I Swear! Other Stuff Happened, Too!

I've been a bit absent, the last couple months.  The late stages of pregnancy will do that.  Things happened, though, I promise.

I planted bulbs, and though only the paperwhites came up they were my favorites anyway.   One of then even bloomed!

We had the usual Easter party at my Mom's.  I missed having Dad there, especially with it being a new house and all.  So much change, but having family together will always be the same.

We colored and hunted our own eggs, at home.

The kids decided to film their own movie, a thrilling adaptation of Little Miss Muffet.  This would be one of the stills from the set.

The Aztex are back!  And we got tickets!  We've been to a couple games and it's always a good time.

We got a car, too.  It is a Mazda5, but not the one from the other post.  For $5k less we got 2 years newer, 50k less miles, leather seats and tinted windows.  Yeah.

A sunflower sprouted up in our back yard, fell over, then produced blossoms all up the length of the stem.  There's probably 100 or more flowers on it.

Joseph turned 6!  He asked for a square cake that was chocolate with chocolate and M&Ms.  He wore his Super Cape to the soccer game, too.

Yes, Lucy came two days later.  Several people asked me when I was due, at church.  I told them "Technically, a week and a half.  In all practicality, any day, now."  I was at that very moment having contractions that never actually went away.  Here she is at home, getting all settled in.

She makes the big kids (all 3 of them!) look enormous.

And finally, today, at about noon, Joseph lost his first tooth.  He's so excited!

Test Drive

Today makes 35 weeks.  We're tidying things up, getting ready for the little one.  One of those tasks is finding a new car.  As much as I adored my Echo, it is, sadly, no longer with us.  And, as practical and useful as Brent's Corolla is, it still has the same principle flaw the Echo did--only 5 seats.  So we need something bigger than a sedan, and we'd like to do it without going into debt.  Not having a car payment, ever, has been a huge blessing during those tight times in our life together.  We still want something that drives like a car, though, not a truck, and gets decent gas mileage--going from 32-36 mpg to ~18 mpg was just not going to cut it for us.  We've kept an eye on our options for several years and knew that with our requirements we would get to choose from the astounding total of 1 model.  (Canada and Mexico both have several more options.  I'm still kind of peeved about that.)

Finding a Mazda5 isn't all that hard, considering that the company refuses to market the poor thing, lest at any time the demand go up and they be required to actually make more of them.  Finding one with a manual transmission is a little more difficult, but still doable.  Finding a used one, though, is nigh unto impossible.  My guess would be that the sort of people who enjoy driving a stick are not the sort of people who trade in their cars "just 'cause." 

Anyway, after months of searching we found one.  We've test driven a couple of them, though not one of the older models, and I wanted to go check it out so that I could make sure my legs actually fit into the car.  I have, in my lifetime, had to rule out a car or two simply because my knee was up against the steering column.  What followed is one of those experiences that was horrifying, at the time, but caused us to laugh all the way home.

I wasn't altogether too worried when the sales guys had to make a few calls to figure out where the car was.  It's a large dealer with a patchwork collection of mini-lots.  We walked across a small side street and past a few other cars as everyone chatted.  James was enjoying the sunshine and his bottle of water that we'd grabbed from the cooler while waiting.  Our salesman went and grabbed the key and opened the front door.  He then pushed the button to unlock the rest of the car and muttered something about getting the car jumped so he could get the locks working.  What was that?  Surely I heard wrong.  He left and I figured out the manual locks for the back doors.  James and I hopped in the back and started poking around while Jonathan looked over the console up front.  Sure enough, the sales guy comes back with a battery starter, pops the hood, and gets things cranked up.  I never did figure out how the battery had died in the first place.  I couldn't quiet believe that they'd left the lights on, and yet that's somehow the impression I was given from his explanation.  Everyone piled in, with me in the driver's seat.

As I was pulling out of the lot, the lights on the dials started flickering.  Halfway through my turn, in the middle of the street, the whole thing died.  Jonathan and the salesman had to quickly hop out, wave traffic around us (we didn't have enough power to even flash the hazard lights), and push the car to the side of the road.  We jumped the battery again.  I pulled around the corner, just as the lights flickered again, and watched as it died, again, while I tried to get it in the driveway.  After yet another jump, and having driven maybe 250 ft., they took it into the shop to get a new battery.  I sincerely hope that that's the only thing wrong with it.

I could tell that our salesman was embarrassed by what had happened, but was bravely holding on and pretending that everything was great.  We played along and asked the price.  There wasn't a sticker on the car, nor had there been a price in the online listing.  His answer?  $19,995.  Excuse me?!?  I can buy a new one, for that price.  He tried to explain that that particular portion of the dealership deals with people who have really bad credit, so the price is to cover the risk, or something like that.  We didn't really let him finish.  A car that age with that sort of mileage is only worth $11k.  That's if it's in great condition, too, and this one was slightly worn with use.  We left, shaking our heads at the sheer audacity of that quote, especially after all we'd gone through at their hands.  We giggled at how awful the whole thing was, all the way home.

I did go back later, though, after they'd replaced the battery.  I still needed to know about my knees.

A Year of Knitting

(WARNING: This post is picture heavy. But so pretty...)

Remember this picture from last year?


Those were my plans for the year, knitting-wise. As usually happens in life, some got done, others didn't, and a bunch of other stuff found it's way in, too.

There were tall socks to keep my feet from freezing at the Temple.


Fingerless gloves to keep my hands warm but still functional. (I hate it when I can't feel what it is I'm touching. It makes me feel all fumbley.)

Socks for James.


And Jonathan.


A small shawl to keep the chill off. I've actually got this one wrapped around my neck right this moment.


Socks for me, too.

There were gifts, too. For Craig's graduation.


Regan's birthday.


Richard's first baby. (A boy. The headband is because I had extra yarn and it pays to be prepared for future possibilities.)

(and an actual view of the sweater.)

More socks. (It was a sock club, after all.) Mine...


and Jonathan again.


Costume help for some nieces and their friends.


New stockings for Mom and Dad.



Sweaters for Elena and Joseph. (James just likes to say cheese for the camera.)


Socks for Mom and Dad, too.




And then there's these. Ready and waiting for their Owner's arrival, in June.


(I know June is hot. Hospitals are cold, though, and my baby absolutely deserves cashmere.)

Bumps in the Road

The hardest part isn't the loss of the pregnancy. The Lord made it abundantly clear that we'd be getting this one back. He's promised me certain things and he's going to deliver. Just not this time. It might not be this year, or this decade, or even in this life. And I'm OK with that. A promise is still a promise. No, the hard part is the loss of being pregnant. It's like being cut off in the middle of a thought, having the station fade out just as you find the song you were hoping for, or (perhaps most accurately) getting laid off. I feel incomplete, hanging in mid-air. There's no climax or denouement to this story.

It's the little things that get me the most. My ice crunching habit showed up right on time at the start of the second trimester, except that I was technically post-partum, by then. It drives me nuts, this compulsion to dip into the ice bucket and fish out chips when I don't have a "reason" to anymore. I was OK with having it all end until my mouse was hovering over the "unsubscribe" button for my Your Pregnancy This Week emails. Clicking meant admitting that it was over, done, and not coming back. I felt the same when I put my small handful of maternity shirts back in their box with all the others. All I could do was stare at it and cry a little. I pine for the missed experiences--Elena's speculations on the sex and number of babies (she tried to convince us I was having twins, at the end); James learning about babies when he's still so small, himself; being pregnant in winter (first time!) and new life with the spring. All our plans that had been thrown so far off are back to where they were--or are they?--but it feels so odd and off-balance, now. That Easter due date feels slightly bitter. Or maybe not. It's so hard to sort things out, and it keeps changing, day to day. I wonder if October will be hard for me, next year. There's no way of telling where my life will be by that time. I take things day by day, and if that doesn't help, minute by minute. It's the only way to get through.

Pieces

The day of our final ultrasound we sat in the car outside our house for such a long time after driving home. I couldn't go back in, couldn't just be Mom and pretend that everything was normal. The kids were so excited for this baby, how could I tell them it was gone? My beautiful visiting teacher hustled my boys away so we could have time alone. Jonathan had been up late with me (remember: works nights, sleeps days) so he immediately crawled into bed. I curled up with him, drained and directionless, and slept most of the day. The previous week had been so intensely spiritual, I'd been absolutely sure something survived. I'd even daydreamed scenarios of telling people about my miracle baby--"I had a miscarriage, but this little one pulled through." No dice. I dragged myself to school to pick up Elena, but I was quiet, subdued, wrapped in sun hat and sunglasses so she couldn't see my red eyes.

It's so easy to hide, to not let others see our pain because we don't want to explain or make excuses. It's especially easy for me, already turned inward by nature. I pull a cloak of solitude around me, unwilling to share because I don't want to hurt any more. This one is too big, though. I need to probe and lay bare this splinter in my soul. If I leave it to its own devices it'll just fester and poison all around it.

Despite how lonely I feel--or perhaps because of it--I crave the society of other people. I need someone to talk to, or just stand next to. After a while, though, it's starts to feel a little... forced. Do they understand? Do I want them to? I don't want to explain it again, but if I don't, well, maybe I should just find somewhere else to be. The spiral downward and crash when I'm alone at night hits me the worst. I don't sleep well, I'm always tired. I've started falling asleep at odd moments, the last few days.

That's not to say that there aren't bright spots. We really have been blessed. This could have been so soul-shattering, but wasn't. Even so, while we may not be broken, there's a lot of bruises. Some of them refuse to come to the surface, too. There's still so far to go.

So Many Changes

I'm going to take a stab at Marin's Blog Posting Thing. I know it's the 3rd and I've already missed my first two shots at posting every day, but it's hard to get my thoughts organized, these days. I've had so many things to say, so many things to share, and then...

Let me start from the beginning. Jonathan got a new job, in July. He works all night long on 12 hour shifts making chips for memory sticks. It's hard, but he sees our kids every afternoon, we get to eat dinner together as a family, he gets Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights off so we can do family things, and we're finally self-sufficient. About the same time, I got called to the Young Women. He's been beautifully supportive, especially since he's the designated sick-child-watcher because I teach lessons most weeks and he therefore misses more Church than he'd like. Also in that same week, I got pregnant.

If you know me well enough, you know I have a really weird thing with planning my kids. I want them at a certain time, for certain reasons, and the Lord lets me have that, give or take His tweaking to get it just right. This one was unexpected, though. It moved our plans up an entire year. We scrambled to make adjustments, but things were working out pretty well. For the first time, I had healthy cravings--salad! water!--and even started showing at 7 weeks. I'd managed to get nearly everyone called by the time I had to pull out a couple of my favorite maternity tops.

A few of you more clever readers may have noticed my verb tense in that last paragraph. Four days before my first OB visit I started bleeding. The following week saw an ER visit, three doctor's visits, three blood draws, two ultrasounds, and one good long cry. I never did get that OB appointment. I miscarried at 11 weeks. I was due on Easter Sunday.

This is not a cry for help. It's not a Pity Party, either. The Lord has been exceedingly gracious with us, easing the blow as much as He possibly could. The only reason I'm talking about it is that I feel it needs to be talked about. It's not a dark, shameful secret. It's not something to be locked away and never talked about again. It's part of who I am, now. The next month, I'll be looking to share my thoughts as I come to terms with this new state of being.

Nice While it Lasted

The hormones are gone and my hair is returning to its usual density. I'm shedding everywhere. It's on my coats, in my brush, in the shower... If I run my fingers through my hair I end up with tufts of hair in my fingers. Sigh...

Also, James has started rolling over. He only goes tummy-to-back, and only to his right, but it's the beginnings of mobility. Two more weeks and he'll be up to cereal. Where has the time gone?

Hairy Situation

It's been seven weeks and the hair that grew in while I was pregnant hasn't fallen out, yet. I don't know what to do with thick hair. Advice? Ideas? Those of you who have had your hair change on you, what did you do to figure out how to style it?

Entering Betting Pool Time Frames

For all those who entered the poll/pool for bragging rights and cookies: Let the Games Begin!

We had an OB visit, yesterday, and for all that the new partner was only available in the evening we had a wonderful low-key visit and could take all the time we wanted. "After hours" visits are awesome. No one was waiting in front of us, we had the nurses and doctor all to ourselves. Everyone was relaxed, instead of trying to rush through a long list of procedures and patients. We could sit and chat with the doctor about anything and not feel like we were wasting her time. It was wonderful. No *ahem* exam because she says that (especially with 2nd, 3rd, etc. pregnancies) they don't tell you much. You go into labor when you go into labor and nothing but contractions is going to dilate you. We got the on-call rotation schedule, though, and for the next two weeks the midwives are only not on call for a total of 4 days. I can't tell you how happy I am about that. I expressed my views on c-sections quite clearly (1: someone had better be dying; 2: you don't want me awake for that) and she said not to worry as I was a perfect candidate for a midwife, having fairly quick, uncomplicated births. I'm actually shooting for the weekend of the 20th, since Lisa will be on call and she's the only one I've known longer than 6 months, but you never can quite tell with babies. They tend to do their own thing. We went ahead and scheduled one more visit, since that'll get us to 38 wks, 5 days and I only got to 39 wks, 4 days with either of the other two.

We'll keep you posted. You'll notice that I've acquired a Twitter feed (to the left) so people can keep up with us. You can call to check in, if you want, but if you can't/don't want to you're not out of the loop.

Polls Are Closed

Because the "official" party results results are in! By our oh-so-scientific method of testing every Old Wives Tale we could find, all at once, our conclusion is that BOY wins 9-6. For details, you would have to check with Andrea. **just to muddy the waters, though, this website says it's 67% in favor of girl, and this one is 60% for girl.**

I know at least one of them (which side I sleep on) has changed (though I can't remember which way) since the party, because of this: After more than two years of promising myself that I would get a new mattress, I finally did it. Goodbye 30+ year-old Sealy Posturepedic! You were good to us, but my back says it's time to move on. The picture doesn't actually match the bed, but it's the closest I could get. Ours is a 10-11" Eurotop (like a pillowtop, but with memoryfoam) just like the picture, but ours is made by a family-run company out of Houston so they don't have pictures on the web. Since the mattress is thicker, we got the "low profile" (half-height) foundation, and it comes out just the right height.

We've only had it for one night, so results are not entirely conclusive. Not conclusive for me, at least--Jonathan didn't snore a bit, last night, so we have some success.

Every Day, Things Are Getting Better

At this same point in my last pregnancy, I was in the hospital being given shots to stop my pre-term labor.

It started with the usual tiredness and aches, so I went to lie down. In half an hour I was in so much pain I was sobbing and couldn't even call out to Jonathan for help. Eventually, Elena came up to visit me and I told her to go get Daddy. He called the doctor because I could barely talk, they rushed me in at the end of their day and started checking me out. The first thing they had to decide was "is this appendicitis?" There was so much pain and it was all gathered on the right side of my abdomen that this was a serious concern, especially at only 34 weeks. After a few tests they hooked me up to a fetal monitor to see how the baby was doing and discovered that I was having regular contractions. Ah ha! Off I went, across the street, were I got several nurses all to myself and more monitoring. The contractions didn't go away, and this is where the shots came in. I'm not sure what they gave me, but I will say that they burned. Like rubbing alcohol on an open wound, they burned. At least they were only in my arm and not in my rear or belly. A few more hours of waiting, just to make sure it was gone, then I was back home and exhausted.

For the rest of the pregnancy, every twitch and pain had me panicked. Was this labor? With Elena, I hadn't felt a thing until two hours after my water broke (at home) so I had no idea what to look for. I didn't dare take long car trips and even canceled a temple trip I had planned. Every day I could tick off the calendar was one day stronger, healthier and closer to term, just in case it happened again. Finally, I had made it to June (my original goal when getting pregnant--I know I'm weird with the baby planning) and the stress was enough. I asked my doctor for an induction and she complied. It's not her usual way, especially so close to a due date, but I was done.

And now, here I am. I've made it this far without any serious issues, so things are looking good. Every day is one day closer, one day stronger, one day better.

"Expect Delivery In 4-6 Weeks"

Tomorrow makes 34 weeks, so it should be just a hair less than six weeks from now. I'm looking forward to a comfortable night's sleep, even if it's still not a full night's, and an end to the pain in my poor back/tail bone. I'm looking forward to those tiny little fingers and toes. I really want to just stare at my tiny one and memorize everything about him or her. I'm in no rush and have been very patient throughout it all, much more so than I would have thought of myself. A question, though. Why am I so nauseous all of a sudden? I try to eat well, and I'm always hungry, but I just can't eat as much as I used to. On top of that, I've had several days where I've had to stop whatever I'm doing and rest because I just don't feel good anymore. It's usually in the pool and I'd like to blame the horse-play of those around me but it's been popping up too many other places as well. Even stranger, I have zero desire/craving/whatever for sweets, anymore. It used to be gummy bears and Mrs. Baird's chocolate-covered donuts and chocolate chip cookies and warm brownies three or four times a week, and now nothing. It's not like the opportunity isn't there, I just don't want them. It's all so strange.

3/4

Today begins the official countdown. Today makes it 30 weeks, so T-10 weeks and counting, folks. The last two were both born three days before their due date, so my money's on the 21st (sorry, Spencer). You can voice your opinion, on the side, on delivery time frame and the sex of the baby.

*Update/Inside Info:* I've actually seen hints both ways, on the ultrasounds, but I won't say what order or when. Also, I did have pre-term labor at 32 weeks, with Joseph, and was later induced to get the birthdate he has now. Homemade cookies go to the winners of each poll.

Mommy Gets a Pool Doctor, Too

I talked to my OB, last week, about the killer back pain I've had for the last two months and she got me a referral to physical therapy. Today was my evaluation, and there's good news and bad news. First of all, it's not my back or my right hip that's messed up. It's the left hip. The ligaments are loose (yay, pregnancy hormones!) and the left ilium has shifted and rotated backward, putting stress on the rest on my pelvic alignment. The way I sit in my chair when I'm at the computer or the dinner table just makes it worse, too. It may have even caused the shift, but anyway... I now get physical therapy twice a week, one in the office and one in the pool, for the next month. I also have some leg exercises I get to do, plus I need to reorganize my computer desk and find a new sleeping position. If it makes the next ten weeks easier, though, then it's all worth it.

2/3 Down!

The 24th sure is a busy day. Happy Birthday to Will, who is two today. His sister Lily turns one in exactly five months. And three months from today is both Mackenzie's first birthday and my due date. So, how has this second trimester been? Tiring, more than anything. I swear I'm bigger than I was with the other two, and the doctor said there's "plenty of fluid" in there, which might explain why this one doesn't kick me in mean ways, too. Bigger means that my back and hips take a worse beating, though, and the last few days I've had trouble getting out of bed or off the couch because my hips will stiffen up and it really hurts to unbend them. I might just have to spend more time at the pool. Or maybe I could open my prenatal pilates DVD I bought two months ago and try stretching.

Oh, big thanks to Rick for opening your garage to Jonathan, yesterday. He had a blast working on the bed we've designed for Elena. He's got some things to rout, some holes to drill, and a lot of sanding to do, but everything is cut and looks really good.

Crick, Crack, Moo

We finally got someone to respond to our pleas for cool air. He came out first thing this morning and guess what--the a/c was working just fine. Never mind that it's blown no air at all, much less cool air, for the last 2-3 days. Stupid evil-minded mechanical jerks. Anyway, huge thanks to my in-laws for taking us in, Wednesday. The ribs were fantastic, and I still can't believe how many Joseph ate. Not that she reads this, but another huge thanks to Michelle from Picture People for loaning us her window a/c unit. I slept on the floor right under it, last night, and was as comfortable as is pregnantly possible (thus today's title). As a side note, thanks go to Jonathan for making sure I had the floor while he stayed on the bed, just above the cold air current. And another thanks to Abby from church, whom I ran into at Hobby Lobby yesterday morning and immediately offered us the use of her house. We'd also like to send a quick shout out to Babys'R'Us, Target, Cici's Pizza, Hobby Lobby, and the mall for the use of their air conditioning, even if we didn't buy anything at most of them, as well as Little Stacy pool for 2-3 hours of wading pool bliss.

And now a picture of our new baby:

Just kidding. Well, no, not really. Compass had a thing going where if you opened an account online you got a free iPod shuffle. So, we put $25 in storage for 6 months, and we spent $10 on shipping, and now we have a cute little mp3 player. When the kids and I were at Abby's, yesterday, Jonathan went to get the window a/c from Michelle and found a note from UPS on our door. "Sorry we missed you, blah blah blah, in the bushes?!?" Yup, our iPod was in the bushes. At least they didn't use the post office's method. Anyway, the company working with Compass has offered us 35 free downloads, too, so we have to decide what we want to get.

And on to the new picture of our baby:


Yeah, I know. Three ultrasounds, now. Everything is fine with the baby, my cervix just decided to freak out and get all sensitive. They had to do the ultrasound just to make sure everything was OK and I now have instructions to not pick my children up, anymore. That's the hardest part, really, especially with the kids falling asleep in the car so often since they haven't been sleeping well at night. Thank goodness Jonathan's gotten some time off now that the store has slowed down after Father's Day. That's been a real blessing.

So, that's my life, right now. I hope yours is looking up, too.

Funk and Fun

Much like Marin, I've been in a weird funk lately and just haven't wanted to write anything. Not that there hasn't been stuff going on.

The pregnancy is progressing. The baby's being nice about kicking, still, the addiction to ice chips has come raging forward (finally), and last night I had to find different sleeping arrangements to combat the constant late-night heartburn (thank you, David and Frances for the reclining camp chair--it works like a charm & I don't have to leave Jonathan by himself).

The kids are both getting bigger (and cuter) all the time. Joseph got new church shoes, today, and his feet are even bigger than they were last time he bought shoes. It doesn't seem like that long ago, but I guess it has been 4-5 months and he's put on weight in that time. Sigh... For his birthday, Elena and I got him a book (exactly like hers, only for boys) so he can learn how to go potty. He likes reading it, and even insisted on taking off his diaper and sitting on the potty, one day, but we're not going to make a big push for another 5-6 months. They both got to do the same research study at UT about language acquisition. They looked at a bunch of toys and the lady mis-labeled two of them (called a dog and a ball a "gep" and a "danew"), then asked each of the kids to find the toys with the weird names. Elena was kind of funny for this one because the lady told her at the end that she'd told Elena a silly word and asked what the real word was. Elena said she didn't know, as if by giving her a fake word the lady had shaken Elena's trust in all previous knowledge, including the word "dog." Elena is also learning to be a really good helper and put toys away when we clean up the living room. She still doesn't seem to eat much, though that may be because she grazes. It drives me crazy, though, when she tells me she's hungry and asks for food, then doesn't eat it. At all. Not even one bite. She's done this twice in the last week and it makes me want to scream in frustration. Please tell me it'll go away.

Jonathan just got a call from the guy at the City, so please pray for him as he goes in for interviews. We really want this job and all the good things it will do for his career.

And here's a fun thing from Regan. Play along--you put in bold the things you've done, and you can add comments if you like.

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it– if I've said it, I meant it--it's not the sort of thing I just toss around
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise – I'm sure I've done it, even if I can't remember when
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game - a UT football game a long time ago
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables – my tomatoes came in just as this whole salmonella thing started
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment - kids are great for causing these
21.Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you weren’t ill - first pregnancy, on the only day I threw up, didn't know how long it was going to last, ended up feeling fine so I could have gone but didn't
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse - partial, but not total
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun - the funny thing was that after an hour I couldn't stop
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment - most days, really
36. Loved your job 90% of the time - Build-a-Bear's the best!
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - we've never had enough, really, but I've still been satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing - only to test some rappelling gear
40. Gone on a walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight - not even when I was super skinny
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume - theme of the dance where I first realized my now-husband was really good-looking and I should ask him out, or something
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day - not all that long ago, either--pregnancy makes you really tired
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain - not a very heavy rain, either time, but still
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie – most of my scenes got cut, and I don't think I ended up on screen, but I still filmed
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch -store-bought cookies taste funny—unless they're oreos
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68.Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy – three years ago, some baby toys for Elena
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money – prizes, but not money
77. Broken a bone – left middle finger—real treat for my teachers as I tried to write stuff
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi – not sure if I've managed to ingest any, but I've seriously tried twice
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about – we do this all the time when trying to explain Jonathan's major
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands – and mosquitos, too
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad - only The Oddessy
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch - I was taught how to knit right-handed, then taught myself how to do it left-handed and how to do lace/cables/etc.
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating – not personally, but eaten fresh-caught fish I watched get caught, cleaned and cooked
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream – for a few months when Elena was small
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair – red, baby, but never permanently
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep – and a toddler, too
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway Play - not on Broadway, but the touring show of Les Mis
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band – middle school band, but not a rock band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone – taught lots of folks to knit or crochet
122. Ridden a train – Europe's so cool
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need – not that I remember
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in a historic place – Nauvoo (so a city, if not a building)
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David -not the real one, or the replicas, only photos
147. Had your portrait painted – drawn not painted but it still counts
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers – and petticoats
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz - waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books - I think I've read most of the old ND books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane – only after watching Lost!
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life -Elena almost fell out the window in her room when she was little
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint - I know how to needlepoint, but that doesn't mean I do it
178. Laughed till your side hurt – at least once a month
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen a geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma – someday—it's a goal to get over the needle thing
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom-made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime – have been a witness to a bad car wreck and got interviewed by police
200. Responded to emails (or memes) like this

Goings On

Ok, I'm getting a little behind, but I keep forgetting that people are interested in our lives. First of all, I will say that the maternity section at our local Target is awful. Everything they had fit on only four racks, and they weren't the rounders where they could cram stuff in, either. Second, it is absolutely beyond me as to why any pregnant woman would want to show copious amounts of leg when built like a beach ball, but that's all anyone sells for either dresses or shorts. Motherhood has exactly one style of shorts that goes to mid-knee (and on me, too, which is a miracle) and it is, of course, completely sold out in my size at every store, including the warehouse. Sigh...

Anyway, on to the happy stuff. My brother graduated, the day before Mother's Day, and we had a great time celebrating his accomplishments and triumphs. Regan provided yummy food, most of us took a turn at playing Rock Band, we chatted and the kids played. It was wonderful. Way to go, Brent!



The pictures of Jonathan's family came out great. Unfortunately I can't show you how fabulous they are because they haven't sent me the sitting, yet. I think it's because "Lisa" has a Smile Store account, but "Jonathan" does not.

Joseph got his summer haircut. I did it myself (I do everyone's hair, normally) and we had a minimum of wiggling and screaming. What's the trick? Stick him in a Bumbo-thing on the bathroom counter so he can see, then use electric clippers while you hold his chin still. It actually took two passes (in the evening after his bath and again in the morning) since his hair was so long, but he did really well the second time. I can tell that he's way more comfortable, too, with the added ventilation. The second picture is a bonus for Callie. See? Will's not the only one.



We've been going to the pool about once every week or two, and the kids are starting to warm up to it. Last time we went, I'd forgotten how cool it actually was, outside. It's a good thing we only had ~45 minutes to swim because everyone was a bit chilled by the end. The new showers are great, though, and really warmed us back up before we headed home.

The baby is super wiggly. Jonathan's felt it kick, once, but we haven't really tried to get other people to feel, yet. It's still at the Slow-Popping Popcorn stage, instead of real serious kicks or Toes Wedged Under The Ribs (both the other two loved that one) so it's still fun and a little surprising, no matter how active the baby gets.

That's about it. I'll try to be better about this. Not daily (I get too grouchy when I'm trying to post) but still current.

Yes, Sir - That's My Baby

The roving ultrasound machine is only in the our office on Wednesday mornings, so the whole family went to playgroup together, then left early to go see the baby. The ultrasound tech was running an hour and a half behind, but the two ladies in front of me had places to be and we got to jump up the line. It's a new machine and, looking back at Elena's ultrasound prints, I can really see how much clearer these are. Since it was in the office, and not up at Dr. Darby's, we didn't get a video. I'm bummed about that, and they really should have warned us ahead of time. Anyway, everything looks good. Brain, heart, kidneys and spine are all great. Elena and Joseph sat pretty still (Joseph wandered for a little bit, but no one did any mischief--a total reversal of the havoc in the waiting room) and loved getting to see "their" baby "on the TV". We even got to listen to the heartbeat. When we told the tech that we didn't want to find out what the baby was, she told us not to worry--if we don't want to know, she doesn't go there. That way it doesn't sneak into reports and no one can accidentally say "he" or "she" at some point. It was fun and nicely low-stress. I know that if we were going to find out what it was I'd have been keyed up for days with anticipation. So here's your pictures I know you're all drooling to see.

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Hands under chin

Great Weather

I decided, today, that I was tired of just sitting in my house for another day. So I pulled my new swimsuit out of it's Rice Krispie Treat box (oh, the resourcefulness of ebay sellers), got everyone fed and dressed, and we headed for the pool for an hour or so. The sun was down to just peeking through the trees, the water felt fantastic, and we had a lot of fun. We got both the kids to unbend enough to enjoy the water, then taught them to kick and blow bubbles. Again. We don't go swimming enough for it to sink in. I hope we spend a lot more time at the pool, this year, though. My hips didn't ache even once when I was in the water. I can just imagine how good it'll feel once I get really big and the blazing heat makes the a/c leak again.