Kids

These sweet kids of mine have been SO good to me while I've been down and out with this pregnancy! They have been so understanding and done such a good job at keeping each other entertained. I feel awful that they are basically without a mom right now but so grateful for their dad for stepping in and playing both roles right now. They really are the best and man they are cute!!

Dancing to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a show we watch nightly before bed. 

The kids like to do kids workouts during the day. Brooks is dressed in Hallie's workout clothes and Hallie is dressed in her gymnastics leotard. They are so funny and I love watching them try to workout! They make me smile.

                                                                       Movie night!

Kite Flying

Russ has been so fantastic during this pregnancy! I know this hasn't been easy on him with me being so sick. He works all day and then plays with the kids all evening. He took the kids out kite flying today!

12 Weeks!

 

8-10 weeks: Oh man, pregnancy is rocking my world! I feel like death. If I felt well enough to cry I would cry all the time. I feel terrible 24/7. It really is debilitating. The zofran has helped, however. It cuts down in half about how much I throw up (about 2x/day), but only helps a little with the nausea. I lay on the couch all day everyday. Sometimes even getting up to go to the bathroom will make me throw up. It has been so miserable and depressing to know that everyday is just as awful as the previous day and that I still have a ways to go until I feel better. Baked potatoes have really been hitting the spot lately, so that is what I eat most of the time. That, and cereal and eggos anything else that is really bland. Russ is really struggling this pregnancy as well. He is grumpy most days with all the responsibilities that have been placed on him and the fact that he gets no break from work or the kids. 

10-12 weeks: I feel like I am getting some relief from nausea every once in a while and I am SO happy about that. It isn't consistent but sometimes in the mornings, after I throw up and eat breakfast, I feel pretty good. Good enough to like wipe off the counters or even vacuum the floor. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen everyday but I am grateful for the times I get some relief, even for just a few hours. I throw up about 0-2 times per day, mostly in the morning and then once again at night. The morning vomits are much better then the afternoon/evenings because there is nothing in my stomach to throw up. Therefore, the vomits just consist of me dry heaving/spitting in the toilet. I much prefer that to throwing up something that tastes nasty. Sometimes I have an appetite, but most times I don't. The nights and weekends seem to be the sickest for me and I feel nauseous and/or vomiting all 3 weekend days. 

I really miss being myself. I miss interacting and connecting with other people. I have a few good friends in my neighborhood that I really socialize with, and I miss talking with them. I often tell Russ, "Just talk to me like we are having a conversation, but I can't respond to anything you say because I feel too sick." He just says he doesn't know what to say and so we don't. I really just miss being apart of people's lives and knowing what is going on in their lives. 

I have been waiting to hit 12 weeks from about the time I found out I was pregnant and so I am so excited to finally be there! I am looking forward to being myself again. I am looking forward to cooler days in the weather so that I can actually go outside and enjoy it. I am looking forward to joining life again and being able to function for my kids, Russ and myself!

Hallie

Hallie is such a sweet little girl! She can be sassy but she also likes to make good choices and I'm proud of her for that. She prefers sleeping on her floor rather then on her bed. She says the floor is "more comfy" then her bed. Silly girl!

She went shopping with daddy for a new backpack for Kindergarten. It was no surprise that she chose a backpack that some sort of flip sequence thing on it! She's a girl that knows what she likes!

She has been incredibly lucky for the past several weeks to spend so much time with her cousin, Xander. Katrina has helped me out so much while I've been sick. It makes me happy to know that Hallie is having fun with her cousin while I'm unable to play with her at this time. 

Brooks

 Unfortunately this is the only pic I took of sweet Brooksie this month! I took a few videos of him singing "I am a child of God" said in the most sweetest voice you've ever heard. A big milestone for this month is that Brooks gave up his binky! I never thought this day would come because he has loved his binky SO much. He has never had very many binky's to begin with. I kept 3 in his room and then 1 in our diaper bag. Slowly he started biting holes threw his binkies. One by one we would just throw the broken ones away and when he got to his last binky and bit through that one we told him we had to throw it away and that was that. He didn't really ask for it much more after that. It was a very smooth transition! Now to get him potty trained, which he doesn't seem to be the least bit interested in. But that's okay, I am in no position to potty train him at this point either. 

Announcing the pregnancy- Nickle family

My mom arranged a get together with my family to celebrate hers (and mine but mostly her) birthdays this week. We met at a park and I was not feeling well. It was SO hot outside and the evenings are just not a great time for me right now. But I tried to put on my happy face until we announced the news. The news was in my mom's birthday present from us. 

Before present opening time, my mom came over to me asking me what we did for my birthday. I kinda shrugged her off and tried to avoid the conversation but she continued to pry (she is good at that). I seriously couldn't keep up with the lies I was telling her because I didn't want her to know what we did nothing because I am pregnant and so sick. So finally, I pushed to have her open presents so that we didn't have to hide anything anymore and I could stop pretending that I feel better than I do. 

We gave my mom two presents, both were books but one was one she could actually read for entertainment and the other contained our surprise. 

My mom screamed when she opened and saw our ultrasound picture. My sister and brother (Bre and Alex) and their family already knew we were expecting but my parents and my other brother had no idea. My mom was really excited and my dad said, "He thought I was pregnant," because when he came over the other day and asked what was wrong with me, I just told him I had a headache and he thought that sounded fishy. It's exciting to share the news and we are lucky to have family to share such exciting things with.

Happy Birthday Kylee

Even without COVID this year there is no way I am physically well enough to go out and celebrate my birthday. Russ felt bad that we couldn't do anything to celebrate. Honestly, I feel so sick that I don't really care that it is even my birthday. 

I always look forward to Russ' homemade cards. And Hallie's card was so cute too!

Present opening time! A new iphone! Russ always surprises me with something. This year, for my birthday, I asked Russ to finish our powder bath reno, which he did and then also gave me a new iphone. He always stresses to make sure I feel special on my birthday and he always delivers.

Later that day, Russ had these flowers delivered to me. I love these flowers! They last about 3 months and they are so pretty!

Telling the Kids...

 Today we told the kids we were pregnant! Russ has been wanting to tell them for quite sometime but I just know that as soon as Hallie knows she will tell the entire world, and I wasn't sure I was ready for that. But, I finally decided that I want my little family to know before anyone else anyways so lets share. We didn't share in a grand way, unfortunately. I have been feeling too sick to put any effort into anything so we basically just said it. Russ just asked if Hallie knew why mommy has been so sick and she said no, and then he proceeded to tell her why. She was ecstatic!! She had the biggest smile on her face and then asked why my belly wasn't big yet. I appreciated her mentioning that she couldn't see my belly yet. Haha! After that, she asked if she could kiss my belly and basically has been kissing my belly and "saying hi to baby" everyday since. She really wants a sister, and for it to be named Alice but if we have a boy she wants to name it Owen. Brooks doesn't really understand the idea and instead thinks there is a baby in HIS belly. Haha!

Hallie was all sorts of smiles and happy after we told her the news! It is fun to have a child old enough to understand what is going to happen. And I love that she is excited for it as well! She wants a sister, and for us to name it Alice. But if it is a boy, she said we should name him Owen. Haha! My family doesn't know yet so I made her promise to keep this a secret until they find out. And, she did it!

She has been so much more understanding and helpful once we told her why I have been so sick. It was like she just needed me to tell her the reason why I haven't been able to be the mom she is used to and after that she has been less bratty and more helpful with Brooks. 

Love that little toothless girl!

Announcing the pregnancy- Ahlberg family

 From the beginning I have wanted to keep this pregnancy a secret for as long as we could. I don't know why but I enjoy when Russ and I just have a little secret to keep to ourselves. But, sadly, I've just been too sick that I don't really care anymore who knows and who doesn't. So, we broke the news tonight to Russ' family via text message. Nothing exciting but that is kinda how Russ's family works. Everyone just texts out their pregnancies nowadays. 

Bishopric

Russ was called to serve as the 2nd Counselor in our ward bishopric. With Russ being in the High Council, he was aware that one of the previous counselors was being released and they were looking to sustain someone new. When we got a text from a member of the Stake Presidency Russ thought he could be getting called into the bishopric, and he was right! 

I did not attend, in person, the meeting with Russ and President Russell. I've been so sick that I literally couldn't go to the meeting. So, they phoned me in and I listened to the conversation and the extending of the call over the phone. 

Russ and I feel both overwhelmed by this call. Russ feels inadequate and I am relying so much on Russ these days that I can't imagine having him having time to fulfill this calling. But, we accepted with trust that things will work out.

Luckily, with COVID, being a member of the bishopric has been pretty manageable as of late. Meetings are done mostly virtually, which is nice, and they are also trying to cut back on meetings and only meet as necessary. We are only doing sacrament meeting in person and no other meetings in person. COVID is helping us ease our way into this calling so that is nice! My kids are at good ages that they do well with just me being with them during sacrament. Here's to a new adventure in a unfamiliar calling. And I'm crossing my fingers that Russ never gets called to be the Bishop. Haha!

FHE

Russ is so creative. Hallie definitely gets her creativity from her dad. Tonight for family home evening, Russ taught about how Captain Moroni prepared himself spiritually for war. He had the kids make shields and write on the shields ways they can fight against Satan. He then helped them build "a wall" for the kids to hide behind and threw soft snow balls at them with their shields. The kids thought it was absolutely hilarious and I think it is a lesson they will hopefully remember for the next few days. They are so lucky to have such a fun dad! 

Powder Bath

We are cruising on our home projects this year! I guess that is what Coronavirus does to you. It forces you to stay home and do projects. For my birthday, I told Russ that I wanted him to finish this project of redoing our powder bath.

My neighbor redid her powder bath not too long ago and I love the way it turned out! With her permission, we copied her powder bath reno and did it ourselves. I'm so lucky to have such a handy husband who is learning on his own how to do use certain tools and do certain projects. 

I LOVE the way this project turned out! It looks SO much better and seriously looks like a professional did it! I can't believe Russ did it all on his own! So impressed!

My inspiration! My neighbors powder bath

                                                                           BEFORE

AFTER. We did a blue shiplap accent wall, new lighting, new vanity, new hardware (faucet, hand towel holder, and toilet paper holder). It looks awesome! Such a transformation! 

Hallie loses another tooth!

 Hallie is on a roll with losing teeth lately! This is her 4th lost tooth and we pulled it out with the good ol' volleyball and string method. She was working on wiggling this tooth out pretty much all day while playing at her cousin Xander's house. 

I've really been so ill lately that I can't even manage printing a certificate from the tooth fairy, filling it out and putting it under Hallie's pillow. The tooth fairy didn't come for like a week after she lost this tooth. I am completely failing as a mom and just trying to survive everyday. 

I love this little girls toothless smile!