Bacon Wrapped Turkey

Who doesn't love a big Thanksgiving dinner? Right. Nobody. I remember when I was little I was a picky eater. Ok, who am I kidding, I am still a picky eater. Back then Thanksgiving was more like a buffet of foreign food than anything else and I would pick my way through my plate, trying one bite of something green and moving to something red and always finishing by eating three or more rolls because they were the only thing I could get my taste buds to accept. Warm from the oven and sooooo soft.

Even the turkey wasn't complete without some ranch on it. I am pretty sure I am the only person who does that and I was so self-conscious about it that I would always dip my ranch sauce next to my turkey on my plate and pretend that they were just touching each other the way most people's food does on thanksgiving, or any other day. Not on my plate though. Everything was always at least an inch apart. Everything except my vegetable dip and turkey. I know. I am sneaky.

It wasn't until I was in college that I decided that stuffing was ok and another year later until it was ok to mix the stuffing with the mashed potatoes and maybe a bite of turkey. Thanksgiving and I have had a hard time getting along from the beginning but we are slowly becoming friends over the course of many years, though I am pretty sure I will never be able to get through more than a taste of yams and I don't know if I will ever touch gravy.

This year we added bacon to our Thanksgiving selection. A friend of ours had cooked their college turkey wrapped in bacon and sang its praises before heading off to California for a real family meal. It's definitely something I would give a second chance, although it took longer to cook than any of us had planned on. And then it still wasn't done. We cut into it enough to grab a handful of pieces from the breast and everyone had one or two pieces with dinner, hoping that there would be some leftovers for later when the bird was completely cooked. Not so lucky. That thing was still juicing when we took it out to put the pies in for dessert a hour or so later. Needless to say, who wants to babysit a turkey. A little more was salvaged but no one had any dark meat from that bird. The bacon was definitely amazing and it was a great memory to have us all gathered around the bird, peeling the bacon off and eating it right there instead of waiting to put it on a plate and pass it around the table. Definitely a tradition I wouldn't mind keeping. I've got to figure out a better way to cook that bird with bacon, though.

Baby Belly

My fascination with photos started when I was looking for a wedding photographer. There were so many things to look at and notice about each photographer that it easily got overwhelming. Eventually we found someone within our price range and with work good enough to qualify to make me look like a model the day of my wedding.

When we found out we were pregnant I started looking at pictures again, this time concentrating on pregnant bellies and babies. I have found so many cute ideas on photographing a basketball belly that I worry I would use them all up on one pregnancy and then have nothing new for the next pregnancy. Although, I have got to admit. There have been some pretty scandalous maternity pictures show up on our computer screen. But we won't go there. I was looking for something a little more... less revealing. Who wants to see a belly button hole stretched to its max? My point exactly.

I found one local photographer who I thought would do a decent job. Her pictures were modest and cute, the props were just adorable! But, alas, her downfall was that you had to buy the prints you wanted... from her. Bummer deal when I plan on using a few photos on our baby shower announcement so that people in the ward can put a name with a face and a couple more for Christmas gifts. Shhhh, it's a secret. So I won't tell what I am doing with those photos, just that they will be gifted.

But then! A light at the end of the tunnel. Right when I had to be making my choice, a former roommate posted some pictures. And they were stunning. I am pretty sure the man in her portraits is a former FHE brother who went out on his mission looking a little like a mouse and ruffled his hair all the time and he came back a stud! Well, at least she made him look like a stud. So I used the amazing power of facebook and summoned her help for some maternity pictures. I am super excited because she does an awesome job at capturing light and emotions and angles. She's really great. And her prices are really great, and you get your own picture CD! Double really greatness.

And then, as if it couldn't get any better than her saying yes to my suggestion of a date to do these photos, a friend of hers is doing a giveaway of a photo shoot with her! Ummm.... yes please! I mean, I realize nothing comes for free. I would still have the deep knot in my heart to mix her up some of her favorite heaven globs (no bake peanut butter cookies). Seriously, I made them once and they were gone in 15 minutes. That girl can put down some sugar and oatmeal. Anyways, if you would like to enter the giveaway, check out this website....

http://imsimplymomma.blogspot.com/2011/11/photography-giveaway.html?showComment=1321589545560#c6526238208541886580

And also check out Bethany's website...

http://throughthewindowphotography.tumblr.com/contactme isn't that the cutest name for a photo blog ever?!

Who's Counting?

Whenever people ask how far I am, I can never tell them. I can only tell them how much time I have left. Does that say something about my personality? I've only got two months left to decorate her room. Two months left to work full time. Two months left before I don't need help putting my shoes and socks on when Steven is around. Only two more months before I have a little girl in my arms to dress up in ribbons and bows. It's really not that long.

It feels like it's only beginning. I've only been 'showing' for a month and it seems that's when 'pregnancy' begins. Everything before that was just miserable. Sickness and tiredness that I often think I would not be able to handle if I already had a child. And no one understood why I was so tired or had a constant stomach ache because there was no outer-showing other than the occasional flushed cheeks. Now it would be ok to be sick, because people would understand why, but I am over that. Now I am just blooming and ready to show off this little girl, even if she's just in my round stomach. I've got more energy than I have had since I graduated school and it feels so good! It's like this little girl has re-started my energy level and it's no longer bogged down by late nights and early mornings. Now, I know many of you are wanting to say, 'just wait. she's going to make you more tired than you've ever been.' But you know what? No. I don't think so. And if she does, it will be a different kind of tired. It's not going to be the tired that keeps you in bed until the last minute because you don't want to go to class or to work. It will be an exhausted tired. See the difference? No? Well, there is one. And I am excited to embrace it.

I am not going to lie, I could stay this way forever. With a round tummy and a little girl safe inside of me. As long as she's in me, nothing can hurt her. When she's born she will be transported to a different life where everything around her has the potential to hurt her. Germs, viruses, obstacles, boys... the list could go on. But inside floating in fluid, there is nothing. And I like it that way. That's what has kept me from being super anxious to have her out of me because I know the longer she's in there the safer she will be. Sure, she could be born tomorrow and be in the hospital for a few weeks and live, but I would much rather have her with me. Two more months and then I will have to worry all of the time. But for right now, I don't have to.

Whale Watching

I've decided that having a baby move inside of you is a lot like whale watching. I've never been, but I can imagine it goes something like this: Look, there's one! No, now it's gone. Ok, well keep watching that spot over there. 10 minutes later: Did you see that?! Was that a wave or a whale? 20 minutes later: Over there, look over there!

I feel her move all the time. Her soft bubble kicks have turned into rolls of movement. At one point I could directly relate to when people say their stomach is turning somersaults. It's the weirdest feeling ever to feel something rub against the inside of you in a circle and have no control over it.

For all the moving she does, Steven has only been able to feel her a couple of times because, just like in whale watching, she's still as soon as his hand gets on my belly where she was moving seconds ago and then she's moving somewhere else with a few minutes in between, making it hard to capture.

When people ask how much time I have left and the answer is two months their next exclamation is how small I am. I know it's meant as a compliment, but it just makes me think sometimes, what if something is wrong? You know, like all parents do. What if she's not growing enough, what if I am not retaining enough water and so on. I try not to let it get to me because I am sure everything is just fine. I've been feeling fine and I would rather not worry about size so much. Seems like America is obsessed with the size of things, anyways. Size of thighs, stomachs, bodies in general... it's nice to not have to think too much about it and just eat healthy for the sake of eating healthy and not worry about what it's doing to my body.

Although, I must admit, when your clothes are meant to expand with your growing body it's hard to control how much that body is growing. The doctor commented at my last appointment that I had jumped more than expected in my weight... again. Well, when you don't have clothes that shrink if your stomach becomes anything less than flat and jeans that allow love handles to form to remind you it's time to hop into some running shoes and hit the trails, it's hard to keep track of how much weight you're gaining. Just sayin'. Once this baby is out of me, believe you me, I will be jogging to my heart's content. I am going to need some way to get out of the house. My other exercise plan is to take her in the car seat during her nap time and use the gym. It's a pretty relaxed place and I am pretty sure no one would mind her napping next to the front desk.

That Magic Feeling

I've got a feeling, that magic feeling. The one that penetrates your soul when you realize that you threw your work pants in the washer and dryer without checking the pockets and your awesome blog-writing ideas were scribbled on a now non-existent scrap of paper. My best ideas come while I am eating lunch in the break room so I write a few choice lines on a notebook I keep in my pocket for writing down important information, like how many sizes of canvases we have over 24x36 and all their prices for the customer on the phone who can't find the time to come in. Annoying. But useful to have something more than my hand to write on.

We've been kinda busy this fall season, making memories and enjoying our time together as a couple with no children while anticipating the arrival of a little someone. Finally our house decor will be able to be complete as I print picture after picture of our little miracle to cover our white walls. I've already got combinations stewing in my brain and they're fabulous. The one thing about baby pictures is that they never get old. They're a living room classic. At least until the next baby comes along, then you can't be playin' favorites so you gotta take a few down and re-do the family photo above the mantle. Simple things, really.

I've become obsessed with looking at baby pictures. The snugglier they look the better. Babies curled up in baskets, mini carriages, and propped just so on a pile of fresh linens have won my heart. SO adorable!

So beyond that magic feeling of despair as you realize now you have to go back and think up those great one-liners that are now caught up in the lint catcher of the dryer I am experiencing the magic feeling that reminds me that we've only got two months left until we get to welcome a beautiful girl into our life. 'Cause we all know that if she looks anything like me, she's going to be adorable.