For Raymond...

I made Raymond this truly fabulous "Daddy's Hospital Survival" Kit!  Since I know he won't look at this blog anytime in the next three days before he gets the present I am going to post pictures of it!  It may be a bit overboard (which I tend to do and am completely aware of it) but I love it.  I feel like so much of having a baby is focused on the woman...well because she is the one pushing a watermelon out her yoohoo but it is just as big of a day for the dad.  His whole life is changing and instead of just one crazy woman to watch over he will now have two!  He does so much for me that I wanted to make his day just as memorable and great as I could and make his hospital stay as comfortable as possible!  I love this man of mine and can't wait to share his present with him...I hope he likes it!

Thoughts...

Some of my thoughts as of late...

1. It may seem funny but I truly worry about how Madi, Halli, Lexi and Briele are going to handle with me having a baby!  For so long they have been the center of our lives! They have Ray & Cole at their complete disposal!  Whenever we are with them they have our undivided attention and I worry that we won't be very cool after we aren't as involved!  We most definitely will still be their biggest fans and it will take work to keep up the same/similar attention to them but I will most definitely try!  Madi is so inquisitive and active.  She loves to play teacher and teach us all sorts of things.  She was pushing on my hugely swollen feet and watched them slowly reshape...she was mesmerized even though she kept saying "gross!".  Halli is thoughtful and caring.  She always tries to make everyone feel included.  At Halloween she put stickers on "Baby Kate" aka my belly so that she would have fun too!  She is timid yet daring.  Lexi is a ball of fire!  She doesn't stop. Ever.  She is so active and happy and energetic.  She told me the other day "your baby is sticking out...like alot!". She always keeps us on our toes with her spunky attitude!  Briele is a sweetheart.  She is always willing to share, give cuddles and is learning to be sassy!  My favorite is when she says "No way!"!  Tanner...he is just a sweet little cuddle bug!  He loves to snuggle and I love to work smiles and giggles out of him!

2.  My husband is incredible.  He has done so much to help me throughout this pregnancy.  He has given me more back/leg/foot rubs than you could even imagine.  He has listened to me rant/rave/cry/yell/plan/re-plan and more day after day with patience and understanding.  He has worked day and night to make everything perfect for me.  He has offered to paint my toenails (too bad I was too tired to take him up on it!), he has tied my shoes, fixed me whatever I wanted to eat, fetched me water, lowered my bed (so I could get in/out with ease!), finished so many projects on the house, has been excited over every little outfit/hairbow/blanket I have shown him.  He has driven me to work, gone on craving runs (lucky for him I have only sent him a 3-4 times), woken up with me at night to rub out charlie horses or to rub my back when I am uncomfortable.  He is such a good man.  He is so thoughtful of me always.  I know he is going to be such a good dad.  There is no way he couldn't be.  He has been working so many overtime hours lately and I just hate it. I hate to see him exhausted to this point.  Yet he still is willing to help me and make me feel loved.  It is so lonely being home all day alone and then having him gone all night as well.  Life is no fun like this but I know he tries to make me feel important. I love him so much!

3.  I think about the attachment I have to Raymond and my family and I worry what it will be like to have a daughter!  I already get teary eyed and short of breath when I think about returning to work after she is born.  I dread that day although I know she will be fine under the watchful eyes of her father.  I just can't imagine loving somebody so much already and I haven't even met her yet. She is our everything, everything we do each day is with her in mind.

4.  Life is about to change.  I don't know that we realize the magnitude of what is about to change.  I hate when people are stressed with their kids and they look at us and say "are you really ready for this?".  Yes we are, and we are going to be stressed and overwhelmed and frustrated at times but yes, we want this, we are ready for it, we can't believe we finally get a chance to have a child.  We have waited so long for this and although it doesn't make us any more prepared for the things to come, it does make us know without a doubt in our minds that this is exactly what we have spent the last 6 years working towards.

5.  Pregnancy is amazing.  I love being pregnant even when I don't necessarily look it or feel it.  It is just incredible to feel this little person inside of me and know that she is mine forever and that I am what is making her grow healthy and strong.  It is such an incredible process.

I am incredibly emotional these days and random to say the least but these are just some of the things I have been thinking and wanted to remember.  Now to try to sleep!

Steve Turns 30...

Steve turned 30!  Steve had always wanted a "pool party with super soakers" but always having been a December birthday never got his wish!  So Jodi threw a surprise party at the Layton Surf and Swim so that he could at least have the "pool" part!  It was so fun!  These awesome kiddos along with Lexi & Briele had a blast splashing around, enjoying the waves and eating awesome cupcakes!  I thought it would be AMAZING to be weightless and feel relaxed at nearly 39 weeks pregnant but turns out the waves were quite distressing!  Each time they would start I would start having contractions as I tried to maintain my balance!  If I could have spent the night there I may have just gone into labor! I am thinking Kate will be a water baby--I have ALWAYS loved the water--she was SUPER active the whole time we were in the water!  Ray could feel her feet sliding across belly!  It was pretty fun!

I love my siblings!  We always have so much fun together and are always willing to help one another out! I am so blessed to have them in my life! 

We went to the doctor today and guess what!! We are going to have a baby!!  Which we knew, but we are going to have a baby on Saturday!  We go in for an induction at 8 am! I am so nervous/torn/excited and amazed that it is really happening and it is happening in 3 days!  Oh my!  We are ready to have her here but her room is still not ready but at this point who cares!  I get to meet my baby!!  Yay!! I pray everything goes well and she is born healthy and strong!  Today she was measuring 7 lbs 9 oz and I was dilated to a 3, my blood pressure spiked this appointment which is new and gives the doctor more incentive to induce me.  Originally her plan was to induce me due to the fact that I will be delivering at Davis Hospital and she doesn't like the threat of traffic adding time to the travel along with the distance from her office so now that my blood pressure is elevated she is even more for it...and truth be told my blood pressure was only 140/80 so not anything to scary!  I am so excited and can't wait!  I was so anxious waiting for this appointment that I couldn't really sleep and I am doubting I will sleep well for the next few nights!

Last Sunday...

 This was our last Sunday as a "couple"! I got released from Primary--can I get a "WOOT WOOT!" I have been in primary for WAY to long, I was really starting (or way past) hating disliking my calling so it is definitely a relief! After time away with baby I will attend Relief Society for my first time since turning 18--that's right I have spent LOTS of time in primary! And as for our last Sunday as a couple, I won't miss it one bit!  Church will be so much more fun when we have a baby to snuggle/wrangle and although the leisurely Sunday with a nap was nice...again it will be so much more fun with my Baby Girl!  I can't wait!

I am 38.1 weeks pregnant...and boy do I look it!! Haha!

Christmas Village

We headed out to brave the cold and look at the lights at the Christmas Village!  There were a couple pretty cute girls who kept us entertained and enjoyed riding the train and looking at all the awesome lights! Afterwards we headed to Jess' for some yummy home made hot chocolate and chili! I love hanging out with my family and these girls!

Look At Me...

I don't sew, or I didn't.  Then I decided that I can do anything and decided to sew a blanket for baby girl to match her crib bedding.  My original plan was to have multiple skilled sewers working on it with me as an innocent yet trying participant. Then life got busy and crazy and time was running out.  So I thought I would give it a solo try!  A couple weeks prior my mom lent me her sewing machine and Jessica showed me how to fill the bobbin and thread the machine and they helped me size the fabric (told you I don't sew!)! Then one day I sat down at my table and began with an idea of how I thought you sew a blanket...and it worked!  It took me about 5 hours and it most certainly is not perfect...no one is allowed to look closely at it unless they need a good laugh...but I love it!  And I did it all by myself which just amazes me!  It makes me excited to try more projects...not anything that needs "exactness" but things that are free to self interpretation!

Briele Turns 2!

This awesome girl had a birthday! And oh man did she love her party!  For the last month everything has been about "birtday"--in the sweetest little voice and "APRISE"--yelled and excited and "PARTY!"--in reference to any gathering..she just likes to party!  She is so much fun and so spunky!  She happens to love her Aunt Cole and Uncle Ray and has us wrapped around her fingers!  She talks A TON and is always thinking of others!  If you put on a pouty face and saw your sad she will drop everything to come give you a hug & kiss then ask "happy?!".  She always makes sure everyone has their keys, phones, hats, cars, etc.  If we give her something to eat she is sure to offer some to everyone around her before she will start eating!  She is such a sweetheart and I love that I get to hang out with her often!

She loves Minnie & Mickey so her cool mom threw an awesome Mickey party! The decorations were so cute!  I can't believe I didn't take a close up of the cupcakes but they were adorable!  They had little Minnie ears with a red bow in the middle of them!  We ate hot dogs, veggie cups and pasta salad!  Decorated cookies...with TONS of sprinkles...these girls did not hold back on the sprinkles!  We wore Minnie ears, opened presents and I don't think a single kid stopped running, laughing or playing until they walked out the door! Briele was exhausted but loved her party!  After each present she opened she would go give the giver a big hug and say "thank you!"...in fact she would repeatedly say "thank you!"..Briele we love you and can't get enough of your sweet personality!

Holy Baby Stuff...

Babies need ALOT of stuff!  So we have learned!!  Our sunroom is overflowing with supplies for Baby Kate, we have no idea how all of this is going to fit in her room let alone the house!  Most of this was given to us by friends, family and ward members!  We are definitely spoiled and loved!  I washed all of her clothes/bedding/towels/etc and it took 8 loads of laundry...that's right 8!  Crazy, especially when you think of how small baby clothes are and how many you can fit in each load!!

Also, here is me at 37 weeks!! Can't believe how fast the time is going!

Baby Shower...

The sweet ladies in my ward threw a double shower for me and another gal in the ward.  I was amazed by their generosity, especially given that I don't know any of them too well!  We got so many awesome gifts!  We got TONS of receiving blankets, which was perfect since I hadn't gotten/bought any yet! I got several cute outfits, hooded towels, wipes, diapers, lotions, burp cloths and rags!  I loved all the homemade items we were given! We are so close to having everything that we need for this baby!

A Great Day...

 We are finding that we have no time these days, especially to spend together, so today was a rare and wonderful treat!  We started the day with getting pictures done (by my awesome sister Jessica!)  Even though I feel huge and awkwardly pregnant at 36 weeks (and looking at the pictures makes me realize I not only feel huge..I also look it!) they turned out great! Raymond was a great sport and did everything we asked and smiled the whole time as well.  He doesn't really like getting pictures done, but isn't he handsome!  Glad he is all mine!

Along with some cute ones we got some pretty "special" ones of this awesome man, he is kind of goofy!

Jess, Briele and my mom were good sports to hang out with us for pictures!  Briele LOVES Ray and only wanted to be with him and would only smile for pictures if she was with him! We met up with Cody & Heather for some delicious lunch and continued to hang out with these awesome people!  We went shopping and got lots done...we even bought a Christmas Dress for Baby Kate which her dad picked out!  It is SO cute!  He did such a great job!  Now thankfully we won't have to brave the mall again until after Christmas!

We meandered through the rest of our day with a nap and then we (Ray) put the crib up!  I have proof that he can use instructions!  We got the bedding put into it and it just makes everything so much more exciting!  We even got the carseat and stroller out and assembled...although we are yet to install the carseat!  We watched a movie and called it a night...a great night...and great day...which was very much needed!!

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving was great...a bit rushed seems how I had to work at 6 that night but we still made it to see family!  We hit up lunch with the Winn family and then headed over to the Stapel family for seconds!  Both were delicious and so fun to see family!  I love these girls and their crazy personalities...they kept disappearing to the primary room to take turns sharing their testimonies at the microphone! Raymond dropped me off at work on our way north and then headed to his parents house to hang out for a bit, wish I could have made it up there with him! So thankful for all of our family and all that they do to help us!

Pie Day 2012

Pie Day was fantastic...and exhausting...and worth it once again!  We made 22 pies that were delicious and we got to spend the day with some pretty cool people!  Lexi and Briele were as rambunctious as ever and loved helping with rolling out pie crusts and decorating the edges!  Lexi loved being in front of and behind the camera once again!  Briele took a minute to decide if she was up to any pictures, she is very opinionated and if she does not want a picture she will not look at you! Haha!  Love these girls!

Game Night...

We headed over to Jess & Kip's for a night of cards!  Also joining the fun was my mom, Cody and Heather and of course Miss Briele!!  She sure does love Ray and they had some "quality time" watching their phones and swirling on the chair!  I love to play cards but sadly it doesn't happen often enough!  Thanks for the fun night guys!

Nursery...

Thanks to the amazing efforts of my husband Baby Kate's room went from blah...

To WALAHHH in a matter of a week!

I am so happy with how it turned out, I love the color and can't wait to start decorating it!  Yay!

Briele...

Oh how this girl makes me smile!  She is so happy and constantly has us laughing!  Today I was having lunch with her and my mom, she was being a ham.  She kept raising her shoulders and nibbling at her corn dog like a mouse then would just bust out laughing!  My mom was hiding behind the stairs and she would jump out and yell "surprise" and Briele would just laugh and yell "UPRISE" right back at her then ask for more!  She is so funny!  And the way she yells "UPRISE" is priceless, oh I love this little gal!