I'm huge.

I'm not even going to pretend to make this about anything else except my belly. Good gracious I got big this week! I was definitely feeling bigger, but it was confirmed by two different people over the last 2 days, who had just seen me within the past week.

I don't think we can call it a bump anymore. What's something bigger than a bump? A mountain? Yeah, we'll call it a horizontal moutain.

I'm 37 weeks tomorrow and feeling every bit of it. I'm hoping she's working on the no-more than 40 week plan and not the 42 week plan. I can't imagine being pregnant for 5 more weeks!

Horizontal Mountain Watch 2009

It's safe to have a baby!!!

That's right! It's officially "safe" for Green to make her appearance! I am 36 weeks and 1 day pregnant and couldn't be more ready - at least as far as the physical discomfort goes. I've been feeling more and more pregnant every day for the last 3-ish weeks, and I'm definitely getting to the point where I'm done. I'm sure Green has other ideas, though, so I'll try to stay as patient as I can and enjoy the last few weeks of life as we used to know it! It hit home as soon she could be here last Friday when I bought milk that expires after my due date. I almost laughed out loud in the middle of the commissary - shopping by myself! I just can't believe I'm that close!

In other baby news, this was a week of baby showers for me. Christina threw me a small but wonderful shower on Saturday. She chose a "Gone Fishin'" theme, and it was at a gorgeous room at the Fisheries Research Center in town. This room overlooks a sea plane landing area and a channel between a couple of the small islands right off Kodiak proper. It was gorgeous out on Saturday - a perfect day to enjoy that view, wonderful food, and the company of some of my very best friends here in Kodiak. And what's not to like about the decor:

I have no pictures from my other shower this week because it was a surprise to me! I thought I was going to an Altar Guild meeting at church on Monday night, but instead walked into a baby shower! The ladies in Altar Guild, as well as a couple other ladies from church just made me feel so blessed and loved! Green will be keeping warm in gorgeous hand-made blankets, and a pair of hand-made sheep/deerskin mukluks. She also got her first set of Russian stacking dolls - a little piece of Kodiak to take with her everywhere we go (Kodiak's first non-native settlers were Russian traders)! Probably most importantly, though, we got our first package of diapers and wipes! YAY!!

Since I'm talking baby, I might as well go ahead and just get the rest of it over with... that's right...

BUMP WATCH 2009

These were taken on Saturday, right before I left for the shower. Yes, I wore a sleeveless dress in Kodiak, and no, I didn't freeze! Maryanne might recognize this dress from our cruise back in February - it definitely fits differently now!!!! So I was 35 weeks and 4 days - and growing by the minute!! Green has dropped, though, so I can now breathe again, along with enjoying more than 4 bites of food before I feel food. It's a nice relief, but it also means walking is tough! Oh, and Braxton-Hicks contractions suck. That's all I'll say about that.

Getting back to normal life, although walking is tough, we took advantage of some gorgeous weather over the past week to get some walks in and I've been taking my camera with me again. So I'll just share a couple more pictures - "as seen in Kodiak" style.
First up, an eagle that was carefully watching the ducks swimming in the pond behind Brad and Christina's house. This was a nice chance to try out my 150-500mm telephoto zoom lens. I'm not disappointed!


Next is a chocolate lily that was actually open and pointing up toward the sun out at Spruce Cape. These guys usually hang their blossoms down like bells and they're hard to get a picture of. I was excited to see this! I LOVE chocolate lillies!


Here's the view looking out toward the ocean from Lake Gertrude at Ft. Abercrombie the other afternoon. It's hard to see, but way on the horizon is a fog bank.... but it was perfectly sunny where we were. Kodiak has some strange weather!

Finally, here's the view into Lake Gertrude.... it's our other "baby!" Fred had his first REAL swim of the season and he couldn't have been happier!

That's the latest from here. The count down is now officially on until Green's arrival. I'm good with a couple more weeks since we have a few more things to get done around the house (yard sale, anyone??), so we'll see what she thinks of that.
Becca

Kodiak is green again!

The only real reason I'm blogging tonight is because Mom shamed me into a new bump picture by writing on my Facebook wall today. Nothing like guilt by technology!!


But, since she caught me before I headed out on a walk with the dog today, I figured I'd take the camera with me, and capture some of Kodiak's newly green (and flowered) glory. Fred and I headed out to Spruce Cape, and took about an hour to wander around the trail, taking pictures and just walking REEEEEALLLLLY slowly, since my two speeds are slow and stop these days.

I really don't have much to say... things have been going along without any real excitement. We finally saw the sun again on Friday, and it's stayed out since then, which is a VERY welcome change. It had been a little over two weeks of mostly rain with just a few breaks in the clouds up until then, so you can imagine the pure JOY in seeing the sun again! We also had nice warm temperatures this weekend - it actually got up to 86 degrees on my deck yesterday afternoon. The actual temp was only about 65 or so (if that), but it was nice and toasty in the sun! I even put on shorts... I think the first time I've worn shorts in Kodiak since we've been here (not counting work out shorts at the gym!). Crazy!

Anyway, besides the weather, there's really nothing new going on. Jason should be back from his final week at Man Camp this weekend, which I'm looking forward to (and not just because we still have a LOT to do around here before Green's arrival). Hopefully the nice weather will stick around for him since he's missed all our best days so far this spring.

With nothing else really to share, I'll just make the rest of this about pictures. Enjoy!

Here's a sun-lit salmonberry flower. I'm so excited to see the blooms already - it should mean a good salmonberry "crop" later this summer! YUM!


I probably should've looked up what these are. So I'll just call them white flowers. Ha!


Look at all that green! And lots of flowers, too. More of those white ones, along with the beginnings of irises, wild geranium, chocolate lilies, and shooting stars.


Green leaves!! It's so funny how fast this happens here... one day, everything is brown and then the next it's all green. Love it!

Finally, this tree was a casualty of one of our brutal wind storms this winter. It's actually being held up by the other trees around it, and, if it falls, will block a good part of the path out to the end of Spruce Cape.

And now, what Mom's been waiting for... a different kind of Green!

BUMP WATCH 2009

Here I am in my 34w6d glory. Christina was nice enough to come over today and take a quick shot for me. I have definitley gotten bigger in the last two weeks. Jason's not going to recognize me when he gets home. At my doctor's appointment last week, I found out that her head is WAY down, so she's in the right position already. I have to "cook" her for at least one more week, but with no signs of labor at all yet - with the exception of the very random Braxton-Hicks every once in a while - I don't think we'll be seeing her any earlier than July. Some days I'm more than happy to wait as long as we can, and other days I'm beside myself with excitement and want to meet her as soon as possible! Then I remember that I'm not ready yet!!!!!!

Oh, and because Mom really wanted a bump picture, I figured I'd give you a view of what I see of my bump most of the time. :)

You'll note that there is no sign whatsoever of feet.

That's it for now! Hope all is well for everyone!
Becca