Third Trimester Begins

And we're off and running! Okay...there's no WAY I'm running with this belly. But it is off to the races in the sense that I know these next 12 weeks (and now, really 11) will go by quickly. Time is flying so quickly that I'm horribly behind on the belly-bump-photo front.




Yes, indeed...we do have BABY in there...

28 weeks

Happy New Year!

We rung in the new year on a little in-town vacation (or "stay-cation" as I've heard it called), spending the evening at the Belmont Hotel in Oak Cliff, a neighborhood in south Dallas.

It's an older hotel built in 1946 that has been maintained and renovated (think 1940s retro-chic--they call it mid-century luxury, or Arte Moderne) and has one of the best views of downtown Dallas. Room, private party at the bar, champagne toast and midnight, and breakfast included in a package deal. It was a great surprise, and a fun excuse to get dressed up and go out, without the danger of driving around with all the crazy amateurs.

And while I couldn't partake in the bar shenanigans (we even skipped the champagne toast, sort of by accident), I did manage to indulge in a couple of mocktails (cranberry and soda, to be exact, shown below). It was rather chilly out on the rooftop bar, so we sat in the lobby and people-watched.

All in all, a fabulous way to spend the last New Year's Eve without a little one. Quite possibly the last time we see midnight on purpose!!

Out with the old...

...in with...the Newbie...

This will be our last Christmas as a couple. The last holiday without the excitement of a young child learning about the big things that happen at the end of December...Santa and presents!

It has been wonderful to spend the past several years with my husband and our respective families (we trade-off every year) in low-key fashion. Not going overboard on the presents, decorations, or holiday music, or food (okay...we do go overboard there!). At this time in my life, the significance of the holiday season is much more related to a time of rest. Getting away from work, or at least being in a VERY quiet office because everyone ELSE has gotten away from work, is the best present ever.

As my husband and I had our little Christmas last evening, I couldn't help but be a little wistful over the change that is coming. We are still as excited (and nervous!) as ever about bringing a little life into the world, but we do realize the irrevocable change that is coming. So as I spend the next few days with him and with his family, I plan to savor this last special time that we have.

Merry Christmas, baby!

The Crib Gets a Test Drive!

Walker, son of our dear friends Jack and Sarah Greenman, paid a visit to our place last week and took a snooze in the new crib.

It works!!

The Nursery Evolves

Last weekend was definitely house project weekend. We spent Saturday shopping for all the tools and inputs for the Sunday all-day project. The result? A new border around the walls of the nursery and some curtains to continue the wooly sheep theme. Baaa-aaah!

While I really am NOT a DIY kind of wife (though I LOVE my DIY husband!), I did quite enjoy breaking out my sewing machine and making the curtains. It was a lot more fun than going to a curtain store and getting charged an arm and a leg for curtains a specific color and length. We're quite pleased.

And after rearranging the furniture a bit, we've got room for a rocking corner, where we'll place a rocking chair. It's really starting to look like a baby room!

An artist's view

Our Long Beach, CA friends Cari and Eric were visiting the weekend after Thanksgiving, and we took them to the Nasher Sculpture Center in the Dallas Arts District. It's my favorite museum space in Dallas, with its open space and natural lighting, as well as the garden walk behind the museum. Cari was actually the first person to tell me about the Nasher when I moved here five years ago, but she hadn't been able to visit it yet. So it was fun to go there with her.

She took this picture next to a Picasso sculpture. Not an exact likeness (thankfully), but I can definitely appreciate the emphasis placed on the belly as well as the bosom! Yeah...that's kinda what it feels like!

Second Half Belly Bumps

We marked the official halfway point a couple of weeks ago, so I thought I'd start a new post with the progress of Newbie in belly. It is definitely starting to look like more than just a big lunch. Watch as the belly starts to bypass the boobs in its forward protrusion...

20 weeks

24 weeks