The Picture Show

Finally, on July 18th we got to see our little baby and find out if we would be buying more pink baby clothes or something new and blue.

So, there we were in the ultra sound room, finally. Somehow, on our way to the hospital we missed our exit and ended up next to the cemetery where uncle Frank is buried before we realized what had happened. Ray figured that uncle Frank just wanted to give his blessings before we went in.

Anyway, the ultra sound technician and a resident student were in the room for the full baby exam.

All ten fingers and ten toes were checked, along with head, spine and stomach measurements. Then the technician asked if we wanted to find out what we were having. Oh course we said yes and after a few seconds of moving the ultrasound wand around, she explained what we were looking at.

Ray gripped my hand tightly.

Technician- "Okay, right here is the scrotum and here is the penis and...."

Ray- "YESSSSSSSSSSS!" Jumping up out of his seat with his hands in the air as if he just scored the winning touchdown at the Superbowl.

Everyone in the room jumped from the shock of Ray's response and after her nerves settled back down, the technician continued with the exam. After the ultrasound was done the technician left the room.

A moment later one of the doctors on staff came in and asked me how regular were my periods and was I sure of the date of my last menstrual cycle. (Did she honestly expect me to remember as far back as February? I couldn't even remember what I did yesterday!) Ray asked what was wrong and the doctor explained that even though I came is as being 23 weeks all the measurements from the ultrasound showed that I should actually be 25 weeks. This would change my due date to October 31st. So, since the ultrasound is a bit more accurate then my menstrual counting we decided to go with the new October due date.

Below are the cherished picks of our baby boy, John J. Mattingly.

Imagine sitting your bare butt on top of the copy machine at work. This is how you are looking at this photo. It is the bottom of his butt with his right leg bent at the lower left corner of the picture. The arrow is pointing directly at his boy parts.
(And I don't want to hear any talks about his size. The exam room was cold and you know what happens to guys in cold water.)

Here he is looking right at the camera and blowing bubbles.

A close-up head shot, still look right at the camera.

A profile shot. He is looking up at his foot that he just raised up in front of him.

Santana Row

Elektra checking out a store selling gourmet chocolates on Santana Row

My niece, Tia and my mom joined us in California for two weeks. During their time here I took Tia to every teenager's favorite place- the mall.

We did what any two sensible women would do, we shopped. Well, actually we did 10% real shopping and 90% window shopping.

Across the street from the mall is yet another mall called Santana Row. I'm sure Mrs. Winchester would be happy to know that her home, now a tourist attraction, is across the street and adjacent to two major malls.

Santana Row is an outdoor mall filled with high-end stores like Gucci and Coach. Above the stores are posh loft style apartments. Tia was amazed that people could live right above these stores. I think she started drooling at the very thought of it.

This is the type of place I totally see someone like Frank living at. Top restaurants, European stores, VIP clubs/bars, live weekly entertainment and a vibrant youthful vibe all in one place.

Okay, I admit, even I'd love to live here. But considering that their 4-bedroom cost $5,000 a month, I seriously doubt we will be moving here any time soon. Oh, but one can dream...

Checking out the apartments above the shops.

Strolling down the row

I'm not even going to ask how much that top corner loft cost.

More shops and apartments

So, How Do You Feel?

"So, how do you feel?"

I get this question a lot and it seems to have increased about 90% since I've been pregnant. The hard thing is trying to answer this question.

I feel a thousand emotions and at the same time I feel nothing at all. Yes, I feel pregnant. Yes, I feel tired. Yes, I feel hungry. I also feel like crying, screaming, throwing something breakable at a brick wall, and running away where no one can find me.

I feel like I never have the time to do any of the things I want to do. I feel like I move too slow to get the things done that I should do. I feel like I'm trapped on a roller coaster that I never asked to be on.

I feel like I don't have enough of what I want and too much of all the things I don't need.

Oh course, I feel happy to be having another baby. I feel needed and loved my Ray and Elektra. I feel nurtured by my family and I feel peaceful when I pray.

But there are times, yes, many times, when I don't feel like being polite and I don't care to be sociable. There are times when I just feel like 'going black' on everyone who I think deserves it and be unafraid to tell people how I really feel about them.

No, I don't need counseling or mental help. I'm not depressed or stressed. I'm just me. If you really take a look inside yourself you'll realize that there have been days when you felt the same way. Being pregnant just makes you notice these emotions a bit more.

So, when you ask me how I feel and I respond with the same old, "I'm fine", it is because to express to you everything I just said above would take too long and I'm so emotionally charged with these pregnancy hormones that I'd probably start crying before I even got the first sentence out. Just know that I am alive, the baby is healthy and after all these emotions settle down, I truly will be 'just fine'.

Sun & Surf

So I finally did it! (No, not that, you nasty minded people! Shame on you!)

Anyway, I finally went tubing down the river! I've heard rumors for years about this mysterious place in Arizona where there is a river with actual flowing water in which people get on tubes and float down it for fun.

At first I thought this to be one of those desert myths like the jackalope, but it's true, water does actually flow in the Arizona in the middle of summer!

Our clan consisted of Bruce, Mauri, Linda, Ray and my nieces, Keisha & Tia. Of the seven of us there, only Bruce, Linda and Ray had ever been tubing before.

During our float down the river we got stuck in the trees a lot. Bruce got beached on a large rock, and I killed a crab.

Okay, let me explain the crab killing part....

Ray, my wonderful hero, swam through the water to rescue a kid's floating crab tube that I then used to keep my butt up in the tube. Earlier, the rapids had torn a hole in the sheet that was covering my tube and helping my butt stay up.

Well, we hit another major rapid and this time the rocks popped a hole in my little crab, (although Ray swears it was my big butt that killed the crab).

Halfway through the tubing experience, Tia took off without us and we didn't see her again until it was time to get out the water. This was a shock to see considering Tia was screaming bloody murder when we first got in the water. Keisha refused to take off here top and show off her cool bikini. And both girls seemed disgusted that the college guys there kept looking at them. Go figure!

Yes, we saw plenty of boobs, both barely covered and fully exposed. We took part in the famous marshmallow fight and did our part to keep the river clean by collecting about six bags worth of floating trash.

No, none of us ever flashed our boobs for beer. Mauri and Linda wouldn't. Keisha and Tia better not. And I really didn't think my sagging boobs would get me much more then a half drank can of some warm, cheap beer.

Overall, it was a lot of fun and I can't wait to do it again.

Tia settling into her tube

Keisha having a good laugh

Bruce getting himself un-beached from a rock

Our awesome floating cooler

Trying to keep together after hitting some rapids

Going in circles

Look, its a floating Mauri!

Mama Linda and half of my hubby