Wanted: Cheer

Having a really hard, kinda lonely day. Does anyone have good stories or happy day things to share? I would like to borrow your cheer.

Addendum

I'm also thinking I need diaper rash cream... for under my enormous chest! Thank God the heat is easing.

Issues for Me - Questions for You (lots of baby thoughts)

1. I have been leaking out of my left... you know... for a while now. But it was just a little bit here and there. Last night it became a LOT. Really? Breast pads this soon? Anyone else do this? And my right one will catch up right?

2. I have a pain that feels a bit like a pinched nerve that runs up my right leg and into my back. It makes me weak there when walking or using it sometimes. Normal right? Any thoughts on how to ease it?

3. I've been feeling overwhelmed by lots of things and frustrated more easily. I cry quite quickly. Please tell me some of you have felt this too?

4. Baby Butt has figured out that he has four limbs that can move ALL AT ONCE! It's very exciting... both for baby AND Mommy. haha. I think that kid moved all night and all day straight when that started. No questions there. I just found it cute and crazy and fun. It's also slightly uncomfortable.

Just when you thought it was safe to go to Florida

Woo! I felt so damn lucky to avoid the hormonal mood swings in my first trimester. But from the middle of the second on, I'm apparently going to make up for it. Someone get me a neck brace.

Oh yeah, and there's a shark in my neighbor's driveway.

Back from the Doctor

We've graduated to two week visits!! AAAAACK! This baby's really coming! And I love him love him love him. Did I mention that I love him?

My beloved OB told me today that he loves beautiful charts, and mine could not look more perfect. Oh God are those the most beautiful words to hear. I've gained 16lbs so far, which is exactly what he wants, and my uterus measures right on with the weeks I am. Did you know that? Did you know that if you measure from the top of your pelvic bone to the top of the fundus that it should measure right about how many weeks you are? (provided you haven't gained too much weight) Is that not the coolest thing?

Baby sounds good. His heartbeat is right on, and once again the doctor pronounced him extremely squirmy. Oh no. ;-) I have one more round of glucose tolerance testing, and he says we'll do another ultrasound at 36 weeks. I've also been having the occasional Braxton-Hicks contractions. In my ignorance, I thought it was the baby doing some really funky moves, but I have since discovered otherwise. Life is good.

P.S. Wanted to clear up that since I am in my 26th week, even though I've completed 25, that I should measure around 26 cm. I didn't want anyone to freak out if they measured themselves and were going by how many COMPLETED weeks.

I haven't done a meme in a LONG time!

I thought this was fun. :)

1. Who was your first prom date?
Aaron. I was in 10th grade, so was excited a senior asked me. He wanted to date me. I just wanted to go to the prom. He was a very nice guy. My dress was very 90's. ugh.

2. Do you still talk to your first love?
I wouldn't call my first love my first TRUE love. More puppy love. So once in a great while I do, but I am married to my first true love.

3. What was your first alcoholic drink?
Peach Schnapps (me too! Just like Maresi. It was popular in our time. ;-))

4. What was your first job?
babysitting and then a gig at my cousin's corner store prepping food and being a cashier.

5. What was your first car?
1985 Ford Escort. Good little car. Ran me a long time.

6. Who was the first person to text you today?
I don't have texting.

7. Who was the first person you thought of this morning?
The baby butt. (he kicked me)

8. Who was your first grade teacher?
Mrs. Harella. I loved her.

9. Where did you go on your first flight in a plane?
Pennsylvania from where we lived at the time. I was VERY little and was upset by a delay while we waited on the plane. I was crying and asked my Mom if she couldn't just get out and push.

10. Who was your first best friend and do you still talk?
April and yes.

11. Where was your first sleepover?
One of my cousins' I'm sure.

12. Who was the first person you talked to today?
Hub

13. Whose wedding were you in for the first time?
My cousin's when I was 12. I was a junior bridesmaid and had a mini bridesmaid dress. Cute.

14. What was the first thing you did this morning?
Potty, then eat.

15. What was the first concert you went to?
Reba McEntire when I was about 10. My cousin took me. Then Phil Collins with parents. First one on my own entirely was Mighty Mighty Bosstones or Barenaked Ladies. I can't remember

16. First tattoo?
None

17. First piercing?
Ears at 7. They got infected. Re-did them at 12.

18. First foreign country you went to?
Canada.

19. First movie you remember seeing?
Maybe the third Star Wars very vaguely. OR it could have been ET and the Dark Crystal (double showing) at the drive-in. I'm not sure which. At home it was definitely Star Wars when cable first came out.

20. What state (province) did you first live in?
New York

21. Who was your first room mate?
April

22. When was your first detention?
None. Goody two shoes.

23. When was your first kiss?
REAL kiss? Hm. B or C. (the names are pretty distinctive, and it depends on the type of kiss you mean) at 15 or 17.

24. What is one thing you would learn, given the chance?
More foreign languages

25. Who will be the next person to post this?
I have no idea. Hopefully Jen!

Good Big Brother

Since Jen wanted a photo similar to this, I thought I'd get my butt in gear and post what I had.

This is Elizabeth proving to Austin that he will be a good big brother. (Always helpful that Elizabeth)
Austin says, "See Mommy? I am a good boy and let girls and younger babies push my head down on giant turtles whenever they want to! I'll be a good big brother!" He didn't fight her at all.

Mind you this was just after she had pulled his hair. Her face reflected a fascination and the impression that this was quite a new and puzzling experiment. Maria watches with the presence of the innocent bystander.

Spoiler Alert

GLEE SPOILER



OK.. not a real spoiler since I only saw bits and pieces tonight. I intend to watch more later online. But in any case, there is no way in Hell that cheerleader is actually pregnant. She has to be doing it to mess with the glee club. Because seriously? It traveled through the hot tub water and impregnated her? Uhhuh. And if they DO go through with that storyline, I am going to have to be annoyed with the show. It's cute but come on.

Feelin' a little sassy tonight. Certain events have transpired to create a mouthier Barb than usual.

Now we just need the room...

We bought our crib last night! But we still don't have the office cleaned out so we can set it UP. Someone wish me luck with that! This photo makes it look really blah, but it's pretty in person. AND it got great reviews on all the sites I checked. Some sweet friends also brought over some adorable baby stuff for us to borrow. One of them was a beautiful bassinett. Hub was enjoying himself pretending that the baby was in there. He loves looking at all the things and imagining him here with us. I'm glad he's as excited as I am.

SIX MONTHS!

Who woulda thunk it. We've made it 6 months! (well, 24 weeks, 3 days) Maresi kindly took a belly shot of me at the aquarium today. I wanted a photo in my pretty outfit! I really no longer have much in the way of pretty outfits. My frugal self just won't let me spend much on these maternity clothes that won't last long. It seems I outgrow them as fast as I get them. The shirt is free courtesy of Sister, and the skirt was $3 on clearance at Target!

The Kindness of Strangers

I'm finally getting some days off, and boy are they needed. My whole body is achy, I'm exhausted, and some fun shit went down this week! Today was definitely the most interesting. There was a bit of push and pull going on between 2 managers, and I happened to be in charge of the area where that was happening the past two days. That was stressing me out seeing as when I'm exhausted, I also tend to be a teeny bit more sensitive. Secondly, we were very busy and some of our equipment that we use daily broke down, making it necessary for us to use another area's machine located much farther away.

Thirdly, my company offers flu shots for its employees, and has always done pregnant women before. Today I went with complete confidence that I could get mine for free. Hurray! I waited in line for about an hour with some coworkers. This was an hour I could have sorely used to catch up to the busy-ness in my area. While we waited, one of the health workers walked up and down the line repeatedly offering printed flu shot information individually and other help to make the wait shorter. I dutifully read the whole sheet. There was no mention of pregnant women. All I knew was that my doctor really wanted me to get the shot.

I finally reached the end of the line and entered the mysterious room of needles. When I walked in, the very same man who had just spoken to me... oh... 5 times? said, "Um - I don't think they're going to let you get one." I just stared blankly at him. He went on to explain that they weren't allowing pregnant women to get the shot through them this year. Um. OK. This was confirmed by the nurse a short time later. Do you think they could have possibly MENTIONED this beforehand? They told me that they had already turned away a bunch of other women on the other day it was offered. Perhaps you should have warned us since it was always given BEFORE? And believe me - he knew I was pregnant before I entered that room. One can tell where I work.

So off I ran to a duty for which I was almost late due to waiting in line so long for the shot I didn't get. Everything was going well at first. Then, I noticed a customer in the area breaking one of our rules. I explained to her what she had to change and why - all in a nice, "the customer is always right" manner. As I spoke to her, a man next to her tried to drag her away quickly. She did not go with him, so he rushed off. She didn't speak for a minute. I began to realize something was very wrong. I tried to engage her once more. She stared at me with tears welling in her eyes and proceeded to tell me how I must have thought she was a moron but she wasn't and how she knows all kinds of things (and listed them). She ranted about how I must hate my job and hate people. I realized then that she must have a severe emotional disorder and just became as compliant and soothing as possible and told her that I loved my job and that the rules were not personal. It did very little. She had already decided that I ruined her life. Other customers were staring in disbelief. She worked herself up into a hysterical fit, exclaiming that her whole day was horrible and that I had ruined it for good for her. Then she threw in the icing on the cake. "Do you know..." she said, her voice trembling, "...that you are a a REAL BITCH." Her voice was dripping with venom. At this point, I had no idea what to expect from her. She mentioned something about seeing a manager. I agreed, called my manager and she came immediately to save me. The man who had rushed off earlier only came back when the manager appeared and explained that this woman, while intelligent, had the emotional capabilities of a 3 or 4 year old and that it wasn't our fault. Thanks Dude. You left me with her for about 10 minutes. Don't you think you should have been there for both of us?

It was very nerve rattling. I did not become angry with her at any point in time, because it was very clear that she couldn't help herself in any way. But my hands were shaking a little. The great part in this is that several customers came up to me afterward. They patted my shoulder. They rubbed my arm. They exclaimed how patient and kind I had been and expressed how sorry they were about what had happened. They were so awesome. One man said, "I'm so sorry! I was going to try to save you by coming up and asking lots of questions, but I just didn't get there!" It was so sweet of him, but it wouldn't have swayed her in her overstimulated state I'm sure. Another pregnant woman came up to me, put her hand on my hand and said, "I saw that. I'm sorry. You are really not a bitch."

The whole experience was very stressful, but at the same time I really got a lot out of it. I was proud that I could handle that sort of situation and not take it out on someone who couldn't help themselves. I never knew that I could do it for sure. The woman who told me I screamed* at her, and that I was stupid? I had difficulty holding my temper with that one. She most definitely knew better. Maybe I'll be an ok Mom. It was also so so wonderful to see so much good come out in people! How incredible to be able to witness that. THANK YOU KIND STRANGERS!

On top of that, my coworkers were all ready to kick some ass for me. And one bought me one of my favorite things - a can of Cherry Coke. And I drank that Coke down to the very last drop. It was exceedingly delicious.

So that was my day. How was yours?

*If you know me well, you know that I definitely do not scream AT people unless under the most extreme duress.

Stressful Day Relief

Wow. Very stressful day at the end of a stressful week. This is my new happy feeling song. I'm liking a lot of this guy's sound.

Explanation

From "Me" at We Are What We Repeatedly Do: You need to explain the significance of the Chickadees and the fish bowl!"

Sorry about that. It's from my baby shower at home. The chickadees are the mama and daddy birds and the fish bowl has a little mini cake inside it just for me that looks like a nest. On the nest is a white chocolate egg signifying the babycakes. :) My sister came up with it and did it all on her own.

Why I Flew Away

I have the best sister and Mom in the whole world. (The rest of the family is pretty sweet too.)

Sleep-Y

I enjoyed all your answers from last post. It was quite fun reading about people who share in my frustration. It's a good thing that Hub is a darling man with a cute face, or he'd be in serious trouble. ;-)

I know I promised an airplane story. But believe me, it really isn't that juicy, and I am so tired I could not do it any justice. I will get to it as soon as I can. Right now, I am in the midst of working 8, 10 hour days with only one day off in the midst of it. I've got 4 more days to go. Help me hang in there!

Sleepless

Is it wrong that Hub's snoring (and lack of doing anything that addresses the issue) makes me want to clang finger cymbals in his ear half the night? You know, just to even things up a bit?

Alive and Happy

Allow me to describe my very interesting first plane trip ever as a pregnant lady soon. I think it shall be my last. But for now, I'm alive and happy. I had some racing heart issues that seem to be under control now, and Hub just told me yesterday, "I love your belly."

22 Weeks

Hiatus

There has been a lot going on around here recently, including the temporary loss of our internet, so even though I'm full of post ideas, I lack either the time and/or the energy to write them. I'm sorry about the hiatus. There will be a continued hiatus through the weekend, and then maybe I'll be back to talk a bit.

In the meantime, I'm so excited for her and her that I can't see straight.