baby update

sometime last week our little girl decided to make her presence known. She has been kicking me off and on every day since. Once she kicked so hard I responded rather loudly when we were in the car, Nick thought he had hit something in the road...oops!
yesterday in church she was doing some kind of dance in there and I was having trouble keeping a straight face during the service. Its been fun so far. yesterday afternoon Nick actually got to feel three little kicks in a row.
It will be interesting to see what this week brings...

new baby pic:

Here she is! I may be a little biased but I think she's the cutest thing ever!!!!

Pleased to present Mr. Cardinal

Still haven't gotten a good picture of Mr and Mrs together but I'll take what I can get!

I have a hard time getting pictures of the chickadees too because they take their food to go and don't stay at the feeders very long, so this is a rare shot.

Baby Update!!!!!!!

After a disappointing evening last night, with a phone call saying our ultrasound this morning had been cancelled, we were thinking that it was going to be next year before we could get another appt! But it was ok, I was trying to be patient. Then after some lengthy phone calls with my friend who happens to be the receptionist for the ultrasound service we use, they were willing to squeeze me in today at 4. This phone call taking place at 3:30! So I hurried around and left work, and got to the appt on time. Thanking God the whole time that he made it all possible so we didn't have to wait 2 weeks!!!
So, everything looks good. Heart rate was 148, baby weighs 10 oz. and according to Nancy (the lady doing the ultrasound) the baby's hands were very well developed. I actually got to see fingers wiggling!!!! It was all very exciting! And the cherry on top is we can now use specific terms when talking about the baby. We are 97% certain that it is a little girl!!!!!!!!!!!
As soon as Christmas is over with the library will begin the transition to nursery!
Still have not really felt the baby moving yet, but its still a little early, and I am just happy our baby girl seems to be healthy and active.
Still thanking and thanking God for our little blessing. Hope to have the ultrasound pic scanned and posted soon!

I'd like you to meet Mrs. Cardinal

We have a pair of cardinals, male and female that hang out around our apartment building. The male is so easy to spot, but the female has been very elusive. Whenever I would see her and go get my camera she would disappear. Well the other day I finally put up my new copper bird feeder, and apparently that is what she was waiting for. She stayed in one spot and I got a whole bunch of pictures of her! May seem kind of boring to you, but I love spotting new birds at my feeders!

"Christmas time is here..."

Just lights at this point, but still pretty

Darcy insisted on offering her assistance, of course!

All done! Sorry the pic is crooked, I didn't feel like digging the tripod out...

Something new I tried this year. Got this church from the gift shop, the poinsettias are lit, you just can't see it here.

Update

Not a whole lot to post. The one big thing I am thrilled about, and am praising God for is that I seem to be done with morning sickness!!!!! I can eat again!
I'm starting to grow a little, but I look more fat than I do pregnant. You can't tell that I am pregnant from just looking at me...my jeans are beginning to get uncomfortable though...
So we are going to put our tree up and get through Christmas, then we will begin the transition of turning the library into the nursery. That is going to be so much fun.
I have been getting very impatient about a lot of things, the biggest one is probably waiting to feel baby move. It shouldn't be for another 3 weeks or so, but my dr said its possible to feel little flutters at this point. Believe me when it happens everyone will know!
Until I have more to report, stay warm everyone!

Baby update

Had an appt with my Dr today, she had the results from a screening I had done a few weeks ago. I didn't understand all of the names and things she rattled off, but basically there is only a 1 in 10,000 chance that the baby could have major genetic problems. So YAY! We have been waiting to hear that and are very grateful that God seems to have given us a healthy child, so far.
Got to hear the heartbeat again, Luann said it was 155 which is perfect. And pretty much healthwise I am good, blood pressure and weight were both good, so just 25 weeks to go!
Only about 3 weeks more and we will know if it is a boy or a girl we are expecting! Lots of people have been talking about starting pools...not sure how I feel about that...
Probably won't have much to report until 3 weeks rolls by.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

We're having a baby!!!!

Here are pictures of our first two ultrasounds. (if for some reason you don't want to see pictures of my uterus I suggest you close the window...) The first was from last month, you can't see much other than a gray blob really...

This pic is from earlier in the week. You can see the head and can almost count the fingers on those tiny hands. Don't know if it is a boy or a girl yet, we should know that in a month or so. Yesterday marked the beginning of the second trimester, and since everything seems good we have been telling everyone our good news. This is probably the only thing I will want to post about for the next 6 months, its been hard for Nick and I to keep quiet for the first 3!!!

Our due date is May 15th, which seems very far away and yet too close because there is so much to do! I have not become obviously fat or round yet, keep waiting to wake up one day and have a "bump". My dr says I have about 7 weeks before that happens.

Right now I am just happy and relieved that the morning sickness is lessening. The last two months have been rough. Most women gain weight easily when pregnant, I haven't gained much...

Lately my only problem has been feeling tired. I get home from work and want to do nothing but go right to bed. I'm hoping that will fade soon as well, because Christmas is coming and I have tons to do!

Well thats where we are. We are very happy, and are thanking God for this huge blessing in our lives. We know that this is a gift from Him and are going to trust He will bring us all safely through to the other side of the next 6 months.

"PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!!!!!!!"

Dinner guests

My mom and dad were here for dinner yesterday, we had little pizza pockets, broccoli cauliflower soup, applesauce, and then banana bread for dessert!

Doesn't look very yummy now, but it was good after it baked! (I love my kitchen aid mixer by the way)

cooking the vegetables for soup.

I took a shortcut and used frozen roll dough for my pizza pockets.

There isn't anything quite like homemade bread when its cold and rainy out, which is was. It rained all day!

I guess all my cooking and washing dishes made Darcy sleepy, she was curled up on this for the whole afternoon. Nice day for a cozy nap!

Soup's done!!! It was the perfect day for soup. I was relieved it was raining when I got up yesterday, who wants to serve soup when its nice and sunny outside??

Somewhere in the midst of all my cooking, baking, and cleaning I took Fred out for a bathroom break and almost stepped on this guy, he was just about 3 feet from our back steps!

I called our resident animal expert (Nick's dad) and asked if he was poisonous or anything - not that I was even going to think about picking him up - and he said that he is harmless. Probably got flushed out of his hiding spot with all the rain we had yesterday.

Despite how "safe" he is we did not invite him in for soup and banana bread, but he stayed very still and let me take his picture!

Liz and Deb make applesauce...

I spent all day Saturday at Tom and Deb's house, we made applesauce from one bushel of apples. Lots of chopping, cooking, and milling, and later our freezers were half full!

Not sauced yet

Peanut inspecting our apples

One of the first batches cooking

Round one, the sauce needs to cool before putting it in freezer containers

Yummy!

More apples cooking

More cooling

And finally into freezer containers

Still here

I have not posted in over a month! Sheesh.
Guess I haven't really had anything of importance to say. Today I am coming to the conclusion that I have a sinus infection. Yay.
I simply don't get colds, they always turn into sinus infections. My Dr says that I am "sinusy". Which means I am prone to having fluid and infections in my sinuses. Yeah, tonight especially it stinks, my head feels ready to explode. Tomorrow going to call my Dr and see if she will prescribe something.

Freddie finally got his hair cut, after looking like a dust mop for the last month, now he looks naked. But he smells so nice, and we can see his eyes now!

Naomi and Luke stayed with us a few weeks ago. they were here for less than a day, but it was still nice to have some of my family around. They played Mario Kart, and talked about computers, I like it when Nick has a fellow geek to talk "techie talk" with.

and now, even though i may have more to say, I'm done because this headache is just not kidding around...

good nights.

breakfast

do i want oatmeal again for breakfast????

What a week!

I'm glad the work part is done for this week! It always seemed there were no customers or suddenly the store was packed and I couldn't get to everyone fast enough!
Had something exciting happen yesterday, the mugs I suggested they order for the gift shop arrived, they're really pretty and unique. They're pottery made so you can slip the fingers of your hand around the mug into a little pocket and keep them warm. I haven't bought one yet, but I'm sure it won't be long!!! One of the girls I work with really liked it too and is going to buy one. I like suggesting things that people like enough to buy one before its out on on a shelf.
I hope they sell really well now that hot drink season is almost here!!!

Lately my life has been work work work. This week should be fun though. Laura is getting married Saturday!!!!! Everybody pray for nice weather and that the bride and mother of the bride won't be too stressed out! I'm going to Hallsport Thursday night to help work on favors, should be interesting...

A visit from a butterfly

This guy paid a visit to my posies Saturday morning, so I had to run and grab the camera. Must be what I have growing tastes yummy because he stuck around for 10 minutes or so! Still not sure what kind of butterfly it is, haven't had a minute to talk with the resident nature expert.

Hope you enjoy looking at him as much as I did!!!

Interesting article on Sun tea

For those of you who may enjoy setting your big jugs of tea out in the sun to steep, you may want to take a look at this. I have recently purchased a teapot and have been using that for my brewing needs...

http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/suntea.asp

Growing things

Amanda gave me a couple of extra black-eyed susans that climb. Its fun to see how they creep up the post.

There are still plenty signs of summer everywhere

And yet I am seeing signs of fall coming soon...

Hey ya'll, lets go to the fair!

Tuesday evening Nick and I went to the Pike fair with his parents. We walked through the smelly barns, looked at all the different displays and things. Then it rained on us, so we bought some snacks and came home.

"AFLAC!!!!"

Awww...

Sweet baby aminals

Seeing the old blacksmith shop was neat.

The fruits of my labor

Nick and I have been enjoying the mounds of lettuce from the garden. (I hope the friends we have shared with have too!) Tonight Nick and I had a special treat, a whole bowl of peas! I was very proud of myself, instead of getting some ice cream or something full of sugar I went out and cut some peas for our snack! Unfortunately the peas have not been quite as abundant as the lettuce, but who cares? I have a green thumb!