Five years ago...

Five years ago tonight, Aaron e-mailed me on match.com for the first time.

Thank you sweetheart, for bringing such joy into my life...and for giving me the honor of having your baby!

{Picture taken February 2003}

Merry Merry

A friend sent this to me today and I loooove it. Hope you do too! Merry Christmas!

Crazy Good

A few weeks ago, one of my Kindermusik families brought an out-of-town guest to class, and as a thank-you brought me these stupid good chocolates:

They were so pretty, I didn't want to eat them! However comma with flavors like strawberry balsamic caramel, rosemary caramel, orange blossom honey, caramel with fleur de sel, raspberry, lavender caramel, Venezuelan dark, Venezuelan spice, and Tahitian Vanilla, I am sooooooooo glad I did! They are by Christopher Elbow, who has a gallery in the crossroads district. I think he and I are going to be very good friends!

Pictures - at ten weeks

Here I am at ten weeks. Still no bump:) I lost ten pounds right at the beginning because I was so sick, and haven't gained anything back yet. I'm not craving much but Aaron is always in the mood for fried chicken!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Tonight we finally took the time to decorate our home for the holidays. I love getting out decorations and ornaments - it's like rediscovering old friends. It was so fun finding things like the "black babies" Chase was so proud to sell as a fundraiser years ago, the stocking that I sewed for Aaron our first Christmas together (and sewed THROUGH my finger with my mom's sewing machine), the stocking I knit for myself two years ago (my nightmarish first attempt at using double-pointed needles), the handpainted-from-the-inside ornaments in velvet boxes that Pasha and Lubov give me each year, the pottery barn star bowl from Heather, all of the jewelry boxes Mom gives Jen, Lenyse, and I every year, the kissing ball that always gives me an extra excuse to give Aaron a smooch as we pass in the hallway...and the list goes on and on.

I hope you enjoy this collection of our holiday memories!

Unbelievably Blessed

There are so many reasons why I feel so very blessed to be able to make a living doing what I love and what I feel I was born to do. Every day, I wonder how I got so lucky and why I deserve such a wonderful life.

Especially days like Wednesday, when Mackenzie and Grayson walked into piano lessons with this:

The card attached reads:

Amy - Congratulations! I am so excited for you. this chair was painted by a friend of mine in New Orleans when I was expecting Grayson. I've given away all of my baby things but just wasn't ready to part with the chair. When I saw the colors in your baby blanket, which you are knitting, I instantly thought of the chair. I'd be honored if you would put it in your baby's room. I couldn't think of a better family to leave it with. You've touched our lives in many ways. Much love, Leslie

Wow. What an amazing gift from an amazing family whom I deeply cherish!

Another funny

At piano lessons tonight:

Miss Amy: Ben and Simon, I'm going to have a baby!

Ben (age 8, with a sad look on his face): Oh. Does that mean we have to miss piano lessons?

How much do I looove that my students are DISAPPOINTED that they will have a break from lessons this summer!?

Pictures - at six weeks

I am behind on posting my pictures - Aaron took this one of me the day I got home from Chicago and told him we were expecting! I'll post a new picture each month so you can see my "outward progress." LOL


As you can see, no baby bump yet!

And here is a picture of the proud papa - I think he was still in shock! :)

Have a great day!

Spreading the Word

Many thanks to our parents, who graciously (and patiently!) kept our little secret for the past five weeks. Now that they have the green light, word is spreading quickly! Here is a congratulations note from a high school friend of my dad's that I thought was really cute:

Is it possible? Is it true?
Grandparent Ludwigs add to the brood?
Amy and Aaron are expecting I hear
Is it blue? Is it pink? We’ll find out next year!
The old fart is beaming; Grammy’s most pleased
A new little baby to kiss and to squeeze.
Is it “I’m happy for you!” I should softly say??
Hell NO! It’s CONGRATS in a realllllly BIG WAY!!!!!!

Proud Aunt & Uncle

We're so proud of our niece Jessica! She'll be graduating from high school this spring and just sent us the proofs for her senior pictures.

You can view them here. What a beautiful girl!

Funny

At piano lessons Tuesday night:

Blake's dad: "Miss Amy's going to have a baby!"

Blake (age 8): "Maybe you should name it Santa Claus."

Hooray!

We are so excited to announce we are expecting our first baby!
"The Nugget" is expected to arrive June 17, 2008.
This morning, we heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time, which was very cool!

I will post updates here - feel free to visit as often as you like...I don't want to bother anyone with too much e-mail, so this will be the place to check!