Joe's Pic[k]: Grandmas

October 2010

This is Baba Geena (Баба Гина). Baba, in Bulgarian, means grandma. She was our 92 year old neighbor during our home stay in Bulgaria. No matter what was going on, she was always happy to see us and had a smile on her face.

Baby is going to be my parents' third grandchild. My brother and sister-in-law's two girls call them "Meemaw" and "Pawpaw." So my mom (while she has made it clear that she will gladly be whatever Baby ends up calling her) is sticking with Meemaw for her grandma name this time around, too.

Joe's parents will be first-time grandparents when Baby arrives, so when we told them about our growing little one they had to decide what they want to be called. Joe's dad is sticking with the classic "Grandpa," while Joe's mom is going with the German name for grandma, "Oma."

P.S. I didn't post a "Joe's Pic[k]" post for last week until today. Click here to see it!

Joe's Pic[k]: Just the two of us

July 2007

We took this picture when we were out for a date night with our friends, Craig and Jenny. We had actually just returned to the States from our study semester in India! They had recently married, and we weren't even engaged yet. Things have changed quite a bit since then - they've got a baby now and we're married and have one on the way!

I'm full of mixed emotions about Baby's impending arrival. I am SO excited to hold my baby in my arms... to feel his/her soft baby skin against mine, to soothe him/her, to be his/her mother. At the same time, I hesitate to focus on my excitement because of all the people who say, "You just wait, your life's going to change and you'll wish for these days again when you didn't have to worry about your baby all the time..." Stuff like that.

I'm ready to worry about my baby all the time, though. He/she is already on my mind almost 24/7 anyway! I know it will be different, but my heart is so full of love for him/her that I think my life has already changed. I can't imagine ever going back to those "just the two of us" days... and I'm not sure I ever want to.

Being a mother... a parent... is a lifelong commitment. No matter where life takes me or my child(ren), I will always be their mother. I can't wait to get started.

Joe's Pic[k]: Chapstick

Christmas 2009

Santa loves to fill our family's stockings with fun little knick-knacks every Christmas. He usually includes chapstick - we wouldn't want to have chapped lips over the holidays!

I was in Babies-R-Us the other day with Joe and this woman came up to me and was asking about my pregnancy and where we plan to deliver. She gave us our first bit of unsolicited advice - be sure Joe packs chapstick for me to use while I'm in labor at the hospital.

It's funny how pregnancy is outside of the realm of "not your business." Anyone and everyone seems to feel the need to say something about my protruding belly, labor & delivery, feeding, diapering, and how to raise my child.

One of my most recent favorites? A shop clerk: "So you're about to pop, huh?"

Joe's Pic[k]: While we were in India

Humayan's Tomb [India] 2007

It's been a while since we looked through our India pictures! Wow, have we changed since then! Joe and I were dating while we were in India, but didn't know at that point that we'd end up getting married... much less having a baby together!

Joe's Pic[k]: Befriending t-rex

For Saturday posts, Joe will be picking out a picture from the past each week and I'll write a little blurb for ya!

2007

If you've never visited the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, I highly recommend it. Joe and I went to D.C. on a date one time and checked it out because he had never been before.We also enjoyed the Air & Space Museum and the Museum of American History.

Enjoy your Saturday!