Girl Power!

So, we found out tonight that we will be having a daughter in May.  (By the way we are so excited about this!!!!!)  This means that both Paul and I failed our first test of maternal and paternal intuition:

She is healthy and everything in the ultrasound is exactly as it should be!  I have felt her kicking since 2 weeks ago (16 weeks along) daily, so I was not surprised that she was healthy and happy!  We feel so lucky and are ready to start getting some girl stuff and thinking of names!!

Guessing Game!

Paul and I are keeping a tally of boy vs. girl guesses on our fridge.  Boy and girl guesses are currently tied.  If you'd like to make a guess, leave a comment here and let me know what you'd like your name under.  There are no prizes or incentive involved- it is purely a somewhat self-centered endeavor so that I have somewhere fun to put my anxious energy until Thursday.  AaaaaaahSoFun!!

And, we are sure it's not twins, so no need to go there.  ;)

Love to all!

Gym Class

I'm the newest substitute teacher here in Cheyenne.  I got my first job on Friday.  PE for 5th graders, 2nd graders, and Kindergarteners.  The teacher had warned me in her substitute notes that the Kindergarteners were "especially challenging" but little did she know how much they all would challenge me:)

When I was partway through practicing basketball dribbles with the first 2nd grade group, I realized I had a choice.  I could either be stressed or I could just laugh.  So I laughed!  Because it was hilarious!

The 5th graders played the age-old substitute trick- confuse the substitute during attendance by having multiple people claim to be Jimmy.  I was totally ready for this one.  Every time I just said "I guess I'll go ahead and mark Jimmy as absent because I know there are not 5 Jimmy's in this class."  The kids would get really upset and point to the real Jimmy.  Mwa haha.

I think that was my only success story from the day.  I was totally planning on being a nice, cool substitute that all the kids loved.   Right.

By the last Kindergarten class, I had completely lost my voice.  Both the teacher's aides were gone because they had taken kids out for bad behavior.  I had sent about 4 kids to the principal's office (the teacher I was subbing for asked me to use a 2 warnings, then you're out system), and I sent 3 kids to their teacher's room per teacher's request if any misbehaved.  One boy defaced school property by writing on the gym wall during our jumping lesson.  I had the last class line up for their teacher at 3:20 as directed and I totally turned into Mean Scary Substitute.  5 kids would not line up and I had to chase them around the gym, I grabbed their arms rather harshly, looked at them meanly and said, "You stay here in line, that is enough."  I could see the fear in their eyes and they stayed.  (Well except for sweet Down Syndrome girl who was hiding behind the curtain on the stage- but I couldn't leave everyone to go find her...)  

Did I tell you that I have a lot of respect for teachers?

Belly-licious

 I finally "popped"!!  Here's a self-portrait of my 16 week belly.  

We find out if it's a girl or boy in 15 days.  I think it may be the longest 15 days of my life:)

Baby News

Our baby has recently grown from a lime:

To a peach:


We could not be prouder of our little fruit:)

Here are some thoughts on Morning Sickness:

Okay, 1. I knew people get sick and I even knew morning sickness could be anytime of the day, not just in the morning, but I had NO idea it was so overwhelmingly life-altering!  Oh my gosh.  I have so much more respect for the billions of women that have done this before me.

2.  I got Zofran.  I LOVE Zofran.  (I highly recommend it to others going through MS.  I can eat at least twice what I was eating pre-Zofran.)

3.  It's slowly getting better, but I can't wait until I can cook and bake and enjoy my favorites again!

4.  I propose the following for my future first trimesters:  Catheters and Feeding tubes.

 With the catheter, I would get a LOT more sleep!!  With the feeding tube, the constant flow of calories would keep the nausea in check, and I would not have to try and figure out all day what sounds edible and how to obtain it.  Brilliant, right?  ;)

May 16th

Paul and I heard that May is the BEST month to have a baby.

So we decided to go for it!!

May 16th Hendrickson Baby #1 will be making his/her way into this world.  And we are oh-so-excited.  We have been able to talk to some people, but sure wish we could have told all our good friends in a more personal way.

We cannot wait and feel so lucky!  We have had 2 ultrasounds already and everything so far is happy and healthy.  I am 11 and a half weeks along.  :)  :)  :)

Odds and Ends

Hello blogging world!

I have nothing to say tonight except for:

1.  I've been sick, and my time with the couch this weekend has opened up my eyes to sporcle.com (Thank you Katie), the ridiculous political bias of both CNN and Fox News, the awesomeness of the priesthood session of LDS General Conference, and the kindness of my husband.

2.  Not sure if I like my blog makeover yet.  I'll have to see if I like it tomorrow.

3.  Please say tomorrow isn't Monday!!!!  Aaaaaahhhhh!!!

Love to all!  Tessa

What happens When...

What happens when your husband is very tired, but still needs to function just a little bit longer:

What happens when cute Beehives come to your house for a par-tay:

What happens when your basement floods: :( :(

What happens when your neighbor gives you fresh basil from her garden (Thanks Heidi!):

Oh life.... it just keeps on happening!

Today I needed a joke. Here is a funny one. Okay not so funny, but anything will make me laugh right now. This is dedicated to my music teacher friends.

Where did the music teacher leave her keys?

On the piano!! Ba ha ha:)

Good night, Tessa

Introducing....

My husband Paul! (I know this is like 6-12 months overdue)

Candid shot:

Uncandid shot (so hot with a teepee!):

Things that Paul loves-can't-live-without:

• Golf
• New England Patriots
• Dogs (sad for me, eh?)
• Soccer
• Nice sound systems
• Dasani water
• His orange couch
• Extra peppermint gum

Things Paul strongly dislikes:

• Mushrooms
• Tomatoes
• Liberals (haha jk but kind of)
• Working on his dissertation. :) inside joke

Interesting Facts about Paul:

• He prefers flour tortillas over corn tortillas.
• He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when he was 19.
• He has saved all stolen hotel pens from his business trip days.
• He has a Harry Potter-esque scar on his forehead.
• He's an only child.
• He is in the Air Force and has been serving for 9 years now.
• He likes science fiction and zombies.
• He makes better cookies than me (depressing).
• He grew up in Layton, UT and went to school in New Orleans- Tulane.

What a great friend and husband he is. And, oh my, how I LOVE LOVE LOVE him!

What the hail?

A couple weeks ago it hailed. It was kind of fun! (It wasn't bad enough to cause any damage.)

Pile o' Hail:

Road Trip with Husband

Paul and I went on a fun road trip to explore our neck of the woods. We went to Mt Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, Mt. Harney (highest point in South Dakota), Devil's Tower, and Martin's Cove. We were kind of celebrating our first 6 months of marriage as well.

Happy 6 months my handsome hunk.

First Fondant

My good friend Vonna taught me how to work with fondant. Here is our fun time and our final product:

Thanks Vonna! That was super fun. The main things I learned: 1. Buttercream icing tastes way better than fondant (I guess I already knew that), 2. You use a rolling pin to transport the rolled icing to the cake, 3. You can cover up the bottom if it's ugly with a fondant or fabric ribbon:), and 4. If you get the fondant wet after it's on the cake, that part of the icing will have a wet shine to it even when dry.

Port Angeles, WA

Thank you Dan and Judy! What a dreamy trip.

Mt. Pleasant:

Hurricane Ridge:

Victoria, Canada:

Lake Crescent:

The Pacific Coast near Forks:

Just hangin' out:

The End