Well, anyone who was listening to me should have known that there was no way I was coming before my due date.  I knew it in my head but the due date has come and passed and now we are moving right into our 42nd (and last) week.  I’m not the least bit uncomfortable but I just feel at this point I have literally run out of things to do.  I have a very small amount of work items to finish as people stopped giving me items after last week.  The house was cleaned for me last week and I have just been trying to keep it clean since.  Nursery is done, workout room is done for the time being, laundry is done, meal prep is done.  I’m done.

It also doesn’t help that this week we have had horrible air quality in Seattle, preventing me from getting out for my once-a-day walk.  Instead, I am more or less confined to the house and have tried doing laps in the house listening to podcasts or walking up and down the stairs several times in a row.  Nothing has worked so far.  Last weekend was a relaxing weekend spent just the two of us because we haven’t been keen on making big plans since the due date.  We had a nice date night out via mystery shopping dinner at PF Changs on Friday night to end the week.  Saturday we went for a long walk to Capitol Hill, picked up Chipotle’s (they were having a BOGO) and enjoyed that at a park (air quality was better on Saturday) and then picked up ice cream at the Central District Ice Cream Shop on our way home.  Sunday we went to church and that was pretty much it.  We washed the car and it looks brand new again.  We made a good dinner and watched Dirty Dancing, which almost sent me into labor.  I was having very regular Braxton Hicks contractions for several hours so Bryan actually called the midwives number to see if we should go in but we were advised to stay home.  So Bryan prepped chocolate chip cookie dough to make for the nurses and we taste tested a batch before concluding the weekend.

We had our 41 week visit at the doctor’s office which ran longer than the others as they performed some tests to check on how things were progressing.  The outcome is things still look good so we have selected to continue to wait for one more week.  They did a fetal non-stress test to check baby’s heartbeat.  They used the ultrasound to check my placenta and amniotic fluids.  They did a cervical exam to check on progress.  All three tests still say all things are a go for now but we did have to sign paperwork for our induction if we still haven’t had the little one come out yet.

And in other exciting news, my favorite pizza is back at Tutta Bella for a limited time; the Calabrese, with figs, goat cheese, balsamic glaze and pancetta.  Bryan picked one up for us one night this week.

This waiting game also did allow me to attend Marika’s bridal/bachelorette dinner this week.  We enjoyed some games, gifts and great food at Via Tribunali in Georgetown.  I was really happy that I was able to be there to celebrate my longest standing girlfriend in Seattle who weds next month in Italy.

Marika and I and a week late belly

Loved this private dining room at Via Tribunali!

Will we have another weekend or won’t we?…

Chelsea

After getting through last week, the last week spent at work and with things on the calendar, I was more or less ready to go at any time.  But this week has offered me another week to be able to work from home while simultaneously continuing to check off my to-do list before baby’s arrival.  Bryan has also been making a lot of headway and preparations at work for his time away and for big projects in the future.  I am honestly more than okay getting one more week under our belt before we meet baby.  I don’t think it will be until the end of next week that I start to get anxious for the day to come.  For now, I am still content…albeit more uncomfortable.

So what are some of the things that preoccupied our time this week aside form work:

1. I picked up a shelving unit to organize more of our equipment in the workout room.  For $20, I was able to get a very solid and already assembled unit and started organizing said equipment.

   

2. I prepped a few more freezer meals while doing double duty for dinners this week; chicken enchiladas, callilloo soup and pulled pork sandwiches, all of which were made in the crockpot so as not to heat up the house too much.
3. I caught up with Polly over the enchiladas on Monday night.  She came over for a visit and we caught up each other; me on the last month of pregnancy and her on her trip to the East Coast and her and Ryuhei buying a house in which they are moving into THIS weekend!
4. I started working on my baby book with the details that I can fill out so far.
5. I was able to get rid of a few things taking of space in the backyard, that we no longer need, on the Facebook Buy Nothing Group.
6. I had a person come clean our house on Thursday and have them scheduled to come back every few weeks for the unforeseeable future so that it is one less thing that I have to worry about.  She did a fantastic job!
7. I continued to work on the second of the three cross stitch projects and am halfway finished with this one (I’d be done but I need to buy more string).  This one was way more simple than the first…but the last is just as hard as the first.
8. I spectated the outdoor house painting project that our landlord scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.  It didn’t make for the most serene work environment but they seemed to be nice enough guys too.
9. We took Mark and Kati with us to FareStart on Thursday night to dine in for once.  It was a great menu from a new local chef who owns an Indian food truck and recently was on TLC’s Chopped show and won (I watched the show the night before dinner and got pretty psyched for the meal)!  I was hoping that the spicy food would get things going like I’ve heard rumors of it doing but no such luck.
   

   Menu for the night was really good!

   

   Baby bump

   

   Tired at the end of the day
10. This past weekend Bryan and I enjoyed what could be our last church service and brunch just the two of us.  There was a guest speaker who we like for the service and then we went to the Carlile Room for brunch where I had the avocado toast and Bryan had the burger.
    

    Avocado toast with poached eggs…that the restaurant couldn’t seem to get poached correctly

    

    Bryan enjoyed his burger and me some of his fries

    

    The best parent prep book we have gotten so far…gifted to us by a couple at church who know how to keep this late stage humorous.
11. We had two more movie nights outside at our house.  We watched two European classics; first Trainspotting and second Waking Ned Devine.

    

12. And we had another doctor’s appointment that was scheduled the morning of my due date.  Again, everything is normal and progressing.  Blood pressure still low but higher than it has been.  Total weight gain to date is 24 lbs and baby was measuring 38 cm with a steady 120s heartbeat.  Was still told that baby is on the smaller side; she guessed between 6.5 and 7 lbs.

We will just have to see how much longer this waiting game continues for.

Chelsea

Well the hot weather continues to roll on.  Normally that would be great but this year I’ve enjoyed the less than 80 degree days a little more.  Every single day this week has been balmy and my body just wants to slow to a snails pace in this heat.  Snails pace or not, this was the last week that I really had things scheduled on my calendar.  Next week I’m as free as a bird with anticipating the unknown.  And we will see if we get to next week or not.  As I continue to think that I will deliver after my due date, I have been having more false contractions that have me on edge more than ever.

While baby continues to mess with my mind I’ve continued to roll through the punches.  This week was all about “me” time…well after our anniversary celebration that is.  I spent Tuesday evening crafting with Yelp, making an “air plant” frame at Urban Sprouts in Renton.  I got to take it home and got food and drink while making my creation.  On Wednesday I got a free hair cut in Montlake and Friday I got my nails done at my Oui Salon and Spa for the last time before baby.

Air plant frame…interesting but kind of cool

Me working away

I made it through my last volunteering night at FareStart on Thursday for a chef and a meal that I really like.  Brian Clevenger created a great summery Italian menu with a slew of antipasti that I was all about.  Now, if only I could have a darn glass of wine!  So tempting this late in the game.  I lasted on my feet the whole night and managed through a long and enjoyable dinner with the crew.  I am seriously going to miss the volunteering with friends these next few months but still hope to dine in from time to time when I can.  I have a standing reservation for dinner next week if I do make it that far.

The “basketball thief” playing host one more time

An exceptional dinner in which I could have lived off of the appetizers

And this weekend is showing promise to be one more weekend in coupledom.  We don’t have much of anything planned and I’m looking to maybe get out and enjoy a few more meals in a restaurant or activities out just the two of us while we can.  The weather is also promising to drop too, albeit temporarily.

Chelsea

While two years doesn’t really seem like a long time since our wedding vows, a lot has happened even just in the past year.  I can’t speak for Bryan but these two years, and particularly the last several months, have been truly wonderful.  As we surpass the two-year anniversary mark we are certainly moving towards another adventure.  Thankfully, the adventure didn’t come too early that we couldn’t celebrate this time just the two of us.

I think we both really enjoy our anniversary weekend and the ease we have in celebrating it.  We haven’t strayed too much over the years with what our anniversary weekend entails.  This year, we got to Lake Washington both Saturday and Sunday to watch the air show with the Blue Angels.  We went once with friends and we went the other day just the two of us after having a great brunch after church.

While Monday wasn’t the weekend we both got to skedaddle from work early to go to our last doctor’s appointment until our due date.  Still healthy and as normal as can be.

After our early departure we drove home and then walked the half mile to Harvest Vine, sans reservation so we could sit at the bar and watch the chefs do their magic.  We also worked on picking names because honestly we don’t have a name picked out for either gender.  We had another amazing meal; gazpacho, heirloom tomatoes with sherry vinegar, olive oil & garlic, roasted eggplant with tomato frito, idiazábal sheep cheese & anchovy, spanish octopus cooked on the plancha with garbanzo puree, rabbit foreleg confit & grilled loin with baby carrots & marcona almond picada, and goat milk cheesecake with fresh berries.  We ended up chatting up the chef nearest us for quite some time and left feeling super stuffed and again just amazed at the flavors and finesse of the kitchen.  Bryan gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers which also included two roses and a selection of chocolates.  I am one lucky girl!

The most tender octopus with garbanzo puree and paprika

Rabbit confit and grilled loin with an almond herb sauce and carrots

My beautiful flowers!

Year three is going to be great!

Chelsea

It’s two weeks until our due date and that just blows my mind.  I honestly feel like life has just continued normally, maybe with a little more discomfort, but fortunately not with really any lack of energy or zest.  Which is a very good thing because we have still had plenty to do around the house and out of the house.

Progress around the house includes:

• Getting our glider/rocker and setting up the station where I will be spending a good deal of time the next several weeks.  I LOVE the look of the glider that we got and it is so incredibly comfortable.

  

• Hanging the shelves and starting to set up some decor in the baby’s room.  I’m not too rushed about this anymore, now that I really realize that baby won’t be sleeping in this room for quite some time.

  

• We got a 2nd base and the attachment for our infant carrier to our Bob stroller on Craigslist for a steal.  We will secure the 2nd base in the Jeep when it is needed.
• I have gone through our pantry and tried to toss old/unwanted things and reorganize the rest.  I also purchased more organizational accessories for the kitchen and bathrooms from Zulilly to help me feel less cluttered around the house and free up more space.
• We packed our hospital bags (which means that our diaper bags are now also prepped) to have at the ready.
• I finally finished a cross stitch and have it framed.  Feels good to have one done but not good knowing that I have two more.

  

• Got batteries for all of the things that need them and worked on figuring out how to use each item.
• Got the diaper pail ready to go and I love the bright mint color!

  

• Bryan bought new smoke detectors and we decided to go all out and get some of the Nest smoke detectors and temperature controls for the home.
• Purchased the last must-have (diaper changing pad) for the baby’s room with the gift card money from the company-hosted baby shower.

Progress outside the house includes:

• Bryan had a doctor’s appointment and got his T-DAP shot.
• Bryan enjoyed a happy hour and climb at Seattle Bouldering Project with the guys after work on Tuesday night.
• We had a baby shower at work on Wednesday afternoon.  Bryan came to the shower and we enjoyed some snacks, games, and Bryan got to see the new office.  It was a good turn out from the company and we were given some gift cards to complete our registry.
• We got dinner at the FareStart Community Dinner after the baby shower on Wednesday.  It was a great Indian themed dinner (my second Indian meal of the week).  Bring on the spicy food.
• I seriously enjoyed this delicious lunch for my last MealPal before baby’s arrival (I have it on hold until November).
  

  Combo Pod from The Roll Pod street truck on Amazon’s campus

  

  This was one of the best things I have eaten in a while! So flavorful.
• We had a fairly busy night at FareStart on Thursday for Volunteer Park Cafe.  I really enjoyed the summery menu of crispy breaded branzino, corn bisque, fresh tomato salad, and peaches and cream.  I also got to see my friend Abby who was in town for just a short time as she volunteered for the night.
  

  Delicious silky corn soup

  

  Breaded branzino with couscous and heirloom tomatoes
• We had another doctor’s appointment on Thursday morning and everything is still looking good.  Baby measured at 36 cm with a heartbeat in 130s.  Doctor felt and commented that baby isn’t a big baby, which is good, but definitely big enough.  Also, still positioned head down with its back on my right side.
• To beat the heat on the last hot day (and last day of the hottest July on record) I tried one of the Freeze’s at Pressed Juicery for a healthy sweet treat (chocolate base is made of nuts, dates and cocoa).

• We spent Friday night with friends.  We first went to visit Anne and Phillip and their new baby and dropped off a care basket with them.  While we were in West Seattle we went to our FareStart friend Holly’s birthday party at an apartment rooftop.  We had some amazing food of kalbi ribs, Korean chicken and a variety of salads and played a few games of pool before heading back home.
• This weekend was the well-loved SeaFair weekend in Seattle and essentially our anniversary weekend.  The Blue Angels were practicing the end of last week and the Navy ships pulled into the harbor on Tuesday.  We got out and watched the show both Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday was spent at Madrona Park floating in a floatilla with the crew and that was an absolute blast.  We got a ton of sun but are already on the recovery.  Sunday after church Bryan and I got a great brunch at Macrina Bakery in Queen Anne before walking to the I-90 bridge to watch the airshow from the bridge.
  

  Our Relaxation Station worked out nicely

  

  Bryan was our motor the whole day

  

  Fantastic fresh produce at brunch on Sunday

  

  Me and bump and hot weather on the I-90 bridge

  

  Four of the six Blue Angels
• Official anniversary and dinner to come today.

Chelsea