Week 30

Our neighborhood moose heads toward the bike path.
(Glad I was in the car and not on x-country skis!)

Jacob and Homie cozy up for a winter brunch.

Kjera, "Do I really look like that?" Jacob, "Like what?"

30th week

Belly Wars

This weekend we had the opportunity to reconnect with Kristen and Adam who were in town for the holiday. We keep them both in our prayers as Adam prepares to head to "Stan" (Afghanistan) in the springtime, until then, we wait with great joy to meet their little guy, Micah.

A yummy Trio dinner with friends on a blizzardy Sunday night

On left: January 31 due date. On right: January 29 due date.

Who's winning?

Week 29

Bear and Jacob welcome winter!

Pre-Thanksgiving!

29th week

What are your symptoms?

The blueberry and I just wrapped up a three-day recertification course for Wilderness First Responder in snowy Driggs, Idaho. As the long hours of study, lectures, and scenarios rolled by, I began to develop a theory. I now believe that pregnancy is the ultimate compilation of WFR symptoms:

• shortness of breath during exertion (chest injury)
• point tenderness (chest injury)
• pain on inspiration, shallow breathing (chest injury)
• anxious, restless, disoriented (shock)
• nausea, vomiting, dizziness and/or thirst (shock)
• personality changes (head injury)
• amnesia (head injury)
• headache, dizziness, and/or lethargy (head injury)
• fluid and/or blood leaking from the nose (skull fracture)
• pain or tenderness along back (spinal cord injury)
• altered distal sensations: e.g. numbness, tingling, unusual hot or cold sensations (spine injury)
• loss of bowel and bladder control (spine injury)
• diffuse or specific pain (musculoskeletal injury)
• swelling (musculoskeletal injury)
• changes in range of motion (musculoskeletal injury)
• impaired ability to perform complex tasks, fin motor shivering, apathy, confused and sluggish thinking (hypothermia)
• warm, swollen, painful, and tender skin (frostbite)
• nausea and/or vomiting with fatigue (heat exhaustion) 
• headache with unusual weakness and fatigue (hyponatremia)
• possible mild to moderate anxiety, otherwise normal mental status (hyponatremia)
• possible muscle cramping (hypernatremia)--the treatment for this one is eating salty foods! :)
• nausea and possible vomiting with loss of appetite (altitude illness)
• mild lassitude, fatigue or weakness at rest (altitude illness)
• insomnia (altitude illness)
• swelling and pain (snake bite)
• pain and anxiety (spider bite)
• nausea, vomiting, and incontinence (scorpion sting)
• itching (bee sting)
• fatigue and joint pain (tick-borne illness)
• neurological compromise (lightening strike)
• shortness of breath (angina)
• anxiety and denial (angina)
• lightheadedness or dizziness (angina)
• signs of angina unrelieved by rest (myocardial infarction)
• dizziness with tingling or numbness in hands and feet (hyperventilation)
• history of prolonged bed rest (pulmonary embolism)
• shortness of breath with malaise and fatigue (pneumonia)
• shortness of breath and fatigue (asthma)
• memory loss and headache with possible incontinence (stroke)
• vision changes (stroke)
• unexpected and unexplained collapse (seizure)
• weak, disoriented, irritable, "not quite themselves" (hypoglycemic diabetes)
• increased hunger and thirst, increased urine output, fatigue (hyperglycemic diabetes)
• cramping pain in the lower abdomen and lower back (dysmenorrehea)
• fatigue and increased frequency of urination (urinary tract infection)
• trouble focusing (anxiety response)
• gradually increasing, diffuse abdominal discomfort (gastroenteritis)
• hyperactive bowel sounds (gastroenteritis)
• irritation and tearing (conjunctivitis/pinkeye)
• sensitivity to air, temperature, or sweets (toothache)

See what I mean? Good think both Jacob and I are trained and certified on how to best treat all of these signs and symptoms.

Fotos de la Familia

We had so much fun celebrating Grandpa Strom's milestone (60!) birthday and Grandma Strom's actual birthday with a Strom Family Photo Shoot. Because the Capitol Christmas Tree was arriving later that afternoon, we had downtown Jackson all to ourselves to create some new memories . . .

Week 28

Jacob practicing his swaddling skills on Bucky Badger.
We're ready for our first birth class tonight!

THE LOOT! Wow, we were spoiled at the Very Berry Baby Shower!

Perfect strangers are now asking me when I'm due,
and I'm checking off pregnancy side effects one by one!

28th week (still using American Sign Language)

Meeting the Blueberry

Check out this awesome video made with love by Uncle Tommy.

Make 'Em Laugh

Last night the blueberry performed in Jackson's first Harold show. The Harold is a type of long-form improv that was brought to Jackson by my friend Andy who learned the trade in Chicago while living with Tommy and Tesha this past summer. So far, the blueberry has been in six Laff Staff improv performances and many hours of rehearsal. In addition to the fact that improv has become my cardio, there are a variety of reasons I believe improv is good preparation for parenthood:

1. you MUST live in the moment
2. authentic reactions are the best
3. you don't always know what's going on, but you go with it
4. always act confident
5. trust and support your teammates
6. yes, there are rules
7. break the rules when necessary, you know best
8. the best shows begin by telling your team, "I've got your back!"
9. it's ALL about the relationships
10. laugh often

 

Week 27

A gaggle of Henries

Dad and Tommy led the charge for the nursery make-over!

T&T see the tree!

Stroms and Ministers cheer on the Capitol Christmas Tree!

Jacob flashed some kind of USFS card for this photo op!

How many family members are allowed at the ultrasound?

Thanks for all the good news Dr. George!

Blueberry sneak peek!

It may actually just be all the elk we ate this weekend.

27th week

Growing . . .

"You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was." -Irish proverb

It's been a big week! At school, we've had lots of fun honoring Dia de los Muertos and fondly recalling the memories of ancestors and friends who have died. Last year, I lost both of my grandfathers and regularly feel their impact on my day-to-day decision-making, and, not surprisingly, they've both made appearances in my pregnancy dreams. In the world of the the voracious living, Grandma Sharon celebrated her birthday yesterday and Grandma Elaine celebrates hers tomorrow. (Ironically, both Tommy's parents have birthdays this week too.) So I've been thinking about the amazing roles my grandparents played in my life and what treasures Joe, Sharon, Greg and Elaine will be for lil' blueberry. Speaking of the lil' blueberry, we've entered the 3rd trimester, my how time flies! The baby is over 15 inches long and over 2 pounds. Yes, we have lots of growing still to do, but if the blueberry's exercise level is any indication, we're well on our way.

Hang on blueberry, we've got quite a weekend ahead of us!

Question for this week:
What's the most important thing a grandparent can do for a grandchild?

Week 26

Enjoying dinner at Spoons with our friend, wedding caterer, and proud new mama, Nicole.
Two thumbs up for the "2 a.m. Thanksgiving Dinner",
and thanks for the g-diapers!

Betsy, Josh and Louise . . . as inspiring and informative as ever!
(Oh, and welcome back to work Betsy!)

Happy Halloween Josh and Matt!
(I was super jealous of Josh's fistfuls of candy!)

Sometimes Bear likes to get in on the action

26th week

Tops and Bottoms

Bottom 10 List of Pregnancy

10. Somehow still feeling hungry even after Jacob makes me egg-in-the-hole-toast-in-bed or cheesy elk burgers
9. Choosing baby names . . . such a commitment!
8. Reading scare-the-crap-out-of-you pregnancy books
7. Nothing fits and it's seriously cold in Wyoming
6. Being "that girl" at a party to who only drinks water, compares belly sizes with her husband, and happily heads home to bed at 10:00
5. Ah, the aching hips and back
4. Acne like a teenager
3. Superhuman sense of smell that sent me digging through the fridge this morning until I found the beet threatening to rot and tore that sucker out of our home
2. Gone are the days of sleeping through the night
1. I'M HUNGRY!!!


Top 10 List of Pregnancy

10. Jacob happily making me egg-in-the-hole-toast-in-bed and cheesy elk burgers
9. Picking out nursery colors (Sugar Snap Pea and Paint Your Wagon)
8. Long, shiny hair
7. Vivid surreal dreams
6. Dreaming about the blueberry's future
5. Being "that girl" at a party to who only drinks water, compares belly sizes with her husband, and happily heads home to bed at 10:00
4. Receiving hand-me-ups!
3. Looking absolutely radiant 24/7
2. Irrational excitement watching items disappear from the baby registry
1. Giving Mom, Dad, Tesha and Tommy another reason to visit Jackson Hole