yummy meals

due to the need for me to be eating healthy and for two, I have been trying out more creative meals. last night we had tofu 'crab'cakes with cocktail sauce and cucumber dill salad. yum!

24 weeks

24-week check-up: complete! we got to hear our little girl again yesterday, her heart beating warm and strong. this is the final month of our once-a-month appointments; next month i begin bi-weekly check-ups as i enter the third trimester. i can't believe how fast everything is going, yet how slow time seems to move...
the past few weeks have had their ups and downs - special moments include an increase in baby's activity including responses to things she hears; the creation of a baby registry with many instances of obsessively cooing over this darling outfit or gawking at the complexity of that stroller or pack'n'play; work on her room commencing with much anticipation of seeing the completed result (still to come!); continued joy and wonder at the knowledge that we have this special little being inside of me who is all ours; and many intimate talks over how we envision our first experiences as parents while maintaining our relationship as lovers, friends, and of course, always each other's favorite. sure we are idealistic - what soon-to-be parent isn't? but we are ready to embrace all the experiences, good and challenging, with an optimistic view.
downs are more personal as i do have moments of anxiety - what kind of mother will i be? what character will this little daughter have? how will having another member of the family, albeit tiny and precious at first, affect the idyllic and perfect relationship that Matthew and I have? this is probably my biggest anxiety, as the past six years of having this incredible man i call my husband have been the best years of my life and i can't imagine life getting any better. i have always dreaded change - this is one change that i welcome with open arms yet a part of me still worries that what we have now will be forever altered. the peace that carries me through these moments of fear is the knowledge of the incredible foundation we have created between the two of us and that this precious little girl is the result of that love and complete devotion we have for one another... an extension of ourselves, if you will. so i tuck these worries away inside, asking God to take them away as He wills, and focus on the beautiful feelings i continue to carry with me through it all.

over halfway...

at 21 weeks, we have made it over the halfway hump and begun the descent into the second half of Baby's pre-birth life. as each day passes, i find myself talking or humming to Baby; rubbing my belly; or just smiling for no reason at all... until i realize the smile is on my face and then i know why. this girl has turned our world upside down and we haven't even been introduced yet.
we picked out a book to read to her once we found out the gender - of course, we had to start with a classic... so Little Doll is hearing all about Elizabeth Bennet, her sister Jane, and the comedic or brooding lives of those around them. daddy is reading a chapter a night and is finding that he actually enjoys Jane Austen (thumbs up from me!). once we finish P&P, we may decide to move on to A Girl of the Limberlost, Anne of Green Gables, or maybe Laura Ingalls Wilder. of course, i'd not mind more of Jane Austen either - we'll see how Matthew feels about that...
she is experiencing a variety of music, from Bach and Beethoven to Alison Krauss and Colbie Caillat and a little bit of everything else mixed in. that is, a little bit of everything that we normally listen to... :) she is also responding to the music she hears in lessons. sometimes a student will begin to play a piece and she begins to move and kick... i'm trying to see if there is a pattern to particular styles or students but haven't discovered anything yet.
i've settled into a routine - relaxing between teaching sessions if i have a break or taking time for myself in the mornings and evenings to be calm and enjoy a few moments of quiet. i've begun to wake up in the night, typically around 3am... in those peaceful moments of lying still, Baby is her most active. i think she is keeping me company. she'll usually calm down around the time i drift back to sleep. those are special moments i carry with me throughout the day.

San Diego sunshine

Spending a few days in San Diego while Matthew attends a conference. I'd forgotten how amazing the west coast is... Soaking in the sunshine and views!

it's a ...!!!

anticipation...

I had a dream last night that we could use Matthew's ear buds on my belly connected to his phone to determine the sex of the baby. I woke up giggling.
Fell back asleep and then dreamt I was in the waiting room for my ultrasound and they couldn't tell from my belly that I was pregnant. They tried to give me an ultrasound on my back, all the while the nurse telling me that it's ok- she tried faking a pregnancy too.
This time, on our way to the ultrasound, it's for real- no dreams.

mr or ms, xy or xx, m or f...

we are officially within a week of finding out if we are having a boy or girl... we have our suspicions, but will be thrilled either way. as the countdown progresses, we are excited to share the anticipation with family and friends, who have been predicting both male or female. on the top of my blog, there is a place to vote - if you predict a boy, pick orange; a girl, pick coral. then take a peak at our colors below - you'll understand why we picked orange and coral instead of the traditional blue and pink. on friday, march 9, after 11am, check back for the results!