My Little Phelpers

Last Thursday, I went into the doctor for my 37 week checkup. They checked my blood pressure, the baby’s heartbeat and all the fun and important things they check when you are this close to having a baby.

Worried about my blood pressure, my doctor sent Bryan and I to the hospital to take a non-stress test, telling us they would check my blood pressure for about an hour.  Four and a half hours later, we were still at the hospital, still checking my blood pressure, only now we were also waiting for the results of a blood test and urine test. Finally, the blood and urine tests came back and they allowed us to go home, but not without strict orders of bed rest.

So here I lay, on the couch, with orders to only get up to use the restroom.

Did you know that there isn’t anything good on tv in the middle of the day?  There’s not. I do, however, know who the top 50 cutest child stars are. It seems to me that child stars either fall into the deep end, or they end up going to Harvard or some other Ivy League. Weird.

I went back to the doctor today, and they are still worried about my blood pressure. So another test for today, more bed rest and then back to the doctor tomorrow. We’ll see what happens.  The doctor did give me a definite end date: April 28. My doctor said, if we wait until my due date (May 3) we’re just waiting and asking for problems. He’d rather it be the baby’s idea to come, but if by next Wednesday he hasn’t made the decision yet, we’ll make it for him.

Teddy is getting pretty tired of boring things on tv too.

On Thursday while we were at the hospital, they told us we might just take the baby today and the first thing I thought was, “wait, I don’t have any baby socks yet.” Weird reaction, I know.

The one weird thing about being on bed rest is that I don’t feel sick, so sitting here, doing nothing, when I know there are things that I could be doing, makes me a little bit crazy. Its okay though, if it keeps the baby safe and sound, I’ll deal with it.

I think that my dog has seasonal allergies. He’s been sneezing like crazy the last couple of days, and it’s not too fun for the rest of us, because he’s not too polite. He never covers he mouth. I don’t think I can count the number of times he’s sneezed on me.

I was getting ready for this baby to come, and packed up a bag to take with me to the hospital. In the bag, I placed a few of my favorite “comfort movies” (Movies I can watch over and over and over and always watch when I’m sick or don’t feel well or need a lift). I tested Bryan’s knowledge of what movies those would be. I was pretty impressed that he got quite a few of them right. He didn’t actually know the names, but he knew what they were about. I packed six movies:

1. Where the Heart Is
2. Juno
3. Never Been Kissed
4. Fever Pitch
5. Music and Lyrics (yes, many of my favorites has Drew Berrymore in them)
6. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

Bryan guessed: “The one where she has a baby in the Wal-Mart, the one with the red socks…” He first guess was Miss Congeniality, I told him we don’t even own that movie. Then he asked if any of them were either of the Tomb Raider movies. I told him none of them were action-y movies. I thought about it, but decided against it. I told him there was one that he would enjoy watching with me, and he guess Juno.  After I told him the rest that he missed, he knew he should have guessed those. He knows me so well.  It’s just one of the reasons I love him so much.

More rambling later… (and don’t worry about it, Bryan went out and got me some socks for our little guy’s debut, so he can come any time, I won’t have anything to worry about.)

Right now, there is so much going on in my life, and I sure don’t feel like I have the energy for it.

So I’ll share this picture:

Me and Joe

Last weekend, we went to LA to visit my brother Rob.  It was the last opportunity for my whole family to be together before my little brother, Joseph goes on his mission (to Lima, Peru in 10 days!). Rob only had one day between his tours that we could see him before Joe left. It was a quick trip, but a good time.

While we were there, we took some family pictures and Joseph wanted to compare our bellies.

I think I won. (For historical records, my belly is 30 weeks big in that picture. This baby is getting close.)

“I-don’t-need-my-dad,-I-don’t-need-a-job,-I’ve-got-great-boots, boots.”  That is one of my favorite quotes from “Friends.”

One of my other favorite quotes: “Too far, Amy. Too far.”

But my favorite Friends quotes are not the point of this post. The real point of this post is that I want these boots:

Great Boots

… and they are on sale at www.alloy.com. They are 4.5 inch heel with a .5 inch plat form and I think they are kind of wonderful.  The thing that makes me sad though, is that I know I should not/can’t buy them.

Not because I don’t have the money

Not because I already have a pair of boots (when is that a reason not to buy shoes though)

Not because I’m trying to save money

Not because Bryan said no

Not because my card is lost

But because a few Sundays ago, I wore my amazing blue shoes that have a very tall heel (I don’t think they are quite 4.5 inch, but they are pretty high) and with my ever increasing belly, lack of normal balance and change in my center of gravity, I realized that my tall heeled shoes may have been a most beautiful mistake.

So I guess for now, I’ll avoid beautiful mistakes like these boots (at least until May or I learn to walk at a normal pace with my new center of gravity).

BOY! And we couldn’t be more excited!

We went to the doctor on Friday, Dec. 18 and had an ultrasound. We wanted to know the gender of the baby (so I can start buying exciting things), and he was ready to share with his parents.  It was wonderful and crazy to be able to watch him move at the same time as feeling him move.

Bryan is all ready to teach him all about basketball, cars and all those kinds of manly things; he’s going to be such a great dad. So now I’ll be outnumbered: Bryan, Baby Boy Phelps and Teddy (if Teddy really counts).

The doctor told us he is measuring exactly to the day (20 weeks and 4 days on Friday), so he’s just perfect.

We got pictures and a DVD (and as Bryan described it to his mom, and a mug and t-shirt with the baby on it. It was just like going to an amusement park).  It really was just a WONDERFUL day.

ps. you can buy this cute little bear here.

Also: Happy Christmas to EVERYONE (finally, three days before Christmas, I found a Christmas theme that I like.  Hope you enjoy!)

I have been serving in the Young Women in my ward for about a year and a half now and have been working on completing my personal progress as a leader.  I have been working on it a bit here and there, but have set a goal to be done with it very soon and need your help with one of my value experiences.

I am currently working on Individual Worth Value Experience #7:

7. Heavenly Father has given you special gifts. Read 1 Corinthians 12:4–12; 1 Corinthians 13; Moroni 7:12–13; Moroni 10:8–18; and D&C 46:11–26.

Ask a family member, a Young Women leader, and a friend to write down positive qualities the Lord has given you. List your gifts in your journal, and write how you can continue to develop these gifts and use them to serve your family and others.

If you have a few moments and can think of something off the top of your head, can you please be my friend (that the goal mentions) and list one of the positive qualities that you think the Lord has given me?

If you have the time, I would really appreciate it.

As I have been working on these experiences, I have forgotten what a wonderful blessing the personal progress program is and how much these simple value experiences can strengthen my testimony.  If you have the chance, if you work with the Young Woman or for any reason, these goals are a wonderful way to add a little bit extra to your personal scripture study or just to help continue to grow spiritually.

You can get a book at the distribution center, or find it online here from www.lds.org.

Thanks for any help you can give!