Well, gosh darn it, I fell again. Right outside the door of Agriculture Hall on my way to lunch. I decided to be much more interested in what sidewalks were open than paying attention to the big step down right outside the door. Stupid construction on campus. Stupid pregnancy brain. Stupid being off-balance because of my belly. GRRRR.
Anyway, I'm fine. I banged up my other knee, but my left knee is much more of a scrape/bruise than a true rasberry scab like my Chili Cook-Off wound. I guess wearing pants isn't a bad thing.
I'm mostly mad because I scraped up my new mommy's day sandals along with my knee. GRRRR.
And yes, before you all comment and yell at me, I will be more careful when walking. It is very odd, but I have been subconsciously conscious of my belly when falling. Baby Cute is just fine inside his/her magical watery womb. I had Cherry Coke with lunch because A) It sounded good. and B) It would ensure some afternoon acrobatics so I could be sure that Baby Cute is ok. Both A & B are working out well. Delicious Cherry Coke and some serious internal pummeling from Baby Cute, check.
I am taking tomorrow OFF. I haven't taken a day OFF without feeling like throwing up or sleeping all day since before I was pregnant. Probably when we moved. So a solid 6 months later I am going to leave all of this work craziness behind me and enjoy a day in my lovely home with my fabulous parents. Come on 5pm!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Margarita Pie makes me long for ABQ.
One of my coworkers made margarita pie (sans tequila) and brought it in to share today. It was delish, and made an excellent accompaniment to my cheese ravioli main course and canned spinach/italian dressing side dish.
I am so pregnant.
The margarita pie made me long for the day when I can go back to Albuquerque and enjoy a margarita. Coincidentally, my coworker Michelle was kind enough to send on her photos today. Good thing I lugged my camera halfway around the country so it could sit in the bag... But the good news is Michelle is an excellent photographer.
Oh, and to update from yesterday, I scheduled my ultrasound at the community college for July 10. Heck, it's only 6 days before the other one, but I'm not passing up an opportunity to solve the "great gender mystery of 2007" AND see my precious little fetus dancing around. Plus, it's for education. There are two senior students who have to do a prenatal ultrasound for their final exam and I am happy to help. :)
Here are my updates. I have to get back to work pronto!
BabyCenter: Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — doesn't sound like much, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.
BabyGaga: Your tiny grower’s physical proportions are evening out at this point and most of their remaining development will largely be weight gain and lots and lots of nervous system development. The good news is: if your child is born premature now they’ll be more likely to survive without too much trauma as their lungs began to produce “surfactant” last week, which means their tiny respiratory system is getting stronger with each passing day. Yes, now’s a good time for a minor sigh of relief and a quick pat on the back—all that hard work and conscientious living is really getting your child prepared for a healthy delivery. Keep up the fabulous work mama! This week they’ll be scootching slowly out of the old breech position and start rotating (already!) into a better position for exit during their birth. Their head and feet are slowly rotating so that the head is pointed down towards the birth canal. Time is short (or really long, depending on who you ask)—just (still!) 14 weeks left before you can go back to being a single-resident human.
I am so pregnant.
The margarita pie made me long for the day when I can go back to Albuquerque and enjoy a margarita. Coincidentally, my coworker Michelle was kind enough to send on her photos today. Good thing I lugged my camera halfway around the country so it could sit in the bag... But the good news is Michelle is an excellent photographer.
Mmmmmmountains!
A little slice of Old Town Albuquerque.
Laura and I at the manager's reception. I was posing with Michelle's margarita.
At El Pinto restaurant on our last night. Am I pondering the meaning of quantum mechanics or picking salsa chunks out of my teeth? We may never know...
Oh, and to update from yesterday, I scheduled my ultrasound at the community college for July 10. Heck, it's only 6 days before the other one, but I'm not passing up an opportunity to solve the "great gender mystery of 2007" AND see my precious little fetus dancing around. Plus, it's for education. There are two senior students who have to do a prenatal ultrasound for their final exam and I am happy to help. :)
Here are my updates. I have to get back to work pronto!
BabyCenter: Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — doesn't sound like much, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.
BabyGaga: Your tiny grower’s physical proportions are evening out at this point and most of their remaining development will largely be weight gain and lots and lots of nervous system development. The good news is: if your child is born premature now they’ll be more likely to survive without too much trauma as their lungs began to produce “surfactant” last week, which means their tiny respiratory system is getting stronger with each passing day. Yes, now’s a good time for a minor sigh of relief and a quick pat on the back—all that hard work and conscientious living is really getting your child prepared for a healthy delivery. Keep up the fabulous work mama! This week they’ll be scootching slowly out of the old breech position and start rotating (already!) into a better position for exit during their birth. Their head and feet are slowly rotating so that the head is pointed down towards the birth canal. Time is short (or really long, depending on who you ask)—just (still!) 14 weeks left before you can go back to being a single-resident human.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Adventures in Girl Scouting.
My Mom likes kids. My Dad likes babies. There are distinct differences between the two, and thankfully I am somewhere in the middle. I definitely prefer babies, but spending the weekend with ten 10-year-olds makes me look forward to Baby Cute being a kid and all of the adventure that comes along with it.
They are odd creatures, 10-year old girls. They're not quite adolescent, but they've lost the "sit on your lap cuddliness" that was there when I first took on the troop in 2003... It's been a lot of fun to watch them grow. I was lucky to be paired with Tammy, successful working mother of three, for the ride up and back. She has great perspective and life experience, and was a great listening ear as well. If she got tired of talking about pregnancy and kids and all of the ensuing drama, she didn't show it. The girls watched Cheetah Girls, Charlotte's Web and then Cheetah Girls again. Having only listened to Cheetah Girls, I still feel safe recommending that you NEVER watch it.
My feet are finally returning to normal size after a weekend of flip flops and bare feet on hard surfaces and sleeping with Malorie, who we shall call "the kicker." I wore both my pre-preggo and preggo swimsuits. Both were fine, but I like to refer to the preggo suit as "flattering" and the pre-preggo suit as "stylish." You will note I am not including any photos of myself in a swimsuit, thank you very much. But my girls are super cute:
While I was gone, Dave got the entire nursery floor stripped of two layers of paint and one layer of varnish. Way to go Dave! The rest of the house looked rather chaotic, but no complaints. I don't work any evenings this week, so we will dig ourselves out of the messy piles and cat hair day by day.
My email to the local community college about volunteering as an ultrasound subject was finally returned today with a lovely reply. All I need is a note from my OB saying it's ok and I can go in as a practice dummy (not that I'm a dummy, but you know) in the coming weeks. So we may perhaps know Baby Cute's gender sooner rather than later! In case you needed further indication that I'm excited, the note from Dr. Tucker is already waiting at the OB office. Hooray!
My coworker Laura also returned on Monday with my Albuquerque treasure--my opal and turquoise bracelet. Wahooey!
I feel good. Work is kicking my butt. Baby Cute is kicking my insides, but I must say baby has been quieter since I cut down on my juice consumption and am trying to drink more water... I wonder, does Baby Cute miss the sugar highs as much as I do?
Oh, and I would be remiss if I left out the Chili Cook-Off story. So we pick up Kate and make our way downtown to join the droves going to mow chili. We cross the major intersection in downtown Lansing--Pennsylvania and Grand. I choose at that moment to catch the tip of my Birkenstock sandal on a slight rise in the sidewalk and take a rather ungraceful tumble onto the pavement. This is the most painful result:
Dave and Kate flipped out, but I am fine. I caught myself with my right arm, which makes for an ouchy shoulder, but other than a few scrapes, bruises and major embarrassment I am fine and dandy. Baby's been kicking and moving fine since then, so I'm not concerned. I'm much more concerned about how I am going to teach my children not to pick scabs when I want nothing more than to pick at my new one. *sigh* Growing up is hard to do.
I can't even begin to describe my excitement about our weekend visitors! My parents and David's are coming for a weekend of home improvement and decorating fun. Perhaps fun is an overstatement, but it's my blog, damn it. Dave and Carolyn are coming Thursday night, and my Mom is trucking her sewing machine and crafty skills down Thursday or Friday, maybe Saturday depending on the funeral arrangements for a dear friend of the family.
I made a lovely list of things to ask Dave and my Dad for help with along with the floors, but we'll see how far we get. We can also pick up Baby Cute's changing table and the chest freezer--finally! I am mostly looking forward to having people in my house again and for the fun and satisfaction that goes along with spending time improving our home. I love being a homeowner.
Friday, June 22, 2007
110 days.
Time is flying. It's almost the end of June. This is nice because I get paid on the last day of the month, but also frightening. I distinctly remember thinking about the 4th of July and wondering what my belly would look like, how I would be feeling, WHAT I would be feeling. The 4th of July is FAST approaching.
I feel like I'm trapped in warp speed. There is so much I want to do, personally and professionally, that hinges around October 10. I sent a request to a journalist friend of mine today to sit on a panel at the MSU Extension Fall Conference. The date of the panel is October 10. Whoa, why are we planning things in October already? That is REALLY far away. Yeah right.
David and I got some good news today! Our "check engine soon" light had come on in our one-and-only car, Belinda the Bonneville, on Wednesday morning. Being a one-car family and assuming the worst, we figured we'd have to rent a car while Belinda was in for whatever kind of expensive repairs she would require now that the dreaded "check engine soon" light had activated. Dave took her in this morning knowing that Enterprise would only charge us $19/day for a car Dave would fit into. Our nice mechanic Mike (aren't all mechanics named Mike? Or Bill? Or Ray? Or Steve?) informed us that our gas cap area was a little corroded and we just needed to wire brush it out and that would solve the vapor lapse problem. Hooray! Belinda has also been "clunking" when we move her from park to drive, and Mike also had good news there. Our motor mount is wearing out. I'm ok with that! Better that than the transmission! It's a "make an appointment and we'll have it done by noon" fix too. Thank you Mike (and the mechanics)! :)
Tonight we are heading to the Board of Water and Light Chili Cook-Off. Afterwards, I will do a fashion show of swimsuits with Dave and prepare for a weekend of fun in the chlorinated world of an indoor waterpark.
We got mixed reviews last night when we googled "pregnancy" and "waterslides." Basically, some docs say go for it, some say 'oh God no!' I think I'll go somewhere in between, thanks.
I feel like I'm trapped in warp speed. There is so much I want to do, personally and professionally, that hinges around October 10. I sent a request to a journalist friend of mine today to sit on a panel at the MSU Extension Fall Conference. The date of the panel is October 10. Whoa, why are we planning things in October already? That is REALLY far away. Yeah right.
David and I got some good news today! Our "check engine soon" light had come on in our one-and-only car, Belinda the Bonneville, on Wednesday morning. Being a one-car family and assuming the worst, we figured we'd have to rent a car while Belinda was in for whatever kind of expensive repairs she would require now that the dreaded "check engine soon" light had activated. Dave took her in this morning knowing that Enterprise would only charge us $19/day for a car Dave would fit into. Our nice mechanic Mike (aren't all mechanics named Mike? Or Bill? Or Ray? Or Steve?) informed us that our gas cap area was a little corroded and we just needed to wire brush it out and that would solve the vapor lapse problem. Hooray! Belinda has also been "clunking" when we move her from park to drive, and Mike also had good news there. Our motor mount is wearing out. I'm ok with that! Better that than the transmission! It's a "make an appointment and we'll have it done by noon" fix too. Thank you Mike (and the mechanics)! :)
Tonight we are heading to the Board of Water and Light Chili Cook-Off. Afterwards, I will do a fashion show of swimsuits with Dave and prepare for a weekend of fun in the chlorinated world of an indoor waterpark.
We got mixed reviews last night when we googled "pregnancy" and "waterslides." Basically, some docs say go for it, some say 'oh God no!' I think I'll go somewhere in between, thanks.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Hommmmmmme.
Hooray for home!
I told David to take my picture (so ya'll could see my growing belly), but I was not specific about what kind of shot, so you just get head and shoulders. Check out my straight top teeth instead of my belly, I guess.
I got home safe, with two more uneventful plane rides under my belt. My coworker Michelle is an excellent travel partner, so we enjoyed each other's company and got home safe and sound at 11pm last night. Dave was on time to pick me up (of course, he's on "dave time" which is about 10 minutes early) and was very happy with my ABQ purchase for Baby Cute.
The 'ugh' news is that my back hurts. Bad. It is significantly better today, so I am hoping that it was just too many nights in a hotel bed. I've had to squat instead of bend lately, which gets old quickly and makes me walk and move slowly and oddly. Frankly, it makes me move like a pregnant lady. *sigh* Other than swollen feet and an aching back, I feel good. I have a PRSA meeting this afternoon and then I am heading home to work. I need to put my feet up and get my laundry done before I turn around and go again this weekend.
Don't be jealous, but my girl scouts are taking their "big trip" of the year to the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City. I am pretty excited. Not excited about missing another weekend at home, but excited nonetheless.
Officially 6 months today. Baby Cute is mad because I haven't eaten breakfast yet and is kicking in protest. The movements are getting stronger and stronger and Baby Cute is setting up his/her own little schedule--waking and sleeping around the same times of day. It's pretty cool. In other exciting news, my uterus is now the size of a soccer ball. Whoa.
BabyCenter: Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when she was just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long, that makes a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon put on more baby fat. Your baby's skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are developing. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
BabyGaga: This is another big week for your smaller-than-life magic growing baby! Just take a look at the checklist for this week: 1) ears—done; 2) fingernails—done; 3) (if you have a boy) testicles—taking their 3-4 day trip from the abdominal wall to the scrotum; and 4) lungs walls—secreting “surfactant”. What’s that? Well, surfactant is sort of what it sounds like: a surface-activated fat whose main purpose is to assist the air sacs (their little lungs) during inflation (as in: filling with air, not getting more expensive). Just in case you’re curious, your submerged baby is still breathing in amniotic fluid, preparing and rehearsing the lungs an oxygen-filled life outside the womb. By the end of this week, your child is around 2 lbs and 14 inches long—perhaps a little more plump, but isn't anywhere near their full baby-fatted cute-self. Most of the cutesy “filling out” is coming up in that long awaited (and slightly dreaded?) third trimester. Woo-hoo! Get ready!
I told David to take my picture (so ya'll could see my growing belly), but I was not specific about what kind of shot, so you just get head and shoulders. Check out my straight top teeth instead of my belly, I guess.
I got home safe, with two more uneventful plane rides under my belt. My coworker Michelle is an excellent travel partner, so we enjoyed each other's company and got home safe and sound at 11pm last night. Dave was on time to pick me up (of course, he's on "dave time" which is about 10 minutes early) and was very happy with my ABQ purchase for Baby Cute.
(the onesie says "hug me, i'm a little chili" Albuquerque. It is SO CUTE!)
I only bought one other thing (other than cranberry juice, chocolate milk, water, cheese sticks and granola bars at Walgreens, ha ha ha). It will surprise those of you who know me well, but I bought jewelry. A bracelet. It spoke to me. Loudly. The bracelet is still in New Mexico because the nice people are adding links to make it fit my fat wrist. My coworker Laura is staying for a few extra days and is going to pick it up and bring it home for me. Hooray! I will post a photo of it and its turquoise and opal gloriousness.
The 'ugh' news is that my back hurts. Bad. It is significantly better today, so I am hoping that it was just too many nights in a hotel bed. I've had to squat instead of bend lately, which gets old quickly and makes me walk and move slowly and oddly. Frankly, it makes me move like a pregnant lady. *sigh* Other than swollen feet and an aching back, I feel good. I have a PRSA meeting this afternoon and then I am heading home to work. I need to put my feet up and get my laundry done before I turn around and go again this weekend.
Don't be jealous, but my girl scouts are taking their "big trip" of the year to the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City. I am pretty excited. Not excited about missing another weekend at home, but excited nonetheless.
Officially 6 months today. Baby Cute is mad because I haven't eaten breakfast yet and is kicking in protest. The movements are getting stronger and stronger and Baby Cute is setting up his/her own little schedule--waking and sleeping around the same times of day. It's pretty cool. In other exciting news, my uterus is now the size of a soccer ball. Whoa.
BabyCenter: Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when she was just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long, that makes a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon put on more baby fat. Your baby's skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are developing. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
BabyGaga: This is another big week for your smaller-than-life magic growing baby! Just take a look at the checklist for this week: 1) ears—done; 2) fingernails—done; 3) (if you have a boy) testicles—taking their 3-4 day trip from the abdominal wall to the scrotum; and 4) lungs walls—secreting “surfactant”. What’s that? Well, surfactant is sort of what it sounds like: a surface-activated fat whose main purpose is to assist the air sacs (their little lungs) during inflation (as in: filling with air, not getting more expensive). Just in case you’re curious, your submerged baby is still breathing in amniotic fluid, preparing and rehearsing the lungs an oxygen-filled life outside the womb. By the end of this week, your child is around 2 lbs and 14 inches long—perhaps a little more plump, but isn't anywhere near their full baby-fatted cute-self. Most of the cutesy “filling out” is coming up in that long awaited (and slightly dreaded?) third trimester. Woo-hoo! Get ready!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Mountains and airplanes and jewelry, Oh My!
We're in Albuquerque. The trip was totally uneventful, thank goodness. I sat next to skinny teenage girls on both flights, thank goodness to that, too. Even the $5 snack box on Northwest Airlines and the $2.25 bottle of water at the airport cafe' was delicious. Baby Cute had a very hungry day; flying is hard work for fetuses.
I'm traveling with jewelry lovers in jewelry country. I looked at more turquoise necklaces and bracelets and anklets and pendants than I have in my 26 years of existence. Luckily, they also love food, so I had delicious New Mexican enchiladas (sans hot sauce, of course).
I heart dry heat. And mountains.
My feet are swollen, my spirits are high and I am traveling with my favorite colleagues. It's kinda like a sleepover, but in New Mexico, and in a hotel, and we have to go to sessions instead of painting our nails and watching chick flicks. *sigh* Oh well.
More later.
I'm traveling with jewelry lovers in jewelry country. I looked at more turquoise necklaces and bracelets and anklets and pendants than I have in my 26 years of existence. Luckily, they also love food, so I had delicious New Mexican enchiladas (sans hot sauce, of course).
I heart dry heat. And mountains.
My feet are swollen, my spirits are high and I am traveling with my favorite colleagues. It's kinda like a sleepover, but in New Mexico, and in a hotel, and we have to go to sessions instead of painting our nails and watching chick flicks. *sigh* Oh well.
More later.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Sir Zucchini Kicks-A-Lot
Melanie dubbed Baby Cute "Sir Zucchini Kicks-A-Lot" after I emailed her about getting kicked on the outside yesterday. I am still giggling about it. Melanie is one of the most creative people I know, and she never fails to make me laugh.
Our appointment was anti-climactic as usual... As Dr. Bell said this morning, boring is good.
The updates:
--I gained 5 pounds, so I am officially "even steven"--the weight I was when I found out I was pregnant. It's funny how little I typically care about my weight, but the thought of gaining weight is very intimidating to me.... Yes, I'm odd.
--My blood pressure is still "a little high."
--I got my glucose drink and instructions on taking my gestational diabetes screening. The week of July 6 or after.
--Today was the first time they measured my belly from my pubic bone to the top of my uterus. This was fascinating to me. We were measuring right on today. It will be interesting to see how the measurements grow!
--And, the news you have all been waiting for, Dr. Bell DID order another ultrasound for us! So July 16 Baby Cute gets another chance to show off his/her goods.
--Oh, and Dr. Tucker had her baby boy. His name is Kinneal.
Tomorrow I leave for Albuquerque, New Mexico. I'll be gone until late on Tuesday night, but should stay pretty connected to email and the blog. It is going to be hot and dry--hooray for desert!
I had delicious conversation and ice cream with my friend Kate yesterday. We talked "shop" a lot--the local PR scene, master's degrees, our common aspiration to become comm arts teachers. We talked about fun stuff too, of course. Kate and Nate consider themselves members of the granola-crunching scene, and are also thinking about having their own Baby KateandNate someday soon. Kate brought up a funny point--zodiac signs. Apparently, they are waiting just a tad longer because she's not a fan of the quirks of Taurus/Gemini peeps. Obviously, we didn't plan Baby Cute, but I was interested to see what zodiac sign my baby is headed for.
Baby Cute will most likely be a Libra--September 24-October 23 seems like a pretty safe date range around October 10.
So for this Friday, a bunch of fun Libra facts. We can get to know a little about Baby Cute already!
Libra is the only inanimate sign of the zodiac, all the others representing either humans or animals. Many modern astrologers regard it as the most desirable of zodiacal types because it represents the zenith of the year, the high point of the seasons, when the harvest of all the hard work of the spring is reaped. There is a mellowness and sense of relaxation in the air as mankind enjoys the last of the summer sun and the fruits of his toil. Librans too are among the most civilized of the twelve zodiacal characters and are often good looking. They have elegance, charm and good taste, are naturally kind, very gentle, and lovers of beauty, harmony (both in music and social living) and the pleasures that these bring.
Our appointment was anti-climactic as usual... As Dr. Bell said this morning, boring is good.
The updates:
--I gained 5 pounds, so I am officially "even steven"--the weight I was when I found out I was pregnant. It's funny how little I typically care about my weight, but the thought of gaining weight is very intimidating to me.... Yes, I'm odd.
--My blood pressure is still "a little high."
--I got my glucose drink and instructions on taking my gestational diabetes screening. The week of July 6 or after.
--Today was the first time they measured my belly from my pubic bone to the top of my uterus. This was fascinating to me. We were measuring right on today. It will be interesting to see how the measurements grow!
--And, the news you have all been waiting for, Dr. Bell DID order another ultrasound for us! So July 16 Baby Cute gets another chance to show off his/her goods.
--Oh, and Dr. Tucker had her baby boy. His name is Kinneal.
Tomorrow I leave for Albuquerque, New Mexico. I'll be gone until late on Tuesday night, but should stay pretty connected to email and the blog. It is going to be hot and dry--hooray for desert!
I had delicious conversation and ice cream with my friend Kate yesterday. We talked "shop" a lot--the local PR scene, master's degrees, our common aspiration to become comm arts teachers. We talked about fun stuff too, of course. Kate and Nate consider themselves members of the granola-crunching scene, and are also thinking about having their own Baby KateandNate someday soon. Kate brought up a funny point--zodiac signs. Apparently, they are waiting just a tad longer because she's not a fan of the quirks of Taurus/Gemini peeps. Obviously, we didn't plan Baby Cute, but I was interested to see what zodiac sign my baby is headed for.
Baby Cute will most likely be a Libra--September 24-October 23 seems like a pretty safe date range around October 10.
So for this Friday, a bunch of fun Libra facts. We can get to know a little about Baby Cute already!
Libra is the only inanimate sign of the zodiac, all the others representing either humans or animals. Many modern astrologers regard it as the most desirable of zodiacal types because it represents the zenith of the year, the high point of the seasons, when the harvest of all the hard work of the spring is reaped. There is a mellowness and sense of relaxation in the air as mankind enjoys the last of the summer sun and the fruits of his toil. Librans too are among the most civilized of the twelve zodiacal characters and are often good looking. They have elegance, charm and good taste, are naturally kind, very gentle, and lovers of beauty, harmony (both in music and social living) and the pleasures that these bring.
LIKES
- The finer things in life
- Sharing
- Conviviality (fond of feasting, drinking, and merry company; jovial)
- Gentleness
DISLIKES
- Violence
- Injustice
- Brutishness
- Being a slave to fashion
Famous Libras
- Barbara Walters
- George Gershwin (I'm hoping this mean Baby Cute has a sense of rhythm, unlike David)
- Julie Andrews
- David Lee Roth (HA!)
- Eleanor Roosevelt (she was born Oct. 11)
- Princess Leah (I mean, Carrie Fisher)
- Friedrich Nietzsche
- Johnny Carson
Thursday, June 14, 2007
KICK.
I just felt Baby Cute kick me from the outside!!!!! David did not answer his phone, so telling the blogosphere seems appropriate.
It was amazing.
We will celebrate by having some rice pudding to encourage more kicking.
Grow Baby Cute Grow!
It was amazing.
We will celebrate by having some rice pudding to encourage more kicking.
Grow Baby Cute Grow!
Select Michigan.
I had a wonderful time on the first Michigan Farm Marketing and Agri-Tourism Bus Tour! We visited a winery, a greenhouse/corn maze/pumpkin patch, farm market, apple/peach/cherry/apricot U-pick orchard, a cider mill, a chocolate garden, a U-pick/farm market/bakery and apple orchard/pie pantry/restaurant. SO fun.
Here are some raw photos I took (BTW: Raw means I haven't prettied them up in Photoshop so you think I'm a better photographer than I am):
Lemon Creek Winery. They have the second-largest acreage of wine grape vineyards in Michigan. They also make a lovely Chardonnay. Mmmm.
Barbott Farm and Greenhouse has an amazing retail market (and HOT greenhouses not fit for pregnant women to stand around and listen in them). They do their best to make sure they have what the big box stores do not--a very cool marketing strategy.
Mmmm. Michigan strawberries. I ate about half this many on the bus after purchasing some at our second stop. These aren't mine though, they belong to Earl's Farm Market in Fennville.
And finally, Crane's orchard in Fennville. What you see are apple trees on the right. To the left (outside the shot) is an amazing grove of black walnut trees where they have a nice picnic area. Hutchins Lake is just beyond the far treeline. It was breathtaking.
Baby Cute enjoyed the tour as well, particularly the blueberry-cheese strudel pie I enjoyed at the pie pantry. I got kicked through most of the deliciousness.
I drove a motor pool vehicle to the tour, which was pretty nice; a 2007 Chevy Impala with only 1400 miles on it. I don't think I've ever driven a car with that few miles. It was odd, and had new car smell (even odder). While I enjoyed being without the quirks of Belinda the Bonneville, the Impala has literally NOTHING outstanding going for it. It's a car. A car that drives fine with a radio and air conditioning that works quickly. Otherwise, I got nuthin. Cross the Impala off the list for future car shopping endeavors!
David was kind enough to strip the yellowy paint off a corner of the floor while I was gone so Dave can get a better look. I think it looks pretty amazing, but I am no expert.
David was also kind enough to pick up, vacuum the entire house and Swiffer the kitchen. Thank goodness for central air, and hooray for division of labor in the house. It was so nice to come home to a clean house.
I am getting together with my friend Kate tonight for ice cream and girl talk. I am very excited! Tomorrow is also our next OB appointment, so I should have more news about whether or not we're going to have another ultrasound scheduled... More tomorrow.
I'm finding it a little silly to say "23 weeks" these days when people ask me how far along I am, so I have taken to saying "almost 6 months." This is weird, ladies and gents. Weird. I am definitely pregnant, my belly is expanding daily, but to be SIX MONTHS pregnant? Wowee. I'm as shocked as ya'll are. Or maybe you're not shocked and I'm just in some state of wonder/amazement/denial/whatever. Anyway, here are the 23 weeks stats on Baby Cute and yours truly. Reading the updates, I realize there have been a few times when the baby's been "startled" and kicked me extra hard... Fascinating!
Baby Center: Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing. He can swallow, but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze your baby when he hears them outside the womb.
Baby Gaga: At this point, you’ve pretty much adjusted to the fact you’ve got a moving little gymnast inside of you, but now they’re going to kick up the party a notch because they can hear and react to sounds from the outside world. Sounds from your alarm clock, a thunder roll, or that darned car honking at you across the intersection can actually jar their little ears enough to elicit a kick or violent bout of squirming. Of course this also means that their little ears are picking up the sounds of your voice and those near you. So go ahead, sing a lullaby to your little angel—if they start kicking, it’s likely they just want you to stop… or maybe it was a kick of approval? You decide. Their little pink taste buds are still growing and their bones are continuing to ossify (harden). Your baby's tiny veins are visible through their translucent yet wrinkly skin. (Think of it this way: they’ve been swimming in the equivalent of a long hot bath for the past 23 weeks, so you can’t blame them for being a little prune-like.)
I thought it would be interesting to note that a lot of those "in the womb" pictures you've seen were taken around 6 months, where Baby Cute and I are right now. Pretty cool, huh?
And this is what my body looks like internally. It takes some imagination, but basically, there's a baby growing inside of me. Whoa.
Monday, June 11, 2007
WOOD!
We struck wood on Sunday afternoon! Striking wood under the carpet in the nursery was unexpected, as the closet has 9x9-inch tile, which we were told pretty much means it's asbestos tile. Well, as soon as David tore the pink madness away from the closet door we saw we do not have tile, but painted wood floors. Delish!
David is going to remove some of the paint and we're going to send some close-up photos to Dave (Carolyn's Dave, not mine) so he can assess if the floors are re-finishable. Fingers crossed everyone, as refinishing the floors would cost us significantly less than investing $500 in new bamboo! We're prepared to spend the dough, but wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to?
Tomorrow is our three-year anniversary. Awwwww! The sad news is that I am heading out of town in the afternoon to attend the Michigan Farm Market and Agri-Tourism Bus Tour on Tuesday evening and Wednesday all day. The good news is that we have learned to be flexible in our three years of wedded bliss, and are going to celebrate with a delicious dinner out this evening. Plus, the bus tour is going to kick butt and I am really excited to get out of the office and have the opportunity to take photos and sample Michigan-grown produce and Michigan-made products with my ag peeps. Hooray for getting paid to have fun!
Here is my Cutie ripping out the carpet. You will see I was VERY helpful, taking photos and encouraging Dave from above. I did help vacuum up the random 70's carpet padding funk afterward!
The nursery adventure continues!
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Registry part 1, to the cacaphony of my neighbor girls
Warning: This is a looooong post in which I chat a lot about baby products. You have been warned.
As much as I am proud of the strict budget that David and I put ourselves on, it sure is nice to have internet access at home. It's even nicer that we're not paying for it, but still... a little luxury now and again never hurt anyone.
We were quite the the grand champion shoppers today. The Best Buy reward dollars that we got for buying our sexy, fabulous washer and dryer expired today, so we headed out to buy a chest freezer. We had originally selected the super gigantic chest freezer and had it delivered the same day as the sexy, fabulous washer/dryer pair, but because our house was built in the early 1900's, our stairs are just not built for that kind of girth. The deliverymen just couldn't get it down the stairs. It all worked out well, because we still got 20% off on the laundry machines because Best Buy price-matched Sears', buy 3 major appliances, get 20% off, but didn't make us give back the 10% when we returned the ginormous freezer. I couldn't have planned it better myself. But we do still need a chest freezer, especially knowing I will soon be responsible for filling said freezer with breast milk. Our upstairs freezer is packed enough, and breast milk keeps for weeks longer if it's in a deep freezer instead of a conventional one. So, we are the proud owners of a baby chest freezer for the baby milk. $100 well spent.
Speaking of babies, David and I finally made our first trip to the baby store to register. It was REALLY fun. We did most of the store, but left out the "Infant Care" department, where the bottles, bibs, bathtubs and breastpumps live. We'll tackle that monster next time. For today, we did our furniture, bedding, baby "gear" like high chair and pack 'n play, and a few misc. things like a mobile and this cutie Sassy-brand toy set. You'll notice that there is a red stroller on our list. I just let Dave have his say on that one. I don't like red, but that shouldn't mean that Baby Cute can't love it, boy or girl. See? I'm not totally stubborn!
David surprised me today. I thought I would have to drag him through the store and just point to what he should shoot with the registry gun. Instead, he was downright engaged. He asked good questions and got downright indignant about our crib choice. I had picked a lower-end Jardine crib because it was the only white one that I like in the store. I'm not THAT committed to the baby store that I don't realize there are other cribs out there, but the white ones that I would want are in the $600 range and/or are only available online. Right--that's insane. So I showed Dave my favorite crib, the Babi Italia PineHurst, but it doesn't come in white (link only shows the lifetime version, the one we registered for is a traditional drop-side crib). Well, Dave fell in love. It had hidden hardware, which means that instead of the mechanism for the sliding side being exposed, it's all sleek and beautifully hidden inside the sliding rail. It's made of better wood. It's sturdier. Baby Bargains gives the manufacturer an 'A' instead of Jardine's 'B-.' It will last for many Baby Cutes to come. So, we just hit the trigger.
Then, another magical "glider-rocker-like" moment happened. My favorite Simmons dresser was on clearance. Today was a special 10% off clearance furniture sale. AND I had a 10% off your total purchase coupon in ADDITION to my employee discount. We pulled out the drawer and held it next to Baby Cute's future crib and it matched PERFECTLY. So my vision for white furniture is out the door, and we are the proud owners of a Simmons dresser/changing table for LESS than 50% of the original price. There are perks, ladies and gentlemen, to working at the baby store. I am VERY excited, Baby Cute's room is going to be so beautiful.
Dave noticed today that my belly grew again. Sure, it grows a little bit every day, but my belly button is coming up to meet my lower belly fat faster and faster. Today, I can definitely tell. Baby Cute is being pretty quiet overall--but then again, I have sat down very little today. I am, however, keeping my tennis shoes ON my feet to prevent swelling. So far, so good.
My neighbor is a single mom with two girls. They are easily my favorite neighbors, and tomorrow is Bailey's birthday pool party. They are busily cleaning and organizing and yelling at each other in that typical, high-pitched girl voice, complete with "MooooOOOOm" thrown in for good measure. They are doing all of this in their swimsuits, which only makes it funnier. It will be fun to be a fly in the window tomorrow during the party. I fully expect that someday Bailey or her big sister Shelby will babysit for Baby Cute, so it's fun to watch them "fight" in the same way I so fondly remember growing up with my sisters.
Perhaps this makes me a bad person, but I sat in my dining room (where my windows look right onto their house and into their open windows) and laughed SO hard when Shelby hit Bailey in the face with a jumprope earlier this week. Bailey was FINE, but Shelby disappeared and Bailey sat on the front porch crying LOUDLY and dramatically. Having been the younger sister, I understood that she wanted her Mom to come out and make sure she was ok. Margaret was NOT coming out. She cried on and on (stopping every once in a while so I knew she was fine) until she gave up and went inside to cry there and tell on Shelby. I was that little girl many, many times and just couldn't stop laughing. Funny how time flies.
My laundry is done and my Ikea table is half-sanded. It was an absolutely perfect day today, and my roses are starting to bloom. It's quite fun, having a yard (and a husband who mows it regularly). I am going to finish sanding and do some cleaning before I tuck myself in for the night.
/babbling
Thanks for listening. :)
As much as I am proud of the strict budget that David and I put ourselves on, it sure is nice to have internet access at home. It's even nicer that we're not paying for it, but still... a little luxury now and again never hurt anyone.
We were quite the the grand champion shoppers today. The Best Buy reward dollars that we got for buying our sexy, fabulous washer and dryer expired today, so we headed out to buy a chest freezer. We had originally selected the super gigantic chest freezer and had it delivered the same day as the sexy, fabulous washer/dryer pair, but because our house was built in the early 1900's, our stairs are just not built for that kind of girth. The deliverymen just couldn't get it down the stairs. It all worked out well, because we still got 20% off on the laundry machines because Best Buy price-matched Sears', buy 3 major appliances, get 20% off, but didn't make us give back the 10% when we returned the ginormous freezer. I couldn't have planned it better myself. But we do still need a chest freezer, especially knowing I will soon be responsible for filling said freezer with breast milk. Our upstairs freezer is packed enough, and breast milk keeps for weeks longer if it's in a deep freezer instead of a conventional one. So, we are the proud owners of a baby chest freezer for the baby milk. $100 well spent.
Speaking of babies, David and I finally made our first trip to the baby store to register. It was REALLY fun. We did most of the store, but left out the "Infant Care" department, where the bottles, bibs, bathtubs and breastpumps live. We'll tackle that monster next time. For today, we did our furniture, bedding, baby "gear" like high chair and pack 'n play, and a few misc. things like a mobile and this cutie Sassy-brand toy set. You'll notice that there is a red stroller on our list. I just let Dave have his say on that one. I don't like red, but that shouldn't mean that Baby Cute can't love it, boy or girl. See? I'm not totally stubborn!
David surprised me today. I thought I would have to drag him through the store and just point to what he should shoot with the registry gun. Instead, he was downright engaged. He asked good questions and got downright indignant about our crib choice. I had picked a lower-end Jardine crib because it was the only white one that I like in the store. I'm not THAT committed to the baby store that I don't realize there are other cribs out there, but the white ones that I would want are in the $600 range and/or are only available online. Right--that's insane. So I showed Dave my favorite crib, the Babi Italia PineHurst, but it doesn't come in white (link only shows the lifetime version, the one we registered for is a traditional drop-side crib). Well, Dave fell in love. It had hidden hardware, which means that instead of the mechanism for the sliding side being exposed, it's all sleek and beautifully hidden inside the sliding rail. It's made of better wood. It's sturdier. Baby Bargains gives the manufacturer an 'A' instead of Jardine's 'B-.' It will last for many Baby Cutes to come. So, we just hit the trigger.
Then, another magical "glider-rocker-like" moment happened. My favorite Simmons dresser was on clearance. Today was a special 10% off clearance furniture sale. AND I had a 10% off your total purchase coupon in ADDITION to my employee discount. We pulled out the drawer and held it next to Baby Cute's future crib and it matched PERFECTLY. So my vision for white furniture is out the door, and we are the proud owners of a Simmons dresser/changing table for LESS than 50% of the original price. There are perks, ladies and gentlemen, to working at the baby store. I am VERY excited, Baby Cute's room is going to be so beautiful.
Dave noticed today that my belly grew again. Sure, it grows a little bit every day, but my belly button is coming up to meet my lower belly fat faster and faster. Today, I can definitely tell. Baby Cute is being pretty quiet overall--but then again, I have sat down very little today. I am, however, keeping my tennis shoes ON my feet to prevent swelling. So far, so good.
My neighbor is a single mom with two girls. They are easily my favorite neighbors, and tomorrow is Bailey's birthday pool party. They are busily cleaning and organizing and yelling at each other in that typical, high-pitched girl voice, complete with "MooooOOOOm" thrown in for good measure. They are doing all of this in their swimsuits, which only makes it funnier. It will be fun to be a fly in the window tomorrow during the party. I fully expect that someday Bailey or her big sister Shelby will babysit for Baby Cute, so it's fun to watch them "fight" in the same way I so fondly remember growing up with my sisters.
Perhaps this makes me a bad person, but I sat in my dining room (where my windows look right onto their house and into their open windows) and laughed SO hard when Shelby hit Bailey in the face with a jumprope earlier this week. Bailey was FINE, but Shelby disappeared and Bailey sat on the front porch crying LOUDLY and dramatically. Having been the younger sister, I understood that she wanted her Mom to come out and make sure she was ok. Margaret was NOT coming out. She cried on and on (stopping every once in a while so I knew she was fine) until she gave up and went inside to cry there and tell on Shelby. I was that little girl many, many times and just couldn't stop laughing. Funny how time flies.
My laundry is done and my Ikea table is half-sanded. It was an absolutely perfect day today, and my roses are starting to bloom. It's quite fun, having a yard (and a husband who mows it regularly). I am going to finish sanding and do some cleaning before I tuck myself in for the night.
/babbling
Thanks for listening. :)
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Cheery Baby!
I think that Baby Cute is trying to cheer me up today. There is seemingly constant activity in my belly--full somersaults, kicks, startles. It's been fun. I probably could have gotten a lot more accomplished, but I spent many 5-minute intervals just holding my belly and experiencing Baby Cute's acrobatics. I imagine I look pretty silly sitting in my office with my eyes closed, pressing on my stomach with tears running down my face....
Baby Cute's antics brought tears to my eyes several times. Everyone tells you that you "know" the baby before it's even born based on how it acts inside of you. I'm beginning to understand that more and more.
Frankly, this is all still very surreal. People keep asking me if we've registered, if we've picked names, if the nursery is done (HA!), have we looked for daycares, have we signed up for expectant parent seminars... the list goes on. Perhaps it's funny to those of you who know me and my crazy, planning ways, but I'm just not "there" yet. It's not that I don't want to be "there," it just seems so early, and I feel so unprepared to make those decisions. This second trimester, feel-good, glowy, bulging belly, hopeful time is too nice to muck it up with decisions I say!
Baby Cute's movement could also be attributed to the insane amount of strawberries I ate today, but I like the thought that she/he is cheering me up more. Oh, and I did have hot dogs for lunch today in honor of Baby Cute's foot-long status. Hot dogs, strawberries and cranberry juice. Oh man, this baby is going to have weird tastebuds.
I'm ready to see my beloved tomorrow! He flies in at 1 p.m. and I am taking the rest of the afternoon off to smooch him and get my braces tightened.
Baby Cute's antics brought tears to my eyes several times. Everyone tells you that you "know" the baby before it's even born based on how it acts inside of you. I'm beginning to understand that more and more.
Frankly, this is all still very surreal. People keep asking me if we've registered, if we've picked names, if the nursery is done (HA!), have we looked for daycares, have we signed up for expectant parent seminars... the list goes on. Perhaps it's funny to those of you who know me and my crazy, planning ways, but I'm just not "there" yet. It's not that I don't want to be "there," it just seems so early, and I feel so unprepared to make those decisions. This second trimester, feel-good, glowy, bulging belly, hopeful time is too nice to muck it up with decisions I say!
Baby Cute's movement could also be attributed to the insane amount of strawberries I ate today, but I like the thought that she/he is cheering me up more. Oh, and I did have hot dogs for lunch today in honor of Baby Cute's foot-long status. Hot dogs, strawberries and cranberry juice. Oh man, this baby is going to have weird tastebuds.
I'm ready to see my beloved tomorrow! He flies in at 1 p.m. and I am taking the rest of the afternoon off to smooch him and get my braces tightened.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Foot-long Baby Cute and the Cranky Mommy.
Dang, I'm in a pissy mood today. I can't decide if it's my hormones, or missing David, or having too much to do, or not looking pregnant enough, or feeling fat, or perhaps my needy intern. Whatever it is, I am cranky.
My Brownie troop bridged last night to Juniors. I have been with the same group of girls since they were entering first grade and were barely reading. Now, they are a funny and random mixed bag of personalities--mouthing off to their Moms, telling me about the stupid boys in their class, giggling in a way that makes me laugh too, reading like champs and singing random songs off the top of their little heads. As absent as I've been lately, my favorites still broke from their very organized circle when I arrived (late) and ran to hug me and tell me they missed me. I've also grown quite close to their mothers, a wonderful group of women who make me look forward to being a Mom myself.
I'll say it. I cried when I got home. Hard. I just don't see how I can continue to give of myself as a girl scout leader next year when I know I'm going to want to be home with Baby Cute as much as possible. My co-leader Susan is being very understanding and has recruited several new co-leaders so I can come and go as I please, but things just won't be the same. Ugh, this may be the first sign of Mommy Guilt.
In happier news, David is doing wonderfully in Minnesota. They are working 12+-hour days and he has been falling asleep while reviewing more papers before going to sleep at night, but he has a cheery, happy lilt in his voice and is really enjoying his co-workers and their time together. I miss him a lot, but knowing that he is happy and I am busy makes this much easier. Plus, Runa has finally figured out that he is not coming home right away and this means she can sleep on his side of the bed without me noticing. She started out in her kitty bed last night, but made her way to the foot of the bed by the time I woke up. She is a spoiled, spoiled kitty.
I'm downright jealous of other 22-week pregnant Moms. It seems preggo women are everywhere--in the grocery store, at the park last night... and I haven't even been to the baby store yet. I just feel fat. I don't look pregnant, although lots of nice people will tell me I do. I keep reminding myself that in another month or two I'm going to wish I had the option of looking pregnant or not depending on what I wear, but I'm tired of being an awkward in-between. To prove I'm not just whiny, check out Baby Gaga's Calendar Girls. Those 22 week preggos LOOK preggo.
I'm typically a self-confident person. I based too much of my self-worth as a younger person on my size and I am happier mentally and healthier physically when I don't beat myself up about my weight. It just seems like so much of pregnancy focuses on your belly size, and I feel held back because I can't feel Baby Cute from the outside yet and I feel dumpy and fat instead of glowy and pregnant.
Eh, ask me again tomorrow and I'll tell you how overjoyed and blessed I feel. Today is just a hormonal day.
Finally, let me give a shout-out to God for blessing me with amazing 60/70 degree days this week. When I'm not hot, I'm not puffy. When I'm not puffy my shoes fit and I'm more comfortable in my own skin. Tomorrow's forecast is for 90+ degrees, but I figure I just got bumped on God's priority totem pole for someone who is planning a pool party or a water balloon fight. I can deal, I have just really appreciated these last few days.
Baby Cute is a foot long now. This makes me think of foot-long hot dogs and wish I had brought hot dogs instead of salad for lunch today. But I digress. Twenty-two week today, folks. We are growing fingernails, getting REM sleep patterns and getting wrinkly. Note to my Dad--wrinkles and good. More wrinkles=fatter baby.
Sorry to be so cranky, all. I'll perk up before I post again.
BabyCenter: Your baby now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at 10.9 inches and almost 1 pound. Her skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her head and body is now visible. Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and her pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.
BabyGaga: The grow must go on! No wonder you’re getting so big, you’re now housing a wonder baby-- (that weighs nearly a pound and measures nearly a whole foot in length (30.5 cm). Their perfect little pancreas is now further developed and they’ve also started producing their own hormones! Your baby's future in the circus as a world-famous tight-rope-walker is secure: their inner ear is now developed to the point that they have their own sense of balance. Lucky for your little explorer, balance also promotes physical dexterity, which has them actively feeling out their surroundings—where skin, body parts and umbilical cord are the big sensory experiences. Your foot-long baby, is looking a bit like an oversized raisin right now as more and more wrinkles are showing up each week. Not to worry, all that excessive wrinkling is just their skin’s way of planning ahead for the time when they’ll start piling on that irresistible baby chub.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Introducing... Natalie the Nester
So it happened today. My nesting instinct came out. Many pregnant women tell funny stories about cleaning out closets and scrubbing bathroom floors with toothbrushes and organizing their teapot collections and whatever else the nesting spirit moves them to do during pregnancy. Well I couldn't just buy a few, random craving-induced groceries today. When I got them home I had to take everything out of the refrigerator and scrub it down. Only then was the fridge good enough for my random shopping booty--chocolate and white milk, lettuce, cream cheese, cucumbers, cottage cheese, lofthouse cookies, A&W rootbeer, tomatoes, nectarines, grapes, strawberries and green peppers. I do love Horrock's, our local farm market, and didn't even mind getting caught in a downpour when putting my few bags into the car.
I love rain. It makes me think of my friends and I going out to puddle jump the streets of Mt. Pleasant when we lived in the dorms. It makes me think of my farmer peeps and their reliance on the rain to grow their crops. It makes me think of my wedding day, dashing into the church to not ruin my bridal hairdo and coming up the stairs to walk down the aisle just a couple of hours later and seeing the beautiful, dewy sunshiny day that June 12, 2004 turned out to be. It is a calming, beautiful sound.
David is safely on his way to Minneapolis. I'll say it--I miss him already. It's a good thing I'm pregnant. I don't feel weird talking to myself because, well, the baby is listening. So we are thinking positive thoughts, enjoying the soft pitter patter of rain on our rooftop and enjoying the thought of a lofthouse cookie with milk after the computer sets us free. There is a massive bouquet of peonies on my dining room table that are staring at me in all of their "I'm a flower but I look like a party dress" glory, and Runa is purring on the floor next to me.
See? Baby Cute and I will be fine by ourselves until Friday. I keep telling myself that my sister Meredith does this ALL the time, and my Dad goes to Mexico on a pretty regular basis so my Mom does too. I am surrounded by very caring neighbors, so I know if I really needed something I could just go knock on Margaret's door. Heck, I could yell out my side window into her kitchen! See? I'm fine. It's just a matter of telling myself that every so often. :)
It was a lovely weekend. I got to see my grandmas, pet my dog Bella, shop at Value City with my Mom and sister, eat dippy eggs (that's over-easy to the rest of the world) made by my Mom, sleep in a cooooold basement, take two very scenic country drives to get to and from Saginaw, clean my house, do my laundry and surf the internet randomly for a while.
I have to admit, though, that the thought of rocking Baby Cute in my glider and telling her/him all about the rain and how proud I am of Daddy Cute makes me both teary and excited. Time is flying, but right now, in my quiet house with the rain coming down, it feels like it is standing still.
I love rain. It makes me think of my friends and I going out to puddle jump the streets of Mt. Pleasant when we lived in the dorms. It makes me think of my farmer peeps and their reliance on the rain to grow their crops. It makes me think of my wedding day, dashing into the church to not ruin my bridal hairdo and coming up the stairs to walk down the aisle just a couple of hours later and seeing the beautiful, dewy sunshiny day that June 12, 2004 turned out to be. It is a calming, beautiful sound.
David is safely on his way to Minneapolis. I'll say it--I miss him already. It's a good thing I'm pregnant. I don't feel weird talking to myself because, well, the baby is listening. So we are thinking positive thoughts, enjoying the soft pitter patter of rain on our rooftop and enjoying the thought of a lofthouse cookie with milk after the computer sets us free. There is a massive bouquet of peonies on my dining room table that are staring at me in all of their "I'm a flower but I look like a party dress" glory, and Runa is purring on the floor next to me.
See? Baby Cute and I will be fine by ourselves until Friday. I keep telling myself that my sister Meredith does this ALL the time, and my Dad goes to Mexico on a pretty regular basis so my Mom does too. I am surrounded by very caring neighbors, so I know if I really needed something I could just go knock on Margaret's door. Heck, I could yell out my side window into her kitchen! See? I'm fine. It's just a matter of telling myself that every so often. :)
It was a lovely weekend. I got to see my grandmas, pet my dog Bella, shop at Value City with my Mom and sister, eat dippy eggs (that's over-easy to the rest of the world) made by my Mom, sleep in a cooooold basement, take two very scenic country drives to get to and from Saginaw, clean my house, do my laundry and surf the internet randomly for a while.
I have to admit, though, that the thought of rocking Baby Cute in my glider and telling her/him all about the rain and how proud I am of Daddy Cute makes me both teary and excited. Time is flying, but right now, in my quiet house with the rain coming down, it feels like it is standing still.
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