double date night

last night, we went here:

with these two birdies. the other kelly's:

we marveled at the weather, until the sun went down:

everyone enjoyed spirits of their choice. for ryan that meant newcastle:

for me, it meant a refreshing margarita. virgin, of course:

we were pretty smiley:

and then we got hungry. so we ate tri-tip. hello, heartburn. nice to meet you:

daddy david surprised us all with a little ice cream:

i got lost in these eyes for about half an inning:

and then the sunset garnered my attention:

do you like my new scarf? the easter bunny and her helper (a.k.a. my mama and daddy) left it in my easter basket:

i think the sacramento skyline is so pretty. especially at dusk:

happy night:

baby shower no. 1

saturday. the day of my first baby shower, hosted by ryan's mom. a.k.a. mimi. and what a perfect day. the sun was shining so bright. and i was so excited.

mimi made that perfect diaper wreath that greeted us at the front door. i couldn't believe it's cuteness! and i can't wait to hang that wreath from our front door after our baby makes his or her grand entrance into the world...

the decoration cuteness only grew exponentially after we stepped through the door...

we ate on the kelly's lakeside patio - it was all so darling!! i felt like such a lucky mama-to-be.

ryan's old toys decorated bookshelves and mantles and his old baby clothes hung on an indoor clothesline - i was particularly fond of the red overalls!

baby shoes decorated what would otherwise be ordinary doorknobs. such clever cuteness.


and that baby balloon makes me laugh everytime i see it.


mimi has such amazing friends. they are fun, as in F.U.N. ladies. they make me belly laugh. and i am pretty sure those two ladies in the top righhand picture are about to redefine the term "you look too young to be a grandma". and those two great-grandma's in the bottom right picture are just too hot to handle. they both had me in stitches all day. two grandmas and two great-grandmas. there is a lot of wisdom in those heads. what a lucky baby! and what a lucky mama ;)


the food was INCREDIBLE! fruit salad (with lots of strawberries!), sandwiches, turkey wraps, veggies, potato salad, and a green salad that makes my mouth water just thinking of it.

and then there was cake! lemon chiffon and chocolate...this mama-to-be was one happy lady.


after our lunch on the patio, i came inside to see that everyone had decorated onesies for baby berry! i laughed and laughed and admired everyone's craftiness. i was in charge of picking a winner and the one that made me laugh the most read, "whatever happens at mimi's, stays at mimi's". i just can't wait to see baby berry in all these onesies...


i was truly showered with the most generous, thougtful and amazing gifts. and although the collage below is a little "lauren overkill", i thought that my faces better explained my glee than words would.

there were gifts that made me cry. gifts that made me laugh. gifts that made my heart burst with sentimental overload. and gifts that shocked me with their adorableness.

i cried reading david and marsha's card. i was shocked to receive handmade clothes that were made for ryan. i laughed at the little rocking lamb that baby can ride on and the miniature sunglasses. i cried (a lot) when my mom gave me my baby ring and bracelet, baby cup and bowl. and i was thrilled to receive our stoller and carseat from the hostess herself!


it was such a relaxing day. and was made all the better by the sun and amazing company who came out to shower me with love and gifts. i felt so happy all day long. and i am pretty sure baby feels completely spoiled.

my sisters are like the loyal bridesmaids that never quit. always by my side for these major events in my life to help and guide me. emily took every single amazing picture that you see (except the few that she appears in). the girl knows i love the detail and food pics. and rachel handed me my gifts and took dilligent notes recording all my gifts. she even got me more salad at lunch.

and marsha. mimi. what a gal. she has completely made me a part of her loving circle of family and friends and went over and above to make sure that my first baby shower was truly an unforgettable day for me. i will never forget it. especially that wreath, baby balloon and diaper cake :).

i am so lucky. and baby berry has no idea all the love that is waiting for him or her.

thank you, mimi!!

twenty nine weeks

dear baby:

apparently i sometimes wake your daddy up in the night with my loud "breathing". apparently that is exactly what happened on tuesday night because he woke up in the morning with the biggest, proudest smile on his face and told me the sweetest news: at some point in the night, he had woke up and readjusted to cuddle my tummy while i slept only to find that you were moving all around, squirming and kicking. he said that he kept rubbing my tummy and that it felt like you were having a little midnight drum jam session with him in there!


i couldn't believe that i slept through it.


it made me so happy that you and your daddy had your own special time together.


and it officially dispelled my misguided hope that maybe you would be a dream baby and would sleep when the rest of the world slept.


oh well. we love you to the moon anyway.

p.s. the tantes are coming tonight!! you love them so much and you have no idea how much they love you...it's bound to be a party!


p.p.s. those jammies are the first thing i ever bought for you. boy or girl, i am crazy for blue stripes and i can't wait to see your chubby little legs in this get-up. it's so soft.


p.p.p.s. my first baby shower with all of mimi's friends is tomorrow!!! i can't wait for you to meet all these ladies - they are all pretty much a hoot and are all so sweet. its hard to believe that a year ago we gathered for my bridal shower. wow! a lot sure can happen in a year :)

paint, gardens and cribs

the weekend was full. full of busy and hard work. one big team kelly effort.

*we painted our nursery after i finally decided on the right blue. it took me seven samples. some too purple. some too bright. some too grey. and of course, it had to be perfect. it just had to match up with the vision i had in my head: a blue that would look beautiful with peach, pink and yellow for a girl baby, and a blue that would compliment greens, yellows and oranges for a boy baby.

we found it.

*we finally planted our first garden plot. tomatoes, green beans, basil and pumpkins.

a lot of hope and love lies in that little plot. and i am glad that ryan is happily responsible for our patch. his thumb is a lot greener than mine.

*we ryan set up our darling little crib. my favorite part was watching him tighten all the screws like lug nuts on a tire, not in order. and then he said that he wanted to tighten them again before the baby actually slept in the crib. so sweet.

i stare at that little white crib about once an hour.

*by the end of each day, we were starving and tired. honest work makes food taste so good. saturday we bbq'ed chicken and sunday night i made bowtie lasagna.

and here is where it gets weird. after our sunday supper, we finally crashed on the couch to watch a movie. ryan promptly fell asleep and i tried to pay attention but i felt so overwhelmed as i reflected on the weekend, that i cried. as in sobbed.

tears of happiness.

i have cried many types of tears over the last few months: frustrated tears, sentimental tears, angry tears, scared tears, grateful tears, tired tears, and hormonal tears. lots of hormonal tears. but that sunday night, i cried because the satisfied, contented and happy feelings bubbling inside me needed some type of escape. some type of relief before they exploded....

i thought about how the love i feel for ryan continues to surprise me.

i thought about how everything was about to change. and just get better.

i thought about how we spent the weekend: working side by side, cleaning, painting our baby's room, planting a garden, cooking, setting up our baby's crib. it all felt so big.

but it was that crib really got to me. there was something about opening that big box containing all the parts of our shiny new crib that i gasped a bit. wanting so badly to remember what it felt like to see this crib for the first time knowing that someday, all too soon, this crib's paint will be chipped and chewed on, and will have cradled the first months of all our babies' lives. and then, before i know it, all those babies will be too tall and it will be diassembled and packed away.

without words, and with each task, we both knew it was a momentous weekend. a time that felt a bit like standing on a cliff. we were on the brink of preparing to meet and know our family. and we knew it. so with paint brushes in hand, topsoil stuck on our shoes, and bbq sauce on our fingers, we kissed a bit more, threw out several more "i love you's" and stared more often than normal, trying so hard to freeze time a bit and solidify this memory.

soon, my tears began to dry as something told me that even when i am old and gray, i won't have a hard time remembering this past weekend. the weekend we felt our hearts begin to expand. the weekend we spent in a flood of anticipation and excitement of what was to come.


the weekend when it was all just beginning...




p.s. sorry for all the cheesy sentiment. but i really can't help it. i just one big, mess of a sap lately. just the sight of a baby on a pampers commerical brings instant tears to my eyes. please tell me i am not alone.

twenty eight weeks

dear baby:

other than swelling up like a balloon, its been a good week. although it may have been a rough one for you since we officially started our chocolate detox program. i don't know about you, but for me it feels like we have given up a major addiction. rough. good thing cantaloupes have been tasting pretty delicious lately!

looking on the bright side, my favorite part of this week has been when your dad and i sit on the couch, pull up my shirt and watch my skin move with each of your little movements. it makes us really feel the love for you and makes me think..."wow, there really is a little person in there". daddy has also been talking to you through my belly button, which he affectionately calls the "turkey timer". he tells you that he can't wait for you to come out and play. can you recognize his voice yet?

this weekend we plan to tackle your nursery! we hope to paint, set up your crib and finally begin to build your little nest. piece by piece.

stay cute.

love, mama bear

date night

tuesday night we headed downtown to buckhorn. one of our favorites. while ryan enjoys a tri tip sandwich slathered with horseradish...the roadhouse salad is a favorite in my book. especially love the candied walnuts, blue cheese crumbles and onion strings.

we ended the night at our neighborhood ice cream stop: burr's. i got a huge scoop of chocolate chip ice cream on a sugar cone. ryan got mocha fudge swirl in a cup. because he doesn't like cones. it baffles me.

it was a fun night, but sadly, extravagant meals like this one are coming to an end. the very next day my hands, feet and ankles swelled up (bye bye wedding rings and cute shoes) and i now look and feel like a puffy mess. thus, the eating party is over. low sodium is now the focus and the ice cream/chocolate/candy indulgences are now on the "no eat zone". it won't be easy to ignore those pesky cravings, but after all, a healthy baby (and skinny ankles) is the best treat around.

mother's day

the holiday found me at casa de awesome and i awoke to my first "happy mother's day!" greeting. wow! special! we started the day as most do: with breakfast for the main mama of the house.

lucky for us, breakfast for mama, means breakfast for all. fresh squeezed orange juice, fruit, model bakery toast and farm fresh eggs.

before the clock struck nine, a call from my mister, wishing my mom and "his wife" a happy mother's day. i cried. happy tears. it doesn't take much these days. but sweetness from my husband will always easily evoke tears.

with a few pointers from my mama, i whipped up ina's shortcakes for the dessert we would soon enjoy. not soon enough for me! like my grandma, i am a big fan of the strawberry shortcake.

and then we were outside.

it certainly looked like spring had sprung and mother's day had arrived. the flowers have bloomed everywhere.

and that beautiful bouquet in the center was hand crafted by em for mama. she can sing and arrange flowers.

a mama duck and her grown ducklings. and a very pregnant daughter on the far right wearing a new shirt from her parents that makes her very happy. i love polka dots and clothes that fit my growing curves.

the familia arrives to celebrate a gaggle of mama ducks. moms, dads, daughters, cousins, aunts, uncles, sisters, and grandparents all together!

blue skies, with scattered clouds provided a lovely backdrop.

and the mother's day feast begins.

we believe that a little movement after such a feast is often just what the body needs, don't you agree? some opt for a walk down the driveway, a game of ping pong, or for some, wiffle ball.

much to my surprise, i was included in this mother's day. as a mother-to-be i received flowers and some very thoughtful gifts. and as you can see, my sisters, mom and cousin all have the same taste in greeting cards. after we laughed, everyone agreed that it was the perfect card that no one could pass up. it was decorated with ric rac after all! and we love ric rac.

and dessert. finally. with decaf coffee.

and the scene below seems to wrap up the holidays and birthdays of my childhood: all the women, my aunts and grandmother gathered around the table, long after the dinner plates have been cleared. sipping coffee, playing scrabble, nibbling dessert, chatting, sometimes whispering and laughing mostly. that table now includes three generations of women, and soon, perhaps a fourth.

these women, all in their own way, have helped mother me. each providing their own flair, their own expertise on the matter. each have helped shaped me.

but none as much as my own mother. i now have a clearer picture of how very much she loves me. everything she does is out of love and she gives all that she has to her family. a true mother she is. but she somehow also manages all her other roles with utter dedication and finesse as well; wife, sister, daughter, friend, all while taking care of herself. i will forever be in awe of this woman. and love her, i will forever.

and if you look hard enough, you can spy my dad's dessert plate. the man likes his ice cream.

back home, our own little rose bush had blossomed and i was once again reunited my mister. i received the sweetest card from ryan (tears again) and one from my in-laws, assuring me that they believe i will make a very good mother (i hope!) and wishing me a happy, first mother's day. i thought about how grateful i am to my mother-in-law for raising such a wonderful man that i now call "husband". she did good. she did real good.


we settled in to contemplate paint colors for our baby's nursery...preparing our little nest.


as the paint dried, we sat back and gave my growing tummy some love. we thought about what next year would look like. dreamy.

from beginning to end, mother's day had come full circle.

twenty seven weeks

hello, third trimester!



dear baby:


this week, i had the most vivid dream about you.


you were here. early, but big and healthy. we were unprepared and didn't have diapers, or even a car seat, but the thing i was worried about most was making sure that you had the most perfect easter outfit. you know, priorities. so the three of us ventured to old navy where we weaved through the aisles trying to find something that would match your cuteness. sometimes you were a boy, sometimes you were a girl.


each time i looked at you i felt the urge to kiss your cheeks and comment on how soft they were. when your dad held you, you looked so tiny and my heart swelled and melted. swelled and melted. (except when i caught your dad carrying you by your overall straps like a six-pack - dreams are weird).


we still hadn't figured out what name honored you best. so in between the hats and socks, we just stared. then one of us would kiss you. and then we would stare some more.


what struck me most about the dream was not how darling you were (although you were the sweetest thing i have ever dreamt), but how very much i loved you. i had never felt a love like that, even in reality. this love was different. it was a love that was primal, vulnerable and full of pride, overwhelming adoration and a little bit of fear. i truly wondered how my body would sustain these new emotions.


although i have loved you from the beginning, i haven't been able to imagine what i will feel for you when you arrive quite as much as i was able to in my dream. in my dream, it was suddenly clear. no longer this hazy love. i knew what i felt for you. there was simply no denying it.

sweet treat

one of my top-ten favorite desserts: tcby's white chocolate mousse yogurt with chocolate chips. simply delectable. and the tcby's of the world are slowly disappearing. so i beg of you, go out and support your local tcby. for my sake.

it always reminds me of the few times my mom took us to the tcby, in good old river park. we always got the white chocolate mousse.

it also reminds me of trevor. i used to drag him there when we were poor, living in a cramped apartment. it was a big treat. for me at least. he hates it. i can hear him now, "siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick. it's like ice milk i tell you, ice milk!"

i beg to differ. for me and baby berry, its a little cup of heaven.


p.s. this post may seem random, but i am trying to distract myself. nothing like the warm sun and cinco de mayo to intensify my craving for an ice cold, tart margarita. all in good time, i tell myself. all in good time.

a baby shower for christy

over the weekend, a group of girls and one mom, all of whom love christy, gathered to throw a blue baby boy bash...in honor of baby dylan! tracey was our leader and it was so fun to see our planning come together.

i am now certain that a onesie banner is one of the sweetest decorations around...and it doubles as a gift! i love when cute and practical combine.

tissue pom poms and our drink table. it felt like the sangria was whispering my name as my mouth watered...tracey's sangria is famous. oh well, soon enough, i told myself. the pink lemonade did a pretty good job of wetting my whistle.


the food. ahhhh, the food. five of us contributed and it all came together to be one colorful, tasty buffet...


and my favorite part: watching christy open her gifts. so many sweet outfits, books, socks and gear. she usually isn't a real sappy girl, but this baby has touched her heart already. we could all see it.

christy's mama, patty, had the brillant idea of having an signature frame for all the guests to leave little messages of love for this little family...i was happy to fill it with a picture i took of christy and her darling baby bump last month.

and of course, there were games. the baby's name had been a secret until saturday...so tracey hid these letters around the house and after they were found, we put them together for the big reveal!

baby bingo as christy opened her gifts.

and we also played the "guess how big christy's belly is" game. i simply measured my own belly, but alas, she may be ten weeks of ahead of me, but i am already several inches bigger!

a candy bar. with loads of chocolate. i did not forget to fill a goodie bag for the ride home.

and the party wrapped up with cake. ettores cake to be exact. strawberry cake to be specific. patty even had the top decorated like the invitation. so darling. and equally delicious.

the mama to be and part of her loving village. (so sad that i didn't even get a pic with our little foursome, or even christy and her mama!) p.s. doesn't she look simply radiant? i was in loooooove with her outfit!


i just can't wait for this baby to be born, well i can actually, i know he still has some growing to do. but i am pretty excited. i am happy that christy will deliver before me and have two months of precious advice for me. i am happy that our own baby berry will have an automatic friend to play with.

and mostly, i am so tickled to see my dear friend so very happy.

baby dylan is one very lucky little baby...and i love him already.

may day

although my may day did not include carrying on the tradition of leaving little baskets of flowers on friends' doorsteps, it did include a long afternoon nap, some time in the sun, an evening walk, fresh pineapple, laundry and some good old spring cleaning. it was just what the doctor ordered.

did you do anything fun and wild and spring-like for may day?