A very cool thing…

We were introduced to a new “sport” last Sunday.  Slacklining.  I’d never heard of such a thing until a couple of Sam’s lab partners invited us to join them at Lake Raleigh on Sunday afternoon.

This is Alex making it look easy.

This is Sam making it look easy. 

So it’s easy, right?  Not so much.  The guys pulled a nylon strap, about 1 1/2 inches wide, as taught as they could between two posts.  The contestants hop on, balancing themselves while trying to bounce or shake each other off.  The trouble is, once you actually get both feet off the ground and onto that little bit of ribbon, your legs wobble and you shake uncontrollably.  It really is amazing how it happens in spite of all your focused concentration, use of every conceivable balancing position, and a gritting of the teeth.  Let’s throw in exclamations of disbelief, too…as though that really negates physics.

Oh, and while you are expending all of your mental and core muscle energies just trying to stay on, your admiring compatriots are beaning you with hacky sacks.

 

I tried my feet at it a couple of times (the challenge is quite addicting), but Sam wasn’t so keen on the “two” of me possibly pitching to the ground.  So instead I got a kick out of  watching, snapping pictures, joining slyly in the “beaning”, and was burnt to a crisp.

 

A new attempt.  And they decided to scrap this one.

Now we know what we’ll be setting up once we return to Virginia!

Inside and outside…

“You’re sure, right?” 

Yes, the ultrasound nurse was absolutely sure and “hadn’t been wrong yet'”, though Tiny insisted on flipping, kicking and stretching for a while, keeping the nurse busy following those 11oz around trying to get a good look.

Sam’s and my inklings, Leah’s inklings, Susannah’s more-than-inklings, and many others’ inklings were all true!  In less than four months we’ll be bringing home a little GIRL!!!!  Yahoo!  We’re thrilled to bits!   So would you like to see her?

I confess I’ve never gone into raptures over friends’ ultrasound pictures.  Is that bad?  But I guess it’s the future mom in me that says, “Awwww”, and thinks Tiny is cute. :-)

Her little mouth is open….

This one is a bit difficult to make out, but can you see her little face?  The forehead is dark, the nose is white and one eye is fairly well defined…for a fuzzy ultrasound picture at least.

At 20 weeks and 5 days, Tiny is  asserting her little figure more and more and slimming down my wardrobe.  Waistbands and I are rarely on speaking terms and maternity shirts are my new best friends.

Happy “Mamma”, and happy “Dad” who has regular chats with the bump.  I have a feeling that Sam won’t have to wait for a boy….Tiny and he will be in cahoots together, blowing things up in the backyard…and very soon.

Boy or Girl?

Today is the day!!!!!!!!!!!  The day I have waited for…..I should say patiently.  That is what “they” say in the books.  The hero or heroine is the epitome of sweet forbearance and patient submission to events that transpire, working tirelessly for the good…always.  Um, maybe that’s why it never crossed anyone’s mind to use me as inspiration for a heroine.

Mine was a wait of nearly unbearable impatience, trying not to fuss at slowly moving days and plodding, meandering minutes.  But in just a few minutes, Sam and I will drink in Tiny’s form on that monitor and I can stop bouncing about impatiently and begin bouncing about with new excitement and energy.  Let the fun begin!  (And let me drag out all of my patterns, yarn and fabric.)