Week 21

21 weeks. 21 weeks?! I can't believe it. I know that there's a ton more things that are going to happy in the next few weeks and months, but I can't believe I'm *more* than halfway there. That's crazy talk!

Well, it got really cold this weekend, so Ryan and I only ventured across the street today to take a picture. Actually, we were about to, but some friends from church were getting dropped off. I was super embarrassed so we went into an alleyway and took a few "urban" pictures, but then the alleyway was at the back of one of our friends' apartments, so either way, someone saw me bein a dork. I guess I just can't hide it! We went back to our original spot and took a few more pictures. Also, let's just say that none of my skirts fit anymore, so it's dresses to church from here on out. :)

a take in meal. also, just a really good meal.

I should really make chicken more often. Too bad sometimes it's just not that cheap! We're more of a cut-up-the-chicken-into-really-small-pieces-to-spread-it-out or use ground beef or just omit the meat altogether  kind of family.

But as I was thinking of ideas to take to a family who just had a baby last week AND they're moving to Cali on Saturday (talk about a whirlwind few weeks, but get this, he got a job with Google. I think that's rad) I wanted to take them something not only good, but also a little healthier, seeing as usually when you move you don't have a lot of fresh ingredients on hand, since you're giving them all away. Thanks to everyone who gave ideas via fbook and twitter. I really want to make spaghetti and french bread now :)

My mom suggested baked chicken with a fresh veggie and I knew that was what I wanted to make. After trying to decide if I wanted to make BBQ chicken, italian chicken, bruschetta chicken (the possibilities are seriously endless) I settled on "skinny chicken parm". AKA really good and simple chicken parmesean. I used Christy's, from The Girl Who Ate Everything blog, recipe and it was a hit. I made extra for Ryan and I to eat after we delivered the goods and it was great. I served it over angel hair pasta and some fresh, steamed green beans with a little sea salt. I even made these Pumpkin Brownies that I pinned weeks ago that everyone else in my family has made but me. They were awesome as well.

The meal + dessert came together in a little over an hour and I can't wait to make it again. I made this chicken parm from Simply Recipes last summer in DC and it was mega-good too. A little more work and a lot more calories, but I really love both and highly recommend them. Try 'em out!

Leaf-peeping

Leaf-peeping. Isn't that just the strangest word? It's what New Englanders call going to look at the fall leaves. We joined Julie and Oliver and headed up to Mt. Auburn cemetery, near Harvard, and it was beautiful. We only had a little over ten minutes until sunset and a little less than thirty minutes until the cemetery closed (aka we didn't know it closed that early and we're definitely going back soon, in the winter, and in the spring to look at everything start to blossom), but it was beautiful. I didn't get too many pictures, but here are the few that I got. The cemetery is more of a garden/park/cemetery and is over 100 acres. We didn't walk too far, but you can definitely get lost in there. New England is so beautiful in the fall, but it's definitely turning into winter. There's even a prediction for flurries in the next few days. Boo. Can we go back to the beginning of October please?

No week 20 pictures since we were having too much fun and then it was dark and I'm not a huge fan of on-camera flash, but hold your horses, I took some mirror-vanity pics on Monday just for my admiring fans. I really liked my outfit too. Black long-sleeved tee rolled up, three-quarter sleeved grey cardi, and free scarf ala my sisters. Also I took pictures because my camera rocks and I kindof love any excuse to use it. Ps, I felt baby m. move, officially, this week. Last Sunday I think I felt him, but it was quick. Now I can feel him at least once a day. Very cool.

                      

 

Getting ready for the weekend.

I'm so ready for this weekend. It also helps that I only have to work a half day today, which will make my Friday even better than normal. In light of this awesome fact I thought I'd post a few of the funnier behind-the-scenes pictures taken from our Sunday walk. Most of the time our roles are reversed and Ryan is the one taking pictures of me, but I like to make sure that he gets a few in there too. Also, Ryan and I are both dorks, so both of our pictures are of us with semi-awkward poses laughing or before laughing because really, if you're in the camera for long enough, you'll get a funny picture.

a new look.

Here's the thing. Ryan met Chase when they were both at school at the U of A. They became pretty good friends. Then they went on missions and didn't see each other for two years. Then they both transferred to different schools (Chase to ASU and Ryan to BYU). Then Chase married Annie. I married Ryan (I don't know who came first though and I don't really feel like researching it now, although Annie can clarify that for me in the comments).

I've only "met" Annie through her blog, through her photography and Fbook, but pretty much we're like soulmate friends who have never met. Also, she's a bomb artist and super creative (and busy, so I even more-super commend her) and happens to own Illustrator. Actually, I have a few friends who own that program. They may or may not be included in my Christmas present gift-giving because I may or may not coral them into making prints for me and my sisters/mom... Anyway, Annie made some awesome headers/posters for my blog/home a little bit ago and since I love them so, but haven't made it to the Costco printing section yet, I decided to put one of my favs as our new header. It's a bit large, and I don't really care, because it's awesome.

Thanks Annie, you're the best! And Chase is automatically included, don't you fret. I can't wait to print this and one of the LOVE prints (I can't decide which one is cuter though, so it may take me about forever) and put them in our home!!

The esplanade on a Sunday.

First of all, I'm watching Modern Family. Catching up on a few episodes actually. And I love it oh so much. If you have not seen "Phil on Wire," you absolutely need to right now. Cam and Mitch's story line is THE. BEST.

So my idea for going around Boston for different maternity should take us on an interesting ride this winter. Get ready for a lot of pictures of me with some kind of jacket or coat on. For real though, it's what I'll be wearing, so it's what everyone sees, so I feel like it's more "real life" than taking a picture in a bathroom and wearing something tighter just to get a better view of the baby. Also, our bathroom lighting is terrible. So either way, here's to experimentation, let's hope this works!

Ps. I'm betting a lot of pictures will be taken right after church in our car parking lot or right across the street from our apartment, so they're different parts of the city, but they may not be all over the city. But my goal is to go all over as we go on Sunday walks and drives, so we'll see.

Here's to week 19. Almost week 20!

We walked on the esplanade of the Charles River on Sunday and there's a bridge right off BU's campus, near the law school building that gets you there so it's just a hot-skip away from our place. You can kinda-sorta see downtown Boston behind me, too. It was a bit windy for most of the walk, but really, October in New England has been so good to us. Here's to the rest of fall and the start of winter!

18.

I'm a tad late on this one, but last Sunday Ry took some 18 week pictures as we went for a walk around the Riverway. It's a long path that we didn't do all of that's pretty much between Brookline and Boston. If that means anything to anyone, haha. Either way, it was a beautiful evening.

You still can't really tell that I'm pregnant with most of my shirts, unless I wear a shirt that's more form-fitting and then I just look like I have a big-ish stomach, unless I do that classic hand-posed pregnancy pose. I've got a few shirts from my mom (thanks!) and I'm wearing the preggo pants she gave me and can I just tell you that my tummy looks bigger, or the same size as my behind (which is not very small, in my opinion)… and that's just weird.

No text-on-picture this time, but I'll probably edit it sometime in the next few weeks/months.

All-in-all, this pregnancy thing is pretty rad. Other than the mild sciatica that I have in my left leg and sometimes in my right, all is well and being on my feet for work hasn't been bad at all. Let's keep our fingers crossed it stays that way.

Can we go back to this weekend?

Ryan and I had Columbus Day off and thoroughly enjoyed our three-day weekend. Nah, we didn't go crazy, but we did:

- Watch My Fair Lady (It was my first time, don't judge me, I'm sorry!) and loved it. Man, musicals make me happy.
- Trapse around Trader Joe's and walked out with a super-ripe and super-good pineapple. Just a pineapple.
- Walk to JFK's birthplace from our house. It took like 30 min. to walk. We're THAT CLOSE to history and I love it.
- Walked down Newbury St. (a swanky neighborhood area near Boston Common)
- Tried Pinkberry for the first time while walking on Newbury and really liked it. And really liked the fresh strawberries we added. MMM.
- Walked the Riverway near our house and took some preggo pictures. The walk was so nice, but I'm starting to feel like an old woman and walk a little slower.
- Go to a bomb birthday party for Oliver that his wife Julie hosted. Ate super-amazing soup and creme-brulee as well. Didn't get to eat the mouse since it had under-cooked eggs. Just one more think I get to relish after March.

This weekend was awesome and although it's hard to go back to work and school, I taught some terrific  first and fifth graders today, which help make the week a little better.

 

bouncing baby boy

I couldn't keep it a secret any longer and had to make a tweet a few hours ago, so I thought I'd make a quick post as well. The ultrasound went great this morning and everything looks good! I still have a doctor's appt. later this week to double-check everything, but so far so good.

It seems like all our friends who have had babies this year have been boys, and with my sister and other friends having boys in the next month or so, it's only fitting that we join the cool group with our little one too. My grandma had just bought loads of pink stuff at a garage sale, so I'm a little bummed she doesn't get to send it that way, but I think it's more that I'm a sucker for a good sale than my desire to have a boy or girl. We're thrilled beyond believe and can't wait to start really prepping to have a baby boy this March!

 And isn't Ryan just the cutest as he folds the teeny little onesies?! Also, they were on sale at Target for $3.50, so I just had to get a "i love daddy" and "i love mommy" onesie. so we're even :)

the bump. at 17 weeks.

I decided to pause my reading of "The Witches" by Roald Dahl to try to figure out how to make my first baby bump picture look cute. I must admit, it took a little longer than I thought it would. I graduated from college and even interned with an awesome photog. You'd think I'd be able to put some text on a picture!

Ryan and I ventured to Fenway Park on Sunday and took some pictures outside the stadium. The master plan is to take a baby bump picture every week or so at a different local around Boston. They won't all be as historic as Fenway Park, but since we live 10 minutes away, I figure, why not?! I haven't quite figured out what I'll do when it's terribly frigid outside, I may well be wearing the same coat in every picture for a while, but I'll try to mix it up. This week was the first week that I really felt like my stomach was looking more like a pregnant belly and although I know I'm really small, it feels so much bigger!

Keep tuned in to see if Baby M. cooperated at the fetal survey ultrasound and that we know the sex. Because that would be super awesome if I just knew already.