31 Flavors

December 15th was my 31st Birthday! Last year I threw myself out of a plane. Present condition considered, this year I opted for a massage. It was heavenly and a must for all pregnant women. Find someone with the pillows that allow you to lay on your stomach. After nine months of forced side sleeping, I was so happy to be on my stomach, the masseuse didn't even need to touch me.... but I'm glad she did.

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The differences between my last two birthdays got me reflecting on all my birthdays. I'll spare you a review on each of them and post a little snippet my mom wrote on facebook about my actual "birth" day.

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"I believe it was 30 below. Both our cars were yard art, as there was no way in hell either one was going to start. Good thing I was planning on a home delivery. I was shoveling coal almost all the night before, trying to keep the house warm. The deer were so cold, they came out of the hills and were hanging around the house. The foot and a half of snow was so frozen, I could walk along the surface and not break through. When one would exhale, one's breath would form snowflakes. It really was kind of magical for a city girl like me out there in the mountains... And then there was you..."

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Each year can truly change your life and this year brings the biggest change of all. Is it just me, or do you hear angels singing?

Christmas Review

Christmas Day was my 39 week mark. One more week to go! We hope.

Since this is our last kid free Christmas, we took the opportunity to sleep in late and then take a nap right after opening the presents. It was a thing of beauty, to be cherished during the years of 5:00 am wake ups that await us.


As this picture attests,I also took the opportunity to eat every Christmas treat that crossed my path and even some I had to wrestle away from little children.

Bear survived another December at UPS. Hopefully his body will hold up during January, when everyone orders heavy exercise equipment for their resolutions. I don't know if the people who order the equipment ever use it, but I guarantee the UPS guys get a workout.

After looking at this picture, I might be one of the people ordering exercise equipment. I'm joking of course. I have loved my pregnant body through 99% of my pregnancy, but it does get a little crazy at the end. Just when you think there is no possible way you could gain one more pound, you gain four. Good thing one of those presents was a Wii Fit.

We had Christmas dinner at our friends Aaron and Diane's. Right when the turkey finished cooking, their stove exploded.

Here they are outside, in freezing cold temperatures, cooking all the sides (mashed potatoes, carrots, broccoli, stuffing, etc...) on the camping stove. It turned out amazing and it was awesome that the only thing we couldn't have made on the camping stove finished before the stove blew up.

It was a great Christmas. We couldn't travel. We weren't with family. However, the spirit of Christmas was stronger than ever. With our favorite gift on the way, reminding us of the very first Christmas, we felt blessings, love and miracles surrounding us on every side.

Merry and Bright

Noodle will soon be retiring his role in our Nativity and happily returning to his favored part of the stable cat. A magical air of excitement is in our home this Christmas, even more than usual, as we await the birth of our own baby boy. May your Christmas be peaceful and may each of you feel Christ's unconditional love in your hearts and homes. Merry Christmas! Love...

Wedding Post #2

Day two of the wedding trip was busy from start to finish. We had setting up to do, last minute things to buy, showers to throw and the rehearsal. Half way through the day, tragedy reared its ugly head.

I thought it would be sweet and symbolic if Jessica and I had people write their wishes for us on balloons and then we released them to the heavens. Sounds simple right.

Well it would have been if the wind didn't change directions at the last second, sending Baby Bear Balloon straight for the trees.

Here we are looking on helplessly. I have to tell everyone over and over again, I'm not superstitious, as the "That can't be good" and "Oh this is a bad sign" comments start flooding in.

After a vigorous tree shaking by my husband and brother, Baby Bear Balloon escapes the trees only to fall victim to the power lines. Superstitious or not, I could not leave. The wedding rehearsal was starting and I was glued to the balloon as he slid closer and closer to the transformer. After many secret prayers (after all it's just a balloon) a train came by, changing the direction of the wind and freeing Baby Bear Balloon yet again. I held my breath as it made it through a maze of more power lines and finally into the desert sky. Inexplicably, I'm blaming pregnancy hormones, I burst into tears. Not just cute ones, but big ugly face sobbing tears. Maybe I'm more superstitious than I thought.

A Case Study of 38 Weeks

Observations:
1. The outfit of old sweats and worn college tee seem to be failing miserably at bringing sexy back.
2. The stress seems to have turned the cheery blond hair a much darker shade. Oh well... at least it's not gray and it will hide her roots better as hair appointments are going to become a thing of the past.
3. The once luminous smile has been replaced with an expression of labored breathing. Better get used to that.
4. Though the tee shirt reads XXL it still seems to be too small. Christmas cookies may be at fault. Will have to investigate further.
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Final Hypothesis
1. No circles under the eyes or angry grimace on face means at least 11 more days to go.
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What's your theory? If you need background info, both my brother and I are in the 6% of babies born on their due date. My sister was a week late according to the doctors due date, but one day early according to my mom's due date for her. Bear and both of his brothers were late. The Bean told me he was coming on the 31st at 11:01pm, so I'm going with that. Bear is thinking 2:16 am on the first. There might be a tiny prize for the winner if I can remember to send it out in my baby induced haze of love and exhaustion.

November

I have to catch up on November, before I can move on to December and I'm running out of time. Literally, I asked the doctor when the baby would most likely come and he said, "Could be today." Of course he also said, "It could be after Christmas." But still, in my mind, I have two weeks left and hearing that today was even an option sent me into a tailspin. I was slightly overwhelmed with all that I have to do, so I went home and took a nap. I was awakened from my nap by contractions. The first I've ever felt. This did not help my tailspin.
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Okay, so where were we? November... hmm... did anything important happen in November? Only my little sister getting MARRIED! I've delayed posting about her wedding, because it seemed impossible to cover everything that happened in those few days. Now that time has passed and my pregnancy brain has caused me to forget many of the details, I think I can do it if I brake it up into three shorter posts.
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Day One-Everyone meets up in Primm. The hours fly by as we visit and catch up with family. Sometime after midnight, I ask Jessica if she is getting her nails done. She says she wants to, but doesn't know when she can fit it in. Good thing we were close to Vegas where you can...

(Get it???)


So here we are at two am getting our nails done. This nail salon had some pretty interesting clients at this time of night, but I refrained from sneaking pictures of them.


Jessica had to be up at six am. I am such a bad influence, but honestly how can you be nervous if you are dead tired? So if you think about it, I am a hero.

Seeing Double

Me and Bean 37 weeks along and 37 pounds heavier! To tell you the truth, I wasn't planning on doing weekly belly updates, but it's so rare I dress up and put on makeup, that I had to document it. Plus, my husband was pulling a double at UPS, so my cuteness effort would be wasted if not for my camera




This next photo has been included for two reasons. First, to give everyone a lesson in the importance of camera angles and second, to prove that while I might have more than the average number of photos of myself, I'm not too vain to post a scary one. Watch out everyone, the Christmas giant is coming to eat your cookies and maybe you too, if you aren't fast enough!!!

This is my first real live Christmas tree. I was worried about how well it would turn out. Being from the land of Hallmark (aka Kansas City, MO) I'm sort of an ornament snob. I couldn't stomach the thought of a tree decorated in cheap glass balls, but I don't have any of my cute ornaments in Utah and I really wanted to have a tree if The Bean should make an early arrival. I thought bows might be cute and I found some cheap stocking and mitten ornaments at Big Lots. I pretty much think it's the cutest, fattest, happiest tree ever.

I don't even mind that I accidentally bought lights with a white cord and it doesn't blend in with the tree. Okay, I still do mind a little, but I'm getting over it.

P.S. My work Christmas party was at Market Street Grill in Salt Lake City. It's a pretty nice place. The first person I see when I walk in is my OBGYN. (Awkward seeing someone who checks your cervix outside of a medical setting.) The massage therapist from my work said it was a sign. It would make a great story, but thankfully I made it through dinner without going in to labor. Can you imagine?

October Showers

In typical Lil fashion, I started worrying about not having a shower the day after I found out I was pregnant. I don't live by any of my girlfriends, my sister, or my mom and I had just switched to a new ward where people didn't know me... so who would throw me a shower? I know some women would be relieved to not go through the ritual of silly games, but I love traditions and I didn't want to miss out. I tried to remind myself there were bigger problems in the world, but the worry lingered in the back of my mind. Not to fear, my friend Ryan (yes... my GUY friend Ryan) asked me if anyone was throwing me a shower. When I told him no, he volunteered. I wandered if he would know what to do, but I was so happy to have a shower that I didn't care if we just got together and watched football.

I wore my maternity shirt that made me look the most pregnant that day. Not something I would need to do now.

The best part about a guy throwing you a shower is that your husband gets to come!

Ryan the hero and his daughter Sabrina. Depending on the day The Bean is born, she will be exactly a year older than him.

My friend Summer and her family. Her husband is Australian, so her little girl Sky has an adorable blend of accents.

Me and Aubrey proving plaid is always in style. Go nineties... anyone want to listen to Alanis?

Aubrey's crew.... Whatever you do, don't turn your back on them. I've heard all the stories!

So Ryan (with a little help from his wife Vickie I'm guessing) pulled out all the stops. He had games (which I lost terribly), prizes, yummy food, cookie decorating, entertainment and PRESENTS!

Thanks Ryan!

3 in 1

I interrupt my weak attempt of catching up my blog to bring you some more recent news.


Me and The Bean at 9 months (36 weeks). Holding up my belly is now a two hand job.

Only 4 weeks till my due date. He's so close to being in my arms I can already smell the new baby scent.

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I mustered up the energy to put the crib together. The second I finished the last bow, Noodle claimed it as his own. After wrestling with the teddy bear and tossing the little pillow out, he curled up and took a nap. I decided if I shooshed him out, he would take it as a challenge to get back in. I'm opting for the let him in approach and hoping he gets bored of it by the end of the month.

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We had a lovely Wyoming Thanksgiving. My sister in law Melanie is due four days before me. Without knowing, we picked the same bedding for our crib. A pretty odd coincidence when you consider how many options are out there and that neither one of us purchased it from a store.

We had a few extra visitors for Thanksgiving Dinner. This is my mother in law's front yard.

So cute!

This one was pretty impressed with himself, but the does were not. Oh well... there's always Christmas little guy.

Changes

I have made a couple changes to my blog. Much to the chagrin of my mother, I deleted my blog music. Sorry mom, but I just got sick of pausing it every time I wanted to watch someone's video. Feel free to use it on your blog. I also have deleted the New Moon ticker. It was sort of an anti-climatic ticker, seeing how the day came and went and I had no girlfriends in SLC to geek out with. Poor me, guess I'll have to watch it early on a Tuesday afternoon when no one is in the theatre to get me and my baby sick. Oh wait... that sounds awesome. The final change is.... or should I say the most exciting change is... I added a button for the Animal Rescue Site. It is seriously the easiest charity work you will ever do. You click on the button and for every click they get, they donate food to animals in shelters. Get clicking!

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I also discovered these pictures of me in Montana, which might explain my rapid growth between six months and seven months. What do you think?

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Yummmm... Huckleberry Shake!

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I've always been messy, but it used to just fall on the floor.

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So happy to be eating again. Please ignore the lack of vegetables on my plate.