Happy Valentines Day!

Having time to do fun little things is so nice! I realize that once Darby is here time will run much thinner then it does now. This year I decided to take the time to decorate some valentines cookies for Eric's court staff. Boy, did I take time decorting! I think I worked on these cookies for a few hours, but it was so fun! Let me tell you it was hard keeping Eric from eating them while I was decorating!

This year we have decided to forgo the busy crowds and overpriced set menu's. Tonight I am cooking a nice romantic dinner for the two of us. We are having flank steak, baked potatoes and steamed artichokes, with chocolate fondue for desert! I hope it all turns out as good as it sounds!

Happy Valentines Day!

Thinkin' Pink!

Even though little Darby is only halfway baked, we are already preparing her nursery for when she is here! Of course what other color would we paint other then... PINK! I picked a pretty color called Sweet Pink to grace the walls.

On Tuesday, Eric's Dad helped to start installing the waynes coating and chair rail.

The next thing on the list is a new big window in the room that should be installed sometime next week. Then the dynamic duo can put up the waynes coating and chair rail on that last wall and its done! With a coat of primer and some bright white paint, it's going to look so fabulous!

After all the painting is done, we plan on getting some neutral berber carpet installed. Our little Darby is going to have quite the little girls room!

What do YOU think?

We want your input. On the right hand column of this page you can vote (once) on our little Darby's middle name! Each name is significant to us and we just can't decide!

Fern - After Eric's Great Grandmother on his Fathers side. We just love the name, it's different and so cute.

Anne - After me of course!

Emma - After my sister, a variation of the name Emily.

Myra - After Eric's Grandma (his Mom's Mom), who was one in a million.

If you've already voted and changed your mind, don't worry! It's easy to change your vote!

Thanks for your help!

Already Adorable.

Here are some pictures of our little Darby (yes, that will be HER name!). She is the cutest thing and we can't wait for her to finish baking so we can hold her in our arms!

Here she is sucking her thumb...
and her little toes...
her profile..
and the money shot!

We have a DVD of our ultrasound too, it was amazing. We are already so in love with our little Darby.

And the Dr said...

She gave us a 90% chance. (I've heard that some couples are given that 90% until they give birth for liability issues) so we are thrilled to be welcoming our little girl in July!

Bring on the PINK!

Helloooooooo Maternity Wear!

The day has come! I have sent my regular clothes away for awhile. Nice and snug, folded away and organized under the bed in tupperware for the next few months. I am officially a maternity wearing pregnant chick and I love it! I have found the most comfortable pants ever from Motherhood Maternity called - The Secret Fit Belly. They might look silly (like most maternity pants seem to look) but they are heaven compared to some other maternity pants I have tried on.

My ever expanding bust has been demanding the extra room maternity tops provide since probably about my 7th week of pregnancy. But once you are in the pants, I believe is when the maternity wear is official!

So where's my membership card?? Oh, yea! The proof is in the baby belly! (Pictures of that to come really soon!!)

Little buds that WILL bloom...

Pregnancy loss is truley something I will never fully understand. Even if there is a clear explanation as to WHY, I just can not understand why not. This week alone, I have known 3 couples that have experienced it. It is so much more common then anyone would have thought.

One of the people that lost their little one this week was given a blanket at the hospital. Inside of it was a tag with "Budded on earth, to bloom in heaven" written on it. That is so comforting to me, and it is so true. I always refered to our 2 losses as our "heaven babies" so it just went hand in hand with how I already felt.

I believe it takes a special woman, and couple, to go through a pregnancy loss. Once you find out you are expecting, your world changes and your focus IS that baby. It is heartbreaking to know your baby has been sent to heaven before you even got to pick out the nursery color.

I wish no one ever had to go through it, and it always seems to happen to the most deserving couples. My heart breaks along with theirs.

To them, a reminder that no matter how difficult it seems, each new day is full of PROMISE and HOPE.