It's time to vote!

We have about a week before we find out if Hamish is a boy or a girl. It's time for a poll! We want to know what you think. So, in case you need a little help to make your decision, here are some old wives' tales to guide you along:

It's a boy if:

• You didn't experience morning sickness in early pregnancy. - I did this time, but just got a little queasy with Madeline. Go figure.


• Your baby's heart rate is less than 140 beats per minute. - Nope. 150.


• You are carrying the extra weight out front. -  That's where the baby is. Isn't that where I should have extra weight?


• Your belly looks like a basketball. - Too soon to tell.


• You are carrying low. - I think this one's a little higher, actually.


• You are craving salty or sour foods. - YES!! I want to drink pickle juice and eat salt & vinegar chips all day. Mmmm. Tasty.


• You are craving protein -- meats and cheese. - Yuck. Still not a meat eater and I can only tolerate cheese in moderation.


• Your feet are colder than they were before pregnancy.  - We live in Alabama. It's 350 degrees outside, 8 months a year. So, no.


• The hair on your legs has grown faster during pregnancy. - Nah.


• Your hands are very dry. - Nope. Still baby soft.


• Your pillow faces north when you sleep.  - I'm supposed to take a compass to bed??


• Dad-to-be is gaining weight right along with you. - He's lost a little poundage, to be honest.


• Pregnancy has you looking better than ever. - Ugh. No.


• Your nose is spreading. - Big nose anyway.


• You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves back and forth or side to side.  - Yes. But, it did that with Madeline, too.


• You are having headaches. - Some, but not as many as the first time.


• You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an even number. - This one is tricky because it's based on the Chinese lunar calendar and I conceived in January.

 

It's a girl if:

• You had morning sickness early in pregnancy - Yep.


• Your baby's heart rate is at least 140 beats per minute. - 150.


• You are carrying the weight in your hips and rear. - If my butt gets any bigger, I can just stand by the couch and Dan can use it as an end table. Let's hope this one never happens!


• Your hair develops red highlights. - Well, since I haven't seen my natural hair color in 20 years, this one is impossible to verify.


• You are carrying high.  - See above.


• Your belly looks like a watermelon.


• You are craving sweets. - No more than usual.


• You are craving fruit. - Not really.


• You crave orange juice. - Yes, but only when I'm already thirsty.


• You don't look quite as good as normal during pregnancy. - I really, really don't.


• You are moodier during pregnancy. - Poor, poor Dan.


• Your face breaks out more than usual. - Like the spotted elephant from the Island of Misfit Toys.


• You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread. - Bread is bread.


• Your pillow faces south when you sleep. - Again, I don't think I own a compass.


• You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves in circles - See above.


• You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an odd number. - See above.

All right, here we go. What's your prediction for the new kid?

[polldaddy poll=5095382]

Happy 90th, Grandmother Head!

Last weekend, Dan's grandmother turned 90 years young and we had the privilege of spending the day celebrating at her surprise party in South Carolina. Enjoy the pictures!

 

[caption id="attachment_1091" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Dan & Madeline with Grandmother Head"][/caption]

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1092" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption=""Beh-bee!""][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_1093" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Everyone, and a couple of ferns."][/caption]

 

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1094" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tickling her cousin, Lawson."][/caption]

 

 

[caption id="attachment_1095" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Big hugs for Aunt Elizabeth"][/caption]

I Know...

I have been terrible about blogging lately.

School is finally (finally!) coming to a close and that means it's the busiest time of year for any teacher. And, don't forget that we have an extra week tacked onto the end of the year because of all those beautiful snow days. (That wasn't sarcasm. I really did love the snow. I know it's hard to tell with me, sometimes.) So, exam schedules and such have been wonky and that's created even more confusion and stress than the usual end-of-the-year festivities.

But, as of June 3rd, I am officially a full time Mom. I'm taking next year off to hang out with my babies and work on finding ways to do God's work in the community. I can't even form the words to say how excited I am about what the next year will bring.

That said, I want to thank Odyssey Early School for being Madeline's home away from home for the past 10 months. She has made some great friends and her teachers have been awesome. She really has thrived there and we wouldn't hesitate to send both these kiddies back there when I go back to work.

I have a lot of blog posts that I would like to make, including some with many pictures, so be sure to check back. It's about time for a poll, too, with the big ultrasound coming up on June 6th. Hmmm...boy or girl? Girl or boy? We'll just have to wait and see...

And speaking of new additions (not of the Bobby Brown variety), we wanted to send congratulations out to our friends, the Swarts family, on the arrival of Parker Eli (April 4) and the Rodgers family for welcoming Benjamin Graham (May 7). Welcome to the 'hood!

Not much to report

 "We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the eclat of a proverb." - Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

It's been a while since I posted anything. Truthfully, I don't believe I have anything to say that will amaze the whole room.

Sweet Madeline is on the go and can barely slow down for a good picture. She has learned several new words and phrases, including what an elephant says. (That's "Roll Tide," in case you didn't know.)

We're trying very hard to be patient as we wait to find out whether baby Hamish is a boy or a girl. We'll know June 6th!

There. Are you amazed?

More amazing things to come.

Hey, Birmingham!

And, anyone in Tuscaloosa who would like to make the drive for pure yumminess for a good cause.

Ashley Mac's is donating 100% of the proceeds from brownie sales to tornado relief through the month of May.

You know you want some brownies!

For a great example of people who truly live Christ's example of generosity and compassion, check them out:

www.ashleymacs.com

www.andyandashleymac.blogspot.com

16 Week Appointment

I had my 16 week appointment yesterday to check on Hamish's progress.

All is well! Hamish's heartbeat is perfect. I checked out well, too, and we're just eagerly awaiting the next appointment when we find out if Hamish is a boy or a girl!

Pretty soon, I'll post another poll to find out what you think.

Almost halfway there!

Easter 2011

First of all, shame on me for not getting any decent pictures of my sweet girl in her Easter dress. But, once she discovered that she couldn't climb the stairs in anything containing chiffon, it was over. The dress had to come off.

My favorite picture from that day, however, is the one right after she discovers that the Easter Bunny was kind enough to put goodies in those pretty plastic eggs:



More important than dresses or jellybeans, though, is the fact that we proclaimed the risen Christ as a family.

He is why we are who we are, and he is risen, indeed!