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This is how I feel about the 6-8 inches of snow we got today. It will be back in the 50s by Thursday so it shouldn't last too long.

16 Weeks and 52 degrees!!!!

16 week pic...these profile pics are awkward...

Today it was 52 degrees!!! Okay, I know that is barely warm, but this is the first time we've hit 50 since mid November. Yes, I do know I live in Minnesnowta now, but even the natives say this has been a hard winter. Today Chris and I took advantage of the day and wandered around our neighborhood. Just two blocks over is a very nice large neighborhood park, but today we found an AMAZING park that is about a 15 minute walk from our house. It is connected to the Greenway (bike path that loops 50 miles around the twin cities). There's your normal tennis courts, volleyball area, Basketball, and community center, but it also has this state of the art playground. At least I've never seen a playground like this before. I wanted to go play on all the different equipment (mom, there were so many vestibular activity equipment we won't need a spinning chair!) The place was crawling with kids. Don Juan will have a ton of fun! Plus, the park has a skateboard/trick bike area with all different ramps and bannister like things and there were kids, teenagers and adults over there. I doubt Don Juan will join in on the fun because I'd make him/her be the uncool kid that had to wear a helmet. They were doing these scary tricks and not one helmet in sight! A few years until we need to worry about that though...in the summer there's a little kid wading pool that looks pretty nice. The rocket below is at the entrance of the park.



After walking to the park we continued to the Mississippi. My mom pointed out how I always seem to move by water now. Our place in Rye was near the ocean, our apartment here was within walking distance of the chain of lakes and now I walk to the Mississippi every day. I guess all those years of living in the desert made me want to see water on a constant basis.




Family self portrait

The elusive Don Juan

To the shock of everyone who has known me for years, I'm now an excellent secret keeper and love surprises. For the most part we were able to keep Baby Strand a secret for the first trimester. We've decided not to find out the gender at our ultrasound appointment, and I think the one that seems to annoy the most people, is that we are keeping the name a surprise. I will say that our name choices are not anywhere near the top 10 popular names. We have enough Lauras and Christophers in our family tree now! Although, for ideas we have looked back at some relatives. For those of you who want a baby name NOW you may use the family name Don Juan. Yes, you think this is just a boy's name, but let me explain. Donald is the name of both of Chris's grandfathers (and on that note both his grandmothers are MaryAnn...once again the confusing family tree). My grandmother's name was Kathleen Juan Henry (maiden name Kvool). I've been told that my great grandmother Lola never told the origin of the middle name Juan so it is one of those family things that we can only speculate about. So for the next few months I'm lovingly referring to the little bean as Don Juan whenever anyone asks for a name. Don't worry, this will not be like "breakfast for dinner" at the wedding that started as a joke and then became reality!

And true to the secretive portion of Don Juan's name, he/she is quite mysterious! Once again I had an ultrasound at my appointment because my doctor couldn't find the heartbeat with the doppler. This is odd at 16 weeks so she tried two different machines. My torso is so short, where is there to hide?! Finally after a nervous 15 minute wait they squeezed me in for a very quick ultrasound (yes, this is exactly what happened at my 12 week appointment). The ultrasound technician put the wand way over on the left side of my stomach and all scrunched up was our little Don Juan, with a healthy heart beating away at a steady 148 beats per minute. He/she kept opening and closing its mouth. Jennifer and I joked that since I just ate choclate cake that sneaky baby was being like everyone in our family and hiding to savor the cake so he/she wouldn't have to share. After they did a close up of the heart the tech took a few pictures and it looks like he/she was shaking its fist at us. Poor Chris, I called him after the appointment to let him know he keeps missing out on seeing his baby. He will be at the next appointment where we get the planned 20 week ultrasound. Once I get access to a scanner I'll get the pics up. We are now at 10 pictures since I've needed an ultrasound at every appointment, but some of the early ones look more like modern art so you'll just have to "interpret" Don Juan in the way you want to.

Happy Easter and 15 weeks!!

Here's my weekly picture! This one is in real maternity clothes. Ahhhh!

A snowy start to spring!

Just when we almost saw our entire yard without snow, we got the most snow so far this winter. It is very pretty, but not what I'm used to for Easter.

Above: Ice house along the Mississippi, a few blocks from our house. Below: Trail along the Mississippi

This week was a great week! Chris's parents flew in. Not only did we have a nice visit, they did quite a bit of work around our house. Big thank you!! Now I have some pics to show of the house.

On Friday we attended Roger's birthday. It was the kind of fun we have now come to expect from a Hoeft celebration...amazing food, fun events like volcano science experiments, and lots of laughs.

14 Weeks!

Well, I think the news is out to most people. Chris and I are very excited to be expecting a little one. The only baby onesie we have so far says "Mommy's Little Monster." I think that is a very good description. I've been exhausted since mid-January. I'm thankful to not have any morning sickness, but I'm ready for the burst of second trimester energy that all the books allude to. Our house is very SLOWLY being unpacked due to my constant napping. Once we have it set up a little more I'll post some pictures.

Here are some pictures of me and growing baby:

13 weeks & 14 weeks

Second night in our house. Living out of boxes but cozying up to the fire. Huge thanks to Christopher for flying out to help us move. "Are we going to make it?" "Where's the packing tape" These were the themes of the weekend!

Chris and Christopher: 11:00 at night, totally worn out waiting for our really spicy Mexican food.