Ironic

So, for twenty months we worked and prayed and saw many doctors and specialists and had x-rays and tests and couldn't get pregnant. Now - we can't get un-pregnant! We went to the doctor again this morning and I'm still not dilated or effaced at all. The doctor said she's pretty sure that we're going to have to do a c-section, so Kaitlyn will be here either next Tuesday or Wednesday we will be a family of three! We go in for one final check on Monday morning, so we'll have a definite date after that. I'm kind of excited to have an official we're done date and not have to play the waiting game anymore. It's a little different, preparing for a c-section instead, but we're getting used to the idea. I am so grateful for modern medicine and the fact that even though I can't deliver babies, I can still carry them and have them! For future planners, we'll be blessing Kaitlyn on the 27th of September at 1 pm in Provo.

Trip to Dallas

On July 18th, my best friend Mandy got married to her very longtime boyfriend, Ryan. It was so nice to be able to go and see them get sealed for eternity. It was also nice to have a small vacation with Jared before Kaitlyn gets here. The hardest part for me was the flying; it's always made me motion sick. I packed several snacks and bought a water bottle once we got through security, so that helped a lot. Kaitlyn, however, loved flying! Anytime we took off or landed she would go crazy moving and kicking - it looks like I've got a little daredevil on the way. Friday we got in and went out to the church to talk with Mandy and spend some time with her while she was decorating. When we got there my old roommates Melanie, Whitney, and Jesse were there as well and we had lots of fun reminiscing. Saturday we went to the Dallas temple - best sealer I've heard yet! It was so beautiful, and I was so proud of Mandy's family. They were there meeting everyone as we came in. Because they aren't members, they had to stay in the waiting room while the rest of us went in to the ceremony. I can't imagine how hard that was, but I admire them so much for realizing how much it meant to Mandy to have a temple wedding and supporting her decision. That night we went to the reception, again sitting with old roommates (joined by Miri, as well). We danced together a little, including the father daughter dance - "Little Miss Magic" by Jimmy Buffet; both of Mandy's parents are parrotheads. Sunday we flew home. It was a short but relaxing and wonderful trip. I also loved the air conditioning in our hotel room. I was able to make it so cold in the room that I got to sleep with a blanket - it was sooooo nice.

Baby Shower #3 - Friends

On July 15 my friend Martha threw a shower at her house for my friends that I've met in Provo. It was so much fun and I was so glad to see everyone and talk and visit. It was a great evening and I really appreciated all the thoughtful gifts from everyone! Above are Jenette Ross, me and Rachel Zuniga. This is Toni Kelly, Martha Harmon, Meg Larsen, and Amber Jones. Here is one of the many gifts I received: a cute pink blanket made by Martha Harmon's grandma. This is Christine Alexander and her daughter Callie, and Martha Birk.

vista issues

Does anyone know how to make blogger show pictures? I think that Vista is blocking the pictures, so when I post it only shows up as code in the window. The picture still shows on the blog, but I can't move them around or edit the way the text comes out next to them. Is this a Vista problem or do I just need to change a setting or something? I looked but wasn't able to find anything that I thought would fix it.

Baby Shower #2 - Family

On July 11 my aunt Linda threw a shower in her back yard. It was so much fun to see all of my family and I got so many nice things. Also helpful were some gift cards and checks which we used to get a bouncer, a pack n play, a crib mattress and bedding, a boppy, and an infant tub. Kaitlyn is all set! My mom made the quilt with the white background, for some reason I didn't get a good picture of the front. It's yellow and has mommy and baby animals all over it. She hand quilted it, which is why I'm holding up the white back for everyone to see. My grandma Z also made a "fuzzy" for Kaitlyn. About 16 years ago we had a homemade Christmas, and everything we gave to anyone we had to hand make. My parents spent quite a while building a Barbie house for my sister and I (the feat was keeping us out of the garage for a month or more!). My grandmother made everyone a fuzzy. We all still have ours, including my 30-something year old cousins (all boys) who like to snuggle with them when they get sick. Most of the original fuzzies have been relegated to rags or ceder chests, but the great grandkids still have theirs and drag them around, too. I'm so glad grandma made one for Kaitlyn (with the help of my mom - thanks for fixing the sewing machine and reminding Grandma how to sew :)). Anyway, here are some pictures of the event, it was a lot of fun. I have a few more on another camera, but I can't find the cord right now, so I'll have to post them later.

Independence Day

We decided to go up to my parent's house for a BBQ this Saturday. It was fun to hang out and we had a really great dinner of hot dogs and hamburgers, salad, watermelon, and apple cobbler. I was tired, so we left early before the family did s'mores, but that's okay. We came home and it was so nice outside that we took a blanket out and laid on our front lawn and talked with our neighbors, the Owens, until we were all chased inside by the appearance of the sprinklers. This picture is of me cooking bacon for the burgers - I didn't want to get bacon grease on my shirt, cause I really like that one. However, being at my parent's house, the aprons are all disney related. This one has a black top and a red bottom with two yellow 'buttons' on the front. Everyone thought that it was really cute that my belly stuck out just like Mickey's, so we took a picture. Speaking of my belly, we went to the Dr last Wednesday and everything is going fine with Kaitlyn, no protein, low blood pressure, and she's head down - which is great since I'm not entirely sure she has room to flip if she weren't already set.

Perverted Salad Tongs from Hell...and other recent events

Okay, I've been a bit lax in the posting lately. Since I've finished work it's been so nice to just sit and work on home stuff. I've been able to work on several baby projects, as well as read and spend some wonderful time with Jared. It's great to spend my energy working on my home and being able to rest when I've needed to. Everything is still going great with Kaitlyn, although the 3rd trimester tiredness has definitely set in.
We had a miniature fiasco of a day last week...my parents decided to get us a changing table to match our crib, for which we are very grateful. Anyway, we drove up to Murray to get the table, and then drove it back home to our apartment. The next morning we woke up and began to work on the changing table, only to find that none of the parts were labeled correctly. Two hours later, we were still nowhere near being finished and realized that one of the main, load-bearing pieces was completely broken. So, we loaded everything back into my parents Escape (luckily we'd borrowed it from them so we could transport the box) and went back up to Murray to return the table. We then took it home to my parents house. Along the way, we realized that we needed gas, so we headed for the nearest gas station. Unfortunately, we ran out before we got there - 50 yards from the station! Seriously, not joking. Jared went and borrowed a gas can, and we got the car to the station and filled it up. At my parents house we unloaded the new table and began to put it together. It took much less time, nothing was broken, and everything was labeled. We got almost all the way through and then took a break to go see Angels and Demons with my parents. It was a really good movie, but intense. When we got home we realized that we were missing six screws, so we couldn't finish the table that night. Oh well, Jared and I drove back to Provo in our car and my dad went and bought the screws and finished the table, which they then drove down the following Saturday. I'm getting very excited now, we have a crib and a changing table and curtains and a rug - we just need a crib mattress and a baby!
The one thing that has really bothered me about being pregnant (the only thing) is that my hands are swollen so I can't wear my wedding ring. Jared is so sweet and offered to buy me a plain gold band, but I didn't want to spend the money on a new gold band for just a little while. Anyway, he knew it bothered me a lot, so he bought me a stainless steel band that looks just the same for much cheaper. I love this wonderful husband of mine! He also bought me the Sims 3 (yes, I'm a sims nerd) and a graphics card to play it on the computer, very fun. For an early father's day gift we got him the Tiger Woods golf 2010 with the new WiiMotion. It's pretty cool in that it mimics your movements a lot more and makes you actually swing the remote as you would a golf club. We're just having fun together, and it's great.
So, we went to our birth class last Saturday, and I had a great time! I was able to get all of my questions answered, and we spent a while on when to go to the hospital and when to wait at home, which is really good info. Jared also came along and stuck it out for most of the day (a six hour marathon class). He had to leave when they gave us lunch and it was sandwiches with mustard on them. Jared absolutely hates mustard. The lady teaching the class kept going through lunch, so Jared was already queasy. As he put it, "I can't listen to birthing stuff, eat mustard, and watch some lady hold up perverted salad tongs from Hell and not vomit." He went to Costco to pick up some photos and got a chicken bake. While he was gone he missed the movies, which was a very good thing. I told him that the only birth he ever needs to be present for is the ones that I'm doing. Jared felt bad about having to leave me alone for a little while, but I'm so glad he went at all. I know how hard medical stuff is for him, and the nurse didn't pull any punches. I am so grateful to have a loving, wonderful, supportive husband to take care of me - even when he feels like throwing up!
One final note: Kaitlyn has begun to "play" video games with us. I know that some of you will be rolling your eyes that we've indoctrinated her so young, but I think it's adorable. Whenever either of us are playing and pushing the buttons, she kicks back at the same rate we're pushing the buttons. When I play, I rest the controller on my stomach, so this makes sense. But when Jared plays, if I'm sitting on the couch she responds to the movement of his arm if I'm right next to him or the movement of the couch. I love it. Kaitlyn also continues to kick like crazy whenever she hears Jared near and then stop and snuggle immediately when he puts his hand on my stomach. I think she's going to be a daddy's girl, because I think she's trying to get his attention every time he's near.