The end is here

Well, it's been a long quiet month on the blog front, but that's mostly b/c it's been busy with b-day, anniversary, and Xmas stuff. I love December, but it's a busy already and we're planning, or rather hoping, to add another thing to it- our daughters arrival! We would so love if she came soon. It hit me last weekend- I am READY!!
For me I just want to be done, though it's been a fairly boring and not complicated pregnancy. I am probably the only woman ever to have lived who would be willing to be pregnant forever. It's been so easy and better than I expected that why wouldn't I continue the fun? Mostly b/c I want to know what my daughter looks like and what her personality is like.
2 weeks ago we had an exciting/scary appointment- the only one that Jim missed (but only kind of missed). I went and was measuring the same as I had for the previous month (approximately 35/36 weeks based on external measurements of the uterus). I was told that I needed to come in later that week to have a growth sonogram. I texted Jim to check his schedule and right after hitting send the midwife came back in and told me she was sending me to Sono right then. Jim called me and I tried not to cry as I waited for him and my 'appointment' to check on the baby. Got some great views of the baby, but no money shot to confirm all the pink purchases that have been made for this baby. I had time to review the results of the ultrasound w/ my midwife and Jim came in right as we were finishing up. Needless to say the baby is fine and healthy. A little on the small side- she was measuring 6 pounds 6 oz at 38 weeks, but she could have been as small as 5.5 pounds. Plenty of aminoitic fluid and she was moving great. We got a great picture of her head all smashed on the inside, so I think she's running out of room in there.
At least I hope so! B/c her eviction notice was given to her on Xmas day as I am so ready to move on to being a mommy. I want her here before the end of the year for tax purposes, to share my b-day month w/ her, to keep her out of January-where every kid in my family seems to be born, and to avoid an induction. My midwives will only let me go to 1 week 1 day past my due date before we start talking about induction and at 42 weeks, I don't have any choice really. I mostly just want a natural birth and I think this will be easier on me and the baby if we can start things naturally. No pictocin, no epidural, no Csection for me please!
I have been trying to get things moving on their own. I have been taking evening primrose oil since Xmas day and I'm thinking about upping my dose, just to help- you never know! I spend as much time walking as I can. I ate shrimp for dinner Friday night- an OWT from my office. I've tried visualizations. I've tried bouncing on my exercise ball. I've tried spicy food. I sent Jim to the store in search of red raspberry leaf tea. I've tried accupressure points. Can you tell I'm desperate?
We have another appointment on Tuesday for another sonogram and a non stress test and appointment with one of our midwives. I'm really hoping I don't have to make a 41 week appointment! Please, if you read this- all 2 of you- please send easy, quick, and fast arriving labor vibes my way. I don't want to have to go to work until April!!
****This post has been brought to you by the letter F, the numbers 4 and 0, and my new laptop which is a wonderful gift from Jim for Xmas- I'm a lucky girl who wants to share a guy who spoils me to death with our daughter- so get here quickly little one!****

26 weeks: Day before the infamous buybuybaby shopping trip!

27 weeks:

28 weeks:

29 weeks:

30 weeks:

31 weeks: You can see the color of the nursery!!!

32 weeks:

33 weeks: Oops! we forgot!

34 weeks:

::the sound of crickets::

Well November was a quiet month on the blog front. Mostly b/c we were so busy. We had 3 showers (2 for us and 1 for a friend's wife), Turkey day, and many many baby classes. I have been settling into having an extra day off (Monday's for now) due to budget cuts in my programs. This has sucked in many ways, but has also allowed me to spend more time getting things done in the nursery and around the house. I honestly expect that December will be just as busy and just as silent on the blog front as November was. I have been very frustrated with my lack of ability to deal with web 2.0 and really just want to kill just about every 'helpful' resource/website out there. I'm just getting too old for this crap.
And speaking of which my birthday is tomorrow. I will be a ripe old 29. I have always wanted to be 30 b/c I felt there was some kind of lack of questioning your age. You were old enough not to be so inexperienced in life, but not yet old.
Well it looks like our baby will likely not be born while I'm still 28. I haven't noticed her dropping and think I've got a couple of weeks left to go. Though I'm somewhat convinced I won't make it to my due date (12-28-08). Jim is taking odds on the 18th. I just don't want the 24th-26th. Too close to X-mas. And after the 31st. Then I'm out for my tax deduction. Let's hope this baby is more prompt than mommy and daddy. I have had on my to-do list adding pictures to my blog. And today will be the day! Stay tuned!!!

The strange morning that was

We have had the most bizarre, not typical, and somewhat crappy day. Well, actually just this morning. By 12:00 things had mostly calmed down. So let's start in the beginning. Actually last night.
We always go to the movies on Friday nights with our friends, last night being no exception. We went to see RocknRolla (pretty good and redeems Guy Ritchie from his more recent stink-o-roos). We also always hang out in the hallway outside the theater shooting the shit for some time. Last night was a good 30-45 minutes discussion, mostly about politics since the election is coming up so soon. We leave and get to bed around 1:00ish. This is late, but isn't a problem except we have baby birthing classes at 9 across town. I've been waiting for these to start b/c I think it will really make it all feel 'real.' As if getting kicked in the gut repeatedly isn't real. We were sad about losing a weekend morning for all the work we need to do around here, but not much we can do about it.
Our day starts at 7:20ish. Not b/c the alarm goes off. It's supposed to do that in 25 minutes. No, from Jim's phone vibrating. It's work (kind of. It's long and complicated) telling him that they need him to come in and let some work people into one of their buildings. Ugh, he can be there by 8:15. While he's getting dressed my phone rings (which is lucky b/c it's usually on silence from the night before- you know moviegoer courtesy). Its the people from the baby class, class is cancelled. Our instructor was in a car accident and in the hospital. Great, what a letdown. Jim's pissed to have to get up, I'm somewhat grateful to get more sleep. But in reality, when are we going to have time to fit this into our already packed November schedule.
Jim comes back from work fairly quickly. I had barely enough time to doze off again. Apparently he didn't even need to go in b/c some jerk forgot to tell him and the guy who makes sure everything is working properly. Ugh, this would have made my phone call a relief b/c then we would have both been able to sleep in.
Jim decides he's not hungry yet and gets to work to electrical work. After some finagling, we got the fan/light to work in the nursery. Breakfast time!!! While we're making breakfast we keep hearing this distant banging noise. It is hard to describe and we kept thinking it was coming from outside. While we were eating it got louder and all of a sudden it occurred to me what it was. Sally must have gotten into the vents b/c the covers are off due to painting. I went to the nursery to see that Sally had indeed pushed aside the kid gate, Jim went to the basement to see how far from the hole she had gotten herself. I tried calling her and brought out the treats into the hole. No such luck. Jim began pounding on the duct work to try to get her to move towards me. I think this just scared her more. We gave up and decided that she would find her way out or come out where the air filter connects to the furnace, which Jim remove the access panel from.
We went back to breakfast to finish our meal and coffee. After we had eaten, we tried to get her to come out again. This time Jim located her right above the furnace. She kept moving and at one point fell towards the air filter, but got back up in the vents. Close, but no kitty. I could hear her moving towards the living room, so Jim went upstairs to take off the grate cover. He had to move the couch and 2 bookcases while I talked to Sally to try and keep her from getting scared from the noises. As he was removing the last screw she popped her head up and he cajoled her out. Of course, I came running up the stairs to hold onto my filthy, heart pounding kitty.
We decide Sally needs a full bath STAT! Her white fur is gray and her orange fur is a weird color of dingy orange/gray mix. I won't let her down b/c I don't know where she will go and she was so disgustingly dirty. That's what one gets for spending 30 minutes in duct work that is probably 20-30 years old.
Then as we're trying to get things ready for Sally's first ever full bath- Jim's dad calls. Talk about bad timing. Sally is getting tired of being held and I want to start the bath. But he's polite and talks to him about a recent family funeral while I try to gather what's needed for Sally's bath. Jim was able to get free fairly quickly (though it didn't feel like it at the time) and assist me in soaking out kitty down. Sally had to be shampooed 3 times just to get the water to run clear. On the initial soaking the water was almost black and had bits of crap coming out of her fur. She's quite a skinny thing when her fur is all wetted down! Then we had a pathetic looking soaked kitty to dry off.
I came out of it covered in the same filthy dirty grime as Sally and my shirt was completely soaked trying to dry her off. I decided to start painting and Jim went to work on more electrical projects. As I start to paint, I realize, I don't have enough to do a complete 2nd coat on the entire room. Actually I don't have enough to do half of what really needs a 2nd coat! Ugh!! This day is sucking it up fast and it's not even 12 yet! Most of the room is a weird green color b/c the room was blue with one coat of primer that just made it light blue and one coat of yellow. How distressing!!? Jim is a sweetie and volunteers to go to the store to buy more paint and one electrical switch he needs.
From this point our day becomes mostly boring and full of finishing projects. Of course the nursery still needs a another coat in some areas-gawd this blue just won't go away! But we have light in both the office and the nursery, which before today we were living with wire sticking out of the ceiling and wall where you'd flip the switch. Thank goodness for table lamps! Now I can paint anytime of the day!!! And our house is 98% completely re-wired. It's only taken 6 years!!! What an awesome job my hubby does!
My work shower is on Monday and I'm feeling excited for it. I hope everyone has a good time and we get lots of useful things!! And I ordered some cloth diapers tonight for what is hoped to be an awesome deal and very helpful. Plus, I'll feel a lot more prepared and ready for this bambina.
Long update, for a long day!

The next 30 some odd days

So here we are. Firmly in the 3rd tri. Trying to be productive, yet finding so many things to get in our way. We have been insanely busy and November is shaping up to be a frighteningly busy month. And it's our last month to get anything done before the time suck that is our baby is due to arrive.
We have started baby classes (very brave and willingly Jim went to a 'Dads only class'), continued to remodel the house/nursery, visited with family, moved friends into a new house, and all of the typical chores necessary for adult life (paying bills, going to the grocery store, trying to stay informed on the election, work, oh! and have a social life too).
Coming up we have painting, lighting, trim work in the nursery, cleaning and decorating the nursery, 3 showers, 2 holidays, 4 or 5 baby classes, voting, working and the chores that come up every month as mentioned above. I'm tired just thinking about it. And of course, I'm getting larger and the aches of the end of pregnancy are starting to slow me down. Though I am quite thankful that I am mostly free from pain and have no real restrictions.
This was clarified for me at our 30 week appointment. I, as per my routine, brought a list of questions. One of them had to do with concerns about possible slow leaking of amniotic fluid. In debating whether to test to find out more information I am informed that if it is indeed amniotic fluid, then I will be sent over to the hospital for bedrest until I deliver. Not really what I had in mind for my day off nor the next 8-10 weeks. A quick test and I was dressed and waiting to leave for my lunch that I was desperately hungry for. After a little stress and about 5 minutes I am asked to get undressed again for further testing. Stress through the roof now. But I was assured that this is like a pregnancy test, it will either be positive or negative no 'well maybe we saw something'. Results in 5-10 minutes. Of coures we have to wait the full 10 minutes b/c it was in fact negative and I was allowed to go home and have my lunch.
So what did I do this weekend? Paint the ceiling and put one coat of paint on the nursery walls. I have never seen pregnancy as an excuse for being lazy or that I'm some kind of invalid now with my 'condition'. If I'm not put on restriction I will continue to live my life as I always have, though I am a wee bit more careful now. I just have less endurance.
So hopefully I will have enough endurance to make it through to full term (shortly after turkey day) even with everything we have in front of us this upcoming month. Though I'm hoping not much beyond full term. I do not look forward to being 40 weeks and even 1 day pregnant.

Random thoughts about... well.... not much

Why do I always think of great blog topics to share with you internets when I'm never in front of the computer? And why can't I think of any of those typically brillant Amy thoughts when I feel guilty enough to sit down and spend some time with my thoughts? Hmmm.... Universal questions, me thinks.
Anyway, I've been thinking about how blogs are like High School. This may be a limited thought out process, but hang with me.
So, many people desire to have friends or have the desire to be cool enough to be popular but not cool enough to care or state the desire to be popular b/c that would be uncool. Follow? Okay, great. So I think it's the same for blogs. Those who write them, I've found in my limited experience reading them, don't do it just for themselves but to also please some person or anonymous reader. Of course, if you were to ask a typical blog writer they would claim that they "just do it for themselves and screw everyone else who disagrees!" But I think that ultimately they are looking for approval. Either through the people they know who read the blog or through comments left by random readers. I must admit to this frailty.
You see, I want to post my most personal thoughts and feelings out there and feel safe from the glaring eye of my family and some friends. But at the same time I wonder why should I even be doing this time-waster? No one even reads it (though I have proof to the contrary, I just like to complain about how unpopular my blog is), I say to myself. I think I check it more often than anyone else does. I guess the upside of that is that I'm my own biggest fan.
I have found most of the blogs I read through another pit of HS-thenest.com Oh god, this is my internet vice! Like most internet forum/communities, people join, make idiots of themselves, fight like girls in 7th grade, discuss nothing relevant to the board at hand, and share links to their blogs. I will admit to 3 of the 5 above. And no, I will not tell you which 3. But I think the sharing of blog links is where people try to make their lives sound interesting and build up a loyal following of internets glued to the everyday boring events of people's lives. We're all just voyeurs. And I'll admit to being fasinated by others mundane lives. Although, sometimes you get a really funny or inspiring story if you can stick with it.
And most of these people I don't even know IRL. I would say that I regularly follow 8 blogs. And by regularly follow, I mean check once a day for updates. And being the hypocrite I am, I'm pissed when I don't get a new post once a week. I'm terrible at this, but trying people! Of those, I know or used to know 3. Less than half! Ack! But I get so caught up in the newest adventures their kids are going through, wanting them to get pregnant, wanting them to stay pregnant, greiving w/ them from afar when they have a loss (whether a pet or a pregnancy), learning from them, being inspired by them, being grateful to not have the troubles they have, being grossed out by them, the list goes on and on.
Sorry to get all emotional on you. Back to how blogs=HS.
I have also fallen into the trap of wanting my blog to be pretty and cute and attractive and slim my bottom half. Sound like a teenage girls wish for herself? Thus the current look to the blog that I still haven't been able to figure out how to fix. Nor the energy and patience I know it will take to give it the remodel it deserves. Oh well, it's functional.
So those are my completely incomplete thoughts on why blogging is like reliving HS without all the acne, body odor, and requirements for physical education.

Post from Virginia

So we're here in VA. We've had some delicious food, great ice cream, and good company. We have also had some interesting parenting discussions that came about quite unexpectedly. It is so interesting to discuss all the potential responses and how we see things differently. There are so many issues with so many nuiances that it's hard to know exactly how we would react and if we would even encounter those specific circumstances. I love to have these situations come up in advance so we can discuss and get things somewhat worked out. Though like I said above, there's no guarantee we will even have these encounters.
Well, that's all I'm probably capable of right now. I might have more on Tuesday when everyone will be gone to work and school.

Test results

Quick update from work: I had my glucose tolerance test on Monday. I was fearful I'd have to cut out sugar and carbs. Boo- 2 of my favorite food groups. Anyway that came back fine, but apparantly I'm anemic. So I have to take iron supplements. Yuck! And here I was touting to everyone what a boring pregnancy I'm having. Though I'm grateful for the boring-ness! So supplements, red meat and green veggies are in my future.

First dream about "our" baby

So the title of this post is a bit deceptive. I've longed for us to start a family for a long time. It really kicked into high gear 18 months after we got married. And then it was a long time until we were both ready and in a good place to responsibly start working at the whole 'getting pregnant' thing. So those dreams I've been holding onto for quite awhile. But Sunday night I had my first dream about 'our' baby. As in, the baby playing with my intestines right now.
It went a little something like this (please forgive me if it doesn't make sense or seems to be occuring out of sequence-that's the way my dreams always work!):
I remember having contractions, but then passing out. When I came to I asked Jim if everything was okay with her and he said yes, but I had to confirm with him that we did in fact, have a girl child. (This is b/c there is some debate so to what the gender of our first child really will be) I am then driving to the beach/a baby mega store with Jim's cousin Kendra and some other relatives, don't know why we're going to the beach, we just are. I start to freak out and ask where my baby is. They reassure me that she's fine, but I notice a lack of infant seat. They tell me they have put her in a paper shopping bag (like the kind you'd get at a department store) and she's laying on the floor of the front seat. I freak out, but mostly I think b/c I'm concerned for her comfort first and her safety second.
Well we get to the beach and I meet up with Jim there. There is a golf course there, but Jim wants to walk on the beach. Now mind you, I have 4 different slings all ready for whatever this baby prefers, but what do I do? I hold the baby in my arms out in front of me, not in a cradle hold, but like she's a wet sack of potatoes. And she's wearing some gawd awful hideous sleeper that is bright red and blue- thus also making me wonder if we really had a girl. I mean of course she'll have a closet full of pink and cute frillies, so why the clown suit?
As we are walking over the dunes to the beach we are walking through what seems like the 'yards' of a bunch of frat houses, only they don't have grass they have sand-duh, we're at the beach! Jim gets pretty far ahead of me and I have to call him back to help me scale the dunes with my baby being held a foot away from my body one day after having given birth. Totally not realistic-but whateves that's how my dream roll.
::jump from the beach to the baby mega-store::
I am there and decide to buy a pair of jeans. Don't know why I can find clothes at the baby store, but in my dreams it happens. I go to check out and am assisted by none other than David Cook, the newest American Idol. Don't ask why he's now working in a baby store, the mind is a magical thing! He gives me his employee discount, that's so sweet and unnecessary I tell him but he goes ahead with it. Then he gave me my jeans with a receipt. I ask, how much do I owe. He tells me, not to worry about it, the discount covered all but $.05, so he just dug it out of his pocket and threw it in the cash register for me. So I got a pair of jeans for free-sweet! I check the receipt and his is correct! $50 jeans for nothin'- well nothin' out of my wallet.
And then I wake up. Ah, what a story to tell my child. Nothing sweet or sentimental, or even anxiety ridden. Just typical weird dreams courtesy of Mommy.
We'll see what other dreams come up as this pregnancy goes along. I'm looking forward to lots of sleeping in when we go to Virigina to visit with Jim's family this week. Maybe I'll get some more blog material from that trip.

BuybuyBaby review

It's a weird name, but google it. It is the most awesomest baby-only store I've ever been in. Not that I've been in a ton, but you get the idea. And it is baby-only. No 'other' stuff to crowd you out or convince you that the baby stuff is just tacked on. So here are my thoughts on this little-known treasure.
1) You cannot buy a baby there- contrary to the name of the store. It is for baby related merchandise only.
2) It's huge. Just like a BedBath&Beyond, who creepily own this small chain. You walk in and it's set up just like a bedbath&beyond, only every section is filled with bottles, formula, and pacifers where the kitchen utensils are supposed to be. The candle area- the stroller section.
3) It's small. As in there are only like a dozen or less stores mostly in NJ, NY and VA. And one is IL- woot! Though while we were there they were training employees for new stores opening in Michigan, Ohio, and I think one more store in another state.
4) It's convienently located close to ourselves (sort of), but particularly close to where Jim's family lives. In NJ and VA. Wonderful! Another option besides the typical Target and BRU registries.
5) They have what seems like everything. As I mentioned in #2- it's huge. We went there b/c specifically they had the strollers we were most interested in seeing- and the only store that had in stock the one we ended up registering for. They also had a ton of carseats and cribs we were looking for.
6) The staff. Wow! I can't say enough complimentary things about their staff. No pressure to buy today. No pressure to even register. Just try it out. Practice opening and closing the stroller, try different car seats in the stroller. They even let us take a stroller out to our car to see what it would look like folded up in the back. This was especially important to me b/c I didn't want a monstrosity of a stroller in the back of my car. They knew their shizat! They could tell me weight, height, features, and which infant seat would fit into which stroller (can you tell we spent like 2 hours in the stroller section?). They had so many models, colors, sizes and every baby widget one could need for their child. Only downside- see #1.
7) Prices. Pretty comparable to any other store. But... they accept the coupons that everyone gets once a week from bedbath&beyond. Check the exclusions at the bottom. One employee told us that we can't use it for a certain brand of stroller or any crib, but that they have in the past and no one said anything. So give it a try!
8) Clean!! New!! Bright! Wide aisles. The bathrooms were immaculate- we both had a look-see. Maybe this store is particularly new, but it was very pleasant to spend 5+ hours there (no, I'm not kidding you. As stated in #6, I think 2 of those hours alone were spent in the stroller department).
9) Selection. They had what seems like everything. They weren't just filling the space with the same thingx20. They actually had a variety and had it displayed well. This is kind of a repeat of #5, but somehow seems different to me.

So how did we even know to go to this magical place? As much as I would love to take credit for discovering this hidden gem only 2.5 hours north of here, we read about it in our Baby Bargins book. If you're expecting and don't have this book, buy it! There are so many decisions we would have made based only on looks or getting an emotional connection to an item, only to discover later that we picked the worst of the bunch. They mentioned it as a great place to procure baby essentials but reported that they were only available in NY, NJ, and VA. A simple internet search showed they had a store in Downers Grove, IL- this is where we went. After some exploring on their website and narrowing of big ticket items we wanted to lay hands on before buying/registering for, we made the decision that we absolutely must make this trek. And it was so worth it!! And I'm happy to hear that they are expanding.

Things I would like for them to change:
1) Reviews on their website for the products they carry. I always have to have Target, BRU, Amazon, and BuybuyBaby websites open to cross compare notes. Maybe they'll add that feature later.
2) Closer to me. I overheard that they were going to open another one in Schaumberg. Like what? That will put them so close to each other! I know there are a lot of babies and yuppies in the burbs, but I think a Peoria or Indianapolis market might do them some good. I'd go to either of those locations over having to deal with Chicago's terrible traffic and damn-ass-expensive tolls!
3) Including all the products they carry in their stores actually on their website. They had WAY more stuff at the store than listed on the website- which is good but can seem limited. So don't le the website fool you into thinking they are a rinky dink store! If all their merchandise was on the web I bet they'd get even more people willing to make the trek. I only knew they carried a particular brand a crib by visiting the manufacturer's website and looked up dealers where it was sold. Funny, BuybuyBaby is listed, though there is no indication that they sell them based on an internet search on their website. Again, maybe it's a feature they will add down the road.

I think that's it. I hope you were able to stick with me through this long winded review. Not that it matters for the zero people who read this, but whateves. I'm hoping this will help someone who might do a google search on this store. Please keep in mind this was one day in one of their stores. Their shine may fade over time and I was just there earlier this week (9-22-08).

Miracle Grow? nope! Totally natural.

I'm amazed at how I've changed. It's so hard to see day to day, but the pictures really capture the time capsule that each week has been. Here's a few to keep you amazed at how fat I've gotten (only 17 pounds since this whole thing started).
15 weeks:
16 weeks:

We skipped the 17 week pictures b/c we were on vacation in NJ for Jim's cousin's wedding.

18 weeks:

19 weeks:

20 weeks:

21 weeks in our hotel room on vacation in Wiscosin (Irish Fest rocks!)

22 weeks:

23 weeks in front of the demolision in the nursery:

24 weeks:

25 weeks:

Thanks for looking and there will be more- I just can't reliably say when.

Hrmmmph..

Well, I've tried some experimenting with making this blog look a little purtier. It seems to have not worked. I have been routinely frustrated by bloggers supposed 'ease of use', yet it's difficulty and non-intuitive set up. Some of their own help articles reference areas that are now called something different. Great for a non techi-abled person like myself. Until I get things under my belt I need a lot of hand holding. Probably the reason I failed at Myspace. I thought it was totally not intuitive. Web 2.0 is too intense for me.
So while some may enjoy the new look, don't expect it to last. I am trying to find out where I saved my previous html code so I can put it all right back. Especially since I had to fight to add a pregnancy ticker and a site visit counter. That may all be lost and I'm not sure I'll ever have the patience to try it again, though I love the idea of it and read many blogs that I'm envious of. Particularly their layout and programming skills.
There's so much going on right now. We've been super busy. We have started the reno on the nursery and I hope to complete the demolition this weekend, though we do have my cousins' wedding on Saturday. There is still much research to be conducted on which carseat, crib, and stroller we want.
She has been a busy girl the last couple of days with many flips and kicks. It's quite exciting and has yet to become painful, though I know it become so one day. It will be time to register for our baby classes soon, maybe I'll do that tomorrow afternoon. I want to make sure we can get our ideal days/times and not run out of time if she decides to make her appearance a little early. I need to get some more pictures up. I will likely do that after I make this post so I have something to comment on the next time.
Til next time...

Anyone still hanging with me?

3 weeks . I've been a very bad blogger. It would be easy to quit now. Who reads this anyway? That I think is a post in and of itself. Maybe I should start there. Anyone who knows me, knows my love of lists and the great satisfaction I get from crossing things off my lists. I have had at one point a list of my lists. So I think I will get myself organized with a list of potential posts that will hopefully keep me on the right track and I won't fail at this too!
My Ideas (feel free to add your own in the comments section of things you'd like me to ramble on about)
1) New Jersey Vacation Update
2) Milwaukee Irish Fest Recap
3) Our big U/S
4) How our home improvement projects are coming along
5) Increasing the readership of this blog
6) The products of my garden
7) Why we're keeping our baby's name a secret
8) hmmm... I'll have to keep thinking.
I want to add more features to the blog to make it more interesting for you readers (all 2 of you) and for myself as far as who is here, how'd they come to find us, etc.

Wait for a real update!

Ahhhhh! I haven't forgotten or given up on this yet, but it's been so long since I updated this. I have so much to blather about, but no real time tonight. But a quick recap that I promise I will delve into soon, maybe Wednesday night.
Vacation was good and bad. Brought home an interesting "souvenir." Work has been busy and very stressful since I've been back. My back is in the worst pain I've had in a long time. Our floors are/were refinished and the painting is coming along. I'm finally getting a bump and it's being noticed as more than weight gain. I felt Al move last night. We will find out the gender August 18th. After we get back from Irish Fest-figures!
That'll have to be all for now and I'll do more later this week. It's almost a promise.

It's contagious!!

Ugh! What a busy weekend! We had an OOT friend come in and stay with us over the weekend. It was nice to see him again, but the weekend just got jam packed. We played mini golf on Saturday and both Jim and I got sunburnt-that'll look classy for the wedding in less than a week. We had a cookout and RockBand/game playing until late. Then we had breakfast this morning at my favorite place. Then off to a 1 year-old's birthday party. I'm thinking of swearing them off for our children. Then I mowed the yard. Probably not what a pregnant woman should do, but I just couldn't make Jim do it and it needed to be done.
We're going to be _very_ busy this coming week as we have a ton of things to do and still have to move furniture out of the back 2 rooms. And we're leaving Thursday to drive to NJ with Jim's mom. I'm so not looking forward to the trip, the wedding, or the "vacation" that's supposed to come with it. Jim's mother has already gotten a little snippy with me recently, so 14 odd hours with her in the car sounds completely delightful. Luckily I have an iPod, which I will only utilize when I fear I may not be able to hold my tongue. Now taking bets on the frequency of it's use and whether it will be effective. Go!
Jim has been changing as much as my waistline. To be very honest, Jim has never been the super-protective kind of guy. I, very early on in our relationship, realized that he won't be seen putting his arm around me or coming to my rescue. I guess he thinks I should rescue myself for whatever trouble my mouth gets me in. Anyway, he's had 2 sweet comments lately that have made me wonder if he's feeling differently now than he previously has. He was upset that I carried something heavy while dropping off some furniture to be donated and was mad they didn't help "his pregnant wife." He also was upset at the idea of me mowing the lawn (which has always been my task) today and I pointed out I've already done it once this year. His response was that I'm more pregnant now, so it scares him more. Very sweet man who's been hiding for quite awhile now.
In other pregnancy news, we have an appointment the day we get back from "vacation." Hopefully then I'll get to schedule another U/S to find out the gender of our baby.
And there must be something in the water. Anna, Tana, be glad you left!! So Jim's friend's wife (I wouldn't call her my friend, thus the explaination) is pregnant and due one month after we are. Well, another couple we hang out with is pregnant and due 2 months after us! That was exciting news, but I felt I didn't give them the appropriately excited response at the picnic today. Now I've only got 2 more friends in mind to get a project of their own under way- I'm talking to you L and T.
So, wish me luck and a stress free time on this "vacation" we've got planned and that we make it through all the prep beforehand. I hope to check in regularly and post once or twice. All depending on what kind of connection we have while we're staying with god knows who.

Thanks Mark, Laura, and Hayden

We got our first baby gift!! The wonderfully helpful Hayden-Hart family stopped by last night in the pouring rain to deliver our first baby gift. I found out that I share an infliction with Mark's family- box re-using! Our organic cotton kimono-style gender-neutral embroidered onesie was packaged in an iPod Touch box. That was a big clue as to what we were _not_ getting for Al. Anyway, it was lovely and so touching that they got us our first gift. We have nothing for Al except ideas. And I learned that Sally is wary of babbling babies. Good to know, she's got a surprise waiting for her!
We have been busy with the holiday weekend and family in town. We have no free time until August due to a friend from ATL coming in this upcoming weekend and then being in Jersey for Jim's cousin's wedding the next 2 weeks. I finally ordered a dress online Monday night- it should be here tomorrow and I'm looking forward to trying it on and seeing how it fits. I'm not big, but some of my clothes are not fitting as well anymore.
We have been trying to spend time getting our back 2 bedrooms ready for the floor refinisher to come while we're gone. We have enough space, but not when we put 2 rooms out of commission. So things are getting tight in the house and I'm hoping we can actually get it all ready before we leave town the 17th, while actually getting sleep.
I've gotten my first belly rub (completely unjustified if you ask me) and my first pudgy comment (also unjustified- I had just had a big lunch was my excuse). I'll try to post more pictures soon and some will even be of something other than my pasty belly.

Belly Pictures- I'll have to see if I have a prepregnancy picture

9 weeks:
10 weeks:

11 weeks:

12 weeks:

13 weeks 1 day:

14 weeks:

Decisions, decisions

So many decisions in everyday life, not to mention when you're pregnant. So we decided against having the NT scan due to it seeming unnecessary and it wouldn't change my decision to keep the baby at this point anyway. I'm already a fairly nervous nelly, so also I didn't want the added stress. That's the update on that front.
On my other front. I feel like I'm starting show, but likely it's just my own wishful thinking. I would describe myself as "thickening up" lately. Mostly just looking chubby with no distinct bump. I'm in that phase where people who don't know are likely wondering in their heads "Is she? Or is she just putting herself out to pasture?"
I'm not really wanting to wear maternity pants, but they are likely just around the corner. Maternity shirts on the other hand are very nice and long and help this long waisted girl keep everything covered when bending or scratching my head. Those I could likely wear even after this pregnancy is over. We'll see if I'm making that statement this time next year.
I'm having no real cravings (which I've always been fascinated by and want to experience), though I love fresh fruit. We're normally an apples/ maybe bananas in a great while kind of household. We have in the house at this very moment, drumroll please: Cantaloupe, blueberries, nectarines, bananas, apples, and cherry tomatoes (which are really fruit!). Oy, what a fruit explosion!
I have belly pictures, as well as pictures of my gardens. I'm really proud of both, though one looks like crap and the other looks like it'll be nice someday. I'm ready to post them up. I think I'll do that in a separate post though. Wait for it, wait for it....

Itchy, Scratchy, & Conflicted

So we had our 12 week appointment today. At 13 weeks 2 days. We got to hear the heartbeat, in about the 150's. My blood pressure was fine and I think I gained 2 lbs, but the nurse said it was the same as last time. Regardless, my thighs are rubbing together and that's something new so there's got to be some new weight somewhere. Good news, it's unlikely that I have PUPPS, but I'm so itchy I could scratch my skin off sometimes. Cortizone cream, here I come.
Now the great debate is on in my head, to which a decision must be made before 10:00ish tomorrow morning. I asked at the appointment today about the nuchal translucency screening (basically an ultrasound and blood test to check for indicators of Down's Syndrome and other mental retardation conditions). Well apparantly I should have asked about this at our 8 week appointment, b/c I'm near the ceiling of the timeframe when they do this test. They only allow it until 13w6d. I am 13w2d, I'm telling you. Well b/c we measured 2 days ahead at our last ultrasound, we're considered 13w4d. So this means I have 2 days to get in for this test if I want it. Originally I did. After talking with some of my already-a-mommy friends, I'm on the fence.
It seems unnecessary b/c we're young, have no family history, and no other predisposing factors. What an overuse of my health insurance. But if there is anything wrong, it'd be nice to know and prepare. We (at least I) are committed to going forward no matters what the results. And this is not a do or die time. We have another option to find this information out at the Quad Screen when I'm approximately 20 weeks.
So to save myself a spot and feeling kind of put on the spot I made the appointment for tomorrow at 12:30. The nurse scheduling me/us was so kind and gave me the out if I wanted to cancel, which I still might. Jim can't attend due to lunch plans with the gang and a meeting at 1:30. So now my dilemmia is out there. I've had two very convincing people advise me to do different things. Consensus people, this is what I'm looking for!
One good thing that I've seen as a possibility is being able to find out the gender this early on. That would rock- I won't deny it! I totally want to know and begin planning for our little guy or gal. But do I want to possibly find out the gender of our first child when Jim can't be there? Not really.
This is a hard decision. I need Jim to weigh in for final approval and then I'll either be at the doctor's or having a delish lunch with my friends tomorrow at 12:30. You'll just have to wait and see. And I promise to keep working on figuring out how to add pictures.

Word of the Day

Enceinte (adj)
1) Pregnant, with child
2) me

So this is the word out on the streets. Maybe I had something to do with this rumor, maybe I didn't. Actually everyone should know now. We've been busy doling out our secret to our co-workers and extended family for the last few days. It's been exciting and nerve-racking for me at least. I'm tired of keeping the secret and I don't want it to be a secret anymore.
We have another appointment next Tuesday and if everything goes well we should hear the heartbeat again and that will be such a relief. My symptoms have been gradually reducing, though some are sticking around (burping excessively and some soreness). No cravings yet, just in love with food, but when has that not been true for me?
My next task is to figure this format out a little better and hopefully post some belly pictures that we've been taking for the last few weeks. I'm trying to figure out who will actually be reading this and thus how much to share and where the TMI line will exist.

The path to hell...

is paved with good intentions.
So it has come to my attention that there are some people out there who would like some kind of website where they can go to get some information about the goings-on of our lives.
As Jim has said, "Once you start it, you must maintain it." We'll see how that goes. I had a very failed attempt on MySpace once and no desire to return.
My plan for this space is to share our various projects in life (mainly house related, but there's another project due in December that will most certainly get discussed).
Let the chaos begin.