twenty six.

How far along? 26 weeks

Sleep: Hmmm..very sleepY but not getting very much sleep! 

Best moment this week: Seeing our sweet baby in 3D! Especially with her foot up near her face like a little ballerina.

Miss Anything? being able to buy new clothes that I see in TJ Maxx and Target on a whim [that don't belong in the Maternity section.] Now, shopping requires strategy.

Movement: She loves to have dance parties in my stomach, tippy tapping her little hands and feet all day long.

Food cravings: chocolate chip cookies and toast with almond butter and honey...mmm

Have you started to show yet: Show what?

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Braxton Hicks, but only after dancing (at a bachelorette party) and exercising

Belly Button: I'm...coming...out....

Stretch Marks: Zilch

Wedding Rings: Mostly on

Looking forward to: Meeting our baby!! Is it too early to say that? 13.5 weeks to go!

Hello baby!

“The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121:7-8

peanut butter pumpkin dog cookies

Fat Dog has mastered the art of being adorable. 

And fat.

Step 1: Cue big, puppy dog eyes.

Step 2: Stick paw of choice into the air to "shake" and show what  a good dog you are.

Step 3: Make cute little whimper-y noises that are quiet yet hard to ignore by funny talking humans.

If you've ever been a dog owner, you know just how important treats are to bribing your dog to do anything. And if you have a very hard headed bulldog, you especially know,

treats=come.
treats=stay.
treats=stop barking at the neighbors.
treats=stop rolling in the mud.

So, in this house, cute puppy dog eyes are allowed.

And so are treats.

I wonder if it will be that easy to bribe our lil' bean? 

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats
adapted from Kelly on AllRecipes

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 heaping tablespoons Peanut Butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and stir. Once the mixture is partially combined, remove your rings and using your hands, mix the dough together, folding and kneading as you mix until well combined.

Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/2" thick. Using a knife, cut into 3" x 1" rectangles, or cut out with cookie cutter of choice. Poke holes for dramatic effect using a fork.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes until hard and crunchy.

Serve to a hungry, obedient pup!

These were given two [very enthusiastic] paws up!

They make great gifts for dog cousins too!

"What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" Mark 8:36

twenty five.

How far along? 25 weeks

Sleep: Yes, in between tossing and turning all night long...I sleep. 

Best moment this week: The little moments. Like me and the hubby feeling our sweet baby move while sitting on the couch together.

Miss Anything? Wine. This week a BIG glass of wine could definitely be in order.

Movement: Yes! Sweet wonderful movements. I had a particularly scary morning this morning when by 10:00 am I realized I had not felt her move last night or this morning (and I always do), so after a few prayers and looking into my What to Expect book, she decided to give me a few soft kicks to let me know everything was a-ok. We have been in full-on wiggle mode since.

Food cravings: chocolate and chocolate chip cookies.

Have you started to show yet: Hmm...

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: I read that Braxton Hicks begin anywhere after week 20, and after exercising yesterday there was something real strange happening-like a very uncomfortable tightening across my belly. I am wondering if that's what they feel like? 

Belly Button: Hmm..might be more of an outtie now...

Stretch Marks: So far so good

Wedding Rings: On for work, off at night!

Looking forward to: Seeing her sweet little face on the 3D ultrasound next week!

"Guide me into your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4-6

Peach Cobblah

Oh, hello summer.

Hello 90 degree temperatures and weekend getaways to the beach.

And hello peach cobbler.

Or rather, Peach "Cobblah".

You see, as you immerse one Irish/Italian family with a Southern family, a whole new dictionary of word possibilities abound.

And ultimately your own language.

About 2 years ago, I suggested I would make Peach Cobbler for dessert on a weekend beach trip. My very northern MIL then said "What's a cobb-lah?"

Which caused us all to giggle profusely and thus the cobbler has been renamed cobblah.

It also makes it taste better when you say it that way.

Trust me.

This is a recipe I got from my little sister over at Live to Love  and I'm not sure where it originated, but if you haven't tried this crumble {cobbler} [cobblah] recipe, well, you should.

If you're anything like me and you end up with hundreds of peaches each summer, it tastes Ah-mazing with lots of peaches.

Or peaches with pineapples. Or peaches with raspberries.

Or no peaches at all. {If you're crazy and don't like peaches.}

The best part is, you get to pick.

It's hot, peachy and creamy with a crunchy, buttery topping that is perfect served alongside ice cream or eaten with a large spoon.

Peach Cobblah

6-8 ripe peaches, peeled, cored, and sliced into chunks [or 2-14 oz cans of fruit, drained]

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick of butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Add peaches [or other fruit] to the bottom of a casserole dish. Mix melted butter with cake mix until it forms a mixture that is moist and crumbly. With your [clean] fingers, crumble all of the cake and butter mixture over the fruit. 

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until the crumble becomes slightly browned and the fruit bubbles on the sides. 

"You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set." Psalm 104:19

twenty four.

How far along? 24 weeks

Sleep: Sometimes. I'm getting very used to waking up in the middle of the night already!

Best moment this week: Coming back home to a house with Air Conditioning! The Bahamas were amazing but H-O-T!

Miss Anything? Tuna! Went to have sushi this weekend and had to stick to crab and shrimp only rolls. Meanwhile I stared dreamily at the ahi tuna...

Movement: She is a squirmy, wriggly bean!

Food cravings: sweets! 

Have you started to show yet: Yes yes yes.

Gender: Girl

Labor signs: Still none! I am wondering when said Braxton Hicks start coming along. 

Belly Button: My flattie is starting to look a whole lot like an outtie every day! According to my What to Expect updates, although your belly button can pop out like a turkey timer, it does not necessarily mean the baby is done!

Stretch Marks: So far no. (: 

Wedding Rings: On until it gets hot and humid. Then, off!

Looking forward to: Our 3D/4D ultrasound in a few weeks

"You are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, majestic as troops with banners." Song of Soloman 6:4

                     eleven                                 seventeen                                 twenty                                twenty four    

twenty three.

Baby is as big as: A papaya

How far along? 23 weeks

Sleep: Um. Intermittently. I've noticed I wake up when the baby is awake and lie there for a few minutes before I can get comfortable and fall back asleep.
Best moment this week: Traveling to the Bahamas with the bean! (Thus the non-chalkboard picture.)
Miss Anything? Hmm..the Bahamas treated me so great I don't miss anything this week!
Movement: Yes-all the time! She has been flipping around, kicking near my ribs, and squirming about all day long.
Food cravings: Chocolate and avocado. Not together. Although....Haha no no that one hasn't struck me yet.
Have you started to show yet: Would you believe me if I said no?
Gender: Girl
Labor signs: No-although I was sure the itty bitty plane that took us into Long Island, Bahamas would put me in Labor. Praise the Lord it didn't.
Belly Button: I have a flattie who wants to become an outtie.

Stretch Marks: None yet! 

Looking forward to: Our 3D/4D ultrasound in a few weeks

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." Psalm 20:2