For Thanksgiving (and to celebrate our three year anniversary which was on Nov. 18th), we decided to take a road trip to San Juan Island. We thought an hour and a half drive would be a piece of cake, however, some of us weren't particularly skilled at practicing patience when we got stuck in a traffic jam on the way (and I'm not just talking about Elmo).But soon we were at the ferry terminal (thankful that we made it in time) and a little lunch put everyone in a much better mood. We were ready to embark on our hour-long scenic journey through the San Juan Islands.

We stayed two nights at a small hotel overlooking Friday Harbor, and enjoyed the gas fireplace and the view looking out of our corner room.

We thought it sounded like a great idea to leave Julianna asleep in her pack and play while we went down to the hotel restaurant to enjoy their five course Thanksgiving meal, but we weren't so sure others would agree. So we had it delivered to our room where we watched Ferris Buellers Day off, sipped wine and tip-toed around the room to ensure that Baby Jules would allow us the time to finish our scrumptious meal uninterrupted!
The following day we drove around the island and checked out the scenery. The next time we return, we hope it'll be in the summer when the weather is a little warmer and Julianna will be old enough for us to enjoy some of what the island has to offer (whale watching, wineries, golf and a lavender farm!). But for now, just being together as a family and seeing some beautiful sites was enough for us to be quite content!



This holiday season, we are so thankful for new beginnings and especially for conversations with this little Jule!

Kiss. Check!

Grandma said for us to give you a kiss, and then give you a hundred more. I think we have that covered!
Notice the little hand blocking daddy's kiss? Unfortunately, the goatee cramps Baby Jules' style. But it's so hard for daddy to resist those chubby baby cheeks.

Taco Time - 1 week old!

Hey Everyone!

We are really enjoying Julianna since she arrived home from the hospital. It's been hectic and crazy learning how to take care of a newborn and balancing feeding, diaper changing, rocking to sleep and then waking her up again to start the process over again every 3 hours from start to finish. It's a full time job for sure!

I know everyone is curious what we have been up to, and I haven't had much time to dedicate to picture taking and blogging! My mom however, has written a few emails to Matt's parents to let them know how things are going and to fill in the blanks for them until they get here on Sept. 19th.

Here is an excerpt from one of her emails...

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Miss Jules is dealing with some tummy air issues that set her off screeching at times. Matt and Stephanie patiently experiment with different pats, rubs, holds and rocks until she manages to let out the air from one end or the other. She is then content to bless us with her wondering brown eyes......for about 3 minutes and then she is off to la-la land.Her favorite way to sleep is to be held, of course, and she has plenty of eager volunteers willing to do just that. However, occasionally we are forced to set her down, only because we need to eat or sleep ourselves, and she didn't like that at first. The only way to get her to sleep the second night home (so Matt & Steph could get some rest after their long nights at the hospital) was for me to lay on the couch and hold her for several hours. After watching what made her most comfortable, I devised a plan and for the last two days it has worked well. We already knew she liked to be swaddled - like a bean burrito. (When she "toots" Stephanie points out that she must be a "bean burrito.")

But laying her down was the issue. I observed that she seemed to like to be a bit squeezed. So, after making her into a burrito, I made her into a taco, in a wrapper.

Now, when we lay her down like that, all squeezed and snugly, she is content to sleep for 2-3 hours.........

......or longer. After a couple hours though, Stephanie is forced to wake Julianna up so she can feed her. You can only wonder at her confusion...."first you put me to sleep, then you wake me up. I'm not too sure about the rationale of this world."

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So that's what we've been up to! Keeping busy with the basics of life and loving every minute of it!

Love to everyone,

Steph, Matt and Baby Jules

39 Weeks and Waiting!!!

This will probably be my last post before Julianna arrives. I can't believe it's only 2 days until my due date!

I have been doing a few things here and there the last week to prepare, including:

• Got my hair cut and highlighted (must look good in hospital pics! haha)

• Made two casseroles and put them in the freezer

• Installed car seat and had it "inspected" at the fire station (they were very helpful and gave me a thorough tutorial!)

• Bought a video camera (the in-laws will definitely appreciate this when they have to leave their grand baby and head back to India... "we'll send videos, we promise!")

• Laid out Julianna's "take home" outfit. Will it be comfortable? too warm? too cold? Guess she can survive anything for the two and a half mile ride home in her safety inspected car seat!

Everyone has been asking how I'm feeling. And up until early last week, I was fine. I kept wondering what all the fuss was about. But lately, I'm starting to feel the changes: sore back, getting up 100 plus times a night to use the restroom, gaining a slight waddle in the evenings. I know the pain "THAT DAY" is going to involve, so up until now, I've been okay with putting it off. But since it is inevitable, I'm starting to think, lets just get it over with!! Grandma Cristy (my mom) is arriving on Saturday (my due date), so I'm willing to wait until then, but I'm going to grow ever more impatient after that! What? Only 5% of women actually deliver on their due date? I thought the point of surprise birthday parties was to surprise the birthday girl, not her mother! ugh.

Anyway, I'm posting some pics taken recently of Matt and I. My childhood friend, Amy - from Oklahoma, who visited about a month ago, did a fabulous job of capturing how excited Matt and I are about welcoming Julianna into the world.

Julianna Sleeps Here

It's ready. It's waiting. Here are a few pics of the nursery.

Here is the quilt, almost in completion. The nursery looks so empty without it, but I had to let mom take it back to Denver with her to finish quilting it. She promises to have it finished when she comes back for Julianna's Birth Day. (I wonder if writing it down in words on my BLOG will make her feel any more pressure to fulfill this promise!)

I'm so excited to have an original quilt designed and made by my mom and I. We made it large enough to fit on a twin bed, so Julianna can use it for years to come. And she'll always know that Grandma Cristy made something just for her!

The "mobile" hanging above the crib. Don't worry, it's securely fastened to the ceiling! Daddy was worried little wooden birdhouses might come crashing down on his Princess' head. We used fabric from the quilt to make the leaves and we painted the tops of the birdhouses to match the color scheme. This little jewel is from Lina who designed and cross-stitched it herself! Love it.

The other side of the room has the bird flash cards we used for inspiration hanging above the changing table (the same changing table my mom used to change my wee bum, I might add).

And a few shelves to store little knick knacks. There is still a bit of empty wall space here and there. I'm planning to hang black and white baby pics of Matt, myself and our parents. Hopefully that will come together before Julianna becomes a teenager!

Thanks for looking. :)

July 4th: 33 weeks

I seriously considered not posting any more pregnancy pictures. Thought maybe I could just leave the last impression in your heads of me pregnant at 31 weeks, and deny that in the last ten weeks of pregnancy your belly starts tripling in size. But then I realized that you are going to want to see shower pics and nursery pics and rather than stun you with my large belly that sometimes bumps into things on its own and often finds itself in pictures, I figured I should just get to posting.

We enjoyed a nice 4th of July weekend at home in Seattle. My mom was here for two weeks helping me set up the nursery and just prepare... mentally. Matt cooked us burgers, mom worked on quilting and we all enjoyed another year of spectacular fireworks from our own deck. Matt and I couldn't help but think that this will be the last year that there are just two Georges in this house for the 4th of July. Next year, we'll probably fall asleep at 7pm and miss the fireworks all together!

31 Weeks: Feeling Prego!

Several of you have asked me to post some pictures of myself. I know you are all curious what I am looking like these days, and I have been surprised actually how few pictures I have taken of myself since I have started showing. So here are a few to quench your curiosity!

And how has Matt been looking these days? Well, a bit strapped down! :)

Last weekend we went to a five hour "Day About Baby" class at the hospital where I am going to deliver. We got tips and information about Characteristics to expect when Julianna is first born, Bathing, Swaddling, Diapering options and various ways to "carry" the baby. Matt got some first hand practice with a doll and a body sling. It was a fun day, and only increased our ever growing anticipation of Julianna's arrival!

Starting the Nursery...

Just wanted to post something quick, since it's been a while. Mom will be here in two weeks to help me start putting the nursery together, and I know she's been working on finishing the bird quilt. Can't wait to see it all put together!

So we thought of this cute idea for a "mobile" which I'll hang somewhere in the nursery. May still add some ribbons or fabric leaves with buttons. But thought I'd give you a peek in the meantime.

This week I've been cleaning out the garage to make room for the queen bed we will have to store once the crib is in place. Matt and I are going tonight to pick up the crib, and I can't wait!

Week 28: Corn syrup anyone?

This little baby is a sugar high (and crash) disguised in a cute little bottle and colored a pretty shade of red. I had to drink it so the doctor could do a standardized test for diabetes. I had heard rumors that it was horrible tasting and likely to cause gagging, but while drinking it I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't much different from Big Red or Koolaid. That is until I finished it and started feeling light-headed and immediately wanted to eat something to balance out the sugar rush, but couldn't because I had to fast for an hour before taking the test.

I know you were feeling its effects as well, because you started bouncing all around in my belly like you were jumping on a trampoline. Even the nurse got a smile on her face when she listened for your heartbeat and you kicked and squirmed as soon as she laid a hand on my stomach. They say kids will bounce off the walls when they are given sweets, but I hadn't realized they meant off the walls of my uterus (evidently, I'm already becoming desensitized in regards to speaking about unpleasant sounding parts of my anatomy - please forgive!). No more sugar for you until you are 18, Little Missy!

I also got my RhoGham shot today (to negate me from making any antibodies if our blood types were to mix) and will have to get another one after your birth. The doctor told me that from now until your birth date I have to do "kick counts" every day. This means that I have to count 10 kicks from you within any two hour increment during the day (best done after eating a meal). You have been pretty active lately, so I don't think this will be a very big challenge for either of us. My next appointment is in two weeks. Evidently I better start getting your nursery decorated, because more frequent trips to the doctor's office means I am in my third trimester and you will soon be here!!

Week 27: Colorado

This week I spent 10 days at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Colorado. The whole trip was a little surreal knowing that this would be the last time I visited before you become a permanent fixture in our lives. Although we can't wait for you to get here, we know that things will never be the same once you do. So I enjoyed:

• taking a couple of peaceful naps while it rained lightly and thunder clouds rolled in;

• taking a walk around the lake with Grandpa and stopping at Java Groove to have a cup of joe as has become our little tradition; 

• shopping with Grandma, leisurely enjoying a fabric store and a scrapbook supply store; 

• meeting several of Grandma's new friends during a journaling session which she held at her house. During one of the exercises, we were supposed to imagine our lives three years from now and write about that day in present tense as if it was happening now. I know you were on both of our minds, envisioning you as a toddler, a whole new dimension added to our lives.

Uncle Jarrett stopped by as well. He is such a family oriented guy, and I'm always amazed at the importance he places on being around while I am there. He is so excited about becoming an Uncle and he really wanted to feel you kick. But every time he tried, you sat as still as could be. Maybe you were just trying to save that special moment for him when he has his own baby on the way (a moment that he hopes is still an eternity away!). 

Lastly, Grandma and I worked on your baby quilt. Grandma has been a long time quilter, but it wasn't until now that I have really taken any interest in the hobby. We spent several days designing the quilt and then cutting fabric and piecing it all together. Now grandma is left with binding and quilting it. I'm glad that it was something we could do together, and it will always be a reminder of your grandmother whether it is hanging in your nursery, folded at the end of your bed or keeping us warm while we watch a movie on the couch. In these technology centric times, there is no better way to show love than spending hours on end, laboring over a one of a kind work of art with the recipient central in our minds. A true labor of love.

You were already a very central part of my trip and you haven't even yet graced us with your unique presence! We love you Julianna.

It's hard to see what the finished quilt will look like, but it will have two columns of birds (one on each side) with pinwheels in the middle. We are also adding a thin raspberry border and a thicker turquoise border around the outside perimeter. More pictures to come when it's all finished!

Week 26: Dressed to Impress

Julianna, do you know what is guaranteed to put a smile on my face? Looking in your future closet and seeing little baby outfits hanging in a row, waiting to be worn. I love to hold them up and see how small they are, but it's still pretty hard to envision what you might look like in them. Anything pink really catches my eye these days. I think it is just a nice reminder that I am about to have a sweet baby girl!

Matt's going to be a Bachelor!

Note reads: Sweetie, Don't forget to eat your veggies so you'll be big & strong when I get home! {heart}, S 

(Broccoli: 2 mins in the micro.)

Don't worry, he knows which container to use and to add a little bit of water to the bottom.

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I'm taking off for a week and a half to visit my parents and brother in Colorado. I am leaving Matt with a large vat of spaghetti, some chicken that he can cook and mix with a bottle of curry from Trader Joe's and some broccoli chopped and divided into daily servings so he has no excuse but to eat it! He also has an immense amount of studying to do, but I'm sure he'll figure out a way to get to the golf course once or twice during the next two weekends. 

Upon my return, I'm hoping to be able to tell you about the baby quilt that my mom and I are going to be planning and (hopefully) starting while I'm in Denver. And we are going to celebrate my dad's 60th BIRTHDAY even though it isn't until June. 

I'm leaving all of Seattle's beautiful huge blooming flowers in hopes of a glimpse of green in Colorado, but I guess my familia is worth it (see how spoiled I am getting after having only been gone from TX for 2 years?!). At least I should be able to enjoy a healthy dose of vitamin D while I'm there!

xoxo,

s

Week 25: Sexy Momma

It's interesting (and somewhat terrifying) turning 30 and becoming a mom all in the same year. There's nothing to make it hit home like a protruding stomach and expanding hips. 

The other day I was running some errands at Target, and I had to stop a young, 20-something, male clerk to ask if he knew where I could find a particular item. He gave me a nice smile and pointed me in the right direction with an isle number as my destination. As I walked away, it occurred to me that the smile I had gotten from him was not one of "hi, somewhat-hot-female-also-in-your-20s, how can I be of assistance to you while giving you a flirtatious smile?", but rather, "hi pregnant mom, you are clearly 30, married and no longer of interest to me; how can I politely help you so I can finish restocking these shelves and then run off to happy hour?" 

I know these thoughts I'm having are not an insult to my husband or my marriage, but rather just a realization that I am entering a new stage of my life (the crossing of a threshold to which an enormous steel vault door  slammed shut without my knowledge. And upon turning around I saw that there was not even a tiny crack of hope that I might be able to poke my pinky toe through to again bask in the glory of being 20). 

I know Matt is having similar feelings, because as we signed up for Costco memberships yesterday he admitted to me that there was this dread deep down inside him that somehow this meant he was planning ahead, buying in bulk, nesting - none of which are things a 20-something bachelor with no kids would dream of doing.

So to celebrate this new era of our lives, Matt took Friday off work to spend the day with me as a gift for my first Mother's Day. We went to a maternity consignment sale, stood in line with other new parents, rushed in the doors to grab a large, plastic, colorful "activity center", baby bathtub, umbrella stroller and "boppie" pillow. And driving home, we heard the rattles of Julianna's first toy as it waved a cheery goodbye to our 20s and an anxious and hopeful hello to our 30s - as responsible adults and parents!

Week 23: Feeling You Kick

I've been anxiously awaiting the feeling of your first kick. The nurse asked me at my last appointment if I had felt you yet, and ever since then a little voice in the back of my head has been torturing me with concerns of why I haven't felt the miracle of your movements. 

This week I had another routine check-up scheduled with the doctor. And as I lay in bed, I told your dad about my concerns of not yet feeling you. So daddy put his hand on my belly and said, "let me see..." I knew there was no way he was going to feel you if I hadn't yet, and I laughed at him for thinking that he was going to be so ingenious as to be the first one to feel you kick. But to my surprise, a minute later, there you were. We both looked at each other with shock on our faces. "Did you feel that?!", I asked. "Yep!" he answered. "I guess I just had to step in," he confidently boasted!

Daddy said it felt like a heartbeat, just a soft little bump. But since then I have felt you frequently, after I eat or when I lay down to go to bed. And sometimes it is such a large movement that I think it must be you doing a somersault or practicing your yoga. It's a happy flutter that I now feel in my stomach when normally it would have just been in my heart like  butterflies. It gives me peace, knowing that you are in there growing stronger each day, and your presence comforts me. You are a little creation of God, and soon you will be ready to meet the world!

Week 22: Painting the Nursery

This week Grandpa Jon came to visit. We are so lucky that his office headquarters are in Seattle, so occasionally he gets free trips out of the deal, and this was one of those times. He stayed a whole week and helped me paint both of our extra bedrooms. Initially we were just going to paint what will from now on be the guest/scrapbook room. It was a small chore, just repainting below the chair rail to freshen up the room. But it went so well that I got the bright idea we should go ahead and whip out the nursery too!

Grandpa Jon was great during the whole thing. I had selected a yellow for your room, but after we got one wall painted, we had a lot of doubts that it was the color we wanted. Your room was screaming, "Good Morning Sunshine!!" And although we wanted something cheery, I didn't want it to be sensory overload. So Grandpa and I went to the paint store two more times, looking at paint swatches and fretting over what would be the exact right shade of butter yellow. I was surprised that Grandpa was so concerned and involved in trying to select the color, but I think it was just the first sign (of many to come) that he is willing to do anything for his precious grand daughter! Now your room is glowing warmly, waiting to be filled with decorations to welcome your arrival.

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I've had several questions about what the nursery theme will be. Because I'm not one for themes, it took me a while to decide how I wanted to decorate. But I think I finally have a few ideas. The jumping off point was these adorable numbered bird flash cards. My mom and I found them in one of my favorite areas in Seattle called Ballard. They were in a little store, Clover, that sells handmade wooden toys, dolls and other childrens goods (and of course, I later found out that they are also sold at Land of Nod). My mom and I have plans to make a quilt with small printed fabrics in bright colors (raspberry, tangerine, lime, turquoise) and also possibly make some curtains. I love an eclectic feel, so I'm hoping it will come together slowly but surely. I'm sure I'll post pictures as we get further along. Thanks for your interest and following along on our little baby journey!!

Your Name

Lots of people have been asking us if we know what your name is going to be yet. But honestly, we've had names (boy and girl) decided almost since the first day we were pregnant. I don't know how this decision came so easily, in fact, when daddy and I agreed so quickly I wondered if we were rushing into it (weren't we supposed to have long lists that we fretted over for months, or buy a library full of baby name books, or at least get into one little fight?). 

But I think the simple truth was that your name was meant to be from the start.

Julianna Rachelle George

Julia is my mom's first name (even though she goes by her middle name, Cristy) and Matt's mom's first name is Anna. So we were able to honor them both by putting the names together, Julianna. I loved it from the moment I heard it, and it just seemed meant to be.

Rachelle comes from Matt's grandmother (Ammachy). Her first name is Rachel. So we adapted the name to flow together better with Julianna and made it Rachelle.

I do have to admit that we have had one small dispute over your name - it's pronunciation. I think we have finally settled on it being pronounced Julie-On-Nuh. This doesn't come naturally for me, but it certainly does for your daddy. And we agreed that it has a more ethnic sound to it. So we'll see how it works out... when we are welcoming you into the world, I have a feeling we'll know what feels right.

Week 20: Second Sonogram

We got to see you today. You were posing for your senior picture with your little cheek resting on your fist.  We saw your heart pumping away and we even saw you open your mouth like you were yawning (taking after your mother who loves to get her beauty rest!). Daddy held my hand through the whole sonogram; it was so good to have him there by my side... to experience it together. Of most importance to me was hearing that you are healthy, but second on the list was getting the confirmation that you are indeed a GIRL! Honestly, we both would have been shocked to hear otherwise after the 90% chance given at the first sonogram. 

Even though Daddy claimed he was holding on to the 10% chance that you might be a boy, I think he's warming up to the idea of having a sweet little girl (now that he has thought about it and realizes he can still teach you golf, track and volleyball). He did have to swallow his pride and admit to his best friend and his brother that they were right after all. I think they both knew that he needed a little girl dressed in pink to soften him around the edges and melt his big heart.

And trust me little one, that's what you are already starting to do!

Week 19: Artfest

We've completed a second successful year at Artfest. Not only is it about exploring creativity and letting go of your inner critic, for mom and I this weekend is about spending quality mother/daughter time together. I truly cherish the fact that I enjoy spending time with my mom. There are so many people who I know who struggle with their relationship with their parents, and I feel so blessed that when my mom decides to come for a week, I honestly can't wait for her to get here and I am sad to see her leave.

At Artfest, we took all three day-long classes together. We had to plan our supply lists and determine who would bring what, and we talked countless hours on the phone planing our projects ahead of time so we wouldn't be completely stressed during our classes. I'm so glad that art is something we have in common, something that allows us to enjoy the simple things in life and reflect on our thoughts and feelings. We've always had our own artistic avenues; for a long time my mom's was quilting and now it has moved on to collage, journaling and assemblage. For me, it has been my photography and scrapbooking. But despite our own interests, we have always had an appreciation for the other's work and talents. 

I hope that this is something I can share with my daughter some day. I know she may not have the exact same interests as me, but I hope that art will provide us an avenue of common interest and self expression. I know the bond between mother and child is a wonderful thing whether you have a boy or a girl, but I feel so blessed to know that I will have a daughter to share my passions with and who will hopefully enjoy looking through one or two of my scrapbooks!

One of my good friends from Dallas, Candice, also joined us for Artfest this year. She added such a fun, spirited element to our whole weekend, from looking up info on her iphone for us to telling us stories on our long drive to and from Port Townsend. It was such a treat to be able to share this creative experience with my lovely and beautiful friend. 

Candice was one of my first friends to see me pregnant, and I think I even grew bigger during the week that she was here!

Week 18: Baby Goodness

This week I have no picture to include. I finished the layout, but it's just type on cardstock placed on some patterned paper. I'm practicing doing things sub par (ie. quickly) for when the baby arrives and there is no time to do anything thoroughly anymore! 

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This week mom came to join me for a second year of Artfest, a four day art retreat held in Port Townsend, WA. Fortunately, she came to Seattle a few days early so we could scope out baby items and try to come up with an idea for the nursery.

I've been putting off thinking about any baby stuff thus far for two reasons: #1 - I knew my mom was coming for a visit and having her creative input when it comes to decorating has always been something that I have valued. We do well shopping and brainstorming together and I pretty much always trust her judgement. #2 - I have admittedly been completely overwhelmed by all things baby related! What do I really need? Is it going to completely overtake our house? How much is all of this going to cost? How do I know what to put on our registry? Etc, etc. The overwhelming feelings just do not end.

I've always pictured myself having a family. I love the idea of the family unit, and I cherish the bond between parent and child. The majority of my fondest memories are of family times together with my parents and my brother, Jarrett. But having a baby on the other hand is something that I haven't spent much time actually thinking about. I've never been the type to feel compelled to hold someone else's baby or to want to rock them to sleep as I sing them a nursery rhyme. In fact, the most I've ever really felt drawn to babies is to photograph them. And somehow I have this unsettling feeling that taking care of an infant's every need is slightly different than taking a few pictures of them in good lighting and then stepping away to my computer to do a little photo editing!

So when mom arrived, we headed straight to Babies-R-Us. I've always been slightly against this large chain store, but I have to say after our lengthy visit - I'm fairly impressed. They seem to have just about everything you could need. Mom and I spent time scoping out the strollers, cribs, high chairs and baby bath tubs, and I left feeling a bit dazed, but slightly more informed. I think for me, it just takes one step at a time. I'll mull those things over in my head for the next couple of weeks, look at some online reviews and get advice from my older cousins and a few of my experienced friends. I mean how much preparation can it really require? Millions of people do it every day, right? In no time, I'll be ready to take this little kitten home from the hospital, and I have no doubt Dash will be willing to share his automatic feeder.

Week 17: Never Mix Hormones with an MBA

So, as you may have noticed, I'm about a month behind now in my posting. It's April 17th and I'm about 21 weeks pregnant, but here I am posting my 17th week. I've been struggling with how to tell this story succinctly for a while now, so I've decided to just post it - it's not a hard bound book that I'm publishing after all! 

Also, in my efforts to stay up to date, I'm going to skip the pictures of the scrapbooked journal. My brother so wisely informed me that blogs are supposed to be easy, that's the whole principal behind them (since when did younger brothers get so smart?!). So I'll attach a picture here and there and when/if the scrapbooked page ever happens at the same time, I might occasionally post a picture of it too. But in the meantime, I'm just going to focus on getting the stories written!

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It's important for me to note that Matt has been working on his MBA during my pregnancy. He'll finish his first year just about the time the baby is born, and then he'll still have almost two years to go. Definitely too much time left to feel like he is making any significant headway yet. And that's frustrating for him since he is working out in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere, while pretty and scenic,  is about an hour's drive in the mornings during rush hour traffic and his MBA classes are at the University of Washington (in Seattle, which is far from nowhere) on Tuesday and Thursday nights. He gets up in the morning for work around 6:30am and doesn't get home on school nights until 9:45pm. They are very full days, often with no lunch breaks, so I try to have dinner ready for him as soon as he walks in the door in the evenings. His manager status also makes him permanently on-call, so you never know if that means he'll be interrupted on a Friday night while we are out to eat with friends or if he'll be woken up at 2am to address an outage. 

It's a busy life he is leading - working a crazy job, going to classes, doing homework and studying for tests. He put it to my dad this way, "I have about two free hours a week, so I thought it would be a good time for us to have a baby."

I'm not sure if when he made that decision, he knew about pregnant women and their hormones. I have to admit, I have had a few cravings here and there. Nothing requiring Matt to go out at 10pm for a special request, but there was one time when I called him just as he was arriving home from a long, busy day at work and declared that I wanted a hamburger. I think it was the need for protein, but suddenly all I could think of was MEAT, and it had to be big, juicy and fattening! So matt reluctantly turned around and went through the McDonald's drive through, hastily delivering hamburgers and french fries to me with a scowl on his face. I wasn't quite sure what this disgruntled look was all about, conveniently I had forgotten his stress levels as of late (and did I mention that I was still in my pjs?). He also pretty much hates Micky D's and their vat of grease that they disguise as a hamburger by adding a bun and a wilted piece of lettuce. I, on the other hand, couldn't imagine that anyone could be less than thrilled with the idea of eating that vat of grease. My heart sank into my stomach and tears literally filled my eyes. My excitement turned to utter anguish as I realized just how irritated he was with the whole ordeal, and I assumed that this heat of emotions was all aimed at me. Upon seeing that his bulbous wife was actually about to cry over this incident, Matt's tense demeanor quickly softened, turning to confusion. Since when did Stephanie cry over getting her way? And in fact, the tears shocked me a bit too. It was the second time in two weeks that I had felt like a small three year old who needed to bite her lip to control her emotions. I think the whole thing took us both by surprise, and the matter was quickly resolved by laughing over my increased sensitivity and Matt's lack thereof. 

Future Rule of Thumb: When a pregnant wife's hormones are raging and a husband is overtired and overworked see if The Brewery would be willing to deliver Angus beef burgers and a six pack.