Just Another Wednesday!

It's been awhile since I just had a normal blog update about my daily routine.  Personally, when I read blogs that other people write, I like the ones that tell me more about their daily lives.  That is the most interesting part of blogs, in my opinion.

Today I woke up very early, at 4:55 AM.  This is fairly normal for me because my body usually gets me up at that time because staying in one position for too long while I'm asleep can be uncomfortable.  I am sleeping with 5 pillows at night to support myself, so once I've exhausted every toss and turn, I usually have to get up. 

My morning routine is pretty specific.  I get up, make a breakfast of lowfat fruit yogurt and bran cereal, eat that while I take my vitamins and check my Facebook.  I get into the shower and get ready at 5:45.  I am then ready to carpool with Arthur by about 6:45 every morning.  This morning was different because I wasn't feeling very well.

I told Arthur I didn't want to carpool today and I went back to sleep until he was getting ready to leave.  When he left, I got up and started to slowly get going.  Some days this just happens, and I have to be patient with myself if I can't keep up with the pace all of the time. 

I got to work a bit later, and all of the Maternity parking spots were taken.  As I was driving past the parking stalls for Maternity to check, there was a man, yes a MAN getting out of his car where he'd just parked in the last available stall.  I may or may not have glared at him and shook my head.  He just kept walking to the building.  I guess I can't judge him, maybe he has a good reason.  All I know is that if you're going to park in Maternity, then you should at least be a female.  :)

I went in to work and stayed busy the whole day until I left around 5.  I got home and checked the mail and I saw that my birthing gown was here!  My birthing gown is something I ordered to wear to the hospital to have my baby in.  There is something about the hospital gown that makes me feel like I'm sick, or a patient.  I don't want to feel that way, so I ordered something that is functional like a hospital gown, but still helps me feel like a woman.  It's brown with a blue tie.  The shoulders are Velcro so breastfeeding is easy.  The front unties so the back can be exposed if needed.  It's long enough that it covers my knees.  I tried it on and I'm so happy I got it!  It's going to be nice to have something comfortable to wear in the hospital that doesn't make me feel like I'm a patient in.  :)

 After I tried on my gown, I needed a nap.  Arthur came home at 7:30 and I was still napping.  He made dinner even though it was my night.  Arthur is a champion!  I appreciated not having to cook.

We watched America's Got Talent and a few other shows while we ate dinner.  My back was hurting so I took a quick bath and now I'm just getting my blogging wrapped up before we go to bed at 11.  That's a pretty normal day for me aside from the fact that I didn't carpool.  A little boring, maybe - but I know that my life will no longer be boring in 36ish days!  :)

Another update tomorrow!  :)
 

11 Year Surgiversary!

June 4 is a special day.  11 years ago today I underwent Gastric Bypass surgery.  I was 19 years old.  It's a pretty special day for me because on that day 11 years ago, my life changed forever!

I was always overweight growing up and I never felt like I got the chance to be "normal" when I was a child.  I was always the most overweight kid in class and I never felt like I fit in quite right.  Even when my mom wrote in my childhood journal, she talked about how she was worried about my weight at 4, 5 and 6 years old. 

In my mid-teens I had to hide how I ate from my parents.  As I got into my late teens, I started to not care and ate what I wanted, when I wanted.  I really lost all control.  I would store food under my bed or in my closet, afraid that someone would find my "stash" and take it from me.  To this day, I am known to overbuy at the grocery store because I still worry about not having what I will want/need.  That never goes away.

My parents always had my best interest at heart.  My mom took me to doctors from the age of 6 on.  I was always kept on a strict diet and exercise program, until I was 18.  I visited a weight-loss camp twice in my teens to try to force a healthy lifestyle change by removing me from my every day environment.  This did nothing but expose me to social situations I was not ready for, and only pushed me to think about the day I could come home and eat.  My friends always ignored my weight problem and tried to include me the best they could.  I had a very hard time trusting good friends, and still do to this day. 

The list of things I tried is long, and the amount of money spent is high.  Monthly doctor's visits, therapy, Weight Watchers, diet pills, crash diets, "zone" diets, blood type diets, exact menu diets, weight-loss camp (twice), expensive weekly hypnosis sessions for 1 year, shakes, meatless and even fasting were a few of the many things I tried.  Once I realized that I was dealing with a true addiction, I knew that no diet could help me.  I knew that I needed an "intervention".

Overeating to me was very calming.  It sometimes made me very happy or excited if I mixed it with other activities, such as eating socially or eating in front of the computer/television.  I found that when I ate, I instantly felt better, more healthy, and happier.  I would compare it to any addiction, from smoking, to drugs or alcohol.  It was (and is) the same process in my brain, and it is just as hard to quit. 

I had the desire to be successful - I always had my final result in mind.  I was taught from a young age to visualize myself achieving my goal.  My struggle was with the method to get there.  I couldn't stand the taste of diet food, and I had mental breakdowns if I had to force myself to diet.  I felt a sense of panic and alarm when I knew I had to say no to fast food or treats.  I hated not feeling like I could choose what I wanted.  Diets and exercise took my freedom from me, and I hated feeling like I was forced to do something that made me feel so miserable.  I also saw minimal results - which was disappointing time after time.

Eventually, once I decided how I was going to tackle my problem by having gastric bypass surgery, I had mixed reactions from my family and friends.  My mom was excited for me, and worked hard to help me accomplish the goal.  My dad felt I had the ability to change on my own, and encouraged me to work on my weight the "right way" of traditional diet and exercise.  This was frustrating because I knew I had tried it, and wanted to prove him wrong. 

Some of the physical issues I struggled with were a lot of gastric problems such as indigestion and heartburn as time came closer to my surgery.  I could feel the acid climbing up my esophagus, and it was diagnosed as acid reflux.  I also suffered from sleep apnea and after being tested, realized I quit breathing during the night multiple times.  I noticed that the sleep apnea led to tiredness during the day to the point of narcolepsy.  I lost 2 different jobs from falling asleep at my desk.  I didn't think this had to do with the sleep apnea, but my doctor informed me that it did.  Even from childhood on, I had suffered from high blood pressure.  I had no energy, and I was very depressed emotionally.  These were just a few of the physical problems I was dealing with right before surgery.

During the months before surgery, I had been "job-hopping".  I often quit jobs or was fired because I had started to lose interest in life at the age of 18.  Employers did not like that I appeared sloppy as an overweight person, despite how well I dressed or how professional and intelligent I was.  I had numerous relationships, and all of them felt very superficial.  I could not travel or spend a lot of time in places that did not accommodate overweight people well.  I broke chairs, I ripped clothes, and my personality was over the top.  I started to not care about anything.  Everything was a joke, and nothing could keep me emotionally stable.  I was literally out of control.

The simple fact offered to me by my doctor was that I would be dead before I was 30 if I continued to gain weight as I was doing.  The sleep apnea combined with the acid reflux and gall bladder disease, my body was on a fast track to death.

On June 4, 2002 I was my heaviest at 349 pounds.  On that day, I had open Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery.  The goal of the surgery is to re-wire your intestines and stomach, and to make a pouch so just a little bit of food can be allowed in the stomach.  The nutrients are absorbed into the intestines, and sugars and fats are instantly absorbed into the blood stream.  This causes the body to react to a small amount of sugar as if it is a lot.  The result of eating ice cream or other sweets is called "dumping", or what I sometimes call "death".  This violent physical reaction to unhealthy foods is what helps someone who is addicted to food stop their bad habits.  It could be compared to an alcoholic being hungover to the point of passing out every time they take a couple of sips of alcohol.  It trains the body and the mind to not want unhealthy things.  This combined with the reduced size of the stomach forces the body to want less food, and mostly all healthy food.  It is a great tool that takes the choice away from the food addict. 

I saw results very fast, loosing 35 lbs in the first month.  By 2 years after I had surgery, I had nearly hit my goal weight of 149 lbs, which is a 200 lb weight loss.  I have gained back probably 75 of these pounds, but after 11 years, I consider it to be a great accomplishment to have kept it off for so long.  Most of my weight gain has been in the past year or so since I've started trying to conceive and being pregnant.  I'm excited to get back on track once Finn is here and I can focus on a lean diet and some great rigorous exercise. 

I really feel like I have a unique story and that I've been super successful.  Some may consider me still overweight based on how I look today... but I am still very proud of the journey I've taken to come as far as I have since I was 19.  Now, I'm not going to be dead by the time I'm 30, I'm alive and about to bring another life into this world.  How cool is that?! 

Now, I try to help others when they are in the process of trying to decide whether or not to have surgery or which type of surgery is right for them.  I usually ask questions to understand why they are dealing with obesity in the first place.  To understand their triggers and the root cause, I can then help them decide on the best surgery option for them... or help them see if surgery is even right.  There is no specific answer for any person, because everyone is so different.

I am excited to have Finn here so I can show him healthy eating habits while still allowing him choices when he is starting to eat as a toddler and a child.  I know I can't make a big deal out of food, and I know that I must allow him the ability to choose from a variety of healthy options.  I have to set an example for him and I know he will follow my lead.  This is a big responsibility, but I am confident that I am ready for it! 

Here is me before:

Happy 11 years to me!  And here is to many more!   :)

70th Post and Pregnancy Update

Can you believe there are only 38 days left until my "guess date" of July 11?!  I am so surprised that the time has really flown by since my 20 week ultrasound.  I think the first half of pregnancy is definitely the most  challenging. 

Last time I updated about my pregnancy, I was just over 30 weeks along.  I am now 34 weeks, and will be 35 this upcoming Thursday.  The physical changes have definitely been more drastic over the past few weeks, and I've really started noticing how different my body is getting as I get further along.

The biggest changes are how I'm moving around, and how I balance my body.  I am carrying Finn really far back, and so I often get comments about how much I'm not showing, or that people are really amazed that I have just over a month left.  I know that when you have your first baby, you may not show as much as a second time mom does who has already been stretched and her body is able to accommodate a growing baby.

I had a tummy tuck back in 2005 and so my lower stomach is very tight where the plastic surgeon tightened my stomach muscles and removed skin from the weight I lost from gastric bypass.  Finn has been hanging out mostly sideways, and I can usually feel his feet and legs towards the top-right side of my body.  I think he is positioned upside down with his head at my pelvis.  This is a good thing, and I think my positioning techniques are working. 

In our Hypnobirth class, Arthur and I learned about positioning techniques that will help Finn be in the best position for birthing quickly and easily.  This position is him facing backwards (towards my bottom), with his head down and his feet straight up in the air.  If he faces forward, looking the same direction I look, it can be a really painful back labor.  I am trying really hard to keep my body in positions that encourage Finn to be turned the right direction.  One of these techniques are to "make a hammock", which means lean forward as often as possible and make my stomach like a hammock that encourages him to relax into my stomach with his back facing the front.  I think I've done a pretty good job so far, but I know he can turn as time comes closer to when he arrives.

My only complaints these days are a sore back and the occasional headache.  I really do feel good most days, and I surprise myself when I remind myself that I am almost done.  I think I assumed that pregnancy would be so much more miserable at this time.  Part of it might be the stories I've heard and part of it could be from what I've seen on TV/movies.  I think my attitude has a lot to do with it, and the fact that Arthur doesn't have much tolerance for negativity...  He is really great at reminding me of the positive things like "At least you're pregnant!"  Anytime that Baby Finn is rolling around on my bladder, or hiccupping for the millionth time in a day, I verbally say how grateful I am that he is moving.  I really appreciate how active he is.  :)

I haven't felt any "practice surges" or Braxton Hicks contractions.  I sometimes feel my stomach get hard, but then I wonder if it's just my imagination.  I occasionally get minor cramping in my lower abdomen and so that could be it.  I really am looking forward to the real feeling of a legit contraction, because to me it will mean progress.  I hope I maintain this positive outlook and excited mentality.  I do see many people in my life who get to the end (39, 40, 41 weeks) and start to say that they want the baby out now.  I think since I still have 5 weeks left until this point, I am not yet feeling that stir crazy emotion.  I am not sure it will happen for me, but I know that I am prepared for when I start to stress out about his arrival.

I have our next doctor's appointment this coming Friday with our new Certified Nurse Midwife.  She met with us 2 weeks ago, and I loved everything about her.  She works with a group of Nurse Midwives who back each other up and deliver babies at American Fork Hospital.  I was so grateful to have her say some of the things I have been hoping for in the person who would deliver my baby.  I made the right choice to "fire" my OBGYN.  I will tell more about this in a future post.

I didn't want to publicize it, but I have decided to post every day this month in anticipation of Finn's arrival.  This will give me something to focus on every day, and it will help me to document the progress I make as I get closer.  If I miss a day, I won't beat myself up, but I am definitely going to make a very conscious effort to try.  :)

How far along:  34 Weeks, 4 Days
How much time left:  5 Weeks, 3 Days

Top two symptoms:  Backache and headache.  I've got Tylenol and a blanket I use at work to keep my back supported.  I am now sleeping with 5 (yes 5) pillows at night to help myself feel supported.  I sleep really well most nights, which I appreciate.

Favorite thing I ate today:  Fresh green beans from Costco.  SO GOOD!

Mood:  Excited now that time is getting closer to his arrival.  I am more excited for the birth process than anything.... is that weird?!

Worried about:  I'm not worried about too many things at this point.  I think my main concerns is that he will decide to come early and he will mess up my last few weeks of plans before he gets here... but if he gets here early, then it must mean he's ready.  I know he's pretty much done cooking, he just needs to fill out a little before he comes out.  I want a healthy fat baby boy!  :)

Excited for:  Time off of work!  I will be taking 4 months off starting when Finn arrives.  I get 6 weeks maternity leave, 6 weeks bonding time and 4 weeks paid with my eBay 5 year sabbatical.  That equals out to be 16 whole weeks!  I won't have to go back to work until November.  How nice is that!?  I am excited to have a brief taste of being a stay-at-home mom.  Arthur likes to bet that I will go stir crazy, but I think I will do just great.  I am looking forward to a break and to focusing on something that isn't an email or a PowerPoint.  ;)

Nursery Updates!

I have had the nesting bug really bad ever since my little brother Mike moved out.  The last time you saw my nursery, I had only painted the walls.  Arthur and I have been working like crazy to get Baby Finn's room ready for him to arrive.

Once the carpets were cleaned, we slowly started to move everything into his room.  We started with his crib and his dresser.  We didn't have a mattress yet, so I ordered that online and had it shipped 2-day air.  I couldn't wait to make his bed and put his mobile in it!

As soon as his mattress was here, Arthur helped make the bed and I put some of his stuffed animals in it.  I also filled his drawers with onesies and put some books on top of his dresser.  It was great to have my rocker set up in the corner of the room.  As we started to gather things, I would instantly want them set up!

Here are some pictures of the nursery as it is today.  There are just a few things left to get, and then we are ready!

Here is the room, standing at the doorway.  The fish decals we ordered online and Arthur cut them out and positioned them on the wall all by himself.  The 3 orange fish in the middle represent Arthur, Finn and Me.  I loved the way they turned out!  His window seat holds his toys and there is an empty spot for Arthur to sit next to me when we read to Baby Finn.  The curtains are blackout so Finn will be able to nap in the dark.  :)  The curtain panel in the middle came with his bed set and it matches his blanket and crib sides.

Here is the first thing you see when you walk in.  My good friend Jenn made this for his wall.

 

Here is a close up of the picture.  Jenn stitched it by hand out of felt!  I sent her a picture of Finn's mobile on his crib and this is what she created from just a picture!  She is so creative.  :)

 

This is his bassinette.  The blanket on top was knitted by my cousin Andrea.  She matched the colors perfectly with the rest of the room.  Obviously, KitKat loves the bed.  She had a nap in here for several hours one day.  You can see sleepytime Finn behind her from Adventure Time.  I'm excited to roll this into our room when Finn gets here so he can sleep next to me!

Here is a view of the letters I made Finn this week.  I wanted to do letters above his bed originally, but because we decided to do the fish instead, I put them on top of his closet.  I got the letters and the fish shapes from Joann's crafts.  They were originally a natural wood color, so I painted them white and then super glued the fish on.  Arthur helped me hang them up yesterday.  I was so excited to see them finished finally!

Here is a close-up of the letters.  The ribbon holding each letter up is twine, with white stripes painted on.  I got the ribbon at Hobby Lobby.  It ended up really cute, I think!

Here is the inside of his crib.  Right now I'm storing his Boppy in there.  I have a few more stuffed animals in the crib as well.  The bedding is from KidsLine and I bought it on eBay.  Arthur and I looked for a long time for a bedding set that we loved.  We liked this one because the colors were really bright and they were the type of fish design we were looking for.  The mobile is from Arthur's aunt JeNeal.  Can you spot the other Finn we have? 

 

Next to the crib, we have his play mat with a bunch of ocean toys on it.  I'm excited to let him lie on it and play with the toys.  I also got a MamaRoo bouncer for him from my mom and dad.  They loved going with Arthur and me to the baby store and picking it out with us.  They were so excited to buy something for Baby Finn!  It is a really cool bouncer, it moves like a person bouncing a baby.  There are sounds and an iPhone jack so I can play music for him while he relaxes in it.  If you haven't seen the cool MamaRoo video, you'll have to check it out. 

 

Here is the video for the MamaRoo:

 

Here is a picture of Teddy Ruxpin trying out our MamaRoo:

 

Next to his window seat is my rocker.  I got this from Arthur's mom for Christmas this past year.  I usually put on his fleece blanket that goes with his bed set and a knitted baby blanket from his Grandma on his dad's side.  Arthur and I got the wall shelf from Home Depot, we liked it because it looks like an ocean wave.  I have a few frames up there right now, one is from his mom showing the birth day and time and measurements for Finn, and the other one is from my sister-in-law Whitney.  It has a great quote about motherhood.  I spend hours in this corner, rocking and listening to music from his mobile.  I like using the Twilight Turtle to put blue stars on the ceiling.  It's really relaxing.  My favorite thing is when Arthur sits next to me on the window seat and he reads books to Baby Finn.  He does all the voices from the books and doesn't skip parts.  :)

Here is his dresser.  The lamp on the left is a cute whale that matches the bedding set we got, also by KidsLine.  In front of that is my Mother's Day snow globe and Baby Finn's journal.  I'll be writing in it before he is born and after he is born so he has something he can read about his birth that I wrote.  My mom did that for me, and it's one of my most prized possessions.  I love reading about my first few days and weeks after I was born.  Next to his lamp, you can see his big pile of books he has already.  I hope Finn loves to read!  Next to that is our baby monitor and his baby album with all of his ultrasound pictures.  In front of those things you can see my essential oils and hot pad that Arthur's mom and brother gave me for my birthday.  Next to that is the fish I made for Finn at Color Me Mine.  Then, you'll see his framed 3D ultrasound picture that shows the best view of his face.  I love to spend time looking at it when I'm sitting in my rocker.

Here is the amazing light fixture Arthur found online.  We debated between this one and a ceiling fan with palm leaves, but I'm glad we ended on this one because it really matched his crib and dresser. 

 Overall, the experience of putting his room together has been so fun.  I have loved coming home from every one of our baby showers and putting things away.  We are so lucky to have such generous friends and family to help us get ready for Baby Finn.  I'm excited for Finn to get here so he can enjoy his room!  :)

The last thing I will say about this whole experience is that Arthur has been incredible through this whole process.  He has been SO patient with me and allowed me to be obsessive about even the tiniest detail when putting things together.  He has spent hours moving things around and building things so I can feel like there is a special place for Finn to come home to after he is born.  I am so lucky to have such a hard working and patient husband.  Not to mention talented with great taste! 

Boise Baby Shower

May seems to be Baby Shower month!  I have had 3 so far, and I was really excited for the one up in Boise with my family on my mom's side.  I decided I wanted to have the shower over Memorial Day weekend up in Boise so we could also go visit my Grandpa's grave since he is buried up there.

My sister made a really cute invitation for the Boise shower, and I loved the colors and the fish on it:

 

I had to work on Friday, and I was able to get off a little bit early on May 24.  Arthur came and picked me up and we headed up to Boise.  The drive takes about 6 hours, so I was hoping to do ok seeing that I was 33 weeks pregnant (just over 8 months) at the time.  We stopped a few times and I was able to have enough bathroom breaks, so I did ok.  :)  It was nice to get a nap in on the way up.

Arthur and I arrived at the hotel called The Harrison in Boise around 6PM.  We got checked in and our room was on the 4th (top) floor.  It was the Executive Suite!  I think the executive part was that it had a nice view of the roof.  Arthur and I joked that it was like the Ray Charles suite, because the only person who would enjoy that view would be someone who couldn't see.  :) 

We went to dinner that night at the Cracker Barrel.  It was nice and relaxing, and I felt like I was on vacation.  I realized that this would probably be the last time that Arthur and I get to travel together before we have a baby. 

The next morning, we got ready and I headed over to my Grandma's house.  My sister Adrienne and my sister-in-law Whitney had decorated the house so cute!  They also had amazing fish themed foods!  Adrienne had made blue Jell-O with little fish candies in it.  She also cut out fish shaped fruits and made kabobs out of them.  She also chocolate dipped strawberries and Swedish Fish and put fish faces on them.  The food was delicious! 

Here is the main table decorated with my amazing diaper cake.  We saved a lot of the decorations so we can use them for our shower with Arthur's family in 2 weeks:

Here is a picture of the food and some more of the decorations.  My sister-in-law made an amazing wreath for Baby Finn.  I am going to put it on my hospital door like they do in Texas!  Check out the blue Mambo drinks my sister got!

Here is a picture of Arthur, my grandma and me with the swing she got us.  She was so excited to give it to us!

Some of the kids got bored and went downstairs to play in "The Pit".  The Pit is a big set of couches in the basement where all of the cousins have grown up watching movies and playing. 

Here is the shower crew hanging out on the couch.  It was such a fun day!

After the shower, we hung out and enjoyed the afternoon.  Around 5, we went to the cemetery to visit my grandpa's grave.  It was really nice to see it in person.  It was beautiful! 

Arthur and I didn't stay super long because I was really tired and my feet were starting to swell up.  I needed to put them up for a bit.

That night, Arthur and I went out to dinner and relaxed the rest of the evening.  It was a great time away and I was so grateful for the amazing gifts and time with my family.  I loved seeing all of my fun cousins and spending time at my Grandma's house.
 

Bountiful Baby Shower

My first baby shower was with my team at work.  I had my second baby shower on Saturday, May 18.  I have some lady friends who live in Bountiful by my parent's house who wanted to throw me a shower.  I've known many of them since I was 8 when I moved into the Bountiful house. 

My sister made an amazing invitation for the shower and she and my mom sent them out.  The invitation was really cute. 

The day of the shower, I was super excited.  I got up early and wore a new maternity shirt that I had gotten earlier in the week with a gift card from Arthur.  It was the first bright colors I've worn in awhile, since I have mostly white, black and grey maternity shirts.  I really liked the shading of the colors, and it made me feel happy. 

I drove up to Bountiful and got there a few minutes before it started at 11:00 AM.  It was at the house of a woman who I used to work for when I was a teenager.  I cleaned her house and took care of her elderly mother who had Alzheimer's.  I spent a lot of time there, so I was happy to be back.  There were already a lot of great decorations set up, including an amazing sheet cake made by someone in the neighborhood. 

The dining room table had some cute treats and balloons put up for the party.  I loved it!

A lot of people showed up and I was happy to be able to see so many people from my past.  They were all so generous and I got a bunch of really great stuff!

Here are some more pictures from the shower:

This is Thuryle, Brielle and me.  Thuryle is the woman who hosted the shower.  She is like my second mom!

 



Brielle, Me and my giant "It's a Boy!" cake!

 

My mom and me and my cake:

Here are so more ladies from the neighborhood:

This is a girl I grew up with, she was a year younger than me in school.  Her name is Ashley.  Look how cute her baby girl is!  She is sitting with her mom:

Here is my sweet Aunt Margaret, Aunt Joni and another lady from the neighborhood:

Some more ladies, including my Aunt Kathi and cousin Nikki:

More ladies!

This is the baby shower crew.  Deb is on the bottom left hand side.  She did a lot of the prep work with my mom and sister.  My sister is next to her, then Thuryle.  Then there's me and my sweet Brielle.  My mom and Rene are at the top.  What a great looking group! 

 

Overall, the shower was really fun.  There was a lot of rain and people still showed up!  I also was pretty proud of myself for writing thank you cards as soon as I got home.  Arthur was a big help and he made sure I was able to get through the whole list of gifts and cards before we went to bed that night.  It was so fun going through all of the gifts and showing them to Arthur.  Baby Finn is so spoiled already!  :) 



Birthday and Mother's Day

I wanted to blog about my first Mother's Day and my 30th birthday, because they are both very important events!  I wrote the previous entry early on Mother's Day morning.  When I logged into Facebook that morning, there were so many posts on my feed about Mothers.  I saw so many nice posts from people about their moms, and so I got really teary-eyed.  It was probably the hormones combined with the fact that it was my first Mother's Day, but it was impossible not to cry.  As I wrote my previous entry (you can read it by clicking here), I cried all the way through - happy tears of course.

I set a goal when I finally decided to have kids that I would try to be pregnant before I was 30.  I am grateful that I pushed myself to accomplish that goal, because it wasn't easy.  I still want to write my Trying to Conceive blog entry so I can share some of the things I did to prepare myself to start trying to have kids.  Some believe it is really easy, and for some it is.  For some it is not, and so I feel like sharing my story will help some.

After I wrote my blog entry on Mother's Day morning, Arthur and I spent some time together watching the Mother's Day specials on TV that we'd recorded.  We watched Ellen's baby shower special and everyone in the audience was pregnant.  It was so funny.  While I watched TV, Arthur made me breakfast.  He made me a delicious omelet.  I ate almost the whole thing.  It was nice to eat breakfast in bed.  :)

Arthur then brought me my Mother's Day gifts.  He got me some cute baby outfits and a first Mother's Day snow globe.  The snow globe made me cry, because it was so sweet and thoughtful.  It is all silver and it has 3 ivory colored seahorses in it, swirled around by silver fish.  It was personalized with an engraving on the front. 

It says:
1st Mother's Day
May 12, 2013
Love, Arthur

Here are some pictures of it:

I really appreciated having something that would remind me forever that I got to spend my first Mother's Day pregnant, and before my 30th birthday.  :)

I also got Mother's Day flowers earlier in the week, and they are beautiful:

For my 30th birthday, it was the next day on May 13.  I took the day off so I could spend it with Arthur and do something fun.  I slept in a bit and relaxed in the morning.  Before we got up and got ready, Arthur brought me my birthday presents in bed.  I got some really nice ear buds, some baby clothes and a brown Fossil watch.  Arthur told me that I had one more present that was downstairs, but I had to go see it because it was too big to bring upstairs.  I went down to the main living room, and there was a box with a stroller/carseat combo in it!  I was so happy!  I made him put it together right away. 

I pushed it around the living room for a few minutes, and then we went to get ready for the day.  I had plans to go to a restaurant in Salt Lake called Finn's.  They serve breakfast and lunch and the style is Norwegian.  After I was ready, Arthur took my picture by the door with my new stroller because I was so excited about it before we left.

Here's my new stroller and me in my birthday outfit with my new watch on:

We got in the car and started driving towards Salt Lake.  I realized that we didn't have enough time to go to Finn's and go see the Mummy exhibit at The Leonardo museum downtown.  So, we decided to go to Finn's another day and spend more time looking at the Mummies. 

We parked at The Leonardo and went in and paid.  We walked around and saw all of the Mummy exhibit.  It was really cool!  I loved studying about ancient Egypt when I was in elementary school and junior high.  I had always wanted to see mummies like that, and so it was a great activity on my birthday. 

After we went to the Mummy exhibit, Arthur took me up to my pregnancy massage appointment.  He'd gotten me a massage back on Valentine's day and I hadn't traded it in yet.  He dropped me off and I went in.  The massage table was amazing, they had pillows that lifted my body up that allowed me to lie on my stomach - which I haven't done in months.  I used to sleep on my stomach before I was pregnant!

The massage was great, very relaxing.  I appreciated having such a relaxing time on my birthday.  Arthur picked me up an hour later and we went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.  I ordered the Thai Salmon with jasmine rice.  It was so good!  Afterwards, we shopped around at the mall a bit. 

Overall, it was an amazing birthday and I was really grateful that I had such a fun husband to share it with.  One of the main reasons why I married Arthur is because he always makes holidays so special.  I never have to worry about being forgotten on my birthday.  :)