last week

I could rewind and do last week over again and not be sad about it at all.  Brookie Sue, newly made BYU Cougar of two days, still needed to - ahem - graduate from high school.  Little details.  So all the sister-in-laws and cutest of nieces flew in for the occasion and enjoyed some quality sister bonding time.  It was so fun.

On Tuesday the ladies came up to do lunch, check out our new place, and stroll Colorado Blvd for the afternoon.  Oh, and whisk me away back to Orange County.  Dave wasn't too happy about that last part, but he joined us Wednesday night for graduation festivities.  He also got to meet baby Hazel for the first time which sort of melted my new-to-be-momma heart.  In a good way.  He's gunna be a pretty great daddy.

As seen above, we had a hard time keeping that babes away from the water.  She was pretty unimpressed by it, but there's something so fun about getting a cute baby wet.  Can't.  Resist.

Kristin and I also decided there was probably no better way to compare our twinner bumps than in our swimsuits.  Can't wait for our little cousins to be best buds come November!  

Later we got ourselves cleaned up and off to see our new graduate.   The big sister in me still can't believe this lady is in college.  So weird.  And great.  But a lot of weird.

Also, side note, the smell of that hot, rubbery track took me right back to high school running laps upon laps upon laps for cross country and track coaches galore.  I might have had a mini panic attack and then felt the most delicious relief when I remembered that I am now an adult and not a freshman in high school gearing up for the two mile.  Sweet freedom.  Funny how smells can do that to you, huh?

And David was a #1 uncle and kept little H entertained for a good portion of the ceremony.  Can you say baby fever?  This boys got it.

After we got Hazel and Megan off on a plane Friday morning - and mom and I did some serious relaxing - we geared up for the last festivity of the week: a baby shower!  Kristin was back off to Indiana Sunday morn, so her friends threw her a party on Saturday before she left.  We munched on delicious treats, played with baby toys, and had a grand ol' time.  That view of the Pacific from the back balcony didn't hurt either...

And that was a wrap. I just am never going to complain about a week spent like this one full of family, fun, and sweet babies.  Bring it on.

baby journal: week 18

It happened: my bump has decided to, somewhat, pop out.  For the past 4 or 5 weeks I'd wake up in the morning with a flat belly, eat all day long, and by nighttime have a bump!  Then I'd go to sleep and the process would start all over again.  Dave and I joked that I ate the baby every night and we were sure it was there the night before!  Well, around the start of week 18 that bump started to stay put morning through night.  It's not quite a cute bump yet (did you eat a few too many donuts this morning...?), but it's on its way and that's fine by me.

I'm still feeling fine, but lets be honest, I can't really pretend I'm not pregnant anymore.  I drove up with my mom to Utah this week to help my little sister move into her college dorms and I kept trying to convince myself that I could do this, that, or the other just like before - jump up on the bed and hang things almost out of reach, bend and twist to the side, etc, etc.  I paid for it a bit at the end of the day with sore sides and feet.  Ah well, I wouldn't have it any other way.  It was a fun trip and I'm just glad I could be there and help, even amid some serious stink eyes from other mom's helping their daughters move in due to my (now noticeable) baby bump - that was pretty darn hilarious.  Don't worry ladies!  This isn't what it looks like!

My favorite acquisitions of the week were borrowed from my sweet sister-in-law.  She lent me her pregnancy body pillow and here memory foam mattress topper and, holy cow, I'm one happy lady.  Never.  Going.  Back.  I might have to start saving my pennies so I can buy my own...

drumroll please...

It's a boy!  Holy moly, we are so excited and can't wait to meet our little dude.  We found out the beginning of this month and have just been enjoying spreading the news a little at a time.

Dave and I were both stumped as far as the gender went.  Some people just know, you know?  And, we were not one of them.  I kept leaning towards a girl, but not in a I had a special premonition kind of way, just if I had to guess that's what I'd say.  David was in the same boat.  However both our parents knew it was going to be a grandson.  Chalk that up to grandparent-ly intuition.  David's dad even specifically requested a masculine child when we told him we were expecting, you know, to keep the Nemrow name going.  Glad we could oblige Norm ;)

So far, little man is already just like his daddy: squirming, waking me up in the morning, and always making me smile.  Lots of people say they feel the baby kick most right before they go to bed, but I think we're in for a bit of trouble, because this babe seems to be a morning person.  I can sit in bed for a good while in the wee hours and feel him squirm (which is the funnest part of being a new momma so far).  Hopefully he cuts us some slack when we're new parents and doesn't decide 5AM is good time to be waking up.  But I'm not counting on it...

Mostly it's so great to finally be able to call our bean a he and not keep switching between pronouns every now and again.  And as far as names go?  We're pretty set on one for now, but hey, we've got a whole half a pregnancy left to think about it.  Mostly we can't wait to meet you baby boy!  Your daddy is already bursting with pride over you and I can't wait to snuggle you up so the only question is...

...is it November yet??

college bound

On Thursday afternoon we rounded up all my little sister's living essentials and started off toward Utah.  Let me clarify here: Brooke, the soon to be new college student, was not with us.  My momma and I started the trek east without her so she could have some extra high school senior last hoorahs and meet up with us on Saturday.  We decided we're going to start calling ourselves C&K Moving Co. - and that we need to start upping our asking price ;)

The drive up was uneventful and the longest drive ever.  There you go.  It was just one of those road trips where are we there yet?? became a serious question.  And the fact that we hadn't passed Baker was hilarious/awful.  Turns out there was a crazy music festival in Vegas this weekend and we were just lucky enough to join the throngs headed up the 15.  Delightful.  Once through Sin City things definitely got easier, but I'm still not a fan of all those cars with EDC painted on the back. 

Once to Provo we moved this girl in and up three flights of stairs to her dorm.  And no, I'm the not the daughter that's moving in became a common phrase.  And the stink eyes my baby bump drew from other momma's checking in their daughters?  Hilarious.  What?  Is this against the honor code or something?  We died.

Pedicures, yummy sodas, Zuppas, and dinner with my in-laws were the best tickets after a sweaty haul up and down those stairs.  And those latter two make me miss Utah all the more.  We also got to meet up with some of the best of friends and shower their little baby girl in love and cuddles.  Sounds like a productive Friday night to me.

We were up bright and early the next morning (after a 1AM bedtime...sorry mom) to get Brooke and my dad from the airport.  We pulled up and were getting them loaded when this cute boy in glasses came bounding over to me.  What???  What is my husband doing here??  I left him at home - how is here?   What is going on?!  Turns out my dad is the best and offered to fly David up with them to be part of the college drop off team.  I always hate leaving Dave at home alone and this was the biggest surprise I've had in a long time.  I started happy crying out of pure shock.  It was the best.

The rest of the day was spent getting this new cougar hooked up with everything she needed for this new adventure ahead.  I remember feeling exactly like her just a few years ago (alright like 6).  Excited.  Nervous.  Can't wait to meet people.  Apprehensive of this new place.  Can't imagine life away from home, but can't imagine what I would be doing if I wasn't here.  All good things, but easy to be overwhelmed. 

When my mom left after dropping me off at my dorm I don't remember being emotional at all, but, thanks to pregnancy hormones and a few more years under my belt, the tears were a-flowin' when we left my baby sister for the last time.  (Which is ridiculous, by the way, because she's flying home to - ahem - graduate from high school on Tuesday night AND Dave and I will see her up in Provo over the 4th of July, but still.)  It's crazy to think the last Tobler has flown the nest and is off to college.  I'm pretty proud of that little sister of mine and all the hard work she put in to being where she is today.  She's an impressive person and I couldn't be more excited for her.

And that was a wrap!  I never feel like I spend enough time in Utah Valley, but it's nice to have just one more reason to visit up there now ;) Go get em' Brooke Leigh!  (and stay away from all those college boys, ok?)

highlights #97

Alright team, our new little apartment is now somewhat livable!  As in, you can see the floor in the living room!  Novel idea.  But we're far from done.  We ditched our larger couch in the move and now only have our little love seat to cuddle up in between the three of us: Dave, me, and my growing belly.  It's gunna get tight.  And we re-purposed our old TV stand into a buffet so...we've got some work to do.  My new task?  Craigslist.  Craigslist.  Craigslist.  We're in the market for a sectional couch of sorts and a TV stand.  Wish me luck!

In the meantime, here are some fun finds from around the web:

just makes you smile

a lovely room of grey & yellow

where to feel like a Disney princess

Tim Gunn is awesome - interesting idea sir...

it's all about attitude

a fun idea

that's a lot of Legos...

I seriously need to memorize this

this is the sweetest thing I ever saw

made me laugh

and a whole lotta chocolate

xo

baby journal: week 17

Alright, back up,  Don't get too excited about how big that bump looks.  That baby is being seriously augmented by some absolutely delicious short rib tacos, and more than my fair share of some delectable key lime pie.

Week 17 has been one of the funnest so far with some incredibly exciting developments like...feeling baby kick for the first time!  Actually, if we're being accurate that did happen in week 16, but I didn't have it confirmed until I saw the doctor this week.  I kept chalking it up to air bubbles, but it's actually those little tiny feet and arms swinging around in there making all that ruckus.  I've been trying so hard to grab David's hand so he can feel his little tyke's movements, but no luck yet**.  Baby just saves those tiny squirms for her momma right now.  No matter, I'll horde that magical feeling to myself as long as I can.  It's really something else.

We went out and saw the new Tom Cruise action movie this past Friday night (which was actually pretty darn entertaining and funny, if you can believe it - think Groundhogs Day meets Mission Impossible).  And I'm not sure if it was the loud sounds coming from the movie screen or the popcorn and sugar I snuck in to feed my growing appetite, but that little babe of ours wouldn't stop squirming!  For a solid two hours!  It was so fun, and now I just want to go back to another movie theater and try to replicate it...

My appetite is also starting to kick up into high gear.  Like, sometimes, I can eat as much, or more than, David.  That doesn't seem right, but there it is.  So far I've only gained something like two pounds carrying this little peanut, but I'm pretty sure that's soon about to change.

And, last, but not leaset...we found out baby's gender!  Keep an eye out for an announcement coming sometime soon :)  We're pretty crazy excited over here.

**Update: I wrote this Monday morning, but whilst watching a cheesy James Bond movie and munching on pasta salad with David later that night, we caught him!   Dave felt the baby kick for the first time - and that look of utter surprise and delight on his face?  Priceless.

happy dad day

Father's Day and Mother's Day are such happy days in my book.  I've got the best set of those two people, and it's a treat to set aside time to love them a little something extra.  Plus it's the sweetest thing to watch my Insta feed fill up with pictures of people with their pops and why they love them.  Call me a sentimental pregnant lady, but I not only teared up at church yesterday, but also while scrolling Instagram.  Embarrassing.

With us living just a little farther up north than my parents it's tough to make it down and back from Orange County on a Sunday afternoon.  When we try, it always feels rushed.  Instead we invited my parents up on Saturday to stroll Pasadena's annual chalk festival and grab a bite at one of our neighborhood eateries.  It was delightful.

We are loving checking out our new stomping grounds, and Pasadena hasn't disappointed us yet.  We've been to the chalk festival before, and it was just as impressive this time around.  Pretty cool what some talented people can do with pigment and pavement, right? 

For our evening escapades, we decided to park up by the festival on Colorado Blvd, and then take a stroll a few blocks south to our restaurant, and I'm so glad we did.  It was such a treat to explore the streets and enjoy the neighborhood night life.  Plus walking everywhere feels so urban and cool, especially on a warm June night.  I'm a huge fan.

(anddd I should probably get those wobbly pregnant legs of mine hitting the pavement a little more often...)

My ever talented, David, is currently our go-to restaurant guy.  I swear, he can decipher Yelp reviews like no one else I know, and he always picks the yummiest places for us to try out (the Thai place we went to on Friday??  Soo so good).  But for our Pre-Father's Day Celebration he picked a real winner.  I'm pretty sure I wrote down our entire order in my journal and then a description of how crazy yummy each thing was.  Suffice to say, the deviled eggs and brussel sprout salad stole the show.  Also we took home a few of their English muffins they make daily in house...I think we'll have to go back to get a few more of those soon, because - ahem - they were long gone yesterday...

All in all, it was a completely lovely Saturday evening spent with a few of my favorite people.  We continue to feel so lucky to live close to some portion of our family and enjoy all the time we get to spend with them.  Baby Nemrow is going to be one spoiled little grandchild with these awesome people close by!

highlights #96

Happy Wednesday!  Let's be honest, I've been knee deep in boxes, packing paper, and cleaning supplies since Monday.  The house is still a complete and utter mess, but I have the upstairs bathroom put together, so that's something!  The kitchen...?  Well, let's not talk about that place.  We've got a few cups and plates accessible, that's all you need right?

While I go stare at my boxes and hope they will unpack themselves, here are some fun finds from the web:

Circ de Ballet

a lovely print

this is hilarious

better than a birthday cake for sure

amazing wedding pictures

I'm making this as soon as my kitchen is unpacked

and this is maybe the best commercial I've ever seen

xo

baby journal: week 16

Well, we did it.  We moved all our earthly belongings, are setting up camp in a new town, and we made it to week 16.  Accomplishments all around.

David and I went on a Sunday walk yesterday around our new neighborhood here in Pasadena and, as it so happens, we live just a block away from Cal Tech.  It has the loveliest campus you ever did see, and I couldn't resist taking a few pictures with the stunning architecture.  You'll probably get sick of seeing pictures with these baubles above me, but I won't. 

We went to our new ward for the first time yesterday too and, as luck would have it, there were a whole slew of other pregnant mommas there to welcome me into their ranks.  It's going to be so fun to have a group of ladies to sit on the couch and snack with in the foyer in between classes and chat about our newest baby updates as only excited new mommas can do.

As of 16 weeks this little avocado is:

• Pretty chill.  I haven't had too may aches and pains.  Yeah for second trimester!
• Giving me an excuse not to unpack the heavier items in our kitchen...
• Giving it a rest with the allergies already - thank the heavens above.
• And sorta, kinda beginning to show?  I'll take what I can get.  You know in 3 months I'll look back at that itty bump and laugh at my excitement, but it doesn't matter.  Grow baby grow!

Also can't wait to find out if baby N is a lady or lad come Wednesday!! 

xo

procratinating & thoughts on moving

As I sit here on the couch in my pajamas procrastinating packing up the last odds and ends of our apartment (and cleaning the bathroom/ kitchen - save me now!) I've been thinking about moving.  In college I got very accustomed to one year here, one year there.  We were always packing up and moving on after just a few short months.  It kept me organized for one thing (who wants to move junk that many times over?), but it also kept me on my toes.  A new apartment complex always meant meeting new people, new neighbors, new friends.  I never got too comfortable in one place.

Last year when we resigned our lease for a second year at this apartment complex - although I didn't mind not packing up and moving out - it felt so weird.  It was time to move on!  Time for change.  But we stayed, and it was the right thing to do at the time. 

And now it's the right time to move out. 

And you know what?  I've gotten comfortable here.  After two years of the same neighbors, shopping centers, and church callings I've gotten into a groove.  I know the layout of my local Ralph's by heart and can find you a jar of sun dried tomatoes no problem.  We love the friends we've made through our various church service, even if most of them are 10 years older than us and have a bushel of kids.  And I'll always have a tender spot in my heart for our little 700 sq/ft tiny apartment with it's painted gray wall and the first dishwasher our married life.  This little section of Santa Clarita, California has been good to us.

Don't get me wrong, I'm really excited about our upcoming move.  We've found a great apartment that will fit our little growing family of 3 just fine.  It's in a lovely neighborhood, in a fun part of town, and we're going to have to watch our waistlines because delicious restaurants will now be in dangerously close walking distance.   However: change is change is change. 

And I'm out of practice.

I'm sure it will come back to me in no time: this building new relationships, figuring out a new apartment complex, and new layout at the grocery store thing.  This meeting new neighbors, organizing new rooms, and working out a new groove thing.  It's just a little daunting sometimes, but we're excited.

So bring it on Saturday - we're ready for you and the start of something new. 

Picture via Etsy

highlights #95

Happy hump day!!  My sweet mama is making the trek up to Santa Clarita from Orange County to help me haul a few loads of our things to Pasadena.  Talk about a labor of love.  I am so grateful for family and especially the fact that we currently live so close to mine.  Life is grand, and will soon be sweaty and dusty while we heave some cardboard boxes around.

While I go get ready for the packing party, here are a few fun finds from the web:

because changing your wallpaper weekly is fun (and free)

lovely inspiration for an engagement ring

come on ladies, wouldn't this be soooo fun??

if you like hand drawn fonts

one my to-make list (and because I loved The Secret Life of Walter Mitty)

balcony inspiriation

most difficult dance moves - so beautiful

sign me up for this colorful London cottage

because I'm a Natural Geographic nerd

tips for healthy skin that I can stand by

french twist how-to

happy 10 years Wicked!

and this 1930's prediction of fashion in the 2000's is just all sorts of fabulous

xo

prom // baby journal: week 15

This weekend was the **sniff** last time Dave and will ever drive down to join in the fun of high school dances with my little sis.  The end of an era!  It finally came.

Our little Brookie Sue looked gorgeous, had a totally fun date, and is all grown up.  I can hardly believe she'll be off to COLLEGE in a few short weeks!  Look out BYU, you're gettin' a good one.

^^^ consider this my 15 week bump pic ^^^

As of this week I am now officially 15 weeks along with baby N and going strong!  Silly enough I'm still trying to kick a tickly-throat/cough combo which, according to my doc, has been brought on by pregnancy induced allergies!  What??  I've never had problems with allergies before.  Thank you hormones and all your weird side effects.  However, this one has got to be the most annoying so far as I hack over in the corner trying to itch my throat and sounding like I have the plague.  Don't mind me, I'm just pregnant.

I've also discovered the pros and cons of moving while pregnant:

Pros: you can't lift anything

Cons: you can't lift anything

Dave and I have started packing up for our move to Pasadena this Saturday and I have never been so grateful for kind church members, missionaries, and family who have come over and lifted everything for me.  I'm a little paranoid about trying to heave anything too heavy whilst carrying little tiny in there too, and we couldn't have done half the packing (and trekking down 3 flights of stairs) without help.  Consider me humbled and grateful.

As of 15 weeks baby is the size of an orange (gotta be a small one though because this bump...you guys, it's tiny) and is:

• Moving!! I think...maybe?  It was probably just a muscle twitch/ air bubble, but it was so exciting - can't wait to feel baby move for real :)
• Being kind and not suctioning away all my energy these days.  Less napping = more time for packing.  Thanks baby!
• Making me dizzy.
• And giving me nosebleeds - good thing you're worth it kiddo. 

And have I mentioned how crazy excited I am to see our doctor next week?!??  We should be finding out the gender and I am going stir crazy over here with the anticipation!
xo