Friday

Just hangin' with the belly...

 Is it weird that the only thing I ever want to do at the grocery store anymore is to stand in the baby aisle sniffing Johnson's soap as I anxiously await the day that I can finally buy that first pack of preciously tiny newborn diapers?

It's a baby!

Mark put up a good fight... 

... but for the second time in his life, a girl is all he needs!

We've had a few precious moments around here lately. I have been feeling the baby move for about a month and now our little one dances like crazy in there all day long. A little over a week ago Mark was able to feel some little kicks for his first time and now almost every night before bed, when the baby is most active, we watch my belly and wait for it to jump! Mark was finally able to catch a movement last night. It makes my heart melt to watch him. 

Italia

We had a great time showing Brian and Sam around our new home. We had the chance to take them to Venice, Florence and around Vicenza before we sent them off on their own to Rome. We wish they were still here but after 3 weeks of traveling around europe I'm sure they're happy to be back home in America! 

We took this picture home with us. One of the best treasures we have of Italy so far. 

Of course, we took them to the best pizza in all of Italy! 

Firenze!

Belly, belly belly! 

He's adorable, don't you think?

Napoli, America's Cup, Pompeii and San Marino

I have always dreamed of going to Pompeii, for some reason ever since I learned about it in the 3rd grade it has been my dream. So when our brother Brian asked us if we wanted to watch the America's Cup race in Naples with him we jumped at the chance, Mark for the races and I for Pompeii!

Pompeii was everything I dreamed it to be. For the first little while we were the only ones in the old city which was especially awesome! 

On the way hime from Naples we stopped inside the tiny country of San Marino. It's literally just a fortress on top of a mountain in the clouds. It was beautiful and so cool! 

London Calling

Together again at last!

Indian

God of childbirth... or babies... or fertility... something like that! 

I really like my husband!

I got a pin for the tube so people would know I was with child and couldn't stand on my own... I never wore it but I loved having it! 

Mark was so excited to see Royal Albert Hall. The Killers put on an amazing show here!

Waiting for the changing of the guard

Of course, we had to do it!

British Museum

There he is, Ben himself. 

Loved having the boys together again!

Fish & chips in an old pub

Beautiful buildings, three rounds of Indian food, riding the tube, being so swollen at the end of everyday, the queen, double-decker buses, Les Mis at Queen's Theater and beautiful friends. London was a glorious vacation. Though, it seems like an eternity ago that we were all there together. We miss our friends, but our goodbye in London was not the end of our time with them. 

Next stop our beautiful home in Italy!

Everyone has been begging to see my belly but up until recently there has been nothing to see. I feel like my little tummy has grown so much in just the last week. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago, I finally caught up to my pre-pregnancy weight (after having been sick for 4 months) and then I checked the scale yesterday and I am happy to say I've gained 2 whole pounds more! Also this morning I measured around my belly and it's grown 2 inches! 

notice how much sleepier I look in the second shot... that's exactly how I feel. Making a baby is harder work than I planned on but it's exciting to finally start feeling like I've got something to show for it.