Boobies!

My bra size has been a 34A for ... well, as long as I can remember even having a bra size.  Yes, they're small, but I always just reassure myself that it makes running easier (it really does!).  It also makes me appreciate a woman with a nice rack.  I wonder how my husband feels when I say, "Honey, look at that woman's boobs.  They're really nice." 

Anyway, pregnancy has made my boobs get bigger.  Nice perk for a small-busted gal, right?  Well, I have been sort of spilling out of my bras, so I finally went bra-shopping yesterday. 

I walked in the maternity store and told the woman that I needed a new bra.  She asked me what size I was and I said "Well, I used to be 34A, but they're now too small, so maybe 34B?"  She said she'd measure me. 

She pulled the tape measure around my chest ... "36 ..." Then she measured around my bust "... C."

Me:  "C?!"

Unless you actually are a female with small breasts, you do not understand how much joy it brought me to hear that woman say, "C."  Now, I'm really probably more like a B+ than a C because the B was too small (I tried one, just to be sure, because I didn't really believe her) and there's a tad extra room in the C, and I know they won't stay like this forever, but for the time being, I'm going to enjoy it!

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And the winner is ...

Well, Jason and I (and two dogs, two cats, and a newborn) are moving to Virginia. 

Jason accepted a job at the Woodberry Forest School.  We will be right in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns. (you can see the mountains from campus!).  It's beautiful there.  I am hoping to find something part time once we get there.  Actually, we were BOTH offered teaching positions at the school where we interviewed in Minnesota, but we just felt more connected to Woodberry when we visited there.  Besides, when school starts, we will have an 8-week-old (or so), so I'm not sure I"m going to want to jump right into a full time teaching gig.  Knowing myself, though, I won't be able to do the stay-at-home-mom thing for very long. 

We plan on moving around the last week of July of so (no, of course it won't be blazing hot moving to Virginia the last week of July!).  Should be interesting ...

Come visit!

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30 week update

Well, I am 30 weeks into this "growing a baby" adventure. That means I'm 3/4 of the way there, only 10 weeks (or so) until parenthood! I still haven't completely grasped the fact that I am soon going to be "mommy." I certainly don't feel old enough to be parent ... yet, I'm going to be 29 this year (holy shit!). I suppose that's a good thing ... you're only as old as you feel, right? I think that Jason and I will be able to show our daughter how to have an active, playful life. Lots of camping and hiking and outdoor adventure in this kid's future!

Baby moves around all the time now. Her movements are often strong enough that you can look and see my stomach moving independently. Strange. A friend of mine felt her move the other day and got this look of utter shock on her face ... "That's so weird!!" Tell me about it. It's completely surreal. I am now up to waking up two times per night to pee. Joy! They say this is just "practice" for when baby actually gets here. I think I'd rather have my sleep now and just jump in to the not sleeping when there's actually a tiny human around to take care of.

I can no longer lie on my back for longer than a few minutes without feeling like I can't breath and the extra 28 pounds I'm carrying around makes me huff and puff a little when I walk up stairs. This is a bit unnerving, since I've always been pretty fit, and I'm still swimming, walking, and doing yoga a couple times a week. I didn't actually realize how much I would miss running. It's been getting nice outside and thus I've been seeing a lot more runners outside in the sun, and I must say, I'm actually a little jealous. I think I'm going to register for a triathlon that's the first weekend of October. That will give me a month to recover after baby's born and two months to get into somewhat of racing shape. I figure that's enough for a sprint distance tri. Plus, it will give me the motivation to get myself back in shape.

If you have not yet made a guess in the baby pool, please do:



Here's the latest photo montage:



And because my mother complained that you can't see my face in those photos:

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Prospects

If you haven’t heard, I will be finishing my Masters degree this May.  In June, Jason ends his one-year internships as a science teacher with the Pomfret School.  We would actually love to stay here for a bit longer, but Pomfret has decided that though they have enjoyed what Jason brings to the school, they do not have the money to hire him full-time next year. 

So it seems it is time for us to move on.  This move will be the 4th for Jason and me in our nearly 5 years of marriage.  Maybe this time we’ll land some place we’ll stay for a couple years. 

Jason and I have both been job search, though because it is difficult for two people to simultaneously conduct wide job searches, I have been letting Jason take the lead and decided that it might be easier for me to search for employment after we actually know where we will be. 

Last week, J had a job interview in Virginia, and the school invited us both down to visit.  It’s located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the campus was beautiful.  We left Wednesday afternoon and flew to D.C.  While we were driving to campus, we were passed by a very old beat-up blue pick-up truck that had a full sized confederate flag on a pole wired just behind the cab in the bed of the truck.  Guess we were in the south ...  Anyway, we arrived on campus around 7pm to meet with the Science Dept. chair.  We got a quick tour and then went to the home of the athletic director for a bit.  Next day, Jason had interviews and I got to meet with several members of the school community.  Overall, the trip was amazing.  We loved the campus, the people were more than welcoming, and the area itself spoke to us.  It was like the midwest with mountains.  Needless to say, they set the bar quite high. 

That Sunday, Jason and I both boarded yet another airplane and flew to Minneapolis.  This time, it was for a double interview at a school just south of Minneapolis.  We landed just after lunch Sunday and got to meet up with one of my cc girls and her man for lunch.  It was great to see Dani again ... it had been awhile.  We headed south, checked into our hotel and then Jason realized he forgot to pack pants!!  Seriously.  We had interviews the next morning, so we headed to JCPenny in town to acquire the important missing component of his wardrobe.  Luckily, the town had a place to buy pants and we got there about 1/2 hour before they closed.  Monday morning, we headed up to the school and it started snowing.  It snowed all day long.  Boo.  Anyway, the interviews went great.  The school is growing and making some really positive changes and they have plans for some new facilities.  The people we met were great and I really enjoyed my chat with the environmental sciences instructor.  We were supposed to head out Monday evening, but our flight was cancelled due to snow, so we finally  made it back to Connecticut late Tuesday afternoon. 

This Thursday, Jason had a third interview at a school a bit north of here near Springfield, Massachusetts.  I didn’t go this time, but J tells me the campus was gorgeous, near the Berkshire Mountains and that the interview went really well. 

I’ll let you know how things pan out and where the next stop in our life adventure will be when things are finalized. 

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Back from the west

And I’m not ready to be home!! Jason and I took a "babymoon" the beginning of this week to Colorado. We stayed with a friend of mine in Colorado Springs who I’ve known since childhood.

We went out to the Florissant Fossil Beds, which is about 45 minutes outside COSprings and has a bunch of petrified trees from an ancient mud flow (or similar ... I can’t remember exactly) and fossils from a lake bed that is no longer there.

This is a petrified tree. Check out how much of the ground around it they had to dig out in order to expose it:


Close up of a petrified tree:


A gnarly pine tree. I thought it looked cool against the blue, blue sky:


The next day we went hiking at Garden of the Gods ... gorgeous. It was a great day. I had seen the park before (it’s kind of a "must-see" when you’re in the Springs) but Jason hadn’t been there since he was 12 or so. I would LOVE to go rock climbing there!

This is Jason and me (and Sierra):


Pikes Peak, gorgeous ...


This is Jason and me with our host, Brian


The best part was out last full day there because we went to the CO Wolf and Wildlife Center ... amazing. Those animals are gorgeous and it was really great to learn about their history/ecology/behavior and see them in person. The owner even got them to howl for us. Very cool.

This is Nikita. He’s 14 years old!


I love Colorado. I wish we could move there ... and we’ve tried ... but the opportunities just don’t seem to pan out. Sigh. Some day ...

Only down parts of the trip:
1. Coming home
2. Missed getting together with a really good friend of mine. She was busy and we just couldn’t make it work. Sniff. Guess we’ll just have to go back!

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Belly photo montage

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Because Brian did it ...

1. What's your middle name and why?
Helen - My maternal grandmother's middle name

2. What is your favorite dish from a Chinese resturant?
Something spicey

3. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it.  Unless I have to drive in it.  It's not that I can't drive in it, it's just that other people tend to drive like idiots when it's snowing.

4. Can you ice skate?
Very, very poorly.

5. How do you like your eggs?
Fried.  With cheese.  On an english muffin.

6. Have you ever made a snow angel?
Of course.  I've made one this winter!

7. Have you ever laughed so hard you cried?
Absolutely.

8. What's the last thing you spent a lot of money on?
Maternity clothes.

9. What was your first job?
Babysitter.

10. Which Disney parks have you been to?
Magic Kingdom, Epcot.

11. Medicine, fine arts, or law?
In what respect?  Medicine is good for when you are ill.  Fine arts, well, I love some good live theater.  I suppose I would need a good lawyer if I did something illegal ...

12.What kind of digital camera do you own?
Fuji

13. When was the last time you dyed your hair??
Never

14. How much did you weigh when you were born?
8lbs. 12oz.

15. Have you ever been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on?
Yes.

16. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
Twirl!

17. At what age do you plan on having kids?
28

18. Have you ever fallen backwards down a set of stairs?
Not that I can recall.

19. Ever found more than a dollar in a random place?
My coat pocket?

20. When was the last time you drank a martini?
Hmmm ... last summer?

21. Walmart or Target?
Target. 

22. Are you a vegetarian?
Nope.

23. Have you ever kissed someone on your top 12?
Yes.

24. Have you ever held a snake?
Many.

25. Have you ever broken a bone?
Nope

26. Have you ever gotten stitches?
Yes.

27. Where are you going on your next vacation?
Colorado!  Oh, Colorado, how I pine for you ... sigh.

28. Do you believe in luck?
Sure.

29. Do you like messages or comments better?
Yes

30. Will you keep your last name when you get married?
I will change it.  Then, three years later, I will decide that I didn't fully think that decision through and I will change it back to my original last time.  (Oh, wait, that already happened.)

31. Whats your favorite food?
Something with hot cheese.  Lasagna, quesadilla, grilled cheese ...

32. What are your plans for tomorrow?
Take Darren to tour UConn, help students with the cardiovascular system, go to a seminar on invasive species, maybe watch a movie.

33. Favorite pizza toppings?
Mushroom and canadian bacon.  Or spinach, tomato and garlic.

34.Are you German?
I'm American.  But some of my ancestors were German a long time ago. 

35. Are you Irish?
I'm American.  But some of my ancestors were Irish a long time ago.

36. Relationships or Hook-Ups?
Relationships

37. Lover or fighter?
Lover.

38. The phone rings. What is your ring tone?
Tom Petty - Free fallin'.  Unless Jason is calling me, then it's "You Shook Me All Night Long."  Or unless my youngest sis is calling me, then it's "We like to Party" by the Venga Boys.  Or unless my mom is calling me, then it's Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz." 

39. How often do you talk on the phone?
Er ... probably daily?

40. Do you want to get married?
Yep.

41. How many kids do you plan on having?
3

42. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
I'll agree with Brian - Probably depends on the circumstances.

43. Are you afraid of falling in love?
No

44. Favorite juice?
Currently, 1/2 cranberry pomegranate, 1/2 cranberry sparkling water

45. Do you buy your own groceries?
Who else would buy them?

46. What's your favorite flower?
Sunflower.  Or lily.

47. Do you think more about the past, present or future?
Future.

48. Do you laugh a lot?
Sure do.

49. Last thing you drank?
Skim milk.

50. What is your salad dressing of choice?
Balsamic Vinaigrette

51. Have you ever changed your clothes while in a vehicle?
Yes. 

52. Who was the last baby you held?
Isaac.

53. Would you rather have a poodle or a rottweiler?
Rottweiler.

54. Future kids names?
Sierra.  I'll decide the others when I get there.  I like Kaia, Ilana, Tristan, Phoenix.

55. Is the glass half empty or half full?
Half full
(Brian, you are a bit of a nerd: "Well, unless it's in a vacuum, the glass contains equal portions of liquid and air and is also therfore, always completely full!")

56. When do you think you will get married?
May 31, 2003

57. Whats your favorite song currently?
I've been listening to "Indian Reservation" by Paul Revere and the Raiders a lot lately.

58. What is your all time favorite movie?
I can't pick one!

59. What movie are you dying to see?
I'm not dying to see any movies.  Though there are a few I would enjoy going to see. 

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Yes, We Can

5:14 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

I can feel it

Jason and I had a great night Saturday night. 

Dinner at a new place, live theater in Hartford with some friends, dessert at a little wine bar after the show (no wine for me). 

After a detour due to the interstate being closed because some guy tried to stab two cops then took off on a high speed chase and crashed his car, we arrived home around 1am. 

We had just lay down in bed and I felt something. 

Me: Oh!  Oooohhhh!
Jason:  What's wrong?!
Me:  Oh!  I can feeeel it!
Jason:  What?
Me:  The baby!  She's totally moving. 

So, finally, I felt my little alien move.  Unlike other women, I did not feel little "flutters" before hand.  The first time I felt her move, she made an entrance.  You could feel her movements on the outside of my belly!  So, Jason got feel her kicking too.  Very cool.  And weird.  20.5 weeks, just past 1/2 way there.

3:32 PM - 7 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

Changes

So, just for reference, here is a picutre of me and my sis at the Bix7 a couple years ago (that's me on the right):



If you've seen me lately, you may have noticed something a little different.  Namely, this:



Oh, yes, that distinct protrusion you are noticing is a future baby, currently 19 weeks into HER 40 weeks of development.  That's right, we're having a little GIRL!!  Her estimated due date is June 20, 2008. 

Now that you know these "hints," you can enter our Online Baby Pool!  Yay!  Do it now!



We just had the "big ultrasound" (as they call it) Thursday, so we got to see all the organs, the spinal cord, and my midwife is "mostly certain" we're having a girl.  She was being a little modest and wouldn't give us a good shot of "the goods," but Jason says that's probably a good thing.    Her name is Sierra Lorraine.  We love the name Sierra and that it has a connection to the natural world; Lorraine was Jason's grandmother's middle name. 



Did you enter your guess in the pool?

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