Week 40 Day 4

We all know, thanks to social networking, that Carson has not decided to make an appearance yet. I now fully understand the irritation of mothers when people say "You haven't had that baby yet?" I think pregnant women should be able to get away with beating people that ask them that. Ok, maybe not beating them but a nice punch in the face would be super helpful to relieve some of the stress and irritation.

I am not concerned about going late. Yes, I would have loved for Carson to be here last week or even on his due date but he isn't here. It is perfectly NORMAL and OK to go to 42 weeks gestation. I have talked about this with both my doula and my OB and neither one of them are concerned that I am carrying "late" and neither am I. I honestly don't think I am late. Carson will show up right when he is supposed to and I am fine with that. It is giving me more time to be selfish, nap, and do what I please when I want to without being tied down with a newborn.

Don't get me wrong. I am crazy frustrated in the sense that I'm ready to have my own body back and get this kid out of me. I am also so antsy to see him and know what he looks like. However, being in a negative mindset isn't going to progress my labor or make L&D enjoyable. So, even though I have my days of pure "frump" where I cry two to three times for no reason, I am mostly in good spirits and try to fight the "frump" the best I can.

From 4am-6am last night I was having contractions and menstrual like cramps but they died down and I was able to get some more sleep. I am also dilated. Therefore, I'm in early stages of labor but the moment hasn't come yet. All I can do is go about my day and do as much cleaning and preparing as I possibly can.

All last week I made lots of soups and a pasta bake that were easily frozen so that Andrew and I will have some delicious meals after Carson does arrive. I made cookies too...... unfortunately those didn't last......

40 Weeks and 4 Days

I interrupted Rhea's breakfast to take this picture. I had just gotten out of the shower so I had a nice towel head going on.... so no face today. Haha. 

I plan on spending my day drinking lots of raspberry leaf tea, washing sheets (notice the naked bed behind me in the picture), and cleaning. The movement is good for me and gravity will continue to help baby to move downward. 

I know everyone is anxious for me to have this baby, but I guarantee nobody is as anxious as Andrew and I. I am going to do everything in my power to go naturally and not be induced. However, if my doula and OB get to a point of "You need to have this baby" then I will do as they say. For now, I trust my body and the process in which it is taking to make sure Carson is delivered safely into this world. 

Things I Never Realized I Would Take for Granted

Being pregnant (especially 36 weeks pregnant) has made me realize all of the daily things that I most definitely have taken for granted and miss terribly:

1. Being able to reach my legs and feet
2. Putting on socks
3. Putting on pants
4. Getting dressed in general....
5. Walking normally
6. Breathing normally
7. Being able to get out of bed without help
8. Being able to get off the couch without help
9. Sitting on the floor with the dogs
10. Wearing shoes - seriously, I have one pair (minus flip flops) that fit me OK. Even my tennis shoes are ridiculously tight
11. Taking baths - they help, but I have serious trouble getting in and out of the tub now
12. Sleeping the entire night through (I know this won't happen again for awhile, but the baby isn't here yet... I should be able to sleep. Damn it)
13. Being able to sleep on my stomach
14. Being able to sleep on my back
15. Being able to get comfortable in bed at all
16. Exercising - I do about 8 yoga poses and feel as if I have run a half marathon at top speed
17. Wearing different outfits - I wear the same 5 shirts, and same 5 pairs of leggings over, and over, and over, and over..... 
18. Wearing my wedding ring *le sigh*
19. Having motivation - I have none. 
20. Caring about my appearance
21. NOT having heartburn. OMG the heartburn.
22. NOT being nauseous and wanting to puke every.single.day.

I'm sure I could sit here and think of more - and by all means feel free to add to this list - but these are mainly the things that I miss most right now.

24 more days..... or sooner.... please.... oh please be sooner.... 

Where Did October Go?

Does anyone know where October went? Anyone at all? This month has been full of work and daily life as well as weddings, baby showers, and birthing classes. It is no wonder I feel like this month flew by. I was busy the entire time. The times I was home I was washing all things baby related and getting the nursery ready to go. I know Carson won't be in the nursery right away, but I like the sense of accomplishment that it will be done when he decides to arrive.

This weekend we have a Halloween Party to attend and the following weekend is my last birthing class with Shannon followed up by our last meeting before baby! Andrew and I have our birth plan written and are feeling pretty good about everything. Meeting with Shannon just helps to make us feel even more comfortable and ready. I am very thankful for her!

35 Weeks:
On Friday, October 24 I hit 35 weeks. A little over 4 weeks until our due date! That is so weird to think about. I remember being only 8 weeks pregnant and going "This is going to take forever." Well, I guess it really didn't. It sure feels like it now though since I'm so uncomfortable!

Andrew was actually available for this one! We were heading out the door for the Rehearsal and Rehearsal dinner for Amy and Neil's wedding! (Which was beautiful, btw)

Cravings: Salads! Nothing fancy either. Every day for lunch I've been having lettuce with a little bit of RF Cheese, ranch dressing and some raw broccoli. I don't know why this is my new favorite thing but I am not complaining. It is something healthy that my body wants and I am all for that. Other than that I've been eating mini Twix bars like I'll never have another in my life and still eating/drinking all the dairy I can get my hands on.

Feeling: Out of sorts. That is the best way I can describe it. My hips/pelvic area hurt so bad that it is difficult for me to find the strength to do much of anything. Sitting down in the worst. Having a desk job is not helpful right now. I have gone down to part time hours, only working 8am - 2pm or so and that has definitely helped. I get to go home and stretch out on my yoga ball and really get comfortable. Still feel huge. I am living in maternity leggings and I don't care what anyone thinks. It is all that is comfortable right now and really all that fits so I'm making it work. I'm also doing tons of laundry since I have to wear the same clothes over and over again. Not too much longer, right? RIGHT?!

Other Things: I'm not sleeping much anymore. I am able to nap from time to time (now that I'm only part time) and that really helps me. However, come 9:00pm I am exhausted. I usually lay down, pass out right away but then wake up around 1:00 or 2:00 and then my sleep is broken from then until I get up at 6:00. I think I average around 4-5 hours of sleep a night. I really am OK with this because I know my body is preparing me for what is to come, but I wish I could just get comfortable. That is my biggest complaint. Sure, I can deal with lack of sleep but I can't deal with not being able to find a comfortable position just to relax in.

Yes, I'm getting whiny towards the end of this pregnancy. Ha!
__________________________________________________

Health Related Things:
Since this kid is almost here my mind is 100% in "Get back on WW and get healthy again" mode. I re-signed back up for WW on line this week and NO I am not trying to lose weight right now. I am simply getting back into the habit of tracking food and making some better decisions. I put into my tracker that I am breastfeeding so it gives me a lot of daily points which is nice. I have a feeling I will be starving once I start doing that.

I also sold my MacBook on eBay (good riddance) and used the money to buy baby things and I got myself a little toy as well:

A Fitbit Flex! I am super excited about this thing. I also like how it barely weighs anything and I don't even really notice I am wearing it. Also, it syncs with WW and I like that better than the Active Link because you have to pay monthly for Active Link. I don't have to pay monthly for this. The Fitbit Flex also tracks sleep. I averaged 4 hours and 53 minutes last night. It said I was fully awake once and restless 8 times. Sounds about right!

I am just ready to get my body back and be a little more flexible again!

33 Weeks

Only 7 more weeks to go! Again, if Baby Carson decides to come on time. I'm kind of hoping that he decides to maybe show a week or two early. Just sayin'.  I'm kind of ready to have this kid out of me because everything hurts. EVERYTHING. 

Week 33:

That was totally not a maternity shirt. #nofucksgiven I made it work.

Cravings: Well, right now all food is good. I still have super strong urges to eat lots of cheese and milk. However, I've been eating a little more normally and have been trying very hard to eat nice and balanced meals. Whole grains, protein, and lean meats. So far that is going alright. It is just some nights I'm in so much pain and so tired I don't want to cook. When I do cook, I make pretty big batches of stuff so I have leftovers. 

Feeling: HUGE. Super, holy crap what is happening to my body, huge. I mean, I wasn't small when I got pregnant so this has not been my idea of a good time. However, I was at the doctor last Tuesday (and everything is fine) and I had lost two pounds. How this is possible completely baffles my mind. I just stare at the scale and think "WTF is happening? I'm getting bigger, but losing weight." Makes perfect sense right? I'm also feeling pain. Lots and lots of pain. My pelvic area feels like it is going to split open. My hips are constantly throbbing and I use a yoga ball to help loosen them up and my legs feel super restless. Especially at night. I am finding it hard to sleep these days too because I am so uncomfortable. I wake up at least 3 or 4 times a night to try and readjust or find somewhere that is comfortable. The dogs have gotten used to going outside at 4:00am too which is not a good thing.... 

This is the stage of pregnancy that I know is hard on everyone. Again, I'm super happy to be pregnant and having a baby. I'm just not enjoying this stage of everything and the pain that goes along with it. Everything south of my ribs hurts 24/7. No lie. 

I will get through it though and all will be well once Carson is here. 

Other Things: My shower is on Saturday! EEK! I am so excited to see everyone! Especially those out of town people that I never get to see much! Honestly I could care less about the games and all that nonsense. I'm just super excited to be surrounded by family and friends for an afternoon. October sure is flying by. It doesn't help that every weekend this month has been taken up by some class or activity so it feels like it is going by even faster than usual. 

I want to mention one other thing. 

I am VERY ready for cold weather. Seriously. GET COLD ALREADY. I'm tired of waking up drenched in sweat because it's still humid and muggy outside. It is the middle of October. Get with it fall. 

Week 31

9 weeks left. If I go on time that is.
Super crazy to think about.

Week 31:

No Andrew again, he's worked the early shift this week. 

My dear friend, Meagan, you were right with that comment you left on my Instagram. Just when I thought I couldn't get any bigger.... here we are. I swear my midsection grows out an inch a day. Clothes REALLY are starting to suck.

Cravings: Still milk. Still ice cream and chocolate shakes. Lately I've been craving juice too. I'm really not a big juice drinker, unless it is juice I have made from a juicer. Last night I had two glasses of apple juice and this morning I wanted Orange Juice so badly I would have killed for it. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but the craving was very strong. When it comes to food... I just want it all. Ha! EAT ALL THE THINGS! Baby is going to be going through a pretty intense growth spurt so it is no surprise that I'm super hungry. It is funny to me though that even though baby is growing and gaining fat pretty rapidly, this lady here was down one pound at the doctor's office Wednesday. Ha! Getting bigger but losing weight. Whatever body.

Feeling: Still having pains here and there. Lower abdomen is the big culprit, closely followed by back pain later in the day. I've been having weird leg issues too... like I have to move them around quite a bit or else they feel twitchy. Not quite sure how to explain it but it's weird. I was doing really well with sleeping and not having my arms go numb, but apparently we are back to that now because I woke up multiple times last night unable to feel an arm and then it would hurt. Fun times!

Other Things: Just getting antsy! I am really curious to see what this kiddo is going to look like! I am also ready to not be pregnant anymore. It hasn't been the worst experience of my life, but it hasn't been sunshine and rainbows either. Would I do it again? Yes, but not for awhile!
The nursery is going to be almost 100% done soon! That makes me really happy. I'm glad that we worked on it so early. I'm getting excited for my baby shower too because I will get to see so many friends and family members from out of town!

Andrew and I are trying to spend as many days at home as we can. Trying to relax, enjoy the quiet of the house when we can, sleep when we can, and just do things that we assume are taken for granted when you don't have a baby in the house. I'm still trying to do specific cleaning projects as I have the energy and I'm washing up all spare blankets and sheets to get all of that out of the way as well. Pretty soon I'll start washing up baby things too just because the cats have bombarded the nursery. It is the "forbidden room" so you can imagine when the door is open they have the time of their life in there.
Damn cats.

Things I Find Funny About Being Pregnant

This is just going to be a fun little post of randomness and a bit of venting. Enjoy!

1. That everyone who is pregnant or who has been pregnant is an expert on YOUR pregnancy. 
• You are not me, you do not have my body, you do not know the conversations I have with my own doctor. Therefore, you are not an expert on anything related to me or my pregnancy. Please, keep your advice and opinions to yourself. If you irritate me, I will tell you to go fuck yourself and to have a nice day!
2. The minute you do something "wrong" in someone else's eyes, you get an earful of shit you do not want to hear.
• I drink caffeine. I eat lunch meat without heating it. I've had pepperoni. I drink Venti nonfat lattes from Starbucks on occasion. I have had some small amounts of red wine. I sleep on my back. All of these things are "gasp-worthy" to some people and I'm still trying to figure out why. Why do you care what I do with my pregnant body? Everything I have done to this point has been cleared by my doctor. In fact, sometimes when I ask her things she looks at me like "Seriously? You believe that bullshit?" My baby and I are fine. Stop being an uppity asshole and mind your own business. 
3. Everyone tells you how AWFUL labor and delivery is and what you should do in the hospital.
• You know, growing a child, having a child, and being able to feed that child is one of the most amazing things the human body can do. I am able to grow and nurture a baby INSIDE of me. Then I am able to DELIVER that baby. Why is this such an awful process? I don't think it's going to be all fun and pain free, but I don't understand the woman that have this complete negative outlook on birth. I don't know if I want pain medication until I get to the hospital and start experiencing labor for myself. This baffles people's minds and they are like "Oh, you'll have an epidural. Just you wait." What if I don't? I also don't want Pitocin. I have made this very clear with both my doctor and my doula. I want as little hospital interventions as possible, then, if I labor for a long time and am unable to relax, I will probably choose to have an epidural to help me get some rest until the baby is ready to be here. My doula 100% supports these decisions and will help me to make informed decisions the day of L&D. 
4. We are choosing not to tell anyone about when we go to the hospital.
• This one also baffles people's minds. What is the point of getting people all excited if I am going to labor for 36 hours? Do you really want to sit in a hospital that long? No. You don't. Also, after Carson is here, guess what? I'm going to be selfish and take the time I need with him first before anyone else can see him because he is MY child. He is ANDREW'S child. I want to establish a relationship with him first and I am very entitled to do that. It will be such a special time for Andrew and I and that's all I care about. 
5. Cloth Diapers
• Why is it when I mention I am doing cloth diapers people seem to think that I've lost my mind? I know it's not going to be easy, I know there will be times I wonder to myself why I didn't just do disposable diapers, but I believe there are so many benefits to doing cloth that I am taking that responsibility head on. I have done so much research and talked to so many friends who love cloth diapering and I have faith that it is going to work out OK. I know being a new mom is hard. I understand that any free time I have will probably be spent sleeping. But guess what? I have family who loves MY little family and would be willing, in a heartbeat, to come over and wash a load of diapers for me. It's really NOT that intimidating. It will also save Andrew and I so much money. 

It just amazes me that people are so willing to condemn you or scold you when you're pregnant for things they know nothing about. I am also still on my anti-depressants and that baffles some people's minds. Do you think I'd still be taking them if my doctor told me it wasn't safe? Zoloft is a drug that has been tested NUMEROUS times to not have any bad complications for baby or mom. In fact, mother's treated with Zoloft have a better time with pregnancy and avoiding postpartum than those who go without anything. 

I am really good at letting most things slide off my back because I could give two shits what someone thinks about what I am doing. Most of the time I laugh about stuff because it is so ridiculous to me how "holier-than-thou" people get about things. 

I do not impose my opinions on other pregnant women, nor do I make them feel bad for their choices. Why can't everyone be that way? 

Tums Are My New Favorite Candy

Tums are candy right? They are good candy too because they have calcium! My heartburn during pregnancy has always been a little rough but now that I'm in the third trimester it is getting worse. This kiddo is growing and my poor body does not know what is going on. Something has invaded the natural order of things and leaving me in misery. Hahaha. Isn't Carson sweet?

Pregnancy Things:
Week 29:

Andrew wasn't around for this one. :(

Cravings: Mostly the same things. Lots of ice cream with chocolate syrup or just good 'ol chocolate milkshakes. I eat a lot of snack type foods right now too. I can't really sit and eat entire meals because there's no room anymore. I basically graze all day and then when I get home I eat a small dinner and then I'm done for the night.

Feeling: Lower ab pain, which my OB said was normal. Back pain, also normal. Nausea - yeah, this has never gone away. Insanely tired. Like, I remember being tired the first trimester and a bit the second but holy cow; I am INSANELY tired now. Around 3:00pm every day I fade and I fade fast. I'm basically useless at work from 3:00 - 4:30. (Sorry coworkers of mine). I still feel pretty decent most days though and really have nothing to complain about except normal pregnancy symptoms. I am starting to get a little more anxious too because in reality I'm about 10 weeks away. That's scary to think about.

Other Things: Heather is working on getting my baby shower put together! I am excited about that. I know some of my out of town family and friends get to come and I will be so happy to see them! Plus, with it being at mom and dad's house they have plenty of room to act as a hotel. I hope they know that!
We did this to the nursery on Friday:

It is coming together nicely! Mom also bought some shelves with the option of putting those cloth tote drawers in them. So, I have that in there as well. Now all I need is my changing table and that room is pretty much complete for furniture! (If you are wondering, the letters came from Hobby Lobby and the whale decals came from Babies R Us)

_______________________________________________

Not much else is going on. Everything at this point in my life is baby related. This last weekend mom, dad, and I loaded up the car and headed to Tupelo, Mississippi to go to my cousin Kim's after wedding party/reception. It was really great to see family but let me tell you how much that trip sucked. It is about 8 hours to drive and the first half of the trip we broke it up. On the way home though we did it all in one go. I was miserable. I distracted myself by watching my TV smut (Pretty Little Liars) on my iPad and that got me through most of the trip. I had to get out of the car every once in awhile though to stretch my legs and walk. 

The day after? I was sick. Very, very sickly. I ended up staying home because I was so sore and pukey. Definitely not going to be taking any more long car trips in the near future. Baby and I are staying put at home. 

Oh! I do get to meet with my doula again on Saturday and I am looking forward to bombarding her with questions and all sorts of random crap floating through my head. I'm sure she will love it. 

The Third Trimester

Howdy everyone. I've been MIA again. Things at work have been a little crazy so by the time I get home I basically crawl into bed. Sometimes I get out of bed and cook dinner, other times I look at Andrew and say "Sorry, you're on your own honey." He's been really good about fending for himself during my pregnancy - I just wish he knew how to cook more. I've slowly been teaching him different things and that has helped.

Pregnancy Things:

Third trimester. I'm 28 weeks today. 7 months. Crazy I tell ya! I do not have a picture of the bump today. Andrew is gone for a Bachelor party in Nashville so I will probably take a picture at 29 weeks next Friday. I do have pictures of the nursery though.

We have a crib! I was searching everywhere for a white crib that I liked and was affordable. Found that gem on Amazon. It is also one that "grows with baby" and turns into different beds. I absolutely love it. Dad and Seth put it together for us. Mom, dad, and grandma (Seth too!) bought it with money they made from a garage sale they had. They also made enough money to get the mattress and that adorable mobile with the whales. 

We are doing an arctic animal theme. There are penguins, whales, and polar bears that will be incorporated into the room. 

Quickly I want to say a huge thank you to my family who has been amazing for all of this. They have bought and offered so much. I've had my registries at Target and Amazon for awhile now and slowly they are knocking stuff off already. It's truly appreciated and words cannot express the gratitude Andrew and I have. 

Andrew's grandma also gave us the cutest little rocker that I am going to have in Carson's reading corner. It really is the cutest little rocker I have ever seen. 

Oh, and of course since the crib is built we are dealing with this:

Both cats think the crib is a wonderful place to sleep. I have news for them - they won't want to be in there once there's a baby taking residence in there. 

Cravings: Lately it has been skittles, gummy candy, chocolate milk, and cold foods. My planetbox has been perfect lately because I have been able to pack fruits, veggies from my garden, fresh lunch meats, cheeses, and crackers. It has been the only thing I've wanted for awhile. I'm also obsessed with Kind bars, chex mix, and nut mixes from Hy Vee's fabulous bulk section. I don't really eat meals - I just snack all day. Also, to the "OMG YOU CAN'T EAT LUNCH MEAT WHILE PREGNANT" thing.... it's usually the first trimester they say to avoid it and it's packaged/processed meats. My OB told me that I could eat fresh deli meats. And guess what? Hy Vee is full of fresh, natural, deli meats. They only sell two kinds that are processed and I don't buy those. I was so glad my OB cleared that up for me because again, I've been craving those types of foods! 

Feeling: WEEPY. I cry all.of.the.time. I told my doula and my doctor that I will be a sobbing MESS during labor and delivery and even after Carson is born. I'm just a crier. TIRED. The last two weeks I've been exhausted which makes me laugh because I can't sleep! I am starting to have a hard time getting comfortable in bed and I toss and turn a lot in the night. Luckily I usually only have to pee once if at all. I'm sure that will change now that baby will be getting big really fast. My muscles always feel sore too. Like I've just had a vigorous workout. 

Carson is kicking up a storm in my belly too. I feel him throughout the day. Some days he is super active and others I just get one or two kicks here and there. He loves music though. I'll play songs on my phone and lay them right on my belly. I can usually get him to move when I do that. 

Other Things: I had a fabulous bladder infection! I'm still on my antibiotics but that really knocked me on my ass. I only missed one day of work though so that wasn't bad. My OB also sent me to a chiropractor for my back pain. That woman popped me twice and it was like I was a completely different person after. Weird. I have my next appointment with my OB on Wednesday and I get yet another sonogram because Carson never cooperates for the technician. I don't mind though. I love seeing him! 

______________________________________________________

Random Stuffs:

I have to start all over with potty training Walter. I have NO idea what has happened but that dog has completely regressed from everything he ever learned. He still pees outside but I have to physically walk out into the grass and coax him to follow me. Sometimes he poops outside, but most times he doesn't. That is really bugging me. I'm going to have a baby in my house. I don't need dog shit everywhere for Carson to stumble across. I'm going to go to the store and buy some training treats and just start all over from the beginning. Praise and treats. 

Hobbs is still marking on my carpet. I'm about to kill that cat. I love him. I will NEVER get rid of him - but I'm going to kill him. Hahaha. It's not a full out pee because it doesn't smell of ammonia. I had bought a really good cleaning chemical and he hasn't marked in those spots again but I ran out. Looks like I'm buying more of that. 

He's been on antibiotics for his UTI. We've switching him to UTI food. I think I need to do one more month of antibiotics as well as possibly get another box and put it somewhere. It's possible he just hates sharing the box with Rhea. I know some cats are very territorial about their bathroom habits. Problem is, Hobbs is a BIG CAT. Not just any box will do. We'll have to get a decent sized one and then figure out a plan from there. Like, where the hell is that going to go so the dogs don't get into it. 

I have to get my animal problems situated before Carson arrives. I also keep thinking about what I am going to do once Carson is here and I go back to work. Walter is a VERY spaztastic dog. If he doesn't know you he barks... and barks.... and barks..... and barks..... I can't have a dog barking non-stop when Carson is trying to sleep. Walter still barks at my grandma and he's been around her multiple times. Right now the only person Walter is OK with being at the house is my mom. He just adores her. I think Andrew and I kind of decided that she would be the primary sitter until Carson is about 6-9 months old anyway. So I guess I don't have to worry too much about Walter yet. 

I'm going to meet with my doula again soon and bombard her with all sorts of questions and "what ifs" because that's what I do. Haha. I'm sure she's used to it. I am also hoping to get Carson's dresser/changing table combo this month too. I found one on Amazon that I LOVE. It's on my registry but if I can save up enough out of the budget to get it I will be very happy. It's super cute and it's white so it matches the room! 

Ok, I think I've babbled enough now. Have a happy weekend everyone! 

Conflicting Goals

I listen to the Dave Ramsey podcast everyday on my way to and from work. Sometimes on my lunch break. It is no big secret that Andrew and I are fans of Dave Ramsey. We have been following (somewhat) his plan since before we got married. I started to really get into Dave's show/classes around Spring of 2011. Since then, Andrew and I have paid off quite a lot of stuff and started to watch our money better. However, there are some months where we are more focused than others. In July I told Andrew that I had, in all seriousness, finally had enough. We were only "kind of" following the plan and were getting nowhere. We've always had our emergency fund and we always pay cash for expensive things (like our washer and dryer) but our monthly expenses just seemed to be all over the place.

On Dave's show (Thursday's podcast) he was answering a question for a woman that had asked when should they send her husband back to school. Dave of course asked "Are you completely debt free and can you cash flow college?" to which the woman replied no. Dave then told her that no, he would not recommend that the man go back to school until all debt was gone and they could pay for college with cash. He then got off on a little speech about conflicting goals and how that sets us back from the things we want to accomplish. We are (for the most part) ambitious by nature and want to do it all! Problem is, we can't. We need to be all in for one big goal at a time and then move on to the next. That totally hit home for me. I have two college degrees but together they do not make a Bachelor's because they are completely unrelated fields of study. It frustrates me that I have gone to school for so long and do not have a 4 year degree to show for it. I have ambition to finish school but I also have the ambition to get completely out of debt (all school loans *hurk*). I cannot continue to keep going to school while trying to get out of debt. Financially for Andrew and I it just doesn't work. I cannot pay for my existing loans AND pay for school in cash and I need to pull back.

I finally came to the realization this morning that school can only happen when we have the funds to cash flow it. That day might not come until I'm 35 or 40. (I have a lot of school loans people....) I need to be OK with that and I think I finally am. I'm not any less of a person because I haven't finished my Bachelor's degree. I am still a very smart and talented person who does well at any job I have ever had. I adapt well to change and I learn very quickly. That isn't something college has taught me - that's just who I am. I have learned more from being in the workforce than I have ever learned in a classroom. Yes, class has taught me some stuff that has come in handy, but life experiences have been so much more valuable. So, I will finish school when the time is right for me and my family. Right now is not that time.

I let go of control of the checkbook last month as well. The entire month of August has been in Andrew's hands and things have been going VERY well. Andrew is more disciplined than I am and I need someone to keep me more accountable. I am not ashamed to admit that. I'm a spender. I always have been. We now talk about all purchases, we make our budget, and we revisit it throughout the month if things need to change. We are having one of the best months financially that we have had in a long time because we are both completely focused on it and talking more. It's amazing how easy it has been this month. We are both so much happier now.

I know some people don't like Dave Ramsey. If you don't, that's fine. I'm not here to push him down your throat or anything. If you never looked into his books or program, I would highly recommend it though. The man is successful for a reason. Andrew and I bought the home version of Financial Peace University last year and we love it. I plan on buying the Junior version for Carson when he is old enough. I don't want Carson to follow in my financial footsteps. He's going to enjoy life without ever worrying about money.

Week 26!

Happy Friday, y'all! Even though it was only a 4 day work week for me, it was still a rough week since I had to do the damn 3 hour glucose test on Monday. Thankfully, I passed all three blood draws so no GD for me! I'm healthy and so is Carson!

26 Weeks: 14 to Go!
That's super crazy to think about. Andrew and I are getting stuff ready as we can. We budget a little every month to get certain things for Carson. Mom, dad, grandma, and Seth all sold stuff at a garage sale last weekend and very graciously gave me all of the money from it so that Andrew and I could buy a crib, mattress, and mobile! I also bought paint last weekend and mom and grandma painted the nursery on Monday. I love the color! I will have pictures soon, I promise. I'll do some nursery projects. Right now it is just a gray/blue room with big boxes in it. Not too exciting yet but it will get there soon.
The room has all white trim and a white ceiling fan already so I am doing white furniture. Andrew's grandmother graciously offered us a white rocker that she has and I am really excited about getting that. I'm glad that she has some white stuff to pass down to us! Plus, she says it is fairly small so it'll work perfect in our tiny house.
To date, I have only gained 4 pounds during this pregnancy. I'm a rockstar. LOL. Obviously being a bigger gal to start with I wanted to make sure I didn't gain a lot. So far both my doctor and I are super pleased with my progress.

The cats keep photobombing us!

Just me.... and Rhea.... eating...

Feeling: Ok-ish. As I have said before, I'm having a rough go at pregnancy and that is fine. There are some women, like me, who are nauseous and tired throughout pregnancy and I've just learned to deal with it as symptoms happen. If I need 12 hours of sleep, then I get 12 hours of sleep. If I need nausea medication, then I take it.  If I have plans and need to cancel, I stay home. I have no guilt doing the things I need to in order to stay happy and healthy for this child. I'm also feeling big... and that is only going to get worse. The lower back pain, hip pain, and hand/feet swelling has started. Although, part of the swelling is probably due to the fact that the weather right now is horrid, humid, and HOT.

Cravings: Still milk. Lots and lots of milk. Awhile back I was obsessed with Lauren's blog about all things oatmeal and my go-to favorite breakfast right now has been muesli. Basically it is dried oats with anything and everything you want to put in it. This is what I had this morning:

1/2 c. dried oats, granola, banana, and a nut mixture with peanuts, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, and raisins. I pour milk over that and eat it like a cereal. It is amazing and full of a great nutritional kick for the day. 

Baby Movements: FINALLY. The doctor said it was probably hard for me to feel much before now because my placenta implanted on the front wall of my uterus. So, the baby was kicking that. Well, now that Carson is bigger and bones are getting stronger I definitely feel him more. In fact, he loves breakfast. When I eat in the mornings he moves around. He's kind of quiet throughout the afternoon but then gets really active again at night. I did a bad thing and ate sugar before bed last night and holy crap. The kid was doing acrobatic routines until midnight or so. I could have slept, but it is hard to sleep when something that amazing is taking place inside of you. I had to stay awake and feel it all. 

___________________________________________________________

Other Things:
Still in love with my Planetbox. I haven't eaten out for lunch since I bought this thing. It has, in fact, paid for itself in full and more. Here is today's lunch and snacks:

The skittles make it that much more exciting and colorful. 

I have a cucumber sushi roll, grapes, my dipper has spicy cashews in it, there is some baby swiss and ham, skittles, and a nice fresh peach. I love being excited about my packed lunch. Makes saving money that much easier. Last night peaches were on sale at Hy Vee for $0.88/lb. That's cheap! I got 6 of them. They are delicious too. 

Not much else is going on. I'm now dealing with spiders around the house and that is driving me NUTS. Thankfully they are all outdoors.... but when it gets cold you know they'll want to come in. So, I had an exterminator out but recently went and bought my own poison and Andrew and I sprayed the entire foundation of the house and around all of the windows. We also did the garage. I will probably have him spray one more time before long just to make sure we got it all. That home defense stuff is amazing. I've seen tons of dead bug bodies outside the house and it makes me happy. Also, my cat Rhea LOVES to hunt and eat bugs. I have extra defense inside my house thanks to her. 

Hate bugs? Get a cat. Seriously. They'll eat them right up. 

Only 16 Weeks Left?!

This morning I sent my best friend, Sydney, a text telling her that I was going to stop trying to feel good during this pregnancy because it isn't going to happen. Ever.

I've puked twice this week. On Monday after my glucose test and this morning just... because? I was walking to the bathroom to get ready and the urge to dry heave was overwhelming. Sure enough, I bent over the toilet and had a wonderful experience of puking up the NOTHING in my stomach.

I know what you're all going to say "Eat something before you get out of bed." "Eat something when you get up to pee at 3am" "Eat something high in protein before bed." Been there. Done that. NOTHING helps. I am just one of those people that is going to be pukey and sick throughout this entire process. Not to mention incredibly depressed right now; but we'll get to that in a minute.

Pregnancy Updates:
Here is week 24's picture:

Andrew was "reading" and Hobbs felt like having his dinner.

I'm officially 6 months and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that there is a person growing in my stomach. It seem so......... impossible? What crazy things our bodies do.

Feeling: Depressed and sickly. I don't know if I'm feeling the depression because of how gross I feel or if my hormones are just completely out of whack right now. More so than usual. I cry ALL OF THE TIME. My poor husband is afraid to even look at me in fear of me shattering into pieces. I also don't want to ever do anything. I don't want to see people, I don't want to get out of bed, I don't want to get ready for the day, I just want to lay around in my bed. I am still on my Zoloft and I'm not having any thoughts of hurting myself or the baby.... I'm just in a severe funk.

Craving: Still ice cream, in any form. Breads, cheeses, and trail mixes are also my best friend because I can pack them in my Planetbox and snack on them very easily throughout the day. Oh, and milk. I still can't get enough milk and drink a gallon a week.... sometimes more.

Other Things: We bought a stroller, car seat, carrier combo from Target at a steal of a price. Mom and dad are going to be buying baby's crib so I am going to pick out paint this month and get that project started. Andrew and I have also started to budget for nursery decorations so that we can buy a few things a month in preparation. I don't want to do anything crazy or expensive, I just have some cute little ideas. The most money we will spend is on furniture.
__________________________________________________________
So, I am finally having the "things I hate about my house" thoughts. I wondered when that would start. First of all, we live in a slab house, we have bugs. Lots and lots of bugs. I've had pest control but I seriously think they could come out every other week and spray and we would still have bugs.
I hate our windows. They're old. I knew they would need to be replaced when we bought the house but now they are just pissing me off something fierce. I'm having someone come out and give us a quote (that's 9 windows we have to replace) and I am planning on doing that with our tax refund money. Yay?
Our electrical situation sucks. The inspector told us it was safe and nothing bad was going on, but it would probably need to be updated. Well, every time we run our microwave we blow a fuse.... or whatever. I have to go to the breaker box and reset that all of the time. I almost avoid using our fancy pants microwave because it irritates me so bad. So, now I need an electrician.
My backyard has a mushroom infestation. Ick.

There are so many perks to living in a house versus an apartment but right now...... I'm missing the ease of the apartment and our maintenance staff. Ha!

Week 22 & Other Things

I have been completely ignoring my blog. I am so sorry blog. Life has been one crazy thing after another and my two summer classes have almost killed me. However, those are done now and I have a few weeks before the fall semester starts. Yay?
________________________________________________________

Pregnancy Things:
Well, I'm working on 23 weeks but only took a photo at Week 21.

I got those tank tops from Old Navy and I wish I would have picked them up in every color. I LOVE them.... and can wear them after baby.

Feeling: Fat. Ha! That's no joke though. Sometimes I lay in bed and just rub my belly and go "Holy crap.... my stomach is HUGE." And it is only going to get worse.... I still have random nausea and find myself getting really tired after certain household chores but this is the best I've felt during pregnancy and I will take it. And I know I feel fat but guess what? I still haven't gained any weight. I've gained a half a pound. That's it. Baby can continue to keep using up my current fat stores to feed himself. Ha! 

Cravings: Vanilla ice cream with Hershey's syrup. Still. I could eat that all of the time. Fresh garden vegetables (that was my dinner last night), and Chinese food. I think Chinese is happening because of the sodium. That and it is freaking delicious. I have also been wanting a lot of tea lately. Thankfully I did buy decaf so when I make my iced tea I do a mixture of mostly decaf with a couple bags of regular. OH! I've also been craving sushi. I miss my favorites but I am still content with just veggie rolls and California rolls with the imitation crab. 

Other Things: We picked a name for baby! His name will be Carson Michael Cowan. We had a really hard time deciding. I was attached to some girl names but nothing in the boy department jumped out at me. Then, Andrew's aunt gave him an award that his grandfather had gotten and it had his full name printed on it: Coley Carson Cowan. I was sold. I loved how Carson Cowan sounded. No, I am not one of those weird people that wanted a C.C. name. I just loved it. Plus, Andrew loved his late grandfather SO MUCH. I knew it would be a great way to celebrate the memory of his grandfather and make Andrew happy. Michael is my daddy's middle name and I have always love the name Michael so that was a no-brainer. Naming baby C was becoming such an ordeal to me just because I never thought I would find something I liked, but now it is like a HUGE weight off my shoulders. Carson, we cannot WAIT to meet you! 

____________________________________________________________

My Newest Obsession:

Planetbox. I love my Planetbox. It is entirely Valerie's fault that I bought one of these and am now in love. Thank you, Val!!! 

So, once you check out the website and see what they are you can see what I love it so much. I know people scoff at the price but seriously? That thing has already paid for itself for me. I hate packing lunches and snacks and would find myself going out to eat quite a bit. I haven't been out for lunch since I bought this thing. Therefore, it has paid for itself in full. Plus, I think the damn thing is indestructible (and dishwasher safe!). When little Carson is old enough to start taking lunches to school I will be buying another one of these. (I know that's a long way off, but I'm a planner.) I bought the Rover box, an Aqua colored bag, an ice sleeve, and got the paisley magnets. 

Anyway, here are some of the lunches I have come up with so far:

I have been making my own sushi at home. YUM.

Garbanzo bean salad, crackers, cooked pepperoni, cheese, strawberries and 2 candies

Bell Peppers, cucumbers, ranch dressing for dipping, penguin PB&J (don't be jealous), trail mix, cheese and candies

Garbanzo bean salad, cucumbers, cheese & crackers, trail mix, chocolate chips

Sushi, soy sauce, cheese, trail mix, grapefruit, candies

Penguin PB&J, cheese & cooked pepperoni, crackers, trail mix, candies

It is 100% the perfect amount of food for a lunch and snacks. Half of the time I don't even finish what I pack. I have also been eating healthier since I bought this thing. What I am most excited about is how much this will help me after baby is born and I get back on WeightWatchers. Meals will be so much easier to plan now. 

Making sushi at home has been quite the adventure for me. The rice is a PAIN IN THE ASS. That is the hardest part of the whole process. Once you get the rice perfected making the rolls really isn't that bad. Even making an "inside out roll" wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Again, it is just the process of cooking and cooling the rice. I found everything I needed to make the sushi at Hy Vee. Thanks, Hy Vee! 

___________________________________________________________

Ok, nothing else to really report on. I've been at home the past two days sick with a nasty head cold that started in my throat. I am back to work today but still insanely congested and I find I can't hear very well because of that congestion. I will be happy when I feel better. Being sick and pregnant is NOT a good time. 

It’s A Boy!

Well, our big news from yesterday is that Andrew and I are having a little boy! I'll be completely honest and say that I'm happy, but also a little sad. I was, in fact, hoping for a girl to start off our family. Baby boy is incredibly healthy though and I couldn't ask for anything more. According to the sonogram yesterday he weighs 13oz and is right on track. All of his organs look good, they are working properly, and he still has a nice steady heartbeat! The only two pictures they couldn't get during this visit were his spine and the four chambers of his heart so in another four weeks I get another sonogram! I consider myself lucky that peanut didn't cooperate because I'll get more pictures of him. Little stinker was making it difficult to even get the gender because he kept moving around and his legs were crossed almost the entire time. Already a stubborn brat…. Just like his daddy. (Love you, Andrew)

 Other Pregnancy Things:
I'm officially half-baked at 20 weeks and working into week 21. I haven't been taking a ton of belly pictures because we forget about it; but I made sure to get one at 20 weeks before we headed out to the Mall of America!

Craving: It is really sporadic anymore. I get a craving at the last minute for something and try to recreate it at home the best I can with what I have. That is kind of hard to do when you haven't been grocery shopping in two weeks though. I still eat a lot of pickles, a lot of cheese, and I am still on an ice cream with Hershey's syrup kick. I'll be interested to see what kind of foods I want for the rest of this pregnancy. Luckily I have been able to throw in a lot more healthy options (fruits & veggies) without feeling as shitty afterwards. I just have to make sure I do it in moderation and eat something with carbs along with it. I would love to just sit and eat a salad, but I have to have some kind of roll or crackers with it or else I will feel like garbage the rest of the day.

Feeling: Still nauseous. That should've been my first inclination that I was having a boy. I haven't felt good at all during this pregnancy and my mom was the same way with Andy. I still take my nausea pills and do the best I can. Days that I feel really sickly though suck. I usually just want to stay in bed and curse my body for sucking so much; but I don't. I'm lucky to have a healthy baby inside of me….. regardless of how sick he makes me feel. I haven't really felt him much yet. I have felt a few flutters here and there but I really have to be paying attention in order to feel those. It'll be exciting once Andrew can start to feel him move around.

Other Things: I bought our very first baby item at the Mall of America during our vacation!

So precious! Since I am a Cheesehead by birth it is a given that my child will also be raised a Packers fan. Of course, when he gets older if he chooses another team that's perfectly OK; it is just as a small child I will mold him into a mini Packers fan and he'll love it! Darn it.
Also, now that we know the gender I can really start nursery planning. Again, I had some really cute girl ideas in my head and have to swap that over to boy. I think I know what I want to do. I'll just have to see if I can make it work!






Our Vacation:
We had a fantastic time! We started our trip on Wednesday and headed to Monona, WI to see my cousin Amber. She was a wonderful hostess and it was great seeing her and meeting her sweet little bunny Bunsen. She took us to some amazing places to eat and we got to visit a small little farmer's market where I, obviously, purchased some fresh Wisconsin cheese curds. So.Good.
After a delicious breakfast with Amber on Thursday, we said our good-byes and packed up to head to Minneapolis because that was the day that we were going to see Rifftrax Live! Sharknado! I couldn't wait to go and see Kevin, Bill, and Mike in person. When we got to our hotel we rested for a bit, showered, and then headed downtown to get a bite to eat before the show. We found this little dive bar that had really great food and then started our walk to the theater.

Bill, Mike, and Kevin

Because of the lighting and my phone camera not knowing how to process this… my picture of the three dudes is not very clear. The show was AMAZING and absolutely hilarious. The guys were as funny as ever and being able to see them the whole time during the Riff was pretty cool. Bill and Kevin really like to dance to cheesy movie music!

After the show we headed back to the hotel and I passed out. It was a tiring day for this pregnant lady.
Friday was our Mall of America day. Andrew and I both had never been so it was really exciting. Luckily for us the hotel we stayed at offered free shuttle service so I definitely took advantage of that. We signed up for the 11:15am – 4:15pm trip. That mall is insane. I looked at Andrew afterwards and said "I don't know if I ever need to go there again." Haha. In fact, I don't think Andrew ever wants to go to any mall ever again! We got to shop in some really neat stores and I got to go to Sigma Beauty which was a real treat for me. (I LOVE SIGMA BRUSHES!) We also got to eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. The food was fantastic, the wait-staff was hilarious, AND they quiz you on the movie. We got all questions right of course.
Once we got back to the hotel after our shopping spree, I once again passed out for about an hour. Andrew mentioned something about dinner around 7:00 and I said "Find something that delivers." We ended up having Chinese in the hotel room. Works for me!

Saturday was our not so fun morning because it was the longest stretch of our drive to head back home. We decided, kind of last minute, to go through Iowa and visit Valerie & Kris on our way home. The drive from Minneapolis to Davenport sucked. Now, I'm from Iowa, born and raised. I love Iowa and would live there again given the opportunity. However, the northern part of Iowa SUCKS TO DRIVE THROUGH. There is nothing up there. Stops are few and far between and when there is a gas station it is usually 5 miles off the interstate in a small town. I was very happy once we hit Waterloo/Cedar Falls area because civilization happened again. We stopped for lunch around 2:00 (finally) and then the rest of the drive to the Quad Cities wasn't bad at all. I have to say, thank God for audio books.

We got to Val's and had a nice dinner and spent time just talking and watching (or trying to watch) one of my Rifftrax Live movies I own. Their internet kept being wonky though and we gave up and went to bed.
We left Val's on Sunday around 1:00 and it was our last stretch of drive before finally being home. Boy were the cats happy to see us! Hobbs is still glued to us like we had been gone for years. Poor cat. He misses his daddy when we are gone.

It truly was a wonderful vacation and I am glad we got the chance to have a nice trip, just the two of us, before baby boy gets here. We have one more trip to make this fall, my cousin's wedding, down in Memphis. I'll be about 28 weeks pregnant for that trip. Should be interesting!

Long blog post today, kiddos. I hope you enjoyed reading my novel!

When Did July Happen?

Seriously. I swear I woke up and it was July already. Time flies when you're busy as shit and work doesn't slow down. Ha! Andrew and I leave for our "baby-moon" tomorrow and I am very excited to have 5 glorious days off of work. We head to Wisconsin tomorrow to stay with my cousin, Amber. Then on Thursday we head to Minneapolis to see Rifftrax Live! Sharknado. I am so excited that I FINALLY get to see a Rifftrax Live event. We are going to hang out in Minneapolis/Bloomington and go to the Mall of America because neither of us has ever been! On Saturday we are heading to Davenport and will stay with Valerie and then finally head back home on Sunday. We are going to have a nice little tour of the upper Midwest. I'm hoping my nausea doesn't ruin my trip and when we aren't out and about I plan on napping and doing as little as possible.

 
Pregnancy Things: 19 Weeks

Andrew didn't get to be in this one because I took it here at work. Haha. I haven't been taking pictures because I always forget and then I wake up on a Friday and go "Wow! It's a new week already, I should take a picture." And then I don't. I will hopefully take one on Friday at the hotel for 20 weeks. That is the halfway point after all.
Feeling: Still nauseous every day. I am so thankful for the pills my OB gave me or else I don't know how I would function. I haven't thrown up since week 10 or so… but I do dry heave in the mornings sometimes and it isn't fun. I'll be one of those women that puke during labor. Just you wait. I have my moments where I have super bursts of energy but for the most part I am still very tired; especially after a long, busy day at work. I had to be here at 7:00 this morning and I guarantee by 1:00 I'll be ready to leave and go take a nap.
Cravings: One week I only wanted Arby's roast beef sandwiches. Another week I only wanted ice cream with chocolate syrup. This last week I've wanted meat. Mostly beef. It is so funny to me that every week I want something different. It is so hard to grocery shop when my body wants different things all of the time. Oh, and I'm still on a pickle kick. EAT ALL THE PICKLES. I make Andrew laugh on a daily basis when I randomly say "I need pickles" at 9:00 at night. The other night I cooked a thing of Mac'n'Cheese at 10:00. Almost ate the entire box. Andrew helped.
Other Things: We find out the gender of Baby C on Monday morning!! Right away at 8:30. I am so excited. To this day I still have no inclination one way or another of what this baby is and I am so excited to find out so that I can start making a registry and start planning my nursery! I have a feeling I'll still paint the nursery the same color for either a boy or a girl; I just want to pick out my accent colors and some kind of a theme (if any)!

 
That's really all I have to update, folks. I know I've been MIA for a while… but between school, work, and a new house I find it hard to sit down and take a moment to type. I do miss my blog though and hopefully will be able to post more regularly soon.

Things I Hated When Working Fast Food

For those of you that don't know, I worked at Wendy's for three years of my life. From the ages of 16-19. I started as a sandwich maker and by the time I left I was a Shift Supervisor; because I'm amazing. I digress, while I was at McDonald's today getting some much needed ice cream on my lunch break I noticed both the car in front of me and the truck behind me were two customers that would have made me angry if I was the one working the drive thru. I decided I wanted to make a list, for those of you that have never worked fast food before, of the things to NOT do when ordering from a drive thru.

1. Your big, loud, annoying truck sucks. As soon as you hit the speaker box and we hit our headset to talk to you it is agony. Half of the time we can't even hear your order over your obnoxious vehicle. Therefore, if you have a tiny penis complex and need that big truck to show how big of a man you are, get out of your damn truck and go inside and order to-go.
   
2. If your window does not roll down, please come inside. Nothing is more annoying that you opening and closing your door at every window and the awkwardness that not only occurs for us, but for you as well as we try to hand you shit and take your money.
   
3. Know what restaurant you're at. Seriously. Are you doing that to piss us off? "I want chicken McNuggets." Great! Go to McDonalds. "I want a filet-o-fish." Again, go to McDonald's. "Can I have a whopper?" Now you're just being ridiculous. (All these happened to me)
   
4. Have SOME inclination of what you want to order. If you don't, you need to get your lazy ass out of your car and come inside to stare at the menu. The minute you hit that speaker box a timer goes off on our end. We don't like to say "May I take your order please?" and have you go "Uhhh…. Hold on ok?" and then not order for 2 fucking minutes. You irritate us AND the cars behind you that have their money ready and they haven't even ordered yet.
   
5. Do not pay with change in a drive thru unless your order is under $2.00. You want to pay for a $10 order in change? Come inside.
   
6. After we have exchanged money for food and you have checked your order, please drive away. Don't adjust your hair, check your phone, put on make-up, or just sit there forever before driving off. Again, you're still on a timer AND you're annoying everyone behind you.
   
7. Make sure you have enough money for what you want. I cannot tell you the amount of times people would order, find out the total and go "oh, I don't have that much. Sorry." And drive off. Our sandwich maker had already started making your sandwiches and now has to throw that away and now the register has to void out that order which not a lot of cashiers can do without a manager.
   
8. Don't be a dick. This goes for anyone eating everywhere, not just fast food. We are human, we make mistakes. We get busy and the wrong sandwich gets grabbed. We sincerely apologize because we wouldn't want it to happen to us either – but don't.be.a.dick. Come in, state that you got the wrong thing and we will make you something new and fresh. Or, call and say "I just came in and my order was wrong." We will take your name and the next time you come eat we will give you your next meal/food item free.
   

I am sure there are more; but those are the ones that always made me the angriest. A drive thru is supposed to be convenient – but there are many times when people don't make it convenient to everyone else. If you don't agree with any of these, you've obviously never worked at a restaurant and you can just keep your mouth shut.

Getting Close to the Halfway Point

I'm about 18 weeks along now! I haven't blogged in a while and that is because life has been crazy. CRAZY. With our move, the air not working in 90º weather (thank GOD for home warranties), our washer and dryer not being installed properly and the stresses of moving in general…. We've been busy. Everything seems to be at the calming down point though and we are very happy with the house. I've even planted my small garden. In fact, I did that the third day we were there. I planted tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, edamame, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cucumbers, and carrots. Oh! I even have a nice strawberry patch going. Very excited about those. I have never had a garden in my life. I have only ever had potted herbs. Mom always had a garden and I would steal her produce. Now, I will have my own AND I'll be able to steal stuff from her. Muahahaha.

Pregnancy Stuff:

Haven't taken a belly picture in a couple of weeks due to the craziness. I feel super pregnant and I know that it isn't going to get any better or easier. My stomach already gets in the way…. It's getting hard to give myself pedicures….

Cravings: Arby's roast beef sandwiches, vanilla ice cream with Hershey's chocolate syrup, milk, milk, and more milk. I go through so much milk right now. I'm happy about that though because I know it is good for me and baby C.

Feeling: HOT. Always hot. It is very rare when I am cold from too much air conditioning. Still nauseous in the mornings. I sometimes have to stop moving because the urge to throw up is so damn strong; even when I try to eat crackers or something. I am very thankful for Zofran.

Looking forward to: Finding out the gender! We go on July 14^th! I honestly don't care one way or another. Andrew swears it is a boy though and since he is so excited about the idea of having a boy I would be happy to see him be right. I also haven't had any "feelings" about what it is. I know a lot of pregnant women are like "Oh, I knew it was a girl." Or "I felt it was a boy." Not me. I'm clueless. I'm also looking forward to feeling baby move for the first time. I know it can be around the next few weeks that I feel it and I'm sure it's happened I just didn't realize it but I do lay down at night and I'm real still and try to focus (not too hard) on that area to see if I feel anything and nothing just yet.

Other things: Andrew and I hired a doula. My wonderful friend from high school. I am so happy to have her and her support/advice for this pregnancy and she has already given Andrew and me lots of good ideas and plenty to think about! I'm very happy with this decision and Andrew was on board once he met with her and really understood what a doula does. He was skeptical at first. Haha.

Once we find out the gender I'll probably get more into baby planning mode and can make a registry. I'm ready to pick out paint for the nursery and decide on a fun color scheme! That room right now is very empty so it will be interesting to see it fill up with baby stuff.

Andrew and I are still on track with having my mom watch baby full time after I go back to work. I'm hoping Hy Vee will let her have night shifts so that she won't be too stretched for time. So far they have been very understanding with her schedule! Of course, there will be days where she cannot be there and I have an understanding enough employer that baby can either come here, I can stay home, or we can ask Andrew's family. There will never be a shortage of sitters!

The one thing I am stressing about right now is the Holidays. Since I'm having baby (or should be) right around Thanksgiving I am fairly certain that I will be doing NO traveling for Christmas or Thanksgiving. Obviously Thanksgiving is a no-no because I could go into labor at any minute… if I carry that long…. Or, I'll carry into December, have the baby, and not want to stress about carting a newborn all over town for Christmas. All I can say is that if people don't like it, too damn bad. I'm a new mom and will do what I think is right for me and baby. I love how overly protective I already am and this kid isn't even here yet. Ha!

Besides, this will be baby's first Christmas and that is so special for Andrew and me. I want to have a quiet Christmas Eve & Christmas morning at home with my little family. That's not too much to ask now is it?

Hmmm….pregnancy things are swarming my brain and I suppose that's normal, huh?

♥15 Weeks♥

♥15 Weeks and Counting♥

This week the hubs is eating a cookie....... 

Officially 15 weeks today!

Happenings: We meet with a doula tomorrow! I am so excited. The wonderful gal we are meeting with was a friend of mine in High School. With as scared as my husband is going to be during this whole thing I think a doula is a good choice for us. I'm excited to meet with her and have someone to guide me through the process in addition to my doctor. My doctor is completely cool with me having a doula as well!

*side note We can't close on our house on Monday. It has been pushed back to Thursday. I'm not a happy camper.... but I'm glad it's not being pushed back too far. I still have my movers scheduled for Friday. 

Feeling: Still ridiculously nauseous in the morning and at night. Today I had to eat some crackers before getting out of bed and I was still sure I would get sick in the shower. That seems to be my favorite place to puke these days..... however, I didn't get sick and I attribute that to the wonderful nausea medication I have. Thanks, doc! I'm not AS tired as I was before but I still get my moments where I fall asleep on the couch without meaning to. Work has been absolutely crazy busy and I know that doesn't help. 

Weight: Still haven't gained a pound. Score! Clothes continue to get tighter but the scale hasn't budged. It might be broken.... even so, I'm happy. Hahaha. 

Cravings: Ice cold lemon water. All day. Still craving tomatoes... salsa, tomato juice, fresh tomatoes eaten like an apple...... I have also been obsessed with cereal and Wendy's. Do not ask me why I crave Wendy's.... mostly I want a vanilla frosty but lately I've had a hankerin' for plain doublestacks and fries. Not healthy at ALL but it always sounds SO GOOD. I always eat breakfast, lunch, and usually one small snack during the day and by the time I get home at night dinner ends up being a plain hamburger, no bun..... and that's it. I don't eat at night.... I'm never really hungry and I never know what I want. 

Other than that things are going ok. My next OB appointment is on June 18. I think it is just a check up to see how I am but there won't be any kind of sonogram. Not until July when we do the gender scan!!