Nolan's 1st bath and 1st visitors

Grandpa Thelen

Grandma and Grandpa Thelen came all the way from Michigan and waited patiently for the arrival of their first grandbaby. It was really special to share this moment with them.

He loves being in the water. This made daddy very happy!

The newest and most precious Thelen

Proud daddy.

Mommy and baby after being all cleaned up. I never want to let this little boy go.

Yes, that is what you think it is. Jason was very impressed by this.

Nolan Carlyle Thelen was born on his due date at just over 9 lbs, 20 inches long, and a 14" head. He is more solid and has a newborn strength that I never would have imagined, even after all of those late night kickboxing matches he had given me.

After 15 hours of labor (all natural!), I finally get to hold the wonderful being that has been growing, and obviously thriving in my tummy. I am in heaven.

The Final Days

My last belly shot - about 4 days before giving birth and after officially being put on bedrest. Bring on the baby!!

Thanksgiving Weekend - 39 weeks!

To top off a nice long turkey day weekend we decided to take Anna for a spin out to the gorge and enjoy breakfast with a view along with the golden rays of a rare sunny Sunday in November.

Getting bigger.... but no signs of dropping!

The family, more sunshine, and our little noble Christmas tree.

Almost cooked - 38 weeks

Well, we are at the 2 week mark to our 'guess' date! I officially can no longer see my toes, and often sport a nice set of cankles on a daily basis at this point, especially after a work day. They are lovely! I know that Remy would like me to post a picture of them, but that just ain't gonna happen. Our last appointment indicated signs that we have begun making some progress, but nothing to get too excited about. It is looking like I will still be a butterball myself come Thanksgiving.

Halloween at Fort Stevens - 34 Weeks

A local trick or treater looking for someone to play with. Belu didn't know what to think.

Some morning fog at the lake before a beautiful fall blue bird sky day.

Belu enjoying some breakfast in the warm coziness of the camper.

Our first night camping with the big boys! Little Anna proved to be tiny but mighty!

A close up of the tilt-top.

The Tilt-top Thelen's first of many adventures with Anna!

The proud papa!

Baby Shower - 33 Weeks

The baby shower consisted of a beautiful afternoon with wonderful friends, great food, mimosas, bloody maries, and many amazing and thoughtful gifts for the baby.

Me and my new 'Brest Friend.' Apparantly this doubles as a great man tray and is even equipped with a pouch to carry a nice cold beer!

Haleigh and Megan tangled up in the Sleep Wrap. I can't wait to hold our baby close in this soft mass of cloth!

Meet little Lamby - hand picked by a nostalgic Lee.

Me and Critter - the hostess with the mostess!

Introducing... Anna Sandtana!

We'll take a break this week from the usual belly madness to introduce the newest member of our family - Miss Anna Sandtana. She is a lovely low mileage Toyota camper straight from the 80's.

31 Weeks

Belu loving her new pillows! The baby really gets a rolling and kicking when B lays like this. I am guessing that Belu either enjoys it too or she is just working on her tolerance levels b/c she never moves from it. I really treasure these moments.

30 Weeks and counting!

During my mom's short visit we took a trip to Sauvie's Island and found this pumpkin that was just about my size (it was nearly 15 lbs!). It was a perfect fall day for a trip to the island and was topped off by the most delicious caramel apple ever!

29 Weeks

Belu admiring her momma, or maybe just begging to be let on the couch?

Not much new to report... The belly has officially surpassed the chest, and I not only survived but also passed my 4 hour glucose test (aka 17 hours of torture).

Lake Chelan - 29 weeks

The view from the finish - Lake Chelan - the 3rd deepest lake in the world!

Jason setting up for the race finish.

The happy pregnant Cheesemonger in Leavenworth.

Jason digging into his 'Big Bob' with all the fixin's.

A race timing event and an early anniversary getaway took us to the gorgeous area of Lake Chelan, WA for the weekend. We didn't have much time to truly 'vacation', but we managed to squeeze in a quick trip to Leavenworth for a brat (nitrate free for me!) and picked up some cheese and chocolate port (to save for celebration after baby arrives) while we were there. We also had an amazing dinner at one of the many local wineries and listened to some live music on the lake at our campground. It was probably our last camping trip until the baby arrives, and it couldn't have been more perfect of weather or more beautiful of a location.

28 Week Belly

Labor Day Trip to Colorado

With three months to go, we got on a plane and headed to the Rockies for the very special wedding of our friends Megan and Lee, and for one last big trip before hunkering down for the last trimester. We spent most of our weekend in the Winter Park area, but also explored Estes Park and Boulder. We attempted our first hike near Winter Park (pics at bottom of post) where we drove 14 miles on a 'good' dirt road, gave the rental car a minor beating, and probably made the baby feel like it was in a snow globe for a couple of hours. We persevered to the trailhead only to have driven right to the center of a storm cloud that brought thunder, lighting, and hail and dettered us from the hike itself. This adventure wasn't quite enough, so we decided to take a detour through Estes Park on our way back to Denver. This time, we were able to hike the tundra before another fall storm moved in on us. The beauty at the top was worth every cold gasping breath needed to reach that +12,000 ft elevation. We felt like we had taken our baby to the top of the world.

24 Week Belly - Ever Expanding!

We are nearing the end of the 2nd trimester! The doctor appt. went well today. Nothing new to report except I have officially put on my first 20 lbs of pregnancy weight. Wow! Other than that great piece of news, belly is measuring normal, baby's heartbeat is still good and strong, and mama is still feeling really good!

Baby Mooning in Tofino, B.C.

The Shipwreck - the most perfect home away from home. From the amazing details, the way the windows captured the daylight, the peace and quiet, and the sound of the ocean in the distance, we could not have hoped for more. We will definitely return with the baby someday in the future.

Jason living his dream and taking a surfing lesson. He was a natural and an animal on the waves!

I skipped the surfing and opted for less action in lieu of more relaxation. Have you ever had a bubble bath under the afternoon sun? It was spectactular!

This is one of the many driftwood structures built along Long Beach that we claimed as our own. We couldn't believe how fortunate we were to have 80 degree weather and sunshine for the majority of the trip. What a great escape from the record breaking heat in Portland!

This is a picture of me and my 21 week belly during our first day of vacation in Victoria. We were so tired from our previous evening in Seattle that we spent most of the day in this park napping under an enormous tree listening to some jazz. Afterwards we had fish and chips and ice cream. It was pure vacation bliss. The baby must have enjoyed it too as that night is the first time we really felt it kick. It has been moving nonstop ever since!