Tears and TinTin Cookies

Alien!!!

This week Dan and I have run the gauntlet of emotion: joy, laughter, fun and tears! Here's how the story goes...

About a week ago, I experienced my first, full-blown break down. I had been hearing mothers talk about them each time I was asked to share a story about my pregnancy, but I continued to tell myself, "Buck up, Sunny! Ladies have babies all the time--no need for a meltdown." So, in true fashion-I have been holding up like workhorse. Go to work-check, run-check, garden and weed-check, clean the house-check, grade papers-check...I was moving along like a freaking juggernaut, but in the back of my mind, this little voice kept telling me, "Hey Sunny, you and Dan are about to have a baby! Just a matter of weeks now! Are you scared? Have you finished the nursery? Are you nervous about breast feeding? What about a long-term sub?" The questions continued and that little voice shifted into a roaring yell in no time. So, last week I retired to bed thinking I was in for a good night's rest. I attempted to ignore the roaring voice in my mind through reruns of The Office and witty exchanges of banter with Dan. Well, wouldn't you know, I woke up in the middle of the night and all those anxieties that I was trying to avoid had flooded my dreams. I popped out of bed in tears!  Dan woke upon hearing my sniffles and sobs and boy did I vent to him--what a great coach by the way! He knew exactly what to say! Despite the fact that snot was running down my chin, my nostrils swelled to the size of raisins and I was barely able to articulate anything--he understood and we talked through it. I realized that I am entitled to a meltdown or two--they are even necessary. Having a baby is scary business and it really freaks people out once they realize the life-changer they're getting into. It's strange to say, but I awoke feeling fresh and renewed. 
 
I think this little meltdown led Dan and me down a path of motivation. This past weekend we made sure to pick up our crib, which Matt and Julie had so generously offered to us, we popped by IKEA for nursery inspiration and we now have things in place to put the nursery together! Plus, we started our birthing classes this week. All I can say about that is that delivery sounds SCARY!


On another note: Dan was treated to a Tin-Tin cake and a yummy BBQ! We hadn't celebrated with Madeleine, so she made sure to treat Dan to birthday goodies! Check out the yummy cookie! SO FUN! 

So Cool!

Dannyboy has a birthday!

Birthday Time!

This week marked Dan's 33rd birthday! We both reflected on how this was a unique birthday, as it was closing the book on birthdays sans baby. Next year, we'll look at birthdays in a whole new light! We'll probably focus a lot more of our attention on our little girl's birthday. Does that mean that we'll start going to bakeries and ordering "Princess" themed cakes or purchasing pink, frilly pinatas? We may, but our hope is that we're sensible enough to realize that we don't need to go too crazy for a one-year-old--isn't the celebration often for parents anyway?

Dan's birthday was a great success--it was a low-key birthday, but it was just what he needed. With water polo and work in full swing, he needed a day to decompress. He was treated to coffee cake in the morning, a one-hour massage from Massage Envy, silly gifts, birthday songs and dinner out with his best friend Andrew. It was a lovely day and we were glad to spend it together!

We ate dinner at Wood Ranch, a local steak house that Dan loves! We got to talk lots and eat yum-yum guacamole, burgers, tri-tip and roasted veggie salad!


Upon returning home, Dan opened more gifts!

Dan and I also received a gift for the nursery--the baby's first picture for her room! Thanks Andrew!

It was fun to imagine what her room will finally look like once it's finished...that will be my birthday present--a completed nursery! :)

Birdies and Bear!


Happy Birthday, Danny!

A Fresno Weekend...

Well, here we are in our 29th week! The 30th week is around the corner and that number is really making Dan and I realize that babygirl is coming so soon! We became even more aware of this reality with our visit to Fresno over the Labor Day weekend! We had such a good time visiting with family and friends, especially our cutie niece, Caitlyn.

Papa Matt, Uncle Danny and little Caitlyn

Caitlyn was the most adorable highlight of our weekend and also the most eye-opening. Being with our niece over the weekend was a great mini-training lesson for what's to come. Now, I have been told by many of the sleep deprivation, feeding hours and surprises that come with infants, but it wasn't until I witnessed Matt and Julie relay their experiences to us over the past two months, coupled with seeing our niece firsthand and in close quarters that Dan and I put imagined experiences aside and traded them in for the real thing! We were given some sound, realistic, sometimes scary, but always well intended advice. While it did wake us from our little bubble that we so comfortably live in, it also made us really excited for the future. Caitlyn is adorable! She looks at everything with the wonderment and awe that only an infant can! If I got the same pleasure and amusement from watching a ceiling fan spin, I would be set for life! Now, she also spent a great deal of her time observing a harpoon that is hanging above the living room in the Hipp house; I don't know what that means, but it was incredibly funny! Maybe we have a mariner on our hands. It was so heart warming to watch Caitlyn curl into her G'ma's shoulder and nap, or when she would coo and form spit bubbles on her lips (why isn't it cute when I do that?). She is simply exquisite!

G'ma with her little lady!

In addition to our amazing adventures in the Hipp house, I also was honored with a spectacular baby shower, hosted by three lovely ladies: Jean, Gwynn, and Robin, three of Sue's awesome friends! The shower was so much fun! We drew babies on our heads (don't ask), ate yummy food, laughed a lot and managed to turn even the sweetest baby items into some twisted innuendo (Thanks to Robin and myself). All I can say is that these ladies know how to party--TOO MUCH FUN! My cheeks hurt from laughing so hard during the afternoon.

The host-i with the most-i!

Here are some of the sweetest moments:

Grandma and Mama-to-be

The party was really special to me. Dan and I both felt celebrated and excited for this new part of our lives. Thanks to everyone who "showered" baby with love!

Now, if this wasn't enough--I was even able to see my big brother, Rob and my sister-in-law Marybeth, as well as our nieces Bekah and Bethany! We did a little celebrating of our own too at a local yogurt shop. Did you know that there is shop that exists that sells both frozen yogurt and grilled cheese sandwiches?! Well, now you do! Who would've thought?

Big Bro serving up some tea!

Dan looking awesome!

Our weekend was awesome! We truly feel blessed. It was great to see so much family and know that all these people will love little girl SO much!

Crazy Grandparents! 

Belly bulge, bagels and buddies...

My belly is expanding rapidly these days. I feel a little discomfort at times, but mostly in my lower back. Babygirl's incessant punches and occasional rolls don't bother me at all; I welcome those with sheer delight. It's the back and leg discomfort that makes me disgruntled. Embarrassing admission--I had trouble putting on my clothes today. I had to lay on the bed to get my skirt on; the lifting of one knee, followed by the other, which would be the normal series of motions for putting on clothes seemed all too difficult. Another embarrassing admission--Dan has had to buckle my sandals for me more than once. Bending over my belly is an odd feeling. I admit that I feel a tad lazy and defeated during these moments, but I figure that it's nice to have Dan here to rescue me when I can't reach over my gut to get on a freakin' pair of shoes. That's why today, I wore flip-flops! 

Switching gears now. I L-O-V-E a yummy tuna melt! Unfortunately, I can't dine on those whenever the urge strikes (darn mercury!). So, I have resorted to the next best thing: THE CHICKEN MELT at City Bagel. City Bagel is a meeting ground for many Murrieta residents who crave a delicious bagel sandwich. The fact that I can't have a tuna melt whenever I want, makes the urge for a chicken melt all the more amplified (If I have had anything close to a craving--it's this sandwich; however, I believe this falls more in line with the "you want what you can't have" mentality, so I am going for the next best option.). So back to my main point--City Bagel is awesome! It's easy, it's comfortable and I seem to find myself there quite a bit, especially with my childhood companion, Crystal. 

She got married this year!

We've been friends for 28 years! We have gone through Barbies, dolls, make-believe restaurants, boys, fake game shows and now as we're grown, weddings and parenting (no baby for Crystal yet; she loves CATS). She and her mom, Brenda, came down to the restaurant yesterday to visit with me and my papa (she calls him George Clooney now because of his new facial hair). :) I ordered the mouth-watering, perfectly seasoned, open-faced chickey-melt and got to hang with three people whom I love dearly! Of course, Crystal is notorious (nuh-nuh-nuhtorious-B-I-G reference) for showering her loved-ones with gifts. Her mom is no exception to this rule either; they both arrived with gift bags in hand, ready to shower babygirl with some LOVE! Boy, did they! Too much Cutie-goodness!

Here are some of the items that babygirl received: 

Baby-girl will wear this when Crystal babysits!

Cute outfit on left is from Brenda!

Everything was so darn fun that it inspired Dan and I to do a little more shopping of our own! That's when Dan saw this:

She is sure to be her father's daughter! So cute-patoot! 

Well, that's all for now! We're in month seven, with only a couple month remaining! So exciting! 

The Gene Pool...

Those people you see on the left are going to be parents in a matter on months. That is the ever-looming thought that's been permeating our home for the last several months. Lately though, that idea is even more amplified. With the countdown-clock reaching its final mark, we continue to ask ourselves the following questions: Who will she resemble most?   How much will she weigh at birth (I was a lightweight, Dan was not)? Will she have the "Shaffer" eye-lids? Will she have the "Hipp" brow? Will she dance like her mama, draw like her papa, swim, run or grow a mop of really curly hair?


We seem to entertain ourselves for hours while contemplating the answers to all these questions. It's fun to consider how our little girl will be a blend of the both of us, but just what ingredients will she take from each side? Also, what ingredients will we find are reminiscent of her grandparents, aunts, or uncles? If she somehow inherits her Uncle Donny's eyebrows, we're in for it. He was born with Vanilla-Ice eyebrows. If you're not keen to this reference, just Google him. You'll get a laugh. Even if she does claim that genetic trait, she can always consider a career in rap music--MC Hipp??? It has a ring to it.

This is what gets me. Take these two images for example:

 Our child is going to be an amalgam of us! In some ways, that is exquisite, but in others, it's terrifying. In preparing to have our baby girl, I have become much more aware of my own personality traits that I hope our little one avoids (specific to me of course--can't speak on behalf of Dan--he's perfect :) ). I laugh like a man, am incapable of walking in a straight line, am incredibly anal-retentive and OCD, and I have an uncanny knack for talking loudly in quiet settings (among others).

But then I thought about it some more. Isn't it the quirks of our personality that endear us to others? You know, the flaws bringing out the humanity, the charm, and the individuality of us all? I absolutely love the little quirks and funny mannerisms of Dan! And of course, I know that's why he fell in love with me (wink wink)! I think it's safe to say that no matter what Dan and I anticipate as far as how our little daughter will be, it doesn't even matter; we're so darn excited to have her in our life. We haven't even met her, yet we are so in love with her already!

One Last BBQ Before School Daze

Can you believe that school has started...already?! I think I am asking you because I am still in disbelief. It's mid-August as I write this and I am two days into seeing my kiddos sit in their neatly arranged desks. I am two days into homework due dates, two days into butchering the names of the hard-to-pronounce and two days into establishing a routine again...and I love it! Thankfully for me, I love my job! I work at an amazing school, filled with tremendously supportive staff, great colleagues of which many have become great friends, and a lively classroom where teaching and learning occur every day!

But with the onset of another school year, there is always another HUGE adjustment period. After two months of limitless free time, developing a regimented schedule is like hearing those dreaded nails to a chalkboard. Waking up at 5:15 when I was waking up at my leisure or going to the bathroom whenever nature called (believe me--it's hard to adapt to those bells)--well those days are over...then I got to thinking.

If I am talking adjustments here, nothing could be more surprising than this little one that is debuting in November! If I am seriously complaining about early wake-up calls for school, I have got another thing coming. Butchering names? Let's talk about butchering my new shirt after a projectile poo-attack from a small, yet volatile bottom (Matt, you'll appreciate that). Worried about going to the bathroom when I want? Maybe I should be thankful that I have control of my bladder right now--there's no telling what will happen after she arrives (I have heard stories)! The point is that I realized I had to gain a little perspective. School starting in August, when the beaches are still beckoning and my bed looks like heaven could be the best thing for me. It's like a mini-lesson in what is coming up around the corner. There is no denying that our life will change dramatically once baby-girl is here, and with that, so will our schedule. I need to realize that!

On a totally separate note, Madeleine is home from Germany! I hadn't seen her since June! We finally had one of our summer BBQ's, which was a great way to bid farewell to summer and welcome in a new school year! By sound of it, she had a great time in Europe, but we're really glad she's back! We missed her! She brought the babygirl a cute little blanky-doll that I know she will love! I can't wait to give it to her!

German Grammy!

Vacation time at six months!

Hello everyone! This past week and a half have been exceptional! Dan and I ventured to Hawaii last week in what many might call a babymoon. You know, that last hurrah vacationing as a twosome. We had such an excellent time. Really, we didn't do too much. Dan read two and half books in the course of the week and I read half a book (he reads REALLY fast-I was lazy)! We did some sunning, some swimming, some turtle-gandering, snorkeling and eating. I loved our schedule there! Since the time change is three hours earlier for us, we woke up early every morning! I went running and Dan swam in the pool and would lounge poolside reading. We'd enjoy the Hawaiian mornings--they are spectacular! The water is warm, the weather is cool, and the sky is gorgeous! I could live in Hawaii! It's so A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Well, I'd actually consider living there if milk didn't cost $7 a gallon! I swear, I don't know how people survive there--groceries are astronomically expensive!

Each evening we would take a stroll along the beach. We'd dip our feet in the water and run from one patch of rocks to the next, as if we were children playing a silly game! It was so easy to let our obligations and worries evaporate--we just played all week long! We even got in some nostalgiac video game sessions at a local arcade in Lahaina! It was so much fun! 

You can also observe my expanding belly as Dan and I tanned on the beach! It was a little awkward to lie in the sand, jump in the water or snorkel, but I was able to do it. It's amazing how much you have to adjust how you move around when pregnant. My mobility is a little different than it once was! Needless to say, I wasn't doing any acrobatic feats while beachside--mostly light swimming and lots of sand time!

This next picture is one of my faves! Dan took it while we were out on an evening stroll:

Overall, it was a downright good time! It was exactly what we needed! Now, we have three months to go before baby arrives! We can't believe how fast the time is flying! Before we know it, she'll be crawling around the house like a crazy lady!