Spreading the Word

We were so excited to hear the news that we are having a little girl that we made our first pink purchase!

(FYI - This is my belly in this picture but I purposely cropped my face out of it. I don't enjoy looking at my swelling cheeks or the acne brought on by the pregnancy hormones. If you haven't noticed, pregnancy and I don't mix very well.)

Introducing...

(striking profile - just like her mother)

(foot)

(the money shot!)

our baby girl!!

(Let the pink buying spree begin!)

Do door-to-door vacuum salesmen still exist?

Apparently they do because one came to my door yesterday! He was hawking Electrolux vacuums, air purifiers and some other devices no one needs to sell door-to-door. When I told him I had a vacuum and was quite happy with it, he noticed my baby bump. Pulling on the heart strings of a new mother-to-be, he started rattling off facts and numbers about babies and allergies and how a new state-of-the-art air purifier would save my unborn baby from sinus problems and lung complications. Potentially true but did this strange man really think I was going to let him into my home to show me a HEPA filter? I mean isn't this why we have the internet?? So we don't have to waste time, energy and gasoline to buy a new vacuum!! This guy drove all the way from Yakima - an hour away - to try and sell me and a few other lonely souls out here in the sticks a new vacuum. I thought we lived too far out for this door-to-door stuff (we never get any trick-or-treaters) but it looks like we are still fair game. I am expecting the Mormons any day now!

Gender Update

The doctor's office had to reschedule our ultrasound appointment (long story) so we won't know the sex of the baby until the end of next week...hopefully! My pink and/or blue buying spree will just have to wait! Until then, keep voting!

Half Way

The request for pictures of the bump has been overwhelming! So now, without further ado, pictures of the bump at the halfway mark - 20 weeks!

Told you I was huge!

Vote!

We find out next week if we are having a boy or a girl...or both!! So before our appointment, vote for what you think we are having.

Pictures from Japan

Country Livin'

What do we to entertain ourselves now that we live in the country you ask??



We take pictures of the dogs....

and the Bump!!

Not the best picture of the bump but it is all I've got at the moment.

Coyote Ugly

I woke up yesterday morning to my little "alarm clocks" (namely Lindey and Lucky) barking their heads off. As Court is in the thick of harvest, he had long left for work. Thinking that he might have snuck home for a quick bite of breakfast and that the dogs recognized his truck pulling in the driveway, I dragged myself out of bed. Court wasn't home but there was definitely a visitor in our yard. A coyote!! I knew we lived in the country and I knew wild animals were around us, I just didn't realize how close. And this coyote was close. He ran through our yard - right where we park our cars - and ran across the street and disappeared in the vineyards. They say coyotes are harmless, unless you are a chicken or some other small animal, but wasn't it just a few months ago that coyotes were hauling off kids from playgrounds in San Francisco?? I guess it is just another reminder that we will have to be vigilant when Bumper is out in the yard playing.

Happy Fourth of July!

Skin Cancer Scare - Part II

Since the melanoma was removed from my back in December of 2007, I have been vigilant about wearing sunscreen and protecting my fragile skin from more harm. I am also paying special attention to checking in with my dermatologist every six months to continue monitoring for new melanomas.

I thought I had prepared for this appointment much like a dentist appointment. Brushed and flossed regularly so the office visit would result in no cavities. Instead of brushing and flossing, I had obviously worn protective clothing, stayed out of the sun and worn tons of sunscreen. Even with all that, another mole was found on the back of my left shoulder and had to be removed immediately. That makes three removals in six months.

Another fun fact about pregnancy that I recently learned is that the same hormones that cause me to be sick for weeks on end are also responsible for escalating the development of melanomas. (I swear the people who love being pregnant are crazy!!) Since the last appointment in December, I have two new moles that don't look good and that will likely come off after the baby is born. One is on my stomach by my belly button so there goes wearing a bikini. Hmmmm....maybe that is a blessing in disguise.