52 weekends

I don't normally pay much attention to commercials, but the other day I saw an Enterprise Rent-A-Car commercial that says "You get 52 weekends a year. Make them count."

While I don't intend to rent a car in order to make the most of my weekends, the commercial did get me thinking.

We tend to spend entirely too much time sitting in our living room. It's about time we got out and enjoyed where we live.

Graham needs to learn about the ocean and hiking and the zoo. We need to go see the elephant seals and visit the monarch butterflies when they pass through. Or even just go walking on the Los Gatos Trail. Ride the Roaring Camp Railroads. Go to his first movie. Visit Gilroy Gardens. Walk to the library! City festivals, farmer's markets (Santa Clara's farmer's market is on Saturdays all year long!), the discovery museum, out to ice cream, more trips to San Francisco, the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Not to mention dates with Christian. Go to an opera. Schedule a weekend for Christian's helicopter lesson (thank you Groupon!). Kayaking in the Elkhorn Slough.

So here is my plan. I'd like to do something fun every weekend in 2011. Sure, we might have to miss weekends here and there if the kids are sick (or it has been an exhausting week), but the goal will be to get out and do stuff.

The living room is nice and all, but there is so much to do around here.

What are your suggestions?

Liam and the universe

There was an earthquake the morning Liam was born. I felt it in my hospital bed, and it made my day.

The next night was the lunar eclipse. Which happened to coincide with the Winter Solstice.

I think the universe was pretty excited about the arrival of my little baby.

post-baby race

While I can't exercise yet (heck--walking around still hurts), I've picked a post-baby race goal! I'd like to run the US Half Marathon "The Other Half" on April 10th in San Francisco. I don't plan to start running until after my 6-week check up, so that will leave me with only 10 weeks to train. Hmmm. Do you think I can do it? Do you think that's enough time? 10 weeks sounds fast. After I had Graham, I ran the Sequoia Trail Run after 10 weeks of training, but I ran up until 20 weeks with Graham. I didn't run at all during my pregnancy with Liam.

Pre-6-week check up: Lots of walking
Post-6-week check up running schedule:
Week 1: 1 mile
Week 2: 1 mile
Week 3: 2 miles
Week 4: 2 miles
Week 5: 3 miles
Week 6: 4 miles
Week 7: 6 miles
Week 8: 8 miles
Week 9: 10 miles
Week 10: Race day?

Runner friends--How would you lay out your training if you had 10 weeks?

where it all almost didn't begin

Because of our recent move, I often find myself driving through Sunnyvale on El Camino. When I do, I pass the In-N-Out on El Camino and Sunnyvale-Saratoga. Every time I'm reminded of how it all began. Or, rather, how it all almost didn't begin...

Back in the day (i.e. the summer of 2003) our friends all went to dinner to celebrate the lovely Jenni's birthday. You might also know her as Jenzel, Jenzel Washington, or JZ. At the time I was in denial that I had a crush on Christian. Just because he was the new cute guy in the group didn't mean I automatically had to have a crush on him, right? Right. Well Christian didn't show up at the dinner. I obviously noticed. Someone said he was on a date.

What? He was on a date? Meaning he had the option of asking someone on a date and didn't ask me?? Wait, I didn't have a crush on him so it didn't matter...

After the birthday dinner, we all headed over to Jenni's house to hang out. Much to my surprise, in walked Christian! Turns out he had been at work and just got out too late to come to dinner. He wasn't on a date. Phew!

(PS--He worked at Sherwin Williams, so if you ever have paint questions, hit him up. He's a jack of all trades.)

And he sat next to me on the couch. Didn't have a crush... Didn't have a crush...

Since Christian had missed dinner, he was hungry. Jenni suggested he go to In-N-Out. According to her it was exactly 7 minutes away. But he didn't want to go alone. Anyone up for going to In-N-Out? I was, of course.

So Christian and I jumped in his car for a quick trip to In-N-Out. That was the first time we did anything just the two of us.

It was the longest 7-minute drive, 10-minute wait, 7-minute drive of my life.

We had nothing to say to each other. NOTHING.

What a disappointment. Cute or not, I certainly couldn't have a crush on a guy with whom I couldn't even hold a conversation. Even at 21 I was smart enough to know that.

Luckily we kept hanging out in our group of friends and eventually conversation picked up. Eventually, I invited him to the Hollister Rodeo with Jayme's family. Technically Lenessa did the inviting. "I can't go, but Christian can. Right, Christian?" Thanks, Lenessa.

This time it was over an hour drive to the San Benito Fair Grounds, the entire time we were at the rodeo, and an hour drive home. We talked non-stop. And we've been together ever since.

I guess it paid to give things a second try.

big brother says we can keep liam

Graham gives Liam kisses. He barely gives us kisses, but he'll give Liam kisses. Looks like that means Liam can stay. (Graham also gives his new Elmo doll kisses. I can't stand Elmo, but if Graham likes him, Elmo can stay, too. If this Elmo doll talked, it would be a different story, but a plain old cute stuffed monster never hurt anyone.)

day 2 smile

Liam prefers to keep his eyes closed tightly, unlike his big brother whose eyes were wide open every time he was awake. Here are those elusive eyes.



And we caught him smiling. Just barely, you think?

meet baby liam

(Picture by my sister, Ashley)


Liam Colby made his speedy entrance into the world this morning! All 9 pounds, 6 ounces of him!

I love a good birth story, so here's mine in too much detail (true Molly style):

Friday was my due date. No sign of baby. My doctor stripped my membranes. Still no sign of labor. So on Saturday, I thought I'd take matters into my own hands. If running around a park could work for my sister-in-law, it could work for me. I took Graham out in the jogger and jogged 30 second every 2 minutes...for an hour. Honestly--it felt soooo good to be out in the misty air exercising. I miss it.

My big effort caused a whopping 5 or 6 SUPER mild menstrual cramps, and that was that. Bleh.



This morning I woke up to pee around 4:50 and realized I had a mild contraction. When another came within 10 minutes, I set up the laptop by the couch (my bed as of late) and started tracking the contractions. 20 minutes later, I realized they were coming every 5 minutes and lasting 2 1/2 minutes each time. So I called my sister and woke up Christian.

Within a half hour, Ashley showed up to stay with Graham, and the contractions were coming every 2 1/2 minutes. While Christian ran around getting a few last-minute things, I listened to my Hypnobabies* tracks while trying to relax. The contractions were so frequent and long that they barely left me enough time in between to pull my sweat pants only halfway up or grab my wallet and only start looking for my insurance card or mumble something quickly to Christian.



We got to the hospital at 6:30 (SO glad we just moved down the street). Christian answered all the questions while I ignored the world with my ear buds in.

3 or 4 contractions after telling the nurse I wanted to try for a natural birth, I thought "screw it" and told Christian to go tell someone I wanted an epidural. I think I thought things would move slowly like Graham's birth. I obviously wasn't paying attention.



They moved me to the delivery room and a nurse was preparing my IV while the anesthesiologist set up what he needed for the epidural. Before the nurse even had time to put in the IV, I had a strong contraction and grunted like a cave man as my entire abdomen pushed downward. Everyone in the room stopped and looked at me.

The doctor quickly checked me and I heard them say (over my headphones) "She's complete! Next time you want to push, just go ahead and push!" What???

{I was actually really relieved to find out it was too late to get the epidural. I had wanted to go natural. Deep down the pain relief sounded nice, but I was dreading dealing with the side effects like the shaking. Good riddance!}

So I pushed!!

And it was seriously such a relief to push. It was a way better than trying to relax through contractions.

Ah, the pushing. There was no point when I thought I'd die. No "ring of fire." I didn't yell at anyone. I wasn't even uphappy or in that much pain. Not bragging, just telling it like it was (and incredibly grateful it was what it was). It was so fast it was just exciting. At one point I really wanted the neanderthal grunting to stop for a second so I could turn to Christian and let him know I felt fine (in case he was worrying about me). But the grunting isn't exactly voluntary at that point, so I just grunted away and kept pushing. I was just in shock that I could feel the baby coming out the first time I pushed!
At 7:31am, after only 2 or 3 long pushes (and only 2 1/2 hours after my first contraction), I had this little guy on my chest. Correction: I had this HUGE baby on my chest.

It was nothing short of amazing, and I am in love.



*Note on Hypnobabies for those who are curious: It's a self-hypnosis natural childbirth method. I used it for Graham and it got me through 6 hours of Pitocin (at which point I opted for an epidural). It obviously really helped this time, too. Just when I'd get to the point where I wanted to writhe in pain, it would say something about releasing or about the pressure moving the baby down to where it needed to be, and I was able to relax and make it through the contraction. I barely made a peep until the big grunt, which I think is part of what surprised the nurses and doctor. The nurse even asked me multiple times after the birth what it was I had been listening to. If the birth hadn't been so fast, I may not have made it through with just the Hypnobabies, but I'm glad I did!

enjoying the season

I got some Christmas shopping done. I got a pedicure. I get to hang out with my Budkins all day long. Making a list of things to get done, but nothing on it is all that urgent. Life is good.

No sign of baby yet, but I'm ready for him now. I've been feeling MUCH better. Bring it on, baby.

Heeeeeere, baby, baby, baby...

(I hear one of my friends is in labor as we speak... So excited for her. And a little bit jealous. Not gonna lie.}

My tree wishes you all a very Merry Christmas. Isn't it beautiful?

39 weeks

the christmas tree

We love going to the mountains to find our Christmas tree. This year we brought little Miss Maisie along for the ride.

Both kids fell asleep right as we got to the tree farm, and we were the only people there, so we parked the car near the White Firs and snuck out without waking the kids.



We found the perfect tree within 5 minutes, just in time to hear the kiddos wake up in the car. I let the kids out to play while Christian cut down the tree. It couldn't have worked out better!

getting ready for Christmas

I may be tired, but...

The stockings are finished and hung with care.


The felt Christmas tree turned out great.




The decorations are up.


The tree is glowing.


The gifts are...well...lacking. (We've been a little preoccupied.)

I love Christmas.

from nesting to not caring

We moved. Success. We got a Christmas tree. Success.

And I'm finished.

As of 2 weeks ago, I had a million things I wanted to accomplish. Packing up our place. Moving. Decorating for Christmas. Getting a Christmas tree. Finishing making our stockings. Making that pretty felt Christmas tree decoration.

And I did it! With the help of others, of course. We had lots of help packing, moving, and unpacking for which I am incredibly grateful.

I had energy until Tuesday of this week. That night I stayed up too late, woke up every hour or so from indigestion or having to pee, and got up too early.

After that I pretty much shut down.

Luckily my mom was here on Wednesday and took care of me, Graham, and Dixie. (Not to mention she unpacked and arranged Graham's room and it looks adorable.)

I've felt sick on and off since then and am just past the point of caring.

We haven't even begun to unpack or arrange our own room, and I really don't care. We have the most beautiful Christmas tree. (We cut it down today! I LOVE it!) It's not decorated, and I really don't care. There are some things I need to add to my hospital bag, but my stomach is too upset tonight to actually get up and grab the stuff. I should probably write out some basic instructions for taking care of Graham before we run off to the hospital, but I'm too tired.

The nesting period is obviously over.

I'm so worn out I don't even want to go into labor. Really, who wants to go into labor when they're already exhausted? So I've been telling the baby to stay in a bit longer until I can muster up the energy (or will power) to push him out.

Is it bedtime yet?

homegrown gourds

The squirrels in our neighborhood ate our decorative gourds last Halloween and buried the seeds in my pots. This year about 8 plants sprouted on their own. I tried to grow them in various pots, but they really just needed to be in the ground. One plant grew (semi) successfully, and it yielded a whopping TWO gourds. Okay, make that one and a half gourds.

But look how cute they look on my little cake stand!



(The mini pumpkin was purchased at the pumpkin patch this year, and the green scale was my favorite find at the antiques street fair in Cayucos. I love it!)

A few more new gourd plants just sprouted a couple weeks ago, so I think I'll plant them in the ground here at our new place and see if they do anything. I know they won't want to grow during the winter, but this is California, so you never really know what kind of weather we'll get. It's better than just letting them struggle in pots, right?

and out goes the piano

Amazing what these guys can do. I'm trying not to watch...



{South Bay Piano Movers}

I'm gonna miss this

Things are about to change in a big way.

We're about to move out of what has been our home for the last 3 years--the only home Graham knows. We have made some wonderful memories while living here.

We're about to move away from our church congregation, which has served as a source of support and friendship for the last 6 1/2 years.

We're about to bring another life into this world, expanding our little family of 3 to what sounds like a big family of 4.

I'm going to miss a lot.

I'm going to miss my big round belly. I really do love it.

I'm going to miss feeling this baby move around inside me.

I'm going to miss giving all my attention to Graham.

I'm going to miss bringing Graham into our bed on Friday mornings so he can watch the garbage man out our window.

I'm going to miss hearing the crows peck at our skylight.

I'm going to miss our friendly neighbors.

I'm going to miss living so close to so many wonderful friends.

I'm going to miss seeing countless familiar faces at church every Sunday.

I'm going to miss Mountain View.

I'm going to miss running in my neighborhood and knowing the mileage wherever I go.

I'm going to miss being able to jump on the Steven's Creek Trail so close to my house.

I'm going to miss seeing the hundreds of people who take advantage of nice days at Rengstorff Park.

I'm going to miss this point in time.

Even so, I'm excited for the future. I'm excited to hold my new baby in my arms. I'm excited for Graham to have a brother. I'm excited to be able to reach my toes without grunting. I'm excited to start exercising again. I'm excited to get to know a new city. I'm excited to have a back yard and a garage and so many windows to brighten up our new kitchen and living room. I'm excited to have a bigger bathroom. I'm excited to have plentiful parking just outside our front door. I'm excited to be within walking distance of our new church building. I'm excited to attend church with my brother and sister-in-law. I'm excited to get to know new people.

I'm going to miss the way things were, but I'm looking forward to the way things will be.

weekend getaway in cambria

We had a lovely weekend in Cambria (about a month and a half ago... Yeah. I'm a little behind on the blogging). The weather was perfect. My pregnant self prefers overcast, foggy, cool, rainy weather, and that's just what we got.

We stayed in a cute bed and breakfast. However, staying in an old house also meant we could hear everyone else staying there. We're not picky about noise, but it was still strange. And the shower changed from perfect to super hot to perfect to super hot to cold and back to perfect. Then repeat. Ha.

Regardless, I loved it.

And we forgot our camera, so you get some lovely iphone pictures instead.

Ate lots of yummy food.

Spent too much time (and money) in antique shops.

Ate lots of candy.

Hung out in Cayucos--twice. (Such a cute little town!)

Chatted with fishermen.

Saw the elephant seals.

Visited Morro Bay.

Ate french toast and hot chocolate for breakfast both mornings!

Chatted with fellow guests at the bed and breakfast (including some who volunteer at a sea lion and elephant seal rescue center).

Lazily sat on the beach at Spooner Cove.

Used Christian as a crutch as I hobbled around on painful hips (ouch!!).

Ate more good food.

Went to bed nice and early both nights.

Had an amazing time hanging out with Christian. I sure like that boy.