snow days

We have 4" of snow on the ground, how weird is that! It's very warm outside, just a lot of snow, and it keeps snowing. It started Friday. Dave actually had to come home from work early. Weird and unexpected.

In other news, Dave is interviewing soon with West Law. He is really excited because it would be an ideal job for him. West Law is an on-line database of legal cases that nearly everyone in the legal profession uses all the time. They need a software developer, so if he got the job, he could immerse himself in his new industry right away. They would probably find his enrollment at GW Law to be an asset for the job too! He has a couple of other hot job prospects at the same time, so more on the job front soon.

We are days away from listing our condo for sale. After many hrumphs and words spoken under his breath, and scads of trips to Home Depot, Dave finally was able to install our new range hood. Not an easy task! Touching up the paint pretty much went the same way, only that was my job. Matching paint colors and finishes is way more challenging than you would think. Note to self: just paint the whole room next time.

And, the baby is doing great. My doctor reviewed all my test results with me and mother and baby-to-be are doing just great.

So, if either A: we sell the house, or B: Dave gets an actual job offer, we are moving on May 1st. So many steps! So nerve-wracking. If only we could just be all moved in to our new place and focused on decorating the nursery...hmmm.

things come together

I haven't been writing lately because it seems like things move slower than molasses and I don't have any definitives (sadly). Plus, how can one be witty and clever about no subject matter?

I thought about writing about insomnia and how I could understand how Elvis got on the downers and then uppers train. Insomnia is very disruptive. I haven't succumbed to any illusions of drug assistance--I hate taking vitamins even and I never even take asprin--so it's hard for me to jump to the hard stuff. Also--when you're pregnant, you can't really have any drug assistance for anything--even if you have a cold. So that's not a solution. Consequently I have days when all I do is sleep and then other days when I'm wide awake and super energetic for what seems like more then 24 hours. Weird. Friends have said they had insomnia too during their pregnancies. So I guess it's common?

In other news, I have NO appetite whatsoever--which is also weird and I feel the baby kicking all the time. So that's good.
We are going to a pre-natal appointment on Wednesday--which should be pretty routine.

But today, it feels like things are picking up. After 2 weeks of take-out every day and night--ICK! while we were updating our kitchen-today we got our new granite countertops--and Wednesday our plumbing will be back up and running. Hopefully being able to cook normally will help my appetite.

All we have left to do now is touch up paint around the house. So our staging and remodeling projects are winding down. More pictures very soon!

And I got move quotes today. I thought we'd be paying DOUBLE what the quotes actually were, so that was a pleasant surprise. That never happens! So--it looks like we will actually leave Seattle on May 1st now--regardless of whether Dave has a job offer or not. We want to go as soon as possible to get settled in and all set up with new baby doctors and stuff.

We expect to finish our cross-country adventure and be in DC around May 15th. Then we will fly back to pick up my mom, (she's legally blind and on oxygen) and sign our sales papers for the Redmond condo. We have lots of options for temporary housing once we get to DC and then once we buy something we'll have the movers deliver our stuff. So many steps!

It's staying light out until after 7:00 pm these days. And the weather here is beautiful.

We miss you! Email us at schleiferkin@gmail.com.

small victories

Yesterday I went to my dental check-up and as usual, I got an A+. It's apparently more important than ever--I guess you can get a lot of complications with your teeth and gums if you're pregnant. One of the things I've learned through the years is Listerine burns, uncomfortably so, BUT you can make that feeling go away if you bend at the waist and have your head around your knees after you spit it out. Weird!

My dentist told me yesterday that I would attain dental Hall of Fame status if I added daily rinses with ACT Restoring Mouthwash. So Listerine in the morning, ACT at night. Something else I've noticed is that these rinses are somewhat of an appetite surpressant. Again, weird. However, NOTHING REPLACES FLOSSING apparently. So--it's inescapable.

Lumbley continues to florish and GROW. It's official, I can no longer fit into my normal jeans. Pregnancy jeans are $800,000, so I have not invested in them yet, despite the fact that I want to be just like my Aunt Mary and have "Irish Triplets"--3 kids in 3 years. I have a lot of time to make up being as old as I am. So the jeans would be a good investment. We'll see how long I can hold out.

Lumbley is a very active baby. I feel him moving and kicking all the time. This is reassuring, because I endangered his life several weeks ago by eating a baloney sandwich. I knew all about Listeria, and I knew lunchmeats are on the BAD list. But this was Garlic Baloney, and I really really wanted it. I knew I was supposed to cook it. I made the sandwich and stared at it for a long time while I researched the actual risks--on-line. It's 3 in 1,000,000--mostly in the Hispanic population (?). So--I ate it.

I thought I was free and clear--and knowing that I would never do it again--we were OK. Until I met up with my Dad this weekend, who studies these things for the FDA. He said I won't know if I hurt Lumbley for 6 weeks after eating the baloney. OMG. That is terrible.

The only other pregnancy related news is that I'm going to see my chiropractor. Throwing the frisbee for the dogs and doing ordinary things like vacuuming and turning over from side-to-side sleeping has made me feel like I'm one movement away from becoming permanently disabled. He is wonderful and he's almost more like a Reiki guy than the conventional crunch & munch style.

Most of you are far away, and as you know I have been terrible with taking pictures and sharing them. I am looking to develop better habits to prepare for all the pictures of Lumbley. So--I started with our house. I posted lots of pictures there--and I will do more as soon as we get a scanner (this weekend). Like Ultrasound pictures! http://schleiferkin.shutterfly.com/action/

AND--We just got our Webcam! How cool is that! Dave is responsible for setting it up--more soon.

Lots of love! Miss you! Email us at schleiferkin@gmail.com.

the lotus sutra

The lotus sutra is a Buddist parable about coming home to the relation-ships that really matter in our lives. And how, despite all of our actions and experiences in life, only thing that ultimately grounds us is our relationship between ourselves and our creator.

So--depending on your perspective in reading this blog---the main character in the story may change...but the long and short of it is, the McCarthy side of our family had a major 'homecoming' this past weekend in Salt Lake City, UT at my Aunt Mary's house.

For me and Dave and Lumbley, there was a lot at stake. I think the world of the McCarthy's--a lively bunch who are incredibly warm and welcoming, and honest, loving and fun. But, because of multi-faceted, extenuating circumstances---historically, (sadly) I have only gotten to be a provisional member of the clan. This was something I set about changing beginning in my early 30s because I knew someday I would have my own family and I wanted to create connection and wholeness in my life.

My efforts paid off!

This weekend, I visited my dad for the first time in 19 years and his family for the first time in 7 years. It was the first time they met David and the first time they learned that we're going to become parents. A lot of firsts! The visit was lovely. We really enjoyed ourselves. It turns out we're going to be in very close proximity to my father when we move. So 'Chapter 2' will be an interesting discovery for all.


Seeing The Great Salt Lake was absolutely incredible. The landscape is like nothing we had ever seen before. It looks like a dreamscape because the mist at the horizon line blends the water with the sky and the reflection is like glass. We saw antelope, bison, and jackrabbits right in front of our car. It was surreal.

In other news, Dave decided the Microsoft opportunity would not be a good fit for him. The division is still in start-up mode and I think everyone mutually agreed that new baby, new city, part-time law school and start-up are not a match made in heaven. YIKES! Now things are a bit more complicated and the move date is likely delayed. Here's to hoping my Heffalump-self will not be driving cross-country and settling in a new house at 8 months pregnant :( More on all of that very soon!

(God forbid Dave changes his mind and we move to Nashville!! I am not ready for line dancing and aspiring country musicians)

Miss you! Email us at schleiferkin@gmail.com.

IT'S A BOY!!!

Lumbley and I went to the Radiologist's today while David had his job interview. I was entirely too impatient to post-pone the Ultrasound for a time that David could be there. We've had 4 Ultrasounds prior to this because we were doing fertility treatments--and that's just what they do. He is travelling a lot this week for interviews and what-not--so he was on the phone while I had slimy gook all over my tummy. (His first of many interviews went very well.)

IT'S A BOY!! We are really suprised. I thought for sure it would be a girl! I don't know why.

Better news is that the baby is very healthy and robust and has 10 fingers and 10 toes and 2 arms and 2 legs and a normal looking profile. So, between that and the pre-natal screening tests, odds are that he's a healthy, normal baby boy.

So--we're almost to the half-way mark!

Bummer about my Marimekko poppies :( I found these ones instead:

Miss you! Email us at schleiferkin@gmail.com

no sleep till brooklyn

hi again!

I don't sleep anymore apparently. I am usually the one sleeping for 10 hours a night. But it's OK because there is so much to do to get ready for our move.

Dave's interviews with the DC Microsoft group are TOMORROW. (Can you say Sunday blues?) I am distracting him with Chipotle and promising to iron his clothes & pack for him--not that that helps any. I am sure they will love him. Who doesn't love Dave?!

My friend Susan got the Sunday Blues so badly that she had to have hotdogs--every Sunday. I bought her this for Christmas to make it all-better:


Today the doggies and I played "Find It!" with delicious ham after our 500-mile walk. They sniff the food and then I hide it somewhere in the house while they wait and then they're off--kind-of like an Easter Egg hunt. It's their favorite game.

Tomorrow we hope to find out whether Lumbley is a boy or a girl! I only have the decor all worked out if it's a girl. Merrimekko poppies in hot pink:


OK-that's all for today!

We miss you! Email us at schleiferkin@gmail.com.

conception inception

hi everyone :)

It's midnight and it's our very first BLOG ever!

For some reason I was completely awake at 2:25 am yesterday morning, so I watched Cesar Millan--The Dog Whisperer and my new spiritual leader on TiVo re-runs. I took a shower, painted my nails and mused that up until last year I never had insomnia ever. I am the person who slept through fire alarms in college. Apparently it's common to not be able to sleep when you're pregnant!

Cesar is the smartest man--and since studying his materials we have faithfully walked our dogs 'Cesar's Way' (almost) everyday since. We are still not up to the task because Merlin still becomes apoplectic when he sees another dog. Baby steps.

Speaking of baby steps---'Lumbley' is 17 weeks, 5 days old today. We found out today that he (or she?) is not at-risk for any birth defects (whew!). Mother and baby are doing great, save for a touch of anemia. Which I will rectify immediately! We find out SOON whether we will be meeting Isaac Nathaniel Schleifer or Zoey Sabine this upcoming August.


I am starting to look like a Heffalump. Up until today I was pretty comfortable in my normal clothes. Pregnancy is awkward and embarrassing. I am supposed to eat DOUBLE the calories from my dieting days. Even more than what Dave is supposed to eat! Weird. Thank God maternity clothes are somewhat fashionable nowadays.

David is interviewing this week with the DC offices of Microsoft for a job transfer so we can relocate and he can attend law school at The George Washington University (ranked #3 in Intellectual Property Law--GO DAVE!!) I am so proud of him and so excited for everything that's coming to us. We are very much looking forward to being closer to so many family-members when we move to Virginia. It will be very very soon!

I am acting like a housewife while I clean out a garage full of random boxes and organize everything for our move. We will see how that works for us for awhile.

We will post pictures and vignettes during our cross-country tour of San Fran, Vegas, The Grand Canyon, Santa Fe, Hot Springs, AR, Memphis, Ashville and then to our new home!

More soon :)

We miss you! Email us at schleiferkin@gmail.com.