Things Lately...

Things lately have kept the Alfaro family quite busy! Of course there are the fun things we've been doing with Ivy... such as learning to "jula-hoop"...

learning to change the oil in Papa's truck...
exercising like Papa...

practicing twirling tricks...

cultivating our green thumbs...

and exploring the wild side...wait...that may not be a "lately" thing...

But then Nanny and Grandpa arrived and the fun really began!

Junk food any time...

each toenail painted a different color...

games of chase (my spry 71-year-old mother)...
flying...

and then we worked in Joseph's graduation weekend, which was the real reason Nanny was here! In the fall, Joseph will be off to Wake Forest to work on his doctorate! I am SO proud of him!

And, through it all, the second trimester began and I felt the little one begin to wiggle around... wow! Fun, family, life... we are so blessed!

Marching in May

Well, things have been slow around the Alfaro home lately! Since Spring Break we've been attempting life with a two-year-old who uses the potty except at night...we won't be going there any time soon... and so far Ivy's had great success (minus one day). She looks really cute in her big girl panties, and they have TinkerBell or Ariel and that's really ALL that matters in life! They're under this dress!

On Saturday we participated in the March for Babies event at a local high school. Our team was small in numbers, but big in love for babies! It was especially sweet for Alex and I, knowing that next year we'll bring a new little one along with us!

Speaking of the new little one... I had my 12 week appointment last week (according to the doctor I'm now 13 weeks 2 days...bring on the energy of the second trimester!!!). This was supposed to be a quick appointment to meet a new doctor and to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. I was REALLY looking forward to that! Well, after waiting for 35 minutes to be seen, the doctor (whom I really like) could not find the heartbeat. Since Ivy had jumped on my stomach with both feet the night before, I couldn't get the 'what if' out of the back of my mind...but in the front of my mind was the fact that this little one is meant to be! After everything we've already been through, I'm certain that God's hand is in this! Since we couldn't hear the heartbeat, I had another ultrasound to see it. What I saw was simply amazing. There was a heartbeat, but it was beating in the chest of REAL little baby. Gone is the peanut, the polka dot, the blip...what we have now is a little being with a head, body, arms, hands, legs, and feet. Later I realized all the more miraculous is that the picture I have is nearly life-sized. What miraculous creations God designs!
I haven't changed a lot, although compared to my pregnancy with Ivy I've changed A LOT! I haven't gained any weight, but I have a tiny little bump (but that's what I had at 20 weeks with Ivy). I have a couple of dear friends far away, and one close by ;), who have requested a better job with photo updates than I did with Ivy. I promised to try...

and yes, I changed my hair. I think I've figured out a better way to fix it, but I want you to know what it was supposed to look like...

Yeah, she missed the boat on this cut. It's okay. It's hair. It'll grow, but I felt I had to justify myself!