Pregnancy Photos

35 weeks

Gizmo seems to have found a favorite place to kick...my right side near my ribs.  In fact,  most of the movement I felt was on the right side of my body.  Usually when I shared the fact that he was kicking and someone would try to feel him, Gizmo would then act shy and stop kicking.

36 weeks

While in Utah for the holidays I tried to get out and walk as often as the weather would permit.  My mother-in-law and sister-in-law often would walk with me (or I was walking with them) and since the sidewalks and roads were often covered in snow and ice, they would link arms with me when crossing the streets.  It was great exercise, even when it was only 8 or 9 degrees for over a week.

37 weeks

I got home from our holidays to very warm weather (the upper 70's during the day and low 60's at night).  I did go to the doctors after having been gone for one month.  They did an ultra sound and measure Gizmo's head, stomach and femur and estimated that he weighs 6 pounds 10 ounces.  His head is down and I was dilated to 1 centimeter. 

38 weeks

Another ultra sound this week.  This time they were measuring his heart beat, the flow of blood through the umbilical cord, the amniotic fluid in my uterus and his lungs.  I'm sure there were a few other things that were tested.  Gizmo scored an 8 out of 8...which is good, I think.  Two weeks left.  I'm getting excited to meet this little guy.

New Years Eve

We spent New Year's Eve at SM's brother's house.  We had a fun evening of games and food.  Several of us took short naps so that we could make it until midnight.

Some of the kids at the party!

Cute couple!

Brothers!

My sister-in-law put her hair in a mohawk just for me.  So, does that mean next year I wear the mohawk?  Maybe I'll just have my baby wear a mohawk!

Family Baby Shower

My mother-in-law and sister-in-laws threw me a baby shower over the holidays.  Yep, lots of baby showers.  Lots of people that love my baby.

My mother-in-law served hot chocolate with lots of accessories.  Look how beautiful the set up, ribbons on the glasses and  marshmallows on sticks.

This is the my family and I love them so much!

Here's the big happy bunch of us!

This onsie was handmade by one of my SIL.  Yep, this got the tears a flowing.  Thank you!

Christmas Day

Christmas morning presents...we didn't bring presents with us but we did buy a few things while we were visiting.  You'll notice that I forgot to bring Christmas stockings and so SM volunteered a pair of his exercise socks and we stuffed them full of fun Christmas treats.

Christmas afternoon two of SM's brother's and their families joined us for games and food.  Above is the kids play Just Dance 4 on the Wii.  They played together so well.

We start training the kids at a very young age.  They loved this game called Spot It where they had to look at their circle in front of them and then compare it to the circle in the center.  If they found something that matched the two circles, they shouted out the matched pair and whoever did that first, gained the circle card.  And whoever had the most cards at the end of the game...won.

And the guys played Race for the Galaxy...a game that us girls don't like to play very often.  There were other games played by all.

And back to the presents that I opened on Christmas morning...and don't forget my stocking (hee, hee).

SM's brother is counting up his points to see if he won.

 

Look how beautiful the snow is outside on Christmas morning.  What a wonderful day!

Christmas Eve Dinner

Christmas Eve Dinner is a family tradition.  The dinner is lit with candle light, we eat turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and some kinds of salads.  My sister-in-law and I made some fun table lanterns...and then I didn't get a photo of them.  I also forgot to pull out the camera and get photos of the dinner.  Oh well...maybe next year.  Above is a photo of cousins that are also friends.  They sure look alike in this photo!

After the very yummy dinner, we clear out the chairs and tables from the family room and gather as a family for a program.  My father-in-law puts the program together each year.  We usually read several Christmas stories, sing some Christmas hymns and share our thoughts or testimonies about Jesus Christ.

Sometimes it's hard to be the youngest family member.

And I know this is an awful photo but I wanted to share that my husband doesn't like to get his photo taken and he always tells me that he gets that from his mom.  What do you think?  Does he get it from his mom?  Perhaps...

Beignets

During the holidays, the family got together to celebrate all December birthdays...which happens to be only one, and just to be together.  We celebrated by eating beignets, which are like square donuts but are light and fluffy that are covered in powdered sugar. They are yummy!

The kitchen is the place to be...could it be because the beignets are almost ready to eat?

SM's oldest brother was the one who made the dough...he did a great job!  

I know this picture shows that the kids are eating the beignets, but the adults were eating them just as often and frequently.

My sister-in-law is shaking a beignet or two in a bag with powdered sugar...and below is a picture of her daughter eating a beignet (pronounced ben-yay).

Happy faces!

Three cheers for yummy beignets! (and cute nieces and nephews)!

Baby Shower...another one

My mom, sister and sister-in-laws threw me a baby shower while I was in Utah.  This shower consisted of my grandmother, aunt, cousins and a couple of friends from high school and college days.  It was a time to gather, visit and eat some hot soup.  Thank you ladies for a very special day!  (Above is my cousin and her daughter.)

Here we have my sister, my cousin (and her daughter) and me!  Look at all that white snow out the window.  It was a snowy day and  I appreciate all those that drove in the snow to come to the party.

And my good friend from college with her cute kids!

This is my cousin that grew up next door to me (with her two daughters).  We were bestest of friends for many, many years.  It was good to see her again and find out what she's been up to.  She is no longer the Relief Society president in her ward but is in the Stake Primary presidency.  What a busy lady!

Here's my beautiful aunt...my mom's sister.  My mom has brown hair and brown eyes and my aunt has the opposite but they really are sisters.  This comparison can be done in my family with my brothers.  When they were younger they all had blond hair with blue eyes.  Now their hair has darkened a little bit but they still have blue eyes.  Makes me wonder what my baby boy will pull from the gene pool.

Here I am with my sister-in-law and grandmother.  Don't I have a great family?!!

My other sister-in-law (and owner of the house where we held the shower) with her two daughters and my sister's baby boy!  (Check out the genes between those two sisters...brown hair/brown eyes & blond hair/blue eyes...see what I mean about the gene pool in the family!)

And her is a friend from junior high/high school with her daughter!

Here's another cousin (and her daughter) and the wife of my closest in age boy cousin. (I hope that wasn't too confusing).

And another cousin and her baby.  Phew!  I do have a lot of cousins...and this was just a smattering of them.  Thanks for coming everyone.  I felt very loved and spoiled!