Fall Rainbows

I have only lived in Oregon for two years, but it is long enough to see that there are some very distinct seasons here. I have lived in enough places to know that most places are like this, however there is something just a touch different here. There seems to be a week where the temp drops and the rains begin- the leaves start changing, a new smell arrives in the air and the sunsets and sunrises have new shades to share. That week is now.

Seems very appropriate for all of the changes outside. Things are changing all over the place. The farmers' market is done in two weeks. I can't even express how excited I am about this. I love going each week, but to be honest, I am tired. Can't wait to have my Saturdays back to spend with Matt. He has been coming to the market to help his super pregnant wife set up and taken down, which is wonderfully nice, but it will be good to just have the market done for the season. I am ready to focus on other things.

Things weren't interesting enough with just a baby on the way- we had to add even more spice and throw in another monumental event- the purchase of our first home. We have had an offer accepted and are negotiating repairs and all that good stuff. If all goes according to plan, we will be closing in the middle to end of October. It will be so nice to have our own home and a yard for our deserving dogs. Between us being home with a new baby all day, and a yard to play in, these dogs will have hit the jackpot. I tell them everyday to just wait, I think Charlie understands, but Alice still seems a bit confused. I do think she knows a baby is on the way though. I also can't wait to set up a nursery for Lyla Belle. I have it pictured so perfectly in my head with each little detail, but I just need the space to create my vision.

Speaking of Lyla Belle, I am headed to the doctor today for my monthly checkup. I am at 32 and 1/2 weeks. I am hoping to secure a few names of pediatricians today so we can begin meeting a few and deciding who we like. I want to make sure we are on the same page as our doctor and that they are someone I feel really comfortable with. Can't wait to hear her little heart beat today. Thats my favorite part. It seems that a lot of changes have happened since I was at the doctor last. Lots of new little aches and pains and "is that normal?" moments. Note to all you pregnant friends... consulting the Internet for pregnancy information is not the best idea unless you find a site that is more medical based. Just reading other peoples questions and answers will make you crazy. Anyway, I will update on the dr. visit and add another belly picture. I am growing leaps and bounds each day!

The Circus

This past Sunday, Matt and I went to the circus. We were front and center for the show. I saw that they were coming to town and through nostalgia of my last trip to circus in probably 1983, I instantly bought tickets. Turned out that was about the last time Matt was there too. A couple of things we learned about the circus:

1. It is just fine to go every 25 years or so- no need to make it a yearly event.

2. The zebras should be taken out of the show. All they do is spin around in circles and pretend to be dancing. Nothing fancy or special- their time could be spared.

3. There were a few groups outside the circus protesting how the animals were treated. To be expected. I did however watch a nature video not to long ago that showed the enormous strife and struggles of being a lion, tiger or elephant in the wild. Survival is slim, food is scarce, and if the rains don't come, your not gonna make it. If you have baby lions, tigers or elephants, good luck with that- their odds of survival are slim to none- no matter if the rains come or not. This video made the circus look like the jackpot for these animals. I do agree that the costumes were a bit much, but they looked well feed and happy as far as I could tell. One tiger did look a little grumpy but it added a little drama to whole show.

4. Taking a child to the circus is a spendy venture. It certainly is something that should be done, but man, $10 for cotton candy seems a little steep.

5. I did find the age of some of the circus performers to be a little troubling. There seemed to be quite a few children being tossed in the air. Seems like a hard life to break free of- not sure if it is necessary to enlist your 10 year old to a life on the road with a plastic wig and goals of being head trapeze thrower one day.

All is all, I do recommend a trip to the circus- it is a an experience worth having.

31 Weeks

This coming Saturday I will be 31 weeks along. Things seem to be going well. Lyla Belle is moving quite a bit, kicking and twisting around. Let's me know everything is going well for her. I had my glucose screening at my last doctors visit and everything came back just fine. All of my measurements are on target as well. Matt and I are in our birth classes right now. We are taking classes focused on the Bradley Method. I am really enjoying them and feel that they have really helped me understand giving birth. We also did our hospital tour this past week, which was nice. I am going to be giving birth in the newest labor and delivery unit in Portland. Everyone seemed really nice and the place was so clean and quite. We are going to be hiring a doula for the birth and are starting interviews this week. I feel like that is really going to help- we aren't planning on having any family in the delivery room with us and Matt and I are a good team- but hell... giving birth is not our forte. We need someone with a little knowledge on the whole thing. I just need someone to stand there and say, "yep, this is normal." Matt and I have no idea what is normal- I mean, our dogs wimper for 5 seconds and we think a leg is about to fall off. A calming voice of reason is exactly what we need in the delivery room.

July camping trip

Matt and I went camping out on the coast at Lincoln City, OR, July 25th - 27th. We went with two other couples and their kids and dogs. It was a really fun weekend and as always the dogs were overjoyed to have a beach to play on.

Matt dug a big hole to make a swimming pool for Charlie. He was so happy. He keep trying to drink the water though- one small little detail we forgot that he loves to do. He was so dirty and happy though. Alice was just concerned about the whole idea- there was no way she was going to step down into that hole. She just circled the pool like an overzealous lifeguard on duty while Charlie spun in circles.

Alice wasn't as scared of the waves as she has been in the past. Though she did run from a few. Pretty funny to see a 120 pound dogs bolting from a slow moving wave that is about 2 inches deep and then inching back to test the whole idea again. Charlie just bounded through the waves without fear as usual.

The chain reaction of events... Alice runs too much and gets lots of slobber which makes her foam at the mouth, much like she has a terrible case of rabies. All the sand of the beach then sticks to her foamy lips, thus causing her to get really thirsty which results in long strings of drool that she seems none the wiser to.
Look at that cute couple we found on the beach... ha!

It's a girl!

I had my 20 week ultrasound on July 2nd and found out that we are having a little girl!!! We are so very excited. We have also decided to name her Lyla Belle. We just like the name, it doesn't have a meaning at all. She looked completely healthy in the ultrasound and her size is measuring normal. They did say that my placenta was in the front which means it is taking a little longer for me to feel her move. I have just started to feel real kicks and movement. What a fun, yet bizarre feeling. She is getting to be a busy little girl and it's fun feeling her move everyday. Matt and I are getting so very excited to meet this little girl! This is me at 24 weeks:

I am starting to feel that I am getting bigger and bigger each week. That is taking a little getting used too, but it also makes me happy to know that I have a growing, healthy baby inside of me.

Just a little too much time to herself...

Matt came home from work one Wednesday to find that Alice had started a little project of her own and then apparently got bored and didn't finish cleaning up. I personally think that she looks a little remorseful about her actions, but it's hard to say...

Camping Trip- June 2009

Matt and I went camping at Nehalam Bay June 13 -15. We took the dogs of course and had a wonderful time. The weather cooperated and we were able to hang out on the beach and just generally enjoy time together.

Charlie loved running on the beach and playing ball. He had run and played so much by the end of the day he was limping and could hardly keep his eyes open. He's not used to running in the sand.

If this little girl could have smiled she would have been grinning ear to ear. She had the best time ever. Loved digging for drift wood, protecting our blanket from people passing and stealing everything away from Charlie. I swear she probably eat half the beach.