Jane Ritchie

On July 11, little Jane Ritchie made a big appearance! Mary Abigail labored like a champ for many hours and then had a C-section because they were worried about the baby. Turns out there was nothing to worry about - Jane Ritchie came out screaming and apparently very alert. You'd never guess it from the sleepy visit we had with her this morning. It was nice to have time to catch up with MA and her mom who both seem to be holding up beautifully under the sleep-deprived circumstances. Jeff and I snuck a peach smoothie from Jamba Juice into the hospital figuring that MA would need a bit of yummy, contraband nourishment. We were right!

Tonight I made chocolate chip cookies for our buddy Nick who was also recently in the hospital. He had hip surgery and can't hardly get around these days. He specifically requested these cookies, so I have done something I swore never to do again following the past two years' king cake debacles, namely BAKING, and made him some cookies. My friend Tara helped me out by giving me an awesome tip on whole wheat flower and dark chocolate. Needless to say, Jeff and I have made a serious dent in the number of cookies originally intended for Nick. (Nick, if you're reading this, please ignore the previous sentence. I only added it for dramatic effect. The recipe I have for cookies only makes 5 cookies, promise.)

I'm feeling good these days. Very good, in fact. I've started going to pregnancy yoga diligently as we are nearing the finish line and I feel the need to stretch out as much as possible before my body starts doing it on its own. We're also swimming again thanks to Jeff's gift of YMCA membership. We went yesterday and had a wonderful time. Instead of passing me, Jeff would swim underneath me, which would make me laugh, almost causing me to lose my breathing focus, almost causing a serious chlorine water in the tummy situation! Fortunately, I held it together and enjoyed being in the water again. I swam the last lap very slowly, lying on my back, kicking softly, and enjoying the beauty and peace of the twilight Hawaiian summer sky. Life is good.

Metaversary.

On July 5, Jeff and I celebrated our fourth Metaversary. For those of you who don't know what that is, a metaversary is a celebration of the day we met! We are so lucky to have been together, more or less, since that day, and we love to remember the night that both of our lives changed for the best!

We had plans to go to Roy's (Thanks to our buddy Ragan!) to watch the sunset and have a nice dinner, but the leftover fatigue and, ahem, sunburn from the day before took it out of us after a full day of work. Jeff marked the occasion by bringing me a beautiful bouqet of roses and a family membership to our local YMCA! (We'd been talking about joining, but hadn't gotten around to it.) Instead of a fancy dinner, we went on a walk and spent the evening in conversation - much like we did four years ago. Of course, our house is much quieter than a bar and afterwards we went to bed together instead of Jeff walking me to my car. So sweet.

We did end up at Roy's this weekend to celebrate belatedly. It was so yummy and beautiful! Afterwards, we headed to McDonald's (!) for a taro pie and a hot fudge sundae. We never, and I mean NEVER, go to McDonald's, but Jeff has fallen in love with the taro pie after his first experiment with one a couple of years ago. They are only available here in Hawaii, so we simply had to try it. (Think apple pie with the purple, starchy Hawaiian taro root.) I am embarrassed to say that I have fallen in love with the hot fudge sundae and have consumed two in the past week! (I never had one until a couple of months ago - who knew they were so good???)

Fourth of July.

Let's act like I posted this last week, okay?

On July 4th, we caught up with our buddies Ken and Chris over on the Windward side. We always hang out with them on holidays - usually for some surfing - so we thought it only appropriate that we see them on the Fourth. It was so nice to see them and meet some of their cool friends. (They have the coolest friends.) Here's Ken throwing y'all a shaka!

One of their cool friends brought a stunt kite out to the beach. He had to stand in the surf to have enough room to fly it, which impressed me since the surf was not small. A couple of times he almost hit us and some other innocent bystanders on the beach. The best part, just like hanging out at the model airplane field, is when it crashes! Here's a shot of that...

Before everyone scolds me for being heartened by the crashing kite, let me say, "No kites were damaged in the making of this blog." Jeff the Pilot helped unravel the six-layered kite and get it airborne again. Then we all sat back and enjoyed watching the kite zoom around the sky.

The only problem with hanging out at the beach for a few hours is that, in order to do so safely, one must apply sunscreen. This is not new to Jeff and I, but somehow it was lost on us that day. It's as though my pregnancy amnesia took hold of both of us and prevented us acting like normal beach-going people who LIVE in Hawaii. Despite Jeff's best efforts (see below) we both ended up with super-embarrassing sunburns. We were, as my dad would say, triple-stupid.

Once we got home and lubed ourselves up, we welcomed our buddies Nick and Denice (the reigning king and queen of Hawaiian Mardi Gras) and their British friends Chris and Melissa for a Fourth of July barbecue. We did our red, white, & blue meal again this year: barbecue blueberry chicken, bleu cheese grits, and red cabbage cole slaw. Nick was full of compliments, saying that the grits were the best he'd ever tasted. When the Brits said they liked the grits he said, "These are the best you'll ever have." Yay! The best compliment of the night was, without a doubt, when he said, "Sarah, you've remained really normal during this pregnancy. You haven't, like, gone off the deep end." Excellent.

We walked over to the park across the street when the fireworks started down the hill. We could only see the largest, highest fireworks, but it was still a nice show. Fortunately, our entire neighborhood was full of fireworks, so we weren't at a loss for loud explosions and bright lights. Chris and Melissa were the hit of the night when they shared with us parts of the "Fireworks Code". Apparently, this code is used in Britain to teach kids about fireworks. Some of the tenants are, "Never turn your back on a lit firework. Keep fireworks away from animals and small children." It seems pretty straightforward, but I just love the fact that fireworks haven't even been legal in most parts of England for more than a couple of years and yet they have a multipart code that all children memorize!

Good Day (Part 1)

Jeff and I had a good day today. We headed to the North Shore for a full day of fun. First we stopped at Aoki's shave ice for our first taste of "Hawaiian snow cones". It's hard to believe that in three years we have not tried this Hawaiian treat, but it was worth the wait! Of course, I dropped most of mine all over the front of my shirt...

After shave ice, we walked next door to pick up some Hulihuli chicken to go. This is another typically Hawaiian food, with a sweet teriyaki flavor. When we asked for a half chicken, the woman started fixing us a to-go box complete with two-scoops-rice. (That's how it's said here. And EVERYTHING is eaten with rice.) Once she comprehended that we just wanted the chicken - a fact that was clearly not satisfactory - she picked up our half-chicken, put it in a plastic shopping bag, dumped hulihuli sauce in with it and handed it to us. Yum. Thanks.

By this time it was hot and time for a swim, so we headed to a little beach. I thoroughly enjoyed wading in the water, though it was too chaotic to swim much. I had a great time being tossed around like a feather (I haven't felt much like a feather recently). When I got out, Jeff snapped this shot. Check out the belly!

Good Day (Part 2)

After our swim, it was time for the main event: a polo match! Neither Jeff nor I have ever seen a polo match, so we decided to see what it was all about. We never really figured much out about the rules of the game, but we thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere which was nothing like I expected. The field is right on the beach, and you can drive your car right to the edge of the field for optimal tailgaiting. Jeff and I laid in to our chicken and tried to keep up with the ball.

We enjoyed the polo match and we'll definitely be back again. At halftime, some of the skydivers who had been landing all day at the airfield across the street, gave quite a spectacular show by landing on the polo field. I almost lost my chicken during this display because I was convinced that some of the skydivers were going to kill themselves. Turns out, they're actually pretty good at this.

We were ready for another snack, so we headed to our favorite eatery on the North Shore, Cholo's Restaurant and Margarita Bar. I love the atmosphere of this place, complete with chickens that wander around outside. I wish I could have had a 'rita, but I settled for two tacos and a bunch of salsa and guacamole. Butter Bean and I both left happy.

After a brief stop at the Surfing Museum, we headed home for blogging and our weekly dose of Family Guy. What a good day!

Happy Almost-Fathers' Day!

Yesterday, Jeff and I shared our first, and only, Almost-Fathers' Day! It was very special. We went to brunch with my cousin B.A. and his wife, Gayle, at this great new restaurant in Waikiki called MAC 24/7. I had read some great reviews about the place, and I just had to try it - especially because of the 14 inch pancakes that come stacked 3-high! Gayle and I did our best with a set of blueberry pancakes, but we only managed to eat about a quarter of the stack. Luckily, B.A. and Jeff were there to help us out. Here we are after brunch, full and giddy...

(By the way, I must confess that B.A. was quite excited about making the blog. I had no idea that so many of you are out there reading or I would have tried to be more entertaining. Until hearing from B.A. that he even shows the people in his office the blog, I thought my mom was the only one checking it most of the time. So, thanks for reading! And I hope you like my life, or at least laughing at my life. Either one is fine with me.)

Later in the day, Jeff and I checked out a freshwater reservoir up the mountain from our house. Usually the access road is closed, though we have hiked in once, but Jeff heard through the grapevine that yesterday would be open to the public. Turns out, three times a year, they allow catfish fishing in the reservoir to hold down the population. There were tons of dads and families lining the shore.

We met two very nice guys from the Department of Land and Natural Resources who gave us the scoop. We have to apply for a license, we can only take home two fish per person, and no live bait is allowed. At first I was bummed about the rule against live bait until the guys informed me that the rule refers to fish, not worms. So I can use my worms as bait! Yippee. The best part of the whole day was finding out that one of the guys is named Knut. Just like the little polar bear. I almost lost it.

We had so much fun here at the reservoir that I almost waited too late to make my Fathers' Day calls! Happy Fathers' Day to Dad, Peter, and Nick!

Onesies.

We have received some of the greatest baby gifts over the past few months! I am going to share some of them here, specifically my favorite onesies. For those of you who aren't familiar with baby clothes, a onesie is like a one-piece bathing suit for babies, only they can wear them all the time. Jeff hates the word "onesie", but I think it's cute. Besides, it's better than calling it a "baby bag", I think.

This onesie was a gift from our friends Jon and Jess. I love it because it totally brings me back to the eighties when I watched Dirty Dancing and danced in front of the mirror in my room. I had dreams of a strapping young man coming to sweep me off my feet by telling my family, "Nobody puts Sarah in the corner." Instead, Jeff swept me off my feet by letting me drive his Jeep off-road on our first date, but my little girl dreams are not lost! Thanks, Jon & Jess!

This one is little bit harder to read from this picture - and arguably in person. It was a gift from the Madden family and it's one of my favorites. The image on the front is a drawing of five little rabbits, bundled appropriately for winter in scarves and hats, and holding hands as they iceskate. My favorite part is the wording, which states, "Tandem on Ice: Skate-Rabbit Train". What? The only explanation I can give is that it's from Italy, so maybe they have words like skate-rabbit trains that don't quite translate! Thank you, Keenan & Cora!

This last one is probably my favorite! It was a gift from our lawyer-friend Laura, and is sooooo appropriate for little Butter Bean who will be born into an extended family of lawyers. Many of the onesie messages are pretty sugary, but this one is pure realism. Thanks, Laura!

Now I want to buy two of them and give them both to someone who has just delivered twins...

New Pillows.

I'm so excited by the new pillows I bought today! We have had such old, yucky pillows and I think they're part of the reason that Jeff's neck hurts often. The pillows and the fact that he's basically a giraffe. So, today I bought four new firm support pillows. Of course, now I want to buy all new sheets, too. It's hard to put nice new pillows in yucky, old sheets. These are my problems these days... So silly.

In other news, I'm getting bigger, but hopefully not at the rate of the last couple of months. I'm feeling good for the most part, except for when I sit down for more than a few minutes. Unfortunately, my new job is all about sitting and emailing, sitting and talking, sitting and eating lunch, sitting and networking. Fortunately, I'm able to hide the discomfort for the most part, at least I think I am. Besides, people aren't allowed to make pregnant ladies feel bad about shifting position all the time. It's not allowed.

Butter Bean is moving a lot these days and I can feel a lot of shifting position, less kicking. The moving around is a lot more interesting than the simple kicking. Kicking is more like, "Hi! Remember me?" Somersaults are more like, "I have NEEDS! It's too small in here! How come your insides are smooshing my outsides?!" We're getting pretty excited about meeting this little one, though, and thinking a lot about names and delivery. We welcome input on both...

Thank you!

In just a day and a half, you have helped me raise my goal of $250 for my Relay for Life event coming up in July. I am humbled and very, very thankful.

As a thank you, I promise to put up a picture of me dressed up as Madonna and Jeff dressed up as the lead singer from the Cure! Yay!

Relay for Life

I need your help! I am participating in the ACS Hawaii Corporate Team this year, and I want to raise $250 to help support cancer research and programs for patients. I have created a donation page for those who can give. Please CLICK HERE and give what you can!

This year, our team's theme is "Desperately Seeking a Cure" from the movie "Desperately Seeking Susan". That means that I have to dress up (you ALWAYS have to dress up at Relay!) as Madonna in the 80s. That's right, the big pregnant lady is going to be dressed up like Madonna at a time when she was definitely NOT thinking about covering up her midsection, or any other section of hers, for that matter. Jeff has agreed to dress up like the lead singer from The Cure and act as our fearless leader! (Get it? He's the cure that we're desperately seeking! Hahaha. What a good sport!)

The purpose of Relay for Life is to honor survivors, remember those who have lost their fight, and to raise money so that no one else has to hear the words, "You have cancer." Relay events are held throughout the night, from sundown to sunrise, to symbolize the dark times that many cancer patients and their families go through. The event is planned around a track, on which each team has a representative at all times.

My two favorite parts of the event are the Survivor Lap and the Luminaria ceremony. The Survivor Lap is the first one of the event. As cancer survivors of all ages walk the track, usually beaming from ear to ear, the rest of us get to applaud, scream, and celebrate their magnificent courage and strength! Later in the evening, we remember those we have lost to cancer in the Luminaria Ceremony. White paper bags with the words "In Memory Of..." are set around the track, lit from within by candles, and serve to remind us throughout the night of the urgency of our work to eliminate cancer as a major health problem.

For more information about the American Cancer Society, please go to http://www.cancer.org/ or email me with questions. The American Cancer Society serves all of us by funding more cancer research than any other non-governmental agency and providing top-notch services to cancer patients and their families. If you don't have cancer and you think you aren't affected by it, you can thank the ACS for the ease of getting a mammogram, Pap smear, and colon cancer screening - not to mention the recently discovered HPV vaccine.

Thank you for your support of me, and of the American Cancer Society. Even if you cannot give right now, consider attending a Relay for Life event in your area to find out more. More than anything, make sure that you're taking good care of yourself, getting regular screenings, and increasing your awareness of cancer so that hopefully you will never hear those terrible words.