Kickin' it

I am very excited to report that I have been feeling definite movement from the babe lately! The first day I knew without a doubt that I was feeling baby was last Monday. That put me at almost 18 weeks, which is just about the time most women report feeling movement in a first pregnancy. So far it seems like this little one likes to be very average - which the doctor tells us is exactly where you want it to be :)

Since then I've been feeling little flutters here and there, and once in awhile something stronger that must be a good kick. I figure this kid probably has long legs, so I should probably get used to the kicking!

Looking for a little clip-art to go along with this post, I found this cute/scary (you decide) Baby Kick Maternity T-shirt. Very ninja-like.

Hobbies

Weekends have been dedicated to our hobbies lately. We are both so busy during the week - with work, volleyball games and other commitments - that it is a real treat to relax a bit and do the things we really want to do when the weekend rolls around. Steve brewed a few batches of beer in the last few weekends, including one that will age for several months. It's a low alcohol porter-style beer that he's dubbing 'Big Baby Porter' - as it will be done cooking just about the same time as the baby. Which, of course, I'm pretty happy about since that means I'll be able to partake :)
Much of my free weekend time has been spent getting back into knitting after a summer sabbatical. I've been especially fond of knitting hats, because their round, compact shape makes for such a nice and neat little project. And because everyone likes a good hat, right? My first project was a hat for Steve. I had to make sure I did this one first before I get enveloped in the wonderful world of baby knits. (More on that later, to be sure). It's called a Watchcap and has been quite nice for these brisk fall days we've been having lately. I smile every time I see him wear it :)
Hope you all are finding little bits of time to pursue your hobbies as the weather gets cooler!

The belly

Well, I suppose it's about time to post a belly pic here. Over the past few weeks my pants have gotten pretty tight. I think it's safe to say I've got a little belly going. It's exciting to experience this change - a true outward sign that our little bean is growing :)

Here is a 15 week picture:
And for comparison, a picture at 5 weeks, just after we found out:

Travels & Treasures

We had such a nice time on our *little* road trip last week. Perfect weather for camping and hiking near the shore of Lake Superior. While in the UP, we stayed at Porcupine Mountains State Park in a secluded campground, on a cliff overlooking Lake Superior. We walked along the shore and found several chairs made from the large flat stones that littered the beach. The pic below is Steve relaxing on one of the stone chairs at sunset. So peaceful.

The next night we stayed at the cutest B&B in Au Train, MI. What a treat to sleep in a soft bed and be waited on by a gracious host. It was a quick drive from the B&B to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, where we hiked down to a beautiful, secluded beach. The water was cold and refreshing and the smooth rocks in the shallows were a rainbow of colors.

The trip culminated last weekend with the wedding of one of my very best friends. It was so nice to spend the day with friends and celebrating love. Fun, silliness, and shutter shades - what more can you ask for? Love you Melis.

Ah Friday! I am especially grateful for Friday this week, because tomorrow we will embark on an 'Epic' road trip. It's the wedding season in our lives and we've got 2 weddings the next 2 weekends (not to mention that wedding we went to last weekend). The first is in Minnesota and the second in Kentucky.

So how does one make their way from MN to KY you ask? Well, we think a most fun (although not exactly direct) route is through the U.P. of Michigan. So we will spend the next 9 days driving and camping and B&Bing and staying with loved ones, through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and back to Wisconsin again. This is a much needed vacation for both of us and we are really looking forward to the quiet and relaxing times as well as the fun party times. Should be a great trip and I hope to have some nice pics to share with you when we return.

FYI for the Hammons family KY crew: Steve and I will make a brief appearance at the Darpel family reunion next Sunday before we head back home. Hope we can see many of you there!

Well I am officially 11 weeks along now. Steve and I are starting to feel much more comfortable telling people our news and I think it's just beginning to seem real to us. I've been incredibly lucky as far as first trimester symptoms go. Hardly any nausea to speak of and my energy levels are still pretty good. Steve can attest to the occasional wacky mood swing though :).

We hope that this blog will be a way for us to connect and share with our family and friends throughout this pregnancy and beyond. It can be tough to be far away from the people we love, but I really like the way that sharing words and pictures in a place like this can make you feel instantly connected again. Come back every week for updates on our growing bean and other fun stuff we've got going on here in Madison.

For your viewing pleasure, here is our early sonogram from 9 weeks, 1 day. The baby was just about 1 inch long with a heartrate of 180bpm. And you can even see a foot!

A little picture puzzle:

Yep, you got it. A new little pea will appear in March!