bountiful birthday

Tuesday was my 25th Birthday. And it was wonderful! Here's why:


First, I got flowers from my parents. Then about 15 minutes later, flowers from my darling husband arrived. The bouquet from my parents is lilies and irises that need to bloom still. I am sure they will be gorgeous! Jared got me a potted orchid, which will be so fun to have for months to come.

Second, my sweet co-worker/supervisor Darlene made me a cake! It was chocolate and delicious and a group of us at work enjoyed in immensely.

Third, I got new scriptures! I have had the same set of scriptures since I was 8 years old! They went through seminary and BYU religion classes with me and it was time for some new ones. I've really wanted a compact quad with the snap cover, but for the past few years, the Church stopped making them. Then this fall they brought them back! It will be so nice to take a smaller set to church.

Fourth, Jared made me a beautiful card. For special occasions he draws a card and then writes beautiful things inside.

Fifth, we went out to eat at PF Changs. It was very, very yummy. We even got the Great Wall of Chocolate, which we haven't finished yet.

Sixth, I got my engagement and wedding rings cleaned and re-rhodiumed. They look like new again!

Seventh, we went over to the mall and ran a few errands, and then Jared indulged me while I wondered around a bit. I bought some cute black maternity capris on sale that will be great to wear to work when it gets warmer.

Eighth, my wonderful Iverson girls left me birthday messages on our blog. And I got several emails and facebook messages as well from far away friends.

Ninth, I also got really nice phone messages from several friends and family. And I got to talk to my dear friend Afton with whom I've been playing phone tag for months. She just had her second baby and it was so fun to talk about baby and pregnancy stuff.

Tenth, my dad deposited a very generous birthday gift into my bank account! It's going to go towards my camera purchase. Thanks, Dad!

I felt so very loved. Thank you to everyone for helping make my birthday so fabulous!

question

Does being married, pregnant, and 25 years old mean I have to be a grown up now?

some light reading

There is lots going on in the news today, so I thought I'd share a few great articles I read this morning.

We will miss him dearly. The New York Times has a fantastic article about Gordon B. Hinckley today.






*photo from www.ldsmag.com




The rest of these are political:

From Time: "Can Romney's Inner Geek Win Out?"

From The New York Times: "Desperate Husband"

Also from NYT: "A President Like My Father" This one is a HUGE deal. If you only read one, read this one.

And related to the last one: "Kennedy chooses Obama, Spurning Plea by Clintons"

13 weeks

How your baby's growing: Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

I can't believe I only have one more week left in my first trimester! This past week I didn't feel as well as I had for the past couple weeks. Wednesday night I got terrible cramps. It was a bit scary, but I wasn't spotting or bleeding at all so I wasn't too worried. Jared gave me a blessing, and I was able to go to sleep. The next morning, the cramps returned but milder and lasted through Friday. Friday I didn't go to work because I woke up with a headache that wouldn't go away and just felt crappy all day. That night I was seriously craving a hamburger so we went out to a local restaurant, and I had a very delicious burger! Sometimes I just need meat I guess. Or maybe the baby does! Saturday the cramps were gone, and I felt quite good. I think the cramps were just my uterus growing because my tummy seriously got bigger over night! All of a sudden my pants are tight and to the observant eye I have a bit of a belly now.

obama vs. the clintons; heath ledger

photo from www.dailymail.co.uk

If you are paying attention to the craziness that is the presidential campaigns you know that the Clintons have been pulling out all the stops against Barack Obama. As he said in the South Carolina debate the other night, "I can't tell who I'm running against sometimes." They've been tag-teaming it and not being very nice about it, especially Bill.

In today's New York Times, columnist Maureen Dowd has a great op-ed about it: Two Against One She brings up an interesting point: "It’s odd that the first woman with a shot at becoming president is so openly dependent on her husband to drag her over the finish line."

Something to think about.

photo from nytimes.com

In other more tragic news, I am so sad about Heath Ledger's death. It's terribly tragic. He was a great actor and seemed like a decent guy. He was also my number one celebrity crush for years back in high school. Who didn't fall in love with his bad boy with a heart in 10 Things I Hate About You? I feel so sad for his family and especially his little daughter. It will be strange to watch the new Batman movie this summer knowing that he won't.

there really is a person in my uterus

Well it's officially official. I have heard the heartbeat! Someone is growing in my uterus.

We went to the doctor today and they used the Doppler to listen for the heartbeat. It was beating nice and strong. I thought this would make it feel a lot more real, and it does sorta. But it also still feels very strange to know that a little person is inside me. My abdomen is starting to grow a bit, but I don't look pregnant. Perhaps once I do it will feel more real. Or when I feel the baby for the first time. That will be nice.

The doctor says I am looking and feeling good and my blood test was normal and all that. I go back in 4 weeks and then in March we will have the ultrasound and get to find out if we are having a boy or girl! I'm REALLY excited for that visit!

(btw... isn't that photo amazing! I can't believe how developed a 12 week fetus is! It really is miraculous.)

12 weeks

How your baby's growing: The most dramatic development this week: Reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over two inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

This past week as been really good! I think I am definitely over the worst of being sick. I feel SO lucky that it didn't last very long and wasn't that bad. I'm definitely hungrier than usual now, and I still feel mildly icky if I don't eat soon enough, but other than that I feel great. I'm also not as tired as I used to be. And now only two more weeks until my second trimester! We are going to the doctor on Tuesday, and I am really excited to hear the heartbeat.

push presents?

Have you heard of "push presents"? Several weeks ago I read this article in the NY Times, "A Bundle of Joy Isn't Enough?", about the growing trend for new moms to receive gifts from their husbands after giving birth, usually in the form of jewelry.

Quoting the article: That’s “push” as in, “I the mother, having been through the wringer and pushed out this blessed event, hereby claim my reward.” Or “push” as in, “I’ve delivered something special and now I’m pushing you, my husband/boyfriend, to follow suit.”

“It’s more and more an expectation of moms these days that they deserve something for bearing the burden for nine months, getting sick, ruining their body,” said Linda Murray, executive editor of BabyCenter.com. “The guilt really gets piled on.”

A recent survey of more than 30,000 respondents by BabyCenter.com found that 38 percent of new mothers received a gift from their mate in connection with their child. Among pregnant mothers, 55 percent wanted one. About 40 percent of both groups said the baby was ample reward.

I remember first hearing about this idea years ago when Angie Harmon appeared on Oprah after the birth of one of her kids. She was a wearing a big fancy ring and said it was her present for giving birth. Her husband gave her a piece of jewelry for each kid. At the time I didn't think much about it other than, "That's nice." But now it seems that this trend is catching on and becoming an expectation for some new moms.

So while the idea of getting a gift for going through nine months of being inhabited by an alien and then getting that baby out seems justified, I also feel that this is becoming just another way for us to be materialistic. I mean, a baby is pretty great gift for all that work right? What do you think? Did you get a special gift, jewelry or otherwise, from your husband after having a baby? Do you think this sounds like a great idea or just another marketing ploy to get us buying even more stuff?

Do tell me what you think, and have a wonderful 3 day weekend!

*ring pictured from sundancecatalog.com

afternoon surprise

This afternoon I got a very nice workday surprise with a delivery of fresh flowers sent by my darling husband. They smell delicious! (Sorry for the lack of visuals.) The card read:

Just wanted to let you know how much I love and appreciate you, Katrina.
I love you more than ever!
Jared

Today is not a special occasion or anything. How sweet is he? And then he just stopped by to see me real quick on his way home from campus. I sure love him.

more politics

Rachel had this posted over on her blog today, and I couldn't resist putting it up on mine too. This little quiz asks you 14 policy questions and then tells you what candidates most closely line up with your preferences.

After taking this, I realize that I am still undecided on a lot of issues. I definitely need to do more research. So who was the top of my list? It was actually a tie between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. I totally admit that their policies aren't that different, but I definitely think Obama is the better candidate. Hillary is very smart, but there is just something about her that I don't trust. And I really don't see how being first lady counts as so much "experience". On the other hand, Obama seems truly genuine with a very diverse background that I find refreshing.

Take the quiz. It doesn't take very long. You might be surprised by who tops your list. And of course, please share!

an interesting little op-ed on romney

Today is the big day in Michigan, and I am very interested to see how it plays out. This morning the New York Times had an op-ed piece, "Driving Mr. Romney", by Dean Barnett, a staff writer for The Weekly Standard, who has known Romney for years.

You should read the article as it's not very long, but basically Barnett says that Romney's campaign has left people not trusting him, when in fact Romney is a really good guy who has the skills to be a great president and who's motivation is very sincere. I don't know Mitt Romney, but I have met quite a few people who know him well, including the current president of BYU-Idaho, Kim Clark. For years Mitt Romney was the Clarks' home teacher in Boston. Mr. Clark had nothing but wonderful things to say about Romney, and this was back before he was running for president.

Even if Romney gets the nomination, I don't yet know if I'll vote for him. I am still undecided on a lot of things. But... I really want to see him do well at this stage of the game. I am disappointed that he has been portrayed as a flip-flopper (not without reason). I really admired Gov. Romney who was elected in the very Democratic Massachusetts and really got a lot done. It makes me sad that he has now come across as so insincere.

I just hope he can pull off a win today in Michigan. If he doesn't, I'm afraid he might be done. But if he does, this campaign will be all the more interesting. He has, after all, managed to get the most total votes in 3 states than any other candidate. I'd say that's consistency, wouldn't you?

11 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

Good news! I have felt SO much better the past four days! It's been wonderful. I haven't been at all sick, just hungry! I hope this lasts, but I won't hold my breath.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post. I really appreciate your input. For anyone who still has thoughts, feel free to keep commenting. I welcome the different perspectives.

new documentary

Watch the trailer! I am so interested in watching this new documentary about childbirth in America. Fortunately, it's being released on DVD February 12, and I already have it on my Netflix queue. Anyone who has had or will have children will find this very interesting. As I am preparing to have my first, I have started thinking about how I want my birth to go. Obviously, I still have a lot of time, but it doesn't hurt to start thinking about these things now. My doctor is going to play a large part in that, and I want to make sure we are on the same page from the start.

Did you know that the US has the second highest infant mortality rate among developed nations? #1 is Latvia. Crazy! If you want to know more check out this CNN article. And for a review of the film check out this article from the New York Times.

I'm sure I'll have a lot more to say about this after watching the film and of course after I experience childbirth for myself, but I'd love to know what you all out there think. How do you feel about natural childbirth, hospitals, epidurals, midwives, c-sections, etc? If you've given birth, are you happy with your birth experience(s)? What surprised you most? The question posed on the film's website is this: "Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?" I really am interested in what you think, so please comment!

10 months, pregnant celebrities, katie's hair

First off, 10 months ago, Jared and I were married! Fun, fun! It's crazy how fast it goes. Marriage is fantastic! And I sure do have one fantastic husband! He's been taking such good care of me. Basically I come home from work and proceed to lay on the couch for the rest of the night while he makes me food and smoothies and whatever else might be of utmost necessity. He even watches Project Runway with me.... and likes it! I love you more, babe!








Secondly, there is something about being pregnant that makes you intensely aware of all pregnant women in the world. Like suddenly, every third woman you meet is also knocked up. And with our culture's obsession with celebrity, it suddenly becomes imperative to know which famous ladies out there are also expecting little ones. Suddenly, you feel a bond with women you will never, ever meet. It's weird. There is even a whole blog about celebrities and their babies! On that note, I thought I'd share a few of my current favorite pregnant celebrities.

• Nicole Kidman (I am so happy for her!)
• Halle Berry (Still as gorgeous as ever!)
• Jennifer Lopez ( Also still looking super hot)
• Giada De Laurentiis (She's a chef on Food Network whom I've recently started watching sometimes. She also guest co-hosts on the Today Show sometimes.)
• Cate Blanchett (She's so classy and stylish. Love her!)
• Toni Collette (I didn't even know she was pregnant until just now, but I think she's great and very pregnant.)

Of course there are lots more out there too, and there will be even more in the next 7 months. Ah, babies, there will always be more babies.

Thirdly, I am in love with Katie Holmes hair at the Critics Choice Awards the other night! I know she's had this cut for awhile, but I especially loved it that night. I am planning on chopping my hair off this spring to donate it, and I'm thinking I will do something similar to this. What do you think?

Question: Am I totally gonna regret having short hair during my last months of pregnancy when I get super fat, or will it be nice to have all that extra hair weight gone for the hot months of summer? Just so you know, this isn't a rash decision at all. I have been planning on cutting my hair for months. I'm just letting it grow a bit more to give the layers a chance to grow out some.

*In case something crazy happens with this photo, like the last one, I got it from InStyle.

pregnancy and politics

I still need to upload pictures in order to do a satisfactory recanting of our holidays. I have a feeling though that I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I could have because the pregnancy sickness finally hit while out in Utah during week 8. Lame. I didn't throw up, but I definitely had some bad days. And some good ones too I must add. I just never know. Since we've been back, I've actually felt the worst yet. And I did finally throw up for real yesterday. My entire eggs and toast breakfast. (I'm not counting the mouthful of water and stuff that I "burped" up on Saturday after walking off the plane.) Sorry, that is gross. I'll stop. Suffice it to say that I have felt rather lousy. But I know many of you have had it MUCH worse, so I'll stop complaining.

Monday we had a pseudo-doctor's appointment. We met with the OB nurse who went over medical history and the plan for the next 7 months of visits. I go back the 22nd for my first real visit with the OB. I'm excited to hear the baby's heartbeat!

On an entirely different note, what do you all think of all the presidential campaign stuff? I have been obsessed with watching CNN. There's only so much you can do when you feel nauseous every time you stand up. The presidential race is fascinating. I have my favorites on both sides, so it's fun to keep track of. I was really surprised Hillary pulled off a win yesterday in New Hampshire. She is definitely NOT my favorite. I really thought Obama was gonna beat her decidedly. McCain winning was not so surprising, but it was good to see that Romney wasn't that far behind. Oh the craziness that is politics! It's good entertainment.

i'm back

For all of you who have wondered where I've been, we were out in Utah for the Holidays. We got back Saturday night. Sunday I felt not so swell and today I am back at work. I promise updates soon on my trip and the latest on the alien that has taken over my body. I didn't blog at all while we were gone because my grandparents dial-up internet is the slowest in history! I do not have patience for such things. But I'll now be back to my regular blogging ways. More to come!

10 weeks

How your baby's growing: Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.