What Isn't New?

So I think I can officially go down in history as the worst blogger ever. I guess that I have this philosophy of why publish everything that happens in my life? It's really not that exciting. So I wait until I have actual news to share and then get on with it. Anyways... I may have waited a little long between posts because there are actually quite a few things that can be shared. I guess I'll pick up where I left off...

Kurt graduated from BYU-Idaho in April with his Bachelor's degree in Exercise Physiology. I couldn't be more thrilled. I was finally free from that tiny town and able to go wherever we wanted. We decided to pack our bags and head to sunny California for the birth of our baby. My parents' insurance is a lot better than our own so we decided to take advantage of that. I also needed a break from work and school (and maybe life) for a little while but there is no way I'd be able to do that if we had stayed in Rexburg. Right before we left I had one more doctor's appointment to find out the gender of our baby... it's a BOY!! Most of you are aware of this already, but if not now you know :) Samantha-George is now affectionately called Petey (instead of baby boy Peters). They also told me at that appointment that our baby has two blood vessels in his umbilical cord instead of three. They said this could cause some problems like low birth weight, kidney problems, or even heart problems. They said the probability of that really being an issue is pretty low though and so I haven't worried about it. My new doctor in California hardly even acknowledged it, so I'm guessing it's pretty insignificant.

Things in California have been so nice for me. I get plenty of rest. I go swimming on a regular basis. The only symptom I can really complain of is the acid reflux I get maybe once or twice a week. And even that is easily controlled. I am currently a little over 32 weeks pregnant and have no swelling or stretch marks or anything. I'm measuring appropriately, but have gained only 14 pounds. I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable as my belly grows, but I feel like things could be soo much worse. I HATE being pregnant, but I try to remind myself to count my blessings because I doubt that my next babies will be so kind to me. Petey moves constantly and even when he's in my ribs or on my bladder, I love love LOVE him. I am totally counting down until I get to hold him in my arms.

Things for Kurt haven't been so easy in California though. Finding a job wasn't all that it was cracked up to be and he has been so bored. I have felt really bad for him. Luckily, he went to drill in Utah one weekend and one of the dentists he works with there told him that there was an opening at the state prison in Draper for a dental assistant. The pay was exceptional and the benefits are amazing, so we decided to apply. After an interesting application and interview process, Kurt was selected! We weren't really thrilled with the timing of all of this, but we really felt like we were supposed to be moving back that direction. What will probably end up happening is Kurt will go to Utah and start working at the end of August and leave me here with my parents and come back for the birth of the baby. Then he will go back to Utah and I will join him as soon as Petey and I are well enough. Speaking of the timing, though, did I mention that Petey is due September 12th and my parents, sister, and Kurt will all be out of state that weekend? Yeah we're hoping that Petey decides to make his grand entrance a little early.

In other news, Kurt has to go back to Utah this coming week to take care of some stuff for his new job and for his drill weekend with the army. Our one year anniversary is on Wednesday though (yay!) and we figured it would probably be nice to spend it together so we will be in Salt Lake for our anniversary. We have a fun day planned, but I am not looking forward to traveling at this point in my pregnancy. I can hardly sit through 3 hours of church comfortably let alone a car for 10 hours. Maybe Heavenly Father will bestow a blessing on me if I'm a really good girl between now and then...

Well that's about all the fun and excitement I dare share for the time. Of course, for all you visual fans, I've included a little timeline of my bump for you to see. All the pictures of my belly in between weeks 10 and 27 are on my digital camera though and honestly I was too lazy to go fish them out and load them onto my computer so this is what you get for now haha. Enjoy!

6 Weeks

9 Weeks 

 27 Weeks

 31 Weeks

Samantha-George

Well the first doctor's visit has come and gone. Kurt and I went when I was 12 weeks and it was so awesome to see our little babe on ultrasound for the first time. Samantha-George (the name my Grandma gave our baby until we find out the gender) was being a perfect model laying still for a perfect profile shot. (S)he was even sucking their thumb! So cute. I love their little nose. Samantha-George was a little over 6 cm at the time and had a heartbeat of 156. Perfect! I weighed 130 pounds and had no morning sickness or complaints... That changed the beginning of last week though.

Samantha-George gave us a little scare on Monday night. I had not been feeling good over the weekend. I had a lot of congestion and hadn't been able to sleep at night because I couldn't breathe out my nose. Since I was past 12 weeks, I am allowed to take some medications now, but I wasn't sure if I had allergies or a cold or what. Nothing seemed to work either. I called the doctor to see how much was ok to take, and they gave me the run around and I never got an answer. Monday night I was getting ready for bed and decided to go to the bathroom one last time (a necessity when you are pregnant) and thought it was weird that my period had started... wait WHAT?! You don't have periods when you are pregnant.... I was instantly freaked that I had so much blood comin out of me, but it was late and I wasn't in any pain so I decided to wait until morning and give my doctor a call in the morning. In the morning the bleeding was lighter so I called the doctor. I told them about my congestion and the medications and they were about to give me the run around again, but then I mentioned the bleeding and they said oh... can you be here in ten minutes? We want to do an ultrasound.

I went to the doc within the next few minutes (the perk of having one so close to where you live) and they had me on the bed with jelly on my tummy within in a few minutes. What a relief to see Samantha-George in there happy and well! The ultrasound tech even made the comment that they were a little acrobat! (S)he was moving around tons and it was so fun to see! Heartbeat was at 148 and the tech tried to snap a few pics for me, but Samantha-George was not as cooperative this time (hence the kinda scary looking skeleton picture below). I was then escorted back to a patient room where the doc came in and said that sometimes these kind of things happen but it doesn't mean that something is wrong. The uterus is just a vascular organ. She then took a look at me and took a look in my ears and pressed on my face. After that she said I had a sinus infection and an ear infection and that I needed antibiotics... Oh is that all? Great. She also told me that I now weight 129 pounds... I lost a pound? That's not really what is supposed to be happening right? She said if I haven't gained any weight by the next appointment she was gonna start getting after me. She told me I'm now on the ice cream diet. Oh darn. I was having a rough week in case you couldn't tell because I still had school and work as busy and crazy as ever. I was having a hard time keeping up with it all physically and emotionally. I guess the good news is that I now have permission to eat tons of ice cream and I got a bonus ultrasound. Woo! Any excuse to see that little babe of mine :-)

Since I have been on the antibiotics I have been feeling better and actually sleeping through the night again (thank goodness). I am not back to 100% yet, but I know I'm on my way. I have put my two weeks in at work, so I know that will be a huge stress relief when that's all done. We are planning on moving to Sacramento around April 18 so we are working on packing, cleaning, and planning on top of everything. We are excited for some change though and to enjoy some warm weather for a change! It snowed here yesterday by the way... Hey Rexburg, ever heard of spring? Yeah it's supposed to be here. Well I know the real reason you are reading this is to see pictures so we'll cut the chit-chat. Here (S)he is!

                                                   

 This is the week 15 picture... the others are from week 12. You can make out all the baby's facial features in this one but it's kinda funny/scary because it's like they are looking right at you. For Right Here and Now I am just so relieved and thrilled that baby is well and happy. Next visit to the doctor we find out the gender... YAY!!!

Snow Day

Know what sucks? Waking up on a Saturday morning and looking out the window to see that it is actively snowing heavily. Don't get me wrong; it was beautiful to look at, but by the time it had finished there was like two added feet of snow on the ground in addition to what we already had.

Know what else sucks? Kurt is in Utah for the weekend for army drill.

Know what else sucks? Having to shovel your driveway when you're pregnant and you have a bad back. 

I really considered calling someone to help me or ignoring it and accept that I was barricaded in my house, but I couldn't let myself. I got out my shovel and snow clothes and headed outside. 

This is the first time I have tried to use our new snow shovel. It's a pretty heavy duty industrious one, and I'm not surprised that Kurt's big strong muscles have no trouble maneuvering that thing around. I, however, am not so strong. It was hard to lift that thing even without a bunch of snow on top of it. Because of this, I had to get creative with how I was going to move this snow. 

I tried levying the handle in my arm pit and using both hands to scoop and move the snow. 

I tried putting the shovel on the ground and pushing it like a snow plow. 

I tried getting a shovel-load of snow and then kicking the shovel towards the place I wanted the snow to end up.

I even tried using it the proper way, but had little success. 

I finally decided that the shovel was hardly worth all the trouble. I then set it aside and went to a pile of snow. I bent my knees and put my hands down on the ground. I then proceeded to push the snow through my legs similar to a dog digging a hole in the ground. This, I found, was my most effective way of snow removal. 

All these methods made me extremely tired though. I took at least twenty breaks because I found that my back was aching and my heart was racing. Oh yeah and I was gasping for air. How pathetic right? I'm sure one of my neighbors was filming my whole affair and laughing hysterically. Everyone keep their eye open for a youtube video. I'm sure I looked ridiculous. 

I refused to give up though. I'm too proud to ask for help, I didn't want to be a prisoner in my own house, and I didn't want to think of myself as a pansy. Even though I wanted to give up many a time, I didn't. I stuck it out. It wasn't the finest work on the street or anything, but once I had gotten the mountain behind my car down to what I thought my 4-wheel drive could manage, I called it a day. 

Kurt called me shortly afterwards and I told him about what I had just undertaken. He thought I was a weirdo, of course, and wondered why I hadn't asked for help... Uhhh... because I don't need it, duh! No that's not what I said. I just kinda shrugged and said I had thought about it, but didn't want to be a wimp. We talked for a few more minutes and then hung up. 

About an hour or two later, I was in my room when I heard some weird noises outside our back door. I thought maybe some snow was falling off the roof or something, but it kept going. Then Tom-Tom started barking, so I knew something had to be going on. I got up and went to the door and cracked it open. There was our home teacher shoveling my snow! He had already done the entire driveway and was just finishing a path to the door. He had gotten clear down to the concrete even. 

 I gasped and said, "George, what are you doing??" 

He smiled at me and said, "Your husband called and said you needed some help with the snow."

"Oh my gosh! You are so kind. I really appreciate your help. Can I help you finish?"

"I am actually done. You gave me a good head start. Good to see ya!"

I said good-bye and was so grateful to have such an awesome home teacher. He really is a great guy. I was also grateful that my husband thought to call him and ask him for help because I was too proud. Even though we could have survived with my crappy snow removal, I did the bare minimum. It was so nice to have someone come and really go the extra mile. It just reminds me of how blessed I am to be a member of the church where I have so many resources and people willing to help me. I guess this whole post (in a really long, roundabout kind of way) is about me acknowledging my blessings. I'm soooo lucky. I'll blame it on the pregnancy, but I feel emotional just thinking about all that I have and probably don't deserve. It's amazing what Heavenly Father sees fit to give us when we can survive on so much less. I'll wrap this up with some pictures of the snow when I first opened my door and saying that for Right Here and Now  I am 100% happy with who I am and the life I have, because I have to admit, it's pretty stinkin' awesome. 

Poor Tom-Tom did not like these winter winds and wanted back inside pretty promptly. I have to admit it was pretty cute seeing him hop around and dip down beneath the snow.  

You can't really tell how deep my foot print is, but it went up to about my knee.  

I could hardly get in my shed! Luckily the shovel was near the door.  

Yeah that's our utility meter. Tom-Tom won't be able to get tangled up around that thing for a while. Yes!! 

This is how deep the snow was behind my car in the driveway. And on top of it all, when the snow plow comes down the road, they create a nice little mountain for your to overcome in order to escape. How sweet! 

I am standing in front of the shed surveying our driveway and the work I have ahead of me. Yippee!

You + Me = 3

For those of you that haven't heard... Kurt and I will be expecting a new addition to the family on September 15th!!! I cannot express how ecstatic I am. I mean, this is what I have been waiting and preparing for my entire life. I don't know if most girls dream about being a mom as much as I do, but it's really all I've ever wanted. I was beginning to feel discouraged after 6 months of trying, but we got our little Christmas miracle! Kurt could probably do without me talking about it every second of the day, but I really can't help it. 10 and a half weeks into and it's still all I think about. I haven't been to the doctor yet. It's a really long story as to why, but in short our insurance wouldn't cover us unless we go in March. Right now I'm planning on probably around the 5th or so. I hope I'm not a terrible mom for waiting until the second trimester to see a doctor... Kurt and I just can't afford to go without insurance though. I have been trying really hard to take care of myself though... minus exercising. I could probably stand to do better in that regard. I'm practically a vegan right now though... well more like on the Mediterranean diet where I eat nuts and stuff. Anyways, I have been taking my vitamins, been trying to get plenty of rest, and at work I am on my feet running around all day, so I figure that counts as a form of exercise, right? Luckily, I haven't experienced too much nausea or morning sickness. I had a cold for a week and a half and am still dealing with a cough and some mucus issues, but other than that I feel great! 

Poor Kurt has been dealing with my selective diet the last few weeks. I haven't had any strong cravings or aversions; food just doesn't taste as good as it once did. In fact, it's kind of hard for me to be eating at all. I have a very low appetite, but my rumbling tummy is a constant reminder of how hungry I am. I have only gained two pounds so far... not quite sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. No bump really to speak of yet. My tummy is a little pudgy but I think it's mostly from being bloated. I'm already trying to wear bigger clothes so that I can't see the dreaded muffin top. No worries though; I'm anxious to have the real bump and can't WAIT to show it off. Here are a few of the landmark moments so far :-)

 It may be faint, but that is definitely a plus sign!

After I found out the big news, I didn't have a lot of time to think of a way to tell Kurt. We got a phone call to go hot tubbing, and since I can't be in hot water I had to be crafty and work with what I had at home. I pulled a Rhodes roll out of the freezer. I grabbed some blue food coloring and a toothpick and drew a baby face on the roll. I put it in the oven and waited for Kurt to come home. When he got there he asked if I was ready to go to the hot tub, and I said "Almost. I have something in the oven though. Could you get it for me?"

He went to the oven and pulled out the pan. He thought I was playing a game or something. He asked, "What is it?"

"It's a bun," I said.

"A bun?..."

"Yeah.... in the oven...."

"A bun in the oven.... OHHHH!!... Really?"

Followed by much cheering and hugs. 

Kinda silly for a last minute thing, but I wanted to at least try to be creative. 

More pics hopefully soon to come. 

Working and school and pregnant is not an easy combination, but for Right Here and Now I am happen to do it so that my family will have a better future. Besides, more good changes are on their way. Details to come!

My Dog is Better Than Your Dog

Yes this post is dedicated to my beloved pooch, Tom-Tom. He is the best dog in the world and totally deserves to have a post on my blog completely devoted to him. I am around different dogs quite a bit, and I have to say that my dog is truly the perfect match for me. He is well behaved, rarely barks, great with kids, doesn't cause trouble, and is the BIGGEST lover I have ever encountered in a dog. I look at other dogs and am constantly grateful for mine. I don't think I will ever be able to replace him. He is one in a million. My favorite thing about him is that he is always willing to give me kisses and love me whenever I need it, but is totally obedient and spends time in his own bed whenever I need him to. Plus check out how photogenic he is! I mean he is a star.

Cutest face ever!

This is his model pose. I call it "La Tigre"

 I love that all he wants is to be close to me. He will spend hours laying by my side while I do homework or watch a movie. He is just content to do nothing but snuggle. He is the cutest and my lil baby. Some of you are reading this and thinking I am obsessed and in love with my dog. I'm really not. Recent events have just made me realize how good I got it with him though. He really is my little angel and baby, so for Right Here and Now I am cherishing this little guy. Love you Tommy Boy!

2012 Pics

Ok so I have lots of pictures from 2012 that I should have posted on here but never did. I love looking at pictures more than anything really, so I thought maybe everyone else does too. If you're one of those people, you're in luck! These are some pics from 2012:

One day in the summer, we went shooting with some friends. Of course we brought the baby, but no worries. We made sure she was protected. :-)

Isn't he sexy?

Check out that toosh! Wait... don't check out his toosh. That's mine. 

Katie and Cameron

Mat and Amanda

This poor computer did not stand a chance

First time ever shooting a hand gun... Why do people like those? They are impossible to hit anything with unless they're two feet in front of you. 

Reef and Tristan are always welcome visitors at our house!

 Many nights were spent at the drive-in this last summer. Those are the best!

This cute little guy was on the property where I would have my wedding dress fittings. He was always so playful. I had to take some pictures of him. 

 Kurt and I had a Halloween party. 

This is a Lady Finger side dish. 

We had pumpkin brains (spaghetti) for the main course!

Cambria was mesmerized by the dry ice. 

Jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese and a lil smokey, wrapped in bacon, and covered in barbeque sauce. Yes I know it sounds like a heart attack, but they're delicious!

Kurt made some delicious eyeballs (oreo truffles) for dessert!

 

So our refrigerator was ridiculously small and turned everything inside of it to a popcicle...So we decided to get a new one. Only problem was it was a little too big. 

 Luckily my husband is crafty and moved our cabinets up a little bit. Problem solved!

P.S. I love my new fridge. It's a dream come true. Just look at how pretty it is!

I had some fun girls nights this past year. This particular occasion was at Olive Garden. 

Kurt and I made an advent for Christmas this year. In each box we put a Christmas activity. It went really well at first, but then kinda fell apart when I went to Dallas for a week in the middle of the month. Oh well. There is always next year!

Kurt's sister-in-law is having a baby in February and I got to go to her baby shower in December. She is having an owl themed nursery so the shower was owl themed too. It was super cute and fun!

We had a little Christmas party with some of our friends and Cameron wrapped his coffee table. I thought that was pretty excellent. 

 Pics from Dallas!

This is the view of the city from my room. 

In the lobby they had these cool origami cranes all over. 

The first day I was there I walked around downtown. I ventured into Neiman Marcus and they had this very unique Christmas tree in there. I thought it was picture-worthy. 

These fountains were visible from my room. They were pretty amazing actually. I walked through them on my last night in town and took videos and stuff. They're pretty sweet. 

Oh yeah. This hotel was RIDICULOUSLY expensive. $7.50 for a bottle of water?!?! Seriously? I'm glad I didn't pay for anything. Thanks Grifols!

Well these were just a few of my many adventures experienced in 2012. I have a few more pictures that I think should go on here but they deserve their own post. So for Right Here and Now all you get are these pics and I am going to be proud of myself for not waiting an entire month before making another blog post. Yay me!