What are little boys made of?

Slugs and snails

And puppy-dogs' tails,

That's what little boys are made of.

James at 4 months

 

  His nursery 

 

Playing with Dad

bath time! 

Nap time with Sophie 

Memories

Memories

Yesterday, March 11th, marked one month until our babies due date. It was also the first day (that I know of, or that I could feel) he had the hiccups!

Here is a picture of me and my sister-in-law Abbey!

She had Grace a day after this picture was taken - fun memories!!

xoxo

Heather

Baby in the Spring

Our lives are about to change in a big way, come Spring time! We're expecting a baby boy on April 11th and will (most likely) name him James Patrick McDermott.

Our doctor suggested writing special moments/milestones down throughout the pregnancy to share with him, when he is older. I've been terrible about that and just hope I can remember little things down the line.

I remember our first sonogram, when we heard the heartbeat for the first time. I had been so worried up to that point that when we heard it loud and clear, tears ran down my cheeks. I felt like things were going to turn out ok.

Another big moment was during our second ultrasound, when we got to see how developed the little guy already was!

Things I've noticed:

Spending all day.. everyday.. with him has given me a chance to pick up on little things. I often wonder if it will be part of his personality, or just a result of being tucked into a nice warm ball with almost no room to stretch out.

His legs/feet have been on my right for over a month now. Every time I rest or lay on my side he starts kicking and wont let up until I re-adjust. It not like I feel a few kicks like he is checking things out and wondering why the walls are closing in - its like he is telling me to stop that, he wants his space back! Happens every time!

He also gets restless if I rest an arm on my stomach, just like his dad, and will continually move if I put any pressure on my stomach. I could sit in the same position for hours and hardly move if I'm reading a good book or watching a movie. If Joe is on the couch relaxing, and I rest an arm or leg over his.. it will stay that way for a few min (at most) before he gets fidgety.. it's like they don't like being trapped. = )

Nursery so far.. we put the crib up but are waiting to assemble the dresser and for the rocking chair/glider to arrive. More pictures to come!

We had our fist (of 2) parent classes at the hospital last night. Joe was really attentive, supportive and lighthearted - which made me feel better about the fear in childbirth. I'm glad he's going to be right by my side in this process.. I find different reasons to love him every day.

Milan Italy

Milan Italy

I'm sorry... but who doesn't love shopping, coffee, gelato, pasta, cheese, red wine & pastries??

In my 24 hour visit this May, I managed to have and do everything listed above... twice! ; )

This is my second post, journal the trip I took with my parents to Germany to visit my brother Ben and the side trips we were fortunate enough to take!

This is a picture of the Galleria in Milan Italy, built in 1861. It is the site for many luxury goods' shops, including Prada, Massimo Dutti (where Ben got my birthday scarf!), Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The Galleria connects two of Milan's most famous landmarks: The Duomo and the Teatro Alla Scala.

We went to Louis Vuitton and I was struck by how beautiful it was, even from the outside. There are marble floors leading to the entrance. Everything was so glamorous inside the two story store- I felt like I was in a museum.

Above: The Milan Cathedral, know for its Gothic architecture and my dad, walking up to it for a tour!

I loved it here! We really scored big time at dinner that night... getting a table for 4 at a restaurant called Maruzzella, a family-run Sicilian seafood place. I thought it was our best meal.. with a pitcher of red wine, oven baked pizza for me, bacon/egg-nog sauce pasta dish for my mom, ceviche for my dad and a traditional fried chicken dish for Ben.

We topped it all of with one tiramisu and four forks!

ps. Thinking of Susanna - as she is enjoying her summer in Bologna Italy!!

Trip to Europe in March

During my trip to visit Ben in March, my parents and I not only got to see his home in Germany, we took side trips to Brugg Belgium {chocolate & waffles}, Belgian Belgium {beer at the monastery called Westvleteren brewery}, Interlaken Switzerland {best base jumping}, Milan Italy {fashion capital} & Colmar France {for the wineries}.

I'll post several times with pictures and notes on the places we went, starting with Colmar France.

We spent the day driving in the wine country, stopping for a tasting at a family owned winery called Andre Blanck and bought several bottles of wine, took a tour of the winery {family owned 7 generations} and walked the small City of Alsace, just outside the walls of where the wine was barreled. It was so beautiful - a day I will never forget!

Highlight: eating breakfast with everyone in the morning at the hotel before venturing out. My mom and brother ended up going back to the room and my dad and I stayed to drink more coffee (shocking). He told me stories about his childhood and about my grandma Janine Hall (whom I idolize). I learned that she often took him and my two uncles to a park Saturday mornings and build a fire to cook breakfast before fishing or playing baseball, on weekends my grandpa was busy. Just hearing my dad retell the story made it so special. I could tell he looks back on his childhood with fond memories - and thanks to him, so do I.

a few of my favorite things..

GlassyBaby

"The magic starts in our Seattle studio. It takes four glassblowersto create just one unique, handmade glassybaby. Glassblowers gather a ball of clear, molten glass on the blowpipe and blow it into a bubble. Next, a piece of colored glass is dropped onto the bubble and rolled over it. Finally, a layer of clear glass is gathered over the color, creating the unique, three-layered starting point of a glassybaby."

Dark Chocolate Bar with Almonds & Sea Salt Bar (and a love note inside)

J Crew Vintage cotton V-neck tee

Hunter Boots Original in Navy

Ray-Ban 'Boyfriend' Flat Top Frame Sunglasses

A Kindle.. of course

Blue Monkey Coconut Water

I've been drinking Blue Monkey Coconut Water like crazy lately!! It is so good for you.. here's why: "A single coconut usually provides an 11 ounce serving of water, and it is low in calories and fat but rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. A few key nutrients in Coconut Water include Lauric acid, Chloride, and Iron, as well as important electrolytes such as Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium, and Phosphorous. In fact, the potassium content in Coconut Water is close to twice the amount in a banana. A healthy balance of electrolytes is important for the optimal health of our muscular, cardiovascular, nervous and immune systems, as well as to help with the absorption and balance of the body's internal fluids."

Tyler Laundry Scents, a detergent perfect for your delicate laundry items and bedding.

Lululemon pants.. after all, people bend, your pants will too!

Jo Malone

Jo Malone is a perfume I got onto while working at Nordstrom this year. There are two sizes, one is under 3 oz and perfect for traveling. Verbenas of Provence Cologne and French Lime Blossom are my favorites so far. Here is a little information on the product: With clean, natural and often unexpected ingredients, Jo Malone infuses each scent with a story and originality of its own.

This versatile tumbler is double-walled to keep cold drinks from sweating. An acrylic straw will encourage hydration throughout the day. Safe for drinks 160° and below.This reusable cup is available in oversized 16 and 20 ounce, and ideal for water, tea, and iced drinks.

http://vesseldrinkware.com/vesseldrinkware/

Before Joe started his new job a couple weeks ago, we decided to take a weekend trip to Victoria BC to celebrate!

We took the clipper early Friday morning and got to The Grand Hotel around 10:00am, hoping to at least check our bags at the front desk for a few hours bc we were so early. To our surprise, they had our room ready and gave us the keys! The view was incredible from the balcony - so I had to snap a few pics!

We went to Irish Times Pub for lunch and sat by the window for a view. I had an Irish coffee with a flat bread pizza and Joe tried a local beer with his burger - perfect lunch before hitting the streets for the afternoon to look around.

I've been reading another book by Kate Morton called The Distant Hours that takes place in a castle.. so Joe agreed to take a tour of the Craigdarroch Castle. It was a self guided tour so we wondered around for about an hour or so and were really fascinated by the rich history.

We walked to the Royal BC Museum that afternoon too. The Modern Era History Gallery explores the mining and logging era of mankind on the west coast depicting the days of the gold mines and logging camps, the tools they used and the technology they invented to work their trade.

We took a picture by the Empress Hotel to show my parents. They have been here before for high tea so we were thinking of them!

Victoria feels so much like Europe and is such a walkable City. This time of year isn't tourist season so it wasn't too crowded, which we both appreciated. It rained most of the time and felt cold.. which made for a perfect weekend for two Seattle people. Until next time...