LEAP year!

Also, Happy Leap Day!!!

It's one of my favorite days of the year (every 4 years) because I get to tease my friends with February 29th birthdays about how "old" they are :)

I wouldn't be surprised if parents tried to have their children on this day. What a great birthday! Although possibly confusing to youngsters ...

Celebrate! This day doesn't happen every year :)

2/3 there!

Why, hello 3rd Trimester!

I've been waiting for you to come. I've been told by numerous sources that the 2nd trimester is an "easy" one, and then I will feel like I've been hit by a train for the remaining 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Perhaps it was the sinus infection, the 3 pinched nerves, and then the respiratory infection without being allowed to take any cold meds or Alleve that cause me to view the above statement with suspicion, but I'm not convinced ANY of this is "easy" :)

Nevertheless, we are below the 100 day count, I'm officially in 3rd tri, and wee Baby Evans has been kicking and moving up a storm recently! According to all the doctors, she is supposedly about 2 1/2 lbs heavy, and about 16 inches long. Almost all babies born at this stage also have an excellent prognosis if they're born early (although this little lady is going to stay put for a while longer) because their lungs are beginning to mature.

WE HAVE A NAME! But I'm not sharing :) Bryan and I decided to keep our mouths shut until we introduce her on her birthday. The reason? Bryan doesn't want me (or anyone else) talking me in or out of another name. His reasoning is sound, I have to admit.

Love this little lady!!

Ready for Goose to come home!

You may have noticed that Goose has been absent from our posts for a little while.
That would be because she's currently north of Forth Worth getting knocked up. Guess we'll both be mommies! (Safari Doodles would like to use a few of her litters.)

Because I'm really missing her today (and I think Maverick is too, especially now that Murphy had to go back to Midland), here a few recent photos:

"Helping" me finish the wedding scrapbook by wrestling around and then passing out:


Always a huge fan of cuddles:


"Mom, why doesn't Maverick share?":


"I realize you made this bed, but it just looked so inviting":


Two of my all time FAVORITES! Goose was napping in my lap with her head on my tummy, and suddenly sat up barking and growing when the baby kicked Goose.
She started pawing at the spot:


Felt the baby kick again, and started licking:


Too funny :)

See you next weekend Goosey-girl!!

Fetched this Valentine for you

A quick peek at the adorable Valentine's Day the puppies gave their Daddy :)



I'm now inspired to create a frame that's got a photo of each puppy and their paw print next to it to hang up. Too cute!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Bumpity bump bump

Once there was actually a bump to document, I started taking weekly pictures (more or less). I try to remember to take them on Wednesdays, but hey .... it's rare for me to think "I should take a picture of my stomach" at any other time in my life, so it's taken some getting used to to remember now :)

20 weeks:


23 weeks:


24 weeks:


25 weeks:


We are getting soooo excited about meeting this little person that squirms and kicks in my belly. I'm guessing she would already feel very loved if she had any idea how much thought goes into her on any given day :) Love you, peanut!

Joshua Creek Ranch Weekend

You've heard me mention Joshua Creek Ranch 3 years in a row now. I went with Dad once, just the two of us, and I think they were excited to have a girl come and have fun too :) So now whenever Mom & Dad go, they invite me and Bryan along which is AWESOME.

Two weeks after the quail hunt at the Happy M, it was time for MORE bird hunting!

I'm pretty sure it's Bryan's favorite weekend of the year .... and that includes holidays like Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries :) The quote is always "this is the most fun I've ever had" haha.

Once again it was amazing!! I sprained my shoulder, and I was 24 weeks pregnant, so I opted out of shooting this year, but Bryan & Dad did lots of hunting - and great shooting - for all of us. They went on 2 guided field quail hunts (blowing everyone else out of the water both times :) and they did the driven pheasant hunt (which Mom & I observed).

Sadly, I LEFT my camera at home!! :( So I only have these three phone pictures. Sorry!!

Momma & calf:



Driven Pheasant Hunt:



You know, it's a lot of work to eat and hunt all day :)



Amazing and successful weekend!

Happy M Quail Hunt

Many moons ago (well, okay - February 4th :) Dad put together a quail hunt at the Happy M Ranch for the family! It was sooo much fun, and I think we're all hoping it'll be a "repeating experience."

I don't have all the pictures (Mom, I'll need to get the others from you), but I do have several to show you:


Bryan waiting for a flush:

The dog owner/trainer, Roger, with a few of his dogs and several hunters ready to go:

Uncle Dwayne:

My poor puppies wanted to help the hunting dogs instead of staying stuck on a leash :(

Mom being fabulous and helping me with Goose:

How many Meloys and vehicles does it take to experience an awesome hunt?

Sneaky, sneaky:

Fun times! Smile!

Papaw, are you awake at a the wheel?

Geared up to go again:

Convoy:

There are more pictures, like I said - but did you get a feel for what it looked like? It was so much fun! Thanks, Dad!!!!

Favorite Pregnancy Moment

Over the last few weeks I've been feeling this little person squirming and wiggling and occasionally kicking me on the inside, but only once was it strong enough for Bryan to slightly feel it. He's been a trooper about being patient to really get a chance to feel her, and all that patience paid off last night!

We put the pups up, and were talking before falling asleep when I started feeling the baby get really active. She was also on my right side which is more promising because my placenta is right on top of her so it muffles all of the movements on the top of my stomach.

After kicking me pretty hard 2 or 3 times, I suggested Bryan see if he could feel her too. As soon as he put his hand down she gave me the hardest kick I've felt yet! Bryan's jaw dropped and his eyes opened so wide. She did it again a few moments later, and I could even feel her with my hand on top of his. Bryan was so excited! We both started laughing like the amazed first time parents we are :) I LOVED sharing that moment with Bryan. He is going to be the best Dad!

I am so thankful every day for Bryan - the wonderful spouse that he is, and the awesome Daddy he's going to be.

(Oh - and we learned how to install our car seat yesterday! It felt pretty real to see that little seat in our car. Wow.)

updates

In the last 3-4 months I've been a terrible blogger, and I'm sorry. I'm pooped out physically and worn out with lesson planning (for 3 classes this year and 3 classes next year), grading, getting lots of projects done around the house, and blogging has seemed more like a chore than the joy it normally is.

Overall update:
The 2 puppies are doing great! Loving their walks and trips to the dog park.
Bryan's job is going really well, spent a week in Colorado recently, and he's been working quite a few evenings a week to stay on top of everything. I'm so thankful he enjoys his job and has some wonderful co-workers.
My job is much better this semester (not that it wasn't good last semester). I'm currently feeling swamped with lesson plans, parent conferences, and grading, but I'm thankful for a school with students I love and friendly co-workers.

Most of you probably would rather hear about baby though :)
Baby is doing really well - moving around so much, and has given me a couple of really good kicks. (Future soccer player?) I have my 25 week appointment this Tuesday and we'll get to listen to the heart beat again and make sure she's doing really well. They think I've got some pregnancy-caused anemia so they'll check my blood and see if we can get some of those weird symptoms under control.

We've been going over and over and OVER names. We were pretty convinced Rory Elizabeth would be her name - but we like several others as well and can't seem to get committed. (More like I can't commit myself. We always thought I was a decisive person - but either pregnancy hormones or major decisions like giving an infant a name they'll be stuck with the rest of their life seems to make me indecisive.)

Oh, and I somehow managed to sprain my right shoulder - doh! No more heavy lifting.

I think that's about it for the overall update. Perhaps more specifics to come? I make no promises, but I will certainly try :)