Q&A Wednesday - What I Eat

What have you been eating to lose your pregnancy weight?

Let me tell you, there's nothing like the gift of a cruise to kick start your weight loss motivation! That coupled with the post-holiday guilt over all of the eating that occurred at Christmas parties, pot lucks and cookie exchanges.

I'm not a fan of diets (who is, right?) but I'll share what I generally eat, just in case it might help you tweak your own eating regimen. For those who don't already know, I prefer homemade to packaged foods and avoid additives and preservatives whenever possible. I'd rather spend the time making a recipe where I know what's in the food and forgo the convenience of a mix. Just something to note!

For Breakfast, I usually eat oatmeal. I make it on the stove using the old fashioned oats, adding a couple of egg whites in toward the end and stir in flax seed grounds after it's done cooking. I don't add sugar or sweeteners, just a few raisins, some cinnamon and a little milk to make it creamy. It might sound boring, but it starts my day off with something filling.

If I don't have time to make oatmeal, I'll eat a mug (a regular coffee mug, not a huge coffee house sized mug) of either Cheerios or Kashi Go Lean. I'm not talking about Go Lean Crunch; the regular Go Lean is very low in fat and sugar. Even that small amount is surprisingly satisfying and keeps me full longer because it's packed with fiber and protein. (my kids think it's hilarious that I eat my cereal in a coffee mug, but it's the only way I can keep the portion correct)

Morning snacks are almost always fruit. If I find plain yogurt on sale, I'll mix berries or bananas with some yogurt, but I eat an apple almost every day around 10am. If I'm on the go, I'll put some grapes in a bag or eat a Kashi Almond Flax granola bar. They're a little more expensive than some other granola bars out there, but again, they're low in sugar and the almonds and whole grains keeps me full longer.

Lunch is a salad at least 5 days a week. I eat the same salad every. day. I love it. I make my own oil and vinegar dressing (2:1 or 3:1 oil to vinegar ratio with a few shakes of salt, garlic, Italian seasoning and finely chopped onion) and pour it over leaf lettuce with chopped up tomatoes, feta cheese, tuna or leftover chicken, dried cranberries and anything else that might be hanging out in my fridge. (cucumbers, zucchini, avocado, red bell pepper) If I don't have lettuce, then I eat leftovers or a turkey sandwich with pretzels or fruit.

Afternoon snacks are when I cheat. Not when I gave up sugar for Lent, but when Ryan comes home from school, I'll often have whatever I give him for a snack. On healthier days, I'll make popcorn (in my popcorn machine, not the bagged microwave kind) or make fruit salad. When I want something carb-y (totally a word) I'll grab some banana bread out of the freezer or bake something with the kids. We also do pretzels and Triscuits with 2% cheese a lot.

Dinner changes all the time - you can see my meal plans every week to see what recipes I make often. I serve our dinner on the smaller dessert plates to keep portions more reasonable, but Mike almost always goes back for seconds. I try desperately not to, but if we're having something lighter, I'll fill up so I won't be hungry before bed.

I know most people believe that you shouldn't eat 2-3 hours before bedtime, but I have no guilt eating an apple or popcorn if I get hungry before bed. If I'm too lazy to cut up an apple, I'll eat some unsweetened applesauce or a few raw almonds. (I mention the details of "unsweetened" and "raw" because I believe that the foods being in their raw form makes a big difference.)

When I eat sweets or desserts, I try to eat them earlier in the day. They hype me up too much before bed and when I eat chocolate at night, I always have crazy dreams.

Beverages - We drink mostly water and green tea in our house, no soda and few fruit juices. I prefer to chew my calories, personally. I even think twice about drinking alcohol, since I'm a wimp and like the foo-foo drinks that are loaded with sugar. I about died when I learned how many calories are in a Margarita!

Eating out - It is very rare that we eat fast food and prefer eating places that serve fresher ingredients like Chipotle. We go out to eat about once a week and I tend to avoid things with heavy sauces or mayonnaise and stick to items that are grilled with lots of vegetables.

So there you have it. I know I'm a little more hard-core about eating fresh foods than most people in America, but I'm not nearly as strict as many, many others. I've been tempted to watch Food, Inc recently, so I'll let you know if that transforms me into a completely organic, free range, meatless food Nazi afterward. From what I've heard, I'm thinking it might!

Leon? Who's Leon?

This is what I found when I turned over one of our crafts after letting it dry all night. This was mine, by the way...can't even blame it on the kids.

Easily Overwhelmed

I know I lost brain cells during my recent pregnancy. I know I'm sleep deprived. I know that I don't think clearly when I'm tired. But I am SO not used to getting this overwhelmed with normal "me" type tasks. I can't seem to do anything lately without wanting to run and hide from the pressure I feel.
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This afternoon, a friend called and I spewed all of my frustrations onto her. As soon as I said, "I just don't feel like myself," she suggested I call my doctor. She's been battling post-partum depression for the last few months and although I don't know that I'm necessarily depressed, there very possibly could be something hormonal going on. Thankfully, my 6 week check up is on Thursday so we'll see what he has to say.
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I first noticed it on Black Friday. I had a list of places I wanted to go to get some good Christmas deals. But thinking through my strategy of where to go first and how to avoid crowds overwhelmed me so badly that I shut down completely and didn't leave the house. In fact, the thought of buying Christmas gifts seems like such a daunting task that I haven't made a single purchase. Planning, shopping, getting quality gifts that people will appreciate and buying within our budget while getting good deals...I'm shutting down even thinking about it.
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When I was decorating our house for Christmas, I felt this same feeling. I didn't know where to start...there were so many boxes of "stuff" to add to an already decorated home. I ended up clearing off my bookshelves and just diving in. After all of that anxiety, 100% of our decor was displayed in under an hour. (minus the tree and outside, of course) I remember feeling so silly for getting all worked up in my head.
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The same goes for couponing and meal planning. And even cooking at all. This is the first week I've gone to the grocery store with my list and my coupons, all clipped and organized. It has been such a blessing having friends bring us dinners through Food Tidings, but that has come to an end. I need to start shopping again, planning, preparing, (*groan*)...and even though it's only one extra meal each day, the thought of it seems like a mountain.
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Then there's the impossible task of losing the baby weight - where do I begin? Especially since I've gained another 3 pounds since Thanksgiving. I'm supposed to be either holding steady or going down, not gaining! But I'm constantly hungry and have no will power or energy to make healthy snacks. Now that I can exercise, it's freezing outside. And I can't take Jason to the gym daycare until he's 3 months old, so I just end up doing nothing. I need to get it under control pronto so I can get my body back sometime in 2010. Or 2011. But by then, I might be pregnant again, so what's the point, right? SEE?!?! There I go again! This "why bother" attitude is really not me.
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Even my mental escape - the computer - has me overwhelmed. My inbox has gotten out of control in the last few days. Emails that need to be read. Or responded to. Or filed for later. Or printed for reference. I usually have a "Just Do It" mentality with email - stop thinking about it, don't write it on the to-do list, just respond, file or delete the first time you read it. But I'm not following my own advice.
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Why am I suddenly so easily overwhelmed? I hoped it would go away as quickly as it arrived, but these last couple of weeks it's actually been getting worse. Maybe I need to go back and read my own blog archives to help ease myself down from the ledge. I can't stay on task, even when I do try and tackle one item on my to-do list. At least I'm starting things, but I have trouble finishing them. Maybe I should sub-title this post, "Easily Distracted."
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So for all of you who think I am a robot, I am not. I'm human. I get overwhelmed and procrastinate just like everyone else. And right now, it's driving me insane. I crave a sense of accomplishment and they're few and far between lately.
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I need to write a list. Right now, after I hit, "publish" on this post. Of everything I need to do, big and small. From refilling the downstairs diaper basket to putting batteries in the snowman toy to calling the insurance company. And in the morning, I'm going to get the kids up, dressed, fed and settled and I'm going to set a timer for 30 minutes to see how much I can get done.
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Whew! I feel a little better already.

Missing the Hospital?

I'm so glad to be home, but I have to say that there were certain "perks" about staying in the hospital vs. being on my own at home.
Here is what I have come to miss in the last few days:
- Not only getting breakfast in bed, but lunch and dinner, too.
- When the meal tray was removed, the dishes didn't pile up in my kitchen sink.
- Amazing pain medication available at all hours of the day and night.
- That great bed that reclined and inclined so I could lie down or sit up at the touch of button.
- Turning the lights on and off without getting out of bed. (maybe I should invest in The Clapper?)
- The cool side table on wheels that held my phone, magazines, water pitcher, notepad and pen, everything within arm's reach and just a wheel away.
- Jason's rolling bassinet with drawers underneath holding anything and everything he might need.
- The giant receiving blankets that they don't seem to sell in stores.
- Not caring about being clean, pretty or presentable for 4 days.
- An endless supply of free diapers, wipes, formula, maxi pads and a gazillion other toiletries that magically replenished themselves when they got low.
- "Hospital Mike" who snuck me bites of his dinner during labor, interrogated the nurses about the health and well being of me and the baby at every opportunity and brought flowers (invisible at first when he couldn't find a nearby grocery store - he even pretended to put them in my water cup - then real flowers the next day) and a dozen Paradise Bakery cookies.
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What I do NOT miss about the hospital:
- Graham crackers. They were actually Honey Maid brand, but I think I ate my weight in apple juice and graham crackers during the 16 hours of labor and in between meals. I never want to see another graham cracker again.
- Getting interrupted at all hours of the night for the most ridiculous, inconsequential reasons. (I still want to know what possessed them to loudly change my trash liners at 4am every night.)
- The nurses who don't think it's necessary to whisper or keep the lights dim at 2am, even though your husband is trying to sleep 4 feet away.
- The nurses hounding me to force-feed Jason every 2 hours.
- The nurses unswaddling a peacefully sleeping Jason to "check something" then leaving the room, expecting me to remember how to calm a screaming, unnecessarily awoken baby.
- The t.v. speakers that were on my bed rails. Intended to be a convenience, hearing surround-sound-by-my-head football while I was trying to nap and Mike was bored was more than a little distracting.
- The fact that there was no where to put my towel in the bathroom. The toilet didn't have a lid, the shower didn't have a tub ledge, the hook on the door was too far to reach...I ended up dragging a chair in there so I didn't have to put my clean towel on the floor.
- The long brown hair on the wall of the shower that was clearly from the occupant before me. Or before her. Who knows when they cleaned that shower last.
- All aspects of showering at the hospital.
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I finally realized that I need to set up multiple "stations" all over my house for basic necessities, especially because we have a 2-story home. I have two diaper changing stations in addition to the changing table that is currently unused in Ryan and Jason's room, a bath station, a stack of burp clothes and a change of baby clothes near the two main places I change and feed Jason, an ample supply of...um, "post partum necessities" in both bathrooms, still and rocking contraptions to put the baby down in the family room downstairs and near the computer upstairs, receiving blankets and baby socks sprinkled throughout the house to quickly warm a shivering Jason...my house has been taken over with baby stuff.
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Sometimes I still can't believe we have a baby in the house. A baby who was crammed inside my belly just one week ago. I already have trouble remembering life before he showed up!

And the winner is...

The commenter who guessed closest to my actual delivery date and time for the Baby's Birth Day Contest was...Rebecca M. who guessed 10/23 at 5:23am. Congratulations, Rebecca!

I've already sent you an email, but just in case you didn't get it, please send me your full name and address to claim your prize. Thanks for playing, everyone!!!

Waiting...waiting...

This waiting thing is for the birds. I almost wonder if it's worse waiting to be induced because I have to be on my guard and ready to walk out the door at the drop of a hat. If I was waiting to deliver on my own, at least I'd have a few hours to do stuff around the house while waiting for the contractions to get close enough before going to the hospital. But when I finally get the call from the hospital, it's going to be "get here now or we might give away your bed."
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So here I am. On the edge of my seat. Bag packed, toiletries sitting on the bathroom counter ready to be added to the bag, grandparents on standby, backup neighbors ready to come over in the middle of the night...who needs this stress?
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Apparently I do. I brought this on myself, kind of. I didn't create the ridiculous induction policy at the hospital and I didn't ask for a 7 day induction window, but I did ask to be induced. However, I thought they'd give me a one-day window like every other hospital on the planet. Little did I know.
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Here's the torment I've been going through: Sunday night, I called to find out the likelihood of being called in the middle of the night, just to get an idea. They said it would be Monday morning, at the earliest, and if I don't hear from them by noon, call back. That's why I was up at 3:16am...in addition to having contractions all night, my mind wouldn't shut off. I was under the impression that Monday was THE day. But the phone didn't ring, so I called back at noon only to be told that it would be Monday night at the earliest, anytime all night long.
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I got all of my ducks in a row, took a Tylenol PM so I would get one final night's sleep before the baby came, everything was set. I called this morning and found out that they didn't get to 3 of their 4 medical inductions last night, so they wouldn't start on the elective induction list until tonight. Oh...kay...I could wait another day. At least I wasn't waiting by the phone and could go about my (boring) day as usual. I scheduled a deep-muscle-on-all-the-trigger-points maternity massage at my chiropractor and hoped that would help throw me into labor naturally.
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Finally, I called tonight to find out the likelihood of getting called so I know where to put my kids to bed. (my childcare options are limited tonight) As it turns out, they now have SEVEN medical inductions to get in tonight before they start on the elective induction list. SEVEN. "Check back in the morning," they said.
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In the meantime, I'm still having contractions, still doing little (and big) things here and there to try and help along the labor process, I'm just so ready to meet my little boy! But no. He's nice and comfy where he is. Every time he moves, I think, "I could be HOLDING you! What is going on!?!?"
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Watch: this kid won't be born until this weekend. And I'll laugh that I thought I was frustrated on TUESDAY. The days are seriously just draaaaaaaaaaaging along. I need a project or something, yet I kind of can't get TOO into something because I need to be available to drop everything and leave for the hospital at a moment's notice.
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I think I'm going to go rent a movie. I need to get lost in something...

Last chance to enter!

I'm going to close entries for my "Guess Baby's Birth Day" contest tomorrow morning at 8am PST. I get 120-150 visiters a day and I only have 20-some entries? COME ON!!! You guys can do better than that!
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So here's your last chance to enter. Go to the original post (linked above) - do NOT comment here. I'll only be looking at the dates in the comments of the original contest post. Good luck!!!

"Guess Baby's Birth Day" Contest!

I figured you could all be having a little fun while I'm waiting for this baby to make his entrance into the world. So why not have a contest to guess when he will arrive??? I have no idea what the prize will be yet, but it will be worth your 25 second entry.
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From what I understand, if I don't go into labor by Sunday, I'll be put on a waiting list for "elective induction" next week and could be called anytime between 10/19 - 10/25. So the LATEST I'll deliver is 10/25ish.
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To enter the contest, be sure to list the date and time you predict the baby will be born. Also list your first name and last initial and your email address. (listed as name(at)server(dot)com to avoid spam) One guess per person, please!
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GOOD LUCK! And may all of you who guess 10/25 have diarrhea for a week...

How NOT to go into labor

Friday night, I was timing contractions until after 10:00. I went to bed with the full assumption that I would be in the hospital cuddling my bouncing baby boy come Saturday. But no. Saturday morning I woke up without a single cramp. I still felt like garbage because of my cold, but it had nothing to do with the pregnancy. (*sigh*)
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So what do I do? Complain on Facebook. The first comment was from my friend Julie telling me that I wasn't allowed to go into labor because we had a double date that night. (that has been planned for weeks, so I wasn't looking forward to missing that) A few comments later was from a friend who read the date comment and suggested that we go to PF Chang's for some calamari, saying that it's been known to send women into labor. (her husband is the General Manager at the PF Chang's near our house) Ironically, before our movie, we WERE planning to go to PF Chang's for dinner. Maybe this was a sign from God?!?!
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I hate calamari, but I ordered it anyway. (it was actually quite good, BTW...not fishy or slimy or squid-like at all...I highly recommend it) And I proceeded to crush Mike's hand through contractions every 10 minutes or so during our movie. I got my hopes up again, came home, went to bed, and woke up feeling...are you ready??? Nothing. Not a twinge, cramp or pain of any kind. (*sigh*...again)
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The good thing that came from my Friday night contractions was a kick in the pants. The "honey do" list for the weekend became quite long, including minor little details like: set up crib, find nursing bras (I still can't find them anywhere!), wash infant carrier, set up car seat in the van, clean the garage (that's been on the list for weeks and it's finally cool enough outside to handle being in the garage for more than 5 minutes)...stuff like that. In addition to the fact that this was our normal house-cleaning weekend, there was laundry to do, regular weekend stuff.
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Mind you, I was still sick. I felt achy and my sinuses were on the verge of exploding. Not to mention that I'm 9 months pregnant and don't get around too quickly anymore, needing to "sit down and take a break" after the most menial, everyday tasks.
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But the list got done. All but 1 or 2 minor things. My house is spotless and sparkling. You could eat dinner off my garage floor. The crib anxiously awaits a baby to snuggle. Now would be a really good time to go into labor...everything's done!!!
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(Do you hear that, God? Just in case you care about my thoughts on the matter, the timing is perfect to have this baby tomorrow. Just sayin'...)
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It's not going to happen, though. I'm only 37 weeks. Who am I kidding? This is all wishful thinking. And the good news is that next weekend will be a slacker weekend because I was so bent on getting everything done THIS weekend.
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Is anyone else sick of me whining talking about this pregnancy? Because I sure am!

Gotta Get It Out

Sorry for so many random rambling posts lately. That's generally an every 2-3 month thing for me, but now it seems like 2-3 times per month. But I gotta get these thoughts out of my head. Thanks for humoring me!
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First and foremost, I'm getting sick. I can feel it coming on like a freight train and I am NOT happy about it. Yesterday on the way to Ryan's Taekwondo class, I was unusually crabby. Then during the 25 minute class, my throat got scratchy, my sporadic cough from throughout the day became more consistent and my body was slowly shutting down. We went out to dinner afterward, which was a great break, but I couldn't even enjoy myself. The food was just food...it didn't taste all that great. As I sat there in the booth, my legs got achy. My neck got stiff. My arms were weak. I felt like I could fall asleep right on the table.
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I went to bed way early, but just ended up waking up around 4am and laid there, nodding off periodically, until 6:30. So much for sleeping it off. My throat's still scratchy, so we'll see. I hate being sick. It is such a waste!
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Okay, so that's that. Not fun. In other news, I haven't done a big grocery shopping in weeks. Our fridge and freezers are going bare and I am not as concerned as I should be about stocking up before the baby comes. I haven't felt much like cooking, so I've quickly gone through my freezer stockpile of meals and quick-fix options. Last week, my neighbor called from the store to see if I needed anything and she brought me a couple of gallons of milk that held me off from going to the store for another week or so. Other than that, I bought my produce and bread from my co-op, so that's been our snacks and sides for lunches. I just keep thinking I'm going to get to the point where I have to go shopping, but it hasn't happened yet. I've spent under $100 in the last month on groceries, which is unheard of for our family! Apparently I was pretty well stocked.
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Speaking of food, I usually buy 2% cheese for our family and accidentally bought the real stuff recently. I was eating cheese and crackers with lunch today and WOW...when you've been eating 2% cheese for weeks and months, the real stuff is SO GOOD! Maybe I was just extra hungry, but it was perfectly salty, smooth and creamy. What does that have to do with anything? It doesn't. I just enjoyed my cheese today and wanted to share.
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I forgot how weird it is to be 9 months pregnant. Every appointment I schedule or commitment I make is followed with this disclaimer: "I'm due right around that time, so I'll try to remember to call if I go into labor or am in the hospital that day." Volunteer opportunities at both kids' schools, parent teacher conferences, park days, birthday parties, Ryan's Taekwondo class, Bible studies, chiropractic appointments, you name it. At this point, I need to make a list of phone numbers for last minute phone calls. Nothing like canceling plans in between contractions...
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In other news, I am so ready to do a clean sweep in my closet after this baby is born. First, to get rid of the stained maternity tops that I'm currently wearing around the house because they're the only shirts long enough to cover my huge tummy. I threw on a too-short something the other day and my mother in law giggled that some people have "muffin top" and I have a "muffin bottom" with my beer gut hanging out of my shirt and over my shorts. (that last part was my words, not hers!)
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Speaking of beer, at the bus stop yesterday, we were greeted with two empty 18 pack cardboard Coors Light containers and all of the empty cans that the boxes once contained scattered throughout the park. Being the good Samaritan that I am, (pat, pat, pat...that was my hand on my own back...) I cleaned them up and brought the boxes home to put in my recycle bin. Of course, several neighbors were leaving their homes at that exact moment. One said, "Now that's a concerning visual!" Me, all 9 months pregnant, carrying two huge beer boxes, walking down the street at 8am. He thought it was so funny that he actually took a picture on his phone. I'm tempted to ask him to forward it to me...I'm sure it was a sight.
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I've been extremely uncomfortable for the last couple of days. I think I might have delivery-envy because my girlfriend had a c-section yesterday. Regardless, it seems that elbows and knees and fists are being jabbed into my ribs and odd places that are attached to muscles that make me grunt in pain and gasp out loud.
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Even though I should have rested today, I spent over an hour both before and after my doctor appointment running a ton of errands. I returned library books, went to TWO Radio Shacks to find the right cordless phone batteries, returned a shirt at Old Navy, bought hair stuff at Ulta, took Kaylin to the mall to run around in the germ-infested play place, walked by the pet store to look at the puppies, then went to Trader Joe's for some eggs and a few other staples. There were stops in there where I sat and rested (the doctor, the play place) but now that we're home, I'm ready to collapse into bed. Especially after seeing the look on my doctor's face when I told him I thought I was getting sick...his eyes screamed "oh no!"
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Thanks for listening to my rant for the day...off to bed with me.

That's what I get for trying to plan...

Don't hate me because I want to be induced. Yes, I know...it's not natural and I'm impeding on God's master plan and it's not my place to get to pick my child's birthday. But you have to realize: there are details that need to be worked out! I have kids who need to get to school and parents I'm trying not to inconvenience and other people's schedule's to consider. Like my BFF who is having her shower on the 24th. Do YOU want to tell her that I'm not going to attend because I'm in the hospital??? Because I don't.
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Okay fine. So my reasons are more like excuses for wanting the convenience of knowing when I'll be held up in the hospital for 3 days.
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My doctor has no problem inducing me. (HALLA!) Last week, he gave me the date of 10/21 "give or take a day" depending on the hospital's availability. I was happy with a 3-day window. I could work with a 3-day window! I figured out all of the "what if" scenarios (where the kids go every night is dependent on when I am called) and plans were made.
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Then today, I found out that this hospital does things a little differently. They schedule me for an elective induction for the "week of 10/19" - which means I could be called Monday the 19th or Sunday the 25th or any day in between.
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Hence the title of my post. I think God is up in Heaven giggling a little. So much for trying to be in control, huh?
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The good news is that I'll be home for Halloween. I'll get to help do Kaylin's makeup to be a fairy or a princess or Pinkalicious or whatever she decides to be. I'll get to put the baby in the "Got Candy?" shirt with candy corn socks that I bought for $1 each. I'll get to take pictures and sneak Snickers and meet some of the new neighbors who bought foreclosure houses in my neighborhood for cents on the dollar.
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But making it to Kaylin's family night at pre-school? Up in the air. BFF's baby shower? We'll have to see. Ryan's little friend's birthday party? Who knows.
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So I'm kind of in the same boat as waiting to go into labor on my own, except I'm at the mercy of hospital availability. But I'll admit that it IS better because I know I won't be sitting around expectantly for 2 weeks after my due date, waiting for my body to get sick of being pregnant. This way, I CAN call the hospital around dinnertime each night to find out if they have open beds and whether my name is at the top of the list or if they're jam-packed and won't be calling anyone who is an elective induction that night. But I will likely get the generic, non-committal answer each time I call, so that might not even work.
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Again...this is what I get for trying to plan my own delivery!

Maternity Leave

I woke up with a contraction this morning. It was big. And it hurt. Then it was over as quickly as it began. I looked at the clock at 5:28am and decided to time the rest of them, but they never came...
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At my appointment on Friday, my doctor told me that if I go into labor at this point, he won't do anything to stop it. So I could have a baby any day?!?! I know, don't push it...he needs to cook as long as possible, but is it wrong to be hopeful for an early delivery? (mothers of preemies, don't answer that!)
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I have no idea what kind of mush-shape my brain will be in after this baby is born. I'm sure I'll post pictures of the baby and brag about mention how cute he is and how in love I am...when I'm not longing for the days when I was "bored" and yearning for more then 2 hours of consecutive sleep in a row...
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But you might tire of that quickly.
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I know my audience isn't HUGE, but this got me thinking: I wonder if anyone would want to guest-post for me while I'm on my mental maternity leave? Do you have something fun or interesting you'd like to share? Maybe a Time-Saving Tip for a Tuesday, a craft idea, a kitchen suggestion or an organizational concept? I'd love to hear it!
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If you're interested in writing a guest post, please email me your topic idea ASAP to ktksu(at)cox(dot)net. Because I've packed my bag and I'm ready to start pushing. And upon the advice of a girlfriend, I even have a beach towel and a couple of size 4 diapers in the car, just in case my water breaks at an inopportune moment. Smart, huh?

Oh My Gosh, I'm Pregnant?!?!

I kid you not...I was getting dressed in front of the mirror the other day and caught a glance at my bare belly and realized: I am PREGNANT. I'm totally going to have a baby in a few weeks. No, it didn't take me 35 weeks to realize this, but you know how sometimes things just hit you like a freight train all of a sudden?
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The baby counter on my sidebar has reminded me of this daily since then. As of today, I have 31 days until my due date. 31 days. Do you know what I was doing 31 days ago? Actively planning and packing for our California trip. That was not that long ago, people!
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I don't even remember what it's like NOT to be pregnant anymore. When I put out our fall decorations, there was a picture of Ryan and I decorating a pumpkin from a couple of years back and Mike took one look at it and said, "Wow - I forgot what you looked like skinny!" Um, yeah...ME TOO.
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I've forgotten what it's like not to huff and puff up the stairs. What it's like to sleep soundly through the night without getting up to pee 2...4...7 times. Or to take a deep breath before attempting to roll over in bed. Or what it's like NOT to have sciatic pain and have my leg buckle out from underneath me while walking across the kitchen. I can't remember using the hand-over-hand motion to turn the steering wheel in the car because my belly isn't in the way. It's hard to remember the days before I'd pat my temples with a napkin at the kitchen table because I'm SO hot after standing over the stove making dinner.
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And soon I won't have strangers smiling or whispering, "Awwww, look at her tummy..." in public. It won't be long before I yearn for the feelings of this baby flipping around inside of me. In a few short weeks, the fact that there's been a human being growing in my belly will finally be made tangible for my kids.
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Dude. I'm having a baby soon. I need to come to grips with this...fast!!!

Maternity Pics

A few weeks ago, my photographer friend, Jolie, took some beautiful maternity pictures of me. She needed some outdoor shots for her website and I was a willing model! (Sidenote: she prefers to do maternity shoots at 32 weeks and I was 31 at the time. I guess that's the ideal time when expecting moms are round and cute before getting completely swollen and lumpy???) It was extremely hot and I felt fat and disgusting, but I am shocked thrilled that Jolie was able to capture some decent photos of me and the baby bump.
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Here are a few that are edited with some fun textures over them. And I'm no cowgirl, but how cool do I look in this hat???





In this last picture, you can't even see my roadmap blue veins all over my belly! Now that's the power of Photoshop, people. There's a slide show with a few more of the pictures here.

Rambling...rambling...

Sorry I've been absent for a couple of days. I think I've sort of been recovering from the crazy beginning of the week. The days have been wonderfully quiet, getting back into our routine, running countless errands while Kaylin is at pre-school, it's been lovely. Then Ryan comes home from school and everything is a whirlwind. In a few short hours, we cram in an after school snack, deprogramming "Kindergarten Ryan," homework, dinner, limited Daddy time, baths, bedtime...I collapse into an exhausted heap at the end of it all.
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Anyway, I do have lots of random thoughts that I need to get out of my head, so here goes.
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(Ryan just came out of his bed to have me scratch an unreachable part of his back and I swear my mind just went blank. Hang on...my thoughts are coming back to me. Wait for it...nope, nothing. I blame the pregnancy. I'm losing brain cells every minute.)
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Ah, here we are. I have a topic. I had a really uncomfortable day today. I think the baby was in a weird position because I couldn't breath right, I couldn't get comfortable, I just wanted to whine. Then he moved and started doing all sorts of calisthenics in there and I remembered that being pregnant is SO COOL. Feeling a baby move inside of you is incredible. Truly amazing. Indescribable. And whether I'm comfortable or not (currently, I'm NOT) - being pregnant rocks.
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But wearing a skirt while 8+ months pregnant does not rock. And tonight is the last time I will be wearing one this pregnancy. I'm so big and uncomfortable that I need to sit like a trucker with my legs spread apart so my belly has somewhere to rest. Otherwise, I practically need to be reclined to take a full breath. That just doesn't work in a skirt. I'm a real lady, I know.
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Ryan went to a birthday party tonight until 8:30. His bedtime is 7:00 now that he's in school and 8:30 is past the time when he turns back into a pumpkin. (not a cute pumpkin, like as in Cinderella...you know what I mean...) Not to mention that all they did at the party was eat. Pizza, popcorn, an ice cream sundae bar, cupcakes...they were running around being Transformers when I picked him up. We just got home (he was bouncing like a Super Ball) and he has officially hit his wall. He's crashing in tears in his room as we speak because I told him to stop coming out of his room every 2 minutes and go to bed. We're talking inconsolable sobbing, people. Getting to bed 2 hours late with a rare sugar high does that to my kids. Oh wait...I hear...silence. He must have moved into his sugar coma now. He'll wake up a new man.
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While Ryan was at the party tonight, Mike and I took Kaylin out to dinner and for frozen yogurt. She. Loved. It. It is so interesting getting to spend time with each child alone now that I'm so used to them together. Of course, I have her alone all day M/W/F, but seeing how she interacted as an only child with Mike AND me was intriguing. She was hilarious, first of all. And very well behaved. She loved the attention, but didn't require all eyes on her all the time. It reminded me that we need to start intentionally having dates with our kids individually.
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I needed to kill about 20 minutes before picking Kaylin up the other day and went into Michael's with my little 40% coupons. Do you know what I found? Their huge display of Princess and Pirate birthday party themed stuff was clearanced out. And it wasn't picked over at ALL. Sure - thanks! A month after Kaylin's Princess party and everything is on super sale. But I was smart. Her favorite color will be pink for years to come, I'm sure, so I stocked up on party favor goodies that are pink, but not necessarily geared only for a princess party. I was thinking of doing a small tea party next year and pink goodie bags work just perfectly for a tea party. I felt silly buying party favors for a birthday party that's 11 months away, until I thought of it like buying Christmas decorations in January when they're at their cheapest. Then I didn't feel quite as ridiculous!
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Switching gears, someone found my blog by searching "pampered chef batter bowl boob cake" - I'm guessing they were disappointed when they found Kaylin's Princess Cake that I made with the Pampered Chef batter bowl and not a "boob cake." Because really? Ew.
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It's been so long since I've scrapbooked. I just ordered 161 pictures online last night with the intention of getting caught up before the baby arrives. Does anyone else use Artscow? They hook you by offering 100 free 4x6s every month and 50 free 5x7s. It's a lot of free pictures, let me tell you. But their shipping is really high and unpredictable. Actually, I think I ordered just the 100 free 4x6s one month and it was $8.95, so that still works out to 9 cents a print, which IS a good deal. But they emailed me a code for free shipping on orders over $10 the other day and after adding and taking away a gazillion different products (I was thinking of Christmas gifts) - the code didn't work. Plus, they have so many "free" items logged into my account, finding $10 worth of non-free items was a challenge. I'd add an item, see that it was free, then notice my shipping jumped up $9. I called the contact line and got a voicemail. (I think the company might be international because the English on the site isn't always grammatically correct.) It was a joke, so I decided to forgo the free shipping and just order my pictures and be done with it. I'm not saying don't use the site, I'm just saying: Artscow users beware. The pictures ARE free, they just make up for it in shipping.
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Okay, I think that's it. That was a lot more than I thought I wanted to share, but Mike's entranced in a college football game and I guess I'm a little bored. Thanks for hanging with me while I ramble on and on. Have a great weekend!!!

Baby Pictures

We had our 3D ultrasound today and our baby boy looks so cute and healthy already! Mike's ready to induce labor to get this show on the road. Sure - why not? Technology can help his lungs and brain continue to develop normally, right? :)

(Does anyone else notice that he's fashionably wearing his umbilical cord like a man-shawl?) The kids didn't come with us this morning, but I showed them the 7 minute DVD when we got home. They were thrilled and captivated for all of 2 minutes...it's a good thing they were playing and swimming this morning instead of waiting around for an hour and a half for 2 minutes of excitement! I'm off to take a nap - I'm sugar crashing after my lovely 50g sugar drink from the glucose test this morning. Wow, that was quite the buzz!

24 Weeks - Pregnancy Update

I am 6 months pregnant. SIX months pregnant. Do you know what that MEANS? I'm going to have another BABY in 4 months!!
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Needless to say, this pregnancy is going crazy-fast for me. It might be that I slept through blocked out the first trimester, then was dealing with our house being under construction, then Ryan's end-of-school, then his birthday party, then...wait...where did the last 3 weeks go??
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It could also be because I have suddenly POPPED OUT, as they say. Thank the good Lord, I no longer look fat, I actually look pregnant. But with that comes quickly having to adapt to not being able to bend over to pick things up (without leaving ample room for my belly in between my thighs), giving up on the notion that I can do yoga (down dog brings breakfast back up and the heartburn just isn't worth it), taking corners a little wider, not attempting to "squeeze by" anything or anyone...ever, and leaving a little extra room when walking around in general as not to bump into a kitchen chair (and moving it 2 feet...it happened) or knock my 5 year old in the head (yes, that happened too) or accidentally close the refrigerator door while putting away produce. My belly is like another limb, moving everything within its reach.
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I've tried desperately to eliminate my daily nap, but I'm still so, so tired. I've resorted to snoozing on the couch around 8am while the kids play before we run errands, and that's helped a lot. (yes, I'm THAT tired by 8am) Then I just fight through the regular naptime, busying myself, and collapse into bed at 9:00. Not every night, but most. The other day, I nodded off for over half an hour in the morning, then HAD to close my eyes for a minute at 1:00. I woke up out of a dead sleep at 2:45. And still fell asleep that night at 10:00, no problem. This kid is taking it all out of me!
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Overall, things are going well. I'm feeling good (bummed that I can't workout for more than 10 minutes but whatever...I've accepted the fact that I'm going to gain a ton of weight and I'm prepared to deal with it), getting excited about our new addition (even though time is FLYING) and am thrilled to death that I no longer get looks up and down my body with "(whoa...is she...did she gain...) um, hi Katie!" I just passed my delivery weight with Kaylin, which is thoroughly depressing. Of course, I did only gain 17 lbs with her because I was a total no sugar, no flour food Nazi, but still. I really am letting go of this...it's my third kid, after all...
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Oh, and it looks like we're 99% settled on a name. HALLA! But don't get too excited, dear readers...I'm not making any public announcements until he arrives. (No offense, but I can't handle outside opinions or "Oh! Just like [insert famous person here]" until the birth certificate is signed.)

20 Weeks

I'm halfway there! Already 20 weeks into the pregnancy with 20 weeks to go. Time's flyin'. Here I am, starting to look less fat and more pregnant.

I'm feeling good, still pretty tired all the time. I'm in trouble if I skip my daily nap, and always sleep pretty well at night. (except when I can't get comfortable) No major cravings this time, other than my random 9am burger runs. There have been a total of 4 of those - I'm surprised how many places serve hamburgers at 9am! It's usually when I'm driving by and see the sign that the craving hits like a freight train.

Mike and I had a great date night on Friday. We went to dinner, then settled in to the comfy chairs at Barnes & Noble with 4 different baby name books. (note: stay away from the 100,000+ Baby Name book...75% of them are so foreign you would never consider the names for your child) We established a list of possibilities and we're hoping to finalize one in the next month or so.

Names that did NOT make the list include: Faruk, Akbar, Morvan, Havelock, Atherton, Dagabert, Ennis and Quindarius. (BTW Akbar and Ennis made it through spell check through Blogger. Really?!?) I know I have several readers in faraway countries, so please do not be offended if I listed your name or the name of someone you know. But these names are pretty far from any that I've ever heard! We haven't laughed so hard in a very, very long time. It was actually a really fun couple of hours.

The kids are really excited and Kaylin tells me at least 5 times a day that she loves the baby. (today she's easily said it 25 times) It's always out of the blue, sometimes in a desperate voice, like she doesn't think I understand quite how much she loves him. This morning, I woke her up because we had to go somewhere and the first thing out of her mouth while she stretched was, "Bay-beeeeeeee. Baby, baby, baby. Baby boy. Bay-beeeeeee..." And she thinks he's directly behind my naval, because she frequently lifts up my shirt and suctions her kiss right to my hollowed out belly button. The poor girl really wants to meet him. I continue to tell her that we have lots to do before the baby comes: we have Ryan's birthday party, then her birthday party, then we're going to Disneyland to meet the princesses and to San Diego to go to the beach...plenty to look forward to.

The other day, Kaylin jumped from one chair to the other and I happened to be on it. Her knee went into my forearm and her body weight fell on my stomach. I naturally gasped in pain and she hopped off, confused about why I was complaining. But her biggest concern was, "Is the baby hurt and crying in your tummy?"

In the last week, this child has become extremely active. It's almost like I've forgotten he's in there, because he'll kick and I'll think to myself, "What on earth was THAT?" I think, up until this point, I've assumed all activity down there has been gas. But I'm not a complete idiot...it only takes me a few seconds to remember that there's a human being in my stomach. Mike actually felt him move for the first time last night, which was really fun for both of us.

20 weeks down, 20 to go...hard to believe!

It's...A...

BOY! I had a feeling, but am still a little shocked, for some reason. Probably because EVERYone thought it was a girl. And we'd picked out a girl name. And putting a girl in Kaylin's room would be more convenient than putting a baby boy in Ryan's room. So we have some logistical things to work out, but I'm still totally excited. I think mostly because this opens up the possibility of having a baby #4. Of course, now I'M the one a little concerned about being outnumbered! Oh well, at least I have my little girlie girl, Kaylin.

Kaylin is such a girl that she wanted to dress up in her prettiest dress with her pretty pink headband and white purse to go see the baby. She said, "Maybe the baby will say, 'That is such a pretty, pink dress!'"

Then there's Ryan, who was so excited to see the baby that he brought his Fisher Price camera and took the only picture in the ultrasound room. (That's a side-by-side shot, by the way. Much to the kids' disappointment, it was re-confirmed that we are NOT having twins!)

Ryan is THRILLED to be getting a baby brother. Kaylin whined, "But I wanted a sister..." at first, but now she's excited. She was pretty disappointed that the "movie" of the baby didn't allow the baby to talk to her.

Mike is beyond words. He is so relieved that Kaylin will be sandwiched between two boys to protect her. The things that go through a father's head, I tell ya...

Here are a couple of the pictures. My scanner isn't working, so I had to take a picture of the pictures - not great quality, but something's better than nothing. (click to enlarge)

When the technician stopped at the bum shot, it was VERY obvious that it's a boy. Even after only seeing 2 other ultrasounds, I could see our son in all of his glory!!!

Oh boy, it's a BOY!

Feeling Pregnant

My doctor appointment went really well yesterday. There was only ONE little heartbeat in my belly, so I psyched myself up for the possibility of really having twins all for nothing. My new doctor seems great, everything looks good so far, I am quite relieved. And finally starting to feel a little better this week.

So today, I did it: I busted out the maternity clothes. I don't know what I was trying to prove by squeezing myself into my old clothes. Since they barely fit before I took the pregnancy test! (I put on several stress-pounds when Mike lost his job last fall, then the holidays didn't help...leave it to me to get knocked up the same week I get motivated to lose the extra weight.) They fit okay most of the day, but in the afternoon (and for sure after dinner) - I was pretty uncomfortable.

As far as pants, I have size 12 and 14 shorts and jeans (from the post-pregnancy weight loss process with the first two) that I could wear, but why? The maternity pants with the elastic bellies are SO much more comfortable. The problem was that my t-shirts weren't long enough to cover the belly bands and I looked a little silly flashing the two-tone material for the world to see.

I ran most of the short sleeved stuff through a quick wash and fluff cycle this morning and hung them all up, moving the smaller sizes aside for next year. As I was taking the clothes out of the dryer, I checked tags thinking, "THIS is a MEDIUM?" I tend to forget just HOW big I'm going to get. And as I put the non-maternity clothes away for "later," I got to thinking about how much later I'll be wearing them. I probably won't wear my favorite Buckle jeans next winter - if it takes 9 months to put on the weight, I certainly won't lose it in TWO months. This isn't Hollywood! So I won't get to walk around in those bad boys until winter 2010??? That seems so sad.

What also cracked me up was some of the little dribble stains on the maternity shirts. I am so clumsy when I'm pregnant. And nothing makes it to my lap, that's for sure.

So YEA for getting to be comfortable. Already, at 10 weeks! With my first, I tried staying in my regular clothes as long as possible. My, how things change after some experience.