Avocado, Onion, Green Pepper, & Tomato. Guacamole, or GIRL?!

Lil' Baby Matthies has moved on from fruit and been working her way through the vegetable section lately.  By vegetable, I mean veggies that sound a lot like a guacamole recipe!  But even bigger than that - I can now officially say "she" - we found out Monday that we are having a baby girl.  We are so excited.  The ultrasound was a great experience, and our tech was awesome. She spent about 30 minutes with us starting at the top of baby's head, showing us the parts of the brain, onto the lungs and the chambers of the heart. We even got to see red and blue flowing through the veins where the blood flowed to and from the heart. Ultrasound technology sure is advanced these days!

She worked her way through each arm and leg, the stomach, and we got to see baby's beautiful profile. I've heard that the profile is really indicative of how they look when they come out! If that's the case, we're going to have a tiny little peanut with a cute little button nose.  Baby weighed in at 11 ounces and about 6 inches long - the tech said she's about the size and weight of a can of pop!  Then we made it down to the butt, where we got to see two little buns and confirmed that yes - indeed, SHE is a GIRL.  Of course I was like, "Are you SURE?" This seems to be my reaction to most news lately - starting when Jake proposed, to the news we were pregnant, and now this.  Yes, she said we could go home and plan for pink.

It's still shocking to me that Baby Girl Matthies is only an eighth of the weight she will be when born, and about a quarter of the length.  We've got lots of growing to do in this second half.  Lots of people have asked how I've been feeling - the answer is that overall, I feel great!  I'm trying to focus my efforts this next month on finishing school, as I have 10 night left of school and will finish mid-December.  It's true the second trimester is much easier than the first, and I'm hoping by the third trimester I will just be so focused on planning and getting things ready that it will fly by.  Jake has been very supportive and caring.  Yesterday we registered at Babies R Us and Target, and it was pretty comical how neither of us really felt like we knew what we were doing.  It was a whole lot of "Do you like this?" "Sure." and "Does she need one of these?" "Hmm, why not?" We'll get this thing down sooner or later, but the learning process, bumps and challenges along the way will make the journey that much more exciting. :)

Where I'm From

It always helps to understand where people are coming from. It uses the same brain and heart muscles as assuming positive intent.  Far too often, we don't take the time to understand where one another comes from. By this, I don't mean big family, small family, farm town, or city - but really the true makeup of WHO WE ARE.  At the retreat, we were asked to write a poem using the structure that has been used by George Ella Lyon and others. In the effort of sharing, here is the poem I wrote about myself.  I think it's a great activity for you to partake in too, on one of these lovely fall days!

I am from twin-like sisters,
The leader to "Little Miss Me Too."
I am from rental homes
And blue school buses,
Armed with mosquito nets and bunk beds,
Parked in rural campgrounds along the way.


I am from road trips to Yellowstone
Where we checked off state license plates,
Kept score in family games, 
And closely encountered the grand bison.


I am "the little girl with the big brain"
From a long line of perfectionist planners and know-it-alls,
A lover of Math AND English
Who played foursquare and hopscotch,
Jumped rope and built forts,
Spending energy competing with myself
Above all else.


I am from The GANG -
A tightly knit nuclear family
From grandparents who loved us deeply,
Celebrating Christmas Eve in Austin
Late night music, bonfires, and games
The Wires Family
That ends with my sister and me.


I am from the photographic memory
That forever keeps it etched in my mind
As though it were all just yesterday.

Food for the Soul

This weekend I was lucky enough to participate in a Courage and Renewal Retreat, put on by the (formerly known as) Center for Vocational Reflection at Gustavus, for Gustie Alumni (and friends).  I was also lucky enough to share the retreat experience with my good friend Emily.  It was at Prairie Oaks Institute in Belle Plaine, and I'll tell you many more details in these upcoming posts.  I was given PLENTY of things to share with you over the next couple weeks!  I'm still processing a lot of it, but for starters, I wanted to share a paragraph from a poem called "Camas Lilies," by Lynn Ungar.

"And you, what of your rushed and
useful life? Imagine setting it all down-
papers, plans, appointments, everything-
leaving only a note: 'Gone 
to the fields to be lovely. Be back
when I'm through with blooming.' "


More to come for sure, but in the meantime, know that I had an awesome weekend that was grounded in these thoughts!  My life is so rushed, and I like to think, so useful.  But what about letting it all go for awhile?  How awesome can it be to take an undefined amount of time to be lovely?!


I hope you had as great a weekend as I did. :)

Strawberry, Plum, Lime, Lemon, Peach, Apple = Fruit Salad?

Baby Matthies has been making his or her way through the produce section lately. Honestly, the past month has been AWESOME - exactly 1 month go today we went "public" with news of the little one in my tummy. It's funny, everywhere I go people are asking, "How are you feeling?" I didn't realize so many people would ask this question! I guess it's common, but I feel like I'm always updating people on my current state. It's nice to know how many care. In truth, I feel great! It's been an easy month. Very little nausea, no more tired than usual, and I've been able to buy some fun maternity clothes (even at a consignment shop with my dear friend Crystal!) The fetus just surpassed apple size just in time for fall. This week, we're looking more like an avocado in length and weight.

I feel like my belly has really popped even in the last week. A few people have even looked at my belly and given me the questioning look, like "You're pregnant, right?" as opposed to me just thinking people notice on their own. Last night I am 90% sure I felt the first flutters of baby movement. It was like a butterfly flutter or popcorn popping, which is very much like what the books describe. The same thing happened tonight, and although I can't completely distinguish it, I think it's really true!!

9 months seems like a long time to be pregnant at first glance, but the fact that 4 of those months have already come and gone is somewhat surreal. I feel that I have been pregnant for awhile, but the idea of having little Baby Matthies here in 5 short months is still mind-boggling! We have a lot to do to get ready.

Final update: Oct 24 we will learn the gender of the baby! I keep thinking about how the truth is already there - the baby is already girl or boy, but it's just a secret to us. An important secret the baby is holding onto for now, until we get to share in that knowledge in just 3 more weeks. We can hardly wait.