36 1/2 weeks

My mom is here for the weekend. After hearing that I was intending to make Rutabaga Puff for dinner we decided to go out for Thai food. Yum. Anyway, after a yummy meal I maneuvered myself out of the booth. As I stood up my mom heard the people in the booth behind us say, "Oh my God!" upon catching sight of my belly. I wish I had heard it because I would have laughed so hard. "Yes," I would have said, "that is exactly how I feel." At least I finally feel like I'm getting closer.

Movie Recommendation

A couple days ago I watched Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. I don't remember it getting great reviews, but it looked fun from the preview, so I wanted to see it.

I loved it. The use of color is wonderful, Dustin Hoffman is brilliant, the script is enticing, and there is something in it that just reminds you of all the wonderful things about childhood that you don't ever want to lose (fits in well with my Cherry Alive post). As fun as it is, and as much as it is "a kids" movie, it has a great story and really does appeal to adults. Really very well done. I recommend it!

I am Cherry Alive

Those of you that really know me, know that I love poetry. Somehow my brain just got wired that words are important...and beautiful. Maybe I got it from my parents, maybe my mom read me lots of poetry books as I kid, I have no idea. I love words. I love the images they create. I love the feeling of satisfaction (or ah-ha!) when you find just the right word to convey an idea. I used to think everyone felt this way, but I have learned from my husband that it is not so. Words do not affect him the same way that they affect me.

Elinore seems to have picked up a bit of my poetry love. Maybe she is just at the right age where the sing-song rhythm of children's poetry attracts her. However, sometimes she will ask me to read poems to her. She'll bring over one of our big book of children's poems and we'll sit for half an hour or more just reading bunches of them. It amazes me that she really seems to enjoy them.

All that being said, here is my new favorite poem from one of Elinore's poetry books.
I am Cherry Alive

"I am cherry alive," the little girl sang,
"Each morning I am something new:
I am apple, I am plum, I am just as excited
As the boys who made the Hallowe'en bang:
I am tree, I am cat, I am blossom too:
When I like, if I like, I can be someone new,
Someone very old, a witch in a zoo:
I can be someone else whenever I think who,
And I want to be everything someimes too:
And the peach has a pit and I know that too,
And I put it in along with everything
To make the grown-ups laugh whenever I sing:
And I sing: It is true; It is untrue;
I know, I know, the true is untrue,
The peach has a pit,
The pit has a peach:
And both may be wrong
When I sing my song,
But I don't tell the grown-ups: because it is sad,
And I want them to laugh just like I do
Because they grew up
And forgot what they knew
And they are sure
I will forget it some day too.
They are wrong. They are wrong.
When I sang my song, I knew, I knew!
I am red, I am gold,
I am green, I am blue,
I will always be me,
I will always be new!"

by Delmore Schwartz

34 weeks

My sister demanded that I post another belly photo. I told her to just imagine huge with my face on it, but that didn't seem to be good enough. So, here I am at 34 1/2 weeks. I don't really remember what it feels like not to carry around this melon. The sunny slightly warmer weather is helping me feel like spring and Tobin are just around the corner. Hopefully he won't be quite as late as Elinore was!!

Food

Those of you who know us know our commitment to changing the way we eat. First we became members of a CSA and continue to look forward to and enjoy our weekly box of fresh local organic produce every summer. Then, this past fall we decided to do the winter share of veggies from our farm. This has meant all things that grow in the earth (carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, onions, potatoes, and a couple above-ground things). We've tried lots of new recipes, and I am getting really good at peeling! Overall, it has been good and I think we will do it again next winter. Lately we have been reading a book called "Seeds of Deception" which goes into glorious gruesome detail about the science and dangers of genentically modified foods (GMOs) which we are all eating already without knowing it.

This has led us to a greater push to organics (which are GMO-free) as much as our budget can afford as well as trying to opt out of as many processed foods as possible. We are really try to take this stuff seriously (I mean, this is the health of my child we are talking about) and make changes without being paranoid or totally nuts.

I found this article on a blog over the weekend by a woman who has committed her family to fresh local food. She went gung-ho and totally purged their house of anything processed. I want to be like her, but I am not gutsy enough. For one thing, the amount of work involved when you are making everything from scratch is daunting (although she has three small boys, and she can do it). Secondly, there are things I know Kevin and I could never give up. Pizza and Taco Bell, and ketchup will always have a place in my fridge - to name a few.

Oh well, we may never have a victorious food purge, but little by little we are working ourselves into a healthier way of eating. I'll just have to stop and celebrate along the way. Maybe with Taco Bell.

Here is the link to the article. It is really funny, and definitely worth reading!
Learning to Eat Without Pre-Prepared Food

The Beach

A couple people (my husband included) have commented that I haven't been posting very much lately. This is due to two factors. 1 - I can't think of much to say except that we are waiting for spring and waiting for Tobin. 2 - I've had a lot of aches and pains this pregnancy, so I've been avoiding sitting at the computer. I find the couch to be SO much more comfortable. Sorry for the lack of updates and photos.

On Sunday we had a nice sunny day of about 38* (much warmer than the temperatures we've been having). We decided to take advantage of it and go to the beach. Elinore walked all the way out to the ridge of ice mountains. We climbed up, and gazed out at the ice flows and blue water. It was beautiful.

Kevin and Elinore slid down the mountain several times on their butts, and Elinore had a BLAST. Kevin ended up with a very wet butt. We explored some ice caves, found some shells half hidden in the ice, made snow angels, and enjoyed the blue sky. By the time we got back to the car I was pretty tired, but it was so nice to get out of the house and breath some fresh air. Shouldn't be long now before the snow is gone and the weather warms up. I've been daydreaming about blooming trees, warm sun, green grass,...and Tobin, of course.


Yes, I am wearing my husband's pants and coat. None of my snow clothes fit over my belly anymore. I'm glad to have a husband that is decently bigger than me or I'd be cold!!