Half-way mark (now w/ tummy shot)

5 months down, 5 to go!

And I'm feeling pretty good :)

We had our third ultrasound yesterday (the first two were less happily anticipated, so this was fun the whole way through) and all looks good. Bebe is a doing great and the doc overseeing the ultrasound said that everything's shaping up beautifully and right on track: size, shape, and parts all check out fine.

Make sure you get my good side


And the technician offered another possible bit of clarity on my first trimester issues. She experienced almost identically what I experienced in one of her pregnancies, so while I'd already pretty much entirely moved on from the worry about it, it was good to get another perspective on all of it.

Can't I get a little sleep?


I've been happily groping my tummy lately, feeling the flutters of beginning movement for quite a while now - since Labor Day weekend (@ about 15 weeks). 'They' say that non-new moms tend to feel the movement earlier because we know what to feel for, but it's only been in the past week or so that I've been actually able to feel the kicks by touch. I love this part :)

Hold your horses... I'm still cookin'


I love, too, my cravings this go-around: red meat and cheese. I'm actually ordering *steaks* when I'm out for dinner (NEVER did I EVER do THAT before!) and I'm giving in to the quesadilla calling at least once a week. Dave certainly likes these a whole lot better than the cravings I had last time (red sauce, fruit, ice cream and more red sauce!) since it means I'm shopping at the butcher counter a bit more ;) Hmmm....I think it's time for my cheese and crackers snack right now. ;)

Otherwise, things are good. I'm on a healthy growth curve (heeh) and although none of my pants will zip up all the way, let alone button, I'm not quite into maternity wear yet. But, the belly band has come in handy in these awkward weeks (I'm not a fan of the mid-drift look, especially at work!) and I do spend most of my non-public hours in cumfy stretchy pants and skirts. Gotta love the cotton/lycra mix! I'm not as active as I'd like but I'm giving up the care. Life's too short, as is this pregnancy, for me to fixate on how I feel about my thighs!

Ok, I am going to count to ten. One....


So far, too, the pre-eclamptic issues seem to be held at bay. My blood pressure has been good and I don't have any liver pains (although I've had a side ache for a while since my waist started changing shape). Over the next few months, I'll be under the watchful eyes of both my midwife and OB teams, so I think we'll be OK.

This month will be a test, though, of my relatively great energy levels though as we've already got a full calendar ahead of us, including a jaunt for me to Phoenix (joy). I'm hoping I don't swell up on that flight like I did on my flight to Houston during Zoe's pregnancy. That's when I lost the ability to wear all but like two pairs of my shoes!!

5 month tummy shot:

Salmon Bay Park

The Sunday after Greg and Amy and the boys arrived, my folks, Zoe and I joined them at the Salmon Bay park in Ballard to meet up with some of Greg and Amy's old Seattle friends.


I hadn't been there myself, in years, and I'd forgotten about what a truly great place it is. Surrounded by a sizable chunk (by city standards) of treed park land, the playground offers lots of really great options for kidlets and parents to enjoy their time together.


Chilling in the shade with the boys

Zoe, in her normal fashion, did lots of observing before jumping in, but ended up jumping in with both feet.


More bouncy, please!

She took a turn on the merry-go-round that started with her hands planted firmly on the bars, but quickly had me watching her bounce between the rails like a pinball. (Don't ask me how that went when we were back at the same park on the same ride the very next afternoon...)


Cousins who grip together, stay together

St. Sidells in town

Weekend before last, my big brother, Greg, his wife, Amy and their two boys, Nicholas (~4) and Timothy (18 mos), arrived from Maine.

Photo op

Aside from the cold Zoe brought us from daycare, we had a great time hosting the St. Pierre fam for the weekend. And Zoe LOVE, LOVE, LOVED having young cousins around to observe and play with.

The boys have grown tons since we saw them last September and it's really amazing to see how kids from the same family can be so much of the same ilk, but such different little individuals. Nicholas is a wonder with words and astute observations while Timothy has a keen eye and hand for the way things work. And both are *boys*. But, I wouldn't now say that the level of activity was as rambunctious as I might have if you'd asked me to guess in advance of their arrival - not that it was quiet mind you (just ask the cats) - but Zoe certainly held her own, energy-wise.

Our girl, it turns out, is quite the little host. It really didn't phase her to have to suddenly share her house and toys with two boys she may only slightly remember from pictures.

If anything, she didn't want to miss a moment of the fun and that made the whole visit all the more enjoyable, I think.

So much fun...it's all a blur

Hillwood park

Zoe and I like to frequent Hillwood Park which is just on the other side of Einstein Middle School (Zoe's future place of enrollment) about a half mile from our house. The park adjoins to the schoolyard and to town playing fields and features a small, but nice, new set of playground equipment good for kids of most ages.

Zoe has a ton of fun watching whomever may be around - other little kids, 'big girls' playing soccer, gangs of teenagers or neighbors and their puppies and makes herself privy to anyone's business (she's nosy!).

On the go Zo

Lately, Zoe's been embracing her daring streak and climbing up the tall platforms to go down the 'big girl slide', herself.

Comin'?

Aside from one instance in which she decided to see what was going on on the other end of the top of the slide (nothing but an opening and a fun twisty ladder!), she's been really great at it.

Just looking

We just need to work on getting her to let up on her brakes on the way down the slide!

Naked-baby-bath-time!!!!!!!

Zoe LOVES her baths. Loves, loves loves them. So much so that I couldn't catch her naked streak down the hall from her room to the tub on camera ;)



The bathtub is thataway!


Cute buns!


Let's go!



Splash Me!!

Recent Zoe

So I've been really quiet on the blogging front in the last few weeks...apologies for that. So, here again, as a gesture of apology, are some recent cute pix of bug.


Hang time with Nana


Natural trepidation?


Did you see that rock?!


Hat girl


No toddlers were harmed in the making of these photos


Groovin in the Zo lounge


Hello!


Hello horsey!

4 months

So there are still some of you out there who we haven't seen recently to whom this news will be a surprise. But there are more of you out there who are already in the know so it's time I came out....with my pregnancy :)

Yep. Preggers. Due 2/18.

It was a rocky first trimester (understatement of the year), but I've felt *great* in recent weeks. All of the first trimester issues seem to have parted ways and gone, too, is the nausea. And I've got most of my energy back, though not all, because admittedly I'm a bit more tired this time around than last time. It might have a little something to do with our nearly 20 month old girl.

So, for those of you who have been waiting to see how things are developing, here's the obligatory tummy shot; and for those of you just finding out now....surprise!


4 month bump