It's a....

BOY!

We are thrilled to announce that we are having a boy! Baby boy is perfectly healthy, measuring at 1 lb and right on track for his due date. Heart, brain, kidneys, cord insertion, and everything else they looked at are perfect. We couldn't be more excited to have our little boy first!

At the beginning, baby boy wasn't very cooperative - legs closed nice and tight. But eventually, he opened up just enough as the nurse passed by that she said "Oh I know exactly what your baby is". Then she went back, and this is what we saw:

 

Yep, that's a boy alright.

 

There's his little foot!

It was much like when I just knew I was pregnant, the way I felt about this baby being a boy. I didn't have a reason to, I just knew it was a boy. If I had been wrong I would have taken it just fine, but something told us we were having a boy and we were so so so excited about it.

When we saw him and knew he was a him, it just felt so right. Of course he's a boy, our little boy.

As for names, we've already decided, kind of. We had decided long ago that our first boy would be named Ian Timothy Cook, after 2 of the greatest men that we know, and 2 of the big reasons why Tom and I ended up together.

However, yesterday when we called my Dad to tell him the exciting news, he told us that baby's due date (November 6th) was my grandpa's birthday. Grandpa Andersen was one of the most incredible men I know of, and I have felt strongly that he knows our baby. Grandpa Andersen was born November 6, 1914, and our baby's due date is November 6, 2014 (exactly 100 years!), so if baby comes on his due date we will name him Tanner Verlan Cook after Grandpa Hans Verlan Andersen. 

We just love both options - we feel so blessed to have so many great men in our lives to name our children after and give them another great male role model to look to as an example of worthy priesthood holders.

The above picture is his profile - see his hand above his perfect little lips and his nose? His head was kind of buried in my pelvis so it was hard to get a good picture, but I could just stare at this picture all day. And I sort of do. I feel an overwhelming amount of joy and gratitude that I can't get over. Our baby boy is so healthy, so magnificent, so perfect. I love him so much already, it's hard to explain.

I still can't believe it - we're having a boy!

Cast your vote!

Tom and I aren't going to do anything fancy schmancy to reveal the gender of our baby...that's not much our style (though I always thought it would be, ha!). BUT, we are so so so beyond excited to find out the gender of our sweet little baby tomorrow! At 2:30, in case you're wondering, so that's about 22 hours from now. Yeah, who's counting? This mama!

Currently the tally is 4 boy, no girl, and 2 "we'll be happy either way"s. Let me just clarify that I will be happy either way as well, but I do have my very soft opinion of what our little babe is. What do you think?!

Dear baby

There are many things that I maybe should be doing. Like that assignment for my class that I don't really get and am frustrated with, or the folding of the whites that awaits when I step in the bedroom or tackling the ever growing mountain of dishes I see from my view here.

But right now, I just want to sit and be with you. I don't know if you grew a whole lot real fast or if you moved up or if you just all of a sudden discovered use of your limbs, but I feel you moving often and I can't get enough of it. The first time it happened, I doubted whether it really happened or not because it was so faint and fleeting. But I can't deny it anymore, you are a mover and a shaker. I feel you kicking and stretching and it brings me so much contentment and excitement and pride all in one tiny second. I am proud to have a movin' groovin' baby inside me.

You like to kick when I'm going to bed. It's never very painful, sometimes just surprising. You also like to kick in the mornings after the rush has slowed and I'm getting settled into work.

Last night as Dad and I were laying in bed talking, you began your nightly exercise routine. I asked Dad if he wanted to feel it, but to be honest I was a bit hesitant because I wasn't sure if he would be able to feel it and I didn't want to disappoint. But you gave a few real good kicks while his hand was on my belly and it was just a nice moment for the three of us. Thanks for doing that for us, little one.

Just now as you were having a dance party, I got curious and just watched my bare belly make temporary bumps and hills as we played our own version of Whack-A-Mole. Feeling you move inside of me makes this all so real. We're half way to meeting you, and I feel closer and closer to you as time goes on, but you moving is by far the best thing to this point. I know you've got to sleep and stuff but feel free to kick me anytime. I love knowing you're there.

We find out just what kind of baby you are in 8 days! I can hardly wait to call you by the name we've chosen if you're a boy or girl, to pick out baby clothes, and be able to use either he or she instead of saying "he or she" when we pray for you. And oh how we pray for you. And for ourselves, it's a daunting task to be assigned to be your parents! We could not be more thrilled and humbled, and so grateful to Heavenly Father for you. You are oh so loved, sweet baby.

Temple to Temple Relay

We did the Temple to Temple relay a couple of weekends ago! It was so much fun. The weather was wonderful, our team was awesome, and afterwards we went to Costa Vida, and I think that's all that needs to be said about that.

Since my 10K I haven't been running as much and especially since I pulled my groin muscle (that's one thing I have definitely suffered, the affects of relaxin in my pregnant body making it so easy to overstretch!). I was supposed to run the shortest leg - 2.6, but ended up only running 1 mile of a different leg and couldn't do anymore. I think Tom picked up an extra few miles between the dividing of other legs of the relay cause he's awesome and can bust miles out like it's nothing. Yeah, my husband is awesome.

The whole team at the Rexburg temple at the start of the race. It was raining, but it cleared up nicely for us :)

Nate dawg running the first leg even though he had bad shin splints. What a champ!

Can we all observe how happy Tom is while he runs? Few things make him happier and I love watching him!

Kenna set her PR by running 7.9 miles! She's training for a half-marathon and obviously has the Cook running gene. I love this picture so much, Kenna is the best!

While waiting to cheer Kenna on, we took this picture and didn't realize till after that neither of us smiled with our real smile. Cute.

Naturally, we found the nearest dog. This boy was such a sweetie and we named him Buster and fed him Wheat Thins. I can't wait till we can have pets!

Almost the whole team at the end, the Idaho Falls temple. What a fun day!

Yeah, I had to show off my belly. If people can tell at all they think I just ate a big lunch or something ;)

That may have been our last Temple to Temple relay at BYU-Idaho! That's sad, but we have loved participating in it whenever they offer it. It made for a super fun weekend!

On Being Pregnant

Most of the time, I don't really believe I'm pregnant. I haven't felt the baby move yet, I've only seen him/her once, only heard his/her heartbeat twice. I've struggled with feeling guilty about not being more aware of the life growing within me.

Maybe it's because I wasn't sick at all. I had a total of maybe 12 days where I felt like I would be sick and was sensitive to smells, but I never once threw up. I know, a lot of people hate me when I say things like that but gosh I wish I could just share my pregnancy with others without them getting mad.

And I mean what is that about anyway? Since when are pregnancies all supposed to be the same? I lost weight when I got pregnant and just now am back to pre-pregnancy weight. At 18 weeks. Does that make me an awful person? Do I not deserve something because I wasn't pregnant in the same way?

Sorry, that was a little rant. I'm just tired of feeling like my pregnancy isn't good enough.

Wow, those are words I never thought I would say, never even knew existed.

This pregnancy has been a strange thing for me, not at all like I imagined it to be. I think I always picture things happening in my life, and I imagine that I'll be a certain way. But in reality, I'm much more passive about things than I like to admit. I sort of let things happen without getting worked up over them. Not that I'm not excited or anything! Just...I don't know what it is.

Like my wedding day. The night before, I slept fine. I ate breakfast that morning, took a nap after the sealing before my reception. Looking back, my wedding day was one of the most perfect, beautiful days of my life. But at the time, things were just happening and I was content to let them happen, it wasn't a big deal. Am I making sense here?

Probably not.

I guess I'm just sharing my feelings. Isn't that what the World Wide Web is for these days? ;) I just wanted to say that I finally get it - each pregnancy is different. I just wanted to say that I am humbled and honored to be a mother to this sweet baby, and I can't wait to meet Baby Cook. We find out the gender in 2 weeks and I know that will help make it more real, when we can call him/her by name. But I'm not taking baby bump pictures every week like I thought I would, and I'm not reading every baby book ever written like I really thought I would. I haven't started buying anything for the baby, which I assumed would happen, and though there are times (like after doctor's appointments, or when Tom and I talk about the baby) that I think deeply and affectionately and anxiously about our child, my life has continued very much as normal since getting pregnant.

I hope that's okay with everyone. And even if it's not, that's fine, because I'm fine. I've had to work this out with my Heavenly Father and accept that reality, once again, is different from my outlandish imagination, and that's nothing to feel guilty about.

My thoughts on being pregnant? Pretty neutral. Being pregnant is great and I like it just about the same as I have always loved my life.

A year and a half

The other day, as we were driving home from Utah, Tom mentioned that we had been together for a year and a half. It fit in with the conversation, but it totally caught me off guard and I've been thinking about it a lot since he said it.

That was us a year and a half ago, just about. That was the first "normal" picture we have together, and I don't care to share the real first one. I should point out that normal means we're both making regular, happy faces.

I loved Tom quickly. I knew early on that I wanted to be with him. Our relationship was unlike any that I had ever experienced and even if it forced me to be patient, every day felt right, felt natural, felt good. It was good to be with this man, and I didn't want that goodness to ever leave my life.

Eventually, we officially started dating. Then, we got engaged and ours is my favorite engagement story. Then we got married, and our wedding day was perfect in practically every way. Since then, we've started our family and are anxious to meet our little one in November.

Am I making sense here? Probably not. What I'm trying to say is that every day continues to be right and good and natural. Being in love with and being married to and preparing to be parents with Tom continues to be the best, most good (in the truest sense of the word) part of my life.

For the first time in my life, being with someone for a year and a half doesn't make me want to sit down and wipe away the sweat from effort and burden of "making it work", like I so often felt in the past. A year and a half with Tom doesn't feel like enough. And that's because it's not! We have eternities ahead of us. I can't even comprehend it but I get so excited thinking about spending it with him.

Basically, I'm in love and I don't care who knows it. For a whole year and a half now.

Memorial Day Weekend

Tom and I both loving planning surprises. We also both love getting out of Rexburg, and we were well over due for a break from our crazy schedules. So we planned a surprise visit to Lake Point, and Friday afternoon headed to Tom's parent's house. Thus began the perfect weekend that we wished wouldn't have ended!

Friday, we just relaxed. Stayed up WAY too late...later than we've ever stayed up in our whole marriage! We even did the whole midnight snack thing, except at 2:30 in the morning. Cookies and milk hit the spot, and the baby thanked me.

Saturday, we did homework, and enjoyed being super lazy. That afternoon we went on a run, then went rollerblading! I know, I'm 16 weeks pregnant and rollerblading. Sue me! It was a blast just riding around the church parking lot like we were little kids again. And yes, I was very careful.

Looking super hot in our roller blading gear ;)

After getting cleaned up, we prepared Hobo dinners (or tinfoil dinners if you prefer that name) and then filled up some plastic cups with colored water and went shooting with BB guns! 

We loved being out by the fire, having smores and the whole shebang. I love that Tom enjoys that as much as I do, we both love being outside together better than just about anything. We didn't shoot bows and arrows this time, but we'll get it on the next trip. 

Sunday we went to church and loved hearing people tell us about how our lives are about to change and how I don't look pregnant. Okay that's a touch of sarcasm there because I'm proud of the bump that I have and we're well aware our lives are going to change. But we are so excited to have that change! No matter how hard parenting might be, we are ready to take that challenge on together.

After church I took a nap outside for a bit and it was glorious! We had yummy food, took another super long nap, and enjoyed a lazy Sunday. The neighbors invited us over to shoot their rifles and we couldn't refuse! They're just good ol' neighbors - drinkin' beer and shooting guns on the Sabbath! We had such a good time, and not because we consumed alcohol. Because we didn't. Just clearing that up!

After shooting, we went over to the Lake Point cemetery to decorate Grandpa Cook's grave. I began there a family history project that I'll share more details on another time, but we all enjoyed the visit.

Monday we did a bit more homework, then went for a hike up South Willow Canyon! It was a beautiful day and I'd never been out that far into Tooele. Neither Tom nor I were feeling at the top of our game, but it was still a really great hike.  We had a fun picnic with the family and loved soaking up the sun. I devoured more of Work and the Glory #1 on the way home (umm WHY have I never read those all the way through before?!) while Tom slept.We can't wait to do more hiking!

I promise there were other people there, Tom and I just really enjoy taking 'selfies' ;) I just figured it was high time I put some pictures on this blog, and pictures of Tom and I are the only ones we have from the weekend!

It was such a fun weekend, and I wish it would have lasted just a little bit longer, I was not ready to come back to reality. It always seems to hit harder after a long weekend, doesn't it?

While in Utah, my allergies decided to make their presence known. They had bothered me a little bit the few days before, but they were super bad in Utah. Three cheers for no makeup and constant sniffing! I'm really happy that I can have benadryl now that I'm in my second trimester, and I look forward to a much better sleep tonight because of it.

And here we are, back in Rexburg! I love short weeks, even if I feel a little off balance. We're excited for some fun things coming up in the next few weeks, so stay tuned! I might even post another picture ;)