Gobble Gobble!

That was then...


This is now!

Funny how we look like we're pretty much wearing the same clothes. I think this is how those "I've had this shirt since before you were born" conversations get started.

True to tradition, we kicked off our Thanksgiving morning with the Red Cross Turkey Trot. It was a lot of fun even though we briefly thought it might turn into a media frenzy because Sarah Palin was in town to visit family and had registered for the race this year. We didn't even see her, so that actually gives her cool points in my book. Audrey seemed to enjoy the festivities, but was tuckered out. As soon as we got home, she ate her approximate body weight in bread pudding and then took the world's longest nap. When she woke up, the house was a frenzy of activity; we had close to 30 people over for dinner...that means more than enough people to watch the kid for me; it was really nice to be able to stuff my face without interruption. I'm sure Bailey appreciated it too.

The day after Thanksgiving, the house was divided into two camps: People who went out at midnight to do Black Friday shopping and people who actually value sleep. You can guess which camp I was in. Instead of braving the crowds in the hopes of finding something I couldn't live without at an unbelievable price, we took the Riviera out of the garage to get her running and ready for the winter; it was much more satisfying and less time consuming.

I think we're planning on getting some Christmas decorations up around the house this weekend and Eggnog Day is right around the corner! Don't forget to check out the newest pictures on Picasa!

PIE DAY!

What is Pie Day? Why, it's the most wonderful day(s) of the year! Most people, I'm sure, spend the days leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas preparing food and treats for the big event, but no one--and I mean no one--enjoys pie day like a Gamelin. Who else could spend 14 hours standing in the kitchen and go to bed with a look of giddy satisfaction on their face? Someone who's been making seven pies, two dozen apple cider donuts and cranberry bread pudding...that's who! Audrey helped out a lot by being generally awesome and hanging out with me in the kitchen all day. It turns out she loves eating pie dough almost as much as her Auntie Em. I can't count how many times I saw a little hand poking up over the top of the table to grab a hunk off the edge of the dough I was rolling out. I'm really looking forward to next year when she'll be able to actually help make pies...and by that I mean half-eaten balls of dough and cherry filling.

I do have to admit that the day was not all flour and giddy laughter. My Pie Day euphoria was temporarily dampened when I woke to find the Awesome Apple Pie I had painstakingly made the night before with a gaping hunk cut out of it. I will admit to having a Clark W. Griswold reaction. That's right--the Goon was the culprit and it's a good thing she was at work when I found out. I have since recovered, officially cut Elizabeth off from apple pie as a punishment and made another apple pie to make myself feel better.

Well, it's back to preparations for Turkey Day for me. We're expecting around 30 people for dinner so I really shouldn't be wasting time on the internets!

A Dragon of Many Hats

It's taken a while for this to dawn on me, but Audrey loves playing dress up.

She strutted her stuff as a lil black kitty for Halloween:

She beat her Papa down as Rocky Marciano:

And now she's channeling Holly Golightly:

The girl likes accessories! ooohhhh...Papa better watch out! I'll make her a Mama's girl yet!

Yet Another Update From The Nuthouse

It was crazy, but great having so much family in town for Grandpa Bob's memorial last weekend. The service itself was fantastic. Rick Horne put together two great picture sideshows and the family arranged for military honors to be performed too. There was a full-fledged 21-gun salute and Marlene was presented with a flag in Bob's honor as well. It was really amazingly touching. After the memorial, the family settled in for a dinner and then attempted to take some family photos. John's cousin Nathaniel (God bless him) was in charge of trying to capture that herd of monkeys and get them to look at the camera at the same time. Needless to say, we weren't very cooperative and much hilarity ensued.

Most of the visiting families were headed back home by Sunday and Marlene left to take a short trip to the Oregon Coast as well. Last I heard, there were reports of 90 mph winds in Seaside and the hotel Marlene was staying in had lost electricity. Assuming there was still good clam chowder available, I couldn't think of a better solo vacation!

The house has been back to feeling empty during the days, but I know it won't last long. Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we'll have a full house yet again! The weekend after that, we're traveling to Vancouver (WA) to see D'Arcy as Clara in The Nutcracker. John is also intent on getting some Moroccan food at Marrakesh while we're near Portland. All in all, it should be a grand old time!

Bailey is almost 31 weeks old; her space is getting a little more constricted and I'm starting to feel her whole body shifting around from time to time. I'm just thankful she hasn't lodged her butt or any appendages into my ribcage yet. Other than feeling like a mother seal every time I try to roll over in bed, I'm feeling great. I go back to the doctor on Monday, so I'll keep you posted on whether I've managed to slip back under the radar again.

Oh yeah, and don't forget to check out the pictures on Picasa!

New Videos

We've been having a good old time around the Schweighardt house this weekend. I captured some cute videos of Audrey and wanted to share them.

Here, Audrey was helping Hannah arrange flowers:




She also spent a lot of time with her buddy Seth:




I'll try to post an actual update early this week, but enjoy the videos until then!

Quality Time with The Bailey

Bailey is 29 weeks & 3 days old! We had our second ultrasound today to make sure Bailey is growing all right and all my measurements came back normal. I think, technically, she is measuring 3 days behind, but that's sissy stuff. They also said her estimated weight is 3lbs. right now, but bear in mind that these things can be significantly off too. Anyway, even though I'm not a huge advocate of excessive ultrasounds, it was nice to get to see Bailey this morning. She was kicking and squirming and hiccuping the entire time; she really gave the technician a run for her money. I love, love, love getting to see that swishy little heart beat and we got some great shots of her face and profile. From what I can tell, she looks like she has her Mama's nose and lips. The rest, we'll have to wait to see in January!

The rest of this week is going to be busy; the Moore family is coming in tonight and there'll be a steady trickle of family coming from all over for the Memorial on Friday. It's going to be nice to have so much family together and I know that was one of Grandpa Bob's favorite things too. Even though it's for a sad reason, I'd like to think it makes him happy that he's bringing us all together for the weekend.

I'm off to go make birthday cake. Angela just celebrated her 40th birthday yesterday and things like that just don't get to slip by unnoticed! I think the cake will mostly act as an apology for the harassment she's going to receive from John and Gary for turning 40, though. That's what you get for being related to the Schweighardts. Prost!

Can I Go Back to Boring Now?

Ok, so technically I have absolutely nothing to complain about, but I must have really been taking being medically boring for granted. I went to the doctor yesterday and have officially moved from "boring" to "nothings wrong with you, but there are some things I still don't like" Agggh. Like my iron levels being low, my fundal height being 3 weeks off and not having gained any weight so far. I guess I just feel like I'm being poked and prodded and given the stink eye a lot. Add to that the fact that I'm going in to see the doctor every two weeks from now on and I feel like I'm under the microscope. I don't like it.

I just took my 28-week 1-hour glucose test in which you have to get blood drawn, chug a bottle of ice cold "lime flavored" sugar water, not eat or move much for an hour and then have blood taken again. (We all know how I feel about starvation and being poked with needles) I got my Rhogam shot yesterday because I'm Rh negative and now I'm being sent in for more blood work because of my iron levels and another ultrasound to check baby's fluid levels. And NOTHING IS WRONG WITH ME.

So, maybe I am complaining and it is a good thing that my doctor wants to be cautious and make sure everything's going as well as it possibly can. It's all really relatively little to do, but it's pushed me out of my laid back, so-what-if-I'm-pregnant-what's-new? attitude.

...I'm going to go eat chocolate and be thankful I don't have gestational diabetes now.