Boy, Oh Boy!

I don't know what more I can say. The pictures say it all!

Oh, it's definitely a boy!

If you know Neil at all, you know the best part of him having a boy is that he finally has his play buddy. Someone he can dress in superhero outfits, instead of princess ones, someone he can play Ninja Turtles with, instead of tea party, etc. He's so very excited to say that he will have a boy to carry on the Thomas name. When we found out we are having a boy, Neil looked like a little boy on Christmas morning himself. The other day I went shopping (I couldn't contain myself) and found these onesies, I just had to snatch them up right then and there. When I showed Neil my purchases, I could have sworn I almost heard him squeal with excitement like a school girl. But I do have to admit, when people say that it is much harder to find cute boy clothes than girl clothes, they sure in the heck weren't lying. But as long as I have these beauties, I'm sure we'll be okay.

If you're wondering, the answer is yes. We have a name picked out, it's actually been picked out for quite some time (that's what you get when you have two girls before your first boy). Baby bean's official name is Clark Neil Thomas. We really are so overwhelmed with joy to be welcoming this baby into our lives in a little over five short months. Don't get me wrong, I would be just as happy if we were having another girl, but we get our boy! I almost can't believe it, I keep telling Neil I know how to raise girls, that's easy, but how to you care for a boy? Well, I can't wait to figure it out!

Clark, I hope you're ready for us! Two older sisters is going to make you one tough man! We love you and can't wait for you to join our family!

Disneyland!

For Christmas this year my parents took Neil, Emma, Claire, and I to Disneyland. We all had a BLAST! Emma had been begging us non-stop for a while to go to Disneyland, and her dreams finally came true. I honestly don't know who was more excited, my mom or Emma. My mom was in heaven watching Emma's excitement, but to be honest, I think we all were. Claire had a lot of fun too, which I wasn't so sure about because she's so young and doesn't quite understand everything that was going on, but she liked all the rides and sites.

We were able to have lunch with the princesses, and I honestly think that was Emma's favorite part, aside from seeing Rapunzel (which we waited in line for over an hour for!). Memories definitely were made and Emma still can't stop talking about everything. She even loved the Tower of Terror and will tell you that was her favorite ride, go figure.

We were also able to spend one day and Universal Studios, but unfortunately that day I was sick with a flu. Neil was sick the day before and my mom and I got it on the same day, so I tried to enjoy it as much as I could, but eventually ended up sleeping in the car for a few hours. But I'm glad the girls were still able to go and enjoy themselves. Here is proof we actually went (the pictures are out of order, but I'm sure you don't mind)...

Emma and Claire are both obsessed with The Nightmare Before Christmas. This was their dream come true.

At Universal Studios with some Who girlies.

Picture time with the Grinch and Max.

Claire would not stop hugging Rapunzel, in all the pictures, beside this one, you only get the back of Claire's head because she's hanging on and loving Rapunzel.

Trying on Rapunzel's "real life" crown, as Emma says.

As you can tell, it was worth every minute. I only added a few of the many pictures taken. I love my parents and everything they do for us, and especially our girls. I seriously have the best parents ever, but that's a post for another day. I can't say thank you enough to my mom and dad, but thank you! Best. Christmas. Ever.

Short Grammar Lesson

I've seen too many status updates on Facebook that are almost completely unreadable because I don't understand what they are trying to say. The grammar and spelling is horrendous, but I won't go into that too much. Here is a short list of the most annoying grammar mistakes I see very regularly.

• They're, their, and there- although these are all pronounced the same, they all have a very different meaning.

They're- abbreviation for they are. Example: They're going out to dinner tonight.

Their- possessive. Example: That is their camera.

There- a location indicator. Example: My coat is over there.

• It's and its- again these two words are pronounced the same, they have quite different meanings.

It's- abbreviation for it is. Example: It's going to be a long day.

Its- possessive form. Example: Will you go get the cat, along with its food?

• Then and than- these words aren't actually pronounced the same, but they sound very similar, and have different meanings.

Then- used to list things in chronological order. Example: Let's go out to dinner,

then to the movies.

Than- to show that you prefer something over another thing. Example: I'd rather

be pissed of than pissed on. You can kind of see in the previous sentence, if you

were to replace then for than, how the sentence could be kind of disturbing...

• To and too- two words pronounced the same but yet again, different meanings.

To- to be honest, I can't really think of a way to define to. Example: I want to go to the store.

Too- also, or in excess. Example: I want Bob, Jim, and John to come too. That was too much chocolate for me.

• Your and you're- I totally understand that the majority of these are words that are pronounced the same, but it doesn't change the fact that they have different meanings!

Your- possessive form. Example: I want to go to your house and use your phone.

You're- abbreviation of you are. Example: You're the smartest person I know.

I could really keep going with multiple other grammar errors I see, but I think what I have listed is sufficient for now. People, please, PLEASE proofread your status updates. I understand that everybody makes typos, me included, but once it happens time after time, you can tell it's not just a typo. I can definitely tell the difference between accidentally using the wrong word, and plain not knowing.

I stumbled upon this blog post a while back and have been meaning to post it, but haven't gotten around to it. If you do or have dealt with infertility, it will speak to your heart. I almost cried reading it, but since I was in the middle of class, and should have been paying attention, I refrained. This is a must read.

Life Beyond College

What, you say? Yes, it's true, after years and years and years and years and....okay, you get the picture, I finally finished my life of college. I'll be graduating with a B.S. degree in Behavioral Science, with an emphasis in Social Work. The long nights and early mornings of studying 10+ hours a day for a test (don't worry, if you know me you know this only happened for a couple of courses where the professor was especially difficult), the days of studying while you have a sleeping newborn in your arms (fond memories of those days), the days of wondering if there really was life beyond college, the days of having the most love/hate relationship with the whole idea of school, the days of having a baby then returning to school two weeks later...those are all finally behind me!

Now, I'm left with the question of what now? How is a "normal" mother supposed to act? What does she do all day long? I've been so consumed in finishing my education and running around like a madman that I'm stumped as to what to do next.

It's a weird feeling being finished with school. After I had finished one semester, I would always have this sense of completion, like a load has been taken off, but I always knew another semester was right around the corner and so, I would gear up for that. But now I don't have another semester to gear up for, my sense of completion is also one of finality. While I sit at night, after I have gotten the girls in bed, I run through my head everything that needs to be done before the next morning. The list usually goes something like this: straighten up house, do at least one load of laundry, do some homework...okay, do a lot of homework. Now it goes a little differently and as I thinking I'm missing something, I know the opposite is true, I don't need to do homework anymore...weird...

Now, as for baby bean, he/she is doing wonderfully. I went to my first doctor's appointment the other day and found out that I am a whooping 2 weeks further along than I guessed. I liked hearing that. I also got to hear baby's heartbeat (I didn't think I would get to) and man, that is always magical. I'm due June 16th, but since I'm having a C-section, that date will probably be a week earlier, and if this baby is anything like his/her older sisters, he/she will come three weeks early....but we shall see. Which this makes me 13 weeks along. I have only been sick for about a week, and it seems to be already wearing off, I haven't thrown up in 2 days, I've come close, but I haven't.

Life, it ain't easy. It's so tough, it's easy...

Thanks a Bunch

I know November is over and it's now December, but I feel that I must write this post, as late as I may be. I've been slacking at blogging lately, but like I said previously, life is perfectly boring. I need to write a simple post to show my gratitude. It's something I need to do more often, not just around Thanksgiving, but this time of year reminds me to show how grateful I am.

I am so incredibly grateful for my Emma and Claire, they are true miracle babies in their own unique way, Emma for A) being so easy to conceive and B) she almost wasn't able to be on earth with our family. Claire for taking two years to conceive and then being exactly what I need to learn so many things. She has taught me to have so much patience, it's almost unbelievable. They are the reason I get out of bed in the mornings when all I want to do is pull the covers over my head. I'm also grateful for baby bean Thomas, that's slowly growing in my belly. This little nugget is also my miracle baby and I'm already madly in love with this babe.

Emma almost not being here brings me to my next thankful moment. I am so indescribably grateful to my Father in Heaven, for too many reasons to name, but namely for being the calm in my life, for reminding me that everything will eventually be okay. When Emma was born, we honestly didn't know if she would make it, and if she did, we didn't know if she was going to suffer from brain damage. This wasn't supposed to happen to me, she looked so perfect, to have to say good-bye to her was breaking my heart. I remember the night Emma was born, I hadn't slept for at least 36 hours and I was so physically and mentally exhausted, I didn't know if I could make it. I was continually praying to my Heavenly Father on behalf of Emma and that night, as I was saying my prayers, I kept falling asleep. I finally gave up on starting over every time I woke up, He would most definitely understand, and he must have. Because as I finally finished, as tired as I was, I can clearly remember arms engulfing me in the biggest, most heart warming hug I've ever experienced. My mind was instantly put at ease, I didn't get a voice telling me everything was going to be okay, just the perfect hug that I needed, a feeling of peace and calm, and the knowledge that my perfect baby was going to be just that, perfect. And she is. She's just as I would want her to be, sassy, witty, beautiful, and smart. There are many more instances when Heavenly Father has been there for me so much more than I deserve, but this example is the one that sticks with me the most.

I am so grateful to Neily Poo and everything he is to me and the girls, and the many roles he plays in our family. He's not simply a father, he's a daddy, a husband, a lover (yes I went there), the income earner, the cook, the priesthood holder and sometimes even the mom. Any man can be a father, but to be a dad, I couldn't ask for more.

As school is winding down next week, it reminds me of how grateful I am to be able to have an education. I will graduate and have my Bachelor degree next week and while I'm so excited to be done (it's been a long and tiring road. And the most amazing learning experience ever), there will also be a part of my life missing. It's been such a huge part for the last 24 years, and now it's over. I had a professor of mine actually warn me that I will be going through a mourning period, because I will be mourning a loss, and I can totally see that...I'm bracing for it. I've seen so many women give up on their education because they got married or had children, and it makes me so sad. Why give up on something you obviously wanted at one point because you're growing up? What example are you showing to your potential children? What are you going to do if something happens to your husband and he can't work anymore? Will you be able to step up to the plate and support your family when they absolutely need it? Sorry...off my soap box.

There are so many other things I am grateful for, these are just a few that are coming to my mind tonight. I sure did ramble...sorry.

Happenings of the Thomas Clan

I haven't written a lot in the last couple of weeks because, well, because not much has been going on at all. Our lives are really normal and boring, but I love it that way, I hate big surprises (at least bad big surprises).

Since nothing has really been going on I thought I would entertain you all by these few photos I've taken on my phone. Don't worry, I know there are not pictures of Claire. It's not because I don't love her, because trust me, I do, it's just she A) won't sit still for two seconds to get a half-decent picture and B) she absolutely hates to smile for cameras...trust me on this one...it's quite miserable when we try to get her pictures taken.

I took Emma to Disney on Ice on Saturday. She was in HEAVEN! She ran in that morning almost shaking, saying, "Mommy! Today we get to go see the princesses!!!" I told her yes, but she needed to go back to bed for a little bit (it was like 5 in the morning). She just HAD to dress-up like Rapunzel, I figured why not. It was so cute, the whole time she kept saying, "Mommy, people will think I'm the real Rapunzel because I have really long hair and am dressed like her, but I'm not the real Rapunzel! That's silly." I love my not so baby girl! The reason it was just Emma and I was because Neil detests ice skating, so instead of taking the whole family he said he would stay home and watch Claire while Emma and I went, it was totally worth every penny to see the pure joy in that girl's face. I'm not going to lie, I almost cried to see her so full of joy.

A few weeks ago is snowed enough for there to be a skiff of snow on the ground. Emma ran inside, got all dolled up in her winter clothes, and headed outside to play in the snow with her friends. A little wile later she comes running inside to grab a "big" carrot for the snowman's nose she told me she was making. I got her one and she ran back outside. A few minutes later she runs in again telling me she needs some grapes for her snowman's eyes. I asked her what she was going to use for the mouth...she was stumped. So I grabbed her a whole bunch of grapes for both the eyes and mouth. She was so thrilled. This was her finished product. I think it's pretty amazing. It just needs to snow more so she can make more now.



See...not a lot going on. This pregnancy is absolutely HEAVEN (knock on wood). I get a little yucky feeling if I haven't eaten anything in a while, but that's nothing. Plus, I don't like smells whatsoever, whether it smells good or bad, I just don't like strong smells, but again, nothing. Especially compared to Emma and Claire's pregnancies...miserable absolutely miserable, especially Emma. That's our boring life, enjoy.