baby shower weekend

knowing i can’t have spicy food during
the first couple months while breast feeding
because it will upset the baby’s tummy,
graham took me out friday night to my favorite
thai restaurant to enjoy panang curry
before my obligatory hiatus.

later that night i started to feel
pains and tightening in my belly.

despite the logical reasoning this was
due to the curry and because i had pushed it
when i cleaned the whole house early that evening,
i thought i was going into labor.

and while i did not have any of the signs of labor
as described by all the baby books, i was convinced
the baby was coming that night.

when nothing happened by midnight,
i decided to go to bed, certain i would wake up
a few hours later ready to go to the hospital.

so i was a little disappointed to wake up
saturday morning at 7:00 am
with no more pains or tightening.

i know a few weeks ago i said
i wanted the baby to come late
but after two bad days of kicks in the ribs
and baby sitting on my bladder,
i now prefer he make an early appearance.

it was a good thing he didn’t come early though
because saturday was my baby shower.
and it was unbelievably beautiful!

my mom and sister put together
an extraordinary and very sophisticated event
and with the help from nichole, my dad, sharon, chris, and graham,
the whole event was perfect

i am so blessed to have such an incredible
family who put so much into giving
me, graham, and the baby
a wonderful baby shower.

thank you to my family and to graham’s family.
our son is surrounded by love.
i couldn’t ask for a better gift.

isn’t the yard beautiful?


center pieces


baby carriage fruit bowl my dad (the chef) made


shrimp bowl ashley made - the bowl is made of ice with lemons and limes


drinks - sparkling lemonade


drinks – water bottles


yummy desserts


gifts for the guests – basil, the herb of love


food – noodles with peanut sauce, lettuce, peppers, and chicken
all the food was cooked by dad, ashley, and mom
and served to the guests by chris and graham
(ashley made the guys wear white shirts with khaki shorts,
it was the cutest idea ever!)


guests


(i love the back of my dress)


eating


my cousin andrea and her 7 week old son kellen
(andrea and I are 8 weeks apart so we are hoping
our sons will be close to 8 weeks apart…)


hannah – my best friend’s beautiful daughter




guests


laughing when everyone heard the story of graham
accidently killing his pet frog when he hugged it too tight


hannah laughing at all the jokes


opening gifts – i love summer and feeling the sun on my skin!


friends


my brother sleeping on the grass after his
exhausting career attempt at being a food server


laughing when I didn’t understand how the toy works


cute gifts – our friend sandy made this and i love it!


my beautiful sister ashley who planned the whole event


more laughing


my parents’ dogs who happily ate anything left behind by hannah


this is how louie runs - crooked and with a little hop


more party details - i am still amazed at
all the details ashley and mom put into the shower


my mom holding kellen


the handsome boys – our chef and servers


the plane my dad gave the baby - it matches the nursery perfectly




graham is the best looking guy and most wonderful husband! i am so lucky!

promise

dear nigel


and kylie


we promise
once baby is here
to still
go on daily runs
brush you every night
and play tug-of-war and catch often

ky's super-dog, glamour shot


nigel's blunt, straight-legged run


nigel couldn't find the ball. sometimes he's a little slow.


ky lazily drinking water after playing catch

36 weeks

who wants to guess
when baby will make
his appearance?

i think he is going to
give his mom some love
and come after the due date.

my guess: june 26 at 10:00 a.m.

i love being pregnant so
i don’t mind a few extra days

this will give me time to
finish my
work projects,
house projects, and
yard projects

and it will give us time to
get the rocking chair we special ordered
the new camera and
the new iMac i’m going to
convince graham we need.

by the way, here are the names
we’re still considering.
graham has a favorite but
i need to see baby first.

ryker (graham’s favorite)
jackson
logan
and a couple others…

his middle name will be james
(thank you Tom and Norah
for the history about that family name!)

a solution

dear baby,
i’ve decided to call you
george until dad and I can
figure out what your
name will be.

this is so I can avoid
people giving me
anymore suggestions

so sorry,
check-out clerk at target,
I don’t need to
hear the 50 names
you think I should name
my baby

and see you later,
random lady at the mall.
i don’t need your list
of suggestions
(or what your friends
named their babies).

san diego

we just got back from San Diego
and had the best time!
we stayed with my family
in a beach house on Mission Bay

here are just some of our favorite memories

riding cruiser bikes around the bay

boogie boarding in the ocean

having family BBQs on the deck

learning I hate hot dogs

seeing dolphins in a wave off the beach

eating a Café Mono

learning our neighbor was a genius…

playing super size soccer on the beach

learning that:
flying + pregnancy + sun burn + dehydration = super swollen ankles

also...
i usually get a little stressed when I travel.
graham knows how to deal with me.
but I think Graham was a little taken back
by having to deal with 5 stressed Robertsons
especially when we kept missing the exit
to the airport on the way home.

graham and me at the beach house (notice the super sized soccer ball and then you'll understand how dad almost broke his toe)


graham and chris waiting to catch a wave


overlooking san diego


ash and me

33 weeks

and now our life is all about numbers…

18 – pounds I’ve gained

17 – inches baby is in length

7 – weeks left before baby is here

4 – huge work projects I need to complete in the 7 weeks

3 – pairs of workpants that still fit (I love low-rise pants – anything to prevent wearing maternity pants!)

3 – pounds baby weighs

2 – weeks between doctor appointments

2 – baby showers planned for me

1 - trip left before baby comes (unless I can persuade Graham to do a weekend getaway to San Francisco)

1 – baby room completed (pictures to come)

vindication

I think Aunt Shelly sums up
the last post perfectly….Yikes!

We did have a small moment of vindication.

The dogs ate one more thing yesterday –
a large (and very thorny) rose bush.

Last night they kept scratching themselves
(more than usual)
and licking their gums and mouths.
We think it was because of all the thorns.
I admit - I was a little tempted to
give them salt and vinegar chips.

The funny thing is that they destroyed
almost the whole rose bush.
You think they would have
learned a lesson after
the first few thorny bites.

Maybe they are just slow learners.
If so, they are the cutest slow learners
I’ve ever met!

destruction

The dogs Graham and I adopt
usually have destructive tendencies

Let us remember Atticus-
our black Great Dane who
ate a whole through the wall

Kylie and Nigel are no exception.

A few things they have destroyed:

A refrigerator cord

A refrigerator handle

The top railing of a new deck

2 trees (1 indoor and 1 outdoor)

Several baseboards

A bean bag chair

A couple beams from another deck

Many potted plants

A watering pail

Two dog beds

Endless toys and ropes

And now we have two more things to add.

Last week I came home to find our
recliner scattered around the house
thanks to Nigel

Then yesterday Kylie tried to give me
a large bird she had caught and killed

She has always chased birds and finally got one.
The destructive part, however, was that she
plucked the bird down to the skin
before disembodying it

It was the most horrifying thing - ever

When I didn’t take the bird from her,
she tried to take it inside the house.
You can only imagine my screams.

Now my neighbors probably think I am crazy
And now I think my dog is little sadistic

love

I love being pregnant.

I love feeling him squirm and kick.
I love the “alien-like” movements when
he keeps his foot or elbow extended for a
few seconds so I have an odd shaped bump.

I love that he keeps kicking
even when other people
put their hands on my belly.

I love hearing his heart beat
at every doctor appointment,
knowing he is doing great.

I love his kicks when I turn on Pandora Radio
on my iPhone and put it on my belly.
Graham thinks he is kicking because he
doesn’t like my music choice.

He is so active and kicks so much,
I have to try hard not to prescribe
a life of soccer for him.
Yes, I know all babies kick but
our kid is super active all day and night.

Given the fact that he is a Weddick
(Graham plays competitive soccer for two leagues)
and because my brother is an amazing soccer player,
a soccer life seems inevitable.

I have 10 more weeks before my due date.
I am excited to see our son
But I will miss his kicks.

homecomings and new beginnings

With almost poetic timing,
the lemon tree I planted two years ago
is finally producing fruit.

I’m very proud of my first plant
and had to brag by posting pictures!



In a week,
my brother will be home
after spending the last
two years in Russia.

The plan for when he gets home:
Cafe Rio, Family BBQs, card games, soccer,
and updating the photo album.

These are pictures from several
years ago - before we upgraded the camera.

Mom, Dad, and Chris


Chris (Haha bud - this picture rocks!)


Chris and me


Ashley and Chris


Graham and Chris