Good Morning

A few month ago I started working at KSL as a part-time, on-call Associate Producer.

The hours were crazy.

I was working whenever I could, doing whatever they needed.

It was hard because I was sick the entire time,
but it was a job in TV News and I was just excited to not be waiting tables anymore.

Soon they started talking about making me a full-time AP.
This was a huge relief for our little family because that meant
we could get insurance for our little one.
I hear that's kind of an important thing.

So in June we started talking full-time.
 July they started having me fill-in as a producer.
I would cover shifts for co-workers who were out of town or home sick.
It was great because I got some good training
and the opportunity to prove myself.
Then they assigned me to several Olympic shows that I was completely in charge of.

Needless to say,
I was definitely working full-time.
Just not getting the benefits.
So at the beginning of August I started asking more questions about
a permanent job with the company.
Apparently, there were already plans in the works.

And here I am - 3 weeks later - training to take over my own show.
You're looking at reading the words of the newest 5am producer in Salt Lake City.
My own show.
A 42 minute news hole.
Full-time.
All mine.

It's been an adjustment shifting to the morning crew.
I work 10:30pm to 7:30 am.
Then I come home and sleep.
Baby G is getting adjusted, too.
He doesn't know what to think about the new schedule,
but I try not to let him make all the rules.

Physically: I can feel my body adjusting.
Mentally: My brain is learning to function at 2am.
Emotionally: I know this is the right thing for our little family.

Amazing how everything is falling into place.
As much as these overnight hours suck,
(and are probably the worst thing for a pregnant asthmatic)
working this show means we won't have to find a nanny for Baby G.
He will always be with one of his parents
and that gives me so much comfort.
We truly are being blessed.

So,
long-story-short,
if you suffer from insomnia: Facebook me.
I'll be up.

And if you want to reach me during the day,
beware of the sleeping beauty you may be waking.

Love much,
Beth

Weekly

I've been awful at updating on this whole baby bump thing.

I've managed to take some pictures along the way though - 

Usually I end up taking them after receiving "angry" texts from my sister.

She's great and I owe her big time for keeping me on top of things.

So I thought I'd post some of the pictures I've snapped along the way.

The progression is kinda fun to see.

(I had more pictures than this, but SOMEHOW they got deleted)

23 Weeks

26 weeks
Sorry this one isn't as great of a view.

27 Weeks

It's nice to have people acknowledge me as being pregnant now.
Before I was still in that awkward phase where I just looked fat.
Oh - and I had the first person (not family) touch my belly.
Kinda weird.

I am really trying to take more pictures.
Don't know why it seems to be so hard to stay on top of.

I can't believe I'm almost in my third trimester.
This baby is coming way too fast!

Love much,
Beth

Firstborn

Take a look at these two chipmunks.

Makes me wonder what our nugget will look like.

Definitely going to have a good set of cheeks.

Brian says this is a good picture because it was before his awkward stage.

(I'm still not sure that awkward stage has ended...)

Today was a big day for our little family.

Are we going to have a little miss know-it-all who is completely bossy (totally unlike her mom)?

Or are we going to have a little athlete who is pushed into every sport by his dad?

This was Brian's first live peek at our little one.

He was excited.

I was anxious.

I tried to relax on that oh-so-luxurious bed,

but it wasn't until we started seeing our little one that I forgot about that device pushing on my stomach.

It was absolutely amazing to see all of the little features.

Brian was quick to count the fingers and toes.

That's always his big concern.

I was busy holding back the tears.

Emotional Beth.

I blame the hormones.

After checking every other organ in the baby's body,

my wonderful OB-GYN settled in on this little beauty.

I couldn't tell right away.

I actually asked my doc if he was serious.

Apparently he doesn't joke about these things.

You can see the spine on the right side of the picture,

it leads down to his little bum,

and then the "evidence" is sticking out right below.

We are thrilled!!!

I'm sure I would say the same no matter what the news was,

but it's even more fun because Brian and I have felt like it's a boy.

So let the shopping begin!!!

(Thanks to my mom and sister for starting me out with this one.)

So I guess this means I better get even more used to sports...

Sports.....

And more sports!

Love much,

Mama Beth

Control

Are you there bloggers?

It's me... Beth.

I've been busy.

And sick.

And busy.

That's my story and I'm ...well... you know.

Stickin' to it.

So baby news first, I guess.

Brian got to hear the heartbeat for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

He says it sounds like a galloping horse.

It's so cute how excited he's getting about this little life.

I love hearing him pray for me and the baby.

It gets more and more real every day.

As far as side-effects... I can't say that I'm experiencing too many.

Except for my ability to deplete water in the blink of an eye.

I also have a terrible memory lately.

I seriously cannot think for the LIFE of me.

Case and point.

Forgetting my wallet when I need to fill up the gas tank.

The sickness is starting to subside,

although my graveyard shifts this past week have not set well with the little one.

More on that later.

I'm not showing a whole lot yet.

It depends on what I'm wearing,

but I just feel like I'm getting fat right now.

I do think I might be a little more emotional than normal lately.

But a lot of that could have to do with the lack of sleep I'm getting.

Actually I'm probably getting more combined hours of sleep

since I've been on graves,

but I don't think two 4-hour naps is the same as 8 solid hours of sleep.

Why the graves?

When I was hired on at KSL,

I was part time/on call.

Part of the reason they needed someone is to help through the summer with 

all of the time-off requests.

Particularly for 2 and a half weeks when the morning producer gets married.

Well... those 2 and a half weeks are here.

Yippee....

So I'm working 2:30a to 10:30a for 10 more days.

But this hopefully won't happen again because....

I'm going full-time with KSL!

 I'm so excited and it's such a blessing.

I will be the night AP and specifically assigned to field producing.

So any of you watching KSL...

come visit me when the anchors go out and about across Utah.

I'll be there... making them look good.

I look back at the past 6 months and I'm overwhelmed by everything that's happened.

The frustration.

The sickness.

The lack of motivation.

The blessings.

 And that's the most important - the blessings.

I've watched my wonderful husband apply to job after job ,

never hearing anything back .

I've bit my tongue and held back on my desire to step in and "fix the problem."

I've stressed over moving away from my parents and how I'd handle it.

And how they would handle it.

I've worried about insurance for out little nugget

and paying for this new life.

I've panicked about my own health, my ability to carry this child

and provide enough nutrition and oxygen for the both of us.

But for now,

I'm letting go of my concerns.

I'm giving trying to give control to the only person who really can control.

Only He knows how to take care of this child.

Only He can teach me certain things about this little spirit.

And only He knows what's to come.

A lot of this hit me when Brian and I went to visit

his brother's gravesite on Memorial Day.

Eric died when he was only 6 weeks old.

I can't even imagine what his mom went through.

I can't think about burying a child so young.

I don't even want to talk about it.

But I got to thinking about how Linda and Russ didn't have a choice.

They didn't ask for that.

I'm sure they didn't want it.

But it happened.

And they learned from it.

In fact,

Brian has talked several times about how what his mom learned through that experience has shaped his views and his outlook on life.

I don't know if I would go as far as saying that it was a blessing,

but it was a learning experience.

And that's what we're here for, right?

To learn.

To grow.

To have experiences.

So I guess,

for now,

I'll just try to grow and learn.

And help my baby grow and learn.

How is it that I feel like I'm the child in this situation?

Love much,

Beth

Hillcrest 1st Ward Senior Tribute

Last year I was asked by my father-in-law to help him put together video tributes for the graduating seniors in his ward. He was the young men's president at the time and they wanted to change things up for their annual Senior dinner. The "I'm a Mormon" campaign was very popular at the time so we styled the videos after that. They were OK. At least that's what I thought of them.

Flash forward to the present and my father-in-law is no longer the young men's president and Beth and I are living in his basement and now members of that ward. The young women's president is the same as last year and apparently she thought of last year's video more highly than I did because I was once again asked to put together a senior tribute video.

I reluctantly accepted but this time I wanted to do something different. I wanted it to be better. We had just bought our new camera and this was the perfect opportunity to test it out. So with the help of a few friends (Ben Peterson) that lent me the rest of the equipment I was ready to go. Unfortunately, I only had two weeks to get everything done and my father-in-law would not be in town to help me with the interviews. I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it. But as with all service efforts I wasn't alone and the end result, if I do say so myself, turned out very good.

The seniors I got to know are all very different but very special in their own way. Each one has a testimony of Jesus Christ that has grown during the last four years of high school. I think putting all of their interviews together, instead of separating them like last year, helps show them as individuals but also how together they provided strength to each other as members of the same ward.

You probably don't know the people in the video. I didn't either when I first started. But I think that you'll still be able to enjoy it as you listen to them share who they are and what they stand for. I know that I learned a lot.

Let me know what you think! I hope you enjoy watching as much as I enjoyed making it.

Goodbye First Tri

Today I'm officially 13 weeks.

Pregnancy websites say that means my baby is the size of a lime.

When I think about having a lime in me

it makes me think of those cartoons where the animals swallow fruit hole 

and their body gets all weird shaped.

I feel like my body is starting to get all weird shaped.

It's not super noticeable to people besides Brian and me.

Right now, I just look like I've had too many chicken nuggets.

Which I probably have.

Don't judge me.

My baby nugget likes them.

The nausea is still in full swing

But I'm really hoping it subsides soon.

I'm getting by on the meds

but MAN they make me tired.

Hopefully I can ditch those soon.

It's starting to get real.

For a while it was just a saying.

"We're pregnant."

Then for a while it was more of a pain.

"Ugh... I'm pregnant."

Now, it's getting exciting.

"OMGosh... We're having a baby!"

I am a mother this Mother's Day.

I am a mother.

I don't care that I won't be holding my baby on Mother's Day.

This baby is real and alive inside of me.

And it's mine.

I make tons of baby-related lists.

Songs I need to learn to sing to baby.

Books we need to read about baby.

Stories we need to brush up on to tell baby.

Crafts I can make for baby.

Stuff I need to buy before baby comes.

Pictures I need to take of baby.

I'm sure these lists will multiply and grow as the months go by.

But our excitement and joy grows as well. 

We are getting very anxious to meet our little one.

Love much,

Mommy Beth

It must be...

I don't feel like doing anything.
Except constantly throwing up.

I go to bed earlier than Brian.
And wake up much later than him.

I cry during commercials.
But most people just irritate me.  For no reason at all.

My hair and skin are going through hormonal changes.
And I've given up all caffeine.

I've lost 12 pounds.
But I haven't exercised a single second.

 I barely eat anything.
But I eat 6 times a day.

I haven't eaten chocolate in over a month.
But I do eat more popcorn than one person should.

Now...
What could explain this very odd behavior?
It must be...
It could only be...

A baby!

Brian and I are excited to officially announce
this new little member of the Grimmett family.
We have been wanting this for many months now
and feel so blessed (read:overwhelmed).
Little B.G. (Baby Grimmett) is scheduled to make a debut November 8th.
However,
My doctor said I was measuring about a week behind that,
so the due date may change very soon.

I will try to blog and update a lot during this pregnancy,
but please be patient with me.
I really feel like doing nothing.
Which is so rare for me.
I hate just sitting around,
but that's all that I feel like doing lately.

I have recently started on some anti-nausea medication
because I can't keep anything down without their help.
But I'm hoping to follow the example of my mom and sister
 and be done with the nausea at week 13.
 Only 3 weeks to go!

And believe me,
I'm counting down.

Love much,
Beth

P.S. This is our 100th post on this blog.
What a fitting celebration!