Well...

It's a BOY!

We got to hear the baby's hearbeat for the first time today at the prenatal checkup, and then headed straight over to the ultrasound place to see our little son for the first time! :) It was such an amazing experience seeing him roll around on the screen. Most of the time he had his fists up in a classic fighting stance... martial arts must be hereditary afterall! After coming out of the little room, Evangeline was pensive for a moment, and then remarked "My baby brother is sleeping". Elizabeth proudly told the receptionist "I have a little baby boy sister!" :)

Now I can finally go through all the girls' baby clothes and send them off to my sis-in-law who just had a little girlie... and try to figure out what I'm going to do with a BOY! Having three brothers helps, but I'm sure it's going to be a wild ride after two girlies!

Have a lovely Friday,

~len

Trevor & Della

Arriving home after midnight last night, we were tired beyond reason (it’s a good thing I wasn’t the one driving home from the airport!), but happy and refreshed mentally from a whirlwind weekend in Texas. My cousin Trevor got "hitched" in a sweet country wedding to his best friend, Della.


Between Trevor’s Uncle Dan from Seattle, and I, we endeavored to memorialize their special day for them with photography. I still haven’t had time to wade through all the images, but here are a few glimpses…

This was a true country wedding!

Trevor & Della before the ceremony (image of Trevor by Dan)

More images from Trevor and Della’s day are coming soon, along with a special link to all the images!


~len

Twenty Weeks

"You're at the halfway mark - congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He or She is about 10 inches from head to heel— the length of a banana."

When the sky was blue and the air was warm...

I was wading through some images from last summer and realized that I never posted photos from the wedding of one of my best friends, Liz...

Elizabeth & Andrew had one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever witnessed. Elizabeth's creativity and sense of style was so evident in every little detail. She and Andrew are so great together, it was a very special day for me to share!

Liz and I first met on her 15th birthday... and have shared many memories since that day. I am so grateful to have a few girlies that have stayed best of friends through the years. We may not get together as often as in the old days, but when we do it is like old times in an instant! Of my four best buds (other than my sis), Liz was the last one to say I Do... so it was really special for me to share her joy that day. Love you, JoeyGirl! :)

~len

January

January...

If I don't blog about what has transpired last month, I know my prego brain will let it forever disappear... so for my sake, bear with me please! :)

January 3rd we departed for L.A. to meet up with the rest of my mom’s family. My amazing grandmother, christened “Grandmary”, again treated the whole family to 2 spectacular days at Disneyland/California Land! We had such a fun time, with all of us staying in a hotel just a 5 minute walk from the park. Each morning began with a continental breakfast in Grandmary’s room, and then everyone headed to the park and peeled off into groups to explore and ride as many rides as possible before congregating again for lunch. Depending upon the level of determination and energy, some of us headed back to our rooms for naps and then later, an early evening… while some stayed until closing at midnight both nights. I was able to sneak in naps, and a long shower both days!

We also celebrated yet another Christmas while in L.A. with my dad’s side of the family at a nice restaurant. The girls were delighted with so many days filled with new gifts and toys! We finished the day together overflowing my Grandma Jane’s house. The next morning we marathon drove home… not stopping for much, other than the seemingly endless pit stops to make room for Baby. (Wow, driving long distances in the first trimester is crazy!)

My older sister Carolyn and her husband Jeff flew out from Delaware for both Disneyland & the family Christmas... it was fun to spend time with them.

The month of January was spent slowly evolving out of morning sickness to waking up at 16 weeks feeling so well, I almost felt “not pregnant“! Yay! I’ve slowly gotten the house back under control, and am catching up on my ‘to do’ list. I'm now halfway, at 20 weeks... and in another week we get to find out who our little peanut is! :)

We have enjoyed some snow this winter, and have added 2 snowmen to the cold and white odd shaped population of the world. Elizabeth’s latest request is that next time we build a mommy and little baby snowman to stand with the daddy snowman. It sounds like fun, and I’ll have to remember to get a photo of the forthcoming frosty family!

If you have made it this far - congratulations, and many apologies! Thank you for letting my vent my pent up journaling upon your unsuspecting eyes. Have a lovely (and hopefully not to frigid) day!

~len

Catching Up Part Two

Christmas~

Christmas Eve with Scott’s side of the family rang with squeals of delight, with the three kiddos old enough to really respond to the festivities!

Early Christmas morning we had our own little celebration at home...

My aunt and uncle from Louisiana joined the rest of us Californians for Christmas with my side of the family a few days later. I didn’t break out my camera, but I did grab a few off my dad’s little P&S.

Check out our new shades - we found a few of my Grandma's glasses in a drawer, and had fun passing them around! :) These are authentic 70's and 80's!

The girls were spoilt beyond belief this year with all the gifts from loved ones. They loved everything about the season, and still speak of Christmas often, reminding each other that it will come "next year". :)

Well, my time is up... I guess the Disneyland will be "part three"!

toodles,

~len*

Catching Up, Part One

I am baacckk… from the land of those who…sip Ovaltine and 7up, eat saltines and toast in indecent amounts, and spend more time horizontal than vertical.


Yes, the first trimester has been conquered, and am now at four months. I’ve gained 5-7 pounds, and gone up a size in jeans to give the baby breathing room. After missing my regularly scheduled kickboxing and running for a few months, I am slowly working myself back to the familiar old routine. I was able to keep up the exercise just enough to make coming back not entirely out of reach. I have so enjoyed feeling good again! The house is grateful as well; to say it suffered is putting it delicately.



Since my last post in November, much has transpired…

Scott’s birthday was on the 2nd of December, and for over 6 months we had been planning and saving up for a nice weekend away, to Santa Cruz and Capitola. The days between Thanksgiving and the Friday we left were some of the worst I’ve experienced with morning sickness. It was so bad that I almost canceled on poor Scotty, but I decided to tough it - turns out the time away was the best thing the doctor could have prescribed! We stayed in the beautiful Capitola Hotel, 100 feet from the beach. We slept, ate amazing foods (at all sorts of odd hours due to my tummy), walked the shops, listened to a local band at the coffee shop, and slept some more. I think the earliest we awoke was 10 am one morning! :) The rest, peace, and quiet were balm to my morning sickness.

When we returned until the weekend before Christmas was filled with completing holiday cards, prints and orders for clients with [what seemed like] every moment I wasn’t sick. I love working with images, but have to admit that I did heave a sigh of relief when the last order was done for the holidays! We also squeezed in a little cookie decorating party with the girls and a few others; there were 8 plates of cookies that we gave away! :)

I suppose this post is long enough, and I need to go finish making dinner. Christmas post coming next...

Have a beautiful day!

~len*