Look at this Face!!

How could we not love her to pieces....

Bath Time!

Audrey had her first full bath on Monday.  As you can see...she didn't exactly love it.  But, we know she will with time.  And, she smelled so good afterwards...it was completely worth a little screaming.  She did however really enjoy being all wrapped up in her hooded towel.  And of course, looked so cute doing it.

Sleeping

This is currently Audrey's favorite (and some nights, only) sleeping position.  We are trying to figure out how to get her down in her own bed for more than half an hour at a time.  But, like this, she'll sleep for 3 hours or more.  Just leaves little time for Mom to be sleeping at night. :)  Still love the cuddling though...

I Am Awake Sometimes Too...

The Boppy is too perfect for pictures...she's not really in it at all times.  Mostly...she's being held. : )  It's hard to take a picture with a baby in my arms.  I'm pretty sure these are Day 4 & 5.

We are still doing well.  We have been surprisingly enough getting more sleep than I thought that we would.  Jason is really good about letting me nap during the day and he gets to sleep through most of the night so it's been really nice.  Definitely not a full night and no more than 3 hours at one time, but I still feel pretty good.  Either it hasn't caught up with me yet, or I am just really lucky.  We did have a rough night the other night...the breastfeeding is a learning process...however, today has been SO much better and we are starting to catch on.  We also had our first outing yesterday to the Pediatrician's office.  I really like her.  Everything looks good....we'll go back again next week to get her weighed again.  Hopefully back up to her 9lbs.  In the meantime, the newborn size clothes are a perfect fit...I'm glad we've been able to use them...I had so many cute ones.  Although we did have to do our first load of laundry today...

I am a little sad because tomorrow is Jason's last day home with us. : (  It has been so awesome that he has been able to be home with us all week.  He'll work the weekend then be home Monday & Tuesday, so it's really not so bad.  His schedule is awesome for that.  Plus, it's going to give Grandma G a perfect opportunity to come hang out and help out.  That will be fun...for all of us.

Day 4

It's not all she does but sleep - but, how cute is she???

Three Days Old

Today it snowed - but, we are so nice and cozy warm at home so we didn't have to worry about it too much.

Grandma & Grandpa G came to get some baby-time and brought a delicious dinner for us.  It was really nice to have them here for the evening.  We are doing really great.  I can hardly take my eyes off my daughter.  My Daughter!!  She is absolutely perfect...I can't imagine anything much better than this.

Two Days Old - She's Home!

One Day Old

Baby's Here!

Our wait is over!!!!  :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Our beautiful baby girl, Audrey Nicole, was born yesterday at 4:46 pm.  She weighed in at 9lbs2oz and is 20 inches long.  She has just enough hair to not be bald, 10 long fingers, 10 perfect toes.

It took a little effort to get her here with us.  We came to the hospital Thursday night around 11pm as my water had actually broken this time.  Almost 18 hours of labor later...she was born!  The epidural came only 2 hours into it and was like magic.  Jason and I were both able to doze a little throughout the night and pushing finally started at 1:30.  3 hours of pushing later, I had our baby girl in my arms.  Greatest day ever.
I promise to post pictures sometime after we get home.  I make no promises when...

Lots of love...

Baby's Due!!

This is it...we've made it to our due date weekend.  And, yes, I am still at home, resting comfortably, and very well-rested I might add.  It seems I've actually been sleeping better than I have in a couple of months too, which is surprising, but very welcome as I know we should be getting all that we can now.  I wanted to walk today, but it got so cold and windy, I chickened out.  Maybe tomorrow when Jason is home, we can go walk together.  We did some walking at the mall and Target this week, so maybe some more of that will be in store...just to stay out of the cold.  And maybe I can get some Christmas shopping done.  I am unfortunately a last-minute shopper for the most part.  I like browsing around the first couple of weeks of December, getting ideas and what not and then getting everything all done in one day closer to Christmas.  I realize it would be wise of me to change my ways...especially this year, but I can't seem to get there quite yet.  Maybe tomorrow...

Our tree is up! : )  I love it!  It just seems to add a certain calm to the house having a Christmas tree up and lit.  The cats are of course loving it as well.  Luckily, not for climbing...but, as a hideout underneath.  I have found no ornaments on the ground either and it's been a couple of days, so we're doing good.  Next year will prove to be interesting with a one-year old and two cats.  We also added a stocking to our decor.  I like the look of three...four or five might be nice someday too. : )

One Innocent Cat

So, everything is ready for the baby...just waiting for the little girl to fill them in....Sam has decided to at least make our changing table useful in the meantime. This is where I found him today.  Looks so innocent doesn't he...

First Day Off Work

Today is officially my first day off work for maternity leave.  It feels strange to be home knowing that the office is going on right now without me.  Other than when I got married, I don't think I have even taken a full week off for anything in 5 years, so it's strange to not be there. I hope that they will miss me and be glad to have me back when the time comes, but I'm sure, life will go on as usual for them.

We had our 39-week check up at the Dr today.  The baby's heart sounds good and everything else is moving along as it should with some slight progress since last week.  Since the baby is at a good, healthy weight already and everything else is getting ready, induction would be an option.  However, I'm not so into it.  While I cannot wait to get my hands on this baby, I know she will come in her own good time, and I can at least wait another week or two in order to try to avoid longer labor and any stress on the little girl.  Plus, I am really not a bit miserable or too uncomfortable at this point...impatient, maybe.  But, I do feel pretty good physically.  Getting tired a little quicker, but other than that, I really have no complaints.  I have even been sleeping pretty good, other than the constant dreams of labor and doctors appointments that sometimes I have to question if that really happened or not.

If no labor this week, we will be at the Doctor's again next Monday for an ultrasound and non-stress test to double check on everything.  If everything looks ok...that is baby's health, weight and fluid levels, we may be waiting another week and then will have to induce if she decides she's just too comfortable in here.  We are crossing our fingers and toes though that we don't get that far......

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!  Jason and I have definitely missed being surrounded by family today, but have enjoyed a quiet day staying in.  We did have a tasty meal and watched the parade, a little of the dog show and a movie.  Tried going for a walk, but it started spitting rain, so that ended quickly.

I have had a little time to take inventory of the things I am thankful for this year...it includes just about everything! I have had so many blessings this year, I am overwhelmed and overjoyed.

1. God. He has given me more than I could ask for or imagine.  Everything I have is thanks to Him. His love and generosity is abundant and my relationship with Him keeps getting better and better.  I have learned to trust him and his plans for me even more over the past year or so. Every challenge that I face, every worry that I have becomes easier with Him.
2. For Jason.  He is a better husband than I ever could have imagined or hoped for.  He has become my best friend and the greatest supporter of me and everything I do.  I am so blessed and am more in love with him every day.  He is going to be a great father too and I can hardly wait to see him with our baby girl in his arms.
3. For the beginning of our family.  As I patiently await the arrival of our baby, I can't help but feel so lucky to have had the chance to experience this.  To "grow a human."  And that this pregnancy has also been so uneventful and we have been healthy and happy.
4. Health, healing and safety for many people that I love and hold dearly. 
5. For all of our family and friends.  As every year, the support and love that they show has been incredible. We really do miss seeing everyone this weekend, but next year...we get to add to the festivities with a little more family to love.

A False Alarm

So, last night, we had our first experience at the hospital in the labor and delivery triage.  Unfortunately, we didn't get any further than the triage as I was not in full labor. : (   I was, however, having regular contractions, just not strong enough to get us anywhere.  I was also having a great deal of still unexplained pain along the left side of my stomach.  I know labor is going to be painful, but I can't imagine it being much worse than this pain that I was having.  So, I got nervous, and it was also coupled with the fact that I had somehow convinced myself that my water might have broken, it just wasn't obvious.  The Dr told us last time the baby's head is very low and I have read that the head can sometimes act as a "cork" so the water only leaks very slowly...and my last two friends that had babies weren't sure their water broke....So, we went to the hospital and stayed for close to 4 hours hooked up to a monitor before they sent us home to wait it out.

On the bright side...we now know exactly where to go and how things will go when we get there.  I also know what the IV feels like (they gave me some fluids last night).  We also got to listen to our precious baby's heart beating for a good 3 hours, which was cool.  She also had hiccups, which was very cute.

I am still having some contractions today, but again, not strong enough to get worried or head to the hospital yet again.
Today was meant to be my last day of work also, but because of the pain starting while I was at work yesterday, they called in a replacement for me today.  So, one day short of my goal of working until Thanksgiving.  Not too bad I guess.  Instead, Jason and I are hanging out at home and taking it easy.  We rented a Christmas movie to watch and may head out to buy a little turkey for us for tomorrow.
(A Turkey Day surprise...I just found out that Mom has replicated my Grandma's cranberry salad recipe - which I cannot wait to get a spoon into!!!  My mouth is watering so much right now for that delicious taste.)

Crib in Waiting and a Belly Shot

38 Weeks

38 weeks today!  It would be a beautiful weekend to have a baby...perfect fall weather and Jason and I are both off work. : )  Went to the Dr yesterday and she said she would not be surprised to see us this weekend either.  And she's on call, so, even better.  The baby is lying very low right now and seems ready to be born...I'm also a centimeter dilated.  She's gotten a little quieter since she has no room to grow anymore, so maybe that will help things along also.  The Dr estimated her to be about 8lbs right now, which sounds just about perfect.
In the meantime, Jason and I are taking it easy around home today and will be going for a little walk here shortly.   Tomorrow is the Michigan game.  We are going to BW3 to watch the game with some friends.  It should be a fun day.  It's nice to have a weekend off.  (Although we could definitely stand some excitement for the right reason.)  

Cupcakes Cupcakes Everywhere

I just couldn't resist it once I found it. : ) There was no stopping it. Like my new background??  Just waiting for our little cupcake...

37 Weeks Today

We had our 37-week check up today at the Dr's. Everything is looking good - baby's heartbeat is strong and she's still head down. The nurse estimated her to be about 7 1/2 pounds at this point - so, we should be having a good, healthy 8-9 pound baby if things continue.

I have been having what seem to be intermittent contractions. Definitely nothing painful, but it means my body is getting ready. No dilating yet, but I am 50% effaced which is a good sign.

Jason is worried the baby will come on or before Monday. (He's headed north for his annual Browns game) Looks like he'll be in luck...it's probably going to be at least another week or more.

And lucky for me, just in case things happen to progress quickly this weekend - Mom will be here to keep me company while Jason is gone. :) And she's making me meatloaf! Yummm.... I can hardly wait!!

Showered

We feel so Loved.

We had a baby shower this past Sunday. It was wonderful. Melissa, of course, went with a "Cupcake" theme due to her nickname which continued with the invites above. She designed them herself - she is so so cute. So many friends and family joined in to "shower" our little family with love and gifts for our yet-to-be-born baby girl.

The party was complete with punch, cupcakes and jelly bellies. It was a little reminiscent of our wedding day in that way...the cupcakes even came from the very same bakery - compliments of my very good friend Nikki. :) The biggest difference were the pink booties on top.

Here are our baby girl's first-time Grandmas...including a first-time "great". They look so beautiful and are already so in love with the little girl...

You can see more pictures from the fun day here.

I am so overwhelmed with love and thankfulness, I can't even seem to find the words to say thank you enough to everyone that was involved...to all of you that came...and all of you that show me so much love on a daily basis. I'm having a hard time not getting incredibly emotional even as I sit here writing this. So many people have been so supportive of me and generous to us throughout this journey. I thank God every day for all of the wonderful people in my life...for all of you. For blessing our lives first with all of you and now with this baby to add to our joy. He is so good.

We have three weeks left until our due date. The big day could be any day now I guess. We see our Dr again on Friday to check for any progress and the plan is to get our bag packed tonight just in case...

And yes, I do know what they say...first one usually comes at the due date or later and that will, of course, be ok and wonderful. But, I was born 3 weeks early, so I plan on being prepared. I am a planner of course and the unknown doesn't sit well with me, so I will do what I can now and wait as patiently as I can until the big day comes. Although, we can hardly wait. : )

Moving

I am right now sitting in our glider in our new baby's nursery / guest room. The crib is not put together just yet...but, it will be by the end of this weekend. It's peaceful here and I love it at our new place. It already feels like home. We have a couch for starters...and it's awesome. :) Plus, it is ours. Neither one of us has any history of roommates or time not together here. It feels like "our first place." We now share a closet and a bathroom, which is new in our marriage. (Yes, we've been incredibly spoiled and so far, so good.) We have an awesome view. I am so close to work that I get to come home and spend my lunch hour with my husband instead of with a book in my car. Even though we're close to everything (and I do mean everything) it feels like we're somewhere else. The cats are loving it and have already adjusted quite well even if moving day got a little stressful for them (Sam anyway) We have a baby room!! And, best of all, this is the place that we get to welcome our child and call home. I love it here.

We had an AMAZING crew to get us here as well. I've never seen a group of people work so well and efficiently together. They were amazing...there's really no other words needed to describe it. And, we are so grateful to them all. I know I couldn't do a whole lot, but it was, in my opinion the best moving day I could imagine. (Not just because I didn't do any lifting - I promise.) So, here is another HUGE thank you to Mom & Dad, Dan & Ellen, Sarah & Justin and to Carrie & Allan (with 8-week old Adrian) and Melissa too for hanging out. It was such a great day. I have so much love for you all.

Stay tuned for pictures...

What I'm Thinking

1. It's hard to be comfortable without a couch. I can hardly wait for next week.

2. I think there are a hundred things I could be doing right now, but I can't seem to come up with even one at the moment, so I'm blogging.

3. Jason is going out for all-you-can-eat sushi tonight with a friend. I miss sushi. (I know it's gross to some, but I do like it.) Jason will be taking me out for sushi in January. :)

4. I will probably be eating Mom's defrosted homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner. (Yum) Maybe it will help ward off H1N1.

5. Lots of people seem to be getting sick these days. I'm tired of feeling crazy about sicknesses.

I'm glad I don't have to put my hands in any mouths for 3 days even though we do practice "universal precautions" at all times - even when there's not a lot of flu going around. I do feel pretty safe at work, even given what I do and all.

6. There has been more Lysol sprayed in my office this week than ever before. It smells a little like toilet. :/ (FYI - we use much stronger disinfectant on a normal basis, the Lysol is just an added protector.)

7. I had lunch today at the Olive Garden. I think it's so good there - I forgot. I might be going there more often now.

8. Lunch was with my friend Brandy. It was great! I've missed her.

9. My Mom is supposed to be coming tomorrow to hang out with me and help get the apartment ready. The weather is not looking so good right now though. :( They are talking about snow on the news right now. The snow plow drivers have a "snow rodeo" practicing driving around obstacles and getting graded on it. Looks like fun.

10. I do love snow. (Just not driving in it)

11. I am looking forward to our baby girl seeing snow for the first time.

12. I'm thinking about Christmas a lot lately. Partly because I have a feeling the next 2 months are going to go really fast. And partly because my entire family gets to all be together for the first time in a long while. (Nick & Danielle are coming home! With baby on the way!) It's going to be great.

13. Our cats are quite affectionate lately, but I think it's just because they are cold.

14. Right now, I'm watching my belly bounce - this baby is getting strong! Sometimes, I still think she's trying to bust out. I will love having her out, but I do think I might miss being pregnant a little too.

A Fun Video

I just found this video from a year and a half ago and wanted to share. :) Oh, how I love my family and my family's parties. : ) Enjoy.

A Couch

Today, Jason sold our couch (in a day!). We have already ordered a new couch, but it will be delivered to our new place in 2 weeks. So, for now, we get to sit side-by-side in a recliner and a glider with a table in between us. I feel a little bit as though we are like one of those old married couples on TV.

We are very excited for our new couch though. It gives plenty of comfortable seating for us and baby and all of those that may come visiting once baby is here.

So, yes, we are moving in 2 weeks. We are quite excited. The new apartment is much closer for both of us to get to work and closer to just about anything else you could ever want...shopping, restaurants, parks, etc. It's a little newer than where we are now with high ceilings and a fantastic view. We've started moving a little over already and will be officially moved on the 24th of this month. Should give us just enough time to get ready for our new arrival. : )

A 32-week Belly Shot

Here I am again. In comfy clothes after a long, hot day at work.

Growing fast. 8 more weeks to go.

Cupcakes

Some of you may be aware of this, some may not. My dear sister has nick-named our baby-to-be "Cupcake." I will be honest, there is nothing I do not love about cupcakes. The perfect amount of cake that you don't even have to use a fork to eat. Melissa brought us to a specialty cupcake shop in Seattle for "gourmet" cupcakes. We also had cupcakes at our wedding on a 6-foot cupcake tower. :) Recently, my Aunt Sharon brought me a beautiful hand-painted cake stand with cupcakes on it that I got to use last week. Our little "Cupcake" already has a couple of little outfits with cupcakes on them, and this very cute onesie from her very sweet Aunt Melissa stating she is "Cupcake of the Month".

cupcake onesie

wedding cupcakes

cupcake plate

A Shower at Work

Yesterday, the girls at work surprised me with a baby shower during our lunch break! There was quite a spread...

pulled bbq pork, fruit, veggies, chips & dip, a salad and these fantastic cupcakes from a specialty cupcake bakery. (They were SO delicious!!)

They got us our crib bedding...Winnie the Pooh. So cute, so fun and so neutral. I just love it and can hardly wait to get it all set up. We're moving at the end of this month, so check back for pictures of the baby's new room soon after that.

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest was this past weekend. We had practically perfect October weather for it too. Cool, but not too cold and it didn't rain. This year was a little bit of a different experience for me walking around with a baby belly. But, still, oh so much fun. It is very possible that this is my number one event to look forward to year after year. It was great to see lots of friends and some family, enjoy the cool fall weather and of course the food. Mmm..mmm...mmm. Maybe not the best food choices through the weekend for me, but so delicious. Giant tenderloins, brats and sauerkraut, soft pretzels, funnel cakes, lots of water, and of course...breakfast at Mom & Dad's!! (At midnight!) It's a yearly tradition and always the perfect end to a night in the park. Friday night was bacon, eggs and toast and Saturday was scrambled eggs and pancakes. My favorite meal of the day made by the best breakfast makers I know. :)

Next year will be a different kind of Oktoberfest with Mom & Dad moving across town and of course, us having a baby. I am already looking forward to it. (I'm just hoping breakfast will still be happening.)

Check out more pictures from the festivities on Jason's Flikr site here

A Workday Surprise

Today was Monday, my least favorite of all the days.

Usually a very busy day (and my longest day) at work while my handsome husband sleeps in and enjoys his day off. Today, that very handsome husband made my week. He showed up with a dozen roses and a pint of my favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream (Triple Caramel Chunk) in the middle of my busy day.

Currently, those roses sit on my windowsill at work to brighten my days...

...and as for the ice cream...it's waiting in my freezer to brighten my nights. :)

FYI - Yes, that is a pumpkin girl in my window. And, no, that was not my idea. I know fall starts tomorrow and I am very excited about that, but I still think it's a little too early for pumpkinheads.

Another belly shot

As requested....
My 29 weeks and 2 days pregnant belly.

She's getting bigger (and stronger) every day. : )

A Farewell to Summer

The leaves are changing and the nights and mornings are cool...my favorite season is upon us. (At least I hope so.) We are getting quite spoiled by this beautiful weather lately aren't we? I am loving every bit of it and am going to really be loving it the cooler it gets outside. 70 degrees top is ideal. I love jeans and sweatshirts and all the smells of fall...pumpkin, spice, cinnamon, all of it. To be honest, I can't think of anything that I don't like about fall. And next... the snow, the fires, the cozy sweaters and fleece pants. And this year, a newborn to cuddle with, which makes it all that much more exciting. :)

(11 weeks to go by the way)

We said farewell to summer last weekend with a boat ride with Mom & Dad on the smoothest looking lake I've seen all summer long. The sun was hot but the air was cool and it was a beautiful day. Just look at how blue that sky was!

We also were able to enjoy a night of OSU football and good eats with many members of my family last weekend. Well, the men watched the game, and us ladies sat inside and enjoyed each other's company. I enjoyed myself very much as did our baby girl as she was kept awake and lively for most of the night. (You may understand why if you have ever been so lucky as to spend an evening with a group of my aunts and cousins.) I hope that our baby always feels as lucky as I do to be born into a family like this. Loud? maybe at times. Fun? Always. I pray that we may always stay as close as we all are now. Speaking of which...I get to enjoy a visit from some of them tomorrow.

My New Favorite Thing to Do

I've just realized...my most recent favorite thing to do is coming home to a quiet house, sitting on our recliner and watching my belly bounce. :) I don't get to do it every day, but when I do, it makes for a very good day. Our little lady never seems to be quite as active as when it's just me and her relaxing after a day of work. She's getting bigger, and some days, I'm pretty sure she's just trying to bust her way out, while others, it's awfully still in there.

Lucky for me, today is not one of the still days. I love every wiggle, wave, kick and whatever else she might be doing in there. Soon enough, she'll be running out of room and I'm sure pressing a little harder on my bladder, but I think I'll still love it. I've heard that sometimes, late in pregnancy, you might even make out the shape of a tiny foot as it presses across the belly. So weird, yet so very cool.

12 weeks to go.....

A Fun Food-filled Weekend

This weekend, we had houseguests. :) Jason's parents came down from up north to visit with us for the weekend and it was so nice. We stayed pretty busy but it almost seems like all we did was eat! Jason and I skipped a regular dinner all together this evening just to help us catch up.

It all started Friday afternoon soon after their arrival with a stop to Noodles & Co. These little restaurants have been popping up all around us in the past 6 months or so. It is just as the name implies, lots of noodles. They're categorized by Asian, American and Mediterranean and they also have a couple of different salads and soups to choose from. You pick your size bowl, your noodle, add a protein (meat) or veggie if you wish and they make it to order. It's quite delicious and decently priced. I highly recommend trying it if you ever get a chance.

After the late lunch, we headed home to just chill for awhile, do a little catching up and of course to show off our pile of acquired baby items to my MIL.

As planned, once we decided we could eat again, Jason set to work on his delicious fish tacos which I talked about a couple of entries ago. Again, of course, delicious. Especially when Jason is cooking.

Our original plans got rained out for Friday evening as some storms came through the area, so we ended up watching the Food Network and the news before calling it a night.

Saturday morning, we got up and ready and headed down to Hocking Hills State Park for some hiking and sight-seeing. Jason and I went camping down there in June, but skipped the hiking. However, back in January, we stayed in an awesome cabin on Jason's birthday for the weekend and did some winter hiking. It was freezing, but beautiful! (And we had to borrow a 4-wheel drive to handle all the hills out there) Check out some serious ice here. It's a nice way to spend a beautiful day outside of the city. My family used to do camping trips out there too while growing up, but it never gets old. It's so cool to see all the sites...and free!

So, then, of course, we had to have lunch. What better after a day in the hills then some Amish cooking at The Olde Dutch Restaurant. Of course, we all had to get the buffet, so then, we were again stuffed. But, not without room for some ice cream. :) (I had Superman - anybody remember that flavor?? Delicious!)

After getting home and a little r&r, Jason had a great idea for dinner. We had reservations, so we hit the bookstore for a little while first, then headed to Benihana for a delicious dinner with a show. Benihana is a Japanese Steakhouse/hibachi-style dining that just opened up near us as well. After a short wait, we had our seats around the hibachi grill and enjoyed our approximately 6-course dinner. (It definitely felt like it anyway) Unfortunately, dessert at The Cheesecake Factory across the sidewalk was out of the question. (As a side-note, our little baby girl also thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Benihana - or at least all the noise. Jason got some very serious kick-time in during dinner) After dinner, we rolled out and rolled home to enjoy a bit of The Santa Clause on TV. (I LOVE Christmas movies!!)

Breakfast being out of the question today, we headed to church then were hungry enough for a little lunch at The California Pizza Kitchen. Also another tasty place with probably close to 20 different types of pizza. You can get just about anything on your pizza there from basic pepperoni or hawaiian to goat cheese & roasted peppers. They also have a few sandwiches and salads, but I always get the pizza. Then we did a little window shopping before our houseguests had to call it a weekend and make the trek back up north.

We definitely enjoyed the company and the weekend. We also probably do not need to eat out again for the next month or so. ;) I imagine the next time Jason's parents will both be in town to see us will be for the arrival of their first grandchild. It's hard to believe. Luckily though, we will be headed up their direction at least once before that day comes. Also, I imagine their next visit will involve much less dining out and much more eating in... hospital food anyone?? :-/

A "Baby Boutique"

So, my mother-in-law (MIL) is the Queen of garage sale-ing. (at least in my opinion) She is actually out sale-ing it up right now. :) She always seems to find the best stuff too. I, on the other hand, have never had much luck at all, and to be honest, have not had all that much interest in trying harder. Until now... Now I have a reason to shop. :) I normally have a hard time shopping anywhere that there is not the utmost organization. Places like TJ Max, etc have never been places that I enjoy going, although I know that you can really get some of the best deals there. I think it's partially an OCD thing, maybe a little bit of ADD - I'm not sure. I just can't ever seem to focus. I have had the same problem with garage sales...the lack of focus. But, I am working on it.

The Rec Center across from my office has what they call a "baby boutique." People rent space and they fill two gyms with garage sale type stuff. It's big and crazy and they even have a shuttle that drives people to the parking lot across the street. There was one in June that I missed. But, luckily, they had another one, so I decided to brave the sales today. I am glad that I did.

I didn't get any big stuff, but I did find lots of very fun outfits. (24 to be exact - for less than 20 dollars) Some of them were only 50 cents!! My personal favorite is one Sleep Bag...Christmas style...brand new, tags still on for 50 cents!! I can hardly wait to put it on our little cupcake.

I was also so lucky this weekend to have mom and my sister come to hang with me for the day. We did some very serious maternity shopping, as I was definitely needing some clothes. And, I have to say, thanks to some pushing from my mom to try on certain items, I now have myself quite a wardrobe to get me through the next three months. (And hopefully some of the next couple of pregnancies as well.) :) I was having a bit of a hard time finding maternity stuff, as it seemed like most of it is all online now and I need to try stuff on! JCPenney's was the answer to this dilemna and surprisingly an amazing success with everything more than 50% off! Woo-hoo! Thank you Mom & Melissa for a great day!

A Delicious Dinner

Jason has perfected a Weight Watcher recipe that we once tried. "Fish Stick Soft Tacos" Maybe the best dish ever. Not sound so good?? You must try it to believe just how good it can be.

I prefer mine on flour tortillas and Jason likes corn. We top them with the fish sticks, a little cheddar cheese, fresh sliced avocado, a little bean & corn salsa, broccoli slaw (or lettuce), and Jason's "special" sauce. (Which is sour cream, lime juice and

paprika)

They are seriously so amazing! We could probably eat them nearly every day. And, are always happy for an excuse to make them - so, if you ever want to come over for dinner - just let us know!

A 24-Week Pregnant Belly

Here it is folks. My 6-month pregnant belly shot. Cute, right?? Most days I think so too. ; ) I can hardly believe I've got 3 more months of growing to do!!

A Weekend Off

I hope everyone is enjoying the 90 degree weather we're having. :) I, myself, am most definitely counting down the days to fall. (For more reasons than usual now of course.) I don't recall ever really being a huge fan of the summer. Well, mostly, I mean, the heat. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE all the fun things there are to do in the summer. Days at the lake, cookouts, suntans, my birthday etc. I just wish it could stay at 80 degrees or less. Really, 60-70 is more my style. Fall has been my favorite season for as long as I can remember. I love sweaters and jeans weather. Plus, all the great smells of fall that there are to look forward to...and now, of course, our little angel gets to come into the world at the end of my favorite season. Heading into a cozy winter. The thought is making me cooler already.

Speaking of our angel...she's doing quite well. Growing bigger and stronger every day. I've been feeling her moving around a lot more this past week or so and I think it's just a matter of timing now so that Jason can feel her in there as well. I just felt her kicking from the outside just the other day, so hopefully soon.

So, we have a weekend off this weekend. No work, no traveling, nothing we had to do at all. It's rare with Jason working every other weekend that we just get to enjoy the time off at home. It's also hard to not make plans to go somewhere or do something. I think it is also good for us to stay home every once in awhile. I do enjoy it, even though we do miss seeing everyone.

Yesterday, we had a Dr appointment, then lunch, then Baby Registries! Jason was quite the trooper being willing to go out and do all of that with me. I think it was pretty fun, and now we have all kinds of "stuff" picked out, it seems like she'll be here that much sooner. I feel somehow more prepared even though we don't have much of anything yet.

Today, we went to the Latino Festival downtown hoping to get some tasty tacos for lunch, but we opted for our favorite spot in the Short North for lunch instead. (It ended up being cheaper going to a sit down place for lunch than buying the festival food!) While it was incredibly warm out, it was fun to get downtown again. It's been awhile for me. Tonight we have some friends coming to town to go to dinner, so that will be fun as well.

Tomorrow....church and then, whatever we feel like doing. :) It's great!

I hope everyone else is enjoying their weekends. I hope to be getting some belly shots on here again soon - it's definitely looking pregnant now. (only 16 weeks to go!!)

A Few Common Questions

On average, I see about 10 patients a day. That's 10 mouths, 10 tongues and 10 personalities. I work for a general dentist, which means, we see pretty much everyone and anyone. Overall, it's really great. Overall, I get to know a lot of people and families, and that is my favorite part. I will be at this practice for 5 years as of this December. Even though I only get to see most of my patients once every 6 months (for the good mouths-haha) you can really feel like you get to know someone in that time and really look forward to seeing them again. This is my favorite part of being a dental hygienist.

So, in getting to see on average 10 people every day to small talk or catch up with, I get to talk about babies a lot. Specifically now that I'm showing a bit, my baby. Here is what I have determined to be the top five questions and answers I get on a daily basis...

(these not just from patients of course, probably these are the top five questions I have asked expectant moms as well, and also maybe some questions some of you may have as well)

1. Do you know what you're having?

Thankfully, Yes! It's a girl!!

2. Any names picked out yet?

Actually, yes, now we do. We are trying it on for a few weeks before we decide to share though.

3. Have you been feeling good?

I have. I feel incredibly fortunate and blessed. A little more tired at times, but overall, I really cannot complain.

4. Any cravings or aversions?

Not really. I do get a little of the when I want it, I want it now moments, but no major cravings or aversions. I will say the only one thing that has been a little odd thus far is every time I see a KFC commercial, I am pretty sure I need it. That I have never seen anything that looked more delicious. I don't even really like fried chicken so I have not given into this one just yet although I have come close. I did have to have some chicken wings with mom & dad one night to help a little. Not quite the same, but, they were the tastiest wings I've had to date.

5. Are you going to continue working?

The answer to this is yes. I would be mostly crazy not to I think. I only work about 28 hours per week. That's four days. Jason gets to be home 2 of those 4 days with our little bundle. (That means only 2 days of childcare needed) One of the biggest draws for me in picking my career is that it is so flexible and wonderful for family life, which is so important to me. I have an excellent schedule and I would miss seeing a lot of the people and families I have come to know these past (almost) 5 years. I like to think maybe some of them might even miss me.

There are always more, but I feel these are the most common. I could talk about baby all day, so of course, I don't mind so much.

A Girly Picture :)

It's official...we're having a girl!!!! :):):):):):):):)

Not only that, but an apparently happy, healthy baby girl that weighs in at about 1 pound. It was so awesome to see her on Friday. Her tiny toes and fingers and even a yawn or two.

Now if only we could decide on a name....

Here are some girly pictures. A wave hello and tiny baby feet.

We love, love, love it!

An update

So....we showed up for our Dr appointment last Friday only to be told we had to reschedule our ultrasound!!! What?!?!! This must be a joke...we were too excited to see the baby. The ultrasound technician did not come to work. :( I had to work really hard not to break down in tears. It wasn't even entirely about finding out pink or blue...I just wanted to see the little bean and how much he or she had grown in 11 weeks since our last picture. After my regular check-up (which was all good), the Dr was so kind as to let us have a quick ultrasound, just not the full exam that we were scheduled for. So, we did get to see the baby! It was quite awesome....well beyond awesome really to see it swimming around in there. Little tiny hands and feet and some yawning or something that looked like it. Maybe just shouting "Hello Mom & Dad!" :):):) And we also got to see a very good looking umbilical cord....right between the baby's legs. So, the sex of our child remains a mystery. We are however going to get another chance as we have to reschedule the full ultrasound for another day.

I have been feeling our little bean kicking around a little bit lately. It seems to be getting stronger and I noticed it a lot more today. We can both hardly wait for Jason to be able to feel it too. The Dr said it would probably be another month or so for that. We are both very excited for that day to come.

An Irresistable Purchase

Hallmark comes out with their Keepsake Ornaments every year in July. I've never been a huge fan of them, although they usually have some cute ones. However, after working there, I have a new appreciation, and enjoyed my discount last year, so, now I want to keep up with the collection. I had to go check them out the other day...and I could not resist this one...

it was too perfect.

I can hardly wait for Christmas!

A Birthday Weekend

I had a lovely birthday last Sunday. Thank you to all of you who called, sent cards, emailed or texted! I loved hearing from you! I hope I will get to talk to you all soon.Mom & Dad and Dan & Ellen came into town and took me out to Texas Roadhouse for a very tasty birthday lunch. (yummy) Luckily Jason was even able to sneak out of work for a bit and join us! It was quite wonderful to have people I love share the day with me. I even got to talk to Melissa and even Nick for awhile later on in the day from so far away.

Saturday night, a couple of our friends came over for a very fun game night. We definitely need to do more game nights. We have tons of games...anyone that might be interested in taking us on, please let us know! We love playing and I especially love getting the chance to see some of you. Here are a few of our gaming options...

Last Friday, I got to go to the zoo with 4 girlfriends from high school and 4 of their very cute children. It was incredibly hot, but also incredibly fun hanging out, catching up and getting to see the kids. The oldest of the 4 kids (my Goddaughter) is turning 3 this weekend. Happy B-Day Avery!! It's hard to believe. I will be very excited to be pushing around my own stroller next summer when we hopefully do this again. The questions is, will it be pink or blue?? We find out Friday....stay tuned.....more baby pictures coming soon. :):):)

Oh - and also so exciting.... We have a crib! My wonderful friend and co-hygienist, Rhonda, was able and willing to hand down theirs from her son Max who is 4. It looks super nice and I can hardly wait to get it all put together. She also gave us a gliding rocker with an ottoman which I know is going to come in very handy. (The cats already really love it) Thank you SO much Rhonda!! And thank you to Mom & Dad for helping me pick it up on Sunday! What a great bonus to a birthday!

Jason got me this t-shirt. (Best when read aloud)

A Camping Weekend

Here are some scenes from our camping weekend. We had a pretty good time although it ended up raining on Saturday and Sunday. :( Silly weatherman. Why do we ever believe him? The site was not all that it appeared to be on their website. Unfortunately, we had only port-o-johns (5 total for 50 sites) and the showers we were supposed to use had been condemned!!! Poor Ellen on her first camping trip. She was quite the trooper though I will have to say. There were other showers, so luckily we did get cleaned up after canoeing on Saturday. So, we had two gigantic tents for the four of us so that took up the majority of our site. We were also supposed to be "riverside" camping where we were told we could actually swim and fish from our site. Not true. We were actually on a bit of a cliff overlooking the river. It was private though...we could not see our neighbors...we wished that we could not hear them though after dark.

We definitely had some great eats throughout the weekend. Lots of delicious treats, especially thanks to Ellen's Fruity Pebble Treats and Chex Mix. We made hobo packs, Grandma G's Oven Ham Sandwiches and corn on the cob cooked on a fire (yum!!), eggs and bacon one morning and Shake'n Pour Bisquick pancakes with fire-roasted brats the next.

Saturday, we went canoing on the river after breakfast which was quite fun. The river was an

incredibly busy place being the 4th of July. We planned on hopping on a train to go see the fireworks in the valley, but once the rain started, we ended up throwing that idea out. Instead

we headed into town to possibly check out a movie but missed the showtimes so we headed to Damon's for appetizers and were able to watch DC's and NYC fireworks on the bi

g screen. We didn't miss out entirely on the fireworks and were actually able to catch a pretty good show before heading back to the campsite for the night.

Packing up in the mud and rain is never fun, but went quite fast. Dan was a pro at keeping the fire up by the end of the weekend, the best fire we had was actually probably during the rain. Good job Dan!

Overall, it was a great trip with great people. Dan and Ellen were fun as always to hang with. Thanks for joining us guys! We will definitely do it again sometime. Maybe we should even bring more people to fill up our big tents. ;) (Sorry I don't have pictures of those - they are definitely worth seeing)

Sometimes, the third time's the charm.