SHERLOCK TURNS TWO!

August 26, 2014, our first-born came into the world! 
He is now two years old, and I can't believe it... that makes him a real dog! He's not a puppy anymore!

He is still the love of our lives, and he puts a smile on our face every single day. He has so much spunk and personality. Last year for his birthday, we just put a party hat on his head and took a picture. 

Our handsome little one-year old last year. Looking like a dorky office-worker.

This year, he got a couple little presents. He needed a new toy anyway, so we picked up a squeaky frog for him from Homesense. 

Opening his present...

Little did we know, we had bought him the world's most annoying squeaky toy! Yay!! He's been obsessed with it since he got it.

We also got him a special treat...

McDonald's ice cream cone! What a lucky guy! Sherlock's first ice cream..

We zipped out to McDonald's with Sherlock in the car, picked up the ice cream cone, and planned on zipping back home to give it to him in our yard. Shortly after we left McD's, we realized the cone was not going to make it. I pulled into a side street off 176 and we jumped out of the car and gave him his special goody on the side of the road... Oh well! Haha He enjoyed it.

I had him eating around the whole cone just like a person would. So cute! He was in heaven!

Scary Moment

Also, the other day, we were walking back from the grocery store and walked past a car with a MASSIVE dog in it. I don't want to say pit-bull, but some sort of bully-breed... Huge... probably 90+ pounds of pure muscle. We smiled at the guy and dog as we walked in front of the car, and then the dog started going NUTS barking like crazy. The owner was holding the dog back in the back seat. We continued on our walk, and all of a sudden the dog was at the back window barking like crazy. Kind of strange, but we kept going. Before we know it, the dog LEAPED through the back window of the car and went straight for Sherlock's neck. 

Oh. My. Word. It all happened very quickly. Sherlock is down and yelping like crazy, David charges the dog, who then lets go and runs onto Fraser Highway. In the mean-time, as soon as I see the dog let go of Sherlock I yank him out of there. The owner finally realizes what's going on and jumps out of his car to make sure everyone is okay and round his dog back up... Thank God Sherlock is okay. No broken skin, just a lot of noise... 

That was one of the scarier moments we've had with him... The owner apologized profusely, and I was in too much shock to be angry at them. I also had a moment of... that dog is going to get the shit kicked out of him if we are mad...Since Sherlock was okay, we parted ways (trying not to make a big deal which could freak Sherlock out). We walked about 200m further down the road and pulled over to double-check his neck. Just the other dog's saliva... no blood... Thank Goodness. Oh my gosh... Sherlock seemed fine. Some witnesses to the situation ran up to check on us all, and Sherlock greeted them happily and got some love. We didn't want to make a big deal of it or seem panicky, because that's what the dog would feed off of, and that could create nervous energy in Sherlock. 

Overall, it could have been MUCH worse. I just had a vision as this dog jumped through the window and went after Sherlock's neck of the lock-jaw. I was thinking... oh my god... my dog is dead... I can't pull him away, because that will rip the flesh... that dog is on him... I can't get him off... That was scary... :(

We are very grateful it was more of a scare than anything. I hope the other dog's owner learned something from that... Like maybe don't take your 90+ pound aggressive dog out of the house off-leash (and with no collar)? Maybe think about some training? 

Hopefully Sherlock wasn't scarred, and doesn't translate that moment into future interactions with big, barky dogs. Just gross and shocking. 

On a Lighter Note

This dog has brought so much joy to our lives. I can't wait to see what he'll be like as a big brother. He seems to be very interested in kids, and his demeanor tends to calm down around them (unless they're screaming excitedly... then it's fair game). Last week at the dog park we turned around for a minute and Sherlock went to visit a girl through the fence (she must have been about 2). We smiled, and then she started sharing her popsicle with Sherlock through the fence... Haha he couldn't have been happier. The more positive associations the better in my opinion!

To another wonderful year Mr. Sherlock! <3

21 WEEKS (CARROT): Aug 21-27

• This week the measurements for baby switch from crown-rump to crown-feet. I'm not sure why they change now (maybe because baby is proportionate?), but they do! Baby is 10.5 inches long from top of his head to bottom of his feet. That makes him the length of a large carrot! HE weighs about 11-12.5 oz, which is about the weight of a can of Coke!
• Baby boy still gets most of his nourishment from the placenta, but he has started ingesting and digesting amniotic fluid too. They say he can now officially taste what I have recently eaten in the amniotic fluid. If I want him to be more likely to eat certain things, eat them from now until he is born! Bring on the spicy food, broccoli, dropjies, and peanut butter!
• The placenta is along the front wall of my abdomen, which masks some of the movement from being felt. I think I'm okay with this... I haven't been woken up yet by baby kicking and pushing around in there. Maybe the pillowey placenta blocks that all! (No matter how much I talk about the placenta, the thought/sound of it still grosses me out... trying to get over it and appreciate the biological phenomenon it is! Haha)
• Baby is becoming more coordinated! As his cartilage turns into bones, and as his nervous system develops, he is able to coordinate his movements and we got to see this on the ultrasound as he yawned and stretched in a rather controlled manner (compared to some of the jerky movements I've seen in video renderings of babies in other weeks)!
• I have been feeling more bloated and gassy again lately... good times!
• I also get backaches from time to time. Typically if I am in one position for too long, or if I'm laying on my back for an extended period. I wake up on my back in some pain, or in my ultrasound last week it started to get sore around my lower back (maybe all the pushing with the ultrasound wand thing didn't help?).
• My gums are a little bit sensitive, but this has just caused me to improve my oral care. (aka... flossing!). The dentist would be so proud.
• Nails are still growing rapidly, but aren't quite as strong as they were in previous weeks/months. I wonder if baby is stealing more of my calcium as his bones develop!
• My appetite is returning! I guess I'm supposed to be gaining weight and eating a little more (good) calories now, and my body is responding to allow this!
• They say if you're having a girl, she steals your beauty (although I can't say this is true for many people I know who are having girls, or who have recently had baby girls), and having a boy is much easier on your body. So far this little boy has been good to me! I've had it very easy, and I am grateful for that.  
• My Aunty Sonya pointed out in one of our gender announcement pictures that, "I can see the veins in your arms and hands are visible now due to your increased blood volume!" Haha she pretty much hit the nail on the head there! I'm also more prone to varicose veins right now, but so far I've avoided that. 
• Baby definitely has active and inactive days. Sometimes I have to really try to get him to move around, while other days (like Thursday and Friday) he is just a-jumpin' and a-dancin' away in there all day it seems like! It's fun because while it's happening it just feels like my little secret (unless David is there. Then he is in on the secret too). 
• Heartburn made its first appearance near the end of 21 weeks... I'd never really experienced heartburn before, but knew it right away. I find it tends to happen when I eat too much, and/or too fast. I will try to eat smaller, more frequent meals hereon in. I haven't had it too bad, but I imagine it is only going to get worse!

Not much else to report this week! Weeks are pretty uneventful at this point I think :)

Thankful Thursday - 54

My dad pointed out the other day that our family seems to have a gift of seeking out and noting the positives around us even when things are tough. He mentioned my Thankful Thursday posts I continued to do even while we were struggling to get pregnant and were going through a rather dark/hard time. I had never really thought about it... This is just the way I was raised; what was modeled for us. He's right though, taking a moment every day (even on the hard days) to think about what you have to be grateful for is such an important exercise. He shared this little story with us:

A famous writer was in his study. He picked up his pen and began writing:

·        Last year, my gall bladder was removed. I was stuck in bed due to this surgery for a long time.
·        The same year I reached the age of 60 and had to give up my favorite job. I had spent 30 years of my life with this publishing company.
·        The same year I experienced the death of my father.
·        In the same year my son failed in his medical exam because he had a car accident. He had to stay in the hospital with a cast on his leg for several days.
·        And the destruction of the car was a second loss.

His concluding statement “Alas! It was such bad year!!”

When the writer's wife entered the room, she found her husband looking dejected, sad and lost in his thoughts. She carefully and surreptitiously read what he had written, and silently left the room and came back shortly with another piece of paper on which she had written her summary of the year’s events and placed it beside her husband’s paper.

When her husband saw that she had written something in response – he read her “take” on the year’s events. She wrote:

·        Last year I finally got rid of my gall bladder which had given me many years of pain.
·        I turned 60 with sound health and retired from my job. Now I can utilize my time to write better and with more focus and peace.
·        The same year my father, at the age of 95 without depending on anyone and without any critical conditions, met his Creator.
·        The same year, God blessed my son with life. My car was destroyed, but my son was alive and without permanent disability.

At the end she wrote: This year was an immense blessing and it passed well!!

See!! The same incidents but different viewpoints.

In daily lives we must see that it's not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy. There is always, always, always something to be

thankful for.  ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING....  And attitude is the one thing that we always, in every circumstance, have control over.

**DORK MOMENT** - As Hermione says in the Deathly Hallows Part I, "Right... Perspective..."

1. A surprise/spontaneous visit from Juanita. Juanita booked flights last Thursday to fly to Vancouver on Saturday! She is here for a week, and it's been great to see her and reconnect with her a bit. 

SUSHI!!! I love sushi, but being pregnant you have to be extra careful if you're going to eat it. I trust this place though - Hanako in Surrey. Yummy!

I am so bad at remembering to take photos with people... I'm not much for selfies, and I feel creepy taking candid shots with my phone "just for the blog". Here I am pretending to take a picture of Sherlock, but I just so happened to catch Juanita in there too! :)

2. Toller Walk. Shel organized a Toller walk for her dogs as well as some of her puppies and friends. We all went to Noel Booth in Langley to let the dogs swim their hearts out! It's always fun to see them all together with their unique personalities/quirks.

This is Ranger. A 4 month old pup that joined the family for the day. Such a sweetheart!!

Some of the 9 Tollers that came out!

Rebel hiding in David's legs.

Goodness me... Makes me want another puppy!

3. Afternoon at Cultus. David's parents went up to Cultus last Sunday for a few days, and invited us to join them for Sunday lunch out there. Traffic was horrifying there and back, but the few hours we spent at the campsite was so wonderful. I always relax as soon as I get out there (as long as I'm not in charge of setting up tents/tarps, etc.). They had a great spot backing onto the forest, and it was a quiet, warm day. Sherlock was a perfect gentleman the whole time. We didn't even have to tie him up! That's a first!

Checking out his parents' new digs!

Sherlock & Matthias enjoying nature

My phone takes crappy photos, but it was so green and beautiful!!

4. Dating. A very common piece of advice David and I get is...

Continue to date each other. 

We have always enjoyed spending time together, but we're trying to get into the habit of making "dating" each other a little more intentional. Even if it just means playing a game of crib before bed instead of perusing Facebook. This past weekend David brought our guest mattress downstairs and set it up in the living room. It fit perfectly in the couch nook. We stayed up late watching documentaries and hanging out with Sherlock. How fun!
My idea of the best dates right now... Eating delicious food, and enjoying each other's company without spending large amounts of money. Wow I sound like a real hoot! Haha...

Sherlock thinks he gets to be a part of date night if he hides well enough

Slumber party!! I love our living room... so cozy.

Yummy example of another recent date at Moxies.

I've been having a rough go at work lately, and things have been very stressful. The other day I came home and took a nap and decided I wanted something... REALLY NOT GOOD FOR ME for dinner. Time to commit some carbicide! And commit we did...

Obviously that brings us to Olive Garden for Zuppa Toscana & a Tour of Italy (the dish pictured below)

Lasagna, Fettuccine Alfredo, & Chicken Parm... I hate committing to one dish, so this is perfect for me! And it provided lunch for the next day :)

Even if you don't blog about it, take a minute out of your day to consider what you have to be thankful for! Even if it's just all this sun turning our grass brown, or the fact that it's supposed to rain next week to bring it back to life!

GENDER REVEAL! IT'S A..........

At our ultrasound on August 19, we had the technician print a photo of baby's gender bits and put it in an envelope for us for the reveal that evening. 

We had our parents and whichever siblings could make it over for a reveal at 6:30 or so. 

When everyone was ready to go, Courtney took Sherlock up to the nursery and checked the envelope. She then sent him down with a pink or blue scarf/lei around his neck to show us the gender!

We were all waiting excitedly, and Sherlock (eventually) came down the stairs. He was much more interested in the treats Courtney had than coming to say hi to everyone and share the news... that's what we get for using a dog with a mind of his own for it!

Lo-and-behold....

THAT'S RIGHT!!! WE ARE HAVING A BOY! 

Happy Daddy!

David could not be more excited. I am also thrilled. Ever since I was a little girl I hoped I would have a boy first so that no matter what, future children will always have a big brother. That's how I grew up, so it's the only way knew! However, I was also holding out hope it would be a girl since little girls are just so cute! And much more fun to shop for Haha! (and more expensive!)

We are going to have a boy... I'm going to have a son... the Kimber name continues! 

I guess it's only natural I'd be having a boy... I grew up in life being overrun by boys. So it continues! David and Sherlock are adding another man to the pack :)

I cannot wait to see David and our little boy bond. I also cannot wait to see Sherlock and our son grow up together. 

I was not overly surprised when Sherlock came down in the blue scarf. I honestly told Courtney ahead of time when I was giving her the run-down, "Here's the pink bandana to use... although we don't even need to practice that because we're not going to need it!" Haha I was so sure it was a boy by this time. Mother's instinct? Lucky guess? Who knows!!

Honesty moment... After everyone left and it was just David and I, I felt kind of down. No... not because we're having a boy ;). I just realized well... that's it! That was the last time (assuming everything goes smoothly) we get to see our baby boy until he's born... The pictures kind of stink, and maybe I didn't pay enough attention during the ultrasound. Should I have filmed it? I feel like I was distracted! I got sad thinking that now all the fun stuff is over. We've had all our ultrasounds, we know what we're having... now we just wait another 4-5 months. 

Over the next couple days that feeling went away (maybe because we got some presents... who knows) haha. I am now starting to refer to baby as "he" and we are going through names (still taking suggestions by the way!), planning for the nursery, attending all our prenatal classes, and envisioning our life next year! Oh I cannot wait... 

So apparently this photo shows that our baby is a boy. I need the midwives to explain! Haha. My understanding is that... it's sort of a total crotch shot from below... so it's like he's spread eagle, looking up towards his face. Super flattering I know. You can see his bum, and then there's a faint outline of an arrow pointing towards his bits. Again... I don't 100% understand (part of the reason I wish we found out in the appointment, so tech could explain), but hopefully midwives can provide more clarity next week!

Another fuzzy photo, but you can see baby's foot! Heel on left, little toesies on right!

I was disappointed with this picture at first. Can't see baby boy's arms, hands, feet... spine looks scary (is that even the spine?)... but then I see that we have a pretty great shot of baby's facial profile! Who cares about the rest (as long as it's all there and healthy) when I can see my baby's nose! We got to see his little lips and everything. So sweet. Can't wait to see what he looks like!!! *Side note: we saw the spine during the actual exam and it looked perfect... so I'm not sure what is going on here)

Mom & Dad brought some decorations, which of course included wine glass charms!

We all took a vote before the big reveal. Majority rules!

Showing off (trying to figure out) the ultrasound picture! I'd never seen one from that angle, so I was very confused.

Here are the goodies we've received so far! This boy is already going to be spoiled!

You can also see the colour of the nursery walls! We painted last week. They were previously a neutral beige colour, but my parents had some "Revere Pewter" by Benjamin Moore leftover so we used that. It is like a warmer, light grey. Neutral, but modern/classic at the same time!

This ridiculously cute little outfit is straight from Holland! It came with Juanita in her suitcase on her surprise visit to Vancouver!

David's parents had saved two little bears, a piggy bank, and a t-shirt from when David was a little boy! Cute :) They're lucky ours is a boy, or these might not fit in quite so well! Also in this photo, are three little sleepers my mom went out to buy the next day, as well as a Holland onesie! That will get much use when baby is little! That's a promise :)

Prayers that the second half of this pregnancy goes as smoothly as the first half, and that we have a healthy happy baby at the end of this part of the journey. 

Here is a video of the reveal that my mom took for us so we could send it to those that couldn't make it that night. 

Sherlock was supposed to run down carrying the blue sock with his blue scarves. He was too excited about the treats though, so Courtney threw the sock down trying to get him to follow. That explains the sock! Haha. We were also trying to FaceTime my older brothers in as they were both out of town at the time, but that didn't work... the video will have to do!

Such a fun, but emotionally/mentally exhausting day! Whew...!

I leave you now with a super cute photo of David, Sherlock and I holding my cousin's baby, Violet, back in early 2015. 

20 WEEKS (CANTALOUPE): Aug 14-20

Big week this week! Midwives, Ultrasound, Gender Reveal!! Sorry for the long post... :)

Purple top again... I didn't find my black tank top until the end of the week (shoved into the back of my drawer of course!)

• Oh my... we are halfway there! I cannot believe it! This is too much... 
• Baby is now 6.5 inches long, and as usual, every site says something different, but the consensus seems to be that baby is the size of a small cantaloupe. That seems large to me!
• Baby opens his/her eyes for the first time this week! Practice Practice Practice! 
• I feel like I've really popped over the last week. I figure this will happen every week until the end. I'll wake up feeling twice my size... I'm loving it. Well... David's loving it, which helps a lot with my confidence. 
• Baby is producing meconium, which will make up his/her first poop (hopefully) after delivery. Yum... 
• Websites say baby is surrounded by 320 mL of amniotic fluid at this point, which is approximately 1 degree higher than my body temperature.
• I am feeling much more consistent kicking/movement now. Sometimes it feels like little flutters, and somethings it feels like baby is practising some high-kicks in there!
• You may recall I felt baby for the first time (from the outside) on 19 weeks & 5 days. Since then, I was anxiously awaiting for David to feel too, so it could all be "real" to him. I think when I felt baby's big kick, it was baby turning around, so that his/her spine was facing out, and all kicks were going inwards. This caused me to feel very little movement for a couple days. The day I turned 20 weeks, I was determined to get baby moving again. I had a snack, drank some cold juice and water, and kind of wiggled my belly around on all fours. Haha! Funny image. David said even the dog was looking at me weird. I have zero idea if there is any scientific point to this, or if I was just being foolish, but it worked! I sat back down on the couch, and felt a couple little blips, and then I felt the roll. I told David to come sit by me, as I thought baby had rolled over. Less than 5 minutes later, I felt baby start kicking. I grabbed David's hand, put it on my belly, and right away the baby went crazy kicking his hand! The look on David's face was priceless. He'd been waiting for this moment for 4 and a half months! His eyes got all wide and his jaw just dropped. Then he couldn't get enough. Poking and prodding at my belly, feeling for the kick-back. 
• I was so aware after this, that we had both just felt our baby for the first time. That was the only time that was ever going to happen for the first time. We're trying really hard to enjoy this pregnancy, as future ones (God-willing) are going to be less novel, and we're going to be a whole lot busier! I am also trying not to take for granted the fact that so far pregnancy has been relatively easy and smooth for us. I know this is not the case for many people. 
• We feel so incredibly happy, excited and blessed. I don't know if struggling to get pregnant makes this all that much sweeter, or if this is all normal for first-time-moms. I haven't missed my Wellbutrin hardly at all, I haven't had any major anxiety (other than usual pregnancy worries), and I seem to handle conflict, changes of plans, and planning my weeks much better than ever before. 
• I am getting more and more excited for maternity leave every day. Almost time to start a count down!
• I've been noticing more cramping/discomfort in my lower abdomen. It just feels like round ligament pain I figure. Also, leg cramps are common in second trimester. I haven't had any killer ones, but I come close sometimes with calf and foot cramps. You know those crazy cramps that come out of no where and feel like you're dying? Yup... that's a pregnancy symptom... good times!
• My stamina/cardio seems to be decreasing. Not significantly, but I catch myself with a higher heart-rate than usual after climbing the stairs, or a hill when walking the dog. I imagine it's all downhill from here! Haha
• We had our midwife appointment on August 16 in the morning. David's mom is off work for summer vacation, so we invited her to join! I already figured everything was good with baby as I've been feeling him/her frequently, but it's always good to get a check-up! Here are the updates from this appointment
• Weight: 125 lb (gain of 2 lb. since first appointment)
• Uterus measurement (from pubic bone to fundus): 20cm - right on track
• Blood Pressure: 106/60 - still low, but high for me
• Baby's heart rate: 144 BPM 
• Here's a video we remembered to take of the heartbeat with the doppler in our appointment! It sounds like a horse galloping. Much different than the "whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh" of our last few appointments! I wonder if this is because there are more chambers in the heart now? I googled whether this was normal (even though google was the enemy) and stumbled across an old wives tale that says if heart sounds like a galloping horse it's a girl and if it sounds like a train, it's a boy. Wives tales are only 50% accurate, but they're fun!

About 30 seconds into the video, you see me wave my finger. That is me trying to tell David that the baby has been trying to kick the doppler away! Haha

• My belly-button is getting increasingly shallower. When I walk if I put my hand on my belly I can feel it pushing out... kind of gross! Haha
• I have been trying to teach David the relevant (scientifically accurate) terms so far. He's learning things like: lanugo, vernix, fundus, and meconium. I like that he can follow along in appointments and conversations when he knows the words. I try to keep him educated!
• Apparently having your ears plug up and be stuffy is a pregnancy symptom. I never would have thought the two could be related at all, but... I definitely have it! I'll be talking to someone and all of a sudden all I can hear is my own voice! Mostly my right ear, but very strange. 
• We had our big detailed ultrasound on August 19 at Medray Imaging in Coquitlam. My technician was awesome, and made sure I was comfortable and would answer any questions I asked (although I didn't think of many in the moment). I didn't look at the screen as much as I would have liked, because I was afraid of seeing the gender (particularly as David wasn't there for the first while). At the appointment, the tech got all the measurements and scans done, except some measurements/photos of the head and face. baby was face down with the face pressed into my placenta (lovely eh...) and with hands blocking the face, making it impossible to see. She had me get up to walk around for 5 minutes, go to the bathroom, etc. to see if we could get baby to move. Came back...nope... okay. let's try some planks on the bed/table thing. Not working? Try it again and wiggle around a bunch... still no? Okay, let's tilt the bed... nope! Baby was super snuggly in there, and stubborn as can be! I had to get up a couple more times, once for 10 minutes or so and wiggle and jiggle my belly around as much as possible trying to get baby to shift. I tried everything... different moves, positions, pushing around on my belly... finally, after 45 minutes of appointment, baby moved enough for tech to finish scan. Haha!
  
  David was allowed to come in for the end of the appointment, but because the first part took so long, we didn't get to see too much or for too long at the end. We saw baby stretching and yawning, pursing his/her lips, kicking around, and doing other baby-like things. SUPER CUTE! The tech showed us the head, heart, spine, feet, bum, but avoided the crotchal region. I feel sort of like next time maybe we'd like to find out in the ultrasound appointment, so the tech can show us what we're looking at, and so that we're not afraid to accidentally see anything... 
  
  Anyway, we got a couple pictures from the ultrasound, but because baby was so smushed and uncooperative, they're not great. Here is the side-profile of our baby. Tech said everything looked good, so we will assume that unless we hear from our midwives, everything with baby is great and healthy! That's great news! Baby's heart rate at beginning of the appointment was 135 BPM. Lowest we've seen, but we were both relaxed (and baby seemed to be sleeping soundly) at the time. The tech also informed me my placenta is on the front wall of my uterus, so it is likely masking lots of the movement... COULD HAVE FOOLED ME!

Here is our bad photo of our beautiful, loved baby! At least we got a cute shot of the face! Amy pointed out that it looks like the eyes are open and we can see the eyelashes! David thinks baby has my nose :) What a little nugget!!!

Stay tuned for the big Gender Reveal!!! 

What/who will our baby look like?

First things first... We are finding out baby's gender today after our detailed ultrasound! There is a poll on the sidebar of the blog that will close on August 22 (when I anticipate sharing our news), and I'd love to hear what you think!! Boy or girl?!

People always ask me what I want... I don't mean to be cliche, but I'm just thrilled to be having a baby and I want it to be healthy. I don't have time to think about which I would prefer. However... I will say that I'm feeling boy... When I envision the gender reveal, I anticipate boy. I expect boy. When I envision it being a girl, I get super excited and giddy. When I dream about baby, it's just a baby... Growing up I always wanted a boy first, because that's how I grew up... with two older brothers. Now though, the thought of a little girl just melts my heart. Can't wait to find out!

Now on to the purpose of this post...

As I get further along, and my belly starts to grow, I can't help but start wondering what our baby will look like!

There is no way of predicting this, but here are some baby pictures of David and I to enjoy! 

David first...

Just a few hours old. Born March 12, 1991. 8 lb when born. And born with those already pouty lips :)

Am I biased? Pretty cute...

I find he looks remarkably un-jolly for being in the jolly jumper! haha

Look how big that noggin is! Such a chunky guy. What a cutie. 

Hahaha. I love this face. David still makes this face if he's focusing on something. Sort of dumb-founded. I hope our kids get his lips! And maybe a smaller head... for practicality reasons only. David's sister Rachel is in the corner of this picture. Such a sweetie!

David at 3 years (if I recall correctly) with his un-tamable cowlick. 

Look at that little blondie! David at 4. Such a cutie.

Okay... now my turn!

Still in the hospital. Just a little peanut! I was only 5 lb. 14 oz. when I was born (2 weeks early) on December 11, 1991.

Big brown eyes and a bald head! This little dress makes me want to have a girl... I look like a doll!

Learning to love my brothers (and vice versa)

Bath Time!! I still have that birthmark on my head, but my hair now covers it. I also have a birthmark on my right thigh/hip, which matches a few other women in the Gerber family!

Practicing my mothering while mom feeds Scott. I must have been 2 when this was taken. Scott was born 22 months after me. (This photo makes me want to have lots of kids. Otherwise it would be impossible to capture sweet moments like this!)

Also, I love that the bottle I'm feeding my doll has pretend chocolate milk in it... back in the days where feeding chocolate milk to a baby was supposedly acceptable! Haha

Always with that cheesy smile! I look about 3(?) here.

More bath time... This picture only made the cut as it appears I found some scissors and cut my own bangs. That is some bad haircut! Haha

Pre-school photo! Maybe our kids will get David's teeth and not need braces... His were always just straight. Mine started out a-mess! (Probably partially because I sucked on my fingers for years when I was little...)

I always love seeing people's pictures from when they were babies/small children. Can't wait to meet our little babe and see the resemblance with both of us! Brown eyes? blue eyes? Brown hair? Blonde hair? Big baby? Little Baby? Petite? Chunky? Boy? Girl?

The past few weeks I've been feeling more and more grateful, and I don't want to take any moment of this experience for granted. I know everyone's experience and journey is different, and the fact that we are where we are today is a major blessing.