Pain in the back!

That is my lower back. I think all of the extra weight is changing my posture now. Fortunately it is tolerable, but requires frequent stretches and good supportive shoes. I still really do feel lucky that I feel as well as I do though. I am really not complaining.

Jesse has posted the 4 month belly picture for you all to see. Soon we will have our next ultrasound, and then we will (hopefully) finally know the sex of the baby. Then we can start letting all of you know about colors and stuff for the nursery. It is so exciting!

Jesse started his graduate seminar this week and really likes it. He is in a small class that meets once a week, that is fortunately being paid for by the University! That is one of the perks that he gets for working hard and getting great grades! Nothing else has really happened this week to mention. Just the same old work week stuff, so I won't bore you with that. We hope you have a nice week this week and will talk to you soon!

Hay Fever !?!?

So, apparently Marley has hay fever! She went to the vet this past week, and he said her ears were congested, and she, like humans suffers from hay fever of all things. Strange, but at least she doesn't need to take any medicine. Fortunately aside from this, and her "obese" rating on the cat body type scale she is perfectly healthy - knock on wood! For those of you with cats, if you don't already use a "cat only" vet, I would highly suggest doing so. It is amazing how much quieter it is for scared felines when there aren't a bunch of dogs barking. No offense against dogs :).

This past week has been really nice and relaxing. I celebrated my 32nd birthday with a beautiful bouquet of roses from Jesse, a massage, 2 shopping trips, and a steak dinner at the outback! I received a lot of calls from friends and family, as well as cards, more flowers, and wow- a whole lot of stuff! Thank you everyone for your generosity. It is so nice to be remembered and loved.

I am feeling pretty good these days. I am into my fifth month of pregnancy, and am growing very fast. People often ask me if I am having twins! Of course, I am not- as the ultrasound proves . According to my OB doctor, it is just the way I am "carrying." That is fine with me as long as I can keep "carrying" in my belly alone, and nowhere else. I am proud to say I am still wearing the same pant size aside from the extra stretchy material in the front!

Jesse starts classes this week, for the last time before he finishes his degree. He is ready to go and get things moving! Hopefully the quarter goes smoothly and quickly for his sake. I know he is ready to be finished, work full time without school, and focus on being a daddy!

Hope you all have a good week!

It's been a nice long weekend...

Jesse and I had originally scheduled a camping trip over this past weekend, but canceled at the last minute. Much to our disappointment, the beautiful Seattle summer weather brought rain. Normally the summers are nice and warm and dry, and despite a beautiful week last week, the forecast was not worth taking the risk of wet soggy gear. Instead, Jesse and I stayed home and took care of a bunch of errands, got plenty of rest, and enjoyed some meals out at our favorite restaurants. It has been really nice.

Tomorrow we go to the OBGYN for another check-up. I don't have a lot to report, other than all of the usual things you might expect a pregnant person to be experiencing. The most joyful of these things is the fetal movement. It is happening more frequently, and is starting to feel like less of a flutter and more of a wiggle. The "morning" sickness has nearly vanished, and I have a lot more energy. The not so pleasant (but tolerable) other things I've been experiencing are daily headaches (thank you hormones :)), heartburn, and swollen throbbing feet. I have been wearing support hose during the day at work that seem to be helping with the swelling, but am soon to indulge in a pregnancy massage at the spa. Also, despite my always referring to the baby as "he," it has felt more like a little girl this week!

Jesse is doing quite well with his job lately. He is enjoying working for the University very much. He will be registering for his last graduate seminar soon, which will mean a lot of extra work, but is happy to almost be finished with his degree. At some point in the future he will have his acedemic website up again for everyone to view.

And lastly, I apologize for this post being a little late (more than a week since the last). I don't really have an excuse, but will try to post a little more often. Have a great week!

What a view!

Jesse and I spent this past week at one of our very favorite places to go, Kalaloch. We stayed in the campground for 2 nights over the holiday weekend. We were very lucky to have one of the best beach front sites. The views of the Pacific ocean were magnificent. We were able to relax in our chairs while watching the waves and the sunset, and kids flying their kites and burying themselves in the sand. We saw a gorgeous sunset the first night, and enjoyed a late night walk out towards the ocean at low tide. No flashlights were necessary as the moon and the reflection of the stars on the sand provided enough light to navigate. The lucky few that have been to this campground know what it is like to have driftwood fires on the beach, and crunchy french toast at the lodge for breakfast. For those of you who haven't experienced this, you really need to visit Washington's wild Olympic coast. Speaking of the crunchy french toast, there are other sleeping options at the Kalaloch lodge, such as cabins, and rooms. The best part about staying at the lodge is that you are that much closer to the restaurant for breakfast. Did I mention the crunchy french toast? haha Sometime I will type a little more about this area, and other places that we love in Washington state and elsewhere. Check out the website when you have time: www.visitkalaloch.com

Oh yeah, one other thing I need to mention, I felt the baby move for the first time while on this trip. It felt just like a butterfly was caught inside of me just below my belly button! Well we hope that everyone has a nice weekend, and we will talk to you soon!