November

Now we're to November. Usually I hate these travel log types of blogs but I've got a lot of ground to cover since I didn't blog AT ALL for several months. I was doing so well too! Blogging monthly or more for the last two years. I blame pregnancy. Although, I'm finding myself being much more thorough as far as touching on everything we did and less thorough on how it made me feel/ some of the details. Give and take I guess.

On November 2nd we had a girls night with the ladies I took my cruise with. Mary prepared dinner and we played some games. There were silly shenanigans with mustaches and a game Alisha inadvertently purchased that was designed for tween aged girls about some Disney show character named JoJo. It was exceedingly boring but we had a good time trying to modify the questions that were clearly designed for this JoJo character and we tried to make them work for us. Nevertheless, it was good to spend time with girlfriends. Mary's husband is a smart man and he ordered Door Dash to deliver us some yummy dessert. Winning!

November 4th: I spent some time in the basement room where I teach English tidying up the mess, getting rid of things that aren't necessary, and preparing to move Patrick down to that room. It was quite a disaster but, I made progress and I'm happy to say, it was only a week into Maxwell's life before we realized how desperately we needed to move Patch downstairs and into a big boy bed. We had dinner at my parent's home- a jam session with the Toriente family. The music was just what I needed and filled my soul.

November 5th: Visiting with Andrea. We ran some errands together and purchased some Christmas gifts etc.

November 6th: voting day! I took some time away from work to run and cast my vote. I'm embarrassed to say that I knew far too little about most of the things being presented and cared mostly to vote on Utah's legalization of medicinal marijuana. I voted in favor! I have a dear friend that needs and uses marijuana for pain management and I fully support it being legal!

November 10th: nothing of consequence...just tidied the refrigerator and since I'm using images to prompt my memory of what happened each month and I happened to capture a before picture of the mess of the fridge....I'm remembering it...and documenting it here too. The magnetic fridge really does get quite cluttery though and it's always nice to refresh what's up on there. Due to my organization of the spare bedroom project Patrick had been spending some extra time down there (he follows one of us everywhere) and stumbled upon many of my craft supplies. So, we did a little bit of painting. Adorable. He really does like painting and he's quite good at it. That night we popped some popcorn and ate it while watching a movie up in our fancy bed that stores the TV in the footboard.  I always enjoy a good snuggle sesh with my busy boy, while we watch a movie is about the only time I get one!

11th- On November 11th Patrick made an attempt to ride the big boy bike we purchased him years ago. I got him a Stryrder style bike when he was about two but, learning to ride a bike with pedals has proven to be more of a challenge for him than anticipated. With a bit of encouragement he bravely rode for a few minutes in front of the house.
After a several month hiatus from eyelash extensions, I was able to get a new set. The place I went to in March really screwed them up so I had to wait several months for my lashes to re-grow/ strenghten from the damage done. I wanted to see if it might make sense to get lashes before the baby came so that I could feel effortlessly amazing and beautiful those first few weeks of his life (and especially in the hospital). It's vain, I know. But, I'm a little bit vain and I try to not be high maintenance. As my wonderful sister in law likes to point out, you have to be high maintenance in order to be truly low maintenance. haha. What she means is that if you do extensions and get your eyebrows and eyeliner tattooed on, you don't ever really have to put on makeup which is true!!!
That evening we had a sleepover at that dear sister in law's home. Andrea is someone I've become quite close to in Scott's family over the years. She really feels like a big sister to me and I love her as such.

12th- After breakfast with Andrea, we did some shopping at Ikea and other stores. When we were at Bath and Body Works I purchased a bath bomb for Patch that we used that evening. It did not go well. He was so excited in the store and I treated him to it. When we plopped the bomb in the water he was pretty excited to watch it fizz but, as he sat in the water the bubbles or something seemed to get to him. His precious skin turned red and we rushed him out of the water. Bummer.

15th- I took a side by side pic with me pregnant with Patch and Max wearing the same outfit at the same number of weeks along, roughly. I was definitely bigger with Max.

16th- Patricks first visit to the dentist, Patrick helped me make a new fall wreath, bassinet set up in our bedroom

17th- fun at Yia Yia and Papou's house, girls night turned surprise baby sprinkle for me

18th- fetched a Christmas tree with Doug and Heather and kids

22- Bonnie and Steve and us sleepover at Yiayia and Paupou's house and enjoy Thanksgiving

23rd- I come down with a cold a week before Maxwell was due...CRAP! Good news- I was able to get eyelash extensions again (after some girl ruined them in March) and I was feeling like dirt but looking fabulous.

That weekend we decided to go up to Cache Valley and meet up with Doug and Heather to go Christmas tree hunting. We drove up on a whim and hunted around with the Doug Moore clan and all our children in tow...even me 4 days shy of my due date. It turned out to be a really fun time. As Scott and Doug were loading the trees in our truck, the kids were sledding and being adorable. Unfortunately, Scott didn't tie down one of the trees and it fell out as we were driving down the mountain...whoops. We turned around to go grab it. haha.

26th- Luminaria. 3 days until the due date. My parents invited us to go to Luminaria with them at Thanksgiving Point. They purchased the tix for us (they're rather pricey) and I think everyone was hoping I would go into labor. I did not! However, I did get to eat at my favorite burger place...Cubbys...and Luminaria was lovely enough. I don't remember everyone being so anxious about me going into labor on time or late when Patch came. This time everyone was trying to induce my labor. haha.

27th- took Patch to Smith's grocery store. I tried to convince him to hop into the kid care (I was exhausted and about to deliver what appeared to be an enormous baby). He wasn't interested but, we did have a good time at the store together.

28th- non-stress test. I wasn't in labor and there were really no signs of labor even. I went in for testing to make sure the baby's fluid levels looked good and they did. In additional good news...I was going to have a baby within the next two weeks no matter what. Annnnnd even more good news: my eyelashes still looked fabulous.