new books i've read

sliver of truth - lisa under (good mystery)
blue christmas - mk andrews (cute family story)
you make me feel like an unnatural woman
baby laughs - jenny mccarthy (i KNOW....it was actually quite amusing)
girlfriends guide to the first year of motherhood - vicki iovine (can you tell i'm getting ready?)
birthing from within and a bunch of other hippie lamaze books. i'm trying to get psyched up for the delivery.

next doctor appointment:today in one hour. updates tomorrow

Baby Shower #2

Last Saturday, my cousins Tiff and Sam threw me a lovely shower for the bambino. The weather was great, the friends and family were better, and I was EXHAUSTED at the end of it all! Here's the link to the first batch of photos:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=b2h0app.7c7jsqm9&Uy=-stbub8&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0

As of today (7/27) I am 33 weeks along. Can't believe only 7 weeks left! Am busy now washing baby clothes and putting the room together. Next appointment is next week, so I'll update photos and stats then. :)

idle hands?

blankets i've crocheted so far this summer. no, they're not all for me. i know 3 pregnant people right now and one that has a 5 month old. plus, i have about 6 bins of yarn from my deceased grandmother that are sitting in the spare room waiting to be made into something loved. the first 2 granny square ones are lopsided because the yarns i used were different weights...oops. here's the pattern: http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/60505A.html?noImages= the last one is the most "professional" one that i've made. it's so lacy and actually turns out square. can't remember where i got this pattern. it's my current favorite. i've made 2 already and am on #3! here's the pattern: http://members.aol.com/fourleafcl1064/page24.html

books i've read so far this summer:
a long way down - nick hornby (ok. i forget that i don' really like his writing)
little earthquakes - jennifer weiner (super awesome. easy to read and sucks you in)
confessions of a slacker mom - muffy mead (read in about 1 hour...good advice)
her mother's daughter - linda carroll (courtney love's mom's memoir...couldn't put it down)
bed rest - sarah bilston (can relate to the pregnancy woes of this character)
gods in alabama - joshilyn jackson (good mystery story)

man, i love the library! oh yeah...and time to read! :)

a few more photos

can you see my feet?!

week 30 + 4 days

where has the time gone? i have spent the last 3 weeks of summer vacation seemingly doing nothing! actually, i have done many puzzles, read many books, and am on the way to getting arthritis from all the crocheting that i've been doing. starting to feel the aches of pregnancy in my back and most recently in the tummy. i feel like i'm full all the time and stretched to the limits! eating meals has turned into more like light snacking as i'm rapidly running out of room! am on the 2 week cycle for appointments now. geez. went last week friday. here are the stats: 144.5 lbs (no gain from last month) total gained to date: 14.5 lbs current girth: at the belly button: 36.5 in, at the biggest part of the belly: 38 in. all seems normal...just wishing that i didn't waddle when i walked and had more energy to ride the elliptical trainer a little bit more often. we start childbirth classes on sunday. not super thrilled, but am nervous about the whole hospital-thing...so want to try and be prepared. here are the most recent pics. the green dress is what jimmeh calls my "watermelon smuggler" i hope you also enjoy the view from the top...can't really see my feet unless i bend over...and the belly button has started to pop out...but only the top part. weird.

week 28

summer vacation is here! yay. am super glad to not be around students for a while. am looking forward to being able to get things done around the house before the big day arrives. have been busy this week organizing and cleaning already. went to the doctor last week...144.5 pounds. total gained: 14.5 pounds. ugh. i know that i'm in a normal range, but many typically easy things are getting harder to perform as i get bigger...like putting on shoes, shaving my legs, getting out of the car! current measurements: around the belly button = 35 in, around the belly itself = 37.5 in. "steve" (as we've taken to calling it - it's a decoy name) has turned into alien baby....my tummy turns into a bubbling volcano as s/he twists, kicks, and turns inside. s/he's about 2.5 pounds and about 10 inches long from crown to rump. no wonder it feels like a volcano in there...not much room for 10 inches of baby! my only "complaint" is that my belly button is sore...who knew how sensitive it would be...it even looks like there's a little bit of a bruise around it where it's stretching. it's not quite an outtie yet...but is on it's way!

Going away party for Sieben

Went to Sonora last weekend to say goodbye to my former high school band director, Pat Sieben. After 24 years in Sonora, he's moving to Kansas. Got to spend some time with some old friends Yvonne, Kim, Tobin, and my mom too. Had a great time. Hope you enjoy the pics.
PS. the tummy is at 26 weeks already!