Random life tidbits

-The last carton of eggs we used had about 6 or 7 double-yolked eggs. I have never seen that amount of double yolks in one carton before. If I didn't already know that this is a "singleton pregnancy" (I am not making that term up), I would definitely think I was having twins. Especially after dreaming of having triplets. But nope. Just one baby. 

-We have a family of turtledoves nesting in our backyard. There are three of them, and they make Sam and me happy (but especially Sam, since he works in the back room and can see them, just peacefully relaxing). 

-We've entered hotter weather in D.C. The azaleas have withered and the roses are in bloom, but this week past they all looked . . . tired. It's supposed to be a bit cooler this week, which I am looking forward to (I don't know how I will manage this last month or so in hotter temperatures while pregnant--I guess I just will). 

[azaleas from the national arboretum a few weeks ago. so vibrant. so beautiful.]

-Slowly, archives are starting to open up. This past week we went up to New York and I spent a couple of days at the New York Public Library. It was so nice to be in an archive again! And the NYPL is such a lovely space to work. (Also, New Yorkers were very kind to me, the heavily-pregnant lady.) 

-Speaking of archives opening up, the Library of Congress will open June 1st! I was, unsurprisingly, the first person to call and make some appointments to visit the archives there. Here's hoping I get some research before Baby comes! 

-I am hoping that Baby comes around his due date. I don't know if I can do an extra 2 weeks. But I guess he'll do what he wants. Babies usually do. 

Baby bump, baby moon

 Last month, Sam and I took a trip (post-vaccinations! Wahoo!) to the Southwest for a little "babymoon" (which is apparently a Millennial thing to do). 

[#pregnart. This was . . . around 30 weeks? If I remember correctly?] 

[hanging out in beautiful sedona]

We spent time in Arizona (Sedona and the Grand Canyon) and in New Mexico (mostly in Santa Fe). Neither one of us had been to the Grand Canyon before, and we were both glad we drove the distance to see it. (I can now understand why my parents--after traveling with 5 kids in Southern Utah to visit Zion's National Park--ultimately decided not to drive further south to see the Grand Canyon. It is out of the way, and I can understand my parents not wanting to add another half-day to our vacations.) 

The Grand Canyon truly was awe-inspiring (Sam even teared up a little bit when we got to the first viewpoint), and we enjoyed driving to different look-out points (I was not going to be hiking the Grand Canyon or riding a mule at 7 months' pregnant--there might be some women who do hike the Grand Canyon, and more power to them, but I was good with just walking and looking around). The scale is hard to describe; Iphone pictures don't do it justice. (And I'm sure the perspective is just as amazing from inside the canyon.) 

[my eyes might be closed in this picture? and for some reason, that makes it even better.]

[someday we will tell our son, "oh, you've been to the grand canyon." and he'll say, "but i can't remember it!"--or something along those lines--but we will insist, because it's true, but also to annoy him.]

Other highlights of the trip included seeing red rocks (I just really love them), the Chapel of the Holy Cross, Santa Fe, good food, and staying in a proto-earth ship. I

[inside the chapel of the holy cross]

[and the chapel of the holy cross from the outside]

[santa fe welcomes you]

[also, chimayo, new mexico was lovely.]