Pregnancy photos

Well... I don't know what weeks these were and I feel funny posting pregnancy pictures but here are the two I have... and I don't know how to flip them.  The bottom one was a while ago and the top one was taken about 3 weeks ago... I think.

Activities for the new year

Nick and I have a hard time deciding on what to do on our weekends so I had the brilliant idea that we should have a theme for the week.  I thought the Alphabet would be the easiest to keep track of and think of things to do.

The first week of the year was the letter "A" and so I made an amazing apple pie.  It was really good!  We were going to play Apples to Apples but we didn't have enough friends to come play.  We tried watching a movie that started with the letter "A" but it wasn't worth watching past the first 15 minutes.  It was called "Abduction" and it was really bad, so don't watch it.  We ended up watching "Sleepwalk With Me" and really liked it.  It was funny.

Last week was the letter "B" and I made a Banana Cream Pie.  It was really good and we added strawberries and raspberries to the top and I really liked that!  We watched the movie "Battleship" with some friends.  I really liked it.  It was cheesy but good.

This week we are on the letter "C".  I have been looking up desserts to make and think I am going to make "Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies"  They sound yummy.  We are also going bowling the Claytons (who are the couple we do most things with).  They are a lot of fun.  I should be taking pictures to go along with these posts and will try to do it from now on.  I am also posting my recipes on the Z's Home Cookin' blog for those who want to read them.

We'll-have-a-baby-itsa-boy

So today was the big day!  And I guess there really isn't a lot to share except IT'S A BOY!!!  Here are some pictures to prove it.

So here are his two little legs and in between is his.... proof :)

This is of his face and he is sucking his thumb.  He has cute little fingers!!!

I think this is of his profile of his face.

Nick and I are so happy and so excited!  We know he is part of our family because even the ultrasound doctor called him a Turkey (which is one of Nick's nick-names)!

Nick felt the baby!!!!

So I am sorry that I am not really interested in posting pictures of myself as I grow heavy with child but here is a little special story that I wanted to write down before I forgot.

On Sunday Jan 6, 2013 our church started at 9... which means that we get out around 12... which means Sunday afternoon naps are a must.  Well this past Sunday we thought we should have nap time (practicing for when the baby comes ha ha).  I have been feeling movements from the baby for the past week now and I thought maybe this time Nick would be able to feel it too.

After about 5 minutes I felt something and asked if he did too but he didn't.  But the next one he did... we think.  I am surprised that I can't always tell if it is the baby or not.  I also thought that I would have an inkling as to what gender this baby might be.  So far I have dreamed both ways and really have no idea.  I feel like it is an active baby ("S/he's gonna be a soccer player").  Tomorrow we find out as to what the gender is.  I am scared that we are going to have a very private baby who is a bit shy.  Ha ha, s/he got that from Nick :)  Mostly everyone has guessed a boy, so I think that is what I am expecting the doctor to say.  Ahhhh!  I am excited!

We're havin' a baby!

Well, the time has come to tell.  I am sorry if you would have rather have been told in person but we couldn't visit everyone and to be honest it would have been 10 times a million to tell you in person.  It is fun to see people's reactions and such.

To get the big question out of the way first... 12 weeks along and I am due June 2, 2013.  I have been keeping it secret just in case something went wrong in the fist few weeks, but the time has come we feel like we can share!

We haven't been "trying" to get pregnant but because my sisters all seem to get pregnant pretty quickly.  But after a few months of not getting pregnant I was beginning to worry.  I tried doing the thermometer tracking thing but hated that.  Then Mel was telling me about the ovulation tests that can really help.  Jenn, my sister-in-law, gave me a box of them that she had gotten before getting pregnant with Quincy.  So I tried that.  It was the month of September (my birthday month) and I asked Nick if he wouldn't mind taking not so hot of showers (I read online that the hot water can kill the sperm) so we could have a better chance.

Normally with a 30 cycle you ovulate around day 15 and it lasts for about 3 days.  This test said I ovulate on day 17 and for only 1 day.  Kind of a small window.  Then by the first week in October I knew I was pregnant :)  I did the pregnancy test and sure enough it said "PREGNANT".  It was a fun idea and it was great looking at Nick and calling him "Daddy".

I wanted to wait until Christmas to tell people but by the middle of October I realized that wouldn't do and Thanksgiving would have to do.  I lied a lot to my mother and told her my period started.  A few days later I was talking to Mel and she said she had heard that I still wasn't pregnant and gave some comfort.  That night Nick and I went over and told her the truth.  I had to talk to someone about it and felt Mel would be the hardest to lie to and the easiest to talk to.

So for the next two months I haven't been too bad.  I have felt car sick  mostly all day and don't feel like eating the food I fix for dinner.  I am afraid I like eating out more than anything and crave that food.  I haven't gained weight yet but I don't expect that to last.

We got to tell Nick's parents on Nov 21, Wednesday night.  We showed them a movie Nick put together of our first year together.  The very last frame was of us with the pregnancy stick.  They were so surprised! Tony couldn't stop smiling and Betty, thought it was all a joke, but was super excited when she realized we were being for-realzy.  We gave Tony a picture frame of the ultrasound and Betty a "best grandma ever" sweat shirt (we searched many hours for it).

The next day we went Christmas tree hunting and when we were leaving Tony said, "this is the first tree hunt with a grandbaby!" and again was smiling from ear to ear.  Ha ha ha!  That night we put the frame on the dinning room table to see if people would notice.  Melissa and Noel came that night and Melissa notice very quickly and was so excited.

Friday we had our Thanksgiving meal with many relatives.  Betty wore her sweater and it took people quite a while to notice but it was fun when they did.  Joey and Steph came around 9:30 and we timed it 1.24 minutes.  Pretty good Steph!

Saturday we were in Provo with my family and while getting ready I couldn't hold in it any longer and I had to tell Carla!  She would be able to help me get the surprise ready for my parents.  To tell my family we wrapped the ultrasound picture and wrote #19 (that's how many grandkids are on my side) June 2, 2013.  We have Santa come and give out presents and mine was going to be last but I didn't know how to give it to him, so Carla took it and said she would take care of it.

Finally all the presents were given and Santa had the last one.  Brought mom and dad over, he gave a little speech on how wonderful they are and what a wonderful family they had raised together. By that time I was crying and then mom opened the gift look straight at me and started crying and dad was cry and Nick even wiped a tear.  Cynthia came over and gave me a big hug and was crying.  It was a lot of fun and certainly a moment to cherish.  Nick taped the whole thing so maybe I can post the video....

We are so excited to become parents and know it will be such a blessing to us!  I'll update in January when we know the gender!

Engagement photos

I AM GETTING MARRIED!!!!!

This is the record of our engagement.

I will not bother you with the specific details of the morning but it sufficeth me to say that Nick moved from his old apartment and I got the house ready for him to move in. We did meet up with Natali and Holly at the Farmers Market and enjoyed a breakfast burrito ($5) and a freshly squeeze lemonade ($2.50). It was fun listening to the different bands play. Then it was back to packing and cleaning.

I did some errands around town and came back to the house around 2. Nick showed up around 2:30. Our plan was to do an endowment session but we were not ready to go until 3:30 so we changed plans and did initiatory instead. It was fun because we ran into Dave and Mel while we were there and it was quite the surprise!

Nick told me we had dinner reservations at 5 so we needed to hurry. We made it just in time to The Elements restaurant and we were seated outside by a very romantic stream that Nick’s co-worker claims to have fish in.

We ordered the lettuce wraps for an appetizer, and enjoyed a Lime Rickie and a Raspberry Pina Colada to drink. It was all so beautiful. Right when we were finishing the lettuce wraps we were visited by a family of ducks. A mother duck and four of her children sang to us while we ate. It was almost like Mary Poppins and the Penguins but they sounded better! Then our meals came out. Nick got the soup and I got a salad and we shared and ate most of it. By this time I am already getting full.

Next came the main dish. I got a pasta dish that had bell peppers and bacon on it and it was really good. Nick got a chicken dish with mashed potatoes. It wasn’t full of flavor but the chicken was super tender and really good.

We looked at the dessert menu but decided we were too full and would have some ice cream after the fireside that started at 7. Nick had brought in two story books that were glued together and said that we should read them. It was exactly our story and he loved it.

So he pulled it out and started reading. I started laughing on the first page because the characters had our face on them. He had gone on to Facebook and printed off pictures that could go on the faces of characters in the book. He read the first book and I read the second one. The second one was about LOVE and what it means. They were both super cute. On the last page there was a note that read SECRET PAGE with an arrow pointing to the next page. This is what I read:

I think before I met you
That I didn’t understand
How the Lord would lead me to your heart
With his omniscient hand

I might have been impatient
For the one I’d truly love
But I must have had some brownie points
With someone up above…

You’re beautiful, Intelligent,
You’re everything I need…
And I promise that your happiness
Is always guaranteed.

I thank the Lord with all my heart
For sending you to me
May he be with us inside our home
And through eternity

My heart is yours forever,
Though our “things” might rust with age
But I have another thing for you –
Find one more secret page!

I love you Steph. Love Nick

Then I had to search the book for this “hidden page”. It was really hard, I was looking for something hand written and it was taking a while. I said, “I might have to tear this book apart” and Nick said, “ya, you might!” At that point it occurred to me that the books were not supposed to be glued together like he said they were. I started to tear the two books apart and finally when I separated them I found my ring.

The most beautiful (no offense to the rest of you) ring ever made. It is perfect! We kissed a little (ha ha) I of course said, “Yes!” and “you bet your boots I will” and “you betcha”. I wanted to say it multiple times just to be certain I was clear in my answer. Then we got ready to go. I guess to set the whole thing up he had to tell the waitress and so all the workers there told me congratulations. It was fun!

Then we went to the multi-stake fireside where Elder Bednar was being broadcasted from the Tabernacle. The words shared were so great and so inspired. Nick and I both really enjoyed it. Then we came home and I made milkshakes while he hooked up the T.V. and surround sound. We watched an episode of Scrubs and said goodnight.

It was really different saying goodbye last night. Not because we were engaged but because he was staying in the nice cool basement and I had to leave to a stuffy upstairs apartment down the road. I am very grateful for the apartment, that it is so close and we can stay in the same ward but I miss my queen sized bed. I now get a single air mattress on the floor. It was also strange because I realized the next time I sleep here I will be married with a boy as a roommate. Weird!

I love Nick with all of my heart. I am grateful for his example to me. I know he cares and we will have an amazing future together. We are getting married on October 21, 2011 in the Logan LDS Temple. Lets start this new adventure!