4/13/09

The New Normal and A Beautiful Afternoon

The image above is from the first park trip S and I have managed to take by ourselves since January! We were both surprised at how things had blossomed and stopped to snap a few pictures. As I was focusing on this image I heard Sebastian say, "Popcorn tree." Thank goodness he wasn't hungry.

My parents came in for a visit from California early last week and spoiled us rotten. Poor Brett was sick part of the time and studying for a few big tests the rest but S and I enjoyed our mornings out with Grandma Mary and Big Papi. In the evenings they would take Sebastian to their hotel and hang out while we rested as I am still running at about 50% energy wise. We were all sad to see them go but knew my brother would appreciate a turn, too.

Saturday was our sunny day and I was feeling strong so we called up our good friends and planned a last minute Easter egg hunt and taco picnic at the park. It was just what I needed to get out of the funk I'd been in from being so sick and stuck inside. Sebastian and Diesel split the egg playing field and both managed to fill up their baskets.


Sebastian had quite an efficient gathering method that ensured maximum enjoyment for all. He would pick up a plastic egg, dump out the jelly beans and wrapped chocolate onto the ground, retrieve the wrapped chocolate, and leave the jelly beans for someone else (Katy and I) to scavenge. It was so funny to see him do this with each one. He wasn't about to waste any space in his bucket with silly jelly beans.


You may remember the posts last year about our friends, the Shatto's, getting ready to fly to Ethiopia to bring home their son, Diesel. Well, he's almost one year old now and such a beautiful boy. He's close to walking on his own and at one point he was so intrigued by the egg in his hand that he didn't realize Mom and Dad weren't holding him up. It'll be any day now.






We spent a quiet morning at home on Easter Sunday as I wasn't feeling well again. I told Brett it was the first rainy Easter Sunday that I could remember. Even Seattle gave us some sunshine on Easter Sunday in 2006! We did treat ourselves to Starbucks and Brett took Sebastian to the cheap theater to see his third dog movie.

I'm coming up on 11 weeks this Wednesday and will see my midwife for my first official check up where she'll get my family history, do blood work, measure things, and listen for the heartbeat. I'm sure the heartbeat will make things feel more exciting and real! It's been about a month of looking and feeling chubby, which I remember hating the first time, so I'm so glad that I'm finally starting to show a little. I didn't show with Sebastian until about four months but since my body has done this once already, it seems to be getting a head start. This is me at 4.5 months with Sebastian in 2006. Oh, the memories...


I'll work on an updated picture this week. Starting to order supplies and get organized a little at a time for the Art weekend later this month! I'm staying hopeful that the second trimester will bring a return to our regularly scheduled routines. All grumbling aside, I'm thrilled to no end abut this baby and thankful that this is a possibility for our family. I appreciate your patience as I spread my to do lists out in longer stretches. You guys are great.

See you next time.

~Rachel

25 comments:

katie said...

that easter egg hunt looks like so much fun! i hope you get feeling better soon! i miss your blogs.

<3katie

Evelien said...

Those pics in the park are so beautiful! Glad you felt up to going out!

And i love the shot of your 4,5 month belly. It took me like forever to show with both my kids and i remember being so proud of the way i looked!

Have you heard about the Angel Sound? You can listen to your baby's heartbeat with it at home! It really helped me through those first months when you can't feel the baby move because it's too tiny. After i miscarried the second time i got pregnant i was very glad being able to listen to my unborn baby's heart whenever i felt insecure! I blogged about it here:
http://eeffiesworld.blogspot.com/2007/09/that-heartbeat-sounds-like-music.html

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely right about your body "knowing" what to do - your stomach muscles are not as tight as they used to be ( awful thought, I know!) and your uterus has already been through it all too! I prsonally experienced more ligament pain (pelvic region) with my 2nd child - hopefully you will not have that! YOur delivery should be A LOT easier and quicker (mine was!) THe delivery part amazed me the most - it was not as painful either. Good luck!
Amy from Texas

Elizabeth said...

The pictures from the park are beautiful! it looks like it was a wonderful way to spend easter!


that's so funny that sebastian said "popcorn tree!" because when I was little my family always sang this children's song called popcorn popping: "i looked out the window and what did i see? popcorn popping on the apricot tree! spring has brought me such a nice surprise, popcorn popping right before my eyes." haha.

Amber Filkins said...

The pics are beautiful! Glad you guys had a great day.

Hope you start to feeling better! Should be about one or two more weeks!

I also loved that little apricot song growing up, and sing it to my girls when we see those blossoms. :)

Love his hunting method. So cute

Melonie said...

Beautiful pics! Glad you got a little break and hope you feel worlds better during the 2nd leg of this journey.

mrs boo radley said...

What a gorgeous day you had. Sebastian looks like he's growing so fast.
Can't wait to see cute belly pics!

miss teacups said...

aw. i love tummy photos!!
diesel is so adorable...those cheeks, haha aw!

jen geigley said...

super photos, and i love sebastian's egg hunt technique.

i adore your preggo pic from your first go-round (for some reason, i wore a lot of converse in almost all the pics i had when i was pregnant.) you are just too cute.

i hope you start to feel better soon; i totally remember how yucky that feels. take it easy and do what you've gotta do!

Carla said...

I'm just at 11 weeks myself and I know exactly how you feel. It is hard keeping up with a little one, growing another and trying to get all the other stuff done! It is fun to read about someone else who is going through the same stuff

I enjoy hearing what is going on with you and will keep checking in!

Happy spring!

Tricia said...

that popcorn tree looks delicious! ;) hope you start feeling better soon.

Melody said...

I've missed your posts so much. Sorry you still are feeling on the weak side. I'm praying that your energy returns to you soon and that you feel more like yourself.

Your easter looked so fun. I enjoyed looking at all the pics of Sebastian. He's growing up so fast. And what an imagination...a popcorn tree...I do have to hand it to him, it does look like popcorn.

I can't wait to see your little belly growing. I love pregnancy shots. Oh and hearing the heartbeat...it's something I remember fondly from all my pregnancies. Of course I also remember the not hearing them too. But that's enough sadness....this is supposed to be a happy comment.

Blessings to you and yours...

Charin Adams said...

Oh my gosh, Sebastian's right, it does look like popcorn! :) :)
So excited for you that you're already almost 12 weeks along!

Anonymous said...

I'm craving the sun and warmer temps myself lately. But the rain has recently watered our lettuce and onions nicely. The first round of peas we lost to our resident rabbit. ;)

Do you like pickled ginger? The pink strips served alongside wasabi and sushi? Maybe that would help ease your sickness. Some of it hopefully. Your body is making a baby, which is such a miraculous thought, but I can imagine would steal much of your energy.

I found out that the place we might be moving to has a very reputable birthing center; delivery at the center or in the home. How psyched am I?! I would be very interested in hearing about your experiences with a midwife.

Sherrie

RachelDenbow said...

Sherrie,

Thanks for the pickled ginger suggestion. I was just craving California Spring rolls tonight!

twinkle teaches said...

I love the popcorn tree picture! I hope you get some relaxation and rest.
tina :)

Anonymous said...

What a fun day in the park! Sebastian and Diesel look like best buds already. So cute!

Wendy said...

you seriously have the cutest son everrrrrrr (his expressions just crack me up) Diesel is such a beautiful child - WOW!!!!!! both are just wayyyyyyyyyyy too cute (REALLY for words)!!!! i could just give them both SUPER big hugs!

andrea said...

congrats on 11 weeks! I think you will start feeling better in a couple weeks :)

Anonymous said...

agh! I know I left a comment on google reader but it didn't show up here...okay, let me remember...I'm glad to see you're feeling better and I love the prego pic! I was a whale (like, "Thar she blows!") with my first pregnancy and totally fit with my second because I was chasing my first around.
Loving the Pretty class!

Anne Esquibel said...

Diesel is sooooooo adorable! So is Sebastian of course. Glad ya'll had fun! God bless. ox

Lisa Leonard said...

yay for grandparents who love to help! and love the popcorn tree!

Michelle said...

Wow, Sebastian is growing so quickly! Loved seeing your pregnancy photo from Sebastian back in 06.

Josh and Steph said...

Isn't spring dreamy?
When I read that Sebastian called the blossoms "popcorn" it made me laugh. It also reminded me of the mormon primary song. I was going to find a link for you and then I headed over to dooce.com and she actually found the link for me! Here it is...http://www.dooce.com/daily-photo/2009/04/17/popcorn-popping
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9hILCfLLBE
It's a really cute little song.

Sheri Reed said...

Yay, cute!