Growing up, Matt’s mom, Margie, spent a few weeks every summer with her Uncle Ernie and Aunt Margie. Which of the following celebrities lived next door to her aunt and uncle?
a. Warren Beatty
b. Ben Stein
c. Jim Henson
d. William Hurt
Matt decided to take off and we have made reservations for a getaway before the baby arrives. Although I consider our cruise in March to be our official “babymoon”, we both wanted to escape one last time before our lives become chaotic. Where did we decide to go?
a. Chincoteague, Virginia
b. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
c. Virginia Beach, Virginia
d. Hot Springs, Virginia
Crib shopping was an adventure for us, but we finally made a decision. Which crib did we choose?
a. 
b. 
c. 
d. 
For Matt’s birthday this year, I accidentally stumbled upon Leinenkugel’s Explorer Variety pack (containing Sunset Wheat, Honey Weiss, Berry Weiss and Summer Shandy) at our local grocery store. While it’s not that unusual to find Leinenkugel’s where we live (especially now that Miller Brewing Company is their distributor), we haven’t been able to find the Berry Weiss since we moved from Wisconsin. We’ve made several trips to the grocery store since then, hoping to get lucky and find more in stock, but apparently, I had snagged the last one, and they weren’t expecting to get more.
So, I found the local distributor for Leinenkugel’s and they suggested I call the closest Total Wine, where lo and behold, they not only had the Explorer pack, but they had CASES of the Berry Weiss in stock as well. Aside from a few sips here and there from Matt’s bottle, I am staying away from the beer, but am really looking forward to enjoying one or two or twelve post-pregnancy. And, to think that they might actually have the Apple Spice and the Big Butt in the fall and winter makes my heart skip a beat.
It’s Independence Day and I am completely zonked. This baby is on the move (possibly as a result of a growth spurt, see below for details) and hasn’t stopped tumbling for two days now. I’m reluctant to get into crowds to see fireworks, so instead I think we will just stay home, listen to the rumbles and watch movies.
Last weekend Matt’s dad surprised Matt’s mom and we took her out to eat and to a small venue for a concert. The food was magnificent, however, I ate too much, and we had great fun at the concert. I seriously think Matt might want to go on tour, he’s practicing several of the songs! 
Our appointment went very well. We met with the first of the midwives, Wendy, and really clicked with her. Although changing practices this late in the game is not ideal, I am ever so relieved to have made the decision. Matt and I are both anxious to meet with the remaining midwives (there are a total of four with the practice, but only three who currently deliver). To those of you who are afraid to look into other options and are uncomfortable with your current provider, my advice, is that it is never too late to switch. If you don’t trust the people attending your delivery, you might not have the birth you want.
Speaking of birthing the way you want to, over the past week or so I’ve reconnected with an old high school classmate who chose to have a midwife assisted homebirth. It is SO exciting to see women taking back the power of birth in their own hands. I’m finding it exhilarating to talk to educated, smart women doing their research so that they know their options and can come to their own decisions about what is best for them and their baby, regardless of what the mainstream public thinks. But, I believe that it is a hard road to take. Family and friends may not support your decision to choose a midwife over a physician or completely understand why a homebirth would be preferable over a hospital birth. Going against the grain isn’t easy. But, going into all of this is a topic for another day!
In the meantime, let’s celebrate Independence Day and be thankful that we DO have the freedom to choose!
If we have a little girl, I might have to dig up my old pom poms for Matt.
Which of the following kitchen appliances do we not have in our possession?
a. microwave
b. quesadilla maker
c. fondue set
d. coffee pot
Last week I took a trip to Southwest Virginia, in what may be my last solo trip for a while. I visited with family, met up with my (also pregnant) friend Amanda for lunch, helped with food preparations for an impromptu family reunion, attended a small baby shower in my honor and met up with my friend Gwen who graciously brought a ton (literally) of baby loot for us. Although I was overwhelmed and exhausted by the end of it all, I was very glad I went. I did, however, learn the importance of pacing yourself and what my limitations are, which will be incredibly helpful when the time comes to prepare for our Anniversary party in August. A big thanks goes out to my cousin, Alison, who helped me comprise a party menu that should be relatively easy to put together.
Also, this week I reconnected with a couple of old friends. I had dinner one evening with a college accquantance that lives in the area. She just happens to be pregnant also, and I think it’s been over ten years since we had seen each other. I also learned that a high school classmate of mine chose to have a homebirth with a midwife and have spent the last week picking her brain and swapping resources and information. Finding a kindred spirit about birthing is exhilirating, especially someone who gave serious thought to the process and made a concious decision to choose a path less traveled.
I’m anxiously awaiting my first appointment with the new practice next week and hoping that all goes well!