It's That Time Of Year...

Wellie time!
'Cause Danskos can't quite go everywhere.

There are so many different names for them: mud boots, galoshes, wellingtons- and recently they have been produced in sooo many fun colors and prints! Dots, stripes, florals, plaids, and many more. My wellies are basic matte blue, because I got them at the feed store and not a boutique. So, to jazz them up a little, and to keep my tootsies snug, I'm sewing some dandy Wellie Warmers with a fun knit cuff.
Have fun splashing!

All's Jolly

I hope you all had a beautiful Christmas and a happy celebration of the new year.
We went to the Mallery residence for Christmas Eve. There was dancing, visiting, singing, lots of little children, and lots of glorious food which I unashamedly gorged on.
This is our family Christmas picture. Beg pardon the caffiene-fueled cheer. It's hard to muster all that festivity without a few cups of joe.

The next morning, we had such fun giving Sean his presents. He especially seemed to enjoy the jingle bell ornament from the Takahashis.





Then we got him all duded up in his fancy suit, which, incidentally, he was bursting out of.

See his little paunch puffing out? Yeah....
We don't have any pictures from New Year's Eve, because we spent it quietly at home, with pizza, a pint of ice cream, and Get Smart (Steve Carell is Ridge's favorite comedian).
That's all for now; unfortunately, the plans with the house are taking longer than expected.
Catch you later!

Photo Shoot(s)

The other day, before we took our walk down to the mail, I bundled Sean up in a fluffy suit Aunt Kathi had given him. It's a little too big just now.
Then, last night, while Ridge was editing video footage with Rem, I decided to take some more pictures of Bug in the bedroom. For not having much of a clue as to what I was doing, some turned out surprisingly well.
Why yes, I am obsessed with my baby- why do you ask?

p.s. to Mom and Dad: I'll give you guys copies of these tomorrow. :-)

Mr. McChubbins

My baby is getting fat. Of course, being fat at six weeks old isn't a bad thing. His chubby face is that much more kissable, his doughy thighs more squishable, his belly rotund and just asking for tickles.
He's also a very expressive little man. Sean has begun to give us genuine smiles and giggles, and thereby melting his Mommy and Daddy.

Just watching him makes me laugh. :-)

Yep. I'm in love.

There and Back Again

Don't you just love the fall weather we've been having? It's been gorgeous; the perfect blend of sunny and chilly.
The fun thing about fall is that, when it comes to clothing, you can start to get really creative with layers and rich colors. Knits, cords, velveteens, and all the other lovely textures entice in a way no other fabrics can. And guess what?
Now I can take full advantage of them (or at least, as my budget permits).
I've recovered from pregnancy and birth pretty well so far; I never got stretch marks, and by the time two weeks had passed, I was within three pounds of my prepregnancy weight. Now it's just a matter of toning everything up again. I've had great fun playing dress up with my old clothes, and eyeing new pieces for my wardrobe.
Our little Sean seems to grow and change every day. I love it when we make eye contact and he responds to what I say. His favorite things to do include looking out the window, "talking" to Daddy, and snuggling in Mommy's soft robe. Sometimes, when something tickles his fancy, he'll even give a couple little giggles, and I think he knows that I live for his smile.
Am I smitten? You betcha.
We are excited to be planning a trip to Philipsburg celebrate our anniversary in October. I am looking forward to having Sean with us, and hopefully he'll be proof enough to the lady at the B&B that we were not running away from home last year (as she asked us when we checked in; she didn't think we looked old enough to be married).
Last year we made such happy memories, and this year we will make more, I am sure of it. :-)

The Changing Lights and Shadows

Hard to believe, but summer and my pregnancy are soon coming to an end. There have been a few days that were uncomfortably hot for me, but for the most part we've been enjoying this season of sun, no matter how late it came.
I even got to swim a little, down at Wayfarer's Park (a site that is famous among Mallerys for marriage proposals, I have been enjoying the lake there since I was a little girl). Swimming when you are eight months pregnant is very different than at three or four months. At that point, no one could even tell; I hardly could myself. But now... well, let's just say I had to improvise a bit with the swimwear. A stretchy top, and a skirt I usually only wear to church became my ticket to the water. I may have looked like a runaway funeral attendant, but I got to get wet, and that's all that mattered. Some gals may be happy with wearing a bikini while pregnant, but, issues of modesty aside, the sight of my white, never-seen-the-sticky-side-of-a-wax-strip thighs is something I think all of humanity would gladly be spared of.
It goes without saying that I am looking forward to unpregnant swimwear next summer. In fact, I'm getting all giddy over unpregnant clothes, period. I can't wait to wear a pair of jeans that actually fit my rear end, not to mention dresses with a waistline!
Yesterday, I put away stacks of tiny diapers, and began filling out Sean's baby book, starting with the very first image we saw of him, at sixteen weeks. I hardly felt different at that point, but I'll never forget that overwhelming feeling, seeing a real human being, wiggling his arms and legs in there. Fearfully and wonderfully is what the king David described our fabrication as being, and to experience it first hand has made that truth so much more real to me. And if cravings suggest "what baby needs," it's good thing we confirmed the fact that our child is human, otherwise, I might have begun to think that we were baking a fruit cake in there, with all the fruit I've been eating.
Well, that's about all for now. I know I said there would be more pictures, but the one above is one that Ridge took, while we were out on one of our evening walks. If you haven't taken a walk at sunset lately, you really should.

"Question," a parody of "Human" by the Killers

This is a music video that Ridge filmed with his brothers & Mitch Underhill while I was out of town for the day. You can see that they have a lot of fun together.
We wrote the lyrics together last year, and it probably won't make a lot of sense. If you watch the original music video, ("Human," by the Killers) you might understand what Ridge wanted to get at here. His point is that, in an effort to sound philosophical, many artists have begun to just string together random thoughts and call it "music."
Anyway, hope you enjoy it!

Showers of Blessings

I had to add this cartoon afterward. I'm so glad I don't have to live up to these standards!I want to thank my mother, Carol & Megan Comstock, Barb & Anna Takahashi, and my aunt Kathi for all working together to make my baby shower so wonderful. The setting was so beautiful, the games were fun, and the food was yummier than it should be. Thank you everyone for making it such a special day for me!

More of Summer

Saturday was our third trip setting up shop at the farmer's market. I have really enjoyed it, now that I kind of have the hang of how to set up the canopy and tables. Ridge has been making prints of his pictures, and we've sold a few so far.
What I really enjoy is all the people watching I get to do, and the time I usually spend knitting. Since the market is in the parking lot of Kalispell Center Mall, Ridge lets me go and shop for awhile, on the condition that I bring him back a soft pretzel.
Then, we sit and just enjoy the morning, drinking coffee, meeting friends, and talking with other vendors. This last time, the gal next to us was selling organic produce, so we got some strawberries & snap peas to munch on.
The market ends at twelve-thirty, which means we can escape the heat and maybe catch a few yard sales before going home. We usually run a few errands, then come home, make iced tea or lemonade, and kick back until Ridge heads off to Rosa's and I prepare for Sunday.
As much as I'm looking forward to meeting our little man, I've been savoring these last few weeks of Summer busy-slowness we have of just the two of us.