Lil Bits

Bear and I went to our first birthing class today. I was excited. It was fun to get a book and a c.d. and write things in my notebook. Bear even packed us dinner, since I have to go straight from work to class and he has to go straight from class to work. Bear was somewhat less excited to be back in a classroom, but was glad the subject matter was more interesting than math.

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It's interesting to me how many different perspectives there are on birth. So many people seem petrified of it. They think it's impossible to do without drugs and wouldn't mind avoiding the whole thing with a c-section . I don't know why, but I'm excited/nervous about it in a great way, like opening night of a play or going sky diving. I'm not sure what to expect, but it makes me smile thinking about it. I'm pretty sure I have my mother to thank for this. She had all three of us at home. My dad delivered us. (Don't worry, he read a book first.) Whenever I asked her about it, she would say it's intense, but nothing to scream over.

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My insurance doesn't cover home births and the birthing clinic I want to deliver at is booked till April. (Sorry, but I just can't wait that long.) It looks like it might be a hospital birth for me after all. My mission is to try and make my hospital birth as home birth like as possible. To do this, I might just have to break a few rules, but what are they going to do... kick me out.

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On a different note... the following pics are proof that a cat can have an entire side of the bed to himself and will still plop down right on top of your legs.

Denver One Month Late

In August I made a quick trip to Denver. I thought it wise to take advantage of cheap airfare while traveling was still simple and everything could be packed in a carry-on. I was rewarded with good friends, fun gifts, lots of puppy kisses and kitty purrs and one sexy pedicure.

This is my friend Margaret. She's not the easiest to catch on camera. Sometimes you have to distract her with prank phone calls. Mission accomplished!

100 Days

Wow! Only one hundred days to go. Not to be cliche', but I'm so ready and not ready at the same time. I will be posting some vacation pictures soon, but in the mean time, here is my funny observation of the day. Before I got pregnant, I loved Chinese food and thought Mexican food was okay and somewhat over-rated. Bear on the other hand, detests Chinese food and could eat Mexican for every meal. Since becoming pregnant, it makes me gag to even write the word Chinese, a feeling I was hoping would pass with the morning sickness, but alas, has not! I am however craving nothing but enchiladas, rice and beans. I can eat them all day, everyday. Sometimes I dream about them at night. Methinks this boy, aptly nicknamed The Bean, due on his father's birthday and already forcing his culinary persuasions on me, might be 70% Dad, 30% Mom, instead of 50/50. Oh well... as long as he's not left handed.

New Beginnings

For as long as I can remember, the energy September brings has invigorated and excited me. It has brought to my life new opportunities and adventures, new apartments and schedules, new friends and knowledge, new dreams and desires. As a child, it took a long time for me to realize that Halloween was not the first holiday of the year. I guess I am still stuck in school mode, but I like it that way. The crisp Autumn air creeping its way into the late Summer days, allows me to renew, resolve and refresh in a way that January never could.
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I realize now how fitting it was that we got married in September. When the Summer heat has tested my last bit of patience, September roles swiftly in with a cool breeze to pick me up and remind me just how beautiful my life is. It allows me to see that most of the beauty and blessings of my life come from promises I've made with God and others, including the promise to love you forever... come what may. So as we celebrate our third anniversary of saying I do and our eighth anniversary of me pinning you down and kissing you first, I just want to say I promise to love you no matter how worn out parenthood makes me. I resolve to laugh with you no matter how ripe our apartment smells of dirty diapers and most of all, I promise God will bless us in this new chapter of our lives, like he has blessed us in all the rest.
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Happy New Year. Happy Anniversary. No Worries and I Love You!

Imperfection

Imperfection. My wife went to sleep around 1 am. Unfortunately for her, I stay up late. It's a work related issue. Right before retiring I had a friend call around 3 am. A fun call, great conversation, perhaps a bit loud. Tried to be quiet, but I'm not good at that on a Sat. night. I don't know if I woke my wife in the other room, but I get the feeling there were moments she woke. After a long talk with the fella's, I realized something. . . .my wife never came out to shut me the hell up! I waited and I waited for the hammer to fall. Wasn't there. I don't know maybe I keep her awake, maybe she has no idea what the heck I'm talking about when she reads this post. But I get the feeling, I broke her slumber a couple times, but being the person she is. . .she let it slide and found a rhythm in my madness, hopefully enough to let her sleep.

A friend asked me earlier tonight how you stay so in love. . . . a bit of Imperfection.

Belly Dance

I went to the doctor today. Apparently I've gained more weight in my fifth month of pregnancy, than in the entire rest of my pregnancy combined. I'm no scientist, but here are my theories as to why.
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1. I finally stopped throwing up.
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2. Food taste, sounds and smells good to me again.
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3. I'm using Rocky Road ice cream as an alternative healing method for other pregnancy related ailments, such as insomnia, sciatica, heat headaches, etc...
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I also found out the baby is supposed to pack on the fat and double in weight this next month. Here's to hoping he is the only one doubling in weight.
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Last but no least, the highlight of my month is getting to hear The Bean's heartbeat. This time he decided to provide some comical relief. While I was laying on my back and the doctor was searching for a heartbeat, The Bean decided to repeatedly kick directly underneath my belly button, thus causing my belly button to literally bounce up and down. You can add belly button bouncing to the list of things I never thought I'd see my body do.