Vacation highlights

We finally returned from our 2-week excursion all over Hell's half-acre during the end of November. Here are some highlights (in no particular order):

• Pam's homemade black forest banana cream pie
• The new kid-sized 4-wheelers and all the crashing and dirt that ensued
• Cards, cards, and more cards - including a magical win for Josh and I at hand and foot!
• Seeing my father sealed to his parents
• Zeno, Sapheneous, and Milo - my ancestors
• Maryann's pregnancy announcement over dinner
• Grandma's reaction to said announcement
• Don's Lake Powell response
• Target's rain check and our new monitors
• Family Flag Football
• Dice with Dennis and Raleigh
• Finally seeing Bourne Ultimatum at the dollar show
• Staying up 'til 2am with Russ and Hill
• Lots o' rain in Las Vegas - it never poured like that while we lived there!
• Inheriting a crib, dresser, Boppy, and Moses basket for the coming addition
• Coming up with a name (but we're not telling anyone what it is)
• Family pictures!
  
• Jon Schmidt at Tuacahn, even though it almost rained out
• Hot chocolate that made the concert bearable
• Emily's blessing and the party afterward
• Perfect weather for driving home with a trailer carrying all our junk

All the pics are still in southern Utah on my Mom's camera and computer, so I've no proof that we had a great time. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Family Flag Football game, Thanksgiving Day, 2007

The Tigersvs.

The Panthers

The game was fierce and highly competitive. Every player was there to win, no matter the cost. Even Grandma was beat down by an opponent twice her size! The Panthers eventually succombed to the brute strength and experience of the Tigers, but gave them one heck of a catfight in the process. I didn't play because I used my pregnancy as a copout and hung out on the sidelines to take pictures of all the action instead. Below are the fruits of my labors.

Pam blocks as Grandpa hands the ball off to Josh.

I can't remember if they scored on this play or not, but I was sure proud of this photo! This was by far the best action shot I took. You'd never guess my Dad has a bum knee, and Josh looks like he takes ballet lessons!

Grandma and Duane let Holly slip by

Don, Penny, Grandpa, and Josh, quarterback extraordinaire

Great "D" Tigers!

That white girl, Penny, sure can jump!

Pam, Greg, Steve, Josh, Grandpa

Josh and Grandma are open, Cade!

Holly, Steve, Pam, Grandpa, Grandma

Grandpa, Duane, Grandma talk strategy

I also took some short video clips with my mom's camera. Below are my first and second attempts at posting video on my blog (sorry for the poor quality - not sure what to do).

Amanda rallies for a First Down!

Hailey makes a run for it!

November whirlwind

November is fast approaching its end, and I've seriously slacked in my 'online' time - only one post all month long! The worst part about being offline for so long is that I got such great responses to my last post and failed to recognize and thank everyone for weighing in. So thank you all for giving me your advice regarding the Mother Nature vs. Induction debate!

At this point, I'm leaning toward Mother Nature, but an induction would be tons better for Josh (like Tim, he doesn't have a set work schedule or office, so he travels a lot for his job). There would be a chance that our little one could decide to come while Josh is far away - as in hundreds of miles and hours away. Given possible weather conditions in Utah in January/February, that could be a real problem. The good news is we only live 7 miles from the hospital where I'll deliver, so even in poor weather we should be okay. I don't have another appointment until December 6, so we still have some time before my doctor will bring it up again. At any rate, we're both intrigued by Sara's suggestion of 'nipple stimulation' and may contact her for some more information (but we'll keep that to ourselves).

Anyway, November has been really fun for us. Josh got called to work down in St. George/Las Vegas two weeks ago, so we left SLC on Nov 6 to head down to warmer weather. We were in Toquerville Nov 7-8, and got to meet Emily, the newest niece, for the first time. Then down to Vegas Nov 9-10 while Josh worked and I spent a little time visiting with the Graziano girls. We stopped by the RC Willey clearance center and scored ourselves a beautiful headboard in excellent condition for only 175 bucks! We drove back up to Toquerville that night and went to Penny's ward on Nov 11 to see Glenn in the primary program. Luckily, Steve and Cyndie were in town meeting a birth mother that has chosen them to adopt her baby next March, so we all got together for tacos and games Sunday night. Back to Vegas in time for Josh to work on Nov 12 and spend FHE with the Stewart clan, then Nov 13 we enjoyed a session in the Las Vegas Temple and drove back up to SLC.

Too much driving for my pregnant body, but we thoroughly enjoyed our little vacation, and the best part was that Josh's company paid for most of it! Sometimes job travel isn't as inconvenient or annoying as it seems. And in between alla the running around, I successfully changed my name (officially married after 2 years!), was granted residency at UVSC, registered for the HOAE and a class next spring, finished the covers for my super-awesome family Christmas gifts, and bought $300 worth of cloth diapers.

Now we're back in southern Utah for the Thanksgiving holiday and we've planned Josh's work and vacation days just right so that we get to see the Blue Man Group in Vegas next week, pick up a crib from Russ and Hill, hopefully see Jenise, Kimmy, and Sandy, go to Emily's baby blessing, and relax for a few days before going back to a dreary and cold SLC on Dec 3. Two more weeks away from home, visiting with family and friends. This is the life, folks.

For Vanessa...

Baby belly at 26 weeks, 4 days pregnant.

All right, so I'm not huge. Believe me, I am *not* complaining (although it would be nice if my hips would widen just a little, to help keep my pants on). My breasts are bigger and I almost have a complete 'outy' belly button now, but those are the only physical changes I've had so far. Most people are surprised to learn I'm already six months along because I don't look big enough. But my weight and abdomen gain are right on and very consistent. I guess I'm just a little person that has little babies. Amanda was only 6lb, 8oz when she was born (although she did come two weeks early).

My last ob appt was November 1 and I passed my glucose and hematocrit tests with no problems. My appointments are always very boring. I did mix it up a little this time by getting a flu shot, but all that did was leave my shoulder a little sore for a few days.

Sometimes I feel bad that I have such easy pregnancies because it seems so many people I know have way more than their fair share of problems. Aside from the occasional sciatica (which is currently in remission) and daily heartburn that's easily corrected with Tums, my only complaint is how much this kid moves! I remember thinking Amanda snuck a punching bag into my tummy and was constantly practicing her roundhouse kicks when I was pregnant with her, and this one is no different. Sometimes he kicks me so hard I literally jump! Josh feels him move all the time now, which is really cool, but then it dawns on him that the baby is real and coming quickly, and he has to stop touching me before we both get freaked out about being parents.

I'd like a little feedback from all y'all about something, so if you have two cents to throw in, please do so. My doctor kept my due date at January 26 (based on ovulation) instead of February 5 (based on ultrasound measurements), but I tell everyone Feb 5 so that if he doesn't come by Jan 26, I won't be disappointed. Anyway, at my appointment on Thursday, I mentioned that I hope the baby comes early so I can avoid being super-pregnant on my birthday (February 1) and the doctor said he'd induce me before Jan 26 if I wanted him to.

At first I was a little peeved that my doc would be so cavalier about taking my baby out before he's done cooking, even though I'm the one that brought it up. But then I started thinking...if the baby doesn't come by Jan 26, maybe I *will* have the doctor induce me so I can be out of the hospital by my birthday. But I also really want the baby to come when he's good and ready - I figure Mother Nature knew what she was doing with Amanda (my water broke), so she'll know what she's doing with this one, too. It'll be the middle of winter in SLC, and I don't think he'll be a big guy, so I want to give him every opportunity to be and remain healthy when he's born, so right now I'm leaning toward waiting for him to come. But man, that temptation keeps creeping into my brain. What would you do??

Update on whatever

Ugh. I need to finish writing our talks for sacrament meeting tomorrow, but I'm having a hard time concentrating. I went to southern Utah with Josh Tuesday to see my folks while he worked at Dixie on Wednesday. On our drive home Wednesday night we got a call from the Bishopric requesting we speak in sacrament meeting on Sunday (tomorrow). We almost said no - it was after 9pm Wednesday night, we were barely out of Cedar City, and Josh wasn't going to have much time to prepare one - but we guilted ourselves into saying yes.

Well, Josh worked at IMC until 9pm last night and has already been there since 8am this morning. Poor guy. I hate it when he works late, but I extra hate it when he sacrifices his weekends and doesn't get a decent break from work. Anyway, his talk isn't getting written, so we decided that instead of writing two 12-minute talks on the two subjects they gave us, I would write one 24-minute talk on one subject, and Josh could give half of it. I have my doubts about our probable success, but we've concluded that if we bomb these talks, they won't be asking us again anytime soon, so either way we win!

In other news...
I got a kicking maternity skirt for only $15 at Motherhood Maternity that will easily last me through these last three months. I officially start teaching the 6 & 7-year-olds in Primary tomorrow, so I wanted to get something now that will be comfy enough that I'm not constantly shuffling around in front of the kiddies, but that will grow with me so I don't have to buy another later on. This skirt is perfect. It's a little big right now, but it still stays up (and I can use my black belly band to help!), and it's dressy without being flashy. It's a long, black, skirt, and perfect for wintertime. I love it so much I might not get any others and just wear this one every week until the baby comes.

I'm making great progress on my crafty Christmas gifts for all the siblings this year. I'm more or less done with gifts for my side of the family, but Josh's side is another story. We've talked about it a bit, but haven't had any great revelations yet. What are some gifts all y'all are giving your parents this year??

Josh and I cannot agree on a single name for this baby, so he will probably not have a name before he is born. Suggestions are welcome and appreciated, but chances are we won't know his name until after we look at him.

I made some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for a ward function this week, and Josh confessed to me that "they are the best cookies you've ever made." I was surprised at first, but then I realized I don't make cookies very often. In fact, the only other cookies I've made since we married are "secret surprise cookies" and those are strictly a Lake Powell tradition. I'm a big fan of brownies, rice krispies treats, and even cakes (especially cheesecake - yum!), but rarely will I put in the time to make cookies. But now that I know he liked them so much, I might make them as an occasional special treat for him. Nicey!