Magnum and his Lover

Dave and I are just about fully packed and are almost ready to leave for Puerto Rico. It has been a hectic day today with taking down our Christmas tree, putting away all of our awesome gifts, doing laundry, having a pre-Puerto Rico fashion show.... We also managed to squeeze in a workout AND order our furniture for the nursery and bought our car seat and stroller.

While we are gone, Magnum will be spending the week with his girlfriend (or is it wife now?) Gabby. He LOVES hanging out with Gabby and it is such a relief for us knowing that Magnum is in good hands with our friends Sandee and Ty. A huge thanks to the three of you for taking such good care of our baby boy while we are gone!

I'm not sure how legal this ceremony was since we performed it while Gabby's parents were on their honeymoon.

Here's a shot of the lovebirds from the last time Sandee and Ty watched Magnum. I think it was love at first sniff!

Merry Christmas

The men are making Mom and me breakfast since we slaved in the kitchen yesterday for our Christmas dinner with my cousins, so I have a few minutes to spend on the computer. I just wanted to wish all of our friends and family who we couldn't be with this holiday a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Here are some pictures from last night after we got home from Christmas Eve service.


So, this isn't in my parents' house...it was taken in our hotel lobby in DC, but we thought it was a cute picture.



Magnum opening (and eating) his rawhide Christmas card, laying on his new blanket and wearing his new Christmas collar (courtesy of our friend Amy).

Dave got a diaper bag made just for men. It was filled with a "dad" book and trivia quesions about babies.

This was probably my brother's favorite gift...and he bought it for himself!

I made Dad an IU blanket to help keep him warm on those chilly Arizona evenings.

Cankles and a Canker Sore...thanks New Jersey!

For all my New Jersey readers out there (sorry Amy), your state is my MOST, least favorite state in the entire United States of America! And, yes, I know I just said most and least right next to each other, but I need to emphasize the extremes of the situation.

Dave and I have had a great work trip and are finally enjoying the start of our Christmas vacation...that's how I can find a few minutes to update the blog. Our trip was hectic, but the job went so much smoother than we anticipated after our initial walk-through of the campus. We were able to hang out with Kiel and Lauren a couple different times and also with Jill, Jeremy and Elsbeth on two different occasions. We had the opportunity to eat Ethiopian, Lebanese and Portugese all in our nation's capital!


We headed back to New Jersey Sunday evening and our trip took a turn south...even though we went north. We had been staying in some really nice hotels that I booked off of hotwire and got for half the typical price. Hotwire disappointed me in Jersey when our hotel reeked of cigarette smoke, the business center computers didn't work, and the room came with two extra-wide twin beds. Not to mention, it was soooo cold outside in NJ, Magnum refused to use the bathroom!


We got up at 3:45 yesterday morning to get to the airport early for our 6:40 flight back to LAX and encountered the LONGEST lines we had ever seen. I cannot describe how maddening it was in the Newark Airport trying to figure out what line went for what. We waited and waited and finally Dave ended saving the situation for us and we made our flight...barely!

After we got into LAX, we found our car and headed out to Arizona. When we finally got to my parents' house, I took a shower and looked down to discover that the lower half of my legs looked EXACTLY like my grandmother's! I HAD CANKLES, people, real life cankles. I spent two hours with my legs elevated and iced and slept with two pillows under my feet last night and miraculously woke up with my regular ankles. Now, this would not be a big deal if the rest of my body didn't feel swollen and bloated as well, but my ankles....I've always had good ankles. (I discovered that my cankles were caused because I wore socks and shoes - it was cold in New Jersey - during the entire 14 hour trip. I learned that I will NOT be doing that on our trip down to Puerto Rico next week.)

Oh yeah, and Dave started feeling the beginnings of a canker sore on the plane and by the time we got to Arizona, it was a full blown HOT MESS on his upper lip. So, we are thankful to be in Arizona where only good things happen to us!

Five Months Down, Four To Go!

Well, even though most everyone says that they can't tell that I am pregnant, I am starting to feel like it shows a little bit more. I truly feel like this picture doesn't do my big belly justice, but with the million other things we have to do before we leave tomorrow, this is the best you are going to get! And, I am nowhere near as crazy as my friend Jill, so you will not be getting a full-on skin shot from me!

A quick update for all you who continue to say I don't look big enough, the doctor at our appointment last week took a measurement of my belly (from my belly button to a place only few people can go) and I am right at 22cm which is EXACTLY where I should be at 22 weeks. So, Baby Girl gets another A+ on her most recent exam! What a smart one.

Tomorrow starts my 23rd week and I figure I can fill a little blog space by telling you what our little Peanut is up to. She is about 11 inches long and weighs a little over a pound. She can hear loud noises and her sense of movement is well developed now. (So, she will be a happy camper when Dave and I bust out some pregnancy moves at Kiel and Lauren's wedding next month!) Her lips, eyelids and eyebrows are becoming more distinct and she is actually looking more like a baby and less like an alien.

On the Mom front, I am doing really well. I feel like my energy has fully returned, my skin (KNOCK ON WOOD) seems to have cleared up for a while and I am still not quite to the heartburn stage. I am also thoroughly enjoying feeling her move around and kick inside me. And, I know David enjoys feeling her kick as well. So, Mom, Lauren and Marissa, you should be able to feel her too when I see each of you next!

The View From Up Here...

This is just a quick one as I should be finishing up getting ready this morning, but I had to post this before we left.

Last night, after David made me a wonderful dinner for date night, we were watching tv in the family room when our baby girl started kicking up a storm. Now, I just know she takes after her mother (actually her father too) because she is always more active after I eat something. David has been able to feel her kicking pretty steadily for the last week or so. So, last night, I lifted up my shirt (just to reveal my belly...) and told David to keep his eye below the belly button. We could actually SEE her kick. Well, not like feet or anything, but we could actually see the section of my belly jut out where she had kicked or punched.

It's amazing to see and feel, and I just really feel so blessed. I think back to the days where I was always so afraid that something was wrong with her because it was too soon to feel her, but now I am always reassured. And, she gives me an excuse to eat if I feel like I haven't felt her in a while! Good baby girl!

Can We Sign This Baby Up for a Frequent Flier Number?

Tomorrow, Dave and I will embark on another one of our crazy three-week work/travel trips. We have been crazily preparing for this trip so that it can go as smoothly as possible. I thought it would be much more difficult to get our Christmas shopping done, our cards sent out AND continue to prepare for this baby (we've had nursery plans come through, another hospital tour, started our baby registry, had another doctor's appointment, and cured the gas pains - Praise God!). I'm feeling pretty good that we are pretty much packed, all necessary gifts are wrapped, and are able to have a date night tonight as soon as Dave finishes up some last minute work details.

So, for those of you who are just chomping at the bit to know what our schedule is - here you go:

Thursday 12/11 - Saturday 12/13: Head up for an install at Stanford and hopefully find a place to watch the IU vs UK game since it is going to be televised on CBS.

Sunday 12/14: Do laundry and pack for DC and Arizona. (Thanks U.S. states for having such different climates...it makes it SOOOO easy on us.)

Monday 12/15: Drive to LA and crash before our super early flight.

Tuesday 12/16 - Wednesday 12/17: New Joisey, here we come.

Wednesday 12/17 - Sunday 12/21: Head to DC and do an uninstall and installation and hang out with Kiel and Lauren and hopefully Jill and Jeremy. Head back to New Joisey and crash before our super early return flight.

Monday 12/22: Fly from NJ to LA and drive directly to Chandler, Arizona.

Tuesday 12/23 - Saturday 12/27: RELAX, EAT, and enjoy family time with the Coopers.

Sunday 12/28: Return home, drop off Magnum with his girlfriend, do laundry and pack for Puerto Rico.

Tuesday 12/30: Back to LA to catch a flight to Puerto Rico.

Wednesday 12/31 - Tuesday 1/6: RELAX, EAT, and enjoy the fabulous wedding weekend that Kiel and Lauren have been working so hard on planning in Puerto Rico!!

Ahhhh...I'm exhausted from just typing it out! But, we are looking forward to seeing our good friends and family. I am personally SO happy to not be large and in charge during all this travel time.

So, yeah, this baby needs a frequent flier number because she is racking up the mileage already!

Attention Miss Dilettante

Dear Miss Dilettante,

I just read your 100th post, and while I tip my hat off to you for being so prolific, I feel the need to reply to your diatribe with a little rant of my own.

While I haven't complained much about this pregnancy, your update reminded me of some things going on in my body (ha! like I need any more reminder than a simple glance in the mirror). You and I are in the same boat when it comes to our hopes and dreams of being an adorable pregnant woman. When I had just found out I was pregnant, and even before, I would look at the cute round bellies of all the pregnant ladies and couldn't wait for the day to have one of my very own. Now, when I go into the baby stores or see them at the Farmer's Market, I secretly curse them. Why do their legs get to be skinny? Where is their back fat? Why does my belly look more like a beer gut and less like a home for a baby?

But, it doesn't just stop at the belly. Can someone please tell my chin that it is not 14 anymore? (The crows feet by my eyes seem to have gotten that memo!) I thought by second trimester, the hormones would level out some. I know they have to a degree because it was less worse than it was around Halloween time when I should have gone as a connect the dots page, but I'm still waiting for that "glowing skin" that is supposed to happen with pregnancy.

And, while we are at it, I wish MY arse would realize that it is not the home for the baby, although it feels as if there is ample room for quadruplets in there. And, yes, like I told you yesterday, all I want for Christmas is skinny thighs.

I haven't even started on the baby hairs that are growing around my scalp because I'm afraid to curse them as my hair dresser has told me that once I start breast-feeding I will also start to lose my hair.

And, yes, my boobs feel enormous these days too. I was still pretty much wearing a training bra before I got pregnant. The seamstress had to sew in boobs to fill out my wedding dress. I look back at those pictures and wish for the tiny ones to return because what I am carrying around (probably 1/3 of yours Jill) just seems to get in the way.

Since I've already moaned and groaned about the gas and the heartburn stage is a couple weeks away, I'll stop with my complaints.

Because I do LOVE being pregnant. And, I love this baby girl so much already. You hear mothers say they would die for their children and I know it is true already. EVERY decision I make, I think about the effect it will have on her before I make it. I want to do everything humanly possible to give her the best life she can have. So, I will take on whatever this pregnancy dishes out to me tenfold if I have to, and from now on, I'll do it with minimal complaining.

Much love to you and yours Miss Dilettante,
Amanda, her baby and her diary

And the Oscar Goes To...

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I have been experiencing some gas that doesn't quite want to exit my body and enter the real world. Now, I'm sure David is torn between which is the lesser of two evils - the gas coming out or the torment I put him through when it doesn't! I'm guessing I am much more of a pain in the arse than my gas pains because he has issued his solution to the problem - a daily dose of Metamucil.

Again, for those of you who know David well, you will know that the other thing he has for breakfast is a big ol' glass of fiber. He's a tough one because he mixes his Metamucil with flax seed and cinammon and I think some eucalyptus bark for good measure. I, on the other hand, can barely choke down the orange or pink lemonade flavored stuff. David should seriously be a spokesperson for Metamucil because he preaches about its goodness like it's The Gospel.

Well, last night as we were going to bed, I realized that I hadn't taken any fiber. I usually come up with just about any excuse possible - I'm full, I'm too hungry, I am drinking a glass of milk, I just brushed my teeth... None of those were flying last night, even though the last one was true. I had just brushed my pearlies when David came into the bathroom with a large glass of orange flavored Metamucil. I did my best to get as much of it down as possible, but just couldn't bring myself to finish the last sip. Never one to waste anything, David decided he would drink what was left. As I was moaning and groaning in my closet about how nasty orange tasted when combined with minty freshness, David was standing in front of the bathroom mirror drinking the last bit. I guess my performance in the closet would have won Best Actress in a Comedy because David laughed so hard that he snorted the Metamucil through his nose and ALL OVER the mirror and our apothecary jars.

You know it is true love when you will clean your husband's snotty fiber off his bathroom mirror without even complaining.
It was hard to get a good shot, but hopefully you can see all the nastiness on the mirror!

Keep Your Hands Off of My Pillow!

I cannot begin to tell you how much of a lifesaver the maternity pillow from Moonlight Slumber has been for me. When we were gone at Thanksgiving, I was truly missing it! (And, I am extremely nervous about leaving it behind for our three weeks of travel later this month.)

I have been experiencing some different pains lately, which I self-diagnosed as either round ligament pain, a kidney infection, appendicitis, an ectopic pregnancy (which really got a laugh out of David), contractions or gas. I'm about 99% sure that it is the latter of the diagnoses and my husband's strict enforcement of the Metamucil consumption is putting an end to those pains. Can I just say that if I was begging for an epidural with gas pains, I will be screaming for it come delivery!

Anyway, the pillow has been a nice relief at night. Without it, I wake up laying on my stomach and panic that I am making peanut butter out of our little Peanut. I still toss and turn at night - always have and probably always will - but I am sleeping much more comfortably...with the exception of when I roll to my right. Everytime I roll to the right, someone else is hugging up on my pillow! I have had to wake up David a few times and kindly ask him to remove his hands from THE ONE THING keeping our baby alive at night. (I'll post later about my other Oscar performance last night....no DIRTY MINDED MEN, not that!) So, I am learning to share. I just hope he remembers how kind and generous I am come mid-April!

Because Butter and Jelly Would Just Not Do...

So, this should be a long Thanksgiving post, but it isn't! Dave and I did have a wonderful time visiting his family up in Washington this last week -- it was filled with lots of food, fun, family and friends...and a little bit of shopping! It was a great holiday and we are so thankful we were able to spend it around people we love.

We got back very late Saturday night and had a much-needed sleeping in session Sunday morning. (We are trying to take advantage of as much sleeping in as we possibly can.) I woke up to make some breakfast and realized about the only thing we had left in the fridge was a little bit of milk and some juice (culture shock going from Irma's stocked refrigerator). I found a box of "healthy" cereal in the pantry, but Dave and I have both agreed that the Life cereal gets a little too soggy if you don't scarf it down within the first 30 seconds after the milk is poured into the bowl, so that was out.

I found some frozen biscuits in the freezer and decided we would have some biscuits and jelly for breakfast. When Dave got out of the shower and heard the oven roaring, he had this look of excitement on his face. "Are you making scrambled eggs too?" Now, if you know my husband well, you will know that his day is simply not complete if he doesn't have eggs for breakfast. I have to BEG him to let me make pancakes once a month for us because he loves eggs so much. My brother always jokes that if his breakfast is "egg-based" he'll love it. And, it's true. I can make chorizo and eggs, egg casseroles, quiches, omelets, or scrambled eggs, but heaven forbid I try to make a waffle! Anyway, back to the story at hand... Much to Dave's disappointment, I had rationed out the eggs before we left and there were none in the refrigerator. I have NEVER in my life seen the look of disappointment on his face like I did that morning. (And, that includes the time I told him about the doctor's recommendation for what can't happen for at least 6 weeks after the baby is born!) We scoured through the kitchen and thank goodness I was able to find one sausage patty and some ham in a package and could make a sausage biscuit and a ham and cheese biscuit for him.

David, recovering from his sadness over the lack of eggs in the house! And, yes, that's the infamous Magnum calendar in the background!

Of course, after he ate those, he was ready for two more "dessert" biscuits slathered in butter and jelly.


So, since neither of us left the house yesterday, I had to get up early and head in to the store to get some eggs for this morning's breakfast. And, do you know what David told me as I was getting ready? He told me that I looked like Heather Locklear! (Albeit, the Heather Locklear when she got busted for a DUI, but hey, I'll take it!)

A Day for Dad

Yesterday, Dave and I went to our monthly doctor's appointment up in San Luis Obispo. The appointment was quick and simple, just the way we like them. Everything checked out okay and we got to hear our baby girl's heartbeat again.

We ran a few errands in SLO and then decided to head to the same store where Mom and I racked up on baby clothes. This store didn't have as many cute clothes, but we did manage to walk out with a bag full of outfits! Dave picked out the majority of the clothes, but I think these two are his favorites!

David LOVES a safari theme. Since it doesn't go so well with our house, his office holds the bulk of his "exotic" pieces. I figure this outfit will be for Bring Your Daughter To Work Day!

When we got home, Dave threw some steaks on the grill and we caught up on some recorded tv shows. Peanut has been kicking and moving like crazy lately and I had a feeling that David might be able to feel her. I had him put his hand on my belly and we just waited. It wasn't 15 seconds before he said, "Was that it?" I couldn't believe that he could really feel her already. I honestly didn't think that would happen for a few more weeks! It was really exciting for both of us, and I know all of these experiences helps him have more of a bond with our baby.

Overall, I would say yesterday was a great day for Dad Michelson!

Don't Ask Me How I Got it All Back on the Plane!

I just got back last night from an AWESOME trip to Arizona where I got to spend some time with my parents and my brother. We had a great time shopping, shopping and shopping for baby stuff. (And, by "we" I mean my mom and me!) Alright, we also did some other stuff, like eat at Buffalo Wild Wings, see the new 007 movie, attend a Hee Haw show (the equivalent of waterboarding torture), make a baby blanket (to be blogged about later) and have a delicious Thanksgiving dinner together!

Mom and I (and we even convinced my brother to go with us a couple times) got a TON of baby clothes for our little Nutter Butter last weekend! Mom and I started off at a craft show at their church and then headed to the mall and checked out a couple baby stores and Pottery Barn Kids where I found a cute baby quilt on sale, but didn't end up getting. We ended up randomly going into a store that was going out of business and all of the Carter's clothes were 40% off! We just couldn't resist a sale like that. We got so many cute outfits and blankets. (For all you ultrasound doubters, many of them are pretty gender neutral and would be just as cute if she turns out to be a he!)

On Saturday, Mom and I begged Ryan to take us to Mesa with his iphone GPS to a couple baby boutiques to look at bedding. I was pretty set in my mind that I wanted to go with pink and chocolate brown (or as Dave would say "our wedding colors" even though our wedding colors did NOT have pink in them at all!). I also didn't plan on buying anything...just looking. The first place we went was just pink overload. They had every shade of pink with frills and ruffles and it was all SO NOT ME! Not to mention, the cute 4-piece bedding sets were all around $500! I couldn't believe it. We went to another store and found some stuff that was kind of cute. The sales lady was extremely helpful and told me about how they could custom design bedding if we didn't find anything that we liked. A custom designed set for TWO pieces started out at $550. Sorry folks, but there is just too much stuff to buy for a baby and spending that much money on bedding was just something I couldn't justify...no matter how cute it was!

Mom and I went to a back wall in the store that was selling Carter's brand bumpers and crib sheets and bed skirts. They were all around $30 each. I told Mom that my plan was to get a pink bumper, a pink and white striped bed skirt, and a cute pink or chocolate brown sheet and be done with it. That night, I had dreams of baby clothes and baby bedding and woke up at 5:45 thinking how the cute polka dot baby quilt from PB Kids would tie in the bedding perfectly. When Mom finally woke up, I told her my plan and begged her to go back to the mall when it opened.

We headed in to PB Kids and I grabbed the quilt. Well, then we started grabbing more quilts and looking at how cute they were. We found the cutest one ever that was pale green and yellow and had cute little fuzzy bunnies and sheep and ducks on it. When we opened it up and looked at the whole quilt, Mom said, "Amanda, it reminds me of your baby quilt." (The baby quilt I slept with all the way through college that is now literally held together by threads.) Well, that sold me...and it turned out that the bumper and bed skirt were also there and they were all on sale! I found 3 different crib sheets that would match and decided that we were going to go with it! If David didn't like it, we could always take it back.

So, Mom and I checked out and when the girl rang it up, we found out that it was on sale even more. I ended up getting $300 worth of adorable bedding for about $120! Mom and I were on such a high from our shopping, it was ridiculous. I came home and added up all of our purchases and what we should have spent and I realized that I saved 56% overall. So, my explanation to David was that I saved MORE than I spent! You can't beat it.

I had to borrow a small carry-on bag to put all the clothes in and then somehow managed to fit all of the bedding and other things I had purchased in my big bag. There was no way I could leave any of the stuff behind!

I showed David all of the goodies I got and he was such a trooper about it. I know guys don't get as excited about all of that (proven by my dad and brother this weekend when my brother secretly un-paused and muted the football game behind me and watched it the entire time I was showing them all of our purchases), but he was really great about showing some excitement! And, he LOVED the bedding.

I'll post some pictures sometime in the future when we get the nursery all put together, but that will be a few months down the road! We meet with the contractor tomorrow night to see his plans for putting up french doors and enclosing the living room/den and converting it to a nursery! We definitely have some work to do in the next five months!

All of the clothes, blankets and bedding laid out on Mom's king-sized bed! (Some of them are gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Cooper and Uncle Ryan.)

Sorry Grandpa Michelson, looks like Peanut is going to be a CNN fan!

The CNN shirts were gifts from my brother. When I broke the news to him that we were pregnant, I told him that he would have to see if the CNN store sold onesies. He said, "Oh yeah, for sure......what's a onesie??" A big thank you to Hala for helping him pick the shirts and bib out! He also got Peanut a little stuffed lamb that can be attached to the crib and plays calming sounds like the ocean or the mother's heartbeat. After we got the bedding, we realized how perfect the little lamb would be with it!

So, a big thanks to my family for putting up with the baby frenzy this weekend! I had such a great time getting to hang out with you all. Thanks again, Ryan, for driving us around on Saturday. I'm glad you had your iphone to entertain you! We can't wait to see you guys at Christmas!

My Maid of Honor is also My Psychic

When Dave and I found out we were pregnant, we kept the news to ourselves for quite some time. We really wanted to make sure that everything was alright with the baby and spend a little "us" time privately celebrating.

The day after I took my at-home pregnancy test, my good friend Michele called me. The first thing out of her mouth was, "Are you pregnant?" I was caught COMPLETELY off guard. I knew it would be difficult for Dave and me to keep the news to ourselves, but I certainly hadn't thought of the possibility of someone 3,000 miles away calling me out on it! I did my best to act like I had no idea what she was talking about and asked her why she was asking me that. Michele's response? "I had a dream that you were pregnant...are you?" Again, I tried to just laugh it off.

When she moved out to California a month later, David and I had been to the doctor and knew that to that point things were going well with the pregnancy. We decided that we would tell her the first night that she stayed with us. We made fajitas for dinner and I threw together a batch of margaritas. Dave poured two glasses and announced that I wouldn't be drinking one because we were going to have a baby. Michele was so excited and one of the first things she said was, "You're having a girl." She has been consistent with that prediction throughout the entire pregnancy.

Michele went with us to our ultrasound appointment and I had to warn her that she might have to take the doctor's word if she told us that we were having a boy. Michele issued me a warning of her own, "The doctor won't say that because you are having a girl. Trust me on this."

And...she was RIGHT!! Within the first 30 to 45 seconds the doctor announced without warning, "It's a girl!"* (Thank goodness it only took that long because I was anxious to find out before we got in there.) I know I was squeezing the heck out of David's hand (and he better get used to it because I know I will be crushing his fingers during labor) through the whole ultrasound. It was absolutely incredible watching our little Peanut punching and kicking. The doctor did the whole anatomy screening and said that EVERYTHING looked wonderful. She is right on target for growth and development....which is what we wanted more than either a little girl or a little boy. We knew we would be happy with either. David is so thrilled and even got a little choked up last night when we were talking about it.

I left early this morning for Arizona and had only told my parents that the ultrasound appointment checked out fine. My mom and brother picked me up from the airport and I came off the plane wearing a pink t-shirt that says "All Girl." The expression on my mom's face was priceless! I know it would have been the same if I had worn the blue "All Boy" shirt, but it was so amazing for me to be able to see that reaction in person. My dad was playing in a golf tournament and probably called about 6 times trying to get my mom to spill the beans. His prediction (because he is not psychic) was that we were having a boy. His smile was just as huge as my mom's when he saw me in my t-shirt.

Our little baby girl is due on April 12th...Easter Sunday. (You'll have to ask David his theory on that one.) Michele, what's your prediction on the due date??

"Yoga Baby" Michelson at 18 1/2 weeks. Look how she can touch her knees to her nose!

Me this morning (in my pink tee) at 4 months pregnant. Most people can't tell I am even pregnant...I guess they think I always look like I've eaten a large pizza and two orders of breadsticks!

*The doctor has told us that she can tell us with 99.99% accuray that we are having a girl. We know that there is a small possibility that the ultrasound could be off...but with a psychic as a best friend, I think we are in the clear!

Just a quick one...

Dave and I go in tomorrow for my next ultrasound and we should be able to find out the sex of Peanut.

I am heading out to Arizona very early Thursday morning to spend a few days with my parents and my brother. I apologize to all you impatient people, but I am going to wait to make the big announcement until after I see them.

So...stay tuned!

For All You Bloody Mary Lovers Out There...

Please pardon the two expletives in the following blog. They are aimed at me and I promise you, I am not mad at myself for calling me that:

My friend and former boss, JJ, has come up with his own unique recipe for Bloody Mary mix and has bottled it up for the world to enjoy.

JJ lived in Indianapolis and we ran in the same circles for awhile. He is an absolutely wonderful guy who also used to manage the Music Mill and graciously gave me a job as beer tub bitch (which I saw as a step-up from my day job of beer cart bitch at the Fort Golf Course) where I sold beers from a huge ice-filled tub at music events. It was the perfect job for a music lover like me.

Anyway, JJ left Indianapolis for Hilton Head and has been bartending down there (and probably also flirting endlessly with the ladies) and doing his darndest to come up with a great, local Bloody Mary mix....and he's done it with Your Mom's Bloody Mary Mix.

For those of you who would like to order, check out his website, Your Mom's Kitchen, and order a bottle or two to see for yourself!

Honorable Mention

Since my Halloween post was only 2 posts down, I felt the need to add a couple more adorable pictures of our friends and family members who dressed up.

My friends Cole and Pete had a great time with Halloween! Their son Olin was dressed as a hot dog and Cole went as the hot dog vendor. They fashioned a hot dog cart out of Olin's stroller and Pete was the hero who would save the day if anyone tried to steal the hot dogs! Very cute idea, guys!

My new nephews were as cute as ever dressed as a pumpkin and a firefighter! Nice job Marissa!

And, let's not forget my friend Jill and her daughter Elsbeth. They dressed appropriately as a witch and a princess. (Juuuussst kidding, Jill. But, you ARE in your first trimester!)

And, a big CONGRATULATIONS to Amy and Caroline for winning a diaper bag from Baby Blog Addict for her original costume as Amelia Earhart.

You guys have done such an inspiring job, Dave and I are already brainstorming costume ideas for next year!

Do you want paper or plastic?

That question has always been so hard for me. Paper is bulky and if it's not recycled, then it fills up landfills. Plastic bags can't be recycled, but are a little less bulky and can be reused for other things like bathroom trash can liners, pooper scoopers, etc. That problem has been solved since I found these cute Envirosax bags that hold what two plastic bags would normally hold and can be reused over and over again.

So, now that that dilemma has been solved...on to my new one. Cloth or disposables? A couple of months ago, Dave approached me with the, "So, you're going to use cloth diapers, right?" To which I promptly laughed in his face. Yeah, Mr. I Don't Plan on Changing a Diaper, I'm going to swirl poopy diapers in the toilet and try to fold and pin some archaic piece of cloth onto a squirming baby. No thanks.

About two weeks ago, my friend (and other birthing partner) Michele attended an Aveda conference in Los Angeles. She called me on her break and said, "I only have a minute, but I really want to urge you to use cloth diapers." WHAT?? Was this some sort of conspiracy against the new mother? Have they forgotten that I'll still have to wait on my husband hand and foot? She called back later that evening and tried to plead her case.

I'm sure some of you have thought about the difference, at least environmentally, on cloth and disposable diapers. The debate is ongoing. Disposables can take up to 500 years to biodegrade in a landfill and the fecal matter in the diapers can leak into groundwater. The manufacturing of the diapers also causes pollution and uses natural resources. Cloth diapers, however, have to be washed and sometimes have to be run twice through the rinse cycles. Also, some of the detergents that are used may not be good for the environment. And, if you use a diaper service, the trucks on the road use fuel.

So, that's just the environmental aspect of the diapers. The cost for cloth diapers, especially the ones that aid in convenience, are very pricey. Trying to find information online as to which is cheaper, however, cloth usually comes up the winner.

Another factor I learned about during my research was about all of the chemicals that are put into the diapers. I scare easily. Really easily. And, the thought of scary chemicals being so close to our baby's skin scares me. But, hello...how many people out there wore disposable diapers as babies and turned out just fine? Probably A LOT. I know I did! (Well, part of my research was asking my mom what she used and it was both, in case you were wondering.)

Ugh, but what about the poop? Seriously folks. I will be the one changing all of these diapers and my big question was what to do with the poop. Turns out, there are some creative ways of disposing of that nasty stuff. There are biodegradable inserts that can catch it and can then be flushed down the toilet. There are also little hoses that you can attach to your toilet that allows you to hose off the diaper before washing. Now, I know, neither of those sounds like picking daisies, but it's definitely better than swirling a dirty diaper around in toilet water.

Hearing Dave and Michele (two people who had never had kids) push the cloth diapers, I had to go to a couple of experienced moms.* Dave's sister Marissa pretty much said no...and with TWO kids, I can completely understand. My friend Amy's response when I asked her if she considered using cloth diapers? "#^#& no!" So, there we had it. The vote was two to two!

So, after A LOT of thought, and a lot of research, I have decided that I will use a combination of both cloth and disposables. As long as we are around the house, we'll use cloth.** When we travel or are out and about for the day, we'll use disposables. (Sorry, no amount of scare or love for the environment will get me to carry poopy diapers around town with me.) And, if the Grandmas and Grandpas will allow it, when we stay in Arizona and Oregon for visits, we'll use cloth there too.

So, if there are any moms (new or old) out there reading this who can give me some advice on diapers (cloth or disposable) I am willing to take it! As far as disposables go, what's the best? And, the cloth diaper industry can be extremely confusing. There are all types out there -- ones that are all encompassing and have the covers built in so there is no need for both the diaper and the protector. Most are even made with velcro so there is no need to fuss with the old pins. Did I mention that some of them are REALLY cute?!

An example of an all-in-one cloth diaper.

An example of a super cute cloth diaper cover.



*I am in no way, shape or form judging the moms out there who only used disposables.

**If Peanut doesn't like cloth, we may have a whole new dilemma!

Happy Halloween

Okay, Halloween is typically one of my favorite holidays of the year. If you know me well, you'll know I love sweets, and besides Easter**, there is no other time to load up the house on all sorts of candy that you don't typically buy the rest of the year. Easter is wonderful for egg hunts, but that's only really fun if you have kids. Halloween is like Easter for the non-kid families because the kids come to you! I LOVE sitting by the door with a bowl of candy waiting for kids to come and show off their costumes. The memory of the rude behavior of a few kids usually fades away and the only thing I can remember from year to year is the cute little princess and the heroic comic book star.


Well, this year we won't be giving candy to the kids. We are heading down to Santa Barbara to a house party with my friend Michele who recently moved here all the way from Chicago. I will have to admit that this idea does come in second to sitting back and handing out candy. I know what you youngin's are thinking..."You'd rather stay home on a Halloween, Friday night and give candy to kids instead of partying with a bunch of people in Santa Barbara?" And my answer would be a valiant, "Yes I would!" Remember folks, I'm pregnant. And, it's just not as much fun watching people do beer bongs and take shots when you are the soberest of the group who still has to go pee more than anyone else at the party.



Dave and I have been searching for costumes to wear to this party, and I came up with the idea of going as nurses in scrubs. (All I could think about was COMFORT.) Well, we went to a uniform shop and the scrubs were anything but comfortable to me. Not to mention, they made me look like Two Ton Tessie. So, I found a little nurses dress and some tights and will be going out as that. (No, not sexy nurse, just pregnant nurse.) Dave is going to look like Dr. McSteamy (he doesn't have the hair for Dr. McDreamy) in green scrubs. He even got a Grey's Anatomy scrub cap.



So, I've been feeling a little better about going out tonight. Until I got an email from my friend Amy and went from better to GREAT! Amy has a little baby named Caroline and has pretty much been my go-to woman for questions about pregnancy and childcare. Well, she sent me these pictures of Caroline in her costume and I was instantly in a great mood.

She is dressed as Amelia Earhart, in case you couldn't figure that one out. Caroline is the CUTEST!

Next year, I won't care at all about a non-kid Easter egg hunt or parties at Halloween. I will have one of my very own to dress up and goosh over. In the meantime, I always have Magnum!



Magnum dressed as Super Man. (Dave would have probably killed me if I had posted the one where they were wearing matching outfits!)


Magnum dressed as a pumpkin at the pumpkin patch last year.






Magnum dressed as a long haired marathon runner.

**I know the real meaning of Easter, and I am not trying to take anything away from that by comparing it to Halloween or saying that I only like Easter for the candy and the egg hunts. I like it for the ham and the bunnies. (JUST KIDDING!)

Where's the closest Cheeseburger in Paradise??

While I was very fortunate in my early weeks of pregnancy to not have any morning sickness, I did have several days where the thought of most foods made me feel like I would yak them if consumed. At that point, I was lucky to get down a granola bar and some fruit for breakfast. My lunch usually consisted of chicken noodle soup, crackers, and whatever vegetables sounded appealing. My queasiness usually subsided by dinner time, and of course by the time dessert rolled around and David was pulling out Drumsticks or chocolate truffles, I was just fine!


One Saturday morning, I had a huge craving for sleepover cereal...you know the kind I am talking about. Sleepover cereal is the kind of cereal that our moms never bought unless we were having a huge slumber party. When I woke up, my mind was rushing with thoughts of Lucky Charms and Trix. I poked David to wake him up and told him I was going to the store for some sugary cereal. This is how that conversation went...


Me: What kind of baaaaddd cereal do you want me to get you?
David: Oooh, Life!
Me: Life?! Life isn't bad. Come on, what do you want?
David: KIX!
Me: Kix?! Seriously, baaaad cereal, you know, Lucky Charms, Froot Loops, Cinammon Toast Crunch...
David: Oh, I know, Crispix.


Frustrated, I jumped out of bed and headed for the store in search of the perfect sugary cereal for our family! I got a box of Lucky Charms for me and a box of Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch for Dave. I had remembered him saying once that he LOVED that cereal. Oh, I also picked up a box of mini powdered donuts (or carrots, as I like to call them when David asks me what I am eating.)


While that breakfast was filled with sugary deliciousness, most of my cravings have not been that unhealthy. One of the strangest cravings I am having is for wilted spinach. I have NEVER been a fan of spinach before...not wilted, nor in salads. (Give me my iceberg and romaine lettuces please!) While we were at a restaurant in Austin (and I was getting fried chicken), Dave ordered salmon and spinach. I took a bite of it and it was SOOO good that I had to take more bites. Well, that started my kick and every week since then, salmon and spinach have been on the menu.


Another hunger I am having is for Olive Garden salads (I told you I liked iceberg lettuce). We have an Olive Garden about 10 minutes from our house and every time we are in that direction I beg David for us to go and eat there. Earlier in my pregnancy, he had sympathy for me and would give in. Those days are pretty much over. The last time we had it, I had convinced him to at least do carry out. I placed the order and repeated numerous times to the guy on the phone that we wanted LOTS and LOTS of salad. Well, when David went in to pick up the order, there was a half container of salad in the bag. Dave had to do some finagling, but ended up walking out with three whole containers of salad. And, yes, he used his pregnant wife as an excuse! Because we can't eat there all the time, I had to get a bottle of the dressing to keep on hand at home...

(It tastes best when eaten in the large bamboo bowl!)

Speaking of salads, another one I am craving is the Son of a Son of a Sailor salad from Cheeseburger in Paradise. We don't have a Cheeseburger in Paradise out here, so this is one craving that is going unsatisfied. I was even planning a trip out to see my brother in Atlanta in November and was THOROUGHLY looking forward to eating that salad at least once. That trip has been rerouted to our parents' house in Phoenix, and much to my dismay, there is no Cheeseburger in Paradise there. But, there is an Olive Garden AND a Buffalo Wild Wings!

Oh, have I neglected to mention my cravings for Buffalo Wild Wings? It's a wings place that Dave and I used to go to almost every Saturday night. We would get wings, Blue Moons, and multiple orders of celery and play trivia for hours. (Yeah, we were nerds and acted like an old married couple. So what!) Anyway, when we were in Dallas, driving from the airport at 10 pm to the hotel, I spotted a Buffalo Wild Wings on the side of the road. I yelled to David, "We are SO eating there this week!" So, the next night, we took my parents to Buffalo Wild Wings for wings, beer and trivia. Okay, okay, it wasn't exactly the same without a Blue Moon for me, but the wings and the company made up for it. It was so good, in fact, that David and I had it again for lunch the very next day.

Okay, the last and final craving I am going to tell you about is one that I have and satisfy daily. I have given up my most favorite drink in the world. No, it's not red wine (that's my second favorite). It's the most wonderful drink ever created...Diet Coke. Ice cold Diet Coke in a can. Mmmmm. I know I could probably have one a day and it probably wouldn't do any harm, but I'm not...and, boy do I miss it! To curb that hunger, I make myself a nice pitcher of decaffeinated iced tea. My favorite used to be the kind my mammaw made with tons of sugar in it, but I do without that too. I still make it in the same pitcher she used, because somehow, that just makes it taste even better.

Will I ever crave pickles and ice cream? I hope not. I'm perfectly content with my meal of salmon and spinach or wings and salad as long as they are accompanied by a nice glass of iced tea! Oh, and the answer to the question/title of my post? Oklahoma City! That's not too far, is it??

Namaste What??

Tonight I took my very first prenatal yoga class. I will admit, I was extremely nervous before going to the class. I have never done yoga before and the thought of trying something and not being very good at it scares me...A LOT. (Uh, am I scared to be a mom? Definitely.)

Anyway, the class was wonderful. There were only two other women in the class. One is 18 weeks pregnant and the other is at 29 weeks. Our teacher is young and made me feel very comfortable as a first-timer. I was nervous that the people in the class would be all hardcore. I mean, my teacher's middle name is "tree" for goodness sake. Tree?

The class was incredibly relaxing. We did a lot of stretching and hip exercises that I hope will be useful in childbirth. We also did a lot of exercises to help us use our legs more which will help take some of the stress off the back.

I don't know if I buy in to the whole yoga goal, but I do know I would rather go there than to the gym and move endlessly on the elliptical and treadmill machines!

On another prenatal note...I scheduled our next ultrasound for Wednesday, November 19th. We should be able to find out then if we are having a boy or a girl! 22 more days!

Goodbye Sadie

A few night's ago, I found out that some very dear friends of mine were going to have to put their dog Sadie to sleep. When I got off the phone with their daughter Kelsey, I cried my eyes out in David's arms. It was so strange to have such an emotional reaction to a dog that wasn't even mine.

But, Sadie was an incredibly special dog. My first year of teaching in Indianapolis, I shared a room with Diann Oberlin. I was teaching in a somewhat different position than my previous job in Columbus. Even though I was still teaching special education, the difference in the types of students was incredible. Diann was (and still is) an amazing teacher who used so many different methods to reach the students that we worked with. Sadie was one of those methods.

Diann would bring Sadie into our classroom about once a month. She was the most calm dog to be around. Some of our students had never been around dogs -- something that struck me as a little odd coming from the small town of Columbus. One of our students, Kenyon, was particularly scared of Sadie. He would wince and grimace the second he saw that she was in the room. But, after a few visits from Sadie (and some licks and wags of her tail), there was not one student in the whole building who was afraid of her. And, there definitely was not one student there who didn't love her to pieces.

Diann would usually try to let me know if she was going to bring Sadie in to school, but sometimes it was a surprise. And, one of two things would usually have happened that morning before work. I would have either chosen to wear a skirt and have legs covered in lotion or would be wearing all black. Normally, a dog licking the lotion off my legs or shedding their thick blonde locks all over my clothes would not make me a happy camper at 7:00 in the morning, but it was Sadie. It was NEVER a bother.

Whenever the Oberlins would go on vacations, I was asked to stay at their home and watch Sadie. This was always a welcome request. One, because it was nice to get out of the small apartment I lived in, but, mostly it was because it was so great to lay and snuggle with Sadie. She always seemed to know if I was having a bad day because she would stay by my side or snuggle even longer than usual. Even though the Oberlins have two (sorry) very annoying cats, I would have moved in for a month to stay and take care of her.

Sadie was mostly an outside dog. She loved nothing more than to lay in her front yard or driveway and watch the day unfold. During the summers, it was always difficult to drag Sadie in for the evening. She also loved hunting squirrels - especially the ones who would tease and torment her. Cars...gutters...nothing could stand in the way of Sadie getting a squirrel.

My favorite memories of Sadie would definitely be the numerous times of pulling into the Oberlin's house to share a glass (er...a bottle) of wine with Diann and have Sadie eagerly greet me in the driveway. It automatically put a smile on my face.

I know this last week has been hard on Mike, Diann and Kelsey. Saying goodbye to someone we love is never easy. I guess we just have to rest assured that Sadie is now up in Doggy Heaven watching our days unfold.

It's all good in the uterus hood!

Just wanted to give a quick update...

Dave and I just got back from our monthly doctor's appointment up in SLO. Of course, I have been a nervous wreck all week. Poor Magnum got the blame for my not sleeping two nights ago, and since he didn't join us in bed last night and I still slept horribly, I am thinking it had more to do with nerves over our appointment than anything else! So, this is my public apology to Magnum. I'm SOOO sorry!

Anyway, the doctor had the results from the nuchal screening that we had done earlier this month. The doctor there said that delivering a baby at my age and factoring nothing else into it, my chances of having a baby with Down Syndrome was about 1 in 632. After doing the screening and the bloodwork, the new risk is 1 in 10,000. Praise God. We were also able to hear the heartbeat again (a first for David). The heartbeat was at about 156 beats per minute. (How many of you out there are saying, "Well, must be a girl!" ???)

The doctor was cracked up at the different myths we had been trying out...especially the Drano one! (Thanks Dave for ratting me out!) She said there was no way to tell based on the heartbeat. We are going to try and schedule our next ultrasound for sometime in the next 2 1/2 weeks, so hopefully we will know something by then!

But, so far, things are going well!

My Sympathetic Husband

Last night, David and I probably had the worst night's sleep that we've had in ages. I have had several sleepless nights in the past couple of months where I just toss and turn and turn and toss and can't ever seem to get comfortable. Usually, part of my problem stems from the fact that I am getting up to use the bathroom (don't be gross - #1 guys) at least two times, and sometimes up to FOUR times each night. I know, I know. "Just wait 'til the baby comes..." Well, peeps, I've got some time before that happens and I'd like to get a good night's sleep before then. I usually complain a little to David and he usually gives me a, "Sorry babe. Take a nap today." And, I do!


Another thing that plays a factor in my night's sleep is Magnum. There are not enough dog treats in the world to get him to hang out with me during the day - he always wants to be back in Dave's office, but come nightfall...it's in the bed, right by my feet. Last night, between the hours of 2am and 4am, I kicked him out of the bed 4 times and each time, he ended up right back where he started!



I know, I sound mean, but it's not like I am making him sleep on the floor. He has a heated bed right next to our bed with a nice, soft blanket for him to bury himself under!


Anyway, this morning, Dave says to me, "I did NOT sleep well last night." When I inquired as to what his problem was, he quickly replied, "I had to go pee like 5 times last night!" Ha. Now he knows how it feels. I'm going to watch him a little more closely...if I see his belly grow or see him craving the same foods as me, I'm going to diagnose him with Couvade syndrome!

Don't Believe Everything You Read

Two weeks ago at our ultrasound appointment, the doctor said that there was a chance that he might be able to tell us the sex of our baby. We hadn't really been thinking that it was going to be a possibility at that appointment and had been preparing ourselves for the long wait for my 18th week of pregnancy. Well, his saying that really got my hopes up, and unfortunately he wasn't able to tell. We were on such a high from seeing the baby on the ultrasound that it didn't really matter to us then. But now....now I am just itching to know if we are having a boy or girl.

And, when I itch for something, I really itch for it. I have been bugging David DAILY asking him what he thinks we are having. And, I've been stalking the internet looking for ways to determine the baby's gender without the ultrasound. First I rechecked the Chinese lunar calendar. This calendar required me to calculate my Chinese age at the time of conception and line it up with the Chinese lunar month of conception. It says that I am having a girl. Then, I found this calendar, and it says I'm having a boy. So, no real answer.

I know there is some really crazy stuff out there, but I have been willing to try just about anything. I've got the itch.

I even stooped so low as to do the Drano test. Never heard of the Drano test? Well, let me tell you about it. The Drano test involves a teaspoon of liquid Drano and a sample of your (in this case my) urine. One website I read said that if the Drano turns green, you are having a girl and if it turns blue you are having a boy. Well, my mixture turned brown. Another website said that brown meant boy while another one said that it meant girl. Hmmm. No answer there. (Don't worry, I wore a mask while I did the mixing.)

I also enlisted David to help with the ring test. We put my wedding band on some yarn and Dave held it over my swollen belly. At first it went back and forth and then Dave had it go in a circle. Again, I've read several websites with conflicting theories. Some say the swaying back and forth means you are having a boy and the circle means you are having a girl. Others have it as the opposite. Again, no real answer there.

I took a vote on the blog to see what you all thought we were having. Of the 19 people who voted on our poll, 13 people (68%) think we are having a girl and 6 people (32%) think we are having a boy.

Finally, I found this quiz online that had all sorts of questions on it and I pretty much figured that this was where I was going to get my answer. It only took me about 3 minutes to answer the questions and my results came back instantaneously. When the new screen popped up, it said I have a 65% chance of having a girl and a 35% chance of having a boy.

Here are some of the strong indicators that I am having a girl:
The hair on my legs is not growing any faster during my pregnancy.
My feet are not colder than they were before my pregnancy.
I refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread. (Clearly, I've been pregnant with a girl since I was 5)
David hasn't been gaining weight too.
My favorite -- I am not looking particularly good during pregnancy.
A needle on a thread moves side-to-side.
I am craving sweets. (Again, I've been pregnant with a girl since I was 5)
My nose hasn't changed during pregnancy.
I've been craving fruits. (They are sweet, aren't they?)
My baby's heart rate is more than 140 beats per minute.
I would pick up a mug by its body and not the handle.

Indicators that I am having a boy:
I didn't have morning sickness.
The sum of my age at conception and the number of the month of conception is even. (Uh oh, is that Chinese age and Chinese month?)
I have no desire for orange juice.
I have had headaches.
If someone were to ask me to show my hands, I would show them the back of my hand.

Those are some really logical conclusions, I know. Turns out, we are just going to have to be patient and wait until our next ultrasound to know for sure. (Ha. I say "for sure" but Lauren just told me about a coworker whose daughter was told they were having a girl and when it was born, they realized they were wrong! It had a little wiener.)

This Just In...

The FedEx man stopped by today and brought something that I should have blogged about yesterday!

Dave's cousin, Brianna, is a designer for Nike. She is always hooking us up with passes to the Nike store in Portland where we always leave with loads of goodies. Well, naturally, she wanted to deck our baby out with Nike gear too and sent us these adorable Nike shoes.

Thanks Brianna (and Michael too)!

My Favorite Things

Since finding out we are pregnant, we've received several little gifts from friends and family. The coolest thing about getting the gifts isn't just getting the gifts themselves (I'm not going to lie...I like presents!), but it's also seeing people get so excited about our having a baby.

Today I thought I would share some pictures of the adorable little things we've gotten.

These baby socks were given to us from Dave's sister and her fiance, and his mom and Bill.

My parents got our little peanut an IU onesie and little IU socks. We may be living in California, but this baby is going to be a Hoosier for sure!

Dave's mom got us a whole bag full of duck-themed baby clothes, including the little stuffed duck, the baby blanket and the yellow sleep sack.





Our good friends Terri and Bob surprised us with a Serenity Star maternity pillow. Terri owns Moonlight Slumber which makes state of the art baby and toddler mattresses and maternity pillows. Her mattresses have been purchased by all sorts of famous people, like Minnie Driver, Maggie Gyllenhal, and Gwen Stefani. On a less famous note, she has also allowed me to give them as shower gifts to my friends Cole Healy and Tara Moter. Cole's little baby, Olin, loves his mattress.



I've already had a few sleepless nights and I'll attribute those to nerves and anxiety, and maybe even an extra-snuggly husband. I know when I start getting bigger, this pillow is going to be a lifesaver! Also, there are so many uses for the pillow post-pregnancy. The large pillow can be unzipped and inside are 3 separate pillows. The curved pillow can be used for nursing and can also be used to prop the baby up on its tummy or its back. The other two bolsters are the length of king-sized pillows and can be used as a body pillow or bolsters on our bed. Oh, and did I mention that Dave wants to use it too!





This is the Serenity Star maternity pillow. Sorry, no chance of me modeling this yet!


Dave and I are so thankful for all of these gifts, and also for all the people who are showing their support for us through their kind words and enthusiasm. We are so glad that you are as excited as we are!


**Also, a special thanks to Jill who taught me how to do the hyperlinks and how to make the pictures look nice and professional!

'Nuff said!

Probably the cutest thing this side of the Mississippi!

He's Gonna Be a Good Dad...

I definitely had other plans for blogging tonight, but after this evening's events, those were quickly scrapped.

Dave and I got home from the gym this afternoon and Dave pulled out his new model airplane that he's just been itching to try out. I took some nice pictures of him posing by the plane and he was out in the street ready to get it started for take-off. The plane used the street as its runway and it was just incredible to watch it take flight. For the next 3-5 seconds, Dave had that plane flying over our house, across the street, and towards our neighbors' house where it promptly crashed into their roof! Our neighbors weren't home, so Dave tried his first attempt at getting it off their roof by using our barstool as a ladder. The barstool kept sinking in the mulch everytime Dave climbed on it...oh, and it was also about 8 feet too short.

Fortunately, Leslie arrived home only about 20 minutes later, because I know that Dave was plotting all sorts of ways to get on that roof. We borrowed their ladder and Dave climbed up and got the plane and the canopy that had split off and was on the back roof.

Never one to quit when the going gets tough, he put the plane back together and we ventured off towards the gazebo area in our neighborhood where there is more open space. Dave got the plane up in the air and it immediately hit the first eucalyptus tree it could find. He quickly retrieved it, started it up again, and before even taking off, it ran into the gazebo. Well, Dave must have figured that the third (er...fourth) time was a charm because he tried it again. And, this time, it worked! He got that plane flying. He circled it round and round and made it fly high and low. And, for about 10 seconds, it didn't hit anything. And, I suppose for that, he paid a price. That plane flew right into the biggest eucalyptus tree in our neighborhood! And, it didn't come down. Believe it or not, it even stayed up there while Dave threw rocks at the tree.

Oh, you think that that's the end of the story? You must not know David. Because there is NO WAY that he could leave that precious plane 50 feet up in the air without doing everything he could to get it down. So, we went home and got his trusty bb gun and when we went back, he shot at that plane four times and hit it at least three. But that plane wouldn't budge! So, we are hoping for a good strong wind tonight to blow it down.

Now, I wish that this was the only childlike thing that Dave has done, but it's SOOO not. In fact, just yesterday as he was waiting on me to get ready for the gym, he decided bouncing a new bouncy ball he got in our bathroom was a good way to pass the time. And, within thirty seconds of bouncing the ball, he had broken one of our new apothecary jars that was filled with bath salts.

Dave's response to all this? "Well, at least you know I'm gonna be a good Dad!"

The Good Doctor

WARNING: 7th grade boys or people with that mentality may find that there is TMI in this blog. Read it anyway.

Dave and I have had three doctors appointments since finding out we were pregnant. Let me preface this story by saying that the week of each appointment sends me into a whirlwind of paranoia. Did the turkey sandwich I ate before I knew I was pregnant do some harm? Should I have held the laptop on my stomach last night? When I was driving and using my hands-free adapter, the phone was on my lap...did I do some damage? Dave does everything in his power to calm me down and not show his annoyance, and I do my best to keep most of my worries between me and God. At the first appointment, our doctor did a transvaginal ultrasound because we were having some difficulty pinpointing exactly how far along we were. Although the images we saw on the screen were very basic and not so HD, it was really cool for Dave and me to see the little baby inside the uterus and see the flicker of the heartbeat. We were also able to establish that at that point, we were about 7 1/2 weeks pregnant.

Dave was up in Stanford during my second appointment and I honestly believed he wouldn't be missing anything since we had an ultrasound scheduled for a week and a half later. I was a nervous wreck at this appointment and had to wait about 25 minutes for the doctor to arrive. When she came in, she had the doppler in her hand so I could listen to the heartbeat. I am sure most people take the first few seconds of hearing their baby's heartbeat and ponder the joys of carrying something so small and precious inside of them. I, however, took that opportunity to thank God and the doctor profusely for letting me know that the baby was just fine. I'm sure she thought I was a total nutjob and all I wanted to do was warn her that there was more of that to come!

Our last appointment was with a different doctor who does the regular (pelvic) ultrasounds. We were there for a nuchal translucency screening which factors in your age, some blood tests, and the amount of clear space in the back of the baby's developing neck to let you know your risk for having a baby with Down Syndrome. We don't have the results from that test back yet, but the doctor said that the clear space looked normal. Seeing the images on that ultrasound was just absolutely incredible. The baby was moving all around and punching and kicking. It was just amazing to think that all that was going on inside me. It was wonderful for Dave to see too, because it helped him to have more of a connection to the baby.



So, today is the start of our 14th week of pregnancy. We are due around the middle of April. We aren't sure if the little peanut is a boy or a girl, but we definitely are too impatient to wait until April to find out. I will not tell you how much weight I have gained, now or ever, but I will let you know there is a little pooch starting to show. I have been very fortunate to not have had any morning sickness, just lots of days of extreme fatigue. I'm hoping that as we start into our second trimester, that tiredness will go away. My baby guru, Jenny McCarthy, says it will for a couple months. In the meantime, I'm off for a quick nap before the gym!

Start From the Beginning...

With a little urging from a couple of friends (the Shes Who Shall Not Be Named), I have decided to start a little blog. I honestly have no idea how or where this blog will take me, but my purpose for now is to keep friends and family updated on how things are going with the newest addition to the Michelson family that is growing inside me.

For those of you who followed (or tried to) my blogs from our wedding website, www.coopermichelson.com, you'll know that I wasn't the best at updating. I promise to do better with this one, as I'm sure most of you are more interested in seeing me get large and in charge and hearing about food cravings than you were in hearing about the color of our wedding linens! So, I will do my best to update at least every few days.

Because I know my mother (and probably even my brother) will be reading these blogs, I also promise to be less crass than my dear friend Jill from www.buttonsmcsweet.com. But I am pregnant, and from what Jenny McCarthy has told me, there will be some less than lady-like things that happen...and those just might get blogged about. But, I am a modest person, so I'm sure it will all fall in the PG-13 category.

I hope you can at least get some laughs out of what I post and can feel a little more connected to our little peanut. We are anxiously awaiting his/her arrival!