Thankful

So the other day, I woke up in a really bad mood. I mean REALLY BAD! I was a grumpy gills. Nothing seemed to be going right. But then I realized that the next day was Thanksgiving, and I really had a lot I needed to be thankful for - a lot I needed to simply take a step back and get some perspective.

I was upset with Chris for being messy and not cleaning up after himself...but then I remembered that many people will not be able to spend the holidays with their spouses because of military service, or even more permanent situations like loss.

I was frustrated at having to vacuum my house, but then I remember how blessed I am to have a house, a safe roof over my head. So many people do not have a home to go to, with a warm bed and a dishwasher.

I was irritated at the morning sickness that is still persisting...but I am so grateful to be pregnant and have a healthy, growing child in my belly.

I was sad that I would not be spending Thanksgiving with my side of our family...but I am thankful that they are safe and happy and that we'll see them soon.

I was annoyed at having to trek to Klamath Falls for work...but I am grateful that I have some sort of job, with good friends and coworkers.

I have so much to be thankful for. What a great opportunity to remember all of my blessings, especially amid the frustrations of everyday life!

More Belly Pics!

Whoooey...check out my baby belly!!!! It's getting bigger... and bigger... and bigger!!!!

I got to go for another ultrasound, this time to determine if there was any risk for spina bifida or Down's syndrome. Everything looked great!!! The heartbeat was perfect, the size was right on, and the tech could even make out some things she normally wouldn't be able to for a few weeks. We could see the four chambers of the heart, the umbilical cord - we could even make out the baby swallowing! And best of all, we got a sneaky peek at the gender of the baby!!!!!! It was cooperating in just the right position to see "the goods"... but I'm not telling yet! :) We still have family to tell all the news to... then we'll share! Any guesses?

33 Days till Christmas!

YES!!!! I LOVE Christmas. It is my favorite holiday by far. I love everything about it - snow, Christmas trees, giving, Christmas carols, Christmas decorations, Christmas cookies, PRESENTS!, parades... you name it, I love it!

This year we've been especially thinking about our Christmas traditions and how important they are to us - especially next year, when we'll have an adorable little 7-month old to share in the joy and fun of the season! So, here's a fun little survey I filled out about our Christmas favorites and traditions!

1. Favorite Christmas movie?

Can't pick just one. "White Christmas", "A Miracle on 34th St." (the original black and white with Natalie Wood), and "It's a Wonderful Life". Although I also love the Home Alones and the Santa Clauses. I know, corny. I just love Christmas!

2. Favorite Christmas carol?

Nope, can't pick just one. The music is my favorite part of the holiday season! I do love "Carol of the Bells" and "Mary Did You Know", but also "Some Children See Him" and "The First Noel".

3. Favorite Christmas gift ever?

Probably my Nikon camera, from Chris, in 2006. But Chloe was a good gift too (our second dog)!

4. Favorite Christmas tradition?

Decorating! Baking! Presents! Family! Food! Music! Shopping! Wrapping! I love them all!

5. Favorite Christmas cookie?

Biscotti, definitely. Unless it's sugar cookies (my sister makes the best!). Or peanut brittle. Hmm... they're all so good!

6. Real or fake tree?

Real. I'm ok with either, but Chris LOVES a real tree. And there's nothing like the smell! :)

7. Favorite gift ever given?

I love it when I make something and give it to someone - a cross stitch project, a quilt, a sewing project. I made my mom a set of placemats one year that I worked really hard on and I :think: she liked them.

8. Favorite tree ornament?

The one my sister gave us our first Christmas we were married. It's a snowflake (my favorite!) with a space for our photo and says, "Our First Christmas Together". It's so ME! It's always the last to go on the tree. But a close second is all the ornaments my grandparents painted for us over the years.

9. How early do you get up Christmas morning?

Ha ha. If it were up to me, it would be 5 am! However, out of respect for my poor husband who is not so much of a morning person, I usually hold in my excitement until 7 or sometimes even 8. But, all bets are off when the kids get old enough!

10. Christmas card or Christmas letter?

Both! We usually do a photo card and a letter. It's Brown family tradition!

11. Eggnog or cider?

Eggnog! Yum!

12. Christmas colors?

Blue and silver...although I love some green thrown in too...

13. Favorite Christmas dinner?

Anything my mom and dad make - yum!

I'd love to see what your answers are - what are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

Decisions, decisions

You know, I've always felt extremely prepared for motherhood. I've gotten "Parents" magazine since I was fifteen. I done research. I've talked to friends. I've checked Consumer Reports for the best in baby gear. I've searched yard sales high and low for the best and cheapest clothes and necessities. I have a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, for goodness' sake.

But, I was not prepared for all the DECISIONS that have to be made! It's crazy! Things I didn't even know you had a choice about! And so many of them could be so IMPORTANT! What if I make the wrong decision? Like, do we want Chris to cut the cord, or the doctor to do it? Now, it seems like a not so big deal right now, but maybe ten years from now there will be a research project that concludes that babies whose fathers don't cut the cord have lower IQ or become serial killers or something.

So of course, this trickles down to even the smallest decisions I make becoming a big deal. Oops, I ate a brownie - uh oh, does that mean the baby will never eat vegetables and only eat brownies it's whole life? Oh crap, I was standing in front of the microwave while it was on - did I accidentally zap the baby? Am I drinking enough milk so the baby doesn't develop osteoporosis later in life? And don't get me started on all the dog hair I'm sure I ingest on a daily basis (no, not on purpose, silly. It's just everywhere cause I hate vacuuming). Maybe that will mean the baby will be allergic to dogs.

And then getting down to baby gear. Which car seat is safest? Which one comes with a travel system? What kind of high chair - one that reclines or one that doesn't (which, by the way, why would anyone want a reclining high chair? wouldn't that make it more likely for the baby to choke?)? Organic or not? Cloth diaper or disposable? Crib or co-sleeper? Binky or thumb? THE DECISIONS ARE ENDLESS, PEOPLE!!! And the poor kid is still in vitro - what if I screw up every decision before the poor unsuspecting bugger is even born?

I guess the only thing to do is to not stress about every little decision. To trust in my own insticts as a parent, and to know that kids are generally pretty resilient little things. Or I could just ask Chris to make all the decisions. And then blame it on him when the kid comes out allergic to dogs.

Dear Baby,

Dear Baby,

I love you so much already! I am so excited to meet you - I know you are going to be the most beautiful baby in the world. I've been working for four years to get you the best of everything - crib, sheets, clothes, you name it. So, I have just one teeny little favor to ask of you. Could you please stop making me throw up? I know morning sickness is one sign of higher IQ later in life, but it's really making me miserable. And, we're out of our first trimester - isn't that when things are supposed to start clearning up? I'm just sayin', I think you'd get a bit more nutrition if you'd stop the whole puking thing. Thanks. Just something to consider.

Love,
Mama

Last Day of Trimester 1

It's already the last day of my first trimester! Holy cow, I can't believe we only have six months till this baby comes... There's so much to do! We are getting more and more excited as everything starts to become more real! So here's a 12 week picture of my belly to keep you all updated: (Chris is super excited about taking belly pics every week!)

So, we are busy thinking of baby names (I still think it's a girl!) and picking out ideas for the baby items we still need. It's so much fun! Just think about how much fun we'll have when we actually have the baby here! We can't wait!

Erin's 40th!

Yup, we use any excuse to party - this time, it was for my friend Erin's big 4-0 birthday. We rented a building with a bar (of course!) and had a blast!! Of course, I was the DD for people - and I have to admit, I really didn't miss it too much! Everyone else was just so entertaining that I didn't feel like I was missing out at all!

The theme was Woodstock - no, we don't dress up like this every day!

I just love these ladies!

Whoo, check out my baby belly - getting bigger! :)

Baby Nursery

Ok, so I know we've got a loooonnnngggg time before I need to be worrying about anything nursery (especially since we'll be moving right after the baby's born), but you know me, I like to be prepared. And I have very specific (read: picky) ideas of exactly what I want for everything baby-related. Yes, I have been preparing for this for a very long time, thankyouverymuch. It doesn't help that I've had dozens of close friends have kids already, so I have learned through their experiences about what are the must-haves. But nursery stuff has thus far taken a back seat - but not for long! :)

So, I've got some general ideas I like for a nursery. I've always LOVED Noah's Ark themed stuff, and of course have a lot of knick knacks and stuff with Noah's Ark, but I don't really want a "themed" matchy matchy nursery. Too much of a good thing. Like check this one out:

Wow. Looks like Noah threw up his ark on this room. Yuck.

And then this one. Maybe just a little overdone?

I think we'll do something just a touch more subtle. I'm more about color coordinating. I'm thinking green, blue, and brown (with maybe a touch of pink thrown in if it's a girl). I want a simple room that's not too frou-frou and overbearing - the poor kid's got to be able to sleep in the room, right? I'm thinking something calm and classic. I like some parts of this one:

What do you think? More posts coming soon on various other nursery decor!

Honey, We're Having a... Prune?

So I found this awesome website that shows the size of the baby compared to various fruits and vegetables. For ten weeks, it's a prune. A PRUNE, people. You'd think they could come up with something slightly cuter than a stinkin' prune. Good thing I'm on week eleven - now it's a lime! It's still so mind blowing that there is a little lime-sized person inside of me...WOW.

Last night I was getting undressed for bed and caught sight of my belly in the mirror...can we say HOLY COW???? I'm already looking PREGNANT and I'm not done with my first trimester! I'm reading people's blogs about how some skinny little pregnant ladies are 20 weeks and still able to use just a rubber band to fasten their pants! Hell-o?! I've been in those awesome stretchy waist pants now for a month! This may not bode well for the next six months... At the very least, I've had an ultrasound and I can stop worrying that I've got twins in there! Yup, only one baby... whew!

In other baby news, I broke down and did it. What, you ask? This:

Yup, a gender predictor pee test. Not real sure how it works, but it's something like crazy 89% accurate! Don't worry, I'm not going to go paint the nursery or anything (it actually has a warning label on the box not to paint the nursery and they are not responsible for inaccurate results!), but I thought it might be fun. I think it's a girl. Chris thinks it's a boy. Well, as my mom says, one of us right! :) (we hope...that might be a little awkward...).