Yikes!

It's been 2 months since my last post! Well, let me tell you that plenty of things have been happening in the Little household.

This baby of ours that we have so proudly and excitedly named Alexander David (we're going to call him Xander) is growing so much! I had my last doctor's appointment on Nov. 17 and all is going well. Xander seems healthy with a heartbeat of 140, my blood pressure is good, there's no protein in my urine, and I feel fine! Xander moves so much now. He seems to have always been a mover; I felt his first movements at about 16 weeks and David was able to feel his first movement just one week later. But nothing compares to what he does now. You can see my tummy jump every once in a while and I feel him so often. This is such a blessing to me and helps me know that all is going well with my little son. I'm two weeks into my third trimester and I'm looking forward to every moment of it!

Just a couple of weeks ago I returned from an amazing trip to New York City with my "girls". My mom, Ame, Erin, Becky and I all ventured to the Big Apple for shows and excitement. We definitely had both! We walked until we thought our feet would fall off and we laughed until we saw stars. Speaking of stars, Becky and I are sure that we saw Salma Hayek in FAO Schwartz! We went to see Wicked, my all-time favorite musical, and Hairspray. We were able to see George Wendt's (you know Norm from Cheers?) last performance as the mom in Hairspray. It was great! We also went to Radio City Music Hall to see Radio City's Christmas Spectacular...and they're right! It was truly spectacular! We went to Ground Zero and saw all of the construction that they're doing there now. We shopped and ate and ate some more. We went to Grand Central Station and to a Street Fair. We saw the New York Public Library and the Chrystler Building. We rode the Subway to the Museum of Natural History. We walked around the museum for a few hours and saw so many great things! Mom, Ame and Becky were even on the Today Show! What a great time we had! I am so thankful for the time I had with all of them. It was so special to take a trip with such wonderful women. I'm reminded each time I see or talk to any of them how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family - natural and in-laws.

I definitely have the most wonderful husband. When I returned home (around 11pm - much later than we anticipated due to a late flight) he was there waiting for me. He'd made dessert for me, a yummy chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. He had bought flowers and set them up on the coffee table so that they were the first thing I saw when I walked into the house. He had cleaned the house and touched up the paint in our bathroom, a project that he had so selflessly taken on since I'm not allowed to help paint anymore. And on top of all of that he had bought a TV for me that he had hung on the wall and set up perfectly. This was his anniversary gift to me. We were married four years on November 27, Thanksgiving day this year. I am so proud to be his wife! He takes care of me tirelessly and loves me endlessly. Just one more reason that I feel so blessed!

Guess what!?!?

It's a boy!!! David and I went to the doctor yesterday to have our mid-pregnancy ultrasound and 20 week check-up. David missed our first ultrasound experience, so I was so thankful to have him there to experience it live and see our baby actually move around inside. And our baby is a mover! The technician taking the ultrasound called him a "wiggly worm" and had to chase after him to get some good shots. But she sure got some good ones! She had asked us beforehand if we wanted to know the baby's sex and we both said we did. Once she was in the process of looking at the baby she said, "Are you sure you want to know the sex?" And David and I both kind of looked at each other and said, "I think we already do!" It was very obvious...our little boy is not shy! It was such a great moment. She continued to look around and show us different things. His heart is beating well (150 bpm) and we saw his chest cavity. His skull is forming nicely and his spine looks good, they said. I think my favorite picture is when he pressed his foot against my tummy. You can see his little foot and his teeny tiny toes. It's so great!

I have to say that David was convinced this baby was going to be a girl, but was so pleasantly surprised to find out he's a boy. David doesn't really show his excitement about a lot of things, but he is ecstatic about having a son. I'm so happy that he's getting his wish to have a boy first!

My feelings were much more confused than David's. I was happy to know we're having a boy, especially for David, and was so excited to see our baby again. I feel so much closer to him (can I get any closer? LOL) when I can actually see him move and see his parts formed together. But I was a little nervous, and have to admit that I still am. I was praying that God would help me get used to the idea of having a boy. I've wanted a boy and I'm glad we're having one, but I don't know boys as well as I know girls. I definitely know how to relate to girls better. I have nephews and dads and brothers and a husband, but I'm not a boy. So when I prayed and said to God, "Help me be excited to have a son," it was only because I'm a little scared. But it took only seconds for me to know that this is exactly the way God wants it. God immediately reminded me of Psalm 139:13-14. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Those were the words that God gave me to assure me that this is what he orchestrated. And his "works are wonderful." I certainly can't argue with that! And then he reminded me that, like Mary, I get to experience what it's like to have a son. There's no bond like that between mother and son. I don't know that bond yet, but I will. And I'm so glad. So very glad!

So, cheers! All is well in our Little family!

So blessed!

I have to say thank you to my husband. He is such a wonderful man and definitely the perfect man for me. He is so patient, loyal and wise. I have not been the easiest to live with lately, yet he takes it in stride. His love and commitment to me have shown through over the last few weeks. He constantly makes sure I'm comfortable and well cared for. He's been cleaning the house and taking care of tasks that typically I would take care of...and he does it all without complaint.

I cannot wait to have his child. I want to have a son just like him - even though he probably doesn't believe that because sometimes he does exasperate me. But just because David's not like me, I respect him all the more for it and would likewise love our child that much more. And if we have a daughter, well she can be just like him, too :)

Thank you, David, and I love you so much. Today and always.

Emotions and Hormones

Everyone keeps asking David how I'm doing with my emotions since becoming pregnant. His response is typically, "She's no more emotional than usual." If you know me, really at all, then you know that if strong emotions are a key indicator of pregnancy then I've been pregnant many, many times, mostly for my whole life. I'm just an emotional being. I really believe that God made me that way, but I also know I have to keep it tightly under control lest it get the best of me (and everyone around me). Of course I need God's help to do that. And I'm not always the best at asking for help...

So I've had a couple of strange outbursts. And I admit, I know when they're irrational and completely out of the blue. Like when I told David I would need my mom around after the birth because she would know how to care for me. (I had just read all of the oh-so-unpleasant things that you have to heal from after birth.) And in the process of this normal request and conversation I just burst into tears. Or when I started crying about my new cell phone because I just knew I wasn't going to have enough minutes to talk (even though I have more than I ever had on the other phone!).

First, you have to understand that it is not unlike me to have strange outbursts. I guess in these instances I've just realized they're strange. :)

But last night was the worst yet. And it's lasted into today. I realize I'm being irrational, but I can't seem to take control over my emotions. I've just felt weepy and sad ever since I woke up. And I cried until I fell asleep last night, too. I woke up in the middle of the night because I was thirsty. I honestly believe I had depleted my fluids because of so much crying! So, pray for me, folks. I really need it today.

NYC in the fall

I'm soooo excited!!! I received a wonderful surprise last weekend from my mom and Ame. They're taking me, Becky and Erin to New York City this fall!! I cannot wait! It's going to be an awesome girls' weekend with some of my favorite people. And considering I'll be 26 weeks pregnant at the time, it will probably be one of the last girls' weekends I'll have for awhile!

We're planning on going to some broadway shows while we're there. Hopefully Wicked, Hairspray and Godspell.


The details are still being worked out, but it will be so great!

As for our other activities, I'm not sure what we'll be doing. We've all been to NYC before, so there's really no need to hit all the tourist attractions. I certainly could see them again because they truly are amazing, but we'll just have to wait and see. Honestly, it doesn't matter too much to me what we do as long as we're doing it together.

We leave on November 8th and return on the 11th. I've never been to NYC in the fall. I definitely think I'll like it :)

Is that really kicking?

So yesterday I was standing and talking to two of my friends and co-workers. I'm listening to one of them tell a story (I work in the library with storytellers, of course it was a good one) and all of a sudden I feel this movement in my lower abdomen. Have you ever been really hungry and been able to feel your heartbeat in your stomach? Maybe this is some weird phenomenon for me because David says that's never happened to him. Anyway, that's what it felt like, only it was way down low...where the baby would be. It was this repetitive movement that lasted maybe 4 or 5 seconds. I've heard that sometimes first-time moms will mistake gas for the baby moving. Believe me, people, I've had gas and it's never felt like that before! I don't know if it really was the baby moving, but I choose to believe it was. I haven't been able to feel anything since, but I'm just so happy that there's another life inside me. I can't wait to feel it kick even more and continue this bonding time with my child! Soon after I feel it more consistently I'll be so excited to share those movements with David and the rest of my family and friends. If this baby's anything like me, we'll have a gymnast on our hands and there will be no problems with other people being able to feel the movements, too. :)

The Big News

So, here's the news I've been waiting over 2 months to share. I'm pregnant!! I'm going to be a mom. It's the thing I've wanted more than anything in my whole life. And it's going to happen in 6 months! I just can't believe it. There have been so many things that have happened in my life that I'm incredibly thankful for. This ranks in the top 3. So, my due date is February 18, 2009. I'm 13 weeks along right now. Things are going very smoothly. Except for being incredibly tired, I haven't been sick at all for which I'm very glad. Apparently it runs in my family since niether my sister nor my mom suffered from morning sickness. Things really are going well!

David and I are still adjusting to the idea of being parents. Even though both of us want this wholeheartedly, the fact that this is going to happen takes some getting used to. Sometimes I think David really won't believe it's happening until I start to grow, but I think since he's been able to tell some of his friends he's really started believing it more. Just last week we got to hear our baby's heartbeat on Doppler, so I think that made it more real for him, too. It was truly incredible.

So, folks, prepare to welcome Baby Little into the world in about 6 months. It will be an amazing moment. I'll do my best to keep you updated on all the exciting moments leading up to the big day!

It's a Wonderful Life

Fwd: other pics from beach....
Originally uploaded by elittl304

I truly had a great weekend that just passed. David was in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge with some friends, so I decided to take a trip home to see my family in Mocksville. I hadn't been there in about 2 months, so perhaps that's why it was such a special visit. I was able to spend great time with my mom and JD, as well as my sister, Erin, and her kids, Kaitlyn and Patrick. I also saw David's mom and sister while I was there.
I sometimes forget what it feels like to go home and have the nostalgia of what home has always meant come rushing back to me. I didn't grow up in the house where my parents now live. True, I did live there for 2 years after college, but that certainly wasn't a large part of my life...but it was important. I go home now and I go to my room (which looks almost completely different) and I stand at the window seat looking out the window and realize how blessed I really am. My mom always made our house a home. It's always so inviting and warm. I love having her around. She's one of the most comforting and loving people I know. She doesn't smother. In fact, I've often accused her of doing just the opposite. But she is full of love. She loves her children, her husband, her grandchildren, her sons-in-law, and her friends. It exudes from her and surrounds those who are in her presence.
So, thanks Mom. Thanks for being such a wonderful example of what a mom should be like. Thanks for always loving, supporting, and encouraging me. You're the best and I love you.

Avenue Q

Last night was an interesting experience. David and I went to see "Avenue Q" at the Belk theatre in uptown Charlotte with Scott and Mindie, some friends of ours. Here are some facts about the show. It won the Tony award in 2004, beating out my personal, all-time favorite musical, "Wicked". The main characters are puppets, similar to the cute muppets we grew up with on Sesame Street. But let me tell you, this show is unlike anything you will EVER see on Sesame Street! I recommend this musical for mature audiences only. I wouldn't even take my teenager to see it (if I had one).

I know that David, Scott and Mindie really enjoyed the show. Where I enjoyed it, I didn't laugh nearly as much as they did. I guess I'm just old-fashioned at heart. As much as I try to fit in and enjoy more "modern" humor, it's just not that funny to me. Now, let me clear things up a bit. The song "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist" was funny. BUT, I guess it also saddens my heart just a bit because it's true. I'm such an idealist and romantic that I want everyone to get along! Why do we have to be even a little bit racist?

The song "The More You Ruv Someone" is quite funny...mainly because I can relate to it! Pre-marriage I might've been schocked by this with my romanticist ideals, but now I know that it's really pretty accurate. Here are some of the lyrics:

The more you love someone,
The more you want to kill ‘em.
The more you love someone,
The more he make you cry

I have to admit that it was pretty funny.

At least Princeton, one of the main characters, is an optimist, too. Like most of us, he's searching for his purpose in life. Here's his first song, "What Do You Do With a BA in English?":

What do you do with a B.A. in English,
What is my life going to be?
Four years of college and plenty of knowledge,
Have earned me this useless degree.

I can't pay the bills yet,
'Cause I have no skills yet,
The world is a big scary place.

But somehow I can't shake,
The feeling I might make,
A difference,
To the human race.

Well, I guess I know more about my purpose than most people. I don't always know what career I'll have and I don't know what will happen in my future, but what I do know is that God loves me no matter what. He sent Jesus to this earth so that I could be in relationship with Him. How awesome is that? I guess a piece of me wanted to tell that to the poor little puppets who had lost their way. We're so like that, aren't we? We need purpose and direction. God can give us all of that and so much more.

Dr. Horrible

There are few people in this world who are as creative, talented and hilarious as Joss Whedon. Well, he's done it again, folks! Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. In fact, David and I watched it 3 times in a row. With Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion as superheroes (or super-villains as the case may be), who could go wrong! Good stuff. Unfortunately for those of you who haven't seen it yet, the free viewing is no longer available. BUT, you can get all three mini-episodes for only $3.99. Totally worth it.

I don't want to be a spoiler, but Joss Whedon's style comes through in the end, so be prepared. The tunes will get stuck in your head and you'll be humming them constantly. But let's face it, "a man's got to do what a man's got to do."

What do you do?

I seem to be getting this question posed to me quite often lately, so I've decided (there I go deciding again) to do my best to explain. I work at the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County. Yes, we have one of the longest names of any library in the country. My title is Program Specialist. Of course my old boss called me Program Specialist Extraordinaire, which I quite prefer. I work in the Youth & Outreach Services department where we...can you guess? Do outreach in the community and also work closely with youth services.

So what does this mean for me? I am a woman of many hats. Would anyone like one because I will gladly sell. Don't get me wrong, I do love it!

I provide programs. I typically go to the branches and offer programs that are new, different and exciting. I've offered programs like Webkinz, Family Portrait Day, Picture Book Clubs, and Noisy Storytime. I do go out in the community at times and offer storytimes, gaming programs, and festivals.

Another major part of my job is working on Large Literacy Initiatives.
We offered a great program back in the winter/spring called Paint the Town Read. It was quite the adventure to encourage families, single adults, children, and teens to have 5 reading experiences. What is a reading experience, you ask? Well, pretty much anything you read can be an experience! We ended the program the last day of National Library Week which happened to be April 18th this year. Our Red/Read Party was a hit! It was a fun program, but man am I glad it's over :)

Right now we are in the midst of Summer Reading. This is our biggest literacy initiative we offer all year, especially for children. We have great incentives for reading and offer many programs in 21 of our branches. Check it out! For my part, I order all of our prizes, make sure each branch has what they need, make sure our publicity is correct and the information on the website is accurate. This started last November with the wording of our reading records and deciding on the graphics we wanted to use.

The last large initiative that I hold high responsibilities for is the children's portion of Novello. Each year we invite about 10 different children's authors and/or illustrators to come to our library. They visit our schools for two days and then we culminate the week with our Book Brunch and Wordplay Saturday. Book Brunch allows children, parents, and teachers to ask our panel of authors and illustrators questions about their work and what they do. Wordplay Saturday is brought to you by your local library branches! We hire performers and use our own talents, as well, to fill the streets of uptown Charlotte with literacy, activities and fun! This is a wonderful part of my job. It takes a lot of work and preparation, but the outcomes are a sight to see. :) Our children's authors and illustrators this year are Deborah Gregory, Charles Smith, Jr., Margaret Haddix, Frank Remkiewicz, Lucia Gonzalez, Cynthia Kadohata, Jay Asher, AM Jenkins, Josh Elder, Gabrielle Zevin, and Ellen Hopkins.

So, that's a basic start to what I do! I have to say that working in the library is far more exciting and contagious than I ever thought it would be. And this is coming from a girl who thought, "I love kids and I love books, so maybe I should work in a library?" And that's what I do.

Great intentions

Man, I look over this and I think, "But I have the best of intentions!" The only problem is that I love to start things and never finish them. I've done that with so many things in my life. I don't know how many projects I have at my house right now that are just half finished. But I have great intentions. Well, now is the time. I've decided (as I so often do...David laughs at me and calls me "The Decider") that I will be better about this. I'll have no excuses and I'll do my best to post fun, meaningful and hopefully interesting blogs that everyone will enjoy...we'll see how well this works.

Family Portrait Day

07_books
Originally uploaded by illustrator_ian

I recently started a new program with PLCMC called Family Portrait Day. Thanks to Tony Tallent for the idea. Ian Nguyen is the awesome photographer who did this picture and so many more! It has been an amazing experience to see families so enthusiastic about having their pictures made and receiving the CD of all their pictures plus a 5x7 of one photo totally free! They signed a release form that allows us to use these photos for our promotional materials. It's so great to see our community so well represented in these photos. Thanks to all who participated and check out your local library to see when this program will be coming your way!