CALIFORNIA!!!

Well these pictures are all out of order but that is okay...

This past weekend, Nate and I were able to go down to California to go see my family one last time before we have our baby. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with family, as well as have a baby shower!!

Below are a few of the pictures from the trip...

I wanted pictures of Nate and I because we hardly have any!! I don't love these pictures because I look so tired and my make up had worn off for the day... However, it was good to FINALLY get some pictures of the two of us.

Below is a copy of pregnancy pictures our brother and his wife did...

Another copy pose of our brother's photoshoot...

Nate in the wild...

The sun was really in our faces... but we pretended that it didn't bother us :)

I love this picture of my mom. My step-dad, Rik, randomly put bunny ears on her head (what makes it better is that she can't do anything about it) so we decided that a picture was necessary...

We also went to a ward trunk-or-treat. This is my brother Mike and his wife Jen killing him :)Jen's face is classic.

Close girlfriends from high school at my baby shower! From left: Me, Brittany, Lizzy (the one who planned the shower), and Christina.

Me and Brittany... we have known each other from the very beginning!

I received SO MANY cute baby things from my shower. Below is a jacket that I WISH I could wear! Too bad it's made for a two-year old. After this shower, my baby will be the most stylish girl around!

My wonderful grandma and cousin.

My mom and I... bad lighting...

Step-sister Rachel on very left, sister-in-law Nicky with my three nieces, from left: Zoey, Hannah, and Ryann.

Finally, we went to Woodranch (the restaurant I used to work at) with my brother Mike and his wife Jen, and my dad, Brian. It was so yummy!!

All in all, it was a marvelous trip. I LOVED spending time with my family! Nate was also able to go hold out signs supporting Prop 8. I felt so blessed and loved from all the wonderful gifts I received for my baby at the shower. People really are so generous! Nate was such a tropper and drove the entire way down there and most the way back. He really is wonderful!

A Birthing Plan?

Well, everyone says that you need to make a Birthing Plan and of course, be flexible with it. To me, all I had really planned was going into labor sometime and then going to the hospital, getting an epidural and then having the baby! This really has been my "plan" or idea since high school. However, all these new methods are coming around that I had no idea even existed. These methods range from 1) a silent birth (Katie Holmes, a scientology thing), 2) natural birth (no drugs), 3) epidural, 4) water birth (giving birth in a tub?), 5) HypnoBirthing.

Recently I have heard about HypnoBirthing and that every woman who has done it has SWORN by it. I have a friend who is doing it this way and she is due a month after me, and she is taking this six week course to do it! I definitely don't have six weeks to spare but I will have to admit, this method does sound appealing to me after hearing different testimonials about it. I am enrolled in a prenatal class that I am hoping will be sufficient enough to get me through because I do want to be able to relax as much as I can and let my body do what it needs to do. I know it's completely possible, I mean epidurals and water births haven't been around for that long! I do want to say, however, that I am definitely not ruling out an epidural... that still sounds appealing to me as well. Anyway, if anyone has any advice/opinions on any of these methods, I welcome them so it can help me make a decision on what would be best for me.

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Another Update

30 Weeks!!!

Same day, different shirt.

So, here I am. Getting bigger by the day. Doctor says my baby seems healthy, I am measuring right on track, and my weight gain is right where it shold be. I feel like venting... I know I am not huge or anything, and I know I am supposed to be gaining weight, but it still stings every time I see myself gaining like a pound a day. Two days ago in the morning I was one weight, then this morning I had gained two pounds from that day! It just so hard/annoying to watch the numbers on the scale go up and up and up! Maybe part of it is because I know I have gained in other places rather than my belly (ie: love handles and legs... particularly my soft thighs, etc.) and I haven't done anything to prevent that. Another part is probably due to the fact that the past few days I have had to have Nate help me put on my boots because it hurts too much to bend over and try to do it myself. That was a lesson of humility and Nate is just loving every moment of it. I'll just have to work extra hard to be back in shape after my little one comes. I don't want anyone to think I am unhappy with the way I look, I think I look just fine and I know weight gain is normal and healthy and I really do feel great, but it's just watching the numbers rise that tends to throw me off. Does anyone else ever feel this way when they are pregnant? Anyway, that will be the end of my soap box. Sorry for the vent. Hope everyone is doing well!