37 Weeks

I'm ready. Let's DO this, baby!

• I have our bag packed in Daddy's car.
• Your car seat is installed.
• I have your diaper bag ready to go.
• Your clothes are washed and put away.
• I am pre-registered at Evergreen Hospital.
• I have the number to call when I go in to labor and we are heading to the hospital.
• I have a birth plan that I am ready to throw out the window for whatever you need.
• I have a plan for if I go in to labor here at work.
• I am closing up all of my important tasks and projects necessary with work.

I can be as "prepared" as I want, I know that as soon as I start having contractions or my water breaks, my life is going to go sideways. I'm okay with that. You are so worth every effort.

9 Months

NINE MONTHS. 36 weeks down, 4 weeks to "full" term. I am not even sure what to do with myself at this point.

I still have to pack my hospital bag and have no idea what to even put in the darn thing. I have read list after list of what should go in, but that doesn't really help me when I think of my own items. Hmm... I think I should hit up Target or Bartell's for some travel size toiletries. Am I really just using this blog as a notepad right now? Yes. This is how out of sorts I am.

PAIN. I am so tired of having contractions at night every time I try to get out of bed to pee, which is ever hour up until 1 AM, usually. I slept from 1-5 this morning and thought it was the greatest accomplishment ever. I am tired of needing help to get off the couch, in to the tub, or off the floor. Apparently Drew likes to help, which I am so thankful for. He's been the most amazing cheerleader I could have ever hoped for. He lets me do things myself unless he really deems them dangerous for me or an unnecessary strain. He walks up the stairs bent at the waist next to me so I can use him as leverage. I don't. He's just being silly. But, I love that he wants to walk me up the stairs. He hears how much my breath becomes laboured when I do it alone, so he is trying to make it easier on me. I love him for that.

Booker is active still, which is great! Though at times it's very weird to have him push against my ribs with his feet because that causes him to put pressure on my pelvic bone. He's a big guy. I'm hoping I go in to labor around the 14th or 15th, which is two weeks early. I don't know what kind of state I would be in if I carried him full term at the rate he's growing. If his stats are on track, at our appointment tomorrow he will be the size of a 38 week old, not 36. He's been measuring two weeks big since 24 weeks. Tomorrow's appointment also marks the first of my weekly appointments!

My heart just started racing. I really could have my baby any day now. I'm not fully ready. I don't know what to expect at the hospital. What happens if my water breaks at work? I assume Dawn would take me, she's the only one I trust to drive like a sane person while I'm going insane. I should buy some throw away towels to keep with me so I don't mess up someone else's car. I could just have whoever drives take my car. It's gross anyway.

My face is getting hot and my pulse is starting to rise. I'm going to go ahead and cut this post off now before I send MYSELF in to early labor from freaking out about it.

I. AM. SO. EXCITED.

Booker Scott Kalani Pettersen

Do you know that name? No? Well, I've known that name for about 7 months now. Drew chose it before we even know "he" was a he.

Booker was found in the game Bioshock: Infinite, which Drew had been playing during the beginning of my pregnancy. No, we are not naming our child after Booker DeWitt, we just really liked the name itself.

Scott is Drew's father's name, who apparently doesn't like his middle name, Markam, which I would have loved to have used.

Kalani is one of my favorite names ever. First off, it represents the man that will be Booker's favorite uncle, Danny. Secondly it's a very well loved and used Hawaiian name on my Kruse side of the family. I asked permission from Danny first, of course. He will use the name with his first son, too, but he will use Naumahakalaniopu'u, which is the full version.

Booker is due October 30th, which is only 5 short weeks away. We are almost all ready for him. I'm just missing a few key items, like a diaper bag, bottles, and a few more bibs. He is going to be an amazingly dressed little man, I know that much for sure! He has been showered will all sorts of different sizes and types of clothing and I have never been so excited to do laundry. I love tiny laundry. :-)

 February 19th, 2013. The day before our 3rd wedding anniversary

 8 weeks, first time seeing him

 12 weeks

 16 weeks, amniocentesis appointment, it's a boy.

 20 weeks.

 Maternity photos with Amanda Lockleer

 Our family of 3, almost 4

Drew's very first shoes

 His amazing Star Wars nursery

 Slowly organized closet

8 months

I can't believe I'm almost there. I have been wanting a child of my own since I was 11 years old, when I first started babysitting. Now I have one on the way that is half me and half the most amazing man I have ever known. Drew has been a great care-giver to many babies over the years in service at EastLake Church. They used to call him the baby-whisperer. My heart begins to swell just at the thought of seeing him hold his son for the first time. It's hard to explain, really. It's this whole new world I have never experienced and now it's coming to a head.

I'm ready for him to get here. I want to hold my son. I want to show him just how loved and cherished he is. He is my baby.

MY BABY.

House Update

I figured before I talked about the truly awesome event happening in our life right now, I'd update on our house! We have lived there for a full year now and it is ... home. We can both park in the garage, and plan to keep it that way. We have a nerd den, a guest room, and a nursery. We have a family room. We have a master bedroom and a shower built for two, and we use it most often together. What can I say, I like to save water!

We have projects:

• I want to pull up the bushes in the front and plant lavender. One day I would like to take out the tree in front and extend the porch so I can have my porch swing.
• We have a big backyard that is a bit of a hot mess right now. The deck needs to have the nails pounded back in, get sanded, and get stained.
• There is a rocky path surrounding the cement patio that needs to be dealt with. I think I would like to remove the loose rocks and just lay a smooth path.
• The grass extending from the cement patio needs to be removed so we can lay concrete for our son to be able to play basketball. :-)
• The entirety of the wild bushes growing along the fence need to be removed. They are just sad looking.

Ah... plans and projects. Will you ever get started? Doubt it..

Signing the last page!

  The "Sold" sign with the previous owner's vehicles... We couldn't help but drive by.

Got the keys!

Our beautiful home.

 Some photos... Need more.

 Aunt Amy, who passed away suddenly last year, in her proper place of honor.

 What our living room looked like.

 Dining room. That hutch is now black. :-)

 Up the stairs from the dining room.

 Drew cooking for the first time in our home.

 Master Bedroom + Christopher

Booker's Nursey

.:Homeowners:.

Well... we're almost homeowners. Drew and I have started the long, arduous process of buying our first home. It is incredible how much goes in to it, but you should expect nothing less when it's something this big and important. With all the craziness going on, we've found ourselves praying more and more. I am so thankful for faith, let's just say that! I think I would tear my hair out if I didn't have faith that everything will be taken care of in God's time. Just the thought of it makes me feel better!


The house has 3 bedrooms (plus office), two and a half baths, updated kitchen, nice backyard, security system, and a mud room to die for! It's just amazing. It's everything we could have dreamed of for a home and more than we could have asked for in our first! We want to stay in this house for as long as possible, so we picked a place that is within the school district we want our kids to go to. Go Jackson Timberwolves!


If everything goes according to plan, the whole thing will close two days before Drew is set to go to Japan. Ack! That means I will be doing the tough stuff without him. We have agreed tentatively on paint colors for the rooms that need it, and I am hoping to have this done before he returns. White for the office (currently burgundy), slate gray for the living room (currently forest green) and light blue for the master bedroom (also forest green).


I'm not sure why I am going in to such detail at this time, since we don't even have the house yet. I am just so beyond excited for everything that this house stands for.


Andrew, I am so in love with you and so thankful to be making this journey together. Thank you for being my rock and my sanity as I hope I am also for you. You bring so much joy and excitement in to my life and I thank God for you every single day.

Front. Cream and green... (May paint outside one day!)

Updated kitchen. He was an electrician, I hear. A good one by the looks of it!

Living room. See the green? Not my cup o' tea!

Master bedroom. Not a fan of the green. Drew chose light blue.

Office in the front of the house. SO excited to have an office!

Backyard. There is an actual backyard!

My bad ya'll, my bad...

So it has been just shy of a year since I last posted anything. My bad. The sad part is I have no idea what to post now, either. I just know I need to. So much has changed in the past year.

Drew and I moved from Redmond to Bothell, then just a few short months later we moved out of our apartment in Bothell to live in my mom and stepdad's house while they moved to Australia for the year.

About mom and John... They are going to get a divorce. While sad, it is for the best. They both deserve more than what they were giving each other. I just want them to be happy.

This does NOT mean I am losing my family. I am terrified of this happening, but I refuse to let it. I talk to Amanda almost on a daily basis even with her in a different country. {She comes home with my mom in the 22nd!} I will never lose her as long as it is in my control to do so. In fact, I have more plans for our future together than ever! It will be a challenge once Drew and I move out and we aren't all living together. But, it is something that is worth my time.

Speaking of moving out. We have NO idea what to do next! Ha ha! Mom will be home and staying in the room that used to be mine while Drew and I stay in the master bedroom that used to be hers. Strange, yes, I'm aware. It is going to be CRAZY in the Lockleer/Pettersen household. But, we will make it work as long as we all can because we need to. You don't get opportunities to only pay $300 a month to live in such a fine establishment all the time. We want to buy a house so we don't have to move for a while. We want to settle. I want to decorate! I hate living in a shared space where nothing is truly mine. But, I am so thankful for this time because not only has it allowed us to save, but it has given my mom and John a little peace of mind to know their home is being well maintained.

Oh did you ask about kids? No? Well, I'll tell you anyway. They are in our future! We have a tentative TTC timeframe and that is the best news to little ole me. I want to make babies with that tall, dark and handsome husband of mine. He is going to be the most amazing father.

So many changes coming up. So much to look forward to and to be nervous for. The only thing that is keeping me sane is that I am trying my best to do it according to God's plan and not rush everything. He has been so good to us and I can only hope that I show that love around.

I have an opportunity to sing on the music team at my church and I am SO EXCITED! I feel that God has been calling and I finally listened. We will see how it actually goes. But, I'm so giddy for what it could mean.

I hope to update more often. But, that is a silly hope because I probably won't. I suck. I know. :-)

.:Moving:.

The Pettersen's are moving. We currently live in Avalon Redmond Place where our lease is ending on February 28th. I got our notice on our door that we will need to give them 20 days notice if we are planning on staying or leaving and asked for a forwarding address. Whoops... We weren't planning on looking for an apartment until about two weeks before our lease end. We needed to step up our game a little.

Last Satuday we decided to take some time and go around to our favorite apartments on Bothell Everett Highway. We want to move to Bothell because that is where both of our families, our closest friends and our church are all located. I am more than willing to take the hour commute to be closer to everyone. It's so very worth it in my opinion.

We started at Providence. Too expensive, bad living room set up. Next was Madison Park. "Come back later." Then we went to Parklane Townhouses. BLEGH. Too expensive, too old. Then we went to Avalon RockMeadow which is where my brother and Lynnette live. "Come back later." So, we hung out in the parking lot for a spell before heading back to Madison Park. Now we're getting somewhere! The place was lovely. Just the right size. We were hoping for a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, but they didn't have that available. It was still a little more than we were willing to pay, so we left and hoped for the best at Avalon.

Now, we already live in an Avalon Community and I personally love it. They have been so great to us. We got there, sat down with Terri and talked shop. She had a two bedroom, one bath available now and another available literally the same day as our lease goes up, which was a little more expensive, but looked like our only option. Terri told us about the deal that was going on where you would get $500 off the first month's rent and said that she would be able to do that for us if we got the apartment that was open now. Problem is, we would NOT be able to pay for two apartments in February. Terri left to "see what she could do". She came back after Drew and I talked about options with a kicker. She would extend the deal on the first months rent out to February 11th, with the deal we would only have to pay just over $150 for the month of February. We handed over our security deposit right then. We sign the lease and get the keys on February 11th and as of February 12th we will be living in Bothell!