Baby Stuff...

Crib/dresser/mattress/sheets: check

Car seat/stroller: check
Pack n Play: check

Swing: check
Bouncer: check

Awesome Diaper Bag: check

(Okay, so maybe this is more for me than her, but it is a necessity)

Adorable outfits: check, check, and check (and not all pink, might I add)

We have one spoiled little girlie on our hands. What's left? About a thousand other small things over the next 2 1/2 months and oh, yeah, giving birth.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

While out for a stroll last night, Daniel and I witnessed possibly the most intense fight we have ever seen. An argument all in sign language! Emotions were high, we could see the intensity in the words flying back and forth. Both parties were furiously signing, sometimes making slapping noises as their hands came together. I am not kidding; it was a little scary. Daniel almost stopped to see if there was something he could do to help. Then we realized that collectively we can sign "I love you", "more", and the letters c,a,r,l,y,j,o,h, and n. Probably wouldn't have been much help. Hope they worked it out.

*By the way, yes, we did go on a walk last night. 2 whole miles! By the end my hands and feet swelled to the size of an obese woman's, but I'll take that. I am just happy to have my walking partner back. He's not 100% yet, but he wanted me to publish to the world that he can bend his knee to 132 degrees! Ask him what that means. Apparently it is a good thing.

More From Carly in 1994...

"Feb 27, 1994- I feel ashamed of myself. I haven't written to you in so long. Tonya Harding got to skate in the Olympics. Oh you don't know about the conspiracy. The conspiracy is that Nancy Kerrigan got hit in the knee on purpose with a club and that broke her knee cap. The person who hit her was Tonya Harding's body gaurd. She told the press she didn't know about it. Then she confessed she did. Then they let Tonya Harding skate in the Olymics. Good thing she didn't win a medal. Nancy Kerrigan got a silver medal! Occsana Baiul got the gold medal. She's only 16. None of her relatives are alive. So she has a very sad life. She lives with her skating coach. Wouldn't that be awful. Not to live with your skating coach, but have no relatives? But the people who she lives with now are like her real family. Love, Carly."

Hunter...

We got to babysit Hunter last week. He is amazing.

Right before he shot poop down his right leg.

Still Kicking! (Well, the left leg anyway)

A pictorial essay on Daniel's knee surgery

The night before surgery. All smiles.

In pre-op, after having his leg hair shaved.

In post-op. His surgery was over at 3 PM. They didn't release us until 6:30 because Daniel's pulse wouldn't stay above 45 bpm (that's beats per minute for all you un-medically inclined). I had the same conversation with Daniel about 5 times as he went in and out of sleep. I got a few dirty looks from a male nurse when I started laughing and taking pictures of my slow-pulsed husband. What else was I supposed to do for 3 1/2 hours?

Leaving the hospital. I should have turned to the side so you could see my big belly. When I was uploading these pictures Daniel asked who took this picture. He has no memory of it.
(Carolyn- Daniel owes you another birthday phone call. We discovered yesterday that he does not recall talking to you at all.)

Day after surgery. Here's the story: Daniel had physical therapy and I had a baby doctor's appointment at the same time, across the street from each other. Unbeknownst to one another, we got out at roughly the same time. Daniel attempted to crutch down to my doctor's office, while I got in the car and drove to his. I got this great shot when I circled back to get him.
Zoomed. He looked so sad and pathetic, I just had to take a picture. I promise I haven't spent the past 2 weeks laughing at Daniel. Too much.

Sweet set-up. Daniel has occupied the coveted corner seat of the couch since surgery. The blue tube and brace are Daniel's icing machine. While I am happy to say Daniel is not addicted to his pain medication, I think he may be addicted to this. We have spent about $25 on ice. We pushed the ottoman up against the couch so he can have his computer, drink, food, and medication next to him at all times.

Bruising. A few days after surgery Daniel's leg was covered in bruises. It is hard to tell how swollen the top of his knee is since you can't see his other knee. Trust me. It is big.
But maybe not as big as his foot/leg. How can you not laugh at this?

For those of you interested in more....
Details on the surgery/recovery: The surgery went very well. Daniel had a 100% healthy knee besides the ACL tear. His patellar tendon (what they made the "new" ACL from) was plenty big enough. Apparently he has very dense bone. His doctor raved about his bone density, even at his follow-up appointment yesterday. They normally screw the "new" ACL to the bone with biodegradable screws, but for people with dense bones like Daniel they use titanium. His recovery is also going well. The first few days were a little rough. We were both exhausted from pain/discomfort/lack of sleep. Some of it was related to surgery, some to pregnancy. Luckily, we had numerous meals/slurpees/snacks brought to us by our wonderful friends. (If you are still reading, THANK YOU) I have already bragged to many of you about how his physical therapist is amazed at how fast Daniel is recovering. The day after surgery he was doing things that most people don't do for a month. That's my husband! He is working hard, going to physical therapy 3 times a week for the next few weeks since rehabilitation is most important right after surgery. The swelling and bruising has gone down significantly. He barely uses his crutches.

Long Overdue...

(No pun intended with the title there.
I am still 3 months away from my due date.)

24 weeks and huge already...

Last month Meredith and Alicia threw me and the girlie a shower. (Girlie is her name for now. I used to say it just because Daniel hated it, but then it stuck. Now Daniel calls her that too.) The shower was a complete success.

My definition of a complete success:
1)Good Food
2)Good Time
3)Good Presents
4)Good Company

1)Good Food- The food was delicious. If I am fed, I am usually happy.

The spread
Enjoying the spread

2. Good Time- I tend to really hate games that are played at bridal and baby showers. Meredith and Alicia made up their own fun and NOT cheesy games. They were great for 2 reasons: 1)Alicia acted out movie lines in the first game and 2)I got presents in the second game, regardless of how I performed. Which leads me to my next point...

3. Good Presents- Like I said, the key to happiness with me lately is food. Throw in presents? I am ecstatic. Presents that make it so I may spend slightly less than and arm and a leg on this baby? Elated.

My little girlie made out! She got tons of great presents, from the practical (not to mention expensive) gear, to adorable outfits and essential baby supplies. She and I both are feeling much more ready for her arrival. Thank you so much everyone!

4. Good Company- Shower attendees came from all across the country. Well, really, just my mom and mother-in-law flew in, and then a family friend happened to be on vacation in Utah, so she came. A few people came in from places as far away as Salt Lake.
Here are pictures of some of the attendees:
Girlie's aunt, grandmother, and first cousins once removed.
Intramural wives. As in, our husbands play every possible intramural sport and sometimes force us to play also. The 5 of us will have had babies within 9 months of each other (Marian, Lincoln, Ella, Hunter, and our girlie).
A few of my relatives who came. Apparently the picture warranted folded arms only! Somehow we didn't get any pictures of the Stacks.
Jules, a childhood friend. She is moving back to Provo and she is going to babysit girlie whenever we need her to, right?!?

Like I said, complete success.