The Ballard Bunch

Here's how an 18 month old looks after missing both her morning and afternoon nap (we were working on the nursery and the girls' room). Butts up in the living room.

Well, if I'm not going to deliver this baby with regular contractions, I might as well get some things done at home. We're working on getting the baby's room set up and Hayden moved in with Tate. I'll post pictures when we're all done - it's looking cuter than I'd pictured!

Home from the hospital. Contractions are 2-3 minutes apart, but I'm not progressing enough to "check in". This sucks. :)

Proof that we're finally getting it.



The potty chart is full of stickers and Tatum got a new baby doll today. The original deal was to get a toy at the dollar store every time she filled up a line, but she had her eyes set on a baby doll so we opted for a total "blackout" of the chart to get that. She's been very persistent the last week or so and we're so excited!

Fingers crossed that it lasts this time. :)

The rules of the game are posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 3 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.

#1 What was I doing 10 years ago?
I was a “couch mate” at King Henry, I was an accomplice in a hair “salon” farce gone terribly wrong (or right – depending on who you ask), I was wrapping my roommates personal belongings to give as birthday gifts to her, I was contributing to the AMAZING “Wall of Fame”. Such photos included: Ricky Schroeder and Richard Simmons. Does anyone have a picture of this? I might – I’ll have to look through my boxes, I was dating a boy that was entirely wrong for me. Thank goodness it all worked out the way it did. And, to add to the irony, as I was dating said boy, my husband was a high school junior – haha. But most importantly, I was having so much fun!

#2 Things on my To-Do List Today
Pack overnight bags for the hospital and one for the girls when we have the baby (close enough that I’ve got to do it now), clean the house, laundry, figure out something miraculous for dinner (I don’t want to go to the store at all), go to work (tonight).

#3 What would I do if I were suddenly became a Billionaire?
I’d first make sure that we and all of our family is taken care of financially (pay off houses, debt, etc.), invest lots for us and for the kids, play a little (travel, etc.) – I’m sure I could think of lots more if given the real opportunity!

#4 3 Bad Habits:
I bite my nails, I have a hard time saying “no” when asked to do something, I rarely get out of my pajamas during the day (unless I have to).

#5 Places I have lived:
Thousand Oaks, California; Red Bluff, California; Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Provo, Utah; West Jordan, Utah

#6 Jobs I have had:
Subway (through high school and a little after), Sam’s Club, Preschool Teacher, Nu Skin (various positions – Marketing/PR), Event Planner, Project Coordinator, Customer Service (yippee) and mamma.

#7 5 Things people don't know about me:
I can’t handle dog hair on anything (which proves a challenge when you have an indoor dog w/ black hair – ugh!), I could nap anytime anywhere, I cannot stomach any kind of vomit clean up (another hard one – I have two kids and one on the way), I’m pretty crafty but most of my ideas are copying someone else’s that I’m too cheap to pay for, I have a really hard time going to bed with any kind of mess in the kitchen or living room.

Tag to all my blogging ladies! :)

I just read this on Julie's blog and thought it looked fun. Enjoy!

1. Typically what time do you wake up? Totally depends on the girls. It used to be closer to 7:00 or so, but lately they’ve been sleeping later – around 8:00. I’ve been watching Shanna’s kids for her every day while she’s in training for work, so latest I get to sleep in is 8:30 (when they’re dropped off).
2. On a good night what time are your kids in bed? This is where I’m terrible. Hayden will usually be down by 9-9:30, but Tate’s a late night girl. We try and try, but she won’t go to actual sleep until at least 10. But, if she misses her afternoon nap, it’s earlier. We’re trying to find a happy medium.
3. How long have you been a mommy? 3 years on March 25th
4. How old were you when you became a mommy? 27
5. What is your favorite kids tv show? My favorite? Not having to watch any of them! But the shows we watch most – Dora, Max & Ruby, Nihao Kai-lan, Little Bill.
6. What is your least favorite kids tv show? Caillu. He’s sooooooooooo whiny – it drives me nuts.
7. What is your favorite chore? Lately it’s the bathroom. Something about getting on my hands and knees to clean is totally unappealing to me in my 9th month of pregnancy.
8. What is your favorite meal to cook? Anything in my crock-pot. Just put all the ingredients in and let it cook all day. Can’t beat that.
9. What is the meal you cook most often? Probably grilled chicken w/ something. We love it and the girls love it.
10. What is your kids favorite meal? My girls both love broccoli. Weird, I know, but it’s awesome. Tatum will even ask for it for lunch.
11. What is your favorite thing your husband does with your kids? I love watching them play together. The girls (especially Hayden right now) are beside themselves when dad gets home. It’s very cute.
12. What are 5 things that make you smile when you're being a mom? Coming home from work to find the girls asleep in our bed with Beau (I think he’s so tired at the end of the day, that sometimes that’s just easier), Tatum’s need lately to have a ton of kisses and hugs and goodbyes from Beau and I if we’re leaving the house, Watching my girls play NICELY together and comforting each other, Tatum finally pooing on the potty and getting so excited to put stickers on her chart (it’s almost full!), nap time. J
13. If you could take your kids anywhere where would it be? On a family vacation anywhere. We’re long overdue.
14. When was the last time you went out without your kids? Honestly? My doctor’s appointment last Wednesday and (if I can find a sitter) my doctor’s appointment this afternoon. Beau has promised me a date before the baby arrives, though. Hopefully this weekend.
15. What is your favorite past time/activity to do with your kids? Swimming – they love it!
16. Name 1 thing you said you'd never do as a mom: Over-explain things. Really, though, it’s necessary. “Tatum, do you know why you were in time out?” that kind of thing.
17. Name 1 thing you do that your own mom did: Don’t overreact to in injury – if you freak, they freak.
18. What is your favorite quality that your mom has? My mom is a great listener – even more so now that I’m a mom!
19. What is your favorite kids book? If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (Tatum laughs reading this one every time)
20. What is your advice for new moms? Don’t totally adjust to your baby’s schedule – allow them to adjust to yours a bit. Otherwise, you’ll end up very overwhelmed and feeling a bit frustrated.
21. What is the scariest or most heartbreaking moment as a mom? Seeing your child sad. Tatum just misses the cutoff for Sunbeams at church and for the first few weeks she would just cry because she’s “a big girl, mommy. I want to go with my friends!” Doing better now, but it’s so sad!
22. What is your most joyful moment of being a mom? The hugs and I love you’s.
23. When was the last time you were told 'I Love You' by one of your kids? About 5 minutes ago by Tatum
24. When was the last time you told one of your kids 'I Love You'? About 5 minutes ago to Tatum. J

I've been a blog slacker, I know. But really, with good excuse(s):

1) 8 months pregnant (need I say more?)
2) Constantly chasing Tatum and Hayden around despite above mentioned condition
3) Getting ready for baby (sewing, decorating, moving the girls, etc.)
4) Watching my sister-in-law's kids during the day while she's training for her new job. 40 hours a week. We're on week 4 of 7 now.
5) Nothing much to report. Given all of the items listed above, we really haven't been out to do much. Never fear, though, as soon as this baby arrives, I'm sure I'll have loads to blog about. :)

In the meantime, here are some pictures of the kids that I found especially blog-worthy. Enjoy!

Here are the best pictures I could get of the girls before church a few weeks ago. I got them these dresses for Christmas and, paired w/ the darling cowboy boots from my mom and matching hairstyles, they were too cute for words. We tried snapping a picture of them together, but you know how that goes.




Hayden and Kehl watching "Blues Clues" on the beanbags in the living room. Honestly, I try not to be a super TV mom, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do to keep your mind right. Thanks Blue.



Here's Kehl after being around lots of little girls for too long. Shantell and Tatum dressed him up in Hayden's clothes and he didn't complain one bit. Despite the mess made in the process, I had to laugh - he looked so funny! I just have fast-forward thoughts of our little boy being "taken care of" by his older sisters. Heaven help us!



And, lastly, here are the girls taking a "swim" in the bathtub. We've had a TON of snow lately and they really wanted to pretend warm. So, we put on their suits and let them at it. Hayden didn't really understand why her swimming suit was on in the tub, but she went with it. Great time killer.

...It's Another.

About a week and a half ago Tatum and Hayden both were diagnosed w/ strep throat. Not the best news ever, but manageable. We immediately had them on amoxicillin and they recovered quickly.

Then, to my surprise this past Tuesday morning, Tatum woke up with an awful rash all over her body. I let it go for a few hours to see if it would get better on it's own, but it only got worse. So, I called her doctor's office and was told to take her off the meds and to try Benadryl - in case of an allergic reaction to something. She wasn't itching or miserable, but sure looked the part.

Wednesday morning she woke up 10x worse - her entire body was covered. So, we took her in to the doctor's office and were told that it looked like it wasn't an allergic reaction, but more a side effect of the strep throat. Thankfully, today she's much, much better and the rash is close to gone. She looks in the mirror every morning now to assess her "bumps". She's very proud.

Here's her face Tuesday night. If you can imagine, it got worse before it got better. (Keep in mind how difficult it is to get her to sit still for a close-up shot of her face...she looks goofy)



Two funny Tatum stories to end the post:

Last Wednesday I had a routine doctor appointment with my OB and had to take the girls with me. While we're in the waiting room, Tatum finds it necessary to shout across the room to me, "Mom! I just tooted like daddy!" Already mortified, I tell her to say "excuse me" and she proceeds to ask why, "Daddy doesn't."

Then, at church this past Sunday I smelled something stinky and asked Tate if she'd pooed her panties. Her latest thing is - if she hasn't, she'll offer to show me and if she has, she says I can't see. This particular day - in the middle of Sacrament Meeting - she says that she didn't and then lifts her skirt, pulls down her tights and panties and moons Beau and I to show us how clean her bum is. I wanted to die. But hey, no poo.

Also, a GS update. All is going well - checking my blood 4x a day and trying to maintain the diet assigned. So far my levels are where they need to be, so I'm hoping we'll be good for another 6 weeks or so until baby arrives. But, damn, I want a chocolate soft-serve ice cream cone.

So how could a doctor instill delivery fear into a girl who has already delivered two relatively large-and-in-charge babies successfully?

Two words...Gestational Diabetes.

Yep, you read it right. I "lucked out" the third time around. He says to me, "Well, the good news is, we'll for sure be taking this baby a little early."

No crap. Remember me delivering a 10+ lb baby and having to beg you to take the second early? Remember the second coming almost two weeks early weighing in at near 9 lbs? Remember how the standing rule is that we take all of my babies early now? Jogging your memory at all? Okay, let's add on some more poundage to make the third time a charm and see how happy this girl is pushing for 2 1/2 hours again...

Is this what friends and family will see when looking through the window of the nursery to check out the newest member of our family? I'm sure it'll be a little different - our kids tend to have hair! :)



So tomorrow I meet with a dietitian to see if we can't keep this under control. Supposedly they'll be having me prick my finger daily to check on my levels, too.

Just a few more weeks. Just a few more weeks. Just a few more weeks.

As Lisa, in all her celebrity-gossip-loving-goodness, was quick to point out Hayden's wig is suspiciously like a certain bald-headed train wreck.





Let's hope the similarities stop there! :)

...you have a second, MORE accident-prone child follow in her footsteps. Literally.

While trying to follow Tate walking to the car at the Kinko's parking lot, Hayden burst into a run and quickly fell - hard - onto the pavement. The casualty? Her cute little forehead.



I apologize for the picture - she's got Neosporin on the wound and chocolate on her face (a guilty mom's "reward" for being hurt). But, as most kids do, she recovered quickly and was onto bigger and better things.

The question is, poor Hayden or poor Mom?

Only a week or so late...Christmas Pictures!

Here are just a few of our fun day with the girls. Unfortunately, we lost Beau at about noon that day - he was called out to plow. We were happy to have him for presents, though - the girls had a blast!


Here is a picture before the girls were up to "destroy" it all. Notice where my coffe table was in the middle of the floor - haha.


This is the tee-pee that we (with a lot of help from my mom) made for the girls. They LOVE playing in it, napping in it, watching movies in it - you name it. It was totally worth the effort.


Here is Tatum FINALLY receiving the coveted "Dora Mermaid" that she's been talking about for months.


And Hayden w/ her new chair. Such a ham for the camera!


I had to include a picture (this was the best I could get) of Hayden in Tatum's "Lazy Town" wig. They both look adorable in it - something about the pink bob w/ bangs and their chubby cheeks. Love it.

Hope you're all as excited for the morning as we are in our house!

I'm up waiting for Beau to get home from plowing so that we can finish up last minute Santa-errands. He'll have to go out again tomorrow afternoon (Bah-Humbug!), but at least we'll have him for the best part of the day - Christmas Morning Fun.

In the meantime, I had to include a picture I found on my camera that I'd totally forgotten about. Hayden, in all her mostly-naked glory, enjoying Tate's snow boots. They're HUGE on her, so she couldn't walk far, but she sure did try. Gotta give a girl credit where credit is due - she keeps up with her big sister pretty well for a little bug.



Merry Christmas!

I am totally having deja vu posting this, but I had to share. Basically a reenactment of last year's Grow Family Christmas Party and it's subsequent visit from "you know who".

We'll start with the pleasant visits...

Shantell


Braeden


Kehlden


Jakelle
(I don't have a picture on my camera, but she was cooperative and cute as can be)

Hayden


...and the not so pleasant.

Miss Tate


This is the clearest shot I was able to get - she clung to Beau like her life depended on it. Think she'll ever grow out of it?

Late, but at least I'm posting, right?

Here are some pics of us picking out our tree.





And Tatum's new snowboot debut...but her being surprisingly shy about it.

Everyone, go to Steve & Barry's. I SCORED today and got the remainder of my Christmas shopping done (minus various gift cards I need to still purchase). Everything in the store is $8.95 and under. Everything.

The only one I know of in Utah is off of I-215 & 2200 Exit (near Cottonwood High School).

Trust me, it's worth the drive.

Today Shalae and I were crafty girls and made our own version of a "Hooter Hider". In case you are totally baffled by the name, check out the link here. They're basically a breastfeeding coverup with a handy apron-like strap that holds the blanket around your neck. They turned out great and were surprisingly easy to sew. Here's mine...





If any of you are interested, just let me know. I'm happy to share sewing secrets or make you one of your own at a minimal cost. :)

Tagged by Jules…Christmas-Style!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Paper all the way! There is something extra fun about opening a gift (especially watching your kids tear through the paper in excitement), although I’ve been known to use a gift bag here and there – convenience, mostly. Or, for those odd shaped gifts!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real all the way. Beau and I totally agree on this one, thankfully. I just love the adventure of going to pick it out, etc. Minus vacuuming the needles every day, mind you.

3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime after Thanksgiving, depending on my mood, but no later then December 1st or 2nd.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually New Year’s Day

5. Favorite gift received as a child? I can’t remember either – that’s horrible! I should have a better memory than that…

6. Do you have a nativity scene? No, but I do have Joseph and Mary holding the babe on my end table. Does that count?

7. Hardest person to buy for? No one, really. I love the challenge!

8. Easiest to buy for? The girls, by far. They want everything and anything and get excited about it all. I’m still at the stage where I can pick things for them, though, too. I’m sure it’ll change very soon.

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail – I love to receive so I make sure to send. Might be a little late this year, though! Oops!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can’t think of one…

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? We’re loving all of the holiday classics for kids lately – we have the boxed set w/ Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, etc.

12. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don’t think so.

13. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? All the neighbor goodies!

14. Clear lights or colored on the tree? White lights on my family decorated tree. Believe it or not, I really and not one for the “formal tree” – there is something so nostalgic and sweet about pulling out past ornaments (and the ones we get the kids each year) and having a story to tell. Our tree has a lot of love, that’s for sure. Maybe as the kids get older and the ornaments grow in number, I might be converted to the two-tree side, but not yet.

15. Favorite Christmas song? I really like Jack Johnson’s version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

16. Travel at Christmas or stay home? So far, home. It’s just so hard to even imagine the work, time and money it would take to transport us all somewhere to celebrate. But, we’re happy to entertain here!

17. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? There's Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. But do you recall the most famous reindeer of all? RUDOLPH! (Julie, I sang the song, too!)

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Same also on the PJ’s thing. We open those before we go to Beau’s grandma’s for the Christmas Eve party so the girls can wear them on the way home (in case they fall asleep).

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The never-ending list of things to buy. Just when I think I’m ahead, something else comes up that I have to buy for (parties, gift exchanges, etc.) Not that I mind participating, it’s just hard to REALLY plan money-wise towards the week before Christmas.

20. Favorite ornament theme or color? Ours starts with white lights and cranberry sprigs and then is decorated with ornaments from past Christmases. It really kind of follows the red, green and white theme so far, though.

21. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Skip the ham; bring on another turkey, please! I love the whole spread…minus the cranberries. Ick.

22. What do you want for Christmas this year? Tatum to quit pooing her panties.

TAG... Amanda, Jami, Lenette, Chelsea, Megan, Tanya, Yvonne, Kim and Krystal. And anyone I may have neglected.

This is a great little "challenge" I stumbled across on Kendra's blog:

“I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, which is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.”

Not sure if that's her pledge, or one that we all should follow, but I'm copying, pasting and participating.

So come on, ladies...comment away and start to Pay It Forward, too! :) How fun!

Some of you have posted comments asking if my babies, are in fact, as big as I'd indicated in my last post. Here's a quick trip down memory lane...

Tatum Gayle Ballard
March 25, 2005
10 lbs 4 oz - 22 Inches Long




Hayden Ruth Ballard
August 11, 2006
8 lbs 10 oz, 19 Inches Long
(10 Days Early)




Both chubby, cute and full of hair.

Can't wait to see what this little guy will look like!