Oh, hi

Hi guys. Yes, we got back from vacation last weekend, and no, I haven’t been on here since. So sorry.

I’m realizing just how much I have to do in these next couple weeks before Dv2.0 comes, so that has now become my main focus. I’ll still be on here every once in awhile, though, so have no fear.

I will have a ton of vacation pictures to share once we sort through all of those. We did leave one of our cameras up in Canada, however, so I just need to wait until we get that back from my sister before I can get through those. We got some good ones, though, so I think you’ll like seeing them.

D is getting so big! She had an amazing time on the island in Canada, and it’s simply mind-boggling how different this visit was from last year’s. Last year she was just a little baby, only 11 months old. This year, at 25 months, she owned the place. She ran all over the island (with life jacket on, of course), up and down all the stairs, playing with all our family and the dog, and loving the lake and boats. It was so fun to watch, and I can’t wait to take her back each year and watch her grow to love it more and more.

We’re going to get her a twin bed this weekend, so that will be a change for her. She slept in one the whole week in Canada and did great, so hopefully she’ll transition ok here as well. We need to get the crib moved into our room for the baby, and I want her completely comfortable in a big bed before #2 is here. And right now she’s using the paint app on my iPhone. It seriously blows my mind how much this kid knows.

And of course there will be my weekly pregnancy posts until Dv2.0 arrives. I’m now 33.5 weeks, which scares the crap out of me. I made a pre-baby to-do list this week, and it takes up an entire page! Yesterday I did start in on it, though, getting out the most neutral of the baby clothes and getting them washed and put away, so there’s one thing I can cross off. I had my latest doctor appointment yesterday and got the pre-registration forms for labor and delivery, so yeah, it’s definitely starting to feel more real. I just hope we can get enough crossed off our lists before he/she gets here!

So bear with me, please. I apologize if I’m sporadic in my posting and such, but rest assured I have not forgotten about any of you. I can’t wait to catch up on my reader feed, too. I’m sure I have about a million unread blog posts in there, so that’ll take awhile. But I’ll get there. I hope you’re all doing well!

 

What have we been up to?

Well since I can barely remember what we’ve done myself most days, I’ll just let some pictures do the talking…

The last weekend in July was our northern WI vacation, so we’ll start with a glimpse into that.

The first day we went to Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, WI; found Nueske’s, the famous bacon-makers; ate lunch at Red Eye Brewing Co. in Wausau, WI (don’t freak out, i only had one small sample glass. the rest of the sampler was ryan’s); then checked out a supper club that Ryan discovered called Marty’s Place North before spending the night in Minocqua, WI. On our way out of town the following morning we swung by Little Bohemia, where the movie “Public Enemies” was filmed and the real-life John Dillinger hid out.

The rest of that weekend we explored Madeline Island (1 of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior); Bayfield, WI; and Ashland, WI. That upper coast of our state is simply beautiful, and we had a blast.

The last day of our vacation was spent in Green Bay. Since Ryan and Della are now Packers shareholders, we met up with 2 of our friends at Lambeau Field to attend the annual shareholders’ meeting. It was really hot, but even as a Bears fan I still had fun.

The following weekend we went to my first, and quite possibly only, Brewers game of this season with friends.

Then the Tuesday after that was d-day – my last day of work and Della’s last day of daycare.

The rest of that week was spent getting ready for our annual summer party/birthday party for R and D.

And since then, D and I have been getting into the swing of our stay home routine. You know, helping me in the kitchen (yes, i actually made that Elmo cake pictured above), taking walks to go explore the beach, and playing at the park.

And that about brings us to the present. We did go to the Wisconsin State Fair last week and the Milwaukee Air Show yesterday, so I’ll get those pictures up soon. Despite losing my job, we are having a great summer!

 

 

There’s a ghost in our house

The other night I sat D in the bathroom sink to wash her hands and feet. At some point she must have stood up and planted her left hand on the mirror for balance, because later in the night I found that little reminder above. A reminder that yes, a munchkin lives in our house.

My first thought was to just clean it off, but then I realized that never again will her hands be that exact tiny size. So what else was there to do but take a picture?

And do a little comparison.

They don’t show up extremely well, and it was hard to even capture the hand prints at all with a white ceiling and bright lighting, but I tried to see just how big mine was next to her 22-month-old hand.

Della and Mommy.

Not ghosts.

 

 

What’s the big deal?

As you know if you know me, or may have gathered if you don’t know me but have ever stumbled upon this blog before, I’m a very laid-back person. I don’t get riled easily, I don’t follow controversy, I HATE confrontation, and I’m not a fan of debate. (which brings back terrible grade school memories, ick)

For this reason I rarely discuss hot-button topics, here or in my non-internet life – politics, religion, etc. But there is one topic which gives people fits that I just don’t get – homosexuality.

What the?? I can hear many eyeballs putting on the brakes right now. And that’s ok. Like I said, I know this is a very hot-button topic, sometimes scalding actually. And kind of out of left field since lately I’ve been talking mainly about being pregnant here.

But I read an excellent post by Glennon over at Momastery today, and it got me thinking. And agreeing.

What’s the big deal if someone is gay?

I just don’t understand it. How can that possibly determine their worth as a person? Does one’s sexuality really serve as a legitimate foundation for judging every other quality about them, usually without even knowing them personally? Their work ethic, their morals, their overall ability to simply be a contributing, functioning human being?

And why, too, should that be the determining factor in what rights they are given? The right to marry, the right to have children, the right to actually be happy like the rest of us “normal” people (please know that i mean that in the most sarcastic way possible. gay or straight certainly does not determine normality in a person. actually, what does? who’s the standard for “normal”? uh-oh, there’s another whole post…)?

Again, I just don’t get it. Call me liberal, call me anti-religion (which i kind of am. not like i hate god and all organized religion, but i just don’t have a very strong religious lifestyle), call me crazy, but being gay certainly does not make a person unworthy of the love and happiness a straight person has. Hell, I know a lot of gay people who are infinitely happier than many straight people I know.

I really hope I can raise our children to be tolerant, no not even tolerant but unquestionably accepting, of this also. Besides her absolute safety, the 1 thing I want D to know above all else (well, and Dv2.0 now too) is that she can come to us at absolutely any time, anywhere, with anything, and know that we will never love her any less. Yes, we may be severely disappointed and possibly heart-broken, but we’ll never not love her.

You’re gay? So what! You got a tatto? So what (as long as you were 18 and it was legal)! You’re pregnant? Umm, well not so what, but we’re definitely not going to abandon you. You’re in jail? Ok, so maybe my “so what” answer wouldn’t work for everything, but I could never stop loving her. Yes I’d be beyond pissed and trying to imagine the worst punishment she’d ever endured, but the love would always be there.

So I guess this is just a long way of saying why is being gay such a big deal? Love whoever you want to love. Be happy.

 

 

Off-kilter

Last night while taking D for a walk in the stroller, I realized that I am totally incapable of walking in a straight line.

I know, weird, but true.

For whatever reason, I can’t keep on a straight track, even with a guide to hold onto like the stroller. I constantly veer a little to one side, then back to center, then off-center again. I noticed I did the same thing while jogging with her in the stroller last week, too.

(side note – jogging with a non-jogging stroller sucks. i do not recommend it.)

And I don’t just do it when I’m pushing the stroller. Whenever I go for a run I’m always all over the side walk. Talk about the least efficient route possible. I’ve probably added miles to my runs over the years simply by not being able to keep a straight course.

I wonder why this is. No, it’s not the pregnancy-induced center of gravity shift. My belly isn’t nearly that big yet, fortunately. Plus, like I said, it always happens, pregnant or not.

Anyone else do this, or am I the only off-kilter one in the bunch?

Ah well, as long as I don’t start tripping every time I wander I guess I won’t worry about it. For that would make for some really long and painful walks.

 

 

For those curious, here’s the real story…

All right, so you know how I’ve been a little MIA lately? A post here, a post there, maybe not another one for a couple weeks?

Well yes, we were on vacation for a bit (St. Thomas pics are coming, i PROMISE!). But that wasn’t what was preventing me from being around much.

The real reason is because I have been sick and have had, oddly enough, a blogging aversion. I know, sounds dumb, but it’s true. Since D and I got back from Tucson near the end of February, I have had at least 3 wicked colds plus an upper respiratory infection that I thought was going to send me to the hospital.

Couple that with that 1 night of barfing and roughly 8-9 weeks of almost constant nausea, and that left me with very little energy to spend here.

Oh wait, you caught that? A barfing episode and over 2 months of nausea? Yep, that’s right…

Dv2.0 is on the way!

I’m due October 27, so that makes me 15 weeks and 5 days pregnant today. I just had my 3rd OB appointment yesterday, heard the heartbeat again, and all appears well, so I felt like it was time to spread the word here too.

Fortunately I think the worst (and hopefully all) of the sickness has passed and I feel much better than I did a few weeks ago, but there’s 1 word to describe why I think I felt so shitty:

BOY

(but no, we’re not finding out the sex)

So there’s a whole new ride we’ll be going on here in the land of ScooterMarie. Care to join me? And I never did any of those pregnancy surveys or anything with D, but if you’re curious and want to know my answers along the way, go ahead and toss me one; I’ll fill it out and post it for ya.

Oh yes, the belly pics have begun too, so you can count on seeing those here and there. I can tell you’re just thrilled by that prospect!