Family updates and pictures

We've had a fun February so far what with sugar cookies, Valentine making, chocolate eating, a Valentine's dance, and crepes!  Here is an update about some things that have been going on with each of us the last little while.

making sugar cookies for a little party with our neighbors later that day!

crepes for dinner

we'll say it was in honor of valentine's day....not just because i had a craving

Pregnancy-wise things are going well.  I’ve been feeling Braxton Hicks contractions!!  This is so exciting for me because with Audrey I didn’t feel anything at all.  In fact I’ve been so excited about it that I’ve been telling everyone I talk to, even announced it in Relief Society when they asked if anyone had any good news to share!  Even though they are plenty uncomfortable, I love feeling them because it gives me such hope that my body is going to take the initiative this time and get this baby out sooner rather than later.  She feels much lower than Audrey did because I feel her kicking my hip bones rather than my ribs…which I’m grateful for because it’s a lot less uncomfortable.  For whatever reason.  She moves like crazy alllll the time.  Andrew and I have both had our separate moments of slightly panicked realization that she’s almost here.  Only about 5 weeks to go!  It’s so funny how it has seemed sooooo long all these months but then suddenly it seems like it crept up on us super fast.  CRAZY!!  We’ve been talking a lot more about names again.  I think that’s like the best part of pregnancy.  It’s so fun to go through all our lists (okay my lists) and to think of new names as well.  We’re between two first names and about 3 or 4 middle names.  What’s tough for us about choosing a name is deciding what our priorities are with it.  We have one family name in mind, one name we just really like on our own, two cultural names that also have meaning to each of us, and a few that just kind of branch off of some of those.  We’ll see what happens in the next few weeks….I’m curious what we’ll end up choosing! 

Meniere’s has been once again a pretty annoying part of this third trimester, just as with Audrey’s.  It hasn’t been as bad though.  Andrew keeps reminding me that overall this pregnancy has been smoother than Audrey’s.  After Baby Girl comes I will be able to re-start the medicine to regulate the fluid in my ear again, which should keep the vertigo episodes at bay.  Until then I was able to get a steroid shot in my ear, which was pretty scary.  It has seemed to help a little but not as much as I thought it would.  So that’s a bummer.  But on a positive note I won a free hearing aide off of a radio station a few months ago!  I still need to get used to it and use it more consistently (it is kind of hard to want to use something that completely alters one of your senses...I've been used to not hearing well out of my right ear for so long , ya know?) but we are so grateful for what an unexpected blessing it was to get it for free.  For us to buy one on our own it would’ve been anywhere between $1200-$3000, which is just not do-able right now.  Yet another way Heavenly Father has taken care of us. 

Andrew is working hard in school, work, fatherhood (and 'husbandhood') as usual.  One of his classes ends mid-semester, just in time for when the baby comes!  I think that’s another little way Heavenly Father is blessing us.  Andrew will have more time to be here at home as we try and figure life out again.  We’re coming up on the end of the book series we’ve been reading together for pretty much our whole marriage so far (Children of the Promise).  I love spending time together that way.  I love this handsome man of mine.  I'm just the luckiest.

getting ready for the stake valentine's dance

Andrew’s brother Hyrum is coming home from his mission in Georgia in about 2 weeks!  It’s funny, I was pregnant when he left and I’m pregnant when he returns.  We’re so excited for when we get to see him and have him meet our kids.  He had one niece when he left and now he'll have four!

a terrible picture of me, but still worth putting up because i'm his favorite sister-in-law

the four dobbins siblings two years ago when we last saw him

best brother-in-laws ever!

Audrey is doing so well and is talking so much!  It’s getting to the point where we have to really watch what we say around her.  The other day she said “Dangit!” and yesterday at church she pointed to my shirt and said “Bra!”  in sacrament meeting!  So yeah…whole new realm we’re entering.  We are doing a Disney marathon this year with my family in California and she is loving it.  My parents keep sending little things for her as a part of it- the week we watched Snow White they watched it there as well and sent Audrey a little Snow White princess figurine to go with her other princesses!  This month they have already sent her a Valentine and some game ideas for the movies on the schedule for February!  I think this is going to be a great way for our families to be close.  So thank you Mom and Dad and family for keeping us a part of everything even from a distance!!! 

audrey enjoying her reeses valentine treat from gma and gpa hanaike

our bambi themed activity for the marathon- walking through a "forest" (aka the duck pond area at byu)

trees!

I’ve had so much fun getting Audrey’s room ready to share with Baby Sister.  I’ve hung up all the newborn clothes and bought some new drawers for the rest of her things.  We have an adorable toddler bed from our friends and we’re condensing toys and clothes that Audrey doesn’t wear.  Sometimes I LOVE getting rid of things.  It feels so freeing!  I have so many things to do before my Baby Girl comes, so part of me hopes she stays in as long as possible.  But a bigger part of me is yelling “GET OOOUUT!!!!” just like Gloria from Modern Family.  I CAN’T WAIT TO MEET HER AND I CANT WAIT TO NOT BE PREGNANT ANYMORE!!  We are SO close!  It’s shaping up to be a great year!

audrey can't get enough of her preschool activities my mom put together for us for christmas!  she always asks to do preschool

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  

Life is good good good.