Last Post of 2008...

36 weeks, 3 days

And last doctor’s appointment of 2008!! I had an appointment this morning and all is well. She is head down and her heart rate is still perfect. I had my first internal exam (ouch!!) and I am dilated about 1 ½ cm and 70% effaced. I told the dr. that I was planning on having her in a week and a half, and he doesn’t think that’s likely, but it’s possible. I keep telling her that is when she is coming, so hopefully she’s listening to her mommy!! Everything else is pretty much the same. My hands and feet have been swelling, but my blood pressure and protein are still good, so nothing to worry about at this point. I just can’t believe that I will be meeting this little one in less than a month!!

New Car for the New Year

I finally broke down and agreed with Josh that it was time to get a new car. We really weren’t planning on buying until January, but we came across a Buick Enclave and fell in love, and next thing I know, we’re in the dealership signing paperwork last Friday. I do have to say, though – I love this car!! The only thing it doesn’t have that we want is leather seats – I’m a firm believer that with a dog and a child, leather is a must-have!! – so we will be having leather put in. Now the only problem is that there is a problem with the door locks that the dealership is having a hard time figuring out, so the car has been there since yesterday and I won’t be picking it up until tonight, so the picture above is not our car. It stinks to have a car payment again, but we traded in one of our cars and will be selling the other and putting that towards the Buick, and Josh is determined to work hard this next year and have it paid off before the year is over. Josh is feeling really relieved, because he would always worry about me out driving, especially since winter is here and I’ve been driving the CRV. It’s got over 160,000 miles on it, and he always worries about me breaking down or being stranded somewhere. And now with the baby on the way, he’ll be able to not worry when I am out and about.

I have a few New Year’s Resolutions for this year, but I’m hoping to do a 2008 review and a look forward to 2009 tomorrow. But I hope you all have a wonderful evening and a Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas!!

First and foremost - Merry Christmas to everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday!!

I was laying in bed last night, and couldn't sleep, (which is becoming a normal thing these days!) It was just past 2am, and I started thinking about Christmas and my memories of Christmas. And I'd like to share one with you today. It's not one I talk about often, but it is probably the one that has had the most impact on my life.

I can't even remember how old I was. I was just past the age of believing in Santa Claus. I don't think I knew it at the time, but my family had several times when I was growing up that we did not have a lot of money. My parents are wonderful and as a child, I never saw that stress in them, but looking back now I can see the signs. This particular Christmas must have been especially hard. I don't remember the details, but an anonymous person had given my parents a money order for $1.000. I really think without that gift, we probably wouldn't have had a Christmas that year.

One day I was with my mom in the car - it's funny the things the mind remembers. I remember we were driving through the parking lot of Safeway - and my mom asked me if I believed in Santa Claus. I was a little embarrassed, because I didn't want to admit to her that I knew the "secret", so I sheepishly told her that I knew that Santa wasn't real. I don't remember the exact words she spoke at that time, but I will never forget the feeling or the look on her face, as she turned to me with tears in her eyes and told me that yes - Santa Claus does exist. He exists in people, like this anonymous person, who bring happiness and joy into the lives of others. There are lots of Santa Clauses out there, and they are a big part of Christmas.

As I was remembering this moment in my life in the early hours of Christmas this morning, a huge sense of gratitude came over me for that person. Here it is - probably 20 years later, and I still think of this person every Christmas. I'm sure they haven't thought about it since that Christmas, but it has really affected me and how I view Santa Claus. I wish I knew who it was so they would know how their one act of kindness affected someone forever.

Into my mind this morning popped the phrase that is repeated often, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." I looked it up online this morning, and realized I had never read the whole letter before, or maybe I just didn't remember it - so I thought I'd post it here. The middle part is especially meaningful.

Dear Editor—

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and remember the reason for the season!!

34 Weeks

34 weeks, and me in all my huge glory. Man, I don't know how I can get any bigger!!

Nothing really exciting to report about the 34 week appointment. Everything looks good - she was awake and kicking when they did her heartbeat, so it was really strong this week, and I'm measuring at 36 weeks. The nurse said that measuring within 2 weeks either way is considered normal, but I'm still determined to have her 2 weeks early. They said my protein was a little bit low, but nothing to worry about, just something they want to watch over the next few weeks.

At this point, I'm mainly struggling with the normal aches and pains of being 8 months pregnant. But, lucky me, I do have pregnancy induced carpal tunnel syndrome in my right wrist. It has been bothering me for weeks now - my hand keeps going numb, and it's quite painful. I thought it was my back being out of whack, but a trip to the chiropractor didn't help any. I asked my dr. about it this week, and he said it's carpal tunnel. He said in most cases, it goes away after you have the baby, so it's nothing I have to worry about, just something I have to deal with for now. Not fun. I have a hard time even brushing my teeth in the morning, but I'm mostly functional half way through the morning. But it sure does make it hard to sleep! My only other "odd" pregnancy-related pain is a numb spot I've had at the top of my belly for most of my pregnancy. Dr. once again says it's normal, and up until the last couple of weeks, it's mostly just been annoying and itchy. But now it's burning. Like I have a really bad, really deep sunburn. He says it's the nerves, and once again, something that should go away within 6 months of having the baby. Ugh...

The nursery is painted, but I have some touch-ups to do since it didn't turn out as perfectly as I hoped it would. I need Josh to go and pick up the crib, and I need to go and buy a mattress, but once it's set up, I'll post pictures. Hopefully we'll go get the crib sometime this week or weekend - as long as it stops snowing!

It's Beginning To...

look a lot like Christmas??? I have to admit, I'm really having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. Maybe it's because it's been so warm lately. The forecast is for 3-6 inches of snow today, but so far, none of it is sticking here at my house. And as much as I want it to snow so that it feels more like Christmas, I guess the warm weather hasn't been so bad since I can't fit into any of my shoes except for flip flops. Yeah, I had to go to Costco today, and there I was, with the snow coming down, and me in my flip flops. I'm sure I looked like a dork...

I haven't even done any shopping yet, mostly because I don't know what people want. I know what I'm going to get Josh, I just have to figure out where to hide it so he doesn't find out before Christmas. And we finally got our tree up and decorated. We went and bought it last Friday, and I kept waiting for Josh to help me decorate it, but he has been working so much lately that I finally decorated it by myself on Wednesday. Christmas fact about Josh and I - I have always decorated the tree by myself. I was hoping it would change this year, but no such luck. But it will be a family affair next year, especially since our little girl will be with us.

I'm sure Christmas will change next year since we will be parents - and I'm excited to see it through the eyes of a child. I guess for now, I just need to go turn up that Christmas music and make some cookies or something!!

**I have my 34 week appt on Tuesday, so I'll update any baby stuff then. Plus, the nursery should be done next week (crossing my fingers) so hopefully I'll have pictures of that!**

32 Weeks

I know it has been a long time since I've updated - I can't believe how busy I've been, and posting on here just hasn't been a priority. So I'll try not to cram too much into one post, but maybe start posting more regularly!!

I'll post about the pregnancy first, since that is what has occupied most of my thoughts as of lately!!

• I have a big baby. I had an ultrasound done at 28 weeks, and she was already almost 3 pounds then. The average is between 2 - 2 1/2 at that point. I just had an appointment today, and the nurse told me that I'm measuring between 33 and 34 weeks. So maybe not huge, but she's a big girl already!
• I am determined to have her on January 11th, so everyone send out their positive thoughts for me. She's due the 25th, so the 11th is exactly 2 weeks early. I figure that shouldn't be a big stretch since she's already big. I'm measuring about 2 weeks ahead, so hopefully she'll come 2 weeks early and be a normal sized baby! Plus, I thought it would be fun for her birthday to be on 1/11 - since our anniversary is 11/11 - we'd be a family of ones!
• I did find out from my ultrasound that my placenta has completely moved, so no worries of a C-section right now. I wasn't too worried, since they say 90% move, and I didn't have any bleeding.
• My family threw me a baby shower a little over a week ago, and it was so much fun. I got some really cute things - this baby is going to be very well dressed!! I'm working on getting her room done - hopefully it will be painted and set up in the next 2 weeks so I can take inventory and figure out what else I need. My plan is to be completely prepared by the end of the year, so that I can just relax when the beginning of the year is here and just wait for her to come!!
• The above picture was taken this morning before my doctor appointment. I feel so huge! I can't imagine what I'm going to look like in 6-8 more weeks before she comes. I think she's out of room already! But no stretch marks on the belly so far. I'm really hoping it stays that way, but realistically, I know I'll probably end up with some. Oh well, it's not like I go around wearing belly shirts or anything!!
• I've had a pretty uneventful pregnancy so far, which is a good thing. I'm so glad I'm not working right now, because I'm starting to get extremely uncomfortable, and I can't imagine sitting at a desk for 7-8 hours every day at this point. I admire those who do/have!
  

Once I make some progress on the nursery, I'll start posting pictures. I really am in love with the bedding I chose - so I think everything will be really cute!

Happy Anniversary!

I know I haven't written a post for 3 weeks now, and one is due, but for now, I want to just wish my wonderful husband a Happy Anniversary!!

3 years ago today, Josh and I were married. In some ways, I can't believe it's already been 3 years, but in other ways, I feel like we have known each other forever. I couldn't ask for a better husband. When I was growing up and and thinking about what love and marriage would be like, I never imagined that it would be this good. Of course we've had hard times and good times, but I couldn't imagine going through any of it without Josh at my side. And I am so grateful that this Saturday, we will be sealed for time and all eternity in the Mount Timpanogos temple.

I know Josh never reads this, but I just want to publicly tell him how very much I love him. He is my best friend, my support, and I can't imagine a better person to spend all of eternity with!

The Economy Takes Another Victim...

Yes, ladies and gentlemen - as of 11:35am on Friday, October 17th, I am officially unemployed. The market the last few weeks was brutal for my company, and they cut down to only 3 employees. On Thursday, my boss asked me for vacation hours remaining for a bunch of employees, and I knew right away there were going to be layoffs. I went in to talk to him, and I guess they had decided to keep him, (the COO), the webmaster, and me. I was kind of stunned that they had decided to keep me, being 6 months pregnant and all. I talked to him, and told him that it probably wasn't the smartest decision because I was hoping to not have to come back after the baby is born. He said that made sense, and left the decision up to me.

That day was SOOO stressful. Josh had just started his job on Monday, and he was out that day with the owner of the company, learning the ropes, so he wasn't really available to talk. I had to make my decision that day, and needless to say, it was not fun. I really got thinking about it, though, and I would have to take over duties that I just wasn't comfortable with. I knew I would hate my new job, and I knew that I would be leaving in 3 months if at all possible. So I ended up telling him that they should really do what is best for the company. I knew he was just trying to take care of me because I'm pregnant, and who would hire a pregnant woman! But in the end, they let me go, along with 3 others from my company as well as 3 others from our sister company. And if things don't get better, I'm sure they will layoff even more.

So everything is really weird right now. Luckily, Josh really loves his new job, and even though he's only been there about a week, he's kicking some butt. I really have no worries, and I know we'll be ok. And for now, I'll be a stay at home wife, preparing to be a stay at home mom!! I'm actually quite grateful, because there is a lot I want to get done before our baby comes, and I think it's going to take me 3 months to get it all done! I had a huge list of things to do yesterday, and I barely made a dent. I guess even though I am feeling ambitious, my body is not. So I'm taking it one day at a time, but I'm sure it will take me a few weeks to get used to this. I've had a job since I was 15, so it feels really weird knowing that I'm not going to be working!!

But in happy news, if you look to the right, we are under 100 days! I've been waiting for the double didgits - she's going to be here before we know it!

Wordless Wednesday - First Snow

25 Weeks!!

My last picture was at 20 weeks, and I was going to post one every 2 weeks, but here it is, almost halfway through 25 weeks! Oh well...

Please, once again, ignore the fat arms, but I can't believe how big my little girl is getting!! I take pictures of my naked belly every week (which I will NOT be showing on here!!) but I can't believe how much bigger I was between my 24th and 25th weeks. I keep wondering how I can get any bigger, but I still have 15 weeks to go!

She is kicking like crazy these days. I've been lucky that I've been able to feel her every day since I started feeling her around 18 weeks, so that has been a relief. She doesn't have a schedule that I can detect yet, but she definitely has active days and not so active days. She's not so much kicking these days as she is moving around - I guess she's starting to run out of room in there! 99% of the time I love feeling her move around, but she's starting to find positions to hang out in that aren't so comfortable for me - so I can see how this is going to be more uncomfortable in the last couple months! I had my 24 week appt. last week, and I was scared that the doctor would get mad at me because I gained 10 pounds last month (!) but luckily, he said that he doesn't care how much I gain as long as I'm being healthy. I'm doing cardio at least 3 times a week, and I don't feel like I really eat a ton, so I'm not too worried. I only gained 1 pound last week, so maybe last month she just had a growth spurt!! I get another ultrasound in 3 weeks. I'm excited to see her again, and I keep praying that my placenta has moved up so that everything will be great for the delivery!

In other news, Josh is working again!! I don't think I mentioned anything on here, but the last job he had didn't work out (if you want the details, email me) but he started working for a company called Big City Insulation yesterday. He is a salesman - selling insulation to both new and existing construction. I think he's really going to love it because he's not tied to an office or a desk all day. He gets to drive around and talk to contractors, and I think he is going to do really well! Our prayers have definitely been answered, and I feel so blessed lately. I don't know how we made it so long on my salary, but I know that our faith and prayers have definitley played a part. We'll have to see how the first few months of his job go to see if I will be able to stay at home once our little girl comes, but I really think that things will work out. Life is good!

Wordless Wednesday - Beginnings of Fall

Baby's Room

I can't stop changing my mind!!

I've been looking at baby bedding for weeks now, trying to decide what to get so that we can start painting her room. But I keep changing my mind! Normally, I would say that I'm not a "theme" girl. I was looking at mostly contemporary sets, until I came upon this set:
and I totally fell in love with the butterfly theme. In this picture, the room is way overboard - and I don't need or want all of the coordinating pieces, but I like the basic bedding. And I know how I would paint the room. In fact, I had this picked out before I even knew we were having a girl.

But then I started looking around, and I found a set at Target that I liked. It was way cheaper, too, but after reading reviews, I found out that it is cheaper because the quality was not so good. So I went back to the butterflies.

I got online to order it this morning (with my birthday money!!) and just haven't been able to commit. And then, searching online, I found this set:


And now I totally can't make up my mind! I love the second set - it's more along the lines of what I was originally looking for. It's cheaper, but comes with less. But it sounds like the quality is a lot better, even though I haven't really found any reviews complaining about the quality on the first set. The bad thing about this second set is that - from what I can find - you can't buy extra sheets that match. I want several extra sheets, because I'm sure I'll need them. And I know I could use a black or white sheet, but that kind of defeats the purpose of a set, doesn't it? Plus, there's not a matching mobile, which isn't a deal breaker, but I would like one that matches. There are a lot of accessories to choose from with this second set, but none that I would really want. All I really want is the bedding, a mobile, and a valance. But there is no mobile or valance for the second set. But it's so cute, I just can't stop thinking about it now!!

Any opinions?

Wordless Wednesday - Puppy Pictures Soon to Be Replaced by Baby Pictures!

The Pregnant Girls

I was really excited about this picture idea when we first started. Now I'm not loving it so much. First of all, I hate being in pictures to start out with. But being in pictures while you are pregnant? Really not so much fun!!

Kacy is determined to have her baby tomorrow, so hopefully I'll have a new nephew soon!! And I can't believe Janell only has 7 weeks to go. I feel like it's not fair, because I found out I was pregnant right before she told me she was pregnant, but I still have 4 months and she only has 7 weeks!! But then again, I'm not ready for my little girl to come yet, so 4 months is not such a bad thing.

In other news - I turned 31 this past weekend. Wow - 31. It was pretty uneventful - Josh took me to dinner and on a field trip to Babies R Us to test drive everything the night before my birthday. That's all I asked for, and I'm glad we finally got around to doing it, because now I think I have everything picked out that I want/need for our little girl. And wow - having a baby is sure going to be expensive!! I am picking out mostly gender neutral things, though, so most of these things will be a one time expense. My actual birthday was on Sunday, so it didn't really feel like a birthday. We started temple prep classes that morning, had church that afternoon, and our monthly family get-together that night. I did get "happy birthday" sang to me and we had tons of delicious food and eclairs for dessert! Josh's family is doing dinner for me tomorrow night, so I guess my birthday is being spread out over quite a few days!!

I did get my new camera lens on Friday, so I'm excited to start playing around with it. I really want to learn more about photoshop, and I'm hoping to take an online class after the baby comes.

Not much else happening around here!!

Wordless Wednesday

...with just a few words. (Hehe!!) I've seen Wordless Wednesdays done on lots of blogs, and I want to start playing along. I'm getting used to my new camera, and I want to start using it on different things besides food. When I first started wanting to learn about photography, I started a photo a day project, but then my food blog took over. So hopefully I'll at least be motivated enough to post a new photo every Wednesday!

Baby List

One of these days, I'm going to post about something that is not baby related, but right now, my little girl is taking over all my thoughts!!

Now that I know that we are having a girl, I feel like I can really start getting prepared. Or at least getting a list together of everything I want/need, and start researching brands and such. Just about every baby magazine I've read has lists of what you need for a newborn. Well, I know that a lot of things are not necessary, so I'm trying to weed out what I want and what I can pass on.

So I've made a preliminary list, and I need all of the advice I can get from mommies out there!! Is there anything I'm missing on my list - or is there anything on here that you think is a waste?

Clothing

5-10 onesies

5-7 sleepers

1 cold weather sleeper

5-7 pairs baby socks

1-2 hats

Diaper and Bath

2 packs newborn diapers

1 pack disposible wipes

waterproof pad for changing

diaper rash ointment

3-5 baby washcloths

1-2 hooded towels

1 bottle baby wash

baby lotion

baby bath

diaper bag

Feeding

10 burp cloths

bottles

breastfeeding pillow

Breast Pump?

Breast pads

Baby Gear

Car Seat

extra base?

Stroller

Sling carrier

bouncer

swing

Misc

pacifiers

brush

baby mittens

baby monitor

baby nail clippers

digital thermometer

Nursery

dresser or changing table with storage

crib mattress

mattress pads - 2

crib bedding set

hamper

3-4 fitted sheets

5-7 lightweight blankets

There are a few things I'm not sure of. Like a breast pump. I'm not sure I really need one unless I do have to go back to work. And a second base for the carseat I'm sure would be nice, but not necessary. And I feel a little over-the-top with my list making lately, but I just feel like I don't really know what I'm doing!!

I also just found out about the Utah All Kids Sale, that is being held in Salt Lake next week. Maybe if I have a good idea of what I want by then, I'll check it out and see if I can get any good deals!

So please, please, please - give me your input!!

Breaking the Trend

We have a trend of boys going in my family right now. Amy, Kacy and Janell - all with boys. Well, I'm breaking the trend and having a...

x-rated, but definitely all girl!

GIRL!!!

I really am so excited. I was scared a few months ago, because I've always wanted a boy first and I was afraid that I would be disappointed if it was a girl. So I started psyching myself up for a girl. And so many people have told me how wonderful it is to have girl first, and I started thinking about all of the good things about having a girl. When we went in yesterday, I really think that no matter what they said - as long as the baby is healthy! - I'd be happy. And I'm so excited for my little princess!

She really is perfect. And if I was planning on waiting until the birth to find out the sex, the surprise would have been ruined, because the tech didn't even have to tell me before I noticed that she is a girl! The ultrasound tech kept commenting about how photogenic and beautiful she was. It was a great experience, and wonderful to finally see our little girl. She's a flexible little girl - she had her feet up by her head, folded up, almost the whole time. She was pretty sleepy, so she wasn't moving around a ton, but it was good so that they could get all of her measurements and the tech was able to get really good shots of her organs - especially her heart. We even got to see her yawn, which was super cute! My doctor office had just upgraded their u/s machine a few months ago, so instead of the video copy most give out, they could do a dvd, which we watched twice this morning at about 1am because neither of us could sleep. I'll see if I can upload it on my computer to post it - it really is amazing to see this tiny baby that is living inside of my belly!

Isn't she beautiful!?!

The only issue present was that my placenta is lying low right now, and if it starts to cover the cervix (called Placenta Previa) then I will have to end up having a c-section. The doctor is not too worried, because most of the time it moves out of the way, but I get to have another ultrasound at 28 weeks to make sure everything is ok.

I'm just so happy that my baby girl is healthy and strong! And grateful that I get to call her a "her" now. Now we get to start talking about names...

Half Way There!

I hit the half way mark yesterday!! And I figured I should start taking belly pictures, even though it horrifies me how big I look. Not just my belly, but everywhere else. I actually had Josh take a picture of me last week in a tighter shirt, and it made me cry. At least in this picture you can only see how fat my arms are! And how white I am - it sure does make a difference when I'm not in the sun or a tanning bed!

But even with how large I am feeling, I wouldn't trade it, knowing that in 20 weeks, give or take, I will have a little human life, part of me and part of Josh, to show for it. And although that thought terrifies me, I am also so excited that I seem to cry tears of joy every time I see a newborn.

And by the way - I changed my vote. I now think that tomorrow's ultrasound is going to show a boy. We'll see in 25 hours!

Take a Guess

So my ultrasound is a week from today - and we have been counting down the days!! I desperately want to know what we're having. But do you believe in the mother's first intuition, or the old wives tales?

• First intuition - BOY
• Heart Rate - GIRL
• Carrying High or Low - I'm not sure on this, because I don't know how to really tell the difference, but I feel like I'm carrying low, so - BOY
• but another says that if you can tell that you are pregnant from behind because of the weight gain, it's a girl, where if it's a boy, you'll carry all of your weight up front - GIRL (can we say back fat and love handles??!!)
• Craving sweet or salty - Definitely salty - BOY
• Breast size - weird one, but it says if your left one is larger, it's a girl, and if the right one is larger it's a boy - GIRL
• Acne - if you get acne, it's supposed to be a girl, stealing your beauty. Well, I always do, but it's actually better now, so - BOY
• Here's a new one I just found - The Mayans determined the sex of the baby by taking the mother's age at conception, and the year of conception. If both are even or both are odd...it's a girl. If one is even and one odd it's a boy. - GIRL
• If you crave the heels of the bread, it's a boy, but if you crave the middle of the loaf, it's a girl - GIRL
• Chinese Gender Chart - GIRL

Right now, it's barely leaning towards a girl. And I know that my initial first intuition was a boy, but if I had to bet right now, I'd say it's going to be a girl. So were any of these true for you? And what is your guess to what we're having? And I know there are a few more old wives tales that I can't think of right now, (blame it on pregnancy brain), so let me know if you know of any!

Baby Kicks

I'm feeling my baby!! On Tuesday, I was sitting at my desk at work and started getting this funny feeling in my belly. It was about an inch above and to the side of my belly button, so I figured it couldn't be the baby, since the baby isn't that high yet. But it went on for about 20 minutes, not really consistent, but one or two twitches every 15-20 seconds. I started thinking that maybe it was the baby, and I was just feeling it so high because I was sitting down and my insides are scrunched together. I didn't want to move, just in case it was the baby, because I wanted to keep feeling it.

I got up, because it was lunch time, and sure enough, I couldn't feel it anymore. But then when I was sitting in my car on the way home for lunch, I felt it again!! I urgently called my sisters, asking their opinions on if it could be the baby or not.

I now really think that it was. I've had the same sensations, but in different parts of my belly since then. Yesterday, I felt it on the same side, but further down. I only felt it a little in the morning. But today I'm feeling it to the opposite side of my belly button and further down. It's not really a lot at once - like the 20 minutes that first day - but a little kick or nudge every now and again. It's only when I'm sitting down, so I guess that's the best position for me to feel it right now.

I can't wait until I start feeling him/her more consistently!

The Preggos

A few months ago, we decided to take a monthly picture of the pregnant girls in my family at our monthly family get-together. Well, I hated the picture from the first month, so I never posted it. And then I didn't end up going last month because Josh was sick. So this is the first one I'm posting! We all started out pregnant, but Amy gave birth to cute little Gavin about a month ago. Kacy is due next, at the end of September, then Janell is due the beginning of November. I'm at the end, due the end of January. I'm so excited to have this experience with my sisters and my sister-in-law!!

I have actually been feeling like I look quite pregnant until I saw this picture. No offense to Janell and Kacy, because I think you make the cutest pregnant girls, but I felt like my belly wasn't quite so big!! Until you look at Amy, who looks amazing, especially considering she only gave birth a month ago.

We'll see if Kacy has a new baby next month for our picture!

What to Buy?

Back before I discovered I was pregnant, I had a dream. I was pregnant, and in labor, but very early. Josh kept saying that we needed to go to the hospital, but I was freaking out because we had not bought 1 thing for the baby. We didn't even have a car seat yet. So ever since I learned I was pregnant, I have been wanting to be prepared.

I decided to start buying little things - diapers, onesies, etc - little by little. I'll pick something up every time I'm in Target. I've got a few things now, but then I learn that people are pretty particular in EVERYTHING baby that they buy. People swear by one brand of diapers over the other. Some people have always used the same, and some people say it depends on the sex of the baby to know which brand of diaper to use. I've been buying Gerber onesies, because that's the brand that the white onesies are at Target, but then I read something that says that they shrink really badly. I'm really more confused now, more than ever, about what to buy for my baby. Do I just wait until the baby comes to test things out? I have newborn and size 1 diapers, and now I'm worried that I bought the "wrong" brand. Or maybe I'm simply reading too much and listening too much to so many opinions. I swear things couldn't have been this hard for our parents when they were preparing for us.

But here's my main question - what do I buy now? My sister mentioned something about throwing a baby shower, and this morning, Josh told me that his mom and sister-in-law want to throw me a shower. I figure we'll combine it into one, because really - I don't know enough people to invite to 2 showers. But I'm starting to make a list of all things baby that I want, and I don't know what to leave until after the shower, and what is ok to buy now. I'm almost to the halfway point, and that kind of freaks me out. My sister-in-law is giving me her crib, which I'm very grateful for, but it's the only "big" thing we have. So how do I get to the point where I feel more prepared, but where I'm not going overboard?

My Baby's Heartbeat

I had my 16 week appointment yesterday. Josh wasn't able to go with me, so I thought I'd be a dork and bring along my camera so I could record the heartbeat. I acted like i did this for Josh, but really, I wanted it so I can listen to it whenever I want to! Ignore the video, it's just the ceiling. I didn't really want to record my belly, but I just did it for the sound. The heartbeat started out around 155 and then jumped up to 160.

I am scheduled for my ultrasound on September 9th. I can't wait to find out the sex of this little person inside of me!! It all still seems so surreal. It really felt real when Amy and Charlie had their baby, and I realized that I would be there in 6 months. But some days, it's still a hard concept to grasp. I guess the whole idea of creating life is just amazing!!

What??

So a blogging friend posted about this website on her blog. And I thought I'd give it a try. And now I'm laughing at what they came up with. You upload a picture of yourself and your spouse, and they show you a picture of what your child will look like. This is what I got:

For a boy...

and our little girl...


How do they come up with this? I don't get it! Maybe I shouldn't have chosen a picture where Josh's face is shadowed...

Monday Musings

• First and foremost - the most exciting news of the day! Some of you know, but Josh has been looking for a new job. After sending out many resumes, he found one job that he was really excited about and really wanted. It's for a company called Ingenix. I'm not exactly sure what they do, but it's something to do with selling some product to help with medical billing. I believe they are owned by United Health Care. Anyway, he went in for an interview a week ago. They were interviewing several people for 2 positions, so they told him they would call him back for a second interview if he made it through the first. Well, he got a call back, and he went in on Friday for his second interview. And we got the good news today that he got the job!!! I know many of you were praying for him, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers and support. I can't tell you how much it means to me. The company is a large one, and if he works hard he'll be able to start working up in a short amount of time. If all goes as planned, I will be able to be a stay-at-home mommy, and I can't think of anything I want more! He starts training on August 11th, so he still has 2 weeks of freedom. I'll be making a list of things I want done around the house before he is a working man again!

• I have to explain the picture above - proof that I have the most spoiled and funny dog. He sleeps in the bed with us, but he is definitely a bed hog. If he had it his way, he'd have the whole bed to himself! If one of us gets up in the morning and the other is still sleeping, he'll spread out on the side of the bed that's empty. This morning, I got up to go to the gym. When I got home, Josh came out and told me to quietly come look in the bedroom. It was still dark, but I just had to laugh seeing how he was sleeping on my side of the bed! I got the camera out and had Josh flip on the light quickly so I could take a picture. Not the best picture, but I got a good laugh out of it! (That's his feet sticking out - the rest of him is burrowed under the covers!)

• Speaking of the gym, I really need to get my gym mojo going again. We used to work out 6 mornings a week. Then we cut down to 5, taking Saturdays off so that we could do yard work all morning. But the last week or 2, I've been down to 3 days. Ugh. I'm just so tired, but I know I feel better when I work out and it's better for my pregnant body. So this week, I'm committing to 5 days! It's hard because I've been going by myself because Josh's knee has been so bad, but I guess I have to get used to it since he's going back to work!

• We've had our kitchen cabinet doors up for a few weeks now. I need to take pictures and post, but we need to put handles up still. I have them picked out, but we've been waiting for Josh to go back to work until we bought them. That will be one of the chores I have for Josh, and then I'll post some pictures!

• Josh got called to be a teacher in Primary yesterday. He was so excited yesterday morning, but after church, he commented on how this was going to teach him patience! He's cute, though, because he's started a list with all kinds of ideas and things that he wants to do for his class. Before I got called into Young Women's, I was really hoping we'd get called into primary together, but it will be good for him.

• Also church related - it looks like October will probably be the month that we will be sealed in the temple. I would push it back so we could go for our anniversary on November 11th, but I know Janell is due just before that, and I want to make sure all of my family is there. Josh will be ordained an Elder at the next Stake Conference at the end of September. (on a side note, I never knew that you had to be ordained at a stake conference...) We start temple prep classes in 2 weeks - this is a very exciting time for us!

Ok, I think that's all for now. It seems like I have tons to say one day, then nothing for weeks... I guess that's the story of my life!

Another Baby Question...

and then maybe my next post will be something not baby related!!

I seriously don't know why I'm so paranoid. I thought that after I heard the baby's heartbeat, I'd be able to breathe a sigh of relief. But I've been losing weight this week, and now that has me paranoid! I had myself all prepared to start gaining a pound a week (that's a mental hurdle to get over!), but then as I've been on the scale this week (yeah, I have a problem with weighing myself too much!) I've weighed less than my "official" weight I take each Sunday, even when it's been at the end of the day, after I've eaten.

So now my next "big" thing I'm looking forward to is being able to feel this little tyke. Maybe if I feel him/her kicking in there, I won't be quite so paranoid! Everything I read says that a first-time mother will usually feel the baby sometime between 16 and 20 weeks. Granted, I'm only 13 1/2 weeks, so I still have a few weeks to go, but I'm taking a survey:

When did you first feel your baby move? And what did it feel like?

I read some message boards where some people claim to be able to feel their babies at 8 or 10 weeks, but I don't know what to believe. And I know it's easier to spot it once you know what it feels like.

I'm eager for this milestone and just want to see how it happened for everyone else!

Opinions!!!

Ok, so I am a total first time mother. I'm kind of freaking out about everything, so I need lots of help and opinions - and I'm starting today! So please - all of you moms out there - please tell me what you what you think...

We've decided to just start buying things every week, from diapers to onesies to the big stuff, just so that we don't get closer to the end and have to buy everything. I figure if we buy it a little bit at a time, it won't feel like we're spending a ton of money all at the same time.

So on Saturday, I was walking through the baby section at Target. I wasn't planning on buying anything big quite yet, but this stroller/car seat combo caught my eye because it was on sale. I like the pattern because I think it would be good for a girl or a boy. It's normally $190 but on clearance for $134. But I'm scared to buy anything! I don't want to spend extra money on things that others think are not necessary, but I don't want to be cheap at the same time.

So what do you all think about the stroller/car seat combo? Is this like what you bought? Or did you buy them separate? I really need your opinions, so please let me know what you did with your first child, and if you would do the same if you were to do it again!

Memory Lane

I saw this on my friends blog, and thought it looked like a lot of fun....

Here are the directions....

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I have together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember...

2. Next, repost these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave a memory for you!

The Secret is Out...

I can now let out my big secret - although probably everyone that reads this already knows! Yep, we're having a baby!!!

I'm so excited. I wanted to keep it a secret until we heard the heartbeat at out 12 week appointment, but Josh talked me into telling our families earlier on. And I may have just let it slip to a few friends! :) But we had out 12 week appointment yesterday, and the heartbeat was loud and strong, so I'm not keeping it a secret anymore!!

I'll share our little story, although once again, most people have heard it, but just so I have it down. Josh and I decided last year to start trying for a baby in January. I come from a family of fertile myrtles, so I figured I'd probably get pregnant that first month. When that didn't happen, I was sad, but realized it was only one month. It ended up taking about 5 months, which now that I think about it - is nothing. But when you are ready and eager, that 5 months seems to take forever. Before we found out in May, I was actually feeling like I wasn't pregnant. In the months previous, I became super sensitive to everything that was going on with my body, thinking that I was having pregnancy symptoms. So when I would find out I wasn't pregnant, it was very emotional. So in May, we were going to New York, and I knew that we would find out one way or another while we were there. But like I said before, I didn't feel pregnant at all, so I didn't have my hopes up. In fact, I had mentally prepared myself to not be pregnant, because I didn't want it to ruin our trip.

The night before we left, I kept thinking that I really wanted to take a pregnancy test before we left. I wasn't sure if it would even show yet, but I wanted to be prepared. I debated back and forth with myself. The next morning, I had my alarm set for 4:30am so that I could get ready and we could get to the airport on time. I woke up at 3am, and all I could think about was taking that test. So without telling Josh, I snuck into the bathroom. I had decided to take it, but if it was negative, I would just throw it away and not even tell Josh that I had taken one. I was really nervous, but I did my thing and left the bathroom, waiting for the test. A few minutes later, I walked back into the bathroom, and about died when I saw that there were 2 lines!! I was shaking terribly, so excited that I just wanted to scream.

Josh was out watering the flowers before we left, so I went out and asked him how long it would be until he was back inside. He told me 10 minutes. I wanted to make him come in, but I decided to wait until he came in. About 20 minutes later, he finally came in. I couldn't wait any longer. I asked him if he wanted to have a good trip to New York, and he looked at me like I was crazy. I led him into the bathroom, and I think he didn't believe it at first. Then he hugged me as I cried - I think we were both in shock!!

What a perfect beginning to our trip. I know we would have had fun anyway, but with that news, we were on top of the world. I still feel like I'm on top of the world.

I've been pretty lucky - I haven't really been sick at all. I had a couple of days that I got a bit nauseous, but no throwing up, and that lasted no time at all. I've been super tired though. There have been days that I've come home from work and fallen asleep at 6:30pm. I'm starting to feel a little more energetic, so hopefully I will be able to start getting some things done.

Like I said before, we had our first "official" visit with the doctor yesterday, and were able to hear the baby's heartbeat. I've never heard such a wonderful sound!! I had been an anxious mess waiting for that heartbeat. He/she's doing great - the heartbeat was around 168 bpm. All of my tests came back normal, and my doctor said my uterus is in a great position and everything looks perfect! I'm due January 25th - so just over 6 months from now. I feel anxious, eager, scared, excited - just about every emotion rolled into one. I'm so excited for this little one to get here, but I know there's so much to do between now and then!

And another great thing - my sister-in-law and 2 of my sisters are also pregnant!! Amy, (Charlie's wife) is due in just over a week, Kacy is due in September, Janell is due in November, and I'm due in January! Talk about timing!! They are all having boys, so it would be fun if we had a boy, too, because then there would be 4 cousins all the same age to play together. It's going to be a fun time!

So I'm sorry if everything on here becomes pregnancy related - this is my first, so I'm sure you all understand my excitement!

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to my love!! Josh's birthday was yesterday (July 14th) - the big 3-0!! Unfortunately, he was sick all day - poor guy!!

Hopefully he'll feel better today so we can do some celebrating. And I know that he doesn't read this blog - but I love him more than I could ever express in words! He is my best friend and my life is so much better with him in it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

So You Think You Can Dance

So, I was going to write about our camping trip last weekend, but I just had to write about this - and I have no idea why, because it's really not a big deal!

I'm a fan of So You Think You Can Dance. I don't know why - but I've always loved watching dancing, and always wished I was that talented. This year, they went Salt Lake, and 3 people from Utah made it into the top 20. Last night, the first of the 3 was cut - Thayne Jasperson.

I never put 2 and 2 together, but when I was watching last night, I noticed that Thayne's dad is one of my old bishops. (In my last singles ward). I saw him and his wife sitting in the audience, and it clicked. I now remember Thayne at a couple of ward activities, but I would have never realized this if I wouldn't have seen the bishop in the audience.

Just makes you realize what a small world it is...

Tagged

Over on my food blog, I get tagged for these things quite often. I've been really bad at answering them lately, but I decided to do this one over here so I could tag some of my family and friends!!

So you all better play along!

1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATRE?
This is really sad, but the only movie I've seen at the theatre since I've been married is Transformers. We keep saying we're going to see Indiana Jones, but it's hard for Josh to sit through a movie with his knee...

2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?
I miss reading!! Awhile back, I ready straight through the Harry Potter series again, but I don't think I've read anything since then. Hopefully one day I'll have more time.

3) FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
This is a tough one. If I'm playing with Janell, I love Mad Gab. We play that game really well together!! I like playing card games, too. Uno, Phase 10, and Josh and I really got into playing Gin awhile back, and that was a lot of fun.

4) FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Every Day with Rachael Ray and Cooking Light

5) FAVORITE SMELLS?
Too many to name!! Like I mentioned before, freshly dug dirt and grass, I love the smell of water on a hot sidewalk, rain, garlic cooking in butter, butter cooking, bread baking. I also love all of the smells of fall - like pumpkin and spice.

6) FAVORITE SOUNDS?
Rain. The birds. The noises my dog makes when he sleeps or just wakes up. The wind blowing through the trees.

7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
I'm stealing this one from Katie - Guilt. I don't ever remember really getting punished growing up. Feeling guilty and like I disappointed my parents was punishment enough.

8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?
Lately, it's been - please let the clock be wrong so that I still have some time to sleep!

9) FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Probably Wendy's. It's close to our house, cheap, and they are always really fast!

10) FUTURE CHILDS NAME?
I have no idea. Most girls have their favorite names chosen growing up, but I've never been able to decide on any. I used to like Taylor for a girl, but it's becoming too trendy these days.

11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—’IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D......
Sell my house and buy a bigger one in a neighborhood where the neighbors take really good care of their yards. Travel. Help out my family. Retire my parents. Have kids and spend lots of time with my family!!

12) DO U DRIVE FAST?
Not too fast. Fast enough, but not too fast to get pulled over.

13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
No.

14) STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?
Cool. I love the sound of the rain, and I usually think thunderstorms are exciting.

15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
My grandma's Buick.

16) FAVORITE DRINK?
Water. That's pretty much all I drink these days.

17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…
Read, clean my house, cook more often, spend more time doing "fun" things

18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Not the whole stem, but probably a couple of inches down.

19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
I'd probably keep it brown, just do highlights.

20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Farmington, New Mexico
Provo, UT
Orem, UT
Elkridge, UT (temporarily)
Highland, UT (temporarily)
Mesa, AZ (temporarily)

21) FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
I like most sports in person, especially baseball.

22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Katie has a wonderful food blog, and she is always so kind!!

23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?
Sometimes my dog. That's where he goes when he gets scared, when he's been in trouble, or if he wants a quiet, dark place to sleep.

24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??
Yes.

25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Mornings. Definitely mornings.

26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Sunny side up

27) FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
In the Lazy Boy. Or laying in the backyard if it's not too hot.

28) FAVORITE PIE?
All of them!!

29) FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
I love them all, but I'd probably have to say Mint chocolate chip or vanilla would be my favorites.

30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
I don't know!!

I'm tagging:

Janell
Kacy
Amy
Shannon
Michelle
Kim

Seriously...

So Josh went to get his hair cut yesterday. He tells me that the girl cutting his hair starts flirting with him. This isn't out of the ordinary - girls flirt with him quite often. But he lost his wedding ring a couple months back, so I guess some girls assume he is single when he is not with me since he's not wearing a ring. So as soon as she started flirting, he started talking about his wife. (He's such a good husband!!) She knew he was married at this point. He laughed about it, and after he finished, he called and told me about it. I, too, laughed about it. I'm used to it at this point, and I'm grateful that I am secure in my marriage.

When I came home for lunch that day, Josh tells me that he is going to put the receipt in on the desk for me. A couple seconds later, he comes out with the receipt, laughing. He shows me the receipt, and there at the top, the girl had written her name and phone number. She knew he was married - do people seriously have no respect for the sanctity of marriage???

I'm just glad that I know that my husband loves me and would never stray - so I really got a laugh out of it. And as much as I wanted to leave her whole phone number in the picture to pay her back for hitting on my husband, (maybe she'd get some calls from the crazy people out there), but I decided to be nice and black out part of the phone number...

Smells of Spring & Summer

Image from www.greenviewblog.com

As I was walking into work this morning, the landscaping people were outside mowing the grass around my office building. As I walked past one of them on a lawnmower, my senses were filled with the smell of fresh cut grass. And it made me smile.

There are many smells of the Spring and Summer that just make me so happy, and the smell of grass is one of them. You might think I'm crazy, but I also love the smell of freshly dug dirt. It always reminds me of when I was growing up. My dad would rototill the garden and other parts of the yard, and us kids would walk behind him with bare feet, feeling the soft, overturned earth under our feet and in between our toes. I'm not quite sure why we loved it so much, but that is such a happy memory from my childhood, and the smell of dirt always reminds me of that.

I have tales of New York to write about, but I am still working on getting all of my pictures together. It may not be very exciting, but I need to get it all down soon before I forget everything. So stay tuned!!

Start Spreading the News

We're leaving.....TOMORROW!!! I can't tell you how excited I am right now. We will be up at the crack of dawn to make sure everything is packed and drop off Max at the in-laws before we head for the BIG APPLE!! Our flight leaves just after 8am, so we will be in New York just after 2pm to start our adventure. But the only bad thing is that rain is predicted the whole time we are there. Great. I'm fine with it, as long as the Yankees game doesn't get rained out. The biggest thing that disappoints me is that this is Josh's first time to NYC, and I'll be sad if it is too rainy and cloudy to do the Empire State Building.

So to prepare for our trip, I started thinking that I don't have a comfortable pair of shoes to wear around, and seeing that we'll be walking as much as Josh's knee will take, comfortable shoes are a must. Well, I wear shoes to work everyday that are not so comfy for walking around all day. I sit at a desk most of the day, so I wear heels almost every day. And as much as I'd love to look as stylish as those girls from Sex and the City (but more modest, of course!) with some stylish clothes, going around NYC in some killer stilletos. But let's be realistic here - I would last maybe an hour in heels walking around the city. And maybe I'm being silly, but I look horrible when I wear tennis shoes with jeans. I just feel like I look very frumpy, and my feet look like Ronald McDonald feet. Some people can pull it off - I'm not one of those.

So I started thinking about getting a new pair of shoes. My first thoughts went to Crocs. I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but I think the original Crocs are kind of ugly. And I'm sure no one wears them because they are fashionable - it's because they are comfortable. But when I got on their website, I discovered that there are now many different styles. I found these - the Croc Celeste - and thought they were actually quite cute.
But I started my search a little too late, and I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for shipping to get them here in time. So earlier this week, I stopped at Macy's on my way home to see if they carried them. No luck. They hardly had any at all (any style) and none in my size, even the ugly ones. I didn't even know where else they sold Crocs, so I looked through the other shoes that they had, and found these Skechers:

I they actually look quite similar, but they are super comfy and they were on sale for cheaper than the Crocs! So now I'm set - maybe I won't be a fashionista, but at least I'll be comfortable!!

I Love the Spring!!

OK, so I don't post for 2 months, and then 2 posts in a row. I'm quite unpredictable, aren't I!?! Actually, I hate posting without a picture, and I didn't have any pictures to post before, so maybe that had something to do with it...

I just have to say that I love the Spring. Each of the seasons has something good about them, but there is nothing better than the flowers blooming after a cold winter, and the leaves on the trees returning. And the weather is perfect.

There are good things and bad things about being a homeowner:

Good - you get to have a yard
Bad - you get to take care of a yard

Front yard grass and flowers

Yes, it is a lot of work, and we really have so much more to do to our yard. But I can say with complete certainty that we have the best looking grass for at least a mile in any direction of us. Josh has a complete green thumb. I only wish I had a picture of the grass when we bought our house 2 years ago. In the front yard, the grass was SUPER long and mostly dead and full of weeds. The grass in the backyard was a very sad sight - I'm actually quite surprised that Josh was able to bring it back from the dead. But Josh knows just how much to water it, when to fertilize, when to mow - I really think it is his pride and joy!

Backyard grass. Josh mows perfect lines!!

The flowers are gorgeous right now. The spring flowers are my favorite - all of the tulips bring a smile to my face! I get sad that they don't last longer than they do. But I love the colors of tulips that I planted - they really are much different than anyone around us. There is pink and purple and white and a really dark purple that is my favorite. I'm planning on planting even more this fall!!

My favorite tulips

Besides the grass and the tulips, our yard still needs a lot of work. I'm planning on posting our progress with both the house and the yard here - and also to get some opinions on different things. So be prepared to comment!!