27 Weeks

25 Weeks

21 weeks

18 Weeks

Madi on Fox & Friends

People need a passport to come down here...

First of all -- my sister is the new national representative for Distinguished Young Women (formerly known as America's Junior Miss)! Stories here, here, here, video here. (I can't help myself -- it's like a unstoppable rebel force of brag-i-ness that I know will only be eclipsed someday by my own children)

Congratulations Madison!

Needless to say, my family and I had a great time in Alabama last week -- despite the heat, the quasi-beach cleanup, and the US World Cup loss. We were so proud of Madison on the first day of competition - simply because she had gained so much from the experience by meeting new friends, stretching herself and generally benefiting from the best the program had to offer.

She would have been happy to come home with empty arms and two weeks full of memories - its a tribute to her that she was able to accept this honor and new adventure with as much enthusiasm and grace.

Here are some other pictures from fun stuff over the past few weeks. I have been flitting from Idaho to Utah and back for work and play. The only constant seems to be my ever growing belly and appetite.

Showing off my new skirt I made (I couldn't stomach paying $$ for a simple cotton skirt with an elastic waistband, I was just happy they're back in style).

Madi's graduation.

My beautiful backyard...Hayden Lake looks great in rain...

Or shine.

Dressing up like hippies for the farmers market. Don't you dress up for Saturday errands?

Amazing costumes from the Mardi Gras Costume Museum in Mobile, AL. They are insane. Especially when one considers that Mardi Gras usually connotes people taking off clothes...not doing a Quasimodo-like stagger to carry their massive jewel-encrusted weight across the floor.

Enjoying some HOT Alabama sun at our Mobile pool. The pool was more like a bidet than a Olympic regulation size, but I did get a few laps in -- that is until my swim cap flew off my giant noggin. This shouldn't come as a surprise, but I am not the only one in my family who struggles with a giant head -- or ill-fitting swim caps.

Here's to a great start to summer!

Q and A...

To simplify I am addressing the top questions I have had...

Are you sick?
No (BIG knock on wood). I know this means other women hate me, or that I will have the worst contractions in the world, or be cursed with a perma-colicky baby or some other miserable curse to balance the prenatal karma in the universe. I will keep you posted but as for now -- we are cruising without chucking.

Had any cravings?
I don't think you can count frozen yogurt...but I have been on this caesar salad kick (the kind you buy in a bag from the grocery store...and I do have a very specific kind from my youth that reminds me of when my parents were gone and we had a sitter). As my Dad has reminded me with a well-timed Dave Barry quote, "you are eating for two, but the baby is the size of a tangerine, not a Volkswagen."

Are you excited?
Duh. This falls into the same category of "here's your sign" questions as when people asked my brother-the-groom last week if we was excited to get married. Of course.

Is my Mom excited?
Also a no-brainer, but to give you some context, this is her first grandchild and when I told my parents I was pregnant my Dad stated, "They could drop a nuclear weapon in the Middle East today and she would still have a smile on her face." Yes she is excited. She would be nesting her nursery if she hadn't already done that....you know...about 4 years ago.

Are you going to find out what you are having?
Probably. Still harboring some fantasies that I could be patient enough to wait for the big surprise, but since I have a blossoming project list of baby things to make and have the time NOW...versus in November when I you know..technically still in law school, I am erring on the side of finding out.

My hunch is that its a boy. Don't ask how I know. I just feel boyishness.

So you are having a baby in November -- aren't you in law school? Are you insane?
Possibly. Jury is still out on science.

Yes, I am still in law school, BUT I am graduating in December, so really, we are only talking about one crazy month of newborn + studying for finals. I have a vision of me doing a night nursing with the baby and leafing through a law textbook with my highlighter (this will likely not happen)...but in my head it all works out.

Thanks for all of the congratulations! Yeah for babies. (speaking of...saw the documentary with my cousin Kelly, who is also preggers, and it was fabulous, of course this is also coming from two women who are very baby-crazy at the moment but still, it was cute, even if the white baby was the least exciting)