Owen's Monkey Business

Our little moonbeam will be born during the Chinese Year of the Ox, which begins tomorrow, Jan. 26, 2009! As G. notes in the comments of this post, last year it was Feb. 7, and next year it will start on Valentine's Day! You can read more about the characteristics of those born during this time here or here You will notice if you read all the way down in the second link that the parent-child relationship between Rats and Oxen receives 4 asterisks, indicating that they are "on the same wavelength" and that the parents are noble while the child is respectable---Derek and I are Rats!! 2009 is the Year of the Earth Ox which seems especially auspicious since (according to the second link): THE EARTH OX 1949 AND 2009 The most reliable and diligent Oxen belong to this collection of Oxen. The Earth element balances many of their negative characteristics. These Oxen are show good judgement, a good characteristic for successful financial dealings. Other people tend to look up to...

Our crib bedding, Bunny Meadows We decided to go get it today, so we can match the paint color and get started on this nursery! We had pretty much decided on it a couple weeks ago, and now we've decided for sure! We are not getting the valance, hamper, or mobile though. It's organic and just adorable but simple! Thanks, Joe~we decided to use your holiday gift for this! Bunny wall art Bunny throw pillows Six piece set

........................ ...................... ........................... ......................... ........................ ....................... ....................... ........................ wait for it... ********************************************************* ********************************************************* BOY! We are thrilled to announce that we are having a baby boy! pix to follow

So I've been feeling the bubble movements since week 16- pretty early to feel it for a first time pregnancy but I chalk that up to being pretty in tune with my body from yoga etc. Well, of course Derek has been excited and anxious for his turn to feel it from outside and we were figuring about 23 weeks onward for that according to what we've read. But tonight I had some orange juice diluted with cold water around 8 pm and baby started moving pretty strongly so D put his hand over and there was a pretty strong one that he felt! He kept it there for a bit and he actually felt it a few different times! wow! so we looked it up and 19 weeks is early for that but not unheard of! So he's psyched! A day and a half before the big ultrasound.

Right now, the nursery is lavender, but we are leaning toward repainting it pale moss green. It will match the chocolate brown carpet beautifully, and some of the bedding we've been eyeing is the moss or sage green and brown. A few of you have been asking about colors, so I would say we're 90% sure we will be going with the light green/brown, regardless of boy/girl. More on nursery later... The color palette looks a little different on the monitor, more beige/gray than green, but try adjusting your monitor until you can see it better.