Cankles

WOW! I officially have cankles - you know...when your calf migrates to your ankle. They got really bad yesterday - I'm sure from sitting at my desk for hours on end and then going out to dinner last night. I finally got home around 9:30 and propped them up with frozen peas....Helped some, but they are still a little puffy today! I get off work around 11:30 and will be able to rest and ice them some more hopefully! I am really surprised that I've lasted this long in this pregnancy without them. I was swollen ALL over from about 4 or 5 months on with LH - you think I'm kidding but it was so bad, my lips were puffy!

This was the worst one....see the indention of my flip flps!

Planning to plan...

Now, you all know I'm a planner - I plan to plan my brother says! He's shocked I could hold out finding out the sex of this baby because I usually would need to plan for whatever it is. Good think I knew what I wanted and didn't need to know the sex!

I'm planning other things now. I guess you could say I'm nesting. I'm on a roll at work and we are also getting lots done at the house. I feel like its more work to prepare to leave then leaving itself. I know things will be fine when I'm gone but we have a huge audit 15 days after I get back, soooooooo, I'm really planning for that! My co-worker and I have the same job, but two totally different areas so she will be filling in for me to make sure all of this runs smoothly while I'm gone. I'm trying to "guide" her through everything she will need to do during my maternity leave.

I made a list for Hubby. He asked for it. It's a big list. It has baby stuff and just other house related stuff on it that doesn't really have to be done before baby, but we need to work on nonetheless. He's making great progress! He's painted the changing table and we've put new knobs on it. It looks amazing!!! We just need a shelf and closet rod and we're pretty much set in there. Some of the other stuff is minor, like tighten the toilet seat, fix the towel rod in bathroom, give house a good cleaning (baseboards, etc), fix the squeaky doors, but other stuff will take some time like put up new mirror and light fixtures in bathroom, work on yard (will have to wait until we get some relief of the heat), and work on basement/tools! These are things that have been on our "mental" list for some time, but we just have it all written down now to check off when we get them done! He also has some painting projects when he has the time!!

As for the "nesting" part at home, I've now cleaned out every closet (except mine), cabinets, and started washing teeny tiny baby clothes! I have bottles, bibs, spoons, etc in the kitchen as well as all the big necessities ready to use! We are as ready as we can be at this point!!!

Vacation Bible School

Really this code for Mommy's free time! Ok, seriously, LH is getting a great lesson every single night, playing with friends, learning new songs and having tons of fun, but while he is there, I get a couple hours of quiet time! There is nothing wrong with feeling good about this. Nope, no guilt at all!

NOW, if it were my home church, I would be volunteering, but its not because my home church still does VBS during the mornings when I'm working! So, he's actually never gone to that one. The one he is going to is from his first pre-school church. He loved it there, but it wasn't all day, so we had to find something else when I went back to work. I love all those people, their kids, and this will be his 3rd year attending their program! He looks forward to it every summer to see his old teachers and old friends!

In my "free" time so far, I've spent way too much at Lowes, caught up on laundry (yes, I did a lot of it myself), picked up the house, cleaned out more closets and just enjoyed some quiet!

In moderation?

Hmmmmm, I just can't do it. Have a drink that is. Not now.

I KNOW that some people, doctors, books, etc say that an occassional beer or glass of wine is perfectly safe during pregnancy, especially now in these last few weeks, but I just can't. Hubby and I stand firm about it. Wow, how times have changed.

I also know that back in the day when our moms were expecting, they drank, smoked, and who knows what else and we all turned out fine (well, jury is still out on some, but you get the point). We also didn't have carseats and high tech saftey toys/gadgets that we do now and we're still here. BUT, they didn't have the research and the information like we do now to make the best decisions.

It seems to be the "norm" has changed again. When you are newly pregnant, one of the sure fire ways to detect it, is someone NOT partaking in happy hour....well, in our group of friends anyway. In fact, sometimes when I wasn't even expecting I would get grilled why I wasn't having a drink at a casual get together - when either I just didn't want one or I was the DD. So, I find it odd that I'm 6 weeks away from my due date and I'm getting the same type of questions. I have been to some recent events and gatherings and I have been questioned if I would like a glass of wine or beer, but when I decline, everyone wants to tell me how safe it is and I should if I want to.

IF I wanted to, I would, but I don't. I just can't wrap my brain around it. I haven't found any reason why I should. I know that every pregnancy is different. I know that every situation is different. I also know that if ANYTHING happened to this baby or me or whatever I would feel extra guilty knowing that I participated in drinking while I was pregnant - even if that wasn't the cause. Who knows for sure? I just can't take that risk.

I can say that I feel confident that I can give up something for 9 months and feel great! In retrospect of a child's life and well-being, I don't think that is too long to abstain from anything!

NOW, I'm not knocking those that have a drink, I am just simply saying that this is MY choice and MY opinion on it. I do not judge or criticize anyone for indulging while you are carrying your own child....that's your decision. This is mine. Please respect it!

What's in a name?

Well, we have our baby names picked out! And, sorry, but we are keeping them a secret..yep, I'm just being a butt! I've gotten picked on plenty about it since we did not find out the sex AND we aren't telling names....how dare I??? Hehe!

Well, we know what we like and it will be family-ish from my side. Baby girl would be all family but baby boy would have a little family and a little just because we like it!

So, we haven't discussed the names with LH on purpose! He couldn't even keep a secret that mommy had a baby in her belly for more than 2 seconds (um, so my child by the way)! So, we thought it best to just not talk about it at all. Up until recently he hasn't even asked, until last night!

He asked what we were going to call the baby? We asked him what he would like to call the baby if it were a girl - but he reminded us that we are not having a girl because that is not what he wants and so she didn't need a name! Great! Ok, so moving on...what about a boy? His response: Doofus!

Well, we are all kind of crazy, but I don't think you want to introduce yourself that way in say, um, well, ever, so we'll stick with what we have and just let him ponder what else he can call this kid!!!

Tick Tock

I feel like a bomb waiting to explode....not really, but I feel like things are going to happen all of a sudden and blow up in my face!
Aggghhh!!!! I just don't feel ready. I know that if this baby came tomorrow, I would be able to deal with it as we have everything we NEED, but I just feel like there is so much left to do. AND, not necessarily everything has to do with the baby, but I just know if I put it off, it won't get done.
I was stressing this morning and was up at 5 am thinking about all the things that need to be done in the next 6-7 weeks. I mean, my goodness, 6 or 7 weeks??? That's it??? It sound like a lot, but it really isn't especially with all the activities planned between now and Labor Day!!! It will fly by faster than I can keep up I'm sure!
So, after I checked the calendar to see when Hubby and I could plan a date night, I realized that he has something to do every single weekend - did NOT make me very happy. NOW, only one weekend is both nights, but most are all day events and that means getting up early Saturday mornings so no late Friday nights and sluggish Saturday night sometimes! The only weekend free at this point is my birthday weekend which just happens to be about 5 days before this baby is due!!! My luck, I'd plan something for us and we'd be enjoying our romantic dinner for 2 in the delivery room!
I had a mini-meltdown and festered over it a bit....prompting me to ask him to see if there was anything he could give up - which would be hard, as 4 of the 6 weekends are non-negotiable but I was fishing! I came up empty! BUT, he promised me that everything would get done....just to make my wish list and he would work on it!
Well, my number one was a date with him....a friend practically forced me to go out after I whined and she said she would keep LH Friday night!!! AWESOME!!!! Love friends like that! The ones that just KNOW you need a break!
So, now, we have a date night set and I'm working on my honey - do list!
I just let out a sigh of relief.....a small one! As, the plan sounds great and all, but until it's executed, I won't feel satisfied!!
I have confidence that it will all get done....I'm a fairly good delegator - just ask hubby...I'm always barking some sort of orders at him!!!

Happy Early Birthday to LH

LH got an early birthday present from Gigi and Pop yesterday! We call it the green monster! He really just loves that it's green - his fave!

So, now, he can stop riding the tiny 16" toddler bike where everytime he pedals he hits his knees on the handle bars! Nice!



Now, for a little recap on the last few days.....what a doozy its been! Thank goodness for grandparents!


So, after LH was not feeling well and had the weird rash, we decided to take him to the Doctor Sunday morning even though my friend said it was a virus, we wanted to be sure! First of all, since he is hardly ever sick, we had no clue what the weekend office hours were!! Now we know, but hopefully we won't have to use them again anytime soon! It was a virus, one that sounds way nastier than it really is! It's Hand Foot and Mouth Disease! G-Ross! I mean really? Can't they come up with something else to call it? But, anywho, we are glad to know what it was.
Apparently, he was contagious/sick last week and like I said, mom of the year here, tried to treat his "allergies"! Great, but he's on the mend now! Lots of popsicles, lots of "stay home days" and a cool new bike! He's fine!

Brief Lesson: sores/blisters form in mouth and throat and that's where it starts/spreads to skin...red, bumpless rash on palms and bottoms of feet mostly - at this point, its almost over, but the throat stays sore until the sores/blisters heal! Only way to "treat" is pain reliever as it is a virus! BUT, good thing, it's like chicken pox, you should only get it once!! AND, another good thing, its mostly common in children 10 and under - so I'm fine to be around him!! Good thing as I doubled as his body pillow all weekend!

Dr. said he could go to school and pool and wherever he wanted but I kept him home yesterday and today since Gigi was here and could hang out with him and he could rest. I did call the school and they informed me there were no other cases of it, BUT thought it could have come from THE FAIR!!!! Damn fair....I knew it was nasty, but now I think I'll refrain from taking him there in the years to come!

Oh, and good thing we got a bigger bike as when we were at the Doctor's office, we found out he's 48 inches tall and weighs a whopping 60 pounds!!! WHAT????? Seriously, what almost 5 year old does that? And one more thing, he's already in a size 1 shoe! Where did my little boy go????