit up, even though I kept saying I needed to get to my connecting flight (Charlotte to Wilmington) police officers, EMT's and paramedics arrived.

I was hooked up to a heart machine. Had my blood taken and my pulse several times. They kept trying to convince me that I needed to go to the hospital, but I stubbornly refused. I had my sisters wedding to get too! Plus I fell on my back, not my stomach. That would have been a LOT scarier. Finally I had to sign paperwork saying I was leaving against medical consent or something like that and they stuck us in a golf cart thing to get us to our next flight.

The flight was going to be less than an hour and I knew I was to be meeting up with my uncle who in a doctor so I felt like getting on the plane was the best decision, not going to a hospital in a place where the only people I knew were 4.5 hrs south. I couldn't take Jasper to a hospital and go through tests and all that and have no family with Jasper. So on the plane we went.

The 2nd flight went fine, and my mom was able to get a special pass to go through security to be waiting for us right as we stepped off the airplane. And everything was fine after that!

I have my first OB appointment and ultra sound in 5.5 hours so I'll check back after then!!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

We are back!

We got back yesterday from our amazing 4 days in North Carolina. I went to bed at 7:30 last night and slept 11 hours and it felt Amazing!

It felt so great to go with out blogging, emailing, checking emails and all that for a few days- and I have zero desire right now to check my email. Maybe tonight! Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Who does he look more like?

Ever since Jasper was a baby people have been saying " Oh gosh he looks Exactly like YOU Darlene" And almost as many people say " Oh no, he looks Exactly like Drew" So now you can be the judge

Exibit A.
Darlene as a 2 year old


Exibit B Jasper








Exibit C Drew





What do you guys think???

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

While Jasper and I are vacationing on the beach I decided to post a couple of my old favorite posts. This one seems pretty fitting to me now since by April I will have a little munchkin to try this out on. 



Baby fever...and the 'crazy' thing I intend to do next time around


Now that Jasper is going to be THREE this summer (still can't believe it) I at times start to have baby fever. I have always knows I want kids- but the number changes. 3?4?5? But right now the timing Definitely isn't right. We are getting married in October- so maybe sometime next year? Who knows, but when thinking about babies I think about things I will do differently and the same next time around. Probably the biggest thing I want to do differently will shock everyone(at least Americans.) And at first it sounded crazy to me too- but after doing a TON of research on it I have come to the conclusion its Genius.

Before revealing the shocker I'm going to give a little background. I was born in florida but moved to Sweden when I was just a toddler. My dad is Swedish and mom American. We moved to the US when I was in 4th grade and I hadnt been back till last year when Drew, Jasper and I studied abroad there for 6 months. While there I picked up on some of their traditions..which is where this one comes from.

Ready? K. Next time around I want my baby to....NAP OUTSIDE! All babies in Sweden have these sweet prams (yep- we got one too) that protect the babies from all elements. In the winter they sleep on these wool rug thingys and are dressed head to toe in snow hear, and in the summer they sleep in the shade in weather appropriate clothing. Its brilliant!

At first when I heard Jaspers daycare in Sweden did that I freaked out. (Even though he was only going to be there 3 hrs a day twice a week)

Won't they freeze??-It was january and between 25-35 degrees during the day on average. Nope- they are sheltered on all sides- wearing several layers including hats, gloves, scarves and snowsuits.

Won't they get sick?? The daycare had between 15-20 kids and 5-6 adults and in the 6 months I never even saw them have runny noses or colds- which is not something I can say for most daycare children in America during the winter. Here kids are always sick with something!

What if someone tries to steal a baby sleeping outside? This was more a question for everyone else who just leaves their baby sleeping outside in the pram in their gardens and not the daycare where the children were always supervised. I'm not kidding- even in a big city like stockholm you will see prams lined up outside of cafes with sleeping children while moms are inside having 'fika'- coffee/coffee cake. Answer I got- Who would steal a baby?? And they looked at me like I was the crazy one. I love that- I loved being in a country where its safe enough to leave your babies sleeping outside and look like the crazy one for thinking someone was going to steal a baby (because it NEVER happens there)

That was it- those were the only concerns I could come up with for why babies shouldn't sleep outside.

And here are the reasons why it's beneficial.
*There is not much better for babies/children/EVERYONE than fresh air. You can not possibly get too much fresh air.
*Many believe babies sleep better outside and sleep longer. This was always the case for my son when we were on walks- running errands outside etc.
*They also believe the fresh air makes them healthier, stronger, and maybe we should listen to the Swedes since they all do this and they have the highest life expectancy in the world. I think they might know a thing or two about living longer, healthier lives.
*People get colds in the winter because they are cooped up more inside without the fresh air--this totally made sense to me when I thought about it.

I know I sleep better when the windows are open and its a little chillier in the room. We like to crack our windows in the winter also and spend hours outside every day. Maybe thats why I can count on one hand how many times my soon to be three year old has been sick.

I don't expect most people to agree with me on this- but its something I cant wait to do next time around :)

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

And the winner of the collegien slippers...number 5- Libby's Life. Email me within the next 48 hours so I can connect you with collegien to get your prize.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Officially a soccer mom

Saturday morning Jasper has his first soccer practice/game. A dozen 4 year olds playing soccer for the first time? Seriously the cutest thing ever. 

So looking forward to spending our Sat mornings this fall, pumpkin spice latte in hand, watching my little dude run up and down the field kicking a ball. It really Is the little things in life..

If you haven't already you need to go here and enter to win a pair of Amazing French slippers! Super low entries and I will pick a winner late tonight or tomorrow before Jasper and I take off for 4 days to beautiful North Carolina for my baby sister's wedding! 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Giveaway Time!! (It's an Awesome one)

You guys I'm Really excited about tonights giveaway. It comes from the awesome company Collegien, who make slipper shoes for babies through adults! I'm pretty jealous Jasper got a pair to review because honestly? I'd love a pair.



These are from a French company, and any experience I have with Jasper with anything from Europe I'm in love with. Not only are these super adorable, they will keep Jasper's toesies warm this fall/winter since we have all hardwood floor and tile in our house. Ever since we got them last week he has been asking to put his new 'socks' on- which is rare because he hates having anything on his feet. If I'd allow it he would probably run barefoot in the middle of our Coloradan winters. But these? He can't get enough of!



And NOW for the exciting part- Collegien is offering one of YOU guys a chance to win a pair for yourself or a little in your life!!

To Enter
1. Follow my blog via GFC on the right (mandatory)
2.Visit http://en.collegien-shop.com/ and tell me what pair you would choose if you won
3.Follow me on twitter
4.Tweet about this giveaway with a link back to this post

Good luck! Trust me you WANT to win these sweet French slippers :)

Giveaway ends Sunday


Promise I'm still alive..

sort of.

As of Wednesday/Thursday the nausea has started. For about a split second I was grateful because I read it's a good sign to be sick with morning sickness- means baby is healthy and everything is going good. Not even sure if that has any sort of truth to it, but since I haven't been to the doc yet (two more weeks!!) it made me feel like things are progressing as they should.

That gratefulness has passed and I'm just feeling horrible and miserable. Last time around I got sick. A LOT. I threw up probably 8-12 times a day. But it's weird because I didn't really feel nauseous at all. I would be in the middle of eating a steaming baked potato topped w/ sour cream and butter (had to have one every day at 4) and immediately would be hit with " Oh s**t I'm going to throw up NOW" I would run to the bathroom, throw up, then go sit down and continue to eat my baked potato. It didn't stop me from eating- in fact I would just ask Drew to stick another baked potato in the oven because one wasn't going to cut it anymore.

This time? If food wasn't need to grow this baby I doubt I would be able to be convinced to eat. I'm nauseous 24/7. Food smells horrible. I'm always thirsty and can't get enough water in me. But drinking makes me more nauseous. I basically just want to curl up on a ball on the couch in front of the AC blasting. I'm freezing Jasper and Drew out- they are huddled under blankets whenever we are in the living room while I feel like it's 90 degrees in here. Is this what menopause feels like?

Anyway, I guess that's what I've been an absent blogger. I used to blog during nap time or after J goes to bed. But now I nap while Jasper naps. And by 8 after J goes to bed I'm curled up on the couch, usually asleep by 9;30-10.

Moving on from complaining. Just needed to get that off my chest. And remind myself that I AM grateful to be pregnant. If being nauseous for a few months is what's needed to grow a healthy baby? I'll do it. And try not to complain to much.


We told our families this weekend. Wasn't planning to until at least after my appointment- but Jasper and I are leaving next Tuesday on the red eye to NC for my sister's beach wedding, where I'm her bridesmaid. If my little pooch doesn't give it away- my constant nausea and lack of wine drinking will clue them in- and I want her wedding week to be about only that not Oh My Gosh Darlene's Pregnant so I figured spilling the beans a week and a half before would let everyone get that out of their system and just focus on my baby sisters wedding.


This is the picture we texted all of our family members along with the caption New Family Picture..

I got calls and texts from my family within a minute..with excitement and congrats. Drew's family? Responded with texts like

 'Grass is looking good!'

'Jasper's feet are getting big' and

' Is that your yard?'
...so I guess they didn't get it? Kinda sad since my 80 year old grandpa even got it right away.

Oh and tonight I promise to have a SWEET giveaway up- I've been meaning to take pictures for it for days but tonight it WILL be up!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Baby stats


How far along: 6 weeks this weekend
Size of baby:  A sweet pea! Soo tiny!
Total Weight Gain: Haven't weighed myself in probably 6 months so NO idea- I'll start weighing myself now and count this as my starting weight. 
Maternity Clothes:Ha not yet but it's going to be Early this time around I can tell! 
Gender: Obviously too early to tell- but since Drew's family is 99% boys I'd be Shocked if it wasn't a boy
Movement: Nope
Sleep: It's all I want to do! I forgot how exhausting these first few months are. 
What I miss: Nothing yet. 
Cravings: Salty! Two days in a row I've had salty lay's potato chips for breakfast..oops. But before that I was drinking berry/spinach smoothies for 2 weeks straight! I'll get back to doing that. 
Symptoms: So tired! And thirsty. And I have to pee about 14 times a day. And the last two days I've had slight waves of nausea but I don't think I can count that as anything since I was So sick with J. I know what real morning sickness feels like, and this isnt it. yet. 
What I’m looking forward to:
Sept. 19th when I finally get to go to the doctor. And I'll be thrilled/relieved when                 I'm out of the first trimester. 




This was last week- I'm even bigger now!!