If your cat somehow gets a hold of the Mylicon Infant Gas drops dropper as you're dealing with a crying inconsolable infant, and then licks the Mylicon dropper, it will cause your cat to projectile vomit neon yellow puke all over the room.
This is most certain to happen all over your white shag rug, and will definitely happen as your lunch is getting cold because you're trying to console an inconsolable infant who cries if she's put down for more than a minute.
Just for the record...
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wrapped
So, I picked up some fabric at Wally World this morning and made a DIY baby wrap. As you can see, the babe is sleeping away, so I guess she likes it. I'm still kind of getting used to it, but this is definitely promising for getting some things done during the day. I don't love the color, but I wanted to give it a shot with $1/yard fabric before giving it a shot with more expensive fabrics.
If you want to make your own, the instructions are super, super simple:
1. Find a fabric that you like. If it's patterned, you'll want to look for a fabric that doesn't have a "wrong" side. I used a lilac colored jersey fabric so that I wouldn't have to worry about sewing a hem (jersey fabric will just roll inwards). You do NOT want fleece...because it will be warmer than all get out. Even just the jersey fabric is really, really warm with her in it!
2. Buy 5-6 yards of fabric. If you're small, buy closer to 5, if you're bigger/taller, buy closer to 6 yards. I bought 5 yards, which seemed absurdly long, but if you look in the picture, I only have little tails left where I've knotted it.
3. Once I got home, I cut the fabric in half lengthwise. You're shooting for a strip of fabric that is about 5 yards long and somewhere between 20-30 inches wide. Mine is just over 30 inches wide, and I may trim it down even more because it's wider than I need, and bunches up.
4. Ta-Da! You're done. There are tons of instructions online regarding how to tie the fabric for the various different ways that you can carry your babe.
BQOTD: State of the Union
Today's Question: Did you watch the State of the Union address last night? Why or why not? And if you did, what did you think?
We did watch, though I will confess that I had forgotten all about it until we happened to flip through our TV Guide to see what was on. I'm always pretty ambivalent about the SOTU address (regardless of who is in office), because it so often feels like blowing smoke to me. The president can seemingly promise whatever they want with little follow up or repercussions for not following through.
That said, I did appreciate that Obama made pointed digs at himself, Democrats, Republicans, AND the Supreme Court. The fact of the matter is that none of the political parties or institutions in the US are perfect, and I appreciated the fact that a political figure would give us some straight talk about why nothing seems to get done in DC.
What did you think?
We did watch, though I will confess that I had forgotten all about it until we happened to flip through our TV Guide to see what was on. I'm always pretty ambivalent about the SOTU address (regardless of who is in office), because it so often feels like blowing smoke to me. The president can seemingly promise whatever they want with little follow up or repercussions for not following through.
That said, I did appreciate that Obama made pointed digs at himself, Democrats, Republicans, AND the Supreme Court. The fact of the matter is that none of the political parties or institutions in the US are perfect, and I appreciated the fact that a political figure would give us some straight talk about why nothing seems to get done in DC.
What did you think?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
More Photos and Snippets
I can just picture her thinking "I do NOT heart rainbows, and I don't know why you insist on dressing me up in all this girlie junk, mom!" Speaking of girlie junk, Ethan sent me a pretty amazing non-girlie onesie that I cannot WAIT until she grows into, because it is hilarious.
Also, people keep asking us who Lizzy looks like. To be honest, I don't think she looks too much like either of us (though I will admit that she has my long spinster fingers). To be honest, I think that Lizzy looks like that little boy from Love Actually! 
In other news......
-Lizzy is a pretty good baby for the most part. She really does sleep a LOT. That said, she's been going through a phase lately where during the day, she wants to be held on my chest literally all the time. If I set her down for even a minute, she screams bloody murder. Sitting on the couch all day catching up on shows that I had DVR'ed was nice for the first week or so, but now I'm just feeling really unproductive. I have to go in to town tomorrow for an allergy shot. I think I'm going to stop at the fabric store while I'm in town and pick up some jersey fabric to make a DIY Moby Wrap. They aren't exactly the most flattering things in the world, but at least it might help me to get things done around the house. So that might help the days situation...but I'm afraid that it probably won't help the fact that Lizzy has also decided that she does not sleep from 2am-4:30am.
-There was a special election in Oregon yesterday. It was an interesting measure designed to tax "big corporations" more (though in actuality, there are some pretty big consequences for small businesses as well), which would theoretically provide more income for schools. The bad thing about the measure is that it was retroactive, which means that it was factored into 2009's budget before it was ever voted on. Since the measures passed, businesses now have an expense for 2009 that they didn't budget for...not a big deal for huge corporations, but most definitely a big deal for small businesses like the one J works for. For the record, it's worth noting that J's company is a FANTASTIC company to work for, and I love his bosses. They are genuinely good guys. But because of the economy, they've (understandably) had to make lots of cuts within the company. They've increased employee insurance premiums, they've frozen the accumulation of PTO, and they've laid off more than half the shop. I'm a little nervous to see how J's company will handle this--I'm not sure what else they could cut!
- I need a nursing cover of some sort. Any suggestions?
-I am having a hard time with this post-pregnancy body of mine. I feel lumpy. I hate that every day when Justin comes home, I'm in sweats, and probably haven't showered. If I have, my hair is just thrown up into a ponytail. Why am I in sweats every day? Because clothes (both maternity and pre-pregnancy) don't fit right. And it doesn't seem like breastfeeding is making anything "melt away" like so many people said it would. I am looking forward to my 6 week appt, where I'll hopefully be given the green light to exercise to my heart's content. I think I'm going to try doing the 30 Day Shred--which will probably (hopefully) totally kick my ass (back into shape).
Monday, January 25, 2010
Snippets and Photos
- Sunday was an interesting football day for our family--my dad is a long-time Colts fan, I'm a long-time Saints fan, and my sister is a long-time Vikings fan. Sorry Court, it's dad and I facing off for the Superbowl :)
-Holy COW, do my stitches ever itch all of a sudden! I've heard that means they're healing, but it's also just really uncomfortable and awkward!
-I really think Lizzy would sleep through the night if we were allowed to let her. Saturday night/ Sunday morning, the alarm went off to feed her. I woke up Justin, who was going to change her and bring her to me to feed her. I thought that he was up and awake, so I went back to sleep. Unfortunately, so did Justin. Lizzy never woke up or cried (in fact, I STILL had to wake her up for her next feeding). I kind of felt like a terrible parent though.
-On Sunday night, Justin was playing Playstation (aka my nemesis), and he kept rocking back in a chair that was most definitely not designed for rocking. And he fell over right on his butt. Twice. Ha!
-After seeing the baptism photos, I cannot WAIT to get my hair cut and colored. I haven't done either in a very long time (I can't even remember if I had it done while I was pregnant), and I hate both the cut and the color! Logistically, I'm not sure how I'd make it work though I'd probably either have to pump or feed her in the middle of the cut and color. It's stuff like that that makes breastfeeding hard for me. Maybe that's a little selfish, but it's the truth.
-Holy COW, do my stitches ever itch all of a sudden! I've heard that means they're healing, but it's also just really uncomfortable and awkward!
-I really think Lizzy would sleep through the night if we were allowed to let her. Saturday night/ Sunday morning, the alarm went off to feed her. I woke up Justin, who was going to change her and bring her to me to feed her. I thought that he was up and awake, so I went back to sleep. Unfortunately, so did Justin. Lizzy never woke up or cried (in fact, I STILL had to wake her up for her next feeding). I kind of felt like a terrible parent though.
-On Sunday night, Justin was playing Playstation (aka my nemesis), and he kept rocking back in a chair that was most definitely not designed for rocking. And he fell over right on his butt. Twice. Ha!
-After seeing the baptism photos, I cannot WAIT to get my hair cut and colored. I haven't done either in a very long time (I can't even remember if I had it done while I was pregnant), and I hate both the cut and the color! Logistically, I'm not sure how I'd make it work though I'd probably either have to pump or feed her in the middle of the cut and color. It's stuff like that that makes breastfeeding hard for me. Maybe that's a little selfish, but it's the truth.
Baptism Photos:
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Child of God
Today's an exciting day--Lizzy will be baptized today by Justin's dad! Ryan, Renee, Justin, and my sister Courtney are leading the music today (which I am really excited about), and I believe the above song, "City On Our Knees" by Toby Mac is one of the ones they're singing.
I know this might sound strange to some of y'all, because I think a good portion of Christian churches now practice a Believer's Baptism. However, the Lutheran church typically baptizes as infants, and then do Confirmation as teens, which is similar to the concept of a Believer's Baptism in terms of the profession of faith, and is also often somewhat similar to First Communion in the Catholic church.
This baptism and confirmation business is complicated, isn't it? Everybody does something differently--some churches sprinkle water, others dunk people completely. But you know what the beauty of it all is? In the grand scheme of things, how a church approaches baptism really isn't important. The only thing that is really important in the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus Christ came and died on the cross for our sins. And that it is because of Him that we receive eternal life.
I know this might sound strange to some of y'all, because I think a good portion of Christian churches now practice a Believer's Baptism. However, the Lutheran church typically baptizes as infants, and then do Confirmation as teens, which is similar to the concept of a Believer's Baptism in terms of the profession of faith, and is also often somewhat similar to First Communion in the Catholic church.
This baptism and confirmation business is complicated, isn't it? Everybody does something differently--some churches sprinkle water, others dunk people completely. But you know what the beauty of it all is? In the grand scheme of things, how a church approaches baptism really isn't important. The only thing that is really important in the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus Christ came and died on the cross for our sins. And that it is because of Him that we receive eternal life.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Foot in Mouth
Do you ever have those moments where you say something, and then realize based on other people's reactions or responses that you must not have phrased what you said very well? And then you try to explain what you were really trying to say, but it's just too late, and people are already worked up about what they heard (which again, wasn't what you were actually trying to say)? Has that ever happened to you?
It happened to me last night--I made a comment during the telethon for Haiti that I clearly must not have phrased well. My intent was to say something to the effect of:
'Haiti needs help, and its good to help Haiti. But New Orleans still needs help too, so as we're talking about Haiti, lets stop talking about the Katrina Relief Effort as something that's finished, because its not-due in part to the poor initial response. And it frustrates me that it feels like a lot of us have forgotten about New Orleans entirely, and that the press's response to Hurricane Katrina was (and is) dismal compared to the press' response to Haiti. It's GOOD that the press' response to the earthquake has been better than their response to New Orleans--but it still frustrates me that New Orleans tends to continue to be overlooked in the media. And I hope that we don't forget about Haiti as quickly as we forgot about New Orleans.'
But based on the reactions, what the others actually heard was something to the effect of:
'People in New Orleans are more deserving of aid than people in Haiti, and no one should give to Haiti until New Orleans is rebuilt, and all the media attention should currently be on New Orleans, rather than Haiti (even though the earthquake in Haiti was more devastating), because New Orleans is a local disaster, and local disasters are more important than international ones.'
Yeah, that was not at all what I was trying to say. I tried to explain what I really meant, but by that point, there was really no use. The others heard what they had heard, and I don't think all the explanation in the world could have convinced them that that was NOT what I was trying to say--I was called xenophobic, and all sorts of other things. They had already latched on to what they initially heard, and weren't interested in having a dialogue about what I really meant, even though I may have phrased my initial statement poorly [hey, this lack of sleep thing doesn't exactly make me the most articulate person in the world].
And that frustrates me, because not only do I feel like I'll personally be viewed negatively, but I feel like I've inadvertently perpetuated negative stereotypes--about Americans, about Christians, heck...even about blondes. Situations like this frustrate me so much...UGH. I still feel badly the next morning, because the others definitely left with the impression that I think NOLA is more deserving than Haiti, which is just not at all what I was trying to say. Ugh.
It happened to me last night--I made a comment during the telethon for Haiti that I clearly must not have phrased well. My intent was to say something to the effect of:
'Haiti needs help, and its good to help Haiti. But New Orleans still needs help too, so as we're talking about Haiti, lets stop talking about the Katrina Relief Effort as something that's finished, because its not-due in part to the poor initial response. And it frustrates me that it feels like a lot of us have forgotten about New Orleans entirely, and that the press's response to Hurricane Katrina was (and is) dismal compared to the press' response to Haiti. It's GOOD that the press' response to the earthquake has been better than their response to New Orleans--but it still frustrates me that New Orleans tends to continue to be overlooked in the media. And I hope that we don't forget about Haiti as quickly as we forgot about New Orleans.'
But based on the reactions, what the others actually heard was something to the effect of:
'People in New Orleans are more deserving of aid than people in Haiti, and no one should give to Haiti until New Orleans is rebuilt, and all the media attention should currently be on New Orleans, rather than Haiti (even though the earthquake in Haiti was more devastating), because New Orleans is a local disaster, and local disasters are more important than international ones.'
Yeah, that was not at all what I was trying to say. I tried to explain what I really meant, but by that point, there was really no use. The others heard what they had heard, and I don't think all the explanation in the world could have convinced them that that was NOT what I was trying to say--I was called xenophobic, and all sorts of other things. They had already latched on to what they initially heard, and weren't interested in having a dialogue about what I really meant, even though I may have phrased my initial statement poorly [hey, this lack of sleep thing doesn't exactly make me the most articulate person in the world].
And that frustrates me, because not only do I feel like I'll personally be viewed negatively, but I feel like I've inadvertently perpetuated negative stereotypes--about Americans, about Christians, heck...even about blondes. Situations like this frustrate me so much...UGH. I still feel badly the next morning, because the others definitely left with the impression that I think NOLA is more deserving than Haiti, which is just not at all what I was trying to say. Ugh.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Funny Faces
Lizzy girl has been making some hilarious faces while sleeping lately. I managed to snap a few pics with my phone this afternoon:
Yes, I realize that she's probably just pooping, but all her different expressions crack me up!
BQOTD: Face Wash
Since it's hard to type with one hand, and even harder when the one hand is your left hand, I'll keep today's question short:
What facewash do you use, and do you like it?
I used to use Proactiv and liked it a lot. But I decided to try some drugstore brands again...right now it's one of the Acne Free face washes. I don't know whether or not I like it--I HAVE had some breakouts lately, but to be fair, I also HAVE had crazy as all get out hormones lately too...
What about you?
What facewash do you use, and do you like it?
I used to use Proactiv and liked it a lot. But I decided to try some drugstore brands again...right now it's one of the Acne Free face washes. I don't know whether or not I like it--I HAVE had some breakouts lately, but to be fair, I also HAVE had crazy as all get out hormones lately too...
What about you?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Snippets
- I have a recipe that you guys have to try--a friend brought Chuck's Favorite Mac N' Cheese to us for dinner, and it was absolutely fantastic. I think she told me that she used White Cheddar instead of regular cheddar, but either way, it was great. Thanks Pam!
-Thanks to those of you who have commented and emailed asking how I'm feeling--I'm feeling much better than I was last week. I'm still not 100%, but at this point, it's more an ache than all over agony. So that's good. My boobs are still incredibly sore though, and I'm hoping that dies down here pretty soon.
-The Lizard and I went on our first adventure this morning (to Wally World, to buy more diapers). I had been putting this off for fear of a huge melt-down or diaper blow out in the middle of the store with a full cart. But she pretty much just slept the whole time. I will say this though-- it is amazing how much effort and planning it takes to get out the door!
-While Lizard is nursing, sometimes I'll catch up on TV shows that I've DVR'ed. One of the things that somehow got recorded was Life Unexpected, which is a new show on the CW. It's a total teeny-bopper sitcom/soap opera. But I secretly kind of loved it.
-Want to hear a funny story? Remember a few days ago when I posted this picture of Lizzy's toes with my and J's wedding rings on them? My mom shared with me that when she saw the picture on our HUGE monitor at home (my dad actually has a TV instead of a computer monitor), she thought that the picture was of my toes. She couldn't figure out why I would put rings on my toes and take a picture (I still don't know how it would even be logistically possible), and she also didn't understand all the comments saying that the picture was "cute" and "adorable". Sorry mom, but it's funny.
-For other mamas out there, if you haven't heard already, Graco has a recall for a ton of their strollers right now. Apparently, several poor babies had their fingers amputated from one of the hinges. If you have a Graco stroller and are wondering if you need the fix-it package, you can check here by model number/
-Thanks to those of you who have commented and emailed asking how I'm feeling--I'm feeling much better than I was last week. I'm still not 100%, but at this point, it's more an ache than all over agony. So that's good. My boobs are still incredibly sore though, and I'm hoping that dies down here pretty soon.
-The Lizard and I went on our first adventure this morning (to Wally World, to buy more diapers). I had been putting this off for fear of a huge melt-down or diaper blow out in the middle of the store with a full cart. But she pretty much just slept the whole time. I will say this though-- it is amazing how much effort and planning it takes to get out the door!
-While Lizard is nursing, sometimes I'll catch up on TV shows that I've DVR'ed. One of the things that somehow got recorded was Life Unexpected, which is a new show on the CW. It's a total teeny-bopper sitcom/soap opera. But I secretly kind of loved it.
-Want to hear a funny story? Remember a few days ago when I posted this picture of Lizzy's toes with my and J's wedding rings on them? My mom shared with me that when she saw the picture on our HUGE monitor at home (my dad actually has a TV instead of a computer monitor), she thought that the picture was of my toes. She couldn't figure out why I would put rings on my toes and take a picture (I still don't know how it would even be logistically possible), and she also didn't understand all the comments saying that the picture was "cute" and "adorable". Sorry mom, but it's funny.
-For other mamas out there, if you haven't heard already, Graco has a recall for a ton of their strollers right now. Apparently, several poor babies had their fingers amputated from one of the hinges. If you have a Graco stroller and are wondering if you need the fix-it package, you can check here by model number/
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Adventures with Sleeping Justin
I should almost give these posts their own tag of some sort...I have a feeling that there will be MANY of these to come....
Earlier this week, at about 3:30am, I had just finished feeding Lizzy and asked Justin if he would change her and lay her back down. Justin responded, "Sure! I am awake, and I am on it!" [His chipperness probably should have been the first clue that he wasn't really that awake].
I then proceeded to watch as Justin hopped out of bed, walked over to our dresser (where we keep the diapers and wipes), grabbed the box of wipes, put a diaper on the box of wipes, and laid the diapered box of wipes in Lizzy's bassinet.
LOL!
Earlier this week, at about 3:30am, I had just finished feeding Lizzy and asked Justin if he would change her and lay her back down. Justin responded, "Sure! I am awake, and I am on it!" [His chipperness probably should have been the first clue that he wasn't really that awake].
I then proceeded to watch as Justin hopped out of bed, walked over to our dresser (where we keep the diapers and wipes), grabbed the box of wipes, put a diaper on the box of wipes, and laid the diapered box of wipes in Lizzy's bassinet.
LOL!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
101 in 1001
Some of you may be familiar with the 101 in 1001 challenges. Essentially, the goal is to set 101 goals to be accomplished in the next 1001 days. For me, that time period is up on October 16, 2012. And here's what I'd like to do:
Personal
1. Read (at least) one of Jane Austen’s Novels
2. Read 50 books (23/50)
3. Actually read all of Understanding Exposure
4. Complete “50 Questions that will Free Your Mind”
5. Watch (not sleep through) a movie that Justin wants to see but I don’t, without complaining.
6. Blog about my progress on the list.
7. Go through my closet and take a load to the consignment shop. Take anything they don’t want to Goodwill (haven't taken anything to Goodwill because the consignment shop told me to try the items again in awhile).
8. Try 6 new restaurants (2/6- New Pizza Place, Jasper's)
9. Make a list of 100 things that make me happy
10. Knit something other than a scarf. Knitted an ear-flap hat.
11. Donate 1000 grams of rice through freerice.com
12. Make a photography portfolio
13. Read my entire camera manual
Spiritual
14. Read the New Testament and keep a journal about it
15. Read Shepherding a Child’s Heart
16. Go to church once at Applegate
17. Give up something meaningful for Lent
18. Make a concerted effort to pray when I feel anxious or worried.
19. Find 10 new Christian songs that are meaningful to me (3/10) (In Your Arms by Plumb, Your Hands by JJ Heller, The Words I Would Say by Sidewalk Prophets).
20. Read Mere Christianity
Family
21. Try 12 New Recipes (3/12- Motherlode Layer Bars, Lighthouse Lasagna, Cucumber Bread)
22. Organize the spare/guest room (mostly done)
23. Prepare a Living Will
24.Plant a Veggie Garden
25. Go to a museum
26. Don’t eat out (or order in) any meals for one week
27. Schedule “Family Night” and turn off phones (0/12)
28. Start a Roth IRA (at least begin researching one)
29. Plant a tree
30. Take Lizzy to the snow
31. Give breastfeeding my best shot for at least 6 months.
32. Re-do a family budget
33. Have Lizzy baptized
34. Have a photo book made of Lizzy's first year
35. Make Justin a cheesecake
36. Introduce Lizzy to Kait & Jesse
37. Start landscaping the backyard
38. Do a photo shoot with Lizzy at least once a month for the first year (11/12)
39. Teach Lizzy basic Spanish—colors, numbers, etc.
40. Mail Christmas Cards before Christmas
41. Send out photo birth announcements for Lizzy
42. If we receive a tax refund for 2009, have a written plan for what we will do with the money and follow it. I am saying that we completed this. We had a verbal plan, and did follow it.
43.Go on an actual get-dressed-up-date with Justin -Anniversary 2010
44. Eat dinner (at home) by candle-light
45. Start a family tradition
Physical Health
46. Climb Table Rock 5 times (0/5)
47. Do the Couch to 5K program
48. Run or Walk a 5K
49. Go snowboarding
50. Go for a walk with J at least once a week for one month (0/4)
51. Complete the 30 Day Shred (it’s okay if it takes more than 30 days total --Now doing round 2!
52.Buy new running shoes
53. Get a Wii and Wii Fit
54. Get back to my pre-pregnancy weight
55. Keep a food diary of everything that I eat for one week
56.Refrain from drinking any soda for at least one week (gave up soda for Lent 2010)
Because It’s Been Too Long
57. Go to the ocean
58. Go to a concert Disciple, Head, etc.
59.Get a library card again
60. Float the river at least once
61. Have family photos taken
62. Make homemade ice cream
63. Build a snowman
64.Have my hair highlighted -7/2/10
65. Have a picnic
66. Laugh so hard that I cry Done on 4/4/10.
67. Play guitar hero
68. Go to the Hot Air Balloon Rally in July
69. Buy fresh flowers for the house
70. Go wakeboarding
71. Go to the Farmer’s Market
72. Take a bath
73. Do a DIY project for our house
74. Watch a movie with subtitles (Amelie)
75. Refrain from using the hair dryer or straightener for 7 consecutive days. Completed Jan 16-23, 2010
76. Leave the state of Oregon
Facing Fears
77. Donate blood
78. Do 5 photo shoots for non-family members (5/5) I did way more than five already!
79. Throw a party
Just Because
80. Make Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon
81. Watch Casablanca
82. Buy a pair of jeans that cost more than $60 and fit me perfectly
83. Learn how to play one song on the guitar
84. Make a headboard for our bed
85. Get a tattoo
86. Try at least 10 new cocktails (3/10- Dark and Stormy, Pear Bubbler, Basil Spritzer)
87. Go wine tasting at a winery (The one near the creamery)
88. Have a houseplant
89. Leave a tip that’s equal to the total cost of the bill
90.Have dinner at The Bistro -Anniversary 2010
91. Try a take n’ bake pizza from my favorite pizza place
92. Send a random gift to a friend {to April}
93. Watch a sporting event live {all of Kevin's games}
94. Try a food that I’ve never had before - Pummelo!
95. Purchase a flash for the camera
96. Break 100 while bowling
97. Buy a lottery ticket
98. Own 5 pieces of jewelry that I love (3/5-wedding necklace, illusion stone necklace, chunky burnt orange & pearl necklace)
99. Get ice cream somewhere other than Dairy Queen
100. Make sangria
101. Discover a beer that I actually like Lost Coast's Tangerine Wheat Ale.
One of the goals is to blog about my progress, so I'll continue to do so. But I'll also add the direct link to this post (which I will update as I go along) to the header of the blog. I can't wait to get going on this!
What about you guys? Do you have a 101 in 1001 list?
Personal
1. Read (at least) one of Jane Austen’s Novels
2. Read 50 books (23/50)
3. Actually read all of Understanding Exposure
4. Complete “50 Questions that will Free Your Mind”
5. Watch (not sleep through) a movie that Justin wants to see but I don’t, without complaining.
6. Blog about my progress on the list.
7.
8. Try 6 new restaurants (2/6- New Pizza Place, Jasper's)
9. Make a list of 100 things that make me happy
10.
11. Donate 1000 grams of rice through freerice.com
12. Make a photography portfolio
13. Read my entire camera manual
Spiritual
14. Read the New Testament and keep a journal about it
15. Read Shepherding a Child’s Heart
16. Go to church once at Applegate
17.
18. Make a concerted effort to pray when I feel anxious or worried.
19. Find 10 new Christian songs that are meaningful to me (3/10) (In Your Arms by Plumb, Your Hands by JJ Heller, The Words I Would Say by Sidewalk Prophets).
20. Read Mere Christianity
Family
21. Try 12 New Recipes (3/12- Motherlode Layer Bars, Lighthouse Lasagna, Cucumber Bread)
22. Organize the spare/guest room (mostly done)
23. Prepare a Living Will
24.
25. Go to a museum
26. Don’t eat out (or order in) any meals for one week
27. Schedule “Family Night” and turn off phones (0/12)
28. Start a Roth IRA (at least begin researching one)
29. Plant a tree
32. Re-do a family budget
34. Have a photo book made of Lizzy's first year
37. Start landscaping the backyard
38. Do a photo shoot with Lizzy at least once a month for the first year (11/12)
39. Teach Lizzy basic Spanish—colors, numbers, etc.
42.
43.
44. Eat dinner (at home) by candle-light
45. Start a family tradition
Physical Health
46. Climb Table Rock 5 times (0/5)
47. Do the Couch to 5K program
48. Run or Walk a 5K
49. Go snowboarding
50. Go for a walk with J at least once a week for one month (0/4)
52.
53. Get a Wii and Wii Fit
54. Get back to my pre-pregnancy weight
55. Keep a food diary of everything that I eat for one week
56.
Because It’s Been Too Long
57. Go to the ocean
59.
60. Float the river at least once
61. Have family photos taken
62. Make homemade ice cream
63. Build a snowman
64.
65. Have a picnic
66.
67. Play guitar hero
69. Buy fresh flowers for the house
70. Go wakeboarding
71. Go to the Farmer’s Market
72. Take a bath
73. Do a DIY project for our house
76. Leave the state of Oregon
Facing Fears
77. Donate blood
79. Throw a party
Just Because
80. Make Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon
81. Watch Casablanca
82. Buy a pair of jeans that cost more than $60 and fit me perfectly
83. Learn how to play one song on the guitar
84. Make a headboard for our bed
85. Get a tattoo
86. Try at least 10 new cocktails (3/10- Dark and Stormy, Pear Bubbler, Basil Spritzer)
88. Have a houseplant
89. Leave a tip that’s equal to the total cost of the bill
90.
91. Try a take n’ bake pizza from my favorite pizza place
94.
95. Purchase a flash for the camera
97. Buy a lottery ticket
98. Own 5 pieces of jewelry that I love (3/5-wedding necklace, illusion stone necklace, chunky burnt orange & pearl necklace)
100. Make sangria
101.
One of the goals is to blog about my progress, so I'll continue to do so. But I'll also add the direct link to this post (which I will update as I go along) to the header of the blog. I can't wait to get going on this!
What about you guys? Do you have a 101 in 1001 list?
Monday, January 18, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
One Week
Are y'all tired of the baby talk yet? I promise that I'll get back to having other things to talk about eventually, but right now, it's pretty much all baby...because my life pretty much revolves around this beautiful little girl!
-I cannot believe that it's been a week since she was born! It's been both the shortest, and the longest week of my life. It was an absolute blessing that Justin took the week off of work (even though I think he's going stir crazy now), because despite the inability to wake him up sometimes, he has been a huge help through it all. In fact, I don't think that I even changed a diaper until yesterday. He has been so active in taking care of Lizzy, that several doctors and nurses have made comments about how nice it is to see the dad being involved. And he made cookies yesterday! I really can't love on J enough right now--he's been absolutely wonderful.
-The past week has pretty much felt like it consisted of feeding Lizzy, and then maybe napping for an hour before I'd need to feed her again. She was a bit jaundiced, so the doctor wanted me to feed her every two hours round the clock, whether she was crying for food or not. Lizzy girl apparently sucked on her tongue in utero, which has sometimes made getting her to latch a challenge. Basically, the first few days, it would take almost the entire two hours to get her to feed...I'd have just enough time to grab some food and run to the bathroom, and then I'd have to start the process all over again. And I don't care WHAT the lactation consultants tell you, but it HURTS. A lot. Even when you're doing it right. And your uterus contracts the whole time you're feeding. And I felt like my boobs were punching bags for frustrated Lizzy, who already has a killer right hook. And feeding typically means sitting, which really hurts.
Anyway, as of our jaundice check yesterday, the doctor said that she looks much, much better. So I think that I may let her direct how often she feeds a little bit more now. Which will hopefully mean a little more sleep for me as well.
PS- I unfortunately had a really terrible experience with the lactation consultants at our hospital, that resulted in quite an argument. There's a story in there, but the moral is that I quickly learned how to vocalize the fact that I am the parent, and that I get to make the decisions when it comes to Lizzy. It's a valuable lesson that I encourage all pregnant mamas to learn quickly!
-Despite what I'd read, I was not prepared AT ALL for post-partum recovery. Anything and everything hurt--sitting hurt, laying hurt, going to the bathroom hurt. Getting in and out of the car hurt. And I was not prepared at all for the amount of bleeding that continued days after giving birth. And I was (and still am) still just extremely, extremely swollen in my arms, feet, and face. Apparently, they gave me a huge amount of IV fluids--I had 4+ bags in the 6 hours that I was in the labor and delivery room, which my nurse and doctor friends tell me is really quite a ton. Basically, I was just always uncomfortable. Some days, I just cried. The recovery aspect of things was absolutely terrible.
-From day 1 at home, SIDS has scared the crap out of me. I know this isn't something that I can control, but I still wake up several times a night in an absolute panic.
-But despite all the hard stuff, there is so much that's absolutely wonderful as well. Lizzy already knows my and Justin's voices--if she's crying, we can comfort her in a way that other people just can't. Her favorite thing is to lay on our chests, near our heart. She'll sleep that way for hours, just making happy little sighing noises. There is nothing better in the world. She's also remarkably alert for a baby--she will just look around with her eyes wide open, and make these adorable little faces that are just so darn expressive. Already, she has such a personality! It's absolutely incredible, and has made the aforementioned things which were really, really hard, totally worth it.
-I cannot believe that it's been a week since she was born! It's been both the shortest, and the longest week of my life. It was an absolute blessing that Justin took the week off of work (even though I think he's going stir crazy now), because despite the inability to wake him up sometimes, he has been a huge help through it all. In fact, I don't think that I even changed a diaper until yesterday. He has been so active in taking care of Lizzy, that several doctors and nurses have made comments about how nice it is to see the dad being involved. And he made cookies yesterday! I really can't love on J enough right now--he's been absolutely wonderful.
-The past week has pretty much felt like it consisted of feeding Lizzy, and then maybe napping for an hour before I'd need to feed her again. She was a bit jaundiced, so the doctor wanted me to feed her every two hours round the clock, whether she was crying for food or not. Lizzy girl apparently sucked on her tongue in utero, which has sometimes made getting her to latch a challenge. Basically, the first few days, it would take almost the entire two hours to get her to feed...I'd have just enough time to grab some food and run to the bathroom, and then I'd have to start the process all over again. And I don't care WHAT the lactation consultants tell you, but it HURTS. A lot. Even when you're doing it right. And your uterus contracts the whole time you're feeding. And I felt like my boobs were punching bags for frustrated Lizzy, who already has a killer right hook. And feeding typically means sitting, which really hurts.
Anyway, as of our jaundice check yesterday, the doctor said that she looks much, much better. So I think that I may let her direct how often she feeds a little bit more now. Which will hopefully mean a little more sleep for me as well.
PS- I unfortunately had a really terrible experience with the lactation consultants at our hospital, that resulted in quite an argument. There's a story in there, but the moral is that I quickly learned how to vocalize the fact that I am the parent, and that I get to make the decisions when it comes to Lizzy. It's a valuable lesson that I encourage all pregnant mamas to learn quickly!
-Despite what I'd read, I was not prepared AT ALL for post-partum recovery. Anything and everything hurt--sitting hurt, laying hurt, going to the bathroom hurt. Getting in and out of the car hurt. And I was not prepared at all for the amount of bleeding that continued days after giving birth. And I was (and still am) still just extremely, extremely swollen in my arms, feet, and face. Apparently, they gave me a huge amount of IV fluids--I had 4+ bags in the 6 hours that I was in the labor and delivery room, which my nurse and doctor friends tell me is really quite a ton. Basically, I was just always uncomfortable. Some days, I just cried. The recovery aspect of things was absolutely terrible.
-From day 1 at home, SIDS has scared the crap out of me. I know this isn't something that I can control, but I still wake up several times a night in an absolute panic.
-But despite all the hard stuff, there is so much that's absolutely wonderful as well. Lizzy already knows my and Justin's voices--if she's crying, we can comfort her in a way that other people just can't. Her favorite thing is to lay on our chests, near our heart. She'll sleep that way for hours, just making happy little sighing noises. There is nothing better in the world. She's also remarkably alert for a baby--she will just look around with her eyes wide open, and make these adorable little faces that are just so darn expressive. Already, she has such a personality! It's absolutely incredible, and has made the aforementioned things which were really, really hard, totally worth it.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Non-Sunday Song, and a Photo
I like kickin' back on the sofa
Flippin' through the channels just to see what's on
I enjoy eatin' eggs over easy
Soppin' up with a biscuit 'til the yellow's gone
Ain't nothin' like watchin' a bunch of young'ns
Run screamin' through the sprinkler in their little bare feet
And ain't nothin' like finding twenty dollars
In the pocket of the britches that you wore last week
I get into getting out on my mower
In the early mornin' hours 'fore the sun gets hot
And I like goin' down to the Kroger
When the carnival comes to the parkin' lot
Ain't nothin' like throwing a hula popper
Draggin' it across a spot a big 'un oughta be
And ain't nothin' like having him for supper
With some good hush puppies and some sweet iced tea
This old world is full of simple pleasures
They're all good but some just keep gettin' better
Ain't nothin' like finding that woman
That you know you're gonna love for the rest of your life
And ain't nothin' like knowing the Lord's a comin'
Back one day to make you want to do right
Flippin' through the channels just to see what's on
I enjoy eatin' eggs over easy
Soppin' up with a biscuit 'til the yellow's gone
Ain't nothin' like watchin' a bunch of young'ns
Run screamin' through the sprinkler in their little bare feet
And ain't nothin' like finding twenty dollars
In the pocket of the britches that you wore last week
I get into getting out on my mower
In the early mornin' hours 'fore the sun gets hot
And I like goin' down to the Kroger
When the carnival comes to the parkin' lot
Ain't nothin' like throwing a hula popper
Draggin' it across a spot a big 'un oughta be
And ain't nothin' like having him for supper
With some good hush puppies and some sweet iced tea
This old world is full of simple pleasures
They're all good but some just keep gettin' better
Ain't nothin' like finding that woman
That you know you're gonna love for the rest of your life
And ain't nothin' like knowing the Lord's a comin'
Back one day to make you want to do right
Ain't nothin' like watchin' a bunch of young'ns
Run screamin' through the sprinkler in their little bare feet
And ain't nothin' like finding twenty dollars
In the pocket of the britches that you wore last week
Run screamin' through the sprinkler in their little bare feet
And ain't nothin' like finding twenty dollars
In the pocket of the britches that you wore last week
Ain't Nothin' Like--Brad Paisley
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Who Needs Sleep?
I don't know if I've ever mentioned this one interesting little tidbit about Justin here on the blog before, but when he's especially tired, he sleepwalks. And talks in his sleep as well--but not incoherently like most people...he carries on full conversations that are for the most part totally coherant. Sometimes, I don't even really realize that he's still asleep for a good 10 minutes into the conversation, when he finally says or does something really bizarre. Actually, I had forgotten all about Justin's funny little sleepwalking and sleep talking until last night, when the following event occurred (which I did NOT find funny at the time, but is pretty dang hilarious now!):
The setting--about 3am. I needed to feed Lizzy but was in a lot of pain, so I was trying to wake Justin up for him to bring her to me.
Me: Babe, could you please bring Lizzy to me? I don't think that I can get up right now. And could you get me a glass of water and my pain meds too?
Justin: Sure.
Justin gets up, gets a glass of water and my pain meds, hands them to me, and gets back into bed
Me: What are you doing?
Justin: Going back to sleep.
Me: I thought you were going to bring me Lizzy?
Justin: I changed my mind.
Me: What?
Justin: Do it yourself. I'm tired.
Me: Excuse me? What did you just say?
Justin: I'm going back to bed.
Me: I cannot believe you won't help me with this! I'm just as tired as you are!
Justin rolled over, and slept. I got up, got Lizzy, and started feeding her. I was absolutely seething at this point. About 3 minutes later, Justin sits straight up in bed.
Justin: What are you doing?
Me: What does it LOOK like I'm doing?
Justin: I know, but I thought I was going to help bring Lizzy to you so you didn't have to get up out of bed tonight...why didn't you wake me up?
Me: Are you kidding?! I tried! You told me to do it myself!
A completely horrified look crosses Justin's face.
Justin: I said what?! I don't remember saying anything!
Me: Ohhhhh....you must have been talking in your sleep again! Thank God!
I have a feeling there may be many more funny little sleep conversations in store for me over the next few weeks!
The setting--about 3am. I needed to feed Lizzy but was in a lot of pain, so I was trying to wake Justin up for him to bring her to me.
Me: Babe, could you please bring Lizzy to me? I don't think that I can get up right now. And could you get me a glass of water and my pain meds too?
Justin: Sure.
Justin gets up, gets a glass of water and my pain meds, hands them to me, and gets back into bed
Me: What are you doing?
Justin: Going back to sleep.
Me: I thought you were going to bring me Lizzy?
Justin: I changed my mind.
Me: What?
Justin: Do it yourself. I'm tired.
Me: Excuse me? What did you just say?
Justin: I'm going back to bed.
Me: I cannot believe you won't help me with this! I'm just as tired as you are!
Justin rolled over, and slept. I got up, got Lizzy, and started feeding her. I was absolutely seething at this point. About 3 minutes later, Justin sits straight up in bed.
Justin: What are you doing?
Me: What does it LOOK like I'm doing?
Justin: I know, but I thought I was going to help bring Lizzy to you so you didn't have to get up out of bed tonight...why didn't you wake me up?
Me: Are you kidding?! I tried! You told me to do it myself!
A completely horrified look crosses Justin's face.
Justin: I said what?! I don't remember saying anything!
Me: Ohhhhh....you must have been talking in your sleep again! Thank God!
I have a feeling there may be many more funny little sleep conversations in store for me over the next few weeks!
Monday, January 11, 2010
More Lizzy...
So basically here's the story: I woke up early Sunday morning and felt a really bizarre "pop" noise, that I was pretty sure was my water breaking.I tried to wake up Justin, which was a feat in itself. Once I did finally wake him up, I asked him to put a load of dishes in the dishwasher, and told him that I wanted to take a shower and blow dry my hair. I think Justin thought that I had lost my mind, but just went along with it. I was in the shower when contractions became coming fast and furious--about 3 minutes from the start of one to the start of the other. I quickly realized that I would NOT have time to do my hair, and we booked it to the hospital.
We arrived shortly after 5am, and I was dilated to 4cm. I requested the epidural ASAP--I seriously had never felt pain like that in my life! It took about 1.5 hours for the anesthesiologist to come, and I literally thought that I was going to die. I couldn't for the life of me remember how to breathe. The epidural was absolutely fantastic--I have the utmost admiration for those who deliver naturally, but this experience solidified for me that I have absolutely no desire to be one of those people! The epidural was great because I could still feel all the pressure, but not pain.
Once they gave me the epidural, I was pretty sure that I was almost ready to push. I don't think the nurses really believed me because it took quite awhile for them to check me again. But once they finally did (maybe around 8am?), the nurse was pretty surprised to learn that I was fully dilated. After that, we did some practice pushes, and then pushed for somewhere between one and two hours. And then at 10:25am, when I literally didn't think that I could push any more, she was born. And it was incredible. Hearing her cry and seeing the look on Justin's face were literally the best moments of my life so far.
Funny little tangent here--Justin's best friend and soon-to-be-brother-in-law (Stump)'s birthday was yesterday. He was born at about 11:25 am, and the doctor that delivered Stump was the same doctor that delivered Elizabeth yesterday (it was the on call doctor, not our OB). And the on call doctor actually remembered Stump, because he was the biggest baby that doctor has ever delivered--he weighed like 12 pounds!
Anyway, the first night was a little rough due to some feeding issues, and me being in lots of pain due to several different tears and the fact that I seriously puffed up from the IV fluids. But we're hoping that tonight will go a little more smoothly. And I'm off to nap!
Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers--they mean so much to us!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Elizabeth Grace
Elizabeth Grace was born at 10:25 this morning, she weighs 7 pounds 3oz and was 19.5 inches long. God is so good! More details later.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
No More Google!
This post could also be named "Why I Should Not Google Unsupervised"
"Googling and Pregnancy Do Not Mix"
"This is Meredith's Anxiety-Ridden Brain After Using Google To Diagnose Herself"
"Meredith Is Not A Doctor, and Shouldn't Play One on Google"
Do you see where this is going? Justin does. My Dad does. I'm sure Lisa and Sara do. They all know that I'm kind of a hypochondriac, and also a Google MASTER, which is not a good combination. Let me explain.
Some of you might remember that sometime in August, I developed this crazy, itchy rash all over my hands and my feet. They were just small, flesh colored bumps, that were mostly on my fingers, but I itched EVERYWHERE. It was the worst thing ever, and NOTHING helped. Not antihistamines, not oatmeal baths, not Sarna lotion, not Aveeno, not Benadryl. I slept with bags of ice of my hands and feet every night. It was miserable. People were constantly stopping me on the street to diagnose me, and usually they suggested that it was psoriasis. However, my doctor told me that he was pretty confident that it was either an allergic reaction to something that I came into contact with, or just one of those weird side effects of pregnancy. Basically, when I asked my OB about it, he responded something to the effect of, "Meredith, you are allergic to THE WORLD. Of course you are itching like crazy and have a rash." Anyway, the rash just eventually went away all on its own, and the world was well again.
Until earlier this week, when I noticed the pesky bumps again and knew that the rash was coming back. I immediately put a Band-Aid over the first bump. I don't know why I thought a Band-Aid would help, but I figured that it probably couldn't hurt. And every morning, I would peel off the Band-Aid, and swear up a storm when I saw that there were more bumps than the day before.
So this morning, I did something very stupid. Something that Justin often yells at me for doing (but he wasn't home, so he didn't know to yell at me). I googled it. "Third trimester + hands and feet itch". And that was a very bad idea.
(Click the "Read More" link below to read the rest of the story)
"Googling and Pregnancy Do Not Mix"
"This is Meredith's Anxiety-Ridden Brain After Using Google To Diagnose Herself"
"Meredith Is Not A Doctor, and Shouldn't Play One on Google"
Do you see where this is going? Justin does. My Dad does. I'm sure Lisa and Sara do. They all know that I'm kind of a hypochondriac, and also a Google MASTER, which is not a good combination. Let me explain.
Some of you might remember that sometime in August, I developed this crazy, itchy rash all over my hands and my feet. They were just small, flesh colored bumps, that were mostly on my fingers, but I itched EVERYWHERE. It was the worst thing ever, and NOTHING helped. Not antihistamines, not oatmeal baths, not Sarna lotion, not Aveeno, not Benadryl. I slept with bags of ice of my hands and feet every night. It was miserable. People were constantly stopping me on the street to diagnose me, and usually they suggested that it was psoriasis. However, my doctor told me that he was pretty confident that it was either an allergic reaction to something that I came into contact with, or just one of those weird side effects of pregnancy. Basically, when I asked my OB about it, he responded something to the effect of, "Meredith, you are allergic to THE WORLD. Of course you are itching like crazy and have a rash." Anyway, the rash just eventually went away all on its own, and the world was well again.
Until earlier this week, when I noticed the pesky bumps again and knew that the rash was coming back. I immediately put a Band-Aid over the first bump. I don't know why I thought a Band-Aid would help, but I figured that it probably couldn't hurt. And every morning, I would peel off the Band-Aid, and swear up a storm when I saw that there were more bumps than the day before.
So this morning, I did something very stupid. Something that Justin often yells at me for doing (but he wasn't home, so he didn't know to yell at me). I googled it. "Third trimester + hands and feet itch". And that was a very bad idea.
(Click the "Read More" link below to read the rest of the story)
A Laugh at My Expense
So after spending all day yesterday cleaning, doing laundry, and such, I decided to hop in and take a nice long, uninterrupted hot shower. And it was fantastic. I haven't had a shower that felt so wonderful in MONTHS.
And then I hopped out of the shower, looked in the mirror, and realized that I was still wearing my glasses. And had been wearing them the whole time I was in the shower. And I hadn't even noticed...
Go me.
And then I hopped out of the shower, looked in the mirror, and realized that I was still wearing my glasses. And had been wearing them the whole time I was in the shower. And I hadn't even noticed...
Go me.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Struck Out.
This morning, I decided to do some online "window shopping" for some REAL clothes.
I know, I know...it will still be quite awhile before I'm able to really fit into regular clothes again. But I am EXCITED. And for the first time in quote some time, I was actually letting myself look at regular clothes this morning.
Only, I have not found even a single measly shirt that I like so far at any of my go-to inexpensive places (Target, Kohls, Old Navy, Gap, etc). Heck, even my most favorite jeans in the world (Gap Long and Lean) seem to only come in weird washes this year. I'm disappointed by your spring collections designers!
Have any of you seen cute stuff this year that won't break the bank?
I know, I know...it will still be quite awhile before I'm able to really fit into regular clothes again. But I am EXCITED. And for the first time in quote some time, I was actually letting myself look at regular clothes this morning.
Only, I have not found even a single measly shirt that I like so far at any of my go-to inexpensive places (Target, Kohls, Old Navy, Gap, etc). Heck, even my most favorite jeans in the world (Gap Long and Lean) seem to only come in weird washes this year. I'm disappointed by your spring collections designers!
Have any of you seen cute stuff this year that won't break the bank?
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Pregnancy Post: Week 39
Well folks, there it is--officially the LAST weekly pregnancy picture!
After much discussion at the doctor's appointment today, Justin, the doc, and myself decided to schedule an induction for Monday the 11th. So, if Lizzy doesn't make her grand appearance before then, we will be heading to the hospital at about 6am to begin the induction process. Now, I know that a lot of people have very strong feelings against inductions, and a lot of readers may not agree with our decision to induce. However, there are a lot of different reasons that have caused all three of us to believe that an induction is the best option. One of the main reasons is this:
For the past two weeks, the baby has been in a position that is pinching one of my nerves and also constricting my circulation. This means that I'm in a lot of pain, and also that I randomly feel like I'm about to black out--suddenly (little to no warning) I get complete tunnel vision, start shaking uncontrollably, and a fever/chills feeling. Then, I break out into a cold sweat. I can hardly see, and feel disoriented. And this always seems to happen when I'm say, in the shower, or driving. It's been happening more and more frequently (I had multiple episodes today), and there's absolutely nothing that I can do to stop or alleviate them--I just have to lay down and wait them out. And it's scary. Due to the decreased blood flow, I also usually have a migraine the rest of the day. The doctor confirmed today that the baby isn't likely going to change positions at this point, and since this situation is being caused by her positioning, the situation won't likely change until she's born. It's scary for me, and I know that my blood pressure and pulse shoot through the roof whenever it happens, which I'm sure isn't good for Lizard either.
In other news, my parents came over this evening bearing gifts--namely, a video camera! What an incredible gift! We didn't have one and my DSLR doesn't do video, so the camera was really, really exciting! Justin's already having a great time testing it all out.
Also, my oldest niece Payton (who is almost 5) informed me earlier this week that she really, really hoped that I have this baby before Sunday, because my shirts don't cover my belly anymore, and we do NOT wear shirts that show our belly to church. I got a pretty good laugh out of that one.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Snippets
-Monday was officially my last day of work!!!
-Yesterday, I did absolutely none of the things that I should have (i.e. laundry, cleaning, cooking) and instead lounged around and created the new blog layout. After a sleepless night last night, today hasn't been much better. I slept until 11am--I don't know WHEN the last time that happened was!
-I also worked on a 101 in 1001 list. I have a few more goals to go, but I want to think about it for a few days. I also want to put some goals that have to do with Lizzy on the list, but I am weirdly superstitious about doing so before she is born.
-Last night, Justin banished me from the kitchen so that he could cook eggs. The smell still makes me throw up. So I was hanging in the living room, and I kept mentioning that it didn't smell like he was making eggs--it smelled like brownies. Justin told me that I was crazy. After awhile, I agreed, and admitted that it was probably just that I really WANTED brownies. Justin finished his egg-cooking and came to sit down and watch Dexter with me. Several hours later, he went into the kitchen and came back with a plate of brownies! Turned out he had been making them, but was trying to throw me off the trail. What a stinker and a sweetheart all at once! The sweetheart definitely wins out though.
-I have a doctor appointment this afternoon. I know this is totally unrealistic and not going to happen, but I kinda have a fantasy about how this appointment will go. See, while getting my allergy shot this week, I read an article in one of their magazines talking about a small population of women who don't experience any pain during labor until it's time to push. Yeah, where do I sign up for THAT?! So anyway, in my little fantasy doctor's appointment, we head in, and he does an internal, looks and me and says, "Um, you're dilated to a 6. You're contracting, but just must not be feeling it--you'll have this baby today!" I know, it isn't going to happen. But it's been a nice recurring dream and daydream this past week!
-Yesterday, I did absolutely none of the things that I should have (i.e. laundry, cleaning, cooking) and instead lounged around and created the new blog layout. After a sleepless night last night, today hasn't been much better. I slept until 11am--I don't know WHEN the last time that happened was!
-I also worked on a 101 in 1001 list. I have a few more goals to go, but I want to think about it for a few days. I also want to put some goals that have to do with Lizzy on the list, but I am weirdly superstitious about doing so before she is born.
-Last night, Justin banished me from the kitchen so that he could cook eggs. The smell still makes me throw up. So I was hanging in the living room, and I kept mentioning that it didn't smell like he was making eggs--it smelled like brownies. Justin told me that I was crazy. After awhile, I agreed, and admitted that it was probably just that I really WANTED brownies. Justin finished his egg-cooking and came to sit down and watch Dexter with me. Several hours later, he went into the kitchen and came back with a plate of brownies! Turned out he had been making them, but was trying to throw me off the trail. What a stinker and a sweetheart all at once! The sweetheart definitely wins out though.
-I have a doctor appointment this afternoon. I know this is totally unrealistic and not going to happen, but I kinda have a fantasy about how this appointment will go. See, while getting my allergy shot this week, I read an article in one of their magazines talking about a small population of women who don't experience any pain during labor until it's time to push. Yeah, where do I sign up for THAT?! So anyway, in my little fantasy doctor's appointment, we head in, and he does an internal, looks and me and says, "Um, you're dilated to a 6. You're contracting, but just must not be feeling it--you'll have this baby today!" I know, it isn't going to happen. But it's been a nice recurring dream and daydream this past week!
Book Review: Prayer For Owen Meany
A Prayer for Owen Meany is apparently the book that the movie Simon Birch was based off of. I haven't ever seen Simon Birch, but after conferring with Justin, I'm not sure that there are many similarities between the book and the movie other than the fact that Owen/Simon always yells when he speaks.
Overall, the writing was fairly enjoyable. The characters were well developed. However, the way that the book was written was odd and not particularly enjoyable for me. The narrator, John, jumps back and forth between the present (at which time we know Owen has already died), and his growing up with Owen. As I said, we know that Owen dies, but we don't exactly know how. And the entire book basically leads up to the 20 pages where John describes how Owen eventually dies. And then the book is done. It's odd, because it feels like a huge build up to the climax with no resolution. In actuality, the resolution WAS there, we just read it before we read the climax. It was kind of strange. But then again, I kind of have an intense personal dislike for books that I feel don't give appropriate time to the resolution. That's the most important part of the book in my opinion!
Also, I found it really aggravating to read pages and pages of Owen SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME. Yes, I understand he always yells when he talks. That doesn't mean it's easy to read pages and pages of all caps!
So, overall it was a decent read. Not really one that I'd recommend to many people, but I have a feeling that's more an issue of the book's structure than anything else (I still don't understand the hundreds of rave reviews for this book on Amazon). At least I'm finally finished and can move on!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Picture Catch Up!
Here's one from the baby shower last month! From Left to Right, we've got Kelsey (sis-in-law), Courtney (sis), Me, and Renee (sis-in-law). We were just missing one of Justin's sisters, or we would have had the whole bunch! To be fair, I am only 5'10", which is tall, but not THAT tall! All my friends and relatives are just short ;)
Kait and my niece Payton. Payton told me today that she hopes I have the baby before Sunday so that I'll be able to wear a shirt that covers my belly to church on Sunday, lol!
............................................................................................................................Here are a few from the boys' annual Polar Bear Swim on New Year's Day:
Justin and his brother, Ryan.
............................................................................................................................And, I am VERY excited that my mom finished the quilt for Lizzy! I can't wait to see it in the nursery...I think it's going to go really, really well.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Still Here
Yes folks, I'm still here. Dang the Mongolian restaurant and their inaccurate fortune cookies!
In all seriousness though, I thought that last night might be the night after having contractions (both "contractions" and CONTRACTIONS) 3-8 minutes apart pretty much all day. But then at about midnight last night, they just stopped completely, and have pretty much been MIA since.
So, today we'll be keeping busy with lots of Dexter watching and also heading to Kaitlin's baby shower!
In all seriousness though, I thought that last night might be the night after having contractions (both "contractions" and CONTRACTIONS) 3-8 minutes apart pretty much all day. But then at about midnight last night, they just stopped completely, and have pretty much been MIA since.
So, today we'll be keeping busy with lots of Dexter watching and also heading to Kaitlin's baby shower!
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