Thursday, August 14, 2008

More Minnesota Photos and Stop the OBSESSING

I have suddenly taken a dangerous turn into the "All Baby All the Time" mindset. I am obsessing constantly over what I want to get done before the baby arrives and then I wander over into "When will the baby arrive?" and "What gender will it be?" and "What will we name it?" territory and then there is no turning back. Count me out for the day. It isn't like I don't have anything to do. I have tons to do, but yet I cannot do it. I find myself sitting on the couch, muttering, "uh-huh" in response to every question (Mommy? Can I put all the toilet paper from the roll in the potty? Can I eat ten lollipops?) and suddenly stressing out over how much time I have left before the baby arrives. Then, I start stressing out over the delivery (What if it is too fast? What if it is too slow? What if I need a C-section?), which means I have to run to the computer and read other peoples' birth stories. Then I have to turn on A Baby Story on TV and record as many as I can and watch them in semi-fast forward, cringing during the delivery and then weeping after the birth. I am not functioning very well. Someone slap me please. This could go on for another two months? What I'd really like is a drink. A real drink. Or two.

So, in lieu of that, I guess I'll rifle through the rest of the MN pics and put them on here! We went down to Rochester where my 98-year old Nana is living with my Aunt Julie and Uncle Dave. We had a great time catching up with everyone! And we sung just about every song in the hymnal to Nana, who loves listening to music more than anyone I know.
4 Generations
"Super" Nana and her three children (Phil, Carol and Julie)
Becca and her Nana
Nanas are very special in this family.
More dead fish. Grandpa points out the gills.
Snow White "asleep" in her "glass case."
Uncle Dave, my cousin Hannah, and Foitch out feeding the goats (in the pen in the background.)
Some of the neighbors came over to jump rope in the driveway. They are refugees from the Sudan. Julie and Dave have practically adopted the entire community. Very sweet kids!
Becca loved "jump roping" and running around like a crazy woman on the mats.
Check out the psychadelic artwork that appeared on the driveway one morning after Susan and Hannah and Uncle Dave were left outside after the party and bonfire to finish the beer.
On the way to the airport, we swung by the famous Bonnie and Ralph's house (Bonnie and my mom have been friends since kindergarten) where we were pampered with fancy cheeses (what I wouldn't give for another chunk of that bleu cheese they had), fruits and wines while we sat outside and practiced holding Mark and Carrie's 2-month old baby. Well, my mom practiced. I spent most of the time running in and out trying to get Becca to nap, then trying to get her dressed in her "travelling clothes" then quickly charging the DVD player (only to leave all the DVDs in the checked luggage) and my cell phone (only to leave it at Bonnie's house, resulting in a mad dash back there to retrieve it, almost making me too late to catch the plane.) Ahhhhhhh.....travelling. Glad to be done for a while. Although, we really crammed in a lot of good memories in 5 short Minnesotan days. I'm so glad we went!

10 comments:

Angie said...

I love your photos, especially the ones of Becca jumping and being Snow White.

And, doing it once doesn't make having a baby less of something to worry about the next time, does it? If anything, I think I may have worried more the second time around. I was so afraid that I would go into labor before my c-section was scheduled and then some crazy doctor would insist that I go ahead and deliver the baby, since I was already in labor. Everything will work out fine. Since you've already had one baby, they will be more likely to believe you when you say you are in labor, plus you won't be having this baby in Alaska. As to the gender and baby name stuff, that's all part of the fun!

Anonymous said...

I would love to go Bonnie & Ralph's
with a bottle of Grape MD 20/20 wine just to see Ralph face.
I remember when you were about one and came out of the bathroom pulling the TP out with you all through the house.

Anonymous said...

I would love to go Bonnie & Ralph's
with a bottle of Grape MD 20/20 wine just to see Ralph face.
I remember when you were about one and came out of the bathroom pulling the TP out with you all through the house.

Anonymous said...

Whoop I said it twice.

The Quinn Report said...

Check out that artwork! That is really something!

It looks like you both had a wonderful trip together! I still can't get over Becca and her love for fish....dead or alive!

Anonymous said...

Hey Sgt! Come on down. We'll have a taste test!!

Grammy Bonnie

PS: Mark is up in PC this weekend. . .he'll no doubt stop in at the shop for "supplies".

Anonymous said...

You are pregnant! You are SUPPOSED to obsess about all the above! That's what pregnant ladies DO! It's your JOB!

ENJOY!

Anonymous said...

What an awesome afternoon!
The place of peace.
The sanctuary of sanity.
The collection of calm.

Andrea and Ben said...

Obsess away, it makes me feel better about the way I was at the end of my pregnancy.
I love the pics of the little refugee kids, they are all so damned cute!
Your family seems so great :0)

Jen said...

What great fun you had. I love that you got to spend time with so many relatives! That is one of the best things about summer. (It seems like we always see family most in the summer, no?)