Happy Birthday Isaac!

Isaac turns ONE today! Happy Birthday Isaac!!

I am so glad that you are in our lives, that you're so adorable (and sneaky with those little monkey arms of yours), and that you've had a safe and healthy first year!

One year ago...

And now

I'm also incredibly excited for our baby to have such a great big cousin like you to play with and look out for them and teach them all kinds of devious techniques :) My cousins were such a HUGE part of my life growing up (still are), and I just hope you and our little one and any other cousins in our family can be blessed with that same gift of friendship! Meanwhile, here's to all my cousins - thank you all for the gifts you each bring to this world and to my life!

And here's to Isaac...

...to many, many more birthdays and the blessings of being able to watch you grow in even more amazing ways over the coming years!

We love you!

Updates

Last weekend was a busy one - lots of important milestones and events, such as....


1.) Mike & Baby & I made it to SIX MONTHS last week!!! So hopefully we're on to the homestretch now. Things have been going better - so far no more major scares or hospital stays or bedrest orders (knock on wood....the last time I posted that things were fine is when we ended up running to the hospital, so let's hope this blog isn't the jinx!) I love feeling the baby kick - although I like it much more when they kick out than in (my poor bladder), but even that is an amazing feeling; feeling their kicks are probably the most amazing thing I can think of thus far in my life!! (even if it won't feel as great pretty soon) Mike loves it when he can feel the baby kick too, and I love watching him light up when he can!

We have our crib & bedding, our changing table, our pack-n-play and our stroller/carseat all ready to go - each of which has been exciting as they all make us feel one step closer to having the baby and having a home ready and worthy of this child. We also have some clothes and a few other important items (including a rocking John Deere tractor - the "essentials" :D), along with our call-list ready for the hospital. So now it's just the other MILLION smaller things we still need and to make it through the next 9 to 13 weeks and we'll be all set! :) (too bad patience has never been my strong point - especially when you're this excited and have been waiting and praying and struggling for something as long as this)

Thanks everyone for your prayers thus far - keep 'em coming!

Baby & I both growing lots!
I purposefully wore the same outfit as the last time we took big-belly pictures....I can't say why Mike looks identical though...I guess you'll just have to trust that, in case my belly isn't enough proof, this is in fact a different picture than I posted a month and a half ago :)

2.) I survived the PLAY! And what's more, so did the audience! :) It was exhausting, and probably not something I'll do again any time soon, but it was still nice being a part of something with my Mom and sister and getting to watch them shine!! It was Mom's first time on stage since high school, and she was FABULOUS (she made lots of people, myself included, cry with her powerful monologues - darn her!) I love this about community theater - bringing out the gifts of local people who didn't even know they had it in them or never would have shared it on a larger stage! And, if that wasn't enough, I got to wear ugly clothes and have a teased 80's pony-tail - ah, the things only the theater lets you do without judgment :)

Our cast (Jesi as Shelby; Kelly as Quiser; Sherry as Clairee; Theresa as Truvy; Mom as M'Lynn; and me as Annelle)

Our setHow many people does it take to do a southern woman's hair into a "football helmet" for act 2?

The Nystrom-Mancini women of the show!

3.) "Up" won Best Animated Film at the Academy Awards on Sunday night. I haven't seen most of the other movies that were up for any of the awards this year, making it a less interesting year for me - but knowing that this fantastic film (one of the most beautiful and romantic movies ever made, at least made in my generation, and certainly the most amazing animated film) took home an Oscar made it worth it, and a great end to the weekend! Congratulations on being recognized for the powerful story and message you shared, and thanks for sharing it!!