A Happy Fall Day

Today was one of those days that was unexpectedly so very nice. Dylan was able to take a break from his regular at-home work duties and joined me in dropping off Gavin at Dawn's. Gavin had been talking about Dawn's house and was definitely ready to see his buddies again. Then we checked in at Babymoon, but not before hitting Dutch Bros. on the way. Everything checked out great in the baby department. I was afraid that after a full weekend of celebrating and lots of lots of sugar that they might tell me my butt was so big that it was unhealthy for the baby. Fortunately, they made no mention of it.

The baby is still breach, but they just keep acting not worried about it and said next time we'll start making a plan for spinning him around. My midwife demonstrated an awesome inversion exercise that I can start doing just for laughs in the meantime. She also talked about nursing, and I told her about my struggles from last time. She made me feel a lot more comfortable by saying she's not a do-or-die breastfeeding person. As long as you give it your best and have sought out all the necessary support...if it doesn't work out, it just doesn't. She also had all kinds of recommendations for other things, like seeing the chiropractor, and then laughed and said, "I have so many ideas to share when it comes to babies and pregnancy..too bad they all cost money. Haha." They keep it really real there. As we walked out of the appointment, she put on her witch hat to hand out candy to the parade of babies in costume for the Halloween Baby Parade. The office was a zoo of babies and they were so cute and hilarious. I left there feeling really glad I see the midwives...even if it does take all morning to drive there when I have to drop off Gavin first.

From there, we hit La Grande Orange for sandwiches and hung around for a couple hours while we both got some work done on our computers. For our next stop, we did the unthinkable and went to a Tuesday matinee. The movie was Steve Jobs and the venue was Tempe Marketplace. It was a really, really well-written movie. It should come as no surprise that I think this because it was written by Aaron Sorkin, the same guy who wrote Newsroom. Which can only mean one thing: I'd better start watching The West Wing. I can't even remember the last time I saw a movie, and hopefully it's not too long before I find myself in a theater again. It's pretty awesome that we were both available to do this on a Tuesday afternoon, which is something I should keep in perspective next time I'm boohooing about my millionth weekend in a row with Dylan out of town.

We finally picked up Gavin, where he demonstrated his sight-word skills with Dawn, and we were so impressed. We got home just in time to take a short rhino ride. I'm sure it drew some double takes...big pregnant lady on a rhino holding her 2-year-old in her lap. I felt a little better about being so unsafe and redneck when we passed our neighbor driving his van with his granddaughter in his lap, behind the steering wheel. (See KP, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to driving home from the mailbox.) #wildwest

And finally, because I had completely forgotten to think about dinner, we decided to eat pumpkin waffles and smoothies on the patio. The weather was perfect. I always look forward to fall, but sometimes it feels so forced with all the pumpkin stuff and praying for lower temps. Tonight, though, was just right. The perfect fall night. With a few Halloween festivities coming up this week and a good excuse to make goodies, I'm really starting to feel in the spirit of things. I have zero pictures to share and owe the two-night-in-a-row blog post to taking yet another day off from being productive. I'm sure it will catch up with me soon, but I'm just not worried about it. Happy fall, y'all.

Lots of Information, Not Much Coherence

We finished our final of three birthing classes last night. A lot of the night consisted of showing the husband how to give the wife back/neck/head massages while she's in labor. I was okay with being on the receiving end of that. I have not done much research on this labor thing, but I do know a few things. First, the baby will come out of me one way or another, no matter how much or how little I know about labor. (But I am a sponge for information, so I know pretty well how it goes by hearing the stories of others and also from this class.) Second, it will be very painful, and it will probably last a long time. Third, I can't stand the idea of someone putting a needle in my back for an epidural, but if I'm in enough pain, I have a feeling that I might suddenly be okay with that happening. Also, I'm not scared of childbirth. I'm sure it will be very intense and some of the most severe pain I've ever known, but it's just nature. Bad things can happen, I know, but bad things can happen driving home every day from work, too. I'm more scared of how I'll feel dropping off my tiny baby at daycare when I have to go back to work after 12 weeks.

I'm rapidly losing my right ankle to the puff. Two long, hot days and all that sitting in that class last night did me in, I think. Also, I've developed carpal tunnel issues in my right wrist, which has made sleeping more tricky than it already was. My feet hurt at night in the same kind of way they hurt after standing for 12 hours for a shift at the Target pharmacy. Also, I am getting shooting pains down my groin and inner thigh, which they say is due to a stretching ligament. Other than that, things are great, and I'm ready to take on this final month of sharing a body with another person head-on!

I'm excited for a Mexican fiesta themed dinner party with a bunch of girls over at Jess's house tomorrow night. It will be my second trip into the Tempe/Chandler area this weekend.

My first trip into the Tempe/Chandler area this weekend was to visit the TOMS warehouse sale, the details on which were given to me by a co-worker with fabulous taste. (Thanks, AH!) I came home with two pairs of sunglasses, two pairs of shoes for me, and one pair for the little person who currently resides in the area between my boobs and hips. All for less than what one pair of shades costs normally. Booyah.

At the TOMS warehouse sale, I encountered some good samaritans. It was in an un-air conditioned warehouse, and I was wearing jeans. Not comfortable. Cold bottles of water were kept in trash cans, but I didn't know that because usually trash is kept in trash cans. But this nice lady handed me a cold bottle out of nowhere, and I'm pretty sure it saved my life. As I was walking out, the security guard asked where I parked because he did not want me walking around in the heat. How thoughtful. I am soaking this up now because I hear that when you're hauling around a baby, when you need the help the most, is when people just glare at you and offer you nothing because they're annoyed that your baby is crying. Being pregnant is cool sometimes. Except for the things I told you about in #2.

I have one more reason why I think pregnancy is sometimes not that cool, which is because I am so incredibly tired of my maternity clothes. I won't be buying any more because I find it wasteful at this point and because I'm buying so many other things right now. But in other ways, pregnancy is so, so cool. So I'm okay with it.

Today at work I was told I had a visitor up front, and I found Dylan up there with a yummy treat from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for me. In the words of some of the (not so) sweet (but more so brother-like) gentlemen at work, Dylan is WAY too good to me. Given the way that I've acted like an energy-less old stick in the mud lately, I'd have to say that I agree. Thanks for keeping things upbeat, D. You kick ass.

These rainy, stormy mornings have been great. Like any true Arizonan, I really appreciate the recent moisture...even the humidity. It's not nearly as bad as the humidity of the South in the summer, and it's so much better for your skin than the dry heat.

Actual mail was received with these stamps from an apparently very old lady. Maybe not so PC? We just couldn't bring ourselves to throw away the envelope.

John Krasinski and I have a lot in common.

From The Chive

It was a very good, very productive week. I did some think-ahead cooking and now have a freezer stocked with a few meals for those days when there's hardly enough time to even think about eating. People tell me that that will happen, and the thought of being short on good food had me feeling very nervous because you know how I am with food. But problem solved...at least for a few meals!

With that, I'll leave you with an article on why soda is so awful for you. I love, love, love a Diet Coke, but I won't drink it anymore. I still crave it, but I just won't do it, and if you still drink soda, I am jealous of you. But I am just so scared of artificial sweeteners rotting my insides and all the other awful things. Here, take a look at this article, which is mostly about the kinds of soda with actual sugar and not the diet kind. Just make sure to enjoy your soda before you read it!

Speaking of...

Everything is status quo around here. After battling an intense fatigue for the last few days, I think I am up and at 'em again. I thought for a short moment that I might be ready to throw in the towel on work and everything else productive and just sleep for the next 10 weeks straight. I knew something was out of the ordinary when I was waiting at the light to get on the freeway yesterday morning and I had to try to keep my body in motion so I wouldn't fall asleep. But then my energy found its way back into my life somewhere around midday today, and everything was right with me again. So right, in fact, that I was able to meet up with Dylan for our favorite sushi happy hour this afternoon.

Speaking of sushi, I was telling Lukas at work today that I don't know what I miss more right now...spicy tuna or alcohol. But actually, I miss being comfortable when sitting in any position more than anything, I think. I am, however, really, really glad that nothing is swollen. With a history of poor circulation, I thought I'd be sporting hobbit feet starting several months ago, but I'm still wearing my same rings and same shoes. Let's hope I can keep it up!

Speaking of positions, I think this child in my belly is really big because when I sit still or in certain positions his movements make me feel like my guts are being pushed around, and it looks I have an alien life form in my belly, and it's an odd sensation.

Speaking of guts, or not really, I took advantage of a free facial and a discounted massage special this week, and it was heavenly. 

Speaking of spa stuff, tomorrow kicks off a summer of baby showers (seven to be exact!) with Anne's spa-themed baby shower. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of great ladies.

Speaking of tomorrow, I'm also going to a pool/birthday party, where nobody will actually get to (or want to) see this body in a bathing suit. But we'll have lots of great food and great times. I've been instructed to BYONAB (bring your own non-alcoholic beverage). Drinks sans alcohol are in short supply at a pool party, especially one sponsored by a co-worker of mine, as one would expect.

Speaking of work, Dylan got up and went to work for a full day every day this week. This is not such a huge feat for the average person, but for someone who has never worked at a desk job or something with normal business hours, it is sort of a big deal. When I offered to pack him a lunch he explained that no thanks, he'll have to go out and get something because otherwise he'd be inside that building all day. (Goodness, can you imagine the horror in that?) But, when all was said and done, he came home a lot more cheerful and energetic than did yours truly each evening. He passed his oral exam and check ride today. Yay!

Speaking of Dylan, have you seen his brother's crazy successful Kickstarter campaign? Having never been a gamer, or a person interested in space, I am unable to get into the details of the board game that he's been designing for the last seven years, but it's received amazing reviews and astonishing support on Kickstarter. The campaign ends in three hours...hurry and support him so you can get a copy of what is sure to be next year's Game of the Year. We are all impressed, Cody, but I think your brother Dylan is your biggest fan. I've received minute-by-minute updates from him, and he is so very excited for you.

That is all.

I guess I'll have the lemonade

Really?

Serious about Seafood

Here on the coast, people are pretty serious about the quality of their seafood. After an amazing seafood dinner, we ended up at Local Ocean the next day, a lunch spot and seafood market in Newport. They don't fool around with their ocean fare.

Dungeness crab chowder and calamari. Not battered, not fried.

The fresh seafood market across from our lunch table.

We also had fish tacos, and as with the calamari, nothing about it was fried. It was an interesting way to experience seafood, and I determined that it must be an acquired taste. I'll get there some day. {The crab chowder, however, was stupendous.}