Hawaii, 24 weeks down and life lately.

We just passed the 24 week mark of this pregnancy, its hard to believe we are just weeks away from the third trimester already! A lot of the big things are underway in regards to preparing to have this little one join us. We decided to take a labor class, it is 5 weeks long. We missed a week because of Hawaii so will make that up as well as have the last class this week. I have enjoyed the class. The teacher is very funny and keeps us entertained. We have the nursery underway and are just deciding on final details. While in Hawaii we found a cute shop on the North Shore that was all baby- beach stuff. I don't know who liked the store more, me or Brian. If we had more space to bring things home I think he would have bought the whole store. Lucky for me we had 0 room in our bags so we only left with one item... this sign.

Hawaii was great, we got to spend a ton of time after school each afternoon with the Watkin's kids at the beach. Brian loved having kids to play with in the water. They also have a 5 month old, Elli that we got to love on all week. It was so fun being around a little one so much it really gave us a glimpse at what is coming into our world soon and I think just made us even more excited for our little one to get here. I teased Brian that whenever he decides to come I am ready, even if that means today. Of course we really hope he stays in there till Feb so that he is as healthy as can be but we are getting pretty excited.

Brian cliff jumping, this is only one of the locations we went to for this activity, I was happy to be the camera girl

Baby Ellie, Brian was seriously the sweetest with her. He would roll around on the ground every chance he got with her.

The kids wanted to show us this awesome rope swing, its not the sturdiest for adults though so Brian was the designated rope thrower for when they would be in the tree.

I think we have decided on a Hospital and now just need to tour it to make sure it has all the amenities we are looking for for our birth plan. We have limited our name options. We mostly have it narrowed down to one name, and have stuck with it a few weeks now which is a pretty good sign that we won't be changing our minds, but who knows. Now we need to start focusing on middle names. Why is choosing a name so hard?!

We have registries started and I think pretty near completion. We have a tentative date for a family shower and a work shower and besides back pain I am still feeling pretty good. I have read a birthing book and a sleep schedule book now and am feeling pretty prepared and excited about the new life we are entering into. I know this baby is going to mix things up for us but I am feeling pretty confident that we are gonna be just fine after reading up on babies.Seems like the biggest thing is consistency and schedule and if Brian and I are anything its consistent.

We have the paperwork settled for maternity leave and have started pre paying for health insurance so that we don't have to worry about that while I am away from work. So far things are going pretty smoothly. We had a detailed ultrasound around 21 weeks, just before I went to California. They said he was exactly where he should be stat wise and was overall very average and normal. Two words I am very happy describe our baby. He was very active again for this ultrasound. I feel him at times but still not very much so it was fun seeing him again and knowing that he is doing well. He was very excited the whole time, lifting his feet over his head and flipping around for us. I am hoping he is enjoying the extra room he has in there for now because I am sure it won't be long before he is feeling cramped. We had a DVD made of this ultrasound and shared it with the grandparents to be and great grand parents. It was fun to be able to include them in that even though they live so far away.

Since the ultrasound I went to California for work, came home long enough to catch up on work and pack for Hawaii. We were there a full week, it was amazing. We had great weather and it was a dream to be able to spend every day with Brian. I sure do miss that boy, he is at school so much. I am glad he is enjoying school as much as he does because if he didn't it sure would be even harder to send him off each day knowing I might not see him before I go to sleep. I am looking forward to winter break when he will be home for a few weeks! Now that we are home from Hawaii, its back to work and school and our normal busy routine. At this point it is not looking like I will be able to work from home which is a major bummer but I am glad I know now so that we can start planning and work on finding this little guy the best substitute mommy while I am away a few hours each day for work. I just have to keep reminding myself that we are so blessed and that its just not fair if everything goes the way we want and that sometimes I just have to be ok that not everything is just the way I want it all the time. The good news is maternity leave is 12 weeks so I will get plenty of one on one time with the little guy and can just focus on him and get him on a good schedule and squeeze in all the cuddle time I can before he gets too big to want to snuggle non stop.

This week I was also released from my calling as beehive adviser. I have not been with out a calling in over 4 years, even when we moved we were given callings the second week we were in this new ward.  Its gonna be a weird feeling to just be an observer and not have a designated purpose at church but I am thinking it may be a nice change right now with so many new things coming our way.

Update on Brian: he is keeping busy with school, just wrapping up mid terms for this first semester of MBA school. He is liking business school better than law school. I am not surprised at all. These classes are similar to his undergrad so he is really just building upon principles he already knows. I like MBA school better too. When he was in law school I could only half follow the things he would tell me but with my education and experience in business I am able to understand most of what he is talking about now which makes our conversations less one sided ;)

I finally am cashing out a getaway I won for a competition at work back in June. Brian and I will get to stay at the Stein Erickson, a super amazing 5 star resort in Park City for 2 nights next month. I decided we better use it before the baby comes. My work hosts our Summits there so because of that relationship they are upgrading our room to a suite! I have been into the rooms before for meetings and they are a dream. The view is amazing in the summer so I am excited to see it in the winter. I am hoping we get snow so we can fully enjoy the Jacuzzi and fireplace the room has to offer. Brian has never been up there so I am looking forward to seeing his face when we go up the canyon road to the resort. I remember my first impressions of the place and am looking forward to seeing his reaction. Everything about this place is amazing so it will be a real treat.

Overall life is going great for us. At this pace I think the baby will be here before we know it. Especially with the holidays just around the corner, they have a way of speeding up time as well. My friend since childhood Emily is getting married the beginning of January and I am thrilled that the doctor said I can fly down there. Literally if she had chosen to get married a week later I would have been told I couldn't go. I just have to focus on these little blessings and remember that life is good and not get caught up in little things that do not go exactly to plan.

Life is good and we are blessed!

Starting to look pregnant, and people are getting bolder and strangers are beginning to ask me when I am due, third trimester is just around the corner and I am getting excited with the date getting nearer.