The Sun Sets on 2009

These were the questions I was asking last year: The trail, I ask myself, where is the trail leading? Does the answer even matter, aside from the idea that it leads away and out?Away from what? And out of where? My life is good, but I can't help dwelling on the idea that there's got to be more. More of what? Something. There's got be something more.

It seems the trail has led me to here. And, here I am. How utterly surprising to be here. I am pleasantly astonished that I did not need to go away and out, but rather, in and around my life, my city, my purpose. There is so much around me to celebrate: my husband that provides constant support, my city that provides countless opportunity, my community that provides endless variety, my home that provides security and comfort, and my baby who soon will provide some many nameless things.

This sunset represent to me the end of one phase and the beginning of another. The beginning of a new adventure, totally unpredictable, but sure to full of love and joy.

Cheers to the Universe! I offer a toast to the new decade. And, am thankful for all the goodness in my life!

I wish you all a safe and fabulous New Year!

Week 29

Date: 30 December 2009
How far along: Week 29, Day 5. Whoo Hoo!! Already in the third trimester!
Weight gain: Lost 1 pound this week. I'm eating smarter and working out a lot. So, even though I probably have another inch around my belly, I think I've lost a little around my butt and thighs.
Sleep: Sleeping is getting more uncomfortable. I sleep with a pillow between my legs but am up often to pee, then sometimes I can't get back to sleep, thinking stressful thoughts about my mother and sister. But, then Baby starts to kick and I consciously turn my negative thoughts to positive ones.
Best moment this week: Getting my library moved out of the 2nd bedroom, soon to be known as the nursery. Can't wait to paint and decorate!
Movement: I can now distinguish between hiccups and kicks.
Food cravings: Tea. I finally bought some decaf black tea, some barley tea and some decaf sencha. I'm reading the second book in the Earth's Children series and that keeps tea on the forefront of my mind. It's my second time through this series and I gotta say, it's blissful sitting around reading for a couple of hours each day. I also take the book with me to workout and thirty minutes go by on the treadmill like a breeze.
What I miss: Eating holiday chocolates. Who knew these had liquor in them? Is that common for holiday chocolates?
Next challenge: Making a decision about a doula. I haven't been able to meet with the one that is located in my neighborhood. You all know how much I love my neighborhood, so I really want to keep this one local, but if she doesn't have the time, I have to start looking elsewhere. I have one more recommendation to follow-up on and am avoiding this for a couple more days in the hopes that the local doula gets back to me.
What I am looking forward to: I'm missing wine. The Big D got several bottles from work clients and I am so looking forward to drinking them!
Weekly Wisdom: From Meditations for Pregnancy: I caress my belly and you float and rise in me. You whisper fathomless invitations, and I hear the echo of your form, sweet and ancient in the night. I relish our oneness and send you my joy to permeate every cell of your being. This is such a wonderful book. I recommend it to anyone pregnant or considering pregnancy or seeking a good pre-natal gift.

Here's me! I talked it over with the Big D and we decided it was OK to be a little more revealing in my photos. And considering last week's photo was one of me in my underwear, I figure my face can't be that much more shocking. Besides, I know I will want to put up pictures of baby and I certainly can't keep hiding behind my camera. It does very little for my self-esteem, this hiding behind my camera thing. I'm pregnant and over thirty pounds heavier than I've ever been. But, again, I'm pregnant and this is how I should be, right? Right.

This Friday we are going to go see a band and meeting some folks that I haven't seen in over 15 years. The band's guitar player is an old friend. I had a few freak out moments trying to figure out what to wear, wanting to look as good as I did when I was in my twenties, but then I just sat down and realized, I'm being dumb. That's the real reason for this shot of me and my face, a little bloated and swollen. But, I figure, if I can put it out to the world, showing up a dark nightclub can't be much worse.

From BabyCenter: Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

I read this and suddenly, I'm hungry for some butternut squash bisque! BTW, I had some awesome barley soup this week and the recipe came from A Good Appetite. Just perfect for a cold winter's night. I think I will make that squash soup. Then later this week I am going to take all my root vegetables: celeriac, turnips, beets, some cabbage, and carrots, and make a bunch of eggrolls that I can freeze and eat until Spring arrives. I'll post the recipe when I get around to the big project, sometime later this weekend or early next week.

A new year, a new adventure, the last stretch, the beginning of the end, and the beginning of all things new. Oooooh, Baby, I just can't wait!

Witch's Hat Water Tower

This is a such a distinctive landmark on the border of St. Paul and Minneapolis. It stands out in any season. I think I shot this photo the day after Xmas and it was such a gray, snowy day. I've never been up on the observation area and apparently it is only open a few days a year. I also read that it was intended to be used as a bandshell as well as a water tower, but the climb up was to much for the musicians. There has been only one concert since the tower was built in 1914.

Introducing Teddy Marley

I made this! It took me one whole trimester and a whole lot of tinkering, but he's finally done! There was a lot of uncertainty and frustration with how the pattern was written, but he got done. I'm suppposed to make sweater for Teddy, but have opted to just clothe him in a t-shirt. But, this one is a little too big. Baby will get it when she's older. It cracked me up when I realized that Baby Girl will be smaller than Teddy. He'll just have to sit and wait in the corner of the crib for her to grow a little bigger.

I hope she loves him!

Last week, I found this CD at a local shop and I just had to have it. I wrote about Bob Marley for my doctorate dissertation, but unfortunately, I have not been able to listen to his music since then. I am very excited to have a very different reason to listen to Marley and how cute is this?



Now, take a look at the original Wailer's album and compare the cover art for both these CDs. Too cute!

Week 28

Date: 24 December 2009
How far along: 28 weeks, 5 days
Weight gain: 2 lbs. since last pre-natal visit. I was really excited about this until I realized it's just been two weeks since my last appointment. I guess I'm right on track now - 1 pound per week.
Sleep: Strange dreams in which I sometimes tell myself I should write a novel about this, Stephanie Meyer style. I am sleeping now with a pillow between my legs which is super comfortable. I've noticed I have trouble sleeping when it is snowing outside, must by the low pressure system over the region.
Best moment this week: With D off from work the whole week, we've had time to relax with each other. I like the early morning when I get to pull his hand to my belly and let him feel Baby kicking. He chuckles in this sleepy way that I find to sexy. He's already talking about staking out his time with her and that just makes my heart grow and soar!
Movement: I wake up early in the morning to her kicking and it feels like fireworks are going off in my belly! Definitely feeling the hiccups!
Food cravings: Fish and chips. I am eating carrots instead of chips with my sandwiches and man, does that hit the spot. Crab legs tonight for Xmas eve! Yum!
What I miss: I have been walking on a regular basis on at treadmill at the gym. Every time I go I walk longer and faster. Now, I'm craving a short run, but am hesitant to take it to that level. I also miss regular yoga classes. And believe or not, I miss shoveling.
Next challenge: Checking my blood sugar levels in the morning after breakfast. My doctor told me to experiment with what I eat to pinpoint the foods that are harder to process. So, I will be eating a little something different each morning. Everything from cream of wheat to cold cereal to an egg with a whole wheat english muffin. She said I could return to my daily habit of starting the day with half an apple with cheese which I'm really happy about because it gets me hydrated right away after a night of fasting.
What I am looking forward to: Next Christmas. D sings corny songs to me and I just wait to see him share these with Baby.
Weekly Wisdom: From an old friend, Dr. G, who emailed this bit of advise, "food combining is what's really needed, good portions of fat, fiber, and protein in the right proportion to carbs will help you to avoid spiking your blood sugar, and keep you healthy." I really appreciated this sort of advise because it acknowledged that I do eat healthy, but that I could be smarter about my healthy eating.

As you can see from this picture, I'm getting big. I felt like a grew a few inches around my belly just over the weekend. It's getting a little harder for me to get up off the couch and bend down to put on my shoes. I bought a new pair of boots that allow me to zip up the front and that helps me a bit.

D came with my to my pre-natal appointment and that was fun. We both got a chance to talk with the doctor about gestational diabetes. We reviewed my diet and she confirmed that I am eating healthy and encouraged me to have some treats. The one thing she said to change was doing my daily workout in the morning rather than in the afternoon. She said chances are my blood sugars are higher in the morning, so a walk should help bring those down. She also assured me that there are a few steps we can take before having to resort to insulin.

From BabyCenter: By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

I can't wait to see her pretty, pretty eyelashes!! I can feel her spine on the side of my belly and find it so cute that she does circles in there!

Solstice Night Date

Today on this longest of nights, winter officially begins. It is Solstice night and from this night onward the days will get longer. This brings such a sense to relief to my heart. Relief that we are on our way to warmer weather and longer days, brighter sunshine and yet another change in seasons. Of course, there are still several months of winter left here in the upper Midwest, but the longer days always brings hope that it will all end soon.

The Big D is on vacation this whole week and hanging with him has been a blast. Yesterday we drove all over the Cities trying to find him a copy of a book, the next in the series he is reading. I had forgotten to request it from the library and we had to find a copy for his vacation.

The only thing missing from this week is the chance to cross country ski. The temps have been perfect, staying in the mid-twenties, but there isn't enough snow to really enjoy it. And, dang-it, I'm a bit nervous, feeling like I'm putting inches around my belly everyday. There is supposed to be a big winter snow storm building for later this week, maybe then I'll brave the ski trails. I'm missing the quiet of the woods, the crunch and slide of the snow, the feeling of solitude in winter wonderland.

Today, we had a relaxing morning, then some time spent at the health club getting our workout in and sweating ourselves to fitness. Later, we dared to venture into a nearby Mall for some gift exchanges and a little bit of maternity shopping. We picked the perfect time, a lull in all the shopping craziness. He was jittery from a late afternoon cup of coffee and I was just thrilled to be out of the house, so we decided to extend our time out by heading down to the river for some fish and chips. I was craving it and it was great while I ate it, but now I'm battling some heartburn that is just about to go away, I hope!



We went to Tuggs for a Solstice Night date. I love the old photographs in this bar; the brickwork that curiously has a coat of poly on it.




It was strange to think that in just a few months our lives will dramatically change. But, he is always expressing how much he's looking forward to Baby coming to our home, and so, I catch his excitement like a contagion.

If tonight marks the beginning of winter, Baby will come with winter's end and the beginning of a new season, a new life, a new world.