Week 23

Dear Lily Ann,

I have procrastinated taking belly shots. I think I was a bit reluctant because there wasn't too much to show. And boy was I ever ready to show you off!! Then, all of a sudden, my belly popped and doesn't seem to stop growing! I'm loving it!

Your dad has been traveling a lot with work lately and sure misses us. Rafa has been taking care of us while he was gone. Thankfully, Daddy will be home tonight! Grandma stayed over last night to keep us company. We had so much fun baby shopping for you and going through your clothes. You are one lucky girl!

Feeling your little kicks is the highlight of my day. It is so hard for me to concentrate on anything else when you get to kicking! Right now you are kicking up a storm! I am watching my dress as I feel the kicks, and I can actually see my stomach moving!! I can't wait for daddy to get home and hopefully feel your kicks, too!

This week we bought your nursery furniture from sus abuelos Colombianos. You are going to love it! We've also started registering for lots of goodies and planning for your showers. Daddy is ready to get to work on your nursery!

I'm in the middle of mid-terms and reading to you all about Economics now. I know it is kind of dull. Hang in there with me! I promise when I'm done, Daddy and I will read you some Good Night Moon and Golden Book classics!

We Love You,

Mommy

Showering Aleksander

Lucas's boss and his wife are expecting a precious baby boy in November. Apparently the Quality Engineering Department is doing pretty good! Haha!

We were able to celebrate at a beautiful couples' shower for Baby Aleksander this weekend. (It was so wonderful it even made up for the fact that we missed the second half of the Bama game. Roll Tide! #2 in the nation!)

Since I have felt so crafty lately, I really wanted to make something special for such a special boy. I love Homemade by Jill and I had been dieing to try out some appliqued onesies like she made for her baby boy. This was the perfect occasion! I think I'll definitely be making some for Lily Ann very soon!

"A" for Aleksander

A dapper neck-tie
(P.S. I made one for Landon, too, because this one was just too cute!)

A German Shepherd (they have a few)and a Canadian Maple Leaf (his daddy is Canadian)

All rolled up to make a pretty little package!

These are so easy to make!

• Just find a shape or pattern online that you'd like to use and scale it to the size you want it.
  
• Print it out (card stock works best).
  
• Iron some WonderUnder to the fabric of your choice.
  
• Then, trace your shape and cut out the fabric.
  
• Peel off your wonder under and iron in place.
  
• I added a zig-zag stitch around each shape to give it a little something extra.

We also bought them a big box of diapers. Instead of just wrapping them up, I decided to make yet another diaper cake (and gift bag the left overs). I knew we were transporting this one so I made it a little smaller and more manageable (wrapped in shrink wrap), but I loved the way it turned out! I used their nursery colors so it would fit right in.

We can't wait to meet you, Baby Aleksander!

Fall can now officially begin..

because I have finally hung my fall wreath.

I bought this great Fall garland last year on mega discount from Hobby Lobby (think 90% off). It has been hanging in the garage, waiting for its time to shine, since then. Mom brought over a grapevine wreath last night, and we went to work. A few minutes later, we had this masterpiece:

(pregnant belly reflection)

Okay, I don't know if I'd go that far. But it is pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself.


Now all that is missing is pumpkins to put by the door. Maybe some hay bales?


I also did some awesome baby crafts this weekend but they might be for a certain special present, so I will have to show you that next week just in case we have some wandering eyes. ;)

The Real Deal

The hard work, heaps of paperwork, and months of waiting were all worth it...


Lucas is now an official permanent resident of the United States! He had previously received conditional permanent residency pending the success of our marriage, pretty much. I guess they've deemed us 'the real deal'. We didn't even have to go in for the standard 2 year interview. I'm giving myself a big ole' pat on the back, right now, for a job well done. So no more worries and no more paperwork...... for 7 months anyway, when we'll start a longer and undoubtedly more expensive path to citizenship. Congratulations, Lucas!

Baby Kicks

As a pregnant woman, every guide you read will extol the joys of feeling your baby's movements. Some guides describe it as perhaps feeling like gas bubbles or butterflies. Most say the feeling is indescribable.

So, I'm here today to describe to you the feeling of my baby's first movements. It's indescribable! Really.

For the last week or two, I've felt something. Something different. I wasn't quite sure what it was. Of course, I speculated these were baby kicks. But as a first time mother I was really unsure. I would feel something and immediately stop to focus on what it might be. I would wait and wait for another one so I could confirm it did indeed feel like a baby kick. But then there was nothing. Just the one kick ~ or whatever it was ~ leaving me nothing to confirm my suspicions.

Until Tuesday. Tuesday I had a Reeses cup for breakfast and my Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken for lunch, with a mini-Crunch bar for desert. Dang, that bowl of chocolate that keeps getting refilled in the office! On top of it all, it was my boss's birthday. And there was birthday cake. Not chocolate. But good. Sweet icing. Lots of it. So good. I enjoyed a nice big piece.

Afterwards, I sat down at my desk in front of my computer. As I was hard at work, relatively still in my quiet office, I felt something. I attempted the usual: Stop. Survey the situation. Focus. What could this be? Then again, I felt it. Then again. This is definitely a baby kick! I think she likes sweets.

All of the books and comments from my friends were right: feeling a baby kick is the most awesome experience! It is incredible, really, to know that I am growing a human being, and to see her in the ultrasounds, and then - on top of it all - to actually feel her moving. Awesome.

Her kicks are only faint now and few times throughout the day I actually feel them. In the afternoon at work (after my - what seems to be daily now - Reeses cup). In the evenings during or just after dinner. But I know with every day her kicks will become stronger and more noticeable as she grows more and more.

Her kicks are a reminder that I carry a precious little 12 ounce (and growing) gift.... who apparently really likes Reeces cups.

Have I Done This Before?

While pregnancy is opening my eyes to an entirely new world I've never experienced, I somehow feel that I've been here before. Taking one step at a time, listening to my body for signs of change, looking forward to the next big milestone, and waiting anxiously for the prize that awaits me when I've come to the end of this journey. Yes, this is all too familiar. Pregnancy is like a marathon. I've run this race before.

When I first began that run I was so excited to finally get started after all the anticipation and planning leading up to it. Yet at the same time, I was scared out of mind about what lied ahead and how I was ever going to cross that finish line. It seemed like an eternity away.


One foot in front of the other, I settled into a pace I felt comfortable with.

And, of course, it helps to have a support team.


Before you know it, I've arrived at the half-way point - feeling great and amazed I've already made it to this point!

(Only there was a lot more puking to get me to this stage in pregnancy where as, thankfully, there was none of that involved in marathon running. Sorry for that mental image.)

I'm on top of the world right now and feeling physically at my peak (for a pregnant woman). But I have a feeling that at some point in the not too distant future, I'll be more like this:

Needing assistance to get my pants off.

Lucas, that is where you will come in.

But no matter how miserable I feel, I will continue to put one foot in front of the other. Step by step. One milestone at a time.
Until I can see that finish line...

In that moment, I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride that I cherish to this day. It was an amazing moment in my life. One of the best. But I know it will pale in comparison to the moment I hold my child in my arms.


Don't get me wrong, I was pretty siked about this medal....

... and the cake.

Truth is, I know our baby girl will change my life forever. And I can't even begin to imagine how amazing it will feel. It is kind of sad that this marathon analogy is the best I've got. But it let's you see how truly special Lily Ann is. Nothing else compares to her.

I'm half way through this journey now. I can't believe time has passed by so quickly. So until I hold her in my arms, I'll cherish every pound I gain, every movement I feel, and all the good morning kisses her daddy can give.

And you can bet
there will be beer at the finish line.

Half-Way There

Lucas and I went to the doctor this morning and saw our precious little bundle of joy! She is doing excellent. She is measuring right on track and seems to be absolutely perfect! She was being a little bit stubborn (wonder who she gets that from), staying bundled up in the same position throughout the entire ultrasound. We couldn't get a good profile shot or a peek between her legs to confirm her gender, but we know.



The nurse said we could probably do a quick ultrasound at my next appointment to get those shots. And I jump at any chance I get to see her!! So I'm super excited about seeing her ~ even if only for a few minutes ~ in 4 weeks.

Happy 20 Weeks,
Lily Ann!
We're half way there!