Busy Month

It's been a busy month and I can't believe January is almost gone. Here's a brief catch up...

I was able to resurrect my mommy vacation, that was originally scheduled for September, to Anchorage the first week of January. I flew north for 4 busy days of visiting friends, shopping, pedicures and eating at some of my favorite restaurants. I brought my camera with the intention of taking several pictures but remembered after the fact even though I was carrying it the whole time. But I did manage to get one picture of our old house to show Kirk the changes done by the new owner (which look great). Kirk and Sarah did well at home and it helped that I prepared meals in advance for easy warm up after long days at work and daycare. I had a wonderful time and look forward to our next trip in the future. Seeing my girlfriends was the perfect therapy a soon to be second time mom really needed!

Once I returned home, work went into hyper drive for both Kirk and I. I'm excited that a leadership workshop I facilitated to kick off integrated operations went very well last week and the bosses were pleased. Work should slow down a bit towards the end of the month but pick up early February. I did provide notice to my supervisor that my last day in the office will be the first of April. I was able to work out a one year leave of absence with the company which was nice to leave the door to return partially open. I'll use the remainder of April to nest and get things ready for the baby's arrival (plus get a couple of last minute massages in). Right now the 39th week is April 19th. So sometime that week, baby Johnson #2 will arrive unless she decides earlier is best.

As far as baby goes, all is well. We are both growing in size. My lower back is still reminding me that I'm pregnant along with the sciaticia. I had a minor melt down after my last appointment when I found out my doctor of choice was going to be in Spain the week of April 19th therefore, would not be performing my surgery. So, I will have the opportunity to meet another doctor in the practice on Friday to hopefully start establishing a relationship over the next three months. I was proud of myself for keeping it together in the doctors office when he told me he would be gone and waited until I got to my car to let the waterworks flow and snot fly while I babbled to Kirk on the phone. Ugh, so frustrating.

We enjoyed a nice dump of snow this past week. It reminded us of Alaska with the daily snow and shoveling. Sarah was loving it as well!

Finally, I'm on the mend from another round of sinus and middle ear infection which followed me home from Alaska. The middle ear infection came with a bulging ear drum on the verge of bursting. That made hearing out of my left ear difficult but Kirk and I tried to make light of it though he had to repeat himself more than usual.

Sarah enjoying the snow.

Our little artist.

Happy Camper

Kirk had amazing fishing trips this past week with his dad and our friend from work. The fish were unreal and Kirk was pulling them in like nobody's business. Life is good.

Monday December 28th - San Juan River

Thursday December 30th - Smiling even though it's snowing like mad on the San Juan River.

Belly shot

OK, OK...so here it is. This is a belly shot from a couple of weeks ago. As requested, I posted a picture. Enjoy.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! We celebrated low key at the house. Before Sarah went to bed, we made plenty of noise throughout the house with noise makers while wearing hats. Once Sarah was in bed, Kirk and I watched "The Hangover" for the second time in hopes to catch bits we missed the first time we saw the movie. Again, we laughed so hard we nearly pee'd our pants. We made it to midnight, though snuggled in bed watching the ball drop on the TV. But we did it!

We look forward to the New Year and wish everyone the best as well. We have so much to be thankful for especially the love and support of family and friends.

Cheers!

Merry Christmas 2009!

We hope everyone had a nice Christmas holiday. We had a great time at casa de Johnson.

We started out with a cocktail/desert celebration with friends/co-workers from COP at our house. Kirk's parents arrived the 23rd and stayed through the 28th. We had a nice visit and truly enjoyed the spirit of the Christmas holiday.

On Christmas Eve Sarah, Gaga and Papa made her first gingerbread house. Sarah loved decorating the house once it was assembled. After dinner, we made reindeer food (oats and red + green cookie sprinkles) and proceeded to sprinkle the food on the front steps to lure the reindeer into the house. Cookies and milk were left for Santa. Sarah went to bed that evening super hyped up with visions of Woody the Cowboy and Buzz Light year dancing in her head.

Christmas morning was a hoot. It was amazing to experience the holiday through our daughter and see the joy in her eyes. Plus she is now a HUGE fan and believer of Santa along with his elves because they brought Woody and Buzz Light year. She also received an easel with all the accessories along with many other goodies from ol'Saint Nick. Our family and friends once again spoiled all of us, particularly Sarah. We were very thankful for the gifts received and the love that was put into some of the handmade items especially from my mom and Papa. The rest of the Christmas break involved eating a bunch of hearty meals and many desert choices along with adequate napping. If I were to go in for a weight check with the OB today, I'm sure he would just shake his head.

Here are a few pictures from the holiday:

Sarah busy making sugar cookies. She was a huge helper dressed in a Snow White outfit over her pajamas. (explains the crazy hair). And in true Snow White form, she sang songs the entire time.

Sarah writing a letter to Santa.Making reindeer food.

Sprinkling reindeer food on the front steps.

Sarah decorating her first gingerbread house.

The scene after Santa left the house.

Christmas morning!

Sarah showing off her artist skills.

Finally, our princess with her cell phone refusing to be photographed so she hides in her play house. It's already started at the tender age of 2.5 years. She is wearing one of her dress up outfits my mom made - the coolest Snow White costume with coordinating headband. And the cell phone is her new stocking stuffer from PB Kids.

Boy, what a week!

It was a busy week last week. In addition to nursing our various illnesses we did manage to enjoy a few activities.

Sarah was well enough to participate in her school's Christmas program. She and the other kiddos did great with singing Christmas songs. I got verklempt this year just like last year as they were entering the church and going on stage. It just hit me that she is growing up so darn fast! Kirk just laughed at me. Nothing like a pregnant hormonal mother tearing up as her 2-1/2 year old daughter sang Christmas songs.

On Friday we enjoyed the Polar Express in Durango. I yet again got verklempt as the train pulled up to the station and flashes were going off from everyone's camera. I was so excited for this event and wanted it to be very magical for Sarah. I kept telling myself to pull it together and again Kirk thought I was off my rocker. Thankfully Durango had several inches of snow on the ground to help with the Christmas atmosphere. The train ride to/from "the North Pole" was fun. I think Sarah just sat back and tried to absorb all what was going on. We had hot chocolate, cookies, caroling (led by two very energetic college girls as our car's hostesses) and a visit with Santa. Sarah was able to ask Santa for Woody and Buzz Lightyear as her Christmas wishes this year.

We were slated to attend the COP holiday party on Saturday evening but opted out since neither Kirk nor I were up for the event. Instead we were in bed by 9:30pm. ha!

One big accomplishment that has happened since Thanksgiving is Sarah has graduated from her crib to toddler bed. We took the front face off the crib and replaced it with the toddler rail. We didn't want to make too much of a fuss about the upgrade with fear she would think it was so cool she would show off her escaping talents. But so far so good. She goes to bed like no big deal and calls when she wakes up. One morning she did get out by herself and I heard her rustling so we met at her door. I told Kirk the night she will try to get up would most likely be Christmas Eve. Wouldn't that be something?

Sarah playing and modeling her Santa hat. Too darn cute!

Big girl in her big girl bed getting everything just right.

Polar Express Pictures - Sarah and I with the huge Santa outside the train depot.
Hello Frosty!
Family shot in the train car.
Meeting Santa and being so overwhelmed. He gave her one of his reindeer's bells.
Waiting for the train to pull up at the depot.
Christmas Program

21 week Ultrasound

The baby is a...drum roll please... girl! Or we think it's a girl. The ultrasound nurse/tech was pretty sure and even took a picture of the baby's bottom from below to show there wasn't anything in the middle. But at the same time she gave us her disclaimer of sometimes being wrong. So for now we are having a girl. We are very excited to have another daughter and Sarah will be a wonderful role model. Kirk was always destined to be surrounded by women but he will have his hands full with at least 2 if not 3 red headed women. ha! The ultrasound went well and all other parts/pieces are normal. I do have a low lying placenta once again so I have to go back in 4 weeks for another ultrasound to make sure the placenta is heading north with all the other bits as mother nature designed. We did see the baby in action showing us just how she was creating the thumping feelings I've been having near the cervix. Sure enough, she had her hand down there and appeared to be punching as well. Damn, it's already started...the kid is fighting back.

I'm staying on track with the weight gain which is a good thing. I decided there were a few things I needed to cut back on. With Sarah, I had a clean diet with tons of dairy, no caffeine, no soda, no chocolate and limited sweets in general. This time around I've been good about the caffeine up until 4 weeks ago and am now up to 1/4 cup of coffee per day (still within acceptable limits I might add). I drink the occasional caffeine free soda which I need to stop and chocolate has not been an enemy this time around. I decided I needed to chill on the chocolate as well. That will help limit the Christmas treat consumption, I hope. :-)

The whole family is nursing some sort of illness these past few days. Sarah has an ear infection and what appeared to be the beginning of pink eye but is on the mend with antibiotics. Kirk and I started out with colds mid-week last week and felt horrible all weekend long. My cold has transpired into a doosy of a sinus infection which I'm finally on antibiotics to eliminate. I look and sound like Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer. Kirk seems to be doing better without having to seek drastic measures...so far.