31 weeks and GROWING!

Jarrett and I went in for our Dr.'s appointment and were surprised when he said we were going to get an ultrasound! We were able to see her little face (with some imagination of course) in the 3-D picture. Jarrett & I decided that she looks like she has his lower lip and my upper lip! LOL.. We can't wait to meet her and kiss that sweet face!




She's been growing great, (four pounds!!) and is turned in the breech position. The Dr. is confident that she'll turn downwards within the next 9 weeks, so please keep us in your prayers that little Lindsay does a flip!

So much to be Thankful for...

Joe, Grandma, Matt, Annie, Dad, Mom (behind Jarrett), Jarrett

This year has been so amazing and full of joy! I am so thankful for my sweet husband, little girl on the way, our precious families and great friends! God is so good!

We had a Dr.'s appointment the week before Thanksgiving and wanted to post a picture of our girl. The Dr. said she weighs 2lbs, 9oz (before Thanksgiving... I think she's pushing 3lbs after lol). She has been kicking and moving, and I feel her little hiccups at least once a day. After my next appointment on December 15th, I am going to be going in every two weeks! Wow, how time flies!

Happy 5 Year Anniversary!

Jarrett & I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary with a trip (our last one before Lindsay's born) to Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. We were able to use some airline miles that were about to expire and flew up to Portland Thursday evening. Why the Northwest? For one, I wanted to keep our flights less than 2 hrs, and two, Jarrett and I have both never been further North than San Francisco. When we arrived it was rainy, but so beautiful! We went to the Japanese Gardens, drank a ton of coffee (me decaf of course) and walked hand in hand with our umbrellas all over downtown Portland. Katie in front of the Gamma Phi Beta house at the University of Washington... with our little legacy, Lindsay!

Friday night we had to go see "New Moon" and Jarrett was so sweet to see it with me, being one of the four guys in the theater amongst the screaming teenagers...lol. Saturday morning we woke up and rented a car to drive to Seattle, WA, a two hour car ride north. We never mind the car ride, we actually prefer it.

It was so much fun to see the countryside, trees and lakes alongside the freeway. The trees and leaves were so many colors- it was absolutely beautiful. We spent two days in Seattle and visited the Space Needle, took a harbor cruise, and walked around Pike's Market.

Jarrett with the University of Washington's mascot... Go Huskies!

Jarrett's favorite part was touring the University of Washington and checking out their Student Union. We flew home on Tuesday in time for Carol's birthday and Thanksgiving!

Lindsay's Nursery Part II

The finished product...:)

Lindsay's Nursery Part I

Hanging wall letters and putting up curtains...

Putting together the crib and painting....

This weekend Grandpa Rich came to Malibu to help Jarrett and I put together Lindsay's nursery! The guys painted, put together the crib, hung curtains and even squeezed in some male bonding time to transformed our office/guest room into a beautiful nursery. Jarrett was a trooper on Saturday after an all-night campout event at the President's house running on only 3 hours of sleep. It was a windy weekend and all the dust and pollen stirred up Grandpa's allergies- but bless their hearts- they finished it! Thank you so much!!

Nursery furniture has arrived!

Wow! Monday was like Christmas morning in the Fisher house! We got our nursery furniture from JCPenny's and it is more beautiful than I could have wished for! A special thank you to Jarrett's co-workers, Caddie and Casey who were able to get the furniture to/in our apartment- we couldn't have done it without you! We are so excited because this weekend Grandpa Rich is coming to Malibu to help us paint and put together the crib and get the nursery ready for baby Lindsay. I will post finished nursery pics next week!

Daddy is putting the nobs on the dresser drawers and reading the directions for the crib...yay!

Baby Girl's name is...

After a long and arduous process, we finally decided on Lindsay Diane Fisher. Jarrett and I have always loved the name Lindsay, but we went through the process of the narrowing down every name either of us liked -- just to make sure there were no other names we liked better. :) Her middle name, Diane, has special meaning for both Jarrett and I because it is the middle name for BOTH of our precious Moms! We are really excited have decided and announced her name, because somehow, it just makes her seem all the more 'real' ..... our Daughter! Yay!

23 weeks and growing...

Jarrett and I just got back from our latest Dr.'s appointment and all is perfect! Mommy's blood pressure was nice and low, and baby's heartbeat was strong and healthy. We are so blessed! It seems like I've been eating a lot lately, and it definitely showed up on the scale this time around. Earlier this month I had a couple of different people ask me how far along I was and tell me, "Why you are so tiny!!" Well, in my mind I thought, "Oh my goodness- what if people think I am not eating enough for the baby?" To put it mildly, I began to 'overcompensate'. My Dr. asked me, "Have you been pretty hungry lately?" I gained like 8lbs since my last appointment! Yikes... So far I've gained 16lbs the entire pregnancy, but my goal is 20-25lbs... Today is the day I am going to lay off the Stoffer's French Bread Pizza's, take more walks and go for the salads...LOL!

On another note... Names! Jarrett and I finally narrowed the name down to one, precious name for our girl! We went to Michael's after our Dr.'s appointment to get the nursery letters. We will be telling everyone soon!! Thank you to all our sweet family and friends for your encouragement and prayers during this exciting journey into parenthood!

Already a Daddy's Girl...

Well, our little girl has been kicking up a storm! Her favorite time to be active is in the evenings when Jarrett gets home. We eat dinner around 6pm, and talk about how our days went. Of course, Jarrett's days are way more exciting than mine lately, and I began to notice her kicking up a storm when he would talk. We both have been talking to her and reading since we found out we were expecting, but it seems to me her favorite part of the day is when Daddy's home and talking!

Jarrett was able to feel her little kicks beginning on October 1st, and he tells me now that he knows what they feel like they are getting increasingly stronger (I agree :)! Her little movements are all over my tummy, sometimes near my belly button or really low. Jarrett and I laughed last night when it felt like she was doing a flip! We have a Dr.'s appointment on Thursday, and I will post again soon!

Nursery Bedding & Furniture

Nursery Furniture...

Nursery Bedding...

Well, as soon as I found out we are having a precious girl, anyone that knows me knows I am a decorating fool! I love it! Jarrett and I decided we would do our girl's room in pink and chocolate (very much the rage right now) and I've had a ton of people ask me about bedding, furniture, etc... so I wanted to post links to the stuff we are going to get! I am hoping to have the nursery done before Jan. 1st... but we'll see! I will post pictures of the room coming together before our precious little gal arrives!!

It's a ...

Sweet baby....GIRL !!! Here's a profile pic!

Jarrett and I had our second trimester check up and ultrasound on Friday, Sept. 25. We got our Quad screen test results back (tests for Down Syndrome, Neural Tube Defects, Spina Bifida, etc..) and we are happy to report they came back negative. Our Girl (yay!) weighs approximately 12 ounces, and has been busy growning and moving!! Mommy's blood pressure was nice and low and weight gain was right on target (8 lbs total), although I feel like I've gained much, much more... and to think I am only half way done!

I think I felt her moving last week, and this week I have been feeling the same light, tapping/fluttering, unlike anything I've felt before! I was laying in bed last week before bed and reading and I told Jarrett, "I think I just felt her move!" I was laying on my back and waited for a few minutes and felt it again! It was so exciting and awe-inspiring to know that a precious living, little person is growing and changing every day. God is so Good!

The last few days it seems like she is active in the afternoons around 2 or 3pm and at night right before bed... usually around 9:30 or 10pm. I am looking forward to the day that Jarrett will be able to feel her too! Jarrett and I have been working on names... to begin with we had over forty, and now we've narrowed it down to 3. We are trying out one of the names each day (calling her by that name when we refer to her) and are (slowly!) narrowing it down to one, perfect special name for our perfect, special little girl!

Bring on the Skittles!

I wanted to post a funny craving I'd been having lately... Skittles! Specifically, Wild Berry or Tropical Fruit flavored! I was getting the car washed the other day and I was getting ready to pay for it at the check stand when I saw the skittles. I haven't had skittles in YEARS and I thought, "That sounds pretty good!" And so the obsession started! Jarrett bought me skittles the other day and hid them in my purse (sweet guy) knowing I was on a kick!

This is a strange phenomenon, because I am usually a chocolate person when I want dessert. And lately, I have been opting for salty/sour/sweet, and have not been too excited about dessert- so strange for me because I live for dessert at the end of a meal! On the other hand, I have also been eating some pretty strange stuff (for me at least). Yesterday I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and put crushed up Ruffles potato chips in it... yum right? LOL! This little baby has some strange food preferences! I wonder if his or her favorite candy will be Skittles when they get older? LOL :)

Baby Fisher's gender is still a mystery!!

Jarrett and I had an early morning Dr.'s appointment on Monday morning for our check up and ultrasound. We were so disappointed to find out while we were in the waiting room that their ultrasound machine wasn't working!! I guess over the weekend there were some power outages and something shorted out. They were going to have a tech come and fix it, but it wouldn't be until later that day. As much as we liked getting in to the Dr.'s early with no wait, I think in the future we will not schedule an appointment on a Monday morning! My blood work hadn't come in from the lab, and the machine was broken!! We just have to laugh about the whole thing- especially since I am the least patient person in the world! LOL. Other than that, the baby is growing well! I gained only 3lbs. since my last appointment, which was a shock because I have been eating like a pig since the morning sickness went away! The Dr. was able to measure the baby's heartbeat with a hand-held doppler, and it was 140 bpm. After our exam, the Dr. said that he thinks we are doing great and said we could come back later for the ultrasound, or we could wait until the next appointment. Because of this crazy time with Jarrett's job and me subbing, we decided we are just going to wait for our next appointment to find out the gender, Sept. 24th, and pray that our little girl/guy and technology cooperates!!

15 Weeks...and Growing!

Everything has been going great, but busy. Jarrett has been swamped with work because the students return to Pepperdine next week. I have been getting ready to substitute teach this fall and enjoying the last few days of summer. Our next Dr.'s appointment is on Monday, August 24th and we will post new ultrasound pics. We are hoping (fingers crossed) if the baby cooperates we might be able to find out if we are having a boy or girl! We honestly do not have any preference, we fill so blessed by God with this miracle and will love our girl or boy just the same!

Walking

I am excited to report that I am finally feeling more like myself again and my energy has returned. Before I began feeling like I was getting the flu (i.e. baby on board) I was going to the gym at 5:45am and on the eliptical three or four times a week. I was a little afraid to work out as hard as I was before, so I though I would begin with walking when the weather is good, and doing the eliptical (very slowly) on bad weather days. Today was a gorgeous day in Malibu- 72 degrees and breezy and a good day to begin my exercising! I went to the Pepperdine track and walked seven laps... I thought I had been out there for a hour; nope, only thirty minutes. LOL. I was really excited to finally use my ipod (Thanks Dad!) I got for graduation. I felt so great afterwards, and am excited to do it again and hopefully, gain some laps!

For all those asking about commenting...

I am still new at this blogging thing, and I think I fixed it! Try it by clicking on the link at the bottom!

Another Picture...

Ok. I had to post another 'proud mama' pic!! I thought this was a cute image because it looks like he/she is hiding their face with their arms. I love she/he already! Feeling great and energy has returned- I am hoping (fingers crossed) I am past the morning sickness thing!!

Our Second Doctor's Appointment!

Jarrett and I just got back from our second doctor's appointment! The OBGYN had ordered a full bloodwork panel as a prenatal screen (the first of many tests!) and all came back normal, which is wonderful news. Blood pressure was ideal, and I have gained a total of 2 lbs. in my first trimester. The doctor said that you really don't need to take in any extra calories the first trimester because the baby is barely an inch. He expects me to gain between 20-30 lbs. during the course of the pregnancy, most of that in the last trimester, and says I'm right on track!

We also had our second ultrasound (lucky us!) and got to see our precious baby girl/boy! It was amazing to see the changes from the last time we saw him/her. You can definitely see a head, heart, tummy, arms and legs. It definitely looked much more human than the last ultrasound! We heard the heartbeat, at 171 bpm; strong and perfect. We were shocked when the baby actually moved -- of course the baby's still too small for me to be able to feel it, but it was kicking and punching and squirming! Jarrett and I both gasped, and of course, I started to cry happy tears. Then I couldn't stop giggling! The more I giggled, the more the baby moved! The doctor said, "Wow....that's a big baby!" then he said it looked like I was close to 11 weeks, rather than his original estimate of 10.5 weeks. Jarrett and I are wondering if he expected a smaller baby, probably since we both have pretty small frames; but, we have tall people on both sides of the family so maybe our little blessing might be in store for a little vertical help!

Thank you to all our family and friends for being so supportive through the past few weeks! We received some precious books to read to the baby and an adorable baby blanket and onesies from Grandma Carol. Grandma Kellie came for a visit to Malibu and we shopped and ate at Cheesecake Factory; she brought my baby book with her and we compared baby pics of Jarrett & I trying to get a feel for what the baby will look like.

Jarrett and I still are amazed by God's work in our lives and the miracle of creating a new life. It is amazing to think that God knows every hair on that precious little head, the baby's thoughts, dreams and life -- even before s/he has been born! We feel blessed as future parents to be able to watch our child grow and learn and get to know Christ through us.

We have another appointment in 4 weeks, August 24th. We'll keep you posted!

Telling our Families: 4th of July Weekend!

We waited on pins and needles until the 4th of July Weekend when we were finally able to tell our families in person that we are expecting. I was planning on going to Bakersfield by myself the weekend before, to run some errands and see the dogs while Jarrett was in meetings at the West LA Campus, but after we found out we were expecting, Jarrett told me "No way! You're a bad fibber and have never been good at keeping a secret...especially one this big -- your family will find out for sure! You have to wait until next weekend so I can go with you!"

Albeit, dramatic -- he's right. The good news is that extra weekend gave us time to plan how we were going to tell our families during the upcoming 4th of July Weekend. My Mom's birthday is June 29th, so finding a way to tell her was easy....we gave her a 'birthday gift' and inside was a "Grandma" wall sign and some baby bibs. When she opened her birthday present, she was so surprised, then she started crying and there were hugs all around. We told my Grandma next, giving her a little 'gift' for her "beach house" -- it was a picture frame that said "Great-Grandparents warm little hearts"..... and inside the frame part we wrote "Arriving February 2010". Although she took her time opening it, when she finally did, she was so excited; she cried and then I looked over and my Mom who was crying again (which made me cry again, too). We all went to dinner at Benji's Basque restaurant to celebrate Mom's birthday and our surprise.

On July 4th, we woke up that morning at my Dad's house and we got to surprise him. We found a cute coffee mug that said "In case of emergency, call 1-800-GRANDPA". We thought this would be perfect for a fireman grandpa! :) He always gets up early, and has a cup of coffee before we even wake up. Then after we wake up, he then has his 2nd cup. When we got up, I grabbed his empty mug and replaced it with the new 'grandpa' mug. I brought it in and sat it next to his lazyboy and he immediately noticed the difference, and said "Ah...isn't that cute." And that was it. Jarrett and I looked at each other, and Jarrett said, "Surprise! Katie's due in February!" The look of shock that swept across his face was priceless; he was definitely surprised. He started laughing (and crying a little, too) and said he thought the mug was from our dogs, Jackson and Roxy as a belated Father's Day present! LOL.

Shortly after, we told Carol. We showed up early at her house for the holiday BBQ, bringing a box of Smith's cookies. Jarrett said, "I know you said not to bring anything, but we didn't want to show up empty handed and I've been wanting some Smith's cookies..... but I'm not sure what kind they put in there, since all I asked for was an assortment." Carol looked as if she was going to open the box filled with baby-themed cookies, (all with little booties, bottles, rattles, and carriages in pastel yellow, pink, greens, and blues) but then she went into the other room instead, as if on a hunt for her glasses. When she walked back into the great room, she sat down on the couch to visit, as if she got side-track with why she went looking for her glasses in the first place. ;o) - all with little yellow, pink, blue, and green rattlers, booties, bottles and carriages then forgot what she was doing and sat down to visit. Jarrett and I looked at each other, and I made the comment, "Gee, I wonder what kind of cookies they put in there?" Carol got up and got a knife out, cut the top of the box and peeked in. It was pretty dark since the side corners were still taped shut, so she pulled out one of the cookies, stared at it, then looked at Jarrett with an expression of confusion. So Jarrett said, "Surprise! We're expecting!" Her eyes suddenly turned from curiosity, to shock & joy, then glistened with happy tears.

On our way home on Sunday, Jarrett called Sarah to give her the good news. What made the occasion so special is that Sarah and her husband, Peter, called us exactly one-year earlier (July 5, 2008) to tell let us they were expecting their own bundle of joy, Nathaniel Hamilton Morris (our godson). Who would have thought that on July 5, 2009 we'd be making that exact phone call to them?!?

Our First Dr.'s Appointment!

Jarrett and I had our first appointment with the OBGYN on July 1. As soon as we arrived, they congratulated us, had me get on the scale and that whole thing. The nurse did a quick calculation of how far along we were, based on our dates, and gave us an initial due date of around February 9th. She told us this was probably inaccurate, and that the doctor would give us a true due date when he was able to measure the baby during the ultrasound. Jarrett and I went into the Ultrasound Room and I climbed on the chair and Jarrett sat on a little couch across the room. When the doctor came in the room to do the ultrasound, it was so cute -- Jarrett is so conscientious of the doctor and not wanting to seem like he was hovering, waited patiently, peeking across the room and over the giant chair to see the monitor screen. The doctor motioned over to Jarrett, "Come here...closer Daddy!" so he could see the monitor and hold my hand; Jarrett bolted over. The ultrasound began and we first got to see the old-fashioned black and white image. I could not really see anything but some blurry shapes, but what do you expect for 8 weeks? Next he transitioned to the high-tech 3D images and turned up the volume and played the heartbeat! It was amazing to know our little peanut was in there just growing and hanging out. I definitely teared up and was basically speechless -- what an amazing gift. He told us the heartbeat was strong, and that our due date was adjusted closer to mid February.....February 14, 2010 to be exact! Although babies are almost never born on their due dates, we are overjoyed to be getting our own little Valentine's present! Our next appointment with the OBGYN is in 3 weeks... I'll keep updating!

A Wonderful Blessing!

Jarrett & I are so excited to share that we are expecting our very first little bundle of joy!

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!

Jarrett and I thought after I graduated from Pepperdine's program that would be right about the time to start a family... and just 4 days after Graduation Day, we were blessed by God to find out June 24th that we're expecting! I hadn't been feeling so good for a couple of weeks -- I thought I was coming down with the flu or just completely exhausted for the 7am -9pm routine, that I really wasn't that worried about it. Jarrett told me (very nonchalant) that I should take a pregnancy test. I told him no way....but the next morning I did, and it was (surprise) positive! I was in shock for a few minutes, began pacing our small apartment, cried, then called the OBGYN immediately to make sure it was true. Our doctor is so great, and told me to come right down before class that afternoon to take a blood test to ease my mind... I wasn't going to get really excited until I knew for sure! I waited on pins and needles until Jarrett got home on Wednesday -- doing everything in my power not to say a word, because I already had something special planned in how I'd give him the news!!

I got the blood test results back the following day, and all Hg levels are normal and healthy. They estimated that I am approximately 8-9 weeks pregnant, scheduling my first OB appointment was July 1 so they could perform an ultrasound and I could get a due date. Right now, it is looking like late January, early February! Katie's 27th Birthday or our Valentine's Baby? Updates to follow.......


Telling Jarrett....

I ran to Barnes & Nobles and Babies R' Us to get some books as well as a cute outfit to hide in Jarrett's closet before he got home. I strategically put the baby items in the drawer with his comfy clothes -- this is where he beelines it to, straight after work, as soon as he gets home.

I waited patiently in the kitchen... I was making tacos for dinner (one of his favorites). All I could hear from the bedroom was "WHAT IS THIS? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? REALLY!?! ARE YOU SURE? WHAT IS THIS?" He ran to the kitchen with his baby gear and tears in his eyes and said, "ARE WE PREGNANT? REALLY!?!" Of course, in true form, I started crying and we just hugged and said a little prayer to God to thank Him for our amazing blessing.

We immediately began planning on how to tell our families, and I was "forbidden" from going to Bakersfield that upcoming weekend, as originally planned, because it's always been really, Really, REALLY hard for me to keep secrets!!! So, we made a pact that we'd think of cute and clever ways on how to tell the Grandmas, Grandpas, and Great-Grandma Rose during the 4th of July Weekend.

Graduation!

I can offically say I am a Pepperdine Alumni! Graduation was made even more special by all of our friends and family who were able to share it with us! I feel so blessed to have such amazing family and friends who have supported me through this crazy, exciting and stressful year. Jarrett was amazing juggling the attentions of friends and family while I was busy- Thank You Honey!

Graduation took place in Malibu, CA on Alumni Park, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Besides being overcast, which was actually a good thing for me in a black robe and heavy hood, it was also a bad hair day with all the mist (yuck!). Holloway got sunburned, proving that UVA rays will pierce through the clouds to burn you-sorry! There were two great speakers during the ceremony, one was from Operation Smile, a charity that works with dentists who travel all over the world helping children with facial deformities who gave an inspirational speech and was presented with Alumni of the year award. The other speaker was a writer of children's books, and told a wonderful story, and was presented with an honorary doctorate.

I sat few rows behind the platform, in front of the doctoral canidates. I couldn't help but think the entire time about next year it will be Jarrett sitting there in front waiting to get 'hooded', and me in the audience watching! We went to an amazing lunch at Bucca Di Beppo in Santa Monica. Bucca is always yummy, and we were so stuffed! Our good friends all came over to our little apartment after lunch and we went to the beach for a little walk- a great ending to a perfect day!