Weeks 8, 9 and 13...

Ben finally cleaned up his old computer for me this past weekend so now I have a place to upload my pictures to and I can now share them...As the title states you can see a few weeks were skipped-those are the weeks I was not feeling well and the last thing I wanted to do was take pictures of my growing belly.  I can't promise that these belly pictures are going to be uploaded throughout the pregnancy, it just depends how big I feel and look.

Week 8

Week 9

Week13

 

A visit to St. Joe

Monday 5/23 was Ben's grandpas (Gilbert Brunker) birthday.  So, on Sunday we went to St. Joe to visit with him for a couple of hours.  We stopped at Dairy Queen to pick up an ice cream cake, which is his favorite, then headed to the nursing home.  The weather was gorgeous that afternoon so we found a spot outside with a table and chairs and cut right into the cake.  The cake was delicious! Gilbert then opened some presents and we just sat around and talked.  It was so great to see him since we haven't seen him in awhile.  Grandpa Brunker is a very witty guy-he had all of us laughing!! What a great man he is!
Pictures from the afternoon:

 Ben showing grandpa ultrasound pictures

 Grandpa, Beth, David, Rachel and Ben

Grandpa, me and Ben

4 years ago today...

4 years ago today it was my 21st birthday, wow how time flies!! My dad rented a party bus for me (a decision he still regrets to this day) and let me invite friends to join in on the birthday celebration! The week leading up to my birthday my dad would call me every day and ask me to invite Ben Brunker to my party.  (Side notes: 1. My dad and Ben work together.  2. The summer prior at a Goetze function at a Royals game Ben and I started talking and he wanted to buy me a beer in the stadium but I turned him down because I was not 21 yet.)   At first I didn't know why my dad wanted me to invite Ben so bad, then my dad finally told me that if Ben came he could buy me a beer for the first time since I would be 21.  I kept telling my dad 'no' and told him that I didn't know Ben well enough to pick up the phone, call him and invite him to the party.  Especially a party where he wouldn't know anyone.  So, long story short, my 21st birthday night rolls around and we are on the Plaza at Grand Faloon.  My dad's cell phone rings and he brings it to me and says 'Ben Brunker is calling...'  before he could finish his sentence I grabbed the phone from my dads hand and answered the phone.  Ben told me that he was at a buddies house and wanted to know where we would be in 30 minutes and he would meet us there.  So, about 30 minutes later I was outside the Faloon, getting a breath of fresh air (I had had too much too drink already), when Ben walks up.  At first I didn't know it was him (mind you-I have only really seen him in person one or two times), and as he was approaching me I finally realized that it was him.  I started screaming and then jumped on him and gave him a kiss. The party then got back on the party bus to head to a new destination, but before the bus left the Plaza my dad had to end the party early because I passed out.  The funny thing about all of this is Ben's reasoning on why he came to the Grand Faloon in the first place.  Ben was actually calling my dad that night to tell him that he was not going to be able to make it (I didn't even know that my dad took the liberty to invite Ben himself).  Ben had been out of town on business and just got back that evening.  When he called my dad to tell him he wouldn't make it Ben was actually laying on his couch watching tv.  But, since I answered the phone Ben was quick on his feet to tell me he would be there soon, so he got off the couch and showered and got ready and came to my 21st birthday and the rest is history....

13 weeks...

• 13 weeks and finally starting to feel better, well except this morning for a brief moment.  I have had enough energy to go for walks the past week and I can't even begin to explain how much better that makes me feel, not only emotionally but physically too.  I was starting to get frustrated that all my body wanted to do was lay on the couch and sleep or eat crackers.  I wish I could run, but I am not going to take any chances running now since I have not ran for about 8 weeks.  Walking will have to do for the next 6+ months. 
• This morning was a little weird-I woke up, showered, ate breakfast and got ready.  When I went downstairs to get ready to leave I stopped in the pantry to get some snacks to take for the day and nothing looked good or sounded good and all of a sudden I thought I was going to get sick.  I took a drink of water and loaded up the car.  As I was starting the car I had a bad feeling in my stomach (and mouth) so I got out of the car, turned the alarm off quickly and ran to the bathroom and lost my breakfast.  I have not done that for awhile so it took me by surprise.  But, I felt great after my stomach was empty.  I had cereal, glass of milk and glass of orange juice for breakfast so I don't know what happened there but I have felt fine ever since. 
• I have been taking 'belly' pictures, but unfortunately my computer is so messed up that I can't do much on it, such as uploading pictures off of my camera. (It's only 3 years old, who knew computers didn't last that long?)  So, I am waiting patiently (trying to at least) for Ben to clean up his old computer for me to take over.  Since I am not in school anymore all I really need a computer for is to upload pictures, everything else I can do on the iPad.  Maybe Ben will clean up his old computer for me for my birthday (wishful thinking...?). So, once I get a computer to upload pictures to I will post 'belly' pictures.  I feel as thought I have popped out this past week, Ben tells me I look like I have a beer belly, which is not the look I 'm going for. 

B is for...

Brunker: It is hard to believe that I have been a Brunker for over a year now.  The first year of marriage was great! We spent the first couple of weeks on our honeymoon, spent the summers at the lake, went to Siesta Key, FL and Palm Beach, CA in the fall and spent the holidays with our families.  The year went fast! I think as I am getting older time seems to be flying by!

Ben: He amazes me everyday! He is the best husband! He takes such good care of me, which I am very thankful for-I would be lost without him. 

Beach: We went to Siesta Key, Florida the week of April 24 for a nice relaxing vacation.  We left Flrorida the day before our 1 year anniversary (the condos down there are Saturday to Saturday rentals, and our anniversary was on Sunday), but it was still cool to be down there exactly 1 year after the wedding.  Again, I can't believe it has been a year!! We love Siesta Key, the beaches and the sand are just amazing!! We were down there over Easter weekend and it was very crowded.  We have never seen so many people down there before in the past 4 years we have been going.  But, it was still a great time!!

Baseball:  I love baseball! When Ben and I first started dating he HATED baseball.  It took a lot of convincing on my part for him to go to the Royals games with me, I even had to teach him a thing or two about the rules of baseball.  Over the past year he has started to enjoy going to the games, which I have loved.  Although, I can say that we have never stayed for an entire game, which always made me mad.  But, that all changed on Saturday night! After doing a lot of errands and things around the house, Ben and I headed out to Kauffman stadium.  It was a great evening for baseball, low winds and perfect temperature! And, Eric Hosmer was playing his second MLB game ever!  The game started out very quick! For the first 4 innings it was 1-2-3 for both teams.  Finally, the Royals started hitting the ball (we got to witness Hosmers 1st MLB hit) and before we knew it we were up 3-0.  Ben was excited and I thought for sure that he was going to want to leave after the 7th inning stretch (that is usually when w leave), but to my surprise he didn't want to leave.  The relieving pitcher Crow came in for the Royals and just like that the game was tied 3 all.  Ben was mad and yelling (which he has never done at a Royals game), I was in shock that he was actually getting into the game.  Again, I thought for sure he would want to leave, but he didn't.  Finally, bottom of the 9th, the Royals played some good offense and we won! Ben was excited! I was excited! I was even more excited that we stayed for the entire Royals game, something that we had never done in the 4 seasons we have been going to games together! It is very exciting to see the Royals playing some good baseball.  The team just seems to fit together well this year and it looks like they are out there having a good time! Go Royals!

Babysitting:  Yes, babysitting is still what I do.  I have a college degree and have yet to get a 'big persons job'.  I love what I do and I could not imagine doing anything else.  On Mondays I watch Evan and Ellie, they are 5 year old twins.  I have been watching them since they were 2.  They are starting kindergarten in the fall, which is so hard to believe! So, come fall I won't get to spend my Monday's with Evan and Ellie.  On Tuesdays and Wednesday I am at the Moylans.  Max is 3, Addi is 2 and Evan is 3 months.  Max and Addi were ring bearer and flower girl in our wedding.  I have been watching Max since he was 7 months old, and Addi and Evan since they were born.  They are such fun kids and I love spending 2 days out the week with them! On Thursdays I watch the Minders.  Jake is 7, Josh is 6, Andrew is 2 and Alex is 10 months.  Jake and Josh are in grade school so I haven't seen much of them since the summer, but here in the next month I will get to spend time with them again once school is out for the summer.  Andrew and Alex are such cute little boys and so fun! I love watching them grow! So, yes, Ben and I consider me to be a well educated babysitter.  But, I love it and wouldn't change anything about my weekly work schedule!

Birthday:  In 10 days I am going to be 25.  25.  25.  For some reason, I am having a hard time with 25.  I remember I couldn't wait to be 16, then 18 and then 21.  Now, ever since turning 21 it seems the years have flown by.  Which, looking back they have.  I met Ben on my 21st birthday (all because of my dad), we started dating shortly after, we got engaged then got married.  So, the past 4 years have been great but they have just gone quick.  To me, 25 just seems like the beginning of 'getting older'.  Ben hates it when I complain about getting ready to turn 25, because he is already 30.  So, I don't get much sympathy from him.  So, on May 19th I am going to enjoy the day and not think about the number I am turning, afterall age is just a number anyway-it shouldn't matter how old you are, as long as you are loving and enjoying life you should be happy, right? That's what I keep trying to tell myself, ha!!

and last but not least....B is for....

BABY:  Baby Brunker #1 will be here in November!! Ben and I are super excited and we can not wait!! We know that our lives are changing daily and will forever be changed come November, but we could not ask for things to be any different.  My due date is November 23.  Yes, that is the day before Thanksgiving!! We will definitely have A LOT to be thankful for!!


(I have wanted to start blogging now for a long time, but I didn't really know what to blog about, I didn't think it would be a very exciting blog to just talk about the lives of Ben and Katy Brunker.  Now that we have a little one on the way I thought this would be an exciting way to tell people and an exciting way to officially start blogging.  I am going to try my best to post at least 1 blog a week, with pregnancy updates and photos.  Stay tuned...)