20 weeks

Just last weekend I hit the halfway mark in my pregnancy. Since I have been feeling better, time has certainly flown by. It has also moved quickly due to the busy holiday season. This year we spent Christmas at home. My family came into town a few days before Christmas, and Luke and I hosted Christmas dinner at our house for both his family and mine. After Christmas we went over to Bremerton to spend a few days with Luke's family, and now we are back home gearing up for New Year's Eve. Here are some pictures from the last few days.

Family Picture with the Walkers

Family Picture with the Maissens Baby Bumb 20 weeks

It's a Boy!

At our ultrasound today Luke and I were thrilled to find out we are having a boy. We learned that he is a pretty active baby that enjoys kicking, punching, and stretching out, which explains some of the movement I felt earlier this week. We also enjoyed watching him work hard to get his hand up to his mouth to suck his thumb. We are certainly already in love with this little guy and found it such a joy to watch him on the screen. Hopefully the time with move quickly as we wait for him to arrive. Until then, here are the pics from the ultrasound.

Update

Yesterday marked 17 weeks of pregnancy. At this stage of the pregnancy, I have lots to be excited about.

1. I am on my 6th day of no morning sickness!
2. I had another Dr. appointment today where we celebrated that I have stopped losing weight and have gained just over a pound. Given how sick I was for a couple months, I am thrilled to have turned the corner.
3. Luke and I got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. At our 12 week appointment the baby wasn't cooperating, and we couldn't hear it. As a result they sent us to have an ultrasound. Although we loved getting to see our little baby wiggle around on the screen, we have also been anxiously waiting to hear the heartbeat.

And finally, for all of those who are interested in my expanding waistline, here is the latest belly shot.

Baby Bump

I am half way through my 14th week, and my official baby bump has started to form. Here is the first pic of my growing belly. Now, if I could only shake the morning sickness, life would be good.

Sorry about the poor lighting and shadows.

After five years of marriage,

Luke and I are having our first baby in May! Don't worry more will come soon - pictures, updates, and so forth. But for now, just wanted to pass on the news.

The Past Year!

I can't believe it has been a year since my last post! Here is a quick run down of where we have been.

School: I finished my fifth year of teaching at SCS. I can't believe how quickly it went. Luke is one quarter away from finishing his Masters at USC! Come December he will have a lot more free time on his hands : ). Sorry no pictures to post for this one, but in December and I will have a picture of Luke with his diploma!

Weddings: We have celebrated the marriage of several friends over the past year, but none were more special and beautiful than my sister's wedding. If you have ever met Jennie, you know she is stunning and elegant, and that is exactly how I would describe her wedding. Her new husband Chris is the perfect addition to our family, and we couldn't be more thrilled to watch the two of them grow in this new marriage.

A picture with my cousins on my mom's side

The ceremony

Jennie and Chris

Anniversaries: On the 31st of July Luke and I celebrated 5 years of marriage! I am so blessed to have him as my best friend and husband. We had always talked about a trip to Europe for our 5th anniversary, but with him in school, we needed to stay a little closer to home. We first started planning a trip to Victoria, which then became San Francisco, and finally turned into Hawaii. Neither of us had ever been, and once we had the idea in our heads we couldn't let it go.
We started our vacation in Oahu right across from Waikiki beach. It was upbeat, fun, and exciting. We spent the next day at Pearl Harbor. We toured the Arizona Memorial, Bowfin Submarine, and Battleship Missouri. Although you have to pay to tour the Bowfin and Missouri, it is well worth the money. Luke and I spent most of the day (7:30 - 3:30) touring these sites, and it was certainly one of the highlights of our trip.

After out short stint in Oahu, Luke and I caught an early flight to Maui for 5 days. It was a stark contrast from the bustling area of Waikiki, but we soon fell in the love with the slower pace and friendly atmosphere of Kihei. While in Maui we enjoyed snorkeling, swimming in a waterfall, eating fruit with locals at the Boat that Don't Float (you will have to ask me about it later), attending a Laua, and trying our hand at surfing. We also spent plenty of time sunbathing on the beach and playing in the ocean.

Waikiki Beach

Luke and I on the Missouri

On the Bowfin

Sunset in Oahu

Luke in Waikiki

Luke at I at Ho'okipa Lookout

Swimming at Twin Falls

Cliff jumping

On the snorkeling boat

This picture is a little out of order. It is of Luke and I at sunset in Waikiki.

Big Beach

Learning to surf

At the Laua

Until next time!