Catching UP

Camden has gotten so big as he inches toward his second birthday. He doesn't have a huge vocabulary but he babbles in his French baby babble all the time and points for the things he wants. I've been trying to survive the fatigue I sometimes feel being pregnant and chasing around my current stinker.

Baby #2 is one chill little guy in my tummy so far.

I'm at my halfway mark and growing larger. I never thought about how hard it would be to see my body expand again.

You work so hard after each pregnancy to get back into shape and then it just gets all stretched out again!

But I will be grateful since not every woman gets to physically experience growing a child within themselves.

I have been in full force battling with

Carson on another boy name.

He is a name Nazi but doesn't give name ideas haha.

It kills me!

With the last name Smith, I need unique boy names to take to the hospital.

Suggestions are welcome!

Next week I venture out, on my own, in an airport, with connecting flights, with my toddler, to visit my best friend Jess in California (check out her blog at halfofhalfacre.blogspot.com)

Wish me luck!

GREAT news!

I've been putting off sharing my news with everyone because I didn't want to jinx

the outcome.

We are closing on a home next week!

It has been a long road but the Lord has been on our side.

We had to change Realtor and mortgage broker once but we were blessed with 

hard working ones the second time around.

Thanks Sarah Grimm for referring us!

Our house is a single story brick home in SLC with a cute backyard that Carson can't

wait to get his hands on.

He has a green thumb for sure!

The house was for sale by owner, the ORIGINAL owner of the house actually.

She is going to live in a assistant living facility now.

We placed our offer on it, then had to bid our best offer, which we lost!

We felt in our hearts that that house was suppose to be ours, so we were bummed when we didn't get it.

It was hard getting back into the house hunt afterwards but our Realtor

kept her eye on the property for us.

Two weeks later, after seeing other homes and placing other offers,

our Realtor called!

She said "You remember that house you guys really wanted? The buyers loan didn't get approved and its yours!"

I was SHOCKED! Was this really reality??

Then I got a pair of cold feet, wondering if we were really ready haha. 

That usually happens, when you search and search for something but when it's actually within your grasp

you chicken OUT! 

The Lord and Carson reassured me that the spirit we felt in the home was true.

It's not my dream home, it's not big nor perfect but

IT'S OURS! 

I had to sacrifice on my dream of a huge kitchen and two-story home but 

Camden will be raised in a place his mommy and daddy worked hard to get.

I'm happy about that. 

We even worked in for the sellers to pay to replace the entire roof for $6500 and the electrical panels for $900!

Work that we couldn't afford, definitely. 

Thank you Shawndra Kirkham

 shawndrakirkham@gmail.com

Prudential Utah Real Estate
6975 Union Park Center, 6th Floor
Cottonwood Heights, UT  84047
Cell: 801-604-1523 

Fax: 801-990-9599

  for showing us how a Realtor should ROCK!

Oh darn!

So Camden wasn't really into his birthday cake. He was fussy and tired and wanted none of it haha. But we got some pics before ish hit the fan! Lol

Camden's Birthday

I didn't want Camden 18 months ago (including when I was carrying him). I wasn't ready for the huge commitment being a mother

entailed. I wanted to finish school first.

I was angry a lot and blamed Carson too much for knocking me up.

But it takes two.

Entering into my second trimester, I experienced some of the worse symptoms EVER.

I was diagnosed with contact dermatitis in an area I wish not to disclose haha and I broke out in full body hives almost daily.

I thought I had the chicken pox for the first time or something! It was THE pits! 

I started to sink lower and lower into resentment of this little baby I was growing

As I did that, symptoms got worse until God broke me down.

He broke me until I was raw and came crawling to Him for His comfort and direction. 

He told me to TRUST in Him and He'd show me the way.

The way to heal, to accept, to LOVE, and to honor the gift that was given to me a year ago today.

So many emotions arise as I think of the journey it took me to get to the point of

unconditional love and adoration. 

Camden is my BEST work. My BEST accomplishment next to Carson. 

To think, I didn't want him in the beginning of this journey 

but God gave me every reason why I NEEDED him. 

From when I could look at an ultrasound and actually be HAPPY and cry of the happiness for him 

to 12 months later as he has grown into an active, BEAUTIFUL, little boy,

He has BLESSED me! Blessed me with the opportunity to lead and guide him through life.

I can never repay God for His mercy on me.

I love you Camden! Happy 1st birthday my lo

ve!

Head bobbing Cam

Camden loves to dance. I guess it's his baby dance since all he does is randomly move his head side to side to the beat of any music. It's super cute. I find him randomly crawling down the hall, making pit stops in between to shake his groove thang. Haha he's a character for sure! Too bad I can't post a video from my phone on here!

Hiking!

Oh man I how I love hiking!! It's a fun way to burn calories and sculpt legs as well as seeing beautiful nature! We took Camden on his first hike yesterday to the Rocky Mountain trail in Sandy and I think he loved it. How do you really know anyways? He didn't scream or get mad so I'm assuming he didn't mind. He particularly enjoyed when I beat my chest and yelled like Tarzan. Haha anything for the baby boy! We hiked up to see the waterfall and he so desperately wanted to play in the water. Would've let him if it wasn't flippin freezing water. Loved our cute Sunday outing! Free and family filled!!

Hunting

That's house hunting. Man is it the pits when all you run into are short sales, fixer uppers, HUD homes, and very few for sale by owner. We really are ready to have a place of our own but it seems like it'll never happen. I should look at it as when The Lord wants us in a house he'll put us in one but that kinda faith is hard sometimes. Gotta keep the faith! In other news Camden will be one on Wednesday! Holy cow! I survived a year of motherhood and didn't cave and got hide in a dark corner haha. He's truly been the biggest blessing God has given us. He's introduced us to the importance of precious moments and to cherish them as well as families.
Plus he's a stud and that always makes tantrums worth it! :)