Stuck

I woke up this morning feeling both congested and dehydrated, so I am just laying on the couch, doing nothing. I can't watch TV because the remotes are stuck somewhere under my sleeping dog and/or husband. I don't want to disturb them, because our dog is either hyper or sleeping, and I prefer sleeping at the moment. I am trying to start some Christmas shopping online, but I just keep wandering back to gapmaternity or the sherpa website (doggie carriers--Wahoo is flying home with us for Christmas). Uh-oh, the little one is awake! Oh, he just plopped back down on daddy.
I have a new tummy picture for you guys, but I can't find the attachment for my camera at the moment. I will try to find it later today.
I am getting kind of excited to start the nursery, but every time I think of buying baby stuff I get really overwhelmed. There is so much stuff to buy! Nursery furniture, toys, bath toys, baby towels, baby clothes, baby jackets, strollers, walkers, diaper bags, books, baby bedding, bottles, pacifiers...it is just a lot to think about. I guess I should just start a running list.
So, I have been feeling the baby a little bit. No kicks or anything like that, but I can feel him/her land and settle when I readjust. Pretty cool. Most women start feeling kicks between 18-20 weeks, which is about two weeks from now. I can't wait. I go to the doctor again two weeks from Tuesday and there is a small chance we can find out the sex at that time. Otherwise it will have to wait until my visit next month.
Only three and a half weeks until California!!! That means Wahoo's, Inn-n-Out, Baja Fresh, Pat and Oscar's, the Black Bear Diner, BJ's, Del Taco and so many other yummy places to eat!!! It is a pregnant girl's dream Christmas. Oh, and we are excited to see family and friends, too. ;) Oh, man, I am hungry now.
Well, I guess it is lunch time here, and the dog is awake and trying to eat my hair.
Love you all,
Bren

Second Trimester

Today is the first day of the second trimester. Yay! That means our chances of miscarriage go way down, so that is comforting. I have posted an embarrassing picture of myself above to show you guys my little tummy since you can't see it in person. I guess I am about to get big really fast, so I will try to post a pic every week so you can all see the baby progress. It will be so much fun!!! Well, for some of us. Yes, we have a massive pile of laundry--try to pretend you don't see it. No, I haven't put the bedskirt on our bed yet. Wahoo was very excited to be in the picture with me. Too cute.
It is starting to sink in that there is an actual human growing inside of me. I think I will start refering to myself as "we". We went to work today. We walked six blocks and stood in line for a half hour just to get a decent burrito (at a place "our" coworkers pronounce "Chipodul"). We rode the subway and we went to Whole Foods. We had yummy salad for dinner when we got home. We will go to bed very soon.
I always knew I would love being pregnant, but I never knew how excited I would be to meet the baby. I always thought I would be sad to let the baby go (and maybe I will be, when the time comes), but I am just so excited to see what he/she will be like, what it will be like to hold him/her in my arms, what it will be like the first time I hear the baby mumble "mama". I think I will cry for a week for each of those things. And love every minute of it.
Well, I guess I should talke about non-baby stuff. Matt's parents are coming next week for Thanksgiving. We are going to the Radio City Christmas special, and we might go see them blowing up the balloons for the Macy's parade. Other than that, we will just stuff our faces like the rest of the country. One week after that I have to go to Miami for a couple of days for business, then one week after I get back, Brad and Heather are coming to visit (yay!), then right after they leave, we get to go to California! Yay. I am happy that things are going to move quickly for a while. The first few months here were just dragging. I am ready to be with family and hopefully friends, too.
Well, it is getting late so "we" had better go to bed.
Love you all! Miss you tons!
Bren

A walk by the Hudson

I had another prenatal appointment today. It was pretty quick, but I got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. It was so fast! She let me listen to mine to hear the difference--I think the baby's was about twice as fast as mine. It was awesome.
Since I was home early, I took Wahoo down by the river. He loves the leaves--he loves walking in them, he loves rolling in them, he loves eating them. He is super cute. Now he is sitting on my lap trying to pretend he isn't tired. Oh, wait...now he is on the floor playing with his favorite toy, a washed out milk carton. I don't know if it is really his favorite or the only one too big to hide.
That is about all that is going on here. I found out that I have to go to Miami for business...yuck. Brad and Heather are going to come visit us--yay!
Alright, I am way too distracted by The Colbert Report to think of anything else.
Love you all!
Bren

Elizajosh

Our first baby picture.

More pictures

Cottage Cheese

So, I went on another dog walk tonight up to the park by our apartment (Bennet Park, I think?). Everyone was telling me how cute Wahoo is, so I graciously let them. Wahoo loves everyone, so I let other people pet him when they want. As I neared a park bench, I saw an older couple eyeing the dog like they might want to pet him. I steered Wahoo closer to them and they started petting him and asking questions. They had very strong accents (Matt says they were probably Russian Jews, since a lot of them live in our area). The man asked what kind of dog he is, so I said, "Boston terrier". The man said, "Boxhound?" I said, "Boston." He said, "Boxtown?" I said, "Boston, like the city." He said, "Oh, Boxtown." So, that made me giggle inside. They asked if he was full grown and some other stuff. Then the man asked, "What do you feed him--cottage cheese?" I asked, "Why, is cottage cheese good for dogs?" He shrugged and said, "Oh, I don't know." I told them "No, he eats dog food."
I hope you are laughing by now, because it was very funny.

Columbus Day in NYC

Well, the city was pretty empty today. It was kind of nice. We had a rainy weekend here and spent almost the entire time at home. I took Wahoo for a walk in the light rain on Friday night. He had fun chasing the wet leaves that blew in the wind at the little park by our apartment. I had a nice conversation with a man who had the same type of dog and same type of outfit as me (boston terriers and black velour sweatsuits--we just had to stop and talk!). That is one thing I like about it here--making new friends on the dog walks.
We went to another church this week and I think we both like it. I am bummed there aren't any good Nazarene options around here, though. It is just one more huge change I am having to deal with. Oh, well.
Matt's family is coming for Thanksgiving and I am really looking forward to it. Then it will only be a month until Christmas and California!
It has been getting cold here pretty quickly. I am realizing how ill equipped I am for a New York winter.
We miss all of you very much. I hope to hear from all of you soon.
Bren

Pictures of Central Park

Not much to say...

I just want to say hi to everybody and let you know how much I love it when you post comments to our blog. I miss you all! I don't have much to say...work is going alright. I am still getting the hang of it. I have to do a lot of research each day, which can be interesting or boring. The people are great, though. I love getting my food from a cart. The falafel guy is really sweet, and you can get a huge plate of falafel for $3.50.
Mark, I am on the third Harry Potter already. It is fun to read for fun.
I love my doggie and I am so grateful I get to spend time with him. He knows "sit" and "sit and stay" so far. He still hops like a bunny, especially after his numerous baths (after he walks through his accidents). He is teething and bites a lot, but we are working on it.
Well, it is getting late here. Love you all.
Bren

more good news

today i officially accepted a job offer for a position in new york. i will be working for the parent of the company i work for right now, so it will be a pretty smooth transition. my new title is senior SEC compliance analyst...or something like that. i will spare you the details, since most of you reading this will fall asleep if i don't. it is a totally different position, though, so it will be a new chapter in my career. if the little manhattan geography i have learned serves me correctly, it is in the financial district--close to wall street and all of that. i am really looking forward to it.

i feel very blessed that this position opened up at the right time for me to take it. it is such a relief (for both of us) to know that we will be able to pay the monstrous rent and other such things. thanks to all of the friends and family who have been praying for me to find a job.

the female perspective

Most people want to know what I think about being dragged across this country...so I will tell you. I am very excited! I will not be bored! It will be so nice to have things to do and see. I am totally nervous about getting everything done, but I think the hardest part is over (the waiting). We finally know where we are going to live! We get to live in the same place for 4-5 years! I am sad to be leaving friends and family, but I imagine we will be home a bunch.
Matt, sorry you are going to have to work so hard while I live it up in the city.
Brendafer