I just finished reading Kirks missionary journal! I've read random entries here and there but decided I would read his entire mission today. What an amazing time of growth, opportunity, learning and experience! A mission is absolutley amazing. I learned, and was reminded of so much about my husband. I loved getting to know the people he served and came in contact with- He cares for people like no one i know! He loves the people of DC and Virginia with an unselfish, Godly love-I could see it. He has unmeasurable Faith and awe-inspiring spiritual insight. The goals he set and accomplished were-WOW! I love this man for so many reasons! I felt like some things he wrote were written in a certain way that i-his future wife-would marvel at. I want him to take me back to his mission sooo so bad...! One favorite part was reading the very end as he was on the plane home....from the day he left to the day he returned, he became a man. It was like watching this young adult transform and grow into a bright, confident, focused and brilliant Man! I didn't really know what to do when I had finished my reading- it wasn't enough, and I didn't want it to come to an end! I found myself completely intrigued by his experiences and day-to-day thoughts that I wanted to know what happened next!!! I wished for a minute that he had kept a journal every day of his life! Then I realized...I know exactly what came next.....it's in my journal :) We were both so ready to meet each other, it's just amazing.

May 2006-May 2008 is the reason I married the Man he became :)

We met October 2008, fell in love on our very first date Jan 2009, and were sealed July 2009.

Amazing

silly boy!

I think i've become one of those first-time-paranoid-pregnant ladies! I try not to be, but maybe i worry too much about our little one. 2 sundays ago I started spotting and totally flipped out! i think i worryied my poor husband to death. But i didn't stop there, I had to call my mom and worry her to death- then call a Labor and Delivery nurse AND the next morning call my Dr's office. hahaha oh dear. apparently everything is just fine- i'm just being a little too active....

well, yesterday (Sunday) i started cramping and hurting! i told kirk and he played hookey from church with me so i could take it easy! it wasn't too devestating :) but i kept cramping all day! so i did a little research and everything kept telling us that if the baby moves 10 times an hour, don't be alarmed. well dallen moves like 30+ times an hr so i must have been too worried! i kept poking kirk, "babe i haven't felt him move" and the second kirk would put his hand on my belly dallen would make me look like a idiot lol. Kirk says its dallen telling me to relax. lol but at 3am i woke up with shart pain in my wee-wee AND back! i walked it off, then went into the dr's office at 10:15 this morning. Apparently our little guy decided to turn breach on us! Dr Benham says i've been measuring ahead, so that rolly polly baby is a good size! and the heaveist part of him is sittin on my pelvis so TA DA! i'm not crazy :) there's a reason to my worry and owy-ness!

well i'm just thankful we're all happy, healthy and in good shape! this worrying stuff if for the birds!

hmmmm....What will next sunday bring?!

forever a family

It's just amazing how preparing to be a mother has brought me such new insight on life and God's Plan. Although I can't see my sweet baby dallen, or hear him-I can feel him physically, but more so Spiritually. Kirk and I, together, personally believe in our hearts that the Spirit enters the body when the heart beats for the first time. I know that there really is an added sweetness, peacefulness and love that has grown over me these last 27 weeks. Part of that is my own personal prep to receive into our home Gods greatest creation, but also because my body has become a temple for an angel inside me...

I had a beautifully heart aching dream last night about my sweet husband and I. I dreamt that we had 5 little kids under 10 years old and life was so good to us. Then one day we found out that I had a terminal illness, and it was only a matter of time that I had left with my family on this earth. In my dream I went through the motions of knowing my Sweetheart needed to find another woman to raise our children. I knew that it was important for my children to know that I love their father, and that I could accept another woman to take my place. I felt that if they knew I accepted their 'new mom', they would be okay-our family would be happy-and this transition would be easier. So I began to keep my eye out for someone who met my standards as a wife and mother... I did find someone who I remember commenting to Kirk was " as beautiful spiritually as she is physically"... Her name was Annabelle. As hard as it was, I knew that Kirk would (and needed too) take her to the temple (after i died) so she could be part of our eternal family, and our children could grow up knowing this was their forever family too... there's so much more detail that goes into this dream... It was an emotional battle inside. It became such an emotional struggle for kirk [to face this new reality-that his bride would soon pass away and he needed to try to open his heart again-] that he said in the dream "If another woman ever comes close to our family, I'm going to shoot her with my BB-gun!" (awww I needed that comic relief last night haha) But when I woke up I couldn't help but be sooo grateful for the power of Temple Sealings. I know that no matter what happens, I will be with my husband and children forever. I could never let myself forfreit that blessing! I'm also grateful that men can be sealed to more than one woman, even though sometimes it can be a hard concept to grasp...but I love this gospel. I love my Heavenly Father and I honor His plan. I know His plan is one of Happiness, unreachable on earth. I know that my mind can't comprehend all the wonderous things of the Lord, but I have faith. I would be lost without the testimony I have built. Our family is forever :)

Although I was sad in my dream to leave my Companion and family... I knew it was a short time only...and HF wouldn't let me miss out...

When I woke up, of course, my mind was flooded with thoughts and feelings... I told my Sweetheart about my dream through tears. He wrapped me up tight and kissed my head, "Nobody else is going to raise our children babe." His voice sounds so good... And he's surely right :)

.... It was as if HF was testing me through a dream... :)

Thank you

for letting me be the mother

of your children,

Babe.

POL

here we go!

I'll give you one guess as to what this is:

a PEE-PEE TEEPEE!

hahahahahahaha :)

"the pee-pee teepee is for the sprinkling wee-wee! changing a baby boy is a horror story. you hold his feet with one hand and change the diaper with the other, the whole time praying please don't pee on your mother. introducing the pee-pee teepee which you simply place on his wee-wee. this cone shaped cloth product makes diaper changes dry and easy. "

Isn't this so funny!? I found these at Motherhood while I was swimsuit shopping! I HAD to get them! Kirk is going to just laugh :) I can't WaIt to show him!

We're so excited to be having a little boy! He is such a mover!... I love that I have the time to relax and just pay attention to him playing inside. It's an undescribable, amazing thing! I almost always hold back an initial tear or two. He makes me so happy. I love you baby! I can't stop smiling everytime I think of you.

I love it so much when kirk kisses him. He likes to curl up next to me and rest his head on my tummy just listenin to his movements. I sometimes joke and say "i hope he kicks you in the face!" but I don't mean it...Dallen usually kicks him a few times anyways! It's so tender to watch kirk talk to him. They're already such good buddies. I love the way he puts those strong, manly hands of his (that i LOVE) around my tummy, and on our baby ..he whispers the sweetest little things to him... I love my boys so much. I could go on and on... <3

The moment we've all been waiting for!!!...

CHEL AND MARSHALL ARE ENGAGED!!!!!
Gosh, there is so much to look forward too :) Marriage is the best thing in the entire world! I wouldn't trade being married to Kirk for anything. ever. I'm such girly girl when it comes to weddings, I love them! Everything about them! I can't wait to watch chelsey prepare to be a beautiful bride... she's an amazing girl. Shout out to the lovers! :)




My husband l.o.v.e.s. being a firefighter... and I love that about him. Isn't he just so dang good at doing cute things?! This little girl came to the station with her elementary class to see the engines. Kirk loves showin his man cave off! He's at the station all day today and as much as i miss him on the long 15-24 hour shifts, I look forward to seeing him smile his whole way home to me. He has found his passion. I'm so proud of him. It doesn't get much selfless than this. There's a quote that I've heard tossed around... "The funny thing about firemen is that, night and day, they are always firemen." It's true. Beyond his scheduled shifts, kirk is on call 24 hours a day... 7 days a week... on weekends and holidays. He is such a loving, helping and selfless man. He'd give you the shirt off his back anytime of the day. He has accomplishd bravery and courage in my eyes...





Kirky and Stinky!
Kirks fam was in town this week and we adventured to the Dinosaur tracks!! It was way crazy to see REAL tracks out in the dessert of St George. Kinda made me realize how tiny and helpless humans can be against the wild!



Isn't my sis gorgeous?!!?!
She's off to a valentine High School dance!
.... kirk and tried to get her to ask her date with a toilet plunger that read "It'd be the shi(z) if you'd let me take your A-- to Sweethearts!"...but mom didn't like it. ;)

Keepin it All Together!

While kirk and I were out to dinner last weekend we watched something kinda bitter sweet happen!... we were just mindin our own as a young family with 3 kids was being seated in the booth right behind us, near a middle-aged man who had just finished his cup of coffee. He stood up and walked over to the father of that family, patted his shoulder and said "good job, you're keepin it all together" then left.

I didn't see it happen but kirk pointed out the man as he was walking outside and told me the story. The man looked rough around the edges (like he lived out on the streets) and wore a tired/serious look on his long face, but there was no evilness about him-just sadness... had his family fallen apart? :( I don't know his story but I could see there was a strom going on inside his heart. I don't want to experience what he is feeling.

I know family is where we experience life's greatest joys!... the strongest and highlest level of happiness comes from love within families, that's why eternal families are central to The Plan...

As a new, naive mother (who has many lessons to learn) I hope I can start somewhere....

1. create family memories and traditions...laugh together and find happiness in each others happiness


2. work together


3. have family dinner


4. pray in our family and individually...let my children see me pray (like i witnessed my mother do at her bedside)


5. build a habbit of reading the scripures! Pres Marion G Romney "if we prayerfully and regularly read the BOM in our homes and with our children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therin. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart...Faith, hope and charity-the pure love of Christ- will abound in our homes an dlives."


6. show my children how much i admire, truly love and find happiness in their dad :) -i'm so excited to be entering this stage of life!


7. dicipline & obedience


8. be active members of the church and share testimony of it


9. encourage my family to build their talents and pursue their goals


10. go to the temple! let my children see us go to the temple

how do you keep your family together?

Weekend Highlights!

Weekend Highlights!

-I BEAT KIRKS BRICK-BREAKER SCORE!!! bam baby! can't touch this. do you have that game on your phone?! :)

- Hi silly random cow! what are you doin right here?!?!! (In the IHOP parking lot where we had dinner) Which remindes me...free pancake day at IHOP March 1st!

-Our little baby gave us quite the scare! no more lifting, long days on my feet or hard work for me!

-At the mall in the funny smelling asian store :)

-Mom sent me a big pile of new maternity clothes!! YAY! Thanks again ma

-Playin fetch with the stinky, muddy pooch! I think she has an ego problem... she'll only chase the giant logs, when we throw small sticks she pretends like she didn't see them...

-We're going to HAWAII!!!!

Goal for today: Schedule my VT

AH!!!

Oh me-oh my!

I was driving down a dark, desolate street tonight-listening to my country music on the radio :) I got to an area that recently had a way bad car accident Kirk had told me about. I was thinkin about that bloody crash and how sad it was for kirk b/c of the trauma involved.... so, I asked Heavenly Father to please keep me and my family safe as I was thinkin about it.

Well, a group of teenagers dressed in black and wearing black hoods were walking around, unbeknownst to me. Their dark figures blended in perfectly with the black night! At some point they decided to cross the street, and I'm not sure what they were thinking b/c I definitely couldn't see them... Then in the middle-left of my lane I saw whiteness! If it weren't for one boy in the group, who was wearing shorts with really white legs, they'd all be crunched :( I slammed on my breaks, giving them just enough time to finish running across my lane and off the road...Man, It was the middle of nowhere and quite an unusual spot for anyone to be out walking. It keeps replaying in my mind-I barely saw his brighty whities running across my lane! And after my eye caught the white movement, it took me a minute to realize it was a person's figure, and not just some trash or small animal. I can't BELIEVE I had come that close to seriously hurting all those guys! I know I was going at least 50mph! ... ... ...I love white legs! I'm SO glad he wasn't wearing long pants like the rest of the group. I'm so thankful for that!

I know SOmeone was watching out for all of us! That could have been so bad :( ... It happened sooo fast that it took me a minute to realize a simple prayer had protected me. I'm so thankful my mother taught me to always pray in my heart... and Someone will always hear it.

After that entire 2 seconds, I remembered that Kirk is at the fire station tonight!...it would have been so sad/hard for him to show up at the same scene as that other terrible accident, and find me & dallen all ouchy :( That's one of my worst fears :( Kirk is a hero. I never want to see the look he would have on his face if he showed up to unexpectedly find his wife mangled up in an accident. But at the same time, there's no one I'ld rather have come rescue me.. I just know how scary it would be for him, and I never want to cause him fear, worry, or sadness.

Thank you for protecting me and our unborn baby, Heavnely Father...

I have so much to be grateful to You for, and I'll find lots of ways to show it :)

Git-R-Done!

Last Sunday Sister Kirchhausen gave another "kick me in the butt" lesson. She's really good at it. Everytime she teaches I always leave Relief Society with insight I want to share with Kirk, and also with a list of goals I want to achieve for the week. That's how good she is :)
The lesson last sunday was on all aspects of WORK. There were a lot of really great points we touched on, but what I came away with the most was the reminder that our Temporal and Spiritual state are inseparable. Our Spirit cannot grow and receive greater light when we have not taken care of our temporal state. That can relate to a dirty or smelly home, contention among family-in music-or on tv, debt or other stressors that occupy our thoughts, ect.
Kirk and I have worked really hard to avoid debt, and try really hard to keep the spirit in our home... luckily I have made a habbit of cleaning out house (which gets dirty SO fast!!!) every morning. And yes, it seriously has to be cleaned every morning! But I enjoy the way I feel when the dishes are done, the floors are clean and our house is in order :) Anywho, The place where I struggle the most is laundry! bla. And it's a bitter struggle ahhaha Everything else is usually in okay order, except that! Big time! Sometimes I'm amazed at how many clothes kirk and I have b/c the only laundy i absolutely have to do for weeks is our undies! We can go a month + wearing clean clothes everyday as long as i keep our whites going...

And I know it's time to wash our whites when Kirk starts wearing my socks...

SooOooO This is me recommitting myself to laundry

and thinking happy thoughts:

1. Our bedroom and closet will stay lots cleaner!
2. I love the smell of fresh, warm laundry right out of the dryer! And we have yummy smelling soap too!
3. Best to build the habbit now! We're starting a family and the piles will only grow!

time to boogy!

Yep, I stillll love kirk!

"It’s so easy in life for us to receive blessings, many of them almost uncounted, and have things happen in our lives that can help change our lives, improve our lives, and bring the Spirit into our lives. But we sometimes take them for granted. How grateful we should be for the blessings that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings into our hearts and souls. I would remind all of you that if we’re ever going to show gratitude properly to our Heavenly Father, we should do it with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—because it was He who gave us life and breath" David B. Haight

I am grateful to be a healthy mother, to a healthy baby boy! I'm also grateful I don't have to endure these routine Dr visits without my husband! I'm so glad he's come to every appt no matter how violating they become! :( hahaha

I'm SooOooO grateful we live in St George! We love it and always have! This is right where we belong :)

I'm grateful for the simple, little things in life that make me pause for a minute and smile :)

I'm thankful we are involved in our community! It's so much more fun this way :)

Top Pic: Kirk in red on far left. Bottom Pic: Kirk dribbling ball, back and center.







I have a LOT to be grateful for that this pic represents! To my mom-the-bomb who is the weekly package of goodies-the happy cards in the mail-the weekend visits-the uplifitng and supportive phonecalls/texts/emails-AND- for being the cutest, youngest grandma who has already found ways to spoil her grandson :) To my sis Karlie who has all the gadgets! I can't even begin to count the goodies she has passed on to me....from advice to a new wardrobe of maternity clothes :) To my great friend Brecken who has showered me with piles of baby clothes and new diapers, who has entertained long conversations about pregnancy ups and downs with me :) To Gretchen who has also added to my supply of baby clothes and support :) To Mist who has been my life-line with all the advice, understanding, listening and positive energy. I love you girl! :) Shout out to my little sister, Kel, McKenna, Heather, Dawna, Chelsey, Brenna and my VT's who help-even without knowin :) And my hubby shmubby, of couse!!

Other Unpictured Times to be Grateful For:

• I can't tell you this without LAUGHING my face off! It cracks me up! My husband is SO cute! I woke up in the middle of the night a few days ago and needed to wake up Kirk....SoOOo I cuddle up to him (his back was to me) and whispered his name to see if that would do the trick. He immediatly rolled over, plunged his heavy sleeping arms around me and with his eyes still closed said: "I'm sorry I was mad at you babe" ....uh..... I had no idea what he was talking about so I asked... "I had a dream you went on a date with another guy and I got really made at you so I moved to the edge of the bed and turned away. And I'm still mad at you." hahahaha I can still hear his sleepy voice give light to my understanding hahaha It was 2 in the morning so I wasn't awake enough to realize he was sleeping so far away from me, awww! isn't he the cutest person ever? That's a crappy dream, but I love the way he responded. He's so cute and funny when he's sleepy! I love that he wasn't okay with it, even though it was JUST a dream. I love you cuddly wuddly! I'm grateful for a husband who cares about me so soo much!
• While we're on a roll with dreams.... this morning kirk woke up and told me he had a dream that a bat attacked my face. Apparently it was the size of an owl and Kirk had to bring out his ginormous hulk muscles to save me. I'm grateful he's always got my back, anytime-anywhere-dream or reality!
• I"m grateful we were able to have Chelsey and Marshall over for dinner and the jazz game! They are the cutest couple ever!! And I promise I'll never make ribs again....
• I'm grateful Brecken stopped by for girltalk Monday, and McKenna stopped by with lunch Wednesday. Everyone needs their girlfriends!
• I'm grateful we have NEW RED COUCHES!!!! YAY!
• I'm so grateful our stinky dog is FiNaLLy leaving that blasted puppy stage!!!!!... oh my gosh... never again...! I just realized I only weigh 50 pounds more than her, and I'm PREGNANT. she's huge.
• I'm grateful I have the day off tomorrow!!!!!!!! i love babysitting my little ones but TGIF
• I"m grateful for Costco's samples
• On a more serious note, I am grateful Heavenly Father loves Kirk and me. I can't stop the tears from coming when I really begin to think about it. He has made it known in soo many ways....through our family (more specifically our gracious, angelic parents), our warm and loving ward, and through good-good people and friends in our life. We have [reverently] never gone without; we have been, and both are healthy and safe; we live active and happy lives...which is a degree of glory all by itself. When one door closes, if you do what you know it right and pay your tithing, HF doesn't just open another door. He opens all the windows! The garage! The chimney! And the Heavens. He makes something come out of the woodwork to take care of His children...I'm overwhelming grateful for that. I know He is willing and wanting to drench us in blessings. It makes me want to be so much more when I'm in tune to recognize His hand.

I want that....

I guess I should start by apologizing to the Lancaster family! :D

...I have no flippin idea who you are,

all I know is that I'm OBSESSED with wedding pictures...

hence the reason i clicked on your facebook profile (you're a friend of a friend ish?) and coudn't

-for the LiFe of me-

resist seeing all your weddingness (BEAUTIFUL bridals! your engagements! all of it)!

Your profile pic was a dead give away that you're newly wed, so that's where it all began.....

(YAY! congratulations guys!!!!!! that's so exciting!!i love weddings!! Even though I dont' know you, I think you were a gorgeous bride!)

AnYwAyS! I am absolutley and totally jealous of this wedding gift!

I would love LOVe love to get my paws on a "McAllister" one! This is so beautiful to me!!! Plus, it would make GREAT wedding gifts for my friends getting married this summer :)

Does anyone know who/what/where/when/why/how I can have some made?!

Thanks for sharing Lancasters!

THE CHURCH IS TRUE!

love.LOVE.love.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

How did we celebrate our 3rd Valentines together?!?! Let me count the ways!

1. FRIDAY'S COUPLES DANCE at our ward!! Wonderful! Posted all about it earlier! It turned out better than any ward party ever! Didn't know you could make a church gym look romantic :)
2. SATURDAY'S STAKE YOUTH DANCE! We were one of the bajillion chaperones of the evening. And despite the doubts other ppl had, it's the truth... I am totally NOT a pregnant teenager who decided to crash the mormon's stake dance...and thanks for getting me a comfy padded chair as an apology :) You were much nicer in apologizing than the hall-monitor-man who took me by mistake before you hahahahaha Between that, and the fire alarms being pulled on the slow songs, I was reminded of how much fun it was when kirk and I were fresh out of high school! (well i guess it was just me, he was already an old man when I met him at 18). And ya know what? I was totally okay with all the 15 and 16 year olds checkin out my studdly, dirty-dance-monitor. I was too! But it's official, teenaged girls can be SooOo awkward. All in all, it was great! especially the people watching!
3. Valentine Donuts! YUMyum yum! What says love like a heart shaped glazed donut?!
4. homemade SUGAR COOKIES!! I thought of pregnant dawna when I was making these :) It's her sweet spot right now! ...I didn't know my husband had it in him to eat an entire batch of coookies, spare the 3 I had before he found them. Now, if it were 40 Big Macs he had downed-understandable. But cookies? hahaha I guess my secret ingredient WORKED! (jealous I can't do that without a 20 pounds weight gain? much!!)
5. ROSES! that smell SOooOOo good! Sometimes they don't come with much of a smell, but these one did. They made my day! I'm a flower girl for sure :) Thank you my special Valentine!
6. HandMade FLowers! too good to be true? It was. hahaha but thanks for pretending sweetheart!
7. BRICK OVEN! we ordered salads, pizza, lasagna, pesto noodles, homemade rootbeer, cheese/garlic bread and topped it off with cookies! Can't touch this!
8. a relaxing TUBBY!!!!!!!! together?! wouldn't have it any other way on Valentine's Day! Kirk showed me his extreme enjoyment by falling asleep in the tub HAhahahaha (typical man, right!?) So I turned to dallen's dance off in my tummy as entertainment until the water in our bath got cold. Oh i love tubby's, especially with that man of mine! (I've been wanting to do that for SooOOOoOo long with him!)
9. massages at home :)
10. mushy "i love you's"

and the best part is....

We're not celebrating Valentine's Day until Saturday!!!!

Kirk and I decided that last week! We take turns plannin Valentine's Day each year so we each get to be spoiled, thought of, planned for, and shown off all day! This year it's my turn to make kirk feel extra special! But b/c the holiday fell on a monday, that meant P90x-school-work-fire training for him (gone from 7am-9pm) and for me it meant I was watching a 3 year old and 10 month old from 8am to 5pm, ....so we planned another day to celebrate. But we had to recognize the day! And luckily Kirk's fire training got cancelled so we were able to go out to dinner around 8 :) Can't WAIT until this weekend!

(no pictures, darn it all! sandy beach+camera=death.)

Sunny Saturday in St Geezy!

Our little beach getaway!

Much needed after a cold, no-hot-tub-allowed winter :)

14 pounds of baby later....

and BAM!!! Big Momma!

Kirk and I went to our wards Valentine Dance last night!

It turned out great!! Someone def put a lot of work into it! I wish I would have taken pics of how amazing it was decorated.... I didn't think you could make a church gym look so dang good! They served spaghetti and GIANT meatballs, deeelicous! Then we danced the night away! The waltz, cha cha and swing :) Hot dang, can this pregnant mama move! haha Other than kirk stepping on my toes, the best part of the night was meeting new friends! Emily, her husband Mike, and another coupld whose names I totally already forgot :( But it was a blast! I have one good looking husband! Thanks for helping setup and make the gelato babe!

Tonight will be church dances round 2! We're going to chaperone the Youth dance! Last time we did that they sent us home for violating dress code.... Kirk and Me! How can a youth leader be sent home?! and not welcomed back?! hahaha Note to self: do NOT wear jeans to a stake dance in st george!

HICCUPS!

This is how big our baby is!

I woke up in the middle of the night last night to a baby with HICCUPS!

I was kinda startled at first by the pattern of movements I felt AND the bubbly sounds I heard... and I"m not sure if the deep, bubbly sounds were specifically the hiccups (I don't think I can hear them from such a little baby!) but it was SooOOoo cool!

It made me so happy!

I rolled over and woke up kirk and he heard it too!!!

Isn't that so fun!?

They lasted for what seemed like FoReVeR!

I heard bubbly, gurgly sounds and felt rythmic movements ever 5-6 seconds for about 10 minutes.

They were in my dream before I woke up so I'm not sure how long they lasted but

IT WAS SO COOL!

Thank you little baby :) I love you!

It takes a real man to cry...

You know I can't help but brag about my wonderful husband...I probably get to mushy about him, but if you were his forever girl you'd understand :) He is as honest as the day is bright, and that's what I fell in love with! I just know I dated the poopy guys to humble me so I would appreciate this amazing Man when he came along.... He is the sweetest, most dedicated and positive, good-good man. I know he loves me more than anything. He shows me through all his actions that I am the one thing his world revolves around. {How much more do I need my HF to help me be the girl he deserves ...because of his goodness....} I know he will impress me as a father :) I hope Dallen grows up to be just like his hardworking, compassionate, dilligent, fun and hot Dad! I wish you could see how excited kirk is to have a son! He reminds me every day!

ANYWAY.....

We decided a long time ago that we wanted to invite our mothers to come with us to find out the gender of our baby. SooOOoO Kirk and I drove up to SLC and took them to fetal photo. I will never forget the way it felt when I saw my eternal companion wipe tears from his eyes when we saw Dallen's heart beat. Kirk loves us so much. That moment brought us that much closer as husband/wife & mom/dad. I'm so so grateful I have a husband at my side forever, who will be the father of our children, forever. That was the best minute...

The most memorable part of this experience was Dallen's busy body! He was movin, kickin, yawning and amazing us all! We even caught him playing with his hangy dangy! It took a minute for us to find out his gender b/c there were little hands and fingers in the way! Then finally- IT'S A BOY!!! I'll never forget seeing him play with his pee-pee on our ultrasound!

I can't wait to hold you and tell you how much me and your dad wanted you. Wow, you're amazing. You amaze us every day!

We spent the rest of the day telling the world how happy we were! We went to out to lunch, then my mom took us to buy maternity clothes...FUNNEST DAY!

our pregnancy time-line!

Pushin 25 Weeks! (and l promise I'm more excited than i look!) This is our most recent picture of Dallen and mom! YAY!!!

• I have absolutley loved being pregnant with our baby boy! I love feeling him wiggle and play & I love that dad can feel him too! We were cuddling up to a movie a few nights ago and kirk could feel him move against his back! We've gone from movie's at night to watching my tummy dance instead! Awesome, huh!? And I love to be soakin in the bath just watchin him!
• At this point I've turned into a Tootsie Roll mama! There's something extra delicious about them these days! Goodness gracioius, that must explain what's below :)
• I went from 137lbs to 141lbs this month!!! That was the biggest weight gain yet! And I think I'm finally use to seeing new #'s on the scale... It's not easy for me to love the continuous climb, but I'm starting to not mind it! Afterall,....YAY!
• On the other side I'm starting to get potatoe feet :( bla. I'm just grateful that a good-nights'-rest makes all the swelling go away! Just another happy sign that we're getting closer and closer!
• I've also started to realize how different it is to move around my tummy...Getting up out of low chairs, getting out of the car, putting socks on, bending over!...all those good things have come with slight annoyance at some point but it's all part of the fun! There must be a happy growing baby in there!
• I love walking! Isn't that funny?! And a couple times a week Kirk and I go on steep hikes because it has never felt so goooood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• I"m in denial! There's no way I'm ending my 2nd trimester. I'm not ready! :)
  

22 Weeks!

• I look pregnant!!! YAY!!!!!! Maybe it was the cold weather and sweathshirts that disguised me into a fatty, but whatever it was, it's more obvious now...just call me Big Momma! :)
• I love the random belly touching! I really do! A little old lady couldn't stop from touching my tummy in the grocery store and I loved it! I can only imagine what memories that brought back to her and the 7 babies she gave birth too! ...one day that'll be me!
• Well, now that it's january and the sun is finally coming out...(I LOVE ST GEORGE!!) I'm starting to realize how white and flabby I from the winter! Time to start walking and doin exercises! I don't wanna be a chubby mom... and if my little sister tells me ONE MORE TIME how much she loves that I'm fat, I'm going to chop her littleness in half! :)
• Life is pretty normal!

20 Weeks...pregnant??

• Gotta love that in-between stage where no-one knows you're a mama yet! you can kinda tell if you look close!
• I'm trying to love the sleepless nights! I just can't stop tossin and turnin! (sorry kirky!) Also, talk about The frequent potty trips (where I'm usually surpised at the how little I went vs how bad I had to go!) And the times I swear I'm starving to death...then can barely finish 1/2 a sandwhich :) haha I never thought I would actually get to his stage...These are the things that mean I'M PREGNANT!!!!!! :D
• IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kirk and I wanted him so badly! SO so SO so SO bad! YAY!
• I also had the flu somewhere around here, bummer huh!? It was absolutley awful! Kirk and I were both the sickest we had been in a long time. I was so so thankful we had 2 bathrooms AND that we had no demands to take care of. What would I do if we had kids?!
• I have officially become the most forgetful girl in the world! I forget EVERYTHING! Work meetings, scheduled babysitting times, where I parked the car... my husband thought it was hilarious forgot where i put the light for his firefighter helmet... but i guess I'm glad someone can laugh about my embarressment!
• I FELT OUR BABY MOVE!!! I was about 15 weeks along, (which is very early from what I hear)! But I'll never forget that sweet little moment when I was reminded about how incredible and amazing it is to have a body. I am so so glad that HF made that part of the plan. I know that was truly an experience I could only enjoy b/c we have bodies :) It felt like a little butterfly!
• JOSH AND HEATHER ARE PREGNANT TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our best married friends, and kirk bff from way back when ARE HAVING A BABY TOO!!!!!!!!!! Kirk and I were so stinkin happy when they gave us the news! I guess we were 12-13 weeks along or so, but YAY!!!!!!! AND! We're only 2 weeks apart!!!! Couldn't have been any closer if we planned it! CONGRATULATIONS GUYS!
  

12 Weeks!

• Well, now that the suprise has worn off somewhat- I guess it's about time we start finding our midwife! Yes, I know I'm crazy-I've only heard it 5 billion times....I want a home birth. We'll save this for another journal entry, but this was the week of our first appt with Cindy! I didnt' go to the Dr's when we got married, and I hadn't gone since I was 5 so this was quite the work up! I had no idea what I was in for...! But I loved that Cindy let kirk be so involved in my physical (that sounds wierd, i know! And I'm sure if he weren't going to paramedic school he probably wouldn't be so interested, but I loved that he wanted to be right there through the whole checkup. She let him do so much as to look at my cervix and feel for certain things around my pelvis. I know that sounds weird, but I loved that he got to do that! And that he was so interested. Just another little thing that made me love him so much more!) Luckily it went very smooth and I loved our Midwife. She's an amazing woman! Every experience with her was been awesome! I have been very blessed to have always had a healthy, strong body :) And now that i'm carrying a baby I'm that much more humbled...
• We heard Dallens heartbeat!! Looking back, it was such a dream! Cindy found his heart beat on both sides of my tummy and I loved the idea of him moving around in there so much! I didn't recognize the sounds of his heart at first, but when Cindy pointed it out I couldn't believe it! I can still see the smile on kirks face as we just took in the moment! I love our family :)
• This was about the time when we made our big announcement! It was a blast! I was reminded of how many people truly love, care and support us. We are so blessed to have such great family and friends. And finally I was able to talk my thoughts out with experienced moms :) My poor mommy, I know I ask her the same questions all the time and just ramble, thanks so much for letting me! And Mist, what would I do without you? You're my soul sista. Thanks for going through this first so I could lean on you!
• DAWNA IS PREGNANT!!!! And we're only 5 weeks apart!!!!!! We've been through everything together.... at least the big stuff! We sent missionaries off together, dated&"waited"together, got married together (she was my bridesmaid), moved away from our families together, AND NOW WE'RE PREGNANT TOGETHER! (by the way, if you're reading this Obama you put those pics up!!) Such a relief to have a girlfriend to relate with and understand!
  
  5 & 7 Weeks!

• Do you know how hard it is to keep a BIG secret?!?!?! I was desperate to talk to someone at this point! I wanted SOoOOo badly to have someone to relate too and confide in...another woman that is! :) But we couldn't let our secret out until after our siblings weddings. We didn't want to steal the attention at all :) But holy hannah, it was bottling up inside me! It's kinda funny how serious and desperate I was to find comfort in another woman. I didn't need it b/c I have an amazing and supportive, sweet man as my husband, but I was looking forward to letting it off my mind.
• GIVE ME MEAT! AND LOTS OF IT! hahaha this was sooo not me! I am NOT a meat girl at all, never have been and save this moment, probably never will be! But that was the one thing I couldn't get my mind off! Isn't it so funny!? Looking back, now that I"m over it, it kinda grosses me out! But i know my manly husband loved it! Steaks & chicken every meal!
• I was kinda sick in the first trimester!I would have 2, maybe 3 rough days during the week where I would be nauseated, but that was about it! I was way tired tho! All the time!!! But I didn't mind sleeping in, afternoon naps and long showers :) I'm glad my hubby didn't either! If only I could talk him into putting on those "sympathy pounds" with me....

WE'RE PREGNANT!

This picture was taken when we found out! SO SUPRISED!!!!

• Kirk and I hadn't exactly planned this to happen, but we were moving in that direction. So it's hard to say it wasn't planned, it just happened sooner than we thought! We agreed that the ideal time for getting pregnant was May 2011, but instead it worked out that our sweet baby would arrive then!
• My first reaction: Oh my gosh, this CAN'T be real. I was just talkin to Dawna yesterday telling her how this was not our plan. I've gotta take another test just to be sure ... Alrighty! Well, I guess the McAllister family starts NOW! My period has been pretty screwy b/c I just stopped taking birth control... It had been pretty late before, so it took 12 days for me to decide something was off. I instantly felt extremely nervous. I was all alone b/c Kirk was at a flag football game and I was starting to get mommy scares...
• Kirks first reaction: I went to Target and bought a cute little outfit that said "I Love Daddy" on it, b/c I needed something to tell him for me. When he came home and opened it he was SO EXCITED!! It made me feel so good :) But his excitement quickly turned into nervousness. When Kirk is nervous he gets himself busy! He started cleaning things he's never cleaned, putting things away he's never touched and finding things to do to occupy his hands. It was pretty funny to watch! Def a one time only thing ;) But his first reaction was exactly what I needed to turn my tears from "being scared of the unknown", to loving.every.single.moment
• After we calmed down we decided that we had a whole 9 months and there was plenty of time to let it soak in. Luckily there were 2 weddings happening and the holidays to get our minds refocused on life :) I don't mean to say we weren't happy, we were extremely happy! We just knew our lives were going to change forever! And just when you start to get comfy, Heavenly Father likes to light a fire under you to keep you progressing :) And I'm so glad He did!

ready or not!

i JUST figured out how to fix our blog! i was having troubles logging in and gave up for a while....but weeeeeEEeeeEEee're BAaAaAcCCK! :)