Boy, Oh Boy!

Well, only about 2 and a half weeks to go! Starting to freak out a bit at the idea of becoming a parent...Can't really believe there is a little guy inside of me that will soon be out!! And don't get me started on that part. We took some birthing classes and a tour of the hospital this month. Both were informative and eye opening! Anthony has been practicing his massage techniques, I downloaded some meditation music, and have started to pack my hospital bag. But, with my memory these days I am sure I will forget one or more of these items.

Baby Jackson has dropped and is getting ready for his big appearance...I am not so sure I am ready, but do I have a choice?? This is all very real lately....

Got to see his face in a sonogram yesterday. It was very fuzzy and his hand was in front of it for most of the time. Maybe we have a thumb sucker!?!?

It is hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving is next week already! Time flies...when you are 8+ months pregnant and waddling down the sidewalk!

~crystal

Stuff I never knew existed...

If you thought that the wedding industry was a complete racket, you can't imagine the number of ways that the baby industry can separate you from your hard-earned money. Every day I learn about a new item that I didn't know existed, but would fail miserably as a parent and human being if I didn't own two of them. Babies - the new hot accessory.

For example, they have baby wipe warmers. When I was a baby I don't think they had baby wipes, now they have warmers for the wipes. There are devices to help your child learn to walk, head and back sleep positioners (even though newborns can't actually roll over), bottle sterilizers (does it matter if the bottle is sterile if the baby is putting any and everything in their mouths?), pee pee tee pees for baby boys. The list goes on an on.

Our first trip to Babies R Us was an eye opening experience. There is an entire wall dedicated to baby slings, fancy stroller displays that resembled a new car showroom floor and every sort of gadget that I've never heard of.

Have I found the strength to fight against this? Heck no, I don't want to be a failure as a Dad, so I've got to have my baby pimped out in Adidas shoes and Tony Hawk style kneepads to protect his knees while crawling across the floor. And yes, I have already paid more for a t-shirt that the kid will probably wear once before outgrowing than I did for my last pair of shoes. So that's how it's become a $7 billion dollar a year industry!

Trick or Treat!!

Well, I am not usually one to get dressed up on Halloween, but this year I had a great idea and friends to go out with. We had some friends in town from Arizona, and even though Anthony was home sick I braved the crowds of the city and hung out for a bit. It took me an hour or so to paint on my 8 ball and then an hour or so dry time. I wish I could take credit for the idea, but I found it online.

Thanks Amanda, Kelly, Sergei, and Mike for a great evening out!!!

~crystal

Crossing the color line....finally!

YES WE DID!!!

Our neighborhood erupted in celebration as did the rest of America!! I was overcome with such emotion, it really surprised me. Maybe it is the idea of progress. Maybe it is the idea of equality among men. Maybe it is the FACT that our son, Jackson, will now grow up in a world where he knows now boundaries, that anything is possible. As a mother, nothing made me happier at that moment.

It took us nearly 3 hours to vote yesterday morning, but it was well worth the wait and experience. I have a horrible head cold right now and I am sure I managed the whole voting event on pure adrenaline! It was a day Anthony and I will never forget and will pass on to our son as he will be directly affected by the outcome of events of the day.

Dr. Henry Louis Gates wrote a great article that states what I feel so much more eloquently than I ever could. http://http//www.theroot.com/id/48731?GT1=38002 Thank you to all of you who made this day possible...those of older generations who struggled through the Civil Rights movement and those of today with hope for a change. Thank you, not only for me and my family, but for the future generations to come.

Enjoy!

~crystal