Shiny Object Syndrome

Start of School

2011-09-01T11:20:00.000-05:00

So it has been a few years since I have gotten to experience the first day of school. Something that is completely chaotic and crazy. But, what a thrill. The new clothes, the new friends, the new experiences. What is better than the first day of school? I can’t think of it. Course, I am a teacher and when boredom sets in at the end of Summer and you realize that you actually want school to start. You want the structure of bells to rule your day and the sound of children learning in your classroom. Or, perhaps I am just strange.

There are the downsides to the first day. Not knowing where you need to be, not knowing what you have to do. And then the countless syllabi that are read from class to class to class. As a teacher, I know that by the end of the day I will be sick of reading the same thing over and over six times, but at least the students will know what they have to do and I will probably have the thing memorized.

Right now, I am long term subbing for a college friend who just had her baby yesterday. It is an hour drive here and home, but somehow it seems worth it to be back in the school setting. I guess I never really realized how much I missed it in the first place. But, I am missing my baby also. Such a hard road the life we live today.

Do you remember that feeling? Or are you the mother standing at the door wondering how your baby got so big?

Diaper Review: Twinkie Tush

2011-08-03T17:46:00.002-05:00

DIAPER REVIEW: Twinkie Tush

Type: Fitted
Cost: $30-33

Pros: They are the most absorbent diapers I have ever used, great for overnight, very well made, great for bigger babies, and of course always cute prints

Cons: Higher end of cost (but totally worth it... but it was the only con I could come up with)

Overall thoughts: I bought these because the message board I am involved in rave about them all the time. I desperately needed a nighttime solution for my daughter and these were the answer! I use Twinkie Tush fitted with a wool soaker and it works for 10-12 hours - straight! Everyone should get themselves one of these because it would be the best fluffy mail day ever. They do take some time to air dry, but with how humid it has been I think this may improve with weather. I am still going to use that as an excuse to buy at least one more.

Twinkie Tush Store
Twinkie Tush Facebook
Twinkie Tush Blog

Thirsties Thursday Giveaway!

2011-07-28T10:29:00.004-05:00

This week they have Thirsties Duo Diapers! That is one of the most awesome things that Thirsties carries. They are bullet proof when it comes to keeping EBF poop from leaking. These are an awesome choice. I haven't tried them yet, but I would love to!

Thirsties Thursday Giveaway #9! Go check it out and enter for yourself!

Thirsties Thursday Giveaway!

2011-07-21T11:16:00.002-05:00

You can never have too many wipes, pail liners, and wet bags! It is another give away and you should check it out too.

Thirsties Thursday Giveaway 8! Click the link to go check it out!

Fit Friday: Taking Measurements

2011-07-12T20:15:00.003-05:00

I finally bought a tape measure. I really needed it for sewing, but I am going to use it for my measurements for weight loss. Or at least inch loss. My pounds have slowed down falling off... so now I am going to start taking my inches once a month.

Bust = 41 inches (keep in mind I am still nursing)
Chest = 36 inches
Waist = 33 inches (kind of wish I would have measured how big I was when pregnant...)
Hips = 43 inches

Biceps (taken three inches above elbow) = 13 inches
Thighs (taken seven inches above knee) = 20 inches

Cloth Diaper Lingo

2011-07-12T16:43:00.006-05:00

Because sometimes I write as though I am still on my Cloth Diapering board on here and you might get confused with all the abbreviations - here they are along with some links!

AFFF - Arsty Farsty Foo Foo
AIO - All in One
AI2 - All in Two

B4 - BuBuBeBe
BB - Blueberry
BG - Bum Genius
Bish - BeBe Britches
BSRB - Bagshot Row Bamboo

CD - Cloth Diaper
CV - Cotton Velour

DD - Doodle Dypes

EUC - Excellent Used Condition

FB - FuzziBuns
FFS - Free For Shipping
FS - For Sale
FSOT - For Sale or Trade

GM - Goodmama
GMD - Green Mountain Diapers
GUC - Good Used Condition

H&L - Hook and Loop
HC - Hyena Cart
HH - Happy Heiny

IDSO - In desperate search of
ISO - In search of

KL0 - Kissaluvs size 0

M3 - Mamamade
MS - Monkey Snuggles
MMTT - MamaTutu

NIP - New In Package

OBV - Organic Bamboo Velour
ODC - Orange Diaper Company
OS - One Size
OTB - On the Butt
OTW - On the Way

PF - Prefold
PL/PL'd - Potty Learned
PPD - Postage Paid (postage included in price)
PUL - Polyurethane Laminate (type of fabric)

RaR - RumpaRooz
RnG - Rockin' Green Detergent

SBD - Star Baby Designs
Sbish - Sustainablebabyish

TT - Twinkie Tush

VGUC - Very Good Used Condition

WB - Woolly Bottoms
WCW - Wild Child Woolies
WLW - We Little Woolens

Game Review: Alice:Madness Returns

2011-07-11T16:41:00.005-05:00

So, I will start doing game reviews as I have decided that every once and a while I am going to start playing the games from the local video store in alphabetical order. I will also be adding in the ones that we actually felt like buying here and there, but this has been happening less and less lately.

So... Here. We. Go.

Name of Game: Alice: Madness Returns
Date Released: June 14, 2011 (USA)
Trophies: Yes
Exclusive: No (also available on XBOX360 and Windows)

This game is by my favorite company EA. I will try anything that they put out just because they had me obsessed with Sims for so many years. The graphics are fantastic. I actually think it has a feel like Batman: Arkham Asylum. I also think that if you liked that game - you will probably like this one too. Her outfits that change throughout the game are also interesting... I might have a Halloween Costume in mind.

Likes: Shrink Mode, Different/Creative Weapons, Learning the stories along the way concerning Alice, Different worlds are fantastic, starting from nearest platform if you fall

Dislikes: Sometimes manuevering Alice and the camera shots can be annoying, starting over from the beginning if you die

Overall: **** - Four Stars. I enjoyed playing this game and although it has a rather dark spin on Alice in Wonderland, it is great! There are lots of things to explore, find, and do. The creatures are easy once you learn each trick to killing each of them. Loses a star due to the control of the character is sometimes annoying.

Next Review: Bioshock and Bioshock 2 (combined review)

Thirsties Giveaway

2011-07-07T08:43:00.002-05:00

As you all know, I am cloth diapering and Thirsties is one of the ones I would like to try. I have held off until she could fit into the Size 2 covers. But, I would love to try the Duo Fab Fitteds! And they are having a giveaway!

Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted Giveaway! Click the link to go check it out!

Stash Shot

2011-06-12T14:19:00.005-05:00

This is a picture I took a couple weeks ago for a stash shot thread on the cloth diapering message board. I haven't wrote an updated stash and what it has cost me for a while now... so this is our current funs.

5 Flip Covers (2 bought new, 3 bought used) = $51.00
18 Flip Inserts (8 bought new, 10 bought used) = $42.00
16 Cotton Infant Prefolds (all new) = $24.00
2 Hemp Babies Big Weeds (used) = $8.00
Med Planetwise Wet Bag (new, but on sale) = $9.00
2 Small Wet Bags (homemade) = $10.00
Mamamade AI2 = $25.00
Muttaqin NB Fitted = $14.00

Total = $185.00

I have a Piddle Poddle Cadillac on the way that was $15.00. This doesn't include the shipping on some items or all the supply costs for making my own things, I have fabric and other stuff still lying around. I also made cloth wipes that we use.

Small Wet Bags

2011-06-11T19:49:00.003-05:00

These are my first attempts, so I swear they will get better from here on out. I finally used some of the PUL fabric that I had gotten from the Nancy's Notions day... and I am kicking myself for not buying more. I could have made so much more and probably bigger ones.

Below is a couple different versions. I believe I will make them the way the brown/teal one is from here on out. It is the way my Planetwise one is and is nice for washing and wiping out.

I still have enough PUL left to probably make 2 more if anyone is interested. They are about 9"x12" and have a zipper closure. You can choose if you want a loop sewn in and I may be able to even make the loop snappable.

The price is $5.00 (plus shipping), you can contact me at StellarStina@yahoo.com.

It's Been Another Month!

2011-06-11T19:43:00.003-05:00

Holy crap. I knew I had been lacking on posting in the blog area and I will get to that in a minute. However, I hadn't realized that it was a whole month.

The reason that I haven't been posting is because I haven't had time. My boyfriend, Ricky quit his job and has been home all the time. He is just like having another child around and I barely get a chance to do anything when playing with my daughter, cooking for Ricky, and doing other things around the house. I have also applied for nearly 15 jobs... this breaks down into 4 teaching positions and then 11 other random things that have popped up around town. I am waiting for a call next week from the only interview I have managed to get. Ugh.

Alina is now three months. That's right - THREE MONTHS!! She was 12 pounds 1 ounce and 23 1/2 inches long at her two month appointment. She is in the 75% percentile for everything. So, we must be doing things right. She smiles, grabs for toys, and rolls over now.

My weight loss has hit a plateau. I am sitting right around 168 pounds. I can't seem to go down, but I haven't gone back up either. So I am still counting this all as a win. If the weather cooperates we will start taking wakes almost daily and I am going to try making a family binder to get the housework done in a more timely fashion.

I think that does it for the update. Welcome new readers, old readers, and whomever else is out there.

Belated Fit Friday Post!

2011-05-09T11:05:00.003-05:00

Sorry for being late. With Ricky leaving his job things have been a little hectic around the house. It was a busy weekend with the yard sale we had and then running errands. Returning things we don't need to Walmart for a little extra money. Just preparing for the crunch that will come if he doesn't find a job pronto. I am looking as well.

Anyway, this stress has my mind completely elsewhere and I failed at the water task for myself. I really need a coach kicking me in the butt daily. I started off really well and was drinking at least 2 20oz bottles of water a day. I have also been trying to drink Ice Tee and Koolaid as a sorta water option. It is better than soda right?

4-15-11 180 pounds
4-29-11 175 pounds
5-6-11 171 pounds

I lost 4 more pounds. And I am beginning to wonder how long after giving birth is it safe to be losing this much weight so fast? Probably a question for the doctor on May 17th when my little girl will get shots... I will cry now.

36 Pounds to go.

Sometime today, or tomorrow, or the next day I will be doing my measurements to start keeping track of where the weight is falling off of. I should have done this right away, but you find time to take measurements when you have a crying newborn. It just doesn't happen. I also don't have a measuring tape... so I have to use a cord of somekind and then find a ruler. It is too much work. I should buy a measuring tape - or make one.

Nancy's Notions Field Trip

2011-05-07T16:57:00.003-05:00

So, this is a little later than expected, but I haven't been able to blog lately. I will get better. Like... at least two posts today. On Thursday I went with the MIL and SIL to the Nancy's Notions warehouse sale. Apparently, my boyfriend's mother does this every year. I wish I would have known this place was in Wisconsin. I probably would have gone past years as well.

IT WAS CRAZINESS!

See, when I was invited, I didn't know who Nancy was and I certainly didn't know the lady had a television show. I thought we were going to an awesome craft shop with a sweet clearance section. No, this was a warehouse with nothing but sales on fabric, sewing stuff, and countless other crafty things. There were hundreds of women there (and their husbands sitting in the waiting area with couches). I didn't bring a stroller... because I was stupid and naive new mother. Good thing Alina is young and we fashioned her a basket bed (pictured above).

Anyway, it was a long drive - but an overall awesome day! The following is what I made out with:

1/2 yard of PUL in white (it is going to be a hidden layer)
A yard of a knit pattern
20 fat quarters for $20
Some snaps
A snap tool to apply them
2 grab bags full of fabric
And a pattern

ALL FOR UNDER $50. Now to start attempting making my own cloth diapers again. Wish me luck.

I Think I Want to Sell my Stuff!

2011-05-03T15:42:00.004-05:00

So, I have been thinking about the things that I have made and that I like staying at home with my baby. I have been thinking more and more about becoming a WAHM - Work at Home Mom. However, I know there are a lot of other people out there making the same things that I am and it is hard to get into the business. I can't even seem to come up with a name, but I do know what I am going to sell. And here are some pictures...

Upcycled Pillowcase Dress - $15 - designs would vary.

Upcycled Yoga Pants - $12 a pair and the design would vary because I reuse and recycle old t-shirts or tank tops.

Cloth Wipes, these are Terry/Flannel - $1 ea or $10 a dozen
There will also be Flannel/Flannel available - 75 cents ea or $8 a dozen

So now I just need to come up with a name of my shop and start selling. Thanks for looking and comment or message me if you are interested in having anything made!!

It's Friday! Let's Talk Fit!

2011-04-29T12:48:00.002-05:00

So it has been rainy. What else can you expect from April, right? Well, I have only gotten out on a few walks and I am still not brave enough to start doing actual workouts. However, I am aware on the things that I do to make Alina calm down. I have walked 50 million laps around the house with her. How can she tell the difference of bouncing while standing and sitting? I hold her at the same angle, silly baby.

I know I missed last week and I am sorry. But, I will be a little better about it now. Going into Easter weekend was full on craziness.

4-15-11 180 pounds
4-29-11 175 pounds

I have lost 5 pounds!! Woo Hoo!

40 Pounds to go.

This week I am going to start a food journal. My milk supply is still pretty random and I think it has to do with my lack of water intake and sporatic eating. I hate water. I really do. I will only drink it if it has ice and is super cold. But, this week I will have at least 20 oz of water a day (this isn't enough, I know, but I need to start small). I will also try to eat 2000 calories a day. The typical range for breastfeeding is 1800-2200, so I figured in the middle is a good goal.

Such A Blonde

2011-04-26T19:08:00.002-05:00

The long weekend was full of family and fun. I had another baby shower hosted by Ricky's family. It was lots of fun! And fabulous food. They always have the best food at everything, probably because so many of us like to try out new recipes. Alina and I got lots of good loot that I can't wait to try out... however, I will wait because they are bigger clothes and I already know Alina is growing too fast. As I type this she is sleeping on my chest and is so little and adorable... I will miss these days.

Then again, let's get back to the title. I was rocking her in the computer chair and since it wasn't comforting her, I decided to check her diaper. Sure enough, it was wet. She has had a wet diaper nearly every hour today. I swear it is all I am doing. Since she had just peed... or so I thought I decided to leave her on my lap and let her air out a bit. Bad idea. Two seconds of this and she peed all over me. My pants, my shirt, her sleeper... IT WAS A LOT OF PEE!

On the bright side, she is sleeping so cute right now. I picked up trying to crochet. I will post the pictures, when I finally finish something. I am making chains and undoing them over and over. I am too much of a perfectionist and I am beginning to think this was a bad idea... more to come.

Woke Up To Snow

2011-04-19T15:09:00.002-05:00

Really, it is mid-April. No, it is passed mid-April! And this morning we woke up to at least two inches of snow on the ground. What is this cruel joke that mother nature is playing? Wasn't it 10 days ago that we had a humid 80 degree day? That was brutal. I might go insane if I can't decide what to do with the electric heater. We put it away... now it is back out. God help our utility bill if this continues.

So instead of getting to go for a walk like we wanted to, Alina and I are struggling to clean up the house. Do you know how much of a disaster a house can become when you have a newborn baby? Well... I won't be sharing photos, but I will tell you it is bad. I stuck to the bare minimum of laundry (mostly because we need clothes to wear and we cloth diaper) and dishes (luckily we have a dishwasher). I think we would have bought paper plates if we didn't have the dishwasher.

Today is a cleaning day. So far I have managed to clean thirty minutes while laying Alina down to sleep. Thirty minutes is the max she will sleep without being on my chest or laying next to me. Another task for today is to make my homemade Mei Tai wrap. Then I can wear her! That will solve everything and I will have a clean house again.

Also... anyone like rummage sale time? I do. Can't wait to sell all the junk I haven't used in over a year. Why did I even move it? Sell, sell, sell. Or upcycle. There will be posts of upcycling old clothes into baby clothes again soon, once Alina lets me put her down long enough to sew.

First Fit Friday!

2011-04-15T14:41:00.004-05:00

The above picture was taken in June 2009 when I was showing off my swim suit body for the summer. This was back in the day when I wore make up daily, dyed my hair every six weeks and I was single working hard to find a lifetime partner. Which, that month I met Ricky, the love of my life.

THIS IS MY GOAL PHOTO! (first goal photo anyway... I was 150 lbs in the photo and a size ten. Perfect ten.)

Between June 2009 and June 2010, I had gained 50 pounds. It was fifty pounds of ugly fat that I had to buy all new clothes. The first time in my life I had to buy large shirts instead of medium and the first time I actually was calling jeans "fat jeans". I kept putting working out off because Ricky and I were trying to conceive a baby. And finally I did. July 2nd, 2010 I took the test and it came back positive. This put off working out, yet again.

November 2010, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and it was the best thing that could have happened. It made me watch my diet and eat better. It forced me, or else I could hurt my baby. I ended up only gaining 17 pounds during pregnancy. A feat that I am VERY proud of.

First Prenatal Visit: 192 pounds
Day Before Delivery: 209 pounds
Day Home From Hospital: 200 pounds

First weigh in (Today): 180 pounds
Goal weight: 135 pounds

45 pounds to go...

This is all in anticipation of my six week check up next week that the doctor will hopefully give me the go ahead to start working out (more than just casual walks). So next week I'm not sure if I will lose more weight, but I am already eating better and breastfeeding. And anyone who wants to join me in the Fit Fridays - I would love to support you.

Attempt at Making My Own

2011-04-13T20:25:00.003-05:00

So, I really want to try fitteds. They are so adorable and it seems to be all the rage. However, we are strapped for cash since the Winter utility bill was ginormous. It just means that I can't stalk cute places like Goodmama Diapers and Twinkie Tush Diapers. They are all the rave right now and have great reviews. This all leads to me attempting to make my own.

I am a decent sewer. I can do clothes, but apparently I am not good with elastic and measuring my child. It is a little too small, but it was a good first attempt. Next time will be better. I promise.

Next time...

I will wash the fabric first.
I will buy a measuring tape.
I will use a real pattern, not just finaggle one.
I will take my time (I always ruin cute clothes by making it too fast).

Stay tuned for the next attempt.

My Start-Up Stash!

2011-04-08T13:51:00.003-05:00

So we took the plunge and decided that we would cloth diaper. Mostly for the financial savings, but also because they save the environment and are so damn cute. They can be a little bulky at times, but generally it isn't so bad and I know they are going to look ADORABLE under all the summer dresses I have planned.

For my cheap start up...

Cottonbabies.com Trial Kit - $35.00
2 Small Bummis Whisper Wrap Covers
6 Chinese Small prefolds
1 Snappi

I tried this for a couple weeks to see if I really liked it. I had disposables that I had gotten as gifts to use up anyway. It went well so I bought...

10 Chinese small prefolds ($15.00)
2 Flip OS Diapers with 1 stay dry insert ($16.95 each)
3 stay dry inserts ($4.00 each)

Grand total of $95.00 and I can wash almost every other day. This was all ordered from Cottonbabies.com and all free shipping and it is all new stuff. I know that buying used can be cheap as well which I probably will do. As we continue, I will build the stash slowly. Maybe a cover every couple weeks or some cute fitteds. For those looking for a cheap place to start... this is definitely it!

Being a Mom Begins!

2011-04-07T20:40:00.003-05:00

I had my baby. And that is part of the reason I haven't been blogging. However, I will start again. Not to mention, I have a lot more to talk about when it comes to my opinions on how to raise our little daughter. So, from here on out I will probably talk about the following:

-Cloth Diapering
-DIY Crafts, Clothes, and other sewing
-Growing Up in Wisconsin
-Weight Loss Journey
-Video Games & Movies
-Anything else I feel like writing about...

Now to the interesting stuff!

Alina Joy
March 10th, 2011
9 lbs 1 oz
20 1/2 inches
7:26pm

Her birth story

March 9th
Noon: We arrived at the hospital intending on doing an induction. However, once the monitors were hooked up we found out that I was having contractions... I just couldn't feel them yet.

1:00pm: After an hour of monitoring, the doctor decided to go ahead with the Cytotec. Cytotec is a cervix ripening medication to make the cervix more favorable for the induction.
- 2 cm 50% effaced

5:00pm: Started second round of Cytotec, still having some contractions. I could feel them at this point, but they weren't too bad.
- 2 cm 50% effaced

10:00pm: No change and so we decide that I can try and sleep through the contractions that I am having and we can start the Pitocin in the morning.
- 2 cm 50% effaced

March 10th

2:40am: After trying to sleep, but waking every hour to pee... I was woken by a semi-painful contraction and then decided maybe I have to pee again. However, I couldn't hold it on the way to the bathroom and it was clear. Yep - my water broke. Nurses did a test to verify it and I called Ricky to come back to the hospital (he was at home)
- 3 cm 50% effaced

7:30am: After 5 hours of painful contractions, I decide that med-free is not for me. I ask for the epidural and they start the IV drip. Now, I just get to wait for the man with the drugs to come with his magical tray.
- 3 cm 50% effaced, contractions are 3 min apart and 90 seconds long

9:30am: So, it took 2 hours, 7 stabs to my back, and I finally got my epidural. That was heaven. I was so tired. And my mom arrived! Ricky went home to take care of Alexander (our dog) and try and take a nap. My epidural wasn't a super strong one! I could still move my legs and feel them just fine. There was a really slight numb feeling in my toes. So, it really just took care of the pain.
- 4 cm 50% effaced, don't know about the contractions, I couldn't feel them anymore.

1:00pm: Needed another dose of the epidural and they started the Pitocin because the epidural had slowed contractions.
- I think it was 5 cm at this point... I was really sleepy.

3:00pm: Another round of epidural, strong one. Doctor stopped in to check on me because he had a dentist appt at 3:30 to go to. Figured he had time. Which, ends up he did.

4:00pm: The round from 3 didn't work! I had such bad contractions by 4 that I was crying and they weren't really going away. They turned the pit off and I was given more meds through the epidural. The pain went away, but the pressure didn't. I was so uncomfortable...
- 8cm, fully dilated on left with 2 cm left on the right

5:00pm: The pressure only got worse and worse. They made me lay on my right side to try and get that right side to dilate. They turned the Pitocin back on.
- 8cm, same as before

6:00pm: I got the feeling that pushing would make me feel better. And the doctor said that I could push even though I was still only 8 cm. After a few pushes he was able to push the 2 cm on the right beside her head... somehow - I don't know how that worked, but I either dilated completely while starting to push or he moved it. It is kind of a blur right here.

7:26pm: After an hour and half of pushing, with Ricky as the perfect coach - our daughter Alina Joy was born! I screamed bloody murder when she finally came out. It hurt. It hurt a lot. Course, I left her head half out for three contractions trying to get the rest out. Every time they were telling me she would be born on the next contraction... I called them liars after every set of pushes when she didn't come.

I got skin-to-skin contact right away!
I was able to latch her with in 30 min of birth!
I got a few stitches, but not too bad.
My mom was there for the birth of her granddaughter!

It was an amazing day.

Because Everyone Gets Them...

2011-02-07T18:40:00.002-06:00

I know that as a child I did not get many things with my name on it. Most of the time I blame that my name doesn't fit comfortably on anything... or it ends up being huge. Most of the time teachers called me "Christin" because the 'A' was cut off. It is apparently easier to assume that an 'E' was cut off... whatever.

In this day and age, it seems that everyone puts their baby's name on the wall either with decorated letters or wall decals. Since we are planning on having more than one - I didn't go with the wall decal. I don't think they come off easily and I don't want my next child to feel jipped if they have to share a room and their name isn't as big or matchy... or whatever. So I went with the wooden letters.

I went to Hobby Lobby and bought what I thought would end up as a cute end product and this is what I came up with. I also realized that if my mother did this with my name... it would have cost twice as much. Do you think people think of these things when naming their children these days? Like a monogram with 5 letters is less than 9? Hmmm...

DIY Baby Clothes: Pants

2011-02-04T17:13:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I have a lot of clothes that I no longer use. No longer wear... or that I have had way too long. You will see in this series of things that I make that I have clothes that I have had since High School. I will even see if I can find proof of how old some of these clothes are... maybe. Like I said before, I have never been good at taking a lot of pictures or documenting my life. That must be why blogging is so hard.

Anyway, I got the instructions for this from Samster Mommy Blog. This blog was posted on The Bump and I decided to check it out! AMAZING BLOG! I learned so much and I was inspired to start making things of my own. I don't have step by step... because I didn't take photos of the step by step. If you want them I can document with the next pair I make. I plan to make a ton out of old clothes and fabric I have laying around.

BEFORE

AFTER

Super easy. Super cute. Even used the straps as a cute extra embellishment on the waistband. It literally took me 20 minutes to make these. And I am super proud about lining up the stripes... cause I am crazy like that.

The Baby Shower

2011-02-03T16:53:00.003-06:00

Okay... so my baby shower was January 22nd. It was a while ago and while I sit down to start writing my Thank Yous... I remembered. I have a blog. And I also remembered it has been a long time since I wrote on my blog. So much for all of my New Year's Revolutions. However, you will be happy to know that I have been taking more pictures than I used to. Which is a step forward and a step in the right direction for documenting my baby's life.

That was my awesome cake! I got tons of stuff and my baby is set. We still have a few essentials to get... like diapers. But, I have enough clothes and all the big stuff we need. So, from here on out everything else is smooth sailing. Just need to have her. I love my family and my friends! Especially, my friend Ashley for throwing me such an awesome party!

Here comes the pictures of Taz...

2011-01-07T20:59:00.004-06:00

Like I said, I am going to take pictures with my digital camera on a daily basis. This is supposed to be practice so that I learn to have it with me when I have a baby. Course, I will be so excited that I probably won't have a problem taking photos. Anyway... here starts the documentation of Taz's life. If only she knew she is my current muse.

Above... she likes to sleep on her back.
Below... she didn't like her picture taken in that attractive position.

Above... Taz likes cashews. And tomato soup.
Below... Today I was eating these and I shared. However, when I was done, she didn't feel like she was done. So she spent 15 minutes trying to get the canister open. Good luck, kitty.

The Cutest Thing I've Ever Made.

2011-01-06T14:28:00.003-06:00

Cherry & Chocolate Mice! I first ran into these at my Dad's side family Christmas. My step-sister made them to go along with her Cheese Ball. She is so creative and I often steal ideas from her. So, I decided I wanted to make them too.

Aren't they adorable? I forgot to take a picture (because I am bad with the whole camera thing) of all the ones I made. There were 24 mice. Now, after being eaten New Year's Weekend... there are only two. Funny thing is, I didn't eat any - because I am not a big fan of cherries.

Anyway... to make them yourself. You need cherries with stems, chocolate for dipping, Hugs or Kisses, almond slices, frosting, and gel. I bought everything already made because I am lazy and didn't want to make my own frosting or gel.

Dip the cherries in the chocolate. You can use Milk or White chocolate.

Attach Hug or Kiss with frosting with two almond slices to the cherry.

Take red gel and dot on the eyes.

They are done! So simple. And so cute!

It's The New Year!

2011-01-06T14:09:00.003-06:00

Good-bye 2010 and Hello 2011. I am already looking forward to this year. There is so much to look forward to. Although, I hadn't come up with any resolutions until just today. To be honest I hadn't even really thought about it. How does anyone get away with not making resolutions? Apparently, I did.

1. Post on the blog everyday. I am going to try. Whether it is a random picture I have taken (which I assume that will be easier once the baby is born) or something actually interesting. I want to be more committed to my blog.

2. Take more pictures. This goes along with number one. Somehow I realized that I just don't take pictures. Whether Ricky and I go out or stay in... we never take pictures. I have no pictures from the Holidays at all. For the first few months you might see a lot of Taz, Togomei, and Alexander... and then a lot of the baby after that. At least it will be something. Pictures every day. At least one.

3. Lose weight. Okay, okay. I know this is cliche. But, I have my goal photo all ready from June 2009. Of course, I am waiting until I give birth and I am planning to breastfeed. Most say that that will take off the pounds for me. Plus, I will have a baby and a dog to take for walks. My town has lovely trails to walk on. It can be done. I can make it back down to a healthy, happy 140 pounds.

Now. I have a few days to catch up on, but I think it can be done. I have just begun to realize how much my life is going to change in just two months. TWO MONTHS! Just try not to panic. Right.

Yep, it snowed...

2010-12-16T14:20:00.003-06:00

It's going to be a White Christmas. I do love having snow. But, I don't like it when it ruins an entire weekend of plans. Honestly, it snowed all day on Saturday and then went on to ruin roads for Sunday and Monday. The Wisconsin DOT advised no driving... The roads are still coated in snow. I don't remember what pavement looks like. The sidewalks are all icy. I also realized that I don't have a pair of gloves. Oops. And I am missing my brush and scraper in my car... dang it. Don't you hate it when you realize these things are missing when you need them the most?

Luckily, Ricky shoveled this time. But, the shovel bent and broke. Seriously, that much snow. We received about 8 or 9 inches. My parents only an hour north have about 15 inches. The whole state of Wisconsin is snow covered. But, I am happy that it is now out of the system and maybe travelling for all the Christmases that we need to attend will be good. Some sun and maybe some temperatures above 6 degrees would be nice. Thanks.

The picture doesn't show it real well, but to top it all off - we were without power from about 4 am to 3 pm. And didn't get our internet or cable back til 7:00pm. So, that Charter Commercial about counting on them in storms is a BIG FAT LIE!!!! In the picture, you can sort of see that a utility pole fell down. Gotta love a ton of snow and then 40 mph gusts. And then two days of temperatures below zero. Oh, what a great week.

HDBD: 28 Weeks

2010-12-16T13:45:00.002-06:00

Sorry, a day late in my usual fashion. But, that is me in all my glory. And I realized in this photo that our mirror really needs cleaning. It is all I can look at when I see it. I am sure you are all staring at my gorgeous baby bump. But, I don't. Probably cause I stare at the bump every day thinking about my baby girl inside.

Anyway... bending down and getting things from the floor is now a definite chore. And I am having a rather interesting day dropping many things. I broke a plate putting the dishes away. I dropped some butter when making macNcheese. It just keeps going and going... I think I will spend the rest of the day in bed. Good choice before I burn the house down.

I finally got the call from the hospital about the class dates. But, I have already forgotten them. I will ask again - though I am 90% sure it is January 29th. I can't wait! It seems like so far away... but I know it will be here in no time. Just like the holidays creeping up. Crazy!

Craving: Nothing really. Amazing, I know. But, I am just not a big fan of food right now. And it has nothing to do with nausea or being sick... I just stare at the cupboards and fridge and can never find something to eat. It is frustrating.

Best: Feeling the movement all the time! It is so awesome. Sometimes feels really weird like she is trying to escape... but I still love it.

Worst: The heartburn. Still awful. I am combating with Milk, Tums, and Zantac. But, some days it feels like the stomach acid has completely eroded my esophagus and it HURTS LIKE A BITCH.

100% Chance of Snow

2010-12-11T14:29:00.004-06:00

As you can see, Wisconsin is going to have a white Christmas. And all the snow seems to be coming on the weekend this year... which frustrates me. I have had to skip going to my parent's one weekend already because of ice and now I might miss more. There is a 100% chance of snow tonight. No shit... cause it is already snowing.

BLIZZARD WARNING; WINTER STORM WARNING

That is what the Weather Channel says at the top when I type in my zip code. Oh goody. Even the radar is fun colors. Right now it keeps switching between winter mix and snow... which is the worst. I am stuck inside and don't know what to do. I guess blogging won out right now.

Kind of wish I would have waited to put together all the gift baskets for Christmas for a day like this. But, they are all done. Actually, besides three people who I have to order for - our Christmas shopping is all done. Gotta love being organized. Which is a must have considering Ricky and I have a Christmas to attend the next three weekends...

By the Numbers and Diet - GD

2010-12-10T21:34:00.003-06:00

GD. No, it doesn't stand for God-Damned... but it should. I am a little late with this post and should have done it on Tuesday when I had my doctor's appointment, but as you could probably tell from my other posts I tend to do this a lot. It has nothing to do with not having the time, mostly I sometimes can't find the words. Or the words don't get my fingers. However... here are the numbers from my one week of taking blood sugar.

Tuesday: B - 82, S - 97
Wednesday: F - 71, S - 96
Thursday: F - 79, S - forgot...
Friday: F - 75, S - 94
Saturday: F - 85, S - 86
Sunday: F - 77....then I ran out of test strips.

(F = Fasting, B = 1 hour after Breakfast, S = 1 hour after Supper)
I am using the Bayer Contour and it only came with ten strips. So, I had to wait until my doctor finally called in the prescription (cause those things are super expensive to be buying on their own). But, these were enough numbers to show my doctor that I am doing well with the diet!!! Yay!

New Testing Goals: Must test 2 full days a week. That means F, B, L, and S.

New Diet Goals: None really, I have been sticking to it with minor mistakes. Like the cheesecake I ate last week in two days. Woops. I also am still craving donuts.

Weight Update: 208 lbs. WOOOO!!! That means I only gained 1 lb in two weeks. My goal is gain 1/2 - 1 lb a week during the pregnancy. All is 100% going wonderful.

**Hope all the other ladies on the March 2011 board with GD can manage as well as me, I know there are many levels of GD and I know we can all do it. March is just around the corner!**

Learning Experiences: The Placenta

2010-12-09T18:35:00.002-06:00

Okay, so there isn't a picture to go along with this post.. because I made the mistake of googling and well, not too pretty. I was going to find pictures of it encapsulated, but no such luck. Either way, it has come to my attention that I needed to learn a little about the placenta and the benefits of eating it. Yes, I said eating it. Most all mammals... excluding humans, eat the placenta when their babies are born. I won't be doing it. My boyfriend asked if I would and that was an absolute no. I have no need to protect my baby from predators and I don't need the extra hormones to love my baby... so my conclusion is I don't need it.

However, I have come to realize that many women do choose to do this and I went on a Google Adventure to find out why. I am bored. I am curious.

- It can help improve lactation. A study showed that most women improved their milk output by taking in the nutrients of their placenta through capsules.

- Shown in rats... it apparently reduces pain or soreness.

- Has a positive effect on postpartum depression. Women experience less and feel better in general after the birth of their baby.

- Good source of Iron and can replenish a woman's iron supply after birth and prevent a deficiency.

Still not going to do it. But, it is interesting to read about the benefits and extremely interesting to read why we view the eating of our placenta's culturally disgusting. I guess I am just going with the crowd... or just what I grew up believing. Not that anyone sat down and told me it was disgusting - but, no one told me it was necessary either.

Another Ultrasound!

2010-12-04T15:41:00.003-06:00

So, because of my bad experience I decided to get an elective ultrasound through Stork Vision in Madison, Wisconsin. Sure, it was an hour drive away and there was a snow storm coming... I didn't care. I went and I had a blast. Ricky's mother and sister came with me to the hour long appointment where I was able to watch my little girl on the screen for 43 minutes. She is so beautiful... and so perfect. I just can't wait until March when she is in my arms!

Today is also my ticker change day! I am 27 weeks along and officially into the Third Trimester. That is the home stretch. It is hard to believe that in just 10 weeks I will be full term. Course... it is still 13 weeks until being 40 weeks. But, a healthy baby can be born anywhere after 37 weeks. She moves all of the time and I love her so much already. Ricky and I watched the DVD from the session last night and it was so much fun talking about our little girl.

Heartburn is worse than ever. I am craving cookies and chocolate so bad.

Alina Joy is coming soon!!

Sewing Corner: Baby Clothes

2010-12-01T18:50:00.003-06:00

I have a sewing machine. Yes, and I sometimes use it. Mostly I need to tend to Ricky's clothing because he likes to wear things even after they get holey and then expects me to fix them. Yeah.. okay. Since I had gone through the trouble of making a terrible mess of getting the sewing machine out I figured I would make a few extra things. And, if you know me I always start something new. I have patterns cut out from a few months ago - it didn't interest me now. I also have a baby quilt that I made for a friend almost 2 years ago that hasn't been finished... yeah I should get on that.

The above hat and baby panties (that is what the back says and I can't think of a new word... I suppose bottoms work for me) that I made a couple months ago when Hancock Fabrics had a ridiculous sale. I got patterns for 89 cents each!! I know!! And then also a ton of fabric. However, these items are made out of fabric that I have... because I like to waste old fabric the first time I try out patterns. The hat ended up huge - the next one I make will be smaller.

These pants are what I worked on today. This is the medium size from the pattern. I guess I could have gone with small. This was just another thing just for fun. I will probably redo the waistband because I didn't have the right size elastic... but only I know that. The snowflakes are hand sewn on. I think they are cute. Maybe they will fit my baby next winter - or I will give them away. Or make a matching hat. Yeah... we will see about that.

Hump Day Bump Day - 26 Weeks

2010-12-01T18:44:00.003-06:00

So, I know I have been slacking at this. Sorry. I don't always look presentable to the public. Okay, wait. I never look presentable - however, today I am in a careless mood... so here you are. You get a bump photo. And it is even Wednesday!!

The whole GD thing has been going okay. My numbers have been well beyond perfect and I only have to test my blood sugar twice a day. So, I am incredibly thankful for that. This Friday I have an elective ultrasound scheduled and this person I am paying to find out the gender - so I shouldn't have the same awful experience I had with the the big anatomy scan. I am extremely excited... even if I do have to drive an hour to get there.

Getting the Meal Plan

2010-11-24T19:33:00.003-06:00

So, since I have GD (Gestational Diabetes), I needed to go to the dietitian today. I spent an hour and a half listening to what the rest of my pregnancy is going to be. Originally, I was okay with it. But, I saw my numbers... they aren't that bad. Why am I going to need to go through this nonsense? Not that getting on a good diet and forcing myself to be healthier is a bad thing. I just don't know why I will have to test my blood sugar. I am trying really hard to see the bright side of all of this.

My Test Results:

Fasting = 76 (must be less than 95)
1 Hour = 180 (must be less than 180)
2 Hour = 157 (must be less than 155)
3 Hour = 64 (must be less than 140)

My Meal Plan:
1800 calories (might get boosted if I lose any weight)

Breakfast (30 carbs)
- Suggested meal is 2 pieces of whole grain toast, 2 eggs, and one bottle diet coke.

Lunch (55 carbs)
- Suggested meal is sandwich w/ meat of some kind & cheese, baby carrots, 12 oz whole milk

Snack (45 carbs)
- Suggested meal is one apple, cheese stick, 12 oz glass of milk

Supper (60 carbs)
- Suggested meal is 3 oz meat choice, starchy vegetable, free vegetable, cup of rice with butter, and one bottle of diet coke.

Ricky and I will have to go shopping for some of the choices, but overall I think it isn't so bad. Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Mainly I just have to watch the carbs and I will be good.

Pregnancy: Gestational Diabetes

2010-11-23T20:50:00.003-06:00

So at 25 weeks it is normal to get the one hour glucose test. Yesterday, I had that appointment and had to drink the sugary solution. It wasn't so bad. However, I did get a call this morning that I didn't pass. Boo me.

Today, I went in for my three hour glucose test. Now, this wouldn't be so bad if they didn't have to prod me with a needle four times... and because the first needle was too big for my veins they had to do the first one twice. I had fasted, so I guess it was good that I checked my phone messages before eating breakfast - otherwise I might have had to wait a day. The first blood draw was taken (it was excellent). And then I had to drink the 100mg glucose solution and wait...

12:20, 1:20, and 2:20 - I had my blood drawn every hour. Have I ever mentioned that I hate needles. They are awful. They hurt. And when only one arm has a good vein so they repeatedly go into that arm... it hurts even more. The last one they had the courtesy to go into my hand for blood. But, it still hurts.

Anyway. I failed and have met the requirements for Gestational Diabetes. Tomorrow I get to go to the hospital... again. I will see a dietitian to help me with diet, guidelines, and how to take my blood sugar.

Other than that... my pregnancy is going well and I am thinking about going to have an elective ultrasound done because I just can't wait til the birth to find out what the baby is. I don't think I am a Team Green kind of person. I am just too much of a planner. I want to shop. I want to know.

The Holidays Are Coming!

2010-11-19T18:28:00.004-06:00

I love the holidays. I love Thanksgiving. I like Black Friday. I love Christmas. And this weekend is the Holiday Fair. It is the biggest craft show of the year and I go every year. It is where tons of vendors sell all sorts of fun things and I get new ideas for crafts. I am really excited. So... Most of my Flashbacks for the next two months will be about of Holidays past.

The first family tradition I will talk about is the matching pajamas. Oh yea. I have a small family. It is just two cousins and me. Every year we would get our matching Christmas pajamas on Thanksgiving. I don't know where they all went now... but I think it is so cute. When I was little they had my cousin, Sarah, and I match quite often.

I know I will be doing this to my kids. And they will enjoy it. I promise. I don't care if it will take some coercion... but at least for a couple nights a year they will match like I did when I was little. Maybe Santa only comes to children who wear their matching pajamas... yeah. That is plausible.

In the picture above it shows what happened last year when they once again gave Sarah and I matching pajamas. I made her put them on and take pictures... she didn't want to. However, I am extremely persuasive. And I love it!!!! Hahahaha... I am sinister. Christmas is on the way whether you like it or not... but I haven't sung Christmas songs yet and I walk out of stores who play Christmas music before Black Friday.

About My Pet: Tazmerie

2010-11-17T11:50:00.004-06:00

I know she used to be adorable right? I brought her home from school in 7th grade. Okay... the true story. I took the kitten to the principals office so that I could call me mom and ask her if we could get another cat. While I was on the phone and while my mother was saying no - the mom of my classmate who brought the kittens in left. Therefore, I ended up having to call my mom back and tell her I had to bring it home. I really had no choice. That is how we managed to get this adorable bundle of joy.

When she was little she really did love water. The picture above is of her jumping into the hot tub when it was being filled. Really, she jumped in. I did not put her there. Taz is special. BTW, she grew out of the love of swimming in water.

Okay... so she ended up being overweight. I had another cat growing up, Patches. Patches needed special diet food and that wasn't right for Taz's metabolism. However, there was no way to feed the cats separetly - so she got fat. She was at most 16 pounds. And let me tell you, her legs are tiny. She is not meant to be 16 pounds. Poor kitty, but I think she carried it well. But, she had a habit of laying around the house like the photo above.

Don't let that position fool you. She does not want you to pet her belly. Touch her belly and she will bite your hand off. Trips to the vet are always an adventure. She hates it there. They need hawk gloves, towels, and at least two helpers to hold her. I love my Tazmerie.

After Patches passed away, Taz was put on a diet and she lost weight. In the first year she was down to ten pounds. Woo Taz. Now if only I could lose a third of my body weight in a year... yeah right. Don't cats have the life? Anyway... recently she has gone down to about six pounds. Way too skinny. She was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism. She needs a cream in her ear daily and gets to eat wet cat food like a special kitty. Lucky her. We are still working on getting her weight up - but she seems happier and younger than ever when she plays with her new friend Tagomei.

When I moved in with Ricky, Taz came with me. Since it has been about five or six years since Patches passed away, Taz didn't seem happy about living with another cat. But, they have grown to be nice to each other.

Taz doesn't always make me happy. Most recently she ran out the door when I was giving kids Halloween Candy. She spent the night somewhere. I don't know where. I wish cats could talk so that she could tell me where she went. It had gotten down to 28 degrees that night. Very cold and like I said she is still very skinny. She returned November 1st at about 3:30pm very dirty. She now meows all the time wanting to go back outside... FML. She is meowing annoyingly right now actually. If I didn't love her so much, I would be mad. But, she is the best furbaby ever and has a crazy personality to boot.

Ten Quick Facts About Taz...
1. She loves peanut butter, popcorn, and Doritos (nacho cheese is her fav).
2. She growls a lot. Sometimes she sounds like a motorcycle.
3. We call her Toothless sometimes - because of her abnormally large green eyes. And she reminds us of the dragon in How To Train Your Dragon.
4. She is declawed because she ripped up the back of a couch, otherwise I am generally against declawing cats.
5. She comes when you whistle.
6. Her favorite toy is the foil wrappers from candy - like mini Reese's cups.
7. She needs a sedative when taken to the vet and still needs to be held down by gloves, towels, and extra help.
8. She is 13 years old.
9. She gets really bad acne when sad. She had bad bouts when our dog Bud died and when Patches died. It appears on her chin - and dude... not even a teenager gets it this bad.
10. She loves me... but not necessarily the rest of the people in the world.

-Sorry about the bad pictures of pictures. I don't have a scanner and it was the easiest way to transfer them... don't know why my camera is being so blurry today.

Another Week of Phone Photos

2010-11-16T16:27:00.006-06:00

So this week was interesting and well.. there were many times that my animals were doing hilarious things - but by the time I grab my phone they move. This has always happened though. Not just now... Somehow I always miss on out on the cool things. So - most of my things this week have been photos that I have taken to show my mom things. Enjoy. And don't forget to check out other people's phone photos HERE!!!

All the gallons of milk I have drank
in like... the last two months. I
did start writing down the dates on
them - but gave up. Pregnancy and
heartburn make me crave milk.

All my Avon stuff that is going to eventually
be Christmas gift baskets for family and friends.
I just have it laid out... next step organizing
it into the gift boxes.

Isn't he just the cutest golden retriever
in the whole wide world? That duck didn't
stand a chance. And yes... I watched him
do this knowing I would have to pick it up.
But, it kept him occupied for a good 2 hours
so in the end it was worth it.

This is the cross stitch I am working
on for my grandmother. And I make myself
do a thread at least every day so I don't
give up by Christmas.

Yeah, I went at Midnight, I'm a geek.

2010-11-12T15:37:00.004-06:00

Sooooo... when Ricky got home from work Monday night he surprised me and told me we could go to Walmart (the only place open at midnight in this rinky dink town) and get Black Ops! I was beyond excited and got dressed even though it was an hour away from midnight. He had originally told me that I could wait and I didn't need it right away. What a tease. But, I love my boyfriend. I do. And he bought me Black Ops.

Monday night we stayed up til 4 am playing. It is amazing. I love the new maps and I love the new weapons and most of all I love the customization. I played almost all day Tuesday. Zombies is pretty fun too! What can I say... I am obsessed. So when I am not blogging or cleaning the house - which hasn't gotten dirty since we just play the video game right now - I am playing Black Ops. I love it. I heart it. I wish I had more friends who liked to play it.

Right now I am level 33 already. Woot woot! My favorite maps are The Villa, The Jungle, and Nuketown. Zombies... I wish I could see the other maps and I still love the dialogue when you get a head shot. So yea... that is what I have been up to lately. And as you can see in the picture above, next to my PS3 I have a lot of games that I have started and not finished. And right now they will remain unfinished.

Hump Day Bump Day - 23 Weeks

2010-11-11T15:52:00.002-06:00

Ricky took the day off yesterday... so I didn't get anything done that I wanted to. I will do a post about what we did all day later. Every Wednesday I plan on getting bump pictures up. This one is a day late, but I am sure you will enjoy it either way.

This week in pregnancy I had an appointment on Monday and found out that that bitch who did the ultrasound is just that way. She doesn't believe that people deserve to know or should want to know the gender of the baby. Well, shit - I think she needs to get a new job. My weight is right on schedule... but it is a bit scary to be over 200 pounds for the first time in my life. I know that I am pregnant. But, I just worry about having the focus to take the weight off once the baby comes. I wasn't able to stick to a plan before pregnancy... how will I stick to one after?

Other than that... nothing too interesting. Current craving is donuts. I run to the gas station every day for a donut. I can't get enough. Ugh.

The Living Room is... done?

2010-11-09T15:07:00.002-06:00

So you might remember that I had a living room in the house that was so hideous that I never wanted to even clean it... much less spend time in there. The Living Room Before didn't look like anything anyone wanted to live in. Well, I have finished making the walls acceptable enough to have company.

So on the upside.. it even looks good enough that Ricky wants to keep the living room open through the winter. Last winter we put foam board up and kept it closed. We watched television and just lived in the bedroom. Don't be dirty. It was to save on the heating bill.

So, there is a question mark on the end of that title... yea. It isn't finished. I still need to get things on the walls. I have some shelves to hang and some picture frames with no pictures. I just don't know what to put in them. Ricky and I aren't married so we don't have engagement or wedding photos. We don't have kids yet... what exactly do you put in picture frames in your living room before you have that???? Please help.

Also... I really need a slip cover for that ugly floral couch that you can sorta see in the one picture. I have one picked out. Now I just need to order it. Bah... more money spent.

I Have Pictures on my Phone?

2010-11-08T21:53:00.003-06:00

What is on my phone? Well... for the first installment of this I figured I would just get out my phone and look at what I have. I have a lot of pictures of my dog Alexander and none of them are cute. They are all of him just sitting there. Because my mom always wanted updates on what he looked like. I figured I wouldn't put any of these on here... unless he were doing something cute. The cats are far more interesting.

I made this post after reading Untypically Jia's Blog and saw that her newest Blog Hop was this from Jessica, aka the Hussy..

ABOVE: This summer. My road. My house.
Road Construction is evil and makes life difficult.
I complained about this crap everyday.

ABOVE: The only picture of my Baby Bump so far.
I haven't been real good about taking photos.
This is probably around 18-20 weeks I think.
So cute... yea.

ABOVE: Me amused by the cats that decided to
take up residence above my head while I as
on the laptop. Taz on one side and Tagome
on the other.

ABOVE: SHOWDOWN! Haha. Taz is my cat
who is 13 and Tagomei is Ricky's cat who is
two. When I moved in... Taz came with. They
don't always get along. But, it is getting
better.

Still a Papaya!

2010-11-06T13:03:00.002-05:00

Alright, it is week 23 and I have given up on trying to write about the past and catching up. It is just easier to live right now and write about it. I guess that is the point of the blog anyway.

On The Bump ticker I realized that I have hit the weeks when one fruit continues to represent the baby for more than one week. 22 and 23 weeks is the Papaya. The baby is now about 8 inches long and just over a pound in weight. That is right! A whole pound of my weight is the baby. This is the start of the Sixth Month. Woo hoo! I am so excited and I figure that with all the holidays coming up that it will go quickly.

My favorite thing about being pregnant right now is when the baby is kicking and moving around. It is amazing to think that the little one is in there.

Right now, I am annoyed with looking over baby names all over again. I thought we had it all set and all picked out, but Ricky is unsure - which has made me unsure. I am having second thoughts about the girl's first name and Ricky has second thoughts about the boy's name. What are we going to do?

Name choices right now: Boy - Vance Dean, Girl - Alina Joy

The Big Anatomy Scan!

2010-11-03T12:24:00.002-05:00

This is a little late, but I have been busy and apparently not in the writing mood. However, on October 21st I woke up at 6 in the morning to make sure to pee and then refill my bladder as directed. I never get up that early. I never drink that much water in one sitting. The morning was pleasant, but I was too excited to see my baby to care. I woke up Ricky at quarter to seven and we were out the door and to the hospital in time to wait for our 7 AM appointment.

Waiting in the waiting room was awful. I was so tired and they were so slow. We must have been the first people to come to the damn hospital for the day. I will never make another appointment that early. But, I thought it would be easier than waiting half a day for the appointment to come to me. Finally, it was our turn. It was time to go into the dark room with a big ultrasound machine.

She started looking at everything and taking pictures. The technician didn't really have that much to say. She just kind of gave an overview of what she needed to take measurements of. This took about twenty minutes. She left and then we waited. The doctor came in and looked over some of the pictures and then started at the head and explained what all the organs were, showed the beating heart with four chambers, showed the umbilical cord, and the spine and other bones. It was amazing. We have a healthy baby. This also took about twenty minutes.

At the end of the appointment when she made it to the feet... I asked about the gender and the doctor said "I didn't see anything dangling, but I don't pay to redecorate people's homes." How unprofessional! I was so angry... but it was too early in the morning to protest. Or to tell her to try again. I guess for now we are Team Green. I am coming to terms with it... but I am still complaining about her at my next doctor's appointment.

Pregnancy: the First Trimester

2010-10-14T14:51:00.004-05:00

Still catching up with the story that is Ricky and I having a baby. And I am truly sorry that there are no pictures to go along with this post, but I decided not to do belly pictures. Okay, that is a lie. I really wanted to do belly pictures, but the one's with my phone just didn't seem to turn out right and my camera never managed to get charged until like a week ago. I was probably postponing it all on purpose.

I think that only because in June 2009 I was 140 pounds... and in June 2010 at the time of the BFP (Big Fat Positive) I had managed to make it all the way to 192 pounds. I don't want pictures of myself right now. It isn't the way I want to be. I should have never gained this weight and now I knew that it wasn't going to be coming off any time soon... I was depressed to say the least. I wasn't going to take bump photos because my first trimester bloat just made me look fatter.

Beyond that problem of how I feel that I look, I had other symptoms. I was tired. I wanted to sleep all day and all night. I only wanted to eat what was appetizing. And that was okay because I never threw up from morning sickness. I was just majorly picky. Through this I ended up losing about 10 pounds in the first trimester. Which, my mother and grandmother both managed to do. And it felt good to me because I had started out over weight.

I was also trying to decide what I was going to do about the birth. I have always been a sucker for pain, although I love the feeling of getting a tattoo, I am a baby. Basically, I figured that medication was going to be the route for me. Epidural all the way. But, Ricky has other ideas. He insists that I am strong enough to go natural. I also have the backing and strength from my family and his family that I can do it. Therefore, it was also in the 10th or 11th week of pregnancy where I declared that I am going to be a Natural Birth Momma.

Cravings: Sour Cream & Onion Chips, Salami Sandwiches, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Ups/Downs: Our number one choice of name, Vincent, was taken by Ricky's cousin. We had to go back to square one... and choosing names has been hard, that was sad. I lost weight, that was exciting. Seeing our baby in the ultrasound was amazing and I can't wait until October 21st when I can see it again.

Nesting: The Living Room Before

2010-10-11T17:34:00.004-05:00

They always say that when you get pregnant that you go into a nesting mode to make the house ready for the baby. But, in the house that my boyfriend and I live in I have been restless about the way it looks since I moved in in May. The living room has been a sore thumb since I met him over a year ago. In the picture below are the lovely roses that cover the paneling all over the room. Awful. Ugly. It just looks plain dingy. It has to change.

So, I started looking into the options on how to cover the paneling. If we would have taken it completely down the walls would need sheet rock. My options turned into that thick paintable wallpaper and just painting. But! When I was looking for texture I found the sand stuff that you pour into paint to make a texture. Soooo, we picked out a color and so far the walls have been primed. The gaps between panels was spackled, and now it is time to get the rest of the paint up and trim done. Hopefully, only a few more days and the after pictures will be up!!!

Pregnancy: the BFP!!!

2010-10-07T21:26:00.004-05:00

Let's play some catch up and I will start with the story of how I told my boyfriend, Ricky, that we were having a baby.

July 2nd, 2010 I had just gotten home from work (at the time I was working at Wal-Mart) and had picked up a pregnancy test from Wal-Mart. I was about 4 days late on my period and had been late a few times since we started trying in January. Mostly, I figured that it would be negative. Therefore, I was talking to one of my best friends, Nicole, on the phone when I decided to pee on the stick (she had no idea and was telling me a story - important story)... when I saw the second line and interrupted her. "I'm pregnant." She was caught by surprise and I apologized and told her I didn't know what to do. I really wanted to cry, happy tears of course.

So, this was before I marched Ricky into Verizon and got him a cell phone and he told me he was going to be at his parents helping them cut some hay. My mind was going a hundred miles an hour and I didn't even think about calling the MIL's cell phone or house phone to find out if he was there. Nope, I hopped in my car and drove the 15 minutes into the country to their farm. Ricky wasn't there. No, he was somewhere getting a car part to fix a car. Woops. I acted awkward, but didn't want to tell his parents why I was looking for him. They must have thought I was insane. Anyway, I left and decided to go back home and wait.

However, while I was driving back home Ricky called from our house number. He asked where I was and I said that I was driving back home from his parents and I cursed him for not letting me know where he was going to be and finally a was home and walking through the door. He was standing there waiting for me and staring at me. I said that I had something to tell him... he nodded and gave me a hug and said, "No kidding."

Well... in my franticness I left the positive pregnancy test on the bathroom sink and he saw it before I could get the chance to tell him. Either way we were and still are super excited! We told his mom the next day (which was her birthday) and I called my mom that day too.

Reinventing the SOS

2010-10-07T21:17:00.003-05:00

So, I have been out of the blogging mood since I moved to Small Town Wisconsin with my boyfriend. I think it is about time that I start blogging and I have plenty to say. A LOT has happened to me in the past few months and I could start anywhere, but I will just outline a few things that you will find on my particular blog going forward. So, if that interests you - GREAT! If it doesn't - I am sure that with my random mind that I will come up with something to tickle your pickle.

How I describe myself and what you will see posted here is the following:

Baby Stuff (I am currently almost 19 weeks pregnant)
Video Game Stuff (My boyfriend and I love gaming)
Movie/Television Stuff (Since I am a SAHM now, I have a lot of time on my hands)
Animal Stuff (I have 2 cats and a dog that are truly entertaining)
Housewife Stuff (Cause cooking, redecorating, and chores is what I do)
Random Stuff (Cause that is the basics of what Shiny Object Syndrome is)

So, that is what sums it up and that is how it is!

Ricky and My Bathroom!

2010-02-28T19:44:00.004-06:00

So, Ricky always complains about his house and I decided that we would go one room at a time and make it a home. He has lived there for two years and it looks kind of like he hasn't. The before pictures are after things were screwed off the wall, but there wasn't much there. So yea. And that's my man painting, mmhm. We started with white, then red, then black.

Sorry about the quality. I forgot my camera and my phone was all I had. Below are the after photos, I still have some stenciling to do in the white part will be some fluer de lys sybols in black. But, I was so excited to show it off!

Start of a Problem

2010-02-09T15:28:00.002-06:00

Me: I wanna buy Bioshock 2 today.

Ricky: Why? You haven’t even played the first one.

Me: But, I liked watching you play the first one.

Ricky: You should finish the games you have bought in the passed three months.

Me: No. I’m stuck on Batman, can’t kill them.

Ricky: Okay, Infamous?

Me: Well, I played that the other night.

Ricky: And, Sacred 2.

Me: The update won’t load on my PS3. You know that.

Ricky: Uncharted 2?

Me: Still know where stuff is from watching you play. BOR-ING…

Ricky: How about Borderlands?

Me: I played it all the way through…the only reason I need to play it again is cause all the trophies are on your name. Hey! I know, you give me MY Dragons Age and Assassins Creed 2 back and I won’t buy Bioshock 2.

Ricky: No. You don’t wanna play those.

Me: Yes I do. And I bought them.

Ricky: You want to play Bioshock 1 or Assassins Creed 1 or Dead Space or maybe Call of Duty campaigns.

Me: Fine. Target didn’t have it anyhow.

Okay…so I didn’t really play video games until I met Ricky. I had lots of fun watching my friends play and that was just fine for me. But, no. My new boyfriend likes video games. LOVES Video games. So I watched him play. Then I watched him and his friend, Jamie play World at War Nazi Zombies. I started getting addicted and soon I was better than Jamie, which I of course reveled in. Beating a boy at video games is always lots of fun. Then, of course, MW2 came out. I bought my own PS3 and it has turned into a problem. I buy games. Lots of games. All the time and never finish any. Its like ADHD at its best. Course, I buy it and play the first chapter then Ricky steals it.

My list of games to complete…that I have started playing:

Assassins Creed 2
Sacred 2
Dead Space
Call of Duty: MW2 (campaign and spec ops)
Uncharted 2
Dragon Age: Origins
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Infamous

List of games I should probably play…

Assassins Creed
Uncharted
Call of Duty: World at War
Bioshock

SOS!!! I haven’t played any of the first of anything. Perfect…I got to call Ricky back and let him know my newest angle. I must buy Bioshock 2 and play it before I play others. Course…that doesn’t really explain all my half finished games. Er…Shhh.