Our Birthdays!

I am falling behind on my blogging! With work, vacations, being sick, I couldn't keep up! Hopefully I will catch up soon! :)

Levi and I both have birthday's in August, 2 weeks apart in fact. August is always a fun month since we both have fun things to look forward to. We were in California for my birthday and celebrated it with my family. In the morning my mom and I went down to Orange County to go shopping and of course, go to Jack's on the beach for strips with cheese! My favorite lunch! I've been having those since high school! After that, we had dinner with the rest of my family and then opened gifts. My mom numbered the gifts this year since it was Friday the 13th, so I got 13 gifts to open. The tags she made were so cute and they matched the wrapping paper and ribbon perfectly.

Levi got to open his birthday presents from my family that night too

That's a hammock in that small pouch!

The next day Levi and I drove back to Arizona. That was the day that Levi set aside to celebrate my birthday, just the two of us. He had decorated the house, wrapped all my presents and best of all, made an EXCELLENT dinner! He even made cupcakes AND frosted them! Everything was sooo yummy! What a great husband I have!

Then two weeks later we got to celebrate Levi's birthday. We celebrated together and then with his family. I made the decorations around the house, all to match the wrapping paper I used for his gifts. It was fun to see our house so festive :)

Mason could hardly contain his excitement. . .

His mom made him his favorite cake: German Chocolate :)

August trip to Cali

Right around my birthday I went out to California for a week. Levi joined me towards the end of the week. As always, it was great seeing our friends and family. And we even got to share our big news with everyone!

At the Zoo with Karissa and Caleb!

Dinner with Sarah and Lisa

At the OC Fair with Tess and Tanner and a bunch of friends

Dinner with the Hardeman's @ Joe's Crab Shack

They made us dance! Or should I say, Levi made us dance......

Together again with the Klitzing's and Hardeman's!

Sharing the BIG news!

Telling Levi:

The day I found out I was pregnant I was suppose to pick Levi up from his friends and take him to the airport because he was leaving that day to go back to Arizona to get back to work. I couldn't believe I found out on a day that Levi was leaving and I wouldn't see him until Friday! I had to quickly decided if I tell him now or wait until I get home. I decided I couldn't tell him now only because I would have to tell him on the way to airport (very unromantic don't you think?!) and then I wouldn't see him for 3 days. . .so my only other option was to wait.

Perfect.

It was a looooong week in California holding in that kind of information! Seeing my friends and spending time with my family, I was trying not to act suspicious!

Friday finally came. . .I drove back to Arizona, and got home later in the afternoon. I couldn't wait to be home for so many reasons. I wanted to see Levi and I was simply exhausted. All I wanted to do was sleep! That evening Levi's family was going out for Tess's birthday so all I needed to do was get through Friday night so I could tell Levi in the morning.

It was 4th of July that day and as soon as we were both awake I told Levi that I had something planned for the day, kind of a surprise. I made him wait in the bedroom while I did some preparation for the 'surprise.' I apparently had high hopes for everything I was going to do but when the morning came, I felt so blah. I could barely blow up the balloons! :)When I was finished I had him walk out to the kitchen, with a blindfold on, where I had put together some decorations. I had him sit in a chair and listen to what I was going to tell him.

I told him that I had been lying to him for a little while. I said I really wasn't shopping with Lisa on Tuesday morning like I said I was (when I was actually at the doctors office), I told him I didn't participate in the games for Tess's birthday the night before (activities you can't do while your pregnant), not because of my knee, but for something else, and then I told him that I lied and didn't tell him what the pregnancy tests really said.

I took off his blindfold and without waiting a second longer I giddily said, "I'm PREGNANT!"

He was very excited and it was a sweet little moment with the two of us.

It was such a relief to finally tell him. And even more of a relief to finally have it out in the open. I didn't feel like I could relax until this moment. Levi asked me what I wanted to do all day. We had some 4th of July plans later that evening but. . .all I wanted to do was lay in bed!

And that's exactly what we did.

Allllll day.

We watched 3 Star War movies in a row, in between napping.

It was a wonderful 4th of July :)

Telling our families:

The next week we were having Levi's family over for Mike and Debbie's anniversary. The girls made a nice big dinner and everything tasted so good! It was kind of hard to eat because I was starting to get nervous with sharing our news. After dinner we hung out and talked a little bit and then we gave Mike and Debbie a gift to open. Debbie was the one opening it up. It was a frame that came in a box. She opened it up, read what it said and let out a loud,"AHHHHH!" She showed Mike and then the rest of the family. We told them our story and talk about all the fun and exciting details. It was a fun evening but we didn't take pictures like I wanted to :( Just one of the frame:

That same week we were going to Napa to meet my family for the weekend. Obviously, I had to tell them at the beginning of this trip! We were going with a couple of my parent's friends who live in Napa. They had the whole weekend planned out; what wineries we were going to, where we were going to eat, etc. I made a phone call to Janice, the wife of our friends, and that was all it took. I mentioned was that I was pregnant and I wanted to tell my family the first day, possibly over dinner. Maybe the restaurant where we were going to could write on their plates, 'congratulations grandma.' Janice took the idea and ran with it. For the first day that we were there I was served Ginger Ale instead of Champagne, the women conveniently skipped a winery before dinner time. And during dinner I just so happen to pass on wine at the table.

Once they brought the desert plates out to everyone, I was nervous yet relieved that it was finally out in the open. Everyone was soo excited and it was a wonderful and great surprise. My dad wanted to start calling his friends but we have to tell them to wait since it was still early and we weren't telling people yet. That was probably the only bad news they got all day!

"Are you serious?!"

"I'm going to be a grandpa!"

My Pregnancy Story

I originally started this post in June, after I found out I was pregnant. Since then I have added to it and tried to document the events that took place and all the emotions that go with it. I hope you enjoy reading my journey of finding out I'm pregnant.

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After numerous talks, jokes, discussion and lots of prayer, Levi and I decided. . . it was time.

Dun dun da dahhhhh!!!!

Ok, so it didn't go exactly like that. That's probably how I pictured it to go being a planner and all. But it did involve tons of talk and lots of prayer. And our story goes a little like this. . .

It was a typical Monday, Levi worked in the morning and I was trying to concur being a stay at home wife until I found a job.

Side note...At the time, I was trying to figure out when I was ovulating so my acupuncturist could adjust the needles based on that information. {I was doing acupuncture in preparation for when the time came for us to start trying} I only had 2 ovulation sticks left and so far, I was never ovulating when I checked. I kind of gave up trying, and since we weren't really trying at this point, it wasn't too big of a deal.

After we had lunch I decided for the heck of it to try an ovulation stick and I couldn't believe my eyes, I was ovulating! Relieved to know that I am ovulating, I mentioned to Levi the good news. At least we know I ovulate. Well Levi decided to inform me that the giant box of 'protection' that we had {since I've been off birth control for a year} had some how....run out! What are the odds?!

So nonchalantly Levi mentions we should probably give it a try, wink wink.

I laugh. . .ohh Levi.

Yet in my mind I'm mentally trying to really read him.

He smiles that smirk that only his wife would know.

The next day I used the last ovulation stick for the heck of it and to my surprise I wasn't ovulating. Huh, weird...oh well...we'll figure it when the time comes. In the next couple of days and weeks I noticed I had cramps {which I shouldn't have for a couple weeks} and was peeing more then normal. Huh....that's weird...............no, I couldn't be...could I?!.......

Several weeks later we were off to California for a week to see our friends and family. (The post below this, is the trip I am talking about) While we were in San Diego we made a run to Target to get some USA Soccer decor for the big game {which they ended up losing, but I made a pretty sweet sign nonetheless} and I ran and I grabbed a box of pregnancy tests; just in case I needed them. Do you pay for the expensive ones? Do I get the Target brand? Does it matter since it's probably going to be negative anyways? Ok, I'll get the middle of the road one, just in case. I didn't necessarily need to take the test now but since I had them. . .I really couldn't wait. So I nonchalantly went to the bathroom, did what I need to do and then waited. Thinking that this couldn't really be "the moment," I was more looking for'1 pink line' so I could get on with things and actually enjoy a few sips of wine, getting ready for our Napa trip in a few weeks.

When I looked at the stick it was 1 solid line and 1 very faint line. Perfect. What does that mean?! Well, I'll worry about it later. I went on with my business - watched USA play and enjoyed the beach with my family. All the mean while thinking, "Could I be pregnant??' I checked the test again, even though it was a few hours later. . .same results. I decided to check the pamphlet inside to see if it said anything that would be helpful. I scrolled down the sheet until I got to the part under PREGNANT that said, "there can be 1 faint line and 1 bold line."

Oh.

But it was soo faint, how could this stick realllly be sure?! Throughout the day I was filling Levi in on all the happenings, told him about what the pamphlet said, but continued to act nonchalant about it because again, this is not how I pictured founding out I was pregnant! I just continued to leave him with an unanswered question. . .The next few days we spent in Orange County and of course the information I held was like a big elephant in the room. It was always on my mind but I was just trying to enjoy our time with our friends and each other. Ultimately, I would have loved it if we were home and I didn't have to worry about doing this amongst the chaos. But that's the beauty of it, it was all God's timing, not ours. And it makes for quite a story! :)

Monday night I was staying with my friend Lisa and we were up late talking about this and that and one thing let to another and we got on the subject of when Levi and I were going to start trying to have a baby. After telling Lisa that we kind of already started, I told her about possibly being pregnant. After running through all the details with her we decided I would take another test in the morning and then we would go to the walk-in clinic down the street to take a blood test to be absolutely positive. So that was the plan, I would take a second test in the morning, then have a blood test done.

Monday night couldn't go by fast enough.

Tuesday morning came. . .as well as another pregnancy test with 1 bold line and 1 line. . .bolder then the last. Ok. Soo I think I'm pregnant, is what my brain was telling me, but it still did not register in my heart. It didn't feel real. How can I believe a stick to tell me the most important news of my life?! Regardless of the results, Lisa and I were off to the walk in clinic down the street. Never did I imagine finding out I was pregnant in California AND at a walk-in clinic that I've been to in the past while I was at Vanguard. So surreal, again, common theme here. . .

A couple of looooong minutes past by as we waited in the waiting room. I couldn't believe I was there, and it was really happening. When my name was called my heart rate jumped up just as fast and I jumped out of my seat. They took my weight and then had me do a urine sample in a cup. After that a nurse took some of my information and told me the doctor would be right in. Again....sitting there waiting seemed like eternity. Although, it was only minutes later when the doctor came in and shared the news:

"Hi, I'm doctor so and so. Well...you're pregnant!"

I was so caught off guard because I was expecting her to talk to me first and then take my blood, I don't even remember her name! All I could do was muster, "I am?" And that was it. It was official. I'm really pregnant. Instantly, a rush of emotions came over me. It's almost a hard feeling to describe. I was shocked, stunned, relieved, excited, nervous, and everything else all at once. Then she gave me a due date and that was another wave of emotions, making it feel more real then before.

I walked out of there in a daze. . .now thinking 100 things at once yet nothing at all. With the recurring thought that I am really pregnant.

Soon after we got in the car and drove away I began to think of how I was going to tell Levi. . . . .

To be continued!

California Visit

At the end of June Levi and I went to California to see our friends and family. We met my family in San Diego for a few days while my parents were down there vacationing. It was during World Cup, so we watched USA play (and unfortunately lose to Ghana), but we still had fun watching!

(I made the sign, btw...it's totally great, I know ;)

After San Diego we went up to Orange County to go to our old church and see some of our old friends. My girlfriend Lisa had a small birthday party on a boat around the harbor. It was so nice to enjoy Newport Beach and take in all the pretty scenery. And of course it was fun catching up with Lisa and the girls!

We also got to see our good friends the Hardeman's. We played a little frisbee golf and hung out at their house. Emma was watching her parents dog, Millie. It's safe to say Millie and Mason became fast friends :)

After spending time in Orange County, Levi headed back to Arizona and I went up to stay with my parents for a few days and see some of my good friends from high school. I went to swim lessons with one of my good friends and her son Caleb. It was so fun watching them in class!

Until next time California!

Mason's First Vet Visit

Back in July, one of Mason's eyes was getting kind of pink and gunk was coming out of it. We did some research online and it said if it get's worse or if he starts scratching it then we need to take him to the vet. Of course I freaked out a little more then Levi did and said we should probably take him in, what if it gets worse and he goes blind!! Haha. So we took him in and it ended up being nothing, really. We gave him some drops for a few days and it was fine after that.

First Vet Visit - check!

Pretty sure he was the cutest patient!