our cute 2 year old

So this should have been posted about a month ago but we now have a two year old. He is so sweet. We had a fun birthday party for him - we went to the Fairmont Aquatic Center with some of my family (I'll post pics soon the camera is already in the overnight bag we have packed for the hospital). We took him to Build a Bear on his birthday and he made a cute dog. He loves to sleep with it tucked under his arm. He says the cutest things lately. When we are driving in the car he loves to look for trucks, any kind of truck is fascinating to him. He says Mom! look truck, mom truck! or Mom train! (when he sees the trax), or Mom Bus! He is also learning the colors and he loves orange and yellow. He loves to point out things that are different colors. Kids are so fun, we love our little boy, and are ANXIOUSLY awaiting the birth of our new little boy. Maybe he'll come this weekend if we're lucky: ) But for the mean time we'll enjoy our time alone with Jacob.

chocolate cake in a cup, and a baby coming up

First of all for the chocolate cake in a cup:
They taught us how to do this last night at Enrichment Meeting. It works best in a wide mug that will hold about 12 - 16 oz.
4 T. flour
4T. sugar
2 T. baking cocoa
1 egg
3 T milk
3 T oil
a few drops of vanilla
handful of chocolate chips
Directions:
Spray cup with pam. Add dry ingredients to mug mix well. Add egg mix thoroughly. Pour milk and oil and mix well. Set mug in microwave and cook for 2.5 minutes. Cake will rise over the top of mug so watch carefully and don't over do it. It's delicious chocolate cake from scratch in less than 5 minutes!

Baby on the way:
So I went for another ultrasound today (I have them every two weeks). The baby's kidney's at the last ultrasound were 20mm (right) and 25 (mm) left. Today only two weeks later they were 37mm (right) and 42(mm) left. The good news was that the amniotic fluid levels were normal, which means they kidneys are functioning. I couldn't believe they had grown so much in so little time! The doctor that was in the maternal fetal medicine area today said that she was worried with how fast the kidney's had grown in the last two weeks, she left and spoke with some other doctors. When she returned she said it looks like we need to deliver you at 36 weeks (1 1/2 weeks away) or at the very latest 37 weeks. I would like to make it to 36 weeks, but we'll have to see what will be best for our little Joshua. Most of all I really don't want to have a c-section. So I hope that when I'm induced things go smoothly.

Grateful for many prayers

So I haven't posted in a while. January was a pretty stressful month. We were told at the end of December that our baby's kidney problem is getting worse. He has hydronephrosis which means "too much fluid in the kidney". My little boy Jacob has the same issue, but his was never severe and they say that he will probably grow out of it in a couple of years.
As for the new baby at the end of January his left kidney was about 4 times the size of his right kidney. The doctor that saw me after the ultrasound said that I would need to start having ultrasounds every two weeks so that they could check the levels of the amniotic fluid. The level of the amniotic fluid shows if the kidneys are functioning properly or not. She said if things got worse that I would probably have to deliver at 32 weeks. That made me really scared. I had an appointment with my OB the following week, and I was hoping he would give me some more positive news, but he said that he would have to rely on what the next ultrasound showed before he could really tell me anything significant. I had a preisthood blessing, and many friends and family prayed for us (thanks!) and at the ultrasound the next week the left kidney had slowed down in it's growth (a miracle!) but the right kidney had almost caught up to it in size. The best news was that the amniotic fluid levels were all normal. I've also met with the pediatric urologist up at Primary's that Jacob sees once a year, to see what kind of procedures we are looking at for our new little baby after he is born. All in all things are looking up. I still have to have ultrasounds every two weeks. I am 33 weeks now, and we are very grateful that our little guy didn't have to be born at 32 weeks. This week they are going to give me steriod shots to help the baby's lungs develop faster, so that if he comes early he will still be able to breathe on his own. Wow the miracles of modern medicine, but more important than that the miracles that have accompanied our seemingly endless prayers for a healthy baby.

a nice old man, and a cute sleeping boy

So on Friday I was walking into work and I tripped on an area of raised cement. I tried to catch myself, but to no avail I fell all the way to the ground landing mostly on my left hand/arm, and my side. I was in pain, and immediately started thinking about the baby. I've heard of women who loose their babies from a hard fall during pregnancy. Tears started streaming down my face. I nice old man came over and stopped his car. He said that he had seem me fall and asked if I was okay. I felt that the Lord was watching out for me by sending this kind man to help. I ended up going to the doctor because my hand was hurting pretty badly. They think it is just a bruised bone but, their are going to check it again tomorrow for a possible fracture because it was pretty swollen. Luckily everything is fine with the baby, which is what I was most worried about. I am behind now on my Christmas cards, because with my left hand in a splint everything takes a little bit longer. So if you get our Christmas card late this year forgive me : )


Friday night we went to temple square with my family to see the lights. By about 9:30 Jacob was exhausted so my dad was carrying him on his shoulders. He ended up falling asleep on my dad's head. None of us had our cameras with us, but another family (whom we didn't know at all) had camera and they thought that Jacob was so cute and wanted to take his picture. They got my e-mail and sent it to me, so here it is for your viewing enjoyment.

my cute little boy

So Jacob as been doing some things that are extra cute lately. He likes to take me by the hand and say “Ven” (come here in Spanish) and pull me down the hall to his room, and then he says toys, or cars, and he sit down and play for a while.
This morning I was curing my hair, and he wanted me to come with him. As soon as I finished he took me by the hand and led my into mine and Ivan’s room and pointed at the bed I asked him in Spanish if he wanted to cuddle with me and he got a big smile on his face and nodded his head. (I am amazed at how he understands both languages so well.0 So we cuddled up on the bed for a little while. This happened after we ate breakfast too. He is such a sweet heart.

Bryce Canyon and Zion's

In October we went to Bryce Canyon and Zion's with my mom and dad, Cami, Issac, and Ben. We had a great time. Here are some of the pictures.

to sum it all up.....announcing

Well it seems like most people who don't have time to blog in the day time, blog after their kids go to bed at night. My little one is pretty good about going to bed at a decent hour (usually between 8-9) but after he goes to bed, I am the chemistry tutor. Ivan is taking a chemistry class, which he wasn't really trilled about but it was needed for his nursing major. He doesn't like chemistry, I happen to love chemistry. I counted that I took 10 different chemistry classes throughout my college experience.... so as a result we end up studying chemistry usally until 11 or 1am. By that time I am just too tired to pull out the computer and up date everyone on what's going on in our lives.

SO THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT (for those of you who haven't already heard) WE'RE EXPECTING AND IT'S ANOTHER BOY! YEAH! I'm due March 22nd.

I didn't care if we had a boy or a girl, Ivan really wanted a girl. But I started pounting out all of the good things about it and it think he's pretty excited too. For example: no new wardrobe for the baby (I have about 5 keepers of Jacob's clothes saved), another male to carry on the family name, another person to add to the family soccer team (not that girls don't play soccer, but they won't have to go easy on her) and many more reasons. My brother and his wife are expecting twin boys in Dec. or Jan. so there will be 4 boys on the Carlson side, and no girls yet.

As for other things that have been happening, Jacob was a lion for Halloween, his little roar was so cute. He doesn't know how to say "trick or treat" so he just held out his hand and said "pwease". Sorry no pics. I was at my mom's and I forgot to bring my camera.

Jacob, Ivan and I have all taken our turns being sick over the last couple of weeks. Between aweful colds and the flu we've had about everything. Ivan's been great and taking care of me and helping me get enough rest.

Here are some pics from Labor Day weekend (sorry we've been kind of busy...) we went to Houston to see Ivan's sister and her family.

Ivan with Jacob and his niece Maylin (she is almost a year younger than Jacob, but weighs almost as much : ) ).

Ivan playing volleyball (his favorite sport after soccer)

Jacob swimming in an awesome backyard pool on Labor Day.

coming soon: pics from our trip with my family to Bryce Canyon, and Zion's in October