Christmas 2012

It seems the more pregnant I become, the less photos I manage to snap. Case in point, Christmas.  I guess we were all too busy enjoying wonderful company, relaxing with a fire and good food.

We did get one of Major enjoying his new favorite toy, tizzy. He hasn't stopped playing with it since Christmas morning.

And here is a family shot with the Christmas tree.

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas too!  

Week 30: Water Baby

This week, with some prompting from Mat, I discovered swimming to be the most relaxing and wonderful prenatal workout. Hopefully one day, our little guy will be a water baby like his daddy.  

Thanks to Michele for this precious photo!!

Holiday Cheer

Sending Holiday Cheer to friends and family near and far.  May the wonder and grace that make this season bright bring you joy! All our love xoxo 

Meet Jeffrey

The newest addition to our nursery is a large, stuffed giraffe that Mat named Jeffrey.  We just hope our little guy likes him half as much as Major does! 

Showering Baby Leanderson

We love living in Charlotte, but it was hard to leave Chicago after such a memorable weekend with friends and family. Our Moms and sisters hosted a beautiful baby shower to celebrate Baby Leanderson and we feel so blessed to have a community of people, albeit states away, that love and support us so much.

The details were thoughtful and the food was fantastic, but it was the people that made the party.  A special thanks to everyone who traveled from out of state to celebrate with us!

Visitors came in from DC; Mat's Aunt Kris, Kirsten, Ben and Kate flew in.

My Aunt Linda and cousin Lauren drove in from St. Louis


And some of my best friends came in from Indianapolis just for the occasion! Plus, meeting baby Eli was a highlight of the trip.

Friends and family from the Chicago area all came too!

The hosts outdid themselves with special details:

Guests left us wishes and advice hung on branches and this pretty bunting was handmade of blue and white seersucker which I adore!

Blue and white touches were also on the tables and decor.

And as for the food! One of my favorite things was the adorable yogurt bar they put together. Mason jars were filled with my favorite greek yogurt and there were plenty of yummy toppings!

As a nod to my sweet tooth, the brunch also featured other favorites such as french toast casserole, cinnamon buns and each guest took home an animal themed sugar cookie. 

This little guy is already spoiled with love- it was a weekend for the memory books!

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving felt like a personification of all that the holiday stands for.  We welcomed Mat's family to Charlotte and toasted an abundance of things to be grateful for- beautiful weather, a loving family, Kate's joyful laughter, a little one on the way, delicious food and the ability to all be together for the holidays.

We brined the Turkey for the first time and loved the results.

Our table was set with Mat's grandma's china

And, of course, we had lots of fun with Kate!

I must have had so much fun that I forgot to take any pictures of our food. But, I assure you it was delicious.  Eating for two was a delightful task!

We made the best of the beautiful Charlotte weather and enjoyed lots of park time.

And trail walking.

We loved having our home full of family and are SO thankful that they made the trip.
More pictures here!

Family Photos

Last weekend, our friend and photographer, Kristen Montgomery, graciously squeezed us in for a pre-holiday photo session. Her beautiful backyard was the perfect place to capture some family images; Major even decided to cooperate for a few.

More here.  

Week 23

I have a sneaking suspicion that Lebaby enjoyed yoga today as much as his mama.  My savasana was met with a rousing burst of seemingly jubilant kicks.  

Perhaps, he'll be a born yogis?!

Week 21

This week's highlights included:

• Celebrating being over the halfway mark
• A visit from Grandma and Grandpa Gerber
• Dad feeling you kick for the first time!
• Indulging my cravings in more cinnamon rolls... and still more grilled cheese and tomato soup
• Assembling the crib and painting the nursery
• A trip to Janie and Jack for baby's first smocking ;)

Boy oh Boy!

Week 16

We're so excited for our little pumpkin to arrive!

Week 13 Letter to Baby

Sweetest, this week you returned from a trip across the world.  An adventure in Turkey was just what you needed to grow into a noticeable bump on my belly.  You must have liked all the sunshine and mezze I ate on the trip.  

Goreme was a magical place filled with hot air balloons and fairy chimneys. 

 Here you are in Istanbul at the Topkapi Palace! 

Week 10 Letter to Baby

They say the sweetest sound on earth is a baby's noises, it’s first cooing and rapture at the world. I’m sure that yours will be particularly atoning and I fondly look forward to those days.

This week, the sweetest sounds ringing in my ears have been the delight and joy met by our announcement.  The warmth and love with which you will be brought into this world, not only from your mom and dad, but a community of family and friends, has doubled my heart in size. 

You received your first gifts this week and I received a baby carriage charm to add to my bracelet. Major has also taken to resting his head on my belly, a behavior that seems to clearly signify an early bonding with you. These have been precious moments that seem to freeze time.  

Week 9 Letter to Baby

image via 

Car windows down, high-fiving the hot summer wind a grin spread across my face.  You were no larger than a gummy bear, so memories not yet to hold, I urged myself to remember the moment.  Life is hitting you in the face with happiness I thought to myself-- it was a transcendent event that impacted me greatly.  

Your life has already filled me with so much joy.  I can hardly wait to share with you what it’s like to drive with the music on, wind in your hair and remember one day the moment I realized how blessed and sublimely happy it felt to know you were mine. 

Week 4 Letter to Baby

The moment I learned that you were growing inside me, time seemed to be suspended in air.  It is a moment that took my breath away from the sheer force of hope, fear, love and joy colliding together.  Your Dad, standing beside me, erupted in an uncharacteristic burst of tears.  The seconds that elapsed shortly thereafter are forever to be a milestone in my life.  Your life immediately changed mine. 

I didn’t sleep at all that night. Time stood still with cloudlike questions floating in my head.  Hardly able to believe that all our hoping and praying for this day to come had actually arrived—we are going to be parents!  Now what?

Cautiously optimistic seems to be the road suggested for first time parents. A fervent, pervasive thought from that moment on has been a wish for you to grow healthy and happy. And while we couldn’t share with the world our happiness, for those moments you were our most cherished secret. 

First Comes Love...

The inaugural post on this blog is a milestone for our family.  Today we celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary and the love that has taken us on the amazing journey of expecting the arrival of a baby!

What an amazing five years it has been!

We'd like to think of this as our keepsake album to look back on and enjoy for years to come. We hope that family and friends will enjoy following along on the adventures that are sure to follow with the Leanderson clan.

All our love,
Mat, Meg & Major