Half Way Baby!

***This is an old post I never got up-- we have since learned we are having a  BOY!!!***

Since we are officially half way through baking this bundle of goodness, I thought I'd post a pic so I can remember.

I'm sitting here listening to Imagine Dragon's "I'm on Top of the World" with the kids dancing behind me.  It's the second night of dance parties because Glenn has had to work late and we need something to pass the time.  I really love happy music.

Today I began morning walks.  Felt good.

Yesterday I discovered the most amazing Crumb Cake (yes, it deserves capitalization) I've ever had.  Crumb Cake makes me think of my mom.  The last time I saw her, she had driven down to my house with a crumb cake she had over-night shipped in from some state back east for Valentine's day (a pricey feat!)  as a treat for us.  I kept the bag and last piece of that cake for a long time after she passed.

My stomach grows exponentially.  But it is kind of cool.  I can't wait to see this babe via ultrasound TOMORROW!  Wohoo!  We are all immensely excited over here.  The kids pick out names pretty regularly.  Here are some samples if it is a boy (we all think it is, but Jonas wants a girl).  Ali's picks: Scooby, A (that's right, simply the letter A), Bubblepuff.  Jonas: Dundee Wondee, Gundy (Ali says that's a good one), Maddie (yes, still on the boy list here), Bubblebump,  Whungy Whangy, Conol, and Gungee Boingee.  Max: Daniel and Michael.


I say it is cool that my stomach is growing, but let's be honest-- for weeks I have taken to scrolling back over old videos and pictures to remind myself I have not always looked like this and will looks feminine again one day (although, isn't a pregnant belly the most feminine it gets?).

It seems the pregnancy has even crept into the kids' play.  I watched Jonas and Ali on the tramp the other day.  She had a basketball under her stomach and Jonas said "Give me a baby woman!" and hit (not hurting) her back to make the basketball come out. It was pretty hilarious.

I feel the baby move now.  It is odd to think this will be the last time I feel that.  But truthfully, I really love the thought of our family moving forward into this next stage of life together.  Out of the baby stage and into the "We can all go to Disneyland and ride the rides together" stage.   Mercy.  Maybe I romanticize that stage too much, but I have to say that I am beyond thrilled for it!

The kids are amazing. Last night for family home evening, Ali picked the song (the ABC's) and sat down to the piano to accompany us.  We played " I caught_____ being good" and they glowed under every word of praise. The dance party was adorable.  I love that Ali still wants to dance with me.  One day she will be embarrassed by me, but for now- she loves it.

My boys are slightly obsessed with video games. Which is ironic because we don't have video games (we do have apps on the ipad they earn time for).  Skylanders seems to be a BIG hit and I know we'll eventually get one for them.  For now though, I want them to live real life.  Coloring the paper airplanes, making notes to each other, playing with the new archery set we bought (it rocks!), jumping on the tramp with all the plastic balls on it...  I'm just not ready to share them with a video game.  Still, Jonas spends a good deal of the day telling me about this level or that on a game he played here or there.

I really love family.  I have picked up ancestry.com for a hobby and I love seeing the names, the people.  I love seeing little details from the census that tell their story.  This one is a dress maker, that one is a railroad baggage man, another is the post master.  Seeing women's list of how many children they have had, and how many are still living. That always pulls at my heart.   Seeing the new countries begin to pop up in the line-- Sweden, Germany, Ireland...  I especially love the Swedish.  I look like a Swede, not to mention my stubborn streak :).

Family just intrigues me.  I do really love it.

I think that's enough rambling for today!

*Here are a few shots Glenn and I have taken for a friend's photo contest blog.  She lists 8 words each month, then you take pictures of anything that represents those words to you.  It is really fun!

Glenn... Earth (he also won this month with this photo!  Wohoo!)

Glenn... I can't remember the word for this one.

Glenn... Play

Glenn... Vision (we LOVE our archery set!)

Earth... yea, it was a bit of a stretch for the word.

Orange

Vision