Maternity Photos

We decided to have some maternity pictures done to remember this special time in our lives before the baby arrives.  It's amazing to me how much my body has changed (and I'm sure will continue to over the next few weeks!) to prepare for this precious new life we're about to meet.  Since I will eventually be turning the blog into a baby book, I wanted to include some of our favorites here with just about a month to go.

Karly Lee was our wonderful photographer who captured the pictures and thanks to her talented skills, we were so happy with how they turned out!  She is the parent of one of my favorite first graders I had a few years ago and we had so much fun with her taking pictures.  As we were finishing up, we decided to walk down a trail to where an overhang of tree branches hung to get just a few more pictures.  When I looked up to where the overhang was in front of us, I happened to see a bear cross the path!  We immediately turned around and walked quickly in the other direction.  I peaked back as we were walking away and saw two bear cubs following the mama!  I'm thankful we weren't a few seconds earlier and had crossed the path where the bears were!  Sorry, no pictures of the bears were taken...we were too determined to leave :).

Showered with love...

I have to say this baby is one spoiled little girl already!  Some of my mom's best friends threw a beautiful shower with some of our family and family friends.  It was so fun to be with everyone!

Here are the wonderful hostesses and I - Linda, Susie, and Connie.  I have known these ladies since I was born and have grown up with their kids.  It's still so much fun when we all get together!

It was so special to be with my grandma (soon to be great-grandma!), and my mom and Cody's mom (soon to be grandmas!)...

It was great to be with relatives and some childhood friends that I have known for years and years.  My Aunt Gwen and Grandma Howell...

  Jossie and her mom Linda...

My Aunt Lora, Kelly and Stephanie...

The delicious cupcakes Mary made...

It was very special to receive this darling quilt that my grandma made!

 Cody's mom also made a beautiful quilt that I'm sure our baby girl will love for years and years!

One of my favorite parts of the shower...the hostesses announced that we would be playing some games and then got out a scale and put in the center of the room.  They didn't tell us what it was for, so it was funny to see everyone's nervous reactions to the scale :).  Every pregnant woman wants to be weighed in front of people, right!?

The twist in the game was that everyone had to weigh their purse! Here I am with my purse on the scale...and I happened to win for having the heaviest purse!   I carry my life in my purse, but I'm thinking I may need to lighten it up when baby comes and prepare for carrying a baby, diaper bag, etc! 

This baby has been thoroughly loved and showered and we are feeling more and more ready to meet her!  Of course we're hoping she decides to wait a few more weeks, but having all her cute clothes in her closet and her nursery all set up makes it hard to patiently wait! 

Sugar 'n Spice...

...and everything nice.  That's what little girls {and my beautiful shower!} are made of.  The parents of some of my favorite former students threw me the loveliest baby shower!  When I started working at Discovery Elementary four years ago, I never imagined I would meet such amazing families who have been such a huge part of my life.  A lot of these parents had their kids in the first class I taught at Discovery, which I had the privilege of teaching for two years as I looped with them from first to second grade.  Most of them came to our wedding two years ago, and they have continued to be a very special part of mine and Cody's lives.  It's hard for me to believe that the kids I had as little first graders are now going into fifth grade!  I've loved watching them grow up before my eyes and feel so fortunate to know their amazing parents. 

The shower was a "mom and daughter" occasion, and it was so special to have these girls there!

The incredible hostesses and I - Jen, Jill, and Susan...

I loved all the amazing and adorable decor!

Enjoying some delicious food...

These adorable cupcakes not only looked AMAZING, but also tasted so yummy!

Opening gifts, including this very cute matching raincoat and hat that my mom made!

 I couldn't believe it when the girls surprised me with the most wonderful gift from the group...the carseat/stroller travel system we had registered for filled with books!  We are now officially ready to bring baby home from the hospital! :)

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It took quite a few of us awhile to figure out how to collapse the stroller...until Athena got out the instruction manual!  I hope I'll have it down by the time the baby arrives! 

The very cute pink candle favors...

I was very touched when they gave me this beautiful box filled with advice and well wishes everyone had written for baby and I.  I loved reading through the notes and will be following their very special advice!

Cody brought Blake (whose mom Jill hosted the shower at her house) back to his house after stopping by his football practice.  The girls had picked out a cupcake to save just for Cody :).

I had to include this cute picture of Blake helping his mom set up for the party...such a sweetheart!

Cody and I feel very lucky to be part of such an amazing community.  We love spending time with the kids and their parents and feel so blessed to have them in our lives!

Pink baby shower!

I have some fabulous friends who threw a fabulous PINK baby shower for me!  I was so touched by all the attention to detail and all the adorable pink decorations and food...they know me very well to know that I love all things girly and pink!  Thank you Carly, Rebekah, and Katelin for hosting such a wonderful party!  Our baby girl is already very loved and spoiled!

These cute invites set the pink tone for the party...

Me with the beautiful hostesses - Katelin, Carly (and Benjamin), and Rebekah...

Rebekah was so sweet to host the shower at her very cute house...

Carly brought her family over from Spokane for the weekend!  We loved hanging out with her and her boys...

Katelin came down from Bellingham for the shower...

I loved all the pink decor and treats!

Some of my friends while opening gifts...

 My wonderful 1st grade team who I am lucky enough to have as co-workers and friends! I am very fortunate to work with these amazing ladies...

My high school friends...even after 10 years I'm so glad we're still friends!

A Jenn sandwich with Alison and my preggo bellies! :)

My mom (soon-to-be-grandma) and me...

Only 7 weeks left to go...

I was overwhelmed with the generosity and thoughtfulness of the hostesses and all my friends who showered this baby with such love and gifts! Thank you ladies!