17 Weeks, and All is Well!

I had my third doctor's appointment this morning, and all seems to be going well. My blood pressure was even much lower than it has ever been at an appointment, so that was good. I'm hoping that it stays that way (for those of you who don't know, I was on bedrest for the last 2 months with Ellie because of high blood pressure). The doctor says that the baby has a good, strong heartbeat, and that it sounds like a boy... hmmm... we'll see in a few weeks! Our ultrasound is scheduled for March 19. I have started to feel the baby move this last week, which is exciting.

Ellie is so much fun. She loves to wash the dishes at the kitchen sink (maybe I'll post a video of it later) and play hide and seek (of course, laying in the middle of the floor with her face in the carpet is 'hiding'). She likes to listen to her CDs and dance in her bedroom. She has started calling herself "Ellie Johnson" because some of her friends call her that (one of them is also an Ellie). She says that I'm "Mommy Johnson" and Nick is "Daddy Johnson" or "Nicolas Johnson" (which is especially cute). Despite her 'terrible two moments' she is really in a fun stage.

Here are some photos of Ellie with her cousin, Aspen.

On Saturday, my neice, Jessica, got married to Terry Trinkella. We got to attend their endowment session, and then the sealing in the Logan temple. It was a beautiful day and they were very happy. What an exciting time for them. They did an awesome job decorating the cultural hall with beautiful quilts that Jennifer and Jessica had made.

Ellie with her daddy - she's ready for a nap, can you tell?

Nick writes again! And Spring Fever hits

OK, Nick's turn to write this week. So if this seems incoherent, you'll know why.

This week we are all feeling much better. Of course, I think our house might still be harboring a bug. Poor Aspen, Ellie's cousin, came over to play on Wednesday, and by Saturday, she was tossing all her cookies. But enough talk of sickness. I'm sick of that.

And speaking of feeling better, I was able to continue running again this week, and pulled off 3 days again. About 4 years ago, I started running a bit and was able to do a few 5k runs. I never got really fast, but it was nice to be more in shape. Then about the time Ellie came along, I gained some sympathy paternity weight, and pretty much fell away from running for a while. Well, last June, the Doctor said I needed to get into shape, so I started tracking my eating on one of those free websites. I also started going faithfully to the local rec center, which is fairly easy since it is only two blocks away from home. They have an 1/8th mile indoor track. So, I found I can go faithfully if I head out at about (yuck) 6:00am. I get in some warm-up, about 35 minutes of decent running, and then a cool-down and stretch. So I could easily do another 5k run, I'd like to build up some speed so I could do one in a respectable time. Between that and the internet food tracker (which I only used for a couple of weeks until I learned proper proportions), I've lost almost 45 pounds. But I still have like 25 more to go. With any luck, I'll get there soon. It will be nice to get to a good, healthy, stable weight so I can buy some new clothes. Mine are hanging off like garbage bags, and I have punched about 6 holes in my belt.

Here's a riddle: What can be Green and Creamy or Tan and Frothy? I'll bet you a shiny nickel you don't really want to know. I was asked at work to do some data extracts from the hospital Nursing system regarding the volumes and descriptions of... uh... well, nature's fertilizer. What I found was educational, but I thought I was back in junior high when I was discussing the data request with the clinical folks. I have to say I'm just really glad I'm not the nurse who gets to evaluate the stuff. But I am grateful that there are some great medical professionals that are willing to do the dirty jobs.

Other work fun: Most of you can remember the ZCMI center mall in downtown Salt Lake City. I work on the 9th floor of an office building that came up through that mall. Well, the mall has been demolished and work is beginning on a new shopping/residential/entertainment area on the property. It's been an adventure working in the middle of a destruction/construction zone, with the constant jack-hammering going on. But as a guy, it's fun to watch the big equipment claw at the concrete parking structures and crush the concrete pillars. Last week, they started building a tower crane outside the window near my desk. That's fun to learn how those things can grow taller as it builds itself. Right now it's only about 12 stories high, but soon it will start climbing until it's about 30 stories high, in order to reach over our building. These are the things that keep the job interesting, but productivity at a healthy rate!

Well, this week is the end of February. Today it rained (without snow), and I am really ready for spring. Our fruit trees are starting to bud out, and I signed up for a fruit tree pruning class at Thanksgiving Point, put on by the county extension office. I'm looking forward to our pear trees and our eventual peach trees, and whatever else we can fit in the yard. I'm starting to think about starting the tomatoes and peppers inside soon, although I need to control myself a little more. Last year, we didn't have the heart to throw out all the tomato seedlings, and we ended up with 45 big tomato plants in the garden. Anyway, the tulips and daffodils are getting spring fever too, with their tips poking up out of the ground. We have a few hundred bulbs in the front of the house, so it should look really cool when they all bloom.



And for all the happiness, Ellie never ceases to be cute. We were sitting at Church today, and after the sacrament hymn, she immediately starts clapping and yelling "Yaaaaay!" Kind of the wrong time, but it made me smile too.

I guess that's all for today, so comment away!

Miserable Week

This week has just been nasty. We have all been sick, and are still getting over the effects of gastroenteritis (aka the stomach flu). As I last reported, Ellie was sick last weekend, and she still is... just when I think she's getting better, she surprises us with, well, more vomit. I am so tired of cleaning up throw up. Ellie is fairly happy, though, as long as mom or dad is with her at all times (and I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to independent play again). I was finally feeling up to eating real food again on Thursday, which happened to be the same day that Nick got sick. He was feeling much better on Friday and eating mostly normal food again, but he was regretting that in the middle of the night when his intestines were violently protesting. He ended up at the ER where he could get some pain relief. Many thanks to his dad for helping us out that night. He came home several hours later and slept the morning (and most of the day) away. He is feeling well now, but is nervous to eat anything that isn't liquid or easy to digest.

So, needless to say, we haven't done much this week. We didn't even consider Valentine's day (although, honestly, we hadn't planned anything anyway). I think we are all suffering from cabin fever. Hopefully this doesn't happen again for a very, very long time.

Sick

I have felt nasty the last 24 hours or so, thanks to Ellie. She woke up Saturday morning and threw up, and then had nasty diarrhea all morning. We were sure it was food poisoning because she was a happy girl all day. She threw up again that night though, so it had to be something else - which she gave to me. We came home from church early and I spent most of the evening in bed, and most of the night with the porcelain throne - oh so fun. So today I am chillin' in my pajamas and watching a lot of tv.

The week started out a lot better, though. We went to Rock Creek Pizza with Nick's family on Monday night in celebration of Dale's birthday. We love that place, and we love it that Grandpa is willing to entertain an active 2 year old, so we can enjoy a meal out somewhat in peace.

I went to the Men's BYU Bastketball game with the Young Women on Wednesday. It was a blast from the past to be there and singing the fight song (not that I actually went to many basketball games while I was at BYU- although my roommates and I frequently attended football and soccer).

On Saturday I hosted a bridal shower for my neice, Jessica. I can not believe that my neices and nephews have reached an age where they are getting married. Jessica is 22 though, so I suppose she is of marrying age. It was a lot of fun to spend time with family. It seems the only time I get to see some of my aunts and cousins are at these type of events, so I'm glad people continue to get married and have babies.

Speaking of babies - I am just over 15 weeks now, and this last week I have felt really pretty good. I have moments every once in awhile, but the "sickness" as a whole has seemed to pass on to some other mom out there in the first trimester. My 'baby bump' is growing, which is always exciting to me. It still doesn't seem to be visible to many outsiders, but I promise, it's there! Thankfully, because I lost quite a bit of weight before getting pregnant, I am still able to fit into my old jeans, however, I don't know how much longer that will last.

Okay, I'll be done now. Sorry, no photos this week.

Snow, Snow Everywhere

Can I just say that I am ready for Spring? I am grateful for all the snow, we need all the water we can get, but I am just so tired of being cold all the time and confined to my house. I'm ready (and so is my 2 year old) to go play in the sunshine. To all things there is a season...

Ellie with her blocks. Her favorite thing to do with them is line them up like so.

Ellie helping shovel the driveway (for the millionth time this winter).