28 Weeks

Happy Memorial Day!  We've had a great long weekend which was both productive and relaxing.  What more can you ask for really?  We got our stroller on Friday evening, as REI was having a sale:

On Saturday we took a hike near El Dorado and saw some great views, even though it was a little overcast:

Mesa Trail

We continued our quest to see one movie in the theater per week for these last weeks of freedom, and saw Bridesmaids on Saturday evening.  Sunday I planted annuals for our little balcony - Chad is installing the hangers tonight:

We also went to a bbq Sunday which featured three pregnant women.  I am three weeks ahead of one, and the other is new to the club - only about 7 weeks.  It was a little strange to be the one who is furthest along!  This morning we ran some errands and put the pack and play together to make sure it was the one we wanted:

We took a nice long walk on the trail behind our neighborhood tonight, and now Chad is making spaghetti and I just pulled some Ghirardelli brownies out of the oven.  These will probably be a staple these last 12 weeks.  Here are some very unflattering post-walk belly pics from week 28:

I'm still feeling great.  I'm getting used to the intermittent back pain and still sleeping pretty well.  I have been very lucky so far.  He is moving a lot now, and his movements are more alien-like than just kicks and jabs.  It's hard to believe we are coming into the home stretch now. We are enjoying the last couple of months of our family of two (plus animals) but we are also really looking forward to what's in store!

27 Weeks

Hello from the third trimester!  Since I last posted, we had a wonderful trip to KC for my shower, given by LaDonna, Leah, and Sarah.  It was really nice and low-key, just like I like a baby shower to be.  :-)  We also got to see a lot of friends and family, including mom and grandma who flew down for it, and celebrate Chad's FORTIETH birthday!  Here is how he spent his actual birthday evening, in Goodland, KS: 

Such a hard worker

But the next night, we met up with lots of friends at the bar which was the site of our first date and engagement, and he got to blow out some candles:

In addition to friend time, we also had some great family time, and ended the weekend with a little belated Mother's Day brunch at Classic Cup with our moms, grandma, and my KC mom, Bill and Ann:

It was cloudy and we all need a little color

And now for the belly shots.  I missed a week due to the KC trip, but most people who read this blog got to see the bump in person. 

Welcome to my work bathroom

And here's a little comparison from the week we moved to Denver (16 weeks) and this past Friday evening:

 



I'd say we're on the right track! 

25 Weeks

Wow, only 15ish to go!  We had awesome weather this weekend, and took advantage. Yesterday we tried out the pool in our complex and got some sun before heading to a high school friend's house for dinner.  I hadn't seen her in 16 years and we got to meet her husband and super cute 10 month old daughter.  I think once we are in the parenting routine we will have plenty of friends for Baby Bowerman to pal around with out here. 

Today we drove over to the Red Rocks area and went for a hike at Matthews/Winters Park.  Lacy was a trooper -- we need to get that girl in Colorado shape! 

After the hike we took a scenic drive up through the mountains and ended up in Boulder.  There were some great views from up high.



 So who is ready to visit us?  :-)

24 Weeks

Greetings from 24 weeks!  Mostly more of the same this week -- a little growth, a little movement, etc.  Chad and I both had pretty busy weeks at work and this weekend we caught up on errands and sleep.  It's been unseasonable cool and gray in Denver, but that is supposed to change starting Tuesday.  Looks like sunny skies and 70s after tomorrow! 

We did do some exploring for future home areas, and so far what we've found is that we are pretty sold on our current area.  We have started skyping with our family members, including the one in Mozambique, and that's been really fun.  I don't know why we didn't start that sooner!  Lacy even heard her Aunt Gracie barking today and got all excited. 

That's about all I've got for now -- here are a few belly shots:





23 Weeks

Happy Easter!  We've had a great week, highlighted by having our very first Denver visitors, Leah and Todd!  They really got to explore the Denver area, including a free Rockies game, even though the weather was not typical of a place that boasts 300+ days of sun per year.  Hiss boo.  But, April showers bring May flowers, and in Denver, hopefully fewer wildfires. We really need the rain. 

Both Friday and Saturday nights we went downtown to the Larimer Square area for drinks/dinner and really enjoyed it. 


This coat BARELY buttons

And here we are at 23 weeks.  Everything is still going very well.  I am feeling a lot more movement, and not only is Chad feeling it sometimes, but he actually saw some of it today!  Unfortunately it was on the other side of the hill from my perspective so I didn't see anything.  The baby is getting stronger and stronger every day. Some days I feel him a lot, and some I don't feel him quite as much, but I also know I get busy at work and don't always pay close attention.  I'm starting to get a little tired of hearing how I don't at all look over 5 months pregnant, but I think the belly is starting to really make itself known so hopefully I won't hear it much longer.  :-)

Today before a matinee -- trying to see as many
movies in the theater as we can before August!




After a walk cut short by rain -- poor puppy :(

After work view from above earlier this week

See you next weekend!

22 Weeks

I can't believe we are already at 22 weeks!  In about 5 more, we'll be entering the third trimester.  I would say time has flown by, but that would be a lie.  But I'm glad -- I have had a wonderfully easy pregnancy so far, and am hoping it continues.  Now that I can feel him in there it's a lot more fun.  I'm really missing the things I can't have, but I know this time will be over before I know it, and it's totally worth it. 

This week I felt a lot of movement.  Some days he was more active than others.  He seems to move/kick quite a bit on my way to work in the mornings - not sure if it's the heated seats (it's chilly in Denver in the mornings) or the bass from the 80s music I listen to.  Chad felt a little kick for the first time this morning.  So far it's still pretty light but now and then I feel a harder one and he finally had the timing right today. I know it's just the beginning of a lot more activity in there!

We spent the weekend in Vail.  It was so nice to drive up after work Friday and arrive in time to go to dinner and relax a bit. Chad skied on Saturday and had a fun day:

And this is how I spent most of Saturday, Kindle in lap:

The rest of the day I spent at the gym and napping.  It was great.

Friday night I was checking myself out in the mirror after dinner, and I think we had two different kinds of funhouse mirrors in our room.  In one I looked pretty big:



Yikes!





















But in another I looked more reasonable for 22 weeks:

We also took a shot this morning in the same spot where we had a picture taken of us on our first ski trip together, during my law school spring break in 2006:

Of course we did some eating as well.  We had an awesome breakfast this morning at The Little Diner in Lionshead, and all the seats were around the kitchen.  We had a great spot:

I frequently get dessert (I don't get wine - lock it up!) and last night I had an inside out s'more in the hotel bar where we went to listen to some live music after dinner.  Cheese and CRACKERS it was delicious:

It was topped with meringue that tasted EXACTLY like toasted marshmallows, and inside was vanilla ice cream, graham cracker crust, and chocolate cake.  Oh man it was good.

All in all a great trip!  The altitude was a little tougher to take for me this time- in general I was just sleepier and walking made me a little more tired than it normally would.  But as soon as we got back to the mile high city, I was feeling super energetic again.  Have a great week!

21 Weeks, 1 Day

Edited to add:  This is overdue, but I did start this on my lunch hour at work last week and couldn't figure out how to upload my pics without going through our doc management system, so it had to wait.

The new development this week is MOVEMENT!  On Friday I started realizing that what I thought were muscle twitches are actually little baby kicks.  So far I'm noticing them most around 7am, lunchtime, and after 9 at night.  Today I have twice felt a scissor-type of kick where I feel it both in the front and back at the same time.  Very weird!  But nice to feel at the same time. 

Here is the 21 week belly shot:

And here is a view from above:

Chad and I took a time out to get our feet in shape for summer.  The baby kicked a lot during the pedi -- must have been the vibrating chair. 

Daddy to be