a literal sneak peek

Until recently, I really kind of thought the idea of 3D ultrasounds was weird. And kind of creepy.
I changed my mind though, because as time went on, I became more and more curious as two (1) whether or not baby girl had hair and (2) how much she was going to look like her brother. I knew there was only one way to find out. Well, two, but I didn’t feel like waiting around until she came out. I’m only so patient.
3D ultrasound to the rescue! We set up an appointment with my parents while we are down visiting them for spring break for a sneak peek at our little girl. And I totally changed my mind about 3D ultrasounds. I’m now convinced they are one of the coolest things ever. And I will get them with all future kids.
Look how precious this little girl is:

such chubby cheeks.

big yawn.

baby giggles. she's going to be fun. 

sticking out her tongue.

little smirk.

We’ve concluded that she does, in fact, look a lot like her older brother. They’ll make a totally precious pair. And we won’t be able to go out in public without our kids being smothered by strangers.


tennyson on left, baby girl on right

Just two more months until we get to hold this little girl in our arms. Time can’t go fast enough!

A Week in Pictures {Feb 26-Mar 3}

sunday. making life more colorful.

monday. breakfast, as usual.

tuesday. best friends forever.

wednesday. the best part of bath time.

thursday. happy as ever.

friday. flying.

saturday. like father, like son.

A Week in Pictures {Feb 19-25}

sunday. worn out after church.

monday. i put on mom's makeup by myself.

tuesday. nothing better than a peanut butter cookie.

wednesday. dinner with grandpa.

thursday. no need for pants when you have a balloon.

friday. watching tv with dad.

saturday. teddy graham pirate.

Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving

I’ve finally hit the thirty week mark in this pregnancy. Finally. This pregnancy was flying by before the holidays, but ever since the middle of January when I hit the third trimester, it seems time has come to a screeching halt.
But now I’m thirty weeks, and I feel like countdown mode can begin. Especially since we now have baby girl’s birthday almost entirely hashed out. Right now, I’m penciled in on the hospital’s official chart for a May 8th birthday. I had to do some serious talking to the surgery schedulist (yes, I just made up that word) to get that date because it’s after my due date and they really don’t like to do that. But because I’m oh so persuasive, she said she’d pencil us in, but I have to meet with the doctor who will be delivering and get special permission. I’m guessing I’ll be able to get it. I’m oh so persuasive.
Otherwise, things are just trucking along. I’m still measuring right on track with what I should be (and I’m not even feeling as gargantuan as I did with Tennyson). Her heartbeat still stays around the steady 135s. We are still praying she comes out with hair. Tennyson is still trying to figure out why it’s not nearly as easy to sit on my lap as it used to be. I’m getting very excited to meet baby girl. Also, to have her on the outside, because she seems to think that there is room on the inside to stretch out, and there just isn’t.

When Grandma and Grandpa Come

It’s been a pretty long week here. Tennyson has been sick and needy. I’ve been feeling extremely pregnant. And the two of us have been a pretty pathetic mess. We’ve done a lot of sitting around. Tennyson has watched a lot of TV. I’ve gotten nothing done. We’ve just sat around feeling sorry for ourselves. So when my mom called on Thursday morning to see if it was okay if they come on Friday, it was just the pick-me-up we were looking for. (Plus I think it made Mike happy knowing that I’d finally have a good reason to get up off my butt and start cleaning.)

As soon as they got here, Tennyson put them to work. At lunch (where I finally got the fish tacos I’ve been craving for a couple trimesters now),Tennyson made my dad play Angry Birds with him. It was fun on the phone. It was even more fun when grandpa pulled out the iPad.

Then after lunch, he put grandma to work.

He attacked her with a giant panda. 

He climbed on her like a jungle gym.

He made her walk around like a horse.

And after they were both sufficiently worn out, they laid around watching Baby Signing Time.

Of course, Tennyson wasn’t the only one who enjoyed having my mom and dad around. Mike and I had a great visit with them, too. I used my mom’s visit as an excuse to go get some paczkis. I’ve wanted them, but Mike doesn’t like them very much and I knew if I bought some alone, I’d eat a dozen by myself, and I don’t think that “eating for two” means eating an entire dozen of anything by yourself. So I got to eat a couple and then send the rest home with my mom to “give to my brother and sisters.”

Mike enjoyed the visit because we played Settlers of Catan and he remains undefeated in our family.

Life is good when grandma and grandpa come to visit. We wish the stay could have been longer, but even just the one day visit was enough to tucker out Tennyson. We can’t wait until we get to play with them again!