Hello all! Welcome from me and baby Scottie Maverick (aka Mav), who are enduring week 32 of pregnancy. This is a pretty eventful week, full of Christmas parties out the wazoo, with Scott's birthday being December 8th, my birthday being tomorrow (December 12th), and now there are only 14 days until Scott comes home on December 25th! I have sooo much to be grateful for this holiday season. I know that I am a very fortunate soul, and every year I have about 2 gajillion things to be grateful for, but this year I am feeling extra aware and grateful. Every night when I say my prayers my 'thank you for' list far outweighs my 'please bless...' list, and it is a wonderful feeling. 

WARNING, the next section waxes pretty mushy and nostalgic, so feel free to skip it...

I have family nearby that are so sweet and loving to me. Constantly cooking me food, inviting me to activities with them, letting me hold their babies....
I have family (on the Holbrook and Stiles sides) far away that are so thoughtful as well. Sending me sweet cards, texts, calls, emails, ect. 
Sunnee, David, and their kids have been beyond gracious in welcoming Scott into their home. I find it especially sweet that my little nephew Kale (only about 9 years old) never complains about having to share his bedroom with his two little sisters because Scott is staying in his room. He hasn't said a single complaint as far as I know, and I hear reports that every time he says a prayer he prays that me and the baby will feel better soon so that we can come to Hong Kong soon. 
My parents have also been amazing hosts to me. They are so thoughtful, always inviting me to do things, feeding me, taking care of me when I feel awful. I am especially appreciative of the time they spend with me just sitting on the couch, or when my mom would hold me as I cried or held my hair back when I got sick. 
I have a job that allows me such great benefits that I have been able to take advantage of, especially my health care and disability coverage. It always amazes me that if I hadn't started working at Medicity at the time I did last year, my coverage would have been much different for this pregnancy. 
I have easy access to some amazing doctors, who are very good at what they do. 
I have an amazing husband whom I miss very dearly. He is my best friend. He is so supportive and loving. I am grateful that I get to talk to him every day even though he is so far away. He is every quality I adore and I hope that our baby boy is just like his daddy. He loves me and the baby very much, and he works very hard to give us everything we want and need. 
My baby is healthy and safe. It always astounds me that no matter what weird problems I have during the pregnancy, and no matter how crappy I feel, none of my many doctors has even suggested that the baby is unhealthy. He is growing so big and strong (70% they say!). I love to feel him move, even now when he seems to be right under my lungs, and getting a little too strong.
I am a member of and have faith in a church that brings me happiness, hope, and understanding. I always get kind of nervous sharing my feelings or thoughts about church with people, but let me simply tell you that I believe in Christ, and the Atonement. And I have been blessed in so many ways because of it. 

Anyways. A quick recap of how I've been keeping myself busy for the past month. First off, I made Scottie Maverick a Christmas stocking. My family has these HUGE felt stockings that my mom made us, and we are each represented by different characters. If you read my blog last Christmas (or was that two years ago?) you saw me and Scott's stockings. I am a princess, and I made one for Scott when we got engaged that is a Dallas Cowboy's football player. I have been stressing out for a few weeks because I can not find where we packed them :(. But here is the baby's nonetheless. 



Ta-da!
That's right. A Dallas Maverick football player. Looking unintentionally Asian. 

After the stocking I started working on a Quiet Book for the baby. They have all these great page ideas, some even with tutorials, on Pinterest. And I know he won't be able to really enjoy it for at least a year, but who knows when I will have this much time again! So here is a compilation of all the pages I made. I am not a great sewer, and some of it looks kind of ghetto. But it turned out pretty cute, and I doubt the baby will notice (or care). I hope. Especially because a lot of the pages took me about 8 hours each. UGH.


Mr Potato head (more accessories inside the page, not shown)


Two cars pages. I tied the car on with a shoelace so we don't loose it, but we will see how long that lasts :)


A mailbox with letters inside


A rice-search page. 


A clock- with moving hands!


A toolbox, with little tools inside. So cute. 


A tie-the-shoe page. If he's like me he won't be able to do this until he's 8, but hey....


A farm barn.


And a hill with tiny little farm animal finger puppets. These took me AGES. But they are so adorable I about died. I will have to watch Mav like a hawk when he plays with them, because I do NOT want to have to remake them. 


A count-the-beads page. With tiny rainbow colored zoo animal beads. Of course. 


A ladybug page. Where the spots snap-on, and a zippered inside to hide them in. 


Two matching game pages. With little pieces for you to match the shapes and colors. 


And lastly, a tic-tac-toe page, with Velcro pieces! 


Here is the flannel cover/carrying case I made for it. Complete with a Velcro closing!


The pages fit inside with some binder rings, and a ribbon connected to the cover holds them in the case. 


I had to make a pocket for the rice search since it was so bulky. 


And last, but not least, I added a little tag that says 'Specially Hand Made By Kelsey'. But I can't figure out how to flip photos once they are in Blogger, so it appears to be upside down :).

Also, before you go, here are a few belly update pics of me from the last few weeks. Enjoy!

Week 30: 



And week 32: 




Hello all!
I've been progressing nicely with my 'gestation', as my brother-in-law Brent calls it. Today I am at 26 weeks and 4 days! Since I last posted that's mostly what I have done, is just 'gestate' ;). However, I did have a wonderful two week visit from my long lost Chinese hubby!

I'm still on short term disability (or as I like to say "I'm on STD" ;) ) because of my pregnancy complications, so I try to fill my days as best I can. I sleep ALOT, I've been trying to improve my photography skills and learn how to use Photoshop, I read books, and I try to do little organization projects or DIYs at home. My parents both work, so I spend most of my day alone, and then hang out with my parents or siblings during the evening. Everyone has been so supportive and sweet to me. My mother is my constant companion, and it always reminds me of how your mother is truly your best friend (other than your spouse) and will be forever. My siblings also are constantly inviting me to do things with them and their kids, and Liz probably makes me dinner at least once a week. I am a spoiled girl!

Also baby Scottie Maverick is growing like a champ! About 10 days about Scott went to my doctor's appointments with me, and it was the first time he got to see baby Mav on ultrasound since about 8 weeks, when he was the size of a cinnamon bear and you could just see his little limbs sprouting! They said at the time that he was about 12 inches long and about 2 pounds. Supposedly his little femurs are pretty long, and he is in about the 67% for weight. Scott has high hopes that he will be tall and one day get to play for his namesake, the Dallas Mavericks! I want that too, but since Scott was a 10 pound baby, I am hoping maybe his growth spurts will hold off until after birth. :) He's also an active baby! He has a few set times a day when he is always awake, you can practically set your clock by him. 9:30 pm every night, and 11:00 am every morning he is kicking and rolling and dancing. I feel him more everyday. When Scott was here he also got to feel him move almost everyday, and he LOVED it. He was constantly putting his hands on my little baby bump (which he insists is cute, but I still feel like a little cow sometimes). As I said before, feeling my baby move has so far been the only enjoyable part of being prego. I feel so close o my baby when he moves. I know then that he is safe and happy, and it also emphasizes the fact that I am creating a HUMAN. Right now we are still physically connected, and even after he is born I know that will always be a special connection. No wonder mother's have intuitions about their children- once they were completely intertwined and physically couldn't be without one another.
Sorry for the rant, it just still amazes me every time I can feel my little angel move.

Here is some bump progress! This was me at 22 weeks. 

A way cool selfie I took of myself at 22 weeks still. ;)

On October 16th my husband came back for two whole weeks just to see us! It really drove home how much I missed him when I got to see him again. We talk on the phone every day when he is gone, and I  sometimes insist that he talk to Maverick, but it just isn't the same. We both know that this is the way things have to be for now. Me and the baby need to be here where we can get the best health care possible and be comfortable with the support of my family and friends. And Scottie has been making some amazing progress with both Soap Cycling, and the domestic worker project. I could literally write forever about all of the wonderful things he is doing, and I should, but not right now. Let me just say that it has been made very clear to us by our Heavenly Father that he is needed in Hong Kong. I couldn't dream of asking him to stay in Utah with me, and he has been so sweet and supportive about me having to stay here. I am so grateful for this, but it's still been very hard. 

When he was here he hung out with our friends and family, and did all of the activities I could handle. But the really treasured part was just getting to be alone with my two Scotties. Like Scott told me later, it was like we were dating again when we wanted to spend every single minute together. 

Here are some pics from our adventures:

Scott carving a pumpkin!

Here is my pumpkin- far more ambitious than the regular Jack'o'lanterns I have done. Can you tell who it is? (Stephen Colbert!)

Here is Scott's pumpkin- right here it just looks like a funky symbol, but it was supposed to tbe the Dallas Maverick's logo!


A comparison of my baby bump and my pumpkin. 

We got to spend a significant amount of time with my sister Sydnie, her husband Tyler, and their three kids. Sydnie has a 9 week old baby boy, Jett. Whenever we go over I get to hold him, feed him, burp him. I love it. I refer to it as 'baby therapy'. Nothing is better than a sweet baby, and it comforts me that I CAN take care of a newborn. Although I think Mav gets jealous, as he usually kicks my belly the whole time at the exact spot where I am holding his cousin Jett. 

My Scott and baby Jett holding hands. Awww. 

Scott also was very excited to hold the baby. He is going to be such a good daddy! 


Here we are at the BYU- Boise State football game. 

Just a cute picture of us together, him holding my baby bump like always. 


Scott had to go back on October 30th. It was very bitter-sweet to see him go, and Mav must have sensed I was sad because he woke up just as we got to the airport to kick furiously. However, I get to see him in only 51 days from today! While Scott was here we saw my perinatologist, who basically told us that it is looking very unlikely that I will get my feeding tube out before the baby comes. This means that I am going to have the baby in Utah. It was disappointing to hear, because I want to be with Scott. But it wasn't a total shock. So our plans have changed, and Scott will be flying back to Utah on Christmas day, and will stay until Maverick is born. Then after about 4 weeks we will all return to Hong Kong together- all THREE of us. 

 After Scottie left, I celebrated Halloween by going trick or treating at Medicity with my brother Tait, sister-in-law Liz, and their daughter's Tien and Lyla.

Lyla as an adorable Minnie Mouse. 

Medicity with some awesome decor. 

More creepy decor. 

Liz the witch, Tait the 'pumpkin', Tien the Pirate, and Lyla as Minnie Mouse. 

Me and my cute nieces. 




On October 31st me and mom hung out at home and handed out candy to all 11 trick-or-treaters (4 being my nieces and nephews).



My beautiful mother. 



Here I am as a pregnant Jack'o'lantern. 

Citlalli as Wonder Woman, and Yaotl as Iron Man!


Happy Halloween from Kelsey, Scott (who missed Halloween by having to fly over the date line), and little Mav!










Hello! So at the very beginning of this summer I was all over this blogging thing, and I have since fallen off the wagon. I'll let you in on the secret of why, in case you weren't already aware- I am pregnant! And let me tell you, this has been one wild ride.                                                               Let me start at the beginning- me and Scott were actually planning this, or I should say, hoping, for this. We decided we wanted to have a baby in February, and every single week I have waited for good news. At the start of June I finally got it! I was feeling sick, and had my period was late, so I bought some home tests. Positive! So I ran to the store and bought some more- also positive! I cannot tell you how much fun I had peeing on these things and waiting for them to congratulate me. I actually probably used more than was necessary, but it was so great!
This was on Friday June 7. At first I thought about waiting until Father's Day to tell Scott in some really cute way, but that was two weeks away and no way could I wait that long. Our anniversary was on June 10, but I also couldn't make myself wait three days. So the next day I wrapped up the tests and some baby onesies and gave them to Scott as an 'early anniversary present'. He was VERY excited. 

A few of my tests! 
Me and Scottie the day I told him I was prego! Yay!

Pretty much immediately from when we knew about our baby my little achy stomach transformed into full blown morning sickness. And let me tell you, I hate that term. Morning- afternoon- night sickness
 is more like it. I was literally nauseous ALL of the time, and it only grew. I don't want to delve into too much detail, because I could go on and on. My doctor's said I have 'hyperemises', which, as far as I can tell, means lots of vomiting and dehydration. Sometimes I could throw up and I then I was ready to roll again, multiple times I would run to the bathroom in a restaurant as soon as we walked in, and then I could come out and order myself some chow mein. 

I haven't gotten out much this summer, but this is me and Scottie at the Heber Derby.

Then there came the weeks where it was only an hour between each time, all smells made me nauseous, and even ice chips wouldn't stay down. That's when they hooked me up to an IV through Home Health- AMAZING. I was hooked up to a little back pack filled with fluids that I carried around with me for 8 weeks. I still couldn't eat or drink much, but I didn't feel like I was dying. And I mean this quite literally. I've never been so miserable in my life, as when I would pull my pillow up next to the toilet and lay there on the ground, feeling so thirsty. I'm pretty sure that Scott, my doctors, and family, would tell you that I wasn't actually near death at any point. But it sure felt like it. 

This is one of the few pictures of me with my IV (you can see it coming out of my left arm, with the black backpack folding the fluid bags). Baby bump was about 15 weeks!

My IV backpack is hidden in this one, but here is me and my daddy in our backyard at my friend Shayla's reception, baby bump 16 weeks. 

About four weeks ago Scottie left for Hong Kong. I was supposed to leave not long after that, but no one really felt comfortable sending me overseas until I felt better. About that time my doctor decided that I needed a feeding tube, due to my 15 pound weight loss, and inability to eat anything. I was all for this idea, as it was supposed to speed my recovery up and I wanted desperately to be with my husband. My mom was really nervous about it, but I was all like "get it in me now!!!" so they did it that very day. I had no idea what she was so worried about. Well let me tell you- FEEDING TUBES SUCK. 
Putting it in- they walk in with a two foot tube with a little numbing gel on the end, stick it in your nose, and tell you to swallow. Then, you can feel it at the back of your throat, moving, tickling. I can't even explain it. One of my uncle's is handicapped and has had a feeding tube for about half of my life, and I can't even begin to think what that would be like. It was so uncomfortable I started crying when we got home, and they crying restricted my throat so that I started to choke. So I did the very mature thing and sat and whimpered instead, but it doesn't really give you the same relief, you know? 

I've had it for about 3 weeks now, and let me tell you, there are more bad things I could say about that tube, I am still not used to it. But I have not felt so good in MONTHS! I will be 19 weeks on Wednesday, and the baby is the size of a bell pepper! I am nearly back up to my pre-pregnancy weight, I can drink and eat more every week, and I have more energy. Now it feels more like I am pregnant, and less like I am dieing. I am so excited for my baby- and guess what?! It's a boy! 
So far the best part has been seeing my little boy on the ultrasound, and getting together all of the little baby things. Finding out the sex made everything more real. Now I like to hold the little boy outfits up and imagine how little and cute he will be. I am so excited, and I love him so much already. Scottie is more than pumped to be a daddy, and to have a little boy to throw the football to and make memorize sports stats. We even have a name picked out- Scottie Maverick Stiles. Cute right?!

Here is me and my friend Kirsten at the amazing bridal shower my friend Lauren threw for me. This was my second day with the feeding tube. 




My sisters, me, and my mom at my baby shower. Sunnee, Sydney (38 weeks prego- our boys will be so close!), me, and my mom, Joy.

 So, this is an update on me and my little bell pepper. Hopefully my next blog post will be less about illness, and more about me being able to move to Hong Kong and see Scottie! 



Powered by Blogger.