What a month.

We had the worst month ever. In August we had so much to look forward too. We had trips planned, camping, swimming, boating, just over all playing planned to end up the summer. Well on August 10th my back started going out on me. I woke up kind of sore and couldn't bend over very well and got in the shower. By the time I was out of the shower I was hurting. I called EVERYONE my ob/gyn, my spine Dr in Idaho . . . to try and get some anti inflammatory and pain pills to try and get on top of it before it became a huge issue. Well long story short--- everyone blew me off. I was told "sorry your pregnant and can't take anything. Take Tylonel" I WAS SO MAD. Well by the afternoon I could no longer walk and was in so much pain. By 3 we got a hold of a Chiropractor in our ward that was so kind to look at me on his day off. By the time I got to his office I was in such excruciating pain that he couldn't even look at me or touch me. He finally called my ob and got there attention letting them know that I wasn't making it up and I was in so much pain I couldn't move. They called me the next morning willing to give me pain meds that would possibly help. I ended up laying in bed icing 20 minutes on and 20 off for the next 4 days -- constantly. It was miserable. Cory had to force me to get up to go to the bathroom because I screamed and cried the entire time. I wouldn't drink so I didn't have to go. Well, a few days later I was walking a little better so we decided to go through with the trip we had planned to Idaho to see the family. Well, the drive was a mistake. By the time we got there I was so sore I could barely get out of the car. I was completely immobile. By the time we left the cabin a few days later we went to Sugar to offset the long car drive and ended up being stuck there for 2 weeks. I have literally bed in bed miserable for 19 days and been walking and progressing for 2. This is day 21. When I was in Idaho I tried EVERYTHING to try and get over this episode. We tried the Chiropractor, then an acupuncturist -- which I believe set off a reaction making it worse that landed me in the Rexburg ER two days later. That was the most painful thing I have ever been through. Because we didn't want a huge ambulance bill my sweet husband and his brother came up with their own way of getting me to the ER without having to move me much. I was in such excruciating pain that just for lifting my legs a few inches to get me on a board make me scream into a episode for like 3 minutes. I couldn't cope with the pain any more and just seriously wanted to die. It was the weirdest thing I have been through. I have been through this before 4 times but never has it been as bad as this. When we got to the ER which was Day 12 they finally after 2 weeks tried to help me. I was given morphine-- and some other drugs for pain which barely even touched the pain. It only made me relax enough to bare through the pain to get transferred for an MRI. Then after the MRI the Dr. gave me high dose meds to help with pain and sent to me to talk to my Spine Dr in Idaho Falls the next morning. Hoping to get an epidural that I am normally given when this happens. Well, we got down there and talked to the Dr and found that he couldn't do the epi because he has to have x-rays which are for sure band for pregnancy and then found that our insurance wouldn't cover anything. He gave me a RX for a high does of anti inflammatory and we decided to come home to start dealing with Dr's up here. IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. I finally talked to people up here only to find out the good Spine people here won't take our insurance either SO we are screwed. It has now been a month and I am just barely starting to resume my normal activities. I still cannot pick things up-- like Canden because it hurts but I can bend over and do laundry again so I am trying to get my house back in order to feel like I am not going crazy anymore.

Last week we had our 19 week appointment for baby. It was painful walking so much that day
but we were excited to be able o see the little peanut. It was funny because this whole week Araleigh and Cory have been fighting over whether it was a boy or a girl. Cory was determined it was a boy and Araleigh stated very clearly that it was a girl. I personally thought it was going to be a boy and was gearing myself up to be a little disappointed . . . only because Canden is such a handful and we could NOT think of ANY names we liked. To my pleasant surprise. . . . . . . . . .
It's a GIRL!!!! Araleigh was SOOOO excited as was mom. Dad on the other hand was a tad sad for a minute only because his BFF's are having boys. But we are excited to be able to give a little more estrogen to the Arnold family. My poor girls are surrounded by boys. I should have known it was going to be a girl only because Araleigh was so adamant that it was a girl. She's the one that first came up to me right after I had gotten down to my goal weight and said "mom, your pregnant." I was SOOOOOOOOOO mad because I had just lost 10 lbs and was thinking I still looked like a flob. Well, 3 weeks later we found out. Then she said to me that we were having a girl from the get go . . . guess the little one is pretty good at guessing! Anyways, we do have a name picked out we think for this one . . . but we are still thinking so not yet will it be revealed! I am slowly starting to get used to the idea of having three kids. I am not feeling ready for it yet but hoping time will help me. I think I stated before that this was a complete surprise. As in NOT PLANNED AT ALL. Though I am truly grateful that I never had to go through the emotional and physical trials of the fertility treatments and procedures again. I guess Heavenly Father was bound and determined to get this little spirit here. After 7 years of not being on birth control it's interesting how things just happen when you least expect it. I was not wanting to even start trying until next spring . . if that so I guess my plan wasn't in line with the man upstairs. But I am again grateful for the surprise of it -- which I thought I'd never have. I never thought I'd experience and "uh-oh" pregnancy and frankly it took many tests and going to the doctor to convince me it was real but we are excited to be moving on with growing our family . . . whether I am quite ready or not. I am actually pretty grateful for how much better this pregnancy has been. I was SO sick for a long time but I am just glad I am not throwing up 5 times a day for 40 weeks. So far the sickness has eased up . . . . it stopped while I was down with my back except for 3 times. And now it mores like I get sick like every 3-4 days. I still get nauseated but I can handle it. . . and I can eat whatever usually. Anyways here are the ultrasound pictures we got from the Dr. 1) GIRL 2) Arms/Hands 3)Legs 4) Profile

Boating

As stated before we have been doing a lot of boating this summer with our friends. The kids absolutely love it. I just enjoy the ride-- since I am not good to try anything new being preggo and sick Cory and everyone else has been enjoying all the toys! Cory has found his new love of wake boarding. He crashes a lot but is loving every minute of it. Araleigh has found a new love of surfing . .. . she goes with Kristy who is the Queen Surfer. She is really good to Araleigh with letting her go with her. We have really had a lot of fun spending time with our friends . . and boating has made it so we spend a lot of time together. They are so good to us letting us tag a long all the time. A few weeks ago we went to Moses Lake, WA camping with the Ross's and the Lewis's. We had so much fun. Us women went a day early and had quite an eventful time getting there. Along the way we got stopped because a part of the boat was dragging and causing sparks on the freeway . . then when we got there we dropped of the boat and headed to get the camper at their storage place. We got there and realized Kristy didn't have the key to the camper. AWESOME! So we spent the next while breaking into it (twice actually) then we had to get it ready then she thought she didn't have the key to the lock on the hitch either. But turned out we did. We finally got it all figured out and went to the campground. Then got everything hooked up and set up. By thus time it was getting late so we took off to McD's for dinner and then grocery shopping at Walmart. lol Not quite the normal camping experience but it was fun. The men got there the next day and we spent the next few days boating, getting tan lines, playing at the beach, and the kids rode bikes everywhere. It was a fun weekend.

Videos

We have been boating a lot this summer with our good friends up here. Here is Araleigh surfing with my friend Kristy. She absolutely LOVES it! She gets better everytime she goes with her. This video is like 1/3 of it. She went FOREVER.




Here is Araleigh at swimming lessons.. she hated getting her face wet in ANY way before her lessons. Now she is going under learning how to do it without plugging her nose and she has also learned to doggy paddle on her own across the pool. I am so proud of how fast she is learning. I love that my kids have been so exposed to water this summer. They are finally loving it and I am so glad. We have had such a wonderful summer . . . minus me throwing up and getting fatter.



Today she started swimming under water. I am so proud of her.