The Final Phase

Hello blog world. You may have noticed there is a baby the size of an eggplant inside of me. I am now a couple weeks into my 3rd and LAST trimester! I can't even believe it. 3 more months and I will be a mom. As to update my stats- according to my latest checkup a few weeks ago, I have gained a total of 7 pounds. Since I had originally lost 4 pounds from being so sick... I'd say we are making serious progress. I have another appointment in a week and I have a feeling that number will have gone up even more due to the giant bag of peanut butter m&ms Karl bought me. Baby boy is still kicking like a champion. It's so funny to have a book or something on top of my stomach and watch it move randomly. I'm feeling very tired (and perhaps extra sensitive if you ask my husband) and heartburn is a killer. It is also a bit harder to do every day things.. like bend over. Other than that, I'm going strong! In fact, I just got a part time job as a tutor! Moving on up.

(26 weeks)

Earlier this month, my parents got to host an exchange student from Australia! Meet our mate Bryce. He even got to celebrate his 17th birthday while he was visiting AZ.

My family couldn't get enough of him. We never did perfect our Aussie accents. While he was here, he got to do a lot of super fun things with his fellow exchange mates, and we got to go on adventures with him as a family as well. Here are some pictures from the night we went go kart racing.

(Karl & Bryce)

Being as I'm so pregnant... I watched.

But we did do some fun things that I could participate in... like eating! We went to AH-SO, the Japanese restaurant where they cook the food right in front of you, for dinner one night. Now that is fun had by all. My dad unfortunately was out of town for work. You can also kind of tell in this picture that we recently buzzed Karl's head. I think he looks so tough and handsome. WINK

Karl and I also got to see my older brother's band perform a couple weekends ago.

And if you could only see what we have going on now! We are making some wonderful changes to our house! Right now it's a complete disaster... but come next week, you will surely be amazed! Stay tuned.

2012!

Merry Christmas!

And a Happy New Year from the Reeds!

To kick off this glorious new year... I am doing some purging. I listed things I'm giving up for sale as well as some of my latest designs HERE on OWL TREE.

The Good Life

Well... I graduated with my B.A. in Elementary Education. I know it's like a super big accomplishment... but right about now- I feel like big whoop. I know my mom will slap me in the face for saying that. I know it's a big deal and a great accomplishment. I just don't feel any different. I have had a great schooling/college experience. I feel like school has always come really easy for me. I'm not being boastful. I count that as a real blessing. I know school is very hard for some people. But I was able to obtain good grades to graduate in the top 10% of my class as well as graduate from college debt free. My aunt Kristi was very big on education. When she passed away, she left her money for all her nieces and nephews to obtain a 4 year degree. I am the first person to graduate and be so greatly blessed by her gift.

SO. Now what? Well. I'm not planning on teaching due to the fact that there is a baby rapidly growing inside of me, and very soon my main job will be as a mother. It didn't take me very long to realize that sitting around for the next few months would be boring and depressing. So I've applied for various part time tutoring jobs. We will see where that goes. I am also doing photography still. Besides that, I have been home. A lot. My main focus is to not eat my feelings and become obese. (Which I tend to lean towards when I'm bored.) So I decided I needed to get into an exercising routine. That's when I stumbled upon this beauty for only $4! Can you believe it!

A workout DVD for pregnant women! Holler. How perfect. I don't have to go outside where it's cold or drive to the gym. I'll just get buff and bodacious with my baby bump right on my family room floor! So far I have been really sore from it!... And keep in mind I've only done the warm up stretching part! haha Every time I do it this movie scene pops in my head.

Hahah oh man. Get's me every time!

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

A boy. We are having a boy! It is so nice to be able to say that. I much prefer saying 'him' than it. Knowing the gender makes it seem so much more... real. I can start thinking of how I want to decorate, I can look at specific clothes, I can think more seriously about names. A little boy. (*sigh)

The day we found out was an exciting one for sure. My ultrasound was scheduled for 3:30 in the afternoon. Karl had to go all day at work, and I had to go a full day of teaching anticipating it! When the time finally came, we were excited out of our minds. Instead of just finding out during the ultrasound, we wanted to things a little differently.

I didn't like the idea of finding out what our baby was going to be in a dark room with some stranger while Karl sat on one side of the room and I laid uncomfortably (about to pee my pants due to an extra full bladder). I wanted it to be more special than that. More fun. SO I was so excited to hear this great idea that could give me the greater moment I was hoping for. (Thanks Kaelin!)

Instead of having the ultrasound tech tell us what the baby was, we had her write it on a piece of paper. We then took that piece of paper with us to target. We picked out a boy outfit and a girl outfit.

Then, we took both little outfits to the cash register. We explained our situation to the cashier and so kindly asked her to look at the piece of paper, ring up the appropriate outfit and place it in our prepared gift bag. I'll admit she looked at us funny, and we probably did look pretty stupid turned around as she fulfilled our secret request. When we were all ready to go, we took the gift bag with our baby-to-be's first outfit out to the parking lot. We had plans to go to a park or out to dinner so we could open our gift. We barely made it to the car... haha As soon as we reached our car, we ripped open the gift and discovered the sweetest little plaid BOY shirt. I squealed and cried as Karl picked me up and hugged me in the parking lot. I just knew I was going to get a little boy first. Knowing for sure that a little son was coming filled me with such joy that I could not contain myself. As we drove home, even Karl got tears in his eyes. We could not be happier. I called my mom as soon as we got home and I had to take the phone away from my ear as she screamed and informed the whole house (and neighborhood) it was a boy! I think we are all pretty happy.

Here is his cute little alien face.

I am now 5 months along!! (20 weeks and 3 days to be precise.) An update: I've gained 2 pounds. Hard to believe there is a cantaloupe in there!

He is a very active little guy. During the ultrasound, the tech kept having to re-record the heartbeat because he would be moving so much that she couldn't keep track of it! I love feeling him move. The other night, Karl even got to feel him. (*Another sigh)

Come One, Come All!

I will be there selling some of my digital prints!

Lately...

Allow us to update you on all the latest and most important current events...

I would have to say the greatest current event is that here as I blog, I am beginning to FEEL THE BABY MOVE for the first time!!! hehehe This is nuts.

"You're Starting to SHOW!"

I am now 4 months along (16 weeks and 2 days if you speak pregnancy). According to my most recent check up.... zero pounds gained.... But "You're starting to show!" is something I've been hearing a lot of lately. Sometimes.... I get excited and agree. Other times... I'm like 'scuse me- what did you say? I still have mixed feelings about it. I think a lot of the time it depends on what I am wearing... and how much I have eaten that day. Mostly people just see a food baby I think. Which speaking of! Our baby is now the size of an avocado. I love me some avocado. But pardon my French... isn't an orange bigger than an avocado? Is our baby shrinking?? Maybe Fry's just sells the skimpy ones. Anyways... I thought I just needed to start documenting this pregnancy's progress a little better. The little one has got a good, strong heart beat. I haven't felt any movement yet, but the doctor says baby cakes is very active. We find out the gender of our first born November 30th! I can't wait. I have been so sure that it is a boy... but just recently I have begun to think... What if it's a girl!? We will just have to wait and see!

As for my deprived SNL fans. I really do apologize. We had every intention of recording a show tonight but... Grandma got ran over by a reindeer. Just kidding. A car. Not run over by a car. Just in a car crash. And I only joke because she is fine. And I love her. But as you could imagine... we were slightly occupied tonight. Hang in there for one more week!