The Mama Bird is "NESTING"

Perhaps it is the 75 degree gorgeous weather and the smell of spring in the house with all of the windows open that has prompted my out-of-control "spring cleaning"...
Or perhaps my little one is a mini-version of Mama aka anal retentive and in love with organizing :)
Either way, Baby Leonardo's Mama bird went on a nesting rampage this weekend:

• Every file in the office (including 6 years of school files and 4 years of office supplies) purged and re-organized, shredded and labeled
• All kitchen cabinets cleaned out, restocked, and yes, not quite alphabetized :)
• Two guest room closets sifted, purged, donated (Goodwill loved us this weekend :)) and reorganized
• All baby items re-claimed from attic, organized in bins according to size and stage and placed lovingly in baby's closet-to-be
• Scrapbook bins reorganized and ready for a challenge (I WILL finish binding my one million scrapbooks from the last 5 years before the end of July...mark my words :))
• All craft materials sorted
• Entire garage cleaned, sorted, and tool bench organized (finally!) on pegboard above one of Papa's work benches (a Valentine's gift but don't let it fool you...it was inevitable that I would move my spree in to the garage at some point!)
• Paint chosen for Benjamin's new room
• All bed linens washed, air dried, and gloriously fresh (Yay again for spring!)
• Walls washed (don't ask...I was compelled to do so and I'm not entirely sure why)

Phew...at this rate Sam might not wish for another weekend for a few weeks.
Mama bird is making sure the nest is ready for you little one. And our boys (Papa, B, and Stanford) are my wonderful team hanging in there with me :)

Ode to 16 Weeks

An ode to the 16 week mark....
For the first time in over 10 weeks I have joyously drifted through 7 days of NO puking, vomiting, or general yucky sickness.
16 weeks, you arrived and I awoke sans gag reflex...THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
I will sing your praises for the next 6 months :)

(I had to wait an extra 4 weeks this time around but who's counting when it means Baby is healthy and happy in there!! :))

There must be a Mediterranean in there...

Yes, this post is about food....again!
Clearly baby's gene pool confirms Mediterranean descent courtesy of both Mama and Papa. But, our little one has made it quite clear already that the Mediterranean diet is the diet of choice.
Mad cravings do not begin to describe my nearly daily quest to devour Italian, Greek, and Lebanese food.
Any pasta...rice with lentils, gyro meat, warm pitas, hmmmm...tzatziki sauce, salad with vinegar and kalamata olives, hummus, home-made spaghetti, more tzatziki sauce!
Mama and Baby can't get enough :)

Sweet Baby's First Photos

We have had the wonderful fortune and opportunity to "see" and hear our little sweet one often and early in this pregnancy. Due to my difficulties last year the doctors have had me in for ultrasounds and sonograms very often and even as early as 5 weeks.
Sam and I are still brought to tears hearing our baby's heartbeat filling the room - a sound more beautiful than any symphony known to man!
The good news is that everything is perfect and our beautiful bundle is having a ball in there, dancing and twirling around, stretching his or her legs, and one morning, covering his or her head and face with both arms and trying to roll over from the camera, clearly irritated that we were waking he or she up! Not only do we get to see and watch our baby but we can already see a little personality shining right through! :)
7 Weeks - see the arms up next to the head? (baby is upside down)

 13 Weeks - stretching those legs up, up, up. The doctor worked magic to catch this pose since baby was on the move constantly!

Each and every time we see you, little one, we just can't wait to hold you!! Keep growing strong!!

Pregnancy.......with a TODDLER!

Ahhhh, I remember fondly those days in my first pregnancy when I would wander to the couch and sleep when I felt beyond exhausted and sick. Those days are a distant memory :)
Pregnancy with a toddler is a whole new ball game... Pregnancy with a toddler =

Exhausted Mama-to-be seeking space to lie down and rest....REALITY.....toddler on the move, hits the ground running in the morning and doesn't stop :) Must keep up in order to be certain the pillows don't take a "bath" in the toilet or all of Mama's tea bags don't end up in the dog's water dish.
Mama-to-be is sick ALL the time...needs to spend a LOT of hours during the day hovering in the bathroom .....REALITY with my toddler.....
Mama heaving in the bathroom; Benjamin asks, "K Mama, K?" Mama can't quite answer just yet, pitter patter of feet as Benjamin makes a mad dash for Papa's office knowing he has a few "free" moments to dismantle any technology he can get his hands on :) Wireless router you are seriously NO match if my head is still in the toilet!
Mama-to-be would love to paint her toenails...REALITY....toddler's nap is quiet time and perfect for painting toes if 100 other things are checked off the list. But man, I am sleepy....suddenly I hear Benjamin singing and wake to find 4 toes finished with a wet polish brush dangling dangerously close to the carpet in my slack hand. Who cares about those other toes...it's too cold to go without socks for now :)

Wait, there's more to share......but I'm off to catch Benjamin :) Baby Leonardo #2 is most certainly going to be a long distance runner at this rate!

Sharing the news! The perfect Christmas morning surprise!!

We were blessed to be with my family for the Christmas holiday this year and it was the most perfect time to share the news of the soon-to-be newest member of the family.
Sharing such exciting news with people you love is by far one of the best experiences EVER! And my family never disappoints in their fabulous reactions! So amidst the glorious warmth and wrappings of a traditional Messmer Christmas morning the plan unfolded...
Ga and Mimi unwrapped a small red velvet box that held a silver bell inside. Inside the top cover of the box read a small sign that said "Ring bell for Benjamin service" Mimi rang the bell.
When the bell was rung little Benjamin appeared wearing a shirt that said Big Brother and handed Ga a small gift that read "Christmas in July" with a big picture of Baby Leonardo's first ultrasound. (I figured the ultrasound would make up for those who might miss the shirt :))
I have so much fun sharing this news with my family that I'd have 10 more kids if it meant I kept getting to plan these surprises (I'm kidding about the 10 but you get the idea!)
Thank you to my sister Megan who was behind the perfect capture of the moment on film...a video I hope fits the space available for this post :).

To start...vinegar. Followed by an entree of vinegar, and for dessert...more vinegar. Please!

6 weeks to the day and the nausea has set in. BUT this time it is quite different...
With Benjamin I would get sick about twice a day. Baby Leonardo #2 has decided that I'm no longer a newbie at this and should get the "full" effect...therefore enforcing literally 24 hour nausea. It doesn't even matter if I am sleeping...some nights I bolt out of sound sleep only to leap from the bed and barely make it to the bathroom.
The Italian genes must have some say in the matter though because somehow, within the non-stop feeling of the constant need to projectile vomit I am STILL hungry. Yes, I may have just lost all of what was breakfast but as I exit the bathroom I'm already thinking about how good balsamic vinegar would taste.....
That's not a typo.
Amidst the yuckiness of "morning" sickness Baby Leonardo has developed quite the affinity for vinegar....in any form. Would I like some eggs with  my hot sauce? No, thanks. Just the hot sauce sounds delectable.
I devour salads doused in red wine vinegar. I have to physically restrain myself from buying bags of salt and vinegar chips at the grocery store. We've had roasted balsamic chicken for dinner more times in the last few weeks than my husband wants to admit. I can't get enough mustard.
You would think that my stomach couldn't possibly handle vinegar to top off the constant feelings of queasiness but on the contrary, anything with vinegar makes me feel satisfied....if only until the next sprint to the bathroom.
So pass the vinegar...PLEASE :)