San Francisco- Day 4

On our last full day in the city we decided to head down to Pier 39 on Fisherman's Wharf. Since our hotel was in the wharf area it was only about 4 blocks from our hotel. It was pretty "touristy", but after trekking through the redwoods and walking several wineries the day before we were ready for something low-key. Pier 39 is sort of a Coney Island feeling area on the bay with tons of shopping, arcades, and yummy seafood spots. We also got to see the famous sea lions that call Pier 39 home. They were so cute and very active!! We ate at a restaurant that I forgot the name of, but it was the best clam chowder we have ever tasted. It was a great treat since it was sort of damp and chilly on the Pier.

Double Decker Carousel

The Sea Lions

Views of Alcatraz from the Pier

After a trip back to the hotel for a long nap we headed for Chinatown that evening. We rode one of the cities famous cable cars to that area of town. The cable cars were invented because the hills in the city were causing huge and tragic horse and buggy accidents. The horses couldn't slow down in enough time to stop, especially when it was raining. After seeing these hills (and walking a few of them, I can see why!). We loved going in and out of all of the shops at Chinatown. We even picked up a beautiful chinese pantsuit for Lydia. We ate dinner at a beautiful and very authentic Chinese resteraunt called the Cathay House, which had a beautiful view of the area. We then hopped on the cable car and arrived about a block from our hotel. Jeff headed out to go buy ANOTHER suitcase! We bought so much wine and other souveniers that we couldn't get it all in our luggage!

Riding the Cable Cars

At the entrance gate to Chinatown

Waverly street is where one of my favorite authors, Amy Tan, grew up. She wrote The Joy Luck Club and numerous other great books!

Dinner at Cathay House

The next morning we were up at 6:00 am to catch our flight and spent pretty much all day in planes and airports. We arrived back in Birmingham at 7:30 pm and boy was I happy to see my sweet little Anderson when Mom and Mike met us at the airport!

He is Risen!

Easter is really one of my most favorite holidays. I love that it isn't as commercialized as Christmas, but is still a time to celebrate our faith as Christians. This morning in service our pastor made an excellent point. Christ didn't just die on the cross to "show off"; he did it so that we could claim that same power and victory in our personal lives as well...we have the same God that orchestrated that miracle on our side each and everyday. Wow! What a powerful concept! As we sang a new version of the hold hymn "Jesus Paid it All" my pregnant and hormonal self could barely keep it together. Now Jeff will tell you it is nothing for me to cry during a church service, but today as I thought about what a gift our precious Anderson is and all of the hopes and dreams we have our little one on the way I couldn't help but become extremely emotional. How blessed I am!

This weekend was a great celebration of family and friends. My sister Marcie came in on Friday from Nashville to visit with us and it was so nice for Anderson to get to spend time with his Auntie M. Friday she met us at Barnes and Nobles to play for a while and then we met Jeff at the mall for a quick lunch and a picture with the Easter Bunny. She came back again on Saturday after spending time with my mom Friday night. When she finally left Sunday to go home to Nashville Anderson asked for her twice. This morning he asked for her several more times...he must have really had fun with her spoiling him!

On Saturday morning we attended the annual Bunny Brunch at the Yacht Club. Poor Anderson was cutting a molar and was not one bit happy about ANYTHING! He didn't want the brunch or the bunny! You know it's bad when your husband suggests calling the preacher for some Holy water...it was like Anderson turned into demon child! We managed to keep him occupied until we could go outside for the egg hunt and then he finally got happy! Being outside does the trick every time! He had a great time hanging out with some friends and hunting eggs...well at least eggs with candy in them! That night Marcie and I went to have some sister time and dinner at Chuck's. When we got home we made Jeff come in the kitchen and help us dye eggs...well he mostly watched! :-)

Sunday morning Jeff, Marcie, and I presented Anderson with his Easter basket. He loved all of his goodies including the little people helicopter ("copters" are our new thing), the play laptop, and a Pooh phone along with some other small items. We then headed off to church and then back to our home where we hosted lunch for Marcie, Mom and Mike. We had a yummy meal and a great time watching Anderson play with his many toys...Gigi had to bring him her own basket! Pop even sported the bunny ears! Jeff's parents also sent Anderson a great Easter sack of goodies including his favorite...a book that has sounds!

It was a great weekend, and I sincerely hope you and your family also had a wonderful Easter weekend!

A tale of two tails....

Easter bunny tails, that is! My sister Marcie was able to come down from Nashville for Easter weekend, so she met us at the mall for the ever frightening Easter Bunny Picture. Jeff and I were shocked that Anderson actually wasn't scared to death of the bunny (see the Santa fiasco post here)! Anderson was by no means thrilled to be sitting in his lap, but he was at least willing to fake it for a picture or two. The sweet little look on his face was like...."OK people, I'm indulging you...but you are on the clock. Get your pictures and then get me out of this gigantic Rabbit's lap!"

The next morning we attended the annual bunny breakfast at NorthRiver Yacht Club and our luck had definitely run out. He was not going for the bunny a second time...hence the picture with ALL THREE of us in it! HA!

The Cupcake Party...

Last Saturday after telling our families about our sweet little girl we had several friends and neighbors over for a little "coming out" party! We had pink and blue cupcakes and everyone had to take a guess at the gender by picking pink or blue. Then Anderson came into the room with his hot pink shirt on to settle all the bets on baby Smith # 2. Of course everyone squealed when they figured out we were having a girl! It was so much fun getting all of the kids together for a little afternoon playtime! Carsyn and David Barton both just turned 2 and seeing our "big kids'" run around was just crazy...I swear it was yesterday that Stacie, Lisa and I were pregnant together! Time flies....

Moira and Jack...Lisa and David Barton

Beth and baby McKenna...Niccole and baby Sally...I wonder why they chose pink?? :-)

Stacie, Carsyn, Matt and Jennifer with Giuliana

Jeff "practicing" with McKenna

Lydia's first pictures...

Finally posting these from our ultrasound last week...

Sweet Little Baby Feet...

Holding her hands up next to her face

The big "It's a Girl" shot!

Side view stretching out her back but her legs are crossed "Indian Style"

Her head (to the right) and tummy...she's looking right at the camera...you can see the two eye sockets

Mom's Lucky Charm

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Anderson woke up to some Irish cheer this morning! No silly people, I didn't give him any green beer...I just made his eggs green...which he apparently thought was hilarious!

And just because I am feeling nostalgic....a couple from this time last year!

Baby Smith is a....drumroll please....

a baby GIRL!!

We are beyond thrilled that Anderson will have a little sister by August! Our little ladybug was a bit shy during the ultrasound Thursday morning, but she did eventually reveal to us that she is a little girl! All of her measurements, organs and bones looked perfectly healthy. We are so blessed and thankful to be expecting another healthy baby! Our c-section (since it is a repeat) is already scheduled for 8/8/08. Hopefully we will go full term this time!

Her name is Lydia Adelane, and we will call her Lydia. Adelane is my late maternal grandmother's name. She was an incredibly sweet, hard working, christian woman, and I can't imagine a woman that I would want our daughter to turn out more like. We decided a couple of weeks ago to find out the sex...i.e. I totally caved! We didn't tell anyone though so that we could plan a few little surprises...The first one was last night.

After doing a conference call with both of my sisters (one in Nashville and one in Tampa) to tell the babies sex we headed to Birmingham to surprise Mom. We lied to my mom and told her Jeff had an appointment in Birmingham Friday afternoon and that we could meet her and my step-dad for dinner at mine and mom's favorite spot! Surin...yummy Thai food!! My step-brother Todd an his wife Susan also met us for dinner. Since she thought we weren't finding out she really didn't get all that excited about the ultrasound and I didn't remind her that it was Thursday so that she wouldn't get suspicious! We dressed Anderson in a hot pink Polo shirt with his cool jeans and got a bunch of pink balloons that said "It's a girl".

When we got there mom of course met us in the lobby and was so busy bending down to talk to Anderson that she didn't even notice the girlie balloons in my hand. She finally looked up and said something about how cute he was in his pink shirt...then she saw the balloons and gasped...."Really?...it's a girl??...seriously??!" She was sooo excited that she told all of the tables on the way to ours that "we" were having a girl. They probably all thought that she was crazy! I also brought all of the pink little things I had bought already to show her. She was in girl heaven! Some of you may remember with Anderson she showed up to his ultrasound wearing head to toe pink. Having had all girls herself, she was a little shocked that he was a boy...but man...since then...let's just say he has his GiGi seriously wrapped around his finger!!

After we sat down and she caught her breath we gave her a present from the new baby...a picture frame with Lydia's full name printed and in the frame. We had said that we didn't want to tell the name until the birth, but after finding out she was a girl...well let's just say we have many southern women in the family that were going to need to know the letters for all of the monogrammed things they wanted to get for her. She opened it and immediately started to cry. She had no idea that we were planning on naming the baby after Adelane. She was so excited our little angel would be Adelane's namesake. For not knowing anything about the baby, she sure did leave dinner with lots of information! It was quite a night and everyone had so much fun. Anderson loved visiting his Pop, Gigi, Uncle Todd and Aunt Susan.