Twenty Weeks and It's A ???

Half way there!!!  Already!?  Wow.

I think this time around it's going quicker.  Probably because there's an active little 14 month old in my life :)  And for that, I'm grateful.

To be honest, I'm not sure I'd know I was pregnant if it weren't for this little baby moving in my belly.  I still only feel movement a couple of times a day, but when I do, I sure know it.  Those little movements are by and large my favorite part of pregnancy.  I'm so thankful to be feeling better this pregnancy.  Twenty-eight weeks of sickness with Elise was, well, not fun, so I'm beyond thankful for a less-nauseated go at it this time.

Here's da belly...

We went to the doc this past week and found out that even though I am feeling completely different this go 'round...

It's true!  Elise is going to have a baby sister.  And we are quite excited!!  This time around I think we're going to share the name, but it's still in the works.  We'll keep you posted ;)

As always, thank you so much for praying along with us for this baby...means so much!

It's MARKET Time!

One of the things we enjoy about this culture is the markets that go down here.  Christmastime brings out the best markets and we just love 'em.

It smells good, there are lots of people milling around, everything is all lit up, and it's a great place to hang out with friends (well, a pretty good place...it is rather crowded to say the least).

And as long as you're walking, you don't notice the cold so much :)

So we met some friends there the other night and enjoyed a few hours downtown before E's bedtime.

I didn't snap as many pictures as I should have (sorry, Father-in-law, we're going back, promise!), but here's what I did get:

She thought she was big stuff getting to stand up on the fountain (too bad there were fast kids running around, so it didn't last long).

And because she missed an afternoon nap this day, she was cranky (thus the naptime paci).

Which lead to...

Conked out.  And adorable.  She slept for a solid 45 minutes, which resulted in a later bedtime (we're going through a strange period of in between two naps and one nap currently...)

And that means her daddy and I took a pic.

JUST FOUR DAYS LEFT WITH THE 'STACHE ;) but I love him.

And I'll leave you with the only non-Palmer-family picture of the night...

Yay for market time!  I plan on getting better pictures (and more of them!) next time we go!

By Way of Instagram...

There are a lot of things I love...

and Instagram is one of them :)

It's true...I just think it's a particularly neat app.  I'm down.  Down with the Instagram. (we're palmerponderings on there)

So since it's been awhile since I've done an Instagram update, how 'bout let's do it now?  

A week or so ago the trees were looking like this...ombre fall leaves?!?  Yes, please!  I loved them!

This lil girl is working hard at learning to use a spoon.  We haven't yet had any food splatters on the walls, but I'm sure they're in the near future :)

Her love for Alex has not faded in the slightest.  She's still head over heels.  Just the other day I came down the hall and she had placed him in her stroller.  Point taken, E.  We took him for a stroll with us that day! 

My man and I got to go on a date the other night, compliments of Zuzana (thanks!).  I had to document the occasion, oh, and the 'stache (which will no longer be with us come December...WOO HOO! ;)  But I do love him, crazy 'ole 'stache and all!

Other than Alex, E is in to all things "B."  Bananas, blocks, books, and balls.  She was in HEAVEN in this ball pit (though I'm not sure what that face is saying? tee hee)

Sometimes, only sometimes, does studying Slovak end like this.  It's thoroughly exhausting for our brains at times.

Finally, I had to take a picture of this pretty tree at the mall.  It's not our tree, but I wish it were! 

Christmas is almost here...woo hoo!

But not until after Thanksgiving tomorrow.  So much to be thankful for.  Have a HAPPY one, friends!  

(oh, and did you notice how I started and ended this post with a tree picture...clever, huh? ;)

Eighteen and a 'Stache

Can't believe I'm already eighteen weeks pregnant with baby Palmer #2.  That's just wildness!

The last few weeks have been completely different from when I was pregnant with Elise.  I actually feel somewhat normal, which is just so strange to me.  I hardly ever felt normal with Elise.  I'm still wanting to take at least one nap a day, but that's really about it!  I feel fairly well otherwise.  I may still have a bout with nausea here and there, but it's completely random and unpredictable.  Totally manageable compared to last pregnancy.  I'm also still not loving food overall, but I do have a much bigger appetite than I did early on.

I'm quite thankful for feeling well during this time, particularly since we have a little one running around.  However, there are days where I find myself wondering "is everything ok?...how can I feel so normal!?"  It's kind of crazy.  But I am praising the Lord that he's giving me strength and some energy for this season.

Now, all that said, I'm feeling much bigger much quicker this time around.  With E I was able to wear my normal clothes until, oh, say, 26, 28 weeks, but not now!  I am already on the verge of needing to bust out my maternity pants, but let me just say...I'm holding off as long as possible (which will maybe be another two days haha).  Not to mention all my shirts are starting to crawl up quickly (which is why in the picture below I'm wearing a dress :)

Ah, and I have been feeling little one move quite a bit!  I first felt he/she at 16.5 weeks and Jas did too...which was surprising and super fun at the same time.

Here's the latest snapshot (it doesn't quite do it justice, I really think it's bigger than it appears in this pic):

(and there I go again with the gray!!!  Yeesh!  For a girl that loves color, I really need to spice up my wardrobe, eh?!)

In other news, my hubby decided that he'd jump on the Movember bandwagon.  That's right, he's 'stachin' it up.  I have to say, I'm not a fan, not a fan at all.  However, I do support the cause, so I'll let it fly just this one month ;)  He's joining many others across the world to raise awareness for mens' health, in particular cancers that men may face.  Love the cause, don't love the fuzzy caterpillar that's replacing his clean-shaven face, ha!

Ah, well, at least he's manly...and always good-lookin ;)

A Girl In Her Jammies

We love this lil girl, ya'll.

And her jammies :)  (I mean, really, what's not to love about a baby in polka dotted pj's?)

Chalkboard Banner Fun

Anything covered in chalkboard paint is the latest craze, right?

Wellllll....I jumped on the bandwagon :)  This project, however, is a completely stolen one.  This blog is one of my favorites and she had posted this as a Craft Weekend project some time ago.

I got the wooden banner here.  I think if I could I'd buy her whole Etsy shop!

And while I was there, I also snagged the little wooden birdie.  I still haven't painted him because I think he kinda goes nicely there in his natural wood form...what do you think?  Paint him or leave him?

So when it arrived, I got busy covering my wooden banner in chalkboard paint on one side and on the other side I modge-podged striped and polka dotted scrapbook paper.  Now it's versatile!  Fun paper on one side, chalkboard on the other.

As I mentioned on the blog before, I got those little Instagram prints here.  I love them and I think it's time to add some more!

I know it looks completely silly, but I taped up the banner with strong tape.  Since we live in a rented flat our landlady isn't the biggest fan of holes in the wall.  I'm still trying to come up with better solutions.  Ideas?

And here's a little glance at the other side:

There's some polka dotted paper on the back of some of them too :)  Love me some red and white stripes and polka dots!

So that's my latest project and even though it took me the better part of three weeks to complete (we'll blame that on raising a toddler, being pregnant, and learning another language all at the same time ;)...I'm quite happy with it!

Have you done any chalkboard projects?  I've got some paint left that needs using! :)

Pumpkin' and Treatin'

Well, I realize it's a few days past Halloween now...but roll with me here, will ya? ;)

We're not the biggest celebrate-rs of Halloween, but we do enjoy carving a pumpkin.  And this year we decided to dress Elise up (we did last year too just for a mini photo shoot) and take her "trick or treating," (or rather walking from door to door in our flat and getting some toddler appropriate treats ha!).  Yes, we're corny...but we just decided to go for it ;)

She was overjoyed with her little pumpkin.  Really, she just loved taking the top on and off.  It was TOO cute.

Haha!  Her little scrunchy face makes me giggle.

Then we dressed her up as an Appalachian cheerleader (woot woot...go Mountaineers!).  She went "trick or treating" to her first door and received some bananas...tee hee.

Also, can you tell I just threw her costume together last minute?  She didn't even have pom poms! (shame on da mama)

Then it was time to go to the next door (did I mention that not surprisingly she didn't really get this concept very well?).  Daddy took this next photo, and well, it's not the best...but at least she knows mama was there too ;)

After one more door we finished trick or treating.  Later that evening we watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown..." and E seemed to like that almost as much as her dad and mom.

So with that, we had quite the good Halloween.

And we'll end with a most hilarious photo of last year's Halloween costume (little ballerina)...

Oh the difference a year makes!!!  Where did that tiny baby go!?