Working on the to do list...

I think the best way to start things off is to say that our excitement to meet little Peanut Butter is growing as fast as my belly! (Even extra excitement when compared to an evening such as tonight when I am flipping between The Replacements and Ocean's Thirteen on the HBOs...both solid movies by the way...but I digress...)

As you can see in the picture, I have indeed grown quite a bit since our last post. (Silence Todd...for the love of G-d stay silent!). There are definitely days when I feel like I'm all belly. (Welcome to my world). It's quite a conversation piece, let me tell you, as well as a source of humor for my dear, sweet husband. (The word 'waddle' is just fun to say). The same husband who asked me the other day as I got up from the couch, "Where are we waddling to now?" (See?!) It's a good thing he's perfect in every other way or I would really be mad. (I'm the father of her baby...so I figure she's got to keep me around). It's also a good thing those crazy pregnancy hormones haven't kicked in or he might end up with a black eye after a joke like that! (In fairness, I have to admit that I DO waddle now. It's awful!) (But she's so dang cute!).

With just FIVE weeks left, things have moved into high gear in the pre-baby Pinsky household. It's hard to believe how close we are to our due date! (Speaking of moving...our little tiny dancer (Elton John reference) and future Michigan Wolverine field goal kicker (and given the state of our football team, she needs to try out soon) has been flipping, kicking, elbowing, punching, and pretty much doing every other weird, cute, amazing little thing every night now).

Thankfully, we've gotten some critical things crossed off our to do list. First and foremost, the nursery is painted and the furniture has arrived, although we still have to assemble some of it. The walls are a really fun sunshiny yellow that makes me smile every time I go into the room (naturally it's Behr paint, available exclusively at The Home Depot!). Todd was a real sport and did nearly all of the painting -- I wouldn't let him paint my baseboards, though. (Luckily for Sarah and Peanut Butter, not only do I hate painting, but I am awful at it...everyone has their strengths and weaknesses...I have embraced this particular weakness). We also braved Babies R Us again to purchase our bassinet and car seat just in case Peanut Butter decides to make her grand entrance early...we want to be prepared! (Gulp!) I might also add that we stained our deck. Todd had a hard time understanding how that ended up on our pre-baby to do list but I told him to stop asking questions and get back to work.

On July 18 we went to baby school...really an all day class at our hospital that manages to both put your mind at ease by providing a tour of the hospital and scaring the bejeezus out of you by showing you awful videos of childbirth and epidurals. The videos weren't just scary, they were hysterical. I might recommend if they want people to take them seriously they shouldn't cast anyone who looks like Eric Estrada as the anesthesiologist. (Also, one of the nurses in the video was an uncanny knock off of Dennis Kucinich...actually Amy Poehler's SNL impersonation of Dennis Kucinich...Sarah nearly kicked me out of the class because I was giggling...The class was actually pretty good though...if not twice as long as it needed to be...we learned some fun stretches that Sarah will need to do prior to the "pushing stage"...can't wait for that...again, giggling will probably not be called for, but Sarah may have to deal..I think a sense of humor will be needed through the experience). I have to say, Todd has kept me laughing this entire pregnancy and I think that's a key reason it has been so easy (knock wood). If he can do that during labor and delivery...I'm all for it!!

Last week I flew to DC and Atlanta for two last trips before I had to stop flying. In DC, the KaBOOM! staff threw me a baby shower that left me speechless. It was incredibly sweet and a VERY big surprise! The next day I flew to Atlanta with Roopal Saran, my colleague who is kindly taking over my responsibilities while I am on leave. We had a great long dinner at Fritti, a favorite from when Todd and I lived there, and spent a really nice day at The Home Depot headquarters introducing Roopal to the people who work on our partnership. I have to admit, I got a little sad as we left. I consider everyone I work with there friends and it's strange to think I likely won't see them for six months. It's also very strange to think that I won't be flying anytime soon. For the better part of the last four years I have been on the road for KaBOOM! at least once a month (many times two and three times a month) and the idea of being 'grounded' is still a little odd. I have a feeling that when Peanut Butter arrives I won't care as much! (I think home will be happy to have her grounded for a while...update...the pregnancy hormones are kicking in, Sarah just started crying when she read that.) I did!! But he's so sweet!!!!!!

This week we begin weekly doctor's appointments and we'll put serious effort into assembling our nursery furniture. (WHOA...slow down this roller coaster...wheeeeee!!!!).

And with that, we'll sign off. We promise it won't be another three or four weeks until our next update. Thanks again for reading and commenting and all of your good wishes. What a ride!

So much has happend in a month!

Phew! We have been busy since our last post and I'm so sorry we have been so lax updating our blog. (Who knew growing a baby could be so time consuming?)

The weekend of June 13 I had the pleasure of taking Peanut Butter to the Gulf for the first time. We went down to New Orleans to attend a playground build sponsored by Linda and Lee Prout in honor of their son Jeff. It was a very special day and one of the reasons why I absolutely love my job. It was hot, to be sure, but it felt great to be back down in the Gulf among friends like Linda and Lee, Reg and Marge Morken, Amy and John Haspel and Troy Peloquin -- all people who have made a tremendous impact in my life. Peanut Butter thoroughly enjoyed her trip and I look forward to bringing her down there in the years to come. I certainly know some pretty great places she can play! (No sarcastic comments here...Sarah and the rest of the boomers and honorary boomers do some amazing things...and if I make any snarky comments I could lose my rights to my unborn child before I even get to meet her.)

A week later I flew out to San Francisco for the National Conference on Volunteering and Service (or as I called it, the Big Good Meeting of Do-Gooders Doing Good while Good Work Gets Done) and what will surely be one of the most memorable days of my life. On Monday, June 22, KaBOOM! led a playground build with California Volunteers attended by none other than First Lady Michelle Obama. It was an absolutely amazing day!! She was just as warm and lovely in person as she appears to be on television. Not only was it a highlight for me personally because I love the President and First Lady, but it was an incredible day for my organization. She spoke beautifully about the need for play and playgrounds and the value of volunteerism and then spent time putting together some playground components. It made me very, very proud to be a part of KaBOOM! and the work that we do.

Later that day a co-worker and I went out to dinner at a place our hotel concierge recommended and lo and behold, when we walked in we recognized the Secret Service agents immediately...Michelle was eating at the same restaurant with Malia and Sasha and several friends! (Attention, Attention...all agents on high alert...stalker girl just showed up...keep eyes sharp for quick movements....but, stalker girl is preggers, so movements are not actually all that quick.)

My trip to San Francisco ended with a red eye flight home on June 24 so I could be here to celebrate Todd's birthday on the 25th. I walked in at 5:00 AM, wished him a happy birthday and fell fast asleep for a few hours until it was time to go to work. (Too sweet for words...I got lucky getting this one). While we went out for a nice dinner that night, we had our official celebration on Saturday when we went to Arlington Racetrack to bet on the ponies. Naturally we bet on any horses that had 'girl,' 'daddy,' or 'baby' in their names. It was a great day! (It was great for sure. The highlight of dinner at Flemings was the desert, a molten lava cake, with vanilla ice cream that the waiter described as the best in the world...really? How can vanilla ice cream be so great? Well, it was amazing...highly recommend the place. Oh, and as far as the race track, Sarah had planned the whole thing without telling me...I loved it...we hit an exacta on the last race, so we did good!)

As for Peanut Butter, this past Thursday morning we had our 31 week appointment and everything is on track. She is the right size, her heart rate is good and my weight is where it should be. (I went with her to the appointment so I could hear the heart beat...that is always fun...it certainly sounds like she is excited to meet us.) Thursday night we flew to Syracuse for the holiday weekend. It was a typical night of travel for us...our 9:00 PM flight was delayed until 11:30 and we didn't get to Syracuse until after 2:00 AM. It was a loooooong night! Todd was a trooper, though, and still got up for golf early the next morning. I did not! (It doesn't annoy my wife too much that I can wake up for golf no matter what time...I can't explain it.) Yes! I really hope I don't go into labor in the early morning hours otherwise I may be heading to the hospital myself.

The weekend was a lot of fun. The weather wasn't perfect but there was still plenty of time to laze by the pool and eat...a lot! (Don't worry...the weather did not interfere with golf...I know Sarah was relieved). It was strange to think that the next time we go to Syracuse we'll have little Peanut Butter with us. (Now THAT is a weird/scary/awesome/surreal thought).

With just two months until our due date, we definitely have a lot to do. On the flight home tonight we made a 'pre-baby' to do list (I LOVE lists!) and it is very long! (5 chapters, 100 point list for each chapter, and a quiz at the end of each chapter that must be aced before moving on...our kid better be able to read and write quickly because Mommy is a smarty.) (And Daddy is a big smart alec.)

So that's it in a nutshell. The next few weeks I'll be at home before making one final trip to Atlanta by way of DC before I am not allowed to fly anymore. Then it's just six weeks (give or take) until we get to meet Peanut Butter. We can't wait!