#2

Our 20-week ultrasound proved successful. The baby looks healthy and as the doctor put it "everything looks grossly normal". That's good, right? Anyway, our little one was not shy about revealing his parts to us. So, it looks like we'll be adding another boy to Team Solomon.

Mark is super excited because he never had a brother growing up. And he didn't want Owen to have to go through all the pain and suffering that comes with only having sisters. Owen is excited...he just doesn't know it yet. And I'm excited too, with a few reservations about the amount of energy it will take to raise two wild things. However, it looks like I'll have to wait to use these (and some other) cute pieces I was setting aside...just in case.
(Our poor second child. This is the big post where he gets announced to the blogger world and I just referred to him as "#2" while posting pictures of girl clothes. Sorry little guy.)

It Sucks!

My new vacuum, that is.

I have had the same vacuum for the past 8 years. It was given to us as a wedding gift. And that little Dirt Devil has done its job well, or so I thought. Over the past few months when I would take it out to clean I would notice the faint smell of burning rubber. And there’s nothing I like better than a clean house smelling like mechanical malfunctions. I had also noticed that the poor Devil was not picking up all the little fuzzies and crumbs off the carpet. No matter how many back and forths I gave it, there was still a smathering of specks left behind. And when the hose attachment gave out it was the last straw. This was unacceptable, I said. So I began the search for a new vacuum.

After much research and shopping, I finally found a keeper. Last weekend we brought it home and tried it out. You would not believe the excitement that welled up inside me as we unpackaged the box and assembled the new sucker. It was like the best birthday ever…and it wasn’t even my birthday. (Side note: I have a friend whose husband…with the best of intentions…surprised her with a new vacuum on her birthday. She was so devastated by it that she was in tears when I dropped by her house to give her a little gift. At the time I thought he screwed up big time). Turns out I would have been overjoyed to receive such a gift. There is something about cleaning supplies that warms my heart. I could write a whole post about my favorites (later, maybe). I am seriously so excited to pull out my new vacuum and clean the floors. In fact, just to prove how pleased I am with the new product you must see this:


The photo was taken on Mark's iPhone just after we assembled the vacuum and used it on the living room and dining room carpets. That is just two room's worth! What was my old vacuum picking up? Apparently nothing.

So I welcome you, vacuum. Thank you for sucking.

Wicked

This past week we joined the ranks of thousands of others in seeing the ever-popular Wicked. And I have to say it was every bit as good as everyone claimed. It was such a treat to dress in something other than jeans and a hoodie, drive up to San Francisco and have quality conversation with Mark, and attend a musical performance at a theater in the big city. You see, we don't get out much.

We had great seats and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves (thanks Kim and Caleb). I was so happy to just be there that it didn't even phase me when the girl next to me mentioned it was her fourth time seeing the show. She had already seen it in London, Australia, and New York. Yeah, didn't even phase me.