I can no longer sleep directly on my stomach

My dad asked me why I hadn't blogged anything about the pregnancy.

I guess part of it was laziness but the other part was just because I don't know how interested anyone really is. I mean, every time I point at my little tummy protrusion, someone takes that moment to point out that their stomach still sticks out a lot more than mine.

When someone asks, "How are you feeling?" I can see them brace themselves for the horrors of my pregnancy symptoms. But I'm fine. I've been fine. No horrible morning sickness. No real "hit by a truck" exhaustion. It ends up being a short, fairly boring conversation.

They ask then, if Jeffrey and I are excited. "Yes we are!" Also a short conversation.

Thin pregnant women with few symptoms and who are happy about the baby but not yet crazed just aren't that interesting.

Jeffrey and I ARE excited. I browse online for stuff I may need for the baby and each week I go poke around at the "What your baby is doing this week" links on baby info websites.

This week, the little bump is definitely sticking out more. From nearly the end of the first month of pregnancy I was switching up to maternity jeans because It didn't like being touched but now there is no squeezing into my normal skirts and bottoms unless they have a very stretchy waistband. But, as my more upsized friends are quick to point out, my bump is still smaller than most people's normal extra body reserves so all my shirts still fit just fine -- though yesterday I had a little trouble with the zipper on my hoodie and when I tie my bathrobe around my waist, the knot in the bow just isn't in the same place.

I'm now in week 16 of this little human baking adventure. Want to see an artist's sketch  of a 16 week pregnancy? Click here! The real pics on Google Images are still a bit alien looking. Artist's sketches make you want to buy it blankies! Pictures make you want to poke it with a stick.

Apparently It can hear a bit more now. So I like to yell, "Hello!" at it occasionally.

In two weeks we are scheduled for the ultrasound. We might even get to peek to see if it's a boy, a girl, or maybe a puppy!

New Bicycle

So my drawn out bicycle obsession can now be closed. I finally sucked it up, ordered the bike I was coveting, and picked it up this past Saturday.

Hello, lovely!

This is the Electra Amsterdam Classic Ladies 3i. It has a fully enclosed chain guard, skirt guard, integrated front and back lights, and spiffy little bell.

I love all the old school styling on it and it is amazingly well-balanced, not as heavy as I thought, and has lots of little design details like a leather saddle and grips, chrome on the outside metal parts, and zippy little swirl designs all over it.

For the record, I had no idea that Julia Roberts rode a similar bike in Eat Pray Love. I hate when that happens. Just like Posh Spice ruined my pixie cut for me ...

Doesn't matter. I love it.

Just Jack

It's official! My mom is finally a horse owner again!

This is Jack. He's an American Saddlebred and seems like a nice, tall boy. There's still a bit of work to be done with him. He needs to gain a little weight, put back some muscle, and have a nice stable (get it? stable!) owner to ride him.


Look at that face!!!


He was vanned over to the new barn today and according to my dad, immediately began munching hay. Welcome home, Jack!


I'm going to go visit NC in two weeks to meet him and do fun horse things with my mom. I can't wait!

Grandpa Rinne's iPad Case

The iPad case for a true Husker fan! Hope he likes it! (Best iPad case so far, worst photography yet...)

Stuff

Wow. So again another several months have gone by and I've neglected to update this blog.

Maybe now that I'm working from home I'll be better at it!

So what's been going on:
Jeffrey graduated from law school, studied for the bar, we moved and my mom came and helped, he took the bar, he looked lost for a few days, then he started his clerkship at the State Court of Appeals, then Shirley and Grandpa Rinne came, an iPad was purchased for GPR and I swear his face has never looked more happy, and then everyone left.

The house is mine! Muhahahahaha!

I'm working for Wheatmark still -- but I'm working from home which is delightful. I probably do more work now than I did in the office (and I don't do nearly as much yelling about stuff) -- which is contrary to what many people think happens when you work from home.

I wake up, sit at my computer, and then poke at my job, do laundry, eat things, work work work work work, and sometimes take 5-minute dance breaks that, if I'm fortunate, don't coincide with the mailman walking by the front window.

I'm looking forward to getting into a nice little life routine and our upcoming excursions into the Phoenix wilds.

We have tickets to The National in October, I'm trying to convince Jeffrey to go to Sharon Jones and the DapKings with me next month, I think we might actually go see a movie IN A THEATER this weekend, and well, frankly, just being able to do things without worrying about Jeffrey having to study is pretty fucking awesome.

I could get used to this.

Countdown has started

Graduation Day is Saturday and the family begins trickling in tonight starting with Keith and then descending into Tucson in intervals until Friday mid-morning when the last Gautreaux brother arrives.

The grad gown has been steamed, the hood has been experimented with, the internet has been scoured for help once said hood-experimenting proved fruitless, a dress has been snagged on sale at Anthropologie and as far as I can tell, we're good to go to have an amazingly busy but fun family-filled weekend.

Just a few more hours to go to vacuum, wash cars, and generally get our house and selves up to a reasonable facsimile of what people who have their lives together look like!

Woo!

Jeffrey and I are not the same

Jeffrey's last day of law school ended at exactly 4 p.m. yesterday afternoon. Did he immediately celebrate? Drinks all around at the bar? No. He went to an immigration bill forum.

Amazingly, I did get him to go out to dinner with me. He ordered the big plate of food and ate every morsel. I believe that was celebration enough.

This morning, did he sleep in, luxuriating in the fact that he had no where to be and no class to attend? No.
He woke up at 5:30 a.m. to play basketball. When that failed (furlough days, FAIL), he bought doughnuts (win!), and then came back and when I suggested he sit on the patio with me and enjoy the sun on the mountains for a minute, he seemed annoyed because he wanted to review paperwork to take to the notary. At 6:30 in the morning.

He sat with me for about five minutes, compromising to read over the papers on the patio, and then as soon as the last bite of my doughnut had been popped into my mouth, he looked at me and said, "So, can I go in and do this now?"

*sigh*

Some people just don't know how to have nothing to do.

I'm constantly amazed at his ability to work and be happy doing it. I wouldn't want it any other way. (Particularly because it turns out he AND the poodle then follow me around the house needing a little attention while I do stuff. How many years is medical school? Maybe he should enroll.)

Not an ambiturner

Our dog Lucy is old. I think this summer she'll be 13. In human years, this equates to 91.

Lucy has never had great strong legs -- her back knees have always been a bit off and her feet are little collie feet under a German Shepherd-like body. 

Now in her old age, she has good days and bad. Like humans, she wakes up with a crick in her neck sometimes. Today is one of those days.

The result is that she cannot turn left: Kind of like Derek Zoolander in the walk off. So now, if you call her to you from the wrong side, she has to make a circle to come see you.

And although it's kind of pathetic and obviously she is stiff and it hurts... it's still kind of funny.

I may have to have acupuncture done on her if the Rimadyl tablet doesn't straighten her out soon.

Projects for the weekend

I think I've watched everything I was interested in on Netflix Instant Viewing. This means I need to do some projects because "Dead Like Me" and the entire catalog of available "Dexter" episodes has sucked enough of my life away recently (there are additional Weeds discs on their way, but at a scant 30 minutes, they are safe, right?)

Here's what I have on tap for this weekend's projects (I know it's Valentine's Day on Sunday, but really? Once I give Jeffrey his annual 6-pack of Squirt soda with a bow on it, who gives a shit? Happy Birthday, Dad!):

• Make more bread.
• Finish purse project (will post when completed) started when my mom was visiting which was put down due to: 1. infuriating instructions that made my eyes cross and 2. Netflix instant viewing obsessions
• Create a kitchen garden by the window sill in the kitchen. The cyclamen like it, so I'm guessing basil will, too.
• Make Lucy a fleece dog coat. She is going to the groomer next weekend for her spring shave down, but she might get cold still. Also need to make Lily a new fleece crate blanket -- this does not count as it's own project as I just buy a yard of fleece and shove it in there.
• Start and finish photo album for Edith's birthday of our Fall Cruise. I have the parts, I just need to put them together.
• General housekeeping duties including trash and clutter removal, closet weeding, and Drano during the bathroom cleanings.
• Wash and wax little red car plus oil change. Consider washing Jeffrey's car.

That's right! Nothing but excitement at the Gautreaux house.

Best thing before sliced bread

My bread machine came yesterday, so after dinner, I found a recipe I had the ingredients for (French bread) and got it started.

Here are the results!

I made the 2-lb loaf with the medium darkness setting. then I made us sandwiches for our lunches today.

It made a hearty loaf, came out of the machine easily, and the best part? I watched a movie while it worked.

Awesome.

Who's got the crack?

On Saturday I was up at La Encantada to meet a friend for coffee at AJ's and to buy some yoga pants. (you can read all about my pants on Kat and Jules.)

Outside of AJ's, where the bell ringer stands at Christmas giving me a migraine and guilt, were angels. Little tiny angels with Minnie Mouse voices hovered over by weary parents all hocking crack.

That's right! Girl Scouts! I love when bell ringing season is replaced by helium-voiced cookie peddler season!

I snagged my box of thin mints and a box of samoas for Jeffrey. A father heartily congratulated me on my purchase and five little didn't-even-come-to-my-hip girls squealed with joy at my purchase and chorused a thank you.

Fuck yeah, little darlings. $4 a box? You better put on a show of cute for those suckers. FOUR DOLLARS!

omg thin mints are good.

Want to read about how I wasn't a Girl Scout? Click Here.

Loafing gets even lazier

Yesterday I ordered a bread machine. I know. You can make bread without a machine. And yes, it isn’t hard. You just wake up some yeast, give it some sugar to feast on, throw in a little flour and water, beat it to death, leave it to think about what it’s done, and then beat it back into submission before sticking it in a pan, letting it sit a while longer, and then baking it in an oven.
It has buttons!

But one of the problems with baking bread is you have babysit it. The temperature has to be just right. And you have to be around to smack it back down. And you have to bake it in an oven that may or may not be keeping correct temperatures and may or may not be being used to cook a chicken at the same time.

See, last weekend it was finally sunny and warm enough to rise bread dough (My oven doesn’t have a warming option). So I decided to make a quick loaf of white bread. Quick meaning it took most of the day and there was a delay because I had to go to a riding lesson and there was no one home to watch the bread become, well, bread. And I didn't knead the dough enough to make really good gluten because my arms are weenie and the bread came out a little more dense than I really like it.

But homemade bread is sooo good, it makes the house smell amazing, and it has way fewer chemicals and preservatives than the store bought stuff. I swear Jeffrey achieves his mental greatness at law school because I don’t feed him over processed foods (and has nothing to do with him being really smart or driven. Nope. Not at all...). Not only that? But making bread feels like an accomplishment. I realize this is dumb. It’s bread. It’s not magic.

But it feels like magic.

It’s just easier to make magic when a machine is involved that does everything except scoop the ingredients into itself.

The next appliance on the list of lazy from scratch cooking? Rice maker.

2010: A Big Year in Gautreaux

The last three years, to me, feel like they've flown by. A lot has happened since Jeffrey and I moved to Tucson for him to begin law school. Now that he is set to graduate in May, it seems amazing!

2010 is going to be a big year for us!

• Jeffrey graduates from law school in May.
• Then he takes the bar exam.
• Then we'll be moving to the Phoenix area at the end of July for Jeffrey to start his judicial clerkship.

I feel like law school happened to both of us. I guess it sort of did. I've also been grinding away at my own jobs (I've had four different positions while in Tucson -- three with the same company) and those transitions haven't always been easy. Hopefully my position at Wheatmark won't change too much when we move to Phoenix. I'll be working remotely from home. Nice that I won't have to look for a new job when I move!

Some fun events on the horizon are my mom coming to visit, tickets to see Legally Blond the musical, my friend Lena is coming to visit, and Jeffrey's graduation will bring lots of family into town for the event and I'm looking forward to it!

In the interim, I'm slowly gathering moving boxes as book shipments come into Wheatmark and gearing up for the next phase of our life adventure.

I'm going to miss Tucson. However, I'm looking forward to August and being in Phoenix. There's a lot to do there and it will be really nice not having Jeffrey in school-mode!