Half Baked

     It is amazing how fasts time is flying by. I am now more than halfway through this pregnancy!

Milestones:
-Entering the second trimester! This was exciting since once you enter the second trimester the risk for miscarriage is just 1%!
-Finding out our "Mini Miller" is a baby GIRL at our 3D/4D ultrasound at 16 weeks!

-Sharing the gender with our families!

-Feeling some kicks in there! I started to feel what I knew was actual movement at 17 weeks. Eric actually felt her for the first time at 18 weeks, 6 days!

At home in California last week with my sisters and Eric feeling for kicks!

-Getting the results back from our genetic testing and finding out that our baby is perfectly healthy! The best news!
-The 20 week anatomy ultrasound!


Baby Girl at 21 weeks

 Preparing for Baby:
     If there is anything I can't stand most in this world it is being unprepared! The past 5 months have been spent doing the best I can to properly prepare for the arrival of this little girl! So far we have:
-Increased our life insurance policies
-Updated our Wills, Living Wills, and Healthcare Power of Attorneys
-Made some purchases for baby! We have her crib and dresser, stroller, infant car seat, breast pump, her nursery bedding (so cute!), and some adorable clothes from Baby Gap and Carter's! Little newborn outfits melt my heart! They are so teeny tiny! We are trying to space out the big purchases so it doesn't all hit us at once. Believe me, there is still more than enough left on registries for friends and family to buy too- babies require A LOT of stuff!

The Baby Name Game:
There are plenty of names out there that we like, even love! But, it's such a different ballgame when it comes to naming your own child. So far there are two names that are sticking and they couldn't be more different! Do I go with classic or unique? Traditional or uncommon? The decision is tough!

What We're Up To:
Eric-
Is ridiculously busy lately. He has taken over as Shop Cheif at work, is on-call every other week, is taking two of his final three classes to complete his Master's Degree, and takes care of me! Of course, he also somehow fits in time for doctor appointments and builder meetings for our house which is in the midst of being built. If he's not working, he's studying. If he's not studying, he's sleeping! I don't know how he does it!

Jessica-
I am busy researching all that is baby! I love the book "Baby Bargains" and "Happiest Baby on The Block". I enjoy making registries, healthy meals, slurping down smoothies (which is in no way a replacement for ice cream!), planning how we will decorate the nursery, and making sure Brody still gets plenty of TLC. I have joined an exersise group known as Stroller Strides that provides not only a great workout for pre and post natal women, but also amazing fellowship. It is nice to meet some fellow mommies in the area. I feel confident working out knowing that the instructor is not going to let me do anything I'm not supposed to with a growing baby in my belly. Apparently, I'm supposed to stay away jumping jacks, burpees, and any real severe jolting. Who knew?

As a Family-
We have a lot going on in our lives! We just returned home from a few days at home in California- it could not have been more perfect and relaxing! We celebrated Eric's birthday, my birthday, my dad's birthday, my sister's boyfriend's birthday, Mother's Day, and Carolyn's Graduation!

My family on Cinco de Mayo!

Between building a house, future travel plans, and preparing for baby, we have a busy, busy summer ahead!

How I'm Feeling:
Great! I have had what I would consider a very easy pregnancy. The only downside has been some round ligament pain and pregnancy acne. I guess what they say about little girls is true, they really do steal your beauty! I am fully enjoying the nights where I don't have to cook, which we try to only do once a week and it usually entails Chipotle!!!

I've been thoroughly enjoying my bowls of ice cream!

Of course, I always crave In-N-Out! Maybe it is a good thing it is so far away! We definitely ate it twice when we visited Utah in March and once when we were home last weekend!

YUM


The Growing Bump:
I really popped around 17 weeks and then again recently at 20 weeks! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves! It's so fun to have a real bump and to be past the looking thick phase!

14 Weeks

 15 Weeks

Overlooking the Great Salt Lake

16 Weeks

17 Weeks

18 Weeks

19 Weeks

With our baby's sweet new ride!

20 weeks

With my mom and sisters boating in Long Beach!

21 weeks

In our new kitchen!

Life is good! :)

Baby Miller

BABY MILLER!

Due September 19, 2013

The BIG Decision:
When Eric and I went home for Christmas last December we were pretty much the happiest people on the planet! We were back home and in California! On the night of December 16th, we headed to Fashion Island in Costa Mesa to meet up with Eric's parents at one of our favorite restaurants, True Foods Kitchen. Before we met up with them we decided to stop by The Yard House first for a personal celebration of our own. Not only were we celebrating being HOME in California, but we were also celebrating that Eric had just paid off his student loans that very day!

We clanked our glasses together and toasted to the monkey that Eric had finally thrown off his back! The next line out of Eric's mouth was, "So... baby?"

We had always agreed that the ideal time for us to talk about having a baby would be after we had paid off his student loans and now that day had arrived.

Unbeknownst to us, by the time we were heading home from California just days before New Year's Eve we were pregnant! In other words, it happened fast.

Telling Eric:
Eric was stoked to receive a beer brewing kit from my parents for Christmas! He had been wanting to start brewing his own beer pretty much since we moved to Colorado last July. He wasted no time getting started with his first batch as soon as we got home after New Year's. The day that I was planning on revealing the big news to Eric was also the day that he was planning on bottling his first brew. So, of course I knew he would be heading straight to the basement to check on his concoction as soon as he walked through the door!

Eric was surprised and shocked to say the least. This really happened faster than we both expected. Nonetheless, the timing couldn't be better and after Eric regained consciousness he exclaimed, "Let's celebrate!"

How We Celebrated:
After coming to the realization that I could not drink wine to celebrate this momentous occasion, Eric took off for the store and came home with goodies we both could enjoy.

Beer for him and Martinelli's Sparkling Cider for me

He also walked through the door with those beautiful roses and a huge hug! We made dinner in a daze and talked about what the future would hold for us now! Really that whole first week after receiving the news was a mix of nervousness and excitement!

Telling Family:
Who better to announce the news than our first "born"???

We had Brody sit still as we Skyped with family so they could read the sign themselves. We also sent this picture out to family that we could not Skype. Our loved ones could not be more thrilled for us!

Morning Sickness:
Is virtually non-existent. And now that I am moving into the second trimester it looks like I may be out of the woods completely! That's not to say I am symptom free! One of the first signs that I was pregnant (aside from sensitive, sore, and swollen breasts and a keen sense of smell) was exhaustion. Turns out, making a little human takes a lot of energy! This is where Eric really stepped up! He took over with many things around the house from cooking dinner to doing more of the cleaning. When I was around 6 weeks pregnant I spotted him cleaning all of our toilets and asked him what he was doing. He simply said that if I was going to be getting morning sickness soon he wanted his wife to have her head in some clean toilets! While I thankfully never had to cozy up to these sparkling clean toilets the sweet gesture is certainly not forgotten! He's the best!

Food Aversions or Cravings:
Nothing out of the ordinary here! Although I do enjoy replacing my nightly glass of wine with a small bowl of ice cream every once and a while! A girl needs something fun to look forward to at the end of the day, right?! Interestingly enough, I have lost weight since finding out I was pregnant- about three pounds, but it will all be coming right back on soon enough!

Our House:
The decision to build a house happened after we got the news we were pregnant. We had considered building when we first found out we were moving to Colorado Springs but just didn't have enough time to build a house before our arrival date and didn't want to spend our first few weeks here in limbo and living out of suitcases. Really, with interest rates the way they are the timing couldn't be better and we are so excited that we will be able to bring our first baby home to a house that is all our own! The house is estimated to be done in June/July and while it is going to be a pain in the neck to move while pregnant I am certain it was the best decision we could have made! It will also be the fourth move for us in four years! However, we will be in this house for at least three years and that is music to my ears! When we move next we plan on holding onto this house as an investment property.

Our basement and foundation is poured!

The Bump:
My doctor told me that I have an anterior placenta and therefore may show earlier which is perfect if you ask me! The sooner I look like I have a baby bump and less like I overdid it on the donuts sounds amazing! Although I will say, right now I'm just looking rather thick in the middle so this anterior placenta thing really isn't working to my advantage like I thought it would. Disappearing bloat seems to be my nemesis. One day my pants will fit and the next day they are uncomfortable and tight. So, I'm sure maternity pants will be coming my way in no time. This week (week 13) is the first week I would say that I am starting to fill out. Stay tuned!

8 Weeks

Valentine's Day at almost 10 weeks

Today at 13 weeks

Finally, I have no intentions of turning this blog into the ever-trending "Baby Blogs" you see out there these days. However, I would like to update you all from time to time! Hopefully I will be able to stay current and do a better job of keeping the blog updated in general.

Hello, 2013!

"2013 is going to be an amazing year, I can just feel it", were the words that Eric said to me about 10 times between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. And I couldn't agree with him more.

Of course, 2012 wasn't so bad itself! Mid December we drove home to Orange County, California battling some crazy winter weather. It was a white knuckle drive all the way to St. George, Utah where we were surprised by my sister, Carolyn, and her boyfriend who bought a dog there! They got a Puggle and her name is Maddie aaand she is adorable!

The next day Brody, Eric and I were able to surprise my sister Kristina and her husband, Aaron, at their annual Christmas Party! It was so fun to surprise her especially since she wasn't expecting it at all!

Kristina & Aaron's Christmas Party

We basically spent our entire vacation hanging out with family, meeting up with friends and eating our way through Southern California- hitting up all the places we miss so much!

Enjoying a morning walk along the beach with amazing Nick's Coffee in hand after gorging on Nick's Burrito's!

Margaritas at Fred's in Huntington Beach

Roman Cucina in Sunset Beach! Our FAVORITE!

Sushi Studio

In-N-Out!

 Christmas is by far my favorite holiday. It never disappoints! And I love it even more now that it means I get to go home and see family and just be together.

Eric, Me, and Brody on Christmas Eve

Christmas holds a lot of tradition in my family. One of my favorite traditions takes place on Christmas Eve when all of us eat clam chowder out of bowls that my late Grandma Hafner brought back from France when she studied there in college. These special bowls have either a boy or girl at the bottom. As kids, we had to eat all of our clam chowder and show everyone what was at the bottom of our bowl in order to open our Christmas Eve gifts. Of course, then we hated clam chowder and needed the encouragement! Now we all love clam chowder and savor every bite! And the gifts, well they're still fun too! After gifts, it's off to church!

Our Annual Christmas Eve Pajama Gift from my parents

 Christmas Morning is magical! My parents Santa is amazing!

Christmas Morning!

The Annual Christmas Morning Pajama Picture on the stairs

Merry Christmas, Brody!

Christmas Morning has to be my favorite morning of the year!! Hanging out in our pj's for half of the day just taking our time opening presents, laughing, and being together. Nowadays we take a breakfast and mimosa break about half way through and try to savor every last minute of Christmas. I never want it to end!

Like all good things in life, Christmas 2012 did have to end. Lucky for us, we still have the Oakes'/Gorsich Christmas Party on the 26th of every year to prolong the merriment just a little longer! And like every year, I enjoy it more and more. Family is what the season is all about!

We spent New Year's Eve snowboarding at Winter Park and Copper Mountain with friends and rang in the New Year in Frisco, Colorado. Frisco is a cute little mountain town with an adorable main street and is easily accessible to many of the Colorado Ski Resorts. It was a great way to send out 2012!

Frisco, Colorado NYE

And here we are, almost one month into 2013 and already it is shaping up to be one amazing and crazy year for us! For starters, we are building a house!!!

Our Land!

But more on all that later! Happy 2013, ya'll!

Thanksgiving Weekend

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Eric and I have had an amazingly fun and BUSY month of November. We have hosted both sets of parents, along with my sister and her boyfriend, at our house on two separate weekends and snuck in a trip to Florida somewhere in between. (Someday I promise to get around to blogging about it all!). It was 2.5 weeks of straight fun and leisure but also a lot of work and preparation. So, when Thanksgiving weekend rolled around we were thankful to finally lay down our tour guide and tourist hats for four whole days of rest and relaxation.

Of course, Eric and I don't know how to relax for very long...

We had one full day of rest and indulged in a wonderful and extremely relaxing Thanksgiving with other military couples and individuals who, like us, could not go home for the holiday. Rebecca and Ryan hosted a fantastic dinner!

The Butler's hosted 14 people at their house for Thanksgiving and somehow I only managed to get this picture of the food and her in-laws. Looks yummy though, right?!

We couldn't wait to crash early on Thanksgiving night so we could wake up early and go SNOWBOARDING the next day! (I told you we don't relax much). We topped off our Thanksgiving night with a few rounds of Rummikub and chai tea lattes cozied up by the fire in our PJ's.

And the next day we went SNOWBOARDING! If you can't tell by the all block capital letters, I LOVE SNOWBOARDING! And I especially love snowboarding with Eric. It is my all time favorite outdoor activity that we partake in together. How lucky are we to live in Colorado right now?! It is pretty sweet to live within 2 hours of 10+ swanky ski resorts that all put even Mammoth to shame!



I was pretty stoked wear my new helmet and goggles!



And Eric was just stoked!

Saturday and Sunday we got into the Christmas Spirit and transformed our house into a winter wonderland.
My husband pretty much rocks and took Christmas to a whole new level this year. I've always wanted a light up reindeer in our front yard during the holidays and this year he made my dream come true! He even added in some sparkly twinkle light presents and candy canes in the windows! Swoon...


The candycanes were not hung outside of the windows yet in this picture (just propped up inside) but you can ignore that :)



Our pet reindeer! And pretty presents!

As if spending his Saturday hanging lights and making our house look awesome wasn't enough, Eric spent Sunday running around like elves with me. He drove me AND shopped with me at Pottery Barn, Home Depot, TJ Maxx, Verizon, Costco, Dick's Sporting Goods, Lowe's, and the grocery store. It's as if he knew that decorating and filling our house with holiday cheer when we're so far away from family was just what his little wife needed. As an added bonus, we are also half way done with Christmas shopping!

Happy Holidays! Hope you are getting in the holiday spirit too!