Brown is my new blonde!

So I seem to be a day behind on my blog compared to my facebook posts, but anyways, I was soooo bored with my same old, same old hair that I decided to really change with a dark, short do. Now no going back, at least for a long time. I think I like it but I have to get used to it. I was shopping today and everytime I had to show ID with credit card I would get a weird look. Guess I better get used to that too.

80's celebration!

This past weekend I decided to brave the drive to San Diego to visit my friends there and help Laura celebrate her 30th birthday party! She has a little girl a bit older than Shay so we wanted to get them together as well! We had a blast! I also got to stop by and visit Christine and Tommy and the kids but didn't take any photos there but Shay had fun playing with Isaiah and Kalea as always!

Shayla in her 80's outfit! Such a cutie!

Shayla and Larissa sporting the 80's fun!

Shayla and Anabelle at the party!

The two girls hard at play at being fairies!

This shot is from Monday - this is how Shayla looks after a long weekend of partying!

I am still trying to figure out how she managed this - it is a pull up diaper around her neck. She woke up from her nap with it there somehow she had put it there and her pants were still on too - luckily it was dry!

It's a.....

So baby #2 is a boy! I went on Sunday, Sept 20, to see my BF Heather who is an ultrasound tech so she could scan me as early as this so I could find out whether I was having a boy or girl! My little baby gave us a first time straight shot of his boyhood within 2 seconds (whereas it took like 45 minutes to figure out Shay!). He was so cute in the womb hanging out and moving around and sucking his thumb a lot! Everything looks great and he looks healthy as can be! We are excited to continue the planning and now get to pick names, do nursery, get baby boy items, etc...

Heather, Me, Jon and Shayla holding baby ultrasound photos!

Boy parts! It's really a boy!

The little guy!

Gender Predictions???

So, I find out this Sunday (2 days!) if the baby I am carrying is a boy or a girl! Hopefully - that is if baby cooperates and is not too modest! Anyway, my BF from high school is an ultrasound tech and she is doing the honors as she did with Shayla! I cannot wait to find out and continue all the fun baby planning (naming, nursery, etc)! I wanted to try out a few of the ways that baby gender is predicted and see if I get a consensus and which ones seem true for me.

CHINESE PREDICTION CALENDAR: Based on mother’s age at baby’s conception and month of conception (although it was the same week as my 30^th bday so could be off – if I was 29 it says girl, if I was 30 it says boy): GIRL

MAYAN WAY: The Mayans take the mothers age at conception and the year of conception and add them together. If the result is a even number then mom is having a girl. If the result is an odd number then a boy is on the way! 29+2009 = 2038 = GIRL

PULSE PREDICTION: My Aunt Sheelah has a pretty high success rate with determining baby’s gender if left pulse of mother is stronger it’s a boy, if right pulse is stronger it’s a girl: BOY

CRAVINGS: It is thought that, if you are craving sweets like chocolate, that the gender of your baby will be female. In contrast, your baby would be a boy if you are craving sour things, such as raw lemon juice. I have been craving sour things but also craved sour with Shayla too: BOY

SKIN: If you break out in severe acne, it is predicted that you will have a girl. If your acne is mild, then you will have a boy. I have had bad skin this time! GIRL

MORNING SICKNESS The most common pregnancy symptom, morning sickness, may be able to be used to predict the gender of your baby as well. If you are severely sick, you will be having a boy. Otherwise, you will be having a girl. I had bad morning sickness. BOY

MORNING SICKNESS TIMING: Some people think that the timing of morning sickness is able to predict the gender of your baby, too, with morning sickness in the morning being a boy and morning sickness at night being a girl. I have morning sickness at night. GIRL

RING TEST: Take a pin, needle, or wedding ring and attach it to a thread or strand of hair. Hold the dangling item over mom to be's belly while she is lying down. If the needle or wedding ring swings in a strong circular motion, you will be having a girl. If it moves in a to and fro motion like a pendulum, you will be having a boy. It swung to and fro with 3 tries for me. BOY

So 4 for GIRL and 4 for BOY. Hmm so much for that! Darn it!!! I have kind of been thinking of my baby as a he recently so maybe my intuition is right and it will be a boy, but I would love a little sister for Shay! Who knows?

What are your guesses?

Back from Lake Mead...and back to my blog!

So I think this has been the longest I have gone without blogging - almost a month! I have to blame it on my icky pregnant feelings of nausea and exhaustion. Not much has been done around my house the last 2 months, blog included, but I take pride that I have been able to not neglect Shayla and take regular showers! Hopefully I am almost out of the woods with my morning/all day sickness (with Shay it ended at 16 weeks so I hope the same this time!).

Last week we spent the week at Lake Mead as a mini college reunion with Jon and 3 of his college roommates and their families and a bonus family! I know I was brave (or stupid) to venture out on a 6 hour car ride to stay in 100 plus degree weather to go ride a boat with my morning sickness! But surprisingly I did really well! It was lots of fun and Shayla had a blast playing with all her new friends! We had 4 two year olds, 4 four year olds, a 6 year old and 6 month old in one house!

Shayla on the boat for first time this summer (due to not wanting to get up with Jon at 5 am to take her on the boat on Saturdays!)

Jon wakeboarding - he was in heaven!

On the boat dock dozens or hundreds of fish (Carp?) would swarm up to the docks with their mouths open waiting for food. The kids LOVED to feed them and watch them.

Here they are swarming about. We heard that if you put your toe in the water they will suck it so I tried it but they didn't suck -maybe they knew the bright pink toenail polish was toxic - or maybe I didn't leave it in long enough!

Shayla's first time on the inner tube! She loved it but then she saw Jon reach over and splash the water over the top so of course she wanted to try and her movement caused it to flip forward and in they went. She did not ride it after that but said she had fun?

We would stop the boat every once in a while and all the kids and adults would jump in and swim around! Shayla loved it and got really brave wanting to float without anyone holding on to her - time for swim lessons!

One day I went in to Vegas with Shayla to meet up with one of my longest best friends Michelle and her family! We went to the shark reef and then the buffet at Mandalay Bay! It was so fun to see her and her kiddos!

Here are all the past college buddies with their kiddos! Too cute!

We were near the Hoover dam most of the time at the lake

I swear I don't know how kids can be so cute, but Shayla IS! And she loves doing everything herself so that has helped too while I can sit and be blah and just observe her dancing around the house, "reading" books to herself, singing, playing "games", etc. That has been a joy in slowing down that I can just sit back and watch Shayla blossom!

First day of preschool!

So this week Shayla started preschool (aka a paid playdate, aka mom errand time, aka her social hour)...she is going to go 3 hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays, enough that she will love it and I won't miss her too much! Anyway, of course I had to document the first day like any good mom would do...She had a great time and was one of the few that did not cry all day! She loved it and already is asking to go back!

On the way out the door...

With her/our first homework assignment...

Squirting one of the classes pet hermit crabs Mr. Bumpy!

Looking at the horses out the window (you can't see them in this pic but they are out there and fun to look at for the kids).

Cute Cousins!

The past few weeks we were lucky to have Jon's sister Tara and her family visit from Utah! Ever since they moved from California, we have really missed having them around. We were able to spend lots of time at the beach, visiting at home and even made it to the Long Beach Aquarium. They are gone now, so we miss them again, but we were able to get all the cousins together for photos before they left!

All the cousins -Shayla, Cole, Cody, Bryan, Stella, Tony

The boys!

The girls!

Tony & Stella

Shayla

Some fun videos of Shayla!

Shayla is such a cutie - I try to capture some of her cuteness on film and I am sharing it here for your viewing pleasure!

The cutest thing to hear in the whole world!

Playing the wake up game...

Singing her ABC's really fast so she can watch the vidoe of herself!

Baby #2 on it's way!

Yes, you read correctly! Baby Nelson #2 is on it's way!

He or She will be joining our family end of February 2010!
(although my due date is March 5th 2010, I already know I will be having a c-section 7-10 days before the due date thanks to Shayla's stubbornness in not turning and having to have a c-section with her).

So I am happy to announce that I am pregnant with our second child. I am about 10 and a half weeks right now (which means peak of morning sickness and exhaustion). Here's some proof:


Okay, here is ultrasound photo of last week of Fetus Nelson...

I always thought it was gross having a photo of pregnancy test (and worse to save the stick - which I did not) but since this is digital, not so bad. The first 2 pregnancy tests I tooks were negative so this one was extra exciting!

And of course, Shayla, sharing in the joy!

Firewoman Shayla!

This weekend we went to Shayla's little boyfriend Hank's 2 year birthday party! We had a lot of fun especially when the local firemen stopped by and gave the kids rides in the firetruck! Happy 2nd Hank! Thanks for the fun!

Here is Shayla eating her ice cream with Hank the birthday boy!