True Life: I Probably Had More Baby Showers than You

I mean, I don't wanna brag or anything...but I have to brag.

As of today, August 18th I have been lucky and fortunate ( I refuse to say blessed..it's overused, but totally appropriate) to have had 5, that's right 5 baby showers since June. Roslyn Jean will not ever want for ANYTHING thanks to so many people who love me, my family and my Husband very much.

 

all of her crap taking up the guest bedroom while the nursery is under construction

 

My first shower (top left pic below) was in early June and hosted by the teachers of Garrison Mill Elementary in Marietta who worked with my Mom. I think I was about 28 weeks and just starting to "pop" at that point. We played a funny game where they each had to blindly draw a picture on an index card of what Roslyn will look like. It was hilarious.

 

Shower number 2 (top right below) was the next day at my former childhood neighbor's house and in attendance was many of the Mothers and girls I grew up with in Chestnut Grove. We were able to go and visit my neighbor's new home in Canton, GA which was BEAUTIFUL and located on a golf course. She went through so much effort to decorate and make tons of ridiculously delicious food and sweets.

 

Shower number 3 (bottom right below) was thrown by my Phi Mu sisters from West Georgia and was a blast. It was awesome to see so many girls from my college days. We also invited all of my girlfriends from high school as well. One of my best friends Shelby flew all the way from New York and brought a beautiful collage on wood of my Dad and I. This shower was bitter sweet as it was 3 days after we buried Daddy. I was able to spend a few days with my friend Leanne and her husband before heading back to Savannah and back to reality. Each girl gave Roslyn a book and she even received a custom book of nursery rhymes with her name on all of the pages in the illustrations

 

Shower number 4 (bottom left below) was thrown by my girlfriends in Savannah. They appropriately had a Ice Cream Sundae theme and provided me with my numero uno favorite thing right now...ice cream and sweets, duh. I am so happy that I have finally found friends who I truly cherish and LOVE in this city that I was so long unsure about. My mother in law was able to come to this shower from Florida and we also brought Roslyn's crib that weekend.

 

Shower 5 is not pictured, thank God. My coworkers at Savannah Vascular surprised me when I walked into our conference room to what I THOUGHT was going to be a mandatory staff meeting but was  rather even more generosity from people who have already been my backbone over the past few months. I believe there is a video floating around of how horribly I handle being surprised. Yikes. They were also smart enough to provide copious amounts of ice cream and sweets as well. Loving the people you work with is a total bonus in this game of life.

 

Petey also had in on the action. His friends threw him a diaper party - aka- they got together and drank beer and gave us a butt-load of diapers. He had a fabulous cake with some pretty awesome pictures I snuck to his friends...including one of him and one of his guinea pigs named Blizzard. There is also now a fabulous "pool" of bets of when I will deliver. Winner receives around $170. Cool Guys!!

 

 

about to eat the piece with Blizzard on it. RIP little guy.

 

Super humongous THANK YOU to everyone who came to all of these showers, the hosts with the mosts, and those who sent gifts and well wishes. With 5 weeks left to go, we have everything we need and then some!!

 

bonus picture of me at 32 weeks - I am at 35 now- on the way to prenatal yoga. The best part of my week!!!

 

 

 



Try to NOT fall apart

That's pretty much what I tell myself these days.

 

Keep your shit together, focus on the one hundred other important things that you should be focusing on and stop thinking about the fact that your Dad is dying. Forget the "4 years with treatment" prognosis and stop blaming the Oncologist. Erase the day you were working and your Mother called 2 weeks or so ago to tell you chemo was an "epic failure" and that your Daddy lit up like a Christmas tree on his CT scan. Stop listening to the voice in your head reminding you that your Father is now in the final days of his life and under hospice care. Try not to cry when you think about how scared you are to lose him but how much it hurts to watch his life get sucked out of him hour by hour. Don't get angry when someone says "sorry about your Dad" like he's already 6 feet under.

You shouldn't be sorry, that bastard cancer should be sorry. It wasn't there to sing to me songs about everything from trimming my fingernails to how much he loves me or even to dance to a favorite Motown tune when its time to check his blood sugar. Shape up, your pregnant...you need to focus on taking care of yourself and celebrating the life you are creating. Cancer didn't walk you down the isle sing to you to calm you down or hold your hand on the happiest day of your life. Cancer didn't push you through college and help you learn how to parallel park like a damn boss. Cancer will never feel my daughter kicking or live through me in every sarcastic expression or quirky word that I cannot help but say or even sing in tune when I belt out the hundreds of songs that my Dad loves.That stupid disease didn't get to spend 28 perfect years with the most loving father on the planet. I did. What the c-bomb might rip away from me in 4 short months is no match for what I have to hold on to.

 

This has become my inner monologue.

 

 People talk all the time about how hard it is to grieve the loss of a loved one. There's even special Pinterest boards and blogs and what not for daughters who are grieving the loss of their fathers. But nobody wants to talk about how it feels to be in the process of losing their father. People will tell you how to grieve their death and how to cope with the loss and that it's ok to be sad for years to come. Why hasn't anyone attempted to talk about how it feels to be in the process of losing them? There are tons of support groups for those mourning the loss of their loved ones, but I have found it impossible to find a support group for people who are coping with the part that comes before that. So I write.

 

My OBGYN wanted me to get into counseling so I can talk about my feelings and I guess so I don't upset myself into preterm labor or something or like, have my water break when I am enjoying a slushie of some sort while crying. That's where my frustration started. I have great friends who call me and text me and send me facebook messages on a regular basis to check in on me, but I haven't found a place or an activity to actually feel better. Not yet. I still have hope that it will come. People have been asking me why I haven't blogged about the baby or anything else in a while. I guess it's because (those of you who have been through this know) when you prepare to lose a loved one, it consumes your life. Every minute is spent worrying about them and wondering what you can do to help and fighting with your inner monolog to understand what is the right thing to do or say or feel. Its horrible. Toss in 27 weeks of pregnancy, a little heartburn, working on my Masters, nagging my injured husband to death about putting up a ceiling in the Man Room (shit pit) soon-to-be-nursery, coordinating traveling for baby showers, trying to stay healthy, trying to be happy, David (my brother) moving to Miami, coordinating doctors appointments and going back and forth to Marietta to see my parents and you've got my recipe. Kind of like border line panic attack-meets "holy crap I'm a lot tougher than I think"...sprinkle in some pretty fantastic ugly cries and ta-da. Meet current day KP.

 

This isn't about me though. This isn't so people read this and feel sorry for me. This is therapy. Writing. Blogging. Whatever.

 

I WILL post about the showers and my Aunt being in town and how the nursery is coming along. I feel like it's healthy and deserved to be excited and happy for Roslyn's arrival. Trust me, the sorrow I feel every single day is a bungee cord of up and down when I receive a sweet text or like today when I arrived to TWO baby gifts waiting at the door. But as soon as I am excited, I feel the slingshot pull me back into my next thought. Which is about my Dad.

 

I'm never going to be ready to let him go. I had plans. I was going to get pictures of Roslyn taking naps on his chest in his recliner like I did so long ago. I was saving to buy my parents matching Kindles for their retirement gifts this May and exciting upcoming travels. But cancer had to go a screw all of that up. We are lucky though. We have an amazing hospice nurse who comes to check on my Dad named Victoria who is like this mid-western saint with fun socks and dry humor. She knows how to talk to us with this brutal, yet gentle, honesty and makes me believe that she farts daffodils.

 

I know the end is coming. I know that I have to step up and accept that my Dad will no longer be here in human flesh. I feel like I already know that his presence will be with me forever and that I know this is not the last time I will see his sweet face. I have dreams to look forward too, and that "feeling" when you know someone who you reallllllly love that you've lost is present. My Mother and David and I are in agony when we watch him struggle. When his sparkling blue eyes look at me and we hug and he is perfectly lucid...if only for a moment before he either falls asleep or becomes confused again. I know what is to come, but that does not mean that I have to like it or be ok with it. All I can do is soldier on and know that the intense bond and endless love between my Father and I was not given to us for no reason at all. It has made all of this bearable. My parents have a rock-solid and 45 year long marriage full of love. My stupid-faced brother and I have an amazing relationship and incredible spouses in our lives. We love our Father and he loves us endlessly.We also have a Mother. She is the one who will be left behind though all of this. But she can do it. She has unconditional love from all of us (including my Dad) and a granddaughter on the way. She may frustrate the hell out of us by refusing help and breaking down at every given moment, but I know my Mom -like my brother and I- will get through this with grace and class.

 

So I apologize for the random large breaks in my blogging. Life is more than crazy right now, but I will continue to do it because this is sort of like my diary.

 

I'm sure that my Dad has a tune he can hum to all of us to make even in the face of what is the hardest thing I have ever been though, seem ok. That's just him. He is the melody to my opus.



Blogging in Bed

I named this one "Blogging in Bed" because that is what I am doing. Blogging in bed. Nobody tells you this ahead of time, but being sick while your pregnant blows. I've pretty much prided myself on being 99% carefree as far as limitations and pregnancy. I'll admit working in Neonatal has created a more grounded expectation of what is bad and what is good for preggos to do. We delivered plenty of beautiful crack babies and many babies who had endless issues while the mother did EVERYTHING she was told was right and safe. To me, there really isn't a 100% right thing. Your body is yours, you know what feels right. I mean, I am not going to go off boozing through the night (although a Mojito or 4 sounds superb) or popping cold meds...give me a break. I have cheated and had a lot of  RAW (GASP) sushi and ridden a water slide or two I might take hot baths and jog when its a little hot out. However, cold medicine and allergy stuff scares the crap out of me. Therefore I am doing this the old fashioned way. Just me, my humidifier, coconut water (they say it hydrates better? Whatever it tastes like a plant) and what I find especially sexy, nasal douching twice a day. Thus far, my body has cried for a pill...but I just can't do it.

On a lighter note..

I am waiting for the computer savvy end of this marriage to upload the video of me giving away the gender to my Mother. It's pretty adorable. But if you haven't seen it yet, Petey and I will be welcoming a

BABY GIRL

and her name will be

Roslyn Jean Peters

Roslyn for Petey's beloved Aunt Rose, who we lost too soon, and Jean for my wonderful Mama

 

There you have it. My Mother-in-law has apparently gone shopping like, 5 times already and my Mom has been relatively well controlled at this point. My father-in-law was in mourning for about 24 hours over the news of his 5th GrandDAUGHTER and my Dad seems pleased because his guess was a girl, and well, the only time he thought he was wrong he was actually right. Catch my drift? Petey is settling into the idea. When the Ultrasound tech told us the news, his shoulders sagged a little bit and he looked at me and said (very romantic-like)

"Damn, we're going to be broke".

Le sigh

Registering and looking at baby stuff was incredibly stressful and fun and he managed to zap a few toys and things he (and a baby boy) would enjoy as well. Trust me, I really haven't been super psycho and overly girly. I may have purchased some fluffy and sparkly headbands...but this is my child. She will be hairless until she is 2 like I was so we must accessorize how we can.

She will be wonderful and spoiled and have my elegant neck and doomed to be lanky and skinny and nerdy. She will be loved dearly.

Oh yeah, and by the way...when I'm not douching (my nose!) I have also managed to hit 23 weeks. Looking fine too...

I know I look super awkward, but sorry to say I'm not one of those people who spends an hour capturing the perfect selfie and using just the right filter so that I can upload it to social media and wait for the "likes" to pour in. Although that does sound like living the dream and all...

 

Lemme take it to a more serious note for a second. The power of prayer and everyone's continued support for my Dad has definitely paid off. He had a follow-up CT Scan of his brain to see if the radiation and chemo worked on the 8 lesions that where on his brain. I am happy to report 8 is now 1 and his double vision is FINALLY corrected. His radiologist has mentioned another round of "targeted" radiation to that one last little bastard spot. The chemo is kicking his butt. Getting my Dad to eat has become a daily struggle and activity which he so desperately needs is also just simply, not happening. We try his favorite foods and my sent-from heaven Mama makes anything he asks. Unfortunately, he just won't eat. Luckily my Mom officially finishes teaching this week and will be home and on my Dad's behind constantly to keep him fed and on the treadmill for 2 minutes a day so his muscles don't waste away. I've cried twice in the past week in pure joy and serious frustration. Being a nurse doesn't help. I need him to fight and try harder and be the positive tough guy he was at the beginning of treatment. My family and I remain positive that we will get through this together, and God BLESS Petey for listening to my piss and moan and cry and rejoice about myself and my Dad on a daily basis. Whenever he annoys the snot out of me for one reason or the other (cough cough, nursery) I remember how incredibly lucky I am to have him.

 



Top 10

The Top 10 Things....

People feel they can say to pregnant women, or maybe just me.

As 20 weeks have come and gone (half way, woo-hoo!!) I have developed a lovely little pouch which is no longer a "is she or isn't she" kinda belly...it's a definite preggo-belly.

 I know I looked thrilled.

 

You know, some people LOVE being pregnant. They adore the attention, the constant questions (see below) the ooh-ing and ahh-ing over their swollen bellies. Some women even think wearing maternity clothes and shopping for them is great. They salivate over maternity photo sessions where you are forced to stare off into the distance with your hands unnaturally placed around your stomach for added emphasis to the giant baby bump. Not happening. Not this girl. I am, however, incredibly lucky to have an outstanding Mama and Mother in law who like to buy me stuff. Which right now happens to be maternity stuff...which is refuse to buy because I don't accept that fact that my body is changing. Selfish? Maybe. Honest? You bet. I am SO excited to meet our mini-me and all, I would just like to surpass the whole pregnancy/delivery part. Is that so much to ask!?!?!

Anyways, here are the phrases and questions I hear almost daily. Some of you fellow Mothers may have heard them, and may like them. Some are sweet, some are odd and some are a real brain teaser. I can't wait until I am even more huge....

 

Top 10 Things Random People Say to Pregnant Women

(or maybe just to me)

1. "So, when's your baby due"?

-Oh, I'm glad you asked if I didn't just finish a large dinner and made sure I was, in fact pregnant first.

2."Oooo...you're going to be pregnant when its really hot outside. That sucks".

-Indeed. Thank you for offering me your pool and a cold daiquiri.

3. "I bet your husband is loving having a DD"!

- Indeed, again. He better brace himself for my first night out whenever I decide it's happening. Blackout is an understatement. And by understatement, I mean after I finish that second bev.

4."Are you excited"?

-Of course. Idiot. What would you do if I said no? Hmm...

5. (Man making rounded shape around stomach and nodding at me)

- Uh, what? Is this sign language for "are you fat or is there a baby in there"?

6. "Do you know what you're having"?

-Guess you'll have to keep on reading to find out!

7." When I was pregnant, (insert fascinating number of odd and TMI-ish filled stories of swollen body parts and other things that make you the exact opposite of thrilled to be pregnant or unwarranted advice)".

-Thank you for sharing. Yes, I am putting coco butter on my stomach and butt.

8.  "My (sister/Aunt/friend) just had a baby, and she was in labor for like, 87 hours"!

-Awesome, did she stab her doctor?

9. "You'd have to be an idiot to not get that epidural/ Do not get an epidural"!!

-Was anesthesia school super difficult? Because bagging my groceries looks like it's suiting you so much better.

10. "You are glowing, and you look beautiful".

-Aw, shucks.

 

In the mean time. We've been having a lot of fun with family and friends traveling here and there between Florida and Atlanta to numerous weddings for great friends. However, travels have come an end for now until shower time!!

 









17 Weeks

17 weeks along, which means almost halfway there. For those of you who have been pregnant or who know someone who has been pregnant you know that this "second half" is not so much the downhill slope. As Baby Peters gets bigger, I will get fatter and Savannah GA will get hotter and gnat-ier. Thank God for flip-fops and swimming pools. And slushies and ice cream. But I can't complain. I have been feeling great. No sickness, no issues.

 

Anyways, here are THE stats:

 

Weight: Up 6 lbs..I'd like to think all baby, but it feels and looks all muffin-top

Size of Child:

an avocado. Fabulous, I love avocado smothered in Sriracha.

Successful attempts at reading baby books: 0

Successful attempts with coworkers identifying baby's gender: 0 - my child is modest and keep's its' legs crossed. Yes we have ultrasound equipment at work and yes no tone of us know what the heck we are doing. We did see the little bones formed in the arms and spine and a big, fat umbilical chord.

Cravings: none really, I just tend to eat whatever I want which is something I haven't done since I was under the age of 20.

New "thing": For sure looking pregnant. Friends and coworkers have been so kind as to point out that I am "showing". Thanks guys.

 

 

Sorry for the lack of "bump" picture. Honestly, I look the same but pudgy most of the time. When there is something clearly baby and cute, you'll get it. On another note, I have been trying my best to follow the advice that I give my patients, family and friends by NOT Googling everything I am curious about. However, I did decide to Google "17 Weeks Pregnant", you know, to compare and make sure that I'm not more of a freak than I already know. I would love to take a moment to share what I found.

 

 

Really? Make your bed, child. Or at least take your pregnancy selfie to your parent's room where the bed is possibly made.

....annnnnnd I'm blind. Is that a towel?

"I'm gonna pose with these dumbbells because I'm a FIT Mommy"! Good for you, people are just as interested in your preggo fitness routine as they are about your NON preggo fitness routine, aka, they aren't.

Seriously? Perfect bod, nice tan and fabulous hair at 17 weeks... skank.

 

Remind me to make sure when I post pictures of myself that I am completely un-googleable. I'm sure these girls will find these pictures re-circulated and call me a "cyber bully". Look, I could blur your faces buuuuuut you put yourself out there for the Google world to see...you are wide open fellow pregnant pals.

 

As Petey and I kick off wedding season I will post pictures of us all gussied up without intentionally holding my stomach in an awkward position and forcing myself to look happy and natural. I am happy and natural at this moment, writing this blog, listening to 'Jeopardy' and the rain fall. 

 

 



Beats by Babe

So spring has sprung. The flowers are beautiful and all is right with the world. Chug your water and swallow your allergy meds and lets all take a little moment to sit back and enjoy spring time, shall we? We are enjoying the way our house looks, and the stupid bee's pollinating our wonderful and BLACK awning.

 

Why cant the stupid azaleas last longer than like, 3 days?

 

Anyways. Today was my 16 week check up. I pretty much avoid all pictures of myself at this point. My body is weird looking and I look like a had to much to drink or like a ate Thanksgiving and had leftovers...and desert....and need a laxative pronto. My friends and coworkers all swear that eventually this darling little "bump" will pop out and all will be well with the world. Until then, I'm keeping myself and the 5lbs that look more like 15 to myself. The bump will come loved ones, with a spray tan and a shower. Promise. Until then I will continue to wear my hidden "belly band" over my unbuttoned pants and kind of sort of wonder why I didn't have this as an acceptable option in college.

 

On a lighter note, my Nurse Practitioner Courtney who I LOVE and ADORE allowed me to take a quick little video of the baby's heart tones today. Sadly, it's only 6 seconds long because the little booger kept moving around and when that happened these odd fart-ish noises happened. Woof.

 

 

(video to come) 

 

150 beats per minute. Nice and strong, and a definite mover (and P.I.T.A to capture...just like Mama). Next visit will be at 20 weeks and we will find out the gender. May 9th. I might need to medicate my Mama and my Mother-in-law before then.

 

Any guesses? The world seems to think It's a boy. Our Mom's want girls, our Dad's want boys the list goes on. Until next time.

 

 



Real Talk

 

 

So I want to take a moment and talk about something besides myself. The other thing going on in my life that you will hear about. My Dad.

 

Those of you who already know me, know that this man as been (and always will be) a HUGE part of my life. You don't think a daughter could love her father more until you get big news. I'm not going to call it bad news, just weird news.

 

A month ago, (March 7th), Petey and I were driving home from Florida. We've just returned from a cruise to celebrate our anniversary when I got a call from my Mom's cell. Weird enough on its' own...that woman NEVER has that thing on her to say the least, let alone ON.

 

Me: "Mom"?

 

Mom: "Honey? Are you driving"?

 

Me: "What's wrong"?

 

(insert long pause)

 

Mom: "Dad has brain cancer"

 

Me: (insert wounded animal sounds) "WHAT? ARE YOU SERIOUS??"

 

Mom: "Katherine, don't do this. (continue wounded animal, picture amputated hippo in African plain)  you cannot do this. I need you to be strong for me and for your Dad".

 

I passed the phone over to Petey. I couldn't even hold the phone. The combination of choking back vomit and hysterically crying got in the way. I mean, cancer is worse than some of my favorite four letter words alone...but BRAIN cancer? This is my Daddy, my hero, the sweetest man on earth who has done nothing but give me anything he could since I entered the world! How could God be so cruel and choose this man to suffer? Right before he and my Mother were supposed to retire and travel the world together?!?! Petey drove me home in the rain and even made me English muffin mini pizzas to cheer me up. You know men, 'food good. Eating good'. The next few days were emotional and foggy. Juggling school, working full time, being 12 weeks pregnant... I was going home that weekend to tell my family the exciting news...but how could anyone be happy? How selfish could I be to bring it up?

 

Let's fast forward to present day.

Thanks to a team of wonderful doctors and a brother who happened to inherit a lot more of my Dad's Cuban fire than myself, my Dad has already finished a round of radiation to his brain and he has started his first round of chemotherapy. The power of prayer and my Dad's positive attitude is working. My Dad is feeling great and his doctor has given us a lot more time and a much better outlook that we thought. Yes, he has Stage IV Metastatic Lung Cancer. Yes there are still days I have to stop what I am doing, sit down and wipe the tears away. Every time I think about him suffering, the feeling of sadness ignites in my veins and leaves me breathless. Life is still a roller coaster of pure happiness and deep sadness. I know that I have to learn to be less selfish with those I love and focus on keeping myself healthy.

 

My parents are ecstatic to be Grandparents. My Mom did the typical "OH MY GAWWWDDD" screaming and I caught my Dad wiping away a tear. My brother and sister-in law dropped their jaws. It was perfect. My Mom even told me that in a moment of quiet later on that night, she and my Dad shared a long embrace and my Dad whispered to her, "It's about time we're Grandparents". My Mom says that every time she is sad, she thinks about the baby and feels overwhelmed with joy. I can't help but think that God gave us this baby for a reason. We DEFINITELY weren't planning on having children just yet, but this is the positivity and reason to smile we needed. We are carrying on and much more positive and upbeat than a few weeks ago. We have the thing we didn't think we had. Time. My Daddy is going to get better and he is going to retire and live out the rest of his days happy with my Mom, golfing and traveling.

 

I know that this child will share naps on my Dad's chest while he sleeps in his recliner just as I did. I accept that he/she might not get to share a dance with him at their wedding, but I know that my children will know my Father and love and admire him as I do. What else can you ask for?

The worst first blog ever, probably.

Let me start off by letting you all know that I am not a blogger. I love like technology and all, but I guess you could call me "old school" - meaning I'd just rather call you on the phone or send you a text message full of emoji's or stupid pictures I find funny.

However

 Life has changed.

 A LOT.

(like, a lot a lot)

 

It seems I have forgotten my manners. My name is Katherine. I am 28 years old and currently living in Savannah, Georgia with my main man of 8 years - 3 of them happily married- (the rad BMX dude below). I am in school studying to transition from RN working on pulmonary floors to the Neonatal ICU to currently a private practice- to become a Nurse Practitioner. I love to cook and travel and laugh. I also indulge in reading non-nursing books and I am a slave to a good spray tan, a dirty joke and a good sale.

 

I should also let you know that the real love of my life is the sweetest little Duck Toller you've ever seen. Her name is Roxy.

 

 

(pleeeaassseeee hand me a Cheeze-It Mom)

aka My Muffin-Doodle, The Muffin Puffin, Roxy Bear, Baby Giiirrrllll...the list goes on.

 

This is me. Well, on my wedding day about 3 years ago.

 

 

There is a reason that I chose to put up pictures which aren't so current (drum roll)

 

(insert scared s**tless faces here)

 

Ta-Da!!! Baby on board. Reason numero uno that I started this blog. I am a FIRM believer that social media is being assaulted by pregnant women and new moms with 36452923690 pictures a minute of the same sleeping/pooping/smiling faces of their children or (WORST EVER) pictures of their "baby bump". Gross. Or how about vivid descriptions of baby's latest bowel movement? Wanna know everything I've done in the last 15 minutes? Wanna hear about how FABULOUS my child is every few hours (in case you forgot?!?!?!). That is for the birds in my opinion. If people really think everyone on social media care that you made a crock-pot meal, breast fed your baby, pressure washed your siding and ran 18 miles this afternoon...you are mistaken. Most of us wanna see funny pictures and highlights about the things that make your life interesting and reiterate the reason we are friends. Unless your that weird Aunt who keeps inviting me to play Farmville. I love you for who you are. So if you are unprepared for my opinion this is MY blog, so my opinion is what is on it. You chose to check it out and read it. Love it or leave it.

 

I digress. The purpose of this page is to keep people who CARE about my gross sweet little growing belly. Those who anxiously await to hear how many weeks I am or what item of fresh produce relates to the size of the baby. As we progress, I will post pictures of our nursery (ugh, don't EVEN get me started on THAT ridiculousness) and, of course, day to day pictures of our growing babe on board. We are lucky to have friends and family stretching from Boston to Cajun country, friends in foreign countries and loved ones on tiny islands. Here is where you can CHOOSE to keep up with things that (unless I know and love you) I personally wouldn't want to see. Nothing fancy. Just Katherine, (Roxy) and Petey and our newest member of the Peters party.