New

It has been over a week into 2008. I have great anticipation for things to come this year. I can feel change and movement in the air like electricity. Things feel positive for me. I love it.

This year has many plans for progression. I have quite a few goals, more attainable than those past. I feel and hope that this year we will finally get our own house. The market has stabilized, our car will be paid off, I will be getting a part time job, so it is all falling into place.

A few of my favorite bands are touring this year and putting out new music. I am also discovering new music all the time. It has been what feels like such a long time since I've last been to a live show and I am craving it. Hopefully I'll be able to see quite a few this year.

I've also declared 2008 the year of good health. I've been taking weekly allergy shots in hopes that by summer time I will be able to eat raw fruits and vegetables without an allergic reaction. They are 80% effective, and I pray that I am in that 80%. It has been an entire lifetime of not being able to enjoy nature's harvest, and that time needs to change. With that I'll be able to eat better, and along with my new weight machine I'll be one hot mama! ;)

I love being a mom. It is hard for me to imagine my life was ever without Zelda. It is like she has always been around. She is such a light. I am blessed to have the ability to be able to stay home with her and give her the care she needs and deserves. I love watching her discover things and enjoy things in a way only a small child can. It is refreshing. In the past couple of months she has learned to walk and say a few words, learned the magic of doors, began feeding herself, and continues to add more dance moves to her routine. She is currently feeding herself a banana, which she hoards into her mouth as though she could never get enough.

Well, she is now done with that banana, so I best go tend to her. I will save my thoughts for another time.

Bela's Undead

I wanted to post this quite a while ago, but as usual I procrastinated. Tis a habit I really need to break!

Anyway, I was reading about the funeral of a film director that I find inspiring and amazing, Ingmar Bergman.

This was back in August. (See..I told you I've been procrastinating). I wanted to share with you one of my favorite films, The Seventh Seal. It is a must see. Fascinating and thought provoking. He made this movie in the 50s, and it is in Swedish, but the translated subtitles get the message well enough across with the artistic imagery. So for those of you out there who like movies that will make you think, see this one.
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Speaking of old movies and such, a little over a month ago Ryan and I watched Ed Wood. Silly, of course, but I never realized how sad the last years of Bela Lugosi were. He is awesome, and it was unfortunate to see his decline. What I liked so much about "Ed Wood" is that it showed that he was still able to find someone that cared about him in the end...something I wish for all of us.

Later that night I decided for some unknown reason to look up which famous people were born on Zelda's birthday.

Well, wouldn't you have it, one of them is Bela Lugosi.
How funny that I would find that out on the very same evening. She also shares a birthday with Snoop Dogg, Tom Petty, and Viggo Mortensen. I share mine with Socrates and Cher. Ha!

Baby Zelda Rocking Out and Dancing

Check out this video: Baby Rocking Out and Dancing

Whats goin on

Whew, it has been a long time since I've really written a decent entry about what is going on. I have so much to catch up on. I'll write what I remember, but if you have any specific questions about what I've been up to let me know.

Well now, obviously the biggest thing going on in my life is Zelda. She is so awesome. It has been almost 6 months since she was born and I cannot believe how much she has grown. We like to dance around, hang out, and she just loves our cat Tiger Lily. She just got her first two teeth, and those few days before they broke were rough with all of the crankiness. We got her first portraits taken, some of which I have posted under my pictures.

I spend most of my days caring for her now. She is eating food, and I haven't found anything she doesn't like yet. She must not have gotten my pickiness or my allergies (hopefully).
It is great being able to stay home and care for her. I'm glad Ryan can supply a good enough income to enable that. I'm sure I'll be looking for a part time job soon. I'll just work a weekend day and some nights...so hopefully I'll find something good enough to fill those times.

I am really wanting to start up school. I've just got to work out when it will be best. It will either be this fall or next spring, but I am for sure going to do it. I'm really excited to get it started. I was going to register to start this summer, but I don't think the timing will work, that and being preggo took away my brain cells temporarily. I've been struggling with getting my preggo weight off...grr it has been so much more difficult than I expected.
Breaking bad habits, and finding time to get a real workout in is tough. But I'll do it, hopefully sooner than later.

In February we had a visit from Matt/Mafu. It was a fantastic time. We did quite a bit in the few days he was here. We went to Indiafest, which was delightful, and the next day we ventured to MegaCon. I've never been to such a nerd fest in my life. It proved to be entertaining, though, with all of the silly people in costumes. They posed each time Matt took a picture (he was like the megacon paparazi). We met Sean Astin there, got an autograph and a picture with him and Zelda (posted in my pictures), and met the guy who played Pedro on Napolean Dynamite (he talks like that in real life, ha!). There were a bunch of other celebs, but you had to pay to get a picture or an autograph. Lame. I also met Bomberman. (posted as well) We had a wonderful time with Matt!

I had a visit from Andrea and Evan 2 weeks ago. I am so glad they came out. It was just too short, but wonderful. The three of us went to Downtown Disney to shake our groove thing while Ryan watched Zelda. That is one thing about Orlando...I love the dance clubs, and Downtown Disney is fab as you get access to several clubs at once (Leah, I wish I discovered it before you left! :( ) Unfortunately we didn't take enough pictures. I don't know why I've been forgetting to do that lately. In a couple of days we fly out to Texarkana to visit my grandparents. It will be Zelda's first flight, and I'm glad it will only be 2 hours long. I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing Southern weekend (yes, if living in Florida you have to go north to go South). My parents will be out here in May and arriving just in time for my birthday. I can't believe I'm going to be turning 27!!! Aaaa! Where has the time gone? I'm so excited for their visit, and wish they could stay for weeks or even forever, but I'll take what I can get. There are plans for me to go out to Utah this August, I'll let you know more when I find out, and perhaps even December ( I hope!). It will be so great to see my old friends again.

Lets see, what else have I been doing.....
I've made some good friends in the past year, too, and keep meeting more awesome people. One of my now good friends Julie is having a wedding in June and I'm so excited for her (Oh, Julie, Call me if you haven't by now). Julie and I have been getting together to do a lot of Karaoke. She could kick everyone's butt on this seasons American Idol for sure.
We've also got a swimming pool now, yay! It has been lovely here in Florida lately. I wish all my out of state friends would come for a visit. The house we are staying in is great for parties....we plan on one for my birthday (birthday is May 20th, party is the 19th). I've put my Body Shop selling on hold for a few months until business will pick up again, probably late summer, when I can devote a lot more time to it.

Oh, and I've just fallen in love with the show LOST! I can't believe how obsessed with the show I've become. I didn't start watching the show until shortly after Zelda was born. I needed something to keep me entertained for middle of the night feedings (She used to take 1 1/2 hours at a time) so I Netflixed the show and immediately got hooked. Those of you who watch it would understand. It just isn't your typical show.

Wow, there is an amazing storm going on right now. Florida storms are something to be respected as they can be so strong.

Anyway, I think that is good enough for now.

Cheers,
Heather

Little Booga Boo

Well, she is finally here. We are so excited to have our first born in our lives.
I went into early labor around 3 in the afternoon on Thursday, but I thought it might have been false labor. Around 7:30 I started to suspect otherwise when the contractions started to get stronger and more regular. We went to the hospital around 10. After a rather long night and morning, she was born at 3:21 pm on her due date. She weighed 8 lbs 3/4 oz (and I am paying for it!), 19 1/2 inches long, and just so beautiful.
I just wanted to stop by and give everyone a quick update. We have been so very busy with her...she is definitely the one in command. I'll be sure to write more once I'm feeling better and have had more sleep.
Blessings,
Heather

Days

What a long, strange, hazy year this has been. A part of me cannot believe it is October already, and another part of me wishes it was October 2 months ago.

I have been possessed by an alien life form living in my body for the past 39 1/2 weeks. This year of existence seems to not have belonged to me, but more for this new being. From being sick for so long, to being restricted on physical activity due to an inability to maintain heat very well, I've been in a lull. It has been odd. And every moment my mind is full of thoughts of this new life, and how mine has completely changed.

I am very excited and glad for this change. I know it is going to be just awesome. I am not giving up who I am, but more expanding upon it. I am learning a whole new way of living life. I have yet another meaning for it. There is even more love coming into my life.

Naturally I've been thinking a lot about life, what its meaning is, its cycles. I am becoming even more spiritual. I have even been attending church services, something I thought I would never do; never thought I would be comfortable with it. I have found a wonderful group among the Unitarian Universalists. It fits perfectly along with my spiritual beliefs. It is an organization open to all paths. So be it that you worship God, or Goddess, or anything else, it all applies there. The congregation I attend is mainly Pagan and Buddhist. It is small, yet very friendly. I am happy to have found this.

I am eagerly anticipating the serene moment of the beginning of a life. It is a rare, powerful moment, much in the same as the end of a life. It is all a cycle, and I am so honored to be a part of this. I wonder often of what life lessons she will go through, where she has come from, and where she will go. I have started on even more improvements with my life in the quest to give her the best possible foundation. This includes the mundane, such as having an organized home, to bigger changes, such as looking into school for my career (which I have finally decided on!). Although my mind and body are in a haze, my focus is very strong.

So, here we are, just days away from a momentous change. No more counting trimesters, months, or even weeks. We are down to days. Maybe hours. It will happen.

Update

(transferred from my old MySpace account)

Hello hello
It has been a while since I was last on Myspace, let alone updated you all on what is going on.
Well, I've got 7 more weeks to go until my due date. I'm hoping she comes closer to the first estimated due date (which was October 9). I am SO ready for her to be born. I know people keep on saying that the last month is going to be very long, but what they don't realize is that this whole YEAR has been long! See, being a Taurus, once I finally decide on something, I am ready to have it happen immediately. Patience is something that is hard for me to come by sometimes. ;) Sort of like Veruca Salt "I Want it NOW". The trick for me has always been making the decision. That can take me forever (like deciding on a career or major in college, for example). With that said, I've been ready since the beginning of the year. And with the 2 months of me being very sick, I was very ready for her to be born. But, as Ryan said, she has to grow. Well, as she has grown, naturally I have grown, and I am getting huge! UGH! It is depressing. I have had many requests for preggo pictures, but I haven't taken any. I'm trying to get myself to go to the beach and take some tonight, but....eeep, I'm so self conscious about the 'extra baggage'. I can't wait till the little one is born so I can start working out.

In the meantime I've been busy with two at home jobs. One is The Body Shop at Home. It has been going ok. I've been working very hard on it, and with some success. Thanks to everyone supporting me! :) The bummer is though that I've had several open house parties for the neighbors, and with a few of them none of them show up, and with one only one neighbor came (when several others said they would). This even with free drinks, food, and door prizes! Now who wouldn't come to that? I guess I live in a hoity-toity neighborhood. I hope I can get this business to work, though. It is a struggle since I don't like to be pushy like some Mary Kay reps I have had the experience of being with. Wish me luck!

I've also been working for my old boss at Century 21. I just don't know how much longer it will work out. Hopefully The Body Shop opp will flourish.

We are slowly getting prepared for our little girl's arrival. We're not doing a baby room since we'll only be in this house for a little over a year after she is born. Plus, I don't think she will care if the room is completely decorated in some sort of theme. ;) Don't worry, though, I won't be placing her in my music studio with all my posters...I don't want to make her too wild so soon. I'm sure I'll have enough of that 13 years down the road.