Katelyn has arrived!

I realize I'm a little late announcing Katelyn's arrival, but she's here! I think this is the most amazing picture i've ever seen (I'm a bit biased though). This is my exact memory of the doctor's telling me to look up and see our baby, and let me tell you it took the breath right out of me. We are so very very blessed to be the parents to little Katelyn, she's a tiny miracle. We are SO in love with her it's silly - we could sit and stare all day long, in fact we do!

Too classic not to share!

So last night I had dinner with Beca (who is pregnant, yay!), Kim and Hudson in Solana Beach. It's always nice to catch up and chat, we had a great time. It's so fun to have Hudson there, he's almost 2 and participates in the conversations.
Last night we were talking to him about how there's a baby in my belly, and he was obviously listening, but confused too. When we were done explaining Katelyn is inside me, he simply said "Open it" - how awesome is that statement! He makes it sound so simple. . .super fun! Then we tried to tell him that Beca has a baby in her belly too (she's not showing yet), and that was a little too much for him to understand I think! Pretty adorable if you ask me!

I thought this was cute!

'Dear Lord:

Thank you for bringing me to Timmy's house and not to Michael Vick's -- AMEN!'

Packing the hospital bag

Yes, I know we are 7 weeks away from Katelyn's arrival, but the e-mail sent from "What to Expect" today said "Time to pack your bags!" REALLY? Could we be that close? Why is that scary to me? I know i'm pregnant, she has the hiccups right now in my belly. But bringing her home, that's a different story, that's REAL.

Don't get me wrong, I CANNOT wait until we get to meet this little baby girl, see who she looks like, get to know her, be her mom - it's just getting CLOSER, that's all. I guess i'm a little nervous, but I know deep down that we are so blessed to have her coming into the world, and she is one lucky kid to be born into our families. It's just the packing of the bags that freaks me out!!!

Pink lint

I did Katelyn's first load of laundry! It was so fun to fold all those little outfits! I got the cutest call from Andrew yesterday, he was doing some laundry and went to clean out the lint, and he called me to tell me it was PINK! How fun is that? We were talking about it last night and I got all choked up when he said "It's like she's already bringing color to somthing that's normally colorless."

We are officially in love with this little girl.

August Reflection- what a difference a year makes part 2!

I was driving into work this morning, thinking about all the things that the last year has brought, and realized it's annual August reflection time! I don't do it in January, it just naturally comes in August, so i'm going with it. The last 365 days have been quite an adventure!

I've grown a baby! Well, almost.
Andrew and I have gone from family of 2 - to a family of 3- thinking.
I walked 60 miles for Breast Cancer and ADORED it- even the blisters (in retrospect, of course).
I experienced morning sickness.
I laid off 18 people, while thinking I was going to be laid off myself- I'd like the layoff business to stop with this years reflecting!
Then I experienced the relief of keeping my job! Whew!
I've watched Andrew begin to turn into a Dad - I'm looking forward to watching how this grows every year.
I learned I have a short cervix- who knew!
I'm trying to choose my attitude on a daily basis.
I've felt at the top of my game with my job, then I lost some confidence in my abilities to do my job - not sure if it was the threat of being laid off, shifting of priorities, or the idea that i'll be gone for 3 months?
Friendships that were weak naturally fizzled a little, and friendships that are strong have gotten even better.
I'm learning how hard it is to help aging grandparents.
I appreciate baths more - they can help a headache, nausea, or just help me relax!
I've watched my family experience true joy because of this little girl coming shortly! They literally thank us often for giving them this bright spot in their lives.
I learned that maternal instincts kick in immediatly- I would already do anything for her.

As I sit here and type, little Katelyn is inside kicking me (I think she doesn't like my chair at work, squishes her). I know i'll miss this feeling, but I am so excited to meet her and see what she looks like, what her personality will be. I can't wait to be a family of 3. Andrew and I have been talking a lot about trying to enjoy each stage of her life - I know the last 30 weeks of pregnancy have gone by rapidly, and next thing we know we'll be planning her first birthday. Maybe i'll think to go back and read this in the middle of a sleepless night a few months from now and remember to enjoy this stage, it will end before I know it!

We're spoiled!

Keelia and Cynthia threw us a baby shower on July 11 at the Meathe household, and we had so much fun! Cynthia's family made THE BEST enchiladas i've ever eaten, seriously! We had a great time hanging out with friends, got some good books to read to Katelyn, and lots of fun stuff to put away in the nursery. OOh, and thanks Hilary for the DELISH cherry chip cupcakes - I thought it was just a pregnant thing that I love them, but the men raved about them too! Everyone loves a pink cupcake now and then!

We're both nesting. . .

Andrew has been one busy guy lately! It seems like the TO-DO list is getting longer, not shorter, and we've been going full speed for the last couple of weeks! Proof: the second Andrew sits down, this happens.

The curious case of how to make a pregnant lady cry for 3 hours

Just when I think I'm acting pretty normal for being 28 weeks pregnant, something stops me cold in my tracks. Andrew and I rented The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last night to "relax" a little, and no kidding I started to cry about 5 minutes in and didn't really stop until it was over. About 15 minutes in Andrew paused the movie and asked (very gently, might I add) what exactly it was that was making me cry? I didn't really know, but I was so sad that poor little Benjamin was unwanted, and so glad that the lady who found him loved him! I seriously had a headache from weeping. . .great movie, but don't watch it pregnant or hormonal, that's my advice!

Monday Morning

When I got into work this morning, Grandma had sent me this little prayer that gave me a little extra boost. Thought I'd share!

Saint Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities
that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received ,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be confident knowing you are a child of
God. Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance,
praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us

4th of July weekend tasks

4th of July weekend was full of fun, the beach, BBQ's, and a couple of tasks. Here are some pictures of the crib being built - Andrew could have handled this himself, but we added a few people to complicate things - what I do best, really. Everyone's just so excited! The room is coming along nicely, and we've got plenty of time to get the rest of the gear in order. Well, 99 days to be exact!

It's the little things in life

Last Friday Andrew and I went to Pottery Barn Kids and picked out Katelyn(n?)'s nursery bedding! It was so much fun, I can't wait to see everything put together! We have put a couple of paint colors on the wall, but it was hard to visualize what it would look like without the bedding, so we went and bought the bumper and the quilt. We're going to do green walls, and accent the room with pink, it's going to be so cute! The "To-Do" list is quite long (especially for poor Andrew), but once it's all put together i'll post pictures. SO FUN!

I Love Tuesdays!

Tuesdays mark the day I turn another month pregnant, so today I'm officially 22 weeks, or 5 1/2 months pregnant! I find myself looking forward to Tuesdays because of the new e-mails I get that tell me Katelyn(n?)'s new developments. Andrew and I e-mail each other and proudly say, she's a ______! (hence the blueberry situation). Well, she's moved through the produce isle, and we wondered what the next fruit or vegetable would be after a cantelope. . . I pasted the e-mail below to show you how fun the e-mails are! Thanks, Hilary for the suggestion! Or maybe the only people interested in these are me and Andrew, but i'm okay with that too!

Week 22 of Pregnancy: Baby's Hair Growth
Your baby has finally broken the one-pound mark. The eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed now — and even more hair is sprouting atop that cute little head. But hair at this stage of fetal development has no pigment, so it's bright white.
Guess what? At 22 weeks pregnant, your baby has finally broken the one-pound mark. How heavy is that? Hold a one-pound box of sugar in your hand the next time you're in the grocery story (and expect people to ask you why you're grinning from ear to ear). Is the box eight inches long? That's about the length your baby is too!

This week, your sweetie is making more sense of the world as he or she develops the sense of touch. In fact, your little one's grip is quite developed by now — and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, he or she may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord (don't worry — it's tough enough to handle it). The sense of sight is also getting more developed. Your fetus can now perceive light and dark much better than before (even with those fused eyelids). But remember — unless you're shining a flashlight over your belly (which you can do, by the way), it'll be mostly dark for your baby inside that cozy womb of yours.

Moving up from the eyes, the eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed now — and even more hair is sprouting atop that cute little head. You'd be quite surprised, though, if you could see your little one up close and in color. Hair at this stage of fetal development has no pigment, so it's bright white.

I'm beginning to amaze myself!

It is 1:00 on a normal Tuesday afternoon, and I thought I'd share with you what I've eaten SO FAR today:
1. A bowl of blueberry crunch cereal - yum!
2. A big glass of watered down (always)juice
3. About 30-40 grapes
4. A serving of hummus, with baby carrots
5. A granola bar
6. A chicken salad from El Pollo Loco
I actually am feeling full after the salad, finally! I don't know about this girl, she's making me starving all the time!! Today officially marks me being 20 weeks pregnant, and the books say the baby is about 10 ounces, and 6 1/2 inches long, about the size of a small cantelope. Can you believe it - I can't!
"The blueberry" is an understatement now. I love some of the things people have come up with since we found out it's a girl - "It's a she-berry" and "It's a pinkberry!" Awesome. If eating in the second half of my day is as impressive as the first half, i'll let you know.

It's a GIRL!!!

She's not very modest!

Yesterday was a good day! Andrew and I were SO excited to see little baby Kennerly and find out the sex. We told our technician that we wanted to find out the sex of the baby, but she waited to tell us until the very last second. Neither of us cared, we wateched her suck on her little fist, complete with 5 fingers you can see in the top picture, and move around in there like she's on vacation. All the pictures in the book show little scrunched up babies, but not this little girl. She's spread out in there like she's lying on a lounge chair! So cute! Also, Andrew's decided she's like her mom- she likes pillows- only she's using my bladder as her pillow! At least it explains my contant trips to the bathroom in the last week! We are so blessed to have so many people love this little girl already, thanks for the texts and messages, Andrew and I feel VERY lucky!

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life
taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My
odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step..
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Bobbie's Walk

It's hard to believe, but it's been a year since Aunt Roberta passed away. This weekend Andrew, Kristen and I went out to Tucson for the 1st Annual "Bobbie's Walk" where there was an awesome turnout! About 100 people showed up to walk, and we raised $1,000 that will go to a 26 year old man who has terminal cancer and 3 kids - ages 2 months, 2,and 4. The family was picked by Aunt Roberta's oncologist, and he says it's the perfect fit. I can't wait for Uncle Bill and the boys to surprise this family. The walk was a total success, and a great way to celebrate her life.

Early Paranioa

So, for the last couple of days I have noticed some swelling in my feet, and I laughed about my early "kankles", but then I started to get paranoid! It seems very early to be swollen, what if there's something wrong? So, to put my mind at ease I called the doctor yesterday and she said that I needed to come in to rule out toxemia. So what did I do - of course, I googled toxemia. BIG MISTAKE. I didn't even click on the in depth answer because of what the brief said. . .so I made myself crazy all day thinking of all the terrible things that could go wrong.

And then I got to the doctor, and she told me (in a very endearing way), "well, I hate to tell you this, but you're probably going to be one of those women who swells up like a baloon during pregnancy." GREAT. There are no signs of anything being wrong - no toxemia- and I am SO thankful there's nothing wrong with the blueberry. Beware, I may be puffy the next 5 months or so! I'm going to really watch my salt intake and make reminders at work to get up and walk around every couple of hours, and hopefully that will help! YIKES! I'm also going to work on a pregnancy resolution to not freak out at the little things!

I don't know why this makes me laugh every time, but it does!

Pink or blue bubble mower?

The bubble mower has been a large topic of conversation in my house since my brother Kyle was born. His idol was our Uncle John, who is a landscape architect and lived with us, and he would pull up every day after work with his truck full of mowers and other tools, and my brother would wait. . .all day he'd sit outside with his bubble mower making a noise like it was real, going up and down our front yard. . .every day. His bubble mower wasn't red anymore, it turned white from all the hours in the sun. I'll try to find a picture of him in his little OP short shorts out there, mowing away, and post it. This topic comes up nearly everytime I see my brother (he doesn't like it when we talk about his imaginary friend that mowed with him), but now the question is. . . .

Will we be buying a pink or a blue bubble mower for the blueberry??? Stay tuned, on MAY 21 (if the blueberry cooperates!) we'll find out!!!