Forever Family!!! 2 year anniversary!!!

I know it's been forever, but today I can't resist! My heart is so full of gratitude and I feel so incredibly blessed! Today we celebrate our forever family! It has been two years since we met our daughter Cece for the very first time!!! I cannot believe it! Heavenly Father sure knows what he's doing when he helps orchestrate our life and build our families!!!!!!

Cece Isabel Nelson,

You are the daughter of my dreams!!! You are special beyond special!!!! I am so incredibly proud to be your Mommy and proud of the wonderful girl that you are!  You amaze me every, single day!!! You light up my heart and my life with your sweet nature, intuitiveness, love, kindness, and purity and a wisdom beyond your years!!! You will always be Mommy's baby and Daddy's girl!!!! We love you always and Forever!!! You are a gift to the world.  Thank you for inspiring me and teaching me how to be the best Mommy I can be!!  Mommy and Daddy love you "to the moon and back and all around, everywhere...from the top of your head all the way down to the tips of your toes."Ps.....YOU ARE THE BEST BIG SISTER IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!! Holtie loves you too!!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

LOOK how you've grown!!!!

Love, Love, Love !!! little bit extra !!! extra chromosome=extra love!!!

HOLT BOWEN NELSON

Healthy baby is here! Healthy with an extra 21st Chromosome!!  AKA Down Syndrome...

The amazing, beautiful, lovely miracle baby HOLT BOWEN NELSON arrived on October 20. 2011 at 10:16 am!!! He was 6 lbs 12 oz and 20 3/4 inches!!! 

Cece and Daddy spending bonding time together while Mommy
Visits Holtie in the NICU (only 1 week for observation)

We are so incredibly in love!! Cece is amazing with him, as I knew she would be! Holtie is strong and surprises us everyday as he grows and learns new skills...he's 3 months and trailing right behind his slightly older and adorable cousin !!! I cry almost everyday (happy tears) just at the shear miracle each of their lives are and that in less than 24 months!!! Aaron and I have a housefull (small house) of little munchkins!! Okay so there are only two of them..!!!! But, a newborn and a spunky, emotionally immature, yet intellectually sophisticated 4 year old with a taste for "all things grown up style"...makes our world rather adventurous!!! Next post will have more in depth discussion on what it means to be mom to my 'special needs' kiddos!!!! ps...sorry it's so scattered and so late, but I am learning how to be supermom and it takes all of my scattered brain to focus on this one task!!! I am feeling so incredibly blessed to have such beautiful spirits in our family. How much can one woman take.."cry cry...sniff sniff"!! I am so grateful that Heavenly Father trusts me with these little angels!!! oh and Holtie rolled over 3 times since Thursday on his 3 month birthday...AND smiles and talks to us and makes us feel like the best parent's ever!!! sniff sniff!! OH yes!! I almost forgot....running is taking on a new look...it's called running in place or AKA on a treadmill.  It's saved my life and my latest long run was a 10 miler.  Now onto 12 next weekend, with 6 or 7 during the week.  Gotta pick up the pace to be ready for the Tahoe Rim Endurance 50k in July.  Fingers and toes crossed that the babies agree!!!

Brand spankin' new!!! Welcome to the world Holtie!

Lookin' rather tired, ya think? Breastfeeding is the sport of champions (not for the weak at heart)!!!

I love my binky!!! 

Since Holtie was born, we've celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas ......!!!and painted Cece's bedroom and watched our little girl turn into quite the big sister!!!

Cece making gingerbread house!!

Holties xmas present and first pair of hunting boots!
Thanks uncle Todd!

On our drive home from the hospital! 

One of my fave pics!! about 1 week old!

Our other project! Cece's new purple bedroom!

And then there was the trip to the ER by ambulance!!! Everyone was fine!! But,  Mom and Daddy suffer from PTSD!!!

You should see when I really smile!! 

I'm a big big boy!!!

Cece started ballet and is modeling her leotard and tights! she calls it Ball-al-let!!!

Fitness update at 32 weeks

So...just to update my blog on fitness stuff (wish I could honestly say "running")...I thought I'd inform ya'll of my latest adventure with the jogging stroller hittin the streets!  Cece and I took advantage of a cooler morning yesterday of 85 degrees and hit the streets.  We did a regular running route around the neighborhood, without my Garmin. I couldn't remember how the mileage, but figured it would be fun and we could get out the kinks and check out some goats and horses along the way.  Over 2 hours later, I realized this route was at least 6.5 miles long and my hips and lower back were feelin' it!!!  I only stopped 1 time to pee (could've used another stop) and was dying when we got to the home stretch.  The first mile or two I was feeling pretty good...until the bladder filled up and prompted some really uncomfortable Braxton Hicks contractions...which continued until I was able to find a place to pee...then good again till mile 4+....

The reality is that my walking stance is widened which puts so much pressure and stress on those tendons holding my hips together....so that area just takes a beating~~I guess I'm back to the boring gym working on that stair climber or the eliptical.  I get a much better workout with less stress on all those other areas!!! Am I a whimp or what??!!!!!

Aaron is getting ready for his 10mile obstacle course this weekend and has been pretty hardcore in his training efforts (but only on the weekends)!!! I'm super proud of my burly mountain man!!! I can't wait to see how it all unfolds!!!!

At 32 weeks, the baby is head down and still very active.  My doctor appointment last week went well and my doctor said the working out is great and not to worry about the contractions that come and go, as long as they stop when I'm resting.  Great news!!! He is a huge advocate of pregnancy fitness!!! So, I guess I'm off to the gym today...then to my parent's while Cece spends time at preschool!!! Next blog, I will update with news from Cece's very 1st soccer game and Aaron's "he-man" event!!! love to all!!!

Cece fun, Prego Fitness and Soccer Mom Adventures!

16 weeks

29 Weeks

24 Weeks

So, it's been an adventurous summer and almost time for Fall!!!! We've had lots of fun in the sun...enjoying the pool at the health club catching some rays and teaching Cece the basics of swimming. She's made lots of progress since last year and almost completely conquered her fear of the water.  Now she holds her breath and kicks her feet....even jumping in to Mommy (which is a huge trust  thing)!!!

almost 31 weeks

I'm feeling huge and still (however awkward it may appear) attend the gym and jump on any eliptical/stairclimber/natural runner machine available! I'm in search of the endorphins that working out blesses me with! I NEED to feed my addiction LOL!!! I can do the stair climber for about 1hour 10 minutes then head to the weights for some toning and strength training.  My usual workout time doesn't exceed 1hr30 min, but I leave feeling super awesome!  It doesn't compare with running a 50k or marathon, but sure does the job for now!

Family night! Candyland fun!!!

Aaron continues to work in the bay area during the week and we wait with baited breath for him to come home on the weekends! Candyland and GoFish have been our family night entertainment lately and Cece is getting to be quite the cardshark! LOL!!! She keeps us laughing for sure!! The little lady is quite the sophistocated preschooler who can be heard saying......"I'm gonna lay my M-O-N-E-Y down!!" We've also had fun on the occasional bike trail excursion helping Aaron in his training for the Tough Mudder in Squaw Valley.  We haven't had many days cool enough for all of us to hit the trail together, but Daddy is putting some miles in for sure!! It took me some getting used to and I've finally resolved myself to my sideline status, but it was sooooo frustrating at first!!! He's completed a couple 10 milers (solo) and has been done several "hill training" days which make me sooooo proud!!! I love to see the dirt ring around his ankles!!! If only he can keep up his enthusiasm for trail running for after this baby comes!!! I will be a happy wife!!!

Daddy n' Cece Love Summer Dinner Out

Birthday Roller Skating Outfit

Cece celebrated her 4th birthday and was dying for some rollerskates and all the protection available~!!! I never know where she comes up with these requests since most of the time!!! She has been practicing INSIDE the house for fear of falling on the asphalt or concrete~~ It will be fun to see what happens when we hit the streets!!!

Tahoe Cabin with Cousins

We had such fun in Tahoe with all the Nelsons! We missed you Adam!!! Cece is always in Heaven when she's playing with her counterparts (cousins Kennedy and Bailey)!!!! We celebrated her birthday in Tahoe and were able to even have her "Hawaaian Luau" celebration on the beach!!!

Cece requested a "Hawaaian Bday"

Birthday Aloha!!

Tahoe Trail Run with Daddy

Summer time also included an excursion to Ikea to get ideas and plans for the baby's bedroom.  Cece absolutely loves pretending in the "model bedrooms" and kitchens etc.  She totally gets into the experience!!!

Shopping at Ikea with Mommy!

Soccer practice for her under-6 team began on August 8 and she smiled the whole time~~!! Even holding hands with Bailey while running down the field! Not sure how effective of a defense strategy that would be, but it was sure dang cute!!!

Bailey and Cece 1st Soccer Practice EVER!!!

Kennedy and Cece 2nd Soccer Practice!!

We did a sweet memorial honoring Hunter on his 10th Birthday by releasing 10 balloons into the sky! It had already been an emotional month after losing my 98 year old Grandma and preparing for her memorial 2 days after Hunter's birthday......Cece was so excited for Hunter to catch these balloons we were sending to him in Heaven.  Needless to say, alot of our conversations included Heaven and earthly bodies and spirits and what happens in heaven, and the idea of when we will all be together again! It sure takes a mature little being to grasp all that deep stuff! My little girl is a wise little spirit and looks at me with eyes of complete understanding beyond her years!

10 Balloons for Hunter's 10th Birthday~~~!!! 
We love you Hunter!! Miss you!!!

My niece Kelsey and I at Baa's Memorial!! We love you Baa!!!

Grandpa Tim and Cece examining the Bees on their stroll down the block~!

Grandpa Tim is getting around on his wheelchair speedily! He's adjusting well to it after some physical therapy and moral support!!! Grandma Judi is adjusting to life with Grandpa Tim in a wheelchair and trying to keep a positive attitude, but change can be difficult after each had so much independence in the past!!! Keep up the good work Granny grams and Grandpa!!!

Not at a loss for words, but just energy!!!

I thought it a good idea to copy the post I made to a blog entry by Rosie Pope the "Maternity Concierge" from "Pregnant in Heels".  She was airing her feelings related to becoming a mother and how difficult the journey can be for some people and for her in particular.  She has two children but each was a struggle to concieve and had suffered multiple miscarriages, etc to finally be where she is today.  She asked the question to readers of whether she should "try to get pregnant" once again.  She explained the anxiety and heartache that accompanies the journey and even the potential to jump on the "trying train" once again.  Here's my reply........(kinda sums up my feelings lately)....

I feel for you Rosie! Children are such a blessing, yet some come by them so easily that the thought of having children or getting pregnant is taken for granted! We are in a peculair position as well...for different reasons, but understand your situation and the emotions surrounding it well. For us it is a genetic issue and having children biologically means taking the risk of passing a biologic condition to our children. We loved and lost a son at four years old and then chose to try IVF with PGS (preimplantation genetic screening). After two failed cycles and no money left, we searchd our souls and decided to pursue the road of adoption. We are now blessed with a beautiful daughter! She came to us from the foster system at almost three (we were really wanting an infant), but it is obvious to us that we were all a match made in heaven. To our shock and utter dismay, we became pregnant by accident (after 10 years of banning that option completely)...And have chosen to NOT find out the genetic status of this baby. I am 30 weeks and scared, happy and still in a little shock to be in this position. But, we know what a blessing each little child is and ALL of the logical matters surrounding the idea of children and family pale in comparison to the love and joy that comes with the blessing of parenting, however these little ones make it into your heart. So, the anxiety, fear and heart ache that are a part of this journey for you and for me go hand in hand with the type of mother that you are. You love your children (even the potential ones) so much and that's what makes you the wonderful mother that you are! If that makes sense... If only there were more mothers like you out there!!! If even the thought of them or not having them makes you fearful or full of anxiety....it is indeed proof that you they are meant for you and you were meant for them!!! Love hurts, doesn't it!!! But it's worth every bit!!!! Sorry for the rant!!!! Best wishes!!! 

It's a Boy!

I must preface this post by begging forgiveness for my absence for the past month! So much has happened in such a short time and I have been completely overwhelmed!

1) My dad fell down while on his crutches back in early June, leaving him injured and wheelchair bound for the past month...(and extremely needy)- An MRI determined that he has fractured his pelvis...and sees the doctor (finally) tomorrow.  My mom has been struggling to care for him and adjusting to his neediness.. (he's always been extremely independent).  I have tried to pitch in as much as I can, but always feel like I should be doing more to help.

 2)  My oldest sister Karen came to visit from Hayden Lake, Idaho and brought my niece Chelsey with her.  We were all super happy to have them and loved spending time catching up and having fun.... In between the laughter were the tears that came

3)  with my Grandma's heartattack and later her passing....as well as the emotional stuff that comes with facing the challenges of our dad's current lack of independence and health issues.  He has always been the rock of our family and it seems as though roles are now changing and Mom is taking on that role for now.  Things will shift and change as each of us have stronger times while others may feel more vulnerable and needy.  This is just how it seems to go  during stressful times.   I just love my parents and am so glad that I live close to make sure they stay out of trouble!!! LOL!!!! Right now....they are being very rebellious to my strict orders to keep everything calm!!! 

I vascilate between sadness and gratitude due to the recent loss of my 98 year old Grandma Baa!!! She passed away last weekend due to the effects of a massive heart attack 1 week earlier.  She was an inspiration to all who knew her!!! We are so blessed to have been her decendents and each of us are better people because of her example of patience, love and peaceful nature. She was the most generous woman I know and was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandma all of her adult life!!! I will miss her so!!!


4)  Aaron is still working out of town which made all of the above items even more challenging!!!

5)  An undisclosed family member  is currently struggling- requiring support and love........H-E-L-P!!!
To love = To hurt for those you love!!!!

6)  See #4

7)  On an exciting note...........The baby showed HIS family jewels on the ultrasound machine yesterday while the doctor was peeking to check placenta.  It was a surprise ultrasound so I had no time to worry, or chicken out!!! We had decided to pass on the anatomy screening on the 20 week visit, so I thought I had passed on the gender part too!!...but VIOLA!!! What a wonderful surprise!!! We will continue to pray for this little guy and cross our fingers and toes that he is completely healthy!!! He sure moves and grooves alot and looked very handsome on the ultrasound!!!   He is extremely active and much more so than Hunter ever was in utero! This MUST be a good sign!!!!!! Keep the prayers coming!!!

8) Trying to stick to my gym routine....ran 6.5 miles at 20 weeks, but have stuck with the low impact eliptical stuff since getting scared by a friend telling me that my bladder could end up prolapsing if I continued the running while pregnant!  Still manage to do 1.5 hours of cardio then some weights, squats and other stuff that makes me feel good!  I ran a few miles on the treadmill after the eliptical the other day and it felt sooooo DAMN good!!!! But, I think it is smart to stick to the non-impact (boring) crap, just to be safe....I still get a good workout and a few endorphins....that's all that matters, right??? !!!!

 ------

Aaron is showing off these days while training for this stupid Tough Mudder 10 mile obstacle course he paid 150 bucks to register for !!! (sensing the resentment???)   He ran 10 miles on Sunday while Cece and I were at church!!! I couldn't believe it! I try to set him up with all the right gear, nurtrition, etc for his runs and he laughs at me (usually)...We'll just see who will be laughing when he bonks out on the trail next time!!!! LOL!!! I never thought I'd see the day when my redneck loverboy would be sporting trail shoes and carrying a neon green amphipod water bottle with his body-glide (anti chaffing stuff) and GU chomps stuffed in his pockets- running with MY ipod and MY playlists!!!!! WHAT THE HECK just happened????!!!!!

Cece is of course the light of my life and keeps me laughing continually! I marvel at Heavenly Father's hand in bringing her into our family! I cannot imagine life without her!!!!!!! She is so excited about her baby brother and talks, kisses and sings to him daily!!! We are so blessed to have her !!! She inspires me to be a better mommy, wife and woman EVERYDAY!!!! Thank you sweetie!!!  Her 4th birthday is at the end of this month and she is soooo excited!!

* Interesting dates to think about.....
Hunter's Birthday 8-18
Cece's due date 8-18
Hunter's passing...11-10
New Baby's Due date 11-6
- I wonder when the baby will actually come???? The doctor said at the ultrasound..."This is your angel coming right back to you.".....Could it be???????