Willa's bedtime story for Cubbie

Every night, Willa recites a story to her little sister.  It is the sweetest part of my day!  She gets very into the story, and loves to hug my belly and to give it kisses.  Last night I made a video, and may have Jeremy shoot another one since it's so dark, but I hope you enjoy this one in the meantime!

Belly updates

 So, here are the last two belly shots, taken at 6(ish) months and 7(ish) months.

Six months

Seven months

She is getting so big!  I am definitely feeling large and in charge, in full waddle mode.  None of my favorite shoes fit any more, but luckily it's sandal season so I can get away with strappy shoes.  My feet also routinely swell by the end of the day, which (because my blood pressure is actually on the low normal side) I'm taking as a good sign that she's putting pressure down low where she needs to be.  I'm also starting to feel a couple of Braxton Hicks a day, which my doc says is normal.  So basically, starting to feel uncomfortable on a regular basis!

Cubbie is also quite the feisty little one.  She and I regularly get into what I like to call "turf wars," when she kicks my arms and hands any time I rest them on my belly.  Her little feet are so knobbly, and I love to feel them on the right side of my belly, right under my ribs, even if she is being a little salty with them :-).  She continues only to kick for me and seems to have an uncanny ability to know when her Daddy or her sister is trying to feel her.  I actually don't think Willa has gotten a good feel yet!  

Overall, we are both doing really well.  I am excited to meet her soon, but hope she waits until her due date so we have lots of time to get ready for her!

As a fun little bonus, here is a video I took at work where you can see her moving from the outside.  Look to the right side of the belly to see little "pops" as she kicks with her strong little legs!

Tea with Brie

This past Saturday I was honored with a baby sprinkle by a few awesome friends, Nikki, Callie, and Molly, with valuable contributions from my sister in law, Katie, and friends Audrey and Sandi.  My parents flew in to help and to celebrate with us, which was so wonderful.  All I had asked for was that there be peonies, and boy were there!!

The theme was "Tea with Brie," and so we had a lovely luncheon with tea in many forms.  We wore fancy hats and ate finger sandwiches and tea.  Everyone got a vintage teacup as a favor, as well as a tea bag and a little honey straw.  It was just so amazing and perfect!  The activity was for everyone to write thoughtful letters to Cubbie, to be put in a teapot time capsule for her to open when she's older.  Yeah, there were tears.  So, so many happy tears.

A sign specially made for our girl

Willa and I made her a fun fabricator to wear to the party

A table full of sweet treats and tea

The most beautiful cake I have ever seen, thanks to Katie!

Our place settings

The whole table

A close up of the dark pink peony centerpiece

Vintage teacups galore!

The gift table

Fancy hats!

Thee masterminds

Raspberries in the ice cubes!

Chick Fil A lemonade, yum!

Such a fun group!

The most beautiful diaper cake, that will keep Cubbie covered for the first month, I'm sure!

My parents decided to get Willa a big sister gift so that she wouldn't feel too left out when I was opening so many gifts.  They found her the absolute perfect match in an American Girl doll, down to the name!  It had her same eye color, hair color, teeth spacing, and was named "Willa"!  I bought the doll some purple glasses to match Willa's, and she was smitten.  When she opened it, she said, "Can I play with me?!"  Love it.

Perfect match!

She was enamored.

Overall I was so thrilled with the whole day.  Everyone was so sweet, and every detail was so well thought out.  How lucky I am to have such an amazing group of women around me.  Also, that I have a Dad that was willing to come just to work and take pictures for me!  I can't stop counting my blessings.

At the end of the party, Willa got some good big sister practice in with baby Eric.  She was a little startled by him poking her face at first, but after Nikki hooked his arm under hers, she was smitten.  She kept giving him hugs and kisses, and I thoroughly melted.

What a precious day <3.

Magical maternity shots

A couple of weeks ago Willa and I got to have our pictures taken in heaven on earth, also known as a peony farm.  Pink peonies have always been my favorite flower, and to be surrounded by them while dressed in a flowy white dress seemed just too good to be true for my maternity shots.  That Willa cooperated and looked adorable was a fun bonus.  Between the light, the wind, and the amazing kid next to me, they turned out really well.  Behold and enjoy!