Photo Card

Strictly Ornamental Christmas

Design your Christmas cards at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Anxious & Excitedness

7/19/11

32 weeks & 2 days pregnant today! I think I have felt hiccups for the first time that I have actually really noticed. They probably have happened before, but I didn't pay much attention. It's such a sweet feeling :)! She has been moving sooo much and I can feel her little feet and arms pushing out and i'll touch them and push them back, it is so cool. I can't wait till I get to tickle those little feet and hold those tiny hands!! I seriously am getting so excited and anxious, but it feels like there is so much longer to wait. I knew this feeling would come, but I know she needs to bake longer. I'll just look forward to the baby showers and other things I have planned before her arrival. I hope I can keep distracted. My last day of work will be this Friday, so I'll have to keep busy working out, organizing the house, and setting everything up that I need done.

David's bday is this weekend and I'm really excited to make his cake. I want to make something great and hopefully after I get settled into mommyhood and going to school at the same time that I can start doing my cakes and things for others. I really want to start baking and doing the thing I love more. I miss it.

2 MONTHS?!!!

The time is flying by! As the Countdown to baby getting here dwindles smaller and smaller, I still am in shock that we will have a baby here in about 2 months and 1 week! It is so unreal to me and the little munchkin is inside my belly. I have been working on getting our house all organized and ready for baby's arrival. All the clothes I have right now are washed and put away, we have the crib & cosleeper (is on its way), and we got a stroller/car seat combo. I feel a bit more ready since our purchase of the car seat yesterday, but still it worries me that I might not have enough time after baby showers to get everything else I need before she is here. I know its the "nesting anxiety" coming in, but thats just the kind of person I am, I worry. It will all be ok, I know.

I just still can't believe I will finally be a mom of my own little baby so soon. The anxious, nervous, overwhelmed, scared, and excited feelings I have just keep piling on. As it probably does with every new parent. Our little one feels huge in my belly now and I can feel another growths spurt coming on, cause my belly gets really tight at night. It is so surreal to be able to feel and move her little body parts when she is jabbing me in the side. I can't wait to play with those little toes and hands and kiss that soft baby skin!!! I just can't wait!!

Catching up on Life with the Bartlett's!

Where to Start?!! Well, we have had two ultrasounds one at 20 weeks and another at 28 weeks (last week) and both have given us just a slight look that we have a girl on our hands. Our little one definitely does not like the ultrasound machine and always closes her legs and curls up so no one can see her. So we are hoping we are right, cause I cannot wait any longer to shop for things. I am so anxious to get her room all ready, but to be on the safe side we will just save receipts and buy a few neutral things just in case! lol

Baby is filling up my belly quite nicely! And moving like crazy! She loves sweets and

moves like crazy when she gets some :)! She likes to take as much room as she can in my belly, especially before bed, but I somehow can find a way to fall asleep and am lucky she doesn't stay up to kick me all through the night. I love to feel her move and the feeling is quite unexplainable. Daddy loves to try and feel her and has gotten some good kicks in, but she seems to always know when he puts his hand on my belly cause she stops all of a sudden. As soon as he gets home and starts talking, though, she loves to move tons more and knows when Daddy is home. I can't wait till she is here, but want her to stay in as long as she needs so she can bake all the way. Or like her Dad likes to say, to fill out her mold, cause she is our little gummy bear. Daddy put up her crib :)

Other news is that I have had my birthday and I'm officially the big 21. Doesn't feel much different, but I'm definitely excited to be. We celebrated our 2 year Wedding Anniversary June 13th,where we enjoyed each others company and took it easy at home with grilled steaks and some relaxin, and it was so nice to relax after a long weekend we had! We can't believe how fast this year is going and can't believe that in 11 weeks we will have our little girl and be parents. It certainly is an unreal feeling and so many emotions flow through me all the time. I still can't believe we are having a baby and the baby is inside of my belly. It's a surreal feeling and I don't think it will feel real until we get to see her and hold her for the first time.

I have finished my last classes for school before baby comes and will be filling up my time organizing the house and getting everything ready, along with my callings at church, and teaching classes on the side. I'm also in love with some blogs lately and it has encouraged me to be better at blogging. I love the fitness and food blogs the most, and I'm loving trying new recipes. We have fallen in love with making Green Monsters in the morning and they are such a great way to start off the day. You can find our favorite recipe at Peanut Butter Fingers, I'm pretty much in love at looking at her blog for new ideas, which are also healthy. David is back on his normal schedule and it's nice to have him home at normal times again.

So that's a little bit of catching up in a slur of things. I hopefully will become better at writing a blog and making it more interesting to read. Our little one probably will make it a million times more interesting as well.

We are sending our love to the states to all our friends and family!!

2011

This year looks like it will bring many new adventures and joy! January 8th 2011 we found out we were expecting our first little one that will be due around September 12th! We are so excited and are bouncing off the wall anxious to find out what we are having April 28th! We will also be married for 2 years this June and I will be turning 21 in May. I wonder where time has gone, but realize I'm in the exact place that I've looked forward to for so long. I am looking forward to being a mother more than anything and I know David is sure anxious to be a dad as well. After the Tsunami and earthquake hit though it brought on new trials and fears, but knowing that we were so lucky to be located on the safest base here is so great. I couldn't imagine leaving David here and him missing out on all the important things with our baby. That is why I am so glad that we are safe and are reassured that everyday. It is really hard to have family at home worry about us, because it worries me. I just have to reassure them that things are ok. I would love to be home and visit like some have chosen to do, but I would hate to be away from David and have him miss out on the first kicks, finding out the sex of the baby, and actually being there for the birth. Being in the military it is possible that this might be the only time he can be with me throughout a pregnancy and to give birth and it is extremely important that he is here for our first. It is hard though because he is working 12 hour shifts, because we don't see each other that much, but we make it the best we can. We cherish all the moments we have with each other and I see how important every second is. Our life this year is going to have the greatest new beginning to growing our family and we cant wait!!

Month in Japan

So Saturday is the mark of our one month being in Japan. It almost feels like we have been here longer, but nonetheless I think we are enjoying every minute of it. We are growing so much as a couple and the culture around us. I am very eager to start learning Japanese better, because it would be so nice to converse and be able to understand the Japanese more.

To catch you up on our month. On October 9th we went to Fuji Safari with Mary and JT. Fuji Safari had so many different animals like lions, tigers and bears OH MY! There were also zebras (my favorite), and elk (which made me think of my grandpa), they had baby cubs which we were unable to make it in time to take a picture with and get to hold, but next time we go it is for sure happening! The thing is though it is a drive through and you go in your cars!

You drive through and the animals will actually come up to and walk in front of your car. It is so amazing! That day we were supposed to go to a Fuji Q to ride the roller coasters but it was raining. We have noticed that it rains at least twice a week. :) It is crazy, but pretty great.

We also went to a Ramen house which was so delicious and makes for some pretty good practice for using chopsticks. I am getting pretty good, I must say. Going out and socializing with the Japanese is such a great experience! I would probably say hands down they are the most polite people in the world that I have met thus far in whole.With our new friends Justina and Oscar, we went to a place for beef bowls! It is considered the Japanese fast food, you wouldn't guess it though, the first bite of it was epic!

We also went with them by train to Fushikawa to the Shoa Park, where they had so much and we didn't even get to see half of the entire park. What we did see was they had a water park that wasn't going, boat rides, beautiful gardens of flowers, and Japanese men playing croq

uet. There were so many people walking around, the Japanese live in such small places that they go out of the house as much as they can. The only thing is I don't know how they do so much, because everywhere you go it costs money. It is kind of sad how bad the exchange rate

is.

Right now I am doing Introduction to Macroeconomics for one of my classes and it has made me want to learn and understand things better about our economy and how it works. It is really cool to get the Japanese side of the spectrum in our online conversations with classmates as well. School has been taking up most of my time during the days, but its great I am getting into a groove with my schedule and I love it. Focusing on eating better, exercise, my education, growth in the church, and getting close to my love is great. I think we are stronger members of the church here than we were in Utah of all places. The church here is extraordinary and people are so welcoming everywhere you go. We went to the Temple last night with a few members from our ward and it was a wonderful experience. I was really nervous, but after going back I can't wait to go again.

The Temple is just so amazing and so peaceful. One Japanese lady came up to us and talked to us for a bit and it was so nice, it was hard to understand her english at times but showing her we cared what she said and enjoyed talking to her I think it meant a lot to her for us to take the time.

Japan is definitely where we need to be. As much as I miss all my family and friends I know that this is where we need to be. I love every chance I get to talk to everyone and send messages and it almost makes me feel a bit closer. Sayonara!

Driving in Japan

Yesterday we went to this briefing of the base and took our drivings test. You literally have to rewire your brain to drive on the left side of the road and to read all of the crazy signs they have. We found out that Japanese drivers are considered professional drivers because they have to go through so much training and actually pay $2,000 to obtain there drivers license!! Crazy, huh? They take driving very seriously and for that you do not see many japanese that drive. Unlike Utah and most of the US, the pedestrians have the right of way always and if you happen to hit them you literally pay the price and it cost thousands of dollars. The smaller the person is the more you have to pay! Oh, and they also will walk right in front of you, so paying attention to road is essential. The roads are so tight as well, you think your going to get squished.

It is such an interesting culture and learning about it is essential. We learned some of their customs which include:

they do not eat or drink while walking, do Not show any PDA (they don't even hug), they have very specific chopstick manners, they are very conservative in dress, frown upon tattoos, don't like when people are loud, etc. There are so many things, but there all things that shows much respect and proper manners.

Tonight we are going out into Fussa and having Ramen!! I am so very excited! We also move into our place today and get some temporary furniture! Japan is amazing so far and all of the people are so friendly and wonderful! It is like the community of Yokota is a little family!