Out of Office

. . . ah, I'm relaxed already.

Mother's Day & Canyon Lake

We still haven't quite figured out how to do the whole split between parents on holidays since my parents moved to the valley, but it is forcing us to plan ahead a little bit. By the time Elliot gets home from church (after 4:30 sometimes), we usually just head down to his parents house for dinner. We don't have time to visit both sets of parents all the time. This is seriously throwing us off our game. We'll handle it. We have parents who like to see us. Poor us. :)

(Stella's job was to take pictures of the lake while I drove . . . Elliot still can't drive)

Since we spent Easter with my parents, we decided to spend Mother's Day with Elliot's family. But since I wouldn't be around without my mother and didn't want to forget her on a special day, we made sure we snatched Mom and Dad away from their perpetual unpacking mode for a little brunch and day trip to Canyon Lake on Saturday. It was so fun to see (and show) a new part of Arizona that is practically right down the road!

Stella sure loves the attention of the camera . . . oh, I mean her grandparents.

Elliot just wants that blasted cast off so he can take over driving.

26 Weeks Pregnant

May 8, 2011 (picture was actually on the 1st, but it's about the same)

SICKNESS: I finally threw up. I can't remember why though. I almost made it the whole time without being sick. I don't think it was pregnancy related, but I sure felt better afterwards. I'm mostly just incredibly tired and can take a nap ANY time of the day. Not sick though.

CRAVINGS: Fruit. Bananas mostly, but apples are on the list now. I wouldn't say I have an aversion to any foods because they don't make me sick, but nothing else sounds good to eat anymore . . . even my regulars (chips, bread, Fiber One bars).

FEELINGS: I can't believe I didn't do a 24 week update. My last one was
20 Weeks and HOLY MOLY have I grown! I must apologize to the lady at church last week who I reprimanded for asking me if I was having twins . . . it really does look like I am (I'm not).

I'm not nervous, but I'm realizing that we're getting toward the end of the pregnancy and I don't feel prepared. I know, we've had 7 years to get ready for this one, but still, it's so weird how much there is to be done! This little guy is a MOVER! I don't remember Stella kicking so much as just rolling around, but this guy kicks. Stella, Elliot and I love to feel him and now that we can see him kicking through my belly, we're entertained for quite some time.

I'm not sure I'd call them contractions because they don't hurt, but my belly sure does get tight on occasion. I never had contractions with Stella until I was induced, so I don't really know what the first ones feel like. I'll be done with the 2nd trimester at the end of the week!

Still no name. It's hard to believe, but it's becoming even more difficult to pick one that we agree on. We might have to start from scratch again.

Also, sometimes I just need to cry. Does everyone's husband panic when you cry? And really, does there have to be a reason why it's happening?

I'm not uncomfortable AT ALL, in fact, I could be pregnant FOREVER because I love it so much! I'm excited to get in the pool though and see what kind of tricks he does then! I LOVE my huge belly!

SOME THINGS I NEED TO WORK ON:
*Interview midwives & doulas
*Continue Hypnobabies scripts and present reading and practices to Elliot
*Go to Birth Circle
*Write Birth Plan
*Clean the dining room because we have to feed the missionaries on Sunday

Uh-Oh

Speeding AND on the phone AND I look so cross.

I'm going to work on looking more pleasant when I drive. That is the priority over the other two infractions, right?

The Cast

So Elliot's surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon was on a Thursday. My podiatrist brother-in-law says that he should have taken 10 days off of work and yet my husband decided to go back to work on Monday. He only lasted 30 minutes before he called me to come pick him back up.

He did go to work the rest of the week though and by Wednesday he had already accidentally put weight on his foot. PAINFUL! He had gone to a restaurant with clients and lost his balance going up a step and reflexively put his foot down. We were both so worried that he had re-injured it, but the doctor didn't seem worried. It still hurt though.

Dr. Hansen was also impressed with how very little swelling Elliot has had. He took out the stitches last Monday.


Elliot has had his cast for a week now. Apparently they don't do white casts anymore, so he chose green. He was also planning on NOT having anyone sign it, but I squashed that idea with a text or two to some friends who showed up after FHE for a little signing party.

It doesn't really look like it, but his toes are pointed down a little bit. I thought it would be more ballerina-like, but not so. The plan is that this green cast will be on for 2 weeks, they'll take it off, check it out, and cast it again for another 10+ days. We're hoping to get it off before we go to the beach at the end of the month, otherwise Elliot refuses to go. He should be in a walking boot for a few more weeks after that and doing physical therapy.

In other news, Elliot's brother Adam BROKE HIS ARM (both bones . . . ow) a week after Elliot's injury. Accident prone boys anyway. The Dibble family apparently became superstitious and Grandma Dibble cleared the aisles of bubble wrap for Bethany the next week. No more injuries to report.

Elliot finally got to see his surgery pictures which were even more awesome the second time around. Dr. Hansen said he'd email them, but hasn't yet. You better believe they'll end up here, so BEWARE you fainters. They are incredible.

Elliot is totally annoyed by the cast and the muscle cramping, but is getting around better and using crutches more since someone insulted his manhood by telling him that only people age 55+ and women without upper body strength use the roller cart. Mind your business. You should see him move on that thing. He's left skid marks on the pavement with that apparatus. I prefer those kinds of skid marks to the other kind.

Who Needs a Dog . . .

. . . when you've got this hanging out your window?

Speaking of dogs . . . we think this is funny:

School Carnival

Stella had her school carnival at the end of April and her cousins Tatem, Brynnie, and Hannah got to come too!

They were not happy when they had to leave.

Stella and her 1st grade friend Fowsiyo.