And the baby is going to be a....

GIRL!

Everything is going practically textbook so far in the pregnancy. Baby is perfectly healthy, I'm doing great, and Victor is slowly losing that 'deer in the headlight' look. Until I brought up that he will have to suffer through puberty and adolescence with a girl. I may have set his road to daddy preparedness back a few weeks.... ha ha ha.

Cravings and random stuff

Hmmm...
Lately, I've been craving pizza, which I really haven't been much of a fan the last few years. I blame my friends in Chicago for taking us to Due Pizza when we were out visiting, and I felt I couldn't eat enough of it.

I'd been ordering take-out, but that starting getting pricey. So, this weekend I bought some Bobobli and tons of toppings. I just finished off a homemade 8 inch with salami, pepperoni, mushroom, onion, feta, sun-dried tomato, pine nuts, and mozzarella. Finger. Lickin. Fab. Oh, and did I mention I'm washing it down with low-sodium, caffiene free root beer??? Life is good.

Here I am tip-toeing through some rattlesnake infested flower gardens at the Reagan museum. Please note the blatant product placement where I'm drinking a grande iced caramel macchioto.

Here is a Chicago picture. My sister and good friends, the Wehunts, went on a lake tour. This silly girl had several incidents of a wardrobe malfunction. Poor Nate couldn't even bring himself to look over at that side of the boat. C'mon, it IS called the windy city!!!!! At least she was wearing some underoos - and modest ones at that. Everyone else on the boat were groups of families, and then...these yahoos. Whatever. Such a treat to view. :-( But I can't think of anyone else cooler to see and mock this with than Caroyln and especially Traci.
This is my new body pillow I use to find a somewhat comfortable position to sleep in. I am by nature a tummy sleeper, and that is obviously out of the question with the little critter growing in my belly. However, Osa thinks this new pillow is for her. Doesn't she look smug? And next, here is Victor encouraging her ego and rewarding her behavior. He spoils her so badly. I can't wait to see him as a daddy.
Next, I'll update some home inprovement projects and nursery pics!

Please don't shoot me!

Yes, I'm very behind behind on posts. I'll post updates later this week. I have a 2nd ultrasound this Thursday and hopefully will be able to post a really great baby update. Last month, the u/s tech gave us an "80%' chance it will be a girl, but we also know there's a 100% chance we will have a baby we are really excited to meet the end of October.

I just got back from 2+ weeks of vacations with family and hubby, and have lots to catch up on!

The heat down here is oppressive while I'm pregnant. I feel great, but the heat really slows me down, and I'm finding it hard to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Other than that, I am doing great!

OH! The baby moves and kicks like crazy, and Victor finally felt the baby kick last week.

Stay tuned for updates later this week!

Husband Appreciation Day

Just 30 minutes ago I finished the final paper of the spring semester. It has been a long year.

Just this week last year, I was taking the MAT (Miller Analogy Test), gathering transcripts, bribing references, and submitting my application to Gonzaga University for (hopeful) entrance into their Master's of Organizational Leadership program.

I was admitted, and started my first class on June 4th, last year. It was a crazy summer, getting back into the saddle of reading and writing coherently. I spent 4th of July on a conference call putting a group research project together with 3 other students all over the country. Good times!

In the middle of the term, I approached Victor about going full-time in order to finish the entire 12 classes in one year. It was a hard decision for us, but I quit my job the end of August and started a more-than-then-full load of graduate school classes. I managed to take 6 classes in the first semester, over half the required course load for the degree. All this on top of house hunting in California and preparing for an out-of-state relocation.

Second semester I changed gears and only took 4 classes.

That being said, I have only 1 left - the graduate seminar, and then I graduate. Hopefully, barring any baby complications, I'll be done this December.

All being said, I could not have accomplished any of this over the past year without the amazing love and support of my beautiful husband Victor. He has been the president of my fan club this last year, and I am one of the luckiest and blessed women in the world.

So, I know it's 'Mother's Day', but I wanted to take the time to tell everyone how much I appreciate my fabulous hubby.

Cool cousin!

My youngest cousin, Will (sorry, I can't bring myself to call him 'Willie') was featured on an Evening Magazine segment last night. He and a buddy are competing in a drill/rifle competition in Florida this weekend, and needless to say, we are very proud of him.

Click here for the segment!
Go Will!

Yes, I'm a bloggin' slacker!

Ok, ok, I know. I need to post more. However, between 'morning' sickness, class, and uber-frustration with some photo formats I'd like to post, I've been 'slacking' on the blog thing. Here are some random pics for catching up.

I can't figure the cats out. Now, their favorite place to sleep is on the back of the couch, but tucked in between the curtain and the sheer. All three of them. They are strange little critters.
The cats love playing on clean sheets. Everytime I put a set on, they immediately jump onto the bed and start goofing around on the bed. Here's Fuego chasing her funny looking tail. We just had them shaved and they left a little tip of hair on her tail.

Look, Mom!

Yesterday was one of those kind of transcendent days, where everything just seems more real and beautiful. Up to yesterday, my pregnancy was some pink lines on a strip, three weeks of almost constant nausea, heartburn, and mostly an event going to happen in October or so. I mean, we've been excited and nervous, but it just hadn't hit home yet, ya' know?

But then, we had the first ultrasound yesterday. And up on the screen was not an abstraction, not a picture in a book, not a pink cross on a strip but a little being with his(?) heart beating furiously, so excited to be alive, and maybe showing off for mom and dad for the first time!

"Look at me! Look at me! See what I can do!!! I've got a heart!"

So now I am hooked, and truly, madly, and deeply in love with a little person who's heart is the first thing I saw. I can't wait to hold this little critter in my arms, and look forward to endless days of hearing "Look, mom! See what I can do!" I can make my mommy cry for joy!"