week 20: halfway there!

the halfway point brought with it the most amazing thing i've ever experienced in my life - nora belle's first kick!!  i was laying on the couch with tanky all snuggled up to my belly & blakey by my side when i felt the weirdest little thing inside of me.  i sat straight up with my eyes gigantically wide.  blakey said i had the funniest look on my face that he has certainly never seen before.  "oh my goodness, what was that?!  i think i felt her kick!"  forget what people say about it feeling like butterflies fluttering, it feels like a fish.  a fish was swimming around in my belly.  my sweet little nora belle fish.  i am so happy to feel your little feet in my "nora belly".

twenty weeks was also blakey's toast & roast to his outgoing chief class!  we had a fun night celebrating these eight fine doctors & all they had accomplished over the last four years.  with tears & laughter, we had another round of goodbyes.  

our final few weeks were also filled with farewell meals at our favorite restaurants.  highlands, of course, made the list with an incredible meal of seafood & steak & an amazing chocolate dessert.  frank stitt, you sure know your stuff.

happy halfway!

love love,

kjp.

week 19: my final week at urban.

week 19 meant my last week at my beloved baking job.  urban standard became my home away from home in birmy.  i started working there in only our second month in alabama, when i knew almost no one in the state.  over the years, blake & i met so many friends at the shop and felt much more at home.  after graduating from pastry school, i was enabled to create my dream job.  i could not be more grateful for the experience.

saying goodbyes are always hard.  saying goodbye to your dream job when 19 weeks pregnant - oh my goodness, so many tears!

over my last week, i made so many of my favorite treats, customers' favorite treats, & a few fancy things i had been wanting to try.  but my last day was purely selfish with my favorite espresso donuts, my favorite chocolate chip orange zest cookies, & my favorite spicy mexican chocolate cake bites. blakey & i even shared one a piece.  & they were delicious :)

with all of the goodbyes were also many hugs, so many kind words, two beautiful flower bouquets, fun photos of me baking, & more fun gifts.  helen even taught me how to make her amazing banana pudding!  y'all have to try it.  ask me.  i'll make it for you.

goodness gracious, y'all are the best.  four of the best years of my life with so much learning & experiencing & loving.  urban, you are so going to be missed.

love love,

kjp.

week 18: ultrasound pics galore! & week 17 too.

eighteen weeks eighteen weeks!  our baby is growing & my belly is growing & all is good in the world.   maternity clothes are becoming very wonderful.  multiple outfits this week have consisted of maternity tops & maternity bottoms.  it's a good thing i am pretty darn good at shopping.

our anatomy ultrasound was this week!  blakey & i got to see our little baby girl for twenty whole minutes!  we saw the important parts of her brain & the four chambers of her heart.  she has an adorable little nose & lips {no cleft lip}.  she sucked her thumb & grabbed her little bitty feet with her little bitty hands.  miss nora belle is growing big, measuring sizes of about 19 1/2 weeks & weighing 10 ounces.  apparently, little us made a big baby.

 {nora belle's little bitty feet}

 {& her little arms crossed}

last week, i was a little too busy napping to blog, but i did take my bump date photo!  it's a rough life being pregnant :)

love love,

kjp.

week 16: it's a girl!!

oh my goodness gracious, we are having a girl!!!  a beautiful little baby girl.  & her name will be Nora Belle Porter.  i'm going to call her nora belle.  blakey is most definitely going to call her nb.  you are welcome to call her what you like.  well, within reason here.  but we are going to have a precious little baby girl.

the little miss was once again having a party inside my belly while we did the ultrasound.  she was waving her arms & flipping all over the place.  if this little girl has half as much energy out of the womb as she has in the womb, we are in trouble.  this awesome ultrasound captured above is her upside down with an awesome view of her spine up top.  her little head is to the right, her legs to the left, & her little bitty hand below her tummy.  hello, sweet girl!

16 weeks!  a little baby girl!  whoa.  

love love,

kjp.

from week 14 to week 15: i popped!

yes, friends, i popped.  my belly is out in full force announcing to the world, "i'm pregnant!"  which is certainly better than "i could be fat or pregnant!"  don't you think?!

for the first time, a complete stranger asked me about my being pregnant.  & in one day, two friends who have known we are pregnant for awhile said to me "oh my goodness!  you ARE pregnant!"  yes, i popped.

but my favorite conversation of them all {so far} was with my husband.  while attempting to find an outfit that simply fit, i looked over at blakey & exasperatedly said "oh. my. gosh.  i'm pretty sure i'm getting bigger every day!"  he looked back at me with an expression like i had just announced to the entire world that two plus two equals four.  "i'm 100% positive you are getting bigger every day." oh, this isn't news to an obgyn?  got it.

so happy gummy bear is growing & has a big ole environment in which to grow.  happy week 15, gummy bear!

love love,
kjp.

happy 4th anniversary, byrds!!!!

celebrating a very happy 4 years with the love of my life!  four years.  four years of creating a life together, creating an even greater friendship, creating an even stronger love.  & now onto creating a little porter!

 {1st year of happiness in montevallo}

{2nd year of happiness in memphis}

{3rd year of happiness in nola}

i love you, dear love of my life.  you are truly the man of my dreams.

love love,

kjp.