Productive weekend...busy week

Things are starting to kick into gear with getting ready for baby Hannah's arrival. Last weekend Josh and I were pretty productive with getting started on some baby projects. We finished clearing out Hannah's room so that he could begin the painting process with Ian's help on Sunday. I hung out with two of my best friends from college (Sebrina and Karina) most of Saturday and part of Sunday. We had a fun time doing some registering at this great baby story in Santa Rosa called My Baby News. It's so nice having a local place other than Target, Babies R Us, etc... to shop at. We made sure the stroller and car seat would fit in my Jetta (with it's not so spacious back seat) and then treated ourselves to a delicious cupcake from Silk. :) Josh and I ordered the bedding, (which is black, white, cherry red and kiwi green) and the furniture, (which we are doing in black). I can't wait until it all starts coming together! :)

This week has started off crazy busy! It began with the first in a series of 5 birthing classes on Monday night. We already took the early and mid pregnancy classes back in the fall. Tonight we had a late pregnancy class that included a tour of Kaiser's Labor and Delivery area. Once again, it made this experience feel so much more real once we saw where we are going to be in less than 3 months. The nurses that lead the class tonight were so knowledgeable and absolutely hilarious. We have had such a great experience with Kaiser so far.

On top of two nights of pregnancy classes, Josh coaches every day after school (with his first meet on Thurs.) I tutor 2 days and then we have Tuck's Level 3 puppy class late Thursday evening. In between all these classes etc... I am managing to squeeze in time for the gym and taking Tuck for a walk....by the time Fri. comes around we are going to be ready to drop!

Relaxing on the gliders at My Baby NewsBaby room ~ Pre PaintingLet the painting begin!The bedding we chose "McKenzie" by Glenna Jean

Relaxing weekend in Fortuna

This past weekend I left my boys....Josh and Tuck :) for a visit to Fortuna. I'd been wanting some "mom/dad/sis time" before Hannah arrives, so I decided to make my 3 day weekend a 5 day weekend. I left early Thurs. morn. (Josh was shocked I was hitting the road as he left for work) and came home Mon. morning.


During my time in Fortuna I enjoyed my mom's delicious cooking, long walks and talks with my sister, going through family photos and my baby book with my mom and sis, visiting my uncle Gary with my dad, hanging out with the girls at Renee's baby shower, lunch with Nick and Brynn, an evening of laughter with Amy, Jared, my sis and Sean and shopping with my mom and sis (baby girl clothes are sooooo stinkin' cute!!!) One night I called my mom into my room while I was lying in bed reading because Hannah had started moving around. As soon as my mom started talking to her she'd give a really big kick, each time my mom would say something she'd kick again...it was so crazy! :)


Over the weekend Josh went to a Warriors game with Mike and enjoyed courtside seats. While there, he saw C.C. Sebathia (Yankee's pitcher) and Phil Hellmuth (top World Poker player). I returned on Monday to a house that Josh had spent all morning cleaning for me. :) It felt so great to return home to a house that I didn't have to clean!!! Josh and I spent the day taking Tuck to the dog park and on a long walk, going into my classroom, making a shopping trip to Costco, cooking dinner and finally taking Tuck to his puppy training class. Overall I had a relaxing 5 day weekend that I didn't want to end.

Nicole snapped a picture while I was on the phoneRelaxin' with Nicole and Amy while Gracie snuggled on my lap

~ Hannah Nicole Heald~

Well we've decided on our daughter's name :) Hannah Nicole Heald it is! We've always loved the name Hannah. I can remember us discussing it way back in 2003 while on a hike to Upper Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park. Over the years it has stuck in our heads. With both of us being teachers it is easy to associate names with students we've had. I've only had one student named Hannah who was a sweetheart and Josh hasn't had any Hannahs. Josh loves that Hannah is a palindrome (spelled the same forwards and back). :) Her middle name Nicole, is after my sister. Deciding her name is making this all so much more real!

Meeting Gavin!

One of my best friends Amber and her husband Nick recently gave birth to their first child...Gavin Nicholas Judd on Dec. 5th, 2008. I was hoping he'd make his debut on my bday. :) Lisa and I drove to Amber's parent's house in Rocklin last weekend and I got to meet him for the first time. :) He is such a sweet baby, I didn't want to put him down! He makes the funniest little snoring sounds while he sleeps :) Looks like they'll be heading out back out to Cali for one of my baby showers in March. I just can't wait to see him again!

With new mama Amber and auntie Lisa

Wearing his new shades from Auntie Meghan...how cute is he?!?!

2008....a year of life changing moments!

2008 has been a year of many "firsts" for us. In April we took the huge step of buying our first home, brought home our first puppy in August and then found out we were expecting our first child two weeks later! I can still remember ringing in last new years in South Lake Tahoe, toasting with Josh to a year filled with exciting changes...never imagined we'd have so many! :) 2009 will bring us a new baby girl and many new adventures. Below are pics of some favorite memories from 2008.

In front of our new home Traveling to Washington D.C.Summer Weddings

Family Camping Trip at Union ValleyMany days on the lake

Josh getting some air Annual Barrel Tasting Trip

Bringing Tuck home for the 1st time (he weighed only 14 lbs. here!) At the Rib Cook off in Reno just a few days after finding out we were going to be parents


Our daughter's first picture

Winter Break On The Go!

Baby Update: Last Tuesday morn. we had a doctor's appointment. Our daughter's heartbeat was strong and she is still moving around like crazy. :) Dr. Parker said everything is looking great. I still can't believe how quickly time is flying by. We picked out her crib and think we've decided on the bedding. I can't wait to put her room together. Next will come painting, it's crazy that we just painted the house from head to toe last May when we moved in and now we're painting again!

After our doc apt. we packed up the truck and hit the road. Tuck did amazing as always, sleeping the entire 3 1/2 hr. drive. Fortuna was nice and rainy....as to be expected :) We spent Christmas Eve at my Aunt and Uncle's house (there were 17 of us) and Christmas day at my parents. Friday, Josh and Sean took the dogs out to the beach and went 4 wheeling and I had lunch with Ang, Domenic and my parents, followed by some shopping with my mom. After dinner with the fam Friday night in Carlota at Shamus T. Bones in Carlota (very good!) Josh, my sis, Sean and I met up all my best girlfriends from high school (just missing Amber!) and their significant others over at Lindsey's house. We had a great time catching up, watching high school videos and laughing uncontrollably!

Josh and I pretty much had been dreading Saturday all week long (our LONG drive from Fortuna to Carson City). We had no idea how Tuck was going to handle his longest road trip yet. We stopped in Willits and got 2 books on CD, which helped the drive fly by. Once again Tuck was the perfect traveler!!! We couldn't believe how well he did on the 9 1/2 hour drive. He slept 95% of the time!!! We made it to Carson City in time for dinner with my in-laws. The weather was so gorgeous up in Carson City, the sun shone the entire time we were there. The ground was covered with snow when we first arrived, but by the last day most of it had melted. Tuck enjoyed his many walks and loved playing in the snow. His favorite was burrying his face in the snow and eating it! Josh and Paul had an awesome time on the slopes at Squaw & Jan and I enjoyed a relaxing day together. I was bummed I didn't get to ski this year, but next year Grandma Jan can't wait to babysit and I'll be back on the slopes once again.

I recently broke our camera :( and had to rely on pics from others over the break. This was hard for me because I am such a picture taking nut! Needless to say the holiday pics are a little sparse this year. We did however buy a new camera while in Carson that is shock proof and water proof. Perfect for me! It will take pics underwater up to 10 ft. deep and can be dropped from 5 ft. without doing damage. We have friends who have the same camera and really like it, so hopefully it's all it's cracked up to be :)

Christmas Eve at my aunt and uncle's house

Opening gifts

Ashely, Nicole and me

Christmas Day visit with Renee

Sarah, Michele, Renee, Lisa, Lindsey and Me

Added our sisters (Nicole and Marci) in this picVisit with AngAfter lunch with AngDomenic sandwhiched between us