Today I am 24 weeks and feeling big.  I actually feel this big...

Me at 24 Weeks

Which is sort of concerning because people keep telling me "oh you are really going to start gaining now"  and "just wait, you are going to get real big".  And I want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them up a little because I already feel it!  There is a point in your pregnancy where you feel like your belly is cute and then when you start to associate it with your back pain, tired feet, and cramping it sort of loses all it's "cuteness"

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE... I am coming to terms with the girth of my waist and there really is a baby in there!  How do I know this for sure?  Because I can feel her now every day.  It is one of the most amazing things and I feel incredibly bonded to this tiny human inside me-- and I am starting to love her.  Brent has also been able to feel her kicking and I love how excited it makes him.  He will gently put his hand on my belly and then when he feels it his eyes get big and he looks and me and asks, "there?" and I nod my head and smile.  It has also been very comforting to feel her because I know she is alright.  When we went into our last appt.  My midwife couldn't find the heartbeat for a little bit but for the first time I was not even worried because I knew I had just felt her moments ago.  IT IS COOL!

Another development of this Trimester is the gender reveal! We used cans of silly string to announce that we were having a girl.  Everyone got into a circle and we all sprayed them at the same time!

 We are so excited to have a little girl, but very surprised.  We both really thought it was a boy.  So much for motherly intuition right?  I could tell my mom was pleased we were having a girl too because you know... vengeance and stuff... I was a hard teenager ok.

Baby Girl- 20 Weeks

 Here are the official Bumpdates:

-16 Weeks-

-17 weeks-

-19 Weeks-

-20 weeks-

-23 weeks-

1st Trimester

It seems like one of the worst things about the first trimester is how slllooooowww it goes.  Everyday is at least twice as long when you are first pregnant.  I didn't even really believe the test at first because everything just felt the same!

Here are a few pictures from the First Trimester just for Fun:

The funny thing about these pictures is that before this I had never taken a "selfie" in the mirror.  Nobody ever told me it was so hard! For every normal picture you see there are like 10 where my head is cut off or my finger is in the way or the picture is of the towel on the wall!
Now Brent takes them for me haha.

2 Weeks

8 Weeks

10 Weeks

14 Weeks

I think the hardest part was just being exhausted all the time.  I was working a part-time job and finishing my last semester so I had a lot of early morning time demands on my plate.  Luckily my boss was so understanding and flexible.

Here is an ultrasound Pic from 8 weeks that I think is the cutest thing ever!  Teddy Bear in space!

Soon this little jelly bean should be getting fingers and toes :)  Here are some baby comparisson photos of me and my Brent so you can get the idea!

I feel so lucky to report that I never threw up once.  I was nauseated off and on but I was able to keep it all down.  The only two cravings I can pin point that are truly strange are hot dogs and ramen.  One time I was in a class that ended at 1:45 and I knew the MC Market (a little food place on campus) closed at 2.  They have a little hotdog turner there and as I started to think about it I wanted one so bad but didn't think I would make it in time.  I started to stand up to leave class early but made myself sit back down and almost started laughing out loud at how riddiculous it all was haha!  I have always hated hot dogs so I can't find the appeal to the two cheapest foods on the planet- a hot dog and a pack of ramen.

A Baby A Baby A Baby!

Well I thought I would write a little update on my pregnancy.  Actually this is the first time I have written an update so here we go from the beginning!

Brent and I decided we wanted to have a fam as soon as I finished my internship.  The reason for this is that I am required to do a 560 hr. 14 week full time internship to graduate in my Major- Recreation Therapy.  I did not want to do this monster with a babe at home that I had to wean early and spend no time with etc. etc.  I'm starting my internship at Portneuf Hospital in Pocatello and now as it stands we will be finishing right around my 32 week mark.  One thing we didn't realize is that sometimes getting pregnant, depending on the person, can be easier than making a play dough castle.  I would like to take a minute to thank my mother for the fertility--considering I am one of 10 lovely children that she created.
We were kind of thinking it would take a few months but a few days would have been a little more accurate!

I took 5 pregnancy tests before I got a positive.  The first one I actually took 10 day early haha!  I actually took the last one and put it on the counter and forgot about it because I just knew it was going to be negative.  When I came back and saw the double line I pretty much doubled over.  It was such a surprise!

Here is a video of me telling Brent:

A little background.  Brent has a mild hoarding disorder that is mainly exclusive to old high school t-shirts, stickers and shoes.  I am always telling him to go through his stuff but he cries every time I bring it up.  Because of that I had this idea: I took one of his drawers and emptied it out and filled it with diapers.  Then I wrote this note:
"Hey daddy, you better move some of your stuff because I am moving in!  I will probably be here in October so you have till then to give me some drawer space.  I am only the size of a poppy seed but I think we are going to love each other."

He was so happy, surprised (because he knew about the 4 negative tests), and overwhelmed.  It was a great day!

Bedroom Makeover

This last weekend we pulled off one of the biggest surprises!  It is hard for me to keep secrets so the last 5 months have been torture.  Anyways, here are the details.  My aunts arranged for a time for my parents to be out of town before my mom has her baby.  As soon as they were out of the house we started the room makeover.  We did walls, floors, furniture, everything!  It was such an amazing experience and a lot of hard work.  3 full 16-18 hour days.  My parents never do anything for themselves so it was really a tender project.

Here are the before photos:

Here are the after photos:

Happy 1 year Anniversary to Me and He

We went to the Temple in the morning and did sealings. We were able to finish the names that a lady gave Brent on His mission! It was a really sweet experience. Brent did all the other work but didn't realize that we were able to do the sealings. What a neat Anniversary experience, to help others enjoy the blessings that we received just one year ago.

Brent planned a cute picnic. Too bad 60 mph winds blew our picnic into the BYUI Center on Campus. It was still a good time though. We are about 10 ft. away from where he proposed. We had turkey sandwiches, key lime soda, salt and vinegar chips, and grapes and strawberries.

Christmas Ornament Project

This Christmas I wanted to do a special project. Our Christmas tree is now a family tree!

Step #1 Buy clear Christmas ornaments

Step #2 Gather pictures of ancestors and print on transparency paper - Here's a few fun ones :) Grandma June and Grandpa Jack

Mom and Dad Kugath

Grandma Sharon

Step #3 Fill bottom with gold crystal beads

Step #4 Decorate Tree! side note: Husband wasn't super excited about this project but now he loves it and is excited to spend our first Christmas as married people. He sings at least 3 Christmas songs every day. I love him. his current favorite is Darlene Love's Christmas, Baby Please Come Home!

Growin up Together