Alise's First Annual 29th Birthday and More!

Let me begin by thanking everyone who made my birthday so wonderful. All the calls, cards, and gifts made me feel very loved. It really was a great day. One of the best parts was visiting Olive's brand new friend, Paloma, in the hospital. Paloma's parents, Joe and Nellie, were the first friends Jason and I made in Miami, so you can imagine how exciting it is for all of us to be having little girls so close in age. Both mother and baby looked beautiful, and they even unswaddled her to show me what Joe and Nellie called "Porter toes," or toes that look and function more like fingers. (Jason really does have crazy long toes.)

It wasn't just my birthday on the 15th; I also hit the 6-month mark for this pregnancy. As promised, here's a picture. I wore the same top to try to show growth more accurately. I'll continue to do so while it still fits.

Front View: 24 weeks

Side View: 24 weeks

I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed that this bump still doesn't scream baby. But as long as she is healthy and growing, I can deal with being a little lumpy.

Now, I have to take this opportunity to brag a little about my amazing husband. Admittedly, Jason and I aren't great about going all out for birthdays. We usually go out to dinner and have a nice evening, but they are not wildly different from most of our Friday nights. However, this year, I have to give Jason credit. He was super thoughtful. The day before, he brought me home beautiful roses, so I could wake up to flowers on my birthday. For my birthday, he proved that he does listen to the little details. I've been searching for the perfect every-day-earrings for a while now, and he found them. Subtle, small white gold hoops. Perfect. He even got me a card this year! Now this one kind of threw me for a loop. I couldn't understand why he got me a "You might be a redneck if..." card. Upon seeing my confused/amused expression, he quickly explained that he stopped at Bass Pro Shops specifically for a card. He figured since mostly guys shop there, they would certainly stock plenty of greeting card options for their wives. He was wrong (and I also have a feeling that there may have been a reel he wanted to check out). My point is, a girl could get used to this mother-of-his-child special treatment.

So what did I want to do for my birthday? Well, exactly what any chic, sophisticated, metropolitan 29-year old would want to... See the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows premiere!!! It was awesome, by the way. I got dressed up and we went to a really great, quaint little Mediterranean restaurant that Jason found. I put on my fanciest dress that fit. Jason took a picture because we agreed this dress made me look way more pregnant.

Way more pregnant-looking, right? (Of course, it helps to arch your back and stick your stomach out, as evidenced by this picture.)

And finally, the man who made it all possible. Here's Jason at Mandolin, the Mediterranean spot he found. It was delicious, but with all outdoor seating, we were feasted upon nearly as much as we feasted until the waitress kindly lent us some bug spray. (Don't worry it was the natural kind.)

Thanks for a great birthday, Sweetheart! xoxo

It is crazy to think that the next birthday we'll be celebrating in our house will be Olive's. We are getting so excited to meet her. Today I got an extra special treat. I had an ultrasound scheduled, and when the tech asked if she could do 3-D imaging, I have to admit I was hesitant. I have seen some freaky-looking babies with that 3-D stuff. But I agreed to it, and I'm glad I did, because I saw the most beautiful face, which immediately made me burst into unexpected tears. She may not have verbally said so, but it was clear this was also the most gorgeous baby the technician had ever seen. She didn't have to speak; her body language said it all. ;)

How sweet is this girl?!

Well, that's all for this post. Thanks for checking in on us!