1st Drum Corps Show

We took Jules to the Stillwater show last weekend. Honestly, we thought we wouldn't make it to any shows this year because of when he was due. But, we made it to Stillwater. Turns out it was the first show of the season because the night before was rained out.



Regiment horn arc during warm-up. Seven days out and I'm still a little swollen in the face. Plus, it was HOT!




Hot baby.



"I think I'll wake up for finals."

Jules was awesome during the show. Until Cavaliers came on the field. Jules we know and it's ok to cry, but they really did sound good.

His Name

It took a long time for us to come up with a girl's name, but when it came to selecting a boy's, it wasn't hard. We knew we wanted to keep the J.R.F thing going especially if he was a boy. Justin is more into traditional names and I wanted something unique without being so unique that people would think we were crazy.

I mentioned the name Jules in passing and Justin liked it. The reason? Pulp Fiction.

"Jules is a badass," he said.

We covered all of our bases with his middle name, Robert, after my Grandpa, Justin's dad (middle name), and Justin's favorite Great-Uncle, Uncle Bob.




Now tell me, is this the face of a badass or what?

Jules

So that last post? Yeah, little did I know it was my last day of being pregnant.

My water broke early Friday morning, but with everything else going on (too many gross details to explain), I didn't really realize what it was. At my Doctor's appointment that afternoon, she confirmed they did and that I was "gonna have a baby this weekend!"

"Oh crap!"


On our way!

After frantically packing and throwing the car seat base in the silly car, we headed to the hospital. They let me walk around and much as possible to see if things would just start on their own since I wanted to do things as "natural" as possible. No dice. So around 7pm, pitocin was started and I was somewhat tied down. I did well until around 5am when the back labor was killing me and I opted for the epidural. I was only at a 4 and everything else we had wanted to do was out the window, so why not?

It was somewhat relieving, but also caused things to progress slowly. I did get a little sleep, but not much. The back labor never really went away and I had to get a second dose of the epidural.

Hours, hours, and hours later (and being confined to one side because baby's heart rate would decrease when I'd roll over), I was finally ready to push. I'm pretty sure I yelled at the nurse because was no way a baby would come out in the position I was in. Don't you want gravity to work for you and not against you? At least that was my reasoning to the nurse. I'm pretty sure she thought I was crazy because, well, I was. I also yelled at her to call the Doctor NOW because he might get called into yet another C-Section and won't be able to help me. She assured me that "no, he'll be here when I call."

He was. And so was a team of nurses. Justin was great. Except the counting thing. I had to tell him to stop because it was annoying. I wanted to push as long as I wanted too. So, with a little "help" and 2 hours of pushing (GAHHHH!), we got this:



Jules Robert Foell
Saturday, June 13th 4:54pm
7lbs. 1 oz. 19 1/2 inches long

We're still trying to figure out who he looks like but either way, he's cute and we like him.

Still Here, Still Pregnant

But Justin seems to think today will be the day based on all the "early signs" I've been having. I've been home pretty much all week from work, but still working from home. Which is good and bad.

Good: I get a lot of shows and work done.

Bad: I can nap at any time - which I've been doing because oh man, I'm exhausted!

I have a Doctor's appointment today. We'll see what's new.

Labor & Delivery: Round 1

Sent home much to my happiness because I have not done the following:

- packed a hospital bag
- made a going home outfit for baby
- finished my work for work
- finished my thank you cards from my baby showers
- finalized a name for baby
- installed the car seat base in any car


But just in case I was going to be admitted I had done the following:
- ate breakfast
- packed my mintop, the camcorder and the digital camera
That's it. Sad huh.

I'm at home today working, I'm fine.

I think I'll get to that bag sooner than later.

38 Weeks

My little mintop has come in so handy. I can post from any place - you know, like a laptop but without the weight and heat because, really, that's the last thing I need.

Anyway...Welcome to my 38th week of pregnancy! Now in the middle of it, I'm bigger, getting more uncomfortable, sleep is apparently for the dead, and I chopped my hair off. Apparently, you aren't supposed to do that (well drastic cuts) but the 5-6 inches she cut off were bound to go bye-bye sooner than later.

Baby is also getting on my nerves, literally. My legs are wobbly and my back is all outta whack when I stand up. But once I get moving, baby probably gets the idea and leaves the nerves alone.



Thankfully, I can work from home on days like today (heavy, wobbly legs, back pain, and any other weird pregnancy related issue) and I'm taking advantage of it. My last baby shower is this weekend. Should be fun because it's a bbq and it's supposed to rain. Ya, sure, Minnesota. You've been threatening rain for the past 2 weeks and nothing has happened. Much like my false contractions.

Still Here, Saving Cash, Nothing Else To Do

38 weeks, full-term baby inside, but I've got other things to do besides wait.

I love scoring good deals, especially on things we use often. Last week at CVS, I bought 2 Soft Scrubs, laundry detergent and toothpaste for (and I'm not kidding - ask Justin) $3. AND I walked out with an additional $2 in ECB's to use another time. Justin was shocked at how much I paid.

If you have a CVS, I highly recommend using it. And if you incorporate coupons, the deals are even better. (That's how I scored such a sweet deal for those four things. The toothpaste was FREE!)

Wednesday's are double coupon day at the local grocery store. Not a store I like to go to, but if they've got good prices on the items I need and I've got the coupons, I'll go. Here's what I got:

6 boxes of cereal (we eat a lot of cereal)
2 - 4 packs of yogurt
2 - 1 lbs. strawberries
3 boxes of kleenex
1 6-pack ziploc containers
1 gallon of milk
1 packet of jam pectin (for strawberry jam)

Without sales/coupons: $42.05

With sales/double coupons: $21.55

That's like 48% savings! Trips like these leave me more money to get the things we need or want for lunches and dinners. And I always look for sales at my favorite stores and still use coupons. It just makes sense to maximize when I can. Plus, babies like cereal and jam, right?

No Hormones Involved

I'm getting to the point to where I'm vocal about things I hate or drive me crazy, because I can. This pregnancy has been so easy and (thankfully) issue free. And with that said, I've decided I can complain about everything else non-pregnancy related, vocally and without feeling bad until baby shows up. (Then I'll be back to my regular, secretly complaining self.)

#1 - Minnesota and it's drivers who don't know how to get on the freeway. Freeway speeds are not ridiculous here so why is it that people cannot get up to speed in the time allotted? By the time they HAVE to merge, these drivers are STILL going 40-45 mph (sometimes less)! I'm up to speed long before them, I get over and then, BAM, they HAVE to get over and I'm forced to slow down for their dumb asses. Maybe they should go back to driving school for a refresher on how to enter the freeway. It's not everyone, but just enough people do it to drive ME crazy.

#2 - Expensive vets. I love Scully. She's been my baby for a very long time. But man, are trips to the vet are expensive! I guess it's only a shock when you have to go twice a year for shots or whatever and the bill is anywhere from $80 to $200. It's hard to find a good one. One who listens and doesn't think you're crazy when "I swear, just before I brought her in here she was all sickly looking." We've got a good vet, but I need a good loan sometimes.

#3 - Ok, baby related but still irritates me; due dates. It's all really a guessing game kids. I propose a due MONTH. I'm due in June. It could be now or it could be in three or four weeks. What's with the pressure of a due date? Why does everyone say "You're a first-timer, you'll go late," or "no baby arrives on their due date." Well, no doy! It's just a freaking guess! And I especially DO NOT need a MAN telling me when I'll have my baby. Unless the baby is a boy, and it's MY boy, then he can do whatever he wants, until the second he pees on me, then all bets are off kid.

#4 - Who are these people and why are they famous and why should I care and why are they still around? GAH! Get rid of them already! Katy Perry. Octo-Mom (which is a terrible nickname), Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, Heidi and Spencer Pratt (seriously? who are these people??), Donald Trump. Oh, the list could go on but these people bother me big time.

#5 - Stupid news stories that don't get to the point. Is it just me or is that story missing some vital information? Or what about this one? How did they "witness" the act and yet say it's "not part of their normal behavior?" Stupid - but really funny.

#6 - Twitter.

The Wait is Over!!!!

Internet, It's been a long wait, but I'd like to introduce you to my new little baby*:









MINTOP!
Delivered: Yesterday, May 28th
Weight: Around 3lbs (so cute!)
Dimensions: 10" (so tiny!)








Aren't we cute??

And aren't these cute??



Chubby feet that got bigger in the span of 15 minutes while waiting for Justin to pick me up. He lovingly referred to them as "hobbit feet." Mmmmm, cankles. You can't even SEE my bunions! Amazing! But I don't recommend this look when you've already got some other area on your body completely swollen courtesy of a full-term BABY.


*Oh, did you think this was actually a delivery announcement? Circle one:

Yes No Sucker

Teh Pimp

Justin's new toy.

Until baby arrives.

The Dump

It seems regular posting is heading south or non-existent (unintentionally of course). Unless you want everything to be baby related? But I thought it was time for a camera dump post again.

Look who we haven't seen in a while!



SCULLY! She's doing well. Here, she's posing with her not so favorite home, her crate. We sold it on craigslist and I needed to show the size of it compared to my wee little girl. She's so happy it's gone now. And Justin really likes this picture of her. So grown up!



This is Max. He turned 4 on Saturday. Grandma and Grandpa got him a 4x4 electric hot wheel (or whatever those plug-in cars are called). His eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw it. We were hoping he'd forget the rest of his birthday at Chuck E. Cheese, but, no, he didn't forget. The good thing about 4-year-old's, they don't care if adults are around. Except, this guy is in LOVE with Justin. But the 4x4 did distract him enough for us to leave.



"I think I might be pregnant AND these are on SALE!" - clearance aisle at Cub.



Out shopping for a nursery chair on Saturday. I know, talk about waiting til the last minute. Justin decided this one wasn't a good rocker or recliner and it might be a little hard to get out of. But after sitting in 10 chairs from various stores, we ended up picking the one we liked about 3 months ago, but just couldn't commit. "We can't waffle anymore!" And bam, money spent, chair on order, delivery sometime in the next 4-6 weeks. Seeing as I'm due in about 3, we'll see which comes first.

One Day of Misery

Yesterday was the first "hot" day of Minnesota. I'm sure we've had some warm days in the past few months but seriously, yesterday was HOT. Upper 80's to the low 90's by the time I got home from work. I even got a farmer's tan on my arm during the drive home.

Once home, I walked in to see Justin wearing a hoodie. I said, "WHY ARE YOU WEARING THAT?!?! I'm DYING over here!"

A few years back we had a conversation about things we missed from either Salt Lake or the Midwest, in general. While we both had really dumb things we missed (me - Sconecutter, Justin - the Minnesota State Fair) we both agreed that we missed basements the most. On day's like yesterday, the basement is a life saver. Justin was so chilled he had to wear a hoodie.

I was hot. I was swollen ALL over. Scully was hot and panting and annoying because of the heat. I mentioned to Justin about 7 times, if we were still in Las Vegas, I would have died by now. I couldn't walk. It was more of a slow, sloooooow waddle. I was so miserable that all I wanted for dinner was ice cream. (ok, it's frozen yogurt, but still, something cold NOT hot to eat.)

(No, I didn't have frozen yogurt for dinner.)

So while I'm really excited for it to be in the 80's, I'm more excited that I don't have to be really pregnant during the entire summer. One day was enough!

In thinking of things that I could do to stay in the basement, I decided to wash baby clothes. NO, I haven't done any of that either. I know! I'm terrible (as Tony said, "You're not a very good boy scout.") but I've got other things to do. Like stay cool and not swollen 'n stuff.

Don't Call Me Crazy, Please

I don't have a car seat, but I've got diapers covered. (I know I can't leave the hospital without a car seat, don't worry, I plan on getting one very soon. Yes, talk about waiting til the last minute.)

We're going to try out the new cloth diapers. Apparently, these things aren't like what our 70's moms used.

First up, I had no idea even where to start. Online searching one night took 4 hours just to get to know the different kinds. Fitted, All-in-Ones, Pre-folds, Pockets - I think that's it? And that's a lot! How to care for them, how to wash them, what someones day might look like with cloth diapers. The information was everywhere.

I talked to Justin about trying a few out to see if we wanted to even go this route. He's the best. We're totally using this child as an experiment, but in a good way! He didn't mind trying them out as long as I showed him how to use them. So I placed my first order. I ordered 2 fitted - Kissaluvs with 2 covers and 2 All-in-Ones. Fitted diapers are just that, they fit without having to do any folding of any kind. They've got elastic around the legs and snaps around the waist. The only thing with this style is you have to have covers for them.

And speaking of covers, those pre-folds that our moms used? You can still use them with the new style covers. So even if I run out of all these other diapers, I've still got the pre-folds.

AIO's (All-in-Ones) are basically like disposables except you don't throw them away. No covers are needed either.

I recently placed another order for a pocket diaper - FuzziBunz. These are a lot like AIO's but have a pocket in the back to add more layers in case your kid is like Niagara.

The resale value of these things are not like the housing market in Las Vegas. You can get a lot of money out of them - even used. I purchased more on Craigslist last week. Actually, they were brand new, she just never used them. So I scored them a few dollars cheaper than I would have at an online retailer. (I bought more Kissaluvs and covers.)

The initial cost for cloth diapers is high. And it's not like we can't afford disposables, we can (I've already bought some because I'm pretty sure I'll only be able to handle one big baby challenge a day). I'm no hippie either, I'm pretty sure I'll be using a lot of water to wash these things so please don't tell me I'm doing no better with cloth.

Honestly, I think they'll be easier. Easier that I won't have to go out late at night or at all because I ran out of diapers. There's a less chance of diaper rash but only if I change baby right away. Who knows what's in disposables and if they cause any long-term effects (since they've really only been around for the past 20-25 years). Potty training has been proven easier using cloth diapers instead of pull-ups. And they are cute too!

Sure, they'll be a downside. Like washing. I get it, people are grossed out. But seriously, if you can pop a kid out, what else is gonna gross you out? A dirty diaper? Oh, please. (We just went to our birth preparation class - lots of "gross" talk.) Anyway, breastfeed diapers can be thrown in the washer, no dunking at all. Once you start solids, then you have to "take care of things" before washing. But no soaking is necessary.

I've yet to try this out, seeing as I haven't had my baby yet (please don't start calling asking if I've had the baby. Few weeks left, people). And there is a lot more info regarding cloth but I figure I should become an expert (or not) before I go into that stuff. But I'm prepared with my small diaper stash including disposables.

One Year Ago

It was one year ago when I went for my first interview. I admit, I lied about where I was that weekend to our friends and co-workers in Las Vegas. But we really thought bad things would happen to both of us if we told everyone I was looking for a job and had interviews with a company out of state.

Looking back, I guess it wasn't that big of deal. But I really hated lying to people about where my new job was. And that "No, we aren't moving." Oops, HI we're moving.

Despite a long, difficult winter (mostly for Justin, even though I spent numerous mornings in negative temps waiting for a bus), we're finally getting used to it here. There are many things we miss about Las Vegas, even Salt Lake City. But with spring finally here and summer around the corner (EEEEEEE!), our attitudes have gotten better.

Our house and all its projects are taking shape and getting done. We didn't have anything to do last night because of a power outage so we finished up some projects that didn't require electricity. And you know what? They took all of 30 minutes. But it feels good to finish them. And it felt good to have the power back on because I needed a fruit smoothie made in my awesome new blender! Because, you know, when you move across country, you don't have room for that old blender.

BTW

34 weeks and belly button hasn't popped yet (man that thing is DEEP). So my prediction of 35 weeks might not be far off.

Shall I up it to 36 or just go for 40?

And btw, my sister-in-law had 2 of her 6 kids before 34 weeks. She was just reminding me last night. They were really, really little.

And, and btw, this kid is pushing me around, using my hip bone as a spring board.

New Poll

Well, now that we've clearly determined that baby is a GIRL based on your votes, although the Chinese Pregnancy Calendar states my baby is a BOY, let's guess when she'll show up.

And if you'd like to get on a "it's a..." email list, send me your email. I can't assume you'll want to know, so send me your address. I won't spam you, I have nothing to spam. And I don't tweet so don't ask if I have an account.

Still Not Really Counting

Welcome to my 33rd week of pregnancy! Seriously, I forget what week I'm in. I have to look at the weekly email I get saying "Pregnancy: Week XX" just so I remember. I'm close most of the time. I'm excited but mostly stressed out that in possibly 7 weeks (or EARLIER!) this baby will be here.

Not too shabby for 33 weeks, eh?


My butt isn't really shaped like that. It probably didn't help that I used it as a shelf for my arms.


Remember this photo at 24 weeks?:



So ya, the baby moved into the "all fo sho" part. The belly is all baby now. Biology is weird!

We're slowly crossing things off the "must get done before baby" list. But even then, we won't get to everything. And I'm fine with that. Today is the last day the hardwood floor guys are around, applying the last few coats. And let me say, I've never gotten so excited over hardwood floors. EVER. They are beautiful! This is just one small step to liking my dumpy new house a wee bit more.

Justin asked why we didn't do it sooner. Cause we're dumb, that's why. Seriously, I can't wait to move back into our bedroom and get the baby's room set up with beautiful hardwood floors! I'd show pictures, but I want it to be a big reveal because they were beat-the-crap up. Even so, beat up hardwood floors looked better than the hideously green, piss-smelling carpet that was there. And no, I didn't let anything of ours touch that piss-smelling carpet. We pulled it up before we even moved in.

Completely unrelated, but Justin and I are dealing with it now, spring in Minnesota. Minnesota weather, you are seriously f'd up.

Oh Please

I'd expect to see something like this in Utah. Justin and I were accused of stupid stuff that was totally inaccurate, judgmental, and discriminatory but within an organization, not a neighborhood. I can't imagine having to deal with this stuff on your own street.

Of course, I'm sure there's another side to this story, but when the press show up and you want people to maybe understand why you did it, don't run in your house and hide.


On a completely different note: I know I'm a little behind but I love Flight of the Conchords. Anyone else? Anyway, I found out the writers/directors of Napoleon Dynamite are about to release a new film called Gentlemen Broncos with Jermaine Clement that looks hilarious. Or maybe it's just me who thinks it looks funny. At least I think Jermaine looks funny. Ok, how about this instead? Hilarious, no? Yes!

One Giant Step in the Wrong Direction

My bed is in the living room. Our clothes are downstairs. The crib is still untouched, in pieces and in the living room. BUT! I managed to unpack the last office box. That room, is officially unpacked.

We're getting our hardwood floors refinished in our bedrooms (ours and baby's).

(BTW, can we say that Justin and I are 100% doing our part to spend money EVERYWHERE we can, including buying a house in a VERY unstable job market. And yet, we owed Minnesota taxes? How the? What the? Dumb Minnesota and your state taxes! Nevada isn't looking too bad right about now. Everybody, move to Nevada - NO STATE TAXES! And I know of some great houses for sale.)

Anyway, that's why I'm camping out in the living room. Scully doesn't care. As long as her bed is by ours, she can sleep anywhere. We knew this day would come - moving out of our bedroom, into the living room. It's just annoying. But, better do it now while the baby's room is empty with no more stinky carpet (seriously, it STUNK) and while I'm able to help move things, we're going for it.

(We could have moved into our spare room but it was downstairs, smelly (think, too many glade plug-ins courtesy of the previous owners leaving them everywhere) and I didn't want to move our bed that far. Plus, there's really nothing in the living room, it was easier.)

Justin suggested I start showing some before & after pictures of the projects we've done. Most have been started, only a few are finished. PLUS! There's random furniture everywhere, which is impressive because we don't HAVE any furniture. So until rooms are completely done, I'll hold off on the photos.

None of this helps because I want to "nest." That's such a silly, dumb, stereo-typical term. I think I'm going to call it "get my house in order before baby arrives." Much better. But for short, I'll call it "unpacking."

So, until further notice, no one is allowed to come over to my home. I'll most likely be in bed, in the living room, or possibly unpacking.

Practicing

Look at the CUTE sling Todd and his sister got me! I love it! And look at my cute substitute baby.

It's REALLY a bad angle of me and I'm not making excuses. Justin was sitting down, talking on the phone. I was laughing because Scully was trying to jump out. I thought she'd enjoy a little carry action from me. She's always wanting me to hold her. I guess not. I can only hope the baby doesn't try to jump out the first chance it gets.

I hate to mention it... but holy CHINS! And I DON'T hate to mention it... but holy boobage!

We spent last night at a baby consignment sale that happens twice a year. Last night (the first night) was for first-time mothers. Justin went along because, well, I kinda made him. But he seemed to have enjoyed himself picking out toys for his baby, and for him. Actually, I think most were for him since he found me in the clothes section exclaiming, "You've GOT to see this phone I found!"

"Ok"

Waddle, waddle, waddle over to the toy table where they had electronic games like guitar hero and phones? (kind of a weird thing to be selling at a baby/kid sale.) This phone apparently lights up. You know, for the kids. I told him to think about it for a while if he REALLY wanted one.

So while we stood in line for 1 1/2 hours to check out, he finally decided to get it. He also decided we need to come back after the baby is born because he wants to look for baby shoes. I guess it doesn't matter what we're having, Justin wants to buy shoes for this baby. NO.MATTER.WHAT! We scored a few newborn outfits, some maternity clothes and a few infant toys. And a phone.

Earth Day Deals

It's Earth Day kids! So I thought I'd provide you places to get freebies and cool projects to celebrate today.

Print up this coupon for a free reusable shopping tote AND get 15% off eligible store items AND 20% on all Walgreens brand items. It's today only!



Visit the Disney Store and bring in 3 bottles to recycle and they'll give you a free gift. Details here.


Justin wants to start an herb garden. He even has the kit but hasn't opened it yet. If you're ready to start and don't want to buy the kit, you can make your own herb garden by recycling tin cans. Cute project!



Want to try some 100% recycled Reynold's Wrap for free? Go here and print this mail-in-rebate for a free roll, while supplies last. Purchase must be made by May 4th and must be mailed in by May 30th. Who doesn't like a check in the mail?



You can recycle cereal boxes...or you can use them as magazine holders. I love it!

Neti Pot

Continued from yesterday:

I was desperate to breathe. No matter how much nose-blowing I was doing, it wasn't solving the overall problem of allergies. So I hit up Walgreen's on the way home from work.

They had 3 different brands! I couldn't even find one pot at Target. The pots all looked the same so I grabbed the one that came with the little salt packets.

I told Justin I bought one and as grossed out as it sounded to him, he wanted to watch. But with working on organizing the office and him setting up his computer, he missed out. Darn.

It didn't say anything about not using it *while* congested because, oh boy, was I stuffed up. I thought, if it doesn't work today, I'll try it again tomorrow. So I shoved the Neti Pot up my nose, tilted my head, opened my mouth and started to pour.

Hmmm, nothing came out the other side. I must have really been stuffed up. But where the heck did all that water go?

So before I thought I'd choke on salt water, I pulled the pot out and out came the water. I blew my nose like it said and surprisingly, it helped clear things out. So I tried it again on the same side. But I couldn't get the water to come out the other nostril. So I gave up. BUT! I could breathe so much better from that side.

I tried the other side and I got it to work. Water went into one nostril and out the other! Oh my garage! It was the wildest thing. Guess what? I could breathe! I demonstrated my breathing to Justin - impressed - and I slept most of the night without coughing fits and the inability to breathe, only waking up to rotate the belly.

I was going to do it this morning because I am a little stuffy (but not as I've been these last 2 weeks), but I ran out of time. So I'll be pouring water up my nose tonight. (Oh my Friday nights are EXCITING!)

Kids, the Neti Pot worked. Probably not as well had I not been completely stuffed up, but I'm pretty sure once I get everything flushed out (a few more days), that it'll be something I use on a semi-regular basis.

You can read more about it here and here.

Water Ballet

There's something about posting an ultrasound photo online that kinda freaks me out. Yes, the profile of the kid is cute but it's more of a "I don't really want you to see the inside of me" problem. Some things are too personal.

So, instead, you get my kid doing water ballet - or at least that's what it looks like. Or surfing on some big waves. Or just trying to find the best position before bed.

I held the camera pretty steady. This babe likes to move! Notice within the first 3 seconds the body part (arm? elbow? bum?) sweeps across. Yeah, it's weird to feel too.



It was a really active night. But we eventually went to sleep.

Oh, and Yea! for me for posting my first ever blogger video. Plenty of other times I tried but just couldn't wait long enough. Being pregnant has made me patient.

Answers to questions I get almost daily now:

1) Yes I'm feeling fine, you asked me yesterday. And the day before. And every freaking day before that so leave me alone already!

2) Still due in June.

3) It's the clothes that make me look bigger.

4) Yes, all chairs are uncomfortable.

5) Yes, I'm on my way to the bathroom. (Why would someone ask me that? But they do when they see me coming down the hall. That should be in the same category as 'no ultrasounds online,' it's personal.)

6) No, I can wait. I'm in no hurry to be done. I'm smart enough to know this is the easy part.

After finally getting over my stupid cold, I went and got hit by allergies. Yea! I'm desperate to breath, has anyone tried a neti pot? Oh boy, doesn't that look weird? But my boss swears by it - and apparently so does Dr. Oz.

Let the Comments Begin

Wednesday, since it was so warm in the morning (only 35 degrees!) I went to work without a jacket. I had on a hoodie and that was just enough for me. I get hot easily now - something I NEVER thought would happen. As I got on the bus, the very friendly driver asked "I don't normally ask these questions, but are you pregnant?"

No. What would give you that impression? Was it the little waddle I did trying to chase you down? Or the white shirt I'm wearing that accentuates the belly to point where it's completely obvious? But I'm glad he asked instead of just assuming I'm fat.

I'm not fat!

So we started talking and he mentioned that another rider is pregnant too. So when she got on, he "hooked us up." That's what he called it. She's not as far along but had some questions. I was flattered, but since when did I become an expert? I guess anyone is happy to talk to someone who's already been through it (I know I asked my sister-in-law questions). Even though I disappointed her by saying, "I haven't had any morning sickness or any other issues."

Later, in the skyway, two dudes were walking in front of me. Really, they were just tooling around, generally being in my way. They moved to the side and happened to look back at me.

Guy 1: "Whoa, watch out!"
Me: "Um, thanks?"
Guy 2: "You look like you're about to pop!"
Me: "Nope, not yet."
Guy 2: "Soon I hope!"
Me: "Nope, got 2 months left."

My brother-in-law is an expert on when prego's are gonna pop. He's seen it 6 times. And he said I'm no where near popping. Obviously! I'm only 30 weeks! But I'm happy he basically said I wasn't as big as those tools made it sound like.



These dumb maternity shirts with their empire waste do nothing to flatter any part. At least that's what I think. Plus, the "empire" part makes me itch!



This is basically how I wake up. With my shirt over my belly. Yes, the ring is still in. The Doctor said I'd need to take it out soon*. But! My belly button hasn't even popped out yet, that's how deep it is. It's so obvious it's a ring under my shirt, people's eyes are attracted to it almost like it's a third nipple or something. And I know you just took a peak while talking to me so stop making it obvious that you looked!

I thought it'd pop out at 30 weeks, now I'm aiming for 35. Any takers on that?



Oh, Justin. Look at how cute you are with your little belly.

*I have a maternity ring - a flexible ring. I put it in a while back but it was too long and looked even sillier under shirts. I would NEVER get it re-pierced if it closed up but then, I don't want to be a 40 year old with one. So I assume at one point I should just let it close up. Oh, the life decisions to make.

WGI Recap

- Driving to Dayton from Cincinnati during rush hour will take a long time.
- Crappy bleachers are not friendly to a pregnant belly or back. Especially if they rock when people go up and down the aisle.
- Nice, cushy seats ARE friendly to a pregnant belly and back. Thank you UD Arena.
- Some guards just shouldn't go. It's a waste of my time, the judges time, and everyone's time (and money).
- Civil rights shows are over done. Let's be creative people.
- Short sleeve weather!!!
- I watched more guard than I slept.
- Loud music and screaming fans tend to wake up a certain baby in the womb. Then the baby found vengeance by kicking the crap out of me. Thanks Amachi!
- I'm not FAT! You're FAT!
- It's always sad to see a great show not make it to finals.
- It's equally sad to see a crappy show make it to finals.
- If there was a scoop, I heard it.
- Santa Clara Vanguard=Awesome
- Performers just get more talented and awesome each season.
- Inspired to start teaching again. But then I come to my senses.

Yoga

This time last year, I'd had enough with my job and found something I thought would be perfect for me. So I applied. And, guess what? I am perfect for this job. Still.

We just had a wellness course on yoga in the boardroom. My yoga instructor for WII fit says I've got great posture and balance. Even though I seem to be gaining weight, and they like people to lose weight. "What factors in your life could contribute to your weight gain?" Pregnancy wasn't an option.

So I asked the yoga instructor in the wellness course some questions that, really, my WII fit instructor can't answer.

It's nice to have a two-way conversation with someone sometimes.

Insert Hacking Cough Here...and There

I cannot shake this cough. I was doing well. Made it through the winter months with not even a sniffle. Until Justin got it from hanging out with our nieces and nephews a few weeks back. Of course, once I thought he we done and I wasn't going to get sick, well, we know how that goes. So I went home from work yesterday after being here for 20 minutes. Dumb I know, but I had to get something done and I just don't trust anyone to do it yet.

The countdown is on to train people for my job. It's not a hard job (well some days are), you just need creativity and a desire to get things done. And lots of organizing. And the ability to watch really boring shows. (Thankfully, not all of them are, but try watching something right after eating lunch and let me know if you stay awake.)

The plan is to get as much done before I'm out. Once I'm back, I'll be ahead. And with the help from my two back-ups, things shouldn't slow down much.

Next week, I fly out to Dayton, Ohio. Talk about a hot vacation destination! Actually, I'm going to meet Tony for WGI. I haven't been in about 5 or 6 years and normally I see Tony a few times during the season. But since I've moved, I haven't seen him in probably a year. So, I'm really out of the loop. I haven't seen any shows or heard to expect anything awesome from...?

So, if you're in Dayton too, let me know and we can meet up! I'll be the pregnant chick sitting alone because Tony will be at judges training. But I'll have his empty seat available for a guest/friend or for my big purse I'm bringing to sneak in treats or anything else I'll need that they'll probably overcharge me for.

(My co-worker used the phrase "meta-bomb" in a meeting. I think we all had the same "WTH" expression after he said it. I just searched for a description and can't find anything on it. Does someone know what this fool meant? Did he get it confused with "google bomb?")

Oh Boy

We celebrated Justin's Birthday on Friday even though it was on Sunday. He's happy being 32. And he's happy with the new Guitar Hero game I got him. You know, the one with the cymbals on the drum set. Now he can be the drummer he's always wanted to be.

And I can be the knocked up wife back home while he's on tour. Good thing the tour is only in our living room.

Oh.this.crazy.house! Every little project we start on leaves us scratching our heads as to why it was done like that in the first place. All the outlets in the house are super old and dingy looking. So we're going room to room to replace them with nice white ones. We started in the kitchen. Apparently, a few of the outlets weren't even grounded! Oooookay.

We replaced the light bulb over the sink with the right size and just used the bulb in the main kitchen light (until we replace that whole unit). It's like a faint purple color! What the heck?! So we've got 2 white lights and this one tinted one. Who buys a purple tinted bulb for their kitchen?

Last night we installed a new disposal unit (the sink didn't have one at all and I think it's a must). But we needed to access the power source for the dishwasher which is behind the dishwasher. First off, the dishwasher sticks out from under the counter like 1/2 an inch. Weird. Justin unscrewed it, pulled it out and there was so much GARBAGE underneath it I just about died. And when I swept it, it was stuck to the floor. I was amazed. It was like their kids had swept and just brushed it under the dishwasher.

So I cleaned that up, got the disposal installed and plugged in, and the dishwasher pushed further under the counter. Now it looks like it belongs there.

We just laugh each time we find something that doesn't make sense or that wasn't done correctly. But we are getting things done in the house. Good thing too because I'm hitting the 3rd trimester soon (like, tomorrow. THAT soon). No, I'm not as big as people expect. No, I haven't gained the typical amount of weight all the books say I should (talk to me at 40 weeks). No, my Doctor isn't concerned about this at all because the baby is measuring fine.

3rd trimester people. This is like Senior year of High School or College. I've been told now is the time to have fun because apparently real life isn't fun for a while and neither is the newborn stage. Justin and I have been having fun for 8 years. I see people with kids having fun. So what's the point of comments like that?

So I'll just keep plugging along with my house to-do list which DOES include get the baby's room done - hopefully BEFORE the baby shows up. I just needed that disposal first. And those shiny new outlets. And the new kitchen faucet that we're installing tonight.

Just Add Peanut Butter

And she's busy for 10 minutes. Look at her go!

Apparently, "I'm no help". I got an email from someone who somehow got my email address (back from when I was a video editor). It was spam, either way, I replied with a "remove" request.

Then I found he was holding my address hostage until I told him what city I was from? Seriously? So I ignored it. Then today, I got another email stating: "Without your help, I had to search through 13 lists... but you have been
removed."

I don't care what you had to do. Just do a search on my email address from your 13 pages of addresses. Jeez old timer! It's not that hard. And while I do feel he got the last word in (which was probably not smart on his part since now I can tell people I know in the industry, "Hey, know this voice-over guy... he's a douche. Don't hire him.") I'm glad I made him all huffy-puffy having to search through 13 pages of email addresses to remove mine.

And speaking of my previous industry, a co-worker apparently couldn't remember that I was a video editor not too long ago (even after he's asked me what my background is) and insulted me when he said, "People like you and I have no idea what kind of tools they use here to get the shows to look as awesome as they do."

Um, actually, I'm pretty sure they use the same platform that I used but with super high end camera and audio equipment and plug-ins that can accomplish anything. But you're probably right, I wouldn't know anything about that.

Proof of My Work

I don't know why, but it seems I'm pretty good at passing tests while pregnant. Baby should be happy that I passed the 1 hour glucose test (mmmm yummy orange soda without the soda part). But they determined my iron levels were a tad low. Justin's excited because they recommended MORE.RED.MEAT! Blah! I think two, maybe three times a week is enough but apparently it isn't enough for him.

It probably didn't help that I had a complete chocolate overload all weekend. I couldn't get enough. So I'm sorta off the chocolate craze and back on the fruit treat and orange sherbet craze. We'll see how long I can last.

Justin participated in a 24 hour website challenge over the weekend. His team won - congrats stinky nerds! So while he was helping a local non-profit build a new website for free (in 24 hours), baby and I did some much needed shopping. Then we finished painting the kitchen. And finished emptying out some boxes and cleaned up the living room to look like a living room, without furniture. Baby and I were busy! Scully kept busy by shredding every piece of kleenex she could find. Just like old times. We can tell she's much happier now. The evidence is all over the place...usually left by the garbage where she finds the kleenex. Little jerk.

Work is work. Just cranking out shows. Have I told you guys about the work I do? Maybe? No? Either way, the site is now live and you can go there! Woo-Hoo!

mnvideovault.org

Front page only has featured shows/segments. But you can browse or search. All those shows and descriptions and information relating to the show, that's me. I'm pretty important. Take a look. But FYI: This is only content relating to Minnesota, since we are the local Minnesota PBS station. So, no, you won't find national shows like Nova, Frontline, or American Experience.

But you might be surprised by what you do find. Want something funny? Check out "How to Talk Minnesotan" or "Only in Minnesota with Louie Anderson." Looking for old footage of Minneapolis? Check out "Down on Skid Row." Want to know how the Mayo Clinic got started in the middle of a corn field? Watch "Inside Mayo Clinic."

There are some great shows (trust me, I've had to watch all of them). Let me know what you think. Or you can comment on the website too. We can only make it better with feedback. Annnnnnnd..... I thank you.

24 Weeks Baby!

I guess if I went into labor, the chances of survival are there. But let's hope I don't. That'd be bad.

Anyway, here's a 24 week photo of 1) some crazy, psycho eyes, 2) how big my belly gets after dinner and 3) located somewhere in the smaller part of the big belly is an actual baby.



So you might have noticed the wonderful light switch missing it's plate and the thermostat (that I've programmed) hanging on by a thread. We're still working on the house. It was a wreck. I can prove it.



Oh, boy. Looking from the kitchen into the living room. That's Joe, he's puttying. Everything.



What complimentary colors, don't you think? Especially with the stencils!



Justin's favorite place to paint. The 2 story entry way. It's now "ultra white" and staying that way. We've also replaced the chandelier - much more up to date.



Looking down the hall, into the bathroom (another work in progress).



Looking into the baby's room. No, that's not an indication of the sex of baby. I think they ran out of color choices and just picked "painter's tape" blue. Looks great with the green carpet, eh?

Everything is primed so no more blue walls. The kitchen and our bedroom are painted and done. Stay tuned for after pics. It might be a while.

Not That Any of This is New To Some of You

I don't have time for all the social networks out there. Actually, I have the time, but I just hate them. Plus, I can only really keep track of one place - this blog. It's the same for t.v. shows; I really only have space in my life for 2, maybe 3 shows. There are more important things for me to be doing than be tied down to the drama of a t.v. show.

Where did I go wrong? That seems weird?

Anyway, I've been reading this couple's meme on other peoples blogs and I thought "what an easy way to post!" since I've been slacking - and I'm sure everyone is sick of me talking about being pregnant.

What are your middle names?
No middle name for me. Rex for Justin - totally awesome I think.

How long have you been together?
About 9 years.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
2 years? But I should really be counting in months because we met while Marching in Phantom Regiment, 3 months out of the year. Then we'd go home to our little lives and sorta talk to each other randomly. (More like, he'd email me when he was single...again.)

This reminds me: One time after we'd been home from tour for about 5 months, I decided to call him up and see how he was doing. I was on the phone with him for about 2 minutes before he said, "I don't mean to cut you short, but I just realized I leave for London in like 3 hours and I haven't even packed." The nice person I was, of course got off the phone with him but I thought, "What kind of guy doesn't know when he leaves for a trip like London?!?" What a dummy.

And that was the last time I spoke to him until the next summer. See, months, not years.

Who asked whom out?
Well, you don't really ask anyone out while on tour. You just hang out a lot. After tour, we were both going to the end of season banquet (months later), and since I was flying in and he was driving, I asked if he'd like to pick me up at the airport. So I guess, me?

How old are each of you?
Both 31, but not for long!

Whose siblings do you see the most?
At first, no ones. Now that we've moved to MN, his bro moved back too. So we see his brother.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
In my opinion, getting laid off. Not sure what he thinks is the hardest. But I'm sure it'll be parenting soon enough.

Did you go to the same school?
Nope.

Are you from the same hometown?
Nope. Me, Texas. Him, Minnesota

Who is smarter?
Some days I know it's him, but other days I know it's me. Depends on the topic.

Who is the most sensitive?
When it comes to animals, I'll cry and he knows it. I once was in a drive-thru line that took FOREVER. But while waiting, I could hear this yelping. Louder and louder. So I got out of the line and drove around until I could find it. In the back of a strip mall was a vets office and they had this caged area (for storage - NOT for dogs). There, caged was this little beagle dog, skinny (SUPER skinny) and howling. I was so upset by it, I drove around to the front of this vets office and barged in and said, "Do you know there's a sick dog in your storage area behind the office?!?!?!" The receptionist casually said, "Yes, we know. The dog has parvo and we have to quarantine it." Then the vet came into the lobby to let me know that was the only place for it or else it would have gotten every other animal sick.

Not satisfied by this answer, I left and drove back around and there was another couple out of their car, on the phone. I got out and spoke to them. They were calling the police (he was off duty). The couple called me later in the day to let me know the cops had the vet take the dog inside.

I was so upset by the way the dog looked and sounded, I went home crying like a baby. Justin had to calm me down.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?

No particular place but we do love Mexican food.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Around the world. Vegas to Thailand, Thailand to London, London to Vegas. The flight path over Iraq was interesting.

Who has the craziest exes?
Neither.

Who has the worst temper?
A temper to me means throwing stuff and abuse and we definitely don't have that going on. But we can get angry with each other.

Who does the cooking?
We share it for the most part. Unless he's found a recipe he wants to try.

Who is the neat-freak?
This is hard because we both have certain ways of doing things and keeping things in order. But as for a "neat-freak", I'd have to say neither.

Who is more stubborn?
We're both stubborn. Oh, let there be a little hope for our kid. Just a little. Please?

Who hogs the bed?

HIM

Who wakes up earlier?
Scully. Oh, Me.

Where was your first date?

I guess Rockford, Illinois (sexy, huh?). However, he did fly out to SLC for New Years Y2K. That was fun.

Who is more jealous?
Probably me, but as I get older, not so much anymore.

How long did it take to get serious?

After he decided that all the girls he dated after meeting me, weren't me, it didn't take long. But that took 2 years.

Who eats more?

I'm pregnant, so right now, me. But not by much.

Who does the laundry?
Me. But he's capable of doing it too. When I ask.

Who’s better with the computer?

Oh please.

Who drives when you are together?
We split this most of the time, especially if he knows where he's going. But if I do, then I'll drive.

Life in Bullet Points

- House is getting unpacked, slowly. We've had the kitchen done for a few days now and cooked our first dinner there last night. But for some reason, we've lost the can opener. No clue where it's at.

- Because we have no living room furniture, that room has been pretty easy to put away. We set up the projector last night to play WII (a birthday gift from Justin). And since the walls are freshly primed, we didn't bother with the screen. It's a fun, temporary solution until we get furniture. I won at bowling.

- Scully LOVES the new house. I think because it's a "skye free zone", Justin thinks she's bored and can't see the neighborhood (no windows are low enough for her). Either way, last night was the first time she's played with Cletis in a long time.

- Apparently, the word got out at work that I'm pregnant. Even though I announced it to my department the first of January.

- I'm loving coupons right now. And CVS. If you're interested in a few sites that I use to gather info on great deals, click here and here.

- The sun was shining early this morning and it looked awesome outside. Until I went out. Three degrees again. I knew this was a joke! Damn you Minnesota!

- My hair. It's long. BUT, it doesn't fall out anymore. I guess I can thank pregnancy for that.

- Does anyone have a steam mop like a shark? I swear the floors in the kitchen have NEVER been mopped and they are so dirty, nothing will clean them. I was thinking of getting one, any recommendations or advice?

Temporary Dumbness

Wow. I've been really dumb lately and I think yesterday's post reflects that. My writing sucked! I'm embarrassed. I'm sorry.

I blame it on everything that's going on. The move, appointments, broken cars, pregnancy, work, this thirst I can't quench. Needless to say, I'm dumb but I know it's only temporary.

Perhaps the only non-dumb thing I've done is fix our new/old dryer. The house came with all appliances and we were warned that the dryer "doesn't keep warm" - whatever that means. We found out after trying to dry a load of clothes. It not only "doesn't keep warm" but it doesn't have any heat! At all. How the heck did these people dry their clothes?

So I turned to the internet and did some research. I came up with 2 possibilities and after some poking around with my Father-in-law and Justin, we determined it was the fuse (a $12 part). Ha! And I was about to buy another dryer!

I'm wearing pre-pregnancy pants today. Luckily the sweater is long (gotta love maternity sweaters...and a bella band) because my zipper, it's down. All the way. Justin is amazed at how pants manage to stay up without the zipper. Hips, Justin. And I've got plenty to keep pants up. I guess this could be the one time I'm glad I've got them.

The 30's

It's a warm front, everyone. Look out, here come the 30's. When we moved on Saturday (all of 3 hours), it was upper 30's. And Justin was sweating. I wasn't doing too bad considering I didn't lift anything heavy, but still. 50 trips up and down stairs can make you sweat. Everything is wet, however, because of all the melting snow.

So, to re-cap: It's in the 30's, 80% of the snow has melted, wearing scarf and gloves feel funny, Scully wants to be outside all the time, and I might bust out my fall jacket. But, I'm sure this is all a cruel joke.

The move went well. It's easy when everything you own is already packed up. But we're still living at the parents house until the internet is hooked up. Now that the carpets have been professionally cleaned and the walls painted, it doesn't smell like... Anyway, it smelled bad. And sometimes, I think, "Did they NEVER clean this kitchen or mop this floor?" Because it looks that way. Out of all the places we've rented or purchased, this is the worst when it comes to cleaning. But, it could have been worse. Much worse.

So there's still a lot of work to be done but good thing we sold/got rid of a bunch of stuff before we left Vegas. It looks like we have nothing now. And I like that. I imagine we'll purge again as we open boxes.

22 weeks and counting. Do the weeks seem to fly or what?

Baby news first: I had the "big" ultrasound Monday. I told her upfront we didn't want to know the sex. Even if she was in the area, we wouldn't know what to look for. These people are seriously trained to see things we'd just take for a big tumor - with hands.

Justin thinks it's a girl. I think it's a boy. We've got a 50/50 shot. I'm measuring 21 weeks (which is actually today), baby weighs 14 oz and all the parts were there and looked good. Weight gain is surprisingly good ("surprisingly" because I haven't gained much based on the lack of physical movement - and when I do walk I get winded easily. Maybe Wii Fit Yoga is helping?) and said the baby was chilling on the right side. Ah, yes, make sense since that's where I feel the most "discomfort" and movement. Oh labor will be fun!

House update: We've been painting like mad. Must.get.rid.of.blue! Primer, primer, primer! Actually, the one room they didn't paint blue (bedroom), we did. If you've ever been to our Vegas house, we painted our bedroom blue/gray. It's a very nice shade. Basically I'm trying to recreate it because it was so nice and calming and I loved our bedroom in Vegas.

Justin is still working in the foyer. It's 2 stories so it's taking him a long time. I finished our bedroom and kitchen last night. (Yes I painted, it's ok. It's latex paint - no harm to baby.)

Once we finish painting the vital rooms, carpets will be cleaned, house will be cleaned thoroughly and we move in Saturday. It'll be nice to have our own place again.

Bargain updates: We scored an old style push mower off craigslist for $30. We used to have one in SLC and Justin really liked it so I started looking for one again. Even though we won't get to use it for another 4 months, the blades were recently sharpened, so it was a great deal.

Over the course of two weeks, I've managed to get $67 worth of merchandise for $32 all from CVS (and it's stuff we use! That's like 1/2 off!). Justin was really impressed with my shopping skills. Not only do I have to anticipate for a new baby, but I have to anticipate not getting paid for part of my maternity leave. Saving now is the way to go.

So, there's a lot going on up here in the tundra. Don't forget us up here, cause it's still cold. COLD! Good thing the weather will be in the 30's this weekend for our move. Woo hoo! The 30's!

PepSuber!

The best commercial, in my opinion.

Attack

I don't really want to complain, because I know things will get worse*, but being pregnant and short sucks.

We successfully closed on the house yesterday. Thank you, thank you. We've been formulating a plan of attack because this house needs an attack, and fast. We knew it would need work, and luckily, it's all cosmetic. But deciding what needs to be done first is a battle. But we both agree that painting the joint needs to be first. Blue is nice (we're actually painting our bedroom the same blue we had in Vegas), but the colors they have are, well, a little crazy. And bright. And very, VERY blue. And turquoise and green.

So we'll be priming everything this weekend. Any extra hands are welcome because I can't paint. I can, but we don't want a retarded fish-frog baby - so no painting for me.

Justin is gladly letting me stock up on things now, knowing the deals I'm getting. For those who have a CVS near them, I strongly urge you to use them. They have a program where you earn dollars for qualifying purchases. At first I was like, "I don't need that right now." But I changed my thinking to, "I will need it and use it eventually - say, in a few weeks or a month." THEN, can you score killer deals.

Here's what I got for $3 last night:
2 - liquid laundry detergents
2 - big bottles of shampoo

The best part, I earned $6 to spend at CVS as well as a $5 off my next $20 purchase. Once you start earning Extra bucks, you can roll them over to your next purchase and use them like cash. And if you have coupons, the deals are even better. (I used coupons for both products last night.)

How many of you know about this program? How has it worked out for you?

*Ok, "worse" probably isn't the best word for pregnancy. But I meant, I know I'll be getting bigger and the belly, it grows fast now. I have short arms, how the heck am I going to drive or type at my desk?

31

I'm 31. It didn't really shock me until I was playing Sudoku on my DS when Dr. K from Brain Age said, "You're 31 right? Happy Birthday!"

It was somewhat shocking to see it. 31. I think that puts me in a whole new age bracket on forms. You know, the one that lumps middle-aged people in one category and spans across generations. That sucks.

And my Nevada driver's license expired too. No longer will I have braces and cute, little red cheeks on my photo, somewhat angelic looking. Now I'll just look pasty, bloated and 31.

Justin let me do whatever I wanted this weekend. So Friday night, we saw "Doubt". Excellent movie if you get the chance to see it.

Saturday, we hit up the huge clearance of Wilson's Leather items. Since they are closing all of their stores, they've sent all stock to this one location in Minneapolis. We went and scored: 1 suede purse, 1 leather purse, 1 not leather or suede purse - just cute, 1 wallet for me, 1 wallet for Justin, a belt for Justin and a leather messenger bag for his laptop.

All for $100. We rule.

Then we drove up north to the outlet malls and hit up a few stores. The best score was at Old Navy. All already discounted items were an additional 50% off. Justin found a pair of jeans for $6 and I got a top for $4. We totally forgot about the 50% when we checked out (or I would have grabbed more shirts), and the total was only $6! Seriously, even if he uses those jeans to work on cars, it was still a better deal than Saver's!

Target was our last stop. No big scores there but I did manage to buy 3 big bottles of cranberry juice for $2. I'm smart like that. Now that we're closing on the house on Wednesday (EEEEEEEEEEE!), I'm trying to restock my pantry. Plus it's just the nesting urge I've had to suppress for so long. Must.restock.NOW!

It was a double feature Saturday night with "Frost/Nixon" - also very good and "Benjamin Button" - another good one. It'll be an interesting Academy Awards this year.

And then it was Sunday. 31. Baby kicked me all day. Maybe it was "Happy Birthday" in Morse code? No, it was probably all the sweet treats I had for breakfast. And for lunch. And for dinner.

As much as it can suck to have a birthday so close after Christmas, it wasn't bad this year. I know, I know. Last year I got to go to London for my Birthday. Ya, it was cool but this year was better for different reasons.

Semi Wordless Wednesday

It's amazing what a little black can do.



Hide a belly! 19 weeks today. Belly has no where to go but out. Impressive, huh? Say "HI" Scully!



In preparation for a baby who we don't know the sex, I've started working on some clothes. I used Kwik Sew 3090 and tried it out on new niece, Natalie. (I don't know what happened with the snaps. It was all even at the leg.)



She's tiny. I'm sure it won't fit her until Spring. Justin practicing his football hold on Natalie. It was a reality check, apparently.

Minus

19.

Minus 19 kids (not counting wind chill). I've got the picture on my camera to prove it. Oh, and the frostbite on my toes too. And the Silly Car didn't want to start, and the car seats (cloth car seats) were like sitting on a brick. And my snot froze instantly. And I need a latte to warm up.

BUT! I made it to work on time.

That is all.

Minus 19.

Ya, Ya, It's Cold. So What

The last time it was this cold here (well, close enough. The highs were about 5 - in the afternoon), I was miserably taking the bus from the house to work. Over an hour commute, because both of our cars were down. But, BUT! now we're a two car family again! Justin's the best auto mechanic around!!!

Kids, it's cold this week. I took a photo of the bank sign on my way to work this morning and it was negative 7. Normally at that time it would be five, ten or 25 degrees. Not today. Negative 7 everyone. At 9am. Apparently, this is the coldest and crappiest winter Minnesota's seen in decades. I love the drama they put into it. Whatever. It's cold. Bundle up. Stay inside. Who cares.

I finally ordered some winter boots. I don't know why it took me so long, but I can't wait til they show up. Hopefully they'll fit since I ordered them online. Some say your feet grow a size when you're pregnant. Is this true? If so, do they stay that way afterward?

So besides the unbearable cold weather I live in (and the drivers who can't drive on ice), what else is going on? We close on the house in 2 weeks. Since we sold most of our furniture and electronics in Las Vegas and everything we own is in a 10x10 storage unit, we'll be doing a lot of shopping. But first, we have to pick out paint colors again.

(This reminds me: Mike, I lived in a 300 sq. foot basement apartment in SLC. It was perfect for one person. It was easy to maintain and simple furnish. Once Justin moved in, it became a little cramped; lack of storage space. I'd love to downsize again, but not with baby on the way.)

Can anyone recommend a good place to find dog winter booties? The stores can't seem to keep them in stock here and Scully REALLY needs a pair.

Shopping

I scored a few good deals this weekend. First, Bath & Body Works had their "Semi-Annual Sale" and I was able to get TONS of yummy smelling stuff for $20. They had all their stuff on sale; $1, $3, or $5. So I stocked up on anti-bacterial hand soap (pump dispensers), travel size lotions and shower gels (all for $1) and a few other items. I want to go back today and get more because seriously, that stuff is normally expensive.

I also read that Macy's was closing a bunch of their stores so expect a sale at local stores. I went looking for a few things that could accommodate my growing belly but didn't see anything I liked. But I did find a layette set for $10. Guess what color it is? Yellow and white. It's cute and Justin liked it, but I'm getting discouraged with the lack color options that can be used for any sex. But for $10, I can't complain.

I ended my shopping spree at Target. I found a few tops on clearance ($3 for a maternity top!) and found another layette set that I waffled on. It was discounted down to $9. I'm glad I got it though because it rang up as $2! Oh, Target, how I love you. AND, I was with my Father-in-Law so I got an extra 15% off.

So I did pretty good for my first trip out post Holiday season. But really, preparing for our baby is going to be hard because we've opted not to find out. I might have to bust out my sewing machine and make some super cool, non-yellow or green clothes.

Now if I can find this stroller on clearance somewhere, I'd be happy.

Poll up. Take a guess.

Everything is Just a Few Hundred Clicks Away

Justin just sent this to me. Too bad we moved and can't go to CES anymore.


Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

Out of the Bag

I, at least, have always thought the news of a pregnant worker is bad news to a boss. Apparently, I was wrong. And for this reason, why I'm happy I'm employed at Public Television. My boss was happy and said, "Family comes first, don't worry about your job while on maternity leave. Congratulations!"

Phew! My last hurdle done and done. Now I don't have to suck in as much when I walk by offices or talk to people. Cause this belly is going no where but out.

I moved offices yesterday but not before I killed my computer with this stupid virus. The Rapid Antivirus is apparently just an upgraded version of an old one. I have no idea how I got it, but I did. Luckily, I called IT when Justin said, "Ummm, you really need to call IT with that." But it still hosed my computer.

That was Friday, and now it's Tuesday and the IT dude said, "I'll bring your tower down in 15 minutes." That was an hour ago. So, I'm working on my Mac but it's really a pain to get work done on it (for various reasons, not Mac related so don't hate me Mac lovers).

So the office move, totally awesome! I was at the end of the hall where no one knew I was even there. Now I'm part of the action and my office is way bigger and RED! No window, but I'm next to my boss who has a window, so I do get some sunlight. Except, it's January and there isn't sunlight in Minnesota until, oh, about when baby will be born. So in June.

Did I mention I bought a house? Well I did. We close at the end of January. It deserves a post itself because it was stupid drama trying to get it. But our offer got approved and now I'm just waiting for FHA to do their end of the deal. It needs some cosmetic work but overall, a solid house for a great price.

Ok, gotta go find my computer. Mac, you're cool and all, but I need to get work done.

No Resolutions

I finished the 30-day blogging challenge with 17 posts. So, I did suck, but hey, 17 in one month, that's a lot for me. Maybe I'll do it again when I don't have 5 to 6 days off in a row.

New Years was very quiet and respectable. If pregnancy lets you be one thing, it's respectable. No boozing, no screaming running down a street, no hangovers. You really can't beat it.

We went bowling at the dumpiest bowling alley where we watched the Ms. Hooters Competition. A chick from Austin, Texas won. Her name was - and I'm NOT kidding - Hoots. Can't remember her first name, Justin would know that. But her last name was seriously Hoots. How could she not win such a contest? I called it the white trash of Ms. America.

Has anyone else tried to bowl while pregnant? It's the weirdest thing. I'm still sore from it and I only used the 8 pound ball. I'm so weak. And my game sucked.

We carried on our white trash festivities at home where I took a bath and I tried to increase my brain power (or as Homer says, "Increase my killing power.") with Brain Age. The tub is the perfect place to play. Once done getting smarter, I watched Justin and his friend launch fireworks about 30 minutes after midnight. Better late than never. Actually, Justin will light fireworks anytime of year.

I passed out, they sobered up and that was it.

16 weeks and growing. During the Holiday's I tried to eat reasonably and I think I succeeded. But for some reason, the belly has popped out all of a sudden. No weight gain yet, but I go in next week for a check-up and a lot can happen til then. I have a photo but it just looks like I'm bloated so I probably won't post it. Unless I get an overwhelming cry to see it. But I don't want to scare anyone.