Happy List

Ten Things Making Me Terribly Happy
(in no particular order)

10-Renting a puppy last weekend-best surprise Nate date.

9-FOOTBALL Season! (and currently being ranked #1 in my FF league)

8-Driving the Alpine Loop and getting to check out the stunning Autumn leaves

7-My ever growing bump

6-A clean and happy home

5-Our wedding photo album that we finally ordered

It's funny how having a baby motivates you to get all your projects done

4-The 2nd Annual Rau Family Fall Festival

Parm fondue, sparkling apple cider, pumpkin, and Remember the Titans

3-Sleep! I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

2-The Women's Session of General Conference tonight. Beautiful, inspiring words for women everywhere.

1-Baby boy's kicks that are not only strong enough for me to feel-but for Nate to feel. We have one strong, healthy boy.

It's a Boy!!

Friday September 11th, at 19 weeks we finally got to see our little baby again. I'll always remember how nervous/excited/anxious we felt as we waited for the ultrasound. There were so many emotions-but mostly I just couldn't wait to see our baby. And, it did not disappoint. 

A beautiful head, wonderful toes, strong arms and legs, a beating heart, and a little something else that quickly made us say "It's a BOY!" 

A Boy. A healthy, strong, growing BOY! 

It immediately felt so right-of course he is a boy! He is my little boy. 

We celebrated by buying blue candy, and an "It's a Boy" balloon. We then headed out for "boy food" (delicious BBQ), and went home to watch a "boy movie" (the Avengers). Although I sometimes feel like I have no idea what to do with a little boy, growing up surrounded by so many girls, I could not be more excited to be the mama of this boy.

Dear Baby Boy,

You are growing so strong, and I couldn't be more proud of you. From the beginning I've told you not to worry about a thing, that I would take care of everything and all you needed to do was grow. Thanks for keeping your end of the deal. I can't wait to get to hold your strong hand in mine.

xoxo

Mama

First Trimester Bump

Look at my baby grow! From the very beginning of this pregnancy I knew I wanted to be good at taking pictures, and documenting this important event. Nate had a great idea though-why settle for a picture when you could make a gif? And thus begun our first Sunday tradition as a family of three!

Five Weeks

Six Weeks

Seven Weeks

Eight Weeks

Nine Weeks (the 4th of July!)

Ten Weeks

Eleven Weeks

Twelve Weeks

  

Start Spreading the News

We found out about the baby back at the end of May, and we lasted all of about four days before we told my parents. We just live so close to them, and them so much that I didn't' think I'd be able to keep it a secret very long. They were happily surprised, and of course ecstatic about being grandparents. I don't think I'll ever forget their reactions. About a week later Nate's parents were in town so we got to tell them in person too! They were so happy to have another grand baby, and we were so happy that we got to tell them in person!

On Fathers Day we told our siblings and although some of them didn't believe us at first (3 of the 5 siblings), they were all so excited! Once they realized we weren't joking.

Telling people about the baby has been one of my favorite things. It has really made me realize how lucky we are to have such wonderful people in our lives. I've always thought that I was blessed with the very best people in my life, and that feeling has only grown as I've gotten to love all of Nate's people too. We feel so blessed that our baby is already loved by so many.

Look Whose Family {and belly!} Is Growing

Baby Rau is due February 4th, and Nate and I couldn't be happier. We already feel so blessed to be parents to this sweet, growing babe. 

........................

Dear Baby,

Dad and I are so excited that the world knows about you now. Obviously no one is as excited as we are, but when you get here you are going to be greeted by a lot of people who already love you. The three of us are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives, and nothing makes me smile like listening to others talk about how excited they are to meet you too! However, we can definitely wait for now-so you keep on growing strong and we'll keep busy getting ready for you. 

We love you,

Mom and Dad

Grandma

My grandmother passed away Thursday, after suffering a heart attack on Wednesday.
We weren't super close, my grandma Marian and I. It's made this loss different, and in many ways more difficult. However, she is my grandmother, and I love her very much.

I love her for being so herself-never trying to be something she wasn't around us.

I love her for being able to laugh at herself, usually right along with us.

I love her for her signature look-black hair (only recently did she let it go more grey), lipstick, and black clothing. Very classic.

I love her because of the way she was so cautious with us when she would watch us-only allowing 5" of bath water for my six year old sister.

I love her because she would say outrageous things. Like the time she asked me if I had ever seen a black person before.. oh grandma.

I love her because of her love for beautiful things-including me and my sisters.

I love her because of her laugh, and the way she would sort of gasp when something was shocking, or simply so wrong. (Usually to something my Pops said.)

I love her for giving me one of my very favorite people-my mother. Who, is the best mother I know.

I love her for following her heart and marrying Pops at just 15 years old because she loved him so much. I can't imagine being that brave, and crazy.

I love her for surprising me and showing up the night before my wedding. I'll always remember the way she said "You are such a beautiful girl" that night. I'll also always remember how happy it made me that she actually came. It was so hard for her to leave behind her husband and responsibilities-but she came, and it meant more to me than I probably ever told her.

I selfishly love her for giving me my Pops for all those years she wasn't with him. I can't imagine my childhood without him, and that, oddly enough, is thanks to her.

And I love her for loving my Pops still, after fifty years, a divorce, and so much hurt all around. Their love story is one I still have a hard time comprehending. However, it was her Pops loved at the very end, and that to me says more about my grandma than anything else I know about her.

And I love her for being my grandma-for never missing a Christmas or birthday, for caring about me and my sisters so much,  for being proud of us, and for simply loving us. So, while we might not have been that close-there was still a lot of love. I never doubted that she loved me, and for that I am grateful.

Ten Things Making Me Incredibly Happy

It's that time again, time for a little happy list!

Things around here have been pretty low key, but very happy. Here are just a few of those things making me incredibly happy these days!

10- $5 night at the movie theater

9- Getting to see this girl for the first time in 18 months!

8-Chuck marathons with my best friend.

7- Chocolate covered banana, with coconut! And other Farmers Market gems!

6- "Just because" bouquets of my favorite flower, from my favorite man

5- Dirty Diet Coke floats-with coconut ice cream! Delicious!

4- Walks around the block to commemorate 7 years since this guy went to the MTC.

3- Thanksgiving Point gardens-they were stunning

2- Pretty steals from Target

1- Getting to hang out with these wonderful people, and catching a live performance of MoTab singing "Come Thou Fount"