December 27

I can't believe tomorrow is December 27. I have been thinking about that date for 7 months. It has seemed so far away. Even though he probably won't come tomorrow, it's still crazy to think that my due date is here. I can't believe it's finally time to meet our baby. I can't wait!

37 Weeks

3 weeks away! I'm still feeling really good, but I'm getting anxious for him to get here. I went to the doctor today and everything seems to be going well.

























Wow, I just looked at this picture and realized how huge I look! Oh well.

What do I need?

I'm now 34 1/2 weeks pregnant - ahhh!! I'm so excited to meet our little guy. I am also starting to get nervous about having everything we need. I'm not worried about having every little thing ready. I just want to make sure we have the essentials. So, all you moms out there - what are the must-haves for:

My hospital bag

Our first week at home

Anything else you were glad you had or you wish you'd had

(A huge thanks to family and friends who have been so generous and supportive. I can't believe how blessed this baby is to be born with such great family and friends.)

Jeff and I got to take a peek at our little fella today for the last time before we meet him (in just 6 1/2 weeks). He's about 4 1/2 pounds and cute as a button. He looks like he has really chubby cheeks, but it's really hard to see anything on the ultrasound screen. The ultrasound tech made us a DVD, but my computer won't read it. So you'll just have to wait a few weeks for pictures of the little guy. For now, you can see the bump he's making on his mommy.

Sports Baby

Anyone who knows Jeff knows he is a HUGE sports fan. Thanks to our family and friends, our son has the gear he needs to be one too. Check out all the sports-related clothes he has already. And his father couldn't be happier! Maybe Champ Ian Rains isn't such a bad name after all . . .

The Bump

For all those who have been asking for a picture of the belly -

26 weeks

Vacation!

We were lucky enough this summer to go to Washington and North Carolina on vacation. We had a lot of fun at both places. It was so nice to see our families. Here are some of the highlights:

Washington
Mariner's Game










Spending time with Ashlea, Eric, and Adalea












Jeff, John (Jeff's brother), and Jason (Jeff's brother-in-law) went swimming in some FREEZING cold water. I didn't get in past my ankles!










One of the fun things we did while in WA was going up to Vancouver, Canada. It was a really cool city. We went to a park that had tons of stuff to do. We also went to China Town and got some authentic Chinese food. It was delicious! One afternoon, we hung out at Tina and Jason's house - we had a BBQ, played Wiffle Ball, and Jason's dad showed us their bees. They are real bee keepers! It was really cool. On our way back to Utah, we stopped in Spokane to see Jeff's grandmother. She is so sweet and so funny! We really enjoyed spending time with her.































North Carolina
We spent most of our time in NC at the Outer Banks. It was so nice to just relax on the beach for a few days. We did some kayaking and fishing -we even caught enough fish one night to eat for dinner!



















We also had the chance to spend some time with Amanda, Kensi, and Carter. Carter LOVED playing with Jeff, and I enjoyed holding Kensi any chance I got. It was so fun to spend time with Amanda. In high school, you couldn't separate us, so it's weird to live so far away for so long.













Our last night in NC, my parents invited some people over for a cookout. It was nice to see so many people that I rarely get to see. We had a lot of family and friends there, and it was a blast. I love visiting family and friends. I can't wait to see everyone in Washington and NC again very soon.
Check out the shirts my parents had made. I think they are a little excited to be grandparents!









P.S. Here I am at almost 23 weeks

Baby Rains

Just like Jeff has been saying all along, Baby Rains will be a little boy! We were very surprised that the doctor did an ultrasound at just 16 weeks, so it was a huge surprise to find out what we were having so soon. We are really excited and can't wait to meet the little fella!

Baby loves . . .

Before last week, I can't remember the last time I had Cheetos. And now I just can't get enough. They are sooooooooo delicious. The only problem is, everything I touch turns orange!
How I'm looking these days:






















Most people say I don't look any different, but I can definitely tell the difference. I'm feeling really good lately. I think the baby likes weekends; I only get morning sickness on weekdays. It must think working in the summer is just as lame as I think it is. :)

A New Look

Our apartment has very, very white walls. And as far as I know we can't paint them. So I've been trying to think of a way to add some color to our living room. I've looked for some art work to put up, but it's either too expensive or just doesn't look great. I was telling my friend Ashley K about my predicament and she suggested something she saw in the Pottery Barn catalog. I picked out some fun fabric and wrapped it around a canvas. It was so easy and it gave our living room some color. It's a super easy craft - even I could do it! Sorry about the shadows.

Announcement!

I'm sure most of you have heard by now, but I am pregnant! Jeff and I are really excited. I'm 9 weeks along and due January 1st - Jeff's Birthday! I had an ultrasound on Tuesday, so I got to hear the baby's heartbeat. That made it feel very real. We can't wait - but I think the grandparents are just as excited as we are!

Bring On the Summertime!

Over the weekend Jeff and I drove down to Moab, UT. We visited two national parks - Canyonlands and Arches. The weather was perfect for hiking - 70's and sunny. It was nice to get away from Provo where it had snowed two days before. We had a great time. It made us so excited for summer. We can't wait for more summer adventures!

Best Year Ever

Today Jeff and I have been married for 1 year. I can't believe how fast time goes by. It has been an amazing year. It's not like anything is that different. I'm still the same person, I have the same job, I still love stupid reality shows. Everything just seems better now that I have Jeff to share my life with. Everything is so much more fun. But I guess you would expect that when you marry your best friend. Can't wait for another year.