Friday, October 17, 2008

Daddy's can be so cute!!

I have been wanting to go window shopping for baby stuff for about a month. Bret had time before work today so we finally went. He likes shopping as much as I do but we have lots of family and friends who can't wait to spoil baby Hayden with stuff and we are grateful for their generosity. So this trip was only to look and think for a future spending date. Just as we were walking into the first store Bret told me "lets not buy anything till after the baby shower" and I agreed... This first store was a second hand childhood shop and it was great!! Everything was in good repair from cloths to swings to wall decorations to cribs to diaper bags and lots more. I was getting really exited for that future spending day!! Next, thing I know we see this really cute framed poster about toddlers and how everything is theirs. We really liked it and the price was right so, I picked it up. Then, Bret spotted a variety of mobiles and quickly headed straight for them. When I caught up to him he turned around with a Tigger rocking horse in his arm and a big grin on his face. He is the biggest sucker for Tigger and again the price was right. We headed for the check out before we saw anything else with the right price.
We then drove to Babies R Us. I've never been in there before and assumed the prices would not be just right so I was content with just looking... It was a nice store and the prices were not as bad as I expected. We looked at baby monitors, furniture, strollers and baby bibs. If you ever want a good laugh read the baby bib wall at Babies R Us... Bret couldn't resist getting a couple! Now remember, this trip was my idea and he said we shouldn't buy anything even before we entered the first store. The bibs he had to get said "chicks dig me" and "If you think I'm cute, you should see my dad". I'm telling you sometimes Daddy's can have as much, if not more fun then Mommy's. We left before he could pick out Hayden's first University of Michigan jogging suit.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Pregnant and Lovin it




Baby Hayden is now 27 weeks along or about 6 months gestation. I feel him kick often and even Bret gets to experience his strength sometimes. At our last appointment, the doctor said something I have never heard before about myself and it really surprised me...She said" Kari everything looks normal". With my health and character, "normal" has never been used to describe me before but it was so nice to hear that this pregnancy is going as expected.
Because I have Cystic Fibrosis this is a high risk pregnancy. We chose not to have Bret genetically tested to see if he was a CF carrier. Though we could pass CF on to our child we feel the Lords blessing upon us as our baby grows within me. We will not know until he is delivered and either way he is ours and we are his for Eternity.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Our Creation


We decided to try for a baby back in December while watching the LDS Christmas devotional on my hospital bed. I was just coming to the end of a weeks stay in the Hospital for a bad lung infection. Keep in mind it was my first inpatient stay in about 11 years. I usually just do IV antibiotics at home with rest but this time my doctor put his foot down and I had to go along with it.
I had been thinking about a baby for some time but didn't want to persuade Bret into anything. So when he leaned over to me and said he wanted a baby I used all the self control my body contained to not jump out of bed and dance around the hospital room.
One early May morning I woke up to use the rest room and contemplated using our last pregnancy test...Bret was sleeping so peacefully until I quietly crawled back into bed and gently woke him by saying " Honey, I know its Sunday but could we go to the store and buy another pregnancy test". (Quietly...she came running in and pounced on me) His eyes got really big and said "What!! Really!!" We then quickly went to the store. Upon our return and another trip to the bathroom our hopes became a reality!!!
I told Bret I wanted to wait to tell everyone but all of our 4 sets of parents knew before the day was up. Everyone else knew before 2 weeks had passed.
We had our first Baby Doctor appointment at 6 weeks and was able to have an ultrasound to confirm the babies gestational age. It was absolutely amazing to see our little peanut. I have by weekly baby appointments and they usually include an ultrasound. One time Bret said "I'm glad your pregnancy is High risk so we can see our baby so often." I just smiled and gave him a big kiss. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at about 13 weeks and it is under control with insulin and diet. I have not had any amount of morning sickness or any other complications. So far this pregnancy has been a lot better then I expected.
At our 15 week appointment the ultrasound technician asked if we wanted to know the babies sex (Bret wanted a boy so bad and I just wanted a healthy baby) we both said yes. Bret got exactly what he wanted...there was no mistaking our little man for a little girl. When I looked over at Bret I could feel the delight in his soul and see the excitement in his eyes. It was perfect!!

Health

To all who do or do not know my younger brother Darren and I have Cystic Fibrosis. Basically, it is a genetic disease which affects the respiratory and digestive systems. Everyone who has it is affected differently. Our biological parents had 4 kids, Aaron, me, Sherri and Darren. Aaron and Sherri are both married with all healthy children even though one of them is a carrier for the genetic disease. A carrier is someone who genetically contains the mutation but not any of the symptoms. Because CF is a recessive disease both parents need to be at least carriers to give the child the disease.
I was diagnosed at about 11 months of age and my parents had no idea what CF was let alone that they were carriers. Once I was diagnosed and began treatments I was relatively healthy. I have only been hospitalized about 3 times that I can remember. Darren however, has always been a lot worse. He got a double lung transplant about 2 weeks after we found out we were expecting a baby. His recovery is going amazingly well and my health though the pregnancy is very good also.

Our History


Hello everyone!!
I guess I'll begin by saying you don't have to move to Utah to meet the man of your dreams... Bret moved to Michigan to live with his father and stepmother in December of 2006. His plans were to go to school and see what the Michiganders were like. I was living with 2 roommates, attending Western Michigan University and working at the time.
On one cold mid December evening my 2 roommate (Desiree and Annalaura), Bret, Tyler and Jessy decided to meet and go ice skating here in Kalamazoo. After ice skating they all returned to our apartment for hot chocolate. I got home from work to find some fun new handsome faces in our apartment. Everyone was chatting and getting to know eachother while the TV remote was being passed around for entertainment. When, all of a sudden, I realized the TV had stopped on a FSU Football game!!! I mean who in there right mind would watch college football at a girls apartment... gross!!!!! I jokingly (loudly) made my point...and found Bret with the remote. He was very good looking and all decked out like he should be on his way to go snowboarding (I was wearing a beanie and a long sleeve shirt). I tried not to pay too much attention because I was sure he was much younger then I and maybe he had not even served a church mission yet. But he was Hot!!!
About one month later Desiree and Tyler started dating and then quickly engaged. Tyler had just returned home from his mission and he knew what he wanted. Desiree was preparing for a mission and thought she knew what she wanted....Long story short. They are our best friends and live just one apartment building over form us.
I found out he was not as young as he looked and had been home from his mission in Jamaica for a while. I realized I really liked Bret during a trip to the Detroit Temple on March 3, 2007. That night a group of us watched a movie at "the girls apartment" and Bret showed me lots of interest but I didn't want to get my hopes up. The next evening was a CES Broadcast at the stake center. I came in late and found the seat next to him empty so I filled it quickly. When he leaned forward, I really tried to resist the temptation to rub his back but I didn't resist too long...when he leaned back again he put his hand on my knee which really shocked me and I didn't need to hope anylonger. We have been together ever since.
He suprised me by proposing out front of the Detroit Temple the last weekend of April. The next week Annalaura, my brother Darren, Bret and I traveled to Desiree and Tyler's wedding in Nauvoo. Darren, Bret and I then continued onto Utah to see friends and meet family. I knew if I wanted a modest Wedding Dress I had to get it while I was in Utah so Julie Tew (one of my favoite missionary companions) took me shopping and it worked out perfectly. So did meeting his family. It is such a blessing when all the in-laws like each other.
We got married on August 25, 2007 in the Detroit Temple. We spent our honeymoon in Lava Spring, ID, visiting family, and had a wonderful time. The day after we got home to Kalamazoo, Michigan, we both went back to school and work. I finished my bachelor's degree in Organizational Communication and Travel and Tourism in April 2008. We found out we were expecting a baby in May and we were so very happy. They say the first year of marriage is the hardest but I have to disagree because we get along so well this has been the easiest time of my life!!!