Birth Announcement

It is really ridiculously expensive to buy/send birth announcements (at least if you order them from somewhere) but I ended up with an awesome coupon and got 25 announcements for almost free. But since 25 announcements doesn't go very far (we'll just get them to some extended family), here is a picture of it.

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

We don't get internet at home anymore so I had to put them together really fast, but I think they're pretty cute. It was super hard to choose a picture of her, but this one won... all those little chubby skin rolls just make me smile. I think she's a doll and we love her to pieces!

Molly-Wolly-Doodle

Chicken-Lickin. Princess Pat. Cutie Patootie. Peanut. Little Tease. My Pretty Girl.

These are just a few of the weird names I find myself calling our sweet baby. Why do we do that, by the way? Bret mostly calls her Molly or Cutie. And I call her whatever comes out of my mouth. 

Bret is the best Dad ever. He is head-over-heels in love with her and has the magic touch. He is also the best husband and is very sweet about making sure that I'm recovering and adjusting okay. I love him more than ever as we step into our "parenting" shoes together.

She has long, skinny feet with talon-like toes. Her fingers are long and skinny too. I don't know where she can possibly be storing 8 pounds, but probably at least a pound of it is in her cheeks.

Her fist bath... not too bad! She always cries a little when we bathe her, but only because she gets a little cold. I think when we can actually put her IN the water she'll love it.

Bret always says that Molly and I are becoming a good "team." I didn't realize how much teamwork it really takes to mother a baby. Surprisingly, all the weight isn't on my shoulders to make sure she eats and sleeps well. She and I have to figure it out together, and while every day presents new challenges, we are learning fast and loving it.

She REALLY enjoys going cross-eyed. I don't like it so much... kinda freaks me out and I worry that she'll get stuck that way! But it is pretty funny!

My mom arrived about an hour after we got home from the hospital. Perfect timing. It was such a blessing for her to be here. She helped me gain a lot of confidence in my ability to be a mom. She has always been the perfect mom to me and I can't believe that she's now a grandma! It is crazy to think that someday I'll be watching Molly become a mommy too... I just hope time goes very very slowly. 

It is crazy how long we can sit and watch her do nothing at all. We love the faces she makes while she sleeps. And sleep is pretty much all she does, so we get to do a lot of watching!

We love you pretty girl, and can't believe how blessed we are to have you in our family. Our hearts are melting and we just can't get enough of you!

Stay at Home (not-quite) Mom

Friday was my last day of work. I'll go back and teach a couple classes a week after Thanksgiving (for like three weeks) and I have some at-home lesson documenting to do, but otherwise I'm DONE! 

Here are a couple pictures from my last day at Fort Concho Elementary. Love these kids. I have (had) the best job... although I have a feeling that motherhood is going to trump even this one! I feel so blessed. Don't you wish you could jump an roll around with these cuties each week too?!

Baby Stuff

 This baby is going to be SPOILED. We have been so lucky to have people give us their old baby stuff and so many people eager to shower the baby with new gifts. First let me share my gift to baby... BEDDING! The crib is from our awesome friends, the Liveseys, but I made the pillows, comforter, and bed skirt.

To those who are concerned... I know that it is not safe to use big comforters/quilts with newborns and that there should not be pillows, bumpers, and other "stuff" in cribs. The pillows are for the chair and the comforter can be for a play mat until she's old enough for it. (We had a friend from our ward over who is a pediatrician and she saw the bedding and hesitantly said, "Just so you know..." Ever since then I feel the need to clarify to people that I do know the safety standards and plan to follow them. :)

These next pictures are some (yes, just some) of the generous gifts I brought home from the showers that were thrown for me here in San Angelo. I hope they don't come across as "look at what we got!" but I feel like somehow I need to convey how incredibly generous people have been to us. We heard that Texans had great hospitality. I'm learning just how true that is. People don't do this because they feel like they have to; they do it because they are honestly kind-hearted and want to help and celebrate and encourage. I tried to talk my way out of two of the showers, but they were determined. 

Seriously. So. Nice.

The last shower was thrown by one of the schools I work at, Fort Concho Elementary. It is the best elementary school I've ever been in. They do so much extra for their kids and try really hard to make a difference in their lives beyond academics. The staff has the best attitude about their jobs, each other, and the kids. I always leave that campus feeling uplifted. Almost the whole staff showed up at the principal's house for the shower, including a handful of people I've never actually met and a lot of people I've met but don't know very well. I have never felt so overwhelmed by the kindness of others.

The second shower was thrown by the San Angelo Civic Ballet and was a small group of ladies who work for the ballet. Again, some women I hardly know at all were there to support and encourage me. They were all so kind that by the end of the night I felt like we had been good friends all along. I realized afterward that some of them know me a lot better than I know them (I've taught their kids, etc) but I still felt like they were so incredibly generous to come and to shower me with gifts!

 The first San Angelo shower was thrown by my sweet friends Lori and Aimee (and many others who called and offered to help) and was attended by many of the women in my ward. Aimee is a decorating queen and even though I begged that she not go to a lot of work for this shower...

 it was stunning and done to the nines. I love the women in my ward and look up to them so much. They were so kind to come and celebrate with me. I'm lucky to have such wonderful friends.

I know that this blog isn't really read by anyone except my family and Utah friends, but I'll send out a big "thank you" anyway to all the fabulous people in San Angelo who have made Bret and I feel so very loved these past two weeks. I think I'm being converted to a Texan. The kindness can't be beat.

Any Day Now...

I swear I have meant to blog in the last month, but our internet has been really faulty and each time I try to post pictures or even text it usually cuts out (so fingers crossed that this one makes it through!).

My mom text me last week saying that she, my sister, my grandma and my aunt were submitting a united request for a fat-belly picture. Its not that I'm against taking pregnant pictures, its just awkward...

"Hey Bret, will you come take a picture of my stomach?"

And then you have to try to figure out how to pose... do you try to look cute... or fat... or silly...

So that is why I have very few pictures that actually showcase my growing stomach. I kind of want to go take some nice ones (you know, where I actually do my hair and think about lighting and what not) but its kind of hard to be the model and the photographer at the same time. Hmmm... I guess we'll see how bored I get in the next week while waiting for this baby to come. In the meantime, here is my stomach:

We thought it would be funny to take a picture from the back, the front, and the side. 

The other day a lady told me I should really stop swallowing basketballs. I told her it was a nasty habit and I'm trying to quit. :)  Half the time people tell me I'm looking huge and half the time people say I don't look close to 9 months at all. I've decided the major discrepancy is due to the fact that my baby bulge is all in ONE PLACE. So since the rest of my body has stayed the same, my stomach does look gigantic, but I do feel really blessed that I have stayed a lot smaller that some ladies get. I guess it's just first-timer's luck. I suspect that next time around I'll be this large by 4 months.

I've had a pretty awesome pregnancy and feel really lucky. I hope that means that labor and delivery will follow the trend! This baby is due a week from today and in my mind that means any time now. I've had a lot of braxton-hicks contractions but nothing painful or really intense yet. Tomorrow is my doctor's appointment and hopefully we'll be able to see some progress! But for now, its just all a waiting game. I guess that means I have plenty of time to clean the house... right?

Wish me luck! We are so excited!

Count Your Many Blessings

Last night was cool enough to sleep with the windows open. This morning Bret and I got to snuggle together in bed for 5 minutes before getting up. The sunshine seems to be beaming down happiness. I waved at probably 20 people on my walk this morning and most waved back. My coworkers asked questions that allowed me to share a tiny bit about my religion and my love for God. My fifth grade students were creative and eager to learn. They laughed with me and let me be silly. They made incredible designs with their bodies. The ice-cream I made last night tastes delicious. There is frosting in the fridge, just waiting to be spread on some grahams. Bret and I will get to have FHE tonight. I was able to tell my younger brother how much I love him and that I have a testimony that families are forever. This baby inside of me likes to wiggle and kick, reassuring me that she's there and she's growing. Air conditioning. Naps. A good book. Cold water in the refrigerator. My husband is a hard worker and loves the gospel of Jesus Christ as much as I do. My apartment is safe and lets in a lot of light. I have the second-best job in the world. In six weeks I will have the very-best job in the world. Quiet. Peace. Joy. Love.

Count your blessings, name them one by one. It will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Wardle Olympics 2012

Opening Ceremonies

 Let the Games Begin!

Elephant Bowling

Human Hungry Hippos

Some stinkin' cute kids...

Water Balloon Volleyball

Diaper Dodgeball 

Two-person Twister

Human Shoes

Talent Show