Almost time!

Hello all! I apologize I know there's been a bit of a radio silence lately...we've been pretty busy getting ready for Belle! And I'm sure a part of it had to do with my reluctance to post more belly pictures like everyone has been demanding! Haha...jk...sort of. Well everyone should be happy because not only is this a status update, but I have fun ultrasound pics to post (4-D...very neat!) AND I finally broke down and took some belly pictures now that she's literally about to burst out at any moment :) Well that's what it feels like anyway...

I know the belly pics are not top quality...self-portraits while trying to fit a ginormous belly in the tiny screen are a little difficult to manuever :) But it's better than nothing...should appease all of you who have been hounding me! I know you do it with love...so I forgive you haha

As for when I'm going to FINALLY pop this kid out!!!?! Well the due date is still New Year's Eve...and I'm starting to think she'll stay in there until New Year's Day just to spite me :) My doc said if I haven't had her by the 1st she'll induce me (which does nothing for us in the way of the tax break...thanks DOC! :)) This pregnancy has definitely been educational in teaching me firsthand that the baby will come when SHE wants...no matter how many gentle, or not-so-gentle nudges you give her! I've tried it all ladies, had my doc strip my membranes (painful and ineffective), power-walks which turned into a full-on jog last night out of desparation (very uncomfortable with my gargantuan belly, but once again inefffective), and we've also tried (REPEATEDLY) what many labor and delivery nurses call a "home induction" use your imagination on that one I want to keep this blog "G-rated" :o) So we're waiting for Annabelle to pick her moment. I know God is using this to teach me I can't control everything...a lesson that I'm obviously slow to pick up on :) Hopefully the next entry will be my first as a Mommy! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!! XOXOXOX

Belle's Nursery!

I was originally planning on going with the brown and pink combo for Annabelle's nursery...and I was searching for the PERFECT bedding for her crib.  Surprisingly enough, even though this is probably the most popular color combo right now and there are a plethora of options to choose from, I couldn't find one that I felt like Annabelle absolutely HAD to have :)  Haha...maybe it's a first time mom thing but I am really passionate about being IN LOVE with her nursery!

Soooo...I just while continuing my seemingly endless search I discovered a set that I loved so much, I registered for it right away and I decided to change my colors to match it!  Here's a preview of what I have planned for Belle...hope she loves it as much as I do!!

Alright, alright...here's a bump picture already! :)

I have been harassed by everyone I know to post a baby bump picture!  So finally, by popular demand, here it is.  I always thought the whole, photograph the bump as it grows idea was a super cute idea....until it involved me that is :)  haha...I've now realized that the concept is WAY cuter when its someone else's escalating weight and multiplying chins you're recording!  

Also one thing I definitely did not get the memo on is, the whole "belly bump" term is a misnomer.  Yes, your belly grows (and that part is actually cute and really fun).  However, no one fully explained that you don't just get a belly bump (unless you're a freak of nature, and if you are I'm afraid we can no longer be friends! :))  Along with this belly bump comes an additional 25-35% body fat, evenly distributed throughout the whole body.  Arms, face, neck, sides, THIGHS, BUTT, and even your ankles (or cankles rather) don't get left out!  So if you have not yet been pregnant, consider yourself forewarned!!!  haha...I wish I had read this post before so I would have been more mentally prepared :)

Why my tiny, now 2 pound baby girl needs all these extra fat stores I have no idea...However, it's her show and whatever she needs is exactly what she'll get!!  It's all about Annabelle, and all joking about my vanity aside, I feel SO unbelievably blessed and fortunate to get to be a momma soon!

Annabelle says hello...

Haha, well right after Brian claimed that Belle wouldn't kick him cause she knew better she made him eat his words! That's my girl :) Possibly in a preview of a willful personality...just a few nights later she kicked her dad her the first time! This time he put his hand on my stomach and we both think she will stop, then Brian suprisedly exclaims, "Hey I felt that!! (couple seconds later).....And that!!"

Well in just about 20 weeks everyone will get to meet the newest Peter, Annabelle Sue!! :) We had our 2nd trimester ultrasound and where we heard the fateful words, "It's a girl!" So this weekend I cleaned out our computer/junk room (the latter adjective was MUCH more fitting.) It was an all-day project and now we have an empty room to fill with pink, white, and chocloate brown stuff!



Annabelle (who we'll call Belle for short) has taken to kicking me, which is very fun! However, without fail every time I call Brian over to feel her kicks she stops! Haha, Brian says it's cause she knows when he comes around she better settle down. Oh yeah...sounds like quite the disciplinarian...just wait till she looks up at him with her big eyes, we'll see how tough he isthen! :)

A Belle Foot :)

She hid her face from us the whole time!!

2nd ultrasound and update!

O.k. so I have defintately been slacking on my blogging! I've had these ultrasound pictures from week 12 ultrasound for quite some time and have been meaning to post them...so here they are finally! This one actually turned out to be a suprise ultrasound...I was under the impression from my doctor that it was just going to be a blood test. So I told Brian, who was off that day and totally could have come, not to come :( Then I walk into this perinatal office that has all the high-tech, state of the art gadgets and equipment, big flat screen on the wall in front of you so you can see the ultrasound, machine that takes pictures, plays audio, and makes a DVD of the whole thing!! I was bummed that Brian missed this one, but figured at least I'll have the pictures and the DVD. That is until I lost the DVD somewheere between the doctor's office and my car (who does that?) and the pictures didn't come out nearly as clear or good as the actual ultrasound looked :(

However, luckily it's almost time for our second trimester ultrasound and my doctor sent me back to this same office with all the bells and whistles!! Most importantly, Brian WILL be in attendance :) So this time it will be an even better ultrasound since our little one is more developed now, and I promise not to lose the DVD this time! Holding onto it will be Brian's job :) Haha...so August 6th is the big day!! And we're going to find out the sex too ...good thing too cause I don't think Brian could wait much longer!

So the good thing about me taking so long to post the pictures is kind of a good thing, because now you guys will only be in suspense for less than a week until even better pictures are up!!

Happy Father's Day!

Brian had his first Father's Day this week! Unfortunately, it fell on a B shift and he had to work. So after we had gone to bed on Saturday night, I snuck out into the garage and created a beautiful aesthetic display of his gifts, with a card artfully placed on top. (Those of you who know me know is wishful thinking because I have absolutely NO artistic abilities whatsoever! Haha, but bottom line I tried to make it pretty!) Well a lot of good that did me, because the next morning as I'm anxiously awaiting a phone call to hear what Brian thought of his gifts...I get a text from Brian saying, "Thanks for the card!" To which I reply, "What about the presents!!?!" Haha...being the gracious wife that I am. Brian asked me what I was talking about...and I told him that I had left his presents, UNDERNEATH the card he picked up from the seat :) He went back to the car, and finally discovered his Father's Day present!


So the moral of the story is, be more observant or habitually keep a tidy car (something I clearly do not do) if you want surprise presents to be found in it...depending on your point of view of course :) Either way, Happy Father's Day to my amazing husband...and soon to be amazing daddy!! The first of many to come :) (Hopefully next one's not a B shift!)

Yep, those are little fire engines and ladders :)

First Ultrsound!

It took me a little while to get this scanned in, but I have our first ultrasound picture!! It's from my first appointment at 8 weeks. It's crazy how small he/she is now, compared to how it'll be in about 6 months! :) I know it's hard to see, but if you look towards the right side of the picture, there a little circular spot that's darker than the rest of the baby's body. That's where we could see the tiny heart beating. :) The nurse said he'/she was only about 1.6 centimeters long!

It was really neat...I'm excited for my next appt. so we can see more. I'm now 11 weeks, and my next appointment is next week. The due date is New Year's Eve, so here's hoping to have the first baby of the New Year so we can get fun prizes from the hospital! Haha...just kidding...kind of :)

First Dance

So I guess I should tell the story of how I broke the news! I happened to find out that I was pregnant the week of our wedding! I knew I wanted to tell Brian in a fun, creative way, and under other circumstances might have had a sign or present for him when he came home from work one morning. However, given the proximity to the BIG DAY, I decided to tell him at the wedding! Might have been sensory overload for some grooms, but I was going to try and find the perfect moment....

The whole week before the wedding, I hardly saw Brian with all the last-minute preparation stuff. So keeping the secret for the rest of the week, wasn't quite as hard as I thought it'd be. I was still debating on when during the night to tell him, when would be the best time. Well, during the ceremony we were obviously preoccupied, then pictures flew by, and all the rush and hurry! get into the reception for your grand entrance!

So...grand entrance comes and cue the first dance (Van Morrison's Someone Like You). Finally, a quiet moment, when it's just the two of us! So I take the opportunity to casually whisper in his ear..."We missed you, Daddy!" (since we hadn't seen him all week). Brian's expression was priceless, with great big smile on his face he said..."Are you serious!?!" I told him I was, and we kissed and laughed, talked about our newest adventure, and danced :)

So when you're checking out the wedding pictures, and you happen to see Brian with a big, goofy grin, maybe looking a little broadsided (haha) that just might have been the moment he found out he's going to be a daddy!

P.S. I'm making an online album of the pictures...I'll post the address as soon as it's up! :)

Post Weding Bliss

So...when I found out the big news I decided it might be fun to start a blog to chronicle the upcoming arrival of Baby Peter! So here goes...who knows if it will be funny and entertaining like some of the other ones I've read (i.e. Holli's :)) but here goes nothing! Hopefully friends and fam will enjoy keeping up with our newest adventure and blessing!! In Brian's words, I have "Baby Fever" so maybe this will be a good creative outlet for me :)