Back in Business.

After some quick blogger maintenance, we're up & running again. New post to come soon.

Blog Under Construction.

I don't exactly know what's going on with my blog...some things are out of whack & I need to get my layout straightened up...we should be up & running normal again soon!

October Shower Brings a November Baby.

A very big thanks in advance to Connie Butcher. Deb Cosgrove. Kristi Drury. Marsha Ruble. Nancy Allen for hosting my Baby Shower!

Mommy Moments.

I have sporatic moments of excitement when I think of random events I'm really (really really not the sarcastic really this time) looking forward to after our little guy is born. I thought that I'd share some of them with you...

Blanket Forts...this used to be a staple activity when we stayed overnight at my grandparent's & I'll make sure my child carries on the tradition...b/c I'll be the one suggesting & sleeping in it...probably alone b/c it won't be as fun to my child but that's one parenting risk I'm going to take!

Mac & Cheese...I sometimes feel that in my adult world I shouldn't get so hooked &/or excited about eating Macaroni & Cheese, but now...I have an excuse!

Soccer Mom Moments...& when I say soccer mom I really mean like baseball or football (unless soccer is the dream & then I'll be a soccer mom)...I'm just not going to be in a minivan...or station wagon (Mike! That was directed towards you!).

Convincing my child that crock-pot meals aren't as bad as he thinks...my mom attempted this one as I was growing up to none avail...the second I saw that thing out on the counter in the morning before school, I didn't really want to come back that evening. But, I always would. I have since transformed my thought processes behind crock-pot meals &...I even have one of my own &... realize it was more for convenience of time rather than making your kids mad about the dinner choice as I was convinced she was doing =) And, I could probably kill two birds with one stone on this one...I'm sure there's a really great Mac & Cheese Crock Pot Recipe waiting for me to discover!

Swim Lessons...how fun! We're gonna have a little fish I hope!

Bathtime...I mean c'mon...isn't the smell of clean Johnson & Johnson baby the best?! Plus, it'll be fun to give him little baby mohawks after we wash his hair!

Those are just a few that I've been thinking about lately, I'm sure I'll be adding more in the future. I'm finding that they help ease the growing anxiety of being a new mom with an 'outside of me' baby. And I think he agrees that it's time to get a move on soon (say 8ish weeks). I believe he's perched himself with his sweet little head resting on my bladder & his cute little feet lodged up into my ribs. But, I don't blame him, the space he's working with has to surely be closing in on him...I feel like just the other day I expanded in the amount of hours. That little monkey literally woke me up from his flip flopping around in there the other morning! Talk about a wake up call!

Per Leighton's request, here is a photo of my haircut. I'm smiling like a fool...not really into the glamour shots these days, I took it quick in the car after I left the salon...anyway, there ya go, bangs.

9 Months Turned Into 9 Weeks.

I got my 'mom haircut' today...haha...just kidding...I don't even know what that means, that was just my request when I walked into the salon today for some long due maintenance! Given my friend Hillary has been my hairlady since she was going to beauty school, she told me to shut up & sit down. I used to be a brave volunteer "model" when she needed to practice different elements during her training at beauty school so we go way back w/ the hair issue...and I've always come out with both ears in tact & my hair hasn't fallen out...I figure that's my kids job! She gave me a more "mature" look today, but just for the record, she first called it an "older" look...yeah I know what you mean! My mom told me that I'd better get one more appointment scheduled before 9 weeks is here or else I may miss the boat to have this luxury. Great advice.

We visited our doctor again this week. And I don't mean to bore you readers with uneventful news about my visits, it's really my way of documenting my appointments b/c if I don't write it down somewhere, this knowledge will be long gone from my memory bank. I can't even remember what I ate yesterday for lunch...oh wait...3 hot dogs...don't judge me! Even so, we are still looking healthy...thumbs up. Michael joined us this checkup to meet the Doctor who will be delivering our bundle of joyful stuff. I guess you would say this is my "birth plan" I keep reading about having. Yep, have my Doctor deliver my baby. I am pretty flexible as far as that stuff goes b/c when it comes down to it, it's unpredictable anyway. Aside from just being educated about all my wonderful labor options...I will go with the flow as long as our health is not being compromised. So, my birth plan pretty much states, allow the doctor to deliver our baby. Except Mike, like I mentioned before is convinced he's going to be multitasking as driver & "doctor". Whatever, it will be fine.

So, anyway, my nine months is closing in & I'm trying to make the most of these last nine-ish weeks. Aside from getting winded walking back & forth between rooms...I'm trying to make the most of quiet time, sleep time & bathing time. All of which I'm anticipating on becoming slim to non-existent in the near future. I even practice not showering all day until 5-6 o'clock at night...Mike really enjoys that one...hahaha!

Just Call Me Fatso.

My cousin Eric is quite fond of this new nickname for me. Haha! We all get a good laugh out of it. But today, I am officially saying that I've reached the Pregnancy Milestone: UNCOMFORTABLE. My energy level has plumeted again...great...that was a good 4 week run...I thought I had you back...but now I feel like I won't be seeing you again for about 18 years. I'm not overexaggerating this either, I can't climb a flight of stairs without taking a time out to regroup & check to see if my legs made the trip with me or not. My lung capacity feels like that of an 85-year old lady who's smoked a pack a day since she was 13. I don't really know what this would feel like, but this is how I'm imagining it would feel. Not good. So, little bottle ticker up there on top of my page claiming we have '65 days left'...please hurry up!!! And another thing...ladies who are already mothers...you're not helping when you ask me how I'm feeling & I let you know & you respond..."oohhhh you just wait, it only gets worse" =( I mean...I'm sure it does, but I don't want to hear it. I'd rather hear you say 'you are glowing'...which is another one of my unfavorite things to hear, but at least it's a compliment & although I won't really believe you, it's better than painting a picture of complete miserableness in my mind.

What else can I report on...Baby has found my ribs & loves them. He also enjoys his morning aerobics routine at about 7 aM & then again late at night. We signed up for a Childbirth Prep Class at the hospital we're planning to deliver at. I am anticipating what they have to inform us about being prepared =) I think Michael is nervous about the trip up to the hospital when I go into labor...he's convinced we won't have enough time & I'm going to deliver in the car...haha prepare for that!

Anyway, I'm just gonna keep truckin at my snail-like pace, counting down the days & hoping to avoid every cardio activity...except eating, blogging & trying to paint my toenails...all of which I now consider cardio activities b/c I can break a sweat in the effort. And if you're reading this & can touch your toes...please take a second out of your day & touch them...I am jealous. Cheers!

IOWA defeats ISU.

I will keep this brief...b/c those of you that have a genuine interest in college football and know what day it was today in Iowa, already know the outcome. As mentioned before in previous blogs, I have made it clear that Michael & I are parents divided when it comes to the in-state college football challenge. Hawkeyes & Cyclones went head to head today at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, IA and the outcome... Iowa 35 Iowa State 3. There are very few things that shut Daddy Mikey up (no offense), but an Iowa State loss vs. Iowa will do such a thing...for a while. With that said, I will humbly leave you with the 'loser' shot photo. Oh the sweet taste of defeat...Go Hawks!!!

No Sugar Baby.

I went in for my glucose retake test on Tuesday...it was fun...for those of you that haven't had this experience let me cliffnote it for ya (it's more like extended cliffnotes b/c I ramble a lot):
Nothing to eat or drink after midnight the day before you plan on going in (& if you were like me...you were getting your butt to the lab asap in the morning b/c the nothing to eat until it was over was going to quickly turn me to violence if I waited).

1st blood draw (if your levels are "normal" you chug another glucose drink...if you don't, well I don't know b/c my levels were ok). And by the way...that 2nd glucose drink, I'm pretty sure they up the glucose level b/c it gave me flashbacks of my 24-hr a day nauseouness I about threw in the towel. A student lab tech turned to me & was really curious as to 'how it was'...really lady...go over to that fridge & grab one yourself, toss it down & get back to me on that...seriously. So, I headed out to the waiting room & this hour I attempted to catch up on Facebook happenings & read new blogs...not very enjoyable though (feeling sicker than a dog). Mike graced me with his presence after a coffee run. We briefly discussed some fantasy coffee shop plans & then he retreated to his PSP baseball game. I nodded in & out of nauseousness comas & then waddled back to the lab.

Second blood draw (they switch arms thankfully) & then back out to the waiting room. This hour I was feeling a little better & I downed some water...at least they do allow you to drink H20...if you have an imagination you can imagine it's a nice margarita you're sipping on the beaches of Fiji...that helps. I retreated this time to people watching...you get all kinds in the waiting room of a hospital! Mike is actually fun to people watch with b/c we usually end up making up stories of their entire lives as 'we' know it. Haha! And of course, about 10 feet away was the 'I have to talk obnoxiously loud about everything in a setting that should be quiet lady'...there's always one lurking around. I will give her credit for letting me borrow her newspaper as she watched Mike's unsuccessful battle with the newspaper machine. Read that & waddled back into the lab.

Third blood draw. They switched it up again...thanks. Waddled back to the waiting room. One last hour & then I was free. This hour I could handle getting back onto the computer, so I messed around on that & listened to Michael talk about nonsense.

And finally...fourth blood draw. I would have to wait until later that afternoon or the next morning for results...so I did. When we left, I believe Michael was hungrier than I, so we grabbed lunch & headed home.

The next day I awoke with my arms looking like a heroine addict, but I also had a message from my doctor's office stating I had PASSED & had nothing to worry about! Relief set in knowing I didn't have a sugar baby...but a sweet little guy that I'm anxiously waiting to get out of me =) Awww.

Hatched & The Mad Housewife.

"The prospect of nine months without drinking, smoking, coffee, Zoloft, or sushi had scared the bejesus out of Mavis. But pregnancy was turning out to be heaven."

So excited my great friend Libba is back visiting! We usually go at least a year if not more sometimes w/out seeing each other =( so it's always necessary to get together!!! I adore her photographic talents & I admire that she rarely puts her camera down...very inspiring! (By the way, I must give props to her for contributing (ok I copied & pasted) a 'belly shot' photo I posted under the "Mommy" section). She resides in Birmingham. AL w/ her fiance, Dirk, & two Goldens. With the announcement of her engagement & wedding date, I anticipate a trip down south...I mean c'mon by that point in my life I am going to be ready for a little trip...right?!

We have a mutual love for wine & since I'm on the wagon...or is it off the wagon?...either way I've been sober for 5 months & counting...but who's counting, I decided to offer a gift of wine that was in compliance with the fact that she's going to be a married lady in a year. In most of my new wine adventures, I shop by label, & conveniently found a bottle named 'Mad Housewife'. Hopefully it's as enjoyable to sip on as it is humorous! And in return, she gifted me the cutest book by author Sloane Tanen called Hatched. Definately a thumbs up for mothers & moms-to-be if you're into finding humor in this thing called pregnancy! Plus, how can you go wrong when the book is illustrated by fuzzy chickens?! I shared my favorite excerpt above (loading up on the sweets...I can't relate to that at all haha...bad pregnant girl!!!)

Tiger Tiger Woods Ya'll.

With the time we've spent in Holstein lately, we decided to become golf members at the Country Club. Picking up a new hobby was in my favor & since I have been full of energy ;) it would be a great way to get some calisthenics in. I typically end up calling 'best ball play' by the middle of hole #1 b/c Mike refuses to give me a score over 8...haha!

We golfed in a league tournament with 4 others a couple of weekends ago (Hillary in photo)...18 holes of golf stared me in the face that day & I wasn't completely confident I could make it through w/out becoming a major crab...not gonna lie. But, it went amazingly quick (probably because we were so good) & during the best ball play, we even used some of my shots! I won't get too cocky though...golfing with a tiny guy in your stomach is a strange feeling & I definitely have lost some...ok a lot...of my skills since State Golf Meet back in High School. We had a great time & it's been awesome golf weather for us so we're trying to take advantage of every chance we get to hit the links. I really enjoy playing on Holstein's course...except for hole #9...that one can go! We plan on heading out this weekend as well, this Fall-ish weather has been great in my world & makes the sport a bit more enjoyable!

Things I've Learned This Past Week.

Cruise Control is not a standard feature on vehicles! What?! Really?! I was naive to think so myself! Pregnancy Brain strikes again...when purchasing a new vehicle this past week b/c my old one was deemed an "Unsafe P-O-S" by Michael, I failed to even think twice about this amenity. It was necessary for me to get something that was going to provide safe transportation for our "precious cargo". Let me just clarify a bit of history in this department...I hate hate hate car shopping (please ask Mike or my Father if you need more details...but I wouldn't advise it because I don't think happy things would be said)...& second, I have a good driving record. It just seems that my vehicle has been a magnet for people to slam into...& not causing total damage, just enough to cause less than stellar aesthetics but still driveable. I didn't really mind my pitiful ride until I found out I was pregnant & then we started thinking safety for Baby...so it was definitely time to do something about the progressive affects of the above mentioned accidents (neither my fault for the record...no kidding). But, anyway, I didn't realize there was no cruise control until I had made the deal & merged onto the interstate...major bummer, but hopefully I can train myself to withhold the correct speed without obtaining any tickets!!!

Second thing I learned this week...I am way too sweet already...as if this was up for debate =) After downing my "sugar drink" for my glucose test today, it sent my levels way too high! I failed! Flunked! Need to retake the test! Ugh...never heard that once during my whole scholastic career & here I was listening to my Doctor tell me "you flunked"! Dang. So, I prepare for a fun-filled 4 hour test at the hospital. And other than that...our checkup today went good. Baby is still developing normal, I'm continuing to gain weight & other than receiving a flu shot, I left once again not having to feel violated. The longer I can hold that off, the better...although the chances of invasive appointments are getting to be more probable now, given I will be heading back every 2 weeks now.

Third thing I've realized this past week...it's really not cool to be job searching at 29 weeks prego. The odds don't seem to be with me. Tragic. And that's enough on that, because I could probably blog for the rest of the night on this subject & I don't want my blog to be a violent space. =)