28 Weeks

We got several inches of snow in Athens this weekend. We loved watching the snow fall, it was mesmerizing and beautiful! This is the most snow I've seen this far south since the Blizzard of '93 (or was it '94?). It's surreal to see a Winter Wonderland in our yard!



Our little girl has been getting lots of love lately! We got this surprise in the mail from Sonya: a sweet, soft baby blanket she sewed herself (complete with a "Nana Ing" sewn signature!).



And Stephen's parents brought us four adorable baby outfits when they came to visit last weekend! (I promise I will quit posting pictures of every outfit we get! But do you see that denim skirt with little flowers embroidered into it? It's so cute!) This brings our grand total up to nine outfits... we're making progress!



Stephen and I had a sweet last Valentine's Day together before baby makes three. It would have been nice to go to a romantic gourmet restaurant for our last holiday, but I thought about how that one meal could buy the infant car seat we need, or three huge boxes of diapers, or one-third of a crib, so there was no nice restaurant this year. But we did have a good time making a "gourmet" meal at home, and it was actually really fun to make stuffed manicotti together. (Stuffing the shells is definitely a two person job!) I made a feta and kalamati salad to go with it while Stephen prepared some delicious bread from the bakery. And I made one of the only desserts Stephen really loves, cream cheese pound cake with blueberry topping, to finish things off. It was really, really nice to make a special meal at home together =)

Second Trimester Top Ten

I'm kind of sad to say good-bye to the second trimester, because it has been such a nice time (and a million times better than the first tri!). But getting into the third trimester gets us closer to finally meeting our daughter!

The Goods

1. Feeling our baby moving inside me-- it's one of the highlights of my day. (I'll admit there are some moments when I don't enjoy being a human punching bag, but for the most part, it's great =)
2. Watching Stephen become more and more excited about having a baby and seeing him adjust to becoming a more "parental" person. I love the sporadic moments when Stephen leans over to rub or kiss my growing belly.
3. Finding out we are having a little girl!
4. When strangers in public get excited about my pregnancy. It's amazing how a round belly can make people smile. (The most touching instance was when a homeless woman asked me for a stamp at the post office, then her face lit up when she started asking me about the baby.)
5. The fun (and challenge) of picking out a name for our daughter together. (Yes, we do have some names in mind, but aren't ready to make an announcement... so if you know what our ideas are, stay mum for now, please!)
6. Making preparations for our baby girl. (Collecting baby girl clothes has turned out to be just as much fun as everyone told me it would be.)
7. It's been awesome to NOT have that monthly visitor and all the things that go along with it.
8. Not having to worry about getting pregnant!
9. I would be lying if I didn't mention that it's nice to have larger kahunas for a few months. (But when I think about the long-term effects of pregnancy on them, well, I know it's all downhill from here...)
10. My hair is growing at the speed of lightening... And while the hair on my head is breaking growing records, the rate of hair growth on my legs has slowed down to a snail's pace. Weird, but awesome, especially since shaving my legs is becoming more and more difficult to do!

The Not-so-Goods

1. The stresses of preparing for a baby. (How are we ever going to be able to afford all those adorable things she needs? What on earth are we going to do when she starts crying? What if I have problems with breastfeeding? How long will it take us to adjust to having a baby to take care of? How will we find time to get some R&R together?) Not to mention the anxiety of thinking about the impending moment when the baby has to squeeze out of my body...
2. The things people say about my growing belly that make me feel bad, even when they are well-intended. (Those of you who have been pregnant before know what I'm talking about!)
3. Sciatic pains-- there's nothing like an ache in your butt and legs to keep you awake at night. Sometimes I get so sore that I feel like I've run a marathon. And you know I've come nowhere even CLOSE to running, much less a marathon...
4. Indigestion (I am SO tired of burping like a man! How do guys live with this for their whole lives?! And heartburn... yuck!!)
5. Pregnancy fog-- I swear my brain is only functioning at 50%. I walk into doors. I forget to do things even when they are written on both my calendar and my to-do list. I burned my hands on three separate occasions while cooking last week...
6. Infections. Need I say more?
7. Still missing those deli sandwiches! I already know what I want to eat first thing after the baby is born (Italian BMT from Subway, please). Also missing my occasional glass of wine. (Sparkling grape juice just doesn't do the trick!)
8. Dry itchy skin, especially on my stretched-out belly (I might as well buy some stock in the Lubriderm company).
9. Nosebleeds, and of course gum bleeds (sounds like fun, eh?)
10. Bad circulation (I can't feel my fingers!)

Busy, Busy, Busy

27 Weeks


My due date is less than three months away now and my to-do list is a mile long! We're trying to accomplish a ton of stuff before I get super-huge, super-uncomfortable, and super-tired, and also before Stephen's job gets super-hectic as the semester progresses.

My latest challenge has been trying to sift through all the baby stuff we need to start stocking up on soon. It's overwhelming and I feel totally lost in all the baby products! Many, many, MANY thanks to my fellow mommies Jenny, Amber, and Kristina, who have given me awesome suggestions and advice about what we will actually need. You guys are the best!!!

Stephen and I are taking classes once a week through February and March, and they have actually been pretty fun so far. Right now we're doing the childbirth classes, which have been extremely helpful already. I can't wait to take the rest of our classes, they make me feel so much better prepared and calm about everything that's about to happen.

We're also having company for the first time since we moved here. This weekend Stephen's parents made the five hour drive to visit us and we showed them where the hospital is. It's weird to think that the next time they'll be here to visit, we'll have a baby! My mom and her boyfriend are coming next weekend, and I'll be showing her where everything is in our kitchen, etc., since she's planning to come out and help us for several days after the baby is born.

We've also been busy trying to make room for the baby. It's amazing how much junk we've accumulated over the years! We've already made several trips to the Goodwill dropoff, I'm packing up the things we won't be needing anytime soon, and trying to make things as streamlined as possible around here so it will be easier for us when we're adjusting to having a baby around.

The most important thing that's been going on to prepare for the baby lately is that I've finally been exercising! Remember how I was having a hard time moving around a few weeks ago? I've been doing a lot of prenatal yoga, and it has helped tremendously. I'm already more mobile, more energetic, and have better balance and stamina and more strength. I'm feeling soooo much better now!

25 Weeks

My belly is so big now that people in public are starting to ask about the baby, and I'm not sure how much longer my non-maternity shirts (like this one) are going to be able to keep stretching with me!



Stephen and I went to a parenting and breastfeeding photography exhibit at a local art gallery that was also hosting an event with speakers from around the community today. It was nice to be around other like-minded parents. I'm beginning to get anxious about how this whole parenting thing is going to work, and it's good to know that there are supportive groups in Athens for the things I'm concerned about, especially since we live so far away from family and haven't made any friends with kids here yet who might be able to provide some support when we need it.

On a different note, UGA was recently chosen as one of the top 10 universities in the country to get "the best bang for your buck" based on the quality of education and price. It's still hard to believe that Stephen is actually teaching at such a well-respected university. We're hoping that he'll advance beyond the instructor position one day, but for now, this is the best opportunity he could have fresh out of grad school. We feel so blessed!

Preparing for Baby

24 weeks


For the longest time, it seemed like my due date was forever and ever away, but now May 6th seems like it's just around the corner, and I'm busily preparing for our little girl. I'm reading books about labor, signing up for childbirth and breastfeeding classes that will start next month, and we took our first hospital tour this weekend. I had another ultrasound today, and everything looks great for the baby. She weighs 1 lb. 9 oz., which is right on target for her age; her heartbeat is at 140, which is also good for her age; and the doctor said my amniotic fluid looks excellent. I love to get good reports about our baby!

We have not gotten much stuff for the baby yet, and I'm completely overwhelmed by all the things we are going to need! Wow! We were so excited to receive these great Christmas presents that were given to our little girl.



These are the first little outfits she received, given to us by Stephen's parents and aunts. They are adorable and it's comforting to know that we have something for her to wear now! She also got her first stuffed animal for Christmas, this adorable soft pink teddy bear, from Dad and Sonya. And she got her first toy, the monkey rattle, and a beautiful box for keepsakes from my mom.

I found a baby girl scrapbook that I absolutely love, also for Christmas via Aunt Jennifer, and I'm so excited to get it started for our baby!


(Btw, we're not naming our daughter Emily, it's just the default name that came in the scrapbook!)

I am in love with all the fun pieces that came with it. This is the first time I've used a scrapbook "kit," and I'm hoping that all the coordinating papers and embellishments are going to speed up the scrapbooking process!



Stephen and I are taking full advantage of our last months together before baby makes three. We are trying to go to the places that will be hard to go to once the baby gets here, like art museums and such. And there are so many great locally-owned restaurants we want to try out. This weekend we went to The Transmetropolitan, home of the delish "Hungry Sasquatch" pizza.



Speaking of food, I did not gain four pounds again last week, thank goodness! I cut back my ice cream consumption from a half-gallon per week to a pint per week, and got results! Lol. I cannot believe how hard it is getting to move around already-- I can really see how exercising regularly all along would have been helpful. Today Stephen and I walked around our hilly neighborhood and 15 minutes was all I could do-- I can't believe how out of shape I am! I'm trying to get back into exercising regularly; my goal is to do a little something each day alternating short walks with gentle prenatal yoga. I've done a little walking for three days in a row now, and feel so much better afterward. I keep hearing about how labor is the biggest marathon in life and I want to get better prepared for it!

Explosion Time

23 Weeks


I am seriously exploding! I feel like a stuffed sausage, like my belly cannot accommodate all the things inside of it. All of a sudden, my appetite has skyrocketed and I feel like I can just eat and eat and eat. It's insane! Last week I made the mistake of going to the grocery store while I was a little hungry, and I came back home loaded down with pecan spinwheels, cinnamon rolls from the bakery, and a carton of ice cream. Guess who ate it all?? I've gained four pounds in one week! Obviously, it's time to quit keeping junk food within my reach, or I'm going to turn into an elephant by the time this thing is over. Stephen is going to have to be the grocery police from now on!

The baby is so big now that I can actually see my stomach moving when she does her daily acrobatics! But the mind-boggling thing is that in last 23 weeks, she has only gained a pound; yet in the next 17 weeks, she will be packing on the weight to gain about six pounds! I, on the other hand, will be gaining much more than six pounds. I absolutely want her to be a healthy weight, but it's overwhelming to think about how much bigger I'm going to get. My belly is already getting in the way... I can't bend over all the way anymore, it's hard to get up from couches, it's difficult to roll over in bed, and it's already getting harder to snuggle up to Stephen (which just happens to be one of my very favorite things to do). Last week I actually got stuck when I was rearranging the computer wires underneath a desk! When I get down on the floor, how I'm going to get back up from the floor is now a legitimate concern... what is it going to be like by next month, or in three months?!

Back Home!

We had a really nice trip to Alabama, but I am so happy to be back home! Here's a couple more highlights from our trip...

I finally got to meet my friend Jenny's adorable son Isaac, who is already one month old. It was so much fun to hold him (especially since he was sleeping!) and while he was resting on my tummy our little girl started moving around in my tummy, which was really cute.


Saying goodbye to my dear friend Inna who's moving to Europe this week. We're looking forward to visiting her there one day!


Stephen has been playing a LOT of guitar lately... here he is turning my acoustic guitar into a slide guitar. (You can see why I fell in love with him!)


We got to visit my very favorite place in Alabama, Mt. Cheaha State Park, home to the highest point in the state.


This mountain has the most amazing view of the sunset. And there is just something really cool about knowing that you are at the highest elevation out of any other person in an entire state. Stephen surprised me for my birthday one year by renting a cabin at the top of this mountain for us. (He earned major points for that one!)


Now it's time to think about the new year and the things I want to accomplish. There's always something so exciting about the possibilities that come with a brand new year. I hope everyone has a happy and blessed 2010!