Abigail at 33 weeks

Here is the latest ultrasound shot of Abigail.

It is pretty grainy looking, but that might be because she is so big, who knows. Any how the blob above her forehead is her hand, kind of looks like she is giving us a thumbs up!

This last ultrasound tech was a different person than normal, and it was a guy, so I am glad that I didn’t have to have a vaginal scan done as that would have been a little awkward.

He took the time to show us things we hadn’t seen like her: bladder, kidneys, lips, nose, hair on her head, eye sockets (her face was creepy looking like something from a horror movie poster, but cute too….), diaphragm, heart vessels, brain, tongue, along with the usual, legs bones, spine, stomach, head, etc. We saw her sucking with her mouth and apparently she emptied her bladder during the scan, so it looks like that is working 

She is estimated to weigh 4lbs 8oz already, which is right on target for 33 weeks. Her heart rate was 143 beats per minute, again perfectly normal. If she gains the estimated half a pound a week from now until, let’s say 39 weeks, she would be around 7 ½ pounds at delivery.

Abigail is head down and ready to go. The tech did not see anything that would indicate a cord around her neck and felt that we were “in the clear” as far as an accidental umbilical cord death, being that she doesn’t have much room to move around now. Yes, of course I think about those kind of things!

Her movements have changed because she has less room, and because she is head down. The other day we felt her foot clear as day! That was pretty ____ (fill in the blank). It is those kinds of things that really blow your mind and make you feel like you have an alien in there.

The other good news is that my placenta has moved 2.8 cm from the cervical opening, and from that the technician didn’t feel that a c-section would be needed. Looks like I will have to come to grips with the fact that she is going to be pushed out of my body. Lovely.

My OBGYN took me off the “restrictions” that I have had the whole pregnancy. YAY!!! Been waiting to hear that for a LONG time, it seems. Obviously it isn’t like I am going to go do a marathon or lift hay bales, but it is nice to know that I could take the dogs for a walk if I wanted to without feeling like I am putting myself or Abigail at risk.

All an all things are progressing as they should. Mere weeks left to go! Let’s hope she keeps baking for at least another month.

A year has passed...

A year has passed since performing with the cast of Tony n Tina’s wedding and it is hard to believe that much time has passed.





Looking back on that experience, I can honestly say it was some of the best times I have ever had! By the time the show was over it our cast felt like family.




Most of us still keep in touch to this day. However, because of the show I met two amazing guys that have become very good friends of mine. Our time together made last summer one I will never forget! And we will never be able to recreate that magic either. We were all living in the moment and taking full advantage that it wouldn't, well couldn't last forever. The friendship will last a lifetime, but the lack of sleep and alcohol consumption would take its toll no doubt.





We spent many a days and nights together after that hanging out, laughing, going on adventures, and getting to know each other. It was so much fun! We began to refer to ourselves as the threesome because we were spending so much time together. In fact, the guest bedroom became known as Jeff and Andrew’s room.

But things change – life goes on and we will always have our memories. Oh what memories we have!

Bamboletta Dolls

In my constant searches for homemade lovelies and how we can incorporate the good old fashioned way of life into our growing family I found these dolls.

They are Bamboletta Dolls, which means ‘little doll’ in Italian and is a term of endearment that parents use for their children.

All their dolls are handmade. They use a wonderful thick cotton interlock from the Netherlands for their ’skin’. It hardly pills, it retains its shape and it is oh so soft. They use wool for the hair of the doll that has been cleaned and carded using eco friendly methods. And then top all that goodness off with the most adorable hand made clothes I have ever seen.

Just take a look at this doll? I would love for Abigail to have one of her one. I should start saving now so by the time she is old enough to properly care for one I can afford it!

If you too are charmed by the unique adorable-ness of these handmade dolls you can visit their website at www.bamboletta.com.

My dad is on Facebook!

I know it probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to most of us that have been online with various accounts for what seems like forever. But I think it is pretty cool.

A great thing has happened because of his efforts. He found Carol, a foster child that lived in their home growing up! They have since reconnected and Carol has also been in contact with my grandparents.

I have always thought that my grandparents are above and beyond special, but Carol who lived with them until she was 18 months has always felt the same way. She wrote them and to say that she has also considered them to be her second parents and she has told people that her entire life. She even wanted to find my grandpa a few years back when she was engaged, so he could walk her down the aisle since her adoptive parents had both passed away.

Although Carol was very young when she knew them, she never forgot their kindness and they were always in her mind and close to her heart.

Like I said, my grandparents are very special people. Someday I will blog about the wonderful things they have done together.

Caleb and Ashley Strine

May 23rd, 2009, Gabe married his brother is true Strine tradition at the Alexis Hotel in Seattle.

It was a small, private ceremony that included a few close friends and family, only 14 people including the bride, groom and the two boys.

Caleb’s vows were beautiful. Poetic, thoughtful, and pretty much everything a girl dreams about. There was not a dry eye in the room, including Caleb. In fact, the sweetest part of his vows in my opinion was that he got “I have never” out before he was so over come with emotion that he couldn’t go on. Not for awhile anyways. He was a trooper and kept going, taking breaks momentarily to catch his breath and wipe away the tears.

Then the icing on the cake was when he finished his vows to Ashley and he turned to the boys, who at this point were playing a game of “destroy the daisy” in my lap. He made a vow to the boys. It brought the room down, not in a bad way, but if you weren’t already having your heart strings yanked, there was no way getting around it now.

Ashley started to audibly sob, which scared Kiernan because he didn’t quite understand that they were happy tears. He curled up into a ball on the floor and started crying.

It was a big bawl fest all around and it was lovely! Just what a wedding is supposed to be – full of love and raw emotion.

I am thankful that the two of them found one another. I am thankful that we now have two beautiful, fun and unique nephews to play around with and one pretty awesome sister in law!

The day was long but I wouldn’t have missed it for anything!

Reese Emery Myers

Oh what joy, oh what fun! May 19th our family was blessed with a little bundle of cuteness weighing 5lbs 11oz. My older brother Chris and his wife Misty became proud parents of Reese Emery.


It has been a long time coming for these two and I am elated for them! It brings me to tears each time I see pictures.



This is the first time in my life that I have seen my brother look this happy, and that is something that touches me on a deep emotional level. The “tough” outer shell that he puts up has disappeared and the joy of being a dad is beaming from him.

When I saw the picture below of my dad holding Reese, with my brother looking over, I was over come with emotion and I cried and cried. Tears of joy.



After what Gabe and I have been through, I can’t imagine the pain, disappointment and emptiness that Chris and Misty must have shared over the last 8+ years of trying to conceive. My heart ached with them.



We are so excited for them. Excited for their family, our family and for the future. Excited for next summer up at the lake cabin watching Abigail and Reese get to know one another!

I can’t say it enough – what a blessing. And now all is right in the world!

Numb

I found out yesterday that my very dear friend Dori passed away unexpectedly this past Saturday.

She and I shared a unique friendship as she was someone I considered to be family, like a mom, like a sister, and someone that just got me.

I met Dori a few weeks after Dustin and I moved out to Day Mt. Spokane. And our friendship was pretty instantaneous. We spent countless hours on her porch swing sipping on iced tea or iced coffee whichever she had a craving for that morning, many nights playing 10,000, which earned me the nickname "bone dry" and her "dice bitch"(it is the only time that losing money was ever fun), many days out on the 4 wheelers riding through the countryside stopping for beer breaks, lunch (pbnj), to listen to fairy falls and to look at rocks that would be a cool adornment for her porch, and just countless hours "shooting the shit" I think she called it.

She and I understood eachother perfectly. Although I only had the pleasure of having Dori for 6 years of my life, we had the understanding for one another that would normally take a lifetime to figure out.

We joked that our souls were connected and that our knowing each other now, was only for this lifetime. But even in my belief that she and I will know eachother again it stills hurts that she is physically gone from my life.

Dori lived a private life in the country with a laundry list of animals over the years. Several of which have specially hand picked rocks marking there place under various trees. She always said that she would die in her beloved little house, and by god that is what she did.

After her dogs Char and Peekaboo died, she "vowed" not to have animals again because it was just too hard on her when they die. Then Lilly came into her life and stole her heart away. Without going into a whole long story about the two of them, I will just say that they were meant to find eachother. I always knew that someone like Dori, who had a heart so full of love for animals wouldn't be animaless for long.

She would count out her daily treats to Char and Peekaboo..."one, two, free". She always swore that Char would count to make sure she got the same number as Peekaboo, but she snuck in an extra piece on the third count for good measure. That was just how she was.

She kept a vase of flowers I gave her early in our friendship on the table she sat at everyday. I gave them to her Spanky had died. I picked some flowers and left them in a vase with a note on her porch just so she would know that I was thinking of her. It meant something to her, and it meant something to me after years of her keeping them close to her. It was a nice reminder of the little things that can mean so much to someone. I always say it is the little things in life that matter.

I will always remember her courageous decision to have weight loss surgery. She and I talked at great length about the pros and cons. She wasn't going to do it, then she was. When she finally did it, it was hard not to see her. She went through quite a bit physically following the surgery and struggled getting away from the house for any length of time. Several months had passed with just phone conversations and then I got to see her.

When she came out of the house to greet me, I sobbed and sobbed (like you see people do on TV...yeah that was me). I was so proud of her, she looked on the outside like the Dori she was on the inside again. She beamed with happiness and I shared in that happiness through my tears of joy as she hugged me tight.

Dori helped me through many life changes like finding myself again, through my divorce, through faling in love with Gabe, and through the trials and tribulations of getting pregnant. I will always regret that she wasn't able to hold Abigail in her arms.

I hear her voice and her laughter in my head and she will forever remain close to my heart. I know with time that hearing her in my mind will fade away, and that brings me grief. She had such a wonderful mischievious laugh.

She was beautiful, kind, courageous, loving, compassionate, and a tough as nails no non sense kind of wonderful woman. I feel grateful and honored that I had a chance to know and love her.

I will miss you always,
Your Kellygirl
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