Zoe is 6 Months Old!

I can hardly believe it's been 6 months already! And Zoe is growing and learning so fast. She sits up on her own now, she's mastered turning over, and she's doing really well with solid foods now, too. She laughs a lot more and really only gets fussy when she's tired. Or teething - I think she's getting her first one right now. She loves her daddy - he always gets big smiles, hugs, and kisses when he gets home from work. Zoe is a social baby - she always wants to be out and about seeing things. She loves church because there are so many people and so many things going on! This week she's started biting her lower lip and she said 'da' this morning when John was leaving the room.

We did pictures a couple of days after her birthday and they all turned out so great! Thanks Mom Woodbury for all your hard work, and thanks Mom Zincke for the adorable bow/feather band! Click here to see more of Zoe's 6 month pics.

My Little Chatter Box

On Thursday Zoe decided she wanted to try talking. In the past she would make noise when she was laughing or fussing but not much in between. Now she's 'talking' all the time. Here's a conversation she had with John this morning:

Zoe is 3 Months Old!

Zoe is doing well and still learning and growing. She's sleeping really well through the night now, for which we're really grateful. She's laughing now, too, but not very often. She likes meeting new people, going on walks, and taking baths. She hates getting the hiccups, being left alone, and having her nails trimmed. We're excited to go to Utah this week to see the Zincke's! (For the full album of Zoe's 3 month pics, click here.)

Welcome Little Girl!

Zoe Mae is finally here! I was hoping she'd come early or at least while my family was in California for Thanksgiving, but she made us induce.

John and I went to the hospital at midnight on Monday night and they got me started. It was a long process and definitely one of the hardest things I've ever done. Thank heavens for epidurals! Zoe did great, though, and greeted the world at 6:37pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. She weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces at 20 inches long. John and I were both teary eyed as we met our daughter for the first time. Grandma and Grandpa Woodbury were both very excited, too.

The next day John met the movers at our apartment to supervise the packing and we left town from the hospital the next day. Fortunately, my mom and dad traveled with us the next couple of days and helped out. Then we got to visit with Mom and Dad Zincke and they were also a huge help! I was really nervous about the move so soon after giving birth and it was hard but all the help made it easier.

We made it to Colorado and John started his new job. I've been getting used to my new job as a mom, too, and it has been interesting. Sometimes I look at this little girl and it still doesn't seem real! I worry about all sorts of new things now and I feel like an entirely different person - a person with a baby. And she's just so stinkin' cute!

Denver, Colorado...

... here we come!!

John found out that we will be moving to Denver for his last rotation and we couldn't be more excited! This really works out perfectly for us because we'll be moving right after Zoe comes (in 6 weeks... what?!) and we'll be so close to Mom and Dad Woodbury. I have been madly searching for an apartment in the area that's close to John's work and soon-to-be Grandma and Grandpa's house. We'll have some buffer time of living in a hotel, which is nice, but I'm so anxious to have things planned and settled so we're ready to go when the baby comes.

Speaking of that little girl, she's been less active recently, probably due to her quickly tightening quarters as she grows. But today she's been dancing around and kicking her momma in the bladder... I'm doing well but still feeling very tired. Fortunately, things haven't been too crazy at work and John has been wonderful about helping out around the house.

Now that we finally know where we're going I'm looking forward to things happening - it's hard to wait when there are such great things on the horizon. But I've got to wait a few more weeks for Zoe to finish up in there and we still have a few things to do to get ready for her.

So exciting!!!

Whew!

I'm all caught up! I've discovered that once I upload pictures to Picasa it is fairly easy to post them to the blog...

We have so enjoyed having our family come visit us this summer! Thank you for coming and getting John and I out to see all the great things Los Angeles has to offer. We also had a wonderful time seeing friends and family during the weddings last month. What an amazing experience to be in the Temple with so many of you and take part in such momentous events!

Now we're looking forward to the arrival of Zoe Mae. She's still on track to be born November 22 so we're excited for a memorable Thanksgiving this year! I am looking very pregnant these days, which you can tell from the pictures in the last few posts, and Zoe has been very active. John has felt her kick a few times and Mom and Dad Zincke both got to feel her moving as well. Thank you to everyone for the many beautiful gifts! I love all the girly clothes, especially the ones with the ruffles. In fact, we've already come up with a nickname for Zoe based on all the cute little pants and outfits: Ruffle Butt. Yes, say it out loud - it really flows nicely, doesn't it?

Just a couple more months to go!

It's a...

We're expecting Zoe Mae Zincke right around Thanksgiving and I can't wait! It was amazing to see the images of her brain, spine, and tiny little face on the ultrasound. I've been feeling her move around a lot, but so far John hasn't been able feel her kick at all. Hopefully that will happen soon! I'm 20 weeks now and finally looking pregnant. I think I'll add a little calendar on the side here...

Happy News!

I've been so excited to share this news (many of you already know):

I'm pregnant!

Yay! John and I are so excited and we are having so much fun celebrating this news. I'm at 15 weeks and due November 26. We've had a couple of ultrasounds and the doctor said the baby looks perfect. We find out the gender the first week of July and in the meantime we're still getting used to the idea of being parents. We've started shopping for baby gear and furniture and we're feeling pretty overwhelmed, but mostly excited.

Our lives have been centered around this news for the last few months, but life has been moving on. Our jobs are going well, we're looking forward to seeing friends and family during upcoming vacations, and we're having fun in SoCal!

Settled and On the Mend

John and I have been in California for a month and a half and I have been sick for most of that time. I came down with a cold/flu thing a little over a month ago and now I have a cough that has been lingering for 4 weeks. Yes, I'm drinking plenty of fluids and getting as much sleep as I can, but it made my lungs sore and my back tense up. I did go to the doctor and he said I just need time to heal...

Fortunately, my employer has been very understanding and I was able to work from home for a few days when it was really bad. Every day is just a little bit better and I have learned to be grateful for all the little things - like each moment I'm not coughing. John was also sick for a few days and he still has a bit of a cough, too, but it didn't hit him quite as hard. I'm grateful for that, too.

Meanwhile, we've moved into our new apartment, found our grocery stores, walked along the beach, and even tried one of the local restaurants. We've still got a lot of unpacking to do, but I think we're feeling settled in. The weather is moderate and beautiful, the traffic in our area isn't too horrible, and I think we're going to manage for the next 7 months!

We're looking forward to visitors! Our apartment is a 2 bedroom, so we've got space and an air mattress! Let us know when you're stopping by!

Cross Country Move Days 1 & 2

It has been so nice to relax and just sit in the car. John and I are trying to make the most of this time off by seeing friends and family along our journey across the country.

We left Herndon, Virginia behind on Saturday morning and our first stop was to see John's Uncle Doug just outside of town. We had a wonderful visit and then headed to Tennessee for dinner with Joseph and Mariah. It was so nice to hang out with them and catch up on the last few months. (And I did say hello to JMU for you ladies out there!) I'll admit that I don't know if I could live in Tennessee, but it sure is beautiful country! We drove through lovely rolling hills, passed a Christmas tree farm, and saw the most amazing castle-like house. I wanted to take a picture, but we had already passed by the time I got my camera out.

Our next stop was Louisville, Kentucky to visit with Uncle David and Aunt Roxanne, which is always a pleasure. We're excited for Amanda's upcoming marriage and all the happiness that will bring her. And we hope Nicole and Clayton get to experience the DC area and enjoy it as much as we did!

Didn't get any pictures from our first couple of days, which I regret, but I'll have some to share from the next few days!

Almost 3 Months Later...

We are catching our breath after a few crazy months. At this moment we are in transit to Los Angeles, California. John's next rotation is in west Los Angeles and we have said goodbye to all our friends in Virginia to move across the country. John is looking forward to his new assignment and I will continue to work for Booz Allen Hamilton in California.

We were sad to leave Northern Virginia - we really became comfortable and happy there - but we are excited about our new adventures on the west coast. And we get to see a lot of our friends and family on the way!

Catching Up

As you can tell by my sudden increase in posts, I'm catching up now that I have had some down time. My job at Booz Allen Hamilton has been a great blessing and I am very grateful. And I have been really busy.

John and I have had a great time living in the Washington D.C. area and we are looking forward to our next adventure. We should find out the possibilities of our next location mid to late January and we will most likely be moving again in March. While we have really become comfortable in Northern Virginia, we are excited for what comes next.

Right now we are in Utah visiting the Zincke's for Christmas and New Years. Christmas was lovely and we've had a great time hanging out. We're going to get together with our friends from ASU on Friday, which will be awesome. Then my little brother Paul gets home from his mission to Chile in a couple of weeks so we'll be going to Colorado for a short visit to see him and the Woodbury's. So far it has been a very happy holiday season!

We hope you've also had, and will have, happy holidays!

Quick Update - Happy Fall!

John just checked our blog, for the first time in forever, and complained that I haven't posted anything for a long time. So this is me posting a quick update.

We are loving Northern Virginia in the fall - the colors out here are amazing with all the different trees. It's also starting to cool off, which I love. We've used our fireplace a couple of times - I also love that. And I've made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies a couple of times, too, which we both love.

We have both been really busy at work. They are giving John lots of projects and he's getting some great experience. I also got an increase in my workload recently, which is great, but has been pretty stressful the last couple weeks. But we're both grateful for our jobs, despite the craziness and stress.

I am doing NanoWrimo again this year, but I am painfully behind. I hope to catch up and make the 50K mark in a couple of weeks.

John has recently discovered how to make split pea soup from scratch so he's been spending more time in the kitchen. He also got to take a couple of trips for work in the last few months.

I've still got pictures to post from when Lauren and Julia visited and when Mom and Dad Woodbury came through. We took a quick trip to Philadelphia so I've pictures from that as well. Wow, I've got some blogging to do!

Updates

Okay... so the last couple of months have been a little busy, but a lot of fun.

We moved out of the hotel and into our apartment in August. We live on the fourth floor of an apartment building in Herndon. Its close to John's office, which is nice. But we still haven't gotten used to all those stairs!

John enjoys his job, I think. He likes the people he works with - they play volleyball every Thursday - and they're keeping him challenged with lots of projects. He comes home tired, but generally happy. And that's always good!

I got a job as an Account Manager with a technological manufacturing company. It was a little rough for the first couple of days and I felt extremely overwhelmed. I tried to be positive, and some days were actually pretty good, but when I got a call to interview for another position, I was excited at the opportunity. They offered me the job about 15 minutes after my interview and I started my new job 3 days later. I am now a Recruiting Administrator at Booz Allen Hamilton. I've been in training for a week now and I think I'm going to like it.

We've already had visitors! Mom and Dad Zincke came for almost 2 weeks. Then my sisters Lauren and Julia were here last weekend. They're on their way out to the United Kingdom for three weeks of frolicking in England, Scotland, and Ireland. We took tons of pictures, which I will post shortly. The best part about having company is that we've had the chance to see most of the great stuff downtown in Washington D.C. I don't think we would have done the White House tour if Mom Zincke hadn't gotten us tickets (thanks!).

Coming up next: Mom and Dad Woodbury are stopping by for a weekend and then we'll see Lauren and Julia again when they come through on their way back home from their British adventures.

I am finally starting to feel settled.

Getting Settled

Here are some pictures from our first round of sightseeing out here. We went to a park nearby for fireworks on the Fourth. We went over to the National Air and Space Museum the next day and saw some very cool things, including the SR-71 Blackbird (the fastest jet in the world). Then the next weekend we went downtown to the National Archives and the Museum of Natural History. We're excited to see more stuff and I'll keep posting pictures.

John is getting settled in at work and I'm still looking for a job. I've had a couple of interviews and I have a couple more lined up so hopefully something will pan out soon. We got callings this week, too. I'm teaching the CTR 6 class in Primary and John's is the Duty to God Specialist. And we're moving into our apartment on Friday so we'll be all settled soon. Woot!

We Have Arrived!

We have officially arrived in Virginia. We drove into town last Thursday and we've been getting used to the humidity. We are staying in a very nice extended stay hotel for the next 3 weeks and we'll move into our apartment in the middle of July.

Road Trip Round 2 was awesome because we got to see so many of you but it was a lot of driving. And I didn't even do any actual driving! But thank you to all of you who made time to visit with us - it made the trip worth while.

We're excited to be here, despite the mugginess, and although John is a little nervous to start work tomorrow I think it's going to be great.

And we welcome visitors - for reals!

Moving Stress

John and I flew out to Virginia on Sunday and we've spent the last couple of days looking for an apartment. I forgot how stressful it can be! It is so hard to find something that we both like, that has all the things we want (like washer & dryer in unit), and is still within our price range. And will have enough space for all our stuff...

But we found something and I feel good about it. It's close to John's office, it has the washer and dryer, it's in a lovely area, it has a fireplace, the kitchen is big, and it was the best price per square footage. And we have a second bedroom... sort of. They call it a den because it won't fit more than a double bed, but it means we have space for visitors!

So when are you coming to see us?

But before we get settled in our new apartment we have to pack up our old one. The movers come on Friday and then we'll be heading out on road trip round 2!

Change is good, change is good. Sigh.

Summer of Road Trip

My last day of work was May 28 and we left at 3am the next morning to drive to Colorado. We could have left earlier but we didn't want to miss the last, last party with our friends to celebrate Cooper's birthday.

So we drove all day Saturday and made it just in time to catch Lauren's show Stage Fright. It was awesome and I am so glad we got to be there. Unfortunately, I caught a cold and had a sore throat for almost a week. Not usually a big deal except that our health insurance coverage ended when I quit. We stayed in Colorado for a few days and had a fun Memorial Day with the Woodbury's then we drove to Utah.

We've been here for almost a week and we've had a great time hanging out with the Zincke's, seeing friends, and generally relaxing. And my throat finally feels better!

It still doesn't feel real that we'll be moving to the east coast before the month is over and John will be starting a new job. We're looking forward to this new adventure! But we sure will miss all our AZ friends... We'll meet ya'll in Utah for the holidays!

Recovery

Today marks one week since we found out that I am not actually pregnant. I had surgery last week and I'm on the road to recovery, both physically and emotionally.

Thank you, all, for your thoughts and prayers. I was especially touched by the stories that you all have shared with me about similar experiences. It is good to know I'm not alone. While a part of me was sad that we had to tell everyone the bad news because we told everyone the good news, I was glad that we could talk about it and I could lean on the support of friends and family.

In other news, John had a call with Raytheon today and we now know that we might be going to Washington, DC, Tucson, AZ, Los Angeles, CA, or Boston, MA. We'll know more after the next phone call next Monday.

Loss

John got the news a couple of weeks ago that his Grandma Kerley had passed on. Her health had been declining for the last couple of years and she had been fighting Alzheimer's so it was not totally unexpected.

Grandma Pinkie, as she was called, lived in St. Louis so John and I got to spend some good time with her while we lived there. She was a beautiful and wonderful woman and I am so glad that I got to know her.

John was able to attend the funeral this last weekend and he said it was good for him to be there.

He got back on Sunday and we went to have my first ultrasound yesterday. Unfortunately, we received more sad news. I have had a miscarriage.

I knew it was a possibility since this happens to many women, but I never thought about how difficult it would be to deal with. My life has changed, yet again, and I think this will be a little harder to get used to. It seems that we will have to wait a little longer for baby Z.

We are heartbroken, of course, but trying to be hopeful and faithful.

"Que sera, sera," as Grandma Pinkie often said - what will be, will be.