Two months to go!

Well, give or take a few days, but we are two months before our due date.  Two months can seem like a long time if you are waiting for your next dental appointment or to rotate your tires again. But when the two months is in regards to the time before your baby comes, well it sure doesn't seem so long anymore!  We are currently 31 weeks and two days.  At our last OB appointment on the first day of our 30th week I measured right on for how far along I am.  Our appointments will now be more frequent with the next one this coming Tuesday.  Our 5 week childbirth class ended tonight with a tour of the maternity wing of the local hospital.  I have been working on a list of things that need to be done before Wellkin arrives and there are so far only 2 things checked off the list.  What all is left?  Well, too much to list here, but things like assembling the crib....you know, reasonably important things.  But it will all be done just in time.
  In the meantime we are taking advantage of blueberry season and enjoying the nice weather.  Jay is preparing for a week long biking adventure and I am working on my motivation to tackle the projects I have lined up for myself.  

Yum-o berries!  Over 3 different picking days I managed to bring home a little more than 25 pounds.  A few have managed to be saved in the freezer, some made it into a batch of muffins (if the recipe is called "To Die For Blueberry Muffins" believe me when I say that titles can be misleading), and the rest of the plump berries went down our gullets.  

Our picture from the second week of Childbirth class.  The original is a bit more colorful but you know, the whole picture of a picture thing, when the picture is being held up against your kitchen cabinet.  Almost looks like a bizarre maternity mug shot.   

8/11/11, 2 months to the big due date, week 31.  While Jay was busy preparing for his bike trip I spent some quality time with our computer's photo booth program.  The really nice feature is the 3-2-1 countdown so you can let go of the mouse and turn your head just in time for the flash!  Go self-portrait!

And in the 7th month

 This month we are working on putting together the nursery.  Sondy came to Corvallis to help paint the nursery.  From plain white walls to Cornhusk Green in 24 hours.  It looks great!  Thanks, Sondy!  We are yet to put the crib together and get the other furniture in and then we will have some finishing touches to add.
 We started our Childbirth Preparation classes and have three more to go.  OB visits will become more numerous soon and we will be meeting with all of the doctors that work at our clinic in the coming weeks.
  Jay has been preparing for an upcoming bike trip in the few and short spare moments he has had.  Summer term will be wrapping up soon for Jay and he is ready for a break!  Below is a picture of Jay with the tarp tent he plans to take on his trip.  He likes to practice setting up his gear in a local park - I think people walking by think he lives in the park!

Happy Birthday, Little Buddy!

Today marks our 6 year anniversary with Shep!  And since Shep's history is pretty unknown we also consider this to be his birthday - so much to celebrate!  It was just a little more than 6 years ago that Jay decided he was ready for a dog and after a thorough search he received an email from the UC Davis Vet School, in the same building he was working at the time, that there were 2 dogs from the Colony program still needing homes.  The Vet School students care for dogs and practice non-invasive procedures on them. Shep had been a part of the program for 2 years and had many, many ultrasounds during his stint, leaving him very easy to handle.  The Vet School had picked Shep up from a local shelter where he had been left in a nighttime drop box - whoever had him as a puppy didn't know what an amazing dog they were giving up and were too cowardly to surrender him during the day.  Based on his time at Davis, the fact that he wasn't still a puppy when the school adopted him, and the 6 years we have had him, we are making this Shep's 10th birthday - huge milestone!

  Jay made a few visits to the Vet School to meet Shep as the Vet students made sure that each dog from the colony program are going to the right home.  Shep and his good buddy Cole were the last two dogs to be adopted.  As much as we can figure Shep was passed over because of some premature gray - he's so distinguished.  One of Jay's co-workers snatched up Cole before any other latecomers could and Shep and Cole enjoyed walks together until we moved back to Oregon two years ago.  On July 13th 2005 Jay and Shep officially became a part of each other's lives!  I moved down to Davis a month and a half later to join the fun and we've been together ever since!

  I can't imagine life without Shep.  He's one of my favorite beings (I have to admit that I anthropomorphize him and believe that our side glances to each other have a lot of meaning behind them). We have had so many adventures together and have built a plethora of memories.  Shep, Shepherd, Shepdog, Shepdoggy dogg, Shepperton Argyle Well, Shepherd's Pie, Mr. Shepherd, Shepstar, ShepBeast, Beastdog, Shepdog in the city, Little Buddy.  No matter what we're calling him at the time we just love him so much! Even when he escaped from the yard last year (multiple times!) before the fence was built; even when he peed on my backpack and Jay's tent; even when he tried to take over my sleeping bag and pad on a backpacking trip; even when he doesn't listen at the park and runs away from us; even though he insists on digging holes in the backyard, no matter how many times we fill them in.  No matter what I am always so happy to see my Little Buddy when I get home and he is happiest when the three of us are all together.  This fall will be a big test for Shep - adding a little one to the house might be pretty tough on the guy but I think he'll be a great big brotherdog.  Here are just a few (ok, a lot!) of my favorite pictures of Shepdog.  Happy Birthday Buddy!  You've got a big rawhide treat coming your way!