What Planet is this Child From?

I forgot until just now that I had this photo hidden in the archives on my camera. It makes me smile (and chuckle) :)

Post-lasagna, pre-bath...with a little hair styling help from dad!

Expanding Beyond Three!

I've been waiting to share this exciting news with the blogging world! We will be welcoming another little one this summer (due July 20)! We're excited and nervous - though not nearly as nervous as when we were pregnant with Gavin...much more relaxed. It's funny how a second pregnancy brings about different emotions. In many ways, I feel so much like I know what to expect. In other ways, we have a world of unexpected things ahead. How will I devote my time to TWO little ones? Is there enough love to go around? Am I ready for sleepless nights again? How on earth will go grocery shopping, out to dinner...the simple things that have become so easy to master with just one kiddo. Now there will be TWO!

Aside from all of the unknowns (which I'm sure we'll just figure out, like millions of people do every day)...we are THRILLED! We have always known that we wanted to be parents to at least a couple of children. And Gavin is such a blessing, and just so much fun, that we can't wait to double our blessings.

So, without further ado, some photos that we've been saving to post when we made our official announcement...

While faint, that is a second line! I was trying to make myself believe I would be "okay" if it didn't appear, but then in just seconds, it was there. I remember this moment with my first pregnancy - I literally felt like the world was spinning in slow motion around me. I was dizzy. This time, I was much more subdued.

We waited to announce our news to our parents and siblings until Christmas, though we've known we were pregnant since mid-November. I made a tee-shirt for Gavin that we had our parents open at Christmas.

Here I am at about week 12 (last week). I must say, I am getting bigger much FASTER than with Gavin. I suppose they say that your uterus is like a balloon - easier to stretch out the second time around. Well, it's stretching alright! At 12 weeks, I look like I did when I was about 20 weeks along with Gavin. I'm sure people were beginning to suspect that I was pregnant (or just gaining some holiday weight) before we announced it. Needless to say, I'm glad that I never put away my maternity yoga pants (pictured above) from my first pregnancy. I LOVE maternity pants, particularly this pair that can pass as non-maternity when I'm not pregnant! I'm looking forward to getting the rest of my pants out of the storage bin - clothes are starting to get so tight!

Finally, here is a video that captures my mom's reaction to the news. It's pretty classic...

Who's gift was this?

Brad has been enjoying Gavin's Mega Bloks a bit too much...
Photoed here are two of his greatest works - a church and a tower. Not photoed are several other works of art (like a garage for Gavin's cars). I typically come home to a new design each day...

More Christmas Catch-Up

After our Christmas morning just the three of us, we headed to Brian and Lisa's for Christmas with the Clarks. Brian and Lisa (and Lisa's parents) were wonderful hosts this year. It is always so much fun to get together and watch all of the kids attack their gifts. The girls added to their various collections of pink (Barbies, Build a Bears, Zhu Zhus...and all other things girly girl). Luke enjoyed more video games and a box of magic trick supplies. And Gavin reveled in Handy Manny, the Little People firehouse, and trucks, trucks, trucks (among other gifts).

Here's Gavin helping Grandma and Grandpa open a special present :)

Gavin modeling Dadda's new cool ND hat.

And then post party, back at home, with the mega blocks (that have now officially consumed our house). I'll post more on this particular gift, as it has been enjoyed more by Dadda than by Gavin (photos to follow).

And I just love this photo of the two little monkeys munching on their bananas. Leksi (who is obviously a Justin Bieber fan) came to exchange gifts with Gavin - thanks so much for the wonderful car ramp (not the one in the picture, a different one). It's a huge hit with our little car-aholic.

So, that sums up Christmas 2010. I'll have a couple more posts coming soon...one to demonstrate Brad's fabulous Mega Block skills and then one other Christmas-related post that I will leave you in suspense for!

Christmas Catch-Up

I'm a bit late in getting rounds 2 and 3 of Christmas posted to the blog. Here are just a few of my favorite photos of Christmas morning. Clearly, we could have spent just $12 on Gavin for Christmas and he would have been completely satisfied (with his Mack truck).

Word of the weekend was "open"...so here is opening...

Aside from Mack, Santa did a superb job of picking out "Cars" cars to match the couple that he already had. Soon he'll have the whole town!

And finally, breakfast at the new little table that Santa's elves built for Gavin (or could it be IKEA?).