Of Bellies and Baby Rooms

It’s Bigger. It’s Larger. It’s Wider.

At least that’s the way the baby room looks now that Kristen has been able to organize a lot of the clothes and accessories we had strewn all over the floor. The crib, as you can see, is mostly up. And we’re excited about how well things are coming along.

Kristen is looking as cute as ever as she’s now entering the third trimester. I can’t believe she’s already in the last stage of her pregnancy! Parenthood is only a few months away.

And now, a note from Kristen:

Lately I’ve been going to garage sales on Saturday mornings while Tim is at work. I’ve been looking for baby stuff…not so much for baby clothes, since we have so much...but other stuff. A couple weeks ago I went to one garage sale where this lady had a heaping table full of baby boy clothes from 0-6 months (she was addicted to buying baby clothes for her son, she admitted to me.) I didn’t want to buy too many clothes, but they were really cute and in really good condition! As I went to pay for my items, I was really excited to find out that everything here only cost me $1.50!! I haven’t found any more sweet deals since then, but I’m still on the look-out.

Blueberries!

6:25 AM is no time for an alarm to be going off, especially when it was a late night of reading. But, it's a little easier to get up when you're going on an early morning date to Pungo Farms to pick blueberries! And we had a great time! Look at all those wonderful blueberries. We picked nearly 12 pounds of them. And as I sit here typing, I'm smelling blueberry pancakes cooking in the kitchen. Oh yeah! We're getting ready to enjoy the fruits of our labor. And there's already talk of blueberry muffins, blueberry coffeecake, blueberry crisp...I love being married to a good cook. :)

Gotta go, pancakes are calling.

(Hope those who read the previous blog enjoyed clicking on the links. I had a little too much fun putting them in.)

Destination Michigan

Kristen and I recently drove home to Michigan to spend time with the family, see friends, and enjoy some beautiful Michigan summer weather. While we were there we, well, relaxed. Hey, it’s a vacation, right? We spent our first week with Kristen’s family in the Lower Peninsula town of Mesick. While we were there we gave those Apples to Apples cards a workout. Some highlights of the trip while with Kristen’s family were visiting Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes near Traverse City and enjoying Moomers ice cream on the way back.

Then it was up to the UP with my family. We enjoyed Fourth of July parades, fireworks, cookouts (Kristen especially got excited about the brats). We gave the Apples to Apples cards another good workout, and had a relaxing and enjoyable time with family and friends. Mom and Dad Ahtila even came up to the UP for a couple of days and enjoyed pasties with us at Presque Isle Park in Marquette. It was fantastic. Can’t wait to do it again sometime!

It's a boy!

This morning was the much expected day we’d been waiting for. After two months of anticipation, we finally drove off this morning for Kristen’s 9:00 am ultrasound. We were super excited because we would finally know if we’re having a boy or a girl. Kristen was a tad nervous too, since any possible abnormalities would also show up on the ultrasound.

Good news, the baby was healthy and normal. And…it’s a boy! It definitely was. Or, I guess I can say “he” definitely was. He was super squirmy thanks to mom’s morning orange juice or his dad’s genes. (We’ll have to keep that kid away from sugar as he grows older or he’ll be into everything!) Yeah, it’s a boy! He is God’s gift to us, and we are so very thankful.

Baby Room Renovation

What a mess, huh? We’ve had to do some rearranging in our house do to an invasion. No, not by termites, cockroaches, mice or other such vermin…but by cribs, books, diaper bags and stuffed animals. Operation Baby Room has begun.

Last week, Kristen’s school showered her with gifts for the baby. Last week, she also brought home books and other items from her old classroom. As Kristen makes the transition from retired schoolteacher to mother, she is also transitioning the house with her. The little-used study room is slowly becoming a baby room. And right now, it’s just a plain ol’ mess. A small apartment such as ours doesn’t exactly have a ton of storage space. And when you get an influx of school supplies and baby supplies, you get a…hmm… how shall I put it? An instant lesson in organization. Fortunately my Kristen is up to the challenge. In fact, she loves organizing things. (How weird is that?) But, hey, I am not complaining in the least. It was, after all, her organizational skills that first attracted me to her. Well, maybe not entirely. :) But for real, she does a great job of finding room for all those things that people have generously given to us for the baby.

Next week we’ll be able to do some fine tuning in the decorating department because, Lord willing…we’ll know if it’s a boy or a girl! Stay tuned for details!

Tim's Top 10

Tim's Top Ten list of things he's thankful for. (In alphabetical order)


1. A beautiful Memorial Day weekend signals the unofficial start of summer!
2. Baseball tonight featured the Tigers trouncing the Twins 19-3.
3. Country style pork ribs for dinner on Monday! Can’t wait!
4. Doing well is Kristen and baby. Doctors said she’s a very healthy mommy.
5. Even Tim is doing well. Every three months it’s back to the doctors for a follow-up but no further treatment!
6. Finals for the Stanley Cup and the Red Wings are in it! (Currently up 2-0 in the 3rd!)
7. Got to do some registering for baby stuff at Target and will soon do some more at Babies R Us. (When Kristen’s not looking, I register for onesies that read “Party Pooper” and “Automatic Sprinkler.”)
8. Have to mention that the Pistons are in the Eastern Conference Finals (though the score tonight ain’t worth mentioning).
9. I am getting closer to finishing up my remaining schoolwork from the semester (which is good since I start summer school on Tuesday).
10. Just 5 full days and 3 half days of school left for Kristen!

Through the mundane, the trivial, the serious and the comical, God is and continues to be good.

Diaper Diaries Part 1

There’s more excitement at the Hill house! And it’s good news. The main woman of the Hill house, Mrs. Kristen Hill herself, is officially eating for two. Yes, we’re having a baby.

On April 22^nd, Kristen went to get acquainted with the Midwifery Center. And we got to hear the little heart beat. That little critter inside her tummy was jumping all around! In fact, the nurse had a difficult time trying to keep up with that moving heartbeat. For me, it was especially moving to hear that tiny little heartbeat and know that there was a real live baby inside of her!

And lately, that baby has been causing Kristen grief with her wardrobe. In fact, she was almost late to church last night because she couldn’t fit into her pants anymore. Poor Kristen. This evening she went shopping so she could add to her ever growing maternity wardrobe (no pun intended—hee hee).

God is good. And we’re grateful! Kristen is officially 14 weeks along on this Cinco de Mayo with a due date of November 2^nd!