Brown Paper Packages Tied up with Packing Tape

Today is our 34 week checkup, though technically it's closer to 35 weeks. I ended up having to reschedule our appointment because when I originally scheduled it I completely spaced on a work meeting that was at that exact time. As a result, these next two appointments will be quite close together. The better to satisfy the Ryann craving! Always so much fun to hear her little heartbeat. Also nice to know that there's still something on earth that has a higher pulse than me. She outstrips my horrifying 95 by racing along at about 145. We had better have good models that can deal with a lot of milage, because they're getting a workout.

This week is an exciting mail week, as it brings not one, not two, but THREE deliveries. There's really nothing more fun than getting a package in the mail. The first one arrived yesterday and bore our long awaited diaper bag. Jared originally found it online a few months ago, but at the time it was an exorbitant amount and we just couldn't bring ourselves to actually fork over the cash. However, when returning to ogle again this past week, we saw that it was on sale. Not only on sale, on a $50 off sale! So, while it's still a bit pricey, we indulged and bought the bag. Noreen is now enjoying the packing box.

The second package should arrive today and will come filled with crib bedding. Sheets and a bumper and a crib skirt. And while we originally didn't plan on going all girly-girl on her, the crib will be flowing in pink. But it's a cute pink! Really! I swear! You'll just have to see.

The third package will be the salvation of my winter wardrobe. It will come bearing a full-length pair of pants (capris were never meant for winter), a skirt to be paired with my lovely boots and tights, and a gorgeous sweater dress that should cover Ryann quite comfortably. Also a new pair of comfy pants to live out my maternity leave in, as my current pair has now been cropped, is oddly stretched in the knees, and sports holes across my backside. They are way past due for a replacement.

In addition to the package excitement for the week, we have also been basking in birthday glory. Jared's birthday was just this past Friday while mine is this coming Sunday. Hip hip hooray! I dread the day I start dreading birthdays, they're so much fun! Let's hope Ryann waits an appropriate amount of time to celebrate hers. As long as she remembers she's supposed to be a NOVEMBER baby, then we'll be fine. And no Halloween birthdays. Creepy. Although that would make for some awesome birthday photo shoots in the future with Molly, the perfect Halloween cat. But I think I'll pass.

Vampires Vegetarian Salvation

I love beets. Really really love beets. I was going to eat my two huge beets for lunch, but partway through Jared suggested that I save the rest for supper, as I already looked like a vampire - post feeding. So I grudgingly agreed to finish up lunch with the leftover beans and save the remainder of my beets for another time.

As I'm sure most of you have experienced, eating beets leads to . . . interesting looking, to say the least, restroom leavings. Purple and pink. A little girl's dream. And I suppose a little boy's too, in the gross-out department. Hehe. I always look forward to it. Can you imagine if you got sick and threw up after you ate a bunch of beets? Ew, now that would be gross.

I threatened to throw a beet into my morning smoothie. That's when I got the idea for the vampires. They should really all become beet farmers. Much more sustainable and less gruesome. Unless you run into them right after a feeding. Then it all looks the same.

Family Passing Through

Last night my sister and brother-in-law were passing through town. Now, I'm pretty sure that everyone reading this blog knows me and Kristin, but just in case, let me explain this. We are twins. Separated by two years. But bound by strange mind vibes and many years of sharing close quarters. We are two Charles Wallaces, kything. And we have not seen eachother in over a year. However, David's brother is getting married this weekend (Congratulations!) and they stayed with us last night on their way up to Lethbridge. They ended up getting into town about 7 last night and we all went over to the Dettwiler's (cousins) for a huge haystack supper. After that we trekked back to the apartment and showed the Dettwilers our little nest and then holed up for an evening of talking and baby poking and some sleep.

Though Kristin and David are already gone, I feel better having had a bit of a sister fix and knowing that I get her for a whole month when Ryann gets here. Yay! And Mom too. So much family goodness. And then Dad and David to add to the pile for Thanksgiving. Can't wait.

Today it finally hit me that while I've been functioning under the time table of Ryann arriving in 8 more weeks, it may very well be sooner than that. Lately I've had a gut feeling that she's coming early, and since babies are considered full- term-ish from 37 weeks on, this means that she could be here in as little as 5 weeks. Crazy! However, as much as we can't wait to meet her, we are perfectly willing to wait for her to come fully baked. No raw babies here.

FuzziBunz

Jared and I have been going back and forth over whether to use disposable diapers or cotton. There's lots of talk on both sides on which is better for the environment and for Ryann's little bottom. We had finally settled on using disposables, but the unbleached, biodegradable kind. However, yesterday, while perusing one of my favorite blogs, www.pacingthepanicroom.blogspot.com, I found that they are hosting a FuzziBunz giveaway! So, if we happen to win the drawing, Hooray for Ryann's bum! And if not, on with our plan of friendly disposables. If you're curious as to what cotton diapers are like nowadays, go check them out at www.fuzzibunz.com. And cross your fingers.

Tardy Update

Why hello, all of you patient peoples. I have discovered that I am as faithful at writing a blog as I was at keeping a diary, back in the day. Sad for all of you, not a surprise for me. So, even though I have no pictures on hand to post, I thought that I could at least give you an update on how we're all doing. Let us commence.

I am now undeniably huge and pregnant. I find myself walking around sometimes and noticing that people are giving me cute little smiles and I start to wonder, 'What is up with them? Kinda creepy.' And then I remember that I'm pregnant. It's the pregnant cutesy smile. Very cute. When I remember what it is.

My Mom was just in town for about two weeks, which was really fun. Usually I only get to see Mom and Dad about once a year, but this year I get to see Mom three times! And Dad twice! Though the first time I saw Dad this year was only for a few hours. Lame. But much better than the average. While Mom was in town, she so kindly agreed to help Jared and me finish up painting our apartment. A project that we began a year ago and simply ran out of steam on. I'm afraid I was actually very little help on the actual painting, though I did get to several other odd jobs that had been waiting in the wings, much to the detriment of my baby bearing back. Mom was shocked and horrified by one of our kitchen corners, rightly so. You know when you see something every day, you don't really realize how bad it's getting? That was this corner. So, to all of you who have visited us and come over for meals and games, I apologize for that corner. If you can bear to come again, you will happily find that the apartment is now entirely bright and clean and cheery. No scary corners.

We're just about to begin the third trimester and I'm afraid that the fatigue is already setting in. This last week I seem to have been ridiculously tired and slow for no apparent reason, apart from this little stowaway, that is. It's hard to believe that in just a few months we'll actually have another little person in the apartment. Crazy. Two of our friends have just had babies within the last week or two and visiting them and holding the babies made the whole idea much more real. Also very exciting. I think it really kick-started Jared's impatience. Though we do want Ryann to stay in there until she's ready to come out, he can't wait until she is ready to come out and meet us. I think I'm going to have a hard time getting her out of his arms for a while.

Now, I will make no promises and vow no vows, but I will try to post some pictures soon. Really and truly.

New Living Room and Bigger Belly

The Big Reveal

Yesterday was the big mid-pregnancy ultrasound. It was really fun to lay there and watch the ultrasound tech find all the little parts of baby. Pointing out the kidneys and stomach. Watching the heart pump away. The baby measured right on track, 19 weeks and 6 days. We were kinda scared that they wouldn't be able to tell us if it's Ryann or Israel in there because they were squashed back into a corner upside down and facing backwards, not a very cooperative baby. However, right at the end the tech found a lucky angle. So we now know that we're carting around little Ryann Serena. I do have some more ultrasound pictures to put up, and promise to do that by the end of the week.

When the doctor was listening to the heartbeat it kept being interrupted by these big bangs. The doctor told us that was Ryann kicking. Oh boy. Right now I can't feel much of anything, but I have a feeling I'm going to be kicked to a pulp by this little one. Every time we've gone in to the doctor they laugh about how active she is. She never holds still for her measurements, just jumps and kicks and waves. I wonder if this is a sign of things to come.

This last weekend was Jared's sister's wedding. It was pretty fun to see her get married. She was a gorgeous bride and was very happy. They're now toasting themselves down in St. Lucia, lucky ducks.

On the way back we hit quite a bit of rain going over Snoqualmie pass. This wouldn't have been a problem, except for the fact that our windshield wipers are a bit gimpy. The right one is just fine, but the left one keeps working its way farther and farther to the edge of the car until it flies off the side and rests itself on the mirror. However, being the master jimmy rigger I am, we now have them ties together with a pair of iPod headphones that had already surrendered to the fuzz. So now our wipers work like a charm and our headphones weren't all a waste. Though we do get a lot of odd looks.