Baby shower #2

Wow, time flies! We've been here 2 1/2 weeks but it seems like we got here yesterday. I am wholeheartedly enjoying my time here - I really couldn't say that enough. We are so blessed that Doug has work, and it's so close to where we're living, that my parent's are letting us live with them, I've found a good doctor and pediatrician, we live so close to Doug's family, I could go on and on. We are so spoiled these days.

Speaking of spoiled, Christy (my sister-in-law) threw me a fabulous baby shower Saturday before last. It was so well-planned, decorated, and fun!

We played Pictionary; and I have to give props to Meg for tastefully and successfully getting us to guess "circumcision."

I (baby and me, and Doug I guess) made out like a bandit with gifts.
These are basically the only pictures where I didn't look like a fool...

So thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who came (especially those who traveled!), and especially to Christy for making the whole thing happen :).

Settling

Said hi to the fam(s)

Played Monopoly Deal with the kiddos

Checked in with the doctor (baby is in the ready position!)

Ate delicious homemade meals

Reset the car radio stations

All systems go for a good summer in the Empire State!

It all started when

Did you know that FB keeps all your messages?

So I happened to be writing my favorite husband a message when I wanted to see what Doug and I were talking about the last time we messaged each other. Soon I was reading about when we were first married, and then engaged, and then before engaged (it's so fun to be reading a story when you know that exciting things are just around the corner!) and then when we had just started dating, all the way back to the very very first message.  Wanna read it?

Haha! apparently I hadn't counted on his negotiation methods :).

Unfortunately FB didn't keep our chats. Otherwise I could share with you the chat in which Doug asked me out on our first date. Yes, via facebook! Despite that minor faux pas, he was rather clever. Now that we don't have firm evidence (and our stories differ slightly) we'll just have to go off what we wrote in our journals. Of course Doug completely skips over how he asked me out (and doesn't even write about it until a month later!) and I basically transcribed the conversation the day after. So whose do you think is more reliable, eh?

And almost four years later we're having a baby. Who woulda thunk?

Let the countdown begin!

Only six weeks left until my due date! (June 16th) I don't quite know what to think. 

But this is what I look like these days:

Sometimes I'll be walking around and forget I'm pregnant. It usually doesn't last long because I either spill on myself or bump into something.

Last week Katrina put on a baby shower for me. It was great!

The food was fantastic (this doesn't show all of it).
Notice the pretty landscape in the background!

And a shout out to Kate for making everything look pretty.

And to Sarah for providing the backyard :).

Some of the crew

Typical me, by the time I remembered to take pictures the party was over. 

Haha, so we just gathered up who was left. 

Oh, and my neighbor, Elise had her baby this week! It was delightful to hold a precious newborn and a little unnerving to realize my baby is currently only 4 inches shorter. How can they fit in there?

An outfit I made (I didn't make the onesie...) for the
lovely little lady

In other news we're getting really excited to go to NY for the summer. My last day of work (perhaps EVER) and Doug's last day of finals is Wednesday. Hallelujah!

Anniversary

On Tuesday Doug and I celebrated our third anniversary! In the morning I surprised him with a candy bouquet (I forgot to take pictures before all the candy was removed from their skewers haha) and he surprised me with two dozen roses delivered in the middle of the day:

After work/school we went to Nana's Restaurant where I enjoyed a delicious risotto, braised veal, shrimp with red peppers. Yumminess! Doug ordered their house spaghetti with lamb meatballs. He said it tasted more like noodles in french onion soup than anything, hah! For dessert I had creme brulee and Doug had their homemade vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce. The atmosphere was classy and the food, divine. What a wonderful day.

And what a better way to end the day than a few episodes of Monk.

Thanks, Doug!

Sewing Class

I took a 5 class course to learn how to use my sewing machine (good thing too - I didn't know it could do half the things I learned!). It's been super fun getting back into sewing. I posted some animal pillows I made earlier in the year and I've made "lots" more stuff but they are mostly all gifts so I can't post them yet haha. Anyway, here are some techniques I learned how to do in some of my classes:

ruffle one fabric while simultaneously attaching a non-ruffled piece 

insert a zipper

gather (without pulling threads by hand!)

sew knits together/make a neckline

insert buttonholes!

gather - using a cord (the cord would go on the back s you don't see it, duh...)

Half these things I can't actually do without buying the correct "feet" so if you're looking for something to get me, a gift card to Thimble Pleasures might be nice ;).

Sewing isn't the only thing I've been doing:

making artisan bread

and eating it!

to grow the little guy inside me :).
This is from 30 weeks - I'm now 32 weeks!
Holey moley!
Holy moly?
Holy moley??

Among Other Things

Among other things this week...such as being cited in the WSJ and co-authoring an article that will be published in the Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural  Development later on... Doug's been a busy man. Right?

Everyone knows this is what Doug actually does all day:

Mario Teaser

Choose the 'Wrong'

That's all folks

I mean really, who gets published twice in one week?? Congrats, babe :).