'Til Death Do Us Part

Sunshine and Roses

2010-09-08T21:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend, some of my college girls are coming into town for our annual, uh... meet up? get together? drunken fest of YouTube worthy footage that reminds us of the good times? Yep. That's the one. I am ridiculously excited. A weekend without the baby (who has been SUCH a sweet little man lately, by the way, it almost makes me sad to leave him - almost). And although a weekend without the baby would be equally good spent with the hubs (better in some ways, perhaps!), pretending I don't have a care in the world - and then flashing my ring to some guy who's giving me the eye - sounds like a pretty damn good way to spend a few days. Never mind work at the shop is INSANE this week and we have a piece of equipment down. Grrr.

Anywho... Our organizer this year sent out the "let's get our shit together email" at the beginning of the week, aptly titled, "Booze and What Not." Some of us responded with the usual - "Booze. Yes. What Not? Bring it on. Pole dancing, anyone?" and such. One reply-all came from our friend who had a baby three months ago. She said she was, "...totally going to flake like I said I never would." Honestly? I took a big, deep breath for her knowing exactly where she was coming from (and at the same time, I kind of thought, "Thank God! If she had been so organized to be able to make this trip [at least a 4 hour drive for her] after only 3 months as a new mom, I would have felt like such a loser!" - remember me? Paralyzed to leave the house to even go to the grocery store for, oh, I don't know - 3 months after having a baby?). For the record, she is rockin' it. Back to work, pumping, feeding... My kid is almost a year and a half old, and I am only now able to make it out of the house on time with no help from Mike - if I start 2 hours before we have to leave, mind you, but I can do it now.

So, I got to thinking about those days - and these days. Those days when I would think, "You know, if I just kept driving, maybe I could leave it all behind." But I never had enough cash. Let alone enough in savings, to disappear, and above all, just thinking about leaving it all behind made no sense. I'd have to make it work. Shuffle priorities. Change plans at a moment's notice. Go. With. The. Flow. And sometimes, the flow meant changing plans, or canceling plans and staying home (grudgingly, tearfully and foot stompingly. What? That's totally a word). And then these days. Where sometimes I'm awakened by Joey saying, "MA MA!" instead of incessant yelling. Or the rare, glorious, days that I wake on my own. After 8am. And my boys are both still sleeping. And you know what? As hard as it can get sometimes - especially with Mike's work schedule - I appreciate it. From Joey - A new word. A new sign. A funny face or non-stop laughter. From Mike - A touch. A moment alone - together. A kiss. A hug. A night where we don't care how late we stay up. A night where the TV goes off early...

It wasn't all easy. There's work still to do. Are there things I would change over the last year and a half? I won't lie. Absolutely. Have I learned a lot about myself? About my marriage and my husband? Absolutely. Would I change that? Absolutely not.

Hang in there girl. It's all worth it.

Why I love Mike

2010-08-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Holy hell, it's been forever since I posted. I swear to you, I have 2 or 3 posts saved as drafts... obviously never got finished. Anyway, let's start back slow.

So about six weeks ago, I started taking an exercise class. And I'm not talking about just any exercise class. My brother calls it "stripper-cise." I call it the most fun I've ever had getting sweaty and sore. OK, I guess I can think of some other fun ways to get sweaty, but I digress. Anywho, This class isn't your run-of-the-mill, let's all train to be strippers class. It's an intense, sexy floor workout (I mean intense - the ab sequence alone is killer), followed by instruction on the pole. Can you say FUN? It's women only, and it's all about becoming comfortable in your own body - feeling sexy, even.

I'm just about to complete level one, and will be continuing on to level two. In level two, you are invited to wear 6" stilettos. (They are optional. Booty shorts, on the other hand, are not, but that's a different post altogether.)

Okay, back to the point. Of course, I opted to go with the shoes. What? They're hot! I ordered 2 pairs in a size 7 & 8. They day of delivery, I checked the tracking number, and saw that they were out for delivery. Hooray! Three of my favorite words: Out for delivery. Unfortunately, I had to head to work before UPS arrived, but while sitting at my desk, I received the following text from Mike:

"Your shoes are here. Box was open so driver wanted me to check delivery. He was looking @ me like some cross dressing perv. Haha."

How many guys do you know that would finish that text with, "Haha." Love.

OK, I'm doing it.

2010-04-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

Endorsing a product, that is.

A while back, I posted about the things I needed most (or wished I'd had) when I brought Joey home. I haven't had an "OH CRAP, I HOPE THEY CAN SHIP THAT OVERNIGHT" moment in quite a while, but when Mike insisted we wean Joey off the bottle - and Joey promptly decided he wouldn't drink cow's milk out of anything but - I was desperate to find a solution. I posted on Facebook asking fellow moms what they did to get their little ones to give up the bottle and latch onto the cup. I was determined not to give up - I know, I know, we don't really need to drink cow's milk, but it is a good source of nutrition and, if nothing else, a quick, healthy snack in a pinch (read: do not leave me comments about how cow's milk is bad for you/there are healthier alternatives/it was unnecessary to wean my 13 month old off the bottle so soon/yadda yadda yadda).

Anyway, I got recommendations ranging from Ovaltine (tried it, didn't work) to just give him milk, and nothing else, and eventually he'll have to drink it. Well, I didn't feel like going through 3 days of hell and dehydrating my sick toddler in the process, so I went for the middle ground. A good friend of mine recommended the Born Free Trainer Cup. We had tried cups with all sorts of spouts, straws... and so had she. She said this was the only thing that worked. I'd try anything, so I ordered it immediately (there is no store within 100 miles of us that carries them! Why, why, why?) When the cup arrived yesterday, I was optimistic. Joey wasn't in the best mood, but I put a little milk in it, warmed it up, and tried sitting with him and giving him his new "ba ba." He wasn't buying it. In fact, he was downright pissed. He'd take a few sucks, then push it away and cry. Oh. No. FAILURE! But I wouldn't give up.

I waited a little while, gave him a snack, and then we sat on the floor and played. I put the cup near him so he could try it if he wanted to. A little while later, I saw him reaching for it. I didn't want to make a peep! He took a couple sucks, looked at it, and then started chugging! I was amazed, and hoped it wasn't a fluke. Nope! No fluke. Since yesterday, he's been drinking out of the new cup with no complaints.

I Guess We're There

2010-04-20T19:54:00.001-07:00

I'm going to be 30 29 again this year. I wouldn't say I'm freaking out about it, but I just keep going, "Really? Really? We're here already?" I guess I still feel like I'm 25 (although I definitely don't look like I did when I was 25 - you know, 25 pounds lighter, great tan, hair always styled, make-up fresh, well rested - er, didn't need as much rest). I'm wondering where the time went. Friends have gotten married, some are having kids (some have more than one), and, yes, some are having plastic surgery.

Really?

Yes, really.

I guess we are there.

Over the last four or five years, it wouldn't be a stretch to say my life has changed dramatically. I started dating the man that would eventually be my husband, got "let go" from the first real job I ever had (I was about to quit anyway - I know everyone that gets fired says that, but in this case, I swear to baby Jesus it's true), I landed my dream job cooking at The Black Cat Bistro (and didn't care one bit that I was working nights, weekends and, if it hadn't been for Mike, wouldn't have been able to pay my bills), left the Cat to open a business with my dad (good and bad - man I miss that crazy kitchen), got married, got pregnant (we're still wondering how that happened), had a baby... I'm not really sure I have a point to all this, but I guess I just wish it would all slow down. Just a little. For like a week even. So we can enjoy it all.

Since becoming a mom, people constantly ask, "When are you having another one?" Sometimes it's tongue-in-cheek, but most of the time it seems like people are serious. For the record, we're not planning on having another. When I tell people that, it's like I just dumped one of Joey's diapers out on their dinner plate. The usual response is, "Oh! You'll change your mind, just wait!" And sometimes - fleeting moments, mind you - I think they're right. I think I'll change my mind. And then I lose another night of sleep, or miss out on something because Joey can't miss his naps, or I have to tell a customer that I won't be able to do what I promised them until tomorrow... Sounds uber selfish, right? Don't get me wrong - I love being Joey's mom. And I usually want to (and sometimes do) answer the, "When are you having another one?" question with, "Can't I just enjoy the one I have?" I'm not one to sugarcoat what being a mom means. Are there innumerable good things to go along with the lost sleep, missed events, huge life changes? Absolutely. I wouldn't give them up for the world. But I'm also not going to walk around telling every married woman they should start production before their baby factory shuts down for good.

I struggle daily with striking a balance between being a wife, being a mom and a friend. And any woman who says she doesn't is lying to herself, completely delusional, or deserves the Nobel Prize and needs to write several books (and put them on tape, or iTunes, or better yet, flashcards) and give them away for free when you apply for a marriage license and/or leave the hospital with a baby. I dunno, I guess I'm just waiting for the day when people around me just get tired of waiting for me to find that balance. And some days, I worry I won't find it until Joey leaves for college.

Right now, I should be cleaning my house, or writing thank you notes for Joey's birthday gifts, or working on a project to get ahead for tomorrow. But I think I'm just going to enjoy the silence of the house, take a hot shower and maybe have a glass of wine. Balance.

The Cake

2010-04-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in Joey's one year update that I made his birthday cake. I set myself up for total failure by finding this cake online, deciding to duplicate it for Joey's party, and telling all my Tweeps and Facebook friends what I was up to. But you know what? I didn't fail! It came out awesome, if I do say so myself, and I didn't even say the eff-word once. Really, ask Mike.

The tutorial for making the cars on top came from CakeJournal and I pretty much just winged the rest (referring to photos from Sara Bakes Cakes the whole way through). The cake and frosting recipes came from Zoe Bakes, and they were just divine: Not Your Average Devil's Food and Outrageous Mocha Buttercream. I used the Wilton recipe to make my own marshmallow fondant (this stuff actually tastes good, too!) which covered the whole cake after it was iced, and was used to make the black checkers that circle the cake and a few pieces of the gumpaste cars. For the "dirt" track, I tossed the scraps from trimming the domes off of the baked cakes into the food processor to make crumbs.

Without further ado, the cake:

Then and Now

2010-04-09T20:55:00.001-07:00

Or "Our Married Life by Katie DiSimone"

We were referred to Katie DiSimone by our friend Meghan when we were planning our wedding. Katie shot our engagement photos and our wedding. She is an amazing person, and an incredible photographer (I swear, she can make anyone feel comfortable in front of a camera), and after the wedding we stayed in touch. When Joey was born, she visited us in the the hospital and graciously brought her camera along. She even called me when she was on her way there to ask me if I needed anything from Starbuck's - I mean, how awesome is that!

So, when Joey turned one, we contacted Katie to document our next chapter. It just amazes me to look at the photos she took when Joey was only two days old next to his one-year shots:

Photos Copyright Katie DiSimone 2010

Thank you, Katie!

One Year

2010-04-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Joey,

About a week and a half ago, you turned one year old. One. Year. My God, where did it all go? I swear, I feel like I remember bits and pieces of your first few months - all in a sleep-deprived haze. Then, all of a sudden, I was back to work (you tagging along with me) and time sped up even more. Even after a whole year, there are still days when I feel like I am doing it all wrong, and others when I feel like I am the best mom in the world. I wish I could give you more of the latter, and something tells me I will never be able to shake that desire. You are unpredictable, yet predictable. Totally benign, and yet completely volatile. You are an entertainer and a goof, and you are sensitive beyond belief.

I must admit, I have spent many days over the past year wondering when I would "get my old life back." I would think I would see glimpses of it here and there when we would have a successful outing (all errands done without a meltdown), or I finished an entire cup of coffee while it was still hot... But I only just recently realized that this is my life - no old or new. You. Daddy. The three of us. It is not a new life, simply the next phase of the one I had been living all along. Yes, it is different than what I had originally expected, but it is good. SO good. Sometimes I have to stop, and take a breath, and just enjoy it. Not worry about what I have going on at work, or how much of your lunch you did (or did not, as is usually the case) eat. Just stop and enjoy you and daddy laughing and playing in the living room, cracking each other up, each teaching the other a thing or two (like where you can find your tongue, for instance).

Your personality is amazing. You really don't have a "medium speed." You are either asleep, or going on all cylinders. Sometimes I joke with daddy (in my terrible impersonation of the guy from This is Spinal Tap) "This one goes to eleven!" You hardly ever stop moving - you seem to know that if you stop moving, you just might fall asleep and miss something. Perpetual motion.

You now have a molar. I had been keeping an eye on your bottom right gums for a couple weeks. There was a big swollen spot, and I was sure the tooth would pop through any day. And then the swelling went down. No tooth. But the other day, daddy had you squealing with laughter on the couch, and that's when I saw it. On the top! You are still quite a trooper when you are teething. Perhaps it is because you got your first teeth when you were only 4 months old - been there, done that.

Perhaps the biggest news this month: you are walking! Everywhere. Once you figured it out, there was no stopping you. You walk laps around the kitchen island, carry monkey around the house, and follow us around tugging at our pant legs. Oh yes, and the first steps you took: I cried. I was so incredibly proud of you, and a little sad to know that my baby really is growing up. Fast. You are officially a toddler now. Oh, and did I mention you can whistle? You are definitely the only toddler I know that can do that!

You haven't really said your "first word" yet - although you babble a lot, and we think we catch things in there. You still say DADA, only it is usually still followed by more dadadadada's. You will mouth things, but no sound comes out - like the words are on the tip of your tongue, just waiting to pour out (and I have a feeling once they start, they won't stop!) Although, the other day when I picked you up at grandma and grandpa's house, we are pretty sure you tried to say "Ruby" (as in Ruby the dog). What we heard was "Roobuh" - close enough if you ask me! You also say "BA" whenever you see a ball or a balloon - again, close enough! You are starting to pick up on a few signs we've been trying to teach you (more, drink, all done), but you have added your own twist to each one (and you make up your own). You get your point across though, so I guess that's what matters in the end!

We celebrated your first birthday with family and friends the Saturday before your actual birthday. I was surprisingly calm the week of your party, considering I had given myself the monumental task of baking your first birthday cake. But baking a cake? What's the big deal? Well, my inspiration was a cake I found on the internet. And I manged to announce to everyone that I was going to try to make it. No pressure or anything. Well, I planned my week, finished a cake task or two every night, and it came out great! I didn't even swear. Not once! Ask daddy. We kept your party simple - grandpa and uncle Ben grilled burgers, grandma made her famous Portuguese beans and awesome salsa (you ate a bowl full of guacamole with her salsa mixed in, and then proceeded to toot for the rest of the day), and I made a pasta and fruit salads. You got lots of wonderful gifts - and, as we expected, you enjoyed playing with the boxes and wrapping paper the most. Your great uncle Milt even gave you a Wienermobile! You love to sit in it, make car noises, and honk the horn. By the time everyone left, you were absolutely exhausted. I managed to get you to take a quick nap, and then you proceeded to stay up until 10pm.

I planned to spend all day with you on your actual birthday - playing, going to the park, maybe even going to the beach. But when I woke up, my plans changed. I had come down with the stomach flu, and had to call daddy to come home from work. I was so sad that all I could do was lay in bed. It was supposed to be our day together. But, daddy took you to the park (I think twice!), and fed you lunch, and I came out to help with naps as much as I could. It was kind of funny, it almost felt like we had just brought you home from the hospital - daddy taking care of both of us, making sure I was OK, had things to eat and drink if I wanted them, and that you were warm, fed, rested, and happy, too.

This past year has brought more change to our lives in such a short period, it is incredible to even think about it. I have learned a lot about myself. I have learned a lot about daddy. And I have learned a lot about us, about communication and about patience. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: This is the most difficult, but most rewarding job I have ever had. Thank goodness it allows for on-the-job training!

We love you so much, baby, and we can't wait to watch you continue to grow and change each day. You are an amazing little person, and we are so proud we get to be your mom and dad.

Love and kisses,
Mom

Happy Birthday, Baby!

2010-04-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

My little man turned one on Monday... and I spent the whole day (and the next) in bed or on the couch - or running back and forth from the bathroom - recovering from the stomach flu. Definitely not how I wanted to spend such a special day.

The big birthday post will be coming soon! In the mean time, here's the one photo I managed to snap of Joey on his actual birthday before my tummy made other plans for me... Did I just say "tummy?" Yep, I'm definitely a mom.

We love you, baby!

Eleven Months

2010-03-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Joey,

About two weeks ago, you turned eleven months old. I can't believe that this time a year ago, we were anxiously (and nervously) anticipating your arrival. You and I went for a walk today along the same route I took last year in the days before you were born.

You are changing so much from day to day, it is hard to keep up! We had quite a busy month. You went to a couple parties - one for our friend Brooklyn's first birthday, and one for Valentine's day - and we took a trip to the Bay Area for your cousin's baptism. You absolutely LOVE going to parties - even if they are not for you! Daddy and I laugh, because whenever there are a lot of people around, you put on what we like to call "The Joey Show." You dance, wave, and play peek-a-boo with anyone that will participate. Even if you haven't had a nap, as long as there is someone for you to entertain, you are in a good mood - you love to make people laugh, and boy, do we laugh A LOT!

You are still making all sorts of sounds. I'm not talking about your typical "baby babble" either. You still make the sound where you roll your R's, among others, but most surprising is that you whistle! I don't really know where you picked this up (maybe watching grandma blow bubbles?) but you do it most often when you are jumping up and down in your crib or dancing. It is hilarious, and we can't get enough of it!

You seem to be starting to find words. You have gone from "dadadadada" to "DA DA," but we are still not positive you are relating the word to daddy. You say "BA," and I'm almost certain you are trying to say "ball," although "BA" has become your universal call for just about anything you really like (grandma says you crawl around, look over your shoulder for her, and say "BA!" as if to say, "Come on, grandma, let's go!" I think today, you may have even said "Bye bye!"

A couple weekends ago, you took your first steps. I know this should all be in next month's update, but I just can't help it! We were so excited and so proud of you! I even cried a little bit - my little baby will soon be a toddler.

In less than two weeks, we will be having your first birthday party. And if there's one thing mom loves to do, it's plan parties. I know you will enjoy just having your family and friends around you, and I'm looking forward to seeing you be the center of attention (I have a feeling you will love it!)

Next time I write to you, you will be one year old. It really is hard to believe. It seems like such a short time ago that it was just daddy and I. The past 11+ months have definitely been challenging, but they have been incredible, too. Watching you grow, change and achieve all sorts of milestones has been amazing. I know within the next two weeks, you will have changed even more - everyone keeps telling me, "That one year mark! You'll just be amazed at the changes it will bring!" But the older you grow, the more sentimental I get, and I wish you could remain little forever. But don't worry (especially you, daddy), I'm not getting the baby bug, and I don't think I will be again any time soon!

Love,
Mom

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T10:22:00.000-08:00

Just Standing Around

2010-02-16T15:15:00.001-08:00

So, on Sunday night, Joey and I headed over to Mike's co-worker's house for a Valentine's Day dinner party. Mike was working and unfortunately missed out on some delicious food - Pistachio Popovers with Creme Brulee Filling and Grand Marnier sauce for dessert=AWESOME! - whoops, detour!

OK, anyway, so our hosts have a son, J., that is about 4.5 months older than Joey. Yep, full-on toddler status. Joey was absolutely mesmerized by him. So much so that there was one point where J. was standing in front of him, and Joey let go of whatever he was holding onto, and just stood there. STOOD. Without support! In reality, it probably lasted less than 15 seconds, but watching him stand there it seemed like forever. And you know what? He's been doing it ever since! Grabbing a toy out of his little toy shopping cart, and just standing there. I have a distinct feeling those first steps are right around the corner.

Ten Months

2010-02-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Joey,

Just over two weeks ago, you turned ten months old. You're in the double digits, little man! This past month has been full of changes. You are starting to mimic us more and more, and it is pretty entertaining! You are waving now - to anyone and anything. When we tell you we are going bye-bye, you wave. When we are at the store, you wave at everyone. When a car drives by, you wave. Are you getting the picture here? You dance when there is music on - you throw a hand in the air and bounce, bounce, bounce with a big smile on your face.

You have seven teeth now, and you are working on number eight. You are still such a champ when you are teething - you get a little grouchy, but it doesn't upset your nighttime sleep (much). If anything, it disrupts your naps (a little frustrating when mommy needs a little time to get dressed for the day!), and you are extra clingy (which is OK - I know there will be a day when you don't want kisses and hugs and cuddles from mom, so I enjoy it for what it's worth).

There was a weekend a few weeks back where I was certain you were giving up your morning naps. It would take me hours of up and down with you to get you to sleep for 30 minutes. I know this will happen eventually, but I was not ready for it to happen so soon. Thank goodness, it seems like it was just a fluke - perhaps related to your first "real" cold. That same week, you woke up with a temperature of 101.6. We gave you Tylenol and lots of juice and water, and kept a close eye on you. You spent most days that week in your PJs and you slept - a lot - during the day, and soon you were back to your old self - jumping up and down on the couch, getting into cabinets and drawers, playing with your toys, and following mom and dad around the house.

One of your favorite toys these days is a stuffed monkey that daddy picked out for you when we went to the Oakland Zoo with our friends Meghan, Memo and Sochie. Even when you first got him, you would hold him away from your face, and look into his little button eyes, as if to say, "We are going to be friends for a long, long time!" You LOVE this monkey. You squeeze him tight and give him kisses - it is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen.

This past month, you celebrated your first New Year's Eve with us. Mom and dad had a little party, and I was worried that you would be up all night with the noise in the house, and pretty cranky. Boy, was I ever wrong! You went to bed at about 8:30, and you slept through the entire party! We were absolutely amazed - seeing as we try not to flush the toilet in the middle of a nap so as not to wake you up.

You also started spending a few afternoons a week with grandma. She was able to re-arrange her work schedule so she works more hours some days, and less hours on others. This frees up some of her afternoons to spend with you, and mommy gets to go to work (and actually work!) She enjoys having you so much, and you are exhausted by the time I pick you up at the end of the day! You guys go to the park, the zoo, the grocery store, and you even feed the ducks and geese at the lake (she said you laugh when the geese honk at you!)

I cannot believe we are almost through our first year, Joey. There are some days when I can't figure out what you want or need, and I think to myself, "How have I been doing this for almost a year, and I still feel like it's my first week on the job?" This is the hardest, most demanding job I have ever had - but it is also the most important - and you can be a tough customer some days! Some days, I look around the house - toys all over the floor, papers all over the kitchen counters, laundry on the couch, no dinner in the oven - and think about how I am failing. But then I look at your face and see a big smile, you are happy and laughing, and you reach up for me, and the important things come back into focus. I know that no matter how messy the house may get sometimes, or how many times daddy and I don't eat dinner until 8:00, I will not be let go from this job any time soon.

I love you, baby!

Love,
Mom

Someday

2010-01-26T21:48:00.000-08:00

Someday, I will purchase a piece of furniture that I don't have to put together (and that does not come from Ikea, Target, or HomeDecorators.com - not that there's anything wrong with those places... you know what I mean). I will organize my desk, and my hall cabinet so that I know where the staples, and the tape, and the printer paper are - without having to dig. I will put things away in their proper place, and not have piles to sort through at the end of the month.

I will wake up earlier than the baby so that we will be ready to leave the house when he is done with breakfast and dressed. I will even wake up early enough to put on my yoga DVD and do my a.m. stretch. I will pick a diet (or way of life, as I guess it should be) and stick to it.

I will complete not only my business to-do list, but also my personal/domestic one instead of collapsing onto the couch with a glass of wine and piece of chocolate after the baby is asleep. I will update my blog regularly (or at least write down the things I would like to write about before they escape me 30 seconds later).

I. Will. Be. Patient. (And if I believed in making new year's resolutions, that would be it.) Patient in my work. Patient with my son. Patient with my family. Patient with myself. I will breathe. I will count to 10. I will appreciate the little things more, and I will say, "I can't wait until..." less. I will forgive more easily, and I will move on from the things that hold me back.

Dare I say it? This is my year.

Nine Months

2010-01-19T13:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Joey,

About three weeks ago, you turned nine months old. (I know, I know! I'm behind again.) That means you will be turning one in less than three months, and I have to start planning your birthday party now. Yes, mom is a planner, and the thing I love planning most is parties. OK, but I'm getting ahead of myself here... back to month nine!

You had a well check with Dr. M, and you were 19lbs, 7ozs and 28 inches long. You have grown almost 10 inches since you were born - that is just amazing to me - and you seem to grow bigger every single day. Sometimes, you wake up in the morning, and I do not see the same baby I put to bed the night before. As of today, you have 6 teeth (when you turned 9 months though, you had 5 and the 6th was working its way out). You are doing surprisingly well with teething, and it doesn't really seem to be upsetting your nighttime sleep too much.

It seems like the older you get, the faster time moves. Every day, you are less like a baby, and more like a little boy. The way you interact with the people around you is changing - you participate (or want to participate) in every activity more, you flirt or play peek-a-boo with anyone that will look your way at the grocery store, and you want to do just about everything all by yourself! You explore everything you can get your hands on, which means we have started to child-proof the house. For the most part, we have left the cabinets unlocked (except for the one where the trash is, and the one where mom's breakables are). You are still trying to climb everything, and you make daddy walk you around the house any chance you get.

Some very exciting things happened during your 9th month. You finally got to meet your Uncle Ray (daddy's brother) and you absolutely adore him - and although he might not admit it, I think the feeling is mutual! It was very special for you to meet Uncle Ray because he is in the Army, and we don't get to see him nearly often enough. In just a few days, he will be heading to Germany for three years! He is very excited to go, and we can't wait to hear his stories - you will come to find out that Uncle Ray is a great story teller (although I hope he doesn't tell you some of his stories until you are much, much older!).

You also had your first Christmas. You got lots of fun things to play with - walk-behind/ride-on toys, a train, a car and truck, a teddy bear, some new clothes... I know I'm missing something here! Basically, you were absolutely spoiled. But the part you enjoyed the most? Tearing and eating wrapping paper and climbing on and into boxes. Yep, we can definitely say with confidence that you are totally normal! You were so tired out from all the festivities, you slept until almost 9:00 the day after - the latest you have ever slept. Uncle Ben, Auntie Alli and little Ricky came down to visit for Christmas, too. You were quite interested in your little cousin, and we spent a lot of time telling you, "Gentle! Be gentle with Ricky!" It was so much fun to see the two of you together, and I know as you both grow older, it will be even more fun.

You are starting to communicate with us more, and although your main method of telling us you need something is to yell or cry, you have started to wave, you say "ba ba" when I ask if you want a bottle, and sometimes you say Dada (although we're not sure if you know what you're saying, or if it's just another sound to you). You have started to try to blow raspberries on us, just like we do to your belly or cheeks - sometimes you get it, and sometimes you succeed in covering us in drool - either way, it is pretty funny. You also make this "rrrrrrrr" sound - I don't really know how to describe it. Basically like you are rolling an 'R', but you have different pitches that you make when you are either upset or happy.

You are trying more and more new foods, and lately all you want is whatever we are eating. Some of the things you like are actually kind of surprising to me - asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower. Thinking about feeding you has made me start to think harder about what I feed daddy and I, too. If I don't want it to go in your body, maybe it shouldn't go in mine either. (Although completely saying goodbye to chocolate and other occasional indulgences may prove to be pretty difficult!) You love watermelon, cheese, Cheerios, pasta... anything you can feed yourself, really!

(Not really your 1st St. Patty's Day - Grandma just got that on sale)

It is getting more and more difficult to bring you to work with me during the week - you are very active, and it is just not safe for you to crawl around the shop. You get very frustrated with this, and some days I seem to spend more time distracting you than working. I struggle on a daily basis with what to do about it. Daddy and I have talked about putting you in daycare a couple days a week so that I can get my work done, and you can have some time to interact with other kids (something you don't get nearly enough of, and I know you would definitely enjoy). But it is hard to think of someone else taking care of you, or me missing anything new that you do - like saying "Mama" or taking your first steps. We have also talked about me working more from home, and although grandpa would miss seeing you at work every day, this is probably going to be our best option for now. You take better naps when you are at home and in your own bed, which means you are happier, and you sleep better at night (which means daddy and I are happier, too!). Whatever decision we make, rest assured that we will have thought long and hard about it, and we will always have your best interest in mind to make sure you are safe, happy and receiving the best care possible.

I know I've said it before, but you really are an amazing little person. We love you so much, and I am so happy that I get to be your mom.

Love,
Mom

Eight Months

2009-12-15T12:43:00.000-08:00

Dear Joey,

About two weeks ago, you turned eight months old. I know, I'm behind again! But you have been keeping me so busy, it's hard to find time to write - and, to be honest, lately when I do have time to write, I usually just want to relax and do nothing - seriously, chasing you around the house is hard work!

At the beginning of the month, you moved from novice crawler to certified pro in the matter of a weekend. And, since then, your goal in life is to crawl to anything and everything you can pull yourself up to standing on. Inevitably, this has led to a number of tumbles, and thankfully your falls scare you more than anything else. But, you are a boy through and through, and these falls have not kept you from exploring (and even trying to climb - much to my dismay!)

You have been spending each Friday with daddy, and I think it has been great for both of you (and me - since you have become mobile, it's a little more difficult to keep you occupied at the shop!) When I get home from work, daddy tells me all about your day together. It usually involves lots of laps around our island - this is one of your favorite things to do, walk while daddy holds your hands - perhaps a walk around the neighborhood (this one you take in your stroller), cartoons, games of airplane, and hopefully a couple of naps - which daddy has become quite good at getting you to take! You are excited to see me when I get home at the end of the day, but daddy is definitely still your favorite person!

In the middle of the month, daddy and I took a Thursday trip to the Bay Area to watch the 49ers beat the Bears, and you stayed with grandma and grandpa. When we got back, my friends from college were in town, and I spent the weekend with them in Cayucos. Daddy took you back to grandma and grandpa's house on Saturday so he could go visit his friends in the Valley, and they brought you over to Cayucos to meet all your "aunties." When they left with you, I was so sad! I couldn't believe how much I missed you! I felt like I was missing out on all sorts of things you were doing. But I knew you were in good hands, and you were having a ball hanging out with grandma and grandpa and Ruby dog.

You spent your first Thanksgiving at uncle Ben and auntie Alli's house, and you were quite interested in your cousin Ricky, and their dog, Izzie. Unfortunately, Izzie was quite interested in your puppy sucker. She swiped him off of a side table and chewed up the pacifier. Thank goodness she left puppy alone, but mommy didn't bring a back-up pacifier to replace the one that was now in Izzie's belly. I didn't realize just how much of a comfort it was to you until we got back to the hotel that night. Needless to say, we didn't get much sleep! We went back to Ben and Alli's house on Friday morning, and you fell asleep in the car. We stopped at Rite-Aid, and I bought the last pack of Soothie pacifiers they had. You napped for about three hours (no surprise considering how little sleep you got on Thursday night), and I sewed a new pacifier onto your puppy while you slept. When you finally woke up, I brought it to you, and your face lit up. You were so happy to have puppy back, and intact!

Some of your favorite things these days are your sippy cup, Cheerios (some days, you won't eat any breakfast unless you get some Cheerios with it), banging on things with your hands or toys, looking at the baby in the mirror (every time daddy walks you by the mirror in the kitchen, you crack up when you see the "other baby"), making raspberries or "rrrrrrrr" sounds, hugs and kisses, and peek-a-boo. You still don't mind riding in the car, but sometimes you want nothing to do with being strapped in your carseat. You are also becoming quite a picky eater. One day you love something, and the next you want nothing to do with it - quite frustrating when I have to make you three different things for breakfast sometimes!

I realized last night, that you will be turning one in a little over three months. I can't believe it. I told daddy that I can't believe we are approaching the one year mark, and I still don't feel like I have a grasp on this whole mom thing! Unless I wake up before you do (and you are still quite an early bird, so this could mean 5am some days), it still takes me an hour and a half to get both of us ready and out the door in the morning. Some days, I feel like I have met your every need, and others, I feel like I fell far short - these are the days that are hardest for me, because I feel like you deserve the best from me every day. Just as you are growing and learning new things each day, I want you to remember that I am, too. Never forget that even if I make some mistakes along the way, I will always do my best to make them right. And never forget that I love you.

Love,
Mom

Yes, yes, I know

2009-12-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

OK, I know I should be posting Joey's 8 month update, but... check out this contest! I mean, who wouldn't want to win this mixer??

Seven Months

2009-11-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

Note to readers (all 2 of you!) I really did write this ten days ago, but haven't had time to go back and add pictures until today! So, without further ado, Joey's 7 month update:

Dear Joey,

About a week and a half ago, you turned seven months old. I know, I know, I've been slacking again! You had quite a month, and some exciting things happened within the last week that should probably be included in next month's update, but I just can't help myself!

At the beginning of the month, you had your first nights without mom and dad. We went out of town to spend some much needed time together for our second wedding anniversary, and grandma and grandpa came to our house to stay with you. The day that we left, I called grandma to check in, and she said, "Why are you calling? Everything is fine." You were having so much fun taking walks and hanging out with Ruby dog that I don't even think you realized we were gone. You slept well at night, and took your naps, too! When we came to pick you up at grandma and grandpa's house, you gave us the lip and started to cry! I'm not sure why, but you warmed back up to us quickly, thank goodness!

You also had one of your very first long days alone with daddy. He stayed home with you so mom could go out wine tasting with family and friends. We all met at grandma and grandpa's house that evening, and you met a bunch of new people. Everyone loved you so much! Your uncle Tommy even brought you a 49ers hat and track suit for next football season. I can't wait until it fits you!

We were positive you would start crawling before you turned seven months, but you continued to drag yourself around and do "the worm." And then you surprised us all - you pulled yourself up to standing in your co-sleeper. From that moment, there was no stopping you. You weren't even really crawling yet, and you decided you'd like to skip the whole thing and start walking! Now, when I go into your room to get you out of your crib, you are standing there waiting for me. But, last weekend you decided you just might wait on that whole walking thing a little bit longer, and you started to crawl. So, now you crawl around, and pull yourself to standing on just about anything you can get your hands on. Needless to say, you are definitely keeping me on my toes.

On October 25th, we had plans to take you to the pumpkin patch with Grandma and Grandpa, and they called to tell us Uncle Ben and Auntie Alli were going to have their baby! They headed north to be with them, but we still took you to the pumpkin patch (and took lots of pictures for them). Uncle Ben and Auntie Alli welcomed little Ricky into the world that same day, and we went to visit them on Halloween. I can just imagine the ~~trouble you will get into~~ fun you will have together! We also brought your Halloween costume with us, and even though it fit you OK at the beginning of the week, it just barely fit you on Halloween! Daddy thought I was torturing you, so we took it off after we snapped a few pictures. In some of them, you looked like the saddest little puppy I've ever seen! You cracked a big smile when daddy took the costume off though, so I guess he was right.

Two other big developments this month were your top teeth! I can't believe you already have four teeth. Four! And man, can you BITE!

You also decided this past month that you were done nursing. It wasn't my intention to completely wean you when daddy and I went out of town, but when we came back, you were even less interested in nursing than you had been. (You were already showing preference for a bottle before we left.) The transition to bottle feeding went better than I could have expected. I was a little afraid that I wouldn't know when or how much to feed you, but you are not shy about letting me know when you are hungry, and you are very good at stopping when you are full (you usually take the bottle, and throw it over the side of the chair!). You are becoming very independent, and sometimes you will not eat unless you get to hold the bottle yourself.

You are also trying more solid foods, and so far, we haven't found any meat that you really like to eat. I made you chicken with veggies, and you did not like it at all! But you did like Sunny Anderson's Cream of Asparagus Soup. Go figure. Perhaps I've underestimated your palate??

You are becoming a little boy before my eyes, and I want you to know that it's OK to slow down a little bit. Really, slow down!

Love,
Mom

Cheers to Two Years!

2009-10-24T12:20:00.000-07:00

Mike and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary a couple weeks ago. Alone. No diapers. No feeding schedules. No naps (although I could have used a couple). Sleeping in. Three hours from home.

The Saturday we headed out of town, my parents came over and took over care of The Captain. After putting him down for a nap (I managed not to cry!), we headed up scenic Highway 1 and decided we would play it by ear. A whole weekend! Play it by ear! We stopped in Moss Landing and had lunch at Phil's Fish Market. We shared a big bowl of their famous cioppino, a cup of clam chowder, and fish and chips, and washed it all down with cold Blue Moons. We left Moss Landing and drove up to Santa Clara (my hometown) to check in to our hotel. We grabbed a beer at the bar, and decided to go to the movies. The movies! We went to the movies! I know, I know, romantic, but really, it's one of those things we love to do together that we haven't done since Joey was born. After the movie (we saw Surrogates, in case you were wondering) I took Mike on a tour of my old stomping grounds. I've been to his hometown a ton, but he had never really gotten the whole tour of mine. We grabbed Mexican food for dinner, and some cheap champagne before heading back to the hotel.

On Sunday we hopped in the car and headed to Santa Cruz. We walked around the old downtown area, browsed at an antique sale, had Indian food for lunch, and went hunting for CDs at Streetlight Records. Mike picked out a Janis Joplin CD for me, and I managed to find a "for promotion only" Dave Matthews set recorded on New Year's Eve 1995. Then we headed to The Boardwalk for a few games of air hockey (Mike kicked my butt!), a few laps on the bumper cars, and some saltwater taffy from Marini's - I even tried their chocolate covered bacon (it was OK - I think it would have been better if it was dipped in dark chocolate instead of milk, and if it was dipped to order).

To wrap up the weekend, we had a late dinner at Scott's Seafood in downtown San Jose. The food was great, but the company was better.

Here's to us, baby, and many, many more to come!

Why I Love Mike

2009-10-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

Since having a baby, Mike has developed his own lexicon. Some of these terms include baby speaker (aka: baby monitor), puppy sucker (aka: WubbaNub) and puke rag (I can't remember if that's the exact term he used, but aka: burp cloth).

Last night, we were discussing his upcoming day alone with Joey. He has graciously offered to watch Joey for half a day while I go wine tasting (actually, that may deserve a "Why I Love Mike" post all its own). Anyway, I was telling him that the easiest way to get through the day would be to plan on getting absolutely nothing done. He said, "It'll be no problem, I'll just put him in his wheelchair thing, and he can watch me wash the car and stuff."

This one took me a second. I scanned around the room looking for anything that resembled a "wheelchair thing." The ExerSaucer? No. The Bumbo? No.

Ahhh, I've got it! The stroller! He'll put him in his stroller so he can sit outside and watch him wash the car. Needless to say, I got quite a laugh from this one!

Oh the Things You Need!

2009-09-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

Photo by Katie DiSimone

My brother and sister-in-law are due any day now, and she put the feelers out for suggestions on things she'd need in the first three months after the baby arrives. Well, I figured why not share it with everyone! Here are the top 10 things I needed/wish I had when we first brought little Joey home:

1. A schedule for visitors.
When we arrived home from the hospital, my in-laws were in my driveway and ready to help in any way they could - bless their hearts. But, what I really needed when I got home was some peace and quiet to get my bearings. And when you are still trying to learn how to breast feed and your nursery is too small for a comfy chair... let's just say I wasn't jumping at the chance to whip my girls out in front of my husband's grandfather!

2. The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD.
We were about 4 months too late on this one. Mike and I watched it, last month and kept looking at each other going, "WTF! Why didn't we have this 4 months ago?? WHY??"

3. A vibrating bouncy seat and/or swing (that plugs in).
This is one of those items I put on my registry thinking, "Hmm, this is cute. Probably don't need it, but whatever." Um, I needed it. Joey slept in his bouncy seat (while I slept next to him on the couch) for, ohhh, the first 2 months of his life or so. Saved. My. Life. Oh, and I constantly worried that if I left it vibrating all night, it would scramble his brain or something. Believe me, keep the vibrations going, he's just fine. We didn't have a swing, but I think it would have been even more helpful than the bouncy seat in Joey's case. (Some babies like them, and some don't - looking back, I wish I would have gotten one, just in case) And, don't forget, if your swing is not the plug-in variety, LOTS OF BATTERIES! I swear, buy out Costco.

4. Bottles and formula (and know how to mix it).
Even if you are breast feeding. I know, I know, colostrum, yadda, yadda, yadda. My milk took forever to come in, and Joey was screaming non-stop. I finally gave in and made him a 2 oz bottle (struggling to read the instructions at 3am). He sucked it down in nothing flat, and fell fast asleep.

5. A sling or carrier that will hold a newborn (and know how to use it).
When I brought Joey home, all I had was the Bjorn, and he was too small for it. I think it would have saved a bit more of my sanity if I had been able to strap him to me and go about my day. He probably would be used to it, too. Now, it's a struggle to keep him in a carrier, unless we are out and about and he has tons of stuff to look at. I also managed to forget that I could just put him in his car seat and snap him in the stroller if I needed to get out of the house. Seriously. It didn't even cross my mind for probably the first month.

6. Lots of burp cloths.
Self explanatory.

7. My Brest Friend Nursing pillow.
This was another one that I thought I'd never need. Until I tried using my Boppy for the first week, and then took a visit to see a lactation consultant to make sure things were going OK. That was my first encounter with My Brest Friend. We actually stopped at two stores on our way home from the appointment with the consultant so I could buy one. When you have a floppy newborn (and big boobs), I found the Boppy difficult to use (actually, a flat pillow worked better). Now that Joey is bigger, I can set him on my lap with nothing, or just a flat pillow, but I still use My Brest Friend when I am at home.

8. Nursing tank tops.
I lived in these for weeks after we brought Joey home. I had purchased a couple nursing bras before he was born, but none of them fit right, and these were so comfy and convenient.

9. A Good Breast Pump (and know how it works).
When your little one is nursing like a champ at the hospital, gets home and decides to forget how those darn boobs work, the first thing you'll probably worry about is your milk supply - or your milk coming in at all - I know I did! I wish I would have bit the bullet and purchased a good electric pump, especially since I was going to be returning to work.

10. Food.
I stocked my freezer with pasta sauce a couple weeks before the baby arrived, and we had awesome family, friends and neighbors drop off food for us. One of my favorite things: Meghan brought us some chicken pasta salad that we could eat cold and on the run. Seriously, best thing I ever ate. I crave it to this day.

OK, those are my top 10... anyone else? Anything to add or echo? What did you need or wish you had when you first brought your little one home?

Six Months

2009-09-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Joey,

Today, you turned six months old. Six! Half a year! I can hardly believe it. The last six months have been an absolute blur. They are right - time really does speed up when you have a child.

Yesterday, we had your 6 month well-baby checkup. You only gained 4 ounces since your last visit to see Dr. M, making you 15lbs, 8ozs. You are 26.5" long. I was a little shocked that you hadn't gained more weight, because when I am carrying you in your car seat, I feel like I might as well be carrying an elephant! OK, maybe not an elephant, but you get the point. Anyway, Dr. M didn't seem too concerned about it, since you are growing lengthwise, and your noggin is getting bigger, too. He did ask me to bring you back in a week or so though just to make sure you are not losing weight. I sent daddy a message saying you had only gained 4 ounces, and he said you must have a good metabolism, because you are a piggy! He meant it in the most loving way, I'm sure. (And boy, you sure do love to eat!)

This month, you took two trips up to the Bay Area for Auntie Alli's baby showers. You got to stay in a hotel both times, and you did really well considering all the time in the car, all the new people and new environment. Unfortunately, you also decided on these two trips that you are afraid of your Uncle Ben. We have no idea why, and we hope you will get over it soon, because even though I'm sure he won't admit it, it probably makes him pretty sad to see "the lip" every time he comes near you! On your second trip up, we also met our good friends, Meagan and Memo, and their baby girl, Sochie, at the Oakland Zoo. You slept for about the first half of the trip, and woke up just when we got to the giraffe exhibit. After we all had lunch, Meagan and I set you and Sochie on our laps, and let you get to know each other. You grabbed her by the face and gave her kisses! It was so sweet. Mommy forgot her camera, but Meagan took some pictures, so I will be posting those soon.

You are still scooting and spinning around on the floor, and you are SO close to crawling it is scary! You will put your arms underneath you, and lift your whole body up onto your toes - like you are doing a push-up - and scoot yourself forward. Dad's DVD collection is in serious trouble! I am excited for you to crawl, but scared, too, because once you start moving, I know you won't stop.

You are incredibly curious about everything around you, and you love being outside. Watching the sun reflect off of leaves blowing in the wind puts a big smile on your face. You reach for everything now, and you love paper, and books - a man after my own heart! Nothing on my desk at work is safe. You have started to bang on things with your hands and with toys. Just this past Sunday, you figured out that you could use your hands to splash in the bath tub (before, you would just move your feet around in the water). You still love music, and it still helps calm you down most of the time, especially when I sing to you.

You are "talking" more than ever, and you started making "B" sounds this month. It is pretty funny to hear you say, "Blah, blah, blah, bong, bong!" You are also still growling and grunting, and you will say "Da Da" and "Ba Ba," although at this point in time they are still just sounds to you - we don't think you are relating them to anything in particular. You babble a lot when you are getting tired - just like your mom!

You have tried a lot of different foods now since we started you on rice cereal a couple months ago. Bananas, peaches, avocado, carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, mango... Any time you see us with a spoon, you open your mouth as if to say, "Where is mine??"

We took you to the park near our house, and we decided you were ready to try out the swings. You loved it! You would get the biggest smile on your face whenever the swing came forward towards daddy. (By the way, daddy is still your absolute favorite person!)

You also got to meet one of the oldest members of our family, Charlie the tortoise. I thought you might be scared of him, but nope! You were curious as always.

I know the next 6 months will bring even bigger changes than the first 6. And no matter how much I try to stay on top of these changes, I know you will always be one step ahead of me. I guess all I can do is hope I don't miss a thing.

We love you so much, baby.

Love,
Mom

Joey, Meet Charlie

2009-09-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Joey met one of the oldest living members of our family: Charlie the Tortoise. Joey's great uncle got Charlie when he was about 10 years old, so this makes Charlie at least 50. Charlie has been on countless show-and-tell days at school, and I'm sure Joey will probably take him one day, too. Believe it or not, Charlie has actually run away a few times (yes, I know he's a tortoise, and "run" and "tortoise" are not often found in the same sentence, but believe me, this guy can really truck!). Thankfully, we found him each time. He is very curious - the moment I put Joey down on his blanket, Charlie saw him and immediately headed his way - and he even responds to his name when you call him. It really is one of the funniest things. So, without further ado, Joey, meet Charlie!

Five Months

2009-09-04T20:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Joey,

Last Saturday, you turned 5 months old. As with the past four months, I don't even know where to start! You can roll from your belly to your back, and your back to your belly, but you haven't figured out that doing this can actually get you places. Instead you scoot - mostly backwards or in circles though. You are so interested in everything around you, and you get royally frustrated that you cannot get to them. I will set you down on the floor, go in the kitchen to grab a drink, and when I come back, you have managed to spin yourself 180°. I am in SO much trouble when you figure out how to crawl!

You are figuring out how to entertain yourself more and more, and you will sit in your portable crib at the shop and play with your toys while I get a little work done. Part of me is so happy that I don't have to entertain you constantly anymore, but another part of me is sad that every day you grow and you don't need me a little bit more. Or maybe you just need me in different ways. As you continue to grow and change, so will our relationship.

You laugh at the weirdest things these days. Today, you had the hiccups, so I jokingly tried to scare them out of you by grabbing your tummy and saying, "BOO!" It didn't get rid of your hiccups, but it did make you laugh, so of course I did it over, and over again. Your daddy still makes you laugh more than anyone, and listening to the two of you is the best sound ever.

When you are in a bad mood, I can usually sing to you or put some music on, and you cheer up (even if it only lasts for a brief moment). I am hoping this is a little hint that you might love music just as much as I do some day. You also love to "dance" with me, and you smile and giggle when I sing to you, twirl you, and bounce you around.

You are no longer a floppy little baby, but you you are not yet a toddler. And yet you have already developed such a strong personality and opinions about everything. You know what you like and dislike, and you have the facial expressions to match. Sometimes you look so concerned, that I wonder what you are thinking about. Wondering what could make your brow furrow so deeply. I tell you, "Don't worry! You have the rest of your life to worry. Enjoy being a kid!" Wow, I sound like your grandma!

You are trying lots of new things these days. We started you on rice cereal after your last appointment with Dr. M. You were having some issues with what I thought was acid reflux, and after talking to him, he said that I just might be right. He said he could give you some medicine for it, or the cereal might help. I decided not go the medicine route, and try the rice cereal instead. You absolutely hated it the first time you tried it! I don't know if it was the texture, or the taste, but you were not happy with it at all! It took about two weeks of trying (and some mashed banana) to get you to eat more than a bite, and you haven't looked back since! We have added some other solid foods to your diet, too. Bananas are definitely your favorite, but you also love sweet potatoes and peas.

I have been making all your food so far, but I picked up some pre-prepared baby food to toss in the diaper bag for when we are out and about. Peaches, bananas, and peas. You tried the peaches first... and hated them! I thought it was just the peaches, after all, peaches do have kind of a different flavor (what am I saying, everything has a "different" flavor to you!) and I don't like them too much, so I figured maybe you just weren't a "peach" kind of guy. Then we tried the bananas. Now, it is true that whatever is in that little Gerber container is exactly what I make you at home (well, there is some vitamin C, and what have you in there to keep them from turning funny colors, but basically the same thing). But I must say, those bananas didn't really smell like bananas to me, and you were not fooled! You spit them out, and cried, and wanted nothing to do with the food in the jar. Again, another strong opinion!

One night this month, mommy went out with her friend, Meghan. Meghan brought Phoebe and her daddy, Geoff, over to hang out with you and daddy while we were out. We left the two of you in "Daddy Day Care" for a couple of hours. When we got home, you were asleep in your crib, there were toys and books all over the floor and Phoebe and the daddies looked exhausted! Daddy told me that he walked you around and around the kitchen island (his usual calming technique), and Phoebe crawled and followed wherever he went with you!

I have a feeling you will be crawling soon, too, but I'm in no rush for you to. I really don't think I will ever get used to how quickly you change - on one hand, I wish I could stop time and you could stay little forever, and on the other hand, I am anxious and excited to see what you will achieve next. For now though, I will cherish each time you fall asleep on my lap, or give me a big kiss, or laugh at the most simple thing.

Love,
Mom

Why I Love Mike

2009-08-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, Mike had a friend from work over for a couple of hours. Joey was in a good mood, and actually laid on the floor and played for a while. At one point, I looked up from my work, and Joey was playing with toys and would look up at the TV from time to time. Since no one else was in the living room, I changed the TV to Noggin, you know, just so I'd feel better that my 4.5 month old was watching TV. Ha ha. Anyway, he eventually got cranky, so I put him in his crib for a nap, but didn't change the TV. Mike and his coworker were talking in the kitchen, and I was milling around and cleaning. When I was doing dishes, I heard Mike go, "I'd never leave my kid with that guy."

Immediately, I think Yo Gabba Gabba is on, so I peer around the pantry to take a look. And it's Blue's Clues. Really? He wouldn't leave our child with the Blue's Clues dude? I didn't ask why - frankly it's funnier to me if I don't know.

Writer's Block

2009-08-11T20:30:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting nearly as much as I'd like lately. My initial intention was to write about our married life - I mean, that's what this blog is called, right? Duh. OK, so things happened - all part of our married life, so they're fitting, I guess. I just feel like the last 4.5 months have been so wrapped up in all things baby, that I forget about all the other things that are going on. Like the awesome night Mike and I had at The Black Cat for his birthday. We took our time. We lingered at the bar before out table was ready, ate multiple courses, had that extra glass of wine - Mike even drank a martini! It was his birthday, after all. I guess that having time to myself these days is such a rarity that I don't know what to do next when it happens. I mean, I get a new magazine in the mail and think, really, it's been a month already? I've barely cracked the spine on last month's issue. (Thank goodness Real Simple comes with a bookmark, 'cuz you know, someday I'll make it through that whole pile of unfinished reading, right?)

Tonight, Mike is working, and the baby went down at 7:15. I actually found myself thinking, should I do this, or that, or take a shower... or can a shower wait until morning? As you can see, so far I've chosen this or that and not the shower. My house is a mess. My laundry is sitting in front of me here on the table. I have work to do. But a glass of wine and watching Janis Joplin and Neil Young on vh1 classic got top billing tonight.

Milestones: Back to Belly

2009-08-06T18:08:00.000-07:00

Joey finally rolled from his back to his belly! Something I thought would be far down the road, considering a good mood is short lived whenever we put him on his tummy. I was in the kitchen, and Mike had just walked in the front door. He said, "Wow, he's on his belly, and he's not screaming!" I said, "What?! He's on his belly? I left him on his back! HE ROLLED OVER!!"

Way to go, little man!

Four Months

2009-08-02T16:11:00.001-07:00

Dear Joey,

On Wednesday, you turned four months old. You had another well baby check-up with Dr. M, and you weighed in at 15 lbs, 4 ozs, and you are 25.3" long. Dr. M said you definitely did not forget how to grow! I think you have changed more this month than you have in the previous three combined. You are grabbing everything within your reach like your toys and blankies (good) and handfuls mom's hair (not so good). One of daddy's co-workers let us borrow their Excersaucer, and you are really enjoying it. You are very curious about all the toys that are attached to it, but you do get kind of frustrated that they do not come off. You pull on and yell at one particular little turtle that spins around - it is pretty cute to watch.

A few weeks ago, you figured out how to roll over from your belly to your back (and a few days after decided that you no longer wanted to do that), and on the same day you figured out that you could make "raspberries" at will. You have also discovered your feet, and you enjoy playing with them, kicking your legs, and occasionally sticking them in your mouth. You went swimming for the first time in Grandma and Grandpa's pool, and you seemed to really like it! One of your other new "tricks" is to give kisses. Or at least we think that's what you are trying to do! You grab our faces and come at our cheeks, chins and noses with an open mouth. I love your kisses, even if I end up with a nose full of drool. I know someday you will not think it is cool to give your mom hugs and kisses, so I cherish each and every one.

You were doing pretty well with sleeping - going down at about 8:00 every night without a fuss - but right around the 4th of July, your sleep patterns began to take a turn for the worse. It was like we had a newborn again! I had to rock you and sing to you, and wait until you were totally asleep before I even attempted to move you into your crib. I knew it was not a good habit to get into, but it was the only way I could get you into your crib at night. If I even attempted to set you in there before you were completely asleep, you would act like I set you on a pin - screaming the second you hit the mattress. I spent some more nights on the couch (something I hadn't done for a couple of months) so that I could be close to your room, as you were waking up about every two hours. I started to keep a log of your naps and feedings during the day, and your wake times at night. I planned to take it with me to your well-baby exam to show Dr. M. I don't know what I thought he was going to do with it - I guess in the back of my mind I thought he would look at it and say, "Oh yes! I know exactly what is wrong, and here is what you do!" But, alas, he laughed when I pulled it out of my folder, told me how organized I was, and said I should frame it just in case we ever decided to have more kids. After all, you are just doing what 99% of infants do when they are learning to sleep through the night. And then, about a week and a half ago (and right before your doctor's appointment), your bottom two teeth broke through. And you started to sleep much better. I'm hoping your next set of teeth do not come with weeks of sleepless nights again!

You are becoming so much more aware of the things that are going on around you. Now, when you hear a loud noise, you get startled and you try to find where it came from. Usually, this is accompanied by "the lip." Things that you would previously sleep through, like the vacuum cleaner and blender, now surely wake you up. Daddy has graciously given up having smoothies in the morning when he is on day shift just so you will sleep as long as possible in the morning, and I can, too.

When you see something you want to explore, you reach out and grab it, and it immediately ends up in your mouth. When we are out at a restaurant (yes, daddy let us take you out to dinner with us, and even lunch and breakfast!) we have to push our plates, glasses and silverware out of your reach, and make sure there are no paper napkins near you. When you are at work with me, you reach for my mouse, and pull papers off of my well organized (yeah right) stacks of work orders. You are so active, and you want to be able to move around so bad that you get frustrated and scoot yourself around in circles when we lay you on the floor to play. Dr. M thinks you will be crawling by the time you are six months old. It scares me a little to think that he is probably right!

You took a trip to the Valley to meet our friends, Aaron and Crystal. Daddy has known Aaron and Crystal since he was in high school, and they are really more like family to us. It was the longest car trip you had ever taken, and you did great. I made sure you had a full tummy when we left the house, and you slept the whole way there. It was very hot, so we spent most of the day inside the house, and you played happily on the floor most of the day. On our way home, you woke up a couple of times, but went back to sleep quickly after. All in all, you did great for your first "vacation" day!

As you continue to grow and learn, I do to. I am learning to be your mom, and each day brings a new lesson and a new challenge. I have begun to relax a little bit more, and go with the flow - I now understand how much our lives have changed. Daddy can't help but laugh at me - that it took me this long to realize this fact. Perhaps I had already realized it. Now, I have accepted it.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

Love,

Mom

Someday

2009-07-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

Someday, I will get a full night's sleep and look well-rested. I will leave the house on time. I will be wearing eyeliner, my legs and underarms will be shaved, and I will remember to put lotion on my knees and elbows. My hair will be styled. I will not be wearing flip-flops, and my clothes will look nice, fit well, and there will be no visible sign or offensive odor of spit-up or baby poo on them. I will not have to run back into the house three times for things I have forgotten before I pull out of the driveway. I will go to a restaurant and eat my meal at a normal pace and maybe even have a second glass of wine. I will take an extra hour to shop, and make one more stop on my way home just because I feel like it. I will crank up the car stereo, and sing at the top of my lungs. When I get home, I will grab a good book, and an icy margarita. I will fall asleep in a lounge chair, and get a little sunburned, but I won't mind.

Until then, please excuse my tardiness, excess body hair, love handles, baggy-butt jeans, hastily gathered ponytail and made-up face, wine glasses left half-full, and eating habits that Emily Post would surely frown upon, as I have a four-month old child, and he is teething. Thank you. (Oh, and I'll just keep dreaming about the extra shopping, lounge chair, and "normal" outing to a restaurant until he is in preschool).

Milestones

2009-07-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

Joey finally rolled over from his tummy to his back today! We haven't been putting him on his tummy quite as much as we should - mainly because it really upsets him, and it's not the crying we can't stand, it's the bad mood that follows!

Go Joey, go!

Blog Makeover

2009-07-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

So, I was checking out my own blog, and with the template I was using, I realized that reading it SUCKS! The text was really small, and the blue background with the white type made it really hard to read. So, since I don't have enough to do already, I'm going to work on sprucing up this simple template. Keep an eye out for a new look in the next couple weeks. Oh, who am I kidding? Maybe you'll see it next month. lol

Three Months

2009-07-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Joey,

On Monday, you turned three months old. You have changed so much over the past month, I really don't even know where to start, so bear with me! You are growing and learning so much, and I am anxious to see what new things you will do every day. You didn't have to go to the doctor this month, but when I got on on our scale with you, it said you weighed about 14 and a half pounds... I won't tell you how much it said mommy weighs.

You have finally figured out how to suck your thumb (before, you had been sucking on your whole fist) and it usually ends up in your mouth when you are getting tired, or just lounging around with dad.

When your toys are near you, you can reach for them to play with, and you can even keep yourself entertained for quite a while. Your favorite things are a set of colored rings that link together, and a small stuffed lion. You shake the rings and chew on them, and you give the lion big hugs!

You have discovered your voice, and you definitely enjoy hearing it. You make all sorts of noises now, and when I am feeding you, you often stop eating to have a "conversation" with me. It is the cutest thing I have ever seen. You have also discovered that you can scream very loudly, and you do it a lot when you are happy. The other day, I was reading you a book about baby farm animals, and you would let out a loud squeal after I finished reading each page. And, on Father's Day, you started to laugh. You don't do it too often, but it is definitely a laugh. Of course I try everything I can to make you do it, but it's not always that easy!

You have become so much more aware of your surroundings. You recognize people that you see often, and you greet them with a big smile - much to their delight. Things that you were totally unaware of just weeks ago, you now have quite an opinion about. Like when Ruby dog came to visit and she licked your forehead - you were not too happy about that! If you hear a loud noise, you jump a little bit, and look around to see where it came from. We have been putting you on your tummy like Dr. M told us to, and you don't really like it too much, but you are trying really hard to roll over each time we do it. You are very strong, and one of your favorite things to do is stand up when you are sitting on someones lap. You seem very proud of yourself when you do this, and it makes you very happy to be up looking around. You are very alert, and you hate to miss anything that is going on around you!

This month, you went to 4 parties! At the beginning of the month, daddy and I took you to Luis's son's baptism party with Meghan, Geoff and Phoebe. We were all surprised when you fell asleep while the Mexican banda was playing (it was incredibly loud). You went with me to our friend Andrew's annual Bocce Ball tournament in San Luis Obispo, and then to Santa Maria for Maddox's 2nd birthday party. Two parties in one day! You also got all dressed up and went to Phoebe's first birthday party in Shell Beach. Again, you slept through most of it, and everyone was very surprised that you were able to do that with all the people around!

One of the things we've been working on has been getting you on a bedtime routine, and trying to get you to sleep through the night. You are doing pretty well so far. The longest you have slept so far is 7 hours. It has been very difficult for me, but I am finally able to let you cry and fuss when you first go down at night until you go to sleep (of course, there are still times that I come in your room to check on you and rub your tummy if it's taking a little too long for you to fall asleep - usually that little bit of reassurance is all you need, and you go right to sleep). This week, I am trying to let you cry yourself back to sleep when you wake up at night, but this has not been too easy. I always get up to check on you at least once, and when you are crying in your crib, I lay awake in bed sweating. It is so hard to hear you cry, but daddy says it's for the best, and I know he is right - you need your sleep, and so do we!

Oh, and how could I forget! You experienced your first earthquake this month. You were asleep in my arms, and I think you were more upset that I flew out of the chair and woke you up than anything else.This will probably not be the only earthquake you experience, but I hope you handle all the rest just as well as you handled this one!

We look forward to seeing what this next month holds for you!

Love,
Mom

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

We've come a long way in 12 weeks! Hope you had a great Father's Day, we love you, baby!

Shake, Rattle, and Roll!

2009-06-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

At 5:32 this morning, Joey experienced one of those things most Californians are familiar with: His very first earthquake. It registered 4.4 on the Richter Scale, and was centered 15 miles west of Paso Robles. When the earthquake hit, I had just settled down in Mike's recliner, Joey drifting back off to sleep on my lap. I was "lucky" enough to be living in the Bay Area when the Loma Prieta quake hit in 1989 (a 7.1) and in San Luis Obispo when the San Simeon quake hit in 2004 (a 6.5), so I'm pretty familiar with the drill. This morning, however, the drill involved me flying out of the chair, baby in my arms, looking for somewhere to duck and cover - how the heck would I dive under the kitchen table with an infant in my arms? Should I run out the front door in my bathrobe? Fortunately, I didn't have to do either of those things, as the quake was over as soon as it began. I am willing to bet Joey didn't even feel it. He was more upset that I flew out of the chair and woke him up than anything else. The first of what will probably be many earthquakes for him was a total non-event!

What You Didn't Hear

2009-06-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

Well, internet, I wasn't completely honest about our family outing on Tuesday night. It wasn't quite as picture perfect as I would have led you to believe. I left something out because, well, it was totally disgusting, and I guess I feared a backlash from PETA. But, after telling Meghan about this, she couldn't believe I didn't include it. I would like to stress before you read this that we were sitting outside the restaurant. This did not happen in the restaurant.

So the part I left out of the blog was that while we were sitting outside, Joey's car seat on the ground, a mouse came strolling towards our table right next to the wall (I say strolling because it was the fattest mouse I've ever seen, and he was not at all scared of people). It actually took me a couple seconds to determine that this was actually a mouse, and not perhaps a gopher, simply because it was so portly, and it was also missing about half of its tail. I tried to shoo it away, and it didn't even flinch. So what does Mike do? He gets up, and I think he is just going to stomp his foot next to it and try to scare it away. Oh no, he puts his flip-flop clad foot ON the mouse and proceeds to place all his weight on it. Yes, my husband squished the mouse. It was so disgusting, I was freaking out - I actually let out an involuntary scream. Blech. I know it was a disease-carrying little varmint, and it was only feet away from my infant son, but still. Blech.

So, yeah. The evening wasn't as perfect as I led you to believe. But hey, a girl can dream, can't she?

Moments Like These

2009-06-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

Last night, we went out to dinner. All three of us. Mike has been reluctant to take Joey to a restaurant for fear he would start screaming and disturb the other diners. I can't say I blame him. It was a beautiful evening in Morro Bay, so when I got home early from work, I suggested that we all go out to dinner at a restaurant with outdoor seating. That way, if Joey freaked out, we wouldn't be disturbing anyone in the restaurant. Mike agreed, and we headed over to Chapala (the Mexican market/gas station, turned restaurant - and they still have the gas station). We ate chips with salsa and guacamole, drank a Corona, and made it almost all the way through our entrees before Joey even let out a peep. It was awesome. The company, the food, the view of the ocean. Awesome.

We came home, and Mike decided to run out to the video store and pick up some movies. When he got home, we put Joey to bed and watched a movie (only having to pause a couple of times in the first half hour to comfort the baby and get him to fall asleep).

We finally went to bed at 11:30 - much too late considering that Joey would probably be waking up at any time to eat or fuss. He woke up at 1:00. Ouch. I've been slowly starting to eliminate his nighttime feedings, but nursing him almost always puts him back to sleep. I was exhausted, so I gave in and got him out of bed to fed him. He ate for about 20 minutes, and settled right back down in his crib. I headed back to bed hoping I would fall right back to sleep since it's Joey's usual MO to wake up at 5am no matter what. That would leave me with 3.5 more hours of sleep. Well, 5:00 came and went, and no crying baby.

At about 6:30, I woke to the sounds of a happy baby in his crib. I couldn't believe it. First of all, he had slept in (yeah, it's sad that I think 6:30 is "sleeping in" these days, I know) and second, he wasn't screaming! He was cooing and laughing and entertaining himself. I couldn't belive it. It truly is moments like these that make it all worth it.

Two Months

2009-05-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Joseph,

Yesterday, you turned two months old. I honestly can't believe you are two months old already. It seems like it has gone by so quickly, but it also seems like you've been here - part of our lives - for much longer than that. We took you to the doctor for your two-month checkup, and Dr. M said you are perfect (he's said it before, and since I am your mom, I like to repeat it over and over). You are 23.5" long and 13lbs, 1oz. Quite a big boy! We asked the doctor about your gas problems, since it seems that there's nothing I can eat that doesn't give you painful gas. (Your toots aren't always as funny as they used to be because they are usually accompanied by a high-pitched scream and loud grunts.) He pretty much said we should get over it. There's not much we can do about it, and trying to change everything we do would take all the fun out of this whole experience. Well, he put it much better than that, but that was the basic gist of it. He made me feel a lot better about continuing to breast feed you even if it can be difficult at times.

You also received your first round of vaccinations yesterday, and you did amazingly well. You didn't even feel the first needle, and even after the fifth shot (yes, you got 5 shots in one day!) you cried for just a few seconds and quieted right down. You slept for most of the day afterward, and even slept for just over 5 hours in one stretch last night.

You have developed quite a personality over this last month. You still like to ride in the car (you still fall asleep most of the time) but you have decided that you do not like being strapped into your car seat - or strapped to anything for that matter, even your beloved bouncy seat. You smile so much now, and you gurgle and coo when you see your dad or I. Your grandpa gets a kick out of making you smile big when you come to work with me. Even when you wake me up a few times during the night, or refuse to go back to sleep at 2:30 in the morning, seeing your smile when I come to get you out of your crib - when it actually is time to get up - kind of makes me forget about the sleep I've been loosing. Kind of.

You still enjoy watching the ceiling fan, and you get upset sometimes if it is not on. You have also discovered the TV - this is both good and bad. Right now, you are watching Dave Matthews Live from Piedmont Park, and although I should turn the TV off, I will let it slide this time. (Mom loves Dave Matthews, by the way, so if you ever need a gift idea... What? I'm just sayin'!) You have begun to take more notice of your own hands, and you bat at things. I can tell you are just a little bit away from reaching out and grabbing the things you see around you. You have a bunch of soft, sweet little blankets, but your favorite comfort items are a burp cloth - any burp cloth - and your froggy and puppy WubbaNub pacifiers. Meghan introduced us to these, and they are awesome because you can hold onto your pacifier and sometimes even put it back in your own mouth if it falls out.

Your new favorite place to hang out is your Boppy pillow that Judy from across the street bought for you. She and her husband, Larry, just love you! They come running across the street whenever we walk out the door or arrive home with you. Speaking of hanging out, one of your biggest changes is that you like to hang out "alone" and you entertain yourself. This is a big help to mom when she is trying to get ready to go to work or to the store, cook dinner, or even just brush her teeth!

A couple of weeks ago, dad and I went on our first date alone since you arrived. Your grandma Karla came over and sat with you. You were a little fussy after we left, but grandma said you did great. She did great, too. She loves to read to you and tell you stories. Hopefully she won't tell you too many stories that cause you to say someday, "But why?? Grandma said when you were a kid..." I knew you would be fine with grandma, afterall, I turned out OK, but I was still anxious to get home to you. I don't want to miss anything!

You are turning into an amazing little person, and everyone keeps telling me I should enjoy the next month or so, because after that you won't be a baby anymore. I beg to differ though, you will always be my baby no matter how old you get.

Love,
Mom

Mom and Dad's Big Night Out

2009-05-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday, Mike and I went on a date. Sans baby. It was the first time in almost 7 weeks that we had been in a restaurant together - or alone together at all for that matter - and when we left the house, I realized it was the first time I had ridden in his car in as many weeks. My mom came over to watch Joey, and I must admit, it was a little weird to walk my mom through the house, showing her where diapers, blankets, PJs and bottles were, showing her how to use the stroller if she wanted to take him for a walk (this almost always calms him down if he's inconsolable) and explaining how to heat up the breast milk that was stored in the fridge.

When we left the house, Joey was asleep on the couch next to his grandma, and she looked like a deer in headlights (sorry mom, you did!), but I knew everything would be fine. I kissed Joey on the head and told him I loved him, and to be good to grandma while we were out. Of course, he woke up screaming when we couldn't have been more than a block away. But, grandma handled it like the pro that she is, and calmed him down.

It wasn't too hard to leave Joey, after all, I trust my mom and I knew he would be safe, and we were only going to be gone for a couple of hours. But, when we were heading up Hwy 1 to Cambria (we were going to have dinner at the Black Cat) I caught myself looking in the back seat to check on a baby in a car seat that wasn't there, and I laughed. We got to the restaurant, and were greeted by Deborah and Alexis. It was fun to be back. We were shown to our table, and Luis brought us bread and butter. I ordered a Kir Royal in honor of Dale (oh what can I say about Dale - to say he was a restaurant regular would be an understatement - he was there every night, and was one of the sweetest old men you could ever meet in your life, part of the Black Cat family), and Mike ordered his usual Palma Louca beer. We each ordered three courses and shared dessert. I tried hard not to rush through dinner, but there was a big part of me wanting to finish up and get home - something I didn't really expect. I wasn't worried about Joey, but I was anxious to see how it went, to see how my mom and Joey did on their own, and to see if she'd ever do it again!

Dinner was amazing. Mike and I had a great time being alone with each other again, and I don't think I could adequately describe how much that time meant to me. I must admit, I wondered before we left if we would spend the whole time talking about Joey, if we'd have anything else in common any more. Of course we talked about Joey, but I was happy to find that we are still "us," too.

We headed home after we finished dessert, and we had only been gone for about two and a half hours when we got home. My mom was shocked to see us home so soon! Mike's mom and grandma (Joey's other grandma and his great-grandma) were visiting, and Joey was laying on the couch again, in his PJs, fed and ready for bed. He looked a little confused - who are all these women, and where is my mom? - but he was just fine. I was so proud. It was a good night.

Thank you, mom!!

One Month

2009-04-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Joseph,

Today, you turned one month old. It is incredible to me how much you have grown and changed, and how much you have changed our lives. Sometimes you change so much from day to day that just when I think I have you figured out, you surprise me with something new. Like yesterday, you were very fussy. I thought I had tried everything to comfort you, but then I thought I would try something you had decided you didn't like during your second week home - I swaddled you tight in a blanket, and you went right to sleep. That's how you slept last night, too, all wrapped up like a burrito, and you slept the best you have yet.

Some of your favorite things these days are daddy (your first "real" smile came when daddy got home from work one morning and bent over to say hello to you in your bouncy chair and your face just lit up), sitting in your bouncy chair (although you are slowly deciding you don't like being strapped in anymore), riding in the car or your stroller (you almost always fall right to sleep when we get moving), eating (you have put on 3 pounds and grown 2 inches since you were born), looking at the picture that hangs above the dining table, and watching the ceiling fan (we have decided you are totally going to be the kid that plays with the boxes on Christmas, and not the toys). You have begun to make sounds (other than crying), but you don't really "coo," mostly you squeak, grunt, and growl (oh, and fart, but that is involuntary, and totally hilarious).

The day you were born, you were surrounded by people who love you very much, and you have met even more since that day. Everyone that sees you, even strangers, tells us you are such a pretty baby (and then asks us if it's OK to call our little boy "pretty" - I think it's just fine). We named you Joseph Michael - Joseph after your late great grandfather, Milton Joseph Sr., and your great uncle, Milton Joseph Jr.; and Michael after your dad. Carry your names proudly, Joey, and know you were named after great men.

We only want the best for you. I have already found myself looking at girls in the grocery store wearing cut off jeans, bikini tops, and cowboy boots, and telling you never to bring home girls like that! Believe me though, that is the least of my worries. I hope daily that we will be successful in giving you the tools to make good decisions, to be compassionate towards others, to live your life honestly and with great integrity, and that you are always surrounded by people that love you and have your best interests in mind.

There are parts of me that want you to stay little forever, and other parts of me that can't wait to see you grow and develop (not to mention get a full night's sleep!). I never expected that I would learn so much from you. You are teaching me to be more patient, and to use my time wisely and not procrastinate - every moment is valuable. The changes you have brought to our lives have been overwhelming at times, and your dad and I are doing our best to not only give you the attention you need, but also attention to our relationship with each other. Understand that the relationship your dad and I have with each other is one of the most important things in your life, and we will do our best to keep it strong and set a good example for you.

We love you, little man.

Love,
Mom

Bringing Home Baby

2009-04-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I was laying in the hospital blissfully unaware of what the coming weeks would bring. Although it was hospital food, I was being served 3 meals a day, and if I needed help with breastfeeding or wanted to take a shower, brush my teeth, or use the restroom, all I had to do was push the call button and a nurse would promptly be at my bedside to help me or take over baby care for a short while. The next day, we would be on our own - here's your baby, good luck!

On Tuesday afternoon, Mike and I changed Joey out of his hospital-provided getup, strapped him in his car seat, and packed up my bag. I had been so ready to leave the hospital so we could go back home and begin our new life, but when I looked down and saw Joey strapped in his little seat, I started to cry. I was scared to death. What was I going to do with this helpless little person when we got home? What if he had trouble eating? How should I dress him for bed? My head was spinning. Mike took me in his arms and comforted me, "Oh babe, what's wrong? Don't cry. This is what you wanted, remember?" I pulled myself together, and we headed out to the nurse's station to have the car seat checked. The nursing assistant walked us down to the car to make sure Joey was properly secured in the back seat, and we were ~~ready~~ given the OK to head home. I sat in the back seat with the baby as we made our way back to Morro Bay. He slept the whole ride home.

When we pulled in the driveway, Mike's mom and grandparents were here to greet us. To say I was overwhelmed would probably be the understatement of the year. We had dinner with Mike's family, and then tried to settle in. That was the night Joey showed us his true lung capacity. Mike was wondering if the hospital would possibly take him back, and I was totally lost - I had no idea how to comfort this screaming infant. He was crying, I was crying, it was a mess. After trying just about everything, and even though I said I wouldn't do it, we decided to try giving him a bottle of formula. It worked. He finished a 2oz bottle in what seemed like 3 gulps, and fell asleep. Plans change, lesson learned. The next night wasn't much better, but my milk had finally started to come in, and Joey was beginning to eat better.

On Thursday morning, we had an appointment with a lactation consultant, and in true Joey fashion, he put on a show and ate amazingly well. (On a side note, the lactation consultant noticed what looked like a scab on Joey's head. Instead of saying, "Yes, it's a scab," I told her that it was indeed not a scab, but poop that had dried on his head from a particularly messy blow-out that required an outfit change the night before. Apparently I had missed a spot when I cleaned him up. Mike said he would have lied, and I have been nominated for Mother of the Year.) That afternoon, we took him to his first pediatrician's appointment, and were amazed to learn that he was already weighing in at one ounce over his birth weight (and then the nurse left the room, and he pooped... twice). I was relieved to know that he was getting enough to eat, and the doctor said everything else looked perfect, too.

As the days pass, Joey is getting used to his new world. Although he hasn't quite got it down that we are awake during the day, and we sleep at night, he is getting better. He is changing every day, and I already find myself looking at the pictures from the day he was born amazed at how quickly these changes are taking place. He has started to make new noises - squeaks and grunts mostly - and although people say babies this young don't really smile ("It's just gas") I am convinced that he does. I am changing, too - learning what his sounds and cries mean, knowing when he needs to be held, and when he is just having a dream and can be allowed to continue sleeping. I watch his face as he sleeps, wondering what could possibly be troubling his mind and making him furrow his brow, or what is delighting him so much when he smiles and his face relaxes. I can't believe that something so small can produce so much poop, and I can't help but laugh when he farts (and he farts a lot).

I am starting to get back to the "real world," although sometimes I'm not quite sure what day of the week it is. I took Joey to visit his grandma and grandpa (and Ruby dog) yesterday, and with Mike back at work, it took me three hours to get out of the house. I now understand fully why moms often leave the house in their PJs, sometimes haven't found time to shower or brush their teeth for a few days at a time. So far, people have been right about one thing though - it is getting better every day.

Welcome to the World, Little Man

2009-04-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

Well, as you can probably assume by the title of this post, I did not make it to prenatal visit #14. Baby Joseph made his way into the world one week ago, and what a week it has been. On Saturday the 28th, Mike and I headed to Costco to stock up on a few things, and I started having contractions. Real ones. They were pretty far apart, but they were more painful than any that I had experienced (although I had no idea how bad they would get as the night wore on). We made our way home, and I knew that Joey would probably be arriving soon, if not within the next 24 hours. When we got home, we made sure our bags were in order and settled down for what would prove to be a long night (and subsequent day). My contractions became regular enough to start timing at about 10:00 that night, and just after midnight we decided to call Connie, our doula, to let her know that things were starting to move along rapidly. By quarter after 1, we called her again to let her know that we would be leaving for the hospital. I will expand more on this later on, but long story short, by the time we got to the hospital, my contractions had spaced back out to about 10 minutes apart, and I was still only 1cm dilated. I had a lot of work yet to do. I was informed that I could go home if I wanted to. After a little back and forth, we all decided I would be more comfortable at home and headed back to Morro Bay.

We got back home at about 3am, and Mike and Connie were by my side coaching me through some tough back labor, walking with me around the house, helping me move and get comfortable through it all. By about 9:30, I decided I was ready to go back to the hospital. When we arrived, there was no one at the front desk. Mike ran inside and swiped a wheelchair. He was getting me in there and up to the L&D ward no matter what! Connie came shortly after and wheeled me in and took me upstairs. We hadn't even checked in, but Connie was awesome, she told the nurse on the floor that I had already been there earlier in the moring, and I was ready to go! The nurse did not seem too happy to have to handle the admissions paperwork, but there wasn't much she could do at that point. They got me in bed, hooked up to the fetal monitor, and it was time to check and see how much progress I had made. I tried not to get my heart fixed on a high number, and I expected the nurse (by the way, we ended up with a different L&D nurse, not the one who seemed angry about the paperwork, and she was AWESOME!!) to tell me I was 3cms. I was 8. It was 10am, and Joey arrived 4 hours later. I had been in labor for roughly 23 hours, and pushed for the last 2 of those.

Mike was the most amazing coach. He never left my side and constantly reminded me to breathe. If I didn't breathe, I wouldn't get anywhere. Connie helped me throught the worst of my pain, modifying my breathing technique to keep me from pushing before it was time. Together, they made an incredible team. Even when I second guessed myself and thought I needed something to take the edge off, they were able to talk me through my pain, and talk me out of it. I had made it so far already, and my body was doing exactly what it was supposed to do. Each contraction was doing "good work" as Connie repeated to me again and again. And she was right. I did it. It hurt more than I expected, and I don't think I'll ever really forget that pain, but after it was over, it was over, and the person we had waited so long to meet had finally arrived. He was beautiful. And after a little bit of a scare, hearing him cry was the sweetest sound.

Our lives have been forever changed, and there is so much more to share about Joey's arrival... more to come!

Prenatal Visit 13

2009-03-25T13:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, nothing like the impending birth of a child to keep me on top of my blogging duties! Yesterday was what *might* be the last of my prenatal visits (although there is one more scheduled for next Tuesday). My doc checked me again, and I haven't made too much progress since last week. I'm still a solid 1cm dilated, working on 2. At the same time, she went ahead and stripped my membranes, a rather uncomfortable way to possibly jump start labor (and, besides some strong cramping last night, no such luck so far).

If I haven't delivered by next week, my doc would like to induce labor on April 2nd (much to my dismay, as it is my hope to avoid induction). I guess the silver lining though is that one way or another, we'll finally get to meet our little man by the end of next week.

Anyway, I have officially reached my due date, and no, the baby is not here yet!

To the Men Who Read this Blog

2009-03-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

When your wife is 39.5 weeks pregnant, and she reminds you that as of this month you have been together for 4 years, do not respond by saying, "And I've been dying ever since!"

Even if you are kidding (and hopefully you are), she will not be amused, and your statement will likely be met with tears. You have been warned.

Prenatal Visit 12

2009-03-22T12:35:00.001-07:00

Last Tuesday was my 12th visit to my doctor, and I finally feel like some progress has been made (well, besides the progress of my ever-swelling belly, of course!). I have been experiencing more frequent Braxton-Hicks contractions over the past couple weeks, and have also experienced some lower abdominal cramping - both signs that my body is preparing itself for birth. So, upon learning this information, my nurse gave me the paper sheet, and told me to get into my birthday suit from the waist down. My doc came in shortly after, and said she would go ahead and check me (for those of you unfamiliar with pregnancy, "checking" involves an uncomfortable finger in a very private place). To my surprise, I was actually dilated to 1cm. My doctor said it didn't really mean much at that point, but heck, to me it was something! 1 down, 9 to go... my glass is always half full!

Our nursery is ready to go (and in my "first-time-mom delusions," I think I've got everything I need), so I haven't been feeding the nesting instinct too much over the past week. But on Thursday, I decided to come home, cook dinner, bake brownies... long story short, I did a little too much, spent too much time on my feet, and was paying for it with some pretty strong cramps. They amounted to nothing in the end, but I apparently didn't communicate that too well to Mike (and I'm sure a bout of nervous tears when we went to bed didn't help). I found out on Friday evening when he got home from work that he didn't sleep well because he thought Thursday night was going to be "the night."

I'm starting to think that Joey won't be quite as late as I first expected, although there really is no way to tell, and I probably just totally jinxed myself by saying that. My doc did say she doesn't want me go too far past 41 weeks. I think her words were, "If you haven't gone into labor by then, we'll probably induce you at 41-ish weeks." The thought of induction scares the crap out of me, so I'm sure she and I will discuss this further at visit 13 on Tuesday, especially if I haven't made any more progress.

I'm about to jinx myself again by saying this, but, to my surprise, I haven't been felt up in the grocery store (or anywhere, for that matter) by any belly-rubbing strangers, and have also managed to dodge any unsolicited advice from said strangers. Amazing. I was, however, told by a customer that I saw about two weeks ago, upon informing her that my baby is due this coming Wednesday, that I "look great" and she "didn't even know I was pregnant!" Hmm, I don't mind the first half of that compliment, but I'm not too sure about the second half. I guess I'll just err on the side of her best intentions with that statement, but only because I like her!

So, as it stands, it's time to hurry up and wait.

Prenatal Visits 10 & 11 (and a Shower In Between)

2009-03-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

Any day now. That's what I've been hearing since last week's visit to my doctor. I hit 37 weeks last Wednesday, and that is considered full term. As much as I would like Joey to arrive "any day now," there is a part of me hoping that he will wait a little longer - at least until his due date, but hopefully not too long after. There seems to be so much to do still. His nursery is not finished, and I have loose ends to wrap up at work before I (possibly) take any maternity leave.

Last week's doctor visit included my Group B Strep screening (basically, a Q-tip where the sun don't shine). One third of women test positive for Group B Strep, and although it's not necessarily harmful to mom, it can cause serious problems for baby. If the test comes back positive, it's automatic IV antibiotics for mom upon arrival to the hospital - not part of my birth plan. So, at this week's visit, I was relieved to find out that my test came back negative. *Phew!* I also went over my birth plan with my doc, and save for a couple of comments (none were negative, more just informational), she was fine with everything we had included. She said she's seen some odd requests before (like, "I don't want a c-section under any circumstances," and, "I'd like to give birth while sitting on the toilet.") and she wanted to make sure it didn't say anything like, "I'd like Dr. S to deliver me while standing on her head and singing the Star Spangled Banner. Although I could probably do that!" I love my doctor.

On Friday of last week, my mom and I headed to the Bay Area to attend a shower that my sister-in-law, Alli, was hosting for me on Saturday. She did an amazing job putting the shower together. (Thanks, Alli!!) Our nursery has a safari/animal theme going on, so she incorporated the theme into the shower. There were safari animals on the invitations, a safari cake, animal shaped sugar cookies as favors (that she and her mom baked), and even a "diaper cake" with a little lion sitting on top. Oh, and the cutest guest book ever - a step stool with a giraffe hand-painted on the top with Joey's name (you can kind of see it to the right of the diaper cake - everyone signed the bottom with a Sharpie, and my brother is going to clear-coat the whole thing).

We received so many wonderful gifts - I swear, Joey will be dressed better than both Mike or I for the next year or so! The nursery is totally outfitted, save for a changing pad to go on top of Joey's dresser, and "one of those baby speaker things" (AKA: a baby monitor) as Mike said the other night.

And now, we wait...

Note to Self

2009-02-27T11:01:00.000-08:00

RE: Breakfast Choices
Raisin Bran or Benefiber. Not both. That is all.

Why I Love Mike

2009-02-24T18:12:00.000-08:00

Mike has been amazing throughout my pregnancy. He doesn't mind rubbing my back or feet when I need it, he makes runs for my cravings (even when I insist it isn't necessary, and I really don't need to eat any more Ben and Jerry's), and he has put up with a lot of emotions, whining and moaning about this and that. Yesterday, I was having a particularly tough go at it. I didn't sleep well on Sunday night, so I was exhausted by the time I got home, and to top it off, I felt like Joey was trying to escape from my belly... through my rib cage. I tried to tough it out, and I cooked dinner, and then went to put my laundry away (I'm sure he knew I wasn't feeling well when I put my laundry away the same day it came out of the dryer!).

As I was hanging my clothes, he came into our room to let me know he was going to run to the store to pick up a few things. I don't know if it was the look on my face, or the way I was rubbing my belly, but he asked me what was wrong and I told him my belly was really itchy. Well, of course the solution to this would be to put some lotion on it. So, he grabbed some and proceeded to rub it onto my itchy belly. I had a big smile on my face because it was so sweet, and made me feel so much better. So he looked at me and said, "Are you going to blog about this?" I smiled bigger, and I said, "No, I think I'll keep this to myself."

And then he said, "I rubbed Mrs. Biggelsworth's* belly earlier today, and she was really happy, too." My immediate response: "OK, now I'm blogging about this!"

*Mrs. Biggelsworth is the "neighborhood cat." She belonged to a young couple who lived across the street from us. They moved to Utah, and didn't think it would be a safe place for an outdoor cat, so they entrusted her care to our neighbors, Larry and Judy. Since then, she has adopted other people in the neighborhood, including Mike and I. She really likes Mike. Actually, she likes him so much, I jokingly call him the cat whisperer.

Why I Love Mike (and the DVR)

2009-02-24T18:05:00.001-08:00

At least once a week, the little red record light on the DVR will go on while we are watching TV, and Mike says, "What are you recording?" (he always asks me because he hardly ever has any DVR timers set), to which I usually reply, "I don't know, let's take a look!" My response is always met with a big grin and a chuckle, because he knows it's the truth.

I have timers set for various cooking shows, and the rest are mostly reality shows that I would never follow if it weren't for the DVR... 'cuz I'd forget they were on. These shows are guilty pleasures that I don't always subject Mike to viewing, and although he usually says he doesn't mind watching them, I just wouldn't be a good wife if I forced my husband to sit through Bret Michael's Rock of Love Bus.

27 Things

2009-02-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

Like Meghan, I've been tagged several times on Facebook by friends in the "25 Things" meme. This one, however, was also posted on Dooce.com the other day, and since this blog is about married life it seemed appropriate that it's also not all about me. So, here we go!

What are your middle names?
Mine is Marie (family tradition) and his is Michael (which is also what he goes by).

How long have you been together?
Our first "date" was four years ago on March 10th.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Two years.

Who asked whom out?
Hmm, I think technically Mike asked me out, but it was more of a, "We're going to be downtown tonight, you should come out!" sort of thing.

How old are each of you?
He's 31, and I'm 28.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
We each have one brother, and we see mine more. Mike's brother is in the Army and is stationed in Louisiana so we don't get to see him nearly as much as we would like. On a side note, he just got back from a tour in Iraq, and we are extremely happy and thankful to have him back in the states. Welcome back, Ray!

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
I'd say Mike's work schedule. He works rotating shifts, so some weeks we don't get to see each other too much. He also only gets two weekends off each month, so planning little trips etc... can be difficult (not to mention finding a weekend where we can just sit around and do nothing with each other!).

Did you go to the same school?
Nope.

Are you from the same home town?
Nope. I am from the Bay Area, and he is from the Central Valley. We met in San Luis Obispo.

Who is smarter?
This is going to sound like a very PC and diplomatic answer, but I believe it is the truth: I think we are equally smart in different areas. Although, I must point out, Mike has an extreme depth of knowledge about things like politics, finances, history, mechanics, and I am what you could refer to as "an encyclopedia of random facts."

Who is the most sensitive?
I would have to say me. Definitely. Especially since I've been pregnant. There have been days during my pregnancy where all he's had to do is look at me sideways and I burst into tears.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Chapala Mexican Restaurant for a quick bite and Schooner's Wharf for a romantic outing.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Hooray for all inclusive resorts!!

Who has the craziest exes?
Due to sheer number alone, I'll say me. Although I've heard from Mike's family that his last long term GF before he and I started dating was a complete psycho.

Who has the worst temper?
This is up for debate. I would say Mike, and he would say me. He tends to get upset, speak his peace, and get over things - although he remembers them FOREVER! Whereas, I get upset, stew for a while, make both our lives miserable for a few days, blow up and forget about it.

Who does the cooking?
I do the "indoor" cooking and Mike BBQs. He makes the most amazing hamburgers (and although they are a joint effort, they would be nowhere without the actual burger part - seriously, do you know anyone who bastes their hamburger patties while they are on the grill?)

Who is the neat-freak?
Mike is neater than I am (I'll leave clean laundry in the basket for weeks, for instance, which I'm sure drives him nuts), but we both tend to collect piles of paper all over the house. Eventually, one of us will get sick of the multiple piles and consolidate them so we can go through them and throw things out or put them where they are actually supposed to be. Dust and a dirty kitchen sink bug the crap out of me though.

Who is more stubborn?
Me. Hands down. Although I like to deny it every time it comes up, I must admit it is absolutely true.

Who hogs the bed?
Mike. But I steal the covers.

Who wakes up earlier?
Mike. I am not a morning person at all. If I can get away with not setting the alarm on weekends, you can bet your butt I will.

Where was your first date?
Our first "date" was at Mike's house. He invited me over to watch a movie. I thought he had ulterior motives, but found out a few weeks later that between paying for school and paying to fix his car, he was just flat broke at the time. Our first "real date" was at Mare Blu in Los Osos (a restaurant that is no longer there). I took him out as a thank you for helping me move into my new apartment and paid with a gift certificate that I had purchased at a silent auction a few months earlier.

Who is more jealous?
I don't think either one of us really has a jealous streak. But if I had to pick, I'd say me. Only because one day (while pregnant, mind you) I came home from work, and one of his "nice" shirts was in the hamper smelling of cologne. It took me a couple days to ask about it, and I felt really stupid when I did, but it turned out that all of his every day shirts were dirty, and he had nothing else to wear. Then he spilled his lunch on the nice shirt and into the hamper it went. Do I need to tell you that he got a pretty good laugh out of the whole situation?

How long did it take to get serious?
Not long at all. Which is funny since neither of us were looking for a relationship when we first started dating. I think that made it easier to get to know each other because we were upfront and honest with each other from the beginning since there were no expectations on either end.

Who eats more?
Mike.

Who does the laundry?
Mike. I can't stand doing laundry. The few garments I loose to improper washing every now and then are totally worth not having to deal with the laundry. But, I must say, Mike is great at reading the tags before he puts clothes into the washer.

Who's better with the computer?
Me. Mike hates computers with a passion. If he could go the rest of his life without ever touching one again, he would be a happy man. He once had an old printer, and whenever he would get frustrated, he would take his aggressions out on it Office Space style.

Who drives when you are together?
Mike. He's an impatient rider on long trips, and likes to drive, so why not.

OK, that's it. Your turn...

Prenatal Visit 9

2009-02-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

I must apologize, I wish these posts were a little more eventful, but alas, or should I say "thank goodness," they are not. Another routine visit with my doc today. My blood pressure has come down to more acceptable levels, which is very good news. Preeclampsia is nothing you want to mess with.

Tomorrow will mark 35 weeks. I was just on the phone with Connie, my doula, and she asked if I am ready. "Yes and no," was my response, "there are a lot of things still to do at home, but I'm ready for him to be here." "Well, it sounds like you are emotionally ready," she said, "so that is good!"

My next appointment is in two weeks, and then I will see my doctor once a week until I deliver. We truly are in the home stretch now!

Prenatal Visits 7 & 8

2009-02-13T15:54:00.001-08:00

I just realized that it's been almost a month since I've posted, talk about delinquent blogger, yikes! Anywho, there have been some major developments on the home front, more specifically, my belly over the last few weeks. There's no doubt there's a baby in there now! My prenatal visits are now spaced every other week, and things are still moving along smoothly. My doctor noted that my blood pressure was a little bit high at visit #8, so we'll be keeping an eye on that. Beginning the first week of March, I'll be seeing my doc once a week.

Baby Joey is as active as ever - save for a couple of days over the past few weeks that he has decided to just chill for most of the day (and totally freak me out in the process!). He is still pressing up on my liver or my ribs, and it doesn't make for the most comfortable of days. Mike has been great giving me little back rubs on my right side when we go to bed at night so I can at least fall asleep nice and relaxed and without as much pain. Sleeping through the night, however, is getting more and more difficult. Between achy hips, a heavy belly and up to 3 pee trips (so far) every night, I think a full night's sleep is officially going to be at least 6 months away (and I'm being incredibly optimistic with that prediction!)

Vivid dreams continue, and sometimes I find myself thinking about a dream in the middle of the day wondering "did that actually happen, or was it a dream??" Visits from the crap fairy have ended for the most part, but heartburn has been more than happy to step in as a replacement.

I am definitely looking forward to my due date, and find myself spending even more time wondering just what our little man will be like - his personality, how he will look - I feel like I'm preparing for the biggest, most important blind date of my life! There won't be chocolates or flowers at this one, but a much better gift... and hopefully a big icy margarita waiting for me when I get home!

One Year Ago

2009-01-16T14:21:00.000-08:00

Mike and I were sitting on the couch last night, and as I looked around our house, I realized that a year ago, we had just begun our massive home remodel. It was a tiring process, and although we still have some little things to finish a year later, the transformation of our home is nothing short of amazing... well, at least in our opinions! Here are a few before shots and some afters taken right after we moved back in last June:

Our little beach bungalow: (before)

Our little beach bungalow: (after)

Our kitchen view from the living room: (before)
Our kitchen view from the living room: (after)

I think my favorite part of our house is that there are touches of both Mike and I all over - he picked out the cabinets and slate flooring in the kitchen, I chose the paint colors and tile for the bathrooms, and we made countless other decisions (and compromises) together. And, best of all, we lived to tell about it!

30 Weeks

2009-01-14T12:21:00.000-08:00

Ten weeks to go. Wow. I'm starting to get to that part of pregnancy where part of me says, "Can't I just have this baby already?!" and the other part says, "I'm going to have this baby already?!" I've gained about 20 pounds, and to my surprise, some of my girlfriends that were in town this past weekend actually think I've lost weight. Whether they're just trying to make me feel good or whatever, I don't care, I'll take that compliment any time!

The little man has been moving constantly and, to my discomfort, kicking up a storm. The past two days, he was kicking me so hard, I thought I would need to call my doctor. He really enjoys kicking me on my right side, never on the left. He actually kicked me so hard a couple of times last night, that my boob bounced. Yes, you read that right, my boob actually bounced off of my baby belly. This cannot be normal.

Mike and I will be attending our second childbirth education class tonight (I didn't have a chance to write about it last week, but let's just say classes like this would be a good place to start weeding people out of the gene pool - Meghan aptly compared the crowd at childbirth class to the crowd at the DMV on any given day). Last week's class was pretty uneventful, so perhaps after tonight's session, I'll have more to report back.

Vivid Dreams and Visits from the Crap Fairy

2009-01-06T15:50:00.001-08:00

Typically, I would associate these things with a night of binge drinking, and waking up hung-over. But, no, these are two more pregnancy-related "things" I forgot to add to my list. And, since I couldn't bring myself to write "Being Pregnant Vol. 3.1.1" I'll just go ahead and describe them here:

Vivid Dreams
Whether they are good or bad, it seems that every dream I have lately is in full-color, and is broadcast in HD. Some common themes include running from bad guys, and bringing home a baby that is not human - so far, he has been a little white poodle, and some creature that you keep in an aquarium (like a reptile). Hmm.

The Crap Fairy
Have you ever woken up after a night of partying with a nasty taste in your mouth, and the best way to describe it is as though someone has taken a crap in there while you were sleeping? That's being visited by the Crap Fairy. Now, imagine having that taste in your mouth after everything you eat. Thank goodness my bout with this only lasted about a month, but man it was nasty. I did find that brushing my teeth with Arm & Hammer toothpaste (it has baking soda in it) or just chewing gum helped a ton.

Ah, the joys of pregnancy.

Prenatal Visit #6

2009-01-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

The countdown has officially begun. For the first part of my pregnancy, I was heading to the doctor once a month. Now, I will be going once every two weeks for the next 4, and then once a week after that. All my appointments are scheduled, and I even have one the day before my due date. Eeek!

Anywho, today's appointment was much of the same. I asked my doc about a pain that I've been getting almost daily - starts under my ribs on the right side, and radiates to my back. I had been attributing it to a cute little baby foot jammed up under my ribs, but turns out it's more likely my big ol' uterus putting pressure on my liver. Yeah, my liver (she said gall bladder, too, but I don't have one of those anymore). Have you ever seen a boxer get punched in the liver? It's supposed to be one of the most painful places to be hit. Drop you to your knees kind of pain. Fortunately, mine hasn't been prize-fighter bad just yet, but hey, I've got almost three months left to go, so there's still a chance. Crap.

I had my glucose screening test last week (had another great phlebotomist in the lab, by the way), and although my glucose tolerance was fine (thank God), my blood work showed that I am mildly anemic. No big deal really, I just need to add an iron supplement (on top of my prenatal vitamin) to my daily routine, and eat more beef or other iron rich foods. Apparently there's not much iron in Velveeta. I will also make sure not to skip my daily dose of Benefiber. Those of you that have been pregnant know what I mean by that. Those of you that have not, read this.

On the home front, we have finally started cleaning out our office so that our little man will have a place of his own when we bring him home from the hospital. I am looking forward to getting the nursery all set up and ready for him. We should be having a garage sale sometime in the near future. Anyone need a secretary's desk?

Being Pregnant Vol. 3.1

2009-01-01T14:27:00.001-08:00

I can't believe I forgot...

11. Heartburn
This one is relatively new. I think I have linked it to drinking carbonated beverages, which sucks because diet 7up has been my go-to beverage of choice for a while. It has gotten better in the past few days, but bending over, or laying down caused quite a bit of discomfort for a while there.

12. Back Pain
Aggravated when the baby decides he'd like to plant a foot or other appendage right into the bottom of my ribs. Ouch. Yoga has definitely helped with this one.

13. Everyday Activities
Thankfully, I can still shave my legs, however, I'm pretty sure my bikini line has seen better days. Cleaning and vacuuming the house can leave me feeling like I've just run a marathon (OK, that's a little dramatic, but I'm sure you get the point). Putting on shoes is difficult, and if I don't properly position my belly between my knees (which is getting harder and harder) when I'm pulling them on, I end up panting by the time I am finished.

OK, I think that covers it... maybe.

Being Pregnant Vol. 3

2009-01-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

I have officially entered my third trimester, so I figured it was time for a major pregnancy update. Again, here's the usual list:

1. Morning Sickness
Still a thing of the past, thank God!

2. Fatigue
It's taken me quite a while, but I'm finally comfortable sleeping on my side (this is actually a new development that I've settled into within the past week or so) so at least lack of sleep hasn't been contributing to my fatigue too much anymore.

3 & 4. Cravings and Aversions
Still nothing weird, per se. Cravings for processed cheese have subsided a bit, but I have been craving things like Diet Dr. Pepper, popsicles, carbs, and generally things that are not good for me. My aversions have pretty much subsided, although my heightened sense of smell is not always a blessing.

5. Pregnancy-Induced Stupidity/Forgetfulness
Yep. Still got it.

6. Boobs
Still haven't really gotten bigger since the first trimester jump. Newest development on that front, however, has been this.

7. Sex (Ben, or any family for that matter, again, feel free to skip this section.)
Eh, well, let's just say it's getting more difficult, and less frequent, the bigger the belly gets.

8. Sleep
Getting much better, especially over the past week. I'm not sure if it's because I'm finally getting used to sleeping on my side (despite that tingly thing that's still happening with my left hip) or if it's because I've been off of work for the past week.

9. Child-Bearing Hips
The pain in my hips is all but gone, except on my left side if I try to lay on it. It's not so much an ice-pick sort of pain anymore as it is a numbing, annoying, tingling sensation. I've finally figured out that I can get around it by putting a body pillow behind me and leaning back slightly.

10. Mood Swings
I haven't fallen completely off my rocker yet, but there are moments every now and then that I just feel like I'm going to cry for no reason at all. I let out a few tears, and everything is fine. Hormones.

More answers to frequently asked questions:
I'm still feeling pretty good, the baby is doing somersaults (and lucky me he really enjoys doing them in the middle of the night), we're having a boy, we have chosen a name - Joseph Michael, and I'm finally looking pregnant - my baby bump has probably doubled in size over the last two weeks or so.

We've got about three months to go before we leave our house as a duo, and return as a trio. I find myself looking around our grown-up house, wondering how it is going to change over the next few months and years - mostly first-world problems, like what to do with over 300 DVDs when you have a toddler, where I will put our wine collection when he discovers he can open cabinet doors, how to keep him from slamming his little hands in heavy pocket doors... And I think about how we will eventually outgrow our home, especially if we decide to have a second child. I try to figure out ways we can stay here forever, but I know it's a futile exercise in wishful thinking. Eventually, we will have to turn our little beach bungalow into a rental, and pack up to move to a larger family home - and I have a feeling that having a child will only make that time fly by even faster.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T09:47:00.000-08:00

2009 is here, and although I thought about waxing poetic about the year that has passed and the year to come, frankly, I'm not feeling that inspired. I'd say, 'Maybe I'll do that next week,' but really, when I put things off like that, they never happen. Perhaps that should be my New Year's resolution - stop procrastinating. And, the first place I should probably put that resolution into practice is in our son's room. He's due to arrive in less than three months, and his room is still full of boxes packed with things that have yet to find a home since our remodel and office furniture.

Anywho, I spent my NYE alone for the most part. Mike was working, so I went out to dinner with his grandparents, and then sat with grandpa and watched a couple episodes of Speeders (kind of like Cops, only it's about the highway patrol, and not nearly as chock-full of trailer trash) before heading home to channel surf. At about 11:15, I decided to throw in the proverbial towel, take a shower and get ready for bed. I wasn't sure if I was even going to watch the ball drop (by the way, do they do that once an hour after midnight in New York, or what? How are they going Live to NY from Las Vegas, and the ball hasn't dropped yet? But I digress). After my shower, I decided to suck it up, and I put it on Fox's New Year's Eve Live so I could watch Robbie Knievel jump a dirt bike over the volcano at The Mirage in Las Vegas (ended up being totally anticlimactic, if you were wondering). Then, at 11:45, a car pulled up in front of our house. It was Mike. He told me he made a deal with one of his co-workers - he would not only do his own work, but also that of the aforementioned co-worker - so he could come home for 15 minutes and kiss me at midnight. I am one lucky gal.

Getting in the Spirit

2008-12-24T11:00:00.001-08:00

It's Christmas Eve, and the spirit hasn't quite struck me yet. I, like my brother, really don't celebrate the religious aspects of the holiday anymore (although yeah, "Jesus is the reason for the season," as the saying goes). I choose to celebrate my family, my friends, and the other blessings I have in my life. I enjoy getting together with my family, which in recent years has become both smaller in some aspects, and larger in others. Perhaps that's what makes the holidays difficult sometimes - the change, both good and bad, that comes with them in the passing years.

Mike and I have decided that instead of criss-crossing the state on major holidays, we will flip-flop holidays with our families each year. This year, Thanksgiving was spent with his side, and Christmas will be spent with mine. It's a good compromise, and I think it will work well, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss spending Thanksgiving Day at Ben and Alli's house with my parents, and my brother's in-laws. It was hard. It was a change. And today, although it's Christmas Eve and we will be spending the holiday with my family, it doesn't feel quite the same. Tomorrow Mike and I will head over to my mom and dad's house to spend some time with them and my uncle, and Ben and Alli will be coming to town on Friday to spend the weekend - and Mike will be back at work. It's the same, but it's not the same.

The following years will bring more change, if there's anything I'm sure of, I'm sure of that. Next year, we will have a nine-month old baby to share the holiday with (and who knows, we may be breaking our new tradition and criss-crossing the state anyway - I have a feeling neither side will want to miss "Baby's First Christmas").

Merry Chrismahanakwanzikah to everyone! Hopefully the spirit will strike me soon.

Prenatal Visit #5

2008-12-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday, I had my 5th prenatal visit. Mike was off work, so he came with me. Still nothing exciting, but my nurse did seem pretty pleased when she was charting my weight - that I was finally starting to put more on (never thought I'd have a medical professional be happy about that!). I've gained about 13 pounds since finding out I was pregnant. Of course weight gain is normal and healthy during pregnancy (and at my first prenatal visit they told me I could gain between 25-30 pounds - or something like that), but at 5'2" I don't really have anywhere for it all to go, so I have to be careful. I don't want it to be physically straining, and any more emotionally straining than it has to be, as I've always struggled with my weight.

Anywho... still no defined baby bump to speak of, but at least I found out at this doctor visit that the baby is up higher than I thought he was (so at least when people ask to rub my belly, I can rest assured that they actually are rubbing my "baby belly," not just my "holiday schmorgasboard belly").

In other baby news, we have also decided to hire a doula to help me make it through labor and delivery naturally - yep, no epidural, and hopefully no other drugs or unnecessary interventions. I'll write more soon about our decision and the path that led us there.

That's all for now, my fingers are cold. I think I need these fingerless gloves now!

What do you want for Christmas?/Why I Love Mike

2008-12-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

Ah, the ever dreaded question that pops up every year. Nothing. I don't want a thing. (Which really means, "I would love for you to really think about it, and find something you think I would enjoy, because I truly believe it is the thought that counts. Seriously, if you found a rock on the beach that reminded you of me for some reason, I want that.)

Anyway, because that never works, this year I came up with something. Since we are going to welcome our little bundle of joy in a little over three months, I thought the Flip video camera would be great. We could shoot videos of the baby, and send them off to distant friends and relatives. But, since Mike is, well, Mike, he asked several sales people their opinions about the camera, and let's just say they were less than helpful when it came to fulfilling my gift list. So, Mike came home and told me that I would not be getting a Flip for Christmas... so what else did I want? I thought about it, and decided I wanted a jewelry box. (This was on my list last year, too, and he did get me a small one with compartments for rings and smaller jewelry, and a larger one that is all open on the inside - no compartments - which he took over when we moved out to remodel our house.) Last night when I got home from my yoga class, Mike announced that not only would I not be getting the Flip, I would also not be getting a jewelry box. He then explained that he hunted for most of the day, and thinks he found the perfect gift for me, and that he thinks he "did really good."

I love him.

Hands off!

2008-12-16T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is a shameless plug for my CafePress store, but personally I think this new shirt is too fun not to share. So, if you know anyone that is pregnant (and they would like strangers to keep their hands to themselves) Christmas is right around the corner! Comes in white, pink, and black.

Making Room

2008-12-01T14:42:00.000-08:00

I got to work this morning, and after a 4-day weekend, I had 70 emails. Do you know how many of them were actually relevant to work (meaning, had nothing to do with free shipping, special web-only deals, sales, fancy new shoes, etc.)? I think 4. And that's being pretty generous. So, in the interest of de-cluttering my life, I unsubscribed. A lot. It felt good. I will no longer be tempted by Pottery Barn, or PiperLime, or SoleStruck, or Willams Sonoma, to spend money that I don't really have anyway.

Next challenge: cleaning out our office to convert into a nursery. My husband has very lovingly pointed out recently that since he sold our old home audio equipment, most of the stuff left in that room does indeed belong to me. Yuk. So, when Mike goes back to his regular schedule at work, I'll be spending his first weekend of day shifts sorting, organizing, and garage-sale piling everything that doesn't weigh more than 30 lbs. I really, really, REALLY wish that day could be accompanied by a good bottle of wine.

Dear USPS,

2008-11-26T10:22:00.001-08:00

When can you send this mail carrier to my neighborhood? I've been receiving far too much junk mail.

Thank you,
Annie

Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T09:49:00.000-08:00

This year, Thanksgiving will be a little different for me than it has been in the past. Mike and I won't be heading up to Oakland to spend the day deep frying turkey with my side of the family, but will instead spend the day close to home with his grandparents. When you are married, splitting holidays between families isn't unusual, but I think it will take some getting used to. I will be sending my brother his toffee apple pie (actually, it's a tart this year - sorry Ben, I was a little too tired last night to make pie crusts!). And on Saturday, we'll be having Thanksgiving all over again at my parents' house here on the Central Coast. All in all, it will be a turkey-filled weekend. So, on that note, I thought I'd put together a list of the things I am most thankful for:

I am thankful...
...that my family is healthy and happy this year.
...we have shoes on our feet, roofs over our heads and food on our tables.
...that despite the economic troubles, our business is doing very well.
...we beat the odds, and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a healthy little boy in March.
...my marriage and my life are filled with more love and support than I could ever ask for.
...for the little things that I often take for granted.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Never Let the Pregnant Lady Pick the Restaurant

2008-11-20T11:48:00.001-08:00

Last night, I got home, and I was starving. Mike was walking around in a towel, having just gotten out of the shower, and I asked him what he wanted for dinner. He said, "Whatever. I've got 50 bucks from the audio equipment Tom just picked up!" I said, "Sweet! Well put some clothes on, Baby gotta' eat!" He laughed and proceeded to finish getting ready. First we had to go to the bank. Then we had to go to Rite-Aid because he was out of Listerine strips (yuk, I know, but waaaay better than a smoking habit). Then, it was on to food!

Again, I asked him what he wanted to go, and he said, "Whatever." I told him he should pick. Really. I pretty much knew his response would be, "Mystery salad* at Embarcadero Grill?" and it was, and I told him that was fine... but I was getting a chicken sandwich and fries. And I also told him, "See, never let the pregnant lady pick the restaurant. If it was up to me, we'd be headed for the Chinese buffet right now!"

We got to Embarcadero Grill, and ordered our food. We were, literally, the only people there besides the two employees. It was nice. We laughed and talked as loud as we wanted, and I didn't have to worry about being judged for my condiment habits, or the bbq sauce that was accumulating on the corners of my mouth. Good stuff.

*This is kind of our inside joke. The "mystery salad" is either the steak salad or the house salad on the menu at Embarcadero Grill. We call it this because it always seems to be different, and it has never contained all the things that are listed in the menu description.

Go ahead, kick me again!

2008-11-16T18:49:00.001-08:00

The past couple weeks, the baby has been pretty active - fluttering around, and thumping on my bladder every now and then - but this morning, at about 5:00, we both got to feel him move... from the outside! We were dog sitting for Ruby last night, and the poor little thing has recently been diagnosed with both a bladder infection and bladder stones, so she decided at about 4:30 that she needed to go outside. Mike (because he is the most awesome husband ever) got up with her and took her outside. Naturally, I was awake, too, and as I lay on my side with my hand on my belly, I felt our little guy push against my hand. I couldn't believe it, so I waited a little bit, and there he was again!

Mike stayed up for a little while and watched some TV because he was having trouble sleeping, and I hoped that when he came back to bed, the baby would still be moving around. Sure enough, when he came back, I rolled onto my back and he started kicking again. I grabbed Mike's hand and placed it on my belly. When he kicked again, I anxiously asked Mike, "Did you feel that??" and he replied with, "Hah - yea!" I couldn't see it, but just by the sound of his voice, I'm pretty sure there was a smile on his face. Even though I've been feeling the kicks for a while, it was incredible to feel them from the outside and have Mike feel them, too.

When I first found out I was pregnant, one of the things I thought about was how weird or creepy it would be to feel a little person moving around inside you, especially to feel and see him from the outside. I can now say it's not weird at all. It is absolutely amazing.

I'm Sorry

2008-11-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

I apologize in advance, because I may be about to offend you. On my way home from work today, I was behind a minivan with a TV screen mounted to the ceiling. I hate this. I think DVD players for everyday use in vehicles are absolutely ridiculous, especially when they are meant to keep your children quiet.

Now, I must make one small exception to statement: long car trips - as in, those lasting more than 3 hours (actually, more like 5 hours) - because I understand that parents do need a break from the inevitable "Are we there yet?" game.

Anyway, as I drove home behind this mini van, I was just imagining the kids sitting there, eyes wide open and mouths agape, watching Toy Story, while mom talked on her cel phone. I imagined how the conversation went when she picked up the kids, "Hi kids. Get it. Buckle your seat belts. Be QUIET! What do you want to watch?" and contrasted that to how conversations at the end of the day went when I was a kid, "Hey kiddo! How was your day? What did you do? Who did you hang out with? What did you learn? Etc." My parents knew who my friends were, what we were up to, whose parents really would be home when they said they would, and whose were liable to leave us home alone (and those were the friends that always ended up visiting our house).

I don't know, maybe I'm thinking too far into this, and this may sound extremely judgmental (I'm sure some people that are reading this will think "What do you know? You don't even have kids yet!), but what ever happened to talking to your kids? You know, those little people that look like you sitting in the back of the car with their hand-held video games, listening to their iPods, sending text messages to their friends (who you probably have never met), and watching DVDs. I know, I know, times have changed, but kids like to be spoken to, they like to know that you care about what is going on in their life, and they like to know when you approve (or disapprove, for that matter) of their choices. I guess my main point here is this: Talk to your kids. Show them you care about them and the choices they make. Give them advice (whether they want it or not) and share your life with them.

You're probably really busy, we all are these days, but take a few minutes and just ask your kids how their day was. And listen. You just might be surprised by what they have to say.

Prenatal Visit #4

2008-11-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I had another routine doctor visit, and I found out that our ultrasound scans were free of any abnormalities, and my AFP test came back negative... both very good pieces of news! The only addition to my appointment this month was a measurement of my fundal height (the external distance from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus - or fundus). The first time I said the word "fundus" to Mike, he thought it was pretty funny (and, admittedly, so did I - c'mon, we never really grow up, do we?). Anyway, despite my insecurities about my lack of a baby bump, my fundal height is right on track where it should be. So, on that note, I decided to focus on the good points of not having a round baby belly quite yet:

1. I only own 4 pieces of "maternity" clothing so far: 2 pairs of jeans, a black babydoll shirt (that quite frankly was cute, and I figured, 'heck, I am pregnant, why not'), and a white cami tank top (which, I swear to you, I picked up accidentally because it was on the wrong rack at Target with the other white camis).

2. I have yet to purchase maternity drawers. Although I have put my cute thongs in storage, so to speak, I can still wear most of my cute full-booty chonies.

3. Unsolicited advice is few and far between. Since I can pick and choose who knows I'm expecting, I haven't had the pleasure of a middle-aged woman stopping me in the grocery store to tell me I'm gaining too much weight and proceed to pick apart the contents of my shopping cart.

4. I have not been rubbed by a stranger like a genie bottle. Thank God! I think I would subject myself to an hour of unsolicited advice from strangers each and every day if it meant my belly would never be rubbed by one. That just freaks me out to no end!

5. I can still wear shoes that tie and paint my own toenails (although I've been slacking on the latter).

6. I can still shave my own legs.

7. The only thing getting in the way of seeing my feet are my boobs, and there's nothing unusual about that for me!

10 Things

2008-11-10T11:33:00.000-08:00

Well, since our office server is defragging, and I can't actually do any work, I figured I'd accept the gauntlet Meghan threw down and write 10 things about myself.

1. I am painfully shy. The thought of going anywhere where I don't know people (especially if I have to go alone) makes me sweat. Once I get there though, I'm usually OK. It even took me over a year to be really comfortable hanging out with Mike's family on my own. And I fully admit, it still freaks me out sometimes.

2. I once tried out for American Idol. OK, not in front of Paula, Randy and Simon, but a local TV station held a contest to get you a guaranteed audition for the actual show (it was called Central Coast Idol - how clever). I drove myself down to Wal Mart in Arroyo Grande, and didn't tell anyone I was going. I can only sing in front of friends if I've had a few drinks, or in front of people I don't know, and will likely never see again. I am getting a little better though, as I will sing in the shower when Mike is home, or when we are in the car.

3. I always think I am right unless you can prove me wrong (I will, however, admit if I am wrong). This pretty much got me fired from a job once. My theory: living life constantly doubting yourself is no way to live! Granted, I try not to voice my opinions or offer advice on subjects I truly know nothing about.

4. I hate answering the "hobbies and interests" questions on surveys and the like, because I think my answers are always really boring. The truth is, my interests revolve around cooking, and hanging out with my friends and family, or any combination of the two. Of course I have other interests, like music, movies, reading, but again, all pretty run-of-the-mill. I don't rock climb, sky dive or travel the world (although I wouldn't mind it).

5. I'm often happy with "good enough." Mike and I were talking about school last night, and we were both the type that could go to class, do our homework, not study for tests, and usually pull off B's. If I had put a little more work into it, I probably would have had a 4.0 in high school and probably a 3.5 in college. It's not that I don't have goals and aspirations, it's just that I am happy with my life, and I feel very blessed for the people and the things that are in it.

Don't get me wrong though, I do work hard, and I believe there is no such thing as a free lunch. Case in point: My grandparents scratched lotto tickets for as long as I can remember. Even after my grandma (Google) passed away, my grandpa (Pop) continued to pick up tickets on his morning walks. One day, he got a scratcher that said "TV SHOW" three times. He was going to be on The Big Spin for a chance to spin the wheel. Unfortunately, he passed away before he was able to go. My mom took his place, and the whole family went along to be in the audience (all of us wearing pictures of Google and Pop on our shirts.) What did she win? The minimum prize you could get (I think it was about $1200) which was basically just enough to pay for the family's trip to LA!

6. While I am often happy with "good enough" I do love a challenge. Tell me I can't do something, and I'll try to prove you wrong. I love to learn how to do new things, even though I'm not always good at them all, which is why I call myself a "Jack of all trades, master of some." I can fix a toilet, hang a shelf, lay tile, and make a pretty mean apple pie.

7. I knew I would marry Mike about a month after we started dating. "How," you ask? I was moving, and he offered to help. While we were hauling things into my new place, my mom called and said she'd be stopping by. I got off the phone with her, and told Mike, "My mom is coming over, you don't have to stick around if you don't want to." His response was something along the lines of, "Why would I leave? I don't mind meeting your mom." LOVE.

8. I am an eternal optimist. No matter how bad things get, I believe there is something to be learned from any situation. Good is where you find it.

9. I have met a handful of famous people including Sammy Davis Jr., Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and Rachel Ray. I was the most star struck by Rachel Ray.

10. When I tell people we are having a boy, they usually say, "Your husband must be so excited!" I am very excited, too. I have an older brother and I grew up a bit of a tomboy (I played t-ball on an all boys team, and I can swing a hammer with the best of 'em). That's not to say I wouldn't be happy with a little girl, a little boy just seems like more familiar territory.

Whew! I'm glad I didn't wait until tomorrow to do this, I don't think I could have thought of one more! Now it's your turn.

Behind Closed Doors

2008-11-09T11:12:00.000-08:00

This was so exciting, I had to copy this post over from our remodel blog:

Our interior doors were finally painted last Monday, and Gregg did a fantastic job. As if that wasn't exciting enough, yesterday when I was having my oil changed, Mike installed our interior doorknobs. It's the first time we have slept with our bedroom door completely closed since we moved back in! Awesome.

Friday!

2008-11-07T09:21:00.001-08:00

It's Friday. I couldn't be happier (well, if it was 4:55, I would probably be a little happier). It's been a relatively slow week at work, and considering how busy we've been, it was a nice little break (hopefully it doesn't keep up this way though).

Things are good.

I finally got a pretty normal night's sleep, most likely thanks to my prenatal yoga class (that I skipped last week). My hip barely hurt at all last night when I climbed into bed (and, another small victory - I didn't wake up to pee once!!). As hard as it is to drag my butt there, and as much as I loathe the downward facing dog, I do always feel better afterward. (Granted, the class is only once a week, and it's pretty pathetic that I have to psych myself up to go.)

Anyway, I started going about a month and a half ago, and after my first class, I felt like I owed all the yoga devotees a big apology. I had always heard what great exercise yoga was, but always had in the back of my mind "how can laying on the floor and stretching for an hour be considered exercise?" Believe me, it is. I am in awe of the women that are at the end of their third trimesters (one that was there last night is actually 4 days past her due date) and can still participate in the class.

When the instructor talked to me about the class, she said it was a great place to meet other expectant moms or moms who have recently delivered, and trade stories, experiences, problems and solutions. I thought, yeah right, this is so not me. I've never been one to gravitate towards things like this (I am actually painfully shy), but it has been great so far. I think the hardest part (besides actually doing yoga!) is seeing all the other women in the class with their cute little bellies. Aside from the woman that is 4 days past due, I was the most pregnant out of all the others last night, and I don't even look like it! This is totally an issue that is all in my head, but it doesn't make it any better when people say, "You are so lucky! You don't even look pregnant!" Yeah, thanks. That really doesn't make me feel better. I know every pregnancy is different, and every woman carries differently, but I'd like a little something to show for the past five months (except a pre-Thanksgiving ten pounds!). Oh well, I know what's really important is that the baby and I are both healthy.

On another pregnancy front, hormone-induced emotions have finally caught up with me. Last weekend, Mike and I were shopping in Fresno, and I almost burst into tears right in the middle of the mall - yep, for pretty much no reason at all. Thank goodness we made it out the door and on our way to the car before the tears started to flow. About a week prior to the mall incident, I asked Mike a question, and he didn't hear what I said, and just the "what the heck did you just say?" look on his face made me cry. Hormones - gotta love 'em.

Measuring Time... in Wine

2008-11-06T13:15:00.000-08:00

I just received a call from Zenaida Cellars (that's where Mike and I were married last year) that my wine club shipment is ready to pick up. This is the second shipment since we found out we were expecting, so if my calculations are correct, we should receive one more shipment in February before the baby is born. And, subsequently, by the time the baby is born, we will have about a case of wine to catch up on! Whoo hooo!!

On another note, I finally caved and joined Facebook. Look me up!

Bed Time

2008-11-05T19:49:00.000-08:00

Typically, climbing into bed at night is one of my favorite times of the day. I mean, what's not to love? A warm, soft bed, big fluffy pillows, and the hubs to cuddle with. But lately, I dread it. Over the past week, my hip pain has gotten worse. It's the worst when I lay on my left side, and now, instead of falling asleep for a while and having it wake me suddenly, it starts right when I lay down. I Googled the problem, and pretty much found the usual explanation, sans solution, of most common pregnancy complaints: It's normal, it may or may not go away on its own, and there's really nothing you can do about it.

I did find one recommendation that said to place one pillow under your waist, and one right below your hip to basically elevate the problem area off of the mattress and take some pressure off of it. So, what the heck. What did I have to lose. I took two small throw pillows and positioned them accordingly. The pillow below my hip was out right away. I am like The Princess and the Pea. I can't even lay on a folded sheet, or it literally hurts. Yeah, I know, I'm weird. So anyway, like I said, the pillow below my hip was out, but I was able to tough out the one at my waist. It was, after all, much better than the searing pain I've had in my hip. So, I was left with an achy waist, and only a dull pain in my hip. Unfortunately, this fix did not last all night, and I spent a least a couple of hours trying to sleep partially sitting up with two pillows beneath my knees.

I'm hoping yoga class tomorrow night will stretch me out a little bit and help with the pain. *fingers tightly crossed* I will report back with results!

'Cuz You Need a Laugh

2008-11-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

Here are the top 10 searches on Yahoo.com so far today:

Glad to see "Kung Fu Panda" landed right between "Election Results" and "Electoral Maps." At least someone's cooking dinner though (see #10). And who the heck is Terri Seymour? Guess I'll have to Yahoo search that one.

In the mean time, here's my awesome pork chop recipe for those of you looking (just please be sure to turn off your burner or remove the pan from the stove top before you add the whiskey - I will not be held responsible if you burn down your house):

Whiskey Pork Chops

Ingredients

4-6 Center Cut Pork Chops, 3/4 to 1" Thick

Marinade:
Zest of 1 Orange
Juice of 1/2 Orange
1 Sprig of Rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
1-2 Sprigs of Tyhme, leaves removed and chopped
1/2 Shallot, minced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2-3 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh-Ground Black Pepper

Sauce:
1/2 Shallot, Minced
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Whiskey or Bourbon
Juice of 1/2 Orange
2-3 Cups Chicken Stock
1/4 Cup Cranberries
1 Sprig of Rosemary, Whole
1 Sprig of Thyme, Whole
3 Tbls Cold Butter Cut Into 1/4" Cubes

Directions

Heat oven to 500 degrees.
Combine marinade ingredients in a zip-top bag and add pork chops. Seal bag and massage marinade into meat. Let sit for at least 1/2 hour.
Heat a large skillet, and add 1-2 Tbls canola oil. Brown pork chops on both sides, remove from pan and place in an oven-safe dish or on a sheet pan. Place pan in oven and cook until pork chops reach desired doneness (5-8 minutes for medium).
Pour off any excess fat in pan. Cook shallots and garlic until fragrant, TURN OFF FLAME OR REMOVE PAN FROM ELECTRIC BURNER and deglaze pan with whiskey. Re-light flame, and set to low. Replace pan on burner and allow alcohol to burn off. Make sure to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a whisk or wooden spoon.
Add chicken stock, orange juice, cranberries, rosemary and thyme sprigs. Allow sauce to reduce by at least half.
Remove herbs, and season to taste.
At the last minute, whisk the cold butter into the sauce a little at a time until completely melted. Serve over pork chops.

Now make yourself some mashed potatoes and green beans, and you're all set! DO NOT overcook your chops, or they'll be "dryer than a popcorn fart" as Mike's grandpa likes to say.

A Dark Day for Small Business

2008-11-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official. Obama is the president elect. It will be interesting to see how America's small businesses are affected. I received the following email forward:

The plans of one small business owner

Dear Fellow Business Owner:

As a Business owner who employs 30 people, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barack Obama will be our next President, and that my Taxes and Fees will go up in a BIG way.

To compensate for these increases, I figure that our customers will have to see an increase in my fees of about 8%. I will also have to lay off six of my employees. This really bothered me as I believe we are family here and didn't know how to choose who will have to go. So, this is what I did. I strolled through the parking lot and found eight Obama bumper stickers on my employees cars. I have decided these folks will be the first to be laid off.

I can't think of more fair way to approach this problem. If you have a better idea, let me know.
I am sending this letter to all business owners that I know.

Sincerely,
Ward

(Reluctant) Daddy

2008-11-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

Since before we found out we were expecting, Mike has had cold feet about becoming a father. He had, and still has, many concerns that a lot of men do when faced with the prospect of raising a family (and I can't say I don't have my own).

Will we have enough money? Will we have enough room? It's kind of nice just the two of us, how are things going to change? I've never really been a "kid" sort of person, what do you do with them?

Since we found out we are having a boy, I think he has relaxed a little bit. He's in "familiar territory," so to speak. We were at Target on Saturday evening adding some things to our baby registry, and as we picked out burp cloths, onesies, and bibs, I pointed to a section and said, "Sports, or marine life?" "Sports!" he replied, and pointed the scanner gun *beep* to add an item to the list. He even picked out a little pair of blue high-tops.

It may seem trivial - picking out material things for our son - but watching him make sure we had burp cloths on the list was heart warming. It felt good. I know all his fears about having a baby haven't dissolved, and some of them never will. I guess it's all part of being a parent - there will always be something to worry about, and hopefully a lot of things to celebrate, too.

Why I Love Mike

2008-10-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

Mike is really good at making me laugh, and he even laughs at my stupid jokes (and believe me, most of them are stupid!).

Here's a little snippet from last night's conversation:

Me: I need a punkin'!

Mike: (Looks at me with puppy-dog eyes and a big smile on his face) You've already got a punkin' right here!

Me: Well, can I paint you orange, put a light bulb in your mouth, and stick you on the porch tomorrow night then?

Both: *giggles*

Food for Thought

2008-10-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

With election day fast approaching, I thought this was a great, albeit simple, explanation of Obama's tax plan.

Being Pregnant Vol. 2

2008-10-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

I'm almost halfway through my pregnancy, so I thought a "Being Pregnant" update was in order. I'll start with reviewing the things I touched on last time, and hopefully have a couple more to add.

1. Morning Sickness
Gone! No more queasy afternoons for me. Although there are some strong smells that will send me reeling.

2. Fatigue
I'm doing much better with this one. I can actually make it more than halfway through a movie again! Most of my fatigue is coming from sleep issues these days (more on that later).

3 & 4. Cravings and Aversions
Still no weird cravings (although there are some things I eat that Mike has always thought were weird - like dipping French fries in tartar sauce mixed with ketchup. What? It's good, I swear!). My aversions are all but gone, except for tomato sauce (which I guess is actually a new one). It's not that I can't eat tomato sauce, but there is a frozen lasagna that my dad microwaves for lunch every so often, and for some reason the smell of it just makes me gag.

5. Pregnancy-Induced Stupidity/Forgetfulness
This one is only getting worse. Examples: I have trouble typing sometimes. This morning, I needed to turn on my rear window defroster, and sat staring at my emergency flasher button with my finger extended going, "Wait, what am I looking for? That's not it."

6. Boobs
No longer hurt, and really haven't gotten any bigger... yet.

7. Sex (Ben, or any family for that matter, again, skip this section... for real this time.)
Let's just say I haven't been waking Mike up in the middle of the day when he's sleeping for night shift any more, but things aren't bad either :)

8. Sleep
Sucks. Most of the time. Tylenol PM is my savior. I still absolutely hate sleeping on my side, and since I'm almost 20 weeks, I really shouldn't be sleeping on my back at all. I really wish I had listened to all the things I read that said, "If you are not a side sleeper, start training yourself as early as possible. It will only get harder later on." Yeah. True.

9. Child-Bearing Hips
I seriously thought I had a pretty good set of hips for this whole child-bearing thing, but apparently not. I have had a dull pain in my lower back/pelvis for the past week and a half or so, and every so often I get a jabbing pain in my hips (think ice pick straight into bone). The latter of the two is especially disconcerting when it happens in the middle of the night after I have finally managed to fall asleep on my side.

10. Pregnancy in General
I've got to say, being pregnant is not easy. It is physically and emotionally challenging, and although my pregnancy has been relatively "easy," I have had some ups and downs. I see women with 5 or more kids and catch myself thinking, "Why would you do that to yourself!?" Don't get me wrong though, there are some wonderful things about it, too - hearing his heartbeat for the first time, seeing his little face during an ultrasound, feeling him move for the first time, thinking about what he will look like and who he will take after. As with most things, you've got to take the bad with the good.

To answer some of the most frequently asked questions: I'm feeling great now (except for that hip and lower back pain), we're having a boy, we haven't picked out a name yet - although we were getting quite a laugh last night from some of the lists in Meghan's books last night, and I'm just barely starting to show - if you didn't know I was pregnant, you'd probably just think I'm getting myself ready for winter.

I'll officially be at the half way point one week from today, and I can hardly believe it. It feels like it was just a couple of weeks ago that I wandered out of the bathroom with that ept in my hand and tears in my eyes. If it didn't seem real then, it certainly does now.

Oh Boy!

2008-10-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official (OK, 95% official - the ultrasound tech said she never gives 100%s) we're having a boy! Mike was unable to come with me to my ultrasound appointment, so when I was finally able to tell him the news at his lunch break, he seemed genuinely surprised - he was absolutely convinced we were having a girl. Since about two weeks into my pregnancy, I have been convinced it was a boy, so of course I had to offer up a light-hearted "I told you so!"

Here's our little man!

Neighborhood Watch

2008-10-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Our neighborhood is on the lookout for a salty bunch of Obama-supporting liberals. Said bunch decided that it would be a good idea to canvas Morro Bay (the north end, at least - I haven't yet had time to investigate the town further) and swipe McCain-Palin and Yes on Prop 8 yard signs. One of our neighbors happens to have a security camera in his front window (due to some previous run-ins with another neighbor who we all wish would either clean up his act or leave - but I digress) and he caught the perps on video.

Anyway, I'll be on the lookout for suspicious VW vans and hybrid vehicles sporting Obama stickers. In the mean time, to those who stole the signs: Grow up! Your ~~socialist~~ democratic nominee is not going to save the world.

Way to Go!

2008-10-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

As a business owner, I do my best not to discuss my customers in a public forum (such as this), however, I have one customer in particular who I'd like to highlight.

This particular customer owns a frozen yogurt store in a busy shopping center. There is a pan-handler that hangs out in front of his store, and he has had customers express to him that they are often uncomfortable coming into his store because of this man. He has done everything he can think of, including offering the man a job, to get him out of in front of the store.

Now here's the kicker: This man is not homeless. Every day, he shows up with his cardboard sign in clean clothes. He has refused the offer of a job. He drives a Dodge truck. He has a wife and daughter that have been seen coming out of the grocery store in the plaza with a cart full of groceries which they load up into their car and drive away. People have even heard the little girl ask her mom while standing in a nearby sandwich shop (where people who have been sympathetic to their "plight" purchase food credits so they can eat) "Can we go home now?" This is clearly a scam.

So, our customer decided to fight back. He had us make him two large sign faces to put on a sandwich board that outline the details of this man's scam. I say, way to go! I am tired of seeing "homeless" people on freeway off ramps in clean clothes, holding cardboard signs asking for money while they are sending text messages on their cel phones! Yes, that actually happened. We can't wait to hear how it all turns out.

A Sad Day, Indeed

2008-10-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

I came across this blog post today, and I was very sad to discover that Mother's Cookies has closed its doors. No more pink and white circus animal cookies, no more crunchy frosted oatmeal cookies, no more bite-sized variety bags or soft taffy sandwich cookies.

Screw the banks and Wall Street, this is who the government should have offered a bail-out to! It is the end of an era, and I am sorry that I will not be able to share these treats, especially the pink and white circus animals, with my children.

What's the story?

2008-10-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling a lot with how I am going to vote on Proposition 8. I am not going to present a case for either side, but I do have a few questions about the arguments that have been presented both for and against the measure.

Let's start with the word "marriage." If Prop 8 passes, gay and lesbian couples will still be allowed to form a legal union (or domestic partnership) that carries all the legal rights of marriage. So why call it something else? What's next? Gay couples won't be able to introduce their spouses as their husbands because a husband is defined by Merriam-Webster as "a male partner in marriage?"

Next, apparently, four judges overturned 4,000,000 votes and made gay marriage legal. Now, whether you consider gay marriage to be wrong or right, 4 judges turning over 4,000,000 votes shouldn't really make you too happy, no matter what the subject.

Finally, one of the "Yes on Prop 8" arguments is that churches may lose their tax exempt status if they refuse to perform gay marriage ceremonies. Now, whether or not that's the case, my question is, why do churches have tax exempt status in the first place?

Whether I vote yes or no on Prop 8, I have a feeling I will not be totally satisfied with my decision.

Decisions, Decisions

2008-10-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

Something I didn't mention in my post about my last prenatal visit was that I decided to go ahead with the AFP testing. I talked to my OB more about the test, and she mentioned that one of the things the test screened for was a particular disorder (can't remember the name) that does not present any physical abnormalities, and therefore cannot be picked up with an ultrasound. She said babies with the disorder never survive. She wasn't trying to scare me, and to be honest, I made the decision based on more of a "better safe than sorry" mentality. Another blood test, and some peace of mind if everything comes back normal.

So, I reluctantly headed over to the hospital lab today to have my blood drawn for the test. It was about 12:45 when I got there, and I figured it would be packed since it was a lunch hour. How happy was I when there were only two people in the check in area! I checked in, and was sent to the lab. I was even happier when I got there and saw that the woman that performed my blood test last time I was there was nowhere in sight. The phlebotomist today was the best I've ever had. No joke. I told her that I had small veins and they were usually difficult to find. She said, "Hmm. Let's start with the left arm." She tied the stretchy thing around my bicep, pressed a couple times, and said, "There's one!" My immediate thought was, 'Yeah right, this is going to hurt."

She took her supplies out of a drawer, and I looked away and tried to keep breathing. I felt her press a couple more times to make sure she knew where the vein was, and then I felt... nothing. Wondering what she was doing, I looked over, and the vial was almost half full! Yep, that's right, the needle was in my arm, and the test was almost over. She even used a regular needle, not a tiny little butterfly needle that they usually use. Now, I said I felt nothing, not 'I felt a little pinch but it was bearable,' or 'she got it on the first try and it wasn't that bad,' I mean I felt nothing! She should get an award or something! If I could, I'd have a circle tattooed around the spot she stuck the needle in. Seriously.

A Paper Anniversary

2008-10-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Monday is our first wedding anniversary. It seems like such a short time ago, I can't believe it's already here. Mike and I stopped by my parents' house today to pick up our cake topper (it's cheesecake from The Cakery in SLO, and I can't wait to go into a cheesecake coma on Monday!) and our toasting flutes. As I was looking through the two boxes that held odds and ends from the wedding, I came across a manila envelope with "Mr. & Mrs. Mike & Annie Farrell" written on it, and I could tell it was the handwriting of our minister. I had never seen this envelope before today. When I opened it, I almost cried. In it were our vows that we read to each other, along with a nice print of our entire ceremony signed by my maid of honor, Melissa, and Mike's best man, his brother, Ray.

For the past year, every so often, I would think about the print out of the ceremony - and how I didn't have it. You see, our officiant said he did this for each wedding he presided over, but I had never seen it and figured he just didn't do it. I would also think about the two pieces of paper that we read our vows from, and wished I had asked him to give them to one of our family members so we could keep them. I mean, I could just print them out again, but it wouldn't be the same. But today, I found both things, safe and sound, and I couldn't be happier. The traditional first anniversary gift is paper, and I couldn't have ever asked for a better one.

Prenatal Visit #3

2008-10-11T18:43:00.001-07:00

Prenatal visit #3 was yesterday. OK, pick up your jaw, I know you're shocked to see a timely posting (but, sorry, it will be a short one)! It was another uneventful appointment - which, as a friend pointed out, is probably a really good thing. The most exciting thing was that I found out I get to schedule my second trimester detailed ultrasound in about two weeks, and we will *hopefully* find out the sex of the baby!

I Heart Craigslist

2008-10-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

Craigslist is my new best friend. In the past week, I have found the perfect nursery dresser, and the exact same stroller/travel system we were registered for - I'm talking same color and everything! Best part: we saved over $100 on both things. Hooray for bargains! The hunt continues...

Prenatal Visit #2

2008-10-05T03:50:00.000-07:00

OK, I've been a delinquent blogger. Work has been absolutely insane (we've been working 10-11 hour days) and, as a result, my freelance work has been painfully back-burnered, and my blog is suffering for an update! OK, enough with the "whoa is me" dramatics:

Back up three weeks... Mike came along with me to my second prenatal visit. It wasn't too eventful, so I'll try to keep it brief: check in at front desk; wait in uncomfortable chair (both our butts fell asleep); get called by nurse; step on scale and try not to look; pee in cup; almost spill entire said cup on bathroom floor but recover quickly and spill only a few drops (yes, I cleaned it up!); go in exam room and hop up on table; blood pressure; wait for doctor; "Any questions or problems?"; just a couple (can I use my topical acne products: yes; what can I do to get some more sleep: Tylenol PM) and nope.

And then, came the good part... well, pretty good. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time. It wasn't quite what I expected. At 12 weeks along, the uterus is just beginning to come over the top of the pelvic bone, and man, did that make it hard for my doctor to pick up the heartbeat! It took her a little while (and a lot of breathtaking pressure with the doppler on my abdomen), but she found it - for a couple seconds. A little anticlimactic, but it was reassuring to hear it, nonetheless. Things are good. See you in four weeks.

About a week and a half ago, I also had my first-trimester combined screening. It's basically an ultrasound and a blood test (this one was just a finger prick and 6 drops of blood, thank God!) where they are able to determine your baby's risk for Down syndrome and other possible chromosomal abnormalities. We heard on Friday that the tests came back negative. I honestly wasn't too worried about the test results, since neither Mike nor I have a family history of Down syndrome or other abnormalities, but the results do lend us some peace of mind. Next we decide if we would like to have AFP testing - a second trimester screening that also checks for Down syndrome and other abnormalities - but at this point, I think we are going to decline this next round of testing.

My pregnancy has been progressing well, as far as I can tell! My friend Meagan who is expecting a baby girl on December 1st remarked that I've had a pretty easy pregnancy so far, and despite all my complaining that I'm sure Mike would attest to, I've got to say I agree.

I made it out of my first trimester without throwing up (although we were on a boat in the SF Bay yesterday, and I thought I was going to lose it!), I'm not quite as tired as I have been, and my queasiness is all but gone - and on that note, I no longer have to have a full tummy to keep from feeling nauseous! So far, I've gained about 5 pounds (depending on the day of the week, it's either 5 or 7), and my cravings for processed cheese aren't as strong as they used to be. Hopefully I'll start showing soon, because I've got to admit, I'm feeling a little self conscious around people who don't know I'm pregnant but can tell I'm carrying a little extra weight. I'd say the only unpleasant addition to my second trimester (so far) has been pretty regular tension headaches in the afternoon, but nothing that can't be solved with a couple regular strength Tylenol. Oh yeah, and forcing myself to sleep on my side, ugh.

Hopefully next week, we will find out what we are having so we can start to pick a name and stop calling the baby "it." Mike has decided he's not going to offer up any suggestions until we know if it's a boy or a girl so he can save himself the extra work of thinking of two names. Pretty funny if you ask me.

Our first wedding anniversary is next Monday, and it's kind of odd to think it'll be the only one for quite some time that we won't have to worry about finding a sitter. *sigh* I promise to enjoy every minute of it.

Why I Love Mike

2008-09-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm totally stealing this posting idea from Meghan, but it's such a good one, I couldn't resist!

Last night, I came home from work, and Mike came out to my car to greet me (as he usually does if he hears my car pull up). He asked me how my day was, and I said, "Shitty." When he asked me why, I rattled off a litany of reasons - hot, nauseous, headache, hungry, too much work to do and more coming in by the minute, tired because I had woken up at 3am to pee and never really fell back to sleep... just overall shitty.

We went in the house, and I sat on the couch with my classic "woe is me" face on, and Mike said, "I saved you half the pasta." *big smile* from me! After I ate the pasta, I was still kind of hungry, but also still nauseous. Mike said he was going to Chapala to pick up a burrito and asked if I wanted anything - like chicken taquitos (the best chicken taquitos ever). Sad, but they didn't even sound remotely good. He asked if there was anything that sounded good to me, and I said McNuggets with sweet and sour sauce (see item 3 from the previous post) - which I promptly followed up with, "But don't get me any, really, I don't need to eat nuggets." He said OK and left to pick up his burrito.

He was gone longer than I expected (Chapala is exactly one mile from our house - exactly). When he walked in the door, he had a bag from Chapala in one hand... and a bag from Mickey Dee's in the other. Although, calorically speaking, I didn't need nuggets (aka: sweet and sour sauce delivery vehicles), they totally hit the spot. I can honestly say, that is the only thing Mike has ever purchased at McDonald's since I've known him. He is anti-fast food (except for the very occasional Carl's Jr run), and I know it took some effort to enter that drive-thru. Best ~~nuggets~~ husband ever!

Being Pregnant

2008-09-01T18:17:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of books out there about pregnancy. A LOT. And while most of them are filled with fantastic reference information, there's nothing like hearing the "facts" straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. Basically, some of the best advice I've received so far has come from friends that have recently had kids or are currently pregnant. So, I figured, why not pass on a little of my own experience. I'll touch on some of the most frequently mentioned things about pregnancy:

1. Morning Sickness
As I've mentioned before, and Meghan seconded, "morning" sickness is a bunch of bullshit. I'm almost 11 weeks, and I haven't puked once (although sometimes I wish I just would). Although most mornings I'm barely able to choke down a couple pieces of toast, that's definitely not where the bulk of my nausea has been. It's usually in the afternoon, and is typically the worst if my stomach is growling. Catch 22 - it's pretty hard to eat anything when you feel like you are going to barf.

2. Fatigue
I don't think I've ever been so tired. I mean all the time. If I could sleep all day, I'd be a happy camper. The last time I fell asleep on the couch this much, I think I was about 8 years old. I can barely make it through a movie anymore (and these days, "making it through a movie" usually means Mike didn't catch me cat napping in the middle of it - but he always does).

3. Cravings
I haven't been craving anything too weird. Mainly a lot of carbs and, oddly enough, processed cheese products. I'd say the most specific thing I've had a craving for so far was Mac 'n Cheese the way my mom made it when we were kids - with wide egg noodles and Velveeta. I did want McDonald's Chicken McNuggets with sweet and sour sauce one night, but Mike (bless his heart) wouldn't give in and instead picked me up some Kraft Singles so I could make a grilled cheese instead. My cravings so far have been more along the lines of, "What can I eat that doesn't make me want to vomit when I think about it?" Definitely no pickles and ice cream.

4. Aversions
I think it's safe to say I've had more aversions than cravings. Which probably accounts for my increased intake of carbs and processed cheese products mentioned above. A lot of things that I absolutely love make my stomach turn just thinking about them. And cooking - save for baking, making grilled cheese, pasta or smoothies - has been pretty much out of the question.

5. Pregnancy-Induced Stupidity/Forgetfulness
Well, I think this one is true. Maybe. I can't really remember any specific instances.

6. Boobs
They hurt, they're bigger, and they'll get even bigger - and that scares the crap out of me!

7. Sex (Ben, you can skip this section)
I read in more than a few places that a lot of women just can't get enough of it when they are pregnant. Well, I'm one of those women. And I'm sure Mike doesn't have any complaints about that, although I'm sure he'd appreciate it if I didn't wake him up in the middle of the day when he is working night shifts!

That's all I can think of for now (see item #5), but I'm sure there will be more to come...

I Heart Dish Network

2008-09-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

I discovered yesterday that since we have caller ID, and our satellite box is hooked up to a phone jack, we can actually view our caller ID on our TV. What will they think of next? This is awesome.

On to the sad part: No one ever calls our home phone, so I called it from my cel just to see how it works. Whatever. It's still cool. I really need a hobby.

I'm a Planner

2008-08-30T18:50:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but telling people I'm pregnant is the weirdest feeling. I'm 28. I'm married. So why is it so hard? Telling people I was engaged was so easy. I was excited, and for the most part, I knew what peoples' reactions would be to the news. Perhaps it's all the the other emotions that go along with having a baby that is making it so hard for me to share the news, or maybe I'm trying to prolong the inevitable - the unsolicited advice I'll receive from some people. Don't get me wrong, I am excited about this, too, but when I was engaged to be married, I could plan. Everything. To the minute. There was an itinerary, a guest list, a playlist (including dos and don'ts), tuxes, bridesmaids dresses... And, let's be honest here, I knew people would listen to me because I was the bride, damn it! Of course I was nervous about everything going "right" on our wedding day, but in the end, I knew that even if something went wrong, all that really mattered was that Mike was there and our families and friends were there to share the day with us.

When it comes to having a child, you can't plan. Well, you can, but there are so many variables that can change those plans, both good and bad. Someone can catch the flu and puke on you in the middle of the night, so you're up until 3am doing laundry, calming crying, and you still have to get up and go to work in the morning. Or someone can make the all star team, and instead of going to your high school class reunion next weekend (yikes!) you'll spend the weekend on the sidelines cheering them on and saying, "That's my kid!"

That's such a trite example, but do you see where I'm going with this? I guess what it comes down to is a fear of the unknown. I have about 29 weeks to prepare for the birth of our baby, and - no matter how many books I read - I will never truly be prepared for the experience. And then, when we bring our little bundle of joy home, there will be so much for us to learn, and so much for us to teach. And there will come a day... well, I'm not sure I'm ready to think that far into the future quite yet - because, even I know, there is no amount of planning that can prepare you for the teen years!

I guess when I think about it, all I can do is plan [as much as possible], prepare, take some deep breaths, remember to relax and have fun, and hope that everything will turn out just fine... the same thing I did on my wedding day.

Prenatal Visit #1

2008-08-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

Picking up where I left off... My first prenatal visit was a week ago, and all-in-all, things went good. Most of the appointment was spent with Kathy, my OB's nurse, answering questions about health history. She went through a packet that was probably more than four pages long of things that "if I've never heard of, I've probably never had."

When my doctor came in, I had my annual cha-cha inspection (everything was fine, in case you're wondering), she explained some of the tests my blood would be drawn for, and then she said, "Let me go see if the ultrasound is available." She came back, ultrasound in tow, and I couldn't have been happier. I got to see the baby, and see it's little heart beating. It was pretty incredible.

Find the baby, and you get a cookie!

After my appointment, it was time to head over to the lab at Sierra Vista to pee in a cup (my second of the day, actually) and have my blood drawn. Now, of course I get a little nervous when I have to have blood work done - if you don't, I'm sorry, you're weird. I don't necessarily get nervous because of the pain - I have two tattoos, and at one time had 11 piercings (all above the neck, FYI) but because my veins are almost always hard to find, and I HATE the feeling of a needle moving around in my arm. *shudder* Anywho, the lab was pretty full when I got there, and seemed to be a little understaffed. There was only one phlebotomist in the lab when I got there, so when she started helping another patient, she called in a second for backup. Well, the lady who came in to help her did not want to be there (when she walked into the lab, she said in a thick accent, "I am busy! I have things to do.") And guess who was going to take my blood. Yay for me.

I got in her chair, signed some paperwork, and she tied the rubber thingy onto my bicep. And she rubbed, and tapped, and pressed all over my arm. No luck. OK, let's try the left arm. Rub, tap, press. No Luck. Back to the right arm. "Have you had a lot of water to drink today?" she barked.

"No," I responded.

"Well, you should have known."

Whoa there tiger, I'm sorry I didn't realize I was dehydrated when I woke up at 6:00 this morning to get ready for my doctor's appointment, and still didn't know when I got to the doctor's office at 8:15, sat in the waiting room for 20 minutes, had my appointment that lasted an hour, and headed straight over here to have six tubes of blood drawn so I could maybe get to work before noon.

Anyway, she finally found two veins. One was on the underside of my forearm, and the other was on the underside of my wrist - yeah, as in teenage angst, want to slit your wrist, part of my wrist. And guess which one was a sure thing? She told me it would hurt, but I did not want to get poked twice, so I told her just to go for it. Honestly, the initial poke did not hurt all that much. She used the tiniest needle possible (which was OK with me), so it took a while to fill up all six tubes. And then came the painful part: apparently, the type of needle she used had a button on it that made it retract really fast (I had never seen this before). When she pushed the button, it made an awful noise, and it seriously felt like the needle broke off in my arm. She put a piece of gauze on my wrist, and proceeded to wrap medical tape 3/4 of the way around - oh yeah, she stuck it to arm hair.

So, aside from the crazy lady at the lab, my first prenatal visit was pretty great. My doctor is fantastic, the baby seems to be developing well and we got to take our very first baby picture.

Cry Baby

2008-08-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

Mike has just read the blog I wrote yesterday, and noted that I made it sound like he cried like a little baby when he found out I was pregnant. Let me go on the record and say, he did not cry, it was me. I apologize for the confusion.

OK, are we good now, honey?

I Love America

2008-08-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

Totally off subject, but c'mon, these are flip-floppin' hilarious! Just what I want... Obama and McCain checkin' out my cha-cha.

Knocked Up

2008-08-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while, and it's because I've been keeping a huge secret. And I'm horrible at keeping secrets. Just ask Mike, I don't think he's ever gotten a present from me without already having some idea what it is - except for the last birthday present I got him, but I digress.

Anyway, I've been keeping a big secret. I'm pregnant! Eight weeks to be exact. I had my first prenatal appointment today, and everything seems to be progressing normally. Before today, we've told a handful of people, and their reactions have ranged anywhere from my brother's complete speechlessness, to tears of joy, to total jump-up-and-down excitement. What was my reaction? Well, when I first found out, I was shaking like a hula girl on the dashboard of a big rig... and then I cried. It was a scene straight out of an after school special. I called Mike to the bathroom, and came out, ept in hand and said, "Well, I know why I haven't started my period..." He finished my sentence, "You're pregnant." And that's when the tears came. It was exciting, yet unexpected, and totally overwhelming. This was huge.

Let me back up a little bit here. Before we got married last October, we discovered that we had some fertility issues. I won't go into too many details, but the short version is that we were told by a specialist that we had a 2% chance of conceiving on our own. He had worked with another couple in our situation, and he said that it took them eight years to conceive without any fertility treatments. Well, after we got married, we decided that it would be OK if I went off of birth control - after all, it made me really moody, and with our apparent fertility issues, we weren't too concerned about pregnancy.

Fast forward to late July of this year. I just wasn't feeling right. My boobs were killing me, I was getting cramps, but no period. Hmm. I waited, and waited, and finally grabbed my calendar. I was about 10 days late. On my way home from work, I stopped at Rite Aid to grab some odds and ends, and also picked up a three pack of EPTs. When I got home, I said hello to Mike, and quickly made my way into the bathroom. I peed on the stick, and, well, you know the rest.

One thing that I've learned so far about being pregnant is that there is a lot to learn about being pregnant. Oh, and not to mention a lot to learn about giving birth and raising a child! It's all a bit overwhelming.

Some other first trimester tidbits: "Morning sickness" is the biggest misnomer. Who came up with that anyway? I haven't had "morning sickness," I've had bouts of nausea on and off throughout the day, accompanied by what I like to refer to as "hangover burps" - you know, the ones that make you feel better, but you still feel like you could puke at any moment? But, I haven't puked at all. And believe me, there have been times where I've just wished that I would. Blech. I'm exhausted. At the end of a work day, all I want to do is come home, eat dinner (I'm hungry all the time, too, and when I get really hungry, I also get really nauseous - which in turn makes it hard to eat) and go to bed. At 9:15, I'm usually ready to hit the sack. The other night, Mike said, "It's barely past 9!" To which I cleverly responded, "Uh, I'm growing a person over here. It makes me kind of tired." Ah, hormonally induced humor - gotta love it.

Anywho... speaking of exhausted, I'm done. Brain is ceasing to work. More later... including details about my wonderful trip to the lab for blood work - stupid tiny veins. Ouch!

"Commutication" Problems

2008-07-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

Q: What's worse than being stuck on 41 behind a VW Vanagon?

A: Being stuck on 41 behind a VW Vanagon atop a flatbed tow truck with a driver who refuses to use turnouts and speeds up when there is any break in the yellow line and destroys any hope you have of passing. Fuckwit.

If there's one thing that sours my mood at either end of the day, it's bad drivers on Hwy 41. It can be a treacherous road, but if you have driven it a few times, and it is not pouring rain or socked in with fog, you should be able to keep your speed at least at the 55 MPH limit (heeding the [CURVY ARROW] 35 MPH signs, of course *smirk*). If you cannot, use the turnouts, and quit ruining people's days. Seriously, some of us actually want to get home at the end of a hard day, or actually need to get to work at a reasonable hour of the morning.

OK, rant over. Anywho, my brother left me a comment yesterday - something along the lines of "3 posts in one day = you must be bored." Yes and no. My husband was working last night, and I figured blogging (in essence, talking to you) is better than talking to myself... like I usually do. :) Oh, and he's working tonight, too, so be prepared for more commentary from the couch.

Speaking of the hubs, when I got home this evening, he said, "Someone called with an unknown number, and when I picked it up I could barely hear the lady and didn't understand a word she said. So I asked her to speak up, and she didn't." Long story short, his hearing is fine for the most part, but he just happens to have hearing loss in the range of the female voice - I call it 'selective hearing,' but he actually has documentation of this from work. Not being able to hear people speak irritates him to no end, and he went from zero to pissed in 3.2 seconds. Apparently, he said "Speak the fuck up!" to this poor woman (who he also said may have just been a recorded voice because she wasn't speaking up, and therefore wasn't listening to him - or couldn't listen to him being that it was a recording... got all that?).

My response to all this? "You said what to her?!? Are you serious? What if it wasn't a recording? What if it was your grandma? Your grandparents are pretty much the only people that call us at home with a blocked number." [BTW... he was 100% positive it was not grandma - if he was sure about anything, it was that, so not to worry.] So, here's me, thinking who could that have been? Who now thinks my husband is a raging a-hole, and what can I do to fix this? I tried as gently as possible to ask him that next time something like this happens to say, "I'm sorry, I really can't hear you, and I am going to have to hang up now." We'll see how that works... please call back.

In food news, starting this Friday, New York restaurants that are not following new law regarding calorie count postings will be fined up to $2000 starting Friday. I've got to say, although there are some times that I just wouldn't want to know, there are many more times where I would probably appreciate seeing these numbers posted in such plain sight. Perhaps it would help me make better choices and get rid of the weight I've put on since our wedding. Does anyone know if there's a clever little phrase for post-marriage weight gain? I mean, you enter college, and everyone tells you to look out for the "freshman 15." I haven't heard anyone say, "Look out for the 'newlywed 20,' it'll sneak up on you!" *sigh* Time to join a gym... again.

And now, I leave you with this. Smart woman with a well-trained man, or sick puppy in need of a vet? Talk amongst yourselves.

Uh, some help please?

2008-07-15T20:43:00.000-07:00

OK, last post for the day, I promise. What the hell is this about? New-wave convenience snacks for toddlers. Yikes. What ever happened to a sandwich bag full of Cheerios and some real fruit?

Dear AT&T...

2008-07-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

... please stop sending me personal invitations to "try high-speed internet now available in [my] area for only $19.95 a month," as I am already a subscriber, and really, admit it, it's not all that "high-speed." Thank you.

Sincerely,
Your long time telephone customer and fairly new subscriber to your Dish-Network, not-so-high-speed-internet, long-distance-phone-service, over-priced-bundle

PS: Are your high prices a direct result of your extraneous direct mail campaigns?