In a Jam

Because of the unusually cool weather in June (thank you global warming...) the raspberry bushes at my grandparent's and parent's houses have been prolific. We don't mind one bit.

The Unexpected

Here's a few things I've encountered that I didn't expect during pregnancy:

-Having to go to the bathroom all the time (and I've still got 100 days to go...)
-Feeling hot all the time
-My tendency to talk to baby, like telling her to cut it out when she punches my bladder for the fifth time in a row
-How much sweeter our marriage has become
-Everyone assumes you want to hear about their pregnancy issues and what labor is like
-You see the doctor for like 2 minutes and then get a bill for half of your life savings
-It's either a full bladder or a full stomach: they cannot coexist
-Every hour of my day is defined by where the closest bathrooms and food sources are
-It's really hard to clean a bathtub with a protruding belly

Photo update

Pony Express Day parade in Clarkston

Soccer with niece JJ

A variation on smores while camping at Great Basin National Park

Man building fire while women watch

Morning visitors outside the tent

Sunrise on Wheeler Mountain

Lehman Caves

The Merkley girls

Update

Erik with his dad

Cousin Mariah and I enjoying a Sunday dinner feast

Here's a quick rundown of what's going on for us right now.

Erik finished up his first year of med school in the beginning of June! Thankfully, he still wants to be a doctor and he's doing well in his classes. I know that the coming years will be more intense, but I'm proud of how well he's balanced his classwork with family and church. Immediately after his last finals he started work as a medical assistant at a clinic on campus. He works there 40 hours a week and comes home with interesting experiences, like taking out his first stitches and being exposed to the swine flu. He's still serving in the elder's quorum presidency at church, which has given us opportunity to meet and befriend more of the ward.

I'm finishing up work at the elementary school. The kids have been gone for a few weeks now, but there has been so much to catch up on. It seems like you can never get more than the day to day stuff done when the phones are ringing and kids are bleeding. At the end of school, the faculty and staff presented the Teacher Talent Show, and I got roped into a few numbers. I sang a duet about "My Least Favorite Things" (think Sound of Music) that happen at school in front of the whole school - definitely my biggest audience ever. Thankfully they were all under 12. Now I just have two more days left of work before I take on the summer and everything that comes with it. I know I'll be doing a lot of canning and preparation for our baby, and hopefully some trips and boating in there too. I'm in the primary presidency at church, which has made me pause... I found work at an elementary school, I'm working with young children at church, and I'm having a baby in October... clearly I'm supposed to be learning something.

Baby is quickly growing outward. It's been interesting to feel the pull and stretch of stomach muscles as they're forced to expand. I'm not thrilled that she's taken over my bladder or disturbed my sleep patterns, but it sure is a miracle to feel her kick. Erik talks to her just about every day, and he likes to play with her when she's kicking. She'll kick, and he'll tap a response, and then she'll kick again. They keep this up for a while without seeming to realize that I'm the one getting kicked! Sometimes I wish he wouldn't rile her up, but I don't have the heart to stop something so cute. I just tell myself that she's training to be a soccer player or gymnast.

We're all doing well and happy with life. Next post: our flying visit to Great Basin National Park!

I feel like a bad mom already

The other day, we got a coupon in the mail promising us a $10 gift card to Babies R Us if we went to the store and registered with them. I thought to myself, "Free diapers!" and convinced Erik to go with me. All we have to do, I think, is get a little scanner, scan a few random items, and claim our prize. When we show up the rain has driven a multitude of pregnant women inside, all waiting in line for their scanners. That should have scared me off (it did Erik) but I held firm, because I love gift cards. We finally got signed up and then set off for the infant section. I was instantly overwhelmed by whole walls full of bottle varieties, nursing accessories, and the all-important pacifier. Erik started looking around and said "I'm not spending money ever again." Not knowing what (if anything) she would need, we just skipped that section and went to car seats and strollers. There I realized how ill-prepared I am to be a mother. Words like rear-facing or front-facing, 3-in-1, stroller system, and umbrella stroller left me confused and uncertain of myself. I don't know whether a 3-in-1 carseat is better than a stroller system. I don't know if I'll ever use a bouncer or a swing. I started wandering more and more slowly through the store, staring at items I couldn't even name. Finally Erik had had enough, and steered me back to the registry booth. She took my scanner with a smile that faded as she realized we had only scanned six items. I wanted to tell her that normally I'm a very decisive person - our wedding registry was comprehensive and left Erik in a state of shock. All I could do, though, was numbly take the gift card and walk out of the store. I think I'm going to need a lot of advice from all of you baby-toting mama's! Please let me know what's a waste of time and money and what you couldn't live without. And any other advice on how to take care of a child that up til now I felt prepared for would be welcome.

This picture is of my mom and sister and I at my cousin Randee's wedding. I know it's not as impressive as a side shot, but you can kind of see the belly poking through!

And the baby is....

A GIRL!!!!!!
Lauren had her second ultrasound today. Baby (as we affectionately refer to her as) measured in the average range for all of the crucial measurements. This is probably the only time in her life where she will just be average with such a wonderful mother. Baby looked nice and happy in the womb and even waved to us.

Here are her hands waving to her adoring parents.

I am so grateful that everything seems to be going well with my girls!

Happy Mother's Day!

Very creative post title, I know. Anywho, just a small tribute to my mother and also to my lovely wife, the mother-to-be.