It's a Boy

100% sure of it. It's been confirmed; and I'm thrilled about it.

Baby HaHa

Today I'll be 18 weeks and two days or 4 1/2 months. Oh yeah, I've gained 8 pounds. I asked the doctor if that was too much too soon and she said no, I think she's a liar. I've been feeling the baby move for a couple of weeks now but it hasn't really been that exciting because it doesn't feel like much. I expected it to feel a little more like a baby kicking rather than a cotton ball floating around. Three days ago I saw him kick. It was very pronounced. That was pretty exciting. Adam is still nervous. He's crunching numbers for college and worrying about work. He is not as easy going as I am when it comes to worrying. Might explain his full head of grey hair.

I've finally decided which room the baby will go in. For those of you who have been in my house... it's the brown room. It will get painted bluish seafoamish green. (the same color as the blue fabric, although it looks more blue here) I'm making his bedding out of the cutest fabric that I got from fabricworm.com (above). I'm going to applique a surfer on it per Adam's request. I wanted to do his room in airplanes, it would be so fitting but Adam insisted on a surf theme. I don't really like the whole Hawaii theme, so it's going to be fish and surfers... close enough right? I took the fabric with me to lunch with the grandma's yesterday and Adam's grandma Ann was like.... "THAT'S different". Why is it so hard for old ladies to lie? Just say you don't like it or say you love it. "that's interesting" means you think it's horrible. But that's OK, she'll probably never have to look at his room anyways since it's on the second floor. If it turns out ugly I'll just buy something last minute.
This baby still has no name. We know his middle name, 'Adam' (family tradition-Adam's side). It's a great first name, but not an easy middle name to work with. The only name we both like is Harlan and I've gotten very little positive feedback on it. I don't want the boy to be embarrassed to tell people what his name is when they ask. Oh yeah... and his future wife will probably not appreciate that she has to work with the middle name "Harlan"...!! I have to state for the record that Adam wants to name his first born son Tully, Hunter, Gunner, Skylar, or Dax. This kid might appreciate Harlan once he hears the alternatives. I'll keep thinking.

80/20

Last night my sister did a spur of the moment ultrasound at her office. Myself, my mom, my three sisters, my two nieces Katya and Kristen and my nephew Jack were all crammed in the room. I wasn't going to say anything because Rachael said she was only 80% sure, as it was still very early to tell and the umbilical cord was right there in the way. But we all thought we saw what would make it a boy. I'm very excited. Adam is unsure, but it will grow on him I know. He loves his nieces Leah and Lily so much that he feels he relates better with girls, but what he doesn't realize is a boy will benefit his agenda later in life. Just about all the vacations we take are more guy oriented. Camping, sand dunes, snowmobiling, etc. I am a little disappointed that I won't get to use the cute potter*y barn bedding I had picked out or buy cute little dresses, tights and bows; but on the bright side I will probably save money, as boy stuff is not as luring. My mom suggested the names Max and Nathan, which I really like. But I don't like "Nate" and I know his friends will call him that. Rachael said Max is a popular pet name. His middle name will likely be Adam, as that is tradition in his family. I also like the Bible names Isaac and Ezekiel. But I have to remember there is still a 20% chance this kids a girl. Maybe we will find out for sure next weekend.

Some Names were OK.

Ok Guys, thanks for the inputs. Some of them are great names, but some of them are better suggestions of what NOT to name a baby. I listed them in the order of what I would use first. Unfortunately some have already been used and so I cannot use them. But I need more suggestions. Don't be offended if I don't like your suggestion. I put them all in the list the other day and just sorted them today so I wasn't biased based on who suggested them. Here's what you guys, my readers came up with:

• Clair
• Katie
• Rosie
• Juliet
• Grace (my nieces name)
• Claudia
• Emma (my sister's nieces name
• Ann
• Anne
• Shelly
• Jillie
• Jilly
• Bugs
• Gooch (and this one is just horrible, but it didn't make the bottom of the list!)
• Zoe
  BOYS:
• Luke
• Finley
• Preston
• Rocco - Francie's cat's name
• Riley
• George - Adam's mom's cat's name, not a good choice for a human baby

I am glad to hear all the positive feedback on "Avery" Because I think it's so cute but Adam hates it (so does my mother-in-law)! Oh, and I love the name Jillian, but Adam won't Have anything to do with it because he knew a Jillian. Have you ever known anyone to spoil a name because you don't care for them? Yes!! Unfortunately. Or didn't like a name until you met someone with that name you really liked? Yes!!

Budda Pizza Gut

Wow, absolutely nothing exciting going on around here. Other than of course the obvious baby I'm growing. But that's just exciting to me, not everyone else. Adam said I look pregnant. He was even more surprised when I told him I was sucking it in... He wasn't too excited about the big Ole bump. But he doesn't have much room to talk. I contribute most of it to pizza and crazy bread. Not that pizza weight is better than baby weight, but at least in several hours the pizza belly will go away, the baby is just going to get bigger. I am 12 weeks and one day today. I am "out of the woods" for morning sickness and it hasn't even hit me yet. I'm one of the lucky few, however it's got to be hereditary because I'm not one in a few amongst my family. We are a bunch of lucky in a few. I've come up with some new baby names. Only for girls though. Olivia, Breanne, Avery and Julia. Adam likes none of them. He likes Duke! What a dumb name. It reminds me of the dog from that bean commercial. I wish I had some strange food craving, but I don't! Other than mashed potatoes, but I craved that before so that doesn't count. I do have to say, I talk about food a lot. it's hard not to when your appetite is raging out of control. I'm sorry to those of you who have to look at me for the next 6 months, but staying skinny throughout this process is not going to happen as I had hoped. I'm doing my best to fight it. We bought an exercise bike and an elliptical for the bedroom and hopefully that will take care of some of the extra calories I will certainly get. If anyone has some good name suggestions, I'm not opposed to hearing them.

I have a naughty dog.

I just realized, Walter is my inspiration to blog. He has been such a good boy lately and that is why I've had nothing to write about. He changed that today. I left him home for all of an hour and when I got back, the two ziplock bags of pumpkin cookies I made last night, gone. I didn't notice it at first until I came upstairs. Lying on my floor was one of the bags, the other... missing. After looking closer, I discovered orange crumbs on the carpet and small pieces of ziplock bag. He ATE THE PLASTIC. He is very afraid of me right now. He's out in the hall just outside my bedroom door. I swatted his little butt, wouldn't have hurt the cat but he is very afraid. He runs into glass doors and smacks his face on stuff all the time and that doesn't seem to bother him, but a little swat on the butt? He is such a baby. When will he be a good dog? I hope this isn't a reflection of my parenting skills.

Baby

I guess most of you already know, but for those of you who don't, Adam and I are expecting our first baby on May 6. Which also happens to be My brother-in-law Todd's birthday, and my soon to be brother-in-law Jason's as well. I hope the date is not exact, as it would be hard for two grown men to compete with a little baby for birthday attention. My niece Lily was born May 13, so I don't want it to fall on that date either, however if it's a girl, they might actually enjoy sharing a birthday, as birthday parties for two little cousins on the same day would have to be played up!
I have taken after my mom. I haven't had any morning sickness, and I'm hungry ALL the time! My mom craved donuts, but luckily I don't as it's hard enough not to gain weight just eating healthy food at the rate I'm consuming.
I have a few names in mind that I thought about keeping to myself, but I'll throw them out there because it's hard to keep a secret. If you don't like it (sister's) keep it to yourself, as I don't want to be influenced too strongly. Boy - Harlan... After an uncle Adam had. They called him Uncle Ha Ha. I tried to convince my nephew to name his new puppy that this summer, but thankfully he refused because I might use it. Baby ha ha...?? lol. Girl - Anna, after my grandma whose name is Anna Marie. Adam doesn't really like Anna, but he might have to suck it up, as this is a precious name, and I think it's neat that at least one kid in the family be named after someone. Two of my sister's and my brother named some of their kids after family members and some of my sister's have family names. I'm surprised the name has not yet been taken, as all my sisters say they would have liked to name their girl after Grandma Annie, but no one has done it, its fair game. My family has a history of fighting over names. My Grandma and my great Aunt were pregnant at the same time, my Grandma's sister said she was going to name her baby Cecelia Ann if it was a girl. But my grandma had her baby first and it just so happened to be a girl and she like the name so much, she used it! Luckily my aunt had a boy or there would be two Cecelia Ann's in the family.
I'll try to be better about updates. I need to get my sister Rachael to help me with a blog makeover... that's part of my discouragement to blog!! I must go eat now. First picture of the new baby:

Grace Got a Cast, and Hannah Got Staples

Ryan asked me to post these pictures so that Hannah and Grace's aunties could see how cute they are, even when they are all beat up. Grace broke both bones in her arm, not exactly sure how because I have heard many variations to the story, but it was something like... trying to pounce her cousin and not hit her head, falling off the chair. Seems like quite an elaborate tale. I should get the facts. But that is not what matters most. She was very brave I have heard, as too was Hannah who "went tumbling" from a golf cart her other cousin was driving. I guess the cousin got confused as to which peddle was go and which was stop. Better that she learn that now, rather than in a car in a few years as I had to do. (I ran into a tree because I got confused and thought I was in reverse when actually I was in drive. So I can completely empathize with her.) Hannah and Grace, you are absolutely adorable with your broken arm and stitches/staples.

We sold the Jeep.

Whenever we sold a car, my mom would cry. I would laugh. I thought it was pretty silly to cry over a car. But I actually got a lump in my throat when Adam handed over the keys. It all made sense to me. We had a lot of memories in this thing and we always got looks when we drove it. I will miss it. I'll keep you posted on it's replacement. It won't be another vehicle, but it will be a toy. The jeep made for an expensive "toy".

Seward, Alaska

Seriously, our captain had hooks for hands. He was quite charming... as you can see in the picture where he is hugging Aunt Stella so kindly, and then trying to claw MY head off in the next.Yikes! Please don't kill me is all I could think. No seriously, he was a funny man! Good captain. Made the boat trip a little more edgy. Grandma Lois didn't like the ride so much, her and Leah kept eachother company.

Cutest Otter ever!

Kept rolling over and around. It was adorable.

ugly fish

Glacier, we came very close, and I was not all that terrible cold, and it was drissling and overcast. How does it not all melt away?

Whales tail fin

Puffin bird

seals-look close

mountain goats

sea lions

more puffins

baldy

Terrible Fisher

We were supposed to get up early and go fishing and then do something really exciting the rest of the day. Instead we woke up late, fished until after 2 and got back too late to do anything else. So we took a nap instead, then went to dinner. Tomorrow holds the promise of more excitement. Adam's Aunt Stella reserved a charter boat for everyone. We are hoping to see whales and dolphins. The down side to this: a 4 hour drive there and 4 back. So we will be up and outta here by 6.

There were so many salmon in the water that they were nearly on top of each other. They weren't swimming, they just stayed still on one spot. And you could see them everywhere. It was very strange. If you "snag" a fish, you have to (by law) throw it back in. Snagging is when your hook catches on another part of the fish other than it's mouth. There were so many fish, that yes, you could not avoid snagging them. You would have to reel it in and un-snag it, then throw it back in. We really only caught one that wasn't a snag, and it was Adam who caught it, but it was a red or pink one they call it, and aren't good for eating we were told. It had a nasty rip in its skin on the side anyways. It looked like it had seen better days. We would have only taken one fish with us had we taken any, as we do not eat meat; but Grandma Lois and David would have cooked it up. There were probably 6 or more snags at least. Adam did however catch one of the enviable, rarer silver salmons that are supposibly tasty, but it was a snag :( oh well.

Off to bed, have to be up kinda early tomorrow and I have fully adjusted to the time change, so it is no longer working towards my advantage.

One last note: Leah called the dog "Barf". That made me laugh. I am the only one who does not call her by her given name, and Leah must have liked my name for her better than Suzie, 'cause when Suzie tried to lick her fingers (she had been eating) she was like "no... Barf!!" I had to laugh. So innocent, so cute.

The Cutest Baby Fox and... No more PORTAGING!

Today I portaged in Alaska. I got a suntan; saw a porcupine, baby fox, and two moose that I scared away because I got so excited when I saw them. The portaging about killed us all. Don't ever do it with a toddler; wait, JUST DON'T ever do it at all. There is only one person I know who would in their right mind, knowing in advance what exactly was involved that would do it. That is Bob... and he would have loved it. An 8 hour trip around lakes/land; canoe - carry your canoe through the woods, canoe - carry your canoe through the woods, etc, etc, approximately 15 times. It took us 5 hours and 40 minutes. We were incredible. Incredibly fast because we knew the faster we moved, the sooner we would be in our bed or on the couch surfing the web. The longest we hiked in just one stop was .25 miles. But that is a lot with a heavy canoe, paddles, lunch and tons of water bottles; and a toddler we all took turns carrying. We have blisters. But we saw the cutest baby fox on the way home, we pulled over, opened the van doors and watched it play and yawn on the side of the road. It made all our hard work worth it. P.S. the scenery was beautiful!! Mom and Bob, you would love Alaska in the summer. Tomorrow holds even more excitement. Don't know what we will do yet. Maybe quads through the woods, white water rafting or motorcyces. Probable the first, but no one really knows. We will have to see how sore we are tomorrow. P.S.S We found out who owns Barf... aka Suzie. It's the neighbors dog! Sooo why does he hang out here? So weird. Visit me on facebook for more pictures. That is what I have mostly been updating.

The Shower and hillbilly pictures I promised.

And lastly, Barf from SPACE BALLS. The ears of course, not the coloring. Does anyone find it hard to believe I like this ugly dog? No one likes her but me cause she's kinda crusty. I love her though. Creepy eyes, ey? Her tag says Suzie, but I think she looks like a mog... half man half dog... aka Barf.