Weekends are for Snoozing...

Especially when one is sick. I'm thankful for them. If I do say so myself... and I do. :) Saturday was relaxing. I was able to rest a lot. The only thing we really wanted to do yesterday was find a good deal on a washer/dryer set to purchase. (I think what we have now was purchased c. 1970! It's even that dirty mustard color that's coming back into style these days.) Anyway, we almost didn't make it out due to my illness but then decided to go at the last minute. We made it to the mall by 8pm-ish. Actually, not a bad time to go on the Saturday after Thanksgiving since most of the crowds were gone by then! It was easy to find a salesperson to help us too. I think we made our selection, purchased it, and were outta there no later than 9pm! We even had time to stop for a snack and take a quick peek in Borders before the mall closed (at 10pm).

I don't know if I over-did it last night but I was too exhausted to make it to church this morning! I hate being stuck in bed!! Thank goodness the Dr hasn't placed me on bed-rest! I would go crazy!!! Yet today was another day stuck at home, in bed... or on the couch... whichever was most comfy at the time. I did alternate quite a bit. Nothing too exciting today though... just takin' it easy.

Black Friday...

Normally, I would've worked today but I had requested it off to do some "combat shopping" with Brent. My plans were foiled, however, when I woke up with the worst cough and congestion ever!! Needless to say, I stayed home and slept! My mom and sister came over later to check in and they both said that it sounded like I may have bronchitis. My next OB appt is in 4 days and I don't wanna have to be seen before then. I started taking Robitussin Cough & Congestion and that helped more than the Tylenol and Sudafed did. At least I have a couple more days before I have to go back to work. Hopefully, this will clear up before then. It's probably a good thing I stayed home today anyway... I keep hearing about HUGE lines everywhere and people getting trampled! How sad that a material item is so important that people can't stop to help someone up! And, seriously, wouldn't one be the least bit concerned if the walking terrain had changed from a hard flat surface to a step up onto something a little more pliable?? For real, c'mon people!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Despite being sick, today was a good day. It's always good when we can spend the holiday with family! Brent and I got up at 7 this morning to put the bird in the oven... after all the preparations, we finally managed to toss it in there by 8am. Whew! What a chore! It was a big bird though... almost 18 lbs! (To clarify: not THE Big Bird... just a big bird... one that we didn't even know.) ;) We ended up going back to bed to rest for a little while and then I got up just in time for the Macy's T-day Parade. We started working on some of the other side dishes while watching the parade and then Jodi and kids got here at about 11:30am. Mom and Bill got here around noon and dinner was on the table by 2pm. Everything was so delicious! We had a good time of visiting but then Bill needed to get some rest so they had to leave. Jodi and kids went to visit a friend for a little while but then returned to have pie and play games later this evening. We have so much to be thankful for!

Mom and me during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Belly Week 32

Preface: Doggone it! I just tried to publish this post as my computer was freezing up and, for some reason, it didn't save! Ugh! Now I have to try and remember what I wrote. Blasted computer!

Belly week 32 - Notes: Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I wish I were feeling better. I'm afraid Brent may have to help more than he's accustomed to. I'm excited that my folks are here though. We're gonna have a full house for sure! Baby is moving around lots. I'm feeling and looking pretty BIG now. I'm also compiling a list of recommended must-haves before baby's arrival. We have a bunch of stuff already... but there's certainly more to get. I'm not yet feeling like there's a rush to get stuff done though. We have plenty o' time! ;)

Where Did The Week Go?

This has been one whirlwind of a week! On Friday, Brent and I decided to have a date night. We went to see Kung Fu Panda at the cheap seats - cute flick! The weekend was fairly relaxing though... Saturday was our group night but one of the couples couldn't be there so we ended up having a game night! And what's a game night without yummy snacks? Not as delicious, that's what! It was quite fun! We did a little bit of cleaning on Sunday to prepare for my folks coming over during the Thanksgiving holiday. All the while, I'm needing to take it slow because I'm still not much better from this sickness that seems to be going on and on... without end. Monday, at work, was extremely draining... but there was still some cleaning that needed to be done at home that evening, so I had no time to rest. By Tuesday, I was sounding and feeling worse but I can't really afford to take more time off this month. So, I went to work with an ample supply of Tylenol Cold & Sinus. Mom and Bill made it into town this evening so we met them at Wendy's for dinner. Jodi and kids were there too... it was quite the lively party at Wendy's! After dinner, Brent and I still had some grocery shopping to do. That made for a bit of a late night. Only one more day of work before I get 4 days off! YAY! Today, Wednesday, I almost didn't make it to work... but I dragged myself there. Still congested, exhausted, coughing and, as the day wore on, more and more hoarse, I actually made it through the day!! Despite the fact that I was pretty much there by myself for the last 20 minutes since no one even told me they were leaving!! Aargh!!!! SO FRUSTRATING!! Thankfully, mom was able to make it over to our place to start on dinner for the evening - Yay for mom! We had beef stew, biscuits, and Jell-o with raspberries in it. YUM! Plus, I really do love it when everyone can get together. Now I just hope I can get enough rest to make it through the remainder of the week. :)

Snowy Saturday!

It's snowing!! For the first time this season!! And the flakes are HUGE! I just ran outside to try to get a picture but the snowflakes blend in with the overcast sky. And it's not sticking to the ground at all... too wet! Darn. But it sure is fun to watch. I'm sure there will be plenty of other times this season to get great snow pics. Next time, I'll take the picture with a darker and more solid background. :)

Back To Work

I finally went back to work today, although I didn't want to. I really would've been content to sleep for another day but, alas, I got myself up and to work this gray and blustery day. Thank goodness Debbie offered to work the front desk for me because I felt like I was in a dazed stupor (is that repetitive?) all day long! Hopefully I didn't make too many mistakes! Folks tend to get a little cranky if they're scheduled on a different day than they originally planned. At least I made it through the day. Tomorrow should be better. I'll go to bed early and take a nighttime Sudafed to help me sleep.

Belly Week 31

Belly week 31 - I am now most comfortable sleeping:
a) On my back... No way, José!!
b) On my side... Most likely. And with a bunch of pillows under, on and around me!
c) I'll take it any way I can get it!... Most definitely!!

I am now getting up to pee about 3-4 times a night!

Other notes: Well, I had to call in sick again today. It really isn't any fun to be sick while pregnant! There's not much I can take for it and I'm hoping that whatever I have doesn't turn into a sinus infection... or any kind of infection, for that matter. The baby's still doing great though. Moving around lots and the movements are much bigger now! My whole belly will do this perpetual wave-like motion, back and forth... It's quite bizarre to watch and to feel! Brent and I can't wait to meet this little guy! :)

Will It Ever End?

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. This is the 2nd day this week that I've had to call in sick. I'm extremely drained and all I wanna do is sleep. I don't even have anything new and/or note-worthy to write about... just sickness. Icky, gross, snotty sickness. I'll tell you what though: I have been downing the orange juice, 100% grape juice, Sierra Mist, and chicken noodle soup like it's goin' outta style! Mmm, yummy! :)

It's Baaaaack!

My cold. It decided to visit me again... or maybe still. Maybe it didn't fully disappear. Whatever the case, it's back with a vengence. I didn't even go to church today. Pretty much slept all day long... other than drinking o.j. and water and eating chicken noodle soup. Mostly the same symptoms as before: achy and congested... only now I'm coughing up a bunch of junk too. Yuck. I don't know if I'll be able to make it to work tomorrow... I'm feeling really drained this time around. Ugh. I hate being sick and calling in sick. Well, back to the Tylenol and Sudafed routine.

Childbirth Preparation Class

Honestly, I don't think a one day (7 hour) class can possibly squeeze in everything there is to know about preparing for childbirth!! I do think the class was helpful and informative... at least, it answered most of my current questions. But, as my pregnancy progresses, I know I'll have more questions... and, really, only time will tell if I'll even be able to stick to the birthing plan that I'd like to experience. They do say to "stay flexible"... which I have no problem doing. There are so many "what ifs" in labor and delivery, how could I not stay flexible?

All in all, the class was good. We practiced some breathing techniques and different things the dad-to-be can do to help mom-to-be during labor. We were also able to try out helpful positions for labor and delivery for those who might opt out of pain meds. (A couple of which Brent whispered, "Isn't this what got us here in the first place?") ;D That made me laugh. We also watched a few videos which were definitely eye-openers for me! After the very 1st one I turned to Brent and said, "I think I'm a little more freaked out now than I was before!!" Of course, we learned afterward that all the women in the 1st video were going completely natural - no pain meds at all!! Whew. That was a relief!

Our instructor, Marsha, told the guys that they could try on an 'Empathy Belly' if they so desired. Aha! Now I knew the reason for the cameras! :) Only a handful of guys wanted to try it on... and Brent was not one of them. He said, "I just lost 38 lbs. I already know what that feels like." Needless to say, I didn't take any pictures. Oh well. At least I have one picture of Brent with his 'belly'. :D It was taken at one of my first OB visits.

In summary, I know that every birthing experience is unique. Ideally, I'd like to be able to stay mobile through as much of the labor as possible and maybe try some of the techniques I've learned. I'm hoping that I'm not in so much pain from the get-go that I'm crying for an epidural as soon as I get to the hospital. I know that being upright (at least partially) will utilize the gravitational forces to my benefit... rather than being confined to lying in bed for the duration. I'm certainly not against pain meds though! If I need 'em, I'll ask! .....

My mind keeps going back to one of the final episodes of 'Mad About You' when Jamie is about to give birth. She was set on not taking any pain meds... until it was too late. She had asked the Dr for an epidural and the Dr said that she missed her window of opportunity. So Jamie screams, "Well then BREAK THE WINDOW!" Funny stuff.

Enjoy your day!

My Seventh OB Visit

These appts are getting quite predictable by now. :) I know I hopped on the scale but I don't even remember what the outcome was this time. I'll have to ask next time. BP was good again: 120/80. Gave pee. Discussed bloodwork from last time: I'm not anemic nor am I diabetic - WHEW! Thank goodness! Dr King checked baby's heartbeat (140) and measured... although, I forgot to ask my measurements... again. Next time.

Just a few questions for Dr King this time:

Q: Hands and feet tend to get really puffy now. What's the best way to alleviate that?

A: Drink lots of water, elevate feet in the evening, watch sodium intake, don't sit or stand for long periods of time.

Q: Is it too late for a dental cleaning at this point?

A: Nope. Go ahead and get that done if you want to.

Q: How do you feel about Birth Plans?

A: I don't mind them at all. It's good info and lets me know how you'd like your birthing experience to go. We can go over it together next time if you'd like.

The estimated size of baby today is almost 3 lbs and 15.7" long (like a head of cabbage).

Baby Hiccups, Perhaps?

I think I felt the baby hiccupping today. My belly was kind of bopping up and down in a rhythmic pattern, so I just figured that's what it was. I've heard they're normal for the belly-bound babes... and that it helps with lung maturation (or something like that?)... but I know that it bugs the heck outta me when I get the hiccups so I kinda felt bad for the little guy. :) It didn't last too long though, so I guess that's ok. ;)

Belly Week 30!!

Belly week 30 - Notes: I guess this means I'm 3/4 of the way done!! YAHOO!! Just about 10 weeks to go... I'm so excited! I've been feeling a little more puffy these days. Just call me Puff Mommy. ;) I told Brent that I have "prankles" and he said, "What's that?" I said, "Preggo ankles." And he chuckled. I still get nervous when I don't feel the baby moving around much. This morning was one of those times... he wasn't moving much at all. Finally, after lunch, I jostled my belly a little... well, that must've awakened him 'cause he hasn't been very still since! :) I haven't given up on my quest to find a comfy sleeping position. I may just have to move myself out to the recliner if the bed gets too uncomfy. Only time will tell.

"Your Bank Account"

My mother-in-law sent this e-mail to me and I thought it was a good reminder... so I'm posting it:

This is AWESOME… something we should all remember.
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room yet. Just wait!"
"That doesn' t have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away just for this time in my life."
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from it what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Preggo Day!

I don't know if there are days when one can feel more pregnant than others... but I am feeling very pregnant today!! I could barely stay standing during the time of singing at church! And when it was time for the message... I just wanted to sleep. This kiddo is getting bigger, for sure... and I think it's taking a toll on my body. Now I'm just praying that I can make it the rest of the way without collapsing from exhaustion! I don't know... do I look tired to you?

Lazy Day

Brent and I love sleeping in on Saturdays! He usually sleeps longer than I do since I can't seem to handle the lying down position for more than a few hours at a time these days. I think I finally got out of bed at around 9am... so I grabbed a bowl of cereal and did some computing (e-mails, etc.). Brent finally got up and then I started some laundry. He decided to play a video game for a little while. All of a sudden, he comes running around the corner to go grab some more presentable clothes. I ask what's going on and he said, "At first I thought we were going to be visited by some 'J-dubs'... but I looked again and it's my Aunt Nadine!" So, in turn, I get up and run, frantically, to find some more presentable clothes for myself! It turns out, NNU's Homecoming Weekend is this weekend and she was just over at the live auction representing her class and visiting with folks. She decided to bid on a basket full of baby goodies and won it!! So she brought it over to give to us!! How sweet is that?!? Then she said she'd like to go grab a bite to eat with us. We ended up going to the Little Kitchen in Downtown Nampa and had a wonderful time visiting with her.

Tonight was fun, too! We have our small group Bible study on Saturday nights and tonight we celebrated Jamie's birthday! We had yummy food: pizza, nachos, salad, cake and ice cream! And we had a great time visiting and 'playing' with balloons! We did have a short time of prayer for each other. It's a good thing that I was to pray last because, when it came my turn, I abruptly burst into hysterical laughter at the fact that one of the kitties was playing with and chewing on my ponytail!! I totally couldn't help myself. It was one of those times when you know you're not supposed to laugh so it makes you want to laugh all the more!! I was laughing so hard I was crying!! At that point, I'm pretty sure the mood was ruined. All I could do was apologize... I couldn't even pray! Thank goodness God has a sense of humor! Perhaps He knew we needed to laugh. :D Good times!

Linea Nigra

I noticed mine today. That dark line that runs from the belly button, downward. I wasn't sure if I'd get one or not since some women do and some don't. It seems to me that they're more prominent on women with darker skin tones... and the majority of the pictures I see are of darker women. Anyway, I thought it was cool to see one on me... and I thought I'd share. That was the only real significant thing that happened today. :)

Belly Week 29

Belly week 29 - More things that I miss from life-before-the-belly:
a) Walking sans waddle... yes
b) My lap... yes
c) Normal undies... and yes. Hey, don't judge me... this is what they had in the book. :)

Other notes: Seems like this kiddo hardly sits still anymore! Although he moves mostly around meal times... before (To let me know he's hungry), during (Perhaps to say: hey, thanks for thinkin' of me! Or: yum, this is quite tasty!) and afterward (Now he's just playing contentedly). I'd really prefer that he not use my bladder as a punching bag... but what can ya do? Here's a wish list that the preggo me has come up with:

1. To be able to wait longer than an hour or two before needing to use the restroom again.
2. To get more than 2 or 3 hours of comfy sleep at a time.
3. To be able to bend over to pick something up off the floor or to just tie my shoes.
4. It'd be nice to have my pre-preggo selection of clothes again.
5. To get up and down from a sitting position without making weird, involuntary noises.

But, then again, here's why I don't mind putting up with all that (this is the cool part):

1. We're finally having a baby!
2. I love being able to feel him move inside me.
3. It's fun to watch Brent talk to my belly.
4. I like having something in common with all the other mothers out there.
5. I get to be the one to make our parents grandparents this time. :)

Tuesday = Sick Day #2 + Voting Day

I'm feeling a little better today but still not well enough to get myself to work. Maybe all the rest and o.j. really is helping... 'cause I've gotta say: There ain't much a preggo can take in the way of OTC cold remedies! Mostly just Tylenol... and maybe Sudafed. Sudafed. That word just sounds like a person is stuffy, doesn't it? :D I'm glad I was able to muster the strength to take a shower today. Showers can make any sicko feel better. :) I wanted to surprise Brent today by doing some dishes... but that still required too much energy. Bummer. He said he'd come home early today so that we can beat the after-work crowd to the polls. Yay! Maybe the walk across the street to the Brandt Center in the crisp air will do me good.

That did not take long at all!! I think we completed the whole process in the span of about 10-15 minutes! Now we can just hunker down and watch it all pan out on any one of the plethera of t.v. channels covering it all. That should be fun. I think I'm most excited about the fact that there will be no more campaign ads on the boob tube for a very long time. :)

Monday = Sick Day

Well, it happened. I am in the throes of sickness. Boo. I called in sick today... good thing, 'cause I can't hardly move around. Who gave this to me?? Whoever did it, I really wanna sock 'em in the arm! Although, I'd probably be too weak to even attempt that. I stayed in bed most of the morning. In fact, I'm sure I could've stayed in bed even longer... the only reason I got up is because I knew I had to feed this growing bundle o' joy inside me. Yay for bland, yet brothy, chicken noodle soup!! And pulp-free o.j. Boo for daytime t.v. And campaign ads. Can't wait 'til those are gone! Although, I am excited for election day tomorrow. Ooo, and guess what I got in the mail?? I got a Prospective Juror Questionnaire for Canyon County!! What fun! And for the whole month of December, too!! Hmm. I would have to say: Any other non-pregnant day, Jury Duty might be quite interesting... but this might be a little too close for comfort to my due date. I'll have to call my Dr and see what she says...

Sunday = Sleep Day

I may have done too much on Friday night and Saturday because today I really started to feel worn down! Our plan was to do some grocery shopping after church but I was soooo exhausted! Brent brought me home to sleep while he went out and did the shopping! Have I mentioned what a great hubby I have?? I think he must've spent a good 3 hours meandering aisles and going through coupons to try and find the best deals. And he saved over $11 in coupons - not bad!! I woke up as he was putting the groceries away. I wanted to help him but I was too weak, achy and congested to do anything! So I continued to rest. Ugh... I don't wanna be sick! :(

El Dia de los Muertos

I'm not too familiar with this Mexican holiday but Brent and I were invited by friends to attend a celebration with dancing and yummy, authentic ethnic food. It was held at the Hispanic Cultural Center in Nampa and our friend, Alejandra, was one of the dancers. To give an idea of what it's about, I'll copy the little blurb that was in the program:

*El Dia de los Muertos on November 1st and 2nd is an important religious holiday in Mexico. Also called All Souls Day, it is an occasion marked by festive celebrations to honor the dead. Cemeteries are cleaned and decorated, special food and candies cooked, and home altars are designed in homage to one's ancestors. It is a day of joyous remembrance, not of sadness. The special songs, poems, foods and toys created for El Dia de los Muertos reflect this outlook.

We had such a fun time watching the very colorful dancers and eating some very scrumptious food!! It's certainly not scary or gross like what our American Halloween has turned into. It's meant to be respectful and honoring of those who have passed on before us. I would say it's more like a Memorial Day... only more celebratory, not sad.