Miracles.

This past week my cousin Pam celebrated another birthday. Here she is as a baby with her great-uncle Ray, my grandfather, (papa). I just thought there is something so tender in this photo, so timeless and classic that I felt the need to share it. It's not only a miracle that we all will experience a new life, a new little one, a new family member in the next month or two, but it is truly a miracle that that love we experience for this new little person is as timeless and classic as the love "uncle Ray" felt for little Pam all those years ago. The way John Moore felt when Emma and Cody, his first grand kids were born, and the way my own father will feel about his first grandchild this spring. Miracles. Absoluely without doubt miracles. So for those of you wrapped up in disgust over the economy, the government and missle launches being prepared in Korea, here's a moment of truth that there is still good in the world, still love and still miracles. My papa is certainly one who left behind him a whole wake of goodness, love and family, and the bump is just another link in his legacy. So never mind the decline in your stocks, take stock in the love and family you have and the legacy of love you leave behind. Being able to focus on that in todays world is the true miracle.

Special thanks to Cousin Amy for sending such a lovely set of old family Photos.

Signs of Spring.

Just a note to report mommy and baby are both well. Shadow went for his annual shots and vet visit today and is up t0 date on everything he needs for meds before his new owner appears. (meaning the baby, we're not getting rid of the little guy!)

I've finally stopped working 60 hour weeks. I cut back to 53 hours this week and with some schedule readjustments may even be down to 40 next week! I also had this morning off. It was the first week day morning in ages and got tons of errands done. Which I know doesn't really mean I'm slowing down, but I'm feeling good anyway.

The weather is getting better, and I'm getting bigger still. Complete strangers are now saying, "God bless you both." when I sneeze. Seasonal allergies have begun. And people in church are saying peace be with you (shaking my hand) and you too (touching the bump).

So spring time this year is bringing a lot of "NEW" to our lives. We'll clearly have the birth of our new baby, but even before then, I've experienced a lot of new as well. We have new experiences ahead with our wonderful niece Aoife who will be arriving from Dublin on the 10th of May. New decorations for the baby's room, new gadgets and gizmos to learn how to use for baby. I have a new shoe size! I've grown from a 7 to an 8.5! And, as my Doctor has recommended I wear sneakers all the time for support and compression of my swolen ankles, I have new sneakers! Fashion is now becoming a new game of will-this-fit-me-today? And I also, knowing that my feet won't magically return to a size 7, softened the blow of becoming big foot by getting my self a fabulous pair of size 8 gold (but very supportive and easy to slip on with baby in hand) floral sandals for the spring/summer... They may very well be the last nice NEW thing mommy gets her self for a long time.

So in the spirit of spring: here's to new life, new shoes and everything that blossoms for us all in the weeks ahead!

Yes the large pink object eclipsing the new sandals is the bump, and yes I have to lean forward to see the fab sandals, and yes, I go to the salon for pedicures, despite my long arms, I can barely reach the feet long enough to tie sneakers. Once the swelling goes down in the feet a little, ok, a lot, These should be really cute! Happy Spring!

Table for 6?

Erin, Jen & I had Brunch with the bumps in Devlin's on Saturday March 21st. There was a baby shower in progress, a woman beside us who was clearly pregnant, and about 5 small babies ranging in age from 5 weeks to about a year. I think there's something in the Brighton water!



Here's a lovely picture of the three of us (6 of us) @ Devlin's.
Erin's little one will be names Sean Michael Keane, Jen's little one will be Ethan Patrick Donahue... only about Nine weeks left until we find out if there will be three boys, or two boys and a girl among us.

St. Patricks Day

Bernie, Emma and I at the Green Briar in Brighton, MA

Parading the Bump

The little one and I went off to the Southie parade today. Bump really enjoyed the bagpipes and drums. Thomas and I had our day out at the hospital yesterday for Labor and Delivery Class. Thomas learned a great deal and now knows exactly how to "RELAX" me and help me breathe through labor... Sounds like a great theory, we'll see how much we both remember when I'm screaming and having contractions!

Bump's on the move.

Ok, so this is not actually my bump, but it's more or less what it FEELS like, as if a little baby kick is going to come right out the side of me. . . (and I'd say it looks about this big now too)
Our little one is now 29 weeks along. Only about 2 and a half months left! It's racing by. I'm still working and saving up for a summer off, and still in reasonably great shape. My ankles are still swollen, but I'm wearing some pretty snazzy compression stockings to keep the fluid in check. I am fortunate enough to get my feet up at work as well.

The belly is now measuring 44inches around!!!! And my weight gain at this point is right on target for "Normal" if there is such a thing in pregnancy. This kid LOVES music. Every time I have the radio on or there's music on TV the baby dances. It was really having a ball in there while the sound of music was on last Friday night. I also started to do kick counts, which is counting how long it takes the baby to kick or move 10 times. I've given up entirely. Bump is constantly on the move, so I have no fear of not making the suggested time frame of 2 hours. It actually moves about 10 times in 2 minutes sometimes. I'm not sure if he or she will come out and instantly become the youngest member of the US gymnastics team or actually be born with Irish dance shoes on it's wee little feet. Perhaps both! The nurses at Tufts told me the baby is SO responsive that it is behaving like a 32 week old baby at 28 weeks! hopefully that doesn't mean he or she will make an appearance 4 weeks early!

The verdict is still 50/50 Tom & Mom think it will be a boy and Dad and I think girl. Many of my friends and folks I've met think it's a boy, but there's just a gut feeling this little one is going to be my little girl. We will all be over joyed either way. It is such an exciting time for us all and we are thankful to be able to share this experience with all of you as well.

Nice photos to make up for the ankle shot:

Thomas and the Bump each got me flowers for my birthday, Thomas' bunch were noticeably larger, just to remind me not to totally forget he exists when the little one comes along. Both bunches were absolutely beautiful!

Here's a shot of the Hospital where the Bump will be born.
View from the Hospital of the Boston Sky line at Dusk... Kind of reminds me of one of those cell phone ads, but pretty anyway.


Saturday we went for a great walk around Castle Island with our first baby, Shadow.