Jared is going to be a ...

As at least one of my friends guessed from a subtle (or not-so-subtle) hint I dropped in my last post, we are expecting our 2nd baby next May!

I'm just over 12 weeks along, and our little squirt is about the size of a lime right now (pun intended). I don't have a scanner yet, so here's the best "baby's 1st portrait" you're gonna get:


I haven't been quite as sick as I was with my first pregnancy, but I still feel really crummy in the early morning, the late night, and sometimes in the middle of the night. Yuck! I'm excited for the morning sickness and other unpleasant first trimester symptoms to hopefully disappear soon! (Can we say, less potty stops, please!!)

We are very, very excited for this new change to come about in our lives!!!

Seriously?

This morning I went to my county's health center to get swine flu vaccines for myself and Jared (we are both in the high-risk category right now.) We got there as early as we possibly could, but the line was SOOOOOOO long. Hundreds and hundreds of people snaked around in a covered parking garage; I couldn't even find the end of the line. I bet it was going to be a 3-4 hour wait. Maybe all those other parents in line had angelic children, but I know for sure that MY little 2-year-old wouldn't have had very much fun waiting that long. My question is, "Is it really worth it?"

My husband has been making several phone calls a week to several doctors' clinics to see about swine flu vaccine availability, and they all say that they will get the vaccine in at the end of October or beginning of November, if they get it in at all. At least where I live, it only seems to be available at the County Health Department, and only on certain days.

So, are we all just paranoid about getting swine flu, or is it a real worry?

Stranger Anxiety...Again?

The past two Sundays Jared has decided he hates nursery again. A week ago Alan and I had to take turns staying with him in nursery, but I was just assuming that it was because we had just gotten back from a camping trip and he was exhausted.

Well, yesterday during Sacrament meeting he asked me if he had to go to nursery and I said yes. Then, I swear to you, he started pre-meditating how he would hate nursery. He sat on the floor of the chapel and said to himself, "I don't want to go to nursery. I'm going to want my mommy and daddy. I'm going to cry."

We left him in nursery for a good long time, but finally the nursery leaders had to come get me because he was freaking out. It was so weird!!! He has been going to nursery for 9 months now, and usually he can't wait to go during Sacrament meeting. (He used to say "Go to nursery!" after every single "Amen" in Sacrament meeting.)

I'm wondering if he has stranger anxiety again, or if he is just crying on purpose to get us to stay with him. He also cried when my sister-in-law babysat him a few days ago, something he hasn't done in a long time. Hmm... any advice?

Let's Be Honest...

Everyone lately on their blogs is writing about how much they love the fall and all of its beauties.

I just wanted to state, for the record, that I hate fall.

Reasons:

• It's cold
• Everything outside is dying
• The birds leave, along with their music
• It's back-to-school time, something that always depressed me
• I can't take Jared to the park
• It gets dark early
  
• It rains a lot
• It's cold
• Did I mention that it's cold?

Sure, the leaves are pretty. A few weeks ago we drove up the Alpine Loop to Cascade Springs. It was pretty, although the road was wind-y and I was afraid Jared was going to barf the whole time. He didn't.

In my opinion, the only reason fall exists is to get me excited for Christmas. I have already started listening to Christmas music to wash away the depressing-ness of fall.

Any others agree with me?

Arches!

We just got back from a 3-day camping trip to Arches National Park with one of my brothers and his family of five children. It was our first time taking Jared camping. Wow! I have a lot of admiration for families who take their little kids camping often!! It is tough! Jared woke up one morning around 5:15, and I could not for the life of me convince him that it was still dark outside and everyone was still asleep.

Some of the gang on a lunch stop

These are the remains of Wall Arch, which collapsed just over a year ago. I shed a tear or two as we passed.

Um, I don't remember taking this picture. I must have been trying to get some more shut-eye while the boys took the kids on a morning hike. Is this Skyline Arch???

Yes, I am wearing a maroon hat with a red shirt. Sue me.

My two boys in front of Landscape Arch

Skull Arch in the Fiery Furnace

In front of Kissing Turtles Arch in the Fiery Furnace
(the arch is right in the middle of the picture, but kind of hard to see for Arches amateurs)

My good little hikers--at the Windows section

Eating lunch at Partition Arch in Devils Garden

All tuckered out!

Jared was too big for a hiking backpack, but too little to do much walking. He spent a lot of time either on Alan's shoulders or in my arms. He fell asleep in my arms for about a half hour while I was carrying him on our hike in Devils Garden! I have no idea how he could do that with all that bouncing.

It was lots of fun! We can't wait to do it again sometime.

Why Do These Things Happen at Night?

Last night at about 3:00 I woke up to chirping. And then it happened again. Then again. Yup, one of our smoke detectors was low on its battery. I sent Alan out to see which one it was. It was highest one in our house, the one at the top of our living room's vaulted ceiling. Nice.

Alan suggested I go sleep in a spare room in our basement since hopefully it wouldn't be as loud. But I could still hear it chirping about every 2 minutes. Lame. Needless to say, I did not get much sleep. Alan stayed in our bedroom and even put earplugs in his ears, but he didn't sleep well, either. Fortunately the noise didn't wake Jared up at all.

We don't own a ladder yet. I was worried I was going to have to listen to the ceaseless chirping all day long. But Alan, my hero, said he would go to the store to buy some 9-volt batteries if I would call a friend to borrow her ladder. So we got the batteries replaced and all is well in Zion again today. Except for my fatigue and my mood. :)

I Did It!

With the generous help of one of my neighbors and new friends, Cindy, we made 50 pints of applesauce this week! It was definitely a two-person job. Whew! But it is so satisfying to have all those lovely jars (well, half of them--of course I gave some to Cindy) lined up in my food storage room and to know that the apples all came from my backyard!

First, slice and boil the apples

This is the lovely Kitchen-Aid attachment I borrowed from my mother-in-law. You put the soft apples at the top, and applesauce comes out one end and all the peels and seeds come out the other! Magic!!

Then you add sugar and cinnamon to the applesauce to make it taste even yummier!

After boiling the jars in a regular canner, this is what you get! Lovely, aren't they?

I still have tons of leftover apples. I am planning to make apple crisp this weekend, and then maybe I'll try drying some apples in my oven.