May 15th, 2010
Where has the last month gone?? Holy cow. Other than the baby and I getting bigger, not much has changed. Still feeling pretty good, but I am noticing I get tired/worn out a lot easier. I have also been told that I am already waddling. Oh great.
This last week, was a great one. Jim got me a card for Mother’s Day from him and Braam berry. It was so sweet. We are going to buy a flowering bush and plant it in our yard. We had gotten a weeping cherry tree when we got married, so the tradition continues. I just want to be sure we can dig those plants up if we ever move! 
We had our 4 year wedding anniversary on the 12th. We also had the 20 week ultrasound on the 13th. We got to see our little Braam berry! It’s just amazing. We weren’t going to find out the gender, but couldn’t anyways because the legs were crossed the entire time! We got lots of great pictures. The profile ones are my favorite. After the ultrasound, we headed to South Haven and stayed at the Sand Castle Inn for a couple nights. What a cute town. It was pretty quiet since it isn’t exactly peak season, but still enjoyed the outdoors and their great restaurants. We even hiked a little in the state park and took a bike ride down the Kal-Haven Trail. (Found me some XL bike shorts that fit… yessss!) Needless to say that I passed out pretty early after that day. Can’t take much physical activity anymore. So hard to get used to.
So hard to believe that we are past the halfway point. I feel like I have time and then I start freaking out because we don’t have anything yet. Crazy hormones, I tell ya!
April 12th, 2010
The last few weeks have been good. Still a little tired, but have more energy. It could be the weather, too. Such awesome weather so far!
I started to feel the baby move last Saturday (14 weeks). Strangest feeling. I knew it wasn’t gas and I knew my stomach muscles weren’t freaking out, so it had to be Braam berry. Jim thinks “he” was just getting a bike ride in. I also popped out that weekend. Moving into all maternity pants now; regular shirts are still OK. Still can do the rubber band trick on some pants, but it’s getting a bit tight and uncomfortable. Dresses are my best friend right now. I am sure they will continue to be, especially if we are going to have a hot summer like they have been predicting.
My days of running may be coming an end. Tried this weekend and man does it take everything I have. My hip has been giving me grief, too. I may try again this week, but am not hopeful. I wanted to try the RiverBank 5K in May (knew that could be stretching it), but may try for the 5K Walk instead…
I am going to be starting registering for stuff soon. I think I have my bedding, crib and the stroller/carseat figured out. What a process! There are so many stinkin options. But, it’s fun, too.
Well, this week Braam berry is the size of an orange. This Friday, BB will be the size of an avocado! Maybe I will celebrate with a big bowl of guacamole!
March 24th, 2010
Well technically, I am 12 weeks and 5 days. Better late than never, right?
I believe my belly has grown bigger. I took a picture on Monday, but don’t have enough guts to post it yet. It will come, it will.
Still feeling about the same. Tiiiiired a lot and have to eat small meals every couple of hours.
This last Saturday I did my first “mom” thing and went to a Mom 2 Mom Sale at the DeltaPlex with Michele and another friend that’s expecting. Let’s just say I wasn’t prepared. In all fairness I am not that far a long and we aren’t going to find the gender out, but I really didn’t have an idea of what I wanted to look for. And man oh man there was everything there! If you already have a baby, are having a baby soon and know what you still need, it would be great. Michele got all of Lorens’s summer clothes for a steal. I got a couple onsies and a couple pajamas in the gender neutral green and yellow. And Michele surprised me with some more PJ’s, too. But, I left after one hour. It was starting to get crowded and hot and I had forgotten my water bottle and mid-morning snack. Not a good combo for me. I went home and laid on the couch the entire day. I was done and plus it was snowing that day (yuck). So, if I go again there are two things I will definitely bring: a plan and a snack!
So other than growing a human, us Braam’s haven’t been up to much. But, that will change in the next couple of weeks. Jim’s first bike race is this weekend, then it’s Easter, showers (not mine yet), another bike race, RiverBank Run, a babymoon (hopefully), graduation open houses, more showers (not mine), class reunions, and a couple girls weekends. Phew! I am going to go lay down.
March 15th, 2010
Well, I already haven’t done the best job at keeping a weekly journal of my pregnancy. But, in all fairness, not much has changed. My clothes aren’t fitting, but I can still just wear my regular pants with a belly band over them. I did purchase a pair of maternity jeans and man are those comfy! It’s like jean sweatpants. But, I only have the one pair and don’t want to buy anymore until I have to, so belly band it is.
Jim and I met our baby doctor last Thursday. I really think I am going to love her. She seems to have lots of energy. There was a little tense moment when she was listening for the heartbeat. She couldn’t find it. So, internally I was freaking out. She remained calm (thank you) and went to get the ultrasound. She looked and there it was. Little Braam berry just hanging out. She was able to measure the heartbeat and it was 158. We weren’t able to hear it, but we saw our baby, so that’s good enough for me! I measured about two days later than what we thought I was, but that still puts me in early October for delivery.
The belly is starting to grow, so I suppose I will post a pic soon. I have to take one first.
Here’s Braam berry’s first picture:
March 15th, 2010
Well, I have been wanting to write this post for a while. Most of you that read this blog probably already know this, but for those that don’t…
The Braam family is gaining a member! Somewhere around October 1, the Braam berry will join us. We are very excited and a little surprised. We were trying, but it was taking some time and we were getting a little discouraged. So, when we didn’t really “try our hardest” and got pregnant, it was a little shocking! So when God says stop worrying and give it to me, He must know what He is talking about.
I am writing this at 6 weeks. So, I am thinking I will probably wait another 6 weeks before posting this. Everything is going great so far. I haven’t really had the morning sickness that most get. This morning I was actually feeling a little nauseous, but am hoping it will pass. I seem to feel better after I eat, but that was the case even before I was pregnant.
I have my first appointment with the OB nurse on March 5. I will supposedly be 10 weeks then. It’s so weird not going to the doctor until then. I have these crazy thoughts like what if I am not really pregnant. But then I have those three positive tests and the absence of something pretty significant. And then I want to eat a dozen cookies and something on my body feels weird and I am pretty sure I am indeed pregnant.
So here’s the start of my little pregnancy journal. Not sure I will update it weekly, but would like to keep track of the changes, symptoms, etc. Then once the belly starts to really show, I will probably post belly pics… if you are lucky.
March 1st, 2010
The Straub family gained another member on February 16. Little Jorja Claire came at 8:04 AM and was 7lbs 6 oz and 19 inches long. Just a little peanut. We saw her again last night and she is still small and cuddly. I love that stage!
January 18th, 2010
Well, this poor blog is getting neglected. So, let’s summarize the last few months. The holidays – they were busy and fun. Here’s a recap in pictures:
Christmas Eve:
Haley at the bowling alley - too cute
Jim showing Jonah and Noah the hoop
Lil Jo
Noah and Papa
Christmas Day:
Jim making Christmas morning breakfast
Mom & I
Jason and Courtney are expecting the first grandchild in the family in June!
Dad & Uncle Rusty
Christmas Day at Mom & Dad Paxson's
So, that’s what we have been up to. Looking forward to what 2010 holds!
November 20th, 2009
Wow. It’s been a while.
What have we been up to? Well, back in October I ran in the Nike Human 10K Race. It was a miserable day and ended starting the race an hour and fifteen minutes late, but I finished and we have pictures to prove we were there:
Jim waiting patiently
Lots of people waiting in the warm tent
Stretching the hip
Here I come... oh man I was dying here
Then in November, Jim and I headed up to Traverse City for the Iceman Cometh mountain bike race. It was a beautiful weekend! Over 60 degrees the whole weekend – in November! Jim finished the 28 mile race in 2:06 and got 8th in his class. There were over 4400 racers there, so it was crazy. A really great weekend, though. We also paid a visit to the Sleeping Bear Dunes on the way home with Dad and Mom Braam. That was quite an adventure as well.
Ready to go
In line
On the trail
On the trail
It's official!
In other news, I turned 27 this week. Not sure how I feel about that. But, I guess there’s nothing I can do about it.
We are very excited for the holidays! Maybe I will post again before the new year. 
September 3rd, 2009
We headed to West Virginia, Virginia and DC last week. Spent some time in the New River Gorge in West Virginia and did some rafting, hiking, biking, camping and eating. Good stuff.
Beautiful day for driving
The New Bridge - longest arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere
Us and the New Bridge
Hiking in the mountains
Later on in the week, we headed up to Virginia and Washington DC. We went into Washington DC for a whirlwind tour. I had been there when I was younger, but Jim hadn’t ever been. I forget how much stuff is there! We need to go back and see some more.
Jim hydrating after a run in with a kidney stone the day before
The Lincoln Memorial and I
Beautiful Smithsonian building
Jim at the FBI
Well, I am off to Nashville this week for a girls weekend. Very excited!!
August 2nd, 2009
I have had this domain name for a while and didn’t update it much, so why not just make it our blog? Welcome to jim-wendy.com! It’s still everything you don’t need to know about us…
