a beautiful dancing belly...

Never one to be held back by a mere extra 18 inches around the middle and growing fetus eating all her calories and keeping her awake...Lisa and I decide to go salsa dancing the next day. She used to go out all the time, but doesn't often feel up to it now (can't imagine why) so I jumped at the chance to see her sexy pregnant self shake some salsa moves on the dance floor. It was beautiful!

all dolled up in our salsa outfits

Go, Lisa, GO!

What a beautiful belly bump - you should wear it EVERY time! :)

and some good dances for me as well.

A beautiful belly - another pregnant friend!

Shortly after Audrey was born and I stopped having weekly personal pregnancy calls (now weekly personal baby calls!) another friend became pregnant. Lisa is a classmate from my midwifery program. I don't think any situation would offer more excitment and support of a pregnancy than being surrounded by future midwives who love you!

This past weekend, I threw a baby shower for Lisa. The theme was "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". Lisa IS the very hungry caterpillar - she eats everything in sight (and you certainly can't tell, but baby is glad!) Here are a couple shots from the shower:

Look how many people love Lisa!

a successful party

the "Very Hungry Caterpillar" cupcake cake that I made for the party

(with all the things...or most...that he ate through on the white cupcakes)

game: who can guess how many inches around Lisa's belly is

answer: 40 inches!!!

game: who can remember the greatest number of items from Lisa's VHC gift basket

Jessie and Lisa with the gorgeous blanket

Jessie MADE for the baby!

(Lucky baby!)

Would you just LOOK at that belly!

(I sure do love it!)

Happy Halloween!

Halloween I drove down to DC to be with Natalie, Andrew and Audrey. I decided that we needed to dress up and that we should go "in theme". My prior visit to DC had included a shopping trip during which Natalie found a very cute pumpkin costume for Audrey. But, this left me with a lack of creativity as to how the bigger ones of us would fit this theme - varieties of fall squash, perhaps???

Natalie, so amazinly creative, came up with the answer:
Audrey: pumpkin
Natalie: vine (that grew the pumpkin)
Emily: farmer (plucker of pumpkins)
(And Andrew declined from participating in the dress up fun)

How perfect is that??? (Found out later she was hoping I'd reject the idea, but she didn't tell me that until she was dressed as a "fluffy" vine). I thought we were a great group.

Some last minutes shopping on my part produced the following scene:

I thought Natalie's vine looked great and I insisted that she attach it to hear head (plus, this was the placement least likely to be eaten by the little pumpkin!)

cute pumpkin with mommy and with daddy

We found a "recepticle" for trick-or-treating and were on our way

Only natural that one first holds the basket (brute strength) and then eats it! ha.

It was so special to be there for her first Halloween. And time with Natalie and Andrew was WAY better than the drunken shin-digs that New Haven had to offer on this ghouly night.

Trick-or-treating....of course everyone knew the candy was really for us!

Catch-up post: the new love of my life - my pseudo-niece

Between the time that I stopped writing and now a new, beautiful person has come into the world.

*cue angels singing*   Audrey   *cue stop angels singing*

My best friend, Natalie from Peace Corps and her husband had a little surprise blessed upon them this year. We had scheduled weekly phone conversations during the course of her pregnancy and it was so fun to see what I was learning (as I was in my prenatal course at that time) being played out as she went through it. I had insight into possible emotions/changes that moms go through and I could offer her some of the information that I was learning. It was so delightful.  Fortunately, she is in DC, so I am able to get down there fairly frequently.

So, here's the quick catch up:

1. Natalie and Andrew learn they are pregnant. They are a little stunned, I am nothing but extatic! 
2. I get (almost)weekly pictures of the gorgeous belly bump:

3. I go to DC for innaguration and get to hug and squeeze Natalie and bump and poke the little peanut, who kicks me back!

4.Another trip to DC/Baltimore for the baby shower:

Quilt made of pieces of Thai fabrics (and lots of love!)

Yale Midwifery onsie

5. May 2, 2009 Audrey is born. What an angel! (Natalie is a true superstar!)

6. I get to meet Audrey when she is about 2 weeks old, on my drive back to TX for the summer. It's LOVE at first sight!

snuggle time on the couch

Is there anything more precious than this?

(Didn't think so)

tiny girl - only take up 2 squares

complete perfection!

7. See "my girl" again on my trip back to New Haven the beginning of August (3 months now)

8. This semester, I'm going down once a month to see my Natalie, Andrew and Audrey. I love it!

look how she's grown - takes up 4 squares now!

in the Amnesty International onsie I gave her - ain't she cute?

when I oversleep, she "appears" to wake me up in the morning

I've never had a better wake up!

look at the big girl eating rice cereal!

Conclusion: I am in love! She is a perfect, genius baby and I'm so priveledged to be close and able to see her (and of course, her parents who I also love dearly) so frequently!