6.30.08

We're baaaaaaaack! Back from all our travels, back to our home, back to a semi-regular routine. I say semi-regular because I am off today and tomorrow, work in the nursery Weds and Thurs, off for Friday and then Monday I begin my new job as the Assistant Director! So really my routine is about to get tossed around again in a matter of days.

I have been battling a craptastic cold that seems to have hit its worst today. I finally broken down and bought Sudafed yesterday after reading that it is safe to take while pregnant (thanks to "What to Expect When You're Expecting" which I cannot read without throwing up. Tried and true.) but it, unfortunately, does nothing to help. So even though I should be writing today, I'm getting nowhere with that. And I think knowing that my paychecks are going to start looking a little nicer in a couple weeks is contributing to my lack of desire to bust my butt writing $10 articles.

I hope you enjoy these photos from my month of fun! If I ever get re-motivated to write an entry about how much I hated NYC, I'll be sure to let you know:) But for now, a photo blog will do the trick! (And FINALLY, a couple belly pics are at the end!)

Kickin' things off with a hoot of a Girls Weekend with Molly and Lisa (and a little of Matt, too. Lucky guy.)








It was National Yoga Day and hundreds of people were doing yoga in the middle of Times Square. Of course half my NY pictures are now of strangers doing yoga.


Matt and his Dadster


A happy pregnant girl with a tummy full of Junior's cheesecake.


Ohhh, if only that were real:)


We ate lunch here and our Club sandwich, that we thankfully shared, cost $22 and was about 12 inches tall!



My handsome man


Right before the 6th inning, my father-in-law decided he was going to take a potty break. Little did he know Matt and I had put his name on the scoreboard for his birthday and it was coming up any minute. So his sister told him we were all going to go to the bathroom together (??) in the 7th inning. He was PIST!


Until he saw this (amongst the monsoon that began about 60 seconds before it showed up!)


Which led to this.


Thaaat's my mother-in-law











Yummy Frozen Hot Chocolate! Worth every penny.


Carriage ride through Central Park. Angelina Jolie rode in this same carriage a few weeks ago:)


A fake lime in Chelsea market. Can you guess which fruit Little Beansies was that week?!


Churchill Downs and Louisville Slugger










The most adorable yellow ducklings living in the pond next to our hotel





Christyn's wedding. Now, every bride looks beautiful on her wedding day, but THIS bride looked STUNNING. Right out of a bridal magazine, honestly. Congratulations, My Little!





Alwynn, Me, Amy


Matt always finds a way to entertain himself:)




*****
12w5d belly pics. The first was last night and the second is today. I have a couple comparison shots from around 7 weeks, but they are pretty embarrasing and gross, so I can't bring myself to post them!

6.26.08

I lied. I haven't had a chance to write my NYC blog and I leave tomorrow morning for my friend Christyn's wedding in Louisville, so it'll have to wait a little longer. But I tried on all my dresses for the wedding weekend (rehearsal dinner, wedding, brunch, oh my!) and I am totally rocking a baby bump that is worthy of photos! So I promise to actually take pictures this weekend. Little Beansies is making his/her first appearance, ladies and gentlemen!

We've planned a little side trip to Churchill Downs and Louisville Slugger that I am super excited about. I'm also excited about our King suite and the Chinese rehearsal dinner. AND seeing Christyn and meeting her very soon-to-be husband, Hans. ANNNNND seeing my friend, Amy, who has spent the good majority of our post-graduation years in Africa and is bringing her African husband, Dame, home to the States AS we speak. Matt is pumped for the Kentucky brewed beer and California wine bars at the reception.

On a different note, tonight at dinner, my step-dad, Kirk, was in a super grouchy mood so to try and lighten the mood I told him if we have a girl we're naming her Kirkly Curtis. And obviously a boy would be Kirk Curtis. Or maybe DJ Kirk Curtis. If only you could have seen the laughter on this serious man's face. It was priceless.

And just for kicks, I'd like to share with you all that I did not throw up once ALL day today:)

6.25.08

I'm back from New York City:) It was quite a trip and Matt's parents were extremely generous to treat us to whatever we wanted, and I am very appreciative of that. But I sure as heck am glad to be home! A separate blog has been in the works (in my brain-o) since our first day there. I'll get to that later today or tomorrow.

This morning is about Little Beansie Man (or Girl. I still say girl, despite everyone else's boy predictions) Today is week 12!!! Holy Moly, kids. It's so incredible to be this far. Our first loss happened around 6 weeks, so to have brought this little one twice as far feels like a huge success. I pray for continued growth for the next 28 weeks!

While in NY I had a little meltdown one night after being forced to walk over 50 blocks in a day, which whatever, I don't know, maybe that's normal for a tourist in the city, but not a pregnant one. And definitely not a pregnant tourist who is terrified of losing another baby. But since my in-laws were being so incredibly generous, I felt trapped into doing whatever my mother-in-law had planned (which I swear to you was everything, from cover to cover, in the Froman's guide. In 3 days.) After walking a final 25 blocks from Central Park back to our hotel on 34th and 8th at 10:30pm Sunday night, I broke down in our hotel room. My back hurt, my tailbone throbbed, my hips ached, I was crampy (cramps & backaches are are a hugely scary combo when you're pregnant), exhausted, cranky, out of patience and ready to murder someone. I was sure I would lose this baby.

Well, the Lord was listening, my friends. And do you know what our good Lord did to squelch my fears? He granted me with a full day of vomiting, nausea and overall exhaustion. On travel day:) Yes, I have now blessed a NYC aiport limousine backseat, 2 Continental airplane lavratories, 2 LaGuardia restroom stalls (1 handicapped, 1 family friendly), 2 Cleveland Hopkins restroom stalls, 1 disgusting Wendy's restroom, my parents' guest bathroom and kitchen sink with more vomit than I ever thought possible at week 12. The week when all this yuckiness typically begins to fade. Especially after it's already been nicely fading for the last 2 weeks.

Today of course is a new day, I feel fine, and I would like to give the Sweet Lord a personal thank you for that little dose of reassurance that Little Beansies is growing nicely in Mommy's hot tub. While I ralphed away, he lazily floated around my insides, backstroking through the day with a virgin daquiri in one hand and a copy of People magazine in the other.

As Matt said last night, "If you supposedly get sicker during the baby's growth spurts, then this kid's going to pop out 45 inches long after today." Amen, brother!

This week's fruit update:

As you move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed.

6.20.08

The interview went really well! The superintendent is the sweetest man, kind of older and "grandpa-y" and I have such a soft spot for older men. (Grandpa age, not like pervert 40 year olds). I should hear back rather soon, but thankfully we leave for NYC in the morning, so I'll have lots to keep me busy in the meantime.

Thank you for the good interview wishes, guys! And thanks for the email and text Andrea and Lisa!!

Weezies is on his way home with Skyline for lunch... Yum-O!!! This pregnant momma is all about the Skyline. Heartburn To Go!

6.19.08

Tomorrow is my interview/conference call with our new director and the superintendent of the academy. Part of me is nervous, but then the other part of me feels like if I don't get the job, I'll be just as happy because I love my job as it is!

And then I get confused as to what tomorrow's call technically is. My old and new director have referred to it as a conference call and an interview (but not until I started calling it an interview), but they talk like I already have the job.

I'm just going to be myself and speak to them like I normally would and if they still think I'm great for the job, fantastic! And if they don't, then I probably wouldn't be very happy with the position anyway. I'm just happy I get to do this over the phone. Regular interviews make me sooo nervous!

So, tomorrow at 11:30. Here goes nothin'!

6.18.08

It's fruit change day! Happy 11 weeks, baby fetus! You are a...



Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future.

Mommy and Daddy love you, Little Beansies! Snuggle up and keep cooking:)

6.12.08

What a super fun weekend with my girlies! We swam, we sunned, we ate and giggled... I served lots of alcohol that I could not drink. But it was so worth it to spend time with my good friends!

Life continues to be a lazy, lovely hodge podge of delight:) I wake up early and write, then I take a break to eat breakfast on the deck. Once I finish my work, we eat a little lunch, then head out on the boat where we float in the sun for a few hours until we're ready to come in for a break.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

I love summer:)

(I know I mentioned belly pics... I'm getting there. Last night's attempt was a big fat failure of darkness!)

6.12.08

My parents have a huge mirror that runs vertically as you walk down the first floor hallway into the living room/kitchen area. It's hard not to get a full view of yourself, whether you want to or not! I just caught myself walking down the hall with my belly sticking out of my shirt. Now I'm REALLY hoping this is baby and not all those extra ice cream and potato chip dinners!!!

Maybe it's time to start taking belly pics so I can show off my jiggly hotness:)

6.12.08

MEME

I was tagged by Nine Months...(who, by the way, deserves a big fat HOORAH for her recent BFP!) and Vivian (who will be needing a big fat HOORAH very soon. I just know it!!)

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tag people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. What was I doing ten years ago?
I had just moved from Ohio to Maryland and was getting ready to start my junior year of high school at a brand new school. Talk about yuck.


2. Five things on my to do list for today
Write 8 articles, work on my tan whilst preventing my sunburn from worsening, call my sweet hubby and make sure he's surviving his bachelor week, ... uhh, I think that's it! I've got a pretty good life these days!

3. Snacks I enjoy
fruit, potato chips, hummus, ice cream

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire
Move closer to my momma, buy my brother and sister-in-law's house for them so they don't have to pay 2 mortgages... and then pay for their new house, oh shoot... pay off everyone's house. Take some vacations, save for kiddies' college funds, invest, donate some. You know, the usuals:)

5. Places I have lived
Williamsburg, VA
Greensboro, NC
West Chester, PA
Ashland, OH
Frederick, MD
St. Louis, MO
Wooster, OH
New Albany, OH
Logan, OH

oh my gosh, that's a lot for 26 years of life. especially considering some of those had multiple houses.

6. People I want to know more about, but won't be offended if they find these things annoying! (Thank you, Jennifer and Lauren for helping me with this!)

Patty
Lynda
The Recovering Actress
My story of loss... and life
Thoughts from the mind of Maydaygirl

6.11.08

I tried to be modest and not gross out my aunts by packing a tankini and a one piece bathing suit along with my "only for Matt's eyes" bikini, but today I have come to the sad realization that the tankini top no longer fits over my tummy. No amount of tugging or pulling is getting that sucker down. Hopefully it's more baby and less crappy diet.

I was tagged by a couple bloggers and I can't figure out how to link to their blogs. I click on the link icon (the little chain link) and insert their blogger site, but sometimes it appears invisible (oxymoron?) and other times the entire web address appears. What am I doing wrong? Anyone? Anyone?

6.10.08

My big news is that I was offered a promotion at work. It's kind of a big one. I'd be the Assistant Director of the school. Which I find kind of funny, really. I still picture myself as a little kid sometimes and the thought of myself sitting in a meeting with the superintendent discussing important things is a little humorous.

I'm really not painting a very good picture of my abilities here. I suppose there is a reason I was offered the position! I am amazed at how the Lord works by putting us into horrible situations, and then putting us in new situations that we are a little unsure of, but then making it absolutely clear why he put us there by dropping something huge like this right on my lap. It all makes sense. I'm flattered that my directors thought of me and feel I would do a good job. I'm definitely a little nervous about adding stress to my life, completely changing my daily routine, managing a staff of my peers, and being professional enough to assist in running the school, which as of this fall will be under the Academy instead of the church.

But I think I'm going to take it:) It's hard to pass up doubling my salary when I have a baby on the way. And the fact that I can take my baby to work with me when that time comes is a blessing and a privelage that not many receieve. I think this is going to be wonderful for my career and my morale.

So without further ado, the 10-week Beansie, which looks a little like a turd:



With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. (Soon, legs will too.)

The party was great, seeing friends and family was wonderful and spending my birthday with everyone was the best! Matt picked out an ice cream cake that said "Congratulations" and had baby stuff all over it, which was adorably hilarious. He said it was between that and a soccer ball and he decided to go with what would tug at the heartstrings;)

Morning sickness is still in effect, but not as extreme as this time last week. The hunger seems to be calming down as well *gasp* But sure enough, just when I thought I was on the up and up, I got sick this morning. Twice. So Mom took me to McDonalds:) I think I love it here.

My baby dog got shaved today. He looks absolutely adorable, even though he looks nothing like a Golden Retriever. It's too hard to deal with him swimming every day when he has an extra 20 pounds of fur weighing him down. So he's happy. I'm happy. And my mom is overjoyed that he's not destroying her house with his insane shedding:)

I have exciting news that I'll share tomorrow. Oooooooooooo!!!

6.5.08

Two nights in a row now I have needed a midnight snack. I don't use the term "needed" loosely either. I don't mean I was a little hungry and thought a cherry pie sounded good or I woke up and was thirsty so I ate a bowl of cereal. I'm talking "OMG, it's only 12:00 and if I don't eat in the next 60 seconds I will throw up a toilet full of bile. And it better be crunchy and it better be a carbohydrate. Or a white pear. Or fresh pineapple."

That's what pregnancy hunger feels like. The sucky thing about having to eat 'round the clock is that eating becomes less enjoyable and more like work. In fact, I kind of hate eating right now. Everything is old and blah because I've eaten EV.ERY.THING. a couple dozen times already.

I'm a little worried that even after the morning sickness subsides (please God, let that happen sooner than later), I will forever associate hunger with this insane need to eat RIGHT AWAY. I can see myself a couple years from now. Looking slightly more plump, and still carrying my Vera Bradley lunch box full of snacks (and no lunch. because there's no room for the actual lunch once it's filled with a day's worth of snacks!

6.4.08

9 weeks!

Congratulations Little Beansie Baby! You are 9 weeks along today:) You have now graduated from being an embryo to a fetus and can officially suck your thumb!

Since your Daddy finds green olives repulsive and we would never want you to be compared to something gross, you are a green olive only for graphic purposes. The good news is you are also a strawberry! And I know that will make your Aunt Andrea very happy... for graphic purposes of her own!



Your little embryo has now officially graduated to fetus-hood. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like... well... a baby!

6.3.08

Yesterday I ordered Matt a Father's Day gift from The Land of Nod. It's a sweet book calld "Daddy Cuddles" and I can't wait to give it to him! I bet he's going to be the best story teller:)

They also had "The Carrot Seed" which I remember vividly from Preschool. I couldn't resist! (It's for the baby... I find myself saying that a lot!) I think this book is even in the background of a Preschool photo circa 1985 that I must must must find this summer.

I can't wait for them to get here! And I can't wait to fill Little Beansies' nursery with all the greatest children's books! By the time he/she is 4 years old, he/she's going to be all "Where did my Mom and Dad go?" and then he/she'll be all "They're probbbbaly in my room reading my books again" and there we'll be, sprawled across the floor reading "The Giving Tree" and "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie".

6.1.08

Uneventful OB appointment today. I got in 1 hour after my scheduled appointment, which happened to be AFTER the time they close, so needless to say, we were pretty irritated... and hungry by the time we left.

No doppler, but I figured she wouldn't since it's still early to be able to hear it that way. But definitely next time:) July 7th it is!

It's a whole lot more fun going to doctor's appointments with Matt, that is for sure. He makes me laugh so hard! I should start bringing my camera to catch some of his hilarities once he's behind doors waiting for the doctor. Pure entertainment.

6.1.08

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.


How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.


What ingredients are mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.


Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.


What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?


Why did your Mom marry your Dad?
1. My Dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.


Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because Dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than Dad.


What's the difference between Moms & Dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and Dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.


What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.


What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

6.1.08

Happy June!!

I survived a weekend with the in-laws, but welcomed their exit with open arms. By this morning, I was barely able to speak for fear of saying something snarky or uncalled for to my MIL. While making breakfast she came over and sat at the bar/counter and just stared at me. I could only take it for so long and then I finally commented on how beautiful it was outside and she should go enjoy the patio for a few minutes until breakfast was ready. AKA: GO AWAY!!! please?

It's been a lovely afternoon though... lots of lying around in the sun, reading, daydreaming about hypothetical vacations that Matt kindly reminded me we are finished taking for a little while...

Perhaps the best part of today is that I haven't felt one ounce of Sunday blahs... because I no longer have to "work" on Mondays! Or Tuesdays! Technically, I'll be working from home, writing, but I'm my own boss on those days and I'm actually very excited to dive into a couple dozen articles and make some money! I have 3 days in the nursery this week and then I'll be writing full time for the next 3 weeks!! I am thrilled:)

Doctor's appointment tomorrow to go over the ultrasound results. Our tech was so great that we probably already got the skinny, but I have a couple questions for my doctor (shortness of breath, tailbone pain from my snowboarding spill, not being able to even think about my prenatals without gagging). How nice that she's also a physician?

Have a fantastic week!!!!!!