Natural Consequences

We have a feeling that the habit of the dogs getting into the dishwasher has been broken.  Last night Tucker was licking something in the dishwasher and his collar or tag got caught on the rack. In his panic to free himself, the rack shot out of the dishwasher and plates clattered everywhere. Mike had to unhook him from the rack and he immediately went and flattened himself on the couch.  During the process, he opened a stitch in his foot which required us to drive him to the vet to have it checked out.  He's fine.  But neither dog has gone anywhere near the open dishwasher since.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone!  We hope you enjoy the company of good friends and family.  We feel very blessed to have all of you in our lives.  

Love,

Mike and Diane (Olive and Tucker)

p.s. Don't ask why the girl dog has the hat with the beard.

Sir Limp a Lot

Tucker ended up having surgery on his foot last Friday.  After evaluation, he also had 6 teeth extracted.  Saturday he was a pitiful lump.  By now, he's mostly recovered but still limps a little. Stitches will come out next week.

Christmas shopping is finally done.  We need to do a little more wrapping.

Mike is working today and a half day tomorrow.  Christmas Eve plans include a big vat of chili and s'mores.  We hope to toast marshmallows over the fire pit but weather might force indoor s'mores.  That is all contingent on me not eating all the marshmallows straight out of the bag before then.  Made the mistake of opening them!

Is it really almost Christmas?

I feel like such the slacker lately.  Everything seems to be sneaking up on me.  It can't really be the middle of December already!?! Can it?  

It has been a while since I've blogged too.  

Tucker is still having issues with his paw.  We're going back to appointment number 3 regarding the growth on his foot.  Mike is convinced he'll need surgery.  Just what I want to do at Christmas time.  Take care of a convalescing dog.  He is really a very wimpy and needy little guy.

We've finished most of our shopping and ordered our Christmas cards.  They may not make it to everyone by Christmas.  If you live close by, the odds are better for you.  

Friday is the last day of school until Jan.  Yay!  

Been going to the dr. every two weeks.  Everything is going great.  Nothing much to report. Baby moves around all the time but I still can't decipher what lump is what.  (Butt and head are pretty much the same)  

We love getting all of the holiday cards from everyone and love to hear all the news!

We'll try to keep up as well.  But you know, things are going to be getting a little busy around here.

Vet visit number ?

Poor Tucker Boy!  Mike noticed he had a red spot on his paw.  It turned out to be a rather large growth between his toe and paw pad.  So off we go to the vet - AGAIN!  The doc looked at his foot and also his goofy tooth (that's the tooth sticking out on the bottom - see pic above).  Both were assessed ($100 later) to be wait and observe problems.  The "tumor" was needle biopsied and is benign and the tooth hopefully will fall out on it's own.  At least we know it's nothing serious.  But I can't tell you how many times that poor dog has been to the vet.

Here's Olive and her goofy teeth.  That's the result of having 

advanced periodontal disease and having 20 teeth pulled!

Thanksgiving Weekend

We enjoyed a simple, small family Thanksgiving just the two of us.  Mike was able to get the painting done on B-Dub's (Baby Wharton's) room.  It's pretty bright!  Next step, we'll get the crib set up.  

We braved Black Friday to try and get a good deal on a new digital camera.  Fry's was CRAZY! That was a quick trip.  Circuit City was manageable.  We ended up with a nice little camera.  

Eddie Money?

We had a wonderful dinner with the Sagans, Pam and Bill.  (Diane was their nanny in Minnesota.) Mike hadn't spent much time with them but he is well versed on the tales (Halloween blizzard story, anyone?), it's almost like he was there.  

Dinner at Evvia in P.A. was delicious and the company and conversation made everything that much better.  It's amazing to reconnect with people from your past and pick up like no time has gone by.  And all of us felt like it had taken way too long to finally see each other but no one took it personally.  Those are the best kind of friends!  We're looking forward to seeing the Sagans again maybe even some of the kids, too!

I can't believe I forgot to mention Eddie Money!  (My famous answer to Bill's inquiry:  Who sings this?).  

Yes, we have bananas

Technical difficulties:  For some reason I couldn't post just one!  See previous post for an explanation of the pictures.

Destruction and Reproduction

It's been awhile and I have some catching up to do.

We had another fun pumpkin carving party.  The halloween decorations seem to multiply each year.  We added another spider and more cobwebs as well as a skull.  I'm sorry to report we did have a casualty this year.  In the dead of night, sometime before Halloween, our crow (sorry, he didn't even have a name) was ruthlessly attacked by an unknown assailant.  Although his red eyes still light up, he will be retired this season.

On a lighter note, we're having a bunch of bananas.  Our banana tree has reached the ripe old age of 2 and is reproducing.  Check out our bananas! (Oops!  You can't check out what you cannot see!  The photo won't upload.  I'll try putting it on it's own post.  Keep a look out!)

Baby update:  3rd trimester starts this week!  Everything is going well.  Mike treated me to a pregnancy massage for my birthday at a local spa.  Very nice and relaxing.  B-Dub continues to move, kick and punch a lot.  We can now see movement from the outside.  The other day I was reading with a student but having a hard time listening because I was watching my belly move. We've picked out a few paint samples (blues and greens) and Mike will get to that soon. Eventually we'll even get a crib.  

Project Central

This has been one of many weekends full of projects.

Bathroom:

painted - $55

towel racks installed - $30

dog training session - $200

cobweb and spider installed - $4.99

cookies baked - $4.89

Search for babies first outfit - ongoing

trip to Sprinkles Cupcakes - $13

Enjoying the Sprinkles Cupcakes at the end of the day - priceless - yum:)

Diane recommends the red velvet and Mike says try the carrot cake.

Seattle Weekend

We took our last planned trip before baby.  Our friends, Liz and Jacob's little boy is turning one so we flew up to Seattle to celebrate with them.  We had a great time and got a little insight into having a one year old son.  Knowing that they've had a year to break him in, he's a wonderful little guy.  We're excited about vacations together as the boys grow up.  While we were there, I felt the baby move in two places at the same time.  Apparently, kicking the bladder isn't good enough when you can punch and kick at the same time.  Oh, joy!

I also got to have a lovely breakfast with my great friend, Adrienne.  There's nothing like great philosophy discussed over bennies and french toast.  

It's not a trip with the Hendrickson's without going shopping so we went to the kid Crate and Barrel, Land of Nod, which we don't have down here.  I bought some Eric Carle animal alphabet cards to use as a border in the babies room.  Very cute!

Baby Boy now weighs as much as a large mango!

Baby's room

Those that have seen our seemingly random and pacifier filled Babies R Us Registry are probably wondering if we have any particular theme or colors in mind for the baby's room. Here's a picture of the rug from our Pottery Barn Kids registry.  We have a few items (compared to the other) on a registry list there.  The colors of the room will work off the rug.  

We hope to find a nice blue for the walls.  Can't decide between white or chestnut colored crib and changing table.  It feels like time will start to pass quickly and we won't be ready!

Baby is now the length of a spaghetti squash.  

Sooo tired!

Just got back from a marathon session of baby registering.  We basically need everything!

Note to Babies R Us:  Don't challenge us to register for at least 100 items.  We've got all day and a barcode scanner.

We may be too exhausted to put up Halloween decorations now.  After a snack and a rest, we'll probably get to it.

We'll be gone in Seattle next weekend visiting our friends, Liz and Jacob and helping them celebrate the first birthday of their son, Jack.  

Then one more weekend before our pumpkin carving party.  Time does fly.

The websites are now comparing the length of the baby to common fruits and vegetables. We've gone through banana and carrot.  We'll see what this week brings!

I Shaved My Legs

The bathroom is officially finished.  Yay!  I can't really tell you how long it took.  It seemed like forever.  Judging from the hair growth on my legs - at least a month.  (I cannot stand and shave!)

It's wonderful and clean!  We just need to choose a paint color and Mike can get started painting the walls.  He also needs to be in town and not playing in a softball tournament.  It may not get painted for a few weeks.  

Next project is to get the hardwood floor in the baby's room redone.  Then we can get furniture and start setting up the room for Baby Boy.

He gave up the goods?!?

Here are a few images from the ultrasound on Thursday.  The top one is easy to figure out.  That's our cute baby boy's profile.  Apparently, the one on the bottom confirms it is indeed a boy.  The arrow is pointing to this fact.  (If you click on the image you get a larger picture to view.) We have no idea exactly what that is.  The tech said the words scrotum and penis several times so we're taking her word for it.  She identifies that kind of thing on ultrasound for a living.  I was just seeing it via a mirror while laying on my back with my body in such an incline position I thought I was going to slip onto the floor!

The Wharton name lives on

We're having a boy!

That makes the score 3 boys to 4 girls on the Phillips' grandkid side and makes it the first grandson on the Wharton side.

I had already had two dreams that I was having a  boy and I've been saying all along it's probably a boy.  This is because I never see any cute boy clothes when I window shop for baby stuff.

Now the name debate gets reduced in half and really kicks in.

Tomato update!

We've started random shopping for baby.  Right now, we currently have a stroller and a stuffed pigeon that says "Let me drive the bus" when you squeeze it.  That is besides a baseball mitt.

What else does a baby need?

Apparently, quite a bit!  We consulted the Babies R Us list of crap you have to have.  What?!?

It seems our baby will be a bit deprived according to that list.  I refuse to purchase or register for a baby wipe warmer.

I don't want to do much shopping until we find out whether we're having a boy or girl.  We have our ultrasound this Thursday, Sept. 18.  We also can't do much to the baby's room until the bathroom remodel is finished.  They are currently using the room to store bathroom items that have yet to be installed.  And there is dust everywhere!  Our contractor thinks they can finish in one more week.  I can't wait to be able to come home and nap in the afternoons.

Oh, and baby is about the size of a large heirloom tomato!

"Baby" Wharton declares for the draft

In a surprise move today, unborn, bell pepper-sized "Baby" Wharton has declared eligibility for the upcoming 2009 draft.  Scouts at the Great Mall in Milpitas witnessed "Mom" and "Dad" purchasing a 9" t-ball mitt.  That very afternoon, "Dad" was actually photographed working the glove in.  One issue remains:  Is "Baby" right handed or left handed?  More on this story to come.

OLVEPUG will be back

Here's a little story:

We moved from Redwood City to Santa Clara which in turn increased Mike's evening commute to at least an hour.  Diane felt bad for him and let him get a newer "funner" car.  At the same time, Diane's VW New Beetle convertible with the license plate "OLVEPUG" became a money pit. Diane agreed to drive Mike's old Xterra for one year.  

So, on Sunday Diane decided to go test drive a Honda CR-V,  knowing all along that she might possibly leave the lot with one that day.   After some negotiations and a roof rack thrown in for half price, Diane got her new car on Monday.  As soon as plates come in they will be turned in and the OLVEPUG plates will be assigned to the new car - back in commission.

OLVEPUG is back!

animal, mineral or vegetable?

Well, we're adding to our family and no it's not another dog.

That's right, the Wharton's are having a baby.  It's week 17 and we figured we better get around to letting you all in on the details.  

Highlights thus far:

a whole summer of nausea

2 ultra-sounds

great test results

lots of fun surprising friends and family

Both of us have gotten a kick out of the website descriptions of the different stages of the baby. At one point it was the size of a blueberry and I believe we are up to avocado now.

Makes us wonder - what exactly are we having?