Here Comes the Points Rant

Well, dang you Weight Watchers! I went to Olive Garden last night and blew it all out of the water. Kinda sucks to be on a date and know that you are going to eat and eat and eat and... maybe you just didn't care then - until you looked at your points for the day and realize that you ate double what you were supposed too for the DAY!

Yes, the WHOLE DAY!!!

So today I walked for an entire hour and I'm considering going out for another hour tonight just to walk off the guilt.

It's hard to stay on a diet when your husband wants to help out some cute kid from the school and buys truffles - for his dieting wife of course. These aren't ordinary truffles. They are made from scratch, bigger than your head truffles that call my name every time I go into the kitchen. Then there is the cheese that I bought before I paid for my WW subscription. There is my husband who can eat whatever he wants and burns it off at the "office." I'm also up in the middle of the night feeding the baby and wondering what I could troll the kitchen and find for myself. Then there are all the other things you have to say no too and it's just hard. I want to lose this weight but until Jillian Michaels gets here to kick my butt, I'm going to struggle every day not to eat and eat and eat.

So, in addition to paying for what is essentially an elaborate online food journal, I am going to post my weight, at the risk of scaring readers everywhere, on this blog every week.

I was 198 when I delivered Cate.
Sunday, my weigh in day this week, I was 183.

There. That ought to keep me accountable.

Heading Out to the Dr.

Today I head out to the doctor at 4. Yes, my appointment was originally at 10 am but they called and switched me to later because the Dr. was out of the office or something. I think it's just to torture me. So here I am trying to decide whether I should bake cupcakes with the words I'M READY on them and try and beg for an induction or just let go of the guilt and not worry about it anymore. I'm not THAT uncomfortable. I'm just guilty about getting everyones hopes up over and over with the contractions and dilation and all that. I really just want to get it all over with so we can get into a schedule. But with my Murphy's Law life, I know I will be dragging this out until the actual due date or beyond because that's what happens to me. Here's how I know I'm cursed:

I got a kidney stone DURING MY PREGNANCY!

Right after the kidney stone, Andy's mom rushed down to help us get it together. I was fine until the day she left when I got the flu. I am still hacking up a lung every day from that. And of course, I'm pregnant and HUGE and I really feel like with every cough, I am going to smash out little baby.

I was going into labor and my mom rushed out from CO costing her several hundred dollars and my sister her free babysitter, then my labor basically stopped and she has been here for a week just putzing around with me...

If I had not had my mother come out, I would have this kid already and she would have missed the birth. We all know it's true!

In the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy, I found out I won't have a job next year, Abby waffled back and forth between potty training and waiting causing clean ups on the FLOOR when I can't even see my own feet, and my husband is working more than he has all year.

Despite all this, I think I'm going to make it. Suddenly last night, after finding out we had money problems that I didn't know about... I decided that none of it mattered anymore. I'm just going to sit down on the couch, watch Project Runway and zone out from the world until Cate is born. I can only do one thing at a time and I'm creating life here, people.

Adventures in Water

So my mom is here and you would think that would totally make everything ok. It does. But she left for a few minutes to get a breather and take a little walk in the beautiful weather we are having and I decided to give Abby some lunch. As I was cleaning up, I heard a drip drip drip down under my sink.

Crap... I open the cupboard and sure enough. Our sink pipes were completely undone and all the water was leaking down into the cupboard. I opened it up, cleaned out all the stuff, and Abby helped me put towels down to clean up the water. I can't use that sink. So I decided I would take a shower but with all the chemicals out and Abby loving to put those bottles in her mouth and suck out whatever is in, and my mom still on her walk, I took Abby in the bathroom with me and put her to brushing her teeth while I showered. Suddenly, I hear her talking, which should NOT be happening if she had the toothbrush still in her mouth. She has gotten into the guest shampoo basket and is pouring out bottles of stolen hotel shampoo all over the toilet she is standing on. She is saying, "Bye bye shoap." I freak out but I'm soaped up and shampooed and as I stand there telling her, "No, don't touch!" in a frantic voice, the shampoo leaks into my eyes and I'm blinded. I feel around for my toddler, get her off the toilet before she slips and falls and gets the next great time travel idea, and get her sitting on the floor. I rinse as fast as possible, get out, clean up the spilled shampoo and just as I am finally getting the discipline thing done with Abby, I hear my mom coming up the stairs. She has missed the whole episode.

Hope she is having a great vacation. LOL!!!

Screech!!!

After several days of going into light contractions every night and wondering and wondering, I'm getting tired of the wondering. I have been getting about 3-4 hours of sleep a night as I lay in my bed thinking my water will break at any moment. Then I go out and watch crappy TV for a while and cry about the fact that everything hurts and is it for a reason? I wish I could get checked every now and then to know how I'm progressing but I don't have an OBGYN at the house here and I just have to deal.

Yesterday my mother got here and she has already relieved the stress off me AGAIN. It's so nice to have her here and just being around. Andy doesn't feel like he has to do EVERYTHING! He is such a good husband. He deserves to have a break and a BIG PARTY thrown for him. Anyway, today my mom and I went shopping for groceries and as we walked down the cereal aisle, we heard water dripping. I looked down and there was a puddle under me. I freak out. "Mom, is that ME?!" She looks and looks, "No, there is nothing coming from you. But that is weird." I totally thought my water broke right there in the store but it didn't. I was trailing hand soap that had broken and was leaking out of my cart. Talk about a scare. I looked at my mom and said, "That would have been classic."


Hopefully, I won't continue to be the Murphy's Law of pregnancy but I will keep the FB world updated and if anything fantastic happens, I will be blogging... HA! Even if it's from a hospital bed!

When It Rains...

Started having contractions this week. At first, they were just Braxton Hicks and it wasn't that bad. Then they got worse and worse and I was in pain. I had an appointment with the Dr. the next day and since the contractions weren't regular, I just waited. 2 cm dilated and starting to thin so I was happy that I wasn't in pain for nothing... But Mom (Andy's) left and I was still recovering from having the flu and then Abby got the flu. Can it get any worse? Then relief! My mom, although I told her not to, decided to change her ticket and get here TODAY! I'm going to get her at the airport and let me tell you, I have not been this happy since I picked up Andy's mom...


There is something about Mom's and the way they take care of you that is just awesome. When Abby is sick, she just wants to cuddle with me. Although I am sad that she feels yucky, I love being the one she want's to cuddle with and that she sits on my lap for longer than the duration of a book. When I am not feeling top notch, my mommy is the one I want around. She knows just what I want, soup and sleep and she does everything in my house similarly to how I would do it so I know that everything is in good hands. I love her. I miss her and I can't wait to see her tonight.

Valentines Nightmare

Andy and I are not big Valentines people. We have always said we love each other and he gets me flowers or something but it's never been a BIG deal for us. This year, with all the issues - me being pregnant, sick, and stressed over the coming events in our lives - I decided to take advantage of the fact that Andy's mom is still here and suck it up and go out on a fancy, expensive date regardless of how cruddy I felt. I drugged myself up on Tylenol Flu and got dressed. We headed out to a new Italian place where the food was fantastic. As I walked through the restaurant to use the bathroom, people were staring at me the whole way, hoping that I would suddenly give birth next to their table. (In their defense, I was holding my stomach and wincing the whole way there and back as the baby was punching me in the bladder and I'm sure I'm going to give birth to Sugar Ray Leonard.) I packed in as much of the food as I could, dealing with the pain of my little boxer using my organs as punching bags, and we headed out to a movie. Thank goodness the theater is right there next to the restaurant. My Tylenol was wearing off as we took our seats. There were VERY few people in the theater which was good as I sniffled and snuffled and tried not to hack up a lung through the whole thing. Once the movie was over, Andy held my hand as I waddled to the car thinking that I will never leave the house again. Last night I coughed so hard, I thought my water would break. Andy slept on the couch. I can't believe our Valentines Day was so miserable but we did get out and I can tell you this, after all that, my husband still loves me. That is the best Valentine's gift any girl can get - the knowing that no matter what kind of seething mass of germs, snot and fat, pregnancy hormones you may become, you have a man who will love you through it all and always be able to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Narcotics and Me!

Ok, when I was dying from the kidney stone, they gave me a narcotic to help deal with the pain. I have only been on this powerful of drugs a couple of times: once when I got my tonsils out, when I got my wisdom teeth out, and when I gave birth. I have discovered that this is not a good thing for me. Well, maybe it is and maybe it isn't. I am definitely not myself when I'm on drugs. When the drugs start to take effect, I'm everybodies friend. I love you and you and you and you....

"Honey, who are you talking to?"

"Oh, Babe. These ER people are great aren't they? We've been here for 6 hours and they haven't offered us a single cracker or anything and they are just the best. I love them."

"Ummm.... we're leaving. Are you going too be ok to get to the car if I bring it around?"

"Oh, sure. I can't feel a thing."

In the car...

"I love you and you and you and you..."

"Honey, that's a telephone pole."

"Don't you love telephone poles? They are so strong and big..."

"Oh, brother...."

"WAIT! Stop at Arby's. I have a craving. I'm totally allowed to have cravings. I'm pregnant and on drugs. I've been through a lot today and I need a milk shake. Isn't that drive up girl a sweetheart?"

"Oh, brother..."

When I got my tonsils out, I was waking up from the anethesia and I thanked every nurse and doctor in sight for what a wonderful job they were doing. After I gave birth, the combo of hormones and drugs made me love the doctor I had only met once, the nurses who were bringing me water and every person in the whole room. I love you and you and you and... "Callie?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Shut up..."

"Ok, I love yooouuuuuu....."

Sticks and Stones

I have been sick for almost a week. I couldn't figure out what it was. People kept telling me I needed to go to the emergency room. (over the weekend) I am very skeptical about going to the emergency room. So much so that I have never gone for myself accept once when I was very young. I have gone to Urgent Care, I have made sick appointments with my doctor, but I never go to the emergency room.

Here's the deal with the emergency room in my mind. Have you ever had a problem with your computer? Then you take it to that IT guy and he turns it on and there's nothing wrong with it and then, of course, you take it home and it crashes. That's what happens to me with my body. Finally, after much pain and four days of calling the doctor and being told to hydrate, I was on the floor and couldn't get up from the pain. I called Andy to come home and get me and take me to the ER. Even then, I had talked to my clinic and they said to bypass the ER and just go to Labor and Delivery. After being checked there and told that I was not in labor (and of course, relaxing enough that I wasn't puking my guts out anymore) I was sent to the regular ER to find out what the pain was all about. They doped me up and then took my urine sample, ultrasounded every organ in my body. All of a sudden, it made sense. I saw a marble in my bladder on the ultrasound. So did the ultrasound tech. Snap! She took a picture, sent me off to the waiting room where I sat with my wonderful, starving husband (we had been there for 6 hours without food) for the doctor to tell me that I had the mother of all kidney stones. I was so happy that there was a reason for the pain. I know nobody prays for kidney stones but I just needed to know what it was. I am now drugged up for the pain and trying to have this baby before the baby. I don't know when it's going to come out but hopefully soon. The problem with drugs is that you feel no pain but you still can't get anything done because you are DRUGGED! I really can't wait to just be back at work.

OK, to all my friends (Laura, Alisha, Heather, Shelly, and all the people that have helped me with stuff while I was sick), you are all the best. I can't believe how awesome everyone has been. THANK YOU! I could not have done all this without my wonderful friends and of course, the husband that never quits.

Being Sick... NOT!!!

When you have a toddler, you are not allowed to be sick. Seriously! You can take a sick day from work. You can hope that she will be calm that day, but unless you have great friends, like mine, and a great husband, like I do, you aren't going to get any kind of a break. Even then, your friends have lives too. Most likely, your husband has to work and you will inevitably get stuck with the kid. You are not allowed to sleep while that toddler is awake. They will make huge messes that you can't clean up because you can't function. You will get no rest, you will have to change diapers, feed them and continue to be a jungle gym for the duration of your illness. If you are pregnant, it is way worse. Not only do you feel like crap but you feel like CRAP! You can't hold the baby at all, you can't get stuff done and generally, your house and life will go to pot. I look around and see that without my friends and my husband, things would be a lot worse but things are not good. The kitchen is a mess. The floor is disgusting and I just want to get in bed and not get out until the new baby is born and I am recovered enough to NEST the way I want.

Legs... again

I am the luckiest girl in the world. I am married to this awesome guy. I woke up at 6:30 this morning and headed off to class. When I got back, he let me sleep for several hours. I was awakened by this pain in my leg. Now, I have felt leg cramps coming on before and have always been able to concentrate on relaxing my leg and making it go away. This time, I was asleep so I didn't feel it coming and I just woke up in more pain than I have been in a while. I cried out because I was really hurting. He came running and being the PE teacher, Lifeguard, general all around physical therapist kind of guy he is, he worked it out of my leg in no time flat. Now, it was achy for a while after and I could feel the lactic acid working its way through my muscles but I wasn't curled up on the bed wondering if my leg would fall off. He's amazing. I went back to sleep and I got some amazing rest. Why the leg cramps? Why the water weight? Why the RLS? What is with the legs? There is no action going on that far down.

See pretty dress?

Abby has picked up on the way we say things and complete sentences are forthcoming. She says, "See the pretty dress?" as she walks around wrapped in my nightgown like a little bat. It's so funny. Isn't is amazing to watch our kids get more and more aware of what is going on and how we are communicating.

I have realized that certain words (markers, paper, crackers, cookies, juice...) all have to be spelled now due to her knowing to much and us never hearing the end of how she want's to use the markers and papers. Problem, Andy and I aren't good spellers and even translating the others spelling can be rather difficult. We have to spell stuff slower and slower and Abby is going to know what we are saying before we do.

Back pain better. Going to the doctor (hopefully the good one) today. We'll see. Andy is going on a tour today and won't be back until tomorrow night. I hate that because I can't bend over so I have to rely on my 1 year old to pick up stuff and hand it to me. This game is only fun for a little while for her and she retreats to her room to jump on her trampoline.

Got a lot done on the cross stitch last night due to insomnia. Will post pictures soon. I've been working on it for a year and I'm not even half way done. Definitely a long term project. I'm not used to dragging stuff out this long and not tossing it or finishing it.

Good luck to all of you who are doing the 30 day shred with Jillian. Let me know how it works because I really want to do it in the end of April or the beginning of May.

Nesting

Let's talk about nesting during pregnancy. Nesting is NOT cleaning the house. Nesting is not doing a little more than usual. Nesting is when you find yourself dusting your ceiling fan at midnight because you have insomnia and can't live in this horrible house any longer. Nesting is when your husband walks in and you look like an inverted turtle on the ground with resolve in one hand and a toothbrush in the other and you say, "I can't get up because my back hurts but I did all the spots on the carpet and then all the baseboards and this house is DISGUSTING!" Nesting is when you can't sleep because you can smell every little thing in the house and you are sure that someone is gassing you out in the night. Nesting is when you organize your 1 year old's toys AS SHE IS PLAYING WITH THEM! Nesting is when at least once a week, you scare the crud out of your husband by cooking a four course meal. (Crap! Did I forget our anniversary? Is it her birthday? Is it my birthday?) "Hey, Honey. It's Tuesday... Yay?"

On another note, I have been having severe back pain. Andy bought me some icy hot stuff and it looks remarkably like deoderant. I barely stopped Abby from using it in exactly that way before I DID IT MYSELF! Yep, pregnancy stupids are kicking in as well. All brain cells are being leaked into the baby. (That kid better be REALLY smart.) My pits were on fire for about 20 minutes. Side note: Do not put on icy hot directly after a hot bath. It makes it UNBEARABLE! Between icy hot, taking it easy at work, laying down alot and not lifting anything really heavy accept Josh and Abby, I'm doing better. Andy is a saint and has been taking care of alot more stuff for me here at the end.

EIGHT WEEKS and it's over! Woo Hoo!!!!

31 weeks and I'm dying

I'm at 31 weeks and I'm going to die. Symptoms to look forward to at this stage of pregnancy:

1. Being so big every pair of pants accept your husbands sweats cut off your circulation. Bras as well. You have to get a large bra. I also feel the pain of obesity. I have back issues, hip issues and my legs always feel like they are about to crap out on me.

2. Baby moving around. Now, at first, this is cool. Then all my organs are squished so much that all this movement is becoming rather painful.

3. Water weight. Yes, the tingly feeling of water weight seeping into my cells is starting to drive me nuts. Everything itches and tingles and it's just not nice to notice that your whole body is swelling up like a water balloon.

Well, onward to the end! I will triumph.