Genius Kid

Benny loves to read just about any book he can get his hands on. One night, Nate's "Clarifier Design" text book was on the table. Benny picked it up, which was no easy feat since it weighed as much as he did, and sat down with it for awhile. He paged through it for at least 15 minutes. Sometimes he'll sit in his room and "read" every single book on his shelf. When he's finished, he's surrounded by a mound of books. It's amazing to watch his love of books grow and grow.

Stacking & Smiling

Stack 'Em Up

Mmmmmmm.

Vanilla bean ice cream. Mmmmmm. That is all.

The Kitchen: A Belated Update

I've been hesitant to post anything about kitchen progress in the past few weeks because, well, there hasn't been much progress. However, yesterday we hired a painter! In a week and a half he will come over and apply the final two coats of paint. But here's the kicker... The painter took all of our doors and is going to prime, sand, and paint them. Yay! We have been struggling to get those doors sanded and painted. It's such a time-consuming activity (for example, I spent three hours sanding six doors last weekend).

Nate's dad and step-mom will be here this weekend to help us prime the walls in the kitchen and paint the ceiling. While they're at it, we'll probably ask them to help finish up painting in the living room as well. I went shopping for curtains, chairs, and dining room tables yesterday and I have some excellent ideas. If we're lucky, we'll have a liveable home by this summer - just in time for BBQ season!

Baby, Baby, I Can Hear Your Heart Beat

Heard the baby's heart beat today. 154 beats/minute. That's one healthy heart.

I'm 13 weeks, three days today. I don't officially enter the second trimester until Friday, but I'm feeling very good. I have gained a bit more weight than I thought (although my clothes have been telling me otherwise). But, if that's the most pressing concern of the pregnancy, I guess I can deal with it.

Only six weeks, four days until we can find out what we're expecting - boy or girl. I've had a strong boy feeling - going as far as calling the baby a "he." But, it's not nearly as strong as the feeling I had with Benny. Plus, I'm not as tired this pregnancy and I've been craving sweets. According to old wives' tales, that means it's a girl. I can only wait and see.

Beer Gut

Even if I had wanted to keep my pregnancy secret until after my first trimester, I would have had a hard time concealing it. I've had a "bump" since week 10. Now the bump is growing. I can still wear my regular pants, but barely. With Benny, I didn't start showing until at least four or five months. I know this is to be expected in subsequent pregnancies, but it's a little disconcerting.

I am continuing to run until it's uncomfortable. Nothing too crazy - between 2 and 4 miles. I'm determined to keep in shape during this pregnancy. My goal is to run a half-marathon by next June. Physically that shouldn't be a problem. Time-wise, two babies may make that a little more difficult.

Benny seems to be fairly excited about the baby. He doesn't talk about it unless we ask about it, but he'll say, "Hello baby," when he sees my belly. Very cute. I asked him what he wants to name the baby. First he said, "Baby." Then he said, "Robert." There's a baby Robert at daycare. Funny kid.

#25

I have accomplished something big. Check out #25 on my list of things to do. Something big indeed!

Music and Memories

Pandora is playing tricks on me this morning. First, I heard a live edition of "Yellow" by Coldplay. I was never a huge fan of Coldplay before seeing them in concert last year. Sure, their music is OK, but I couldn't say that it moved me. Then, my Pretty Girl friend came for a visit and we saw Coldplay perform at the Pepsi Center. I was converted. Chris Martin was a sexy little beast as he ran around the stage and sang his heart out. Of course, part of the memories are attached to the fun weekend I had with one of my best friends. Whenever I hear Coldplay, I think of that weekend.

Second, Dido appeared on the playlist. Man oh man, the memories rushed in. I became a HUGE fan of Dido when I lived in Montana. I had just graduated from college and moved to a former dude ranch outside of Philipsburg. Because I was clueless about what I wanted to do with my life, I accepted an internship at Project Vote Smart. The internship turned into a temporary full-time position. It was in the forests of Montana that I learned much about myself. I ran my first half-marathon. I hiked, I camped, I swam. I fell in love. A crazy, intense love. Dido was there when I fell in love. Dido was there when my heart was broken. Those six months were, by far, some of the most important of my life. My experiences in Montana have shaped many my decisions. I can't listen to Dido without thinking about that six months.

Music is amazing that way. Hearing certain songs or artists can bring me right back to a place and time. It can remind me of some of the happiest times of my life and some of the worst times. It also reminds me of how amazing my life is right now. I wonder what songs will stick and remind me of this time in my life and the happy/frustrating/moving/thoughtful memories I'm making right now.