Last week I had to go into the doctor's office and spend two hours of my life doing a glucose test. It involved getting my blood drawn three separate times and downing a bottle of the grossest orange liquid ever. (Unfairly, the liquid was the exact color of McDonald's Orange Drink but tasted nothing like that wonderful nectar.) Anyways, during this extended stay, one of the nurses was telling me that pregnant women have amazing immune systems and rarely get the flu or bad colds. I was like that's awesome because it never fails that I get a really bad cold right before or right after the holidays. How great to finally get something out of this pregnancy other than a second chin and the ability to eat an entire sleeve of Ritz crackers with peanut butter.
So, why did I wake up yesterday with the absolute WORST COLD I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE?!?! Where is that nurse when I can't breathe without blowing my nose every three minutes and coughing up stuff that looks exactly like slime from Double Dare? I can't wait to go into that office next week and tell her what I think of her super pregnant immune system idea! That cold was just waiting for me to let down my guard so it could attack!
On the bright side, I've eaten almost an entire super sized bag of Skittles. I'm pretty sure my mom used to say "starve a fever, feed a cold." This cold is going to get fed right out of my body. See ya!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, Daddy and Daisy are the BEST team of caretakers when you're sick. Daddy makes sure you take your medicine and are eating right, and Daisy snuggles right up next to you all day and smothers you with kisses. It's hard not to feel better after just a few hours of that! I hope you're not in there sneezing - although the thought of that is a little adorable.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Thanks for the double chin, Santa!
This weekend, I had my first baby shower! It was amazing and made me cry. I will spare you the video of my trying to give a thank you speech near the end of the shower where I did not put more than two coherent sentences together. A big SORRY goes out to my Speech Team coach, Mr. Harris, who would've been most disappointed in my attempt to separate my emotions from the content of the speech. It was no 1st Place Tippecanoe County in the 6th Grade Drama Division effort, that's for sure! Oh, Little Matchstick Girl, you were the high point of my competitive speaking career. I digress. So, the shower was beautiful and I've never felt more love toward my little growing family as I did that day. It still is crazy to me how much love you can feel towards someone (eggplant in this case) that you've never even met - who's not even born!
But...(you knew there was a catch right)...I just got around to looking at the photos my wonderful sister-in-law took at the shower, and egad, all those women who were telling me how beautiful I looked must be blind! Like, they must seriously be in need of an eye exam and a stronger glasses or contact prescription STAT because poking out where it wasn't invited in all of these pictures is none other than.....my dreaded double chin. That double chin and I have a long history just like the number on the scale that will not be discussed. Just so this isn't a long post where I whine the entire time again, here is a picture of me practicing to be a mom at the shower holding the most precious little elf of a girl:
You can see double chin rearing it's ugly head in this photo, and also notice how B is not the only one attracted to my larger bosom. Little girl was very interested in holding onto the twins as well! Here's a cute one of the parents to be:
B is sooo cute!!! Ok, cute overload is done. Let's get back to the elephant in the room.
So, basically, I can trace back my obsession with the shape of my face and the number of chins that face has to my father. For those who have met my father, you probably remember his easy smile and laugh, his kindness, and his amazing hugs (seriously, you haven't lived until you've hugged that man!). You also may remember that his head looks a lot like Charlie Brown's in that it's quite round. In fact, the story goes that when my mother told my grandmother that she was marrying my father, my grandmother made a comment about how all of their children would have round heads! Well, grandma, you were only 1/3 correct, as I am the only child that received this blessing. I actually always loved that I shared this characteristic with my father - who wouldn't want to be like him - he's adorable! It's just that for some reason extra weight loves to hang off that pretty much non existent chin of the round faced person.
So, here is my Christmas wish. Extra weight, I have been lucky to see you mostly settle in my belly bump area until now. You are slowly creeping into other places now where you are most unwanted. Please, be directed to my chest area where you were collecting so beautifully before, and leave my little chin alone!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, you are the size of a two pound rump roast right now! Your nostrils are open and you're practicing taking breaths in and out. You're growing up so fast, and I haven't even met you yet! So far,you seem to prefer the sounds of the nightly news over The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, so your father and I are both overjoyed. Somehow I feel more responsible for the world that we're bringing you into than I did when it was just your daddy and I. We're watching the debates and keeping track of issues that are important to us and having real conversations about what it all means. You are making us smarter, baby, and we love you for that!
But...(you knew there was a catch right)...I just got around to looking at the photos my wonderful sister-in-law took at the shower, and egad, all those women who were telling me how beautiful I looked must be blind! Like, they must seriously be in need of an eye exam and a stronger glasses or contact prescription STAT because poking out where it wasn't invited in all of these pictures is none other than.....my dreaded double chin. That double chin and I have a long history just like the number on the scale that will not be discussed. Just so this isn't a long post where I whine the entire time again, here is a picture of me practicing to be a mom at the shower holding the most precious little elf of a girl:
You can see double chin rearing it's ugly head in this photo, and also notice how B is not the only one attracted to my larger bosom. Little girl was very interested in holding onto the twins as well! Here's a cute one of the parents to be:
B is sooo cute!!! Ok, cute overload is done. Let's get back to the elephant in the room.
So, basically, I can trace back my obsession with the shape of my face and the number of chins that face has to my father. For those who have met my father, you probably remember his easy smile and laugh, his kindness, and his amazing hugs (seriously, you haven't lived until you've hugged that man!). You also may remember that his head looks a lot like Charlie Brown's in that it's quite round. In fact, the story goes that when my mother told my grandmother that she was marrying my father, my grandmother made a comment about how all of their children would have round heads! Well, grandma, you were only 1/3 correct, as I am the only child that received this blessing. I actually always loved that I shared this characteristic with my father - who wouldn't want to be like him - he's adorable! It's just that for some reason extra weight loves to hang off that pretty much non existent chin of the round faced person.
So, here is my Christmas wish. Extra weight, I have been lucky to see you mostly settle in my belly bump area until now. You are slowly creeping into other places now where you are most unwanted. Please, be directed to my chest area where you were collecting so beautifully before, and leave my little chin alone!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, you are the size of a two pound rump roast right now! Your nostrils are open and you're practicing taking breaths in and out. You're growing up so fast, and I haven't even met you yet! So far,you seem to prefer the sounds of the nightly news over The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, so your father and I are both overjoyed. Somehow I feel more responsible for the world that we're bringing you into than I did when it was just your daddy and I. We're watching the debates and keeping track of issues that are important to us and having real conversations about what it all means. You are making us smarter, baby, and we love you for that!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Deck the Two Bedroom Apartment
This really has nothing to do with being pregnant or eggplant at all. I just wanted to show everyone how pretty our apartment looks all decorated for the Season of Lights (check me out being all politically correct and stuff). We bought our tree a block from our place and carried it home. City living at its best and most convenient!
Good thing we're not going to be totally rocking her world by bringing a wrinkly screaming newborn home in a couple of months. Ooops. Sorry, Daisy, hope you enjoy that spot under the table.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, it's so crazy to think that next Christmas you will be here and you will be 10 months old. I am really glad you came along because I have a pretty good case for buying new stockings since we presently only have two. I don't think that Daddy will share his.
Christmas threw up all over our living room, y'all! In order to put that tree in the corner, we had to move Daisy's dog bed in front of the fireplace. She hasn't stepped paw in it since then. She really doesn't like change....like at all. In fact, here is her solution to change....hiding underneath the dining room table.
Good thing we're not going to be totally rocking her world by bringing a wrinkly screaming newborn home in a couple of months. Ooops. Sorry, Daisy, hope you enjoy that spot under the table.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, it's so crazy to think that next Christmas you will be here and you will be 10 months old. I am really glad you came along because I have a pretty good case for buying new stockings since we presently only have two. I don't think that Daddy will share his.
Christmastime is the best time for pregnantime!
Being pregnant during the holidays is awesome. You want to know why??
I get to eat all these cookies from the comfort of my stretchy maternity pants. Pregnancy for the win! B and I decorated these cookies a few nights ago, and there are quite a few gone. Here is a cheesy picture that B set up of me putting my "bun in the oven". Please disregard my closed eyes. I was probably laughing and calling B "Daaaaad" like I always do when he suggests something borderline lame.
When we lived in Texas, my girlfriends loved B so much they were always inviting him out for girls nights with us mostly because he was such a dad. He drove us around, told awful jokes, played Bob Seeger too loud, and made sure no creepy guys were bothering us. Eggplant is going to be sooo embarrassed. I can't wait.
B's "dadness" is definitely one of my favorite things about him. I just love that guy. How can you resist this face?
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, there are lots of things that I hope you learn from me. I hope you learn to use your imagination and creativity, I hope you learn to love learning and knowledge, and I hope you learn how important patience and kindness are. But, baby, I REALLY hope you don't learn how to pout from me. If you pout even 1/4 as well as I do, Daddy and I are in trouble. I caught myself pouting the other day about something, and Daddy caved right in. I looked at him and said "uh-oh". Maybe you'll just inherit my huge caterpillar eyebrows instead.
I get to eat all these cookies from the comfort of my stretchy maternity pants. Pregnancy for the win! B and I decorated these cookies a few nights ago, and there are quite a few gone. Here is a cheesy picture that B set up of me putting my "bun in the oven". Please disregard my closed eyes. I was probably laughing and calling B "Daaaaad" like I always do when he suggests something borderline lame.
When we lived in Texas, my girlfriends loved B so much they were always inviting him out for girls nights with us mostly because he was such a dad. He drove us around, told awful jokes, played Bob Seeger too loud, and made sure no creepy guys were bothering us. Eggplant is going to be sooo embarrassed. I can't wait.
B's "dadness" is definitely one of my favorite things about him. I just love that guy. How can you resist this face?
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, there are lots of things that I hope you learn from me. I hope you learn to use your imagination and creativity, I hope you learn to love learning and knowledge, and I hope you learn how important patience and kindness are. But, baby, I REALLY hope you don't learn how to pout from me. If you pout even 1/4 as well as I do, Daddy and I are in trouble. I caught myself pouting the other day about something, and Daddy caved right in. I looked at him and said "uh-oh". Maybe you'll just inherit my huge caterpillar eyebrows instead.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
The Dreaded Number
Yesterday at the doctor's office, I stepped on the scale and instead of looking away like I normally do, I looked right down at those numbers. Guess what was staring right back up at me?! The dreaded number I swore I would never see on a scale on which I was standing ever again. (Of course I'm not going to divulge that number - a lady needs to keep some secrets!)
This number and I go WAY back. We first met midway through my freshman year of college when my poison of choice was the 24hr McDonald's we had in the food court of my boyfriend of the moment's dorm. Oh, how I could take down a double quarter pounder with cheese back then...usually as a late night snack after I'd already had a full dinner and some soft serve ice cream. The second time I met this number was shortly after moving to Chicago after undergrad. Somehow being completely broke and not knowing a single person in the city led to weekends of me eating Chinese food and brownies in bed (full disclosure: I may or may not have cooked those brownies before consumption).
Each time I met that number I somehow managed to put down the cheeseburgers and brownie batter and step away from the kitchen and into the gym. However, here we are at our third meeting, number, and I have no choice but to give into you and accept that you will only grow larger over the next three months. You have won for now, but it's much easier to swallow knowing those extra pounds are little eggplant and not grease and chocolate.
Also, number, watch out once eggplant and I hit the lakefront path with our stroller. Your days will be limited!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, yesterday I got my hair cut and it looked beautiful - so full of body and shine - I was in love with what my stylist, Cassie, had done! This morning, I woke up and tried to replicate Cassie's work, and honey, it looks like I piled straw on my head in the shape of a mullet. After my arm almost fell off from trying to blow dry it with a round brush, I resorted to the straightening iron. I look sort of like a J. Crew version of Joan Jett. Not good, baby, not good. Let's hope you're a boy, or if you're a girl that you love ponytails with bumps and crooked braids.
This number and I go WAY back. We first met midway through my freshman year of college when my poison of choice was the 24hr McDonald's we had in the food court of my boyfriend of the moment's dorm. Oh, how I could take down a double quarter pounder with cheese back then...usually as a late night snack after I'd already had a full dinner and some soft serve ice cream. The second time I met this number was shortly after moving to Chicago after undergrad. Somehow being completely broke and not knowing a single person in the city led to weekends of me eating Chinese food and brownies in bed (full disclosure: I may or may not have cooked those brownies before consumption).
Each time I met that number I somehow managed to put down the cheeseburgers and brownie batter and step away from the kitchen and into the gym. However, here we are at our third meeting, number, and I have no choice but to give into you and accept that you will only grow larger over the next three months. You have won for now, but it's much easier to swallow knowing those extra pounds are little eggplant and not grease and chocolate.
Also, number, watch out once eggplant and I hit the lakefront path with our stroller. Your days will be limited!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, yesterday I got my hair cut and it looked beautiful - so full of body and shine - I was in love with what my stylist, Cassie, had done! This morning, I woke up and tried to replicate Cassie's work, and honey, it looks like I piled straw on my head in the shape of a mullet. After my arm almost fell off from trying to blow dry it with a round brush, I resorted to the straightening iron. I look sort of like a J. Crew version of Joan Jett. Not good, baby, not good. Let's hope you're a boy, or if you're a girl that you love ponytails with bumps and crooked braids.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
UFC Fighting Champion
25 weeks and 4/7, and eggplant is getting really strong. Like REALLY strong. Eggplant is in there preparing for his or her first UFC cage match I think - probably jumping rope, eating raw eggs, and listening to "Eye of the Tiger". Last night B and I were sitting on the couch enjoying our nightly popsicles and I could not stop watching my stomach move all over the place. For 15 straight minutes, I sustained punches and kicks until finally I told eggplant to knock it off. "It's time for bed, little baby," I said. Then, I made the mistake of trying to sing it a lullabye. I barely got out the first verse of Rockabye Baby before I got a swift kick right to the middle of my stomach. B said, "Whoa."
Now, baby, I'm not sure if you were just trying to show me who the boss is, or if you really didn't like my singing, but I have never seen your Daddy laugh so hard in my life. (Just for the record, I was in Honors Choir in elementary school and participated in Circle the State With Song two years in a row, so I've got some vocal skills - so there, baby!) After a long and exhausting holiday weekend, it was such a great moment just sitting there on the couch laughing until we cried while eggplant tap danced shuffle-ball-changes all over my stomach.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, we are only three months away from seeing your little face. I had a dream the other night that my Pappy was holding you and rocking you in a rocking chair on his front porch. I woke up with tears of joy in my eyes because I know that he's up in heaven looking down and watching all of us.
Now, baby, I'm not sure if you were just trying to show me who the boss is, or if you really didn't like my singing, but I have never seen your Daddy laugh so hard in my life. (Just for the record, I was in Honors Choir in elementary school and participated in Circle the State With Song two years in a row, so I've got some vocal skills - so there, baby!) After a long and exhausting holiday weekend, it was such a great moment just sitting there on the couch laughing until we cried while eggplant tap danced shuffle-ball-changes all over my stomach.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, we are only three months away from seeing your little face. I had a dream the other night that my Pappy was holding you and rocking you in a rocking chair on his front porch. I woke up with tears of joy in my eyes because I know that he's up in heaven looking down and watching all of us.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Obsessed
Over the years, my friends (cough, cough - Aunt Thrill, Aunt Karl, and Aunt Wheela) have laughed at my unhealthy (on my wallet) obsession with the clothing store J. Crew. Looks like papaya will be introduced to their classic lines and timeless silhouettes much sooner than I anticipated because guess who just came out with a baby line??!!
I am dying.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I know it's possible that you will reject the preppy style that I will absolutely be dressing you in until further notice, but can you skip over that whole goth phase if possible? Black lipstick does not do anyone any favors. Momma says so.
Well, nobody told me about this one!
There are lots of pregnancy symptoms that I've been prepared to face due to the 952 books I've read on the subject since last July (see previous overachiever post). I know all about stretch marks, varicose veins, leg cramps, and even the dreaded pregnancy mask which I hope to never encounter. Seriously, google that if you don't know what it is - some crazy pictures came up when I did. I'm starting to understand why my doctor told me to step away from the computer!
Anyways, the symptom that I hadn't read about anywhere but that is seriously terrorizing me at the present moment is.....sweaty palms! Weird, huh? I constantly feel like I'm in 6th grade again scared to hold a boy's hand and constantly rubbing my palms on my pant legs. Last night I was doing some work on my laptop and when I moved my hands off the keyboard the keys were all wet. Gross! What if I just happen to run into the President and he wants to shake my hand and I sweat all over him? Sorry, Mr. President, don't mind me, I'm just pregnant!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, you attended your first country concert on Friday night, and you were doing a little boot scootin boogie all night in my belly. The lead singer said "our kids won't even know what real country music is", but you will. It's the music Momma and Daddy fell in love to, and of course you'll pretend to hate it for the first 16 years of your life, but you'll come around.
Anyways, the symptom that I hadn't read about anywhere but that is seriously terrorizing me at the present moment is.....sweaty palms! Weird, huh? I constantly feel like I'm in 6th grade again scared to hold a boy's hand and constantly rubbing my palms on my pant legs. Last night I was doing some work on my laptop and when I moved my hands off the keyboard the keys were all wet. Gross! What if I just happen to run into the President and he wants to shake my hand and I sweat all over him? Sorry, Mr. President, don't mind me, I'm just pregnant!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, you attended your first country concert on Friday night, and you were doing a little boot scootin boogie all night in my belly. The lead singer said "our kids won't even know what real country music is", but you will. It's the music Momma and Daddy fell in love to, and of course you'll pretend to hate it for the first 16 years of your life, but you'll come around.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
24 weeks!
Man, I look like I need a good night's sleep, don't I? Or maybe just a new bronzer. I'm having trouble accepting this shade of pale.
I turned in my final project for my Fall Quarter class on Wednesday. SO glad to be done with that class, but knowing I have two more classes to conquer before papaya makes his or her big debut makes me want to cry. I know I can do it, but can I do it and still maintain my 4.0 GPA? B is going to throw something against the wall when he reads that. I can't help that I"m an overachiever. Won't it be great when I'm as dedicated to changing diapers and making the perfect bottle as I am currently to my schoolwork? I'm going to score an A+ in rocking papaya to sleep because I won't settle for less. I'm sure someone will knock on the door one day and say, "Oh my, that baby has perfectly combed hair and smells like just the right mix of baby powder and vanilla. Here's your blue ribbon!" What? That's not how raising kids works? Let me live in my overachiever dreamworld just a little longer.
Speaking of dreamworlds, I made the mistake of going to see "Breaking Dawn" in the theatre with my girlfriends today. For those of you who know what that is, I know I'm about 10 years older than the target demographic for the vampire romance, but I can't resist cheesy crap like that. It's just so light and requires no thought even when it's trying to be dark and complicated. Anyways, y'all, there is an insane birth scene in this movie that rivals the one I accidentally watched on National Geographic a couple weeks ago. Let's just say it involved ridiculous amounts of screaming and the baby's father using his teeth to get the baby out. My friends said they looked over and thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head and/or I was going to throw up. So glad B is not a vampire and that we're pretty sure papaya is 100% human....
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, Daddy felt you moving for the first time this week. We could see your little feet or fists moving against my belly, and it was the most amazing thing ever. You are getting SO strong. I'm convinced you're in there practicing your Irish dancing....I'm housing the next Lord of the Dance in my belly!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
So Thankful!
B and I have been talking alot this month about being thankful for what we have and our wonderful life together. Everyday we try to share one thing that we are thankful for with each other. Usually it goes something like this:
AK: I am thankful for bagels because they taste really good.
B: I am thankful for having Daisy in our lives because she has really taught us what unconditional love is all about.
He. always. wins.
I think maybe he should start going first so that I know how high the bar is set. Today, I do want to share something (really someone) that I am extremely thankful for (and no, I'm not going to say Ryan Gosling although I do very much enjoy looking at him). B and I, are so lucky and thankful to have two very special people in our lives, our good friends, J and C. See photo below:
J has been my closest and most trusted friend and confidant since we were just fourteen year old girls waiting on our rides after cheerleading camp. We've been through proms, college graduation, a handful of close calls with the law (just kidding, Mom), several awful haircuts, and just plain learning how to grow up together. She was the one who introduced me to B, the only boy I dated that she EVER approved of. Now, as you can see, we're also going through impending motherhood together. There is no one in the world I would want to be going through this with other than her. Whether it's been a shoulder to cry on when I couldn't fit into my last pair of real jeans anymore or simply someone to share heartbeat stats with after an appointment who actually understands why it's exciting, she has been there.
The reaction from friends when they found out we were both expecting was hilarious and said with a sarcastic eye roll. "Of course you're both pregnant - you've always done everything together." It's true, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I can only hope and wish that someday you will have a friend in your life like Aunt J. You will need someone you trust to tell you if your cologne is too strong or your skirt is too short, and of course Momma won't know ANYTHING! Oh, having a friend like that will relieve so much of your angst in the years to come.
AK: I am thankful for bagels because they taste really good.
B: I am thankful for having Daisy in our lives because she has really taught us what unconditional love is all about.
He. always. wins.
I think maybe he should start going first so that I know how high the bar is set. Today, I do want to share something (really someone) that I am extremely thankful for (and no, I'm not going to say Ryan Gosling although I do very much enjoy looking at him). B and I, are so lucky and thankful to have two very special people in our lives, our good friends, J and C. See photo below:
J has been my closest and most trusted friend and confidant since we were just fourteen year old girls waiting on our rides after cheerleading camp. We've been through proms, college graduation, a handful of close calls with the law (just kidding, Mom), several awful haircuts, and just plain learning how to grow up together. She was the one who introduced me to B, the only boy I dated that she EVER approved of. Now, as you can see, we're also going through impending motherhood together. There is no one in the world I would want to be going through this with other than her. Whether it's been a shoulder to cry on when I couldn't fit into my last pair of real jeans anymore or simply someone to share heartbeat stats with after an appointment who actually understands why it's exciting, she has been there.
The reaction from friends when they found out we were both expecting was hilarious and said with a sarcastic eye roll. "Of course you're both pregnant - you've always done everything together." It's true, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I can only hope and wish that someday you will have a friend in your life like Aunt J. You will need someone you trust to tell you if your cologne is too strong or your skirt is too short, and of course Momma won't know ANYTHING! Oh, having a friend like that will relieve so much of your angst in the years to come.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Warning: This Video Causes Uncontrollable Weeping
Have any of you seen this??
This just warms my little heart on a cold Chicago morning when my winter coat just baaaarely zipped over my belly.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, we've been saying your name a lot around our apartment lately. Daddy is always saying "hello, Baby" or "good morning, Baby" or "Mommy's feet stink, Baby." Unfortunately, to the D.O.G. of the house, your name sounds a whole lot like her name. So, she is constantly jumping up and getting in our bizness when we're trying to have a nice moment with you. I think she's just excited to meet you too. Here is what you need to know about Daisy. She loves socks and licking bare feet. She will love you forever if you rub just the right spot on her back. She has a few anxiety issues that she's working on, but really, who doesn't? She is the most loving creature your Dad and I have ever met. I think you're going to be best friends!
This just warms my little heart on a cold Chicago morning when my winter coat just baaaarely zipped over my belly.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, we've been saying your name a lot around our apartment lately. Daddy is always saying "hello, Baby" or "good morning, Baby" or "Mommy's feet stink, Baby." Unfortunately, to the D.O.G. of the house, your name sounds a whole lot like her name. So, she is constantly jumping up and getting in our bizness when we're trying to have a nice moment with you. I think she's just excited to meet you too. Here is what you need to know about Daisy. She loves socks and licking bare feet. She will love you forever if you rub just the right spot on her back. She has a few anxiety issues that she's working on, but really, who doesn't? She is the most loving creature your Dad and I have ever met. I think you're going to be best friends!
Monday, November 7, 2011
22 weeks - grow baby, grow!
Hi y'all! I feel like I have really popped over the past week or so. Still seem to be all belly for now, but I'm sure my emotional bagel and peach sorbet eating will catch up to me at some point.
That is one crazy high ponytail. You know what they say...the higher the hair, the closer to God! Also, I just had to share this outtake where Daisy decided to photobomb the picture. We've been practicing the "put your paws on Mommy's belly pose" and she decided to whip it out and make killer eye contact with the camera. What a ham.
That is one crazy high ponytail. You know what they say...the higher the hair, the closer to God! Also, I just had to share this outtake where Daisy decided to photobomb the picture. We've been practicing the "put your paws on Mommy's belly pose" and she decided to whip it out and make killer eye contact with the camera. What a ham.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, Da Bears are on Monday Night Football tonight! I have stretched my Brian Urlacher shirt across my belly and officially made you the littlest Bears fan out there. BEAR DOWN, little one!
Library Baby!
I'm working away on a paper that's due on Wednesday at the library right now. A guy I met in a class last year just walked past me carrying the most adorable little baby boy in a Baby Bjorn. That little guy is just smiling and kicking his feet - he is so happy to be at the library! Now they are walking up and down the aisles gathering books and baby boy is squealing with delight. I only hope my baby will be that excited surrounded by books. I would like nothing more than for cantaloupe to be a big book nerd like me. Yes, I'm weird. Pre-pregnancy, when my mind was actually working, I loved school, taking classes, doing my course readings, participating in debates, going to the library for entire days, etc. Is it too much to ask that our kid takes after me in that department?
I can't get over how cute this kid is - I can just see myself now walking around some library in the future with a baby strapped to my chest working on my Doctorate. Ha - just kidding - B, is probably shooting himself right now.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I cried over getting a B+ on a paper last week. That is ridiculous. I will never put the type of pressure I put on myself on you. If you get straight C's in school but kick some butt at making grilled cheese or painting self portraits using only your feet, I will be overjoyed. I only want you to find something that makes you happy. Hopefully for the near future, Daddy and I will be that something :-)
I can't get over how cute this kid is - I can just see myself now walking around some library in the future with a baby strapped to my chest working on my Doctorate. Ha - just kidding - B, is probably shooting himself right now.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I cried over getting a B+ on a paper last week. That is ridiculous. I will never put the type of pressure I put on myself on you. If you get straight C's in school but kick some butt at making grilled cheese or painting self portraits using only your feet, I will be overjoyed. I only want you to find something that makes you happy. Hopefully for the near future, Daddy and I will be that something :-)
Big Mistake
Yesterday was a blustery day in Chicago that found me taking a four hour snugly nap in bed with Daisy and watching awful movies like "The Day After Tomorrow" (I cried when Jake Gyllenhaal's character couldn't convince the others to stay at the library instead of walking out into their impending doom) and "She's Too Young" (a Lifetime movie about a high school syphilis outbreak - thanks for the heads up on that one, Karl!). While flipping through channels trying to find my next cinematic treat, I made the big, no HUGE, mistake of stopping on the Discovery Channel and witnessing the horror of a woman giving birth.
If I had not seen the title of the show, I would have thought this woman was going through an exorcism, and not welcoming a baby into the world. The only sound I can even compare her screaming to is the absolute terror shrieks coming from hogs when they are forced into chutes to have their ears notched and nose rings inserted. I know the amount of people reading this that have actually experienced that sound is extremely small, so the rest of you will just have to take my word on this. IT IS AWFUL. So, of course, like any good train wreck, I could not take my eyes off of this "birth". I was absolutely frozen in bed unable to change the channel. (By the way, what woman in her right mind allows a camera crew to document this - I mean this was graphic, and she did not have a hair and makeup team there touching her up)
Luckily for me, the show was almost over, so I only was subjected to about 15 minutes of blood spurting and animalistic screaming. Shortly after the show was over and I blinked for the first time, B came into the bedroom to check on me. I told him I had two important things to tell him. First, Jake Gyllenhaal and his friends survived, and his dad even made it to New York to save them - again! Second, I've decided not to have this baby, and do you think it is possible to push our belly buttons together and let the baby live in you for a little while?
B realized that I was definitely a little cuckoo at this point, and I admitted that I had done the unthinkable and watched a live birth. Oh, the blood and the screaming and the scissors the doctor used to make a little snip and the baby's huge head...I mean HUGE head! He's trying to reassure me that he didn't have a huge head, but I KNOW he was a fat baby - he's just trying to keep me from running to Jewel/Osco for an entire gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream and 12 pack of Krispy Kremes at this point. (I eat my feelings, ok!)
Somehow, he managed to talk me down off the ledge and assure me that no matter how much blood and screaming and snipping there is, he will still love me after I push cantaloupe out of my body. I thanked him and then searched as far ahead as I could on the Discovery Channel's guide to make sure that show was not playing again anytime soon because I know it would just draw me back to it like a moth to the flame!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, you are one whole pound this week - hopefully that scary spine of yours is getting some nice padding! Supposedly you can taste what I'm eating through the amniotic fluid, so I've been trying to introduce you to a wide array of worldly cuisine. You've had Greek, Chinese, Italian, and Mexican so far. Such a good excuse to go out to eat - I mean, of course I'm totally doing this for your benefit so you're not a picky eater, I'm getting absolutely no enjoyment out of it :-)
If I had not seen the title of the show, I would have thought this woman was going through an exorcism, and not welcoming a baby into the world. The only sound I can even compare her screaming to is the absolute terror shrieks coming from hogs when they are forced into chutes to have their ears notched and nose rings inserted. I know the amount of people reading this that have actually experienced that sound is extremely small, so the rest of you will just have to take my word on this. IT IS AWFUL. So, of course, like any good train wreck, I could not take my eyes off of this "birth". I was absolutely frozen in bed unable to change the channel. (By the way, what woman in her right mind allows a camera crew to document this - I mean this was graphic, and she did not have a hair and makeup team there touching her up)
Luckily for me, the show was almost over, so I only was subjected to about 15 minutes of blood spurting and animalistic screaming. Shortly after the show was over and I blinked for the first time, B came into the bedroom to check on me. I told him I had two important things to tell him. First, Jake Gyllenhaal and his friends survived, and his dad even made it to New York to save them - again! Second, I've decided not to have this baby, and do you think it is possible to push our belly buttons together and let the baby live in you for a little while?
B realized that I was definitely a little cuckoo at this point, and I admitted that I had done the unthinkable and watched a live birth. Oh, the blood and the screaming and the scissors the doctor used to make a little snip and the baby's huge head...I mean HUGE head! He's trying to reassure me that he didn't have a huge head, but I KNOW he was a fat baby - he's just trying to keep me from running to Jewel/Osco for an entire gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream and 12 pack of Krispy Kremes at this point. (I eat my feelings, ok!)
Somehow, he managed to talk me down off the ledge and assure me that no matter how much blood and screaming and snipping there is, he will still love me after I push cantaloupe out of my body. I thanked him and then searched as far ahead as I could on the Discovery Channel's guide to make sure that show was not playing again anytime soon because I know it would just draw me back to it like a moth to the flame!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, you are one whole pound this week - hopefully that scary spine of yours is getting some nice padding! Supposedly you can taste what I'm eating through the amniotic fluid, so I've been trying to introduce you to a wide array of worldly cuisine. You've had Greek, Chinese, Italian, and Mexican so far. Such a good excuse to go out to eat - I mean, of course I'm totally doing this for your benefit so you're not a picky eater, I'm getting absolutely no enjoyment out of it :-)
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Big City Baby
As you guys know, I was born and raised on a farm in the country. I might have titled this blog "Small Town Girl", but in reality, that small town was still a good car ride away. In the summer I played in the sand pile, ate fresh vegetables out of a garden in the backyard ( I didn't eat canned green beans from a store until college!), and spent Saturday afternoons eating lunch with my dad and all his farmer friends at the local diner. I could walk out into our yard and hit a baseball as far as I wanted without hitting anything but a corn field or a barn, and my first time behind the wheel of a vehicle was at the age of 10 because somebody had to help and I was the only one left. It sounds like an idyllic childhood, for me, it was. I'm sure my mom will tell you there were days when I wouldn't come out of my room because no one would drive me the 20 minutes to the mall to meet my friends, but what I remember the most was reading books up in my favorite climbing tree and riding snowmobiles on the many days when snow and wind had made it impossible to leave the house any other way.
One of my biggest fears about bringing this baby into our world is not the fact that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, but that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing in a big city where I don't even have experience being a kid! I'm an expert at making dolls from hollyhocks and going on nature walks with a walking stick I picked up out of the yard - do city kids like this sort of thing? I feel like I need to observe the neighborhood kids and see what they do all day. I'm sure no one would call the police on me if I sat in the corner of the neighborhood park with my binoculars, right? What?! It's just research!
I'm sure we'll figure it all out - I mean B did grow up in the suburbs, so he has a little more city action under his belt than I do. Also, how cool is it going to be for cantaloupe to grow up visiting the Chicago Children's Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Cubs games, and eating Chicago style pizza? Chicago is going to be his or her hometown! I'm jealous just for the shear ease with which he/she will be able to answer the question "where are you from"? "West Point, a little town in Indiana outside of Lafayette which is right across the river from Purdue University", doesn't just roll off your tongue, you know? Most people's eyes just sort of glaze over after the first part and assume I meant West Point the United States Military Academy. Cantaloupe will just get to say "Chi-town represent!" Is it weird to be jealous of my unborn child?
Chicago, it's cantaloupe's kind of town!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I am 21 weeks along right now, and you are the size of a banana! I am currently not eating bananas because of this, and I also just sang Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" to remember how to spell banana. "Let me hear you say, this sh*t (PARENTAL CENSOR) is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S." Ok, no pearls of wisdom today from Momma. Momma needs to go home and do some yoga and recenter herself and eat like five handfuls of leftover Halloween candy. Namaste.
One of my biggest fears about bringing this baby into our world is not the fact that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, but that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing in a big city where I don't even have experience being a kid! I'm an expert at making dolls from hollyhocks and going on nature walks with a walking stick I picked up out of the yard - do city kids like this sort of thing? I feel like I need to observe the neighborhood kids and see what they do all day. I'm sure no one would call the police on me if I sat in the corner of the neighborhood park with my binoculars, right? What?! It's just research!
I'm sure we'll figure it all out - I mean B did grow up in the suburbs, so he has a little more city action under his belt than I do. Also, how cool is it going to be for cantaloupe to grow up visiting the Chicago Children's Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Cubs games, and eating Chicago style pizza? Chicago is going to be his or her hometown! I'm jealous just for the shear ease with which he/she will be able to answer the question "where are you from"? "West Point, a little town in Indiana outside of Lafayette which is right across the river from Purdue University", doesn't just roll off your tongue, you know? Most people's eyes just sort of glaze over after the first part and assume I meant West Point the United States Military Academy. Cantaloupe will just get to say "Chi-town represent!" Is it weird to be jealous of my unborn child?
Chicago, it's cantaloupe's kind of town!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I am 21 weeks along right now, and you are the size of a banana! I am currently not eating bananas because of this, and I also just sang Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" to remember how to spell banana. "Let me hear you say, this sh*t (PARENTAL CENSOR) is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S." Ok, no pearls of wisdom today from Momma. Momma needs to go home and do some yoga and recenter herself and eat like five handfuls of leftover Halloween candy. Namaste.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
It's a little bit funny...this feeling insiiiiiide
Yes, the title is a line from an Elton John song that is currently on the list of songs that are making me cry along with:
"Someone Like You" Adele (ok, this song is a little stalkerish, but please, Adele, never get happy! Your pain is our gain!)
"Brighter Than Sunshine" Aqualung (yes, I made the mistake of listening to B and I's first dance song in my weakened emotional state...4 times in a row just this morning)
"The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" (ok, I'm not even going to try and explain this one)
What I really wanted to talk about when I wrote that title was cantaloupe's gymnastic abilities of late. Elton John was on the right track because it's more than a little bit funny, this feeling inside! I think we may have the next Mary Lou Retton (She's a 10!) baking inside of me for all of the somersaults and flips I've been feeling lately. When there is even the slightest sign of movement (which sometimes sadly just turns out to be gas), I stop everything I'm doing and just sit as still as possible until it's over. I can't concentrate on anything while the Cirque du Soleil is performing....not work, definitely not homework, and least of all any story that B is trying to tell me (p.s. he tells the LONGEST stories ever). All I can do is sit there and think "holy crap, there is really something living in there - I don't just have a large bee sting on my belly!" I think a classmate of mine whose wife is also pregnant summed it up best last night when he said "there is a parasite inside of you - I have no idea how you even have the brainpower to get out of bed in the morning."
Hopefully cantaloupe gets a little bit stronger soon so B can feel everything from the outside. I hate not being able to share this with him yet, but then again, he didn't share those 18 weeks of morning sickness with me either, maybe I deserve this all to myself for just a little bit.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, when you are 12 months old, we are going to have you hang from a broom by your hands to test your gymnastic potential. This is what the Romanians do. They also ship their kids off to live at the gym when they're like 5, but we still have some time to think about that.
"Someone Like You" Adele (ok, this song is a little stalkerish, but please, Adele, never get happy! Your pain is our gain!)
"Brighter Than Sunshine" Aqualung (yes, I made the mistake of listening to B and I's first dance song in my weakened emotional state...4 times in a row just this morning)
"The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" (ok, I'm not even going to try and explain this one)
What I really wanted to talk about when I wrote that title was cantaloupe's gymnastic abilities of late. Elton John was on the right track because it's more than a little bit funny, this feeling inside! I think we may have the next Mary Lou Retton (She's a 10!) baking inside of me for all of the somersaults and flips I've been feeling lately. When there is even the slightest sign of movement (which sometimes sadly just turns out to be gas), I stop everything I'm doing and just sit as still as possible until it's over. I can't concentrate on anything while the Cirque du Soleil is performing....not work, definitely not homework, and least of all any story that B is trying to tell me (p.s. he tells the LONGEST stories ever). All I can do is sit there and think "holy crap, there is really something living in there - I don't just have a large bee sting on my belly!" I think a classmate of mine whose wife is also pregnant summed it up best last night when he said "there is a parasite inside of you - I have no idea how you even have the brainpower to get out of bed in the morning."
Hopefully cantaloupe gets a little bit stronger soon so B can feel everything from the outside. I hate not being able to share this with him yet, but then again, he didn't share those 18 weeks of morning sickness with me either, maybe I deserve this all to myself for just a little bit.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, when you are 12 months old, we are going to have you hang from a broom by your hands to test your gymnastic potential. This is what the Romanians do. They also ship their kids off to live at the gym when they're like 5, but we still have some time to think about that.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Week 20 - Cantaloupe minus the listeria
20 weeks - half way!
The leaves are falling, cantaloupe is kicking, and those Johnson & Johnson "a baby changes everything" commercials are making me a big cry baby! Today, cantaloupe's crib and dresser were delivered and even though we don't have room in our current apartment to take them out of the boxes, we are so excited. I tried to convince B that we should put the crib together and let Daisy sleep in it, but he didn't think that was a great idea.
Speaking of Daisy, she has been quite the little snuggler lately. It's like she knows her time as the baby of the family is coming to an end, and she is soaking up all of the attention she can get. At night, she wants to sleep up in between our heads on the pillows and during the day she's either laying at our feet or curled up next to us on the couch. I think she's just happy that I'm not spending so much time in the bathroom as I was when she had to lay outside the door and stand watch. That made her pretty anxious - haha! We've been practicing a new trick that hopefully I'll be able to unveil on here next week. Let's just say that she's going to be a good big sister!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I can't stop looking at Halloween costumes for babies! Did you know they make tiny hot dog costumes? Everyone knows Momma loves hot dogs!!
The leaves are falling, cantaloupe is kicking, and those Johnson & Johnson "a baby changes everything" commercials are making me a big cry baby! Today, cantaloupe's crib and dresser were delivered and even though we don't have room in our current apartment to take them out of the boxes, we are so excited. I tried to convince B that we should put the crib together and let Daisy sleep in it, but he didn't think that was a great idea.
Speaking of Daisy, she has been quite the little snuggler lately. It's like she knows her time as the baby of the family is coming to an end, and she is soaking up all of the attention she can get. At night, she wants to sleep up in between our heads on the pillows and during the day she's either laying at our feet or curled up next to us on the couch. I think she's just happy that I'm not spending so much time in the bathroom as I was when she had to lay outside the door and stand watch. That made her pretty anxious - haha! We've been practicing a new trick that hopefully I'll be able to unveil on here next week. Let's just say that she's going to be a good big sister!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I can't stop looking at Halloween costumes for babies! Did you know they make tiny hot dog costumes? Everyone knows Momma loves hot dogs!!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Baby Killed My Brain
I have been sitting in the library computer lab for almost 45 minutes and have successfully strung together two sentences of my eight page paper I am attempting to write.
"I want fried chicken. I wonder if I can lean my forehead against the computer screen and write my paper by osmosis."
I don't think I'll be able to actually keep either of those in the final draft of my paper: "Social Emotional Learning and the Emotional and Behavioral Disabled Child." UGH! Where did my focus and drive go? I'll tell you where it went...down the drain with my svelte bod and acne free skin. The baby is making me STOOPID!
It is kind of funny to walk around the library all pregnant and stuff. Since there isn't a large population of grad students or PhD candidates hanging out on campus, I get the weirdest looks from the younguns. I've had very polite young men hold doors for me, offer to carry stacks of books for me, and give up their places on the elevator. Next thing I know they're going to be offering to escort me across the street like some 80 year old granny with a walker! I kind of want to wear a name tag that says "Yes, I'm old and pregnant, but I'm a married grad student - it was planned!"
I better go, I think I just came up with sentence number three.
"I have to pee."
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, while attending a baby shower for a friend over the weekend, I overheard some other expectant mothers talking about the books they are reading to their bumps. I hope you like journal articles titled, "Building inclusive education on social and emotional learning challenges and perspectives - a review" because that is what I will be lulling you to sleep with tonight. Who needs "Goodnight Moon" when you've got this not at all zzzz inducing material?!
"I want fried chicken. I wonder if I can lean my forehead against the computer screen and write my paper by osmosis."
I don't think I'll be able to actually keep either of those in the final draft of my paper: "Social Emotional Learning and the Emotional and Behavioral Disabled Child." UGH! Where did my focus and drive go? I'll tell you where it went...down the drain with my svelte bod and acne free skin. The baby is making me STOOPID!
It is kind of funny to walk around the library all pregnant and stuff. Since there isn't a large population of grad students or PhD candidates hanging out on campus, I get the weirdest looks from the younguns. I've had very polite young men hold doors for me, offer to carry stacks of books for me, and give up their places on the elevator. Next thing I know they're going to be offering to escort me across the street like some 80 year old granny with a walker! I kind of want to wear a name tag that says "Yes, I'm old and pregnant, but I'm a married grad student - it was planned!"
I better go, I think I just came up with sentence number three.
"I have to pee."
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, while attending a baby shower for a friend over the weekend, I overheard some other expectant mothers talking about the books they are reading to their bumps. I hope you like journal articles titled, "Building inclusive education on social and emotional learning challenges and perspectives - a review" because that is what I will be lulling you to sleep with tonight. Who needs "Goodnight Moon" when you've got this not at all zzzz inducing material?!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Don't Stop Believin', Baby F
OMG - Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Journey. If you know B and I at all, you know that Don't Stop Believin' is "our song". I can't wait to pump this up on the stereo...I mean, softly play this as sweet potato drifts off to sleep. Enjoy!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I hope they're still playing this song at Harry's when we take you there for your 21st birthday. Daddy and I will embarrass the crap out of you...out of love of course!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I hope they're still playing this song at Harry's when we take you there for your 21st birthday. Daddy and I will embarrass the crap out of you...out of love of course!
Not America's Next Top Fetus Model
The weather here is downright miserable! Overnight it turned cold and rainy - yuck. Of course, hoping to avoid any delays, I booked the absolute first appointment available (8 AM) for my monthly checkup this morning. Let's just say that B and I stayed up way too late last night watching Friends on Nick @ Nite and chatting about how nervous and excited we were to see the baby again on the ultrasound at the appointment. So, the thought of seeing sweet potato's face was the only thing that pulled us out of bed and into the wet dreary Chicago morning.
At our last ultrasound, sweet potato was an absolute rock star. Elite Modeling actually sent us a contract that's how photogenic the little thing was. We couldn't wait to see some more adorable thumb sucking pictures and share them with everyone. Unfortunately, a bit of my stubborn streak was apparent in our little model this morning. (Hey, at least I know something of me is in there! It's really my kid!) I had felt lots of wiggling around this morning, so I wasn't surprised to see that little sweet potato was basically standing up in the womb with arms waving in the air. Here's the best picture of the bunch:
Ok, I'm not one to sugar coat, so here it goes: this is not a cute picture. In fact, this picture scared the crap out of B and I! We joked about this being an alien baby, but we didn't really want it to so closely resemble one! At least sweet potato has clearly already picked out his/her Halloween costume (skeleton...duh) so we won't have to worry about fighting anyone over the last Snow White costume at Target. The other pictures are equally frightening. Luckily, the "whoosha, whoosha, whoosha" of the heartbeat washed all the weird thoughts away. We could've sat in there and listened to that all day long. Also, relief set in when the doctor told us that everything looked good and all body parts were accounted for. I was so nervous that she would slip and tell us the gender of the baby, but she didn't, and the secret is still safe. Per usual, our immature selves wanted to giggle every time she said genitalia - ha - parts of us will never grow up!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, we are half-way to meeting you! Your crib and dresser is being delivered next week, and our apartment is already filling up with everything you related. We're doing everything to make sure that we're ready for your arrival. Now, you just keep doing your part and keep growing and maybe put some fat on. Visible spines are so out these days. Yes, I will always have something to say about the way you look. Get used to it. Love you, Momma.
At our last ultrasound, sweet potato was an absolute rock star. Elite Modeling actually sent us a contract that's how photogenic the little thing was. We couldn't wait to see some more adorable thumb sucking pictures and share them with everyone. Unfortunately, a bit of my stubborn streak was apparent in our little model this morning. (Hey, at least I know something of me is in there! It's really my kid!) I had felt lots of wiggling around this morning, so I wasn't surprised to see that little sweet potato was basically standing up in the womb with arms waving in the air. Here's the best picture of the bunch:
Ok, I'm not one to sugar coat, so here it goes: this is not a cute picture. In fact, this picture scared the crap out of B and I! We joked about this being an alien baby, but we didn't really want it to so closely resemble one! At least sweet potato has clearly already picked out his/her Halloween costume (skeleton...duh) so we won't have to worry about fighting anyone over the last Snow White costume at Target. The other pictures are equally frightening. Luckily, the "whoosha, whoosha, whoosha" of the heartbeat washed all the weird thoughts away. We could've sat in there and listened to that all day long. Also, relief set in when the doctor told us that everything looked good and all body parts were accounted for. I was so nervous that she would slip and tell us the gender of the baby, but she didn't, and the secret is still safe. Per usual, our immature selves wanted to giggle every time she said genitalia - ha - parts of us will never grow up!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, we are half-way to meeting you! Your crib and dresser is being delivered next week, and our apartment is already filling up with everything you related. We're doing everything to make sure that we're ready for your arrival. Now, you just keep doing your part and keep growing and maybe put some fat on. Visible spines are so out these days. Yes, I will always have something to say about the way you look. Get used to it. Love you, Momma.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Babysitters Club
Look who got some practice with a sweet little boy last night....
We had an absolute blast taking care of this little man while his parents attended a wedding. After taking care of him problem free and remembering his mother's problem free pregnancy, I am pretty sure our kid is going to be a little crazy devil.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I don't care if you are a crazy little devil....as long as you grow up to support your parents...just kidding!! You are supposedly about 5 1/2 inches long right now and squirming around like crazy. If I match your movements to the music playing in the car, you love Frankie Valli (no surprise there) and hate Ke$ha (good kid).
We had an absolute blast taking care of this little man while his parents attended a wedding. After taking care of him problem free and remembering his mother's problem free pregnancy, I am pretty sure our kid is going to be a little crazy devil.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I don't care if you are a crazy little devil....as long as you grow up to support your parents...just kidding!! You are supposedly about 5 1/2 inches long right now and squirming around like crazy. If I match your movements to the music playing in the car, you love Frankie Valli (no surprise there) and hate Ke$ha (good kid).
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
One Week Anniversary!
To best explain the first seventeen weeks of my pregnancy, I will quote my favorite tv dad of all time.
"It was the most I ever threw up, and it changed my life forever." Homer Simpson
Yes, Homer, I couldn't have said it better myself. But today is not a day to look back on those dark days. Today is a day to celebrate! It has been exactly one week since the last time I wasted $12 on a Corner Bakery panini only to lose it later in the day. I've turned some sort of corner, and knock on wood, I'm feeling pretty good! Ok, I'm still heavily medicated with nauseau meds, but now they're actually working! Ahh to feel like a human being again. B and I even left the house for three seperate social events over the weekend. I mean, who do I think I am?
I never thought I would be so happy to stop carrying my travel sized toothbrush and toothpaste in my life. Thanks, future Fleming, for giving Momma a break.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, we registered for everything we think we're going to need to take care of you at Babies R Us and The Land of Nod on Saturday. It only took us 2 1/2 hours and several frantic phone calls and texts to my one lucky friend who is already a mother. When we got home, we put our feet up and pulled out a newborn diaper and wondered at the tiny size of it. How does something that small need so much stuff to take care of it? I grew up on a farm, and baby pigs just came out and started walking around and hanging out all "what's up" and stuff. Humans are so much work, but I know you'll be worth it :-)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
What're you looking at?
So today I had my first completely irrational emotional outburst that I'm going to chalk up to pregnancy hormones. I wish I had a video of this breakdown to share with you, as I'm sure it was completely hilarious for those around me to watch. In fact, I'm pretty sure I will be the topic of many dinner time stories tonight.
B and I moved to Chicago about a year and a half ago now. Somehow in that time, I haven't been able to find the time to go downtown (approximately 3 blocks from my work - so out of the way, huh?) and pick up my Illinois drivers license. There were two reasons that I have been putting this off. #1 being that I knew I had to take the written test which I was extremely scared of, and #2 being that I knew I had to give up my Texas drivers license. I'll admit that #2 was a big deal because I got my Texas drivers license a few days after B and I returned from our honeymoon, and I was looking skinny and tan in my picture. I knew I would never recreate that perfect picture. Anyways, because I recently found out that I had passed the acceptable time threshold that "sorry officer, I don't have an Illinois license because I just moved here" would continue to work, I bit the bullet and made my way to the Chicago DMV this afternoon. What follows is a pretty accurate transcript of what went down. I'm going to call the representative that helped me #10. Poor #10, it was only her second day of work.
#10: How can I help you, miss?
AK: I recently moved to Illinois from Texas and need to get my drivers license switched.
#10: No problem, miss, first I'll need to see the appropriate paperwork (which luckily I had and handed over). Looks like you already have a record here in Illinois, have you lived here before?
AK: Yes, about 5 1/2 years ago.
#10: Your last name is different though. I have no idea how to fix this.
AK: Um, ok. (tapping toe a little impatiently - I need to pee, and #9 and #8 have both already been through 3 people by this time).
#10: We'll figure it out sweetie, let's start by having you surrender your Texas license.
AK: Surrender? Ha. That's a pretty harsh word. There's no way I can keep it? (tears are forming in my eyes)
#10: I'm sorry, honey, there isn't. You will need to hand it over.
AK: Ok, um, what if I didn't have it anymore. Yeah, I lost it. (more tears forming - now threatening to spill out - I have no control over what is happening)
#10: Well then I think I'd have to call my supervisor over here because I just saw it in your wallet and you'd also need to fill out form #432342342348Dedaiofsndflasf. (The supervisor's name was Gasper by the way - really? Is that for serious?)
AK: Ok. (tears now spilling out of my eyes down my cheeks) I'll give it up.....
And then, I did something so weird and strange I just can't believe myself. I pulled the license out and KISSED IT before handing it over to #10. Oh, and I did this while basically sobbing into my jacket sleeve. #10 took the license and then immediately used HAND SANITIZER! At this point, other people in lines near me are starting at me with their mouths hanging open. At this point I realized that I was out of control and blurted out "I"M PREGNANT - JEEZ!"
After blubbering through my written test and managing an awful new picture (thanks for the frizzy hair never ending rainstorm in Chicago this week!), I treated myself to Taco Bell where I wolfed down a Nachos Belgrande and two tacos all while STILL SNIFFLING! Oh boy....
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, being a cryer runs in our family. It starts out as being a huge pouter (when you're old enough I'll share the Annie Pouts 2010 Calendar with you that my friends created), and moves on to full on crying for any reason or no reason at all when the pregnancy hormones start flowing. This condition is unavoidable, and is one of the reasons I can't wait for you to meet Granny H. She has taken this to a whole other level - an art form really.
B and I moved to Chicago about a year and a half ago now. Somehow in that time, I haven't been able to find the time to go downtown (approximately 3 blocks from my work - so out of the way, huh?) and pick up my Illinois drivers license. There were two reasons that I have been putting this off. #1 being that I knew I had to take the written test which I was extremely scared of, and #2 being that I knew I had to give up my Texas drivers license. I'll admit that #2 was a big deal because I got my Texas drivers license a few days after B and I returned from our honeymoon, and I was looking skinny and tan in my picture. I knew I would never recreate that perfect picture. Anyways, because I recently found out that I had passed the acceptable time threshold that "sorry officer, I don't have an Illinois license because I just moved here" would continue to work, I bit the bullet and made my way to the Chicago DMV this afternoon. What follows is a pretty accurate transcript of what went down. I'm going to call the representative that helped me #10. Poor #10, it was only her second day of work.
#10: How can I help you, miss?
AK: I recently moved to Illinois from Texas and need to get my drivers license switched.
#10: No problem, miss, first I'll need to see the appropriate paperwork (which luckily I had and handed over). Looks like you already have a record here in Illinois, have you lived here before?
AK: Yes, about 5 1/2 years ago.
#10: Your last name is different though. I have no idea how to fix this.
AK: Um, ok. (tapping toe a little impatiently - I need to pee, and #9 and #8 have both already been through 3 people by this time).
#10: We'll figure it out sweetie, let's start by having you surrender your Texas license.
AK: Surrender? Ha. That's a pretty harsh word. There's no way I can keep it? (tears are forming in my eyes)
#10: I'm sorry, honey, there isn't. You will need to hand it over.
AK: Ok, um, what if I didn't have it anymore. Yeah, I lost it. (more tears forming - now threatening to spill out - I have no control over what is happening)
#10: Well then I think I'd have to call my supervisor over here because I just saw it in your wallet and you'd also need to fill out form #432342342348Dedaiofsndflasf. (The supervisor's name was Gasper by the way - really? Is that for serious?)
AK: Ok. (tears now spilling out of my eyes down my cheeks) I'll give it up.....
And then, I did something so weird and strange I just can't believe myself. I pulled the license out and KISSED IT before handing it over to #10. Oh, and I did this while basically sobbing into my jacket sleeve. #10 took the license and then immediately used HAND SANITIZER! At this point, other people in lines near me are starting at me with their mouths hanging open. At this point I realized that I was out of control and blurted out "I"M PREGNANT - JEEZ!"
After blubbering through my written test and managing an awful new picture (thanks for the frizzy hair never ending rainstorm in Chicago this week!), I treated myself to Taco Bell where I wolfed down a Nachos Belgrande and two tacos all while STILL SNIFFLING! Oh boy....
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, being a cryer runs in our family. It starts out as being a huge pouter (when you're old enough I'll share the Annie Pouts 2010 Calendar with you that my friends created), and moves on to full on crying for any reason or no reason at all when the pregnancy hormones start flowing. This condition is unavoidable, and is one of the reasons I can't wait for you to meet Granny H. She has taken this to a whole other level - an art form really.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thank you
Thank you to whoever wrote "You're Forgiven" in nail polish inside the third stall in the ladies room in Schmitt Academic Center. I was seriously feeling guilty about that third pack of cheese crackers with peanut butter I had eaten just minutes earlier.
xoxo
ak
p.s. Baby, I am currently looking for a pediatrician for you when you make the big debut. Does it bother you when doctors have bad hair like it bothers me? So far, the five women at the leading office all look like they had fabulous blowouts before taking their head shots, so I think we're in luck.
xoxo
ak
p.s. Baby, I am currently looking for a pediatrician for you when you make the big debut. Does it bother you when doctors have bad hair like it bothers me? So far, the five women at the leading office all look like they had fabulous blowouts before taking their head shots, so I think we're in luck.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Things I Love
I thought I owed everyone a positive post since lately I've just been listing things that have been making me cry. So, since I am typically not a negative person, here is a list of things I currently am loving:
1. Orange Gatorade - I want to drink it out of fancy wine glasses that's how much I love it. Also, Orange Hi-C from McDonalds is also really awesome. A Subway I was in the other day had Orange Gatorade in their fountain drinks! I stood there and gulped down three full glasses and ignored the five people in line behind me.
2. Cheese crackers with peanut butter filling - At my job in Austin, I regularly ate these out of the vending machine until a co-worker asked me if I wanted some of her "healthy" snacks. I was so embarrassed I stopped eating them. Nothing is going to stop me from their deliciousness now!
3. My belly band - I seriously need to post a picture of the wonder that is my belly band. I know someday I'm going to have to suck it up and buy some maternity pants, but for now, it's making the transition much gentler.
4. B - I can't even put into words how amazing he has been. I've never felt more beautiful or more loved.
5. My body pillow - Um, so maybe number 4 up there was a little sucking up since I have found something new to snuggle with at night. I've been having some major hip pains as my body rearranges it, but sleeping with a body pillow has really helped me out. I need to name him. I'm thinking either Jose or Miguel.
Like with any big life change, there are daily ups and downs. Don't stop believing, right??
xoxo
ak
p.s. Baby, you are growing so fast! I may complain about my clothes not fitting, but that only means that you are growing and healthy, and that is ALL that matters. I can't remember a time when I didn't complain about my clothes not fitting, so really, Momma just needs to suck it up.
1. Orange Gatorade - I want to drink it out of fancy wine glasses that's how much I love it. Also, Orange Hi-C from McDonalds is also really awesome. A Subway I was in the other day had Orange Gatorade in their fountain drinks! I stood there and gulped down three full glasses and ignored the five people in line behind me.
2. Cheese crackers with peanut butter filling - At my job in Austin, I regularly ate these out of the vending machine until a co-worker asked me if I wanted some of her "healthy" snacks. I was so embarrassed I stopped eating them. Nothing is going to stop me from their deliciousness now!
3. My belly band - I seriously need to post a picture of the wonder that is my belly band. I know someday I'm going to have to suck it up and buy some maternity pants, but for now, it's making the transition much gentler.
4. B - I can't even put into words how amazing he has been. I've never felt more beautiful or more loved.
5. My body pillow - Um, so maybe number 4 up there was a little sucking up since I have found something new to snuggle with at night. I've been having some major hip pains as my body rearranges it, but sleeping with a body pillow has really helped me out. I need to name him. I'm thinking either Jose or Miguel.
Like with any big life change, there are daily ups and downs. Don't stop believing, right??
xoxo
ak
p.s. Baby, you are growing so fast! I may complain about my clothes not fitting, but that only means that you are growing and healthy, and that is ALL that matters. I can't remember a time when I didn't complain about my clothes not fitting, so really, Momma just needs to suck it up.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Fifteen Weeks - Good evening, Orange!
This morning I got a 15 Week Newsletter from some pregnancy website. It made me cry. First, it said something along the lines of "you're probably feeling awesome and full of energy - enjoy, this is the best you'll feel." Um, great, still nauseous and taking so many meds for that I barely keep my eyes open. Second, to add insult to injury, this website recommends raiding your husband's closet for clothes before going out and buying maternity wear. Like I could fit into B's small waisted clothes even when I was wedding day perfect skinny - ugh - good advice for someone who feels like a beached Shamu! Whew - ok, I got that out of my system.
In better news, I'm slathering myself in cocoa butter to try and keep away the dreaded stretchmarks, and I smell like a delicious cake. Yum!
xoxo
ak
p.s. Baby, I'm not sure, but I think I felt you move today. It could've been those wings I ate, but it felt distinctly different. Keep dancing in there!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Boom Puddy
When I was little, my mom used to read a book to me where a little boy (some sort of animal?) had to go to the doctor, and the doctor listened to his heart. In the book, his heart sounded like "boom puddy, boom puddy, boom boom boom." Through the years, we've used that phrase so many times, and I even have caught myself saying it to B. Sitting in the doctor's office yesterday waiting for her to find the baby's heartbeat, it went through my head over and over. "Boom puddy, boom puddy, boom boom boom."
I was so focused on the booms and the puddies that all the sudden when the real heartbeat filled the room I suddenly burst into tears. It was such an amazing sound, and more than anything, I wished that B could've been there to hear it with me. It sounded more like "whoosha whoosha whoosa" than "boom puddy", but it was still the most beautiful sound I've heard in my entire life.
"Whoosha whoosha whoosha" sounded a whole lot like "I love you, and I can't wait to meet you."
xoxo
ak
p.s. Baby, I may have started crying this morning when my favorite pair of jeans didn't button all the way. So, I bought a belly band which allows me to unbutton my pants and use the band to hold them up. I'm pretty sure it's the most amazing invention ever. I think you will get used to seeing Mommy wear it out for large sushi dinners and on holidays.
I was so focused on the booms and the puddies that all the sudden when the real heartbeat filled the room I suddenly burst into tears. It was such an amazing sound, and more than anything, I wished that B could've been there to hear it with me. It sounded more like "whoosha whoosha whoosa" than "boom puddy", but it was still the most beautiful sound I've heard in my entire life.
"Whoosha whoosha whoosha" sounded a whole lot like "I love you, and I can't wait to meet you."
xoxo
ak
p.s. Baby, I may have started crying this morning when my favorite pair of jeans didn't button all the way. So, I bought a belly band which allows me to unbutton my pants and use the band to hold them up. I'm pretty sure it's the most amazing invention ever. I think you will get used to seeing Mommy wear it out for large sushi dinners and on holidays.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Knocked Up
Thanks to the channel E!, I have watched the movie "Knocked Up" three times in the past three days. I have been especially fixated on the delivery scene when she screams "I FEEL EVERYTHING!!!!!!"
Suddenly, throwing up my breakfast doesn't seem so bad. I think I'll just stay pregnant for as long as possible.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, at the end of the movie, a song plays in the credits that makes me cry every single time. It's called "Daughter" by Loudon Wainwright III. It doesn't matter that you may not be a girl, just thinking about providing everything for you and your little life and knowing already that I am hopelessly wrapped around your tiny finger makes me so happy/weepy. "Everytime she blinks - she strikes somebody blind. Everytime she thinks - it blows her tiny mind." I love you.
Suddenly, throwing up my breakfast doesn't seem so bad. I think I'll just stay pregnant for as long as possible.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, at the end of the movie, a song plays in the credits that makes me cry every single time. It's called "Daughter" by Loudon Wainwright III. It doesn't matter that you may not be a girl, just thinking about providing everything for you and your little life and knowing already that I am hopelessly wrapped around your tiny finger makes me so happy/weepy. "Everytime she blinks - she strikes somebody blind. Everytime she thinks - it blows her tiny mind." I love you.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Happy Birthday, B!
Happy Birthday to the most amazing man I know, my husband, B! Thank you so much for the Gatorade runs, nights of cooking, days of sweeping up Daisy's hair, your patience, and for knowing when I'm having an awful fat/nasty day and telling me I'm beautiful. I thank God for you every single day of my life. You're the best....around!
AK
p.s. Baby, your Daddy says good morning to you every day and always points out good songs to you when they come on the radio. I think you're going to be lucky to have him around.
xoxoAK
p.s. Baby, your Daddy says good morning to you every day and always points out good songs to you when they come on the radio. I think you're going to be lucky to have him around.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
I almost forgot...
For those of you asking for a belly pic, here you go! Haha - while my belly betton is stretched out all weird, and you won't catch me wearing any lycra bodysuits, I don't think it's really visible to anyone else yet. In fact, I look pretty darn good in this picture - what setting did you use, B? Fun house mirror skinny setting?
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, don't worry, you're in there - you're just petite right now :-)
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, don't worry, you're in there - you're just petite right now :-)
Madden F.
What a crazy week! Last Wednesday, B and I left to spend a long weekend at Family F's lake cottage up in Michigan. The weather was beautiful, AB gave a repeat VIP performance allowing me to eat everything in sight, and Daisy got her fill of rolling in the sand for hours on end. So much cuter when it's someone else's house she's tracking that sand into....
In baby news, we've got a peach this week! AB is the size of a peach and is developing vocal cords. The little things like that just amaze me. I got out of taking Sex Ed in high school by taking two cooking classes instead, so maybe I missed out on this lesson, but I didn't realize how all of these body parts and systems developed. I always thought of babies as being these tiny complete humans (that look like the prize in the King Cake) that just have to grow bigger inside the womb until they can survive. Thanks a lot McCutcheon High School for failing to make me memorize things like at which week does a baby begin to create their own waste, and where do it go?
B's 33rd birthday is on Monday, and for his present, he decided he wanted the new Madden football game for his Playstation II. Having the past few days off from work, he's been playing this new game a lot, and gets into quite a trance while doing so. Tonight while watching him slip glaze eyed into video game heaven, I casually suggested that we name the baby Madden F. Without missing a tackle, he said, "Uh-huh, sure, honey." That was too easy. Next time I see that face Mama is asking for a new pair of Seven jeans!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I will never understand why Daddy decided he would rather play fake football when there is real college and pro football on tv right now. I think it just shows that Mama is a better fan, and that you would be smart to cheer for the Hoosiers and Da Bears!
We finally got some sun on our pale city folk faces and totally relaxed for the first time since our honeymoon over two years ago. Seeing B not able to connect to the internet was amazing. I'm not sure he would agree, but I think his fingers were happy to not be scrolling through email on his phone the entire time. All in all, it was a fabulous time spent with fabulous people, and I can't wait to visit again as a family of three...er four (sorry, Daisy)...next summer!
In baby news, we've got a peach this week! AB is the size of a peach and is developing vocal cords. The little things like that just amaze me. I got out of taking Sex Ed in high school by taking two cooking classes instead, so maybe I missed out on this lesson, but I didn't realize how all of these body parts and systems developed. I always thought of babies as being these tiny complete humans (that look like the prize in the King Cake) that just have to grow bigger inside the womb until they can survive. Thanks a lot McCutcheon High School for failing to make me memorize things like at which week does a baby begin to create their own waste, and where do it go?
B's 33rd birthday is on Monday, and for his present, he decided he wanted the new Madden football game for his Playstation II. Having the past few days off from work, he's been playing this new game a lot, and gets into quite a trance while doing so. Tonight while watching him slip glaze eyed into video game heaven, I casually suggested that we name the baby Madden F. Without missing a tackle, he said, "Uh-huh, sure, honey." That was too easy. Next time I see that face Mama is asking for a new pair of Seven jeans!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I will never understand why Daddy decided he would rather play fake football when there is real college and pro football on tv right now. I think it just shows that Mama is a better fan, and that you would be smart to cheer for the Hoosiers and Da Bears!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
I wanna give a shout out to my baby!
This past weekend, B and I traveled down to Austin, TX, for a wedding. I was nervous about the trip because of two things. Number one: Texas has been ridiculously hot this summer. A woman I used to work with actually said, "I'm going to rent out my house here in Texas and move to Hell for the summer because I'm sure it's more comfortable there." Um. Awesome. Number two: I wanted to be able to eat all the food that I've been missing from there, and AB has not been making eating fun. Well, how do you think it went?
Problem number one:
Problem number one:
Yeah, that says 108. The heat was killer and exhausting. With the wind blowing, it felt like walking around in a huge blow dryer. I can't believe we used to live in that. So, yeah, that turned out to be a big problem for pregnant me.
Problem number two:
Yeah, problem number two was not a problem at all! Huge shout out to AB for letting me get my grub on! Chuys, Lamberts, wedding cake, Franks, Taco Cabana, and Rudy's - conquered! Those pounds I lost in the first trimester were gained back in the first two hours off the plane. B kept high fiving my belly everytime I told him I was hungry.
The weekend was amazing. It was so full of celebrations between our good news and our friends' wedding, that I felt like my heart was going to burst wide open. When I left the reception to get some beauty sleep in the hotel room, I had to massage my cheeks. I had been smiling so much, they actually hurt! More than ever, I'm thankful for our amazing Texas family.
We're off to Michigan tomorrow night to enjoy the end of summer with B's parents at their lake cottage. Let's hope AB gives a repeat performance!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I can't wait for you to visit Texas with us someday to meet our friends and see where Mama and Daddy fell in love and started our life together. It was in that little house in Cedar Park where we first starting talking about you, and now here you are, making your way to us. I can't wait for you to wear your first pair of cowboy boots!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Prune!
Welcome, new readers! I'm so glad that the secret is slowly but surely working its way out. Yes, as you can see, we've known for quite a while that AB was coming our way. I'm sorry for not sharing earlier - believe me, it was extremely hard for me to keep my mouth shut, especially when I saw so many of you just a few weeks ago. I think you'll forgive us for keeping it quiet :-)
Well, we're in week 10 now, and our baby is a......prune. So far, everything has been really cute. We had sweet pea, raspberry, green olive, and now....prune. Gross. Hurry by quickly prune week! At 10 weeks, the book says that the baby's limbs can bend and move now and that tiny nails are beginning to form on toes and fingers. So glad that webbed feet period is over - we never would've found AB cute shoes with that going on! The development at this point is really starting to amaze/scare the crap out of me. In the next few weeks, our little 1 1/4 inch prune is going to double in size to 3 inches! That's not all thats doubling though. Even though I've lost over 5 lbs from this awful all day long sickness, my belly will not be contained by my skinny jeans much longer. I'm so glad we're moving into Fall soon because that means it's time for my favorite thing in the entire world....SWEATPANTS! Being pregnant through the holidays means an even better reason for celebrating Sweatsgiving and Sweatsmas!
love,
AK
p.s. Baby, I have not been able to bring myself to eat a vegetable other than a baked potato in weeks. I want you to know that no matter how badly I eat while you are baking inside of me, you WILL eat your vegetables once you are born!
Well, we're in week 10 now, and our baby is a......prune. So far, everything has been really cute. We had sweet pea, raspberry, green olive, and now....prune. Gross. Hurry by quickly prune week! At 10 weeks, the book says that the baby's limbs can bend and move now and that tiny nails are beginning to form on toes and fingers. So glad that webbed feet period is over - we never would've found AB cute shoes with that going on! The development at this point is really starting to amaze/scare the crap out of me. In the next few weeks, our little 1 1/4 inch prune is going to double in size to 3 inches! That's not all thats doubling though. Even though I've lost over 5 lbs from this awful all day long sickness, my belly will not be contained by my skinny jeans much longer. I'm so glad we're moving into Fall soon because that means it's time for my favorite thing in the entire world....SWEATPANTS! Being pregnant through the holidays means an even better reason for celebrating Sweatsgiving and Sweatsmas!
love,
AK
p.s. Baby, I have not been able to bring myself to eat a vegetable other than a baked potato in weeks. I want you to know that no matter how badly I eat while you are baking inside of me, you WILL eat your vegetables once you are born!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
OMG
I have a tiny belly!!! Or, my stomach is so shocked at having two actual meals in it, it is just bloated. Hmmmm....I'm going with tiny belly for the win!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, today I ran across my favorite picture of your Daddy ever. I hope you have his eyes.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, today I ran across my favorite picture of your Daddy ever. I hope you have his eyes.
Donuts and Gatorade
Did you know that pregnant women's minds turn to complete mush? I just had someone ask me the abbreviation for Idaho, and I had to look it up! I seriously find myself not being able to make a complete sentence several times a day. Thank the lord for Google and the fact that I'm not currently taking any classes. My educational debate ready mind of a few months ago now only wants to watch videos of cats trying to fit into boxes, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XID_W4neJo, and reruns of Beverly Hills 90210. Poor B is getting better conversations out of Daisy than his own wife!
Mushy brain matters aside, this morning I woke up...wait for it...HUNGRY!!! I thought maybe Alien Baby (AB for short), my endearing nickname for what is growing inside of me, was just playing a cruel joke on me, so I took it easy and just had a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter for breakfast. I 95% expected meal this to reappear later this morning like most of my meals do lately, but I managed to keep it down all the way to work, and walked into my office looking and feeling like a normal human being.
10 minutes went by, 15, then 20, and I still felt good. When my boss stopped by on his way to Dunkin Donuts, I decided to tag along. After the walk across the street, I decided to press my luck, and I ordered a cake donut and a big fruit punch Gatorade. As soon as that donut hit my hand, I ripped into it and before I knew what was happening, I had devoured the entire thing before even leaving the store! My boss looked at me with his mouth half open in complete awe at what I'd just done. I think I blacked out from excitement I was so happy to be hungry and eating!
No matter how the rest of the day goes, thank you, AB, for giving me that small moment with that donut this morning. It was totally worth that cheese debacle yesterday - I'm sorry, I'll never forget that you hate gouda again.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, next week I have an appointment to have another ultrasound. I was mesmerized by the sight of your beating heart last time. This time Daddy and I may actually get to hear it. I'm counting down the days until we get to see you again. Mama love you so much!
Mushy brain matters aside, this morning I woke up...wait for it...HUNGRY!!! I thought maybe Alien Baby (AB for short), my endearing nickname for what is growing inside of me, was just playing a cruel joke on me, so I took it easy and just had a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter for breakfast. I 95% expected meal this to reappear later this morning like most of my meals do lately, but I managed to keep it down all the way to work, and walked into my office looking and feeling like a normal human being.
10 minutes went by, 15, then 20, and I still felt good. When my boss stopped by on his way to Dunkin Donuts, I decided to tag along. After the walk across the street, I decided to press my luck, and I ordered a cake donut and a big fruit punch Gatorade. As soon as that donut hit my hand, I ripped into it and before I knew what was happening, I had devoured the entire thing before even leaving the store! My boss looked at me with his mouth half open in complete awe at what I'd just done. I think I blacked out from excitement I was so happy to be hungry and eating!
No matter how the rest of the day goes, thank you, AB, for giving me that small moment with that donut this morning. It was totally worth that cheese debacle yesterday - I'm sorry, I'll never forget that you hate gouda again.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, next week I have an appointment to have another ultrasound. I was mesmerized by the sight of your beating heart last time. This time Daddy and I may actually get to hear it. I'm counting down the days until we get to see you again. Mama love you so much!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
OMG
For the first time, my post may make my dad, father-in-law, and any other males a little uncomfortable, but I am just so excited I can't stop myself....
I HAVE BOOBS!
After years of praying to God as a fairly flat teenager, I have been blessed with a, so far, very solid B cup! Hooray! I know pain and soreness and even more growth is in my future (2 lbs gained in your boobs during pregnancy!!), but for now, I am looking goooood in my scoopneck shirts!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, boobs do not matter that much. If you are blessed with a small set like your Mama, I will gladly teach you how to work those chicken cutlet inserts.
I HAVE BOOBS!
After years of praying to God as a fairly flat teenager, I have been blessed with a, so far, very solid B cup! Hooray! I know pain and soreness and even more growth is in my future (2 lbs gained in your boobs during pregnancy!!), but for now, I am looking goooood in my scoopneck shirts!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, boobs do not matter that much. If you are blessed with a small set like your Mama, I will gladly teach you how to work those chicken cutlet inserts.
Ser Fleming - Knight of Lakeview, Chicago
Recently, I've found that reading has really helped ease my morning sickness. Anyone close to me knows that I am a HUGE book nerd, so this was a welcome discovery. In the past week, I've plowed through the entire Hunger Game trilogy (for the second time), reread old childhood favorites Tuck Everlasting and The Giver, and started on The Game of Thrones. Yes, that is thousands upon thousands of pages I've read in about six days - I'm hoping this thirst for reading stays around through my final quarter of classes this Fall.
All of this reading has caused a problem - well two, I decided I really need a library card with the speed I'm going through these books, and to get a library card, I need an Illinois ID, and well, that's a whole other story for another day. The big problem is that I am having the most intense, crazy, and exhausting dreams! Every night, I feel like I spend the entire night dreaming about running from hunters and drinking crazy potions that make me life forever. The living forever dream was especially scary because I was going to live forever as a pregnant woman - ahh! That's some 19 Kids and Counting scary crap there!
My current book, The Game of Thrones, also an HBO television series, is currently filling my dreams, er nightmares, as of late. It is set in the time of knights, dragons, royalty, and crazy magic. Last night, I spent the entire night fighting off creatures that looked a lot like Orks from Lord of the Rings. All of this fighting was done on horseback in full armour with a HUGE pregnant belly. I woke up grabbing my stomach thinking maybe I had popped overnight - big sigh of relief that I hadn't.
Maybe it's time to start reading some romance novels or something a little less heavy. I don't think I can take many more nights of AK Pregnant Warrior.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, you are the worst kept secret ever! Our friends have all seen through our awful lies and distractions and know that you are coming. They could not be more excited. While holding your future friend, Connor, last week, I whispered to him that you were on the way, and he kicked his feet and blew bubbles. Everybody already loves you!
All of this reading has caused a problem - well two, I decided I really need a library card with the speed I'm going through these books, and to get a library card, I need an Illinois ID, and well, that's a whole other story for another day. The big problem is that I am having the most intense, crazy, and exhausting dreams! Every night, I feel like I spend the entire night dreaming about running from hunters and drinking crazy potions that make me life forever. The living forever dream was especially scary because I was going to live forever as a pregnant woman - ahh! That's some 19 Kids and Counting scary crap there!
My current book, The Game of Thrones, also an HBO television series, is currently filling my dreams, er nightmares, as of late. It is set in the time of knights, dragons, royalty, and crazy magic. Last night, I spent the entire night fighting off creatures that looked a lot like Orks from Lord of the Rings. All of this fighting was done on horseback in full armour with a HUGE pregnant belly. I woke up grabbing my stomach thinking maybe I had popped overnight - big sigh of relief that I hadn't.
Maybe it's time to start reading some romance novels or something a little less heavy. I don't think I can take many more nights of AK Pregnant Warrior.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, you are the worst kept secret ever! Our friends have all seen through our awful lies and distractions and know that you are coming. They could not be more excited. While holding your future friend, Connor, last week, I whispered to him that you were on the way, and he kicked his feet and blew bubbles. Everybody already loves you!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Question
Can you die from morning/afternoon/night sickness? Holy cow.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I am only allowing myself to complain for these first twelve weeks. After that, I'll just rub some dirt on it. You'll understand what that means in our family very quickly!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I am only allowing myself to complain for these first twelve weeks. After that, I'll just rub some dirt on it. You'll understand what that means in our family very quickly!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
super powers
Need to find out who is doing laundry three blocks away? Or, would you like to know what the neighbors upstairs are having for dinner? I'm your girl! I've developed the super smelling powers over the last few days.
There is a down side though - a majority of these scents do not agree with me much. A large majority.
I'm not going out to buy a superhero cape anytime soon.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I read you your first book tonight. Your Aunt S bought it for you, and it brought the tears to Mama's eyes. Someday you'll have to thank your Aunt S - I've learned so much from her about how to be a good mother.
There is a down side though - a majority of these scents do not agree with me much. A large majority.
I'm not going out to buy a superhero cape anytime soon.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, I read you your first book tonight. Your Aunt S bought it for you, and it brought the tears to Mama's eyes. Someday you'll have to thank your Aunt S - I've learned so much from her about how to be a good mother.
Week 9 - no, rewind
Today is Wednesday. I should be one more week along in my pregnancy and introducing you to the new fruit/veggie that we will be calling our baby this week. Key word, should.
Last Thursday, B and I went to see my doctor for our first ultrasound. I don't know why, but I was so nervous I barely slept the night before. We've started breaking down some financial stuff, and I think that might've been what actually kept me awake. Anyways, B met me at the office, and he looked so cute in there sitting amongst the baby and parenting magazines. Looking at his freshly shaven face, I suddenly felt like we were much too young to be parents - ha! Finally, they called my name, and back to the ultrasound room we went.
While I patiently laid on the table while the ultrasound tech did her magic, so many things ran through my mind. I thought about the first time I met B, the moment I knew I wanted to marry him and have his children, and the many empty and disappointing months that had led up to this moment. I'm not sure what Brad was thinking about, but as soon as the monitor was turned around and we could see the beating heart of our little one, we both reached for the others' hand and held on tight grinning like mad! There was our baby, safe in my belly, it's heart beating 120 beats/minute. Boom puddy - boom puddy - boom boom boom.
After we dried our eyes, the tech mentioned that the baby was a bit smaller than what they had expected. Meaning I was not as far along as we first calculated. In that moment, we went from a nine week old green olive back back back to a five week and four day old sweet pea! All at once it hit me, morning sickness is still going to be around for a looooong time.
We left the office clutching our baby's "first picture", and honestly, I was so happy that we would not have to subject our child to a February birthday!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, Mama got an A on her research proposal! You were the much needed inspiration in those last few days to finish strong. Already, everything I do, is for you.
Last Thursday, B and I went to see my doctor for our first ultrasound. I don't know why, but I was so nervous I barely slept the night before. We've started breaking down some financial stuff, and I think that might've been what actually kept me awake. Anyways, B met me at the office, and he looked so cute in there sitting amongst the baby and parenting magazines. Looking at his freshly shaven face, I suddenly felt like we were much too young to be parents - ha! Finally, they called my name, and back to the ultrasound room we went.
While I patiently laid on the table while the ultrasound tech did her magic, so many things ran through my mind. I thought about the first time I met B, the moment I knew I wanted to marry him and have his children, and the many empty and disappointing months that had led up to this moment. I'm not sure what Brad was thinking about, but as soon as the monitor was turned around and we could see the beating heart of our little one, we both reached for the others' hand and held on tight grinning like mad! There was our baby, safe in my belly, it's heart beating 120 beats/minute. Boom puddy - boom puddy - boom boom boom.
After we dried our eyes, the tech mentioned that the baby was a bit smaller than what they had expected. Meaning I was not as far along as we first calculated. In that moment, we went from a nine week old green olive back back back to a five week and four day old sweet pea! All at once it hit me, morning sickness is still going to be around for a looooong time.
We left the office clutching our baby's "first picture", and honestly, I was so happy that we would not have to subject our child to a February birthday!
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, Mama got an A on her research proposal! You were the much needed inspiration in those last few days to finish strong. Already, everything I do, is for you.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
good morning, olive
Today, our baby is the size of a green olive. If I didn't find the thought of green olives repulsing right now, this would be really charming. 9 weeks. Keeping secrets makes the time go by slowly.
This week, a heat wave has arrived in Chicago, and doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. I know I really shouldn't complain since this was normal weather all summer long when we were living in Texas, but there are some big differences:
1. While living in Texas, I worked a soul sucking advertising job that rarely let me see the sunshine. I never left for lunch, so I didn't experience much weather on weekdays other than walking to and from my car every morning and night.
2. Duh, I wasn't pregnant when we lived there. I can't shake this exhaustion, and hot days and nights do not help keep my eyes open. (I successfully fell asleep at my desk this morning for at least three minutes without anyone noticing.)
3. I now take public transportation to and from work instead of driving. I love the CTA, but there seriously needs to be a car specifically for moms-to-be that is free of foul smelling body odor and perfumes. Also, the air conditioning should at least sort of work when it's above 85 degrees outside.
So, there you go. No matter how many 100 degree days I managed to live through in Texas, a Chicago heat wave is a whole other beast. What other city has dense fog on a 85 degree day that closes down all of the lakefront beaches followed up by a late night thunderstorm that actually made it hotter outside? Chicago you are killing me. Green olive and I do not approve.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, Grandma F brought you your first present yesterday! I spent several minutes holding those little outfits thinking about the day you will be here to fill them out. You will defintely be one well dressed munchkin.
This week, a heat wave has arrived in Chicago, and doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. I know I really shouldn't complain since this was normal weather all summer long when we were living in Texas, but there are some big differences:
1. While living in Texas, I worked a soul sucking advertising job that rarely let me see the sunshine. I never left for lunch, so I didn't experience much weather on weekdays other than walking to and from my car every morning and night.
2. Duh, I wasn't pregnant when we lived there. I can't shake this exhaustion, and hot days and nights do not help keep my eyes open. (I successfully fell asleep at my desk this morning for at least three minutes without anyone noticing.)
3. I now take public transportation to and from work instead of driving. I love the CTA, but there seriously needs to be a car specifically for moms-to-be that is free of foul smelling body odor and perfumes. Also, the air conditioning should at least sort of work when it's above 85 degrees outside.
So, there you go. No matter how many 100 degree days I managed to live through in Texas, a Chicago heat wave is a whole other beast. What other city has dense fog on a 85 degree day that closes down all of the lakefront beaches followed up by a late night thunderstorm that actually made it hotter outside? Chicago you are killing me. Green olive and I do not approve.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, Grandma F brought you your first present yesterday! I spent several minutes holding those little outfits thinking about the day you will be here to fill them out. You will defintely be one well dressed munchkin.
Monday, July 18, 2011
oh boy - here we go
Today I'm battling morning sickness. I feel like I spent all night out at the bars without any of the fun memories. In a way ( a really strange and twisted way), I welcome this feeling. It's really the first time that I've felt pregnant. Like that little raspberry (almost an olive on Wednesday), is actually in there. It's just too bad that there's not room for that little raspberry and some breakfast.
I've been continuing my yoga and pilates practice since the big discovery, and enjoyed a nice chat with my instructor on Saturday. I clued her in last week just to make sure that everything I'm doing on the mat is cool with the raspberry. Basically, she's keeping me in line. When I told her I've started to get longer bouts of nauseau lately, she said, "you will be really sick, and it will suck, and there will be nothing you can do about it." Wow, Ms. Instructor, thank you very much for that inspiring speech. Good thing she's not leading an army into battle or anything. Then, she followed it up with, "BUT, you will grit your teeth, and you will smile, and you will make it through because you are a resiliant human being." Now, that's better.
There are millions of women going through this at the same time as me every single day. That's such a comforting thought. I'm not the only woman out there trying to keep it together on a crowded EL car that has broken air conditioning and way too many smelly people stuffed into it. So, I just clutch my little bag of Swedish Fish (the only thing staying down in my stomach right now), and remember that I am resisliant.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, your Daddy kissed you through my belly for the first time last night. He is so excited to meet you. He's taking good care of us, and even drove to pick up Wingstop for dinner last night. We are so lucky!
I've been continuing my yoga and pilates practice since the big discovery, and enjoyed a nice chat with my instructor on Saturday. I clued her in last week just to make sure that everything I'm doing on the mat is cool with the raspberry. Basically, she's keeping me in line. When I told her I've started to get longer bouts of nauseau lately, she said, "you will be really sick, and it will suck, and there will be nothing you can do about it." Wow, Ms. Instructor, thank you very much for that inspiring speech. Good thing she's not leading an army into battle or anything. Then, she followed it up with, "BUT, you will grit your teeth, and you will smile, and you will make it through because you are a resiliant human being." Now, that's better.
There are millions of women going through this at the same time as me every single day. That's such a comforting thought. I'm not the only woman out there trying to keep it together on a crowded EL car that has broken air conditioning and way too many smelly people stuffed into it. So, I just clutch my little bag of Swedish Fish (the only thing staying down in my stomach right now), and remember that I am resisliant.
xoxo
AK
p.s. Baby, your Daddy kissed you through my belly for the first time last night. He is so excited to meet you. He's taking good care of us, and even drove to pick up Wingstop for dinner last night. We are so lucky!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Sharing is most certainly caring.
So, it's official, our parents know they're going to be grandparents! After my first doctor's visit (pregnancy confirmed), we finally felt comfortable spreading the word to a few very important people. Unfortunately, since we still don't have the technology to teleport ourselves (seriously, Science, what's up), we had to pick up the old phone.
B and I are both extremely close to our families, and our favorite part is how different they are. Following are the reactions we received from both sides:
AK's parents - Family H: Take into consideration that these two have been grandparents for almost 20 years now! I have a much older sister who has three daughters, so grandchildren have been running around their house for a long time. Although, there haven't been diapers and highchairs for quite a while. When we put the phone on speaker and screamed "We're pregnant", my parents were full of congratulations and joy. You could tell that they were smiling so hard their cheeks hurt - I just love my Dad's big round cheeks that I inherited, and could totally picture him standing there beaming. I can't wait to hug them both!
B's parents - Family F: Take into consideration that this baby will be the first grandchild on this side of the family. We barely got the word "We're" out of our mouths when they started screaming and running around. I really think it sounded like maybe they were running around in circles screaming. The noise kept getting closer and then farther away and then closer again. It made my night to hear them so excited and happy. Now there is a good reason for all that extra "crib" room in the new basement bedroom.
I never knew that sharing our happy news would multiply our joy so much. I know that the road ahead of us is not going to be easy (B almost quit the whole thing when he read that newborns need 10 diaper changes a day), but it is amazing to know that we will have the four most amazing and supportive grandparents in the world in our corner. On these long exhausting days when I'm queasy a lot and need to focus on school and work and don't know how I'm going to do it, I'll think of these four amazing people who went through the same problems years ago to bring us into this world.
So, Science, could you seriously get to work on the teleporting thing? I have some very important people to hug!
xoxo
ak
p.s. Baby, when you're a little bit older, remind Grandpa H that he said he was going to buy you a pony if you are a girl, or a tractor if you are a boy. His memory isn't that great, kind of like your Daddy's which you will learn all about someday, so I'm glad that this is written down so it can be saved forever.
B and I are both extremely close to our families, and our favorite part is how different they are. Following are the reactions we received from both sides:
AK's parents - Family H: Take into consideration that these two have been grandparents for almost 20 years now! I have a much older sister who has three daughters, so grandchildren have been running around their house for a long time. Although, there haven't been diapers and highchairs for quite a while. When we put the phone on speaker and screamed "We're pregnant", my parents were full of congratulations and joy. You could tell that they were smiling so hard their cheeks hurt - I just love my Dad's big round cheeks that I inherited, and could totally picture him standing there beaming. I can't wait to hug them both!
B's parents - Family F: Take into consideration that this baby will be the first grandchild on this side of the family. We barely got the word "We're" out of our mouths when they started screaming and running around. I really think it sounded like maybe they were running around in circles screaming. The noise kept getting closer and then farther away and then closer again. It made my night to hear them so excited and happy. Now there is a good reason for all that extra "crib" room in the new basement bedroom.
I never knew that sharing our happy news would multiply our joy so much. I know that the road ahead of us is not going to be easy (B almost quit the whole thing when he read that newborns need 10 diaper changes a day), but it is amazing to know that we will have the four most amazing and supportive grandparents in the world in our corner. On these long exhausting days when I'm queasy a lot and need to focus on school and work and don't know how I'm going to do it, I'll think of these four amazing people who went through the same problems years ago to bring us into this world.
So, Science, could you seriously get to work on the teleporting thing? I have some very important people to hug!
xoxo
ak
p.s. Baby, when you're a little bit older, remind Grandpa H that he said he was going to buy you a pony if you are a girl, or a tractor if you are a boy. His memory isn't that great, kind of like your Daddy's which you will learn all about someday, so I'm glad that this is written down so it can be saved forever.
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