USS New Mexico (SSN 779)

Tweet The PCU (pre-commissioning unit) New Mexico is officially the USS New Mexico.  She belongs to the Navy!  The ceremony was held today in Norfolk, VA.  Chris is the official first Officer of the Deck and has a small role in the ceremony, ensuring his place in naval history!  It was very touching.  If you'd like to watch the full ceremony (approximately 45 minutes), it is available here.

Last night, the Commissioning Gala was held at the Waterside Marriot in Norfolk, VA.  Many New Mexico related gifts were given to the boat and there were various speakers.  Since I'm still just hanging around being pregnant, I decided to go with Chris.  Luckily I had ONE dress that actually fit & would work for semi-formal attire.  Other than free food, the highlight of the evening was having Donald Rumsfeld tell my husband that he married way out of his league.  That was music to the ears of this 10 months pregnant lady!

All I need is a little patience...

Tweet Well, my EDD has come & gone and there is no baby outside of the womb.  I am still healthy & feeling pretty darn good and Klaw is doing just fine, too.  I am still measuring 39 weeks which is keeping me from worrying about having a super-sized baby.  He is just not in the mood to leave the womb and I'm not ready to evict him.  Maybe something needs to cook a little longer.  Maybe he's just late like his Dad & stubborn like his Mom.  Maybe this is just a lesson in the futility of plans and the inaccuracy of "due dates."

For the record, walking DOES NOT induce labor.  I walk 2-3 miles a day...obviously, it's just for my health or Klaw would be here by now!

Let's get this show on the road

Tweet The USS New Mexico arrived home safely yesterday and I'll get to see Chris tonight!  He had duty, so his personal homecoming had to be postponed by a day.

I'm 39 weeks pregnant as of today, so I am perfectly fine if Klaw would like to move out of my dinky little uterus & into our big ol' house even though I don't plan on evicting him unless it's medically prudent.  Plus, it would be nice if Chris actually has the chance to meet his son.  Yes, Chris will only be home for a limited amount of time (BOO HISS!).

Here's a link to the USS New Mexico if you are interested in learning more about this brand new boat.

Just Call Me Cleopatra

Tweet 'Cause I'm the Queen of Denial

Well, I finally have a baby tub & some wash cloths.  I just finally ordered some nursing tanks and Klaw's "Boob Man" hat.  Klaw's diaper bag is mostly packed except for the camera.  My hospital bag has two outfits packed and I finally bought some slippers so I don't have to walk around barefooted (although, I'm really hoping the hospital will give me some of those non-slip blue sock things...I love them).  I made a HUGE BJ's run this past weekend and just stocked up on some other necessities from Wal-Mart and I'll hit up some grocery stores this weekend.

However, I still haven't set foot in the hospital for a tour of the maternity ward/women's center.  I literally live 5 minutes from the hospital and pass it nearly every day.  All I have to do is place a call & find out if they have a room available for me to view and someone available to give me little tour of the place.  I readily admit I have a mental block when it comes to hospitals.  I hate 'em.  I have spent more time than I would like to in a variety of emergency rooms and, regardless of my treatment, I associate hospitals with all kinds of horrible things.  I know I need to get over it...soon.  Very, very soon.  My doula did remind me that even if I don't visit beforehand, I'll still end up at the right place when the time comes...

What I Wish for My Son

Tweet I'm sure everyone has hopes and dreams for their children.  These are mine:

I wish for my son to never doubt how much he is loved.
I wish for my son to know that his home is a place where he can feel safe & secure.
I wish for my son to learn how to love and respect other people through the example of his mother & father's love and respect for each other.
I wish for my son to respect himself.
I wish for my son the ability to express his feelings without fear or doubt.
I wish for my son to learn that what you own is not who you are and that who you are is far more important than what you own.
I wish for my son to understand that, although he is one small part of a much larger community, he can and will impact the world around him in some way.

and...with a nod to my husband:

I wish for my son to be left-handed and the best pitcher ever recruited by the Chicago Cubs.

Maternity Photos

Tweet My friend, Holly, & her husband, Beau, have entered the world of professional photography with H&B Photography (you can become a fan on Facebook!).  Beau is currently serving on the USS New Mexico with Chris and Holly offered her services to me for some maternity photos while the guys are away.   I gladly accepted, even though I don't particularly feel like a "model" right now.  As it turns out, her photos of me at 37 weeks made me feel better & prettier than I have in quite a while and I am sure Chris will appreciate "proof" of my last few weeks of pregnancy that he may or may not be able to witness for himself

If you'd like to view the photos, they are posted here.  I have a select few posted on Facebook, but this is the complete set.

USS New Mexico in action

Tweet It's not often that you get to see submarines in action and actually learn what they are doing, but the Navy posted a pic of some fairly recent training activities somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.  So, if you are wondering what Chris is doing these days, here's a pretty cool picture.

UPDATE:  If you look at the hi-res version of the picture, you can kind of see two people on the bridge.  One of them is my husband!

peaceful parenting: Until the Violence Stops!

Tweet peaceful parenting: Until the Violence Stops!

Just a heads up - the image in this blog piece really disturbed me.  It's not graphic by any means, which almost made it worse for me.

Chris & I decided to keep Klaw intact based on our own research into the realities vs myths of circumcision and, also, what the procedure actually entails.  It's not my place to tell anyone else what decision to make on this issue but I think it's important for parents to be fully informed before they make a decision that will affect their child permanently.  The fact that it is now a "decision" and not "routine" is a step in the right direction.

What Dr. Sears has to say...

This is a touchy subject and I don't care to debate something so personal, so I'm not allowing comments.