Turkey Day

I love Thanksgiving.  I love that it is fall in Utah, that the leaves are all beautiful colors, I get to wear all my favorite sweaters and you spend an entire holiday stuffing your face with family.  I am particularly excited about this year's Thanksgiving.  My family did a surprise last minute trip and came to up to Utah!  So my week of thanks has improved beyond my dreams :)

So this year I am particularly grateful for my family.  They have done so much for me not only throughout my life but especially being pregnant.  I think they are as excited as Jake and I are for this little boy to get here.  I am grateful for this sister who is lovingly giving up her december to be on my beck and call incase I go into labor and Jake is in a final (since he doesn't get cell service lol).  I love all my sisters and couldn't imagine a life without them.  I know 4 girls is a handful but I couldn't imagine any other life than one full of shopping, talking about clothes, hair styles and colors, and gossiping about what is going on in our lives.  I am so excited that I get to spend forever with them!!

loving salt is a requirement to be part of this family

The next thing I am particualry thankful for is being 37 weeks or full term! 

I am so grateful that I am considered full term and if this baby boy decided to come any day he would be fine!  However Jake and I have a day in mind that we want him to come and it is at least a couple weeks away, so we're hoping this boy isn't too stubborn or eager to join the world anytime soon.  Although he would be welcomed to a family who can't wait to meet him!   Although this pregnancy has had its full share of privileges I wouldn't trade it for anything.  The fact that Jake and I get to meet our sweet baby boy in a few short weeks is so exciting!  I am grateful Jake and I finally decided on a name!! We are keeping it a secret expect for a few people we are telling because I honestly can't keep my mouth closed.  I   

In addition to being full term, I am so grateful to be pregnant in this day and age with all the knowledge and technology available.  I am so grateful that I can go to any hospital in any city and that get information that my sweet boy is ok and everything is healthy and if it isn't they have the knowledge and the means to make it ok.  I have a whole new appreciation for Mary and Joseph and the challenges they faced bringing the Savior into this world.  I have decided I would have not known what to do if I had to travel this pregnant on a donkey to a land I didn't know, then give birth in a stable with no-one I knew except my husband who was as clueless and scared as I was.  I know they had helped and that Heavenly Father was watching them, but this holiday season I have gained a new, profound love and respect for Mary and Joseph and all that they did.  

I am also so grateful for the sweet friends I have.  I have some of the best friends and family in the world.  They constantly are uplifting me and making me a better person.  They are so kind and I am so excited to be able to introduce my little boy to them.  I am grateful that Jake and I have surrounded ourselves with people who we want our boy to look up to. 

I am so thankful to have married into a great family.  I love spending time with my in-laws and their children.  I am glad that our son has the opportunity to grow up and developing lasting relationships with his cousins.  I am grateful for sister-in-laws who answer all my pregnancy questions and who are genuinely excited for Jake and I because they know the joy that awaits us.  I feel extremely blessed to know all these people and to have them be a part of this baby's life and to be a part of their life.  

I am thankful for a sweet husband who is always willing to rub my back when it hurts, or get me food at 2 am.  He doesn't complain or make me feel like a burden he is willing and always wanting to help me.  I am thankful for our relationship and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.  He makes me better and everyday we laugh.  I am excited to add a new dynamic to our relationship with a baby.  

I could probably continue with a million other things that I am thankful for, but for now I'll leave it with these couple of things which make me realize how truly blessed I am.  Happy Thanksgiving!! 

Gaining A Little Perspective

In some words you could easily classify this weekend as the weekend from hell.  What started out as a quick trip to St. George to get away and relax quickly turned stressful and EXPENSIVE.

1. The baby was being incredibly stubborn and not moving at all on Friday. 
2. We were supposed to leave at 4 for St. George and instead ended up leaving at 7
3. We got a speeding ticket for going 88 in an 80 zone but the cop dropped it down to 85 (although it costs the same...)
4. 1 am hospital run to Labor and Deliver to make sure the baby was ok because he hadn't moved in over 2 hours
5. Making a large hole in the newly landscaped lawn on the way to the hospital
6. Jake getting super sick
7. Spending over an hour at Jiffy Lube trying to figure out what is wrong with Jakes' car only to have the computer not bring up anything meaning the car still flashes warning signs at us and seems as if it is just a quick mile away from breaking down

Even with all the problems and the costs that kept piling up at a time when we really can't afford them I couldn't help but look at this weekend and see the glass as half full instead of half empty.  For every number listed above we knew there were countless things that could have happened and been even worse. At the end of the whole weekend I was so incredibly grateful that we only had problems 1-7 happen and not more.  I knew that although nothing went the way we planned it this weekend we were supposed to learn something from each situation.  I think that the most important lesson came from going to the hospital.  

As number 1 said the baby probably moved 3 times all day Friday, which is really low considering you should easily get 10 in an hour.  So I waited till my dr apt to ask what was wrong.  I should have guessed that he would start moving like crazy as soon as they placed the heart monitor on my stomach.  So after he tried kicking or punching the heart monitor off my stomach I asked my dr. why he was not moving and what to do if it happened again.  She couldn't give me a clear or definite reason but told me to go straight to Labor and Delivery if he continued to not move like he usually does.  Which is how Jake and I found ourselves driving to the hospital at 1 am.  After driving to the 1st hospital and being told that L&D was located at the other campus and being given directions to said other campus and 30 min of tests we found out that everything was ok (actually all it took was them placing the heart monitor on my stomach to make him start kicking and punching as hard as possible) no-one still had any explanation for why he hadn't moved but said it was always better to be safe than sorry. 

As we left the hospital and got back home it ended up being about 2 am.  I think through this trip Jake and I realized that A: this is just the 1st of many times that this boy is going to scare the complete crap out of us and B: that all that matters to us now is that he is healthy and ok.  All other worldly things are completely pointless as long as he is healthy.  So I think that in a round-about way our little scare trip to the hospital helped us realize that as long as we are a family our glass is always more than 1/2 full. 

 

Fabulous Fridays

So I realize I am posting this on Saturday but I was too busy last night actually cleaning and planning lessons.  I don't know where the desire to clean came from but when you feel like cleaning just go with it because the likelihood that you will feel that desire again is slim to none.  I honestly had no idea how hard it would be to pick things up or scrub a bathroom with an extra 27 pounds and a basketball attached to your belly. On that note...

Friday's are my favorite day at school!  Not because the kids leave early, or because it is the weekend which means I can sleep-in an extra hour but because the funniest things always happen on Friday.  To start off I get to wear jeans on Friday!! Let me tell you this is one of the most exciting thing to happen to me student teaching.  I love dressing up jeans and then not having to change outfits as soon as I get home if I want to leave the house!  But my first Friday student teaching was not comfortable.  I realized that it is a little challenging to be 8 months prego and bend down to reach the little kids with tight jeans.  I was trying to figure out why my jeans were so tight and uncomfortable and I finally realized that although I might not have a big belly for being 8 months when you gain 27 pounds your jeans just are not going to fit/feel the same.  So I finally broke down and bought a pair of maternity jeans.  BEST DECISION EVER!!! I mean those are the most comfortable things I have ever worn.  So needless to say I was so excited to wear them Friday to teach.  The fact that they feel like wearing leggings all day makes up for the fact that I was annoyed that I had to buy them 8 months pregnant...oh well I'll just wear them like crazy for the next 6 weeks.  So I thought before school I would snap a quick picture to document the fact that I only have 6 weeks left and my belly is continually growing.  (please ignore the notes I make to myself on the mirror and the sewing machine in the background) 

34 weeks! 

Friday's are duty days.  So I get to stand outside before, during and after school to watch the kids.  This is honestly one of my favorite things to do.  In the morning those kids are so excited to be there and talking a mile a minute, when they are not chasing each other around like horses (true story).  So while I was out on duty before school this little girl in my class ran up to me.

Isn't this the best outfit ever!

I tried my hardest to keep from laughing as I saw her running up to talk to me.  I had never seen a coat or hat that this and it fits her perfectly.  So she runs up to me and says...
S: "I met Santa last night!  The real one!"

Me: "You did!  What did you ask for?"

S: "A guitar and a happy foot"

Me: "What's a happy foot?"

S: "I don't know but it sounded cool and I want one so I decided to ask for it"

Oh man I was dying when she ran away.  This is when it was confirmed that Friday was going to be a good day!  Every Friday the kids start out with about 15 minutes of free reading.  They can pick any books they want and read for the first 15 minutes of school.  During this time the Aviator of the week is allowed to read in a special place.  As I am quickly going through the homework folders my teacher grabs my attention and points to the Aviator of the week.  I turn around and this is what I found...

Yes he is chilling in a bathtub, holding some kind of blue animal and was talking to himself and the animal.  He is such a sweet kid but looked so funny just sitting there so I had to take a picture.  I absolutely LOVE 1st grade.  Those kids are so funny and fill my days with funny stories and laughter.  Although I love the break that my weekend gives me its always fun to go back on Monday and see what is waiting for that week. 

Life Lately

This is how I look most days when I get home from teaching

Yes that is a zebra stripped pillow and the X factor which happens to be the best show!!!

I don't know if it is because I am 8 months prego or because I am standing all day teaching, but regardless my legs and feet are so swollen! So everyday I come home and have to lay down with them elevated just so it doesn't look like I have that disease elephantiasis!! So I lay here and catch up on one tv show and then plan all my lessons.  Thankfully Jake is always helpful and willing to bring me things, its one of the few perks to being prego that I am going to miss :(

But in other good news we went to my Dr today and found out little baby Dallin is head down! Ya so excited about that! And we registered at the hospital! It all seems so weird that it is almost time for him to be here!

P.S. one of my favorite parts of the day teaching is listening to the kids sing the national anthem everyday. One day I want to record them because it is one of the cutest things to listen too.  So tomorrow I'll try and write down something that this little class says.  

Awkward

Today I was hurrying to get the students from music and take them to PE (because I was busy chit-chatting it up and not paying attention to the clock) anyways I passed a mom waiting to pick up her child. I was in a good mood and smiling so she smiled and stopped me to tell me something. 

Random Mom: "When you first walked out of the room I couldn't even tell you were pregnant! Then I saw you walking and instantly knew from your waddle!"

Me: "Oh yea, I kind of have the waddle perfected"

Random Mom: "Well luckily it only lasts for a little bit!"

Me: "Ha, ya seriously"

Talk about awkward! I have known for a couple of weeks days that I have started to waddle but I was still under the naive impression that it wasn't noticeable to other people. After today I clearly know that was wrong! I felt like I was having a repeat of the conversation Jake and I had 3 weeks ago.

Jake: "You know how in movies and TV they always show the pregnant lady shoving food in her face like she has never seen food before? Well I just witnessed you doing that first hand!"

Me: No response, I just continued to eat his portion of fries from In-n-out because I had already finishes mine.

Pregnancy has done a whole crap load to my normal everyday life and how I see myself. I think the further into this pregnancy I get the more naive I become about how I truly appear to other people. Or it could be the fact that at 8 months I just could care less. Its probably the later but I'll pretend like its an equal amount of both. Anyways on a happy note just 45 days (52 at the latest) that I have to shove my face with food and waddle!