Hey all you recent moms

I want to know what your favorite baby items were. Do you love your moby wrap? Do you even use that baby bouncer thing? Was your expensive stroller a waste of money? Give me the deets (and the brands)--I am totally clueless. What are your favorite things?!

Thoughts

I copied this off a blog I read. I really like each of them--I feel like they apply to my place in life right now: (I added the pictures)

• “The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you finish the work.” – Pat Clifford

• “If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live” – Lin Yutang

• “I think the most significant work we ever do, in the whole world, in our whole life, is done within the four walls of our own home.” – Stephen R. Covey

• “It is a great art to saunter.” – Henry David Thoreau

• “I haven’t a clue how my story will end, but that’s all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, that’s when you discover the stars.” -Nancy Willard

It is a nice reminder to slow down. I feel like I choose to spend a lot of time sprinting, but this year has really slowed down and I know July and some of the following months will feel very slow after all this busyness. But it is going to be a nice change to saunter. And the last quote is my favorite--I do feel like I'm totally in the dark, but I'm hoping to find something wonderful.

Last week

Last week was a nostalgic one for me and Raimo. On Tuesday we went to the BYU Singers' pre-tour concert. It was seriously amazing and I may have shed a tear or two. I was jealous of all those girls and the great experiences they have every day. They get to do a tour this year and have such a great repertoire. I just realized I will probably never be part of anything like that again. We also went to BYU's National Dancesport on Friday and Saturday nights. It was sad not having any part in the competitions. I enjoyed watching some great dancing and leaning over to talk about all the dancing and costumes with Raimo--he is so fun to go to dance stuff with. We missed being part of the big weekend, Raimo even more than me. I felt a little sorry for myself having a big belly and not having a fit body that can do things like dance. But those feelings come and go... I am still so glad to be in this stage of life now. I am excited to be moving on from the college lifestyle--I have been living it for 6 years now and it has really lost its luster. I am excited to start some wonderful new things this summer and start our family. Only 122 more days! That's 18 weeks or 4.5 months! She is going to be so cute!

Ward Choir

So in January of 2010 our ward boundaries changed and Raimo and I were moved to the BYU 109th ward. I have enjoyed it very much and feel like we have gotten to know so many people. There are still a lot of people I don't talk to frequently, but at this point I feel like there are many familiar faces at church and we at least know each others' names and visit from time to time. When we moved into the ward our bishop called me to be ward choir director. I was really excited to get a music calling, but I was also really nervous to be the one directing instead of singing or playing the piano. For the first 6 months or so I honestly dreaded that 1 o'clock hour on Sundays--I was nervous that no one would show up, that I wouldn't do a good job, that people would think the choir was just mediocre. I would voice all my fears to Raimo all Sunday morning--I had some major insecurities! But we kept having practice, thanks to some really wonderful people who were my faithful members. Finally, after 15 months of this calling, I have become so much more comfortable conducting and leading practice. I am still just making it up as I go (ha!) But I have really learned what it means to be "magnified in your calling." I am magnified by the pianists and singers who come to practice and who have listened to me mess up and been patient with me as I try to explain what I want them to do. They are the ones who really make everything possible. With their help, I am so much more comfortable (and I think better than before) leading them. Now I really look forward to that hour each week, and I always wish we had more time! I am really lucky to have a ward full of musical talent, and I am always so proud of their beautiful performances! I loved every second of our Christmas program--it turned out so great with only a month of practice! I have really missed being in Singers this year, but ward choir has filled that space a little bit. I never thought I would feel that way about ward choir! I am really excited about our Easter music--it's going to sound awesome!

21 Weeks and growing like a weed (or a carrot?)

We had an ultrasound on Tuesday morning! They are so much fun--I was looking forward to it all month. They took a real good look at our baby and we could look at the parts of her brain, stomach, kidneys, spine, and legs. She was looking really long and skinny--the technician says she will definitely fill out more. Raimo says it's because she has dancers legs... hey we can hope. But chances are she will be a shorty like us. We couldn't get a good look at her heart or face because she was face-down, and for the first time was totally unwilling to move. I said how weird that is because I feel her move all the time these days, and she is always kicking. Our technician was surprised Raimo has felt her kick already since it's still pretty early, but actually a few people have been able to feel her move over the last few weeks.

Speaking of kicks, funny story. I was watching dance videos online later that day with the laptop on my legs for about an hour. Baby started kicking and moving around a TON during this, and was kicking for probably 20 minutes or so. Either she wanted me to turn down that music, or she was really feeling the beat.

So anyway, they measured her skull and all different parts and everything seems to be looking on track. Also, she is 15 ounces, so just about a pound! She is sure growing fast, and I guess we were not at all set back by the two week due date move-up. I am 21 weeks today:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

I love my little kicking carrot.

The three of us

went on a date

to Los Hermanos.

I wore maternity pants.

20 Weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have hit the halfway mark today! I can't believe how long she is now (according to this website). I don't think she is quite 10 inches, but hey what do I know?

How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

Congratulations! You've hit the halfway mark in your pregnancy. The top of your uterus is about level with your belly button, and you've likely gained around 10 pounds. Expect to gain another pound or so each week from now on. (If you started your pregnancy underweight, you may need to gain a bit more; if you were overweight, perhaps a bit less.) Make sure you're getting enough iron, a mineral that's used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, your body needs more iron to keep up with your expanding blood volume, as well as for your growing baby and the placenta. Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women. Poultry (especially the dark meat) and shellfish also contain iron. Some common non-meat sources of iron include legumes, soy-based products, spinach, prune juice, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals.

It's interesting that I have only been interested in red meat--I'm turned off by chicken and white meats. No weird cravings--just crave the usual foods as always. I would love some chocolate ice cream with reeses cup right now. For the most part I have been eating pretty healthy food, mostly because I have been buying groceries more often to save money. We hardly eat out, which I miss! Now for the gaining a pound a week--yikes. I still have 20 more weeks! How is that going to work out? A 20 lb baby?

I can't wait to hold her!

In the last two weeks,

pregnancy has started to feel really different. I still go to bed early and get pretty tired, but have more energy and feel more like myself. I other news, I have started wearing some of my maternity clothes. The baby seems to be growing at full speed. I have felt a lot of movement in the last few weeks, and love feeling her little kicks. She seems to want more space. She is, after all, the size of a large heirloom tomato. I am excited for my next appointment coming up. It is requiring a lot of patience not knowing where this baby will be born and where she will live. I want to start working on a baby room, but we will just have to take this semester one week at a time. Raimo is really swamped, so I am just trying to be the most positive pregnant lady. Hopefully by April we will have some options. I am so excited for him to be done with school!

He is mine

Last night as we were putting a frozen pizza in the oven, Raimo and I realized this is our 5th Valentine's Day together. We have been together for a long time! 5 years ago was our first kiss, and 3 years ago we got engaged, so it is a pretty special holiday for us. We both had to agree last night that this was our worst Valentine's so far!!! haha we laughed as we said it because it was still a nice night, but the previous years were pretty spectacular. This year we chose to buy a Valentine laptop instead of going out to eat and doing gifts. It was a pretty expensive gift, but one we have needed for a while! So last night we just had pizza and watched some tv together and just said some I love you's, and as usual I fell asleep on the couch at 9:15 PM. What a party. Honestly though, Valentine's should always fall over a weekend--it is so much better than a Monday night. Still, we had fun and I love love love my hubby. Here are the only recent pictures of us. I was one month pregnant and was starting to figure that out that weekend.
Love him

It is a little scary...

just how fast my belly is growing. There seemed to be absolutely no change for the first 14 weeks. Then I had a small doughnut below my belly button. Then I hit week 17, and suddenly I am growing every single day. It's still not very obvious to other people because I don't wear any of my small clothes (they definitely don't look good--just make me look like I ate a small animal whole). Thankfully my wardrobe is pretty flexible with some bigger shirts. But Raimo and I just look at my belly when I'm getting dressed, and we're thinking "what's going on in there?!" I have a firm, low pooch right between the hip bones. Yikes! I pretty much leave my jeans unbuttoned all day. It is all happening so fast! I will have to upload some photos if we ever get a new computer.