It's still hot! But, in a couple days it is suppose to cool down with highs in the 70s. I'll just let you know that there is at least one pregnant lady in southwest Idaho who is excited by that news. For one thing, there are lots of projects that need attention and no one really feels like climbing around in the attic when it is 95 degrees outside. Lots of cooking too. We have tons of tomatoes in our garden waiting to be transformed into roasted versions of their sun-ripened selves. There is also a large batch of homemade spaghetti sauce planned, corn to freeze thanks to our generous neighbor, and soups and sauces to be cooked, cooled, and frozen for eating later (like after the baby comes and we need something that requires only one hand and no thought to get on the table). I've started making a list of things to make and freeze and hopefully will be able to make extra servings of most meals and freeze them as well. Plus, the delicious Hale peaches should be ripe soon. I love the U-pick orchard!

Since the last post, my mom came for a visit, Clare rode her first horse, we went camping and firewood cutting, visited the U-pick orchard twice, and my belly has gotten huge. I'll put up 26 and 31 week pictures for comparison. And I'm getting breastfeeding thighs. With Clare, I wasn't sure where those extra seven pounds were added, but there is no doubt this time around. They'll be extra cozy for the new baby to sleep on. In the meantime, they should be super helpful when the waddling commences. I'm pretty sure that is not far off.

Here are some pics from the month, plus a couple from our Bend visit that I didn't pull from the camera in time for the last post.

Clare reading with Cheda

Going to the park with Cheda and the sand toys

A nice zucchini from the garden

Watching steer roping with Mike

Riding a horse for the first time with Kiley

Making Mike do the hard work

Camping trip

Diaper change, Thermarest style

Just relaxing with Tiny Furry at Jim and Jessica's

Hiking with Uncle Jimmy

Look Dad, no eyes!

26 weeks

31 weeks

Always Playing Catch Up

It's been HOT! Since our return from Alaska, there hasn't been a recorded high temp here (local paper) lower than 96 with many days in the 100s. And the week that we were waiting to get our air conditioner fixed was brutal. I'm not sure how I would handle it normally, but the pregnant Kate gets CRANKY! And my skin gets all creepy-crawly when the house is hotter than 85. Sleep is a mixed bag. Sometimes decent, more often interrupted. I've been trying to nap, but with the tw0-year-old non-napper in the house, middle of the day sleep has been hard to come by.

So, what have we been doing?

• Our anatomy ultrasound went great. The baby looks healthy, the heart was amazing to watch in action, and the little munchkin is super active. Also, I've notice there are patterns starting to emerge. One day will be fairly quiet, the next my torso will be under constant attack. Constant. Those are the worst heartburn days, of course.
• Our attempt at getting out and enjoying a musical weekend at Targhee Fest was defeated by illness throughout the family unit. We just weren't bold enough to brave 90 degree heat, a vomiting baby with a fever, our own ailments, outhouse facilities, and camping on the ground as well. Call us crazy!
• The following weekend we did drive over to Bend to visit Uncle Jimmy and Auntie J-Dog. Their house cools down at night! And they have a tiny kitten who was lovingly harrassed by Clare the entire time we were there. Jessita showed me how to rework my knitting when I've made a crucial error. Thanks! We went on a very short hike in the mountains with waterfalls and beautiful scenery. Jim cooked up some wonderful food on the grill. It was relaxed and fun and just the thing we needed after being sick. Thanks you two!
• And, totally out of sequence, in mid-June we went to Gig Harbor for cousin Megan's wedding (not sure if I blogged about this before and way to lazy to check). We took a trip to the zoo while we were there. The highlights for Clare were feeding and brushing the goats, riding on the carousel, and playing on the playground. She also drew the picture of Mike (below) while we were there.

Clare's wonderful Daddy

POINT DEFIANCE ZOO - JUNE 19, 2009

Mike and Clare on the zoo slide

Brushing the goat

In the budgie exhibit

She's picked out her horse and she's ready to ride

Feeding the goat

Going to see the elephants

RUSSIAN RIVER FALLS HIKE - JULY 5, 2009

Watching the birds and fish with Sara

Just finishing up lunch with Lisa and Sara

Everyone's looking for something - Clare, Kyle, and Eve

OTHER ALASKAN FUN

Helping Eve blow out eggs for the big 16th b-day

Throw me the stick, throw me the stick! The Kenai River

Painting rocks at Linda's house

Bouncing on the big balls with Linda

This final picture truly illustrates what I love about Alaska. There's just such an overwhelming sense of freedom, the ability to feel like a child and enjoy all the wonderful aspects of nature with a healthy respect for the power it holds as well. Everyone should walk on a shade filtered path, moving at your own speed, dragging a stick in the dust, just because you can, as often as you can! Thanks so very much to Kyle, Lisa, and Eve, for letting Clare and I feel like this for seventeen wonderful days! We love you and we miss you and the rest of our Alaskan friends so much already!

Russian River Falls Hike

Today was an amazing day to enjoy the great outdoors of Alaska. Clare and I hiked the Russian River Falls Trail with some of our great friends: Kyle, Lisa, Eve, and Sara along with Kyle's dad Ron and his girlfriend Elizabeth. It was a little more than 5.5 miles roundtrip. Clare got a ride a lot of the way, first on my hip, then on my shoulders. We saw bald eagles, squirrels, a small rodent, lots of fish, seagulls, crazy bike riders, lots of other hikers and no bears! Seeing a pregnant lady toting a toddler must be out of the ordinary because there were numerous comments from other hiker, mainly middle-aged men, about the situation. Let's just say that it was a really good thing I was not in charge of the bear spray because I didn't have an extra hand available.

Off to AK

We leave tomorrow! I am so excited to be taking this little vacation from our normal lives. The only thing that could make it better? Having the baby daddy along for the ride. We are going to miss him terribly! Oh, and a little later flight wouldn't hurt either.

Our 20-week ultrasound was cancelled at the last minute so we won't be checking in on this little babycakes until July 17th. I was hoping for visual reassurance prior to leaving for Alaska, and I'd like to say that I am now waiting patiently, but I am still a bit peeved at being called last night at 6pm with the news. Where's my 24-hour notice, hmmm? Will I be getting the ultrasound for free now? When I went to reschedule, the lady told me, "10 a.m. is the earliest we can see you." Then, when I told her that wouldn't work, it would need to be at 8 a.m., she said, "Okay, we can put you in that slot." WHAT?

To the Future

Yesterday, after a trip to the dentist (me), a run around the park (Clare), and some fries at McDonalds (we shared), Clare and I climbed back into the car. This was the conversation:

Clare

Why did you get in on that side?

Me

This is where I need to sit to drive the car.

Clare

Dad should be here to drive the car.

Me

Well, he could if he were here with us.

Clare

How come you and Dad are the only ones who get to drive?

Me

When you are a lot bigger, like in 14 years, you can drive too.

Clare

When I am bigger and you and Dad are lots older and tiny you can ride in the back in carseats and I will drive you to the store and the park and the library and the post office.

Me

Sounds like a plan!

Photos and Updates

Again, time flies by and I don't update the blog... So, after finally getting some pictures off the camera, crossing my fingers that the computer wouldn't crash, and finding a few moments to upload, here is a new batch to enjoy. But first a couple updates:

I had my 16-week prenatal visit this week. I had a quad screen to check for common genetic abnormalities. All the markers looked good with odds less than 1 in 10,000. The heartrate was 140 bpm again. I am also starting to slowly wean off the beta blockers. It makes a huge difference in my afternoon already. Although the temperature have been in the 90s, I'm not feeling the need for a three hour nap in the afternoon. Next week I'll just start taking one before bed, then the week after try to go without any at all.

Clare was sick this week. Three days of a high fever followed by a rash. Either Fifth disease or roseola. Her rash and symptoms seem more consistant with the roseola so that's where my money is. Hopefully she will be 100% tomorrow or Monday. She is definately feeling more lively today than she has been. And she started eating again which is a big relief.

Okay, on to the pictures:

Blossoms on the peach tree

Blossoms on the pluot and our little blossom inspector

Watering ants while Chudda supervises

Fake nails!

Playing with Maggie. Notice the pristine cleanliness of the toy room...

A visit from Grandma and Grandpa

Napping with a buddy

Asleep on the job...eating should never be this quiet.

Rethinking My Concept of Time

Two weeks ago, at my 12-week OB appointment, my Dr. and I discussed the fact that during the 28 days previous I had experienced migraines for nine. I'm on daily medication currently which was working pretty nicely before the onslaught of pregnancy hormones in controlling my migraines. Due to the wee-nut, she was hesitant about increasing the dose of this medicine. She actually said, "I'll leave it up to you."

Good Mom: Don't Risk Taking Any Additional Medicine.

Bad Mom: Drug Me Now, I Can't Take The Pain Any Longer.

Well, you see, guess I felt I needed to side with Good Mom, thinking I could suck it up for the next eight weeks, assuming this pregancy follows a similar course as my previous one. Didn't seem like that long then. Eight short weeks. Since that appointment, fourteen days ago, eight of my days have been altered in some way by migraine symptoms. And I've taken more pain killers than my liver likes to think about. Maybe an extra 20mg of beta blocker would have been less stressful for all operating systems.

Here's the math: Six more weeks until 20 week mark. Four migraines a week. That's only 24 more days of excruciating, head pounding, nauseating symptoms to deal with. BRING THEM ON! And I'm going to need a refill on the narcotics. On the slightly less than half-full side of things, that does average out to 18 days without symptoms.

Have I said it before? I HATE MIGRAINES!!!

Happy family posts to follow soon.