Someone's Having A Party...

...and since it's being held in my BELLY, that means that I'm invited, right?!?! I don't know if there's disco music playing somewhere and he's showing off his moves, or if he's just really enjoying this bean and cheese breakfast taco that I'm eating...either way - Ziggy likes!

Good Lord, I don't know what it is that is making little Ziggy "leap" for joy this morning, but it's been going non-stop for the last twenty-thirty minutes! For some reason, he favors kicking my right side...so I'm guessing that it's a more "happening" spot than the left side!

But it feels like my whole belly is shaking...not that you can really see it, and I've tried to watch for it...but no luck so far. He's not that big yet, or strong enough.

It reassures me to feel these movements, and when he gets calm and quiet for several hours at a time, I notice that too. As much as I'd like to "wake him up" and make sure that all is well when that happens, I'm trying to remember to be good and enjoy the peace and quiet myself!

Then again, he still seems to respond well to Ginger Ale, and I was almost finished with a glass of that...maybe the bubbles got his little rear end in gear! Either way, it just struck me as something that you all would want to know about...have a great rest of your day!

Twenty-Two Weeks

Oh wow. It’s Monday again...which means that once again, I worked too hard over the weekend, lost track of time and forgot to schedule this post...oh well, better late than never, right? Hope so!

I’m officially more than halfway through this pregnancy...which makes me both excited and nervous all at the same time. I’m sure that most other Mothers our there completely understand that statement. Totally excited to make it past the halfway mark safely, and healthy (both Mom and baby), really super excited to meet this little one...and scared to death at the changes that are coming.

Anyway, week twenty-two. Good things happened this week - I finally “popped” out and officially look pregnant! Everyone that I know is telling me this now, and B is SUPER excited that I finally look like I’m carrying his child...and no longer just sporting a “few” extra pounds around the middle! Check it out for yourself...
What did I tell you? I seriously feel like my stomach alone grew two inches this week...and there were a few days there that I know it was growing because I was so uncomfortable...tightness, weight around the middle dragging me down, lower back pain...you name it, I had it this past week. What do you think - do you agree with the others? Or think that I still lack a bit to be truly "popped"?

As far as what’s going on with Ziggy? Let’s check in on him – babycenter.com says that he’s 11 inches now (the length of a spaghetti squash!) and weighs almost one whole pound. He’s starting to look like a miniature newborn, with his lips, eyelids and eyebrows becoming more distinct...and he’s even developing baby teeth beneath his gum line (just the tooth buds). His eyes have formed, but his irises still lack pigment right now. His entire body is covered now by a fine layer of lanugo, which will stay with him until he adds a padding of fat to fill in his deep wrinkles.

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That’s a lot going on for a squash! Wow.

I can definitely tell that he’s put on some length this week...the kicks and nudges are getting harder and more predictable. There’s definitely a pattern emerging here, and B is pumped that he can feel about 75% of the movements now that I can feel. It’s really special to share this with someone, and when we get into bed at night is usually the time that we lay there watching TV or reading our books with B laying his hand on my belly to feel Ziggy’s antics for a bit before he settles in for the night.

We also took the time to go and make our baby registry at Babies R Us this past weekend...I’ve got a few things to talk about regarding that, so I’ll save that for another post. But I feel better for having it done, and it’s finished for the most part, except for some “fine-tuning” that I’d like to do to the list...B got a LITTLE zap-happy with the registry gun! Let’s just say that I got quite a few surprises when I opened it up online yesterday...lots of things that I certainly don’t remember picking out! But it was fun to go and do together, and we made a “date night” out of it and went for dinner and ice cream while we were out. We’re trying to enjoy the few “kid free” nights that we have now, as we know that all of that comes to an end in 4 more months...

That’s about it for today...hopefully I’ll get my thoughts together on some of the registry stuff and other posts that I’ve started but not finished lately...talk to you soon!

Maternity Clothes

Now that I’m starting to show and wearing more of my maternity clothes, I figured that it was high time to show them off a bit. No, I wasn’t adventurous enough to model these all for you...Maid Britney...but I did take a picture of some of the things that I’ve found and thought that I would share with you where I got them in case there are other pregnant women out there reading this blog...or you know someone else who’s pregnant and want to pass on the information.

I should probably start off by explaining a little bit about my “shopping style” in case you or whomever you might share this with isn’t a match for my style. I think that I can sum it up with just a few words. Target. Ross. Marshalls. Old Navy. Oh, and one more...SALE racks.

Those are the places that I shop. I don’t pay full retail price on ANYTHING (like meaning department store prices) unless I absolutely love it and can’t live without it, which more often than not ends up not being the case. I can live without lots of things. And living in between Austin and San Marcos, you can bet that I love that Outlet Mall in San Marcos! I seriously haven’t paid more than $50 for a pair of regular jeans in I couldn’t tell you how long. And $50 might be a stretch...

So I won’t be offended if you’re not as excited as I am about my finds. That’s my style, it works for me, and I’m ok with the fact that you may not like it.

With that being said, the first place that I loaded up on maternity clothes was the Outlet Mall in San Marcos. I was all excited to go to the Old Navy there and stock up on their maternity jeans that I had heard so much about...but come to find out, the Outlet version of Old Navy doesn’t carry maternity clothes. Neither does The Gap. Or any other store that I could think to check. Color me frustrated much. Until my wonderful, fantastic super-supportive and determined-to-not-leave-the-Outlet-Mall-without-some-maternity-clothes husband spotted a little store down at the end called Maternity Works. It’s an Outlet store for several maternity brands, such as Pea in a Pod, Motherhood Maternity, etc. You get the idea, not just one store, but several mini-stores all in one place.

And since it’s at the Outlet Mall, the prices were reasonable. Although I still think that $40 for maternity jeans is a little steep...but you can’t put a price tag on comfort, right? Right. So, spending my Christmas money that he had set aside for this purpose, my hubbie took me shopping. Here’s what I got:

Two pairs of below-the-belly maternity jeans (bought two different kinds, returned one a week later and snagged another pair of the $40 ones…they were worth the extra $$). Sorry – there’s no picture of these, but I think that this link will get you to them...they are SO comfy! The picture there looks sort of like there is still a belly panel, but there's NOT! So great. (They're the jeans I take my belly shots in each week, so I've sort of already shown them to you!)

A LBD...because every woman needs one for each stage in her life, even pregnancy!
A cute summer dress that I CANNOT wait to slip into...A little summer topA plain white teeYou might have noticed a pattern to those clothes. Other than the jeans, everything that we purchased was for the summer. Yes, I was thinking ahead and staying positive that I wouldn’t show until further along in my pregnancy and wouldn’t need long-sleeved winter clothes...and we know that I’ve worried about this some as I grew out of my regular shirts a “little” faster than I thought that I would...oh well.

Anyway, we got all of that for under $200. Like closer to the $150-160 range. Good deals. All of it, except for the jeans, were on sale on the clearance rack – left overs from last summer’s styles, I’m sure. But all pieces that still looked good enough to make me fit in this summer as well...my friends might call them “timeless classics.” :)

Then I found the motherload of all maternity internet shopping stores the very next week. It’s a site called emommie.com and you can click that link to find it, if you’re interested. Really a great site. They’re based out of the Virginia area, I think, but the clothes got to Texas SUPER fast with great shipping options.

A word of warning: the clothes are ALL used. You might luck out and find something that they’re selling that was never worn, but I doubt it. I was a little hesitant at first, but the site claims to only purchase clothes in good condition with no stains, abnormal wear/tear, so I took a chance. And I was MORE than impressed with what I got for the money.

A pair of low-belly black work pants
Sleeveless casual tops
Some dressier "work" topsAnd I also got two maternity tank tops to sleep in, which I didn’t take a picture of. Now, here’s a question for you...are you sitting down? Be sure that you are. Comparing what I bought at the maternity OUTLET store with what I got at emommie.com, how much would you think that I spent?

$150?

$100?

Try $80, shipping included. Yep, you read that right. ALL of that for $80. Mainly because it’s used. But if you think about it, who doesn’t borrow maternity clothes while they’re pregnant? And isn’t this basically the same thing? Except for the part where you don’t know the person that you “borrowing” them from...it’s the same concept.

I was lucky enough to have a sister who was my size during my last pregnancy who had already had a baby and she gave me all of her maternity clothes, so I didn’t have to buy that much last time around. But this time, I don’t have that luxury. It’s been seven years since I had my daughter so I don’t still have anything left from then, and it would be outdated anyway if I did have something left. My only friends who might have maternity clothes that I could maybe borrow are using them right now. So if you’re lucky enough to have lots of pregnant friends, then great. Use their clothes. Save the money.

But if you’re not that lucky...like me...then check out emommie.com. The quality of the clothes was impressive, and I was VERY skeptical when I bought them. Great, great, great prices - great deal...try it out! Or pass on the word...and as an extra incentive, they send you a 15% off coupon on your next purchase...I haven’t used mine yet, but I will be using it soon!

(A word of warning – when you’re on their site looking for clothes, filter the clothes down by size. Their inventory is pretty big, and changes daily, and I just found that it was MUCH easier to shop using the filters for my size. Just a helpful hint!)

Have fun shopping!

How Do I Handle This?

I come to you for advice now...this is something that I’ve started having to deal with almost daily...and I’m really not sure what to do anymore. I’ve tried to address it the best that I can, but I’m running out of ideas on what to say next. Seven-year old kids ask the BEST questions...and have the biggest fears.

Let me back up about two years...my daughter was around 5 at the time, and B and I had been dating for about 6 months. B had come over after work one evening and taken J and I out to eat, and we were riding in his truck headed back to my apartment. Everything is fine – we’re laughing and joking – had a yummy meal at Chick-Fil-A with no problems whatsoever. So imagine my surprise when I glance over my shoulder to the back seat where J was sitting to check on her and find her in tears. Like not just baby tears, but BIG crocodile tears streaming down her face and she’s almost sobbing out loud.

Shocked, I ask what’s wrong and the answer that I get surprises me. I’ll try to make this short and sweet and condense where I can...she tells me that she’s upset because she doesn’t want to ever have babies. This is not what I’m expecting to hear, and on further discussions (like an hour later) I find out the full story. Apparently a friend of J’s dad was pregnant at the time and she (who did NOT have any other children or any experience with kids before) decided to tell MY child where babies come from. Not the specifics about how they’re made (thank God that she had a little bit of sense!) but where they grow and exactly how they come out. In FULL detail. Details that I’m sure you can imagine would scare the beejeezus out of a five year-old little girl who innocently asked how did the baby get out of your belly.

Now, I’m not 100% certain, but I feel fairly confident in saying that most people who already have kids or at least some experience with children know that you don’t tell a 5 year-old the whole truth. You sugar coat it a little bit with magic. It’s not lying to them, it’s putting things into their perspective. And telling a 5 year-old that a baby comes out where you pee and rips you open and they sew you back up isn’t really what I want my child to be told at that age. Yes, I want to be honest with her about things, but at the age of 5...you have to restrict the flow of information and ease them into certain things. At the VERY least, you check with the child’s parent BEFORE you explain things in true, accurate detail...which this woman did not do. Or so I was told.

I calmed J down that night after several hours and assured her that she didn’t have to grow up, get married and have babies if she didn’t want to...and she made me give her a list of people that I knew that were my age and without kids –she’s smart, I tell you! I finally calmed her down, and just assumed that with the passing of time that she would “forget” about her horror at what she had learned. (What was I thinking? She stills prays for the cat that got “lost” over almost two years ago…) Or at least that some of the graphicness would fade a bit, sort of like a scary movie. But it hasn’t. At all. She still adamantly says (two years later) that she will NEVER have kids because she doesn’t want them coming out where she pees.

When I learned that I was pregnant, I was really hoping that being there with me through this pregnancy would ease some of her lingering fears and concerns. She’s VERY excited to have a new baby brother (even if she really wanted a baby sister) and is counting down the days until the baby arrives...it’s a slow process, because if you remember time passes MUCH slower when you’re a kid. So I’ve been really hopeful that this time was helping things...

Until the other night, that is. I was tucking her into bed, and she told me that she had decided that she really didn’t want this baby anymore. Knowing how disappointed she was to find out it was a boy and not a girl, I teased her a little bit about it, and we moved on to another subject, but on a deeper level it bothered me as a Mom. There’s inevitably going to be resentment when a new sibling arrives on the scene, and I don’t want to have to handle it for 5 months before the baby even gets here! Soon after, I covered her up, tucked her nice and tight and we said our goodnight prayers. The baby was included in her prayer. So maybe everything was ok?

I asked her about it and she explained to me that she meant to say that she still never, ever wanted to have babies and in fact, instead of my pregnancy helping her fears, she’s got more of them now – specifically dwelling around me and what might go wrong when it’s time to have the baby.

I curse this woman almost daily, just in case you’re wondering.

I’ve tried to be honest with J. I’ve explained to her (not in great detail) that you can do things to not have babies. I’ve also tried to explain that a doctor is with you when you have a baby and they give you medicine so that it doesn’t hurt – we didn’t go into the option for home birthing, needless to say. Or choosing to have a natural birth – it’s not something that would soothe these fears right now that she’s having. I thought that maybe knowing these things would help J would come to grips with this fear of hers. Instead, she’s just worried now that the doctor won’t be at the hospital in time to give me the medicine...or what if the shot hurts too much...or what if, what if, what if? The list goes on and on...and I’m not really sure what to say anymore. I assure her over and over that those things won’t happen, that everything was perfectly fine when she was born, so why would things be different this time around...but I just feel like maybe there’s more that I could be doing/saying.

So I turn to you, my blogging friends. What would you do in this instance? Is there something else that I can say to help her out? Or have I done all that I can do, and time and maturity will eventually help her overcome this intense struggle that she’s dealing with right now?

And it is intense. She’s visibly upset and worried about the process of having babies one day. And not the same kind of worry that she gets about what shirt to wear...she’s really, REALLY concerned about this, and I don’t want to blow it off and make her feel like it’s not a valid concern for her to have. Because it’s real to her. And that makes it important to me.

What else can I say? What haven’t I thought of? Thanks in advance for anything that you can think of...

WAY too funny...

This is a true story, I promise.

Yesterday, our HR guy stopped by my office to chat for a minute and in the middle of a random conversation about something else entirely – like fresh coffee in the break room (which I don’t/can’t drink) he casually mentions that I’ve been pulled for a random.

As in a random drug testing per our company policy.

For a five and a half month pregnant woman? REALLY?!?!

Maybe you’re not rolling on the floor laughing...maybe you are...if you are, then you have me for company. I laughed and said ok when do I need to go.

The response? Within the hour. And I was escorted. (Or followed there to be more specific...) I understand that it’s just company policy to escort/follow the employee to the lab and all, but the whole situation just struck me as hilarious.

Now, as I type this I do realize that not everyone makes the decision to stay drug/alcohol free during the course of their pregnancies...I really do understand that.

And I also understand that our random screenings are computer generated by an outsourced company who does NOT know and could not possibly know that I’m pregnant. But you would think that at some point along this journey someone would question it.

Turns out the lab tech did. She looked at me. Then looked at my small pregnant belly...and raised her eyebrows. No words were said between us, but I gave her a smile that said “Whatever.” Then when she asked if I was ready to go to the bathroom, we had a good laugh about a pregnant woman always being ready to pee...

It did help that she was also pregnant...due any day now from the looks of her. She just chuckled through the paperwork and did her job. Just like I did mine.

I just thought that it was INSANELY funny to send a pregnant lady in for a random drug screening...

Floor Remodel

A few weeks ago, I posted that we were doing some home remodeling. And when I use the word “some” I really mean a LOT of home remodeling. Aggressive might be another way to put it. Taking a really big bite of the pie might be another way to think of what all "we’re" doing. (And when I say "we're" doing all of this in the presence of my husabnd, he gives me THAT look...)

And don’t get me started on the aches and the pains...and those are just mine! I’m not even the one doing the hard stuff...my handy-dandy hubby is the busy one...with some help from a cousin. I can only imagine how they feel in the mornings when they get up!

But let me tell you...it’s SO worth it. If you thought that the paint on the walls was a big step, just wait until you get to the end of this post! You’ll be amazed, and maybe a little jealous that I have such a talented husband...I’m not opposed to hiring him out for your own project though...wink, wink. Just kidding – he’d probably murder me for even thinking those thoughts!

I wish that I’d taken some pics of the carpet...no, then I’d be too embarrassed to post them...it’s best just to use your imagination. I guarantee that it’s probably not the worst carpet even seen, but it was in pretty ragged shape. But we had carpet down over the whole living room and some tile in the entry-way and kitchen/laundry room/half bath.

This is what we started with.

It’s not bad tile. It’s just ugly, in my opinion. It’s not something that I would choose to put down, but it’s something that was here with B bought the house, and it worked.

First “we” ripped it all up...down to the cement foundation, which was in GREAT shape! Great news when you live in Texas, and in an area known for shifting foundations. Then we started with a small section, from the center of the living room. I tried to convince B that no one really started in the center...that in such a big room that it would be ok to start along a wall with whole pieces, but he does things the right way, there will be no cutting of corners for this guy! Here's a close up of the tile that we chose - 20" x 20" - BIG tiles!Once the method was perfected, and “the workers” found their rhythm they moved along at a steady pace. Knowing that our house would be a wreck for a few weeks while everything downstairs got moved upstairs was still not enough preparation for the mess that our house has been for the last two weeks. The work went by fast though, slowing only for inclement weather (you can’t lay tile if it’s under 50 degrees outside) and arranging schedules between the workers so that one person didn’t do it all alone. After just one week, this is what we had. Everything was done except for the edges of the room...Doesn't it go well with our wall/trim colors? All but the cuts were done...So B and I spent a LONG night the weekend before last and put in the grout on what we had down. I really thought that the grouting portion of the process would be easier and something that I could help with...yeah, not so much. I mean, I did it. I sucked it up and dealt with it, but bending down on hands and knees or trying to crouch down when you’re five months pregnant doesn’t lend for a lot of grace. And I didn’t start out with much to begin with...so you can imagine the laughter that we had that night! I have no actual pictures of ME doing any of the work, but trust me...laying grout is NOT easy!

I was also really worried about washing my jeans right away...it was easier in the end to just sit on my butt and slide across the tiles. I tried REALLY hard to sit on the tile squares and not on the grout lines, but I knew that I had not been 100% successful. And since I can’t fit into “work” jeans that it’s ok to trash, I washed my maternity jeans immediately upon finishing. It all came out – never fear.

Once the main section was grouted, it was time to start on the cuts...and finish out the room.

After the grout set and cured, "we" sealed it. And then my participation began again with trying to get it cleaned up and all the “tile dust” off of the tiles so that they were pretty. I lost count of how many times the floor was mopped, steamed, stripped and washed. My back probably knows the number, but my head does not.

On Friday/Saturday, B cut/painted and installed the new baseboards, rounding out the look of the living room. Once those were in, we were able to put our living room back together, which was exciting for both of us! It's hard not having a place in your home for the family to congregate...

Just two weeks after starting it all. Not bad considering that two guys did most all of the work. Two guys who had not laid tile ever, or in a long time. Isn’t it beautiful? Our new recliners will be here at the end of this month, which we cannot WAIT to get, and our new TV console will be here sometime in May. Then the room will be re-organized and “finished.”

They started on the kitchen/laundry room/half bath this week...stay tuned for those pics!

Twenty-One Weeks

So...I’m running a bit behind on this post...I know this. You don’t have to point it out to me. You see, I worked REALLY hard over the weekend trying to fix the wireless internet at the house so that I could blog not on the actual desktop computer – apparently I “hog” the computer when I’m at home and no one else EVER gets to use it...so I tried like crazy to fix the wireless internet router thingy and didn’t have any luck. The good news is that I did write them, I just couldn't upload them...but I hogged the computer once more late last night, so you'll have plenty to read this week!

I was productive enough to crank out a few wedding posts, but the baby blog fell behind...oh well. This is what happens when you’re five-and-a-half months pregnant, work full time, and spend most of your weekends remodeling your house...

But I did take the pictures on time, so at least they’re accurate! Yea for me! I’ve hit 21 weeks...which puts me just starting the second half of this pregnancy. Some days the time seems to be flying by (like when I say that I’m 21 weeks) and other days I feel like I’ve been prego forever...I guess that’s the fun of pregnancy.

According to babycenter.com, my little baby boy weighs about three-quarters of a pound now and is approximately 10.5 inches long, which puts him the size (in length) of a carrot this week. They go on to tell me that I may soon feel like he’s practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges – no joke, really?!? (I think that I had already figured that one out, thanks!) They tell me that I may also discover a pattern to his activity as I get to know him better – I can already tell that he’s a stinker...he plays the most when I try to go to sleep at night! In other developments, your baby’s eyelids and eyebrows are now present.

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So...to sum it all up...I’m still baking. Not done yet. Although every time that our cousin Kaylie (who’s 4) comes over, she asks me if the baby is still in my belly. Hmmm...can you SEE my belly?!?! That’s what I feel like asking, but instead, I just smile and say yes. Kiddos. She’s cute, and it makes me laugh.

Here’s my belly shots for the week...

And in case you still feel that I’m on the small side, I had my VERY FIRST stranger ask me when I was due the other day on the elevator. Now, granted this woman had three kids of her own, so if anyone knows another pregnant woman by sight then it would be her. But still, I was flattered to be showing well enough (but still just a little bit) that a complete stranger would ask me about my pregnancy. Maybe it’s rounding out a bit more and doesn’t just look like I’ve put on weight! That would be a good thing...

As far as how I’m feeling? Good, but tired. Really tired. Like my bones ache tired some nights. I know that it’s probably related to all the things that I’m trying to keep up with and help with around the house and all of our projects, but I promise that I’m not overdoing anything. B is VERY protective of what I “can do” since being pregnant impairs more than just my body sometimes...apparently it makes me kind of scatterbrained and I might not be using the best judgment at times on what I can do and not do. Since he’s technically a “first-time dad” I’m trying to let a lot of it slide knowing that he’s looking out for me!

Mentioning scatterbrained, guess who’s forgotten to take her laptop back to work with her two times in the last week? If you guessed me, you’d be right! And neither time was it a I-just-left-the-neighborhood-let-me-turn-around-and-get-it kind of thing. Heck no. It was more of a walking-into-my-office-and-wondering-where-the-hell-did-my-laptop-go? kind of thing...yeah, funny for you...not so much for me.

Other than being tired, I’m feeling good. Most of the ligament pains and twinges that I had a lot of during the first few months of pregnancy have disappeared so that I’m not in pain each and EVERY time that I stand up if I’ve been sitting for a while. I was NOT unhappy to see those go bye-bye...and my nausea seems to have taken a leave of absence for the time being too. I don’t want to jinx myself or anything, because there are still days when I don’t have much of an appetite, but for the most part it seems to be LOTS better.

Ok, I think that’s it. Especially since the week is technically half over (in regards to my pregnancy weeks) already! Catch you later!

Our Baby Boy...

Here's the rest of the pictures from our sonogram this week...it's SO nice to have them on a disc instead of taking a picture of them with my camera. SO MUCH BETTER!

Some profile shots...

They all sort of look the same, so sorry for the repitition...we saw a LOT of other things in the office, feet, hands, organs, spine, ribs, bones and such...but they didn't give me any of those shots.

They did give me some video though, and I think that I got it uploaded on here correctly! Check it out. The first video is of him moving around, mainly putting his hands in front of his face, like he's shy...

The next two videos are of his little hear pumping...one is a view of the heart from the top down and looks really weird. The other is a profile shot where you can see it pumping in his chest...too cool!

Hope you enjoyed!

Twenty Weeks

Well, twenty weeks marks the halfway point in a pregnancy, so congratulations to me – I made it halfway! So much has happened this week...twenty weeks is a big one for most people...we found out the sex of the baby, so I can quit calling the baby “it” or “Ziggy.” Although I like Ziggy and will probably keep that going on the blog for a while. We don’t have the name picked out yet, and I’m not really sure how B will feel about me sharing it, so Ziggy it is for now.

Let’s see. We’ll do the technical stuff first and get that out of the way...according to babycenter.com my baby weighs 10.5 ounces now and he’s around 6.5 inches long from head to bottom, 10 inches long from head to heel. That makes him the size of a banana. (Too cute!) He’s swallowing more these days, which is good practice for later, outside the womb, and he producing meconium, which is a black, sticky by-product of his digestive process. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels and will come out in his first soiled diaper.

Sounds like fun, right?

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From my perspective, this week has been “ripe” with activity. I just started feeling the movements two short weeks ago, but let me tell you, he is one busy boy down there! He’s like a Mexican jumping bean on some days...and other times I can tell that he’s just chilling. He developed a new skill this week – standing on my bladder. Or jumping on my bladder. Feeling the little nudges/kicks on your side and abdomen are one thing...feeling them hit your internal organs, especially ones that tend to stay quite full? Totally separate issue altogether! But at least I know that he’s well.

He was moving around mainly in the evenings when I get settled into bed with a book or a show on TV, but now I’m noticing it all time during the day. Especially right before I eat. It’s like he’s trying to tell me “Hey Mom! Send some more food!” and I can just picture him jerking on the cord as if to prod me along...I know. I don’t know where I get these mental images either...it’s ok.
I didn’t really share any stats from my appt last week, so here you go:

Weight? 0 gain (I had lost three lbs, but gained it back this week, putting me back at my starting weight.)
Stretch marks? None yet. I have some very small ones from my previous pregnancy way around on my sides, but no new ones.
Belly Button – innie/outie? Innie still, but getting flatter. Does that make sense? It’s not as deep as it was, if that’s clearer.
Swelling? None.
Contractions/Signs of Labor? None.
Other Issues? Heartburn. It’s becoming a “good friend” and constant companion. Goes with the territory, I know.

Here’s my belly shots for this week...

Now I see what people keep telling me about how small I still am. I promise you that my belly is getting larger, and with certain clothes that I wear it’s total pregnany-city. But with other clothes, not so much. I got the concept completely when I went in today for my sonogram...the room will filled with other pregnant ladies. Maybe they were all there for their 20 week sono too, I don’t know. But they were ALL bigger than I was. Surely some of them were there for later-on sonos...but I don’t really know. So I hear you now, loud and clear. I’m small. Which is a blessing. Please don’t hear me complaining, because I’m NOT!

So now that we know what we’re having...my thoughts are turning towards registry and nursery décor. Yes, I should be focused on names, but B has sort of settled on one name and nothing else sounds good right now. So we’ve decided to take our time with the naming process. And since I can’t obsess about names, then what’s left but the nursery! Fun times, fun times!

Maybe Old Wives Know Best...

Well, maybe there's something to all of those "tests" after all...IT'S A BOY!!!

Fact? Or Fiction?

A few months ago, back when I was newly pregnant, I saw this post on one of my favorite blogs, Good Finking! You might recognize her from her Weddingbee days as Mrs. SeaBreeze...she writes a really funny blog, and I thought that it was a cute idea to combine old wives tales with the technology of today – an ultrasound.

When I read her list of “tests” that you could do to determine the sex of your baby, I knew immediately that most of them were biased because knowing the outcome, you could influence the answers. So I immediately copied the questions, and then split off the answers, that way when I did the “tests” on myself, I would be able to do the tests without knowing ahead of schedule what the answers were.

So here are the questions, along with my answers and what they’re supposed to mean. If someone else out there in blog-land wants the split up version of the “tests” and answers, just email me and I’ll happily pass along!

Questions:
1. Sleep Position - Pay attention to which way you lay down in bed tonight. Left side or right side?
I normally prefer my right side, even though I know that it’s better for the baby to sleep on my left side. I start out on the left…but typically end up on the right side.

Survey says: If you prefer sleeping on your left side, you’ll have a boy. Right side? You’re pregnant with a girl.

Result - GIRL

2. Upset Stomach - Do you have extreme nausea?
Extreme? That’s such a matter of opinion…but I would have to say no. As bad as it did get, it wasn’t anything like when I was pregnant the first time.

Survey Says: Little girls aren’t always sweet. Extreme nausea indicates that you could be having a girl

Result - BOY

3. Soft or Dry Hands - Have your hands been soft? Or dry during your pregnancy?
If those are the only choices, then soft. I’ve rarely used lotion on my hands this winter.

Survey says: If your hands are dry during pregnancy, you are having a boy; soft—expect a girl.

Result - GIRL

4. Food Cravings - Have you had any cravings for citrus during your pregnancy?
During the first few weeks of my pregnancy, I could not eat enough of those Clementine oranges to keep pace with my supply at home…so yummy. But that happens every winter when they’re in season, so maybe it wasn’t a craving.

Survey says: Your favorite pregnancy foods may tell you what sex the baby is. If you’re craving citrus while pregnant, you’re having a girl.

Result - GIRL

5. Adult Acne - Are you experiencing more break outs than you normally do?
I would say less breakouts than normal.

Survey says: If altering hormones makes your skin break out, expect a girl.

Result - BOY

6. Graceful or Clumsy Pregnancy - Do you feel as though you’re gliding through the day? Or stumbling along?
Umm…hello? This is me that we’re talking about. I’ve NEVER graceful…even without being pregnant. I’m the most accident-prone person that I know, so I throw this question out based on bias.

Survey says: If you feel as though you’re gliding through they day, you’ll have a girl. Stumbling? It’s a boy.

Result – BOY – even though I STILL think that this question is biased…

7. Face Weight Gain - Has your face filled in more so than normal?
I’ve actually had people tell me that I look like I’ve lost weight in my face.

Survey says: If your face gets fuller, it means you’re having a girl.

Result - BOY

8. Sugar and Spice Food Cravings - Are your cravings leaning towards salty? Or sweet?
Honestly? Both. When I was really, really nauseous salty was best, but sucking on a piece of hard candy (Sweet) would also help. Since the nausea has passed, my sweet tooth has been in full swing.

Survey says: Craving salt during pregnancy? Potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn means a boy is on the way. Need a little something sweet? Ice cream, chocolate, and candy means you’re having a girl.

Result – I’ve liked/eaten ALL of those things. FAIL on this test.

9. Mood Changes - Are you having mood-swings?
I would say no. My husband might answer that question differently!

Survey says: If you’re experiencing pregnant mood-swings, expect a baby girl to arrive soon.

Result - BOY

10. High or Low Pregnant Belly - Are you carrying high or low?
I think that it’s still a little early to answer this question. Right now, the baby is still really low. I remember with my first baby that I carried her higher, but if I carried her this low at 20 weeks, I don’t remember. She was higher towards the end, so maybe it’s too early to answer this question.

Survey says: If you’re carrying the baby low on your stomach, expect a boy. If it’s high, you’re having a girl.

Result – BOY (based on my current answer)

11. Baby Weight - Are you carrying your baby towards the front only? Or is the weight spaced all around your middle?
Another question that might be better asked later on during the pregnancy. Right now, it’s all out in front, but I’ve got just a small bump so it’s hard to say.

Survey says: If you’re carrying baby in front, it’s a boy. Is the baby weight spaced all around your middle? It’s a girl.

Result – BOY (again, based on my current answer)

12. Pendulum Test - Dangle a chain with a charm over your palm. Note how it’s swinging – is it back and forth or in a circle?
My necklace went back and forth.

Survey says: If it swings back and forth: boy. In a circle: girl.

Result - BOY

13. Model Your Hands - “Show me your hands.” Have someone ask to see your hands. Note the position of your palms.
Palms down.

Survey says: If you would hold your hands palms up it’s a girl. Down? You’re having a boy.

Result - BOY

14. Toddler Advice - Get baby advice from a nephew or friend’s little boy. Notice how much interest he shows in your belly…
Didn’t have one handy…sorry.

Survey says: If a toddler boy shows interest in your belly, you’ll have a girl. If he ignores you, it’s a boy.

Result – lack of toddler around? FAIL on this test.

15. Eat Garlic - Guess the baby’s sex by eating garlic. Make a note of how your body smells after consuming and processing your meal.
I have tried this. I haven’t noticed anything weird with the garlic.

Survey says: If the smell seeps out of your pores it’s a boy. If there’s no scent it’s a little girl.

Result - GIRL

16. Key to Pregnancy - Pick up a key (not on a chain) that’s laying on a table. Note which end you pick it up by.
I don’t know about you, but getting the key OFF of the key ring was the hardest part of this test…I picked it up by the large end (where the hole is).

Survey says: If you pick up a key by the round end, you’re having a boy. If it’s by the long end? A girl.

Result - BOY

17. Even and Odd Numbers - What type of number is your age, even or odd? What type of number is the year of your baby’s conception?
My age at conception is an odd number. The year of conception was an odd number.

Survey says: If your age and year of conception are both even or odd, it’s girl. One even, one odd means a boy.

Result - GIRL

18. Baby’s Heartbeat - Make a note how many beats per minute the baby’s heart rate is at your OB appts. Keep track over the first few months…
First appt – upper 160’s
Second appt – 143-155
Third appt – 142-150

Survey says: If the baby’s heart beats more than 150 times per minute, you’re pregnant with a girl. Less than 150, it’s a boy.

Result – BOY (from the last appt only)

19. Stress Test - Think back to when you conceived your baby. Which parent was less stressed? Mom-to-be or Dad-to-be?
I think that I was less stressed. He was out of work and worried about things…I was enjoying the honeymoon.

Survey says: A child tends to be of the same sex as the parent who is less stressed at the time of conception.

Result – GIRL

20. Dream Meanings - Are you having any dreams about your baby? Are they predominately about a baby girl or a baby boy?
I rarely dream. Or rather, I rarely remember my dreams. When I do dream (and remember them) and the baby is in the dream, I don’t think that I know what sex it is. So, my answer would be netiher.

Survey says: If you dream about having a girl while pregnant, you will wind up having a boy and vice versa.

Result – FAIL on this test. Sorry, that makes three!

21. Breast Size - Using a mirror, or your husband, judge if your breasts are the same size or if one is larger than the other. Make a note of which one is larger, if that’s the case.
I think that my left one is larger. My husband’s answer was that they’ve both gotten gi-normous…nice, huh?

Survey says: If your right breast is larger than the left while pregnant, you are having a girl. If the left is larger, it’s a baby boy.

Result - BOY

* Source

There’s also the Chinese Gender Chart which some people swear by, but I’ve seen several different versions of it and I don’t know which version is the real one: this one or this one.

First chart – Girl
Second chart – Boy

So, doing a quick tally, it looks like we’ve got 7 “tests” pointing towards Girl, and 13 “tests” pointing towards Boy…seems like the Old Wives might be leaning more towards a boy.

We’ll find out if there’s any truth to this or if it’s all a bunch of hooey this afternoon. Wish me luck and cooperation from Ziggy!

Is it Still a Vegetable?

Here’s a question for cyber-space out there...

If something is covered in ooey-deliciouness is it technically still considered a vegetable?

Need more information? Let me provide you with some visual aids...and possibly an explanation.
It started as this... And some of this... And magically ended up as this...from here. (AKA, the BEST place on earth!)

source (1, 2, and 3)

So even though it’s covered in mayonnaise and other bound to be not good for me ingredients, does a serving of Chick-Fil-A cole slaw still count as a vegetable on my food tally for the day?

My vote is a resounding YES! But I have a sneaking suspicion that when my hubby gets around to asking about my vegetable intake (which is low, if I’m honest) for the day, he’ll vote that cole slaw doesn’t fully count. I might be half a credit, but I’ll have to fight tooth and nail for that credit!

It’s not just B that worries about what I eat. I worry about it too. Not enough most times, but now while pregnant, I’m really trying to eat a more balanced diet. I’m honestly trying to eat things that I don’t like, just because I know that they’re good for me. Things like vegetables and yogurt and more whole-grains than bleached and processed grains. That Ziggy needs these things for proper growth and development. (There’s a small part of me that will argue that last point...J turned out just fine on a diet of Count Chocula cereal (yes, they still make that!), raw potatoes and tomatoes while I was pregnant – don’t hate on me it was all that would stay down!)
Most days, I don’t win this battle. I really hate the texture of yogurt...I tried making smoothies, I can still taste it. I can still feel it slithering down my throat. When I know that I’m not eating enough vegetables, I down some V8 fruit juice...yes, it smells and doesn’t exactly taste like any strawberry-banana anything else I’ve ever had, but if I hold my nose, I can stand to drink a glass morning and night.

Today, I added cole slaw to my meal...to count for a vegetable. But in the back of my mind, I’m thinking that it really doesn’t count...but at least I drank sweet tea instead of Coke...maybe that will earn back my other half a point?

My Man Works Hard!

He thinks that he doesn’t work that hard right now. You might remember, if you’re a long-time reader, that I posted right before our wedding about B getting laid off. We both worked for the same company and we each made it through the first round of layoffs that happened in April of last year. Then B didn’t make it through the second round that happened in August. I’m still here, but sit on pins and needles some months as we’ve gone through two more rounds of layoffs since August.

Luckily for us, the timing hit just right. Well, I thought that it did. B was free to help with the last minute errands and running around that inevitably happen before a wedding, and then he had time off for our honeymoon, our friend’s wedding in CA and the holidays. Right after the holidays, he buckled down and started really searching for a job. He’s gotten a few nibbles, but only one offer and it wasn’t worth taking. So to say that he’s had some time on his hands is probably the understatement of the year.

For those of you that are married, you understand the concept of a “honey do” list. Well, we’ve had one started since before the wedding. B bought his house a few years before I moved in, and had done nothing to it. And when I say nothing, I really mean nothing. And apparently the previous owners didn’t believe in the whole making-your-house-your-home concept either, because when I moved in last year every single wall in the house was still white. Yep, you read that right. The house was about 7-10 years old at this point, and every single wall in the house was still the original flat white. Except that since 7-10 years have passed, they’re more of a dingy white with brown corners...since we have kids who run through the house, grabbing onto wall corners to skid around the corner. Yeah.

To say that the house needed some “love” would be another understatement. We started talking about things to do before I moved in, but realistically with the wedding that we wanted to throw and pay for, we knew that home remodeling (even just painting) would have to be put on the back burner for the time being. That time is now. Ever since the wedding, the talks about what to do with the house to make it our home have turned more serious. Since B is out of work right now, there is a slight cash-flow problem, but we had purposely saved the last chunk of his severance to work on the downstairs of the house. Between that savings and the generous gifts of friends and family from the wedding and/or Christmas, we had accumulated another few hundred dollars to spend between Lowe’s and Home Depot.

We finally started two weeks ago. And let me tell you – there are places that I hurt that haven’t hurt since I started P90X workouts before our wedding. Seriously. Home remodeling is hard work. It’s totally worth it, but totally draining. Add on top of that being pregnant and you’ve got some serious zappage to the energy levels...which could explain lack of posting?!?! Maybe?!?!

So I thought that you might be interested in seeing our progress so far...or maybe I should say B’s progress so far. I’ve helped, but mostly just on the weekends and with the concept of what I wanted and how things could be. He’s the worker bee, the executioner of my grand designs...and he does DARN good work! See for yourself...

Some before shots of our living/dining room...which opens to the breakfast nook/kitchen making the downstairs mostly one big L-shaped room. See those white walls? Yeah. I don’t think that I need to say more...

And the carpet? The original carpet from the house...once again, 7-10 years old. That’s being torn out this week...of course, you can't SEE the carpet...but trust me. It's in bad shape. You'll have to forgive the clutter taking up most of those shots...that's all of our living room crap shoved out away from all walls... So here’s what we did in stages. First comes the painting... And more painting... And still MORE painting...did I mention that it’s a LARGE room? You probably didn't think so since I forgot to take the Before shots BEFORE we actually started painting, so they were all taken from just the side that wasn't painted!We even took the color up the stairway... Next comes trimming out the top of the room with some thin crown molding...a far off shot...

We went with a smaller crown molding because our walls aren't that high. Crown molding comes so wide these days, and it looks great, if you have the wall height to carry it off. I was worried that with our standard height walls, that using a 3 or 4 inch crown molding would "shrink" our room sizing down, so smaller it was...

Here's some close-ups...

Check out the corner work that he did!

B had never hung crown molding before last week...he taught himself with the help of Google...yes, that’s Google-able...I think that he did a FABULOUS job!

And then some more trim work that I did this past weekend on the window sills...

Eventually, all of the trim downstairs will be the darker brown color...And look how lovely our color scheme goes with our Christmas present from Main Britney last year!

Perfect! And it wasn’t even planned that way!

So that’s where we are. We spent this past weekend painting most of the kitchen the same colors as the living room and hanging the same crown molding in there as well. I forgot to take pics of that...so maybe I’ll grab some in the next few days. We didn’t finish the area right around the sliding glass doors, the window above the sink or the space of walls between counter tops and underneath the cabinets...so that’s why I didn’t take those shots yet.

B was in a hurry to start demo-ing out the carpet and old tile floors...hopefully I can make it home today before he gets too much of the old tile out so that I can get some before pics! It’s a constant work in progress, but I’ll keep you updated.