No Baby Yet

I went to the doctor today and I'm dilated 3cm and 80% effaced. I've had lots of contractions but they don't stay consistent and they aren't the "can't talk, can't walk through them" type that I'm waiting for. I doubt my water will break because only about 10% of moms have their water break before labor really begins. This waiting game is hard. I'm so excited to meet him and I just want to know when it'll happen. I need to be patient though. It's a snowy, slushy, cloudy mess here. I can just picture trying to drive to the hospital quickly on such aweful roads. Yuck. Well we'll keep you all posted. Happy New Year too. What is everyone doing to celebrate New Year's Eve? Any fun ideas that are close to home and not too crazy for someone who's nine months prego?

It's Begining to Look a lot like Christmas

It's hard to believe Christmas is next week. Wow the season has gone by really fast for me. This was the closest I could get to a christmas card picture. We didn't send any out but to you who read this blog, Merry Christmas! Maybe next year we'll send out a cute card.
Last weekend was fun because my mom and Steve flew into town for one day. It was great to see them and hang out in our little apartment. Mom will be back when our son arrives and I'm looking forward to that.

Our sweet friends the Hamptons invited us over to make gingerbread houses. They went all out and made real gingerbread for everyone. It works so much better than graham crackers and looks great too. I think I ate more candy than I actually put on my house but oh well. It was fun.

Here's the whole group: Brooke, Mike, Kenley, Erin, Sean, and me.

This is my 37 week picture. I'm 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. They say baby's head is well engaged. I've been having contractions irregularly but nothing too painful. I feel quite large and I wonder how he can grow any bigger without making me pop. =) I was so excited because yesterday, for the first time in my whole pregnancy, I got to take advantage of a parking space at a busy strip mall that said, "Expectant mother's parking only". It was great. It was right next to the handicap spots. It made me smile.

Merry Christmas everyone!!! Find J.O.Y. in this special season. J is for Jesus. O is for others. and Y is for you (in that order).

What a fun week

This past week has been really fun for us. Last weekend was a party weekend with little work time for me and no school time for Sean. Yipee!! We saw the movie "The Blind Side" which I would suggest everyone see. It was entertaining, clean, and inspirational. I really liked the actors they picked to play the roles. It's worth paying for at the real theatre rather than waiting for Red box or the dollar theatre.

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun at Sean's aunt and uncle's home. The food was amazing!! I'm kind of sad my stomach is squished up into my ribs because I wanted to eat more than I could possibly fit in there. =) After thanksgiving dinner we played some DDR. Here is Sean's adorable grandmother playing DDR. How cool is that?

We did end up going to the BYU vs. Utah game and it was a blast. What a great game!! Byu pulled it off in over time and it was exciting. At least the weather wasn't snowing but it was quite cold out there that night. Here we are in our BYU gear with our cute christmas tree.

I love having Christmas decorations up, listening to Christmas music, and going Christmas shopping. This is a fun time of year. I've tried to be a little innovative and make a few crafts lately. This is a Christmas card holder. I looked in the stores and they were all over $15 bucks. I decided to make my own. It's super easy if anyone wants to try. Just get a yard stick, clothespins, and ribbon. Decorate it however you want. Hot glue it all together. Then display your lovely cards on it. Now that it's finished I just need some people to send me Christmas cards. =)

Here is the wreath I made. This was fun and very inexpensive. I just bought the plain green wreath at the craft store with a 50% off coupon. Then at the same store I went to the pre-made wreath isle where all the beautiful $40 wreaths are. I picked up all the broken-off, plastic, red berries from the floor and asked if I could take them for free. They said "sure, I guess we'll just throw them away anyway." Then I collected pine cones that had fallen to the ground around the neighborhood. Then I bought a spool of wire ribbon and a 5-pack of ornaments from the dollar store. I glued it all on and tada!! Here is the result.

For the first time in his life Sean got glasses. I tried to take a picture of him but he wouldn't smile for real. My husband hates having his picture taken and rarely cooperates. =) Any suggestions?

I now have weekly doctor's appointments to check on baby. He's still head down and hopefully will stay that way. I'm so excited to meet him. I have all his baby stuff in a pile on the floor and nothing is organized, decorated, or set up. Yikes maybe I should get to that. I had a dream the other night that my water broke and I was 4cm dilated and it was time to head to the hospital. Scary. We have the carseat and stroller in a box. I guess we should set it up to make sure it actually fits in our little car. I think it's going to be a tight squeeze.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

If we glanced backward at the past month we'd remember...

--Sean finished his 2 independent study classes leaving only a few weeks of the regular semester and he's done!!!

--I spent a week with the horrible pregnancy rash called PUPPPs. It was so aweful and frustrating to be so itchy for no apparent reason. I am grateful to prayers and a prescription that have since helped so, so much.

-- We've had such sweet support from friends and family as we prepare for our little boy to arrive. Thank you.

--The weather is cooling off, snow has fallen, and I'm getting excited for Christmas.

--Our baby is moving so much now. He's still measuring a little small but no worries. Things are going well and I'm grateful for a generally uneventful, healthy pregnancy.

--I delivered another baby by myself at work. (That makes 2 in 2 years, not bad.) The doctor was on his way but just didn't make it in time. It went well and baby and mom did great.

--On Saturday we're going to the BYU vs. Utah football game. We were able to find two tickets for $30. I've heard the game has since sold out. Hopefully it will be enjoyable and not too cold.

--I don't have to work over Thanksgiving which is terrific. We will spend time with some family, eat lots of food, and stay close to home.

Here is me at 33 weeks.

This is a cute little decorative banner that my friend made. We're going to put it up in our son's make-shift nursery. (He really only gets half of the office. He's little right? He doesn't need much space. )

Happy Halloween!

Wow I think this is the longest I have gone in between blog posts. Luckily life isn't too thrilling so there isn't much to catch up on. =)

Here is a belly shot from today after church. I'm 29.5 weeks along. I'm feeling great and baby is doing well.

I spent some time last week in Arizona and my sister and her baby came out from Ohio to meet me there. It was a great break from work. Arizona is still so hot. While I was there it was 104 degrees. Yikes. I love Utah in the fall. A few months of snow in the winter and I'll be wishing I were back in Arizona. It was a great visit.

Me and baby William

A couple nights ago our ward had a Halloween Party. It was a lot of fun. I dressed as a lady bug and Sean was my "Man Bug". Both our costumes were completely homemade and created about 2 hours before the party. We did our best with what we had in the house.

A cheesy "man bug" smile and our pumpkin cat.

The "man bug" cape. When I asked Sean if I could make him some wings for his costume he said, "Since I invented the man bug, I get to decide how it flies. This bug only flies with a cape, not some sissy wings." This is what we came up with from scratch fabric and a hankie.

Me and my good friend Jennifer, the nun. So cute.

I passed the pregnancy glucose screening test which I'm glad about. That orange drink was not too pleasant. I got three shots within one week--regular flu shot, H1N1 flu shot, and a rhogam shot. The rhogam was by far the worst. I'm grateful for modern medicine and technology to help keep us safe and healthy. I know so many people who have had the flu lately and I'm really trying to stay healthy.

Sleeping is getting more difficult because my arms go numb when I lay on my side all night and I've been having the craziest dreams lately. Wow, I can't believe it. I feel like I don't even get any sleep because the dreams are so active and wild and real. They say pregnancy hormones actually cause more dreams and help you remember them more when you're awake. I certainly agree. I'm doing great though. Life is good for us folks.

Happy Halloween to everyone!! Enjoy the holiday and eat lots of candy.

Recently

It's been a while since I posted anything. Sean is knee-deep in his last semester of undergraduate work. He's taking a huge load so he can be done in December rather than April. I'm still working full time and enjoying most of it. Patients have started to ask if I'm pregnant (yes they can tell even through our big green scrubs). It's weird when I have a triage patient whose due date is close to mine. Scary! I hope I don't need to go to the hospital for any reason anytime soon.

I can't fit into my regular pants and shorts anymore but most maternity stuff still seems kind of baggy. Maternity clothes are expensive. Goodness I don't like the idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe. I've picked up a few clearance items here and there and will try to make things work as long as possible.

I've felt the baby move a lot now and it's so exciting. Sometimes I forget I'm pregnant (when there are no mirrors around and I'm busy) and then he'll give a big kick and I'll remember that I have a baby inside of me. It's fun. Sean has been able to feel him move a few times. Yesterday I was talking on the phone to my mom and baby was really active. I motioned for Sean to come near me and just watch my tummy. We could see from the outside the little bulges and kicks going on inside.

Remember that bad hair cut I got a few months ago? Well I finally went and had it fixed. I should have done it a long time ago but oh well. When I got there the lady could totally tell and said, "wow, the back really is longer than the front and she went a little crazy on the sides." It's evened up now and I think it'll be better.

Me at 24 weeks.
Me at 22 weeks.

This is the only pair of maternity shorts I own so I will probably be wearing them in every picture until winter comes and it's cool enough for pants. =) Sorry, no variety.

No crazy cravings yet. I do really enjoy fruit, especially red grapes. Yum. I could eat lots of them every day. I don't really think that's related to pregnancy though.

As far as names go, we're still trying to decide. We have a few in mind. It's hard to agree on names. We'll see when it gets closer to delivery time.

Here's What's Going on in Our Neck of the Woods

Here's a peak at what's been happening lately in our neck of the woods.

1. Our high school friend Dallin came to visit us for a few days.

Sean and Dallin had lots of fun hiking the Y.
We all went out to lunch once and while we were waiting for our table we found this quaint little area. We did not match on purpose and weren't planning a photo shoot but this is what we got. Bad lighting I know.

We went goofy golfing at sunset and the weather was perfect.

2. Sean and I celebrated our second anniversary!!!

It's been a wonderful two years and I look forward to many more. To celebrate we went to an adorable bed and breakfast up north. It was great to get away and relax.

3. We had a play date with our favorite family from Michigan. Mary and the boys were in town so we had a picnic and played at the park.

4. My birthday

Unfortunately I had to work a 12 hour shift on my birthday which was a bummer but I came home to a delicious dinner on the table. Then we opened presents, got free birthday ice cream at coldstone, rented a movie, and crashed on the couch. It was a good birthday.

Inside that large green box (in the last picture) was this present. Sean made me a beautiful wooden jewelry box!! He did all this without a garage or power tools and kept it all a secret from me in our tiny apartment. That's impressive. I love it Sean, thanks.

5. Our baby is growing well.

We had our official 20 week ultrasound and everything looks great. It's still a boy!! He's measuring a little small for my dates but not enough to switch the due date.

Me at 19 weeks. I feel bigger than I look.

Pure Michigan

Have you seen those commercials advertising the great lake state of Michigan? They want you to come and boost their economy and see what "pure Michigan" has to offer. Well about a month ago we did just that--although it was to visit family we haven't seen in 2 years, not to boost their economy. =)

We had a terrific time and did not want to leave. Here are some of the adventures we enjoyed.

1. Canoeing on the beautiful Huron River
2. Swimming lessons for two very excited boys, Caleb and Andrew

3. Adoring our beautiful nephew Aaron whom we had never met even though he is 1.5 years old

4. Walking the trails of the metro parks and seeing the scenery

5. Listening to the outdoor concert at the park on a cool Friday evening

6. Gardening in the backyard

7. Good old-fashioned family time (Mary, Aaron, Matt, Caleb, & Andrew)

Thanks Matt and Mary for such a great trip. It was wonderful to see you guys after a long 2 years. (The last time we saw them was at our wedding.) Michigan is so beautiful, at least in the summer.

Today was a good day

We woke up, got ready, and were at our ultrasound appointment by 8am. The ultrasonographer checked out our little baby from head to toe and things seem to be looking great. We heard that beautiful little heart beating away and saw our babe sucking it's thumb. Baby was kicking and moving all over but I can't feel a thing. Maybe in the next few weeks I'll be able to tell when the baby moves. We are so grateful things are looking good and our little peanut is growing well. The tech asked us if we'd like to find out the gender and I quickly said, "yes, please." Baby wasn't cooperating at first and the position made it a little hard.

Finally we saw one leg, then another leg, and a bum. Well folks, it's a boy!! We're thrilled, especially Sean. =) I love knowing what's inside me. It makes me feel like I can bond so much more with our child. I can talk to him and refer to him as "my son". I love it.

Here's me at 17 weeks.

Just kidding. Here's me at 16 weeks with a playground ball stuffed under my shirt.

Here's me at 17 weeks. Not nearly as exciting as the last picture. =)

I always liked seeing "belly pictures" of other gals throughout their pregnancies and wondered why people didn't post more of them. Now I realize why. You feel kind of stupid showing the world how your clothes are fitting tighter, your tummy is getting rounder, and the numbers on the scale are increasing. Oh well, years from now I'll probably be glad for the silly "belly pics" right?

A boy or a girl?

We have our premonitions but what do you think? Is our baby a boy or a girl? We have an appointment on Tuesday, July 28th to find out the gender of our little bundle of joy. We're so excited and will be happy either way. I don't know how people can be patient enough to have it be a surprise at delivery. That amazes me. I guess I'm not very patient or not into surprises very much. As long as baby cooperates, we're finding out the gender.

Ohio!

Since Sean has been gone for an internship, I decided to make good use of my time and travel. I flew to Ohio to visit my sister and her family. It was so terrific to see everyone and meet my beautiful new nephew William. We went hiking, had picnics, visited a museum, played at parks, shopped, and had a blast.

The two Elizabeths posing for a pic before begining our hike down to the river.

Laura, baby William, and me down at the bottom of the canyon. At only 3 weeks old, William loves nature and didn't make a peep the whole time we hiked. =)

These kids make me laugh so much. Dallin and Elizabeth playing shoe dress up from mom's closet. The thigh-high boots look great with just a swimsuit don't you think?

Adoring my beautiful nephew William David

I could just hold him all day long.

It was hard to say goodbye to these faces. I was sad to leave them for sure. When I left, Elizabeth said, "I don't want you to go. You're my best friend." Then that night (after I was gone) she said she prayed that I would come back to their house. How sweet. It was a terrific visit and I can't wait to see them again, whenever that may be.

Our Big News!!

I can't think of a creative way to announce it so here it is. Sean and I are expecting a baby!!! I'm 12.5 weeks along and things are looking great. I've had multiple ultrasounds and everything is progressing well. We're thrilled with our growing family and hope and pray each day that things will continue to go smoothly. I'm so grateful for this little baby inside of me. Working in labor and delivery has its perks for pregnant nurses--I can ultrasound myself and see my baby whenever I want. Last night he or she was moving all over (of course I can't feel it) and last week he/she had the hiccups. It was so cute to watch. We're thrilled and nervous for the adventure of parenthood to come our way.

A Week in Paradise

A couple of weeks ago Sean and I and his family met in Puerto Rico to begin our Caribbean cruise. It was such a nice, relaxing week and was a perfect break from work and school. Spending time with family is so much fun--especially when you don't get to see each other very often and you live hundreds and miles apart.

We cruised with Royal Caribbean to the islands of Aruba (which I was amazed to find out is only about 30 miles off the coast of Venezuela), Curacao, Dominica, St. Thomas, and back to San Juan. It was an active week filled with swimming, snorkeling, river rafting, shopping, basketball, volleyball, ice skating, rock climbing, beach hopping, and of course, EATING!! Here is a glimpse of our adventures.

Excited to see each other after 10 days apart, we met up in Dallas and flew to Puerto Rico all together.

Our huge ship "Adventure of the Seas"

Sean, Glenn, and Eric playing in a basketball tournament on board

Sailing on a catamaran boat off the coast of Aruba

Our favorite beach, great snorkeling here!

This ship is one of 8 in the world that have an ice skating rink on board.

Sean and Eric also played in a volleyball tournament. The Puerto Ricans are pretty good at this game.

Sailing away from Dominica we saw rainbows everywhere and it was beautiful.

We thoroughly enjoyed our week in paradise. We made such great memories and loved the time we had to spend together.

Now it's back to real life. I've returned to work at the hospital and Sean is interning at an accounting firm. Life is good.