Happy Birthday to Me

Today is my 30th birthday. I spent this morning reflecting on my 20s and all that I did and learned during that time. Here's a brief recap.

In my 20s I:

• broke up with a man I thought I wanted to marry (thank goodness)
• served a mission
• moved 23 times
• had 36 roommates
• went on countless first dates (many of which were blind)
• went on very few second dates
• attended two higher education institutions, earning more credits than anyone should have to for an undergraduate degree
• sang in 8 choirs
• conducted 9 choirs
• purchased several polyester black concert dresses
• ate hundreds of bagels, bowls of marshmallow mateys, and plates of pasta
• drove 3 cars
• had 4 voice teachers
• had 3 piano teachers
• learned I have no idea how many arias, art songs, cantatas, oratorios, octavos, etc.
• briefly learned to play the violin, viola, flute, clarinet, recorder, snare drum, trumpet, french horn, alto saxophone, guitar, and various other instruments. I was rubbish at all of them, except maybe the clarinet. And perhaps the guitar.
  
• held 11 callings
• had 12 jobs
  
• taught a couple hundred kids music
  
• helped take care of my mom when she got sick
• married a man who is the perfect husband for me
• learned how to fix a variety of home-maintenance issues
  
• conceived, carried, birthed, and cared for a little girl
  
• conceived and began to carry a little boy

I imagine that in the next decade those numbers will change dramatically. I'm sure the list at the end of the next ten years will reflect thousands of peanut butter sandwiches made, and hopefully my roommates will be less transient. My 20s were good. I am glad they are over. I look forward to what my 30s will bring. I am lucky enough to be able to say that I am living Plan A. My life at this point has turned out just as I had always hoped. How many people can say that?

Fetal Nickname Part II

I've decided we don't need a fetal nickname. The reason being that we found out the baby is a boy and we'll just start using his real name. Which, by the way, is James.


I like this aerial view of the baby because you can see his little knees, his fingers, and the top of his head. What cute phalanges he has! And doesn't that placenta look fine?

Picture Time

I rarely post photos, preferring to write quickly than wait for Blogger to upload my images. Plus, to be honest, I don't take many photos anyway. So I thought it was time to show what's going on. First up, my 20 Week Belly Pic.


That's right folks. I have officially hit the half-way mark as of today. Of course I actually plan 42 week pregnancies because so few babies come at 40 weeks and I don't want to set myself up for disappointment. So counting to 42 weeks, I'm not actually halfway until next Friday, but I took the picture today anyway.


Here Jenny and I are playing around. She says "gramma" for "camera". I'm amazed that she's smiling in this picture because normally she just looks very serious. (I actually had to tickle her to get her to smile.)


These are the flowers Brent brought home for me today. My favourite type of roses (yellow, with red tips) and tulips. I LOVE spring bulb flowers. Now that I mention them, I also have daffodil buds poking up in my front yard. Yea!


Jenny playing the piano. Doesn't she look like a natural?

Fetal Nickname

You know how celebrities tend to name their children really strange things? (Like Apple. Honestly, Apple?)

Well, I want some gender-neutral nickname so I can refer to my baby. I think Apple makes a great fetal nickname, but not a great actual name. I'm thinking that celebrity babies may provide good inspiration for finding such a nickname.

I know a girl who called her baby Juicy. When I first heard it I thought she was nuts. But it grew on me. Then the baby was born and she officially named him Juicy. I will reserve my opinion on that one. But I promise to give my child a normal name regardless of what I call them in utero.

Any suggestions?