For the Record (Pregnancy #2)

Week 38

I'm a few days from my due date, and I realized I've been abysmal at documenting this pregnancy. With Riley, I have at least 60 photos of my growing gut. This time? Nine.

So I owe it to myself, you guys, and especially this kid to say a few words about the last 8.9 months.

• We hadn't planned on mentioning my pregnancy to Riley until it was about halfway through. Nine months is long for an adult and an eternity for a kid. But it was at week eight when she commented on my big tummy. And came up with the baby whale theory.

• Typical with second pregnancies, I showed really fast. And got huge fast. By month six, strangers assumed I was due "any day now." At month seven, a random guy at my gym said, "It seems like you've been pregnant forever!" And another acquaintance was convinced I was either having twins or that my doctor had the wrong due date. For the record, my doc says I've measured perfectly the entire time.

• Pregnancy is kind to me. Besides feeling a little gross at first and a little huge right now, I've had no major complaints. I've been fortunate enough to keep my regular pace, including working out, until the past week or so. It also helped that Mother Nature gifted me a very mild summer. (Although I may be the only one in Portland who's grateful for that...)

• Cravings: Rice Krispies. Fruit fruit fruit. Diet soda. (Awful, I know.) And there was one week recently where all I wanted at night was a hot fudge sundae from McDonald's. (Many thanks to Matt for indulging that one.)

• I can't say Riley is excited about the impending life change, but she certainly express a lot of interest. She has requested her sibling be a whale, duck, giraffe, puppy, elf, fish, and wolf. She frequently declares, in a matter-of-fact tone, "If the baby is an animal, I will help take care of it. If it is a baby human, I will NOT take care of it." (At which point I remind her it will be MY job to take care of the baby. But that I'd love her help.)

• Despite her ambivalence, it's been fun to have Riley involved in the pregnancy. When I started really showing, every morning she would enthusiastically announce, "Mommy, your tummy is getting SO big!" She enjoys feeling baby kicks and asking what the baby is saying. Our response? "I hope my big sister is really nice to me!"

• I've had about a million and a half ultrasounds. Ok, maybe just like 5. And I've developed love/hate feelings toward them. Early ultrasounds had a few little red flags that caused some concern. But at my most recent one, the baby looked perfectly healthy. And hairy... Can you believe ultrasounds show hair as early as 33 weeks?

• We didn't find out the gender, but nearly *everybody* thinks it's a boy. That's been my hunch, too, but of course I hate to admit that in a public forum for fear my mother's intuition is wrong.

• Matt is finishing up a few big projects and has given me strict orders not to have the baby before Friday. And preferably before October 12 so he can travel to install a project. Will baby cooperate? Stay tuned!

Justification (You do the math!)

I once heard the following theory on clothing purchases: deduct $1 from the purchase price each time you wear it, and once you hit $0, it was officially a good buy.

I figure for kids' clothing, you should deduct 50 cents each wearing. Or even 25 cents.

Well in February, I bought Riley some shoes on clearance at GapKids for $13. She has worn them every single day, nearly every single place since. That's more than 200 days of some serious Riley-style wear and tear.

So instead of being annoyed that they didn't hold up better, I'm telling myself it was the smartest $13* ever spent.

* or 7 cents per wearing

First Day of School

I've mentioned, haven't I, how Riley generally feels about getting her picture taken? "Not good," to quote her verbatim.

That said, here's this year's attempt to capture a first-day-of-school photo:



*Sigh.* Not good, indeed.

What Happened in McCall

A couple weeks ago, we attended another very fun Dougall family reunion in McCall, Idaho, a charming mountain resort town right on the beautiful Payette Lake. I've since been told that this part of Idaho is America's best-kept secret. I believe it.

Anyhow, a few vacation highlights included:

Lots of swimming. Or "slimming," as Riley ironically/appropriately (I can't decide which) calls it.

Broom hockey for dummies. (Tennis shoes on an un-Zamboni-ed skating rink.)

Ice skating for dummies.

S'mores.

Ice cream. Lots of it.

Basking in the sun.

Pony rides.

Goofiness.
(My sister's keen observation this particular evening: "Riley, it seems you change your socks more than your outfit!")

Happiness. Lots of it.

Not pictured:

• Boating, jet-skiing, & water-skiing. (Except for the hugely pregnant attendee. Me.)
  
• Picnic and lovely outdoor concert in nearby Podunk, ID.
• My sister's surprise announcement that she's expecting cousin number twenty-something (I've lost count). I'm especially happy knowing our baby will have a cousin close in age.
  
• Game night. (Every night.)
• Cousin time. Lots of it. Riley's still experiencing withdrawals.

As the World Turns

We attended a lovely concert in the park tonight. Riley looked extra cute (ok, quirky) wearing her star jammies and an apron as a gown, so I tried snapping pics on my phone. She would not for the life of me hold still, and it quickly evolved into a game of capture the photo op.

Here's the resulting photo essay. (I figure this captures her world view anyhow: Blurry. From that nonstop pace.)








And this one? Captured only after I pretended to put the phone away.