Ring it in !!

Happy New Year to you all !!!  What a difference a year can make :-)  Looking forward to all the exciting, challenging and rewarding things to come for 2012. We'll officially be parents to a new baby boy and this time next year....he might even be walking around. What i hope to learn in the new year:

• How to change a change a diaper in record time, while also dodging the "pee stream".
• How to carry a baby, talk on the phone, drink a coffee and look good doing it all!
• How to breathe when i have 3 crying babies...2 furry ones and the real one :-)
• How to talk to my son without the "goo's & gaaa's"
• How to save money   ....HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
• How to keep off the baby weight
• How to be a sexy new mom 

Cheers to 2012,
mama j

Mason in the Middle

Little by little we've been sharing some of our baby "secrets" and yet another part of Mason's journey is ready to reveal. He finally has a middle name :-) We've decided on Mason John..classic don't you think?  The name is in honor of Grampy Adams, who we recently lost this year.  Although he's passed away, his memory will forever live on.  We look forward to sharing memories of him with our son and hope he gets even the smallest bit of Grampy's humor.  Love you Mason John Card.

Perfectly named,

mama j

Happy Holidays !!

Easy, Breezy it's been...

Tomorrow i'll be 34 weeks, and that's just crazy!  In the beginning, time went by so slow as i was anxiously awaiting that baby bump and even more so for those  baby movements. For all those moms out there that have been through it, how do you explain it?  I dont quite have enough profound words for the feeling, but it's something along the things of breathtaking, exhilarating, swirly, and just plain amazing. I've loved the experience so far, and from what i've heard from others...pregnancy is either a love or hate relationship.  For me, the experience has been full of LOVE. I've enjoyed it all, besides the complete loss of bladder control, tired evenings and lack of Subway BMT's - i really cannot complain. I truly have loved pregnancy and all the little changes that have come along with it.  While the experience so far has been pretty comfortable, my superstition tells me i should probably knock on wood.

I am starting to get the serious "itch" to meet this little guy, which is the only reason i want him out.  He's been a great roommate so far and has not induced many sleepless nights on me.  For that Mason, you get a big huge THANK YOU when you arrive.  But more than a thank you, you will get a whole bundle of hugs, kisses, warm cuddles and more!  Also...what do you look like?  Are you a perfect little mixture of Mommy & Daddy features, or are you sporting more of a look that's all your own?  Either way, you will be perfectly you and obviously the cutest little being we've ever met.

anxiously waiting,
mama j

A look back at 29 weeks...

So what seems like not that long ago, but actually was a MONTH ago....ry and i decided to sign-up for a Christmas Photoshoot.  A local photography company (Eye Sugar Photography) was hosting a holiday special.  It was a 15-minute photoshoot with their Christmas scenery and decor.  I was excited to do a holiday card this year, since i was FINALLY starting to show a cute baby bump.  Man i love this baby bump.  So upon our arrival at the studio, we met the photographer's assistant, who turned out to be due only 2 days after me, also with a BOY!  Soon-to-be-mommies live for this stuff - i was all excited.  So after our holiday session, the photographer suggested we do a few "belly shots".  The only problem?  I showed up in a holiday dress & stilettos...with no back-up pants or clothes.  She turns to her assistant, and asks her if i can borrow her pants!  Of course, she was happy to let me.  The whole thing was a scene, but i loved it all.  I ended up walking around half-naked with an itty bitty shawl.  Quite frankly, that is my comfort zone!  Ry was looking at me laughing..."only my wife" is what i'm sure he was thinking.

So anyways..we ended up getting some belly shots and they came out great.  So to my closest friends & family...i share with you my BELLY !!! hope you enjoy.  I'm proud of this growing belly and now it looks small in these pictures, compared to now.

belly crazed,
mama j

Shower the people you love with love....

Blankets, bottles & diapers…o my!  The showering of gifts and carnival-themed party was nothing short of a rollercoaster – filled with so many surprises and turns, that Mason couldn’t help but enjoy the ride.


I’ve always had a love of carnivals, the food (mmmm), the abundance of people and rides – something thrilling about it all.  It was only fitting that my Mom turned my own childhood joy into a perfectly themed baby shower .  A chance to celebrate the little man, with my closest friends and family was its own rollercoaster of emotions.  How can you not get a little sappy, to realize that you are loved by so many people and that your son will soon get to experience that same joy and excitement in less than a few months.  It’s overwhelming, and just as exciting to me as the first bite of a freshly fried dough ball at the beginning of carnival season.

So after a fabulous day filled with family, friends, hundreds of baby goodies and lots of freshly buttered popcorn… Ry and I will soon get to enjoy the excitement of a new ride - one filled with stroller pushing,  diaper changing and cute cuddly outfit wearing.  As you can see, Mason has many things to be thankful for and he will soon get to meet all these people who spoiled him long before he was even born.

I'm thrilled to finally have a house full of toys, to get us prepared and even more excited for the arrival of our little bambino.  Thank you all for being a a part of our shower and spoiling the crap out of Mason. He’s one seriously lucky little man. 

The Carnival Chaos can be seen and enjoyed here:


Baby Shower Album - Carnival Style


On a sugar high,
mama j 

Who Nose??

So this past week we were thankful for so many things…including our growing squash-sized baby boy.  We got to see him up close in 3D/4D, and he even had a few wispy hairs flowing.  We weren’t going to pay the $250 it cost for the ultrasound, since we’d rather buy him toys and clothes.  However, at a mommy mocktail party, I won the ultrasound and it ended up being a truly mind-blowing experience.

Ryan and the ultrasound tech both agreed that baby Mason had what resembled to be Daddy’s nose and mouth area.  I however, couldn’t really make any conclusions.  Maybe I was just baby blind and overly excited to see a real baby instead of a little skeleton (like previous ultrasounds). Or maybe I secretly wanted him to have my little nose…hehe.  Either way, he looked like a perfect little creation from both of us.  The one thing the ultrasound tech noted, was his big hands…and that was something we BOTH agreed came from Daddy.  It’s incredible how much Mason’s already grown, 3 pounds of lovey baby mush that we can’t wait to cuddle up for hours.  And regardless of whose nose he ends up having, I’m perfectly sure it will be the cutest one ever!  

Smell you later,

mama j

Socks or no socks?

I’ve been thinking a lot this past week about different topics for my blog.  I really wanted to do a post on some “life lessons” or things I wanted to pass onto Mason, you know...all that parent-ly advice.  Yet I kept thinking, what will I say and will I sound too much like my own mom?  Because frankly, that scares me.  Not my mom, but the idea of saying all the things I promised i’d never say to my own kids when I got older.  Well that time has almost arrived and I must equip myself with loads of advice and quirky tidbits my kids can hold onto forever.  The kind of things that stay with you for life; like how I can NEVER ever go to bed wearing socks.  I’m still not sure why, but I’m pretty sure it has something to do with regulating my body temperature or such.  But whatever the reason is…my mom scared me enough to know that no matter how tired, drunk or lazy I am – I can NEVER ever go to sleep wearing socks.  Although I hate to admit it, I’ve even passed that same advice onto my own friends and probably soon to my own kids. 

So I really want to give my motherly advice some time to form and grow before baby Mason arrives.  I also plan to make up  A LOT as I go. Here’s my first draft.

• Always roll the toilet paper from the top.  It should never be loaded so that you pull from underneath. That's just a pain.
• Don’t be afraid to use exclamation points in a sentence, when you’re really excited. Periods are for wimps. 
• Wrinkles, wrinkles, wrinkles! There is absolutely NO need for them…on your clothes that is.  Learn from a very young age how to iron, and always use it. Even have an extra iron for backup.
• Try to tough it out before resorting to medicine. Never want you to build up a tolerance for all those headache, soreness pain relievers.
• Never take yourself too serious. Humor is the best medicine.
• Always over-pack, it’s so much better then under-packing.  Trust me on this one, don’t listen to anyone else.
• Always give your parents a hug or kiss goodbye. Don’t be afraid to tell them you love them J or be embarrassed to hug your mom in public. 

28 weeks :-)

So…there are a few tidbits to get us started. It’s a rough draft for sure and I plan to freshen it up along the way.  I imagine there’s a lot of advice that your kids will just seem to brush off… but I know that sometimes you can’t help but take off your socks every night and surrender to the parently advice you’ve tried so hard to refuse.  Deep down, those quirky tidbits stay close with you for the long haul...and lets face it - your parents might actually know what they're talking about.

So whenever in doubt Mason, ask your mom or dad. And if you’re looking for some extra advice, you also have some pretty cool aunts & uncles you can turn to.

Sockless in bed,

mama j

All about Daddy...

So it's time Daddy makes a presence in this blog.  Since he's been sick all weekend, and clearly bored (besides hours of video gaming), we thought it'd be fun to ask him some questions.  So here's a look at some of his favorite things:

What is your FAVORITE.....

Car: Porsche 911 Turbo

Book: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Smell: Vanilla

Color: Green

Movie:  War movies, probably Blackhawk Down

Candy: Sour patch kids

Hobby: Guns

Season: Winter

Animal: Short-nosed dogs

Holiday: Christmas

TV Show: Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Sandwich: Egg salad

Ice Cream: Chocolate

Vegetable: N/A (his first answer..haha) Carrots

Junk food: McDonalds

Superhero: Wolverine

TV channel: FX

Time of day: Morning

Sports team: Yankees

Sport to play: Football

Sport to watch: Football/Baseball

Celebrity crush:  Sofia Vergara

Day of the week:  Friday

Breakfast cereal: Special K

Car you’ve owned: Subaru Sti

Toy from childhood: Legos

Place you’ve visited: Washington, DC

Non-alcoholic beverage: Diet Coke

Subject in high school: History

Thing about your work: Propane

Thing about your wife: Sense of humor and her butt J 

lovin' my favorite husband,

mama j

Trick or Treat..

Happy Halloween to everyone!  We had one special little trick-or-treater this year, mrs. emma the lady bug.  Unfortunately we never get trick-or-treaters at our place, so i'm VERY excited for Mason to get here so we can treat all around town and dress up together.  Emma's excited for him to arrive too, so she can have a partner-in-crime.  

Hope you all are treated out from the sweets and unfortunately my sexy nun costume didn't pan out this year.  

Mason kisses!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Boo,

mama j

25 weeks...

So baby Mason has definitely been growing since my last update.  He is officially kicking me and letting us both know he's in there.  I have to say, these little nudges and movements have me constantly smiling. During those few times a day when he's kicking, it feels like time just freezes and ALL i can focus on is grabbing my belly and feeling him move.  The last few days have brought some new fun: seeing my belly actually move when he does...honestly..i'm LOVING it !!

So let's see...he's about 1-1/2 pounds and roughly the length of a small cantaloupe. Of course...the food reference.  So i'm thinking with a little more fertilization these next few weeks, he may just become the perfect pumpkin size. Probably not by halloween, but i'm thinking more like a really large gourd.  Either way - he'll reap all the benefits of mama j's holiday candy-spree. So here's my 25 week reveal, complete with a new haircut and some fiery red highlights (compliments of auntie jenn). 

Also, Daddy gets a big shout-out for all of his hard work this weekend.  While away with my cousin & Grams in VT - he moved ALL of the guest furniture by himself,  painted baby Mason's bedroom floor, and setup the crib. He's pretty much a rockin' dad already and we're so lucky to have him!!! 

So here's to the growing gourd this halloween and all of his ever-increasing energy!!!

Kickin' it,

mama j

Lucky Number 23...

23 of what you ask?  Well let me just walk you through this miracle of life. 

Imagine giving birth to nine babies (7 girls, 2 boys) and living long enough to watch them grow and together have 19 of their own children.…and it doesn’t end there. Then imagine being 85 years old, full of energy and spunk, and being a proud grandmother to 22 GREAT-grandchildren.  That my friends is a miracle, and I’m proud to call her my Meme .  We also like to call her “Queen Bee” of the family.

What Mason is about to embark on is something many families can’t even imagine, and at his first family event, he’ll realize why his mother is so loud.  He will also be lucky great-grandchild number 23. 

What really blows my mind about our family is that the majority of us (besides my cousin’s serving in the military) all live within 20-30 miles of each other.  We’re all a YELL away..haha.  I’m excited for Mason to take part in our family adventures and the many “cousin nights” that we plan.  As lucky grandchild #12 myself, I cannot imagine a life without my crazy (in the best way possible) family, and most of my cousins are some of my best friends.  I hope that Mason will share this same bond with his own cousins.

We celebrated Meme’s 85th birthday last week and she said something that couldn’t be any truer.  She said that people thought she was the crazy one for having all these children, but now – she’s really the LUCKY one.  Now that is what I call the “miracle of life.”

Feeling Lucky,
mama j

Life is a highway...

There comes a time when we must surrender some of our youthful possessions, to make room for some of our grown up things. In my situation, the "trade-in" comes in the form of a sporty car..in exchange for a bouncing baby boy.  After the harsh realization that a standard infant car seat wouldn't comfortably fit in the back seat of my speed racer, it was time for us to make the family-friendly upgrade.  So off with the BLUE and in with the NEW.  Say hello to our new family addition:

The irony of the story, is that in 16 years from now, my son will probably look at this and say "Mom, why'd you get rid of that cool car?".  and my foreseen reply "Hmmmmm...I wonder son." [insert smirk here]

Thankfully this "grown-up sacrifice" was just a possession, because what i promise to never surrender my friends...is the youthful spirit that lives within - that's staying for the long haul. 

 
So many life changes already, before our baby boy even gets here.  I think i can end this transitional phase, with a quote from our musical friend Tom Cochrane:

 

Life's like a road that you travel on
When there's one day here and the next day gone
Sometimes you bend sometimes you stand
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind

There's a world outside every darkened door
Where blues won't haunt you anymore
Where the brave are free and lovers soar
Come ride with me to the distant shore

Sing it with me my friends (you know you want to..) "Life is a highway.  I want to ride it all night long..."

Ready for the ride,
mama j

Move, Stretch, Shake !

Mason waving hello to all!

 

Week: 21 ½

So i've been a serious internet stalker lately.  Most popular searches: baby moving, first time baby moves, why the heck is my little one not kicking me yet?  Okay so the last one is a little exaggeration, but not really.  I've been quizzing every single person i know who's had a baby on their week of "movement". Even the guy in the booth across from me at the tradeshow fell victim - he should have never told me his daughter was only a few days ahead of me.  Lesson learned: trying to compare yourself to everyone else will ONLY make you a crazy pregnant lady. And quite honestly, the hormones have that role completely covered.



After the last few weeks of waiting, complete with a friend suggested belly lay down "trick" and 4 days in Vegas (full of loud music, slot machines & 2 shirley temples)...i thought that'd be sure to shake him up.  I've already seen him moving plenty in those ultrasounds, so i know he's got the kung-fu kick i've been waiting for.

So at last....on my late night flight home from Vegas last night: there it was!!! I'm almost positive what i felt was a baby kick me from the inside.  I was listening to my iPod and trying to catch some zzz's and there it was !!! Then i felt a few other "flutters" moments after.  I mean it happened once and i don't think it was gas, so i'm almost positive i can mark last night's plane episode as BIG MOVEMENT #1.  I'm doing it...i'm calling it official and i'm sharing it all with you!   So now that i've felt one...i still plan on being a crazy pregnant lady until i feel some more "Mason Movements" come my way.  And the ultimate goal: daddy can feel it too!

Kickin it,

mama j

20 weeks...

here's the halfway reveal!  i still feel great and i'm told that baby and I are only going to GROW from here :-)  to the next half of this journey: i have more energy now for you, so bring on the fun stuff!

   

holy halfway,
mama j

name that baby....

the baby name buildup has come to a final decision and baby C can finally be called by his new name.....drum roll please.....

 Mason (no middle name yet) Card

Mason \m(a)-son\ as a boy's name, is pronounced MAY-sun. It is of English origin, and the meaning of Mason is "one who works with stone". Occupational name. Used as given name since the mid 19th century.  It's current without being trendy or pretentious.

and a special note to you Baby Mason...we see you moving around like crazy in there.  Please push a little harder so mama can finally feel your little tingles :-) i've been waiting so patiently.  And Daddy is waiting too.  Love you!

boy oh boy,

mama j

Oh baby baby!

So the Breton family has had a busy baby year. Three of my cousins (2 younger than me…o my!) have had their baby in the past year. There has been another trend among them all as well: All GIRLS! Needless to say, there has been a lot of baby love and a LOT of pink in the family :-) The third girl was actually born yesterday, and since they live in GA it will be a little while until I get to meet her. I hope these baby cousins will cherish all of the same family memories we have together: camping in VT, nights playing cards, sleepovers and of course: Cousin's NIGHT! Say hello to all the Breton babies below. Baby Card will know how to handle girls after hanging with this crew, or at least be ahead of all the other boys his age. :-)

Also, Ryan’s cousin Tim and his wife Liz just welcomed a new baby girl as well: Josie Elizabeth Card. Along with these four newborns, our little Baby Card has two more girl cousins to meet on Ryan’s side, Pippi & Jeff’s daughters: Madigan & Rowan. So it looks like Baby Card has a lot of protecting to do – the first boy among a sea of women. Good luck son!

let’s hear it for the boy,
mama j

Love you forever...

Sometimes the simple things in life are the ones that give you the most enjoyment. And sometimes you want to stop and freeze those moments, those tender moments that you know you can never get back. These are the memories I can’t stop thinking about and keep reliving in my mind. The simple pleasures and time spent with my Grandfather are constantly playing on loop in my memory.

Grampy was by far one of the wittiest, funniest and most charming people I have ever known and loved. He could spend hours telling jokes, none of which EVER got old and I usually never heard the same one twice. He was a dancing machine, with smooth moves that most people would be jealous of. Many of my visits with him involved storytelling and of course the jitterbug and dancing to Glenn Miller’s “In The Mood”. Since I was little, Grampy always joked that when I got married he'd "pinch my cheeks" while walking down the aisle, but thankfully for me he changed his mind and instead we did a jitterbug. It was a moment together that I will ALWAYS cherish and have to watch on video over and over.

I know now that no matter how much time you’re given, you can never prepare yourself for losing someone close to you and you can’t always heal the cancer that takes over their body. But what you can do is honor their memory and trust their spirit lives on and hope to encounter it through the simple things in life. I plan to keep alive the memories of my Grampy and share with my son some of his greatest qualities and let him know how much he was loved even before he was born.

I wish Gramps was here to pick strawberries with my son, take him ice fishing, drive him around in the Jeep, give him endless Klondike bars, and teach him how to garden. I know he will never be able to share these pleasures with him, but I KNOW that Grampy will be watching him grow and looking out for him in other ways. I also know that he has passed on his character to his own sons and especially on to my own Dad. Our son will get to know him through his own Grampy Adams, and for that I am thankful.

Grampy, thank you for the lifetime of memories you shared with me and thank you for loving us all like every Grandfather should. You always make me smile and I’ll miss dancing with you and especially miss your hugs & kisses. I will honor your memory forever. And as you told Grammy: "i'll love you forever".

Forever & Always,
mama j

Interesting note: My Dad will be 50 years old when our son is born and Grampy was 50 years old when I was born. Can’t wait to compare the photo.

16 weeks it is....

this week's update: i have officially taken out my belly piercing (sad face), but i'm beginning to grow what appears to be a little belly bump. it's small & slightly resembles a little beer gut. thankfully my pants still fit, but my clothes are starting to feel uncomfortably tight.

Baby M (preview to his name) has been traveling the last couple days with me in Chicago and i've been on the hunt for some sexy loose-fitting clothes...not an easy task. he's been a trooper though!

So here's the 16 week photo reveal. 4 months and i think i'm still lookin' pretty good! haha

feeling good,
mama j

Very Superstitious....

So for those of you that really know me well, you can agree that i'm impulsive by nature and impatient when it comes to exciting things. So finding out the baby's gender fell right in line with my last minute impulse to seek out an ultrasound office 5 weeks earlier than planned :-) I also may be known to have slight superstitions...not the "walk under a ladder" or "step on a crack" kind, but more like the "don't speak too soon" and "knock on wood" kind. So now that i know the sex, my slightly superstitious nature has me dreaming all crazy and double & triple checking those '3 little boy dots' on the ultrasound picture and video. I think in my last dream i made the u/s lady check the baby's gender every couple hours. Now that we know it's a boy (fingers crossed), we've already started calling him by name and getting really excited about it!

Part of my impatient nature may have also resulted in the purchase of a couple baby boy pjs...but only because i couldn't pass up the little bulldogs. The girl's clothing department is always so much bigger than the boy's selection....but they still have some REALLY cute boy outfits and shoes! My Mom and Lauren may have already purchased the cutest 2 pairs of shoes i've ever seen.

Now that we've found out it's a boy and i've purchased my first "boy item"...my superstition is starting to quickly creep up on me. So until the 20 week ultrasound and the DOUBLE confirmation i'm looking for...i'm going to lay low on my impulsive purchases.

ps. thank you husband for not playing into my erroneous beliefs, sometimes your balance is greatly appreciated.

Superstition ain't the way,
mama j

Oh BOY !!!

So the waiting is over and we can finally call the baby our little boy and our SON :-) what an exciting time and we are so thrilled to share HIM with you all. It's time for me to brush up on my planes, trains & automobiles....i can do this :-) and ryan will be the best sports coach and role model for him! no names picked yet...but we'll be sure to keep you all updated on our baby boy's journey.

oh boy,
mama j

Bump, Bump, Bump It Up !

So the weight gaining has plateaued the past 3 weeks or so. At today's appointment I actually lost a pound. Where is this baby bump i've so dreamed of? not that i'm disappointed or anything. Although, i'll probably be looking back on this 3-4 months from now and laughing, wondering why i wished away the petite-sized wardrobe.

In the meantime, i'll enjoy my cute bump-free clothes and try to regain some of this energy i've lost. I know Ry has enjoyed my earlier bedtime, since i've always been a 'night-owl' midnight dweller. Hopefully i can round up some motivation to start exercising again and catch up on all of my late night shows.

Baby C has still been cooking (1/3 of the way there) and has a healthy heartbeat of 140. He/She has grown to the size of a ripe lemon...one i cannot wait to squeeze.

Bring on the Bump,
mama j

What a man...

Today we celebrate the soon-to-be daddy, as he turns the big 28! happy birthday to you !

I've known Ryan for 22 years now, and i still love him for so many different reasons. One of the most exciting things about starting this family, is getting to watch him be a father. I've always known i wanted to share this experience with him and i hope Baby C gets some of his greatest qualities. To our growing Baby C, here are some of the things i hope you get from your daddy:

his green eyes
his handiness
his work ethic
his metabolism
his selflessness
his perfect teeth
his sense of direction

Wishing my husband and soon-to-be daddy a very happy birthday!

make a wish,
mama j & baby c

Our lil' jumping bean!

Week: Almost 13

So we had our first sneak peek at the little munchkin this week and it was so moving....emotionally & literally! From the moment the ultrasound wand hit my stomach, we could see the baby and it was SOOO clear...wow, an actual BABY with arms, legs and cute little hands. We saw the lil' bean jumping all around inside me - doing jumps and swirls like a maniac. A really cute, precious maniac that is :-) Ryan couldn't believe with all that movement that i couldn't feel it yet. I'm sure that is right around the corner though.

Side notes from some of our biggest supporters....My Dad swears he saw a penis, but maybe that was just wishful thinking? he did say it had my nose - which wouldn't be a bad thing. Ry's Mom said with all that movement, it's bound to be a mini-ry. So far, the verdict from family & friends = it's a boy. The verdict from mommy..it could still be a girl. but what do i know?

Last night i took the lil' jumpin bean with me to a concert, since i knew he/she would be up for it. With all that movement, it's likely to have its momma's killer dance moves!

to an exciting week,
mama j

12 weeks & counting...

our first big milestone...we finally got to share the news with friends & family this week and it felt great:-) Thanks for all the wishes, baby C is lucky to be surrounded by such supportive friends & family!

The counting down still continues on..

- 1 day until first ultrasound

- 1 week until i enter 2nd trimester

- 8 weeks until we find out the gender

- 28 weeks until we meet our little miracle

and the list goes on..

As far as pregnancy goes...i'm still feeling pretty normal, and can't believe there's really a plum-sized baby growing inside me. so far, i've gained 10lbs (yikes), which means there are no worries about momma & baby staying fueled for growth :-)

feeling full & fortunate,

mama j