thanks and stuff...

I just wanted to give a HUGE thank you to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday. It was really hard being away from my family and my friends for the first time, but having a husband kinda helps that fact :). Over the weekend he took me up to the Hualapai Mountain Lodge. It is so nice up there. Just about half an hour away and it's a totally different feeling. There are pine trees and mule deer (sooo HUGE-they're actually elk) and it's about 6500 feet up and so the air feels cleaner and it's like 15-20 degrees cooler up there. That part was nice coz our air conditioner is broken :(. We took the dog with us and just had a really nice relaxing time. When there is no computers, no TV, no phones, and Gretchen forgets her books all you can do is relax. Which we both EXTREMELY needed at that point. I just wish it could have been more than one night up there :). Maybe we can make it a bi-monthly trip or something... hmmmm, might have to talk to the Tato about that (that's his new nickname for himself, Matato but I just call him tato).

It's beating!!

So we had our 3 month exam today (me and the baby) and were able to hear the heartbeat. Oh, what a neat, amazing, breathtaking sound. It's real. I have a live, real, living human growing inside of me. It sounded a lot like a mix between strong wind and a soothing ocean wave crashing. Wow. It was like 5 hours ago and I'm still flabbergasted!! :) Really brings this whole thing a lot closer to home. I'm gonna be a mommy!!!!

daddy's rock!

So my dad has been here for the past week. It's insane, having so many people visit in such a short time, but so fun as well. It's been a blast having him here, not stressful at all. I love my daddy so much and miss seeing him often! Yesterday we went to this great little town called Jerome. It was a copper mining town back in the day (the mine closed in 1953) and is built litterally into a hillside. It's insane!! It took almost 45 minutes to drive 12 miles to the town from Prescott. (say it like biscuit-prescit, not pres-cott :)). It was all windy and straight down from the road to the bottom of the mountain. Heights have never bothered me before, but this dangnabbin baby seems to be mixin lots of things up! Whoo.... had to stop twice coz I almost got car sick, but luckly it was almost and it didn't happen. The most fun part about the trip was Chuck.He's a burro (or donkey-whichever you want to call him). He was guarding the old ghost-town part of town when we drove up there. He was in the middle of the road and Matt drove right up to him, rolled down my window (yes, MY window) and then here comes Chuck (that's what I named him) to my window, sticking his HUGE head through it looking for food. I was nice enough to share my apple slices that I'd cut up for the trip with him which made him VERY happy and VERY friendly! He walked along the car with his giant head in the window while Matt drove.



Today Matt and Dad worked in the backyard all day. Since all Arizona houses are walled in by block walls instead of fences, all we see out the back door is cement bricks. So we're putting a little flower garden in part of the backyard. It's going to be really neat. Matt bought some stones to trim the edge and then the flowers will be about a foot and a half off the ground in a raised bed. Purple and yellow flowers make Gretchen happy :).

Well, next Monday, the 30th, we go in for my 2nd doctor's appointment. The 3 month check mark! Yay! Should be able to hear the heartbeat and possibly see the baby in an ultrasound. I'm excited!! We're not sure if we're going to find out the gender yet or not, we'll decide when that choice comes in the office I guess. Most of the sickness part has passed (yay!) although I'm awfully tired. And I'm tired of being tired! Ah well, the joys of pregnancy! :) I just wish I had clothes that fit since I'm in the awkward stage of being almost too big for my normal clothes and too small for as my mom calls them "the fat lady clothes" or maternity wear. Elastic everything kinda scares me to be honest though :). Well, it's time for the old lady to hit the sac, so goodnight everyone! Be prepared for dreams next time as they have gotten crazier (which I didn't think was possible!)

vegas and school

The last week was a blast having Megan here. Things went really well and she seemed to have had a good time. I forget how awesome and amazing my little sister is sometimes, but being with her just reminds me even more. And how crazy she gets sometimes-esp with a lot of Bud Lite in her :).

Today I have my first tw0 exams for my online schooling. I'm nervous, but not too nervous. Haven't studied too much because they're on Health (so easy that I passed the preassessment with 98%-not worried) and English (always a good subject for me, so just doing some brush-up work to make sure I do well). I'm just not sure how into this whole online schooling thing I really am. I guess we'll find out when I get my results. It's harder than I thought to keep myself on track-especially when I've been so focused on the whole baby thing. But now that I'm feeling better (no sickness for a week and a half now-YAY!!) I think I can go into this head on and do the best I can. Which is freaking awesome, by the way. :) Gotta think positive, right? Well, I'm off to do some more last minute studying-wish me luck!!

It's True!

So, I thought my first post in this lovely world of blogginess would be an official announcement. Matt and I are expecting our first child! :) We are soooooooooo super super happy and boy I cannot wait for another 6 weeks of morning sickness. (Which by the way, is the WORST thing you can call it-it's not in the morning, it's after food, after seeing food, after smelling food, after turning on your side, after coughing, so basically LOTS of the time). We're due (hehe, I like that, "We're"-he's not puking or nauseous or getting chubby or having sorness where soreness does NOT belong, but he's due too) on November 10th. In about 11-12 weeks we will be able to find out what the sex is (not sure if we want to yet or not though). We're just hoping for someone happy and healthy and cuter than ever! (once all the yuckiness is removed though :)). Just thought I'd put this official (since we got official word from the doctor today-although I've known for almost a month now, Matt didn't want to tell anyone until the doctor said it was true. But anyone who knows me, knows that things this big won't stay secrets for too long-and it hasn't :). So if you could please just pray for me to get through this crazy transition on my body (and sore throat from revisiting previous meals) and for the baby to be healthy and for Matt not to go too crazy around me, we'd really appreciate it :). Thanks!!