Invasion of the body snatchers.

It's a baby invasion, in case you didn't know it. It's kind of crazy, actually. Just among my own friends, here they are (those who are ready to admit it, anyway.)

These are in order of (expected) arrival...

Kara and Ainsley Bea (born in January)

This was taken at the shower I hosted for Kara, after Ainsley Bea's arrival. Ainsley is Kara's 3rd daughter!

Myself

First belly shot back on our anniversary in September--taken in Vancouver B.C.

Funny, how I felt so huge already at this point. Silly, silly girl.

Mrs. Sonja Barclay-Schloss

Ok, this pic was taken last August at Audrey's birthday party and I should show a more recent pic but I'm way behind on keeping my photo albums current.

Sonja's due 2 weeks after me, having a wee-girl--her 2nd daughter. Firstborn, Ava Moon, is super pumped.

My dear, sweet, Gitte

A very, very old picture because I cannot find a newer one. We were last together last Winter, at which time I think we were just happy to be seeing each other amidst the happy rush of Marian's wedding and the depressing overwhelm of all of our kids taking turns being sick. I think we just forgot to take any pictures.

At any rate, Gitte is a very brave (read: crazy) woman who is about to give birth to #4 in July. She's already got one son and 2 daughters. I think she's about to make it 3 little ladies in the house. Just my hunch.

Mrs. Phoebe Elizabeth Fillmore

This picture was also taken last summer (man do I need to take more pictures, or what?) (photo ruthlessly stolen and edited from Phoebe's blog, to crop out her husband. The original photo was given to Phoebe by the photographer, my sister, Kelly Ry who, I'm sure will deeply appreciate her work being massacred like this.)

Anyway- Phoebe is also a brave (read: crazy) woman, daring to bring child #4 into the world--coming summer 2010. She's mama to Henry, Calvin and Agnes. And I think it's gonna be another girl.

P.S. Phoebe says that her Vietnamese manicurists have a 100% accurate gender-prediction rate.

P.S.S. How do these people (Gitte and Phoebe) not want to know whether they're having boys or girls? It kinda bugs me that they won't find out just to appease MY curiosity.

Mrs. Bong. Lindsay Bong.

Just back from Indonesia and one of my favorite peeps here in Pdx, Mrs. Bong is expecting her first child at the end of September. She is already quite sure that her progeny will be gifted due to strategic inter-racial breeding and her birth plan is to have an epidural started before labor begins. Her loving and adorable husband, Koes, read the book 'The Expectant Father', in its entirety, the very first weekend that they found out they were about 4 weeks pregnant. SOOO cute.

Mrs. Julie Braden

This mommy and her hot new hair-do are baking up this long-awaited baby #2, due this Fall. Big sister Sarah is overwhelmed with anticipation and Julie's husband, Matt (Mike's we-almost-can't-explain-how-they-are-related-cousin), is suuuuuper excited about recent health-care reform which will mean that his new baby can now be born into a world where no child will be excluded from insurance coverage due to pre-existing conditions. : )