Keeping my blog updated has been really difficult lately, so I apologize! Things have been crazy around here lately. We had a wonderful visit from Brian and Cheryl and their boys... so much fun! The kids really enjoyed being together, so we're excited that we'll be seeing them again in a week and a half! Bella is going to benefit so much from having a young sibling- she needs to have another child to play with! I just wish she and Isaac were closer in age. Well, maybe not... lol. Let me say that I hope the age difference doesn't prevent them from being playmates. :)

We also took a family vacation to Williamsburg last week and had a wonderful time! We didn't do anything educational whatsoever... theme parks every day! (And let me tell you, my feet were not so thrilled with that!) The weather was great most of the time and the parks weren't crowded yet, so it was the perfect week to go! Water Country USA was a lot of fun. I was a little disappointed when I got there and saw that every single ride says that if you are pregnant you should not ride... especially since my OB had cleared me for the trip and told me there was nothing there that was going to hurt me! But, then I discovered the wave pool and everything was right in the world again! We also went to Busch Gardens several times and had a wonderful time there too! It's a beautiful park with pretty architecture and wonderful shade trees! LOL! You can tell what was important to me this vacation! We had breakfast with the Sesame Street characters and we all enjoyed that. The new Sesame Street Forest of Fun at Busch Gardens was great because they had good rides for little kids, but nowhere near enough seating or shade for hot, tired, and pregnant moms!

Also, Irene spoiled me rotten for Mother's Day with awesome tickets to a New Kids On The Block concert in Virginia Beach. It was the same week we were on vacation in Williamsburg, so it was convenient. We had a BLAST! The concert was awesome and, I think, the best show of the three we've seen this year!

We're doing Bradley Method birthing classes every week and we're really enjoying them. We're learning a lot about the birth process and I'm trying NOT to freak out! This baby is going to come out... oh dear! We're dedicated (read intensely dedicated) to having a natural, un-medicated childbirth so we're trying to do everything we can now to encourage that. We're in the process of interviewing doulas and have our final interview tomorrow. A doula is a labor assistant that has a great deal of knowledge of the birth process and can help keep mom and dad calm, help to keep labor moving by encouraging position changes, and help navigate the medical recommendations of the doctors and nurses. Studies have shown that having a doula present during the labor and delivery process dramatically reduces the likelihood of having a cesarean section and other medical interventions. So I'm really excited to make our decision and get started planning for our birth, which, by the way, is coming quickly!

Two of my friends, Cheryl and Liana, are throwing a baby shower for us and I'm so excited! My mom is coming all the way from Washington for the shower and it will be great to have her here for ten days! Not to mention how fun it will be to celebrate our little miracle baby with our friends here! I am still really enjoying pregnancy and am absolutely relishing this time in my life. Isaac is so active these days and feeling his movements never gets old! We can't wait to meet this little monkey of ours!

77 days and counting!