Baby Bump and other thoughts

I decided to take this very professional picture today for you all. That's me sans head.

So, its true, in case you were wondering and had not already heard... Joaquin and I are expecting are first child to arrive somewhere near April 20, 2010. We are very excited. Over the moon, you could say. We have named the lil one, "Figgy," for now. Though by now he/she is the size of a "medium shrimp" according to the oh-so official babycenter.com. My heart melts and I fall into a fit of giggles when my husband leans in close to my belly and says things like, "Hi Figgy! This is your dad talking!" I cannot wait to see Joaquin hold this baby for the first time. It almost makes me start to cry each time I dwell on it. Maybe that's the hormones. He is going to be the best daddy ever.

I am sailing quite nicely into the second trimester. The whole pregnancy thing is still a bit surreal, but I am sure that the larger I grow, the more real it will feel. Its raining today (glorious!) and I struggled a bit to button up my black rain coat. I told my co-worker Sherri such this morning, and she suggested I buy a poncho. Oh dear! Will my vanity have to suffer so much?

Ok, so last night I realized a new favorite thing: cooking a real dinner with the slider door wide open, as the rain fell hard on the patio. Just lovely. Couple that with the fact that my meatloaf and baked potatoes turned out well and sent my husband to humming. I just love cooking him a good meal. That look of delight in his eyes as his eyebrows shoot up after each bite--It is so satisfying. Buy me an apron and call me old-school... We are planning to have me stay home after lil Figgy comes. I have all kinds of dreams for the meals I'll make and the peaceful home I'll create once I no longer have to be away from home 40+ hours a week. It is very hard for me to picture leaving my current job, as much as the next season of life excites me. I've been here at Biola for over five years. I'm sure leaving it will be a bittersweet time, and I plan to visit with Figs in tow as often as I can.

Next weekend we are headed up to Nor Cal to spend a brief couple of days with my parents. There is something about pregnancy that makes a girl really miss her mom even more than the normal. Perhaps I'll remember to take pictures and show them off here. We plan to go and visit one of my favorite Fall-ish places, Apple Hill. Apple donuts and cider, and pie, oh my!