You guessed it! We are having a baby!  I have to say that Charlie knew before any of us. As soon as I became pregnant, he followed me around like crazy and when we slept he would curl up next to my belly with his arm on it like he was hugging it. Now I am a little too big for that!

We came back from the doctors today with a clean bill of health. We couldn’t be happier. We are due in late July and although we couldn’t get a perfect angle today we are about 90% sure it’s a girl. Based on the sonograms so far she has Chris’s personality. We’ve seen her lounging with her hands behind her head, punch back at the sonographer when the tech had to push down really hard to get a good shot, and finally get bored with all of us and stick her thumb in her mouth and go to sleep.

This was us at 8 weeks.

I have to get some pics of me now and post them soon because with each passing week it gets a little harder to see my feet. And climb the stairs. And resist chocolate.

So that’s what’s up with us. I will continue to post pics here as we take them.

This weekend Charlie learned about sharing, and about not being the baby anymore. (Of course he is always my little baby). I was so proud of him because we got him a new toy, and Rory loved it. So Rory took it and started playing with it, and my baby Charlie let him have it!

I have a feeling these two are going to be great friends. Here are some pics:

This is a polaroid of Charlie taken by his Uncle Pat. Such a talented photographer!

Charlie and Rory doing their tough guy stances.

Charlie and Rory hanging out on the lawn. Look at my smiley Charlie! I can’t take it sometimes! He’s watching out to make sure the Rory doesn’t fall off that ledge.

Friday evening after work we picked her up, went to Applebees, Barnes & Nobles, Dress Shopping (we forgot her outfit for the play when we picked her up!), took a bubble bath, and then watched Happy Feet while falling asleep. Happy feet is a terrific movie by the way.

Saturday morning Charlie and Chris joined us to watch some Happy Feet, then we went to a diner for breakfast, back for another bubble bath (after Miss Bella put her french toast on her head as a hat), more Happy Feet and drawing pictures and then off to the city after getting all dolled up with her new dress. We had lunch at Dave & Busters and then went to play some of the games. Then over to Mary Poppins and then dessert at Dylan’s Candy Bar where I indulged and had a hot fudge Sundae for the first time in probably 20 years! We were exhausted afterwards!!! Bella fell asleep about 5 minutes after getting into the car. We picked up Charlie and drove up to Bronxville to bring her home and have some Mexican takeout with the whole family.

Some important lessons we learned for when it’s our turn:

• Get a DVD player for the car if we are going to live in major traffic locations. A 20 minute drive can become 55 minutes at the drop of a hat.
• 4 restaurants in 2 days is a little much for a kid.
• We had better love our new house because with kids you definitely are going to spend a lot of time in it.
• Kids love to do art. Set up an area for this and keep it well stocked.
• Roll with the punches. I planned our activities for a couple of months, but 3 hours in a theatre is a ridiculously long time for a 4 year old. Hell, it’s a long time for a 30 year old. Especially because they changed a heck of a lot from the movie for the musical. (They’ve got the toys coming to life in the musical to teach the kids a lesson!!). We left at intermission and had a great time anyway. It would have really been torturous to make her sit there for the entire second half of the show.
• Charlie is going to be wonderful with children.

We had a terrific time and I know that Bella did too. I took so many pictures but our camera is holding them hostage right now.

It reminds me of all the times when I used to sleep over her house as a little girl and watch Dallas and Falcon Crest with her on Friday nights. After our shows we would go upstairs and watch the news and nightline. Then she would tell me stories that she had made up. Sometimes it was Mickey Mouse and the magic crayon, sometimes it was Mickey Mouse and the special magic cous cous. It always involved Mickey Mouse and something magic though. Sometimes she would tell me stories of her in the War, which she always pronounces “Wall” and it makes it seem so much less scary.

In the morning she would smoke a cigarette and bring cafe au lait for both of us. Mine was mostly milk and sugar with just a touch of coffee. I had a special cup that I would use. It was a china espresso cup and saucer with a rose painted on it and a gold handle. To this day I don’t think I’ve felt as special as I did when I would drink out of my cup. I have the milk pitcher from the set but my cup is missing.

Saturday we would take the bus to Macy’s at Queens Center Mall and we would walk around, she would listen intently to all my gibber jabber and I would do the same. She would buy herself clothes, sometimes a pretty scarf too. I can usually be found with a pretty scarf in my bag too now that I am a grownup. Then when we got back to main street I would pick out two books at B Dalton and she would buy them for me. I would read while she prepared dinner. At some point after dinner my mom or dad would pick me up. Those Friday nights will always be with me.