What, no pictures?

Farking home PC! Somehow at sometime, the internet stopped functioning on our home PC, which totally SUCKS since thats the only way I have to upload pictures, whether it is to this blog, to myspace, to snapfish, or to email. So, while we pout a little while longer since our attempts to fix it have not yet worked, I'll post an update but have none of the wonderfully fancy pictures I had hoped to add.

1) Our trip to Seattle to visit my family (and completely surprise my mom) went wonderfully well, aside from the chilly weather we weren't ready for. It was great to see my sister and mom and have some real vacation time to spend with them, instead of fitting things into a "holiday weekend". We went to a Mariner's game, Mt. Rainier, and wandered around at Pike's Place market. It was an action packed couple of days, but so well worth it.

2) My GD (sugar) test came and went - and I cried, but woohoo, I passed the 1 hr! Yay! So glad I don't need to give up the ice cream and fruit I've so come to love. It sure helps keep me a much happier pregnant lady. Luckily for DH, he doesn't have to worry about weight gain either, since he indulges almost as much as I do (thinking about our sundaes from tonight, ice cream by the pool, and so on).

3) We registered, which is so overwhelming! What's even better is that half of what we picked has already been changed on the registries, but so be it. I'm a little nervous about it all to be honest, a) because I know how much of a pain the return policy is at Target and Babies R Us - basically it boils down to no receipt, no return (well, maybe 1 or 2 items a year and even then there are TONS of restrictions) - and they don't seem to care if its on your registry or not and b) I've tried to add lots of stuff for lots of options, but as of now, the only shower I'm aware of is the one in Michigan (which means flying, so how much can I REALLY bring home with me?). I know we do get completion coupons though so even if we don't have a local shower, its still nice to have a place to keep track of what we want and the option to get a discount on it.

Another annoying factor of the registry is the patterns offered at different places. We started at Babies R Us, but then I found the stroller, car seat, pack n play, high chair, bouncer, etc. that I liked SO MUCH more at LoneStar Baby and Kids - which of course is not in Michigan. So, I've added items at both places and then got thinking (and had some people mention) that a place like Target would be nice as well, since some people don't have either of the other places local. Ok, so I added some stuff at Target too. And what the heck, its another completion coupon, right? Meanwhile, I know I need to add more that I have - like bottles - but I'm' so overwhelmed on what else I'll need! Bottles - I know we want BPA-free, but what sizes? And I've been told that kids can be picky about the nipples, so don't register for a bunch of one brand. What about sizes? And what if I breast feed - do I still need bottles, and how many? Argh!!! I'm at the point where I want someone else to just register for me and tell me what I need. (((giggle)))

4) Baby J's room - it is really coming together and I couldn't be happier! I've been very unsure of what to do about a dresser / changing table since I loved the matching dresser but hated the price, and didn't want to buy a piece of furniture specifically for changing her diaper and then have nothing to do with it in a few years. I mean, thats part of why we went with a convertible crib as well (and I know everyone says no one converts them, but dang it, I sure plan on it!). So today, since DH and I still are able to enjoy Saturdays together, we decided to look for a dresser. After viewing a variety of options online (several not much cheaper than the matching piece), we thought about doing something different - which lead us to Ikea. We found a bookcase, with square shelves, in a 4x2 pattern that matches the coloring of the crib. We are actually putting it on its side since all sides are finished and it is the right height for a changing table - AND we found canvas cubes that fit PERFECTLY into the shelves. It looks so much better than I first thought it would, I actually like it better than the matching dresser, who knew!?!? Along with that, we replaced the mini-blinds, hung the valence, and found this great piece of art as well - which matches with the color scheme and is modern enough to grow with Baby J's (or be moved into another room if she decides she eventually HATES pink). We were a wee-bit hesitant at first but as soon as we hung it, we were both pleased and felt it was exactly what we wanted.

So, with today's work, the nursery is probably 80% or so complete, and it feels GREAT. We know we still want some more shelving and such, but those are things we can get as time goes one, even if it IS after Baby J's arrives. My DH's parents have talked to us about giving us the glider they have, which I would recover in some sort of matching fabric (its currently blue). I think that is the ONLY big thing we have left to do - and we still have ~3 months left (or exactly 3 months if she was to arrive ON her due date, but that's doubtful!). No matter what, its nice having so much done and actually feeling more and more prepared for her arrival as far as the house goes, since I know when it comes to the whole sleeping, feeding, bathing, burping, changing, laundry, cooking, cleaning, and such, we have NO IDEA how its going to be. I guess we'll prepare what we CAN control since there is so much we CAN'T control. :-)

In a nutshell, that's where we're at. Time has really started to fly by, and I can't be more excited! The second trimester has gone by a lot faster than the first trimester (although I lump the first month of the second trimester in with the first since I still felt like I was dying on a daily basis!). I'm hoping the 3rd trimester continues to sail on and I can hold little Baby J's before I know it. I think I switch from ever 4 week Dr appts to every 2 weeks at my next appointment, which will help make things feel like they are progressing fast too. DH wants to do those 3d / 4d ultrasound images, which everyone says we should plan to do in the next week or 2 (around 28 weeks), plus I might have a coupon for a free maternity photo which could be fun. Our child birth classes start in about a month as well. I've also had a variety of strangers ask me about being pregnant, as far as when I'm due and if its a boy or girl, which I love. I'm actually at the point of enjoying this (not including the heartburn, hard time sleeping, constantly peeing, and other random aches and pains - but its all minor compared to what I've been through). I even got to park in "Expectant Mothers" parking today. Now, if only they had that at the local Marble Slab...

Great things

My husband. He's a great thing. There has not been a single moment where I've second guessed our marriage, our commitment, his love for me, or our life together. He may not be perfect, but his is perfect for me. (He even hangs his towel up after the shower!) Sometimes I fear I take him for granted, and take us for granted, but other times I realize that comfort feeling is why we work so well. Friday, when I got home from work, he had the nursery painted with white (3-4 coats) and had the bottom in pink almost complete. He HATES painting, HATES it. Yet, he did this on his own without me asking. I had originally planned to help him with it, HELP since I know I shouldn't be around a ton of fumes, but at the same time I actually enjoy painting. Back to my point, as I walk in Friday and see how much he's accomplished, I get overwhelmed with that feeling of "I'm the luckiest, most loved wife on Earth and I truly married the best man in the world". Now, the other part of that story is that Friday was a very bad, horribly stressful day. I cried all the way home from work and was actually sobbing as I walked into the house, partially due to some drama with the nursery floors, partially due to the whole daycare issue, but mainly due to work. As soon as my husband saw me, he put his arms around me and hugged me, and then we proceeded to talk some about the daycare issue and the flooring issues. Between this and all the work he had done, my mood did a complete 180 (thankfully) and I was able to change my clothes and help him finish up in the nursery. He seems to be so good at picking the right times to do these things that just make me melt and I can't thank him enough for just being him.

Once the bottom pink was done, we grabbed something to eat and began on the top pattern - I wanted a pink and white harlequin pattern to go all the way around. Three hours later, lots of taping, cutting, measuring, and quite a bit of frustration, and about 2/3's of the first wall was complete. My husband was slightly annoyed at the whole process (and I think even annoyed with me some since, after all, this was MY idea), but I still looked at him with nothing but love and appreciation. And I knew he loved me enough to do this, regardless of how crazy, time consuming, and frustrating the whole process was. How can I not be the luckiest person on Earth? We did finish the wall Saturday and decided not to do the rest of them since we thought it would be too busy. We also started putting up the chair rail and set up an appointment to have the floors done (tomorrow) for those of you wondering, but my point here is just how lucky I am to have found such a wonderful man. I've heard from several new mom's who tell me I'll love him even more after I give birth, and I just don't know how that is even possible. Anyhow, he is by far my great thing number 1. He is the reason I get up in the morning. I feel my best when I do things for him. I enjoy every moment we spend together and miss him when we're not. I love watching him with our kitties and I'm sure it will be even better to watch him with our daughter, as I know he'll be a great father. I guess I'll have to soak up as much time with just us as I can in the next few months, since I doubt we'll get a whole lot once baby J's is born!

On to great thing #2. Today, or a Monday, he not been TOO bad. No school zones on my way to work. I've felt better than I do on most work mornings. And then there is the lady in the cafeteria - she made my WHOLE day, possibly even more. I have purchased several maternity dresses since they are much more comfortable than pants. I am also warmer than usual so I can wear them to work and not be too hot or cold. I have also grabbed lunch from our cafeteria a lot lately since work has been so crazy I can't go out. I was standing there today, waiting for my order, when the lady calls to me and tells me I have such cute dresses (she's seen several apparently). She then proceeds to tell me I make a very pretty pregnant lady. (((grin))) Wow, I'm not sure anyone has said anything since I've found out that has made me feel that great. Sure my husband tells me all the time and I am thankful, but there is just something about a stranger making such a comment that feels different and great. So yay, what a wonderful way to chase away any signs of the "Mundays".

Great thing #3 - I'm 24 weeks along. 24 weeks is that one milestone pregnant women get really excited about since its the point where the baby is considered viable. I know nothing is guaranteed, but it still feels good and helps relieve some of the worry. Its nice to know that IF something happen and I had to have this baby now, they would do everything they could to save her and its possible she would grow up to be a normal person.

And, some other great things I want to share, some of which I already touched on. The nursery walls and flooring. The walls are done, except for the chair rail - which we are planning to finish tonight. It looks great, it actually looks better than I thought it was going to, which really excites me - and once we get our Internet fixed on our home computer, I'll be able to upload some pictures! Six and a half hours of taping (no exaggeration) and the harlequin pattern came out WONDERFUL. My husband said he was even surprised at just how good it looks. Next come the floors. We had originally got a quote from Lowe's about putting in some laminate or engineered wood floors - but yeah, they quoted way more than we wanted to spend. Back to square one - we'd try the laminate ourselves. We went and priced out what we wanted, checked both Lowe's and Home Depot, then got a recommendation for one more flooring place. After talking with them, we learned they could install the flooring and all the extra's for about $100-200 more than it would cost us to do it ourselves. Bonus! I'm willing to spend that to avoid the headache of doing it ourselves - plus I like the flooring we picked out BETTER than any of the options we had at Lowe's or Home Depot. AND - they are doing it tomorrow. I was expecting it to be 2 or more weeks! This means that not only will the painting be complete before we go out of town, but the flooring will be done and we may even have the crib assembled. Woohoo! It feels so good to have things come together so quickly. Now its on to finding a dresser, a book shelf, and all the rest of the final touches. Its great not to feel like you're in a time crunch. :-)

While I rambled and rambled about the good things in my life, I hope you are able to step back and see all the wonderful things going on in your own. Take the time to be thankful for what you have and make sure those close to you are told how much they mean to you. Life is short and there is so much truth in the whole "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans", try not to miss out on the little things. Since today is tomorrow's memory, make the most of those memories. I know we all look forward to the weekend, our next vacation, that big movie coming out, visiting family and friends, or other such planned events, but don't completely overlook today. Take a moment to kiss your spouse, to hug your kids, to tell your parents how much you love them, to play with your pets, to enjoy the fresh air - basically take some time to realize how much you'd miss out on if there wasn't a today. I'm working on embracing the small things, it really does make life more enjoyable. (Notice I said "working" - I still complain more than I like and wish for time to pass all too quickly! One step at a time ... one step at a time.)

Evil email advertisers!

I open my email, and I see this:





Bam! I now want cupcakes. But oh wait, what's that? Its NOT a cupcake? I start reading the advertisement I got from Williams-Sonoma (yes I signed up for the emails, yes I choose to open it, yes I should know better, but come on, give a pregnant girl a break!) and I soon learn its a CAKE made to look like a cupcake, and they are selling the pan so I myself can make such wonderful looking concoctions.

So now, I have to have this pan. I MUST be able to make these, the most awesome looking cakes, with such little work. I think about all the combinations I can create - chocolate and vanilla, chocolate and chocolate chip, chocolate and some sort of swirl - well, basically anything with chocolate is currently on my list. Go figure. I can already hear people swooning over "those cute cakes she makes" as I bring them to various events. I think I even have a carrier I could use to transport this without the top getting all smooshed.

But wait. I need to store the cake pan. And right now all my cake pans are stored int he drawer of my oven. Its full. Like, full to the max. What about a cabinet? Hmmm, those are all pretty full as well. I mean, my china platter is sitting on my table because I cannot fit it into any of the cabinets. My husband will frown when I tell him I want ANOTHER piece of bake ware. I'm sure his very first question will be "Where are you going to put it?" and I don't have an answer for that. But, but, but (in a rather voice I'm sure) its soooooo cute! That won't work. The second question comes. (((slumps in chair))) "Do you NEED it?" and I think we all know the answer is, of course, no. But, but, but ... but how much would Baby J's love these cakes? Again, my husband will just look at me, probably shake his head a little, and say "Well, if you REALLY want it..." and at that point, feeling slightly guilty for bringing it up, I'll know that he is right and I'll forgo the trip to W-S, I'll avoid their website, and we'll continue on as normal ... and the cake pan will miss me.

There's always my birthday and Christmas, right?

Progress, progress, progress...

So much progress in the past few days, I love it! Our bedding arrived on Friday and its absolutely adorable. It of course is all packed in a single package, so I need to spread it out and possible iron a few pieces - but I don't want to put the bedding on the floor or somewhere my curious kitties can lay on it, so I'll wait until we get the crib set up. Now, speaking of cribs, we bought it on Saturday and we're both super excited! What's even better is that 1) it was in stock so its sitting in the hallway in the box and 2) it was on sale - and we all love sales. We are going to wait to set the crib up until after the floor in the nursery is re-done, which we won't do until the room is painted - which we were waiting on the bedding for. The paint colors have been picked and my husband's mother (who works with paint) will be picking them up this week. I am hoping we can get the first color done next weekend (maybe even Thursday or Friday while my husband is off) so that I can start taping up the pattern - which I'm sure will take HOURS but be so worth it. I really want to get the painting done before we take our short vacation in mid-June, but I might be a little overzealous so we'll see.

Now that we have the theme taken care of, I know we need to start registering as well. That should begin once we get back from vacation, although I'm not sure where we are going to register. Target seems to have horrible return policies and are known for NOT keeping the registries up to date - which means double items, no receipt, and the inability to return all items. I've heard that Babies R Us are going to be switching to a return policy that rivals Targets as far as suckiness, and that worries me as well. Baby Depot, but I haven't heard great things about them either. We can go with Lone Star Baby, but there are not THAT many locations, so its far from convenient for people. That leaves us with Wal-Mart (I don't LIKE Wal-Mart), boutique-y places, or online. I like online, but I know many people like to go IN somewhere and take the items HOME with them. Ughh. Stupid return policies ruin it all. I guess I'll do some more research and talk to my husband to get his thoughts. I know we still have a lot of research to do before registering anyhow - what car seat is best, what stroller, do we want a pack-N-play, what about diaper pail, and on and on and on. I can tell you the wedding registry sure was a lot easier!

Next, I signed us up for Prepared Childbirth classes starting in August and going on for 4 weeks. I got lucky since with my husbands work schedule, only one set of the classes they had before my due date were on a night that would work for us and there was enough room for us to get in. I'm thinking I might go back and sign up for the breastfeeding class that is being offer the week after out last childbirth class, since its the same schedule.

Even with all the progress we've made, I know we still have a lot of big decisions to work out - from daycare to a pediatrician to how much time I'm taking before going back. These are going to be a little more stressful for me so I keep putting them off, but I know we are running out of time. I guess they are something we'll start discussing after our vacation, tears and all.

On a less baby-related note, this month is going to be CRAZY BUSY! We have tickets for at least 3 Rangers games, 2 weddings, and our vacation. I have my sugar test this month as well (yuck!). Add this to what we'll be doing around the house and finding some pool time and you'll see we are running out of spare time. I'm not complaining though since while it is going to be busy, I'm excited about MOST of it - summer is finally here!

Now, I'm off to get ready for Ranger game number 1 this month! Go Rangers!

My latest craving...

And I WILL be getting one tonight. Yummm!!!

I can't do this!

I can't do this! I can't put my baby girl in daycare while I spend 9+ hours a day, 5 days a week working and leave SOMEONE ELSE to raise her! That puts me home about 6pm and gives me just a couple hours a day to really be her mother, I don't want to be a part time parent. I don't want to hear about her first time rolling over, crawling, pulling herself up, walking, words, etc. from a STRANGER, I want her family to be the ones to see these things! I want her daddy to hear her first giggle, her grandparents to see when she discovers her feet, I want to be there as she sits up on her own!

My husband and I for some crazy, unknown, and not-so-smart reason got into a discussion about child care as I was driving to work - and I ended up in tears thinking about these things. What do I want? I want to be able to stay at home with my daughter for her first year, I want to be the mother that MY mother was, to be the one who gets to experience these things that PARENTS should experience. In a perfect world I would be able to stay home, but we don't live in a perfect world and there is no way we can afford for me not to go back to work. And it sucks. Sucks big time. I hadn't realized until this morning just how much our situation upset me. Day care is just that, child care provided during the day. While I'm working. While my husband is sleeping (peacefully I might add). While my daughter will be awake and learning to live. The evenings will be spent as a family and the nights will be my husband working, and my daughter and I sleeping and dealing with whatever comes with that. Me and her. Her and I. Alone. And I'm scared. Scared about being able to soothe her, scared about getting enough sleep to be functional, scared about all the noises that go on in a house at night and how I will be the only protector. Then comes morning, where I need to not only get myself ready, but also prepare my daughter to take to daycare where the cycle starts all over. I don't know how people do it, I don't know how I can do it, and it really makes me sad. I guess its time for my husband and I to sit down and really work out all the details on just how we are going to do this. I know from a retirement standpoint, I could go part-time for a few years and we'd still be on track for our goals - but can WE afford this with our normal expenses? Is this something my job would allow me to do? Can we find childcare with people we trust on a part time schedule? These are all things we don't know. I have a feeling this is going to turn into an emotional time for me and the time is getting such that we can't put it off any longer. Stay tuned for updates.

Well...

She's a perfectly healthy baby girl!!! Our doctor told us we couldn't have asked for the big ultrasound to go any better - and we are THRILLED! We agreed on a name as we waited to talk to the doctor, but as of now are still trying to keep it a secret. I have to admit though, that the name seems so perfect that I'm beginning to think I might be "over" what anyone else thinks - so depending on how things go, we may spill the beans early. I go back and forth from moment to moment and while I do WANT to tell, I know its something we can't take back once we do, so we continue to keep our lips closed. No matter what, everyone will know in about 4 months anyhow - eeek!!!

On another excitement note, we purchased bedding (as you can see above). I want to paint the nursery and I need to pinks to match, so the sooner we get the bedding, the sooner we can start painting. I can hardly wait to start bringing all the baby items into the house and I know painting is the first step, replacing the floor is the second step, and then onto everything else. What REALLY made me tear up a little was my husband is the one who started the nesting. We spent yesterday moving items out of the "nursery" and cleaning out the closet. We have a few things to put in bins and load up into the attic left, but thats what the plan for today is. It's nice to know that we are actually STARTING the process since up until yesterday, we had done NOTHING to get the house prepared and now we have almost an empty room. I know that the next ~18 weeks are going to fly by as we pick out the crib, dresser, changing station, diaper bag, car seat, stroller, books, toys, bottles, and on and on and on! We do have some general ideas on what items we want as far as the BIG stuff (strollers, etc) so that should help, but I know how overwhelmed I felt when we walked into Babies-R-Us and saw ALL the items we are going to need.

The biggest issue we are having right now is the crib. We found a crib and dresser we love and its even a convertible, but is it really worth spending the money on it verses getting something that serves the same purpose but cost significantly less? There is SO MUCH to spend money on for our daughter, where do you splurge and where do you save? As of right now, I am leaning towards getting the set we like, since both times we entered this store we picked out the same set. We'll see what my husband says when he wakes up today - of course I might change my mind by then. Giggle!!!

Meanwhile, Happy Memorial Day to everyone! Make sure to take a moment to thank all those who have served our country, its something I don't think gets done as often as it should.

T minus 1 day and counting

Hi-YAAA!

Yup, you got it right - I am feeling the kicking now and its CRAZY! I was once told that the movement will feel like bubbles. I hear bubbles and think little, tickling movements like soda bubbles. WRONG. It's like a balloon popping in my abdomen, and it can be quite startling. I've been feeling it for about a week now and finally my husband was able to feel it last night, I was so excited! The look on his face was PRICELESS and I'm actually a little sad I was not able to get a picture - it was one of those surprise, shock, amazement, a little freaked out looks. I can only image its a face I'll get to see more and more as this pregnancy progresses and once we have our little on in our arms and I can't wait. Meanwhile, I have to admit that while the movement is a little unsettling at times and the thought of this human being growing INSIDE me is still a little freaky, its nice to have the daily reassurance that our little kick boxer is in there and active. I was too busy the first trimester being sick that I didn't have the chance to worry about something going wrong, but now that I'm feeling better for the most part, I am definitely worrying more about what-ifs. Having access to SO MUCH information isn't always as great as it seems!

Now for the even more exciting part! Our BIG ultrasound is scheduled for Thursday - as in 2 days from now! I can hardly wait to 1) hear that everything looks great and we have a healthy baby on the way and 2) whether we are having a boy or a girl! I'm so ready to start shopping and getting the nursery ready so keep your fingers crossed our little one gives us the money shot! My husband insists its a boy because he wants a son (although if you ask him what he thinks it is, he says he has no idea) and with all the name trouble we've had coming up with ideas for a boy, I'm leaning towards thinking its a boy. Everyone else I talk to thinks its a girl. Even the random lady working at the maternity store. We'll obviously be happy either way, I just have to admit the thought of having a teenage daughter scares the CRAP out of me. Girls are HORRIBLE at that age (I know, I was one!). I also know that if we have a girl, as much as I pray she turns out like Rory from Gilmore Girls, the chances are slim. Oh well, we'll do the best we can and hope no matter what we raise a healthy, happy child. I believe the chances of that happening are MUCH better. (((wink wink)))

I want...

As I was walking back to my desk from my hourly trip to the restroom, I spy a coworker walking down the hall with a plate. A plate of what? It looks like cake. And now I have completely lost interest in the person's plate (and whatever may actually have been on it) and am instead infatuated with the idea of cake. I want it. I want CHOCOLATE cake. Mmmmm. With CHOCOLATE frosting. Could this be a craving? One of those pregnancy symptoms I hear about so often but until now only had the one for cottage cheese? Does it matter? No, I guess it doesn't really matter, all that matters is I WANT CAKE! I'm thinking it is going to be the perfect night to make my beloved chocolate pudding cake, after of course a meal consisting of watermelon. (Leave me alone, I've been sick with this miserable cold for far too long now, if I want watermelon and cake for dinner - so be it!)

Now let's just hope I have all the necessary ingredients at home!

Wahhhhhhhh!

I apologize for the lack of updates, especially since I hit the 20 week (AKA: HALF WAY THERE) point on Friday. What did I do to celebrate you ask? I stayed home from work and laid on the couch all day due to this nasty cold I've caught. 3 days with a sore throat 4 days with my head all congested and a very sore nose, and now it is onto the chest cold and lung-hacking cough. Lozenges and Zyrtec-D have been in my system and have only had a minimal affect. I feel bad taking any more time off work since I was out twice last week, but I also feel guilty being here since I pray no one else gets this misery - so what do you do? I have tried very hard to stay away from others and concentrate on breathing to stifle my coughing, hopefully it works. As for everyone else: please take your vitamins and wash your hands!

It's all puppies and rainbows

It seems that my post yesterday made a few people wonder what is GOOD about pregnancy, and while I've had a really REALLY hard time until recently, I definitely have some good things to comment on. Meanwhile, remember that every pregnancy is different and while I've spent way too much time feeling like I was dying, there are LOTS of other women out there who really do LOVE being pregnant! Here are several things you can enjoy and look forward to:

1) The most obvious is at the end, you'll get to enjoy the fruit of your labors with a brand new human life. I'm not there yet, but I've been told by pretty much every mom other there that this alone makes it all worth it - however that one doesn't really help along the way, so I'll move on.

2) Men LOVE pregnant women. This one still shocks me a little, but its true. It amazes me how men, whether you know them or not, react to a pregnant lady - it is almost like you can see the little twinkle in their eye and you know they are being sincere when they tell you how wonderful you look. In my mind, they are able to embrace the miracle of growing a baby more than any woman can.

3) Food. Ice cream, cookies, chips, pasta, fruit - you name it. You now have a reason to eat all those yummy items that most "diets" tell you not to and you don't have to feel guilty about it. Oh! And your wonderful husband is usually eager to run out whenever you say and pick up said sinful delights - hooray! Ok, ok, ok - you can't eat whatever you want whenever you want and you still need to aim for healthy foods, but cravings are expected and you have a lot more leeway in what you gobble.

4) You are expected to gain weight and its actually healthy. This ties in with #3 since in order to gain weight, you need to eat calories (not just celery!). My doctor told me she was excited about my weight gain at my last appointment - thats music to a woman's ears!

5) New wardrobe. Once again, you have an excuse to go shopping and buy a whole new wardrobe. How can you're husband possibly get upset with you for shopping if every item you own shows your stomach? And whats even better than new clothes? Comfy clothes and shoes! No more zippers, no more buttons, no more heals - elastic is your friend, EMBRACE IT!

6) Everything baby - baby clothes, baby bedding, baby furniture, baby showers. Baby stuff is absolutely ADORABLE and so exciting to shop for.

7) Mommy boobs - need I say more? I never knew what cleavage was, but HELLO NURSE!

8) Maternity leave. FMLA states that (most) companies are required to hold your job for upto 12 weeks of time off. Many companies will even offer a portion, if not all, of this time as paid. I'm sure its a wonderful time to bond with your new baby, your husband, parents, whomever. It also provides a nice break which helps many women realize just how much they LIKE the break their job provides from home life.

9) No more kitty litter duty! There are suddenly all sorts of things that a pregnant woman should no longer do, many of which are things we don't LIKE to do anyhow. Its a great reason (or excuse) not to do these things and instead have someone else help. I've also learned with how much faster I get tired, my wonderful, amazing, prince charming of a husband has been forced to help around the house more because I am physically not able to. It's a little disappointing at times and it makes me feel lazy, but I also know its great "training" for once the little kiddo comes since there will be SO MUCH MORE to do.

These are just a few of the things to enjoy from a pregnancy, I know there are so many more that I'm missing (like feeling the baby move - I'm still waiting!). With anything, there are going to be ups and downs to deal with and you just have to hope you have more ups. My post yesterday was more about all the things people do or say and don't even realize how rude they are being or how uncomfortable they are making people. I know I was guilty of committing a few of those offenses before getting pregnant because I just didn't know any better. Its similar to asking people when they are going to have kids - which seems harmless enough, but for the couple who is going through infertility problems, the question is HEARTBREAKING. The big lesson is to focus on the positive, there is enough negative in the world as it is!

Now onto some ME updates! These past few days have been AMAZING. While I still fight the shower gag and need to make sure I eat, my mood has been better than I remember it EVER being - just call me Pollyanna! We were out last night and I mentioned to my husband that I needed to pick up some more clothes (I have 3 pairs of pants I can wear to work) so we stopped by the local Motherhood shop. We were in there for a few hours I'm sure, but the one thing I remember most is the lady working in there told me I was a HAPPY PREGNANT LADY. Who me? The girl who was so miserable and sometimes wondered if this whole thing was a mistake? Thats when it hit me that yes, I AM happy - finally - and it feels GOOD! I have the most amazing husband, a wonderful home, a great job, financial security, a marvelous family, two sweet kitties, I'm in good health, and I'm going to be a MOTHER - what do I have to complain about? Now that I can actually function and enjoy life, I don't think I could be much happier. Sure, I could live near all my family or have the opportunity to be a stay at home mom, but when I compare where I'm at with all the places I COULD be, I'm so thankful.

Today is week 19 and the little bean is now the size of a MANGO - holy crap! And while I don't think I've felt movement yet, its just a matter of time from what everyone says. I think I'm more excited about Matt being able to feel it than I am about feeling it myself. Eeek!

STOP ... and think first!

It happened yesterday, the first time, and sadly I know it won't be the only time, and I didn't even see it coming. The ever-feared unsolicited belly rub. Ughh!!! Why? Why do people feel that as soon as someone is pregnant, all bets are off and limits no longer exist? It's annoying and extremely rude. I don't run up to you and touch you! I don't rub your bald spot or pat your beer belly - so HANDS OFF! I don't LIKE people touching my belly, even my husband gives me the "Pleeeeeeeeease" look before he touches my belly - and sometimes I even tell HIM no! So, in an effort to try and rid the world (at least my world) of people doing and saying inappropriate things to pregnant woman, here is my list. Please take note:

1. It is NEVER acceptable to rub someone's belly - unless they specifically ask you to. If a pregnant lady feels movement and wants to show someone, they will ask if you want to feel the baby move. If however they just say "Ooooh!" and hold their belly, assume its gas, at which point you shouldn't want to feel it anyhow. Remember, pregnant women are still people and there should still be the same normal boundaries, if not more. In the end, if you stray and she stabs you with a fork, don't say I didn't warn you!

2. Never, ever, EVER talk about a pregnant woman's weight. Ever. Whether you tell her she looks small for 8 months or huge for 5 months, either way it is an insult and will most likely cause her to worry. The same goes for asking if she's "sure it isn't twins". She is a woman. Under any other circumstances would it be okay to talk about a lady's weight? I think not. Oh, and this rule not only applies to friends, but to family members as well - whether it be her husband, mother, aunt, whomever. Leave the weight comments to the doctor.

3. Don't share your horror stories! This is one I'll never understand either. It seems that people LOVE to tell how their epidural went wrong or they got stuck in an elevator or some other thing that we are already secretly scared of. We all know unpleasant things happen and do our best to not freak out about it happening to us, so just shut it.

4. The dreaded "Just wait..." reply. This one seems to be around every corner - "I didn't sleep well last night", "Just wait until ..." or "My back is sore", "Just wait...". Ya' know what world? I KNOW my body is going to get even more sore, I know I'm going to be the size of a house and have trouble getting off the couch, I know there will be very little sleep after the birth, but RIGHT NOW I'm still not perfect and if I'm tired, I'm still tired and I don't care how much worse its going to be, it still sucks RIGHT NOW!

5. "Was it planned?" Seriously??? Are you REALLY asking me about my sex life? Now I have to admit that this particular one does not bother me (yes, it was planned actually), but I know a TON of women who feel this is the numero uno in tacky questions. If you really stop for a moment and realize what you are ultimately asking, it makes sense why people don't like it.

6. Telling a parent they should or should not find out the sex before the birth. This seems to be more common with family members and I've read several stories about grandparents being disappointed because the child is a girl / boy or because the parents either want to find out or don't want to find out the sex before the birth. If it is a healthy baby, who freaking cares whether it is a boy or girl, and why should ANYONE other than the parents being able to choose if they find out early?

7. Commenting on the unborn child's name. This is another one where people seem to LOVE to refer to their own stories - "Oh, I had a dog named that" or "I went to high school with a kid named that and he's now in prison". Choosing a name is usually an extremely difficult decision, especially when you add in all the comments everyone makes. But even worse then that, people will badger you to tell them the name if you have chosen to keep it a secret (for above reasons). One this subject, we have not picked names yet, but have discussed them and I'm sure once we have the big ultrasound and (hopefully) know whether its a boy or girl, I DO NOT plan on sharing the names for the simple reason that I am easily influenced by the comments of others. I know for me all it will take is one person not reacting how I want them to and I will second guess myself. Silly, yes, but its the way it is, accept it. Don't worry, you will all know the name in due time.

8. Do not tell a pregnant woman (or any woman) how you think she should birth the kid. This is a VERY personal choice that the mother-to-be ALONE should be making. This is one of the few areas where I don't believe the father-to-be has much say, since it isn't his body and he won't be going through the experience and pain. I won't tell you to get a root canal without Novocaine, so leave me my choice of how I'm shooting this thing out alone.

9. Unsolicited advice. This is aimed at everyone and people seem to think they know best. I have had people tell me all sorts of things I should not be eating or drinking or doing - and most of them have never BEEN pregnant and are not in the medical field. I know caffeine is bad. I know I need to take my vitamins. I know I need to eat fruits and vegetables. Seriously, I've talked to my doctor and I follow her rules, I don't need YOU telling me what you've HEARD is best / bad / etc. Now, if you see me smoking crack or chugging down some Tequila, then I give you my permission to smack me.

That is my list for now, feel free to add your own!

PS - I WILL be carrying a fork with me at all times.

Tuggles verses the bug ... and a sweet potato

If anyone ever tells me cats are useless creatures, I will most likely laugh at them since they are obviously clueless. Don't get me wrong, my cats don't play fetch, rarely come when I call them (unless I use treats or catnip as a bribe), greet me at the door because they want food, and think they own the world. However, the males in my home (this is my husband and my cat Tuggles) are the official bug patrol - and sometimes I think my cat is more affective than my husband is (but lets not tell HIM that!). So on to the story...

A few days ago, before my alarm goes off, I hear my cat sporadically racing around my bedroom, randomly whining while this is going on. Mind you, this cat is about 18 pounds and NOT light on his feet, so yes, it wakes me up. I lay in bed for a few minutes listening to the chaos ensue, knowing that either 1) he is playing with his imaginary friend (which is ALWAYS entertaining to watch) 2) playing with one of the random cat toys he has, or 3) he has found a bug - and my guess was the bug. [SIDE NOTE: We live on a lake and thus have learned that we deal with a lot more of nature, both inside our home and out. As long as it continues to be a single bug every few months and not an ongoing battle, I can manage.] I slowly roll over and turn on the light by my bed then move to the end of my bed so I can see my whining kitty and his prize. There he is, laying on his belly with a single paw holding the bug in place. He lets it go and it starts to scurry away, Tuggles then lets out another whine and whacks it with the other paw. He proceeds like this for a short time until the bug gets to far away, at which point he runs over to it, picks it up in his mouth (((gag))) and moves it back to the center of the floor again. Now while he is "playing", the bug is slowly losing its legs - and yes, they can be found later on the floor (gross, I know). Soon the bug can no longer move on its own and Tuggles loses interest, at which point I have a bug body left on the floor. That is stage 1 of the bug control in my house and sometimes get skipped.

Stage 2 is where my husband's bug duties come into play. If the bug is small and not crunchy, I can address it myself. However, if it is a larger spider or other type of nasty insect (especially those that crunch rather than squish), it becomes my husbands job to deal with it. This most recent bug is the later, and while it is now legless and has one antenna left, it is still of the larger, crunchy variety and makes me shudder. I contain the insect for my husband (READ: place a glass over said bug - or bug body in this occurrence) and inform the exterminator (READ: call husband and tell him he has a chore to take care of immediately). So, I call my dear husband, tell him Tuggles found a toy and I'm pretty sure he ripped all the legs off so it can't move, and I left it under the glass on the floor, please dispose of it when you get home. (And now why I say I think my cat is the better "bug guy" in my home) I get home that evening and the bug is no longer under the glass (but the glass is still on the floor). Okay, no big deal. I walk into the bathroom and BAM! the bug body is sitting in the bottom of our toilet and I, of course, cannot use it now. Sigh. At least he tries.

Now for the sweet potato - that is the size The Nest tells me our baby is this week. I'm 18 weeks. 2 more weeks and I'll be half way there!!! Now, if we just knew what we having the shopping would start.

and I just *thought* it would be easier...

After looking through all the fun boy bedding yesterday, I figured since I knew I wanted pink, frilly bedding if we have a daughter, I could quickly find a few I liked. Okay, that part is not a problem. What I did quickly learn was the girl bedding I like is SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive than the boy bedding - think $200 vs. like $800. :-( The "Miss Princess" is my absolute favorite, but there is NO WAY I can justify spending that much on crib bedding and while the "Chloe" is not that expensive, I don't like it nearly as much. Boo hoo hoo! I guess I keep looking...

Miss Princess - Little Bunny Blue ($850)

Maribelle - Glenna Jean ($540)
Isabella - Glenna Jean ($390)

Coco - Glenna Jean ($390)

Chloe - Glenna Jean ($230)

Baby Ella - Glenna Jean ($430)

Alexandra's Room - Bebe Chic ($510)

Too many choices!

In an attempt to be a little proactive, I started looking at crib bedding. I was thinking maybe I could have a few picked out before we find out the sex to make it easier to shop and determine paint colors. A quick google search later and I had thousands of choices. How do I even possibly begin to choose? I started by looking at boys bedding, since if its a girl, I really want a pink room so I am thinking girl bedding will be easier to pick. So below I've included a few pictures of some of the boy patterns I like - please feel free to leave me comments and let me know what you think - God knows we'll need all the help we can get trying to make a decision! (Just remember, I'm looking at the bedding and not necessarily all the extra decor shown)

Two by Two - KidsLine

Spelling Bee - Lambs & Ivy
Pirates Cove - Cotton Tale
Peek-a-boo Friends - Cocalo
Papagayo - Lambs & Ivy

My First ABC- KidsLine

Moo Cow - Sumersault

Elephant Parade - Cocalo

Big Equipment - Cotton Tale

Baby Aviator - Lambs & Ivy

Oh how I miss thee!!!

This is so totally and completely UNFAIR. I can say for the first time since finding out I'm growing a human I actually have a craving. This is HUGE for me, since food and I have not been the best of pals lately and to actually CRAVE something instead of it just sounding tolerable is landmark in my book. "Great! Grand! Wonderful!" you say? Not so much, and I'll tell you why. I am craving cottage cheese, and not just any cottage cheese but the most delicious cottage cheese ever - Michigan brand cottage cheese. I have tried a few others from time to time and was always depressed, like to the point of throwing it out. And why is craving this particular brand a problem? BECAUSE I'M IN FREAKING TEXAS WHERE THEY DON'T SELL MICHIGAN COTTAGE CHEESE! This is a huge dilemma now, since all I can think about is that wonderful cottage cheese. I found out the Michigan brand is considered "Old Fashion" or "Farmer's cheese" and is a dry cottage cheese. I wonder now if this type of cottage cheese is available anywhere near me. My first try will be stopping by the grocery store on the way home and trying a variety of the brands they offer to see if anything works. If not, then it looks like I'll be hitting up a Whole Foods or Central Market to see what they have to offer. Hopefully I can find something that taste close enough to my prized cottage cheese to help get me paste this hump. If not, it looks like I'll be finding someway to get some of it shipped to me since I can't wait until August to get some (I'll be in the mitten state for my BFF's wedding).

Damn you cravings!!!

Duck, duck, DUCK!

Quack!!! One of our favorite past times it to feed the ducks, and while this is something we normally do off the dock in our back yard, this past weekend I wanted to get up close with ducks and geese. We headed to a local park with a full loaf of bread and looked for one of the more "duck popular" spots. We headed down to the river front and found a perfect spot to sit. Within a few seconds we had all sorts of ducks making lots of noise and apparently calling over all their friends. The white ducks seemed to be the most friendly and were the first ones to climb up on the bank with us. Next we had the Muscovy ducks which were more than happy to eat out of our hand - hence the up close and personal part I like. The mallards were surrounding us in the water and all seemed to be waiting patiently. When you have over 20 ducks around, several of which are making quite the commotion, it gets hard to try and feed them all evenly, but I tried, I really did! As I'm sitting there, my husband starts getting really excited and is pointing to one of the ducks that I at first though was a small mallard. My husband starts repeating "It's a woody! What the heck is he doing here - its a woody!!!" and for anyone that knows ducks, you'll understand how strange it is to see a wood duck at such a pristine park. They are normally only found in the marshes and more wooded areas, which in turn is why they are called wood ducks. This guy however, was up in the area with all the other ducks eating bread and holding his own - and what a beautiful duck he is too. You can see in the image below just how pretty these ducks are. I think we'll be sure to visit that park again!

Baseball, snakes, and an avocado

It has been a relatively busy week and I'm so glad it is finally Friday! Monday I had a doctor appointment for something non-baby related and I finally got an answer to something I've been dealing with since November - along with a Rx to fix it. Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the issue will finally go away. Yay! Tuesday I was off of work so my husband and I (along with 2 of his friends) could go to opening day for the Rangers. We even arrived early enough to catch batting practice, during which my wonderful husband caught me a baseball which I am hoping to get signed by several of the players at future games. We LOVE baseball and are both so excited the season has started (and in fact might be going again tonight). The funny part is my husband ordered a beer and while I would have loved to indulge in one myself, I learned that just smelling it was enough to tide me over - random, but it worked. That night after the game was the major excitement for the week though.


My husband needed to sleep since he works nights, but since we had not had dinner we needed something quick. We decided to run up to the corner to pick something up and jumped in his Jeep. When we got back, we walked up to the door where we fiddled around for a few - talking to the dove nesting above the door and then my husband randomly grabbing for the door handle, but on the wrong side of the door for some reason (see, he really does need his sleep!). As we were standing there I just happen to look down and freaked out - I scurried away from the door screaming my husbands name. My poor husband. Being the spider hater he is, he assumed there was a spider near him and quickly leaped back while swatting at his head, face and shoulders - trying to get the crazy eight-legged Satan off of him. Meanwhile, I'm point at the door with random sounds coming out of my mouth since I could not make words. He looked at me, trying to figure out what the problem was and then looked at the door. It took him about 30 seconds to finally see it - there, on the same doormat we had just been standing on in shorts and flipflops was a snake! Once he saw it, I was finally able to make words again and we looked at each other and both commenting on how we didn't see it in the first place - I mean, how did we both walk up to the door, stand on the mat WITH the snake, and not even realize it. Then, how in the world did neither of us get bit, considering we were standing there for at least 2 minutes or more. Yuck. The next half hour was spent going in the BACK door, getting a shovel, and trying to get the snake out of our yard without either of us getting bit. As my brave husband tried, the snake continued to snap viciously at the shovel and anything else that got near it. (((shudders))) He finally was able to move it out of the yard and were able to eat. Needless to say, we are both very cautious approaching our house now - or any other building for that matter. Living on a lake isn't 100% wonderful considering all the random bugs and wildlife we have to deal with, but so far its been worth it.

Wednesday was much less exciting as I had class all day at work and we spent time with my husbands family that night, with the guys all playing Rockband. Uneventful in comparison, but we enjoyed it. Thursday we met with out financial advisor, who gave us the good news that looking at our retirement, its possible for me to go part time after the baby is born for a whole 5 years, stopping my retirement contributions during that time, and still come out on goal in the end. While we have no idea at this point whether I'll be going back full or part time, its nice to know we have the option to do part time and not push our future goals out any. I guess its about time we starting looking at this a little more since the time will come before we know it! Eeek! Back to Thursday though - after our meeting we grabbed some dinner and headed out for opening day at Lonestar Park and bet on some ponies. After admission, parking, a few beverages, and betting (and winning), the evening cost us less than $10 and allowed us to enjoy the nice spring evening. So perfect. I love this time of the year! And while right now we don't have any plans set in stone for next week (other than my OB appt), I'm sure we'll manage to watch some baseball, bet on a few more ponies, and continue to enjoy both the weather and each other. After a year and a half of marriage, I have to admit I continue to enjoy every single second!


One final note - today I am 16 weeks along. 16 weeks. 4 months. Wow. And I hear my baby is the size of an avocado. That means I have roughly 5 months left. Time really flies. I have to share a commercial I saw that really made me realize how close we are. I believe the commercial was for Cooks Childrens medical center, but I might wrong - however the story really made me think. It started with a lady talking about the NICU and how thankful she was for them, she talked about how she gave birth to her child at 24 weeks (that's 2 months from now for me, not very long), and how the NICU was so wonderful and everything. She then ends with a comment about how her child is a normal 7 year old now - after being born so early, the child is in perfect health. My husband and I looked at one another and both said "2 months", meaning if that were us, we'd be full on parents in 2 months. We have 2 bibs and a pair of booties. We are not even CLOSE to being prepared. I think that commercial helped me realized the reality of it all. I know we are waiting until after the 20 week BIG ultrasound to purchase anything, but I know I'm also starting to feel slightly anxious. While I should have 5 months left to acquire the things I need, you never know the hand life will deal you. So as I end this, I ask you to please to keep my unborn child in your thoughts and say a little prayer that everything works out as planned.

Waiting...

I'm still waiting ... and I'm tired. Will this ever end?