Ok so I am obsessed with being pregnant. Anyone who has been pregnant or who is knows exactly what I mean, that's all you really want to talk about, at school, and church, everywhere. It is all consuming. So, just in case you couldn't see baby girl as well in those other pics, I'll throw these up too:)... some days she really looks bigger than others.

She is growing like a WEED! I feel her kicking all the time and seriously, it is the most thrilling feeling in the world! Jason has felt her a handful of times as well but sometimes I swear she gets stage fright because she will be doing an aerobics routine in there and then as soon as he puts his hand on my tummy, she freezes. Then she'll start up again when the pressure's off. It's so funny!

Here we are the night before at the ESPN zone in Downtown Disney... We went to dinner with some of NorthStar's managers and their wives that live down there and had a BLAST with them! Honestly it was such a fun night, we laughed so hard at dinner.

We finally got away... headed down to Southern Cali for a long weekend and it was honestly exactly what we needed! I can now stand another month or so of on and off snowstorms, (like the one we got today) without testing my mental sanity. We stayed in Laguna Hills most of the time with Dave but spent some time in LA and San Diego. The weather was SUBLIME, about 75 to 80 degrees the whole time with the most excellent breeze!

Watching the sea lion show at seaworld

Dave had a strange connection with this eel... sorta like how Harry Potter speaks to snakes haha

After the day at seaworld (and getting soaked from the shows) we drove down to embarcadero in SD before going to dinner. We were so tired and just wanted to lounge in this park and watch the sunset. We had a little fun with the photo shoots and ended up drawing a lot more attention to us than originally planned, especially when Dave scaled that tree behind us- Mogley style.

He also had a really strange allergic reaction after the mexican food we ate... his nose would not stop running. (haha yes folks we are adults!)

OH, THE MISSION...

I've been home now for 2 years. Holy cow. So I found some pics of me on the mish and I couldn't resist. They make me laugh so hard, I honestly hardly even recognize myself. Paraguay threw me for a loop. That experience feels like I dreamt it. It was the "best of times and the worst of times". Honestly, the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life, hands down. I was determined to stay a "cute sister missionary" and was committed to not let myself completely go but it really didn't take me long to not give a crap about what I looked like nor how much weight I was gaining. I put on a hefty 20 pounds, mostly on my chin. I couldn't even wear any of my rings, my fingers were completely swollen, due to the horrendous heat and I had a constant glistening greasy face, covered in sweat with accompanying pit stains. I had the worst cankles you can imagine, and they were covered in mosquito bites at all times. I am sparing no details, but it was not pretty. The best part was that I just did not care. There were more important things to me at the time, and at one point I accepted the fact that I might probably never get back to normal. I really didn't care! I referred to myself all the time in my letters home as "fat 'n happy." haha!
Note the glistening face below... and the depth of the dimples which had much more cushion


And that hair... Doesn't even look like me!


Here we are sitting on the temple grounds, the week before I came home. (Me on the far right, notice the pudgy fingers).

HOORAY for Cosmic bowling. Well actually it probably wasn't the cosmic bowling that made the night, it was the company. Dave was in town from Cali over the weekend so Saturday night we had to hit up Joe Veras for some good mexican grub and we decided we hadn' t been bowling for a long time so we went! My bowling scores were horrendous (must have been that shift in center of gravity thing they talk about during pregnancy) but we at least got some funny shots in while we were there. I told Jason to make a sassy face for that pic... sassy indeed!

Audrey is one of the funniest girls I know, we forgot socks so we had to buy them in the vending machine... and they were huge! Mine were hidden at least under my pants but hers were bold and beautiful with her cut offs... and glowed in those black lights. Here's a good shot of victory dance after a perfect strike... hahaha I love you Aud. LOVE YOU!

Audrey and Dave (in my posh leather jacket) getting into the groove.

People don't think pregnant women get down with a good beat but oh, we do! Jason doesn't really like to dance but humors me and lets me pull him up out of his chair and at least dance around him haha

A plea for warm weather...

I really know that it's still only February. I know we still have snowstorms to come. I know that this is part of utah winters, and this winter has been particularly harsh and snowy. No one has to remind me that it was my choice to move here. Don't get me wrong, I love a white Christmas, but are you not DYING to lay poolside and soak up the sun? Are you not going crazy to be able to take a walk outside in the evenings in flip flops and shorts? Are you not craving a summer barbeque so bad?! I am! We have to go somewhere soon because I am starting to really go crazy. I've been moping over our summer pics in Hawaii and Costa Rica, but I just don't think either of those places is in the cards for the next little while.

As much as I love this (taken just Saturday)...

I could cry... like real tears streaming down my face, for this.

Everytime we have one of these teaser days full of sunshine when it gets to a piping 40 degrees my husband has to stop me from putting on the swimsuit and trying to lay out. Anyone with me? Anyone else as close as I am to banging their head against the wall the next time a snowstorm is forcasted? (I think it's this week by the way).

And PS don't you just feel fatter during the winter? I know this coming summer will not be a slim and trim summer for me being 9 months pregnant during the thick of it, but for some reason I feel like much more of a whale during winter months. Maybe it's the blubber I am accumulating for insulation, maybe it's the pasty white skin that hasn't seen sunlight in months, or could be the holiday sweets. Either way, I want to hibernate until the snow is gone. Mah!

All dressed up and nowhere to go?! Actually, that was sorta the point for this year's Valentine's Day evening. Jason and I are both doing so much these days that relaxing at home really is the most appetizing thing we do. I did decide I wanted to find a sexy dress for Valentine's Day nonetheless. I told the hubby we had reservations and that he had to be home by six. When he got home he found dressier clothes for him in the front entrance with a note that said, "Put these on before you come upstairs." He changed and then came up and I had prepared dinner, (one I was fairly impressed with but can't take full credit for because I went to a cooking class on Tuesday and Andrea in my ward got us started on this most fabulously decadent meal). Bleu cheese crusted beef tenderloin and amazing rosemary potatoes... and a delicious Oreo cheesecake. It turned out so awesome! I even made menus to put on the table:) After dinner and dancing in our living room we just changed into PJ's and watched a sappy movie. He was totally floored and we had a great evening together. So we got all dressed up kinda fancy schmancy style... and stayed home. It was a perfect, relaxing evening- just the two of us!

While we were eating he said, "Well I made something for you as well." and went to get it. He brought out an 8x10 frame and when I realized what it was, I completely melted. It read at the top "101 things I love about my wife..." and there it was, a list of 101 things. Everything from my little quirks to my hands and feet was on there. It was the most tender thing I've ever seen! I, of course, had a good cry and could barely finish dinner:)

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice!!!

So they're telling us it's a GIRL!! Jason and I went into the mall to that ultrasound place on Saturday, (we are just now at 16 weeks) and sorta fibbed and said we were at 17 because that's when they tell you you're eligible. Can you tell we were anxious to know the sex?? I was kinda preparing myself to be turned away once we got in there, and that she would see through our deceit! But, she didn't. The tech was kinda funny actually... once we got in there she played around with the ultrasound for a bit and then pointed the little arrow in between the legs and said, "What's missing here?" and I, in all seriousness said, "A weiner?" haha YEP! (I really wasn't trying to be vulgar, it just sorta came out!) I don't know why, but I was in total shock and disbelief so I told her to check it out from a few different angles and with each angle she said the same thing. Maybe it's because we are so early and I am just now finally starting to show, I am in denial! Seriously, the baby can only be one of two things but it's like no matter what, when you find out the sex you're in a total state of SHOCK! haha. I keep thinking we are gonna go back in and find outdoor plumbing we didn't see before! I am so exstatic to have a girl! We are OVERJOYED!! These are the pics we took last night before going to bed... notice the hot pajamas...

PS this belly JUST happened. I swear, like, over night. So crazy!