Us MeMe

What is his name? Kersten Rolf
How long have you been together? Married 9 1/2 years,
How long did you date? 4 years that included his mission (I did write him every week), Engaged for 5 months, Married 10 months after he returned
How old is he? 31, three months older than me
Who eats more? Right now it is a toss up, Usually he does at meals and I snack more.
Who said I love you first? I did, it spontanously burst out of me and he then Enthusiastically responded back
Who is taller? Kersten by 2 1/2 inches
Who sings better? Probably me
Who is smarter? Depends on what you are asking about, Kersten sounds a lot smarter
Whose temper is worse? definitely Kersten, he has the German Blood
Who does the laundry? Mostly me, but he chips in a lot. He is very particular about his clothes
Who does the dishes? Mostly me, but he's been doing them a lot lately
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do, we switch according to who is closer to the bathroom.
Who pays the bills? I do mostly, he has a couple he always takes care of
Who mows the lawn? Kersten does. With Noah out there with his own lawnmower
Who cooks dinner? We both do. Kersten enjoys it more but I am home so I try to have it mostly ready when he get home.
Who drives when you are together? Kersten drives
Who is more stubborn? I am.
Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? I calm down faster so usually me
Whose parents do you see the most? Probably Kersten's. His parents live around the corner
Who kissed who first? Kersten kissed me
Who asked who out? Kersten did and then we did not have another "official" date for quite awhile but we hung out all the time
Who proposed? Kersten did
Who is more sensitive? Both of us are. Depends on what it is about
Who has more friends? I have a lot more close friends I keep in contact with
Who has more siblings? We had the same amount, I have 3 sisters and 1 brother and he has 3 sisters and 1 brother. If you count all my step-siblings I definitely do, I have 7 steps-siblings with my mom's husband and 4 with my dad's wife.

(Picture taken on our anniversary this year, May 21st, 9 Years)

I've Been Tagged

You've been tagged!
A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Thanks Carrie! Here it goes:

1. I only have 84 days left until my due date. It is creeping up really fast. In reality it is less days than that since at the very least they will take the baby a week early. Ahhh!

2 I have started the grunting phase of pregnancy, when you try to get up or down. You make a little grunt. Noah has now started grunting also. I think this is so hilarious.

3. Since Kersten has been home we have made- 2 batches of banana bread, 3 raw apple cakes, and chocolate chip cookes. Sadly we have not even taken any over to the neighbors. We definitely need to go on diets after this.

4. I have started snoring. I don't snore unless I am really sick. But, it has gotten to the point that I wake myself up and keep my husband up all night. Poor man

5.I have an adversion to all food right now. Worse than normal, which really is saying a lot. It doesn't make me sick or anything, just no desire to eat. All I want to eat is my mom's bread with homemade yam. The rest I force down to stay nourished.

6.I am stumped on how to finish baby Shaak-Ti's baby announcements. Something is missing and my creative juices have stopped flowing.

I just noticed that all 6 things have to do with my pregnancy. Sorry, it is what totally engrosses my life right now.

Okay so now I tag, Amy, Audrey, Lena, Erin, Alicia and Shaunelle.

Treasures from Austria

As promised I have posted pictures of the beautiful things that were given to us from Kersten's family and friends from Austria and also what his parents and sister spoiled us with. Are we not so very spoiled?

Kersten's Omi Agnes knitted all these beautiful socks and booties. She is a talented amazing knitting woman. I posted these first because they are my favorite. The rest of the pics are in random order. The small white booties are amazing. They have the tiniest stiches, she even made the strings to tie them with. Noah had some blue ones like the cream booties. Now he has warm socks to keep his tootsies warm this winter. These are seriously treasures and I love having these beautiful hand made things for my children. We really do cherish them at our house. The shoes were given to us by Manuela.

This is a small part of the delicious Austrian chocolate we received. As you can see we already have broken into it. There really is nothing better the Austrian Chocolate. Also, is the cute Beef Eater Bear that Virginia got for Noah and the cute wooden Beef Eater Guard she also brought back for us. She was in London for awhile visiting Monika's Aunt Liz.

I am so very excited about this baby sling. Noah took the picture. He was very proud of it. Sorry about the blurriness of the letters on the box. Didymos is the company name and Manu search high and low to find me one. I am so grateful to her. Last summer when they visited she used one of these with her daughter Enora and It was very cool. Basically it is a piece of really durable fabric that you can tie and wrap around you to hold your baby in different positions. You can use it for a long time, it grows with the baby. This pattern is called the Jakob. Here is there English website
http://www.didymos.de/english/index.php

This is the Christmas Tablecloth that Heinz and Monika gave us. Omi's town in Austria is famous for their textiles and linens. I look forward every year to see what beautiful piece they will bring back and count them as some of my treasures.

These are cute baby girl clothes for Shaak-Ti sent to us from Omi Agnes, The Erlachers, Manuela and Martina from Austria.

So there you are. What fun presents. We will treasure them and enjoy the chocolate for sure

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Grateful Sunday 10-21-07

This pic was taken today as I was in the process of getting ready for church. I LOVE Noah's outfit and think he looks as handsome and grown up as can be in it.

- I am grateful for this so called quiet time in our family. I know there will come a time when I long for us to be together this much doing quiet activities. It is really nice when I have reached beyond to have the choice to take a nap while Kersten plays or reads with Noah. There are times when I feel so content looking at my small little family all gathered together, healing and doing the best we can. My heart just swells with love for my two men and for this sweet girl that is coming.

MY WARD- I am overwhelmed by the kindness of my ward. They have really helped make life a bit easier. They have brought in so many yummy meals. I can't tell you the relief I have on the days I don't have to worry about what I am going to feed my family. I really hate that I do struggle with food so much and I just feel so blessed.

MY IN-LAWS- Really at this crazy time, I don't think we could have survived without the help, support and love we have received from Kersten's family. They live just around the corner from us. They have kept us very well fed, when the ward has not come they have totally helped with dinners etc.

NINA-There has been so many times that Nina has kidnapped Noah to play with Josh. The whole weekend we had strep, she kept him for us. Noah loves Josh so much that he cries when it is time to come home. She really helped out so much more than she needed to while Heinz and Monika were in Austria.

BEAUTIFUL AUSTRIAN FARE- It really felt like Christmas when Heinz, Monika and Virginia returned from Austria this week. Omi Agnes knitted beautiful booties for the baby and socks for Noah. The Erlachers sent cute baby girl clothes and shoes. Manu found me my new favorite carrier for when the baby comes. Virginia brought back the cutest bear beef-eater from London for Noah and we received a beautiful Christmas tablecloth from the parents. And Lots and lots of yummy Austrian Chocolate. Wow, we were spoiled. (Pictures to come later this week)

Shaak-Ti

I am so sure all of you have been dying to know who is this Shaak-Ti (pronounced Shock Tee) that Noah thought was cool enough to name his sister after. Well in these wise words

"...and Shaak Ti's the most cunning Jedi I've met. She's even taught me a few tricks."
―Obi-Wan Kenobi

Mace Windu once described Shaak Ti "as beautiful as a flower, yet as deadly as a viper." The hollow spaces in her decorated montrals allowed her to ultrasonically perceive her surroundings, especially in bustling crowds. Unlike most members of her communal species, she was solitary by nature. She was also rewarded as one of the most cunning warriors of the Order. Windu and Yoda felt that she was one of the greatest lightsaber duelists ever, and one of the Order's most powerful members over history. Shaak Ti's lightsaber skills were almost unparalleled and she had great domain in the Force.

Shaak Ti was a Jedi Master of legendary power and strength in the Force. She was regarded as one of the most cunning warriors in the Jedi order. She was trained as a Consular, allowing her to focus more on mastery of the Force through knowledge than through physical combat. Shaak Ti's montrals helped her detect movements around her, an ability that was drastically increased beyond others of her species by her Force abilities. She used this ability during the battle of Brentaal IV, where she evaded blaster bolts instead of deflecting them. As with many Consulars, Shaak Ti had the Force ability to deflect Force lightning.

Shaak Ti's lightsaber skills were at a level few other Jedi could rival or match. She earned a reputation as one of the greatest lightsaber duelists of the Jedi Order's history. She was also known to be a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and excelled in multiple weapons practices. Shaak Ti's physical skills were critical in the defense of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine during the Battle of Coruscant, during which Shaak Ti buys time for Palpatine's escape from Grievous and his MagnaGuards by battling the entire group with her lightsaber, an electrostaff, and her bare hands. Grievous thought of her as a most gallant warrior.

She first appears in "Star Wars Episode II- Attack of the Clones" and continues on in the animated series "Star Wars-Clone Wars" and the last time we see her in movie form is in "Star Wars Episode III-Revenge of the Sith", she is believed to be killed in the onslaught or Jedi purge. But she shows up in video games and books that are approved by the creators of Star Wars between "Revenge" and "New Hope".

Well I hope this helps a little bit, Sorry, if it was a bit like an encyclopedia. I told you Shaak-Ti was cool. Noah can't wait to get his baby sister, her first light saber.

Long winded updated Information

It is not often in a mother's life when her child actually asks her to take them to Dr. Katie. I knew Noah must really be feeling yucky if he said that. He did make sure to say "No, ow" He has had a horrible cough for days and recently it sounded in his chest. He has had a stuffy nose since birth and that has just gotten worse. It keeps him up at night. So we took a trip to see Dr. Katie today. Our appointment was after lunch and when Noah finished his lunch after asking all night and morning to see the doc, he says "No more Ow. No doc. I'm Okay". Isn't that always how it works, when you finally get them into the doc, they are feeling just fine. Can I just say that I love his peditrician. I guess more importantly Noah likes her too. She is just the right kind of doctor for the kind of parents we are. She is great with Noah and it was such a relief to actually see her and not someone else.

Noah now weighs a total of 31.5 lbs. He is on antibiotics for his sinus crap and yucky cough. We discussed the whole potty issue with her and our frustrations. She thought we were pretty creative. A good sign is that he is happy and excited when he actually goes potty and felt like he accomplished something afterwards. I expressed my concern that he only went actual pee if we caught it with the timer and how he holds his poo in. He still might not be completely recognizing the signs in his body that he is going to pee, he know when he will poo cause he hides. She said his mind might be so occupied with all the adventures in his head and all the fun things he is learning that he is not paying attention to it. Plus, it has never been a concern before now and to be patient. So we are not going to stop the potty training, just scale back. Keep the timer going to remind him that he needs to keep trying and be patient. I think that is the hardest part.

She also is going to help us fight the insurance company to get them to cover Noah's speech therapy. Oh, this is a huge answer to our prayers. I know that he has needed a bit more than he is getting. She teased that we should move into Jordan District, since they have a better program. But, now we know that we have some people behind us on this front.

I feel so much better. It sounds so silly but just knowing that his doc thinks we are doing okay and that we have done all we can has quieted my mind about all the stuff swirling in my head

Baby Girl- Shaak-Ti is doing fantastic. I had an ultrasound yesterday and she is growing spot on. She was at exactly 27 weeks. Babies of diabetics usually get really big and grow to fat, to fast. So it is nice to know that she is doing so well. During my exam, after my doc spoke with me and said that another would review the results and I would see him next week, I had 3 other doctors come in and comment about how beautiful her heart was, including my doc. Oh, comfort again. I had 4 docs act astounded, I was not on full bed rest yet and commented how strange that things were progressing this way. They were all really throuogh with my chart. I am still on moderate bed rest. The only reason I am still only moderately on bed rest is that I had a blessing and the Lord is watching out for us. RELIEF and starting in 2 weeks I start going for Non-Stress tests weekly for 3 weeks, bi-weekly after that and to the doctor once a week. And I still have 2 or 3 depending ultrasounds. So the craziness has just gotten a bit crazier. The receptionists were teasing me that we will see each other so much, that we will be best friends. At least all of these appointments are at the Brand new hospital by Costco. Fun fun fun

Potty Update

Oh, the joys of teaching my son about the potty. I am so tired of potty training. He might just not be ready. I feel at this point it is just a matter of something he can control. We have had some struggles over the weekend. He was doing really well about keeping dry during the day. We realized he had not gone poo for 2 days, So he was holding it in. On Friday, Noah gave us back his helicopter and all of his Star Wars toys he earned. All while making a smirk. Usually, just threatening to take the helicopter to Mommy's closet is enough to motivate him to keep trying. Kersten had totally had it with this whole thing. And went extreme. He said if he was going to keep being a baby, he would only let Noah do things that babies would. It was close to lunchtime and we had some Rice cereal Amy left here. So for lunch he made him some baby food and gave him a bottle. During this Kersten ate Cheetos and some of his other favorite foods. Oh, the fit throwing that happened on Noah's part. He actually went upstairs and went pee in the potty after that. Kersten was worried he went a little over board, but It seems that we now have to take this to the next level. We all had a huge talk about how this potty thing needs to be HIS decision. And it is his choice if he wants to be big or not. We now just remind him of the baby food and he slowly walks upstairs to the bathroom. We have been doing the naked thing (Again) this weekend and through the week. All it has done is made it so we have a lot to clean up and he waits till nighttime to poo. I worry that if we back down now, it will completely blow up in our faces later. So we need to be consistent is what I keep feeling. One of the hardest part of being a parent is being consistent.