Crazy hair and tummy pictures

We've had a slow morning...which is why my hair is still wet at 11:30 and the breakfast dishes haven't been washed but...the bed is made, important emails and phone calls are done and Reese just woke up from a nap. Her hair is why I pulled out my camera. It's CrAzY! Matt and I have a good laugh every time we go and get her from her crib. It's got a mind of it's own and dad affectionately calls it her "Einstein hair"! These pictures don't really do it justice but enjoy!

And here is the baby bump at 15 weeks today. It doesn't look very big but I feel like

it is...at least for how early into pregnancy we are. :)

Christmas 2010

This year we celebrated Christmas with the Mehringer side of the family. All four siblings and their spouses were here and Ray and Missy hosted Christmas Day at their house. I'm not sure how far back the tradition goes but they have been going out to dinner on Christmas Eve for many years. This year we decided to have Italian and Sisley's Italian Kitchen was the unanimous choice. We were even able to have our own private room! We felt like we had the whole restaurant to ourselves. This was also the night we decided to tell the family our big news! Especially in the evenings it had become tricky trying to hide or disguise my baby bump and with everyone together we felt it would be a good time.

To tell the family our announcement, I made a calendar with pictures from the previous year of all our family adventures. On baby's due date month I put a picture of Reese in her shirt that says, "I'm going to be a big sister." Missy was the one to open the calendar and no one was expecting such a surprise when she got to July.

After our dinner at Sisley's we went driving to see lights. It was a colder night here in California so we stayed in the car and just drove through the neighborhood at Courtland. I felt like a kid again and oohed and ahhed more than anyone else in our car.  Afterwards we headed to Tad and Monika's for dessert...an amazing molten chocolate cake. Really there aren't words to describe how good it was. I didn't get a picture so you'll have to trust me. It.was.Amazing. 

Once dessert was inhaled finished, us wives revealed a surprise to our husbands we'd been planning. We decided pajamas were the perfect Christmas Eve gift and even though all 3 of us were nervous as to what they'd think and especially whether they'd actually wear them, we went for it. And they shocked us! Not only did they wear them but all 3 liked them too. Yay! Hopefully we've started a new tradition to keep going. Games of Nertz were played and Home Alone was watched. Such a fun night all together!

And when we got home, Matt and I hurriedly stuffed stockings, took this picture and went to bed! We shouldn't have been in such a hurry. Reese woke us up 2 or 3 times that night and banished all thoughts of good sleep before another busy day. That would be why we look like this here. Somehow she looks rested and happy...I wonder why that is.

A few more pictures of Reese opening up her presents...this one is a Fisher Price barn from Nana and Poppy in Alaska!

Matt surprised me with a jewelry box from Pottery Barn. He did a great job keeping a secret and I especially love being able to see all my jewelry out so that it reminds me to wear it. :)

Yesterday

I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself with this even before a Christmas post is up but I wanted to document yesterday's event. World...meet our littlest Mehringer to debut him or herself sometime around July 14th! This was my first doctor's appointment and they surprised me with not only doing all the yucky exams and blood work but also getting to see our baby! If I had known they were doing this I would have made sure Matt was at this appointment. It was wonderful! He or she was all over the screen kicking, moving, and even did a complete somersault for us! At one point it almost looked like baby got shy because the hands went over it's face looking as if to hide. :) There is a strong good heartbeat at 150 and the doctor said...this little one is a happy kid. Today I am 14 weeks and officially in the second trimester! Thank you Lord for getting me to this place. He has sustained me and I just might be turning the corner on all of this sickness. Praying that's the case!

I am praising the Lord for this wonderful report and little miracle growing inside me. The downer of this appointment...having to get weighed. I'm enjoying that even less this time because the weight wasn't all off from Reese when I got pregnant. That's going to be a challenge that I'll be praying to have the right heart attitude about. I know weight gain is good and important for a healthy baby but it can be such a struggle to know where I was with my first and now where I am. I'm praying that instead of focusing on whether I've gained or not, I'll be working on my response to give God glory no matter the number AND to confess and run from my pride. That's really what it's about.

Thoughts this time around...

I took a break for awhile with my blog. I've wanted to enjoy these 2 weeks that Matt has had off from school and even though it's been very low key and quiet around here, we have been having a great time as a family. Reese more then ever is in love with her daddy! She follows him everywhere around our home, wanting to play, wanting him to make her laugh and calling out "dada" when she doesn't see him. I love it! Today Reese did something she's NEVER done before and I almost didn't know how to take it. She crawled after dad, waited for him outside the bathroom, went to him as soon as he opened the door and when I put out my hands to take her she turned away from me!! I laughed out loud! What??? She has quickly become a daddy's girl! I knew it would happen but I didn't think it would be so soon. It really does warm my heart, though. Despite feeling a little rejected and hurt, I'm so thankful she loves her daddy and wants to be with him. Come Monday though...I'm going to have a sad little girl on my hands.

Getting back to the reason for this post...just wanted to share my thoughts on the second go-round of pregnancy. It's amazing how quickly you forget. I really think the Lord does that to protect us from ourselves. If I had remembered how sick I felt, how awful food smells and tastes and how much I just.want.to.sleep I don't think baby #2 would be here. Matt would agree that this time things are just a lot harder a lot longer. Maybe it has to do with having a 9 month old. Maybe it's because I'm not working and don't have a way to distract my mind all day. Or maybe it just really is very different from the last time. We are praying for the Lord's grace just to get through these yucky days. 

On a happier note...today marks week 12 for baby! 2 more weeks and I'm in the second trimester. Wow! I learned that our baby is developing it's reflexes and it's intestines are moving in to it's abdominal cavity. I love God's incredible design of babies. Each week it just blows me away to find out what is changing and growing in this little life and how it all gives God glory as He lovingly weaves babies together. So so precious! Even though I haven't heard this little one's heartbeat (and I can't wait for the day I do) this little creation is a testament to God's kindness and love poured out to us. When I remember these truths it makes how I'm feeling a little easier to bare. 

And to catch up the blog on the little details... 

• I'm due July 14th. 
• Reese and baby will be 16 months apart.
• We are pursuing to deliver with midwives again.
• We both would love another girl.
• God is our provider and we are resting in Him!

A picture of what a 12 week baby looks like!

Our Best Kept Secret...

Merry Christmas, Everyone!