Thursday, January 31, 2008

Snow and Wind

I didn’t mention it yesterday, but we actually had a horrific wind and snow storm come through along with sub-zero temperatures. Schools were closed, but daycare and work were open so it was business as usual for me. The power flicked on and off a few times while I was in the shower yesterday morning, but it was not really a big deal. Hub drove me to work because there were white-outs all over the place and we saw 3 tractor-trailers tipped on their sides by the wind. It was kind of scary! I spent the day safe and warm at work though and didn’t give it a second thought.

Until we got home yesterday evening………It was about 6:00 and the power had been out for an hour. The house was already 60 degrees. I was SO disappointed that I wouldn’t be in casserole heaven that I almost cried. We drove around for a bit, and then ended up at Denny’s for dinner. It was a bad idea; nothing tasted good to me, and I continued to taste it all night. CA was excited though because she got a big bowl of fresh fruit with her meal. She is the best eating 2-year-old I know. After Denny’s we went to Home Depot for a part so Hub could hook the generator up to our furnace. When we got home, it was 53 degrees in the house. Hub got the generator up and running and brought one of his electric heaters in to the house and then went to fiddle with the furnace. He no sooner got everything taken care of then the power came back on. I saw that coming though. It was 10:00 before the heat kicked in and even later before the kiddos got to bed. I’m just glad we were all warm in our beds all night instead of freezing and huddled together in the living room.

Casserole Tonight!

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Blogger Casserole

I’ve actually been feeling a whole lot better these past few days, as far as my stomach is concerned. Thank heavens because the nausea was way more than I could handle, especially not expecting it based on my 2 previous pregnancies. Felling better has afforded me the opportunity to eat chicken again, so on Monday night I made one of our favorite casseroles for Hub to throw in the oven before I got home from work yesterday. It turned out very well, and even ED ate it. Here is the recipe which is based very loosely on a recipe in my Betty Crocker Cook Book.

o 2 cups of cooked chicken, cubed (I usually cook up 3-4 large boneless breasts seasoned with butter, salt and pepper beforehand, but you could use pre-packaged chicken)
o 1 ½ cups white rice, cooked
o ¼ cup butter
o 1/3 cup flour
o 1 cup chicken stock
o 1 ½ cups milk
o Salt and pepper to taste
o 1 can of peas
o 1 can of corn
o Breadcrumbs or crushed cornflake crumbs

1. preheat oven to 350
2. Prepare rice and set aside.
3. Melt butter in large sauce pan
4. add flour salt and pepper and cook until bubbly
5. add chicken stock and milk and whisk constantly until boiling. Let boil for one minute for sauce to thicken.
6. combine chicken, rice veggies and sauce in greased 9x13 pan.
7. Top with crumbs if desired
8. bake 30-45 minutes until bubbly

I kid you not when I say it is delicious. I like to serve it with some fresh yeast rolls and whipped butter for the true “home-style” feel. This also freezes really well if you say, wanted to make it and drop it off for a friend in need, or make a double batch to have again another time.

Tonight I’m making another one of my favorites that takes about 20 minutes and is so simple you would die.

The ingredients are 1lb of ground beef or ground turkey and one family sized box of beef flavored rice-a-roni. I buy the low sodium version, and call it “casseroni” which is what my mom always called it.

1. Brown the beef or turkey drain and set aside.
2. In the same pan, begin browning the rice-a-roni per package instructions.
3. Once the rice is browned, add the beef and then add the seasoning packet and water per the package instructions and combine.
4. Finish cooking per package instructions

This we serve with packaged buttermilk biscuits, or even just white bread and butter. It’s a cheap and easy delicious meal!!! I do double the recipe for our family.

I love casseroles; this is the time of year for them and also, I am really in the mood for them, so here is a call for all of your recipes. If you’ve previously posted them, link me baby! If you haven’t and don’t want to do a recipe post, drop me an email. incubationnation at gmail dot com.

Go! Go! Now!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Negativity

1. The baby portion of my belly is pushing up the flabby belly left over from previous pregnancies, creating this obscene ridge. It is horrific.
2. Also, my boobs no longer fit in my bras.
3. The breakfast nook I ordered arrived today, more than 3 weeks before our kitchen will even be started. That was fast! And now we have to store it!
4. Hub went to Target to pay on our charge yesterday, and I had him walk over to the baby section. He found a bedding set (Classic Pooh) with the comforter, sheet, bumper and dust ruffle marked down from $89.99 to $19.98, and bought it. At full price, I probably wouldn’t have picked Classic Pooh, but it is adorable. And I like the idea that this baby will have something that only belonged to her/him out there in the sea of hand-me-downs it will encounter.
5. I had a really bad night with the kids last night and did a lot of yelling, which caused me to do a lot of crying after they had gone to bed. They deserved to be in trouble, but I felt horrible about the way I went about things.
6. ED told me yesterday that he was calling an 18-wheeler to come and get me and he was going to pack me up in the back and send me away for ever. I told him to enjoy life with no Mommy which caused him to burst in to tears. Sigh.
7. He also told me that he wants to learn to swing on those rings like the American Gladiators do. Double Sigh.
8. I have gone to the bathroom 4 times during this post due to drinking a large Dr. Pepper. Annoying. Even more annoying—of the 7 sinks in the work bathroom, one does not shut off automatically. Every time I go in to the bathroom, someone has left it on. WTF people?
9. I am really tired of my job and the assholes that come along with it. Really tired.
10. One of my best associates was feeling really sick today and was shaking and white and pasty and thought she was going to pass out. Her mother came to take her to the hospital to save her the embarrassment of being carted out in an ambulance. I walked her out to the front to make sure she got in the car ok. Apparently, rumor has it that I fired her and escorted her out of the building. Again, assholes.
11. I hate it when people pronounce “escalated” Esc-YA-lated.
12. We just got a “Melting Pot” restaurant here. A bunch of us have reservations for 2/16. Exciting, right?
13. There, now I’ve ended on a positive. I feel a little bit better.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Baby Names, OB Visits and Such

I was agreeing with Devan last week that naming the third baby is excruciatingly hard. I’ll admit I haven’t put a whole lot of time and effort in to it; it’s been more of rolling things off of my tongue and filing them away. For me, and probably everyone else, deciding what a child will be known as for their entire life is a hefty decision. I want to feel passion and wild excitement for the name that we choose.

We were kicking around two girl’s names, which I believe that I have shared before, Abby and Olivia. I like both of those names just fine, save for the possible ramifications of Olivia being paired with my last name, but when I think about living with them, I’m just not wild with glee. CA’s name (to be deleted later which is yousnoozeyoulose) still gives me “the feeling” today. I am in love with her name, perhaps more so because I am in love with her, but you get the picture.

It was different with ED (whose name is yousnoozeyoulose, the same as Hub), because I did not necessarily care for the name, however, Hub felt the wild excitement over it because it was his given name, and he was named after each of his grandfathers. It is an important family name, and being important to him made it a necessity when it came time to naming our 1st born son, and honestly, he is nothing but an ED.

While I still have no feelings or prospects on a possible boy’s name, I came upon a girl’s name recently that I am in love with. I can’t stop thinking about it, and I think that it is “The Name”. (For this reason, of course, we will have another boy, and I will be screwed….) I hesitated to mention it to Hub thinking he would say no faster than I could get it out of my mouth, but he didn’t. He was actually ok with it. He figures I’ll change my mind 100 times between now and August, but I don’t think so. I can not picture our baby girl (who may not be a girl) with any other name.

So do you want to know what it is? I don’t know if I want to tell you. I was afraid that speaking it out loud to Hub would somehow change my opinion, or he would tell me something horrifically associated with the name, but he didn’t. I trust that you won’t either. You won’t will you?

I had my 12 week appointment today, and everything went well. The heartbeat was strong at 156 and my blood pressure was low, per usual. My next OB visit is 2/26 and then my anomaly screening and ultrasound is 3/6, which means 6 weeks before we can find out what we’re having. 6 weeks, GAH. Best of all, I can start taking pepcid again, and when I mentioned the migraines I’ve been getting she suggested Tylenol Sinus rather than plain Tylenol since they all start off as sinus headaches. It was a productive and quick visit……YAY!

Oh were you waiting to hear about that baby name? Here it is. The middle name is not set in stone. Tell me what you think, but only if it’s good. And hey, if anyone wants to help me with some boy’s names, just in case, have at it!

H A N N A H - G R A C E

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Yoo Hoo!

Ok, it’s true, I’ve been miserable, but I’ve had a really hard time putting it in to words. This is by far the worst 1st trimester I have ever had, and I feel like it’s got to get better sometime soon. I am now in my 13th week. For the love of corn dogs! Please STOP!

As I was shoving my face full of a McDonalds Hot Fudge Sundae last night (but only the parts with hot fudge, the rest, was chucked in the garbage), standing over the counter shoveling it in like a wino over a garbage can as the kids sat and stared at me over their chicken and apples (and fries), and then again this morning as I stuffed my purse full of frozen Jimmy Dean Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches on my way out the door to work (since clearly, they are the only acceptable form of MEAT in the world), I was reminded of Catherine Newman---specifically her white trash pregnancy diet. When I re-read this post this morning, I really felt validated. This is what I’ve been going through! Someone understands me! And I know that all of you gals out there get it too, but to read this again, I don’t know, it just helped me out a lot this morning.

In other pregnancy news, I am losing my mind! I actually left the house with only one sock on today. Only. One. Sock. The reason? One of my socks was upstairs and I knew that I saw the match in the basement. I put the lone sock on, figuring I would grab the other on my way out, and put my boots on as well. Kissed the kids goodbye, and out to the car I went. At least I hadn’t made it out of the driveway before I remembered. Both of my feet are now safely “socked.”

I’ve heard speculation that after your first pregnancy, you can feel the baby moving sooner. I’m reasonably sure that I can feel this baby moving around down there, tiny flutters abound, however my brain is saying “um, you are 12 weeks and one day pregnant, idiot. You don’t feel the baby.”

But I think I do. And although it is the 3rd time around, it sure is grand.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

By the way....

This is how my little diva went to the mall with me on Saturday. I love that she is such an individual. I love that she is a self-proclaimed princess. I love that she wants her own way (except for when it is inconvenient). I love that she has the makings to be a very strong woman some day. And most of all, I love that she is mine

My Weekend, By: Saly

We have decided to completely re-do our kitchen. The financing came through on Friday, and we are just going for it. It is desperately needed anyhow as our current set-up is so ass-backwards and 1945 it is ridiculous. The catch is that Hub will be doing it all himself, but I think he has it in him. And also that we will be closing up FIL’s door and relocating it to the other side of the kitchen. Hope he doesn’t mind! We’re hoping that this will help us to increase our equity enough to get the upstairs done by a pro. That project needs to be completed no later than this time next year, when the baby will be ready to move out of our room.

We had something of a busy weekend. On Saturday, Hub and my brother took ED to Toronto for the monster truck show. Apparently, he loved it. He was still wide awake when they got home at 2:00 AM. Yes, he kept my (4-year-old) baby out until 2:00 AM. While they did that, CA and I shopped clearance at Kohls, Old Navy and JC Penny. I picked up some PJ sets at Kohls, the $8.00 maternity jeans I couldn’t get online at ON and struck gold at JCP, scoring 15 shirts, 3 skirts and 2 pair of pants for CA for $1.18 each, and three 3-piece outfits for ED for $10 each. I spent $55 on all of it. I then got 4 maternity tops for under $30. It was great! CA and I also stopped at IHOP for dinner. It was nice spending time with just her.

Sunday, my cousin’s baby was christened, and they had a luncheon afterward. I was very surprised at how well ED behaved considering his lack of sleep. It’s nice that my cousins and I all have kids who are the same age. They had a great time together.

Yesterday, I took the kids to daycare, and then I came home and slept until 1:00 PM. It was amazing. Hub and I grabbed some Chinese food and spent some time at home depot looking at kitchen stuff. It wasn’t a productive day off, but it worked for me.

I only wish I was home sleeping now.

I sure do wish I had more interesting things to say. My brain doesn’t seem to be functioning normally these days. I will be 12 weeks along tomorrow, so I am hoping that all of the crap will subside soon, and maybe my creativity will get turned back on. This is starting to remind me of my fourth grade diary, in which most pages read “Today I went to school. Then I came home. It was good.” I’m tired of the daily narrative.

I actually had a dream last night where I was writing a post about which parts of my day I would pause and which parts I would fast forward if life had TiVo. When I tried to type it out this morning though, it was tres lame. The one moment sticking out though, the one that I would pause, or keep forever, occurred yesterday morning while I sat on the couch with ED, snuggled under a blanket before the rest of the house was awake. “I love snuggling with you in the morning”, I said. He snuggled deeper in, my 4-year-old boy “Me too Mommy, me too.” He makes my heart melt.

Friday, January 18, 2008

I’m coming to terms with the fact that this may very well be my last pregnancy. As much as I’ve always said that I wanted to have 4 kids, thinking about having another one when I am over 30----it just doesn’t seem possible.

It may be premature to have these kinds of thoughts; I get that. The baby isn’t even here yet; I know. Still, I’m operating on the assumption that this is my last, and I’m taking advice from Misty, who said in one of my comments that she’s pretty sure her next pregnancy will be her last, and that she is going to spoil herself.

That being said, I am going for it and I am spending the $30 on this cute skirt from Old Navy (ok, it is not on their website anymore, but I I find it again, I will show you), even though I wouldn’t spend $30 on a non-maternity skirt. I’m spending all of my Christmas gift cards on cute maternity clothes despite the fact that I already have a shit-load from the last two times. And I am buying the things I want for this baby, which will include a fancy sling and a bumbo.

Anyhoo---

In other baby news, I am feeling really strong girl vibes. This is kind of hard, because with CA, I really wanted a girl, since we already had a boy. Now, as we have one of each, I don’t have any preferences, per se, but I have been weighing the pros and cons of each. I’m not really sure how I feel about myself doing that, like in some aspects it would be better to have a boy (I love that CA is our little princess, boys seem to be easier) but in others it seems like having a girl (ED is such a mama’s boy, I have SO MANY girl’s clothes) would be better. Is this normal? I think generally, I don’t care. But if you ask me what I want on any given day, my response will change. It should be just over a month before we find out for sure anyway. (YAY!)

Tomorrow is official Mommy and CA day since Hub and ED are going to the monster truck rally (yawn). As long as I can borrow FIL’s car, we will shop and go have something for dinner and have a fun girl’s day. I’m excited; it’s nice to get to spend solid one-on-one time with each of them once in a while. Sunday, my cousin’s baby is being baptized, so we’ll be doing that. This will be the first time we’ve seen anyone from my dad’s family since our pregnancy announcement, so let’s see how this all goes. All of my cousins have stopped with 2 kids.

And now, I’ve ordered some manicotti for lunch, so I am off. Happy weekend to you all!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Handling

About 30 minutes after I had put the kids to bed last night (and I was half way through my second bowl of ice cream) ED came out in the living room.

“I keep forgetting to ask you 2 questions!” he says

“Ok”, I say, and notice how well spoken he is for a 4-year-old. He really is a boy now.

“I need to know how the baby got in there Mommy. And how are you going to get it out.”

Ice cream falls from my spoon back in to the bowl and my mind starts racing. What am I going to say? He is rather grown up, as far as four-year-olds go…should I give him some details? Should I make up some crap about the stork? He already mentioned that he knows that doctors deliver a baby (but then asked where exactly, they deliver them to? To their mommies at the “hostable”?) I really don’t want to use the word vagina. Am I sweating? Oh my GOD!

I told him that I need to think about it since it’s been a long time since I had a baby, and I really don’t remember. This satisfied him (for now) and he went back to bed.

I don’t know why Hub and I have not discussed, what, or how much, if anything we are telling him. I also don’t know what we were thinking getting pregnant with a very inquisitive 4-year-old around. This was a lot easier when he was just a year old and I was pregnant with CA.

I’d be curious to know what information you all gave your older children in this situation. Or what did your parents tell you about babies.

My mother was pregnant with my youngest brother when I was 10. She answered my questions by giving me a book, and sending me to my room to read it myself while she and my father watched the football game. Seriously. When she was pregnant with my 1st brother, she gave me the cock and bull “mommy has a seed and daddy waters it” which I repeated to ever last person I came in to contact with, since I was, you know, 2. This is the kind of situation I don’t want to get myself in to; ED blurting out something completely embarrassing in public. (more embarrassing than asking me loudly in a public restroom why grownups are “a little bit hairy”. Yeah.)

On a complete side note, CA was up at about 11:30 last night and couldn’t go back to sleep so I brought her in with me. She slept with her head propped on my belly (until I started choking on stomach acid) and later rolled next to me. I woke up at 2:30 AM finding her curled completely in to my side, with ED sleeping in between my legs and the cat sleeping in between his legs. Apparently, my bed is the community bed when Hub works overnight. I think I’d be better off on the couch.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Train of Thought

1. Hub had a quick job yesterday morning, so FIL watched the kids for a few hours in the morning. I talked to Hub when he was on his way home and he said that FIL had left him a message to say that he was taking the kids to McDonalds, around 9:00 AM. I was confused, because when I left they were happily sipping hot cocoa and eating pop tarts. Hubs got home to find that the reason they went to McDonalds was because they begged FIL for french fries to dip in their hot chocolate. I have 3 problems with this situation:

1. It’s disgusting.
2. It was 9:00 AM---you can not get french fries at 9:00 AM
3. FIL is the adult and he allowed a 4 and 2-year-old to con him in to going for french fries in the morning to DIP IN HOT COCOA. I mean, seriously, WTF.

As anticipated, there were no fries so they ended up at Tim Horton’s for doughnuts anyway. I’m still really annoyed.

2. I passed out on the couch last night and decided not to go in to bed when Hub came home because I had some wicked heart burn. When I woke up around 1:30, I was totally going to bed, but he was snoring so loud, I chose to stay on the couch. I could still hear him from the living room, along with FIL hacking up a lung from his room. But don’t worry; he was still outside smoking this morning. Let me tell you, it was a great night.

3. I’m pretty sure that Hub is getting sick of me wanting cereal for dinner. I feel like he should be putting out a cereal buffet for me each night. He seems to think that I should cook or something. I think he’s lucky that I don’t just come home and go to bed every night.

4. Hub also (finally) emptied the bathroom garbage the other night. And I gloated. Like that annoying girl in the litter box commercial who has that extra annoying way of saying “I’m cleaning the litter box….” I hate that commercial. HATE IT. Anyway, I did a little dance and started screaming “I WIN!!!” in the kitchen. I’m sure he will never empty it again.

5. Two people at work, upon hearing “my news” have said “better you than me……”. What does that even mean? Apparently it is better for me. Your poor children, you assholes.

6. I’m on a tic tac kick. The new cherry passion ones are DELICIOUS.

7. I am so looking forward to Monday, since I am off of work. The kids are going to school. I am sleeping all day. Oh happy day.

8. I am missing a whole box of maternity shirts….the long sleeved ones. I have no idea where they could possibly be, and I need them. I found all of the short sleeved ones, and I’m wondering why I even kept them since I continued to wear them after Cait was born, while nursing and etc. They are pretty much ruined. My Old Navy (Oh Maybe’s if you are ED) order should arrive today, and that is exciting.

9. I watched the second half of American Idol last night. Does anyone think that the weirdo crap isn’t a gimmick? It’s really just annoying and old at this point. I usually don’t watch until they get down to 20 anyway, but there was NOTHING on TV. I’m actually pretty tired of there being nothing on TV, by the way.

10. When I went through everything I bought at Target last night, along with the box that came from TCP, CA wanted to try it all on. She loved the pink puffy dress. She also asked whether the new blankies were her new blankies. When I told her that they were for the baby, she disappeared in to the other room and came back with her twin babies and laid each of them on one of the blankets. She is so cute that it kills me!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Target Clearance Shopping, Onion Soup, and Apparently, I Look Like Crap

Well. I’ve just finished my lunch, which means I am nauseous. That’s the way it goes around here lately. I planned on getting something small for lunch, but I was on such a high from clearance shopping at Target that I needed immediate sustenance. Panera happened to be on the way, and though they forgot the cheese in my french onion soup, it was very delicious.

Oh, you want to know what I got at Target? LET ME TELL YOU!!!

I will start by saying that I spent $17.99 on new sneakers for ED because his feet will not stop growing. Everything else I got was less than $4 and I bought in bigger sizes for next year. 2 pair of tights, a red knitted sweater (she has the same one for this year and I spent $15 on it then), a fancy dress with a velour top and puffy pink plaid skirt for CA, 2 pair of pants, 2 shirts, and a hoodie for ED, and 2 blankets for the baby (one is purple, so if it is a boy it will go to my friend Kel who is having a girl—the other is green). All of the Circo brand fleecy blankets were on clearance for $2.74. I would have bought one in every color and style (there were about 10) if Hub wouldn’t have killed me for it. In all, I spent $56 and $30 of it was on a gift card. $26 out of pocket, not bad.

I also bought a lot on clearance last week with ED’s 20% off birthday coupon at TCP. It came today, so I can’t wait to get home.

My mother called me last night to say that she changed her mind; she thinks I’m having a girl. Why? Because girls drain all of the beauty from your face. Not to say that I’m ugly, but that I have big black circles under my eyes. So it must be a girl.

WTF.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Aaaaaah

That was exactly what I said as I slipped in to my favorite pair of maternity jeans this morning. So what if I’m only 11 weeks along? So what!! I am so done with buttons my friends. Besides, it is painfully obvious that I am with child, so I might as well flaunt it.

We had a very busy weekend, with the double birthday parties. We also told my family, to which my mother replied over and over again, “I am in shock. I’m just in shock.” At least it was still about her. She also commented that she would need to increase her direct deposit to savings in order to afford Christmas next year.

Yeah.

Hub’s mother assumed that his whole family knew and began talking about it during the party yesterday. His Grandmother kept telling everyone that she just knew because of a look Hub and I had shared on Thanksgiving Day when our niece was crying and carrying on uncontrollably. Funny, since WE didn’t even know we were having a baby on Thanksgiving, so I’m not sure what look she was referring to. Hub’s cousin K, who has a 6-year-old boy and whose daughter is the same age as ED is having a baby as well—2 weeks before us. Due to her “advanced maternal age” (she’s like, 36) she’s already had an amnio and knows she’s having a boy. This is the cousin who has given us all of her baby clothes and ETC because she “was done.” Hub wants to buy her a whole new layette to repay her. I don’t know how necessary that all is, I agree with a nice gift, but, whatever.

Needless to say, I am completely family-ed out.

I’m quite excited for Saturday, when Hub and ED will be heading north to go to the Monster Truck Rally. CA and I will have the day to ourselves. I fully intend on taking a long nap and then shopping with all of my Christmas gift-cards. Yay.

Ok, this is a mish/mosh, I know. I am dying for a cheeseburger. Sounds like I’ll be taking a drive for lunch.

Finally, here are a few birthday photos, taken by my dad. I’m going to try and post some of ours tonight, because seriously, you need to see this cake Hub made for ED.









Friday, January 11, 2008

Among Other Things, Pregnancy Makes Me Stoooooopid

We have birthday parties scheduled with each of our families for ED this weekend. Up until this morning, I had completely forgotten about cake. Seriously. I forgot a damn birthday cake for my kid. Luckily we have a trusty bakery around here and I got my order in just in time. Two Diego cakes, coming up!

I feel like I have so much to say. Like in addition to all of the needs I posted yesterday, I have wants too. Like a Bumbo. And a sling. And this for sure, once I find out what I’m having……

I’ll be telling my mother tomorrow, finally. And I’m worried about her response. The first time around it was all about her. Her exact words were “I’m going to be a Grandma!!??” before there was any utterance of congratulations or anything. The second time was uneventful, but she immediately expressed concerns about the size of our house. The size has not changed. It’s a shame that pregnancy is not conducive to drinking heavily. I could really use a shot of SoCo or 12 right now.

We do actually have plans of remodeling our upstairs to include 3 full bedrooms and another bath. The baby is a push to us because OBVIOUSLY we are not going to cram 3 kids in to one room, once the baby leaves ours. I figure we have about a year.

Today is one of those days where I’m just tired of being a grown up.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Well, At Least I'll get to Eat Hospital Food

I don’t know why I thought that with a third child I would have fewer expenses. The more we talk about it, the more we need. I expected this with CA, because obviously, I was not going to dress her in boy’s clothes, but all of our gear was pretty gender neutral so there was not much cost involved there.

Here’s the thing. Once “your gear” has already been through two children, it’s pretty much useless to the third. Couple that with my insurance co-pay going up from $250 to $500 to deliver, and we’ve already pretty much sucked up the tax credit we’ll get for number 3.

I am glad that we invested in a sturdy and oversized bassinette so that we don’t have to throw CA out of the crib right away (both kids slept in our room for 6-8 months—we only moved CA out because she was crawling out over the side and in to our bed—yes she was even a stinker at 7months old), and also that the crib is in really good shape. Our stroller, short of being FILTHY, is in very good condition too. I suppose those are the heavy hitters; the ones that are meant to last. Again, I’m glad that they have.

Here is a list of what we need though, and more importantly, why we need it.

1. A Bouncy Seat. I slipped and fell on ours when ED was a baby and I couldn’t bear to have him in another room while I showered. Yes, he was in it at the time, and also my knee barely missed his head. It was severely bent, but still usable. CA used it for about 6 months before ED jumped on it and snapped the metal (where it was already bent) in half. We also had the baby papasan for CA but I gave it away. It was stupid.
2. A baby monitor. Ours shorted out; sparks and all, shortly after ED and CA began sharing a room. I suspect foul play.
3. A new swing. I’ve always hated ours because it randomly stops and starts and has no rhythm. Plus, after I discovered that CA had been dumping her bottle in the pad and there was actually mildew growing under there, I’ve never looked at it the same. I also can not get the pad clean.
4. A new high chair. Ours is permanently reclined. It’s a piece of garbage. We won’t need this for a while at least.

I feel a little bit better typing it out and seeing that it’s only a few things. But then of course breast milk bags, bottles, nursing pads, etc. etc. will add up. If it’s a boy, I’ll need to buy clothes too, since ED was huge and born in the dead of winter.

I suppose the expenses never go away. I’m not concerned that we won’t be able to afford it, but it doesn’t make it any less stressful. I’m registering at Babies ‘R Us because I have a coupon for free bottles and binkies when you register (even thought I hate binkies) and for 10% off any gift that wasn’t purchased for you. I don’t anticipate any of them being purchased for me (nor would I ask anyone for anything) but that 10% is a bonus!

I know; I’m a lunatic. I apologize. Less than 7 months to go!!

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Cheaper Than Therapy!

Dear Grocery Store-

Is it too much to ask for you to carry some GOLDEN Italian Dressing? Seriously! There are people our there who don’t want balsamic this and Extra Virgin that! I just wanted some regular effing dressing! JEEZE!

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Dear Employees-

If you make fun of one of my typos in an instant message again I’m going to lose it. Because you’re perfect, right? Keep in mind that I wouldn’t be sending mass IM’s if you were doing your jobs. Rot in hell.

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Dear Hubs-

Can we get over this silent fight reminiscent of Everybody Loves Raymond where neither of us will empty the bathroom garbage can regardless of how full it is? So what if I’ve jammed a toilet paper tube in there and am now packing my garbage in to the tube just so that it fits without getting all over the floor. You should suck it up and empty it.

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Dear Hubs-

Also, no, you can not touch my boobs. Deal with the fact that it’s probably going to be a year before you can.

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Dear Tomato Sandwich (that I brought for lunch today)—

I can’t wait to eat you!!!

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Dear Sabbie-Cat-

I appreciate you taking the initiative to keep your own butt clean after multiple attempts on our part as well as seriously cutting back on your food. This does not mean that I want said ass in face.

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Dear Coffee-

How I miss you. Your delicious aroma is everywhere. I am looking forward to the day we can meet again peacefully.

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Dear ED-

We get that you are four now. Contrary to popular belief, this does not mean that you can stay up late or drive the car. You are four, which is big, but not that big.

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Dear Headache-

Please just go away. I am begging you. Please, once and for all.

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Dear Christmas and Birthday Photos-

Could you maybe upload yourself? I just don’t feel like it.

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Dear OBGYN’s of the World-

Can the best one in my area that delivers at the hospital I want just contact me directly? Finding someone who is reputable when you are pregnant is hard work. I know you’re looking for me……here I am!!! Conversely, can you, the OBGYN I want, change your policy and deliver at my hospital of choice? That would work a whole lot better for me. Kay? Thanks.

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Dear CA-

Telling me that your hands are full to get out of doing something when it is apparent that your hands are not full is probably not the best lie you could tell. It reminds me how innocent you are though even when you’re trying to be a piss-pot. Also, I’m proud of you for being able to recognize all of your letters. I had no idea you could do that!

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Dear End of the Day

Please come quickly! I want to go home!!!



Love to you all,

Saly

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

How Did You Find Out??

Well, I was struggling with what I was going to write today, if anything because I’ve got a killer headache that has lasted for a week and this mucus issue going on that is not helping. I was going to talk about my ever-growing stressful list of the baby products we need since ours have been through 2 kids and we have either thrown them out, or they are completely destroyed, OR I never liked them to begin with and dammit my 3rd baby deserves better! Then I read Swistle’s post. Asking how we found out we were pregnant, and there it was! I knew I had to write about it.

The first time around, I had been charting my cycle like a crazy person for 3 or 4 months—basically ever since we got married and I had stopped taking the pill. I knew that there was a chance, but when I started getting horrific cramps, I figured it was my period and started popping Pamprin like there was no tomorrow. I went to the doctor for something completely unrelated that week, and mentioned that I was a day late and that my cycle was usually 28 days on the nose. The nurse said that it couldn’t hurt to take a test, and I did. She told me to wait about 5 minutes for it to develop and then ran back in the room about a minute later yelling “You’re pregnant!!!!” I didn’t even know how to react. Hub had borrowed my cell phone that day, so I tried calling him from numerous pay phones on my way back to work. He didn’t answer. I finally told him in a whisper from my desk at work. I was taking classes in the evening at the time, and went to school and bombed a really important test. Luckily, my professor had a 2-year-old and a one-year-old and she understood. I retook the test the following week.

The second time around, my cycles were all out of whack. We weren’t being careful at all, so I was buying pregnancy tests in bulk. I was working this weird 12:15-9:00 shift at the time, but I was working days on this particular day because one of our partners was taking all of the managers out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. I had planned on having drinks on their dime since I was done nursing—ED was 11 months old and had weaned himself by then—but I figured I would be responsible and take a test just in case. Imagine my surprise when it was positive. I woke hub up to tell him and then laid back down in bed with him completely in shock. It’s weird because I can remember that it was 5:34 AM, exactly how our bedroom was set up at the time and the pajamas I had on.

This third time, again, my cycles have just not been normal. One day in November I happened to plug in the date of my last period and realized that we had a good chance of being pregnant based on “our activity”. The weird thing was that when I realized it was a possibility, I really really wanted it. I said a little prayer right then and there, that if there truly was a chance to please make it happen. I wasn’t surprised at all when I tested positive. The first test had a super faint second line and I woke Hub up to tell him the news. By now, it was no big deal and we both went about our mornings. I tested again over that weekend to be sure, and here we are, 6 weeks later, 10 weeks along. Despite being sick, and run down and all that jazz, life is pretty much the same as it’s always been.

For me, finding out that I am expecting is almost as exciting as actually having the baby. I just wish we didn’t have to wait so long.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Happy Birthday!

I’ll have to admit that I was a bit sad last night, putting my boy to bed for the last time as a 3-year-old. He turned 4 at 2:13 this morning. 4 seems like such a big number to me, compared to 3. At three, I could still hold on to his baby-ness a bit, but at age 4 I feel like he’s a real live boy! He will start official preschool in the fall, and he can play tee ball this summer. Turning 4 is a really big deal!

He accomplished much this year, mastering questions (Why Mommy? But WHY because???) and learning to write most of the letters in the alphabet. He can take just about anything apart and put it back together again. He loves working in the garage with daddy, helping mommy in the kitchen and playing with his sister. He can be bossy at times and is very opinionated. He would follow his grandpa anywhere, especially to “the brown park”. He's never met a truck that he didn't like and is a huge Jeff Gordon fan. Above all, he is still a mama’s boy.

Happy birthday my sweet boy. It doesn’t seem like it has been 4 years since you made your debut, but at the same time, I can’t remember you not being here. I love you so so much.


Friday, January 4, 2008

Friday 5

Like Jess I've also never done a Friday Five. But I am a copycat, so here goes. :)

1. Our daycare is officially high tech! Last week they installed a biometric scanner—no stupid # key pad for us, it’s all about the fingerprints baby, and this week they set up internet viewing. That’s right, I can watch my kids from my desk at work all day long! And you thought I was lazy before!! Muah hah hah!
2. My boss’s boss just signed me up for a class in North Carolina for the end of this month. Hello, I have kids. A little notice would be nice before I have to spend 2 nights away from them (regardless of the cushy comfy bed and Jacuzzi tub with a full television view). I’m pretty sure I’m not going but do have plans to be down there either at the end of Feb or some time in April. I told my boss that the absolute latest I will travel is the beginning of June.
3. You may have noticed that I deleted my entry from yesterday—or most of it anyway. Too much damn drama. I still have not heard from mi madre. Whatevs.
4. The vending machines here at work no longer have V8 in them. I could have really used a V8 today. Chex mix helped though. I think I’m craving salt.
5. I would trade the great pregnancy hair that I have right now for fantastic skin. I can’t even believe that it’s worse than it was before I got pregnant. I can’t win.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Insert Big Sigh "HERE"

Deleted most content from yesterday. SIIIIIGH.
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P.S. the Dr. went well yesterday although my favorite dr and midwife have left the practice leaving the crabby midwife and the doctor who botched ED’s circumcision, so I do have some decisions to make. It is no less monumental to hear your 3rd baby’s heart beat than it was the 1st time around. We told the kids and my FIL last night. CA has no clue but ED had 4578 questions including “does the doctor use a big hug knife to cut the baby out?” , “why do Mommies have special parts to grow babies?” and “Where does the baby come out of?” GAAH!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

A Letter to My Bean

Dear Baby Bean—

Shortly I will be on my way to see you for the first time and I wanted you to know just how excited I am about it. We are 9 weeks along today, and this is the longest I have ever waited before. While I know that you are in there, to see your little heart beating away will be the greatest thing I can think of. I have complained a lot over the last month or so, but please don’t mistake my complaining for being unhappy. As much as I have been uncomfortable, or sick, I know that you are my gift—you are meant to be, my Bean. Just as it was with your brother and sister before you, I have never been happier, and before we know it, you will be here with all of us.

Until then, I love you more each day---

Mommy