El Nino: 7 months

I have an alter ego that comes out with my particular set of friendsin the kayaking community and it liberates me. I only do it around this one set of friends I met in 2004. They are all more eccentric than I and we certainly bring out the best in each other! So anytime they have a party, I am free to express myself with reckless abandon as they always involve a theme.. It happens to be Halloween and I was trying to figure out a costume this year. The option I was leaning toward was a Pregnant Homeless Girl with a cardboard sign, a cup for contributions and ragged clothes, but that was a bit too close to home. Instead, I purchased primary colored paint and commissioned a fantastic artist, Ms. Lisa, to do the work. I was hoping I wouldn't have any skin reactions.

This is my globe:



It extended all the way around, almost all the continents fit except for South America. N. America was our first continent and we ran out of room! If you look through the plastic protective layer (my friends like to rub my belly and would have destroyed the artwork) you can see the depth of the design and complexity of the continents with the appropriate colors for the geography, at least as much as a rush job could have hoped for! Lisa finished within an hour! I can't believe it turned out this well!

Happy Halloween and hope all is well! Enjoy the picture of my belly and little El Nino cookin inside!

Sandra :)

Two baby showers

Let me know if you would like an invite for one or both showers. I have a very inappropriate shower thrown by two good boater friends of mine and then a bit more traditional from my sister and a good friend.

Both are coed and will welcome anyone to join in!

Sandra

Getting over my fear of pregnant women

It's taken three sessions of a yoga class, surrounded by round women, to cure me of my unfounded fear of pregnant women.

They did scare me at one time, with their shape and my unfamiliarity with what it feels like to be them, but I have since embraced them. I am finally joining them in their roundness and knowledge of the hithc hikers we have looping around in our bellies, elbowing our kidneys and changing our ever strong yet feminine shape to welcome their growth. I do feel the density growing as he accumulates bone. he is around two pounds, healthy and active. Very active..

I do still wear my regular pants to work by crafting an extension from rubber bands for my buttons to latch to. I still wear the same pair of jeans at home (low rise), but there has been changes to my wardrobe for the season. I'm so happy to be in sweaters and cozy, soft garments. Although I will miss the whitewater this season, I am reminded of the short amount of time this will be until he will be on the water with us, showing us the latest moves..

I am meeting a photographer friend of mine and dropping a few bucks for commemorative pictures of the little man in utero. I wish to remember what my body has morphed into and savor the quiet moments while they last. :)

Friday, will be an update on health, weight and my 27th week. I don't have many more to go.