Halloween and such things...

Mostly our lives around here consist of waiting for a baby to come.  I've decided to stop getting excited every time I feel the tiniest cramp because it usually just ends up being gas anyway.  I'm going to just plan on living life normal and if he comes, he comes.  And from what I'm told all babies do tend to come eventually, although I have my doubts. 

Chris and I are almost finished with the little guys nursery.  I will take pics when it is done completely.  Chris figured out how to make fitted sheets for Jacks cradle and whipped those babies out in no time...sexy man. 

We do own a table, Chris just wanted to be in the room with me.

Making the fitted sheet.

Last weekend Chris and I visited a corn maze in Provo.  It was fun and involved finding clues to catch a killer, which ended up being a bull.  The corn was only knee high in some places though.  I'm not quite sure whether to blame that on the drought or the corn maze people.  By the end of the semi-short corn maze I was limping like an old man with a peg leg.  That tends to happen these days when I walk more than a few feet. 

Chris has been really busy with school and often comes home smelling of corpses after his Anatomy labs.  It is disgusting.  I hate dead things.  He spends much of his time poking me in random places and telling me what the name of whatever he is poking is.  I've had my mental protuberance nudged more times than I can count.  Hopefully when Jack gets here he can be the little study helper instead. 

On Su nday we went to Chris's family annual Halloween shin-dig. It was most delightful.  We went as Snoopy and Charlie Brown.  We also carved pumpkins with his fam.  Chris gets very into this and made a fabulous haunted mansion.  I am carving challenged so I drew on mine instead.  We also visited this ladies house in his aunts ward who goes all out with decorating for holidays.  She used to decorate for both Halloween and Christmas but that took too long so now she switches off every year.  Chris said that she is like an old cat lady but instead of collecting cats, she collects decorations.  I just love seeing the inside of people's homes and analyzing their lives so this was rather enjoyable.  

Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

This is at the decoration ladies house.

Chris was being a creeper with the creep.

Chris's awesome pumpkin.

My tattooed pumpkin.  If I can't tattoo people I shall have to settle for pumpkins.

That is pretty much it in our lives right now.  Hopefully soon we will have more exciting news to share.

On being a Preggo...

Finally here it is...a post about my preggo-ness.  I have been hesitant to write this post because I'm afraid it will just turn into a complaining session, but I shall try to avoid that.  And since I love lists, I'm going to do my Top 3's.

This is me and Chris at Texas Roadhouse with that little devil armadillo.  I am about 5 and half months along.

Top 3 Most Annoying Physical Side-Affects of being a Preggo

1.  "Morning Sickness" which does not magically go away once the morning is over.  It is more "All-day Sickness."  Thankfully I rarely get sick now but I was sick almost everyday for about the first six and a half months of my pregnancy and then it slowly started to taper from there.  It's like having the stomach flu for months on end.  No fun at all...

2.  Because of said morning sickness, I was given this delightful pill which would magically make my nauseousness go away.  I started popping that baby like there was no tomorrow, which lead to the 2nd worst physical side-affect of my pregnancy.  Maybe it's actually a side-affect of a side-affect.  Anyway, after about a week and a half of taking that pill, I got MAJOR constipation.  Let's just say, the ability to poo at will is a blessed thing I had always taken for granted.  After a horrible week I decided I'd rather be sick all day than be blocked up worse than a shower drain in a 6 girl apartment.

Here, look at something cute after you heard all about my constipation.  This is the diaper cake Chris's mom made for my baby shower.  She put together the whole shower.  She did amazing! I wish I had gotten more pictures.  It was jungle themed because that is how we are doing Jack's nursery.

3.  I feel like this is a toss up between my sciatic nerve, heartburn, and general uncomfortableness of having a bowling bowl hanging off the front of me.  But probably the most annoying would be the heartburn.  I've had ulcers in the past which have always give me pretty bad heartburn and I've taken Nexium everyday throughout my pregnancy, but I still find it horrible.  There were a couple of months when the baby was pretty big and hadn't dropped yet that my heartburn got pretty bad.  I felt like a gas stove.  Even when the heartburn wasn't in full flame, there was always a little pilot light in my stomach causing a constant little burn.  Like I've mentioned before, the heartburn was worse when I tried to lie down and I had a hard time sleeping sitting up, so that lead to a few sleepless nights.  In Kansas, I learned to tell what time it was by the sprinkler system.  First time I heard them it was midnight, then two am and then four am.  Now that the baby has dropped though, I hardly ever get heartburn so that is a b to the lessing.

These little beach ball/jungle animals were hanging out all over at the shower.   This lion is chilling on the fan.

Top 3 Most Annoying Emotional Side-Affects of being a Preggo

1.  I get bummed out real easy these days.  I will go to make a sandwich and realize I have no bread and then an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness and sadness rushes over me, and all I can do is sit down and cry...over a sandwich.  It's pretty pathetic.  Sometimes I feel like half of me is on a crazy roller coaster and the other half is sitting on the sidelines watching the crazy ride and wondering what the heck is going on.  I'm usually fully aware of how crazy my emotions are making me act, I just can't help it.

2.  I also get moments of unsolicited rage.  Poor Chris is usually the victim of these times.  I feel like a boiling pot of water; I have to let off some steam or I will explode.  These feelings come out of nowhere and surprise me just as much as the poor onlookers.  I'm ashamed to say that I have thrown a good many things across the room as hard as I could since becoming pregnant. (And maybe once or twice before that.)

3.  I just get emotionally exhausted or overwhelmed and just want to veg out and forget about everything.  When this happens it becomes really hard for me to communicate. I think things in my head and figure other people know what I'm thinking (which makes no sense at all) but find it almost painful to actually say things out loud.  Basically I become a mute. 

(I'm adding one more) 4.  I have become socially handicapped.  The thought of talking with some one I don't know scares me so much sometimes I make myself sick.  And you can forget about phones.  I hate them with a passion.  I talk with Mandi and Chris on the phone and try my best to avoid anything else.  The idea of having to small talk with someone also makes me uber nervous.  I feel like I'm a little kid again trying to get up the nerve to talk with all of the big, scarry adults.

All of these problems I've had before I got Preggo, now they are just magnified.  So hopefully they will shrink again when this cutey pa-tooty finally comes.

Don't worry I'm just scattering these shower pictures out and about to hopefully lighten the mood of this post.

The 3 Most Awkward things about being a Preggo

1.  The day I realized that I was skinner straight on than to the side was a weird day.  I'm so used to turning side ways when I want to squeeze by something.  Now I just have to plow straight through head on.

2.  The looks.  You would think people on campus and around Provo would be used to pregnant people.  But whenever I go on campus or out to do something fun I get strange looks.  Like when Chris and I went to the Homecoming Dance.  People looked at me like I was crazy to be leaving the house in such a state.  It's like unless its absolutely necessary, like grocery shopping, I should be hiding my shame.  Same thing with campus...I get bestowed the stomach glance quite often.  It's like "elevator eyes" only not flattering at all, and from girls too.  I always wonder if I used to give preggos looks too...and I think unfortunatley the answer is yes.  I think for the most part people are just looking because it's something out of the ordinary and my waddle is probably entertaining as well.  So I shouldn't judge the judgers so much I guess. 

Chris and I at the Homecoming Dance for BYU where all of the strange looks were given.  I am about eight months here.  Have you ever tried finding a maternity formal dress?  It is hard work.  Especially if you don't want to spend a lot of money for something you may only wear once.  Chris helped me fashion this number for about twenty dollars in a couple of days.

3.  When people ask me what I am doing with my life. ..."Uh...um...well...just growing a human I guess."  I had to quit my job very early in my pregnancy, even before I knew was pregnant, thanks to a wonderful combination of bleeding ulcers and a series of gnarly U.T.I's.  Then in Kansas I was too morning sick to work.  I never knew when I was going to need to lay down or upchuck.  And now that I'm feeling better there is really no time to get a job for just two months.  So now I'm a stay-at-home-wife.  Which is not a recognized profession.  I am so excited for when my tiny comes and I will have a purpose again.  And so that I when people ask,  I will sound more legit. 

Chris and I on a carriage ride at the Homecoming shin-dig.

Top 3 Best Things about being a Preggo

1.  When I was sick all of those months I lost a bunch of weight.  About 10 pounds I would say.  I didn't feel good but I looked good.  And now that I'm gaining so much weight these last few weeks I'm really glad I was able to lose some at the beginning.

2.  I'm never alone.  I always have my little buddy Jack to keep me company.  One time when I was really lonely and Chris had fallen asleep, I spent the night poking Jack so that he would stay awake and keep me company.  He hardly ever kicks too much or too hard.  Usually it's just comforting nudges that remind me that I have a little tiny friend that I already love so much. 

3.  Chris and I have become a lot closer.  I just love him so much.  He has been so good to me while I'm going through all of this physical and emotional trauma.  I just always feel like I have a best friend who will do anything for me.  It is such a comforting thought.  I don't know how people do this on their own. 

Chis and I this last weekend, in Park City for our Anniversary.  I am 8 and a half months here.  Too bad that means nothing because you can't see my belly...just the way I like it :)

Well that's about it and this did kind-of turn into a complaining session...oops.  This pregnancy has been really hard for me so maybe there was no avoiding it. 

In good news, I was informed yesterday that I am 2.5cm dilated and 85 percent effaced.  I was also told I have "a really nice cervix."  Strangest compliment I've ever been given.  Basically my doctor said that I have made significant progress in the last week and sometimes when this happens people have their babies within a couple of days or it could just mean that when I do actually go into labor it will be that much easier since I've already progressed so much.  And this morning I think I ejected part or all of my mucus plug (probably the grossest sentence ever to grace this blog).  While that is nasty I find it exciting.  Maybe little Jack will make his entrance this weekend.  And If not, that will just give me more time to emotionally prepare and more time to get those darn monkeys painted in his nursery. 

15 Reasons Chris makes me smile...

1.  The other day I was telling Chris about a de-cluttering method I once heard of.  You turn all of the hangers backwards in your closet and once you've worn something you turn the hanger around.  After 6 months if the hanger is still backwards you should get rid of the piece of clothing on it, because, if you haven't needed it in 6 months you probably won't again.  Sometimes when I tell Chris about such cleaning/householdy things, I wonder if I am just boring him.  I wondered that as I was telling him about this trick.  Then later that night I opened the closet and smiled so big.  Chris had turned all of his hangers around backwards.

2.  Chris bought me these cheery flowers after I had had a bad day.  He said he chose those ones specifically because they had the most blue in them.  (I am slightly obsessed with the color blue.)

3.  The other week in Kansas Chris decided to take a break from cleaning out our apartment and make use of the phone book we had just been delivered.

He was like a little boy, running around, tearing and throwing all of those pages.

I turned human shredder on my pages.  It was surprisingly entertaining. 

4.  Chris sings lullaby's to me at night sometimes to help me get to sleep.  My favorite is when he sings "How Much Is That Dog In The Window?" and makes me do all of the barking sound effects.  He has started to sing lullaby's to Jack now too.  And he always tells him how much he loves him.

5.  Lately it is hard for me to get to sleep at night.  I dread laying in bed for hours.  Usually this is when my mind won't stop going, and I think up the most horrible things that could happen and then worry about them nonstop.  Because of this, I avoid going to bed unless I am very tired.  Chris who gets up at 5 am for work falls asleep right away, leaving me feeling more lonely.  Now even though I know he is so tired, he lays down on the couch with me every night, while I watch a TV show til I get tired enough to fall asleep.  I know he's not very comfortable but he doesn't want to leave me alone.

6.  Some nights are especially bad for me.  I am worrying like crazy.  I have weird pains going on in my body I can't explain.  I feel like my pregnant belly is going to explode.  I have heartburn which prevents me from laying down and I'm not very good at doing the whole sitting up and sleeping thing.  My pregnancy emotions are taking me for a roller coaster ride from hell.  And at this point I usually just start crying uncontrollably.  Chris always stays up with me, cuddles me, reassures me and scratches my back.  He tries so hard to stay awake until I fall asleep.  He scratches my back, falls asleep, wakes up, apologizes and continues to scratch my back.  It's so cute and always makes me feel better.

7.  Chris gets so excited about all of the tiny baby clothes for Jack.  He set up this circle of clothes.  They are organized by size.  We both love the fuzzy things with feet on them.  I think his favorite is the tiny army fuzzy pjs.  I like the stripey, fuzzy, blue and grey thing with little ears on the hood.

8.  Chris sings to himself  a lot.  It's usually really loud and boisterous.  He's been into Phantom of the Opera lately.  My favorite are his shower concertos.

9.  Sometimes I will ask Chris a question and he will get very distracted.  I think he's ignoring me or forgot to answer.  Then I realize he is googleing the answer and that is why he sounded distracted.

10.  Sometimes Chris will grab my favorite stuffed hippo and dive bomb me with him, complete with sound affects.

11.  This picture of Chris with this stuffed bear I placed on his lap while he was playing a very serious X box game, makes me smile.  

13.  I love how excited he gets when he zaps a bug with his bug zapper and it makes a really loud "POP".

14. His alarm plays the song by Bruno Mars, "When I See Your Face".  And if I wake up when his alarm goes off he sings the song to me.

 15.  Mostly Chris makes me smile because I never feel lonely when I am with him.  We laugh together all the time.  I can tell him anything.  He is always trying to make me happy and we are just the best of friends. 

Summer 2012

Blaik and Mandi

 Mandi and I at lunch.  We are beauties.  We both have uncannily large nostrils in these pictures. 

 Blaik and I being flowers at the Kansas City Farmers Market.

 Look how cute Blairence is!

 Me and one of my favorite little guys. 

 This is one of my favorite Chris faces.  He looks like a little grumpy puppy.  He pulls this beauty out when I am particularly sad.  It always makes me smile.  

 A rode Chris and I spotted on the rode from Kansas to Utah.  In honor of our little Jack on the way.

 

 These are pictures of the fort Chris and his cousin Dallan masterminded.  They spent most of their time on the family vacation to the cabin working on this. It was nigh unto impossible to get a good picture because the trees were in the way.  But it is a traditional Kiribati (the island where Chris served his mission) house.  It's called a poo-poo or ki-kah or something.

 I spent most of my time at the cabin working on these beauties for my cousin in law.  They are little wooden gnomes from Gnomeo and Juliet.

And this last ditty is for Mandi.  I drew her life during church.  My best work :)

Cruise Photodump

Here are some random photos from 2nd Honeymoon...The Mexican Cruise.

 This pic was taken in the ships mini hospital.  I accidentally took a chunk of my skin off shaving (nasty I know).  I conjured up this temporary band-aid...paper towel and hair tie.  I was afraid the hair tie would cut off the circulation to my foot and lead to amputation, so we went to see about band-aids.  After finding out they were 3 dollars, we decided possible amputation was fine.  

 This is me sexy golfing on the ship.

 

 And Chris doing likewise.

 

  This is us trying out the panoramic setting on our camera. 

Some dear soul who saw us struggling with our camera (she didn't know we were paroramoring it) offered to take this pic.

Me holding these nasty lizard things that were forced on me by some random Mexican.  He then informed us we owed him 5 dollar for this pleasure.  Notice I named the little guys.  

In Cabo San Lucas on one of the "glass bottom boats".  Anyone who's been to Cabo and on one of those boats will know why the quotes are present.  Let's just say they should have called them, thick opaque, tiny bit of plastic, bottomed boat. 

There we are on the beach.  You can see a glass bottomed boat in the background as well as another Carnival ship...The Splendor.  Who's passengers were apparently later robbed at gun point. 

Captain Chris.  Don't you love the Mr. Alberts shirt? I have a Mrs. Alberts shirt that we wore for our reception...Thank you Mandi!

I'm being a sassy billionaire heiress with my little doggy in a bag.

When we would come home in the evening our towels would be folded into cute little animals.  And...cute surprise...Chris's baby hippo was always placed interacting with the towel animal.  Oh it was my idea to bring Hippo...every 2nd Honeymoon needs a baby hippo.  It's very romantic.  Here he is with Sir Ape.

And here with Kermit the Frog.

So there is a little glance into 2nd Honeymoon.