Thanksgiving 2011

As Robb and I were discussing potential Thanksgiving plans earlier in the month, Robb brought it to my attention that this will be the last Thanksgiving it will be just the three of us. So, for the first time ever, Robb, Nevi and I celebrated Thanksgiving just the three of us (and our furry friends, too) and it was MARVELOUS! I couldn't have imagined a more perfect day in which to celebrate ALL that we are most grateful for. We started out watching the Macys Day Parade - a tradition that my family bestowed unto me as a child. Then, we packed a light lunch and headed to the mountains. We landed at a very sacred place that Robb and I have shared in years past, a place called 'Sunrise Amphitheater', just up a windy road from Boulder. We hiked the Ute Trail and played around in the amphitheater for a while, enjoying the beautiful Colorado weather and scenery. Up on this amphitheater, you can see all of Boulder Valley plus the land that extends all the way out to the sky rises in Denver. It's breath taking. After our adventure, we headed home to prepare our feast. (On our way home, we HAD to stop by the Louisville BEAR dressed up like a turkey for a snap shot.) Nevi napped for a bit while Robb and I did our domestic duties. We ate a fairly traditional Thanksgiving meal, but I admit, it was not all cooked from scratch as usual. But it WAS prepared with love and a happy heart. Nevi has been fighting a cold the last few days but was a real trooper and a blast to be with on this very special day. UPDATE ON BABY: His movement are SO strong now...stronger that I remember Nevi being in my belly, but my memory can be somewhat lacking at times. The weight of him is getting intense, especially in the evening after a full day of gravity pulling him down on my frame. Robb's been rubbing my lower back in the evenings which is my biggest complaint right now. But a little back ache is a pretty good sign at this point of a VERY manageable pregnancy. I am going to the doc every other week now and he is still measuring perfectly (i.e. my uterus measured 28 inches from base to top when I was 28 weeks along) with a heartbeat of around 150-155 beats per minute. I weighted in at 146 last week (holy smokes!) and am still expected to gain another 5- 9 pounds before he's born. My appetite is shrinking and I can only eat small amounts of food at a time as there is very little room for both food AND baby in my belly. When pregnant with Nevi, I maxed out at 151 pounds but then lost a pound at the end, so weighted about 150 when she was born. I am hoping to weigh between 150-155 when this little guy arrives as this should be a do-able amount of weight to lose while nursing. Most importantly, I feel healthy and thriving, a vessel of life to this new little person that I feel honored to help create.

Halloween, 2011

Nevi really wanted to be a 'Super Hero Spelling Fairy' for Halloween this year so we did everything we could to comply. Luckily, we had some fun costume items already at the house that we turned into, what we think, was a pretty neat outfit. We first celebrated Halloween at the YMCA where we (she) ate popcorn, a cookie and pizza, and more importantly played Halloween games for prizes, jumped in the jumping castle and watched an ice skating performance, which she absolutely loved! We also went on a hayride that night which was a definite highlight for me. We carved pumpkins on our front lawn and Nevi drew a pretty cool picture on her pumpkin, which daddy ended up carving out. Quite the artists. Then, came Trick or Treating. Nevi got REALLY into it this year and after learning how to pick the houses with front porch lights on, would say after each trick or treating experience, 'Let's find another house with a light on!" We stayed only in our neighborhood and it still lasted for a full hour! We visited with friends in the streets and saw some pretty cool pumpkin displays. Nevi was so exhausted after an hour of trick or treating that she suddenly said to daddy and I, 'I'm tired now, can we go home?' She even needed daddy to carry her home. I LOVE things that tire her out... When we got back, she dumped her pumpkin full of candy out on the carpet and asked a lot of questions about what each candy was...the only one she was familiar with was M&Ms, plain, her favorite. I am sure she will be enjoying her candy for weeks/months to come, as we're attempting to teach her that candy is best enjoyed a little at a time. She still doesn't like most candy but now is developing a palate for some cookies, strawberry ice cream and plain M&Ms. She has been in a very picky eating phase the last 6-10 months, but I've noticed very recently that she is trying new things again and enjoying a variety of foods offered. Thank goodness....hope this lasts. October has been a fun month, but it has also been a trying month with our health. Nevi was sick two separate times, once with a fever flu in the beginning of October that lasted over a week and again the night after our YMCA Halloween celebration, where she vomited for 7 hours straight....wonder where she got that bug from.....? Robb and I have been good up until last weekend when we both came down with a flu of sorts. I have never been sick while pregnant before and it definitely added that extra-shitty-feeling-factor to a traditional flu bug. I have disinfected the entire house and am hoping that our immune systems are strengthened enough now to get us through the rest of the fall and healthfully through the winter. Crossing my fingers..... By the way, next week begins the last trimester of this pregnancy...unreal.