30 Weeks with the little guy

My attempt at a self taken picture which is why I'm not smiling - too much concentration.

belly shot 23 weeks

Courtesy of Westyn

These two

These two girls when they are together are pretty amazing. It sucks horribly that they live across the country but I'm hopeful that someday SOON they will find themselves back in our area. My brother graduates from Cornell with an MBA in a few weeks but they are staying in Ithaca for another year or so as the kids have adjusted too well for them to up and leave.

Westyn adores her cousins and it's so fun that they are all close in age and now adding another one to the bunch will make 5 cousins meaning 5 grandkids for my parents to deal with.

Thoughts on #2

As most of you know via that little thing called Facebook, we get to be parents to a little baby boy in about 5 months. We are over-the-moon excited but also a bit nervous (at least I am). I'm not nervous about caring for a boy or how I'm going to be as a Mom with a boy, but I think I'm most nervous about sharing my heart with another little human and Westyn feeling like she is now second best. Don't get me wrong, I already love this little guy beyond words, but Westyn is my soul, my everything, my little sidekick. While she is 100% aware that she is going to have a little brother/be a big sister, it kills me every time I think of her feeling like she is not as loved as before.

I wonder if that certain amount of love you have in your heart quadruples once you have another child?

Do all Mom's expecting #2 feel this way - how can I love another child like I love my first?

Do the older siblings get over it within the first couple of months, or does it depend on their age? (I hope that since Westyn is 3 and 'gets it' that it will be easier on her and she will feel like she is needed).

What can parents' do to show their first that they are still just as special and amazing even though there will be another baby coming along?

She's 3!!

Westyn turned 3 last Sunday and we had a princess themed birthday party for her with family invited and a few of her closest friends. We have very minimal pictures from her party but just enough to capture her smile. Clearly her Daddy isn't a photographer, nor I. She had been anticipating her birthday for a loooong time as she was very specific about what she wanted and as it turned out it looked like Disney threw-up all over our house. This kids loves her some princesses.

She is one of the most loved little girls I know and so many people have enjoyed watching her grow into this amazing little 3-year-old. Unfortunately our little one on the way has a lot to live up to.

16 weeks and some Whistler pics

I had every intention of posting a belly pic of me this morning but to be honest, they scare me. When I take them myself my arms look 50 pounds each and it just doesn't look normal. If they give me that reaction I can only imagine what people reading this would think. So we'll just stick to a good ol' update and some pics of my little one at Whistler.

This pregnancy has been leaps and bounds different than my first with Westyn. My first trimester was miserable. I had acne like a teenager going through puberty and pretty bad nausea. Not to mention I was the DEVIL to Troy. Seriously, I was not me - it wasn't even pity worthy, like 'please feel bad for me I'm pregnant', that's how mean I was. Luckily, now that I have gotten over that little hump I'm back to my lovely, sunny, happy self.....um..

Below are a few pictures of Westyn up at Whistler when we went for my birthday a few weeks ago. She has become quite the little skiier and hopefully next year we can put her in ski lessons at the pass. We all went up the gondola together and I did ski but took it very very easy. I had to snow plow the whole time since I was holding a harness that Westyn was hooked up to. I highly recommend purchasing this harness if you're trying to get your child on skis. You control how fast they go and can maneuver their turns to get them comfortable turning. Insert harness website here... of course I dont know the name though.

Westyn & my Dad on the carpet lift up the hill - perfect for kids




On the Whistler gondola

Knocked Up.

Christmas came around the 6th for us when we found out (the biggest shock of our life) that we were having another baby. We had planned on thinking about it come spring but never thought it would happen so fast. I guess thats what happens when you go to Mexico and have WAY to many margaritas for 7 days straight, thanks Michelle... We are so thrilled but more importantly Westyn is beyond excited. Everyday she comes up and kisses my tummy and asks how baby is doing. Love it!

I'm thinking maybe I'll do a weekly baby bump photo shoot to post, love seeing other blogs with this.

Stay Tuned

My Family

Several weeks ago (this post is obviously way overdue) the very talented Misty Carpinito was kind enough to meet us in a beautiful park in Seattle on a freezing morning and take some family pictures of us - the first of what I would call professional pictures. Even though this isn't Misty's professional job, she is awesome, like really awesome. Like every single pictures she took is unbelievable. I wish I could download all of them but I can't seem to figure out how to pull them from Costco without using a microscope to see them.

If this is ever a career that Misty chooses to pursue as a side job to being a full-time Mom, book her as fast as you can. Lucky for me she's a dear friend so hopefully that will give me a one-up....right Mist?

Happy New Year to everyone! 2012 for the Haigh family is going to be a pretty crazy one full of lots of surprises.....

First Haircut

For the past couple of months Westyn's hair has gotten kind of 'white trash stringy long' so we made the wise decision to cut her hair. Leslie even had the gall to tell us we were neglecting our child by not cutting her hair because it was unhealthy. Oops. I didn't think you cut your childs hair until they were close to 3 or even 4. Double Oops.

She did great and loved it, and wow what a difference a little snip makes. Talk about luxurious thick hair, and my god she looks so grown up now.

We are off to Mexico for some adult craziness with some great people.

This little girl

Has made my dreams come true.

She is the brightest little star when you are having a crummy day and just knows what to say and what to do to make everything seem better. She is wise well beyond her 2 1/2 years and it blows my mind that we created this. She is funny, beautiful, smart, fearless, inquisitive and most importantly totally and completey potty trained.

And these two together

ahhh, I think every man needs to have a daughter in his lifetime.

In just a few short days.....

I will look like this.

And I won't care the least about wearing make-up.

And my hair will be dreaded by next Tuesday.

And I will stink like fish guts and salmon eggs, and love it. Because in Soldotna, everyone stinks like fish.

And I may eat a couple of jumbo size Butterfingers while fishing on the Kenai. And give Westyn a few.

And I will be forced to drink regular coffee for 7 straight mornings with a few Starbucks runs inbetween.

And I may have a few apple fritters or maple bars from the local donut shop that is To. Die. For.

And I will watch Troy introduce his little girl to all of his childhood "Uncles" that all happen to look like Santa Claus or somebody that sleeps in the bush. But are the coolest people on the planet.

And I will sit on the river bank with a bottle of Alaskan Amber watching all the guide boats come in for the day.

And I will drink 20 bottles of wine in 7 days with my Father-in-Law, because that's just what we do.

CANNOT wait to get on that plane Friday morning so I can lose touch with my sometimes high-maintenance self and turn into a grisly fisherman.

Cousins

My brother and his family are in town for the summer but are spending a few weeks at the canal (its too hard for me to call it my parents house just yet) so I was able to take a few days last week (thanks to my wonderful bosses) and spend some time with them and finally meet my 2 month old niece Hazel.

She was literally picking the clams and mussels out of the shell with her fingers and shoveling them in her mouth. Good thing the shellfish is free and 3 steps away.

This was 2 minutes before Campbell ran and got her own kiddie cart and her and Westyn were chasing eachother through the wine aisle. No Joke. I did not make friends at the Belfair QFC that day. I left sweating and embarassed.

Missing Westyn

I am without child until tomorrow night when we do the child swap with my parents. When they packed up the truck for the final time yesterday they took Westyn with them so she could hang out and get comfortable with the fact that the Canal is their new home. I know she is having a blast with them; playing on the beach, looking at sea life, throwing rocks (which is her favorite) but selfishly I want her home with us. Last night was so quiet without her and this morning was torture it was so lonely.

It's funny because you kind of look forward to some free time with your husband but all you both can think about is your child. And we have high hopes of catching a Happy Hour or 2 (gasp!!!) but we are being responsible and finishing up some much needed projects.

BORING. (This wasn't my idea)

You really start to wonder what you did before you had a child - but before we had Westyn we had no clue the love that would fill our hearts. Little did we know that she would turn into this creature that blows our minds on a daily basis. We didn't know that she would be a best friend and companion to both of us. We were blinded by her smarts and sense of humour. We are still amazed at how beautiful she is (yes I'm bragging).

(At Grasslawn playing in the sandbox. Look at that face! I die.)

(Walking in the park with Hayden)

D Day

My definition of D Day is: the day on which a major change will take effect.

And that day is Saturday. Why? Because my parents are moving an hour & a half away and leaving my childhood home to another loving family. Trying not to go into convulsions and hysterics. For the past 5 years we have lived 5 minutes away from each other and now they will be enjoying some peace and quite on the Hood Canal.

Don't feel too bad for me, my Mom is coming to stay with us a few nights a week....but stilllllll.

Two

My little love bug is two today. Holy crap what an amazing 2 years this has been. Being a Mom is one of the most inspiring, challenging and rewarding role there is. She is the coolest little girl and such a smart little thing. I am so proud of what she has become and I can't wait to see what this year brings us....eeks.

We are off to celebrate at her favorite place, Kidz Bounce, with some of her favorite people.

Anticipation...

for the hands down best place for apres-ski drinks

for conditions like this

and for awesome nights walking in the village experiencing the best place on earth thru Westyn's eyes and enjoying my 31st birthday with my family

I can hardly think of anything else seeing that we leave for Whistler next Tuesday night for FIVE NIGHTS!! Although my impending work deadline is keeping me busy. I don't think we've been on vacation since fishing in Alaska when I was pregnant, and we really don't call that vacation anyways - shhh, don't tell Larry. I haven't been to Whistler longer than 3 nights since I was in college and the thought of 5 nights makes me giddy. We will be renting skiis for Westyn this year so stay tuned for some absurd pictures.

Funny girl

She loves to give Troy make-believe baths but will stop, pose and say cheese at the drop of a dime.

At this point we thought she was going to pee on Troy since she fought putting her diaper back on. This was after she asked to go potty on the toilet for the 25th time that hour.

Please stay funny little girl, you are definitely one in a million.

One more thing. This morning when she woke up and I went into her room to get her, I opened her door and the first thing I hear is, "Oh Momma, you scared me". What 'almost' two-year-old says stuff like that?

Well, hello there

I'm surprised I even remember how to create new posts.

My where has the time gone? Oh yeah, I remember. Its been spent with my sweet beautiful funny devil-child. Does that make sense? No? Well let me explain. Westyn knows EXACTLY what to do to get what she wants. She will be the sweetest little girl on the planet, playing nicely and then all of a sudden when we are not responding to what she wants... no NEEDS, now, she freaks out. Like I'm talkin' throws a tantrum; arms and legs flailing on the floor, screaming, whining, the works. It's pretty hysterical really. But then when we cave in because we truly think she may hurt herself, she is perfectly fine. Like nothing happened. Oh joy, what is 2 going to be like? I'm not going to lie, she is a very difficult child but she is also so very perfect that I wouldn't trade her in for a mega millions win.

If I could just bottle up this little girl and show her to the world, I think there would be more happiness and humor. She's like this fireball of sunshine. I would have several more photos to share with you but unfortunately every time I take a picture of her she moves before I'm done because she wants to see. She says, 'See, See Mommy, See picture' So every picture I have from over the holidays is blurred because her face is moving out of the view to get a good look at nothing. And then she's dissapointed because the picture sucks.

Too much rambling nonsense, sorry. Needed a break from work and I thought I would say hello.

Taking a nap with my Dad at the Canal

Caught red-handed. We're probably bad parents for letting her climb on the countertops.

Again, another day, another climbing on the countertops.

Miss Independent

Whoa! This little girl has some personality. She refuses to let Troy and I help her with anything whether it be sitting on the potty, putting on her shoes, coat, eating, drinking, and the list goes on. We have to bribe her to let us help with anything. Good or bad for a 1 1/2 year old? Jury's out.

Happy Holidays

These next few weeks we will be welcoming my in-laws and Jen and Calum for a much needed visit!

A love hate relationship

I dont know about these two but one minute they are having a great time and then my child, the incredible hulk child, attacks Makena with hugs and craziness. This was the first time they were actually playing together like little girls, although I think Westyn was ready to pounce on Makena any second - she can be a bit CRAZY at times. About 3 mintues after I took the top 2 pictures, and after Makena very politely said "Mother please remove me from this crib, this girl is about to drop kick me to China", Westyn in about a 3 second span climbed up over the crib and fell on the floor. Luckily Keri and I caught her so she didn't fall full force but holy cow was that scary. Time to change her crib to daybed/toddler bed? Um not yet.