When people told me how tired I'd be in the first trimester, I don't think I really beleived them. I do now! Luckily things should turn around here in a few weeks. I am looking forward to that second wind :)
Although it is much to early to be showing, I have noticed some changes in my body. If you look at my weekly pictures you might be able to tell that I've gotten, well, a little "thicker" around the middle. I'm trying to embrace this as a beautiful sign that a baby is coming...but I'm finding it a little difficult. I can empathize with all my friends who told me they just felt overweight for the first part of their pregnancies, because that's definitely how I feel! Oh, the sacrifices our bodies make for these little munchkins.
Luckily this semester of school is coming to an end, and I'll be able to enjoy a few weeks of school-free time with my family. I can't wait for the holidays this year! I'm feeling the urge to decorate, or just get those creative juices flowing in some way. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them. Preferably things that our cat can't destroy... tall order, I know.
During the first few weeks of my pregnancy I had many people notice that certain "glow" around me. I'm not sure what happened to that! Between bloating, acne, feeling emotional, and feeling tired all of the time, I am definitely don't feel that glow anymore. I'm hoping that things will lighten up in my second trimester, making it easier to be happy and connected with this baby-on-the-way. I sure hope that I'm not the only mommy-to-be that has felt this way.
Any tips, encouragement, or advice that you sweet ladies have to offer, I'd love to hear it. Todd and I are still so happy and excited to welcome little Baby Parris into our lives. We're just learning how to adjust to the many changes that come with that little bundle of joy :)
My next appointment is 12/1/11. I'll be sure to post my new ultrasound! We should be seeing fingers and toes by then. Can't wait!
To all of our friends and family, thank you for your love and support. We couldn't do it without you. We love you!
Love,
Todd, Jewely, and Baby Parris
Monday, November 21, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Baby Parris due June 27, 2012!
For any of you who haven't heard the good news, we are expecting our first baby! Baby Parris is due June 27, 2012. I am now 6 Weeks and 4 Days pregnant. Here's a little summary up-to-date:
October 14
Tested positive and shared the amazing news with Todd.
Here I am at 6 weeks. Although I feel huge already, I'm really not showing :)
October 14
Tested positive and shared the amazing news with Todd.
October 15
We told my Mom the next day at her birthday breakfast. We said that we had another present for her, but she'd have to wait until June to get it. She was thrilled!
October 16
We shared the news with Todd's family. We tried to do it creatively, but it didn't quite work. But they were still excited and happy for us.
October 31
We told my family on Halloween! We draw Christmas names every year, and so I decided to sneak "Baby Parris" into the draw. My family was involved in some pretty deep discussions while we were trying to draw names, so I didn't think it was going to work, but Liz saved the day and made it work perfectly! Noelle drew the name, so Liz had everyone listen while she read "Baby Parris" so the rest of the family could hear. It took them a couple of minutes to get it, but when they did it was all smiles.
November 3
First doctor appointment! We had been planning on seeing a Midwife in West Point, but I felt so uncomfortable with her staff that we decided to try somewhere different. My co-worker recommended Circle of Life Women's Center, so we made an appointment with Dr. Beirer. It went wonderfully. He came in, answered all of our questions before we even asked them, and did the first ultrasound.
The baby is only 1/2 a centimeter at this point, marked in the picture above. We could see his/her sweet little heartbeat flickering on the screen. It was still to early to hear it, but seeing is beleiving, right? It's finally official!
November 4
Shared the news with everyone else! We made a couple of calls to family and friends, then decided to post it on FaceBook. We have appreciated how much love and support we have felt already. This is a very exciting and new adventure, sure to bring joy and frazzled nerves, but we know it will be worth it.
So... here's the big question...are we having a BOY or a GIRL? Let me know what you think by taking the survey on my blog! We'll find out the gender in about 2 months.
Again, to all of our loving friends and family, thank you for all you do, all you have done, and all I know you will do to help our little family grow.
Love,
Jewely & Todd
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Coming down the home stretch!
It's almost here...the end of Summer Semester! I'm not quite sure what I was thinking when I signed up for full-time classes while working full-time, but luckily I've survived. AND I've managed to maintain A's in both of my classes. I'm extremely happy with my work as I am taking Cognitive Psychology (Psych 3500) and Abnormal Psychology (Psych 3010), my two first upper-division classes. They've been challenging but very rewarding. I take my finals August 5-6. Wish me luck!
Todd has been taking one class this summer, Intro to Public Speaking. Although it's only a 1010 class it has been quite challenging. He has had to do 3 speeches so far and has one more next week before his final exam. He's doing very well, and I'm proud of him. Next semester he will actually be able to start his Spanish classes! We will see at that point if he is happy in a Spanish Major or not. *Crossing my fingers.*
Life has been...well...interesting since my last post. Here's a brief update:
- I got promoted to Office Administrator at my job, and have helped in the hiring process of a new receptionist to take over my previous position. We are also in the process of moving offices and will hopefully have everything back to normal by the end of the week. I hate having things disorganized, it makes it so much harder to focus and get my work done. But if we can survive this week we will be in great shape! We're in a beautiful office with a great landlord, with plenty of room to grow.
- We adopted a furry little angel on July 16. Our little kitten came with the name of Fanta, and we haven't been able to find a better name so we decided to just keep it. She is now about 4 months old. She is a medium hair, black fur with white socks and a white patch on her chest. She has funny little white lines in her fur that go around her mouth and down her neck, making her look like she has a mustache. I love it! She is the best of both worlds- wonderfully cuddly and extremely playful. We have enjoyed having her in our lives and can't wait to watch her grow up!
- We moved into our own apartment in Layton. We have a decent sized one-bed/one-bath that suites us perfectly. We have been here for 7 weeks and have loved every minute of it. The apartment is clean, the appliances are new, and the complex is safe. We absolutely love our ward! They have welcomed us in with open arms. We have have made some new friends and met lots of different kinds of people. I've also been able to get back in touch with some of my best friends from Elementary, Jr. High, and High School. I've had so much fun spending time with them and catching up. They have been a blessing in my life both then and now.
Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading :)
Todd has been taking one class this summer, Intro to Public Speaking. Although it's only a 1010 class it has been quite challenging. He has had to do 3 speeches so far and has one more next week before his final exam. He's doing very well, and I'm proud of him. Next semester he will actually be able to start his Spanish classes! We will see at that point if he is happy in a Spanish Major or not. *Crossing my fingers.*
Life has been...well...interesting since my last post. Here's a brief update:
- I got promoted to Office Administrator at my job, and have helped in the hiring process of a new receptionist to take over my previous position. We are also in the process of moving offices and will hopefully have everything back to normal by the end of the week. I hate having things disorganized, it makes it so much harder to focus and get my work done. But if we can survive this week we will be in great shape! We're in a beautiful office with a great landlord, with plenty of room to grow.
- We adopted a furry little angel on July 16. Our little kitten came with the name of Fanta, and we haven't been able to find a better name so we decided to just keep it. She is now about 4 months old. She is a medium hair, black fur with white socks and a white patch on her chest. She has funny little white lines in her fur that go around her mouth and down her neck, making her look like she has a mustache. I love it! She is the best of both worlds- wonderfully cuddly and extremely playful. We have enjoyed having her in our lives and can't wait to watch her grow up!
- We moved into our own apartment in Layton. We have a decent sized one-bed/one-bath that suites us perfectly. We have been here for 7 weeks and have loved every minute of it. The apartment is clean, the appliances are new, and the complex is safe. We absolutely love our ward! They have welcomed us in with open arms. We have have made some new friends and met lots of different kinds of people. I've also been able to get back in touch with some of my best friends from Elementary, Jr. High, and High School. I've had so much fun spending time with them and catching up. They have been a blessing in my life both then and now.
Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading :)
Thursday, May 26, 2011
School...a love - hate relationship.
Well, I did it. I FINALLY chose my degree. It might make some of you laught because it's what I've really been in all along. However, not being content with boring old psychology I decided to look in every other direction to find something more interesting and gratifying. I'm just finishing my Associates in Psychology through Utah Valley University and didn't have any desire to to continue my education in that subject.
All of that changed just a couple of weeks ago. After Todd and I went and visited some good friends and talked about a struggle they had been dealing with recently, the wife (names left out intentionally) mentioned how well I would do in a Counseling career. My gut reaction was to say "NO WAY! I don't want to study that any more...let alone go to Graduate School for it." Luckily I held my tongue. I allowed myself to think about that for a few days. The more I thought about it the more comfortable I felt. Finally I realized how silly I had been the last two years.
I transfered to UVU a few years ago to study Psychology. I became disilusioned from it, but finally found my way back. My plan is to get my Batchelors Degree through Weber State University, then go to Grad School for a Masters Degree. Eventually I would like to get my Doctorite.
As a career, I would like to work as a Clinical Counselor, emphisizing on recovery from pornography and other addictions. I feel like that I could do the most good in that field, and what would be most enjoyable.
Wish me luck!
All of that changed just a couple of weeks ago. After Todd and I went and visited some good friends and talked about a struggle they had been dealing with recently, the wife (names left out intentionally) mentioned how well I would do in a Counseling career. My gut reaction was to say "NO WAY! I don't want to study that any more...let alone go to Graduate School for it." Luckily I held my tongue. I allowed myself to think about that for a few days. The more I thought about it the more comfortable I felt. Finally I realized how silly I had been the last two years.
I transfered to UVU a few years ago to study Psychology. I became disilusioned from it, but finally found my way back. My plan is to get my Batchelors Degree through Weber State University, then go to Grad School for a Masters Degree. Eventually I would like to get my Doctorite.
As a career, I would like to work as a Clinical Counselor, emphisizing on recovery from pornography and other addictions. I feel like that I could do the most good in that field, and what would be most enjoyable.
Wish me luck!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
In Memory of Bruce and Virginia Merrill
I've been thinking about my Grandparents more over the last few days as I listened to my Dad and Uncles discuss how to divide their estate. My Grandpa died on February 13, 2011 at age 92, and my Grandma died on March 31, 2011, soon before her 93rd birthday. I am so happy and grateful they were only separated by a short 6 weeks, and can now be together again for eternity.
My Grandparents were very amazing people, as were the families that they came from. I love learning more about the heritage they have left us, and find new things all the time! One of Todd's friends served his mission in Arizona, on the Pima Reservation. I found out that he has heard of my Great-Grandfather, Philemon Christopher Merrill, and even saw the memorial dedicated to him in Yuma, AZ. It was wonderful to talk about the State my Grandparents lived in and loved. I feel a close connection to Arizona and would like to live there someday to feel that heritage more closely.
My Grandfather was a mountain of a man at 6'5", being one of the taller individuals in his area. He was a born entrepreneur and provider for his family. On top of that he had a genius IQ and started college at age 13. He played basketball for Arizona State University and graduated in Accounting. He has been a business man all his life and was running his own company up to 2 weeks before he passed away.
My Grandmother can be described in one word: angel. She raised her 3 sons with patience and love. My Dad can't remember a single time that she raised her voice at them. She was patient with my Grandpa and supported him through his endeavors. She was diagnosed with Dementia about 12 years ago. Her memory slowly degraded and her awareness faded. Even through her condition she maintained her beautiful disposition and never stopped loving her family.
I miss them very much, but am so happy that I can see them again someday. I can't wait for that time!
My Grandparents were very amazing people, as were the families that they came from. I love learning more about the heritage they have left us, and find new things all the time! One of Todd's friends served his mission in Arizona, on the Pima Reservation. I found out that he has heard of my Great-Grandfather, Philemon Christopher Merrill, and even saw the memorial dedicated to him in Yuma, AZ. It was wonderful to talk about the State my Grandparents lived in and loved. I feel a close connection to Arizona and would like to live there someday to feel that heritage more closely.
My Grandfather was a mountain of a man at 6'5", being one of the taller individuals in his area. He was a born entrepreneur and provider for his family. On top of that he had a genius IQ and started college at age 13. He played basketball for Arizona State University and graduated in Accounting. He has been a business man all his life and was running his own company up to 2 weeks before he passed away.
My Grandmother can be described in one word: angel. She raised her 3 sons with patience and love. My Dad can't remember a single time that she raised her voice at them. She was patient with my Grandpa and supported him through his endeavors. She was diagnosed with Dementia about 12 years ago. Her memory slowly degraded and her awareness faded. Even through her condition she maintained her beautiful disposition and never stopped loving her family.
I miss them very much, but am so happy that I can see them again someday. I can't wait for that time!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Life is like a garden...
I never understood what people meant when the said "life is like a garden" until I spent some time in one myself. I've been cleaning out my Dad's flowerbeds (slowly, but surely) and have had some interesting insights on my own life through it. Let me share a couple of them with you!
~ Sometimes you have to sacrifice good things to make room for better things. I noticed some plants growing that looked like tulips. I tried weeding around them, and when I accidently dug one up I made an amazing discovery. They weren't tulips...they were ONIONS! There were hundreds of little onion sprouts growing, disguised as something a little more lovely. Once I get the onions all removed, it will make room for some truly beautiful plants. Life lesson: Sometimes things we think are ok are really holding us back. Getting rid of those will help us make room for our more beautiful qualities!
~ Along with onions, we also have ivy growing every which way. Ivy is extremely beautiful when it is controlled, and completely overwhelming when not. Remind you of anything? Too much of anything can be damaging. Not only does the ivy look unkempt, but it has begun to choke out some of the other plants and flowers int he bed.
Life lesson: Maybe it's better to clean out things that are taking over our life to see other things that need some attention.
~ Sometimes you have to sacrifice good things to make room for better things. I noticed some plants growing that looked like tulips. I tried weeding around them, and when I accidently dug one up I made an amazing discovery. They weren't tulips...they were ONIONS! There were hundreds of little onion sprouts growing, disguised as something a little more lovely. Once I get the onions all removed, it will make room for some truly beautiful plants. Life lesson: Sometimes things we think are ok are really holding us back. Getting rid of those will help us make room for our more beautiful qualities!
~ Along with onions, we also have ivy growing every which way. Ivy is extremely beautiful when it is controlled, and completely overwhelming when not. Remind you of anything? Too much of anything can be damaging. Not only does the ivy look unkempt, but it has begun to choke out some of the other plants and flowers int he bed.
Life lesson: Maybe it's better to clean out things that are taking over our life to see other things that need some attention.
More insights later....as they come up :)
Monday, May 9, 2011
Spring!! Or not....
Mother Nature has played a trick on us yet again. She let us believe that we were finally goign to get some warm weather, then BAM, she dumps rain (and possibly snow) on us. But at least we got in some good fun on those sun-shiney days. Take a look!
After shooting the handguns for a while we decided to try out some skeet shooting. For anyone who doesn't know, you fling a clay disk in the air and shoot it with a shotgun. Simple as that...or is it? It took us some time, but I think we got the hang of it. Todd and I both maxed out at 3 out of 5, not to bad for our first day! But I think it's safe to say that we've all found a delightfully fun new hobby!
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| Me shooting my Dad's shotgun |
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| Todd shooting our Ruger SR9c |
Overall, it was an excellent day :)
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