On the move

This weekend we are moving!! We'll still be in Tucson, but in an area referred to as the "Foothills"...named so because the area is much closer to the beautiful mountain range just north of Tucson. Because of the beautiful desert location, we'll share our surroundings with scorpions, rattlesnakes, coyotes, javelinas (stinky wild hogs), and bobcats--a threat I'm far more willing to deal with than the threat of gangs and break-ins at our current house. Last weekend we started packing for a June 12th move-in date, to keep a calm and steady pace. Then we looked up and realized we packed the entire house, and decided to change the move-in date to this Saturday. It's been a little hectic, but John is the perfect antidote for my anxiety. I'll get overwhelmed and panicked about how much there is to pack, and in the meantime John has packed the whole kitchen. In his efficiency, John even tried to pack Winston, who was less than amused.

Winston

This is the face Winston makes when I try to explain what is about to happen to our family...it looks no different from the face that he makes when John explains his dissertation topic (which, by the way, was just approved....yay, John!). Winston is not sure what is going on in our household, but I'm certain he knows that I'm somehow different. As I've mentioned before, he was never ever a cuddly dog...even as a puppy, he would let us hold him for a few seconds then get up and plop down two feet away, heaving a big sigh. These days, Winston wants to curl up in my lap, or lay down against my belly if I happen to be laying down. It really is amazing to think that his powerful little nose senses something different about me, and that it is something he wants to be near. I know that the transition he'll go through will be a little rocky, since he's had full attention for 2 1/2 years, but I just know he'll be the best-est friend our little girl will have.

Just to keep everyone up to speed, we are moving in a few weeks to a bigger house in a safer neighborhood. We are very excited about this, even if the next few weeks will be a little hectic. And, as mentioned, John just got his dissertation topic approved by his advisor/chair of the department. This is a big deal, and he is such a hard worker...if you see him and he looks a bit stressed, feel free to encourage him to take a day off and relax.

Showered!

Hey everyone,
Last Thursday my lab threw a baby shower luncheon for John and I, with labmates and and a few friends from the university attending. Our lab's manager, Hope, went above and beyond in organizing the entire thing....there was more than enough food and cake to go around, and we all played some fun games. The baby gifts were beyond generous, and I can confidently say that our little girl is already very stylish with all of the adorable clothes she already has. She will look awesome in her little Hawaiian-print halter dress, even if she doesn't know it yet!

This week we started our weekly childbirth class. This comes as no surprise to anyone, but I've been very committed to reading all of the pregnancy books (and now baby books!) so a lot of the information wasn't new to me. Still, I think it will be a good experience for John and I to hear the instructor's take on a lot of things, as she has many years' experience as a doula and childbirth and childcare instructor.

Enough about us....our little peanut now is about 4 1/2 pounds and she is kicking/jabbing with a ferocity that I love. According to the doctor, everything is in fantastic shape and even she said that the baby looks perfect. Like we needed confirmation! A lot of people are asking about her name...John and I have a front-runner that we really like, as well as some very close second place options, but we're going to wait until we meet her to make a final decision. So, keep the guessing games going (right, Ellen Margaret?)!

Hi Everyone!!
Last weekend was Brian and Heather's wedding. It was amazing...the wedding was beautiful and so much fun. The exchanged vows on the beach in Malibu, and the reception was also on the beach a few feet from the water. There were dolphins jumping out of the water during the ceremony and reception...surely that is good luck on top of being a beautiful sight. Brian and Heather looked amazing, and I think they had a good time too despite the stress of planning such an amazing weekend for everyone. It was great to see my whole extended family and close family friends, and I think they got a kick out of seeing me while I'm cookin' up the next addition to the clan. Thanks to Aunt Ellen and Willer for some of the pictures!

Rehearsal at the beach

At the rehearsal, down the stairs to where Brian and Heather would exchange vows.

Brian and Heather tie the knot!! I'm off to the left, but I can promise you I was verklempt.

The McCarthy clan with the new Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy.

Brian and Heather at the reception.

Nice shot of the reception in full swing.

Belly Update

Hey folks,
I just wanted to update everyone on everything going on in the Campbell household in Tucson. Right now I am 30 weeks along, meaning I have about 10 more to go!! I feel fantastic, with the exception of a few third-trimester aches and pains. In a few weeks we start our childbirth classes at the hospital, and it is a bit scary to be talking so seriously about labor and delivery. Our little girl is kicking like crazy, which I absolutely love. A recent ultrasound by the doctor (since we happened to be in the exam room with the ultrasound machine--a nice surprise!) revealed that she was wiggling her tongue out. You folks know that between John and I, and the whole McCarthy clan on my side, we all like to ham it up anytime there is a picture being taken. The apple doesn't fall far...

We have such an exciting summer with the baby arriving. We also are moving into a larger house about a month before my due date (July 3), which will add to the stress and excitement. Even sooner than that, Brian and Heather are getting married!! This is truly going to be a memorable summer, and I'm sure it'll go by way too quickly.

Here's a picture of me from yesterday, for those interested in seeing my belly.

Hawaii

Hey everyone!

John and I just got back from a wonderful vacation in Hawaii. It was our "BabyMoon"...one last adventure before we are buried in diapers. We stayed in Maui most of the time, then one night in Honolulu before flying back to LA. In LA, we got to hang out with Brian and Heather, whose wedding is coming up very soon....so exciting!

Here are some pictures from the trip....

Pearl Harbor (please no jokes about fatherhood about to "weigh" John down)


Great view from one of the hotels in Maui....and a decent shot of my expanding belly.

We had quite a bit of rain, so we went to the Maui Ocean Center to stay dry.

Iao Needle.

A lovely dinner at Mama's Fish House in Maui...we had a great table overlooking the water.

One of hotels in Maui was right on this beach...so amazing.

John checking March Madness scores.

Growing and growing and growing

Hey everyone....
I figured I would leave a quick update on our little peanut. Right now I'm 22 weeks along, which means she is about 7 1/2 inches long and about 12 ounces. She is moving around a lot, especially at night...either because my movement during the day lulls her to sleep or because she is taking after her night-owl dad. She can also hear the outside world by now, so I have been sure to indoctrinate her to the joys of Motown the way a proper McCarthy should be raised. While I'm cooking, I'll get down to some Aretha or Stevie....I just know she enjoys it. Bruce has also been on the playlist, of course.

I've gotten a lot of help and advice from my two new-mom girl friends, Jessica and Kara. Jessica's peanut is about 10 months old, and Kara's is 4 months. They've been great about giving me the honest truth about what John and I are about to experience, while still enjoying watching me marinate in the total happiness I am in over this pregnancy. They have been great new-moms and I appreciate it so much. Kara told me about a moment she had in which she realized the amazing/terrifying physics of pregnancy and birth....I had one of those recently, but it was more a picture that just popped into my head while looking at my belly in the mirror. Here is that picture:

Appropriate name for the boat, coincidentally.

Not to be ignored, John has had his own dad-things to think about during the pregnancy. I can't always read his mind, but I do see a lot of head scratching when he looks at my belly. Importantly, he's kept his distance from the many many boxes of Girl Scout cookies that I've attacked in the last week, which may be more self-preservation than will-power. If I give birth to a 7-pound Thin Mint, I accept all of the blame.