This is a mushy post... proceed with caution or don't read at all if this stuff makes you gag! Four years ago I made the most important and best decision I ever have or will make. My best friend asked me to marry him and I said YES!!! (That is after he asked me twice because I was too shocked to answer the first time. But that's a whole other post about how he tricked me into thinking he was having cold feet before he proposed for the shock effect- who does that?!) Since this is a journal I thought I write the quick version of how we met/ got married.Justin likes to tell the version that he had to wait for me to stop dating all his friends so he could have his chance. Luckily I'm writing this so let me give the true version. I first met Justin at a party my room mates and I had in college. In walks this tall, hot guy that come to find out, one of my room mates was interested in. Due to the "girl rule" when I found that out, he was automatically put in the friend zone. Well his dating realationship with my room mate was short lived but his friends and mine continued to hang out and we became good friends. Over the next few years Justin and I were sounding boards for each other when it came to the opposite sex. We gave each other advice on dating and helped each other through both the good and bad times. After graduating college I left to live in Ecuador for a few months and we talked on the phone just about every day. I missed my best friend and couldn't wait to see him. When I got back he was dating a girl that I really liked and thought was a great match for him. I told him if he didn't marry her he was an idiot. (Hmmm, guess I was the idiot for giving that advice). They broke up and I had just stopped dating someone too. My best friend was dating his room mate so we all decided to go to dinner and hang out one night. It wasn't weird or out of the ordinary for Justin and I to go to dinner because best friends do that stuff right? We went to Happy Sumo and then went back to the boy's apartment to watch the movie Click. After the movie was over Justin's room mate was taking my friend home so I hopped up to go with them and basically high fived Justin goodbye. Justin told me to stay and he would take me home later. Confused I said that made no sense because his friend was driving to our place anyway so I would just go with them so Justin wouldn't have to drive there too. This time he laughed at me and told me to just sit down. Our friends left and about 30 seconds later with no words exchanged we kissed. Justin would throw in here that I "pounced him". He loves to make me blush, which doesn't take much. But again, since I'm the one writing this, the TRUTH is HE kissed ME. Looking back now it sounds really silly/dumb but from that first kiss we both knew we were going to get married. We had seen each other in every situation and knew all the things about each other that you usually try to hide from someone you like for at least the first few months while you put on your good front. Everyone always asks us, and honsetly we've both asked each other why in the world it took us so long to figure out that we wanted to be more than friends. I don't really know that answer except to say that I'm so glad it did because we were able to get to know each other and become best friends in a way that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.
I still can't believe that he's mine! Four years of marriage later, here we are with a crazy two year old and another boy on the way. There are days when Camden's food has miraculously made it across the room, our house is a disaster, there are a million things to do, and one or both of us is at our breaking point and then we look at each other or Justin says something stupid (the more likely scenario) and it makes us both bust up laughing. He really is the most good hearted, funny and charismatic person I've ever met. He keeps me laughing every day.
We celebrated this year at the Melting Pot. YUM! It was a perfect night.
I wish I was one of those girls that remembered to take a weekly picture of my bump but I really didn't take very many pictures throughout this whole pregnancy. Luckily one of my best friends happens to be an amazing photographer and she snapped a few of me along the way. Then last weekend Camden, Justin and I went to Old Town Alexandria and Justin snapped a few pictures. Turns out my husband is a pretty good photographer too! The top three pictures are ones that he took and the others are from Alia Cardwell. 
This pregnancy has been much smoother then Camden's. Not a single trip to the ER! (I'm knocking on wood as I'm writing this) I did however find out at my last appointment several weeks ago that I'm already 50% effaced. They sent me over to the hospital to get a more accurate measurement. My doctor warned me that if my cervix was 3cm or less that I would be on bed rest. If I measured below 2cm I wouldn't be allowed to leave the hospital. Ehhh! Well I was at 3.1!!! I was put on moderate bed rest since I was borderline. Since I'm not much of a home body, to say the least, I've been going a little stir crazy. Thank you to all the friends that have been playing at our house helping Camden and me stay sane. I have my next appointment this Wednesday to find what I'm measuring. Keeping my fingers crossed that I've stayed the same and haven't progressed!
LONG POST. Please don't feel the need to read this. Many have asked me for the details and this is an easy way to do it. As most of you know that read this blog, this pregnancy threw us a curve ball almost two weeks ago. As my last post mentioned, I have been on moderate bed rest. I went in about three weeks ago and my doctor told me, "Good news, taking it easy has worked" and that I was measuring great now. In fact, they even gave us the go ahead to travel to Sun Valley ID. We were still very nervous to travel but finally decided that with several doctors giving us the green light and being early enough in the pregnancy that we hadn't reached the cut off for traveling, we would go. Our flight left early Thursday but on Wednesday night, bags packed and ready to go, we made a trip into the hospital because I was having a few contractions. When they checked me we were shocked to find out that I was now dilated to 2cm and my cervix length had drastically shortened from our last appointment not even a week earlier. We weren't going anywhere and became scared to death that this little boy was going to come WAY too early.
And a month old today! Can't believe I'm just getting around to posting about his birth. I knew life with a new born and two year old would be an adjustment but didn't realize that it would be noon some days before I got to brush my teeth. A girlfriend came over the other night around 8 and when I opened the door, she said "I love it, already getting ready for bed". I looked down and laughed, "No I just never got out of my pajamas!". That's just how life seems to be these days and I'm starting to realize that's ok. I am really just enjoying snuggling this little guy every chance I get because this time I know how fast it goes. I LOVE the newborn stage- so sweet and tiny.
Crew was born 1 day shy of 38 weeks on September 18th and 8:32am. He weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and 20 inches long. I went into the hospital around 11pm the night before dilated to a 5 and having contractions every 4-5 minutes apart for the past 4 hours. I was adamant that I have an epiderhal, a GOOD one, since the one with Camden only worked on my right half. The nurses were great and so was the anesthesiologist. I got the epiderhal right away and didn't feel very much pain at all through the whole night. Around 5am I started feeling A LOT of pain as if the epiderhal had completely worn off and I wasn't numb. The doctor came in and said they would get the anithesiologist back in right away but then she checked me and said it was too late because the baby was already coming. After a minor meltdown with a whole bunch of tears I realized that there wasn't anything I could about it and I might as well suck it up and get ready to meet our little guy. It was only about twenty minutes and Crew was on my tummy and showing us his lungs were just fine! He cried for 30 seconds and then he was back in our arms wide eyed looking around. Justin and I kept asking the nurses "So he's healthy?!". Because of our experience with Camden and because of all the pre-term labor problems that started two months earlier, we had prepared ourselves this time that Crew would probably go to the NICU. We just couldn't believe that we got to keep him with us and he didn't have any problems.
Camden was really cute with Crew. He wanted to hold and kiss him... for a minute. Then he was happy having us hold him while he ran around and wrestled his dad. He kept putting his hand on my stomach and asking "Where did your baby go?".
We've been loving every second... well maybe not the middle of the night seconds.
Loved having my mom here after he was born to hang out and help. Justin didn't have any time off so it was so nice to have my mom to hang out with. I just love being around her. She is always happy and smiling. We laugh at all the same stupid things. I think she deserves a gold medal for all her help in getting Crew here! 
I was sad to see my mom leave but just two weeks later my sister came in town. We had such a blast. This trip was some of the best times I've ever had with my sister and will need it's own post... coming shortly.
We got to go out to dinner with the Neumanns. Dinner at restaurants is a little different with two! One is feeding Crew while the other was up taking Camden to the bathroom several times.
These two are already best buds. Camden is so sweet to Crew. Any time he cries Camden runs to him and says, "Are you looking for the big brother Crew?". He pats his tummy and gives him kisses all the time but luckily isn't really into holding him yet.
Our first real family outing was to Cox Farms last weekend. I love this place. We took Camden when he was just a baby but obviously he enjoyed it a little more this go around.
Camden's favorite thing to do is go to the park by our house and play either football, baseball or basketball. It was so cute to watch them play together.
Arianne brought the boys these bath towels with their names embroidered on the back. They crack me up. Camden loves to just wear his around the house. Every time he puts it on he becomes what we call the "generous lion". He asks if we'd like a cupcake or lollipop and what color. I love this kids imagination but I have no idea where the connection between lions and giving out treats came from. 
Such a special day. Justin gave Crew a beautiful blessing, and unlike his older brother Crew didn't make a peep through the whole thing. Big C literally screamed his head off from the time Justin started to speak until he sat back down with him. The bishop even said afterward from the pulpit that it looked like we'd have our hands full. And we do! We love our crazy Camden. Any chance Crew will be a calmer kid?! Doubt it but we'll see! It was so fun to have family and close friends there to be a part of this special experience. Thank you so much to those that traveled to be here!!!