Potty Time and lots of summer fun!

I am sad that I haven't been updating my blog, it is working it's way up on my priority list but here is a blurb for journaling purposes... I guess the biggest problem is my camera I lost mine on our trip to Disneyland and Wes bought me a new one for Christmas but I just don't use it and when I do the pictures don't turn out I am sure it is user error not the camera but I need to figure it out and get back in the habit of taking pictures!!!

We have had a great past few weeks, we went camping up at Bow Valley campground and it was loads of fun. Our great friends the Kelly's came up on Saturday and Lauren and Emma had a great time together. We went for a walk to the park then hiked down by the river, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and played lots. I need to steal some pictures from Brooke. It was forecast to rain the whole time we were there but it only rained Saturday night after we went to bed but continued all night and stopped just long enough for us to pack the tent up Sunday morning. Lauren told Wes she and I were going to stay there and he could go home. She really loves camping she takes after her Mom!

When we got home Lauren decided that she no longer wanted to wear diapers and wanted to only wear panties, I humored her thinking it would be just a day and then back to pull-ups but she suprised me by using the potty and only had 1 accident. I wasn't really pushing it because the next 2 weeks were going to be busy and I didn't think I would be able to have a potty available at all times. Well she made up her mind and did it! She wanted some roller skates like she had played with at a friends house and I kept telling her that if she used the potty I would buy them for her and I guess that was the kicker. I put her in pull-ups for bed time and she would conveniently poo before I could get it off in the morning but then I told her she could get what ever she wanted at the store if she went poo in the potty and then at the store she picked out a doll with a binkie and that night went poo in the potty so she could open it, she now lovingly calls it her poo dolly. :)

The following Friday Lauren and I headed out Glennifer Lake with Wes' cousin Rebecca and her kids, it was so nice to be able to hang out play at the park, swim in the pool, ride bikes and just have a great time. Wes came up after work on Saturday he arrived just in time to go and watch the Canada Day fireworks down by the lake, they had a pre-show with low fireworks and then had a computer error and so there weren't any other fireworks but it was still fun for the kids. Lauren fell ALL the time while we were there, it started with her tripping in some gravel after swimming in the pool (I had wrapped her up like a burrito so she hit face first and bruised her right cheek) followed by a roll down the deck stairs with out injury then falling head first down the other side of the deck with a goose egg on her forehead, scratches on her nose, upper lip and chin. Soon after we went for a walk to the park and she tripped while holding my hand and managed to scrape up her knee pretty badly with out even getting her pants dirty, then there were a few falls while riding her bike. I was lucky there was no serious injuries or I am sure there would have been some questions! I think that is was a sign that she had a good time.

We got home and I did laundry caught up on a few things around the house and started packing for another camping trip with Wes' Dad's side of the family. Wes' sister Allison and her family flew in Friday night and then the camping got vetoed and we went to Banff Saturday and had a great time checking out the gift shops, eating at Melissa's Misteak (Wes threw up all over the front glass doors when he was a kid so it brings back fond memories), swimming in the hot springs, checking out the waterfall and hiking. The girls fell asleep on the way home and Lauren slept all night. Sunday morning we left early and headed down to Crow's Nest Pass to meet up with the rest of the Starts. Allison hasn't seen any of them for 12 years so it was a great reunion! We ate lunch then played in the river while some went down it in tubes, it was cold! We got to ride ATV's and had a great time hanging out.

I had my first appointment with my OB today and I really like him, I have been going back and forth about wether or not to try to do a v-back or do a scheduled c-section it was good to get some input from him but I am still torn about what to do. He said because of the fact that Lauren got stuck that I have a 40% chance of being able to have a sucessful v-back. The thought of not being able to pick Lauren up for 6 weeks kills me and I worry that me having to recover will make the transition of having a new baby here even harder for her. I told him I would have an answer about what I want to do by my next appointment in 2 weeks. I am still very torn. On a positive note we have another 3-D ultrasound Saturday night I can't wait to see the baby again, and make sure she is still a she... Lauren is already starting a collection of toys and things that she is going to give to Ashley because they are to small for her I love that she is already getting ready to share, we will see how long it lasts though!

I am so grateful for Lauren she is truely such a blessing in my life I absolutely adore her. Yes we have our moments sometimes days but for the most part she is fantastic. She loves to read, play with her doll house, I get to be the little boy and she is the Daddy, she always has a bag/purse full of things with her, she loves to draw and has filled 4 or 5 notebooks with little doodles, she loves Cinderella and Toy Story is her favorite movie right now, her favorite tv show for this month is Max and Ruby previously it was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She so much fun at this age I absolutely love it!

Wes has been working long hours and we miss him! He has been a good sport with me wanting to go and do things on his few days off, I know he would prefer to hang out and do nothing but I love family outings. Lauren really misses him while he is working, today at the Dr's office she came and sat on me and was hugging me then started to cry out of the blue when I asked what was wrong she said she missed her Daddy. I appreciate all of the hard work he does so that I can be home with her and so that we can have a comfortable lifestyle. I am definately looking forward to this winter and having him home for a few months!!!

I am doing well, I definately look pregnant. I think most people I see think I am due any day now and I still have 2 months left. This pregnancy has been good, I have felt tired but otherwise no other issues. I am starting to get heartburn at night but that is managable with a few tums. I have really enjoyed all of our summer fun and am loving living in Calgary. I definately miss family and get homesick some times but I guess it helps that most of my imediate family is now spread out but it still is hard not to be close to them, I have lots of people here who fill in when I need something and I have made some great friends and love them dearly!

Well I could keep going and going but I am going to call it a night. Hopefully it won't be as long between posts this next time. Sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors it is late and I just wanted to get this done! I will add some pictures as I get them from people...