Week 18

Here I am at 18 weeks…not looking much bigger than I did at 15, 16, or 17. I know I’ll probably regret saying this later on, but I really wish that bump would grow so that I “look” pregnant!

As small as it may be, my belly has outgrown just about all of my regular clothes — I’m down to one pair of non-maternity pants (ironically, my “skinny” jeans). I am SO loving my closet full of maternity clothes, which are extremely comfortable and make my bump look much bigger and cuter than it actually is.

The Big 3-0

Someone turned 30 yesterday, and his initials are Z.R.R. It’s hard to believe that Zach’s twenties are really and truly over, especially since I’m not too far behind him!

When Zach and I got together, we were both 21 years old –almost an entire decade younger than we are now. We definitely lived it up over the past (almost) nine years, and I think we’re just where we should be in life at 29 and 30.

We celebrated the big birthday with a family dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Maldaners. That was followed by the standard fudge nut and mint chocolate chip ice cream cake along with that big ol’ caramel ice cream sundae. Too much ice cream for Zach? No such thing.

Zach is going to celebrate again on Saturday with a boys’ night out, which I am more than happy to miss out on since I’ll be playing a gig. I won’t have any wild and crazy birthday celebrations this year, considering I will be 9 months pregnant on June 5! But that’s just fine with me…I’m more than willing to wait an extra week or so for the best 30th birthday gift ever.

Week 17

Another week, another baby belly photo! This week, Junebug is the size of an onion. I can definitely tell a difference in the size of my bump, but no one has actually called me out on it yet (other than people who know I’m pregnant).

We had our 16 week doctor’s appointment at the end of last week, and it went great. We listened to the baby’s heartbeat, which was about 150 beats per minute, and scheduled our next BIG appointment — when we’ll find out whether it’s a girl or boy!

On January 25, we’ll have an ultrasound to check out the baby, but instead of having them tell us then and there, we’re going to have them write it down in an envelope. Zach’s dad is taking the envelope to Baskin-Robbins and having them decorate the cake based on the baby’s sex, and we’ll do a big reveal at dinner later that night with our family. I’m going to be going crazy all day with anticipation, but I think it will be worth it to have that fun moment.

What Junebug Got For Christmas

It was a great Christmas in the Rambach household, particularly for the one of us who isn’t born yet. Zach and I got plenty of great presents from each other and our families, of course, but it was great to get a head start on baby supplies and accessories.

The entire box you see above is completely filled with clothes, toys, bath supplies, and other completely adorable (and gender-neutral…notice no pink or blue!?) things for Junebug. But that wasn’t all we got.

I also got some thoughtful baby-related gifts from my students, like these two books. I thought it was so sweet of my student, Annie, to choose two of her favorite books from when she was a baby for Junebug.

Zach received some reading material, too! I absolutely LOVE this book gifted to him from his siblings — it definitely applies to this iEverything addict. I’m going to have to remind him to read it on a regular basis pretty soon. In addition to this book, he also received The Expectant Father and Quarterback Dad: A Play-By-Play Guide To Tackling Your New Baby.

I am in no way whatsoever a fan of football, but Zach is a HUGE Chicago Bears fan. I couldn’t resist picking up a couple cute outfits I came across at Target just before Christmas. We still don’t know whether Junebug is a girl or boy, but I figured they can be worn either way. I think Sadie was a little jealous of all the attention the baby is already receiving, poor puppy.

I didn’t take pictures of ALL our baby-related gifts, but there were lots of others. One of my favorites is the diaper bag my best friend Katie gave me. She is always giving me very extravagant gifts, so I shouldn’t be surprised that it is a Coach bag. I’m going to be a stylish mom…well, at least as far as the diaper bag goes :) I also received plenty of maternity clothes that, in addition to all the clothes my sister-in-law Rebecca gave me, will get me through the rest of my pregnancy.

This is only a taste of being a family with a baby. We were definitely reminded enough times to enjoy the last relatively quiet holiday of our lives. I can only imagine what next Christmas is going to look like!

Seeking Balance in 2013

Hello, 2013!

Here’s the cold, hard truth: the transition from 2012 to 2013 has been a little rough for me. Not because I wasn’t ready for the start of a new year, but because physically, I was in bad shape. I’ve had enough cold bugs in the past that I normally stand up to them like a champ, but this last one got the best of me.

I spent the final three days of 2012 in bed, only getting up to fulfill two performance obligations (including one on New Year’s Eve, when I was at my very worst). There was so much I wanted to do — take down my Christmas decorations, clean my house, write my “2013” song, and get my studio ready for the new semester — but nothing got done. This was one of those rare occasions when I decided to really listen to my body and put my health above all, something I wasn’t used to doing before I was pregnant.

That extra rest paid off, thankfully, and I was ready for my first day back to work yesterday. I’m still not feeling my best, and my voice isn’t nearly back to normal, but I’m thrilled to be functioning as a human being again.

And I’m finally at the point where I can be excited about the start of a brand new year. There is so much to look forward to in 2013; so much, in fact, that I decided not to overwhelm myself with any HUGE goals or resolutions. With my first baby on the way, I need to focus on bringing more BALANCE into my life…something that has eluded me in the past. And that was okay; I could get away with overloading myself with work up until now.

So while I may not be committing to blogging every single day or writing a new song every week in 2013, I am making a promise to set an example in productivity, creativity, and progress in both my work and personal lives…while maintaining my sanity and keeping my stress level to a minimum (both of which where challenged frequently over the last few years!).

My next balancing act of the day involves eating a healthy breakfast, followed by getting to work recording my new “2013” song — well, the instrument parts, at least. I’ll have the finished product here for you just as soon as my voice returns in full. Thanks for being patient, and for following along with my quest for balance in 2013!