BEAR LAKE 2010

bear lake was a little different this year with baby in tow. however it was such a blast to be able to share this place with him that we love so much! {not that he'll remember, but we will}

A week of "firsts" for gabe......... first time at the cabin, first boat ride, first camp fire, first four wheeler ride, first time in the freezing water of bear lake (he didnt love that), first time spending a week with all of his cousins, first time wearing a life jacket(he didnt love that either but as soon as the boat started he was snoozin! first time to church and first time layin on the beach in his own personal cabana.

We love you gabe and cant wait to experience many more firsts!!!!

p.s. mom and dad had fun too wakeboarding, laying out, reading, getting glitter toes, and just chillaxing!

2 weeks down......

...........17 years and 50 weeks to go! {kidding}

i cant believe this little man has been in our lives for 2 weeks. it feels like he has been with us all along. i cant remember what life was like before he got here, and i cant imagine life without him!

this is our last 2 weeks in pictures.................

1. at the hospital ready to deliver.

2. i do a lot more laundry now.

3. gabe celebrates his first 4th of july.

4. gabe gets his first milk mustache.

5. at 4 days old we venture up to logan to watch grandpa finish a 180 mile bike race.

6. bo and gabe become best friends.

7. we celebrate grandmas 50th birthday, isn't she a hot grand-mama!!!
8. we take his picture every chance we get, cuz he is SOSOOOO cute!

9. we both sleep as much as possible.

10. we had his 2 week appointment and he now weighs 9 lbs. 6 oz. and he is 21 inches long. CHUNKER.

WE LOVE YOU GABE!!!

paparazzi

he is eating, sleeping and pooping right on schedule.... he must be some sort of genius.

he has already peed on both arron and i, so we are officially parents of a boy.

he pooped on my right after his first bath

his first explosion only took me 4 diapers to get it right. haha

he loves the utes..haha

him and our little dog Bo are already best friends.

he is cuter every morning when i wake up.

WE LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. HIM! i dont know how we got so blessed but we are soaking in every minute of it. :)

HE IS HERE!!!!

Gabe Thomas Echols

6/24/10

6:13 pm

8 lbs.

20 inches

We are all doing FANTASTIC.

We are so in love with this little man.

more pictures to come. try to prepare yourself cuz he is SO cute!

transformation...

so this first picture is at 10 weeks, now i have 3 days left and this body "transformation" blows my mind, i've gone from...scared to gain weight... to sorta being ticked that you have to gain weight when your whole life you've been trying to do the the exact opposite...to worrying that my body will never be the same again...to knowing that my body will never be the same again...and now with 3 days left i have come to appreciate that my body can grow a baby and i sort of don't care what happens anymore because the whole thing is such a miracle.

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........18 weeks............................26 weeks.........................30 weeks..........

..............32 weeks......................34 weeks.....................39 weeks.........

some things i've learned over the past 9 months........

*when you sneeze or cough really hard....that might not be the only thing that happens.

*even though your belly is big, it looks EVEN bigger with a stain down the front of your shirt.

*when you get pregnant you develop a hole in your lip that leads to stains down your shirt.

*strangers really do believe that your belly is public property.

*you shouldn't take painting your own toenails for granted.

*walking a mile while 9 months pregnant is equal to a 10k when not pregnant.

*little things like getting out of bed by yourself should be celebrated.

*even flip flops can feel tight at times.

*when you drop something on the floor you want to swear at it (and sometimes you do).

*when people tell you pregnancy is a glorious, wonderful, beautiful thing...they are lying.

*when your baby moves for the first time its the most amazing thing ever!

*the bond you have with your husband increases tenfold.

*you really can fall in love with someone you've never met.

The list could go on and on because, well, i didn't know anything before this journey started 9 months ago, but i've loved and hated being pregnant every step of the way!

made with love

Finally the nursery is finished!! now we just need a baby to put in it!

We had a a lot of helping hands in getting ready for our little mans arrival. here are JUST A FEW contributors!!

shelving/window seat/toy box-built by dad

dresser and paintings- by mom

Tonka trucks- grandpa felman

rocking horse- built by great grandpa wilson, painted by grandma felman

crib- from grandma and grandpa echols

toys and books and clothes- too many friends and family to name but you are all LOVED and appreciated.

before and after: part 2

there is reason i keep arron around besides the fact that he is a sexy beast! he is oh so handy!! he is getting a little antsy for the baby to get here and needed another project to pass the time. so early Saturday morning i hear a loud bang! i go into the nursery and he says "this closet sucks, i'm re-doing it." hahahaha. well i'm glad he did it looks awesome and will be way more efficient then before. he is the best. He really is for hire so if you need some shelves he is becoming somewhat of a pro and LOVES building them. he just refuses to paint. :)

there is not really a before picture for my little project, cuz it would just be 4 blank canvas'. after painting the owl picture i thought i better do something he might like hanging in his room past the age of 5, if not, i might be having an art sale. ;)