4 Years!!!!

July 15th was Mike and I's 4 year anniversary! We couldn't even believe it. Time has flown by so fast and we've really just fallen more in love with each other every year! We don't generally do gifts (usually because of lack of time given that our anniversary falls in the middle of our busiest time) but I was home not feeling very well and I got a little knock on our door. And who was there but a man holding a ridiculously beautiful bouquet of Lillies. Oh my goodness they were so beautiful and they smelled so wonderful. I was so surprised. What an awesome husband!!!!

I ended up having the worst migraine of my entire life that night and ruined Mike's plans to take me to dinner. He had found a babysitter and covered all of my bases with work! But we did end up getting to go to dinner that Friday and we went to TGIFridays!!!! It is my favorite restaurant in the states and it doesn't disappoint here in the Dominican Republic either! It was so wonderful to have this time together and to celebrate four amazing years of marriage.

We started dating in 2003, we got married in 2005, we had Landon in 2007 and Nohemi will be born in 2009. Six great years of life together!!!!! I love you, Mike! (I'll post a couple pictures from dinner when I have time)

21 weeks

I am officially pregnant! 21 weeks to be exact. If I just looked a little chubby before, I now have a definite baby belly. And man am I uncomfortable. I am carrying so differently with this little one and I can feel the difference in my back. My neck and back are aching quite a bit. But I am just ALL belly. Luckily, I haven't seen much of a difference in my behind or my thighs which actually got pretty large during my pregnancy with Landon. And the funny thing is, I look less pregnant in the mornings. How does that happen?

She's a bit more active and her kicks are stronger but it is nothing like Landon was. She is for sure a lot calmer. I felt like I had a little soccer player in my tummy with Landon.

We have also decided on a name....Nohemi Ruth!!!!! Woo hoo!!!! We love, love, love it. Nohemi is a latina name which we really wanted this time around (and is also the name of one of Mike's Mom's good friends from Peru) and Ruth was my grandma's name who passed away this spring. In case you're not Latino you pronounce it No-em-EE. The accent is on the last syllable. But for all of you Spanish-challenged folks out there, we are going to call her Emi for short.

We have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so I'll probably update more later.

It's a What?

We went to the 3-D Sonogram place today with the sole purpose in mind of finding out what this baby actually is. Quite honestly, I am sick of calling it "it." The baby barely moved the whole time except for a few little adjustments and I was getting worried that we weren't going to be able to see anything. Not another disappointing trip. ugh. So I started eating some chocolate (wives tale here in the Dominican) and sure enough a few minutes later, little baby Braisted started bouncing around. The doctor looked and looked and looked and couldn't find a little boy part. I moved to different sides to get different angles, she moved that little stick all over my belly and no matter what angle, there was no "pee pee" (as Landon likes to call it). So she finally said, "Now I can't be totally sure but I really think its a girl. Where I can see that there should be a penis, there is no penis." I teared up immediately. Seriously, a girl? Could this really be happening? A girl born from a Braisted?????

But it was true, we could see between the legs and what was clearly visible at 14 weeks with Lando was definitely not there. We are going to go back in a couple weeks when I'm somewhere between 22 and 24 weeks to get a 100% confirmation but honestly "the lack there of" was enough confirmation for me. So I'm calling it "her." Even, if the verdict gets changed in a couple weeks....she'll be a she for a couple weeks anyway. But no worries, I'm not rushing out and buying anything pink just yet.

Happy Birthday, Little Man

It's hard to believe but our little guy is two. Every hour of today I was running through my head what I was doing and where I was two years ago. What an exciting day it was. Finally, at 5:15 our little guy came into this world, only to make us the happiest people on Earth. Two years ago, he was 19 inches long and 8 pounds. Today he is 33 1/2 inches tall and weighs 28 pounds. He speaks and understands two languages and has lived in a foreign country for his entire life. Pretty incredible.

I'm pretty tired, so I only have the energy to post one picture from tonight's "party." Party meaning Landon, Mike, the dogs and I...some balloons, cake and presents. But I promise there will be more, including video.

We love you, little Landon, you make every day just a little bit brighter (and a little bit more challenging!). :)

16 weeks

Hard to believe it but I am already 4 months pregnant. The belly hasn't changed too much, a little more round maybe. The baby is moving, not a ton, but enough so I don't worry. We have an appointment on Tuesday and hopefully we will be able to see what the sex of the baby is! The Dominican women ALL say its a girl (the way I'm carrying, how I'm so sick, the way my body looks...) and they also say I need to eat two chocolate bars before we go to have the ultrasound so the baby will have lots of energy and move so we can see what "part" it has! So funny.

"dink" "dink"

"dink" translated means sink.

Landon's new favorite INDOOR activity. He sits there and fills up a container and dumps it out and fills it up and dumps it out and repeats this forever and ever. Well, until he decides to dump one out all over the bathroom floor, then mommy says all done.

Water Boy

I was just looking through some photos deleting and clearing space and what-not....and came across these photos of Lando and just had to post them. They instantly made me smile. There is no happier boy than Landon in water. What an incredible blessing children are.

You Can Dance, You can Jive

Yep. Our son is a dancing fool. At my sister's wedding this month, the music started and he just kinda watched as people filled the dance floor. But sure enough, as soon as Michael Jackson came on, a new little boy emerged. He danced like this for literally an hour and a half. I might be his mother, but I SERIOUSLY think that he's got moves. I hope I can find a break dancing class for toddlers in the Dominican.

Dance Maniac from Amanda Braisted on Vimeo.

Bun In The Oven

That's right, we will be adding to our little Braisted clan. I should be having a scheduled C-section on November 23rd, home in time for Thanksgiving Day! What a great thing to be thankful for.

I'm "sick" pretty much every morning but it is not nearly as intense as it was with Landon. And I've even had a few days here and there where I don't get sick at all. We will see as I get more into my second trimester if the nauseousness will waver.



First sonogram, 10 weeks



First belly Pic, 13 weeks

Landon and the "Beep Beep"

We bought Landon this new "beep beep" because he would always go over to our friends' house and play on their son's. He is getting pretty fast on it. The other morning, Landon and Daddy were chasing each other around and I just had to pick up the video camera and record it. It was too precious. The two of them have so much fun together. Enjoy!


Landon and His Beep Beep from Amanda Braisted on Vimeo.