**Go here to find out whose fetus is in the ultrasound picture.**

Some Hellos and Goodbyes

We have said hello and goodbye to some important people lately.

First, I said hello to some of my best friends. Jen and Margaret were both in town so we had a girl's day of eating, shopping, and swimming. It truly was a girls only day as Julia (far left) found out that morning she is having a girl in December. More friends for girlie!

I am standing on my tip toes in this picture.
Mel, where are you when I need another shorter person around?

We had a boys-allowed barbeque that night.

Daniel got to reunite with Phil, our long-lost neighbor.

Saying hello to Daniel after ditching him all day.

Margaret and her boys and Jones(er) the dog.

Today I said goodbye to my big sister Meredith. She and her husband are driving to New Hampshire so he can start medical school at Dartmouth. (Yes, Dartmouth is in New Hampshire)
I can't believe I have no siblings left in Utah. Not for the next 6 weeks anyway. Then my 2 younger sisters will be back at BYU. It's weird to have siblings move away when you know you will probably never live in the same place again.

Finally....
We said hello to our first niece/nephew! We are going to be an aunt/uncle!

Girlie's going to have a cousin only 4 months younger! Best cousins forever!

Three Things

1. First, I have been told by a few people who see me regularly that the last picture I posted of my pregnant self makes me look bigger than I am. I have also been told by a few people who don't see me regularly that I look HUGE in it. So here is a picture I took yesterday. See any difference?

Yesterday- 31 weeks and 5 days pregnant

A few days ago- 31 weeks and 3 days pregnant

I guess I definitely do look bigger in the older/bottom one. Maybe it's the clothes I am wearing. Opinions?

2 .Second, are these little cardigans the cutest thing you have ever seen or what?

Grandma Nielson is making sure this girl stays fashionable

3. Third, proof Daniel is going to be a great dad:

Thanks for the Bumbo Margaret! We are already putting it to great use.

Daniel holding Brizban (girlie's pre-determined BFF)

Things I just don't get

Clutch purses- what do you do with it? Hold it constantly? Ask someone to hold it in their purse? Put it in your pocket? I understand the fashion appeal. They are small and cute, but actual usage perplexes me.
Cricut- I am just not quite sure what this machine is
Crying- when adults cry I don't know what to do
Cupcake shops- why would you pay $3 for a cupcake? They are cute and probably taste good but you can make a whole batch of good-tasting cupcakes for the price of one
Curling a baby girl's hair- just don't understand the effort
Handicapped spots at Wendy's- they are never the closest spots to the entrance
Huge flowers on a baby's head- who knows, maybe once I am dressing my little girl I won't be able to fight the urge to place a flower the size of her face on top of her head
Leggings- why are they a good idea past the age of 8?
Leggings to church- my friend Amanda sums up many of my feelings about them here
Long-distance running- how do runners not get incredibly bored? After one mile I am ready to quit. I need some kind of competition as motivation to exercise. I guess I need the opportunity to be told I am better than someone in order to burn some calories.
Maternity short shorts- why would any pregnant woman want to wear short shorts? And while I am on it...pregnant women in bikinis? Why?
Olive Garden- why do people love it so much? I like it fine. We went to use a gift card there once and the wait was 2 hours! AND people were actually staying to wait!
Police spot at Shopko- there is a parking spot reserved for police only. What is this telling Shopko customers? You are safe; the police have a front row spot? Or, the police are here so much they need their own spot?
Smoking- why does anyone smoke anymore?
Twilight- nope, haven't read them yet. I'm not saying anything about the quality of the books, I just don't understand being that obsessed with a book
Twitter- perhaps it's just because I am not on it, but why would I want to know what people are doing every second?
Wearing spandex to the gym- is it really comfortable? Really?
Women who won't eat around men- I'll never understand this

Spring Intramurals

What's more pathetic than a group of guys who finished college years ago playing every BYU intramural sport?

After their fall '08 championship

Or even a guy on a team like this whose recent knee surgery keeps him sidelined, yet he disagrees with and complains to the officials as if he were involved in every play?

Coaching 3rd base/complaining to umps

Probably me, that's what. You know why? Because I am the wife of the long-graduated, complaining knee-surgery recipient who still goes to watch him "play".

Pathetic me- 31 1/2 weeks pregnant

Last week Daniel's intramural team won their second softball championship. Daniel did, in fact, get a shirt. Did he actually play? Yes. And he batted .500! How did he do this? Very carefully. He batted about 4 times total. He walked twice, hit into a fielder's choice once, and got a hit. A legitimate hit too. He also scored two runs. Daniel literally walked around the bases when he got on. Literally. No running. Once he tried to walk a bit faster as the ball was being relayed to the infield and I was on him quicker than you can blink. (Doctor says no jogging until the beginning of August) It started pouring just as the game ended, so no pictures were taken.

Our kickball team played in the championship the same night.
I do use the term "our" loosely here. Neither of us played in any games, but we watched many of them. So yes, we are in the obligatory loser picture taken after the loss. Notice we are all soaking wet from the rain.

The one upside of the storm that night was the amazing rainbow.

Afternoon With A 2-year-old

We got to play with Booker for the afternoon a few days ago. Our original plan was to go to the kid-friendly pool by our apartment, but the stupid non-summer Utah weather messed that up.

First, we played at the park. (I should probably say Booker played, Daniel watched him, and I sat on a bench)

He wasn't quite sure what to do with the rope apparatus with gaping holes.

It took a while to get across and that little girl in the pink shorts was tired of waiting.

We walked around the Provo Farmer's Market and Bookman did some break dancing for us.

We then did what all responsible potential parents would--brought Booker to McDonald's.

He made lots of friends in the playplace. Hopefully he didn't get any diseases.
Oh, and Margaret, we also gave him ice cream. Really it was my fault. I went and got myself some ice cream so I couldn't deny Booker, right? Besides, he ate his entire happy meal.
I think he enjoyed it.

After an hour at McDonald's we headed back to our apartment.

Daniel and Booker made a fort that Booker kept destroying "by accident". They even had a password to get in. Daniel loves to make things exclusive.

After fort-building, wrestling, and various jumping onto couch cushion games it was time to relax, eat a snack, and watch some Sponge Bob. Booker worked up quite the appetite; he ate a granola bar, banana, and 2 cheese sticks. We knew he enjoyed the cheese sticks because he danced a little and randomly yelled out "cheese head!" as he ate.

I can't believe how much energy 2 1/2-year-olds have. I was exhausted at the end of the day and all I really did was watch Daniel play with him. How do you do it Marg?

No G.D. Diet Here!

About 2 weeks ago I took the 1-hour glucose test for gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes develops in pregnancy when a woman's body is not able to regulate her blood glucose levels. Contrary to popular belief, a woman cannot give herself this diabetes through a poor diet. Sure, eating extra sugar can't help, but it also can't cause it. Read about it here. The most common way to treat the problem is with a very strict diet, extremely low in carbs.

Moving on...I failed this first test.
A big fat FAIL. This means I got to (and consequently, Daniel got to) go to the hospital for the 3-hour glucose test. This required that I fast starting at 7 PM Friday night until I arrived at the hospital at 7 AM on Saturday. Blood drawing #1 happened then. Following this I had to down a very glucose-concentrated drink (kind of like flat soda). My blood was then drawn every hour for 3 hours. Daniel I planned ahead and brought The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to occupy us for the whole ordeal. The process wasn't as bad as I anticipated. I got out with minimal bruising from all the arm pokes.

The best news of all...I passed!
I am happy to report that I don't have to go on a G.D. (Gestational Diabetes) diet for the remaining months of my pregnancy. I am especially happy I won't have to give up carbs! (So is Daniel)