New Year Goals

Hey, guess what? I missed another Braggin' Wagon Wednesday blog. Whoops. Unlike last time I missed, this time I didn't do it on purpose, I just didn't know it was Wednesday. My days are all starting to blur together. I need to take down our Christmas stuff and bring order back into our lives! Anyway, tomorrow is New Years Eve, so I thought I'd write down a couple of my boring goals for 2011. Its quite lame, so you don't have to read on if you aren't interested.

1)Read more. Last year my goal was 12 books for the whole year, I don't know how many I actually read, but I'm pretty sure it was 30+. I'll set the goal at 25 for this year, just to be safe. (suggestions welcome)

2)Exercise more. Not just walking either, which is what I do most of the time now, but actual exercise.

3)Lose the weight that comes from having baby number 4, so far that weight gain is still at zero, so hopefully that shouldn't be too difficult. The difficult part is to lose the weight I gained when I was completely stressed out from baby number 3. That part will be a challenge.

4) Be happier. No specifics, just happier in general. (okay, one specific, somehow stop Dexy's temper tantrums, that will make us all happier.)

5) Get better control over our finances.

There you have it. More goals than last year, but very attainable. Good luck with your resolutions. Happy New Year.

Two weeks of fear are over

Today was our appointment with Maternal Fetal Medicine to have an ultrasound. It was a VERY long ultrasound that pretty much left no stone unturned (except baby's gender), and ended with the most incredible, and amazing news. Our little baby is developing exactly as it should. Everything looked normal. EVERYTHING. From its brain to its kidneys, from its heart to its stomach. Things were where they should be, the size they should be and functioning as they should be. We feel as though a huge weight has been lifted from our shoulders, and we are elated and relieved beyond words. It is the completely opposite feeling we had the first time we stepped foot out of that office, and we couldn't be happier. There is a lump in my throat as I think of all the people who have been praying for us, and I am comforted in knowing that the Lord was with us through it all. Thank you to all of you. Also, I am sorry if I worried anyone (Marde) by not calling or blogging promptly. I know I have a tendency to close in and shut people out when something bad happens (for example finding out our last baby had a heart defect, I kept to myself, cried a lot, and didn't answer the phone), so I understand why you may have thought the worst. It wasn't my intention to upset anyone.

Anyway, here are a few ultrasound pics (sorry about the terrible quality).

That is the baby's heart and heart rate. The rate was 137 bpm.

This is a view of baby's nose viewing upwards from the chin. I thought it was funny because it reminds me of the end of Charlie Brown's Christmas when they all face up to sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" Its showing that the baby does not have a cleft lip.

Baby's adorable profile. SO CUTE.

Ps. We decided not to find out the gender of the baby, but Scott thinks he saw evidence of a boy, and the Ultrasound lady said "he" a few times. I'm still holding onto the hope of another girl though. We'll find out in May I guess.

Clever Santa

What do you do when a three year old asks Santa for snow, but the weatherman says its not in the forecast? Well, if you're clever like Santa, you improvise. Santa was so nice that he brought some snow from his very own front yard and put it in the freezer for Dexter, and left him a note to check for it. Santa's handwriting was suspiciously similar to my own, and the snow was suspiciously similar to shaved ice from our snow cone maker, but luckily, no one was suspicious. And what, you ask, does a three year old do with a baggy full of North Pole snow? Well, he eats it, that's what.

Dex with his delicious ice. I swear he really was happy about it, he just doesn't like to smile for the camera.

Here are some more pics of our Christmas Shenanigans. I hope you all had a great Christmas too.

Brunson kid's with their new art easel set.

Corbin's haul.

Dexter's haul.

Ivy's haul.

Braggin' Wagon Wednesday

Finally. I did it. I'm finished. THANK GOODNESS! I went to Walmart last night after the kids went to bed. It was ridiculously, frustratingly crowded. I am not a fan of crowds, or rude people, and it was a crowd of rude people. I maneuvered through the crazy people, and stuff crowding every isle and got the last few gifts on my kids Christmas lists (except for the snow that Dexter asked for, obviously it isn't something I can buy). I also went to the grocery side of the store to get the items on our grocery list. That side of the store was practically a ghost town, which I found weird, but quite relieving.

Our kids are getting kind of screwed on Christmas this year. We did the best we could, but some years are just harder than others. At least they are little, and hopefully won't notice. Somehow we managed to get Corbin the biggest thing on his Christmas list, which when he told me what it was, made me shiver down to my very core. He wanted a drum set. A freaking drum set!! We CANNOT afford a drum set! I didn't know what to do. I didn't want him to be disappointed, but seriously what could I do? Then I heard about a fabulously genius invention called paper jamz, and I could breath again. It saved the day, and I think he'll be happy with that. Anyway, Merry Christmas everybody!

Christmas Letter 2010

For those of you who didn't already get our family Christmas letter in the mail. Here's the blog version. (ps..this is how we announced our pregnancy, so I know you already know, but when I wrote it, nobody knew.)

So far 2010 has been just great,

We've a lot to be thankful for,

Here's a recap of what we've had on our plate,

And the things we have in store.

Corbin is six; He started school in the fall,

He's such a brilliant kid,

He's not very big and not very tall,

But his brain power flips my lid.

He's such a good brother, an amazing child,

He brightens up our lives,

He's quiet and content and rarely goes wild,

And he's good at everything he tries.

Dexter is adorable he's crazy and it shows,

He runs and plays and wiggles,

He causes mischief wherever he goes,

But always makes us giggle.

He's sweet and cuddly, a real mama's boy,

But he likes things to be his way,

And if you're not careful, he'll take your toy,

But his kisses will make it okay.

Ivy is a fan of 2010,

No surgeries from which to recover,

You wouldn't believe how healthy she's been,

The world is hers to discover.

In the last year she's learned to walk,

And run and jump and climb,

She eats like a champ, and loves to talk,

And be Dexter's partner in crime.

Scott is the greatest, as you already know,

He recovered from surgery in July,

He makes my life easy, and makes my heart glow,

He's an all around wonderful guy.

Rochelle is so happy being a wife and mother,

She can't believe how fast time flies,

The kids are so great, why not have another,

Guess what? She's pregnant......Surprise!

Merry Christmas to all! We hope it goes great,

Good luck in the New Year too,

Remember the Savior, for Heaven's sake,

And know that we love all of you.

Merry Christmas!

Love, Scott, Rochelle, Corbin, Dexter, and Ivy Brunson

Pregnancy Stats

So I didn't do a braggin' wagon blog this week. I didn't feel like it and didn't think anyone would mind. Then yesterday morning at about 8:30 I got a call from someone asking me where it was. I don't want to name names (Mom), but this is for you to make up for my lack of enthusiasm this week.

Pregnancy stats:

Gestation: 17 wks, 1 day

Weight gain: 0 lbs (Don't worry, the doc isn't worried. I was overweight to begin with).

Symptoms I'm experiencing: Extreme fatigue (I thought the whole tired thing was supposed to go away in the second trimester...not true for me this time around, I fall asleep every time I sit down for more than five minutes) and cravings.

Speaking of cravings: Potatoes (in any form, but mashed are particularly appealing) and oranges.

Fetal movement: I have felt a teeny-tiny little thump in my lower pelvis area a few times, but I'm not sure that its the baby.

Maternity clothes: Not yet. Still fitting in my regular stuff (probably because they are all chubby people clothes).

Hope that makes you happy Mom. Love you.