Here, Jasmine is listening to the heart beat with her cool wooden fetoscope.
Jasmine feeling the baby's position. Munchkin is head down, but seems to twirl around on its head, as the butt moves from side to side constantly.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
First home visit
Jasmine, our midwife, came to our home for a visit today. It was a wonderful experience. Mike and I both felt... well... at home. It's pretty unique when your husband can crawl onto your own bed next to you to be a part of an exam. She brought over the inflatable birthing tub and we went over the list of remaining items we need in the house before the delivery--pretty basic stuff, more towels, some rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, electrolyte drink, etc. As D Day gets closer, Mike and I get more and more excited and comfortable with our decision to have a home birth. (At the same time, we are okay and realistic with the fact that there is a chance we'll end up at the hospital.) We decided we'll set up the tub in the living room where I can be in the middle of everyone and there will be plenty of room. It connects to the washing machine's water supply with a hose.
Here, Jasmine is listening to the heart beat with her cool wooden fetoscope.
Jasmine feeling the baby's position. Munchkin is head down, but seems to twirl around on its head, as the butt moves from side to side constantly.
Here, Jasmine is listening to the heart beat with her cool wooden fetoscope.
Jasmine feeling the baby's position. Munchkin is head down, but seems to twirl around on its head, as the butt moves from side to side constantly.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Better day
The day after I posted my previous post about the apartment, many of our friends volunteered to come help us clean. It was truly a heart warming experience. Pizza, beer, and friendship made a Friday night spent hauling trash and vacuuming feel like a good time. Here are a few "before" photos. The place looks awesome now!
Yummy cat poo...also adds a nice aroma to the room.
How we found the kitchen/living area.
The mural we had to paint over. Unfortunately, when they painted it, they did not cover the wooden stairs and spilled lots of paint on them.
The work force that stayed for hours cleaning, painting, vacuuming, etc. Thank you SO MUCH to Tracy, BJ, Katrin, Jimmy, and Shannon for the help!
After the rough week, today was amazing. BJ, Mike, and I did a ski tour near Marble on Mount Justice. It was a beautiful skin with fantastic views to an amazing and craggy summit and a fun ski down. I really needed a day like today--fresh air, exercise, two great men, sunshine, beauty.
Mike took a bunch of pictures of me--he kept the camera the whole day.
A nice place for a belly shot at 8 1/2 months :)
Fresh turns.
Yummy cat poo...also adds a nice aroma to the room.
How we found the kitchen/living area.
The mural we had to paint over. Unfortunately, when they painted it, they did not cover the wooden stairs and spilled lots of paint on them.
The work force that stayed for hours cleaning, painting, vacuuming, etc. Thank you SO MUCH to Tracy, BJ, Katrin, Jimmy, and Shannon for the help!
After the rough week, today was amazing. BJ, Mike, and I did a ski tour near Marble on Mount Justice. It was a beautiful skin with fantastic views to an amazing and craggy summit and a fun ski down. I really needed a day like today--fresh air, exercise, two great men, sunshine, beauty.
Mike took a bunch of pictures of me--he kept the camera the whole day.
A nice place for a belly shot at 8 1/2 months :)
Fresh turns.
Mikey being a goofball back at the car. Nice avi shovel!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Waterproof mascara
Waterproof mascara would have been nice today.
This weekend, in the midst of the Ice Fest activities, lots more than I wrote about yesterday went on. A good friend had a healthy baby boy then suffered some serious complications a few days post partum. Luckily, she is on her way home and doing well. Another friend lost a child in a tragic drowning accident. He was 13 days shy of his first birthday. I got over feeling sorry for myself (sore throat, so tired, poor me!) pretty quickly as I started getting ready for the funeral this afternoon. A funeral with a very small casket. So small that only 4 of the 6 pallbearers could actually fit around it to carry it out of the church. Though my eyes were dry leading up to the service, I packed a hanky just in case. Good thing. When Mike and I walked in, I broke down at the sight of a table covered in little Franklin's favorite things--a tiny basketball, a stuffed truck, an itty bitty pair of well worn Nike's (he'd been walking for 3 months already), a wooden train whistle, a hand knit hat, a favorite blanket, a few books. The service was very touching and extremely emotional. Freddy, Franklin's daddy, got on stage and read Franklin's favorite book, "This is Not My Dinosaur!", to all of us as if Franklin were on his lap. The book is one with different textures to feel--fuzzy, soft, slippery, rough--and Freddy gingerly rubbed his fingers over each page after reading the words. "This is not my dinosaur! His fins are too slippery..."
While we can all be comforted by the fact that Franklin is in heaven, free from pain or sin or death, it will take time to accept that comfort while we all work through this grief. I hope to never understand the grief that Freddy and Linda are feeling right now. Mike and I had a good conversation after the service about rethinking priorities and the importance of time with loved ones.
After that, I hate to even blog about the struggles we have been having because they now seem so unimportant and temporary. But, I have learned that it is not good to discount one's own trials even when those around you have greater issues at hand. The renters of our little investment condo have left us high and dry. The first left a month ago and the second moved out over the past few days (4 months before the lease ended) and left the place a disaster. The fridge is full of old food and the power gets shut off tomorrow, the floor is covered in trash and cat food, the cats' litter box is full of poop, there are fish tanks, an old bed, bed frame, random furniture, bags of trash, and other junk scattered about that we have to clean up. The mural they painted on the wall and promised to paint over is still there, the curtains were destroyed by the cats and are left in shreds...and they have paid less than half of the rent for the past 3 months. Even when rent is paid in full, it doesn't cover the entire mortgage. Ouch.
Lessons learned: No pets. First and last month's rent. Deposit. Check references. Make sure you really really really want to deal with renters before buying investment property.
This weekend, in the midst of the Ice Fest activities, lots more than I wrote about yesterday went on. A good friend had a healthy baby boy then suffered some serious complications a few days post partum. Luckily, she is on her way home and doing well. Another friend lost a child in a tragic drowning accident. He was 13 days shy of his first birthday. I got over feeling sorry for myself (sore throat, so tired, poor me!) pretty quickly as I started getting ready for the funeral this afternoon. A funeral with a very small casket. So small that only 4 of the 6 pallbearers could actually fit around it to carry it out of the church. Though my eyes were dry leading up to the service, I packed a hanky just in case. Good thing. When Mike and I walked in, I broke down at the sight of a table covered in little Franklin's favorite things--a tiny basketball, a stuffed truck, an itty bitty pair of well worn Nike's (he'd been walking for 3 months already), a wooden train whistle, a hand knit hat, a favorite blanket, a few books. The service was very touching and extremely emotional. Freddy, Franklin's daddy, got on stage and read Franklin's favorite book, "This is Not My Dinosaur!", to all of us as if Franklin were on his lap. The book is one with different textures to feel--fuzzy, soft, slippery, rough--and Freddy gingerly rubbed his fingers over each page after reading the words. "This is not my dinosaur! His fins are too slippery..."
While we can all be comforted by the fact that Franklin is in heaven, free from pain or sin or death, it will take time to accept that comfort while we all work through this grief. I hope to never understand the grief that Freddy and Linda are feeling right now. Mike and I had a good conversation after the service about rethinking priorities and the importance of time with loved ones.
After that, I hate to even blog about the struggles we have been having because they now seem so unimportant and temporary. But, I have learned that it is not good to discount one's own trials even when those around you have greater issues at hand. The renters of our little investment condo have left us high and dry. The first left a month ago and the second moved out over the past few days (4 months before the lease ended) and left the place a disaster. The fridge is full of old food and the power gets shut off tomorrow, the floor is covered in trash and cat food, the cats' litter box is full of poop, there are fish tanks, an old bed, bed frame, random furniture, bags of trash, and other junk scattered about that we have to clean up. The mural they painted on the wall and promised to paint over is still there, the curtains were destroyed by the cats and are left in shreds...and they have paid less than half of the rent for the past 3 months. Even when rent is paid in full, it doesn't cover the entire mortgage. Ouch.
Lessons learned: No pets. First and last month's rent. Deposit. Check references. Make sure you really really really want to deal with renters before buying investment property.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
brief update
Sorry for the lack of blogging over the past few weeks. I have had 2 incredible and fun packed weekends sandwiched between 2 60-ish hour work weeks. And did I mention I'm 8 months pregnant? Well, I guess one could say I'm a bit worn out...and now I have strep throat. The silver lining is that I get to sleep in tomorrow instead of going to work--I'm exhausted!
The first fun weekend was in Billings with all my Montana ladies. Monica threw me a baby shower, my parents came up from Jackson, Reese and Ad came in from Bozeman, and Hannah and new baby Noah were in town from WA. All of us cousins are very close and it was a wonderful time spent together.
Reese's boys Smith (L) and Mason (R).
Ad's son Blake, soon to be Rob's son officially as well!
Mom and Stef.
Beautiful Reeser and Smiggs.
Me at the baby shower. Monica threw a great party!
Yummy fruit pies.
Oh yeah, and in the middle Mike (mostly) redid the shower.
The second fun filled weekend was the 4th annual Glenwood Springs Ice and Snow Festival. It is an annual grassroots gathering at our house with lots of friends, lots of food, lots of fun, some booze, a little skiing, and a little climbing.
Ice Fest crowd at Coal Creek. Mike set up the BBQ in the back of the van for yummy lunch time bratwurst.
The shot ski, of course. (And Steve's awesome purple velour jumpsuit)
Katie, Tracy, Tracy, and Kristen at the party.
The first fun weekend was in Billings with all my Montana ladies. Monica threw me a baby shower, my parents came up from Jackson, Reese and Ad came in from Bozeman, and Hannah and new baby Noah were in town from WA. All of us cousins are very close and it was a wonderful time spent together.
Reese's boys Smith (L) and Mason (R).
Ad's son Blake, soon to be Rob's son officially as well!
Mom and Stef.
Beautiful Reeser and Smiggs.
Me at the baby shower. Monica threw a great party!
Yummy fruit pies.
Oh yeah, and in the middle Mike (mostly) redid the shower.
The second fun filled weekend was the 4th annual Glenwood Springs Ice and Snow Festival. It is an annual grassroots gathering at our house with lots of friends, lots of food, lots of fun, some booze, a little skiing, and a little climbing.
My living room in the morning. There were 11 people staying at our place.
Ice Fest crowd at Coal Creek. Mike set up the BBQ in the back of the van for yummy lunch time bratwurst.
The shot ski, of course. (And Steve's awesome purple velour jumpsuit)
Katie, Tracy, Tracy, and Kristen at the party.
Originally, there was supposed to be a Prom theme, but most of us were too lazy to find costumes, so we canceled the theme. Lucky for us, a few diehards dressed up anyway. (L to R, Steve, Kristen, Dan, Andrea, Bobby, BJ, Tracy, Katrin, Jimmy, and Shannon)
And after the Ice Fest, the local ladies threw me another baby shower! I am so spoiled, but I have no pictures of the shower. When I get a few from Katrin, I will post them. Thank you to Sarah and Tracy for hosting such a great partay!
And after the Ice Fest, the local ladies threw me another baby shower! I am so spoiled, but I have no pictures of the shower. When I get a few from Katrin, I will post them. Thank you to Sarah and Tracy for hosting such a great partay!
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