Official 27Week Check-In

27 Weeks

Seriously?!

WTF is a Rutabaga?!

Baby

• She's practicing inhaling and exhaling with her rapidly developing lungs.
• It's official: Baby's showing brain activity! And her brain will keep on getting more complex.
• Your baby may recognize both your and your partner's voices by now.

 

Momma

• The same leg cramps, backaches, constipation and hemorrhoids of previous weeks.
• Skin, hair and nail changes -- they might be thicker, grow faster or be more brittle.
• Snissing (that's peeing when you sneeze). Baby is putting a ton of pressure on your bladder. Make frequent pit stops.
• By 27 weeks pregnant, your uterus has swelled to the size of a basketball.

Best Moments This Week:As always, when Baby Girl moves =)

Total Weight Gain: Was up to about 20, but counting in the -2lbs from GutOlympics2015 last night, at 18 lbs gained. (almost identical to where I was with Button at this point! Why do I feel bigger then?!)

Maternity Clothes: enjoying the panels. getting ready for the weather-switch over, I have lots of sweaters waiting to be worn!

Symptoms: lots of kicks (and mood swings)

Sleep: no change (enjoying it while I can, around the random just-because wake-ups (I think it's BabyGirl's nighttime calisthenics that actually wake me... lol))

Food Cravings: nothing really crazy - it can change hour to hour...

Anything making you queasy or sick:  No

Movement: Lots still!

Stretch Marks: Still just ones I had on my hips from highschool...

Gender: Baby Girl!!

Labour Signs: none yet. (Thank god, especially after the crazy/weird/scary bout last night)

Belly Button In or Out?: In (never turned out last time either - though I finally took out my belly-button ring this time...)

Wedding Rings on or off?: On

Happy or Moody?: Happy today! (at the minute, at least. lol)

Purchases for baby: I got a few things (two onesies, a sleep sack, two pairs of pants) from the local thrift store again ($1 for a onesie?! SOLD!)

Purchases for Momma: they're not pregnancy/maternity related, but I got three pairs of shoes while at the mall yesterday - one being a pair of boots that I've been wanting (that style anyways) for awile now:

Miss Anything?:aside from the usual "alcohol please!" I miss being able to be really physically active (or even just go for a long walk!) without getting lightening crotch and RLP...

Looking forward to: next Monday - 28week appointment, GTT and - we'll be getting our official eviction date set!!!!!

since last BumpShot:

and last night (before shit hit the fan - HA, no pun intended!) when BabyGirl was all lopsided:

(I just realized, she doesn't look as lopsided as she was... lol)

Kicking off 27weeks with a ... Splash?!

We had one of the busiest weekends I can remember for awhile...

Friday I got stuck at work until 6pm (why is it always Fridays that are the craziest day of the week for me at work?!) and ended up running like a mad-woman once home to get a dinner cooked because a friend was coming over to view engagement pictures I shot a few weeks a loooong time ago, earlier this summer...

She ended up staying until a little after nine (note to self: just because you, as an "artist," think a style or font/color for a SaveTheDate looks horrible, remember: The Customer has her own taste, and it's always right! lol YUCK!)

When we came upstairs (from our basement office) Button was still awake and crying in his room (he's usually asleep by 8:20 or so!) And E shared his night: that doggie #1 had gotten on the table (during a potty trip with Button) and eaten the rest of dinner (homemade chicken fingers) and then proceeded to vomit it all over the living room carpet (all while E kept trying to get Button down for the night...)

A little mommy-magic, and Button was asleep...


Saturday morning we decided to visit a local petting zoo/market/Greenhouse and Button got so excited to see the animals!

They had goats, a baby cow, lambs - all to hand-feed! - pony rides, bunnies!! (Bunnies seem to be magical for Button - he just loves them!)

Before we left, we visited their market (freshly grown produce and meats!) for some snacks (yogurt raisins) and lunch (chicken pot pies and fresh quiche!) as well as a cute Halloween lawn ornament (Button picked out a giant bat).  And as we were checking out, a woman walked past us, looked back at me and smiled and said, "It's a girl!" and then turned back around and walked off...

I was like, "uh - wha - um... huh?!"



After Button's nap, we drove an hour south to our friends' house for an End-of-Summer Tiki BBQ (great idea, fun decorations - but we were all in long sleeves and pants! brrrr!)

(clockwise - having fun with his cousin, me having fun with new baby cousin and baby cousin's mommy, the boys enjoying a bonfire (not visible due to flash), and me practicing the whole 2nd child thing - I've got this!)

((Also at this BBQ was Mr and Mrs Potato Head, our good friends - who, during the Ex-BIL drama beginning, had shared with me she was afraid she'd be the reason they couldn't get pregnant, due to a long history of issues.  The updates were that, as of August, they would be doing IUI because Mr. PH had tested on the lower side for a SA (motility? count? not sure the specifics).  And then as of Labor Day, it was actually going to be IVF, on advice of their RE/Dr (not sure if they're officially at an RE, I would assume so...) but as of this past weekend - the latest was that on one of the first cycle ultrasounds, they found a polyp that needs removal and so surgery is set for late October, and after that it's - repeat the cycle start, another ultrasound, and hope there's no more polyps.  I can't even imagine the frustration at all the time spent waiting... I love the PotatoHeads and hope things this fall/winter ultimately end up with a healthy pregnancy!))


But anyways - I tell you that fresh air WORE BUTTON OUT, because this kid - who hasn't fallen asleep in the car for MONTHS no matter what time it is, was ZONKED OUT within the first 5 miles of the hour carride home... In fact, he never even opened his eyes through the arrival home, the journey into the house and up the stairs, and through an entire outfit and diaper change...


Sunday morning we woke up late (past 8:30!) and so I let church slide (we would have had to haul ass to get there on time...) Instead - we spent the morning at a nearby lake/preserve on their lakeside trails.  Button loved it ("I see WATEH!" and "no that tree no bite you...") and again the fresh air helped (or he just digs his routines!) because naptime was (is!) such a breeze...

After nap, we headed out to Palisades Mall in New York (a little bit of a drive at 45 minutes) but - but but - it has THIS:

And it has a ferris wheel! and a carousel! (Button rode it twice!!)

And a Dave'N'Busters:

At this point, I was aching (yay RLP) from walking/standing all weekend long... We made it home in time for dinner and a bath (grandma gave it while I helped SIL (still in highschool) with her math homework).

MIL and SILs headed home, we got Button to bed, and we caught Fear the Walking Dead (only one episode left!!!)

Sunday night as usual, all the way up to the 10pm bedtime and reading myself to sleep...


Except, about 10-15 minutes after falling asleep, I woke up totally uncomfortable, thought it was just Baby Girl on my stomach or intestines... minute by minute it got worse, E was up (playing SimCity on his phone lol) and was all, "ummm are you ok? should you be by the toilet?!")

By the toilet I went, because then I felt something like gas pains and thought a good fart (ha -- the glories of pregnancy) would help... but then!

Vomiting!!

PROJECTILE!

And I crawled back from the toilet bowl, on all fours, seized by a stomach cramp, thinking, wait is that a stomach cramp? or a LABOR CRAMP?! OMG DO I NEED TO GO TO L&D?!
I'M ONLY 27 WEEKS TODAY!! BUT I'VE READ OF BABIES COMING THIS EARLY, THERE'S NO WAY THIS COULD BE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!

 (I also thought, god-DAMMIT if this is like full on labor/full contraction/whatever, this SUCKS SO BAD!!!)

AND THEN!

(as E is standing with me in the bathroom, providing a wet cool cloth alternating with a bottle of water) I was all, "um - I think I have to go to the bathroom..."

so out he went, and OUT IT CAME...

and now I'm trying to think about Button, and if I call the doctor they'll most likely advise me to go to L&D and who would we get to come stay at the house while he slept, and E has work the next morning so unless I really think something's wrong, calling and going in would be a big fat night of no sleep and nothing wrong...

I tried to lay down once more, and got wracked with more intestinal - "activity" let's say... and after that?

Everything totally quieted down... I read for a bit waiting to see if it was really gone, and then finally went to bed...

and I have been fine ever since....

food poising?! Baby Girl playing BounceHouse on my stomach and intestines?!

I'm trying to drink more water than usual to rehydrate, and I lost two pounds (which means I got a day of pigging out!!)  but other than that, no worse for the wear...

but holy - "I'm not ready for her yet!" wake up call!

I'm now hammering out finite return-to-work schedules and day-care start-dates for Baby Girl... Shit's getting real!



(oh yea! the 27weeks part! A separate post...)
for now, a cute comparison of last year's (early Spring 2014) Neighborhood Watch and this year's New and Improved Fall 2015 version:

Healthy Fighting... Is it possible?

So this morning on the drive in (hello CarRide Chronicles!) a local radio station was doing its weekly "Love 'em or Leave 'em" series - a caller/listener/fan presents a situation they want public opinion on (like, "He acted shady during his bachelor party, and now won't answer questions on if there were strippers... should I leave him?!" or a more recent, "We both agreed on no kids, but now a year into our relationship I want kids and she still does NOT.. should I leave her?")

This morning, I tuned in very late and I only caught the very last few minutes, so I honestly have no idea what the situation was for this morning's poll... but I did hear the husband on the phone, very angry, having heard his wife airing their issues on the radio during his drive to work...

The DJs were ripping him apart for raising his voice at her, and yelling that [whatever the issue was] was a decision that was NONE OF THEIR [the radio station/public] BUSINESS and was an issue to be solved and decided on in the privacy of their own home, as a family.

Awkward for on-air fighting, sure, but justified and reasonable, yes?


All of a sudden the DJ's were all, "this is so unhealthy for you [wife]!! He's so abusive!! Does he talk to you like that all the time??"  (and she admitted, no - he must be very angry, because he doesn't usually yell like that...)

And meanwhile, I started yelling at the radio station (think they heard me through my bluetooth? lol)

Because voices were raised, it's unhealthy?

There was no name calling, no trash talking, no insulting of the radio station - just anger that his spouse (he felt) violated his trust, in so many words, and aired private issues on a public forum...

And all the DJ's could say was, "He's psycho! Definitely leave him!"


What happened to healthy fights??

We have friends acquaintances (at this point) that we knew fought from time to time, sometimes about heavy issues - not necessarily the "can you please put the toilet seat down?!" - and whenever E would ask hubby (formally his best friend, bestman at our wedding) he'd be all, "nope! we're fine! We're totally fine, no fighting at all!" 

Like they were ashamed or worried that fighting (of any kind) meant their relationship was rocky...


I'd heard, some where, a long time ago, that you should actually be concerned about your relationship when you stop fighting...

Of course, there is a healthy WAY to fight, but even the old adages of "Don't go to bed angry!" have been suggested as garbage (sometimes it's better to sleep on it and re-approach it the next day with a fresher mind!)

Anyways - all of this to say - it's ok to fight!

As E and I tiff almost daily (especially with pregnancy hormones, HOLY WHOA!) I remind myself - make sure Button sees resolution at the end of a disagreement (as most of ours are - we're Leos, what can I say?)

Make sure, at the end of the day, you each know you love each other (even if the sex-drought is one of the longest yet... fatigue seems to be kicking my ass each day, and you know - last week's lovely Y.I. certainly didn't kertow to any sexy-time... I think it's hopeful and optimistic to expect a few escapades between now and when BabyGirl makes her entrance!!)


(Also - a coworker just walked by with her kid's chocolate-bar-fundraiser-box... while she had no peanut butter (BOOOOO!! I just realized, probably something to do with all the peanut allergies nowadays... ) I most certainly bought a crispy rise bar! Pregnant mama says Thanks for the teeny tiny $1 candy bar!)

Friday Flush-Out turned Monday Mash-Up

Ok so this started as a Friday Flush-Out and then Friday got MAD CRAZY at work (lunch cut short after 10 minutes for training, training got cut short for an interview with possible maternity-leave-coverage-person, and then frantic-ness ensued as our main bank f*cked up transferring funds to our payroll bank... resulting in employees not being able to cash pay checks... MAD CRAZY!)

And then, I thought I'd be able to post a Saturday morning brain-slosh before we headed down the shore with Button and FIL (for E and FIL to do some repair-work in the backyard) and then all of a sudden we were already there (after a painful carride of Button repeating phrases over and over and over and over an ov- sorry...) and on the beach, and I thought I'd be able to post Sunday night when we got home...

And then it was Sunday night, and we had spent an unexpected hour or two at IL's house where DH wanted to take advantage of babysitters (his sisters) and nap after we dropped off FIL, and then finally settled in at home after Button's bedtime to watch Fear the Walking Dead (good episode, not much action, as they were building plot lines - can't wait for next week's!)

So, here it is - a Monday Morning Mess:

Item: For some reason, I bookmarked the f.acebook page of the tramp homewrecker girl that ex-BIL is with now (did I mention they're having a baby together?! SIL had heard a few weeks back...) It's a private page, so it's just profile pic, friends list, some public posts (not many) so I don't know why I bookmarked it - but last Friday, all of a sudden I opened it and her profile pic is one of her and ex-BIL, in Venice, Italy... It almost feels like the time he was in our lives was a dream, the surreal part, that he is/was a character that doesn't exist any more...


Item: Last week, I found the perfect solution to a FirstWorldProblem - you know when there's that awkward level of cereal left in box, where it's too big for the bowl you want, but then you're leaving a piddly pitiful amount for the next bowl? And it's either - you eat a bigger bowl of cereal then you intended, or you leave the sad excuse of cereal left and plan to later mix it with something else maybe? 
Well it makes the perfect Button-size bowls of cereal! (DH started Button on bowls of cereal - his favorite late-night snack before bed - as soon as Button started drinking cows' milk... lol)


Item: You guys remember some sad accountability list I'd created, like, years ago? And then tried to revisit it a few months later and was all, gonna accomplish things! (mostly something about dental work needing to be done?)
 Well... I finally got into my dentist (a midst dental insurance changes - my old guy doesn't take our new dental HMO! BOOO!) who took a look at the back molar that was a probable root canal 18 months ago, and promptly advised me - given the private pay stance I would be having with his practice - to pull the tooth! I was like, WHAAA?!
And then I asked him - "ok, if you had all the insurance money to play with (if he was in-network) what would you[he] advise?" and he said he'd want to perform "heroic dentistry" and save the tooth: tooth exploration/cleaning, gum surgery (because the gums started to grow in where a piece of the tooth had chipped out), post, crown, etc.
So... at 30 years old, I'd rather not have a molar pulled - not even a wisdom tooth, just a regular molar...
And the GoodNews/BadNews part of it all is that E has already found/been to a great root-canal-specialist who participates with our dental HMO.
But needs a referral.
From a dentist in-network, so now I have an appointment tomorrow at lunch which will most likely go as follows:
     K: Hi dentist, here's pictures and x-rays from last week that my dentist took, you can't take any more because I'm pregnant - here's the tooth.
     dentist: Yup - root canal's needed, I'm gonna refer you to - 
     K: can you use Dr. Chompers? my husband has already used him for root canals...
     dentist: Sure - here's your referral.
     K: ok thanks, bye.
*SIGH*
The big thing I'm somewhat-worried about is timing... 2nd tri ends like, any day now and I want to get as much of this done as possible, as soon as possible...

Item: While on the beach this weekend, I realized that next summer will be the Summer of Tattoos! I have three lined up and (kind of) ready - I have script on my foot that was too small to begin with, and has become totally illegible... So for #1, I want to get the script, "La vie est belle," done on my other foot, but much bigger... and then (#2) get the original tattoo covered up with something feathery (my tat-guy says the very best cover-ups are roses (nope), fish scales (nope) or feathers...) and then #3 - a BabyGirl tattoo (because Button's already got a great one!) - I'm thinking a little thumb-print heart with her birth date, etc on my right rib/bra line... (and considering her thumbprint will be teeny, and we know small tattoos become blurry, like my foot script - maybe it'll be a combo of my print + hers.. or something... I'll let my guy design something cool... lol)

 (like this, with script next to it...)

Item: I've been really enjoying the wiggles and pops and shifts and kicks from Baby Girl (still unnamed - ACK!) especially this morning, as I sit at my desk trying to fix the horrible money/wiretransfer/paycheck issue from Friday (our main bank CANCELLED THE WIRE without telling us!!!!)
And I'm trying to enjoy them and not get annoyed at her tenth bout of hiccups that day, because people ask, "You're going to have a boy and a girl! A perfect little family! Do you think you'll have anymore??" (First - a "perfect little family" is only when there's a child of each sex??"  Second - what's their obsession with the next kid(s) when you haven't even finished gestating the current one?!)
But thing is - I don't know the answer to their question about more kids... we laugh and say, "if she's as good as Button, we're open to a third! And if she's a little hellion, we'll be done!"  But really, you never know what might happen - for whatever reason, this could be my last pregnancy...

Because I don't want it over and then a year from now, we decide, yes we are done with these two - and I look back and think, "Why didn't I appreciate and enjoy it at the time?! I wish I'd know it was going to be the last time!!!"

So I'm trying to relish and enjoy it and think, "this could be the last time you feel this..."

so sad! because, when Button's pregnancy was over, I missed the kicks - I even felt phantom ones (most likely/definitely gas traveling around lol) in the hospital and at home for days... and the farther I got from when I last felt them, I remember beginning to wonder - can I remember what it felt like?!




So there's my Monday mash-up...

(We had a great weekend:) E and his dad got a lot done in the backyard,  Button had SO much fun on the beach with his aunts/cousins

Mommy got a decent tan a little sun, and we wrapped up on Sunday with some arcade time before driving home

(the drive home was much better than the drive down - Button napped peacefully and I got to read on my Nook - surprisingly, since I usually get car-sick just from looking down at my phone for too long!)

Pictureless 25W check-in!

Pictureless because life gets busy (slash I get lazy) and the last picture I have is from last Wednesday (which, actually -  now that I look - I have not posted yet.  In fact, the last bump photo was end of August at 22w2d!)

Ok, ok - so here is last Wednesday:

and I'm pretty sure this chick made some kind of big move/turn last night because - holy UNCOMFORTABLE... I felt like my stomach was up in my chest, and had that is that vomit or do I need to burp feeling while I tossed and shifted and changed positions on the couch every few seconds (while watching Fear the Walking Dead!)

Baby Girl must have completed her shift (whichever way it was) by this morning because I feel SO MUCH BETTER! (and am feeling like there are more kicks now on the left side, when I used to feel her on the right side... whatever that means for whichever way she's facing...)

Next appointment to check isn't until the first week of October - I've got my 1hour GTT scheduled at the same time, and we'll be scheduling the date for the RCS! (of course, if she's anything like her big brother, she'll come whenever she damn well pleases, even if it's days before a scheduled RCS!)

25 WEEKS

Baby

• She's enjoying her new sense of equilibrium — she now knows which way is up and which is down.
• She's growing more fat and more hair too!

 Momma

• Constipation. Be sure to eat plenty of fiber-rich foods!
• Hemorrhoids -- baby is putting a ton of pressure on your digestive tract. And the constipation certainly isn't helping. (thanking the lord - never had these while pregnant with Button, and so far so good with this pregnancy!)
• Gas and bloating. Your hormones are slowing down digestion, creating excess gas. YUP. oooooh boy, YES.
• Heartburn. Since baby is pushing on your digestive system it can push stomach acid up your esophagus. no heartburn yet, just a teensy reflux-feeling when drinking after a meal...
• All-over aches and pains, thanks to hormone fluctuations.
• Trouble sleeping. It's tough to get comfy with that big belly in the way!

Best Moments This Week:It's always fun to watch family members (who want to) feel baby girl kick... (1 friend and 1 sister got to feel this week!)

Total Weight Gain: let's go with 15-16. lol I'm kind of only stepping on the scale to make sure there's not a crazy gain within a short amount of time (signs for something dangerous like pre-eclampsia)

Maternity Clothes: totally in - and I can't help but buy more whenever I'm at Burlington Coat Factory, even with allllllll the fall/winter stuff I have to pull out of bins (both from Button's pregnancy and hand-me-downs!)

Symptoms: lots of kicks (and mood swings)

Sleep: no change here - each night now I'm waking up at least once per night. not necessarily to pee, but just - waking up... thankfully I get back to sleep relatively quickly (after a few pillow adjustments)

 

Food Cravings: nothing really crazy - it can change hour to hour...

Anything making you queasy or sick:  No

Movement: Lots still!

Stretch Marks: Still just ones I had on my hips from highschool...

Gender: Baby Girl!!

Labour Signs: none yet.

Belly Button In or Out?: In (never turned out last time either - though I finally took out my belly-button ring this time...)

Wedding Rings on or off?: On

Happy or Moody?: yup, still moody... some days I can't stand the sight of E any more (like on Sunday when he tried to claim that I "wouldn't let him go fishing" with his dad because he "had to come to church instead" (I am so proud of the fact that I have never ever, not even once as a wife told E he couldn't do anything he wanted to...)

He bitched when I reminded him I wanted him to come to church Sunday morning, and then claimed he cancelled fishing because of it (despite the fact his father had 4 teeth pulled Saturday - in no condition to fish - and the forecast predicted rain all day...)  and then after all that, still didn't come with Button and I.  So.  I was "SO DONE" with him that day.

I'm fine now.

LOL

Purchases for baby: None this past week...

Purchases for Momma: Bought a few cheap tops from Burlington on Saturday (I had to return a wallet for E so I had store credit anyways!)

Miss Anything?: nothing really, I could still use a nice relaxing drink on a Friday evening after a long work week...

Looking forward to:getting a RCS date so we can finalize travel plans for my parents to come up at Christmas time!  (Also looking forward to tonight being the last night for the awesome yeast infection cream/treatment... YAY!)

a First Time for Everything....

...and that Everything includes a first ever yeast-infection (YUGH I dislike that phrase as much as I dislike the word discharge (lots during pregnancy. fun stuff...)

so I guess I could look at the bright side that this is my first ever (in my memory) as opposed to focusing on the yuckiness of the overnight lotion/cream/whatever that gets shoved up your hoo-ha... (started the OTC generic cream last night...) and the doc's nurse finally returned my call today, confirming the culture (TAKEN A WEEK AGO!) was yes, positive for Y.I.  And the doctor is going to review it (I guess the type of yeast?!) and may want to prescribe a cream, should she call it in to Pharmacy XYZ? But "don't worry, I [nurse] will call you back if that's the case!"

Okie dokie...

(Thankfully symptoms are very mild, and are sometimes nearly non-existent... and a funny story - I somehow accidentally "loaded" the wrong end of the plunger/doo-hickey with the cream last night, and it got all over. lmao - good thing E was out at a hockey game...)



Also, during this Wednesday's Reading Challenge update, you'll notice I *GASP* gave up on a book part-way through for the first time... (ok not for the first time ever, but for the first time in this challenge...)

And can I just say - I only have TWO categories/books left to read until this challenge is DONE!

Which makes the all-time total (challenge and non challenge books) 66 books read!
(Also - for the question, "Where the hell do you find time to read?!"
Mostly at work - lunch time, and when I've spent too long staring at an excel file and need a break
and at home after Button goes to bed - on the couch til I'm falling asleep, and then some more once I wake up and move to bed... 

And here we go with where we last left off:

#59. Remember When #3 by T. Torrest   N/A Category    (fin 8/20/15)
I had last read Remember When #2, and had to just chug on through to the third (spoiler alert) where they finally have their happy ending! The trilogy, overall, is a very light read, but with some great (and frequent) ((and realistic!)) sex scenes - a must for summer-reading!

#60. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood    #42/50 : A book you own but have never read   (fin 8/21/15)
Given the fact that I have downsized my paperback library, in fact downsized mostly to favorite books that I'd read again and again (ahem Twilight!) I reached into e-books that I'd downloaded over the past few years that I hadn't read yet... enter Atwood's novel! A very interesting book, in sometime-future, where women are treated as, basically, surrogates or vessels - but they are assigned to couples, to try to get pregnant from the husband, and once they fulfill their need (carry a child) they are moved to another home/couple for another child to be conceived... definitely very interesting, as the main character (The Handmaid!) flashes back to her Life Before, with a family and child of her own... I made notes as I read, because I really liked how the author frequently used word-play in the prose:
" and had nothing to do with the man you loved, at least in daylight. With
that man you wanted it to work, to work out. Working out was also
something you did to keep your body in shape, for the man. If you worked
out enough, maybe the man would too. Maybe you would be able to work it
out together, as if the two of you were a puzzle that could be solved; otherwise, one of you, most likely the man, would go wandering off on a trajectory of his own, taking his addictive body with him and leaving you with bad withdrawal, which you could
counteract by exercise. If you didn’t work it out it was because one of
you had the wrong attitude. Everything that went on in your life was
thought to be due to some positive or negative power emanating from
inside your head."
(A really unique ending, too!)

#61. Ghostly Liaison by Stacy McKitrick    N/A Category   (fin 8/24/15)
(A book I downloaded on my phone while bored at lunch...) The main character sees ghosts... mix in some good romance and a murder mystery to be solved (Mr. Dreamy's sister, what they thought was a suicide!) pretty decent for a free B&N book!

#62. Doubt: A Parable by  John Patrick Shanley   #47/50 : A play    (fin 8/26/15)
I had seen this movie first (and still only recently, in the last year, considering it came out in 2008) This play is exactly what was in the movie, no more and no less - and it was different, reading a play - but one that I could very easily envision the setting and emotions, thanks to the movie... a highly recommended movie and play!

#63. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett     #21/50 : A book your mom loves    (fin 9/3/15)
This category was somewhat tough, I'm usually the one recommending books to my mom! There weren't many that she had read that I haven't yet... so she dug deep (and into recommendations passed on from her dad...) This is an epic novel, at over 800 pages (you can tell, there's a week between when I finished the last book and when I finished this one!) and it spanned the decades (and numerous characters) centered around building a grand cathedral in Kingsbridge (England) - but I love Ken Follett (first read his Night Over Water years ago...) and this was very well written - never dragged or felt tedious in reading. In fact, kept me from chapter to chapter, frequently saying, "just one more!"  There is a mini-series made in the last few years that I want to watch now (first few episodes I know are on youtube!) as well as a "sequel" (said to be able to stand-alone as a novel) that is set two centuries later, still in Kingsbridge, that will be added to my "Must Read" list!

#64.  Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland    #48/50 : A banned book    (GAVE UP 9/4/15)
This novel was the last novel ever banned in the U.S. It's basically soft-core smut, written at the turn of the century (so tedious!) and around page 70 of 127 (of the same stuff, different players, looooooong-ass prose) I gave up... there was no story line... but all the same, I'm considering it read, category fulfilled...

#65. Escape(#1): A New Life by David Antocci    N/A Category     (fin 9/4/15)
Another quick read I downloaded on my phone during lunches... a woman wakes up on a tropical island, with no memory how she got there - but she gets caught up in a fight for her life! Actually, a pretty unique story twist... (no spoilers here!) it was free on B&N, go check it out!

#66. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson     #50/50 : A book you started but never finished   (fin 9/8/15)
Ok so they don't limit the reasons why you never finished the book the first go-round... This one, I downloaded a bad version a few years ago and couldn't read past the first 10 pages or so.  So I recently found a good copy to download, and started to read again... YAY so glad I did! The novel follows a disgraced Swedish journalist and a socially-rejected young woman as they investigate a decades old murder... I loved this book, and cannot wait to find the movie showing on TV to be DVR'd! (Also, it's a(nother) trilogy and I've refrained from my usual jumping straight into the second book, Girl Who Played with Fire, especially because it was such a cliff-hanger/unsatisfactory ending to the first book - each series I've read straight through, I've lost where each book ended/began... so we'll try for a little separation with this series!


And that's where I'm at!

Currently reading When Mockingbirds Sing (A lunchtime download that fulfills no category) and the synopsis has me intrigued... now that I'm only reading that one book (ha!) hopefully I can dedicate my attention to it and do it justice in reading!

a Tale of Two Weekends...

Since I never shared how fun our play dates were two weeks ago, you're getting a TWO-FER!

Last weekend, E was supposed to go on his annual canoe trip (long story short, another guy cancelled which left them with an odd-man out, and E jumped at the chance to back out of a trip he hadn't really wanted to go on to begin with...)
(He still decided to disappear on Sunday to go fishing with his dad...)

But, so - Saturday morning I took Button to some stores (still trying to find the right one to return some duplicate birthday gifts from July) so we got to see BuyBuyBaby (where I just had to get BabyGirl the cutest two little tutu's from the clearance rack...)

(I've already mentally paired the first with B&W striped leggings this spring... ZOMG)

We then hit up Target (where Momma treated herself to some $3 bootcuffs... yes I could have made them, but the yarn would have cost just as much.  And these are hassle-free, pre-made and perfect. lol)

After Button's nap (and after E was done with all his Saturday morning yardwork) we hit up a local school's playground (holy HOT it was so warm...)

and then shortly called it quits to go cool off and grab some ice cream...

The next day (while E was off fishing with his Dad) we had a planned breakfast with our friend O at a nearby diner, where Button popped a container of syrup all over himself and my shoes, made friends with the waiter who later brought him a free gigantic cookie, and dumped his entire kiddie cup (one with a lid!) of apple juice all over himself...

After a recuperating nap (both for Button and mommy!) we trucked over to my bestie Dee's house to play with her 13-month-old and his fun toys!

We stayed there til nearly dinner time (as Daddy kept texting me he'd be back later and later...) so when we finally got home and settled, Button got stay up an extra 20 minutes to wait for Daddy to get home to see him for a bit before heading to bed... busy weekend!





And this past weekend, whoa nellie!!

Friday as I finished up at work, I got the strange desire to do something fun... and texted E with a "let's do something fun! Let's picnic tonight on the new back patio!"



(Thursday night we finally used an Olive Garden gift card - I'm pretty sure we got for our anniversary, in October last year - for a date night dinner... and took advantage of their great "Buy an Entree, Take an Entree" or something like that... for $13-$16 you got an entree to eat there  (with unlimited breadsticks and soup) as well as an entree to take home for another day!)






SO - Friday night, picnic we did!

The boys were stuffed from ziti!

Saturday morning, while E entertained Button, I cleaned (the kitchen - sinks and counters scrubbed! -  and living room)

As we were sitting on the front stoop, catching some fresh air, our across-the-street-neighbor invited us to come for a quick swim with her and her grandson (same age as Button!)

(While E had to stay at the house and wait for a Verizon technician (no internet, booooo) Button and I jumped at the chance to cool off a bit!)

After the pool, the boys took turns hitching rides:

When we got back to our house, the Verizon guy still had not shown up  (and his 8a-12p window had expired!  UGH)
So Button ate lunch, and went down for a nap.
When he woke up, we had gotten an update that the Verizon guy would be there around 4:30 which freed us up for about 2 hours, so we decided to go check out a local "pond"/pool that our neighbor had told us was "so great!" (not so great. it's a big marshy pond not fit for swimming)
BUT we had a great time on our little "nature walk" around the pond, and it chewed up the perfect amount of time until the Verizon guy was due!

(While the Verizon guy was working on the router, Button and I kept occupied by a few games of hide'n'seek...)

With internet back up and running, we headed out around 5pm for a local fire department's carnival fundraiser! (No pictures, boooo....)
But we enjoyed good food-truck dinner (pulled pork sandwiches! chicken empanadas! ice cream, of course!) as well as a gi-nooormous bounce house and a super slide (on Daddy's lap) - unfortunately, Button was still too little for the motorcycle ride they had set up...

kind of like this, but on a track...

And then E told me on the carride home later that he had eventually told Button the "real reason" he couldn't ride the motorcycles (the "Fake" reasons being, you know - "line's too long!" or "the big slide is SO MUCH MORE FUN!") and poor Button actually kind of snapped his eyes up to E's face in a really? I'm too little? sad face of understanding... #bigboysoonenough!
(Also - on our way to the fundraiser, we passed the coolest chair out on the curb! (really nice rich neighborhood) so a full once-over with Resolve and a rag, we totally snagged this for FREE!) From Target, we found out - though I was convinced it was originally a PotteryBarnKids - so nice, dark blue corduroy!

Button showing off his new chair Sunday morning...

Sunday morning I, again, got to cleaning (our bedroom - HOLY DUST! - and the master bath - YUCKY sinks!) and laundry (I have the most energy first thing after breakfast, so thank you to E for keeping little man occupied and happy - such a hardship, sitting and watching cartoons with him while I clean... lol)
After Button's nap, we headed back to the neighbor's pool - they were out for the day at BBQs and had offered its use!
Once the shade overtook the pool and backyard, we headed back home (a long 20 second walk... lol) and once showered, decided to go to our favorite sushi/hibachi joint for an early dinner.  (Button loves edamame. and green tea ice cream...)
After dinner, we walked next door and did some food shopping for a last-minute BBQ we had thrown together for Monday with our friends.  (Always food shop AFTER dinner - never before.  You buy everything from  healthy fruits to junky muffins and cookies...)

Monday morning, while E mowed the lawn and string-trimmed, I planned on taking Button to Burlington Coat Factory (to return a wallet from E's birthday in July).  First, of course - we spent some of the morning in our undies playing on our new chair...

Of course, there was a KMart in the same parking lot as Burlington (in fact, "earlier" in the lot) so we went there first - with the intentions of getting undies (for Button and Mommy lol) and checking out their stock of yard furniture - hoping for good end-of-summer and LaborDay sales!

Well - we got mommy undies and Button some socks, and then headed back to the Garden area where I found these great chairs for $90!

 (it was for only the chairs, so now we'll be on a hunt for a matching high-top table!)
((We already have a really nice 5-person round set that looks gorgeous on our new patio... once the fence is installed - next few days! - and the grass seeded, I'll take some finished pictures!))

So with the assistance of a very helpful sales guy, we got this ginormous box loaded into my trunk (go Kia Sorrento!) and got the trunk, which wouldn't close by just a few inches, tied down.

And I decided I wasn't going to stop at Burlington with a car that couldn't be locked, and so the return of the wallet will have to wait even longer...

But the patio chairs!

Perfect for our BBQ later that day!
(Button's naptime was perfect for E and I to run around and finish setting things up -  pool and water table for the two boys, food tables, new chairs, etc)
I blog-failed and didn't get any pictures until dessert time, and even then only got shots of Button eating his elmo cupcake (HOLY ICING... and thanks for bringing them for the boys, Dee!)

And of course, the "TAKE OUR PICTURE BABE!" big boys...

(no. they're not really peeing off of our new wall... just comparing.. LOL!)

Thankfully our friends are all pretty awesome (especially the last couple here last night!) and they helped us clean up and get the food inside (and took some leftover food as well!)


This momma was still pretty zonked after the long day long weekend, and was beyond ready to put her feet up and celebrate having passed Viability Day on Sunday at 24weeks! 
(Also - it's fun celebrating V-Day with a bona fide Y.I. - albeit still unconfirmed via culture as the Doc never called me on Friday like they were supposed to with results, and of course the work day flew by and next thing I knew it was past 5 and they were closed.  For a long holiday weekend...
With very weak and sometimes non-existant symptoms, I managed throughout the weekend - but you can bet I'm on the phone with them as soon as I can get away from my desk today, and will be picking up some OTC treatment on the way home from work!)


How was your Labor Day 2015??

(late) 23weeks

I started notes for this post on Monday... I know. it's now Thursday...

E and I also had a fight over the weekend about viability (when I told him we're 23 weeks, one more until viability and explained what that meant)

He basically said, "no. NO hospital would refuse life-saving treatment on a baby just because they didn't meet 'viability' " and said that people would be rioting at hospitals if they didn't try to save a baby born at 22 weeks, just because they weren't at viability.

I couldn't even attack that with him, I gave up (as I've discovered myself doing in the last few weeks) saying, "you know what? you're right.  You're totally right."

(could he sense my sarcasm?)

Because, fucking really?!? Would you like, DH, to speak with moms who did lose their babies born prematurely? Because hospitals do have "policies" (for lack of better term) regarding when they are required to perform life-saving measures and when they're not... and that shit does happen in real life - women go into labor early, and no - doctors may not be able to do anything to save the baby!!!! 

Would you like to ask those moms, DH, why they did not "riot and picket at their hospital" because the hospital only performed comfort care????

I just really couldn't even with him that day... 

((It's really become apparent to me that we both like to fight - and I can't keep doing it, it's exhausting.  Hence the recent trend of just "giving up."  Is that bad? that I'm choosing not to fight anymore? I want to, it's just almost always a losing situation, and then we both walk away steamed and pissed at the other person. (and I can hold onto that for hours)))

Anyways... 

So a late 23week check-in (at 23w4d):

23 Weeks!

Baby:

• She's forming little nipples (yeah, really!)
• Her face is fully formed now — she just needs a little extra fat to fill it out.
• She's listening to your voice and your heartbeat — and even to loud sounds like cars honking and dogs barking. (sorry baby for all the road-rage outbursts... I can't stand NJ drivers!!!)

 Mommy:

• Swollen ankles and feet (it's totally normal, but call your doc if it's extreme or sudden!) actually no swelling here... so far!
• Braxton Hicks contractions. Be sure to drink plenty of water and change positions frequently to stay comfortable. no noticeable BH... trying to stay hydrated!
• Aching back -- sorry, but this will likely linger for a while. off & on - I can actually feel pelvic/coccyx shifting with each step I take down the stairs! blugh
• Bleeding and/or swollen gums, common because of (you guessed it) pregnancy hormones. yup yup yup - every time I floss I bleed now... (also totally need to get to the dentist before 2nd tri is over...)

Best Moments This Week: Lost of kicks from baby girl, and in fact - Button got to feel baby sister give a few hi-yah's the other night! (at 23w1d)

Total Weight Gain: eh I'm gonna guess between 12 and 14 lbs... kind of just barely loosely keeping track now... Mostly trying to not go crazy-food-binge-ing and trying to get out walking at least a few times a week...

Maternity Clothes: totally in (except for maxi skirts.  regular (even flowy) tanks don't quite reach now!)

Symptoms: lots of kicks (and mood swings)

Sleep: Each night now I'm waking up at least once per night. not necessarily to pee, but just - waking up... thankfully I get back to sleep relatively quickly (after a few pillow adjustents)

Food Cravings: nothing really crazy - it can change hour to hour...

Anything making you queasy or sick:  No

Movement: Lots still!

Stretch Marks: Still just ones I had on my hips from highschool...

Gender: Baby Girl!!

Labour Signs: none yet. (though at my OB appt yesterday, I mentioned the difficulty I'd been having trying to discern what's regular for discharge, odors (if any), color, itching, etc. and of course, she "took a peek" only to discover I have a "slight Y.I." but we'll wait until the culture results come back tomorrow to be sure before starting any treatment... UGH fun.  first ever diagnosed Y.I...

Belly Button In or Out?: In (never turned out last time either)

Wedding Rings on or off?: On

Happy or Moody?: omg so moody... it doesn't help that, during a very calm normal discussion about date night and sitters for Ben and if there's time to do dinner and a movie, E pulls the "I'm not discussing this while you're in a mood."

um.  what fucking mood? ok, NOW I'm in a mood because of that stupid comment! (guys should be forced to move out during a pregnancy...)

Purchases for baby: I don't think I've made any recently... trying to hold off on purchases, as I've heard lots of friends (especially all my boy moms!) talk about how excited they are to shop for a little girl... =)

Purchases for Momma: None recently... I am getting excited for the fall weather - it'll feel like I bought a new wardrobe when I can bring out my maternity corduroys and sweaters that I have!

Miss Anything?: to be honest? drinking... there have been so many work days lately (today included so far) where I really want a nice martini at the end of the day (or like today, where I wonder how socially acceptable it would have been to go home at lunch and get a drink...)

ohmygod I sound like an alcoholic... lol

Looking forward to: this December, really! I can't wait to meet baby girl!!

Also - how do you know a purse belongs to a pregnant toddler-mom?

you find extra underwear right next to a toy police car...

(I also otally meant to do a weekend re-cap of our recent play-dates but with the viability argument, this post got too long... maybe a picture-heavy post later...)