Baby News!!

This is my second post today, but I feel like this news deserves its very own. I'm pregnant! Okay, so I know that this news does not come as a surprise to many of you, but this is my official blog announcement. Yay! I'm a little over 16 weeks along (I think :) and how many times have I been to the doctor you ask? Once!! I am still debating as to whether I want to deliver at the hospital again with a doctor and a doula, or go to the birthing center in Rigby and use the mid-wives. One thing is for sure, I am freaking myself out because this pregnancy is going SOOO fast. I have a feeling it is a boy but only because I have been way more sick this time and getting fat way faster. Ryan thinks it is a boy because according to him I am mean this time. Sad! So what is it ladies, do boys really have these affects on us?

I finally got brave and chopped my hair again the other day. My hair seems to be the outward declaration of any big change in my life. I went lighter rather than doing my normal dark color and I am really happy with it! Ryan was all for me going boy short and bleaching it blond, but come month 8 my face will balloon up and I would rather not have any hair to hide it! I apologize for the awkward picture--there is a feeling of embarrassment turning the lens on only yourself ;)

February Hugh?

Yep, I know Christmas is ancient news, but being that it was Brielle's FIRST CHRISTMAS I have to write a little blurb. Opening her presents was an event that was stretched across three days. Not because Santa brought a ton or anything, but she was content to open one or two and then had the time of her life exploring those. I felt too bad taking her things away and trying to divert her attention to something else. So we let her go at her own pace.

Since my last post in December (ugh, really not very good that this) Brielle is now crawling at the speed of light and walking along anything that can support her weight. Speaking of weight, my little chunk is around 21 lbs and we are reminded of this anytime someone picks her up. She doesn't look overweight, she is just a solid little girl. She is quite the gabber and I can't wait to understand all the exciting / funny things she is telling me all about. Her favorite word is "dadda" followed by "babba." And yes I am a little disappointed that "mamma" hasn't quite found its way into her vocabulary yet! She is proving to be a very talented entertainer. If she wants to be part of the conversations taking place around her, she just squishes up her face and does this adorable squeaky, fake laugh. That does the trick--immediately Brielle becomes the center of attention.

Not Just One . . . But Three!

Our family is packing a little extra around the middle area these days. Thanksgiving began one week early with a glorious trip to the Oregon Coast. We spent the weekend at a HUGE beach house in Lincoln city celebrating the up-coming Holiday with Ryan's fam. Ryan, Brielle, and I got totally spoiled with the best room (or should I say suite) in the whole house--complete with a king size bed, jetted tub, personal TV, and Ocean view balcony. There are some awesome perks to having a baby and a wonderful Grandma who none-stop spoils!!


We are just taking off from the IF airport in this pic and Brielle was super fascinated with the quick changing view out her window.

Can you believe that she has been on 15 flights already?!

Our first night at the beach and Brielle is ready to get the party started!! SO this is the BEFORE picture . . . . . . . .

And this is the AFTER . . . . . . . . If you look closely her shirt says "Let's party in my room 2:00 am Bring your own bottle" A gift from Grandma Maureen picked up in Vegas.

Some football fun with Aunt Amy!

I was excited to introduce Brielle to the beach and the beautiful Ocean. I have always said I was born in the wrong state--I was supposed to grow up next to a warm beach. Maybe my dream of owning my own island will come true some day!

This is the view from our balcony. What a precious shot of the two of 'em hugh


We spent Thanksgiving day at my Grandma Bowman's house where we ate yet again of course.

After stuffing our faces we all went around and said what we are thankful for. I have to share with you what my Grandma Patterson said because I intend to make it into a bumper sticker and make my millions :) As she was expressing her love for my Grandpa she told us, "In all my years of marriage I've never considered divorce--murder maybe--but never divorce." My Grams should have been a stand up comedian. I would have paid good money to see her!

We caught Grandma eating hot chocolate from the package. This is her coaxing Grandpa into "just a bite." I missed the After pic of the face he pulled when he gave in--Oh it was PRICELESS!

A four-generation shot. Grandma Bowman, my mom, me, and my Bri-baby.

Our third and final Thanksgiving celebration was spent at Amber's home (Brielle's other home, or so she thinks). I am sad to say I only took a handful of pics there so I need to get better about breaking out my camera when we are with my family.

Thanks for some awesome Thanksgiving memories EVERYONE!!!

Why deprive you of these great ones!

I was looking through some of my latest precious moments caught on camera and decided to share a few of my favs. And so for your enjoyment I give you the adorable, way-too-cute, little character we call Brielle Cynthia!!! (What an intro hugh?! I am watching the CMA awards while I blog--need I say more?





I was trying to prepare my lesson on Sunday and Brielle kept trying to punch the keys on my lap top. So my brilliant husband broke out our old one and let her go to town!





I laughed my butt off when I saw this pic!! It perfectly captures Brielle in her truest form--A LITTLE HAM!!





This is quite the innocent, can-do-no-wrong look. If she gets any better at it I am in real trouble!

"You mean pose like this mom?"

All dressed up for Church. This is actually her 12-month Christmas dress. But as all you mothers know their clothes NEVER fit when they are supposed to.

Real crawling action in the near future. She has mastered the rolling, rocking, and scooting. I tried to upload a video, but I think the clip was too long.

A Move In the Horizon

Yep, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are literally hours away from being back in our home! For those of you who didn't know, we have been doing our "little" remodel job since January 1 of this year. We intended the project to take no longer than a couple of weeks. And eventually our deadline moved to my due date (April 7). Well my baby girl is now 7 and 1/2 months old and is a bit confused about her home and real family make-up! We have been living with my sister, her husband, and three fun children. As a result, Brielle is completely convinced that she is one of four children and call their 8,000 square foot home hers!! Uh-oh. Becoming an only child over night is going to be quite the shock for our little bug (and for me--I love all these built in baby sitters and constant entertainment!).

The pics you see here makeup our living area in the Jensen guest room. "Guest room" does not accurately describe what this room has provided for our small family the last 10 months. Um, lets see--master bedroom, nursery (take note of the pack-n-play Brielle STILL sleeps in!), office, study, storage room, and quiet hang out. Ya, I think that about covers it! Don't get me wrong--our living situation has been VERY comfortable. As I said before, 8000 square feet!!

Brielle-lee girl just adores her cousins. This is Tehya and Tanneyce--my great "little mommies." Not pictured is Treyce. He has a special way with Brielle--he just has to look at her and she laughs out loud!!

A HUGE thank you to the Amber, Jon, and kids for opening their home to us this year. We had some great times and now have some awesome memories!! WE LOVE YOU ALL

Still to come are the pics of our "NEW" old home. Stay tuned . . .

A Pumpkin Walk and an Adorable Lion

On Friday Ryan took the afternoon off from work and met us in Shelley to go through the Pumpkin Walk. I was so impressed with all the fun, creative ideas that people had for all their pumkins scenes. One of my favorites was the Seseme Street one--cute, Hugh?! The Spider Man and bus cut-outs provided some adorable photo-ops!!

That night we dressed Brielle in her lion costume (curtesy of Cilla-Thanks!) and painted her face up. I wasn't thinking when I used thick, black halloween face paint and just as we were loading her in the car a very tired Brielle rubbed her eyes and nose and smeared the paint. So I washed it off and raced to the church for dinner and trunck-r-treat. I am half tempted to put her in her costume again tomorrow and take more pics becuase this one just doesn't do her justice. She was just yummy with her face all painted up!

A quick visit to Oregon

We recently made a quick trip to Oregon on account of the passing of Ryan's grandpa. Initially Ryan flew out by himself with the intent of Brielle and me staying home. But after a couple of days, my mother-in-law (Grandma Maureen) called and wanted to fly us out as a surprise for Ryan. The surprise was a success!! We made it all the way from Idaho Falls to Woodburn, and were waiting at Maureen's house when a surprised Ryan walked through the door. He claimed that earlier in the day he had become suspicious when I wouldn't answer my phone, but then his hopes were dashed when I lied to him and told him I was getting Brielle's ears pierced and couldn't answer his call. My detailed story of the event distracted him enough to believe that we were still in Idaho when we were actually making the ride from the Portland airport to Grandma's house. Thanks for the fun Surprise Maureen!

A last minute item in daddy's suitcase as he packed for Oregon!

Mommy and Brielle-girl on our flight to Portland. She is such a little trooper when it comes to flying! Talk about a real people person; by the time we walk of the plane, Brielle has become very well acquainted with EVERYONE seated around us! What a ham!!

A family photo at the grave site.
Grandpa's funeral was a beautiful one! I learned what an incredible life Grandpa had led, experienced my first mass and then was honored when the family asked me to sing Amazing Grace at the grave site. I so wish I had a picture of Brielle with Grandpa to post, but we were disappointed when we discovered we never took a single pic of the two of them together.