Announcement!!

We will be having a baby BOY in November! We are so excited to give Morgan a little brother, and of course Spencer is so excited to have a little buddy to take on hunting trips and teach boy things to (eventually!).

Spencer and I decided to wait as long as possible before telling our families, and we knew it could be possible because we live so far away that visits are few and far between and I knew I could keep my belly hidden whenever we would skype with them. So we told them when I was about 17 weeks pregnant.  Pretty good feat for us considering Spencer talks to his dad almost everyday and tells him most everything.  We were going to Fresno for some more CHP tests and decided it would be a good time to spill the beans. (Morgan was getting too close to spilling them for us so we knew it would need to be sooner than later) We showed up with shirts on that gave us away. Morgan's said Being Promoted to Big Sister November 2013, Spencer's said Daddy x 2 and mine said Mommy x 2. We made sure Morgan's shirt was seen first because it was way more clever than ours. There is a picture out there somewhere but it was taken at 5 am right after we had driven all night to get there so I will post one when I get a better picture :)

My first trimester with this little guy was so much better than it was with Morgan. Not sure if it is because it is a boy or because I wasn't working so I wasn't making my body get up and be somewhere early. Don't care why, I was just glad it was a much more pleasant experience :)  I still had nausea  but wasn't spilling my breakfast everywhere, success! The second trimester ( I will be 22 weeks on the 13th) has been pretty good thus far. I don't recall having as much back and hip pain the first time, which I think is odd because the first time my body was having to "prepare" itself for delivery, where I thought this time around it would be all ready for that, but I guess not. It isn't the most fun but I am blessed to have a husband who will message when I need him to. Love him!

Morgan is finally coming around to the idea that someone else will be joining our family. She knows she will be having a baby brother but I don't think she quite understands what all comes with that.  We plan on doing something special for her before baby comes as like a "this is your last time being an only child" kind of thing. Lately she has been wanting to "see" the baby, which to her means lifting up my shirt and laying her head on my belly.  It is so sweet. She also will sometimes talk to him (so so cute) she'll say things like " Hi brother, it's me, Morgan."  and the last time (yesterday) she said "I'm happy to see you!"  I hope when he gets here she is as sweet to him as she has been with him inside me.

We sent this picture to our families to announce the gender :) 

Love this ultrasound picture. He kind of looks like he is smiling 

 21 1/2 weeks
 First EVER mirror picture....awkward!

Updates

Been too long time since I have been on this thing. I want to be on it more, since I don't really journal (something I need to get into...) this will be my "journal". Here's hoping I'll be more constant with this than the past.

Well what comes first to mind is how much older and bigger miss Morgan is than the last time I was on here. (it's almost been a year) She is talking in full sentences and saying normal everyday words, and some that surprise me (not any bad ones, don't worry ).  I am still the only one that knows what she is saying sometimes but those times are getting fewer and fewer.  She can count to five really well and ten is okay, she skips over six and eight. She has been singing her ABC's for awhile but is real good at them now, and can recognize a few when she wants to.  Her hair finally started growing and is now down her back. I'm so reluctant to get is cut with how cute it looks all done up....she has yet to have a hair cut. (is that bad?) She is getting pretty tall and not gaining much weight so she is a tall string bean.  I love her and the joy that she brings into our life.  Spencer and I are still looking at each other amazed we get to be her parents.

Spencer is almost done with school. (fingers crossed) He has one more semester after the one he is in now.  He applied for the California Highway Patrol and is currently in that process. He has progressed really well so we are hoping for the beautiful outcome of having a career :)  That means that we will probably be moving back to CA soon.  We love Idaho and would like to be here again, but being in CA means being closer to family, so we are excited for that.

Speaking of Idaho; we survived our first snowy/freezing winter.  I think the coldest I saw it get was -12 or something (over night).  When Morgan and I visited family in January, we were in short sleeve shirts because it was maybe 50 or something, it was a nice break from the cold.  The snow wasn't too bad to deal with. Morgan loved it.  The scariest thing that happened while driving was when Morgan and I were picking up my sister-in-law from the airport (also was going to school up here).  The airport is about 30 minutes away, wasn't snowing and hadn't snowed all day so no big deal right....well while we were on our way back to Rexburg it became foggy or misty and since it was like maybe 20* or something outside (it had warmed up since the previous week) the mist was freezing to the windshield and the poor defroster was working so hard but wasn't doing much.  So for about the last 15 minutes of the way home I was looking through the bottom portion of the windshield where the defroster was having an impact. It was scary because the freeway was dark and the mist/fog was making things hard to see. But one bad experience isn't too bad right....I know it could have been much worse.

Not much new with me, love being a stay at home mommy and witnessing Morgan experience life and learning new things.  Her imagination is getting big and is making our life exciting here at home, what with all the alligators getting us we are always jumping onto the couch for protection.  She is so funny :)

Now to leave you with pictures

Morgan Dec/2012

Dec/2012

First snow - Oct/2012

Halloween 2012
A couple of farmers with their duck :)

Random Updates & Pictures

It has been too long since my last post. I guess the most exciting update is that Spencer, Morgan, and I have moved to Rexburg, Idaho. Spencer decided to continue and finish (hopefully sooner rather than later) school at BYU Idaho. It's such a beautiful school. Rexburg has been good to us so far. We haven't been through a winter yet, so here is hoping that goes well :/  Either way we will get through it and all will be fine :)

12 months

Morgan is now 19 months old. I can't believe it! I'm pretty sure yesterday was her first birthday. She is getting so big so fast and is learning so much.  She is trying to put words together now. She can say ball, night night, mommy and daddy, shoe, hi and bye, no (she is really good at that one), juice - sounds more like jew and then will slur in a s. There are most likely more I just can't think of them off hand.  She is too cute, Spencer and I look at each other and we both cannot believe she is ours. One of our greatest blessings :)

Family picture December 2011

My sister, Kim got married to long time boyfriend, Tim in December 2011. Beautiful reception and beautiful new family. I love having all of our family together, wish it happened more often and not just at special occasions. C'est la vie!

My brother is now on his mission, called to Argentina but while waiting for his visa, he is in Colorado. He left in April 2012 and one of the requests for when he gets home is to have five more nieces/nephews.  I love that he loves children. He will be a great father

In front of Carthage Jail February 2012

We went to Nauvoo, IL in February (2012) for one of Spencer's missionary companion's wedding. I had never been so it was so much fun and such a wonderful experience to witness where the early Saints lived. I liked picturing what people would have been doing in the 1800's everywhere we went. We also went to the Carthage Jail. The spirit is so strong there, truly a testiment. There weren't a lot of things open tourist wise.
We'll just have to go back during the right season. :)

Melissa graduated from Sacramento State with her masters in May. So proud of her! Way to go sis!!

  The 4th of July was great. We went to this lake somewhere in the middle of no where in the morning.  It was really pretty. Spencer and Morgan had fun walking out to the waterfall.  Spencer went into work for a little while and after he got off we headed towards Idaho Falls to see some fireworks. It was really fun, they had food vendors and stuff like that. The cotton candy was priced right so we treated ourselves and it was delicious! Fireworks weren't what we expected but it wasn't bad. Fun day for sure!  

Father's Day June 2012

Morgan's first day of nursery June 24, 2012

Well that is all for now. Hopefully next time it wont take me a year to update. :)

Family Vacation

We went to Mammoth this last week with the whole family. It was awesome.  First we drove to Utah for a family reunion, that was a lot of fun.  Spencer got to meet my cousins, well again, he met them at our wedding, and Morgan got to meet her cousins :) Lily and Aiden.  They are some cute bundles of joy. After the weekend reunion, the Braun family went to Mammoth and met up with the Bowens and went camping.    So much fun hanging out with everyone, and seeing some very cool things.

The girls went to Stadium of Fire in Utah. So cool. Something to do again :)

Kelli is taking the picture :/ 

Oh there she is :)

Just two of the pictures of the AWESOME firework show

Lily and Aiden playing in the freeway :)

Our little family; Spencer, myself and Morgan. 

Kelli, Aiden and Ranger John :) wished they lived closer ... or we lived closer to them

More to come...if I can find them :)

Morgan ~ 6 Months Old

We so grateful to have such a wonderful daughter :)

Morgan

Here are some cute pictures of Morgan

 

Hawaii 2010

Easter 2011

 Hello fellow bloggers.  We thought we would join the blog club. :) We are the Bakers; Spencer, Lauren and baby Morgan.  Spencer and I have been married for 2 years and loving every minute of it,  I work full time and Spencer is trying to finish up school, and Morgan hangs out with Grandmas.  We are fun, happy people, and excited to share our happy moments with all our family and friends.

Easter Sunday :)

Morgan's first Easter

Proud mommy 

and daddy :)