2 1/2 months old!

I can't believe he's 2.5 months old...where has the time gone?  Our sweet boy changes more every day.  He's 10 weeks now (11 this Wednesday) and he really gets better by the day.  Being his Mom is just as amazing as I thought it would be, better even if that's possible.  And every day we fall a little more in love with him...even though I always think my heart's as full as can be, he makes it a little bigger.  I have never been happier and I am eternally grateful I get to be a part of this amazing little boy's life!

My 2 month birthday!

Let's see, what milestones have we reached?  He had his 2 month shots, which was not a milestone that either of us enjoyed.  Having to hold your baby down so a stranger can stab him repeatedly with giant needles is just wrong. He was very grumpy for a few days (understandably so), but luckily that seems to be forgotten now.  He is cooing and talking to me, his Dad, his toys, his hands, and the ceiling fan.  He is batting at and grabbing his little toy bee, and rattles.  He has been a very alert and interactive little guy since he was born.  Not a big fan of napping or sleeping which makes me doubt he's mine from time to time, but he's just so interested in everything that sleep means missing out.  He loves to sing along with me, and our favorite song is "there was an old lady who swallowed a fly"....which admittedly is a twisted song for kids, but dog gone it, it's fun to sing.  Which brings me to my favorite milestone to date...smiling!  I'll do anything for his amazing smiles.    He started smiling at me and others on purpose when he was 4 1/2 weeks, and they've only increased in frequency and adorableness since.  We are so close to giggling, and I'm just dying of impatience waiting for that first giggle.  I melt every time he smiles, I may become a complete puddle when this kid starts laughing!

Here we are on our play mat, it's so much fun!

He's more fun to interact with all the time.  Right now he's talking and waving his arms at me.  We go for a walk every morning, which is my favorite time of day with him.  He's so happy when he wakes up in the morning, it's like he swallowed a little piece of the sun and he's just beaming when he wakes up.  And boy does that help me get up even when I'm really tired.  You can't be unhappy with that sweet little face smiling at you!

Thank you everyone for following along with us on this amazing journey!  We will try to keep this updated as often as possible, but this little guy keeps me on my toes :)

Visit with family!

Aunt Kasey, Uncle Shawn, and cousin Gavin came to visit us today.  We had an amazing time together!  Aunt Kasey was so excited to meet her nephew and Luke was thrilled to meet his family.  And cousin Gavin was an absolute doll with Luke.  He held him and talked to him, and told him everything would be okay when the baby got grumpy.  It was so sweet to see these cousins together.  I wish they lived closer, I know Gavin will be such a big part of Luke's life and I loved seeing them interact for the first time.

Luke and Big Cousin Gavin

Aunt Kasey (aka Baby Whisperer), Gavin and baby Luke

Grandpa was also able to make it down to spend a few hours with both of his grandsons.  It made Kasey and I so happy to see our Dad with our sons.  I wish we all lived closer and could see each other so much more, but I'm grateful for anytime we do get together!

Grandpa Terry and his grandsons!

After a nice day at the pool where Gavin showed us his amazing new moves, we went to have BBQ together, which was just delicious!  Luke was perfect and slept the whole time, which meant we got to go out to eat with other people!!  I got to eat without dropping food on Luke's head, amazing!  I think he probably appreciated it too :)

Visit with Great-Grandpa

Luke and I were lucky enough to spend time with my grandfather while Joe was in DC for work.  It's only been a few months since my grandmother passed, and their home just isn't the same with her gone.  But it was so nice to be able to bring Luke to visit and see the smile he brought to Grandpa's face.  He loves this baby!  He sits and talks to him and smiles at him and I can see the spark that's been dimmed since my grandmothers passing slowly flaming up again.  Just another reason why this baby is such a miracle, he's able to bring joy even in the midst of our grief.  There were plenty of tears when my grandfather said he just wished that Grandma could have met him.  So do I, so much.  But there are so many times when Luke will look past me and just start smiling like crazy, and I'm sure that she's there with us.  I hate that I can't see her or touch her, but I know she loved me and I know she's got to be just as crazy about Luke as the rest of us are.  Of course she's coming to visit him!

Great Grandpa and Luke

Spending time with Great-Grandpa is pretty low key.  We mostly hang out at home, although we did venture out a few times to have breakfast together.  I'm looking forward to when Luke is a little bigger and we can get out a little more together.

We also were able to see my parents while we were there, and Luke's Grandma came over bearing loads of gifts as always.  She loves a reason to shop, and if a baby doesn't get you buying, I don't know what will!

Grandma Valerie and Luke

Two weeks old!

This past Wednesday was Luke's 2 week old birthday.  Every day brings something new and so far I'm loving every minute.  I'm not getting a lot of sleep, but I knew that going in so no surprise and no complaints.   We learn a little more about each other every day and I am so grateful that I have this time with him.  He's just an amazing gift that I get to keep unwrapping.  Sometimes I wonder if someone's going to knock on the door and ask for their baby back, as if he's just too good to be true.  It's just hard to believe that something so wonderful is ours.

This is my serious face!

So what is he like now that he's a big 2 week old boy?  Well, he's enjoying a pacifier, although he's not great at keeping it in his mouth, so I spend a good amount of time popping it back it back in.  He's sleeping a little less, and looking around more.  He likes to cuddle and really likes to be walked around when he's grumpy.  He loves to sleep during the day and save his energy for night time.  Night time is Mommy-Baby time.  We get up every 2 hours or so to eat, and sometimes to walk around.  We change the diaper and Mommy hopes for sleep.  Sometimes I get a few hours straight, sometimes not.  But I know it's not forever and I'll sleep again eventually so it's not so bad.  And Joe's parents have been here visiting and I've gotten to take a 2-3 hour nap most afternoon's which is a lifesaver.  And they get lots of baby holding time which makes everyone happy.  He's lucky to be so loved, I know his grandparents are really going to miss him when they go home next week.

Mmmm, paci :)

So what have we been doing up until now?  Well we've had visitors.  My dad came up and enjoyed some time with his newest grandson.  Grandma couldn't make it because she was sick, but hopefully next week she and my Dad will be back to shower him with love and attention.  My Uncle Paul and Aunt Diane also came by to see him.  It was great having them here and I never get tired of hearing how cute Luke is so it was a great visit. 

Grandpa and Luke

Aunt Diane and Uncle Paul (my Dad's brother)

                                                     












Joe took the first week and a half off of work to be home with us.  He helped so much and really gave me the time I needed to recover from the c-section and focus on Luke.  For Luke's 1 week birthday his Daddy surprised us with a super cute outfit from Janie and Jack (my favorite children's clothing boutique in Charlotte).  Luke wore it for his newborn pictures which I am dying to see.  Our photographer is putting them in the mail on Monday, and I'll be sure to post them when they arrive.   Daddy also got a little gift for Mommy.  A beautiful heart ring from Tiffany's to match the heart necklace he gave me when we first started dating.  I can't believe how thoughtful he is.  I love that the necklace and ring match and the symbolism behind them.  

I'm sure there's so much more to tell you about Luke, but I have limited time with this sweet boy napping. I'll catch up more soon!

Once again, thank you for being a part of our journey.  We are really grateful for the love, prayers, and support of our family and friends.

Much love,
Joe, Krystyn and Lukas

Born on the 4th of July!

Our sweet little man was born on July 4, 2012.  Lukas Paul Smith arrived at 3:32pm weighing 8 pounds 13 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long.  Today Luke is one week old, and the time has just flown by.  His Daddy and I are madly in love with this sweet boy.  I'm sure we're like every other set of new parents, but every face he makes is the cutest we've ever seen.  His cries are adorable, he sounds like a kitten, just little mews.  He's just as laid back on the outside as he seemed to be when I was pregnant.  He loves to sleep.  I have to wake him up to feed him...which I know sounds crazy.  But he lost 11.5% of his body weight the first few days and we're working to catch back up.  That and I am not sure that he would wake up on his own to eat, he really loves his beauty sleep.

Luke's Birth Story:   I went into early labor the Thursday before Luke was born.  We made a few trips to the doctor and hospital and although the contractions were 3-5 minutes apart, there wasn't enough progress to keep me there so we were sent home.  Needless to say, the next few days were painful and exhausting.  Finally on Tuesday July 3rd my water broke.  We arrived at the hospital around 6:30pm and checked in to have our baby.  Our Midwife and Nurses thought he would be here by the next morning.  My contractions were extremely painful and lasting 3-5 minutes each.  They decided to start Pitocin to try to get things moving faster and to deal with the pain I had my epidural put in, and God bless that Doctor.  It kicked in immediately and I was so grateful!  Unfortunately after laboring for a full 24 hours since my water had broken with no real progress, we realized that Luke's head was simply too big and it was time for a c-section to keep him safe.  His heart rate had dropped dangerously during the night and we were seconds away from an emergency c-section.  It was the worst feeling Joe and I ever experienced.  It was terrifying.  Thankfully after several long minutes they were able to stabilize Luke through positioning.  I really dreaded the c-section, but I'd spent the hours since his slowed heart rate terrified it would happen again, and was willing to do anything to get him here safely. Once the decision was made, everything went very quickly.  I signed the papers and Joe and I headed to the O.R. to meet our son.  When Luke came out time stood still.  They brought him around so that I could see him and we could hear him crying.  Because there was meconium in the amniotic fluid, there was a team in the O.R. that immediately took Luke and checked him.  Thank God he was completely healthy and scored 99 on his apgars.  They let Joe cut his cord and wrapped him up.  Then they handed him to his Daddy and they brought him over to me.  I'm sitting here crying thinking about that moment.  I couldn't even say hello to him because I was crying too hard.  Looking at my son, seeing him here safe and sound was the best moment of my life, hands down.  I am beyond lucky to be his Mommy.

We spent the next 4 days at the hospital and I am really grateful for that time.  I needed it to recover from the surgery, and Luke needed it to deal with his jaundice and weight loss.  The nurses and lactation consultants were amazing.   And we took full advantage of having them there.  We were released with flying colors and on Sunday we were able to bring our baby home.  He's been completely spoiled ever since.  His Grandma and Grandpa Smith were here a few days before his birth and have been snuggling him like crazy ever since. Daddy and I can't get enough of him either.  We could hold him 24/7.  We can't wait for the rest of our family and friends to meet our boy, we know they'll be just as in love with him as we are.

Joe has been amazing. Even though he isn't getting much sleep either, he has waited on us hand and foot.  He's cooking, cleaning, and still finds time to ooh and ahh over his boy and take a million pictures. I don't know what I would have done without him this past week.  I am so lucky to have him for my husband and Luke is blessed to have him for his Dad.  He's taking the very best care of us and I am so appreciative.

So here I am, typing up his birth story while my sweet boy is next to me.  Every once in a while he will stretch or make a cute new face and my heart melts a little more.  I wish I could freeze this time forever.  He is perfection.

Joe and I want to thank everyone for your thoughts and prayers and well wishes.  We look forward to keeping you updated on our little man as he grows.  We are so incredibly grateful and happy and love that you are here to share this journey with us.

Daddy's excited too!

Joe doesn't have the time he wishes he had to add to the blog, but that doesn't mean he isn't just as excited about little boy as I am.  Sometimes I forget about that because I am so focused on the little guy inside of me and my own feelings.  However, any time I start to think I'm the only one anxiously awaiting little boy's arrival, Joe goes and does something that reiterates how much he loves his son and can't wait to meet him either.  He spent all day Sunday cleaning and organizing baby things.  Which I appreciate so much because I can barely move around now.  He then threw me for a loop when he came in a with a list of items I need for my "go bag".  He's really done his research and I was happy to know he's so engaged in the process of little boy's birth.  Tonight he showed me the organic outfits he picked out and ordered for little boy, and this Little Shrimp one was my favorite!

He is so supportive of my crazy insistence on organic clothes and body care.  He ordered a little organic monkey lovey and gripe water for his son.  I know we all imagine how our spouse will be for certain things, but Joe has really exceeded even the dreams I had for this.  I know he will be an equal partner in caring for our baby and I am so appreciative to have someone so supportive and loving to share this journey with.

As to how I'm feeling...I feel really good.  I still enjoy every kick and squirm, and as he gets bigger and bigger the stretches and kicks are now really dramatic.  I laugh out loud when he makes my stomach roll like a wave.  When I say this pregnancy has been great, I can't emphasize it enough.  Maybe it's because I wanted it so much that nothing can rain on my parade, but I think in general I've just been really lucky and I don't take a minute of it for granted.

We have less than 3 weeks until his due date and I am having a hard time staying patient.  I am just looking forward to meeting this little guy so much that waiting is becoming a dirty word.   I know it's worthwhile for little boy to have as much time "on the inside" as possible, but boy are we excited to meet him.  I just look forward to showing him how very much he was loved and wanted every day!!! 18 days and counting...

9 MONTHS PREGNANT!!

As of Monday, we are officially 36 weeks (9 months) pregnant!  We are truly in the final stretch and are so excited to meet our son.  We've been preparing things at home...the swing is put together, his clothes are washed and put away, the car seat is installed, and our bags are packed.  Now all we need is a few more weeks for little boy to grow and we'll be 100% ready to welcome him to the world.  It is surreal to see all of the baby gear spread out around the house.  Some things feel just too good to be true.  I am still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that sometime in the next few weeks, Joe and I will finally get to meet the little boy we've waited a lifetime for...amazing!

I'm still feeling pretty good.  I can get comfortable when I sleep, and I think a lot of that is thanks to the Snoogle pillow I have.  I don't sleep more than an hour or so at a time, but that's okay, I am trucking along alright anyway.  I am working from home now, so that is a huge relief.  No more hour plus commute to and from work every day, and I think that will really help my energy levels.  I know I've been very lucky with this pregnancy (in absolutely every way) and I am very grateful. 

We had our maternity photo shoot last weekend with Blue Sky Photography and it was amazing.  We drove to Burlington to meet with Layla our photographer.  She has such a great eye and I just know our pictures are going to be amazing.   Below is the sneak peek she gave us.  I was really hesitant to do the shoot and am so glad Joe talked me into it.  I can't wait to see the photos she's going to take of little boy after he's born, I know we picked the right person to capture this once in a lifetime event. 

Grandma Edie

My dear Grandmother Edith passed away  the evening of Thursday, May 17th.  I received the call from her nurse that morning, and immediately called Joe to make arrangements to get there as soon as possible.  It took a little while for Joe to get back from work to get me, and for us to throw our things in bags be on our way.  But after hours of driving we made it to her side.  We sent her Nurse home to rest, and I went in to spend some time with her alone.  It was so hard to  listen to her struggle to breathe, but I am so very grateful I had the chance to tell her how much I loved her and kiss her good bye.  I told her that although my sister wasn't here yet, she loved her very much, and that we would take care of our Grandfather.  I let her know how much she meant to me, how much I learned from her, and that she didn't need to worry anymore because we would be okay.  She passed very peacefully at 6:33pm, with my Grandfather by her side.  I've never seen a loved one pass, and it was both beautiful and terribly sad.  I am so grateful that after so many years of being bed bound and unable to speak, she's finally free of her body and with her loved ones again.  I'm so sad for those of us left behind, particularly my grandfather.  They've been together since they were 14 years old, 72 years.  And they had an incredible relationship.  He never stopped seeing the beautiful young woman he had fallen in love with so many years ago, and their story inspired everyone that knew them.  I can't praise their devotion enough, because it is so rare, and so lovely.

This is something no one ever wants to go through, and it wasn't easy.  Even watching her decline over the years, it was hard to let go of the hope she would recover.  When I heard she was passing, I couldn't believe it.  She has been so strong, she's survived this for 10 years, it didn't seem possible that she would really leave us.  But she gave us so much time with her, and even at the end waited as long as possible before passing over.  I'm so happy that I was able to be there with her as she went to heaven.  I wish so very much she could have met Little Boy before she left, but he will have a very special Guardian Angel watching over him and that makes me smile through the tears. 

For Joe and I, it was an experience that brought us even closer together.  We saw the journey that awaits us, and vowed to be even better to each other than we already are.  Joe was the epitome of strength and goodness.  He did so much without being asked and never once mentioning it looking for thanks.  Just quietly doing in the background so I wouldn't have any extra worry or stress.  At the same time, he mourned with us, truly grieved like a grandson.  He worries about my Grandfather. It is a blessing to be married to someone that loves my family as much as I do.  I am so very grateful for him.

So, here we are.  The days continue to pass, each one brings us closer to Little Boy's birth and at the same time takes us farther from my Grandmother's life.    I hope I can teach this sweet little boy to love like his Grandparents did.  To be worthy of thier legacy.  I hope he grows up to be a man that she would be proud of.  I wish so much they could have met, that she could have held him and kissed him and loved him as I know she would have.  I will miss her so much, but was so lucky to call her Grandma.  She loved me as much as I loved her and I will never forget that.  Thank you God for my Grandmother, please keep her safe until we meet again. 

Baby Shower Day!!!

What a WONDERFUL day!!!  I was lucky enough to celebrate little boy with such a fantastic group of women.  Our party started at 11am and although Mom, Kasey, and I were a little late arriving, we had a great time.  We pulled up to the house to find this completely adorable sign directing us to Meghan's house for the shower.

Here's my amazing hostess Meghan on the left, and our wonderful friend Sylvia on the right.  These ladies are both so supportive and I am so lucky to know them.  

We are so lucky to have such generous friends.  We are feeling more and more confident that we'll be ready when little boy finally joins us.  I can't tell you how much fun I had opening all of these gifts for our son.  The tiny adorable clothes, the baby gear we needed, and all of the thoughtful items we didn't even know to ask for and I just know will be so helpful.  

My Mom made me this hat out of the ribbons from all of the gifts.  She says it's tradition, and it was very cute.  

Here I am about to dive into the cake and brownies.  The food was great!  Meghan went to a lot of trouble making this such a wonderful shower and I am so thankful for her generosity.  I couldn't have asked for a better party!

Here's a pic of the Birch girls.  We all worked together 8 years ago when I met Joe.  They were so generous and sweet to come out today and as you can see it's a baby boom!

Here's a picture of the AmWINS crew.  These beautiful ladies came out to celebrate today and I appreciated having them there so much! 

***I should have gotten a picture of the entire group, and I'm sorry for anyone that isn't pictured above.  I love you ladies and am so grateful for you coming out today!!

Childbirth Class and 30 weeks!

Saturday, April 21st Joe and I attended our childbirth class at the hospital where we plan on delivering Little Boy.  It was a long day!   It was scheduled from 12-7.  Our instructor went over a lot of questions and concerns that we had and we definitely got some good information.  The funny moment from our class was when our Instructor pulled out a chart showing the different stages of labor. The chart was broken down into stages, showing a face of a woman depicting how she may be feeling at each point of a non-medicated delivery.

• First stage, normal face, things are getting started and she's still pretty comfortable.
• Next stage, a worried face: she's starting to look like shes's in pain and not very happy.
• Delivery stage, a crazy face and emotions including irrationality and anger.

Finally there's the picture of the woman who had an epidural, smiling and calm.  Joe looks at me and says "you're getting an epidural".  I had to laugh.  I'm really not nervous or worried about the delivery, just looking forward to finally meeting this little guy.

We are 30 weeks pregnant on Monday April 23rd and here's the latest picture...

3rd Trimester, 7 months!!

3rd Trimester:  Holy cow, how did we reach the 3rd trimester already?  Time is really flying by!  I'm happy to report that little boy and I are in excellent health.  Not a single complaint to be had.  No pain, no swelling, no heartburn...we're being spoiled and are really grateful!   And while I can't wait to meet my little karate champ, I'm happy to let him keep on cooking a while longer while Daddy and I try to prepare for his arrival.  We moved a lot of things this weekend to make room (okay, Joe moved, but I supervised really well); and all that's left is to clear some drawer space in our room and set up whatever baby contraptions we receive and buy in the next month or so.  The countdown is on and I'm starting to feel like we may be ready in time :)

Family Time:  I had a wonderful weekend with my family in Hendersonville, and spent a fabulous Easter Sunday with Joe.  I was able to spend time with my niece and nephew, my sister and brother-in-law, and parents and my grandparents.  And it was the first time they've seen me in person since I had this fabulous baby belly.  Little man got lots of belly rubs, unfortunately he didn't want to cooperate and put on a show for anyone.  I don't think he's going to be an entertainer.  Aunt Kasey told him that next time she sees him he better be kicking, but I'm thinking next time she sees him he'll be a free man and living on the outside.  She can't wait to spoil this little guy. 

The really emotional moment of the weekend was when my Grandfather leaned down and told my Grandma "you're going to be a Great-Grandma again hun, our Krysie is having a baby". I won't lie, I cried like a baby myself.  I wish she was able to understand because she would be so happy for Joe and I.  I really miss being able to talk to her.  But I will tell Little Man all about her and how much fun she and I had, and all the things she taught me growing up.  He'll know how much she loved us and how she dreamed of this little boy for Joe and I.

Technology:  Joe bought us something called Belly Buds so Little Man can listen to music.  We've been playing him different types of music.  Lullabies, classical, and some old school hip hop (he loves his bass).  These belly buds are great because they stick on my stomach, so I can watch TV or read while Little Man listens to music and grows that cute little noggin of his.  Daddy is so in to technology, thank goodness.  He'll be able to guide his son and keep up to date.  I can already imagine lots of Daddy/Son bonding time over the newest gadgets on the market, while they laugh about how clueless Mommy is.

Wonderful suprises!

What a lovely day!  Joe and I came home to these wonderful gifts waiting for us from our Aunts and Uncles.  My Aunt Eileen and Uncle Nick sent this lovely book for Little Boy.  I've been hoping for even more books to read to him, and voila one shows up at our door.  We'll start reading it to him tonight. We're so lucky to have such wonderful family!

Book we can't wait to read to Little Boy from Aunt Eileen and Uncle Nick

And the second package I opened was from Joe's Aunt Barb.  This same Aunt Barb sent Little Boy his first gift and something new every month since.  We always look forward to her presents and as usual she sent something completely amazing.  Organic bibs, mittens, a receiving blanket, and a sleep sack.  I can't wait to see Little Boy in all of this, he's going to look so adorable.  We're so grateful that she thinks of us so often and that she loves our little baby so much.  

Sweet gifts from Aunt Barb for Little Boy

6 1/2 months

So Fast:  Time is flying by!  I have a hard time believing that in 3 1/2 months, we'll have our little boy.  Heck, I still can't really believe there's a little miracle growing in my belly to begin with, despite how many judo chops he gives me.  Which I still love by the way.  Every new roll, kick and punch is just as exciting as the first one.  Little boy weighs about 2 pounds now.  I remember grabbing an 8oz package out of the cabinet and showing Joe that it was the same weight as little boy, and now we're already 2 pounds!  I'm amazed by how quickly he's growing!

Individuality:  When it comes to personality, he is really starting to show us his!  This little guy doesn't like to be woken up when he's napping.  I have to get up a few times a night, and every time I come back to bed, he gives me quite a show of force to express his displeasure at being disturbed.  In fact, I could tell he was laying transverse last night because of the continuous roll tide of kicks and punches to both sides at the same time.  I tried not to laugh out loud and wake Joe up, but it was really funny the little tantrum I felt going on there.  I apologized for waking him and held as still as possible until he quieted down again.  Someone's grumpy like Daddy when they're woken up ;)

Activity:  I really love how big and active he's getting.  He has one move that really cracks me up, I call it "baby tsunami".  I'm pretty sure when I feel it that he's actually rolling over into a new position.   But there's just so much movement and bouncing all at once that it feels like a little tidal wave in there.  Joe got to feel it the other day, which was awesome.  I love getting to share those moments with him.  He always has this look on his face, like how in the world did he do that?  And his movements are getting more and more distinct, I am starting to pick out feet and maybe elbows, as well as his head and bottom (although I really can't tell which is which yet).   I can't wait until I can actually see a foot or hand pushing up against my skin.  How amazing will that be?!?

Week 26 Photo:  I've been terrible about keeping up with my pictures, so I took one of myself today in the bathroom at work.  Here we are at 26 weeks 4 days.  This belly is the coolest present I've ever gotten!

Look at that baby belly, he's getting so big!  

First Purchases: Here are a few pictures of the sweet little organic outfits we got him the other day, I can't wait to put them on him.  Little dinosaurs!  Joe and I have this joke about how I've always wanted to discover a new species of dinosaur so that I could name it Krysieosaurus.  Yes, it's egomaniacal, but how fun would it be to go to a museum and see a giant Krysieosaurus staring back at you?  It would be awesome, that's how!  I tease Little Boy and call him Babyosaurus when he's doing his giant moves, so I can't wait to see these little outfits on him!

Interaction!

Well, this morning we had another new and exciting milestone...little boy interacting with us!  He was really active this morning, so I told Joe to go ahead and try to get some gymnastics time.  Joe put his hand on my stomach and as usual, little boy quieted down.  So Joe started to lightly rub the belly and don't you know that as soon as he stopped, little boy started kicking the same place!  We did this a few times, sometimes Joe would lightly tap his fingers, stop and then little boy would kick where the tapping had been.  It was amazing and I know what you're thinking...this baby is a genius!

Now that I realize how much little boy is maturing and his curiosity is growing, we'll be trying all kinds of new interactions.  I've already been teaching him all about tone deafness by singing along to songs on the radio.  And he loves a good bass beat, kicking like crazy when I turn up the volume.  When Joe and I went to see the Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil show 2 weeks ago, this baby was dancing like a madman.  At first I was worried he was afraid because the music was loud, but I've really pumped up the bass on my car stereo since then and he seems to really like it.  It's hard to believe that someone so little can already be enjoying music and belly rubs, but he sure seems to be!

He also got to try Indian food last night.  We stopped at a new Indian restaurant and it was the best most authentic Indian cuisine we've had in a really long time.  It was a wee bit spicy too, and little boy started dancing and kicking so I know he was definitely getting to taste it.   I'm amazed every day by the new things he's experiencing...I can't wait until he's on the outside and we can really show him the world!

To cap off our evening, we went into several baby stores to look at clothes last night.  It was so fun to watch Joe pick out outfits he wants for him, he's already decided what style's he'll like.  I know everyone must think this, but I love my husband even more when I see him holding outfits for our son and talking about the things we'll do for him.  And it makes it hard to wait for the day when I'll get to see him holding this long awaited baby.  I feel like I'm dreaming and if I am, I don't want to wake up!

6 Months Pregnant!

We're officially 6 months pregnant and it looks like that famous "pop" finally happened.  I can't hide this belly anymore!  It's been a bit of a shock to have strangers comment on the belly.  I guess I've been in denial about how obvious it is.  Joe laughed when I said that, I guess it's pretty obvious to everyone but me.  But so far, all comments have been very nice and encouraging and I'm thrilled Little Boy is in there making his presence known.  We've waited so long for this that you will not hear a single complaint from me (alright, maybe one or two)!

He's been very active and Daddy is finally getting to feel his gymnastics, which makes all three of us very happy.  He put on a little show for daddy this weekend, doing a couple of really good hippity hops.  Joe asked me what he's doing...to be honest I don't know.  He could be jumping, rolling, judo chopping or knitting, all I know is we can feel him and it's awesome!  He definitely has patterns of wake and sleep, and in general is sleeping when I sleep.  Probably just resting up so that after he's born he can keep us up all night :)

I broke out my first mumu dress today, and I may never go back to regular clothes.  Joe said "this is how it starts" and I have to agree...although I think we may disagree on the level of awesome that the mumu dress is!

Good things this week:  Joe and I finally picked a name!  So at our house at least, little boy has an official moniker, although we will wait until he's born to make it known...we need to keep something for a surprise :)

The reality of little boy's pending arrival has also motivated me to make some changes around the house.  So I'm finally getting some things put away and packed up for storage to make room for the bambino.  Yay for babies to motivate spring cleaning! 

Let the official count down begin, we are 16 weeks from little man's due date!!!

私の子供は忍者です! (my child is a ninja)

So Krystyn has been telling me that she feels the baby move now, but I have yet to feel anything...until today.  We were watching a movie and Krystyn felt something, and sure enough every time I placed my hand on her stomach he fell back asleep.  Just when I was giving up, I felt a tiny little punch - in my expert opinion I would say it felt like a choku-zuki, but it happened so fast I can't say for sure.  Nonetheless, it was a punch and it had power behind it.  I think we may have a ninja on our hands (second-generation, for those of you counting).  Let the reliving-my-youth-through-my-child behavior ensue.

Big Moves!

Today was a really exciting day for me because little boy was making such big moves I could feel them with my hand on my stomach from the outside...this means it's only a matter of time before Joe gets to feel him too!  I've been looking forward to that ever since the first time I felt him myself.  To be able to share this is so exciting!  I never thought I would, but I'm going to be that person that has everyone stand around with their hands on my stomach waiting for the baby to move and saying "did you feel that?".  It's just another wondrous moment where I realize that I'm carrying a real tiny human being inside of my belly and that very soon, I'm going to get to be his Mommy.  I don't feel worthy, but I am so grateful for the opportunity!

Valentine's Day

This year we made no plans for Valentine's.  I'll admit we've gotten a little lazy about these things.  I wanted a card from Joe, that is my gift.  I love getting cards and letters from him, there are no better presents...so I really look forward to each holiday as it means a new card from my husband.  This year that was even more true because I knew he would include how excited he is about our baby to be and that would make this the best Valentine's yet.

I planned on making a nice romantic dinner for two and just enjoying some time together after a long work day.  But honestly, by the time I got home I was tired and just didn't feel like cooking.  So I called Joe and asked if he minded if we went somewhere.  Of course he didn't mind!!  But we knew we would have a hard time finding a decent place that had any openings on Valentine's Day.  Luckily, we both love a little Mexican restaurant down the street from us, and since romance and refried beans aren't synonymous, we didn't have any trouble getting a table.

When we parked the car, Joe reached down and grabbed a bag and asked if I wanted my gift now or in the restaurant.  Well, I'm a crier, so I said in the car.  I was really surprised to get a gift, I was honestly thrilled just to get him to myself for a few hours over dinner and I was looking forward to a card.  But a gift too?  Unexpected but so exciting!  First I opened the card he got me and it was beautiful.  But honestly I could barely read it because I was so excited to see what was in the bag!  I opened the box and there was a beautiful sterling silver chain with swarovski crystal necklace.  I did blub-blub then, and asked him to put it on me.  I spent the rest of the night admiring this beautiful necklace.  It just meant so much to me to know he'd gone out and chosen something so special to surprise me with.  He told me he wanted to do something nice so I'd know how much he loved me and since our lives were going to be getting crazy after little boy gets here, it might be the last chance to show me for a while.  We both laughed at that.  Things are definitely about to change, but I'm so thankful Joe's going to be the one sharing this journey with me!!

20 weeks, we're half way there!

Today is the halfway point of our pregnancy.  Time seems to be moving at warp speed, how else could we be only a few months away from meeting our son?  Physically, I'm in the honeymoon stage of expecting.  All the early pregnancy symptoms are gone.  No more nausea or exhaustion or back pain.  I feel amazing, and watching my belly grow is just surreal.

There are some things you dream of your whole life and in the midst of them happening you have to keep pinching yourself to remember it's real.  For me, that dream was getting married and having a family of my own.  When Joe and I got married it was the happiest day of my life.  I still look at my rings and feel so much happiness knowing that we have each other and that he'll always be there for me.  I know that nothing short of death himself would take Joe away from little man and I.   So being able to finally start a family together is nothing short of a lifelong dream come true.  I have to remind myself everyday that it's real.  Yes, we are this lucky, and I am so very thankful!

Facebook reveal

Today was our big day to announce to everyone on Facebook that we're expecting!  It's been tough to not shout our news from the rooftops, but we wanted the chance to personally tell as many of our friends as possible before making it public knowledge.  Joe posted an ultrasound picture of little boy from his anatomy scan with the caption that we're having a son.  It felt good to finally have it out there.

Anatomy Scan Day - 18 weeks

Today we had our anatomy scan, and once again we were blown away by how big this baby is!  We went to a special appointment for genetic counseling and a high resolution scan.  The counseling went very well and we were once again reassured that there's very little risk for down's or other issues.  Whew.  Our scan today was amazing, the level of detail was crazy!  The tech literally looked down into the baby's brain and measured different areas to be sure everything was okay.  Then came time for the big question...boy or girl?  I'll admit, I had zero intuition on this.  I refused to even guess because I knew I'd get it wrong.  We were both so nervous for this appointment, so much time leading up the big reveal and here we were about to find out...son or daughter?  The tech froze a screen shot of the baby and described it as if they were sitting on a glass coffee table and you were looking at them from underneath.  I can say that the second the picture popped up, I didn't need her to explain, we were plainly looking at a little BOY!!  Joe and I laughed about it later, there was not a second of doubt, those were boy parts.  Which the ultrasound tech and Doctor both confirmed by saying "that is 100% boy, no doubt about it".  So for anyone out there that thinks, maybe they're wrong, we can tell you, they're not.  Our son is a very cooperative picture taker.  He is still a very laid back baby.  He wasn't moving around too much which was very helpful for all of his measurements.  Only tough part was that his head was right under my belly button, which makes it hard to get a good picture of the brain.  Luckily he cooperated and moved over and they got the pics they needed.
They said he was breach, but at 18 weeks that was nothing to worry about.  They literally flip all around still at that age.  And the placenta is anterior (in the front) so I'm not likely to feel him move as much since it acts as a pillow.  Right after the ultrasound though is when I felt him the most.  Up until today, for the last few weeks, I'd feel little pops and tickles that I thought were him but wasn't certain.  Today I was sure.  He was rolling around like crazy after our appointment and I was thrilled!  Nothing better than feeling him move!!!  We went to lunch together after the appointment before we headed in to work.  I should have taken the day off though because I was on cloud 9 and couldn't concentrate for the rest of the day.  We are having a son!!!

No wonder Krystyn doesn't get much sleep...there's quite a racket going on in there.  Let's hope the baby gets all of its noise making out of its system now.  :D

Gift from Aunt Barb

We received our first baby gift in the mail today.  A book for me, and a book for baby Smith.  It was so nice to receive such thoughtful presents!  Barb told me that when she was pregnant a friend sent her a new present every month and it meant the world to her so if I agreed, she'd like to do that for me.  Who could say no to that?  One day I'll tell them how excited everyone was to meet them and how very loved they were from the start.  There's no greater blessing than love and our little baby has that in abundance, we are so appreciative!