Getting Sentimental

I am getting some major pregnancy hormones lately...overall, I haven't been too much of a "blubbery pill" for Paul, but I am getting excited, nervous, and sad that Reina will have to share my attention. My free time in the mornings and evenings have been devoted to talking, playing, and interacting with my little girl. I am not as fortunate to spend all day, everyday with my girl, but the time that I do have with her is always special. Some days I substitute teach, then do my normal part-time job. These days are hard emotionally for me and for Reina. We both feel we got gyped with our special time. It's these days bedtime is harder. I totally understand why she doesn't want to go to bed; she'd rather keep singing songs and reading books with her mommy and daddy, even if she is exhausted. Soon I'll be adding in nursing time, coddling time, and some  much-needed sleep time with the new babe. Lately, when I am laying in bed I wonder how she is going to handle this new addition. Is she going to be helpful? Will she love her brother or despise him for taking away his mommy? Will she despise me for giving him attention? Those of you who have gone through this could give me some tips, please? It makes it harder when you are a working mommy too. I look forward to more time with my children, probably not an all day, everyday thing. I don't think I will ever be a "true" stay-at-home mom. I will always be doing some sort of side-job, even if it is teaching a couple yoga classes at the gym. Maybe it's for my self-esteem. Maybe it's the fact I was raised in a childcare center always taking care of kids. Maybe because I was raised in a family where my mom worked...and still works. I asked Paul if Reina knew how much I love her. He comforted me by saying that the time we do spend together is always special and she knows it. He also reminds me that I am her favorite person. This will probably change when she's 13 years old...if she'll at least hold out until then! As long as she'll return to loving me. Reina was our miracle baby; very hard to get. Sometimes I feel too blessed by getting HER. If I dreamt up a little girl, she wouldn't have even come close to Reina. Reina, I want you to know how very happy we are to have you as our daughter. Everyday you are surrounded with people who love you. Mommy, daddy, Mummi, Grandma, cousins, friends. You love your life, and your mommy love's your life.

In Over my Head

I am hoping I can pull this off....pregnancy and life. My pregnancy has had some major changes this last week. I am officially gestational diabetic again, which is contributed directly to my condition, PCOS. Pregnancy intensifies my insulin resistance 3x my normal amount which is not good. Actually, the diabetic counselor today said that my fasting numbers (blood sugar when I wake up in the morning) are some of the worst. Great. So now on top of normal pregnancy appointments that are almost weekly, the baby has to be monitored twice a week for an hour (possibly more), and then in a few weeks 3x a week. Ugh. I opted for insulin injections this time since they are 100% safe. I took medication with Reina, but didn't really work anyway since she was 9+lbs. This means I have to learn to stab myself 3x a day at the same time. Eat at the same time. Monitor what I eat. Write it down. Then prick myself an hour later to see if I "did good" with choosing the perfect food for my body (which is only done with trial and error). Oh yeah, I was involved in a minor car accident awhile back (not my fault) and still have chiropractic adjustments and massage appointments twice a week. I'm not complaining about getting a massage, just having a hard time figuring my schedule of work and pregnancy appointments to coincide when they have openings. Oh yeah, I am supposed to exercise everyday (to keep blood sugar down), but can't 2 hours after eating or I'll get a sudden low blood sugar. This means I have to get up earlier to eat breakfast, so I can wait and then go to my normal workout classes. Also due to my blood sugar problems combined with pregnancy, I have a fibroma growing behind a tooth. I have to go get that removed which is not covered by my insurance and there were no promises of it not coming back. So I have been in and out of dental appointments too. Oh yeah, I almost forgot that I also am having hearing problems. After a birthday party that Paul and I attended in the beginning of November, I have a strange low humming in my ears that comes and goes. I went to the doctor to get tested since I stayed up one night googling my symptoms and getting completely scared that I'm going deaf or will have to deal with it for the rest of my life. NEVER GOOGLE DISEASES AT NIGHT. Luckily she saw nothing and I had no hearing loss, but then she referred me to a specialist. I am still debating to go as this could just be a weird pregnancy thing, or a weird cold thing as it comes and goes. I am putting this one on hold. I am still working until Christmas break....if I can just hold out until the break then half my stress will be gone and I can focus on the baby and my crazy body right now.
I don"t physically look like a basketcase, but I really could do without a few of these things. For the record, I do love being pregnant. I enjoy pregnancy as I never feel sick or unusually tired or achy or like a whale, just wish my inside body enjoyed it as much. I don't feel diabetic whatsoever. To end on a good note, the ultrasounds show that the baby is normal weight, normal fluid amount, and apparently my placenta is "very young". Huh? I didn't know placentas had an age limit. I learned that placentas apparently age up to 10 months. Okay, this makes sense since you deliver around 9 months. But with someone who has gestational diabetes, they usually age very quickly. Mine is still just a teenager. So at least some parts of me are liking pregnancy along with my mind.  I hope I can still stay positive despite this craziness right now!

Fall Makes Me Happy

Fresh from the farm

Wreath I made

Put together this cute Halloween house

I LOVE fall! All of the changing leaves, the wind and thunderstorms, the cool, crisp air that's reminds you to add an extra layer. That is, until the rain decides it wants to stay for the next 6 months starting November 2nd. I'm happy to go on excursions looking for the perfect pumpkin to carve. I'm happy to decide what "theme" our family should be for Halloween. I'm happy to eat all the pumpkin I want...if you didn't know, I have an exceptional love for pumpkin anything. Here are this year's fall excursions:

Pumpkin picking at Bi-Zi Farms

Munching on kettle corn

The slickest and muddiest corn maze...soooo fun!

Making animal feed

Climbing the hay stack

We visited my brother's family in Coeur d'Alene....COLD but very pretty!

Superheroes: Batgirl, Supergirl, The Punisher...it was cold so we had LAYERS

Teem, Miia, Luukas, Kaija, Emily, Finn

Two girlies jumping on the "peloween"

Trick-or-Treating downtown Coeur d'Alene

Pumpkin carving in Coeur d'Alene with Grandma & Grandpa Scarborough

Paul did Angry Bird and Reina "did" Minnie Mouse

Pregnancy Update

Just a little update on the pregnancy:
Less than 3 months left (less than 12 weeks)
Still craving donuts (and give in)
Checking blood sugar which shows it's elevated but no need for medications at this time (yeah!)
I only have two pairs of pants that fit (black stretch pants and prego jeans)
My bellybutton will forever be an outty
I feel great and forget that I'm pregnant...until I get a glimpse of myself or bend over
As I'm getting bigger, everyone else appears to be getting smaller
I cry at silly things on TV

Here is the most recent 28 weeks ultrasound picture:

 Definitely has Paul's mouth and Reina's cheeks. Nose looks more like mine. It's amazing what technology can show, although I'm sure he'll look a little cuter.

The ultrasound technician said everything looks perfect! Good fluid amount, size is right. The baby had his feet and hands in front of his face so he had to really rotate the baby around as I laid almost inverted to get an acceptable picture. It was worth the discomfort. He is not head down, but not worried at this point. With my diabetic issues the docs are always more concerned, but he said to keep doing whatever I'm doing because everything looks great! He said that he doesn't quite know how to diagnose me because I am not typical diabetic at all. It's very confusing and annoying because I can eat the same thing for breakfast one day and have good blood glucose number and have it skyrocket the next! It's something I will have to forever tweak, sadly. We can't believe we only have 12 weeks to go!

 

22 weeks
 

24 weeks

26 weeks

28 weeks

 

 

A few pregnancy photos taken by my loving husband. Kind of silly but I like 'em:

Sidenotes

Even though I am a driver education teacher, it is Paul who has taught Reina what the different traffic lights mean. What started this was the fact that she'd yell, "Go daddy!" when he was stopped. So Paul had to tell her why he couldn't go. Now that Paul taught her, Reina will say, "Red means stop. Green means go. And yellow means be careful." We've recently had to increase the rules because now she wonders why we turned right on a red light and other inconsistencies. We're still working on this, along with arrows. She has known them for about 3 months now and likes to keep tabs on us that we are following what the light says to do. It's cute...for now.

My mom has also recently been teaching some sign-language. I never got into it with Reina when she was much younger because I felt there was no need when she could already communicate what she wanted. I picked her up one day from my mom's house where they were watching a sign-language video and found myself interested. We've since learned a "handful" of words. I think Reina knows a few more than me so I'll have to catch up!

Top Row: Owen, Assistant Elaine, Kaitlyn, Sophia, Reina, Abigail, Mummi. Bottom Row: Ella, Anna

We have just been so entertained with Reina since she's turned two. She has such a humorous personality, yet she also has a keen sense of understanding. In fact, my mom and I say she is two going on five. She likes to hang out with the older kids and thinks she can do what a five year old can. I  made a mistake of letting her out of the cart at the store when she was walking and now she expects to hardly ever be in the cart. My bad. I won't make that mistake with the next one! She does remind me that when she turns five she gets to go on a school bus and go to school.

She said one of the cutest things the other day. We were driving in the car talking about her birthday (this has been a frequent conversation topic while driving). She has already told me her birthday is in Jan-wary and who she wants to come to her birthday party and that she wants lots and lots of balloons. She now wants her "baby brother to come on to her birthday party in Jan-wary." (tear) Hmmmm....this might actually come true, much to my chagrin.

"We Will Rock You!"

I don't post videos very often, but just had to post this one! Just to set the record, I have never taught a single cheer to Reina. I was a cheerleader for 2 years in junior high but never really liked it more than the outfits and pom-poms so replaced it with dance team in high school which was my true love. Reina has been picking up some cheers from her friend Elizabeth who is a 1st grader.

Not bad for a 2 1/2 year old, huh?

Family of Four Photo Shoot

My wonderful sister Sanni took some great pictures of our family recently. We took these pictures on one of the last hot, summer days in September.
Paul and I are 30 years old in these pictures. I am 5 months pregnant with our second child. Reina is 2 years and 8 months old.
Reina was not having the best attitude day. We're just glad she didn't scowl for all of the pictures, or opt out of the pictures altogether. I may do a personal photo shoot of her since we only got one decent individual photo of her.

Here are some updates of Reina:
She likes to say her full, legal name, Reina Suvi Guinn, pronounced perfectly. Reina likes to have the same story read for bedtime, for at least two weeks at a time. Her current favorite is "In My Town" by Richard Scarry. She calls it "Fix It Fox". We take turns saying family prayer at night at Reina's bed. This was a struggle until recently because she thought every night should be her turn to say it. We of course gave in, since you can't pray too much! Her prayers always make us laugh! Sometimes she blesses the food, sometimes talks about the fun things she did that day. But she always prays for mommy, daddy, and Reina. And of course the baby in mommy's belly. She is 37 1/2" tall and weighs 30 lbs. She still has not had a single haircut! We are trying to hold on to what she has, and grow out her bangs. So if you wonder why the side-sweep of the hair, she doesn't have much to hold back, nor will she keep a hair thing in for more than 10 minutes. Reina still loves to dance. In fact, we went to the Vancouver Sausage Fest to visit daddy while he was working doing a spinal screening when the band "Five Guys Named Moe" went onstage. Reina danced into the late hours of the night (9 o'clock) and the ladies dancing with her commented how she was a natural at it.

Paul has been very busy working at the new chiropractic office here in Vancouver. I know I've mentioned it before, but we are so blessed  that we didn't have to relocate! Business is doing well and he thoroughly enjoys the staff. We are so lucky to go in there and get adjusted whenever we want. Reina is still hesitant about getting adjusted on the "elephant pediatric chiropractic table". I think she will have to see another kid get adjusted before her.

I was extremely busy this summer with my driver education classes, until recently had a little break. It is nice, but odd. I've been trying to get some projects done around the house including painting two dressers and a display case, painting a bedroom, organizing, and other odds-and-ends tasks I've been wanting to dive into.

Run, Reina Run!

Funny Moment:
Yesterday, Reina had a super late nap, which didn't end until 5pm. I thought, "How am I ever gonna get her to bed at a decent hour?" So we decided after our late dinner at 7pm to go for a little walk and enjoy what appears to be the last week of summer. Don't even get me started with the weather this summer! I don't consider 5 weeks of summer very fair in the Pacific Northwest! So usually Reina will walk about halfway on our 30 minute walk, and then we get bored of walking so slow and persuade her to go in the stroller where she can have milk or fruit snacks. But no, this little 2 1/2 year old decided to run for .7 miles! Paul figured how long our usual loop is and determined she ran this distance. I'm not talking about running, then walking a little. She ran on the sidewalk the whole time! About 3/4 the way into our walk she finally said with an exhausted tone, "I need to go in the stroller." I wish I had my video camera as she was pedaling those little legs in her little Nike's, form-fitting leopard pj's, and stocking hat! Needless to say, she didn't even ask for more water once she was tucked into bed. She was out!

Another Funny Moment:
I guess Reina heard her daddy say that I am his wife. So at least once a day the past couple of weeks, Reina has been calling me Mommywife. She'll say, "I love my mommywife."

Halfway, Baby!

I am officially halfway through this pregnancy, or 20 weeks. For sure this pregnancy is going much quicker than the first. We had our ultrasound appointment on Friday to determine the sex of the baby. Here is a poll of what people guessed, at least those I made guess:
myself- boy
Paul- girl
my sister Tarja- girl
my sister Sanni- girl
my brother Teem- boy
my mom- boy
Reina- girl
Paul's mom- girl
Paul's brother Matt- boy
Paul's brother Steve- boy
my dad- boy
my stepmom Connie Jo- boy

So to make it perfectly clear what we are having, here is the ultrasound picture:

 Okay, you can't tell from this picture, so maybe the next one.

I wouldn't have known, unless they specifically pointed out the "turtle" which is just to the right of the word "boy" in the middle of the page. Paul easily picked it out before we were supposed to know. But since he is used to looking at x-rays, he's been trained better to look at scans of the body.

Yep, so we're having a boy. Not quite sure what to think, frankly. I don't know much about boys. I have one brother and he played Barbie's with us. Although he chose the "poor" Barbie with ragged clothes and he'd swap heads with one of the baby heads, so his doll had the same size head as her chest! But we did get to use his Tonka trucks as the perfect size Barbie cars.
I'm not worried about the first few years as all babies and toddlers pretty much want the same things: mama's breast, lots of loves, and colorful toys. I learned a lot about boys when I married Paul. I had no clue how dirty and simple boys were. I'm not putting you males down at all since I enjoyed hanging out with boys much more than girls growing up, but sometimes I just don't want to know what you are thinking or doing. I'll have to put my learning britches on and saddle up for a wild ride! I am of course thrilled that we will be having a baby boy. I just don't know if I will keep up with the male brain and male body. I am even more excited for Paul to have a little man in the house. Now things can be even...almost.
Here's a few pregnancy pics for my journaling purposes:

17 weeks

19 weeks

My little Albert Einstein

So most of you know that I think my daughter is a genius...okay, not a genius but pretty dang smart. So I'm beginning to see the resemblence with none other than Albert Einstein...check out that hair! Probably the only good thing about not having a lot of hair is that it can do this!

Summer 2011

To keep up with our family blog, I'd better post a few pictures to reminisce about this summer's happenings. I won't go into detail as most families do fun things and thought I'd just show mostly pictures as they speak for themselves. Our summer didn't really start until July when we took our annual family trip to Loon Lake where we hang out with my brother and sisters and our kids, and Mummi and Papa Will. We always enjoy this time to relax, let the kids get dirty in the sand and take the majority of their baths in the lake.

Cousins starting top left: Miia, Reagan, Luukas, Kamryn, & Kaija
bottom left: Finn, Heleena, Brielle, Riley, Reina, Ethan, Ashton

2 cuties!

Richard, Eric, & Paul

NO big waves for me since I am preggers, but us little girls had fun!

Cousins Reagan, Kaija, & Kamryn

Cousins Ashton, Luukas, Riley, Ethan, & Finn

SSSSSS'mores!

This trip was great for "the guys" as they had great luck with fishing! I'm sure they could tell you exactly how many fish they got, what types, and how big they were, but all I know is there was plenty of fish to take home and it was probably some of the best fish I've ever had! I think some of the varieties were Walleye, Perch, and Kokanee Salmon. I'm amazed at how long they can fish and not get completely bored...although they probably can't imagine I could dance just as long.

Even the kids got in on the fishing

Reina was at a great age this year, just about 2 1/2. She was able to hang out with all of the girls since she can carry a decent conversation with anyone now. Reina still amazes me how well she can speak in clear and usually complete sentences. The weather was great so we got to spend lots of time outdoors! Our trip was over the week of the 4th of July so fireworks were big and grand. Uncle Teem and Uncle Eric outdid themselves with very fancy fireworks. The kids loved them, but I think Teem and Eric loved them a little more.
One of the highlights from our trip was a unique experience biking the Hiawatha Trail. This was original a route for the Hiawatha Train. It was nestled nicely between the beautiful, green hills in upper Idaho. This was a special trip since my dad grew up in Idaho and has an "O" scale of the Hiawatha train. Although the trail was 17 miles long, it was downhill so everyone got to enjoy the ride, even the little bikers.

This cave was 2 miles long! We needed lots of flashlights! P.S. Reina was NOT scared of the dark.

This is how Reina avoids accidents on trips!

Some new things this year for Loon Lake trip included:
Baby Finn Scarborough (born in March)

Baby Brielle Davies (Born in April)

Pregnant me (Due January 2012)
No diapers for me to change (except pull-up at night)
Us adult girls Zumba dancing on the porch (it's the "in thing" din'tchya know?)
We always look forward to this vacation!

Other doings this summer:
I have been working like a mad dog with my job. Summer is always busy for kids wanting to get their licenses. Usually I teach two classes and take most of August off, but since I didn't have plans I thought I could handle three classes. Still after 6 years I have not had a single car accident with a student (yes, I'm knocking on wood)! I recently was forced out of my classroom I've had the past few years since they are tearing down a wall. I will miss that classroom as I got accustomed to it's idiosyncrasies. Yet I really miss the classroom I had before that, so I'll adapt as usual. It's been hard to fit in all the other things I like to do every summer like berry picking, but I still managed to fill a shelf in the freezer of blueberries. A little disappointed I didn't have time for the other berries. Always next year! We do eat a ton of them though between the 3 of us.

Like mother like daughter...straight from the bucket!

My sister Tarja and her kids Reagan, Kamryn and Ethan are here for the summer taking care of the daycare while my mom is in Finland. This has been a real treat for Reina as she gets to know her cousins and vice verse. I am still trying to figure out a way for them to move here from California- we need them!

As Paul has just begun at Yoder Chiropractic he is bringing in some new patients as a vendor at the Clark County Fair. He barely moved back home, then we don't see him for 10 days, besides a body at night. We went out to visit him one day. Reina rode her first fair ride and of course the carousel. We also watched a juggler who did a lot more than juggling!

Paul's booth at the Clark County Fair

Both mommy and Reina stopped and stared for a long time...he decided to pose for me.

Cousins and friend got to go except Reina, too short. She cried the whole time they were on the ride.

First fair ride!

Another fun outing this summer was the Farmer's Market where we got kettle corn, some great produce in which I made homemade onion rings...probably so bad but so good!

Like it was picked out of the garden!