it's finally summer...maybe?

i'd hate to jinx anything, but it was a solid 90 degrees for memorial day...beach day! apparently a mass text was also sent out to every highschooler in chicagoland because it was like jersey shore: chicago style at oak street beach.

we met up with some friends for a hot, humid picnic and some volleyball. it sounded like a great idea since i am in waiting mode for this baby, but that heat killed me! we only lasted so long before a trip to ghiradelli was necessary to cool down.

three

we celebrated our third anniversary earlier this week with dinner at a delish french restaurant. we both felt old though, when all we wanted to do after dinner was read and go to bed. i promise we're not that boring :) we're chalking it up to jet lag -- this last trip for nate was a killer in terms of adjusting back to chicago time -- and being really pregnant. how fitting that for our third anniversary, we're becoming a family of three.

i love being married to him

it pays to live in a big city

one fun thing about living in a big city is that big things are here, so people have to come through chicago sometimes, which means visitors! we love visitors. matthew, my cousin who just so happens to be nate's bff and childhood friend, came to check out the university of chicago this past weekend.

ate a little deep dish pizza and also introduced him to smoque, our favorite chitown bbq

...and drove up to evanston to check out northwestern university for good measure.
{secretly, i'm crossing my fingers that matt and nate get into the same business school}


p.s. baby update: instead of getting the "oh, you're expecting! how precious" looks and comments, i now get the pity looks of "i so know your misery. i was half your hugeness once too" from people. awesome.
baby, anytime now. anytime.

graduated

last weekend, i finally got to wear that hood and waddle across a stage to receive my diploma for an m.s. in education. my sweet mom flew out for the occasion (and i got her all to myself for mother's day! oh, i love her), and nate even planned a little surprise dinner with some wonderful friends.

one of my professors patted my belly as i walked to my seat. i felt like the incredible black blob.

the teach for america girls

dinner @ ba ba reeba

nate had to leave for a business trip, so my mom spent the week with me. it was so wonderful! she even went on a hospital tour with me in place of nate (we debated between being a lesbian couple or a teen pregnancy...everyone else there had a husband), helped me pick out baby gear, sewed up a storm because i get too impatient, and left me feeling a lot more ready to bring home baby girl.
thank you!

week thirty-six

i seriously believe stretch marks are predestined. i have been militantly diligent with lotion, cocoa butter, and oil...and yet, yikes.

random advice from strangers is hilarious to me. i don't mind people touching my stomach since my preschoolers did every day for months. one opinionated costco employee told me that i'd better name my child something respectable because "those arquettes chose 'coco' when they were drug-induced and who could take a lawyer or doctor named 'coco' seriously?!" haha. noted.

my mom is flying in this afternoon and i feel like i'm about to walk down main street usa at disneyland. at least once a day i think to myself i need my mom!

this last month might drag on, but i've already told this baby she better stay put until nate gets home from malaysia. back in november, i got so sick and dehydrated that i had to book it to the ER at 2:00 am in a cab by myself since nate was still in singapore. this scenario will not be repeated. i refuse.

and on a beautiful note, there are blossoms, BLOSSOMS on the trees now. it makes me want to sing. spring is amazing, when it actually comes.

maternity shoot

my dear friend belize has become quite the talented photographer and i was so excited when she agreed to take some maternity photos while we were in utah. i forgot that stripes aren't the most slimming when you are already resembling an adolescent whale. whoops. B did a wonderful job - thank you!!

adventure

as if adding a baby to the mix wasn't enough of a change,
we are moving to singapore.

the opportunity arose and we're taking it! nate will be working with the same company in a similar role. this also explains why i've been kicking it alone every two weeks since nate has been working in/traveling to singapore and other countries for the past few months. i waffle between being completely excited to travel all over asia with nate and the babe...and being completely scared (and so, so sad to leave our amazing chicago friends). we might be crazy for moving across the world with a two-month old baby, but we are feeling good about this adventure. living abroad is something we've always wanted to do (although my dream always looked like the european countryside, not asia).

if asia is calling your name, come visit us!

jordan + britton

we just came home from a hectic but wonderful trip to utah for nate's sister jordan's wedding. she was an absolutely stunning bride. even with a last minute move to an indoor reception thanks to utah's crazy weather, we loved celebrating these two and are so excited they are married!

nate and beau practicing their cheesy smiles

the lawler siblings
(wedding miracle: my dress would not zip the night before, but magically zipped up the morning of - phew!)

we tried to pack as much into our trip as possible, but of course we could not see everyone we love. my family threw me a lovely baby shower and i can't wait to play dress up with my little girl. i am feeling so big and uncomfortable these days, but i want her to stay inside for a little bit so i can do things like...you know...buy a car seat haha. maybe a little last minute...we are now in full baby mode.