Counting Down...

Obviously, I am really pregnant. Like due in one week. And it is super hot right now. Today, our car thermometer said it was 93*. This is very hot because I get grumpy and uncomfortable when it hits 80* here in Washington (I do not like humidity). We ate out so we could dine in some air conditioning. Poor Rachel has to deal with a tired, sore, and often grumpy mom all day long. I read her many books so she doesn't destroy everything all day. But she still does and makes a huge mess and runs around naked laughing. This girl is going to get a rude awakening when I birth out her brother and become mobile again---no more running just out of mom's reach (except she will probably get faster).

We are excited for the Baby Boy to arrive. I am excited to not be pregnant and to meet this little fellow. Andrew is excited to see The Boy wiggling because he always misses my tummy going crazy. Rachel has no idea but we get her to say, "Come play with me, Baby Brother." I think she is more excited about Grandma coming on an AIRPLANE to the AIRPORT in two weeks (bolded words make her super excited). So we all have things to look forward to coinciding with the birth of the Baby Boy. Any day would be great! Preferably sooner than later. Can heat put you into labor?

No Posts in June?

Yes, no posts in June. We had a fun and busy month. We were gone for half the month and we were busy/I was tired the other half of the time.

Here is a summary. Maybe there will be more posts later, and maybe there won't.

Rachel painting on our vacation with Grandma.

Blowing bubbles with Grandma and Nigel.

She climbed this all by herself. She is getting to be a climber.

Helping mom work in the yard.

Getting wedding cakes ready for Elise's wedding.

Rachel at the wedding.

And there are some pictures from my phone.

In other news, I have just 6 weeks left until The Boy arrives!

Our Little Fish, Continued

Here are some more pictures of Rachel at swimming lessons. This time, with me.

Rachel waving hello; "jumping" out of the water; going down the slide after the last lesson (she has pretty much refused to go down any slide since); wrapped up in her towel; post-dunk.

Rachel did great at swimming lessons and I had a fun time with her!

Our Little Fish

I signed Rachel up for swimming lessons, you know the kind where the parent is in the water and you sing songs and splash and pretty much just try to help them be comfortable in the water. She loved it. So did I.

She liked "swimming" after the rubber ducks, singing the songs, "jumping" off the wall into the water, and watching the other kids. She did not like "floating" on her back very much. Some days she liked blowing bubbles and splashing, other days she did not.

Since swimming lessons have been over, she has found her swim suits and said "swinnin" almost every day. I think we will be spending a lot of time in the pool, lake, or wading pool this summer.

Rachel's Birthday Extravaganza: Part 1

You all know from Pinterest and current culture that your child's first birthday is really important. The second birthday or the first birthday for the third child, not so much.

None of those Pinterest Moms love their first child as much as I do. Rachel is having three birthday celebrations. Pin it and compete with me.

My parents and sister were in town a weekish ago so we, of course, celebrated Rachel's birthday. And Andrew's too a little.


Not so sure about this presents thing.


Opening a present with Grandma.


She opened this dress and held it up and it was so funny.


What could it be?!?!


Hmmm...


A wagon! "Quick, some assembly is required, Dad!"


Andrew assembling the wagon handle.


Nigel wondering why he doesn't get a present.


Cousins. This trip was fun because they actually interacted with each other, unlike two months ago.


The birthday pigs.


"I WANT MY CUPCAKE!"


A delicious red velvet cupcake made with beets and topped with classily spread cream cheese frosting.


They were delicious. Rachel isn't much of a cake smasher/smearer. She is very dainty and wants the food in her belly.


"Dad, you have got to try this."


And in the morning, Nigel pushed Rachel around in her wagon. So cute.

Happy first birthday party to my sweet little Rachel!

Blanca Lake

In July, my brother Matt came to visit and we went hiking to Blanca Lake. It was a really difficult hike and a lot of it was in the snow/cold. Matt is way hardcore at hiking, so I appreciated his patience with me and Rachel.


Ready to go!


I love this picture of us!


Rachel looks like Andrew's aunt Ellen in this photo. Isn't it funny how babies are new people that have all these other people's traits and facial expressions?


Stopping for some lunch.


Crossing some early snow. Rachel is taking a nap. A little further on the hike, we were only on snow.


Some beautiful mountains, Columbia Peak and Kyes Peak.


The first lake, Lake Victoria. Pretty much still frozen.


Good morning, Rachel!


We made it! Blanca Lake was the most amazing aquamarine color! I have never seen water that was actually that color.


That is the Columbia Glacier, which sits between Columbia Peak and Kyes Peak.


Rachel liked sucking on the camelback nozzle while getting her diaper changed.


Milk goatee.


This is actually a better photo of the color  of Blanca Lake.


Love this girl.

And then we hiked back and did not take any pictures.

Running through the Summer

Did I mention that Andrew and I have become runners? It is pretty crazy.

Andrew runs with a friend about three times per week. I think they go pretty fast. He is getting better at recovery, which I can tell because he complains less in the evenings when he gets home. His hip is pretty sore, so if you are a runner and have a tip in that department, let us know. His friend is also training for a half marathon and Andrew is still doing all the runs with him. He doesn't want to do the actual half marathon though.

This is good because

I am doing the same half marathon. Which is crazy. I never thought I would say that I am training for a race longer than a 5k (3.2 miles). A half marathon is 13.1 miles. To date, my longest run has been 8.5 miles and I have a little over a month until the race. I feel pretty comfortable running 4 to 6 miles, not that it is easy, but it doesn't kill me. So I'm feeling pretty good about my training and my ability to complete the race. I am pretty slow at 11:30 min/mile and am not planning on being a competitive runner. But I can run and that is great! The race is a trail run and last week I did my first-ever trail run and it was a blast! I think I may need to invest in some trail running shoes in a few months.

Rachel is getting much better at being happy about being in the jogging stroller. She better be, as her longest run has been 6 miles in it. I generally do not do my long runs with Rachel, just my weekday runs. Rachel also likes standing and walking with assistance. Still no crawling. She seems to be getting closer to wanting to move.

Besides the health benefits of running, I am glad that I am training for the HM because it is really good to work towards a goal. I haven't really had a goal since I finished school (except having a baby, I guess) so I really feel like I am accomplishing something. Doing hard things can amaze you at what you are capable of doing!

On Brainwashing Your Child To Love Airplanes

It is no secret that Andrew loves airplanes. He and our neighbor Ric have "nerd nights" where they geek out over anything and everything airplane. Andrew works for Boeing in aerodynamics and that was his dream job while growing up (and now, though he enjoys his job, it is still a job, and jobs are not as fun as bumming around all day). He is working hard to teach Rachel that airplanes are important by...

Playing Yaw, Pitch, and Roll

Which I unfortunately do not have a picture of. But usually Dads hold their babies above them when laying down and the baby flies. Andrew says the planes that airplanes move on.

Playing Flight Simulator




She is absolutely thrilled.

Taking Baby to Airplane Museums


And posing in front of airplanes.

Taking Baby to Airshows

As illustrated in the previous post.

So that is how you do, it you are so inclined.

The Air Show and Women Role Models

We went to an air show at Paine Field. They had a lot of historical airplanes, which I really appreciated. It made me want to wear WWII clothes and be cool like that. I would probably dress up like a woman in the WAC, or the Women's Army Corps. Don't they look awesome and military and helpful and smart and attractive?


Source

I did see a few women dressed up in WWII attire, but they were dressed as pin-up girls. Seriously women, dress up like something motivational from history. OK, OK, pin-up girls were motivational for soldiers and airmen, but I think there are much better role models from history than sexy women. Intelligence is sexy!

This article where I got the photo from is interesting and informative about the WAC.

Back to the air show.

We saw a lot of airplanes, and if Andrew wants to blog about those, he can, but I will just post pictures of Rachel. Because she is very cute and smart, therefore a good baby role model.


Andrew and a thirsty Rachel in front of a Navy airplane.


These two have so much fun.


Rachel sitting in the airplane model for children.


We went with Ric, Claire, and Dallon.

We had a lovely time watching airplanes and walking around and thinking about interesting things like "women in the military" and "how rich people must be to own and maintain antique airplanes".

Being Fabulous

Rachel is learning to be fabulous and I am not even teaching her. She just inherently knows how to do it.


Rachel enjoys watching the Food Network.


Too cool for the swing.


Standing without hands! She is leaning up against the LoveSac.


Rocking the redneck raincover. This one is my doing, but I think it is rather ingenious.


So glamorous in these sunglasses!


Blowing raspberries because she can, therefore she will.


Extremely pleased with herself to be sitting in a highchair at the restaurant. She was very noisy.


Rachel was crying until I gave her these fabulous shorts. Then she was inexplicably happy.


She's so vain, she knows that this blog post is about her. She was very happy checking herself out in the mirror.

I tell you, I did not teach her about being fabulous. Even though I rock at it.