Too Early to "Nest"?

Let the nesting begin!!

It seems a little early for this but I'm just going to go with it because I LOVE to organize!:)

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I told Bryce that I was starting to feel anxious already about the baby coming in July because our apartment is so small. The space isn't small we just have NOOOOO storage so the spare room, soon to be baby room, is packed with holiday decorations, luggage, cat stuff, exercise equipment and hobby stuff. Solution= storage unit. So this is the disaster of a room I've been working on to make room for baby.

I realize it's a little early to prepare the baby room but really. . . . is it that bad of an idea to be prepared too early?? I think not.

Once I get it all cleaned out and the baby furniture in there I'll post a "baby room update". But for now it's a work in progress. Oh how I love storage totes!!:)

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And just for fun here's a baby bump update.

16 Weeks

It's getting bigger isn't it??

We find out what we're having on February 18th! YAY!!

First Trimester Recap- -

Some of you have been asking about the pregnancy and since I'm now in my 2nd trimester I thought I'd just do a summary of my 1st trimester. Plus, this will be good for journaling as well.

This might get boring or a little detailed so sorry.:)

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After 2 1/2 years of trying to get pregnant on our own Bryce and I decided to see a fertility specialist. Dr. Whitten put us through just about every fertility test there is and the only thing that was found was that I have poly cystic ovaries but fortunately not the syndrome, which comes with plenty of other side-effects. Anyway- - we ended up doing one cycle of Clomid & progesterone with Dr.Whitten.

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On November 2nd I was sitting in the chair at a salon getting my hair dyed and my phone rang. It was Dr.Whitten's nurse and she had "good news." And of coarse I replied with, "Shut Up!!" I was shocked & surprised. I really was not expecting to be pregnant after just one cycle. I left the salon and was trying to think of a clever way to tell Bryce when I got home, until he called me to see what was going on and I just couldn't hold it in, so I asked Bryce, "Are you ready to be a daddy?" Then we called our parents. . . . we just couldn't hold it in! We had to share the news with someone!!

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I was feeling pretty good and thinking "maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones who doesn't get morning sickness". Well, that lasted about 10 days! Then the "all day sickness" set in. I repeatedly told Bryce, " I don't know how I'm supposed to 'grow' a baby in my uterus when I can't even eat anything." The "all day sickness" only lasted about 7 weeks and I never once threw-up so I'm still feeling pretty lucky. I still get sick at times but it's only about once a day or so. If I could figure out what was causing it maybe I could control it. . . . I don't know, maybe it just comes with being pregnant.

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I started noticing my "baby bump" much sooner that anyone else. I couldn't sleep on my stomach anymore, my jeans we getting tight and maybe it's all in my head but I swear I can feel my uterus stretching. . . . . . even at only 7 or 8 weeks. So here's proof. . . . . . .:)
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9 Weeks

12 Weeks

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The Shields family is going to have a busy and exciting year.

We've got a baby boy arriving in February, another baby boy arriving in May and a gender unknown arriving in July. Three new babies in one year should make for some fun holidays!

I begged the girls to take this picture with me on New Years. They weren't too thrilled but I told them, "We're never going to all be pregnant at the same time again!" This is Teri's 3rd and last but I guess there's a good chance that Anjela and I will be pregnant again at the same time, who knows. I wasn't going to pass up this opportunity though.:)

Anjela: 35 weeks

Teri: 23 weeks

Me: 13 weeks

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I am now 15 weeks pregnant and in my 2nd trimester. I feel as though I'm getting bigger by the day but I still haven't gained any weight. I'm sure that's going to change soon, Yikes! Oh and I'm already having a hard time sleeping. My OB told me not to sleep on my back anymore which is my favorite sleeping position.:( I just ordered the "Snoogle" total body pillow last night off Amazon. I'm hoping it will help me sleep a little better. I'm not complaining though!:) I have been waiting FOREVER, it seems, to be pregnant so I'm trying to enjoy it and do as little as complaining as possible.

Side Note: I can't wait to find out whether this baby is a boy or a girl.:) So just for fun lets take a poll!

*Two-Thousand & Ten*

We celebrated New Years with Bryce's family this year.

More importantly, on Saturday January 2nd, we were able to attend Bryce's brother & his wife's temple sealing.
We are so happy for them!!

Molly was such a good little girl when they brought her in and it was so special to see such a wonderful family being sealed for time and all eternity.

It was great to have the whole family there for such a special occasion. Though we don't have pictures of everyone. We're not quite that organized!:)

We're also excited to have Scott, Anjela, Molly & baby Wyatt (in mom's belly) back from Michigan! Scott just finished law school out there and it'll be great to be able to see them more often.

Bryce and I are looking forward to a great year!
We are SUPER excited for this baby to get here! My due date is

July 7th.
I might change my mind when I'm 9 months pregnant but I'm hoping this baby doesn't arrive on July 4th. . . . . . . .but I don't know, maybe it would be cool coming into this world with fireworks.:)

Goals for 2010:
* Get fully prepared for Baby Shields :)
* Buy a Home
* Possibly purchase a new car
* Safe & Healthy arrival of Baby Shields
* Enjoy life as a family of three!!!

Happy Two-Thousand & Ten!!!

Next post: pregnancy update!

*Christmas Festivities*

Bryce and I were able to go to Blanding to celebrate Christmas with the Nielson's this year! We got to see LOTS of family and participate in all the family activities!

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We had our Nielson Christmas party up at my Grandma & Grandpa's house this year. It was a full house and fun to see that much family all in one place.:)

My grandpa wasn't feeling so well the night of the party but was up and as chipper as always on Christmas Day! He sure is a "tough old bird", according to his oncologist.:) He amazes me!

My mom's brother was able to spend Christmas with us this year which was cool. I hadn't seen him in like 7 years and upon seeing me when he arrived said, "You're all grown up." I thought that was cute but I think he meant to say "grown out".:)


This may be the only picture to date that anyone has of my grandpa Larry smiling. It took a big kiss on the cheek from his favorite granddaughter but it worked like a charm.

These are the sports studs of the family.:)

Generra plays softball for the College of Southern Idaho and is an amazing pitcher and Nache just helped the San Juan Broncos take state in football, which was awesome!

Tenli absolutely LOVES her aunt Brittany! When we're in the same house and I leave to another room she'll find me minutes later and say "Aunt Bitny, you forgot me!" How cute is that??

And this my friends, is 4 generations of Nielson boys all with the same middle name Joseph. What a handsome group!
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Jett & Tenli came over Christmas Eve to open their oodles and oodles of presents so that we could all participate in the absolute joy children exude on Christmas.

This kid lives & breaths animals and hunting.:)

Tenli & her loot.

Jett & his loot.
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I think the "adults" finally rolled out of bed around 9:30 AM Christmas morning. Bryce and I awoke to hear my mom begging my dad to "Ho,Ho,Ho!" at our bedroom door. . . . . . .which he did. Bryce thought it was funny. . . . .and it totally took me back to my childhood.

Ahhhhh, the new phone. The LG Envy 3. Now I can text till my heart's content.:)

Bryce thought it was weird that my mom gave us a PINK baby blanket for Christmas when we still don't know the sex of the baby. And my mom made me tell him that I'm the one who picked it out.:) It was just so much cuter than the blue one, I explained.:)

This is the gift that keeps on giving. . . . . laughs that is.:)

This pillow case was made for my mom by a sweet young girl that she just adores.

Well if you look closely it reads: (reminder: my mom's name is Laura)

L-oyal
A-wesome

U-nderstanding

R-ear

A-mazing

* We're not quite sure if she meant Rare or Real. You can imagine the laughs this one got Christmas morning. . . . . Christmas afternoon. . . . and Christmas night.:)

*The Loot*

Bryce HATES this kind of picture but it's amazing what you can talk your husband into when you're carrying his child.:)

We like to call it "using the pregnancy card".

I think it's starting to get worn out.:)

Of coarse, this is our FAVORITE gift of all!

We're just sooooo excited!!
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Blanding was covered in snow when we arrived for Christmas so we couldn't pass up the chance to go tubing/sledding!

Here's Bryce trying to break his neck.:) Don't worry. . . .he didn't. He got a little nervous and jumped off the sled before it got farther than a couple feet down the hill.

Jett is a tubing fool! He went up and down that hill all by himself about 50 times in 2 hours and loved every minute of it until he got brave and decided to go down the one with a jump. His parting words were "I hit my boon. I think I'm done." So cute!

Thank You Mom & Dad for all the hard work and time you put into making Christmas fun & special for us all!

We love you!!

All I Want For Christmas. . . .

Our Christmas list this year is a little different than most- -

you won't find anything on it that can be bought at Walmart, Best Buy, the closest mall or even the Internet. The one thing that is on our Christmas list in big bold letters that has remained on the list, and every other list for that matter, for the last few years is one of those things that Santa cannot make at his toy shop.

With the help of a very intelligent & wonderful fertility specialist and a HUGE blessing from our Heavenly Father, Bryce and I will have the merriest Christmas of all!
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That's right! We're PREGNANT!

And we've never been so excited!!! We feel so blessed!!

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I'm 10 weeks now and just had my 2nd ultrasound today. I heard the most amazing sound- - It was my beautiful little baby's heart beat going 169 beats/minute! And it was already waving at mom & dad.:) So cute! It still seems so surreal!

Dr.Whitten(fertility specialist) says the baby looks/sounds healthy and released me from his care over to my obstetrician.

Words cannot express how thankful, excited & blessed we feel!