Brrrr.. It feels like Winter

Everyone was excited about the first snow fall of the winter!

:D

Post dental appointment :S

My silly girlies and me :)

This girl is learning to put her own clothes on.. I'm thinking it's not quite modest enough for Church?? ;)

Life Update

Sadie is growing like a weed, she smiles and is starting to coo. Last night she went almost 7 hours between feeds. I think it's probably because I swaddled her very tight, whatever the reason I hope it continues! Her middle name is Grace and rightly so, God's grace was so evident in her labor and delivery! I didn't have to be induced, the timing was perfect, hardly any pain until transition, and a healthy beautiful baby girl!

 Bekah is learning new things each day. She can basically count to ten, but she forgets 4 and 8. She sings to herself a lot and loves "twinkle twinkle." She is also starting to string words together like "beebee cheap" (baby sheep) or "appo saw" (apple sauce). We have a lot of fun playing with her dolls and her play food. She is starting to play well with kids which is so fun to see!

She's Here!

Miss Sadie Grace joined our family Sept 11 at 12:57 AM. She was 8 lbs 3 oz and 21 inches long. 

She is such a sweetheart :)

Potty Training Update and D-Day

Potty Training Update:

Well, I guess it's been 3 weeks since we started potty training! It's definitely had it's ups and downs, but over all B has been doing great! We have had quite a few days with no accidents at all, and most of her accidents are just because we're busy playing outside and we both forget about the potty. I do expect some sort of regression (with the arrival of our new baby any day now!!), but I think I can proclaim her as [daytime] potty trained! Yay! Obviously I still need to help her wipe her bum and wash her hands, but I would rather do that then wrestle her into a clean diaper multiple times a day. I am glad we started potty training early. I know it wouldn't work for every kid but B actually has an interest in the potty and is proud of herself for using her potty-which I think is essential!

Jared made Mr Sleepy Sheepie his very own potty

Panties are the bomb!

In other news, I'm 40 weeks pregnant today... any time now baby! I'm starting to feel prepared. No, my house isn't as clean as I would like it, but despite my cleaning efforts we live here and we all attribute to the daily messes..and since I'm running low on 'nesting' energy I'm starting to accept that. I got a hair cut a few days ago which was very important to me, it had been almost a year since my last one..oops. My freezer is pretty full with meals, buns, soup, muffins, cookies, etc. I'm still adding to this stash quite regularly.
I'm really hoping and praying that I don't have to be induced with this baby. With B I was 2 weeks late and had to be induced. This time I'm trying many things such as Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, Evening Primrose Oil, lots of walking, squats, etc.. Hopefully something will help trigger my body into labour on it's own.. It's worth the try!

Story time with daddy :)

 

Cheeeesseeee

What's New With Me

So... What's new with me?

Well, as of today I am 37 weeks along!! This pregnancy has been flying by. I'm trying to prepare myself as best as I can for the baby that is due very soon. All the baby essentials have been washed and are ready to go. The baby's hospital bag is packed and so is Bekah's (for her stay at her grandparents). I've been feeling all the typical nesting urges (clean the whole house, and pack the freezer with food!) I've been trying to not stress out and remember that although there will be tough days ahead, God will give me the strength for each day. I just need to take it one day at a time. :)

Practicing to be a BIG SISTER!

Another thing that recently has been keeping me busy is potty training... yup, POTTY TRAINING!
You probably think I'm a bit crazy, and I probably am, but that's what we "officially" started yesterday. When B was about 13 or 14 months old I bought a little potty seat for our toilet. I was just curious to see what she'd do with it because she seemed to be interested and curious about what was mom or dad was doing on the toilet. To our surprise after putting her on there she pushed out a little turd and then started peeing.

Since then she has old us many times when she needs to poop and we rush her there usually with a successful turd in the toilet. I honestly wasn't planning on trying to train her before this newborns arrival, but a friend convinced me to give it a go! 

Our approach is no bottoms on at home and frequent trips to her little potty. Today was day 2 and she was has been doing really good! She had a few accidents on day 1, but today she only had 2 accidents, and we even left the house several times (in undies, NOT diapers)! I'm hoping we can establish potty training well enough in these next few weeks so that we don't regress when the baby comes, but again, I'm trying not to stress about any of this. The thing that has helped probably more than anything is that I've been praying for God's patience, and I've definitely noticed I've been way more patient and calm than usual. God is good :)

Reading on the potty

Summer days

We love summer! We have been doing lots of walking, biking, and basically anything outside! My little girlie keeps me so busy and active that I often forget I'm pregnant. It's a bit scary to think I could possibly only have 5 weeks left in my pregnancy..Realistically though, it will probably be more like 9! haha.

Redneck pool

Giving her beloved Sleepy Sheepie a bath

Hanging him up to dry

Mmm dirt!

Brrrm Brrmmm

Manitoba Holiday

We recently enjoyed a special trip out to Manitoba to visit my family and friends. Some of my family members were in Saskatchewan for a farm show and so my mom graciously agreed to pick up Bekah and I from home and make the trip back to Manitoba. Bekah and I spent 8 days there without Jared and then Jared came out for our last weekend there. I was there for almost 11 days and as usual it went by too fast! Things not pictured are visits with 2 of my grandmas and multiple family activites.

Bekah enjoyed the large cement pad in the front of my parents house. It was usually filled with kiddos on plasma cars, bikes, trikes, and wagons. 

Cousins Brandy and Bekah enjoyed playing together, they are about 9 months apart.

Cousins Reid and Brook playing in the sandbox.

Some of my high school friends and I met up for a playdate with our kiddos. It was so much fun getting to see our kids interact and play together. So far Bekah is the only girl in the group, but that didn't stop her from having a blast, especially when we filled up the kiddy pool.

Cousin Reid was always eager to show us and talk about  his 'farm simulator' game on the iPad :)

Another get-together with my high school friends, this time out for supper WITHOUT kids. This year marks 5 years since we graduated, and it was so enjoyable spending quality time together. Between all of us there are 8 kids and 2 on the way!

My mom planned a playdate to the spray park with  her grandkids. Despite the crazy heat before and after this spray park trip, it decided to rain while we were there. The kids were troopers and had fun regardless. It was only because of the thunder, lightning and rain that we felt the urgency to get out of there so soon.

Splish Splash!

The cousins who made it out, minus little Davis who was chilling in the stroller :)

We had to run to the vehicle fast once it started to rain. Grandma bought yummy ice-cream treats which we all enjoyed as well. 

Jareds drive to MB took an unfortunate turn for the worst. Just over halfway to my parents our vehicle sputtered and then died. My dad and I drove out to pick him up with the car-hauler and arrived back on the farm at 3:30 AM. The local mechanic took a look at it monday morning and thankfully it was a quick and fairly inexpensive fix.   

We were able to partake in the town fair, which of course included face-painting!

My little kitty cat :)

My family knows how to have some good ol' redneck fun.  Here my brother Dean is opperating our service truck/swing which can go very high and is very fun :) 

Bekah enjoyed swinging with me as well!

Back at home now, Bekah loves to flush the toilet. She closes the lid, hops on and waits for Jared or I to help her press the buttons. I'm glad her focus has changed to this instead of splashing in the toilet. 

Spontaneous Camping Trip

 Yesterday after supper Jared and I decided to camp at the lake for night. We packed in record time and then scoped out a sweet spot on the beach. Despite Bekah not being able to fall asleep until almost 11, we all managed to sleep fairly well. 

Getting everything set up

Beautiful sunset

We roasted marshmellows over the fire and fried bacon with a flat rock Jared found

In the morning I was just about to open the zipper for the tent when out of a sudden a mouse runs in front of us INSIDE the tent. I scream and tell Jared. He throws everything out of the tent in search of this mouse that wiggled its way into our tent :S

Beach babe

Little cutie loved being outside all morning

Momma and daughter :)

A Real Saskatchewan Branding

A couple of weekends ago Jared got asked to come help out at a branding. We know the family from Church and Bekah and I were also invited to come along and share in the fun and the lunch afterwards. This was my (and Bekah's) first time seeing a branding and I thought it was really cool. I was surprised and impressed to find out that brandings are such a community event around here. They say you could probably go help out at a branding nearly everyday for a few weeks around here, and many people do. There were probably about 20 or so extra people helping; they were doing anything from roping, wrestling, immunizing, branding, treating for worms, and spray painting the finished calves.  The family has about 200 cow/calf pairs and it took them a few hours to finish branding all the calves.
*Also, I need to add that I didn't take any of these pictures

Burn baby burn

Owwwie!

One of their young daughters was doing most of the spray painting.

Jared had a lot of fun wresting the calves.

Sizzzle!

Wearing our matching yellow boots :)

Bekah loved seeing all the horses and cows!