Oh My Hugeness!

So today I decided to have Kevin take another photo for the baby book and I must say, I did not realize how big my belly was actually getting... No wonder my back is starting to ache and it's getting harder for me to even stand up from the couch or why just putting on a pair of comfy socks is difficult! I guess I will find out on Monday how much I have gained since my last visit. I am sure it is more than the .8 I put on between the last two. Baby is still moving and kicking around. Lately she has a pattern or being very active first thing in the morning, in the afternoon around two and then again after dinner. Yes mom, I am getting my 10 counts in. I talked to my primary doctor yesterday (who is a flight surgeon) and he thinks I will deliver around the 14th or so, given my dates and what they said from the ultrasound. I kind of hope he's wrong but I also hope he's right. I am sure I will want her out here shortly as I (and the baby) will continually get bigger and my back starts bothering me more, but on the flip side, I hope she holds off until Steph gets home and out here so she can see me pregnant (and fat) as she says... well lil' sis, don't fret, I am huge! =) Just take a look at this:

Love you and miss you and can't wait to see you, SOON!

Natural History Museum

I woke up this morning with the little one moving and kicking about... As long as 0800 is the time she decides she wants to be up, I would say we are going to pleasantly surprised, unfortunately, I do not think this will always be this way.

Anyhow, Kevin and I took Shaye for a walk and decided to change things up a bit today. We were going to go for a short hike, but all the trails that we wanted to go on were either to far for me to hike (6 miles or more) or we needed a pass that we did not have. So, instead we decided to head down to Balboa Park and check out the Natural History Museum. It was nice to get out of the house and learn a little about the different species that have come and gone and I even learned about Oxbows (lakes that were once part of a river but have since been pinched off). We even took in a short 3D film on the Secrets of Mummies, which was very interesting. I did notice the museum was nothing close to what you would find in one of the Smithsonians, but it was just big enough that by the time we were finished looking at everything I was ready for lunch! =)

During the video the little one decided she wanted to shove up to the top of my stomach and nestle there for a bit. It is now three hours later and she is still tucked up in what feels like a ball, just under my rib cage, just moving about. Kevin is playing his new game I got him and Shaye is taking a nap... which is exactly where I am headed. Not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow, but luckily, it's a short week. I am finding that nap time is my favorite time of day recently.

Christmas Eve

Today was an eventful day, Kevin attempted to go bike riding. He left and returned 20 minutes later after having installed the bike rack on the back of the Camry (by the book) and it falling off and dragging the bike behind the car on I-5 doing about 80. Luckily no one was injured, but the same cannot be said for the bike. Kevin took it to REI for assessment and they said they would let us know how it was doing in about a week. We are all praying for its quick recovery. Here's a picture of him all ready for his ride:

As for me, I went to the spa. I was there to enjoy my Christmas present from Kevin, Rusty and Marlene... and Shaye. Because I delayed in getting my appointment in, I was going to have someone new giving me my pregnancy massage. To my dismay, she was not as good as my usual Lisa, but it was still very relaxing nonetheless. After I got home I took a 2 hour nap while Kevin honed his military tactics while playing Modern Warfare II. Afterwards, he made dinner! Chicken and stir fry vegetables which was very good... and then we headed off to find some Christmas lights! There is a San Diego newsletter that tells you exactly where to go if you are looking for lights and the newsletter did not disappoint. As we pulled into the neighborhood we could tell we had found the place. Every house (save one or two here an there) were decorated. Some very tastefully done that you could tell it took a lot of creativity and forethought before putting them up, while others just seemed to throw the lights at the house and trees hoping they would fall somewhere. Most had giant cards in their front yard wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Some home owners even sat outside with chairs around a fire pit eating dinner or roasting marshmallows. One family stood at the side of the road offering cookies to those driving by to look at all the lights. Another family had a blow up screen in their front yard with chairs set up in front of it like a movie theatre showing Rudolph! There was one family that actually brought their piano out onto the driveway to sing carols as people were passing. And, there was even a house that had train sets running through its yard and along its roof; needless to say cars backed up at this point gawking at the spectacle. There were tons of people both driving through this neighborhood and walking after having parked their car along side the road. The last time I remember seeing a neighborhood with this many people was probably when I was younger during Halloween. After we got home, we honored Kevin's family tradition (kinda) and we opened one gift each. The first one we opned was from Mom, she got us the Babycook processor, which is great for making homemade baby food and the other one was from Sharon, she got us a Flip recorder which will come in handy when the baby comes. It's a very easy recorder to use and download videos for sharing. So hopefully I can figure out how to put videos on here!

Top: Shaye got to open one of his gifts; he got a water bottle that he can take with him on runs with daddy or trail hiking with the family.  Maybe he'll get that doggie back pack he's been asking for for his birthday!  Above: Kevin is checking out the one gift he was to open and it was Beaba spoons!
Below:  I got to open a gift as well and it was a Babycook, look out TopChef!!!  Plus, Shaye demanded we open one more, a gift from our friends, K and Bill, and it turned out to be some small wool booties for the little one... so cute!!

Okay, so here is my first entry. Not really one for writing but, I figured with the little one on the way and everyone spread out across the globe, as far as family and friends, I figured I would start a blog where I could update everyone on what was going on out here in CA and put up pictures. Right now I am slowly putting together this site and I am not exactly sure how it works, while Kevin beats the XBOX into submission and Shaye happily chews his bone by the Christmas tree.