the big 2-5

It came. It went. It was fabulous.

It started the way every birthday for the last three years has started: a sweet "happy birthday" whisper in my ear. We got up early, I opened cards in bed and was serenaded via telephone by family. An hour and a half later, we were headed down town for Page and Andrew's day-o-fun.

We hit the farmer's market first, because I love it there. We took our time and filled our bags with all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables. Andrew bought me flowers on the way out because he's sweet like that.

We'd planned ahead, so we brought a cooler to keep all of our stuff for the day. After getting that settled, we went for an early lunch. Hot sandwiches all around. And then...it was time for my present. THE present. My massage. Ohhhhh yes.

We walked to the Charleston Place Hotel, where Andrew saw me off at the elevator and went in search for TVs to watch the baseball game. I was early enough to sit in my robe with a magazine and some cucumber water for a little while. Bliss.

After the massage, I wiped the drool off my mouth (sorry, but it's true) and hit the showers to get all fancy for the rest of my downtown date. In my cute new dress and some dangly earrings, I met my boy back in the lobby. We stopped for coffee and then wandered to the waterfront park to watch the boats drive by.

We had big plans for dinner, but didn't make reservations. So I guess you could say that we didn't have plans. Neither one of us felt like waiting until 9:45 for a table to open up, so we settled for drinks and appetizers at a local rooftop bar. And by drinks, I mean sweet tea. But I may or may not have requested a glass of red wine for my post-baby celebration in the delivery room. Just keeping it real...

We stopped for gelato on our way back home and then called it a night. And I haven't slept that well in ages. There's something about being pampered and doted on all day that just takes it out of you :)

There were phone calls and texts all in between, which really makes a gal feel special. So thanks to you peeps. And thanks to that sweet, sweet man I married for making the day feel so grand. I sure do like you, sir.

23 weeks!

We're just chugging right along, aren't we? I realized this week that I'm less than a month from the third trimester and I stopped breathing for a few seconds. How can that be? In some ways, the time has gone by so slowly. And in others, I feel like he's going to be here in just a few blinks.

Anyway, in baby development news, there's not much to report. He's almost a foot long and weighs just over a pound. His hearing is also picking up and they say that he'll be able to hear more and more, with sounds like our voices or Rudy barking becoming more familiar.

I feel him all the time now and can usually see his little kicks on the outside. In the morning especially, while I'm still in bed and on my back, I can put my hand on my stomach and feel him actually moving around - not just kicks, but his body squirming all around. It's so crazy.

I've loved being to share that with Andrew, since so much of pregnancy is felt only by the one doing the gestating. And he's a strong, active little guy. Last night, I was on the couch and Andrew had his hand on my stomach. He wanted to see if he could get him to move, so he nudged my belly. The baby kicked. He nudged again and the baby kicked again. Nudge. Kick. Nudge. Kick. It was pretty funny.

We had a great weekend and I can't wait to get all the pictures together to show you all. Happy Tuesday!

baby crafting: fancy burp cloths

I know what you're thinking. Why fancy something up that is only going to get spit up on? The main purpose of a burp cloth is to wipe up baby fluids...who wants that to be cute?

I sure do.

And when I found out we were having a boy, I went a little overboard buying fabric and then realized that there are only so many things you can sew for a baby. So burp cloths it is. At least I can keep some sense of style while I'm getting (fill-in-the-blank)ed on.

Taking cues from my friend, Whitney, who I met while our husbands were at OCS together and who is a mama to two boys (one here and one on the way), I decided to just take some cheapo cloths and add some flair. Mine aren't nearly as cute/fancy as hers, but while I work on being patient enough to spend some more time on them, I think these will do juuuust fine.

Cute, eh? (The guitars are for you, Uncle Tyler!)

Any other ideas of what I can whip up on my sewing machine with a few scraps of fabric?