Uncle Nate made little Josh cry.

But Grandma made it all better.

Guess What Josh Got for Christmas

The Vacuum Cleaner Monster

Picture this: I was expecting guests on Thursday. Some friends of mine were coming from out of town to spend the night at our house. Seeing as it was only two days after Christmas, my house was in desperate need of cleaning and I had been putting it off for days. Stephanie and her husband Stephen had left that morning and I wasn't expecting them to be there for at least another hour. I got to work cleaning my living room and had vacuumed the rug when my Mom called. We chatted for a bit and when the conversation was over, I put my cell phone in my pocket and went back to work. The plan was that Steph and Stephen were going to sleep on the living room floor and I got to thinking that they were going to see right under my couches and it was pretty dusty under there. I got my vacuum cleaner hose out and kneeled on the floor reaching back under my couch to get those dust bunnies. Suddenly my hair was yanked back and right up into the vacuum. You cannot turn the beater bar off on our vacuum, so when you use the hose, it keeps spinning. When I leaned over to reach under the couch, I was too close to the vacuum and now my hair was tightly wrapped around the beater bar. I turned off the vacuum and tugged on my hair. Nope. It was stuck. All I could think of was the horror stories I've heard of during the 1800's when the girls working in factories would get their hair caught in the machines and get dragged right into them. Yikes... This wasn't that bad, but I was stuck. I was curled up in a little ball on the living room floor with my hair wrapped up into the vacuum. Good thing that I had just been talking to my Mom. I got my cell out of my pocket. She only lives ten minutes away and she has a key to get in my house. (I keep my doors locked.) I call her up... "Mom, I need help. My hair is stuck in the vacuum." I could only imagine what she was thinking. She assures me that help is on the way. Meanwhile, Josh, who is in the baby swing, starts crying and Molly (my dog) is sniffing my head wondering what was wrong with me. Tears start to flow and I feel pretty helpless trying to get comfortable on the floor. My phone rings and Mom tells me that Dad is on his way. Right after we hung up for the second time, my phone rings again. It was Stephanie. "Hi Bethy! I think we're at your house. Can you open the door?" I answer with, "I can't." I'm choking back tears mixed with laughter as I tell her why I cannot come to the door. And boy, do I feel really dumb now. She's trying to think of how she can help me, but since the doors are all locked, that'd be useless. I figure that I'd better try to carry the vacuum to the door to unlock it. Good thing I don't have a Kirby because then it would've been much harder to carry. I manage to turn the vacuum upside down and make it to the door. I must've looked like quite the sight when she came in. My face is damp with tears and my hair... Josh is crying quite fiercely by now. Stephanie unwinds my hair from the bar and somehow I'm not as embarrassed as I thought I would be. I think she and her hubby felt sorry for me and I have to admit, it was the joke of their stay. My head had a nice egg on it from my hair being pulled so hard and I lost a small clump of hair, but we hadn't had to cut any of my hair, for which I am grateful. We put the vacuum away for the rest of their visit.

Stubborn Boys and Seasonal Blues

Joshua is a stubborn boy. After all, how many seven week old babies do you know who still have a special attachment? Today was the second time we went to see his doctor about his belly button. He just won't let that cord go! His doctor just shrugs her shoulders and treats it with something to help it shrink. I'm hoping to have had given Josh his first real bath by Christmas. I bet he would like sitting in warm bath water, kicking his little feet. This morning I gave him a sponge bath and he didn't appreciate it very much. I think a sponge bath is much colder than a real bath. Josh just lays there and gets little goose pimples if I don't move fast enough. Hey, it's all I can do at the moment!

Last week was my first week back to work. I haven't been waitressing though. I've been packing candy boxes. Our restaurant also sells candy and Christmas is one of the big candy seasons (second after Easter). I worked three days last weeks and on the third day I didn't want to leave Josh at Grandma's. I wanted to stay and cuddle him and kiss his fat cheeks. I'm so glad that I'm only working so often for the holiday season. My plan is to work one day a week after Christmas is over and I'm so glad that Adam doesn't mind having a stay-at-home Mom for a wife. I'd much rather be at home with my baby and my house than out working days at a time. For an explanation of why I haven't stopped working altogether see my post from October 8, 2007. I guess I still have a "special attachment" too, although of a different kind than Joshua's.

There is one week until Christmas and for some reason this year, I've been strangely detached from the festivity of the season. Why can't I seem to be excited? I know that the real reason of Christmas is Christ's birth and that we are really celebrating Him, so what's wrong with me this year? Usually, I have this eager anticipation of the Christmas season, but not this year. Maybe I have too many distractions... Maybe not too many, but a big distraction. But Josh shouldn't be used as an excuse for my lack of Christmas "spirit". This Friday, I am going to a friend's to make Christmas cookies. I'm hoping that a bit of fellowship will boost my excitement and general enjoyment of the season. That and maybe when I finish Christmas shopping, I'll feel more prepared. Why is the emphasis always on shopping? Why can't our emphasis truly be on Jesus, the real meaning of Christmas? I know somebody out there can sympathize with me and my drama. Who else out there just isn't with it this year?

I'm Still Here!

Just wanted to drop a quick note saying "I'm still alive!!!" I have been pretty busy lately and I don't think things will slow down until after January 5th... But I'll try to post between now and then to let everyone know what's up in the life of Bethany. And by the way... Thanks to all who gave Adam and I a new camera. Pictures of Josh are forth coming, when I have a moment or two to spare :)

Josh Stays at Grandma's

Yesterday I wrote this nice post about my anniversary supper and how I made clams (for the first time) for my husband. I got it all written out and then blogger went down and wouldn't publish, so you don't get to hear about my nice clam supper. It was rather boring anyways.

Today I went back to work for the first day and left Josh with his Grandma. It went pretty well at work and everyone seemed glad to see me, but by the end of the day my back ached so bad from standing up all day and I was ready to go home and find my baby. Turns out, he didn't miss me at all and was a very good boy. Except for pooping his pants and soiling his clothes. We decided that maybe Josh has grown out of the size one diapers because he keeps leaking through. I suppose that it is very possible because, as of yesterday, he is 12 lbs and 2.5 oz. And he's only five weeks old! He's been growing so fast. Grandma got to feed him his very first bottle today. She said he did very well and didn't fuss about it. What a good boy I have! Yesterday morning I took him to the doctor because his belly button cord hasn't fallen off yet. She said it is rare for them to hang on so long, but it didn't seem to be causing any problems other than being an annoyance. She put some medicine on it to help the cord shrink. I'm hoping that it will fall off soon, so I can give Josh his first bath. Up until now he has only had sponge baths, but at least that is something! I can already see the difference the medicine has made, so it won't be long now until Josh can be my little fish. Isn't he so cute?

A Post All About Food

Being a Mom can make you tired. For the past couple days Josh has been hungry, hungry, hungry. He must be going through a growth spurt. The only reason that I have the time to blog is that he is sleeping. He finally fell asleep and so did I. Molly (my dog) was so kind as to wake me up after she thought I had had enough sleep. Isn't she sweet? Josh really has been growing quite a bit. His hands even look bigger to me! It's fun watching him grow, but I don't want him to grow too fast!

On another note, it is getting close to Christmas and this is when my boss wants all the help she can get for the season. I've told her that I would help out, but my dilemma is little Josh. It's not that I don't trust my "babysitter", cause she did a fine job of taking care of me when I was a baby. But I've been purely breastfeeding and I'm not sure how to go about making the transititon back into work. I would like to keep nursing, but I don't have a pump. Any suggestions? I know I may have to invest in one, but before I do that, does anyone have any better ideas?

*In the midst of writing this, I called a lady friend of mine who has used a pump in the past to ask her for suggestions. She has a pump, is no longer able to use it as she had breast cancer, and she offered it to me. Praise the Lord and pass the tax rebate! All I would need is the starter kit to go with it. (All the fresh fixings.) This makes me feel much relieved about going back to work. It's not even that I'm going back for as much as I used to, but the one day a week long-term, and the few days a week for the busy season. It's good to know that Josh can continue to get what is the best for him. Yeah!

Thanksgiving at Grandma's

These may not look very Thanksgiving-ish, but these photos are from Josh's first Thanksgiving. What a cute family we make! Hey Adam! Don't let Josh drink your coffee!

An Ode to Thanksgiving (Okay, so not really)

Sorry to leave you all in the dark about Josh and his first Thanksgiving. What can I say? What sort of excuse could I come up with?

Ah, Thanksgiving... The time of year when Aunts and Uncles, cousins and Grandparents flock together for good fellowship and tasty food. This year Mom and Dad had a full house- 22 people all together. It could've been 23 if Jim hadn't up and moved to Minnesota, but we'll have to excuse him. He'll be here for Christmas (keep your fingers crossed!). Naturally Josh was the star of the show. Upon arrival, the girl cousins flocked around him and cooed over him like he was a little doll. He was passed from person to person, but he was unaware of the extra attention as he slept almost the whole time. Once again, my Mom had not a fighting chance of holding him for any amount of time greater than five minutes. She's much too easy to steal a baby from and when there are so many eager arms, she just can't seem to keep him very long. Don't worry Grandma, Josh is coming over again today and then you can hold him for as long as you want. Thanksgiving is one of the best times of year... All that family and all that food. A warm house and a cozy couch. The ladies gather around a puzzle, the men around the football game and the kids around the Apples to Apples card game.

Ahem... Now comes time for my excuses. Josh needs my attention and now you see why I haven't been very good at keeping up with my blog. Till later...

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for. This year has been filled with blessings, big and small. Should I save a list for tomorrow? I think so.

For Thanksgiving we shall be heading to Grandma's house, as it should be. I call my Mom Grandma now... We made pumpkin pie yesterday and I went grocery shopping for goodies like cranberry sauce and pickles. Pickles always go over well at Thanksgiving, as do olives. On Friday, Adam and I are having his parents and grandparents over for second Thanksgiving. His grandparents live two hours away and have not yet seen Joshua, so I am looking forward to their meeting. For second Thanksgiving, Adam is cooking a turkey. He has not yet tried this, so he is being adventurous. The other day he was watching Alton Brown's cooking show and was inspired to try a turkey. I am supposed to make another pumpkin pie, which I will have to tackle this afternoon as I will have no time tomorrow. It will be interesting having two Thanksgivings in a row. I suppose I should also try to finish folding the laundry which has occupied my living room for the past several days. Which means I should get off my butt and start my day. Hmm... A shower does sound nice. Boy, I better get moving!

A New Balancing Act

I bet you are wondering what has happened to us. Seeing as I am now a mother, I have new responsibilities and have not yet balanced a new schedule, therefore leaving me in a pickle when it comes to writing a blog. It's not that I haven't thought about writing, it's just finding time between normal responsibilities and the new ones, like feeding a baby every few hours and changing baby's diaper and cuddling baby. All this takes up time... Time with which, before Josh entered picture, I had nothing better to do with than to sit at the computer and update the world with the menial happenings in my life. And seeing as I have left you all in the dark about my new motherhood, and Josh is contentedly sleeping in his cradle (at the moment), I take this opportunity to tell you the joys I have been experiencing.

Josh is three weeks old today and has already gained a pound and a half (as of Friday). He has also grown a full inch. That brings him up to 10 lbs. 1 oz. and 22 inches. He looks huge and I cannot imagine ever having to give birth to a ten pound baby. I don't know how Mom gave birth to my 9 lb. 12 oz. brother. He is still amazingly beautiful (naturally) except that he has broke out with a rash on his face. Poor little guy looks as if he has poison ivy crawling all over his cheeks and eye lids. Hopefully it is calming down now and will soon go away. I can't have Shelly taking photos of him with an ugly rash, even if she does have a beautifier...

So as of late, I have been snuggled up in my cozy little house with my baby, trying to balance cleaning in between breast feeding. It seems that, if I go one day without cleaning, I will never be able to catch up. Josh, of course, takes precedence over anything else and I much prefer it that way. But I am now able to sympathize with those Mothers who have many children and a messy house. And to make matters worse, I have a husband who leaves a dark cloud of grossness behind him, no matter where he goes. I think I have given up on my basement completely. I have cleaned it several times now, and after this latest project I wash my hands of the mess and give it up. The basement will be messy from now until who knows when. After writing this, I will probably end up cleaning the basement in a short while as I usually do when
I give up a mess. After all, I must go to the basement quite frequently because the washing machine is there and I can't just ignore the stuff everywhere. Don't get me wrong, I have a very crafty hubby who is great when it comes to making things like outdoor boilers and work benches. I am very proud of him, but it's hard to keep up with him especially since he is completely unorganized.

I don't know why I went off on a cleaning tangent when I was just going to tell you about little Josh. Now what do you want to know about the new adventure I find myself on?

It Must Be Love

Tagged!

Rules: Once tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you. Then post the rules before your list, and list 8 random things about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag and link to 8 other people, visit their sites, and leave a comment letting them know they’ve been tagged.

1) I was tagged by my dear Aunt Rachel.
2) I have no idea how to link to people.
3) I became a Mommy 16 short days ago.
4) I like pudding.
5) On Monday, I raked 10 piles of leaves.
6) I love to laugh, long and loud and clear.
7) This summer I must've eaten at least a dozen jars of green olives.
8) I gave the dog a bath this morning.

How's that for random? Hmm... Now who do I tag?

Feeding Time

Daddy takes good care of Josh.

Put to Good Use

Josh uses the cradle Grandpa made special just for him.

Joshua's Debut

This is How He Came

I think I should let everyone know that, when I write stories, I really write novels. I started this exerpt of my life on Tuesday and have just finished up this Thursday afternoon. Please excuse the lengthiness of this post. If you do not care for novels, skip down to the last paragraph to get to the exciting ending. It's like reading the last page in a book first, but I'll allow it this once.


That Sunday morning, I woke up to get ready for church. I pulled my white shirt over my head and looked in the mirror. I let go a cry of frustration... Even my maternity clothes didn't fit anymore! My belly was hanging out and would continue to do so throughout the day, if it wasn't for my constant tugging at the bottom hem. A tear dripped out of my eye... Ugh. Adam asked me what was wrong and I told him my complaint. That on top of very little sleep the night before. I hadn't been able to sleep until after 1:30am and was very grateful that our church had a late service. We managed to get to church on time (which is highly unusual) and we stood for the first song. My legs felt so heavy and tired. Figuring since I was now full term, I had a good excuse to sit down half-way through the song. Sitting felt nice. The service was exceptionally good that day and I left feeling encouraged by the verses that our pastor covered in Philippians chapter 3. We stopped for brunch on the way home and, as I anticipated, I was asked when I was due. "Today," was my answer, to which she replied, "What are you doing here then?" All I was doing was waiting and I was fairly sure that I'd still be waiting for a good portion of the week. Once we were home, my bed looked so comfy. I crawled in and covered me head. About an hour later, I was awoken by knocking at our back door. It was our neighbor who often comes over to visit and play with our dog. I drag myself out of the comfort of my bed, blink my eyes a few times trying to wake up, and wander off to see my neighbor. Little did I know that that hour of sleep would come to be a lifesaver. Both Adam and I ended up going to bed somewhat early that night, around 9:30. Of course, sleep was still going to evade me and I lay there till 10:30 when I got out of bed and headed to the kitchen for a snack. My tummy was rumbling with hunger. I was also having a few minor contractions but nothing to get excited about, as this had been happening all week. I made myself some toast with peanut butter and sat down at the computer to eat. I pulled up my face book account and started doing puzzles. The contractions weren't going away and as I finished my snack, I glanced at the time. 10:52. I continued putting together online puzzles for about an hour and a half. The cramping sensations in my back were slightly worse than they had been the other nights I had had them, but were very tolerable, I thought. They had been coming steadily every two - six minutes. Hmm. By now it was after twelve and I turned off the Internet and got up. Adam was in bed sleeping. He must've woke up when I walked in the room, but I don't remember exactly what I said. I didn't want to get him too excited because, after all, this had happened before and the contractions had petered out and gone away.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6

Earlier in the evening, I found myself rereading Philippians chapter 3, the scripture that was covered in the message during church that morning. I had been having a bit of anxiety over the weekend and really wanted to know how to deal with it properly. I wasn't sure where to start, so I read chapter three and on through chapter four. There, in chapter four, I was struck by verse six. It was a familiar verse, but often times we just need to hear something twice (or more, in my case) in order for it to stick. In that verse, my problem was addressed. Give over my anxiety to the Lord. He can handle it for me. I don't need to stress out over silly things. Funny thing is, I wasn't stressed over giving birth or labor, but something else entirely. But now I knew, or should I say was reminded, what I had to do. I couldn't relax until I spent some time in prayer asking the Lord to handle my problems. So that's what I had done.

*I know I skipped backwards here, but I felt like it was an important part of my story and therefore should be told. You see, the Lord had it so I didn't have Joshua until I had given over this anxiety to Him. It was almost like He was waiting for me. I know that I probably would've given birth the same time even if I hadn't , but it's great to know that, by the time Josh did come, the Lord had taken care of my problems and I could be at rest with it.*

So back to just after midnight... Adam was now awake and aware that I had been having some minor contractions. He wondered if this could possibly be it, but how could I be sure? I then called my doctor who thought, since I was already four centimeters and the contractions were 2-4 minutes apart, that I should come in, but had no need to rush. At this point I'm thinking that it's probably just false labor and we shouldn't over-react. My bags were all packed anyways, so at least we didn't have to worry about that. We decide to wait a while longer and see what happens. Adam lays on one couch and after being reassured by me that he would be awoken if anything changed, he falls asleep. I, on the other hand, lay on the other couch and watch the clock for the next two hours trying to sleep. The minutes tick by and so do the contractions. They're not quite like clockwork and I can still breath and talk if I pleased, but my back is kinda sore. I explain the back pain by comparing it with the aches you get with a bad period. By 2:30 Adam wakes up and asks me how I'm doing. I was about to wake him up because 2:30 was my time till which I was waiting. I think we should go, but I'm still afraid that we'll go all the way to the hospital and then everything will stop and we'll have wasted a trip in the middle of the night for nothing. And it's 45 minutes there. So we pack up our dog and grab our things. Molly is being dropped off at a friends house and that is another reason why I am nervous. I don't want to wake them up at 3:00 in the morning if this is fake.

Anyone up for the fast version?

I get to the hospital just after 3am... I was five cm and contractions were closer together than they liked. I get admitted and we have our very own room. This is where I get the only hour of sleep that night. Adam sleeps too, but in the chair/bed across the room. I had been hooked up to a monitor so I wasn't worried anymore about timing my own contractions and I could still sleep through my contractions. At about six am, I got two new nurses to look after me. They asked me my rate of pain, which was very minimal. The one nurse, Jane, let me get up and walk around the halls with Adam. Together, we timed my contractions, which were now steadily three minutes apart. After a few laps, Adam got bored and since it was about 8 am now, and I wasn't in grave pain yet, they let me eat breakfast. Yum... I was hungry and would need the extra calories for what was ahead. At 9:00 I see the doctor who was on call, who also happened to be the doctor that I'd been seeing all along at the OBGYN. The nice Dr, not the one who made me feel fat. I was then six centimeters but the contractions I was having were not going to get me anywhere. At least they weren't anywhere near strong enough to push out a baby. So at 9:30 the Dr. broke my water and a few short moments later, I started feeling the pain. Did I want to stand up, sit down, lay back, walk, squat, do anything? I didn't know what I wanted to do or how to get comfortable. Sitting on the toilet sounded good to me. So I sat there for a while... They asked me if I was okay in there. How could I be? I could barely stand to wash my hands! Once out of the bathroom, I hung like a rag doll around Adam's neck. He rocked me back and forth and helped me to remember how to breathe. Pretty soon, I didn't feel like standing... My knees kept buckling during contractions and I was getting so hot!They let me sit on the birthing ball and I held onto Adam's waist. He kept swabbing my neck and forehead with a cold washcloth. When the contractions would start up (Adam was watching the monitor numbers), he let me know one was coming and then he would breathe through it with me. At one point, I tell him that I think I want some pain medication. My plan was to go natural, but how could I endure? He tells me, "Let me know when you want something." I repeat what I had just said. He doesn't get it, but in the end it was worth it. Somewhere around 11:00, they check me again. This time I'm 9 1/2 cm and the nurse tells us we only have a few contractions to go before I can push. By now I'm laying in the bed and the contractions are very close together and quite overwhelming. Adam continues to be by my side, helping me through every minute. He passes me my drink, swabs my forehead and breathes with me. The nurses remind me not to hyperventilate, which is very hard not to do. Everything in the room is set up and ready to go. I can't help but think, "This must really be it." Okay, finally I have reached 10 cm. The pushing begins and for the next hour and a half, I push like never before. My eyes were going to pop out, my whole body wants to give up, I am at the point of exhaustion. Adam counts to ten in my ear for each push. He's right there with me the whole time. In between contractions, my body relaxes and, if it wasn't for the next contraction, I could've fallen asleep right away. So thankful am I at that point for breakfast and that hour of sleep. The Doctor is there now... They are urging me to push harder. I try my best... Soon they tell me that they can see the baby's hair. The baby has hair? I was expecting a bald baby... "Push with everything you've got!" I thought I had been. I try harder. Adam gets real excited... He's still up by my head counting to ten. "You're doing great!" "You're almost there!" Then Adam says, "You can see him!" They urge me to continue. How can I stop now? Adam says, "There he is! He's here!"And then it's all over... They hold up the baby and tell me it's a boy. I just knew it would be a boy from the beginning. Oh wait... don't I get to hold him? But they've taken him way over to the other side of the room to clean him up. I protest and say that I want to hold him. The Dr. tells me that they're just making sure he gets the best start. I just want to look at him and touch him. The tears start to come along with stifled sobs. I'm so tired and I've worked so hard... Why can't they just let me hold him close? Adam is there next to him, stroking his little body and kissing his little face. And here I am stuck in this bed with the Dr. tending to me. It seemed like forever before I was finally able to hold our little baby. In actuality it had been about a half hour. Even once he was in my arms, the tears still came. I was overwhelmed. This was our baby. The baby we had been waiting for. God had sent him to us to take care of. God had given us little Joshua Adam. And now he was here.

To Satisfy Those Baby Cravings (till tomorrow)

My Baby

Joshua Adam
Born: October 29, 2007
8 lbs. 9 oz.
21 inches long
...and he's beautiful

I'll tell you all about it hopefully by tomorrow. With some pictures.

A Homemade, Handmade Heirloom

Here is the cradle that my Dad made for baby. Pretty soon we will put it to good use. The other night while lying in bed, after having false labor contractions for a good hour or so, I could hear Adam rocking the cradle. He was getting some practice in for the real thing. He keeps asking me, "When is the baby gonna come?" He's not very patient either. Today I am more patient than I've been all week. The baby will come soon, when it's good and ready. After all, no one wants an undercooked baby...

My Furry Little Kids

Molly and Louis (my dog and cat) are kinda like my kids. They really do amuse me. At this moment they are both looking very attentively out our sliding glass door at the squirrels in the back yard. One next to the other, Molly whining and Louis with his eyes wide open like he's on the hunt. They make me laugh because they are just so cute. Earlier this morning Molly was trying to get Louis to play and Louis stood on his hind legs with his paws on Molly's face and started to nibble her nose and ears. Then Molly kinda nibbles Louis back. Sometimes she washes his head with her big, pink tongue. Louis doesn't seem to mind it. He tolerates her very well considering that some cats and dogs do not get along at all. In the mornings, if Molly thinks that I'm staying in bed too long, she will sit right at the bed side and whine till I give her some attention. She likes to gently nibble on my fingers. Although lately she's into this thing of pawing you. And she has nails that scratch! I hope she's a little more considerate when the baby comes home! I really do think she will like having a baby around. And Louis will just have to get used to another family member.

Still Feeling Good at Home

I figured that I should let everyone know that I am still home and am healthy as a rat... Or as healthy as a bug in a rug... Well, healthy anyways. Feel good, look well fed, smell clean...

Tuesday evening I had false labor contractions that lasted all through the night. We thought maybe they would turn into real labor, but the contractions weren't strong enough and petered out in the morning. I keep saying to myself, "Maybe tomorrow." I know one of these days I'll be right, so if not today, maybe tomorrow. Mom said today would be a good day to have a baby because it's grandparents day and she doesn't have to babysit. Leta (my sister-in-law) said I should have the baby anytime this weekend because she has today, Saturday and Sunday off work. Adam says I'll probably have the baby this weekend because then he won't as many days off of work. I say today would be a good day because laundry and dishes are getting old. It's a good thing that I have family around to keep me occupied. Wednesday, I stopped at my in-laws house and then they came over for Chinese. Yesterday Mom and my three siblings came over in the morning and I helped Ben and Hannah with some school. Last night, while Adam took his class, I ate supper with my family. Today my brother-in-law has invited me to lunch. I take Molly for a walk around the block everyday and usually take a nap too. Tomorrow is Saturday and hopefully Adam won't have to work so we can do something together. Although he'll probably mow the lawn or stack firewood, which I am not supposed to do... Hmmm, any good ideas to keep a pregnant lady busy who is supposed to be taking it easy? Oh yeah, suppose I go look for that book to read. That would keep me busy. I like books...

STRETCH!

Over the course of the past two days, I received my first baby trophies. Little stretch marks near my belly button. I had gotten so far along that I thought I had evaded them. Lotioning my belly every morning and rubbing it in nicely... Guess I forgot to do my belly button too. Why didn't anyone remind me that belly buttons are prone to stretching? I suppose I have much to be grateful for, but I still hope that these are the only marks that will be coursing over my lower half. I was so dissapointed last night when I found them... Even though I knew they would probably show up eventually. It'll all be worth it in the end.

And on a side note, I doubt baby will come for my birthday. Dissapointing.

Wide Awake

So if I'm wide awake at 4:20 am, is that a good sign? I woke up starving and after a little pb sandwich, I'm ready to get something done. Nothing too noisy of course, cause I'd wake sleepy husband. Maybe laundry? I don't know what I'll do for the next few hours. Maybe after laundry I'll be able to go back to sleep... But I'm still hungry.

Take it Easy!

Yesterday I was a bad girl and decided that I must get some grocery shopping done, despite the nurse saying to leave that to hubby. Adam has been very busy working and did not have Saturday off, so I called my Mom to see if she was up for any grocery shopping. I figured if my Mom was with me, it could be considered "taking it easy"... Right?

After four hours out and about getting all the shopping done, I headed home. I had been thinking about stopping at the local pharmacy to check my blood pressure, just out of curiosity and because I was slightly more puffy than the other day. So I stopped at Eckerd's on the way home and used their little machine. I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary, but when it first read 164/93 I was a little shocked. I asked the pharmacist if the blood pressure machine was pretty accurate. He said it was somewhat accurate. So I checked it again. Now it read 168/98. Um, that's pretty high... Especially when it's usually about 120/70 ish. Now I get nervous and decide to call Adam, who is still working. We decide that I'll call my Dr. and see what they say... So after I get home and unload the perishable groceries from my car (I left the others for Adam to bring in), I call. She says not to worry because often pharmacy machines aren't very accurate and they don't compensate for pregnancy or swelling, but that I should still come in and have a nurse take my blood pressure because they don't want to overlook something that may be important. So I call Adam again and he comes home. I hate bothering him when he is working, especially if it's not really anything, but I did want him with me. We drive up to the hospital together and my first bp reading there was 157/?. Pretty high, I think. So they took some blood, had me lay on my side and went to run the lab work again. They wanted to make sure liver function was still good and that's why they took the blood. They also took some blood just in case I had the baby. They also hooked me up to the monitor so they could read baby's heartbeat and any contractions. The Dr. came to see me and mentioned the possibility of pre-eclampsia and what they would do if the tests came back positive (induction). She also checked to see if I was dilated and to my surprise I was four centimeters. (Yea!) From nothing on Thursday to four on Saturday with no real contractions... Sounds good to me. After her little check I had a few mild contractions (a couple good ones, nothing that hurt bad, but different from what I had been having at home). I didn't get too excited but I think Adam might've when I told him. All the while, my blood pressure kept going down... because I was resting. Adam thought maybe we could have the baby soon and he wondered whether or not I'd have to stay. Obviously we didn't because the tests came back negative for pre-eclampsia (again) and my contractions went away... Like usual. So we had a nice little trip to the hospital, a good test run for Adam. On the way out, the nurse said she thinks we'll have the baby before halloween. I hope so, cause I don't want a halloween baby. I mean, I want the baby, just not the halloween part. Maybe this week... Suppose I'm a little anxious? And suppose now I really will take it easy... No more grocery shopping. And Mom, you did NOT wear me out!

Nothing Left To Do

Since it is Friday, and not Thursday, I decided to posts fourteen things that I have cleaned in the past week, just because I am now supposed to take it easy.

1) Last Friday I cleaned out the shed and rearranged it so...
2) I could also clean off the deck and put away the summer chairs and the grill.
3) I started Saturday by cleaning the bathroom
4) and went on to clean my bedroom and rearrange the furniture so the cradle that my Dad made would fit better. Then I went out for afternoon tea with the girls. Sunday I took a break to celebrate birthdays at my brothers house. Yea for birthdays!
5) Monday I decided that Adam had once again made a mess of the basement and I needed to clean it. So sweep and straighten I did.
6) Also on Monday I cleaned the refrigerator. Finally the blueberry juice that had dripped everywhere this summer was gone!
7) I think laundry counts as well... Because I did all the laundry on Monday too.
8) And the stack of dishes that had collected since Friday were finally washed on Monday.
9) Tuesday I got down on my hands and knees and vacuumed under the couches in the living room.
10) The couches were also vacuumed on said day and the whole living room received a make over.
11) Also on Tuesday I swept every floor in my house, with the intention of mopping them on Wednesday.
12) Wednesday is the best day because I FINALLY cleaned the computer room, which had looked like a dump since we moved in back in April.
13) I organized all drawers and got rid of all kinds of papers and garbage.
14) Best of all (and probably the weirdest of all) is that I organized the file cabinet. It probably would sound better if you knew we got a new file cabinet and I had to move files from old boxes to new file cabinet. I'm not really going insane. ;)

As you know, yesterday I spent at the Dr's. office and at the hospital. Today was spent visiting my Aunt Priscilla. It was good that she came over because it relieved any temptation I might've had to do more cleaning, which would've been against the Dr's. orders. After she left I took a good nap. So now you know what I have been doing the week before baby comes... I say that because now the baby will come. It must come because I have nothing left to do.

A Long Post About A Hospital Visit

I had a pretty relaxing day today...

I had another Dr's. visit today. Routine 39 week exam, ya know... I told the Dr. about my swollen hands, feet, face, etc... My blood pressure was just a little more than last week (okay, so last week it was 120/72, like Aunt Rachel thought), but it was still okay. He thought I could go downstairs to the lab to have some blood work done up to check for pre-eclampsia, but he had second thoughts after checking my reflexes... which were pretty crazy. I was asked if I was always so jumpy, but my reflexes haven't been checked in so long, how am I to remember? He decided that I should go have my blood work done at the hospital so I could have the results faster. Rather than wait till tomorrow for the results, if I wasn't busy today, go up and get everything done today. So after having a Non-Stress Test, I went up to the hospital to have some blood tested. They hooked me up to a monitor so we could see (and hear) the baby's heartbeat and watch any contractions be recorded on paper. After taking some blood and urine samples, I lay in bed watching the squiggly lines come out of the machine onto the paper. The nice nurse came in and asked if I was hungry and since it was 1:00 or so, and I hadn't eaten since 8:30, I was naturally. So she brought me a boxed lunch from somewhere with a ham sandwich and potato salad. Actually, it was pretty good. Long story made short, I ended up waiting for the results to my tests for a few hours. A few relaxing hours, some of which I spent sleeping. Which is good, because I'm fighting some sort of cold/sinus thing and I could use all the sleep I can get. What was interesting though, was this drama queen who came into the triage unit halfway through my stay there. She had thought her water had broken, was not sure when her due date was because supposedly different Dr's. told her different dates, and she kept exclaiming things like she was in grave pain. The nurses told her that her water wasn't broken and that she wasn't due until Nov. 30. Still she was sure the baby was coming if only "she would open up". On and on... I was thinking "Good grief, woman! Give it a break!" Of course I've never been in labor, but the nurses were pretty sure she wasn't even close. She kept saying to someone, "They're talking about sending me home already, but I'm just going to have to come right back" and then "These people don't know what they're talking about." Quite humorous... Kept me entertained while laying there. Anyway, the results of the tests were negative for pre-eclampsia, but positive for taking it easy and drinking lots of water till baby comes. So Adam is supposed to treat me like a princess and do the grocery shopping and any heavy lifting. (Check in with him form time to time folks, and make sure he is doing his job.) And I'm supposed to watch for additional signs or increased swelling.

I guess it's a good thing that I've been cleaning my house like crazy early in the week. I cleaned my bed room, living room and computer room from top to bottom. I even did the bathroom, the basement and the shed outside. All I had left to do was mop the floors throughout the house and hang a few odd shelves and window blinds. (I made myself a list of things to get accomplished before baby came.) I suppose I can overlook the last few things on the list, even though I think that mopping the floors is not over-doing it like the nurse said it was. How hard is it to mop the floor? Not any harder than washing the clothes... Except maybe more arm movement? I know, I know... Be good and listen to the what the nurse said. She knows what she is talking about. I'm probably not supposed to do all those things because of blood pressure and keeping it down where it should be. So I'll be a good girl and hopefully, sometime in the near future, you will hear good news of great joy and messy diapers. I'm sure my Mom will let everyone know on her blog when this happens and then I will too, when I feel up to it.

Just 9 more days till my due date!

Pre-Swell

More baby pictures! This is from September, before had I swelled up so much... See, my shoes still fit and I'm still wearing my rings on my fingers. And this is pre-hair cut. (Thanks for the pictures Aunt Rachel!)

Baby Bump

Finally a picture of baby bump for everyone to see... Taken by someone else naturally, because my camera is dumb. But there it is, dropped nicely and waiting anxiously to meet Mommy and Daddy. Don't worry Baby, you will meet us soon!

Fat Sausage Fingers

This morning my fingers are numb and tingly. After researching briefly on-line, I found that a common complaint of late pregnancy is carpel tunnel syndrome, causing numb and tingly fingers. I was thinking it had to do with low blood pressure as the reading yesterday was 120/12. But now I think it may be carpel tunnel. What is especially aggravating is waking up in the middle of the night to having my thumb and first two fingers on sabbatical leave. Pins and needles are shooting through them and I must wiggle my fingers quite a bit to get them to wake up. Oh, fat sausage fingers! What am I to do with you?

Getting Closer

Greetings! I know everyone is anxious to hear news about baby as the time is drawing near. I am currently 16 days from my due date and I had my 38 week Dr's. appointment this morning. I was told that the baby's head is well down and my cervix is soft. They couldn't tell me much about dilation because... well, it hurt. So they didn't check. The Dr. said, in his nice Indian accent, "We'll see you next week if you are still pregnant. And if you are not, then go to the hospital." So, should I put the car seat in the car and pack my bags just in case? I guess I'm not expecting anything too exciting very soon because I haven't had any contractions other than Braxton Hicks and they don't hurt, so I think I've got at least a week... We shall see. In the mean time, I keep gaining weight quite steadily, bringing the grand total up to 37 lbs. so far. Ugh... I hope the pounds come off as easy as everyone keeps saying they will!

I wish my camera worked properly so I could share my baby belly with you all. It's pretty big!

This is Why

This week is my last week of work before taking off to have my baby. I always wanted to be a stay-at-home Mom, but have opted go back to the restaurant one day a week starting sometime in December. I think it'll be a good time to let my Mom and sister borrow the baby for a few hours. But the real reason I don't want to quit entirely is not because of the money or wanting to get out of the house, but because of people like these folks. There is a small group of people who come in every Tuesday for lunch. They usually consist of a little old lady, her son, and son-in-law and, on occasion, her daughter. Sometime over the weekend said son-in-law and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. H, left me and baby a card. It's a home made, computer printed card, and extra special because inside is a poem that is just for me. It goes as follows:

When you get to be an old folk,
And your hair is thin and gray,
You'll appreciate the young folk
Who really make your day.

It's often that the little things
They don't know that they do,
Are just the things that tip the scales
To brighten and renew.

We'll miss your smile and winsome ways
And special friendly service,
Remembering to way back when
You started and were nervous.

We'll wait for introductions
To your special new addition
And hope that you'll be back one day
To continue our lunch tradition.

Warm wishes to you and your new baby
and to all your family.

Your customers (and friends)

They also left me a little gift card, but it was the words inside that made my day and brought tears to my eyes. Being a waitress in the little town that I grew up in, has been such a great experience. The job may have it's challenging days (like any job), but is so rewarding because of all the friends I have made. They may not be the friends that you call up and ask to go to the movies or to the mall, but people who look for you and greet you with a smile and a friendly hello. Gray hair doesn't matter anymore and if you walk slower than usual, I don't mind. If you come with a smile, or even if you don't, as long as you have some extra time on your hands (unlike the busy lunch rush who come in for a quick lunch and are back out to work) and don't run right out the door, chances are we might get to be friends. My favorite time of the day is the last hour and a half or two, when the regular afternoon visitors come in for coffee or a late lunch. This is the time when it is slow enough for me to eat my lunch and visit with these cherished guests. The guests who come in looking for someone to chat with or someone with a smile just for them. They might ask for help with the daily cross word puzzle or tell you about the latest news. These are the reasons why I can't leave for good. I may not be there so often, but at least I don't have to say good-bye for good. I don't like to say good-bye.

Come on Baby!!!

Sentiments of the day:

fat hands
fat feet
swelling cheeks
ugh, help me off the couch

Come on baby... So I know I have three weeks before my due date and most likely I'll go over. I don't really mind being pregnant, but after three or so more weeks of this, I'll definitely be ready to meet this baby. Not that I'm not ready now... Reality is just still sinking in that we'll have a little baby soon. Getting up is getting increasingly more difficult and as you can see from my list above, I've been swelling a bit. I'm trying to watch my salt intake and I hear that you're supposed to keep your feet up. The latter is quite the joke... Who has time to put their feet up? There are things to do, places to go, people to meet, etc., etc., etc. And next week is my last week of work. I only have three days of work, but it's an "on your feet all day" kind of job. This last week will probably be the most trying, because of my growing tummy and the ever increasing waddle. I'm hoping to get to meet this baby a little early, but not too early. I have a few girl dates set up with some friends next week and I was told to hold that baby in till then. Secretly, I wouldn't really mind if baby came next Friday, but I do want to hang out with the girls too. Ugh, my back hurts if I sit too long. It's getting close... And it's getting exciting.

Junky Stories

Just to let you know, Molly is better... No more diarrhea! Hooray! And Louis is... well, just Louis. What can you do about that? Not much.

I am into collecting old "junk" to decorate my house with. Anything that looks like it should be burned might be of interest to me. Why else would I save old cupboard doors with chipping paint, only to clean them up and hang them on my walls? Sometime I'll post some pictures to show you my old stuff. My most recent addition, which I am still working on, is a peeling and chipping door that used to be on my parents barn. It was waiting to be burned in the pile out back almost all summer... But I got to it first. One side of the door is white and I am planning on leaning against the wall in the corner of my living room. The contrast between the door and the beautiful brown walls will be stunning. I'm quite excited. I am also planning on reupholstering a chair. This will be much harder to do, but I have already bought the fabric. The chair, in reality, probably won't be started until December, seeing as baby is coming in the end of October. But if I could get it started sooner, that would be great. And no, I'm not planning on doing it all by myself. I will ask for help...

By the by, my big brother moved to Minnesota yesterday. He was a best friend to Adam and I. And still is... Just farther away. We hope he comes back someday or else we'll have to go and visit. I've never been to Minnesota. I hear it's kinda cold out there... I wonder if he'll pick up ice fishing?

Pet Problems? Or Problem Pets?

I came home today to more yucky poop on the floor. I was pretty sure Molly was done having doggy diarrhea after feeding her chicken and rice for a couple days. We switched her back to her old dog food for the weekend, ran out of that kind and I fed her a new kind this morning and last night. So I don't know if it's the old kind that upset her tummy or the new one I fed her. Ugh! Perhaps I'll feed her chicken and rice again for a few days and then start her on the new bag of dog food to see if that's what bothered her. I'm pretty sure it was the old dog food. We'd been feeding her Iam's puppy food when the diarrhea acted up in the first place. But what confuses me is that we had been feeding her the Iam's for over a month before she got sick... Then the vet (who also recommended chicken and rice) said if chicken and rice didn't help, that she should be seen. So if yuckiness has come back, then should she be seen? Or was it a result of the food? Either way the Iam's food is gone, so that won't cause anymore problems... if that was it.

If you like to hear me rant about my pets, I found that my cat is still peeing in the basement, even though his box was clean. It's pretty gross to step in cat pee when you are just trying to wash the laundry. Why he has to pee in the laundry baskets, I don't know... But it made me pretty mad this morning. And no, I don't walk in my laundry baskets, but Louis tipped the laundry basket over after peeing in it, so not only was there pee in my dirty clothes and my laundry basket, but now on the floor. Yuck!!! That did not make me happy this morning. I wish I had a good cat that only goes in his box. At least he doesn't poop elsewhere. That would be really nasty. Solutions anyone? Besides getting rid of him... that's not an option. Even though he is a bad cat, we still love him (most of the time). Mom suggested investing in a self cleaning cat box, but if he's already peeing elsewhere, is it too late to change him? I'm not supposed to clean the cat box, and Adam hardly thinks about it unless I mention it to him...

Ugh. Pet problems...

Baby Ponderings

You know there is a real, live person inside you when hiccups disturb your peace. Or when a heel kicks at your belly button. What I really "love" is when a head bulges out from underneath my ribs and makes it impossible for me to get comfortable. My growing belly makes it harder and harder to get in a good sleeping position. Good thing for extra pillows. I've got five weeks between now and my due date and feeling those little feet kicking inside makes me anxious to hold that baby without my tummy being in the way. Holding your belly is not quite the same as holding the baby. I know that in a few short weeks, our lives will be changed forever. Evenings won't be quiet and Adam and I won't be alone for extended periods of time. There will always be someone hungry at dinner time... and lunch time, breakfast time, snack time, all the time... I'll need to find a babysitter if we want to go out on a date. "Extra" spending money won't be extra anymore because someone will either need clean diapers or has grown out of their clothes.The first thing on my mind in the morning will be the little one who spent the night in the room down the hall. But the wonderful thing is that God has sent this little life to stay with us while he or she grows up. We have been entrusted with raising this child and teaching them that Jesus loves them and died for them. Why did God so choose to bless us with a baby? I don't know, but I do know that I will love every minute of being a Mommy and I so look forward to holding their hand when they take their first steps. Seeing that smile and hearing the first gurglings and giggles. Sharing a growing affection for our child with my husband. People say they grow up way too fast, so I will try my best to take in every moment. I know there will be hard days, days when I want to run away from responsibility, but in the end, who would want to run away from bedtime stories and happy feet padding into the kitchen to see if they can "help" Mommy wash the dishes? I must remember to savor each moment the God has blessed me with, even if it means that I must grow up. But not grow up too much, cause after all, someone has to get down on the floor and play too.

Get Ready, Get Set...

Come on Baby!!!

No More Cat Pee!

Well, I did it. I cleaned the whole basement. It took almost four hours (I put all Adam's stuff away too), but it's done. Hopefully it smells better, which I'm pretty sure it does. After all that hard work, I was ready for a good nap. Naps are so very nice... I feel like I really got something accomplished today, and when I finish folding the laundry then I'll feel really good. So I better go get that done...

Feeling Blessed

I was feeling very blessed this morning. The warm sunshine came down and hit my skin as I sat out on our deck. The sky was blue and the cicadas and tree frogs could be heard buzzing and chirpping in the trees. Soon it will be cold... Too cold to enjoy mornings out on the deck. But for today, my day off, I had a chance to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather. Just me, my Bible and, on occasion, Molly, who would come running and jump up onto the deck to see what I was up to. It's so quiet in my neighborhood on school days and I was just so enjoying the time to relax with my Bible. I don't often get to just relax, but on occasion somehow make time. Usually I rush through Bible reading and then I'm off to work or house work. I need to take more time out for Jesus... Cause He takes lots of time off to take care of me.

A Glimpse

A glimpse into the life of Bethany:

My tummy hurts. The baby keeps stretching it and making it all lumpy.

My dog has had diarrhea since Friday. I don't know how to help her get rid of it.

My cat pees all over the basement and makes the whole house smell like cat pee. Gross.

My husband is working late tonight, so I ate supper by myself.

My brother ran out of gas today. Good thing I lived right around the corner, so I could rescue him.

My husband bought pre-season game tickets for the Sabres on Friday, but I'm supposed to work.

Braxton Hicks make me have to pee.

I finished painting in my living room on Friday. Looks really great.

I'm quite tired from working today.

My pelvic bones are hurting and being on my feet all day doesn't help.

I pulled all the plants (besides the weeds) out of my vegetable garden. They had all stopped producing, besides the beans. But I have plenty of beans in my fridge already. Now I'm ready to fertilize for next year and have it tilled in.

The baby's room in pretty much all set to go, so now I can have the baby and not worry about the stuff.

But I still have six weeks till my due date.

That's all for now. Hope you enjoyed the glimpse!

A Baby Shower and More on Louis

Louis' tail is looking a bit better this evening. It's not quite so droopy so hopefully he didn't really break it. There is some hair and skin missing in the sore area and it's a bit swollen when you run the tail through your fingers. He doesn't seem quite as bothered by us touching it as yesterday, so maybe it'll be okay. But if he chews it off... That would be really gross and look really funny. A cat with one third of a tail...

I had a baby shower today. Many loved family and friends came to bless me and baby. It's amazing how many things are needed when a new person enters the world. I didn't know such a small person could use so much stuff! I was so blessed and I love getting together with everyone, especially for such a good reason. There are still a few things I need like crib sheets (cause I think I'll need more than one). But two of Adam's Aunts sent gift cards in the mail, so they might be buying us some crib sheets and sheet saver pads. But it really is wonderful how the Lord provides for us. Many, many thanks goes from me to everyone; especially to Leta for all her planning and help. Big hugs!

Busted!

There are crickets living in my walls and Louis (my cat) has a broken tail. I don't know how either of those things happened, but they did and do. What can we do about them? I don't think you can do much for a cat with a busted tail, except treat it real gentle and don't pull on it... Does anyone have any suggestion for getting crickets out of walls without making a mess? It's kinda annoying when you can hear them chirping in there. And my poor kitty...

Ready For My Baby

Here I am again... Sorry for the lapse in time, but I'm sure you understand. Adam and I have started child birth classes, which are every Wednesday evening through the end of September. I am finding them quite helpful, though I don't think I'll ever get the "breathing" thing right. We're supposed to be practicing. Did anyone ever find the rhythmic breathing to be actually helpful? Sometimes it makes me light-headed...

The stinky carpet in the baby's room has finally been replaced, so now we can start setting things up in the room and get everything organized. Actually, I started as soon as I got home today. Thursday I had picked up the crib which my boss had given me, so I put that together. After it was set up, it was very strange to see it standing there and to know that very soon we would have a little person living with us and sleeping in that crib. A house guest of sorts. Adam and I will no longer have the house to ourselves. But I suppose we'll learn how to share and we'll enjoy it. I also picked up the changing table which was given to me, so that is now in the room. I wish I could take pictures to show you how the room looks, but I still have not replaced the camera cord which my puppy ate in July. It's kind of emotional to sit in there knowing that our little baby will be here soon and all this stuff is for him or her. Wow...

Anyway, I also have been being adventurous in my living room. Wednesday I picked out some paint (without any help) for the walls. I chose two different colors, so one wall could be an accent wall. Yesterday, while the carpet guys were here putting in carpet, my sister Hannah and I painted three of the walls in the living room. I saved the last for another day. I am so pleased with the results and Adam said he was proud of me for taking the initiative and doing this all by myself. Suppose I usually have to check with him to make sure he approves, but he likes it when I don't have to check with him about everything. I've been trying to get my projects all done before the baby comes. We'll see how far I get, especially since one of those projects includes reupholstering an old chair I've had for years. I ordered fabric, so that's at least a start!

So you can see why blogging hasn't been at the top of my list, even though I'm sure everyone wants to know how baby is and to make sure I'm behaving myself. Baby's good and I've been good too. I've got seven weeks left till my due date and my next Dr's appointment is next Friday. She'll probably complain about my weight again and ask me if I eat too many carbs, sweets, or too late at night. I'll say that it's been five and half weeks since you saw me last and that I think I've done pretty good. (Only four pounds added so far since last time.) I probably should make a dentist appointment, seeing as they were after me last month and I'll never get to it if I put it off too long. *sigh* It seems like there is so much to do... I'm ready to hold my baby.

A Late Summer Face Lift

The early morning sun peeked through my window blinds beckoning me to rise this morning. It was only 6:00, but something inside said it was time to greet the day. I climbed out of bed and poured myself some cereal, which I enjoyed while sitting on my front step. The clouds slowly turned a pretty gold tint, but the real sunrise was hidden by the trees. It is the perfect time of day, a time which I seldom get to enjoy. I was able to read my Bible without feeling rushed to get ready for work or to get the house cleaning done. But I did notice, while sitting there, that my flower gardens are looking very sad... There are no more flowers and no buds showing promise of late summer blooms. Just dried out stalks and crunchy old flowers. My little flower garden needs a late summer face lift. I know it is just a small garden without much space for big perennials, but a few fall flowers would be nice. Especially since I so enjoy flowers in my garden. I suppose I'm looking for some suggestions or a book to borrow that has many good ideas in it. You might think that I've got too much to do already, seeing as I'm seven months pregnant and all that, but I'm still plenty able to look at flower books and even plant a few bulbs or plants... Any ideas??? I would love a garden that was full of blooms all season long, even if that is impractical.

Peach Jam and Green Chili Stew

I must feel like I have gotten something accomplished today, because I feel relaxed enough to blog. This is good.

Last night I had my parents over for some homemade green chili stew. It was my first attempt at making the stew and I must say, I did a pretty good job. If you've never had green chili stew, then you've probably not grown up in New Mexico or lived with someone who did. It has ground turkey, hominy, onions and garlic... but most importantly green chili. Yummm. Dad helped me make sopapillas and I also had made fried potatoes to go with the stew. What a yummy supper and the time spent with family made it ten times even better. Adam even told me later that it was a good supper.

Today I have been keeping myself pretty busy, with the exception of the last hour and a half that I spent sleeping. I've been doing laundry and cleaning my kitchen, but mostly I've been making a batch of peach jam. I bought some peaches last night on my way home with the intention of making some jam today. I peeled, cut, mashed, stirred and scooped till I had nearly nine little jars of fresh jam sitting on my counter. I am quite pleased with myself. Now all i have left on my list of things to get done today is clean the bathroom, finish folding the laundry, make the bed (I washed the sheets) and get supper on the table for a hungry husband. And I'm not getting anything done here, so I'm off to finish my chores for the day!

A Brief From The Life of Bethany

I know, I know. It's much too late and I should be in bed, but I am trying my best to get sleepy. Hopefully it'll hit me soon and then I'll crawl back into bed next to Adam, where I belong.

Sorry 'bout lack of news and fun things on my blog. The computer has just lost it's luster for the time being. Maybe I've got too much on my mind, or too much to do...

I've started counting down the last ten(ish) weeks of pregnancy. The baby moves quite often and it's so amazing and always makes me smile. Sometimes I can feel a little knee or hand pushing against my skin. It's pretty neat when I can distinguish which body part it is... I registered (or at least started) for my baby shower this past week. On Monday, I went out with some friends to Baby's R Us and got some pointers from a recent Mom... I enjoyed myself, although my registry still hasn't appeared online and I would love to edit some things I needlessly registered for. I also registered at Target and my Mom thinks I am silly because it's all just little things. Suppose I'll go back eventually and register for more than just baby shampoo and pacifiers. I don't think I need to register for clothes because everyone knows that babies need warm, snuggly outfits when they are born just before winter. Am I right about that? I'm feeling more prepared now for some reason... Maybe just because my thoughts are finally coming together and I feel like I am doing something, though not sure what I'm really getting done. :)

Today my Daddy came over and helped me with a few things around my house. It may not seem like a lot to him, but I sure felt the difference in having him there! Sometimes it's just nice to have someone come help you do things or even someone to talk to while you're working. We did a little painting and he helped me caulk around the molding that Adam had hung up. I'm really bad at caulking and I was so glad that I had professional caulking help! I was going to take Dad out for lunch to thank him for all his help, but I'll have to take him out again. See, what happened was we went to a restaurant owned by this fellow named Nick (Greek man in his 50's). Nick often comes to the restaurant where I work to visit my boss and he's a pretty friendly guy. So anyway, I knew the owner at the place we went for lunch. Dad and I order and were chatting when Nick walks by. He sees me and smiles... stops and says hello, then keeps walking. On his way back, he slides into the booth next to Dad, which was real funny because Dad's not the type to get too cozy with strange men he doesn't know. I'm laughing inside of myself because I know Dad isn't to comfortable having this Greek man who he doesn't know just randomly slide into the booth next to him on our lunch date. But I tried to make the best of it and made small talk with Nick while I ate my soup. Soup is good, Nick is tired, he got up too early, party house is busy on Fridays, blah, blah, blah... All the while Dad has this slightly amused look on his face because this guy is sitting next to him and having conversation with his daughter. When small talk was done and our meals came, Nick got up and left us in peace to enjoy our lunch and each other's company. When we were finished it turned out that Nick got our meal for us because it was our "first" time coming to his restaurant (I have been there before, just not that he knew of). So I owe Dad another lunch because how can I say that I took him out to lunch when I didn't have to pay?

I know this is possibly a boring post to you, but please excuse me... It is going on midnight and I should be in bed getting my beauty sleep....

More photos from Nova Scotia

Seems there are many things these days that I cannot keep up with and blogging is one of them. But here's a few photos for you to enjoy...
Look close and you can see the curls in my hair from the ocean breeze and sea salt air. They were fun to have for the day.

Loving the Salty Sea

Well, I am home from vacation, if you didn't already know. We had a wonderful visit with my Grandma and saw many beautiful sights. My favorite place was the beach, where the ocean came rushing up the sands to lick at my toes. It was quite a wonderful thing. At first I met the ocean with a bit of intimidation... Maybe a fear of getting "too" wet? But when it first crashed against my legs, I laughed out loud like a little child, disregarding the other more seasoned beach-goers. I rolled up my pant legs and welcomed the salty sea as I splashed in the water for the first time. It was only natural for sand sculpting to follow and we found strange pleasure in watching the tides come up and wash away our work. And then it was time to be on our way, leaving the monotonous crashing of the waves far behind us.

Photos From Peggy's Cove

After safely arriving at Gramma's house in Halifax, Nova Scotia, she took us to Peggy's Cove to see the ocean and the famous lighthouse. While there exploring the rocks, I found this really great piece of seaweed. It looked and felt like a giant, wet lasagna noodle. I was quite impressed.

Here I am enjoying the ocean view, with my new seaweed friend. My brother Joe is enjoying the view too, off to the right in the picture. See him down there by the big waves?

Here we are, the four of us, posing for another Gramanita photo opportunity. Not that we minded. Only I should've brought my sunglasses too. The famous Peggy's Cove lighthouse is behind us. It looks just like the pictures.