Musing of a Soon-to-be-Father

Well I haven't written in quite some time and I suppose it's time for me to write again.

It feels pretty crazy to think that I could be a dad, it's one of those things that you always plan for and never quite expect to happen. I am so grateful for the wonderful example that I have had all my life. I think I've probably had the best dad ever. I know a lot of people say that, but I really feel like it's been true for me. I can remember when I was little, my dad taught me to respond to the question, "Why are you so cute?" by saying, "because I look like my daddy!" Probably from that day I've tried to be like him. I would try to tell jokes like him- much to my little sisters dismay- I wanted to be as good at bowling as him, and be as strong in the gospel as him. Well if I am ever good enough to be asked the question, "Why are you a good father?" I will know that the response is, "because I'm just like my daddy!" I love my father so much, and he's been so great to me always willing to sacrifice to spend time with me and teach me. He has always supported me in any goal I ever had, ready with good advice if I ever needed it. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be able to measure up to a great man like him, I am so proud to have been named after him, Kelvin Bailey. He has taught me what it is to be a man, both my doctrine and by example.

I am so grateful for my wife as well and the wonderful woman that she is. Always ready with a joke and one of her beautiful smiles. She's going to be a great mother, she has so much love in her! Not to mention she's a wonderful cook, even if sometimes she "burns" things (they are actually not burned at all ;) ). We have both been blessed with wonderful parents. I pray that we, too, will be able to follow in their example. Life is crazy but I'm glad I have Emilee by my side to help me as we get ready to enter a new stage of our lives, and I'm glad of the examples that have been set by our parents.

I have to say that one of the things I'm most looking forward to are Saturday morning cartoons with the little guy/girl. At least that way I won't feel so guilty for enjoying them so much, not to mention all the LEGO's I can finally justify buying. Don't worry mom, I'll start 'm off on Duplos, just like I was. I know it's not all going to be fun and games, but I figure the more of it we put in there the less room there is for all the rest.

SURPRISE!!!

So we have been waiting for a while to make the announcement but considering I am almost in my fourth month, I guess it's time to tell everyone who doesn't already know (which is pretty much most everyone) that we are pregnant!!! It was a TOTAL shock when we found out considering that we weren't planning or trying for kids just yet, but as the shock has worn off we are getting excited. It all started one day when I wasn't feeling well at work. (Well, to say not feeling well is an understatement.) I thought I had an infection and so went home. I was going to take some medication before I went into the doctor but my doctor had told me a while back that even if I didn't think I was pregnant, I should check before I took this particular medicine. (He gave me enough to last a while) So when I left work sick, I dutifully took a pregnancy test before I took the medicine (which I never ended up taking). It turned up negative just like we thought. That is until I went into the bathroom a couple hours later when I saw it in the garbage can, it was positive! I called to Kelvin and we then read the instructions which we failed to follow before....."wait 3 min". So while we tried to stay calm, we went to the store and got a couple more tests. I took another one the following morning and believe me we waited the full 3 min. It was positive once more. I thought this can't be, my doctors told me I would need to do fertility treatments to have kids and here I am pregnant? So I waited a whole week and on the 9th took another test and sure enough, that pregnant line popped up faster than the other one, no waiting required! I kept saying that they must be wrong and Kelvin would just laugh and say 3 tests were wrong? We made an appointment and they verified the pregnancy with the first prenatal exam. I was really sick when a month and a half struck and it stayed for 4 weeks! I was so nauseous I thought I could die. But it went away after that and I haven't been sick since. Our second appointment we got to see the baby's heart beating. The angle was bad and the baby was hiding so all we saw was the heart beating for just a moment on the ultrasound, but we did see it! That was when things started to feel a little more real to me. Right now I am 12 weeks which is 3 months. They count 5 weeks for the 3rd month before you exit the first trimester, so just 2 more weeks for me and I will be done with the first third of my pregnancy. We figured it was safe enough now to tell people and I probably won't be able to hide it much longer anyway. Crazy!! But we have to face it sooner or later, there will be a little Kelvin or Emilee in the world come Sept 5 of this year!


Can you tell that I am just scared out of my mind in this picture and don't really know what to think or do?

Birthday Party!

This weekend we celebrated my brother Matt's 15th birthday and our niece Samantha's 1st birthday. We had a lot of fun and it's crazy to think of my little brother getting so big! He has passed me in height by a good few inches and is a teenager in almost every way. (I say almost because he will still hug me and tell me that he loves me which is not something every teenage boy will do, especially in front of their friends.) We have such a special relationship and I just love the kid so much!


Sammie opening her presents....Well trying anyway! I think the wrapping was more fun to her at first.



Matt and his presents



You know you are a Wager when you want Pie instead of cake for your birthday




What is it about kids and chocolate all over their faces that is so cute?




So we had a good time with the family even though Kelvin wasn't able to make it to the party. He had to work and couldn't find anyone who would trade shifts with him.

I got a new calling in church on Sunday, the 2nd counselor in the Primary Presidency. I am excited but have my work cut out for me. There are a few issues in the Primary that might be a little challenging but I am excited for the oportunity to try to help and hopefully make a difference.

We are enjoying this time of life with each other and good friends and family.

Christmas and New Years Catch up!

So the blogging thing has gotten a little away from me lately. But no worries, I still live to tell another tale! When Christmas was approaching we got a phone call from Kelvin's family saying that his dad had a large aneurysm near his heart and would have to have open heart surgery. He had open heart surgery about 10 years ago and it didn't go so well. Needless to say we were all a little worried. We were not planning on going to Texas for Christmas because we couldn't get work off. When this situation presented itself the Monday before Christmas, I went right to my boss and explained the situation. After a little deliberation, they finally decided to let me have off Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas. Kelvin got off work without a problem and on Tuesday night at about 9 pm we left for Texas. It was a long drive but we both felt strongly that we needed to be there for Christmas. We completely surprised his parents and the look his dad gave us was priceless! Both Kelvin's sisters were in on the surprise and so excited that we were going to come for Christmas. We had a wonderful Christmas and were so blessed to be able to spend some time with his family.

New Years was a fun night! Us, along with two other couples decided to go dancing to ring in the new year. We had dinner at one of their houses and after a little deliberation on where to go, we finally left. We danced for a couple of hours and had a great time. We would have danced longer but they were really only playing hip hop music which gets old after a little while. We got a few country and salsa dances in there but other than that it was mostly just hip hop. It was still a lot of fun and a great new years! We made some new years resolutions for our little family and are excited for this new year.

To wrap up my catch up email, Kelvin's dad (aka Texas dad) had his open heart surgery last Thursday and although it took a little longer than expected, it all went as planned. The surgeon was skilled and knowledgeable and the recovery thus far has been incredible. He is doing so well and we couldn't be more pleased. We have prayed and prayed for the surgery and his recovery and we all have been truly blessed by the Lord for the gift of having him with us a little longer.


Here is us on New Years!

Sleepover Party!!!

On Monday our niece Rachel came to play! We planned a sleepover a couple of months ago but had to wait until I was done with school to do it. Rachel and I were both excited and planned to go to Temple Square to see the lights and ride on Trax (the public transportation train). Of course that night it decided to storm. It was so cold outside and the snow was so thick that we decided not to go. We watched movies and played Go Fish with Spanish cards. We had a blast and Rachel was really excited when she beat Kelvin in the first game of Go Fish! We watched movies and made cookies with Mint M&M's and had a great time!






The Mint M&M cookies

Chilenos de Corazon

Querida familia de Sur America! Por fin tengo unos momentos para escribiros. Emilee y yo queriamos agradeceros por todos los regalos de Navidad que nos disteis. A Emilee le encanta el sweter que la disteis y la camiseta que me disteis es genial. Los dulces... bueno he comido casi todos, pero es que no puedo resistir. Queriamos deciros que os amamos muchos y que siempre estan en nuestros corazones. Esperamos anhelosamente el dia que podamos ir a Chile juntos para veros. A la Mami Eca le enviamos un beson grande y un abrazon tambien. No creo que puedo poner en palabras lo que siento para ti, Mami Eca, tu amor siempre esta conmigo, has puesto tu huella en mi corazon y quedara para siempre. A todos mis queridos tios y tias tambien os enviamos nuestro amor. Siempre han pensado en nosotros y sus sonrisa brillan en todos nuestros tiempos dificiles. Tengo que decir que me asombra el amor que tiene Emilee para todos vosotros. Cuando pasais por dificultades Emilee esta casi lista para vender todo y ir a ayudar a toda la familia. Yo la tengo que apaciguar y decir que la oracion tendra que bastar hasta que podamos ir con dinero no prestado. Y a todos nuestros primos enviamos amor y yo os digo que practiqueis con las espadas y en la lucha libre o cuando nos vengamos os tendre que ensenar como luchar!! Muahahaha ( mi risa de maldad ).
Con amor, Gregory y Emilee.

Do I laugh or do I cry?

The day has finally arrived (and technically gone since that day was yesterday)!! I am DONE with the most stressful and horrible semester I have ever had. Originally I was going to take my finals on Mon (tomorrow) and then be done but then I thought, ya know what? I'm not going to be studying this weekend. No matter how much I like to think that I would be productive, I knew it wasn't going to happen. So I crammed in what I could and decided that I was much better off only making one trip to Ogden on Sat instead of going back on Mon. It did end up being 4 tests that I had to take but I was so burned out that I just didn't care anymore! That's what I did and I am so elated that it is finally over. I think I did pretty good. We will see though. Now I get a month to relax before I start another semester in Jan. Yeah for me! I get to start cooking again!

On another note, some weird things have been happening. A couple weeks ago my blow dryer freaked out and got way too hot and burned off a chunk of my hair, and then it happened again this morning. I also went to put on my tan skirt and it had a big stain all over the back of it. The washer at the complex we live stained a lot of my clothes that I didn't notice until this morning. When we got up, Kelvin tried to turn on our desk top computer and it wouldn't turn on. We think it is just the monitor that broke but don't know for sure. So now, I only have a few clothes left, my hair can only go a certain way until it grows back, and our main computer is broken. Hence the question, do I laugh or cry? With each new thing that goes wrong, I just have to shake my head and laugh. It's much better than crying and much more enjoyable. I am so blessed and even though my clothes have become quite diminished, my hair gone crazy and we no longer have our main computer, I am still blessed to have clothes, have hair, and have another computer even if it's a lot slower and doesn't have all of our stuff we use on it. Good thing that I can laugh!