Annnd now???

I have five days before I hit my due date.  The end is in sight, hopefully.  Within the past few days I've experienced a little back pain, but nothing major.  Mainly pain one would experience right before getting their period, girls you all know what I'm talking about.   Not to mention a little contractiony, which have been those braxton-hicks I've heard so much about, and feel more like cramps.  But they go away when I move around, which is to be expected.  It's when they don't go away after moving around that I need to pay attention to.  I just wish I knew when it would happen for real!  I can't stand the waiting!!!  I'm sure there's nothing more nerve wracking than poopin' out a kid, but I just want it to get here!  I'm sure with my luck I'll be the girl who goes a week or more past her due date even after trying every method at home to pop this kid out.  I keep thinking I should put down the cheapo shower curtain I bought on the bed to sleep on should my water break in the middle of the night.  They say that only 10% of pregnant women's water breaks, and I'm sure I'll be in that 10%.  However, when I remember, I'm usually already laying in bed, and these days it takes about 10 minutes for me to gt situated.  So by then I don't want to get up to, lay down a curtain and get resituated.  I probably should considering what has the potential to exit out of me won't come out of my mattress, and then we're screwed.

Tonight I went to Target and bought a chest vaccum, otherwise referred to as a breast pump.  It's a little awkward telling someone you have to go to Target to buy a breast pump.  Usually when I tell them they look at me like they were embarrassed they asked.  The other day I walked into the bathroom at work and I heard what sounded like a cell phone set on vibrate going off.  But the noise didn't stop.  I then realied it was a new mom using her breast pump.  I couldn't help but laugh to myself, trying hard to contain my laughter.  Once I got out of the bathroom I laughed to myself out loud.  I will never pump at work in the bathroom.  We have a mother's room made designed for that.  Now, I've never had to use a breast pump, but I've read several articles that you tell you, you can't really pump at certain times during the day.  It's more of a "you're leaking and need to go now" type of thing.  And maybe that's what happened in the situation I happened to walk into.  That noise though, I will never forget.  Whomp, whomp, whomp, hahahahaha. 

I do feel more at ease now that we have picked a pediatrician....sort of.  I have set up an appointment to meet with one next Wednesday.  For those of you keeping track that's three days after my due date.  Which apparently isn't a big problem.  But to me, I feel like I've somehow let my child down already, and may or may not affect her for life.  I'm sure she'll be just fine.....maybe.

Anticipation

Time is narrowing down. Today is the first day of my 39th week. I have 10 days until I hit my due date of Jan. 2. There are select few individuals who believe my due date is Jan. 5th, in which case I have 13 days. Now, I'm not sure how much of a difference three days makes, I'm hoping quite a difference. This is assuming I make it to my due date(s). I've considered starting a pool at work on when I would actually go into labor, because it's never too early to start a college fund for a newborn.

My reasons for believing in Jan. 2 as my due date stem from the ultrasound. Based on a series of dates and calculations, the doctor first told me the due date would be the 5th. When we had the ultrasound at my five month appointment, the tech calculated it would be the 2nd. Since she can gauge the weight, roughly, and size of the baby as well as see how it's progressing, she calculated the date as the 2nd. Thus, I began going off of that date.

With that being said, and it being so close to the date, every effing twitch I feel in my lower abdomen makes me stop dead in my tracks. Last night after dinner I began to feel a little iffy. Iffy like I had a side ache that slowly graduated to a crampy stomach ache. So my first thought was "Maybe this is how it starts?!" About an hour later I started to feel contractions. But they were pretty sporadic so I chaulked it up to braxton-hicks, which is what it turned out to be. I've also read several articles that in order for the body to prepare for labor, it begans to "purge" out the backend. *Note to self* don't eat a Fiber One bar prior to dinner. It will only encourage your thinking that you're in the beginning stages of labor, causing a small fit of anxiety. This was also why I didn't mention it to Heath. Don't get me wrong, I love him with all my heart and he's uber excited, but I also didn't want him to freak out. After the braxton-hicks quit, I told him about it and I could sense a small sense of urgency in his voice "Uhh are you timing them?!?!" He's so cute! Once I have normal, consistant contractions, then I'll tell him. Truth be told he'll probably have to keep me low key, he's pretty good at that. The other night I had a dream that fluid was trickling down my leg as I slept. Groggily, I woke up thinking, "that was weird." and then suddenly realized that my water may have broken. I got out of bed as fast as I could, which these days is like rolling a beached baby whale from shore to beach, and went to the bathroom to investigate. I found.....nothing. I then had to calm myself down and get back to sleep.  Cest le vie I guess!

Monday, Monday

So it's the Monday before Christmas.  Christmas is being held at our house this year since us traveling could result in me birthing a baby.   So we thought it best if we stayed put and had people come to us.  And when I say people, I mean my parents, sister and Cody.  With Christmas guests comes Christmas dinner.  I am taking on the task of making this feast.  I haven't told anyone to bring anything, but if they want to I won't object.  For said dinner I'm making a pan of lasagna, salad, bruschetta and chili.  The snacky food I'm making is Oreo Balls, which are delicious!  I made a batch of those last night and stuck them directly in the freezer.  I knew if I wouldn't I would eat atleast half of them.  Pretty sure the baby would be bouncing all around my uterus on a sugar high if I did that!  My goal is to make most of the food ahead of time, and freeze it so it minimizes my work that day.  My sister is making spinach dip and bring dinner rolls, and my parents are bringing desserts. 

I'm hoping that there will be leftovers of some of the main courses I make so I can freeze them, and we can have them after the baby is born.  We'll see how good this plan pans out.  I had planned on making atleast the chili this last weekend.  BUT, we completely forgot about Christmas with Heath's grandparents.  Not sure how that slipped our minds.  So needless to say, I didn't get as much accomplished as I had hoped.  However, I did get pictures hung, we assembled a night stand for the baby's room, and made the oreo balls.

And considering I didn't want to be on my feet any longer than necessary I stopped my kitchen duties.  By day's end yesterday my feet looked like I had an allergic reaction to some food.  I don't know what else to do about my gigantically swollen feet.  Nothing seems to help.  Heath, with a heart of gold, rubs them mostly every night trying to relieve the pain.  Since putting my feet up in the recliner doesn't seem to do the trick, I try laying on the floor with my feet proped up on the couch.  Apparently, doing so warrants Allie to use my stomach as a pillow. 

Laying this way somewhat helps.  I think the only true remedy will be pushing out a 7 lb baby.  Soon enough I suppose.  Atleast knowing that the baby has dropped just brings on more anticipation for when the special day will actually occur.   As a precaution I have started carrying the hospital bags in the car with me no matter where I go, and the carseat has been installed.  I think we're prepared......I hope.

WTF!!

Is there something about this week that makes people exceptionally grouchy?!  Not only have I been having a crappy week, so has Heath.  I thought the holidays were supposed to bring out the best in people?  Clearly bank employees or farmers don't share that mentality.  How hard is it to accept the fact that "this is the way it is.  No matter how much you bitch or whine, it's not going to get you anywhere!!!"

I had to explain, for over an hour, that one of our products was working as designed, however the bank didn't think it was correct.  Fine, go ahead and write it up to be corrected.  I can tell you right now that it won't be corrected, because as I just stated, it's working as it should!

Heath had the same issue today, only with ag products and services.  I don't get it.  How do people not understand that they can't get their way by whining. 

None of this stress can be good for the baby.  I can feel her kicking in total disgust, and I agree with her, I'm disgusted, too!  On top of my work, I have all of the cute baby stuff to put away and thank you cards to write.  Not to mention to gather supplies to prepare for Christmas next week.  AHHHHH Christmas is next week?!?!?!?!  I need to finish shopping, albeit I only need to get about three things, get the ingredients for Christmas dinner since we're hosting it this year because we can't really go anywhere.  And then make the food for Christmass dinner.  I was also hoping to make some cassaroles and freeze them so we had something to heat up and eat after the baby's born.  I'm sure we won't have time to make supper every night.  So much to do, so little time....

Baby Shower, part two!

Last Sunday I have my second baby shower, and what a blast it was! This shower was a combination friends and family held in Elmwood. The baby and I got TONS of cute gifts! Since I'm at work right now I'll have to post pictures of some of them later. Owl jokes have somehow become a part of ours and our friends normal vurnacular. Jokes such as seeing an owl and saying "whooo, whoo does that?!" In the process owls have sort of become the underground theme in the baby nursery. Not only do we have a cute momma and baby owl painting, but as a shower gift, a really good friend had customized an "owl ball" You'll understand when you see the picture later. Not to knock anyone elses gift, but this was one of the best original gifts I've ever seen or gotten! The dogs may not think so. Champ slinks around it like it's going to swoop down on him, and Allie unsuringly stares at it. However my father-in-law, whenhe saw it, withought missing a beat says "well, that doesn't belong in a nursery. That's supposed to go in your barn to keep the swallows out!"

I want to declare an "owl day" and I can wear my awesome Tootsie Pop shirt with Mr. Owl who maade it to the center of the Tootsie Pop with two licks and a CHOMP! Thanks to another awesome friend for that shirt!

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Christmas Shopping

I've done my fair share of walking while being pregnant. But this past month has been truly challenging and unpredictable. I never know how long I'm going to last when I go shopping. I think I have more ambition when I'm by myself as opposed to having Heath with me. However, it can be a little more difficult carrying Christmas gifts out to the car myself, as well as loading and unloading them.

Today I went Christmas shopping, which required me to run from one end of town to the next, stopping at different stores. Choosing things from the racks/shelves and then dropping whatever was in my hands. I was then forced to either pick up the dropped object, provided it wasn't breakable (thank god nothing was) or leave it and pick a different size from the rack. Well, I opted to pick up the object. It's kind of funny, I'm sure, watching me trying to pick up something from the floor on my own. There's no bending over. It's a full-on catcher's stance/squat. And then finding the strength of trying to stand up with an arm full of items. It's quite comical. I should charge people to watch. It would definitely be another source of income that would come in handy during maternity leave!!

My goal was to get atleast half of my Christmas shopping done, and I think I accomplished that and more! And I'm somewhat proud of myself for being out for about four hours. That's an accomplishment when you're 8 1/2 months pregnant with something that's a little bigger than a crenshaw melon in my stomach, which is roughly 6 lbs. Hmm, kind of looks like a giant pistachio.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to finish my shopping and put it behind me. Then the wrapping begins. Ohh the wrapping.

Week 36

So I have this baby inside me and I dont know what the deal is, but she insists on getting the hiccups atleast once a day. Now, I don't mind her getting the hiccups, but as this is occuring she's also putting pressure on my bladder every few seconds. Take my word for it, it doesn't matter if your bladder is full or empty, when a 6 lb baby presses on a bladder it makes you feel like you have to pee.......all the time.

Not only that, but it seems when I stand in excess of two minutes she throws me into a false labor tailspin. I guess I can't say for sure if it's false labor. It's not really crampy, more like there's just pressure in my lower abdomen. But I've read that a feeling like that can also constitute as false labor. Either that or she's dropped meaning I could go at anytime. I am in my 36th week! This Wednesday is the end of my 36th week. And if I go with the due date the ultrasound tech gave me (Jan. 2nd) that means on Wednesday I'll have 25 more days.

I kind of hope she comes early. Just not on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Years Eve or New Years day. I don't want her to get jipped out of Christmas gifts as she grows up, nor do I want her to have her birthday on New Years Eve. That's all we as parents need, her partying as a teen on a major holiday. Listen to me, I already sound like some sort of overprotective parent. Ugh. I just hope she gets here soon. My feet can't take anymore swelling. I don't think there's enough room in my feet for them to get much bigger. Everytime I squat down I feel like my cankles are going to burst like a swollen balloon! Oh well, just a simply price to pay for what we'll have in the end!

Having a baby.

So this child has been inside me for 32 weeks. 32 weeks of not being able to buy any new clothes for myself other than maternity clothes. 32 weeks of not being able to have a beer. 32 weeks of gearing up and buying supplies necessary for this baby. Roughly 32 weeks of not being able to lay on my back to fall asleep, which is one of my favorite positions. Having to lay on either my left or right side so I can breathe making the respective arm fall asleep, and at times my hip falling asleep. 32 weeks of having to get up in the middle of the night, every night, to get up to pee - sometimes twice a night. 32 weeks of the increasing urge to pee every hour during the day. Only now am I getting to the point of getting stretch marks on my once unmarked belly. Nearly 32 weeks of getting winded as I walk up two sets of stairs every day, numerous times a day at work. Having to scoot to the end of a chair or couch to get up since month six. Grunting everytime I have to bend over to put on socks or a pair of pants. Developing cankles.

And what's it all for? So I can get up numerous times a night to feed or rock a crying baby? To change a dirty diaper 20 times a day? To have to change the baby's outfit once or twice a day because of a blowout? To have sore boobs? To have my boobs leak everytime there's a crying baby? The continuing urge of having to pee all the time when I hardly had to pre-pregnancy? The added weight that will remain after the baby is born?

And what do I get out of it??????

The mere satisfaction of having the bundle of joy in my arms in 6-8 weeks. Seeing that baby in my arms, a baby that Heath and I produced look up at me and smile. Knowing that there will be another living being completely dependent on me. And I'm more than ok with it. I can't wait until our little girl is here. I want to see who she becomes as a person. I want to know her likes and dislikes. I want our friends and family to be great influences in her life. More importantly I can't wait for her to get here so I can see the bits and pieces of Heath and I in her. Hurry and get here!!!!

Long time no post!

Phew it's been awhile since my last post! We've been so busy with getting things ready for the baby, I haven't had time to post! In the last month I had my gestational diabetes test, which apparently if you test high, they make you go back and they draw your blood four times in five hours. For both tests they require you to drink a sugary drink that tastes like non-carbonated soda/orange triminic. It's not that bad. The most boring part of the whole test was when they asked me to come back because my initial test looked suspect. This required me to take a half day off work so I could sit in a waiting room for half a day, and they drew my blood every hour. All that work to find out that I didn't have gestational diabetes, which is good!



I also had my first baby shower. My sister threw me a great shower in Grand Island. It was primarily for my mom and dad's side of the family and GI friends. We got such great stuff! I had to clean out the closet (which needed to be done anyway) in the nursery to make room for everything! I'm still looking at all the diapers we got. We have three boxes of newborn diapers and I'm wondering how long that will last. I predict maybe a month. I guess we'll see!

I'm told there will be another shower in the Elmwood-Murdock area, which is good because I would hate to leave out my family and friends from around here!

I was also able to decorate the nursery with the help of my friend Kristy. Her eye for creativity has helped me tremendously! I'm only disappointed in myself for 1) Not being better prepared for our shopping venture, and 2) not being able to use what little creativity that I have because I couldn't decide how the room should be decorated. As the day went on we were able to pull something together. The room looks great! I'll have to post pictures of the room soon so everyone can see it's progress thus far.

The baby has been kicking like crazy! My stomach has moments of pure jolts, to the point to where I think my stomach has tourettes. Everytime I grab Heath's hand, or tell him to put his hand on my stomach, she quits kicking. I feel bad because he wants to feel her kick so bad, and has only felt it a few times. I'm sure he'll get plenty of chances to feel her kick after she's born, but it's just not the same.

Until next time, and I promise it won't take so long. ;)

6 months!

According to my calculations, today is my 6 month mark! Only three months to go! So far this pregnancy has gone by pretty fast. Probably because I am so preoccupied with work. I have a feeling if i just sat at home all day the months would be creepying by.

Heath and i decided to get a head start and began taking child birthing classes last night. it's definitely informative. Our instructor went over the normal, i assume, things to cover in the first class. What a woman's body looks like inside prepregnancy and during, that there will be pain, and she compared the dialation of a woman's cervix from staring out the size of a cherrio, and ending the size of an english muffin. i may never look at those breakfast foods the same way again. But she really is cool, and has a great sense of humor. And I feel confident asking her a question, which is the important thing. And apparently im not alone when i get winded going up two flights of stairs. Guess thats pretty common when youre pregnant. Thought i was terribly out of shape for awhile. Oh well, we'll see how next week's class goes!

Baby-kicks-a-lot

I realize it's been awhile since my last post, but we've just been so busy! Ever since we found out the sex of the baby we have been registering like crazy! So far we're registered at Walmart, Target and Shopko. Registering for a wedding is a hell of a lot easier than regsitering for a baby! Atleast for our wedding we knew what we wanted and were familiar with the products we were registering for. With baby stuff there's so much to research, I feel like I'm being put through some sort of baby item test, and if we don't have it we're screwed.

I thought I had an idea for decorating the baby's room. So far the walls are yellow....... We thought having yellow walls would cheer up the room a little, and give us a positive thought when we had to walk in for 2, 3 or 4 am feedings. Well, MORE of a positive thought. ;) We didn't want pink or blue. I was thinking a dark brown and pink as accent colors, but I may need a little help with it.

I'm also trying to wrap my head around the thought of having a little girl. I was never a girlie girl, always a tomboy. I never played with dolls or had tea parties, and if our girl is into that I'm not sure how to deal with it. Maybe decorating the room with decals of pink cows will help. After all, she'll probably be showing cattle in about 6 years!

I'm thinking she'll have some aggressivness to her. She's been kicking me like crazy! I think she's trying to kick my belly button out so that it turns into an outie, or as Heath would say my "turkey timer." He always asks "Is it done yet?!" No, no it's not.

The little kicks are cute, and kind of gives me a warm fuzzy just thinking about her. But when she really gets to kicking I have to yell out "Baby!!!" and push my stomach a little. It doesn't always stop her, which goes to show she may or may not be stubborn. She gets that from her dad....;)

Thank heaven, for little girls!

It's a girl!!!!!!!!!! I had my doctor's appointment on Tuesday (I'm a little late in posting the news) and we found out the news! Heath was so anxious on his way to the appointment I'm surprised, and so is he, that he didn't get a speeding ticket. He was in the waiting room 30 minutes before I got there! First we had the good ol' tummy check with the doctor just to hear the heartbeat. The little twerp kept moving around and we could only hear it for a few seconds at a time.

After the tummy check we waited what seemed like forever to see the ultrasound tech, but was probably 10-15 minutes. I've never seen Heath so anxious. You would have thought he was waiting to hear a jury's verdict! I must admit, I was a little ansty in the pantsy too ;).

We finally got in to see the ultrasound tech and she went over seeing the baby and explaining what each part it was we were seeing. We were glued to the screen! She told us the baby seemed to be progressing normally and looked healthy. And then there it was, spread eagle shootin' beavers all over the place. Our little girl sitting not so lady like. And that was our introduction to "Wilma". The next day I was able to catch it quick enough her kicking and for Heath to feel it. He looked like a kid coming down the stairs on Christmas morning to a tree full of presents!

The images of watching a little boy in peewee baseball and scoring touchdown's on the high school football field quickly changed to watching a little girl in an over-sized softball helmet and slamming the winning spike in a volleyball game. Well, that's how it was in my head. For Heath it was visions of an empty wallet every weekeknd and keeping a gun in a nearby corner only to print out whenever a boy came over. A girl, we're having a girl!!!!!

Baby!

We have the important doctor's appointment in a few days, and I can't speak for Heath but it's really getting me excited. The fact that we're going to find out if it's a boy a girl, a Fred or Wilma! I began thinking that I should have taken a half day of work that day because after my appointment I'm going to want to go out, and buy all the gender specific clothes I can get my hands on! Then again, it's probably a good thing I didn't take a half day so that we have money left!

Lately we've been thinking about getting a rocking chair or glider for the babies room. After all, we need something to sit in during those late nights. While I was on my trip over the week I came home to a fairly excited Heath showing me the "homework" he had done while I was gone. He opened up a flyer we received in the mail, a flyer he doesn't normally read and considers junk mail. He pointed to a glider that was on sale and beamed with pride. Almost reminicent of Superman standing on the world with his hands on his hips like he conquered a quest. I have to admit, it was pretty cute. So yesterday while he was at work I went out and bought a glider.

Before that he randomly picked out a couple of Husker onsies, the look on his face being "This is for my kid and I can't wait to me him or her." He's starting to talk to my stomach more and more. But he doesn't talk normal, he talks in his high-pitched, baby voice that might scare the baby. I keep telling him to talk normal so the baby gets used to his actual voice and not the creepy Norman Bates from the movie Psycho voice. It's cute nonetheless.


The babies room is coming together. Right now it's a mesh of baby things and our things. It's getting pretty crowded and we're trying to figure out where we're going to put our stuff after the baby is all moved in. Since I have an adversion to putting things in the basement because of my fear of spiders infesting whatever get's put down there, and I'm pretty sure I recently heard mice, I'm a little leary about storing good things down there. We have the spare bed down there and I'm afraid of pulling the sheets back. I have this image that tons of spiders will be crawling inside amongst the mouse chewed sheets. Stupid fears...

Pregnancy Travel

So I'm in North Carolina for work, and traveling while pregnant is a treat. A two and a half hour plane ride is not easy when you have to pee every hour and a half to two hours. Empty Gatorade bottles are offered but I'm pretty sure squatting in an area a square foot wide in front of 9 of your co-workers would get you too close to them. Company jet doesn't offer a lot of room. I prefer a room with a toilet and a shut door....by myself!

Then the questions start alllll over again. "When are you due?" "Do you know what you're having?" "Have you been sick?" UGHHHHH! The first question someone asked me today was if I knew what I was having, and I almost responded "Uhhh, I'm not pregnant." just to see the look on her face. Apparently I'm big enough to the point to where I actually DO look pregnant and not just "Is she pregnant or just fat?" I like that I'm showing, but aren't all the answers to the questions the same? And some answers are too personal to share. Oh well, such is life I guess.

Weekend

We went to the Cass County Fair this weekend, and no one confused me with the cattle! My wonderful husband had a chance to get back in the ring with a heifer the night before the big show. How cute is he?!

Only 5-6 years until our little one will be able to show cute little bucket calves! I can't wait! They're so cute, and watching a little kid show one is even cuter!

My brother-in-law really cleaned house. He won Reserve Stocker Feeder Showman, Reserve Champion Senior Showman, Champion Cross-bred heifer, Supreme Champion Commercial Breeding Heifer, Reserve Champion Division 1 Market Steer (light weight), Champion Division 2 Market Steer (middle class), Supereme Champion Market Steer. The two supreme champion awards are the highest you can achieve in 4-H shows at a county fair, so congrats Derick!!!

The best part was the next day. Everyone gathers at the bar to celebrate. When I say everyone, I mean everyone inovlved in the 4-H club and their families. Tradition states that the parents of the children who won buy a pitcher of beer for every trophy their child won. That's seven pitchers, people, count 'em! And those were just the pitchers the Vogt's ponied up for! BUT, since I can't drink I didn't get to partake in the festivities. I just got to watch everyone else booze up. Good times! Considering my beer withdrawls I'm experiencing, I had to control myself from smelling everyone's classes/pitchers of beer. Nothing satisfies me more than the smell of beer! A whif from a glass, the wafting from a beer burp and I'm in heaven. I'm sure that it'll take me two beers after I have the baby to get me plowed. I can picture it now; night starts at 6:00 pm, and I'm passed out by 6:30 pm. Nothing like watching Wheel of Fortune on a Friday night as the party girl is passed out and hungover by 11:00 pm. Ahh can't wait...

Nesting

At work we're in the process of moving cubicles, and along with that comes cleaning out all the useless crap we acquired since we moved the last time. And I just went to town organizing everything! And it took me two hours. My next thought was "I can't wait until I get home so I can continue!" I think I may have begun my nesting stage. I've begun organizing the babies clothes that we've gotten from my wonderful cousin. My next stop is organizing files for me, Heath, the baby and the dogs. I'm sure my mom would be proud that I've picked up her OCD tendancies. I'm sure Heath appreciates it too.

I figure I need to do something to take my mind of feeling like a hot air balloon. Ugh! While at work this morning, I tried to button my pants and heard several threads that connect the button to the pants, popping. It sounded like a thread popping party, and was terrified my pants would fall down halfway back to my desk. Thank god dress pants have buttons and hooks. Either I'm not really pregnant and just gaining weight like my metabolism has died, or it's time to buy maternity pants. I REALLY hope it's the latter. I'm hoping that I'll have time this weekend to purchase some. That is when I'm not being confused with the cattle at the county fair while we're there....

New Paint!

So I finally got off my lazy butt and took pictures of how our house looks after we painting it. However, I failed to take before pictures so the house, so they're from when we moved in. Enjoy!






And here are the after pictures. We got rid of that horrible purple painted border, and the paper border. I couldn't stand it!




We decided to keep the guest room/babies room the same color, or a variation of. We didn't want it to match the living room, or be pink or blue. There's nothing really in it right now, but in a few months it'll be filled with babies belongings!


I have yet to get decor on the walls, and we took down those awful curtains. So some of the living room windows are naked. Luckily the windows on the porch have curtains! Next on the list is to paint our room and the kitchen!

After five days of painting our living room/dining room, hallway and baby's room we are finished! Much of the appreciation goes towards my parents who offered to come help paint, we probably wouldn't have been able to get it done without them.

When I told people we were painting, which was a HUGE mistake by the way, EVERYONE gave me the same expression: "You're painting?! Should you really be doing that? Can you be around those fumes?" 1) yes we were painting. 2) yes it's fine if I paint and 3) they do make paint with decreased fumes and you can take the fumes out of paint by putting in 4 drops of vanilla extract. Our baby is not going to come out with one eye bigger than the other, or a combined huge nostril. It'll be just fine. We had plenty of ventilation to help out with the fumes.

Side note, apparently when you sit on the floor for long periods scooting along to tape and trim it activates a feeling in your ass such as a cramping sensation, known as sciatica causing a person to walk with a limp. It looks really funny when you stand there massaging your ass cheek. You also get equally awkward looks when you ask your husband to massage it for you. Note to self: ask someone else to tape and trim the base boards so you're not walking like a paint brush was shoved up your butt. Thankfully, that task is done and won't be need to be done, for hopefully, several years. By then I can teach my child how to tape base boards.

Big baby

So we had our four month doctors appointment today where we THOUGHT we were going to find out the sex of the baby. Looks like my skepticism about the 4-D ultrasound pictures will have to wait another month. We're supposed to find out the sex at the next appointment. And I was informed that the medical industry being used at my doctor's office made a leap in technology from recording on VHS tapes for ultrasounds to using....DVD's. Good thing too, I have a feeling it wasn't too long that they upgraded from Betamax to VHS so I feel like they're making great strides. However, we did find out that the baby's heart was beating about 150 beats per minute. If I believe in old wives tales, and I'm trying to decide if I do, that indicates it'll be a boy.

My posting yesterday has sparked more worry regarding baby clothes. I have a fear that we're going to get a lot of cute clothes, but they're all be in the six month old range. And babies grow pretty fast. I just have this image in my head of a baby ripping through clothes like The Hulk because he/she grows so fast. Instead of rippling muscles, it's rippling rolls of baby fat shredding clothes to bits. I don't want to see the baby angry, cause I have a feeling I wouldn't like it when it's angry. I was casually reassured by a friend that everything will be ok, and I'll get plenty of clothes. However, after that it's up to me. Maybe it won't be that our kid grows out of the clothes too fast. It'll probably be us who won't buy new clothes fast enough leaving the kid no choice but to rip out of it's clothes. Ugh...until next time.

Osh-gosh-b'gosh

Aside from the fact that this blog is entitled "A Day in the Life" I may or may not post everyday, weekends especially. Sorry folks, I have a life too and it doesn't always require me to be around my computer. That being said, thanks for reading!!!!

I got to thinking, with my four month doctor's appointment tomorrow (I'll be 17 weeks on Wednesday!) we're supposed to find out the sex of the baby. Heath and I are the kinds of people who HAVE to know the sex of our baby, provided the baby isn't shy. We like to plan far in advance, and if we didn't know the sex not only would it eat us alive not knowing and be unable to buy all the cute outfits, but I hate to have this conversation, only because I've had with other preggo women:

Friend or family member: "I got your baby shower invite, that's exciting! Are you finding out the sex?"
Me: "Thank you! No, we want to be surprised." :)
Friend or family member: "Ohhh, so what are you looking for as far as gifts go?"
Me: "The usual"
Friend or family member: "Oh, so you don't really have a preference?"
Me: "No, but we're looking for cute clothes so we would appreciate those."
Friend or family member: "Ohhhhh well, shit. Well, be seein' ya around."

See the ending leaves an awkward silence. Now, I'm not knocking those women who want to be surprised by the sex of their baby. If you can stand it for nine months to not know, more power to ya. The mock conversation is more of an exasperated expression at the thought of trying to find a gender neutral outfit in the range of a three to nine month old child. I would rather have this type of conversation:

Friend or famliy member: "I got your baby shower invite, that's exciting! Are you finding out the sex?"
Me: "Thank you! Yes, we are finding out! We can't stand not knowing."
Friend or family member: "Oh great! Are there any gifts you're wanting in particular?"
Me: "Well, we would appreciate some older clothes, somewhere in the three to nine month old range, mainly since kids grow out of them so fast."
Friend or family member: "Fantastic! That makes it so much easier to find a gift!"

BOOM! No awkward ending, and no awkward silence at the end. Again, I'm not knocking the women who can stand to wait the duration of their preggo period, and want to be surprised, like I said, more power to ya. It just sucks because Osh-gosh-b'gosh doesn't make a gender neutral outfit for a nine month old.

While I'm thinking about the ultrasound, it kind of creeps me out seeing these 4-D ultrasound pictures. Some people are freaked out by the fact that they have a living being growing inside of them, and others are perfectly fine with it. Me, I'm perfectly fine with something growing inside of me. But, seeing a picture of an underdeveloped child inside me kind of creeps me out. They kind of look like a fetal Cheech Marin.






I'm not sure I could handle looking at one of my own kid. At this stage in the game, don't all babies in the womb look alike? If they could just show me the area concerning the sex of the baby so that I know what kind of Osh-gosh-b'gosh outfits I can tell people to buy, I would be perfectly fine with that. At any rate, I could just borrow someone elses 4-D ultrasound picture of their baby's face and say "look this is my baby!" and no one could tell the difference. It wouldn't look like Heath or I, but more like Cheech or Harry S. Truman. Ew, that's another creepy thought.




I'm not saying that I wouldn't want it for the baby's scrapbook someday, and would probably be angry at myself if I didn't get one or keep the one I was given. I'm just saying they're a little creepy. God, who knows. When I get one I'll probably think it's the cutest thing I've ever seen, even though it's the ugliest thing everyone else has ever seen. Hell, I can barely watch CSI-type shows or animal shows while I eat without gagging, how will I be able to look at a tiny fetus with underdeveloped features on a normal basis by having this picture? Maybe I'm thinking about it too much. I guess I won't know how I really feel about it until it happens and I'm able to choose and pick out the right kind of Osh-gosh-b'gosh clothes.

Congrats, it's a tire-turkey?

I was having a conversation with some of my coworkers the other day. The topic: Pregnancy Pictures. Sure, getting pictures taken, with or without your spouse, are fine. But it's the really weird ones that frequently make me think, what the hell were these people thinking?! You know the ones I'm talking about, where the woman is sitting mostly naked looking down at her belly. If done tastefully, they can be beautiful. However, when I see a naked woman (with the appropriate areas covered...sort of) seated next to a TRUCK TIRE with, who I can only assume is her husband who is fully clothed leaning on said tire gazing ever so lovingly into her eyes. Since when does a tire have its place next to a pregnant lady let alone a naked pregnant lady. When you click on the link, you'll understand my dismay.



To make the picture even classier, the guy has an earring that was clearly polished for the picture, and was probably talked into getting by his teen bride who is seated opposite the truck tire.

Then of course there's the ever so loved picture.....with a turkey.




Not only does that turkey look good, the belly doesn't look half bad either. Especially in the middle of the woods while you wear your husbands boxers. Nothing says love like a dead turkey comparing to the size of your wife's stomach.


I'm just not sure what some people are thinking when they decide to do this. I'm hoping it's the overwhelming amount of pregnancy hormones that make the mother-to-be think this is a good idea. Should I ever get an idea in the neighborhood of something like this, I'm hoping not only my husband but the photographer (you know who you are) will slap that idea out of me....hard.

So it begins...

So I thought I would try this whole blog thing. What perfect time to begin as I'm starting the pregnancy thing, well sort of starting. I guess I'm just about to complete my fourth month so sort of beginning. With luck I haven't had to go through the grueling punishment of morning sickness, thank god because no way would I be able to excuse myself every 15 minutes to puke up my breakfast or last nights dinner or anything else that calls my stomach home. I can only imagine how that would go over as I'm on a call with a client at work, "Do you mind if I put you down for a sec? The creature growing inside me is requiring me to vomit, and if I don't go now you're going to hear it and my computer is going to wear it." Magic 8 ball says "outlook not good."

So far Heath has been a trooper. The other day my dad asked me "hormones are a bitch, eh?" and I replied "Don't ask me, as Heath!" Not only has this pregnancy been hard on me, it's been equally as tough for him. I think when an argument begins to rear its ugly head, he tries really hard to not egg it on or discuss it. I may or may not have seen blood dripping from his clenched mouth after biting his tongue. Sorry my dear husband.

Not only are my emotions out of whack, but so is my entire schedule. The sleepless nights have begun as I have to get up in the middle of the night, every night, to pee. When your dreams start including images of you sitting on the pot, I'm pretty sure it's my subconscious informing me that I need to wake up and relieve myself. Who knows, maybe it's my body gearing me up for what's to happen 6-7 months from now.

I haven't yet reached the point to where I look pregnant, just chunky. I was hoping that buying and wearing some maternity shirts would help me look the part, and some do! Others just make me look like I have a giant food baby and need some Benefiber to get it out. Well, when there's something growing inside of you the size of an orange Benefiber might not do the trick. In due time I suppose....