Creepy Floating Baby

I know a lot of people (Mom) don't like the little floating baby with the countdown, but I just had to add one for several reasons: 1. I want to have easy access to my countdown, so I know how many days are left! 2. She's past the point where she really wasn't a very cute fetus. 3. Most of the widgets are too wide to fit in my side bar, and I don't know how to change that.

So, you can either enjoy the countdown with me or you can just ignore it when you read my blog!

Best Baby Gift!

When my mom and I were out registering for the baby a couple of days ago, I found my dream product! I've been wanting one of these for a few months now, even though they say the third trimester is the best time to use one. Now that I am in my third trimester (according to some books/websites. Others say I will be next week.) I finally got a fetal heart beat speaker and microphone! I haven't been able to find her heartbeat yet, but I've heard lots of kicking!

Yesterday, I set up the microphone for my nephews to talk to their new cousin. They were so sweet! My little nephew, Cameron, decided to sing the ABCs to her. When I asked him why he chose that song, he told me he wanted her to start learning. He said that before he was born, nobody taught him anything. He just floated around and had a dance-off! I asked who his dance-off was against, and he said he wasn't sure, since he was alone in there!

So, my plans for the next 88 days (that's all I have left!!) are to read, talk, and sing to my little one! And I will hopefully learn how to find her heartbeat, so she can "talk" back to mommy and daddy!

The Christmas Bump

One thing I really wanted to do this Christmas was take a picture with my soon-to-be little one in front of the Christmas tree. So, here is my 27 week picture!



And here is our family Christmas photo!



If I had planned better, we would have been wearing green and red. This was a last minute picture right before leaving my mom-in-law's house! I love these pictures and can't wait for next Christmas when our little addition is in the picture with us!

New Tradition

Ryan and I started a new "thing" a couple of days ago. Every time we are channel surfing and "Cops" comes on, we kiss. I don't know what programing is like around the country, but in San Diego, I swear that Cops is on 23 1/2 hours a day! Sometimes it's on 2 or 3 channels at the same time! This clever new tradition was my idea in order to get something positive out of Ryan's addiction to channel surfing! Yesterday, I was in the kitchen, baking holiday goods, when Ryan called me out to the living room. He had found Cops on some channel and needed a kiss! I have the best husband!!

25 Week Bump

Now that I'm moving into Week 26, I finally have time to post my Week 25 pictures! It's been a crazy week at work! We had our end-of-the-quarter testing due, report cards, PTA, an all-day meeting for which I had to make sub-plans, our holiday concert, and, of course, we had to make Christmas gifts for families! Now that I'm officially on break, I can breathe (and sit down with my computer!) again. This week I'm posting two pictures.

This first one, one of my co-workers took for me. I'm only posting this one because I love the way my hair looks! (Vanity, I know!!) She took a few pics for me, but I was either squinting in the bright sun, or turned away from the sun and into a shadow, which is why I posted a second pic!


This second one is (obviously) a self-portrait. I'm in the custodian's closet! You can tell by the look on my face that I'm not a confident photographer! I really like the way my bump looks in this picture, though! I think I've got a photogenic baby on the way!

24 Week Check-Up

I've been meaning to post a new bump picture, but, thanks to pregnancy brain, I left our camera at Papa's house on Thanksgiving, and can't remember where our other camera is. So, once I find a camera, I'll post a new bump picture. I'm getting so much bigger! I think our little one wanted to impress all the relatives, because my bump really popped out right before Thanksgiving!

In the meantime, Ryan and I met our OB last week. It was a great appointment! I knew it would be when I saw Dr. Perez pulling the sonogram machine into the room behind him! I was planning to ask for a sono, since this is only the second appointment Ryan has been able to come to. Working in Murrietta is such a long drive for him!! We didn't get any good pictures, but the images we were able to see on the screen were precious. Our little girl was being extremely modest. She had her legs shut (which I must say I appreciate that trait!!) and she was holding her hands over her face. The good part about the sonogram was finding out some of her measurements. She is measuring in the 50th percentile in most areas, but her legs are pretty long! They measured 26 weeks and 2 days when the rest of her was measuring 24 weeks and 4 days. I see a prima ballerina in our future! Or maybe an awesome soccer player! This leg picture is from our 20 week sonogram, but I just want to reiterate how lovely her legs are already!! (Sorry if it seems like I'm going on and on about her, but she is our little miracle!!)

Misunderstood Christmas Songs

I am known for mishearing, mis-singing, and misunderstanding lyrics. Country folk always seem to meet at the County Jail instead of the County Fair in my versions. Hey Rodrigo is the greeting at the beginning of "Brown-Eyed Girl." I consider this part of my charm!
Well, this non-talent of mine extends to the holidays. I learned last Christmas that in the song "It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas," Bing is talking about some sort of store when he tells us to take a look at the Five and Ten. For the past 31 Christmases, I thought he meant to look at how crowded the 5 and 10 interstates were, driving through Los Angeles! It was nice to think about all the people traveling to visit family!
This is what the 5-10-60-101 interchange looks like for those unfamiliar with LA freeways. Now you may understand why I thought Bing was talking about crowded LA highways!


So, Happy Holidays, and enjoy the Christmas music, no matter what the lyrics mean to you!

Fantastic Weekend!

I had such a great weekend! First of all, the Breast Cancer 3-Day was this weekend. I didn't participate, but every year, they walk right through Ocean Beach. Ryan and I love spotting them! Yesterday, I was down on Newport Ave. picking up some breakfast burritos when they flooded the streets. 3,800 walkers raised $9.5 million! They are so inspirational!

Saturday evening, Ryan and I were invited to a bar-b-que at a friend's house to which we had never been invited before. I didn't think much of it at first, just a nice pre-holiday party to relax, enjoy ourselves, and meet new friends. It seemed as if Ryan and I were the only couple there without children (yet)! Toward the end of the evening, one of our friends told us now that we're having a baby, we can "join the club" and hang out with all of their new parent friends! Kinda funny, but we had a great time!
To continue my lovely weekend, I went to a prenatal pilates class this morning right on the bay. The weather was perfect, and I had a great time exercising with other moms-to-be with our focus on our bellies!
I also had to get my car smog checked today. I was nervous, but I passed! Phew! You know how much of a relief that is! I thought that would be the highlight of the weekend, but then the Chargers SLAUGHTERED the Broncos!! They made fools of them in their own home!! And as if THAT wasn't enough to top off my fabulous weekend...
My beautiful friend, Jaime, gave birth to her baby girl!!! I was kind of hoping she'd be born on my birthday, but that's ok. She's here in time for Thanksgiving and her brother's second birthday! I just can't stop smiling about the new arrival! Hopefully I'll get a chance to go meet her the first weekend of December (along with baby Aiden, who I STILL haven't met!!)

21 Week Bump

I am already at 21 weeks! I can't believe I'm halfway there! My bump is getting bigger by the day, although this picture looks bigger to me than in real life. Ryan's out of town, so I took this using the automatic timer on the camera. Not the best picture, but it'll do. I wanted to take the picture today, since I finally got my hair done! I love being blond again!!

On another note, I started reading a book called Diary of a Mad Mom-to-Be. It's cute and an easy read. I am thinking of joining a maternity book club, and this was the first book choice. The best part about this book is that the main character's due date is March 29, the day after mine! So the timing of all her major events coincides with mine! Also, she just turned 32, so she is definitely a character with whom I can relate! It's a fun read, especially if you're pregnant!

Wonderful, Amazing Day

This morning, Ryan, Laura (my mom-in-law), and I headed out to our 20 week ultrasound! It was such an exciting, amazing experience! Our little one was totally showing off for her daddy. She was kicking, playing patty-cake, and even did that little grabbing-at-you wave that little ones do!! I am so glad Ryan finally got to "meet" our daughter! The ultrasound tech gave us 12 pictures!! Here are some of my favorites:

I love this one! It's my favorite! Her profile is just perfect!


Her face, still looking very skeleton-esque

Her long, beautiful legs!


At one point, we saw our little one move very quickly on the screen, and I was able to feel her movement at the same time! It was such a magical moment! We're halfway through, and I just can't wait to meet her!!

Zingo Tots Giveaway

The Design Girl is hosting several giveaways to celebrate all her followers! One of the giveaways is for Zingo Tots, which has some really adorable shirts and onesies! Most everyone I know is having a baby now-a-days, so this is a great Etsy shop to find a cute and unique gift!! Check it out! The Thanksgiving Turkey onesies are my favorite!

My First Bump Picture

I have been desperate to take a picture of my slowly growing belly. Ryan says I should just be happy with my body now, since "this baby is going to RUIN your body!" Don't worry, he is always very loving when he tells me that! Today I wore a particularly belly-enhancing outfit on purpose with the hopes of getting a belly pic. Here it is: Baby at 18 weeks!

I don't look too pregnant yet, but I really wanted to take a bump picture!! Ryan created the background. Is anyone surprised he wanted the Chargers blanket hanging behind my first bump pic?
So, there it is, friends and family who don't get to see my growth. Not much, but we're getting there!

Maui!

Our trip to Maui was INCREDIBLE! Ryan and I took two of our friends along with us, and the 4 of us had a fantastic time! We went snorkeling almost every day at a different spot on the island. I haven't developed our underwater camera yet, but once I do, you can look forward to seeing those pics as well!

Here are Ryan, Matt, and Ben at Big Beach getting ready to snorkel. We spotted some sea turtles and spinner dolphins at Big Beach!!


Our resort was across the street from what was named one of the most beautiful beaches on Maui! We went over there almost every evening for sunset.



One of the highlights of the trip was the Road to Hana. What a beautiful trip! If you've ever traveled the 1 near Santa Cruz, you can get the general idea of the road we had to drive! It was two lanes most of the way, but the bridges were all one lane, so we'd have to take turns with oncoming traffic! There are numerous hair-pin turns, but the views and scenic stops are worth it all!

We hiked to some waterfalls, and yes, I wore a white sundress for our hiking trip!




The black sand beach was probably my favorite stop on the Road to Hana. The water was the most amazing aqua color!







After we reached Hana, we continued to drive for a short while and came to the Venus Pool which was hidden away, and quite a hike to reach! Ryan and Matt loved jumping off the rocks and into the pool. It was a nice cool dip to relax in after the warm hike out to the pool!



Another highlight of the trip was the Drums of the Pacific Luau. Unfortunately, my camera battery died at the very beginning of the luau, so I only got a couple of pictures, and they aren't that great, but we got a lot of video!

At one point, Ryan and I got on stage and hula danced! We had such a great time!

My absolute favorite thing we did was our trip out to the Molokini crater for snorkeling! First of all, I LOVE boating! If I could be out on the ocean every weekend, that's where you'd find me! The waters at the crater are very clear and it is a protected sanctuary, so the snorkeling there is fantastic! Again, once I get the underwater camera developed, I'll try to post those pics. Until then, this picture I found on Google images will have to do!

Birthday Love

Today is my favorite person in the whole world's birthday!!


And guess what he gets to do for his birthday... He is going to miss the Chargers' kick-off to take my car to the mechanic!


Now that is love!

Happy Birthday Old Man!

I just had to post this one...

I know ultrasound pictures are weird and a little creepy, but I just had to post this picture! Our little girl decided to pose for the sound waves in this picture! That's her little right hand up against her face, and doesn't she look like she's smiling with her little cupie doll lips!! She's only the size of one stick of a Kit Kat bar right now, but already moving so much!

One on the way!

I know I need to post about our trip to Maui, but I just HAVE to post our exciting news first... Ryan and I are expecting a baby (girl?)!! I had an early ultrasound yesterday, and they think it's a girl!! We've actually known we were pregnant since the end of July, but I haven't shared with many people yet. Ryan, on the other hand, has told EVERYONE!! I am so glad we aren't keeping this a secret anymore! I am so EXCITED!! Now I can start looking at all those cute tutus and hair bows!! I think my first order may be from The Vintage Pearl! I love her necklaces! Once we decide on a name, I'll be placing an order!! (This is the necklace I want, with only one set of feet and one name!)
Our due date is March 28, so we still have quite a journey ahead of us. Prayers for a healthy baby and easy pregnancy would be greatly appreciated!! I have some cute sonogram pics (if there is such a thing) that I'll post on Facebook once I get my scanner out... Something to look forward to!
Love you all!!
K

Teacher Bias

Today I did something no good teacher should ever do. I used my own bias to sway my students' decision! Every year, my class participates in Scholastic's Classrooms Care. If we read 100 books, one million books will be donated to children in need. This year the Manning brothers are sponsoring the program. Each class gets to choose to be on Team Peyton or Team Eli. We have a poster to track our progress with a picture of the selected Manning brother. As a true San Diego Chargers fan, I can never in any way stand behind Eli Manning. I REFUSE to hang his picture in my classroom!! So, when my class voted for the team we'd like to be on, I made sure they knew I DO NOT like Eli Manning. Funny thing, the vote was almost unanimous for Peyton!!

* I have to say that even though I don't like Eli, I am glad he has the heart to donate time and money for children!!

Emotional Bank Account Deposit

Ryan and I had an amazing pre-marital counseling group. We learned so much, and refer back to it all the time. One of the best things our leaders talked about was the Emotional Bank Account. In our marriage, we want to make sure our bank accounts are so full, that when the occasional withdrawal comes around (which nobody likes!) our accounts will be so full, it won't make a huge impact.

Last night, Ryan made a major deposit in my EBA! I worked one of those all-too-common 14 hour work days, starting with recovering from a substitute teacher from the previous day, and ending with Open House. I didn't make it home last night until just after 8pm. Considering my work day technically ends at 2:45, I'd say I worked a bit of overtime! When I pulled up, the first surprise was a parking spot right in front of our house! When you live at the beach, good parking days are few and far between! Ryan had been hanging out by the spot for over 1/2 hour to make sure I got it!

Ryan then had me get straight into his truck, which was packed with warm clothes, our air mattress, pillows, and blankets. We drove over to Ski Beach and set up our little comfy place in the bed of his truck to watch the Sea World fireworks! I am a fireworks junkie! In fact, my favorite holiday is the 4th of July for that very reason!


While waiting for the fireworks display, Ryan brought out strawberries and dipping chocolate, kettle corn (one of my FAVORITE treats!), and some specialty chocolates he bought at a chocolatier earlier that evening!



Perfect ending to a long day! He said he was trying to win the "Husband of the Month" award. I think he just may have!

Show Us Your Life ~ Wedding Reception and Honeymoon

Just like the ceremony, our reception was absolutely exactly what I wanted! We were able to have both the ceremony and reception at Maravilla Gardens. They have two separate large lawns for that purpose. Most of the night was filled with dancing, of course! If you know me, you know that I am always dancing!

Ryan and I had our first dance to At Last by Etta James.



The food that we had catered was fabulous, from what I heard. I hardly had time to take a bite! Same with the cake. According to our family and friends, it was delish! I remember my one important bite, but I think that's all I got to eat!



My absolute favorite picture from our entire wedding portfolio is this one of my sister and her Air Jordan leap for the bouquet! Isn't that classic!


The evening ended on the perfect note. We ran through sparklers to our 1920s limo! It was magical to walk out of the bride's room with my brand new husband to see all of our friends and family smiling in the glow of hundreds of sparklers!



We honeymooned in Saint Lucia, which was beautiful! We spent most of our days either snorkeling, windsurfing, or just relaxing on the beach or at one of the pools.


Isn't our view breathtaking!



We were able to go on a day sail around the island, where we got to tour a cocoa plantation, visit the caldera, and see the entire Caribbean side of the coast.


One night we had dinner prepared for us in our villa. We decided to make that Chargers night! Gotta represent!


I could go on and on. I hope we can return to Saint Lucia again in a few years. Maybe for one of our big anniversaries!

America's Favorite Burrito?

When I checked the mail today, I found an interesting surprise. The Wienerschnitzel ad was in the mail mixed in with all the other junk. For some reason, I decided to look at it. I actually really love "the Schnitz" and used to eat there quite often. I agree with their slogan. They just may be America's Favorite Hot Dog. They have great mustard dogs, corn dogs, and chili cheese fries. Now, they're aiming to also be America's Favorite Burrito What I saw today may go down as America's Unhealthiest Food (outside of fair food, of course!) The innovative minds in the Schnitz's kitchen decided to wrap a tortilla around the chili cheese fries to turn it into a burrito. Sounds like the quickest way to a heart attack to me!

The Bridal Party and Flowers ~ Show Us Your Life: Week 2

This week, over at Kelly's Korner, we are sharing all about our bridal party, flowers, and the ceremony!

Ryan and I were married on July 7, 2007 in the breathtaking Maravilla Gardens. Our colors were periwinkle blue and yellow (my favorites from the beginning of time!) You can see my flowers pretty well in this picture of my sister holding my bouquet.

I asked the florist to make it look like we'd gone out into a field of wildflowers and picked our bouquets. I think he really hit the mark! I had the aisle decorated with Shepard's crooks holding more bouquets.


I had six girls in my wedding. My two sisters were the maid and matron of honor. I also had my three best girlfriends from childhood and high school. Jaime, my oldest friend (like about 26 years or so) also sang. She's carrying baby Alex under that dress! My new sister-in-law rounded out my bridal party. None of my girls live in San Diego, so being all together in one place made for a very special occasion!

Jessica's daughter was our lovely flower girl. Is she not the most precious girl!!

Ryan's guys were made up of cousins and close friends. I couldn't have hand picked better guys to stand beside my husband on our most important day! They look a bit mafioso in this picture, but really, they're great men!


We had the world's cutest children in our wedding! My nephews were the ring bearer and Bible boy. I have a great story about Cameron, our Bible boy, and his amazing Bible tricks, but that will have to be on another post!


Since our wedding took place outdoors, I didn't want to risk a unity candle blowing out, so we did the sand and stone ceremony.


I can't wait to buy a home with a mantle and display this proudly!


I could go on and on! It was really the PERFECT day and was everything I could have hoped and dreamed! And to top it all off, I get to spend the rest of my life with Ryan!!