It has been decided....

We finally have decided on the name! Well, we have known for quite a while now that his name will be Hayden. It was just a matter of deciding between Kyle Hayden or Hayden Clemens.

When I was pregnant with Taryne, we had chosen Hayden Clemens if it was going to be a boy. Since it was a girl, we went with Taryne Milady. If you don't know Milady is the first name of both of my grandmothers so it is a family name, an interesting coincidence that they both have that name and it is unique.

Clemens is also a family name. Kyle's paternal grandfather's name is Clemens. There are also some other coincidences with this name. Both of my grandfather's are named Clarence (along with my dad as well), but my paternal grandfather went by Clem. See the connection?? Kyle was very close to Clemens and it just seemed fitting to use his name for Hayden's middle name.

Fast forward to this pregnancy....I really like the name Hayden but it is becoming more popular, so I suggested we at least look at some other names if we were having a boy. So we did....and struck out miserably when suggesting potential names. So we decided, if it was a boy, it would be Hayden. The day we went for the ultrasound and found out we were having a boy, Kyle suddenly felt the need to possibly have Kyle as part of the baby's name...and he was the one that was convincing me to keep it Hayden Clemens.

Here is the catch...he wanted it to be Kyle Hayden because it sounded better that way than Hayden Kyle. We have our "name rules". Kyle did not want to mess with the confusion of Hayden going by his middle name and I didn't want to worry with 2 Kyles in the house that both go by Kyle. Since I could care less if Hayden is his middle or first name, I told Kyle it was up to him to make the final decision on the baby's name knowing he would go by Hayden regardless.

So, here we are, at almost 34 weeks and Kyle still has not decided. I have been bugging him to make a decision because I plan to paint a monogram on the wall like I did for Taryne. Well...I need to know how to arrange the letters! However, I am no longer painting the monogram on the wall, I am going to create it on a canvas along with some other wall art that we can take with us to Tennessee.

Well, I think Taryne finally made the decision for us. On the way home yesterday, she was talking about her brother and I asked her his name. She knows it will be Hayden, but she says Cayden instead. I think there is a boy in her class at school named Cayden. I usually try to get her to correct herself and I say Haaaaayyyyyden! Yesterday, she gives me a funny look and says "I don't say that". Well, okay. So then I decided to ask her which way she preferred his name, Kyle Hayden or Hayden Clemens. To be honest, I thought she was going to say Kyle Hayden because she often calls Kyle by his name and it is more familar to her. Nope, I was wrong. She took a moment, thought about it and said "Hayden Clemens" with a smile. Well, okay. So I asked her a few more times, changing up the order of the two name choices and every time she indicated she thought it should be Hayden Clemens.

When we got home, I asked her in front of Kyle and she gave her same answer. The look on his face was priceless and he said, "Well I guess it will be Hayden Clemens". While I think it would have been neat for them to have the same first name, I am glad we are going with the family name. It is what we had originally decided upon and I like honoring those in our family.

So, it is official. We have decided our little baby boy's name will be Hayden Clemens. We cannot wait to meet him!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Update on Baby...

So the past few doctor visits have not been as pleasant....only because my blood pressure went up. It went up high enough that I now have to see my doctor every week to make sure it doesn't go sky high and have to have the baby early.

Luckily, I have a blood pressure monitor at home, so I check it at least twice a day and record it in a nifty App on my iPhone. Thank goodness I have been doing that!! It helps my doctor know that I am actually resting at home and trying my best to take it easy.

I have now been to see him 3 times in the past 2 weeks and my blood pressure readings at the office have stayed consistent...so that is good. The readings are still a little high, but as long as they stay around the same and don't go up, I don't have to go on bed rest. I really don't want to do that again! So I am taking it easy at home, watching my salt intake and drinking TONS of water. It is a bit hard to rest with Taryne running around and wanting ME to do things with her and for her, but I am doing my best. Kyle is a HUGE help with things.

Despite my blood pressure being a little high, EVERYTHING else looks GREAT!!! I am so glad for that! My weight is good (still under the weight I began with), measurements are good, baby movements are good, no protein in my urine (I know, TMI for some, but that is huge considering my blood pressure has been up) and no swelling in my feet or ankles.

Now we just need to get his room ready! We are painting this weekend and since we already have all the basics, as soon as the paint dries, I can set up the room. Yay! Thankfully my parents are coming to help me with the painting. I am ready to see that room transformed and hopefully I will be a little less stressed since I can check the room off my list.

I will post pictures after we get the room done.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Conversations with Taryne...

We sort of have a ritual type conversation on the way to school/work each morning. Most mornings I get the same line of questioning and some mornings this requires at least one, if not two phone calls.

Taryne: Where's Daddy?
Me: He went to work, Sweetie.
Taryne: What about Mimi?
Me: She is at home (some mornings I know she is on her way home from work, so I might change it up a bit, but typically I just tell her she is at home)
Taryne: At Papa's house?
Me: Yes.
Taryne: Where's Papa? At his house too?
Me: Yes, he is.
Taryne: I want to talk to them. (Some mornings we call and say a quick hello, other mornings the conversation just continues on...)
Taryne: I want to see Papa's cows. Where is Omie?
Me: We can't see Papa's cows today, but we can see some on our way to school. Omie is at work/home (depending on the time of morning I will use these interchangeably)
Taryne: Oh okay. Mimi and Papa are at Papa's house and Omie is at work/home?
Me: Yes, Taryne.

The above is our typical conversation MOST mornings during the week. This morning, however, there was more.

Taryne: Where's Pader? I want to see Pader. (Pader is Kyle's grandfather, Omie's dad for those that don't know)
Me: He is at home. Maybe we can visit him soon, but it will have to be after Hayden gets here. Mommy can't be in the car that long anymore.
Taryne: I want to get on an airplane and see Theia. Theia is in Maryland and Taryne is going to Tennessee. We go to school together.
Me: Yes, Theia is in Maryland and maybe we can go visit her this summer after we move to Tennessee since we will be much closer.
Taryne: I want to play with Theia. I want to see Theia and Tanya. Taryne happy birthday?
Me: No, it is not Taryne's birthday, you have about 6 months to go.
Taryne: Oh, not Taryne happy birthday? Theia happy birthday?
Me: No, Sweetie, Theia just had her birthday 2 months ago.
Taryne: Oh. Taryne happy birthday in Tennessee?
Me: Yes, you will have your birthday in Tennessee.

By this time we are close to school and she starts rambling on about cars, motorcycles and other things we pass on the way to school.

Most mornings it is pretty entertaining.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Big News...

We have some big news to share....

The Rode family is moving!!! And before you think I am being a bit over-dramatic, we are not moving someplace else in Bryan/College Station or even Texas. We are moving to Knoxville, Tennessee!!!!!!

While we do not have a definite date for moving yet, it will be sometime in July....we think.

I am sure you are wondering WHY we are moving to Tennessee....I have been accepted into the Sport Management PhD program at the University of Tennessee. We are beyond thrilled that I got in and that we will have a new adventure ahead of us. Yes, we will miss our family and friends, but we have always wanted to go someplace else and God has finally given us the opportunity that is right for us and our family.

Due to many events over the past year, we decided it was the right time for me to apply for this program. If I got in (and they only admit 1 student per year), then we would go. If not, we had some other possible plans sort of laid out, but no decision would be made on those until we knew one way or the other about UT. We feel very blessed that I was chosen as the ONE person to get in at UT. To sweeten the deal, I was offered a full tuition waiver AND a stipend. So basically, they are paying me to go to school.

So...the Rode family has a LOT going on in the next few months. Our baby boy will be here sometime in April, we have to pack up the house and we are moving over the summer....we will also be wearing a little more orange....Tennessee orange, not burnt orange.

Until next time...Gig'em!

The States...

Taryne absolutely LOVES puzzles. So while creating a list of things we thought she would like for Christmas, I added several puzzles. She received some of them for Christmas and we do many of her puzzles several times a week. One of her favorite puzzles is the States puzzle. I was a little hesitant on adding this one at first due to the "suggested age", but she ALWAYS wants to do this puzzle.

At first, we really took our time with the puzzle and I went over the name of each state and we talked about where it was in relation to other states. We frequently talk about other states in our house anyway...usually in some sort of sporting reference, so she knew the names of many of the states already.

She started surprising me with her knowledge of the state and where it went. For example, she grabbed Tennessee and Kentucky, told me what their names where (correctly) and placed them in the correct place on the puzzle board. She then grabbed West Virginia, asked me what it was called and after I told her West Virginia, she informed me that it goes right next to Kentucky. I was a little thrown off because I didn't realize she knew that yet.

She now can put the entire thing together on her own. Taryne also knows the names of all of them, but does ask about a few occasionally. I think the biggest surprise to me is that she knows the difference between states that have similar shapes. For example, she knows the difference between Wyoming and Colorado, Alabama and Mississippi, North and South Dakota, and Indiana and Illinois. She also knows that her cousin, Theia, lives in Maryland and her Aunt Joy lives in Alabama.

She also likes to tell me which state she wants to do next, find it in the pile and then place it where it goes. She quizzes me on the states. Which is too funny! I tell her I don't know and she gives me this look and then tells me the state's name.

I love how she also tells us the places she plans to live. She lives in Texas, but is going to live in Tennessee and then Washington. I am sure none of that has been influenced by her parents.... :)

Until next time...Gig'em!

More Cousins!

Taryne is super excited that not only is she getting a baby brother in April, she is getting two new cousins this year! One will be here in April and the other sometime in August.

Kyle's cousin, Kim is expecting a baby girl in late April AND his brother, Josh and wife Janna are expecting in August.

Taryne is super excited about getting a brother AND 2 new cousins!

Congratulations to all!!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Smurf...

Earlier this week, I picked up a Smurf instead of my child from day care. There is a new teacher for her classroom and when I walked in to get her, she was covered in blue paint. Based on the color and look of it, I first thought she just had chalk everywhere. I said something about her being covered in chalk and the teacher said, no it is paint. I was a little frustrated considering it was not only on her hands, face and in her hair but on her clothes too!!

So when we got home, I had to take a few pictures, because despite it being all over her, it was pretty funny too. And we waited for Kyle to get home before we changed/cleaned up.

Luckily the paint came off SUPER easy. I was going to be upset if her outfit was ruined.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Because some of you have asked....

I have had some ask what we need this time around for the baby, so I decided to create a registry at Target. We don't need much because we chose almost every item in a gender neutral pattern for Taryne.

We are very thankful to those that have asked!!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Money...

Last weekend, while I was getting ready to go someplace, Taryne was messing with the latch part of the pocket door in our bathroom. She then informed me that there was money in there. I think and say, "no there is not money in there". I told her that maybe it is just the parts of the lock she is seeing and it LOOKS like money.

Eventually she went and told Kyle and he came back to see. Well....there was money in there. I guess I should have looked!

Kyle grabbed a pair of small pliers and proceeded to pull out SEVERAL pennies and some dimes. There were 3 dimes and 15 pennies in this tiny space!!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Random Pics....

So I know I have been behind on posting lately....sorry. I don't have the excuse of being busy at work and then not wanting to do anything. I think I have the excuse of a lively 2 1/2 year old and being pregnant and not wanting to do anything after I get home and make dinner, bath Taryne, play and finally get her to bed.

Last week we received a package in the mail from Mimi and Papa. It was a package for us all, but it had a few early Valentine's Day surprises for Taryne. There was a cute pink bear and some sticker Valentine's. I don't think Taryne realized they were Valentine's, she was just happy about the stickers. This child LOVES stickers. However, offering stickers has NOT helped in the potty training realm. I am having to "ration" the sticker Valentine's to her...

Then she got out the mistletoe headband that Uncle Josh and Aunt Janna picked out for her at Christmas. Of course at Christmas, she refused to wear it. She decided that it needed to be worn...at least for a little bit. I think she was having more fun with it bobbing around than anything.

She is also VERY into Hello Kitty at the moment. We had to return an item she got for Christmas and she used part of the money from the return to get TWO Hello Kitty shirts AND a small Hello Kitty doll. She wanted more, but I had her stop there...for now.

And here is a sweet picture with Daddy from last weekend....she got up early and wanted to watch "pirates" or "Jake and the Neveraland Pirates" on Disney. And of course after that we had to watch Ferb....

Until next time ...Gig'em!

Fun Times...

I recently had an open house for the new Thirty One catalog and my friend Carrie came over with her daughter Morgann. Taryne and Morgann played for HOURS that evening!!

They "ran the bases", played in Taryne's room, tossed the bean bags (thank goodness we still had that from Taryne's party) and shopped. I got a few pictures of the evening and they were being so sweet and silly at the same time.

Luckily Taryne slept really WELL that night! Thanks to Kyle for being such a sweet husband/dad and watching these two young ladies while we partied!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Little Artist...

Taryne got an easel for Christmas. One side is a dry erase board and the other is a chalkboard. She also received a package of markers to go with it and some water color paints. The markers have since been put away due to her drawing on other things including herself. Thank goodness they are washable, but she still got in trouble for drawing on other things.

One weekend when Mimi was in town, she got Taryne a box of dry erase crayons. These things are amazing! They are like a very waxy crayon and wipe off. They wipe off better from the dry erase side, but look better on the chalkboard side. She LOVES to draw and be creative, so these are the compromise. She has not tried to draw on anything but the easel (even though she draws on other parts of the easel).

Her latest thing is to get one of her chairs so she can utilize the entire surface of the easel instead of just the bottom half.

Most times I need to help her erase her creations, but she is getting better at it.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Glucose Test...The Extended Version

Last Friday I had to do the 3 hour glucose test. So much more fun than the regular one! Instead of just fasting for an hour before the test and getting stuck once, I got to fast from midnight on and have 4 sticks. Yuck! The worst part of the entire thing was not being able to drink water. I drink a TON of water in the morning. I felt sick before I left the house because I felt dehydrated.

Anyway, I called my doctor today to see if they had the results and everything was in the normal range and looked good. Yay!!!! That is one less thing to worry about. Now if I could only get rid of the heartburn....

Until next time...Gig'em!