A Day off to Play - Baltimore, MD - January 2010

I can honestly say I was positively giddy in anticipation of my mid week Thursday off. When one of my co-workers asked me why I was so happy I gladly told them. "I have tomorrow off". Her response was " Oh really, you must have big plans." I smiled back at her and said without hesitation, "I plan to do NOTHING!" I must confess though that I will be praying throughout the day, at regular intervals, that my store will run without me. That they will not call me, and that they will accomplish everything I left them on the "To Do list".

And here I am, doing just that! I am literally sitting with my laptop perched on my knees in the HUB's robe doing the things I love to do just to pass the time; reading my favorite blogs, window shopping the Internet for baby gear, relaxing with one kitty cat on each side of me sleeping and Baby Sticks dancing around to what ever internal music I've got playing.

I think in a few I will make myself a root beer float (YES... it's before 9:00!) and some popcorn and watch Confessions of a Shopaholic.

Later I'll cook dinner. Not sure what that will be yet, but it may involve potatoes as that is what I am currently craving. I'll read a couple chapters of what ever book strikes me I'm currently most interested in Love the One Your With by Emily Giffin. And just for kicks I think I'll take a nap.because I can. And who knows, I may blog again... 2 in one day... Get CRAZY!!! I also want to spend time chattering with far away friends and catching up.

I am truly dreaming of a day in the not so distant future that I will be able to fill my days with my quickly growing family. I catch myself envisioning this tiny girl or boy and what they will sound like smell like and be like. Monday we go for our 20 week ultra sound (HALFWAY!!!) I am waiting with bated breath to see his or her face, to know they are okay, and to be reassured that I am doing a good job so far as their mother. I'll post pictures Monday night for all to see.

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Where'd That Come From? - Baltimore, MD - 2010

So, I've been hesitant to post any of the traditional "belly shots" because, well frankly until this weekend I really haven't thought there was enough there to even take pictures of. But I, for purposes of documentation, have taken photos every three to 4 weeks. So for all that have been asking, here goes...

6 weeks: The day after we found out

9 Weeks: Positive the camera would reveal way more of a belly than it actually did

13 Weeks: This picture looks the same as the last one!

16 Weeks: Maybe the shirt is hiding my actual progress... Nope!

17 Weeks: The sample dress for my brother's wedding actually gives me way more belly than is really there. =) But all the sales girls told me I was adorable! =)

19 Weeks: Where'd that come from!!! The HUB and I both agree this really happened over night but finally a little belly! =)

19 1/2 weeks: This was taken yesterday at my second fitting.

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

White Christmas... White New Years... White Birthday!!! - Baltimore, MD - January 2010

***Correction***

I am actually 30, NOT 60!

That's what I get for posting before I'm fully awake =)

***

Happy 60th Birthday to me!!!

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

So Much To Say… - Baltimore, MD - December 2009

Aside from being lyrics to a great Dave Matthews Band song, it really is the truth. I was talking with my mother last night on the phone and she mentioned that it had been since November 20th since I’d last posted. Upon hanging up with her I had to actually go to the computer and check this fact for myself and indeed there it was, right there in black and white… “Friday, November 20, 2009”. Where have I been!?

So there’s so much that has happened in the last month and a half that I don’t even know where to start? I actually think it starts back in October, but I’ll hit the highlights and there will be more in depth in future blogs about the really good stuff.

Like I said so much is going on, but most exciting of which is that in mid October we found out we are expecting our first child in June of 2010. We are beyond excited!!! We’ve decided, for completely separate reasons, to not find out if the baby is a girl or a boy. I think it is completely romantic to save this sort of news for the actual day of birth. The Hub being my polar opposite and therefore my perfect match, took a more practical approach. If we don’t find out if the baby is a boy or girl we will pretty much end up getting gender neutral stuff and that way we can use that same stuff for baby #2. I LOVE THIS MAN!!! We’ve affectionately taken to calling the baby “Baby Sticks”, this name is of course temporary until gender is determined upon birth.

(Yes he or she is that sort of bean shaped thing in the upper right.)

In late October I was in a car accident with a man traveling the wrong way down my side of the street. I can’t say a whole lot about this except that everyone walked away from the accident except Moose who spent 7 and a half weeks in the Auto Hospital and after over $8,000.00 worth of repairs he’s back together with only a few residual issues that we are working out. Baby Sticks and I are fine and if you’d seen the damage you would completely understand that the protection of the Lord was on us that night.

November brought with it nausea beyond your wildest imagination and a lot of transition with my job. This has made work both a blessing and a challenge all at the same time. The blessing is that the Hub and I are both working at a time when a lot of people can’t say that. The challenge is that the hours are long and the job is so often thankless. I am sure that many of you can sympathize.

We spent Thanksgiving with my Aunt and Uncle in PA and had a wonderful time. This is also where the Hub publically declared to everyone that his pregnant wife “has the nose of a blood hound and sleeps like a cat”. Welcome to the world of pregnancy. I could literally sleep on command. It doesn’t matter if the room is loud or quiet, cold or hot, just give me 30 seconds and I’m out.

December was more of the same. I found myself surviving on Crackers, Dill pickle spears (Thanks for the tip Ashley, you are a complete lifesaver), ginger ale (Thank you Robyn), soup, the unconditional love of my Hub, weekly conversations with my sisters and one of my BFF’s who’s due date is only a couple weeks before mine.

And then there was SNOW! Last week brought with it the most snow I’ve ever seen in my life. There was over 2 ft. The plows pushed it off the roads and that created an over 4 ft wall around where I work. A HUGE thank you goes to our community who did an EXCELLENT job of clearing the snow so that our parking lot wasn’t a complete ice skating rink. Somehow I think we managed to take a grand total of two pictures and this is the better of the two.

And Christmas… Oh Christmas… Well we’ll save Christmas for it’s own post, but let’s just say that it involves one of the most AWESOME gadgets I’ve ever laid my hands on. Tomorrow my baby sister arrives and being my Ideal Reader, she always inspires me to write, so I promise I will not let too much time pass before I blog again.

Now, since I'm back on solid foods and my Hub is a most fantastical cook, and our whole house smells wonderfully delicious, it's time for dinner!

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Most girls Dream... - Baltimore, MD - November 2009

Most girls spend their whole lives dreaming of owning something beautiful and soft, in their choice of white or some version of cream, designed by the one and only Vera Wang.

Last weekend that became a reality for me. I now have my very own Vera Wang; beautiful, soft, and in a unique version of cream.

The close up...

A little bit wider...

Now the full length shot...

Okay, one more close up...

Isn't it GREAT!!!

It's the most wonderful bed I've ever slept on!!!

We're still undecided about new bedding, except for the fact that we need it, it needs to be softer than what we currently have, and machine washable would be a major plus! I'll keep you posted.

Oh and you can just see the temperary fix for window treatments that my friend Blair thinks are good enough to be perminent. Black out curtains from Bed Bath & Beyond. Thanks for the tips on the 20% off and the double curtain rods. More on that later.

Note To Reader: As a total side note, in my search for Vera Wang dress pictures I found this!!!

A Vera Wang Sequined Hem Dress from the Lavender Label. And even though this blog hardly has anything about fashion on it , as I do not consider myself particularly fashionable, I couldn't resist. When I saw it all I could think was... "Ooooooooooh PRETTY!!!"

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!

Feeling Domestic - Baltimore, MD - November 2009

So I was off work on Thursday and felt the need to be domestic. so aside from cleaning house and paying bills, I broke out the heavy kitchen artillery and created my first ever pumpkin Cheesecake! Not the "No Bake" kind, but a real one that you actually bake.

I must give props to Rachel Masters, author of my favorite cook book to date Suppers on the Table, Come Home. This cookbook has totally changed my world when it comes to my confidence in the kitchen. Yay!Her recipe is actually for a Blueberry Cheesecake, but seeing as how it's 2 weeks after holoween and 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, pumpkin cheesecake just sounded perfect!

So I turned all of this...

Into THIS!!!
Mmmmmmmmmm!!!!

Till Next time,
Bon Voyage!

Rainy Days - Baltimore, MD - October 2009

Today is one of those days that back in college we'd have called Dennis Huff Days. Long story, but it's the sort of day you just want to stay in bed and watch from the comfort of your down comforter with dry feet.

However, I must confess that rainy days are a bit dream like to me. I've always thought it would be very romantic to kiss in the rain.

Not this kind of kissing in the rain, pretty with an umbrella,
but

Messy hair, drenched all the way to your skin, no reservations, taken right from the end of the movie Cast Away where Helen Hunt runs down the driveway after Tom Hanks, which I can find a picture of anywhere. ($1 to the first person that can e-mail one to me at wanderinglili@gmail.com!)

or in The Note Book

or one of the best of all time, Breakfast at Tiffanys.
That sort of kissing in the rain! Happy Rainy Day!

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!