Babysitting, Big, & Back Aches

So starting January on the days I don't work as a dental assistant I've been watching my friends little girl named Bella who turns 2 tomorrow. She is so cute and it's so fun to have a bud to go and do stuff with. Since Martin Luther King Day all the parks in Indiana were free we went to the zoo. We got to see the dolphin show ( which is awesome ). The dolphins do all these jumps and all sorts of cool tricks. Then we saw the penguins, pet the baby sharks, saw the tigers & bears and left. I must say I was just as excited as she was. It's pretty sad that you realize that you are still a kid yourself and get excited to see all the animals :)

I must say that my belly feels huge. She sits so high that I find that I can't eat that much before I'm so full. Then in an hour I'm hungry again. I can tell she's getting bigger because I have the lovely back aches. However, I think I caused one episode of really bad back pain by sitting for 5 hours and sewing on my new sewing machine. I decided to make couch covers for the arms of our couches since they got beat up when we moved. However, after I finished the fabric was a bit off so off to the fabric store I go to get the right color :)

7 1/2 weeks left and then I'm a mommy I'm so excited :)

29 Weeks

29 weeks

I feel her move all the time! I literally will be sitting in church and jump because she'll jab me when I'm not expecting it.

I've also found it very interesting that when I feel the spirit really strong she goes crazy and moves a lot.

3rd Trimester my nausea has picked up from once a week to every other day. I throw up more than I did in my 1st Trimester.

I can't eat large meals because there's no room. I just have to eat more often during the day.

I crave milk, fruit, and protein.

christmas lights

We went with the Hirschi's down to the Christmas lights and it was so beautiful!

The temple is so breath taking!

Jordon with little Ben on his shoulders. I love his giggle!

Ryan & Matt were posing in front of the temple. Don't ask me why Ryan turned his back side to the camera I guess he likes that side, lol.

Ryan and I. I was so bundled up I had 2 wool coats on, thermals under my jeans, hat, gloves and my heated belly.

Brynlee was all Bundled up as well!

Ryan's Done with SCHOOL !! For the semester

Yay so Friday was such an exciting day! Ryan had his last final for the semester. Now it was time to party! We played all day. We went shopping at the mall for Christmas presents, then came home and got pizza and watched one of my favorite shows Wipeout. I find it so funny! There was a woman who won the $50,000 and she has a 3 month old. That motivated me to enter after the baby comes.

Going out for the evening and posing for my 25 weeks pretty much 26 now.

I had the flu this week :( It was no fun! Sprite was my #1

SANTA!!!

So for the ward Christmas party Ryan was Santa and made such a good Santa!

Liz W/ Bella and TIffany with Baby Tenley

Fertility vs. Infertility

So this morning I woke up at 9 after going to bed at 10 and still feel that I could sleep a couple more hours. My eyelids on my mission would swell up because I was so tired. Pregnancy has brought back this interesting swelling of the eyelids. Last night I went to bed with swollen eyelids and woke up with them still there. This morning I didn't help the matter by sitting down while eating breakfast and reading an ensign article entitled "The Christmas I remember Best." This story talks of a woman who always wanted to be a mother but once she got married was diagnosed with infertility. She talks of the blessing one Christmas time being called with the news that they were being given a little boy. Of course my swollen eyelids swelled with tears as I sat and read this woman's experience. To read this copy and paste this URL:

https://lds.org/ensign/2011/12/the-christmas-i-remember-best?lang=eng&query=Christmas+remember+best+december+(publication%3a%22Ensign%22)

Lots of my friends have gone through the battle of infertility for years because of PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) or other causes. I too have PCOS and before I got married was worried I would be infertile. I went to the doctor's and they put me on a fertility medication, Metformin, that would help regulate my system without hormones and increase my odds for being fertile. I having being blessed with getting pregnant am still very aware of how lucky I am and my heart continually goes out to those who feel the pain from infertility.

I just want to say to those who have gone through this my heart aches for you. However, I am amazed at the strength you choose to embrace in these difficult times in your life. I know that the Savior walks side by side with these noble woman who have the most righteous desires. If fertility so happens to be a struggle for me in the future I just want to say that you're example and incredible attitudes will lift me up.

The Holiday Spirit

The holiday spirit brings about a feeling of rejuvenated excitement for living a little better. I get this determination that I am going to be more thankful this coming year, more dedicated to my study of the scriptures, take the time to love in the moment. I think about one thing I notice from all the great examples in my life that I am most thankful for and that is they always take time to show they love me regardless of how busy they might be.

Life is such a fascinating experience to be apart of! I think of the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" and can't help but think of one of my favorite quotes.

Attitude

"The longer I live the more I realize the importance of attitude on life. Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, then money, the circumstances, then failures, then successes, then what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a home, a church. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it."

I have had this quote since I was a teenager and memorized it so I could let it become a little bit more apart of who I am. But the fact is I am grateful for these holiday seasons because it reminds me of what I've wanted to accomplish in this life and what character I want to leave this world with.