Good Things!

I'm thankful for:
1. Wearing pre-pregnancy clothes when 6 months along- makes me feel a little less huge!
2. Harrison getting his homework done and studying for his grammar test all by himself!
3. Grilled salmon with lentils for dinner.
4. Counting down to the upcoming trip to San Diego the first weekend in February- can't wait to actually see the sun and eat some burritos!
5. Exciting events coming up: James' birthday, the Pinewood Derby and Little League tryouts.
6. Clinique's Acne Line to help boost that pregnancy "glow."
7. Sugar Plum Bedding and Lilac Frost paint.
8. Workouts and protein shakes.
9. Sleeping with, not one, not two, not three...but with FOUR pillows- delicious!
10. Luke warm jacuzzi nights with my husband.
11. Mint tea and Emeralds.
12. Finally getting around to reading (and LOVING) Wicked! Such a great book! Can't wait to see the musical.
13. Taking Max on long, therapeutic walks.
14. Left-overs and hand-me-downs.
15. Bunco night with the girls.

Broken Computer

We'll be back up and running sometime soon- hopefully!

Top 10 Things Not to Say to Pregnant Woman:

10. Do you want a beer?
09. Do you mind if I smoke? (Not sure which is worse, asking this question, or just smoking)
08. Wow- that is A LOT of food.
07. I can tell from the back that you are pregnant, but not so much from the front.
06. You are HUGE.
05. So, you are just about ready to pop huh? (at 5 months along)
04. Your back must be killing you!
03. Is your skin suppose to look like that?
02. Can I cut in front of you for the bathroom?
01. I hope you don't scream when it comes out of you. (Thanks for your concern, Harrison.)

Weighing in at a whopping 11 ounces....

While I try to figure out how to scan and upload our ultrasound pics, these updates will have to do.  Here is the baby bump at Week 19 (?).  Apparently there is now a question of just how far along I am because of the size of our baby girl on the ultrasound yesterday.  They were estimating that she weighs close to 11 ounces already.  The average for this time period is only 8.5-9 ounces, so we are already scoring higher than average! Yes!  Because of that, they may move our due date forward a week or so, but we'll see. In any event, we can say that this is the baby bump at 5 months- that's a good estimation. Just ignore my messy bathroom in the background behind me. :)  Some exciting news: we saw two arms, two legs, two sides of the brain, two kidneys, 4 chambers of the heart, one stomach, one diagphram, one very long spinal cord, two feet, two hands and two thumbs being sucked! The ultrasound took nearly 45 minutes because the little girl just couldn't hold still for the pictures! She was flip-flopping all over the place, but always managed to find her hand or thumb again.  Also in the picture down below is the adorable, cuddly little rabit, courtesy of Grandma Bonnie and Papa Ted and the flannel blanket from Great-Grandma.  All we need is our little bundle to snuggle up with and rock to sleep!

Are you kidding me???

Have you ever heard of anything more appropriate for the holiday snacking season than Hot Chocolate On a Stick???  If you are on my gift-giving list, I hope you like hot chocolate!

Favorite Holiday Family Tradition- THE NUTCRACKER

My lovely, lovely husband takes me to see the Nutcraker every year, and every year we have seen a different one.  We really enjoy comparing them and seeing the many differnet interpretations of this wonderful holiday tradition.  It's also fun for me to walk down memory lane and remember the nerves and the butterflies I use to feel waiting in the wings during every performance when I was younger.  I'm so thankful for the experience I had to be on stage and to perform when I was younger and it's so fun now to remember all those little stresses and growth experiences. Like that time I slipped on the snow when I was on pointe and I had to just jump right back up with a smile on my face (when I really just felt like running and crying off stage!) 

This year is a little different- my parents are taking us this year to see the San Francisco Ballet AND its the first year that Harrison will be coming with us to see it.  We have never brought him before because I was convinced he wouldn't want to see a ballet and would not be able to sit through the second half.  But he begged us to take him with us this year and is actually very excited about it.  He went with James to pick out a nice outfit to wear that night and is full of questions about what it is going to be like.  This weekend really will be the highlight of holiday season for us and I can't wait to see him experience the magic of a live orchestra, beautiful costumes and engaging performances. 

Doesn't it look like it's going to be wonderful?!  Only two more days until we get to see it live!

Park City 2009

So many great memories were made this past weekend with the Murray Women.  A few highlights:

• Snow, Snow, Snow- it started the first morning we got there, and is probably still snowing! I left when it was 6 Below!
• Manscaping, er, I mean "scapegoating."
• The "hellicopter", "ugly lady", "fruit basket", "snail"...what else am I forgetting?
• Haul your own.
• That's what she said.
• Grandma breaking the fireplace.
• Cold showers then scalding hot showers.
• Being my mom's personal heater.
• Best of all- the shopping spree we went on at Motherhood Maternity- SO.MUCH.FUN! The best shopping experience ever!
• Surprising everyone with this baby that's growing so big in my belly!

Here's some pics of the weekend!