Lately.

Love him.

When one of us is out of commission, things tend to slow down. It was a little rough, at first, dealing with the nausea of the first trimester, but I'm starting to feel better now (11 weeks on Thursday) and able to pitch in a little more, just with more breaks for laying down than I was previously used to. But life goes on.

Charlie has had an ear infection (and we think he is also teething) so he has been needing extra cuddle time. (Yesterday he said, pathetically, "I want yay down wif Mommy." And once I laid down with him he went from hysterical and unconsolable to perfectly happy.) And he has been taking crazy long naps in the afternoon (he hasn't napped for months now). So we know he's uncomfortable.

But with Steve out of school until residency bootcamp in a few weeks, we've taken some time to just take it easy. It's been nice. We each read a book over the weekend, even spending some evening hours on opposite couches soaking up words. We've been watching an episode or two of Law & Order: Criminal Intent together every day (love Goren & Eames, and make lots of Jeff Goldbloom jokes--Chaos theory!) and since the weather has turned nice, we've been picnicking on the front lawn with the kiddos for lunchtime.

Other than that, we've been just coping with whatever my hormones throw at us, and slowly packing up the house in preparation to move (not far, just 10 minutes away) which is exciting and makes me feel even more grown-up. I'm trying to get Gracie registered for kindergarten (!!!) which is surprisingly complex in NC, and figure out my Medicaid for this pregnancy (also complicated) and some other paperwork stuff.

My book has been on hold. I'm okay with it. It has been a nice respite, actually, and I just think about what I'd like to do with the plot and work out little storyline kinks in my mind, casually instead of harriedly. I will get back into intense and daily writing soon, when I'm feeling more 100% (and back to the gym, too--Steve is getting much more use out of our membership lately) but for now I'm happy to let things rest.

Med school is almost over. So much has changed. We are so much better, I think. I am, at least. It feels like the blink of an eye. We've been happy in this phase of life, and are looking forward to the new things on our horizon. Steve a doctor! Not unbelievable at all, but I can't figure out how we got here so quickly. It has been challenging and very worthwhile, and he has done so well in all his roles. Graduation in May.

And a baby ultrasound in a couple weeks--our first sighting of baby Walton the third. :) Looking forward to that.

Right now Steve is out teaching with the missionaries for the evening, Gracie is humming a song to herself in bed, Charlie is quiet (and I suspect already asleep--rare for him, poor sickie), and I can hear an airplane overhead, and the birds singing spring-songs outside our window as the sun goes down.

And that's what's been going on around here lately.