Daddy boot camp was a great success! It was a bit more 'formal' than Dan was expecting (sorry, no pics!)...but he learned a LOT about planning for labor, delivery, post delivery, taking baby home, basic baby care. The whole premise was 'veteran dads' vs 'new dads' - so the veteran dads were there teaching them the ropes - they even had real babies! It really got Dan more excited about the baby, and he's really looking forward to the rest of our classes.
I put together my stroller - yes all by myself! My friends Shannah and Matt bought it for us, though they insist we call it a pram :-) Below are a few pics of Dan and I with the pram. Rylie is scared of it, which I need to get her over here quickly!
2 months until my due date, until my life turns upside down and is forever changed - I can't believe it! I know I most likely won't deliver ON that day, but it's enough of a rough estimate to start getting a little nervous. There's very few times in your life when you can predict something coming that will indeed change every aspect of your life from that day moving forward. I think about my first day at my new high school, the day my parents dropped me off for college, the day I moved from Colorado to California for a new job, the day I got married. The funny part about this momentous occasion is even with all of the reading, planning, preparing, thinking, etc - I really don't know exactly what I'm getting myself into. It's scary and exciting at the same time. Everyone says a lot of it is instinct, I really hope that falls into my lap when it's all said and done.
I'm also now quite obsessed with labor and delivery - I never really gave it much thought until now. I think you hear stories and know a little bit about the process - but I can't get my hands on enough stories of birth. How was yours, statistically how many births end up in unplanned c-section, did it hurt, was it long, the questions are endless! I found this website that helps to create a birth plan - there are so many things on that list I'm clueless about. I'm going to take the list to my prenatal classes and get some help some of these 'decisions' - it's really not just 'give me drugs'!
Dan's off to 'daddy boot camp' tonight - our friend Shaun (due 2 weeks before us) and Dan will go with a bunch of other 'dad's to be' and figure out how to change a diaper and swaddle a baby. I cannot WAIT to hear how it goes!
We are back from our travels from Oregon, the family reunion was awesome! We arrived in Portland on July 25th - we made the ambitious decision to travel over to Cannon Beach before heading south to Grants Pass. Portland to Grants Pass is 4 hours, traveling to Cannon Beach added about another 3 hours! It was BEAUTIFUL though, Haystack Rock was pretty amazing! We ended up taking the 101 south for a while, which is really pretty but also slow! I decided to try an 'alternate route' using Tomtom, which basically means 'avoid all major highways'. So, it took us in the right direction but avoided the 5 at all costs! We finally figured that out and got on the main drag down to Grants Pass. We arrived about 10pm and quickly got to see everyone over at my aunt Peggy's house. The best thing about my family is that everyone is so inviting and things seem to just pick up as if we saw each other everyday. My aunts seem exactly the same to me everytime I see them - the picture in my mind today is the same one I had 20 years ago. Does that mean I'm getting older?
Saturday was 'rafting day' - which I opted against being 6 months prego - Dan went though and had a blast! I went to the pool with my little neices and two sisters (Allison and Heidi). My niece Lane could entertain me for hours on end. That little brain of hers is amazing! Saturday night was a big family dinner at an Italian place in Grants Pass. I can't say a lot for the food, but the place was perfect for hosting our big family outing and it was great to just sit down and chat with everyone.
Sunday we went to my uncle Mark's church for service - the service itself was a lot more formal than I'm used to, but the message was great and it was really neat to see the work he's doing there. We went to a big park that evening where we barbecued and chatted. Probably the most entertaining portion of the trip was watching my mother play volleyball. My mom, iron'maiden' as they call her - two-time ironman finisher, triathlete extroardinare cannot, I repeat - CAN NOT play volleyball. I'm not sure I've ever seen someone so uncoordinated! The funniest part is she is not shy about it at all - most people who are challenged at sports avoid the spotlight. Nope, not my mom - GOT IT! THAT'S MINE! - just a few phrases she likes to shout during her playtime. She falls, misses completely, hops around like a rabbit - I am laughing just writing this! Very entertaining, my aunt peggy and I almost peed our pants watching the game!
OK now we're off to the lake on Monday - which was BEAUTIFUL - I just loved it there. We rented a boat on Tuesday and spent the day on the water. I stuck to the ever so risky sports of kayaking and paddle boating. I ventured a few times out on the boat to spectate - my sporty husband of course was doing 360's on the knee board!! We ate great food, played games, got to know each other - it was seriously one of the most memorable trips of my life. It was unexpected how special it was to me. Dan participated in an 'initiation video' - I've included the link to that - a MUST see!
Below are a few pics - Lane; Lane and Dan; Mom, Allison, Lane, Me; Linda, Mom, Molly, Peggy (from top to bottom)
We went in yesterday for the 22 week ultrasound and got to see little baby Myers! It's a girl indeed and she looks great! She was in great positions and all of her little organs are looking good. They even gave us a few 3D shots, which I was NOT expecting! Below are some of the pictures, not scanning great, but good enough. She has what LOOKS like my nose! :-)
We got our crib this weekend - yah! Below are some pics. After a lot of looking around, we decided to go back to the first store we looked and ordered from there. Below is a picture of the set we got (we got just the crib and the changing table / small dresser combo). The color we got is a darker wood (cinnamon). It's actually convertable so when the baby no longer needs changing table, we can flip it over it will have a flat top (like a dresser top). Very cool! The crib turns into a toddler bed and a full size bed - the pictures below show it.
We are actually doing similar walls (not the green)... but the wainscoting look at the bottom that looks like white paneling.
We are still deciding on the motif of the room - I'm hoping for girly pinks and yellows!
I just learned how to use scrapblog and it is sooo cool! So, I've added my belly shots to my first scrapblog page and stuck them on blogger - I'm so high tech! :-)
OK, don't look at my goofy face - just my halfway there belly. I'm 20 weeks today, just 20 more to go! :-) I think my belly is less than half of the size it's going to get, which means I still have a lot more growing to do! I went to the dr yesterday for my 20 week check-in, I now weigh almost 150lbs. It's kind of funny to move up on the 'big' weight on the scale. Ususally I'm 100lb on the big one then adjust the smaller one to find 120, 130, 140 - well yesterday she was toggling between 150 and 149 - she let me have 149, ha! I can't wait until I weigh more than Dan! I feel tired today, which isn't entirely unusual but I'm sluggish this afternoon. I went to the dentist and I couldn't wait to get into the chair to put my feet up and close my eyes while they scrubbed away at my teeth. Got a clean bill of health - thank goodness. Apparantly all sorts of crazy things can happen to your teeth when you are pregnant - so I have to take extra good care until I'm done breastfeeding.
I love donuts - we got a dozen (the bakery gave me 14) on sunday for our friends who helped us move. Of course about 6 of them were eaten (3 by me) and now we just have donuts laying around our house. TROUBLE!!! I had one today and I can't wait until those darn things are gone. I'm definitely at the 150 mark today!
Basement is cleared out, permit is ready for us to pick up today - yah! Contractor is coming over tomorrow to talk over a supplies list. The space down there will be very cool. We're going to have not only Dan's office but an entertainment and workout area. Dan's always dreamed of that big flat screen tv. Once it's done, we'll kick Dan to the basement and get going on the baby room upstairs.
I'm doing the Firecracker 5K on Friday, walking of course - I hope it's not blazing hot!
I'm 30. I live in Colorado. I love God and everything He's done for me. I'm expecting a little baby girl on or around November 18, 2008. I laugh a lot. I work out. I hate the heat. I listen well. I like to travel within the 50 states. I hate bologna. I'm married to the best guy on earth. I'm trying to give up soda. I cry everytime I leave my family. I work at home. I remember my dreams. I am completely and stupidly addicted to reality tv. I love my dog. I'm organized when I want to be. I love my family and friends. I like people who give me the benefit of the doubt. I drive fast. I eat sugar cookies. I am in a book club with my girlfriends. My job is a means to an end. I finished a half ironman in 2006. I will always laugh at a fart joke. I still like when people make a big deal out of my birthday. I can't stand cigarette smoke. Tivo is the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me. My husband and I think talking in a lisp is funny. I still get nervous when I give a presentation. I like second chances. I sing in my car. I hate surprises. I like to reminisce, even in my own head. I think green chile goes with just about anything.
