It's a BOY!!

PROFILE w/ hand
All Boy!

Today was our ultrasound and we found out we are having a little boy!! Jerad was thrilled. Not only because he thought that a boy should come first but b/c he had already nicknamed the baby "Zeus". He doesn't have to change his nickname. I am already picturing a little mini-Jerad following him around doing yard work, hunting and fishing and playing sports. Let the daydreams begin!! Our little guy is also taking after daddy in size too....as he is measuring a week bigger than average. Don't worry...it doesn't mean I will deliver early...just that he will be a bigger than average baby. LUCKY ME!! But I'm not too worried...average is considered 7lb, 10 oz. Jerad was 8lbs 2 oz , 21.5" long and I was 7lbs 4 oz, 20.5" long.

Face FeetArms

SPINE

Just recently I have really started to feel him move about too. During the ultrasound, the tech had a hard time keeping up with him. He was moving about constantly and if you take a look at the profile ultrasound, you will see that he looks like a thumb sucker already. We couldn't get him to move his hand away from his face. She tried pushing on him to get him to move, but since I do that all the time, it didn't phase him one bit. Huh, seems a bit stubborn like his dad. :-) I am already picking out personality traits.

20 weeks

So the picture is deceiving. I feel like am much bigger than what I look. I think it is b/c Jerad takes the picture from above (him being 6'3" and me 5'6"). Don't worry, he promised to level it out for the next picture. This week I am 20 weeks! Next week is the ultrasound!!

The Nursery

As shown in the 18 week picture, the nursery has been a work in progress. Starting around Christmas time, Jerad and his mom painted and put up the wainscoting. Then late February/early March we got the hardwood floors finished in 2 of the bedrooms - one being the nursery. Once the floors were finished we moved the furniture in there and it is really starting to take shape and look like a baby's room.

Big News

After Jerad and I got back from our honeymoon it seemed like the holiday season just set in. Before we knew it - Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas were here and gone. We were able to meet our friends' new son in the middle of November, Bradley Weber (proud parents - Jon and Kristine Weber). We were able to spend Thanksgiving with Jerad's mom's side at his uncle Gary's and aunt Sue's house. For Christmas we had a little celebration with Jerad's mom early and then went down to Iowa for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for my family. We were able to share some wonderful news with them all on this joyous season - we are expecting our first baby!! Due in early August! We had found out right before Thanksgiving but it was still too early to say anything so we decided to do it at Christmas time with both of our families. Everyone was really excited. Below is my first pregnancy photo - not the most flattering but hey - I'm pregnant, right? :-)

I am standing in the new nursery here at 18 weeks. We found a gender neutral color for the walls that match the majority of the baby room decor that is in the stores and we even got the floors redone. It looks fabulous. I will definitely keep you all updated.

Jamaica, here we come!

Every newly wedded couple needs a honeymoon!! Jerad did an awesome job planning the honeymoon for us. I did not know where we were going until we reached our connecting flight in Memphis Tennessee. You would not believe how much I needed that time to spend with my new husband. As the wedding day was closing in, I felt like I was being pulled in so many different directions with planning details, work, and making sure everyone would arrive when they needed to be there.

Jerad picked out Sandals Montego Bay for our resort and I loved it. Slushy drinks were free flowing, sand volleyball was played twice a day, food was available all the time, the sun came out and graced us everyday and of course....I was called Princess by every male that worked there. I think I was in heaven.

While Jerad would be out looking for seashells - that we have yet to decide what to do with - I was basking in the sun people and crab watching. Crab watching is an art....as you will see they are practically the same color as the sand and they are quick as the dickens (whatever that means...grandpa use to always say it). But I did catch on to the art of crab watching and snagged a photo of the little guy grabbing a hold of a stray pineapple before dashing into his hole. I did learn how they are so quick and hide so fast...they dig their hole while they are trying to grab the food and if someone should step/move towards them, they duck in the hole. It took this little guy about 3 tries before people would stop scaring him into a hole. Also above is a picture of the little gazebos off of piers. We were able to see a couple weddings being performed there. It was really cool, but I don't know how I would have been able to fit all of our friends and family in the gazebo, let alone the pier.

One of the evening events included a luau and entertainment by a fire breathing man. He was just crazy. I'm so glad this was an adults only resort, I can only imagine kids trying this stuff at home.

There was usually something fun going on in the evenings and we were able to try out all of the restaurants on the resort. I can't really say which was my favorite as they were all really good. We did take a day trip to Negril where we were able to do some shopping, cliff jumping, and visited the Sandals Negril resort to do some snorkeling and just enjoying another resort. That was the only time we were hit with inclement weather...which was fine b/c at that moment we were practically ready to hop on the bus to head back.

Thank you to my wonderful husband for planning such an awesome vacation. The downside is that now I want to go at least every year. :-)

Reception Pictures and that's all

THE WEDDING!!!!

September 19th is finally here!! The day was absolutely beautiful and we couldn't have prayed for a better day. But first - there was a lot of preparation on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday I worked at getting a ton of decorations over to the hotel for the reception and I had to pick up my dress from the seamstress and took it over to my aunt Pam's house. On Friday, Debbie, mom and I decorated the reception hall. My aunt Pam even brought over some wonderful snacks for us. After we were finished my mom and I had gotten our nails done at Elm Salon in Hastings so we would be ready to go for the wedding. We were looking so good. :-) Sorry - I have no pictures to prove it to you - I was happy enough to just know what needed to be done for the day. The day concluded with a short rehearsal at the church followed by a rehearsal dinner at Dan's bar in a small town south of Hastings. (They also did the bartending for the wedding reception) After the dinner one of my closest friends, Tasha gave me one of the greatest gifts of all - a massage!! She is a massage therapist in Florida and as her wedding gift, she gave me a massage the night before the wedding and I have to say, that is the best thing a bride can ask for! Thank you so much Tasha!!!

Ok - the wedding day!! Just so you know, it takes a lot of people to get the bride ready for her wedding.

My stylist Megan, came to the hotel to do my hair and it turned out just like I had imagined. She has such talent!All of the girls got their hair done in the bridal suite also. We had a girl from Elm Salon come over to do Heather and Andrea's hair. I was so thrilled with their hair. I do have to say that stylists have come a long way since my prom days. :-) Megan spruced up mom's with a little curl and spray.

Then I needed help getting into the dress without ruining my beautiful hair and my very beautiful and pregnant personal attendant was there - and you know, throughout the day, I never once had to ask for anything b/c she was there offering me exactly what I needed at the exact time I needed it. So for all you future brides out there, I am willing to rent her out. Feel free to call me. :-) So while Kristine was buttoning me up, Heather was getting the all important garter in place. And as sad as it may sound, I don't quite remember who caught the garter at the dance.

Since I couldn't finish my necklace by myself, Andrea had to finish it for me. And then, there was the world's best PA putting on the veil. I used to think I could dress myself, but I was wrong.

I will say that I have struggled dressing since. For some reason, these ladies don't want to come to my house every morning to help me get ready.

Also, I was truly disappointed in Jerad's groomsmen....they failed in the candid "getting ready for the wedding" photos. There was not a single picture taken of him getting ready for the wedding. But it's all about the bride anyway, right?

Well I have no candid photos of the wedding itself right now, but I will tell you that it was the most beautiful wedding ever...or am I just biased? After the wedding party all went to Applebees for a quick relaxation drink before heading over to the reception where the craziness would continue. Above is a picture of me, my brother Scott and sister Heather.

Here is one of my flower girl Jordan and I walking back to the hotel suite so I could go put some comfy shoes on. She had a great time being a flower girl....if you could only see all of the pictures from our photographer, you would think this day was all about her. She loved it.

Just so you know, I would love to post every picture possible that was taken at our wedding to share with you all, but then you would be staring at this blog entry for over 2 hours.