Bryan Getting Some Practice

Doesn't he look like a natural? This is Mr. Daddy-to-be with my best friend's daughter Kylee when they were in town for my baby shower...

Ryan's Baby Shower

This was actually the second baby shower for Ryan, but it was the one I actually knew something about! My friend Susan organized the whole thing and it was perfect. Four of my friends from California came down and it was great to get to spend some time with them.

I've always said that I am truly blessed with the friends that I have. Over the years we have all made many treks to attend each others significant life events--bridal showers, weddings, baby showers, you name it. I feel really lucky to have such wonderful people in my life.

Bryan played the part of Host while everyone was here, getting up and cooking us huge, delicious breakfasts, grilling incredible dinners and generally putting up with the estrogen increase when there were suddenly 7 women in the house (my mom and Christine's baby were here, too).

Overall it was a great time. But I do have to say that I really miss all of my California girls...

Happy Birthday Christine!

Today is my best friend Christine's 30th birthday.

Woo-hoo!

Happy Birthday, Christine!!!

The Beginning of a New Chapter

The awesome divas from my department at United Way. This was our last official lunch together last week. I already miss them!

Since I was 15, I have never gone more than three weeks without a job. The three week stint was between leaving my job in California and starting my first job in Arizona after Bryan's and my wedding. So it was really weird to wake up this morning and not have to get up and get ready for work.

I do have to say it's interesting the way things work out. My job for the last couple of years has been one that I often strugged with because it didn't challenge me and provide me with many of the opportunities I had hoped for. But as I look back, it was the perfect job at the time. There weren't a lot of days that required me to come in early or stay late. That equated to more time with Bryan, which I think is so important, especially at the beginning of a marriage. It very rarely stressed me out. And I absolutely loved my boss and the people I worked with in my department, which I think is really rare.

For the most part I really enjoyed my days, and when it came time to leave to stay home and get ready for Ryan, it just seemed like the next logical step. I think if this job would have been like my job at United Way in California I would have been torn and devastated at the proposition of leaving. But it just shows that everything happens for a reason. I feel like the last two years have left me with some fun memories and some good friends, and really, what more could I ask for?

Pregnancy + Kidney Stones = A Bad Combination (or "Why I am no longer afraid of labor")

What a weekend. First off, I had a house full of my friends from California here over the weekend for my baby shower which was awesome (more on that later).

Monday morning I left the house to drop Christine off at the airport on my way to work. Right after we left I started getting intermittent pains in my back. After a few minutes they were every time I took a deep breath. I knew I wasn't in labor but I knew something was wrong so I called and left a message at my doctor's office. By the time we got to the airport the back pain was constant, and even though I felt like I had to go to the bathroom worse than I ever had in my whole life (a common feeling when you're pregnant) trying to do so was ineffective (sorry if that's TMI). Anyway, I figured I'd go ahead and stop by my office and let them know I wasn't feeling great and that I was going to go to the doctor and see what was going on. A couple miles from my office I was in excruciating pain and turned around to go back toward home.

Bryan met me at my doctor's office, but they were completely unhelpful and sent us off to the hospital. Without going into all of the details, I ended up passing a stone, and I have three other ones just hanging out in my kidney. We're hoping they won't do anything until after Ryan comes so we can just deal with them at that point. I ended up spending two days in the hospital, but I got tons of rest and since it was the same hospital where I'm having Ryan, it made me realize we definitely made the right choice. The nurses were absolutely wonderful, and because I was on the maternity floor, they were able to monitor Ryan throughout and make sure all was well with him, which was a huge comfort.

Pretty much everyone I've talked to has said that passing a kidney stone is much worse than giving birth to a child. It was definitely the most horrible pain I have ever experienced, and I can honestly say that I'm no longer afraid to have Ryan. I guess that's my little silver lining....

Bryan Gets His Beads

Back in November, Bryan attended Woodbadge, which is the pinnacle of all Boy Scout training. It was a six day course and he loved it. At the training, each attendee had to come up with six "tickets" or goals that they then had 18 months to complete. Once they complete them, they have a ceremony where they get a special neckerchief and their beads. It's actually a really big deal.

Bryan completed all of his tickets, and last Tuesday was his bead ceremony. Bryan loves the scouting program and working with the 11 year old scouts in our ward. It's neat to see him so excited about something that he enjoys so much. I'm really proud that he was able to meet his goals so quickly.

The others in the photo are staff members from his session of Woodbadge.

Crazy Dream

Last night I dreamt that Ryan was born 3 weeks early...but he weighed 12 pounds, 4 ounces!

I think I'm freaking out because I am so BIG! Two different people at church on Sunday made comments along the lines of "any day now, right?" Um no, I wish. Six more weeks, people, six more weeks.

Keep your fingers crossed that he comes early. If I have to go until July 15 I think I will lose my mind...