The Best Stroller Deal Ever!

Jeff and I have been looking at baby gear over the last few months and waiting for good sales before making any purchases.  We've had our eyes on a particular stroller but everywhere we looked, the price was exactly the same - $299.  This month BabiesRUs sent us their monthly coupons and most strollers were 20% off.  We decided we'd go purchase the stroller but not open it just in case a better deal came along. 

So we headed to the BabiesRUS in Bellevue since it was on the way to our next destination, but we couldn't find this stroller in their display section.  We did, however, find one of these strollers in an un-opened box in the clearance section for $135 which we thought strange.  We asked a sales associate why this stroller (which we'd never seen for less than $299 anywhere) was on clearance - was it a floor model or a return? Nope!  Apparently they were no longer carrying that particular stroller at that particular BabiesRUs location and they were clearing out the inventory for that model.  What luck!  We purchased the stroller we had been eyeing for months at less than half the price we were prepared to pay that day!  You gotta love a good deal!  Here are a couple of pics of Pigsley in the new stroller (that's right - we already put it together and yes, I still treat the stuffed pig as family). 

The Good Ol' Days

Jeff found a really old version of battleship at a thrift store (along with a bunch of other crap!).  So we decided to play as it had been many years since either of us had even thought of the game.  As Jeff was reviewing the rules on the inside of the box lid, I found myself looking at the most hilarious box cover ever.  Take a look at the picture below!

 
Note the father and son playing the game happily while the mother and daughter (top right hand corner) do dishes in the kitchen.  The wood paneling on the wall is also nice.  I just can't believe they'd actually add the mother and daughter to this picture!  It's crazy!  If they sold this game in this box today, they'd be sued right out of business.  I guess times have changed!

Pigsley

In case you didn't think I was weird enough, I'm about to share something that will probably make most people doubt my sanity.  Oh well! 

Jeff usually buys me "after busy season" gifts on April and September 15th.  This September 15th deadline was particularly brutal and I had emotional breakdowns just about every other day.  As such, he gave me a gift each day for the last week leading up to September 15th.  On September 14th, my gift was a pig pillow pet.  I think pigs are so cute!! Which also makes me weird, I know.  Anyway, it's the cutest little stuffed animal and we decided to name him Pigsley. 

Since then, Pigsley has really become a part of our family.  It's like the child we never had (or at least don't have for another 4 months).  I snuggle with him at bedtime, he keeps me company while I work on the computer, he watched general conference with us, and we talk about him as if he has feelings.  It's really become quite humorous and yet, he's just so loveable and huggable that I can't stop treating him like a living being. 

A few mornings ago, I woke up and went to get out of bed.  There was Pigsley on his hind legs just waiting for me to get up - here's a photo so you can visualize:




Poor Pigsley feels left out!



What a sweet face

For a few seconds I absolutely forgot that he was just a stuffed animal and I felt so bad that he had been alone on the floor all night.  Then I came to and laughed histerically at myself for being so weird (while hugging Pigsley to comfort him, of course).  

Anyway, it's been a bizarre and hilarious addition to our household.  I think my psychologist brother-in-law might diagnose me as delirious if he knew about this.  But my own theory is that I've been so stressed, sick and exhausted lately that Pigsley has become a comforter of sorts.  He represents the baby I don't yet have, a friendly ear to listen when I need it, a shoulder to cry on each night...he's all that and more in one super soft, plush, and adorable package!    

Family Portrait

The Baby Bump

Despite the lack of posts this summer, Jeff and I have been tracking the growth of my baby bump with the intention of posting regular updates.  Maybe it's good I haven't posted in so long...this way all of the pictures will be right next to each other for easy comparison. 

7 Weeks



11 Weeks



18 Weeks



23 Weeks

Please disregard the "just woke up" or "ready for bed" look I'm sporting in most of these pictures.  I wore the black shirt thinking it would contrast against our wall best to show the progress, but I see to look pretty similar in each of these photos.  Oh well, the ultrasounds can be proof to those not in Seattle that I really do have a baby growing inside! 

Speaking of ultrasounds...here are the pictures from our 20 week ultrasound.  I go in tomorrow for a follow up ultrasound to check if my fluid levels have improved so we'll get to see baby again - hooray! 



Looking at the camera



The top pictures - the one where baby is facing the camera really creeps my out because you can really just make out a skull!  Yuck.  The other ones are much more fun. 


Groundhog's Day 2012

Why on Earth would I be posting in September about Groundhog's Day which is a February "holiday"?  Groundhog's Day is the due date for our first child!  That's right, we're having a baby!  And there's an 80% chance that it's a girl.  We figure those odds are pretty good, so we've already starting purchasing pink clothes and purple bedding (we'll keep the receipts just in case!). 

We're thoroughly excited!  Jeff and I both thought it was a boy, but the ultrasound shows differently.  Either way we're happy to welcome the new addition to our family.  Attached are our first pictures of baby girl for your enjoyment. 

 

Xi'an Part 2

The rest of our time in Xi'an was divided between parades at the city, the city wall, and an orphanage called Starfish.  The reason we ended up at that orphanage is because Brynna and Neil are in the process of adopting a Chinese baby who's been living in their home since October.  Baby Chloe was born with spina bifida and ended up at an orphanage (not Starfish but a similar one).  Birth defects are quite common in Chinese babies because of poor nutrition in the mothers.  The most common defects are spina bifida and cleft palates - both of which are easily fixed with just one surgery and some physical therapy.  Unfortunately, many of the people can't afford to care for special needs babies, so babies with defects are often abandoned.

Baby Chloe was part of a charitable program called Baobei.  The charity pays for the surgeries and organizes "Healing Homes" for the babies to recooperate in.  Brynna and Neil agreed to be a "Healing Home" for Baby Chloe meaning they dressed her wounds, do her PT with her, and take her to doctor's appointments.  She is such a sweet baby!

The orphanage we visited in Xi'an, Starfish Foster Home is similar to Baobei in that they take in special needs babies, arrange for surgeries, but then they nurse the babies back to health until the baby is adopted.  The home is run by an LDS woman, Amanda.  So we stopped by to pay a visit.  We were able to hold some of the little babies, which was very hard actually.  It was difficult to see their deformities and know that they have a difficult road to recovery ahead.  Since Starfish has connections to the LDS church, they have plenty of clothes and blankets (the LDS church doesn't send money, just goods).  What they really need is money to buy food for so many babies.  If you're interested in donating, here is the link below:

https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=5165

The link is Baobei:

http://www.baobeifoundation.org/index-2.html

   

Xi'an - Part 1

My favorite part of our China trip was our trip to Xi'an.  Xi'an houses the tombs of many emperors of China since it used to be the capital city.  The thing Xi'an is most famous for is the Terra Cotta warriors - the 8th wonder of the world discovered in the 1970s.  Some farmers were out in their fields digging one day and started digging up a ton of terra cotta clay.  They started investigating and digging more that led to the discovery of this world wonder. 

The first emperor of China, Emperor Qin, starting planning his tomb from the second he became emperor.  He had thousands of people crafting a clay army that would be buried in mine shafts surrounding his tomb.  The belief was that this army would protect him in the after life.  In total there are over 8,500 figures in this army including chariots and horses as well.  Each warrior has distinct facial features and hairstyles; no two warriors look alike.  Anyone who knew of the existance/location of the warriors was buried alive when the emperor died which is why the warriors were kept secret for so long. 

Many of the warriors were severly damaged when they were discovered, but they have been carefully pieced back together.  Only one warrior was fully intact when found - they call him the Lucky Warrior.  All of the warriors were painted; however, the paint fades within hours of excavation.  They are currently digging in other locations around the tomb for other figures which are buried.  They've found figures in several other digging sites only these other figures aren't warriors but rather entertainers - it's like a processional that would have preceeded the Emperor as he made his way into the city. 

The whole thing was really amazing!  I absolutely loved this part of our trip!

The Lucky Warrior