Pregnancy Update

Just a little update. I went to the doctor today for my 35 week check-up. Everything seems to be okay. Heard his heartbeat very strong. My blood pressure went down from 2 weeks ago, so that was good. Dr. said that he's head down, and I'm dialated 1 cm. :-) Only 9 more to go, lol. I've been in a LOT of pain lately (back, hips, & lower stomach), and he says it's just going to get worse. Ahh.. the joys of pregnancy.

Christmas 2008

Christmas was very fun this year, except for the fact that a lot of the family was sick. That's never any fun. But we made the best of it. Usually on Christmas Eve, we make goodies for friends, and take them around, caroling. But this year, we decided to do that on Monday instead of Wednesday. For Christmas Eve, we all just spent the day as a family, playing games and hanging out. In our family, we have a tradition that everyone Christmas Eve, we get to open one present, which is usually PJs. This year, everyone got matching ones.

There are a couple of traditions that we do every year. Bethany and I always tell and act out the story of the Polar Express.

My dad always tells the Nativity Story too.

Followed by someone (we switch off every year) putting the star on the tree. This year, it was Bethany's turn.

Here's the four of us on Christmas Day

My favorite present this year wasn't even technically given to me. It was from Santa, to Connor :-) I found a carseat that I REALLY really liked on sale, and bought it, thinking that I would get the matching stroller later. But, after I looked for it forever, I couldn't find it ANYWHERE and then contacted the maker and they discontinuted it, and it's no where to be found. I was so sad, but just have dealt with it. But... on Christmas morning, there was my beautiful stroller, sitting in front of the tree with Connor's name on it. Made me day... made my year, actually!

This year the weather's been a little crazy. It snowed a week before Christmas, and it rained most of the week. My dad had 2 snowmen and a penguin in the front yard... but the day after Christmas, we woke up, and there'd been a snowmen/penguin massacre. They didn't even know they had it coming...

All in all, we had a great Christmas, and we can't wait for next Christmas when we've got out beautiful baby boy with us. Only 5 more weeks til he's here :-)

Please keep Aaron in your prayers...

He's been sick for about 2 weeks now. At first we thought he had the flu. Everyone else in my family had it, so we thought that's what it was... horrible stomach ache and throwing up here and there. But it just kept on lasting, over 2 weeks, so finally I talked him into going to Urgent Care Saturday night, because the pain was so bad he was almost in tears. He's so stubborn and didn't want to go to the doctors. So we were there Saturday night for about 3 hours.... running blood tests, urine tests, etc... and finally, the LAST test that came back showed that he has pancreatitis. So they started him on antibiotics and pain medication, and told him to come back the next day to see if the enzyme count had gone down. So we went in, and it was the same... hadn't gotten worse, but hadn't gotten better. So the doctors ordered a CT scan. So Monday we did that, and then the next day, the doctors called and said that the results showed that yes, he has pancreatitis, but there was no real cause for it.... he doesn't have pancreatic cancer, or gall stones, etc.... which is a very good thing. But they wanted him to go into his regular doctor as soon as possible to do follow up blood work, and to see what else to do. So this morning, Aaron had his doctors appointment, and they said that he needs to just keep on his antibiotics, and to take it easy. They want him to go back this next Monday, and do blood work again, to see if the levels have dropped. From there, they will let us know what to do next. So hopefully everything will be getting better. I've been so worried about him, and I'm just really hoping that everything works out for the good.

Baby Shower with Friends from Work

My boss at work decided to throw me a semi-surprise Baby Shower, for my friends at work, and then my mom and sisters. It was lots of fun. Here's everyone that came :-)

My favorite outfit that a coworker, Laura got me :-) I think he'll wear it his first time to church

I didn't really dig my face into the cake... :-)

We played the game where the labels aren't on the baby food jars, and you have to guess what is what. I was the ONLY one there with no children (besides my sisters) and the ONLY one to get 8 out of 8 correct :-)

Everyone had to guess with ribbon how big my tummy is, without measuring me. So now they're measuring to see who was closest. One girl got EXACTLY the right measurment. Most people guessed way too big, lol.

Party Favor :-)

I Love Christmas!

Aaron and I got out 1st Christmas Tree about a week ago. We were a little nervous picking something out. Not that it's that huge of a deal, it's just something that neither of us have done alone before. It's always been with parents or something. But we had some nice people working at the tree lot, and they helped us out, and we found the perfect tree :-) Of course Aaron had to do all the dirty work of loading it onto the car, and unloading it into the house. I just took lots of pictures :-)

The finished tree :-)

This year, at church, my parents ward asked us to sing for the evening. They asked us to put together about 20-30 minutes of Christmas Carols, to sing while everyone was eating dinner/dessert. So we've been practicing every week for a few months now, and last week we finally performed.

Aaron was also going to sing with us, but ended up having to work a little late.... but he was still able to make it to the party :-)

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was fun this year. We had it at my house. Not everyone was able to make it for dinner, but everyone came over afterwards to play games.


Everyone was kinda doing their own thing all day. Bethany's obsessed with the Twilight Series, so of course she was just reading...


My dad and Aaron spent the day cleaning out my storage room, which was a HUGE help to me, because otherwise it NEVER would have been done...


My mom and I spent the morning organizing and getting Connor's room almost ready. As you can see from the picture, it was a mess. Mainly because every time I got something for him, it would just go into his room... and it because disorganized. But now it's clean and all ready for our little munchkin.


All in all, it was a fun day. Can't wait for next Thanksgiving when we've got Connor here with us though!! :-)

Connor James

So Aaron and I tired to have a 4D Ultrasound done at a certain place, and we found out after spending a lot of money that it was a rip off... at that particular place. The video and pictures came out so blurry. It was horrible. So I was looking online and I came across another place, called Baby's First Photos, which had a thing on their site called an "oops package" which was where if you went to another place and had a horrible experience, you could try them, and it would be at a fraction of the cost. I was a little worried, and didn't want to spend any more money, seeing what happened at the first place that we went to. But... Aaron and I discussed it over and over and thought that we'd regret it if we didn't at least try. So today Bethany, Aaron, and I went to have the ultrasound done, and we were SOOOOOOOOO happy with the outcome. The pictures and everything were absolutely beautiful. Connor had his little hand in front of his face a lot of the time, but he was so cute no matter what. Everyone says that he has my nose and lips, lol. And he has a double chin.... he's so chubby already! He's gonna hurt coming out!! Eeek! Well, I can't wait for our little bundle of joy. Only 10 more weeks. Time lately has flown by. I can't believe he'll be here so soon with us.

So here are some pictures and a short video...

A profile with his double chin :-)

My shy baby boy...

So I am getting more and more excited that this pregnancy is almost over. I can't wait to see our baby boy. I get so anxious every time I feel him, which is CONSTANTLY. This little boy inside of me NEVER stops moving and kicking and hitting, etc. He is moving in the middle of the day, in the middle of the night, you name it! So a few days ago, we went to have another 4D Ultrasound done. I wanted to do it now, because I hear that if you wait til the end, they look a little squished and weird in you, and I heard that 28-30 weeks is perfect (I am 28 weeks). So we got to the place, and of course my whole family came (sisters, parents, brother-in-law) and we all sat down to see little Connor. And guess what? He would NOT wake up, which wouldn't have been too horrible, but he had his leg up so his foot was covering his face, and he also had both hands, holding on to his foot. We couldn't see him at all! It was very cute and all, seeing him that way, lol, but for 30 minutes the technician moved me around, we talked to him, I did squats... and NOTHING... he wouldn't budge. Soooo... they rescheduled me for next Monday, where I hope that he's awake, or at least with no foot or hand covering his face! :-)

Me at about 25 weeks or so

Aaron and I have been so excited about getting Connor's room all ready and together. My mom has been helping us out a lot too, with decorating and everything in between. I picked out a bedroom set before I even knew that it was a boy, because there is sage green, blue, yellow, peach, and purple in it... and it's pretty neutral so that I could have made it more girly or more like we ended up having it. It's a brand by Kidsline that is no longer even made, so I have found everything we have for his room on Craigslist, which is awesome, because it's been about a tenth of the price that I would have paid for it in the store. We're ALMOST done with his room. And now I find myself just going in there and sitting in the glider, or laying on the bed... just looking at everything in there. We still have to paint a giraffe on the wall, but I will post that once it's done.

This was actually a crib skirt... but with the crib that we got, it can't have a skirt... and the curtains that came with the set, we didn't like. So me and my mom sewed new curtains :-)

The set is jungle animals

Here's Aaron, all excited when the room was finally done. Well, not totally done. We haven't finished the bedskirt for the twin bed that my mom and I are sewing also... plus the giraffe on the wall.

Due date moved up

Aaron and I went to the doctor's for my 6 month pregnancy appointment. Everything is doing good. He went over the ultrasound from about 3 weeks ago, and he's a healthy baby boy. Heard his strong heartbeat today too! And... they moved up his due date 11 days... which also happens to be January 31st, my birthday :-) Aaron said he's happy because if he were for some reason to actually be born that day, then Aaron would only have to remember 1 birthday, lol.

Halloween 2008

This Halloween was a lot of fun. Everyone went to my brother and sister-in-law's for a fun Nightmare Before Christmas themed party. We actually all dressed up this year too. Katie and Nathan were Minnie and Mickey Mouse... Bethany was piglet, I was Winnie the Pooh, and Aaron was Christopher Robin. Kimmy was a witch and BJ was some scary thing, lol... not sure what it was. Oh... and my dad was my "Hunny Pot"

Me and Piglet

I didn't have to stuff myself with fluff.... 6 months pregnant will do that for you :-)

Isn't my dad such a good sport? :-)

It's a Boy... Still...

So I went in to have my 22 week ultrasound done today, and it's still a boy :-) Made me feel better with two people saying it, so now I know it's for sure. The technician was getting so frustrated with him though, because he wouldn't stop moving. This is now the 3rd technician that has said that they've basically never seen a baby move as much as him. It took her 45 minutes to get most of what she needed, and she didn't even get everything. She stopped and said "forget it" because he wouldn't stop moving, lol. She said that he was literally doing flips inside of me. He'd just go from spine up to spine down over and over and over. She kept saying "get back here you little brat, I need to get a picture." lol I was laughing so hard. I think it's funny, because my mom said that I moved the most out of all 4 of her kids.. and the technician who did the ultrasound for me said that never in his career had he seen a baby move as much as I was moving. I guess like mother like son :-)

Well, here are 2 pictures of his little face, looking at at the camera. It took her a lot just to get them. He's a crazy man. Just wait til he gets out... I'm scared...

Possibly saying goodbye to Olan Mills...

So... I do love my job, but I'm thinking that I'm not going to be able to stay at it much longer. I was recently promoted (right before Aaron and I got married), and then about 2-3 months into the job, I had to demote myself, because I wasn't able to work full time anymore. Being pregnant and trainging new photographers is not the easiest of things either. Especially the pregnancy I've had. I've been feeling a little better the past week, and I just hope and pray and keep my fingers crossed that it keeps getting better. I've been trying to come up with something else that I can do... something I can do while pregnant, and possibly do after he's born. I haven't come up with much yet...



But... I just wanted to post some of my awards. On top of over 30 merit awards, these are 3 of them that have been on national Olan Mills screensavers. The top one is on the current screensaver... the middle one was my first first screensaver... and the bottom one was a finalist for the 2007 National Merit Awards. (sorry the picture quality stinks... took them all with my camera phone, lol)

Halloween is COMING!

I'm excited for Halloween this year. My brother and sister-in-law are having a Nightmare Before Christmas themed Halloween party at their place, and I'm so excited cuz Aaron and I both get off work early, so we actually get to go!! :-) I love the holiday's. I'm so excited for Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and then Aaron and my birthdays... and then BAM... the baby's due. I can't wait. I hope that everything goes by FAST!!! I'm already thinking about Halloween costumes for the baby for next year. I was thinking I could get something this year after Halloween when all goes on sale. Who knows what I'll end up doing though?!

Baby Montoya