Birthday Date

Well, my Birthday Day was fun. After doing the final paperwork to sign over his Jetta (Yay - It's done!), we headed up to Seattle. We were, of course, all the more happy because the burden of the selling of the cars was done! First we visited the "new" Seattle library. Although not pretty, it is an amazing structure. It is so big, we had fun walking all over it and seeing all of the different floors. The kids section was very cool! I took a picture of Max in front of the library, I will post it when I am home!!

We then walked around some of our favorite haunts on the way to Pikes Place. We looked at a bunch of stores on the way, including an amazing chocolate shop on post alley. We got four truffles to split, my favorite being the lavender!!! His favorite was the four chocolate truffle. We found a new little shop in Pikes and were able to get "Garlic Ladies" Smoked Barbeque Pickled Garlic - which we fell in love with when we went to the fair last year, so I was pretty excited. She also had garlic stuffed olives, so we got a jar of that too. We had lunch, him at his favorite sausage place, and I tried a Korean BBQ (not my favorite-but ok). We got cheeses, breads and meats, which we always do when we are in Seattle.

After the Pikes part of our day we went to dinner at The Frontier! They have the best brisket in Seattle - I think. Max got ribs, and we also had the bacon wrapped prawns - they are as wonderful as they sound. You should all go there if you haven't already. After that we went to Bed Bath and Beyond to buy new pillows for our bed and a bath pillow for me - I love baths!

Suffice to say, it was a fun day. It was a long needed break from stress for both Max and I. We needed a day of just enjoying each other, and not having to do anything. It was also really nice to just be newly weds - and not soon-to-be-parents! Of course, we did have to stay within a few feet of a bathroom the whole day, and I had to stop every once in a while because I was having those annoying little braxton hicks moments of joy!

But, another birthday come and gone - I can't believe I am on the other side of my 20s now. I have much to be thankful to the Lord for. He has given me so much during this past year!

Not irritating, or painful, but funny!

Top ten pregnancy funnies of the month

10. Dry skin?!?

9. Craving something solely from hearing the food mentioned!

8. Trying to shave your legs well.

7. Itchy skin.

6. Weird nerves that I never knew I had in my belly, being pinched!

5. One word…Waddle

4. I tend to trip while wearing flats (or no shoes at all).

3. Instant tears for no apparent reason!! I know that if I am baffled by my tears, so is my amazing husband.

2. My daughter can actually kick me so hard when I am leaning into things, that I bounce away from them.

1. And, my newest pregnancy quirk! I was doing laundry this weekend when I noticed that I can no longer reach the detergent which is behind the washer. I now have to leave the detergent on the floor, so that I can easily reach it while doing laundry!!

Not irritating, or painful, but funny!

It seems that there is never a boring day with this little one in our lives, and I am sure that it only gets better as time goes on. I have six(+/-) weeks left and I can't believe it. As soon as I am finished with classes (2 and a half weeks) I will be able to focus on cleaning the house and getting everything perfect. Right now I am in the last moment dregs of classes! I keep praying for the motivation to actually show up to class. One of the classes is early in the morning and the other one is late at night - boy was that stupid! Anyway, there probably wont be many posts from me during the last few classes, because I have tons to do. I will write again when my free time is more abundant. Actually I will write at least one more time to tell you about my birthday date with Max!!

Single-Married-Soccer Mom…One Year!

That’s right folks, I went from single and care free, to in love and married, to soccer mom, in just over a year! Due to our many car issues - both Max's and mine, we bought the Savages old minivan! That’s right, I am the proud owner of a minivan. I can fit Max, KayLynn, Beider, Cricket, groceries, stroller, and myself into one vehicle!! I have been getting used to driving such a big vehicle. All of my car-owning career, I have had little cars. I feel enormous in the van. I am still learning how to parallel park, and back up in it! But, the car has heated seats and automatic everything! It is the most fancy car I have ever owned!!

BUSY BUSY BUSY

I don't think that I have ever been as busy in my life as I have been these last few weeks!! It seems like it never ends! I am thankful that school will be finished on June 6th, with just my computer final left for the evening of the 11th! It will be so nice to have a little more time right before the baby is here to catch my breath - and, of course, to get lots done. I will still be working three days a week, but that leaves me with lots of time the other four days.

So much to do, so little time

I have these huge lists for myself to get finished before she gets here. However, I usually plan a little much considering the house and the dogs still have to be taken care of. Yesterday I got everything in the baby's room put away in its place. I have a few more things to wash, and then we are ready! I love looking in that room, because it is so cheerful, it seems almost un-real that a little girl will be living with us soon. I can't wait to see what she looks like, and learn all about her. Max is still Mr. Excited about this little one. He gets almost giddy when he sees other dads, or babies. I can't wait to see how in love with her he will be when he sees her. A lady at church was telling me that she really didn’t feel like a complete family until she had kids, I think I am beginning to understand her a little. It has been a pretty selfish world for Max and I, with the earth revolving around the two of us.

I already know some of the lessons that the Lord will be teaching me with KayLynn. The biggest will probably be to not be selfish. I have enjoyed being spoiled by my husband and my parents. My world really has revolved around me. But now, they will all love the baby! Oh well, fun lessons!!

Since it has been so hot the last few days, we have been sitting on the front porch at night to keep cool - here is a picture of my hubby!

90 degrees!!

I can't believe it is 90 degrees outside today. I washed the car so that I could cool off - I think it might need another washing!!! I am thanking the Lord that I am not going to be pregnant all the way through July and August - that would be a little hard to take. Although it is beautiful outside and I think that I got about another million freckles; which you will see in the new belly picture below!! I have never really been a shorts kind of person, but if the weather stays like this, I am likely to convert!

Here is my eight month picture -

Our week in a nutshell

This week I was able to get a lot done this week. And, of course, by "I" I mean myself and whoever was helping at the moment! I got two enormous ivy towers out of the yard. The fence for the dog is finished. Hallelujah!!! The dogs have been enjoying all the exercise and sunshine they get each day, and I am enjoying a clean house and less dog hair. Max and I mowed the lawn. I say both of us because it is a plug in lawn mower, so I follow him around holding the cord! We also edged everything so it looks pristine - except where its not quite yet grass, but weeds! I went to the baby doctor twice. The first time, because I fell and had to get confirmation that everything (except of course my dignity) was ok. The second, was just a routine check-up. Everything is going well. My car broke down and needed to be fixed. All is well in that aspect now, except of course my faith in my little car! We de-dog-haired (yes I made that word up) the entire house. We washed both the dogs, and now they both look like show dogs, until they go roll in the dirt! I finished one paper and three computer assignments. And, the high lite of my week was my date with my husband, when we went to Wrights Park for the afternoon, had lunch at the barbeque place in front of Stadium Market and then later went to my favorite little coffee shop, so I could introduce Max to my favorite summer drink! And after getting up at 4:45am this morning to get to work on time, my plan for tonight...SLEEP!

3 1/2 miles…Too long??

Well, yesterday was so beautiful that Max and I decided to take the dogs for a walk. Well, almost three hours later - I was beat! I could not believe how a little over three and a half miles can so completely exhaust you. The walk was exciting for the dogs, as they had never been on that side of town. Cricket is fun to walk because even if she doesn't know where she is going, she is always intent on getting there! Beider, on the other hand, has to be dragged up hills, and pulled back down hills. Of course, it is fun to hear all the little kids yell, "Look at that dalmation!" We did stop at the dog park for about 25 minutes and the dogs got to play with 2 pitbulls, 1 great dane (3 months) and a 3 year old dalmation. We had never seen another dalmation in the area so that was fun. Apparently this girl just got the dog from the humane society recently. So, now Beider is no longer the one and only! That’s ok, he's pretty old, so its probably good to have a young one around as well!

After our advantagious walk, both dogs and I crashed. Probably the best sleep I have had in a long time! I did have to take a hot bath later because all of my muscles were sore, but I feel great today, so it was all worth it!

Oh where, oh where, have my tummy muscles gone…Oh where, oh where can they be?

I work out almost everyday with my husband - so I know that I have abdomen muscles. However, they are completely useless in pregnancy. When I try to roll over or get up out of bed, I am pretty sure that those very muscles have been stolen. The movement is not painful, just fruitless. I am slowly coming to grips with the fact that any muscles that I used to have between my rib cage and my hips, no longer exist to help me move easily. I am really not complaining. It could be worse, I could be in pain but I'm not!

I am also becoming a very clutsy person. I trip while I am walking in a straight line and wearing flat shoes. I don't think there is any help for me.

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Max and I have been talking about how quickly this all seems to be going. Yesterday he was saying that he can't believe that I might actually call him at work in a few weeks and tell him he needs to come home! It is funny that when you we got pregnant, I kept thinking, "Oh nine months! That is sooo much time to get ready." I was so naive. I keep thinking about how easy (relatively) pregnancy and birth is, compared the responsibility that comes after. I mean we are actually going to bring this little one home with us. So unlike babysitting! But, we are both pretty excited about this little girl!

Expectations of Joy

Well, after reading my favorite blogs, there are more "things to come", I am excited about. My newest thing to be excited about is that I will get to hear all of the words that she says incorrectly. Michael (my brother) used to call windshield wipers, "witch wipers". Cousin Joey thinks every thing is so cute, or so cool... cousin Jonah is mimicking his mother. A little boy that I used to nanny always asked for peanut butter and dread! I was so sad when that last little thing was gone, because it meant he was a big kid. I am looking forward to those word with KayLynn. The words that show shes still my little girl - but growing up so fast!

Max's newest expectation of joy is getting to see the look on my face when I see KayLynn for the first time. He is pretty sure that just that look will make all the spoiling of me that he has done, worth it!! Don't I have a wonderful husband??

On another note...

I'm thinking that maybe KayLynn is going to be a sports fan. I am pretty sure that she was doing the wave in my belly yesterday. I had my laptop on my lap, and she kept doing this rolling over motion, that would cause my computer to bounce forward - needless to say, we - first timers - found it pretty fun to watch.