Halloween, 2011

This year, Ashley and I spent the Halloween weekend with Weilok and Arasin. They had volunteered to do a children's Halloween party on one of the American Air Force Bases. This was Ashley's first time doing many things (going onto an American Air Force Base, going to the American grocery store, and an American Halloween Party) since moving to the UK. I think she was a bit overwhelmed. She cried in the middle of the grocery store (which, in her defense, was exactly the same thing that I did the first time I went,) oogled everything, and commented over and over about how everyone sounded. It was rather sweet.

At the party, Ashley was in charge of the camera for all but the start of the evening. She was dressed in garb (instant costume!) I grabbed a quick picture...

I was dressed as a pregnant rabbit. Not that inspiring, but to be honest I wasn't really feeling the Halloween costume love. Nothing fits, nothing is comfortable. This was the best I was willing to do. You can, however, see the baby bump rather clearly.

Rayanne (dressed as Madame Dragonfly) and I were doing a booth at the party. We were happily sticking children's hands into gooey pumpkin guts and making them guess what they were feeling. For their bravery, they got candy. There was much silliness.

Baby squirmed all night. Lately, the tiny kicks and punches that we used to feel have become massive twisting, squirming, rolling monster movements. It looks very much like my belly is a curtain, and we are all standing on the outside watching someone behind the curtain rolling and kicking at it. I wonder who that person is and what they are like ALL the time.

I think we are coming to the point that all of us are ready to be done with this pregnancy and move on to the having a baby bit. I feel like a house. I am /so slow/ and bending over for anything is difficult. Sleeping... heh, who sleeps?

Realistically, though, things are going so much more smoothly than I expected they would. I am healthy and feeling good, all things considered. Baby is happy and growing. Stephen and Ashley are happy and not growing. And only 7 more weeks to go. Bring it on. :)

Baby!

Say hello to the newest addition of our family - as-yet-to-be-named Baby! Due to arrive Christmas Eve, 2011 (though I suspect Baby will hang out longer - Ashley did by almost 2 weeks!) My mom is coming to stay with us early December, and will be here for the arrival as well. Baby didn't appreciate the very quick view we took just to make sure there was only 1 of him/her, and these were the best pics we got. The strong white line across Baby's face in the ultrasound is his or her teeth - so they are all there and healthy. Baby was shy too, so the only chance we are taking to find out if Baby is a boy or a girl is now passed without us knowing. But that's ok, because we are going to let you guess! We (and by that I actually mean Stephen because I am increasingly incompetent with computers and especially spreadsheets) are adding a place that you can join the team of your choice - Team 'boy' or Team 'girl'! It should all compile into a lovely graph and we will get to see who guessed right. I'll add pics of Baby's bump in coming weeks too... once there are some.