Typical Day at the Park

Since the doggies get a little neglected throughout the week, we try to take them to the park on the weekend so they can run out some of their energy.  As long as there's no bunnies for them to chase, here's how they enjoy their time there....

I think Lima finds it running to come running full speed at me and last minute turn....although there have been a few times when we both turned the same way and collided. :)

Sadie's not much of a runner, but she loves to roll around in the grass.  After trying to keep up with Lima  few times, she'll find some shade and lay down until we say it's time to go....then she stalls by deciding to take one last DOOOOKIE (just to aggravate Anthony)!

32 Weeks

Things have been a little hectic around the Creel Nest!  As my belly keeps growing, so does our schedule.  We are looking forward to a break, but I'm not so sure we'll get one for a while!  Anthony has his last week of school for Cisco which means a lot of time at the library or couped up in the office.  His job has also been super busy and if he's not working overtime or working on school, he's trying to find time to spend with me, family, or getting "chores" done.  Anthony usually helps out quite a bit with the house chores, but since he has been so busy, on Sunday I attempted to take care of all the house cleaning and laundry...I felt pretty defeated when I had to keep taking breaks and after a few hours I was completely pooped!

We're hoping that things will slow down after he is done with school, but maybe not so much.  After all the holidays we start back up with our Childbirth classes just in time before Carter arrives.  The time is going to fly by, but we are trying to take it one day at a time.

I still feel very fortunate to have had an easy pregnancy thus far, but the third trimester is getting a little more difficult,  Here is what 32 weeks pregnant feels like:

• Carter gets hiccups multiple times a day
• It feels like Carter is trying to escape.  His movement is much stronger and he likes to jab me when I am in meetings at work.  It makes me jump and people in the meeting just stare at me
• My energy level has dropped and simple tasks take me a little longer
• Acid reflux after every meal :(
• Anthony has noticed my balance being off.  The other day I went to get off the couch and fell over since I was top heavy :)
• Jogging= sharp cramps= no more jogging for me
• Carter wants ice cream...every night!
• I've started getting preferential treatment in public...I could get used to it!
• If I want to be comfortable, I have to wear a dress or look like a WNBA player (baggie t-shirts and "Nash" shorts).  I feel like a fat man always adjusting my pants when I wear maternity clothes and  I feel cute in my normal clothes, but Carter does not like them due to the "snug" fit. 

Our First Thanksgiving

Anthony and I hosted our first Thanksgiving this year and we had no major mishaps.  Although I have helped my mom roast a turkey in previous years, this was the first time I did it all on my own (well, with Anthony's help) and we picked a BIG bird for our first time- 22 lbs!  We had to cook the thighs a little longer than expected, but other than that, it turned out pretty good.  Since everyone chipped in by bringing a dish or two, we had sooo much food, but it was all delicious!  We had Thanksgiving for days!!  Thank you to our families for being a part of our first Thanksgiving! 

Our IronMARM

On Sunday my mom competed in her first Ironman competition- that's 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running in one day!  We woke up bright and early to catch the start of the swim.  It was a beautiful morning (well a little chilly to be swimming) and amazing to see nearly 3000 competitors jump into Tempe Town Lake with their green and pink caps on just as the sun was starting to rise.  Since we know how much my mom hates the cold, we were a little worried about her finishing in time, but she did finish the 2.4 mile swim just before the 2 hr cutoff.

We found a spot along Rio Salado to watch her come by on her bike, but we were surprised at how long it was taking her to come out of the transition area.  Later I found out that she had actually gotten hypothermia from the swim and they had to keep her in the warming tent before they would let her continue.  She was a little out of it and her coach was worried that she wouldn't be able to continue, but she quickly recovered and started her 114 mile bike ride.  We kept trying to spot her in black and yellow, but it was really hard make out a face until I saw a woman in black and yellow waiving to the spectators as if she were in a beauty pageant- that was her all right! 

The next time we saw her was at the start of her 26.2 mile run.  Again, she was in good spirits and jogging along eating an apple for dinner.  We found the perfect spot right by the Tempe Center of the Arts that allowed us to see her on the south side of the lake, then take the pedestrian bridge to the north side and catch her again over there.  Since Anthony had to be at work very early the next morning, we only stayed until her second loop around (and had one more to go).  Later we heard from my brother that she had finished just before the midnight cutoff.  By the time she had hit mile 15, her body was giving up and tired, but she still finished!  She is now offically an IronMARM and now it's just time to decide where to get the tattoo! :)

We love you Marm and are so proud of you!

Anthony's 30th Birthday

I had been planning for over a month to take Anthony to the ASU vs U of A football game the Saturday before his birthday.  Going to college football games is something we have enjoyed doing together and we hadn't yet gone to an ASU game together so I thought it was perfect timing.  When we woke up Saturday morning, I had him open his gift and that is when he found out about the game and his new Pat Tillman ASU throwback jersey.  He was so excited to try it on (it fit him perfectly) and get to wear it to the game that night.

It was a very exciting game since the score was pretty close the whole time.  We decided to leave with a few minutes left in the 4th quarter to beat the crowd.  Since we were up by 10 we didn't think it would be a big deal, but by the time we reached our car, U of A had scored two touchdown which left ASU trailing by 4 and they ended up losing the game :(  We still had a good time, but it was a late night for us! 

Since my mom's Ironman was on Sunday, we spent Anthony's birthday running all over town.  We headed home in between her swim and run to spend some time with Anthony's family.  We had them over for Del Rio Tortilla soup and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies that Marian made.  It was nice just to hang out with them, but we were exhausted!  Must be that old age creeping up. Speaking of old age, ever since Anthony has turned 30, I have noticed the following things:

• He keeps saying he needs to have "man-strength" now
• Just as soon as he says he needs to have "man-strength", he says he is giving up on working out
• It takes him a little longer to get out of bed in the morning
• He has turned into a lumberjack
• I offered him peanut butter cookies and he wouldn't take them (this has NEVER happened)
• He gets more handsome everyday

To sum it all up, Anthony said "I am married, have a baby on the way, a homeowner, and I have a beard"...guess it doesn't get any more "30" than that! :)  I'm sure I will hear all about it next year when it's my turn, but I am looking forward to growing old with Anthony!

Infant Care and Breastfeeding 101

Last week Anthony and I started our childbirth classes.  It was a long and information-filled night, but well worth it!

Some things we learned:
-We should have a pediatrician before the baby is born
-Kids need to be in a booster seat until they are 4'9' and 85 lbs (this means Nana needs a booster!)
-There are MANY variations of poop and each one means something different
-Breast feeding is not as easy as it appears
-One of the triggers for "let-down" could be just looking at another baby
-Milk doesn't come out in one stream, but more like a shower head
-Anthony likes to pick the "dark" babies for practice :)
-I'm not as big as I feel
-I will have to "pump and dump" for 13 hours after having just one alcoholic drink
-Eating spicy or acidic foods can still update the baby's stomach while breastfeeding

We'll keep you posted with all the fun things we learn! :)

Halloween 2011

Tennessee Vacation

After an early morning starting with our 5 am flight, we arrived in Knoxville (in the smallest commercial plane ever made) around 1:30 pm and headed straight to Brandon and Penny's house.  We had a wonderful evening spending time with the girls, catching up with Brandon and Penny, and enjoying Penny's cooking!

During our stay in Tennessee, we stayed in my Aunt Gwen's Farm House in Townsend- just about 30 minutes from Brandon and Penny.  I loved showing Anthony around and telling him some of the stories from when I used to visit here has a kid.  After settling in, we went to bed and got to hear the rain all night long.  I don't think I have ever heard it rain like that anywhere!

In the morning we enjoyed a quick breakfast before heading to Cades Cove.  I wasn't sure how much we were going to see since it had rained all night and was still pretty wet out, but we were pleasantly surprised when we got to see two big black bears eating in one of the open fields!  It was so exciting!!

We were hoping to catch a sunset at Clingman's Dome, but since it was a cloudy day, we decided to do sunrise the next morning instead so we took it easy for the rest of the day.  We went into town to grab lunch and get some UT gear for the game the next day and then headed back to the Farm House to relax.  It was just what we needed since we were going to have to wake up extra early.

My favorite blanket I always remembered from the Farm House

We woke up especially early to start the hour drive to Clingman's Dome.  We slowly started to see the the sky light up and made it to the lookout just in time to see the sunrise.  I didn't realize that there would be a 1/2 mile walk up a steep road to the lookout and I didn't expect the freezing temperature, but it was worth it!  We were the only ones at the top and it was the best view I have ever seen!!

We then made the long drive back to town, but it was a beautiful drive with all the turning leaves.  We made it into Knoxville just in time to catch Kenna's soccer game.  She played goalie for most of the game and did a great job!  After the game, we had lunch and hung out at Brandon and Penny's house with the girls.  Watching them play Just Dance 2 was hilarious and Anthony enjoyed playing basketball and four square.

Our time with them was short since we the UT game was that evening.  We said our goodbye's and headed to the game.  We did a lot of walking downtown and I was a little discouraged at first, but we ended up having a good time and it was a fun college football experience.  It was awesome to be at the third largest college stadium and we just happened to be there for their homecoming game.  There wasn't much competition since they played a division 2 team, but since it was Middle Tennessee it created a little extra rivalry.

Just as we started to get settled in, it was time to head back to Arizona.  Our trip felt short, but it was so much fun to experience a real Fall.  We are looking forward to future trips to Tennessee since my mom will soon be moving there and since Chris's mom lives there, we are hoping we could do a family trip with Chris and Gina once the babies are here!

It's a Baby Shower!

I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by!  Before we knew it, the baby shower was here and it didn't really sink in until the day before.  Marian and Jim hosted the shower and we are so thankful for them opening up their home to our friends and family!  I know there was a lot of time and effort behind the scenes that went into the shower and it really made the shower special.  From planning all the details to all the decorative touches, it was perfect!  Marian did have some help from Gina, Candis, and Jayne- thank you ladies for all your support.

Since we first knew about our little baby boy, we knew we would want a co-ed baby shower- Anthony is a very involved dad and I wouldn't want him to miss out on a special day like this one!  At the end of the day, we were so happy with our decision to have a co-ed baby shower so all of the men in the family could be a part of the experience.  I am sure it was a little weird for those who had never attended a baby shower, but we were so happy that everyone could be there.

Gina helped coordinate the games- we had played the Candy Game, Name this Tune, and How Well Do You Know...It was a very good choice in games since it seemed that everyone had fun participating and there was some good competition.  In the How Well Do You Know game, Gina had come over a few days before to interview us.  We didn't know ahead of time what the questions would be so there was some debating on a few of the questions, but at least we came to an agreement (for now :) ).

After the games, it was time for the gifts and boy did we have a lot to get through!  We were shocked at how thoughtful and giving everyone was and truly did not expect what we got.  THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR GENEROSITY!  We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family and to know much Carter will be loved.

I also want to send out a special thank you to my husband.  Anthony has been so amazing and supportive during my pregnancy.  He makes sure my breakfast and lunch are packed everyday, reminds me to take my vitamins, will go out of his way to make sure I am comfortable, takes care of many house chores, and does all of this while working full-time, going to school, and never complains!  Carter is going to be so lucky to have Anthony for a dad.

The Making of a Baby Room

Over the last week we've been getting Carter's room all ready for his arrival.  There is still more to come, but we got the best part done- the crib!  After about an hour of frustration, we got it all assembled and we can't wait to add to the room!

I really wanted to show "the girls" the baby's room, but we don't typically let the dogs on the carpet.  Anthony had to talk them into coming upstairs several times and Lima was extra sketchy about being up there- it was funny! 

Conquering the Mountain

After working out on a more frequent basis, I mustered up enough confidence to attempt Squaw Peak this weekend.  Pre-pregnancy Anthony and I would hike this trail on a regular basis and we even got to a point where we were hiking it with weight vests in under 30 min.  It was a hike that I never thought I would be able to do while pregnant since it is a pretty strenuous trail.  I knew I would have to take my time, rest when needed, and drink lots of water, but after 40 minutes of huffing and puffing, we were at the top enjoying the beautiful day!  P.S. don't mind the Indiana Jones hat! :)

The hike got us excited about hiking with Carter once he is here,  The baby carrier that we have had our eye on was on sale, so we went ahead and got it...can't wait until we can use it!

Top of Squaw Peak

Carter's carrier

24 weeks

Carter Update- 17 weeks

Last night I felt Carter for the first time.  I kept tossing and turning and I started to feel a sensation that I have never felt before.  Everyone has described the feeling as butterflies in your tummy, but that feeling to me is the pit in your stomach when you are anxious.  This definitely felt like a flutter in my belly- like a light, fast tapping inside my stomach.  Each time I switched sides, I would feel it for a little while.  I was so excited to wake up in the morning and tell Anthony.  I can't wait until he can feel Carter too.

With our extreme heat this week, I think it has really gotten to me.  I've been tired just like I was in my first trimester, so I take naps when I can.  I also have a difficult time fitting into most of my pants.  The belly band helps, but maternity pants are much more comfortable.  I've noticed that my little "pooch" is looking more like a pregnant belly.

We had a check up with the doctor last week and everything sounded great.  We have our second ultrasound in a couple of weeks.  We can't wait to see him again!!

Birthday Celebration

I knew Anthony had been planning something for my birthday and he did a really good job of not telling me until the Friday before.  I later found out that most people thought this was going to be a surprise birthday party, but I guess he just couldn't keep the surprise from me :).  He had planned for our families to get together at one of my favorite restaurants-Comedor Guadalajara's.  If you haven't been there, it is delicious, but it's not exactly in a great part of town and it looks a little suspect when you pull up, but all well worth it!

By the time we got there, everyone else had arrived and was waiting.  Even my girlfriend Abbey and her husband were there and Laci and Ian just happened to be in town.  We all enjoyed a filling lunch and then Anthony had arranged for us all to have some ice cream cookie sandwiches (a hint I dropped in weeks earlier).  We ended up with so many extra that we've been eating them for a week!

After all the food, I opened my gifts.  I received some much needed gift cards for maternity clothes,  baby books/magazines, a yoga DVD, iTunes gift card, and Incubus tickets (can't wait to go in Oct).  Thank you to everyone for all my wonderful gifts and a special thank you to my wonderful husband for planning out a special day with all my loved ones- you are THE BEST!

It's a......BOY!

 This last Thursday evening Anthony and I had our first in depth ultrasound. We were so excited to see more than just a little blur, but we had no idea the level of detail we were going to see. I'm having a hard time finding the words to describe how it feels to see your baby's profile for the first time...it just makes your heart melt!  These pictures do not do justice to what we saw in person!!

The Dr. started by checking to make sure the baby had all it arms, legs, fingers, and toes. He also checked the width of the baby's neck and took some measurements of the fluid in the back of the neck- this checks for down syndrome. He measured the length and the regularity of the heart beat. Not only was our baby healthy, but he was very active! We could see him flipping around, moving his arms and legs, and my eyes definitely teared up when I saw the baby yawn- we soon found out that this wasn't a yawn, but the baby was drinking the amniotic fluid (gross! :)).

Carter- it looks like he's laughing :).  Check out his brain!

Carter- 3D rubbing his eyes

Carter- facing you!

After all the main body parts were checked, the Dr took a bottom up view of the baby and saw two legs and then something else floating out there. He was able to verify that it was not the umbilical cord using infrared, so he said he would put his money on it that it was a BOY! Since it is still early on in my pregnancy, they cannot say with 100% certainty, but there will be another ultrasound in 4-5 weeks where they will verify again. The Dr seemed pretty confident and you could tell he knew what he was doing, so we're going to go with it!  We are so excited for Carter Blake Creel to join our nest!!

Carter's manhood

14 weeks

A Snuggle Session

After a day in the sun at Mykol and Candice's for Nixen's birthday, we wanted to come home and just relax for the rest of the afternoon.  Marley and Me was on TV and Anthony had never seen it, so we laid down to watch it.  If you have dogs, it it one of those movies that you have to see, but is hard to watch.

 For a while now "the girls" have only been allowed on the tile, but after an ending like that I looked at Anthony with tears in my eyes and asked if I could snuggle the girls on the carpet for a minute- how could he say no to that!  As soon as I called them over, I think it took them about 2 seconds to snuggle right up.  Oh how their lives are going to change very soon!

Summa Summa Summa Time!

Last weekend was the first weekend in a long time that we had no plans.  It was great to sleep in and move at our own pace...pretty soon we won't have that option!  We decided some pool time at my mom's would be perfect, so we loaded up the girls (Sadie and Lima) and made the drive out to Ahwatukee.  We've become quite the traveling family- we had our pool bag all packed up with towels, swim suits, and sunblock, a traveling cooler with food and drinks, and that day we had picked up some pool toys and rafts.  I never knew this about my mom, but for some reason she has something against pool rafts and that it was so funny that we had traveling ones.  She would laugh at us floating in the pool with them.  We at least got her to lay in one for a picture, but we had fun showing her all the reasons pool rafts are great!

The Gender Test

Mykol and Candis told us about a gender test that you can buy and take at home.  They tried it when they were pregnant with Nixen and it was right, so we thought it would be something fun to try.  We took it last week and the results said..........BOY!

We have our appointment next week with the Dr to confirm the sex of the baby so we are excited to see if our gender test is accurate.  There are several bets that are taking place within the family, so it has created some fun competition. 

The Prune

This week we had our 10 week check up with Dr. Brar.  Everything looked perfectly healthy and on track.  While we were there, we mentioned to the nurse practitioner that we had thought about signing up for a 10K in the fall once the weather cools off.  I got the axe on that one and that nurse laughed and said most of their patients are complaining that they can't do anything and here I am wanting to run a 10K......HA!  I know where I get it from, Mom.

For most people turning 50, they want to celebrate by having a big party with all their friends and family or maybe a big vacation- not my mom.  She decided she would bring in 50 by competing in an Ironman in November- that is a total of 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running.........so you can see where I get the itch to stay active.  For now I'll just have to stick to 5K's and normal exercise.

During our visit with the Dr, we also scheduled our 12 week ultrasound and they told us that we can find out the sex of the baby at that time.  We were under the impression that they would be able to give us a hint since most people do not find out until 16-20 weeks, but the nurse was pretty adamant that the guy they have coming in is very good and has not been wrong yet.  Can't wait!!!

It's a HABOOB!

Tuesday night we attempted to let the dogs sleep outside, but of course Lima started barking at nothing, so Anthony went to go let them in.  When he came back he told me that the sky was brown and it looked like a dust storm was coming.  We didn't think anything of it when we heard some thunder shortly after that.  Yesterday morning as we drove to work, we noticed all the cars on the freeway that looked like someone had dumped a bucket of dirt on their car and we wondered what in the heck happened the night before.

It didn't take long for us to find out that a 50 mile wide and 1 mile high Haboob took over the valley the night before.  My co-workers were telling me that it looked like something out of a movie...one minute it was light out and the next it was pitch black with zero visibility. 

I was bummed we missed the excitement, but after hearing about the cleanup, I'm not too sad that we are missing out on that!