Love List

This has been a magical week. I am loving being a mom and all that comes with it. Here are some specific things I am loving.

Ok I had to start off with this pic. It cracks me up.


1. Feeling productive. After too many months of just gestating and trying to fill in my time I now find that the simple ritual of feed/change/nap extremely productive and rewarding. Especially since M is rocking the baby charts.

2. HGTV. I loved HGTV before but lately it has been a lifesaver during those midnight feedings.

3. Breastfeeding. I won't get too specific here but I feel so blessed that it has come so naturally, even if I had to change today because of leakage issues....

4.Everything about Baby M. His smiles, his squirms, his smell. Oh goodness, I had heard about the smell of your own baby but seriously I cannot get enough of it. I just sniff him all day long.

5. My hubby. One night M was having some trouble getting back to sleep (aka he needed to burp) and I stood there patting his back and rocking him trying to lull him into sweet dreams. The hubby got out of bed and rocked with us while giving me a massage. I wanted to cry. I feel so lucky to have such a stud of a husband and father for my child. To see the way he looks at M makes me super happy.

I feel so greatful for such a content little guy. He is already switching to a night schedule and it makes me happy. He has brought so much joy to my life already I can't wait for the future.

The Best Day of My Life

*Disclaimer: this is a birth story *

Friday I met with my doctor, Doctor Rowles, for my 40 week check-up. I was one day past my due date and I was baby would have already come. Dr. Rowles checked me, and I hadn’t progressed any further than the previous week. He also did an ultrasound on baby’s head to make sure his head wasn’t so ginormous that it couldn’t fit through the birth canal. Average size, all good. He then preceded to jinx the weekend by telling me not to have baby this weekend because he would be in Lake Chelan running a triathlon and then one part of a relay thing, seriously I am not kidding. I had a feeling though that baby wanted to come soon. Turns out I was right.

Saturday I decided to take my little sis to see Harry Potter. Ok really I just wanted to make sure I could see Harry Potter before going to the movies got more difficult. So I bought the tickets online and then went to the bathroom. In the bathroom it was clear I had lost my mucus plug. I was pretty excited but losing your plug doesn’t mean labor is coming at a specific time, just soonish.

During the movie I started having some contractions. Harry Potter must have put a spell on me or something. The contractions were about every 15 minutes or so and were lasting about 30 seconds. So it was definitely durable, though uncomfortable. They continued to progress during the day and I called Kyle to let him know things were moving. I was starting to get a little freaked out since my doctor was out of town but I prayed that it was just Saturday he was gone and not Sunday as well.

Fast forward…

It’s night and my contractions are painful, lasting about a minute and coming every 4-5 minutes. This means it is time for the hospital. I already knew that I was having back labor because I could feel baby kicking me in the front. Back labor is no bueno. It hurts a whole lot, but I was enduring.

We called the doctor and found Dr. Rowles was still out of town. So was Dr. Harrington who was supposed to be covering for him. So were six other doctors. I was a little upset at this point because now I had no idea who I was going to get, but I focused on the task at hand, making it through the next contraction. After waiting half an hour for the nurse to call back about what doctor was available and if we could go to the hospital we finally left around midnight.

We got the hospital, they set me up in an “outpatient” room, because they thought they were going to send me home. No way suckas! I was dilated to a 4 and baby wanted to come. So they let me have a regular room and the nurses asked me all sorts of questions about my health and such. They tried putting the IV in my arm and on the third try they were successful. I now have some pretty bruises because of their lame attempts. But they were nice nurses.

I walked around the hallway, threw up after some ill advice from my mother to take deeper breaths. Once I took those deeper breathes my stomach became a not and then I was on all fours in the hospital hallway (thank goodness this was at night) throwing up into a trash can. We decided walking wasn’t really my favorite and I wanted to try out the Jacuzzi. The Jacuzzi was nice but back labor was still killing me. Kyle and my mother were both with me and so they took turns napping during the evening and helping me out. I am very grateful for them.

The contractions were getting worse and I continued to dilate and yet I had not met the doctor who would be delivering yet. This was really starting to irk me. His name was Dr. Maganito and I just wanted to meet the guy before he helped me through the hardest thing I would ever experience. I waited and waited, bearing through the pain. Eventually two of my new favorite people in the world came into the room, Dr. Anna (I wish I could remember her last name) who was a resident to Dr. Rowles and Dr. Danny (again I cannot for the life of me remember their last names…) who was a third year med student. They would prove to be angels sent from God.

oh the joys of labor...

Anna and Danny were super nice and spirited and I liked them right away. They seemed impressed with my coping through contractions and were fully supportive of my desire to birth naturally. I also got a new nurse around 7am, Tara, who was bomb.com. I love her. She was peppy and happy and she called me family since we share the same last name.

Eventually I met Dr. Maganito. He basically walked in and said hello while he let Anna and Danny check me out. At this point I was getting really tired, I had not slept since the night before and the contractions were sending me into a trauma like state. Every time one would come my body would shake like I had a bad case of the shivers. I would try different breathing techniques and eventually the contraction would end. Tara brought me a heated blanket which became my new best friend. It was so warm and wonderful and really helped with contractions.

So, when you have back labor, they suggest that you get on your hands and knees and it will help baby to flip and supposedly it helps keep the weight off your back so the pain is more bearable. Well each time I tried this I cried because the pain was even worse than before. I did not like being on my hands and knees. Surprisingly, my favorite position was on my back propped up by the bed, sort of in a reclining position.

I remember this picture so vividly because right after Kyle took it, I had one of the worst contractions....

Ok, so I was tired, hungry, pain was getting worse and every time a doctor would come in and talk to me I would listen with my eyes closed because I could no longer physically keep them open.

Oh and every contraction started feeling like this:

I was struggling and Anna and Danny talked to me about getting an epidural. I really didn’t want an epidural but I had told myself that if labor was too long, I was going to need some sort of relief. They also explained at this point my body was in such a state of stress that I wasn’t progressing like I was before. I had been in labor for 20 hours and I needed a break. I looked at Kyle and I knew that the epidural was going to help me. Anna explained that in all reality at this point it was going to make the experience better because I would be able to get some rest and have some energy for pushing and actually meeting this baby. She sold me right there. As soon as I got the epidural I fell asleep for an hour and half. Then it was time to push.

After an epidural and a much needed nap.

This is where things got scary but I was completely unaware. My first two contractions came close together and because I did so much pushing immediately, baby’s heart rate dropped considerably. Dr. Anna was going to deliver, Kyle was holding one leg and Dr. Danny the other. Dr. Maganito was supervising and also switching rooms because another mom was about three minutes behind me. When Dr. Maganito saw the heart rate drop, he immediately called for the OR, ordered the nurses to give Kyle scrubs, and I remember hearing the word scalpel. I was so focused on pushing that I didn’t even realize what was going on. My mom told me later that amidst the brash decision to go for an emergency c-section, Dr. Anna (a resident mind you) stood her ground to a senior doctor and said, “No, I got this. This is not necessary” or something like that. She got me on my hands and knees (didn’t hurt at this point because my lower body was jello, although it was humorous to try to move my body without sensation in my legs) and gave me an oxygen mask. Baby’s heart rate improved immediately and we took a little break to recover.

Now I wasn’t even aware anything scary had happened, I do remember getting the oxygen mask and going “ooo I always wanted to try one of these” and just giggling about everything. The room had been so lighthearted and I hadn’t noticed a change because Dr. Anna maintained the lighthearted spirit throughout it all. She continued to talk to me and it was like she knew how to keep me calm and relaxed. That is what we focused on for the rest of delivery which went beautifully. After about an hour of pushing, Maxwell Thomas Prescott was born at 2:30pm.

welcome to the world little man!

It was surreal, an out-of-body experience seeing this baby who had just been inside me. I couldn’t believe he was here and I just looked at Kyle and my heart swelled to epic proportions. Maxwell was crying and I so I started singing “I am a child of God” to him (a children’s hymn) and he immediately stopped crying. It was such a special moment I will remember forever. He knew that song and he knew my voice. I felt so connected to him and to my husband.

When I see them together, my heart melts a whole lot.

My birth story wasn’t exactly what I had imagined, but Maxwell came into this world healthy and handsome and absolutely perfect. I feel blessed for the modern medicine that exists today that allowed me to enjoy the delivery of my child. I feel blessed for doctors who follow their instincts and hold their ground for the best interest of the patient. I feel blessed for my mother and husband who supported, massaged, and talked me through.

In the end I was proud of myself. I was proud for trying, I was proud that I knew when I need help, I was proud that I had participated in the creation of life.

Came home to a double rainbow...pretty perfect end to an amazing experience.

Introducing!

I'm in love.

Memories of Pregnancy

I remember thinking that I would not be one of those women who will do anything to get baby to come. My motto was, "Baby knows" and to an extent I still agree and attempt to abide by this motto. But I didn't realize how extremely frustrating it is to be nine months pregnant and to watch your due date pass you by.

What is even more annoying is people who say, "You look like you are going to pop" (It's the word "pop" that really ruffles my feathers)... or when they say, "You are still pregnant?" Like I didn't realize that the baby had not come out yet...

So I feel like I am playing a mind game with this baby...or is it with my body? Who knows but I'm sick of thinking about it.

Instead I thought I would go over some of my more memorable moments of being pregnant.

My early days of pregnancy were void of morning sickness puking. I do not throw up easily, mostly I just lay and moan. So the first couple of months involved me laying on our couch after work and just not wanting to move. In fact if my stomach started to get too upset I would belch. That's right, I burped the vomit away. When you have to throw up acid is building up in your stomach, so there is some gas involved. So I would burp and it would relieve that acidic pressure. TMI? Well if that was bad for you, I warn you not to read further.

I did throw up. Three isolated sets. The first was Christmas Eve. I had just taken my prenatal vitamins. Previously I had gotten the gummy versions but I couldn't find them on my shopping trip to Safeway (really Safeway?) so I just bought the One-A-Day brand that came with two bottles. These ones were different because they contained iron. Me and iron don't like each other apparently and there is a reason they tell you to eat something before you take those pills. Iron needs something to grab onto and I took the pill right before bed and apparently my stomach was empty. So the iron wanted to come back up....Merry Christmas.

The second time was just at home, I tried eating something with it but apparently it wasn't substantial enough. I was really starting to hate the iron in these pills.

The third time was the most embarrasing moment of my pregnancy, by far. I had decided that taking my pills in the morning after breakfast was working best. Well I was late for work one morning (pregnancy fatigue made me like my sleep a little too much) and decided I would pick up some McD's since it was right by the apartment my family stayed at. Every morning I craved a Egg McMuffin so I was glad for an excuse to pick on up. My plan was pick up sandwhich, eat half of sandwhich in parking lot, take pill, drive the last 2 blocks to work and eat rest of sandwhich in the car.

I went along with my plan, but as I finished my sandwich and stepped out of the car in the parking garage my stomach made that familiar naseous gurgle. I pressed the button for the elevator and tried to suppress the feeling that I was going to see my Egg McMuffin again. The elevator rose and so did my stomach. The vomit came up but it wasn't so much that I couldn't swallow it back down. Relief settled over for a moment as the doors opened to the 8th floor. But it was coming back, swallowing your vomit does not work... as I rushed down the hallway the urge increased in greater form and I vomited with no receptacle in sight but my very own hand.

A hand is a surprisingly good vomit receptacle turns out.

I prayed my boss had already left for work (her husband would be home but still asleep), but no, she was on the other side of the door and viewed me in all my glory and I tried to mumble "sorry" with my hand pressed to my mouth and my mouth still pretty full of the nasty stuff. She motioned me to the bathroom and brought me water.

It was not my finest moment and it makes me laugh.

The other one I can think of that is worthy enough to note happened this past Thursday. When my mom was pregnant with me the nurses at the hospital told her to buy a DQ blizzard and walk up and down the terraces at the local park. So the hubby and I were near a DQ and decided some aerobic walking would do me some good (ok really I just wanted an excuse to get a blizzard and if that comes with hiking up and down a hill that is fine with me).

I had flip flops because it is impossible to try to put on another type of shoe. Flip flops are not good for walking up and down the terraces so I braved it in my bare feet. Now I knew there were bees around and I was doing my best to dodge them, but on my third time down while dodging one I apparently stepped right onto another. It only got my toe but man it sucked. I wobbled back up the hill and into the car laughing at the hilarity of it all.

God has a sense of humor my friends.

Love Story Photo Tour

I am trying to keep myself busy to distract me from the fact that I am a day over my due date and I am still pregnant. I just want to meet this little baby, sheesh.

Last Sunday the hubby and I dropped my sister off at the camp where we met and fell in love. I decided it would be fun to get some pictures of the places where certain events happened.

This first room is Harvey Hunt Hall, or the dining room. This is where I first saw the boy with the yellow hair. We used to eat at wooden picnic tables but they were replaced about four years ago with these handy round tables which are MUCH easier to move when we have talent shows, dances, and have to mop the floor.



You can see the door to the kitchen which is where I heard the hubby tell me he loved me for the first time. Unfortunately they were working in the kitchen and I didn't know the new cook, so I didn't take a picture of the walk in fridge :)

"That's a track shot. That's a track jump. That's a track side step..."



This is where I sat when I taunted and teased Mongoose as he played basketball.

This is the basketball court where they played.



This is one of my favorite views from camp. The dock.

That island is known as Strawberry Island, named because when you hike up Mt. Kamaikan and look down from above it is shaped like a strawberry.



The dock has changed a bit, it used to be completely connected in a "U" shape. But the part that was removed was rotting and sinking and so it had to go. The dock is where Mongoose shaded me from the sun and threw me in the lake.

This next room was where we had that magical moment of chemistry where he bandaged my finger.



This room has changed quite a bit. The sink used to be a counter top, but those shelves are the same.

This is the area above the lake and that main building you see is Arts and Crafts. It is the smallest, nastiest building but it hasn't changed since the camp was built and no one wants to ruin that part of history. This is the spot where Mongoose tricked me into smelling his lips, making for an awkward moment.




We thought we would reenact that moment for you.



This is bottom of Shinn Lodge. This is where we had a staff sleepover and Mongoose held my hand for the first time. There weren't always couches in this room, most of the time it was empty. They just put new paneling up on the walls and are in the process of painting it white, but that carpet is the same and right in front of the couch is about where we slept.



This final room is the staff lounge. This is where majority of staff training takes places and this is where we first kissed. This room has not changed one bit. The carpet, couches, wall art is all the same. It's a magical place to have a first kiss eh?



Well I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the places I have attempted to describe through my story. This is a very special place to me. These places have remained largely the same throughout my growing up at camp. I love this place, so much.

Love Story Part 11

As much as Mongoose and I loved being around each other, camp policy was that relationships should not be publicly displayed. For our closer camp staff friends, they figured out quickly that we were dating and everyone was fine with it. Some staff members were a little more “lost in the woods” about the state of Mongoose and Gidget. In fact, one counselor in particular created some hilarious moments for us to remember. His name was Bacon and he was a really nice guy, a little clueless, but very nice. Mongoose had him as an AC for a majority of the summer, but he still didn’t catch on that we were dating.

One Friday night, after parents and kids had gone home, we as staff decided to chill up at camp. It was dark and we were still feeling adventurous. We decided going on a walk in the dark would be the perfect way to end our week. There is a small waterfall that is about five minutes away and we agreed that it was our destination for our night excursion. We needed flashlight however, so Bacon volunteered to go grab some. He ran to his cabin and while he was gone, over half of the group decided they wanted to go the opposite direction. Mongoose and I wanted some alone time and I they recognized this. So we decided we would still walk to the waterfall. They claimed they would fill Bacon in on the new plan and so we started walking. We didn’t need flashlights, just the moon really. So we let the summer night sky guide us to our destination.

We made it to the edge of camp when we heard,

“Hey…wait up….wait up guys…”

It was Bacon.

“Uh, hey Bacon…actually everyone else decided to walk to the lake bank…you should still be able to catch up with them.” Mongoose tried his best, but for someone who had yet to figure out Mongoose and I were dating, he wasn’t going to pick up on the hint that he wasn’t really invited to this little excursion.

“Oh, really? Hmmm…Nah…I really wanted to see the waterfall at night so I will just come with you two,” He reasoned with himself.

Mongoose and I exchanged glances and raised eyebrows. Mongoose tried to hide a chuckle as openly displayed my annoyance. It was dark, so he couldn’t really see. We continued our walk. With Bacon.

It was as awkward as you could imagine and having a flashlight didn’t help. He would constantly shine it in our faces as he excitedly explored the waterfall and climbed around it. He disappeared for a few moments where we could share some peace and look up at the stars. Mongoose stole a kiss right before we saw his flashlight reemerge from behind a tree.

It took Bacon about six weeks to figure out we were dating. Campers figured it out before he could. It was hard to keep ourselves a secret. We were just so smitten and flirtation was too fun to pass up. Mongoose would find little ways to write me notes or buy me candy from the camp store. He would wink during meals and find ways to hug me or wrestle me to the ground (He can be very creative). The campers would see us flirting and ask if we were boyfriend and girlfriend. Often we would claim we were siblings, which seems strange to think about now. So the campers would ask other staff to verify our status and I think Bacon finally just got fed up with being asked so much.

During dinner one night he sat across from Mongoose,

“So all the kids think you and Gidget are dating…isn’t that funny.” I am not sure whether he was trying to dance around the subject, trying to be sneaky, or he really though it was funny. My guess is the latter.

“Uh, we kinda are dating.” Mongoose was tired of him not knowing, he just wanted to fill him in.

Bacon sat there for a second thinking and then stated, “Congratulations!” and shook Mongoose’s hand.

Apparently I was some type of reward, and Mongoose had won.

The summer moved forward faster than I could anticipate and so did our relationship. I was so smitten with this boy. He completed me in such a perfect way that I thought it could have been one big dream. I lived in the moment and soaked the summer in. The late night talks, the walks, the notes, and the sneaky ways he would find to kiss me. He made me feel special, like I was the only girl he saw.

One day during a meal, a camper walked up to me and said,

“Mongoose said he doesn’t like you.”

This camper came almost every week during the summer and so he was aware of our relationship. Mongoose had used him to tease me which he LOVED to do. He would find anyway to tease me and often I would respond by holding up my fingers in the shape of heart and breaking them apart, signaling to him that he just “broke my heart.”
He would usually respond by trying to mend the heart back together with stitches and kisses but today he was feeling a little more adventurous.

“So I hear you don’t like me anymore,” I mock cried passing him in the kitchen. I was filling a pitcher with water when I nearly had a heart palpitation.

“I don’t like you, I love you.” He casually said as he walked back to his table. Once he reached the table he sat and flashed me that smile.

Was this part of the teasing? Was he serious? I wasn’t sure how to gauge what had just happened but I felt nervous, sick to my stomach. I let it go without a word, deciding it was said more as a joke than anything. Maybe it was my mind trying to ease my heart, but it would be awhile before we talked about love again.

Click here for Part 12

What a good weekend.

My goal is to start photographing more of my life. I have the camera to do so, so really I should take advantage of it. I used to be so good about taking pictures. Was it the vanity of my college days? Has that vanity even left? Mostly I stopped taking so many pictures after traveling to Italy. I had gone on picture overload and I was just kinda over it. Plus I lost my charger for my point-and-shoot so that made taking pictures difficult.

Now I endeavor to pursue understanding this fancy schmancy camera of mine. I love the quality of photos. They make me ever so happy.

Our weekend flew by but it was filled with time for me and my hubby to spend together before the baby gets here. We get to laugh at how many people will stare at my belly or give me raised eyebrows or even ask about my status. You would be so surprised with who wants to talk to you when you are pregnant. It's pretty much everybody.

The weekend started with a haircut. I just wanted something new and I am so glad with how it turned out. The inspiration was Jennifer Aniston (at my stylist's suggestion) but I adore it.



It's longer than her actual look. That's because curly hair can't go crazy short. Just thought I would let you know.

Saturday I did my water aerobics, went to a fastpitch game (got sunburned....), and then hubby got off work early! So we went to the folklife festival in Yakima. This festival cracks me up. It's a mix of renaissance and hippy and a whole lot of small town music. Our dinner options were corn dogs, pizza, gyros, or filipino food. Seriously random. We opted for filipino and were not disappointed.





Then we walked around and looked at the booths of jewlrey and clothes and such. Nothing worth buying but still fun to wander. We of course had to snack on an elephant ear. I had to explain a bajillion times to the hubby the difference between an elephant ear and funnel cakes. He just did not get it. Not matter how many pictures I showed him. Boys.



We listened to this guy play some folksy, bluesy tunes as we munched and chatted about how much our life is going to change in the next couple of days (granted baby comes this week...)





It was a lovely evening.

Sunday we attended our church meetings and were edified greatly by the Spirit. It was such a good day. Especially since we made a quick trip to where it all began.



I love this place and the slogan "experience of a lifetime" really fits where we are. This place has changed my life. This is where I grew up into an adult and this is where I met my husband. My heart has a whole in it each summer that I am not there and all it takes is a quick trip for it to be filled with familiar faces, spaces, and that magic that is found no where else.



This picture is of the summer when we met. I am sitting third from the left on the bottom and hubby is that boy with the bleach blonde hair at the far right. We did a little picture tour of all the places that I have mentioned in our love story and I will post those sometime this week...if baby doesn't interrupt.

We were up at camp to drop of my little sister who is starting the CIT (counselor in training) program. Is it sad that I am excited to have two weeks without her fourteen-year-old antics? I am sad that she gets to be there for the best week of the summer, X-treme week!

X-treme (not extreme) week is a week of pure awesomeness. Everything is amplified and everything is a competition. Who can clean the table the fastest? 20 points to the Purple cabin! Who will wake up every morning and be at Polar Bear swim? 25 points! There is a lot of screaming, a lot of mud (on the overnight campout each cabin competes to be the "dirtiest" cabin....you can only imagine the pictures), and a whole lot of fun.

It was always my favorite week as a camper and staff, but unfortunately I never won. I am very bitter about this. It made me laugh though to know that baby's due date is during X-treme week. It is quite fitting really. My old boss told me that if I had baby this week I can be an honorary X-treme winner, because let's be honest.....labor is pretty X-treme.



The X-treme week hand sign.

Okay baby. I really want that honorary win. Please come this week so mommy can say that she was the most X-treme. Thank you.

Dear Baby

Dear Baby,

It has been roughly eight months since I knew you existed. I remember the day I found out. I was working at the temple and was assigned to the Celestial Room. I love that room, it's where I hear Heavenly Father most clearly and where I truly feel he hears me. I was asking him why you hadn't come yet. Why the miscarriage? Why the wait? I was doing everything He had asked me to do. So why no baby? I received personal revelation about what I needed to change in my life and I made a personal covenant to do my best. I had this good feeling and driving home I thought...what if?

I needed to stop at the store anyways so why not pick up a test? Or two? I grabbed some tests and headed home. I was planning on waiting a couple more days to take them but curiosity got the best of me.

I remember seeing the positive sign come up and the spirit rushed into the room. I knew that the revelation I had received, the changes I had promised to make were real and oh how my heart swelled with joy at the thought of you.

I was still scared though. After a miscarriage I lived in a state of fear over you. I didn't want any pictures of my belly for fear of you not making it. So I held off on getting excited. Occasionally I would take a picture or two of my belly but it wasn't until I heard your heartbeat that my own heart was still.

There it was. Thump, thump, thump. You were real and every month I would get so excited to hear your little heart.

When I started to feel you kick I could have lept with joy! It started out as a flutter and now you kick my ribs. Sometimes I complain, but really I don't mind, because it reminds me you are there.

I was scared to talk to you, I think it was a residual fear of losing you, of getting too attached. But I decided living in fear wasn't really helping us bond. There will always be that fear of losing you. But we are connected. My life is your life.

So now I wait. You are supposed to come in about 8 days and I can't wait to see your face. Your eyes, your nose, your ears, your toes, I could go on an on and I know that when I see you. I will know you are mine. I am excited you made it baby. So excited.

Six Years Ago on the 4th of July

My hubby and I solidified our relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend. So I happen to love the fourth of July because it's kinda special and it is the epitome of summer.

Oh summer you beckon us with your sunshine and popsicles during the cold of the winter. Then we complain about it. Ok maybe you just complain if you are 9 days from your due date and are terribly uncomfortable and just want to meet the little person that is growing inside of you.






My theory was that if the baby came on the 4th it would be a girl. Only a girl would be that sentimental (stereotype much?). So my guess is a boy although that has been my guess all along....

Right. Back to the 4th of July.

Hubby had to work and so I enjoyed the day as much as possible without him. Thankfully he got off in time to make it to the BBQ with us. To be honest I wasn't expecting much from this BBQ. But it delivered.

Bananagrams anyone? FYI that is NOT my husbands beer. That is his sparkly tangerine juice however.

Here is my sparkly mango juice. These are super yummy.

It delivered because of an epic water balloon fight.

So at first I was just photographer of the glory of this battle, but those teens were getting tricky and my mom needed some help tying balloons. So I joined forces with the blue team. Well as most water balloon fights go.....soon hoses and buckets were used because they got you WAY more wet. Since I had charge of the hose I figured I could use that and my pregnancy status to ward off attacks.....It worked for awhile.

Teens have no mercy. Pretty soon I was sprinting away from buckets of water (they spared hitting me with balloons...for the most part). Everyone was surprised with how fast I could run.....Fight or flight man. I am all about flight.

So we got pretty wet. Then we ate dessert soaking in the last few rays of the summer sun.

Our night ended with us driving as fast as we could DURING the fireworks show to get a better view. It all worked out and it was a happy day.

Now the wait for baby continues...

Time goes ticking on...

I am sitting here in my bedroom thinking about life. I find that I have a lot of time on my hands lately to do this. Besides trying to distract myself with minesweeper my mind continually goes back to how I imagine my life being different.

Not different in a my-life-sucks-right-now way but different in the sense of,I want to be better. I want to find more joy in the small and simple things. I want to create beautiful things. I want to surround myself with love and let that love more fully go forth from me.

Maybe it's the fact that my due date is in 14 days and doctor says I am starting to progress (okay it's most likely this) but I know my world is going to change soon. Change for the better. I am really really really anxious about this. I am anxious because I feel joy coming my way. I am trying to soak up these last moments of solitude because I know from now on, my life really is not my own anymore. I will be responsible for someone else and I am more than glad for that. I am excited to stretch my inner being because I know that is what will develop my character.

So the sun is beating in the sky and I will probably return to another game of minesweeper (advanced because I am bomb like that) and be glad that I will be swimming shortly.