Rare footage of Erin WORKING

Let me start with a gratuitous shot of a confused pooch (Mason, aka "the Bottomless Goat"). Every blog's got one for the "aaawwww" factor.

Now, let's get this post started. The pics here are a bit out of order, since the work shown was done about 3 weeks before my last post. But I just now got around to sorting through the photos, so deal with it, OK?

I know in an earlier post I eluded to the fact that Erin sits around like a bloated whale, eating ice cream and other pregnancy foods while I'm left to pick up the slack. Well, I've got some previously unreleased footage of her actually working! Here she is, peeling wallpaper in the living room/ soon-to-be-multifunctional-office/ guestroom. Not seen, she also stripped the walls in the soon-to-be parasite room. I know, I know what you're all thinking, "Wow Brian, you look really tired supervising the wallpaper removal." Well, please don't worry about me. Not too long after, Erin was kind enough to fetch me a beer and wipe the sweat off my brow. She's a keeper!

Inflated like a balloon (and other pics)

Last night I took a picture of Erin in the tightest shirt she owns. 3 minutes later, she farted and deflated to a more normal size.

In other news, I've made a lot of progress on our living room conversion project. The long header spans the length of 3 standard size interior doors, which will slide one behind the other on tracks in the header and the floor. When closed, they will all tuck nicely behind the partition wall at the left side of the opening. Imagine, if you can amidst all the trash and chaos, the room will become a nice office during normal times, with an open airy feeling. When guests stay over the doors will slide shut. A murphy bed will eventually be installed for added functionality. Note the section of underlying flooring that is exposed in the last photo. The previous owners covered beautiful oak with a thin veneer of plywood topped with lovely early '80s puke green carpet. And yes, to the left is Pergo, installed over plywood over beautiful oak (the oak extends throughout the house...an unexpected surprise).

5 month check in

I went to the baby doctor a couple of days ago and had another ultrasound. This time Brian was really into it and he was able to stay upright. He enjoyed seeing all the different baby parts that looked like blobs to me, but he was able to decipher what they were. I put the best picture up next to this post. Not much different from the one at 11 weeks, but maybe a little bigger. The ultrasound tech was a little disappointed that we didn't want to know the sex, but she was good and didn't slip up and check (even though I probably wouldn't have been able to tell if I was seeing anything anyway). Everything is normal, he/she has all his/her hands, feet, fingers and toes, no club feet or cleft lip and pallets and I was told that he/she was really healthy. We are really happy about that, of course. The baby is 12 oz, but I don't know how long I must have been too busy staring at the TV screen watching our baby moving around when she told me. I was also told that I might not feel kicking for another month or so since my placenta is in the front between the baby and my belly and may act like a pillow muffling any kicks. That is really all there is to report. The doctor I saw was 28 weeks pregnant, which was kind of comforting. I guess she can empathize with how I am feeling. I will take a picture of my expanding belly in the near future. I have officially popped out. No way to hide it. I am out and proud! Not really. I feel pretty fat and dumpy, but nothing I can do about it.

As far as life outside of baby, not much really to report. As you know from Brian's previous post he is doing a lot of work to the house to create another room for guests that he can also use as an office for his new budding business. Once he is finished with the construction and the mudding of the walls, I will do the girlie parts and prime and paint to make it all look pretty. Don't worry, I will use no VOC paint and primer so that we won't inhale all those yucky paint fumes. Don't really enjoy painting, but it is something I can do and I feel badly about Brian doing everything.

As for work, I am enjoying my somewhat new job. Been at Birkitt for 5 months now and have been working on the same project since I started. It is all going well so far. I am hoping to study for and take my LEED certification test in the near future and then work on some green building projects, but until then, I am happy with what I am doing. At least most of the time. There are many chaotic days but then there are also some nice calm days, which can be a nice change. I did some field work on the Saturday after July 4th b/c my boss offered double pay for working that weekend. You can't pass up double pay even if you are a fat, pregnant woman! I have to admit it was really hard. It was hot and very hard to access some of the areas we needed to survey becasue they were covered with very thick, sometimes thorny vegetation. I made the decision, even though it pained me to admit it, that I was no longer in any shape for field work. I have become weak and soft. How sad. I was also attacked by chiggers and am still itching like crazy 4 days later. Little bastards. I am destined for office work until after the little bugger pops out. Oh well, there are perks to being in the office. Good temperature, restrooms, and no bugs to name a few.

As usual, Brian does all the work while Erin relaxes and eats bon-bons

OK, shhh, just between us, Erin doesn't need to know the title of this post. It's best for all involved if she just stays out of it. She's sleeping right now, so let's not wake her, heh?

That's the story of my life...she sleeps or watches TV or otherwise just chills and does nothing while I take on the burden of preparing for the arrival of the parasite. Sheesh, just like her. I mean seriously, does she know how difficult this pregnancy has been for me? The bloating, weight gain, gas, etc. It's hard drinking for three! You'd think she'd be a little more considerate and pull her own weight around here.

But no, I'm left doing it all, as usual. So in preparation for the li'l parasites arrival, I've been busting my hump building a new bedroom/office. (I call it "parasite" because it's bleeding my wallet dry. I should just sign my paychecks over to Home Depot.) See, our new house is only two bedrooms and I was informed that with the arrival of children come unexpected house guests. Grandparents, uncles, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. No one told me it was a package deal. Apparently all these people want a place to stay. I suggested a sheet of plywood on top of cinder blocks, but NOOOO. They need a mattress. And a room. With doors. What is this, the Ritz?? So, slowly but surely I've been converting our otherwise useless front living room into an office/bedroom. The most challenging part of which has been framing for what are called "multipass doors." So now all these ungrateful guests will have not one, but three doors through which they can tote their overstuffed suitcases full of kiddie presents.

I guess Erin deserves a little credit for peeling the yards upon yards of hideous 1980s wallpaper, but let's face it, this post is about me. She needs no more of your pity.