A New Addition

I cannot even begin to describe how excited I am to announce to everyone that...

WERE HAVING A BABY!!

It's been a really really REALLY long wait before we were ready to tell people, and it's just such a relief to feel like everything doesn't have to be so secret anymore! (although it was pretty special to have that time for the two of us to really settle in to the news before it was broadcast to everyone)

For those who were looking for a little more information, here's the run down: November 16th I had an early birthday party with friends and woke up the next morning feeling not quite myself (crying for no reason?), Keith told me that it was because I was pregnant kind of as a joke and I denied it up and down. As the weekend went on he kept his stance and I kept mine, and I told him if he was THAT insistent, he could go buy a test. Monday November 19th we had two VERY obviously positive tests... YIKES! haha. I looked at Keith after I left the bathroom as said, "here we go!" We very quietly told two friends just to get some opinions on doctors in Nashville, but vowed not to share the news until we got to see an ultrasound and knew how far along we were, since we were definitely still in the dark about when all this might have happened. Our first midwife appointment wasn't until December 18th and that month felt like an ETERNITYYYYYY of "are we really pregnant?" and "naw, this can't be true!" We got there and she told us if we were far enough along we could hear a heartbeat, but not to get our hopes up... sure enough there it was, nice and strong, and that's when things started to get real ;-) Two days later on the 20th of December we got to have our first ultrasound, and I think it was Keith's favorite moment of all. It really is something to see a squirmy little thing moving around inside of you! We just sat there and gushed over the little legs crossing over each other, and arms covering its head. Keith asks me everyday if we can go back and see the baby again haha

Flash forward to Christmas when we got to surprise both sets of parents with baby announcement gifts! Everyone was so thrilled and it really made this one of the most memorable holidays that we've had so far!

As far as the details, I'm 13 weeks along and baby bug is the size of a lemon! Our due date is July 11th, I haven't thrown up once and I'm still not showing (unless you count those 10lbs I gained, oops)

Right now we're just trying to focus on all the fun and excitement of sharing the news of our upcoming addition. We're thinking about how fun it's going to be to see our parents become grandparents, and our brothers become uncles. We're taking just a slight break from trying to figure out all the "serious" stuff; the childcare, maternity leave and budgets... the things that keep me up at night if I let it! Right now we're just happy. When we were both at home for the holidays and people asked us "what's new" we just kind of looked at each other and laughed haha. Some days it seems like EVERYTHING is new, but deep down I know that WE are the same, and adding a baby to the mix might threaten to change things, but it certainly doesn't have to. We're still us, we still like to go out and adventure, and I can't wait to share that with our child!

Thank you all SO much for the overwhelming amount of love that you've already shared for us. We can't even describe how it feels to have such a large and amazing community of people supporting us, and we're happy to say that our baby couldn't be more blessed to have opportunities to know all of you!  Just get ready for MANY more baby updates this year!!!

When I said 2013 was going to be our year... I certainly wasn't kidding ;)

Bike Adventures

There is just something about the weekends when the weather is nice that makes me want to get outside and do ANYTHING. Some days are easier than others to muster up the energy to leave the couch, but thankfully Keith is on board for my weekend adventures. Yesterday we caught up on some shows, and then we on a really great bike ride at our favorite park. We had already planned on going to the mall after our ride, but as we got further down the trail we remembered that if you go up and over the bridge you could get to that part of town... or so we thought. I must have forgotten the part where the map said "proposed" trail to Opry Mills. So after we biked a mile or two out of the way and up a hill, we were a little bummed to find out that there was no safe way for us to get the the mall, oops haha. Anyway, it was fun, we got a little extra exercise and when we were all done we still got to make a trip to the mall... just in our car haha.

This is his, "wait I just rode up that hill for nothing" face

Elite

I would like to take just a quick second to brag about my awesome husband for a moment or two: Since November he has been working for a booking agency called Elite Talent Agency and has been doing SO many cool things for them. For at least the past 6 months he's headed up signing and supporting smaller indie bands, and has found some really great musicians that are going to be really fun to follow in the coming years. With a couple of them being local we've gotten a few chances to go and watch (although Keith certainly goes to more shows than I do). Here are two bands that I think you should check out too:

CALEB

The Vespers

Reunion.2

So I mentioned a while back that Keith's college band was having a reunion show, so I thought it was about time to share some photos from the event. I also have videos, if anyone is interested in watching the madness haha

To Keith: I'm so proud of all the hard work that you put in to make this show happen. I know it wasn't always the most fun, but in the end I know you had a great time, and there were a lot of people who really appreciated getting to see you again for one last time.

and now here are some awesome photographs from the show that they played in Cincinnati at The 86 Club. I got these photos from their Facebook page:

Reunion

Tonight is the night. Months in the making, and not without drama, Keith's college band Sophia is playing a reunion show at Rocketown tonight and I am so excited to see how excited he is for it. I've seen them play at Rocketown (at the old location) twice before and it's an adventure every time! I wish that I had photos I could share, but I think I've lost my iPhoto library about 4 times since then haha. Here's to tonight and seeing my husband turn into a little kid again running around on stage like a rockstar :)

From their 2008 cd release via myspace  

The Eve

On this night one year ago I was in my parents back yard with just about every person on this planet that I love the most. We rehearsed the wedding ceremony, put some finishing touches on things, made the last phone calls and orders and then ate dinner and relaxed by the pool. I was calm but still very anxious. Would everything go the way I planned it? Would the food taste good, would everyone show up on time? Would it rain? So much uncertainty, but the one thing I was certain of was him. I knew that I would go to sleep as me, and before I went to bed again the next day, it would be we. Best choice I ever made.

I think one of my favorite bloggers Emily really captured my feelings when she said, "1 universe, 9 planets, 204 countries, 809 islands, 7 seas, and I had the privilege of meeting you." 

I couldn't be more thankful for you, Keith Alan Richards. Thank you for being my husband for 2 whole years and for choosing to love me better each and every one of those days. You give me reasons to smile and laugh and to be the best version of myself even when it seems impossible some days. You forgive me on the days that I fall short, and you love me even when I don't show you the love you deserve. For that you are my favorite, and for that I am grateful. For the past 730 days, I have been a wife, and I look forward to a million more of learning how to do that better. I am yours, forever.

June Nights

Last week was one of the busiest ones that we've had in a while. Between crazy work loads at our jobs and social engagements every night we were pretty pooped when we got to the weekend. Between all of that chaos though, there were two evenings that really stuck out as being truly great:

Tuesday night Jordana gathered all the ladies at her apartment to watch a movie, eat lots of treats and to catch up on life. After an extremely stressful day at work, in my head the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was to leave again but once I was surrounded by a room full of understanding ladies with listening ears, I remembered why God invented friends. It turned out to be a night to just relax and forget about my awful day for a couple hours. Thank you ladies, for that!

My other favorite night last week was Friday, when Keith took me to see Moonrise Kingdom, the new Wes Anderson film I've been dying to see and that took it's sweet time in getting to Nashville (I'm talking MORE than a month from the regular release date, ugh). It was everything that I hoped it would be and more, and I cannot wait to see it again. I really think it could make me reconsider my order of favorite Wes Anderson movies... it was that good.

Away

Did I mention that this past week Keith was out of town for work? 3 day 2 nights of being home alone and by the time he pulled into the driveway last night I nearly burst with excitement to see him. It really brought me back to our long distance dating days and I remembered all the reasons why I'm thankful we're married and I get to keep him at home all to myself :) here's hoping for no more business trips like that for awhile... I would never make it full time as a single girl (note Thursday lunch of pretzels + pretzel m&m's... oops).

Before he left me though, we went out on a romantic date to one of our favorite places: BurgerUp and then for dessert, I insisted. Krispie Kreme. You just can't go wrong there.

Ideal

In a perfect world this is what every Sunday would look like:

coffee shop shared lunch

beautiful berries

afternoon naps

sunset walks

talking about life and love and summer goals

sleepy kitty

Unfortunately life has been insane recently and it hasn't felt like we've gotten a chance to take a breath. Everything has been such a blast, and we've been making incredible memories with incredible people... but here's hoping though that we can have just a LITTLE more time to relax and enjoy our home in the coming weeks.

Zoo Day

I think this may be the last of our vacation photos that I have left to share, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm ready to stop talking about it haha. Can we take another vacation right now please? Or even a stay cation? Responsibility is overrated. 

Anyway, the zoo is one of Keith and I's favorite places to go together, and holds a special place in our hearts because we had our first date at a zoo, and even celebrated our first anniversary at the zoo. It's just the best! So when we woke up with not much to do last Saturday and a zoo in walking distance, we knew where we would be headed! We stopped at Chipotle on the way and then walked until our legs just couldn't go any further. We got to see lots of awesome animals and exhibits and spend some quality time with Anna. Here are some pictures from our day: 

Picnic time

We were SO hungry at this moment haha

Zoo time!

Fancy tiger

We love zoo masks

It's kind of a tradition

Crazy little electric jellies in the invertebrate house

Sleepy gorilla baby

Frandsssss

Anna anteater

Dead panda?

Hungry panda!

Red pandas were sleeping so I had to settle for a photo with the statue

SLOTH BEAR

Sloth bears are my favorite

Cheese balls :)