Pregnancy Update: 24 weeks

Week 24! Nothing new to report. I was feeling really good today so I was able to get a lot of stuff done around the house. Stephen was home this morning so he dusted and cleaned the kitchen while I washed all our windows and put the screens in. I love having clean windows! It's going to be a beautiful weekend, so I'm glad we'll be able to enjoy the fresh air inside too!

I'm still working on my baby registry. And I'm feeling the need to buy lots of maternity clothes, but I'm refraining. I did buy this really cute dress from target to wear to Ryan and Ginger's wedding, and my baby shower and probably lots of other places. I bought some cute earrings from Anthropology to go with it and now I just need a really fun necklace and I'll be all set...and maybe some new shoes.

So what is everyones "can't live without" baby item and "I could've passed on this" baby item. I'm just curious. Like I said in my last post, a lot of stuff seems totally unnecessary, and I'm just curious as to what's helped other people out.

Stephen's Column

Here is the column Stephen wrote in todays Times Herald about becoming a first time dad.

http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20100425/NEWS01/4250314/-1/NEWSFRONT2/Baby-love-What-s-in-a-name-Turns-out-there-s-a-lot

And Hank, nice try, but we know "vineyardguy" is you! :-)

Pregnancy Update: 23 weeks

Alright, so I missed taking pictures of the bump at week 21 and week 22. I told you that I'm a slacker. Here is the 23 week bump. Everything is still great. I went to the doctor today. Had a really good appointment. My doctor is so awesome! I feel very lucky to have found her. I gained 10 pounds this month! I couldn't believe it. I guess it's time to lay off the Dairy Queen...or at least downsize :-)

Stephen and I started to register for baby stuff, which has been fun and overwhelming. I'm amazed a what a bunch a useless crap there is out there.

Also, Stephen got to write a really fun column about becoming a first time dad for the paper. It will be in the paper this Sunday. I'll be sure to post a link to it. It will be a fun little memento to put in a baby book. I like that some of the big moments in our life get to be documented. Like the column he wrote for CM-Life when we got engaged. It's fun to have that stuff.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad! You're not getting a poem, but that doesn't mean I don't love you! I hope you have a great day.

Tea Party

Due to a shortage of photographers, I had to write about and take pictures of a Tea Party.

Here is my favorite sign:

By the way, this is John Galt.

Happy Birthday Dad!!

What a day, back in 1953

Allen Park was introduced to a new Tait, little Henry

All those years pulling pranks and playing on Oceana

But it wasn’t too long before you were on a ship in California

“Hey Tait, want to come to my house to celebrate the holiday?”

“Sure, thanks for the invitation Donnelly.”

Seeing the German shepherds and Rocky may have been scary

But then, of course, in walked Mary.

Back on the ship, and off to Vietnam

And back on the mainland came little Jason.

A couple more children and a move to Michigan

“Schoolcrest looks nice; lets start buildin’.”

Sooner or later you wanted woods and a water well

The obvious option: Move to Farwell

Al Gore screamed as the trees started fallin’

Once you burned a few and the police came callin’

“Hey Dad, where you off to this time?”

“Oh, just up the hill; tryin’ to make some wine.”

These days, grand children run around at your feet

For you and them, the visits are always a treat

“Hey papa, can you help me find a stick for a s’more.”

“What? No, grandma’s lying, I don’t snore.”

It’s difficult to sum up 57 years in a blog post

But here is what I’d like to say most:

You’re a dad with wisdom, integrity and love

You taught by example, always a cut above

You were quick with a buck from your billfold

“Always keep your eye on the ball,” you told

You taught us boys about respect and honor,

to love our wives like you loved Her.

I think it really comes down to one thing:

For us, dad, you are the king.

I know I’m just one lad

But from all of us: We love you and Happy Birthday Dad!

Pregnancy Update

Just wanted to give everyone a little pregnancy update! Shaina S. has asked me numerous times for pictures of my baby bump, so I finally got around to taking one and posting it. I kept telling her it was nothing remarkable...now she can see for herself :-)

So today I am 21 weeks. More than halfway there! I started feeling the baby move on the 28th of March (19 weeks). I had kinda thought that I felt if before that, but this was the first time I was absolutely postive. Stephen got to feel her moving for the first time on Wednesday night (the 7th of April).

I had another ultrasound this week because the last time I went there was some stuff they couldn't see, but everything is great! I also started another job for the next 12 weeks filling in for a photographer at the Times Herald who is ironically on maternity leave. So far it's been going really well. There was only one day where I was just totally exhausted and had to come home and take a 2 1/2 hour nap before I went to my job at the Y. Since I started working at the paper I figured that I'd probably be lacking motivation to get to the gym. Something at the Y happens to coincide with my time working at the paper. It's pretty simple, it's called the Dot Challenge, and you basically just log all your workouts (the minimum goal is 3 times a week for 30 minutes) on a big chart for the next twelve weeks. Not anything earth shattering, but it's been a good way to keep myself accountable for getting my exercise while pregnant and taking on another job. And that's about it. I'm going to try to take a baby bump pic every week for the rest of the pregnancy since I was a horrible slacker at it for the first 20 weeks.

This was right before the gym. So excuse the hair and no makeup. I had my hair like this at Dan and Kim's this weekend one night before I was going to bed and Alden said I looked crazy! It made me laugh.

4D ultrasound. Kinda creepy looking.

Love her little nose. This is at 20 weeks.

Gettin' Hitched!

My little sis is getting MARRIED! Holy cow! I'm so excited for her. Her boyfriend, now fiance, Caleb proposed at the Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C. this past weekend. A nice man offered to take their pic in front of the reflecting pool and then Caleb said, "We might as well make this an action shot," and got down on one knee and proposed. So great to have pictures of it. My sister has lots more on her blog, but you have to be invited to look at her blog because she thinks she's really cool (actually, she just doesn't want her students to find it.) Anyway, I stole this pic from her page to post here. She is coming home tomorrow for her spring break and I can't wait to see her! Welcome to the family, Caleb. A baby and an engagement in one year, my parent suuuuure must be excited :-)