12 WEEKS!

BABY:

SIZE OF A LIME

BABY AT 11W4D

Baby now has reflexes.
Baby's fingers will open and close.
Baby's toes will curl.
Baby's cute mouth will begin to make sucking movements.
Baby squirms when I (or anyone else) touches my belly (I can't feel it yet)


MOMMY:

I am rarely feeling sick now.
I still have headaches.
I still need a nap at least once a day.
I have started to take up prenatal yoga and LOVE it.
We are getting more and more excited for baby to become part of our family.


And last but not least... a video of baby waving!!! We were so excited to see this! It is still hard to believe that is 28 weeks or so, I will be a mommy!!!!

WEEK 9

Baby is the size of a:

PRUNE



BABY:

Bones and cartilage are forming.
Arms can already flex.
Teeth are forming underneath the gums.
If baby is a boy, he is producing testosterone.

MOMMY:

Still getting horrible migraines.
Has only thrown up 3 times this week *whooo hoooo!*
Must take a nap once a day.
Is feeling extremely blessed to have this little prune growing inside me.
Tummy is getting harder and rounder by the day :)


In other news: I am flying into Denver today to FINALLY meet my cousin Fiona. I am so excited to spend 6 glorious days with my family!!! And there is supposed to be SNOW!

8 weeks and counting!

So I've decided I just can't up and leave this blog. There has been too much put into it. So- here I go with the updates about the newest news in our lives.

We are having a baby!!!!!

WEEK 8
Baby:

He/She is the size of an olive.
He/She is an inch long.
Starting to look more and more like a baby.


Mommy:

Sick all the time, but rarely throws up anymore.
Killer migraines.
Starting to get a bump already :)
Wants to eat all the time, but can't find out what to eat/

Here is the little olive at 7 weeks when it was just a little raspberry.

We are due July 3rd and have been told the doctor won't let us go more than a week before the induce, so we are looking at July 3rd to July 10th and T is hoping for a fourth of July baby. We aren't going to find out the sex. We both figure it is a gift from God and we shouldn't peek, so gender neutral until the little munchkin is born :)

After trying for as long as we did, we want to say thank you to everyone who gave us support in our journey. It was a very long and difficult one for us and we couldn't have done it without you. We can't wait to share the rest of this baby's life with you.

All our love.

New Blog

In a recent turn of events, I have started a new blog. You can check it out at:

http://www.growingbbtaylor.wordpress.com

It will update the pregnancy and our lives of being pregnant- feel free to take a look.

Love to all.

Where does the time go????

It has been the most insanely busy, overwhelming, loving every minute of it few weeks.

I feel like I have had little to no time to myself.

I am working, going to school, being a mom and being a wife. Not to mention, trying to keep the house clean, workout and continue to do the things God has asked of me. I have never been more busy, stressed out and happy.

H is doing well in school. It seems she has a ton of homework every day, but she likes school and is making friends. It has been such an experience to watch her grow in the 2 months she has been with us. She is incredibly bright. She helps out at home and is growing in the Gospel. She is going to seminary in the morning. She is making friends. She even went to the game on Friday night.

I know this is preparing me for motherhood. I know that the busy schedule and the time and and energy I put into my life and into Heather's is only giving me a slight idea of what it will be like to have a baby of my own. I only hope I can do it with diligence and with love. A lot of love.

I started a new job on Tuesday. I am working as a dispatcher for an alarm company. On the 21st, I start my graveyard shift. I will be working from 630pm to 500am Wednesday through Saturday. I am nervous, but I know that is was something God has a say in. Someone will always be home for H. Tom and I can share the car without having to worry about the other. I will be able to attend Church. And it won't affect my school too much. I know that God has provided me with this awesome opportunity. A chance to start anew.

Exciting news!!!! We have been approved to buy a house!!! I am so excited to finally own something of our own. We are actively looking and I hope we are able to get into something that we like and can stay in for a while. :)

Tom and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary on Tuesday. I cannot believe we have been married for 3 years!!! It has gone by so fast. Despite all of our obstacles and all of our difficult times, I am madly in love with this man. The last 3 years have been the best of my life. He has helped me become the person I have longed to be. I am so thankful for him, for the Priesthood he holds, and for all he does for me. I am honestly looking forward to the next 50 years.

We went camping for our anniversary. We went to Patrick's Point which is 5 hours north on the coast. It was incredibly beautiful, cold and worth all the work that was put into it. We got to see the Redwood's, which I had never seen before. We got to drive through a tree. We got to drive down the Avenue of the Giants and hike. I will definitely be going back there.

Well, other than that, life is good. Busy. But good. I am now below 200 pounds and loving getting back into shape. I feel better than I have in a long time and can't wait to see what the next 40 does for me. :)

Change is inevitable

Change.
It is something that each of go through at one point in our life.
We can choose to do something with that change.
We can let it swallow us if it is not something we want to change.
We can let it guide us to where we are suppose to be.
We can choose to do nothing about it.

A good friend of mine once told me, "Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.” It was written by Frank Herbert and it couldn't be more truthful, at least to me.

On Sunday, I was driving with my MIL out to see sissy. We were talking about the circumstances that have been placed in front of me over the last few months. BIG changes have taken place. BIG obstacles have come my way. We talked about how a year ago, there is no way I would have been able to handle any of these changes. I would have let it swallow me whole and I would have disappeared. I was really sick. Mentally, physically and emotionally. And then my family did something that made me angry. That hurt me. That saved me. They forced me to look at myself. And it took me a long time to recognize that this was a change I needed to go through.

I have always wanted to be a better person. To show people that I really do love them. That they are important to me. I have always wanted to make others proud of me and my actions. I have always wanted to be the girl that had integrity. I have always wanted someone to look up to me. And none of that was going to happen if I stayed where I was at. I was hurting so many people around me, but more importantly, I was killing myself. I was slowly watching myself fall. And thankfully, I had my family and my Heavenly Father there to catch me. And thank you, Mom, for recognizing the change my heart has made.

I know that in my years of destruction (and that was a lot of my life), I hurt many people. I am sorry. I will atone to each and every one of you in one way or another, but know that I know. I have not forgotten. In fact, it is what makes me strive to be a better person, to SHOW you that change has taken place in my life.

I must give this change in me to someone higher than all of us. I have FINALLY, after trying and trying over the years, put my faith completely in God (this didn't just happen, but it is what changed me). It is Him who has changed my heart. It is Him who gets all my praise. I couldn't do it without Him and I know without a shadow of a doubt that He knows what He is doing. I wear a bracelet that was given to me by my aunt everyday that reminds me that He will never forsake me (I know you won't either Fritz). I love that T and I have centered our lives around the Gospel. We pray together EVERY morning. We go to church. We serve. We live for God's purpose. I am so thankful that I have had this opportunity.

A year ago. Hmph! What a year it has been. What a BLESSING it has been.

Thank you baby for hanging in there with me.
For being my strength, my hope, and my feet when I couldn't stand.
Thank you for never giving up on me.
I am so proud of you and so thankful for you.
You are the best thing to have ever happened to me.
I love you!

And thank you friends and family, for being true.
For being there when I needed someone.
My life is made all the more beautiful with you in it.
And thank you for loving me unconditionally.

I am truly blessed.

All my love
XOXO

I'm thirsty anyway- so bring on the rain......

The last few weeks have been a rollarcoster. I am definately ready for things to settle down, although I don't foresee that happening anytime soon.

After my trip to Wyoming, I was let go from my job.
I am really trying to see this as a blessing, as raising a 15 year old is a lot of work.
It took us 3 days to just register H for school and I wouldn't have been able to do it had I been working.
I have also been able to start getting ready to back to school.
I am ahead in my Shakespeare class and have already passed the first quiz :)
It also allows me to be a better wife and make sure T is completely taken care of.

It also allowed me to take a trip with K to Las Vegas to say goodbye to my great aunt Diane.
Aunt Diane was my grandpa B's sister. While I don't know that side of the family very well, it was heartwarming to meet new family members and to see that my family really does belong to the Church.
I was able to see my cousin Nai Nai and her baby boy Rylan Jay.
I was able to finally meet my Aunt C's husband and see where she is living.
And I had my first time on the slot machines and won $315.00. It paid for my trip and for the new tires we needed on the car.

Upon returning, I recieved some news that some of my close family members are having a run of bad luck with their health. Not wanting to break confidentiality, I won't mention names or what is going on, but it just brought me back to the place of wanting to cherish every moment I have with those I love. Who knows when it will be the last time?

The last few weeks, while difficult, have been a blessing.
I have had 2 interviews with great companies and am hoping to hear from them, but still looking.
I am taking 3 classes at the local community college (Shakespeare, American Sign Language and Stats).
I am loving the chance to be a mother like figure to H.
I have lost a total of 68 pounds.
I am training for a 5K in October.
And I am happy.

T is doing well. He is busy with work. And when he is not at work, Church and H is keeping him busy. He loves his job and excels at it everyday. I am so proud of him.

T and I are hoping to be in Colorado come November for baby Fi's baptism. I can't wait to meet her. I also told F that if I don't have a job by the time she needs to go back to work, I'll come to Colorado and be baby Fi's nanny. :) She is doing well and growing stronger every day! I am so thankful for the blessings God has showered down upon her.

All our love.