TRADITION

Happy Easter to all! I have been feeling extra “nesty” lately, so dressing up for Church, coloring Easter eggs, exchanging baskets, and making a big Sunday dinner were all on the top of my Easter wish-list. All the excitement got me thinking: why this year more than ever?

Week 26: we picked a new paint color for our nursery walls

Tradition. This is the first and last year that Jonny and I will spend Easter “just the two of us.” Historically, we have been blessed to surround ourselves with family. Next year, we will be blessed with the laughter of our 9 month old after his/her first witness of the Easter Bunny!  The time to bring new & old traditions into our lives has never felt more prime. And so, we did.

For starters, I made my Grandma Kate’s Irish Raisin Bread.  I wanted our house to smell like “home” and for us to have something delicious to eat when we woke up on Easter morning. This recipe dates back to 1955 – it tastes just like family and it started our day on the perfect note:

I'm told that baking in a cast iron skillet is the "secret" to this recipe

Doesn't OJ always taste better in a champagne flute?

When we began our hunt for a church in Indy a few months ago, we wanted to find one with uplifting messages and music.  Over the past few months, we've found that St. Luke’s delivers on both of these things (and more) and today was no exception.  Our choir sang "Hallelujah Chorus," which I'm not sure I have ever heard in a live-format before. And on a random note, I'm now in love with Timpani Drums. 

St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Indianapolis

We had so much fun shopping for each other’s Easter baskets. When I was little, the Easter Bunny always put loose change in the plastic Easter eggs (isn't it funny the things you remember?). I decided to carry on the tradition for Jonny this year, but was taken by complete surprise when I shook one of the plastic eggs in MY basket and heard the familiar sound of spare coins. Apparently we both shared that tradition as kids!   We also randomly gave each other children's books, which we took turns reading out loud to the dogs. They both made excellent students and will be a good practice-audience for us before the baby arrives!   If shopping for three is anything like shopping for two, then we are in for a treat next year (and I’m not talking about the chocolate kind)!

THE EASTER BUNNY CAME!!! 

"Are You My Mother" by Dr. Seuss (one of my favorites as a child). YOU ARE A SNORT! 

Conley LOVES holidays - he thinks everything is a gift for him. 

We also colored eggs on  Easter Sunday - an old tradition for Jonny, but a new one for me. My family always colored eggs before Easter and then we got a crazily-painted egg (or two) in our baskets on Sunday morning. Jonny’s family always painted eggs on Easter, a fun craft that kept little hands busy!  I’ve mentioned on this blog before that I eat a hardboiled egg every morning --- and it looks like I will be having some very colorful + sparkly breakfasts this week:

Jonny's brother, Sean, is currently working in Malaysia. He  asked us to color an Easter egg for him. Can you guess which one is his? 

I also made a too-much-for-two Easter dinner complete with all of our favorites, so we shared the table with our neighbor Chris and two of his three children (Colt and Ila). Some things we learned are that kids love ham, pineapple, and bread. Some kids even like salad --- especially when there's bacon tossed in! And eventually we will need to buy some kid-friendly placemats and cups with sippy lids :)

Beer-Boiled Shrimpies! 

Jonny used the mandolin to slice potatoes for our gratin - and he didn't lose a thumb this time (hooray)! 

We cooked the ham in our smoker all afternoon and added a maple/dijon glaze before serving - DELICIOUS!!! 

Scallopped Potatoes - hot & bubbly out of the oven 

Caramelized Pineapple

We could not feel more fortunate than we did this Easter holiday on our 26 week milestone!  Sending oodles-and-oodles of love to each of you!

 --- Kristie, Jonny, + Baby 

HUNDRED

We are ONE HUNDRED days away from our due date … see ya later, 3-digits!

Last weekend we went to Pittsburgh, PA for a family wedding in celebration of a beautiful couple, Greg + Susan.  My family is spread across the miles, literally from coast-to-coast.  So, being together again resurrected a collection of old memories and also created new ones - many of which I am still laughing about! The wedding reception was at Heinz Field, which was a little sliver of heaven for Jonny and me. Even though March Madness is a blast (especially as proud residents of Indianapolis), we are SO ready for football season to start. And after our Pittsburgh trip, Baby P has a collection of black + gold fashions for the 2013 season. Thanks for Jonny's birthday gifts, Mama Dub + Rachel!! GO STEELERS!! 

Steelers Onesies + Bib ... HERE WE GO!

We were given a tour of the Hall of Fame at Heinz Field and a security guard even escorted us into the stands for some photos. In honor of Week 25, we took a picture in front of the 25 yard-line:

25 Yard Line @ Heinz Field ... 15 weeks to go! 

I had another baby dream this week … this time about a boy!  I dreamt that the doctor wrote the results of my glucose tolerance test on the inside of one of my favorite cookbooks (so weird, I know). The note said that my glucose results were normal, but that I was having “a very large BABY BOY.” Eeeeekkkkkk!!! So, my girl:boy dream ratio is now 5:2. For whatever reason, I’m still thinking girl … 

The most fun development this week is that Baby P’s hair color is defined. We are so very curious about what color it will be. I keep wondering if maybe the baby will get Jonny’s blue eyes and my brown hair: a little smidgen of us both!

25 week chalkboard photo --- crazy to look at this one vs. the one we took week 17! 

VIABLE

Baby P’s heartbeat pounded proudly & strongly again at this week’s doctor’s appointment: 145 BPM! And we learned that week 24 is a milestone because our baby is considered “viable.” In the laymen’s terms, “viable” means that our baby could now survive outside the womb thanks to neonatal intensive care and technology.  Knowing this information gives me wonderful relief, but also makes me wish there was a happier word than “viable” to describe the joyous news. Viable sounds very sterile - like cold metal.  Someone should invent a warmer word. I’ll get right on that…

I have read that weeks 24-28 are some of the most active weeks because the baby has motor skills and plenty of room to move around.  So far, that information has proved correct … our wiggleworm is very wiggly, especially after a meal or a workout. Sometimes it’s hard for Jonny to feel, so this week we tried playing music close to my tummy to see if that would ignite a big kick, but nothing happened. Maybe that’s just the baby’s way of telling us he’s calmest when our hands are on top of him?

I had two more baby dreams this week and the baby was a girl in both. So my girl:boy dream ratio is now 5:1. It’s going to be such a big surprise when we finally find out!

We had our 2^nd childbirth prep class this week and a NEW instructor, who was fantastic. She spoke to us about the rollercoaster of emotions that parents go through after labor --- that even though the pregnancy is over, the real journey is just beginning!  She also gave a very well-rounded education on medical interventions and comfort measures to use during labor.  Jonny says his favorite technique is the “wrap-around hug” – when he stands behind me and lifts up on my stomach to take weight off my pelvis and spine. I don’t think my tummy is big enough to fully enjoy the benefits of this yet, but I’ll never tire of receiving his foot & back rubs!  Finally, I made a hilarious friend in class who is 36 weeks into her pregnancy and lives near us in Broad Ripple. We exchanged numbers and have planned a date for next week!

Today is Jonny’s birthday and we are headed to Pittsburgh for my cousin Gregory’s wedding. The reception will be held at Heinz Field … home to the STEELERS (“here we go”)!  Another city to add to Baby P’s travel map: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=200492718152374733412.0004d4969fc41f7542181&msa=0

SHAMROCK

It’s week 24 and it’s St. Patrick’s Day! Our little shamrock is 12” long, weighs 1 pound, and only 16 weeks away from joining our family. I remember finding out we were pregnant and being told that we would have to wait 3 weeks until our first doctor’s appointment. Those initial 21 days of waiting dragged on-and-on, but time since then has been flying! So much so, that we forgot to take a chalkboard picture last week (whoops)! Week 24 is below:

Week 24 - Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This past week we had our first Childbirth Prep Class. Overall, it was super informative and I am glad we are going, but the instructor and I had a moment where our horns locked a bit.  I asked her how we should know "when" to go to the hospital such that it won't be too late to receive the epidural. She replied "it's never too late to have an epidural." She was one of those childbirth-should-be-a-natural-thing-and-it's-so-easy kind of instructors --- the kind that no information-seeking first-time-parents appreciate having.  I gave her an eye-gesture that read "that’s not what I have heard" and shared that I have at least 5 girlfriends who arrived at the hospital and were told they were too far along into labor to receive one.  After saying this, the instructor repeated herself and said "it is never too late to have an epidural."   Insert Sarcasm: Thanks for the super helpful answer to my question. I'm pregnant ... not deaf!    Despite this hiccup, Jonny and I did laugh a lot --- especially through the breathing exercises. Never one to be shy or embarrassed in a crowd of strangers, Jonny put A LOT of enthusiasm into his exhales ("aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!").  

We celebrated Jonny’s birthday this weekend with an Indianapolis bar crawl. It was a St. Patrick’s Day celebration filled with green-tongues, leprechauns, kilts, and so many of our crazy-fun friends!  In some ways it felt like closing a chapter filled with responsibility-free birthdays, but in other ways it felt like a kick-off to all future birthdays that will include the best gift of all: our little shamrock. Our friends were all so gracious to ask lots of questions about the baby … and a few of them touched my belly and enjoyed imagining something the size of a spaghetti squash fidgeting around inside.

Jonny + Justin's Irish Jig - Top of the Mornin'

Indianapolis Bar Crawl - Happy St. "Pritchard" Day!

I have received 2 baby shower invitations and they are so totes adorbs that I had to post pictures.  Both of these were personally designed and created by the shower hosts themselves, so if you ever want a gorgeously unique invitation for an event, lemme know and I’ll connect you to my girls!

Indianapolis shower hosted by Lindsay and Pam

Cincinnati Shower hosted by Jenn, Mel, + Anne

We have a 24 week appointment with the doctor is this coming Tuesday --- time to hear our favorite heartbeat again! 

ELBOW

Bye-Bye tummy flutters … Baby P has started to jab, poke, rumble-and-roll!

This past weekend we visited my family in San Francisco to celebrate “Kiki’s” (my mom’s) birthday. We took a coastal drive south to the city of Carmel, which was just like a little corner of Europe. It’s a town complete with dog-walking, hotels with no elevators, ornate gift shops, and cobblestone patios. Carmel even smells like Europe with all the bakeries, which keep their front & back doors open to let the smells of fresh sourdough permeate the streets.   We also visited the Pebble Beach Golf Course, where the grass is an unbelievable color of green and the sunsets make you realize just how far “West” you’re standing. I had a moment on the beach where I realized that I was one of the last people in America to see that day’s sun … it was breathtaking & so peaceful.    The trip to Pebble inspired me to want to play my first-ever round of golf, which I did on my parent’s course (Stonebrae) on the last day of our trip.  I had a few strokes of beginner’s luck and even more strokes of embarrassment, but Jonny and my family are GREAT golfers and they gave me lots of tips. Playing golf is always more fun than watching from the sidelines and as it turns out, golf is excellent exercise – especially when you have to chase the ball all over the course like I did (ha)! 

Pebble Beach Golf Course 

Jonny & I (and baby) with feet in the Pebbles 

Kiki (birthday girl) and I watching the sun go down! 

Mama Dub + Jonny at Bird Rock 

After our trip to Carmel we were treated to an overnight stay at the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill (downtown SanFran). We had a dee-licious birthday-girl dinner at a teeny Italian restaurant called Venticello and then returned to the hotel where Korey had a surprise for us:  a trip to The Tonga Room in the hotel basement. The Tonga Room is a bar with a gigantic pool in the middle of the room and floating on the pool is a large boat that carries a 4-man band. During certain songs (“Have You Ever Seen the Rain” – CCR), the ceiling would erupt with noise and rain would actually start falling into the pool. Korey drank a cocktail out of a pineapple and my mom tore up the dance floor (“Play that Funky Music”)!  It was really fun to see how much my family has come into their own in San Francisco and we absolutely loved visiting our “home” on the West Coast!  

Korey's Pineapple Delight @ Tonga Room 

View from Fairmont Hotel (see the cable car + the bay?)

Nice view, JP  (Stonebrae TPC)

Kiki taught me that when you're mentally done with a hole, you say "I'M IN!" 

Dad, you are lookin' good big-guy! :) 

Love our beautiful family! 

Proof that I played ... and that I don't know how to swing (ha)! 

One night after returning home to Indy, we were watching TV when I felt a little poke on the lower right side of my abdomen. I gave Jonny a look that said, “What the heck was that??”  He put his hand on my stomach and after about 10 more minutes we felt another jab. This time we both looked at each other with big eyes that said, “Did you feel that too??” And no imagination about it, our Baby P was provoking us with a little knee or elbow. I was over-the-moon that we experienced that moment together! I’m sure the “kicks” will start getting bigger & bigger as our pregnancy progresses!

22 WEEKS and LOVING IT! 

Until next time San Francisco! 

Here are some other little updates:

·         BELLY: I can no longer see my toes when I stand in the shower and this makes me laugh. 

·         EXERCISE: I continue to love my Barre class, the elliptical, and Yoga, but they are getting much harder.  It kind of feels like I have an inner-tube around my stomach. Thankfully the weather is turning warmer and I’m sure walks outside will soon become a big part of my routine.

·         CRAVINGS:  Sweets (in moderation)!  Cookies, brownies, ice cream … you name it.  

·         CLOTHES:  I’m in full-blown maternity clothes now, which I am having fun with! Even my workout tops are fitting more snuggly, so it’s time for a shopping trip (WhooHoo)!

·         NURSERY: We have all of our nursery furniture assembled! Soon we’ll be painting the walls, filling the drawers with onesies, and making the bed. Our bedding has evolved from a chevron-pattern to more of a blue/green stripe/diamond palate.  Conley peeks in the nursery every day to see if anything has changed (and/or to try & steal one of the baby’s stuffed animals) … I wonder if he knows a baby is coming??

·          BOY/GIRL: Everyone keeps guessing that I’m having a boy. Any guesses from you readers?? 

WIGGLE-WORM

Mover … shaker … happy-mama-and-papa-maker. That’s what Baby P was at last week’s 20 week ultrasound (Feb 19^th)!  

Our guy/gal (we still plan  to be surprised about the sex) was a fidgety little show-off for the camera.   Whenever we tried to get a good look at *his* face, he would start shifting around or cover his eyes with his hands. One time he stuck his tongue out at us and another time he waved. It was almost as if we woke up the baby during naptime and that was his way of saying “please mom & dad … just five more minutes!!!”   Aside from learning that our baby is a goofy little wiggle-worm, we were given TONS of information on Baby P’s picture-perfect health.  He has 4 heart chambers, 2 kidneys, 2 arms, 2 legs (which are VERY long), and big round belly.  His heart drummed proudly & strongly at 158 beats/minutes and his feet are 1.25” long … I can’t stop thinking about those feet!  

Below are some ultrasound videos:

Seeing our baby jiggle around was magical, as if every move was purposefully choreographed to showcase that our baby is feeling the same way we are: ecstatic to only be 20 weeks away from embracing one another. The experience caused one giant tear to fall from my left eye – it was one of the happiest moments of my life.

The past two weekends have filled our home with the love of two visitors: Jonny’s Mom (“Grammy”) and our friend Anne (“Aunt Annie”) … both of whom graced us with their beauty in our weekly baby bump photos.  Jonny made a banana-sized cameo as well (ha)!   Week 21 is really the first week that I have looked at the picture and thought to myself: I am getting bigger!!

Next week we visit our Warzala family in San Francisco in celebration of my mom’s (“Kiki’s) birthday!!! I’m sure Baby P is doing somersaults just thinking about it – we can’t wait!  

So much love & fun when Grammy visited last weekend!

Anyone else think it's funny where the "banana sized" caption is pointing in this picture?

Love laughing with my Annie-Bananie - THANK YOU for the snuggly Sock Monkey!

JETSETTER

Hello WEEK 19 – so nice to see you!   The “duck” and I started writing this entry while on a flight to New York City, one of the many places my wonderful job has afforded me to frequent over the years. Last week, I started listing all of the cities I have visited since finding out about our baby-to-be, and the list is LONG for only a 19 week span of time (click HERE to see a map).  Jonny and I really enjoy traveling, especially ever since our study abroad program in Europe, so it’s fun to think that we’re instilling a similar trait in our little one before he/she arrives!  Traveling is even more enjoyable when there are generous people who fly on the same plane as you. I experienced this joy today when a total stranger lifted my suitcase out of the overhead bin and handed it to me before I got off the plane.  A random act of kindness that I will definitely pay forward.

The past few weeks have been smooth sailing (or flying, as the case may be). My energy levels are high, I am sleeping much better than in the first trimester, and I continue to look forward to the moments when I feel our little-one fluttering in my tummy.  There are some days when the baby is more active than others, but I am sure that as the weeks pass by I will start to feel more and more movement.  I’m most looking forward to the day when the flutters are strong enough for Jonny to be able to feel them too!

A lot of people have been asking me if I’m craving any specific foods yet. There are couple of things that I rarely ate pre-pregnancy and also a couple of things that I ate frequently, but just love even more now:  

1.       Juice Boxes. This is a confusing one. I think I might like these because it gives the allusion of a “special” drink – like wine. Jonny thinks it’s because I like drinking out of a straw.

2.       McDonalds Hamburgers - like the small ones that come in a Happy Meal. To clarify, I have only had 3 of these since finding out I was pregnant (definitely not eating them all the time). But I would have never choicefully eaten this pre-pregnancy. I’m not sure if it’s the pickles or the onions or the mustard or the delightfully cute size, but something about them tastes like YUM.  

3.       Coffee Ice Cream.  Again, not something I eat a lot … but when faced with choosing an ice cream flavor, I lean towards coffee/mocha.  While I liked this flavor pre-pregnancy, it was never my first choice.

4.       Hardboiled Eggs. For the past few years I have eaten a hardboiled egg for breakfast almost every day – I love them and I find the morning protein staggers my hunger for the rest of the day.  Today I didn’t have one for breakfast and was kinda sad about it (ha), so I bought two when I got to the airport and I ate them for lunch. 

5.       Peanut Butter.  It seems like I have PB at least one meal/day – whether it be on toast, on a sandwich, or in a smoothie.   Sometimes I want to have it with multiple meals, but have to restrain myself. I liked PB before – but now it’s like a “must have.”

Next week is one that we have been waiting-and-waiting-and-waiting for --- our halfway point of pregnancy and our 20 week ultrasound! We are looking forward to hearing updates on the baby’s developing brain, heart, kidneys, bones, etc.  And of course, it will be incredible to have some new pictures, so we are hoping he/she gives some personality + attitude to the camera. We can only imagine how much different the pictures are going to look compared to the ones from week 10. Until then, here are some pictures of the Baby P “bump” (and our puppies) from weeks 18 and 19.  



WEEK 19



WEEK 18

Last, but certainly not least, we owe major Thank You’s to so many of our family members and friends with kids, who have given us oodles and oodles of fantastic advice in the past few weeks. Let me tell you something: if you ever want to feel overwhelmed – just visit a baby superstore. So, we owe a big THANKS to everyone  who helped us to complete our baby registry!

SUPERBOWL SUNDAY (go Niners!)