Can you tell I'm on bedrest??

hee hee - well - modified bedrest.

To all of you who have emailed me concerned - don't worry! I have enough BP meds to get me through - and hopefully that annoying pharmacy will have everything worked out with my insurance by tomorrow. If not - I'll bug my doc.

The Zantac was going to run $54 so we said - No thanks. I just bought the generic formula OTC. Hopefully that will get resolved as well - but I only have two more months of GERD to deal with. The situation resolved itself both other times after delivery.

I am indeed doing ok. ;) So don't worry. I don't think this little girl is going anywhere, anytime soon.

And she better not - since she doesn't have a name yet!

Any ideas for names?? (no last name please)

B is for Butt

Anna is SOOO my daughter. She has a terrible diaper rash (which I do not!) so instead of torturing her with another round of wiping her but with alcohol soaked wipes (even rinsed out) or washcloths... we put he rin the bath - and sprayed her clean with the hose thingy. Then after she was cleaned up - we put her in a bath with some COllOIDAL oatmeal bath stuff. She screamed like hell as the water touched her butt so I got in with her. Sometimes you just need your momma to hold ya. As soon as I got in - she finally sat down into the water and her little body just collapsed against me.

After a couple minutes of recouping from the pain and screaming - she began her normal "I'm precious" routine in the bath. Part of which consists of screaming at whichever parent is not present in the room, at the top of her lungs. A sample "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaDDDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYYY?" Wait for response "I YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" also at the top of said lungs.

THen she moved on to the second phase which involves the foam letters we have in the tub.

Mom "what is this anna?"
Anna: "A"
Mom "what sound does A make"
Anna: "AHHHHHHHH"
Mom: "What is this letter?"
Anna: "B"
mom: 'what sound does B make"
anna: "buh"
Mom: "what starts with B"
anna: "BUTT"

Gotta love it! She's soo cute!

2 more words I HATE

Ok - here are two more words I hate....

* Schmear

* Colloidal


ICK

Make the burning stop.... PLEASE

Ok I need sumthin splained to me - why when you lose your job is everything MORE expensive - not LESS expensive?

Yes - I'm back on an insurance rant. We've been spoiled, very, very spoiled. We haven't paid a health insurance premium in 4 years. That was kind of the old companies trick into looking like a "family friendly" company. Appearances ONLY. Trust me.

So- now that there is no job - we've cut back on lots of our expenses but our monthly budget is MORE than it was before the big shit can.

Don't you think that for $1200 a month our insurance would include prescriptions? We're having to call 4 different people to get an answer to this question. The pharmacy congolmerate thats on EVERY corner, our insurance company, the insurance management company and yes - the insurance intermediary of COBRA. Everyone says it's everyone else's problem.

The annoying pharmacy on every corner says that our insurance says we have to pay for the scripts outright and then submit them to the insurance company. The insurance company says we can't talk to them. The management company says they will talk with the insurance company but that it should be the same insurance we had before.

In the meantime - my heartburn is killing me. I usually have a tums or maalox each day - part for calcium part for relief. Today - it's 1pm and I've had 10! We're four days into trying to get this prescription and it's NOT fun. I can't lay down, I certainly CAN'T bend over... ouch. I'm miserable. I've had reflux with all three pregnancies and prescription meds are what have saved me.

So - I sit here - waiting for the phone to ring so that crazy pharmacy can tell me to pick up my stuff.

Edited: OK it says on the bottle - no more than 8 in 24 hours... DAMN what will I do?????

32 weeks!

WHOO HOO

Since I started using sitemeter the end of November - I've had over 1,000 visits to my little site here. Isn't that the coolest!????

Now - my visits, and the visits of my parents probably make up over 1/2 of them - but that's still 500 visits in 2 months!

Referrals..

Scary stuff man. Sometimes they bring laughter - but most of the time they creep me out and want to make me go off and create that ultra secretive - "you don't know who I am" kind of blog.

here are some search topics people found this blog by:

- hot preggos (wow, they were sooo off base, unless of course they meant hot in the sense of overheated fat women preggo)
- chunky green discharge
- got her haircut
- Miss Hannigan - little girls
- snow crab + pregnancy
- Zach was killed by...

Gotta love it...

Celeb Fit Club/ Biggest Loser

I have to admit that I'm a fan of both of these shows. Although - man - I think that most of the celebs are tiring and annoying and whiny. Which I appreciate in myself - but in celebs who ask to go on these shows??? TOO FREAKING BAD!

The BL people can be annoying too - like crying Matt from last season, but seriously - those people work SO hard and work their asses off. They lose weight like crazy people. I also think it's cute that Crying Matt and Sugar Sweet chick from last season are a couple now. A couple of skinny people. :) I did think though that Suzy QT and Trainer Bob had something going on...

CFC is actually much more realistic in the world of weight loss (2-3 lbs a week VS BL's 5-15 lbs a week) - but BL is just so more inspiring and motivating.

So - CFC

Ant - he's just so cute. and funny. I just can't stand it when he has to throw out those canned little diatribes "we here at CFC are sorry to hear of your loss and we want you to know that we're here for you in any way we can, now get up on that scale"

Bizarre - yep - he is.

Young MC - "bust a move" he's just precious.

Gunnar nelson - ok - he's soooo much cuter without that scary long blond hair - and his brother (although I always liked matthew best). He still has those chiseled girly cheekbones though.

Bruce Vilanche - he's a funny guy - but I'm not sure he could be uglier. I think without the glasses and scary hair he might be LESS scary looking. He has a great attitude though.

Chastity Bono - I dig her. She's honest and working hard.. but man lose some weight already ;)

Countess - I don't know what to say about her... I guess just "we're sorry for your recent troubles, we wish you the best of luck" hee hee

Kelly - Yeah - she was hot... I LOVED weird science... my brother and I still quote the asshole brother (bill paxton) on a regular basis. As for her now, as a big old fat assed woman, I do get tired of hearing about how hard life is as a sex symbol. Then don't dress like a tramp and parade out like a sex symbol. I see plenty of hot women around me that manage a certain level of respectability and I don't hear them whining about being too hot - all that often.

I am saving my least favorite for last - Tempesst.... Damn - that girl is annoying. I'm proud of her for her "I'm me and that's all I'll ever be tude" but seriously - don't come on a show like CFC looking to spew that. She's whiny, priveleged, spoiled and did I mention annoying? She's just like whiny Vanessa on Cosby show. WAHHHH!

SPF - Shake it off...

So - it's Friday (soon!) - we know that means it's time for

This week Kristine wants to see:

Your Toys
Your Secret
Your Eyes

So - here we go!!

MY TOYS

This is my childhood dollhouse. A very good family friend of our made this for me as a child, it was one of my best Christmas presents ever. Dan andI tried to do some remodeling - put some new paper inside. We bought the girls beautiful furniture to replace the late 70s, early 80s vibe the previous furniture had. Now - I'm not above my girls playing with "retro" furniture - but I loved it so muchI didn't want it to get ruined. If you notice - almost NO furniture is IN the house.

MY SECRET

I've admitted before that I'm a slob, that's hardly a secret. I'm not ashamed of it - but I would LOVE to be able to put this label behind me and join the ranks of the clean and organized. Baby steps... we are working on it - but baby steps. SO - This is one of my slobby secrets - we are stashers. in order to appear somewhat neat - we stash our shit. This is my armoire in my living room. Our bills, magazines and random crap ends up here....

MY EYES

please note - the almost non existant eye - lashes - and my equally non-existant eye brows. It's like I'm hairless! My eyes are grey/blue - but sometimes look green.

Did you play??? Don't forget to let Kristine know!

She's a biggun...

Yes - I'm referring to not only my fat ass - but the size of the baby in Ute.

I had an U/S today - and she's big with a big head.... GREAT - just what every mother about to push that thing out from her HOO HA - wants to hear.

She's weighing in about 4lb6oz - so she's in about 75% at this point. And - she has a big old noggin.

Even better - she's healthy and looks good!

SO - for those of you who enjoy banging your head against a wall (that's how Dan feels about trying to figure out these pictures) - I present to you the ultrasound pictures...

This one is of DoughKid yet un-named's face - the top of her head is to the left - and she is looking at you. Scary alien thing - huh??

This bottom one here is of the bottom of her foot. Isn't it the cutest foot you've ever seen - I mean equally as cute as the other two dough girls...

Some things I don't like about pregnancy...

- People use the following words TOO often
*Mucus
*Egg White
*Engorged
*Discharge
*PUSH
*Utero, Uterus, Ute

- Pee is no longer a single stream - but flows in many, many directions all at once
- Speaking of Pee - you have to do it ALL the time
- People want to touch your belly, and I do NOT have that cute little pregnant belly - I have a fat woman with a bigger belly - belly.

- People expect you to be able to do MATH - I'm supposed to time contractions... from beginning to end and from beginning to beginning - or is it end to beginning... and then I'm supposed to remember how long they've been doing that. Yeah right. And I'm supposed to figure out whether they are REAL contractions or just pretend (those fun BH ones), and a plan of attack to get them to stop.

Oh yeah - BRING ......... IT.............. ON

I've been tagged by Joanna...

Four jobs you have had in your life:

1. Nanny (you know - where I actually got PAID to feed kids, wipe dirty butts and deal with behavior issues)

2. Preschool Teacher (once again - getting paid to do the above (my room was the potty training room) BUT adding in lots of dealing with kids painting or gluing things)

3. Accounting stuff

4. Office manager of a jewelry store (and weirdly enough - dealt with many issues also noted in #1 and 2)

Four movies you would watch over and over:

1. Sense and Sensibility

2. Much Ado About Nothing

3. Clue

4. Say Anything

Four places you have lived:

1. Willingboro, NJ 2. Midland, MI 3. Tucson, AZ 4. Queen Creek, AZ

Four TV shows you love to watch:

1. Grey's Anatomy

2. Arrested Development

3. My Name is Earl

4. The Office

Four places you have been on vacation:

1. Maine

2. Disneyland

3. Coronado Island, CA

4. Las Vegas

Four websites I visit daily:

1. My playgroup

2. About a billion blogs (OCDNESS, Dad Gone Mad, Laid off Dad, Dooce, JT Snow - hell all the ones on the side)

3. Lately - careerbuilder, monster and all those fun job sites

4. B of A

Four of my favorite foods: (these are my faves THIS pregnancy)

1. ice cream

2. BBQ potato chips (which I don't care for normally and now only in small quantities)

3. Crab Angels - crab rangoon, or crab puffs from a Chinese food place

4. I did some pretty decent damage to my moms potato salad this weekend - but once again - usually only in small quanities

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. Maine - snuggled in a little cabin with feet upon feet of snow outside, sitting my the fire with the kids playing nicely together and Dan and I playing a board game or me getting to nap or read a good book. or magically make it summer and I'll still want to be in Maine

2. Italy

3. Sleeping

4. Disneyland or Disneyworld

Shop is closed up for the night

Things are still nice and closed up in the Hoo ha area... that's all well and good - but the turn of events that led me to the excitement of today has earned me a new spot in the "super cautious" classification. It was not even a week ago that I got the top secret medical waiver of avoiding all the high risk stuff I was originally scheduled for - but now it's all back on track. POOP

Mr. OB does not like that I had regular contractions at 6 minutes apart. Mr. OB does not like that I had blood.

So - Mr. OB when he's not happy - get's schedule happy apparently.

I will no longer be seen at that office - you know - the convenient one - since each appointment will now include either an ultrasound/non stress test or bio-physical profile.

Mr. OB was apparently so thrilled by my Hooha that he's making me come to his office 2 times a week for the rest of my pregnancy - and soon to be adding a third visit by seeing the perinatologist. YEAH me... it's over an hour to both of these offices.

Geez, for that NORMAL pregnancy it seems I'll be spending a lot of time with stuff in my Hooha, or attached to my belly.

As ungrateful and bitchy as I sound I am happy that Mr. OB has now become Mr. Cautious OB and so I don't have to worry about the health of this baby going forward. I also will get to see her 4-6 more times... nothing wrong with that.

Oh - did I mention I'm on modified bedrest??? yeah - the fun just never ends.

So - to sum up - Hooha - looking good, baby - sounding great, mommy - busy!

To know me is to love me...

Ok - I'm only going to apologize for this once... to those of you who know and love me in real life (especially you dear mom, dad, and my lovely in-laws), or those of you with delicate constitutions - if you don't want to hear about the intricate workings of my body - and "see" me using non-lady like verbiage - this might not be the best post for you to read... ok - you've been warned....

It's hard to fall asleep at night knowing the next morning that you will be having a relative stranger stick his hand IN your (let me think of a fun word to use here... in my real life I use grown up medical terms here - but for entertainment sake - perhaps I should throw in some pretty vernacular like 'clyde', 'hoo ha', 'cootch', 'cooter', 'toots or tootsie' (thanks Kirdy) - I could get vulgar - but I hate those other words....) HOO HA. Yes indeed... it's time for my first cervical check.

Apparently a bout of contractions, followed by chunky discharge, followed by spotting and a back ache could be an indication that stuff is moving around inside the HOO HA. So - like a good girl (and a day later) I called the doctor to let them know that these things were happening, so I'm being sent in for the big dipstick finger test.

I like to pretend that having this be the third time I've made it to 31 weeks that I have a small idea of what my body is doing... but we all know that's just not true. That said I don't think I'm having any cervical change - but in lieu of sticking my own hand up there to check - I'm going to defer to the professional.

There is something sort of bizarre about this process -

* check in
* sit and wait in a room with other women and assorted men
* get called back
* get weighed in
* go back to a little room absent of natural light
* sit down and share your fun story of cramping, bodily fluids in great detail with the nurse
* get your blood pressure taken
* be told to strip from the waist down
* get naked
* put the little paper napkin (think dentist napkin but 10 times larger) over your now exposed HOO HA
* wait in the cold room listen for the knock knock/open "are you ready"
* go through the entire story of cramping, bodily fluids again with the doctor AND the nurse (only the doctor if you have a female OB)
* get yelled at for waiting to call
* get asked to lay down and assume the position - this involves scootching your HOO HA to the end of the table and either placing your feet in some sexy stirrups - or you do the bended leg - relax thing
* be told that this might be cold
* have said OB stick his hand INTO said HOO HA
* talk about what he's feeling - talk about the pressure
* then it's over - Mr. OB does a quick wipe of the area to remove the 1/2 bottle of lube he just shoved up your HOO HA
* Mr. OB goes and takes off his glove - washes up
* Nurse helps you sit up so said lube shoots out the HOO HA
* They leave you alone to clean the damn mess up and get dressed
* Then Mr. OB comes back in to chat - as if he didn't just have his hand up your HOO HA

So --- if you need me - that's where I'll be. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm sure you'll be waiting with bated breath till I return!

While I'm talking about this baby....

Something that I've learned from being a repeat mom - is that there are certain needs a baby has - and certain things a baby just doesn't need - and even other things that are just an absolute waste of money. Now - this list of things is different for each baby and for different parents.

I for one - see no need for a bumper in a crib. I've never had kids bang their heads into the side of their crib enough to cause a problem - and when they are old enough to use their crib rails as self punishment - the bumper has to come out anyway because they can stand on them to get out.

A friend of mine was just asking what kinds of things we needed for Baby No-name. I of course said "nothing", since I nurse and we plan to cloth diaper for the first 6 months or so. Then she started asking about specifics and I had to laugh... didn't I JUST have a baby - 20 months ago??? How did I forget about all those other things? I do nurse, but I also pump - so as she pointed out - wouldn't I need some new storage bags or other nursing related items? I do cloth diaper - but do I need some new covers or liners - or do I need some disposables for outings? She kept asking and I kept laughing... how can a third time mom be so clueless/forgetful!

Then we've started going through some of our baby things making sure we still have what we think we have and that we haven't donated an intregal baby item or given it up to the garage sale Gods. Wow - certain items get a lot of wear after being used by two kids - over 5 years! Another lesson learned: changing pad after 4 years of diaper changing has no padding left. Oh yeah -the covers that cover that pad are also ready for replacement after 4 years of being pooped and peed on. Sadly - the list went on.

Then another friend of mine (HiAhnah!) is a child seat safety inspector person (I'm sure you "real" moms know what the real title is - but that's the best I can do) reminded us that Julia's infant car seat has expired (5 years from date of manufacture for those not in the know) so that brought up a whole new line of questioning for us.

Still - I'm impressed at how little we need - but surprised at what we do need.

Baby stuff is fun.

She likes me! She really likes me!

My friend Joanna has offered to throw me a baby shower! How cool is that! I'm not actually a big believer in the subsequent child showers since they seem a bit like begging for gifts.... so I didn't have one with Anna. This time around though, I'm just sooo tickled she would offer, and think it's great to celebrate this pregnancy. I think it's kind of fitting to have a shower for the beginning and the end.

So - I'm really excited. I'm having a baby shower. Something I never thought I'd have. A friend who has been such a great support - cheering on Dan - baking a million cookies for my cookie exhange - having the cutest little matched set of flower kids for my girls to play with... :) is having a party - FOR ME! Have I mentioned that NO ONE other than my parents, have had a party for me?

THANKS JOANNA!!!

Did you see that I had 6 people comment for de-lurking week????

OMG - I'm so flattered to know 6 people are reading. ;) Now - I'll let you in on a little secret - I know my parents read and some other random relatives, so I think it's about 10 - 12 people!

Can you believe it? 6 comments!

SPF - WAKE UP!

So - it's Friday. Sadly - my Way Back Wednesday was a flop as my access to older pictures is limited to what my fat pregnant ass can reach in the top of my closet... which is nothing. :)

New pictures... that I can do!

SO Kristine wants to see the following:

Your Lotions
Your Towels
Your Toothbrush

I'm here to tell you I have you covered...

LOTION: Who doesn't keep their lotions on top of their dog kennel??

Towels: Here is ONE towel... big beautiful sage green Costco jumbo sized towel. The others are on the floor NEAR the laundry room.

My Toothbrush: Mine is the pink - Dan's is blue... and my baby Kabuki and some Crest White Strip wrapper....

Sanitary looking huh??

Kah may-may u-nye

The Christmas present that was the most fun - was the BIGGEST mistake in the development of my child's speech.

It is official. We have finally determined the elusive language that our Doughkid Anna is speaking. FURBISH.

Some things out of her cherubic mouth are crystal clear - and shocking. Sometimes her 19 1/2 month brain allows her to speak in 3-4 word phrases. For example: "I not happy", "give me my MELK" "I so cold"

Her vocabulary is amazing - she does a great job with her one word exclamations.

yet - even while all of this occurs - 80% of what comes out of her mouth has previously been indistinguishable as English. Let me make this very clear - her mouth doesn't usually stop moving. Some sort of babble is coming out at any given time.

She certainly sounds like she knows what she's saying - but we just shake our heads and ask her to repeat. She does - and she does that "foreigner speak" where she says it much louder and slower. We imagine she's thinking COME ON - Please tell me that I was born into some brains - DOOOO YOOUUUUU UNDERRRSTAAAAND MEEEEEE?

So the other night she was walking around speaking her, what was previously believed to be Cantonese", Anna=speak - that I realized she sounds an awful lot like our Furby. "koh koh" was how she finished all of her phrases - and anyone fluent in Furbish knows that "koh koh" means "again". I go whip out a Furbish dictionary and try to decipher what our young is trying to say.

"Wee-tee kah way-loh" - and "Kah may-may u-nye" - So I simply respond - "Kah may-may u-nye"

It's a squeaker!!!!!!!!!!!

Whoo hoo for the squeaker! I passed by Glucose Tolerance Test - by a hair - but I passed!

Everything was great at my 30 week appointment today - so good that the doctor isn't even going to discuss an early delivery unless something big changes. YEAH!!!! Baby Dough had a nice strong heart beat and is measuring a little ahead but good.

The Doc man suspects that she did indeed do a flip and is now head down. He said she might always flip back - but that's also normal.

I gained 5 lbs in the last 3 weeks - but apparently that's ok since I've only gained 15 so far total. 15 lbs in 30 weeks isn't bad. Normal even.

NORMAL. Seriously - normal! My pregnancy with Julia was pretty uneventful until about this time frame (30 weeks)- when I developed pre-eclampsia and spent the last 7 weeks on varying stages of bedrest. My pregnancy with Anna was also not high risk but "normal" - yet included bleeding during 32 weeks of a 40 week pregnancy - and having contractions starting at 22 weeks.

This pregnancy has been rated High risk from the beginning due to BP issues (which I still argue were stress related not a physical problem) and a couple small issues at the very beginning of my pregnancy... but for a high risk pregnancy - this has been my best one yet! I did have fun with all day sickness until about 19 weeks but see - even that is usually a sign of a healthy, NORMAL pregnancy, I've had some contractions here and there - but usually related to stress or overdoing it, and some aches and pains - but related to the fact that my body is being forcibly occupied by a parasitic alien species. My BP has been great, now my sugars are great. Things are great. Now if I could just stop waiting for the bad part to begin. I think I'm actually relaxing a bit, maybe this is just going to be a normal pregnancy. The kind of normal pregnancy that most women have. I could get used to normal.

Wow - maybe I'll do this again.

SMACK, SMACK, SMACK (sound of head being forcibly smacked into wall)

Or - I'll just consider it going out on a high note!

This pregnancy is amazing...

Finally. I'm tired, cranky and sore - but I'm not vomiting, finally over the fear of spontaneously bleeding at every turn (like with Doughkid Anna), and just feeling positive and healthy.

All of this could indeed come crashing down on Tuesday when I get my Glucose Tolerance Test results back.

I do realize though I'm going to miss all of these kicks, shoves and movements of little Miss No Name. WOW. I might not ever have an alien moving about inside of me again.

I know I have a long 5-10 weeks ahead of me (I'm holding out for at least 7 more!!) but I'm going to do my best to enjoy these last weeks of babydom.

HE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dan did it!!! He ran his 13.3 miles today (.2 more than the 1/2 marathon)

His official time was 2 hours 16 minutes. ROCK ON!

He started at 10:33a

1 mile - 1041a
2 mile - 1050a
6 mile - 1130a
9 mile - 1204p
10 mile - 1214p
12 mile - 1237p
13.3 finish - 1249p

He won the Grand Champion Award - and 100 grand. :)

Julia and Anna were great cheerleaders - they cheered and yelled. Our friends Joanna and Bill (and Lily) also cheered for him as he went by! Daddy was proud of his girls - and we're so proud of him. He's a great role model for us.

Now - it's on to the Marathon - TBD!

YEAH DAN!!!!

WHOO HOO!!!

I'm sooo excited!

I just hope it's true...

Please let it be true!

No fair... no fair...

Ok - it's officially no fair. NOW I realize that the fact that I'm a fatty who's pregnant is my fault... but really does every HOT female actress of today have to be pregnant at the same time I am?

Just a small sample of the hot preggos... (Thank goodness Jennifer Garner had her baby!)

Katie Holmes (with crazy, crazy Tom)

ANGELINA JOLIE!!!!!! (super hot preggo mama - with hot Brad's baby)

and now....

GWYNETH PALTROW?????!!!!!!!!!! (with hottie crooner Chris Martin)

geez - give a woman a break!

De-lurking week...

Yes - it's delurking week...

but - I'm pretty sure I know who is lurking... all 5 of you.

if you want to - comment... let me know if you are out there just lurking. You won't hurt my feelings if you don't. really.

SPF - Friday the 13th!

It is indeed my first Stuff Portrait Friday.... and I'm lucky to begin on Friday the 13th. VERY COOL!

Jan FRIDAY THE 13th - Lucky or UNLUCKY!
Something you're afraid of.
Your Lucky Charm.
Something Friday the 13th ish (get creative)

So - Something I'm afraid of... at this point in my life the thing I'm most afraid of is something happening to my family. Not this "lack of job" problem - but things you can't beat with love and willpower - like

cancer or accidental death stuff, car accidents... terrible crappy things like that. (Could we rename this BUMMER FRIDAY??)

BUT - I used to be afraid of a lot of things... bridges for instance...

But as you can tell from my new issues - I've moved on to bigger, scarier, uglier things.

MY LUCKY CHARM:

These kids keep me from doing a lot of stupid, stupid things - and since they have come into my life they have made my life better. MUCH better.

sumtin friday the 13th ish.....

Friday the 13th only means one thing to me..........

So - can someone tell me about BLOG Etiquette?

I read a butt load of amazing blogs... who can tell me what the correct etiquette is in regards to creating a blog-roll. Do you just add people because you like them? Do you ask them for permission?

THANKS!

het

Sending the screaming kid to bed ....

I'm sitting here feeling like a bad, bad mom. Julia isn't herself... I'm guessing she's getting sick. But - she has been whining for hours. Finally - she wanted to dance - so we let her stay up to dance for a couple minutes. She has the way about her though - she gets sidetracked and starts doing something else. So when her time is up - she freaks out because she wants to dance.

After listening to her scream at me for the last five minutes - I sent her to bed. She is still in there screaming up a storm. She wants water... she wants a snack... she wants books.... she wants attention.

She's going to sleep... NOW.

Days Drama

I hate to bring this up here - but I just have to... On and off for virtually all my life I've watched Days of Our Lives... it was in my blood. my grandparents were DIE HARD Days fans. I've watched on and off and on and off...

Well - the last couple of weeks I've watched it once or twice a week ... and as always - it's just crazy.

Right now the storyline that captures my attention is the Zach/Claire storyline... this is much better acting and writing than the Marlena Demonic possession or the Salem island story... BUT equally as soap opera. Zach - is a little boy who was just hit by a car driven by his newly found half sister - and died. His parents decided to donate his organs (YEAH BO AND HOPE!) and part of his liver will go to a little baby named Claire. Now Claire - is Zach's big brother's (Shawn) ex-girlfriends daughter... BUT shockingly - she's actually Shawn's daughter too (not that Shawn knows this yet) - making Claire Zach's Neice. SO - Zach was killed by his half sister and his liver will go to his neice. - Also said - BO (Zach's dad) just had his son die, killed by his daughter and then his liver will save his granddaughter. WHEW. Oh did I mention that Zach was actually switched at birth with Lexie's (the doctor and Hope's best friend) adopted son - and was raised for his first year or so by Lexie before returned to Bo and Hope - his real parents???

Geez... I just had to get that out of my head. Anyway - as soap opera as it sounds (and it's VERY soap opera - and the only thing making it more soap opera would be if Zach came back from the dead with Elvis in a year or two).... it's some of the best acting I've seen in a LONG time. Maybe it's the hormones - but man - I so know how Bo and Hope feel and it breaks my heart.

Yeah - really - that's it. Nothing life changing here - but thanks for reading all the same.

WAY BACK WEDNESDAY!

So - I'm going to fail miserably on my very first try. I've spent four days scouring my photos to find any of my being... well dramatic.

Mama Duck (the kept woman) has asked to see our "Fifteen minutes of fame! Lets see any theatrical/dance/etc. productions that you've taken part in, even if it is just you being a drama queen"

Now drama queen I am... photographic evidence to support said personality trait.... NADA!!! After years of dancing... even in a fun green tutu as a Bon Bon... not a picture to show for it. My parents think they have some - but can't figure out how to scan it and send it.

My ass was once in the paper - they showed my big old butt walking on a curb on my way home from school once. I was in the paper for my involvement in SADD quite a bit my junior and Senior year, and for Mock Trial when we went to States (you see my geek bio forming here or what???)... Oh yeah - my engagement and wedding picture was in the paper.... but thats because we gave it to them to put in there - I'm not sure that counts.

So - sadly - and not following the rules - I'll offer up proof of the Doughkids in their dramatic glory.



I'm sorry Mama Duck (TKW) to have let you down on my inaugural WBW! If you played - stop by and let her know!

Ohhh - so this is why I have girls...

Today has been so cool in the world of kids.

Anna and I had a great snuggle during nap time - the kind that brings tears to your eyes when you realize the value of what you are holding in your arms. The kind that makes you realize just how blindly they love you and need you at this point. She was just clinging to me with that "you are my mom and I love you" cling. The kind that lets you know that all is well in her world - and so it is in yours.

Then - Julia came in to announce that Dad left for his run and left her alone. So - she joined us in bed and we had the best time. Julia was playing with my Happy Hands massage thing (NO - this is NOT a special toy of love - this is a bonafide ok thing for kids to play with - I got it from my doula during my pregnancy with Anna to rub my back with) and decided we were going to have a slumber party. We put lotion on each others feet and took turns rubbing backs with the Happy Hands thing. We danced on the bed. Then pretended to sleep - complete with Anna's fake - but hilarious - snoring. Julia was so cute "mom, this is the life" :)

So - even without sleep - kids are cool.

Sleep is so highly over-rated!!

I'm really tired of this lack of sleep thing. I know as parents we're due for some sleepless nights - and we were luckier than most - both of the Dough kids were good sleepers. Julia was a sleeping PRO and Anna slightly less so - but still great.

Now I'm sitting here - praying that the last 5 nights are not a predictor of the new baby to come....

Anna and Julia are tag teaming us and we're the losers. One stays up late and the other wakes up shortly after we do the DANCE of relief and almost sleep.... then one of them gets up early... the net result is about 4 hours of sleep.

Right now - Anna is calling to us from her crib - we're praying she doesn't wake up her sister - who finally fell asleep an hour ago.

Yes, I know - "get tough". We'll we don't do the cry it out thing. With two kids - it's not because I'm afraid of ruining the bond - it's because quite frankly - I can't stand it. Both of my kids are tough chicks. In one act of desperation - she cried until she vomited in her crib (after just 30 minutes)... it was the LONGEST 30 minutes of my life. The time it happened with Anna (it wasn't really trying the cry it out thing - it was put her down so she doesn't get harmed situation) she went over an hour before we gave up.

So - right now I'm going to see if we can get Miss Anna down - so that indeed I can get some sleep before Julia gets up at 5am! Wish me luck!

WHOO HOO - It's that time of year!

Seriously - it is very cool to be pregnant during this time of year... Necco Sweetheart boxes- YUM

AND - at Baskin Robbins Love Potion #31™White chocolate and raspberry ice creams swirled with a raspberry ribbon and loaded with raspberry filled cups and chocolate chips ...

Let's just all pray that I'm NOT diagnosed with gestational diabetes (I'm testing this week) so that I can indeed enjoy these things!

Oh yeah - 29 weeks!!

Another meme - stolen from random blogs...

[A is for age:] I'm 30 - and so far - so good!

[B is for booze of choice] Right now I'm abstaining - but I love a good margarita - or buttery nipple... or a good glass of wine...

[C is for career] Da mom...

[D is for your dog's name:] Trooper

[E is for essential items you use everyday:] Ummm - toilet paper?

[F is for favorite song(s) at the moment:] I'm not even sure about this one... Laurie Berkner something or other - mostly I've been listening to Xmas music

[G is for favorite games:] Oooh - I dig Princess Monopoly

[H is for hometown:] Midland, MI - but I think Weld, ME is much closer to the truth

[I is for instruments you play:] I used to play the cello - but now I'm a wicked good Barbie guitar player.

[J is for jam or jelly you like:] Strawberry preserves

[K is for kids?] Julia, Anna Bella and In Ute

[L is for last kiss?:] Anna Bella

[M is for most admired trait:] Right now - it's NOT my patience, lovability - but probably for my uncanny ability to speak my mind right now - instead of holding in when everyone around me is being stupid - I can tell them. I'm so not into my previous passive aggressive self. I love my family.

[N is for name of your crush:] I really shouldn't use names.... ;)

[O is for overnight hospital stays:] ITP as a kid - birth of Julia, appendectomy on Halloween, birth of Anna..

[Q is for quotes you like:] I'm a quote whore. I have pages and pages and pages of saved quotes. My faves right now "To thine own self be true..." Hamlet act 1, scene iii, line 78 "Be still then, and know that I am" Psalm 46:5 “where shall we see a better daughter or a kinder sister or a truer friend” jane austen

[R is for biggest regret:] Ya know - I have too many. I'm working on getting over them.

[S is for sweets of your choice:] Right now I like it all... I'm so into crappy food right now.

[T is for time you wake up:] This week - noon (but I've had a kid up from 2-6 or 8am two nights in a row)... usually 9am.

[U is for underwear:] Big ass - hi cut briefs

[V is for vegetables you love:] Right now - I want nothing to do with them - except baby carrots - and an occasional veggie mixed in with something - normally - I love them ALL

[W is for worst habit:] I'm a lazy slob

[X is for x-rays you've had:] arm, foot, foot, 2 MRA's of my brain, 3 CT scans of my abdominal area... I think that's it

[Y is for yummy food you make:] I can't think of anything inspirational I make - I make a lot of boring-ish foods that don't suck.

[Z is for zodiac sign:] Yep - I'm a Taurus - more and more each day

Ok - next week I'm going to try something a little different (m)

I'm going to try participating in Mama Duck's "Way Back Wednesday" and Kristine's "Stuff Portrait Friday".

Should be fun!

Way too seriously....

Ok - after reading another blog I visit, I had a very important "come to Jesus" moment with myself. I am SO lucky to be able to stay at home with my kids.

I'm definitely of the understanding that part of our current predicament has directly to do with our decision for me to stay at home with the girls. I've had several friends that work and do the mom thing (and one or two friends who do the work thing but no kid thing) comment (however so subtly) that perhaps our situation wouldn't be so dire if I also had a job.

You know. I just don't understand the need to bash someone when they are down. Well, I mean I do. I'm a bitch. It was a very hard decision for us to make in the first place. We knew we were trading a lot of material things - a bigger house, 2 new shiny cars, designer clothes... but in all reality - it's really hard to be a one income family in today's world. I think it's kind of sad. I don't really care if other moms work. I have quite a few friends that are better moms because they work. How they run their houses is their program... I just could NOT do it. I plan to go back to teaching (and hopefully move up to elementary ed) when the girls are older).. but for now. I just want to be their mom.

Now - I'm not the best stay at home mom - I'm lazy and I certainly don't like the housewife portion of my job - but I can't imagine someone else raising them, that's my thing. I just don't care what other moms want/need/have to do - I want to stay home with mine.

I'm not above going out and getting a job - being 29 weeks pregnant does put a damper on that, especially with the complications I'm having. I know I could DO a job - but actually getting hired is a different thing. Who wants to hire someone, train them, to know they could leave work in 6-10 weeks.

I also want to acknowledge that I now the stress this puts on Dan right now. He's awesome.

BUT -

Birth for sale!!!

No - I'm not thinking of giving this sweet little fetus away at birth - but after seeing Kristine's blog today... and subsequent ebay ad - I'm devishly trying to find a way to finance our daughters birth by selling various parts of the birth on ebay. (Edited here to add that in order to see Kristine's blog or the ebay ad - you just need to click on the actual words - they are hyperlinked. You are welcome, mom)

Now - I'm not interested in selling pervish pictures - or even physically allowing a stranger to be around the process - but hell - there has to be a part of the birth I can sell to help finance the COBRA payments (dear God - COBRA is a gift and a curse, is it not???) to pay for her birth. Maybe we'll print a onesie with a message of their choice on it - to have her wear shortly after birth... and then beg everyone I know it post it on their blogs or send it via email... great advertising right???

Maybe a sadist (is this the right word???) can pay me BIG bucks to NOT get an epidural... spending $500 to know that I'll be in a good amount of pain all because of them? There has to be something I can put on ebay that will sell for big bucks.

So - put on your thinking caps and let me know ---- I have 7-12 weeks to work on a plan here....

Reclaiming my womanhood in one small step...

I'm the first to admit - I embrace the child within on a regular basis - and I don't mean the fetus in utero right now ... I'm talking about the OTHER little girl that shares my body. :)

Now - after my power drill accident that wounded my leg (thanks again ANNA)... I've been forced to utilize the only bandages in our home - Spongebob, Dora and Princesses. Now - this is all fine and dandy - since it's been mostly hidden under my big maternity jeans. Yesterday it was just too hot for jeans - and I broke down and wore shorts - so my youthful bandages were out nice and loud. Proclaiming both my stupidity for my injury and the lack of grown up band-aids in the house.

SO - today - I am wearing a real band-aid. In fact - it's clear... unlike my 5 year old daughter - I do not wish to draw extra attention to my "owie".

I am woman hear me roar!

Oh yeah - did I mention I made dinner tonight too!! I'm on a roll!

5 year olds are just plain funny...

On the way home today we see a flock of sheep running in a field.

Julia says "oooh, I bet the farmer fell asleep and all the sheep are going to grab their coats and they're moving to Florida".

:)

Now that's funny.

The job search

As you may know - my man Dan is on the search for a new job and quite frankly - the sooner the better!

So - what are your best tips for finding a new job? Any advice you have would be great...

We'd also love to hear from you about relocation tips and finding a job in another geographical area.

He has mad SKA-ZILLS - he's about done with his MBA, has his Bachelors in Marketing, has military experience (in training and combat engineering), was a restaurant manager.... so this man can do just about anything he sets his mind to do. He's also the best darn daddy in the world - but so far the pay on that is about squat when it comes to mortgages and health insurance - but pays out the wazoo in the other benefits. He's looking for a job in Marketing - brand management, product management. He has previous marketing experience in food and beverage and in consumer products.

So anything you can offer in terms of where to look, how to get contacts in companies, networking... you know - how did you get YOUR job?

THANKS!

I'm out!

My self imposed exile to the bedroom is over. My healthy hat is back on and I'm ready to face life again. WHEW! ;)

I'm not sure about going outside though - it's 85 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!! Hasn't someone told Mother Nature it's WINTER?

:) Thanks for emails... you guys rock.

Momma is on a business trip!

Ok - sometimes I girl has to do what a girl has to do... and a self imposed exile to the bedroom is called for. Some moms luck out and get 5 minutes in a bathroom to themselves - but my man is so cool, understanding and insightful - he told me to just get out of town - ALL DAY!

I'm luckier than most business travellers in that; 1 - my trip does not involve business, 2 - I still get visits from my kiddies in short bursts.

I woke up not feeling my best... hard to explain all the details - but lets just say - a break was well needed. My body needed real rest, and my mind needed an even bigger one.

So - I've only left the room twice. Once to get Anna out of her crib from her nap while Dan and Julia were running... and once to get a root beer float popsicle (ohhh, gotta love that Blue Bunny confection!!).

Not much has been on tv today, but I've watched it anyway. I saw Days of Our Lives for the first time in a LONG time, and have watched lots of Food Network. Talked on the phone to my bestest friend and just hung out. It's 8:30p and I'm ready to get up and party... but oh yeah - it's bed time.

SO - I guess I'll just go to bed and read then go to sleep and then get out of my room tomorrow!!

Don't I have the best husband!!

Ahhh yes - my popular demand - THE party!

Julia woke up and checked out her birthday tree - and opened her mom and dad presents.

Then .... after much whining .... there was a party - a bouncer and a pinata - couldn't be cooler!





We had a blast - Julia had a blast - I think everyone had a blast! We did the hula, the limbo, chicken dance, and of course the Cha Cha Slide.

We had a sandy cake, fresh fruit and sandwich roll ups... the kids drank out of coconut cups with tropical straws...

It was really a blast. Thanks for asking!

Hormones are fun

Pregnancy hormones are even in another category of hormonal fun... Seriously - someone should bottle and sell this shit on the street. Pregnancy hormones are the craziest, funkiest things on this Earth.

Today has involved both laughing and crying so hard that I've almost peed my pants (yes, pregnancy problems again)... I have these crazy dreams that rival anything that Hollywood is putting out these days (well, except for War of the Worlds - I don't think my little brain could even begin to design such craziness)... and did I mention the emotional turmoil. Geez really. Being pissed off and elated in the same 20 seconds is enough to crash even the most steadfast hard drive.

Crash my hard drive??? Yes - it's true... I do believe my hard drive is trashed. My mother board up and fried itself in the face of these pregnancy hormones.

Now - after exerting about 2 minutes of effort - I need a nap.