TRIPLE DIP

This morning I was awakened at 6 am not by a crying baby, yelling toddler or stirring husband. I was awakened not by an alarm clock or the sun pouring through my bedroom window. Instead I was awakened by my air conditioning unit. It was on, blaring loudly, at six in the morning. For people who keep their thermostat set at 80 degrees, this was astonishing... Already? It was dang hot outside.

The valley heat is on, with forecasts of temperatures in the low 100's over the next few days. It makes me glad that my recovery period should end this week and I can soon jump in the water with my trio like they did over the weekend.

Luke chilled in the water, seeming to enjoy his first swim. Dan chased his poolside basketball around and Calli? She was clever. When Dan made his shot, he proudly and loudly declared, "Money in the bank!" To which Calli responded, "Money in the pig!" Glad to see she is already developing saving habits.

Oh that girl. She's always good for a laugh.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

Something Old: This blog

Something New: Its look

Something Borrowed: Header image
(Though I do have a pair of boots just like those)

Something Blue: Post title color
(Do we like it?)

Aren't makeovers just simply refreshing? I think it was time.
More to come...

CONVENTION CENTER COINCIDENCE?

Recently, some friends of ours went on a road trip and took a little break at everyone's favorite pit stop--Winnemucca, Nevada (aka Dan's hometown).


When driving past the convention center, they did a double-take and grabbed the camera.
This is what they saw:








Yes that does say "Congratulations Daniel and Ashley" on the message board a few days after we had Luke. But no one we know knows anything of this message.


Could it be that ANOTHER Daniel and Ashley somewhere have Winnemucca roots AND also a reason to celebrate at the end of May? Possibly twins graduating from high school, dance partners who won first place or lovebirds tying the knot? That would be weird.


Or do we have a secret fan (which would be more weird) in Winnemucca who was celebrating along with us? I mean, it's possible. I think Dan was a candidate for Homecoming King in his prime.

It's okay, you can 'fess up now. We're cool with it. We'll even send you an autographed birth announcement.

THE KIDDOS

picture attempt

big sis

lil' bro

too much love!

sweet slumber

the feeling's mutual

where's luke?

sharing, lots of sharing

baby boy

baby blue

thumb!

kisses

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 2 YOU

Today is Calli's second birthday.

She has had 2 much fun.

She baked cupcakes with her 2 gal pals.

Blew out 2 candles with Mommy.

Spent the day with 2 Grandmas!

And got a stroller for 2 (or 3).

Calli has brought joy and fulfillment in my life, more than I could have ever imagined possible. I love every little thing about my girl-- when she scowls or sings, when she notices or ignores. There's not a trait I would change or a moment I would trade. I hope she had a wonderful day, as she has made so many of mine all that they should be and more.

TWO DAYS BEFORE, TWO FEET MORE AND FOUR NEW WHEELS

Let's start with the most important.

1. Our home has grown by two feet.

Luke Daniel was born on Thursday, May 21 @ 2:37 p.m. He weighed 7 lbs., 14 oz. and was 21 inches long. It seems I have another Daddy look-alike, only more fair and lighter than Calli. We are enjoying this little guy in our home. He's very sweet and doing really well so far. (Fingers crossed...)


2. Our garage has grown by four wheels.


We finally took the plunge and are a two-car family. When car shopping, Calli climbed right into a mini-van up to the driver's seat, flipping switches and pushing buttons. "It's big", she said. (You got that right.) "It's fun!" (Um, probably not the first thought to most.) "I want it!" Well, she got it. Not that exact one, but we are now owners of a Toyota Sienna and feel pretty good about our practical choice. Hey, anything is an upgrade from tennis shoes and stroller.

3. The journalists were right--Our current president can solve every problem. He can even induce labor.

On the Tuesday before Luke was born, my mom was in town and sent Dan and I off to dinner by ourselves since who knows when we may get that chance next. About halfway through the evening, Dan brought up politics. (Now that he works in downtown Sacramento, he seems to be more aware of local and national matters. Maybe it's the buzz around town or the chatter on the train that brings this on.) He started talking about how President Obama had met with Governor Schwarzenegger over global warming and how that led him to research this issue more. (I think I have ranted about the scientist in my husband before--How he has to know how everything works and why-- I am so glad he is intelligent AND has a desire to learn, but seriously sometimes, I really don't care. I don't need to always know HOW it works, just that it does. Just plug it in or turn it on-- no more detail needed than that.) So, to feed his inner meteorologist that day, Dan spent his lunch break reading about UV rays, radiation and I don't know what else. He was fascinated and thought I should know all about it.

The thing was, the restaurant was kind of loud and I had been fighting off an ear infection, so I could only hear out of one ear, which was not the one closest to Dan. I was incredibly uncomfortable since I had a full belly (of food and baby) and a tissue in hand to attack the runny nose. (Totally lame that I got sick during my last weeks of pregnancy instead of being able to relax or attack some projects before baby.) And I had just spent some of my conversation time expressing worries I'd been having. So the mood really was not right for the discourse. But it began anyway.

It only took a few minutes for me to lose interest either because I couldn't hear, didn't feel like hearing, was too distracted to hear or just didn't have the ears to hear. My thoughts went something like this...

This is nice and all, but I am totally done with my food. He's talking and not eating.
Wonder who the Lakers are playing up there on the TV?
Seriously, I have things to pack for the hospital still. I am waiting.
Do you think he can tell that I am tired and uncomfortable? AND done with my food?
American Idol is going on tonight.
How did we transition from my concerns with doctors to UV rays?
I cannot believe he is still talking.
Has he realized I have not said ONE word in the last twenty minutes?
This would be a great short story for my blog.

We had gone to Macaroni Grill, so by the time Dan took the crayons and began sketching diagrams on the table cover, I really wanted say, "Excuse me, can you please speak in my good ear and tell me why you are drawing blue waves on the table!"

Oh the difference between men and women. Our night alone and we could have talked about anything... something funny for relief, something practical for peace of mind or heaven help us, something romantic for future reference. Or the obvious, the NEW BABY. No, radiation sufficed. (With that being said, I really do love my husband, including his curiosity.)

I laughed the conversation off and now wonder if it did help get the labor going. Maybe we should have considered Barack Obama S. as a name choice. It could have run a close second to Kris Allen S. That was tempting. But for now, I'm glad we stuck with Luke. He's a keeper and so is his Dad.

I'M GONNA NEED TO SEE SOME ID

A few nights ago, Dan and I squeezed a quick trip to The Home Depot in between dinner and baby bedtime. We were there only to pick up a few items and be on our way. In attempt to move the things along, I marched right over to the self-checkout line. I quickly began scanning while Dan kept Calli out of the candy bars.

As I got going, I started hearing the dreaded words, "system assistance required." "Come on", I thought, "What's the problem?". I looked down and evaluated my items... a can of paint, two bottles of spray paint. Then the words I heard turned from dreaded, to quite comical. "Excuse me ma'am, are you at least eighteen?" (I guess you need to be at least 18 years old to buy spray paint). Dan was close by and joined in the conversation. We said together in unison, while giggling through our teeth, "Um... yeah. We both will be turning thirty this year." The cashier continued, "Oh, I just had to make sure."

Now this for us is quite normal. Dan's been carded buying cough syrup and I've been mistaken to be a co-worker's daughter (instead of team teacher) buying school supplies. Dan bought a ticket to a high school football game and was given the student price by mistake, because they thought he just forgot his student ID. When working with some teens at the library a few summers ago, they all wondered what high school I was GOING to. Just to name a few.

But what struck me odd this time was the fact that I had a toddler and husband with me and am also very visibly pregnant. Do we think that I could possibly not be eighteen yet and have two kids already?!? That scared me a little. Question me to be old enough to rent a car? Fine. Question me to be old enough to gamble? (Not that I do, despite having a husband from Nevada... Not that he does either... :)) Okay. But to be old enough to vote or buy spray paint, really?

Then on the drive home my thoughts got worse. Maybe it isn't even what I look like, but how I present myself! Maybe I look like someone who could have two kids by eighteen? AAH! (I mean that in the nicest, least-stereotypical way possible).

I have now made a vow to not LEAVE the house without full makeup, hair done and possibly heels on. Perhaps I need to dress more expensive even. Maybe this merits a larger diamond on my left hand? Or I could carry my diplomas around and "accidentally" drop them out of my purse when someone is giving me the look. And yes, this is to be done even on trips to oh-so-swanky places like The Home Depot.

But knowing me and also the fact that in the coming months the feat will be just getting out of the house, regardless of how I look, that isn't likely to happen. I guess as long as I always have my ID with me, I'll be okay. Eighteen, thirty or not.