Victor James Westmoreland

Well, there you have it. In spite of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, the excelerated heartrate, the constant nausea, the fact that this pregnancy was entirely different from the other two, and the constant assurances of everyone and their mother-the baby is definitely a boy. I went today for the ultrasound and decided to go it alone this time as opposed to taking company with me. I just had a bad feeling, you know? Anyway, also unlike the other two times, it took the lady FOREVER to find out the sex. The other two times it was like-squirt gel, apply camera, 'whoah! That's a boy!'. This time, the baby was wild and hyper, turning flips every which way. She finally got a good view and she just gave me an 'uh-oh' look. She showed me the 'evidence' with almost a grimace. At first I was okay. I laughed it off and all that. But as I was waiting to see the doctor, I just started crying and I've been kind of weepy all day. I guess deep down I really did think it was a girl. I was looking so forward to cuddling a little girl and watching my husband spoil a girl and buying little girl things. I realized that I had been picturing a little girl in my head all along, really, and now I feel like I'm kind of grieving over the loss of a daughter that never really existed. I didnt expect to be so sad.

Anyway, I'll get over it. It'll be a happy mommy again when Victor arrives and I guess I should be happy for hand-me-downs and all that bunk. And as Marilla said 'every baby is the sweetest and the best', right?

Okay, so I told myself this blog would not be a 'downer' so let's move on.

MEMPHIS-TOWN
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I went to Memphis last weekend and enjoyed myself quite a lot. The purpose of the visit was really to see my ailing grandmother who has developed quite a bad case of dementia and isnt likely to know us much longer. So sad. We also were planning on looking at a couple of Honda Odysseys over the weekend. We understand the importance of a 'third row seat'-with the third baby and all-but both of us hate the average mini-van and didnt want to splurge for a gas guzzling SUV. So the pre-1999 Odyssey just suited us since it is 'technically' a mini van but has a lower profile and four normal doors instead of those bulky sliding things that I detest. Lastly, the Beale Street Music Fest was Fri-Sun and Friday night held special interest for us.

Friday night we (me and the hubby and Toby and Annie) went to Beale Street around 7pm and after a few hectic turns found pretty good garage parking for ten bucks. By the time I picked up my will-call tix and got some cash out of that super-expensive atm, it was about 8 and Chevelle was just getting started. I'm not a fan of Chevelle, myself. I kinda get sick of the 'Tool' comparisons when I really don't feel there ARE any and I also get super annoyed at the way that guy keeps saying 'here it comes...here it comes!' before powering into the most simplistic parts of the song, thus fooling 4 acres of people into thinking they're witnessing something truly spectacular. That said, I tolerated them for the sake of my fan brother and was surprisingly entertained. I didnt expect much and didnt get a whole bunch but what I did get was nice and loud, moderately heavy, and pretty impressive for a three piece band.

Social Distortion, however, was a blast! Mike Ness totally lived up to my expectations, charming the audience immediately by throwing roses in the crowd as he walked onstage and completely blowing me away w/ the gravely beauty of his voice. I adore him, have done forever, and was not disappointed. I wanted to hear 'Story of My Life', 'I was Wrong', and 'The Angels Sing' but was pleased w/ the selections he chose from the latest album as well as the great old classics he brought back to life. 'RIng of Fire' made an instant fan of my sister in law, Annie, who felt she'd surely have 'sweet dreams' after hearing his sexy rendition of the classic. The band was brilliant as well, never too close to the album to bore , but tight enough to leave you wanting more. Needless to say, by the time they finished up I had screamed and sung myself hoarse, was suffering from sore hips due to dancing whilst 'with child', and dreading the walk all the way thru Pronto Pup Hell to see the Stooges. (incidentally, I visited one of the vendors and got me a funnel cake but promptly threw it away after tasting it. A friggin ' brick.)

The Stooges were a cranking up 'My Idea of Fun' when we made it over to their stage and the crowd was pretty sparse, as I expected. But at least they made up for it w/ energy. Lots of great old classics to hear ('Dirt' was phenomenal) and though I was too zapped to dance about, I was doing a jig in my heart as I sat getting wet-butted on the ground and singing joyously along. Yeah, the old guy has a potty mouth but boy is he ever fun to watch as he cavorts around the stage humping the monitors, swinging from wires, and convulsing like some kind of epileptic chimp to the beat of his favorite rhythyms . Speaking of rhythyms, Mike Watt on bass was having such a ball and he was my favorite thing about the performance-if that's not making me too many enemies. Add to all that the allowance of about fifty people onto the stage to hop w/ Pop and two encores and you've got one heck of a show. After it was over, I didnt even mind the nightmarish journey back to the car along drunken-teen laden streets all that much.

Saturday we made it to the car lot a little late (sleeping off the fun, ya know) and lucked out when we found a 1998 Honda Odyssey w/ all the trimmings, beautiful original paint and interior, and an itty bitty price tag. Of course, the price tag was due to the excessive miles (175,000) but we serious Honda people know that this car is just a teenager and good for another 100,000 miles at least. It drives like a new car and I couldnt be happier (especially since I talked the dealership down another 1000 bucks w/ my smooth handlings).

My grandmother is not doing well but I'm ever so glad I came to see her. I don't know if she REALLY knows who I am but I am comforted in the knowledge that she seemed to enjoy my and my family's visit alot. Sunday,, while my mom n' em headed off to the assembly (we've already been), we made a family day of it and went to lunch at Huey's (one of our favorite things about Memphis) and to see Spiderman 3 at the Studio on the Square. It was a lovely relaxing day (the movie was good and I'll post my review tomorrow) and the drive home (though in two seperate cars) was a cinch.

And...that's about it.