Yellowstone Camping Prep

A while back, we decided we wanted to take a trip to see Yellowstone before we move from Utah. We don't actually know if we will move or when we might move, but we know it's a possibility and I knew I would be super bummed if we didn't take advantage of a cool National Park while we were living in driving distance to it. So, to get ready for the trip, we started with buying the things. Jonathan has a lot of camping stuff for him, and I have a pretty good sleeping bag. We did have to buy a sleeping pad for me, and a tent. We bought one of the thicker pads for me- it cost more, but then hopefully I wouldn't regret the camping trip being 5 and a half months pregnant and not sleeping well at night. We also bought a 6-man tent- it was on clearance at the camping store we went to, and was cheaper than the 4 man tent, and Jonathan can almost stand up in it! It's big and lovely. 

Once we had purchased the few supplies we were lacking, we decided that Peter needed some camping prep. The first time we set up the tent, he was so crazy excited, which was fun, but when I thought about him acting like this when we were trying to go to sleep after a long day, it was less fun. So, he and Jonathan slept in the tent in the backyard a couple of times so the tent wouldn't be so new and Peter would know how things would go and get accustomed to everything. 

Peter eating an apple and learning about wood-cutting safety.

Good helper pulling the wood to the fire area

On Friday, Jonathan and Peter would go outside, set up the tent, make their beds, and make a fire. Jonathan made tin-foil dinners with leftover curry one night- that was delicious. I would go outside to check on them, and eat dinner with them, but when bedtime came, I'd go in and sleep and the boys stayed in the tent. Jonathan said the first night, it took Peter about an hour to go to sleep. Then next week, he went to sleep in about 30-40 minutes. By the third week, Peter went to sleep in about 15 minutes. Win!

Peter playing in the tent

Dinner time outside the tent

Backyard camping!

We had safety talks about fires and how Peter should not touch it ever, and that he was only allowed to put things into the fire if mom or dad said it was okay. He did really good with staying back from the fire, and also reminding us that the fire was hot! 

Chicken curry tin-foil dinner!

Camping necessity- roasting marshmallows

Boy loves his marshmallows

Making breakfast after a good night's sleep.

It was great to watch Jonathan teach Peter things that he loves to do so much. Jonathan loves camping and he was really good at teaching Peter how to help in ways that were perfect for a little boy. Jonathan is so patient with Peter and does a great job at involving him with the things he is doing. It was also great to get a break from Peter and have a couple of nights to myself. I joked that Jonathan was in charge of one of the boys and that I would watch the other one. Although, I'd rather switch and let Jonathan be the pregnant one and I'd take Peter. Haha. 

Camping prep ended up being a great idea. When we went to Yellowstone, Peter slept great every night, and didn't get too excited when we put the tent up, so he would still sleep fine. We had a great time and saw lots of neat things, but that is a post for another day.

Glasses Family

The family who wears glasses together stays together.

I realized I haven't done an update on Peter's crazy eye. He has glasses now, and he looks super adorable in them. We're still working on being better at having him wear them more often and for longer periods of time. He wears them most days, but the length each day varies- depending on how patient he is and how much I push. But he usually wears them for at least half of each day. And he has gotten better at being happy putting them on as time goes by.

We have noticed that the glasses do help his eye not cross in. His eye crosses less frequently, but still crosses sometimes (as you can see in the picture above). Also, it seems to get back to normal quicker than before glasses. I'm fairly certain that we missed his last checkup in the craziness of moving again, and the office didn't call or email to remind me...and I think it was supposed to be in early September. So, I'll have to reschedule that and go down sometime so the doctor can check his progress. But that's where we are at with Peter "Crazy Eye" Nelson.

Xiao Didi (Little Brother)

19 weeks pregnant

This year for Christmas, Peter is getting a baby brother! He's pretty excited about it. He likes to talk about his baby (in his tummy...apparently everyone is having a baby since mom is) and sometimes he says, "My baby is sick. I need drink water and baby feel better." or something along these lines- something he's heard from me and repeats in his own way. He's pretty cute. We're still working on being nice to mom's tummy- I get elbowed and kicked on a regular basis and it is my least favorite. He's just too busy to remember sometimes.

So, here's a run down of pregnancy #2 thus far. I'm due end end end of December. It's a boy. The boy is super active- just like his brother. On my 20 week appointment, the doctor had a hard time getting his heartbeat because he kept kicking/hitting back at the stethoscope. And at the last appointment- this week- the doctor said he had the hiccups and she could hear them along with his heartbeat. (Again, just like Peter, who had the hiccups at least once a day the last month of pregnancy, and got them 2-3 times a day for the first bit of his life.) He is a mover and a shaker- sometimes I'm pretty sure I have bruises inside. He's a strong little man. I think he knows I'm writing about him right now because he is going crazy.

Sickness: With Peter, I was nauseous most days for all nine months. I threw up more my 3rd trimester than I did my first. There were very few foods that I would eat, not because I craved certain things, but because there were only a handful of things that ever sounded good. I lived off of mint chocolate chip ice-cream, ginger ale, popcorn, mashed potatoes, and quesadillas.  And to be perfectly honest, I was not looking forward to being pregnant ever ever again, because that was miserable. But, so far, this baby is so much better. I made it through the first 20 weeks with only a handful of "sick days".

Recently, breakfast has been tricky- I can't eat anything with dairy, or sugar in the mornings or I feel sick for a few hours. I eat oatmeal with peanut butter and bananas or toast with peanut butter pretty much everyday. One day I ate leftovers from the night before- Shepard's Pie- and that was a success. But once I get past 10 or 11am, then I'm usually good to go for the rest of the day! So, compared with first pregnancy, this one is great.

Also, Sunday's have been tough lately. I think it is mostly me just sitting in seats in a way I don't usually sit most days. I never just sit for an hour at a time. When I am sitting at home, I'm usually on the floor or curled up on the couch. Anyway, for the last 3-4 weeks, I get really lightheaded and hot and dizzy at some point at church- usually in the first hour, and I usually leave and find a place I can sit with my legs up a little bit, and eat snacks. I'm the queen of snacks at church these days. The doctor told me to drink more water and eat a simple breakfast and lots of snacks and see if it helps. So, we'll see. Again, the same thing happened when I was pregnant with Peter, and I figured it out after a few weeks, so more snacks and water it is.

Baby Names: We have a handful that we both like, but we haven't picked a name yet. Right now the leaders are Anders and Henry. But who knows if that will change.

Feelings about 2 boys: I'm super excited because Peter and Jonathan were on a camping kick to prep for our Yellowstone trip, and I'd just think- he can just keep taking the boys and teaching them how to camp and build fires and he's good at playing outdoors with Peter. Also, Jonathan is great at teaching Peter how to be a good boy- how to be nice to his mom and help wash dishes and help do chores, so I just think that these boys are lucky to have a dad that will teach them important things. Also, it's great because if we are out and about and Peter has to use the bathroom, Jonathan always takes him...and I get a short break. Having boys is great. Sometimes I am a little nervous with the thought of 2 boys because Peter is so active and he wears me out all the time and to think about doubling it is exhausting. But then I think- then they will have friends to play with, and maybe it will be easier...only time will tell.

Anyway, that's about it for now. I'll keep you posted as small man #2 keeps growing.

24 weeks pregnant with Peter and Jonathan at Lower Falls in Yellowstone