{pregnancy: end of week 32}

Here we are at the end of Week 32 (sorry this post is a little late- we were busy this week). I am feeling pretty good and we had some really nice weather a few days this week. I can't wait to take Emmett on some walks with the dogs. There is the best belly photo I could muster-- my shirt is pre pregnancy and you can probably tell because it doesn't come all the way over the bump lol.

I forgot to post that my dad got married 2 weeks ago in Maui. I wish we could go to Hawaii- a vacation anywhere would be great but it probably won't be happening til next year lol. We really like my new stepmom Mindy and think Emmett will be lucky to have another person to love and spoil him.

On Monday this week, I threw a bridal shower for a good friend from high school Erika! She is darling and we were on cheer for 3 years in high school and is marrying her sweet missionary Kelton. I didn't get any good pictures at the shower but here are some water bottle labels I made for it!

On Tuesday and Thursday this week, Pierce had 2 Lacrosse games. They won both of them by landslides (like 17-6 and then 16-1). Their team is still undefeated and I am so proud of my husband and his team. Here's hoping to winning State this year!

BABY SHOWER:

On Wednesday night, Pierce's good family friend Karey Law threw me a little get-together shower with some of their close long-time friends. We had delicious food and a TON of fun! Emmett got some great gifts from blankets and toys to some clothes and butt paste. Thank you to those who came and spoiled us!

 Not the best angle of me but it helps show how big the bump is getting!

 Karey, Me, Emmett & Granny Liz

One of the shower activities we did was wishes for Baby; everyone filled in their wants & hopes for Emmett and I just had to share a few!

I hope you learn to flush - Granny Liz

I hope you learn to compliment- Karey

I hope you learn acceptance- Auntie Nikki

I hope you learn to play lacrosse- Rosie

I hope you learn to be funnier than your dad- Great Grandma Pat

I hope you ignore whatever Papa tells you- Granny Liz

I hope you ignore criticism- Nancy

I hope you ignore the dishes- GG Pat

I hope you ignore Daddy when he's naughty- Jenn

I hope you aren't afraid to pee on mom- "Aunt" Jenn

I hope you aren't afraid to try new things- Karey

I hope you aren't afraid of bugs- Nikki

I hope you aren't afraid of the dark- Rosie

I hope you get to come to Granny's all the time- Granny Liz

I hope you get your daddy's sense of humor - "Aunt" Jenn

I hope you get laid (after you get married)- Nancy 

I hope you get long eyelashes- Karey

I hope you get brothers and sisters- Laura

I hope you respect mommy & daddy time- "Aunt" Jenn

I hope you respect the "Law"- Karey Law

I hope you respect your grandparents- Rosie

I hope you respect yourself- GG Pat

I hope you laugh at life- Nancy

I hope you laugh at danger- Karey

I hope you laugh a lot.- Auntie Nikki

I hope you laugh when things get tough- Laura

I hope you never forget your underwear- Karey

I hope you never forget your worth- Auntie Nikki

I hope you never forget your name- Rosie

I hope you never forget to respect your mom- GG Pat

I hope you become a badass- Karey

I hope you become a success- Rosie

I hope you become a leader not a follower- GG Pat

I hope you become a man like your daddy- Granny Liz

I hope you become the person you dream- Nancy

I hope you grow to be kind and giving- Auntie Nikki

I hope you grow flowers- Rosie

I hope you grow old with the love of your life- Laura

I hope you love chocolate- Rosie

I hope you love your heavenly father- GG Pat

I hope you love life and all that comes with it- Laura

As you can tell-- I couldn't hope or wish for anything more for Emmett myself... even growing flowers haha!

 Here is our "bad ass" pose-- hopefully Emmett's will be better!

 The great grannies for Emmett-- Pat and Rosie!

The Ellison Ladies: Nancy Martin, Nikki Ambler, Jenn Breinholt and Laura Ellison! Love them!

And lastly, they made me wear all the ribbons from the gifts! Funny guys :)

{pregnancy: 31 weeks}

Geez, here we are at the end of another week and I have to say-- 8 weeks longer may be too long for me. 

Luckily, we are super busy in the coming weeks and I think that should help the waiting game.... This week was rough-- my wrist had been bothering me all week and weekend, I took the weekend and Monday off from working (typing a lot) to see if it would help- nada. 

I went to the Doc yesterday and yup, carpal tunnel which is common in pregnancy due to swelling. They think I am bound to get preeclampsia (yay). Nothing I can do except wear a wrist brace and take Tylenol- I swear my baby is going to be addicted to that stuff haha! My awesome husband ordered me a gel pad to rest my wrists on while typing and got me a brace, can you say great guy!?

While also there, I've been getting pricked for Gestational Diabetes because I failed the test a few weeks back by 2 points, which isn't bad but could develop into GD which then would be bad for me AND baby. 

Yesterday I was a little higher on the blood sugar count than the previous time and have gained a few too many pounds the last 2 weeks than I should be so I was feeling a little defeated. 

I feel like this whole pregnancy I've been trying to eat healthy and not pig out on too much of anything and I've been swimming for about 2 months now pretty much 3-4 times a week... more than I think I was doing before getting pregnant (OK not think--know), and now I feel like I am HUGE and now possibly having a pregnancy that could be unhealthy and result in complications and possibly mean a C-Section (which to save me and Emmett is great- no count but I would be heartbroken to not get to experience labor). 

I wish Emmett wouldn't grow so quickly-- I've had 3 people in the last 4 days ask if I am due in a week or so instead of 1.5 months! So I know I am looking as big as I feel. All around I feel like what I am doing isn't enough and don't know how to do much more to not gain weight/swell up and neither does the Doc.... Enough about the venting, all in all- as long as Emmett and I are healthy in the end that's all that matters but it's hard feeling like you are just waiting to be GD or become toxic. 

Here's to 8 more weeks-- yee haw!! 

{make room for baby: baby photos}

Yesterday, I went to the What A Woman Wants Expo Show with my mom and sister-- it was fun and we got eyebrow waxes and tints, things for nails and some jewelry. But my favorite thing and I think the best deal we got was a photo-shoot for Emmett when he is born through Camera Shy. They have gorgeous pictures as you can see below and they gave us 3 free prints including a 11x14! Grandma Cheri bought it for a shower gift and it was only $89. I am super excited and think it's a great deal!!

{life as a preggers: 30 weeks}

Wow! Cannot believe we are actually here at the end of week 30! 

In a way, I never thought it would come with this baby or any baby-- in fact, it was always just a dream that I would be a mom one day and have a baby that is actually my own-- and now it is my reality. 

Sure glad it's happening.  

I am intimidated & anxious but thrilled & tickled; calm but terrified and antsy but ecstatic! So many emotions and I am sure they will continue to surge these next few weeks. 

The orange is because Baby Emmett weighs as much as 4 of these guys (3 pounds)-- of course I couldn't hold 4 nor did I want to buy 4! 

Some things we still have to do in the next 10 weeks:

 1. Wash baby's clothes

2. organize nursery

3. buy a mattress  bought this last night!!

4. attend baby showers (my favorite)

5. pack hospital bags

6. register at the hospital

7. clean the house/ get puppies groomed and ready to meet you

8. get pre-natal massage(s)

9. celebrate daddy's birthday, mother's day, my birthday and 2nd anniversary

10. set up the porta-crib, put car seat in the car

As you can see, I kind of crammed more than 10 things into my list but there is still a lot to get done and hopefully it will help pass the time!

Here is to the countdown even though I know it's up-hill from here!

{Liz's Birthday Bash: Part 2}

Saturday evening, they got the kids a babysitter and all the adults went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner and then Hunger Games. Emmett was a stinker and was up in my ribs at the start of the movie and was making me just super uncomfortable and so Pierce and I ended up having to leave early but we had seen it already so I wasn't too mad at Emmett ;)

Sunday: we all got up at 9 am and went to Jeff & Liz's sacrament, it was HOT in there (at least for me haha) and then Pierce and I went home because we had to teach our sunday school class and the rest of the group had brunch- sad we missed out on that! 

Then Pierce and I were in charge of the Easter Egg Hunt for the grandkids, so we set that all up and had fun watching them run around and gather all the eggs. It will be weird next Easter when Emmett is running around- ok maybe not running but still haha! 

We had "bunny bucks" in some of the eggs that the kids cashed in for a big present along with all the candy- Ava got a Barbie, Locke got a Lego car and the babies got Animal Books. They all also got a picture of Jesus with a child. It turned out really fun and successful I think!

Easter dinner was delish! My family got to come to dinner and they went back for thirds I'm pretty sure! Cade made the meal and it was heaven! I don't even think there were much left overs. Also, we got my mom's cake pops....and chocolate pie! It might possibly be one of my favorite things.

Sunday night Chase and Helen put together these family games all about Liz or the year she was born etc... it was so fun and we won some soap- which we really needed so thanks guys!

It turned out to be a great weekend- busy- but great and I am glad that I got to celebrate a wonderful woman's birthday in such a great way! Happy Birthday Liz, we love you!

{Liz's Birthday Bash: Part 1}

So Pierce's mom just turned 50 this past week and we wanted to celebrate in a big way....for about a month or so, Pierce's siblings and dad had coordinated that all the kids and grandkids to fly out on Friday to surprise her. It was really hard for me to live this double life and a few times I almost spilled the beans...luckily I didn't!! Anyway, her actual birthday was Thursday- so Wednesday night, we went to the airport and picked up a lovable puppy for her gift from Jeff. It was partly a distraction so she wouldn't suspect anything in the next 2 days and also because she loves Newfoundland dogs.

Thursday, Liz's good friends threw a surprise birthday lunch for her at Tuscany that I got to go to-- so delicious and fun to see her surprised! They gave her a hard time with all the "Over the Hill" and "Old Age" stuff but I hope I look like that at age 50!

 Thursday night, we had to watch the new puppy Louie so Jeff could take Liz on a special birthday dinner. She kept wanting Pierce and I to come but we had to make up about 100 different stories about why we should just go out on Friday etc.... luckily (luckily? or unluckily?) Pierce is a great liar and got her convinced we should just go grab some dinner and a movie Friday so she agreed.  Chelsea and Travis flew in with their kids that night and stayed at a hotel so we got to quickly say hi to them that night!

Friday morning, we got up and Chelsea came over and we went and ran errands for the party that night. Everyone else was flying in and Pierce had to be at work to keep up the story and in case Liz stopped by to see him and Jeff. She was really tired from the um-- puppy/monster and tried to get out of doing anything with us, but Pierce knew how to convince her to come and meet for at least dinner (wink wink). 

We got the party set up once everyone arrived and then Jeff got to the restaurant early so we could have the hostess lady tell Liz and Jeff we would be eating in the private room...she pulled back the doors and we were all standing there and yelled Surprise!! Needless to say, she was surprised and she is a hard person to dupe! We enjoyed dinner at Joy Luck and then went back to the house for cake and ice cream. The cake was divine!

Saturday Morning: we all met up at Johanna's Kitchen for breakfast and then headed up to Hogle Zoo!

Here are some favorite pictures from there, Pierce took a majority of them!