10 Week 3 Days!!

The ultrasounds are getting so exciting, lots of movement and definition. The doctor also told us that in three more weeks he will be able to tell us the sex.. WOW, this will be a long three weeks!

HaPPy BiRtHDaY tO AttICuS!!!!!!

It's true, Sir Atticus of Ainslie turns two today! Atticus, as I am sure many of you know, is my velcro. The second we got Atticus, we were smitten (me probably a little more...with "a little" being an understatement). A little bear cub that hated us for two days until finally feeling comfortable enough to roll over onto his back and snore. Little did we know this combination would soon become his trademark (Snoring and sleeping © of Atticus Industires). He has grown into a beautiful animal (sometimes resembling a bear and others a silver back gorilla...others a pain in the ...) and over the course of two years Atticus has become my partner in crime, my amigo, and aside form Gretel, my best friend. He is a constant companion, albeit a filthy, shedding companioin, but literally one that keeps me sane in an otherwise insane Philadelphia. Now that Atticus is two and Gretel is pregnant, he has made the sacred journey into manhood. He is gentle giant with Gretel (although I am still fair game for a little roughing up), and has begun to guard our house with pride, something he has never done until Gretel became prgnant. We are not sure if he would ever do anything, but let me tell you...it is a frightening sight if he doesn't approve of you approach to the house. As Lord Byran brilliantly stated about his Newfoundland, Atticus too is "Beauty without Vanity,Strength with out Insolence,Courage without Ferocity,And all the Virtues of Man without his Vices." So Happy birthday Handsome!! We love you and would be lost without you!!!!!

oNe YeAr DoWn. Woo Hoo!!!

It seem as if yesterday we moved to Philly, went to sleep, and woke up a year later. Time is literally moving at the speed of light. The first semester was a little rough (a little being a huge understatement), but this past semester was a blast! I absolutely adore my cohort...I really think I have made some life long friends here. My teaching assignments have been fantastic and I am happy with my academic performance as well. However, there will be one big change next year (as you know from the previous post). We will have a baby! Now I know having a baby during comprehensive exams may not have been the best plan, but we are thrilled!

One down and one to GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm pregnant!

So the first couple of weeks things were great no morning sickness, sweet!! Really what else could you ask for? That was short lived, not only do I have morning sickness... I have all day, all night and in between sickness. Food is a thing of the past, and vitamins?.. RIGHT! I think it took me five hours yesterday to convince stomach it was okay. Driving myself to work makes me car sick, not the best way to start out a day of work. With any luck this will pass in a week or so and I can spend more time being excited.
I am not the only one with growing excitement. Wes is so funny with the whole thing, his concerns started with the logistics of it all(anybody knowing Wes would not be surprised by this). For instance: "so.. how do you get a newborn home from the hospital?" and "what size of diapers will we need?". These are things I don't typically worry about but for someone having not so much experience its very understandable and very cute. I love it, I love when he wants to look at baby clothes and furniture and when he leave the room for ten minutes and returns with several more name ideas(good ones too!). The thing I have loved the most was hearing the heartbeat, yes I got emotional(I'm sure if you ask Wes this is not a surprise at this point but what can I say) but it truly was the highlight..so far. The due date? WOW, the 24th of Dec.. I know, I know, not so ideal for someone who works in retail but really a little too late to change this. No promises but the doc and nurses are sure its a boy..So much more to look forward to and and I feel like I will explode with the excitement, all I can say is ITS ABOUT TIME! Here a some pics until next time.

GrEteL is PrEgnaNt!!!!!!!

More coming soon....

Atticus is sick

Well, last night Atticus developed a hotSpot on his back leg. We took him to the the vet today and had him treated but he cannot seem to stop itching and biting himself impetuously. So tonight Atticus gets to wear a cone on his head. As the joke goes, "He can't lick or bite himself, but his hearing has improved!"

hAppY BiRTHdaY 2 GrEteL

Love you baby! Now where's the cake?!

SHiPwReCkeD iN PhILLy

For all of your Newfoundland dog needs...
http://lewisandclarknewfoundlands.wordpress.com/

Superbowl

Once again, I may be reading into this a bit too much, but for two people who are not all that into sports, we certainly are having impacts on the places we live(d) (I know, I am stretching a little with the Steelers; technically should be the Eagles). Just want to let the franchises out there know that Gretel and I are available for full time work as good luck charms (and no, you can't cut off our feet; that's just cruel).

UrBAn SceneS

HappY NeW Year EvErYoNE!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope 2009 brings everyone love, luck, and happiness!

Philadelphia Parking Authority...or the "PPA."

So for anyone who has seen that show "Parking Wars", the one about the Pennsylvania Parking Authority, should also know that the show is not dramatized for television; it really is that big of a problem. Literally the PPA (or in other words, disenfranchised, poor city employees) take money from other poor, disenfranchised people, who then give it to the wealthy city, who then re-distributes almost nothing back into the city it originally robbed from. This is a fairly easy conclusion to draw because most of the city looks third world/or like an underdeveloped state. The roads are terrible, the southeastern transportation authority (SEPTA) is extremely expensive (free to college students in Utah), garbage up to you ankles clutters the streets, and the residential buildings surrounding the city do not look like they need re-development, but rather burned to the ground. Yesterday Gretel and I had the “privilege” of being ticketed by one of these faux officers. We parked under a sign that stated, “Free two hour parking, except Saturday and Sunday.” We walked into a shop and three minutes later we were given a ticket of 26 dollars. I asked the officer why? The meters are turned around backwards (as if out of commission), and the sign states free two hour parking. He explained to me in a very self-assured way that the sign meant we are “free” to “pay” for two hours. Imagine that…free parking as long as you pay! I may not be the most intelligent person in the world, but by my standards that qualifies as an oxymoron. The officer then said, “Have you seen my show?” Outfitted with a huge smile, he further detailed his celebrity status to us. I asked him if I was supposed to feel better about being robbed by the city because somebody follows him around with a camera. I suppose his answer was yes, because all I got was laughter and a real clever comment,"I see your not from around here... well,welcome tho Philly." We certainly were having one hell of a time together. I then called to contest the ticket and after being hung-up on several times somebody finally did their job and held the line. Apathetically, the women gave me a hearing date of April 23rd. I responded by saying, “so we get to pay the ticket regardless of our hearing, considering we only have 15 days to pay it.” She said no, but that she also couldn’t guarantee that I would not be towed at the tune of two thousand dollars (which would then have to be contested as well through a separate division). So that is how Philly does it; they charge you 26 dollars or half of most people’s daily pay and then require more of your time to contest the injustice. So you lose the initial money, and then get to miss work, throw more good money at bad money, wait four months, and maybe, just maybe you will get your chance to re-appropriate your citizenship and re-collect your 26 dollars. Meanwhile, I suppose we will all thank our lucky stars we have a reality show that perpetuates theft from faux badges adorned with celebrity smiles. Philly, you’re the best!

"But thus do I counsel you, my friends: distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful!" (Frederick Nitsche)