Our September

September was a dream. 

We moved back to our old place in Lethbridge and Garth is finishing up his 4 year Economics/Kinesiology Degree. Once he graduates, he plans to go on and get his Bachelor of Education. He only has 3 classes left to graduate so between his lighter school load and his time off work, Grant and I have been loving our quality time with him.

Grant definitely needed some alone time with his dad so Garth would often take him out for an afternoon or morning just the two of them.

September in Lethbridge was warmer than August was in Edmonton. We got to continue our summer down here hanging out with family.

Our newest niece Lois Louise (Baby LoLo) was born on September 18th so we got to the hospital to meet her. She's pretty perfect and I love her so much!

We went out to our first football game of the season, dressed up in Churchill blue and orange of course! Grant loved it and would clap every time people started cheering. We ran into cousin Maren while we were there, so Grant had a friend to play with.

We plan on buying a new couch this fall and so we have spent a good chunk of time at furniture stores, trying to figure out exactly what we want. We also need a new dresser, chair and a "big boy" bed in Grant's room. While we were out browsing, Grant found his favorite spot and didn't want to leave.

Just like every other year, we enjoyed going to the Parade of Homes. We didn't go to as many show homes as we would have liked because it is a lot harder with a walking toddler, but over the next couple years we will probably put some more serious effort into going when we are actually seriously looking.

Garth and I were spoiled this month with lots of date nights. It felt more like date month. Thanks to Jessica we got to go see the newest Planet of the Apes, which we had both been wanting to see really bad, and it was amazing. The little monkey in the movie totally reminded us of Grant haha. We also went to see "Maze Runner," which was awesome!

Garth also planned some really fun at home date nights with printed out movie tickets, snacks, beverages etc. One night we played the Newlywed Game where we had to sit back to back and answer questions about each other as well as guess what the other person wrote. We seriously played for hours and the questions were so hard. It was so much fun, and I really want to do it again.

We drove to Calgary one weekend and spent the day at Ikea (furniture shopping of course) and then that night my mom watched Grant so we could go to a  Peter Katz concert. We hadn't seen him play in over a year so it was nice getting to talk to him and of course watch him in action. He played a lot of songs off his new record which I am excited for.

Unfortunately we didn't remember to take a picture before it got dark out and the flash doesn't work in selfie mode, so this was the best picture we could get. I am so glad we took one though because it is a good reminder of one of the best nights I have had in a long time. When I see this picture I see downtown Calgary, Peter Katz, delicious poutine, reeses pieces and of course crazy car dancing to Sia.

Despite all the fun, Grant was was pretty run down for a couple of weeks with a fever, cough and runny nose. At first we thought it due to teething but then it just wouldn't leave. We went to the doctor and they said his lungs sound great so it isn't anything to be worried about but he gave us a puffer to give to him for his cough.

We have had this leather ottoman in our living room since we were first married, Garth bought it for his room when he was a single bachelor haha. Unfortunately it was ripped and it has bothered me for years. Before we left for the summer Grant would try to rip out the foam and eat it. When we first moved back this month I decided I couldn't take it anymore and we needed to do something about it. I told Garth I wanted to cover it and that day we went out, bought some awesome fabric, a staple gun, and went to town. Neither of us have ever refinished anything so it was a fun learning project and I loved how it turned out. That is one thing I love about Garth, he gets things done, and if he doesn't know how to, he will learn. So talented. I should have complained about it years ago haha!

Grant went on his first "bikeride." His cousin Porter lent him his old bike and helmet so it was been fun getting him comfortable around a bike. There are no pedals so he just grabs onto the handles and wobbles forward. It is seriously so cute.

I have had a busy month preparing for my album release in November. The masters are all ready and now the artwork is complete. I am literally just waiting for all the copies to be sent to my house. I am beyond excited to see/listen to the finished product and share it with everyone.

-A.

Up to Trickle Creek, we go when our tent springs a leak...

One thing that Garth and I had been looking forward to all summer was our September camping trip to Wasa. We went last year for about 5 days and it was so much fun we knew we had to go back!

Once we got on the road, Grant proved to be a bit of a challenge in the car. When he wasn't sleeping, he was crying which was not only really irritating, it was really weird for him. We had to take a little pit stop to give him a break and rearrange the car so I could sit in the back with him.

Gas prices in BC always make me want to cry.

5 hours later, we finally arrived and set up camp! Because it was after the long weekend, there was nobody around so not only did we have the whole place to ourselves, we got to pick the best spot. Good privacy, close to the bathrooms and close to the water.

We had delicious steak for dinner while enjoying our first fire of the trip (my favorite part). On the way to Wasa we realized that we forgot to pack the playpen for Grant to sleep in. When we first realized it we just looked at each other and laughed. So that night we all slept on the same air mattress in the same sleeping bag. Both Grant and I slept pretty good considering, but Garth didn't get any sleep at all.

The next day, after a delicious breakfast we headed to Fairmont Hot Springs. I have never been and always wanted to go. I honestly have never seen Grant have more fun. He loved jumping off the ledge into Garth's arms. he has always loved swimming but I think the fact that the water was warm made it even better for him. In between our swimming sessions we took a lunch break and a long nap in the car together.

That night, it rained. Luckily we had a nice evening together with some hot chocolate before the downpour started, but once it did, it didn't stop. It was super relaxing to fall asleep to. We woke up in the morning and realized it had rained so much that there was water inside at the front of our tent. We were so cold and it was supposed to rain all day, so we decided to pack up our clothes and head to Kimberley, where we booked a hotel for the night.

Before we went to Kimberley, we spent the day shopping in Cranbrook, which was a lot of fun.

Once we got to Kimberley, we walked around the Platzl and of course got to see and listen to the Bavarian cuckoo clock. We then headed to the Trickle Creek Lodge (Sidenote: on the way there Garth made up an awesome song about our trip so far. I live for his parody songs, he is the next Weird Al Yankovic I swear). It wasn't until we got there that I realized how nice this place was. It was a beautiful ski lodge in the mountains. Because it was a little out of season, and we booked it that day, we got an insane deal. We ate what we had originally planned to eat that night (tacos!), but instead of a campstove we had a real stove. Grant loved hanging outside on the balcony. We went for a nice night drive, bought some ice cream and had a nice (warm) enjoyable evening together.

Grant trying to put his socks on my feet.

The next day we went up to Lussier Hot Springs. They were my favorite from last summer so I knew we had to go before we left. They are natural hotsprings made up of several pools at the side of a river. Each pool is a different temperature, the hottest one was around 43 degrees and as it got closer to the river they got a little cooler.

I love how unbelievably gorgeous it was there. I tried to take a panorama picture but just as I was taking it, this guy decided to drop his shorts right in front of me and I was so stunned I just ran away. So my panorama picture has a bare butt right in the middle of it. I couldn't stop laughing about it for at least 2 days.

Grant was a lot harder than the last time we went camping, mainly because he loved to wander and explore. Luckily there were no cars around anywhere or I wouldn't have been able to let go of him the whole time we were there.

He was a lot more fun than last time as well because he got to actually enjoy camping! He insisted on roasting his own hotdog.

That night we had our last cuddle by the fire. It was so relaxing I was almost unwilling to go to bed. That was one of my favorite parts about camping, hot chocolate and fires. That and, getting to stay up all night talking to Garth. Finally, no summer curfew!

That night it somehow managed to get even colder. Grant rolled off the single mattress we bought him and slept part of the night on the tent floor. When I woke up and found him he was so frozen! We brought him in our sleeping bag and snuggled him the rest of the night trying to warm him up. When we woke up the next morning Garth and I were excited to go home. We hadn't been "home" for 4 1/2 months and we just hit that point where it was all we could think about. Plus, we didn't think Grant should have to handle another cold night. We packed up our campsite while Grant spilled frosted flakes all over the car, and then we headed home.

I have always said I am not a camping person. I grew up in a family that didn't camp (unless you count ward campout or girls camp, which doesn't count haha). When I first went with Garth I was a little weary about it because I didn't know what it was going to be like. But I think I can now call myself a camper, or at least say that I like camping! While our September camping trips might not continue, I know that once Garth has summers again, camping will become a fun tradition in our family and I can't wait.

 And it definitely helps when you throw in a night in a nice hotel. Best of both worlds. Marriage is about compromise, right?? ;)

-A.

6 Months Pregnant (21-26 Week Update)

23 WEEKS

My last update was over a month ago so a lot has changed since then!

Baby is the size of: Our baby has grown from the size of a carrot (10.5 inches & 10.5 oz.), to a papaya, pomegranate, grapefruit, zucchini and is now the size of an Eggplant (35.6 cm & 2 lbs).

Cool Developments: The baby has developed visible eyebrows, eyelashes and hair. Tastebuds are forming as well as it's sense of touch. It's ears have developed so the baby can listen to sounds. It has fully formed fingerprints and it's nostrils are starting to open. The eyes are now completely formed and will open soon!

Movement: Our baby is definitely moving around a lot more now! I notice it the most in the evening and at night, Lately I have felt it a lot in the mornings. Pretty much all the times I am sitting down or relaxing. It is so crazy to not only feel movements but watch them. That is my favorite part, when it gets to the point where you can see limbs poking you from the inside. Garth loves getting to feel all the movement as well. 

Body changes: This baby is really low, so all the little jabs and kicks are right on my bladder, I feel like I always have to pee and it is immediate. Every kick makes me want to pee my pants.

Weight gained: About 17-18ish lbs

Measurements: The baby is currently measuring 3 weeks ahead (at 23 weeks I was measuring 26 weeks) which isn't that abnormal for me because I always measured about 4 weeks ahead of schedule with Grant. This is probably just another good sized baby.

Maternity Clothes: I finally moved home and got my maternity clothes out! I now usually wear leggings and maternity jeans. My Sunday dress options are limited so I ordered another maternity dress from asos that I will hopefully be getting soon!

Anything making you queasy or sick? Food wise, no, but I always feel sick if I wait too long to eat. Lately driving in the car hasn't been that fun either.

Food cravings: Chocolate! Sweets sweets sweets. It is weird how I did a complete turn around and went from hating anything sweet and wanting salty to just craving sweets every moment of the day. I never had that when I was pregnant with Grant, I pretty much craved the same things my whole pregnancy(oranges and orange juice). Garth is pretty happy we have started having waffles with fruit for dinner again and we have been eating a lot of raspberries. My all time favorite treat right now is when Garth makes brownies or surprises me with my favorite ice cream :)

Best Moment of the Month: Finally hearing our baby's heartbeat. The doctors in Edmonton were such gongshows that I didn't get to hear it until I got back to Lethbridge. I seriously almost started crying when I heard it I felt so relieved. Garth obviously knew how much it meant to me because he leaned over and whispered "there you go baby" and kissed me on the forehead.

Birth Plans: Getting to talk to my doctor about my birth plan definitely put me at ease. Any time it was brought up that my previous delivery was a c-section, doctors and nurses would always say things like "so you will be having a c-section with this one." It really frustrated me because I felt like I didn't have any options. After talking to my actual doctor about VBACs (vaginal birth after c-sections), he made me realize the risks and referred me to the obstetrician who delivered Grant for the last 3 months of my pregnancy. They will be able to help me figure out closer to the time what I want to do and what would be best for me and the baby. My goal is to have a VBAC, but I can't decide that until closer to the time, and maybe even then it won't be my decision. I am just glad that I finally had someone listen to what I want and is taking care of me the best they know how. I have a great doctor.

Baby preparation: I went through all our old baby clothes to see what we had and what we probably needed more of. We bought some cute little clothes at the BabyGap in preparation for next summer. I also bought a baby carrier wrap from Modern Wrap which I can't wait to use! I re-organized the closet and made more room for books, toys and clothes. In the next couple of weeks we will be buying a bed for Grant to transition into. We want him out of the crib sooner so by the time the baby comes, he won't think it is his anymore.

Wedding rings on or off: On

Happy or moody most of the time: I would say a healthy dose of happy with a dash of moody and a sprinkle of crazy ;)

24 WEEKS.

-A.

3 Years.

On August 26, 214, Garth and I celebrated our third anniversary! 

I wrote a special post about Garth which can be read HERE.

Garth has had to work on our anniversary for the past 3 years, but he always plans something special for us to do. Instead of buying each other gifts every year, we decided we would rather spend the money doing something together. In the past 2 years we booked a hotel and had our own little weekend getaway, but this year we knew that wouldn't be a possibility being in Edmonton with no babysitter. 

We decided we would wait and go to Denver, Colorado in October instead. We have been planning our week long trip to Denver and I am already so excited! Garth served his mission there so not only do we have people to visit, we will also be going to a Bronco's game and a concert!

Anyway, back to our Anniversary....

That night when Garth got home from work, he had a little surprise for me, which I wasn't expecting at all! He had rewritten the lyrics to an Alkaline Trio song and played it for me on the guitar. I love that he is musical and enjoys singing and writing songs for me, because it is my favorite thing ever. 

Here are the lyrics, which he informed me later were written while I was in the shower, right before he sang them to me haha. 

Like 2 bees in the hive we were dancing and swinging

At the sweethearts ball 3 years ago.

Time has flown by so fast but my heart is still singing

"3 years down, forever to go"

Now our son is so cute, second one coming soon

Not a clue how you do it each day,

Yes we've started to thrive, but if we're gonna survive,

There's a few things that I gotta say

Let do hot chocolate at Starbucks forever,

Tim Hortons cocoa is too cheap

Listen to music together

iTunes is well worth the fee

Now when I take you to moxies, out late, dear my darling,

I hope you'll leave one son at home

I don't think watching you shop is that boring

So please don't go all alone.

I took a blind leap of faith, the doors I started knocking

It's paid the bills for now 3 years.

The summers are hard, but I won't hear you talking,

Complaining, wanking or full of jeers.

Now on August 26th, always work, hard to fix

Your so amazing I won't hear a peep,

So I got us some gift cards to share my dear darling,

I hope you don't think I'm cheap.

Let do hot chocolate at Starbucks forever,

Tim Hortons cocoa is too cheap

Listen to music together

iTunes is well worth the fee

Now when I take you to moxies, out late, dear my darling,

I hope you'll leave one son at home

I don't think watching you shop is that boring

So please don't go all alone.

He then presented me with some gift cards, which you can pretty much guess what they are for from the song haha. Starbucks, Itunes, Moxies and Forever 21. He is so cute.

Garth had mentioned to me over the past couple of months that he wanted to make a video of our Honeymoon. We have a lot of fun putting together videos of our trips together, our family videos etc., because otherwise the videos on our computer never get watched. They are amazing keepsakes to have and so I decided to make a video of our Wedding/Honeymoon for us to have.

It is funny because when we watched it together for the first time he commented on how he didn't feel any less comfortable with me then than he does now. From the moment we spent time together we were just ourselves, always comfortable with each other and just in love. Sometimes when I realize we have only been married for 3 years I can't help but think, That's it?? It's hard to remember a time when he wasn't in my life.

I am so excited to be married to this man forever. He makes all the happiness in my life seem more exciting, and when the hard times come around, they are a lot easier to face when I know I can cuddle up to him and cry on his shoulder. 

I really am the luckiest.

-A.

Our Edmonton Summer (Part 3)

Yep, I'm blogging about August.

That is what happens when you have a husband to spend all your free time with again, blogging goes down on my list of priorities.

August consisted of hanging out with friends, playing hard, and then packing up to go home to Lethbridge. Here are some pictures from our last fun month in Edmonton:

Sundays at the "ledge" with the Vivint crew

Sherwood Park Leisure Centre Play Place with Kensey and Brooklyn

Galaxy Land with Aubrey and Kylie

We had so much fun that we had to go back with Daddy in the morning.

One of my many favorite Grant faces

That looks comfy...

We went to get Grant's passport picture taken and surprise, surprise he wouldn't stop smiling for the camera. I was not going to confuse him by telling him not to smile so being the good mother that I am, I gave him a sour icebreaker which he immediately spit out. Somehow the photographer still managed to capture this awesome picture through all that. My favorite part is you can still see the dribble on his shirt from when he spit it out.

This is going to make me sound really spoiled (I am), but ever since I hit week 6 of being pregnant and felt the nausea hit, Garth started bring me breakfast in bed everyday so I could get some food in me before I had to get up. It really did help a lot and Grant would always climb in the bed and eat with me. (After eating his own breakfast I might add). Pretty soon Garth started pouring bigger bowls so Grant wouldn't eat my whole breakfast haha.

Out for Japanese food!

My favorite part about Grant waking up from his naps, the post nap cuddles!

One night around 9ish Grant woke up really upset. Apparently all he needed was a sippy cup and some selfies to turn his mood around.

We finally got to see our baby! The first testing part was unbearable as I had to pee so bad and just had to lie there as she poked and proded at my stomach and my bladder, but then it was over and they brought Garth and Grant in and we all got to see the baby together. It was so fun seeing it's alien face, a cute yawn and it's little feet moving around. 

We went to Cora's for Breakfast to celebrate!

Grant actually started coloring and not just eating the crayons.

Sunday hangouts in downtown Ed

I sure loved getting lots of surprise flowers this summer... 

Matchy Matchy

Kim threw a surprise Baby Shower from Amy who is having her baby girl at the end of September. It was so much fun going and picking out girl clothes and then afterwards hanging out with some of the ladies (and kids).

As a last hurrah, we all (almost all) went and got pedicures together before saying goodbye.

Grant enjoying his last spray park day of the summer.

Eric and Katie came up to Edmonton for a visit so we got to spend time with them all Sunday going on walks and playing games. They brought their fancy camera and took some cute pics of Grant and our family. We did take pictures with them, but we havn't seen them yet haha.

I got the final mixes of my songs back so we had a listening party when Garth got home...

...which woke Grant up but it was all good because we got to watch a hot air balloon almost land on some houses.

The last week of the summer is always the hardest. Most people have left by then so there aren't many guys left selling and this year all the wives were gone by then as well. So staying motivated is hard, but I was proud of Garth for knocking until the end. we decided it was time to leave when they came and took all our furniture haha.

Packing up went as smooth as ever between Garth and I. Usually, we are both pretty stubborn and both have different ideas on how it should be done but it worked. Grant definitely slowed the process down a lot, but if you take away the part where he almost died trying to climb on all of the boxes and him crying every time Garth left the apartment to take a box down, it was alright.

My dad, who has been working in Edmonton, was our hero that week. Not only did he drive down to Calgary, pick up the van, drive it up to Edmonton and help us pack up, he also took us out for a yummy steak dinner before driving back to Calgary that night.

Since we couldn't go back to our place for another day, we had a day to kill in Calgary. Garth got to take a nap and then we had a Yakiniku feast!

We left Grant in Calgary the next day while we went down to Lethbridge to unload all our stuff and load up all the gear for our camping trip. He was put to good use.

It was nice getting to spend time with family that we hadn't seen in about 4 1/2 months!

Summer was fantastic, but by the end, all 3 of us were really ready for some family bonding time. Especially these boys.

-A.