Nesting

Well here is a photo of Matthew and I on Christmas Day taken at my Grandparents' home in Seattle. It was a busy day--but fun to see so much family. Greta got many many gifts! Tons of cute clothes and little tiny socks that I just can't wait to dress her up in.

Amidst all the Christmas and New Years fanfare Matthew finished up his fall term at Regent and had many projects to complete at the end. Also, we got ready to move to our new apartment. Before and after visiting friends and family down in the good old US of A we scrambled with packing up our home in the Dunbar neighborhood of Vancouver so we could move to the Kerrisdale neighborhood. We thought it would be great to have more space and more convenience to bus lines, stores, parks etc for when Greta is finally here--and wanted to settle into the place before I got too huge and before Greta greets this world. Amazingly our apartment search wasn't too difficult. Everything here is expensive, and it's a renter's market--so very competitive--but early this December we found the greatest most perfect place!!! It's in a neighborhood right near a major bus line, near my work, near Matthew's work, and near to school. Plus we have our bank, grocery stores, hardware stores, parks, library, community center, coffee shops etc all within close walking distance! We have 2 bedrooms and big windows (especially appreciated after living in a basement for a year and a half) and a super cute kitchen and even a bathroom with lots of pink (pink sink, toilet and tub--!)--Matthew and I can hardly believe it's real. We moved in on New Year's day with lots of help from church and Regent friends.

Now it's sinking in even more that we're really going to be parents soon. Before--at the other place--I couldn't quite picture having a baby there and all that, because I wasn't sure we were staying there. But now I know that our new home is where our venture as parents really truly begins. In 3 short months we will have another little life there, out and about, laughing and eating and screaming and sleeping and playing...I'm beginning to really picture it now. So we've got to get the place ready to welcome her--and Matthew and I've got to treasure these last 3 months on our own before our lives are completely changed forever!!!! It's a little scary, for sure, but I can't wait for Greta to come out and see her family and her home--and play!

Growing AND Slowing

Well it's official. I've slowed down. I was going so strong for awhile there and I think I've crashed. I had this problem where if I sat down to relax I'd either be super fidgety or just want to sleep--no matter the time of day. So I fought it by not relaxing! Now I have decided it's time to take things a little more slowly and just relax a little. I'm sure Greta appreciates it as well.
Sorry there's no photo to accompany this, but my increased size is surely to blame for this slow down. I can't believe I still have 4 more months to get bigger!!! Pregnancy is crazy.

Baby Showers

Just a quick note for all you family and friends who have calendars that quickly fill up---we will have a friends baby shower on either the Saturday of Valentine's weekend or the Saturday following, and we will have a family baby shower one of those same weekends on a Sunday. Once Matthew has his next term of classes scheduled we will settle on one of those weekends. It will most likely be Valentine's weekend, though--in the Seattle area. Mark your calendars because we'd love to see you all!!
Also, about 6 weeks after Greta has officially arrived in this world we will have another shower for girlfriends to meet her at my mom's in Olympia.
Can't wait!

It's a Girl! Part II

Matthew and I both thought it was a boy for some reason.....but we are overjoyed to know that we are having a daughter! Greta Bess Bradsher is on her way.

For several weeks we looked forward to this ultrasound, a routine procedure for all mothers-to-be at around 20 weeks of pregnancy. We couldn't wait to see the baby, make sure it was developing properly, and find out if it was a daughter or a son. When we arrived at the ultrasound place, though, we were told we wouldn't find out the sex of the baby! Due to BC abortion laws, technicians and doctors are not allowed to tell parents the sex of their baby until after 24 weeks of pregnancy. I was so disappointed!! The technician said that sometimes the baby makes his or her sex really obvious, though--and in that case there's no way around the parents knowing what it is. However, I would NOT have known by the looks of things that it was a girl...all of the sudden the technician just told us--despite what she'd said earlier!! She said "It's a little girl!" and I said "Matthew did you hear that?!" and looked over at him and he just looked dumbfounded and so happy and nodded and said with a laugh "Mmmm Hmmm"---I must say I did shed a little tear of joy :-) I would've been happy either way, of course, but KNOWING is so huge! In general the technician said the baby looked healthy and beautiful--all her organs and her spine were great, and she is in a great position. I am a little worried, though, because she's already 1 pound 6 ounces--at 20 weeks! My book says by 21 weeks baby is supposed to be 12 ounces....yikes!!! We've got a good and healthy one in there.

It's even more fun to talk to baby and about baby now--she's even more of a real person to us now that we know she's our little Greta. We can't wait to see her again in a little less than 20 weeks!

It is a Girl.

We had our first full ultra-sound scan this morning. I will write a more in depth entry later, but for now, know that our baby is a girl, seems healthy and normal, and is now due on March 28th.

Kicks!

I (Matthew) felt baby kick for the first time this morning!

Growing, but not slowing.

Here is a picture I took last night of Megan. We thought it may be fun for you all to see how she has grown since the last time you saw her.

She went for a run on Saturday, and when she returned she told me that she felt like she could have kept going, she said she felt like her old self. So I think that she is doing really well. While she hasn't been running quite as much as she usually does, she often walks to or from work- that is about an hour long walk. She has been doing a water aerobics class on Thursday nights while I am in class, and she frequently does her 'body-building' exercises around the home: she does dips, and strange leg exercises (that are always interesting to watch), and generally continues to out-pace me in nearly everything. So, Megan is growing, but she is not slowing. I think that is a good indication that she and baby are healthy and happy.

Megan tells me that the books say that babies like when mom goes running/walking as it tends to rock them to sleep. Exercise also tends to make delivery a bit easier on mom and baby, and usually considerably faster. Let's hope!

We are very excited to have our first full ultra-sound scan in one week. This should tell us a lot about the baby, its health, its sex, and give us a cool picture to post on this blog. Be sure and visit our blog next Monday night, to see the picture and find out what we have learned.

We both enjoyed dinner with friends on Saturday; Nathan and Marisa have a three month old baby boy named Daniel. I had a lot of fun holding Daniel for extended periods of time while he drooled and stared at various things around the room, and I dreamed of April and holding our baby. I am beginning to feel the impatience that I have heard some of my male friends who have recently had children speak of. Its tough to have to wait to hold baby, know baby, take care of baby- especially since Megan is already experiencing those things. I can't wait until I get a turn!

I leave you all now with one more picture of Megan's baby bump, this picture was taken a week ago...