One Big Week!

As Austin put it, this past week was probably the biggest week of his life! No pressure or anything... haha Austin took both of his step one med school boards! I think the only people that can truly understand how stressful the past 6 months have been preparing for these tests, are those who have gone through this whole experience themselves. Austin worked his butt off, studied more than I have ever seen him study before, and I couldn't be more proud of the work he put in :) We will find out in a month or so his scores, and hopefully all of his hard work will have paid off.

This was Austin studying those last few days before his tests. I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that every day he would go down to the clubhouse to study because it meant he got free A/C. He had no problem setting up camp, kicking his shoes off, and basically making this place his home away from home haha

Friday night after Austin got done with his second test, we headed over to Scottsdale for a much needed date night :) We tried out a movie theater called Studio Movie Grill where they serve you food while you enjoy the movie. It really was a fun experience, and something different for a change. Unfortunately I went against my better judgement of getting pizza, and got pork tacos instead that didn't sit well in my stomach that night... but we still had a fun time relaxing and enjoying some time together.

Saturday morning Austin woke up with a huge smile on his face realizing he no longer had to study, but had time to do whatever his heart desired. I joked that Austin isn't going to know what to do with himself, and needs to find a hobby! A few hours later Austin told me that he wanted to go check out a car down in Gilbert. He had been emailing a few people over the past two weeks trying to find us something more baby appropriate because let's face it, a baby in a baby bug just don't really work :) After some test driving, and tough negotiating, we got ourselves a 2010 Camery!! We were very excited seeing as this is the nicest car either of us have ever had. It was kind of nerve racking putting your trust in someone else not to sell you a crap car, but with a lot of help from Austin's dad Wade I think we made a good decision. Plus Austin and his dad now have matching cars haha

We made it back to Glendale just in time to host a little celebration pool party at our apartment with all our friends! It was so fun seeing the boys relaxed and hanging out, while the wives had some much needed girl time :)

It never really hit me until last night how long this past year has been. As Austin and I were talking about what we are going to do together over the next two weeks, I realized that I had forgotten what it was like to have a husband to do things with! We have been so blessed with awesome friends, and family who helped us get through this past year. Now we get to enjoy a few more weeks of Austin and Jackie time before we welcome the arrival of a little one to the fam!

10 More to Go! (Weeks)

We have made it to the 30 week mark! That means we only have 10 more to go! Maybe more like 9/8 if this baby really wants to make mom and dad happy haha because at this point in the pregnancy... time is starting to stand still. I can't get over how stretched out my belly feels all the time, and yet I still have to get bigger! I answered these questions back at 20 weeks so I figured I would answer them again now that we are at 30 weeks. 

How far along? 30 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 20 lbs...
Maternity clothes? Yes some. I can only wear maternity pants, but I don't really like the maternity tops so I just go up a size in regular stores or find flowy tops :)
Stretch marks? I haven't seen any.. but then again I am starting to have a hard time seeing all sides of my belly haha And I use lots of stretch mark lotion to keep them away! 
Sleep: Just alright. I usually wake up a few times in the night to go to the bathroom or because I am so uncomfortable. 
Best moment this week: Going to the doctors and hearing that things look good! 
Miss Anything? I really really miss sleeping, or laying on my stomach. Also I'm starting to miss my normal clothes. 
Movement: All the time. He is breached so I don't feel painful kicks as much. More like I look down at my stomach and see his head bulging out! Kind of freaks me out sometimes haha 
Food cravings: Cereal, breakfast foods, pizza and anything cold. 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really... 
Have you started to show yet: Oh yes!  
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? More like stretched out... no longer a belly button at all haha 
Wedding rings on or off? On for most of the day, but as it gets hotter I can feel it getting tighter. 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Mostly happy :) sometimes moody when my stretched out skin is hurting. 
Looking forward to:  Meeting this boy already! Although I know he still has lots of growing and developing to do... also looking forward to Austin being done with boards so we can start organizing/putting his room together.

When I got home from my Texas trip I had lots of presents waiting for me! More like lots of presents for Paxton (yes I think we have finally decided on a name!) As Austin was putting the stroller together the other night he said, "This is the first of many things I will be building for my little boy :)" so I snapped a few pics to remember. 

 Taking it for a test drive! 

I think we have almost all of the big stuff now! All that is left is a crib and some of the smaller things. Oh please let these next 10 weeks fly by! haha 

When Your Husband Studies for Boards...

You go to Texas! That is exactly what I have been doing these past two weeks. Hanging out with the fam in Texas, while Austin works his butt off to do well on the boards!! Some of my friends are still gone because they left for the whole month, but I knew Austin wouldn't be able to last that long with me gone ;) Here are a few things I did back in the Lone Star State....

I think my family wanted to make sure this little boy comes into the world right... as a true lover of Texas :) 

My mom's friend Marie had these cute hats made for me! Last time I was out in April, I was showing her some of the ones I loved. She found pictures of two of them to copy, and they turned out perfect!! We are so excited to use them in his newborn pictures :) 

And even though he already has tons of baby clothes, my mom just couldn't resist getting a few more haha 

 I had seen this craft on Pinterest to make 4th of July paper stars, so I did a little test run for my mom. I plan on making some for our house now that I'm back. 

 My family was invited over to a ward friends house for a Memorial Day Barbecue and swim party. I did feel really bad that day knowing that most everyone was out enjoying the holiday, while Austin was stuck in a library back in Arizona. I just had to keep reminding him that one day these sacrifices will pay off :) 

My mom and I also spent a few days at our community pool trying to get our little man to turn over. He is breached, and the doctor said bouncing around in the water might help. I kind of felt like a dork just bouncing all around the pool but that's ok hahah Gotta do what you gotta do!

 Also while I was there, Jessica was asked to create a poster for someones graduation party. We stopped by Party City to pick up a few things, but kind of got distracted along the way... 

 For a few days my mom was on the hunt to find some "Tiffany Blue" nail polish. We finally found the color, but I also wanted my nails to be pink. Hence the two tone nails.. haha Most people have told me they aren't a fan, but I like them :) 

 I flew out a few days before my dad had to go in for some surgery on his nose. This picture was after it was all said and done. He's had this surgery before, so luckily it wasn't as bad as before and he was able to recover fast :D

 On my last day in Texas, my mom really wanted to go to the Kimball Art Museum and see the exhibit on Impressionism. I wrote a paper on Impressionism my last year at BYU. Unfortunately I didn't really remember much, but I can say the art work was a lot more impressive in person. Something I wasn't overly excited to see turned out to be really fun!  

I really am soooo appreciative of my family letting me follow them around for two weeks. It was hard being away from Austin for that long, but I know it helped him and me out a lot! I wasn't lonely at home, and he was able to put in some long hard hours of work. Now that I'm back I feel like I'm a constant distraction, but Austin reassures me that I'm not haha. We are both hoping and praying that these sacrifices will pay off when he takes his tests in two weeks!

So Long Second Year!

Well this is a week late, but Austin is all done with his second year of med school! No more classes, and no more book work!! I think it is still a little surreal for him to imagine not going to another class. He has been doing the whole school scene for more than half his life! Once again he rocked his finals, and even got a surprise e-mail telling him that he was awarded a scholarship! I think at first he thought it was a joke, but turns out it was actually legit! I was so so proud of him, and very excited that he was rewarded for all his hard work these past two years. It really was a blessing. Because of all his hard work I also wanted him to reward him. Austin is so hard to buy gifts for, so when we found these shorts that he liked I didn't care how much they cost I was buying them! He deserved it! I can tell you that he was very excited the day they came, so I'd say they were a successful gift :D

For a few days after finals, Austin took some time off to hang out with me. We went baby shopping, out to eat with friends, saw The Avengers, and then Monday we had a doctor appointment. This time I had to take my glucose test, and we got to see our little man in 3D!! Austin said the whole time I was watching the ultrasound I just had a huge smile on my face. Here are a few of the pics.

 Side profile and arm up by his head

Austin and my family thinks he has my nose, but other than that I think he looks like Austin. I guess we will really find out in 12 weeks!! I can't believe how much he continues to grow! Right now he is about 2.3 pounds and is breached. The doctor told me I need to get in the swimming pool, and do some summersaults to get him to flip haha so I guess I need to give that a try. Since I'm only 28 weeks the doctor isn't too concerned, and thinks he will turn eventually. Going into the appointment I knew he was breached because I feel his head or arm bulging out of my stomach all the time! Sometimes it kind of freaks me out, but it also just means we are getting that much closer to meeting him!

As for me, I am just getting bigger and bigger :) I can now balance things of my belly haha that is when you know you are really pregnant!

For the next two weeks I'm just gonna be hanging out in Texas with the fam, while Austin prepares for boards!! I will be so so glad when that test is over, but in the mean time Austin continues to study hard and I continue to be the cheerleader wife! :D

An Unexpected Hospital Visit

I like to think that I have been extremely blessed with this pregnancy so far. I should have known that sometime in the nine months I'm pregnant that I would have some sort of trial! Sunday morning as I was getting ready for church, I felt like I had pulled a muscle in my back. It continued to get worse sitting in those hard chairs at church, and was on and off pain the next couple of days. All day Tuesday I was totally fine and relieved to think things were getting better, but by bed time it was back to that horrible pain. Needless to say I was up all night, and by morning I couldn't handle it anymore. That had to be some of the worse pain I have ever experienced. I called the doctor, and left a message because we were starting to think this might be sometime more than just a pulled muscle. When the nurse called back an hour later she told me to come in, and they would test for a UTI which isn't uncommon for pregnant women to get.

Well the doctor checked everything out, and all seemed normal with me and the baby. He did want me to go over to the hospital, and just get an ultrasound of my right kidney just to make sure I didn't have kidney stones, or possibly hydronephrosis. That is basically when the baby puts pressure on your ureter causing things to back up into your kidney, and cause major swelling or other problems. When we went to the hospital they ended up checking us into the labor and delivery triage. They started monitoring the babies heart beat, my uterus and checking my urine. Turns out I was having some contractions because I was really dehydrated. They immediately wanted to get the contractions down, and started me on an IV. I think I was most nervous to get the IV because I've never had one before, and I've heard they hurt. It actually wasn't bad at all.

A little while later the ultrasound tech came in to look at my kidney. She was really nice, and let us see our little guy too. I've only ever seen his profile, but this time we saw his face straight on. It was so freaking cute!! You could see him swallow a couple of time, and stick his tongue out. Plus Austin said he looks like he has my nose :) For such a crappy day, that certainly made up for it! The doctor finally came in and told me I had a lot of things going on... I did indeed have hydronephrosis, some small kidney stones, and the start of a UTI. All of this was being made worse by the fact that I was so dehydrated. From then on out I was suppose to drink a gallon of water a day, start laying on my left side to get our little guy to move, and no more working. The nurse came back to give me some antibiotics, and a shot to stop my contractions. Austin was so surprised to see me taking all of this like a champ! The nurse said it was because I'm a mother haha. Her saying that made me feel better, and gave me the confidence I need to know that when it is time to deliver this baby I will be able to do it! I am starting to realize what is means to be a mother, and even though our little boy isn't here yet I'm already sacrificing for him.

It was a relief to finally figure out what was going on, and to get some medicine to treat all my issues, but since then I have basically been on mild bed rest. I don't know how people handle full bed rest because I am going crazy just knowing I can't be out too long before my back starts hurting. It is quite the roller coaster of emotions right now, but hopefully I will be back to normal soon. It is crazy to think that in a short three months we will be back at that hospital doing things all over again, but by then it will come with a sweet reward :)

24 Weeks, A Trip to Texas & A Two Year Anniversary!

Well a month has passed since I last blogged, and a few things have been going on around the Horrocks house. Austin's semester is winding down, and he is almost finished with another year of med school! While he was studying away, I took a trip home to Texas. My parents went on a once in a life time trip to Egypt & Israel while I watched my little sister Jessica. 

I was able to spend a few days with my parents before they left which was good. My dad had been telling me about this awesome cinnamon roll recipe he found, so I of course had to test them out. Let me tell you... they did not disappoint! I swear it is the exact recipe that Cinnabon uses on their cinnamon rolls. When my parents get back I plan on getting that recipe and trying it out for Austin :) 

The rest of the time I got to hang out with this crazy girl! (see Jessica that is why you don't take crazy pictures with my phone, and then try to set them as the background!)

I also got to hang out with this crazy dog! Sometimes I don't think she liked my big belly that was in her way of laying on my lap. 

I also got to drive around my mom's sweet new ride! It was quite the change from driving my bug :) I told Austin that if I learned anything from this trip, it is that as a mom you should invest in a car you love because more than half of you day is spent driving kids to all their different activities. It was crazy! 

I also invested in a new diaper bag for me and the babe :) Along with some more maternity clothes... mainly jeans and capris. The belly band just wasn't cutting it for me anymore. 

While I was in Texas, I made sure to take advantage of the food I can't get in Arizona. I was extremely excited when I found honey butter at the grocery store there! Austin's mom introduced it to me last year while we were in Illinois, and since then I could never find it in Arizona!

 Jessica took me to her favorite burger joint, Kincaids!

 I couldn't go without having some Chicken Express. Their corn nuggets are amazing! 

Lastly, we had to make a batch of cupcakes before I left. Jessica is the self proclaimed cupcake queen around our house, so we tried out an Oreo cupcake recipe. They were delish! 

Jessica and I had a fun time bonding, and just hanging out around the house. I only stayed for a week because my anniversary fell during my parents trip so my grandma came for the second half. I got home the day before our two year anniversary!! I can't believe another year has come and gone! I was telling Austin it is weird because I feel like our wedding was just the other day, but I also feel like we have been married a lot longer than two years. Austin went out and found the blender I had been looking at for a few weeks now. Back in November, I accidentally blew up our old blender trying to mash sweet potatoes in them for Thanksgiving. Well since that time I have been craving smoothies like crazy! I don't know if it was the heat or being pregnant, maybe a combination of both but it was driving me crazy knowing I couldn't make my own. I finally just told Austin that I didn't want anything fancy for our anniversary, I just wanted a blender. I know... lame but sometimes you have to be practical when you are a poor med school student! I have tested this sucker out a couple times now and love it!!

 Two whole years!! 

 Getting ready to go out for the night :)

 We went to a steak house near by called Firebirds. It was pretty good! Austin was a little disappointed because the waitress talked him into getting a prime rib instead of a filet mignon, but it was still good. Plus Austin was nice enough to break his "diet" for some awesome cheesecake! Austin is trying to lower his cholesterol right now, and cheesecake does not help with that... but we figured one night won't kill him! 

That night we watched our wedding DVD like have done every year. It was fun to look back on that day, and see how far we have come. I can't believe that from here on out it won't just be the two of us... but I can honestly say that we have made the most of our two years together, and really grown together. Even with a baby on the way I hope that we always stay this close, and don't forget those promises we made together in the temple two years ago :) Love you Austin!!

Last but not least, I reached the 24 week mark! I can tell my belly has really popped over the past two weeks. Our little guys movements are so strong now! I was a little nervous because he is still so low in my belly, but I had a doctors appointment today and he said everything is just great! He said that is just how my body is built, and that I will probably carry low the whole time. I feel like this pregnancy is going by so fast! He is gonna be here before we know it! We have been talking a lot about baby names, and really like the name Paxton. Austin calls him that all the time now, and we are 99% sure that is what his name will be.

A few weeks ago Austin's grandparents came down for a little visit, and were nice enough to bring a whole car full of stuff my Aunt Jenny wasn't using any more. We were overwhelmed with all the stuff she gave us! It was a huge blessing, and so generous of her and her family :) I have been trying to organize the closet that will be the baby's and hung up all his little clothes that we have so far. This little boy is seriously going to be spoiled beyond belief!! Everyone has been so giving and generous! I think we are all just so excited to have a boy in the family :D This picture doesn't even do justice to all the  clothes that I have for him so far... I really need to find a dresser that so I can to start putting other things away. I feel like I spend my nights researching everything we need for this baby. It can be so overwhelming, and so exciting at the same time! 

So that is life right now! Only three weeks left of Austin's second year, and then it's time for boards :/ I will be going home again for two weeks so that Austin can get some serious studying done, and so that I won't feel neglected haha