Chasing Windmills

Sunday Series - 2

2012-01-29T10:50:00.004-05:00

Sunday Series

2012-01-22T10:36:00.001-05:00

Not that the football season is coming to an end .. not AT an end .. there are many more games to go .. and hopefully a Superbowl (GO PATS!)

Buuuutttt .. I tend to photograph in groups .. You've seen one of these groups in the post Gordo Smells Barbecue .. that was one of the single most loved posts by both the Capt'n and Munch. They could have that one on repeat as screen saver FOR-EVER.

Annnnywhoo .. I wanted to find a place to show them off .. enter your Sunday Series. Its like comics .. only better.

This is what happens when we take over Benihaha on a random Saturday.

Best Thing I Ever Ate

2012-01-20T12:04:00.000-05:00

I'm a self proclaimed foodie ... but not one of those annoying foodies that turns their nose up at some foods ... I just LOVE food ... that's why my weight doesn't exactly match whats on my drivers license (whose does?) ... There are a lot of links here .. but bear with me ..

During the summer, when it far too hot to go outside ... and none of the TV shows we watch regularly are in season ... and I was wither a) 9 months pregnant or b) had a newborn .. I resorted to the Food Network. Yes, I said it ... I'm an AVID watcher (read: all the freakin time) of shows like Cupcake Wars (but that's another story) ... The Next Food Network Star, Iron Chef, The Next Iron Chef **, Throwdown, Chopped and Best Thing I Ever Ate (fyi .. there is even an App for that ... )...

Yes, 99% of them are competitions ... I'm not competitive or anything ... just ask my husband ... or any of those nurses in the delivery room who heard me shout "I WIN" right after T was born .. but I digress ... In short, I like to imagine myself in the position of the competitors all the time ... I mean, what would YOU do with Panko, Strawberry Soda, Flank Steak and Gummi Bears?!

One of our favorites to 'pretend' with is Best Thing I Ever Ate (for those who haven't seen it ... its when those chefs you see on TV tell us where they go to get some of their favorite foods) ... and I can't tell you how many times I've turned to the Capt'n and asked something like "what do you suppose the best breakfast you ever ate was?" ... so, I've compiled a list of a few of my favorites ... excuse my limited locales ... its hard to have a Best Thing I Ever Ate - Baked was the bread from the truck parked outside my hotel in Russia circa 1997. I mean really?! Who is going to go there for BREAD?! Vodka yes, bread no .. but let me assure you, that bread is to DIE for ...

On to my list ...

Best Thing I Ever Ate - Breakfast (tie)

Where: Lighthouse Bagels and Deli - Corolla, NC
What: French Toast Bagel with Butter
Why: I mean you really can't get any better vacation food ... homemade, fresh bagels (this one happens to be and egg and cinnamon bagel, covered in powdered sugar and some more cinnamon) ... sliced and toasted on a grill (totally the way to go) ... and slathered in butter. And yes, its served with a side of maple syrup for dipping .. and yes, it is as good as it sounds ... better even.

Best Thing I Ever Ate -Sandwich

Where: Coastal Provisions Market - Outer Banks, NC
What: Crab Cake Sandwich with Remolaude Sauce
Why: I didn't get into crab to much (I'm a lobster girl) until I started coming to the Outer Banks and finally accepted the fact I currently reside in Crab Country. For some reason ... I just wanted to try crab ... we stumbled upon the Coastal Cantina while driving around Duck, NC one day and proceeded to go back every day that week. We got to know the owner ... we had them cater our wedding (for the crab cakes of course) ... and we go back every time we are there. The secret to these is really in the remolaude sauce ... everything is fresh, local and super flavorful ... worth the stop every time!

Best Thing I Ever Ate - Appetizer

Where: The Live Saving Station - Corolla, NC
What: Goat Cheese Hush Puppies
Why: This place has 'saved our life' many a times .. mostly because its one of the only restaurants open year round and open late. They generally cook with fresh, local ingredients ... which is key because most of the items on the menu are seafood which is totally better fresh. But this little ditties ... oh my goodness ... since neither the Capt'n nor Munch are big fans of goat cheese .. this whole plate is mine .. all mine! They have a nice crunch on the outside .. but melt in your mouth once they are open.

Best Thing I Ever Ate - Meat

Where: Sweetwater Tavern - Sterling, VA
What: Prime Rib
Why: I'm a meat purist .. I like me a good steak with only a simple salt and pepper seasoning. This.is.just.that.steak.

Best Thing I Ever Ate - Southern

Where: Lightfoot - Leesburg, VA
What: Fried Green Tomatoes
Why: There is a long story as to how we found this place. But it ended up with us ducking in to escape the snow on a random, wonderful afternoon .. being the only people in the place .. getting seated in front of the fireplace and enjoying one of the best meals we had in a long time. The meal started off with these (at least for me .. the Capt'n is partial to the Spicy Tomato Bisque). First off, I LOVE tomatoes. These are crunchy and warm with generous slices. They are topped with a little spicy sauce that is so good you'll wish you had more.

Best Thing I Ever Ate - Soup

Where: Pho Pasteur - Boston, Massachusetts (I went to the one in Chinatown ... which has since closed)
What: CANH CHUA TOM
Why: Its described as a house specially mild hot, sour and sweet soup with bean sprouts pineapple chunk, tomatoes, basil, fried onion skin an aromatic spicy tamarind broth. A must by Vietnamese soup ... All I can say is that the fresh shrimp and the warm, mildly spicy broth is elevated to another level completely by those pops of pineapple.

Best Thing I Ever Ate -Mexican

Where: Mariachi's Restaurant - VA (we used to go to the Lansdowne, VA one ... until it closed ... sadly ... tear)
What: Carne Asada
Why: I get bored pretty easily with Mexican ... and most of the time it makes me sleepy (bring on the carbs - the chips, the rice ... yum!) ... so sometimes I like to go for the less filling (less OVERfilling) entrees. I knew I had to find something I liked here because a) it was 1/2 mile from home and b) the boys LOVED it ... and wanted to go EVERY Friday ... after I found this little number, you heard no complaints from me! The meat is a flank steak but SO tender and done a perfect medium-rare. The seasonings are mild and bring out the flavor of the actual steak. Its served with guacamole, peppers, and some rice ... typically I'm a food purist (everything is better when eaten on its own) but with this dish ... its best when you stack them all up!

Best Thing I Ever Drank - Pregnancy Craving

Where: Froots (the Lansdowne, VA one sadly closed)
What: Green Tea Smoothie
Why: Um .. pregnancy craving .. duh. With Gestational Diabetes the way I ate changed drastically .. my portion sizes changed drastically .. an yet this was the only thing that remained a constant. Smooth, not as thick as a smoothie/shake but just as refreshing. It helped me get through many a summer day while I was 9 months pregnant.

Fill me in ... what are some of the best things you've ever eaten? Inquiring minds (me) want to know!

**Now that you made it through all that .. and as a side note .. the husband of a friend of mine from my days in bella Italia (once a sous chef for his friend and Iron Chef Michael Symon) will be going head to head with the winner of The Next Iron Chef on January 22nd (Sunday, Sunday, Sunday). So, if you are in the Cleve (and I know some of you are) ..you should check out the viewing parties at either of his restaurants (The Greenhouse Tavern or Noodlecat). And although I loved the show (and 'darth' Zarkarian) .. I'll be well on the side of Team Sawyer come the 22nd. **

Birth Story

2012-01-16T11:26:00.003-05:00

At long last .. the blog that has been holding up all the other blogs … no really, there is a wicked backlog around here …

So here it is .. because there is nothing like knowing TOO much about someone. If you don't want to hear it .. plug your ears .. or do the digital equivalent .. close the window now .. no, I mean right now .. this stuff moves FAST!

If my birth story were to be in pictures .. yes, I dreamed of a beautiful, elegant, moving photo montage set to some amazing song .. but, what I got was this ..

8:35AM

8:36AM

10:38AM

Yes, like that fast. I'm still working on digesting it. I know that every baby 'writes' their own story and man, she did just that! But first let's back up a bit .. I knew I was on the books for a medically necessary induction so in the week leading up to it I tried everything I was comfortable doing to try and get this party started. I walked (slowly) in 90+ degree weather, we finished the baby room, packed the bags and put the car seat in,.. we .. errr .. did other stuff (come on, munch reads this), ate tons of pineapple (as much as my GD would allow .. it was working .. some ..

I was 3cm and 80% effaced the week before my induction so they canceled the Cytotek they were going to administer the night before the induction (yay, another night in my own bed!). The Friday before I was to go in, I had my Bio-Physical Profile (BPP) done at the specialist .. as usual (remember at this point we were going twice a week). The Capt'n couldn't make it which was 100% reasonable .. it was the last one, he had gone to the others and honestly, no reason to think anything was going to happen. Baby P measured fine but refused to 'practice breathe'. They ended up keeping me for 30 minutes and using a little vibrating buzzer to wake her up. (Sleeps just like her dad)

The day before the induction I went back to my regular doctor for my last BPP before my Wednesday due date (the official due date was July 25th .. but the doc was 'letting me go' to 39+2 because of my GD .. against the wishes of the specialist who wanted it at 39 even). All measured fine but no matter what he tried, the little one wouldn't practice breathe. The doc even stepped out of the room at one point (I knew he was calling the Birthing Inn to see if they could take me for an emergency induction) .. came back and tried one last time. Lo and behold, she moved and started breathing. Yay baby .. but already worrying mama.

Truth, I know that some babies hibernate or sleep a lot in the days leading up to their birth .. if there wasn't a reason for concern .. I would have just assumed she was sleeping in preparation .. which she probably was because man, she brought the party a day later.

I had been having some contractions for weeks .. mild Braxton-Hicks I assumed. At one point a week or so before they were so bad while watching a movie at the theater that I thought I may have to leave .. and I sure as heck thought that we'd be skipping our planned dinner out. But once I stood up and walked to the car, they disappeared. The night before I went in, I joked with my husband that this baby was seriously trying to race the doctor because as soon as I left his office, the contractions would pick up .. which was some phenomena I had heard about at birth class.

But alas, We found ourselves driving the 5 minutes to the Birthing Inn at 7:30AM the next day .. I got there all nervous only to find myself surrounded by nurses (it was a slow morning) with one doing the room set up, one putting in an IV and one asking me questions and putting my information in the system. It was distracting .. this was perfect .. but I felt a little like a lab rat. I balked once mildly when they hooked me up to the IV. No matter what you learned in birthing class .. it’s harder than you think to say something with your 'big people' voice when you are already nervous.

In short order I was connected to that "cruel, cruel mistress" known as Pitocin .. and suddenly we were left alone. We started to settle in for the long day by plugging in the music, spending some time hanging out (15 minutes or so), taking a couple funny pictures and giggling like school kids. The nurses were sweet but upped my dosage every 10-15 minutes or so .. and about 45 minutes later the doctor came to break my water. I was still a 3 but fully effaced this time (same as the night before - or close).

The first contraction I truly felt was the one right after they broke my water .. and then I vividly remember thinking that it’s supposed to hurt more once the water was broken. It was stronger but nothing to write home about .. I was still up and talking though it, etc. I remember asking one of the nurses how long the average induction went .. after saying that she can't guarantee anything .. She said something like 14 - 17 hours of labor and then 1-2 pushing. Good to know I thought. I labored on the toilet for about 15 minutes (trying to empty my bowels in hopes not to do so on the bed - foolish, foolish girl) .. the pipes above the toilet were tall and exposed and lined up perfectly with the open section if that horrid hospital gown (again, I had prepared but didn't know how to ask if I could wear my own clothes). It was perfect and the cool kept the nausea at bay. I could feel myself sweating profusely and the Capt'n came in with the labor chart from birth class. He wanted me to know I was in first stage labor (because wanting to labor on the toilet is a sign). How sweet of him. I, then, made a failed attempt to crawl to the bed .. literally. That lasted one strong contraction and I headed back to the bathroom.

That was when I started to doubt that seriously that I was still in first stage. Something in me knew that I was nearing transition. My mother had told me about her transition; sweating, chills, nausea .. "like your body was being taken over" she said. Check, check and check. I can't pretend I knew it all though .. because even though I thought I knew I was in transition,.. the logical side to me kept repeating that it couldn't happen that fast .. even when my mom had me it was a quick labor .. but not this quick. So, even though I thought I knew where I was, I was still prepared for the next 14 hours. Because, it was what I expected from the start (long and painful) .. and so, I crawled my way back to bed.

For the next 20 minutes I was in so much pain .. I didn't have control of my own body. It was almost like convulsions. Muscles tightened in the back making me want to stretch out as tall as I could … and then full frontal belly contraction making me want to curl up in a ball. I was on fire,.. then shivering .. then nauseous .. and I felt like I had to push but because I expected longer, I was trying not to. I know now, this is why it hurt so much .. I spent that whole time fighting it because it 'wasn’t time'. Keep in mind .. this is only about an hour after I got hooked up and I expected it to be another 10-15 hours of this. I looked at my husband, buzzed the nurse and told him I needed some help with the pain. (I know transition is when most people as for help with the pain .. but again, I assumed I wasn't there yet and didn't think I could do hours of this). Looking back, no one can (or is meant to) .. because it was that last (and hardest) part. The nurse came in just as another contraction hit (they were on top of each other now) and I looked at the Capt'n and told him to speak for me. Then I gripped the hand rail and curled up in a ball .. relaxing through the contractions be damned .. there wasn’t even any time to breathe. The nurse said she would check me but she was highly doubtful.

As soon as she checked me .. things got really blurry, very fast. She went right to the door of the room and shouted out "we're having a baby". I was fully dilated and the head was right there. They called my doctor and went searching for the OB-on-call because they weren't sure my doctor would make it back in time (he was only on the other side of the hospital campus, two buildings away). He did though (he ran) and when he arrived, he looked at me and asked if I still wanted to go natural. I had a number of thoughts like .. ‘HA, very funny!’ And ‘I've come this far, why stop now’ .. but in the end, this baby was waiting for no one .. including pain meds .. even if I had wanted them .. which I didn’t as soon as I heard where I was in the process.

Pushing was like a dream .. not a warm fuzzy dream .. but it felt so much better to do something (a feeling my birth instructor said was possible) .. I kept apologizing .. I pushed for about 20 minutes. I say that loosely .. when the doctor had me push without the urge it was so much less effective and I mean MUCH .. Baby T really did all the work. At one point I felt something running down my arm only to look over and see that I had yanked out my IV (the one I didn't really want to start with) .. and I was bleeding .. and no longer on Pitocin .. this was all her.

Not every contraction was a pushing contraction .. but I tried. There were a couple times when my doctor tried to get me to push through the light ones, unsuccessfully .. at one point he stopped what he was doing, came right up to my face and said "listen to me. you can be here for 30 minutes or 4 hours .. the way you were just pushing, it will be hours". But, I couldn’t force something that wasn’t happening. On the other hand, he told me to wait at one point .. and I tried, I really did .. but then I had another pushing contraction .. they were like waves at that point .. I think the phrase "not gonna happen" came out of my mouth .. and, she was out .. one push for the shoulders .. and she was laid on me .. the baby girl .. that something in me already knew existed. I looked into my (wonderful, amazing, overwhelmed) husband’s eyes when they gave her back to me .. it is one of those moments I’ll never forget.

And then, it was done. Literally, 2 hours. I was in my recovery room for lunch … which remains a joke to this day .. no, I do not like to miss meals. And the recovery itself was tough .. but good. I didn't tear and everything went fantastic .. so I probably don't know what tough is. I bled A LOT .. and someone forgot to offer me pain medication after everything happened .. not that I would have taken it. Honestly, I do feel a little jipped. I know, I know, that sounds weird. I never got to "labor" though. It all happened so fast .. I don't know what it’s like to have the same experience as others. The Capt’n complains that we spent more time in ONE birth class than we did the entire labor .. its true .. and I dragged him to 12 weeks of them! We hadn’t even unpacked our bags .. heck, some of our bags were STILL in the car! It truly was a completely surreal .. and emotionally traumatic (because of the speed) for both he and I. I can’t imagine what it looked like to him .. or how much he wanted to help and was left helpless. For a man like him, that must have been awful. I makes me choke up just thinking of it.

The magic of birth took 2 days or so sink in .. the thought of it still makes me a little nauseous .. but much less so these days. This mom amnesia this it totally real people! I joke that if I knew that the next one was going to be 2 of the hardest hours of my life .. I would totally do it again. But its the unknown that's so hard .. the view is totally worth it though.

I haven’t shared the story much partially because it so not typical (being a super-fast labor) and partially because I don’t want to hear ‘well, that must have been nice’ .. or ‘aren’t you lucky’ - NOT THE CASE AT ALL .. and partially because I'm a proponent of natural birth and my birth (as seen by natural birth peeps) was not natural at all .. I reiterate what a great friend told me the night after my baby shower .. the baby writes its own birth story. The induction wasn't my plan (neither was the IV, breaking of my water, etc.) .. it wasn't ideal .. but it was medically necessary (haters hate if you will, but I wasn't taking the chance of gestating my little one for 9 months and having something happen those last few days) .. and so we rolled with it .. and I did manage to pull off a Pitocin Induced Labor with an Un-Medicated Birth. I read one birth story the other day of a mama who had a similar situation (medically induced induction) and went without pain medication. I know we are rare .. in fact, she called herself a Birth Warrior .. and in the glow afterwards .. that’s exactly what you feel like.

What I Do With My Day

2011-12-01T16:08:00.001-05:00

Two Years (8 days) ... but whose counting?

2011-11-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

As previously promised (here) ... and in honor of our two year (and 8 day) anniversary ... I thought I'd share some wedding shots.

On November 2nd, 2009 ... two people threw the wildest party the poor, little Outer Banks had seen in a while ... one that knocked the socks off even the tamest partygoers ...

It all started innocently enough ...

(btw - omg ... how small are those puppies?!?)

Funny story ...

Due to wind and drizzle we moved the party inside ... special thanks to my mom for all of the florals and decorations. simple and beautiful.

And there you have it ,....

oh ...

wait ...

I did mention a party didn't I?

What's a party without a photo booth??

(we call this one "dios mio!")

'Cause who doesn't want a cookie cake!

(btw - Happy Birthday today!!!)

This is the end of the professional photographic evidence (as shot by Echard Wheeler) ...

And some others ...

{via Little}

{via JLA Photos}

The rest of the night (and morning) looked something like this ... and I'm warning you ... it gets a bit crazy up in here ... it apparently all started when the bartender turned to my handsome husband and offered him a drink from the "special" bottle of whiskey his "wife" set aside for him ... suuuuure ... blame it on me ...

{via Danimal}

{via JLA Photos}

{via Little}

{via Fanellope}

Heyyyy ... how did a shot from my bachelorette get in there? hehehe

Ummm ... yeah ... and I totally stole these from people's facebook albums ... credits are listed below them...

There are SO many stories ... like the one where my dad got lost on his way to the beer-pong table ... and the one where one guy (don't worry ... not naming any names Danimal ... your secret is safe with me) woke up with no pants on snuggling with a pizza cutter ... and oh .. so many more ...

Needless to say ... the party went on for days and days ... but it was day two (of recovery) that we were actually able to get out and shoot these little doozys ...

{via JLA Photos}

{via Little}

Memories ... memories ... memories ...

Makes me wonder how we are going to top it for our 10 year! Start sending in ideas people!

Until then .. back to the beach we go!! Happy 2 year and 8 day anniversary my love ... I'd do it all over again ... even the whiskey part ... maybe ...

{via Fanellope}

For more wedding party fabulosity ...

Day 2

Kudos

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T14:38:00.000-05:00

Otto - Year Two

2011-11-09T14:17:00.001-05:00

For those of you who remember (or care) ... when we rescued our not-so-little mutts we got rather close to the woman at the shelter where we picked up Otto ... her and all of the other workers. We were so overwhelmed with how amazing they were (a woman called Pebble especially) that we sent a "What Otto has been up to" letter last year ... and it was a hit! They even published it in their newsletter!!

This year the letter got out the door late (I had my ~~hands~~ paws full) ... but at least it got out ... just in case you want to know the beginning of the story, Otto's Welcome Home post is here ... and Otto's Year One letter can be found here.

And now, on to year TWO!

Greetings!

When I last wrote you I was just a year old (still a pup) and I shared what my sidekick (brother) Patton and I had done that year. This year, I am a whole TWO years old … and have even more experiences to show for it … I’m a teenager! It seems that I’ve become famous!

First off, you all put me in your newsletter … thank you! But that just started off my year of fame … my brother Patton and I were also became ROAR squad (Rescue Owners are Rockin) members which meant we were published on a webpage with LOADS of followers! Check it out for yourselves!

This year we also got a new dog walker who walks is around the neighborhood … she is awesome and doesn’t let me pull her around … sometimes she sleeps over (when our owners are gone) and lets us sleep in the bed with her AND we spend our nights on the couch watching animal planet. My owners call it ‘camp rules’ … because we get SO spoiled!

That isn’t to say that we don’t get that spoiled when they are around too. My little boy got a new room in the basement and we can sleep on his bed too … they call it his ‘teenage room’ … maybe that means he is two like me!

And … because we are so good in the house, we are now allowed to sleep on all of the other beds in the house (as you can see from the pictures my owners took of me) … I take full advantage of that. The only bad news from this year is that the vet told me that I needed to go on a diet. Boo! My owners did some research and got me a food that had fewer calories (whatever those are) and that still tastes so good I howl with excitement at dinnertime! AhhRoo Roo Roo! It helps that they put warm water in it for my dinner meal and make me soup ... that’s my favorite!

Losing a little bit of weight has actually made me feel better … I’m much feistier (or that’s what my owners say) … that paid off when I got to go back to my favorite place in the whole world for my birthday … the dog park! I must have sniffed EVERYTHING at least once! My owners have promised me that because I love it so much I’m going to be going back once a week! Just me ... with no little brother tagging along! While I’m gone he will be getting a special walk to work on his manners. Gee, I’m glad I’m not him! It’s enough to make me howl with joy!

And lest you think that this past year was spent just hanging around the house and napping on beds … we traveled to New England for Christmas and got to spend three whole nights in hotel rooms. The first night I wasn’t sure what was going on … and I woke myself up by barking in my sleep. Everyone thought it was so funny … I’m not sure why.

We also got to visit the ocean in Connecticut over Christmas too .. I got to run off leash on the beach (there were dogs everywhere!) and I ran and ran and ran … I even waded into the water up to my chest for a minute. My owners weren’t pleased putting a wet dog back in the car for the long ride home though … but I LOVE towels and they love me anyway!

We are also getting a cabin in Maine … it’s the truth! My owner is building it and we got to spend a whole week up there while he worked on it. The best part about Maine is the golf cart! I loved chasing it and circling it and barking until they stopped to let me on for a ride. They think that I must have some herding dog in me … I think that I just liked to play king of the golf cart and enjoy the wind in my ears!

Oh, and I almost forgot! The whole reason this letter was late by a month was that I got a new little girl this year! I thought it was puppies in my owner’s belly and I took care of her so well. Every morning I would jump up on the bed carefully and plop my bum right on her belly make sure everything was still ok and show her how excited I was by wagging and wagging. Now that the little girl is here, sometimes I think I would rather have had the puppies because I don’t like it when she cries … I usually leave the room … but, when she is happy I like to lick her hands and feet … she just stares and smiles at me and my little black and white nose! They keep telling me that someday this little girl will become the best treat provider there is … I can’t wait …

Having a new baby also means that one of my owners stays home with us all the time now! Patton and I spend all of our days out roaming the house … he spends his playing with toys … I spend mine in front of the windows watching the neighborhood. It’s my favorite pastime ever … and, I have to keep an eye on this house and protect this wonderful family I have … I take that part very seriously.

I guess I just wanted to fill you in on what happened in my life this year and what I’ve been up to … and tell you that I’m glad you guys are still helping little pups like me get wonderful homes. They should know how lucky they are! I’m sure to tell every dog I meet where I came from and how wonderful the people were.

Thank you all again …

Sincerely,
The Great American Otto

All a matter of perspective

2011-10-31T21:47:00.002-04:00

So I'm not exactly a leggy girl .. I stand a mere 5'2" .. and I married a man exactly a foot taller than I am. Some have told me I was height greedy .. I like to think of it as finding the best height out there for a man and claiming it for my own ... (in not competitive or anything).
What I hadn't thought about was what I look like to him ... You know, getting caught up in what he looks like to me and all (ummm - HOT!).
It wasn't until I saw these Halloween pictures that I realized ... Umm ... How far down I am ...

My view of what I look like:

Annnd, this is his view:

I look like a munchkin .. a lollipop kid .. now I see why the parents of Munch's friends were always asking if I was the nanny ...

Honestly, after seeing this viewpoint I feel like everyone should be walking up to me and ruffling my hair while they exclaim at how 'cute' I am ...

Like I said earlier .. its all a matter of perspective I suppose ... Though the only little & cute thing I see in these pictures is that ADORABLE penguino ...

Kowalski!

How I Survived GD (as a Food Lover)

2011-10-28T17:43:00.012-04:00

Since I'm putting off typing up my birth story (because who doesn't want to read a story about that) ... I figured I'd get a few "How I Survived Pregnancy" posts out there ... if it helps one person ... then its better than I got ...

So, the hardest part of my whole pregnancy started the day I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes ... the doctor called while I was driving to work ... and I was DEVASTATED (*hormones anyone?*). I was so distraught that I called the Capt'n ... AT WORK. See, that's something I never do ... I text ... always ... that way if he is busy, he can take his time getting back to me. But, I actually picked up the phone and called him .. and, as expected, he was in a meeting with a client ... and, as expected, he picked up anyway (isn't he wonderful!) but he couldn't let on that it was a personal matter or that I was crying hysterically on the other end ... I believe there were a bunch of "uh huh"s and a couple "oh nos" and at least one "I'm sorry to hear that" ... it was entirely comical in retrospect really ... trust me on that one.

But, I digress ... it was a LONG ASS 20 19.5 weeks .. but in the end, I think I figured it out and was healthier for it. In fact, I'm totally planning on implementing a varied (far less restrictive) form of this in my daily life ...

First and foremost ... keep in mind the guidelines they (the dietitians) give are just guidelines ... its a computer program They were allowing me a certain number of carbs at lunch and I was always over when I tested. I had to adjust my expectations as to how much I (personally) could eat and when. Where the guidelines said I could have 45g ... in truth, 30g was a more accurate number. And ... seriously keep in mind LOTS of stress and adrenaline can change readings drastically. I had one day where to dogs were freaking me out and I was in tears ... I tested a 190! 15 minutes later when I'd had a good cry and relaxed it was 111. Amazing what that can do!

Also, they say veggies, meat and cheese are "free" ... make sure to keep an eye on them though. A large helping of Green Beans may only be 6g ... but if you eat the whole bag like I do, you are talking 20g carbs for just the veggies. That's almost my whole lunch allotment! That was another reason I was often over in my counts ... until I realized I (personally) needed to count the servings of veggies, eggs, etc. So,.. I counted every side salad I get as 15g because being conservative was typically better for me and because between some of the veggies and the dressing, that was likely accurate. You want to be under, not exactly on.

Another big one, the worksheet that you usually get from counseling has estimates for a lot of foods ... but they are just estimates. Do yourself a favor, count whats on the package or the website instead. Its a pain the the butt shopping like that for a couple weeks but totally worth it when you learn what you can have and what you can't. I found that deciding where to eat in advance ... then just searching something like "Chick-fil-a" and "nutrition" would either pull up the actual nutrition from the website or I would use a website like livestrong or myfitnesspal that has nutritional values. The key was to figure out what you can and want to have BEFORE you go. Be conservative ... but trust the actual websites. If they say that you can have a Dunkin Donuts Blueberry Waffle Sausage Sandwich (but one Old Fashioned Doughnuts has too many carbs) ... believe it. Shocked me too!

Some of my favorites - just to name a few:

It actually took me a while to NOT pay attention to the calories sometimes and just focus on the carbs. Its a completely different way of looking at nutrition. And, I'm not saying that I've eaten nothing but fast food for the last couple months ... I've actually eaten better and healthier ... but I do live with a 13 year old, Chick-fil-a runs are inevitable (and YUMMY - though I had to skip the superman sized shakes)!

The biggest trick and most important thing that I can suggest ... is to find some things (breakfasts/snacks) that you know work ... and use them religiously. Don't be afraid to ask for kid sized portions or to ask for a to-go box with your meal so you can separate it out into portions before you start eating ... or even ask for less rice, etc (eggplant parm is great over spinach or green beans rather than pasta). People will usually honor that ... and to be honest, you likely aren't the strangest request they have had all day (Cheeseburger, double meat, hold the cheese, hold the bun anyone?).

So, to help whoever stumbles upon this site ... I've listed a bunch of my typical go-tos (I eat every 2 hours give or take an hour):

Breakfast:

- 1 slice Pepperidge Farm Whole Wheat Toast (20g Carbs), 2 fried eggs (2g carbs), 1/2 cup milk (~6g carbs)

- 1 slice Pepperidge Farm Whole Wheat Toast (20g Carbs), butter (0g carbs), 1 cup milk (11g carbs)

- 1 Natures Path Flax and Red Berry Waffles (13g carbs), Cream Cheese (2-3g carbs), 3/4 cup milk (9g carbs), Solgar Whey to Go Protein Powder - Chocolate (10g)

- 1 Natures Path Buckwheat and Wild Berry Waffles (16g carbs), Cream Cheese (2-3g carbs), 1 cup milk (11g carbs)

- 2 pieces of Pepperidge Farm Cinn Swirl Bread (toasted with butter or as french toast) (30g carbs)

Snacks:

- 1 Chobani Greek Yogurt - I like Lemon, Cherry and Pineapple (20-21g carbs)

- 1 Larabar - I like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Cherry Pie and Lemon (21-30g carbs)

- Pre-packaged baby carrots (8g carbs), Jiff Peanut Butter "to go" cups (9g carbs) * I use these when meals are off schedule (early/late) ... it processes in about an hour.

- Corazona's Oatmeal Squares - Chocolate/Almond and Peanut Butter (27g carbs)

- Froots Small Green Tea Smoothie (~30g - I drink about 3/4 and it works!)

Dessert (because everyone needs a little binge):

- Jello Oreo Pudding Snacks (25g carbs)

- Haagen Daas Ice Cream Minis - tiny packages (~22g carbs)

- Dole Fruit Crisps - Apple/Pear (29g carbs)

HINT: If it doesn't feel like enough food ... (I LOVE cereal but 3/4 cup (with 1/2 cup milk) is never enough for me to feel good) ... keep trying until you find something that does!

The hardest part ... taking it one day at a time. It sounds like I was an addict ... and in a way, I was. Carbs were my drug ... and I LOVE a good bowl of rice ... or a baked potato ... or anything that is white and starchy ... really ... ANYTHING. There were some days I was literally raging for some chocolate (and I'm am SO not a sweets person) or a least a fruit ... but most days I was ok ... and managed to get through. There were actually some days I felt like I wouldn't be able to eat anything ever again (damn *hormones* again) ... and life just sucked! That is when the Capt'n talked me down and kept reminding me this was for the baby ... and its only a couple more weeks, etc. You DO need support some days. He would sneak me a sip of his milkshake sometimes ... but just a sip ... and never begrudge me going out to a restaurant for dessert specifically knowing I could only eat 4 or 5 bites of it (like we did at the Lime Inn - Frozen Key Lime Pie anyone?! It was SO worth it.)

Spoil yourself sometimes ... as long as it fits within the guidelines ... do what you need to do in order to feel human ... it makes all the difference.

Shameless Plug

2011-10-27T15:25:00.001-04:00

My mother ... is now retired ... and bored (much as I would be/am) ...

So, she, in searching for things to do ... started a blog. YAY! Now, those who read this blog consistently (more consistently than I post ... sorry!) know that I'm a little obsessed with blogs ... its like legal stalking ... and you ~~stalk~~ meet really cool people ...

Anywho ... I wanted to share the link to her blog here ... its much like mine so far ... kind of a 'getting to know me - meets - whatever the heck random project I'm in to these days' ... but as you will soon see, her projects come out so much cooler than mine!! But maybe that is because her projects are much cooler to start ..

*** Cough *** see spot disappear *** Cough***

You should totally check her out at:

Finding ME Amongst All This (get it ... ME ... like from Maine ... whose abbreviation is ME ... get it?!)

And ... she took that background photo ... I mean ... its so fitting and perfect.

Be sure to let her know what you think!! Enjoy!!

In absentia

2011-10-26T17:20:00.000-04:00

I still think that a baby is my reason for not being able to blog recently ... Or that's what I tell myself at least ... I mean, just look at this ...

Yup ... and there is a ton more where that came from ... and yes, she is this cute ALL THE TIME ... in case you were wondering.

The good news is that our days have developed into some sort of a routine ... Our nights on the other hand ... are another story ... for a later date ... after I've had my requisite 12 cups of coffee ... I jest ... sort of.

The one thing I have realized after spending a few weeks going what can only be described as 'bat shyt crazy' ... is the need to get out of the house. I spent weeks being a hermit and soaking up the light that is T. I was showering ... and doing everything I felt would make me feel like the day had been a success ... But I still cried nearly every weekend when the Capt'n wanted to sleep in and lounge around the house/on the couch ... truth is ... that was my everyday and I looked to the weekends to be different and bring excitement. I LOVE having family around (the Capt'n and Munch) ... but I wanted to doooooo something ... which to be honest ... was the last thing they wanted to do on a weekend. So there has been a SMALL learning curve ... we'll call it a 'period of adjustment'.

Long story longer ... I realized that to make it better, I needed to make myself get out of the house daily so that weekends became weekends again ... and not periods of 48 hours where I needed to be kept sufficiently amused so as to prevent hysterical crying jags, snappy, angry argumentative reactions or pouting (collectively known as 'bat shyt crazy').

Slowly those things emerged ... So here goes ...

Monday: Dog Park with Otto while Patton spends some time at 'finishing school' working on his 'manners'.

Tuesday: Grocery Store (maybe) and Errands (get gas, get dog food, get ferret food, take a walk, etc ... you'd be surprised what you can find when you are looking for things to do)

Wednesday: Grocery Store (if not on Tuesday) and hopefully Farmers Market

Thursday: Our day to stay in bed (and do a house project)! YAY!

Friday: Boys come home!

Not bad ... if I do say so myself ... Its very mom-ish but whoa, there are so many things to do around here and they just keep piling up ... ESPECIALLY when one 'kidwhoshallnotbenamed' refuses to be anywhere farther than 4 inches from me ... ugh ...

But isn't she cute?!

2011-10-10T13:28:00.001-04:00

So here I sit ... On a dog park Monday watching Otto sniff around and the other three dogs (Bella, Murphy and Max) chase balls and interact ... I wonder if we are doing the right thing bringing him here ... This was supposed to be part of his diet and because he used to love it so much but now ... he doesn't actually DO anything but use it as his personal restroom ...and, gaurd the baby and I.

Is that healthy for a pup? ( I know its sweet ... But is it healthy?)

Happy Hooky Day

2011-10-04T15:58:00.001-04:00

Progression of Sorts

2011-09-02T13:00:00.000-04:00

How freakin crazy is all that?

Come On Irene ...

2011-09-01T12:51:00.011-04:00

I'm wondering how completely overused that is for a blog post title? I mean really ... we didn't get much here ... not even a warning ... so in one way we lucked out ...

However, it does seem that we may have counted our chickens before they hatched ... pshaw ... whatever ... and no, that is not an abstract painting on our bathroom ceiling ... I wish!

The contractor who fixed our mysterious flood ... and our shower ... made another swing by today to check out this little doozy ... and guess what? There is no indication of the leak. In this instance, as with the great flood ... where the water came from is a mystery. But, unlike the renovations that had to happen after the water damage a couple years ago, this one looks to be less complicated and may (if the gods are looking down on us) be simply a cut and replace issue. We'll find out next week!

Fingers crossed!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-31T12:59:00.001-04:00

And .... We're Back ...

2011-08-29T18:18:00.000-04:00

After taking nearly 6 weeks off (that's typical maternity leave from blogging right?) ... I thought I would share our news ...

T. D. P.

(aka Baby P)

July 20th

10:38 AM (yes, that is a mere 2 hours after the induction)

8lbs 4.4 oz

19.5 inches

Her arrival was quick, intense and magical ... and brought tears to her dad's eyes ...

Welcome to the family ... Welcome to the World ... our Baby Girl

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

My little Vermeer ...

Gordo Goes on a Diet

2011-07-19T10:44:00.000-04:00

Annnd while we wait ...
So for months now we have been ignoring the fact that whenever someone sees our dogs, they instantly comment on how overweight Otto is (hence Gordo) ... we clearly had our collective heads in the sand though thinking he was just a thick dog (with a very small head).

But ... alas... as confirmed by their vet this year, it was time to put the boys on a ... diet ... ugh.

The hardest part about that, other than looking at their pleading faces ... was that I had to do more research regarding what they ate, the quality of the food, the caloric intake ... etc. You see ... it took me a while to figure out what our pups were going to eat in the first place ... and even then, it was taken some adjustment as we went along ...

I initially started our search on the Dog Food Analysis website. It's a fantastic site if you need to know the basics ... (they also include more than you will likely want to know about dog food ... ever). They rate foods based on content and quality of ingredients. I then sorted the foods that we were interested in (those that met our content and quality requirements) by which foods were readily available (read: local PetCo or PetSmart) and not TOO expensive.

What it all came down to was ... when they were puppies we made the decision to start them on Blue Buffalo's Large Breed Puppy (keep in mind they were supposed to be Mastiff and St. Bernard Mixes) and when they grew out of that stage, we just moved them over to Large Breed Adult. Then ... they slowly stopped growing ... and as it became painfully obvious that they were, in fact, not large breeds at all. Back to the drawing board ... but at least we had a brand we trusted, right?
This is where being a pet owner ( though some people don't consider the ferrets true pets) ... came in handy. I had learned my lesson with my ferrets here and changing food upsets their bellies SO much that when the food I was feeding them was pulled from the shelves temporarily (for a packaging change no less) they stank to high heaven (for those haters, stank more than usual) ... I decided that the best way to go about this in the future was to buy, and then mix, two foods together. That way, should anything happen ... it would be easier on the little ones and their little bellies.

So, we took that information and the brand we likes ... and picked a couple options so we could mix them. Otto has such a sensitive stomach that I didn't want to have to go through anything extreme ... so we started to wean them off the large breed diet with regular Adult Chicken and Brown Rice mixed with the Large Breed food. (You following all of this .. because there will be a test later). Once we had finished that batch .. we wanted to shake it up ... with Fish and Sweet Potato. That went well for a week or two until we started to notice issues with Otto ... our sensitive little St. Bernard.

So, we decided to cut out the new food and go back to the old for a while ... and, well ... we figured out that he was allergic to the fish. Umm ... that was a fun week. No, really ... the dog walker had so much fun picking up after him! Needless to say, we replaced the Fish dish with the Lamb and Brown Rice. (At this point its safe to say that our dogs DO, in fact, eat better than we do).

Those two food options have been our staples until the Vet appointment a couple weeks ago. At which point, she stated they needed us to get serious about this whole diet thing. Ummm ... because we are talking more than 5lbs of loss that is needed here ... I think she just didn't appreciate the extra 'fluff' that made Otto soft. That evil lady even said the Patton could stand to lose some poundage ... The General was not amused.

So ... and thus, we entered another afternoon of dog food research. This time our challenge was the cut the roo's caloric intake to something more like 75% of what they were eating ... without cutting down the actual amount. We took into account all of the requirements we had before ... but in this case ... we went further down the rabbit hole ...

First we star with where we were (all amounts are Calories/Cup):

Blue Buffalo Chicken & Brown Rice = 463/cup
Blue Buffalo Lamb & Brown Rice = 505/cup

So, on average our pups weer getting ~ 484 calories per cup of food. You can check my math if you want ... I used a calculator ... its safe.

The vet said something to the extent of 25% fewer calories was the target we should try to hit. That left us with a new total (remember we still need to pick two foods to mix) of 363 calories. So here goes!

Artemis Company Artemis Fresh Mix Adult
Artemis Company Artemis Fresh Mix Weight Management
Artemis Holistic Dog Food Natural 6 mix
Breeders Choice Avoderm Natural Chicken Meal & Brown Rice
Breeders Choice AvoDerm Natural Lamb Meal & Brown Rice
Breeders Choice Avoderm Natural Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Weight Control
Breeders Choice APD Select Choice Lamb Meal & Rice Renew Skin & Coat
Breeders Choice APD Select Choice Lamb Meal & Rice Skin & Coat
Castor & Pollux Organix Less Active Adult
Diamond Pet Foods Premium Edge Healthy Weight II Weight Control
Diamond Pet Foods Premium Edge Adult Chicken, Rice & Vegetables
Diamond Pet Foods Premium Edge Adult Lamb, Rice & Vegetables
Eagle Pack Pet Foods, Inc. Eagle Pack Holistic Select Duck Meal & Oatmeal Formula
Merrick Pet Care Before Grain Chicken
Merrick Pet Care Before Grain Buffalo
Merrick Cowboy Cookout
Merrick Grammy's Pot Pie
Performatrin Ultra Chicken & Brown Rice
Performatrin Ultra Lamb & Rice
Old Mother Hubbard Wellness Core Reduced Fat
Old Mother Hubbard Wellness Weight Management

Lots of them huh? But imagine all of the foods I had to go through in order to find the ones that would fall in a caloric range less than what they were already eating. Phew ... now, step two ... brands available at our local pet stores (why our big pet stores and not specialty ... because I'm lazy and I want to buy my dog food and treats and my ferret food and litter at the same time ... see, simply lazy).

But, that narrowed us down significantly ... especially when we averaged out the two items per brand ... (and added in the cost differences).

Breeders Choice Avoderm Natural Chicken Meal & Brown Rice

Breeders Choice AvoDerm Natural Lamb Meal & Brown Rice

________________________________________
Average Caloric Intake of 351

Old Mother Hubbard Wellness Core Reduce Fat
+
Old Mother Hubbard Wellness Weight Management
________________________________________
Average Caloric Intake of 338

Merrick Cowboy Cookout
+
Merrick Grammy's Pot Pie
________________________________________
Average Caloric Intake of 367

So, even though the Merrick brands hit closer to our caloric limit of 363 calories ... the bags they are sold in at our pet stores ... were about 1/2 the size ... and as I've already pretty well established ... I'm lazy. So, we decided to go with the Avoderm ... that way we can give them a touch more than they are eating now, and, its not a "diet" food. It's simply a food that has fewer calories ... a "better choice option" if you will ... and lord know, we could all use some of that ... don't worry ... I'm looking at myself ...

Thus far, the experiment has been a successful one ... and we may have hit on a food that will help the boys live longer and healthier lives ... and, cut back on all of that junk in the trunk ... (though we will still argue you that he is just fluffy ... )

Baby Monday (Week 39)

2011-07-18T16:21:00.000-04:00

No, no baby yet ... lack of blogging is simply that I've been busy ... though I am seriously sure there is a very mobile watermelon in there ... haha ... wouldn't you know ... there IS!

This past week has been pretty major in my book ... likely in the baby's book too! First of all ... we went to the doctor's on Tuesday for our regular ole' checkup ... and when he checked me, I was farther along than I was last week! Some people may not think that is a big deal, after all, I'm well within my birth window ... but, the week before was filled with light cramping and back aches and it was a relief to know that things were actually moving in the right direction. In fact, I had moved so far in the right direction that the Tuesday night hospital stay (so they could pre-induce me) was taken off the books! Way to go Baby P! One more night of sleep for me! Who wants to be in a hospital for 12 hours just 'cause?!

Since then, the cramping has gotten more intense (not painful, but intense) ... and I'm having Braxton-Hicks contractions pretty much all the time. Some days are good ... some days are bad ... all depends how you look at it. I like to believe that its all doing something ... and all part of little P's plans! I did, however, have a little scare though (how boring would life be without those)... you see, the one thing I've been dying to do before this baby was born ... see the new Harry Potter movie. I know ... what an uber geek that makes me ... but, its the end of the Potter era and I wanted to be there! So, we made a plan, and went on Saturday ... and, though I knew P liked movies ... I was unprepared for exactly how much he/she wanted to get out to see it for itself! From about 10 minutes into the actual movie, I had searing waves of back pain and cramps ... every 15 - 30 minutes. I wasn't actually sure I was going to make it through the movie and all I could think of was, IF I did finish the movie, how was I supposed to tell the boys that I wasn't going to be able to make dinner ... or how would I manage dinner so they weren't nervous the whole time. Crazy, I know! Once the movie let out, I made it to the Jeep feeling a little better ... and decided to attempt dinner. I'm glad I did because, as usual, Sweetwater delivered the most amazing Prime Rib and Mixed Green Salad! Never fails! And the contractions (if that is what they truly were) ... all but gone. One quick stop by the grocery store and Redbox ... the boys and I (all 4 of them, including the pups) ... climbed into our bed and watched Rango. It was the most well needed, most relaxing night we have had in ages. And man, did I need that!

On Friday, at the specialist appointment ... (I can't believe I almost forgot this story) ... I went alone because ... the Capt'n (is amazing) has a work conflict ... one of three that he has had in the last 9 months. That is crazy since most of the guys I know don't make the appointments and we have been going TWICE a week for MONTHS! Props where props are due people! Anyway ... things ALWAYS happen when he isn't around ... its hilarious. Remember the hair incident? Yeah, those things! So anyway, I make it to the office ... blah blah ... small talk with the technician (who is really cool) ... and we start the BioPhysical Profile (bpp) as usual. Yup, big head - check ... big bottom up in my ribs - check ... heart pounding away at 155bpm - check ... but, no practise breathing. I surprisingly wasn't panicked (after all, a strong heartbeat goes a long way). Usually the smoothie I down in the waiting room does the trick ... but alas, Baby P was fast asleep. You see, apparently babies typically only practise breathe for about 30 seconds every 30 minutes. Baby P must do it more than others or we have just been lucky because we have never really had to wait. Well, did I mention that the Capt'n wasn't with me and things like this ALWAYS happen when he isn't around?! Yup ... 10 minutes went by ... we jiggled the baby belly every 30 seconds or so ... 15 minutes ... 20 minutes ... still nothing. Here I am thinking this baby takes every bit after its father (I love you Capt'n) ... because about this time, it actually rolls over - back to. Yup, if there were a blanket in the womb, it would have pulled the damn thing over its head to sleep more. I mean really! So, the tech went and got the buzzer ... because if this didn't work, I was headed to the Birthing Inn for a Fetal Stress Test (and at least 30 minutes of monitoring) ... umm, no thank you (and the Capt'n was headed for a 'don't you ever leave me again call). The buzzer is just that ... and little, tiny thing that vibrates and makes a little buzzing sound. She said it never failed ... obviously she had never met Capt'n or Munch. So, with one quick buzz on the bottom ... the head turned around ... the eyes blinked slowly ... it stuck its little tongue out and started to practise breathing. PHEW! Something tells me that though I would like to take this as a sign that the little one will be a good sleeper ... that won't be the case. Offspring of the Capt'ns line rarely perform (as wanted) on command ... le' sigh!

Also, on the big news front ... my last day in the office was Thursday. It feels kinda nuts! I mean really ... its been either school or work since I was 15 years old and picking vegetables up the hill from my house in Maine. I mean, quite often it was two jobs AND school. I've never had so much time on my hands ... I know its only a couple of days, but I'm a do-er apparently ... I have to say though, not getting up at dawn to drive in to the city (1.5 hours) really allows one the freedom to spend an extra hour or so in bed ... This is how Patton (Otto and I) spent the morning celebrating ...

Yup ... not even posed ... he likes sleeping with his paws over his nose ... I just can't get enough. And yes, my little bean, there is enough room on the other side of me for the new baby of the house. No need to feel put out and start grumbling just yet ...

Also ... on Thursday night, because I was not going to be driving all over creation anymore ... I threw all of the bags we packed last weekend, in the car. Now, we can take off at a moments notice ... not that it will happen that way (the Capt'n thinks Baby P will wait until Wednesday - meanwhile I still have hope)! And, I literally just got an email from that skeptical man ... he finished the list of information for those who are getting the announcements ... primarily the emails and phone numbers. I mean really ... what more can we do ... pretty sure I'm ready to pop ...

Happy Birthday Capt'n

2011-07-18T15:20:00.001-04:00

I'm trying to steer clear of completely, over-the-top, sappy ... but it's me ... so no one would be surprised right?

Happy Birthday to the man of my dreams ...

Happy Birthday to the one I waited 25 years to find ...

Happy Birthday to my support, my sanity and my soul ...

I love you Capt'n ... to infinity. The world is truly a better place with you in it ... and I'm honored (and insanely lucky) you picked me.

Baby Monday (Week 38)

2011-07-11T14:24:00.007-04:00

So, here we are … Baby P and I … 38 weeks. Its a milestone that I knew was out there ... and yes, was so FAR out there that it didn't even seem possible. Since 95% of babies are born within two weeks on either side of their due date … the baby “window” is officially open. The thing is … I feel it. I mean … as big a 5 pears … or, even scarier … a WATERMELON!

I remember peeking ahead when the baby was just Olive sized and thinking … wow, I can’t imagine housing a watermelon inside my abdominal cavity … well ladies and gents … here we are … and it only took something like 30 weeks (give or take … I’m not breaking out the calculator on this one) …

So, weekly catch up … since there will be just one more of these at most … seeeeeee, this many left!

At our meeting with Dr. Jack last Tuesday he checked me … as freaked out as I was, it wasn’t that bad of an experience overall. Not as bad as I had made it out to be … that’s for sure! Turns out that I was moving along … very little but at least it’s in the right direction.

Since I went home on Tuesday though, things changed slightly … or at least they feel that way. Wednesday I started to get those damn Braxton-Hicks off and on all day and a little more annoying than usual … then, sometime in the afternoon I started minor cramping … like PMS cramps … the kind that make your back ache but not the kind where you want to curl up under your desk and groan away the rest of the day.

So anyway … I’ve been testing myself recently … you know when you are a kid and you bump into something and the first word that comes out of your mouth is “ouch” … even when you know it didn’t actually hurt at all … or more appropriately, when you keep banging your HUGE stomach into the points on the corners of the counter when you cook … yeah … I found myself doing that with my contractions/cramps/back aches … but I now pause because its not REAL pain. In truth … that’s how I intend to know when things are actually ‘getting real’ around here … when things actually start to really hurt. That will be by gauge … that and, I don’t want the Capt’n to think I’m a total wuss … which is really the motivating factor right?

That being said, I had one goal in mind Wednesday evening … bath and bed … ok, two goals ... whatevs. The bath was sidelined by a surprise evening with the Capt’n (he is usually at the firehouse on Wednesday nights) and so we just curled up and vegged out with each other … blissful (and totally better than a bath)!

Thursday and Friday were much of the same … P was moving like crazy, I had cramping and BH … and … a measurement appointment with the specialist! YAY! We seem to learn something new (and awesome) about this baby every time we walk through those doors! This time … the baby measured around 7lbs 7oz (at the high end of normal) … though that may have something to do with its super loooong arms and legs! I know this isn’t an exact science but it’s exciting to see “growth”. I mean, the arms and legs are both measuring at least 1 if not 2 weeks ahead of the rest of the body … I joke around that with the long hair and squished up face this isn’t a baby … it’s a gorilla … the Capt’n doesn’t think its funny … I think some day he’ll come around! This is the same person who came around to joking around with the dog that he is "getting a puppy" because he is so excited for this baby.

Saturday was more of the same … except we added super hot DC heat on top of it (when they show a cactus or a red thermometer on the forecast around this area … you know you are really screwed) … and we ended up putting in the car seat (yay, CHECK) leaving any passenger in the Jeep with ZERO to NO leg room. Road trips should be interesting but the baby will be safe! We all must make sacrifices right!?

Sunday (yes, you are getting a day by day of my week … why, because its my blog and I’ll ramble if I want to … suck it up) … so, Sunday things got a little stronger … we packed the bags for the hospital and I managed to pull/strain some belly/groin muscle. Do you know how much that SUCKS when that whole area already hurts?! Yeah, … SO much fun! So, I was laying/leaning/basking in the heat on the couch while the Capt’n and Munch went about making dinner … (don’t think I’m not milking this for all its worth!) … when Munch proceeded to burn himself in the face (just a little) with the simmering sauce that was cooking on the stove … yeah, I can’t picture it either but who knows with that boy! And … we love him … he is so crazy!!

Anyway … so I went to JUMP up … and well, jumping is not recommended in my “condition”… and now, I know why. Yeah, … sharp ... shooting … owww … pain … muscle on fire, flopping like a fish back onto the couch where I stayed until it stopped throbbing and I could take things a little slower. And yes, the Munch was just fine … though I’m pretty sure his mom will be annoyed because last week he went back to her house with the typical war wounds of sleeping in the same bed with Patton (the oh so cuddly, sweet-until-he-stretches-out-and-scratches-you-with-his-GIANT-monkey-paws). I swear, that dog!

Wow ... looks like this post got sidetracked too ... I had such grand plans … I was going to post pictures of the baby’s room … and post a list of items we have packed for the hospital … and post some GD guidelines that I typed up for my Bradley teacher because she has another baby momma who was just diagnosed. Ugh … but now its almost 2 and I’m still drafting … plus, also on my list to do today is a work meeting, wrap up some work stuff (yes I’m still at work), pack up my office and basically prepare for each evening like its going to be my last at work. So anyway … long story short … since there are more Baby P posts coming up than there are Mondays left until I pop … they will likely spill over into the rest of the week … fitting since everything Baby P has spilled over into other facets of our lives recently … Its kinda hard not having them spill over when I’m busy walking around, greeting gawkers with smiles, still tracking every mean and running into things with my belly .. saying “ouch” all the time …

That was one serious ramble ... but, in short, we are wrapping up or have already wrapped up pretty much everything. Now we just wait. One of the induction recommendations my Bradley teacher gave us was to have everything done … so we wouldn’t be thinking about anything (stressing) … and the baby would feel free to come. So … in case Baby P didn’t get that memo … FEEL FREE TO COME OUT AT ANY TIME … the weather is fine (ok, so I lied about that last part) … but, at this point we are as ready as we are ever gonna be!

Baby Monday (Week 37)

2011-07-04T10:34:00.002-04:00

Happy Full Term Baby P!!

Those are grapefruits in case you cant tell ... and frankly ... I'm starting the feel every movement of heir fruitiness ...

This week will be full of adventure ... and well ... anticipation. You have two weeks left until the doctor would like you to make you entrance ... I'll get into that more later ... but, holy crap the anticipation. I've even had my first melt down the other day ... first of many I'd imagine. Hormones can be a pain in the butt, and things are just moving so fast and that which was completely surreal and hypothetical ... is becoming very very real. On Tuesday, the doctor plans on seeing how close I'm getting and then discussing my/our options. I mean, this stuff is actually going on the schedule ... at a hospital. That just blows my mind! Plus, Friday we get another measurement done to see how you are growing ... and man, you are growing! I think that's all about this upcoming week ... lets catch up on last week ... and this is going to be a long one ...

As expected the doctor’s appointment on Monday was interesting … but good. And I melted down anyway. But that is what I do until I actually process the plan change in my head …basically, we talked induction and everything it entails. We asked questions ... he answered.

So… just putting this stuff out there because every time I Google “Gestational Diabetes” and “Induction” I get a MILLION hits of people who believe their doctor is inducing solely for a big baby. That may be one of the reasons … but, I tend to trust the man in the white coat a little. Not completely (I’m a control freak). Not without doing some research of my own. But he did go to school for this and he does delivery more babies in our hospital than anyone else … So, when my doctor told me that “bad things can happen” after the 39^th week he was just truly not trying to scare me. I hope that everyone who Googles “Gestation Diabetes” and “Induction” gets linked to this blog … because, after some research … the truth is scary. GD (especially medicated GD – A2 Diabetic) overtaxes the placenta more than your ordinary pregnancy. So much so, that it may stop functioning at some point before birth. I say MAY … because I’m no doctor … and I don’t want to freak anyone out. But when they mention the terms “spontaneous” and “stillbirth” in the same sentence … typically that means “bad things can happen”. It doesn’t mean bad things WILL happen … it simply means that we go in for Bio-physical Profiles twice a week … wherein they look at Baby P and make sure there is breathing and movement. Those are the first two things to go if P isn’t getting what it needs from me. With proper monitoring, everything can (and will) be just fine. So, if you are a future mom who happened upon this … please don’t freak out. Just make sure you drink lots of water and watch your baby kick counts. Things will be awesome … oh, and good luck! Anyway … where the size of the baby may play a role in some of these inductions, my doctor isn’t an induction fiend … I trust that he wouldn’t induce unless he was protecting myself or the baby. So, that is where the conversation in his office went. He even noted that some of the women who have gone later have had umbilical cords you would tear apart with your hands they were so fragile. So, here I am. Accepting help where I never thought I would. The Capt’n knows me … my issue is not with the outcome … they are more in downshifting my expectation to re-plan for the new outcome. So, with that, here are my three options in order of desirability (because I’m an over-sharer).

1) Baby P decides to come naturally and in its own time prior to my 39 week deadline. Happy Happy Joy Joy!

2) I am induced around 39w and 2d (he allowed me two more days … I assume because the sugars are more under control) … and through the magic of Dr. Jack’s method of induction, I still get the natural birth I’m looking for and there are no side effects to Baby P.

3) Something happens either with the induction or otherwise and I need to have a C-Section. Any one of a million things could lead to a C-Section … but to be honest, if you have a complication free pregnancy, they still suggest induction and/or C-Section at 42 weeks anyway. So it was always on the table as an emergency ‘oh shyt’ answer. The induction may not work (they would keep me in the hospital for three days while they tried (each day) as I would need to be monitored – because I was past 39w) … and in that case, we would need a C-Section. Some emergency could come up … and I would need a C-Section. In truth … this is the last in the line of options for a reason (ummm ... because it would suck). But, I can deal. Of course, that requires more recovery … more potential for something to effect Baby P … but, nothing that we can’t get over as a family. But, Baby P would be ok and I would be ok ... and those are the two goals going into this whole thing. And, if I think the Capt'n is going to let me be a hero and sacrifice anything (including my health) ... I have another think coming! That's why he is the coach after all ... and is in charge of most of the hospital related decisions ... someone needs to be thinking rationally.

The Capt’n will read this whole thing and shake his head … he has been telling me for weeks there isn’t anything wrong with me or the baby ... and that things will be fine. He is just miffed because I’m not listening to him as my coach and I’m stressing myself out for no reason (he is right on both counts ... but again, hormones kick my butt). From the beginning, we both understood that Baby P would write its own birth plan … that was always the case, and that is still the case. Sheesh … I wish it were that easy to accept for me!

Birth Playlist ... at long last ...

This was like a psychological exercise ... I learned a lot about myself by collecting these ... Things I learned … The Capt’n and I have a very distinct music style (California surf/folk/hippie songwriter) … with lots of other styles thrown in to spice it up … there are definitely favorite artists out there though (The Weepies, Ellis Paul, Staind, etc). I love covers (specifically Beatles covers) … almost as much as my dad hates them. Sometimes the original is the only way to go (Fleetwood Mac – Landslide) … but when you are looking for a softer version of a song you love … sometimes the softer voice is exactly what you are looking for … We also added both son and daughter songs to the mix because Baby P’s gender remains a mystery ... and wrapped it up with some songs reflecting our childhood (Moonshadow, Our House, Pata Pata ... etc)

Abiola - Ellis Paul
All This Beauty - The Weepies
Angel Standing By - Jewel
Back To The Earth - Rusted Root
Beautiful - India.Arie
Beautiful Flower - India.Arie
Beauty in the World - Macy Gray
Better Together - Jack Johnson
Big Rock Candy Mountain - Elizabeth Mitchell & Lisa Loeb
Blackbird - Sarah McLachlan
Book of Life - I Wayne
Brahm's Lullaby - Jewel
Butterfly - India Arie
Capri - Colbie Caillat
Catch the Wind - Donovan
Colorblind - Counting Crows
Common Threads - Bobby McFerrin
Cranberry Lake - Ari Hest
Crazy Love - Thea Gilmore
Daughter - Loudon Wainwright III
Daughters - John Mayer
The Downeaster "Alexa" - Billy Joel
Dragonfly - Ellis Paul
Each Coming Night - Iron & Wine
Eyes - Rogue Wave
Father and Daughter - Paul Simon
Father And Son - Cat Stevens
Fireflies - Owl City
Gods Promise - Ellis Paul
The Golden Age - Beck
Gotta Have You - The Weepies
Grace - Kate Havnevik
Green Eyes - Coldplay
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
The Heart of Life - John Mayer
Heavenly Day - Patty Griffin
Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles
Hold You In My Arms - Ray LaMontagne
Home - Michael Buble
I Would Love - Lee Coulter
Ice Cream - Sarah McLachlan
If the Stars Were Mine - Melody Gardot
Imagine - John Lennon
Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
Just Like Heaven - Katie Melua
Knocked Up - Kings of Leon
Life Uncommon - Jewel
Longing to Belong - Eddie Vedder
Lost - Michael Bublé
Love of My Life (feat. Dave Matthews & Carter Beauford) - Santana
Lovesong - ADELE
The Luckiest - Ben Folds
Lullaby - Creed
Lullaby - Dixie Chicks
Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) - Billy Joel
Make You Feel My Love - ADELE
Marry Me – Train
Mil Besos - Patty Griffin
MLK - U2
Moonshadow - Cat Stevens
My Little Girl - Jack Johnson
One Love/People Get Ready - Bob Marley
Orange Sky - Alexi Murdoch
Ordinary Miracle - Sarah McLachlan
Our House - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Pata Pata - Miriam Makeba
Peaceful Easy Feeling - Eagles
Puff, the Magic Dragon - Peter, Paul & Mary
The Rainbow Connection - Sarah McLachlan
Ready For Love - India Arie
Somebody Loved - The Weepies
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Song No. 6 - Ane Brun
Sound of Silence - Kina Grannis
Stars Falling Down - Kina Grannis
Tangled Up In You - Staind
That's Amore - Dean Martin
A Theory - Tracy Chapman
These Words (I Love You, I Love You) - Natasha Bedingfield
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
Today - Joshua Radin
Two of Us - Aimee Mann & Michael Penn
Upside Down - Jack Johnson
Valentine - Kina Grannis
Wake Up - Arcade Fire
Welcome to This World - Renee & Jeremy
When you Dream - Bare Naked Ladies
Wild Horses - The Sundays
Wildflowers - Tom Petty
With Arms Wide Open - Creed
World Spins Madly On - The Weepies
You & Me - Dave Matthews
You Got Me - Colbie Caillat
Your Song - Elton John
Zoe Jane - Staind
32 Flavors - Alana Davis
9 Months to Fix the World - Ellis Paul

Happy Listening!

This has actually has been a blessing in disguise for the Capt'n and I ... long story short ... when we first met we used to play music on random and talk about whatever popped into our heads until the wee hours of the morning. Thats how we must have spent the first 3 months of our relationship. It was awesome ... cozy ... i would even say intimate but my mother reads this (so does Munch) and both would mis-read that ... it was just very personal. Annnnnyway ... with the introduction of the new iTouch the Capt'n got for Father's Day (best Father's Day present EVER) ... and inspiration from my friend Fanellope (wave ... hi there!) ... we are burning all of our CDs to iTunes and since then, keeping the iPod updated has been awesome. We go up to bed at night ... turn the music to random ... and just listen and talk ... and settle in for the night. We truly are a music loving family ... it had always been a part of the life we've made. Somehow we lost that along the way. Hats off to to Baby P for bringing it back ... and keeping it real. You are already making our lives better ... and we haven't even met you yet! You rock!

Countdown starts (or continues) ... 16 days!!! Oh my Goodness ... Oh my Goodness!

Wordless Wednesday (Gordo Smells BBQ)

2011-06-29T12:46:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday!

2011-06-28T11:48:00.004-04:00

To the white ... who is turning the big "2" today ... we adore you and are eternally grateful that you found us (except for when you decide the appropriate time to beg for out is as soon as we sit down for supper ... and why? well, just because you just wanted to hang out in the back yard and sniff flowers).

Our lives would truly not be complete without you and your sniffing ...and oofing ... and piggy belly-ing ... and feisty bum-ing ... and your baby "sitting" ... and your prance-aroo-ing ... and your sock obsession ... and your nascar-ing ... and your LOVE of fresh food bags, fresh water and "soup" ...and your neighborhood watching ... and your cunning toy-trading ... and your waggling ... and your roo-rooing ...

Baby Monday (Week 36)

2011-06-27T11:39:00.101-04:00

Welcome to the 9th month little one ... looks like this month (the 9th) will be the end of the road for us living as one ... We are considering the next step as a jumping off point of sorts ... where you begin your very own life separate from me. Though, true to a first time mom I guess ... I don't think you are big enough to take that step most days ... on those other days ... I just can't wait to meet you.

You know what baby ... this is gonna blow your mind ... you have this many left ...

Crazy right?!

This past week we all met with our regular doctor early in the week ... he said you were measuring perfect and he was impressed with the profile you had done at the specialist last week. Heartbeat was 147 ... you were kicking and moving and practice breathing up a storm. You must have LOVED the smoothie we had while in the waiting room! We must have one today too!

He did give me a hard time regarding a couple of my blood sugar measurements (note to self ... apparently its NOT funny to joke about how the Capt'n is the bad influence in the Doctor's office ... in truth ... he didn't MAKE me eat that extra waffle ... that was simply an exaggeration) ... whatevs ...

I love being the last appointment most days ... either the doctor is in a rush (not the days I'm talking about) or he takes the time to talk to you. I mean .. he always takes the time to answer questions .. but I mean REALLY talk .. tell stories, etc. We really get to know what he is like .. and its kinda neat to see him as a person too. This week I had two questions for him:

1) How does having GD change how I labor? His answer .. it doesn't. They will test my blood sugar every 2-4 hours and use an IV for more sugars only if they need to. I'm not a fan of the perma-IV (as it limits moving around) ... but the one I can wander around with isn't all that bad of a compromise I guess ... if that's the worst I get. I also assume that means that I just can't be sneaking in fast food until AFTER.

2) And the far more serious one ... what happens at 39 weeks IF I haven't gone into labor on my own? Do they have to test the lung development, etc (I read it was done by Amnio - ouch!)? His reply ... was perfect ... he does not test. At 39 weeks the baby is fully developed (lungs and all). When I let him know that my biggest fear isn't the birth (I know I can do that) ... its the Pitocin (ohhh the horror stories) ... you see, Pitocin (for those who don't know) is a man made chemical hormone that is supposed to mimic a naturally occurring chemical that exists during labor (Oxytocin). The problem with this engineered chemical is that (much like the Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 difference) ... it doesn't have the exact effect on the body as the natural one. In the case of labor, it takes your contractions directly from 0 to 60 ... do not pass GO ... most certainly do NOT collect $200. And, as Dharma would say ... therein squats the toad ...

I'm confident that I can do the natural labor thing IF I can ride the wave and the contractions get gradually harder and harder ... but I truly doubt myself if I have to start in hard labor and stay there for the duration. Even the instructor at baby class told us that Pitocin can be a cruel, cruel mistress ... and most mothers end up medicated because it just hurts THAT had.

But, true to form, he reiterated what he has said all along. He different than most other doctors ... IF I need to be induced, he has his own method. Sounds good so far right? The method does include Pitocin ... but apparently he is more tactful with his use of it ... he isn't a fan of the method most widely used (he calls it "blowing out the baby") where you get a large dose to get things started fast. That, he believes, is the basis for all of the horror stories I've heard. While I'm still wary ... and I still (most certainly) would like this baby to come on its own ... in its own time ... this does sound like a more reasonable option. He even directed me to a post one of his patients put on Facebook thanking him for both inducing her and allowing her such a gentle induction that she was able to have a natural birth. Seems to me I may have picked the right guy for the job ... it doesn't hurt that he and the Capt'n get along so VERY well! All food for thought ... and, being the awesome doctor that he was ... he actually put a note in that we need time to discuss our labor options this week. I really like that ... and that he specifically asks me "Are you ok with being induced at 39 weeks?" ... well ... that, is the one thing that still weighs heavily on me. We shall see ...

So after all of that ... and after getting some great stories ... the Capt'n and I went to a Meet and Greet for the practice we are looking at for Pediatricians. Well ... I say "looking at" ... the Capt'n says "picked". Potato / PotaatoCapt'n with this look ... as if to say 'not ours right?' ... and he pats my hand and laughs at me ... Oh course not ours .. because we are different people ... and our kid(s) will be different ... they will have their own annoying things but they will not be those things. Phew ... guess this is all getting a little real these days ... but only a little ...

At your second appointment last week .. everything was awesome. They did freak me out a little by putting us in a conference room alone for about 10 minutes (something they have never done) ... so I started furiously discussing the induction thing and my questions with the Capt'n because we assumed that would be the conversation we were about to have ... but no ... "Looks like everything in doing great ... we will measure the baby again in 2 weeks" ... simple as that. Though, a heads up would have helped!

This weekend the Capt'n and I did some work on the room ... patched holes (yes, he CAN Spackle but he just HATES it) ... and painted (same goes for this one) ... I did some shopping for hospital clothes and nursing bras (36 weeks, yay!), we picked up some munchies for the hospital (when no one is looking, shhhh), started packing the hospital bag (reality is setting in) ... and put the crib and the changing table together (sheets, etc).

Two days after the second shower ... we went and ordered MOST of the rest of what we needed. I think we have 2 or 3 things left on our Target list that will be taken care of on Tuesday ... (diapers, soap, sheets for the pack and play) ... but other than that ... we are AWESOME. Still messy ... but awesome and its all coming together. Just need to move a couple things out of the room, hang pictures and put things away. Not bad at all ... next weekend and I hope to have everything done ... well, most everything.

I was going to post the final list of songs we uploaded (twice, don;t ask) to the babyPod (we got that done too!) ... but alas, forgot the list at home again ... oh, my brain. But, I will tell you what I have been thinking a lot about lately ... that is what is going to happen after Baby P is born ... I mean, there is a part of me that will miss the existence of our perfect little P in my belly. Kicking ... and hanging out ... making me have to hit the bathroom all the time ... it really is perfect right now. We are one ... at this exact moment ... my constant companion. The fact that it is going to be born is still so surreal ... not to mention that it is actually going to be a living, breathing baby! One that will cry ... and one that will need things from us ... and will simultaneously fill us with frustration, laughter and joy. I took a moment last night right before we fell asleep and shared all of those feelings with the Capt'n ... he just kissed me on the hand and said:

"You need to stop bogarting that baby."

Touche' ... what in our history together would lead you to believe I'm a sharer ...

June Showers bring July Babies!

2011-06-24T14:17:00.001-04:00

So this one is a long time coming ...but when we were up in Maine ~~napping~~ building the cabin ... my wonderful, awesome, amazing mother threw me a baby shower. The house was filled by family and friends galore ... my Nana and Grandpa made it up ... even the Captn's cousin from CALIFORNIA made it. Can you believe it?!

On to the photos ... yes, that is my best friend from 2nd grade ... she has three amazing children ... and she went a little crazy (read: lost it) when she saw the belly. People are so silly about baby bellies ... but then again, I'm 100% in LOVE with mine! Oh, and yes, she is allowed to tap the tank ... she is one of FEW. Hands off strangers!

And these are her amazing daughters (Bella and Ladybug) ...

And her TOO CUTE FOR WORDS son ...

And ... the fruits of her labors ... man, she is one of the most talented ladies I've EVER met ...

There were loads of other people there too ... I got some pictures of them (errr ... I was a LITTLE out of it/overwhelmed so other people got pictures of them ... but not a lot of pictures)

These ladies couldn't help but showing off their culinary expertise ...

And so, my dad couldn't help but show off the plans for the new cabin we were building ... (those things were no related ... but both deserve a round of applause for being awesome).

Lets see ... other highlights ...

STARFISH! (It was a fantastic impression ... seriously ... guess you had to be there) ...

Ok ok ... with a look like these pictures I dare you to tell me mischief doesn't run in this family?!

And later that night ... the Capt'n came back from his man-cave for one ... and we went out to dinner with his cousin ... did I mention she came all the way to MAINE from CALIFORNIA?! That's some good peeps you have Baby P!

It was a GREAT time ... with GREAT food ... and GREAT people ... I couldn't have asked for more. Our next trick ... fitting it all back in the Jeep for the 12 hour ride home! YAY!

Oh, and because people wanted to know ... here are the recipes everyone LOVED:

Steak with Fra Diavolo BBQ Sauce

Fusilli with Zucchini & Goat Cheese

Those two of the go-tos in our house during the summer ... worth every minute of preparation time (you all know I'm lazy) ... A-freakin-mazing! Enjoy!

Hoarders No More ...

2011-06-23T11:30:00.003-04:00

This post has been a looooooong time coming ... when I say long, I mean my entire life. It truly is just a confession post ...

I tend to ... errr ... keep things. When I was a kid I had so many stuffed animals that I slept in the middle of my queen sized bed ... in a little ball (truth be told, I still have all of those stuffed animals ... they are just in boxes in the attic of my dad's garage) ... then, I started collecting clothes and I'm little better with those. At one point they were all strewn about my room (about 2 feet deep on the floor) because not only am I a hoarder ... but I'm also messy. AWESOME COMBO! During one of my (rare) teenage angsty days I was (likely) mouthing off ... and (definitely) not picking up my room as directed ... every stitch of clothing ended up in the front yard a-la good parenting. Seriously,... I TOTALLY deserved it. Moving on ... I collected and dried every flower I was ever given to me (they once hung in my room - now those too are in the attic of the garage) ... it got so bad that I started only allowing myself to keep one shoebox full of stuff per boyfriend or per year or both. This is both good and bad ... I have tennis balls that were used when I played an inpromptu game of pass with some guy whose name I no longer remember (bad) ... I have almost all of the notes that my best friend from 2nd grade and I passed up til 8th grade (good - errr mostly). Those boxes are still in my parents house ... Yes Pa, I know ... thats WHY we are building the cabin ... all of these boxes will find another home ... Sheesh!

I guess my dad can't really say anything either because its HIS family in which this trait originated. I mean, my Grandfather was notorious for saving nuts and bolts (because he may need them someday) ... I'm talking a WHOLE basement full of stuff. And, in going back in time to Newfoundland (where my Grandfather's family was from) ... my dad met a cousin of sorts who had a similar problem that when one barn was full ... they would just build another. I mean, I guess I'm not that bad ... though the Capt'n would beg to differ some days when we have disagreements over me keeping wine bottles and gift bags that I like ... and ... and ...

When he met me I had been living in a 1br/studio apartment for 1 month ... an apartment that was easily housing 4 years of stuff. He knew what he was getting in to ... from that apartment I took a couple bags of outgrown clothes, all of my course work for my Masters degree, 3 boxes of books ... two ferrets and a cat.

Just so you know how bad I have been (in full disclosure) ... those bags of clothes were still with us up until last weekend ... and were joined another 15 bags of clothes (mine, the Capt'n and Munch's) and toys, etc en route to Goodwill. Seriously ... two cars worth ... the Jeep was loaded (passenger seat included) and the Mini too!

Once the Capt'n realized how easy it was to donate (in DC they often make you sit there while the sort through your donation bags - not so in the old VA) ... now he is excited to go ... EVERY WEEKEND. Needless to say, there has been a LOT of sorting going on in this house .. and though we have made a dent (we have one car back in the garage) ... there is still a LOT left to be done. But, all of this is to say that I'm a little proud of myself. I made another little dent ... Inspired by the Capt'n and his much neater existence ... check this out:

Yes, prepared ... and neat. I love this man ...if there ever is a hair product emergency ... he totally has it covered.

I went hunting for something under my sink ... and though I didn't get a picture of it (you wouldn't have wanted to see it anyway) ... I got super fed up with the Capt'n out organizing me in the under sink category... and I started sorting ... and sorting ... and sorting ... I managed to purge all of this (and more):

And, shocker of all shocks ... some of this stuff has migrated with me ... for, I'm embarrassed to say, the last 10 or so years. Yes, some of the bottles pre-dated the Capt'n himself!

For those of you who have a similar issue (because I can't be the only one) ... I used age only as the first stage of culling (and by age I also mean expiration date) ... then, will I EVER use it? Won't lie ... there were many, many half used bottles here. They were simply shampoos, etc that I got bored with (I can't be the only one here either) ... and finally ... ingredients. My awesome sister-in-laws recommended I take a look at the crap I'm putting on my body daily ... specifically Parabens. I know ... not getting preachy ... but for me, it was one of those easy fixes that may help in the long run ... so not a big deal right? Easy Peasy! I literally had to change ONE item in my everyday routine and it wasn't even one that I was in love with ... the shampoo bottles from 10 years ago however ... yeah ... wow.

Anywhoooo ... all of that ... and this is what I ended up with. I have to say ... I'm impressed!

And no, I am not hurting myself by patting myself on the back. There is still a loooooong way to go ... those boxes of my coursework I mentioned before? ... still exist ... in multitudes This was merely a small victory ... in a long battle. But hurrah for having attacked it!!

Update: Sooo apparently the Capt'n didn't see this as exciting news ... at all. He didn't see it as noteworthy ... at all ... but he was impressed that I had everything in little rows too. Hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery right? I guess that I'll have to really wow him next time ... maybe by cleaning out the junk drawer (a la YoungHouseLove) ... or mayyyyybe something bigger ...

Wordless Wednesdays ...

2011-06-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

Just sayin ...

Dining Room Update *(Um, we have one)

2011-06-21T13:47:00.000-04:00

I have been promising this one to Munch for ages ... and since he helped me set up to take pictures of it ... and ... we actually used it the other day, I thought now would be a good time.

When we moved in to this house 6 years ago we didn't have (nor had we ever had) a dining room table. Breakfast table, sure ... but that is usually covered with mail and ~~our~~ my junk. In fact, for a majority of its life our dining room looked like this:

Yes, that is us channeling our inner "Friends" vibe ...

Once the Foosball table moved downstairs ... the room was left empty and sad ... until during the winter it held out Christmas Tree ...

Then, it was again, left lonely and sad again ... until these little buggers moved in with us and it became their home ...

All of this changed when we met with our realtor and started discussing how to sell our house ... and frankly, neither of these prior iterations were cutting it. So we had to get real ... and think about being grown ups ... and ~~eating at~~ owning a dining room table.

Do you remember this post where I mentioned that things (like a dining room table) can actually fall in your lap? I'll give you one guess what happened next ... and it doesnt' involve paint colors (thank goodness).

You got it! I was ~~shopping online~~ running through my emails one day and something caught my eye. It was in a sale email from The Foundary. We were acutely aware of the need for the dining room table ... but we were not actively looking for one because I wasn't high on the list of renovations ... our need was just out there, floating in space ... until we saw this one. Keep in mind, we weren't planning on buying anything SUPER nice because we are planning on selling our home and moving into a new house that looks like who knows what ... so we weren't going to commit to something expensive and fancy just to not have it work in the new house ... so keeping the cost down was big ... it just had to look like a dining room table to people who came to look at buying our house. Maybe, if we were lucky ... we would even use it!

Until once fateful day ... an email graced my mailbox. It contained a series of well priced dining room sets. The one that caught my eye was made of dark wood, was small but enough to fill the space ... came with 4 faux leather chairs ... was interesting enough to look at because it was covered with a granite laminate (who had ever heard of that) ... and, the best part?! It was $350 ... with $10.95 shipping. I mean really?! We ended up getting this awesome dining room table for a total bargain! And, when we finally sell and leave this house we can take it ... or leave it ... and not feel terribly guilty! Hurrah! That's considered perfection in our book!

Don't we look like grown ups now!!

Oh, and I couldn't help but give a shout out to one of my favorite wines since the empty bottle took center stage on the table (and it will be something I must partake in once this little baby is born) ... I stumbled upon it at a Farmers Market (as Virginia is FULL of winerys) ... and it was right up my alley ... dry and sweet I brought a bottle home and proceeded to finish it off (over a number of nights - had to clarify). I LOVE dessert wines ... and fruit! This one was both!

Yes, that says Fabbioli Cellars ... and yes, that does say Pear Wine! Umm, YUM!

Baby Monday (Week 35)

2011-06-20T12:07:00.001-04:00

This week was definitely an eventful one ... Baby P is already collecting stories to tell to all of the other babies in the nursery ...but, first things first ...

Baby P is truly a melon this week ... and I'm feeling every little movement. It must be long because I'm having trouble sitting up straight (reclining works best) because this baby is getting too long to just stay in the belly ... I'm getting more and more low punches ... lower and lower ... each one reminds me of exactly what is to come.

Also, I wanted to toss out a HUGE thank you to the VA crew for throwing us an AWESOME baby shower this past weekend. Lots of fun stuff and kids running around ... it all just made me smile. What great friends with have.

Now ... on to the stories ... This week marked a sad milestone ... this was the week the Capt'n was unable to make one of our appointments (don't worry ... I know how lucky I am) ... but, things always seem to go wrong when he isn't around. I spend the morning at home the day of the appointment to spend some time with him before he headed out the to airport (someone has to bring home the bacon) ... and just after he left, I headed in to the doctors to get my ultrasound on ...

Waiting in the office was packed, which it had never been ... and with SCREAMING children ... which it had never been. The Capt'n was SO glad he wasn't there. Once I got in the room and the doc started looking at Baby P ... now here is where it gets weird ... he saw this on my baby ...

Maybe I spent too much time in Maine (around bugs/thinking of bugs) ... but that's all I could see it being. I wasn't scared per-say ... but a little weirded out. So I asked what it was ... to which he replied "well, that's a good question". I mean people ... it was MOVING. Weird right?!

He took a bunch of pictures and went on the measure my fluids because everything else with Baby P was perfect (as usual) ... but, the fluids were measuring low ... like really really low. So he, likely being shaken up by the whole little bug in my womb thing ... wrote me a script to see the specialist earlier than my regularly scheduled Friday appointment. No bells going off in my head at the moment because he had also sent the ultrasound pictures with the receptionist down the hall to the (already closed but agreed to look at the pics anyway) specialist. The receptionist had come back chuckling ... apparently, my baby has the longest hair that the doctor (my doctor) had ever seen. He had never seen it already nearly to the shoulders ... nor had it ever showed up on the ultrasound before. Now, this man has delivered and monitored thousands of babies ... and even now Baby P is distinguishing itself from the other babies around it! Hair huh!? Must take after me!

So, I called my mom and the Capt'n to fill them in ... and proceeded to make an appointment with the specialist on Thursday morning because apparently Friday was going to be too late. The doctor had also told me to take it easy and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. So I would do to work, come home, make dinner (super fast), eat and then trek upstairs to bed rest myself for the rest of the night. All of this while downing at LEAST 12 glasses of water. This was my solution ..

Here is where it all gets a little worrisome ... I googled. I know, I know ... but the Capt'n wasn't here and I was sooooo bored. His fear was that I had something called Oligo-Hydramnios. That is technically low fluid ... but it can be caused by a number of things ... I was good and measured at how I reacted to some of these things ... but I was also petrified that not only was I going to have to be induced early (39 weeks anyone) ... but there was a chance for earlier problems and potentially bed-rest. Those I was NOT ok with.

So I managed to hydrate, stress myself out a bit (only a bit) ... and completely lose it when I found out that the Capt'n wasn't going to be able to make the new specialist appointment either. Hormones ... whatevs.

Once I got there, turns out the lady who did all of the measurements (measurement day, ... yay!) was the one who answered the door when the receptionist came down with my doctors strange alien being pictures. We had a good chuckle ... and she set to work ... long story short (I should have known) ... Baby P is still perfect. Nothing wrong ... PLENTY of fluid (it must have been how the baby was turned). Heart rate still a bold 155, side is about a week ahead of schedule (these things aren't terribly accurate) at 35w4d ... and weight ... woah nelly ... a whopping 5lbs12oz ... and still growing. Things looked fantastic ... and I felt 100% better. I wish the Capt'n had been there to keep me from rambling nervously the whole time ... and to hold my hand ... and to see our baby ... but it all worked out and we managed to get another picture of the little manatee that we have created, just chilling upside down all peaceful like in the womb, watching with open eyes, the lights and life pass by outside its window ... awaiting its turn patiently to come into this world and turn our hearts upside down as well ...

Cabin Building - Days 3 to 9

2011-06-17T11:46:00.001-04:00

Wow ... this one got away from me. So much for blogging daily ... but there is a good reason ... I swear! On Day 3 we the boys managed to get the "box" built and squared ...helloooo floor!

Yes ladies ... he is taken ...

Not only did they get the base framed out (apparently "Hemlock" is a dirty word around these parts - just ask him how heavy that stuff is) ... but they got it mostly covered!

This is where we run into problems ... Day 4 in Maine was HOT and MUGGY and BUGGY ... and ended in THUNDERSTORMS. Not a big deal but it shut down work early ... what you have to realize is that there is something up there that attracts lightning. The house I grew up in is situated in the middle of the woods ... like acres and acres from anything ... with a half mile long, dirt driveway. When storms roll through there it feels like you are sitting at the bottom of a canyon. The thunder echos massively ... the lightning strikes whenever and whatever is around. Once it was me - and my dad ... and once it was the phone I was talking on at the time ... but, on Tuesday, it ended up being both the woodshed behind the house (taking out the Internet - told you there was a good reason) ... and this poor tree located between two greenhouses on my brother's homestead.

Both strikes from the same storm! The very same storm that I panicked that the Capt'n was out there working all alone ... so I jumped in the Jeep and tore down there to rescue him only to have him wave as he drove away in the lil ole golf cart as fast as that thing would go. We were both running from the storm. And, btw Capt'n ... when you hear the sizzle before the strike ... that's a bad thing ... not a funny story. Ask someone who knows first hand!

Anyway ... I digress ... so day 3 was cut a little short ... but that since that was the only real rain we got the whole week (and it rained for days after we left) ... we'd take it! On Day 4 they finished the floor, sealed in the base so no creepy, crawlies or fuzzies could find refuge under out lil abode ... and cut the studs (oh yeah he is) for the first wall ... doesn't look like much of a change .. but you JUST WAIT!
And, on Day 5 ... the sun came out ...

And so we set to work ... again ...

Day 5 ... or, should we say, BEST DAY EVER ... why yes, that is a wall you see!

Plus ...I have photographic evidence that I actually helped some! Do you see how bundled up I needed to be just to BE out there. Yes, the mosquito were that bad.

Intentional digression ... so there is a phenomenon in nature ... people in Maine are especially familiar with ... the circle of life that is the Dragonfly and the Mosquito. Mosquitoes are often considered Maine's "state bird" (its not really ... that honor falls to the Chickadee - see, you learned something) but that's because we "breed 'um big up theyah" and there are lots of them ... like ... lots and lots and lots. BUT ... about 2 weeks after mosquito season starts ... Dragonfly season begins. Can you hear the heavenly music? Then you don't understand the gravity of those small phenomenon. The DAY the dragonflies come out in full force (literally hundreds of them) ... there are NO MORE MOSQUITOES. Like, ... almost none. Growing up in Maine as a kid ... you really just sat around inside waiting to see those darling little black helicopters announcing that you could finally go out and play again! So anyway ... the dragonflies were on their way out ... but buried back deep in the woods where we were building ... we were right next to mosquito haven ... (not the sign - or the sheep - but the seasonal pond).

Annnywho ... I was actually able to help outside with a little bit ... I power washed the windows that had been in storage for a while ... (and I ~~napped with~~ took care of the dogs and brought lunch). See how shiny clean!

Lets see .. Day 6 the Capt'n rides in a golf cart ... and we cut studs (oh yeah he is - get used to it - it happens a lot) and prepped the next two walls to be raised ... then he called me out to help raise them! YAY!

Day 7 .. the Capt'n put up the front wall ...

And on Days 8 and 9 ...the boys finished the first floor, cut the studs (oh yeah he is) for the second floor ... and put up the second floor frame and floor joists ... with the 'wood whose name shall not be mentioned (hemlock, hemlock, hemlock) ... oh, and all the while we had a baby shower (pics to come) and goofed around ... but little E was there ... the goofing was totally her fault!

Look everyone ... a skylight!

All in all ... not as far as we would have liked to have gotten ... but it was a GREAT trip and well worth it! I think my dad and the Capt'n actually bonded! Who knew!? We are planning another trip up to get the second story on ... wherein I will be of even less use because I will have a very small infant attached to me. But, I'm ok with that ... after all, it is a family cabin!

At Long Last ... the Paint Saga ...

2011-06-14T13:21:00.001-04:00

As promised in this post:

The next saga ... was the paint color … because sure as heck I wasn’t going to let this whole flat paint slap in the face stand … (fyi – bathrooms should be semi-gloss for anyone who doesn’t know … for a number of reasons, the least of which is that it resists moisture and cleans easier than flat .. what is more moist than a bathroom?!) Btu I was determined to pick a color that would play a nice neutral against that modern tile choice. So, saying that … (also include that I had decided to step up my paint choice to a ‘higher end brand’ … we went directly to Benjamin Moore. After hours in the store (did I mention I LOVE color?!) I came up with two options … Grey Mirage and Camouflage. At that point I hit the Internet to see samples of the actual wall color ON a wall. Here is what I found …

Seriously, it gave the Capt'n a headache trying to find a difference in these colors … they were taped up in the bathroom for about 3 weeks. Finally, I did come upon one shot of Grey Mirage that made it look more celery colored …

Definitely NOT what I was looking for … so I went with Camouflage. Not a big fan of the name ... but whatever, we could deal so long as it looked good on the wall. Eric (see: The Contractor) offered to paint the shower stall and behind the toilet (while it was still in our bedroom) so that we could get a head start on it. We hit the paint store and picked up 3 gallons of semi-gloss … not really sure where my head was that day … I mean ... THREE GALLONS?! It's one bathroom!!

Anyway, I came home after he had painted … and was utterly disappointed. This color too was more celery than I’d imagined (but only in certain lights) ... and it doesn't exactly 'go' with the dark green in the tile ... but, at this point, we are putting up neutral colors that will do … not necessarily what we are in love with … so, the Camo stayed. The color since has grown on me a little … but, I won’t lie … those two small spots where Eric painted are still the only spots in the Mater Bathroom that have been painted ... what do you think?

The good news … the silver lining … etc … then it came time to repaint Munch’s bathroom … that's right, we I decided that if we had three gallons of this crap, I sure as heck wasn't going to waste it ... Camo for all of my bathrooms!! Call us slackers if you want …

(Before shots)

Its neutral enough … and the color, much like Munch’s room … changes with the lighting. I realized this when I got home from my Ikea run a couple weekends ago to pick up a bookcase to finish off Munch’s room … and for a second, was really annoyed that the Capt’n had painted the bathroom in the wrong color! It looked tan, like the basement/office room! I spent the first couple seconds hyperventilating because I didn’t know how to break it to the Capt’n that it was the wrong color (because we know starting over is his favorite thing) … and had to be re-painted. In fact, it was exactly the right color … but the lighting made it look more brown-green than celery. I have to say … Camo it is … because clearly I didn’t even recognize it when I was looking right at it! Score!

We topped that off with a Bed Bath and Beyond shower curtain, some dark brown towels and a brown microfiber bathmat ... mmmm heavenly (the bathmat and the bathroom thankfully).

Now, on to this room (Munch's old bathroom ... aka ... the Jack-and-Jill between the new guest room and the baby's room - i hate the word nursery):

Baby Monday (Week 34)

2011-06-13T13:13:00.039-04:00

I cant tell you how much has changed over the last week. I mean ... it doesn't seem like much but wowzah! There is a lot to cover here ... so lets jump right in!

Size-Wize

So size, Baby P is now measuring at about the Cantaloupe size ... yup, roughly 5lbs and ... a very active 5lbs at that! I think I've actually popped again ... as if that were even possible! My face and things have thinned out ... and now I'm just all belly. What is so funny about it is that in the last week, I've been running into things with it. That tells me something is certainly new ... and BIGGER.

When we met with our Doctor on Tuesday ... he said that everything looked great ... and was impressed with the bio-physical profiles we had done in Maine. Baby P is totally getting a "Exceeds Expectations" for that one. He did mention though, during the office portion of the visit (first we ultrasound, then we meet in his office to ask/answer questions) ... that because I now fall into the "A2" category of GD ... the specialists (high-risk doctors) that I'm seeing on Fridays will not let me go past 39 weeks with this little one. That means a ~~couple~~ few things ... 1) we will need to either be induced (I vote no) ... or we are going to have to cross our fingers this little one decides it wants to come early and 2) no little Leo in our future - that's likely a good thing. Instead, our new date is on the Captn's birthday ... like the very day! One of us had to share ... and this way,... I don't have to! Yippee! (I bet the Capt'n is glad that he doesn't have to deal with TWO of me!) and 3) ... we are now down to just 5 weeks to get everything ready. And what with next weekend being both Father's Day ... and Baby Shower #2 ... that leaves only 4. And yes, a double feature at the movies IS a necessity for celebrating Father's Day in style. What a lucky Capt'n!

Name Game

Also, because it came up like a MILLION times during our stay in Maine (no joke, I was even bribed a handful of those to let them slip) ... and becuase names are my favorite things ever ... (no we are not sharing our names) ... I thought it warranted discussion. You see, we both like the aspect of surprise at this point ... and for two terribly indecisive people (ok, ONE indecisive person and one person who totally is awesome about rolling with how indecisive I am) ... we have had these nailed down for months now and there is no chance I'm going to let the cat out of the bag now. We truly want these to be our secret (read: the Capt'n doesn't want to take the chance that we I will rethink the ones we have and we will have to start over - which by the way ... is his favorite thing to do EVER).

I can tell you though ... I am a HUGE fan of unique names. My first child (as decided by my 2nd grade best friend and I ... IN 2nd grade) was supposed to be named Destiny Rose. (Yes, it was the 80s). I used to keep lists of names I loved ... and invented ... Some of those? Bronte Alina ... Borealis ... bad, I know. But when the Capt'n and I were thinking of names ... I had already scoured a couple of books and had some ideas ... I pretty much knew the genre he wanted (interesting but not unique). His name is unique ... and suits him to a tee ... and I'm totally in love with it ... but, its one that, when he introduces himself to someone, the other party inevitably says "whats that?". Every time I hear that reply ... cringe ... knowing that my chance to have a daughter named Tallinn or a son named Echo is slipping farther and farther away. In the end, you know what? I'm ok with that. Interesting still fulfills my need for whimsy ... and our names rock.

(One of my favorite kids books EVER)

This is all here because the woman who writes one of my favorite blogs (GirlsGoneChild) is having twin girls. I'm in LOVE with the names of her first two children (Archer Orion and Fable Luella) ... and she posted some of the rejected names that she and her husband came up with. I (heart) some of them (how cute is Clover) ... but, the Capn't has a point ... and a valid one at that. This is DC ... not LA ... and not Maine ... and the name needs to look great on a birth announcement AND a business card.

But, that being said ... I still couldn't help messing with him. I sent him the blog post ... and gushed about the names. As expected I received the following reply ... which I could have predicted so exactly (word for word) that it makes me smile at how well we know each other ...

"First names should not be normally used words in any widely used language."

Touche'

Survey/Quizzy Thing (Technical Term)

And because its been a while since I did this ...

How far along: 34 weeks, 35 days to go (holy crap!)

Baby's size: About the size of an Cantaloupe (Babble) or a Honeydew (theBump) ... both melons ... both daunting.

Symptoms: For the most part I've avoided the dreaded pregnancy symptoms ... still have the occasional muscle cramp (mostly calves... mostly at 5am), heartburn, and swelling (oh where, oh where have my ankles gone).

Sleep: Sleeping well still …getting a little harder to get comfortable because the baby keeps moving around at bedtime ... and 6am. I'm up once a night to hit the restroom ... but, if I stop drinking before 9:30 ... I can keep that once off until 6am.

Maternity clothes: Give me a heck yeah! Cute ones too ... that's what you get when you have to get a whole new wardrobe. I've been living in skirts, maxi dresses and a bunch of capris and tanks ... its been fabulous ... so far. This past weekend in DC left me LONGING for the mosquitoes of Maine ...

Movement: Oh yeah ... big ones too. Its getting to the point where people at work are staring at my belly. I can't tell you how distracting it is to try and hold a conversation while the little one seems to be training small ponies in there ... a whole herd of them!

Food cravings: None really ... because of the GD I sometimes dream of cake ... or macaroni and cheese ... or Fritos. I attribute that less to actual cravings and more to the fact I can't have them currently. Let me tell you ... the list of things I want to dive in to once I have babe in arms is getting longer and longer with each passing day!

Gender: Still no flipping clue. At the first baby shower the reviews were mixed ... boy vs girl. Though, because I'm a geek I have recently starting thinking of it as a physics experiment ... a la a far less depressing version of Schrodinger's Cat ... in truth, because we do not actually know for certain that Baby P is a boy or a girl ... this little baby exists as boy and girl simultaneously. I'm good with that.

What I miss: To be honest ... as much as I was excited to get to the part where I get to hold the little one ... I miss those additional weeks that I thought I had. I also miss being able to eat freely .. but all of these are far outweighed by the nervous anticipation we feel while awaiting the impending arrival of Baby P.

Shower Renovation (The Big Reveal)

2011-06-09T13:28:00.004-04:00

So, there are a lot of pictures here ... these cover the shower fix with a shot or two per day for the two weeks this project took. If you scan through them real fast its like time lapse ... good contracting ... done in time lapse!

Love the puppy prints ... oops!

Where is the toilet you might ask ... ummm ... in the middle of our bedroom floor of course ...

Ultimately ... Patton was a little bored with the whole thing ... and we were tired of showering down the hall ... but in the end ... it turned out beautiful!

Wordless Wednesday *(Where's Waldo Edition)

2011-06-08T13:00:00.001-04:00

Baby Monday (Week 33)

2011-06-06T13:00:00.054-04:00

A day late ... I know! But I spent yesterday (literally ALL day) in the Jeep on the way to VA from Maine. Phew ... that was the last trip/milestone before the arrival of Baby P. Now, we just hunker down and wait ... keep renovating the house, celebrate a few birthdays, but nothing that takes us more than an hour from home. We aren't afraid of an early labor but rather, just tired and want to enjoy the last weeks before our home and family grow by 1.

As far as week 33 goes ... 7 left! Wow,.. this whole thing is just moving right along! A pineapple! I know! Things are happy again ... Baby P is rockin it out (as expected).

At the request of my doctor at home, I managed to fit in TWO sonograms during the cabin building week ... and the Capt'n ~~looking for an excuse to rest~~ being the awesome husband he is, put down the hammer and went with me to both.

The coolest part of going to see someone else to have your sonogram done ... ~~you get to gush all over again with someone new~~ ... we got to have it done in the hospital where I was born (Central Maine Medical Center). It was so weird walking in to that place ... when I was born it was one brick building ... with one sliding door ... now its a whole complex of buildings and a level two trauma center (with a helicopter pad) ... and its still growing! Plus, because I was born there YEARS ago, they already had my information in the system! What a change ..

But ... on to the baby stats! During the first one Baby P was totally showing off with a great heart rate of 153 ... we got to see it moving its mouth and sucking and breathing ... baby was head down and butt up (which would explain the lung kicks) and everything measured perfect. Even the sonogram tech was impressed! YAY! And then ... during sonogram #2 ... exactly the same. Baby is awesome ... breathing ... sucking ... moving around ... head down.

The only new thing to report is - oh my goodness ... the swelling ankles. That was totally my fault though ... I was on my feet for about a week straight ... but, they are getting back to normal. Lets see what the baby doc says though!

Also in baby news ... and hopefully with pictures to come ... my mother threw a wonderful baby shower for me last Saturday. It was so nice to be surrounded by those who love you and will, in turn, love this baby ... we are awesomely lucky to have people like that around us. We so appreciate that people traveled from far and wide to celebrate with us ... farthest award has to go to the Captn's cousin who came in town from California (I know!) and then ... the biggest surprise ... the arrival of my Nana and Grandpa from Massachusetts. It was so amazing to see them ... and to show off my bump ... and my burly husband (gush!).

Cabin Building - Day 2

2011-06-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

Lets see ... when last we left our weary workers they were sleeping ... I for the next two days ... that where ~~they~~ we should have stayed.

The second process to this whole shebang was to actually put in the posts that would become our 'foundation' of sorts ... not only that, but we needed to drop in about 12 of these ...

Not the little one ... the big concrete footers she is standing on. Let me give you a hint as to how heavy and hard to maneuver these were ...

But no really ... they were about 80-90 lbs a piece ... and they needed to be set about 4-5 feet down with those super heavy posts that they boys cut in Day 1 settled right on top of them ... so, how pray tell did we intend to dig these holes? All 12 of them? Why, funny you should ask ... heavy machinery of course!

No really ... this is the part that made up for all of the sucky cutting and lugging around of terribly heavy objects. The Capt'n had a ball ... for the first two ... who knew one degree would cause such a vast change in the alignment of the cabin itself. All in all ... after they dig and buried 12 13 of them ... it was late and time for dinner ... a LATE dinner.

And lest you think that I sat on my butt ... I did pull out the sweatshirt and brave the 'skeeters (and the 80 degree heat) to help with the surveying ... and photography ...

And the golf cart riding ... (and yes, that involves sitting on your butt) ... I also picked up lunch and shuttled tools and water (and pups). See, not all that helpless!

Off into the sunset for another day ... and another early bedtime. Though the progress looks slow ... it will go faster as we move along ...

* Credit where credit is due ... my awesome mother took all of these photos because I was too busy swatting away the mosquitoes ... little did I know, they were only going to get worse!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T13:00:00.001-04:00

Cabin Building Day 1

2011-05-31T13:00:00.000-04:00

And you guy thought we were joking ... nope ... no joke here!

You see (for those who are not in the know) ... the Capt'n and I got hiz-iched about a year and a half ago in a fabulous party in the Outer Banks of North Carolina ... it was a party that included a drunkin Rabbi blowing fire, a beer pong table (unbeknownst to me), and one of the guests waking up with no pants on while holding a pizza cutter. Yeah ... we were THAT party. Whoop Whoop!

Anyway ... so instead of asking for gifts at said party ... we decided to do something a little different. Based on the Naval tradition of "Planking" ... we dispensed with the usual (I know this shocks you) and instead invited folks to help us build a small summer cabin up in Maine. And folks were so generous (our friends and family ROCK) ... that they helped us make this plan a reality.

On Friday the Capt'n and I piled the dogs and two large suitcases into the Jeep and road tripped is up to Maine .... 12.5 hours later, we collapsed into bed (which will likely be the first in a long line of days that end in the exact same fashion).

So, here is what we started with ... just lot:

two wild and crazy guys (my dad's eyes aren't ALWAYS closed ... this was just literally, the only shot I got of him while trying to wrestle my camera away from the mosquitoes):

and, one pile of lumber:

This is where things get fun ... so, first we had to clear the lot. The Capt'n got to be all burly (there is going to be a lot of that going on this week) ... and cut down the three remaining trees ...

Then we took a load of 'firewood' out ...

He and my dad lined out the area for the house ... (which they later realized was abut 4 feet shorter than the area we got the permit for ... ). Quick fix ... turns out we had enough lumber for it anyway ... yay!

Then we manually ran the electricity from the main house ... to the cabin site. When I say manually,... I do mean manually ...

At this point, my mom and I stepped out the go pick up lunch for the boys while they cut the posts for the supports ... just so everyone knows ... these ... are HEAVY.

And then we all took a drive to Home Depot ... where we picked up the decking/flooring for the first floor and the HEAVY patio blocks the posts were going to rest on (since its just a little, seasonal cabin, we opted to have it rest on posts rather than manage a full foundation ... as that would have just been overkill for our little vision).

Once we got back from our little Home Depot run, it was perfect timing to settle in for dinner (steak, potatoes and salad ... in case you were wondering what to feed guys who worked this hard all day long) ... and all of us were so hungry that I'm not sure that we took the time to chew our food before crawled up to bed and fell asleep.

Day 1 Complete!

Baby Monday (Week 32)

2011-05-30T15:56:00.000-04:00

This whole thing is really starting to fly by ... the baby is getting bigger (and I can feel it) ... the movements are getting stronger ... and I,... I am just getting slower. It may have something to do with the heat ... or the fact that I have about two month left until my due date ... but I'm just flat out beat.

As far as the GD goes ... I started taking the Glyburide on the lowest dosage. I had about 3 days of totally wacked out lunchtime totals which made me nervous (which didn't help the totals I'm sure) ... but since then, things have totally found a rhythm. I have learned what I can and cannot eat (apparently a blueberry waffle sandwich has the correct amount of breakfast carbs for me where anything else at Dunkin Donuts has too many ... this whole counting carb and not calorie thing is interesting and there is definitely a learning curve. Not that I'm planning on doing it every day ... its just good to know what my options are.

But I'm happy to say ... I think I've got it! Its been over a week now and sure, I've had my fair share of numbers that were a little high (ohhh so hard to say no to that extra 1/2 scoop of Ice Cream that is left int he bottom of the 1/2 gallon box - and no, I did not eat the whole half gallon).

But, in my meeting with the Doctor last Thursday before we left on our trip ... he used the word "perfect" again. As in, we (the baby and I) are measuring perfectly. Heartbeat measured at an amazing 158 ... and my blood pressure was awesome ... and both the belly and the sonogram both measured somewhere in the 31 week range. Which is, you guessed it ... perfect!

On Friday the Capt'n and my self road tripped it up to Maine ... 12.5 hours ... yuck! Don't worrrrrry ... I stopped every 1-2 hours for a walk and a pee break. I know how to travel with the baby too ... and currently I'm curled up in bed, with two sleeping puppies, the fan is roaring ... sounds nice right, except the Capt'n and my father are out building our new cabin by themselves ... and its hot (near 90) and buggy out. Oh, the guilt ...

Let me explain something to you ... I'm the type of girl that LOVES manual labor ... I love to paint ... I would LOVE to build this cabin ... I have been daydreaming about this for over a year, however ... there are three things standing in my way ... the mosquitoes (for those who don't know they are basically Maine's state bird ... and there are a LOT of them out right now- and apparently they LOVE pregnant people ... and I mean LOVE LOVE ... and I have the raised welts to prove it), the heat (its hot to start but now I have to wear a long sleeve sweatshirt - they bit me through the long sleeve shirt I had on yesterday ... about 30 times - and that extra layer makes it doubly hot) ... and finally, the most daunting of all ... the Capt'n. I can't imagine a man who has been cooler about this whole thing. All he asks of me, even thought this whole trip was my hair-brained idea, is that I take care of the dogs, the baby and myself ... not in that order. So here I lay ... following his requests (who is going to mess with the burly German/Scotsman), watching the dogs sleep (listening to them snore too) ... and watching the baby kick as its enjoying a fabulous lunch from D'Angelos ... kids gotta eat good stuff right?!

Overall in baby land ... very much like my doctor had said last week ... its truly just perfect ... and I am thankful.

Beach Bound (Part II.IV)

2011-05-27T13:00:00.000-04:00

After we recovered SLOWLY from the wedding ... we spent our last day in St. John driving around the coast taking pictures ...

... and snorkeling at Maho Bay ... which, by the way ... was AWESOME! We saw no less than 7 (SEVEN) sea turtles from baby to ginormous ... and three Stingrays ... and loads and loads of Starfish ... and one lone Barracuda that I could have done without ... (he kept giving me the stink eye).

After that, we packed back up and kept right on going ... had dinner in Coral Bay (on the East side of the Island) ... and drove home in dark through the trees ... it was beautiful.

The next morning ... we were up and caught the long ferry to St Thomas ... saying so long to St. John ... until next time that is ...

Shower Renovation Project (Part Deux)

2011-05-26T13:18:00.000-04:00

Our first stop in renovating our bathroom … the tile store. This was actually easy … the first time. We made and appointment … met with the tile specialist … and we even remembered to bring a sample of our old tile (this was back when we assumed that it was simply the shower we were redoing … joke was on us!). The appointment was maybe an hour … we picked a similar wall tile … and a fancy new accent tile for the top … and we even splurged on some new floor tile for the shower (marble .. ohhh sexy) … easy peasy … and with all that, the price wasn’t even going to be TOO bad … still within budget. (hahahahah … that’s the sound of the universe laughing at us).

During the week the tiles were on order … Eric continued his demolition … which was rather easy considering all of the drywall and sub flooring was soaked through and crumbled off in his hands (how is that for high end construction) … and that is where the fun began … turns out, the water damage was greater than initially expected … and, well … we now had to replace the entire floor in the entire bathroom … right down to the accent pieces around the bathtub on the other side of the room! At that point, we just took a black magic marker and drew a line through our budget … and then crossed off all of the other renovations we had in mind one.at.a.time.

Once we realized that we weren’t going to be JUST doing the shower we were headed back to the tile store to make sure the tile we picked would work well … in addition, we addressed the concerns of our contractor who mentioned that he felt the difference in width between our wall tile and our accent went back to take a look ... this time as a walk in … on a Saturday ... with no appointment Oops! When we finally got someone to talk to us ... they were nearly closed. It took forever and we didn’t see anything we were really in love with. Eventually, we decided on a glass accent that was more modern than I was looking for, but that was a little closer to the right width. Decision made.

Next Step ... fixtures ... Eric had us scour the Kohler website for items with thought would look good together ... and, of course, .. the shower-head (is it any surprise the Capt'n picked the most technologically advanced shower-head they offered?), massager/water-sprayer, and knob combos were also in the high end of pricing ... (seriously?!) And you thought I was joking about the $2000 shower head ...

While he was doing the demolition he (also) mentioned to us that it may behoove us to put in some shelving because all of our showering items sitting on the bench seat looked a little college dorm ... wait, I take that back ... at least in college dorms they have little basket things to keep things organized.

So we decided on one with two sections ... and actually asked that he flip the design over (you'll see why later) ... that one was planned in to the price so ... score!

Final step ... a shower door ... the recommendation that was presented to us was what they call a 'frame-less' door. The entrance to our little shower is pretty small ... and, he was right ... with the frame, it took about 1-2 inches from the entrance. The frame-less it was ... who knew this would be a decision ... but ... yet again, we found ourselves laughing off the fact that the one we wanted was more expensive than the others ... if you really wanted to get into it ... even the handle we picked out turned out to be more expensive. Shocker ... but, at this point ... we just wanted it done, and done right. And we totally wanted the gold and marble one that looked like we lived like Italian mobsters ...

I have to say though, in the end… it was rather nice to see things come together (correctly) … one day at a time. I even enjoyed a good laugh ~~when we got the bill~~ when we came home to find the toilet in our Master Bedroom.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T13:00:00.000-04:00

Beach Bound (Part II.III)

2011-05-24T12:00:00.001-04:00

And the reason we were all on the island in the first place ...

This lovely lady (who I met just a couple days before the wedding ... and she is pretty awesome)

was marrying this handsome guy (my brother from another mother) ...

And man, can they throw a party!

We took a catamaran (Kekoa) to the British Virgin Island Jost van Dyke ... and to Ivans (bar) ...

Yes, the Capt'n swam ashore ... with half of my tee-ball team (I didn't mention that I knew all these guys that way too ... yeah, its was a crazy weekend) ...

Where the lovely couple was serenaded on the the beach and shared vows that had everyone in tears (yes, including me) ...

Then it was all BBQ (and drinkin), swimming (and drinkin) ... at which point we all swam back out to the boat (yes, the pregnant lady swam the whole way too ... still got to be one of the guys) ... and just enjoyed the nice trip home ... exhausted.

Ok ... not so exhausted that this little bugger couldn't make you smile ... go baby O!

Ok ... not everyone smiled ... so he had to try again!

It was perfect!

Baby Monday (Week 31 - Part 2)

2011-05-23T15:33:00.009-04:00

I thought that while I was feeling pretty positive about things ... I would update you on the doctors appointment yesterday.

First things first ... Yup ... still a baby in there! The technician said the little baby had a strong heartbeat of 158 ... and looks like it weighs about 4 lbs (so my 3lb estimate was just a touch off) ... when I asked if that was big she told me nope, its right on! I really needed a win there ... so yay!

I was pretty nervous going in because the meds had caused me to be high for three lunches in a row ... so that helped the ole blood pressure I'm sure! The doctor that reviewed my blood sugars and the sonogram did chastise me for skipping meals (what does "I woke up at NOON mean to you dude?!") ... but whatevs ... he wasn't worried about giving me time to acclimate to the medication because the baby was the right size. YIPEE! But, we see my real doctor on Thursday before we leave on vacation ... he is always the serious one.

But ... again with the positive ... that's right ... another vacation! This time next week we will be in the process of building our little home away from home in Maine. I plan on sharing the progress on a daily basis (but don't hold me to it) so that all of those wonderful people from our wedding who helped this dream become a reality will get a chance to see the progress. I cannot wait!