School started today! I went to an entire day of outdoor cooking - it was exhausting. We had two hours or so of lecture and then we were outside for four hours cooking. (I now realize that the smoke from the fire makes me a little ill feeling. And this first week we cooked with tin cans which made the smell that much worse. If you have never experienced cooking with tin cans, imagine a very bitter, dirty mixture of coffee and cigarette smoke and mix that with smoke from a fire...it's very strong and my senses are very sensitive.) This made me pretty worried about how the rest of the semester would go, but not enough to drop the class, or do anything else drastic.
This is what the can looks like, I was baking a cookie inside the upside down tuna fish can. We also cooked meat and veggies just straight on the top of the giant can, that's why it is burnt looking, for I had already eaten my veggies and meat.
My other class (Parenting Skills) is very fun and not stressful at all, so I think I will do fine by the time I get to the end of these two block classes, and we pray that baby won't come too early so that I can finish them. (He would be 2 weeks early before my classes fully end - highly possible.)
Also, here is my belly bump - he is getting SO big..at least it feels that way.
September 25-26 - Week 33
My wonderful family threw me a baby shower in Utah! I got to see a lot of friends I hadn't seen in a very long time and I was so grateful, and ecstatic to be able to see them! I feel very blessed to have such wonderful friends, and family members who look after Levi and I and the things that we need. Having a baby is becoming more and more real, and Levi and I are getting more and more anxious and excited. We just really want to meet this little guy already! We talk about how he might look, and fantasize about things we will do with him when he is finally here, like kiss his cheeks, hold his fingers, etc. - just all the cute baby things. (: This picture is the only one I have from that day, me and my Tina Belle. Oh how I wish all my friends lived closer to me!
September 29 - Week 34
Today was our Doctor's Appointment. It was our first time meeting the new guy (Dr. Packer). We have just been so thrilled and ready to have a baby recently, and it is killing us to wait any longer. Well, today made it even more real because we got a surprise ultrasound of our precious bean! As I mentioned in an earlier blog, you should be measuring right along with how far along you are. So if you are 34 weeks you should be 34 centimeters, or close to it. If you are more than 3 centimeters from the mark, then they check things to make sure everything is going alright. Dr. Packer said, "You just won yourselves a free ultrasound!" I was so happy! We made an appointment for the same day just a few hours later, and we were so ready to see another sneak peak of a larger baby than we had seen so long ago. He was measuring just fine - there were no worries at all (from me or the ultrasound technician.) He is a whopping 5 pounds 6 ounces and I can totally feel all of that weight not to mention the weight of the placenta and all the other fluids. (So far in the pregnancy I have gained about 15 pounds.) Seeing him so close up made us even more ready for him to come and it makes it hard to think of how close he is, yet how distant and far he actually is. Anywho, here are a few of the ultrasound surprise!
Doesn't it kind of look like he is pursing his lips? I hope that's not the case cause I want him to have those full lips, just like his daddy. P.S. the thing under his chin is his umbilical cord, I asked. (:
Again with those luscious lips though! This is his nose/lips from the front angle, as if they were pushed up against a window.
His most perfect of all the ears. Okay..I know I will think everything is perfect on him...but it's a perfect ear, is it not? Plus, how cool is it that he has hair already, and that you can see that on an ultrasound?...Wonder how much that will stick when he actually comes to join us.
Also...here is what he looks like on the outside..(;
October 6-11 - Weeks 35/36
We went to San Diego -- no, we drove to San Diego. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and I only had to be the cause to stop for the bathroom like once (granted I did need to go each time someone else needed to stop, I got lucky!) Nate was graduating from Marine boot camp and we went down as a family to support and celebrate him and his accomplishments. Being in warmer weather was fantastic, and so was being able to swim. Levi took such great care of me as we stood most of the time in the sun, but he did all he could to make sure I was cared for. He is the best. Here is a picture of us and Nate after graduation:
Isn't that guy in the middle so smoking and handsome! Mmmhmmm.
The beach was so much fun, and probably the last time my white legs will see sun. We played hard in the waves and had a blast! Then I had to work on homework...but it was a good excuse to take a rest and enjoy the sun.
The in laws are so excited for this bundle of joy to come, and they make sure to tell me! I love it. I also love talking to each of them about their experiences having their first, and what they enjoyed and advice they have. It was so fun to just be with the in laws for about a week, road trips are the best, and they help you grow closer.
October 16 - Week 36
We went on a super fun date with Eric and Lacey to Idaho Falls. We had Chili's and then went to the Deep Love Ghostly Rock Opera. It was such fun, and baby was moving a lot because of how loud the music was. It was amazing and the only "uncomfortable" thing in my pregnancy right now is just how often my bladder gets squeezed or punched - either on the inside or out. (When it's on the outside it's usually Levi..why, you ask, not so sure.) Here I am at 36:
Things are pretty steady and normal as far as my pregnancy goes, but my feelings and emotions are all over the place. I am not a blubbery mess, like some pregnant women get, but if you know me well enough, you know that's no surprise. The emotions that are coming seem intense to me because they are rare. I mainly feel scared for such a huge change, and for so many unexpected things to come our way. I am nervous to be a mom. I am worried that I won't be able to love unconditionally. I am terrified that I will be so caught up in giving baby all of my attention that I will neglect Levi. I am stressed to have so much attention on me, and especially for our tinsy babe to have too much attention and become overstimulated. I also feel like he will never come, but I know that he will, it's just a huge ball of anticipation that gets bigger and bigger as each day rolls around. I still have a few "milestones" to get to where I expect to still be pregnant, so once those are up, we will see how my feelings have changed.
October 23/24 - Week 37
Well here comes my final major "milestone!" Outdoor Cooking overnight practicum - camping at Badger Creek. It was such a blast! Levi got permission to come with me in case I needed to leave early, and we got spoiled to a cabin (which was only nice for the warmth - I hardly slept due to how uncomfortable the beds were.) We made dinner and breakfast for a group of roughly 60 people, and at each meals I felt pretty worn out and sick, which is rare for me nowadays. We also got to see very cute husky puppies, and Sister Lovell gave each of us a nose whistle! Hilarious.
Our view was incredible, and we were so happy to be outdoors for class. I have the coolest major ever. Seriously.
It's a pretty terrible picture, but try to only pay attention to how darn cute these puppies are. It was freezing, but they warmed us up well! They are only 6 weeks old.
Milestones have all been met, and my first block classes will all be officially over by Tuesday the 27th. My mind has been somewhat eased this week because Tessa came to visit and I was reminded of the joy that children bring to my life. It was so fun to have them around and to see the cutest husband be the cutest uncle. I can't wait to fall in love with him as a father. Oh my heart doesn't know what it's getting into in the next few weeks. We made a really gigantic pile of leaves and tried to show the boys how to have fun in it, but since it was twice the size of Corbin he avoided it. We had fun though. I think we will be able to handle this whole parenting thing, maybe.
