28 week pic and baby shower

This was a really great weekend.  Yesterday our very dear friends, Kyle and Wendy, gave us a shower for friends and local acquaintances to attend. It was small and intimate, but just big enough for me to feel relaxed and able to visit with everyone.  Wendy took the pictures, so I will have to get those from her and post later, but fear not, I will post them.  Here is a pic of me today, looking over all the great clothes our baby boy received.  He also got a portable co-sleeper and an activity mat for tummy-time, which I loved.  

Rita picked out her favorite.  And, WAIT!  RITA WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?

(actually I caught her starting to sit down - lucky her!)

Kymberli and Frank replied to my desperate plea for recipes that freeze well.  This is a dish in the making called Cheddar Beef and Noodle Casserole.  I'm thinking this kind of dish is usually made with egg noodles, but I'm needing lots of protein, so I used the Barilla Plus corkscrews.   It tasted great.  We can't wait to have this again.

********* update on my pregnancy**********

This week marks the beginning of my third trimester and boy has it gotten a little difficult.  I can't wait to get back into the pool.  A little weightlessness will probably feel great right about now.  The neck pain and headache has resolved with the help of my new chiropractor.  My upper back pain where the herniated disc is still hurts, but that is expected.  I've decided today to break down and buy the belly sling/truss thingy.  I think it well help lots and yes I will post a picture.  Doc Grumbles posted a pic of her Spanx power mama foundation.  I had been looking for something like that because wearing dresses has become difficult with all that thigh friction going on.  I found one and ordered it this weekend.  It's getting harder to roll over and sit up and breath.  Ah, I need to get in that pool.  I can't wait for tomorrow to come.  Also, this Tuesday, I have my second CNM visit and glucose tolerance test, then lunch with a friend of mine.  I'm looking forward to a great week.

p.s. we are still waiting on a plumber to run the water pipes correctly so we can complete our new tile shower.  Wooo Hooo!

Thanks guys!  I needed a little sympathy this week.  I went to the chiropractor yesterday and he did all of my favorite adjustments.  He also stripped the muscles that were so tight in my neck.  Now instead of being sharp and throbbing, the pain is dull and sore.  A great improvement!  Although I don't think I'm going to be feeling great today, I know it will get better soon.  My first shower is tomorrow.  I'm thankful for good weather.  We've had some torrential downpours this week, but the forecast is dry and hot.  That's good news since we are having a co-ed BBQ shower.  I'll surely have some pics from that if I can get someone else to run around with a camera.  Maybe I can get Robert to take some, or maybe my brother will get some with me and Robert together for a change.  

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, wherever you are on this great planet!

Next week has to be better.

Continued from Tuesday ...  Robert came home from work and fired son-in-law tile guy.  He then commenced to cutting out the fiberglass shower.  Did I mention we live in a stupid house?  Well, with a skill saw set just low enough to cut through the thickness of the shower walls Robert accidentally hit a water pipe.  After tearing out that piece of shower, we discover that the copper pipes were run AROUND THE STUDS, instead of through them!  The short cuts taken to build this house just never ends.  Now, I've done some pipe sweating in my past and I figure we might as well give a try in fixing it ourselves. Hey, it'll be FUN! Like an adventure!  So at 6:30 pm, off we go to L*owe's to buy the required tools, a torch, soldering wire, abrasive paper, flux, wire brush and a coupling.  We come home and I explain to Robert what needs to be done, he does it ... quite well for a first timer ... then we turn the water on to see if it sealed.  Nope!  So, we try it again and it doesn't seal again.  Robert goo*gled why and found out that the water in the pipes is keeping it from soldering correctly.  He gives it one more try and it still didn't work.  It's now after 11:00 pm and we were both covered in fiberglass. ACKKKKK!  So, we pack up and go to the local Best Western.  I, of course, forget all of my pillows and have to use the two flat pillows that were available.  My night was miserable.  My hips hurt me all night long from lying on the hard mattress and not having enough support under my neck or between my knees.

I managed to get a plumber in the next morning (missed work again) and they fixed the problem.  We never would have figured out that we have to open all of the larger faucet valves and blow air into the faucet to force the water out.  We are waiting for the plumbers to give a call back to give us an estimate on re-running the pipes through the wall, properly and to do a few other stupid house projects such as changing out a cracked toilet flange and putting a water spigot in the back yard.  Now all we have to do is figure out how to make a tiled shower stall.  Thank the Lord for the internet!

Close quarters to work in ....Robert sweating pipes together ...

On to pregnancy update .....

Last night for the first time I felt what I think was Braxton-Hicks contractions.  My lower belly got hard as a rock and I had stabbing pains on both sides.  They weren't unbearable, but with all of my concerns I did stress over the pain a little bit.  They lasted for about five minutes I think.  This afternoon I had more similar pains that lasted for a little while longer.  I've heard they can range in sensation from PMS cramps to sharp stabbing pains, so hopefully that's what that was.

This afternoon I managed to get an appointment with a traditional chiropractor for the pain in my neck and for the herniated disc pain I've been having for the past few weeks.  He did a great job!  I usually go to a NUCCA doctor.  They specialize in adjusting C1 only which has worked wonders for me in the past two years, I just feel that a traditional adjustment is what I need right now.  I'm feeling much better.  Hopefully I will have a sound night of sleep and a great day at work tomorrow.  I have a lot of catching up to do.

Another wasted day!

Thank you Ms. J and Sara for the suggestions.  Both recommendations are in my DH's realm.  Not that I can't cook, he's just better at chili and grilling especially.  Keep the suggestions coming ... I love comments (in case I've never said that before).

Well, today totally sucks.  Just like yesterday morning.  It totally sucked too.  We have a stupid shower in our stupid house (I'm hearing a Cowboy Mouth song in the making).  Anyway, the shower wasn't reinforced correctly on the bottom and it cracked -- about a year ago.  DH tried a fiberglass patch which didn't hold, then resorted to the old duck tape method, which worked for a while.  Then we just started using the hall bath (that's what the guest bathroom is called in my family).  So, I got a referral for a handyman and he handed me off to his cousin because he was held up doing another job.  His cousin stood me up yesterday morning then called to say that his son-in-law was coming to do the job and he was held up on another job that should have been completed this past weekend.  See where this is going?  So today I took another day off of work for SIL (son-in-law) guy to come and start the ripping out of our old shower.  I ran to work, skipped swimming and made it home for 9:00, our scheduled demolition time.  SIL guy doesn't show up.  I call and leave a message for him at 10:00.  At 11:00 I call cousin-handyman and want to talk to him about who is getting paid, how much and is SIL okay because he hadn't showed up yet.  No answer, I leave a message.  At 12:50 I get a call from SIL. I let the voice mail pick up because I'm too pissed off to think straight and I want to hear what he has to say.  His message said that his wife had to go to some emergency a few towns over and he has to watch his one year old and he tried calling earlier and left a few messages, yada, yada, yada.  Bull freakin caca!!!!  (I'm practicing my foul-mouth words for when the baby gets here)  So, here I am out two days of work.  Money I can't get back unless July all of a sudden sprouts a couple more days in it.  We have a bathroom full of tile, grout and mortar crap!  So, after I'm finished bitchin' about this I have to go*ogle "How to install a tile shower".  I might have to slap a patch on all three of those handyman fools!!!   I wish I had more email to read that always cheers me up.  Anyway, I'm going to add stupid town to my list.  In this town everyone and their grandpa has a business (me included), but very few of them do things right.  DH said he will take on the challenge of replacing the shower.  I think it pissed him off too.  

NILMDTS

I was searching a website of a local photographer to do my newborn pictures.  I noticed she offered a service called "Now I lay me down to sleep".   I can't believe there is a service like this available.  I went to their website and it had me bawling.  In a community such as ours, the loss of a child is always a possibility more-so than with the general population.  I hope nobody finds this idea too morbid because IMO I think this is the most precious gift other than prayer that you can offer a family that has lost a child.  Also, there is no charge.  These photographers go through training and offer up their own time and expense.  Please check it out.  Here is the website: www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org

Nesting

Today I'm dedicated to cooking meals to put away for when the baby gets here.  I'm making red beans with sausage and ham and red gravy with italian sausage and ground meat, aka meat sauce.  Two things that freeze very well and make plenty.  I can't think of anything else to cook right now.  If anyone has any recipes they would like to share that are easy to prepare and freeze well in small portions, please pass them along.  I also like vegetarian dishes as long as the ingredients list stays pretty short.  Washing and dicing up veggies is not my idea of fun.

********** time elapsed*********

I think next week I will make some chicken and sausage gumbo, shrimp sauce piquant or white lasagna. Those are all really good during cooler weather.  So, anyway, please send on some recipes if you happen to have a favorite.  And, if you are local family reading this, you could just make it, freeze it and drop it on by come October (wink, wink)!

Greaser Babies

This little video is so cute, especially if you are a Grease fan like I am.  Click here or copy and paste this URL.

http://members.shaw.ca/anabw/grease.htm

Painting the Nursery!

This weekend was a busy one again.  We got a lot accomplished in so far as decluttering and home projects go.  Robert is making room in his office so that after the baby comes and I start work again, I can use his office as a massage room.  The room I once used as a massage room is going to be the nursery.  I LOVE this room because of the two long windows that face the back yard.  I created a space out there that I called my "sanctuary".  I loath this room too because of those two long windows which take up two walls in a relatively small room and one other wall is occupied with a double-door closet.    So, that leaves one full wall to put furniture on without blocking the view outside and we have a queen size murphy bed on it.  It's all my fault.  I've always wanted a murphy bed, so Robert made one for me.  And, I wanted a queen size one (I have no idea why).  I guess I forgot that they do still make full size beds.  Anyway, I love the murphy bed and it has to stay because we don't have anywhere else for company to sleep when they come over.   SOOOOO, now for the big event .... PAINTING THE NURSERY!

This was a fiasco to start with trying to find a pleasing color.  We went through three sample cans and two 1 gallon cans to get the right color.  I broke down and drove 100 plus miles round trip to Rest*oration Hard*ware to buy my perfect color of paint.  When I got home, I adorned the dreaded respirator, opened the windows and went to painting.  It took about six hours with breaks and all.  There were two unpleasant discoveries:  

1) my butt has gotten really big (thank you baby for taking the pictures, I know I won't regret them)  

2) the respirator will block out volatile organic compounds, but not my farts!  It's a total mystery to me.  

Here is a picture of me beginning my project:

Here is a picture of me six hours later doing all of the cutting in (my Picasso picture).  Notice the beautiful oak murphy bed my wonderful husband made for me.  Also, notice I have outgrown my camisole.  I must admit it was fun having to pull that thing back down over my belly all day long.

The color I finally settled on is called Silv*er Sa*ge.  It is THE PERFECT COLOR.  I had it stuck in my head for weeks, I just couldn't find it.  Next time I paint, I'm going straight to Rest*oration Har*dware and choosing one of their colors.  

Final pictures of the nursery will come after we get the crib in place (and purchased).  BTW, we are measuring this time to make sure it fits properly!

CNM appointment went GREAT!

Well, I just got back from my appointment with the Certified Nurse Midwife.  It went SOOOO well!  We (the metropolitan N.O. area) are so fortunate to have this woman and a team of doctors that support natural birth.  

Just a little history:  I have had several back and neck injuries including at least three serious whiplash injuries, a herniated disk in my mid back and a low back injury caused by, get this, an obese, amazon woman fell from the second story of a parade float and landed on top of me!  I thank God that I was bending over (pulling out my last sack of cabbages to throw) when she landed on top of me, otherwise if I had lived, I would probably have a spinal cord injury similar to what Christopher Reeves had.  When she landed on top of my low back, it propelled me forward and I bashed my head on the front of the float, yet another neck injury.  Anyway, these are just a few reasons I don't want to be forced to stay supine in a bed during labor or delivery.  

When I asked about my options, the CNM said that basically anything goes and that she is basically there to make sure there's no tearing and to fish the baby out of the water (if it is a water birth), otherwise she will catch it from whatever position I am in when he comes out.  She said it is as close as you can get to a home birth with the convenience of being in a hospital if an emergency should occur.  I CANNOT ask for anything better.  I'm so excited I can hardly contain it!

Last night Robert and I started our Bradley Birth Course.  He's very happy to be doing this with me and I think we will make a terrific team.  On the down side, some new symptoms have crept up ... I've had IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) for the past three weeks and I've discovered new pains in my back.  AH, the joy of pregnancy!  

UPDATE ON STUPID HOUSE:

We decided to not move the door to our closet due to the extremely large dresser.  We  are going to try to save up and build a new house in a year or two instead of trying to fix all the screw-ups with this one.

Crib bedding!

We FINALLY settled on a crib set.  I chose this one because it is all done in jewel tones and the pieces are quilted and not stamped.  Also, how cool that they used an iguana for "I" and a yak for the "Y"!

Rita checking out HER new blankie ...

25 weeks & 5th Wedding Anniversary

First of all I need to say that the past five years with Robert have been the absolute best years of my life.  Despite all of the medical problems, treatments, emotional ups and downs and financial strain we have both had to go through, I would do it all again a hundred times over as long as I get to do it with Robert.  He's the best friend and husband I could ever ask for.  Happy Anniversary, Baby!

This morning we drove to B.R. to  bring our fur-kids to the park.  The rain held out and they

 had a blast playing with the other dogs there.  We didn't get any pictures there, mostly because it's messy and you have to always be on the look out of being run over by another dog.  We did; however, get some pics at home.  They are pooped out and so are we!

The earth could quake, but Rain is not moving for anything ...

Haley can't keep her eyes open ...

Rita doesn't want anything to do with this photo shoot ...

I Should Be Folding Laundry

I came across this post, from I should be folding laundry,  and thought it was very beautiful.  We, If'ers, all at least know of someone who has lost a baby.  Some of us have felt this pain right along side our bestest of friends.  So, you might want to read this touching post written by one friend for another about her loss.

24 + 3 week pic & haircut

Here's my 24 week +3 days belly pic.  I'm not dieting by any means, but I haven't gained much weight at all in the past 6 weeks.  I have been swimming and treading water for about 30 - 40 minutes about four times per week.  Skeletor has been kicking up a storm.  I'm going to have to change his name again soon because we're not getting u/s's of skulls anymore.

I also got a haircut today.  Here is my before picture (also a good pic of belly).  I decided two years ago I wasn't going to cut my hair (except for trims just to keep it healthy) until I got pregnant.  I finally decided to give it a good cut because I was losing out on style.  So, I had about five inches cut off.  I really like it.  My camera was going dead (taking the after pic), so I couldn't get a clear picture without changing the batteries.  I can't wait to play with it myself (my hair, not the camera).  What do you think?

Before:

After:

BTW, if I have any family or friends lurking out there, just drop me a comment and say "Hi" so I know who is reading.  From time to time I feel the need to say things like f**k and sh*t and I'll put up a warning or something to keep from offending you.  Besides, I love comments!