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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Pumpkin Patch

Fall definitely tops my favorite season list. My love of anything with pumpkin flavoring, the splashes of my absolute favorite color (orange) everywhere, sleeping with the windows open at night, apple cider in the mornings, the constant scent of camp fire in the air, and the sweet opportunity to bundle up in a soft sweater and snuggle my boys are only a few of the reasons why. 

Into the maze we go!
This morning we took our first trip to a pumpkin patch since we dragged sweet 8-week-old Preston to Sweetberry Farms in Marble Falls 2 years ago. At that point, we literally had to use the pumpkins to prop him up into a sitting position-this year, he was using the pumpkins as hurdles. (Slight exaggeration) No clue why we missed the boat last year, but I was sure not going to miss this opportunity to squeeze in some more memory-making as a family of 3 before it's too late!

Oh this isn't too "scawy" after all!
We were the first arrivals, surprise surprise, but that didn't seem to bother Preston. (We are still in the "mine" phase at the moment, you see.) It was just the right size, with a hay-bale maze, and as soon as we made it past the scare crows that were "too scawy," we had some fun! Thank you to my precious husband for humoring his wife and son.

"Happy Punkin"







"Uhwuh way"

Wait up, mommy!

Oh, how I love Fall.

Dear Preston


Sweet Preston,

When I think about how much I love you, my heart bursts, and my eyes are likely to well up. I can't possibly imagine life without you, and yet, you've only been in our lives for 2 short years. Stuart and I must be the luckiest parents on earth, and I am thankful for you beyond words. I honestly don't know what I did to deserve you. In fact, I know I don't. That is why I want to give you every opportunity to thrive, explore, learn, love, and even make mistakes, that will shape who you are and who you will become.

Your favorite sayings right now are, "Try again," "Preston do it," and "One more time," which illustrate your growing independence. Almost every single day I get a report from your teachers telling me how much you warm their hearts when you exclaim, "Hey Monica! What's goin' on?" Or how impressed they are when you are laying on the changing table pointing out the letters, correctly, and in order, of the "Artist of the Month" displayed on the bulletin board. This month it is, "L-O-I-S,  E-H-L-E-R-T." Or how about when you announce the day of the week before Mr. Shippey even says it on the morning announcements? (Really? you can do that?) I am constantly amazed, and throughout even the "off" days, I can look into your baby blues or glance at your sweet profile and be content.

Lately, you've been much more attentive to my growing belly, your baby sister "Kenneny," and you even want to rub my back when I'm putting you down to sleep. I told your dad that as good as his back rubs are, nothing is as relaxing as your sweet touches on my arm at night or the gentle kisses you give my tummy. You are the best son for us and the best big brother for Kennedy. I can't thank you enough for the joy you have brought into our lives.

As long as I'm living my baby you'll be,
Mommy




Baby K's Nursery

I recently saw another Facebook post from a friend (who just had her baby by the way), proclaiming, "The nursery's ready! You can come now baby!" Well, it seemed to work for her....;-)

I must say, it was both fun and strange to re-imagine this room as a little girl's nursery!

Loving the custom bedding I ordered from Etsy


Thanks to mom for the new custom ottoman slipcover! I am impressed!

And thanks to Stuart for painstakingly painting around the tree!

Could this be it?!

Hanging in there? Yes, exactly.
I am currently 38 1/2 weeks along, and it's hard to believe that our daughter will be here so soon. Technically, any day now, and the mind games are driving me crazy! Every little cramp (and there have been a lot of them), makes me think, "Early labor sign? Could this be it?" Every trek up the hallway at Barton Creek insights those ever-so-pleasant Braxton Hicks contractions that once again make me think, "Early labor sign? Could this be it?" Or what about the 20 times a day I stand up, and I swear her sweet little body cannot possibly grow any larger inside of mine, or her head reach any lower when I think, "Early labor sign? Could this be it?" It's exhausting! Much to my dismay, however, at my 38 week appointment, doc said I was still the same as I was at 37. Of course, my ever-so-sweet-and-supportive husband is always there to lend me a hand and a shoulder to cry on, assuring me that her health is what's important, and she is definitely one healthy and active little girl.

Laura (Denbar) and I are exactly 1 week apart, her due date the week before mine, and the texts between the 2 of us are frequent. "Anything yet?" "NO!" Ahhh, trying so hard to cherish these last few moments as a family of three, but I constantly find myself thinking, "Could this be it?"


School is keeping me plenty busy, though, and I am so thankful to be able to work amongst friends. My co-workers and classroom parents threw me a baby shower last week that was truly over the top. Everyone was invited: current students, former students, staff, their children, family, you name it. There was an amazing turnout, and I felt overwhelmed with love and support. Yet another one of the many blessings of being a teacher. You have a new batch of kiddos every single year to "fill your bucket"-as we like to say. 

Counting. My. Blessings. 

School Shower-Waterloo Ice House Friday, October 19th



Sunday, September 30, 2012

10 Years Already?!

The one and only picture of the night-hope others got more! (34 1/2 weeks)
 See, there I go again-another post title with a question mark at the end. I can't hardly believe it's been 10 years since nervously walking across that stage at the Erwin Center, accepting that diploma, and tossing my cap in the air. Time has literally flown by, and I was excited to get that first Facebook notice about our impending high school reunion.

Some people would give anything to go back to their college days-freedom from mom & dad, living-it-up in the sorority house, and classes 2 days a week. But for me? High school was where it was at. Those were definitely my glory days. I can still smell the scent of the Westlake Commons-stained after years of senior pranks. The scratchy polyester of my cheerleading uniform is forever engrained in my memory, and just thinking about the roaring crowds at the sporting events makes my heart pump. Despite the awkward teenage insecurities, I was on top of the world, and alongside my lifelong friends, we were pretty much invincible. Nevertheless, don't confuse my WHS affinity for a yearning to go back. I wouldn't change my life at the moment for anything. However, as a native Austinite, life as a "Westlake High-Schooler" was what we all looked forward to growing up-and it didn't disappoint.

It's funny the fantasies I always had about what my 10 year reunion would be like: months of dieting and exercise, mixed with nervous anticipation and anxiety, culminating in a day of prepping and pampering (possibly a few cocktails) with my girlfriends, and finally, entering into a "streamered" and "disco-balled" gym, DJ in the background. The reality? I have pretty much been doing the complete opposite of dieting and prepping for our reunion for the passed 8 months, and yesterday was spent chasing after my toddler, taking him to get his haircut, and deciding on an outfit 10 minutes before Mimi came over the babysit. I have to say, it was perfect.

Stuart and I arrived at Abel's on the Lake greeted by close to 100 of my former friends and classmates (not including their spouses). Yes, there were a couple of awkward should-we-shake-hands-or-hug-or-even-acknowledge-each-other moments, but aside from that, it was 3 hours of catching up and a LOT of belly rubbing. The funny part was, everyone looked the same-aside from a few pregnant bellies. I thoroughly enjoyed sipping on my Shirley Temples, seeing some of my oldest and best friends, especially my cheerleading girls: Tracy, Mel, Lindsey, Kristyn :), watching the boys go crazy over the UT vs. OSU game on the big screen (Joey & Robbie-I'm talking to you), and just getting the chance to get out of the house with my sweet husband (he was a trooper). In the end, numb toes and all (heels are my nemesis), I was so glad we went, and I look forward to rekindling friendships, striking up new ones, and "prepping" for our 20 year reunion!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

34 Weeks and Counting....

As I -gasp- near the end of my second (and highly likely) my last pregnancy, I can't help but be excited and anxious to meet my sweet baby girl. Not to mention, two of my good friends and co-workers just delivered their baby girls within this last week! I'm at that point of pregnancy where it practically takes a fork-lift to roll over in bed, I'm popping Tums like it's an addiction, and my walk has transformed into a full-blown waddle. Did I mention I chase after 45, 9 and 10 year-olds all day in addition to my 2 year old?? So, to say I'm "sad" to be nearing the end of this pregnancy has not yet entered my vocabulary. Check back with me, though.

At my appointment last week, Kennedy's heart-rate was in the 150's as it has been practically my entire pregnancy, and my belly is measuring almost to-the-centimeter of what it "should" be. Only doctor's order? Make sure I am gaining my pound-a-week from here on out...not a problem! There are currently 3 types of ice cream in our freezer-Peaches & Cream, Cookies & Cream, and Dulce de Leche. Yummy.

I look forward to my appointment next week where we finally get to see Kennedy again to officially determine how she is measuring and if she's still breech.

This past weekend our family attended my cousin's wedding in Kyle at a beautiful ranch, and Stuart got some precious pictures of both Preston & Kennedy. Enjoy!
We finally captured a belly kiss on camera-my favorite!

This little guy cleans up nice, and his expressions are priceless!
 


Sunday, September 23, 2012

Preston's 2nd Birthday Party?

Welcome to my party!
You've probably noticed that a lot of my post titles end in a question mark. Needless to say, it's because I can't quite believe how quickly time is passing. It seems like just yesterday we were having Preston's first birthday party-and to think he'll be a big brother in just about 6 weeks, it's hard to wrap my mind around it all. (Not to mention it's almost been a month since his party, and I'm just now getting around to posting about it!)
Hop on in, the water feels great!
This year, we opted to have his party at our place so people had the option of coming inside. Last year, we were at Lakeway City Park, and it reached 109 degrees-not okay! Especially for the 2 of us who are (were-sweet Lorelei Schelfhout was born yesterday) pregnant this year.  In my mind, having the party at our house would also simplify things-ha. On about the 20th page of pendant cut-outs Stuart so poignantly asked me, "So, all of these personalized decorations are for Preston to enjoy, right? Not just so your friends will be impressed?" Ummmmm. What can I say, Etsy has gotten the best of me.

We had the front yard set up with plenty of water activities: water table, a massive beach ball that sprayed streams of water, and of course the pool. Inside, the kids had their pick of anything of Preston's to play with. It was basically an over-sized play date, and the kids and parents alike enjoyed themselves!
Celebrating with all of his best buddies!
As far as the grub went, we took a cue from a friend's party and served brunch: breakfast tacos, fruit salad, mimosas, and clearly goldfish and pirate booty. What toddler party can go without those staples? My dear friend at school made the precious cupcakes again, and she once again outdid herself. They tasted as good as they looked!
LOVED his first set of Lincoln Logs-well, he loved filling the bucket up, just to empty it back out again!
It took us 2 full days to open up all of his presents-he didn't know where to begin!
 In the end, we had one happy, spoiled boy, who felt the love from friends and family. Unfortunately, he was a little under-the-weather, so after a breathing treatment, he conked out! Now....to start planning for the next birthday on our calendar!
Tuckered out!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Back to School!?

Yup, August 27, 2012: it was a great day!

Well, let's just suffice to say that it's been an eventful and exhausting 2 weeks. Like any good parent, I had my share of both relief and anxiety with the thought of sending my baby back to school and returning to work myself. I would be lying if I didn't say there was a mini-breakdown the weekend before we were scheduled to return, with the typical, "But these are the last few weeks Preston will be an only child, and I will have only a few precious hours with him in the evenings..." coupled with the realization that at this point in my pregnancy with Preston, I had an entire summer off to put my feet up and be pampered by my sweet husband until his much anticipated arrival. The anxiety was amplified when I arrived in my classroom for the first time after a summer of construction, only to realize many of my things were missing or broken. Oh, and did I mention that my principal was rushed to the ER because he was moving MY broken desk from my room which proceeded to fall over and slice his finger open (his middle finger)? Nice. Good start, Brooke.

However, much of that anxiety was quickly abated when arriving for our first work day. Preston was thrilled to be back at school and waved goodbye to Stuart and I with a huge smile on his face. I was so glad to see my friends and co-workers and have some true, adult conversations without a toddler or two interrupting, along with the excitement and energy that comes with a new school year, a fresh start.

Fast forward 3 hours later- Preston's teacher rushes into my classroom with a nervous look on her face, pulling blood-soaked latex gloves off of her hands. You can imagine the thoughts that went through my head-the thoughts that would go through any parents' head at that point. Turns out, Preston, my fearless Preston, was playing on the playground, tripped, and went teeth-first into the sand box frame. As I rushed into his classroom he ran into my arms, wailing, bleeding, clinging for dear life. It's hard to even write about it. Worst part about it is, we know already from experience, this was not the first or last time we will have these types of accidents.

Our school nurse was kind enough to set us up with an emergency dental appointment (Preston did not have a dentist at this point), and they were able to see us right away. After a very difficult check-up and x-rays, PHEW!, no permanent damage. Although if you saw his lips and gums you may think otherwise. His front teeth were a little loose but would tighten up eventually, and as his gums receded, we noticed his teeth weren't quite as jammed as we thought. It took a few days for the wounds to heal, and it was very difficult for him to eat, but he is such a trooper-much more so than I.

Fast forward 1 week later-the first day of school for everyone! It was an especially exciting day around our household because Preston turned 2! I absolutely cannot believe it. His wounds were almost healed, he had become fluent in words such as "birthday cake" and "party, " and I was so thrilled to welcome my new kiddos to room 307.

Yes, it was an exciting and exhausting 2 weeks, but all in all, we're glad to be back! Stay tuned for my next post on Preston's birthday party: didn't we just have one of these???

At this point, I'd like to send up some special thoughts to my sweet grandfather, Papa, who passed away on Wednesday. He was 95 years old and sharp-as-a-tack, and as the only grandfather I knew, he will always be dear to my heart. I love you, Papa, we'll keep a close watch on Nana for you-although I'm sure you're already doing that. ;-)


Watch out, Summer Olympics 2028

I've mentioned this before to many of my friends, but the second after feeling Preston moving in my belly for the first time, I was baffled by the phrase, "Have you felt the baby kick?" I'll tell you why. It's because your baby does far more than just kick inside of your tummy-and you can feel every jolt, every punch, every somersault, and every back flip just as much as the next.

From weeks 18 to say 25, it's definitely an incredible feeling. But after that, it's what you can see that is truly amazing (and sometimes bizarre!) Kennedy has proven to be quite the mover and the shaker-even more than her brother was (should I be nervous?) Check out this video I captured of her flipping away at approximately 30 weeks.

You know what I can't wait to witness? My students' eyes when they catch the first glimpse of this while I'm sitting there reading them "The Lightning Thief" or "City of Ember." Boy, will they be freaked out! Hehe

Monday, August 13, 2012

Summer Wrap-Up?

Beware-I was never good at summarizing.

Yes, it's true. Being a teacher, I get an incredible schedule, and I am blessed to have a lot of precious time at home with my family. I have never known what it's like to not have a summer break, and I don't intend to! For Preston, his summer has been book-ended (word?) with a wasp sting and stitches. What can I say, he's a rough and tumble boy, and that won't change! Oddly enough, the sting took over a month to heal. Luckily, there was no allergic reaction; our insanely fair skin just takes an obscene amount of time to heal. The stitches on the other hand were in and out within a week, and I doubt there will be a scar to show for it. You know what they say, no more monkeys jumping on the bed
(Since this incident his new coined phrase is, "Doctor, all bebber.") 

Here he is playing in my car-one of his favorite pastimes!
The time in between, however, has been as rich and sweet as the inside of the chocolate croissants in which I have a torrid love affair. Must. have. chocolate. This summer, in comparison with last, has been a world apart. Whereas last summer I was hovering around Preston's every move as he was learning to walk (stressful and exhausting!), this summer we have enjoyed outings to every park around Austin, play-dates with actual friends, lunch dates, splash pad fun, story time at the library, first swim lessons, spoiled time with the grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins, discovering the mecca that is Barnes & Noble, plenty of trips to the grocery store (this is fun for him, I assure you, as long as he can drive the "ret car"), and riding his new bicycle. It has been a whirlwind, for sure, but so incredible to watch him grow. In many ways, it's been easier as he's grown, because we are able to do so many more things together. On the other hand, his independence and stubbornness are starting to shine through, with which I have a love/hate relationship. Nevertheless, I'm so proud to call him my boy.

 Here he is riding his bike-He's gotten so good he can run and then glide while balancing.
What's more fun than playing chase with Brew through the sprinklers?

We got this water table especially for his birthday party-but we couldn't wait to try it out!
Mimi and Papa's back yard is a lot more shaded than ours! Great for the Texas heat and my fair-skinned boy.


A few more of Preston's "latests:" 

  • Running up to me with no prompts, throwing his arms around me and proclaiming, "I love you mommy!"
  • Showing his affection with an exaggerated kiss to pretty much every animate and inanimate object in our house-our animals, his stuffed animals, books, water bottles, and every once and a while, Stuart and I-the kid is incredibly affectionate and I love that about him. "Mmmmmaaaaaa"
(Today he saw a baby across the restaurant and said, "Hi baby!" Then proceeded to give her multiple air kisses. You could hear "Mmmmmmaaaa's" from across the room!)
  • He can now not only recite the entire ABC's but also recognize the letters when you put them in front of him.
  • He is still counting to 11, but has also added 16 and 18 to his repertoire. 16, because we happened to see that number on his "Thomas the Train" number flash cards, and 18 because it's the number on the flag of his golf set. It goes a little something like this, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 8, 16, 9." Haha, works for me! 
  • Every time I turn around he has a new song memorized. Preston is incredibly music-minded (does that term exist?) which really excites me. For instance, he loves "Knick Knack Paddy-Wack," "Little Einstein's Theme Song"-add in enthusiastic YEA! at the very end, and "Pop! Goes the Weasel."
  • Apparently everyone is playing a game of hide-and-seek with him because he'll often wake up going "Mommy Daddy, areeee youuu???" or while watching "Super Why?" he'll say "Supe Why, arreeee youuu???" And when he appears he'll say, "Oh, there is!"
  • He has started to string together complex sentences that impresses me every time. Of course, it's a combination of what we have said in the past, but he can rearrange the phrases and put them in an appropriate order. For instance, "Garage door is loud. It's okay, mommy. Don't worry." 
  • He's learned how to string together a list using "and." "Who's at the zoo, Preston?" "Giraffe and lion and zebra and elephant and monkey and Elmo." Perhaps I should bring him into my class when we are discussing Author's Craft? hmmm
  • Speaking of loud noises-he's not a fan. Particularly the garage door opening and closing and the obnoxious BEEEPPPP our dryer sounds when it's finished. (His room is right next to the garage and laundry area-poor guy.)
  •  He continues to adore our three animals. Brew (9, Jack Russell Terrier), Stella (5, Lab), and Thames (4, American Short-Hair Cat). He would smother those animals with tight hugs and a million kisses at all hours of the day if they'd let him-and he tries, believe me. To him, their names are lovingly, "Boo, Stuguh, and Nims."
  •  Lessons we are learning and reinforcing constantly are using gentle touches (he's rowdy-especially with the animals), using our words (After all, why are you whining if you know exactly what you want and how to ask for it?), and saying "please" and "thank you." If nothing else, my boy will be respectful!
I have a feeling I'll have to stop posting about his newest and favorite phrases pretty soon. The boy is a talking machine and picks up on everything we say virtually the first time we say it. There is no way I'll be able to keep track!
Stuart and I have also had an amazing summer together. We got to celebrate our 5 year anniversary (time flew!). We finally got to attend the "Foster the People" show at the new Backyard with the tickets I gave him for Valentine's Day. I am testing his patience again, because I got him tickets for his birthday to see "Awolnation"....in October! Sorry, Stuart! And we got to celebrate each other and our newest bundle, Kennedy, in gorgeous Lake Tahoe, California.

Work has been picking up for Stuart which has kept him very busy. He's currently working on a beautiful home in Spanish Oaks that he designed for a sweet couple-she is an OB/GYN at the new hospital in our area. I'm pretty sure she saw his first spec home in The Hills and said, "I want you to build me that one." He's got an amazing eye for design and efficiency-I am so proud of him! Construction has also begun on his latest spec home in Lakeway Proper (another designed by him.) And, there are several other prospects on the horizon we are both looking forward to. Life, as they say, is good for the Alkires. Check out Stuart's incredible work on his website. Alkire Construction, LLC

I am a proud wife and mommy. Life is sometimes rough around the edges, but when I step back and reflect:  we have our health, we have our home, and we have each other. Can't get much better than that :)



He loves his cars and trucks. Here he is at his friend Jackson's first birthday party.


Just taking an afternoon ride.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

THE Toddler Room


Original Inspiration Room

Well, it's finally "done." What I am most thankful for is that Preston LOVES his new room. In fact, we've been at Mimi and Papa's house for the past few days because of a busted A/C (lovely), and each night Preston will protest, "No, big boy bed!" It is not easy to get that boy to sleep in a pack 'n play now that he has so much freedom in his "big boy bed" back home, I'll tell you that much!

I'm so glad it was such a simple transition, and that we were able to move him with plenty of time before Kennedy arrives. As I was reading an article from Baby Center about "preparing your 2 year old for a new sibling," it specifically stated not to move your toddler out of their room right when the baby comes.  This way he won't feel displaced by a new baby in the house. Phew, did something right!

The color palette and general decor for his toddler room was inspired by a little boy's room I happened to see on, where else but, Pinterest. One of my favorite parts of the room was the headboard made out of wooden palettes. However, after one trip to Ikea, we decided on a twin bed that has not only a trundle underneath, but three generous drawers for storage. Of course, Stuart probably spent triple the time putting that dang thing together than he would have constructing the DIY version, but you live and you learn right?

The bedding is from one of my favorite establishments, Target, and the wall decor is comprised of items we already had around the house. My favorite wall hanging is of the Pearl Jam poster I had framed for Stuart. It was a gift to us from some friends who saw them perform at ACL Live a few years ago, and they knew what a huge fan Stuart was. It helped that I loved the burnt orange color, and the intials-"PJ" work perfectly for Preston! Another special piece in the room is the small wooden desk chair that my mom found at my grandmother's house after she passed a way. It will always be a special piece we hope to fully restore and keep forever.

Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I took these photos when Preston was fully distracted and nowhere near his room. Notice the bed-made up, the toys-put away, the books-in order? Ya, definitely not what his room actually looks like....ever. Perhaps one day soon I'll actually post some pictures of Preston enjoying his room, and you'll see the "truth." 

Another amazing paint job by Stuart!

The bulletin board was one I had in my room back home. I love getting to display Preston's masterpieces this way!

Yay! Enough room to get some toys out of the living room!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Happy Anniversary-Moon!

Cue Monica from "Friends." You know, Monica and Chandler's, like, 3 month anniversary was this massive ordeal, and she almost ruined it with her cheesy one-liners?! Ha.

Let's face it, I'd like to say traveling is one of my favorite hobbies-because that is the cool, popular, well-rounded thing to say, right? Unfortunately, It's just not. I am just as content staying in Austin than doing anything else. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE exploring and discovering new countries and cultures, but the act of traveling just doesn't do it for me. It totally stresses me out. So, when we do travel, I prefer to get somewhere as quickly as possible and soak it all in with zero packed schedules or agendas and just enjoy it! And that's exactly what Stuart and I did.

Recently, Stuart and I went on a combination anniversary/babymoon to Lake Tahoe, California. Our heart is in the mountains. When we traveled to Vancouver, British Columbia for our honeymoon, we had to make a trip up to Whistler. Preston's first destination on a plane was to Vail, Colorado, we ventured to Taos, New Mexico a few years ago on Spring Break- we'd simply choose the mountains over the beach any day. Not like we're getting a tan anyway! So, to Tahoe we went. I'm not going to lie, as our first trip together without Preston, I had mixed emotions. I knew once we arrived and got settled, I would love it, but it took a good two days for me to get over missing the little guy so much. He was in the best hands with his Grandy Ann and Mimi, though, and I know for a fact he wasn't missing us! (HUGE thank you to the grandparents-I know it was a long 6 days!) In the end, it was just what the doctor ordered. Stuart and I were definitely in need of an adult trip and some time to simply enjoy each others company.

When deciding on our trip destination, we had originally toyed with the idea of Napa Valley, Chicago, New York-other places we hadn't been together. But who were we kidding, all we'd want to do in those places is eat and drink! Ya, not happening at six months pregnant :( Maybe next time! Instead, we chose the Resort at Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe, California-perfect choice.

We spent five glorious days in the 70 degree weather-oh right, and our agenda was packed-with eating! That's about all we did: eat 3 scrumptious meals each day, plus snacks of course. Now that's how a pregnant lady wants to travel.

Day 1: Travelling Day. We chose not to get up at the crack of dawn so that we could make sure we had an entire day in Tahoe City to explore. This was perfect for the anxious traveler that I am. Instead, we had a reasonable flight time out of Austin, and we arrived in Tahoe around 4. That gave us plenty of time to get settled into our suite, explore the resort, and have a nice dinner at the Pub downstairs.
View of Squaw Valley from our suite

First order of business-fire going and feet up
Back of our resort as the sun was setting




Day 2: We started off the day with breakfast at Rosie's recommended by the employees at our hotel. It was delicious! Nothing like a hole in the wall only the locals could tell you about. After a brief tour around Tahoe City, we took the rental car to the market and picked up with cheese, crackers, chocolates and drinks. Then we headed to Commons Beach and literally sat on our towels, ate our lunch, and watched the other beach-goers attempt to kayak gracefully without falling in the frigid water. The best part about this particular beach was the view-an expansive mountain-lined lake, the nearby yacht club, and the aspen-covered park.

I definitely had the best view at breakfast


24 weeks pregnant

Taking a stroll by the water

Add caption

Lounging by the water, not in it-Brrrr
Gorgeous pink and purple sunset

Day 3: Today we took the gondola up to the top of Squaw Peak and got to truly enjoy our surroundings. Squaw Valley was the host to the 1960 Winter Olympics, which of course they have woven into their legacy.  You'll see in the pictures.
  
Don't judge-we had a big day ahead! ;-)
Made it to the top!

Home of the 1960 Winter Olympics

Check out Lake Tahoe in the distance.

24 weeks

Day 4: Spa day! Of course I looked forward to this the entire trip. Stuart treated me to a prenatal massage at the resort, and I loved every minute of it. It was the first time I think I actually could have fallen asleep during a massage-it was that good! Then we decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and take a road trip to Emerald Bay-an area near south Lake Tahoe. The water was absolutely gorgeous. It was almost aqua in color and truly resembled the Caribbean. People and cars lined the highway to camp, go to the beach, hike, cycle, and of course capture the photo ops.
Overlooking Emerald Bay

View up into the mountains


It was windy up there!


Stuart had a "spa day" of his own and went on a hike through the valley while I took a nap!








Day 5: Travelling Day. By now, I was relaxed, rejuvenated, and SO ready to see my boy. Austin could not be close enough.

The President paid a little visit to the Tahoe/Reno International Airport.


Exhale. We made it home. To anyone with little ones considering an adult trip-do it! I don't care if you have to bribe the grandparents or aunt and uncle, it was so worth it. After a little "toddler-sickness," we were able to relax and enjoy each other, something that seems to slip away from us in the day-to-day grind. Now....to get ready for a family of FOUR!