7 Months

Time is just flying by and my belly just keeps getting rounder! I have finally come to my third and final trimester and I continue to enjoy my pregnancy. Our baby seems to get more active each and every day which I think Ari is enjoying the most. It used to be a more rare occasion when he could put his hand on my belly to feel a kick. Now he is almost guaranteed a movement when he tries. What is getting really wild is just looking down and watching my belly shift as the baby changes position. I just can't wait to meet this little person!

The doctor's visit this month included my glucose challenge test. I was required to be npo (not eating) for two hours... not an easy feat for me! Then I had to drink a not so tasty orange cola type beverage. I was just glad I passed so that I don't have to pass on dessert! Also, there was a girl learning how to do prenatal ultrasounds so they asked if they could practice on my belly... who could say no to that? Our little one was initially sucking his/her thumb and them seemed to put a finger up his nose... must have learned that from daddy! They stuck to there promise and didn't look between the legs. It was so cool to see our baby making breathing movements. It is hard to believe that when I next blog about my belly, our baby's lung will have started secreting surfactant... making them mature for the outside world!

I guess the only other things to tell you are that I am getting less and less mobile. I will crouch down to talk to a patient and then sit silently hoping I will be able to get up gracefully. Getting out of bed or off the couch is also more challenging; Ari thinks it is a riot.

A Whirlwind Visit to the Windy City

Last weekend, we hopped in the car and headed north to get in a quick trip to Chicago. Ari worked overnight on Friday and as soon as he got home we packed up the car and left. Luckily he sleeps pretty well in the car (I call it passenger seat narcolepsy). We only stopped for lunch and a brief potty break but it took a bit longer to get downtown than Google said; it also took some figuring out since the directions weren't quite right. Finally we arrived at the South Loop to see Kristen, Larry, Koby (the dog) and their new condo. They have this cool "loft" style condo in an old building right on Michigan Avenue. I certainly was impressed. We sat around and caught up while Kristen worked at crocheting a baby blanket for our baby and Larry worked diligently at making a new dress for Kristen (he is currently in school for fashion design). With the two of them being so crafty, Ari and I definitely felt unskilled! It was great to see them but soon we were off to Elmhurst to meet Dan and Amber for dinner. They took us to an Italian restaurant known for their pizza and we had a great time catching up with them before they had to get ready for a Halloween party. Not quite the party animals these days, plus Ari getting only a few hours of car sleep made us decide to make our way to the hotel. Google Maps disaster #2: it took 1 1/2 hours, 2 stops, and a phone call to finally getting us up to the Mundelein Crowne Plaza. Needless to say by the time we got there we were both EXHAUSTED.

On Sunday, we woke up refreshed and made our way down to Schaumburg to Richard Walker's Pancake House to meet dad and Lily for breakfast. The line was formidable but time flew and we stuffed ourselves with pancakes, omelets, and other yummy breakfast items. I love not feeling guilty about eating a lot of food and those pumpkin pancakes hit the spot! We hadn't seen dad and Lily since I was barely pregnant so they enjoyed seeing me and my ever growing baby bump. With our tummies full, it was time to part ways and get back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding.

The main attraction of the weekend was the wedding of Beth and Jared. Beth and Ari have been good friends since college. She met her now husband in AmeriCorps. Unfortunately, their jobs

have kept them living in Florida then North Carolina for the past few years so we don't see them as often as we would like. They were married in a very rustic barn. The decorations were beautiful: lots of soft candlelight and wreaths adorned the inside. The ceremony was short and meaningful (my favorite kind). The reception was in the same location and the drinks were actually served in the silo, how cool! Dinner was delicious and we certainly enjoyed catching up with all of the Wesleyan crew. Unfortunately, the night passed quickly and we had to say our goodbyes because I was due back at work Monday morning at 6:30am. So on the ride back it was my turn to sleep in the car!

More Vistors!

A few weeks ago... I am not telling how many because I continue to be behind in my blogging... some old friends came to visit and brought all of their beautiful girls with them. Tim and Michelle brought Elizabeth (who was born when we were in medical school), Lauren, and Emma to check out the new house and Cincinnati. Josh and Bridgette brought Raegan, whom I had yet to meet. Needless to say the house was packed with good friends and LOTS of little girls. It was so fun to have so many little people around; Ari and I certainly got a glimpse of what little girls are like from 6 months to 5 years old. Added to the mix, Brent and Nahid brought over Ava to spend time with everyone too. With so many friends with so many little girls our baby is destined to be a boy don't you think? Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Bridgette is also pregnant with... you guessed it, another girl!

The crew arrived on Friday night and we spent a long time catching up. The Lyons gang really enjoyed exploring the house and playing Hide and Go Seek. Saturday while Ari went to work we all went out for breakfast. It was absolutely amazing how well everyone behaved despite the long wait to seat 7 adults and 5 children. After we were filled with pancakes we headed to the park where I managed to capture some cute pictures of the girls, but somehow forgot to take any pictures of the adults. We then were off to the grocery store to pick up fixings for a cookout; one meal out with everyone was plenty. The guys manned the grill and the girls made the sides and we had quite a feast when Ari got home. The evening was filled with more catching up and we even got a visit from Sarah, my med school roommate.

Sunday, Ari got to enjoy our company while I went to work. Unfortunately, the crew headed back that day and I only got to share my goodbyes. We certainly love filling our home with guests, so let us know if you are in the area!!