Belly and friends..

That is me, Ben and Erana in the Mediterrean biodome, she's pregnant as well and were both due about a week apart from each other and there is the bump. Should I really look that big?! I think I've been enjoying this just a little too much!! Ben loves the bump, cant get enough of it he is always asking me to show him the belly!

Eden...

Okay I had no idea that pineapples grew out of the ground! I always thought they had hung from trees and they're cut from the bottom! Wierd! This other flower is sooo cool. Those spots on the leaves are actually reflectors, you cant tell in the picture but they really shimmer and that is how they gather the sunlight. Its kind of monitor because these particular flowers dont need much sunlight.

The trees are absolutely magnificent and the purple flowers are everywhere! Ben says that actual rainforest is ten times as thick, more colorful, much more sticky and he says it is so unbelivably loud!

EDEN!!!

We also went to the Eden Project this past weekend which is just about 45 mins away from us. Its like the Biosphere in Tucson, AZ. They have one dome of the tropics and the other dome is Mediterrean climate. It was so nice to go somewhere warm!! You have to plan on wearing layers though because the second you step foot in the tropics biodome you are sweating like youre in the Amazon! We went with our friends Ben and Erana. They're in our ward and Erana and I work together at the Museum. They are both from New Zealand so they miss the warmth as much as I do. My Ben had to work on some more survey's for his dissertation so we enjoyed the biodomes while he worked! Then we had a fab lunch and went home! It was a mega a busy Saturday though. After we got back we went to the Museum because they were doing a huge activity for the public and we decided to go do it. It was a "Night at the Museum" mock-up. They took all the kids around the museum with a flashlight and into the "stores" area where we keep all the items for the exhibitions. It was kind of cool! Then afterwards the museum had rented out two theaters and we all went and watched "Night at the Museum." It was actually quite fun! We went with Ben and Erana and another couple from our ward, Gem and Joe. That movie is actually really good, we all really liked it! Anyways, here are some pics of the Eden Project. This one is the world's largest flower, its just getting ready to bloom, we think were going to go back and see it in bloom!

Well I was up last night with a fever and chills so Im staying home from work today. I figured I would catch us up on the update! We went to our friends baby blessing this weekend and they didnt have their baby wearing white. Neither did the other couple who had their baby blessed. I guess its not really a thing over here. Ben said that some people do it and some people dont. I know in the US when I was blessed it wasnt a big thing either. I was blessed in a mega frilly super pink dress which my mom still has. If this baby is a girl (which its not) I think I would use that pink dress. It would be kind of neat. Truth be known, it doesnt matter what they wear, its not an ordinance! Its soooo far away it feels like its never going to get here! Im STILL working on all the images I did with Brooke and Courtney. I have all this new addition programs with my photoshop that Im still learning and working on all of it. It doesnt help being a perfectionist! This one is of little Rhees' feet. I did this one and died! How cute are her feet?!?! I love the colors as well and how vintage it looks! One of my new favs! I cant keep putting them up though otherwise Courtney and Brooke will get their discs and be disappointed cause they've seen them all! Less than a week till we have our ultrasound.....IM DYING!!! How do people go the entire pregnancy not finding out!!?!?!? I just dont have the stamina!

And the bet is still on.....

So not everyone likes to spend two hours taking pictures! Poor Landon, he was such a good sport but he hit his wall at naptime. Im sorry Court but I still think this pic is cute! Well Im officially in my 19th week and oh yeah...Im feeling it! My tummy has really popped out and its actually quite nice. I'd much rather look pregnant than just fat! I must admit that Im glad to be over that stage and in my 2nd trimester! I find myself wearing things a little bit more snug to show off my bump! My mom has always said, "When you got it, you flaunt it!" A motto I still hold dear! We have our ultrasound a week from Tuesday and I cant wait. Ben is praying that they wont be able to tell (does he want me to be tortured?!) and he is still sticking to his guns about a girl. My mom is starting to waffle a bit about what she thinks it is and no one else in my family will stick to anything solid. We always make bets in my fam about what the sex is. I've always been right about my nieces and nephews, why would it be any different with me?!? As for everything else, I've felt the baby a little bit more....which is wild! Ben gets frustrated that he cant feel it yet. He always says Im so lucky to be the one who bears....hmmm. Work is great. Its been a long time since I've ever really liked a job but I really love my job. I put that to my co-workers. I really like everyone I work with and no one is psycho about work, ya know? No one is obsessed or anal, everyone realizes that work is work but its not your life. I so appreciate that about all of them. Every job should be like that. That doesnt mean Im not looking forward to June when I get to stop working and nest! Ive already got big projects to finish before the baby gets here. I have at least five so far.....yikes!

Ive been playing with a bit of photshop since I got back and IM LOVING IT! I had a shoot with Court and Brooke and their babes while were in AZ. I got to know my new camera a little bit more (but OH there is so much more to learn) Im almost overwhelmed at how much there is to know with photography and getting it done to MY STANDARDS! I have to enjoy it though cause this is my stress relief it cant turn into something that gives me stress!!! Anyways, Ive only been playing a little with some of these photos but CFerbs babe was so good and has one of the cutest smiles Ive ever seen! Anyways, we have our appt set with our last ultrasound for the baby. Actually its the first and last here...whatever! Ben and I have a bet about the sex of the babe. I think its a boy and Ben thinks its a girl, whoever wins gets to go get an hour and a half massage at a spa. You didnt think I would actually bet on that without knowing I would win, right?!?!?!?!?! I AM SOOOOO looking forward to that! We just read that this babe is about the size of an avocado and over the next four weeks will double in size! WOW! Time to break out the maternity clothes.....uh....well....I've already done that!!

Well, Christmas was fab! Ben got me the camera of my dreams and now I can really go for my photography again! I am so looking forward to it! I got him a 60GB ipod and he was totally surprised. Apple.com sells reconditioned ipods and they are soooooo much cheaper and still come with the same warranty as a regular ipod. He loves it and has not stopped playing with it ever since! We brought Christmas crackers from England which was a huge hit at my house, everyone loved it! Then, my parents gave everyone in my family three day passes to Disneyland and rooms at the Disneyland hotel for Christmas. All of us had such a blast! I thought I was going to be bumming since I could hardly go on any of my favorite rides but it was so much fun! Ben and I spent most of our time taking all the little nieces and nephews on the kiddie rides. It sounds boring but we had so much fun! Their reaction to all the rides and characters, everything was so much fun! Anyways, I still got to ride Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean which are my most favorite rides at Disneyland. Ben went with all my nephews and brothers on the big roller coasters so he didnt miss out! We had our first scan today and contrary to all of my families specualtion...its just one baby not two. I never doubted it was just one, we'll start of a little easier with one THANKS! The doctor couldnt see the sex because the baby was not in the right position. The doctor poked and proded me to see if he could get the baby to move around...he did that forever but to no avail. This baby did not budge! It was so amazing. I have to admit it hasnt really felt real at all but seeing that little body, heartbeat, fingers and toes....just so amazing and its starting to sink in a little bit more! We'll be back home on Friday and were looking forward to our comfy little flat! We miss it!!!