Michelle is doing great, still no need for ptosin as she is continuing to advance. The contractions are going well, but she is definitely feeling the pain a little more. She'll be getting the epidural as soon as they've seen she's advanced enough to know that it won't slow her contractions down too much. All is well.

m
So Michelle is under way. As weird or odd as this may be, we figured it would be fun to keep everybody updated with her progress throughout the day on the blog. We got a new little pocket video cam that can catch the non-explicit material at its best. It's still rated PG-13 though, see for yourself.

Metamorphosis

So as we are about to have our first little baby, I have been amazed to see the changes that occur in both Michelle and the little duder growing inside (this is Nick writing by the way). It started off as just a little swelling in the belly and some nausea, and now is an actual human being living in my wife's nethers and knocking on the door of her abdomen to prove that she's there. There's nothing more insane than to be looking at Michelle's stomach and see the outline of a hand make an outdent? on her stomach. I'm so excited to meet my little daugher.


Michelle has really taken it for the team on this one; she comes home from work with kankles and puffy toes, but yet she has never stopped smiling or being her same beautiful self. I would not be handling this nearly as well as she is! I really am the luckiest guy to have found such an amazing wife.













Of course, it should be pointed out that she's not the only one who has been undergoing some "special" changes. I have undergone a slow process of beautification that is appreciated by very few, but should be recorded for posterity's sake. I am under strict orders, that there shall be no metaphorsososing when the baby is born, and that no remnant should be present when the delivery takes place. That means that there is some quick clean up work necessary since Michelle will be induced this week. We are both super excited, but realizing that with an induction date set, it's no longer "when?" but "Oh!"
I realized that being done with clinical rotations, and having no patient interaction until late June left me with ample time on my hands that I decided to dedicate to grooming. It began with a bushy beard:















This eventually led into my own personal favorite, the colonial soldier/motorcyclist:
To be honest, things went downhill from that beauty and turned into this...disco nick:


After that phase lost its awesomeativity, I decided to buy a van with no windows and give out free candy...yikes:The final touch turned me into a circus ring leader or patisserie owner. Either way, it has taken way too much time to keep it trimmed correctly.

These pictures are further proof that Michelle is the most amazing wife. She has let me have these last 2 months of painful transformation, though not without lots of embarrassment. True story, we were on a walk when a random lady decided to start up a conversation with us. In the middle of the conversation, and without any transition, Michelle abruptly changed topics to explain to the lady that "his face doesn't usually look like this, he's just doing it as a joke." I guess I missed the joke because the mirror tells me it looks awesome. Just sayin'.

house = sold

booyeah. we just sold our house...well, it is somewhat pending since it depends upon the house inspection, but it is as good as sold.

oh house. how i will miss you. we have great memories here in des moines and in our house. nick and i have put some intense blood/sweat/tears into updating it and it is fun to be rewarded for our efforts.

this is such a cool house. it has so many neat old features. best neighbors ever—become family. i will be so sad to move. never thought i would get so attached. i love when prayers are anwered. we are very blessed.

moderncraftsmanhome.com

now on to the next adventure and possibly new house...

hello cruel world.

"hello cruel world" : this is what i would scream out of windows of moving cars to the pedestrians passing by when i was in high school.

i am screaming it now.

we have been put through a huge upset/surprise/excitement. nick and i thought we most likely had a year left in iowa to get our house ready to sale, put up the house for sale, have a baby, become accustomed to being parents, and prepare our minds for the reality that iowa will not be our home. we have loved living in des moines.

on thursday, the big match happened and we found out that nick got a great residency—family medicine at university of utah. we have to be there by june 14th. (let me remind you all that my due date is may 19th, nick graduates may 29th, we have to sale our house, find a new place to live and then make the move). i am freaking out with how much i need to do for each of these things. guess all this stuff will make it so i don't have time to freak out that i am going to give birth to an estimated 8 lb human (one of my greatest fears).

the last few days, we have been working on our bathroom. we have painted, re-tiled parts of the tub, removed the old vanity/toilet/floor, and have placed the tile in our bathroom. tonight we get to grout and put our toilet back in (hurray! i am so sick of having to go to the grocery store a block away to go to the bathroom).

we have been doing a lot of driving around and i have found myself become very nostalgic. i will miss you downtown des moines. sad we won't get to stroll our kid through the streets during the art festival. will miss the sculpture garden, the blue bridges, ingersoll (especially ingersoll live), our neighbors, our friends, my young womens calling (leaders and girls), hopes of my baby sporting a gross mullet and taking her to the horse races at prairie meadows, bobs/mare/emery/baby, our little house, greys lake, living driving distance from nathan/carrie/caroline/rexy/baby, the midwest (we have been able to take a lot of road trips to see places we have never been), the farmers markets all over town, spring/fall time in des moines, and most of all my running trails.

bring it next few months. i hope you are kind to us.

my due date : may 19th : not like any other day

be my valentine nick

perhaps the best valentines day gift i have given, was on nick and my first valentines day together, when i made nick a ginourmous milkshake. i basically took a big flower vase of my moms and filled it with deliciousness. wish i had that to give you this year, but our circumstances are different this year, therefore, i am left writing you this blog post.

here goes. see how this tastes on your palate. hope it goes down as smooth.

you are hot. this evening when we were together and i looked over and i thought to myself, "dang he is sexy. i am so lucky" and then i gave you a kiss on the cheek and you did your usual squint because it tickles your face. remember when i use to think that meant you were grossed out by my kisses—only to find out that your face is incredibly sensitive and ticklish. i have loved spending the last 6ish years getting to know you and your ticklish face.

you are fascinating. i covet your brain. you are so smart. the way you connect with people so easily and can make anyone laugh (and somewhat uncomfortable). you are good at anything you try. don't know if you have heard this, but you are really lucky. if you went to a casino...ha ha ha.

i love that you love magic. the first time i sat in your sunday school class in college and you pulled out magic tricks...everyone was so entertained and all the girls were ogling you and if our life was made into a movie, you would have seen the character exclaim to those around "he's with me."

you are romantic. one of the top ten moments: we were living in california doing the whole dish network sales thing and we got back late one night and had to throw in some laundry at the laundry mat. once we had placed the clothes in the dryer we had some time to kill and you took me in your arms and started to sway—best dance ever. i was giddy in love with you that moment.

you are invigorating. the excitement you have for life was the first thing i liked about you. our second date, while we were driving up to the lake to wakeboard, you spoke so optimistically and i had been so cynical...you inspired me and continue to.

you are going to be an incredible father. the kids we know are in love with you. i don't blame them. you are funny and aren't afraid to play a british princess. i am so excited to be having a baby soon and getting to see you in her. she is going to be adorable because of you.

i love you nick monson. i am so happy you are mine. happy valentines day.

end of random thoughts.

m