Wordless Wednesday

(These "fashionable" diapers were a gift. Don't judge!)

Reorganizing

I've been giving the blog a lot of thought recently and have decided that I'll need to be more organized if I'm actually going to manage to keep up. The first thing I need to do is come up with a new name, since we are no longer "waiting for baby." So we'll see what I come up with for that!

My current plan is to do at least the following:

• Monthly posts highlighting Dexter's development
• be on the lookout for a post later this week when he turns six months old!
• Wordless Wednesdays
• picture-only posts on Wednesdays
• Foodie Fridays
• sharing recipes and soliciting your favorites! 

Life has been chugging along and Dexter is growing like a weed. It is so hard to believe that I will have a six-month-old in less than a week! Honestly, nothing could have prepared me for how amazing it is to be a parent. I love watching him interact with the world, experiencing every little thing for the first time.

We've been having a blast introducing solid foods - Dex LOVES to eat! He yells at me between spoonfuls if I'm not getting it in his mouth fast enough and smacks his lips when he gets his favorite, which so far is applesauce. We've tried: oatmeal, rice cereal, applesauce, bananas, pears, avocado, and Japanese sweet potato. Tonight we're going to try some butternut squash, which I'm pretty sure he'll love. The only thing he hasn't liked so far was the avocado - that made him cry! We'll try it again though.

I'm hoping that having a plan for the blog will keep it more active, as I like keeping our friends and family in the loop! Aside from the planned posts, I'll continue to update here and there about what's going on in the Bertolone household. Now that the warmer weather is here we'll be able to get out and do more with the baby, and I can't wait to share our adventures with you!

I Have a Blog?

So, I disappeared. I just wanted to announce, in case anyone is still checking in, that I'm developing some new ideas for this blog and hope to get back to regular updates very soon!

Stay tuned.

We're Alive

I suppose now would be a good time to update about the birth of our beautiful boy, since he turned one month old yesterday! He has done his best to keep me as busy as possible, and compared to enjoying every moment with him, blogging just didn't seem important. So I'll use this quiet moment when he is asleep on Adrian's shoulder to share about:

Dexter Grey

Born November 10, 2011

8:47pm

 7lb., 6oz., 19.5 inches

Seeing this little face for the first time was a surreal experience.

(He looked so different 24 hours later!)

Becoming a parent has been such an adventure so far. I'm so looking forward to seeing more and more of Dexter's personality, but he already makes me so happy. 

On that note, I need to go breathe in my freshly-bathed baby and get him and myself ready for bed! I'll post more pictures in future posts, and will try not to go so long between posts this time!

36 Weeks

So... here we are, after about a month and a half since my last post. I certainly had no intention of going so long without updating, but life has been busy and this mama is tired!

It's so hard to believe that we're 4 weeks from our due date. I'm more and more anxious all the time. I can't wait to meet our son! I have been trying to really enjoy any moments of quiet time, especially when it's just Adrian and me at home, but there's always so much to do. I did totally abuse a day off today and just sleep most of it away, but I figure if my body is letting me do it, then I must really need the sleep. Please don't anyone tell me to enjoy it now because I won't be sleeping later. The "just you wait" type comments are just irritating at this point - even first time moms are aware that life is going to change!

Speaking of change, there's finally been progress in the nursery! It's painted and the furniture is set up. Now I just have to finish all the decorative touches. Thanks to two fantastic baby showers (thanks, Moms!), this child has just about everything he needs. The generosity we've been shown has been wonderful, and so very much appreciated.

In other news, Adrian and I went to our childbirth class last week and it was informative. Nothing blew my mind since I've been doing a lot of reading, but I think it was good for Adrian and good for us to experience together. We were definitely the goofy couple in the room and there were many points where we were doing the horrible silent laugh, hoping to not crack up out loud and get evil glares from other couples. I am so not surprised by this. Oh, and for the record, childbirth videos are still just as horrifying as they were in eighth grade. Miracle of life and all that, I know, but... yuck.

I'm really just trying to get through the next few weeks as smoothly as possible. I'm working up until my due date and it is a nice distraction from obsessing over the time left. I am just starting to feel more uncomfortable and can't help but feel like I just want the pregnancy part to be over now. However, I would like him to stay in there for a few more weeks so he's as healthy as possible and so my maternity leave falls when I had planned, since it covers the holiday period so perfectly :)

I feel completely scatterbrained lately and I'm having a hard time thinking right now, so I guess I'll just leave you with this:

A cute little melon that sticks its feet in your ribcage and crushes your bladder at the same time!

29 weeks (+5 days)

I'll start by saying that I am SO excited about this cooler weather! It's starting to feel like fall (my favorite season) so now I can really start looking forward to my 26th birthday, Thanksgiving, and the birth of our son! I'm not going to lie - I will be bummed if being in the hospital interferes with celebrating Thanksgiving on the actual holiday, so I am just hoping little man decides to arrive on schedule. I hate it when people are late!

I am excited for Friday because being able to say that I am 30 weeks pregnant makes it seem so much closer. Each passing week makes me more anxious - I just want to hold him! Having ten weeks to go sometimes sounds like a lot, but I know that it's going to fly by - especially since there is so much to do! I'm glad now that we've held off on the nursery for so long because it gives me something to do and think about while I wait. Hopefully we'll be painting this week and then we can finally get the crib assembled and start decorating.

In other house news, we have a total kitchen overhaul scheduled to start at the beginning of October. It's pretty much going to be happening until I deliver, so that will be interesting. New ceiling (no more drop ceiling - hooray!), new cabinets, new countertops, new lighting, more work space... what more could I ask for? It will be so great to have a nice kitchen for our family to spend time in (it is pretty awful in its current form) - I will try to remember to post before and after photos when it is all done!

Maybe I will finally feel more motivated to cook things like...

squash! I have no clue what kind of squash that is, to be honest. It's just exciting to have an update in the fruit department :)

Although we seem to be100% sure about the baby's name, we have decided not to announce it until he's born. A few family members know, but we wanted there to be a little element of surprise for his debut. I LOVE the name we picked out - I think it will fit perfectly with our little family.

That's all for now!



28 weeks (+4 days)

28 weeks! And quickly approaching 29! Sometimes I can't understand where the time is going, but then at other times I can't help but wish it would just go even faster because I am so anxious to meet our baby. However, I'm really trying to enjoy every moment of the pregnancy, because I know I'll miss this special private time with my son :) It is still so amazing to feel every kick and poke from inside - sometimes I just can't believe it's really happening.

The movement lately has just been incredible! Early in the day he likes to hang out and poke me in the ribs, and it can be a little uncomfortable, but he moves down later in the evening and I usually feel his kicks (and rolls and punches) in the same place every night. Adrian loves feeling him move and those are probably my favorite moments right now - when our whole little family is connected.

We love to imagine what he's going to be like. Who will he look like? Will he eventually pick up our habit to make up stupid songs about anything and everything? We're pretty sure he'll get in trouble at school for having a sassy mouth since we both do :) Sometimes I'm still just blown away by the entire concept of it all - that we created this life together and are now responsible for shaping him into a respectable human being. Still, I think we'll be great parents - I really haven't worried about that.

I was fortunate to have my first baby shower on Saturday and it was just lovely. The baby got lots of great presents! We received the bedding we registered for and my mom and I went to Home Depot to compare it to paint colors - we picked one I think will look great in the nursery and the colors we're going with are completely neutral and usable for our next baby, so that's a plus. I will post one picture of me from the day of the shower, but don't get used to it - I'm a little shocked that I'm posting ANY pictures of my pregnant self!

By the way, this mama does NOT have gestational diabetes! Went to the doctor yesterday and everything is perfect with both me and the baby!