My Growing Tummy:)

Different family members have asked to see my growing tummy so below is a slide show of my progress:) I waited so long because I thought it would be more impressive if you could actually see a difference. I am currently in my 25th week so as I continue to grow I will add to the album until it's complete and the baby is here!!!

Enjoy!

On Writing...

So, two days down in my summer vacation, two days closer to my book being finished. Don't any of you go getting your hopes up too much. I still have a loooooooong way to go. But, my goal is to write 2000 words a day for the remainder of the summer, roughly 3 single spaced pages. So, in the last 2 days I have written over 4,100 words and I'm feeling good. I decided, while I'm writing to give those interested a little taste of my adventure story in the form of a picture detail of my main character Mychal. This is an origional pencil sketch by my great friend, Oren Ralph. He's an amazing artist, and I'm very lucky that he has a lot of interest in my story and drew this from my descriptions to help to motivate me. A character that looks this cool is just begging to be written about don't ya think?

That's the face of determination.

I've got a bunch of pics to post in the near future, so stay tuned.

A Poem for the baby

I'm usually pretty ridiculous. I know. I try to be witty and look at things from a slightly different perspective. But, every once in a while I get serious and do things that are a little more meaningful. Last week, I taught a mini lesson on Greek lyrical poetry to my sophomores. As my assessment for this quick unit, I had my kids try to write their own lyrical poem about someone or something that is important and personal to them. I decided, while they were writing, I would do it too. Here's what I came up with, a poem for the baby.

You May Forget to Remember

You may forget to remember,

But I loved you long before

I ever knew you.

When you’ve grown

And let go of the simple trappings of youth,

And put aside your childish things,

Hair bows and princess evening gowns,

You may forget to remember when you’re mad at me

Because I’ve had to say, “No.”

But I’ve loved you since before

You could draw breath,

And I’ll love you still long after I’m gone.

I don't really consider myself much of a poet, but sometimes I get touched.

Registry Rodeo

So, Last Wednesday, or Humpday, if you prefer, we decided to have an impromptu date night consisting of fine dining and shopping. We don't have to schedule date night yet since the baby has not yet arrived, so we like to just go sometimes without really planning all the details.

The evening started with a bang as we both got home from work without wanting to kill anyone, and we were in great moods. So I says to E, "Ay, Yo E, yous wants ta go for a ride?" (Jersey accent added for spice.)
"Why I sure do my handsome husband. You are just the greatest and most gorgeous man on the planet," she says. (Okay, so maybe I'm paraphrasing a little.)
With that we hit the road. First stop, food. Can you believe we got seats at Arby's at 5:00 pm with no reservations? It's good to be loved.

Fine dining at Arby's. None but the best for my Puddin'.

After the wonderful feast provided by the gourmet chefs at our local Roast Beefery, forces conspired against us to prevent us from the second part of our date, a shopping spree to end all sprees. We walk out of Arby's and get in our chariot to drive to the store and I turn the key. A series of clicks from under the hood told this car wiz that something was wrong. So, I get out, open the hood, and tell E to try to crank it up while I stand there peering into the nether regions of the engine like I know what I'm doing. She tries fire it up and, sure enough, more clicking. So we immediately resort to our contingency plan which is... calling Mom.
Luckily RT, my favorite mother-in-law, was on her way home from work and was able to pick us up and take us home to get our other high performance vehicle. We drive back to Arby's and I do the only other thing I can think of and try to jump the Honda. Luckily, it works and I end up looking like a genius. We take the car to Autozone and get the battery checked and it's bad, but it's under warranty so we only have to pay $20 for it, but I have to drive from High Point Rd to Guilford College Rd to get the right battery.

The fruits of my labors. Isn't it a thing of beauty?

Finally, undeterred, we arrive at the shopping location of choice, Babies 'r' Us. While wandering around the store registering for all kinds of stuff for the baby, we were under constant assault from vicious hoards of ninjas who, apparently, have nothing else better to do but mess with us. However, little did they know that we are each class 5 marksmen with our super awesome scanner blasters. We made short work of both the registry and the ninjas.

We can't be stopped. Why do they even try?

The ninjas are masters of stealth. If you can't see them, I can't help you. But, believe you, me, they're there. Don't be mad just cause you can't see them.

This post was written to the soothing strains of Ben Harper.

J's Weekend Without Erks

For Memorial Day weekend, Erks had to go away.
J was sad.


No matter what he did, He just wasn't happy allllll weekend.


Playing video games, he was sad.


Eating NY Strip and corn on the cob, he was sad.
(Although it did help a little.)


Reading books, he was sad.


Even sleeping with the penguins, he was sad.


But, finally Erks got home!!!!!
(Acutally quite a bit earlier than she was posed to!)


We made it in time for a cookout with friends and everything was alllllllllllllriiiiiiiight!


I love my Erks.

Lord of the Cribs

One crib to rule them all
One crib to find them
One crib to bring them all
And in the darkness bind them
In the land of Nursery when babies lie.

This is a story about cribs and other baby things.

Life was good to Benli Miles and the Holmes's. Erksladriel was pregnant with little Princess Ballerina, and Benli and Jagorn had become fast friends, hanging out often and stamping out terrorism one virtual terrorist at a time via XBOX Live. However, unbeknownst to any of them, their good fortune was fated to change.

You see, the crib changed everything.

It was a Friday night like any other. Benli and Jagorn had finished their workout and had returned to the house to perform what seemed to be a simple chore to make Erksladriel's week. Who knew there was an evil so malicious lurking in the depths of a large card board box that had been festering in the basement for a fortnight.

(Cue Sinister Music....Duh duh duh duhhhhnnn!)

Never has there been a crib so nefarious.

At first Jagorn and Benli were stymied by the criptic runes which accompanied this ominous artifact out of it's cardboard tomb.

It are hard too read stuff.

Jagorn soon set about the task of unleashing the power of the crib by opening up all of the little gibblets.

Huuuuuurrrraaaaghhhhhh!!!!!

But, it was no use. The warding magic was too strong and Jagorn did not know the elven word to open it. Benli however had another plan.

"Hold still..." Benli said.
"You have done this before right?" Jagorn inquired.

After reattaching his left ear... and a couple of fingers... The work was well underway.

Good thing there was an Allen wrench to reattach that ear.

Halfway through, the tension grew palpable.

Back to work, but there was treachery in Benli's eyes.

Oh snap!! What did I say??

Benli had the drop on Jagorn and a life and death struggle ensued. After several cunning strikes by Benli were parried, Jeremyagorn was able to regain his weapon.

They waged war with such ferocity the very house shook with every strike.
For hours they fought.
Jagorn began to tire as Benli was fortified by the power of the crib.
His onslaught redoubled as Jagorn finally made his fatal mistake.

At last, Jagorn was left defeated.

The crib stood silent but within the depths of it's evil sentience, it was pleased.

Thanks Benli.

Nursey Ryhmes

So just a quick note on how dorky or just darn cute J and I are now that we are preparing for parenthood.

My mother-in-law got me a nursery rhyme CD to play for the baby for Mother's Day and so I decided that I would start listening to it so I could sing to her on the way to work. It was really fun and the songs are really jazzy...ha! Being the dancer that I am I could totally see a group of 3 year old kids doing a acrobatic/dance routine to the version of Humpty Dumpty on the CD. Anyway, J and I were on our way to our friend's house for dinner Tuesday night when I thought I would let him listen also and it was fun times from there. Both of us went crazy singing parts and dancing! I am sure that the people in the cars next to us were wondering what was wrong with us, but we didn't care:) It was all for the baby!

Sooo...

I just wanted to share this moment because it's is one of the many reasons I love my husband so much. He allows me to be silly and he joins in the silliness with me and it makes for lots of laughter in our home. I'm sure when the baby gets here she's going to get a kick out of her mommy and daddy because we can be downright dorky sometimes:)

Toodles!