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