Memorial Day 2011

I realized this morning that this is the last day off that Jeffrey and I would spend together as just the two of us.

We decided we should enjoy it by getting bagels to feast on and heading out to Chapparal Park in Scottsdale and feeding the ducks some leftover bread.

By Wednesday of this week I'll be 38 weeks and, although I'd like Ada baby to wait until next week at least to make an appearance, who knows! I mean, look at that size of that bump!

Monster belly!

Jeffrey pinging the ducks with bread

Tonight we grilled hamburgers and corn on the cob for dinner. We handed Lily and Lucy our cobs as an experiment. Lucy took hers away, gave it a few game bites and rejected it. Lily actually worked on hers, removing little bits of remnant corn, even flipping it over to get at some particularly good ones. Maybe she isn't as dumb as we thought...

Tomorrow, back to the grind. Thursday my mom shows up! Friday she and I are going to head up to Prescott so I can show her our new city and we'll check out a few potential places to live. Friday can only happen if the baby stays INSIDE. STAY INSIDE ADA BABY!

But just in case, our bags are packed, the car seat has been installed, and we're ready for her to arrive when she's ready ... just wait a bit, 'k baby?

Another eventful summer ahead...

Late spring has been a time of significant change for me for a decade now. I'm always having some major life event, moving, switching jobs, and sometimes doing all three at once. Let's take a look at the time line.


Ten years ago, about this time, I was starting my first job in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. 


Seven years ago, about this time, I was just settling into my new job at The Sun in Yuma.


Four years ago, about this time, Jeffrey and I got married and then moved to Tucson from Yuma for him to start law school.

One year ago, about this time, Jeffrey had just graduated from law school and we prepared to move to Phoenix for Jeffrey to begin his clerkship at the State Court of Appeals.

Now this year, at this time, we're waiting patiently to start our new status as parents AND preparing to move (AGAIN! I KNOW!) from Phoenix to Prescott for Jeffrey to join a law firm there as an associate.


In the last 5-6 years ...

I've held 6 different positions with my employers:
Copy Editor/Page Designer
Special Sections Designer
Art Director
Publishing Services Specialist
Marketing Assistant
Account Manager

I've prepared to move 4 times:
Yuma city to Foothills
Foothills to Tucson
Tucson to Phoenix
Phoenix to Prescott

No wonder I'm exhausted!

Me, looking exhausted and like I have a major weight problem, walking a trail at Watson Lake in Prescott, AZ while one million months (36.5 weeks) pregnant. We were in the town to check out neighborhoods because, that's right! We're moving again! Looking forward to staying put for a few years...

"And I want Enya"

Last week my dad and I were talking and he was surprised that they were not doing additional ultrasounds before Ada arrived. My understanding is that unless there is something wrong with you, which my pregnancy is beyond textbook perfect so no one is worried, they don't do more ultrasounds because the insurance companies won't cover them.

I made the mistake of mentioning that there were non diagnostic clinics that offered ultrasounds and by the end of our chat I was scheduled for a 3D ultrasound experience at a Phoenix office.

The office provides 3D imaging and 4D recording (this is fancy "sounds like science" for video of the 3D imaging). They'll even set the video to music.

"I want Enya."
"Ok, I'll ask if they can do that."
Shit. They can. If you bring in a CD. This means I have to purchase Enya. *head desk*

Jeffrey wasn't able to come along, but my friend Jessie was bored at work and decided to take a "lunch appointment" with me to discuss "publishing" while we ate defrosted mini eclairs and a tech smeared ultrasound goo on my belly.

And then there was Ada.

Now of course this is 3D imaging, so how close it actually looks to what is in there is debatable, and Jessie and I joked that they probably just had some random imaging recorded a while back that they looped for duped parents, but since every time they tried to get a shot of her face, she'd block it with her arms and the movements corresponded to the movements going on in my body, I can only assume 1. It's really the kid 2. She is already practicing her "no paparazzi" hand gestures. 3. She does not like her space invaded by ... well ... anything (when I sneeze I can feel her roll and adjust in what feels to me like disgust that she has to share a body with me. Kid, you have no idea how I look forward to having you out in the word and I get my vital organ space back.

It was kind of cool and I'm glad I did it. I know lots of people like the old school birth surprises -- seeing what their baby looks like, what gender it is, etc., the day she comes into the solo oxygen-breathing world. I, on the other hand, kind of like peeking in there and seeing what her world was like beforehand.

Here are a few more "shots." She has huge cheeks apparently (which I attribute to her being puffed up with fluid in preparation for the birthing and my dad attributes to me having big cheeks) and really long fingers. And as far as I can tell from her 3D expressions, she doesn't like being bothered while she's napping. She just looks pissed. So obviously this little girl is genetically related to me.

Just hoping we'll go away.

Hand over face. Look how long those digits are!

STOP POKING AT ME!

Playing with my stick

Jeffrey turned 30 on Thursday. As a life milestone, he thought he was ready to give manual transmission driving another go.

We tried this is my Honda Civic several years ago and the parking lot time went well, but on the road? Well, let's just say it's been a few years since I was willing to try this again. The little red car is a bit easier to drive, though a bit diminutive for a 6'4" human, but I thought, we can at least try.

So this morning, I had him read the CarTalk guys' guide to driving stick shift. Then he watched this video here.

Then we hit the church parking lot.

Two hours later? Cruising the Biltmore area of Phoenix.

The Pursuit of Perfection

I am not a perfectionist. I am kind of bossy and controlling ... but I'm not a perfectionist. These dynamics are what make me so, um, fun to be around?

Today I did Pillow Project No. 2: Make new pillow cover to replace scratchy Ikea pillow cover for couch.

Not only did PPN2 have all-around trim, it had a zipper AND the fabric is reversible -- one side of it has a blue background and the flip (the correct side ... the fact that I can reverse it is just a happy accident) has a cream background.

This is a lot of scheming for my brain. I'm sure this is an easy project for many (most!) people, but for me, trying to figure out which part goes where, how to pin it, and what the engineering should be is nearly impossible. Then add in a machine that likes to jam when asked to do hard labor (like zippers, trim, and upholstery weight fabric), a sewer who is prone to needle breakage (*waves*) and, well, watch out because I'm an effing volcano ready to explode.

So when everything turned out exactly as planned, I knew it was too good to be true.

Thankfully, it was only the zipper I screwed up. It's inside out. A perfectionist would have ripped out the seams and flipped the zipper. I, so afraid to screw up all the goodness I had already accomplished, decided,  "What the shit, we'll get it off if we need to!" And proceeded on.

Because I'm not a perfectionist, but I'm impatient as hell.

Blue and white with yellow trim!

If the poodle likes it 20 seconds after flopping it on the couch, you know it's good stuff.

Enhance on trim!

Cream background side. I'm leaving the picture of the forest green, upside down zipper to your imagination!

Weekend Sewing Projects and a Bump Picture

Jeffrey and I decided to go out for a little Sunday morning bicycle ride through expensive neighborhoods today.  Their speed bumps were handily labeled for witty pregnancy photos.

Also this weekend I did a few sewing projects.

First I recovered the desk chair:

Then I made a pillow cover out of an Anthropologie dish towel and some extra fabric I had:

And finally this morning I got around to making a crib sheet for Ada's crib:

The crib sheet should have been the easiest project. 2 yards of 45" width fabric, two 23" pieces of 1/4" elastic, and then sew according to this tutorial I found. Had a little trouble with the tutorial instructions for the elastic and ended up have to rip out my end seams and start over with my own plan. My way was WAY easier. I can now churn out crib sheets like a spider monkey!

27 weeks

So I decided it was stupid that just because neither Jeffrey nor I really take a lot of photos that we didn't have a picture of me at least looking a bit pregnant. I took this using the 10 second delay on our PowerShot.