A shout-out

I just couldn't resist giving a shout-out to my dearest Kate's husband, Dan DeVries...last night he won the election for MAYOR of his hometown!!! Dan is now the mayor, or more accurately, the village president, of the Village of Schoolcraft, Michigan.

All I could think when I heard the news was, are we really grown-up now? Dan is MY AGE!

Anyhoo -- a big fat congratulations to you, Dan, and also to the First Lady of Schoolcraft, my BF Kate!!! Reign with grace and dignity, my dearest! :)

Please go here and here to read more!

Indiana wants me, Round 2

As I type this, Marty is watching the preseason football game between the Colts and Eagles, and I have to confess, I'm not all that interested in preseason stuff -- it just doesn't count, you know? But when the game came on and Fox showed footage of Indy's downtown and our beautiful new football stadium (which we've toured!), I got more than a wee bit wistful and homesick for my hometown. I never knew how much I loved Indianapolis until I moved away. I have nothing against Tennessee, but it's just not home. And there's nothing like having a baby that makes a girl want HOME!

We hadn't planned on making another trip with Will until he was a little bit older, but we decided to take a different tack with things so I can have the benefit of going home without exhausting our little one. Marty and Will and I will be traveling up to Indy tomorrow, and then Marty will drive back to Tennessee on Sunday afternoon, leaving me and Will at my parents' for the week. Marty will then come back up next weekend to "retrieve his babies" (his words, isn't he a doll?). This way, Will only has to deal with a one-way trip in a weekend, and will get to rest up from it throughout the week. I won't have another chance to do this because my maternity leave is quickly running out -- I go back to work the first week of October. I can't believe how fast it's approaching! Although I am kinda looking forward to the mental stimulation of work...I think my brain is rotting on the steady diet of TV I feed it daily.

I'm so looking forward to my 9 days in Indiana. On Saturday we'll be attending my cousin Ben's wedding, and I'll get to see so many relatives I haven't seen in a long time, plus introduce Will to everyone! On Monday, my Kate is driving down with her Jack to spend time with me and Will, and I'm ecstatic at the opportunity to see my BF and meet her son for the first time. I'll also get to see Kristen and her pregnant belly! Haven't seen that in a long time! I also want to do mani's-pedi's with Ellen (call me, El!), spend TONS of time with my sisters, and of course, have quality time with my parents and let Will's Nana and Pa-Pa just soak up his sweetness for a good long while (and not be worrying about when we need to get back on the road!).

So, I'll probably be away from the blog world for that whole time, and I doubt I'll even get around to checking email, either. Once again, I owe everybody and his brother a reply message, and I'm hoping to get to those before we leave tomorrow. If I owe you a response, please be patient with me...and if you live in Indiana and want to see me, please get in touch!

Random thoughts

Well, maybe "thoughts" is going too far. I don't do much thinking these days, what with the 4-5 hours of very interrupted sleep I get per night. Thank God for Marty, who lets me catch up on weekends and the occasional weeknight. I've always been a champion sleeper, and now my little Champion is not a sleeper -- either there's an irony there or I'm so tired I think there's an irony there. :)

Anyway, here's the random stuff floating in my head:

• I'm so flipping STOKED for the new season of Project Runway to premiere this Thursday. Who knew that Lifetime, of all networks, would save one of the best shows ever from cancellation? Lifetime: Television for Women -- and Cool People!

Of course I have to mention again that when we were in New York in November, we walked right past THE building and I was so tempted to go in and find me some Tim Gunn!

• I am enjoying my new favorite fragrance -- "Beachy" from Lilly Pulitzer. We picked this up when we were in Indiana -- Marty and Will and I had a fabulous time shopping at Von Maur (Daddy let Mama get some fun treats!) And I have to confess I didn't even know about Lilly Pulitzer until I moved to the South. If you don't know who and what I'm talking about, go here and here to read!
• Right now I have a baby sleeping on my chest, yet I'm typing. How is this magic achieved, you ask? With the help of my new favorite possession, a Baby Bjorn!

p.s. -- did they purposely get an Angelina Jolie lookalike for this ad? Is she the face of modern motherhood, I wonder?

• Since the thought of reading anything of substance only makes me more tired, I'm delving into the lighter reading/chick-lit section of the stack of books I bought to read while on maternity leave (what was I thinking?). I'm currently reading this and, of course, shamelessly loving it.
• Finally, my friend Kristen called me this morning to tell me she's expecting a baby GIRL. This is quite the news, as she's had a "decade of boy" now (she has two sons) and didn't dare hope for a girl. But the ultrasound this morning revealed a dream come true! I have to say, I can't wait to have a girl. Okay, yes I can wait. For awhile. Until the stretch marks from my pregnancy with Will fade a tad, at least! But I would L-O-V-E to have a daughter, and I'm so excited that Kristen is getting her baby girl. She's getting a chandelier for her nursery! How chic is that? Congrats again, my Kristen!

Updates

First off, the missing picture:

~30 weeks~

(right before getting into that PT Cruiser and driving 7 hours to Indiana!)

Secondly, Marty's office baby shower: We had such a great time. The office ordered up a good old-fashioned Southern BBQ lunch, with pulled pork BBQ, baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw, sweet tea (all those kind of fixin's). Then we had vanilla and chocolate cupcakes for dessert. Personally, I drank diet/caffeine-free Coke like it was water (probably should have just had WATER), but it tasted so amazingly good to me. Then it was time for the gifties, and we were once again overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of those whom God has filled our lives with...

Marty handed me presents and we took turns opening them and reading the sweet cards.

This was a cute little ducky-themed gift. Inside the package I'm holding is "The Fuzzy Duckling" (the Little Golden Book). I had this book when I was little and I think I read my Little Golden Books for years and years. This particular one came with a matching onesie! The little ducky that Marty is holding is actually a bottle holder -- you stick a bottle down the ducky's mouth and your child can hold a friend while he drinks his bottle. So cute!

Few things delight us like big ole boxes of Pampers. This was a box of size 2's, which is where we're shallowing in the stock-up pile. Yay for diaper stocking!

Among the other gifts were treasures such as a onesie that says "When God made me, He was just showing off" and another one that proclaims "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." I love these little "statement" onesies. I gave Marty a onesie for Will (pre-Father's Day) that says "If you think I'm cute, you should see my Daddy." We also received some football-themed items, much to Marty's delight. He is so excited to sit down with his son on NFL opening night and introduce Will to the wonders of football. :)

Here's me with Marty's dear friend Brian, the other lawyer in the office (who has a little boy and gives us great advice!):

It was so much fun for me to see Marty's friends and coworkers spoil him and love on him like they did. I know what a jewel of a man I have, but it's so lovely to experience others appreciating him, too. Thank you so much, Tennessee Department of Labor! You guys rock!

Finally, a few hours later, we went to our 32-week appointment at the doctor's. We saw Dr. Pickler again, who is the most business-like of the 3 OBs we see, but she can be pretty darn funny, too. Stats from this visit: 1) my blood pressure is staying almost exactly the same, and I'm so thankful for this -- 108/64; 2) I gained 3 pounds -- not loving this, but I know this is super-normal for mid-third trimester; 3) my fundus measurement was 34 cms, exactly what Marty and I had predicted in the car on the way to the office. I seem to be staying right at 2 cms ahead of my gestational progress. The only thing that bothered me this visit was Will's heartbeat, which Dr. Pickler first found at 117 bpm. This really scared me at first, since his heartbeat has never been that low, but Dr. Pickler stimulated Will with the doppler and she says he must have been sleeping, because he woke up, moved around, and his heartbeat went straight into the low 140's. She said that a reactive baby like that is a good, healthy baby, and I will just have to take her word for it, I know. I can't quite get that feeling of worry out of my mind, though...

~32 weeks~
(in the doctor's office)

One other thing I forgot to mention -- we "graduated" from childbirth class on Monday night, with a certificate and everything! So many baby doings this week that I failed to mention one of the most important ones. My brother-in-law John asked me what this actually "certifies" us to be or do, and I said, I really think it just certifies us as "not completely ignorant on the methods of childbirth." I really enjoyed our classes, even though the final night was both scary -- we watched a video where they spare you NOTHING in the ways of sounds and images -- and delightful -- we toured the Women's Center and saw birthing rooms, and most importantly, the nursery. There was a little peanut in there, just under 7 pounds, and he was squirming in that wonderful infant way in his bassinet -- it was all I could do to resist the urge to go scoop him up and coo at him. My maternal urges are crazy-strong right now! Just a few weeks to go, just a few weeks to go...

It must be Baby Week

So much going on this week, I just want to jot it down:

1. First off, I don't want to say much until she posts it on her blog, but my BF Kate gave birth to a young man named Jack this morning. Naturally. As in, no epidural. Who else thinks this woman is a goddess??? I'm beyond pleased that Jack's arrival was safe and healthy for all, and that Kate is reveling in new mommyhood once again. And man-oh-man, I can't wait to join her in that state. William, can you come a wee bit early like your buddy Jack did? Say, 6 weeks from now? Mommy would really, really, really LOVE that!
2. Tomorrow is a huge Baby day in our household: a) Marty's coworkers are giving us a lunchtime baby shower and we are so excited! I just hope I can find places for the gifts -- we are full-swing into nursery preparation now and I will share pictures just as soon as I can -- but we're already running out of storage for everything! b) We are having our 32-week doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon. And I just realized that I totally forgot to share the stats from the 30-week appointment: my fundus measured 32 cms (1 more cm and I would have been whisked off for an ultrasound to make sure Will isn't getting TOO big in there); my BP was excellent at 108/65; and I lost(???) 6 ounces -- I was thrilled at first, but then I started to think maybe Will wasn't getting enough nutrition, but the doctor told us that Will is doing great, and he's getting plenty, and this lack of weight gain is normal for me, at this point. My doctor did say that this probably wouldn't be a trend, so not to get too excited. :) I also have a 30-weeks picture floating around here somewhere, and I'll try to post that when I find it.
3. Friday we're going for a 3-D/4-D ultrasound! Sadly, we are on the very ledge of the "window of time" for getting good images. Who knew that 32 weeks would be too late for such a thing? But apparently, Will might be too squished up in there to get clear pictures of his face, but we're going to try anyway. Why not? And if we're successful, I'll be sure to post a couple pix here. Someone told my husband that doing this is like "opening our present before Christmas Day" but we don't see it like that at all. We are taking advantage of an amazing technological opportunity to get a good "glimpse" (honestly, that's all it is) of our son as he continues to grow and develop. Of course he'll look different in 6-7 weeks, and of course he'll look different on the outside! Personally, having a picture of his face, no matter how squished or blurry, will probably help me while I'm laboring to get him into the world. And that's priceless to me!
4. Finally, we are using this upcoming Memorial Day weekend to take a babymoon!!! Yee-haw!!! Okay, so it's 3.5 hours from here and not exactly within the 30-mile radius of home that I'm supposed to observe, but given that I'm a first-time mama with no known complications, we could make it back to our hospital here in JC with plenty of time to spare, if labor were to randomly start. Then again, perhaps it would be even cooler to have William born in Charleston! Yes, that's right, we're headed to Chucktown (one of my favorite places on the whole planet) for 3 whole days. And not just for the rest, peaceful walks on the beach, and good food, but also so my "life photographer" and dear friend Leslie can take some maternity pictures of me/us. She did such an amazing job on our wedding pictures, and we love that she captured "us" and our style, so we'd like to have some maternity pictures done in the same vein. I can't wait to see what she will do! And I also can't wait to just hang out with her and soak up some of her sunshine personality. She is so good for me!

That's all for now, but lots of updates and pictures to come. Happy Monday, everyone!

Catching up: business trip, baby shower, birthing classes, and body language

Yep, that's a hefty blog post title, but I have much to cover. It seems so odd that I haven't updated my blog in over 2 weeks, but I think I may have set records for being busy (at least for pregnant girls) in these last 2 weeks!

Business trip: first off, I should mention that we went to our first childbirth class the (Monday) night before I left for my trip, but more on that later. Let's just say for now, though, that it gave me quite a bit of food for thought for my 7-hour drive to Indianapolis! Anyway, I departed on Tuesday morning in my rental car (a PT Cruiser!) after giving my Marty a few lingering kisses goodbye -- it was pretty awful leaving him and the safety I feel with him, especially in these last few weeks of pregnancy. However, I was armed with copies of my prenatal records, just in case something were to happen while I was away from my doctors and hospital (and husband!). The 7-hour trip was pretty brutal, both on my concentration (I get very sleepy in the afternoons) and on my bladder! But I finally made it to the Omni downtown Indy, where I'd be staying the next couple nights, and then met up with my coworkers Caron and Teri. The 3 of us function as a vendor editorial team for a few writing teams at _____ (big pharma company in Indy; for some reason I'm loath to use the actual name here -- privacy concerns and all that?). Anyway, we went to Spaghetti Factory and had the greatest time with each other; it's so funny because we "talk" on email every day but have only physically met twice! I also met my boss for the first time in the Omni lobby that night -- who else can say that after reporting to your boss for nearly a year??? Work-from-home is a crazy thing sometimes! The next day was a series of meeting people and sitting in meetings. That day we did a lot of walking around to different meeting rooms, and by the afternoon, I was coming down a staircase when I suddenly had a series of Braxton-Hicks contractions. I didn't tell anyone right away, just wanting to stay on my feet until we reached our destination. This was only my second experience with Braxton-Hicks, and for some reason, I always break out into a sweat when I feel them, because they come on with swift intensity and are pretty strong and border on painful. They ended as soon as I had been sitting down for a few minutes, which my doctor told me was normal (too much activity can bring them on, and therefore, ceasing the activity can stop them completely). Fortunately, the next day we pretty much stayed in the same room all day, so the only activity I had were my frequent trips to the restroom. I know people understand that pregnant women need to run to the potty quite a bit, but I'm sorry, it's still embarrassing to have people observe how many times you've exited the room in an hour's time!!! All-in-all, it was a great business trip, especially because I finally got to put so many faces to the names I see in my inbox every day (yeah, I'm particularly talking about you, Laura!). Thursday afternoon I dropped a couple of coworkers off at the new Indy airport (so stunning, so chic! Good job, Indianapolis!) and made my way to Greenwood, aka, "home." I got to see my parents, sister Sarah, and my nieces and nephews -- it had been a couple months since our last visit, and everyone was pretty astonished at the size of my belly. I joked that I had a soccer ball up my shirt but my 2-year-old nephew Elijah didn't get it and kept wanting up my shirt to retrieve that soccer ball! So stinkin' cute. Then I showed him my skin and told him it was a baby, and he patted my belly and said "baby" but seemed pretty disappointed that it was a baby and not a soccer ball. Oh the priorities of a 2-year-old boy. :) That night and Friday were spent in various activities with my family -- my mom took me baby-gear shopping on Friday afternoon, then Sarah and Garrett took me out to dinner and to see the new Star Trek movie on Friday night. I had the greatest time, but kept wanting my hubby to be with me!!! Saturday morning I met Ellen for our tradition of Starbucks + manis/pedis, and I had the greatest time there, too. The Asian folks who run the place know us (that tells you how often El and I frequent the joint!) and hugged me upon seeing the prodigal return for a visit from Tennessee! Then it was home to take a quick shower, receive some Mother's Day tulips at the door from my Marty (oh yes, he is absolutely the perfect husband), and then I was off to my baby shower!

Baby shower:

The mama with that soccer ball up her dress! (Me and Will at exactly 31 weeks.)

The beautiful cake with baby booties (I think one of my little nieces went in for a finger sample at the front...).

The bountiful spread: my mom's famous chicken salad on croissants and bakery buns, spinach dip with Hawaiian bread, veggies and dip, cheeseball with crackers and chips, garden salad, fruit salad, pasta salad, and pineapple punch!

The bountiful goodies...I was honestly overwhelmed with the love and generosity shown to me, Marty, and our little son. The gift bags covered several feet in diameter on my sister's kitchen floor, and it just left me gaping with awe and gratitude.

Some of my guests -- so much love in the room. And the impromptu entertainment was provided by my nieces Ada and Abby, who performed a princess dance in their little pink dresses and toy wands. (Once again, I pray to the Father to give me a little girl, too!)

Me and Ellen, who did all the note-taking for me (it was a serious job!).

Opening gifts...

I love the little man-robes!

Exhausted but so happy to have finally experienced this lovely rite of passage that I had looked forward to -- quite literally -- all my life.

Thank you so much to everyone who attended and/or sent a gift. Marty was stunned to see all the bags piled up in our living room, and we are just beyond grateful for all the love you've shown to us. Thank you for outfitting our little boy and his nursery in such style! And for giving me a dream come true (a very special thank-you to my sisters for this). If it had been up to me, I would have experienced all this many years ago, but God's timing is perfect, and I am walking proof of that. Thank you God for all the blessings, given in the best way and at the right time!

Birthing class: (isn't this post over yet??? you are wondering...) So Marty and I went to our second birthing class just a couple nights ago, and it was even more sobering than the first one. Now, our teacher (a labor/delivery nurse for over 20 years), Cindy, is a lovely woman, but she tells it like it is. She doesn't avoid nonsociable words and she really doesn't avoid any topics, no matter how sensitive or private they feel. We are learning quite a bit, and while some of it is fascinating and exciting, other parts are downright scary. I might need a blood transfusion after birth? Eh? I might have to push for 3 hours only to be given a C-section? Double-eh? THAT's what 10 centimeters looks like? Oh glory be! Cindy is not only giving us a birthing education, she's also teaching us breathing techniques (I swear I started to fall asleep during the exercise on Monday -- envisioning a beach while breathing slowly) and explaining all the options we have for labor and delivery. Surprisingly (to me), she has also recommended writing a birth plan. I have heard that presenting a birth plan can be something of an affront to the nursing staff caring for you, and I've no desire to set those important people at odds with me from the moment of "go." However, Cindy has stipulated that we not follow any Internet templates, nor write something 20 pages long. She says to just keep it simple and only include what you feel strongly about. Easy enough, I think: we know that we'd rather have the doctor cut the cord, that Marty and I want to be by ourselves (no guests) during the actual birth, that we want Will kept with us for an hour or so after birth so I can nurse him and we can bond as a family, etc., etc. I also know that I want an epidural if and when I get to that point (I'd like to see how far I can go but I'm not stubbornly holding out for an "au naturel" birth because I'm intimately familiar with my pain threshold). There are probably about 20-25 stipulations we would like to see enforced, but they will certainly fit on 1 piece of paper and (hopefully) wouldn't overwhelm my nurse(s), nor make them feel like they're limited/hampered in doing their job(s).

Body language: Finally, this past week has been something of a change for me in pregnancy symptoms. Maybe it's exacerbated by all the traveling and busy-ness and stress, but I've begun to experience swelling in my hands, feet, and ankles. Every morning I wake up with numb, tingly hands, and it usually takes a couple hours for me to be able to move my wedding ring on my finger. Socks leave angry red impressions on my ankles, and I've taken to only wearing flip-flops (unless it's raining, which really frustrates me!). In addition, I feel this weird pressurized feeling on my chest (especially there), down my arms, and down my thighs. It so freaked me out the other night that I paged my doctor about it (I have to defend myself here; I've made it to nearly 32 weeks without ever having paged the doctor, so I think that's pretty good!). Dr. Pickler reassured me that at this stage of pregnancy, my diaphragm has moved up and there is extra pressure on my chest cavity, and even though it doesn't feel like I'm getting enough oxygen, as long as I can carry on a conversation, that indicates I'm getting plenty of air. She said the pressure I feel in and on my limbs is also perfectly normal. Even though it didn't make me feel much better (I wasn't given any advice on how to alleviate any of the above!), at least I knew I wasn't starting down the road to Scaryville things like toxemia (I had this thought in my head for some reason). It's pretty daunting to think I have 8 weeks to go, and how much worse these things will feel, and how much bigger I'll get(!), but then again, it's only another 8 weeks and then we'll experience the long-awaited arrival of our little man. I can't wait!!!

Whew! End of post, thank goodness. Thanks to my sister Katie for the shower pictures!

Product love, won't you join me?

***Okay, readers, this is a post requiring participation. In fact, I'm going to make this one of those "tag" posts wherein I gently peer-pressure my fellow bloggers into joining my party.

I love getting product recommendations. Heck, I just plain love products. Anything that promises to make my life easier, tastier, cleaner, prettier, more efficient -- sign me up. Here are some of my faves!

*IZZE sparkling juices.

I've tried the peach, clementine, and pomegranate flavors (and the latter is my favorite). Because they are all-natural -- featuring 70% juice and a splash of sparkling water -- you won't find them in the soda aisle, but rather, in the organic foods section of your grocery store (at least it's shelved that way in Kroger). So you won't see them next to diet Cokes, but IZZEs are better than sodas, and I'm quite the connoisseur! I love soda but being pregnant, I don't need the caffeine, sugar, or artificial sweeteners. I can't think of a better alternative and honestly, IZZEs will stay in my pantry long after my baby is born!

*Panera's honey-wheat bread with a spreading of Country Crock and Dickinson's Marion Blackberry preserves.

Speaking of being a connoisseur of something, my mama makes homemade strawberry jam, straight out of her own garden. Yes, many a June morning growing up I'd come downstairs to the kitchen to the smell of gently boiling strawberries in a great big vat on the stove. There is nothing like that smell in the whole world! Thus, I'm an absolute Nazi about strawberry jams and won't eat it unless it's my mama's, but of course, she sets the bar pretty darn high when it comes to fruit jams in general! So it's with absolute confidence in my "refined palette" that I recommend Dickinson's Marion Blackberry preserves! (Oh, and do try Panera's fresh breads...better than ANYthing you can find at the market!)

*Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day liquid hand soap in lavender.

I recently went on a bit of a spree at Drugstore.com (I heart that site) and decided to try this hand soap; I think I've read at least half a dozen bloggers recommending this product. And it did not disappoint! This is the kind of soap that will have you smelling your hands after you've washed and dried them. Now that I know how much I love the hand soap, I think I'll give the other products a whirl -- household cleaners, laundry detergent, etc.

*Old product, new use...Johnson's Baby Lotion!

I feel like I've been using Johnson's baby lotion my entire life (and maybe I have, come to think of it!). I love the soft smell and the great moisturizing you get from this product, and I've also noticed it's a good "layering" product; ie, you can use this lotion right out of the shower, then layer on a fragrance, and the fragrance seems to "stick" better to your skin and because Johnson's is so mild, the fragrance doesn't fight for center stage! My new favorite use for Johnson's is on my burgeoning belly. I tried the famous Belly Butter, but ended up having some kind of weird allergic reaction to it. I've also tried Burt's Bees Mama Bee Butter, which I also like, but my standby, tried-and-true fave has to be Johnson's...and guess what? At nearly 25 weeks, I have ZERO stretch marks. That's right! No marks, no lines, no nothing. Of course, I'm prepared for this to change, but everyone who's had the privilege(?) of seeing my bare belly has commented that it's a very cute one, because it's free of blemish!

Okay, blogging friends, it's that time where I call on you to leave me a good product recommendation. Leave a comment and I will continue to update this blog post with a link to your blog and the product you've recommended. Hopefully, we'll gather together a good list of great products! Vive la products!!! :)

1. Sarah says, Vaseline Intensive Rescue Lotion is great for super dry skin!

2. Kate says, Burt's Bees Pomegranate and Soy Conditioner works for the whole family, and Yoplait's Thick & Creamy Key Lime yogurt is a delish dessert.

Charleston pictures I, or why pregnant women can't defy gravity

Christa: What a cool set of columns, a perfect place to take pictures! Now, how can we get Becky up here?

*shimmying and some unladylike grunting occurs*

Becky: Oh my stars, this will never happen. I can't vault my body in any upwardly direction!

Becky: Oh well, I'll just have to pose where I'm standing. Do you think they'll notice my double-chin, Christa?

Baby Indiana Jones and a good weekend

Whew. That's how I feel right now, like it's time to breathe a deep sigh of relief after days and days of busy-ness and lots of emotions. Mid-week last week, I started dealing with raging insomnia that was further plagued by serious bouts of anxiety, all focused in on the baby and our upcoming move to Indy (and the need for a job for Marty there first!). Let's just say that my nesting instinct came on full-force, and because we desperately hope not to be here in Tennessee when William comes, there's no place set aside here as a nursery for him, and for some reason, this drives me bonkers. I mean, up at 2 a.m. kind-of bonkers! All the worries about getting a job in time and moving were exacerbated by a couple days straight of William not moving very much. I don't know about other pregnant mamas, but my baby's movements are my reassurance that everything's going okay with him, so you can imagine how I feel when those movements become scarce! Anyway, after the second night of holding his inconsolable, weeping wife in the pre-dawn hours, my husband very geniusly suggested that he take me home to Indy for the weekend. And I immediately felt better! That's how in-my-own-head I was last week -- I couldn't even think of a solution like visiting home. I needed someone to think of it for me! So, Friday afternoon, we were off to Indy and despite the 7-hour drive, I was quite energetic upon arrival. My mom and dad and Marty and I, plus my Aunt Janice who happened to be staying over, talked until almost 1 in the morning over pieces of blueberry pie. What a huge change from my recent experiences at that time of the morning!!!

And that began just the loveliest weekend. I got to cuddle with my nieces and nephews and make new memories with them, like my little bruiser Elijah playing dinosaurs with me, but insisting "they not scary" although he made roaring noises over and over. So-FLIPPIN'-cute. And Abby demanding to know where her cousin was, and then lifting up my t-shirt so she could try to peer into my belly to see him! We also got to spend time with Ellen and Katie and Chris, and then we went to Katie and Chris' church on Sunday morning, where I saw lots of old and dear friends (I think Kristen and I were seconds away from bawling upon seeing each other!). The best part was Pastor Josh's sermon, though, which was exactly what I needed. He was preaching from Galatians 5 and talking about the works of the flesh, and when he got to idolatry, he explained that the sin of idolatry is obsessing over anything that we put above God, and loving anything that we put above our love for God and His perfect will for our lives. And man-oh-man, was I ever convicted on that point. I told Marty on the way home, I have been so guilty of wanting my perfect little life (loving husband, healthy baby boy, beautiful home, etc.) above wanting whatever God has intended for me. And that it's so easy to start loving the gifts so much that you forget to love the GIVER of those gifts! And I think it's that very sin of idolatry that has kept me up at nights, because in the end, I know I can't force my will on life and I can't control the outcomes of this pregnancy and William's birth, and that by loving God's will, I can be at peace no matter what happens. VERY hard lesson to learn, especially for one who has always longed for a loving husband and the blessing of a child!

So, I came home relaxed and feeling better about things. Of course, then I had to work until I fried my brain yesterday to finish a project, but today things are smooth-sailing and I'm just so thankful for all my gifts in life. Indeed, the minute I stopped worrying about William so much, he turned into my Indiana Jones baby! I told Marty that yesterday he was moving around so much, it actually felt like he was spelunking his little cave-womb and mapping it out, trying to find the exit (which won't appear until July, young man!). I could just imagine my little explorer wearing an Indiana Jones hat while he curiously felt around his environment. He was moving so much in so many new ways, it was cracking me up! He has also started to respond to specific stimuli, namely his daddy's voice and laughter, songs with a discernible beat to them, and even sermons (he kicks me every time I'm sitting in church!). He also responds to mealtime, especially dinner. So far, I think I have a sociable, musical, theological kid who loves good food, which in all truth, is a carbon copy of his daddy!!! I just love it.

Floating on gratitude today!

Happiness

Happiness is, in no particular order,

1. Getting to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time yesterday. We've seen the heart beating on ultrasound 3 times now, but no audio. During our visit yesterday, the doctor whipped out the regular ole doppler and found Baby's heart beating right away. She tried to stimulate the baby to move a bit but my child refused to budge. I couldn't help but laugh -- this little person is so much like his mother. When we're napping, please leave us alone! But what a reassuring, sweet musical sound: whoosh-whoosh-whoosh. It almost sounded to me like the steady beat of a dog panting! I'm just weird, probably. Biggest news of all: we're tentatively scheduled for the big gender-discovery ultrasound on President's Day, February 16th! We specifically asked for that day because Marty, as a government employee, gets that day off (don't get me started on all the government holidays, so jealous!). Therefore, I'm going to post a poll -- please vote on whether you think it's a boy or a girl!
2. The fact that this little girl went home from the hospital yesterday. Just about 3 weeks ago, I asked everyone to join me in praying for Harper and her family. At that point it was unclear if she would survive. Today this darling little girl is at home, sleeping in her own crib, healed from pneumonia. God is good. He is so very good. I feel privileged to have joined with hundreds of others praying for this very outcome!
3. Getting to sleep here last night:Yes, our mattresses finally came (after a snow delay, curses on you snow!) and we finally moved into the bedroom where our bed frame has been sitting, quite lonely, for several months. Excuse the wrinkly appearance of the duvet, I should have steamed it but oh that's right, I'm fresh out of steamers (and there's no way I'm ironing a king-size duvet). I used to work in an upscale department store and I got addicted to those upright, hand-held steamers. It's now going on the "to buy" list!
4. Reading this book:Yes, you heard me right. Judge me all you want, this book was ridiculously good. I enjoyed nearly everything about it. I jumped on the Twilight wagon quite late (nope, didn't see the movie), but I'm now a huge fan. I would never have thought I'd be interested in a vampire love story, but that's how engaging this book really is. I'm jealous of the author, her writing is so seemingly effortless! Marty and I have a Barnes and Noble date tonight to pick up the sequel, and maybe the next one, too! Did I mention I just bought this book on Monday? Couldn't put it down!
5. The fact that it's Friday. I love weekends with my hubby. We're going to see our dear friends Mike and Jen and their babies on Saturday night, and I love hanging out with them. Other than that, it will be a quiet weekend of bliss inside our marital bubble! Have a fabulous weekend everyone (and stop by your local bookstore to pick up Twilight!).

Tagged

I was tagged by Sarah at This Girl's Life to do this little fun survey.

The Rules:
*Link to the person who tagged you.
*Share 7 random/weird facts about you.
*Tag 7 people at the end of the post, and include links to their blogs.

1) Since becoming pregnant, I've had far more vivid dreams than usual. And usually, my dreams are about...pizza. I woke up one morning dreaming of long, stringy, hot mozzarella cheese being pulled away from a pepperoni pizza. Golly, I think I want pizza again tonight.

2) My husband and I met on eHarmony. I think I've shared that before, but it's one of those facts we enjoy sharing with other people because it always seems to generate a unique reaction. For some reason, it makes us kind of celebrity-ish. People always seem terribly impressed and pressure us to "do a commercial."

3) I went to a private Baptist school up until my senior year, when I transferred to a public high school. That was a rude awakening! I was offered -- let's just say "illegal drugs" my first week of school and I think I just stared blankly at the kid, like "are you for real?" I felt like I'd walked into an after-school special.

4) "Dallas" is my favorite TV show of all time. I used to watch it with my grandparents while they babysat us, and Grandpa would give me a Coke in a glass bottle, apple slices, and Cheez-Its. Man, those were good times!

5) Speaking of favorites, it seems I have a "favorite" everything. Favorite flower (lily of the valley), favorite bird (morning dove), favorite brand of tights (DKNY), favorite upscale store (Von Maur), favorite game (Trivial Pursuit), favorite perfume (Jivago), favorite this, favorite that. Ask me what my "favorite" is of anything and 9 times out of 10, I'll have a ready answer for you.

6) I always take a bath (or hot shower, if a bath is unavailable) before bed. It's a habit I started in high school to unwind and it's one I intend to keep for the duration. I have a thing about enjoying a nice bath, slipping into really great pajamas, then further slipping in between really great sheets. I'm a big fan of R&R.

7) If I could meet any celebrity, anyone at all, I would choose Paula Deen. I feel she could teach me any number of things, and only some of those in the kitchen! She seems such a warm, wise, loving lady, and I love her sense of humor and that great Southern accent. Paula's people: leave a comment and we'll arrange a meeting. :)

Okay, I tag: Ellen, Kate, Aimee, Ashley, Sebi, Liz, and Emily.

Fun at the orchard

On Saturday morning, Leslie, Marty and I piled into the car and took a trip to Altapass Orchard in North Carolina by way of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I still don't know which part of the trip was better -- the actual orchard or the beauty and grandeur set out for our viewing enjoyment on the Blue Ridge Parkway! As Leslie said, "it's like a show just for us."
At the orchard, we took in the mountains and the apples and the mountains of apples:Then we took in the bluegrass band playing their good ole tunes and all the folks who were clogging and dancing in the crisp air...

We ate hot dogs and pulled pork sandwiches and pumpkin cake while the band sang "Rocky Top" (I really felt like a true Tennessee girl!). Then we drank some hot apple cider before beginning our frolic in the apple barn and the orchard.

It was truly the perfect fall experience. We had so much fun! Thanks again, my Leslie, for having this brilliant idea and letting us tag along on your journey to "fall for fall." Thanks also for the amazing pictures! Please come back and visit again soon!

pictures from Indiana wedding reception

Hopefully I'll get more in from various people, but for now, here are some good ones!

The bride and groom

My fabulous best friend Kate (Life in the Cooper House) with her hubby Dan and their cherub in my arms, Adele (they drove all the way from Michigan -- a 7-hour round-trip -- to surprise me and to meet my hubby and spend time with us; I hooped and hollered when I saw Kate's dark head appear in the doorway!!!)

Yes, more cake, Honey

My too-adorable nieces and nephews. I'm holding the birthday boy Elijah (his 2nd birthday was the day before this) and you can see I have to heft him, he's a chunky monkey! Notice also Ethan's smile; I smiled like that from ages 2-5, so it must be a family thing.