Maybe I Do Have What It Takes

It's July!!!!! FINALLY! I can't believe it's finally here! The last month before our little daughter joins our lives! 

Our apartment at Wymount is hotter than heck right now (seriously, it has to be at least 80 degrees in here because I am sweating everywhere) but I am in a surprisingly good mood because I've been spraying myself with this little water spritzer thing (I got that idea right here -- yes I googled that, haha) and drinking lots. Plus, I don't really have to wear a lot of clothes in my own apartment so that helps. 

This morning, our little girl was bouncing around and kicking like mad. I didn't know what time it was (I'm blind without my contacts) but I got up to pee, get a drink, and try to calm her down a little. I heard that you can get an idea of what your baby's routine will be like based on his or her activity in the womb. I sincerely hope that isn't the case or I can say good morning at 6am every day (which, it turns out, is when she woke me up with her movement this morning). Although that is admittedly better than 2 or 3am...The good thing about this morning was, after getting back into bed, I realized I apparently do have the ability to get up (even against my will) in the early hours of the morning to take care of our baby. I am sure the crying will be enough to motivate me as well, but it was a comfort to know that I subconsciously am getting into the "Mom zone" and mentally preparing for taking care of our sweet baby. 

For those of you who don't know, I was worried about getting up in the middle of the night because I am the type of sleeper where, if my sleep gets interrupted, I have a hard time going back to bed after. Once I'm awake, I'm usually awake for good. Maybe the exhaustion (or heat exhaustion...) took its toll on me. Either way, I am more excited than ever for this month to go by. We have lots of plans for this month (most involving family visiting and fun work activities) and I am hoping they will be enough to keep me distracted and make the month fly by...

That's all I have for now, but I am wondering if anyone has any creative suggestions for keeping cool. I work from 10-5:30pm, so during those hours, it isn't much of an issue, but the evenings and weekends aren't too fun. I've already closed all our blinds and kept our windows closed during the day and open at night. Why can't it be raining here like it has been for weeks in New Hampshire?? I would gladly trade at this point. Plus I love rain. 

Anyway, please tell me how to keep cool!!!

Summer Has Arrived

LOVE the east coast.

Happy summer, everyone! I love summer. Usually it means going to the ocean, laying on the beach, jetskiing on the lake, camping, cabins, family picnics, trips, and lots of ice cream. This year is a little different mostly because we're in Utah with our first little baby on the way. Instead, this spring and summer has been filled with books, pies, dinners, movies, new babies, and a lot of waiting for our own baby. 

Reflecting back on an earlier post this week, I finally found another good book series! It's called Enclave by Ann Aguirre. I bought it for $7 on our Kindle and read it in two nights. I couldn't stop! I started the second book (just the preview at the end of Enclave) but I haven't had the chance to buy it yet. It's definitely a book for teenagers or young adults, but I really like it. It's not The Hunger Games...but there are similarities. I would definitely suggest it to someone looking for something new to get into.

I am so pumped to be at 34 weeks tomorrow! Everyone who sees me now asks, "When are you due?" They always seemed surprised that I still have a month and a half left. I should just wear a shirt that says "Due August 5th" so I can save some time explaining myself to everyone. I don't mind being asked, but I get tired of thinking about how much time I have left...I'm already impatient!

I made a chain at work to help me countdown yesterday...I only have 44 days as of today!!! (At least until she's due). Time is flying faster than I expected. I don't get how it is already June 22nd...but I'm not too sad that summer is flying by. Yesterday after work, Dalin and I visited our friends Daniel and Rachel whose baby is just nine days old! We got to hold him and he is precious! I seriously can't believe he is their's--we just saw them two weeks ago without a baby! It feels like they're just babysitting him. It's just so hard for me to grasp and I think it's because I've never met the first child of any close friends our age. I expect that it will be just as weird for us when we bring our little girl home. I wonder if it'll feel like she's ours right away or if it will take some getting used to. I am so excited for her to be here!!!!!!! I am not a very patient person so the suspense (particularly not knowing exactly when she'll be here) is driving me crazy!

After meeting the Nelson's darling new son, we had dinner with our new friends Emil and Stephanie. They are Resident Assistants at King Henry (where I work) which is how we met. They invited us over and we ate delicious barbecued hotdogs and corn for dinner. After, we had peanut butter cookies and got to know each other. Stephanie and I also watched Emil and Dalin play ping pong for what seemed like forever while we talked about all kinds of things. Later, we went back to their apartment to talk until midnight. It was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed getting to know the two of them!  

Today, we slept in (just because it's Saturday and we only have a limited number of weekends where we'll be able to sleep in together left) and when we finally got up, headed out to see World War Z at the Riverwoods' theater. We hadn't been to the movies (just the two of us) in a while and this was one we wanted to see (though, I will admit I had voted for Monster's University or that we wait until The Lone Ranger comes out next week). Anyhow, the movie was very good--but very scary. At least, that's what I thought. I only screamed once, but I had my mouth covered for about half the time so I wouldn't scream in the near-empty movie theater. I had to squeeze Dalin's hand or arm the entire time to calm down. Afterward, my body felt very tired and stressed from the emotional toll that the movie had on me. It wasn't sad or anything, but I was on edge for the full thing and it exhausted me.

Now Dalin is at work until 10pm, and I'm just missing him and trying to work up the energy to pick up the house. Dalin thinks it's fine, but he's a guy and I guess he just doesn't notice the clutter the same way I do. I am so grateful that summer has arrived! Pretty soon our little girl will be here!!!! I just need to be patient.

Below are some favorite pictures from last summer...good times :)

What is your favorite thing to do in the summer? 
What has your summer consisted of so far?

Homesick and Baby Hungry...in a different way

Every morning I wake up and say to Dalin, "Why can't she just be here already??" Then I say something along the lines of, "I wish we could just go to the ocean today or walk around Portsmouth. Or visit Boston. I miss Dad. And Payson. And Mom and Donovan. I am craving a clam chowder bread bowl from Faneuil Hall and a smoothie from The Monkey Bar." This morning, I said, "When I wake up in my room in New Hampshire, you can hear boats or jet skiers out on the lake. It makes me want to go boating." Then I said, "I can't wait until she's born and we can go to Central Harbor and bring her to all the little shops in Meredith and everyone will see her and ask, 'Is that your baby?' and we'll be like 'yup!'" 

I could go on, but you get the idea. I want our baby here NOW and I want to be in New Hampshire. My family goes to the ocean or lake like every day in the summer so it kills me when it's nice here in Provo and the ocean is a few thousand miles away. 

Besides missing my parents and brothers, (and our dog...and everyone else) I really miss the awesome places in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont that my family visits frequently during the spring and summer months...

I miss:
Kittery Trading Post
Loco Coco's Tacos
The Ice House
Lago's
Fort Foster
Downtown Portsmouth
Fort Stark
Lake Winnipesaukee
Gilford Tennis Courts
The Gilford Public Library
Andy and Molly's House
Mill Falls
Gilford House of Pizza
Moulton Farms
Bean's and Greens
Gilford Beach
Nana and Grandpa's house
Moultonborough Country Store
Sawyer's Dairy Bar
Beech Hill Farmstand
The Joseph Smith Memorial
Johnson's Restaurant
The Boston Temple
Laconia Ward 

I'm sure there are others, but these are just a few of my favorites. 

What other great places do you love (or miss) in the east? 
Is anyone else homesick?