Ok, I'll try to put these up once we get a disc but for now you can go look at our maternity pictures here on the Big Star Studios website!
We had a BLAST during the shoot and the pictures turned out EXACTLY how we wanted. It is so refreshing to find a photographer who listens to what we wanted- even though I could hardly describe in words what it was exactly that we wanted our pictures to turn out like- and then to get the results back and they be PERFECT! We cannot believe how wonderful the pictures turned out and are so grateful to Emily and Garry for capturing this special moment in our lives, exactly the way we wanted it captured. This is so cliche but so true- "A picture says a thousand words"- and we are forever grateful to you both for documenting our first pregnancy, something that will take me far more than a thousand words to ever tell you about (as you can see from this blog!).
These pictures were taken when I was 36 weeks 6 days.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Calling all females...
Ok, I have made an observation throughout my pregnancy that I think could change the world. You think I'm joking. I am not. Since we all know that pregnant women have to use the bathroom a LOT, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I have used a LOT of public restrooms in the last 9 months. My observation is that most public restrooms are not equipped to handle a pregnant woman. If you have ever been pregnant and had to use a public restroom, you know what I'm talking about. For those of you who are either male, haven't been pregnant before, or have forgotten this inconvenience, let me tell you. I walk into a public restroom stall- where the door usually swings into the stall so you don't open the door outward onto someone else in the bathroom- and go to try and close the door. Here is where I encounter a problem. There is NO WHERE FOR MY BELLY TO GO. The first time this was an issue, I was so confused. I tried to close the door and my poor belly stood in between the stall door and the lock. Now, there are several options of solutions, however, most of these INVOLVE ACROBATICS!!!
1. I could either straddle the toilet and hope I drop nothing in the white throne while I attempt to close the door...Not a great choice for someone whose ligaments and joints are loosening and whose balance is completely out of whack.
2. I could stand on TOP of the seat to be able to close the door. Again, not a great option because one slip and I'm looking at my swollen ankle caught in half a foot of toilet water...
3. I can turn around and try to close the door behind my back and hope I can manage to keep my (also growing) rear out of the way while remaining upright. Sounds simple enough but add in a purse and any other objects I may be carrying (shopping bag, cell phone, keys, etc) and this quickly becomes very tricky as well.
4. I could lean back/squat over the toilet seat and close the door. This option is also very tricky because who wants to risk accidentally sitting on the toilet seat with their pants on (especially if the previous occupant has left a bit of a sprinkling surprise on the seat), and remember, add in a purse or other paraphernalia and this, too, is very tough to manage.
I'm sure you're wondering which option I choose to employ... Well it depends on HOW SMALL the stall actually is, but surprisingly, I use option number 4 most often. Even this results in a scrape cross my belly most of the time.
I think men designed these bathroom stalls. I think all women who are engineers/ architects need to come together and make a difference by making sure that all future bathroom stalls that are built or remodeled, have adequate room for a PREGNANT woman to use the bathroom. And by use the bathroom, I mean, just be able to get in there and close the door without major injury.
This may seem silly, but it has been a constant issue for me the last few months and I wanted to speak out. I may be forgetful, clumsy, and eat your dinner, but I have maintained some brain function and wanted to get this out there (before I forget, obviously).
You all have my permission to send this in to the editor of the newspaper.
=)
1. I could either straddle the toilet and hope I drop nothing in the white throne while I attempt to close the door...Not a great choice for someone whose ligaments and joints are loosening and whose balance is completely out of whack.
2. I could stand on TOP of the seat to be able to close the door. Again, not a great option because one slip and I'm looking at my swollen ankle caught in half a foot of toilet water...
3. I can turn around and try to close the door behind my back and hope I can manage to keep my (also growing) rear out of the way while remaining upright. Sounds simple enough but add in a purse and any other objects I may be carrying (shopping bag, cell phone, keys, etc) and this quickly becomes very tricky as well.
4. I could lean back/squat over the toilet seat and close the door. This option is also very tricky because who wants to risk accidentally sitting on the toilet seat with their pants on (especially if the previous occupant has left a bit of a sprinkling surprise on the seat), and remember, add in a purse or other paraphernalia and this, too, is very tough to manage.
I'm sure you're wondering which option I choose to employ... Well it depends on HOW SMALL the stall actually is, but surprisingly, I use option number 4 most often. Even this results in a scrape cross my belly most of the time.
I think men designed these bathroom stalls. I think all women who are engineers/ architects need to come together and make a difference by making sure that all future bathroom stalls that are built or remodeled, have adequate room for a PREGNANT woman to use the bathroom. And by use the bathroom, I mean, just be able to get in there and close the door without major injury.
This may seem silly, but it has been a constant issue for me the last few months and I wanted to speak out. I may be forgetful, clumsy, and eat your dinner, but I have maintained some brain function and wanted to get this out there (before I forget, obviously).
You all have my permission to send this in to the editor of the newspaper.
=)
Friday, July 9, 2010
Amused...
I had to take a moment to write down some of the things that amuse me once I start to think about them...
You know, being pregnant is really like an alien is taking over my body. I've gone through all of these CRAZY changes including (but not limited to!!):
-my taste buds completely changing
-my sense of smell has heightened (and all my senses for that matter!)
-I've been nauseaus more hours than I can even count in the past 9 months
-my skin has stretched to the point where I thought for sure it must explode, rather than stretch any more, but yet it keeps on stretching
-my hips are spreading
-I don't sleep through the night any more
-coffee-one of my favorite things in life- now makes me gag
-my hands and feet are swollen
-my nails grow at an insane rate of speed, in fact if you stare at my hands long enough, you might see my nails grow =)
-I've eaten chicken tenders and fries for the first time in a loooong time instead of salads and yogurt
-I WANT to go to buffets now because I can actually get my money's worth these days =)
-I can't reach my toes, or see them for that matter
-and not to mention I HAVE A LIVING BABY in my stomach!!!
So, my point with all of this is... there have been some crazy things happening to my body and I don't always understand the changes and once I finally figure out what's going on, it just plain makes me chuckle. For example, I'd been telling people for about a week or so (a couple weeks ago) that I thought it was so funny when he would kick at the same rate for a few minutes, like once every 5 or 6 seconds I would feel a thump, because I thought maybe he was knocking "down there" to try and get out. How polite, right? Come to find out... he's been having the HICCUPS!!!!! Now that's hilarious. I thought he was "knocking"!?!?! Amusement number one.
The second thing that amuses me is that people have been asking if I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions where my stomach gets really hard all over. I've said no, but I think I've been having Braxton Hicks and just felt them differently because I've been having moments of what feels like stomach cramps in my lower abdomen. I asked the doctor one day what she thought and she agreed that Braxton Hicks contractions can manifest differently in different women and that I may very well be having Braxton Hicks contractions that feel like stomach cramps. Well, this week at the doctor, the nurse asked me if I've had any contractions or Braxton Hicks contractions and I told her about the cramping feeling and she asked if my stomach ever got real hard. Well, right on cue, my stomach started to feel hard all over and I looked down and said, well, it feels hard, kind of like right now, when he is changing positions. The nurse felt my stomach and said, I think these are Braxton Hicks because it is hard all over and is kind of changing the shape of your stomach. Then, once I started thinking about it, I realized I MUST HAVE BEEN HAVING BRAXTON HICKS CONTRACTIONS FOR WEEKS! I'll tell you why... when we had an ultrasound last week, we were told that he is "sunny side up" meaning, his face is facing towards my belly button, not toward my spine. Every time my stomach had gotten hard and I thought eh was just changing positions, I thought the reason it was so hard was because he had shimmied his back and bottom around and that was what the hard surface was. Uh, negative if his back is by my SPINE! I laughed out loud when I realized this because I'd been so certain I hadn't had Braxton Hicks contractions where my stomach got really hard and come to think of it, I've been having them for probably weeks, if not months now!!! Amusement number 2 for the day.
No one else is probably as amused as I am over these things but I just had to chuckle when I realized how much I didn't understnd some of the crazy changes going on in my body.
Now the question of the day is this: Are the cramping contractions I've been feeling REAL CONTRACTIONS????
You know, being pregnant is really like an alien is taking over my body. I've gone through all of these CRAZY changes including (but not limited to!!):
-my taste buds completely changing
-my sense of smell has heightened (and all my senses for that matter!)
-I've been nauseaus more hours than I can even count in the past 9 months
-my skin has stretched to the point where I thought for sure it must explode, rather than stretch any more, but yet it keeps on stretching
-my hips are spreading
-I don't sleep through the night any more
-coffee-one of my favorite things in life- now makes me gag
-my hands and feet are swollen
-my nails grow at an insane rate of speed, in fact if you stare at my hands long enough, you might see my nails grow =)
-I've eaten chicken tenders and fries for the first time in a loooong time instead of salads and yogurt
-I WANT to go to buffets now because I can actually get my money's worth these days =)
-I can't reach my toes, or see them for that matter
-and not to mention I HAVE A LIVING BABY in my stomach!!!
So, my point with all of this is... there have been some crazy things happening to my body and I don't always understand the changes and once I finally figure out what's going on, it just plain makes me chuckle. For example, I'd been telling people for about a week or so (a couple weeks ago) that I thought it was so funny when he would kick at the same rate for a few minutes, like once every 5 or 6 seconds I would feel a thump, because I thought maybe he was knocking "down there" to try and get out. How polite, right? Come to find out... he's been having the HICCUPS!!!!! Now that's hilarious. I thought he was "knocking"!?!?! Amusement number one.
The second thing that amuses me is that people have been asking if I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions where my stomach gets really hard all over. I've said no, but I think I've been having Braxton Hicks and just felt them differently because I've been having moments of what feels like stomach cramps in my lower abdomen. I asked the doctor one day what she thought and she agreed that Braxton Hicks contractions can manifest differently in different women and that I may very well be having Braxton Hicks contractions that feel like stomach cramps. Well, this week at the doctor, the nurse asked me if I've had any contractions or Braxton Hicks contractions and I told her about the cramping feeling and she asked if my stomach ever got real hard. Well, right on cue, my stomach started to feel hard all over and I looked down and said, well, it feels hard, kind of like right now, when he is changing positions. The nurse felt my stomach and said, I think these are Braxton Hicks because it is hard all over and is kind of changing the shape of your stomach. Then, once I started thinking about it, I realized I MUST HAVE BEEN HAVING BRAXTON HICKS CONTRACTIONS FOR WEEKS! I'll tell you why... when we had an ultrasound last week, we were told that he is "sunny side up" meaning, his face is facing towards my belly button, not toward my spine. Every time my stomach had gotten hard and I thought eh was just changing positions, I thought the reason it was so hard was because he had shimmied his back and bottom around and that was what the hard surface was. Uh, negative if his back is by my SPINE! I laughed out loud when I realized this because I'd been so certain I hadn't had Braxton Hicks contractions where my stomach got really hard and come to think of it, I've been having them for probably weeks, if not months now!!! Amusement number 2 for the day.
No one else is probably as amused as I am over these things but I just had to chuckle when I realized how much I didn't understnd some of the crazy changes going on in my body.
Now the question of the day is this: Are the cramping contractions I've been feeling REAL CONTRACTIONS????
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
36 weeks
So this past week at our childbirth class we watched "the video." I think we alllll know what I mean by that too but juuust in case you don't, it was a video of a birth. It actually wasn't too bad. Maybe that's because I've been forcing myself to watch birth videos online so that I'm not completely freaked out by what will happen to my body. The video actually did a good job portraying how long you can be in the 1st and 2nd stages of labor which is a part of labor I think I keep forgetting about. Not on purpose, but when I've been thinking about going into labor, I've been automatically thinking about my water breaking, then giving birth. I have to remind myself that there will most likely be hours and hours and hours of contractions before it is actually time to "push." I guess its the Hollywood mindset that I need to get rid of. After we watched "the video" we went upstairs for a tour of the labor and delivery unit. The rooms are actually very nice! I was quite pleased. They are big and seem more than adequate to spend 15+ hours in pain in =) The only thing they are lacking are tubs. I've read a lot about how being in a warm tub helps with the pain and most hospitals are equipped with these tubs but ours is not... oh well, I'm not sure if I'd even want to get in the tub or not.
This week Brandon did a great job of getting the baby's room painted and then wallpapered. Thanks to Brittney, Cole, Joan, and Ricky for your help! I managed to wash another load of baby items, mostly clothes from the baby shower, and organize some more of the office. Then the other night I organized under the bathroom sink and threw away a bunch of stuff that I haven't used in ages or I know I'll never use. I don't usually throw things away so this reorganizing the entire house has been monumental for me because I've thrown out bags of stuff! Brandon is very proud of me =)
This past weekend was very fun and very relaxing. On Saturday we had lunch with Brandon and Julie, our friends from Lynchburg, and their daughter Brielle, who is such a cutie pie! Julie is due a month after me so it was fun to get together and talk all things baby =) Then we went to the pool at Brittney and Cole's house and let me just tell you... this pool has been a Godsend. I'm so glad they decided to move into a neighborhood with a pool because I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed being weightless for a little while. Saturday night Rodney and Wendy came over and we all grilled out and had a fabulous dinner and made homemade ice cream. Brittney taught us a card card "nerts" (I have NO idea if I'm spelling it correctly) and I officially got addicted. It was a ton of fun.. my kind of card game for sure! Sunday was a worship concert at church that was great and then we just kind of layed around the house resting and napping until we went to dinner and fireworks with Brittney and Cole and Joan and Brad and Tiffany and all of their church basically. The fireworks were sorry. I mean, the worst fireworks show I've ever seen. It was pathetic and this probably explains why Corben didn't scream bloody murder. Monday I got up at 5 and was at work before 6am so that I could work half a day and then go to Pete and Brenda's for a Fourth of July cookout and pool party get together. It ended up being a very relaxing weekend and I feel recharged, however, I do still look forward to the weekends after only about a DAY of working... I guess I should just be thankful I have a job first of all and second, keep in mind that I will be "off" for 2 months in just a few short weeks.
This is where we are this week!
How far along? 36 weeks 3 days
Weight gain? As of last week by the doctor's scale: 36 pounds... by the scale I used: 34 pounds... either way I feel big as a barn.
maternity clothes? yes and the crazy thing is that some of them feel TIGHT. omg.
Sleep? Yeah, about that. Sleep in 2 hour intervals, alternating waking up to go to the bathroom or because I'm either wimpering or crying from the pain in my hips.
stretch marks? Ok... slight panic attack Monday morning when I realized... I HAVE A STRETCH MARK!!! Seriously not ok with this. I was dealing with the unsightly weight gain because I knew in the back of my mind that if I work hard enough and diet I can lose the weight eventually... HOWEVER, STRETCH MARKS ARE PERMANENT. In fact, I may have to go find a paper bag, stop hyperventilating, and then come back to finish this post...
belly button in or out? Out.
Best moment this week? Having the baby's room wallpapered and almost completely painted (except for the trim!!)
movement? All the time. Have I mentioned that he loves to camp out above my right ribs? Yes, you heard me. He shimmies his way up over my ribs and gets real comfy, meanwhile, my abs are stretching and I'm dealing with what feels like bruised ribs... I will, however, deal with any pain/discomfort as long as he's comfy and healthy =)
food cravings? watermelon. and cool ranch doritos.
Food aversions? coffee
what I'm looking forward to... every doctor's appointment
labor signs (I'm adding this since I'm so close to my due date now!) Last week the midwife did an internal exam and found that I am 50% effaced and that the baby is at station -1. We also had an ultrasound and found out that he weights 5lbs 12 oz!!!
milestones.... The baby's room is almost complete! Next on the list is putting together the crib!!
This week Brandon did a great job of getting the baby's room painted and then wallpapered. Thanks to Brittney, Cole, Joan, and Ricky for your help! I managed to wash another load of baby items, mostly clothes from the baby shower, and organize some more of the office. Then the other night I organized under the bathroom sink and threw away a bunch of stuff that I haven't used in ages or I know I'll never use. I don't usually throw things away so this reorganizing the entire house has been monumental for me because I've thrown out bags of stuff! Brandon is very proud of me =)
This past weekend was very fun and very relaxing. On Saturday we had lunch with Brandon and Julie, our friends from Lynchburg, and their daughter Brielle, who is such a cutie pie! Julie is due a month after me so it was fun to get together and talk all things baby =) Then we went to the pool at Brittney and Cole's house and let me just tell you... this pool has been a Godsend. I'm so glad they decided to move into a neighborhood with a pool because I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed being weightless for a little while. Saturday night Rodney and Wendy came over and we all grilled out and had a fabulous dinner and made homemade ice cream. Brittney taught us a card card "nerts" (I have NO idea if I'm spelling it correctly) and I officially got addicted. It was a ton of fun.. my kind of card game for sure! Sunday was a worship concert at church that was great and then we just kind of layed around the house resting and napping until we went to dinner and fireworks with Brittney and Cole and Joan and Brad and Tiffany and all of their church basically. The fireworks were sorry. I mean, the worst fireworks show I've ever seen. It was pathetic and this probably explains why Corben didn't scream bloody murder. Monday I got up at 5 and was at work before 6am so that I could work half a day and then go to Pete and Brenda's for a Fourth of July cookout and pool party get together. It ended up being a very relaxing weekend and I feel recharged, however, I do still look forward to the weekends after only about a DAY of working... I guess I should just be thankful I have a job first of all and second, keep in mind that I will be "off" for 2 months in just a few short weeks.
This is where we are this week!
How far along? 36 weeks 3 days
Weight gain? As of last week by the doctor's scale: 36 pounds... by the scale I used: 34 pounds... either way I feel big as a barn.
maternity clothes? yes and the crazy thing is that some of them feel TIGHT. omg.
Sleep? Yeah, about that. Sleep in 2 hour intervals, alternating waking up to go to the bathroom or because I'm either wimpering or crying from the pain in my hips.
stretch marks? Ok... slight panic attack Monday morning when I realized... I HAVE A STRETCH MARK!!! Seriously not ok with this. I was dealing with the unsightly weight gain because I knew in the back of my mind that if I work hard enough and diet I can lose the weight eventually... HOWEVER, STRETCH MARKS ARE PERMANENT. In fact, I may have to go find a paper bag, stop hyperventilating, and then come back to finish this post...
belly button in or out? Out.
Best moment this week? Having the baby's room wallpapered and almost completely painted (except for the trim!!)
movement? All the time. Have I mentioned that he loves to camp out above my right ribs? Yes, you heard me. He shimmies his way up over my ribs and gets real comfy, meanwhile, my abs are stretching and I'm dealing with what feels like bruised ribs... I will, however, deal with any pain/discomfort as long as he's comfy and healthy =)
food cravings? watermelon. and cool ranch doritos.
Food aversions? coffee
what I'm looking forward to... every doctor's appointment
labor signs (I'm adding this since I'm so close to my due date now!) Last week the midwife did an internal exam and found that I am 50% effaced and that the baby is at station -1. We also had an ultrasound and found out that he weights 5lbs 12 oz!!!
milestones.... The baby's room is almost complete! Next on the list is putting together the crib!!
Monday, June 28, 2010
35 weeks along, 35 days LEFT!!!
Then baby shower time! Brittney had been planning this shower for a long time and was really excited about all the decorations and spent a lot of time and effort on everything and it all looked great! The baby's room is done in all lime green and chocolate brown so everything from the balloons to the cake to the green apple decorations were lime green ad brown! And she even made these cute favors out of baby jars and painted the lids and filled them with m'n'ms. Something a little traumatic happened at the baby shower... I've been swollen for about 2 weeks now and it happened so fast at first that I didn't have time to get my wedding rings off. At the baby shower, I was swollen so much that my rings were actually cutting into my finger so hard I thought I might start to bleed! I ended up having to soak my hand in ice water for about 15 minutes and then use dish detergent to get them off (plus half my knuckle). It was very painful and I actually wanted to cry, partly from the pain and partly because I don't ever take my rings off. I am proudly married to the man of my dreams who gave me gorgeous rings to wear for eternity and I want everyone to know I'm married! If I have to go the rest of my pregnancy without wearing them, it will be the longest amount of time I've ever gone without wearing my rings =(
Ok, here are some of the pictures from the shower but it's taking a while to load them all so I'll have to load the rest later...
I love this precious picture with Corben laying his head on my shoulder! For almost 3 years now, the kid has had my heart wrapped around his little finger... its crazy to think that in 5 weeks or so, I'll be even more in love with my own little boy!! (Not that Aunt Bethy will love you any less, Corben) =)
Here I am with my FIRST box of DIAPERS!!! Whoa!
Here is a picture of the bride-to-be and the mommy-to-be!! I love you Mom!
I want to write about Mom's wedding but I think that deserves a post by itself...
Here are the stats for this week!
How far along? 35 weeks 1 day
Weight gain? I go to the doctor tomorrow so I'll find out then if I've gained any more but so far, 32 pounds. (ugh)
maternity clothes? uh, yes.
Sleep? I'm not getting enough. I'd loooove to be able to sleep through the night again without waking up to go to the bathroom or from pain/being uncomfortable...
stretch marks? Nope, we're keeping a close eye on my tummy these days though...
belly button in or out? Out.
Best moment this week? My baby shower and my mom's wedding!!
movement? I realized for the first time this week that what I thought was just my baby "knocking" to get out in a rhythmic pattern was actually him having the hiccups! Don't make fun ok? I thought he was just trying to get out and was banging on what he thought was the door! =) Haha! But then one day it hit me all of a sudden that he had the hiccups! So cute! He's had them 4 or 5 times now!
food cravings? frozen lemonade still but I've been practicing restraint =) and still candy =)
Food aversions? coffee
what I'm looking forward to... a weekend to relax (somewhat) and get the baby's room painted... I keep saying that but it REALLY has to get done sometime this week!
milestones.... I'm starting to have more and more baby "stuff" and its kicking this mommy into high gear! I've been busy washing baby clothes and blankets and trying to get organized. My house looks like Babies R Us exploded inside... and it will never be the same, I hear =)
Thursday, June 24, 2010
34 weeks
Wow, we're definitely on the home stretch now... 34 weeks. In 6 weeks (or less) I will meet my son. My tiny little sweet baby boy. The little boy that will depend on us for everything he needs. I wonder sometimes if it still hasn't hit me yet because this is serious stuff. I looked at Brandon the other day and said "We're about to be parents... forever... because once we're parents, we'll always be parents, until we die." What a crazy idea! My role as "mommy" will stick with me the rest of my life. I will never not be a parent again. Does anyone else feel the weight of this responsibility?! Do we realize how profound this journey of parenthood is?? It makes me grateful to my mom because I know from the moment I was born, she was striving to be the best parent she could possibly be. Don't get me wrong, I'm completely terrified, but absolutely honored, and one hundred percent excited to be a parent and as Brandon has been saying "I am aware of how unaware I am of how much my life will change." I'm not having second thoughts or anything like that, I'm just realizing how real all of this really is =) If that makes any sense.
This past Sunday was Father's Day. I haven't celebrated Father's Day in about 6 years for reasons that are probably obvious to anyone reading this blog and that won't be discussed here even if you don't know. At any rate, I was very excited that this was Brandon's first Father's Day. Brandon is so excited to be a Daddy and is so sweet to his little boy (my belly) that I can tell he will be a wonderful dad. If you don't know, what first attracted me to Brandon was his maturity and grace in handling a particular situation and I think God really blessed me when he gave me someone so gracious to marry. Brandon is even keel (most of the time) and handles situations with such maturity that I am blown away. Even if I am irate and screaming at him, he calmly tries to reason with me and diffuses the situation. He's told me stories of different instances where he has been either talked down to, embarrassed, cut down, or yelled at, and when I ask how he responded- thinking of course that he would tell me he yelled back or flew off the handle, etc- BUT he always tells me how he wanted to react and that he didn't and just tried to handle it calmly. What a man. Is anyone jealous that my son will have such a cool-headed father? What an asset that will be in disciplining and raising our child. I am so fortunate to have Brandon as my spouse and best friend. He may not realize it, but I look up to him and admire him. He is everything I ever wanted in a spouse and now that he is going to be the father of my baby, I am realizing more and more just how lucky we (me and baby boy) are.
To my husband and father of our child, I love you and want you to know how proud of you I am. I can think of several great men in your life who have influenced you and want you to know that you emulate the best characteristics in all of them. You are a man of great wisdom and grace and are admired by so many. I can't wait to raise our son with you and can't imagine being on this journey with anyone but you. You make me laugh, you inspire me to be better, you encourage me, and you are better to me than I deserve. Happy Father's Day to the man I admire most in life.
I promise I'll post pictures at some point this week...
How far along? 34 weeks 4 daysWeight gain? Weeeeell... about that... 32 pounds... I'm not entirely sure this is accurate. Ok, I'm desperately hoping that it isn't accurate. To my credit, I did go to a different office location so the scale was different and little miss nurse didn't even let the little weight thingy stop wavering up and down before she just slid it back and told me to "hop down." PLUS, I've been swelling a lot in my legs, feet, and hands so I'm thinking some of this weight is water weight.... right?!
maternity clothes? uh, yes.
Sleep? What's that? I think its absolutely hilarious (note my sarcasm) when I read in my pregnancy magazines and online that now is the time in my pregnancy when I should be "storing up on sleep since when the baby gets here I'll be so exhausted." Are they kidding??? Has ANYONE who has written any of those articles every been pregnant? Because let me tell you, I go to bed at 10:30, get up at approximately 1:30 or 2am to go to the bathroom, then wake up around 3 or 4am because my hips hurt or my legs are cramping up, then up again at 5 to go back to the bathroom, and then just about cry when my alarm goes off at 6. When exactly does this "storing up on sleep" or "resting up" for the baby happen?
stretch marks? none so far... lotion and i are very good friends.
belly button in or out? Out. and causing a scene sometimes =)
Best moment this week? swimming at the pool with my husband... weightlessness=a very good thing right now
movement? Only all the time =) I expect nothing less from my baby boy with an achiever mommy =)
food cravings? frozen lemonade from Jims. O-M-G amazing. Don't ask me how many I've had, I'm embarrassed to say =)
Food aversions? coffee
what I'm looking forward to... my baby shower this weekend and Mom's wedding!!
milestones.... I start going to the doctor every week now! Wow! I can't believe I'm already at this point in my pregnancy!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
33 weeks
So much has happened since my last post and I really started out wanting to write every week but I've been so tired and so busy with other things that it just hasn't happened. I'll at least try to capture the highlights from the last few weeks. Brittney and I have had several very good coupon classes lately and some not so good classes... One of the not so good classes was an hour away and at a church. Since it was at a church, they requested that we not take up the usual fee, but instead, let them take up a donation at the end. We had been there before and done that very same thing and it turned out fine. Well this time, I counted the donation before we left and counted out $44 and SOME CHANGE. Ask me how insulted I was that someone had dug in their pocket for some dimes to throw in there. Ok, I'll tell you... VERY. Keep in mind that I'm pregnant and pretty hormonal at times so I was desperately trying to keep my emotions under control when I realized that this group of 13 ladies was going to send us home with 22 dollars apiece and NO gas fee, which was required for this class since it was an hour's drive for us (even further for me, since I had to drive about 20 minutes to get to Brittney's house). Brittney looked at me and said "I'm gonna take this stuff to the car, ok?" because she doesn't like confrontation and didn't want to deal with talking to the lady that hosted the class. Fine. I was irritated enough that I was going to say something, whether Brittney was going to stay with me or not. I calmly informed the lady when she asked if the donation was enough that "no, it is less than half of what we were expecting and normally receive." She and another lady nervously looked back and forth at each other and said "well I guess we can write you a check for the difference." And when I told her the difference was $83 dollars, she proceeded to look at the other lady and said "I guess we can write a check and mail it to them for $80, right?" And I wanted to say, NO actually I said 83 dollars, not 80!!!! But I didn't. Then a few minutes later I heard the ladies talking and one of them said "Yeah, we can vote on it at church." Um, excuse me? Vote on WHAT exactly? Whether or NOT you will send me the rest of the money you owe me? Ok, now I am officially ticked. Get me outa here. This was a few weeks ago. Have I received a check in the mail? NO. Let me just stop here.
Ok, next bad class we had... The directions said "go past the brick house and we live behind there." My first thought (for some reason) was that this was going to be in a trailor. Nothing wrong with living in a trailor, I was just concerned about space for 10 people plus us, plus all our stuff we bring. Sure enough, we roll down a gravel drive past the brick house, past the pasture with BULLS (YES BULLS!) to a trailor. Ding Ding Ding. I win. I knew it was a trailor. Still not a bad thing. However, Mr. Husband of the lady who is hosting the class is outside puffing away on a cigarette. THAT is a bad thing. THEN, Mrs. I am hosting this coupon class comes out the side door of the trailor puffing on a cigarette. DOUBLE BAD thing!!! Brittney and I look at each other, terrified, and mouth "we gotta get outa here!!!" BUT, we did the honorable thing and unloaded the car, and walked inside, where immediately upon entering I gag. The cigarette smell is overwhelming. Why? Because they clearly smoke INSIDE their house. There are ash trays EVERYWHERE. I was mortified. All I could think about was my baby and how I shouldn't be around smoke, let alone how much I HATE the smell of cigarettes. We got all our stuff set up and sat down to wait for the guests to arrive and after 3 ladies got there the host looked at us and said, "Ok, there's one more coming and then we can start." UH... wait, did you say just ONE more lady coming or ONE HUNDRED? Because I could have sworn you said "ONE" and we have a requirement that states a minimum of 10 people have to attend the class, otherwise the host has to pay for the difference. Why do we have that requirement? For exactly this reason, classes that we take time to prepare for, drive to, and conduct, not to mention all the refreshments and supplies we provide so we want it to be worth our time. We ended up teaching the fast coupon class in the history of A Penny Filled Pantry. Not joking. It was a matter of life and death. Well maybe not that serious, but our health was certainly at risk!
As far as other happenings in my life, I went to Northern VA for a college girlfriends reunion weekend at Susan's new house. We had so much fun! We got there Friday night for Susan's housewarming party and boy, does she throw a great party! There were a ton of people there and she was so prepared! I was impressed for sure. PLUS, her new house is fabulous and I'm so happy for her! She and her dad spent a ton of time remodeling and the results are awesome. I'm particularly jealous of the heated tile floors in her bathroom! Yes, heated! Then Saturday morning we got up and Whitney, Susan, and Laura surprised Sierra and I with a baby shower brunch!! Sierra and I had no idea and it was so sweet of them!! Here's a picture of the cute cake they got for us and some of the yumminess... 
Thanks to Whitney, Susan, Laura and Susan's mom for making us feel so special and so loved! Then that afternoon we went to Susan's parents' house to swim in the pool and it was so relaxing. It was just what I needed because being weightless for a few hours is absolutely fabulous when you are carring around 30 pounds more than you are used to! There was one downer to the weekend, and that was that Whitney's GPS and laptop were stolen out of her car and she had to leave Saturday night because she had to redo a presentation for work. Bummer =( I was so sad that happened, especially because I know Whitney was concerned since it was her work laptop. BUT, at least it was things... things that can be replaced... and not Whitney, because there is no replacing Whitney! So Whit, as sad as I am for you losing your gps and laptop, I'm really glad you're ok!!! That night Susan, Sierra and I went to dinner and then on a little coupon outing... and by this, I mean I needed to use a couple of coupons because they were expiring or the sale was ending or something. At any rate we went to Walmart and got 22 tubs of Pampers baby wipes and some Sour Patch Kids for $2. We were pretty excited! Then, apparently I was on a roll with my free stuff because we went to rent a movie at Redbox and got it for free using a code I had! Woohoo! All in all, it was a fabulous weekend and I realize every time we get together, just how much I miss my girlfriends and how grateful I am to have made such wonderful lifelong friends. Makes me miss college =)
Thanks to Whitney, Susan, Laura and Susan's mom for making us feel so special and so loved! Then that afternoon we went to Susan's parents' house to swim in the pool and it was so relaxing. It was just what I needed because being weightless for a few hours is absolutely fabulous when you are carring around 30 pounds more than you are used to! There was one downer to the weekend, and that was that Whitney's GPS and laptop were stolen out of her car and she had to leave Saturday night because she had to redo a presentation for work. Bummer =( I was so sad that happened, especially because I know Whitney was concerned since it was her work laptop. BUT, at least it was things... things that can be replaced... and not Whitney, because there is no replacing Whitney! So Whit, as sad as I am for you losing your gps and laptop, I'm really glad you're ok!!! That night Susan, Sierra and I went to dinner and then on a little coupon outing... and by this, I mean I needed to use a couple of coupons because they were expiring or the sale was ending or something. At any rate we went to Walmart and got 22 tubs of Pampers baby wipes and some Sour Patch Kids for $2. We were pretty excited! Then, apparently I was on a roll with my free stuff because we went to rent a movie at Redbox and got it for free using a code I had! Woohoo! All in all, it was a fabulous weekend and I realize every time we get together, just how much I miss my girlfriends and how grateful I am to have made such wonderful lifelong friends. Makes me miss college =) I'll have to post some more pictures when I have time...
How far along? 33 weeks 4 days
Weight gain? 29 pounds... when I went to the doctor last week and got on the scale I was ecstatic to see that I had only gained ONE pound in THREE weeks!!! Who knows, maybe I'll keep the weight gain to a minimum the rest of the time and might possibly stay within the "healthy 25-35 pound weight gain" for my pre-pregnancy BMI!
How far along? 33 weeks 4 days
Weight gain? 29 pounds... when I went to the doctor last week and got on the scale I was ecstatic to see that I had only gained ONE pound in THREE weeks!!! Who knows, maybe I'll keep the weight gain to a minimum the rest of the time and might possibly stay within the "healthy 25-35 pound weight gain" for my pre-pregnancy BMI!
maternity clothes? For the most part. I can't remember the last time I wore a pair of non-maternity pants, other than my PJs... on the other hand, I've bought some maxi-dresses lately that aren't maternity, which is nice, because I'll be able to wear them after he gets here too.
Sleep? Oh how I miss thee... I've been getting up 2-4 times a night to go to the bathroom and I've started waking myself up because I'm crying so hard because my hips hurt. The other day Brandon looked at me and said "It makes me so sad when you wake up crying in the middle of the night" and I hadn't even realized I'd still been doing that. I remember most nights when I wake up crying but not all. The pain in my hips is so bad that I can hardly stand it and I think exhaustion is the only thing that gets me back to sleep.
stretch marks? none so far... I'm keeping an eye out for those bad boys though because I know my tummy is stretching tighter than ever now, but Brandon just checked yesterday for me and didn't see any... whew!
belly button in or out? Out. And very clean. =)
Best moment this week? Brandon laying his cheek on my belly and feeling baby boy kick him
movement? This is a crazy question. I feel like I must have the most active child ever. Now, he has his moments when he'll sleep, but then there are times where, for an hour or more at a time, he will kick nonstop and squirm and wiggle and move all around. He's figured out that at night, when I lay down and am still, he can get up and dance and move all over the place... I sure hope this doesn't mean his days and nights are mixed up.
food cravings? candy. I can only imagine that I am making up for sweets making me gag in my first trimester because really the only thing I want to eat ever is candy. Like fruity flavored candy. Chewy Sprees, regular Sprees, nerds, pixi stix, pez, sour patch kids, etc... you get the idea...
Food aversions? coffee
what I'm looking forward to... going to pick up our crib this weekend and painting and wallpapering the nursery (finally)!
milestones.... BabyCenter.com says this week he should be about 4 pounds, like a pineapple! how cute!
Sleep? Oh how I miss thee... I've been getting up 2-4 times a night to go to the bathroom and I've started waking myself up because I'm crying so hard because my hips hurt. The other day Brandon looked at me and said "It makes me so sad when you wake up crying in the middle of the night" and I hadn't even realized I'd still been doing that. I remember most nights when I wake up crying but not all. The pain in my hips is so bad that I can hardly stand it and I think exhaustion is the only thing that gets me back to sleep.
stretch marks? none so far... I'm keeping an eye out for those bad boys though because I know my tummy is stretching tighter than ever now, but Brandon just checked yesterday for me and didn't see any... whew!
belly button in or out? Out. And very clean. =)
Best moment this week? Brandon laying his cheek on my belly and feeling baby boy kick him
movement? This is a crazy question. I feel like I must have the most active child ever. Now, he has his moments when he'll sleep, but then there are times where, for an hour or more at a time, he will kick nonstop and squirm and wiggle and move all around. He's figured out that at night, when I lay down and am still, he can get up and dance and move all over the place... I sure hope this doesn't mean his days and nights are mixed up.
food cravings? candy. I can only imagine that I am making up for sweets making me gag in my first trimester because really the only thing I want to eat ever is candy. Like fruity flavored candy. Chewy Sprees, regular Sprees, nerds, pixi stix, pez, sour patch kids, etc... you get the idea...
Food aversions? coffee
what I'm looking forward to... going to pick up our crib this weekend and painting and wallpapering the nursery (finally)!
milestones.... BabyCenter.com says this week he should be about 4 pounds, like a pineapple! how cute!
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