Today’s guest blogger is Jennifer Broadwater, managing editor. She will be writing weekly reflections on her first pregnancy.

I recently baked a birthday cake for the fabulous Miss Blythe. That’s how I met Pigeon.

When trying to decide on cake decor, I asked Blythe’s mom, Morgan, what 2-year-olds are into these days. She told me Blythe is a big fan of Pigeon.

Me: Blank stare.

Upon further explanation from Morgan and some personal investigation on the web, I learned that Pigeon is a lovable blue stick-figure bird whose hijinks are documented in a series of children’s books like “Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the School Bus!” and “Don’t Let Pigeon Stay Up Late!”

Morgan wanted a fairly simple cake — nothing 3D (phew). So I sketched Pigeon on parchment paper, then cut him out blue fondant, along with letters to spell out “Happy Birthday Blythe” and lots of little blue 2s to rim the cake.

My favorite part was making her accompanying birthday card, which I crafted to look like a new Pigeon book title: “Don’t Let Pigeon Eat Blythe’s Birthday Cake!”

The whole Pigeon project got me thinking about children’s literature. I am woefully out of the loop on the modern baby and children’s books, it seems. Of course I love the ones I grew up with like “Make Way for Ducklings,” “The Little Engine That Could,” all of the Beatrix Potter standards, and Golden Books like “The Color Kittens” and “The Pokey Little Puppy.”

When it comes to stocking Baby Broadwater’s bookshelf, do you have any suggestions of books that you and your children cherished (or read over, and over and over…)?

When I was a kid, each year seemed to take an eternity to pass. Birthdays were eons apart. But since I’ve had kids of my own — time has gone into hyper drive.

Just yesterday, I came home from the hospital with this little bundle of joy.

Today, she becomes a teenager.

In three short years, she’ll be driving. Then heading off to college.

What more can I do to appreciate each moment before she’s gone?

I’m not a fan of New Year’s Eve.

I find it painful to stay up that late — especially after a glass or two of wine with a big dinner. I’d be more than happy to go to a party, partake in the meal and head home by 10 p.m.

Unfortunately my kids are now in on the staying-up-to-midnight shenanigans. We made the mistake of introducing them to that tradition two years ago when friends came over and their whole family spent the night. Last year, we visited friends in Pennsylvania and watched movies until midnight — no one noticed that I was sound asleep on the couch by 10.

This year we are going to a friend’s house for a party here in town. I’m sure no one would mind if we didn’t last until midnight — except the kids. I’m afraid if we even suggested it, we’d have a mutiny on our hands.

If you are among the lucky ones whose kids are clueless, there are a few fun events during the day on Saturday to help celebrate at a more reasonable hour.

The Maryland Science Center is having a Midnight Noon Celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a ball that drops and the band Milkshake entertaining. Check it out here http://www.marylandfamilymagazine.com/2011/12/28/kid-friendly-noon-new-year’s-celebration-at-the-maryland-science-center/

Port Discovery is also having a Noontime New Year Masquerade with milk and cookies to toast with, Eric Energy! and plenty of entertainment from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For details visit http://events.marylandfamilymagazine.com/event/4161/12th-annual-noontime-new-year-masquerade-a-go-go/

There is also a Midnight at 7 party at Merriweather Post Pavilion from 5 to 7 p.m. Walk through the Symphony of Lights display, enjoy food, music and other entertainment and end the evening with fireworks at 7 p.m. For details visit http://events.marylandfamilymagazine.com/event/3872/midnight-7/

Whatever you do and however you celebrate, I wish your family a very happy New Year.

Today’s guest blogger is Jennifer Broadwater, managing editor. She will be writing weekly reflections on her first pregnancy.

Over the Christmas holiday I had a chance to spend time with two of my best friends, Amanda and Paige, who now live in North Carolina and Arizona, respectively.

It was just like old times. And by that I mean we hung out in the basement at Amanda’s parents’ house and ordered honey sesame chicken from our favorite Chinese restaurant in Columbia. That’s how we spent many a night in high school.

But this time around, instead of playing a vintage edition of The Oregon Trail on the computer, practicing our dance routines and attempting to do switch-leaps, there were other forms amusement. Like blocks and Little People and Abby Cadabby courtesy of our companions Carly (Amanda’s daughter) and Mason (Paige’s nephew). Paige is expecting her first child in March, just one month before my due date.

And instead of talking about boys or school projects like The Commodity Challenge or what dresses we were wearing to Homecoming, the conversation revolved around topics like:

-What baby/birthing classes are most helpful? (Breastfeeding class seems highly recommended)

-What’s the difference between size 24 months and 2T?

-Nursery decor (I learned that black, white and red images are most stimulating to newborns.)

Oh, how things have changed in the decade (plus) that’s passed since high school!

We did bring back one high school tradition: twin day. Over the past several months, we’ve all stayed up to date on pregnancy news via email and photos. That’s how Paige and I figured out we had purchased the same blue and white striped maternity sweater. So, yes, we needed to match for a photo.

Lilly is my giver. She has a huge heart, but she’s also the hardest to please.

Some years, Christmas can be a huge disappointment for Lil if her gifts aren’t exactly what she had hoped. One year, the American Girl Doll vanity was a bust because the doll didn’t fit on the seat. Another year, the Barbie of the Year’s dress was glued on and couldn’t be removed. There was a doll whose hair extensions wouldn’t stay put, and a pixel craft kit that ran out of pixels the day after Christmas.

This year, however, was Lilly’s year. Everything turned out perfect despite some serious reservations on my part.

First of all the 5 foot giraffe more than exceeded her expectations.

Then there was Hermione’s Wand — which she found online and asked Santa for. I was worried. How much fun can a light up wand offer an 11-year-old? But I was so wrong. She loves the fact that the light comes on with just a tap, and she falls asleep with the wand at her side.

She also asked for a Hexbug Hive which looked incredibly cheap. But the whole family has enjoyed the plastic, fold-up toy that little battery operated bugs crawl around in.

One of her favorite presents, however, came in her stocking — a pair of fake glasses. She’s barely taken them off since she opened them.

Except to put them on the giraffe.

The past few years we’ve had a Big Christmas Surprise for the kids.

We’ve never planned to have such surprises, they’ve just happened.

Two year’s ago it was Lucy, our cat.

Last year, we wrapped a television cable and they were suppose to guess we were getting cable TV. (Which they didn’t guess without a thousand hints.)

This year it was a trampoline.

The idea occurred to me a week or so before Christmas. I was sick of the kids hanging out in the house, playing their electronics (and watching cable TV) on beautiful days. Though I had never really wanted a trampoline in my yard for various reasons (patch of dead grass, injuries, strangers stopping by to take a jump…), it occurred to me that it might be the perfect remedy for our problem. Friends who have trampolines say their kids use it all the time, even years after they bought it. One friend even said that her 18-year-old son heads out to jump every now and then. So I decided it would be the perfect gift, and a real surprise for the kids.

I didn’t get around to ordering it, however, until the Monday before Christmas. There was no way it would arrive by Christmas, so my husband came up with a great solution. We snagged the tiles that spelled out “trampoline” from our Bananagrams game, divided the letters among four boxes, wrapped up the boxes and tagged them for each kid.

Lilly opened the first box and was clueless. I told her to hang onto the letters. Jonah was next, and by the time Adam opened his, they quickly searched for Maggie’s box and set to work on spelling out their present. After a hint (something that would get them outside) and a few wrong guesses (a new car, a lacrosse goal and a bounce house), Lilly suggested a trampoline. They all looked at us for confirmation, and when we didn’t say anything, Maggie quickly started spelling out trampoline and stared with disbelief when it worked. (Maybe I had mentioned a few times we would never get a trampoline.)

“No way! We are getting a trampoline?” Masggie asked.

It was priceless. Jonah and Adam jumped around screaming in delight.

It’s due to arrive Wednesday. Hopefully, I’ll be able to deal well with the dead patch of grass, strangers won’t end up in the yard and no one will get hurt. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Merry Christmas! From my Maryland Family to yours!! Hope yours is jolly and full of good cheer.

It is a well known fact that Christmas Eve is the longest day of the year.

To make the day go smoothly (i.e. quickly) in our house, we’ve tried a few different things over the years. For one, we always let the kids open their gifts to each other. This helps ease the excitement, and it also gives them the chance to appreciate the gifts they have chosen — and paid for — for each other. If they were to open these little gifts on Christmas Day, they would likely get lost amidst the other loot.

But how to fill the rest of the day? Our fastest Christmas Even day was a few years ago. It must have been a Saturday because my husband was off of work. We went for a hike in the morning, then out to lunch and then decided to hit a few of the local train gardens. Surprisingly, they were open.

Train gardens are the best. If you haven’t had a chance to visit one yet, below is a list of a few good ones in the area. Check their websites or give them a call to see if they are open Christmas Eve, but even if they aren’t — pick a day while the kids are off school to do a train garden circuit.

Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department  5200 Southwestern Blvd., Arbutus. 410-242-6601 http://www.arbutusvfd.org/train_garden.htm

Arbutus Autobody Train Garden 4621 Leeds Ave., Arbutus. 410-242-0036

Fire Museum of Maryland 1301 York Road, Lutherville. 410-321-7500  www.firemuseummd.org

B&O Railroad Museum 901 West Pratt St., Baltimore. 410-752-2490 www.borail.org

B&O Railroad Museum Ellicott City Station 2711 Maryland Ave., Ellicott City. 410-461-1945  www.borail.org 

Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Department, 3825 Federal Hill Road, Jarrettsville, 410-692-7890. http://www.jarrettsvillevfc.com/

Glyndon Volunteer Fire Department 4812 Butler Road, Glyndon. 410-833-1262.http://www.gvfd40.org/

The Shops at Kenilworth 800 Kenilworth Drive, Towson. 410-321-1909. http://www.theshopsatkenilworth.com

Today’s guest blogger is Jennifer Broadwater, managing editor. She will be writing weekly reflections on her first pregnancy.

I was in pretty good running shape over the summer (by my standards, that is) and since learning I was pregnant I kept up my runs, but incrementally slowed my pace.

Then came what I’ll call an “adjustment period” for my body in which I had back pain earlier than I’d anticipated … and a mild head cold that lingered annoyingly for about 3 weeks.

During that period of time, I stopped running, and I also grew an actual baby bump.

So, when I finally was ready to return to the gym, not only did I look and feel like a different person, some of my standard workout attire just didn’t fit.

All things considered, I didn’t try to run. It seemed like an uncomfortable proposition. So, I walked at a good pace, and on an incline. I must admit, though, leaving the gym with a dry T-shirt and a tidy ponytail didn’t feel very satisfying.

I’m a tad envious of those women who can run throughout pregnancy, but I also don’t like the mental image I conjure of my baby shaking around in utero.

Several of my friends go to a Prenatal Yoga class and highly recommend it. I’m determined to try that out next.

What exercise regimen did you follow during pregnancy?