Another baby gift:-)

Again, a friend I have not met in person, but "talk" to almost everyday had her second baby, a sweet little girl...so I of course made a little gift...love the soft hat, and the fun K!

22 Week Belly

We took these while on a trip to Denver...will blog about that soon...22 Weeks...definitely growing...and feeling good...over did it on said trip, but everything is fine:)

Denver Day 3

On our last day in Denver, we got up went to the Market Cafe in Larimer square, and had a nice breakfast and coffee...then we walked down to the river, and visited REI, and just walked around the parks and neighborhoods...the REI is pretty cool...









We walked back toward our hotel and grabbed a quick lunch, then it was off to the bus to catch our flight home...it was a fun refreshing trip, and always when we get away together alone we are reminded of how much we love just being with each other no matter what we do...it's fun to have time to just focus on each other...

Denver Day 2

On our second day in Denver we ventured first down to Larimer Square
for some breakfast...we happened upon this small French Restaurant where we had their Crepe du jour and some of the best french press coffee I have ever had! YUM! Did I mention we like to eat on vacation?



Then we walked around a bit heading to the 16th street mall to catch the bus that runs up and down the mall...at the end of the ride we got off and walked the rest of the way to the Molly Brown house...We thought it would be a historic house tour as in they would talk about the house...But our guide was all about the "Unsinkable Molly Brown" it was still interesting, but I always like learning about the people AND the structure :-)



After the tour we were headed to the Denver Art Museum, but I seriously needed to get off my feet for a bit, so luckily we found a nice coffee shop to have a drink and rest my swollen toes...It was nice, the weather was 75 degrees we really couldn't have asked for anything more!


On the way to the Denver Art Museum we saw some interesting buildings...



After touring most of the museum I was STARVING and would like to sit again...sensing a theme here? So we ate a this great little place across the plaza...called Mad Greens it was tasty...so again we ate...rested, and then headed back to the hotel...

For dinner we ventured out to Larimer Square and ate at a fabulous restaurant with a VERY limited menu, and we were blessed to listen to great live music while we ate! What fun!

After dinner I FINALLY tasted gelato...it was yummy!

Denver Day 1

Tom and I decided to forgo Christmas presents this year and take a little trip just the two of us, before the new baby comes...we also decided to do it earlier rather than later, as later meant summer and I was pretty uncomfortable with Holden in the warmer months...not to mention when we go away we LOVE to eat! So I didn't want to be on a restricted diet due to gestational diabetes again:-)

We were originally thinking Big Sur, or Vegas...BUT when Tom was looking online he found some great Southwest deals to Denver, a city we have always wanted to visit! I searched through Sunset Magazine online and found some AMAZING deals on hotels...we got to stay here for less than half price! Gotta love traveling at the off peak times :)

I checked with my OB to make sure the altitude wouldn't be a problem, which of course they said I could be more uncomfortable than usual but nothing to worry about...said I would probably start to feel better the day we left...they were kind of right...:) But it wasn't too bad!

This is what we saw from our sixth floor room...

The first day was filled with travel, and walking...WAY TOO MUCH WALKING! I felt terrible! Had some braxton hicks contractions and swelling...but still managed to have fun, and decided to listen to my body for the rest of the trip!

We ate at a Brewery...shear torture for me and my love of the micro brew:-) And we ate dinner at the hotel restaurant The Corner Office...The trip started out great:-)

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears Oh My!

A friend of our mom's group invited us to an outing at the zoo. It was a win-win, we got a trip to the zoo and she got to give her final docent training tour to a group of friends :) So of course we took her up on it...The day was beautiful, and the tour was the "Big Cats" tour...so no bears...but we did see lions and tigers...

She did a great job and we learned more than we knew before...always a bonus, and the kids were outside and got to see big animals, I think everyone was happy!

Mr. N above was very serious at first:)



I guess because of the nice weather most of the animals were out which is always a plus when at the zoo...








Here Kari is showing Z what happens when you throw a metal dish into the tigers den...



"This is the life"





"What are you looking at?"



This was a neat trick I wish I discovered earlier...at some distance between me and the fence, and the animal and the fence...the telephoto lens makes the fence disappear...pretty cool!





Not a zoo exhibit:) But my little monkey...this was right after he some how dove head first off the 6" curb? not sure how that happened but obviously he recovered quickly!


"mmm sweet potatoes and broccoli"

Wild Turkey's?

Since when do we live on a farm? Or even in a rural area? C'mon we live in the 'burbs! But it was entertaining, especially to the kids...we woke up walked into the kitchen, and I yelled, "Holden, there is a WILD TURKEY in our back yard!"



He ran to the window and watched the turkey for quite some time, until it got wind of us, and decided to leave...


Holden called them pelicans for a long time, and when I told them they were turkeys he said, "But not the kind we eat!"



After MJ got here...they came back...3 females and a male! The male was quite a site as he got all puffed up, and paced while the females ate...The kids enjoyed them for a LONG time! And then after they feasted under our oaks they headed out and we haven't seen them since!

Fun times here in the 'burbs!

Dr Appointment

So the Dr. said everything looked great on the u/s and that everything is measuring right on target...I am healthy:-) Although I did have a 7 pound weight gain in one month! I guess I feel better ;-P No one was concerned...

Next month I will get the slip for the dreaded gestational diabetes test...the 1-hour is not too bad, but I am convinced I will at least have to take the 3-hour...but it's fine, I survived with Holden and I will again:-)

This pregnancy is so different, aside from beign more emotional, I have just been on a different journey...With Holden's pregnancy there was so much fear...we had had a rough year before, with friends who lost babies, whether after birth or during pregnancies...we were close with friends whose children were suffering from issues that kept them from thriving and even became life threatening...it was kind of like right before we got pregnant, we were brought into this reality that some how we had avoided before this...we had been naive, and we no longer took the precious gift of a baby, or a life for granted...It was a rough time...A time that started a crazy journey with God, that I spoke about last Mother's Day...

This pregnancy has been so non-eventful, but because of the similar timing of Holden's and the memories of what entailed the year before...and for whatever reason, I am still fighting thoughts that aren't of God and that aren't true...It's not fear I am wrestling with this time though...it's just a matter of what if's...and they aren't full of fear, they just sometimes dominate my thoughts...I find myself praying that same prayer nightly again, which maybe I should always do, I pray, "God please remove any thoughts that aren't of you, any thoughts that aren't true and aren't now...I know I can't know the future, and I know you will walk with me and even carry me through that future, so the time is not well spent worrying or even imagining, but it is better spent in hope, and thankfulness for each day I have with my family..." It's a simple prayer and sometimes it becomes a meditation of simply, "God fill my heart with your truths" but it works and gets my mind on God and away from the what if's...again not being driven by fear just thoughts...so different and better at the same time, but still an internal sturggle...

I'm not sure why I am putting this out there...maybe because this has become the only journal I can keep and I didn't want to let this process go undocumented...

20 Week U/S

So here is the second peak at the little guy or girl:-) Holden is still convinced girl...but who knows? Baby is measuring right on target...for July 26th due date...Our u/s happens at an imaging facility so we have to wait until my appointment this week to get the results...hopefully all will be well...

The tech did show us the umbilical cord with the 2 veins and 1 artery, the brain, the heart with its 4 chambers, the kidney's matching in size...the spine...but not the baby girl or boy parts...he did document them but we had our eyes closed :)

The baby measured about 12 oz...and the only thing ahead or the age was the legs, apparently the baby's legs measured 2 weeks ahead of everything else! So maybe this baby will be tall! Holden was tall at birth but has now evened out...who knows...

So fun to see :)

Holden the Hurricane...

So the underwear goes on the head..."it's a hat!" and mom's t-shirt becomes a dress? Who is this child? Then he runs around like...well, a hurricane...Seriously Holden is as mellow as they come, but every night after Tom comes home he has this burst of energy, and balls are flung, laps are run, chairs are good for throwing yourself into, and wrestling happens...Holden earned this "Hurricane" name well before he could walk...he's just not that careful, cautious but not careful...he likes to be the "kazy man!"

In the first picture, I say he's bowing to his opponent before the attack!
And below is the onset of the attack, up close personal, and direct aim, full force...

He's so much fun!

Thanks Grandpa!

My folks came to visit a few weeks ago, and this apparently is what my dad taught Holden...He helped him get his pj's on once...and this is what Holden thinks you do with your undies...nice!

Not surprising I am sure my dad can show a hundred photos of me as a child with my undies on my head! In fact one comes to mind, where I have my pj pants on my head and well where the pants should go, there is nothing! Clearly not internet safe!

Holden looks like a wrestler here...we should give him a wrestling name!