Black-eye Friday & Thanksgiving

Oh Brian. He always manages to make things interesting (2 broken feet, anyone remember that?). Well, luckily this wasn't as tragic as the fire pole episode, but it easily could have been!

For Thanksgiving we got to go to Queen Creek to have Thanksgiving with Brian's side of the family. There were tons of people there (as is usually the case with their family) and tons of cousins. Brian was playing night games and I was inside taking care of sweet Myla. Well, Brian comes rushing into the house with his hand over his eye and heads straight to the bathroom to assess the damage. Apparently he was running in the dark and got clotheslined. Literally. He ran into a clothesline. With his eye.

Someone was watching out for him and luckily there was no damage to his actual eyeball. He did get a impressively deep slice in the skin right next to his eye on the outside corner. 

His sweet (and talented) cousin, Natalie, stitched him up at her PA office and we were good to go. Thank heavens he didn't damage his eyeball - he needs both of them to be a dentist!!

With his stitch!

And our cute little muffin's first Thanksgiving :)

Christmas came early this year...

Brian got the Navy scholarship!!

They are going to pay for 3.75 years (we paid for the first quarter - they might pay us back for that), all of his books & supplies, his health insurance, and we get a living stipend! It is such a huge weight off of our shoulders. Midwestern is one of the most expensive dental schools and we figured that if we took out a 15 year loan for all of the expenses, we would end up paying around $700,000 in the end. CRAZY. But, not anymore!!

Our commitment to the navy is that Brian will serve as a Navy dentist for four years following dental school and will be in the reserves for an additional 4 years (we are told it is very, very rare for dentists to get called back in). He will probably be working on a naval base serving the soldiers and their families, but will likely have a tour on a submarine at some point. Good news is that the majority of the bases are by the ocean, so we will get to live close to the beach! Hawaii... California... Italy...? Wouldn't that be nice...

He worked very hard to get this scholarship and I couldn't be prouder - Good job, babe! Never thought I'd be a military wife!

And some pictures that I never posted from Brian's graduation from BYU and his white coat ceremony at midwestern (happened in October) --->

BYU graduation and white coat ceremony at Midwestern (I was 38 wks pregnant)

Brian and some friends from school after the white coat ceremony

Holidays with the babe...

Christmas time feels so different this year! Not only are we enjoying the amazing Arizona winter (it hung around 70 degrees all week), but we have a new member in our family to enjoy it with! She looked so darling in her little "Christmas dress" yesterday, that I couldn't help but take some pictures. We love you Myla bean!

Notice the smiles... they are getting more and more frequent!

I also finally got some pictures of her amazing stretching yesterday! She loves to stretch... and stretch... and stretch...

Last night we got to go look at the lights at the Mesa temple with some friends! Their baby is just 2 months older than Myla and he is seriously a handsome little man. I love the picture of Chris & Brian - just daddies hanging out with their babies (and it's pretty funny that Cohen looks absolutely terrified while looking at Brian - ha!)!

Myla at 2 months

weight: 10lbs 3.5oz

length: 22.5in

Sweet baby girl,

This has been a very fun month! You are learning and growing so much every day and we are loving seeing your personality come out and develop. Your favorite times of the day are in the morning when you first get up (so many stretches & smiles!) and in the evening after your bath when you have mealtime, singing time, story time, and cuddles until you fall asleep. I think those are my favorite times of the day too. I love it when you are happy!

I would say your biggest "milestone" this month is smiling on cue. You'll smile and coo when we talk to you. You've even attempted giggling! It is fun to see how much your vision has developed, too - We can tell that you see much farther than before and you always follow us around the room with your eyes. You love faces and prefer to look at our faces more than any book or toy.

Our typical day consists of getting out of bed around 8ish, eating, getting you dressed, going on a looong walk (it helps you stay calm through your refluxing - as long as I can keep a binky in!), maybe a little nap for you while I try and get ready for the day, awake again for some more food and playtime/tummy time/dance party/maybe run some errands if you are feeling up to it, repeat, etc etc. If we're lucky, daddy comes home from school for lunch and he is usually home for dinner and/or bedtime. Usually, though, it's just you and me. We make quite the duo, I think :)

Your favorite things to do right now are eat, look at the Christmas tree, swing in your swing (near the Christmas tree, of course), sit in your bouncer chair while I bounce it with my foot, daddy's singing, the "elevator", and walks! You have a love/hate relationship with baby carriers but we're hoping to make it more of a "love" relationship before we head to Oklahoma at the end of the month!

Your reflux has it's good and bad days. I cherish the good ones and we get through the bad ones together. Your new medicine seems to be working better. We also took you to the chiropractor yesterday and she said your spine was a little out of alignment and she put it where it should be... sometimes that helps babies with reflux. You also had to have shots this week and that was NOT fun. You were a champ though and only cried for a little bit and then you slept for a lot of the day. I was grateful for the extra cuddles but sad to see you feeling sick.

You are getting so big! Our neighbor had a baby about 2 weeks ago and we couldn't believe how small she was compared to you (even though she is over a pound bigger than you were when you were born!). You have the CUTEST chunky thighs. I'm loving all your rolls! I counted them this morning - 3 on each thigh! Your hair just keeps growing - doesn't look like you're going to lose it like a lot of other babies. We are convinced that you are going to have auburn hair, like me. It looks brown indoors, but when you get in the sun, you can really see the red! Everyone says you are my little "mini me." - I hope your dimple sticks around! Your eyes are still a grayish blue and they seem to be getting lighter, not darker. I still think they'll end up hazel.

You're sleeping better and better! This week you slept 7+ hours in a row 3 times! That makes one happy momma... and baby :)

Current nicknames: Myla bean, Myla Roo, munchkin, sweet potato, pumpkin, puddin' pants (got that one from grammie & jen), pumpkin britches (from your dad), sweet girl

We spent your first Thanksgiving in Queen Creek, AZ with your daddy's side of the family. You were very social and loved cuddling with everyone... especially aunt Annette and her cousins - they just thought you were the cutest thing! We are looking forward to your very first Christmas in Oklahoma! Just crossing our fingers that you sleep on the plane...

We love you, Myla girl!

Care for some more photos? Don't mind if I do!

look at those tasty thigh rolls!!

And we've been having some fun with the whiteboard... Celebrating accomplishments, birthdays, and... poop.

And the progression... They grow too fast!

Yes, that is a spit up mark on her white onesie...  

oh how i hate thee, acid reflux

I guess some people would call it "colic." I call it "hell." Poor sweet Myla has acid reflux and it is bad. We've done so much research trying to find out how to best help her, but she is still in a lot of pain and it just breaks my heart to see her so unhappy. For those who don't know, infant acid reflux is when a baby can't keep her stomach contents down and so it comes up her esophagus and she either spits up or swallows it back down. Myla swallows hers and so it is referred to as "silent reflux." It is worse when babies swallow it because then they have to feel the burning on the way up and on the way back down. So, on a bad day Myla refluxes after every feeding and screams and screams for 30 minutes to sometimes 4 hours after she eats. Nothing soothes her for long. We do the "elevator" as much as our arms can take it because that seems to work the best, but even that doesn't work all the time. Eventually she realizes that she is not refluxing anymore and relaxes or she just gets so exhausted that she falls asleep. It is heart breaking and sometimes we just cry together... definitely not something I envisioned with my newborn! But, I guess that's how life is - I am learning a ton of patience, that is for sure. Not every day is like that - I'd say an average day has her doing that after about half of her feedings. She is pretty good in the middle of the night and usually goes back to sleep right after eating (and sleeps through the reflux!)... so that is definitely a blessing!

It feels like we've tried everything! We hold her upright after feedings, have the head of her crib elevated, I eliminated a bunch of things from my diet (didn't seem to help), burp her like crazy, etc etc...

The doctor started her off on Zantac and it seemed to help a little at first, but not drastically and Myla was still so uncomfortable. We took her back in the Friday before Thanksgiving and got a new prescription for Prevacid. It seems to be working better and she has had some really good days. Some days, however, (like today) she is extremely fussy and inconsolable. She finally went to sleep about 30 minutes ago and I am so, so glad. Happy for her and happy for me! They say to give it 2 weeks to see if it is helping or not, so I'm still crossing my fingers that it will be a miracle medication for her! If not, there is one more med to try. We've had a few people suggest going to an infant chiropractor. I am going to do more research on that.

Anyway, just felt like I needed to vent. I am so grateful for our good days (like yesterday!) and the times that she is happy during the day. I love it when I can successfully calm her down. I know that she will eventually grow out of this problem, so for now I am going to take it one day at a time. Brian went back to dental school today, so now I'm on my own. Egads!

Hoping to see more and more of these smiles :)

Myla at 1 month

So I'm a little late getting this posted - but better late than never!

How has my sweet girl gone from this...

to THIS in less than a month?! 

Sweet Myla,

I can't believe how fast the time has flown - you are already one month old! We have had quite the month with all sorts of new experiences... ranging from your first breath, to your first blow-out, to your first time sleeping 5 hours in a row, etc etc. We are falling more in love with you every single day and can't believe how much you have already changed! You last weighed in at 8lbs 14 oz and measured 21 inches long. I think those extra pounds went straight to your thighs and double chin!

The first few weeks were a blur of learning how to take care of you, catering to your every need ;), and soaking you in! You bring so many smiles to our faces!

You make the cutest faces we've ever seen. When you're waking up after a good snooze you stretch and stretch and stretch and stretch some more! All the while grunting and... passing gas. It makes us laugh every time. You are a very strong little girl and can already lift your head up really well and even turn it from side to side during tummy time. You don't mind tummy time and love to look at black and white pictures while you're on your belly.

You are a great sleeper! You usually do one 5-6 hour stretch between feedings at night and dad and I are so grateful for that! During the day you are eating every 2.5-4 hours and napping for about an hour between feedings. You make the cutest cooing and snoring sounds when you're sleeping - we love to listen to you! You love being swaddled and I am so grateful for some sleep sacks auntie Jen lent to us - they are your favorite!

The doctor prescribed us some medicine for your awful acid reflux, and we are hoping that it starts working soon! You are such a sweet, sweet baby when you are feeling well - but when that acid starts coming up your throat, you sure let us know! The best way we have found to comfort you is to do the "elevator" move... we hold you in front of us and lift you up and down until you calm down. Let's just say our arms are getting much stronger! You're worth it :)

You got blessed the day after you turned 1 month old! You go to wear the same dress I wore when I was blessed - made by your Grammie Layne when she was just 19 years old. You looked absolutely beautiful and were such a good baby - wide awake and listening to every word.

We are loving watching you grow!

Love, mom (and dad)

blessing day - 11/10/2013

"i don't wanna miss a thing"

Myla,

Someone said that "myla" stood for "MY Little Angel." I think that's cute. And you are my little angel - so it fits.

I was snuggling with you this afternoon and thinking how I should really go get some sleep, too. The thing is, I didn't want to leave you! I love watching you sleep. I love breathing in your sweet baby scent, feeling your soft skin, listening to your little grunts and sighs, marveling at how perfect your little fingers and toes are, etc etc. And to think, every single moment you are getting bigger and older. I don't want to miss a thing.

Thus, Aerosmith on the blog today. I remember this song came on one day when I was in the car with my sister and her little baby (who isn't such a baby anymore), Gage. We talked about how perfect this song is for babies!

So, Myla, you and I listened to it today while you were off in dreamland.

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing

Watch you smile while you are sleeping

While you're far away and dreaming

I could spend my life in this sweet surrender

I could stay lost in this moment forever

Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure

Don't want to close my eyes

I don't want to fall asleep

Cause I'd miss you babe

And I don't want to miss a thing

Cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream will never do

I'd still miss you babe

And I don't want to miss a thing

Lying close to you feeling your heart beating

And I'm wondering what you're dreaming

Wondering if it's me you're seeing

Then I kiss your eyes

And thank God we're together

I just want to stay with you in this moment forever

Forever and ever

chorus

I don't want to miss one smile

I don't want to miss one kiss

I just want to be with you

Right here with you, just like this

I just want to hold you close

Feel your heart so close to mine

And just stay here in this moment

For all the rest of time Yeah yeah yeah

chorus x2

myla layne

Myla Layne Pearce

born 10.09.13 @ 9:28pm

6lbs 7oz, 19.5 inches long

I figure I had better write out myla's birth story before I forget any of the details! For those who want the short version:

Our baby girl was born on October 9th at 9:28pm after about 5 hours of active labor. She has all 10 fingers and all 10 toes and is as healthy as can be. 6lbs 7oz and 19.5 inches long. I am having a great recovery and Brian and I are thoroughly enjoying being parents to our sweet angel baby!

Long(er) version:

I had been trying for a week to jumpstart labor because at my last appointment I was 2.5-3 cm dilated and 85% effaced. I know that that doesn't really mean much, but I was encouraged that my body was at least making some effort to get the show on the road! So Brian and I walked and walked and walked and walked (all the while dreaming about what she would be like) and I bounced on my exercise ball whenever I got a chance. I had tons of "contractions" that lasted about a minute and were often less than 5 minutes apart... but they didn't hurt so I decided not to worry about them. Well, lo and behold they were actually getting some work done because when I went to my appointment on Wednesday morning, I was a "generous 5" and my cervix was paper thin... My doctor was surprised that I was walking around just fine. He stripped my membranes (wasn't as bad as I had heard) and then asked me if my hospital bag was in the car. I said, "Nope, but it's packed and waiting at home!" He then told me I should get to the hospital because I was considered to be in active labor at 5(+) cm and that when the contractions really kick in, this baby is going to come fast. I had decided before that I wanted an epidural and I definitely did not want to have this baby at home, in the car, at the store, etc etc. Brian and I talked about it, consulted with the doctor again, and decided that the safest move was to go into the hospital - and I am so glad we did!

I got all checked in and my contractions were getting more frequent and more painful. The doctor came in around 4:30 or 5 and broke my water... then things really picked up. The contractions started coming every 3-4 minutes and lasted 1-2 minutes each with very looong peaks. The nurses were pretty impressed by the intensity of the contractions. After laboring through the contractions for a while, I decided that it was time to get some relief... We didn't have to wait long for the anesthesiologist and I think I only had to endure about 6 more contractions before the epidural was in. They checked me and I was at a 6+. The epidural worked pretty well, but there was a spot on my left side about the size of a softball that still had all sensation - so I definitely could still tell when I was having a contraction. They adjusted the meds a little bit and it helped to dull the pain. Once I was able to relax, I started dilating faster. Unfortunately, baby girl wasn't tolerating it very well and kept having episodes of bradycardia. I was put on an oxygen mask and rolled around to different positions to see what she liked the best. She stabilized pretty well for a while with me on my right side and I loved listening to the sound of her little heart beating - I couldn't wait to meet her!

Brian got back from getting a snack and we were listening to her heart rate together when all of the sudden it shot up to 220 and then down into the 70's...60's...50's... I knew that wasn't good and tried to reposition. Then 4 nurses came running into the room and helped flip me to the left (didn't help), flip me back to the right (didn't help), put me up on my hands and knees (didn't help), and one of them gave me a shot of terbutaline in my arm to slow down the contractions. I was having contractions extremely close together and the pressure on my uterus was making it impossible for the placenta to deliver enough blood/oxygen to baby girl... thus her decreased heart rate.

I was trying to stay calm because I knew that I had to take slow, deep breaths in order to get as much oxygen to her as possible, but to be completely honest, I was totally freaking out inside! The nurses called for the doctor that was on the unit and he came rushing in as well. They checked me and I was at a 9.5/10 and it was decided that pushing would be the best idea. So, I started pushing...and the moment I started pushing, her little heart decided to start beating faster. She recovered and we all started breathing easier. The terbutaline made my contractions slow down to one every 8 minutes for a while so there was a lot of waiting in between pushing... so much waiting, in fact, that my doctor was able to show up for the delivery! He was about 40 minutes away when they called him to come in.

I pushed through about 10 contractions (they did, eventually, get closer together again) and out came our perfect baby girl! She started crying before she was even all the way out. The doctor lifted her up for me to see and she had her arms wide out like she was waiting for a hug (startle reflex, I know, but it was so cute!). She only cried for a second and then they put her up on my chest. She was so alert and had her eyes wide open, just taking everything in. We stared at each other for a while until she started getting sleepy. Brian cut the cord and then came up to meet his new daughter :). We did some skin to skin before they took her to the warmer to weigh and measure her... we all had guessed her weight (I guessed 7lbs 2 oz) and Brian guessed it right on! 6lbs 7oz and 19 1/2 inches long. It looked like she was a redhead but later it turned out that it was just all the blood in her hair that made it look that way... she's definitely a brunette. 

I am so glad we went into the hospital because who knows what would've happened if my water had broken at home and labor went that fast - I am grateful that she was on a monitor and that we knew that she was distressed. The medical team was great - they stayed calm, worked together, and did what needed to be done :)

The next two days flew by and before we knew it we were heading home with our little bundle of joy. We finally decided on a name on Friday morning. The names we were considering were Myla, Claire, Abigail (Abby), Evelyn, and Amelia. We narrowed it down to Myla and Abigail after meeting her and seeing what she was like and finally decided that Myla fit her best. So, she's our little Myla girl! A few people have asked me where we got the name and I honestly can't remember. I think it might have been from a baby name book a while back. It means "merciful." Her middle name (pronounced like "lane"), is her grandma's name (my mother).

Well, we were/are in love! She has been a great baby and eats like a champ (most of the time). She definitely has her days and nights mixed up and that has been interesting, but she's so sweet that I don't really mind being up with her at night. She loves to cuddle, likes tummy time, loves to hear her dad sing her lullabies, loves going on walks, and getting her hair washed!

Her #1 talent at 1.5 weeks: pooping right after getting her diaper changed... 

Now for some pics! Warning - some of them are a little bloody...

Leaving for the hospital

She's here! Holding her for the first time was the best feeling ever!

Getting all cleaned up...

Daddy holding her for the first time :)

First family photo

Grandma Layne came to visit and help out

Going home on Friday afternoon.

baby girl blanket & wall decorations.. and 35 week bump (sort of)

Here's another peek into the nursery - baby blanket and wall decor!

First, Brian and I (with much help from his mom) finished the baby blanket we had been planning on making! We bought the material forever ago, but hadn't gotten a chance to sit down and do it. I love how it turned out and it was really quite easy as far as sewing is concerned (and I am definitely NOT a seamstress - it stresses me out). If you want to know how to make a quilt/blanket like this, just let me know!

I really love how there is texture and the "fraying" around the edges of the squares. Our little munchkin is going to love touching it! The back is soft pink with a cute square design because we sewed around each individual square.

Hard at work! And there's your glimpse of my 35 week bump.

 And here is some of the artwork we will be decorating her walls with. I mod podged the chevron frame by just getting a cheap frame from ikea and some scrapbook paper I liked - I think it turned out pretty good! I got the prints for free from a website online and then mod podged a few of them onto an art canvas with scrapbook paper underneath or just on the sides. I can't wait to put them on the wall!

And lastly, I had been wanting to paint some pictures for her room because I like to paint! This picture does not really do them justice, but I had a really fun time with this! The leaves on the tree, flags, and hearts are actually more scrapbook paper that I mod podged... apparently mod podging was the thing to do this week... Anyway, Brian and I both really like jungle animal themes but couldn't find much as far as "girly" jungle decorations... so I made my own!

my new favorite book - PAJAMA TIME!

Because I am about to have the baby, I have an excuse to read lots of kid books. 

I came across this gem not too long ago...

If you haven't had the pleasure of reading it, please do! Especially if you have kids.

Her other books are quality too.

Anyone have baby/children's books they recommend?

how to survive Arizona's summer weather while pregnant

photo credit

Many people have asked me how I am surviving pregnancy in the absurdly warm weather.

This is how I do it:

1. I use the air conditioner

2. I take cold showers. I think I have only taken 1 hot shower since arriving.

3. I go to the pool almost every day.

4. Wherever I am in the house, I try to bring along our portable fan

5. I eat lots and lots of ice cream. Blue Bell recently had a sale and let's just say there wasn't much room in our freezer for much else. Except otter pops - because that is another secret to successful cooling.

6. Sometimes I just spray water on myself and then go sit under/by a fan

7. I avoid cooking hot meals (mmmmm...cereal)

8. Brian occasionally makes me ice packs - like last night. I snuggled with an ice pack until I fell asleep.

9. I always try to park in the shade even if it means walking further to my destination

10. I spend a lot of time out of the house at places with great air conditioning (ie the grocery store, Sam's Club, the library, etc)

11. Water - drink it up!

12. I wear lots of deodorant... because despite all of these measures, it is still hot.

Today I saw something that made me so excited! The weather is cooling down (for the moment)! Check it out... We're going to be in the 90's by next week! That is another way to survive:

13. I try to remember that the winter is going to be heavenly.

3-D ultrasound of baby girl!

Just a little slice of cuteness to brighten your day!

Too bad my placenta/her hand was in the way.

Ok, confession: I think that 3D ultrasounds are a little weird. I alternate between thinking she's super cute to thinking she looks like a creepy alien gummy bear. Right now? CUTE!

34 weeks! And... welcome to baby girl's room :)

Well hello there internet world! I apologize for being a little (or a lot) neglectful of the blog. I guess I've had some different priorities the last little while. Don't worry though, I am feeling more committed again! Especially now that I am miles and miles away from dear friends and family.

I might get teary about that sometimes. I blame it on pregnancy hormones.

Anyhoo (anywho?)...

We are finally feeling settled in! It was quite the move and I am 100% serious when I say I never want to move again until we are out of dental school. Thanks to the incredible help of my mother-in-law and brother-in-law, we were able to make it out of our old apartment on schedule and head down to the valley of death. Ok, it is not the valley of death. But when I walk outside and I immediately begin to sweat like a pig perspire, I wish I was back in good ol' Utah - or anywhere that gets below 90 degrees at night. 

Minus the heat, I really, really like it here! It is so much greener and landscaped than I was expecting! There are flowers, trees, bushes, and even grass almost everywhere you look! I have no idea how much the city shells out for water, but I imagine it is a pretty penny. 

We upgraded a bit and moved into a 2 bedroom apartment (pictures of that to come). I love that it A. has air conditioning B. has new paint/carpet C. is in the corner of the complex so we have some privacy D. It has a pool/gym/etc and E. It has air conditioning (that deserves double gratitude). It's a great place to live and only 2.5 miles from campus so Brian can bike there in less than 20 minutes. 

Oh yeah, and we have palm trees. I'm a sucker for palm trees!

Now, call me crazy, but I really think that Glendale feels a bit like southern California. Not the weather, but the landscaping, houses, etc. If I pretend that the ocean isn't far, sometimes I can fool myself.

While Brian is away for pretty much the entire day, I am trying to make some new friends before I am chained to the apartment with an infant. Don't get me wrong, I am beyond excited for her to make her debut, but I am realistic enough to know that new moms do not socialize too much. Too busy trying to keep a wee one fed and happy! That said, I've met some really great people already and am excited to meet more!

All right, enough updating. On to the pictures!

34 weeks - taken this morning after swimming. Along with what I see when I look down!

Side note: I was swimming at a new friend's house this morning and I asked one of the little girls if she knew what my name was. She said, "Oh yeah! Your name is 'Belly'!" Haha :)

And... introducing the "project." I won't go into detail about why it has been such a project, let's just say there were some setbacks. But, the room is well on its way to completion!

We painted the walls (gray... or actually "timberwolf" or something like that), put up molding around the ceiling (thanks to our tape job not working as well as hoped), painted the molding, put together the crib and cube shelf, put up curtains, made tissue paper pom poms, found a rug & other decoration, etc.

What's left to do:

Find a reasonably priced rocking chair/recliner

Paint the bookshelves white and hang them

Decide if we need a dresser/buy a dresser if we do

Hang all the artwork we have for the walls

Decide if we want (mesh) crib bumpers or a crib skirt or a mobile

Probably more.

It's been a lot of fun. Now I like to sit in there and just think about a little baby being in there.

It's crazy!

I can't believe I'm going to be a mom! And SOON! 

Time to pack the hospital bag...

24 weeks and 2nd anniversary!

This pregnancy sure seems to be flying by. I can't believe I'm already 26 weeks! TWENTY SIX! That means I only have approximately 14 weeks left to get my act together and be ready for this babe. 

Yikes.

I haven't taken any photos this week, but we did take some on our anniversary trip a couple of weeks ago... so here is my 24 week bump!

She's growing!

I still feel great - it is getting a little more uncomfortable to sleep.

Overall I feel very lucky with this pregnancy. Lucky to be pregnant and lucky to have a good pregnancy. I know I'm exposed to worse-case scenarios at my job and it makes me paranoid, so every time I go I thank my lucky stars that she is healthy, growing, and still in my belly!

Well, we also took our "2nd year" photo (we're trying to take one every year on our anniversary so we can see how we change through the years). Here is last year's...

And this year's!

Awwwww....

Well, things are starting to get crazy. I only have 2 shifts left at work and then we're packing up and then we're moving to hell the desert! 

I really am excited for the adventure, just a little nervous about the heat :)

Update!

So much has been going on lately - it seems like summer is just flying by. Too fast. Much too fast. Good thing I'm going to have a summer that never ends as soon as we move to Arizona I guess :).

I don't think I ever even "announced" on here that we are officially going to Arizona for dental school. Brian will be attending Midwestern Dental School, Glendale and we are thrilled! We are also on the "alternate" list for the Navy HSPS scholarship. To make a complicated explanation short, that means that he will either A) receive a full 4 year scholarship starting in October (we would get back-paid for tuition) B) Receive a 3.5 year scholarship starting in January or C) receive a 3 year scholarship and we would be responsible for paying the first year's tuition.

Obviously we are hoping for alternative A! We are trying to get out of this dental school party with zero debt. I believe they will let us know next month which one we are getting. Cross your fingers (and toes) for us!

Many people ask me what I am going to be doing in Arizona while Brian learns how to inflict pain on people's mouths (kidding, kidding...). Well, with the Navy scholarship comes a lovely monthly living stipend that should be enough to cover our needs. Consequently, this momma isn't going to have to work for the first little while! I am relieved and grateful that I won't have to put our newborn baby girl in daycare. I do plan on going back to work in Arizona, but just not right away. So, I will get to stay home and kiss her chubby little cheeks all day long! I am worried about cabin fever, but more about that some other time.

My last day at the NICU is going to be July 16th. While the prospect of sleeping in past 5 makes me very happy, I am seriously sad about leaving my job. It is such a great job! I love who I work with, the patients I care for, feeling like I'm making a difference, and bringing home the bacon! I don't think I'll ever find a unit quite like the NICU where I work and I'll really miss the friends I've made :/. Luckily there are several NICUs in the Phoenix area, so I should be able to find a job out there with babies. Sorry, adults, but babies are where it's at!

We've had a few adventures this summer already with the latest one being a trip out east to visit Dan & Laura and go to Dan's graduation! We stayed in Princeton, NJ during the graduation shenanigans and then traveled up the coast through New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and into Massachusetts where we stayed for a few days in Cape Cod. We felt very spoiled. Brian, Dan, and I hit up New York City on the way back to Princeton - My first time in a big city like that. Definitely an experience worth having.

Pregnancy is still going great! Brian felt her move for the first time last night and I was glad to finally be able to share that with him - it's my favorite part! I imagine it will be less favorite once she gets bigger and starts kicking my ribs... but for now it's just so cute! She's around 11 inches long nowadays and growing like crazy! I must say, it is a little strange taking care of babies at work who are just a tiny bit bigger than her. We have our fair share of 24 weekers in there. Yikes!

Anyway, this is getting long and I'm going swimming - hopefully I can update more soon!

I love them!

the graduate!! so proud!

19 weeks and belly photo!

Sorry for the lack of updates - but I have a pretty good excuse - I'm growing a human being!

19 weeks and counting - almost to the big 2-0.... halfway!

Symptoms: The nausea is gone except when I work night shifts or eat too much or eat too little... but I have't taken a Zofran in weeks and I feel so, so grateful for that. I know some people are sick right up until they deliver. Yikes. I am still tired, but not exhausted like I was before. My newest friends are leg cramps, dizzy spells, and ravenousness (is that a word?). Yes, I am very hungry and gross myself out every now and then by eating more than Brian. He's a real good sport about it though and even if we've just eaten dinner and 20 minutes later I am back for more, he's supportive :). Hmmm, what else? Itchy. Oh man I just itch all the time! Especially my legs and ribs. Probably going through 1/2 a gallon of lotion a week...I've also been having some pretty crazy dreams. A not-so-crazy one was that I really had a baby boy... so now I'm starting to wonder....

We had a scary moment again on Saturday :/. I started bleeding a bit and had to call into work, call the on-call doc, and get another ultrasound. Now I love ultrasounds, but I was afraid we weren't going to see a heartbeat or something! Horrible feeling. Luckily the ultrasound showed that everything looked a-ok. We were so relieved! Her feet are an inch long :). Couldn't get a confirmation that she is really a girl because she had her cute little legs crossed. So, I was on modified bed rest for the weekend and instructed to take it easy for the next few weeks.

I am finally starting to look pregnant! I felt it more than ever when we were in Cache Valley with my family last week... I think it was due to the insane amounts of food we consumed. I had a real baby and a food baby and boy could I tell. So, I would have to say that I "popped" at 18 weeks and now I feel like I look pregnant if I have the right outfit on. Thanks to my sister and friends who have lent me some of their maternity clothes - I'm about to put it to good use!

Brian and I get more excited for her arrival every day! I can't wait to feel her move around - my placenta is anterior and apparently that makes it so I can't feel her until later on. Can't wait!

Top 3 names: Abigail, Amelia, & Claire. 

And... thanks to our little scare the other day, we got an adorable footprint picture!