We have a new niece!

Introducing Miss Ella Faith Mahlmeister.  She was born on March 19th at 8:57pm.  She weighed 7 pounds, 5 oz and was 21 inches long.  Regan (her mommy) is doing great!  Luckily I have had time to visit her here and there.  I swear that every time I see her she changes.  What is really funny is that whenever I hold her Madelyn starts kicking.  It is like she has a sense that another baby is there taking attention from her mommy.  Very weird!  I can't wait for the two of them to meet though.  Maybe the kicking is a sign that they are going to be really close, like sisters.  Yikes!

My Haute Shirt

As I dressed this morning I came to a conclusion, I have to go shopping for clothes that fit me.  I have my go to preggo outfits: a black jersey skirt, a couple of shirts to wear with that skirt, and a few dresses.  However, today they were all dirty and the least dirty outfit was just unappealing to me.  Plus, since it has been getting warmer every day I am annoyed when my legs sweat because they are rubbing together.  Talk about frustration!  So I decided I needed to get some more "basics".  I hit a couple of stores until I found my stride at Tailored for Two.  I walked in and the lady said, "Can I help you find anything?"  To which I replied, "Yes.  I am looking for maternity clothes that aren't ugly, uncomfortable, and a waste of money."  I am just perplexed as to why maternity clothes have to be a completely different style all together.  Why can't they just make clothes that look like normal clothes, but have a little more room in the needed areas, mainly belly.  I tell you what, if I had any talent in sewing what so ever, I would be making my own clothes!  I have much better style than all these so called "maternity designers".  I told this to the poor little sales lady too.  Luckily she was nice, because I was just fed up with looking fat and being uncomfortable.  I can take one or the other, but not both!  So as I looked around the store I found a section of tank tops that I just fell in love with.  The brand is called two chicks and they are basically ribbed tanks with cute little preggo sayings on them.  I picked the one that said "tickled pink" since we are having a girl, and hello it was pink!  After trying it on, I was in love.  I know I am going to be miserable in the 100 degree weather, so little tanks that cover the belly will be nice.  So I went to grab another and found one that said "It's not a pot belly, it's a haute belly".  Haute is spelled out in pink cursive letters.  Super cute!  But as I got in the car to go to the gym Josh looked at my shirt and said, "I don't get it.  Your belly is French?"  Oh boys...  I explained to him that "haute couture" are clothes that are specifically made for that person.  They are perfectly made and stunning to see in person.  Since that is so far from the reality of my maternity wardrobe, I just thought it was funny.  I wish I had money to have clothes made for me!  Dressing this foreign body has proven to be much more difficult than I thought.  Anyway, we hit up Subway after working out and the boy behind the counter was reading my shirt out loud and just stopped when he came to the word "haute".  He said, "I don't get it."  Josh said to him, "I don't think anyone does."  So I turned around and asked the lady standing next in line to read my shirt.  She looked up and said, "That's cute!"  So as we walked out of Subway I told Josh, "See, other women at least know what it means."  To which Josh replied, "So let me get this straight.  You wish you had couture clothes because you are struggling to find something to wear in regular stores.  So to express your high end taste you decided to buy a wife beater."  That is why I married him.  I seriously laughed for like five minutes!

Added Music

Thanks to my good friend Jenn, I learned how to add music to the blog.  When I saw that you could do that (I am certainly still learning how to do this blog thing) I immediately thought of these two songs.  The first song was brought to my attention by Josh, even before we knew we were having a girl.  Then we heard it on the radio yesterday and I just looked at Josh.  I knew he was on the verge of tears.  He just looked at me and said, "This is just going to get worse isn't it."  I knew what he meant and I just thought it was so sweet.  He still says good bye to his "girls" every morning and talks to Madelyn every night when he gets home.  The other song is one of my all time favorites.  You really can't go wrong with Stevie!  I just can't wait to sing it to her.  

Birth Class

One of the things that scares me most about having a baby is actually having the baby. So I was relieved when Josh and I finished our birth class. Being the avid reader that I am, I was feeling pretty educated on what you can do as far as birthing your child. However, it is much more of a reality when you have a nurse of 35 years teaching you all the things that can go wrong, and right, during the whole process. After the class I know one thing for sure, I do not want a c-section. That crap scares me! I have had friends and family members have them and my heart goes out to you. Finding out that the cut is just a small incision and they stretch the rest of you open with silver tongs was just enough info to make me want to gag. OUCH! No wonder it takes longer to recover. I also feel much more confident when it comes to the decision on whether to do it natural or with an epidural. I am a firm believer that to each their own, but I really wanted to make a decision that Josh and I were both comfortable and prepared for. I am just really glad we went to this class!

I want to thank my friend Kim, who got us registered for the course. We were able to do the class with her and husband which was nice. Brian and I were able to bond over feeling queasy during the epidural video, and we all were able to discuss the live birth video we watched right before the lunch break. Yummy!

We're Having a GIRL!!!

A 3D shot of our baby girl.


After a much anticipated wait, Josh and I found out that we are going to be proud parents of a beautiful baby girl. Before today everyone kept asking us what we wanted. I can say without even a hint of a lie that we both really didn't care. All we wanted was a child who was healthy and happy (followed the Lord, never talked back, smiled, hugged us everyday even if they were a teenager, cleaned their room, brushed their teeth, harbored many talents, got straight A's, hung out with the right crowd, went to college, married a nice person, and had beautiful babies of their own). You know, normal things. :o) Anyway, when we saw it was a girl Josh cracked me up. We were watching the ultra sound on the flat screen and Josh literally stood up and said, "I think I see that it is a girl." The technician confirmed that suspecion and after a little cry from the two of us Josh said, "What am I going to do when she is in high school?" True story, but still not my first thought. Anyway, it has been an emotional day and I am finally exhausted after not really sleeping all week. Plus my stomach really is sore after such a difficult ultra sound. Our daughter is quite the mover. It took over an hour to get all the shots the doctors needed, not to mention I wanted a profile shot that she certainly did not want to give. And don't even get me started on finding those three little lines. I swear I was in four different positions before the end of it. She must be shy, or stubborn... Anyway, enjoy the great pictures. I can't wait to meet her!


Another 3D shot of her face. They are a little weird I know. But they are also super cool!

This is the profile shot we waited so long for. You can see her tiny white nose on the right and her bulging belly (like mommy) on the left.

This one is cool, but harder to see. She is actually yawning. She did this the entire time. I wasn't aware that we were boring her already. Anyway, the arrow is pointing to her nose and right under that is her cute little yawn.

And here is our little thumb sucker. Yay! You can see her fingertips in white, right below her nose located pretty much right in the middle.

This one is creepy. I can even admit it. But it is of her eye ball and rib cage. Nice to know she has them developed, but strange pic.

And here is a close up (which she was definitely not ready for). Her little lips are parted just slightly, sucking in all that amniotic fluid I guess. I can't wait to kiss those tiny little lips!!!

I love this little foot shot. Adorable!

Here is her leg. Let's pray she has daddy's legs and not mommy's thunder thighs.

And of course my daughter is a cool chick. She flashed Grandpa Greg the peace sign (taking him back to his Grateful Dead days I guess.)

And last but not least, the evidence. Those three little lines that make up the you know what. You can also see her knobby knee on top and thigh bone on bottom.

I can't wait to clothe that little patooty in ruffly butt pants and super girly dresses!!

Tomorrow's Baby News

So for the record, I do not go into my appointment until 4:30.  Josh is going to meet me there and then hopefully we will celebrate afterwards.  So don't hate me if I do not post immediately.  I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Belly Pictures

You know, one of the first things people would ask me when I told them I was pregnant was, "Are you taking belly pictures?"  My initial thought was, "HECK NO!!"  At that time I felt sick, fat and anything but happy about the baby in my belly.  I know it sounds horrible after what I went through to get this baby.  But after numerous inquiries I finally broke down (you all read that blog. Josh's screaming face... :o)  And now I am so glad that I did.  When I am having a bad day, it actually gives me hope that I will not be this large for the rest of my life.  Seriously, I can't get over how big I felt here:
And now look at me!
This is what I have always dreamed of.

I love my belly now! I look pregnant, versus a college girl who drinks too much. It is just great to see your body change so much because of the little miracle that it holds.  I live with my tummy everyday so I don't always get to see these changes.  I know it is getting bigger because my clothes are getting tighter, but how much it has changed is hard to remember.  These pictures help remember what I used to look like.  It is fun to see that kind of transition.  What can I say?  I am so glad I am taking these pictures!!  

Fun stuff!

Yesterday Josh and I met my mom, Regan, Mackie, Mike, Arianna, and Michael at the Renaissance Festival for a day of fun!  I hadn't been to the Renaissance Festival since I was a junior in high school and Josh had never been to the one in Arizona.  Plus, with how amazing the weather has been, Josh and I have been in the mood to do things outdoors lately.  This was first on our list.  To follow during Spring Break: the zoo, the botanical gardens, and maybe even a bike ride or picnic at the park.

Here are some pictures:

Josh wanted to do this jumping trampoline thing (to which we all started reminiscing about the first time Josh came over to my parent's house and went right through the tramp in their yard) but he didn't want to do it without the kids.  So all three of them went at the same time.  It was pretty funny.

Michael was scared to death the entire time.  He didn't smile, didn't react, just had this terrified look on his face the entire time.  But as soon as he was off he said, "I want to do it again."
Ari was so cute.  She screamed/giggled the entire time.  And this face is priceless!!
And the one ting Josh wanted to do the whole time was flip.  He was eventually successful with one at a time.  But when he tried to do a double flip, he came down straight on his head.  I about peed my pants, but he pulled out of it okay.  In all, he got a good work out and a memory.  

Mom and Ari

Josh and I waiting for the joust in the shade!  Good thing there was wind.  It was warm!  

The funniest part of the day was when I got picked for the Tortuga Twins show.  If you have ever been to the Renaissance, this show, along with the Dead Bob show, are a little off color, but hilarious!  This particular show was a re-telling of Robin Hood.  I was chosen to play the princess that was being fought over between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Sherwood Forest.  When they came off the stage to grab me, the line was "She was beautiful and virginal."  To which I pulled my dress to show my belly.  The whole audience, including the guy who was taking me to the stage, started laughing.  In all the story was pretty funny, but I enjoyed watching Ari cover her eyes every time she got embarrassed for me.  Josh wasn't too happy, but he thought it was funny (until the one guy grabbed my butt and the other guy put my hand on his butt.)  How do I always get myself chosen for these things???   

Finally, we wanted a picture of all the girls (Ella included, who knows what Baby Thye is) but this guy kept getting into the picture.  Oh well.  We were at the Renaissance Festival.  People are weird!  From the left: Mackie, Weirdo Guy, Mom, Me, Ari,  and Regan (with Ella ready to come out any day now).

The other thing that was really exciting about yesterday is it marked the week we find out what our baby is, boy or girl.  So far 62% of you think girl and 48% say boy.  That is not enough to make me think one way or the other, but I will find out soon!  I seriously could hardly sleep last night when I realized that it was this Thursday!  I woke up this morning thinking about it.  I have a feeling it will be a BLAST when we find out, whatever Baby is.

I also was reading what my baby was doing this week and I got to crying.  Surprise, surprise...  Not only is the baby 8 ounces big and 6 inches long, it said that the baby can hear me.  So I need to read to it or sing it a song.  It just so happened that I was singing my worship team stuff while reading this on the computer and the baby was moving like crazy.  I just lost it.  I think our baby likes music.  Yay!!