Barefoot in My Kitchen and Not Pregnant

I had my backyard dream come true today. The kids had a morning playdate outside. I left the window open and listened for any cries that seemed to indicate loss of life or limb and made dinner, cleaned up, and had it prepped in the fridge for baking that evening. All before 11am. I am in love with my new home.

Our worldly possessions arrived on Friday. Well, most of them anyhow, and I unpacked the kitchen that first night. I loved knowing that I would wake up the next morning and push past the mass of boxes in my bedoom and closet to a box-free world of main living space. I could open any cabinet and find my flour, sugar, olive oil, wine glasses...and a lot of room to spare. Unpacking was like Christmas and grocery shopping all in one.

Our new furniture arrived just minutes before the moving truck so in one fell swoop, our house was becoming a home. As I try to decide where to place all my favorite prints and artwork, I'm realizing that the scale of these walls is totally different. I see a fun lets-have-the-kids-do-a-giant-art-project-in-the-yard post coming up. Hopefully it turns out that I can actually hang the result on our gynormous living room wall!

Taking a shower this morning, I realized that the only hitch is that the sparkly clean house we moved into would eventually have to be cleaned, and for the bathrooms, that eventuality is now. Ah well, the bliss of sparkly white porcelain couldn't last forever without intervention, right?

I haven't run since the half-marathon. Yikes. However, J and I have decided to train for, and run, the first annual Walla Walla half-marathon. I love how strong I feel when I'm running consistently, and have not yet gotten to the point of no return for the land of the in-shape, so tomorrow morning I have a date with the black top.

I got J's blessing to order the double Bob so that there are no excuses if we both want to go running and the kiddos aren't otherwise occupied. I can't wait for it to arrive! I had initially felt myself very small town minded when I decided to order the stroller from the local bike shop. Alas, they called this morning and said that their distributor was out of them until the end of August. Boo!

As for feeling powerful when running, there have been lots of other fun benefits as well. There are many aspects of your life that are more fun when you're in shape and feel more confident about your body...but one is especially fun.

Speaking of fun activities. With plans for a Baby #3 in the works around spring time, I started asking around about local OB's that will do a VBAC. To my horror, I found that the hospital here has a no VBAC policy. I was incensed, and immediately watched The Business of Being Born again, because instant play on Netflix is the best course of action, right?

I am only semi-joking when I say that a home birth is not far off my radar, as I can't imagine having surgery for no reason. I contacted my Massachusetts OB, whom I love and respect very much, and he said that a home-birth was actually not a bad option if the midwife I use has rights and back-up at the hospital. My husband is a doctor, after all! He also, however, encouraged me to be very proactive in talking with the hospital and advocating for my wishes. Now, this is all assuming that once I actually talk to my OB and explain that I've already had a successful VBAC and that doesn't change everything.

Get ready for one hi-larious birth story post if this wailing mama goes au naturel at home. Maybe we'd even use my sweet soaker tub and have the ultimate low-tone moaning experience of water birth. I am not making fun of home birth, or water birth for that matter. But, I know that those who know and love me are laughing at the thought.

On that note, I better go drink another fabulous crisp, cool glass of local Viognier (Cougar Crest, yummy!) as my oven timer is about to beckon.