big news

we've got some big news in the baldwin home.  baby number 2 is on the way!  we are so excited, and feel very blessed to welcome this little baby into our crazy family.

i'm almost 15 weeks along, so i'm due the beginning of february.  we also found out last week that we're having another little girl! (cody's excited because that means less clothes/toys etc. that we'll need to buy this time.  i'm sure i'll find things that this little girl has to have).

this pregnancy has tested me more emotionally, physically, and spiritually than anything ever has.  with mae, i was pretty sick for about 18 weeks.  with this little one, i couldn't keep anything down.  i had lost so much weight, they almost had to put me in the hospital.  they put me on three different medications to stop the throwing up and the nausea.  i haven't thrown up in about 3 weeks (woohoo!), but the nausea is definitely still there.
 i was so bad in the beginning i couldn't get out of bed, or take care of mae.  it was the hardest thing i've ever experienced to not even be able to take care of my child.  i felt worthless.  i think i survived those first few weeks on priesthood blessings alone.  luckily cody's mom was in texas, and came to help us for a week before we went to virginia. it was a blessing to be home for a month after that so my family could help with mae.  i couldn't have done it without them. 

my mom even bought a ticket to fly back home with me, and help us get settled back in.  she is amazing.  i was so anxious about coming back and doing the day to day by myself, but she helped me realize that i could do it.  and that it's okay if mae watches a movie and i just lay on the couch (which honestly is sometimes the most i can handle in the afternoon). 

i still have some rough days, and times of day.  i still struggle each day to have faith in Heavenly Father's plan, and to know that there is a reason that i have this trial.  but, i'm trying to just take it a little bit at a time.

as far as cravings go, there haven't been as many as i had with mae.  i'm eating a lot more cheese than i normally do.  mostly, i'm just grateful that i'm eating and keeping it down.  i am definitely bigger this time around.  i'm still in my regular clothes, but i have a little baby bump already.  i didn't have one with mae until around 18 weeks.  and being pregnant while you have a toddler is a whole new experience.  between the two of us there are guaranteed to be a few meltdowns each day, but we're figuring out as we go.

i have to most supportive, amazing husband.  he has been so wonderful throughout this entire ordeal.  he is the most understanding, compassionate man.  and i am so blessed to be able to raise this family with him!

Virginia

the rest of our trip was pretty uneventful. we spent lots of time in gram and gramp's pool, and got to see lots of people that we love, and haven't seen in a while.

mae discovered her new favorite way to nap in the car...

 and of course there was lots of "shacking" by the pool. 

this lady is getting pretty brave.  by the end of the trip, she didn't need someone to hold her in the water, and she was starting to jump in.

 she is definitely our little fishy. 

 

she had so much fun with all of the attention she got.  she got very attached to everyone, and it was so special to see these relationships grow.

 my cousin and mae are 2 months apart in age, and it was so funny to see them interact.  they weren't sure what to think of each other, and were definitely sizing each other up!

it was so good to go home and spend time with family and friends.  it was hard to leave, and i still get a little teary when i think about it.  i miss virginia and all the special people there, but coming back to texas made me realize that we have a pretty great life here.  and even though part of my heart will always be in virginia, this is home.

the hiatus

okay, been a long time eh?  well, mae and i have been off gallivanting on the east coast for a month.  and then, i didn't want to take the time to upload all of the pictures.  but, enough is enough.  

cody flew out with us (thank goodness), because i was not ready to fly alone with this girl again.  flying with her is no cake walk.  but she did surprisingly well. we spent our first few days with his family.  it was so wonderful to be able to see them, and to see mae interact with them.

then it was off to our yearly trip to the beach.  this year, everyone from my mom's side of the family came, and there was no shortage of playmates for mae.  she loved the older girls, and they were so good with her!

 she is a beach baby for sure.  this girl loves the sand, and the water (only on the days when the water wasn't freezing cold).  i don't understand how she got so much sand everywhere.  i was seriously finding sand in her hair and ears days after we got home.

 

it was so fun to see her grow attached to my parents and my brothers.  they are all so sweet to her, and we are so lucky to be surrounded my so many people who love this little munchkin so much.

 making lots of friends

 she loved to have her legs buried.  she would sit so still while her legs were getting buried.  if i had known that's what it would take to get her to hold still, maybe i would have bought a sand box! 

 

as you can see, there was no shortage of snacks.  we created a monster.  the minute we got down to the beach she would ask "shack?" and with no shortage of people to ask for "shacks", she had quite a few.  we're still working on breaking the "shacking" habit. 

 she is a busy little girl.  always has to be doing something, just like her gramps.  many a hole were dug.  and that supplied endless amounts of busy time.

 if you can't tell, there is a science to how a hole is dug.  my dad has perfected that science.

 

even on a cloudy and rainy day, this girl managed to have a blast.  even though she can be pretty tough, she is one of the best things to ever happen to me.

more to come on our adventures in the VA!