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Over the Christmas weekend Baby Cook successfully kicked his Daddy! It was a very special moment for Josh - he was so excited!

It was a very good weekend in other ways, too. Josh's mom and brother had come down from Pittsburgh, and we all spent some time with my parents on Christmas day, having the traditional Christmas feast (I spent Christmas Eve with my parents so I could get up early the next morning to help prepare the stuffing and get the turkey in the oven) and opening presents. Baby Cook, despite not even being born yet, is already being spoiled rotten by the grandparents and his Uncle Ben because the vast majority of what Josh and I received were baby-related items. I definitely won't complain, though, because that just means there's less that we have to buy ourselves! :)

The day after Christmas, we all gathered back at our place to have what Josh considers his traditional Christmas meal. Apparently in Scandinavia, they prepare a seafood meal, so Josh's mom, being 100% Swedish by birth, always made shrimp and lobster for Christmas instead of turkey. I wanted to keep this up for him, his mom, and his brother, so I bought some lobster tails and some shrimp, made a big salad, and baked some potatoes in the microwave to make a fairly simple but sizable Scandinavian feast. The lobsters can be a little messy what with having to battle with the shell to get at the meat, but it's all part of the fun!

This week it's back to work since I don't have any more vacation to take at the moment. Luckily, its bound to be a slow week because almost everbody else is on vacation for the holidays. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to another three-day weekend!

Kicking Up a Storm

Actually, it feels more like poking, but Baby Cook is definitely making his presence known in ways other than my bulging belly! I've been trying to get Josh to feel some of this activity, but so far to no avail. He just can't seem to be there at the right time, despite my encouragements to Baby, "C'mon, kick Daddy!"

Josh's mom and brother are coming in today, so we're looking forward to a fairly busy Christmas weekend what with the driving to my parents' house for Christmas Day and the other bustle that comes from having guests staying over. It should be lots of fun, though!

I wish everyone out there a very blessed Christmas and New Year! I hope that many of us remember that Christmas is not just about getting presents - there is a greater Presence that we should all remember and be grateful for!

First Reading a Success!

I was a lector for the first time at my church this past Sunday. I even got to take part in the procession with the altarboys and the priest, meaning that I walked down the aisle carrying the book of Gospels in front of me and above my head and placed it on the altar before going to my appointed seat. I then proclaimed the first reading, which was from the book of the prophet Isaiah. I was a little nervous with something around a thousand pairs of eyes on me, but I made it through by the grace of the Holy Spirit. It also helped to have my supportive husband there as well as to receive encouragement from the more experienced reader who was there to proclaim the second reading!

IT'S A BOY!!

A Shining Example

"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."

The above is Mary's response to the angel Gabriel when she was told that she would bear a holy child even though she had had no relations with a man. One can only imagine how disconcerting it must have been to be confronted with such news, and yet she willingly and faithfully puts herself in God's hands and accepts His will. We may not all be visited by angels of God who will tell us specifcally what God's will for our lives will be, but I still believe that Mary's response is a wonderful example of how we should also place ourselves in His hands and accept His will for us even if we do not always understand why certain things happen.

More on Clothes

In addition to the maternity pants I had to buy (or go pantless to work - not the best way to put your best self forward!), I now find myself needing to find a maternity cocktail dress, or at least get something a few sizes bigger than I would normally get, in order to accompany Josh to his company's holiday shindig tomorrow night. And, of course, in addition to the maternity cocktail dress, I'm going to need maternity pantyhose, and from what I've heard maternity pantyhose is anything but cheap ($20 - $30 a pair - yikes!).

On a less frantic but still a clothes-related note, next Friday we go in for our second ultrasound, and we'll get to find out if our little swee' pea is a boy or a girl, which means we'll know whether to buy pink and frilly clothing or more boyish attire!