Bed Rest and Halloween

Right after the funeral/birthday weekend we had a 7 week ultrasound for the baby and everything looked great. We had been worried because my progesterone levels were low. And progesterone is what keeps you pregnant. But the happiness only lasted one day. I woke up the next day bleeding and bled the whole day. I had another ultrasound and Dr. Foulk told me my placenta was lifting up and he put me on bed rest.

Here is a glorious picture of me after being on bed rest for many days with no shower. My mom helped us a lot (Karen was out of town) and even ended up taking my kids to the cabin for Fall Break for three days (all except Ava) which was so helpful! We had all sorts of neighbors taking our kids and bringing us dinner. It was so amazing.

We had another ultrasound that Friday and things were looking a little better and I hadn't bled any more since Tuesday so I was told I could walk, but not very far.

Brandon, Ava and I ventured out for lunch on Saturday while the big kids were still gone at the cabin.

I thought I was doing really well till I started bleeding again the next Tuesday and passing some big clots. Again, we thought it was a miscarriage. But an ultrasound the next day showed that the baby was doing fine, but that there was a lot of blood in there to come out. So I took it really easy again the rest of that week. Brandon picked up all the slack and pretty much did everything. Such an amazing guy.

This is a random picture, but these kids sure won't be able to fit in the tub all together much longer. Mckinley actually never takes baths anymore, but Brandon was on duty so he just had they all take a bath together. In fact, our big three kids pretty much shower all the time now. They just had so much dirt in their finger nails that we wanted to soak out.

I only bled on Tuesday that week again and then no more after that. We went in on Monday this week for our 9 week ultrasound, not really sure what to expect. We took the kids with us though because they wanted to see the baby (we sure hoped for a heart beat for them to listen to) and the baby looked great! It was measuring 9 weeks 3 days and had a healthy heart beat of over 180. There is still a bleed in there so I still have a few restrictions but for the most part I can be up and about and live a normal life again. Finally. Such a relief! This was the first time we felt like we could really celebrate this pregnancy. So Brandon and I went out to dinner the next night while Karen babysat.

Two days later was Halloween. I was so happy I could go to the school parade but man did I feel like crap!

Annie, Mckinley, Kennedy, Ellie. Cute friends!

The kids were excited to go trick or treating.

I wasn't going to go out at all but I really didn't want to miss out on Ava's first year trick or treating. And it was so fun to watch her. She was so cute, always saying "thank you." I came back to the house before too long with Ava and passed out candy the rest of the night. She was adorable then too, wanting to put candy in the trick or treaters baskets. She is at such a fun age and we just can't get enough of her!!!

Ava Turns 2!

We had a great time celebrating Ava's second birthday. We started her off with breakfast in bed.

Then opened presents.

She got a baby doll stroller and a backpack her size.

Later that afternoon we went to Jaker's pumpkin patch with my mom and sisters.

I didn't realize it until I was looking at pictures from her first birthday, but that's where we took her when she turned 1 as well.

The day after her birthday was the BYU Homecoming parade. Most of Brandon's family was up in Canada for Brandon's Grandpa Salmon's funeral. Brandon stayed back because we were at a pretty critical point with this new pregnancy, which I probably haven't mentioned yet on this blog.

Austin was holding Ava's hand during the parade and helping her get candy. What a great older cousin!

Conference

We enjoyed listening to Conference and are so excited about the change to 2 hour Church, although we were expecting more changes than just one after all the many rumors that were going around.

Tyler and Kallie are loving Kindergarten with Mrs. Brown and always come home with such fun stuff they made. School is the best thing ever! They are both thriving and are well ahead of where they should be for reading.

We really enjoyed watching Tyler play soccer, almost as much as he enjoyed playing it. Now we have a break until the Spring.

Park City

The day after those birthday parties we went to Park City to stay for 2 nights at the Mountainside resort. Lincoln and Megan had stayed there the previous 2 nights for their anniversary so we met up with them and swam together and made s'mores before they left.

The kids had so much fun in the game room whenever we weren't swimming.

I think a lot of the pictures we took are on Brandon's phone and I don't have them yet, but we had a blast swimming. The twins are getting so good at swimming on their own. And Ava can float around in a puddle jumper now so swimming is easy and awesome!

We went to the olympic training park for the first time and watched a bunch of skiers do jumps and tricks and land in the pool. It was awesome!

Found Aunt Summer in the museum, ha ha!

We got Dominoes for dinner and watched TV in the hotel room while we ate.

The leaves were so beautiful. It was a little cold and rained a lot while we were there but the pool was heated and there are a bunch of hot tubs so it was no problem. We had such a great time! So fun to get away. Mckinley was so sad to miss two days of school, lol.