Get Up & Vote; The Poll is Out!

Giving into public pressure, we've established a way to guess what the specifications of the baby will be upon her birth. Click the link and follow the directions. LittleLadyCronley is the name of the game.
If you are closest with the date, weight and height of the baby, you could win a free cat! If you get the gender wrong, you win cat litter.

• Click the link
  
• The game name is LittleLadyCronley (no spaces, case sensitive)
  
• Enter a date/time, height & weight
  
• Excitement for everyone!
  

And if anyone was wondering, I do still have a job, but I have managed to squeeze in a little blogging here and there. Thanks go out to Suzanne for finding the baby guessing website!

The Womb is not Empty!

 
Happy Easter to everyone. I hope that little hint clarifies the joke in the title of today's post. Okay onto more important matters.
After careful consideration (mostly on which picture to post) and to satisfy public demand, the growing belly has made it to the Cronley Blog. This photo was taken on Easter Sunday as the California sun set on the land formerly covered with beautiful orange groves-one such tree remains and it happens to be in the backyard of Wendy's home.
Tracey and I spent Easter weekend in Mission Viejo relaxing, cooking and eating. I learned how to barbecue pork ribs and a leg of lamb while Tracey learned to make homemade cinnamon rolls and sticky buns. Highlight of the weekend: comparing Tracey's belly to the rising dough of the cinnamon rolls. Absolutely hilarious.
 

Not Quite Mississippians

We're back in good ol' CA after a trip that started out a little shaky (our video camera and digital camera were stolen from right under our noses on the airplane just upon arrival in Jackson, MS) but ultimately turned out quite fruitful! After our "mishap" on the airplane, we were afraid that we would be hardened by the experience and lose grasp of our belief that people, as a general rule are, "good". Luckily, the people of Meridian, MS and Birmingham, AL wouldn't allow for us to be hardened. Everyone is so nice! We walked up and down many a street and many a neighborhood in our search for a home and everywhere we went, people would wave and smile despite the fact that we must have looked like a couple of fish out of water. One of the best suprises for both of us was how many trees there are in the South! We just couldn't believe it. The land is absolutely gorgeous and I know we got lucky, but the weather was unbelievable! We even got one night of a good thunder storm which, despite losing some sleep over, we quite enjoyed. We owe a special thanks to our friends, Rob and Leea, who graciously put up with us all week long while we basically took over their house for our "house hunting" purposes. It was so great to see them and be there when they brought home their new puppy "Sally" --- who we have already nicknamed "Saint Sally" because she is one of the best behaved (not to mention cutest) puppies you could ever meet!! For those of you concerned about our ability to adjust to Meridian, MS, you'll be pleased to know that the house we have signed a contract on is all of 7 houses away from Rob and Leea. We are so excited about being neighbors and have already started planning the first block party. One funny item to note is that despite the fact that we are 7 doors away from the Myers', we are actually in an entirely different city and have a different zip code --- the street name isn't even the same even though we are on the same road!? Over the weekend we were able to get over to Hoover, AL to visit Sara and Greg. It was so great to see them and their beautiful home and to eat some good barbeque and banana cream pie with them. Greg took us on a quick tour of "The Hammer" (Birmingham, AL for those of you not down with the southern lingo) and showed us just a few of the highlights. As always, the visit with them was too short, but it is so good to know that they are only a 2 hour drive from our new home.
Well, we will certainly have more to share with you about the new house as it gets closer to it's completion and we get closer to moving, but for now, here is the one picture we currently have of it. Please ignore me being totally ridiculous in the picture -- I was doing the Mr. Roboto dance in celebration and somehow Tom managed to capture me looking like a complete lunatic. Well, I guess that's fitting.......

Hunting in Mississippi?

Once again the postcard used for the all important "Save the Date" notice has reared its ugly (and getting uglier) head. It is unfortunate that this digital version will do nothing to reduce the number of these things we currently have stored in our huge apartment. I put it somewhere in the neighborhood of a thousand that remain.
So we're off to Mississippi! We're only going down there for a week to look for homes or as the Navy puts it, House Hunting. We've been looking at homes online for about as long as any sane person could take and now it is time to investigate the old fashion way.
As you might guess, you can get a lot more house in the middle of Mississippi than you can in Southern California. One restored home in particular comes to mind: It looks something like Grandma Sheridan's, but 5,000 square feet and did I mention in is in the National Historical Register? We're going to look at it for the fun of it, but if we lived there, I'd be afraid that all of you would show up every Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, Friday, etc. On the more realistic side of things, we've been pleasantly surpised with the variety and quality of these as well. But who knows, that cute little place with the nice yard might have a hillbilly for a neighbor and stink like the Marlboro Man himself lived there.
Finding the right place is just the beginning for us. As this represents our first home purchase, we are totally clueless and I am pretty certain that everyone in the real estate/home mortgage business is excitedly anticipating our financial demise. Truthfully, we are working with some seemingly good and very helpful people who are using really small words so I can understand.
It is still a little confusing. Although every other industry or service has managed to reduce the number of "fees," the money lending world has about fifty of them that should be lumped together and called "Who else are you gonna get this kind of money from?" fee.
The trip is not going to be all work and no play. It can't be: We're staying with our friends Rob and Leea Myers and I don't think they would stand for it. They moved to Meridian back in February and have graciously offered their spare bedroom for us to use as "Headquarters" for the house hunt. We do have a birthday to celebrate. Tracey's birthday is on the 6th (She will be 20) and hopefully I will have scouted out a decent restaurant by then. We're also driving to Birmingham (AKA The Hammer) to visit the Wendts. I haven't been to their place since Christmas of 2000 and Tracey has never been there. The whole trip should be fun, eye-opening and hopefully successful.

The Expectant Engineer

See, I told you!

Pictorial Debut

Our little Mona Lisa......(seriously, is she donning a black wig in that last photo or what?!)

We've had an exciting Saturday! As an early birthday present, Tom took me to get a 4-D ultrasound done and I have to say it was one of the best experiences of this pregnancy to date. I know it won't compare to holding her for the first time, but watching her move around inside of me and actually getting a few glimpses of her face is incredible!! The appointment lasted less than 30 minutes and we walked out the door with a 10 minute DVD of the Little Lady moving around set to music, a CD with about 20 still images and 8 prints of the 8 best shots. Maybe it's just me, but I think she looks a little bit too much like her Dad (especially in that last picture)! As I was staring at the pics on the car ride home I joked to Tom that I might want to have a Maternity Test done because I'm starting to wonder....... ;) The first picture is for those of you who have requested a belly shot --- can you see Cal staring at it in wonder?? He has no idea how his world is about to change! As if you couldn't tell, we are getting more and more excited for the arrival of the Little Lady. The stroller and infant car seat have been purchased and already assembled by Tom. I have caught him a few times already pushing the stroller around with a stuffed bear strapped in it. Each day I am more and more grateful for his engineer background --- I have a feeling that it will be an extra valuable crutch in our early parenting days/years/decades, not to mention it's affect on Tom's nerd status which, let's face it, helps keep the Naval Aviator in him a bit grounded. Well, it's taken me about 20 minutes to write this and I'm feeling the need to go stare at the ultrasound pics once again.

What to do with the Cabin?

Last night, Tracey and I met up with Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Vicki (who arrived a little late from a flight) for dinner at a brewery in Burlingame. The weather was not what you would expect from California with hail the size of gumballs and consistent heavy rain.
The topic ranged from ND basketball (who lost in double-overtime to U of M) to turtles and wine. Much of the discussion centered on Uncle Jim’s new cabin. He has turned the virtual outhouse of cabins into a Mission of 3 stand alone buildings with water (hot water), gas and electricity. And get this…satellite television. I think it is hilarious. For those of us who have been to Uncle Jim and Auntie Vicki’s places, including their home, you know that they are all beautiful buildings in incomparable locations—San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the wine country of Sonoma County. They are also typically very rustic, charming and simple.

"...I can't wait to see their faces when they see the satellite TV. I will have tears runningdown my cheeks; I'll be laughing so hard!"

I think the satellite TV was just a way to show the MFL’ers that Jim Sheridan isn’t to be outdone. Ever. There is nothing that is safe or sacred, save the man upstairs himself, in his search for the greener grass, which, I might add is always just a couple hundred miles down the road. Vicki and Jim’s sense of adventure is contagious and it makes you want to join in the sit-com that is their life.
All this talk of the cabin made me reminisce of the times our family shared there and how it shaped our young lives. It made me realize that family is more important than pretty much everything and making it to mass was more important than what you are wearing or smelling like. It taught me that waking up early is hard, but if you do it you will be rewarded by God. A shower is relatively unnecessary and you can make anything work for a week, even a frozen, 80 year-old well.
All of these good things made keeping the cabin an easy decision. However, in the past couple of years...well, we'll say that the delicate subject of the passing of the family’s matriarch drove a wedge in a seemingly impenetrable family foundation while the family burnt the bridge of forgiveness between themselves. So here we are trying to figure out what to do with our family vacation home. As much as mom must make a decision regarding the cabin, we must help her make a good decision. Should she sell the cabin to Uncle Pete? Should she hang on to it in its current state or clean it up? Should she pull an Uncle Jim and get satellite TV?
I see 3 possible scenarios:

• Cabin is sold to Uncle Peter. No more cabin for the Cronley’s. Possibly put in a clause to have Uncle Pete sell it to us, if he ever does sell.
• Cabin is kept under mom’s name. Leaves us the option of delaying any decision now, but it is unlikely to get much, if any use. The chipmunks are huge fans of this plan since they will not likely be bothered by any humans getting in the way of turning the cabin into a Chipmunk Resort.
• Cabin is purchased from mom by a family member. Is anyone of us in the position to do this or want to? I know that Tracey and I want to have a place to get away but it seems like a few years away before we could even consider,not to mention it is a 6+ hour flight and a 2+plus hour drive to get from anywhere we’ll live in the next 4-5 years.

So given the history of the cabin and the fun we've all shared there, and keeping in mind the unfortunate wedge and burning bridge issue, let's make a good family decision.

San Francisco Treat

Due to San Diego's unpredictable winter weather, Tracey and I decided to head north for a weekend (plus a couple of other days) in Northern California. Okay, here's the truth: Tracey is working up here Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and since work for me is maintaining this website, I decided to tag along. Cal, Calvoski, or Cal Vasco Da Gama is the lone bachelor among the harem of kitty-cats in Mission Viejo.
After watching Kansas lose to Bradley (?), we decided it was time to go into hiding and head to the Pile (Tracey's mother's maiden name) Family Beach House in Goat Rock State Park outside of Jenner, CA.
Tracey's sister, Catherine and fiancée, Matt are planning their wedding for June 3rd at "The Coast" and this weekend they, along with Wendy, had cake to taste and champagne to sample. Though we didn't get to join in the tastings, it was great to see the young Kansans.
It turned out to be quite a gathering and of course, ended being a feast of great food and wine. Grandma Pile, Doug & Jan, Tim & Trish, Laurie, the newly returned Steve, Nate, Liz, Nicole and the now walking Emily all enjoyed the crab bake, lentil soup and salads.
Our time at the Coast is always fun and, regrettably, always too short. Next up, meeting with Uncle Jim and Auntie Vicki in San Fran!

San Diego: The Weatherman's Dream

As you probably guessed from the title of this post, I am back in San Diego.

Local Weatherman:
Whitney Southwick
"High temperatures today and tomorrow will be in the low and mid 50's near the coast and in the valleys but it will feel much colder at times because of the dampness and wind...Please, take care, drive slowly and be prepared for very quick changes in your weather through tomorrow."

As my Irish tan (i.e. freckles) began to fade and bug bites began to heal, I had to laugh today at San Diego's meteorologists. Today, San Diego is under a Winter Storm Watch which translates to Mostly Cloudy. Yes, we did get a sudden rain shower this morning, but nothing that required the severe weather alert that interrupted the normal television programming. Too funny.
The sad part is that our time in San Diego is limited and soon we'll be battling the weather like everyone else. I really hadn't thought of this fact until I read Sara's comments from a previous post. Doesn't it seem like that is the 5th tree to hit their house/garage? Ugh.
In the meantime, we'll be here stocking up on canned goods and hoping that the Red Cross makes it here soon to help us deal with our weather tragedy.

Lonely here in San Diego.......

This will be my first attempt at a "solo" blog post. While Tom/Boog has been busy celebrating Mardi Gras on some warm and sunny tropical island, I have been quite busy back here in the doldrums of reality traveling like crazy for my meaningless job. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the employment and income, but let's just say that I am really looking forward to my new role and one of the most important jobs in life --- MOTHERHOOD! Thank goodness for this little one who's been keeping me company with her constant kicks and somersaulting. It's been especially nice since I get to take her EVERYWHERE with me, unlike Cal who has to stay behind when I'm on the road. For those who care, Cal is doing just fine and continuing to go through life starving and always anxious for his next meal. What a life.
This weekend I will actually be traveling to Lawrence, KS for FUN -- to celebrate my sister's bachelorette party and to host a bridal shower for her. I'm really looking forward to it! Her wedding is set for June 3rd and everything seems to be falling in to place (except for the bride's maid dresses, but we're working on that!). It is sure to be a great celebration!
On a more ridiculous note, I had a dream last night that Joe and Kelly announced to everyone that Kelly was going to be a surrogate mother to Brady Quinn and some unknown woman's child ------ WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?! I have no idea, but I certainly woke up laughing!!
Well, this is getting pretty long. In all seriousness, Tom is doing well down in the Caribbean. Contrary to what we all imagine, it hasn't been all fun and games for him, but he's gotten to fly a couple of times and hopes to get a couple more flights in before he returns home next Wednesday. We can't wait for him to be back here so we can start getting serious about house hunting in good ol' Mississippi!
I hope that everybody is doing well and having a great week.
ps - obviously I haven't figured out how to sign in under my own name.........lots to learn!

Car-nee-VAL!

Another interesting thing going on down here in Curacao is the celebration of Carnival. Revelers have had parades in virtually every part of town on various days in the past week. The parades are a little bit different than Sturgis’ “Michigan Week” parade that we all know featured John as the Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cone Guy. There were no marching bands, no fire trucks, no Boy Scouts, and no old guys driving little cars and wearing fezzes. All that was replaced with little beers (everything is 8 oz.) and repetitive and intoxicating music. Having never been to New Orleans, I don’t know how similar this is to that one celebration down there but there have been no beads or anything like that. The whole thing is a family affair despite the parades going until midnight and later. They are fun and the noise from them is completely unavoidable so you have no alternative but to join in...at least until Lent.

Notables that May Shock You

I have been on the fine Island of Curacao for just over 24 hours. And while I am not surprised that I have seen or encountered things that were quite unusual, I am surprised at the events or encounters themselves. I have started this list and plan on updating it while I am here.

• A wandering, stray dog one day is road kill the next. Verified twice.
• Denny's, no matter what hour or how busy, will take 90 minutes to make two eggs (over medium), toast and coffee.
• Toyota vans were designed by some one with extremely long arms.
• The Tyra Banks talk show is not good--ever.

If you need me...

Curacao. Not long ago, I knew very little about this island in the Caribbean. Truthfully, I didn’t even know it was in the Caribbean. But now, I’m on the doorstep of going down there for a stint to help our East Coast friends.

While on the boat, it seemed like a great idea when we asked to help, but we’ll see. Our squadron has a history of doing things like this. Last cruise, someone thought a 24-hour race through the desert would be tons of fun. Oh, and also, the portion of the race in the mountains and in soft sand, was to be completed while on a bicycle. Horrible. We ended up losing one guy and everyone got mad at one another. I think while on the boat, one needs to be careful with these grand ideas since pretty much anything (besides spending time on a boat) seems like a fantastic idea. We'll see though.

All things considered this should be a fun time. I wish Tracey could come down there. I know she and the baby would enjoy the sun and sand, but you can't do it all. While there, I hope to continue to post updates of how things are going. So far, I know that the island is virtually surrounded by coral, the water is clear and weather is consistently 80° and breezy. Not bad, eh?

Astonishing Numbers

In the excitement of yesterday's news of our healthy baby, I have found a little wacky mathematical phonomena that we have on the Cronley side of the family. This baby, when born, will represent the 11th grandchild for "Grandma Cronley" or "Grandma Tronley" if you prefer. She will also represent the 8th granddaughter. As a numbers guy, this amazes me.
If we can agree the the probability of having either a son or a daughter is equal at 50%, then the following numbers may surprise you as well. Or if you are anything like Tracey, you will have already gone to CNN.com to avoid math, especially statistics.

For 11 separate births, or events, there are two possible outcomes per event (girl or boy). This gives us a total of 2,048 different possible outcomes (See photo. It shows the first couple events and shows how the possibilities start increasing). Of those outcomes, only 11.3% of them are for either 3 or less girls or, like in our case, 3 boys. That's crazy! If we were gambling based on these numbers, the house would be broke...which sort of explains things, I guess.

To be clear, the next child (following ours) has a 50% chance of being the 9th granddaughter, which is consistent with the norm. However, as the numbers show, our family is anything but the norm and no one will argue with that.

It's a.............

Human! We're pretty sure at least :) All appendages are accounted for (including some very sizable big toes!) and everything appears to be perfectly normal. In going with Tom's hunch I wore pink today (it is Valentine's Day afterall) and wouldn't ya know it --- Tom was right! It's a GIRL!! Although the scanned image from our ultrasound doesn't do her justice, we thought we would share one of her first pictures with you. I guess there is a reason for my obsession with pink lately :) We couldn't be happier with all of the news from today's ultrasound. Oh yeah, the new due date is June 30th. Although I don't know much about the zodiac sign of Cancer, this little one is sure to be stubborn like her mama but of course a sweet Daddy's little girl. Let the name hunting resume.