Really Big

jelly fish... holy moly I am so glad we didn't meet him in the water!

(Sorry, haven't really taken any new pics since we have been back yet :)

A KY Shower of Blessings!

With us and my sweet sister & brother-in-law also expecting her first child we were blessed to attend, via Skype, our very first baby shower this weekend!  

Goodness.... we are so thankful for Skype!

Tiff working on baby Olivia's gifts!

Since we were there via computer screen my grandmothers stepped in to help with the opening of BabyB's goodies!

An amazing personalized gift from my Aunt Shell!

Another amazing one... BabyB's handmade quilt from his/her Aunt Tiffany!

Two of my sweet grandparents & other friends who we got to see!

It was so good to get to see some of the folks we haven't got to see in a year!

We really were blessed!

Hopefully soon I will get to share some pics with all of us together & bump comparisons!  Ha!

Thank you to all of our friends & family who made this special time possible for us, for my sister & 

our Little One's... who are soon on their way!!!

Favs from Thailand

Sunrise

Busy tiny crabs

the bump :)

Brad... gearing up to kayak

us :)

Brad headed to the islands

Brad's first-ever massage!

(I promise he was happy & smiling I just missed the picture :)

Right next to the ocean!

29 weeks

To my Busy Baby,

My sweet baby!  Busy does not even describe you well :)  I am so very thankful that you are active & growing well.  You have recently found my lungs as well, to go with the bladder & ribs that you like to kick, punch & stretch into :)

During this time you are nearing 17 inches long and still around 3 lbs... you have entered into your "rapid growth stage"!  Which means that you are keeping your momma very full feeling most of the time, due to your growing size in my limited space, but hungry much of the time as well.  Your bones are hardening into place... so I am doing my best to keep the calcium flowing to you!

This week you have traveled back from your first trip to Thailand and celebrated your first Christmas with your Daddy & I in South Asia.  You have done really well & been very kind to me with all of our traveling lately.  Where we were at the beach is a 3 1/2 hr car ride to the airport, then a few hours in the airport, followed by a 3 hr plane ride, then another 1 hr taxi ride before we got to our bed for the evening!  You did great... but wow I was tired!  Then just yesterday we were given a car to drive in South Asia & today your Daddy drove us all the way home from the BigCity, a 4 hr drive!  Hopefully you will always love & be good at traveling Little One, it is just part of our life here!

We love you so very much & can't wait to meet you!  Oh... and in just a couple days you get to attend, via Skype, your first party!  That's right... a party just for you & your cousin Olivia!  We are all very excited!  I will tell you more about it next week :)

Love you, my Busy Baby (who is currently knocking into my ribs :)!
With all my love,
Your Momma

Christmas season in Thailand

Why wouldn't you decorate the coconut trees?

28 weeks

Hello Sweet Baby Boy or Girl,

This is your daddy, and I love you!  I am excited that you are continuing to grow and develop and become more and more like a little baby.  I am so excited and ready to meet you and get to hold you! This week, you got your first plane ride and trip to Thailand!  I don't think you noticed too much, but you did seem to like it when your mommy ate donuts and drank Starbucks.  

We tried to find out again who you were this week, but you were not wanting to cooperate; so we still don't know who you will be.  We do know that you are growing, 3.3 lbs and as far as all the doctors can tell are completely healthy!  This makes me and your mommy very happy.  We are blessed to have you, and are ready to hold you and begin our lives together!  I love you and am praying for you, and get excited when your mommy tells me that you are moving around.  You really are an active baby, and we are ready to play with you.

I love you, and look forward to seeing you!

Your Daddy

Last year & This year

2011 - Christmas toes with my mom & sister :)

2012 - Thai toes on the beach :)

27 weeks

Hello sweet BabyB,

You my dear are quite the fun baby!  Your weight is still near 1kg but you are also near/ more than 15 inched head to toe!  Yay!  Which is probably why you are now able to kick, stretch, hit, & dance to all sides of my belly at the same time!  You are getting better at kicking on cue, your daddy has got to feel you deliver several proper kicks (with wide eyes) several times in the last few days!

We, you & I, are now into the last third of this time we share together!  This week was good for you, you attended your first Christmas party with me & we got our first of the belly rubs from your local Aunties here!  They are all so excited to meet you Paapu & so very happy you will be born here & not in America :)  This week was also the first time you found my ribs & several different organs to kick!  Whoa!

Hey Paapu,

This is your daddy, and I want to tell you that I love you!  I am so glad that you and your momma are growing and staying completely healthy.  You seem to only be getting more energy as you grow, and that makes your Mommy and me very happy.  I can't not wait to see you and get to hold you, but I know this time you have now is very important, and I am praying that you continue to grow and be healthy.

But this week, you get your first plane ride and trip to the beach!  It will be a lot more fun when you can see and feel it for yourself, but your mommy and me are glad to be going.  Know that we love you, are praying for you, and I can't wait until I can hold you.

We love you kid & can't wait to call you by name & hold you in our arms!
Love Always,
Your Momma & Your Daddy

Prayers for Paapu

You can also pray this with us if you like :)

It was not a silent night...

Let's Party!!! 

I should of thought to take more pictures... you know the before, more during, 

& the wrecked house after... but I didn't!  Ha!

Some of our Aussie friends brought nachos...

between the nachos, American chili (which everybody still called curry), veggies with dip, 

and American sweets most folks had no idea how to eat!

Friends :)

I loved our full & busy home!

Overall stats for the evening:

total number attending: ?

gift bags given to different families: 16

rice cooked: 2.5 kgs (over 5 lbs)

folks who heard the Christmas story in the local language: 16+ 

(not counting all the little ones running around!)

neighborhood families who attended: 3

favorite auto drivers (those we have known a long time who don't cheat us :) who attended: 5

gifts we received: 3!

bowls of punch drank: 2

bowls of chai drank: 1

butter used in baking: 2 pounds... holy cow!

sugar used in baking & chai: almost 3 pounds... whoa...

gingerbread men remaining: 2 (yay for me!)

pieces of cake remaining: 4 little ones

vat of veg chili containing: 3kg fresh tomatoes, 2 cups each dry (then cooked) kidney beans & chickpeas, 3 large onions, 5 bell peppers, 7 fresh hot chilies, 2 big cans of corn kernels, 2 packs mushrooms, and more cumin & chili powder than can be accurately measured :)

My favorite time of the year!

Of course... this is from our Thanksgiving feast!

Brad was so kind, telling me this was the best turkey he had ever had!

(Maybe the fact that it was really fresh helped! :)

Thankfully, no pun intended, we were joined by some of our friends who live in the BigCity near us!

It really was like being with family in many ways.

Since we will be traveling 1/2 of December our tree & decor made it's debut mid-November :)

Of course... our nativities also came out...

Where do you think these guys are from?

BabyB's room even got a bit of decorating!

But, one of my favorite aspects of this time of year... the real reason we eat turkey...

what & who we are thankful for!

This is our Thankfulness Wreath... which I got the idea from this blog.

But, what would Christmas time be without a party?

So we would like to invite you to join us with our neighbors & friends here for an 

American Christmas Party this weekend!

(Your official invitation is above :)

26 weeks

Hello my dear baby,

I am writing you this as you are managing to kick me about!  It seems like just recently you have gotten much stronger!  Yay for you!  You, my dear, are one kilo now (2.2 lbs) and chubbing up a bit!   Your senses are  almost completely developed & you almost have the same brain activity as a newborn!  Wow!

This has been a full week for us, little one.  We went for our first monthly checkup last week without your daddy.  I was sad he was so busy, but on a very good note we were given your very first picture since he was not with us!  That's right, we went back to get an ultrasound just so we could see your sweet little face!  See...

You are right in the middle, we can see the profile of your little face with your nose, lips and chin & your sweet little hands!  

I am glad you are such a busy baby!  But I have to admit, sometimes you wear me out kid!  Seriously, I have been feeling good over all especially since this is the last week of our 2nd trimester, but I am also getting tired so easy again.... just like when you were the size of a gummie bear :)  We, just the other day, went for our/ my glucose test.  I was so hungry & tired that morning before things really got going.  I think you knew it too, you were quite chill while you are normally busy in the morning with your aerobics or something :)  Anyhow, about 45 minutes after I drank the sugary liquid I thought you were going to dance out my belly button!  Thankfully, we both calmed down & my tests were normal!

Something funny this week Paapu, you've had hiccups during my language class!  You are so fun already!  I am so excited to meet you soon!

We love you so very much sweet baby!

Love,

Your Momma

Flowers for your...

Before & After - Part 2

The Office/ Guest Room

Before... the baby blue that boy babies don't even like...

After, a much more neutral creamy coffee color :)

See the desk, chair & futon?

A better view of the futon... and out outdoor hanging basket swing!

You know you want to come over now!