19 weeks

Christmas is almost here!  Tomorrow, we will have Christmas #1 of about 7.   But oh how I love it.  And oh how I love family time.  It just makes me so happy.  Today I was very domestic and made THESE low fat, whole wheat cinnamon rolls.  They are in the fridge ready to be baked in the morning.  I hope they turn out well!  On to the reason for this  post...

19 weeks

I know I usually do 2 at a time, but no posting will happen next week due to Christmas fun so I thought I'd go ahead and post.  Is it weird that my belly looks pointy?  It sure doesn't look pointy from my view.  Must just be the angle of the picture.

At 19 weeks, I'm feeling the baby kick!  Ben was able to feel one strong kick and that was exciting.  Energy is still up (it's 11:43 and I'm awake!).  I'm feeling more of the limitations of having a tiny person inside me such as bending over not being as pleasant, as well as getting up from the floor (I sit on the floor a lot at school).  

One big feat we accomplished this week was to get the carpet upstairs cleaned and the baby room cleared out!  That means it is ready for baby things!  So far, we have 2 outfits, a bag of random diapers I have left over from making diaper cakes, and 2 sweet blankets.  We don't need much else right?!

Some of my favorites

I wanted to share two of my new favorite things.

One is the cupcake shop Sweet.  Pretty much every time we go to City Center, we go to either Yard House or Ruggles Green.  I love them both.  And pretty much every time we go, I get a salad...so that I can fully enjoy a cupcake from Sweet afterwards.  They are delicious for one, and two, they use all organic, all recycled materials. I just love all their stuff and love their vintage style shop.  And last time we went, we met the two owners - two young guys who have started their own business.  So go check it out the next time you visit City Center in Houston.  I recommend the red velvet cupcakes covered in sprinkles!

My second new favorite thing is this website I found called pixlr-o-matic.  I love instagram on IPhone but was looking for something for the computer that I could use for pictures I wanted to actually print out.  It takes your pictures and adds cool effects to them - mostly making them look vintage and old.  I find it funny that the old, vintage, and used look is so in right now, but I admit, I love it too!  Take a look at the three photos below.

Normal.  Nice Photo.  Not so exciting.

Vintage.  Old.  Beat-up looking :).

Or perhaps you like the more whimsical style.

I want to go and do this with all my photos now and see what they look like!  Such fun.  Enjoy!

16, 17, 18 weeks

Here's the last 3 weeks of photos.  Looking at the last photo, I'd definitely say I've grown, or shall we say HE has grown!

 16 weeks

 17 weeks

18 weeks - In my last year's winter workout clothes.  That shirt only has maybe a month left!  

At 18 weeks, I'm feeling good.  Nausea is almost gone completely and is easily remedied by some mint gum after meals.  And as I have mentioned, I've got most of my energy back.  New fun symptoms include heart burn and my feet hurt a lot sooner in the day if I haven't sat down as much.  Also this week, I started feeling Baby Boy move around!  It's subtle and not forceful at all but I can tell the difference now between baby and the other rumblings in my stomach.  It does not cease to amaze me how amazing God is in His creation of this little guy.  I can't wait to find out what he's like!

Developments - this week I started exercising more with my new found energy and it has been so nice and feels so good.  We continue to talk about names but are keeping the name a secret until birth!  Just a fun surprise for the end.  And soon we will start clearing out the now craft room to make room for a baby room.  So many fun things ahead!

The Honest Truth

So kids are infamous for saying the honest truth.  I've come to school without makeup ONCE ever and my students, many of them, told me in various forms I looked sick, asked if I was tired or just plain what is wrong with you today?  Haha I love it though.  Once I died my hair back to dark brown to cover up highlights but it turned out black!  Many of my students informed me that I looked scary, ready for Halloween, and that they preferred the my old hair better.  Anyways, these comments have not stopped as I've gotten pregnant.  Here's some of the comments I've received from my sweet, honest students.

Boy Student to another teacher: Did you know Mrs. Cooper's having a baby?!
Teacher: Yes, that's so exciting isn't it!
Boy Student: Yeah, and its gonna come out, I don't know where, but it's comin' out.

When I announced I was pregnant at 12 weeks to my class...
Another boy student: I knew it!  We noticed you were getting like a little fatter, didn't we guys?!

After I found out it was a boy...
Girl student: But Mrs. Cooper, how can they know that it's a boy?
Me: Uhhh...Well... they just look inside me and they can tell (hoping this will suffice).
Girl Student: Oh. Ok.

Girl student: Mrs. Cooper, you look weird when you're pregnant.

And everyday when we leave, some of my students say goodbye to me and then give me a little tap on the belly and say "Goodbye baby!".  I'm sure Baby Boy will miss those sweet voices this summer.  I'll have to get a CD of kids talking for him to fall asleep!

Christmas has Arrived

Christmas arrived this week at the Cooper residence in the form of manger scenes, Christmas lights, and a very modest tree.  

 This year the big tree just didn't make it out.  We are happy with our small little tree.

 I love my manger scene.  I have it on the ledge right in front of my sink and I look at it every time I wash something.

 Couldn't resist a photo of Polly.  She is excited for Christmas!

 I inherited these block Merry Christmas letters from my mom made by a very dear family friend.  They make me think of both my mom and our friend.  

The glowing mantle.  You can't quite see it, but on the ledge is a manger scene my mom and I painted together when I was little that she has also passed down to me.  I love passed down decorations.  

And this week the parties begin!  I love this season.  Although its very full of activity, its such a special time and such a wonderful celebration of our Savior Jesus.  

And P.S., thanks to my sister for the awesome camera.  I can't wait to take pictures of my sweet baby boy with it.  

The results are in...