Belly at 33 weeks(that's almost 8 months for our mothers' generation)
Now I have just one question...
Where do I rest my ice cream bowl after I have this kid???
Where do I rest my ice cream bowl after I have this kid???
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Belly
I think my sister is a mind reader. She just sent me an e-mail asking if I'd post a pregnancy picture. Little did she know that I have been planning that all day. I realized a few days ago that this little bambino doesn't have a "belly shot", so Husband and I set out to remedy that and here is what we got:
Belly at 33 weeks
(that's almost 8 months for our mothers' generation)
Belly at 33 weeks(that's almost 8 months for our mothers' generation)
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Getting Ready
I think I'm experiencing some sort of hormone shift as I head into the final 6 weeks of pregnancy. My nesting seems to have slowed down and it's been replaced by the desire to hibernate. Did you know that bears actually have their cubs when they're in hibernation? How did that species of mammal get such a lucky break? It's the best of all worlds...gorge yourself, crawl into a warm, cozy den, go to sleep and - oh yeah - have a couple of babies while you're comfortably snoozing away. They've been taking care of themselves and feeding themselves while you caught up on your zzzz's. Now you can all enter the outside world together, refreshed and ready to enjoy the spring and summer weather - not to mention the fact that you've lost any baby weight that you put on!
Yes, I've been experiencing the minute-by-minute ups and downs that come with the anticipation of a new baby. Every sad news story, every tragedy and every misfortune I hear of seem to weigh heavier than usual as I, the mama bear, prepare to defend and protect a new cub. Then, all I have to do is rub my belly, and I get a physical response from my baby that is so immediate and so personal I am reminded that he already knows me and recognizes me - which instantly brings me joy. I don't remember having that awareness with the other two boys; maybe I was wrapped up in something else. But this time, I am completely fascinated by the fact that I can feel the outline of the baby, and I can tell when he shifts and moves a leg (he likes to kick me just below my right ribs).
Maybe I'm just taking this pregnancy less for granted than I took the others.
Yes, I've been experiencing the minute-by-minute ups and downs that come with the anticipation of a new baby. Every sad news story, every tragedy and every misfortune I hear of seem to weigh heavier than usual as I, the mama bear, prepare to defend and protect a new cub. Then, all I have to do is rub my belly, and I get a physical response from my baby that is so immediate and so personal I am reminded that he already knows me and recognizes me - which instantly brings me joy. I don't remember having that awareness with the other two boys; maybe I was wrapped up in something else. But this time, I am completely fascinated by the fact that I can feel the outline of the baby, and I can tell when he shifts and moves a leg (he likes to kick me just below my right ribs).
Maybe I'm just taking this pregnancy less for granted than I took the others.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
In the Dark No Longer
It seems I'm always a day late and a dollar short when it comes to knowing what's hip. I'm really okay with it, since I have friends and sisters who try to keep me up to speed. My sisters kindly rescued me from my Mom Jeans a couple of years ago and introduced me to the boot cut (and indigo wash). Now my good friends have clued me in on the blog that apparently everybody is reading: The Pioneer Woman Cooks.
Did you know about this? Apparently, I'm the last woman on earth to not know who Ree Drummond is. I had proof of this last night when I accompanied two of my dear friends to a Pioneer Woman book signing at the Tattered Cover. We had a little trouble parking. There was not one space to be had in the multi-story parking garage; so we cruised the surrounding neighborhood trying to find a spot, finally landing one about six or seven blocks away. The whole time, the girls kept saying, "Do you think all of these cars are for the book signing? Surely not!"
The answer to that my friends, is yes. When we got into the store we hopped into line thinking it looked long but not unmanageable, only to discover that the part of the line we could see was just the upstairs part of the line! It snaked down two separate staircases and joined up in a big room where people were crammed in (it was hot in there - so hot!) waiting for books to be signed. It took very little convincing for Nikki and I to decide that it was not worth waiting in line - especially since they had sold out of the book (okay, to be fair I didn't even know who the gal was prior to last night, so of course it took zero convincing for me). Michelle was a great sport about it. I could see in her eyes that she would have gladly waited in that line until the second coming, but then, she isn't phased by things like hours-long lines - she does more in a typical day than I think of doing in a month.
In the end, we each bought a book and went to the cafe to sip tea, cocoa, and coffee and chat about all the things that we moms chat about when we get a rare night out together. It was such a treat. I think I smiled the whole time, and I know I laughed harder than I've laughed in awhile. So thanks girls, for getting me out of the house, and for bringing me up to speed on what seems to be the hottest thing going in the world of cooking blogs.
If you want to check out the Pioneer Woman for yourself, click here:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/
As for me, I think I'll be checking in on it often for recipes. They look to be just the kind I like: simple ingredients, easy-to-follow steps, and LOTS of butter (real butter). Then again, you probably already knew that since I am the last person on earth to know about her blog!
Did you know about this? Apparently, I'm the last woman on earth to not know who Ree Drummond is. I had proof of this last night when I accompanied two of my dear friends to a Pioneer Woman book signing at the Tattered Cover. We had a little trouble parking. There was not one space to be had in the multi-story parking garage; so we cruised the surrounding neighborhood trying to find a spot, finally landing one about six or seven blocks away. The whole time, the girls kept saying, "Do you think all of these cars are for the book signing? Surely not!"
The answer to that my friends, is yes. When we got into the store we hopped into line thinking it looked long but not unmanageable, only to discover that the part of the line we could see was just the upstairs part of the line! It snaked down two separate staircases and joined up in a big room where people were crammed in (it was hot in there - so hot!) waiting for books to be signed. It took very little convincing for Nikki and I to decide that it was not worth waiting in line - especially since they had sold out of the book (okay, to be fair I didn't even know who the gal was prior to last night, so of course it took zero convincing for me). Michelle was a great sport about it. I could see in her eyes that she would have gladly waited in that line until the second coming, but then, she isn't phased by things like hours-long lines - she does more in a typical day than I think of doing in a month.
In the end, we each bought a book and went to the cafe to sip tea, cocoa, and coffee and chat about all the things that we moms chat about when we get a rare night out together. It was such a treat. I think I smiled the whole time, and I know I laughed harder than I've laughed in awhile. So thanks girls, for getting me out of the house, and for bringing me up to speed on what seems to be the hottest thing going in the world of cooking blogs.
If you want to check out the Pioneer Woman for yourself, click here:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/
As for me, I think I'll be checking in on it often for recipes. They look to be just the kind I like: simple ingredients, easy-to-follow steps, and LOTS of butter (real butter). Then again, you probably already knew that since I am the last person on earth to know about her blog!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sweet Remembrances
Husband and I spent part of our snow day going through the Dennis the Menace closet that was in my office, which is now going to be the nursery. Ever since we moved in, I have been stuffing pictures into this closet in boxes and loose, then when we put a dresser in the closet, I started stuffing the drawers. Pictures are so hard...what do you do with all of them? I don't scrapbook, but even if I did, there is absolutely no way that all of these photos could be accounted for! So - we went through all of the loose photos and I arranged them in photo boxes chronologically. It was nice having Husband to help me with this most dreaded task. The only problem? When we got all done, I looked over to see a small box next to him that had photos just stacked in it. I asked him what it was, and he said, "Random pictures." Great. I thought they were all "random". I didn't have the energy to sort through all of those, so one box remains that is neatly labeled RANDOM.
We found some really fun pictures and spent a couple of hours reminiscing. It's amazing how many memories we've made in our almost 8 years of marriage. We also ran across some interesting newspaper clippings and odds and ends that I must have stuffed into the drawers at one point or another, not knowing what to do with them. One of my most delightful finds was this poem, which was written by the son of my all-time favorite music professor in college; the director of the concert chorale I sang in for four years:
We found some really fun pictures and spent a couple of hours reminiscing. It's amazing how many memories we've made in our almost 8 years of marriage. We also ran across some interesting newspaper clippings and odds and ends that I must have stuffed into the drawers at one point or another, not knowing what to do with them. One of my most delightful finds was this poem, which was written by the son of my all-time favorite music professor in college; the director of the concert chorale I sang in for four years:
This poem is for you.
It is to be carried into battle and kept
close to your heart.
It is to be forgotten, remembered,
and with each remembrance,
uncovered, allowed to
breathe and see the sunlight.
This poem is me.
Let it love you in its way.
It is to be carried into battle and kept
close to your heart.
It is to be forgotten, remembered,
and with each remembrance,
uncovered, allowed to
breathe and see the sunlight.
This poem is me.
Let it love you in its way.
Professor Weiss' son Christopher wrote that poem for him and he carried it in his pocket for years before he commissioned a composer friend to set it, and several of Christopher's other poems to music. We performed these pieces at the end of my freshman year, with Christopher in the audience, completely shocked by what his father had done for him, and Professor Weiss tearfully conducting the orchestra and our choir. What a beautiful relationship these two men shared (still share, I'm sure). I've come across this poem on and off in the 16 years since I first heard it, and it still touches me every time. It is amazing how one can completely forget something, yet when remembered and given time to breathe, the memory is so sweet and comforting.
I think there may be two or three others reading this who may remember singing this poem - and how about Daffodils? Aren't we blessed to have our thoughts and memories shaped by the music we experience? And to not only "experience" that music, but to be a part of the fabric of the music?
I think there may be two or three others reading this who may remember singing this poem - and how about Daffodils? Aren't we blessed to have our thoughts and memories shaped by the music we experience? And to not only "experience" that music, but to be a part of the fabric of the music?
Thursday, October 29, 2009
A Snow Day For All of Us!
Our backyard this morning (and it snowed all day)Ahhhhh...another snow day. I don't know who's more excited, the boys or us. Not only was school cancelled for them (and the entire Denver Metro area), but the University campus is closed, so no class for me tonight either! Husband is blessed to have a job that allows him to work from home on days like this, so we are all hunkered down together enjoying a quiet and relaxing day, which started with biscuits and gravy...yum! (In the spirit of full disclosure, I must say that Kirby, who LOVES my biscuits and gravy, did not appreciate the whole wheat biscuits I made and served today - I couldn't help it, I was out of white flour!)
You know something else that makes this day even more grand? There are no sports on TV in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week. Yes, I know the World Series will be back on this evening, but until then, I'm enjoying a house without that ambient hum that a TV makes. I'm listening to Brahms' Requiem, drinking tea from my recliner, and I can hear the boys right outside the window making a snow something-or-other with their dad. Can you tell how content I feel? I'll bet a lot of people are enjoying this day for the same reasons as me.
The Snow BuildersI'll close with these photos of my favorite guys having some fun in the snow. As I watched out the window, I decided that it's not possible to be more in love with someone than I am with my husband as I watch him playing with our boys. They are so lucky to have a dad like him, and I am so lucky to have all of them.
Building a snow ramp
Warming up with hot apple cider
Nothing will relax a guy like a little finger knitting!
Building a snow ramp
Warming up with hot apple cider
Nothing will relax a guy like a little finger knitting!Wednesday, October 28, 2009
No Snow Day for Mom
Today the boys woke up to the most exciting news a kid can get...SNOW DAY!!! Unfortunately, I couldn't stick around long to revel in their happiness because I headed out with Husband this morning to work his company's annual food show. The boys had a wonderful day with Nana (who happened to be at our house to pull last-minute field trip duty, which turned to snow day duty). They played games, stayed in their pj's until 2:30pm and got french toast for lunch! Meanwhile, my day went something like this:
9:00 am - report to food show
9:15 am - find booth that I'm working, note that there is no chair available (I was called very last
minute to work, and said I could only if I could do it seated)
10:00 am - 1st bathroom break; thinking to myself "This may have been a mistake."
11:00 am - still no chair, back is already very stiff and getting quite painful
12:00 pm - Husband to the rescue with a chair! Back KILLING me
12:30 pm - Told I should try to stand up "Whenever the big boss comes around" (translation:
don't sit down)
1:30 pm - Yep. Definitely a mistake (though a fun one!)
2:30 pm - Decided the canned gravy booth is the most boring booth I've worked yet at a
food show
3:00 pm - Thank goodness for all of the great people I ran into. Chatting helped keep my mind
off the fact that I was almost immobile because my back hurt so bad.
3:47 pm - Texted Husband: "Where are you? I'm ready!" (food show ended at 4pm)
4:06 pm - Massaging my swollen ankles in the mini van all the way home
The boys spent the tail end of the day at our friends' The Hermansons, playing with their three girls, and when we arrived to pick them up we were treated to a fabulous dinner. I brought my knitting stuff so that Nicole could refresh my memory and we then had the coziest time I can remember in awhile, as the guys sat in the kitchen chatting and drinking coffee, and Nicole, Emma and I knitted. Emma also taught Kirby to "Finger Knit" (you know you were a child of the 80's if you finger-knitted). It was a peaceful, fun evening as the snow fell right outside the windows and Nicole and I were snuggled up on the couch with happy kids all around us.
Kirby fell in love with finger knitting. Husband was chuckling as we left and Kirby said "Emma, next time I come over I'll bring my yarn and we can knit together!"
The last thing he told me after I kissed him goodnight? "I'm going to dream about finger knitting tonight!"
Can I please be in 1st grade again? Just for a little while?
9:00 am - report to food show
9:15 am - find booth that I'm working, note that there is no chair available (I was called very last
minute to work, and said I could only if I could do it seated)
10:00 am - 1st bathroom break; thinking to myself "This may have been a mistake."
11:00 am - still no chair, back is already very stiff and getting quite painful
12:00 pm - Husband to the rescue with a chair! Back KILLING me
12:30 pm - Told I should try to stand up "Whenever the big boss comes around" (translation:
don't sit down)
1:30 pm - Yep. Definitely a mistake (though a fun one!)
2:30 pm - Decided the canned gravy booth is the most boring booth I've worked yet at a
food show
3:00 pm - Thank goodness for all of the great people I ran into. Chatting helped keep my mind
off the fact that I was almost immobile because my back hurt so bad.
3:47 pm - Texted Husband: "Where are you? I'm ready!" (food show ended at 4pm)
4:06 pm - Massaging my swollen ankles in the mini van all the way home
The boys spent the tail end of the day at our friends' The Hermansons, playing with their three girls, and when we arrived to pick them up we were treated to a fabulous dinner. I brought my knitting stuff so that Nicole could refresh my memory and we then had the coziest time I can remember in awhile, as the guys sat in the kitchen chatting and drinking coffee, and Nicole, Emma and I knitted. Emma also taught Kirby to "Finger Knit" (you know you were a child of the 80's if you finger-knitted). It was a peaceful, fun evening as the snow fell right outside the windows and Nicole and I were snuggled up on the couch with happy kids all around us.
Kirby fell in love with finger knitting. Husband was chuckling as we left and Kirby said "Emma, next time I come over I'll bring my yarn and we can knit together!"
The last thing he told me after I kissed him goodnight? "I'm going to dream about finger knitting tonight!"
Can I please be in 1st grade again? Just for a little while?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Hidden Graces
Today Connor had the usual series of morning melt-downs, brought on by:
Husband packed both the boys and me into the van and instructed me to go to mass (Thursdays are school mass days), clear my head, and get a new perspective. Thank God for that man. He stays so calm and collected! And he was right - it was just what I needed. As I sat there, with our beautiful boys on each side of me holding my hands I thought, "Okay Lord, I can do this. For some reason you chose me to be the mother of these boys, so you must have thought I was a good match for both of them". Just then, Connor looked up at me and asked me to snap his pants. As I leaned over to fasten them, he cheerfully said,
"Mommy, I'm really having fun wearing these pants! In fact, I really like the pants and the shirt together!"
Seriously - what do you do with that? Laugh, or cry?
- having to wear brown cords
- having a long sleeve shirt on
- the hood on his jacket not being "right"
Husband packed both the boys and me into the van and instructed me to go to mass (Thursdays are school mass days), clear my head, and get a new perspective. Thank God for that man. He stays so calm and collected! And he was right - it was just what I needed. As I sat there, with our beautiful boys on each side of me holding my hands I thought, "Okay Lord, I can do this. For some reason you chose me to be the mother of these boys, so you must have thought I was a good match for both of them". Just then, Connor looked up at me and asked me to snap his pants. As I leaned over to fasten them, he cheerfully said,
"Mommy, I'm really having fun wearing these pants! In fact, I really like the pants and the shirt together!"
Seriously - what do you do with that? Laugh, or cry?
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