30 weeks "P"

My 30 week picture!  Sweet Mary, Joseph and Jesus -- I NEVER thought I would make it here!  We have definitely been blessed.  In this picture, taken just 30 minutes ago, I've made a smirk.  Why? you ask ...  I think there is something wrong with the auto-focus on my camera and I wasn't sure this one was going to come out clear.  Luckily it did.  It's the only one out of ten pictures that i just took.  BTW, I'm feeling fine, I'm just not wearing any make up and my Bridges-inherited dark circles are very apparent.  Also, I'm fighting the "mask of pregnancy".  Try as I might to wear waterproof sunscreen when I'm swimming, it doesn't really do the trick all that well.  Oh, well!  C'est la vie!

Well, this week I've discovered some new preggo pains.  My back is in a state of non-stop soreness and achiness.  I wondered if my select comfort bed needed to be adjusted, so I've been messing with that.  I usually sleep with it pretty soft, like a number 35 or 40.  Over the past two weeks I've been adjusting it up (firmer).  A higher number, like 65, feels good when I go to sleep, but I wake up with my hips hurting.  I can't tell if it's the change that is hurting, if the number is wrong, or if it's just because I'm pregnant and that's what happens.

Skeletor is getting a new name ... I'm calling him "T-Bob" for now since we aren't going to name him until we meet him.  Robert hates being called Bob, but holding to his cajun roots, I can't

 pass it up, calling our lil 'un "T-Bob".  God, I hope it doesn't stick!

My big family shower is coming up a week from today.  I don't want to speculate, but I probably won't be that far off if close to 100 guests show up.  I'm really looking forward to it.  I love seeing all of my aunts, uncles and cousins.  Most of them are aware of the troubles we have had trying to get pregnant and stay that way.  I think it will be a very joyous occasion.  I'm lucky to have a family like I do and I hope they know how much I appreciate all that they have done for me.  

The highlight of this week, so far, is that my bestest friend Tiffany is back in town to attend this shower.  She's the one from Chicago.  I've been very fortunate that she has been showing lots of support and excitement for me.  I don't have many girlfriends and especially being almost 37 years old, I don't have much else in common with other couples that we know around here.  So, via email, Tiffany and I have been cyber-shopping like crazy for the past few weeks.  

I've been doing a lot of diaper-obsessing and I've read that it is a common thing among moms-to-be that want to cloth diaper.  Whew!  What a relief!  I was beginning to think that I would need some sort of 12-step program to stop.  Since this is stuff that I almost definately will not receive as shower gifts, I went ahead and bought a few things that I will need.  I found on ebay some inexpensive wool soakers.  I won them for $17 each, so I got a small and a medium and the brand is Babyology.  I bought two dozen infant prefolds from Green Mountain diapers, some Charlie's soap for doing the laundry (which turns out to be three times cheaper than what I'm using now), some wool wash and conditioner (which I think I've already mentioned) from Blue House Soaps .... YIKES!  IBS JUST KICKED IN  --- WILL BE BACK WHEN THIS SUBSIDES.

Ok --- where was I?  Oh yes, shopping!  I also ordered some other wool soakers and I think they were a small and a medium, but for the life of my I can't remember from where.  Now, THAT will be a surprise when the UPS/Fedex guy comes!  Like Sara, I LOVE my delivery guys!!!!  They are SO AWESOME!  This week will be great ... expecting 3 packages and preparing for the shower on Saturday.  I also need to buy a pair of shoes to go with my dress.  I'm hoping Tiffany can help me out there because she is the shopping queen.  I could easily live my life out barefoot or in tennis shoes.  I have NO fashion sense.  Another great thing going on this week is that JCPenney called yesterday and said that our crib is in and ready for pickup!  Yay!  It's early. 

 Hopefully, Monday night Robert and I can go there and pick it up.  The nearest JCP is about 30 miles away, otherwise I would run over there myself right now.  Speaking of Robert, he is

 diligently working on the shower, finding some more short-cuts and having to fix them.

Man, this post is turning into a long one.  I didn't think I had much to say.  

Anyway, this week I made the Black and White pound cake and it was very good!  I think I over mixed the butter part with the eggs because it was just the slightest bit dry, but cake is cake and look at how awesome it looks!  ( I have to laugh, because only I can make a cake with 10 eggs and a pound of butter dry!)   Thanks Frank and Kym for the recipe!  I like how the chocolate part swirled into the white part all on it's own.  I'm definitely going to have to do this one again!

Weird day - weird feelings

After our birth class late last night i decided to take today off.  I was super tired, despite having a one hour nap in the afternoon.  I just felt like I needed to stop for a day.

Today I've felt ... heavy ... only in the belly.  I wonder if this change is what I'm going to be feeling for the next ten weeks.  Any advice from any of the experienced moms would be appreciated.  I've been very tired and I feel like I'm going to topple over forward. 

So, my day of planning to vacuum and pick up the the living room got shot to hell.  I did some online shopping and managed to eat well (healthy that is).  Hopefully the rest of this week will get easier.  I'm still looking forward to working my full schedule.  I also have BIG BIG plans for making the Black and White Pound Cake!

BTW -- This company has some great homemade soaps for ALL purposes.  Their name is Blue House Soaps.  I ordered the wool wash soap bar and the liquid wool wash for washing wool diapers, when the time comes and a bottle of their Aloha hair conditioner.  I was really impressed with the ingredient list and awareness of not using products that destroy forests.  Here's the link to their blog and heres the link to their website.  If you try anything (they offer sample packages), please mention my name or email address.  I'll get a $5 gift card.  Also click on the tag at the bottom of the website and get 10% off of all of your orders.

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!

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)!