Heading South

Off to Newnan for the day/night . . . for our almost-weekly overnight with my parents. My dad can't ever seem to get enough of Meg . . . I feel like I've deprived him because he hasn't seen her in 9 days. (He keeps count -- not me.)


Anyway -- I spent most of my evening editing last night -- the maternity shoot is still totally on my mind. Here are a few more . . .

Working with adults is SO much harder than children! I sent her a handful and received a positive reply . . . so hopefully she's enjoying these enough to still keep her newborn appointment!

Have a great day -- more interesting stuff tomorrow (at least I'll try to be more interesting).

Maternity

Finally, finally, finally was able to get the maternity shot done . . . the infamous one that I was so nervous about.

Now I'm still nervous . . . and the shoot is over.

My work is really less than half-way done when a shoot is over . . . I think go into editing, which takes quite a bit of time and effort. This is where the 'magic' is done. Sure, I take a good picture, but editing is what makes it THAT much better.

I've started editing the maternity shoot, and I'm nervous. I only need 30 for the client (I took 264) . . . but I just really, really hope that she loves the 30 that I chose to edit. Working with adults is SO much harder . . . they are so much more selective in the photos they love. Take a picture of their kid -- it's fantastic, even if the kid has a runny nose and unlaced shoes. Take a picture of the mom -- it's looked at and looked at and looked at from every angle and in every position.

Here are just a few from the session -- yes, I like these, which I why they made the blog.

The rest . . . we'll see.

Nothin' but and Update

I wish I could think of something inventive to write for our weekend, but we didn’t do anything terribly exciting. Jim completed a new closet organization system for Meg’s ‘big girl room’ and I tagged about 100 items for an upcoming consignment sale at which I’ll be unloading some of the baby things we didn’t/won’t use.

I guess it’s just another day in suburbia . . . house cleaning, laudry, and meal-making going on around here.

I can update a few things that I’ve written about lately, just to keep the faithful readers totally and completely informed on what’s going on at Casa de Dahlby . . .

The maternity shoot I was set to do and so nervous about – oh, what, a month ago? – is finally taking place tomorrow. Yes, we’ve rescheduled so many times I’ve lost count . . . but tomorrow is the day, come hell or high water. I had some practice with our friends in Charleston, so I’m not as nervous about the shoot as I once was . . . but I’m still nervously anxious to get it DONE.

Basement work is coming right along. They fixed the furnace/water heater closet fiasco, and now the closet is of normal size and pleasing to both Jim and me. Electricity is being wired Monday, plumbing on Wednesday or Thursday . . . then I think we are on to drywall next week. Wow!

Meg’s incisors are still giving us fits. Only one has actually broken the surface, and it’s hung out at the surface for about a week now. I think that the top 2 are also making their way to the light . . . Meg constantly has her fingers in her mouth, and she’s constantly got poop in her pants. I even stopped giving her juice entirely to help with the numerous ‘number twos’ . . . but it’s not helped much. At least no fever, and no whining (for the most part). Rapido, teeth, rapido!!

On the subject of Meg . . . her love of Happy Monster Band has waned somewhat, and now she’s moved on to a new man in her life . . . Diego. Not Dora – she could take or leave Dora the Explorer – but turn on Go Diego Go! and the child is in a trance. She wakes up chanting, “Go! Go! Go!” – which used to be her request for HMB but is now a request to see her jungle buddy rescue some wild-a$$ animals. I miss the days of The Backyardigans. Those really were the coolest kids on the block.

And I’m still feeling a bit tired. Really, I think what my problem is that I can’t sleep without having CRAZY and long, involved dreams at night. This dreaming phenomenon has occurred in all of my pregnancies – even the one this summer. I’m so tired of them . . . so tired of the drama playing out in my head while I try to rest. Seriously, I would do anything to just sleep without dreaming . . . got any cures for this weird pregnancy side effect?

That’s it. Nothing exciting, nothing earth-shattering. Just regular life for the Dahlbys, which is nice and quiet.

Ways to Terrify a Pregnant Woman

There are several ways to terrify a pregnant woman, as I see it . . .

-- Tell her the dip she just ate was full of seafood and soft cheeses.
-- Tell her the story of your cousin who thought she was having a girl and ended up delivering a boy.
-- Ask her to pee in a cup before her doctor’s appointment . . . but after she’s just gone to the bathroom.
-- Remind her that pregnancy really is 10 months, not 9.
-- Share with her the joys of breastfeeding . . . spare no details such as leaking boobs, mastitis, and clogged milk ducts.
-- During the 20 wk ultrasound, tell her you see a perfectly normal Choroid plexus cyst (or two) on her baby’s brain.

Although not quite terrified by the information, Jim and I have been dealing with the idea of Kate having two bilateral choroid plexus cysts on her brain since our wonderful sex-revealing ultrasound back on February 1st.

It’s not fun to think that – although the chances might be very, very slim – there could be a problem with the tiny perfect human growing inside of you.

On the day of our ultrasound, I was so shocked to find out that that we were having a girl, I nearly forgot to ask our ultrasound technician if everything else she saw on the scan looked good. I was so giddy at the idea of dressing a baby in MORE pink that I took for granted that she was 100% A-OK.

When I asked – somewhat jokingly and with an air of pompousness – if Kate’s scan had been normal, then technician said, “Well, I did note two small *blah blah blah* CYSTS on her brain . . . blah blah blah . . . something about fluid . . . it’s really not anything to worry about . . .”

I listened to every word, but I know that my face told the technician that I was only hearing something about cysts on our daughter’s brain. She didn’t go into much detail – passing that responsibility along to my doctor – but she did say a few times that the cysts are not a big deal, are fairly common, and don’t have any impact on the development of the baby.

Fast forward 10 minutes . . . Jim and I wait anxiously in another examining room, wondering exactly what she had called those cyst-thingies and where in Kate’s brain they were found.

Dr Graham entered, shared in our joy about having a girl, then proceeded to tell us again that the cysts that had been found were nothing to worry about.

Choroid Plexus Cysts, as I understand them, develop almost like a fluid-filled blister on the plexus region of the brain. This region is not responsible for learning, thought, language, or any other integral part of development . . . it actually produces the fluid your brain needs to be cushy, soft, and protected from your boney head. The little cysts form and dissolve entirely on their own and are gone by the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. They are considered to be a normal part of development for some babies.

So, why the alarm? There is an association between these cysts and babies born with Trisomy 18 and Trisomy 21 (Downs Syndrome).

Tell a pregnant lady that her baby has cysts that could possibly be linked to Trisomy 18 or 21 and watch the panic ensue.

When the doctor told us about this association, my heart dropped. Maybe it stopped. I think I kept listening.

Luckily for me, Dr Graham explained, my Quad Screenings (the optional 16 wk blood tests that I allowed him to talk me into) were GOLDEN and shining and PERFECT . . . meaning that there were really no other signs of Trisomy 18 or Downs in this baby. I have no family history of either, I’m not a ‘geriatric’ mother (30 isn’t old!), and my blood work really was great. So, aside from the cysts, there were no real signs of a problem. Again – he assured us – don’t worry. We probably would not have a baby with any type of chromosomal abnormality . . . these cysts are isolated incidents more-often-than-not, and they end up having absolutely no effect on anything. We would most likely have a healthy baby.

Dr Graham said that, if I were his wife, he wouldn’t even send me for another Level II ultrasound. But, since we aren’t married, I could sue him for malpractice . . . so he’d have to send me to Parinatology at the hospital for a more intense and descriptive ultrasound to rule out any signs of any problems. He told me he would book my appointment for 2 weeks following my initial ultrasound because – he thought – the choroid plexus cysts would be dissolved and gone by the time I got in to see the parinatologist.

**Side Note Here: I have an undying faith in my doctor. He is the best gyno/ob out there, in my opinion. He is NEVER wrong – and he’s so fantastically reassuring along any road we’ve been down. I tell him he’s a genius all the time, but he’s humble and doesn’t believe me.
--Can’t get pregnant? “We’ll have you pregnant by the end of the summer . . .” I was pregnant with Meg in the first week of October – so close enough.
--Want another baby? “No birth control . . . well, I give you 3 months following your first post-natal period, and you’ll be pregnant again.” I became pregnant in my 3rd cycle after having Meg.
--Had a miscarriage? “We will take fantastic care of you . . . wait a month and you’ll get pregnant again right away.” I did, and I did.
--Got Choroid Plexus Cysts on your brain? “Wait two weeks, THEN see the doctor . . . I bet they’ll be gone by the time you have your appointment.” I sure did hope he was right on that one . . . he’d never been wrong before.

Back to the cyst story . . .

We waited the two weeks and went in to see the parinatologist at Northside Hospital. Today was our appointment. Today at 2:30pm, I was lying on a table, gooey stuff on my belly, peeking in on our little Baby Kate.

And they found no choroid plexus cysts.

After a nice long session with a sonographer and many many views of Kate’s girl parts, organs, face, and profile, the doctor took a quick peek at her and declared our second daughter to be 100% healthy with absolutely no signs of any problems at all. The cysts were completely resolved. No Trisomy anything. And then he said, “Congratulations,” to us more than once.

Congratulations, you are having a healthy baby girl . . .
or Congratulations, you made it through these two weeks of wondering/worry?

Either way, I’ll take it.

After a second look, we still have a bouncing baby girl that is healthy, perfect in size (1 whole pound!) and cooking along at just the right speed. We were never terrified by the idea of the choroid plexus cysts – we were sure that everything would turn out right in the end. Still, a few tears of genuine relief did slip out of the corner of my eyes as I laid on that table this afternoon. Whew, that part is over. Now on to the next 19 weeks of this pregnancy . . .

We have always said that we would love to have three children in our family . . . but with everything that has happened, days like today make me wonder why I should continue to tempt fate and push my luck.

Maybe I’ll ask Dr Graham what he thinks about one more Dahlby Baby, seeing as he’s never been wrong.

From Our Sweetheart

Most of you have seen this already . . . we just wanted to send everyone a little valentine wish to know you are loved and thought of on this special day.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope your day is filled with love and laughter!

Southern Hospitality

On the coattails of my ‘friends’ blog last week . . . I just have tell you how much fun it is to see and visit with friends that have moved away. It's wonderful to gab with old friends . . . especially when it feels as if you picked up where you left off . . . that nothing has changed since they left. We were lucky enough to reconnect with our friends Andy and Morgan last weekend in Charleston, SC, to help them celebrate the upcoming arrival of their baby boy, Grady. It was a most fun and fabulous trip filled with good friends and lots and LOTS of baby talk.

It began with my arrival mid-day Friday . . . upon which I was swept away in Morgan’s fabulous white Tahoe and whisked directly downtown to the awesome Charleston Market. If you haven’t enjoyed this outdoor venue before, you are totally missing out . . . it’s a few blocks of vendors selling all kinds of artsy-craftsy stuff authentically hand created in Charleston (or at least most of it is). For example, Morgan and I indulged ourselves in a ‘Charleston Child’ booth where – you guessed it – we found fun little handmade outfits for our beautiful babies-to-be. Friday night we enjoyed dinner downtown . . . Jim and Andy were kind enough to help our waiter make his ‘drink quota’ and help him win a free bottle of liquor. Those boys of ours sure are kind, aren’t they?

Saturday was filled with MORE baby shopping – I was in total heaven! Charleston is soooo southern, and many of the boutiques we visited had the cutest southern baby clothes I’ve ever seen. While we dreamed of baby-powder-smelling cuteness, the boys golfed on what could have been the most perfect day – 65 degrees and not one cloud in the sky. Jim and Andy were fraternity brothers at Georgia Tech – close buddies at one time – and I know that they had a great day catching up and ‘being boys’ again. I love it when Jim gets a day like that . . . he’s been working SO hard lately, he totally and completely deserves it. (I just wish he could do it MORE often.)

Saturday night was the main event – the couples’ baby shower that had prompted our visit to the coast. Andy and Morgan have some truly awesome friends in Charleston . . . they hosted an awesome get-together for the parents-to-be. The party was spectacular – really, it deserves an adjective of such magnitude. The night ended with the boys upstairs playing poker in the kids playroom/bonus room (complete with Backyardigans posters on the wall to help set the mood for the guys!). Jim didn’t win – but he did win the golf game earlier that day, so I guess he can’t win them all.

Sunday dawned with a great brunch at a really cool spot on John’s Island called Mimi’s Café . . . Morgan had a connection with the owner, so she got us a table with no wait. This is one of those brunch places you avoid because it’s so crowded . . . unless you are with a rock-star friend like Morgan. I did some photos of Andy and Morgan together (bare belly and all), then boarded a plane back to (see my baby I missed so much!) Atlanta.

Thanks to Andy and Morgan for their southern hospitality in hosting us for the weekend. It is always great to see you both and spend time with you. You are great friends – we miss you here in Atlanta but love that you live in such a fun place to visit!!

Exhausted

The last two days, I’ve just been physically exhausted. When I say it out loud, I am greeted with a “Duh, wonder why?” type of response from friends/family . . . yes, I do realize I am pregnant. And yes, I know I’m chasing around a 1 ½ yr old . . . but seriously, I’m a little taken aback to be so tired at this point in the pregnancy (21 weeks, for those who have lost track). Dressing and undressing Meg for her swimming lesson today felt like a huge chore . . . as did schlepping her on two morning errands and to the pediatric ophthalmologist after lunch.

Baby Kate is making my whole body tired. Especially my back. I’m to the point where, if I drop something or need to pick something up for Meg, I just let out a SIGH. I feel like my house might not be looking so ‘picked up’ here over the next few months . . . I just can’t bear to pick up anything else. The bending is what gets me. I’m at the point where I have to separate my legs to bend down . . . and the belly is growing bigger every day.

And then there is the picking up of Meg. To be perfectly honest, I don’t pick her up that much . . . I really don’t. My parents have told me my whole life that I walked everywhere, and that is the attitude I’ve taken with Meg. I don’t carry her up and down the stairs, I don’t carry her from the car to the store, she hardly ever gets in and out of her stroller (we hardly use it) . . . I really only pick her up when loading and unloading her in the car, putting her in the grocery buggy, and to help her up onto the couch (which is still just a few inches too tall for her). But I guess today I carried her an extra lot . . . because I’m feeling it. She got a bit spoiled and I got a bit sore. Oh well.

Just had to complain a little today . . . people always ask how I’m feeling, so here you go. I’m feeling exhausted this week.

(On a happier note, I am feeling Kate move ALL the time . . . so some of my worries and fears that have lingered into this stage of the pregnancy are fading fast. There is no feeling in the world like having a little one kick inside you!)

Just for Daddy

This post is just for Daddy (but everyone else can enjoy it too) . . . he's working on a full week since last he saw Meg. We miss you!!

In Some Cases, There is No Room for Democracy

You commenters on this blog are making me laugh . . . I’m sure you WOULD love to vote on the name for our newest additon to the family! What fun that might be for Jim and I . . . but since we already have people like, oh, my dad weighing in all the time, I think we’ve got our share of ‘advice’ on this naming of little girl # 2. And -- as much fun as voting might be -- there really is no vote. We’ve decided on a name for our new baby girl.

So, drum roll please . . .

Kate Allison

Kate Allison Dahlby

KAD

Kate, Meg and Kate, little Katie . . . we love it. Actually, I’ve always loved it, and Jim put his two cents in last weekend.


_____________________________________________________________

Setting: Driving in the car, returning from a friend’s surprise party


Heather: “So, what are we going to name this little one?” (asked for the 100th time that day)

Jim: “I would say ‘Kate’ is my number one.”

Heather: “I have so many hang ups with Katherine . . . I LOVE it, but . . . “

(see, my grandmother is Catherine, my cousin is Kathryn . . . there are already two on my side of the family . . . then there is the fact that we know several of our friends love ‘Kate’ for their own potential-girls, too . . . )

Jim: “Could we just name her ‘Kate’?”

Heather: “What middle name goes with that? I think it needs to be multi-syllable because ‘Kate’ is so short.”


-- input the tossing around of dozens of names here --


_____________________________________________________________

Skip ahead to Monday – an email sent to Jim from me:

To: ‘jim dahlby’
CC:
Subject: How About

Kate Allison?

Kate Allison Dahlby

KAD

Heather Dahlby
http://www.hdportraitsonline.com/ -- new site!

______________________________________________________________


Then there was a phone call from Jim in Indianapolis last Monday evening during which I pitched ‘Kate Allison’ to Jim. His reply: “I like it.”

So, we have now said it over and over, and I think it’s the name for us. For her. For Meg’s little sister.

Kate Allison

There won’t be any voting on whether or not you like it, I’m sorry to say. The only voting now is how much you like it – your choices: like it, LOVE it, or planning-to-steal it.

Baby Kate's profile

Kate Allison -- her face with hands over her head on top, her profile open-mouthed on bottom

How Much I Love Her

I never forget.

But when we are away, it eats at me . . . it tugs at me . . . and when we get back home, it overflows.

How I love our little girl.

What on earth will I do when I have two to love?

I think I might explode.

Carolina In My Mind

We're off to Charleston, SC, for the weekend . . . and by 'we' I mean Jim and I. Meg is going to spend her weekend in platial Newnan, GA, with her Grandaddy. Ah, a weekend away!

Jim and I were invited to a 'couples baby shower' for some friends of ours who live in Charleston and are expecting a boucing baby boy in April. The invitation was a perfect excuse to visit . . . we love Charleston, and we couldn't think of a better reason to go and see our buddies. Between hanging out Friday and attending the shower on Saturday night, I'm sure we'll get caught up and talk LOTS of baby talk. As a matter of fact, while the boys go golfing on Saturday morning, the girls are going to hit some baby boutiques . . . sounds like a nearly perfect Saturday to me.

Anyway, our journey begins this afternoon with our pilgrimage to Newnan to drop off Meg, then I fly to Charleston tomorrow. Try not to miss the blogging too much . . . if I can, I'll send a note from South Carolina . . . or I might just be having too much fun to stop and blog it!

Happy Almost-Weekend, my friends.

Hurdle # 1

We've run into our first hurdle in our basement project. Project day 8, hurdle numero uno.

The braniacs from John Weiland who built our home really never intended on having anyone finish the basement. We know this because they just hodge-podged the duct work coming out of our furnace . . . making quite a mess for our contractors to deal with as they try to build walls in the basement 8 years after the house was built.

Because of the wacko-duct work, the closet that is being built around the furnace and hot water heater is . . . well . . . BIG. Way bigger than a traditional closet used to house such equipment. We knew there would be a closet, but we are shocked at the size that ours has become. And these lovely equipment-housing closets usually require a double set of doors in order to pass 'code' -- there has to be enough clearance to get the units in and out if there were ever a problem.

Oh, and did I mention that the furnace and hot water heater are RIGHT in the MIDDLE of the basement? Not off to the side or in a corner . . . RIGHT in the middle.

So, what we have is a cluster f&*%, to say the least. See for yourself . . .

We don't know WHAT to do. For starters, if they can't move the ducts any more than they have (it's those going up to the ceiling that are the problem), I have requested that they at least move the doors to one side or the other . . . I really don't want huge doors in the middle of the room. In reality, we'd like to see if we can hire someone to come move the ducts ($$ cha-ching, cha-ching $$) . . . the closet should be a good 2 feet smaller, which would make a big difference in the space it's in.

The big ole' closet really ruins the room . . . it's not a rectangular room any more, it's some funky shaped room that won't be suitable for any type of furniture. I told the contractor it was going to be a playroom for now . . . so he replied with, "Well, are you really going to need to put a couch in a playroom?" UM -- where are GROWN UPS supposed to sit? On the floor?? YES we'll have a small couch at least -- but with nowhere to put it, that isn't really our issue now, is it?! And this room will be used as a playroom for the next 8-10 years . . . the it will graduate to a game room and STILL won't be suitable for furniture OR a pool table!

UGH. Deep Breath. I know these things will come and go throughout our whole process . . . I guess I should get used to the hurdles.

The GOOD NEWS is that the media room looks awesome, and they built a pretty cool inset to put our new TV and cabinets. And the bedroom with the huge storage closet looks great, too. They are pretty much done with the framing, so next it's on to electrical work and the our first round of inspections.

Now if we can just fix this playroom . . .

So, I Have All These Friends . . .

I have a lot of friends . . . not to sound cocky or obnoxious, because I think we ALL have a lot of friends from various stages in our lives. If we are lucky, we’ve all connected with people and made long-lasting relationships in childhood, high school, college, work . . . all these friends mean so much and remind us so much of a certain time in our lives.

For me, I have one friend in particular that has literally grown up with me. We were forced to be ‘locker partners’ in 6th grade, and I’ll never forget that she had a picture of her cat hanging in there when I ‘moved in’ to our rectangular metal digs. Other kids at school told her I was weird because I had recently moved to Georgia from California . . .and she definitely bought into that because it was not at that time in our lives that we became the sister-like friends we are today. It was later, in 8th grade, when our PE coaches made us walk laps around the track (or be subjected to some organized sport – it was our choice) that we truly found each other and hit it off. We’ve been inseparable for so many years now . . . 16, to be exact. She was the Matron of Honor in my wedding, and we are about to have babies just days apart later this year. (That's us -- she is in yellow with her two girls beside her, me with baby Meg in summer 2006 . . . and our other high school friend is with us with her two boys.)

I have another friend that sticks with me from college . . . we met when we were positioned next to each other in the Redcoat Marching Band. She was “G7” and I was “G8” – or something like that. Fate had not only put us next to each other in the marching formations, but also in the same dorm AND on the same hall. It was like someone had two big hands on each of our backs, shoving us closer together and saying, “Hey, you two will get along . . . here, be friends.” We were in and out of touch through some of our college years . . . she stayed in the band and I veered down the sorority route. After college, our friendship grew closer but our lives were still physically a bit far apart . . . until I married and chose to move pretty much right down the street from this dear friend. And when we moved this summer, I couldn’t bear the thought of moving far from her, so we stayed within 5 miles . . . and actually live closer now than we did before. Her youngest son and Meg are 12 weeks apart . . . meaning that I was pregnant right along with this friend two years ago. (That's us in the pic, both prego in May 2006.)

I have good friends that I’ve met through Jim -- Jim’s friends wives, girlfriends, etc. Our family has grown with these families . . . I’ve celebrated many weddings and births with this particular avenue of friends. I cannot say that I hit it off with every wife/girlfriend that I meet – naturally, there are a few that just don’t click with me – but many are great friends who I enjoy seeing on a regular basis. Two of them in particular are not really even “Jim’s friends’ wives” – they have fast become MY friends, and the boys just hang out when we get together. Heck, if it weren’t for my friendship with some of these wonderful ladies, Jim might not see some of his old buddies on many occasions! These friends and I have connections because of our husbands, but we are much more than that. (NO comments about my attire in these photos are necessary -- Tech was playing Notre Dame, so I was trying to be a supportive wife!)

And now, at this new mom-stage in life, I have new friends. I have friends that I’ve met in mommy-oriented classes, such as Meg’s swimming and music activities. I have friends that I had before mommyhood . . . but since we’ve both become moms, we have found a new level to our friendship – we have something so powerful in common that it’s hard NOT to become better friends. I have friends that I’ve called on for many mommy-type needs . . . all of which I don’t know what I would have done without them since the birth of pretty little Meg.

Even still, I’m making more friends these days in a more unconventional way . . . on the internet. Yes – I have ‘on line” friends! Some might even call me a 'blog stalker'. These new friends are mostly associated with my photography endeavor and my time spent on Flickr . . . I’ve tapped into people’s photo streams and really, truly gotten to know them and their families through pictures and emails. I have a great friend in Canada who – terribly and unfortunately – shared my miscarriage experience with me this summer. She and I are both now expecting new summer babies . . . but I don’t know what I would have done without her in that month following our loss. She has become more than just a ‘pen pal’ – she’s a real friend who I speak to and think of almost daily. I have another friend in the Midwest who is having some medical procedures done right now, and she’s been kind enough to share the experience with me. I have a friend in Seattle who adopted the most precious baby girl that is just about Meg’s age . . . and I so wish I could find a way for Meg and Lily to meet! These friends may be a bit unconventional, but they are people that I care and think of just as I do any other friend.

It’s so interesting to think of all of these different friends – and to think of how much each of them mean to me. My college friend often says friends from so many walks-of-life makes it hard to get together with ALL of your friends at once because when you do, it can be like ‘worlds colliding’ – which is very, very true. Each friend means something special to you – but mixed together it CAN be a unique experience. (Ahem, remember your wedding? Your Grandma and your Boss in one room? That’s what she means.)

So, I have all these friends. I consider myself lucky, and I take none of you for granted. As the “Golden Girls” theme song boasts, “Thank you for being a friend . . .”

Progress

So, I made that ‘6 month’ list back at the beginning of the year, and in only about 5 weeks I seem to have accomplished a lot! I thought I’d share my update with you.

Get a business license/tax ID/bank account for HD Portraits. Tax ID DONE (thanks to Jim’s help) – now I just need to stop into the bank for an account, which shouldn’t be too bad . . I think?

Be less judgmental. Worry less about what others think. Not really doing great at this . . . but really, really trying. Just trying to forget it all because of the stress is causes me . . . totally UNNECESSARY stress.

Do more with the décor in the house . . . Lots of progress in one month’s time, I think – upstairs bedrooms & bathrooms are ALL painted, new linens and towels for our newly green master bedroom, new kitchen valances are UP!, pictures are up in front hall, got some sconces for above the fireplace, changed the wall plates in the kitchen, and completed the decor above the kitchen cabinets.

Master when we moved in . . .

Our still-needs-work master, with a fresh coat of paint

Kitchen before . . .

Kitchen now . . . new valances and all!

All three “kids” bedrooms upstairs need work . . .
Meg’s new bedding is ordered (white bunk beds to be ordered ASAP), plans in motion to update (but mostly keep the same) New Baby Girl’s nursery, and the playroom has been painted and is going to be slightly decorated with things I already have around here (just slightly since it will most likely end up the 3rd nursery one day).

The girls' playroom, semi-decorated and painted yellow.

What will one day be Meg's 'big girl' room -- with twin over full bunks.

Finishing the Basement.
Work began last week! Framing seems to be 75% done – it’s so strange to see it already shaping up. We have a LONG road to go, but it’s already started . . . which was probably the hardest part.

Eat at home more – even when I’d RATHER go out. Try new recipes, too.
Jim has truly been watching his diet, which as really contributed to the success in this area. We’ve been eating at home to help him and to save money – both excellent reasons, I think. Thanks to everyone who has noticed Jim’s HARD work.

Smile more – especially in public.
Um, nope. Not much here.

Do nice things for Jim.
A few things here and there . . . but this one will be a work in progress for ALL of 2008, I think.

Convince my parents to suck it up and buy a car seat. STILL working on this one. UGH.

Stand up for myself and for my work with HD Portraits.
Doing better . . . but the maternity lady did muscle me into a weekday shoot, which isn’t very easy for me!

Play with Meg more. And more. And more. I could never play with her enough . . . but we have graduate to few NEW things like coloring!

Girls

Gosh, we're having another girl. This is so fantastically exciting.

Gosh, we used up all our favorite names on Meg. Megan Elizabeth . . .

Gosh, what are we going to name this new girly?

Pairs

Good things come in pairs. Socks, shoes, pants. Chopsticks. Two scoops of raisins. ‘Double’mint gum.

And for the Dahlby’s – GIRLS.

We are having a second baby girl at our house, all set to arrive in mid-to-late June. She’s fantastic and wiggly and looks . . . well, a lot like her big sister did in HER ultrasound two years ago.

Everything went swimmingly at our appointment. Little Girl was moving like crazy – making it hard for the technician to get the shots she needed, but giving us a GREAT show at the same time. And, isn’t it typical of a 2nd born to NOT follow directions and do what you need them to do? She’s beautiful, and we are so damn excited to have a little sister for Meg.

Admittedly, I was a bit surprised by the news. I think I even said, “REALLY?” when the sex was revealed . . . but New Baby Girl was spread eagle, so there is no doubt she’s a girl. Blast that Chinese Calendar! I really was thinking boy . . . and I think that I was really HOPING boy for Jim. Jim thought girl all along . . . maybe to avoid getting his hopes up . . . so he wasn’t too surprised. He even smiled his super-smiley Jim beam, so I know he's happy.

Of course, our parents are thrilled. My dad was here at my house when I told him – the first time I’ve EVER given him any pregnancy news in person. He reacted with a “YES!” and a fist pump . . . kind of like a tennis or golf star that just made a good hit. Jim’s mom said she was thinking boy – like me – but of course two granddaughters are fantastic.

Now we must agree on a name for Baby Girl Dahlby . . . we have a few, and I have one I love . . . but we have time so we’ll mull it over for a while.

Happy to share our news – and now I’m excited to move on with planning and preparing.

A GIRL – ah, how I love PINK.

As Much as I'd Like To

As much as I’d like to think about something else today, I can’t stop thinking about our ultrasound tomorrow morning. It’s totally on my mind . . . I’m literally just trying to get through until tomorrow morning at 9:30am when we’ll enter the office and wait patiently to be called into to the dark room with the black monitor. Then some lady will pull my shirt up and jelly me down . . . all in the name of finding out as much as we can about New Baby. I can’t wait to see those little arms and legs . . . that profile . . . and, OF COURSE, whether we have a ‘hamburger’ or a ‘turtle’ down there. That’s what they told us last time – ‘hamburger’ is girl and ‘turtle’ is boy. AH, less than 24 hours now. We can make it.

As much as I’d like to run around all do errands all afternoon – Meg is happily spending the day/night with my parents, you see – I can’t just yet because I’m stuck at the house waiting for the painters. “What?” you ask. “Weren’t they supposed to start today??” Yes, indeed. But looks like they got held up, so tomorrow morning is our new start time. Even the best laid plans . . . Anyway, they are coming by sometime in the next couple of hours to do a walk-through and obtain our selected paint colors (Colors that, by the way, were SO hard for me to choose – I had to have a friend come over and help, then I stayed up until midnight on Monday hashing it all out. Must be the indecisive side of my pregnancy – I can blame it on that.). By doing that this afternoon, they can actually START first thing tomorrow morning . . . we don’t have to go through the whole rigamaroll in the AM and get started at lunch time. Okay, so I’ll sit around and wait for them.

As much as I’d like to go pick up my fabulous newly completed window treatments, the painters have totally screwed up my day and I can’t until tomorrow morning (on the way to that fab-u-lo-so dr appt). Crikey, nothing is going my way!

As much as I’d like to do my shoot today – as it turns out, the weather is FINE!!!!! – I can’t because we already rescheduled. And the lady I’m photographing is getting her hair done for the shoot, so she’s already cancelled her appointment and can no longer do it today. UGH.

As much as I’d like to poop, I can’t. I LOVE this part of pregnancy, I tell you. (TMI, sorry -- maybe one or two pregnant or formerly pregnant people out there can relate.)

And, as much as I’d like to think about something else, I can’t. Are we having a boy or a girl? Will I even make it until tomorrow??

Nerves

This morning, as we were out and about running errands, I couldn't think of anything to blog about today. It's just mid-week in a busy week, but nothing really blog worthy.

So, I'll blog about my nerves.

I have a shoot tomorrow -- or, at least, I have a shoot scheduled for tomorrow -- that is really making me nervous. It's my first maternity shoot. Normally, I'd be totally psyched. I have seen so many beautiful maternity portraits, and I know I can recreate many of them. But tomorrow's shoot is for a mid-thirties couple having the 5th kid, so I don't know WHAT kind of shoot they have in mind. I want to do bare-belly shots, dad kissing mom, kids kissing belly . . . but something tells me that this woman is not into that sort of thing. They are a little older, so nakedness might not be what they have in mind.

And, to top it all off, it's supposed to RAIN. Not just a little chance -- 80% chance. That really means I should reschedule . . . you know how gray your house is on a rainy day. Chances are you have lights on all day, right? I use natural light from open windows and outdoors . . . but this lady is 38 weeks (yes-- about to pop) and doesn't think she is going to make it much longer, so rescheduling will be hard. It's really NOT MY FAULT that she called me last Thursday and then took until Sunday evening to actually schedule a date with me. I don't want to compromise my artistic integrity by trying to do this shoot with my speedlight -- I want to give her good pictures. I want to reschedule, but scheduling this in the first place was really tough. Of course, she insists on weekday shoots . . . which are SO hard for me . . . and I'm booked the next 2 weekends anyway. Like I said, not really my fault she waited so long.

What should I do?

So, I'm all a ball of nerves this afternoon while I get up the nerve to call her.

I guess not all of my shoots are going to be roses and ice cream (is that even a saying? I think I just made it up).

Nerves Subside

Okay, so the lady isn't as far along as I thought . . . 33 weeks, but she is going to be induced in just a couple of weeks . . . which still leaves us with a short amount of time.

And she is totally cool with rescheduling. WHEW. Big sigh of relief. Turns out her daughter's prom pictures were very crummy because it was a terribly cloudy day. Bad luck for the daughter, but that situation turned into good luck for me!

Now the waiting begins . . . just waiting to see what her calendar looks like over the next few days . . .

Almost a Day Off

We had a really great day today . . . dare I say, almost like a day off from my mommy responsibilities. Meg and I journeyed to
Ink -- an interactive neighborhood for kids up in Gainesville, GA.

It was so much fun for both Meg and I . . . we met up with some friends, so kids played while mommies chatted. The museum was like a little neighborhood, so we followed the kids from the grocery store to the library, to the playground and then back again, all while they got to explore and make-believe. There was even a ‘dress up theatre’ complete with boy AND girl attire, from head to toe. All of this for the bargain price of $8.00 – can’t beat it.

(Side note – one minor irritation that goes for this place and any other kid-type venue – I HATE that the charge the parents to get in. Great that my less-than-2-year-old gets in free . . . but I’d almost rather just go ahead and pay for her so that I can get in free. That makes more sense to me. They totally trap you because they CAN – you HAVE to pay because you certainly can’t turn your kid loose and wait outside! What a rip – just charge for all ages (well, all walking-age kids) and let parents in free, would ‘ya?)

I really do relish these days when I can enjoy some time with a friend while Meg is completely and totally having a blast. I can have some adult time that is guilt-free – not feeling like my time with my friend takes away from my time with Meg. She plays and plays and I get a break from the day-in-day-out routine of playing WITH her. And – yes, I’ll admit it – Meg also gets worn out on days like this and sleeps like a baby for most of the mid-afternoon. THAT is a nice side-effect of playdates . . . extra long naptime. So, between the hours of playing and the hours of sleeping, I have myself a pseudo day off from mommyhood.

Admit it – you like days like that too. Who wouldn’t? It doesn’t make you a bad parent. Gulit-free adult time . . . it’s rare these days, but always coveted. Today, I got a good dose.

The Week Begins

It all starts today, January 28th,2008 (Happy Birthday Kristy!!). Construction on 3236 Talimore . . . the basement finishing project. Oh, yeah . . . and we are having our upstairs bedrooms painted mid-week, too. And Friday we find out if we are having a boy or a girl . . . it’s a very wild week at our house!

I think I’ve mentioned our desire and NEED to finish our full basement, but I know I haven’t gone into much detail because there really weren’t too many details to tell. Over the past month, we’ve hired a contractor, agreed on a drawing, cleaned the whole basement, and are ready for the job to begin. Our contractor, Aaron of Aaron Enterprises (thanks again Paula for the recommendation!) was here this morning with his two sons . . . they took a good look at the basement – complemented us on our cleaning job – and will now spend the next day or so getting their gear together to REALLY start the job.

Here is what Aaron has drawn out – to give you an idea. It’s basically a bedroom, full bath, playroom, and media room . . . plus an unfinished area for storage/Jim’s tools.

Of course, I’m taking pictures all along the way to monitor the progress . . . here are a couple of our bare, unstubbed, boring, cold basement.

When the framing is up, I’ll post more photos . . . and, of course, I’ll keep you posted on how the job is going. We chose a contractor that does a lot of the work himself (including all the cabinetry, which is fantastic) . . . so it takes a bit longer. We are hoping for completion in May.

And, as for the upstairs . . . we decided to have our Master, the nursery/Meg’s future room, our hall bath, and the upstairs playroom all painted at the same time. Basically, every bedroom in the house minus Meg's – which I have already painted. That whole painting idea came up because we hung curtains in our Master and then I decided the wall colors definitely needed a change . . . and hey, while we’re at it, let’s just have the painters come and do everything, right? Seriously though, the master and the front bedroom (which will either be a nursery OR Meg’s new bedroom, depending on how Friday goes) both have vaulted ceilings, and who really wants to paint that?? The bathroom was just an add on . . . and the painters offered a discount to do ALL the rooms, so basically the playroom is being done for $40.00. Ahhhh (sigh) . . . I'm so anxious to see everything upstairs freshly painted and ready to decorate!

As for Friday’s big baby news . . . nobody around here can wait. I’m so excited, I can’t stand it. Jim is really hoping for that boy. My dad keeps telling me HE can’t wait. And – the poor painters – they are on pins and needles because I have to call them Friday morning with the go-ahead on which color they’ll be using for that front bedroom!

It’s a busy week around here. Throw in music class, lunch in Atlanta, a trip to the Children’s Museum, coffee with friends, and a trip to drop Meg at my parents in Newnan, a rare mid-week photo shoot . . . and it’s really more than I think I can do!

Hope you are having a great start to your week . . . and keep checking in for all the activities going on around here.

Meg on Sunday Evening . . . she is wearing my headband, which she took OFF my head and put on hers. I love her little smile and her goofy attire!

Wild about Happy Monster Band

I just had to share Meg's latest fettish . . . Disney's
Happy Monster Band . If you are reading this and you have kids, you have to check it out. She LOVES LOVES this 5 minute show that comes on the Disney Channel each morning at 9:25 am. Each day it's just a simple, cute music video about something that kids should learn -- hygene, being a good sport, making friends, etc. The lyrics are funny, the music is spirited, and Meg is IN LOVE.

Of course, now that she's seen (and we've TIVOed) all 8 or 10 episodes the Disney runs, she pretty much knows them by heart. She walks around the house 'clawing left' or 'clawing right' (from the "Monster Hoedown" . . . or she waves her fist in the air chanting, "Go! Go! Go!" (from "Get Up and Go Go Go!") It's so fantastic to see her have her very own opinions and fall in love with something that she thinks is so fun.

Happy Monster Band has not, by any means, trumped the old fav,
The Backyardigans . Uniqua, Pablo, Tyrone, Tasha, and Austin are still very VERY well known around here . . . and they are still taking up about 3 hours in our TIVO database. I don't know that anyone can complete with them . . . Meg sure does enjoy those 'Yardigans.

So, go enjoy you some new music -- check out the Happy Monster Band and let us know if your kids enjoy it as much as Meg!

Dr Jekyl, Mr Hyde

Okay, so here is an example of the rollercoaster that incisors bring . . .

Friday morning: sluggish, whiney, not-quite-right
Friday 8:30 am: administer baby ibuprofen
Friday 9-12pm: school -- reported that she is clingy and quiet all morning

And then we had lunch . . .



But by the time the sitter came around 6pm yesterday evening, she was back to whiney and whimpery . . . barely eating much dinner at all.

Oh well. We'll just keep lovin' on her because . . . well . . . that is the only thing I know to do!