For Tiff!

Here you go, Tiff. I exploded again this past month. I feel it, too. Can you not see it in the bags under my eyes. Suddenly walking up 5 stairs is difficult. I can't get out of the car without a push from my husband. I have to plan ahead to roll over in bed, and even then I have to do it in stages: legs, pillow for legs, push belly over, arms, pillow under belly and arms, adjust head pillow, oh, now she's awake, please don't... nope, she's on my bladder, ok, roll back over, push self out of bed walk to bathroom... and so it goes every night!
All the changes of my bod are definitely interesting. I've also lost all, I mean ALL, of my muscle. Eeesh! But I know it is all for a wonderful cause and I'm making a nice little, cozy environment for Brooklyn right now!
This weekend we started putting the nursery together and had a blast!!! Tomorrow we'll paint the dresser and crib. Funny how the paint for them cost almost 10x as much as they did themselves! See, the crib is my old crib, which means its free! And the dresser, well, we found the dresser at the local thrift store for 15 dollars!!!! Its amazing, too! So the paint, stripping stuff, gloves to protect Quaylan, and sandpaper cost more than the furniture itself. Still, furnishing a nursery for less than 200 dollars is pretty darn good!
Last week we ventured off to Nashville, Tennessee to visit Quaylan's cousin, his wife and their new baby! What a wonderful trip! We relaxed and saw the city but the highlight of our trip was definitely playing with the baby, King. Its a good thing I'm already pregnant because seeing Quaylan want to hold and play with and even change poopy diapers was PRECIOUS! Brooklyn, however, did not like it when Mommy held the baby and I'm pretty sure she was trying to kick him off my belly! So thank you Antoinne, Monique, and little King for a fantastic trip :)
We are pretty sure Kanye knows something is going to change in our little world. As we set up the nursery today, she cried and wimpered at the door. There are a few rooms she is not allowed in and the nursery is one of them. She has never paid any attention to us when we've been in there before (I keep winter clothes and things I'm too lazy to put away in there). But now she knows the room is changing. After several, "No, Kanye, baby's room," she brought her bone over and threw it in the room, as if to say, "oops, see, I have to get that now." When that didn't work she laid down in front of the door and didn't move the entire time we were in there. I am confident she will adjust, but it is interesting to see her question her perfect little world! Here are some belly shots from week 30, also of the new dresser and the typewritter Quaylan found for 3 dollars (he found it when he was supposed to be guarding the dresser while I hunted down an employee). enjoy!

Christmas in Colorado part IV

Our only Christmas disaster is that the TV went out on us. Just completely died. It cut off right when San Antonio was sinking the game winning 3-pointer against the Phoenix Suns. What a horrible way to see a team lose. We only have one TV in the house and I began to panic, especially since the Lakers/Celtics game was coming on. You know I couldn't miss that game. We borrowed a TV from the downstairs neighbor and all was good. I cooked most of the dinner this year and put it down! We watched the episode 5 of the Star Wars series (we watched 1-4 the night before) and then called it a night. Pretty simple day but I guess that was exactly what we were looking for. A very good day.

Christmas in Colorado part III

After snow angeling, we took Kanye for a walk. Actually, we took her to the school where there is plenty of room for her to run. Like I was telling some of you before, even though it may be cold and snowy out here, it is almost always sunny. I think that's what makes it not feel as cold as it really is. Or it least makes you want to be outside. Hey, if two Arizona birds like us can make it out here then there is hope for others. Plus, you too can have wonderful Christmas day pictures like the one's below.

p.s.  I stole second base...at least one made out of snow.

Christmas in Colorado part II

Because Corri told us to, we went outside to create snow angels. It looks fun and easy on TV but when you actually lie down on the snow, man...

In one of the pictures I can hardly move because the snow just went up the back of my jacket and then more went down my pants. Reminded me of the ice baths me and the other long jumpers used to have to take in college. As I started to make mine, Kanye thought it was her job to stand over me and protect me. So this dog is walking over me and then tries to sit her butt on me and Amanda just watches laughing instead of actually calling Kanye away. So I had snow in pants and a dog butt in my face.

We finally got the snow angels done. There you go Corri. And that will be the last time we do that...until Brooklyn comes I guess.

Christmas in Colorado part I

This year we spent our first Christmas together and what way to do it than in snowy Colorado. It was nice waking up to a white Christmas (not that white is inherently better. black is just as beautiful) and the weather was actually warm today. The sun was out and it got up to 42 degrees today (I'm shaking my head thinking I was just living in 115 degree weather 5 months ago). Our Christmas tree was a little fake one Amanda bought a year ago and we've been calling it the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. It works though. 

We woke up, opened presents and found that Brooklyn will be starting life with a pretty nice wardrobe already.

My week

Ok, I really miss Quaylan. He's in Sacramento till Sun night. And I am very lazy when he isn't home. It doesn't help that it is dark by 4:30 now. So I sit on the couch and watch tv. Yep, that's what I'm accomplishing over the break. Oh well, I need the rest, right? Plus, I'm in the third trimester now and feel it! I was in Tucson last week and had a blast! I helped my baby sister pick out her wedding dress! She's more excited for me to have a baby, I'm more excited for her wedding, sisters rock. Here are some pictures form the weekend. Of course I got to see my little love, Luka. He's such a big boy now! He told me how he would teach the new baby how to play basketball and how he'll hold her tight and keep her warm since its cold in Colorado. Then we sat and watched Bee movie. He kept his little hand on my belly almost the whole movie so he could feel the baby kick and move!
Then I was on my way to see my parents and sister in Tucson! They all got to feel her kick and punch the heck outta me :) We also went through our old baby clothes, which are ADORABLE! And I brought most of them home. so Brooklyn is ready to be dressed! Here are some pics from the trip. Enjoy!

The First Real Snow

So yesterday brought Greeley's first real snow of the winter. I was teaching classes that morning and after my final class, walking back to my office, I heard students who were headed outside begin to grumble about the snow. Their sadness was actually my excitement because I had been waiting to experience snow since we moved here. I peeked outside and sure enough, the snow was falling and the cars in the parking lot were already becoming covered in it. When I got home I thought it would be fun to take Kanye on a run. This turned out to be a really good experience. The air was fresh and it was cold but not too cold. When I was competing, I always enjoyed doing our track workouts in the cold or in the rain. For some reason it seemed as if I could run forever.

Returning to the house with numb lips and fingers, it was nice to take a hot shower and then watch as the snow continued to fall. This morning we woke up to see a few inches of snow outside. It was exactly how I had always imagined it. Bright, light, and crisp. Kanye and I ventured outside and walked around. I have to admit, I can't quite figure out Kanye. She is scared to death of water (she runs even when I turn on the water in the bathroom or kitchen) but she loves the snow. She ran all around jumping in it, laying in it, and eating it.

My excitement of the snow soon turned into the realization that I have to now clear the driveway and then figure out how to drive in the snow. I put on my gloves (which by the way are made for Arizona running, not Colorado snow moving) and my Timbs (which are made for everything) and went to work. With no help from Kanye, who just sat there and watched me, i got enough of the snow off the driveway for us to get our cars out. I thought to myself, "I bet in 20 minutes you won't even be able to tell I just cleaned this". And of course, 20 minutes later it was exactly how I called it.

I ran a few errands this morning, praying that I wouldn't go sliding all over the road. It was an interesting but nimble experience. I'm not exactly sure if I was ever driving in a particular lane or even on the right side of the road, but I made it around pretty easily. So far so good, but ask me again in February when I've spun out a few times or I've been shoveling snow off the driveway for 2 week straight. Maybe then will I appreciate the Arizona weather. Below is some video and pictures for all of you in non-snowy geographic locations.