Caroline Can't See Her Toes!

I just might be the luckiest man on earth!

March Madness

You think I'm going to write about basketball, huh? Nope. For me, March Madness refers to the state of affairs in my classroom these days.... while I count down the minutes and seconds until Spring Break comes. Ahhh. 9 consecutive days without sweaty, hormonal, cranky teenagers. I can't wait. If you don't teach middle school, lucky you. Did you know that tattle-telling doesn't stop in the third grade?

Lest you think I hate my job, Brian would be the first to tell you that the next sentence out of my mouth after I've let out a few frustrations is usually something like, "Oh, but you should have seen it. It was SO adorable when they..."

March Madness also means PINK SLIPS. No, not the lacy kind you wear under a skirt. The kind that show up unsuspected in your mailbox. A couple weeks ago I joined the masses of Americans experiencing employment "challenges" we'll call them. I got a special delivery from LAUSD while in the middle of a telephone conversation with my mom about how I was pretty sure I wouldn't lose my job. Opps, I spoke too soon! The mailman handed me a termination notice as of the end of the school year. 8800 teachers and administrators recieved the same notice. I can only imagine what the schools in our district will look like next year.

Finally, March Madness means expanding, better said, disappearing waistlines. But its all for a good cause. Junior is getting bigger and stronger and I am getting more and more used to comments like "Miss, you look chubby." :)

Sunday Afternoon Stroll in Malibu

Yesterday Caroline and I decided to take a dreamy stroll up the Malibu coast. It is a nice 30-40 miles of coastal views and very nice for watching the sun set over the water. Not to rub it in too much, but please let us know if you ever need us to unwind for you. We will gladly take a stroll for you up the coast with the warm ocean breeze flowing through our hair. :)

Jazz Night w/ Jack Sheldon

The pictures aren't great but the evening was. Caroline and I went to a Jazz Club the other night...well more like an Italian Restaurant with a Jazz Combo. Jack Sheldon was the trumpet lead and he had a piano, bass, and drums backing him up. We had a great time.

Back in the day Jack Sheldon played with the likes of Benny Goodman, and Quincy Jones. He was also the trumpet player on the Merv Griffin Show. He played the music for the School House Rock songs. While we were there on Friday night he sang the "I'm Just A Bill" tune.

Anyways, he was pretty influential in the West Coast Jazz Movement and he is still pretty good even though he seems to be slowing down a bit.

Big Ears

Profile of baby's face looking up

Baby Update! Baby Update! Baby Update!

We went to the ULCA hospital yesterday for our mega-ultra-super ultrasound. It was a great experience except for the $11.00 parking and we took two cars...$22.00 ouch! The tech was really nice and had some fun with us. Baby Merrell had his head facing down like he was ready to be birthed the whole time and the tech kept trying to get him to come out of his hiding place so she could measure his head.

We got to see his brain, facial profile, both arms, both hands (he was trying to hide his left hand behind his head), his spine, his ribs, his little heart beating, his bum, his legs and both of his feet.

Oh yeah, and he is definitely a BOY. The tech said, "I know the gender if you'd like to know." Caroline said, "well our doctor told us that she was almost sure it's a boy." "Oh yeah!" The tech quickly responded, "...definitely a boy!"

As the tech was trying to measure his head from the top view she began to giggle. As she would roll the wand from one side to the other the baby's ears would pop into view...and make no mistake...his ears are not too hard to find. Instead of saying what she was thinking, "Wow! Look at the size of those ears! He is probably picking up radio stations in there." She kindly kept repeating, "He is going to be such a cute baby. Look at his big ears." Yeah, so I guess he got his ears from his Dad.

He now officially weighs 1 lb. and based on is head, arm, and leg measurements his new due date is 15 Jun 09. I like this pattern. The more times we go to the doctor the sooner the baby is due. Just a few more visits and we could be full term by Valentine's Day.

p.s. he is still a little show boat, doing back flips every time we have an ultrasound.

I think I felt something...

A little kick?

I'm finally starting to feel like I'm pregnant for REAL... and it's very strange, and fun, and exciting. After dinner last night, Brian chuckled at me because I leaned back in my chair and put my hands on top of my stomach without even noticing it. I have a new place to rest my hands, I guess. After complaining for several weeks that I didn't look pregnant at all... I suddenly and completely DO! And now I'm not so sure that not looking pregnant is such a bad thing! No, I think it's going to be okay. I'll just order some of those stretchy, unattractive pants in extra tall, (a big belly and high waters should never go together) and I'll be just fine.

Our First Baby Photos

The masses have been clamoring for more 'baby' info. We have to balance how much information we provide to the press because as you know both the NBA and WNBA have their scouts watching and waiting.

Caroline went to the doctor this past week while I was traveling with the military in snowy Wyoming. Dr Amersi did an ultrasound and found everything good and healthy. Our baby weighs about 12 ounces which isn't so alarming except that the doctor thinks that we are further along than previously calculated. The new due date is June 18th.

For your enjoyment, here are a few photos of Baby Merrell:

This last one is Caroline's favorite. I think that we need to teach our baby a little bit about modesty but as they say, "boys will be boys!"

The Getty Museum

Caroline and I got a wild hair and decided to get our new year started with a little culture. Maybe stimulate the baby through second hand art observation. I don't know. Anyways, Caroline had never visited the Getty Museum and so we decided to make it a date night. We got there just as the sun had set and watched from the Santa Monica mountains as the colors of crimson filled the ocean sky. (I know I am not a poet) It was really cool!

The Getty is a really huge free museum on a hill just a few miles from our apartment. Here is a sky view of the museum with the sprawling city in the background.

We actually caught our view a little closer up and mostly at night time so it looked a little more like the photo below. Anyways we saw some original paintings of van Gogh and Monet as well as a whole exhibit of scupture and another of photography.
It is a great FREE treasure here in LA. For those of you out of town we'll have to take you next time you are passing through. Fun times!

Below are a few of the originals that we saw. And us striking some of our favorite poses.
van Gogh

Monet

Monet

Blue Porcelain Pot with Gilded Edges (Brian's Pick) Table Base that is CRAZY out of this world Caroline Thining Deeply Brian Waking from His Slumber

Brian's Basketball Game

I don't know if it's worth writing about but I'd better get it out there just in case it never happens again. Our Stake basketball league started up this past weekend and I am playing on my new team (Westdale 1st Ward). After a slow start from both teams, I scored the first two baskets of the game. - Fast-forward - We ended up winning the game and I scored 16 points. Yeah, I know you're thinking, "Wow he played better than Lee Cummard (BYU) who played UNM earlier in the day and lost by like 20 points." Not even close. This may be my one shining basketball moment of 2009.

No More Morning Sickness (for the most part)!

It's crazy! Caroline was barfing her guts out for two whole days this past weekend. Then there was like a two day recovery period and now there is no more hint of morning sickness. (fingers crossed)

Yay to being pregnant and feeling normal.