Graduation, BBQ, Baby Shower

Last Thursday I graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. I am so happy with my degree. I love graphic design and am proud of all I learned and accomplished. I plan on continuing working from home and in two weeks I will also have another full time job: motherhood. I am very lucky to be able to do both.

My favorite part of the whole thing was that some of my family was able to come! My mom flew into Salt Lake from Kansas and then drove here with my grandmas and my dad, Christina, and Kimberly survived the long drive from California (which is a feat in itself for my family... ha ha. Just kidding... kind of). I was so glad they came. It was fun fun fun. I wish they could have stayed longer. I miss them. 

My family before the graduation: Christina, Kimmy, Grandma Beth, Grandma Palmer, Dad, Mom, Lori, and Kurt. 

Kurt and I showing off my huge belly.

On Friday we had a BBQ at our house. My family was still here. Kurts family and grandparents came and so did some friends of ours. It was nice to be able to use our backyard for the first time. 

Everyone looking like they are having oh so much fun...

My mom and dad. They are awesome.

Kurt and I hanging out.

On Saturday Kurt's family threw me a baby shower. It was really fun and I was so glad to see all the family and friends that came. We ate lunch and hung out and then I opened gifts. I got a TON of really cute things. Thanks to everyone who came!

Everyone outside eating.

Some of my friends who came: Kimmy, Shacie, Danielle, Patty, Baby James, Amy and Rachel.

One of the cute outfits I got. This is from Kurt's aunt.

Kurt's dad's counsin's wife, Talia (confused? I never understand what that makes us...) made this AMAZING cake for the shower. I wish I could have taken it home to decorate the baby's room. I felt bad cutting into it until I tasted the cake.... very yummy. Thanks a billion, Talia!

30 weeks

Here I am 30 weeks preggo. My baby is completely in my ribs. My ribs are sore and when she moves it looks like an earthquake is going on inside of me but all in all in makes for a pretty small baby bump. 

Camping

For Memorial Day weekend we went camping with Kurt's family. And when I say "camping" I mean "Idaho camping", which basically means you sleep in a real bed, eat food that wasn't cooked over a campfire, and use a toilet that you can flush. Ha ha, I'm just making fun. But I cannot lie, "Idaho camping" is really nice when you are six and a half months pregnant.

"Idaho camping" also consists of going to the store and getting ice cream. This is the famous "square" ice cream in Swan Valley. Kurt was really enjoying it.

We also rode four-wheelers around. 

Here I am before I flipped the four-wheeler and got banned from riding. 

And here is my super-sexy husband, Kurt.

26 weeks

I am 26.5 weeks pregnant and will be starting my third trimester on Wednesday. The baby is healthy and growing right on schedule... as am I. These past few weeks I have been trying to cope with some of the "fun" new parts of pregnancy I am experiencing. Along with not-only-in-the-morning-sickness, I am having back pain, the feeling as though my insides are being smashed, and lots and lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions (not so new but still trying to cope with them). I have been going to the chiropractor every other day so that he can align my hips and take the pressure off my lower back. About the smashed guts, I have been told to suck it up get use to it. I am also on strict orders to drink lots of water in order to help stop some of the contractions. I need to do better because I haven't seen much of a difference but I already feel as though I spend my days in the bathroom. 

Well, here I am. The shirt is a little loose so you don't get the full effect but I won't wait six more weeks to put another picture up.

Two days old

Here are some pictures of the cute kittens at two days old. 

This is one of Cali's usual positions. With seven kittens all fighting to eat comfort is thrown out the window. I wonder if she ever gets a cramp in her arm...

When Cali leaves to eat and go to the bathroom the kittens crawl all over each other till they get comfy and fall asleep. This is right after she left, so they are all still trying to find a good position. The kitten at the top right is the runt. Can you see how small it is compared to the others? Poor little guy....

Here is the mass that forms when Cali is away.

This is what I call brother and sisterly bonding. They are precious.

And here is a picture in honor of Mother's Day. 

Kittens... lots of Kittens.

Today our cat Cali had seven kittens!!! Yes.... Seven! We kinda got stuck with her when we moved into our house but she ran away for about five weeks before we could get her fixed. We thought she wouldn't come back but she did come back... pregnant. 

So this morning she started acting weird and breathing really hard. She wouldn't hold still and I could tell she was getting stressed out. Finally I got her to lay in her box while she I petted her and she had contractions. Not long after that, while I was on the phone with my sister Christina, Cali popped out the first kitten. I freaked out a bit because the whole thing was sort of gross. To make a long and graphic story short: She had three more in the next hour and a half before I ran off to a short check-up at the doctors. When I got home there was another and I was certain that she was done and that five would be the number. About 20 minutes later another one came. 20 minutes after that I came back to pet Cali and give her some food. After about 10 minutes of sitting there I lifted up her back leg and found a sac with a kitten still inside just sitting there. I thought it was dead and that was why Cali wasn't getting it out but when I saw it move a bit I tried to push Cali's head toward it. Eventually I had to get a towel and pick it up and put it right by her head so that she would help it. Poor Cali was probably too exhausted to realize that she still had a kitten in a sac. 

Now all the kittens are doing great! I can't wait till they get cute. If anyone wants a kitten or knows of anyone who does then let me know... we can't keep them.

Here is Cali right after she had her second kitten. Sorry about the blood but believe me there were much more graphic pictures. (Let me know if you want to see the gross ones Richard... I can e-mail them to you.)

This is after number five. 

This is number six still all slimmy.

It looks like a wet dog. They are already cuter then when I took this picture.

Here are all seven. 

I know you're not suppose to pick them up but I couldn't help it... Don't worry, my wrists have already been slapped.

They are so cute... Don't you want one?

Here is a video I got of Cali having the fourth kitten. It's kind of graphic so if you get grossed out easily then don't watch it. At the end of the video I say "That's number five." But really it was only number four.

It's a girl

We had a doctors appointment today and even though the doctor was out of town for a funeral we asked the physician's assistant to try to see what our baby was. She was a little hesitant because she said she is not an expert but when she looked the baby's legs were apart and she was pretty confident that it's a girl. We are so excited!!! 

We plan on naming her Brooklyn but don't have a middle name decided yet. Someone suggested Bridge... he he. We have considered Beth... then the baby would be named after my family (Brooklyn came from Brooksby and Beth cause that's my middle name and Grandma's name). Any ideas or thoughts?