Bee's First Week Home

Wow. I had a baby, and she lives with us now. While I have endless streams of new mom memories I want to write about, I have a hard time putting her down during the day. Forgive me if posting seems light. I waited for this precious little girl for so long and now that she's here I'm trying to enjoy every second of her existence. All while sneaking in a shower and sometimes a snack. There have been countless moments during the first week of having Phoebe home, but here are a few unforgettable ones.

• The long sloooow drive home from the hospital on Sunday morning. It was totally surreal. I had my eyes glued on the passenger vanity mirror peering back at her the entire way. Do we risk it and make a stop at the pharmacy? I was happy to be leaving the hospital, but a little nervous about being on our own. ON OUR OWN. With my hormones.

• Sunday afternoon I walked into Bee's nursery and found BD holding her tight against his chest with tears streaming down his cheeks. We brought her home on June 3rd, which also happened to be the 9 year anniversary of his mom passing away. It was a tender moment for him when he put that together. I know he feels his mom close to him during this special time. In the days leading up to her delivery BD would tease me that his mom wasn't ready to let her go yet. Thank you, Grandma Judy for sending her down!

• The way she snorts when she cries really hard. A little sad, but pretty much adorable. 
• Her first stroller ride on Wednesday. We got her all situated in the bassinet, binki, blankie, and that clueless look on our faces that said "what else?" We decided to risk it, being the brave new parents that we are. And out we step onto the sidewalk of the great outdoors when two seconds later and not 5 feet from our building a wounded bee flew right past my face and into the hood of her bassinet where it bounced around frantically and couldn't get out. I lost all sense of control, started flipping out, handsagoing screaming and such. Capt. Awesome-Under-Pressure, swiftly picked her up and escorted the wounded bee out with a stick. Then I stepped on that little bee, momma bear style, because it had attacked my first born baby girl on her very first excursion out into the wild wild world. I felt really awful for the rest of our walk. Poor little bee, don't mess with Little Bee's mom. Also related: hormones.

• The ease in which Brad and I became Mom and Dad, like in an instant. And it's not weird or anything to call each other as such. I'm  a mom. He's a dad. And it feels like an honor.
• She gets the hiccups about 14 times a day, same as in the womb. Poor bug.
• All of her dark hair! It was such a surprise to us that she had hair at all. I love to run my fingers through it while she's nursing.
• My mom stayed with us the first two nights which was awesome. She did lots of laundry and cleaned out my entire fridge. She would rock Phoebe back to sleep after nighttime feedings. She also reminded me several times how lucky I was to have Brad, who was not about to miss out on one diaper change, one burping or one feeding or pretty much anything having to do with Phoebe those first few days. Apparently this new breed of hands-on dad was not available when my mom was rearing her babies. Her mind was completely blown  away with the diapers that change color when wet. What will they think of next?
• According to Grandma we took at least 75 pictures of her first sponge bath. According to our camera, she was about right! Can you blame us?  

• Her sweet milky breath.
• We felt rushed out the door trying to remember all the right papers to bring for her first pediatrician appointment. We were supposed to go to the hospital lab first and have her bilirubin levels checked again. But the lab visit took much longer than expected and there we were, 30 minutes late to her first appointment, trying to look like competent parents but feeling like we had pretty much failed the first test. Thank heavens she passed with flying colors and made mom and dad look good while at it. Perhaps a glimpse of what's ahead.
• The way she grunts when she's eating. 
• The way she sleeps on my chest.

• Meeting her new friend Eleanor for the first time. Deedee and I had these babes just 9 days apart. I loved being able to share this pregnancy with a close friend who was expecting at the same time. We hope they love each other as much as we think they will ;).

• The way she smells like perfection, like a dream, like a newborn. I just look at her and weep. I can't control it, it's just a thing that I do right now. Being her mom is everything I could have hoped for and much more. It's all a bit overwhelming. Again, with the hormones.
• We had one of my dear friends Jessie take her newborn photos on Saturday. It was such a neat experience to have Jessie in our home with her hubby Cole and their new baby girl. Jessie is the baby whisperer and had Bee melted into soft blankets and asleep in no time. My eyes kept welling up with tears. She's the most beautiful little creature I've ever seen. We will cherish these pictures forever.

• The way she fits so perfectly into the crook of my arm. 

• The way she fits so perfectly into our lives.

Hi. My name is Phoebe. And I was born yesterday!

8 lbs 7 oz 18 inches long, welcome to the world Little Bee!

Killin' time

BD here. 'Round here there's been lots of time killin' going on while we're waiting for this thing called a baby. I've been instructed that it is actually *not* helpful to remind Gina every few minutes that the baby is not here yet. So...I've taken advantage of the down time over the long weekend and finished a video of our adventures in Australia. I tell you what, that little Hero2 that I splurged on just minutes before the trip is quite the amazing camera and worth every penny. Sometimes when I watch this video I wonder how we got so lucky. Sit back, make sure it's in HD, click on full screen mode, and enjoy.

Hello Due Date...

Goodbye due date! Not much to report here in the baby delivery department. We're doing what we can to "encourage" Little Bee on her way into this world (including walking, acupuncture, sugar comas) but she seems pretty content to lay low where she's at. She's all about the element of surprise, this one, and loves to make us wait. It's pretty much her thing. So we wait. And it's cool.

The Belly - 40 Weeks Pregnant

But in other news, the sunsets this week have been amazing. Absolutely breathtaking. Usually at some point in the evening one of us will perk up and suddenly say "look outside!" and we drop everything to witness the sun setting. We love to sit out on our deck on these cool spring evenings and soak up the golden lighting. I can't wait for Little Bee to join our evening porch sits. Daddy promises to keep his geeky science chatter to a minimum. Momma promises there will be popsicles.

Showered

WOW. Baby girl and I have been showered silly by friends, family, and neighbors. While I love parties, and throwing parties, and planning parties, I'm admittedly not so good at being the party. I embarrass far too easily in these situations for them to ever be comfortable for me. It's overwhelming to imagine how much this baby girl is already loved by these amazing people in our lives. It took a real concerted effort to keep my tears at bay and not break down at the sight of every tiny pair of socks (they are so little!).

Ward Shower

Hands down, I have the most amazing ward, not to mention the most amazing friends in my ward. It's been a real blessing to have these women in my life. Each of them have supported and strengthened me through this whole getting pregnant process. Some of them having very similar situations, all of them understanding the desire to be a mother. It was such a beautiful party too; they had been planning and scheming for weeks and made decorations that match Little Bee's nursery. Everything about the shower was perfectly catered to my personality, I couldn't have planned it better myself. The sweet women in my ward completely spoiled us with lots of handmade blankies, burp cloths, booties, plus a car seat, which was such an awesome surprise. I treasure all of it! Thank you Kim, Jen, Deedee, Jane, and Bethany!

  Girlfriend Shower

Tiffani and Lisa masterminded this darling Honey Bee shower. It was adorable! I have such crafty, talented friends. They had invited a small intimate group of some of my closest and longest-term girlfriends to the Ford's cabin. I've known most of these women practically my entire life and have watched them all become mothers. There were even two brand new babies up there (squeee!) and honestly I don't know how I managed NOT to go into labor that night. Little Bee cannot wait to meet her friends! I watched Jessie and Natty handle their newborns with calm confidence. I kept thinking, these girls are such pros. I soaked in all the advice and wisdom they could give me. In the morning a few of us topped off our baby shower hangover with French Toast at Magleby's before they had to buzz back to their own hives. Thank you Tiff, Lisa, Natty, Jessie, Lauren, Jen, Deb, and Emily! (And, a super thank you to Lauren for coming down from Idaho! Oh how we miss you here in the beehive state...).

Richman Family Shower

My mom and sisters threw us a family baby shower and Brook even let them help a little bit :). Much to my pleasure she decided not to kill herself over making Macarons and did a buffet of bundt cakes instead. Right up my alley. They invited some longtime family friends and even some women from my home ward who I feel practically raised me. Like my sweet neighbor Gladyse who lived just across the street from my home and always had a hug and a smile. It was really fun to spend the afternoon with my family. It's been 11 years since one of my sisters had a baby and my mom had a grandchild. My nieces and nephews are now growing their own families and I love that Little Bee will still have cousins (once removed) to grow up with on this side. Also, I have to brag about my niece Cassie, who made us a beautiful baby quilt! It was her very first quilt, believe it or not, and it's just perfect for Little Bee. I squish it everyday. Aside from lots of darling clothes and baby essentials, we were gifted a diaper bag and the cutest stuffed zebra you ever saw. Zebra has been testing out Little Bee's nursery to make sure it's juuuuust right. Thank you Brook, Mom, Marci, and Jody (and TOM for doing the invite)! And...no one took pictures. So. Yeah.

 

 

Duncan Family Shower

With my sil Michelle at the helm of this shower I knew it would be crafty and beautiful, and it was! She played off the butterfly print hanging in Little Bee's nursery and threw a butterfly themed baby shower. Everything was absolutely darling and she worked so hard. Check our her butterfly decor tutorials. She even made Little Bee her very first apron, which I adore. Michelle made her mom's delicious chicken pasta salad and I honestly can't eat that salad without thinking of Judy. It made me happy to think of Judy that day, even if in salad form! Apart from the perfect party planning and decorating, the most special part of the shower was the blessing dress and blankets hand crocheted by BD's Grandma Noni. I about died when I first held the blessing dress. It's the most precious thing in the world and was such a big surprise! I can't wait for her to wear it on her blessing day. It was a wonderful shower and everyone was so nice. Thank you Michelle!

This little baby and I have been showered with love and gifts beyond what we deserve. We've also received lots of love in unexpected little packages from friends and colleagues over the last few months. I'm just going to say it...Seriously. So. Blessed.

xoxo

A Letter to Baby Bee: 35 Weeks and it's getting hot in here

Dear Baby Bee,
At 35 weeks pregnant, your due date is sneaking up. I can now tell people that I'm having this baby next month. I'm beginning to wonder if sleeping on my stomach was really as amazing as I remember. Walking around with a space heater strapped to my abdomen, I am starting to see why all pregnancies must come to an end. It wasn't that long ago that I would have wanted to stay pregnant forever. But even my most roomy maternity clothes, the ones I thought would never fit, are now even becoming a little snug. It feels like you are growing bigger by the minute, your movements becoming stronger and more deliberate than ever, sometimes they literally take my breath away. All of these are good signs that soon we will meet.

It's best that I concentrate on the meeting you part, rather than the getting you out part. Because, HOOEY! how that is all going to happen is one big giant mystery that I can't yet comprehend. We took a Childhood Preparation class at the hospital. I've been reading all I can about labor and delivery. I've been asking everyone I know to share their own experiences. But even still, I'm not sure there is anything that can really prepare me. It's both terrifying and exciting all at once. We have faith it will work out in the end. Things generally do.

We've been working feverishly on preparing your nursery - with lots of help from Aunt Jen - and making sure it's just right. This is mostly for my benefit rather than for yours, but for some strange reason it feels really really important that it gets done. The room is bright and cheery; it's our favorite place in the house to be. Now, when your dad comes home he knows to find me in the nursery instead of the kitchen or living room. We can hardly walk past your room without stepping into it and running a hand over the crib rail. It sounds silly, but trust me, this is all very exciting for us.

While my nesting instinct keeps getting stronger and stronger, your dad has patiently been working through the endless honey-do lists I make for him. Just when he gets through with one, I've added more things to another. He's adamant that you are able to recognize his voice after you are born, so every night he's been picking out a book or two to read out loud. Lately, it's been all about Dr. Seuss. It's just the two of us in the room but there he is doing all the animal sounds and funny character voices. I'm unbelievably grateful that I have the chance to see this "daddy mode," a side of him I never expected. Everyone says it just keeps getting better. Little girls need great daddies, and while I'm obviously partial to him already, I think  you've got the very best.

Even with 5 weeks (+/-) left to go, there is still plenty that we need to do in preparation for your arrival. We have lots of fun to look forward to as well with upcoming baby showers and hopefully a pedicure or two for mom. The other night we attended the Salt Lake Temple with Grandpa and all of your Duncan aunts and uncles. You were highly active during the whole session - even getting hiccups toward the end - before you must have exhausted yourself completely and dozed off. I kept having the feeling again and again that you are, and will continue to be, the greatest joy of my whole life.

Love,
Momma

The day I bought a stroller

This is just a wonderful and silly pregnancy memory that I had written down and don't want to forget. It's funny how such a simple thing, like buying a stroller, can become such a powerful memory. It brings such a smile to my face!

The Day I Bought a Stroller 10/27/2011

On my way out the door to work this morning I noticed my darling friend Kim sent me a text message about a stroller sale. I called her on the way to work to get the details. She used to work at a baby boutique and knows a great deal about baby gear so I pretty much trust everything she has to say. As soon as I got to work I did some research and read all the current reviews. The price was right and I had enough in my baby budget to make the purchase. The stroller was good quality and exactly what we’d need and could be adapted into a double stroller (if we were ever so blessed). 

I pulled the purchase trigger and all of a sudden I was staring blankly at a confirmation email in my inbox saying that my stroller would ship in 2-4 weeks. Whoa. Let that sink in. I just bought a stroller. It was my first major purchase for this baby and my heart was pounding. I just bought a baby stroller!! A stroller. For a baby. What if we actually have this baby and push it around in a stroller? I started to cry. (Not that that’s too difficult to do these days.) Big, wet tears streamed down my face and I prayed no one would walk into my office right then. I’m 10 weeks and 1 day pregnant, my emotional instability is off the charts, my pants are getting a wee bit tight in the waist, and I just bought a baby stroller on a whim. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever loved anything as much as I love this little kumquat inside of me. 

A few weeks later when the stroller arrived the huge box with UPPABABY printed on the side alerted all my hallway neighbors that something was up at the Duncan home. I was still shy and unsure about how to broadcast the news beyond our closest family and friends. Even though I was nearly through my first trimester, part of me wasn't fully convinced that I was actually pregnant. We scheduled some time one evening to put the stroller together. As Brad sliced through the tape on the top of the box I began to cry. He stopped and came over to hold me. We stood there in the middle of the room that would become the nursery while I cried into his chest. It was so silly, to be crying over a stroller, but I couldn't help it.

We take turns taking the stroller for test-drives around the house. Often I'll be standing at the kitchen sink and see Brad wiz by in the living room pushing the stroller around the dining table like an obstacle course. Beep beep! He loves anything with a wheel on it.

A Letter to Baby Bee: 26 weeks and growing

Dear Baby Bee,
Well, look at us now! When people ask me how far along I am in this pregnancy, I have to catch my breath before I broadcast the words six and a half months and pretend like it's no big deal. There is no question these days about whether I'm expecting: my rounding belly is clearly an indication that a little one is on the way. I've started to receive smiles and even an occasional wink from strangers at the grocery store who all seem to be saying "you go girl!" As I was standing in a waiting room lobby the other day, a very nice man piped up and asked me when I was due. In May, I beamed, rubbing one hand on my belly (because honestly what else are my hands supposed to do?). He congratulated me several times and talked wistfully of his own 5 kids, his baby now 12 years old. It goes by so fast, he said, and those years are hard but you'll find you won't trade them for anything. You know, I think he's right.

The added attention you bring sometimes makes me feel silly, sure, but all the same it's just one more indication that carrying a baby is a real honor. I feel genuinely supported about bringing you into the world from family, friends, co-workers, ward members, and even strangers no less. But none more-so than your sweet dad. In my opinion he's already won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. I'm prematurely nominating him for Father of the Year. You'll see.

But while we're on the topic, you and him had a special moment the other morning as he was laying his face on my belly and you seemed to be responding on queue. He would say, can you have a good day Little Bee? and you would kick! Then he would say, take care of your momma for me, and you would kick!! Then he would laugh and say, don't kick me in the face! only to get a huge round-house kick to the face :). Your timing was perfect and you filled his day with joy.

Believe it or not, we are gearing up for a big trip to Australia in just a few days, which seems to have taken precedence over painting your nursery. But don't worry, that will get done soon enough. And if your dad doesn't do it, your Aunt Jen surely will. We figure this will be the last stamp in our passports for a good long while. I'm very much looking forward to meeting long-time colleagues in the Brisbane office, but I'm more so looking forward to spending time away with your father. After this trip, our next family vacation will be with you. And it might be as exciting as driving 40 miles south to visit grandma and grandpa. But still, we will be a family of three before long. And that alone is going to be the adventure of a lifetime we've been waiting for.

Also this week, your momma is turning 30! I must say that the very best thing, by far, about turning 30 is knowing that you'll come into my life this very same year. Thirty all of a sudden doesn't seem so old and scary. I'll be experiencing many "firsts" this year, which will reset the needle for basically everything I know about life. Thirty is now this magical number that I'll always associate with this beautiful time of life when I became your mother. Which is exactly what I've always meant to be.

Love,
Momma

A Letter to Baby Bee: 22 Weeks and counting

Dear Baby Bee,
Sometimes we call you that, Baby Bee, among plenty of other ridiculous and equally embarrassing cutesy names too. No matter what we name you, I think you'll always be our Baby Bee. The first in our hive. Newsflash to mom and dad: you're hardly a little bee anymore. At 22 weeks all the pregnancy books say you weigh nearly one whole pound. Hard to imagine you were ever that microscopic blastocyst introduced to us in the fertility lab. You are now a constant part of my every day, we are officially a party of two, where everything about me has suddenly become about we.

I love feeling your every move. There is really nothing like it in the world. Just this morning in the parking garage I couldn't quite bring myself to go inside and run the risk of interrupting the boxing match you had begun. Each little kick and somersault you make quietly reassures me that you are there and reminds me that life for both of us is ever changing. I find my hands are more and more comfortable resting on my belly, sometimes I don't even realize I'm rubbing it. Or I'll catch myself swaying side to side if I happen to be thinking about you. I've always wondered why pregnant woman do silly things like that. Now I know.

Your father has started to feel you move too, which is all very exciting. I wish you could see the way his eyes light up when he feels you kicking. The first thing he wants to do when he gets home is peel through the layers of my clothes so he can see you up close. For some unknown reason he finds the full panel maternity pants to be uproariously hilarious. This coming from someone who wears full body spandex. "I need to see my baby girl," he'll request and then press a whiskered cheek to my stomach. He continues to be fascinated by all these sudden changes to my body, especially my protruding belly, which every day seems to poke out a little bit further. No doubt, a good sign you are making yourself right at home in there. And just because he knows it'll warrant an overreaction from me, he loves to stick a wiggling finger right into my belly button claiming that's how he is able to be closest to you. I roll my eyes of course, but in truth I couldn't be happier that he is infatuated with you. With us. I certainly can't argue with his intentions.

Often at night when we are winding down in bed and talking about our days, I turn on a Mozart playlist on my iPhone and let it rest on top of my baby bump. We pretend to think this is going to make you a brilliant genius. In fact, we have countless hopes and dreams for you. But I won't tell you what they are. You will have hopes and dreams all your own, and those are the ones you should follow. Although, I know it wouldn't hurt your dad's feelings if you happen to love a good road trip. I certainly wouldn't mind if you developed a penchant for taking long Sunday naps snuggled with me.

In so many ways this pregnancy is moving all too quickly. I often wonder if I am enjoying it enough, or appreciating this moment knowing that the three of us will never have it again. Everything about pregnancy continues to mystify me, even I catch glimpses of my belly in the mirror and think, who is this pregnant woman? One thing I do know through all the blood, sweat, and tears: it's been well worth the fight. Happy to have you on board here my little one, our precious Baby Bee.

Love,
Momma

"A Pink Baby"

Surprise: It's a girl!

My niece Ellie predicted that we were having "a pink baby" and sure enough, she was right! Last week Baby Duncan was upgraded to Baby GIRL Duncan via ultrasound. BD and I were shocked. "I can't believe it's a girl!" I kept saying over and over. We had thoroughly been anticipating a boy due to a tip in that direction from an earlier ultrasound. But it appears she is all girl. I honestly can't get over it. "A pink baby!"

First purchase: pink tiny Tom's from Babinski's

I was completely giddy that day and haven't been able to think of anything other than pink for days on end. Suddenly this little flutterbug has taken on a giant piece of her identity, given us one more clue into her premature world. So what does dad think? Well, I'm pretty sure BD's heart grew three times that day :). I'm just passing 20 weeks, the halfway point, so they say. And while I can't wait to meet her face to face, I'm surprised at how fast this is all happening. Slow down baby girl, I want to say, I've only just begun to feel you move.

My love for this baby girl knows no bounds.

PS - the picture above is of me, 2 maybe 3 years old I'm guessing? I just noticed that I'm not wearing a stitch of pink! Ha. Such a tomboy I was. I suppose that can easily happen when you are the youngest of six and your next sibling up was a boy. 

What's in a Year?

On January 1, 2011 we arrived back home after spending two beautiful weeks in Brazil. The following 364 days have been some of the most exciting, devastating, and yet blessed days of my whole life. This entire year has been focused around nothing other than getting pregnant. Let's recap shall we? This is my cliff notes version of how I got pregnant. But for the record, I could write a novel.

On January 2nd we started our first round of IVF with daily injections. Ouch! I must really want to get pregnant. We blogged about Brazil. I traveled for work and by some miracle was able to give myself 6 shots. I really wanted a medal for that. Three weeks later we had to cancel that cycle because my body did not respond to the hormone treatment. I cursed my stupid body. I was released from Young Womens and called to teach Relief Society. I cried some.
In February I tried to relax, focus on early morning piano lessons, and just be present in what was happening in the world around me. I was desperately trying to catch myself from slipping further into depression. I turned 29 and tried not to think about it. BD surprised me with a new oven! I dove headstrong into work. Harder. Faster. Longer. BD was a trooper.
In March I baked up a storm. It was therapeutic. March was also all about second chances and we tried our hand at another round of IVF. BD had to travel for work and I volunteered my neighbor friend (bless her!) to give me daily injections. Different protocol. I went batsh*t crazy from the hormones. Don't pretend you didn't notice. On the last day of the month we had two surviving embryos implanted. We were 100% certain this was going to work.

In April Tom and Todd stayed with us and pampered me on my sick days. The pregnancy did not take. We were devastated. Everyone was devastated. I cursed my stupid body, again. BD biked a lot. I cried a lot. We got sucked into the Royal Wedding, if only for something to take our minds away. We heavily grieved the loss of an expectation. It was not the funnest month, per say.
In May BD whisked me away to Deer Valley over Mother's Day weekend for some R&R. I started tennis lessons with friends. BD traveled lots for work. We saw Les Miserables. We focused on each other and did things that made us happy. I walked every morning with friends and it felt good. My body was slowly returning to normal. My emotional state was beginning to heal.

In June we went to San Diego and drove Bruce home. BD loves Bruce. It was a treat to sit by the ocean and hear the waves crash. BD went to Youth Conference and rafted the Bear River. Not quite ready to open ourselves up again to IVF just yet, we embraced Summerness in all it's glory.
In July we hosted a BBQ and it rained. BD ran the Bryce Canyon Half Marathon with his siblings and rocked it. We spent a weekend in Park City with friends and loved on their baby girl. It opened our hearts to think about IVF again. I started being aware of all the things that truly make me happy. It always helps to count your blessings.
In August BD went on the Scout 50 Miler and I prayed they wouldn't get struck by lightning. I started an acupuncture regimen for fertility. BD glued himself to everything Tour of Utah. Big sister got married, I made a wedding cake! We started round 3 of IVF. More hormones. More injections. More crazy. More mula. More hope, though.

On Labor Day, September 5th, we had another two embryos implanted. We were hopeful, of course, but more so certain that we were doing the right thing whatever the outcome would be. It is surreal to see your potential children through a microscope. You can't imagine how much love you feel for something you can barely see with a naked eye. On September 17th we received a call from the clinic confirming that I was pregnant. We couldn't believe it. In fact, I challenged the nurse on this fact and she had to reassure me several times that I really was pregnant. The numbers don't lie! In an instant our whole paradigm changed. 
In October BD turned 30, we had visitors from Germany, watched Ellie for a weekend, enjoyed campfires up the canyon, and celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. But mostly we did nothing but think about, talk about, and revel in the newness of this pregnancy. BD became very protective of his new little family. I was tired and nauseous and doing my best to finish a full day of work. But we were oh so happy.
In November I spent a weekend at Sundance with girlfriends. We passed the 13 week mark and our Dr. gave us a thumbs up, the baby is strong, the pregnancy viable. I thank God everyday for my beautiful body and it's ability to sustain this little life. I love to check every pregnancy symptom off my list with pride. I want to feel it all. I don't take any of it for granted. We celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. We are indeed thankful for a miracle.

In December my belly started to pop out and I embrace my new curvier curves. BD is obsessed and wants to be touching my stomach at all times and in all places. I'm learning to embrace that, too. News of the baby is reaching far and wide, which is fun. We're happy to be spreading good cheer. It's only starting to become real. I began to feel the baby kicking and poking around inside. I love this feeling more than anything in the world. On December 30th at 19.5 weeks we found out the gender of Baby Duncan. We are thoroughly shocked, but elated just the same. Not that we wouldn't have been either way...

And that pretty much sums up our year. Two-thousand Eleven. The year of the pregnancy.

All I want for Christmas...

...Is to feel this baby kick! And indeed I am feeling soft little kicks and pokes and ripples from my very own belly. It is unlike anything I have ever known before, yet so much better than anything I could have dreamed. I am so very much in love. 

Christmas Morning, an attempt at a family portrait before church

TheBradleeDuncan's are thrilled beyond words to be expecting our first baby in May. [Pause] I need a second for that sink in. [Play] Yes, a baby! In May! We are quite literally over the moon about this pregnancy. It is a miracle, a blessing, and without a doubt the greatest gift we've ever been given. For us, this Christmas feels especially sweet. Hope you don't mind, but there's about to be a whole lotta baby up in here. I have so much to say. Finally :). But first, we wish you a very Merry Christmas from our (growing) family to yours!