Sunshine and Cloud

When I do groups at work, we always do a check in at each meeting called sunshine and cloud. Sunshine is something that you like, makes you happy, or something you are looking forward to. Cloud is something that you don’t like, makes you sad, or that you are not looking forward to. Some days you have a sunshine and a cloud, some days you’ll just have a sunshine or a cloud, or some days you have none. (That’s pretty much exactly how I explain it to the kids).

So, here are my sunshines and  clouds for the week.

Sunshines

• We got our tax return!
• It made me so happy to watch Jude laugh and try to chase Liam around the house this week
• Getting to have Valentine’s lunch with our friends, Aron and Sarah
• Visiting the new health food store Newflower (they call it a farmer’s market, but it’s really just a smaller grocery store, like a Sun Harvest)
• Free chocolate dipped pretzel at Newflower
• Enough Border Bucks to get a free book
• Baby girls on the way for my friends Erica and Cherry, and a baby girl born this week to our friends, Karl & Ashley
• Joe’s aunts are going to watch Jude on Monday since our babysitter is on vacation
• Getting valentine’s roses from Joe’s little cousins — they are so thoughtful
• Lost — I love that show!
• Jude started babbling his “mama” sounds this week
• Taking family walks together
• Getting to cross Zocalo off my restuarant list
• Jude sleeping in his crib without fighting us and for at least 4 hours at a time at night
• Surprise! A mileage check from work in the mail

Clouds

• Having to spend part of our tax return to fix my brakes ($500 — ouch!)
• It’s been so long since I’ve hung out with Aron and Sarah that I didn’t even know they had a new couch (to which Joe replied, “Oh, they’ve had that for a while.”)
• Our backyard is a disaster and with all the strong winds and dry ground, the fence is wobbly and shifting
• Joe noticing a chip in my windshield (lets hope it doesn’t grow into a crack!)
• Allergies that have turned into a yucky cough
• Not getting to go out of town to visit my parents or some friends over the past week because I new that I needed to get my car fixed this weekend
• Haven’t had to chance to do all the things Liam needs, like nail trims, ear cleanings, and a visit to the vet
• Making some gross enchiladas for dinner this week, they were such a let down!

 

Baby Update

So, things are going well at the Mitchell household. Joe and I just celebrated our 4th year of marriage (although Joe sometimes jokes it’s more like out 12th year of marriage, since that is how long we’ve been together and known one another). Since I was in Seattle during our anniversary (Jan. 31st) we went out to dinner this weekend at Thai Tera. Then we had gelato at Whole Foods which was super tasty.

That baby is continuing to grow. We’ve only got 3 more weeks until we find out the sex of the baby. I think I may have felt the first movements (they tend to come sometime between 16 -22 weeks, although it is harder for first time moms to detect). At night, I lie in bed very still and poke my belly. I’ve felt some little bubbles in different spots. It feels like my stomach is going to growl, but there is never a growl and it’s never in the middle stomach area. But, I’m still not convinced because I could be making this all up in my head. The kids at school have started to ask me about having a baby, which is a little weird, but they are always excited and they want to touch. I have my appointment tomorrow, so I am looking forward to hearing the heartbeat.

  

16 & 17 weeks pregnant

Finally, I have to say I was so happy to come home to Joe and Liam. Joe brought Liam with him to the airport to pick me up and I was excited to get kisses from both of them. Joe said that while I was away Liam would wait for me by the laundry room door since I park in the garage and come in through that door. Joe had to tell Liam that I wasn’t coming home every night. It’s nice to be loved.

My two favorite boys!

 

The Secret is Out

I read an article on WebMd entitled 11 Don’t-Tell-the-Wife Secrets All Men Keep. Below is a snynopsis of the “secrets” that were un-earthed in the article. 

• Secret 1: Yes, we fall in lust 10 times a day — but it doesn’t mean we want to leave you
• Secret 2: We actually do play golf to get away from you
• Secret 3: We’re unnerved by the notion of commitment, even after we’ve made one to you
• Secret 4: Earning money makes us feel important
• Secret 5: Though we often protest, we actually enjoy fixing things around the house
• Secret 6: We like it when you mother us, but we’re terrified that you’ll become your mother
• Secret 7: Every year we love you more
• Secret 8: We don’t really understand what you’re talking about
• Secret 9: We are terrified when you drive
• Secret 10: We’ll always wish we were 25 again
• Secret 11: Give us an inch and we’ll give you a lifetime

I cannot speak to the truth of them, since I am obviously not the husband in the relationship, but overall I thought it was an interesting read. It did give me some understanding and appreciation for Joe. Besides, how can you not love a grown man who will still spraypaint your names on a car at the Cadillac Ranch?