Life, Love, Laughter

Breaking the Silence

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 12:52:00 +0000

Hey! Remember me? No? I don't blame you. I used to blog here. Like, a really long time ago.

Wondering why the silence? I would be too. Well, head on over to my new blog.

New blog? What's wrong with this one, you ask?

Well, let's just say that sometimes it's just Life Unexpected.

Welcome to the World!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 15:38:00 +0000

Guess who's here?

Rowan Steven

Born 11/1/2012

7 pounds, 3 ounces
19 3/4 inches long

at 5:54 PM on November 1, via C-Section

Going home on 11/5/12. Bundled up...a little too much.

At his first pediatrician appointment on 11/7. After going down to 6 pounds, 10 ounces, he was back up to 7 pounds, 4 ounces!

Having a little nap with Peanut. The dogs are just as tired as we are.

We're in love. Obviously. Who wouldn't be?

But this kid made his entrance very difficult. Here's the story.

I went in for a sonogram at 39 weeks, 6 days preggo on 10/31. Just routine, checking everything out and my fluid levels. At 3:00, the sonographer told me that my amniotic fluid was low and she needed to call the doctor to see what he wanted to do (since by now, my regular OB was on vacation.)

So, they sent me over to labor and delivery to be checked. Next thing I knew, I'm sporting a gown and being checked in and told that I would not be leaving that hospital without a baby. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting that. My fluid was very low and it wasn't safe for him to hang around. So hubs was called in, mom, dad and my sister were called in from PA. I got hooked up to an IV for fluid around 4:30 PM. The doc told me that they were going to pump me full of fluid overnight and then start me on Pitocin at 5AM. HOLY SHIT. I was going to have a baby.

After a night of 45 minutes of sleep, they started me on Pitocin at 5AM exactly. And at around 9AM, I was told that I had the best chance of having a vaginal delivery by getting a foley bulb catheter to try and dilate my cervix. Because, oh by the way, I was neither effaced nor dilated at all. Nice. But I really, really wanted to give birth vaginally and I was going to make every effort to make that happen.

If you don't know what a foley bulb is, it's a catheter with a balloon attached to the end of it. They insert it into your cervix and blow it up, then throw the bag of saline over the end of your bed so it pulls and forces your cervix open. It's as pleasant as you'd think. The insertion? Painful. The contractions after? Most pain I've ever felt. Most people feel contractions in waves, but with the foley bulb and the pitocin, they were coming with no breaks in between. It was pure misery.

Since I wasn't really dilated, it wasn't an option for the epidural yet, so I got some narcotics, which took the edge off and made me VERY loopy, but didn't take away all the pain. It did, however, increase my ability to be a beyotch. Demanding ice chips, kicking off blankets, swearing up a storm. But hey, I feel like I had an excuse.

I went for 12 hours with this misery until around 5PM when the doc came in and told me that there was no way this kid was coming out on his own. I had dilated to 3CM, the max for the foley bulb, then stopped. So, c-section it was. And I was terrified. I was going to be cut open while I was AWAKE. I couldn't even imagine. Hubs calmed me down. My mom calmed me down. Both came in the OR with me. At 5:54, Rowan let out his first wail. And it was the most incredible feeling in the world that he was actually here.

I had a nice 5 day stay in the hospital. Little man started breastfeeding right in the recovery room and things have been going well since...fingers crossed it stays that way. He's already back up over his birth weight at his pediatrician's appointment on Wednesday!

More details about everything else to come. Right now? It's nap time. Sleep when the baby sleeps, right?

Baby Bump: 38 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 16:47:00 +0000

Total Weight Gain: I'm up about 8-9 pounds from prepreg weight. I gained 4 pounds in one week a few weeks ago and then ended up losing 2 pounds of it the next week. My doc is attributing this to fluid retention because my feet and hands started getting a little puffy. BUT there's still distinction between my feet and ankles and my rings still fit, so that's more than a lot of pregnant women at this stage can say!
Maternity Clothes: Guh. I've even started to grow out of some of my maternity clothes. And I have no cold weather gear, so this kid needs to arrive before it gets too frigid. I'm sick of my clothes (except for elastic waisted pants because they freaking rock.)
Stretch Marks? Just in the last 2 weeks I started developing some around my belly button. I was hoping to get through this whole thing without any, but looks like there will be no such luck for me.
Sleep: Some nights? I can sleep half decent. Others? It's a circus of tossing and turning on my side of the bed. And of course, there's getting up to pee about 5 times a night. Probably more. And rolling from side to side is an absolute sight to behold. I'll be exciting when I can move with half decent ease again. Granted, I know I'll be sleeping even less...
Movement: In general, he's really active. Yesterday he was rolling and punching all day long. Today? Not as much. Just some rolls and occasional punches. I'm sure there's not nearly as much room in there anymore.
Exercise: Does walking up and down the stairs of my house count?
Food cravings: None really!
Belly Button In or Out: Out...and I'm not sure it'll ever go back.
Milestone: I'm full term! And he can be born any day. One thing I did find out at the doc a few weeks ago is that I'm Group B Strep positive. It's a bacteria about 30% of women naturally carry. It's not harmful to me, but it can be to the baby, so they're going to pump me full of IV antibiotics during delivery. Mistake on my part? Googling it. Cripes, message boards can be the devil to a pregnant woman.

So here we are, ready (kind of?) and waiting. Terrified of delivery. Scared about being a good mom. But excited to meet this little guy. It all seems so surreal some days. That any day we'll be a family of three. And honestly? I'm ready to be done with work. Although sitting in a desk chair for 9 hours a day doesn't sound like a big deal, but it's really starting to take it's toll on my back and pelvic area. Getting up and down is a sight and at this point, an ejector seat would be an awesome addition to my cube.

Next update might be his birth announcement! Stay tuned. And I promise, I'm going to try to get better with blogging. Life has gotten in the way lately and blogging has been the last thing on my mind. Fingers crossed for an uneventful labor and delivery!!

Baby Bump: 35 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 23:42:00 +0000

35 weeks with Baby A

Total Weight Gain: I'm up about 5 pounds over prepreg weight now. The weight started to pile on all of the sudden...probably because baby is growing very quickly. And I'm not quite sure how much more my stomach can stretch. I know our bodies are designed for this, but I feel like a science experiment!
Maternity Clothes: Ha! All maternity, all the time. Minus some tshirts...most of them are hubs'.
Stretch Marks? Still none! I have NO idea how because this stomach is stretching to capacity.
Sleep: What's that? No, seriously. Remember when I slept 8 hours a night? That's a thing of the past. For the past several weeks it's been about 3-4 hours a night. I can't get comfortable. My belly gets in the way of everythinggg. And for the love, I just want to sleep a little before this kid comes and takes that away from me!
Movement: He's active all the time! Which is a good thing because it doesn't leave me wondering whether or not he's ok. He likes to jam feet into my ribs and his head is pressing on my bladder. Because, that's right, he's head down! Locked and loaded for delivery.
Exercise: I don't do that much anymore. It's hard enough for me to get around doing ordinary things, exercise definitely hasn't made it into the routine. I've been walking here and there. Nothing structured though.
Food cravings: None really!
Belly Button In or Out: Turkey's done!
Milestone: I had my ultrasound last week and the little guy is just shy of 5 pounds and head down, ready for delivery. I'm 2 weeks away from being full term. TWO WEEKS! Where has the time gone, seriously? It feels like I was just in my first trimester.

I also had a FABULOUS surprise shower thrown for me this weekend from my friend Julie. It was awesome and I'm so, so lucky to have her, my friends and their families for support too. I think we're just about set with gear. Most things are put together. This weekend is car seat installation...which hubs is in charge of, since my putting together skills are lacking. After that, I just need to finish my hospital bag, get a few nursing tanks and I'll be just about ready. Lord help me. I'm beyond petrified for labor and delivery, but I know people do it all the time and it's totally worth it in the end!

Suprises about Pregnancy: What I didn't Know Would Happen

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:30:00 +0000

There are a lot of things about pregnancy that people don't tell you. I'm not sure if it's because they don't want to or because they're embarrassed. Luckily, I'm not above laying everything out on the table. Especially when it involves this baby baking I'm doing.

Here are a few things that have particularly surprised me.

1. First trimester hormones are no joke. They turn you from a perfectly normal person into a crazy bitch in about 60 seconds. I wasn't fully prepared for this and therefore, shed my fair share of tears from February to April.

2. Your nipples get darker. This was also not a thing that I was told could happen until AFTER it did. I was concerned. Hubs was concerned. I look like something out of the pages of National Geographic. I've been told they return to normal after you're done breastfeeding. Apparently, science says that they turn so the baby can see his target while breastfeeding. Good to know.

3. You don't poop anymore. Yes, I said poop. No matter how much fiber you think you're eating, everything gets stopped up. Add in the iron supplements I'm on for anemia, and you've got yourself an intestinal disaster.

4. The second trimester is a breeze. At least it was for me. I felt like I could do pretty much anything up until the middle of August. Take advantage of this time and energy and get important stuff done then, before you feel like collapsing on the couch every night.

5. Sleep is evasive starting at the end of the second trimester. Especially if you're a stomach sleeper. Your belly starts to get in the way. You're peeing every few hours. I think this is partially to get you ready for sleepless nights ahead.

6. Every time you don't think your belly can get any bigger, it does. I'm at the point now. I don't know how there's much more room in there, but I've got at least 6 more weeks worth of growth. And this kid has about 3 pounds more to put on. Meaning I'm going to get that much larger. Size ultra pregnant.

7. Every day tasks begin to get a little more difficult. Such as putting on your underbritches. It's a show every day in my bedroom. I've wobbled like a Weeble Wobble trying to get into these things.

8. You start to leak a little pee pee. I'll spare you the details, but it happens. Be prepared for it.

Suprising information? It was to me!

Baby Bump: 33 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 01:13:00 +0000

Total Weight Gain: Still at 2 pounds over prepreg weight. But damnnnn do I feel GIANT these days. And I think it shows. Just look at the photo above. This kid is growing. As am I. Although it could have been the 5 cupcakes I ate this weekend at my shower.
Maternity Clothes: All maternity. I'm clearly too large to fit into anything that's not.
Stretch Marks? Still none! Thank you baby Jesus.
Sleep: Oh, sleep. I miss you. I can't get 8 hours anymore. I used to sleep for 8 uninterrupted hours and it was fabulous. Now I get up at least twice to pee and it takes me a long time to settle back into position. Although this weekend I did get a fabulous new sleeping partner. A HUGE stuffed dog from Toys R Us from the baby shower. And although it's for the baby? It found it's way to my bed where I've been snuggling up to it.
Movement: He's still on the move. And his movements are decidedly more uncomfortable. Baby boy is gaining strength and his pokes, jabs and kicks catch me by surprise a lot.
Exercise: I'm terrible. I've been counting my house cleaning and running up and down the stairs to do the laundry as my cardio. But seriously? It feels like a legit workout when I vacuum, do laundry, dust, etc. I think I'll be going outside for a stroll tomorrow. I usually start to cramp up down below after 20 minutes, so my doc told me to take it easy when I feel that.
Food cravings: None really. Shocking, I know.
Belly Button In or Out: Turkey's done!
Milestone: I have an ultrasounds next week, so I'm really looking forward to that! And I had my first baby shower and baby boy was spoiled with gifts. From some seriously special homemade blankets to burp cloths, we're getting stocked up. I went through everything this week and I'm slowly, but surely getting everything together. I did laundry last night and will work on sanitizing bottles/binkies and getting everything in it's place in the coming weeks.

Here's a peak into parts of the nursery that I have done.

My sleeping partner.

And some pics from my shower:

Cake made by my sister

Amanda and Pam came out the way out from Pittsburgh and Philly to attend. Amanda's 10 days behind me with her second baby!

My baby sister, who pulled the whole awesome thing together. And made some AWESOME cupcakes. Hence why I had about 5.

Diaper made by Pam

Baby Bump: Week 31

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 01:27:00 +0000

Total Weight Gain: The weight is definitely coming on quicker now. I'm up about 2 pounds over my prepreg weight. At least today. I'm sure that'll change soon enough. The numbers seem to be going up every time I step on the scale. Only 2 months to go though!
Maternity Clothes: All maternity, all the time. I'm sure my coworkers are getting as sick of my outfits as I am.
Stretch Marks? Still none!
Sleep: Sleep still eludes me. I wake up about 3 times a night to pee and I have a ton of trouble finding a comfortable position that actually allows me to fall asleep. When hubs isn't here, I make a pillow fort which seems to help a little.
Movement: He's still moving. Just not as much as he was before. Mostly because of the lack of room I'm sporting in my belly. When he does move, it's VERY noticeable. Especially if you happen to be staring at my belly when he decides to karate chop me. His positioning for the day also determines the amount of back and pelvic pain that I experience.
Exercise: I'm totally awful on this one. I haven't really worked out a ton in a few weeks. Mostly because after about 20 minutes I start cramping up in my belly and get really uncomfortable. I guess this could be contributing to the more rapid weight gain.
Food cravings: Froyo. Hubs and I went out for some yesterday, actually. And I decided to be semi-healthy and get fruit toppings instead of all candy like I normally get. Expect for that spoonful of cheesecake bites I put on it...
Belly Button In or Out: Turkey's done!
Milestone: My baby shower in my hometown is this coming weekend and I'm really looking forward to it! I'm starting to get the nursery more and more together. I plan to go get a bookshelf tomorrow and I finally got some curtains up this week. Someone recommended getting thermal/room darkening ones, so that's what I chose. Especially since he's got 2 windows in the nursery. Here's a little peak.

Pardon the mess. I'm still getting things together. I bought some tie-backs yesterday and installed them today. Everything will come together soon enough!

This Post is Full of Sunshine and Rainbows!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 20:30:00 +0000

You ever have those days where you need to bitch and moan? Today's one of those days. This blog isn't always sunshine and rainbows, so I'm warning of slippery road ahead. If you're not ok with a little negativity, then I suggest you find yourself elsewhere for today.

1. I'm sore. Straight up, like I ran a marathon then topped it off with 1,000 push ups and kegels sore. My back, my pelvis. Apparently pushing around the vaccum has turned into an Olympic sport for this preggo. Don't worry though. The doc checked me out last week to make sure I wasn't dilated. I'm not, in case you were worried. She just happened to mention, "Ah, the third trimester. This is when you really start to understand why most people hate to be pregnant."

2. I've been planning on taking 12 weeks FMLA since before I got pregant. So I applied in June, like a good little employee. But now I'm getting hit with "We can only give you 6 weeks, then you have to get a note from the pediatrician for an additional 4 weeks, and oh, by the way, if you want that other 2 weeks? Go back to your OB and get another form signed for 2 weeks." Are you kidding me? I thought this shit was regulated by the federal government. Cripes. This is exactly what I want do to when I have a screaming newborn. Fill out a bunch of papers and try to fax them out.

3. There's nothing like being pregnant and alone. Especially during your third trimester. Hubs' travel schedule has been off the charts since March and he won't be back on solid MD soil until mid-October. You know. Right AFTER I'm full term. Let's hope this boy decides to stay put until then.

4. I wish all my grass would hurry up and die. I hate mowing the lawn and I especially hate it while pregnant. Even though we have a riding mower, it's still a pain in my rear.

There's only 4 things that can possibly fix this angst right now. My couch and/or bed, puppy snuggles, froyo and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Normally? I'd say sushi and wine, but the the consumption of either of those treats is apparently frowned upon during pregnancy.

Baby Bump:29 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 00:53:00 +0000

29 weeks with Baby A.

Total Weight Gain: 5 pounds, which has put me right back at my prepreg weight according to the OB's scale. So no "official" weight gain yet, but that's definitely coming in the next few weeks because the weight seems to be coming on quicker now as baby grows.
Maternity Clothes: Um, yeah. I'm the size of a house, so therefore all maternity clothes are in order. Which, by the way, I'm getting sick of my wardrobe. I'm missing my other duds.
Stretch Marks? Still none I can tell except for a few small ones new my belly button.
Sleep: Oh, elusive sleep. I haven't had a full 8 hours in quite some time. I wake up twice a night to pee or change positions. I totally miss sleeping on my belly.
Movement: He's on the move! He goes through spurts. It's slowed down a little as I've gotten bigger because there's not as much room in there. But now when he moves, it makes my whole belly shake.
Exercise: I'm still walking when I can, but not nearly as much. My energy has been zapped as of late.
Food cravings: Cherries. I can't get enough. And corn nuts. Weird, right?
Belly Button In or Out: Almost out!
Milestone: I took my SECOND 3 hour gestational diabetes test last week and much to my surprise, the results came back negative! So bring on the froyo :)

I had my regular appointment today and did find out I'm anemic. This naughty baby boy has stolen all my iron. So, that's probably why I've been so freaking tired lately. She started me on an iron supplement, so that should help. I also started with some fun symptoms that everyone dreads...like pelvic pain and back pain. She checked to make sure I'm not dilated (thank GOD I'm not) and simply said the pelvic pain is my body stretching my ligaments to get me ready for delivery. Because, oh yeah, that'll be here in just over 2 months...or less!

Finally, I'm going to leave you with the first letter of Baby Boy A's name. R. That's all you get :)

Banana Peanut Butter Faux Frosty

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:35:00 +0000

You know what's delicious? Bananas. And Frosty's. And peanut butter.

Do you know what I have for you guys? A delicious concoction that tastes like a banana, peanut butter frosty. And guess what? It's good for you. And guess what else? It's 3 ingredients.

I know, right!?

I've seen variations of this floating around Pinterest and Facebook. So I decided to make it my own.

Peanut Butter Banana Faux Frosty Treat
3 bananas, cut into chunks, frozen
3 tablespoons dark chocolate almond milk (regular chocolate milk will work fine too)
1 tablespoon peanut butter

Cut your banana into chunks and freeze solid. Take frozen chunks and throw them into the food processor or blender. This part takes the longest. Keep pushing them down until they start to break up. Add almond milk. Blend to a creamy, soft serve-like consistency. Once you get to that state, add your peanut butter. Then, get this:

Then come back and thank me for showing you this delicious treat. You'd never know it's just bananas, almond milk and peanut butter. But it's sooooo good.

Baby Bump: 27 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:01:00 +0000

25.5 weeks...I look way smaller here than in the next picture. I think it's the black.

27 weeks

Total Weight Gain: At my last appointment, I had gained 3 pounds. So I'm still -5 pounds from prepreg weight.
Maternity Clothes: Pretty much everything! The full panel pants are my friend. So much so, I'd like to wear them after this baby arrives. Is that wrong?
Stretch Marks? I think I spotted a few small ones around my belly button. I can't really tell though.
Sleep: Ugh. Sleep. A thing I can't get anymore. I wake up 1-2 times a night to pee. Then I wake up when I've rolled on my stomach. And I wake up when the clock strikes 4:12. But I had to take a Benadryl the other day, and that my friends, knocked me out ALL night.
Movement: This kid's on the move for most of the day. And I think getting his head stuck in weird places because sometimes my belly feels hard and I get a little pressure to one side. Then it goes away. The doc said he's just wiggling his way around in there.
Exercise: I'm still walking. Not as much as I had been. I need to get back on that.
Food cravings: No cravings right now. Isn't that strange? I'm still favoring chocolate almond milk. And frozen yogurt. Oh, and caprese salad. But that's about it.
Belly Button In or Out: Almost out!
Milestone: Tomorrow is the first day of my third trimester. Today marks exactly 3 months until he's due to make his grand entrance. Is it wrong that I'm a little terrified? Excited, but terrified.

He's already got a bunch of clothes thanks to great family and friends. Like this little outfit.

And the nursery has a theme. Non-cartoony jungle animals. Patterns. Blue and chocolate brown. Here's a little peek into some wall art I made.

And here's where the babe will be sleeping.

More pics on the way when this nursery is finally done!

A Minute with the Pups

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 20:50:00 +0000

First of all, I've just to to acknowledge all of the encouraging comments and emails I received from the "Thanks for Judging" post. I was overwhelmed with support from people who FINALLY had some good things to say. And positive words for sticking to my plan. THANK YOU. It's certainly appreciated and made me feel a million times better.

Second, I realize that I've been neglecting my first babies on here recently. The pups. They're still here, still kicking, and sniffing around all the baby stuff that's been popping up at the house over the past month. Here's a few precious moments from the last month or so:

Wiggle wrap. All wrapped up in fleece at a visit at my parent's.

Tanning. Rough life.

Wiggles helping me get some work done. He's very inspiring.

Peanut giving me the stink eye.

Peanut snuggling up with her very comfy? rope bone for naps.

Baby A: 24 Weeks!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 21:00:00 +0000

24 weeks with Baby A. Sorry, taken at the bathroom at work...and for some reason my edited version is posting sideways!

Total Weight Gain: Still down 4 pounds from prepreg weight. I've started putting on some poundage in the last few weeks. Which, although I know is inevitable, makes me nervous. Why? Because I've spent so long trying to LOSE weight, now that I see the scale creeping up, it makes me feel terrible. And also because I don't want to get in trouble from my OB. I'm aiming to gain a MAX of 20 pounds with this kid, so I really need to watch it.
Maternity Clothes: I'm almost exclusively in all things maternity. I have 2 pairs of prepreg pants that still fit. About 2 shirts. A smattering of sweatpants. And that's about all she wrote. Although I do have to say that today I was sporting all prepregnancy gear.
Stretch Marks? Still haven't seen any. I hope they do NOT make their way onto this bod. Here's what I do have though. HEARTBURN. This kid better pop out with a full head of lucious locks.
Sleep: Here's where things have changed since last time. It's getting noticably harder to get comfortable at night. I'm working on trying to have the right combo of pillow/blankets to get the job done, all without trying to disturb hubs TOO much. I have not succeeded yet. Out of 4 night this week? I've slept 2. Also, I pee a lot again. I feel like this baby is sitting on top of my bladder.
Movement: I have a karate kid. He kicks, punches and jabs all the time. Throughout the day. A TON at night and a lot after I eat. Hubs finally got to feel it and his reaction was priceless. He just got a huge smile and said "Wow, he's really in there." Yes, yes he is. You helped make that, honey.
Exercise: I'm still trying to walk up to 4 times a week. That's about all though. I'm looking into prenatal yoga soon. I think that would be beneficial.
Food cravings: Chocolate milk and frozen yogurt. At least I'm getting my dairy, right? Also, I eat ALL THE TIME. It's unbelievable how hungry I become a mere hour after dinner. Hubs calls it "Prego Feeding Time."
Belly Button In or Out: It's on it's way to fully out. Almost there, but not quite.
Milestone: Folks, I THINK we might finally have a name for this kid. Although I won't be sharing it. Mostly because I don't want to hear if you hate it. It'll hurt my feelings. I'll tell you that it's not conventional. Not very common. That's what we like. Perhaps I'll give away the initials when we're finally decided. Someday, I'll share the names I wanted and why they were crossed off the list by hubs. It's pretty hilarious.

Hubs is also assembling the crib this weekend, along with the pack and play that I plan on purchasing on tomorrow. After that? We'll wait until the baby shower for the rest of the gear and then go shopping afterwards for whatever we didn't get.

Thanks for the Judging

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 13:20:00 +0000

You know, ever since I got pregnant, I suddenly started receiving a TON of unwanted advice. The judgy kind.

I'm all about advice. That's how you learn, right? Learn from other people's experiences, although no two experiences are ever exactly alike.

I've been most surprised at the judging I've received for choosing to breastfeed. Which hasn't made any sense to me. It's best for baby, right? Best for health, boosting immune systems, it's free and readily available. Then WHY have I constantly been hearing from other women, "Oh, you're going to breastfeed? Well, that won't last long." What?? Thanks for the encouragement. Is it going to be hard? I'm SURE it's going to be rough. Will I pump when I got back to work? That's the plan. I know the best laid plans sometimes fail, but at least let me give it a shot before everyone gets negative. Plus, it's not forever. I'd like to make it to a year, which I'm sure is a huge challenge especially with working full time and having a traveling husband.

Speaking of working, I've also received a fair share of judging about that. Yes, I'm going back to work full time. Yes, my child will be put into daycare. No, I cannot afford NOT to work. With paying on a mortgage, car, bills, health insurance, saving for retirement, it's virtually impossible to live on a single income these days. And people need to stop assuming that my husband makes boatloads of money just because he travels. That is NOT the case. Yes, I'm entrusting my child into the care of another woman. She's qualified, her home is immaculate, she's got tons of experience and a great set up.

Would I work even if hubs did make tons of money? At least part time. Especially since he travels. You might have to book me a room at the nearest psych facility if I had to be alone 24/7, just me and a baby. I would need a little adult interaction, you know? But that's just me. To each their own.

I've also acquired the Baby Bullet from my sister as a gift. Do I plan to use it? Yes. Have a received comments about this too? Hell yeah. That being a working mom means I'll never have time to make my own baby food. Well, I've also heard that just being a working woman mean you'll never have time to make dinner. I cook 6 nights a week. I'm sure I can handle making a batch of baby food. If I can't? Then I go to the jar. But let me try it! How about some encouragement.

And my ultra favorite thing to hear are the BOATLOADS of horrible baby stories. No one seems to tell me how great motherhood is. Instead, I'm constantly hearing of the colic/acid reflux/no sleep/you'll hate your life for several months stories. Do I think that's going to happen? Probably. But each baby is different. Don't assume mine will be just like yours.

I know it's going to be hard. My husband will be traveling. I have no family within a short driving distance. I can only rely on friends and the flexibility of my workplace. But I've got to try. Because if I didn't, I'd never be a mom.

And if it becomes too much for me? Then I'll say, "You were right."

Baby Update: 22 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:45:00 +0000

It's time for another baby update! It's been about 3 weeks since I posted the last update and a few things have changed. Specifically, this tummy keeps getting bigger and momma can't fit into her non-maternity clothes anymore.

Boom. Belly at almost 22 weeks.

Total Weight Gain: Still down 8.5 pounds. I've put on 1.5 pounds in the last few weeks. I'm thinking most of that is baby, seeing as how he weighs almost a pound.

Maternity Clothes: Yessss. I have about 2 pairs of prepreg pants that I'm barely squeaking by in. I'm trying to stretch out my time in them. But for the most part, I'm just about in maternity wear exclusively.

Stretch Marks? Not that I've seen...thank goodness. Guess I should invest in some cocoa butter though, huh?

Sleep: I'm still sleeping! I wake up several times a night usually. Once to pee. Once because I'm uncomfortable. But I tend to wiggle myself into a comfortable position and slip right back into sweet slumber. And I'm still half sleeping on my stomach since it's still comfortable for me...and I've been assured by the doctor I am not crushing the little boy by doing this. Yes, I asked.

Movement: This kid is officially on the move. Kicks seem to be getting stronger every day and now they can be felt on the outside. He likes to be active after I eat and when I want to sleep, which I hear is very common.

Exercise: I'm still getting cardio in about 4 times a week, depending on the week. And by cardio, I mean walking. Boring, but effective.

Food cravings: No strong cravings as of late. I'm still on the popsicle train. I really like all things frozen, like ice cream, frozen yogurt. I'm also enjoying a lot of fresh fruit too. My appetite is "hearty" as they say in the books. I like to be eating at all times. Which is why it shocks me that I haven't gained more weight, but I'd like to keep it that way. It would be amazing if I could end this pregnancy lighter than when I got pregnant.

Belly Button In or Out: It's starting to pop out. I only noticed this today. Weird.

Milestone: I bought some outfits for the little guy last week. I just couldn't help myself. And I'm hoping next time hubs is home we can seriously start to think about some names or this kid is going to come home from the hospital as Baby A.

The Dentist - Torture? I'd Say So.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:01:00 +0000

Today, I went to the dentist. Do you know what the dentist means to me? Modern-day form of torture. Anyone who finds it enjoyable to sit for 30 minutes with your mouth hanging open while something stabs you with a sharp metal object needs their head checked.

I went into this appointment convinced that I had a nasty cavity growing in my back tooth. Turns out it was just a little stain. That was the good thing that came out of the dentist today.

Did you know that dentists have the highest suicide rate of any profession? Why do you think that is? Perhaps it's because everyone hates them. Or they spend their days talking to people that can only mumble some form of the English language back. I definitely enjoy trying to answer questions with a mouthful of gross, flouride toothpaste, don't you?

On the plus side, at least you leave there with a clean mouth. Perhaps a clean bill of dental health. And if you go to my dentist, a bag full of goodies.

PS - Someone other than me needs to tell hubs that he needs a trip to the dentist too. It's been 2 years and we don't pay for dental insurance every month for nothing. Geez.

Progress So Far

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I told myself I'd do a good job of documenting this pregnancy. I was planning to use the blog to do so, but alas, I have not. BUT I'm ready to get on board with it. However, this will NOT turn into a full blown pregnancy blog. It's just hard for me to not blog about the biggest thing in my life.

Anyway, here goes. Today, I am 19 weeks pregnant with a bouncing baby boy!

Me at 14 weeks

Me at 19 weeks.

The bump has certainly popped in the last few weeks.

Weight Gained: I'm still down. -10 pounds from my pre-preg weight.

Maternity Clothes: I've busted out a few shirts and am getting ready to get into the pants. Things are starting to fit a little on the snug side.

Sleep: I'm still sleeping well, thank goodness. I do wake up periodically through the night, but I tend to do that when hubs isn't here anyway.

Movement: I can't tell. I think maybe little ones, but I can't tell between that and gas. Truth. Sorry, folks.

Food cravings: Popsicles. Edy's Fruit Bars are topping my list. Which would be why I stocked up at the store yesterday.

What I Miss: Wine. Anxiety meds, haha! Just telling the truth!

What I'm Looking Forward to: Getting started on the nursery. We've got some stuff, but we need to get the crib and all the fun accessories. And DAMN babies require a lot of crap!

It's a...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 00:49:00 +0000

Oh, hey! Do you remember me? The girl who used to blog?

I have no excuses for not keeping up. Not only have a dropped the ball on here, but I haven't been reading many of my favorite blogs as of late. I've been doing a lot of stressing out. Not being on anxiety meds and having pregnancy hormones raging through my body, plus a traveling husband is a recipe for disaster.

But, I finally got some good news this week. See, my doctor sent me for the dreaded gestational diabetes test early because of my family history. For those of you that don't know, they give you this disgusting drink that I have been describing as several Kool-Aid packets, mixed with a little bit of water and corn syrup. You drink it down and then they take your blood after an hour. Well, I big fat FAILED that first test. So I got sent on for the 3 hour test. Which meant I drank DOUBLE the gross liquid and then sat around for 3 hours while my blood was drawn every hour. Trust me when I say I looked like a heroine addict after it was all over.

After stressing myself out, watching my carbs and sugar (which I should be doing anyway), dreading poking myself with needles several times a day, I finally got the results back and turns out I don't have gestational diabetes. Win! However, since I'm still early, I have to go back in two months for another 3 hour test just to be sure. But at least I passed for now, phewwwwww!

And more big news! Hubs was home for like, a minute, over Memorial Day. So we shelled out the extra dough to go to one of those places that charges $80 to tell you the gender of your kid before 18 weeks. Turns out, it's a:

BOY! I was SHOCKED to say the least. All the old wives tales pointed to girl. The morning sickness, my breaking out, sweet cravings. But nope, it's all boy in there!Hubs was PSYCHED. I was of course, happy with whatever outcome, but I'm excited to have a little boy. The sonogram tech confirmed he certainly had all little boy parts at my ultrasound this Monday.

Which, by the way, I have to pay them a second visit. This little boy is already stubborn like his daddy. He fell asleep at the end of the sonogram with his behind tight against my hip bone, meaning they couldn't get his full spinal measurement. After some jabbing with the ultrasound wand (which I wasn't expecting a physician to do?) and jumping around, he would not be awoken. Can't say I blame him. I could have gone for a nap around that time.

Now? We're onto adventures in naming this little man. Which proves to be a challenge. Because hubs hates ALL the names I suggest. Oh well, he'll have to be named sooner or later!

Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 May 2012 23:53:00 +0000

Well, hubs is back on the road again. He came home for about 2 weeks, which was fantastic. If you ever really want to appreciate your marriage and true partnership, get a spouse who travels.

Right now, he's within 4 hours of driving distance, so we're hoping he can make it back to find out the gender of the baby, which is June 4! I can't believe how fast it's going already. And it's totally true what they say about your second trimester. You definitely get a lot of that energy back that was sapped out of you the first few months. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I'm no longer throwing up all day.

I'm still down 8 pounds from my pre pregnancy weight. I was down 12, but gained 4 back. Again, probably attributed to the whole not throwing up everything I eat thing. I've been trying to work out several days a week. I'm not trying to gain a ton of weight during this pregnancy.

I also find out this week if I failed the one hour glucose tolerance test for gestational diabetes. I have a sneaking suspicion that I did, seeing as how most of the message boards I read say that most women do. Which would mean a 3 hour test. Booooo.

Either way, I know it's good to find out for me and the baby. Especially because GD makes you grow big babies. And I'm not all about pushing a 10 pound kid out of this body. Let's try to keep this in the ballpark of 7-8 pounds, mmmkay?

A Word from Hubs on Pregnancy Cravings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:29:00 +0000

I may have mentioned before that hubs has himself a nice little blog. It's humor. There's offensive language. But it kills me. He and his friend Chris contribute weekly.

This week, he wrote about my craving for donuts. Not just any donut. A particular flavor. And the lengths I went to to get it. It was too funny not to share. Here's the story straight from hubs' mouth:

This set of Power Rankings is already getting incredibly long-winded, so I’m going to cut it short at item 4 with a little anecdote about my wife. Earlier this week, she sent me an article describing the Men in Black 3 donuts being sold at Dunkin Donuts. For one, this is actually the first time I’d heard that they were even making a Men in Black 3 film (f you, I’m out of the loop). Secondly, I was about to scold her for buying into something ridiculous, but that Undercover Black Cocoa Donut looked absolutely delicious so I held back.

I thought this was going to be the standard, “Hey, wouldn’t this be awesome to try?” thing where you just let it go, but I guess I completely forgot my wife was pregnant. This was not a “ha ha, fun right?” thing, and more of a “B we are GOING TO BUY SOME OF THESE” thing. She sent me the article on Monday morning. I got a text Monday afternoon saying, “Are you going to pick me up some?” which I discarded as a joke. Now, at this point men who have had pregnant wives will stop and call this a “classic mistake”. For you would-be fathers out there, let me give you a little piece of advice: When your pregnant wife asks for a particular food item, get your as out there and pick it up.

My wife generally does a good job of hiding her disappointment in how crappy of a husband I am, but this time it was painted all over her face: She wanted Undercover Black Cocoa Donuts, and I came home with none. She only said, “So you didn’t pick me up any?” but her face and eyes said, “WHAT THE F IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” My inability to get the job done would not stop her, though. First she called our local Dunkin Donuts, who informed her that they had a single Undercover Black Cocoa Donut left. Unacceptable. She was not about to roll the dice on a single donut. No, we went down the list until we found a store that actually had several of them that they could put aside for us.

Let me put this in perspective: We actually got onto an interstate highway to get our hands on these donuts. On the drive home, my wife opened up the bag and inhaled out of it like she was huffing paint. When we get home, I made her sit down at the dinner table to enjoy her treat because we’re not animals. We bought three donuts, one for her, one for me, and one just in case. The first donut was gone in 3.2 seconds, but she packed away the third donut for later, and it had a terrible fate coming to it. My wife was really only interested in the brownie batter filling, so the next day she just completely bypassed the middleman with that third donut. Instead of eating the donut itself, she just cracked it in half and sucked out the filling like some kind of chocovampire.

I love her.

All Powerful Google

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 May 2012 23:56:00 +0000

We all do it. Head to Google the minute we have an unanswered question. Dog has the runs? Google it. You left toe hurts? Google it.

I'm an infamous Googler. And during pregnancy, Google has been my worst enemy and my best friend.

Recently seen in my Google search history:

"Is it ok to eat ice cream every day when you're pregnant?"
"14 week baby size"
"Does your withholding change when you have a baby?"
"When does vomiting stop in pregnancy?"
"Can I eat tuna when pregnant?"

And the answers? Yes, eat all the ice cream you want, but eat your veggies too. My 14 week fetus is the size of a lemon. Yes, your withholding changes because you get an extra allowance. Vomiting commonly stops after the first trimester, but many continue throughout their pregnancy. You can eat 6 ounces of tuna a week.

Aren't you glad you found all that out? I am. Word to the wise? Stay away from message boards. Especially while pregnant. I feel like they cause undue stress. "Well my baby got an ass rash from those diapers...my baby had to be on super special formula that costs $100/week...my baby hated daycare." Too many things to worry about. Especially if you're me.

Asian Glazed Pork Chops

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:42:00 +0000

Here we are. Hubs is gone again. He was home for a brief visit, which was fantastic, but now he's back to work for probably another month. Boooo. But, this is what I signed up for, right?

The worst thing about hubs being gone is the fact that I have to make up for the yard work. Which I believe I've mentioned here before...I hate. Although, I'm starting to get better at the whole mowing the lawn thing. And luckily, we have a riding mower, so there's not too much physical exertion for this preggo. The weedwhacking is a little worse and weeding worse still. But who else is going to do it?

Now that my appetite is starting to come back bit by bit, I've started cooking for one again. Tonight I whipped up two little Asian Glazed Pork Chops. Curious?

Asian Glazed Pork Chops

2 bone in pork chops

1.5 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 soy sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Warm oil in skillet. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and sear in pan. About 5-6 minutes per side depending on thickness. Mix the remainder of the ingredients and add to the pan. Reduce for 2-3 minutes. Serve pork chops with extra sauce.

You all are lucky this recipe didn't involve pickles...

Pregnancy Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:32:00 +0000

Thanks, everyone for the nice comments! We're very excited, that's for sure. This baby will definitely change everything about our lives.

I've learned so far that pregnancy is the best weight loss program ever. What? You didn't know? Yep, that's right. I'm one of the lucky ones that's experienced all kinds of nausea and food aversions. I'm down 12 pounds, in fact. BUT I'm sure it's going to start packing on now. The last few days it seems like my appetite has returned to normal. Not a whole lot has made me gag.

The last few weeks though? Meat, vegetables (especially green leafy ones), frozen meals, fruit...all of it made me want to puke. The mere smell of it had me running to the restroom. I was living off applesauce, yogurt, string cheese, pasta and rice.

Meat made it's way back in the last week or so. And vegetables have also made an appearance. I'm still a little hesitant when it comes to broccoli. Something about the texture has me grossed out. And I normally love broccoli. What do I want instead? All the sour gummy candy in the state of Maryland.

I guess the good thing about hubs being gone during the first trimester is that I didn't have to cook anything that would have made me gag. When he was home this weekend, he got to see me run back and forth to the bathroom when my lunch made its reappearance.

11 weeks down...29 weeks to go!

Game Changer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:58:00 +0000

Hi friends! I know it's been a little while. I took a little hiatus. Things around here got kind of nuts, what with hubs gone and all. And, well, it's been hard to blog about life, when my life has been changing.

You see, on February 21, we found out that we're expecting a baby!!!

Yep, you heard right. Our little baby is set to make his/her appearance November 1, 2012. What a HARD secret to keep. We just broke the news recently to coworkers and friends. My family knew right away, and so did close friends. Let's be honest, when I refused my usual glass of wine, they knew something was up.

To say this pregnancy has had it's ups and downs is an understatement. Hubs has been gone for most of it, meaning he's missed out on my daily upchucking, dry heaving, nausea and overall lack of energy. Lucky him, right? Plus, hormones are NO JOKE. One minute I'm happy face, the next minute, I'm weeping to one of the dogs. My anxiety is in full swing. But I'm learning to deal with it.

Plus, daycare is HARD to find and it has stressed me to the max. I assumed the one down the street that was convenient and I liked would have room for my baby. Wrong. So wrong. Most home daycares in the area have no room until 2014. Or they're SUPER expensive. After weeks and weeks of searching, I finally found one that I love. It's a little out of the way, but hey, can't have everything.

You might think I started early, but with home daycares only taking 2 children under 2, infant spots in quality care settings are hard to find. I wrapped that shiznit up this afternoon, signed the contract, reserved my spot. Booyah. Planning at its finest.

So, now? I'm nearly 11 weeks pregnant. Down 12 pounds due to my nasty food aversions and nausea. Meat and I only recently became friends again. But hey, at least I'm starting down weight, right? I can only assume it'll pack on soon. Especially after that bag of sour gummy candy I ate this weekend.

Am I excited? Of course. Scared? Yep. Afraid we'll have no money anymore because, damn, kids are expensive? Yep. But it'll all be worth it. Mommy is a role I've wanted to play for a very, very long time.

Could It Be? A Spring?!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:03:00 +0000

Could it be that we might actually have a Spring this year? I hate to say this, as to not jinx myself. Because, well, Mother Nature has been known to dump a few feet of snow on me for my birthday in years past.

I think it's pretty safe to say, however, that we dodged a bullet this winter here in the great state of Maryland. Our snowfall was minimal. It wasn't terribly cold. Which was great for my heating bill. Hell, hubs and I even got a snowblower from my uncle, bracing ourselves for a craptastic first winter in our house. Because, let's face it, we now have a driveway and a sidewalk to clear. But at least we never have to dig our cars out again. Hooray!

I had myself thoroughly convinced that, as soon as hubs left again, we'd get dumped on with the blizzard to end all blizzards. However, this week's forecast has no snow in sight. Instead? Sunny skies with highs in the 70s. That's what I'm talking about. I'll certainly be packing up the pups for some walks outside. Only after I get Wiggles' dagger nails trimmed. Those bitches are LETHAL right now. And since he's a total weiner, I have to take him to Petsmart and let them figure out how to trim them. Because my tactic of holding him against the ground with my body, while trying not to show him that I have nail clippers so he doesn't scream like a little girl, is not working anymore. I'll gladly shell out the $11 for that peace and quiet.

And thanks to Daylight Savings, I've got about an extra hour to get all this done. This week will be rough. I did lose an hour of sleep after all. It takes me a few days to get that back. It also takes me a few days to get used to it being pitch black when I get up. I think my workday should start at 10:00 AM, so I can get up in the light. No?

Happy Monday!