December 29th...

Today my mom has been sick so we (Derek, Morgan, my dad and I) hung out all day. First we went to bowling at 9:30am. Then did a little bit of shopping for my dad. Then we were off to Casa Grande to visit a friend from work and have Morgan ride her horses. Morgan has never been on a horse before and she was a natural! IT was super fun to watch the joy on her face when she rode those horses! I love that Janet was such a good teacher and the experience was a great one. After riding for a couple hours we can home and Derek, Papa and I took naps while Morgan played her just dance wii game. IT has been a great day of keeping my mind off of getting cut open tomorrow but here we are the night before and I have to say I am getting a little stressed out!!! It seriously doesn't feel real!

December 28th...Shopping

Yesterday was my full 8 hours of work. Today was our full 8 hours of shopping before the baby comes. We went to the outlets to return Christmas gifts. Then to more outlets to return some other things. Then to Target to get a car seat which was out of stock everywhere but at a Target 30 minutes away. Then to the Temple to get garments. Then Desert Book. Then Cafe Rio for dinner and then to the other Target to get the car seat. At 8:20pm we finally got home to find that we were one bag short from the Target that was far away. After putting my jammies on I headed back to Target to get the bag of stuff that was left behind. We left at 9:30am and got home at 9pm! What a long shopping day!!!!

December 27th...Last day of work

I just have to mention how grateful I am to have an amazing job in a terrible economy. Today was my last day of working 8 hours before going on maternity leave. I get to have 8 weeks off paid and I am so grateful and feel so blessed that after having a baby I am not only able to stay home and be with her, but that I get paid to do it! It was a super hard shift at 39 weeks pregnant, long, tiring and I was pretty short with people. All and all though it was a good day and it was good to leave at the end of the night knowing that I have two days left till I get to met the little one inside of my belly!

December 26th....

On December 26th I work from 9am-1pm. After working since Derek had the car and was golfing I went to the Chandler Mall and ate lunch and walked around for an hour and a half. It was super busy and my feet got super puffy. My friend Aubrey came and picked me up when she got done with her stuff and then she took me home. At home I got ready for my parents to get into town. Derek had cleaned EVERYTHING, which was such a blessing, before he went golfing so I just had to fold laundry and get ready. At about 5:30pm Derek and I drove out to the trailer park that my parents are staying at for the next two weeks. We talked, helped them load presents in the car, and then headed to Golden Corral for dinner (since there aren't any close to my parents in California my dad really wanted to go there). After dinner it was back to our place for Christmas with my parents. My parents were more then generous this year. My mom was able to find my favorite CTR earrings that I have had since high school and when I lost one of them last summer I was devastated. She also got my the petunia pickle bottom diaper bag I wanted. I got perfume and then some jammies and essentials for the hospital. She got Derek golf balls, new shirts and ties (she said to bless her grand baby in so he looks nice), new wheels for his longboard and a very cool picture of Dodgers stadium. Like I said everyone was super generous and I am very grateful for all of the gifts given to us. Our baby girl was very spoiled this year too. Even though she was not yet born Morgan and my parents bought her clothing and toys to give to our little blessing.

Christmas 2012

This was the first time in 27 years that I wasn't at my parents for Christmas. It was very hard for me. I worked the day before and the day after Christmas so it left no time to go anywhere, plus with me being 38 weeks pregnant I was not able to go anywhere any ways.

Derek and I got up in the morning and exchanged gifts. Derek got a skimboard, a baseball case, and the Dark Knight rises movie from me.

Derek gave me a coach wallet which is brown and a Arizona State Rocking chair for me and my baby girl!

We both loved our gifts and were very grateful for them. Then we laid around all day just relaxing. At 4:30pm we headed ver to Aubrey and Jex's house for dinner and to hang out with Jentry. Then we went to Nathan and Jessica's house to hang out with the Russells. All and all it was a good Christmas, but it just wasn't the same not hanging out with either of our families!

 

Our last Sunday as a "Couple"

Today was very hard for me knowing that this whole baby thing is happening a week from today. I am not meaning to brag when I write this post, but instead just letting everyone know how blessed I am. Today during our sacrament meeting I cried on Derek's shoulder (leaving my make-up there as proof) pretty much the whole time. I know they were partially happy tears knowing we will have a blessing enter this world next week, but also sad tears because it won't be just Derek and I any more. We have been very blessed to have such a wonderful marriage that I am a little bit sad to move on and start a family. I know it is all selfish and I know in a week I will experience joy in my life like I never have before, but today was about us. This evening Derek asked me if I wanted to go for a walk (not something we usually do). I told him I would love to walk around the temple. We got dressed and drove over to the Mesa Temple and spent an hour there walking, talking, and of course taking pictures. I have to say I loved every minute of today and the fact that I have been eternally blessed with such an amazing man in my life!

40 hours a week, 38 weeks and a scheduled c-section....

It has been CRAZY lately! I have been working 40 hours a week at Costco right now. Tis the season. That is the reason I am up right now at 5:45am is because I was worried I was late getting photos printed and stressing about it in my sleep. Which is beyond silly! I seriously can't wait for the holidays to e over even though I am going to miss the hours and the pay!

At my 38 week appointment we signed the paper work for me to have a c-section. My doctor has totally been against a c section the whole time and then last week he told us to really think about our plan because c-section was probably the best way to go considering all of my minor complications. Since I am retaining too much amniotic fluid, my cyst that has to be removed, my diabetes and my baby that is already measuring to be 8lbs with two weeks left we should be safe. Derek and I took a week to think and pray about it and when all was said and done we signed the forms to have a c-section last Monday. We then waited and waited to hear back from the Hospital (who schedules the c-section) and they gave us a date and time of December 30th at 10am. If she doesn't come sooner on her own then we will be having a New Year's party every year to celebrate our little girl's birthday =). This made me pretty happy inside! I am so excited and yet haven't been too nervous yet. I think I will get nervous once I stop working next Friday and have time to actually think about everything! 

Hospital visit and Maternity photos....

This past Saturday Derek and I went to the Chandler Regional Hospital to do our hospital tour. As we were there with three other couples they showed us everything we would need to now about our visit with them. When it was about time to leave the nurse ask all of the couples when their due date was. The first said late February  second said February 7th, third said March and then I felt like the bad parent who waits till the last minute. The nurse asked me and I said "January 3rd" to which she replied "Wow you could go into labor any minute" Yeah that made me feel good for procrastinating!


Then today my wonderful husband and I went to the Mesa Temple to take some Maternity pictures of me so here they are at 8 months pregnant.......