I set goals and make plans

I do love New Years. I love having somewhat of a fresh start and having something to work towards. I posted a few goals a little while ago but now I've thought about it more and have come up with a few more. I like the format I used a few years ago so I'm copying myself again.

Physically

1. I will run a half marathon. Most likely on October 27, 2012 in Provo.

2. I will be able to do 50 legit sit-ups.

3. I will be able to do 30 legit push-ups.

4. I will eat fruit and vegetables everyday.

5. I will lower my intake of sweets.

6. I will do yoga at least once a week.

7. I will floss once a week.

Mentally

1. I will read 10 new books. Since I don't have to read textbooks anymore.

2. I will learn one new skill.

3. I will spend less time pr-oozing the internet.

4. I will learn a lot about history, countries, and kingdoms. Just like it says in D&C 93:53.

Spiritually

1. I will have 100% Visiting Teaching.

2. I will finish reading the Doctrine and Covenants.

3. After finishing the D&C I will start reading the Old Testament. If I finish that, the I'll read the New Testament. I will read from the Book of Mormon daily. While reading, I will do better at writing my impressions and things I learned down.

4. I will attend the temple with Cameron at least every other week.

5. I will index one batch by myself.

6. I will write Kelly at least every other month.

7. I will memorize a scripture every week.

Socially

1. I will know all the women in my relief society by name.

2. I will invite a new friend over for dinner.

3. I will vote in the election in November.

4. I will volunteer in the community.

5. I will write Gram and Shezzy once a month and send pictures often.

Family

1. I will have a healthy baby girl.

2. I will stay within the budget we have set.

3. I will plan healthy meals for my family.

4. I will have a special night/hour with my husband once a week.

5. I will keep doing well at keeping a clean house.

6. I will help Cameron continue to have weekly Family Home Evening.

7. I will make 2 new cute projects for our home.

8. I will keep an accurate baby book for our girl.

9. I will make something cute for the baby.

10. I will plant a small garden.

11. I will get health insurance.

I think that will keep me plenty busy. I'll probably add more or change the list later but those are a few thing I'd like to accomplish this year.

The growth of Baby Gleed

17 Weeks

20 Weeks

23 Weeks

26 Weeks

30 Weeks

32 Weeks

33Weeks

So, I usually take a close up and a full body picture, but I accidentally deleted the full body ones we took so this is all there is for now. Oops!

Week 34

35 Weeks

Week 36

37 WEEKS....FULL TERM!!!

38 Weeks!

39 WEEKS
      
40 WEEKS!

 

And SHE shall be called....

I really am blessed!I have so much going on in my head and heart right now, I'll try and make this somewhat coherent. This pregnancy has been great! I had heartburn on Friday for a few hours, and other than that and an occasional headache or backache, I'm just fine! What a blessing since I honestly don't have time to be sick. It's the end of a 21 credit semester for me, I'm married and have a busy husband to take care of, working a few hours a week, while being pregnant. Ya, I don't have time for sickness.

For a while now I've been anticipating the first time feeling it move. I'd heard it described as a butterfly fluttering and now after having felt it, I don't think that's what it feels like AT ALL! On Monday I was sitting in my Abnormal

Psychology class when I first felt it move. I'd had a few other movements in my stomach that at first I wondered if that was the baby, but I decided it wasn't because it was SUPER fast and way to high. However, when I was sitting in class on Monday I felt a little tapping feeling down lower where I knew the baby actually was. It took me a minute to realize what exactly was going on, but after a few times I knew that was the baby and I almost cried. It really was magical. That's the only way I can describe it. It was such a cute little tender feeling that was as if the baby was saying, Look mom! I'm getting so strong, feel that! I texted Cameron right away and just enjoyed the moment. I've felt it everyday since then. There isn't really a pattern that I can notice but I LOVE it when I feel it.
Yesterday, December 10, we found out that it's a girl!! The ultrasound guy (Cameron and I really like him. He has some sort of Indian-ish accent. He's funny and knows a lot!) before he started asked us what we wanted. I said that I thought it was a girl, and Cameron said that he thought it was a boy. He then commented that we answered the question of what we wanted and our answers were the same. I wanted a girl and Cam wanted a boy. He first checked out her heart and the top half of her body since she is now to big to fit all on the screen at the same time. He kept commenting how she had a cute nose and cute lips. Here are a few pictures.

I could look at them all day! She's so fun to watch. He gave us a cd of the actual appointment. It's fun to see these pictures, but she actually moves in the video and I LOVE IT! Right after the appointment I couldn't wait to buy something pink so we ran right over to Target and bought 2 little pink onsies. We are having our family Christmas party next weekend and that was when I was going to tell my family what it was, but Cameron didn't think I could wait that long. To prove that I could keep a secret from my family for a week I didn't tell them. He wanted to put it on facebook but he's friends with all my family so I made him tell them. So I won, I didn't tell anyone until after he told my family. I think my favorite reaction was his Grandpa Byrd. When he called Cameron asked if he had any guesses and he said, "Well, I have two guesses." He then guessed a boy and when Cameron told him that it was a girl he said, "Well that was my second guess." We laughed super hard. After shopping and celebrating we met up with Petrine at Mimi's Cafe for lunch. I love her. She is so great! Let's see, what else is new? I spoke in church today. My topic was 2nd Nephi 31:20. I chose to talk about the first half of the verse in "pressing forward with steadfastness in Christ." I think it went ok. I was super nervous though because it was also a missionary homecoming so there were A LOT of people there. Cameron's old roomate Brock and his girlfriend Jessica came to watch. That was sure nice of them. They are fantastic people. Oh, how could I forget about school? I'm almost finished with my undergrad! Finals week starts this week then I'll be done with school for a while. I do want to go to grad school eventually but I have a cute little girl growing in my stomach that is more important to me. As long as my Philosophy professor doesn't give me a super horrible grade on my semester paper that I recently turned in, I should get all A's. I'm really proud of this because I had 21 credits this semester. That's 7 classes with most of them being upper division classes to boot. I'm grateful for a wonderful husband that didn't make me work this semester so I would have time to get everything done. What a man! I have been working a little bit though. I got an e-mail from the behavioral science department a few months ago about being a supervisor. I emailed back and got the job. Way easy! Basically what is going on is that this mom and dad are in a high conflict divorce. The dad has been accused of abuse and now needs supervised visits to see the little 5 year old girl. So, I supervise their visits. It is interesting. I don't know if I could do it full time since it is so emotionally draining. It's so sad to watch this family that has been torn apart try and function. I do enjoy it, but can only handle so much. Well, I think that's about all for now. Life is beautiful!

As of late...

What a week at the Gleed home! We had Cameron's first big actuary test, his birthday, and Thanksgiving all within three days and on top of my schooling and being pregnant. Perhaps all the stress and craziness is the reason I'm documenting this from bed because I'm sick. I think I've learned my lesson that my body is a little less invincible when I'm pregnant. I can still do a lot, but obviously not all at the same time. The past two days I've had a throat that feels like it is on fire, a cough (always makes for a great sounding man voice) chest pain (heartburn perhaps?) and just aches and pains in general.

About Exam P. To be an actuary you have to take a bunch of tests. You don't finish these until you are working in the field. The first one to take is a probablilty test called Exam P. They give you 3 hours and you have to get 18 out of 30 to pass. This was a $200 test but there was a BYU alumni that set it up that you would get reimbursed if you pass. No pressure right? Cameron has been working so hard to study for this test. He's got a class this semester that is geared specifically for that exam on top of spending countless hours in the actuary lab on campus going over practice exams. He was scheduled to take it Tuesday the 22nd at 1:00 in Lindon. Going into the test he talked to four other students in the class that had taken it and none of them passed. One of those students was the TA for the class! He dropped me off at school, went out to the test then picked me up afterwards. I got in the car and handed me a paper with the words a the top CONGRATULATIONS, You've passed Exam P! I could have cried I was so happy for him because he really had worked super hard for this. He said it was a lot easier than the practice exams that he'd been taking. He said there were 2 questions that he wasn't completely sure he got correct, but other than that he said it was easy. We have to wait for his official score for 8 weeks, but just knowing he passed is good enough. Since he passed, we get the 200 back and he automatically gets an A in his class for this exam. What a man! Good thing I have a wide open Saturday to do nothing but be lazy in bed.

The next day was his birthday. I didn't realize how much stress and pressure planning a husbands all day birthday would be. Gifts were easy to get for him since he told me what he wanted, but as for what to do, I was clueless. That morning I made him breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. We got ready then went to Alpine spinal somethin' somethin' to get half hour massages. After we came home and I finished up his birthday cake while he opened his gifts and watched his favorite youtube videos. After we were all packed we went to Sandy to Chuck-E-Cheese for lunch and games. After that we went shopping at Old Navy and Target for him to get new jeans since his only pair were pretty holy. After shopping we went to the dollar theater to see "The Help." It was really good. After that, we went to dinner with Jamie and Theron at Bucca de Beppo. (Jordan and Joanna gave us a gift card there.) Dinner was great, Jamie and Theron are a lot of fun to be with. When we went out to our car, the battery was dead. Luckily, Jamie and Theron were still there so they jumped us. My favorite part of the day was coming up. I had reserved a room in a hotel a few days ago. I got a super good deal and was so excited. I love staying in motels. We went to the motel and just hung out and watched Inception. Well, Cameron watched it, I slept. The next morning we were headed up to Bear Lake for Thanksgiving. We got out to the car and again, it was dead. We knew something was wrong because we didn't leave any lights on, there was no reason why it would be dead. I found these nice people (from Jackson) to jump us. Right when I put it in gear, it died again. They jumped us a second time and that got us enough battery to get to Jamie's house. It died again as we were pulling into their driveway. Jamie jumped us again and we got down the road about a mile when it died again. I called dad and he said to buy a new one or we wouldn't make it home. Jamie took us to Walmart where we got a new one and Scott changed our battery for us. What would I do without a kind and helpful family? I'm so blessed. After that, it worked great. We made it home just fine. We were supposed to take Grandma Sorenson home from the hospital since she had shoulder surgery on the 23rd but she didn't want to go home so we just went straight to Bear Lake. It was so good being home. Mom had the tables set so nice. We had, Mom, Dad, Emy, Morgan, Cameron and I, Trice, Phil, Colton, Wynden, Krystal, Sean, and Griff all at our house. Taylor was going to come but he broke his arm that morning snowboarding so he was home. I took up a salad that is tradition in Cameron's family. It was a jello salad.

1 box lemon jello (not sugar free)

1 can crushed pineapple

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups half and half

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.

Make the jello. In a saucepan mix sugar with pineapple, barely bring to a boil. Mix pineapple with jello and put in fridge. Wait until it's almost set up. (not to soupy but not hard jello) Fold in half and half and cheese. Refrigerate.

I'm pretty sure that is the recipe. It was his great grandma Brown's recipe. After dinner we played games with the Wards. Dad was super kind and changed our oil in the freezing cold. What a great dad I have. After that we watched UP as a family since Dad and Morgs had never seen it. Then we played more games and went to bed. It was a good day. Yummy food and good company. Friday we went to town and shopped for a bit before mom was nice enough to buy us the best food ever....Studabakers Pizza. Y.U.M!!!! After that, Cam and I took a nap then drove home. We stopped at Darci and Joels do drop off some stuff. All I can say is that I have the cutest nieces and nephews EVER! Love them! Then we stopped at Grandma and Grandpa Gleeds in Layton. They are the kindest people. They always feed us and I've never left there empty handed. She's always giving us canned goods or something wonderful. I do love spending time with them. For Thanksgiving, they wrote us a letter. One thing she said really stuck out to me of writing how I feel throughout the pregnancy. Here goes...

The other day I had just finished doing "Yoga Mama." At the end of the workout the instructor lady says how important it is to talk to your baby starting in the 4th month which is where I am. I sat in my big red chair and did just that. I told my baby all about my family and Cameron's family. It was kind of emotional when I was talking about what cousins it will have and how it's probably already met Kanatha. I hope so. While I was chattin' away, I thought I felt it kick but it wasn't because what I felt was way to high on my belly and way to fast. I am looking forward to the time when I can feel the baby and know for sure that is what it is. It's exciting to think that it could happen any day! Woo! Being pregnant is fun and I'm excited to know what we are having. I've had dreams that it is a boy and I read yesterday in a magazine that your dreams are often correct. After we find out the gender it's onto finding things for it and picking a name! EXCITING!

Cameron and I go to the temple every Saturday which is a wonderful opportunity since we live less than five minutes away from the Provo temple. Today when we went I decided that I needed to make some goals. I did so well with my goals last year that it must have burnt me out because I have had basically zero goals this year. I think I'm a little backwards now that it's past Thanksgiving and I'm just making my goals. Wow, maybe punctuality should be a goal! :)

* Graduate--April 26-27, 2012

* Write Gram and Shezzy at least once a month.

* Finish Doctrine and Covenants

* Bake something with my pumpkins

* Stay within grocery budget

* Stay within Christmas budget

* Read 3 books next semester

* Keep up cleaning Mondays

* Exercise everyday from next semester on

* Crochet something

* Make something (blanket, hat, clothes) for the baby

*Organize coat closet

*More journal writing

* Find car to buy

* 100% Visiting Teaching

That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure I'll come up with more once I talk to Cameron. He's got lots of good ideas. I think that's about all for tonight. I suppose I should look over my philosophy since I have a test this coming Thursday.

Enjoy the pictures all from Cameron's GOLDEN birthday!

The inter-workings of a 4 month pregnant lady...

I've written about my feelings about being pregnant now it's time for me to write about my other feelings of being pregnant. All I can say is that if being pregnant will always be this easy (so far at least) then I will multiply and replenish the earth single handedly! I haven't had morning sickness at all. At least not the puking type of morning sickness. I always thought I'd be a typical woman and have a missed period, barf my guts up daily and feel like crap then take the pregnancy test and find out the reason. needless to say that I was honestly surprised that the pregnancy test was positive because I hadn't been sick. I had been more tired than usual but I thought that was just because I'm taking 21 credits this semester and so my body was just trying to adjust to the schedule. I will say, that I did puke the day after we found out. I'm pretty sure that it was mostly a mental thing rather than a physical sickness. As any new mother is, I was full of "I'M GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!! Are we ready for this? Can we afford this? Do I know enough? We've only been married a few months. What are we going to name it? What if it isn't cute?" Granted, the what if it isn't cute question didn't last long because Hello, I'm it's mother and Cameron is it's father. How can that be anything BUT the cutest baby/person ever!?

At first I had to pee OFTEN! It was kind of annoying! I'd get up multiple times a night to go to the bathroom. This last week or so it's been better. Maybe it comes less, or maybe I'm just good at ignoring it. Who knows. :)

I have noticed my mood changing a bit. I'm a lot more annoyed with people than I ever have been. I feel that every night at dinner when I tell Cameron about my classes there is always someone that does or says something stupid. I have a designated person in everyone of my classes that annoys me. The sad thing is, it's not just people in my classes either. I've had a hard time getting to know people in my ward too. I've never struggled making conversation with strangers and meeting new people, but I find that I've had a hard time with that lately. I guess that's not something that pregnancy is completely to blame for but the last few months, my people skills have gone into hibernation. I'm also a lot more emotional. A few weeks ago, I was listening to a conference talk while washing the dishes while doing laundry after I cooked dinner and I just burst into tears. No reason, just started crying. I tried get it all worked out before Cameron came home because how silly would I be if I was sobbing with no reason for it. I was unsuccessful because he came in the door moments later and came to hug and kiss me as usual. When he kindly asked me what was wrong, I felt so foolish telling him that I really didn't know why I was crying. He was kind and just let me be a weird emotional woman. That hasn't been the only time that happened. It's a weird thing.

What I really struggle with is being frustrated with some of the small things Cameron does. I feel like a horrible wife after realizing that I'm being really petty and instead, I need to be grateful instead because he really is the most adorable, hardworking, fun husband ever. I am blessed to be able to call him mine.

I'm also super jumpy. I get scared over the smallest noises, sights, or touches. I was getting a drink of water a few weeks ago and some of my hair was just on my right shoulder, but I didn't know what it was and I literally jumped when I turned to look at it. Yes, small ridiculous things like that. Cameron has enjoyed and taken advantage of that. Actually, I jump at things he does even when he isn't trying to scare me, it just happens.

The last little while I've had a lot more headaches than I've ever had. My whole life I haven't had many headaches until the last month or so. They really haven't been to painful, just more annoying than painful. I've tried to take my mother's infamous advice of "drink more water" and what do ya know, it usually works. I've also had lower back pain. It's not super often, but when it hurts, it really hurts. Shooting pains, OUCH! The lady that lives above us, Joanna, had the same problem and tonight she gave me some stretches that helped her. Now I'm prepared, bring it on!

I think I started showing at about week 14. Cameron couldn't really tell but my size 10 jeans were no longer comfortable to wear. Darci gave me a suggestion of putting an elastic around the button so you could wear them undone but not look like they were undone. Brilliant! However, I have now gotten maternity pants which I've decided are like Manna from Heaven. They feel so much better on my belly and they look a lot more flattering to my ever growing waistline. I like the ones with the full panel that I can pull clear up over my belly. I love them! Now that I'm in week 16 (tomorrow at least) I actually look like a pregnant lady. Darci gave me some maternity shirts yesterday and it is more fun than I thought looking pregnant! I'm sure I'll get sick of my clothes and body shape eventually, but right now I'm enjoying it.

Speaking of Darci, this past Thursday the 10th Adam called me at 7:30 in the morning to tell me that his mom was going to have a baby too! I didn't believe him, but it's true! Darci is due May 12th! I am so excited! I've always wanted my kids to have cousins their same age and now they will! The first one will at least. She said the rest of my 9 kids will be up to Morgan to provide the cousin. I've felt like Mary and Elizabeth. I wonder if our kids will leap with joy inside the womb when they get near each other. What fun. She's started to get a little belly, but I'm definitely bigger than her.

Melody asked me last time what I weighed and I didn't know because I was nervous to look. I've been eating a lot more and only exercising 4 times a week for 30 min. and so I figured that the number on the scale would reflect that, but I was brave the other day and stepped on. I started out weighing 166 and last Friday I weighed 169. I was shocked! I celebrated by eating some leftover Halloween candy!

Well, I think that's about all for tonight. It is fun being pregnant! I find myself talking to my belly which actually isn't as awkward as it seems. It's just like talking to myself only different. I'm excited to be a mom and can't wait to meet the little guy or gal! I love it already!

Fall Break with the Johnsons

The kids and I both had a break from school the same weekend. Since Darci and Joel wanted to celebrate their 11 year wedding anniversary I got to be the lucky one to play with the chitlins. I took Ki and went to Logan to play for the weekend. We had a lot of fun. Playing baseball, jumping on the tramp, tag, bikes, basketball, making sugar cookies, eating pizza, building a fort and sleeping in it while watching movies. Cameron had school and work so he couldn't come, but we had fun without him!

Baby Gleed!

Here is our first ultrasound. It was so nice to confirm that there was an actual baby growing. I haven't been sick, I'm not huge fat, and the midwife couldn't hear the heart so we were a little worried that I was just crazy. Turns out I'm not, and here is the proof. It is so much fun hearing it's little heart. I love it so much. We'll find out what the gender is around Cameron's birthday. The picture of the top of it's head, the ultrasound guy said, "There's it's head...full of brains!"

I don't doubt it, do you KNOW who it's parents are? I'm in love....

Our first Halloween

For Halloween this year I was Richard Simmons's groupie, and Cameron was a baby. We both went to school like this. I got 10 extra credit points in my abnormal psychology class if I dressed up. Abnormal perhaps? My makeup was better for school. I had bright red lipstick and redder cheeks, but you still get the idea.

We also carved pumpkins for FHE. We wanted to do "Dwight" from the TV show "The Office" but there was small detail and we didn't have small enough knives so we stuck wit a traditional smile.