Just a quick little catch up/re-start

I know, I know, it’s been a little while. I’m not sure when things got so crazy because there have been so many entertaining feats that we have endured since the last time I checked in. For example, I had a whole blog written in my head about my quest for a swine flu vaccine. It was my first experience with Utah snow as a southern transplant, it was a week and a half before Halloween (really – I mean, who would have thought). Just imagine; hundreds of people, huddled in the decaffeinated darkness of pre-dawn, behind a convention center in some town about 45 minutes north of Salt Lake City. It was like some clandestine pregnancy expo – in a snow globe…. very bizarre. I learned several things on what I am considering my first true winter adventure:

1. Purchase gloves at the dollar store in bulk and put them in every pocket and everything that resembles a pocket that you own. Do this both for yourself and so you can pass on a bit of warmth and kindness should you see some poor southerner trying to find ways to warm her hands in ways that are so creative and desperate that they’re beginning to flirt with obscene. (yep – that’s me, accidentally obscene, gloveless, southern pregnant lady in northern Utah – just appreciate that visual for a minute)

2. There is truly no value that can be placed on good socks. Good socks are just beyond critical. Do not under, under any circumstances, if there is even the potential of cold rain, leave the house in the same socks that you wear jogging in July. The word is ‘WOOL’. In fact, I even recommend putting back up socks in the pocket that doesn’t have the gloves in it.

3. You really will do any self-sacrificing thing for the safety of your child. It is incomprehensible

4. Just because you lost feeling in your toes several hours ago, doesn’t necessarily mean that they are going to fall off (you just cannot even imagine my relief).

5. Stumbling upon a Krispy Kreme after any trying experience makes absolutely everything okay. (I wonder if I can arrange for krispy kreme immediately following labor… hmm….)

Let’s see… what else has been going on….

We accepted and embraced the realization at 10 weeks that our child was going to be a bit of a handful. The way it was straight up slam dancing on that first ultrasound had us buckling our seatbelts. At 18 weeks we awoke to snow in Sundance and one heck of a kick in the abdomen. I had heard that your first baby kicks feel like these wonderful little flutters. My first baby kick made me wish these things came with safety pads. All of these little indicators pointed towards a full steam ahead, into everything, hit the ground running, little boy (kind of like how my mother-in-law has wearily described life with little DHB). I should have known better. She is, without a doubt, a she. A daughter, who is already a little bit stubborn, is basking upside down in decades of residual caffeine and is seemingly having an absolute blast.

I know that’s not much of an update, but I’ll be honest, I’m writing this, un-medicated, with the worst cold I have had in years, and I’m more than a little foggy…. So that’s just going to have to bring us up to present day. We have our Christmas tree up (and we’re still happily married, I should add, even though DHB briefly lost consciousness while getting it in the stand ) and its beautiful (especially if you turn your head oh so slightly to the right when admiring it). The outside of the house isn’t finished yet (or technically started for that matter), so you’re going to have to hang tight for pictures, but I will try to put some up. DHB turned 30 on Sunday and we celebrated with a damn fine chocolate cheese cake and our first significant snow. We now realize that we probably should have celebrated with the purchase of a snow shovel and maybe some salt. You live, you learn! We’re staying here for Christmas this year, our first Christmas ever without our extended families. There will be pajamas and lots of baking and eggnog with visions of bourbon rather than sugar plums… at least that’s my wild and crazy plan

Alright, this at least gets me a reacquainted with the keyboard. I promise you, I will do my best to keep these updates a little more frequent. In the meantime, feel free to reach out and say hello in between updates!

Hope you are finding little pieces of magic all over the place this holiday season; they’re there, just keep your eyes open.