Before I Forget

In a little while, ranging from a few days to a few weeks, I will become a mother (if all goes well). And before sleepless nights and diapers ransack what is left of my brain, I thought I'd post this picture:


"What a nice picture of a leveler. What does that have to do with anything?" you might think. Take a closer look:

Yes, my friends. That is me. And, no. I'm not just posing in it. I drove it that day. I'm proud to say that I've driven and operated quite a few pieces of machinery: skid steers, pavers (on the steepest road in Utah), and backhoes. It's been one of my favorite parts of my job. This was a brand new leveler, and the controls were similar to playing an play station or x-box game. The designers did it on purpose, to cater to the younger operators that are coming into the field. Play x box? You can drive one of these.
This is a side of me that I'm pretty proud of. It's been there from the time that I used to make mud pies, and beat up the little neighborhood boy across the street. I was a mean little girl. A tomboy to boot, and I would ride bikes, catch grasshoppers, and pull off lizard tails with the best of the boys.
Right now my days are consumed with construction equipment, manhole prices, contractors, untreated base coarse, asphalt, and Portland Cement Concrete (PCC). If I weren't pregnant, I would happily be running from site-to-site in the field watching contractors excavate fiber optic line, putting together post-tensioned concrete bridges, and sampling materials to test.
A baby, pink, bottles, and stuffed animals are the complete opposite of my universe. No wonder I was more excited about getting a butane torch rather than a Cricut for Christmas. So before my universe goes to the flip side, I just wanted to take a minute to remember that I am a completely sane, intelligent woman. That way, when I look in the mirror and see bloodshot eyes and bags the size of Rhode Island, it will give me a little confidence to plaster on some concealer and bravely charge to the grocery store for those much needed wet wipes.

Celebrity Playlists: Baby Brady

You know how you can get on itunes and find playlist by various celebrities, like Brain Regan and Kate Hudson?? Well, I've always wanted to make one of my own, so today I did it. But it has a spin on it: I made a playlist for my future child, since my taste in music has done a complete 180 and changed from hard-core indie rock to soothing symphonies. (All of these songs are, of course, located in my playlist on the right side of my blog.) No one told me that being a prospective mother would calm me down so much (and, yes, it has). I stop at stop signs (even the really annoying one here in Millville that I believe has no business being there). I go the speed limit, wear my seat belt, eat wheat bread, get to bed at a decent hour, and floss. I've even been nesting. I thought that New Years would be the perfect time to go through the mountains of magazines, old assignments, and threadbare clothes that are hanging in my closet. I have been brutal, and Spartan. My mother would be proud. And now, pardon my pregnant self, but every time I hear a love song I don't think about a couple anymore...for some reason I think of a mother singing it to her baby. So, in the immortal words of Humphrey Bogart,

"Here's looking at you, kid."

Be Ok-Ingrid Michaelson- This song makes me want to dance. Not the cute dances I did when I was dating Don, but geeky, shake your belly pregnancy dances. Anyway, when I found out we were expecting, that week was midterms. Usually I hate them like poison. This time I was uncharacteristically calm...it was quite the perspective change. I knew everything would be okay.

I'd rather be with you-Joshua Radin-This is one of those love songs that I think a mother is singing to her child.

Rock & Roll-Eric Hutchinson-When I was driving down to see my girlies (thank you by-the-way Launi, Angie, and Crystal for the surprise baby shower!!) This song was playing on the radio, and I swear the little munchkin was dancing.

Breathe Me-Sai-Beautful song, shows how kids need someone to love them. They need mothers to string pretty words together, and fathers to show them how to be strong. And I really, really like her voice, it's grainy and smooth at the same time.

Angel Mine-Cowboy Junkies-If I could take all of my feelings towards prospective motherhood and put them into a song, this would be it. It throws all of my insecurities out into the open, and I feel vulnerable, apologetic, and somehow strong.

Dancing Cheek to Cheek-Fred Astaire-When this baby comes, I'm going to hold and dance with it cheek-to-cheek around my house. I do it with Jaden all of the time, and I can't wait until I can do it with my little bundle of joy. Besides, I'm a sucker for old songs. This will always be a classic, and I need to raise my kid right, dang it!!

God Only Knows-Beach Boys-Every good playlist should end with a song like this. I have a feeling that motherhood is going to make something worthwhile out of me, more than a Civil Engineering degree could ever do. It's also going to quadruple my white hairs, bags under my eyes, and laugh lines.