Baby update

We had an appointment on Tuesday. Everything is going well. I am where I should be. Baby has a strong heartbeat. It is always nice to be reassured of the health of my baby. We may have decided on a name. But we don't know if we're having a boy or girl yet.... so I am not really going to announce anything. :)

The doctors are still sticking with the due date of the 16th of June. We have an ultrasound on tuesday the 20th. If things still look a week ahead at that one, we may be moved up. The ticker on my blog is not set for the 16th due date. If I remember correct, I did it on the 12th. So its a few days different from what the doctors are calculating. But I figure its a mid mark.

We will hopefully find out the sex in less that a week!!!

Latest Storm Watch

Washington is a place of many changes. We have our rain, our wind, our sun, our snow... our rain.... Washington, Northwest to be specific, is home to many rivers, streams, lakes and other waterways. Some water ways we only see once a few decades.

In the last 48 hours, Arlington, in a place nick-named Island Crossing, has been transformed. In what used to be a busy highway, while restaurants and businesses on either side, there is now a lake. Once frequented restaurants are now flooded. Homes have been vacated. Cattle have been moved to higher pastures. Long standing residents have been quoted saying that "flooding like this hasn't been seen is decades" and one lady said "maybe 20 years".
I live a few miles from Arlington. Just one exit away. My particular street hasn't seen very much water accumulation, but we are a little bit higher than some. Some surrounding properties, many have fields, are flooded. Thankfully, only a few have had the misfortune of the water encroaching their living spaces. Many have barns that are flooded. Yards became lake beds. And this is just what is in my ten mile radius.

Now, the story becomes more dire if you head south. The city of Snohomish is under water. Parts of Interstate 5 have been shut down. Main highways are barricaded. Bridges are invisible.
And further south, towards Chehalis and Duvall, have seen horrible conditions.

This is the worst flooding, and the quickest, many have seen in many years. This is because we have been hit with heavy rains, especially in the passes (16 plus in some areas) in 48 hours. When you couple that with the depth of snow accumulation that is now being caused to melt quickly, the rivers had no choice.

Thank goodness for my home.

New Years Resolution

So I was sitting here, on the couch, with the tablet PC, thinking about New Years. In the past I have always done a resolution that was based around vanity. Such as loose weight, become more active, or some variation of that sort. This year, maybe I should do something that doesn't revolve around me really. Do you think it would stick?

Want to know what my New Years Resolution is?



Potty Train my daughter before the new baby arrives.

To Love a Cat

There is about 20 or so inches of snow outside. So I find myself sitting in my recliner with a movie, a key board and a thick warm blanket. And what would complete this portrait? Well besides a cup of hot chocolate, all you need is a fluffy cat.
What is it about a cat that feels so right? Why when I hear the gentle rumble of its motor do I get so happy?
But why? The love of a cat is so 'fickle'. Felines don't run at your beckoning call, at least most times. They are full of sass and will power that only a two year old can rival. And they will get up and leave whether you want them to or not.
They make me happy that's all I know. And maybe that's all I'll ever know. And I suppose that I'll have to be okay with that.

"Winter Storm Watch"

Many times as a child I wished for snow. Mostly I got rain in response to my pleas. A few times we would get a dusting. That dusting, no matter how light it was, always brought thrill to the children of the northwest. There is a song that is very dear to me that reminds of most Christmas' of my life. 'Christmas in the Northwest' sings of the evergreen conditions and rain that we are well accustomed to.
So what happens to people of the Puget Sound when we get a few inches of snow and ice? Well they call it a "STORM" of course.
The news is plastered with stories of sliding buses, closed school and barricaded roads. The weather forecasters say "what's coming next? More snow!" They make it sound like we are all going to die, and that everyone is suffering through something so life threatening and horrible that it won't end soon enough. Its very humorous to see chains on peoples cars. The biggest threat on the roads in ice, because everything has been compacted down and refrozen. Do chains help with that? I don't know. Whatever.
Honestly, my area has seen the most snow that I have heard. At my home we are over 15 inches. Granted we have seen some melting and re-freezing of snow. But we are still getting snow today. A few miles away, there is significantly less than at my house too. We are at the bottom of the hills so we get a good dusting of it.
Last night, we were warned of a strong storm coming in off the West coast, flying quickly east. They didn't know exactly what would happen in my area because we would get the tail end of the 'Storm'. But from what I have heard, the South Sound and some other areas of Washington, were hit very hard. Snow, freezing rain and forceful winds tortured and threatened the residents. They predicted some areas to get as much as 15 inches of snow in under 48 hours. Now for someone who is used to good winter storms, that doesn't sound like much, but for our area it significant. Winds, I heard reached 70 mph in some places.
In preparation for the storm, we bought wood, briquettes, and pellets. My father came and got the flue for the wood stove hooked up. Granted its in the garage and you gotta get the stove really hot before it does us any good, but we had a back up source of heat. The briquettes we would use on the grill to cook. This was all if we lost power and enough for a couple days.
We had considered going up to Chad's parents' home to weather it out, but decided with the pets, we should stick it out at home. Having family as back up shelters was a blessing of security to staying home.
Funny thing happened though. We got a couple inches of snow. Absolutely no wind. And kept the power on the entire time. But Chad's parents lost power. Don't know if they had winds or how much snow. But they lost power. So I am glad I stayed home.

The weather is forecasted to stay pretty much around mild 30's and snow and rain mix. So will we have a white Christmas? It may end up being a bit more slush if it warms up too much, but we have enough that will make it stick around for a while. Unless it warms up dramatically....

Ultrasound

I had an ultrasound yesterday. I love them. Its so neat to see the baby and all the various stages. They never seem to last very long though. At least that's how it feels. It feels like I am in there for ten minutes maybe of sonogram time, then done. Oh, well. They have other patients right?
Anyways, the results are normal. Baby is growing fine. Great in fact. They said that the measurements are actually ahead of schedule. My last ultrasound said I am due around the 16th of June. Well this one said closer to the 8th. I don't know if the doctor will alter the due date in my records to match this ultrasound's reading. I will probably hear about that on the 15th when I have a check up.
I got to have a picture of the baby. First one! I love looking at it. Chad left saying 'I saw boy parts!' I was skeptical. I know that the techs will not affirmatively be able to declare a sex until 18-21 weeks, not 12 or 13. But looking at the picture.... well, I think it does show boy parts. They are technically visible at this stage, but they don't like to look because it is still very hit and miss. Being accurate with things like gender is kinda important I suppose. :) Anyways, based on the picture, I think its a boy as well.
I have felt like its a boy for a while because this pregnancy has been very different from Abigale's. At this stage with her, I was still keeping basically nothing down. I am to the point that I can keep food down during the day. I am still nauseous. I will most times throw up bile/acid in the mornings or late night. But that's okay; that doesn't cause weight loss. The doctor said I can't loose anymore. 14 pounds or so is enough according to him. Unlike Abi's, I have no craving for chocolate. On the other hand, the thought of most chocolate is gross to me. I do crave fruit right now. Unfortunately, this is a bad time to crave fruit. It all its tasteless crap.
But what do ya do? I am excited, though. A boy is going to be a nice addition. And Michelle, Chad's sister in law, is due to have a boy the end of April. This baby will have a close in age cousin to play with!
If I find someone with a scanner, I may scan the ultrasound photo in.....

Oh Christmas tree!

I don't think I will ever forget the memories of putting up the Christmas tree, every year a different experience. As a child, you look forward to the lights and the ornaments, your glee shining like a star. Some years we chose a tree from the farm. Others we plucked the branches out of a box, placed them in a pole and arranged the limbs in deliberate forms. Whether the tree was cut or set up, frosting it with the lights and decorations were the same.First the lights. String them out, making sure that no bulbs are out. Wrap the garland next. Be careful its not tangled or a mess the floor will be. The glass balls and other various ornaments collected over time, all picked with care, are next. Some are gifted, others impulses. Each though is special. Each adds its own touch. I recall each sibling squabbling for their choice.
The angel was the finale. Her delicate wings, silk cream. She had but one light, a candle she did hold. This angel is still used on my mother's tree. I will always remember her fondly. That childhood memory, decorations scattered across the floor, will always have a glow from above. My angel of youth.




My Aunt Brenda gifted my an angel for my own Christmas tree, when I was 16. Unfortunately the angel short circuited and died last year. Now atop my young family's tree, sits a star, shining so bright. I like my star, but it will never replace the angel of my heart.