Quick trip to Seattle

Now that I'm pregnant, I find myself noticing all the things I do on a regular basis now that are soon about to become less frequent, much more challenging tasks with an infant along for the ride. Like going to the grocery store. Or working out. Or as I noticed last week, traveling!

I made a quick trip to Seattle to catch up with my good friend Danae before she has her first baby, which could come any day now! It was fun to catch up in this last window of time before life changes big-time for us both. I was also able to get in some family time, since I have three cousins that have moved to Seattle in the past few years too. Apparently Seattle is the place to be these days! One of them just so happens to be Danae's husband, my cousin Matt, a happy coincidence that now makes Danae my cousin too!

So, here's a little trip recap for you:

I took a quick flight from San Francisco late Tuesday afternoon, and got into Seattle in time for dinner. There's a dine around Seattle event going on this month, where a bunch of the nicest restaurants in the city are offering 3 courses for $30 - appetizer, dinner, and dessert. It winds up being a good amount of food - perfect for a couple pregnant ladies! We went to Steelhead Diner, which I highly recommend for anyone visiting Seattle, and met my cousins Nick and Tiffany there. Since I'm still getting my act together as a blogger, I don't have any photos to share from dinner - but wait, the trip is only getting started!

Wednesday, Danae took me on a short sightseeing tour, since this was my first time in Seattle. We saved the Space Needle and a drive through the mountains for a later trip, but she did take me through the different neighborhoods to get a feel for the area and we made a stop by the Ballard Locks. 

As I found out, Seattle sits on both the salt water Puget Sound and freshwater Lakes Union and Washington, and the Locks allow ships to pass through from one to the other. 

We watched the ship above come in from the Sound, which has a much higher water line, and then be lowered down as it passed through the locks so it could continue on it's way towards the lakes. It was a pretty cool sight to see, and it's apparently quite the busy spot when the weather is nicer.

Next up was a quick stop by Kerry Park to see the Seattle skyline. 

On a clear day, you can see Mt. Ranier in the background, which makes for a pretty stunning view. We weren't so lucky, but it's still a gorgeous spot.

We then met up with my cousin Colleen and her sweet baby Eli for a walk around Green Lake. (Who knew Seattle had so many lakes?) It was great to catch up and meet her adorable baby boy with the gorgeous big blue eyes. We talked all things pregnancy and baby related, which was perfect for me as I'm finding there's quite a bit I have to learn about this whole having a baby thing!

Danae, Colleen, Eli, and me along with Cousin Nick who we ran into after our walk.

Last stop for the day was for froyo. Yes, it was maybe 40 degrees and super windy - the perfect weather for ice cream for sure. But hey, we're eating for two and we were hungry, so why not :)   Again, no photos to share here. Bad blogger. Bad.

That night Matt and Danae made me a super yummy dinner of black cod, asparagus, and quinoa. Healthy eating for the babies! We pretty much just chilled on the couch and did nothing for the rest of the night, but we did manage to snap this photo of Danae and me and our baby bumps.

Me at 19 weeks and Danae at 38 weeks. Isn't she looking fabulous and fit?

The next day, my last in Seattle, flew by quickly. I don't have pictures to share, but Danae and I had a fun afternoon running last minute errands so she's ready for whenever that baby decides to join the world. We grabbed lunch at a favorite place of hers and Matt's, Latona Pub (another highly recommended spot in Seattle), and went on a short hike through Carkeek Park. Then it was off to the airport. 


I got one last surprise before flying out though. As we rounded the corner on the expressway, the clouds parted and out came Mt. Ranier. The photo below isn't mine, but I added it here to show what a sight it is to see. 

It was a short trip, but super fun and definitely not the kind of thing I'll be able to do as spur of the moment and easily while toting around a little one of my own. Here's hoping s/he's half as cute as sweet little Eli!


Thanks to Matt and Danae for a great time!


Happy Monday everyone!