As promised...

Of course I waited until the last minute so these are "end of the day" pictures, but here they are none-the-less!

30 weeks...





Big sister...



A kiss for baby...

Easter, Pajamas and Pregnancy...

How's that for an original title?? ;)

Well first off, I really intended on posting on Easter, but the day was here and gone before I knew it. Andy's day started at 5 am when he headed to church. I was up at 6:30 to make sure the Easter Bunny did his job and Bella woke up around 7:00 anxious to see what the Easter Bunny left. She found her first egg on her way down the stairs and had a great time searching for all 17 eggs we colored (we had 18, but one broke) on Saturday.

After finding the eggs and looking through her Easter basket we headed to church. Not only was it Easter Sunday, but it was also the 4th anniversary of our first service so it was a pretty special day all around. The service was amazing and it's always so exciting to see the place fill up like it did yesterday. The message had to do with the "baggage" that many of us carry around with us and at the end of the service there was an opportunity to leave it all at the cross. I had the privelege of praying with some of the people who came up front and it was both humbling and exciting to see God working in people's lives...especially those who are hurting.

After church we joined several friends for a brunch buffet. Unfortunately it was way too expensive (we didn't realize it until we got there) and the food was terrible, but we made the best of it none-the-less. By the time we made it home we were so exhuasted that Andy and I fell rigth into bed for a nice long afternoon snooze. We woke up a little before 6:00 and wandered across the street to the neighbors so Bella could join Morgan and Luke in a backyard egg hunt. We visited for a while and then came home. Bella was exhausted since she declined a nap and so she went to bed. Andy and I watched a little TV and then called it a night ourselves.

Here are a few pictures of egg coloring and Easter morning...











On Thursday Bella had her annual Pancake and Pajama Party at school. Last year she was sick so this was the first year she was able to participate and she had such a great time. All the kids showed up in the jammies, they made pancakes with all the yummy toppings and even had pony rides. When I picked her up she could hardly contain her excitment trying to tell me that the pony she rode was also named Bella. Here are a couple pictures we took before heading to school that morning...





And now for the pregnancy update...

I'm 30 weeks today or approximately 75% of the way there! Bella was born at 39 weeks, so I guess the countdown really is on!! With the exception of being extremely tired and having terribly sore ribs, I still can't complain too much. The baby is up most of the night, but I'm learning to live with it. I figure it's good practice for the sleepless nights to come, so I'm trying my best to take it in stride and taking full advantage of every opportunity I have to nap during the day. Lately if I cuddle up to Andy or have Bella sit in my lap they can feel her moving all around. Bella gets such a kick out of her sister thumping around and her being able to feel it on her back.

We have so much coming up in the next couple months that the time is going to fly by. I am so grateful for this pregnancy and precious baby girl that I'm trying my best to enjoy each and every minute of it.

I've missed the last couple weeks of belly pictures, so I'm determined to get one this week. I will post it as soon as I can.

That's all for now! ;)

A glimpse...

I had an ultrasound at my appointment today to check my fluid levels (they were low with Bella) and I'm happy to report that everything looked fabulous! It was amazing to see our little girl (who by the way, is still a girl ;) ) at this point. She is so much bigger than last time. We even watched as her little lips opened and closed like a newborn baby does.

Here is a little glimpse at the newest member of our family...

Mom's Group

Yesterday I attended a brunch to kick off the new Mom's Group at our church. Two ladies have been working for months to prepare for it and I thought I would try attending something that I had no part in planning. They did a great job and it was a lot of fun to just sit back and enjoy things. The first semester starts on Thursday evening. We will meet 2 nights a month for a Potluck dinner, a guest speaker and then a craft. There were about 25 moms there yesterday and I was excited to see a wide range of women...all the way from some who are pregnant with their first to those with teenagers. I was a bit hesitant to commit to the first semester because it's one more evening away from home (it goes thru June), but decided to give it a a try and see how it goes.

I've never been a part of an actual "mom's group" so I'm looking forward to trying it out!

28 weeks pregnant and other random things...

Well the title says it all, 28 weeks down which leaves exactly 84 days until my due date! I'm still feeling pretty good although the last week or so my body has been prompting me to slow down quite a bit. I wake up in the morning feeling like I could take on the world and by 3:00 or so it's all I can do to keep my eyes open. I've been taking an afternoon nap whenever possible, but even with that I'm still exhausted by 9:00 at night. Thankfully Andy continues to be wonderful and encourages me to rest when I can. I have also noticed my ribs are starting to get really sore. It's especially bad when I'm sitting straight up. The last couple times we've gone out to eat I haven't been able to make it through the meal without having to get up and walk around. I know it's only going to get worse, so I'm trying not to complain too much about it now. All in all, I guess I could say that I'm really just feeling *pregnant* these days.

Bella has been a charm as usual. She seems to have really gotten used to the idea of having a baby sister and even though she still says she wanted a brother, she talks very affectionately about her sister. She is also constantly on the look out for cute things for the baby to wear and play with. Jessica gave us some "a baby is on the way" type books when were were visiting and has been having us read them to her over and over. She is very intrigued by it all.

Some of you may think I have fallen off the face of the earth due to my lack of communication. Well, I'm still here, just extremely busy. Of course there is the fact that I'm pregnant (read: TIRED) and all the stuff we are trying to get done around the house in a short amount of time, but the other reason is a recent change in my job. I have been so busy I haven't had time to post about it, but about a month ago I began the transition out of Married Life Coordinator/Counselor into the position of Pastor Arts Assistant. It was a surprise as first when they asked me if I'd be interested in this new position, but after talking it over with Andy and praying about it, it really felt like the right thing for me to do. I honestly had no idea what it would entail, but I quickly learned that there was more to it than I ever imagined. I am now working very closely with Art and Rhonda and in my short time in this position have learned more than I did in the entire year before. I have to say that sometimes it is completely exhausting, but at the end of the day it is well worth it. I am seeing the inner workings of our church and getting a better understanding of just how much time and dedication goes into leading a church. We have been dealing with some pretty heavy and emotional issues recently and by the time I leave work my brain is so overwhelmed with stuff that I can hardly think straight. I don't know how to put it in words, but as taxing as it has been recently I wouldn't trade it for anything. I absolutely LOVE what I'm doing! I've never had a job (other than being a mom) that I've felt so called to and I'm just so grateful to have this opportunity in my life.

Of course the unfortunate part of this is that I've neglected many of the people in my life that I care about and I feel terrible for that. I would love to say that I've made a decision to change things and that I will be better at keeping in touch, but honestly I know it won't happen. I have had to really prioritize things in my life and have found it one of the most difficult things to do when having to chose between the things and people in my life that I really love and care about. It's not been as easy as cutting out things like TV and trips to the mall unfortunately. So, with that, please accept my apology for not being able to keep up with everyone like I used to. I love all of you dearly, but have found that with our decision for me to work (even part time) that our life has had to change some what to accommodate my role as a workin' woman! ;)

Last week I sat down with Art to discuss my maternity leave and things of that nature and am happy to report that I was very pleased with the outcome. They are being more than generous with my leave and transition back after the baby is born. I also got confirmation that I will be able to take the baby to work with me on a regular basis for as long as it works for me. Several times I've read in my Mothering magazine about how they and a few other "family friendly" businesses allow their employees to bring their children to work (babies in particular) and always thought how cool it would be to work at a place like that. Now, here I sit with the same opportunity as the women I've read about and feel more than blessed. I know that it won't always be easy, but I'm really trusting that God will continue to provide a way for me to not only work in this position He's called me to, but to also allow me to take care of my family in a way that is uncompromising to my dedication as a mother and wife.

I'm on a roll and could probably write another few pages, but Andy is requesting Beef Stroganoff for dinner and since I am missing a few key ingredients he has offered to go to the store to get them. He always does the best he can, but since I'm kind of picky when it comes to groceries, I told him that I would be happy to run in and get what I needed if he would drive me to the store. With that, we are off to get what we need for a fattening, but tasty dinner of Beef Stroganoff.

I have plans to finally get a decent pregnancy picture this week. If I'm successful I will be sure to post it. Also, stay tuned for another glimpse at our little one. I have my next appointment on Monday and we will be having an ultrasound to check my fluid levels (they were low with Bella towards then end of my pregnancy). I'm hoping to get another picture of her and most importantly confirmation that she really is a girl!! ;)

Home Sweet Home!

We made it home safely on Saturday night from our weeks stay in Southern California. We had a wonderful time but it sure feels good to be back in the comforts of our own home...mostly it's just nice to sleep in my bed again! ;)

We were able to fit quite a bit into our week. We visited with our family in San Diego, spent 2 days in Disneyland and spent several days with our favorite friends, The O'Connell's!

The first day we were in Disneyland it was in the low 90's and the heat just about did us in. We ended up going back to our hotel, taking a nap, eating dinner and just trying our best to stay out of the sun. We headed back to Disneyland that evening and it was much better! It's still winter here in Reno, so the 40 degree jump in temperature was quite a shock to our systems. We returned to Disneyland on Wednesday and had a great day of fun riding the rides, saying hi to the characters and just enjoying our time.

Thursday and Friday we spent hanging out with the O'Connell family and had a great time walking the malls, letting the kids play and just visiting. It's hard having such good friends who live so far away, but we are grateful that we get to visit on a fairly regular basis.

Here are some pictures from our trip. I realized when I got home that I only took pictures in Disneyland.

Sunny Southern California...

HERE WE COME!!!

Grandma Dean, Bella and I leave early tomorrow morning for a week long vacation in So Cal. We are visiting friends and family and spending a couple days at Disneyland! We are so excited and I'm just praying that my pregnant bladder cooperates on the drive down and back! ;)

Check back for pictures and updates!

24 week pictures...

Here are a few pictures from tonight. I can't seem to get a decent one that includes my head, but I'll get over myself and post one anyways. ;)





And here's the real deal...a bare belly shot...

6 months!

Wow! Where did the time go? I'm finding it hard to believe that I've entered my 6th month of pregnancy!

I'm happy to report that I'm feeling pretty good these days, but for the last week all I've really wanted to do was EAT and SLEEP! I'm trying SO hard to keep motivated but I feel like my body is taking over and my mind only goes so far in motivating me to get things done.

I had a really busy week at work and the staff hosted our annual volunteer appreciation dinner on Friday. I was at work for 10 hours Friday and made the huge mistake of wearing shoes with a heel. After setting up, serving food, and cleaning up I was left feeling like I'd been run over by a truck. I woke up Saturday morning with swollen hands and feet and a terrible headache...definitely over did it! With the exception of a couple loads of laundry I didn't do much of anything other than lay around and sleep most of the day. I hopefully learned my lesson because I was miserable!

In happier news our little girl seems to be doing well nestled in my tummy. She moves constantly and I'm now able to distinguish between different parts of her body. Bella felt her move for the first time the other day and her reaction was priceless...it completely freaked her out! It took her a few days to get up the nerve to touch my belly again, but she finally was brave enough and knowing what to expect, she actually enjoyed feeling her sister move around.

I will try to post a new belly picture sometime this week.

Belly Pics!

Here are a couple pictures from tonight. These are officially my 22 week pictures as I will be 23 weeks tomorrow. Of course Bella had to be in on the action! ;)

The Great Tie Dillema...

This morning I came downstairs to find Andy in his usual work attire, with one exception...he was wearing 2 ties!

Here is a picture of him just before leaving for our appointment with our Doctor...



(In case it's hard to see in the picture, his ties are identical except for the color...one is pink and one is blue. He said our ultrasound would determine which one he wore to work.)

And this is what he wore to work...



Yes, it's true. We are having another little girl!! We were so certain that this baby was a boy that it came as quite a surprise when we saw those three familiar little lines on the screen. After our initial peek our Doctor took a few more measurements and I couldn't resist asking him if he was sure so he went back for another look. He explained it to us this way, "These 3 lines, no penis and no scrotum are usually what we see when baby is a girl." He said he couldn't give us a 100% guarantee, but that he was at least 90% sure. I knew he was extremely confident in his assessment, but I had to check none-the-less! ;)

And here is what she refused to show us last time...



I know this may look like nothing to a lot of you, but if you look directly above the arrow there are 3 lines on top of each other and those are her "girl parts". The picture is as if she is sitting above you and you look up at her bottom. Does that help at all?? ;)

Having a son would have been wonderful, but after waiting for so long for this baby, hearing that we are having a healthy little girl is some of the best news we have had since first seeing her little heart beating away in October.

Most of you know that Bella has had her heart set on having a baby brother and I'm happy to say that she took the news very well. She was still excited to go pick out the baby's first outfit and I was very pleased with her choice. I can't wait to see her baby sister in this...



I've become increasingly excited as the day has gone on and one of the things that I simply cannot wait to see is Andy with his daughters and how much they will both adore their daddy. We have so much to look forward to in the years to come and I'm so thankful for the blessing of this little girl.

22 weeks!

According to my weekly email the baby is about 10 1/2 inches long and close to 1 pound. Even though that is tiny compared to a newborn it still amazes me that something that size is living inside of me! This little one continues to be as active as ever, making his/her presence especially known whenever I'm trying to sleep. A couple nights ago Andy and I were laying in bed, him quickly falling asleep, me feeling like my insides were being turned inside out every 5 seconds. Finally I put his hand on my belly so he could feel a little of what was keeping me awake. He had a few minutes of fun poking at the baby and getting a nice strong thump back. Of course that did absolutely nothing in helping the baby to calm down and me get to sleep, but it was a fun little moment none-the-less.

Our next appointment is on Friday and we get to have another ultrasound in hopes of getting a clear gender shot. I'm starting to get excited again, but reminding myself that there is always the possibility of the outcome being the same as last time. Again I made sure to schedule it for first thing in the morning so I didn't have to wait all day. I will hopefully have some news to send out on the blogshpere by early afternoon.

Andy and I are on a mission around here. We have decided to clean out and organize our house (and lives) room by room. We planned to start with the garage, but in hopes of being productive yesterday with a limited amount of time we tackled our bedroom instead. We got everything done except for our under bed storage bins which we will finish up this morning. Even though we still have a LOT of work to do it feels great to accomplish something and be one step closer to our goal. We've also agreed to do nothing with the nursery until our re-organization is done. It will be hard to resist (especially if we are so lucky to find out if the baby is a boy or girl), but is great motivation to keep going!

Last week was a tough week at work for me as I dealt with many couples in crisis. Everyday as I drove home and pondered the day I kept coming to the same conclusion of how blessed I am to have the marriage and family that I do. Andy and I have faced some of the same situations that bring couples into my office feeling hopeless and ready to give up and to know that we can face life TOGETHER is more of a blessing that I ever imagined it to be. I guess I'm trying to say that I'm extremely grateful for the blessing of sharing my life with someone who I know will never give up on me or our family. It feels great to be doing life together!

Stuff...

First, I'll get the headless picture out of the way. Today I am 21 weeks, but this is my 20 week picture that I didn't get posted last week.



I'm finally starting to feel good on a regular basis. Andy no longer has to bring me breakfast in bed which is nice for both of us (believe it or not, I actually enjoy not having to lay in bed every single morning), my motivation is coming back, I'm able to eat more of a variety of foods and with the exception of being completely exhausted from head to toe by the end of the day (my day ends a lot earlier than Andy's and Bella's by the way), I'm feeling like myself again.

We have been busy working on projects around the house, not only getting ready for a new baby, but also getting back on top of things that we have been letting slide. We have some projects in the works that we are finishing up and starting some major cleaning out and reorganizing. While it's occupying almost all of our time, it feels great to be getting things done.

Andy is currently in Portland on business. We took him to the airport yesterday morning and when we started to drive away Bella said, "Mom, is he going to be okay by himself?" The concern in her voice was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. I assured her that Daddy would be fine by himself, but she was genuinely concerned about him. When she talked to him last night on the phone, I overheard her telling him, "I really wish I was there with you Daddy". She's such a sweetheart and even though I'll admit to the occasional twinge of jealousy, I have to say that seeing her and Andy's relationship develop into something so special brings me a great deal of joy!

The weather here has been unseasonably warm. We are currently in the low-mid 60's. It has been great but we really need a winter. We have had no snow or rain to speak of which has left the ski resorts hurting big time and if it stays this way, will have a grave effect on our water supply this summer. The weather is forecasting rain by the end of this week, so maybe this is just the start of our high desert winter??

Here are a few pictures of Bella and Andy snowboarding. I took so many that it's hard to choose, but these are some of my favorites...











I think that's all for now. I'm off to fold some laundry and hopefully finish up our taxes.

Gentle Reminders...

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. Have it as an adult.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets ... Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple. .
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don't ask, you don't get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift

20 weeks!

I officially crossed the half way mark on Monday and time seems to be going faster and faster. With the exception of the bibs and stuffed puppy dog that Bella picked out for the baby after my ultrasound, I still don't have a single thing for this baby! We have quite a project in turning Bella's play room into a baby's room and I really want to get all of that taken care of before I start accumulating baby stuff. Andy is in the middle of building drawers to store our DVD's and CD's in and as soon as he is done with that we are going to take on the task of creating space for this little one. Of course not having a definite boy or girl answer is also holding me back a bit.

I'm currently fighting off a cold, but other than that I'm feeling pretty good these days. The Chiropractor has been a miracle worker with my lower back pain. It went from constant pain to virtually non-existent and I can't tell you what a relief it has been! The baby is also moving around ALL THE TIME now which is not only reassuring, but also a lot of fun! Last night he/she must have been doing flips or something because the movement was so big that it was actually starting to make me feel a little nauseous. It felt like my entire insides were being flipped upside down...over and over and over again! ;) When I first got pregnant I thought that maybe I would have a low energy, calm child this time, but I have a feeling that we are in for another kiddo with the energy of 5 "normal" kids! ;)

We still haven't taken my 20 week belly pic, but as soon as we do I will post it. Everyone keeps telling me how small I am and I keep reminding them that this is about the point where I start growing exponentially. At my u/s the baby weighed about 1/2 lb. so if this one is a little under Bella's birth weight I have a full 8 lbs of baby to put somewhere in the next 20 weeks! Yikes!!

Ultrasound Pictures!

As many of you know we had our routine 20 week u/s yesterday (although I'm actually only 19 weeks). We went in to our appointment with the assumption that we would leave knowing if the newest member of our family was a boy or a girl. We were wrong! ;) Despite our Doctors many attempts our baby refused to give us so much as a glimpse between his/her legs. Finally the Doctor stopped trying and told us that he would check at our next appointment in a month.

I have to say that there is a twinge of disappointment, but not nearly as much as I expected. Hearing that our baby was healthy was all we really needed yesterday. There wasn't a single concern that the Doctor had. He did all the measurements, pointed out the things they look for that could indicate a possible problem and assured us that from what we could tell we had a very healthy little one in there.

Here are a couple pictures. I haven't had time to get to the store and scan them onto a disk, so these are pictures I took with my camera. Not the best, but they will do for now.

Our alien baby...



Notice the arrow pointing to the ear. We were so amazed at this one...not only the little ear, but also the detail of his/her spine.




And my favorite one...

Kaitlyn Elaine

Two of our dearest friends Kyle and Terri said goodbye to their beautiful baby girl on Saturday when she was born silently. Terri was 25 weeks pregnant and discovered on Friday that Kaitlyn's heart had stopped beating.

We were blessed to be there with them for the birth and to share some time with Kaitlyn before the said goodbye.

I will never profess to understand why things like this happen, but I do know that they are wrapped in the arms of Jesus during this incredibly difficult time and that they are looking forward to the day when they meet their angel baby in heaven.

If you could say a prayer for them I know they would appreciate it. They are such special people and it breaks our heart to see them have to travel down the road in life.

Kaitlyn Elaine, a little girl that will forever be in the presence of our Lord. A precious angel who will never be forgotten...

Something to remember...

I came across this quote today and for thought a few parents out there might be able to relate...

"Children seldom misquote you. They more often repeat, word for word, what you shouldn't have said."

- Mae Maloo

Andy and I *think* we watch what we say in front of Bella, but all too often she reminds of that her ears are farther reaching that we think! ;)

Happy Birthday!

To the most wonderful friend a girl could ask for! :)

Wish we were there to crash your birthday dinner! Seriously though, I hope this year brings with it much happiness and many new blessings!

:)

Off she goes!

Bella is now the official owner of her first pair of snowboarding boots. We looked all over trying to find boots in her size and I finally came to the conclusion that most 4 year olds probably aren't hopping on a snowboard...skis, maybe, but the snowboard doesn't seem to be as popular amongst the preschoolers! ;) Of course she is adamant about wanting to board and Andy wants to teach her just as bad, so we perservered. Yesterday we hit the jackpot and these are what she will take her first ride down the slopes in (okay, she won't really be going down any "slopes" at first)...



Andy has plans to take her up on Thursday and start getting her used to being on a board. I will be saying many prayers that day, but know that this is just the beginning of my very daring and adventurous little girl doing things that will make my heart skip a few beats.

Unfortunately I won't be there to take pictures, but I will be sure to give a full, second hand report once they get back!

In baby news, I was 17 weeks yesterday and think I'm finally starting to feel better. I have been to the gym a few times in the last week, am sleeping decent at night, and have more energy than I've had in months. Along with that has come the much anticipated days of feeling this little one jump around in my belly on a regular basis. Of course for the last couple days he/she has decided that 5:30 am would be a good time to wake up and jump around for an hour or so. I love it, but at the same time am wondering why it couldn't just be an hour or so later?? ;)

Here is a belly pic from yesterday. Sorry about the lack of a head in all my pictures, but by the time Andy gets around to taking my pic at night I look like hell, so he just gets the important part! ;)





Compared to last week, I've really "popped"! ;)

16 weeks!

Today I am enter my 16th week of pregnancy. Up until a couple weeks ago the time was slowly creeping by, but all of a sudden things seem to be speeding up.

I receive a weekly email that tells me about how the baby is developing for the particular week I am in. According to today's email our little one is almost 5 inches long and his/her finger and toe nails are fully formed. It's amazing for me to think that I have a perfectly formed little person growing inside of me! I love it! :)

Andy clicked a couple pictures of Bella and I yesterday. Here is a cute one that shows a little of my growing belly...



And just for good measure...an adorable picture of Bella I took yesterday...