Baby Apple

Steph and I insisted that Jen stick out her tummy in these photos trying to get the baby bump from Baby Apple to photograph.

This is from the weekly email Jen gets about baby development and size comparison that she forwards to me:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam.

The weekly emails trade off between the he and she pronouns -- Jen finds out on Nov. 18th if Baby Apple is a boy or a girl.

My Girls

Jen, me, and Stephanie.


Jen and Stephanie at the pumpkin patch.

The Greatest Gift

Woke up around 11, looked at the clock, and rolled back over to sleep for a wee bit more. I was expected to head to Jen's to celebrate my birthday and I had told her I would get there sometime between 2 and 3. Got up at noon, and called Jen at 12:30 to let her know I was on my way. Tis about an hour and a half to Jen's so I knew I had plenty of time. Got to Jen's at 2:15 and, of course, had to use the bathroom right away. Put my purse down in the living room and headed to the bathroom. Afterwards, as I entered the living room, I saw a figure standing to the left sorta in the corner.

OHMYSTARS it was STEPHANIE!!!

I immediately enveloped her in my arms and was crying and laughing at the same time. She had flown in from Colorado to see me for my birthday!!! I get teary just thinking about it -- and how both Jen and Stephanie conspired to give me the best present of all -- being with both my girls at the same time. I'm just amazed.

Best Birthday Ever doesn't even cover how wonderful the afternoon was. Steph took pictures and will email them to me when she gets back to Colorado tomorrow.

Jen made a banana nut bread for my 'cake' and I blew out all my candles on one breath so my wish will come true. I was so happy I could hardly think but think I was able to come up with a pretty great wish.

When Steph sends me the pictures she took this afternoon, I'll put up a new post with descriptions of our good time and my presents. I'm still just blown away and have a big ole goofy grin on my face. The last time I had both my girls with me at the same time was at Jen and Mike's wedding in May, 2008. I've seen them each individually since then but not both at the same time. During the 6 months that Steph was in Oregon last year, we just never all hooked up at the same time.

Last time I saw Stephanie was when she headed to Colorado 'for 6 weeks'. That was August a year ago -- she loves Colorado and decided to stay there. She looks so good -- seeing her looking so good was exactly what I needed. She's a grown woman but she will always be my baby girl and until I saw her today, I had worries about how she was doing. All those worries were put to rest immediately the minute I saw her.

The afternoon flew by and before I knew it, it was time for me to head back home. I really regret that rolling over for more sleep this morning -- that time could have been an extra hour spent with both my girls.

Jen looks wonderful. She is glowing with that 'pregnant glow' and her baby bump has gotten bigger. Gave her, Mike, Baby Lemon, and Steph multiple kisses and hugs when we were saying our g'byes. I was waving madly and blowing kisses out the window as I drove away until I was around the corner and could no longer see them. Wish I could have stayed longer but I don't see as well as I used to when it is dark and try to avoid driving after dark if I can.

Best. Birthday. Ever!

Hippo Birdies

Hippo birdies two me
hippo birdies two me
hippo birdies deer me
hippo birdies two me
..... and mini s'mores.....

Thursday's sunset -- the sunsets are moving further and futher south. Soon, the trees will no longer block my view and I'll watch it set behind the spit. Spent the afternoon with my friend Teddy hanging out here, at a great cafe in Oceanside, and then showing him both Cape Meares and Cape Lookout. We had a great time and are going to do it again real soon. Twas his first time at the Oregon Coast. The day was drizzly and overcast but shortly after he headed back to Portland, the clouds lifted.

Neon

T'was an ugly gray day today so I'm sharing sunsets from earlier in the week instead of bitching about my day and whining about the weather.

Both have a slightly different view -- they were taken from the breakfast room by the front door. Tis directly over the bedroom of the downstairs unit so I don't use it as an office as I had originally planned. Really does have a great view but the living room has the wood stove.

Tuesday's sunset was neon -- you can tell that the setting sun is still hidden behind the stand of trees on the right but it won't be long -- it is moving south daily.

This was Wedsnesday's sunset. Pretty but not as electric as the day before.


I'm sure my take on the day today was colored by being in a very foul mood. I'm sure I'll be in a better mood tomorrow... ok, later today.... and will be back to waxing about the silvery clouds, the sounds of falling rain and the way the trees sway in the wind. Today was a bah humbug kinda day.

As always, click on the pictures to make them bigger.

Baby Lime Moves!

Baby Lime as of Friday.

I drove over the hill to spend time with Jen and Mike Sunday afternoon. Jen looks wonderful! She has a nice baby bump and pictures from her ultrasound Friday for me to coo over. We looked at paint chips for the nursery, with various scenarios pending the results of the testing November 18th that tell her if Baby Lime is a boy or a girl. Mike made a scrumptious chocolate chip cake with vanilla frosting while Jen and I talked babies.

Jen told me the technician at the ultrasound Friday told her she had a very active baby and was surprised that Jen wasn't feeling movement yet. While we were sitting in the living room chatting, she got very still, her eyes got big and in a wonderous voice, she said she thought maybe she felt the baby move. I knelt down beside her and put my hand on her lower belly and we waited...

Sure enough, a minute or two later, I felt a wee little rumble of vibration through my thumb! Mike came over and sure enough, he felt it too. We musta stayed like that for at least 5 minutes, with Jen and I exclaiming did you feel that as we felt Baby Lime move several more times.

Baby Lime was saying howdy to his/her Grams.

Picture is of Baby Lime, head on the right facing the left in profile (isn't that the cutest little nose), chest and tummy, and legs bent at the knees with the feet not visible in this particular image.

Exploring

Token and I walked along the path to my neighbors to the north today. They have a great view of Netarts Bay, from the mouth of the bay to the north to Lookout to the south. Here's a few of the pictures I took before the camera battery died.

The path:

The view of the mouth of the bay, 3 Rocks (barely visible in the mist), and Cape Meares:


A closeup of the north view, showing the communities of Oceanside (on the left center), Happy Camp (alongside the beach at the middle), and Netarts (on the right).


Looking south towards what I call 'the far point' and Cape Lookout.

The view from my deck after the walk -- with the far point on the left:


As always, click on the pictires to biggify.

Monday Sunset

Wasn't much of a sunset tonight -- no color and the gray deepened to dark -- so I'm sharing Monday's sunset with ya.

The marine layer was present most of the day. Many times during the day I could not see the spit. Hell, at times I could not see the far point nor even the leaning tree on the closer one and then I would look a few minutes later and could see clearly. Didn't think I would see much color as the evening approached but then I saw the mist start to glow:


Shortly thereafter, the mist faded away and things started to look gray as the sun sank below the horizon.


I was about to the point of thinking that was it for color and that the dark overhead clouds were going to win when I noticed a treat starting to appear on the horizon:

My patience was rewarded with this:

Baby Kumquat

Baby Kumquat's ultrasound picture taken this past Thursday.

Baby Kumquat isn't as cute sounding as Baby Grape sounded. Baby has gotten bigger (measuring 4.01 cm) so a kumquat it is.

UPDATE: Jen just let me know that last week, when this photo was taken, baby was kumquat sized. Now baby has grown to Baby Fig size.

I Not Have

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Time to give Token his ear drops - something he does. not. like.

Token

Am home from picking up Token at the vet's. Sure was hard dropping him off last night -- he gave me puppy dog eyes when I handed him over to the vet tech for his sleepover. While he was under anesthesia, they trimmed his nails, gave him his vaccinations, and did a couple other procedures he doesn't like.

He is doing well but is still groggy. Poor little guy had 3 extractions so the bill was a wee bit more than I had hoped for. My trip up to the Seattle area to sight see and visit with friends is on hold until I restock the cookie jar. I hope to be able to head up there after winter is over so I've got plenty of time to save up. I don't like driving on ice and/or snow -- and on the plus side, springtime is so pretty up here so it will be an enjoyable trip.

Token is curled up in his bed next to my chair at the computer report. He sipped a wee bit of water when he got home, gave Bailey cat a half-hearted tail wag in her direction, and climbed into his bed. He's on no food and limited water until 6pm when he is allowed to get a wee bit of soft food. If he holds that down (he's not had problems after previous dental procedures), he should be good to go for all food and water by 7pm.

He was sent home very well medicated. I was given a baggie with his pain meds - one dose per day of the liquid in the syringes for 3 days starting tomorrow. The meds are slightly sweet and he has lapped them up in the past so I anticipate no problems -- unlike the trying to give him a pill experience. Token's chart at the vets now has bold letters "DOES NOT DO PILLS".

He's cute but he's stubborn. Today, he's cute, stubborn and has a goofy grin on his face.

Monday

Just before sunset:


A wee bit after sunset:


Token got his pre-dental antibiotic shot today. I drop him off at the vet's Wed late afternoon for a sleepover. His cleaning is set for 8:15am and I don't do 8am well at all. The tech said his tail never stopped wagging and he didn't seem the least bit bothered by the injection.

After Sunset

After sunset tonight. So calm and peaceful.

A New Generation

Jen, me, my mom
at Jen's wedding 2 years ago

Instead of 3 generations, we will soon be 4...

In April, there will be a new addition to the family tree -- Jennifer the bride will become Jennifer the mom. She's gonna be such a wonderful mom!

I've known for a month but she wanted to keep it on the qt for a wee bit -- today she announced on Facebook "my eggo is preggo".

Woohoo -- I'm gonna be a grandma.

Last Night and Tonight

Yesterday's sunset:



Tonight the clouds had me thinking I wasn't going to get any color. It wasn't much at first but then this red streak was across the sky:



A nice end to the day.