Believe!

 

My friend Melissa made this teeny tiny painting on a teeny tiny easel for me.
Can you still hear the bells? 

We had wonderful Christmas celebrations with both sides. It was a whirlwind of a week, working through Friday, then going to Pearsall on Saturday for our celebration. We did our best! We did have a good visit there and went to Lolly's beautiful church on Sunday morning. Hannah shot her first deer this past week. We learned that Rene is pregnant again!
Growing families!

As for the Golden side, Jen wraps up Christmas Eve very well here: http://tierd.wordpress.com/2012/12/26/christmas-eve/
I got all emotional at the candlelight service because I could not stop thinking about the families of the children shot last week in Connecticut. How those parents were in our shoes, excited and so lucky and had those babies for 6 years and now they are gone. All their Christmas presents wrapped, under the tree. The last time we were at Trinity Baptist, we were with Dad, that was strange too. We went there because John and Katie weren't in town for our church service and we wanted to do the old go downtown routine!

We went downtown after the candlelight service. Had to touch the Alamo for good luck!

Everyone who participated in creating the Gingerbread House-
we had a professional on our team!

 

PJs

Stockings

Presents

Mom gave Jen and me a most special Christmas gift of her engagement ring and wedding band. She had the main stone removed and made into a new ring for herself and gave us the matching bands. I cried. She gave John Dad's Aggie ring. 



After Dinner





All the dogs got to play together on Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas to all!



Slow Down

100 days until due date!

 

 

Brant's company party was Friday night. The elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut happened on Friday morning. The party had a damper on it for sure. I couldn't tell if it was the because of the news of the day or if something was going on within the company/family that no one else was aware of. 

I can't stop thinking about all the people in CT affected by the shooting and what that would be like at my school. I am on the safety committee and have to review all the possibilities and plans each year. It's always a scary meeting to think of the what ifs. The teachers in that school did exactly as they were trained and although it probably did save some lives, still so many died. It sickens me. What else can we do? At least in other public places there are people around carrying concealed handguns with license to hold them and other possible outside protection. I might be an overbearing mama bear with our little one! I know it's like plane crashes, so rare. I just doesn't make sense. Not an accident like a plane crash. So incredibly evil.

Brant and I have decided we will go ahead and put the hardwood flooring in before March. We've been wanting to since we moved in, but keep putting it off and saving our moola. We're also going to go ahead and get new furniture in the living room. I'm glad Brant wants to do these things. And I think he's glad that I would be happy to keep what we have! We're a great balance for each other. We did a little furniture and floor shopping last night. (All our Christmas shopping is done and it's nice not to have to beat those crowds.) We ate at Macaroni Grill, one of our regular spots-at the bar, (Brant thinks it is funny to do this with his pregnant wife, but you get better service, so we continue!) I get these rushes of just being so happy. One of these happened on the way home from dinner. Full belly, holding my love's hand, looking at Christmas lights driving through the neighborhood, looking forward to the future.

Good omelet and fruit breakfast today, more flooring shopping, relaxing at home this afternoon and pot roast. Life is so good and so precious. It's nice to slow down and appreciate it.



25 Weeks

My students continue to be so interested. Now they really want to know what the baby's name will be and if I will bring it to show them. While feeling my belly one said, "So, do you know how old the baby is right now?" and I finally got the "So, how did the baby get in there?" A mother of 2 of my students had her baby at 22 weeks this week. 1 pound. So scary, but surviving!

 Progress in the nursery: we have painted the walls a regular khaki/tan/beige, "Urban Putty" and are trying to decide on an whether or not to do an accent wall. I think red would be cute with sock monkeys. Is red an angry color??? Ideas welcome. : )

 Lazy Lacey by the fire while I bake cookies. We've had three fires in the fireplace this week. So nice!

Happy 1st Birthday, Lacey!

One year ago today, Lacey came into the world! Here she is with her new Mommy and Daddy on January 29, 2012, when she came into our world. Happy first birthday, Lacey! We love you so much!

"Cousins"

 

6 months/24 weeks!

16 more weeks to go! The countdown has begun. All the Christmas gifts are wrapped and I am ready to work on the nursery during the holiday break!

Lainey gave a beautiful performance at her first piano recital this week!

Mom has already given us two sock monkeys. This is the first artwork for the nursery! My very talented friend at work painted it for us. So special. Thank you, Melissa!!!

Christmas at the Drechsel's 2012



Before we left for the party



Charlie's in the left corner under the tree-her favorite spot...when Lacey's outside!









Giving Thanks

     We are so incredibly fortunate and thankful for where we are and what we have. I love being pregnant. It's the best feeling in the world. I am thankful for every movement I can feel the baby make, which is so often now-just about every time I sit down. I am often reminded of when I was very little going to the library each week with my mom. She was ahead of her time with knowledge of "self-selection" and let me choose A Child is Born over and over for years, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Child_Is_Born_%28book%29.) I have always been fascinated with babies and the whole process. I wanted to be a "baby doctor" when I grew up.
     I am thankful for my very supportive husband. I am thankful for our loving families. Mom had a mini Thanksgiving dinner Monday night and Jen, the kids and I had a slumber party at her house. We had a good visit with Brant's side at the ranch in George West. I got to hold baby Garrett and he fell asleep on my chest. When I sat down he rearranged and cuddled up around my belly. Precious baby. We spent the night in Jourdanton with Brant's family and had a good visit there too. I am thankful for our home and look forward to it being even more filled with love.
     This year is the first for our compromise of a fake Christmas tree and it is beautiful. Charlie sure likes it! I did inside Christmas-ing Sunday evening while Brant hung lights outside. We bought our first furniture for the nursery-shelves for the MANY BOOKS this child already has! During my Thanksgiving week off, Lacey got to go to the dog park twice to see her long lost friends from the summer. She'll be one year old on December 9. So thankful for all we have.

Inside and outside Christmas-ing 2012 in progress



Charlie enjoying the tree!



Lacey almost 1 year old!

 

23 weeks tomorrow!

BUMPS #3

 B    M    S

   U     P     #3

• 2nd grader walking past me, "Why do pregnant women get so fat? My mom got fat two times and she still is." It made it even funnier that one of our IT guys from central office was helping me during this comment from one of my favorite, smart, Asperger/autistic 2nd grade boys.

• Kindergartner: "When the baby comes out, you're going to get younger." Yet he couldn't explain this to me.  

• What a blessing it is to have all these little angels around. Brant and I were talking about how it gives me a unique perspective that I don't think even pregnant classroom teachers get. 

• Brant and I went furniture and stroller shopping today. Furniture shopping is the worst kind of shopping there is. Then off to Babies R Us to look at and learn about strollers. Brant got into it. I am confused by all the choices!!! We are relying heavily on Consumer Reports and they better be right!

Saturday morning relax time before the gym

    21 weeks! Only 130 days to go!

Our Beautiful Boy is Halfway Here!!!

Our appointment was Monday and it was amazing! Brant and I both had many questions for the ultrasound tech, (of course, I had a ton for the doctor too.) The u/s tech took about 30 minutes measuring and looking. I kept saying, "This is amazing!" I know most mothers are as excited as if it is the first baby ever born, but I really do think it is extra special or somehow different for us because we were so scared we weren't ever going to get here! I am enjoying it so much. Baby Burris is doing very well, 71st percentile, 12 ounces as of now. We are SO BLESSED. 

Numbered pictures:

1. During the ultrasound Brant noticed how long his toes looked, "He has my toes!" I missed what he saw, so the tech tried to get the foot again and the baby was so active, he could hardly catch it again. You can see the bones of the foot in this one, as well as the spine and jaw. 

2. "I'm a boy" shot.

3. Better boy view. I like the shin bones with legs bent and the tiny butt cheeks. 

4. I just love this one. I think it looks playful. He almost sucked his thumb while we watched-kept putting his hand up to his face. 

This is what halfway looks like for us on the outside!
I can feel him now and KNOW it is him.
Great feeling.
Amazing.

19 weeks, Brant Feeling Baby & Halloween!

 19 weeks!

November 4: Brant's parents came up and took us to dinner last night. We had a good visit. 

This morning, (Sunday,) Brant and I were relaxing, drinking our coffee on the couch, (yes, I have one cup a day!) I have been putting Brant's hand on my belly when I can feel the baby and this time HE FINALLY FELT IT!  Woo-Hoo! It was like the baby knew we were talking about him. He kept on moving around and Brant could feel it! Exciting! Big ultrasound tomorrow! Can't wait to see him again.

We celebrated Halloween and Mark's 40th birthday!

Happy Birthday, Uncle Mark!

Bumps #2 (and Angels)

B     M     S

   U       P       #2

• A student said, "Mrs. Pear has a seed growing in her orange." What??? Apparently a group of third graders have made up a language they call Foodly. When guessing the gender, the boys guessed blueberry and the girls guessed raspberry. Now they ask how my blueberry is doing all the time. 
• A sweet little girl was looking at a picture on my desk of Brant and me from 5 years ago and she said, "You were pretty when you were young." Ha! Great, just what the 34-year-old first time pregnant gal wants to hear! I laughed pretty hard though. 
• The kids keep suggesting the name Toby. I gather that it is from some Nickelodeon or Disney show they watch. Tons of them have given me this suggestion. Strange. I like the name Justin, don't they like the Beebs? (No, we haven't decided on any names.)
• Being overwhelmed and stressed, I have found the following 2 activities each day keeps me sane AND they are good for the baby: 1. upon arrival, instead of the first graders gathering in the library and reading on their own from book boxes, I read stories out loud. It is what I was meant to do. They tell me how much they love the voices, love the books and always leave talking about the books. Once about 30 or 40 kids gather, I switch to the microphone. Several years ago when asked, "If you could do anything for a job, what would it be," my reply was, "Read aloud to kids all day." Gotta cling to it! 2. Making the most of cafeteria duty, (spreading frozen peanut butter, cutting hundreds of salisbury steaks, opening milks, etc. take a toll, yes, this is what I went to college for,)-while waiting for the kinder teachers to pick their kids up, we sing/recite holiday songs and poems together. Right now 5 Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate and If You're a Monster and You Know It are the most popular. Get to be silly and have some fun with them.
• 3rd grade boy, "What happened to Mrs. B's stomach?" Another teacher, "She's going to have a baby." Boy gasps, "OOOooohhh, she's going to have a baby." I guess he's never been around a pregnant lady before!
• I have some groupies after school while waiting for the second bus round to pick them up. They hug on my belly each day. Today they read books to the baby. Monday we planned our Red Ribbon Week attire, (theme days.) One little girl rested her head on my belly and swirled her finger around my bellybutton over and over for like a minute. I was a little afraid that this might look strange to other adults around, so I told her that she was going to make me fall asleep and she stopped. Sweet kids. 
• One of the little older ladies that has always worked at my school asked if it seemed like the kids were closer to me this year. I told her yes, definitely. She said it is because they are innocent little angels that can sense what is going on inside me. With all the love I feel from them, I believe it.
• Another of the sweet older Mexican ladies I work with visited a church/misson while on vacation south of here. She prayed for our baby and brought me a gods eye pin and a ring with Jesus and Mary on it. She was hesitant to give me the ring. Although we have had great talks about religion, family and our beliefs, she told me that she didn't know how I felt about Mary or Catholicism. I told her I believe in Mary, that she is the mother of Jesus, I just don't pray to her. She was relieved and gave me the ring. I have been proud to wear that ring everyday since. It reminds me who is in charge and gives me peace. This is the same lady who told me I had to visit the Oblate priesthood campus last spring, that it has become a refuge and place for her to pray and sort out her thoughts. I finally went to this beautiful place this summer...coincidence? Hmm... She has given me some of the best advice throughout this entire "process/adventure."
• I miss Brant AND Lacey when they are hunting. This weekend is the last weekend of dove season. I normally go a lot. Shoot a little, then just have fun drinking beer and talking with the guys, but not this year. Gotta rest! Each day of the week, I feel myself get more and more run down. I NEED my weekends to recharge!

Saturday morning lounging with Lacey

Lacey-11months old

• Charlie likes to take naps with me. There's a nook in between my pregnancy pillow and my body that has become her sweet spot. Someday soon my big belly will take over that resting place!    

                                                 

• I'm reading that I should feel the baby anytime now. I have felt flutters for a couple of weeks, but I cannot be sure of what it is! It feels more like finger tips to me. It amazes (and sometimes worries) me that the baby is about 9 inches from head to toe, (5 inches from head to rump, according to one of my books,) and that I cannot feel it. I know it's coming!

18 weeks!

Celebrated 18 weeks by going to bed at 7:00 on Thursday!