Helloooo Yamz! Mom-style.

We just got your baby bath in the mail today. I always enjoyed bathing my toys in the sink when I was little so I'm pretty excited to try it with you in a few months. Don't worry, I was always very gentle.

A lot has happened since we found out you were on your way...

In April we celebrated my 32nd birthday at the Cherry Festival. This was the first year I can remember when the cherry blossoms were at their peak on the 10th.

I think the blossoms were delayed because this spring was really cold. I was still wearing my winter coat when we went to Philly for a day trip in May. We visited a cool candy store (your dad got gummy candy and I got lemon drops), ate at a restaurant called Farmicia, and visited Reading Terminal Market. It was funny how many other pregnant ladies were having brunch at Farmicia that day too. We must have been in the right place.

It got really warm a few weeks later when your Dad and I visited Artifact in Baltimore and then went to Ladew Gardens close to where Grandma and Grandpa live. It was great to walk around in the sun and see all the flowers. We went down a nature trail that promised that there would be snakes but we didn't see any.

Your Dad and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary in December but we still went out to Sweet Frog to celebrate the first anniversary of the wedding we had at La Scala last year. If you look closely at the first picture, you will see that Jessica is pregnant with Ryan! I can't wait for you two to meet!

Shortly after our La Scala wedding, your Dad and I became members of the National Aquarium. We'd never been to the one in DC, so a few weeks ago we made a special visit. When we were parking, I saw a helicopter land on the mall. I didn't get a picture of the helicopter (sorry) but Dad got some great pictures of cute fish. 

The week before last, Dad and I went to Anastasia's for her summer solstice party. I made a delicious strawberry shortcake (the secret is to add a little lemon zest to the whipped cream) and we walked through the woods thinking about the summer and seasons and, of course, I thought a lot about you and all the things you will experience for the first time next summer. 

It's so nice to be alive and to feel the grass on your feet and the sunshine and to see fun things like cute fish and beautiful flowers. Maybe the year after next you will get to taste candy and strawberry shortcake. By then you will probably have outgrown your new bath tub. I'm probably still going to try to give you a wash in the sink though. 

oh hai.

so...you're not here yet, but you're on your way. i'm not quite sure what this blog is or will be, but i have felt compelled to record this period of time. this may be insightful and enlightening and fun for you (us) many moons from now, or it might be neglected and considered no longer worthy of your future time. time is money (life lesson #1). either way, my blogging days have been sparse and it's something i usually enjoyed.

we are about 14 weeks in. your mom has had a tough 1st trimester. lots of nausea and cramps...i'm not trying to point the finger solely at you, but maybe you can cool your jets a little from time to time. i kid. i do have a lot of thoughts about your upcoming arrival (though we are still a good 6 months out).

here's some fun facts:

• as of right now, we don't know if you're going to be a girl or boy
• no idea what your name will be, hence your nickname (kind of a lot of pressure...)
• we've seen you on sonogram/ultrasounds - you were being uncooperative and kept turning your back, then acted cool by crossing your legs and putting your hands behind you head
• you have an elf foot
• because of your presence, your mom does not like the smell of most of the food i cook
• amongst a great extended family, you already have a barrel-chested big sis named jessie
• we love you already
• your birthday is going to be pretty close to christmas - looks like your getting the short end of the gift stick
• you are currently somewhere between the size of a lemon and a fist

this blog is probably going to include a lot of random stories, words of "wisdom", non-sequiturs, one-liners, and miscellaneous items i feel like recording and possibly sharing with you at some point. also, ignore my style of keeping everything lowercase, unless its considered cool in 2031. i don't think this will get too sappy. i would be pretty happy with keeping things fun, loose, and with a slight hint of obnoxious. i think we'll just agree to keep this casual. i tend to be a little wordy, so buckle up and enjoy (or try not to be too embarrassed).