Why is it ...

... that no matter how many burp cloths I use, or wear I place them, the baby always manages to spit up on the one clean shirt I have that fits?

Pregnant, not fat!

So, a few weeks before Natasha was born, Jeremy and I decided to get supplemental life insurance.  Jeremy called USAA and got estimates for our policies, which were subject to change based on the results of our physicals.  I had to do a phone interview during which I divulged my diet and exercise habits, etc.  During the interview, the lady asked my height (5'8") and my weight.  I answered that it was [36 pounds more than usual - don't judge], and added that it was because I was eight months pregnant.  She asked whether I'd had significant weight gain in the last six months - I answered yes, because I was eight months pregnant.  She asked a few more questions related to my weight, and to all of my answers I tacked on the phrase "yes, because I am eight months pregnant."  She didn't seem to get it, but since I knew I would be seeing a nurse in person for my physical, I didn't sweat it too much.  A couple weeks later, the nurse came to the house.  When she took my weight (about 40 pounds more than usual - don't judge), I asked whether she could note next to it that I was eight and a half months pregnant.  She said there was no space for it, but that it was recognized elsewhere in the paperwork. 

Well, when we got our quotes back, mine was substantially higher than the estimate.  Jeremy called in to find out why, and they said it was because I was overweight.  He explained that I had been eight and a half months pregnant during the physical.  They didn't care ... apprently we have to pay the higher premiums for a year, at which time I can get another physical and have the rates adjusted accordingly.

Awesome.

Way to go, USAA!

Wet wool and Kool Aid

Yesterday I dyed some yarn using unsweetened Kool Aid.  I had this idea for a variegated yarn in a combination of deep berry and vibrant purple.  So I went to  Giant to buy some Kool Aid in black cherry and grape flavors.  Only Giant was out of grape.  So I bought some blue raspberry lemonade, and some pink lemonade, then came home and assembled my tools.  (The flowers were from Jeremy for our anniversary).

I mixed my Kool Aid.  On the right is straight black cherry, and on the right is the cloudy purple I got by mixing the black cherry with the blue raspberry lemonade.  Not ideal, but I figured it would work.
Then I put my wool in the pot to soak for half an hour before adding the Kool Aid.  I could tell from the start that I wasn't going to get the saturated color I was looking for, but it was only my first try, and anyway, it would work for its intended purpose: longies for Natalya.

They looked a little like someone vomited up Pepto Bismol while hanging to dry, but I think the colors are prettier in the skein.

Almost six weeks

Time is racing by, though sometimes at 2:30 a.m. it doesn't quite seem that way (and by the way, why do we pay for cable when even the paid channels only air paid programming at 4 a.m.?). Natalya is well into her second month of life, and we've hit a few milestones: smiling while awake, holding her head up for more than a second at a time, and "standing" on her feet when you hold her up. Jeremy is trucking along in his Russian studies despite lack of sleep, and I'm trying my best at the hausfrau thing. I'll let you know when I have it figured out.

We celebrated our second anniversary last week.  The celebration was a bit different from that of our first anniversary, which we spent in Venice.  Less poop there.  This year, Natalya's Tetya Alya babysat so that we could go out for a nice dinner at our new favorite sushi place.  We got the boat.  It was way more sushi that two people should ever eat, but we took down most of it.  This baby weight isn't going anywhere ...