Yep, still pregnant!

Thanks for all of the encouraging comments everyone. They're so much fun to read!

So...... We are officially inducing on February 29th!! Leap day! I know, I know, some may say that that is the worst thing to do to a child. But I personally think it's awesome! Who will ever forget his birthday? And when it IS his year for a birthday, it's a HUGE deal, and when it's not he gets to choose when to have it. Ross thinks maybe we can convince him that he really only does have a birthday every 4 years. Just kidding. (Well I am at least). That would be mean.

Anyway. Probably because we've talked so much about it he'll come early or it will take me longer than 20 hours to have him. Either way I will have a baby in less than a week and a half! Crazy. It still hasn't hit me- but we are certainly READY.

My dad took some moody maternity pictures of us a week and a half ago. I think they turned out well. We do have some smiling ones too, these just happen to be my three favorite.

Oh- and the nursery is officially done. Pictures to come.

Belly update!

Well I think I can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel! I'm due in exactly 4 weeks from today. We are sooo excited¡ Ross was so cute today and brought home a little outfit for him to be blessed in. I'm almost done putting the nursery together. Just one more project to go.

We just finished our birthing class. Wow they give you LOTS of information. I guess I'd rather know more than less, but some of the pictures they show you I'd just rather wait and deal with when they come. I've been having some "fake" contractions, and I get nervous every time I feel one. But nothing is ever consistent or long-lasting.

There's definitely less and less room in my stomach for the baby. He almost always has some body part poking out. It's really fun to watch. Ross and I can be entertained with that for a while. It's getting harder and harder to sleep at night- I think this is just preparing me for the lack of sleep to come! But I seriously can't wait until I can sleep on my stomach again!

My co-workers gave me a little surprise baby shower yesterday morning. I thought I had to get up early for a meeting, and grudgingly showed up to work, but then they brought out presents and breakfast! It was so nice of them.

Here are some pictures that Sam sent us too from the mission. It sounds like he's doing great! He's in a pretty small area though, and they've tracted it all out already. It makes me sad he won't be here for the baby, but I know he's where he's supposed to be.

My first wedding

So last week I had the pleasure of photographing my very first wedding. It was perfect for me because it was low-stress, small, and beautiful. I just had about an hour and a half total to shoot. They are the perfect people to photograph too: extremely good looking and so so so kind and easy-going.

I took some more traditional shots and some candid shots. I still have a LOT to learn, but I think overall it turned out really well. I had a lot of fun doing it. Maybe this is what I want to do with my life after all?

Some photos

Taken of the niece and nephew over Christmas.

Check it out!

Here are updated pictures of me great with child. I guess it's hard for me to smile in them because I'm concentrating really hard on getting the right angle!

It seems as if my belly just blossomed over night a few weeks ago. I work at an Elementary school, and I don't know what it was, whether I was wearing a tighter shirt than normal or what, but one day, about a month ago, all of a sudden like 5 kids throughout the day came up to me and asked me if I was pregnant.

I had to explain to them that yes, I am pregnant, and yes, I am married, and NO I'm NOT 17 years old like you thought I was.

I work in a special needs classroom and I told two of the kids in there that I was pregnant a while ago. Every day they ask, you got a baby in your tummy again?! (Yep.) And they say, not again!!

I wonder if they think I have 50 babies at home or something, since I keep showing up pregnant over and over again.

Our baby continues to have a strong heart beat at every doctor's visit. For which I'm thankful. He has started doing barrel rolls in my stomach every night. In fact, if I'm close enough to Ross in bed at night the baby keeps him up too.

I've discovered that I can no longer eat all I want any more. I have to eat less food at a time, and more often. Which is kind of a pain when I have to work, but oh well.

I'm starting to hyperventilate every time I think about the fact we're going to have a baby in 2 1/2 months! I have a ton of projects left to do, I would really like to finish my 4 independent study classes, and basically, I'm just a little nervous about the 'having the baby' part. But then I'm also extremely excited and time can't move fast enough!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOY

Joy.. Joy...

You are a wonderful friend and I'm so happy to have you in my life. Even though most of our friendship has been long distance. Sad for us.

I love you and hope you have a fabulous birthday!

A little break from routine

As many of you may have heard the Midwest has recently been hit by a big ol' ice storm! While Manhattan did not get it as bad as parts of Oklahoma, most of Manhattan lost power for a couple of days. In fact, my parents live in a neighborhood that still does not have power after losing it on Tuesday! The school that I work in is also in that neighborhood, and so I have had the last three days off. Kinda nice. For some reason the little neighborhood that Ross and I live in hasn't lost power once. It's kind of strange. We've been host to a few freezing souls-- which has been fun.

Well even though it's extremely inconvenient to many, it really is beautiful. We are enjoying a beautiful blue sky today with the sun shining brightly, and it makes all of the ice-laden trees just glow. It's incredible. I wish I had had my camera this morning when I took Ross to work. The sky was still pink and we passed by rows of trees that looked like they came from a winter wonderland! (Sorry for the cheesiness, but it was really cool!)

So I at least took a little walk around the corner and took a couple pictures from there.