In The Words of Balian.....TA-DA!

I know we announced this on facebook way back when, but I still needed to record it on the good ol' blog.  We are excitedly awaiting baby number two to make his/her presence!!!  We're so excited.  Babies don't come easily in our household, and we were  one month away from returning to our fertility doc, but our prayers were answered just in the nick of time!  And we couldn't be happier. 
This pregnancy has been different and similar for me.  I got way more sick this time, but I still got my "morning sickness" at night.  So that was unfortunately familiar.  It made work just a joy, and me an extra joy to be around. 
I'm actually feeling quite good now though.  I've only been sick one or twice in the last week or so, so I think things are on the up.  Thank goodness.  How horrible is it to be sick EVERY day?!  Guys just don't know what they're missing out on. 
I keep calling it a him, because secretly deeeeeeep down inside I think it's a boy.  But I pray everyday that it's a girl.  HAHA  I actually would love to have a little brother for Balian, and I LOVE our boy name, but I've just always had this fear feeling that I'm going to be the mom of all boys.  I've come to terms with it and actually think it wouldn't be that bad.  haha  We have too many girl names that I love and that Stephen doesn't love so much.  So if it's a girl that could be an issue.  I'll be sure to let you all in on the secret as soon as we know though! 

Here's a pic of me at 11 weeks.  Pretty sure I popped at like 8 weeks with this second babe.  NOT impressed with that. 

And here I am at 16 weeks on Sunday.  A) my hair straightener broke and I teach 5-year-olds in primary, hence the dishevelled look.  B) My butt is now the size of my huge belly.  It's a bit much.  I can't fit any of my pants. 

So that's baby number two!!!  Can't wait for Januray 15....or hopefully earlier!!

PICNIC
A little while ago my dad found this park with this slide that's about 30 feet long.  Since then we've been trying to get all the kids and grandkids to get together for a little park date.  With so many varying schedules and uncooperative weather it took us a while but we finally did it!  Almost.  We were all there except Kyle and Cory and Tawni.  They had a last minute change of plans and weren't able to make it.  We missed you guys!
I had been given Saturday off work and so I began planning our park date Monday.  All week I was watching and checking the weather.  haha  I'm a loser I know, but i really wanted to go!! There was a 60% chance of rain but if it wasn't raining at 11 when we left then we were still going.  And we lucked out!  It didn't start spitting until we were just packing up.  We got in a full hour and  half of park fun and picnic.  haha  doesn't sound like much time, but we had three kids under 2, so they were exhausted by that point. 

I filled my camera card while taking pictures...never done that before.  So enjoy way too many pictures

i think i'm a little more excited than bails. 

This picture shows their personalities perfectly.  Balian always so seriouos and Malin having the time of her life.  haha

Baby via

pretty sure stephen is going to make me take this picture down so enjoy it while you can!

the spread.  mmmm

beautiful sisters

TA-DA!
I know you've all been checking my blog everday to see my new hair-do.  But I haven't been feeling very well...which means showering gets shifted to the bottom of my to-do list, which mean no picture of the new hair.  But alas, I could actually function this morning without wanting to die, so here I am in all my glory!

Really not the best photo, but you can kinda get the idea.  I came to my senses and kept it long.  I just realized I had worked way too hard to get here to chop it all off.  And I realized how  much I throw it into a bun on the days I just can't deal with it.  I wasn't ready to commit to the time it takes to do a short hairstyle.  So I'm happy with my decision.  I did go blonde though all over.  And I'm very very pleased with it, and my hairdresser.  Last time I went blonde the freaking hairdresser made me go super slow.  It look at least eight months to get to the point I'm at right now after one time.  I went to a good friend from highschool, who I don't think I had seen SINCE highschool.  So it was fun to catch up and talk about the good old days and where everyone's at and doing now. 

So this is it.  I plan to go a bit lighter still, but I'm enjoying the change and don't feel as washed out as I did leaving the salon.  haha 

What do you think????

Oooooh, the Dilemma

It's that time again.  Every year or so I get the itch.  The to cut or not to cut itch.  And I'm pretty sure everytime I cut my hair I love it for a week or two, and then I curse the day I ever did it and make Stephen swear to dissuade me if I ever say I want to cut my hair again.  Well....he's no help.  He's actually encouraging it.  He thinks " I need a change".  What do I do?!?!  I've had about every cut there is out there.  And I think my problem is I've never had a haircut that I LOVE.  I've always liked them....usually...but rarely have I loved a haircut.  I have stupid hair.  It's thin, naturally curly (but not the nice kind of naturally curly, and ever since I've had a baby not so curly at all), zero volume, so it gets teased to death.  It's just annoying.  So short hair usually helps with the thin volumeless situation, but then my other problem is my hair grows like a weed!  So any form of a "style" is gone in like a month or two.  And I always just let it grow out after a cut, I never maintain the style.  So maybe that's what I'll do this time.  So I need your help!!  Even if you read this blog and don't know me, or think I don't know you, I don't care.  I want your opinions.  Whenever I cut my hair I usually go all out.  I never get a 'medium' length haircut.  Kind of seems pointless to me.  All or nothin'!  So here is kind of what I'm thinking.  Let me know what you think.  Also...should I stay dark? darker?  start going blonde again?? 

Here's  a few of my inspiration cuts.

So you kinda get what I'm going for.  Do you think I can pull any of these off and look anything remotely like the actual haircut??  haha 

Or should I stay with the brown locks??

                Or the blonde locks???  I LOVE my hair here.  It worked so good that day....and that day only. haha

 What short brown can look like.  I actually didn't mine this haircut.  This is after it had grown out after about a month.  I wasn't too fond of it at first.

 And what blonde short hair can look like.  I also didn't mind this cut but wish it was more bobish I get.  Does that make sense??  I LVOE the color here though. I don't know. I'm really picky with my haircuts.  UGH!!

This is solely for laughs.  haha  this is the WHAT THE H!%& was I thinking?!?!  There's a whole big story to the did this catastrophe went down....but that's for another time.  haha 

So you get the gist of it.  I need help.  What should I do?  I think after looking at pictures over the last couple years I'm definitely going to try going blonde again, the good blonde, not the hideousness from that last picture.  I just can't get over that hair!  It's going to haunt me tonight in my dreams.  haha  So lay it on me.  What should I do????  It's going to happen soon, so I'll post the end result.  Hopefully it turns out okay!!

I Really Just Want to Win One Thing in my Life

PLEASE don't enter this giveaway!  I want to win it so bad!
http://www.kinseyholtphotography.com/2012/04/great-big-mothers-day-giveaway.html

Getting big....kinda

I'm HORRIBLE at keeping track of Balian's milestones and accomplishments.  And I can't even say that I've been keeping track of them in a baby book or anything.  I did good in the beginning, but then....ya.  I have no excuse.  I just didn't do it.  I think part me likes to think I'll just remember it, but we all know that's not going to happen.  So here's some of fun facts about our little man lately.

* Balian up until he was about 8 months would sleep 7-7.  It was fabulous.  Then we moved and he started getting molars and sharp pointy teeth busting through his gums.  Good-bye 7-7, welcome 3 or 4 a.m. wake up.  Ugh.  Soooo tired.  
*He has three molars and is getting ALL FOUR eye teeth right now.  Talk about torture for babe and mom.  Everytime he gets new teeth he also gets sick.  So far he's had two ear infections (he has one currently), strep throat and tonsilitis (also currently has).  
* His favorite toys right now are a llittle green tape measure that he used to carry around 24/7 in his fat little hand.  So cute.  
He really likes his basketball hoop that he got for Christmas from G&G Steed.  He loves it when his cousin Tawni builds block towers and then lets him knock it over.  He LOVES sliding down the stairs on his belly.  He loves Grandpa's old cell phone and saying hello dada on it.  
*Some words he says: mama, dada, ta ta (tawni), bye bye, hello (sounds more like hee-wo), boo (peek-a-boo), and woof woof
* He loves being outside.  We were going outside almost everyday until it started getting chilly again.  Can't wait until it gets warm!!
* He now folds his arms for prayer.  It's the cutest thing ever!!
* He refuses to learn to walk, or even stand by himself.  He goes completely limp leg if I try and get him to stand, but he will actually walk really well holding onto one or both hands.  I'm not really worried though.  He's always been a really layed back baby.  He's a very  smart baby in a very quiet kind of way.  haha  I know he'll walk eventually.  I'm just praying he at least learns before nursery.  That's all I care about.  He's got three months, so he should get there. 
* He's still a really good eater most of the time...unless his gums are throbbing.  He loves rice, potatoes, all vegetables, cheese, noodles, chicken, beef, pb and j sandwiches, EVERYTHING sweet (we're dessert buddies).  He's still iffy with fruit most days.  He really likes apple sauce, and loves to suck on apple slices but just spits the apple out after.  If i give him bananas before anything else is put on his tray he'll eat it, but it's very rare. 
*He's such a cheese ball.  Whenever he does something he's proud of he gets the biggest cheesiest grin on his face.  It's hilarioius.  Such a flirt with any and all ladies too. 
*He has this weird fascination with this one mole that I have on my arm.  Whenver he catches a glimpse of it he has to pick at it.  It hurts.  I really need to just go get it removed. 
*He loves to pull on his eyelashes...and everyone else's.  It's a little painful.  I don't know why he does it to himself.  He whinces everytime he does it.  Such a goofball. 
* He is beyond needy right now.  It's been going on for about a month.  As soon as I leave his sight he starts crying.  This makes work difficult.  I try and distract him and then sneak off, but that doesn't always work.  I HATE hearing him cry while I'm working.  I just want to quit...like everyday.  Ugh.  But I won't because I do enjoy work too....and the extra income.  But I am hoping his unrelenting love for me dies down just a teeny tiny bit.  Not too much.  Because I like that I'm the one he misses and wants first.
* He loves to read his books, and pretend he can read them.  His favorite is the program at church for some reason.  He even whispers while he's reading it.  He's got his church voice down perfectly...except every other time when he screams at the top of his lungs and thinks it's hilarious.
* He loves to be naked and have baths and showers.  He's also going through what I truly hope is a phase.  He's..how do I say...discovered himself????  And he thinks it's absolutely hilarious. 
* I haven't had him weighed or measured since he turned one, but i think he's grown a good inch or two.  He doesn't feel any heavier though, so I doubt he's changed much in that area.  He still seems little to me, but I like that. 

So that's our little Bails, our Mr. Handsome, our Mister Mister.  Those are his main names....Balian James Terence McKee when he's pushing the buttons on the satelite receiver.  I can't believe how big he's getting and how much he is learning.  I love this stage.  He is so fun to play with, and I love teaching him something and having him actually be receptive and acknowledge what I've taught him and practice it. 
Here's some pics over the last little while...all from the iphone.  I really need to pull out the actual camera more.  boo for mom.  Enjoy the over abunance of photos!

just another day at the office with dad

cousin ta ta.  they're best buds...most of the time

loves his puppy




 Hand constantly in his mouth.  Poor guy

Cool dude.  It was actually quite the effort to get this picture.  haha

haha  bright flash+really early in the morning = this face.  Precious

I really like this picture.  I wish he was looking at the camera though.

old trick that resurfaced again recently

Such a happy baby

Naked baby alert!

Such an intelectual