The rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Well, I find myself with an hour that's completely unscheduled, so my girls' behavior permitting, I can actually update all you poor neglected friends and family members!

Some recent events that have kept us busy living life instead of blogging about it:
-a weekend visit from Uncle Dave and our future Aunt Katie (3? 4? Squared?)
-Halloween
-our 7th anniversary, including, but not limited to, a WHOLE NIGHT AWAY!
-Katie's 3rd birthday
-the (in)famous 20-week ultrasound
-and of course the usual school, housework, and laundry (the last of which has been eating up more time than usual, since due to a seasonal drop in water pressure it now takes 3 hrs. to wash one full load)

Each of these events will receive its own post so keep checking back over the next few days. I figure I've got limited time before we start preparing for Christmas, so I'd better make the most of it, lest we find our selves blogging about the new baby's birth when it's 2 years old!

(And just so you know, the girls have chosen to entertain themselves by removing all the cushions from the couch and using them to create a slide. Much shrieking seems to be a necessary component to its enjoyment. At least I haven't had to resort to the electronic babysitter*... yet.)


*electronic babysitter: glowy screen that mesmerizes small children and encourages them to hold still for approx. 20 minutes, aka TV.

Proud Big Sister Already

Mr. Pickles was patting my belly and talking to its inhabitant last night, when Katie piped up, looking concerned, "That's MY baby!" But after a couple minutes she said to me, "That's my baby, but I'm going to share it wif you, an' wif Miwium, an' wif Daddy too!" Then she ran to tell Mr. Pickles that she was going to share the baby with him too.

I wonder if she will share in breastfeeding and 2am diaper changes...

17 weeks and kicking!

For the past week I thought I've felt SOMETHING going on in utero, but only yesterday was I absolutely SURE that the sensations I've been noticing since last Tuesday weren't just muscle spasms -- at least, not mine! Miriam even felt a tiny little kick -- by pressing her little hand hard into my belly, naturally.

Just thought you'd all like to know!

(I'm sure OUR baby is much cuter than this, though.)

Baby Blues Gets Funnier Every Year

Anyone who has ever dealt with a manipulative five-year-old will understand why this strip really speaks to us.

16 weeks!

At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.

Finally had an OB appt today -- very exciting stuff! Everything looks good, which is reassuring. Got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. It seems so miraculous to hear that strong, steady pulsing on the Doppler. Since I didn't get the typical early ultrasound at the peanut stage, sometimes it's hard to believe there's actually another human being in there. But hearing the heartbeat gives meaning to all the crankiness and tiredness and nausea. I'm going in for the 20-week ultrasound in a couple weeks, so we should have more fun stuff to post in about a month.

So, the news you've all been waiting for: the projected due date is April 1st, poor kid, although so far neither of my babies came on time, so we'll see. :) When should we start collecting bets?

A PSA from your friendly neighborhood fire brigade

(note: baking soda works well too.)

New Addiction

...Facebook! I tip my proverbial hat to Suzanne, who dragged me there a while back to look at some pictures of hers, and before I knew it I was all signed up and everything. I recently took the time to actually explore the site, and found that everyone I know is already there! Check me out! No, seriously, check me out! (a mythical bag of marshmallows to whoever can tell me which sbemail that's from, since I can't remember!) I'm currently accepting applications to be my friend. :)

Just what I need -- another way to waste my time, instead of doing something productive... (like packing, for instance...)

Well, here's what we've got so far

Grandma time galore! These are from our trip to Minnesnowta in August.

The girls spent practically every waking moment outside...

...when they weren't taking advantage of Grandma's infinite patience for reading books to them.

Our cutie-pie.

Madeline spent a lot of time outdoors too. I can't believe how clean she looks in this picture. This was taken towards the beginning of the visit, before she went down the slide face-first about 1,007 times.

The girls with Uncle Dan.

Trying to find Uncle Dan's weak spot (or, tickling him with grass).

With some of the cousins (Bethany is very camera shy -- I think she was hiding behind a tree at this point). They had tons of fun on the cousins' swing set.

The two Catherines. Bethany's grandpa has a punt so he took everyone out for a spin on the lake. Gorgeous.

More to come whenever we can get them uploaded!

We are experiencing technical difniculties... please stand by...

Sorry for the delay in posting pictures, folks -- we're having issues transferring them from Mr. Pickles' computer onto ours. (stoopid security-obsessed tech demons at the Bureau) Meanwhile, here's another Miriam quote to hold you for a bit.

[Scene: Miriam has set up two couch pillows at the foot of a flight of stairs, and is jumping from an undisclosed height onto them, in an attempt, she claims, to fly. Mrs. P is working on the computer and sees out of the corner of her eye Miriam rocketing through the air]
Mrs. P: Miriam, please be careful -- I don't want you to get hurt.
Miriam: Why?
Mrs. P, always the optimist: Because if you fall too hard you'll hurt your back and then I'll have to take you to the hospital and you'll have to stay there for a long, long time until your back heals. [Wow! I never knew these little showers could be so dangerous!]
Miriam, quietly, after thinking a moment: Will I get in trouble and get a spank?
Mrs. P: Bwa ha ha ha haaa!! No, if you break your back I promise I won't spank you.

Quotable Quotes

Miriam: "Pink goes with EVERYTHING."
[yes, I guess that's true when you're a five-year-old girl...]

Katie, as we stepped outside for a walk: "Mmm, it smells like toothpaste out here!"

Miriam, at Mother Angelica's farm in Alabama: "That emu frowned at me."

Scene: driving away from aforesaid farm, singing "Old MacDonald"
Miriam: "Daddy, I don't know what animal to say next."
Mr. Pickles: "Emu."
Miriam: "Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O, and on that farm he had an emu, E-I-E-- emu?!?"

Miriam: "Mommy, I don't like to use that toothpaste because it makes my brain taste like O's."
[say what?]