The Nursery!

It seems like most people expecting their first baby always post pictures of the nursery and the progress that is being made on the decorations, painting, putting the crib together, ect. So here is our current nursery!

Not quite sure where the crib is going to go, we just can’t decide. This corner has so much space to work with. I just hope the baby doesnt mind sharing its space with a sewing machine and a rubbermaid of clothes that no longer fit me.

We are so prepared for this child, we have one outfit and some burp cloths. That’s sufficient right? We do have some more things, but they are still back in Atl because we couldn’t fit stuff in our carry on luggage after our last trip.

I’m trying my best to not let this stress me out. I’m just really hoping right now that we don’t end up having the baby in West Virginia and staying at an extended stay hotel for a few weeks. I’m just not sure I can deal with that.

It will all work out, and I know that. But seriously ya’ll, think how you might feel.

So things have been pretty quiet here in Waterville. I’ve just been working nights which means that i’m pretty much tired all the time. We actually went out with some friends last weekend, so our social agenda has been filled for the month. I think this weekend we might go grocery shopping, pretty exciting stuff. Maybe we can squeeze in a little Target too.

We did go on a nice picnic last weekend at Colby College. We listened to the braves game on Patrick’s phone, Abby wandered around eating sticks, and we ate some PB&J sammies. It was just really nice to finally be able to get outside and enjoy the sun. It had been a few months since we had seen it.

I had a MD appt on Friday and things are going well. He confirmed that I am fat and i still have 3 months to go.  I cant really say this was a surprise to me. I go back next Friday for my glucose tolerance test to see if i have gestational diabetes.  I really hope i don’t. That would be unfortunate. I start going to the doctor every 2 weeks now, which I am excited about. If I could go to the doctor every day I would like it. Just to check in, you know.

I guess we might move doctors down to Lewiston ( where we would have the baby if still living in Maine) after this next appt. That will give us some time to get slightly acquainted with a new doctor and they have more education classes like breastfeeding and birthing classes. Instead of the once a month deal here in Waterville.

We get to head back to ATL next month and I am beyond excited! I have a few lovely people who are throwing me some fabulous baby showers. The end of April will be busy as well as May. We are going to visit Dan and Lindsey in 2 weeks, then we go to Atl, then we are taking a small babymoon to the beach here in Maine, then Dan’s graduation festivities! I’m so looking forward to having things to do.

That’s about all for now, I need to finish the laundry and then take a nap. Gotta work tonight, yay for that.

The Boy Vs. Girl Debate

So its really interesting to see peoples reactions when you tell them that you do not know the sex of the baby. 99% of people say, oh i could never do that, I just need to know. The other 1% think its cool. But I will tell you, 100% of people will take a guess at what sex they think the baby is. Including the lady who gives you a manicure at Walmart. Yes, you read that correctly. At Walmart. That is our local grocery store, clothing retailer, and nail salon. Oh how far i’ve come or Oh how far i’ve fallen. just depending on the view.

Anyways, I still think its fun to mess with people when they ask when I’m due. I always say, “i’m sorry?” pretending like i couldn’t hear/understand, which in the Walmart case I wasn’t lying. I couldn’t understand. But people get a look of panic on their face, but they usually ask again, to which i reply “ Oh, July!” Is this mean? probably. But i consider it one of the small pleasures of pregnancy.

So, according to most people at work and the lady at Walmart i’m having a girl. Is this because I always look like hell? I’m hoping not but it is a strong possibility. 12 hour night shifts catch up to you. 12 hour day shifts catch up to you. then flipping back and forth between days and nights is a toughie.

I do have a cute little “coming home” outfit picked out for the chance it is a girl. This includes, white denim shorts and a cardigan. OMG. Patrick and I went to register last weekend, which BTW was stressful and bless his heart he took me to baby gap. I could have died, all those little tiny clothes are so cute. I am pretty sure all he could think about was the dire state of our bank account and how it was only going to get worse.

So anyways, i am feeling good! The constant nausea has passed, but now I am hungry all the time. Now i am moving into the whale stage of pregnancy and i’ve still got a long way to go. oh well, grow on little baby, grow on. Although it would be nice if my ass would stop getting bigger, that is already big enough. The fact that it is girl scout cookie season is really not helping matters.

The doctor still thinks i’m crazy, which is nothing new.

I have been craving brown sugar and cinnamon pop tarts recently. as weird as that is.

Baby is kicking away, im pretty sure earlier today i actually saw the TV remote move because it was resting on my belly.

I have tried listening to the heartbeat with my stethoscope. I couldn’t hear anything, but i sure looked like an idiot trying to hear. good thing i was home alone.

Im still sleeping ok, but i get uncomfortable in the middle of the night. I wake up and realize im sleeping on my back or somehow i am mashing this giant belly. Therefore I have to pick myself and roll over. It gets complicated, trust me.

The ultrasound went well and the doctor says it all looks good! We got a 3D ultrasound and I swear Homozel who we have now shortened to ‘Zel looks just like Patrick when he was a wee one.

We still have no names picked out and the only baby things that are in our house have been purchased by others. So our child has one outfit, thanks Kpo!

I figure we will have it all worked out by the time ‘Zel arrives. Also by the time of the arrival I hope to have figured out, which hospital I will be having the baby at and  which state we will be living in. Just minor details… Until then I will ask Patrick daily, um what are we doing next year?

For now here are some pictures of our little Zel’!

It might be a bad thing if…

Is it a bad thing if your doctor tells you, “you should stay pregnant forever so you can keep entertaining me.” I can’t decide. I’m sure they talk about me when I leave that office. But the way I look at it, I cant be the worse patient they have and hopefully they think I am funny crazy not like crazy, crazy.

So our appointment went well yesterday. The nurse practitioner answered a bunch of my questions, regarding how things work at a rural hospital. I have been concerned about delivering at the hospital where my doctors are located. There is not staff in hospital 24 hours a day who can do c-sections, the doctors have to drive in if the need arrives. I was told they can be there within 15 minutes but that seems like a long time. There are no pediatricians or NICU staff on site if they baby has respiratory issues or needs resuscitation. Whoever is on call will be the one to deliver the baby, and that ranges from a doctor, to a nurse practitioner who will be just starting to deliver babies. I’m thinking we will be changing hospitals, we just need to make a decision… Patrick thinks i’m slightly neurotic and crazy, but like he said yesterday, he just doesn’t know what kind of questions need to be asked. Where I, thanks to nursing school am aware of all the things that can go wrong.

I get my 20 week ultrasound next Thursday, when my mom will be here! This would be where we would see the sex of the baby, but we are going to stay strong and not find out if little Homozel is a girl or a boy.  I just want to know that everything is ok, and the little tike is happy and healthy. According to the doppler yesterday the heart rate is 160 and we have a very active little baby on our hands. You can hear swishing movements and thats the baby just kinda floating and moving around. I can occasionally feel these movements, some days more than others, but i do enjoy feeling movement it lets me know things are ok.

How far am I : 18 weeks 5 days today!

weight gain- sure, but only 2lbs more than last time I was there, yay for that! and my pants still fit.well, my maternity pants still fit.

movement: yes! most days i feel at least something, but its not very consistent. The NP said yesterday that they don’t worry about kick counts until around 28 weeks.

cravings: nothing in particular right now, but i could always go for pizza. Last week I would have killed someone for waffle house, or just anywhere that serves pancakes during the day. I was almost in tears because there was no where to eat pancakes.

Names: we cannot decide, and probably wont decide until this little baby comes out. Although I did pick out a coming home outfit if it happens to be a girl. Did you know they make newborn little white shorts. I could die they are so cute.

nausea: It has been soooo much better. Although Abby has had a bit of a tummy ache recently and pooped in the bedroom yesterday. I gagged while cleaning that up. Patrick was holding a shirt over my face as a mask, it was a site to see.

sleeping: still sleeping ok, nothing out of the usual for me. I always wake up thinking I have missed the alarm.

I think thats about it for now, i cant thing of anything else really interesting to share. Anyone have and questions? just leave a comment.

I like dogs, I just don’t like their owners

I have a hard time understanding how some people survive as long as they do. Most specifically, people who I am fortunate enough to share my apartment building with. A few weeks ago as I am doing laundry a woman walks in behind me, stands too close to me, and then proceeds to pull her laundry out of garbage bags and use the machines as I pull my clothes out. This is a problem for a few reasons.

a- she reeks of cigarettes and booze, in the middle of the day. To my Georgia people, think of what you smelled like leaving downtown freshman year, before the no-smoking deal started.

b-she was burping, loudly, as I am pulling my clothes out of the washer.

c- SHE DOESNT LIVE HERE.

d-I have to eventually wash my babies clothes in these washers, and i am fairly certain her clothes carry diseases.

I have no idea who this woman is and why she was using our washer and dryer. I did what any sane person would do, I walked back to my apartment and called Patrick immediately and freaked out. Why is this homeless person in our building and why are they doing laundry? I wanted him to fix it immediately. From work.

Fast forward to this morning. I am in the elevator and here comes my laundry partner. Walking another one of our neighbors dogs. I guess they have a dog walker, and i guess she uses our facilities while she creeps around our building all day.

Here is where another issues arises. If your dog sucks and they are mean, stay away from me and my sweet puppy. Do not ask me to hold the elevator and then spend the five flight trip down wrestling the dog, saying “ she just has so much energy”. No she is crazy and she looks like she wants to bite me. Then when I am trying to walk back to the building after letting my dog go to the bathroom, STAY AWAY from me. Its like people here have no social skills, i should hold classes on how to be a human. I think that would be helpful. Of course I would have to give out cigarettes as door prizes to tempt people to come, but it just might work.

Last night as I am coming back from Subway and the grocery store where I purchased a foot long veggie sub, baked sour cream and cheddar chips, and peanut butter. Don’t judge me, I’m pregnant. I had another run in with a dog in the elevator. Abby my car riding partner and I were in the elevator, and the doors opened on our floor. As soon as the doors open, here comes this little shit of a dog who always barks and snips at Abby. Not on a leash, sprinting down the hall. She gets into the elevator, and starts to “attack” Abby. So i kinda toss this little dog up against the wall, all the while trying to keep Abby away from her and not get bit myself. Then the elevator door closes, and here I am with grocery bags, a purse, an 80lb golden retriever, and this little dog who i would love to punt across the hall. The owner finally makes it down the hall and the doors open, she picks up her dog and Abby growls at the dog almost knocking me down in her attempt to get away. The woman looks at Abby and says “whoa!!”… I wanted to punch her in the face.  So i say, “well, your dog just attacked her.” and got out of the elevator, pissed not even looking at this woman. Had this been the first time with this dog, it would be one thing. But this little dog is always on a retractable leash, fully out at 7 ft and she always barks and snips at Abby and the owner just kinda says, oh stop it. Hey, dumbass get your freaking dog under control. My dog is cowering against the wall. Again, i rush down the hall to home and start reliving the event with Patrick. He is pissed, and lord knows what he will do when he sees that woman and her dog again. He is already rude enough to her because he disagrees with her dog handling skills and choices. I wonder why we only have one set of friends here at this apartment, mostly because we dislike everyone else that lives here.

My brother-in-law, the photog.

So my brother-in-law and soon to be sister-in-law came to visit for new years! We had so much fun and it was such a relaxed visit. We went to bar-harbor and Acadia national park. I am so glad they came to visit.

Also, the BIL happens to be a bad ass photographer. You can check him out at alexthephotoguy.com. He does weddings and portrait secessions. I am so excited for him to take pictures of our little Homozel when the baby makes its debut. You should check him out. for real.

so here are some pictures he took while they were here visiting, and I have to say he makes this state look pretty good. also, he makes our dog look even more awesome than usual if that's even possible.

 

 

     

 

I’m a pro.

If they had an Olympics for vomiting, I would totally dominate and win a gold medal. This week I actually threw up outside, and here is how it went down. When Abby takes care of business there is a solid 3 feet of snow and i generally just kick some snow to cover up the poo. This is an acceptable practice up here in Maine and everyone else does it too. So don’t judge me. On this particular day an employee that works on one of the floors of the building ( note- not someone that actually lives here) walked passed as abby was doing her business. They gave me the stink eye as I covered the poo. Thus leading me to feel guilty, and get a baggie to pick up the nasty. As i’m doing this, i’m gagging. I had not had a chance to eat breakfast yet. There was no hope. So there I was heaving, leaning over to the side of the sidewalk with Abby sitting there staring at me.

On Friday, hubs and I went to a ski resort around these parts. I being with child got to get a pedicure and a massage while Patrick “carved”/tumbled down the ski slopes. Just kidding, he is actually quite good. Did you know people pack their lunches to go to places like this? I just kinda thought Patrick was saving money by taking his lunch, but no wonder people don’t buy the food there. It was $15 for a small pizza, a power aid, and a brownie. But buying food makes me happy, so that is what i did. And before you go thinking to yourself “nice lunch Jennifer” I realize this is not in the least bit healthy. But I did walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes yesterday so that totally evens out.  So back to my theme of puking, I had to go to the bathroom after eating my fabulous lunch. This place stunk. horribly. as soon as I walked in the power aid started to come back up. But seeing how we had just paid $15 for that food, there was no way in hell it was ending up in a toilet, or on the floor for that matter. Through will power I talked the baby into letting me hold on to my lunch. That and I just sort of ran out of the bathroom…

Other that that, things have been going well. I have only called the doctor twice asking stupid questions. They are always so nice about it, not making me feel like an idiot when I have questions like… “is it OK that I can feel my uterus?” and “ I petted a cat, is that OK”.. well I didn’t get to ask the doctor/nurse the cat question but through some internet stalking I have decided that it is in fact ok. I just couldn’t make myself call the hospital two times in one day.

weight gain- yes,duh. I’m growing an infant.

maternity clothes- that’s a yes! I may never go back to normal clothes. Elastic waist bands should be the standard on all women’s clothing. imagine how much happier we would all be. I say we start a petition, who wants to join in?

cravings- yes. anything that isn't good for me. in particular, egg and cheese biscuits from McDonalds. yum.

sleep- Besides having to pee during the night, yay for that! I sleep pretty well. except when I have dreams that I am late for work, which happens quite often. I would have sworn that my phone rang and someone was telling me I was late for work at the nursing home. I completely made this up. in the middle of the night.

movement- Yep! well, i think anyways. It could very well be gas. But i asked the doctor, and he told me that it was totally possible i was feeling the baby move. He said “ its totally possible, since you are thin,” in which my response was “bless you!” and then I stopped listening. He’s a smart man.

Best moment of the week: while waiting on my gold-encrusted pizza from the ski resort Patrick rubbed my tummy and said “ its starting to poke out”. I love this for 2 reasons. 1- it was really sweet of him. 2- it let other people know, that I am in fact pregnant not just “unfortunately fat” as I have been calling it.

What I am looking forward to- actually feeling movement all the time. I think that would help me feel, that things are ok. Since it would be a constant reminder that the baby is growing and moving around like it should be.

here are a few pictures from our ski-day:

People will in fact stare at you if you are wearing jeans and at a ski resort.

hubs the snowboarder. look at the “slopes” in the background.

Patrick is making me say “look at the sweet cord”… whatever that means.

This is what it would have looked like from the summit of the mountain. If I had gotten to go. But i had to get a pedicure instead. I made the right choice.

It looks like I ate an entire turkey…

We are going to be busy in July. We will be moving, somewhere… that part is still undecided. Maybe Atlanta maybe Bangor, ME. Patrick will be starting a new job- that also is still undecided. We have a wedding to attend. Our 4th anniversary will be coming up in August. Oh, and I will be having a baby! Location and state TBD. We are so very excited to be adding to our little family. Even Abby is super excited- she told me today as she was dragging my pregnant ass through the blizzard so she could eat the snow and then pee on my bath mat. Diana ( the SIL) introduced me to a blog that had a pregnancy weekly update. With my track record of blog postings, i can’t promise that it will be every week but probably more often than every 2 months.

How far along: 14 weeks today.

How big is the baby: according to my iphone app its a lemon

Total weight gain: yeah, right. Even I don’t want to know that information.

Maternity clothes: not really, but i ordered some online the other day. When sitting for long periods of time, i unbutton my pants. Occasionally even when not sitting i unbutton my pants, until I realize the zipper is falling down and then i just feel awkward.

Cravings/Get it out of here: not at this second, although I could go for a cupcake. Perhaps this is why i will not be sharing my weight gain numbers. I was having a hard time in the first part of the pregnancy, everything made me want to vomit. Unless it was fried or bad for me then i wanted it. I went through a Wendy’s double stack phase, as well as a subway veggie sub phase and pizza is always ok.  I was nauseous, all day everyday. I tried to make asparagus and broccoli for Patrick one night and ended up gagging over the sink. Veggies were completely out of the question.

funny things:

every time i brush my teeth i gag.

every time i pick up Abby poop, i gag. I was on the phone with my mom one day while doing this lovely activity. She thought it was hilarious.

Sleep: yes please, no problems yet. except i have to pee all the time.

movement: not yet

What I miss: nothing yet. Perhaps i miss not gagging in public places. Oh.. i almost forgot. Anyone that knows me, knows that i love TLC/A&E and any programming that involves people with problems. TLC’s new show- Strange addictions. I was so excited to watch tonight's episode. The girl that eats laundry detergent. Sadly this episode includes the girl that picks out her hair and eats the hair follicle.( just gagged a little) Obviously I cannot watch this as it is disgusting on so many levels. This would have never bothered me before, but now… i just cant deal.

Best moment this week: I was wearing tights and a fitted top. The neighbor says “ oh hey Homozel” and patted my stomach. then patrick told me I was looking more “rotund”. Which in husband land is a compliment. Apparently I am looking more pregnant, and less like I just swallowed the entire contents of my fridge.

Let me expand on the “Homozel” idea. When Patrick was at college, there was a building that was the “Homozel Mikel something or other” building. He always joked that he wanted to name one of his children that. So clearly, we had to nickname the little one in utero this. Most people stick with “peanut” or something like that… not us.

What I am looking forward to: Shamelessly sticking my stomach out, and rocking my new gap maternity jeans.

Pregnancy rant: I’m good for now. But when I get heated about something, ill let you know.

No pictures yet, none that I’m sharing anyways- but just imagine me.. with a puffy face, a slightly larger ass, and a stomach that sticks out over my pants. I’m a lovely sight, but its all for a good purpose!