photo therapy:: montana

Dale and I spent a few good hours hanging out by the beach tossing Emma sticks to fetch for us. The lake was crystal clear and undisturbed, it was seriously the cleanest water I have ever seen.
Mission Mountains, outside of St. Ignatius, Montana.
Montana has the most beautiful sunsets, while this photo cant capture the glory, try to imagine all the colors reflecting off the lake and playing in the mountains and clouds. Beautiful.
Clear water again, the mountains reflected beautifully.
Emma and her big stick. It took her a few minutes to figure out how to swim but once she figured it out we couldnt keep her out of the water.


Please see more pics at: http://picasaweb.google.com/katchens86

BabyMoon is Wearing off

Don't get me wrong, I love being pregnant and for the most part have been feeling better, more energized, and happier than I was before becoming pregnant. However, no one ever tells you how long 9 months really is. I am exactly half way there and it has occurred to me that I have another long 4.5 months before this baby comes out. I wish I could have someone babysit my baby bump so I could enjoy a few glasses of wine, perhaps amaretto on the rocks, a roller coaster or two, and go on some extreme hikes. Unfortunately, that wont happen anytime soon so I am stuck salivating as Dale sips on his beer and remind myself that its all for a good cause!

Most of the time I don't miss the drinking. Sure, I partied a lot in college but to be honest, I never enjoyed drinking. I hated the taste of the alcoholic concoctions we created, usually vodka drunk from the bottle and chased with sprite. I hated the gassy feeling that beer gave me after chugging a six-pack of light beer and don't get me started with the drunken phone calls and hangovers.

Since graduating I have refined my taste for booze and stuck with the simple tall glass of red wine or a pint of dark ale preferably from Eastern Europe. Just when I finally realized how to savor, taste, and enjoy the occasional glass, I got pregnant. Now that the weather is warming up all I can think about is a glass of cream sherry, served chilled with an orange slice.

Dale and I went up to Flathead Lake last week and it was beautiful. Flathead is probably the most beautiful area of Montana (in my opinion) and provided us with some much needed R&R. The weather was perfect. The lake (which is bigger than Tahoe) was clear, pristine, and undisturbed. The nights were cool and revealed a cosmic array of stars better than any planetarium I have ever been to. We stopped at a winery and two breweries, of course, I stuck with ice tea while Dale sipped signature brewed ales. It didn't really bother me, except of course, when the weather got warmed, the sun hotter and all I could think about was showering myself in a light beer, Corona anyone?

We went on a little hike. The way back was pretty steep and I found myself losing my balance and air! I was exhausted and had to stop every 20 feet on the trail. So my dreams of backpacking this summer may be over as this little one growing inside me has decided that he's not an outdoors fan. I guess I will take it easy.

I lazed around this weekend, spent a lot of time of the computer and watching Grey's Anatomy, Season 1 & 2 and I am quickly running out of episodes for season 3. I am bored! The house is clean, the garden planted, the animals fed and napping in the sun. I have got the energy of a 4-year old on heroine and I am bored.

So yes, the next 4.5 months will be long and the babymoon is wearing off. Did I mention my clothes don't fit, I have more stretchmarks...on my ARM?!!!? and my hormones have caused the angry pregnant monster lady to emerge, biting the head off anyone that crosses her path.

For all those reading this, enjoy your day. Have a glass of wine or perhaps a beer and think of me, just don't tell me about it otherwise the angry pregnant monster lady (APML) might get jealous enough to eat your brains. While you are enjoying your wine, go for hike, run a marathon, eat sushi, do all the things that I cant and enjoy them to their fullest.

Home on the Range....

About this time of year I start to get antsy. I can smell flowers in the air, warm air hitting the pavement, and the river even wafts by my senses. Not only is getting close to summer but its time to camp! This excitement invades my concentration limiting my ability to work. Of course this drives Dale nuts because everyday I come home and suggest we take an adventure.

Last week, after a rough nights sleep, I could sense the next wanderer attack hitting my brain. I stared at the same screen for 10 minutes without realizing it. I got shaky legs and immediately called Dale: "Lets go somewhere". His response: "I'm tired". After an hour of fighting over it, Dale gave in and we drove to the National Bison Range located about an hour away from Missoula.

It was the perfect day. A spring storm had rolled in just as we pulled into the park. Blue skies gently disappeared among the looming storm clouds. We started our ascent up the 19-mile Red Sleep Mountain drive just in time for few rain drops. Why was it perfect? Storm clouds and rain drops have this magical ability to reveal nature's true colors. Yellow flowers are brighter against the gray skies. Grass more vivid. Even animals appear more alive against the stark contrast of a dark sky.

We made it to the top of the mountain and stared out at the beautiful valley. The Jocko River was glacier blue and winded through the hills. Small towns, like St. Ignatius and Arlee were barely visible, disappearing into the glacially carved valley of mountains, stream, and lakes. I was telling Dale about Lake Missoula and the glaciers that permeated the area when we passed a sign "The Highest Point of Lake Missoula". Everything would have been under water. No towns, no Missoula, no animals.

We made our way down the mountain, passing native Montana wildflowers and antelope grazing on the hills. Just when I was beginning to think we may not see buffalo on this trip 4 bison emerged, crossing a stream with their calves. We watched them roll around the dirt and play affectionately with one another. Bison may be taller than our car but they are gentle and graceful in their movements. Of course Emma was in the car. She had her head out the window, tongue cocked sideways in her mouth, happy as can be with all the new scents and mysterious creatures to observe.
We made our way back, satisfied.
Dale was still tired but he did enjoy the brief trip with nature. As easily as we made our entrance into the wilderness, we made our way out. We spent 17 miles in construction, clearly the most evident sign that summer is here.

Emma almost strangled herself. I forgot to lock the window lock and while her head was out the window her paw rolled the window up onto her jaw. After a harrowing rescue Dale loaded her with beer and she passed out in the back, slightly traumatized from the experience.

Summer is here. Every day it gets hotter. Everyday my need to run to mountains increases. The cats escape out the front door every chance they get and sometimes I feel like them, just waiting for a door to open so I can run free in the painted hills.

Dale has the next two days off. We have loaded our bags, packed our food, and are headed Flathead Lake!

I peed my pants!!!!

I love being pregnant. I love waking up every morning and staring at my growing belly...even those bastard stretch marks are starting to grow on me (literally). It has been an adjustment though. My clothes no longer fit, my shirts are all too short and my belly shows. My pants haven't been buttoned since March but now they are barely able to make it over my hips, so I have started wearing skirts and dresses but even that wont last long. Sleeping a straight hours is impossible as I wake up to pee at 2, 5, and 7 am. It is all a joy. However, the one thing I cant forgive is a weak bladder.

Last week Dale and I were hiking with the dog. She was sniffing gopher holes a hundred yards away as we walked up the trail. We called her name and she looked up and booked it up the trail...the wrong way! Maybe she has poor eye site maybe she forgot where we were, whatever it was we just watched her book it around the corner. All of sudden she stops, turns around, sees us and comes running towards us with her tongue hanging out of her mouth. What a dummy!!! I laughed so hard I peed my pants. I am 23 years old and I peed my pants. Thanks baby. Happy belated mother's day.

Dale laughed so hard. He sat there grinning at the edge of trail making fun of my potty dance. He jokingly suggested we carry extra undies or get Depends.

What's worse, is that we were in the kitchen talking when all of a sudden I sneezed. Tinkle, tinkle. I couldn't hide that one as I was already parading around in my underwear. Now every time we leave the house Dale asks if I packed my spare undies.

This has me further convinced that we are having a boy. Certainly, no lady of mine would ever let it just fly out anywhere. We already know boys pee when you least expect it, anywhere and everywhere, even on the video camera (thanks Sam!).

We had no luck finding out the sex yet. This last appointment was full of blood tests, screening for genetic disorders and gestational diabetes. We are not worried but will nonetheless get the results in a few weeks. We have an appointment June 11 and hopefully then our baby will reveal itself. Until then, I guess I will be anxiously wandering around town with spare undies in my purse.

Stretchmarks and Floods

I am 15 weeks and so far have been very lucky with my pregnancy. I had no morning sickness, my hair looks great, and even my former bitten, raw fingernails are long and healthy. Today, I was getting ready for work and I happened to notice some stretchmarks, right by my belly button. Seriously, STRETCH MARKS! I freaked out and called Dale into the room to confirm my suspicion. They weren't there yesterday. They erupted somewhere between last night and this morning. I have great skin, I was hoping to avoid these little ruptures. I guess its karma for bragging about no morning sickness.

So I am off to the store to by cocoa butter to lather these SOB's in. I love that I am showing so early (being short) but the downside is I have popped so fast that my skin cant keep up. Pretty soon my belly is going to resemble the US Highway map!

Aside from the stretch marks, things appear normal and great. The heartburn has pretty much disappeared but my appetite remains strong. FYI: Don't get between a pregnant woman and her dinner. Last week I made cream of lemon chicken soup (my favorite) and I was enjoying the last of my bowl. I was about to get a second helping when Dale walked in the with the rest in a bowl for himself. I just sat there, salivating, watching him enjoy every precious bite of soup and felt steam rising through my ears. My face was hot and all I could think about was grabbing the bowl from him and running away. Of course I didn't say anything until a few days later. Now Dale is afraid to touch anything I make for fear that the very angry pregnant woman may attack.

In other news, one of Dale's co-workers has given his two weeks notice which means that there is a possibility of Dale going full-time and maybe even getting a day shift or two which would be wonderful! Dale loves his job at the Good Food Store and it seems that his co-workers and customers appreciate his charming and well mannered attitude. Keep your fingers crossed.

Last year, we went to Alaska for two weeks with a friend of ours, Jarred. We spent a couple days at Jarred's family cabin in Eagle, AK. Eagle is 14 hours from Anchorage and sits on the Canadian-Yukon and Alaska border, separated only by the Yukon river. We had planned to canoe the Yukon but with last years high-river we played it safe and instead spent a few nights camping near the Yukon and historic Fort Egbert. It was relaxing and beautiful and yet mysterious.

With this year's quick warm up the Yukon flooded, sending water and sheets of ice through the town of Eagle, decimating almost every structure. Jarred doesn't know the status of his cabin but it is most likely underwater along with the rest of Eagle's historic downtown. I attached some pictures of the flooding as well as the link to the article. http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/may/05/yukon-river-flood-destroys-buildings-eagle/

http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/may/06/ice-refuses-budge-yukon-river-invades-eagle/

Gender Predictions

I am on an online baby board (babycenter.com, guilty as charged!) and I must confess that I waste several hours each day scrolling this board. Mostly, I am curious as to how other women are handling their pregnancies. Sometimes, when I think "is that normal" I rush to my baby board and see if other women are experiencing the same. The rest of the time, I peruse useless blogs and posts that somehow make my 8-hour workday disappear into Internet oblivion.

Long story short, several women have been experimenting with gender predicting old wives tales. At first, I tried to ignore all the superstition but my impatience has got the best of me and Dale came home last night to find me boiling cabbage....

From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I knew it was a boy. I just had that feeling. Yet, I cant seem to bring myself to look at boy clothing or boy names, so perhaps I am wrong. I started researching old wives tales and have interesting results.

1.) Chinese Calendar Gender Predictor- Boy
This test is based on the age of mother and month of conception.


2.) Red Cabbage Test- Boy/Girl
Boil red cabbage for ten minutes and then add first-morning urine to the cabbage water. If the pee turns bluish/purple, its a girl. If it turns redish/pinkish, its a boy. I did this test five times, changing the temperature of the cabbage water each time. When it was hot, it was boy. When it was warm, it was boy. When it was cold, it was girl. Who knows?

3.) Cravings- Boy
If you crave salty/spicy foods - you're having a boy. If you crave sweet foods - you're having a girl. I am hungry for pickles and cheesy appetizers. My sweet tooth disappeared and two pints of chocolate ice cream remain untouched in my freezer.

4.) Where do you carry your weight?- Boy
If you carry your weight around the middle - girl.
If you carry your weight in front (you can't tell you're pg from behind) - boy.

5.) Heart Rate- Girl
The theory states that if your baby's heart rate was 140 beats per minute and above, you would be having a girl. If the heart rate was under 140 beats per minute, then you would be having a boy. Our heart rate was 159.

6.) Husband Weight Gain- Boy
Another old wives' tale uses your husband's weight gain to predict your baby's gender. If your husband gains weight, you will be having a girl. If he doesn't gain weight, you'll be having a boy.

7.) Hungry?- Boy
Some women pregnant with boys eat like a teenage boy. If you are starving all the time, its a boy. If your appetite is unchanged, its a girl. I am famished 24/7. I once woke up at 4 am and made Dale get me food.

8.) Morning Sickness- Boy
Its thought that women pregnant with girls have more morning sickness because of all the extra hormones. If you are sick as a dog, its a girl. If you are lucky and had none, its a boy!

9.) Great hair and nails? - Boy
Midwives believed if your hair and nails are growing fast and looking great, its a boy. If your hair is stringy and nails slow to grow, its a girl. I was a notorius nail biter and now, I cant keep up! The nails are growing fast and strong as well as my hair!

10.) Dreams- Girl
If you dream of labor & delivery and the doctor says, its a ____. Then it will be whatever you dreamed. I had a dream that the doctor said, "its a girl" and we named her Ella. No boy dreams though.

11.) Drano Prediction-????
I haven't done this yet, but lots of women swear by it. Simply add urine to 2tbls of Crystal Drano. If the mixture darkens to a brownish color within the first 10 seconds - It is a boy.If there is no darkening or color change after 10 - 15 seconds - It is a girl.

As you can see there are many mixed results. For the most part, it looks like its a boy. We are eager to find out hopefully this month but it may be next month. My brother has $20 bucks on us that its a girl, but everyone else thinks boy. I am determined to get that $20 so I am still guessing boy!

Some Lovely Photos

I finally posted photos of my belly and also included some random shots ie...new haircuts, dog, BrewFest. Please check the rest of our photos on my picasa website (link is on the left side). The first picture is me lying on my back with the eiffel tower statue on my belly, Dale thought it was funny...I just felt as big as the world...Thanks honey!