Remember last year when we had those awesome pictures done by our cousin Jenna? You can tell how much I love them because they are all over this blog. Before we got to Portland this summer she told me that she wanted to our pics again. She explained that she thought last summer's were "dark". I told her how much I love the pictures and how they were so different and interesting, but I was not going to argue with her taking more pics.

This girl is ridiculously talented and only seventeen. Let me count the ways I love her. This is my all-time favorite picture of her.

Bedtime business

I had the greatest time getting ready for bed with B tonight. Usually Jeff puts him to bed, but tonight he kept asking for me. I got the soul feeling that I would miss something spectacular if I didn't go upstairs with my boy.

First we read. Not just one book, but many books. He loves to pick out books and be read to and ask, "What's that?" eventhough he knows it's a dog/hat/bird. Tonight there were special effects: B hopped with the frogs and I made silly voices on every other page. Then we climbed in bed and played "Eye-Spy", which is just Bradley asking me to tell him what everything is--from the poster on his wall to the fan or my nose. Then we made each other laugh by giving fish kisses and doing staring contests. At one point in time we invited Daddy in to play with us. When it was waaayyy past his bedtime and I was giving him hugs and kisses, he kept trying to pull me into bed. "No mama, no. Stay here."

I am painfully aware that it is the end of the summer. I know what that means. Eventhough he adores his sitter, he will make it clear to me when I leave in the morning by crying and clinging to me, moaning, "Mama" in my ear that I will be missed. I will drive away hating myself a little bit. For the first couple weeks of school I will come home to a frosty welcome, if not be completely ignored. I will miss every second in between that horrid morning good-bye and that disappointing welcoming glance in the afternoon.

It will get better though. Soon enough he will pull me by the hand to the sitter's front door, excited to start his day. And then when I get home, the thrilling "Mama!" and strong hug. He won't leave my side until he goes to bed.

The sharpest part of this whole thing is that this is B and my last summer as a duo. And while I am thrilled at the thought of making B a big brother, I am completely devastated at the thought that our summers of devoted attention to each other will be a bit crowded.

She isn't my favorite, but she hits the nail on the head with this one.

12 week disco

Pregnant women tend to be the most dissatisfied group of people. Water is being retained at a ridiculous rate, fat days abound, awkward stares from strangers, doctors who never talk in absolutes, the endless amounts of advice, and the horrible mind trips she can play on herself.


Simply put: nothing is ever okay. I know that sounds really negative and I am not embracing the beauty of my miracle, but stuff it. In fact, I get what a freakin' miracle it is so much that I am afraid something is going to screw it up.


Today we went for our 12 week ultrasound. It isn't the "big" one where we find out the sex. This one is a bit more nerve wracking. This is the one where you hope to see the flutter of the heart instead of the tech excusing herself to find a doctor. This is the one they scour a fuzzy screen looking for a nose and you hope she finds one. This is the one where they check for all of normal developments and nearly pee yourself in relief when you see the arms and legs waving around.


Here is what I saw: a kid the size of your forefinger wriggling around, mooning the camera and sucking it's thumb. We had a weird tech lady who actually scolded my unborn child and at one point referred to my rockstar as "annoying" and proceeded to use the ultrasound wand mabobber to prod him/her into submission. Said rockstar gave the lady his backside for about 75% of the ultrasound. My kid is such a bad ass already.


I don't know the official results of the ultrasound--like the scary stuff--but I do know that my kid has all it's limbs, a beating heart, and an attitude to boot. It was an hour of bliss watching our baby dance inside of me. Here are some pics from our party:

Sucking his/her thumb...or my fallopian tube. It could be either here.

Profile shot. It's isn't a Glamour Shot, but it will do.

Seriously, I don't know wtf this is, so I named it wtf in my pic folder. I think it's a good shot of a hand?

A picture tells a million words. Laying on his/her side waving over should with legs kicked up. In her fury, she ripped the picture out of the machine and gave it to us.

Can.not.wait.



I am a ball of hysterical mess just watching the trailer. If you haven't read this book yet, I don't know what is wrong with you. It is all sorts of wonderful.

Coming in early February

I'm not really sure how to break news like this, when it comes to the serious shit I don't like being especially dramatic, so I will just say it. We're pregnant!

I probably could have done that better, like put B in his Big Brother shirt we bought, take a picture, then post it. But that would mean me running up and down the stairs a few times and I have no energy for that. This kid is kicking my ass. Nothing is getting done in my house because I get sick or tired in the middle of doing anything. Case in point: I threw up while peeing last week.

This weekend I will be 12 weeks along. We got to hear the heartbeat today, which is my favorite part, even better than the ultrasound. Sometimes I think they are just showing me how my lunch is progressing when I have an ultrasound. Now, the heartbeat, that is like pregnant woman crack. Early on in the pregnancy when you only go to the doctor once a month and you can't tell if it is a baby or a fart wiggling in your stomach, hearing that heartbeat is the only confirmation that everything is okay for the most part.

My official due date is February 7th, but since I have c-sections my doctor wants to take me the week before. Until then there is a lot to worry about. I hate when other women say to enjoy the pregnancy, because that NEVER happens. Every time you go to the necessary room you pray there aren't any remarkable surprises, every twitch or near cramp make you hyperventilate, everyone and their mom tells a sick/sad story about a pregnant woman their co-worker's cousin knew, two words: cord strangulation, and I can go on all night. Then the baby comes and all you can think about is the 40 different ways it will be smothered while it sleeps.

Despite all the worrying at the end we will have another little baby and we are very excited about that. Excuse me while I go throw up, the excitement is overwhelming.

I have an idea...

Bradley will be going to kindergarten three years from now--in 2012 to be exact. I am already concerned about this, especially as I watch several of my good friends trying to swallow that lump in their throat waiting for that first day looming in August. I want to make the transition to kindergarten as kick ass as possible for B (and me), so this is my idea.


I always wanted to take B to Disneyland the summer before he starts the big K, but that just doesn't seem big enough for my guy. So I am going to plan a Disney cruise for that summer. Who wants to go? Seriously! Here are your potential responses and my answers:


Keiko, when are you thinking of going?
Hmmm, well, Disney doesn't allow you to plan cruises this early, but I am thinking a 3 or 4 night cruise to the Bahamas in June or July 2012. If those months don't work, Mesa and Gilbert schools have a week off in the middle of October, which would be good because it is off-peak.


Keiko, it's way too expensive!
I know Disney is a bit more than a normal cruise, but we are planning early which means we can all save up our money and go! Plus, we are booking early. ALSO, Disney is a little more expensive because they will take your kids away from you and play with them.


Keiko, I don't know you that well and/or I don't like you that much!
I mean, we don't have to hang out everyday, because you know, it's a pretty big effing boat.


Keiko, I don't have kids!
Who cares? It's DISNEY!

Keiko, I don't like Disney!
What are you? A Communist?


Keiko, I can't get the time off work!
It's THREE years away! Start saving up time. Jeff is even going, which is remarkable because he hates not going to work. Ok, I will rephrase that: I am making Jeff go whether he likes it or not.


Keiko, this is a great idea! Why didn't I think of it?!
I don't know, but please stop yelling at me. Seriously, you are like two seconds away from caps.

4th of July

We spent the 4th of July with a bunch of my family in Portland. There was a ridiculous amount of food, fun, and laughter. We didn't have any fireworks, we were too tired by then. I realized when I got home that I had NO pictures from Portland, so I am going to rip off my cousins' pictures.

Thank you to the Westovers for hosting the family and allowing Jeff, B, and me to crash in your guest room. You guys know how to throw a party!

Good times in Seattle

Before heading down to Portland for our family reunion, we decided to spend a couple days in Seattle. Don't tell our parents, but Jeff and I seriously considered what it would be like to live there. Before last week, I felt cheated that I will never live an undersized, overpriced pad in the middle of a bustling city with my husband unless he is in an urn on my mantle. That changed when we walked around Seattle, which I attribute to the fact that the city is surrounded by tree covered mountains and hills. When he sees tree covered mountains, Jeff thinks off-roading, camping, roughing it, grilling over a fire, getting dirty, etc. I think of a bear confronting me while I am in the middle of doing my business.

Pike's Place Market...home of the original Starbucks (cue angel music)

Seattle Aquarium...the fish, seals, and otters were "airplanes" and birds were "ducks"

Ferry to Bainbridge...boats don't like B, he fell and got a fat lip; he continually tried to throw himself overboard, too.

Space Needle...sucked. B was a pain, so we went to the park.

We'll definitely be visiting Seattle again. I even found an incredible place to work. There is a bakery called Macrina that not only has the most divine cupcakes (weakness #5), but the counter staff was a group of fabulous gay men (weakness #3).

Planes, trains, and planes

I think Bradley is going to be an air traffic controller. I don't know how I feel about this because when I think of these people I imagine overworked, exhausted, coffee chugging, donut eating, overly stressed individuals. Plus I don't think they earn enough money to buy their mothers trendy little apartments in San Francisco.

The reason I think he is going to be an ATC is because he OBSESSED with planes. In the car he scours the sky and shouts exuberantly, "AIRPLANE!!!!" If you don't acknowledge his find, he will continue to repeat himself, crescendoing in volume. It's pretty obnoxious, so we knew he would love flying Seattle. This isn't the first time he has been on a plane, but the first time he seemed to appreciate it.

I love these faces.

Once we got over the excitement of take-off, we settled into the flight. B traveled in style and comfort.

Unfortunately we couldn't get a direct flight, so while landing in Oakland B said, "Weeee!" Then asked to do it again. And we did.

I'm back but I'm not. You know how you get back from vacay and you aren't quite back in the double-dutch game of life? That's me.

Enjoy this until I get my act together. Here is B playing with his cousin Hannah at our family reunion in Lake Oswego. If you are at all concerned, legally they are second cousins.