Thursday, October 14, 2010

A Growing boy and the ramblings of his mommy

So as Brent grows, crawls and explores the world on his own and become more independent, it leaves me with more time to clean (try to) and catch up on FB, blogs and email.
  I can not believe that tomorrow he will be 8 months!  I did a recap of my labor and delivery in my mind this morning.   I can not fathom how time has passed so quickly!  Truman and I are truly blessed to have him in our family.
  Life here in this hot, desert town is wonderfully awesome.  Well, not that we enjoy the weather at all, or the fact that it has little to no vegetation and is an extreme opposite to what my ideal place to live is, but! we love that Truman has his job back and that we are doing great and we have each other.  We are moved again!  But this time only 3 doors to our left.  We lived in a 1 bedroom, and will be moved into a 3 bedroom.  We are way excited.  Brent will have his own room, and we will have more room to stretch and our home will not look so cluttered/full.
   Brent, after spending most of all his time with me said dada first, and that was about a month or two ago.  Yesterday he surprised me with mommom. And today I got a mama!  My heart melted.  It was wonderful. Updates on Brent:
      He can crawl.
      He can stand up using furniture, stairs, the walker, your legs...you name it...whatever it takes to help him up.
     He can walk using whatever he has a hold on, and walks the distance that it is, or uses your hands to help him.
     He can give kisses.
     He can play chase.
     He can play peek a boo.
     He LOVES sweet potatoes.
     He loves little people called children.
All these are updates from 6 months til now.  Most of all he learned at 6 months, but the chase, peek a boo, and mama, came within the last couple of days.
We are so blessed, and so grateful that we have him and eachother.  

Ps, for some reason I can not upload pictures, but I will as soon as I can.
      

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Pictures july-August


Making baby food.  I also have found a brand of organic baby food that Brent and I love.  Its called Sprout by Tyler Florence.


Playing with daddy.    



Eating a hybrid zucchini/squash.  (its a hit)
Sleeping in his daddy's arms.
Wearing jeans for the first time.













Love his smile.
attempting to crawl
Crawling!















cuteness all around.
getting so big!
6 months and so cute!

Monday, August 16, 2010

         We have been so blessed in so many ways.  Brent has brought into our lives, such a joy and happiness that is different from just being a couple.  Being a family WITH a child, is so wonderful.  I can not explain how happy we are and how much joy we have.  I mean, we were happy before, but having Brent, its just awesomely wonderful.  Watching him learn and grow is just amazing.  I am so lucky that I have the opportunity to stay home with him and help him grow and develop and as well as able to watch him discover things himself.  *Also to be a stay at home wife too ;)  that is very fun!
         Brent has grown leaps and bounds since last I wrote.  He is 4 1/2 months old, and can do so much!  He is standing (against something), he rolls over, he picks up his back end and attempts the crawling motion but his front end is down, but then picks up his front end while putting the back down. He has not quite gotten the idea of picking both sides up, but he is getting there!   He grabs things, and puts them to his mouth, he has done that for awhile now, and if your hand or arm is in the way, he will most likely bend down to gnaw on you or bring you closer to him.  He loves to talk and play. Ok so this post is kinda old.  He is now 6 months old.  He just had his check up today and is 16 pounds and 26 inches long! I can not believe how big my baby is getting.  He is crawling! I know!  And rolling and doing little army pushups.  He does so much and is aware of so much already.  He loves to play with his toys, but he ESPECIALLY love paper.  All babies love paper. right? I suer hope so.  I cant remember back when Elise (the little girl I nannyed for) was this little. It seems like so long ago and that she was always past the age of one.  But yes, Brent LOVES paper.  If he can get his chubby little hands on it, it goes straight to his mouth, where sometimes if it is cardboardish, I will let him chew on it, but once it starts to disintegrate, then I take it away and oh my, its the end of the world, and I have done something so horrible to him.  But other than paper....  He especially loves his daddy.  When Truman gets home from work, Brent will be doing something else and then when he hears Truman talk, he lights up and turns his head to find him.  I love watching Truman play with Brent.  It fills my heart with joy when I hear them laughing together and talking to each other.  Truman is such a great dad.  Brent loves to go on walks, and loves to be in his sling.  He also loves swimming, and now that the weather is warm, well hotter...the pool is a constant room temperature.  So, when we go swimming, we are able to go in and get used to the water in a matter of seconds, instead of taking about 15 minutes to adjust.  We went swimming yesterday evening for an hour and fifteen minutes and when we came back inside, showered and dressed, Brent was ready to eat and then he slept for 4 hours straight.  He was so tired, but I knew all the giggling and splashing he did wore him out.  And that little fact, made me smile, because just a month and a half ago, he did not like the pool very much.
     We met some pretty wonderful people.  They moved in a month after us and they have a 8 year old boy and a 9 month old girl.  We had them over for dinner this past week, and it was nice to get to know some new people.  Fort Stockton had quite a bit of people for the small size, but people here are just not too friendly.  It makes for some lonely times, but I enjoy my time with Brent and he keeps me company :)
    Truman is working and enjoying his station here.  Actually, he loves it here.  There is only 17 of them working, but he says that this is best place he has been, so that makes me happy.  We are doing great and enjoying our lives together.  We spend lots, well ok, most of our time together.  And we love it!  My mom travels up to see us about 2 or 3 times a month and so we are blessed we can see her often (she is only an hour away).
     We got a kitten.  His name is Marvalo.  (high five if you know where we got the name from).   If you guessed Harry Potter correct.  If you guessed it was Lord Voldemort's real name *Tom Marvalo Riddle* two high fives for you!  We had once had a black kitten named Taz, and he was a little helian.  Well, we figured, since this kitten was black as well, he would be no different, so Marvalo it was, and what a little helian he is!  we found him a new home with some people from church, he was one evil little kitty who liked to stalk and play a little too much.
   We just got back from a 2 day trip to Alpine, and we had a blast.  We got to see my mom and brothers (and it was Matthews birthday on Sunday the 27th) and we got to see the best family with 6 kids: the Rasmussens!  We always enjoy hanging out at their house and visiting with them.  They are truly an amazing family, and they are a great example to us.  I have gotten so much awesome information and advice from Amy (the mom of the family :) ).  She is such a wonderful and exceptional lady.  She has truly eased some of my new mommyhood fears and put quite a few of them to rest.   They are the best.
    Another thing I wanted to do, and I have wanted to do for a VERY long time, is turn this into a family/food and craft blog.  I LOVE cooking, and this year had made me need to budget and simplify and cheapen our meals due to our income, but nonetheless they have always been awesome meals.  I want to keep a record of the meals I have made up, gotten, stolen (just kidding, borrowed and now use from friends, family).  So my meals will be budget friendly probably 98 percent of the time, and the 2 percent will be a bit more expensive but not so much.  Those 2 percent of meals will be the ones that  you go out to eat, or you would cook food that is above the normal price range.
   Anyways, I better publish this now so I can update nowaday stuff.  This post is from back in June.  With the exception of the 6 month update.

   

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Massive Update Jan-April

WOW.  Its been forever since I last posted.  But now that I have some spare time, I am going to try and do a massive update.  We shall see how that goes, if not I shall be back again with the rest of the update :)
 
  First and foremost WE HAD OUR BABY!!!! YAY!  Brent Aiden Hinkson arrived on February 15, 2010 at 446pm.  He was 6 pounds 13 ounces and 20 inches long.  He arrived a month early, but we only spent 3 days in the hospital.  The weekend before, I was really dizzy and nauseated.  After not being able to eat or drink all day, I finally called my friends to take me to the hospital since Truman was out and I could not get ahold of him.  I got there and basically they said I was really dehydrated and that elevated mine and Brent's heart rate and my blood pressure.  After 10 hours or so there, they sent me home.  I was only dialated a fingertip when they checked...but they accidently stripped my membrane (sorry tmi, but they did).  On tuesday at my regular checkup, I was dialated to a 1, but other than that, I was completely fine and everything was back to normal.  The following weekend, on Saturday, my mom called from El Paso, she was looking at stroller and crib that she ended up buying for me, and I told her I was having contractions, but nothing major.  She asked if she needed to come back, and I told her that I didnt think it was anything since I was 35 weeks.  On Sunday, we went to church, and I told Truman after about 20 minutes there that I felt irritated at everyone, and that my back hurt.  So he took me back home and I got in pjs and rested all day. I could not sleep because I was having irregular contractions, and I drank tons of water to see if it would help.  I couldnt sleep really, so I just layed on the couch.  When it was time to go to bed, I still could not seem to get comfortable, but it seemed normal to me, so I just slept off and on.  At 430 AM, my eyes popped open and I felt liquid inside me and I did not want to get it on the bed, but I still thought nothing of it.  I walked to the bathroom and as seconds before I pulled my pants down, I felt the gush of liquid come out.  As I looked at my pants, it was clear, and I thought to myself, well I didnt pee....and then instantly I knew my water broke.  I sat on the toilet trying to comprehend what was going on, because you see, my birth plan was to have contraction, KNOW i was in labor, and go to Fort Stockton (an hour away) and labor at a friends, til it was time to go to the hospital.  But this, this was not what I was expecting.  I still had 4 weeks til my due date, my water broke, and I wasnt having any contractions.  I thought the water broke, and then soon the baby arrived (since I was early, I had not gotten to the chapter on the different scenarios of how labor starts in my Bradley Method book, so I was scared we werent going to make it the hospital).  I sat on the toilet and realized I should tell Truman.  All this mind you went through my mind in a matter of seconds, and by the time I started calling Truman from the bathroom, I had just sat down on the toilet.  Truman is a very sound sleeper.  I have to shove him or shake him to wake when I need something, so him hearing me from the bathroom, well he needed some extra help.  So I started to call his name, but since I was in a little shock from what was going on I was barely calling out his name.  From Truman's point of view, he was in a deep sleep.  All of a sudden he heard his mom Kim (who passed away when Truman was 5) tell Truman to get up.  When he awoke he said he could barely hear me calling him.  He ran to the bathroom and he was wide awake.  I looked up at him and told him, I think my water broke, I didnt pee.  *I have to laugh now.  I didnt pee.  hehe.  I then got up and and he asked me what we should do.  I contemplated going to the hospital here because my water broke and we had an hour drive, and we had NOTHING ready.   I told him we were going to make the hour drive.  I called my mom, and told her, she started getting ready.  I called the hospital and told them we were on our way.  Truman got dressed and asked me what he needed to get.  I didnt know, I was not packed and I was going to get my hospital bag ready the next day at 36 weeks, since that is when it is reccomended ( I will now have my bags packed at 30 weeks just in case, and just switch clothes out every week or so to freshen them, but I will be ready next time.)  I just looked at him and said lets just get my purse.  Luckily though, on the way out he grabbed the carseat.  We got in the car, and rounded the corner and my brothers and mom were standing outside by their cars.  My brother is a Firefighter/EMT so he asked if I was contracting, I said no, but he didnt like that we were driving an hour at 445 AM and cell service is none between here and there.  But I was going to.  My mom told us she would follow us and to put the hazards on and drive fast.  We took off.  We said a prayer on the way and I told Truman to put on my Twilight cd.  I put my chair back and started to listen to the music.  My body shook with nervousness, but also excitement.  I was nervous because I was only 35 weeks and 6 days and because I was going to give birth soon and that meant that Brent would be here soon.  The drive did not seem long at all.  We got to the hospital and Truman parked the car and ran in to get a nurse and wheel chair.  I got out and as I stood up, more fluid came out.  I started walking towards the entrance to Truman and the nurse.  We got checked in and they wheeled me to my room.  I got hooked up to an IV, yuck, it took them about 5 tries, but they finally got it. They wanted to start me on pitocin since my contractions where 5 mins apart but not anything that was bad.  I did not know they had hooked me up to it, and when Truman realized this, he went and told them to take it off, because that is not what I wanted.  My wonderful husband, he remembered what I wanted and did not want.  So I labored on my own, and told them I did not want pain meds either.  By the way we got there at 6 and I was still a 1, by 8 am I was a 3, by 10 I was at a 8 and by 11 I was 91/2.  I was able to walk in the morning but then I felt more comfy in bed.  They told Truman that Brent would be here around 1PM.  I was contracting pretty heavily through the morning, nothing terribly bad, I just wanted silence and not to be touched.  By 1, they asked if I was ready to push, I said no.  But when I was alone, I was pushing, my mom asked if I was pushing and I would tell her no.  I just didnt want the doctor or nurses around me at that moment.  So I would push everynow and then to see.  According to Truman, I made him fan me for 3 hours straight.  When he went to change hands, I snapped at him to keep going.  For my mom I had her read the contraction thing.  I wanted her to tell me when they were going away.  When she started saying I was having one, I snapped at her and told her I only wanted to know when they were going away (but even when they did I had the constant one).  I would aske her is it going away yet? So apparently she fibbed and would tell me it was going down, but motioned to Truman that it was going up. No wonder when she said that I thought this is hurting more not going away.  But I never yelled or anything.  I was just quiet and groaned a bit during the parts that were bad.  It felt like menstrual cramps times 5.  I have some pretty bad ones, like take 12 Aleve a day kind.  But I knew, I did not want any pain meds for this.  By 3 they said they HAD to put me on pitocin, so at 315 they did.  My fault I think.  If I would have pushed and showed them I could, then I think I could have avoided that.  The pitocin brought on stronger contractions, and a constant one that would not sway on top of having the regular every 3 mins ones.  By 4 the doctor came in and said OK Vanessa you are ready to push, I know you are.  I knew I was holding off pushing.  So we started the process, and I pushed.  I would push but not with the contractions.  It hurt more to push with them.  So I would pretend that I was getting nauseated during the contraction and then push after.  Then they said to push with this contraction and I said I wasnt having one.  Then I would let it pass and push.  Im so bad, lol.  THey said YOU ARE HAVING ONE, so push.  I said no I wasnt, and I didnt.  Finally I peeked out at my doctor and he has his arms cross and was sitting back in his chair kinda grumpy looking.  The times I did push, Truman would say he's crowning! I can see him!  And then BRent would slide back in and there was nothing.  Finally at 430, I decided to push WITH the contractions.  I pushed.  A nurse on my left had one leg, and Truman had the other.  My mom was at my head telling me to push.  3 pushes and Brent slid out.  446 PM, Brent was born.  I cried, my mom told me he was a good size.  Brent fussed a bit as the doctor suctioned his mouth and nose.  They put him on my abdomen, and I was in love.  I cried some more, and then they took him to the incubator and cleaned him.  I looked over and my mom and Truman were standing there with Brent.  It was a beautiful picture.  According to my mom, Truman excalimed HE has a CONE head!  My mom shushed him because she didnt want him to alarm me and because she said we still have to love him hehe.  I never saw his cone head. Even after they gave him back to me, and the days following.  Looking at the video now, I can see it.  But never saw it then.  We were put in our room, and by wednesday we were released.  Nothing was wrong with BRent.  He was healthy.  But that friday, after looking at him and thinking he was a bit yellow, and getting his blood tested we were back in the hospital til Sunday for jaundice.  Saturday was my baby shower, and I cried a bit while I was there, because Brent was in the hospital with Truman.  Truman told me to go for a bit because I needed to.  I had fun seeing friends, but my mind was on Brent the whole time.  After that, on sunday we went home and never went back to the hospital.  He is now 2 and 1/2 months old.  I can not believe how time flies.  It is amazing. I also cant believe how blessed we are to have him in our lives.  I also cant believe I am a mommy.  Its so amazing.  He just recently had his 2 month shots and check up and he was 10 pounds 15 ounces and 22 3/4 inches long.  Tall and lean they said.  He brings such joy into our lives.  We love him so much!  And I love my husband.  He was a great coach, and such a great daddy. 
    In March, Truman won his job back.  Whoo hoo!  We were stationed in Fort Stockton.  So back to Fort Stockton we have to move.  Today we found out he starts May 9th.  I have been looking for a place there, and there seems to be nothing.  It sucks. But we will be fine.  Eventually we hope to transfer to Washington state.  There is also a possibility of New York, or Pennsylvania.  We shall see.  I want Washington.LOVE that place.  Many thanks to our wonderful lawyer Jay, and our family and friends who helped and stayed by us through this.  We were blessed with many new friends in all this and with experiences and many other things that have made us grow. 
   Pepper and Rosco passed away during this process.  (Rosco only a few days ago, due to we believe, depression.  We would bring him over sometimes, but because he was so attached to us, and only wanted us since he was abused when he was little, I think he got depressed from what our friend has told us he started acting the last few weeks, and especially after we would drop him back off).  We will miss them both terribly, but we will remember the time we had with them.  Thank you Cody for taking such great care of Rosco for us.  Only 9 more days if he would have made it out, and we couldhave brought him back home, but Rosco did not know or understand.  But he is loved and was loved.  For Rosco's death, we are not mad, just sad.  It was no one's fault. 
   In April, on the 11th, we had Brents blessing day.  Trumans step mom and dad came down and we enjoyed a great 3 day visit with them.  It was great to get to know them more and to spend time with them.  I am glad they got to see Brent as a baby, that way when we make a trip up there sometime this year, they can see hwo much he has grown :)  The blessing that Truman gave was amazing, and so touching.  He also got a blessing from his Grandpa, and well that was amzing too.  So many things came out from that, that we are just in awe for what is in store.  Truman also had a talk in church and he did really well too.  He is such a great guy.  I love him.
  Well Brent is stirring and will be up soon.
  I have lost my camera cord, so I have tons of pictures from before Brent was born til now, but I cant dl pics atm, but hopefully soon with packing I can find it.  I know there are more updates and such to share, but I need to get going with the day.  Love to all, and sorry for such a long post, especially the birthing story, but I wanted to record it, since I hadnt yet, and now I have.  Love to you all.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

31 weeks, moved in and Woo Hoo Internet!

So yes I am 31 weeks and 2 days.  It will not be long until Brent gets here.  I am way excited and I think as I near the birthing, I am also nervous.  He will be ours and we will be his parents.  Kinda scary, but of course exciting.  So I am officially going into my 8th month and that is crazy.  I feel like I just foung out I was pregnant yesterday.  Actually it was July 4th.  I found out I was 3 weeks pregnant on the 4th of July...by accident..hehe.  That was a wonderfully awesome surprise for us.
Yay!  Wow.  I am going to say this in a way that anyone can understand.      I. Am. Done. Moving.     forrrr a loooong while.  As I unpack once again, and happy that we have found a place that will suit us until graduation, reinstatement of job, or whathaveyou.  So now I can unpack knowing that where I put things is where they are going to stay, unless I get the whole I need to rearrange bug.  Since moving in on saturday-which by the way we packed AND moved a 4 bedroom house in 24 hours.  I was way sad that we may not have room to fit all my kitchen stuff...and guess what?  We do!  We have room and then some.  I am very comfortable here-as one can get while preggers anyway.  We have the second floor so its a bit daunting to walk those stairs several times a day, but there is my little extra workout :)  I have been unpacking and sitting, and unpacking and sitting.  It gets tiring bending, carrying, lifting things around.  Not to mention that as I have grown this belly, I am not used to how far it goes out, so there are times when I open a door and whoops I cant open it cause I am too close to it.  I forget how big my belly is.  Today I got a craving for coconut maccaroons.  So I am going to make them.  I have THE perfect 5 ingredient recipe.  I am thinking that after we finish unpacking and get the house organized, that I may make an official "HOME SWEET HOME" meal.  I have some seasoned steaks in the freezer and lots of veggies.  All I need to get are some red skinned potatoes for my famous garlic and herb red potatoes.  And some garlic bread.   And some salad of course.  Later though, later.  For now, I am going to finish the house, and then I am going to start Brents room.  I have not started his room because I know that once I am in there, that is the only thing I am going to want to do.  So I am leaving his room for last, my little dessert of this whole unpacking thing if one shall say.  Ill take pictures and post them soon.  I may do a few here and on FB. 

   And yes, WOO HOO we have internet!  Got our dsl working and our phone line up and dialing.  It is very nice having faster internet.  We do not have television anymore, and probably will not for awhile.  The apartments do not allow satellite dishes, and I do not like the cable tv.  Maybe someday I will break down and get cable, but for now, I will just watch my fave shows on the net, and have internet as my playtime.  And soon Brent will be here, and I will have no time for tv for awhile as I adjust to being a new mommy.  New mommy.  Wow.  I cant believe I am going to be a mom.  It kind of just hit me again.  With the word mommy.  Weird.  But I am way excited as I have 9 weeks til my due date.  Almost here!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

30 weeks and 1 day, a new NEW place, and....INTERNET!

   30 weeks.  W. O. W.  I can not believe that I am almost there.  69 days until he will be here, or rather his due date will be here, who exactly knows when he will decide to be here.  I am excited to almost be able to hold Brent in my arms, and be able to see him, and know who has been living inside me thus far.  As the time has passed, I have gotten more and more uncomfortable, but more and more in awe of growing a baby.  There are still times when it stuns me to know that I am going to have a baby in such a short while.  And as the date approaches, and I read more and more about the labor and delivery and see pictures of what my body is capable of doing...it awes me and at times scares me half to death.  Like last night, whenreading my Bradley Method book, looking at the pictures, and thinking just how in the world am I going to push that GIANT baby out of a place that doesnt seem possible of stretching to that extreme.  (Yes, some may read and think TMI, but after getting pregnant, and well, Im just a person who thinks that there is no TMI when it comes to childbirth.  Maybe when my sweet husband is telling his friends about what he saw when he went walking and what ..gag....ok yeah that is TMI hehe, but to me, Ive always thought that this wasnt, and wanted to hear about it because I have always been fascinated with childbirth.  So bear with me those who dont want TMI on this, but I go forward ;) )   So yes, after seeing those pictures last night, I turned to my mom and said solemnly " There is no turning back, but I dont know how I am going to do this."  I then asked her how she did it, because she also went the natural med free birth, and she said " Well, you just do".  Its spurts like these as time has gotten closer that I wonder if my body can do what it is supposed to.  But really, I know.  I know that I can, and my body will.  I am not the first woman to do this, and it does stretch that far.  And I expect pain, but I know the end result will be a baby, so I can do it.  I am the first to admit, I am a pill popping junkie when it comes to being sick.  But after getting pregnant, I have stood my ground and taken very few things, except when highly needed or when prescribed to me.  And contrary to when I am dire pain from like period cramps *oh I get those really really really bad* where I take an obscene amount of pain killers, this labor will feel worse, but I will have a grand first place result in the end.  Period cramps give you nothing in the end, so I want the pain killers, but labor...now that gives you a baby.  At least that is why I am determined and thinking about.  But this may not be for every woman, and I think we should all write our own birth stories.  Every story is different and beautiful.  So, here it goes, this last little part of my 3 trimesters, and soon, Baby Brent will be in our arms and we can take him home and cherish this little family of Hinksons 3.
    Yep.  A new NEW place.  Wow, have we moved or what?  3 places in 3 months.  This last place though, will be the last for a loooooong while.  We got a 2 bedroom apartment, and on the 2nd floor which is the top floor.  So no loud upstairs neighbors.  Truman and I got tired of being out in the middle of nowhere and having slim communication with family and friends.  We had to drive 10 miles into town if we needed anything, and 40 miles to see friends and family.  It was just hard.  So, we decided that moving back to Alpine would be better, even if it means having to drive an hour again to see my doctor and for when the time comes when I am in labor, instead of 10 minutes.  But that is ok.  I am excited for when Brent is here and I can take him on walks like I did with Elise, and I will have pretty places to walk instead of walking through unpaved and nontrailed places.  So moving to this new place means one thing as well.  We are in DSL range.  We will once again have internet.  Yes, internet is a staple in our lives.  We will not have our dish tv anymore, because the apts do not allow it, but thats ok.  I want internet instead. 
   Well I better head off, I am going to run errands and be busy today.  So more updates later.  Love to all...and take care.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

27 weeks, a new place, and no net

As the title says, the aboved mentioned are the most notable things that have happened.  I am 27 weeks! Wowsers! 91 days to go, 13 weeks to go, and that is not long at all! I had my gestational diabetes test done last thursday, and so far no call from the doctor so that is good news!  No call she said will mean that I dont have it and I dont have to do an appointment with her before the 29th (the next regular baby apt).  I do tell you though, that from that dreary thursday morning, I, Vanessa Hinkson, will NOT be drinking ANYTHING of Orange carbonated beverage type (Fanta, SunKist...etc), or orange sherbert.  After that pure sugary, orange beverage that I was forced to keep in my aching tummy all morning long, was the most horrible tasting orange thing ever!  Later that day I went to go eat at Panda's and I had orange sherbert for dessert and well half a taste was all I could afford before making myself sick.  So I am veering on the safe side of no orange carbonated beverages or sherbert, or possibly anything orange tasting unless I proceed with caution.  Orange juice has been okay, but thats about it.  And as for baby....our Baby Brent....he has been a wonderful little tenant.  There are times where I am jeered out of quietness or a meditation zone with his sudden kicking or tumbling, but I smile after I am shocked with the suddeness of the movement when I realize its him.  And yes, we, Truman and I, have finally decided on his name.  For the longest time, we hoped for a girl because we agreed on 2 names and knew we would use one of them now for a girl and later for the other.  We both loved Emma Marie, and Katelyn.  I thought that for a girl, it would be so wonderful to come up with a name that had the letters from both of our moms in it.  And so with Kimberly and Cynthia, I scrambled and scrambled to come up with a name, or a few names at least and I did.  Aryn (Erin), Erin, Katelyn, Caitlyn, and I think that was about it.  But we both fell in love with Katelyn.  And Emma was just too cute as well.  So we had these names agreed upon and hoped for a girl since all boy names we both loved, the other did not.  So it took us a good month to come up with something that we could both love.  Brent Aiden.  Truman came up with Brent for his mission president that he was really fond of (he is on the wiki website, he came to the wedding).  And for me, I wanted to continue a tradition my mom did with me.  She named me Vanessa from her favorite soap opera that she would watch with her grandmother.  And for me, the one that I watch, then stop, then watch, and am currently not watching because the main character that I loved left the show, but it was All my children.  And the two guys that I liked to be with Greenlee was Ryan and Aiden.  BTW, I love the name Greenlee but I realize that one would have to watch the show and hear the name often to get used to it.  Dont know why I like it but I think its cute.  So anyways, I picked Aiden, and with that, that is how we came to be with Brent Aiden. 
  So the new place.  The new place has been working out really well for us.  Its a 4 bedroom, 1 bath house and it sits on 27 acres.  I am excited to have room for the nursery and excited that I am able to work on it.  Truman loves that he has so much land to do stuff (shoot for fun, shoot at coyotes, burn the trash, burn the weeds, and whatever else he may come upon that will preoccupy his time).  We are watching my aunts GIANT great dane for the year that we are there, until they buy a house in San Antonio.  And they have the barn cats that with ours equal to 9 cats.  ALL out side except for Jasmine.  And our dogs love it outside.  So much to search, smell and get into. 

  DOWNSIDE.  No internet.  Which sucks.  We are trying to get internet out there, and would do satellite but its not entirely reliable and it has bad reviews.    We shall see what we can do, until then, I am at the library or the workforce center on the occasion that I want to go into town.

So that is that, and if you want to call, give me a call on teh same old cell number that we have.  Email and FB might be a little sketchy as I dont check eeryday anymore.

love to all.

Truman, Vanessa and Brent