change, and 7 months

Oh my goodness! I cannot believe I'm already 7 months along! Things are really starting to feel real these days, and its starting to feel a bit intimidating. I wasn't very nervous before, just excited.. but as the days keep creeping on by I feel myself feeling more and more scared. Its just that its only been ben and I for so long now. We are so used to our simple life of me and him. I don't want to sound selfish, but I am being a little selfish I suppose. I love our relationship so much, and it makes me nervous what kind of effect adding another soul will have on it. People always say what a big change we will encounter, I guess its just the not knowing that is freaking me out!

Now, don't get me wrong, we are sooo excited to meet this little one. We have been waiting forever to meet her, and we love her so much already, which is another reason why I get nervous. I let thoughts sneak their way into my mind, especially in the wee hours of the night. Thoughts of what being a mother means, and if I possess the right abilities to hold such a daunting role. I wonder what our children will be like as they grow, and if I can set the right example for them, and if I can keep them going in the right direction of life.

I think the fact that we leave for dental school about a month and a half after she is born is part of the reason so much anxiety has been arising as well.. we still don't have an apartment, and I will have to get a job shortly after arriving, ben will be so busy with school, I really won't see him at all, and I don't even want to think about finding someone to watch my precious baby girl. But I do know that everything will work out. I am a strong believer of this and I just have to have faith in the lord and trust in him for now, becuase I know we are doing what we are supposed to do at this time so that is what matters most. Now I just have to trust that things will fall into place as they should.

I am rambeling a ton, sometimes you just need to ramble. Sit down and just type. I'll leave with a few pictures of me at 7 months.. thanks to my sister lena who sporatically took these at our family easter party!

brandi's ready to POP!

I wanted to post a few (and by a few I mean a million) pictures from brandis baby shower! ginger, brooke and I were able to throw it for brandi. We are SO excited to meet her sweet baby girl, and its only less then a month away now!


cute brandi with some of her goods!


all of us sisters and ginger.. wish that ali was here too! miss you lover!





the cousins are saying hello! me at 6 months, brandi at 8 months









we had a brunch


the beverages


these cupcakes had pop rocks on them! made by aunt amelia


yogurt parfait bar








party favors








the different flavors of POP corn

gender reveal party, and recent pregger photos.

PINK!








the guesses!





a few of the guests


24 weeks!


24 weeks along! (after i cut my hair)


candace and I (21 weeks, before i chopped off my long locks!)


suncadia resort 22 wks preggers here


suncadia resort


suncadia resort
We threw a gender reveal party awhile back, when we (kind of) found out what we were having, but I never posted pictures. We had lost our camera charger for awhile so I only have a few, not so amazing pictures of the party, so that is part of the reason for not posting about it! but It was great, we had family and close friends come and join in on the fun reveal!

at 24 weeks we have had three more ultrasounds and baby still will not cooperate and let us see the goods for sure, so we still might be having a mister... but we have become very very attached to the idea of a sweet little girl now so we are hoping she really is a she. We have her named picked out and refer to her by that name so lets hope this is correct!!!

my last appointment was this last wednesday and I have REALLy gained weight! ha.. but that is part of pregnancy, and I am supposed to so I am glad, just a little shocked! i got my first maternity item this week. just a pair of pants, and a pair of leggings. I can still put a few of my normal pants on but i have to do the rubber band trick, and I feel like im flashing people sometimes so Im excited to have some maternity pants! Its insane how our bodies work, and how they grow, i still cannot get over the fact that I have a baby growing inside of me.

baby girl is moving like crazy, we can see her karate moves from the outside and know we have an active one! we love her more and more each day!

Ben and I got to go to Suncadia two weeks ago for a work conference and we had a great time. the resort is AMAZING and it was a nice treat to get to go and do that.

I also have started working again! yay! nice to get a paycheck again, even if its only for three months. I can't believe I am having this baby in 4 months, and that Im 6 months along already!

Little kicks

Baby girl f,

We have officially passed the 20 week mark, which means we are over halfway to the point of meeting you. You have no idea how excited/nervous/excited we are to hold and take are of you! Yesterday, while driving to Bellevue to pick up Ben I was listening to some loud country music, you started wiggeling inside, and I can only assume you were dancing. This is not the first time I have felt you kicking about, but it felt much more powerful then past kicks, so I reached down to my belly and sure enough I could feel you kicking from the outside! Right when Ben got in the car I put his hand on my belly and he got to feel you move for the very first time. He got the biggest smile and it was just such an amazing moment. We love you so incredibly much... Sometimes it scares me a little to see how attached I have become to you, and I have not even met you yet! Your finally really starting to "pop" now which makes me so much more happy! I want the world to know your coming! I went to Utah this weekend to go to a wedding and to rexburg to meet your little cousin abbie.. When I got home Ben could not believe how much bigger I was!
We have started really looking at baby things now, trying to decide what we really "need" to buy, and what is not so necessary. Baby things are expensive! (if anyone has any input on this, please please do tell! I need all the help I can get)! We have figured out your baby room colors, but we won't be setting that up until after you're born and we move to Wisconsin.
There are SO many changes happening right now, and it definitely feels a little daunting. You will be barely a month old when we move to Wisconsin and start a new life there, consisting of Ben going to dental school, and me working around 2 days a week. I'm nervous because change can be hard, especially this kind, but I'm excited too. Change is a good thing and it is essential for our growth.
I know time is going to fly by...it feels like yesterday when I first found out I was expecting you. I am trying to enjoy every minute of my little family of two , since this will be the last time it will ever just be Us, and since it's been just us for over 5 yrs this will be different, but I know it's a good different. We love you baby girl.

P.s. Since we've had three ultrasounds and you still have not revealed for sure what your gender is it would be nice of you to spread those little legs! (we have been told to assume girl for now). K thanks!

Boy or girl?!

I am 18weeks this week and it's so exciting! It finally feels like progress! This week we get to do the big ultrasound to find out if baby is a girl, or a boy! Ben is so cute already with the babe. He touches my belly everyday and talks with the little one and I absolutely love it! Baby is growing fast, and iv actually felt them move off and on since week 14.

At 18weeks

-i have been feeling great! The nausea has pretty much gone away, unless I don't eat every two-three hours.
-baby is just now really starting to "pop", where other people besides us can see it
-I don't have to get up to pee three times a night anymore like in the first trimester
-I could eat tomatoes, and red meat sauce all day everyday
-I feel starving ALL the time, even right after I finished a big meal
-my skin hasn't broken out in a rash in about a week now
-sweets have tasted good again since about 15 weeks
-garlic makes me sick
-anything to salty makes me WAY thirsty. I will drink and drink and ill still be unsatisfied.
-iv began to retain water :(
-baby can hear things now so we have been trying to talk to her/him
-we are so excited to see what the gender is! Then I think everything will feel so much more real!!


First trimester

-I had a few weeks that were awful, but for the most part i would feel nauseous but I could still eat and do my daily activities
-sweet things sounded gross until about 15 weeks ( and now I always want sweets!)
-I only threw up two or three times in my first trimester
-garlic makes me sick
-wheat things made me sick (at about 15 weeks I could eat wheat again)
-I had migraines everyday for a week straight, and off and on throughout the first trimester. ( and without meds I cannot function with a migraine I can't see, and I shake and am disoriented, it's bad news)
-my waistline changed dramatically, but mostly only me, Ben and my intermediate family noticed, because they knew my size before.
-my skin has been ultra sensitive and keeps breaking out in rashes
-I have to get up and pee like 3 times a night!
-the thing that made me most nauseous was this weird metal taste I always seemed to have I. My mouth during the first 16 weeks
-I felt baby move like crazy at 14 weeks!
-we are so excited but nervous to be parents! We love little boy c, or little girl f so so much!

my little lemon drop...

Oh happy day! I am 14 weeks along, one day until 15 weeks, but whose counting right? ha..

We are already in love.

Dental school

This past month in a half has been quite the whirlwind of adventures, some good and some horrible. I'll try and do a summary of the main events..

1. After much praying, Ben and I felt it was time to leave little Astoria and return to Washington. We realized there are just more job opportunities here, and we drive up to see family at least every other weekend, well less then that but close enough, so now we will be saving a lot on gas, and we know we made the right decision to move when a couple days later the hunting accident happened.

2. My daddy was in a serious hunting accident and after two life flights, 11 blood transfusions, and lots of surgeries and prayers he is healthy and alive, but he did have to have his leg amputated. We were told by the surgeon that if the emergency team had gotten to my dad 3 min later he would have died from blood loss. This was such a hard thing for our family to go through, but my dad is the strongest person I know and he has been recovering so well. Since he is so incredibly active we just know he will make it through and do all the things he did before with his new prosthetic he will be getting. He has had Such a strong and positive attitude, I love him so much.

3. Ben was accepted to Marquette school of dentistry! This has been one of the hardest trials yet, waiting to be accepted into dental school. But he did it! Apparently we needed to learn some patience and perseverance. I think we have grown a lot, and we are at a better place now to be going into dental school then before. Heavenly father knows what's best, and what timing is best! So come august we will be moving to Wisconsin! Ben is beyond excited and I am for him as well! A little nervous to live so far from home but it's nothing new for us to live in new places so it will be a great adventure!

We have been experiencing lots of change, which can be stressful, but I know the only way to grow is to experience change. We are going to welcome it, and let it strengthen us.

A lot more has been happening but I will have to write these things later.

Happy holidays!