A SPRING DAY PICNIC

The last few days here in Michigan, have been GORGEOUS. We have had a light touch of spring come our way with sunny, calm, warm days to enjoy.

Yesterday Jake and I decided to take advantage of this brief weather (today it's gone) and we went down to Heritage Park and had a dinner picnic. We haven't been particularly good at keeping up a routine date night, so this was a lot of fun for us to get out together for a bit.

I made a chicken pasta salad, which if I may say so myself, came out pretty darn good, especially considering I had never made it before.

So, Jake and I sat on a blanket, and enjoyed a nice dinner together. Then we got a few pictures of the 2 of us, and of Mister Bean, though I can't say any of the pictures are 'frame worthy'... but they'll do for my blog. I am looking noticeably chubbier these days... my face makes me look like a little porker.

Heritage Park has some nice walking trails, which although they are still a bit muddy from the recent rain, are great to walk along, so we took a nice walk down the trails, with Jake insisting that I stop once in a while and take a drink of water, so that my heart which is giving some trouble again doesn't beat right out of my chest. I have a wonderfully caring husband :D

It was such a great evening, and the recent days of sunshine have been such a mood lifter for me. After having a double winter this past year (South Africa and Michigan), I have been in need of a sunny 'pick-me-up' and since Sunday, I have just been bouncing around, feeling great because of the spring days we have had to enjoy.

MY NEW 'CHUBBY CHEEKS' LOOK

THE BEAN BELLY @ 31 WEEKS 5 DAYS

A brief update on Mister Bean:

I am on to 2 weekly prenatal appointments now, instead of just once a month, so the time is passing quickly. Soon I will be on to weekly visits and then our little boy will be in our arms.
He is doing very well. 'Mommy' has gained a ton of weight, as you can clearly see in my face in the above pictures, but I have given up trying to keep that under control, because nothing seems to help slow down the weight gain, so it will just have to keep coming until he is born.

He has turned head down already, which has resulted in a bony little bum sticking into my right rib cage 24/7. Sometimes he pushes so hard, that I think he might crack a rib with that little tush of his. It's not my favourite thing, cos the pressure on my ribs gets pretty uncomfortable.
His movements in the last few days seem to have slowed down quite a bit. I guess our little man is running out of room now. Last night, Jake had a 'concerned daddy' moment ~ it was after midnight already, but because our little man has been so still lately, his daddy lay with his hand on my belly, not going to sleep until he had felt sufficient movements to put his mind at ease knowing that our little guy was still ok in his snug home. Finally, little Bean gave in and gave his daddy a few gentle nudges to let him know that he was ok.

So we are all doing well, and getting excited about our little arrival in a few more weeks

27 Weeks and 5 Days... and counting

Only 87 more days to go until Mister Beans due date... lets hope he decides to arrive on time and not a week or 2 later.

2 more days until I enter the 3rd trimester... but of course, WHO is counting??? lol :D

I am thoroughly enjoying being entertained by my little squirmer, although, today, despite my prodding protests, my little stinker has decided to celebrate, "Bounce on Mommy's Bladder" day... I don't approve of such days...

My hippopotamus belly is growing at a steady rate, and I am anticipating the day I climb out of bed and topple over, flat onto my face because of the weight imbalance between my only slightly larger 'tush', and my disproportionally larger belly... my counter weight is slowly failing to keep my upright.

Jake admitted the other day, that I have begun 'The Waddle"... it's rather hard to walk the catwalk style, swaying your hips and turning heads, when you have to haul a watermelon everywhere you go.

Anyway, here are today's pictures... it's been 4 weeks since my last 'photo shoot'

KICKS, PUNCHES & WRIGGLING SQUIRMS

Well, who can believe it, but today (Thursday) I am 26 weeks, so only 14 weeks or 98 days left to go until little Mister Beans due date.

Our little stinker is doing extremely well. Today, was one of my many prenatal appointments, and as predicted, everything went boringly well... Our little man has a strong, steady heart beat, and a strong, steady foot - He popped a nice kick at the doppler, so Dr Gove had to find the heart beat again, after the doppler did a little bounce off my belly. That's my boy for you!!! :D

Today was the first time I was measured, and I measured at between 25 & 26cm, so I am perfectly on par for 26 weeks (You are suppose to measure approximately the same cm as the number of weeks you are), so despite my ever expanding hippopotamus sized belly, I am actually just average for 26 weeks.

I have gained a whopping 19 lbs (8.6 kgs) already though, and although Dr Gove said he isn't too worried about it yet, he advised that I try to be a little more careful and try keeping my weight gain to no more than 1 lb per week from now on... which is surprisingly difficult, because although I am eating pretty well, my problem is that I am CONSTANTLY hungry, and it's rather hard to ignore the growling hunger pangs in my big tummy.
Mister Bean it seems has his dads hearty appetite, because undoubtedly 30 minutes after I eat a nice big meal, I am hungry again, so I think he is stealing all my portions and I have to go back and refill...

Kicks, punches and wriggling squirms have become much stronger over the last few weeks. My little stinker often keeps me entertained with forceful kicks that make my belly bounce. I have been loving that. I do however NOT LOVE his new ability to aim straight for my bladder, which in the last 2 weeks he seems to enjoy doing on a frequent basis. Still will come the day when in a mad rush to try and get to a toilet before my already full bladder bursts, mischievous Mister Bean will entertain himself by packing a punch just before I get there, and I will be left with wet pants and a red face... while undoubtedly, he will be sitting in my belly having a lovely little giggle at his achievement.

So, all in all, both mommy hippo and her little stinker are doing great. He is healthy as can be, and we are so excited for his arrival.

THE EVER EXPANDING BELLY

Just a quick post... some recent pics of my growing belly.

I am 23 weeks & 5 days in these pics... some days I wonder where I will fit any more baby...

CHRISTMAS IN COVE

Christmas has finally come, and now it's long passed and we are already into the New Year...
Jake and I had a great Christmas. We flew to Utah, and spent Christmas with the Geddes family in Cove.

I had only ever met Kim and Spence before, so this was the official 'meet the family' trip.
Everything was great. Jakes family are all very lovely... down to earth, easy to be around people, so it made me feel very at home and welcome. We got to spend a lot of time with Landon and Kaden, the first two little nephews. They are adorable, and fortunately not stranger shy, so we had no trouble playing with, holding and spoiling them with attention. Jake had a great time with his nephews. It was the first time the he met Kaden who is already nearly 8 months old.

UNCLE JAKE WITH HIS NEPHEWS

CAN'T YOU JUST TELL HOW INTO PHOTO'S KADEN WAS AT THIS POINT... lol

KADEN

LANDON

While we were in Cove, we got a LOT of snow... but it was much more beautiful than here in Michigan. There is a lot of open land around the Geddes home, so the snow stays white and undisturbed for much longer. Here in Michigan, it turns to black slush by the next day. Winter over there is so much more bearable... I imagine it's because of the dry air, but you can walk from the house to the car without your coat and not freeze. In Michigan, the minute you step outside, the cold bites you in the butt and you FREEZE... the humidity here just makes it feel so much colder, and the wind is terribly chilly. I would much prefer to be in Utah all winter long. LOL.



Our trip to Cove, was the first time in a long time that the entire family was all together, so we took some family photo's. It included all the spouses, children and Kandice, Scotts fiance, so for now at least we are on top of the family photo... but, with such a large family, things are changing all the time. By next summer, Sara and I will both have little bundles of joy to hold in the next photo, which hopefully we can take before JT leaves on mission. We also enjoyed being there for Annabelle's blessing. Annabelle was born just a week before we arrived, and is a tiny, little thing.

GEDDES FAMILY PHOTO

OF COURSE THERE IS NO SAYING THAT THE GEDDES FAMILY ARE ALWAYS NORMAL... I FIT IN JUST FINE WITH THE GEDDES GENE POOL :D

LIKE I SAID, I FIT IN JUST FINE

Christmas day was great... it was casual, relaxing and fun, and we got spoilt so rotten. Jake and I got a big box just filled with goodies... baby clothes, a baby quilt, candy, tons of other gizmo's and gadgets for the house, and then we are getting a huge 27" "Families Are Forever" wall clock shipped to us, also from Kim and Spence. The name draw gift exchange was also fun... and we got great gifts all round. I have already used my nifty travel blanket twice, so I have no doubt that it will come in handy in the future.

Before our trip was over, we of course had to make a stop at Temple Square, so that I could finally see the lights. It was cold, but very pretty. I have always wanted to see Temple Square at Christmas time.

SALT LAKE TEMPLE

IT WAS COLD...

Our flight back we had a nice surprise... we got bumped up to first class... Oh, how I love Northwest Airlines right now. We got breakfast on the plane, drinks in glasses and big, comfy seats... don't you just love it when things like that happen.

A VIEW FROM OUR FIRST CLASS SEATS.. lol...
IT WAS REALLY PRETTY OUT THE WINDOW

Well, our trip is over, and it's time for all the exciting events of 2009 to begin.

HAPPY NEW YEAR...

MISTER 'BEAN'

Today was our 20 week scan, and well, the title says it all... our Bean is a little Mister...

He is in perfect health, seems to be growing properly and everything is just great.





I was really worried that our 'Bean' wasn't going to co-operate and let us see his gender, but we had no trouble with that. The whole scan took about 20 minutes, because he was so good, and when it came time to sneak a peek, he lay there, legs wide open, revealing the whole package... it was hard to miss. There is no doubt that he is in fact another Geddes male. LOL.

Now the trouble with a little Mister, is his grandpa and uncle on my side...my brother, Jarryd and my dad are natural born trouble makers, mischief seekers and pranksters... And I have no doubt that they will eagerly try to involve our little Mister Bean and teach him the ways of the Gerber Family men...Oh, what grey hairs I see sprouting on my head after family vacations to South Africa... LOL... But then, I just couldn't imagine life without my nut-house family who so love to torment me. :D

Our little 'Bean' will also have no shortage of little terrors to play with, as the Geddes side of the family are sprouting many boys... there is Kaden, Landon, Baby Nielsen and our Mister 'Bean' and I am sure there are many more little Geddes Men still to come. It will be wonderful when we live close to the rest of the family and the boys can all grow up together.

To think of the things that lie in the future... dirty boys racing through my house, tramping mud on my clean carpets; bug collections in my living room and excuses like, "But Grandpa Said..."

We are definitely in for an entertaining adventure with our little Mister 'Bean'