37 Week Update

Hello. I just have a quick update with my pregnancy. I had my 37 week appointment today & everything went very well. The heartbeat was very strong again, his kicks are great and his size is just where it should be. The really good news is, she checked me and I am 2+, almost 3! She also told me that even though some people dilate early and still don't deliver until after the due date, she thinks I will go at least a week early. I hope that didn't jinx me. Well, that's my update for now. We'll let you know if anything BIG happens soon. :)

Happy Birthday Papa

Happy 80th Birthday Papa West! James & I were able to travel up to Salt Lake for the weekend to attend James' Papa's 80th birthday party. It was so much fun! Most of the family was able to make it to the party, despite traveling from places like West Virginia, Missouri, Illinois & California. It was so great to get together as a family and catch up with everyone. The party had lots of highlights, like The Newlywed Game (of which James & I took 3rd... out of 4), hilarious "over the hill" gifts and just watching all the cute new babies. It was definitely a great evening for everyone!

Papa's Party

James' Birthday Pics

Happy Birthday James!

The love of my life celebrated his 27th birthday yesterday! Between my doctor's appointments, friends having babies (congrats Jasen & Reggie on your adorable baby girl) and James' school schedule, it was pretty tough to celebrate James' birthday. But I planned ahead and was able to pull off a pretty good surprise for him. He is the teacher's aide for a cooking class every Tuesday from 3-7pm. Last week I emailed his professor and got her permission to interrupt class for a bit. So I showed up at his class about 6pm with a big sheet cake from the local bakery and a balloon bouquet for my honey. I walked in the classroom and he saw me immediately. His already rosey cheeks turned an even darker shade of red and a giant smile snuck up on his face. It was cute! We had the whole class chime in for a chorus of Happy Birthday before cutting the cake. It was a fun surprise to do for him. Happy Birthday Babe! I LOOOOVE YOU!

My First Trip to the Chiropractor

Hello all. Well, I had the joy of having my very first chiropractic appointment today. So, I thought I'd share my thoughts. I'll admit it, I was definitely skeptical about a practice that cost $65 for the first 45 minute visit. (And insurance has a separate deductible for.) But after at least two months of constant back pain and a referral from my midwife, I thought I should at least give it a try. So after arriving, filling out all the paperwork and talking to the chiropractor about my back problems, she has me take my shoes off and stand flat on the floor. I apparently was doing a very "good" job, because she went on to tell me that my feet were extremely flat! Oh, good. Just what a hormonal pregnant girl wants to hear... something else with her body is out of proportion. They are so flat in fact, that she measured me for orthopedic inserts for my shoes to give me some arch support. Nice. She also evaluated me while we chatted and noticed that I'm a "leg-crosser". When she said it, it almost sounded like I was being charged of a crime. But my mother always told me that polite girls cross their legs. Well, apparently my mother was wrong. She said that between crossing my legs and having obnoxiously flat feet, it's no wonder I am having back pain. (I added the obnoxious part, just for the dramatic effect.) Once my evaluation was over, my adjustment began. I positioned myself on the weirdest looking table I have ever seen. Because I am pregnant, I laid on my stomach, but she put the middle part of the table down. So, my belly just fell through the gap. She then did a quick exam of my legs and said that my right leg was 1/2" shorter than my left. Man, how have I been walking this whole time? So, she did a quick hip adjustment, had it pop a few times and VOILA! Now my legs are even. Hooray! Then she went over my entire back and shoulder area with a machine that sounded like a woodpecker on steriods. It didn't hurt at all, but it sure felt weird. For the next part of my adjustment, I had to roll over on my back so she could do my neck. I was so comfortable and relaxed with my head just resting in her hands, then... CCRRRRAAAACCCKKKKK! The noise was so loud in my ear that I honestly thought she had broken my neck. I had to open my eyes and asked her if I was still alive. She just laughed. (I think she thought I was kidding) After my neck was finished, she moved on to the grand finale of the adjustment. Because I am pregnant, she did a whole pressure adjustment-thing on my uterus. I wish I could explain what she was actually doing, but I have no idea. She mentioned that it can help make labor go faster, so I gave her an instant green light. She just felt around the bottom of my belly for a while and did the woodpecker thing on my pelvic bone. Apparently that too was out of whack. She kept laughing too because this little boy of mine was almost playing a game with her. Wherever she would put her hand, he would try to kick (or punch or headbutt) it away. It was actually really funny. So that concluded my first chiropractic appointment. Even though it was weird and a bit different than I had expected... I have been converted. Ever since I left her office, my back has already felt 100% better. She wants me to go back 2x a week for the next two weeks, which could get a bit steep at $35/visit. But if it helps me sleep better at night and not ache all day long, I'll give in. Now I know why people that start going to a chiropractor, keep going. It is a weird practice, but beneficial. Hope you all enjoyed the play by play of my first experience. :)

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! James & I thoroughly enjoyed our last Valentine's Day as a 2-person family. I think what made it such a great day, was the fact that nothing was planned. We played everything by ear and it ended up being a very romantic evening. I began the day with a bathroom mirror note to my hubby just telling him how much I love him before I rushed off to work at 7am. We were both so busy between work and school all day, I didn't get to see him until 4:30pm. So we settled for loving text messages and phone calls until we got to be together. We had agreed that instead of spending money on flowers, I would rather get myself a new cell phone. So, we went and picked out a cell phone for me together (pink of course, in honor of the holiday). Afterwards, we decided to brave the restaurant scene. We were surprised to find that the most romantic restaurant in Cedar City (which we've never been to) didn't have a wait at all. So, we went to a beautiful dinner at a cute little restaurant called The Garden House. It is a little house that used to be a bed & breakfast that has been converted into an elegant restaurant. We sat by the window and stared at the white lights outside reflecting on the fresh snow. It was so pretty and peaceful. It was really nice to go out together and have a romantic dinner, just enjoying conversations about our lives and the future we are facing together. It was a great way to celebrate our love for each other. Nothing too over the top. I feel so lucky to know that James is my husband forever and that he is the father of my future children. (Future as in 5 weeks, in case anyone is counting...)

We love you all and appreciate the relationships we have with each of our family members and friends. I love Valentine's Day! It's such a good reminder to tell everyone how much you love them. I'm sorry I don't tell you all on a more regular basis. I hope you all enjoyed your Valentine's Day as well. xoxo

Goodbye Cedar City, Hello Kanab???

Hello everyone! Well, the West family has some very exciting news! James and I will be leaving the small town of Cedar City, Utah and will be moving to the even smaller town of Kanab, Utah! This town is so small it makes Cedar City look like New York City! :) This move might be a shock to most of you, but we are actually very excited. James was offered the Assistant Manager position at a brand new Holiday Inn Express in Kanab. After a week of prayerful thought, we decided this was the right move for us. He will gain great experience that he will definitely be able to use to move up the corporate ladder later on. He will be in charge of Group Sales, breakfast operations and maintenance. The pay is a very good start for a brand new college graduate too. I am so proud of him! I have been offered a job also that will definitely help us make ends meet. I also have a friend there that has offered to help with daycare for David and we've made a few contacts to find a place to live. We have gotten all the balls rolling, now we just have to make the final move in May. James will be graduating from SUU on May 3rd and after a week in Disneyworld with my family... we will begin our new lives in Kanab. If any of you have ever had the desire to see the Grand Canyon or Lake Powell, feel free to stop by and visit us on the way. Hey, you already have a contact at the best hotel in the city!

34 Weeks

34 weeks down, only 6 more to go! We are so excited to meet our little boy in just 6 short weeks! This week has been an interesting week for our pregnancy. I had my 34 week appointment on Tuesday and everything went just fine. The typical 5 minute appointment... good heartbeat, good measurements, any questions? The interesting part came on Wednesday night when our normally VERY active little boy wasn't moving. I didn't want to over analyze, so I tried eating and lied down in bed for a little while. Nothing. James finally came to bed and we felt him kick a few times. Enough to put me at ease enough to go to sleep. I woke up Thursday morning and still didn't feel any movement. I continued getting ready for work and ate breakfast. After another hour of no movement, I finally gave in and called my doctor's office. She had me go straight to the hospital to have the Labor & Delivery nurse do a non-stress test on the baby. Not even 10 minutes after the nurse put the monitor on my belly, our little boy was back! That poor monitor was jumping all over the place! :) So, it seems we have a little prankster on our hands. I just hope he doesn't make this little game a weekly ritual. For all of you that may be wondering, he has been moving constantly ever since we left the hospital. So all is fine with baby David!