September
Posted on October 1, 2023 1 Comment
What a fun month we had!
Somehow, our tiny, loveable tornado Marian turned three! We all (especially her big sisters) were so excited to celebrate her! We were rained out of the fair, but she brought the sunshine and couldn’t have been happier with her hands full of lollipops!
With a month of homeschooling under our belt, we have already learned so much! Abi is not only making gains in reading and math, but she has discovered a love for circuit building and found that while she loves to talk about stories, “narration” is not her favorite part of school. We have practiced making watercolor paintings of seashore creatures, studied paintings by Raphael, celebrated Michaelmas (including a feast prepared by the girls). We have enjoyed singing “Shady Grove”, and “Abide With Me”, and “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” in Spanish. Swedish Drill and clapping games bring energy to our days. We are reading about ancient history, improving our handicraft skills, learning life lessons from Aesop’s Fables and so much more! The girls are loving their out-of-the-house lessons too! Piano lessons, swimming lessons and beginning CCD at church have all be so exciting!
On top of all that, we are so grateful for all the time we have in our day to bake and romp and play and anticipate tooth fairy magic! We are only just beginning, and we are already feeling so fortunate that this is the path we have chosen.
I hope you enjoy this peek into our sweet and crazy days!
First Day of (Home)School
Posted on September 5, 2023 Leave a Comment
Welcome to the first day of our now very official homeschool! The girls were so excited for their school year to begin and they all had a great first day! This year is our first year in formal lessons. Abigail Sue is in first grade! Emme will do kindergarten at home, Marian will be attending a local preschool 3 days a week and will join us on the other days. Josie will keep us all smiling as we embark on this new adventure!
We decided to jump right in with a full feast of lessons on day one! We made it through everything we planned, but boy were we tired at the end of the day!
I am blown away by how hard the girls worked, by how much we accomplished, by how we all said goodnight with so much love and anticipation for what we will learn tomorrow.
Check back later for an update on our first week!
With love,
Cara and the girls
One, Two, Three… Four!
Posted on August 11, 2022 1 Comment
Hi, everyone! I’m the newest Hins girl, and I’d like to think that we’ve saved the best for last. That’s me, Josie… the last in pack and the best, most cutest, spunkiest of the bunch. I realize that I have a lot of catching up to do with the other three but give me some time and I’ll be running right in step with them. I just can’t wait to spend my everyday with those fun sisters of mine!
For now though, I’m resting… saving up my energy. I sleep quite a bit and eat, and eat, and eat. It’s a lot of work growing up fast. And now, back to sleep. Sweet dreams.
Here I am. What will I be?
Posted on September 16, 2020 1 Comment
Hi everyone, I’m here! Yes, I have two sisters. And yes, that means there are now three girls. But rest assured, we are all very different. Abigail is the exuberant feelings one, and Emmeline is the unpredictable zany one. I’m not sure yet which one I will become but I know it will be magically unique and wonderful. From my first few days, I can see that this is not a fit in situation as much as a standout-type of family.
Maybe you can help me figure out which one I am. So far, I really enjoy eating and sleeping, so maybe I will become the super fancy foodie one, or even the quiet introspective one. I like to look about curiously. That could mean I will be the nerdy-smart one, observing the universe, or maybe the outdoorsy adventurous one ready to explore the world. Oh, I also like to poop quite a bit but if you think that will come to define me, you better watch out. I’ve got a bit of time to sort it but I’d love to hear your thoughts. Maybe we can video chat sometime… seems everyone is into that these days. In the meantime, here’s some cuteness:
Four… ready for one more.
Posted on August 6, 2020 4 Comments
Seems we’ve neglected this sad little blog this past year. It’s certainly been a strange one. But here’s some big, happy news to get you all caught up. Abigail and Emmeline are so very excited to invite a new baby into our home! They are going to be the best big sisters the world has ever known.
Sweet Abigail has convinced us all that that it will be a boy, she says she already has the best sister and now she wants a baby brother. Our resident jokster, Emme has named the baby Tater Tot. If this baby can survive the Emme monster hugs, it will be the most loved baby in history.
As we say goodbye to our happy little family of four, we look forward to adding one more. They say that odd numbers are the best way to go for luck and longevity. And it seems you need to be odd to fit into this family of strange ducks and big personalities. So here we go again… four odds ready for number five!
Hey Meatball, Pass the Wine.
Posted on April 27, 2019 1 Comment
Well, I reached a milestone, folks; had my first taste of real food. Momma made me a big, heaping plate of spaghetti and meatballs. I didn’t even know how to contain myself. Dadda said I went to town on it. I learned that food is very messy but if it all tastes as good as spaghetti and meatballs, then dirty elbows and stained clothes seem worth it. I really think I’m going to enjoy this eating business.
Abi Sue showed me how to use a spoon to scoop up small bites. It was still a bit messy but I feel like I could master spoon-eating with more practice. I’m sure Abi will help me figure it out. I’m so excited to try more foods!
Five Months of Fun!
Posted on April 1, 2019 Leave a Comment
We did it! Me and Abi Sue have been best friends for five whole months. I can’t wait for more and more. She is so much fun!! Abi Sue makes me giggle and giggle and giggle.
We got to do Halloween together right after I was born, and then we had Christmas together, and then a whole New Year, and we did Abi Sue’s big birthday! She invited all her friends and mommy made special Beet Berry cupcakes for Abi Sue. She loved them.
I can’t wait for five more months of fun and celebration. And now that it’s almost springtime, we get to go play outside. What an adventure!
Bye for now. Love, Emme Lou.
Me, Emmeline Marvil, One Month In
Posted on November 26, 2018 Leave a Comment
Hi, friends! So I think I’m doing well with this life thing. One month in and no complaints. Mostly I spend time laying around and checking things out.
My big sister, Abi is my very first best friend. She can be loud at times, which makes sleeping difficult, but she is mostly sweet and gives the biggest, BESTEST hugs! I can’t wait to run around and play-and-play with her.
My parents are pretty great too! They took me and Abi to the park one time. It’s very cold here in Brrrr England. Ha! Even when we have to stay in though, my parents keep me cozy and snuggled.
I take lots of baths. They’re okay, it’s a good way to stay warm and clean but really, I find baths to be kind of a fuss. Oh, I also got baptized at church recently; which is kind of like a bath, but in a church, with a whole crowd of people watching, and you don’t really get clean. So, maybe not like a bath. Auntie Allison took some great pictures at my baptism though and the folks at church were so nice, then all the family & friends came to our house to celebrate. I’m so excited that Auntie Steph and Uncle Dan are my special Godparents now.
So yeah, like I said, I’ve got a good life going. I’ve got a sister who knows all the everythings that I don’t, I’ve got a sweet family to keep me snuggy warm, and I’ve got plenty of time to just hang out & doze around.
With Love, Emme
Trick-or-Treat!
Posted on November 2, 2018 1 Comment
Abi’s first trick-or-treating Halloween.
She was skeptical at first; couldn’t figure out why we would dress up and go door-to-door to say “tree” and “tank you” to people. She warmed up pretty quickly though. She enjoyed picking candy from bowls, and looking at all the different costumes, but she seemed to especially love being out at night with her best friends. Thank you Johnsons for showing us around your special town!
Abigail had a blast, while Momma stayed home to take care of Baby Emme. Stay tuned for next Halloween when the whole family dresses up together.
Party of 4
Posted on October 29, 2018 3 Comments
We are so excited to introduce the newest and tiniest addition to our family! After 42 weeks, Miss Emmeline made a relatively speedy entrance into the world! With the support of some amazing midwives, Dada was able to catch our little bundle and be the first to welcome her to our family…and the first to find out she is a girl! Everyone is doing well, soaking up the snuggles and finding our new rhythm in the chaos of being a party of 4!
Chapter End.
Posted on October 3, 2018 Leave a Comment
Here we are, the last days as a family of three. In the past year, we’ve settled into our new home, launched headlong into new careers, and we’ve learned how to walk, talk, and laugh as a family. Some moments have been full of challenge & epic meltdowns, some full of sweetness & pure loving joy, and all of them have been wonderful.
And now, the three of us are anticipating the next chapter as an even foursome. We’re not quite sure when or even who will be joining us on this adventure; we’re not sure how each of us will react to a new baby in the house, but again, it’s certain to be full of wonderful moments of challenge & joy.
So here’s to growing the future, one sweet apple at a time.
Barefoot and Pregnant
Posted on August 28, 2018 Leave a Comment
Summer on the Vineyard with a precocious toddler and baby on the way.
Flying Horses
Posted on August 27, 2018 Leave a Comment
First go ’round on the oldest operating horse carousel in the country. What fun!
Have Your Steak…
Posted on August 17, 2017 1 Comment
Guys… why didn’t any of you tell me about the solid foods sooner? I’ve been here for six months now and not one of you bothered to tell me that there’s more than just the boob. C’mon… I mean really, I can’t know everything yet!
The mommy and daddy gave me a full meal of steak and green beans last night. Well, I shouldn’t say a full meal, really but enough for me to taste anyway. The daddy made mommy a fancy anniversary dinner with dry-aged Porterhouse, steamed corn & green beans, and some fancy Oregon wine. They were happy to invite me to dinner with them and they even shared a bit of the beans and grilled steak; no wine though. Calm down people, I’m just a baby. And, guys… wow, just wow… AND amazing too! My first meal was so fabulous and memorable and I’ve got to admit a bit emotional too. Let’s just say it was a lot to take in and I was a bit overwhelmed. But please guys, listen, if you know of any other good solid foods, please let me know. I need to know all the good things to try and I can’t know everything yet, I’m just a baby.
Love, Abi Sue
Big News
Posted on August 10, 2017 Leave a Comment
The Hins Fam has some very exciting news to share! We are buying a house! A house in Montague, MA! We are so excited to start a new adventure in Western Mass. We have a big yard for Abigail to play in and a house that we get to make our own. We are sad to be leaving our Boston friends, but we know this is the best move for our little family.
Stay tuned for lots of “before” pictures in the next few weeks…hopefully the “after” pictures won’t be far behind. If you love wallpaper removal, give us a call! 🙂
We can’t wait for you to visit!
Xoxo
5 Months!
Posted on July 24, 2017 1 Comment
Okay people, I’ve been very busy the past couple months, so I haven’t been able to post much news. I turned five months recently and had a lot of fun getting baptized by my best friend Kate at the church my mommy grew up in. And now Sara and Scott are my God Parents and that means that Sadie and Maive are my God Sisters… it’s like a whole new special family!
I also got to spend some quality time with my auntie Allison and Gamma. They came to visit me for the baptism and we all took a day trip out to Western Mass, and we spent another afternoon out on the harbor islands, and we drove all the way up to Maine one day just for lobster rolls! I didn’t have a lobster roll because I don’t do solid foods yet but it looks like something I could get into.
What else…? Oh, I’ve been to the Vineyard a couple times this summer and I got to meet all the Campground cousins. We got to march in a big 4th of July parade through the Campground. My daddy and Grunkle Mike went out quahogging early one morning and Grauntie Jamie made us a proper clamboil. I didn’t have any because of the solids thing but we all had fun. I went swimming for the very first time and it was in the ocean at the Inkwell. How many people can say that was their first swim? I also got to visit Offshore Ale, where daddy made some lame joke about me being pint-sized, so a spit up in his beer. JK… I didn’t really do that. I got to meet Skipper Johno though and he told me that he would take me on my first fishing trip whenever I’m ready…I might need a little help with the fishing part but I sure do love boat rides!
Okay, okay… I know you really want to see all the fabulous pictures of me, so here you go!
1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
Island Fun Time!
What’s this??? Stay tuned for a BIG announcement….coming very soon!!!
Lots of love,
Abigail Sue
2 Month Update
Posted on April 17, 2017 Leave a Comment
Wow, itś been a long time…turns out being a new Mama doesn´t leave much time for blogging between snuggles, diaper changes, feeding and more snuggles! I can´t believe Miss Abigail Sue is already 2 months old! She has grown and changed so much. It seems that everyday there is something new to love about her! She is full of smiles and is chatting up a storm! She loves being read to and taking baths. She can´t keep her eyes off of her Daddy. She has met so many people and been on some adventures. She loves being in motion and hates red lights. I mean, she REALLY hates red lights! Her favorite book right now is ¨Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?” She loves when Mama sings songs, especially ¨Michael Row the Boat Ashore¨, ¨Heś Got the Whole World In His Hands” and ¨Rainbow Connection.” She is sleeping super well at night since we started using a swaddle. She got a new swing that took some getting used to, but she now loves (and Daddyś biceps are thankful!). Sheś not a fan of tummy time, but her neck is very strong! She loves getting her diaper changed and ¨standing up¨ on Mama and Daddyś laps. She had her first bottle. She celebrated Easter. Really, so much has happened in the past month, itś hard to believe!
Mama and Daddy are so in love and are learning new things about how to be parents all the time. (There is a lot to learn!) Itś been an adjustment having Matt back at work and being home alone with Abigail, but the nicer weather is giving us time to get outside, which is great! We are excited for lots more outdoor time and for meeting up with Matt for lunch in the park!
And now…the pictures!
(1 month photos)
(Meeting Gmama for the first time!)
(Abiś fun nursery/Mamaś craft room…someday this room will be used for more than diaper changes.;) Curtains and chair cushion made by Gmama, cradle made by Grandpoppy for Mama when she was a baby)
(Meeting ¨Auntie¨ Laura and ¨Uncle” Nico…we are so lucky to have friends that feel like family!)
(Loving her first bath)
(Some assembly required….but she LOVES her new swing!)
(2 month photos)
(Easter with the family…and meeting some family members for the first time)
I am hoping now that we are in a good little groove, I can post a lot more often…at least to share pictures!
Love,
Cara, Matt and Abi Sue
3 Weeks!
Posted on March 10, 2017 Leave a Comment
I can´t believe Miss Abigail Sue is already 3 weeks old! It feels like she just got here, and at the same time, it feels like she has always been part of our family. Her third week was an eventful one! She went to church for the first time and had her first growth spurt! The growth spurt was a little overwhelming for Mama and Daddy…we couldn´t figure out why she was so fussy. Thankfully, our amazing midwife Megan, was able to help us wrap our heads around what was going on, and after just a couple of days it was over and she was back to being happy and more alert than ever! Unfortunately, she seems to have reflux, so we will see the pediatrician next Monday to see if we can help her feel a little more comfortable. They say 2/3 of babies have some degree of reflux and it will pass by 1 year, but in the meantime, we want to help her feel better. The most exciting part of week 3 for me is that her eye contact has really improved. It really feels like she is connecting with you when she looks at you now! We also did some reading from Dr. Sears Baby Book to help us understand some fussiness/refulx stuff and we started implementing more of the ¨attachment parenting¨ ideas to help her feel comfortable in her new world. She especially loves being carried in the sling throughout the day. It calms her right down and she relaxes and naps happily as we go through the day.
Abigailś third week also happens to be the first week of Lent and in our church we do a fun 40 Days of Faith experience each year. Last year, we prayed and many people prayed for us, that we would conceive a baby. At the very end of Lent, we found out we were pregnant. Sadly, the next week, we lost our much prayed-for baby. Little did we know that God had a bigger plan and just a month later, we would be pregnant again, with the beautiful, healthy, amazing Abigail Sue! That experience taught me a lot about trusting God even when things don´t look the way you want or expect them to. It makes me very excited to see what God has in store for our family in this season!
Here are some pictures from sweet Abigailś third week
Here we are at church and a look at her first church outfit:
She really loves riding in the car…except for red lights!! (she is so itty bitty in her carseat)
She met some new friends at our Community group:
Wearing her red pants for International Womenś Day: 
She got to help Daddy work this week (clearly he worked her too hard): 
She definitely needed Mama more than the first 2 weeks…I was hoping to capture a picture of her adorable monster PJs from her Gamma, but I ended up having to take selfie since she was deep in snuggle mode (seriously, those cheeks are the greatest cheeks I´ve ever seen) :
Eventually I got some monster jammie pictures as well as lots of other cute outfits and faces:
We can´t wait to see what Week 4 brings! We hear real smiles may start soon!!
Love,
Cara, Matt and Abi-Sue
Week Two
Posted on March 2, 2017 1 Comment
Miss Abigail Sue is 2 weeks old today!! She is the most amazing little human. We are learning more and more about her little personality and likes and dislikes everyday! She sure does love to eat! The midwives came today and she has gained 7.5 oz since her birthday. We are so amazed with her growth and development. She makes eye contact with Mommy and Daddy and looks around when she hears sounds. She makes a million adorable faces and tiny little squeaky sounds. She doesn´t love sleeping at night, but she is an excellent napper during the day. Time is moving way too fast. We are so in love!
Here’s a little photo journal of some things Abigail got up to in her second week of life.
Abigail got to hang out with lots of people including Grandpoppy, Uncle Richie, Great Grandma and her cousin Liliana.
She took her first car ride to the pediatrician! She actually really enjoyed the ride…she fell asleep almost immediately!
She tried out tummy time! She enjoyed it for a few minutes…her little neck is getting stronger and stronger!
She is beginning to master thumb-sucking!
She tried sleeping in her bassinet…
She tried using chopsticks!
She had lots of fun play time with Daddy!
And she made endless adorable faces! Those cheeks are just too cute!
We can´t wait to see what week 3 brings!
Love,
Cara, Matt and Abi Sue
One Week!
Posted on February 23, 2017 1 Comment
To celebrate my first week, we took our first family walk, and made a yummy apple crisp! I like it here!
Love,
Abi-Sue
Welcome to the World.
Posted on February 21, 2017 1 Comment
A couple of proud new parents are happy to announce the arrival of our first little angel and the start of a whole new family.
Abigail burst into our lives late last week full of life. Cara did a wonderful job through the 15 hours of labor and delivery. We had a pro birth team who saw us through the most challenging moments and delivered a healthy, happy infant. Like the birth, the postpartum check ups have all been very positive, reassuring these new parents that early development is going smoothly.
These early fews days have been a wonderful time to be together as a new family. Mommy is resting and nearly back to full strength. And Abigail has taken to nursing and pooping with gusto. She is a very content baby. She’s not a big fan of being swaddled, seems she prefers her arms free, but she’s a big fan of being warm and cozy. And she loves to snuggle, which makes even a restless night dreamy.
We’re still getting the hang of diapers and feeding and laundry and parenting as a team but the magic of having a precious little bundle makes it all worthwhile.
Snow Baby!
Posted on February 12, 2017 3 Comments
Winter has finally made itś way to Boston last week and we decided to take advantage of the pretty snow for some pictures before Baby arrives. It looks like itś going to keep snowing on-and-off for a couple more days here, but we’re cozy at home, preparing lots of yummy food for after Babyś arrival.
We met with the midwives on Friday and everything is looking great! Baby is measuring at exactly the right size, heartbeat is strong, and position is perfect for birth! Now we wait… and I have to say, I’m a bit torn. I absolutely can´t wait to meet this precious little person, but at the same time, I’m really enjoying these last days (or weeks) of having Baby safe and sound inside and having some sweet, quiet moments with Matt before life changes!
Last night we made it out for what could be our last official date as a couple. We hit a great local restaurant that we hadn’t tried yet to celebrate what would have been my momś 64th birthday. I love how Matt makes everything a special celebration! The way he honors the memory of my mom is especially amazing. I´m a lucky lady and this is going to be one lucky baby with him at the helm of our sweet little family!
Okay, without further ado… here’s about a million adorable snow-bump pictures! Enjoy!!!
Love,
Cara, Matt and the Bump xoxo
Home is Where the Birth is…
Posted on January 16, 2017 Leave a Comment
We have a very exciting announcement to share…
We have decided to have our baby at home!!!
After weighing all of the options and lots of talking and thinking and praying about it, bringing Baby into the world in our cozy home with the help of an amazing team of midwives and 2 fantastic doulas is really the dream birth for our family. Today we had our 36 week home visit with the midwives and it was amazing! They helped us figure out the best way to set up our home so that I will be able to labor in a birth pool, and rest comfortably after Baby is born! It was wonderful to have the whole birth team in our space to talk about our vision for the birth and to let everyone get to know each-other. I can’t express how blessed I feel to have this group of women supporting us as we journey through pregnancy and birth. They have made me feel so confident in my ability to birth the way I want to and they are so amazingly respectful of our desire for Matt to be the birth coach and for immediate undisturbed family bonding time.
Another awesome thing about this whole decision making process is that our Obstetrician has been really supportive. She has agreed to continue working with us so that if we need or want to go to the hospital for any reason, she will still be our provider and will deliver our baby. She is super confident in our birth team and believes that I am very low risk, so this is a good plan for us.
I know everyone has a different vision for how their birth experience will go and I just feel so blessed to be able to make a plan that so perfectly fits my vision with the support of the world’s greatest husband. It’s going to be quite a journey and we can’t wait to share it all with you!!
Love,
Cara
Baby Shower!
Posted on January 7, 2017 1 Comment
I’m so excited to finally share some pictures from my amazing baby shower last weekend! I can’t express how much love I felt by everyone who came from near and far and by the amount of planning that went into creating such a perfect party! I am blessed with the world’s greatest aunt, who has not only spoiled me my whole life, but who stepped right in after we lost my mom to make sure that all of my big life events would be celebrated just like they would if my mom were here to plan them.
Amazingly, everything but the date was kept a surprise! I knew it would be New Year’s Eve day since my Mother-in-Law would be in town visiting then. I am so thankful that so many people were able to come even though it was a holiday! Matt did an awesome job keeping the location a surprise until the very end, when he and Auntie Kathryn tricked me into thinking we were stopping at Walmart for napkins, when really we were pulling into the Stoneforge restaurant, which was beautifully decorated for Christmas and such an awesome, intimate space for the party (and the brunch was fantastic)!
It was so exciting to see everyone and celebrate Baby’s upcoming arrival! Baby and I were VERY spoiled with gifts, and my favorite part was that each person was asked to bring a book instead of a card. Now our sweet baby has an amazing library of books from friends and family! Auntie and Matt created an amazing woodland creature theme (our nursery theme) and everything looked perfect, from the adorable invitations, to the coolest cake I’ve ever seen in real life to the sweet diaper animals that my Tia Maria made! Seriously, so much love and effort went into this party!
Okay, onto the pictures, because I know that’s what you really want to see!
(All of the perfect details…seriously, look at that cake!!!)
(SO MANY gifts!! Some of these gifts were so beautiful and personal…a special cross stitch for Baby’s nursery from Kathleen and the blanket that Matt’s mom made and used for each of her children’s baptisms and his grandfather’s baptismal gown…not to mention my VERY fancy diaper bag and lots of sweet, snuggly, silly adorable things for Baby.)
(People I love! We don’t have pictures of everyone, but these are some very special people!)
If anyone has more pictures, I’d love to have them! Please email them to me.
What a perfect day! Thank you for sharing it with me!!
love,
Cara and Baby
Grandma Meets the Midwife!
Posted on January 2, 2017 1 Comment
Happy New Year!!!! Things are off to a quiet start here after a couple of weeks of fun family visits and holidays.
We LOVED having Matt’s mom here for the week! It was so fun to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve with her (not to mention the most amazing baby shower ever…post on that coming soon), and just to get some quality time with her before Baby arrives. One of the most exciting parts of the visit was bringing her to meet our Midwives and have her take part in an appointment. Baby is doing super well and I am very healthy too! We are measuring right on course for being 33 weeks pregnant, baby’s heart rate and movements are good and strong and it’s in great position for birth.
(Midwife intern Molly feels for Baby’s position before finding the heartbeat)
(Molly finds a strong heartbeat)
(Mama listens to her sweet Baby’s heartbeat)
(Baby was moving around a lot and making things tricky for us, but Grandma finally got to hear the heartbeat!)
(Midwife Tara feels for Baby’s position. I just love how hands-on and caring these women are!)
It really was a perfect visit and we can’t wait for March for Grandma to come back and meet this little one!!!
Love,
Cara (and Baby)
Merry Christmas Eve!!!
Posted on December 24, 2016 Leave a Comment
Sending lots of love and joy to you!!
Love,
Mama, Daddy and Baby Hins
2 months to go…
Posted on December 14, 2016 1 Comment
I can’t believe we are 2 short months from our due date!!! While I know Baby has no idea about due dates and will make their appearance whenever they are ready, this 2 month marker is making things feel so real and SO close!!
It’s really fun to have the distraction of Christmas planning and Christmas house-guests to keep us busy! Everything is decorated, and menus are planned and gifts have been shipped! Now we are in the shop/wrap/cook/snuggle-up-with-a-Christmas-movie phase of getting ready, and it’s great!!!
This week, baby is the size of a head of Romaine Lettuce…personally, I think last week’s melon was a more accurate description! I’m definitely feeling the weight of a melon squirming around in there! I’m a little slower these days and the sounds I make getting off the couch are less than attractive, but it’s not too bad! I’m really enjoying all of the baby’s movements and getting so excited to see what he or she looks like!
For your viewing pleasure, here’s a pic of the giant bump:
Now you can see why the melon is more accurate than the lettuce! Although I guess the lettuce is appropriate since I have been craving salad! (and chocolate cake…)
We have appointments every 2 weeks now so we will have lots of updates on Baby’s progress!
Love,
Cara
Updates from Baby Land
Posted on December 8, 2016 Leave a Comment
We’ve got lots going on here as we prepare for holidays and a baby! It’s week 31 and Baby is the size of a cantaloupe! It feels as big as it sounds! We had an important appointment last week for blood work and all is well! “Passed” the glucose test, iron levels good, still keeping a pretty low blood pressure and measuring right where we should be! We also finally narrowed down our list of names for Baby! We got it down to 12 girl names and 10 boy names…we have a little work to do there, but we were proud of ourselves for eliminating about 3o other names!!! It was also pretty entertaining to read our original list out loud…I’m not sure what pregnancy hormones were flowing when I added some of those names. =) It’s crazy to think that in 10 weeks this baby is due!
We also got a beautiful Christmas tree and started to decorate the house! We are getting excited to host a holiday housewarming party and for all of our holiday visitors! I love that we still have an awesome window spot for our tree in the new apartment!
Stay tuned for more updates soon!!!
Love,
Cara
Nursery!
Posted on November 11, 2016 Leave a Comment
This week Daddy (and Grandpa) worked hard to get the nursery ready for Baby!
First we had to pick just the right neutral paint color (this is harder than you might think…turns out there are about a million neutrals). It’s hard to see in the pictures, but the original color of the room was a light-ish robin’s egg blue. Since Baby’s gender will be a surprise, we needed a much more neutral backdrop. We settled on a beautiful light gray that has a little bit of green in it.
Matt spent a few days prepping and painting over the blue walls and the final product looks amazing.I especially love the way it looks with our beautiful nursery furniture.
Poppy and Matt assembled the furniture and after a few configurations we figured out a perfect set-up for it! One section of the room will be for Baby and another wall of the room will be Mama’s crafting space!
As a bonus, the guys also assembled the high-chair!
We are so excited for Baby to join our family and our home. It is amazing to watch all the pieces come together for His or Her welcome into the world. We are so incredibly blessed to have family members who are so generous with buying things for the baby and helping us to get ready. This is such a wonderful time for our little family and we are savoring our last few months as a family of 2 (and a half) while we prepare for our sweet Baby’s arrival!
Enjoy the photos!
Love,
Cara
Color Selection
Daddy Paints
Grandpa helps move the crib
It’s done!
High chair assembly
What a Sweet Baby!
Posted on October 31, 2016 Leave a Comment
Happy Halloween from Mommy-To-Be and Sweet Baby Gumball. We hope your eve is candy-coated with so much fun!
A Viable Eggplant
Posted on October 25, 2016 Leave a Comment
This is the first week we accurately guessed the size of Baby! (Confession…we have been guessing eggplant for a few weeks now.) Not only is Baby Hins getting big, they are also considered “viable” this week!! It’s amazing to think that this sweet little one is already able to survive out in the world, though I am happy to keep him or her safe and growing for another 16 weeks or so. Who knew you could love someone you have never met so much? 
We’ve Got a Kicker!
Posted on October 19, 2016 1 Comment
Tonight Daddy was able to feel Baby kick for the first time! Not only can we feel it, but we can see it too! It’s strange and amazing. It’s so fun to see where the little one is hanging out and to feel them moving, growing and practicing for the outside world. I am also so excited for this new way for Daddy and Baby to connect! We are so excited to meet this baby!
Mommy-To-Be
Posted on October 16, 2016 Leave a Comment
Last Vineyard trip of the season and Mommy-To-Be is feeling great! The little bundle is stirring and kicking more and more each day, getting ready for years and years of swimming ’round the island. We’re so excited to get baby out there next year to meet the Campground Cousins!
22 Weeks!
Posted on October 11, 2016 1 Comment
Baby Hins sure is growing!!! He or she is moving and grooving every night and as they develop their own schedule I feel like I am getting to know them better and better! It’s hard to believe we are more than half way there!! Can’t wait to meet this little one!
Apple Picking
Posted on October 10, 2016 3 Comments
We took the bump out apple picking with Sara, Sadie and Maeve today! It was chilly, but so fun! The Bump loves fall!!!
A Visit to the Chiropractor
Posted on September 29, 2016 1 Comment
Yesterday we had a fun visit to the chiropractor! Matt joined me for the first time and sweet, wacky Dr. Lisa showed us some helpful moves that Matt can help with during labor. He also got to have his own baby bump moment!
(A labor of love)
(His bump is bigger than mine!)
A big thanks to Matt who is willing to go along with my hippy-dippy mama ways. He’s going to be the best dad!
Welcome…
Posted on August 27, 2014 1 Comment
…to our family website, where we share news, photos, stories, recipes, and more.
The Fam Treehouse 