31 weeks--7 months down, 2 to go!

Here's a 31-week belly shot. Sorry about the lighting, but the festive backdrop is worth it, right?

Lucky Baby

From Kathy
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

Joanna, Chrissa, and Christine threw me a beautiful baby shower today. I had a wonderful time having all of my favorite east coast people together in the same place! We received some very useful baby items and some adorable little clothes. Thank you to all of my friends and family! (click on the photo above to see more photos of the shower)

Eventful Week

That is a photo of a man who found out his master's thesis passed without any revisions needed. Congratulations, honey! He'll officially receive his degree in December, and has the opportunity to walk at the May graduation. Hooray for being finished!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving at Marc and Christine's. Here's a picture of Marc and J hard at work in the kitchen. Christine and I are lucky ladies to have guys who contribute to the feast!

We put our Christmas tree up on Friday evening. Here's a shot of us in front of it (we'll count this as my 29 week belly shot).

It has been raining most of today. There were about five minutes when it was pretty snow, but now it's cruddy old rain. I would much prefer some pretty snow. Sigh.

Baby gets a new closet

Baby Closet
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

We put some new Elfa closet units (thank you, Oprah coupon!) in the second bedroom (the room that will be the baby's once it arrives) to start the transition from office/guest room to baby room. We still plan to use the left side of the closet for long hanging adult wear, and I admit that the bigger drawer unit pictured is crafty stuff (mostly yarn). Funny how those drawers are already full! Later we'll be able to create two shorter hanging areas for baby things, if needed. We've slowly been accumulating some baby things so we put them all in the picture for you to see.
We took off the sliding doors and now we have to decide if we want to put in bi-fold doors, or curtains or something. Any suggestions?

27 weeks--6 months down!

27 weeks
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

It's a little crazy to put our minds around the fact that we'll have a baby in 3 months! Today marks the beginning of the third trimester...still feeling very good and knocking on wood whenever I say somethng like that. :)

J turned in his thesis to the readers this week! Hooray! After his first quarter grades go in tonight, we'll actually be getting to work on some baby prep around the house.

25 Weeks

Ignore the post-yoga hairdo and sweatiness, and here's what I look like at 25 weeks.

The baby is moving a lot. Last night was pretty funny in that it wouldn't move for a while, then if I rubbed my belly it would poke back. Of course I repeated this ad nauseum, since it was so cool to think that the baby was reacting to something I was doing!

Out with the old, in with the new!

I got a new car! We said goodbye to my faithful 1998 Buick Century after 11 years of service (9 years with me, 2 with my mom).

Here's a final shot with her:

And here's my new CR-V! It's AWESOME. So exciting! And it smells new! And the power locks work, and so does the remote keyless entry. And all four windows open. Such luxury.

Fall fun

(This is from Columbus Day weekend, but I'm just posting it now)

We had a fantastic Columbus Day weekend...the weather was beautiful and we spent a lot of time outside. We went apple picking, and we also explored Rocky Narrows, a hiking trail park not far from our house. We can't believe how close it is to our house and we'd never heard about it before!

Idyllic fall weekend in New England

With the Columbus Day holiday today, we had a lovely three-day weekend. And the weather cooperated so we had three sunny but crisp (60-70 degree) days! We went apple picking, we played frisbee golf, we grilled with friends, and we went for a walk/hike. It was fantastic. We did take some pictures, but I haven't loaded them on the computer yet.

Now back to the not-so-idyllic task of organizing the basement. Wish us luck! (oh, and wish the Red Sox luck too!)

22 weeks--Five months!

22weeks
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

Believe it or not, I'm five months along! There's definitely a belly there, even though it's nothing super huge. The baby is moving around a lot, which I like because I know things must be going well in there. I'm still feeling good,so we're just coasting through this nice time.
Not so nice, of course, is the basement-cleaning project that we need to start as we start to prepare the second bedroom to become the nursery.

Feeling the Baby Kick!

I've been feeling the baby move around the last few weeks, but last night the baby stepped it up and started really moving around in there. And tonight J could feel it too! Hooray! We're not just imagining all of this. :) With the ultrasound on the 17th and now this, things are starting to seem a lot more real on the baby front.

17 weeks

17 weeks
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

People have been asking for a belly shot, so here's what I looked like this past week, when I was 17 weeks pregnant.

Ladder Golf

Ladder Golf
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

We had the Reinharts and Nannestad's over for a Labor Day cookout, and here's the crew that ended up playing Ladder Golf after lunch. Click the photo to see more pictures from the cookout.

The Grillers

The Grillers
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

We went on a 10-day trek to (and through) the Midwest in August. We visited Niagara Falls, Kurt & Cecilia in Ann Arbor, Leta & Tom & Joe in Madison, Erin & Dave in Wisconsin Rapids, and Mom & Dad in Rice Lake.
Click on the photo to see more of our trip!

Baby Jourdan on the way!

We wanted to share with you that we are expecting a baby! He or she will arrive in the second week of February 2009. So far the pregnancy has been proceeding without any problems.

J and K

New Waders!

New Waders!
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

I promised my parents a picture of J in his new waders and boots they got him for his birthday, so here he is in his new fishing gear! He went fishing with a colleague on Tuesday and had a good time. Neither one of them caught any fish, but J was happy to report that the waders work GREAT!

Happy Birthday J!

It's J's Birthday! Here's a birthday song while he was starting to play with his new GPS.

I can conquer any obstacle!

I can conquer any obstacle!
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

My co-worker took this of me on Friday, when I was dressed for the task of re-loading the library (we got about half way through the job). You can see that many improvements had occurred even before Friday's work...there's my new ceiling and lights, a clean carpet, NO MORE TUBES!, and most of the garbage has been removed. Once we finish unpacking tomorrow, there's the job of re-ordering and processing the 2500 books that were damaged. I'll just have to keep remembering this picture.

(Click on the picture to see others...choose the tag "Library" to see only the library photos.)

Fun in the Sun

Hiding
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

Life hasn't been all about the flood--today we watched Miri and had some fun out in the yard while her mom and dad led the music at church.
(Click on the photo to see more)

Air Tubes

Almost-empty library
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

They've been drying us out using these tubes that blow dry air through the place. They work well. However, they're also about 24 inches in diameter, and they go throughout the room and doorways into the hall, which means we all have to walk around bent at the waist in the flooded section of the school. It's so dry that it makes your throat hurt. Which is better than wet, I know. But talk about extremes.

Fun times, and not so fun times.

I just got back from a great weekend with my mom and sister. There was much fun and Vera Bradley (and wind!) to be had.

My school flooded over the weekend because of a burst pipe. The library (my library!) sustained the worst damage. This will be a long spring.

(Click either of the photos to see additional pictures)

San Francisco and Wine Country!

IMG_0229edit
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

We had a fantastic time on our trip. Click the photo to see more. (Unfortunately there was some dust on our lens so we'll have to "fix up" the sky in some of the photos)

Signs of Spring!

Crocuses
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

There are green things galore around our yard....hooray! Click to see more photos. (Taken with our new camera we got for Christmas...thanks Mom and Dad!)

Koolhaas Hat

Koolhaas Hat
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

I finished my new recess hat just in time for spring! I can probably wear it today, though, as it's pretty cool around here.

Almost No-Knead Bread

IMG_0156
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

We've gotten on the dutch-oven baked bread wagon and boy does it taste good! Much better than what we can buy at our local stores (bakeries excluded). And it's so easy! We've been using the updated recipe from Cook's Illustrated. I think J would like a fresh loaf every day. We didn't buy the fancy $200 dutch oven, we went with the $40 one they recommend here.

Relaxation interrupted

I've been regularly attending a yoga class on Thursday nights since October. It has helped with my flexibility and strength, but it's also helped me keep everyday annoyances in perspective, such as work frustrations or trying to figure out what to make for dinner once I get home. I'm not naturally gifted at relaxation/meditation, but I'm getting better at it by practicing.
Ironically, while I can keep outside annoyances in check during yoga class, I cannot GET OVER how annoying some people are in yoga class. Here are a few examples:

Our class begins at 6:30 p.m. I tend to arrive at the gym a little before 6:00 p.m. and I place my mat in my favorite spot (back interior corner, no drafts!) and then warm up on the elliptical machine. I arrive in the yoga "studio" at 6:25 to get ready for class. Last week there were only 3 people there at 6:25. Tonight there were 15 people there. Three more straggled in before 6:30, creating quite a packed house. Our instructor turned down the lights and began the class. At 6:50 (yes, I looked at the clock) one woman walked in, picked up a mat, walked around the entire room trying to find a spot, and then "nestled" herself in between four of us who were there from the get-go, forcing us to re-arrange our mats because otherwise we'd be knocking arms with each other during the sun salutations. And then she kept moving her stuff around: her blanket ended up at the top of my mat and I was about to throw it at her. Another woman arrived at 6:55 and at least she had the good sense to pick a corner spot near the door. Being that I have an (overabundant) sense of justice, I was incensed that this late arrival thought she had the right to disrupt four of us who had arrived on time and were 20 minutes into the class when she arrived. I admit, it took me about 10 minutes to stop fuming. After that, I just got annoyed every time I had to move to accomodate her. Do you think that a gym should have a policy against people entering yoga classes that have been in session more than 10 minutes?

And I won't even discuss the inappropriate undergarments (or lack thereof) I have the misfortune of seeing during class. Don't people understand that we're going to be doing a lot of stetching and bending in yoga class and that they should pick clothing that allows them freedom of movement without flashing the crack of their behind to those of us unfortunate enough to be stationed behind them? Sigh.

I can usually pull it back together enough to enjoy the ending relaxation, but I admit that these things annoy me, right in the middle of me trying to relax. I guess I have a lot of yoga learning still to do.

Corner of Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors

Corner of Joseph's
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

I can only show you this corner of the blanket in case the mom-to-be stops by the blog. I am very happy with how it turned out. The pattern is from Mason-Dixon Knitting and I followed their suggestions on separating warm and cool colors. How could you look at that colorful thing and not smile?

A few reasons why I'm glad I'm not a Victorian woman

After watching both "Becoming Jane" and the recent version of "Pride and Prejudice" I have compiled a list of reasons I am happy that I am not a Victorian woman:
1. My marriage was not a business transaction.
2. My mother did not spend all of her time trying to marry me off.
3. I am educated. Enough said.
4. I do not have to wear a corset.
5. Paper is not scarce (I do so love to write lists)
6. "Class" does not dictate who your friends can be, or what your prospects can be.
7. I could tell J how I felt about him, instead of all kinds of deal-making.

Things I probably wouldn't have minded:
1. Going to balls!
2. Pretty dresses
3. Pretty hats

I also just read the memoir by Jerramy Fine called Someday My Prince Will Come. It was pretty funny.

Lame and Lamer

In this case, I am Lame, and J is Lamer. I am lame because I had a small surgery on Friday and have stitches in my mid-back that limit my movement. J is Lamer because he came down with a knock-down drag-out case of the flu last Tuesday which has now become a sinus infection. What a motley crew we are. And this is school vacation week so we should be having some fun. Alas. Through my exuberant use of disinfecting wipes and airing out the house, I appear to have come out of the germ den unscathed (meaning no flu for me) so send healthy thoughts this way to help keep it that way!

Writing again

I'm lucky enough to attend Teachers As Scholars this year (do follow the link, it's quite an amazing professional development opportunity) and I'm taking a writing seminar (H36 - Creating Truths: Memoir and Personal Narrative). One of the best parts of Teachers As Scholars is that they acknowledge that not all of your professional development needs to be in your narrow area of specialty--they believe in the teacher as a multi-faceted learner.

I used to journal regularly, and while I willingly admit that many times it broke down into a list of the daily minutae a person could drown in, I have missed taking that time to write down my thoughts and reflections. During our seminar yesterday we had three free writing periods and about 95% of that time I was able to just dump my thoughts and words onto a page. The tricky part, of course, is that it's a writing course on memoir and personal narrative, so it includes a lot about real people and events. Here's the title of one of the things I was working on yesterday: "Can a youngest child and an eldest son have a successful marriage? A case study." I know everyone out there has some feelings on birth order and personality...let 'er rip! (of course I know we have a successful marriage, but it's funny to think of us just as our personality types and how they work together)

Here's a not-so-minutae tidbit: my principal and school secretary have both announced that they're retiring at the end of the year. Craziness shall ensue, I'm sure.

Grading machine

Here is what J has looked like for the last two weeks:

That's right, it's end of term and all of the students' papers and tests must be graded before grades are due. The poor guy has been been a grading machine. I do my part, but I can only grade the empirical parts on the exams (matching, etc.) but all the open response stuff he has to do himself.

It does mean that I have been knitting again:

On Hold! (for 65 minutes and counting)

I have spent over an hour on hold with the doctor's office. Thankfully, I am a very healthy person and rarely have to deal with this stuff, but COME ON! At least give me an option to leave a message rather than sit here, especially since I'm calling because I haven't received the paperwork I need for my appointment next Monday. That's ALL I'm calling about. And this is a dermatology office I'm calling, so it's not like people were having a bunch of dermatological emergencies over the weekend that they're piling up this morning.

But then I have that stupid fear that as soon as I hang up, it would have been my turn. Sigh. Harvard Pilgrim/Beth Israel Deaconess does not get my vote for helpful phone service.

A Miri Visit!

Miri came for a visit while her parents went to the movies. After she got upset that they left her (and then crawled around the entire first floor looking for them) she settled in with us and had a fun time.

I even got to see her pulling up/standing skills in person!

Some Knitting

IMG_0136
Originally uploaded by kjourdan

I lost my knitting mojo last fall, but I seem to have found at least a bit of it. I decided I should finish up some projects that I had started...one of them is Bryant's Slipover.

I have been working on J's socks and I am fairly certain I am not going to have enough yarn. I am in denial.

Hooray for Snow Days, Boo for broken trees

J's out there trying to shake the snow off the trees because of the fallen branch you can see in that second photo. Hopefully that will be the only "casualty" today. I'm also hoping we'll be able to go out snowshoeing later...

Update: No Snowshoeing...evidently with falling branches/trees, J thinks it's too dangerous.

Who knew?

Who knew that in the middle of Montana (where there is no cell-phone reception (not even analog!)) and the maps clearly show which towns have gas stations, that we would see 90+ wind turbines in action?!

It was amazing. A bit sci-fi movie-like, but amazing. A glimpse of the future.

(p.s. those photos were taken through a car windshield, sorry. But our new camera (Canon 570IS) from Mom and Dad works great!)

Merry Christmas to All!

I wanted to post a cool Flickr post that would link easily to all of the holiday photos I uploaded to Flickr. Did you notice I said "wanted." Flickr doesn't seem to remember who I am, so here's the old fashioned way of linking:

Christmas Photos

If Flickr decides to make nice, I'll re-post.