some things.

Since it's been a month and a half since I've blogged anything at all, a bit of a catch-up post is in order. There's no way I could catch up on everything (we've been busy 'round these here parts!) but, here are a few of the highlights, as well as other random things that will pop into my brain as I sit here and finally type in this white square of a "New Post" box.
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On May 24th, I had my 3rd annual recital for my piano students. I absolutely love the recital-- it's more fun than I can say to listen to each young person play their very best in front of their friends and families, to see the look of pure accomplishment on their faces when they play that last note, the nervousness gone, replaced by joy. I'm beaming with pride by the end of the night. We all work very hard on our songs for months, and the recital is our big pay-off-- a reward that is totally worth it. Have I mentioned how much I love my piano students? I really do. Since the recital I've given not one piano lesson (I decided to take the summer completely off, figuring a new baby might keep me busy enough) and while I love having the afternoons free for other things, I do really miss seeing each one of them.
Our own Emma Joy participated in the recital too. She played a song called "Lavender Sunset", and it was absolutely lovely. And then she and her teacher, Ryan, played a fun duet together, and her smile was infectious and wonderful to see.

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The day after the recital the girls and I headed down to LA to visit my brother Elijah for the day. Two very important things had recently happened, and we needed to celebrate, oh yes we did.
one. He got engaged! On May 19th (which is also my sister Lydia's birthday), to a beautiful redhead named Lindsey! And we are so excited!
two. He was made a Captain in the Air Force! We couldn't be there for the actual ceremony, since it was the day of the recital, but Lydia was able to go and be there for it, and Lindsey had flown out too. They both said it was very impressive. And I think he looks so very dashingly handsome in his dress blues.

We had so much fun all hanging out together, as per the usual. My girls pretty much adore Uncle Elijah... and now they adore almost-aunt Lindsey too.
We even went to the beach while we were down there, where it was extremely and incredibly windy and cold. Rosalie peed on herself in the first ten minutes, and Annabelle got knocked over by a bigger-than-expected wave and "almost went into the sea" (her words) after which she was simply done with the whole thing. But Emma got soaking wet and loved every minute of it, and the rest of us tolerated it for as long as we could. :)


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At the beginning of June I got to have my "last hurrah" away in the form of a last-minute beach retreat with some women from my church. We stayed in Cayucos at the cutest beach house I had ever seen, ate way too much yummy food, slept in a room full of bunk beds and stayed up much too late laughing over ridiculous things and talking, lazed around in our PJ's, went shopping, and enjoyed every minute. I'm so thankful for each of these beautiful and godly ladies.
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As the Bakersfield heat has increased, we've been hitting up the spray parks as much as we can with friends. There's nothing like the smell of suncreen in the sunshine, little kids running around in swimsuits, snacks on the hot cement only to run happily back into the water.

Rosalie and some of her best buds, Lucy and Chloe

These are the simple summer memories I treasure with my girls, with family and friends.

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We of course celebrated Father's Day, in a simple and quiet way, which is sometimes the best way, I think. The only thing lacking was getting to give my own dear and wonderful dad, who lives in Wyoming, a BIG hug. I miss him, and appreciate him more and more over the years for the great dad and the godly man he is.

The girls bought their daddy a Star Wars mug that said "I AM YOUR FATHER" and filled it with Werther's Originals and scraps of paper that each had something they loved or appreciated about him. It was so sweet to watch him unfold each scrap and read it as they eagerly looked on, giggling at the silly ones and smiling shyly at the other ones. I'm so thankful for the daddy he is to these three-- and can't wait to see him with our little one.
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Speaking of the little one, I'm 38 weeks pregnant. Every time I write how far along I am, I want to follow it up with "HOLY MOLY!" or at least a very emphatic "WHAT?!" The end of this pregnancy is coming, is suddenly upon us, any day now, and every day brings us so close to finally meeting our baby, to finally knowing the answer to "boy or girl??", to having four kids. I have so many mixed emotions these days, but mostly, I just can't wait to hold my baby and to fall in love with this little blessing.

I haven't taken any recent pregnancy pictures, but here is one from two weeks ago. Not too much has changed since then, except for my feet are now the size of small balloons and my ankles are huge. oh, the fun that the end of pregnancy brings!
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Jeremy bought me a spa package gift certificate for my birthday way back in January, and I finally used it a couple weeks ago. It was five hours where I padded around the quiet halls of a little tucked-away place in a huge bathrobe, going from room to room where I was pampered with such things like a facial and a pre-natal massage, a pedicure and a manicure. It was so sweet of him to do that for me, and thankfully my appointment came on a day when I really needed the time away and a bit of pampering. But by the end, the mommy guilt was setting in, and I felt horribly selfish... whixh made me wonder, why do we moms do that to ourselves? My husband wanted to give me this, it's something I never get to do, and it was a huge blessing. I decided I shouldn't feel guilty or selfish, and to simply be oh-so-thankful instead. :) and I am!
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It's things like my day at the spa that make me realize all over again how much God knows our needs, and how good He is even in the little things. As I look back over these past few busy months, and look ahead to what the next few months will bring, I think that's the thing that stands out to me in the midst of the happy memories as well as the hard days: God is good. Always, forever, no matter what is happening. I can't even count the ways in which He shows it, I simply stand in awe and thanks for what He has done and what He is doing all the time in this life of ours, from simple summer days at the spray park, to the wonder of new life and new beginnings.

the pregnancy: eleven things

oh, hey there!
remember that one time when I announced we were having another baby? our fourth one to be exact?
and then I mentioned it again like two months later, and included some pictures that didn't even really show a baby bump?
and did you notice how that was over three months ago now, and I have yet to even do a proper post about this pregnancy, like, at all?

I know. It's horrible. I'm horrible. Poor dear little baby #4.

To help make up for it (at least a little), here are eleven things about this pregnancy, accompanied by way too many baby bump pictures (I honestly do not need to look at this much of myself these days. but some of you have requested said pictures, so here they are. heh.)

one. I am now 29 weeks pregnant... but if anyone asks me how far along I am, I just say "oh, about six-and-a-half months". I can NEVER remember the weeks, am horrible at keeping track, and I totally had to get out my calendar and do some serious counting in order to label this picture.

two. the official due date is July 14... or wait, is it July 17? Seriously, people, I'm horrible. I'm due mid-July! There, that works. I can hardly believe how CLOSE that seems... the very fact that I'll be 30 weeks pregnant next week makes it seem like it is right around the corner. I'm glad for this fact, especially since it's starting to get warm in this part of the country and the discomfort level is already rising, but I am also equally freaked-out, just thinking of all that should be accomplished and happening before then.

three. It should be noted that these pictures of me in the skirt were taken after church one Sunday, and I must admit that I do NOT usually look like that these days. These next two are a more accurate representation of my day-to-day pregnancy style.

hair up in a messy bun. my favorite pair of jeans. a simple and comfortable top that hides certain curves just a bit. whatever makeup I have time to throw on before a piano student shows up at my door. a necklace, because it makes me feel like I tried. ha. and, of course, bare feet, because I only wear shoes if I'm going somewhere, and then it's usually my Toms or a pair of flip-flops. (thankgoodness messy buns and Toms are totally in right now.)

four. This little one is a very active baby, always kicking and punching and rolling around in there. I love feeling that every single day, and I'm soaking up the experience. I don't appreciate so much the vigorous kicks to the ribs or the bladder, but I can't blame the kid... I'm pretty short, so there's not a lot of room between one or the other in there!

five. I'm not sure what it is-- the fact that I started this pregnancy with a little bit more weight than my others? maybe this kid is going to be bigger in birth size? perhaps it's just the way the baby is sitting inside me? maybe it's just the fact that this is my fourth time around?-- but I feel so much bigger with this pregnancy. Large and in charge, folks. Sometimes when strangers ask me how much longer I have to go and I tell them I'm not due until July, they give me that look. The one that says "oh, pardon me, I thought you looked like you could be going into labor at any minute, you poor woman." I've honestly been pretty good about my eating this pregnancy, and have definitely been able to stay pretty active (that happens naturally), but it doesn't seem to matter: I'm big, and no help for it. Proof:

oh goodness. Angle is everything.

There, that's a little better. :)

six. My cravings this time around have ranged from the very good (mangos! strawberries! broccoli! non-fat frozen yogurt!) to the awfully bad (cheeseburger and fries! chips! lucky charms!). Once the nausea finally went away and I was able to give up on the saltine crackers and ginger ale that had become a daily staple, I was glad to have these cravings, and so, I must admit, I've indulged when they've hit. Thankfully, the healthy cravings have been much more dominant than the not-so-healthy ones. Whew.

seven. The girls are so excited about this baby, which makes my heart happy to see. Emma is always saying "I can't WAIT for July, I just want the baby to BE here!", Annabelle puts her hands on my tummy and kisses it, and Rosalie, while she doesn't fully understand, talks about "the baby in mommy's tummy" too. These three are going to be the best big sisters to this little one.

eight. Jeremy and I haven't chosen names yet... we're having a little bit more difficulty this time around, and part of it is that we haven't really even taken the time to just sit down and figure it out! Like I said, it's all going by so fast. My goal is to have that done... well.... before I go into labor, preferably. heh. We are open to suggestions, so give us some ideas if you have some tucked away that you don't mind sharing!

nine. Even though I know newborns bring an exhaustion of their own with them, I will be so ready and willing to trade that for this pregnancy exhaustion. I am quite literally tired. all. the. time. It truly is a tiredness you can't get rid of. And naps are few and far in between these days. Oh, how I love naps. I wish there were more of them in my life, I really do.

ten. we do NOT know the baby's gender, nor will we know until the little one makes his or her arrival into this world. I suppose it maybe would have made more sense for us to find out, since if this one does happen to be a boy we will quite literally have nothing for it, but for some reason I just didn't want to know this time. I love the extra anticipation and excitement that is there in not knowing, and I'm surprisingly laid-back about being prepared. If it's a girl, we're pretty much good to go, since I've saved lots of stuff. If we actually do have a boy, I'll have a couple of packages of white onesies on hand, and then we and everyone else who wants to can go crazy and have fun buying BOY stuff for a change! oh boy oh boy. We shall see... I'm so incredibly excited for that moment when we know who this little person is, this new addition to our family.

And boy or girl, the thought of a brand-new little baby to hold in my arms, another tiny person with which to fall in love, one more child to be nephew or niece and grandbaby to our dear family all around us... it makes me positively beam with joy.


eleven. This:

hi, little babe. even tucked away in mommy's belly, you're still awfully cute. you're such a blessing, and we thank God for you already!

ps. I know, longest pregnancy post ever. sheesh. does this get me off the hook for a while?

on Sunday...

...I felt cute.

And I decided that I should blog about it. After all, it's practically an event!

If you've ever been 15-ish weeks pregnant with your fourth child, you know what I mean. :)

So, in honor of a good hair day and an outfit that worked, you get a gratuitous fashion post.


cardigan: goodwill
tank top: forever21 (their basic tank tops are the best!)
dress: target clearance
teal belt: goodwill
lacy tights: forever21, a christmas stocking stuffer from my seester
boots: goodwill

I love these boots. They were $4.50, and they're the most incredibly comfortable and sturdy boots I own. They're beat up and worn and scuffed, but that makes me love them even more.


Can you believe I'm already nearly sixteen weeks pregnant? It honestly seems like we just found out about baby a few weeks ago. It's crazy how quickly this is going by

I'm always tired, often nauseous, sometimes broken-out like a teenager, awkwardly getting bigger (all over, it seems. it's delightful. ha.) and struggling to keep up with things around here....
but I'm really, honestly, truly, and completely thankful for these things.
This babe of ours seems to be growing and healthy so far, my pregnancy has been free from complications or serious sickness...and I've realized afresh with this pregnancy what a huge gift these things are. It is not one to be taken for granted and one for which I try to remember to praise God daily.
(sometimes unsuccessfully. I can get rather grumpy! but I'm trying, I really am.)



Here's to lacy tights and vintage boots. Here's to sweet little baby #4, already a blessing to us.

and here's to all of you, may you have a lovely week ahead of you!

once upon a time...

... there was a boy named Jeremy and a girl named Talia.

they met one rainy night, and though they only had an inkling, that was when their love story started. slowly but surely, he won her heart as only he could.

and one fine spring day, they married.

eight and a half years went by, years of being in love, of learning and growing, of hardships and challenges, of endless joys and blessing.

they had babies. three of them. three beautiful girls. three wonderful gifts from the Lord, and it was more than they could have ever imagined.

children are like a story within a story. 

a new beginning beautifully woven into the tale of the lives God gives to us all.

and those two people whose story started on that rainy night
quite some time ago

are celebrating another new beginning in their story.

what a good and gracious author our God is!

we're so thankful. this is such a gift.

we're excited.

we're a wee bit shocked and nervous to think we will have four children.

but mostly just excited. :)

we're overjoyed!!

baby bridgman the fourth, coming summer 2012.

YAY!

:)

Maybe 35-week-pregnant people shouldn't wear horizontal stripes

Ummmm.... nope. They DEFINITELY shouldn't. At least not this girl.

I rest my case.

(In other baby news, did you hear??? Wheeeee, I'm SO excited!)

31 weeks

My goodness! The last time I posted a "belly shot" was when I was a mere 21 weeks along. I had no clue it had been that long! Well, there has definitely been some growing since then. Ten weeks makes quite a difference to a pregnant belly:

(Sorry for the really cruddy pictures. I'm rockin' the sweats and no-make-up look today. One of these days I'll have some really nice, pretty maternity shots for you all to see, I promise.)

Just for fun, I went back and found out all the posts that have belly shots in them. I literally laughed out loud when I saw my first one, I was so tiny. It seems eons ago! Would you like to see? All right, here, watch me grow:

7 weeks

12 weeks

15 weeks

18 weeks

21 weeks

So yes, as you can see, Rosalie is in there just growing away, and giving her mama quite the tummy in the process. If I'm being completely honest, I would tell you that I weigh more now than I ever have in my life. And while I'm very glad our baby is healthy and growing, that number (which you shall never know, I'm not being THAT honest) on the scale does freak me out just a little. But! It also makes me that much more excited to get back in shape once Rosalie is here and I have my body back to myself. (Can't WAIT to join in on Kerri's Work It Out Weekends! Whee!) I'm trying to be as healthy as I can during these last months of pregnancy, while still just enjoying it and the fact that it's ok to indulge just a leetle bit more right now. And usually, it's easy to be content with the size and shape of my ever-growing body.

Except... when this happens:

Nice lady who sees my pregnant tummy: Oh, so when are you due?

Me: The middle of March.

Nice lady who gives me and my pregnant tummy a funny look: Really?? Not until then?? So, are you having twins then?

Me: No, but thank you for making me feel absolutely gargantuan, and I hope someone calls YOU fat today! Pardon me while I go cry now.

(I didn't actually say that. Don't worry, I was nice and sweet. But it was a temptation.) The funny thing is, I have gotten the "are you having twins?" question twice. On two completely different and separate occasions, from two completely different people who don't even live in the same state. Not to mention the number of sweet little grocery-store check-out ladies who exclaim "Ooh, you look ready to pop any day now!". I know I'm nice and round and yes, even a bit large, but come on, people... I still have two months left, and trust me, there's only one kid in there.

(really, most of that is for amusement's sake. I'm not bitter. And I'm sure every pregnant person has experienced something like this at one point or another, no matter how big or small they may be. Apparently, being "with child" opens your entire body up for discussion by total strangers...)

Since this post is already way too long, I might as well make this the complete pregnancy update and tell you all how I'm feeling, since some of you have asked. I'm doing great really, aside from the usual weariness and uncomfortableness that comes with the third trimester, and a sore back and leg. This has been bothering me for a little over a week now, and I'm not quite sure if there's anything I can do to make it better, as I've tried going on walks, stretching, laying a certain way... all to no avail. Still, all in all, I feel good and am grateful for it.

Rosalie is a very active baby, kicking and punching, twisting and somersaulting, stretching and moving all the time. I love feeling her move, and being able to let others feel her. It's so reassuring and special, and as long as she stays away from my ribcage (which she doesn't, really, the little stinker), we get along wonderfully. I can tell she's running out of room in there, which makes me that much more aware of how close her arrival is getting. Only two months left before she's here!! This is both incredibly exciting and also a bit stressful. Now that the holidays and all their busy-ness have come and gone, I'm seriously thinking about all I have left to accomplish in what is seeming like a very short amount of time. Scrapbooking to catch up on, cupboards to be organized, closets to clean out, lists of needs to be made, baby items to be bought, a baby room to be painted and decorated, other decorating and painting projects to finish up, cleaning of all sorts, clothes and toys to sort through, aboutamillionother little things, and ohmygoodnesshowamIgoingtogetitalldone

whenI'dreallyratherbenapping??

But then I take a few deep breaths, calm myself with a few peaceful prayers, make another list or two which makes me feel so much more organized even if it doesn't actually accomplish anything, and realize that even if all these things don't get done before our baby arrives, it won't be the end of the world. Simply put, it will be the beginning of our little Rosalie's life here with us, clean cupboards or not. And it will be beautiful. And wonderful. And amazing. A sweet blessing beyond words. And we can't wait!!

playing catch-up

Yes, indeed, I have lots to catch up on! Where did this week go? It just flew right on by...

First things first: I've been so excited to pick my winner for the gender guess give-away! You all were so sweet to comment and leave your guesses, and like I already said, I loved hearing what everyone thought-- now, here is your due reward for all of that careful thought you put into those guesses.
Aaaaaand, actually, I know I said only those of you who guessed right would be getting a prize, but I just couldn't leave all you other people out. See how much I LOVE you all?? So yes, those of you who guessed "BOY" (15 total) were entered into a little drawing all your own! Let's start with that one.

the names go carefully into a bowl....

I screw my eyes shut tight (no pictures of that, it's no-make-up day), mix 'em up real good, and pull out a name:

And yay, it's the lovely Morgan, from over at Mrs. Priss! Here is your little prize, courtesy of the all-too-addictive-and-fun Etsy:

A sweet set of blue-bird notecards

(actually, on this particular prize, I was completely torn. Would you rather have this instead?? I think I'll leave it up to you...)

Just e-mail me your address, my dear, and I will have it shipped directly to you.

And now for the 10 of you who guessed (correctly, yay!) "GIRL".
A different set of names.... same bowl. But see, you can tell these are the "girl" names, because the bowl is wearing a cut lil' bow this time!

Eyes shut tight again and another name is drawn, and this time, it's...

Sweet Karen, from over at ThatMom.com (has a nice ring to it, doesn't it)! Hooray! How fun! And here's what you've won, also found on Etsy (or, The Place of Treasures Untold):

A lovely little pink birdie dish

I believe I already have your address, having asked your lovely daughter-in-law for it at some point, so your little giftie will be on its way quite soon.
Thank you, everyone, for playing along. You're all darlings!

Now that we have the prizes taken care of, it's time to post another belly shot. Here is my 21-week belly, taken on Sunday when I looked nice and presentable :)


I feel quite large lately, in all honesty, but that's ok; it means our little girl (whee, I love being able to say that) is growing healthy and strong. Of course, that doesn't account for the extra padding on my bottom and thighs, but I've chosen to ignore that part of my body until after the baby arrives. No problem, right?

Last but not least, I know I didn't post a Tasty Tuesday YET AGAIN, but I actually did have a recipe I really wanted to share this week! So I'm just going to go ahead and do it two days late. You'll be glad I did, trust me, when you taste this a.maz.ing bread. I think I ate a whole mini-loaf myself (hmm, come to think of it, THAT could account for the butt and thighs...).

Pumpkin Streusel Bread

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup sherry

Streusel Topping:

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 Tbsp butter, slightly softened

3 1/2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Sift together dry ingredients. Set aside. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin puree. Beat well.

Mix pumpkin mixture with flour mixture and sherry. Blend just until ingredients are combined.

Pour into a greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pan.

For streusel, cream butter with sugar. Add flour and ginger. Blend with hands to form small crumbles. Add walnuts.

Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to finish cooling.

Just look at that beautiful orange batter. It stays this lovely color when baked too.
As you can see, I actually like to bake mine in mini-loaf pans (found in the foil pan section of any grocery store) because the little loaves make such perfect and fun gifts to pass out. Also, I doubled the recipe (it uses up one whole smaller can of pumpkin that way), which makes 5 mini-loaves. Just remember to set your bake time for less, since they will get done faster!!

And, enjoy. This recipe is one my mom made for one of her amazing Christmas Open Houses, years ago, and it has been a favorite of mine ever since. Whether you want to keep it and eat every single crumb by yourself (and I wouldn't judge you if you did), or tie a pretty bow around it and make someone else's day with some home-baked goods...

... you will find that this is a perfect fall/holiday recipe too yummy to make only once.

Whew! That's enough for one day. Don't worry, those Disneyland pictures are still coming, as well as a blog about the Amazing and Wonderful week of adoption festivities...

just not today. :)

P.S. Look at what I saw in our paper this morning as I was flipping through the "Go and Do" section!

So exciting to see some names I know!! Ashley and Colleen are both such amazing photographers, and I couldn't be happier for them. Congratulations, girls! Do go and check out their show if you get a chance.

Allow me to end the suspense...

Aren't they sweet? Oh, such wonderful memories of those baby-days with my two beloved girls.

Emma

Annabelle

Sisters

And one more makes THREE!

That's right, we're having another GIRL! I thought I might be disappointed if Baby turned out not to be a boy... but I wasn't, not at all. A boy would have been wonderful, and fun, and so welcome for lots of different reasons-- and Lord willing, we may still get a boy someday-- but I find myself thrilled and elated at the thought of another precious girl, another sister for Emma and Annabelle. We're ALL thrilled, even Emma, who needed a little convincing since she didn't really think she "needed another little sister." Oh Emma.

I am pleased to report that our little girl is completely healthy and normal so far and everything looks great. Praise God! That is a gift in and of itself.

Thanks so much not only for your patience with me this afternoon (I know I've been terribly slow about posting this, so sorry), but also for all your gender guesses. It was SO FUN to see what everyone thought!! The final tally stands as such:

Total Guesses: 25

BOY: 15

GIRL: 10

So, to the 10 of you who guessed right, I'll draw your names soon and see who gets the little prize, which I will announce tomorrow! And to all you boy-guessers... well, sorry, but you were wrong. :) (although in all honesty I would have been right there with you too!)

I actually did a video to make the big announcement (thus the reason I took so long), but on watching it back I didn't like it and it was lame. This is much better, trust me.

Whee!! A girl!! Now to pick a name.... and start saving up for all those weddings...

What will Baby be?

It's that time, folks. That's right, ultrasound time!! We finally get to find out what Baby "Bertie" is come MONDAY MORNING! I am so excited I can hardly stand it. Now here is the question I would like to ask of you all, because let's face it, it just wouldn't be as much fun without all of your guesses and conjectures:

Please leave a comment on this post anytime before Monday afternoon (November 3rd) telling me what you think the gender is. I'd love to hear your reason why too, if you've got a good one. Maybe you are one of those magical people that gets "a feeling" one way or the other. Or maybe you've looked at pictures of me and thought "Her bottom is getting so big, it must be a boy!" (Kourtni is laughing right now, I know it.) Anything goes! I can't wait to hear what you all think.

And in return for all your hard work of thinking and guessing, I've decided to do a give-away. Whee! Why not, right? Guess the gender, get a prize (if you guess right, and if I draw your name, that is). It's that simple!

Okay, dear readers, family and friends, have at it....

What WILL Baby be????

another (three) weeks flies by

I can hardly believe that the last time I posted a belly shot was three weeks ago. This month has gone by SO quickly so far.

Tomorrow, I am 18 weeks along. This picture, however, was taken a week ago Sunday in preparation for 17 weeks, and I never got around to posting it. However, I'm using it this week anyway. Let's face it, if I've seriously grown so much in just one week that last week's belly shot is not accurate anymore, then I shall be quite sad. Because I already feel slightly huge. :)

(I asked Jeremy to take a picture of me this time, instead of standing awkwardly in front of the mirror and trying to get a good angle... when he got the camera out and I stood ready, the girls automatically joined me. Apparently they don't think any picture should be taken unless they are in it. And I'm ok with that, because they do make this picture about 100 times cuter!!)

For all you impatient and eager people out there (like I'm one to talk...), I have good news!! The ultrasound date is SET: November 3rd. THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY. We can do it! We can wait just that much longer. And then finally, finally! we will know if Baby Bertie is indeed a Bertie or a Bertina. Hooray!!

I have a feeling these next three weeks will fly by as well. The rest of October is SO busy (more on that later). In fact, I would like to apologize in advance if I seem to be slightly absent from your blogs in the days to come. I still faithfully read each and every one of your lovely posts that show up in my Google Reader, but I haven't been very good about taking the time to comment lately. But I promise I'm still there, friends, and loving each post.

Now, say it with me: only three more weeks, only three more weeks, only three more weeks...

15 weeks!

Yesterday was the 15-week mark... it really does seem like these weeks are flying by! I hope it means that in what feels like no time at all it will be 20 weeks and time for that all-important ultrasound! I am seriously SO excited to find out if this little one is a boy or a girl. I'm not gonna lie... I'm a little impatient. :)

I hardly dare to write this (after all, I wrote my autumn post and then it was a ridiculous 96 degrees today!!), but I think some of my energy has returned. Yes, I still wake up tired most mornings, and I could still easily nap at almost any given time, and I still find myself falling asleep on the couch by a certain time each evening... but at least I don't feel the same sort of mind-numbing dysfunctional exhaustion as before. And for that, I am VERY grateful, and I mean to make the most of whatever energy God chooses to send my way! I'm still getting nauseated pretty regularly, and I even threw up this morning (so weird, since I'm not usually a puker), but I'm hopeful that will be gone soon too. And until it is, I'll just keep eating constantly, since it seems to help. Might as well pack on some more pounds. :)

It's odd, but it still seems a little unreal that we are actually going to have a baby. I don't think I've quite grasped that fact yet and let it really sink in. But, yesterday, for the first time, I am almost SURE that I felt the baby kick. I've had flutterings before, but I've never been able to tell for sure if it was Baby or not. Yesterday's movement felt much more definite, much more baby-ish. I've been looking forward so much to getting to feel the baby kick and move. It will really help to bring some sweet reality to the fact that another little one is getting ready to join our family.

Without any further blabbing from me, here are the 15-week belly shots:

Maybe one of these days you'll get to see a picture of me where my hair is ACTUALLY done. I promise, some days I really don't just pull it back...

One other really cool thing about how fast the time is flying by is that it means other babies are about to make their appearances! Lisa may very well be in labor as I write, and little Jillian will be here VERY soon... who knows! And my dear friend Stacie will be welcoming her Lucy in LESS than a week!! Oh, I am SO excited to meet these new little girls (as well as the other little girls who are just a bit further down the road), and pray all the best for their sweet mamas as the time draws near.

movin' right along

It's official... I'm twelve weeks pregnant today! So, in honor of this momentous occasion-- second trimester, here I come-- here are some ridiculous pictures of me and the little (that doesn't always feel so little because I eat like a pig) bump that I am sporting these days.



In reality though, I really just wanted to show you all my cute new shoes:
$5. 90 at Target! Sarah, aren't you proud of me and my cheap cute shoe find? :)

But, I digress, back to the pregnancy. I am so excited and glad to be in the second trimester. I know 12 weeks is not a "magic number" and it doesn't necessarily mean that all of a sudden the yuckiness is going to go away and I'm going to start feeling more like myself, but it does mean that Baby is growing and we are inching closer and closer to when we get to find out what this little one is-- and, in the grand scheme of things, to when we get to MEET our little one!

I already can't wait.

God is good!

Might we have an Irish baby?

Our first ultrasound was wonderful. We heard Baby's heartbeat, and it was strong and healthy-- praise God! I am measuring at 9 weeks, which means that my due date is:

da da da da, da da...

March 17! That's right, St. Patrick's Day. It's kind of a fun due date to have, especially since the day before is my sweet mother-in-law's birthday. Oh, it feels so nice to know not only that everything is progressing well, but also how far along I am. And now I know what to say when people ask me "so when are you due?" Which, when one is pregnant, is a question one gets asked quite often, of course.

Here's the first picture of our little one. Right now, "Bertie" looks like a little peanut with some nubbins for arms and legs, but I still think he/she is quite cute. :)

hi, sweet Baby. We can't wait to meet you!!

*Edit: After several of you commented on the 12 wk 1 days that is shown up in the left-hand corner (which I hadn't even noticed!) I was curious as to why it was different than my measurements too, so I looked up "gestational age" (GA) on Wikipedia. Apparently the GA can be different than the actual measurements, and not as accurate because it means something entirely different. You can read about it here for a clear explanation, if you'd like. So, basically, since 9 weeks is the measurement, that's how far along I am, NOT 12 weeks. :)

It's feeling a bit more real...

Hello, internet. Remember me? The girl who used to blog on here?? Sometimes, I would even comment on all your lovely posts... remember those good ol' days? I think I have something like 28 unread posts in my Google Reader. I'm missing you all!!

If you have been wondering where I am (either that or you've all gone and left me for lack of entertainment, in which case I would completely understand) I have two words for you: I'm pregnant. That about sums it up. More on some of that in a minute.

The ever fun and spunky Jimaie tagged me the other day for one of those memes where you have to write 6 things about yourself. I always love to get tagged, and this time I thought I would take a little liberty with the rules and turn it into my first real pregnancy update... because I probably couldn't come up with 6 interesting things about myself right now anyway. I have no functioning brain cells at the moment, you know.

But before I get into that, I must say something to a very sweet little lady who recently suffered a very sad loss-- that of her own precious little one, Baby Bee. Barbie is a woman who I've only met twice in real life, but I am learning so much about her through this heart-breaking circumstance and I have been completely blown away. Just read any of her latest blogs, if you haven't already (and I know many of you have and would agree with me 100%), and you will see what I mean. Her grace, her trust, her humble and godly attitude under such sadness has taught me so much, and it makes me SO grateful to God for how He is upholding and comforting her-- as well as for the sweet spirit He has given her. The reason I wanted to bring this up is that I can't help but feel for her as the rest of us share our pregnancy stories and pictures. I know she will sincerely rejoice with us, having seen what she is like-- but I also know that it might be hard sometimes. So, Barbie, dear bloggy friend, I just want you to know that each time I share throughout this pregnancy, I will be thinking of you and praying that the Lord is giving you your own special joy as you share in ours, as well as continued healing and comfort. Thank you for teaching us so much through your amazing example.

And now, onto the tag. I am supposed to give six unimportant, but interesting things about myself. Instead, here are six things about me and my pregnancy so far:

one. I felt perfectly fine and pretty much normal up until the Monday after I found out. Then, the tiredness set in. Oh boy, did it ever set in. Some days I am so tired that I find I have to lay down after doing a simple task like taking a shower (if I shower). It's all about doing just the bare necessities around here these days.

two. I don't really have morning sickness, or any kind of sickness. (pleasedonthateme, all you other poor pregnant girlies who do get sick. If I could help you out by taking a bit of it on myself, I would, I promise.) The only times I feel nauseated is when I don't eat frequently enough and let myself get too hungry. Or, certain smells and sights can make me feel a bit yucky. I am definitely NOT complaining though. I realize how blessed I am by the fact that there are certain ways my body doesn't respond to pregnancy, and I am so, so grateful for it.

three. Speaking of getting hungry-- hunger hits me like a brick wall these days. One minute I am completely fine and don't notice anything, and the next I am STARVING. My stomach growls ferociously, I feel completely empty and headachy-- there is nothing I can do but listen to my body and get some sort of food, anything, in there pronto. Pregnancy is so odd...

four. I can never, ever, ever get enough sleep. I could sleep a good solid 8-9 hours at night and still wake up feeling I could go for another 8 or 9. Any of you who've been pregnant know exactly what I mean, I am sure. Those wonderful little fetuses sure are a lot of work to grow!!

five. We (okay, mostly me) have started looking at baby names, but so far nothing has jumped out at me. Which is ok, because of course we have plenty of time. Until we know what we are having for sure and can really give this child a name, he (because right now I'm thinking of Baby as a boy-- it might be wishful thinking) has been given the loving nickname of Bertie. My sister Lydia and I were being goofy on the phone one day trying to come up with baby names, and I suggested "Bertram" (you love it, right?? :)). She promptly shortened it to Bertie, and even went so far as to refer to the baby as "Bertie" on my myspace page. Cousin Steph happened to see it, and asked quite politely if that was a name we were considering... all the while secretly wondering what in the heck we were thinking, I am sure. She then brought up "Bertie" in a comment on the post I did for her, and now it has completely stuck. I get asked by my family quite frequently how Bertie is doing. You'd all better get it out of your system now, folks, because this child is most certainly NOT going to be Bertie forever. :)

six. My very first "belly" picture! Is it just me, or could there be the beginnings of a baby bump there??
Or... maybe I am just a bit fat. Eating a lot and not exercising hardly at all WILL do that to a girl. I'd rather go with the baby bump though, if you please.