Being Productive

This was the back of Charlie's trailblazer after our Saturday shopping extravaganza to IKEA, Babies R Us, Home Depot, Staples, Target, and Costco. It was actually really fun to go to that many stores in a row, and it just got more and more funny as the boxes piled up in the car. Then later this weekend, Charlie's parents came over and helped us install a ceiling fan, paint the baby's room, and put together a filing cabinet. Then Charlie and I put together the crib and IKEA furniture for the entertainment center. It seems impossible the amount of things we got done.



Me at 23 weeks! Things are going great; it is getting harder to keep up physically at work, as I feel tired way faster after bending over/jumping/walking backwards/running/playing the guitar while walking backwards all day during my clients' music therapy sessions. Sometimes I think I must have one of the most interesting jobs physically. I kind of wish for the next few months I could have a job where I just sit down and stand up, haha. I am starting a water aerobics class on Wednesday morning so that should be fun or relaxing (hopefully?) or at least entertaining. Also, our Bradley birth classes are starting this Friday, which I cannot wait for!

We went to the Olive Mill with our friends on Saturday night and it was just gorgeous weather. We ate in the olive grove with the twinkle lights and semi-live music. So relaxing. Now back to the workweek!

Baby Girl!!!

On Cinco de Mayo we went for our 20 week ultrasound thinking we would see a little boy on the screen. At 12 weeks, they had hinted that they thought it was a boy. Well, apparently that is way too early to tell anything for sure, because it turns out we are having a little girl!!!

Charlie's face was priceless - he was pretty shocked. Actually, so was I, but I reacted by crying (no surprise). :-) We are so happy and excited, and we are gradually wrapping our brains around the idea that a little lady will be coming to meet us in 4 months. And it's going to be a long 4 months. I just hope I am not too complainey about being super pregnant in 120 degrees. Things could be worse, right?



This is a picture of me at 20 weeks. It is getting harder to take a picture of myself in the mirror, because I always take it right before I leave for work, and our little dog Stanley starts freaking out (aka jumping like a circus dog) and wants me to pick him up. As a result, the pictures are looking pretty blurry these days. As you can see, he made it into this picture!



Then last weekend, I went hiking for 2 hours with my parents in the desert of Picacho Peak. We have this picture from when I was 4 or 5, posing with my dad, wearing his hat in a lovely background there, and we were on a quest to find it. This quest took us off the beaten path. To be exact, we were hiking in spots where a pregnant lady should probably not be going. But we had plenty of water, and I packed a big picnic lunch, so after a 2 hour nap later, I felt slightly recovered!



We also had a nice Mother's Day lunch with both our families. I'm not sure if this one counts for me, since I have not been slaving away taking care of a baby, but it felt special anyway. :-)

Seattle!

We had a great time in Seattle! We had never been before. It was about 40 degrees cooler than Phoenix the whole time we were there. Loved it!


At the Experience Music Project. This actually plays music in addition to looking very cool. We were there for about 6 days and we saw so much it is hard to remember all that we did. We went to the Underground, the Aquarium, the Science Center, the EMP, the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, the waterfront, Bainbridge Island, the Locks Cruise, and lots of yummy restaurants. Fish, mmm. But even with all that fun it was a very relaxing trip, which we wanted. We loved that our hotel had this shuttle that would take you places for free. We did a ton of walking, and uphill walking, so I feel like we got pretty good exercise too.




Lovely pic of a lighthouse with Mt. Ranier in the background. Our camera was running out of batteries so we had to ration our pictures - just like the old days of actual camera film! It's hard to remember, ha.


There was a Star Wars exhibit so this is Charlie with the real Darth Vader suit!


At the science center, they had a table and chairs that would make you feel small. I love giant things so of course I loved this.


Two days til we find out the gender of our little baby!!

Spring Fun

Stanley got a haircut! He still has ears, don't worry, I guess he was just holding them back in this picture. His ears are very expressive, kind of like a cartoon character. He is hard to take pictures of now, because he is wary of the camera whenever I get it out.



I planted flowers and herbs and pretended to be a gardener for a day! We made fresh pesto from the basil plant because it grows so fast. It makes me feel a little better that the plants are doing so well here, because I tried several times when we lived in Colorado and nothing ever lasted long.

I have always wanted flower boxes on our balcony, so I got these from Home Depot before I realized that our balcony gets maybe 5 minutes of sun a day, which is not good for the flowers I picked. So now the flower boxes are hanging off the railing on our front porch, and I am wondering if next year I can find flowers that don't need sun. Do those exist? Would they be some exotic rainforest flower or something? Ha.

In baby news, our little mystery baby is growing nicely, I suppose - since I have absolutely nothing to compare this to, and my midwife says everything is going well. Yes, I am seeing a midwife. I am not going to have my baby at home though!! Much safer at the hospital. I go to this practice where there are about 7 doctors and two midwives, and they tell you that you get more time to ask questions and such if you see the midwife. And then if they attend your birth, they stay with you throughout the whole labor. Which sounds nice to me because I have absolutely no idea how to give birth. Obviously.

I have only seen her once, and they took me to this special room that was like having a doctor's appointment in Pier One. Mood lighting, art, furniture, decorative pillows, a fountain (ok, there was no fountain, I am kidding). Next time when I go back (on Cinco de Mayo!) we will find out for sure if it is a boy or girl. :-) I can't wait!!

Stanley

What did we get ourselves into? Well, we have been talking about getting a dog since before we were married. Now 3 1/2 years later, we do have a house, a yard, even a dog door! And finally a dog. It all started when one of the teachers where I work found a little poodle mix about week ago. She posted signs and no one responded. She was about to give him to the pound because her other dog didn't really like him. Then I heard the story of "Stanley" (that's what she named him) and begged Charlie to let us get him. So yesterday we did. He needs a haircut badly. These are his faults: he will escape if he can find a way, and he likes to chew on sheets and blankets, and he begs at the table. We are working on those, ha. But he has many good qualities as well: he is incredibly friendly to everyone, he greets you at the door, he is the perfect size for our small yard (he weighs like 8 pounds), and he likes riding in the car. I hope we can figure out this little guy before the next one comes along!!

New Countdown

Spring Break last week was lots of fun - I got to see my cousins in Texas, my mom, aunt, uncle, and grandma! It was absolutely beautiful weather, except the day we went to the zoo and it was literally like standing in a wind tunnel. This picture does not adequately show how windy it was.



But during all the fun of spring break, the crazy information about Japan's nuclear situation started coming out on the news, and I was pretty worried for our friends Eric and Melissa who were living in Japan to teach English. Then, on Wednesday night, they called and told me they were coming back to the US!! Sure enough, they are here now, already figuring out what to do for the next few months, and what they can do to help their friends back there. Life is an adventure!

Which brings me to the news: we are not going to Japan in April anymore (obviously), although we might take another trip somewhere else. But we have a new date to look forward to: September 23!! The secret (ok, not really a secret to anyone) is out - we're having a baby!!!

We're so excited, and so are our families. I wish that September was next month. Especially so that summer would be over already. But then there's alot to do still. For example, we have about a zillion books from the 4 degrees we earned that are all sitting in lovely bookshelves, that neither of us will probably ever read, but we don't want to get rid of just yet. And we have a stealth pile of boxes that sits quietly in the closet which we have never unpacked. And we want to tile the spare bathroom. But I guess all those things are pretty insignificant, really - compared to the big shocker that is coming our way in 6 months!

Feel the Burn

Of my hand, that is. Saturday night will remain one of the most memorable nights in my life, I am sure. I will be telling this story someday when I am a grandma, over and over again. Because. it. hurt. so. badly.

Backing up, I invited my mom over for dinner and we were making homemade macaroni and cheese with broccoli. It was coming along well, and we put it in the 350 degree oven to do whatever a pasta does. Charlie came home from work, and took it out of the oven (using an oven mitt, like a normal person would). He lifted it out holding it only by the long handle - that thing was seriously heavy - and said "ouch, that hurt my wrist" or something like that. Then I said, "Really, you hurt your wrist? Let me try-" and proceeded to grab the handle and lift. Later I heard Charlie's voice saying "Noooooo" right before I did.

Everything seemed like it was in slow motion. I know I was screaming and I know that they put it under cold ice water, and I thought someone else was screaming too. It turns out the dogs were howling with me, which now seems funny. It was seriously the worst pain ever. And I was crying, oh was I crying. "Is this what childbirth feels like?" "I can't go to work and play the guitar with my left hand only" "Is my hand dying?" Then after I started to calm down (I'm sure Charlie and my mom would laugh at my use of that phrase) Charlie told me that I needed to take my hand out because I was going to get frostbite. Seriously??? So I reluctantly tried, and immediately started crying again because the pain came back "just (sob) like (sob) it (sob) felt (sob) like when I (sob) burned it (sob sob sob)." Finally, they convinced me I could do it, I bit down on a towel and breathed like I was in labor, and Charlie wrapped my hand up.

Did I mention that I have a low pain tolerance? But seriously, it was not your average burn. And I did have to miss work a few days this week. But I am happy to report that "the claw" is healing well. And that's the story! The End.