HyPer BoY!!

Every time we are in the car, Mason dances like crazy to the music. Sometimes he does it in a mello way, and other times he gets real hyper and just goes crazy with it. This particular night he went crazy! So after we pulled up to the house, we took a bunch of pics. He's not really dancing in them, but he was just way hyper and happy. I know I'm posting a lot, but when I go back and look at all our pics of him, most of them he's not smiling. So when I get pics of him smiling I just have to share them...sorry!

Here's my ear...

my eyes...

my teeth...

my toes...

and my hair!

Mobile Masterpiece

I have been terribly behind with laundry lately, so I took a week and made that my main focus. By the end of the week, I had one massive pile of clothes to put away. I tried to keep up with putting all of them away as they came out of the dreyer, but it didn't always happen like that. So one night I asked Vance to grab me a pile of hangers and to help me put them away while we watched a movie. A short while later, this is what I walked in to see: Needless to say, Vance was very proud of his creation, and Mason was having a blast trying to grab any hanger he could. This is one of the many reasons I love my husband. He is always so random, creative, and keeps me smiling everyday!!

Playing 'Catch Up!'

Sorry for all the baby info I am finally posting. I know most if not all of you could really care less about how my baby has been developing for the past 8 weeks, but I have to post it for my own records. I can't believe I got so far behind on doing my weekly posts. Time is flying by, and I love it!! Only 15 more weeks to go and we are sooooo excited. It's weird to think that it's already November. Soon it will be Thanksgiving, then Christmas will be here before we know it. Which means New Year will be following shortly after. There will only be a month and a half left before our baby is due. In other words, the next 3 months are going to go so quickly and this baby will be here before we know it. By the way, I still haven't said the exciting news that we found out we are having another BOY!!!!!!! We were both so sure that this baby was a girl that we were both pretty surprised to find out it's a boy but we are so excited and relieved. Now we already have pretty much everything we need so we don't have to start completely over with everything (that is why we are relieved). A huge part of me wanted it to be a girl because I was going to be naming her first name after my Great Grandma, and her middle name after my Grandma (who is not doing very good and could literally go at any moment). But someday I will get my girl so I can still do that. But for now, a boy is a huge blessing for us and like I said before, we are very excited. Now Mason will have a little brother to grow up and be best friends with!!!! We are still debating on his name. The three that I like are Conner Vance, Jaiden, or Parker. Vance likes these three too, but has never said too much what he likes better or if he likes any other names. Every time we talk about it, he's very vague and doesn't say for sure and the conversation doesn't last too long. We still have time. :) Most likely, we'll wait and see what he looks like and then decide for sure. I don't have access to the ultrasound pictures at the moment, so I will be posting them soon.

25 Weeks

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

24 Weeks

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

23 Weeks

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

22 Weeks

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

21 Weeks

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, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

20 Weeks - HALF WAY!!!

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).

19 Weeks

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you. Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

18 Weeks

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Bountiful Temple Grounds

A few weeks ago, Vance and I wanted to go for a ride and take pictures somewhere. We ended up going to the Bountiful Temple grounds. Sad to say, but I had never walked all the way around the Bountiful Temple, so I am so glad we did this because it is so gorgeous. It was dark, and we didn't end up taking too many pictures, but it was a gorgeous night. I loved the picture above of Angel Moroni because there is the moon on one side, and a star on the other. I just wish the star is as bright as the moon so you can see it better. If you look carefully, it's on the right side of Angel Moroni, about the same distance away as the moon.

Halloween Party

To everyone that reads this blog, you are all invited to our Halloween Party! It will be Halloween night (this Friday) at 8:00pm at our place. We will be providing drinks, Taco soup, and breadsticks. We will be eating, playing games, having a photo shoot, watching a scary movie, etc... Please bring a treat to share (it can go along with dinner, or not!), and any games you have. Please let us know if you are coming. Hope to see you all there, and don't forget to wear your costumes!

WoW!!! So Amazing...

Okay, so I just got done watching Oprah and I saw something that I know I will never forget and I want to share it with everyone I know. Some or most of you have probably seen this already, or you also watched Oprah today and saw this, but I feel that it can never be seen too many times by anyone. I have to warn you that as I watched it, I just sat there and bawled with no control (thank goodness I was alone!), and I'm sure many of you will do the same. So when you choose to watch this, make sure you are not going to be disturbed and that you will feel comfortable bawling. I can't get it to work as a link, so just go to www.youtube.com and type in "99 balloons." It is about a baby named Eliot. Good luck, and enjoy. It's amazing and overwhelmingly touching.

I Got Tagged!

Before you read my messy information below, just know that I tried and tried to make it look so much better, but my computer refused to do what I wanted. It looks just the way I want it to when I type it and preview it, but then I post it, and it's a complete mess! So I apologize if it is hard to read. If anyone knows what my problem is, please let me know!(For example: When I hit enter, I want to go to the next line, right?! But it just keeps running it all together and it won't let me space it like I want. Sooooo stupid!! :) 3 Favorite Last Purchases 1. Lots of fabric to make my baby blankets! 2. A Medela Breast Pump (sounds weird, but my last one was terrible, so I’m excited!) 3. A big fluffy and fuzzy body pillow (Vance surprised me with it, and I love it!) 3 Favorite Movies 1. Shall We Dance 2. The Holiday 3. Transformers 3 Things I Haven't Done Yet 1. Toured Europe 2. Gone on an African Safari (my two dream vacations) 3. Gotten a degree (Call me crazy, but I love school!) 3 Favorite Dishes 1. Monterey Chicken from Chili's 2. My mom's Sweet and Sour Chicken 3. Pork Barbacoa Tostada from Cafe Rio 3 Favorite Shows 1. Friends 2. Color Splash 3. So You Think You Can Dance 3 Last Places You Traveled 1. Flaming Gorge 2. Rock Springs, WY 3. Provo (Ya, we haven't gone anywhere lately. It has been a weird year.) 3 Favorite Treats 1. Ice Cream - pretty much any kind! 2. Peanut Butter Twix 3. Hot Air popped popcorn 3 Things I'd Buy if Money Weren't an Issue 1. I would design my dream house and have a huge yard 2. Everything I need for my dream craft room 3. A Baby Grand Piano 3 People I tag 1. Jules 2. Leslie 3. Jess

Goodbye Fort Union!!

Vance has been trying for months and months to transfer to a different branch of Mountain America that is closer to home. He had been working in Fort Union for a year and a half and it was just costing us way too much in gas money each month (well over $200). He applied at the Woods Cross branch 4 or 5 months ago and we were hopeful, but something about it just didn't seem right. Vance had never been turned down from a position he had an interview for until now (he's a very good interviewer), so in a way I was surprised, but truthfully I just knew it wasn't meant to be for some reason. He then applied for the Metro branch (which is in down town SLC) and he didn't get that one either. Again, it just didn't feel right. A few weeks later, his manager pulled him aside and told him that the Centerville branch was going to have an opening real soon. As soon as the position posted, he applied, then all these weird things started happening. The Vice President of his district, for some reason, called the Centerville branch manager and told her that there was a Loan Officer from the Fort Union branch that has been trying to transfer closer to his house for months now, and hasn't had success and so he wanted her to make sure he got an interview (crazy!). So she called Vance's manager and asked if he could come spend a whole day at the Centerville branch. She called the very next morning, and told him that he got the job! We were both so excited! That day Mason and I made Vance a sign to celebrate and congratulate him. Way to go babe, we love you!!!!

Down Town

I have been trying to post this since the end of August, but my computer wouldn't let me post the pictures for some reason. Now it posted them just fine, so here it is. On Saturday, Aug. 23, Vance decided at the last second that he wanted to go downtown and take some pictures. So we hopped in the jeep and went for a ride. Me and Mason spent most of the time in the car driving around and dropping Vance off to hurry and take a couple shots and we would then be on to the next spot. Before we headed back home, we stopped at the park by Memory Grove and took some pictures. Vance and I used to go here all the time when we were dating and after we first got married so we thought it would be fun to stop here since it had been a while. Mason loved finally getting out of his seat and running around on the cold grass, dipping his toes in the water, and sitting all by himself on a cement stool by the water. Here are some more pictures Vance took before heading home.

A Night of Excellence

On September 27th, Vance's work threw a ball (A Night of Excellence) at Grand America to announce their new CEO. I was so excited to have this opportunity to get all dressed up fancy with Vance. Ever since our wedding, I have been wanting some excuse to see him in a tux and have me right there next to him all dressed up as well. There's just something about a tux! Our biggest problem was finding something for each of us to wear. Since I am pregnant with an obvious "bump" I knew there was a good chance none of my dresses I had would fit me, and we really did not want to spend too much on a dress, and $60 to rent a tux. Vance was talking to his dad one night and he mentioned the ball. His dad told him that he has two tuxes and he would be coming to visit the weekend of the ball, so he would bring them. We were so relieved that we were getting a free tux for him to wear! In looking for a dress for me to wear, I was going to borrow one, but my darn legs are too long, so it was too short on me. I ended up wearing a skirt I already had and finding a black shirt at Ross to go with it. It wasn't exactly what I had originally wanted, but I ended up being pretty happy with it! As far as Vance's tux went, we got it Friday night and when he tried it on, it was too big! I was soooo bummed. So saturday morning while Vance was finishing up some homework, I started calling around to find a tux to rent. We had to stop at my mom's for something, and we just mentioned the whole tux issue. She told us that Mike's old tux from high school was in the closet but she wasn't sure if it would work or not. She pulled it out, Vance tried it on, and it fit! And he looked AMAZING! I was soooooo super excited! We ended up needing to rent a shirt, vest, and bow tie, but the best part of it all is Mike said he could keep the tux! Anyways, after major trauma with my hair, we were finally ready to go. We didn't think we had time to worry about pictures before, so we thought we would just worry about it afterwards (never a good idea). When we got there, we ate an amazing meal, then played Blackjack for hours. Yes, we gambled (both first-timers!). They gave us each a bunch of chips to gamble with so we could win tickets to enter different contests. They were giving away tons of amazing prizes so we wanted to enter as many tickets as possible. I have to say, that I can now see why gambling is so addicting. IT WAS FUN!! I could never understand doing it with your own real money though. Anyways, we ended up not wining anything (that was our punishment I guess!), and it was all over way too fast. On our way home, we stopped by the conference center and took some quick pictures. We were in a huge hurry because we didn't want to keep my parents up too late with Mason, so the pictures did not turn out like we wanted. In fact, I was pretty frustrated with most of them. By the way, Vance took tons of pics of me while he was getting the settings right on the camera, but I figure that we don't post too many pictures of us, it's always mostly Mason. So for this post...what the heck...why not post them! My hot, sexy man in a tux! Me and my "bling!"