Swollen with Love?

Taken 4/28... 36 1/2 weeks
I sure am being real with all these pregnant pictures....I don't care to show them, but I know people are curious.

Oh, the comments and name-calling have continued. I mentioned in the last post a few cashier's comments to me and my ever-glowing, ahem, ever-growing, figure. Instead of fat lady (yes, the neighbor asked me, "How's the fat lady doing?"...yes, referring to me), I prefer to call myself swollen with love...lots and lots of love...or maybe just, with-child? Thankfully, 40 pounds is not all baby (despite what others have said, and no, I'm not carrying twins), or else we'd really be in trouble. Yes, I still have about a month to go, contrary to another cashier's belief this past week, "When are you due? Yesterday?" Though these aren't the most thoughtful or pleasant of comments, I try to keep my sense of humor while Matt tries to hold onto my sanity. Anytime I share these little niceties (ha!) with Matt, he gets this serious, loud tone and says, "You're pregnant!!" trying to help me feel better that it's not all ice cream cake and candy bars. I must admit the baby does like those though!)

I'm thinking of starting a list, or maybe writing a book, "Things No One Ever Told You About Pregnancy...Or Maybe Warned You About."
1. All the comments (I knew about the horror labor stories and advice for your children...but comments about my size are much more frequent than anticipated).
2. No matter when you get pregnant, you are going to be in the midst of several holidays, which means, lots of opportunities to eat really yummy food that is not so good for you. Refer back to #1.
3. Body pillows do not fit well on the bed with 2 grown people, one with a giant belly. It doesn't happen! Also, you can't just flip it to the other side when you turn over (a chore in and of itself). It gets tangled in the sheets and just becomes way too much work.
4. Invest in a cheap hot dog pillow. You know, those little cylindar pillows that look like, well, hot dogs? They are wonderful to put behind your back during long times of sitting or when you're on a plane. I even put it along my back when I lay on my side.
5. Maternity clothes really are hard to come by. Some stores have maternity in one location and not in another...and there are not many items to choose from. Actual maternity stores are quite expensive, well, for this lady anyway. I think someone business minded could make a lot by selling cute, affordable maternity clothes.
6. Hot flashes aren't just during menopause. Not everyone has troubles with this, but whooo boy, you might. You might also be thirsty all day and especially at night, increasing the countless bathroom trips you already take.
7. The cowboy syndrome...which I named to describe to my doctor, but apparently someone already thought of "saddle sore." Yes, near the end you might feel like you've been riding a horse across the country.
8. When you have a stuffy nose and are blowing it, your husband just might ask if you're losing your mucus plug.
9. Some baby stores have Expectant Mother Parking! I just took advantage of that myself a couple weeks ago and wanted to take a picture to document the memory. The only down-side of such parking spots is they're only located at baby stores, and there are like a hundred pregnant mothers. Be prepared for demolition derby type aggression in maneuvering and claiming one of the four spots.

Well, there are a lot more, but I won't bore you with them today, I mean, you'll have to wait till the release of my book! Though I joke about the sometimes craziness of this pregnancy, I have to say I am still thrilled to meet and hold this baby of ours, our little miracle!

In Practice

We had our birthing class on Saturday. It was all day, and it felt like it. I was tired, and even though I am usually quite interested in this topic, that day, I was not. First of all, we arrived at the class quite early, almost a half hour early. True to form, I had to use the bathroom, so we ran into the grocery store next door. While roaming, we happened to stumble upon fresh donuts of the morning. So, we bought a couple and drove back to the office, pulling into a spot. A few other couples had arrived and hadn't gotten out of their vehicles yet. So, we sat and enjoyed our donuts. We were given a folder of outlines and papers...and of course one of the items on the list was nutrition. Umm, hopefully, they didn't see our frosting covered faces in the parking lot! Our instructor should be vote #10 on my side bar. We had to introduce ourselves, share our due dates, and whether the baby was a boy, girl, or surprise. There were 4 boys, 2 girls, and we were the only surprise. (We were also the youngest couple there and the only ones due in May.) The instructor said very matter of factly, "If I ever saw someone pregnant with a boy, it's you." Ok..? She then asks me if I have brothers. I say, "yes, 3." The question is then directed to Matt. He says, "yes, 2." The matter was settled. She did still mark the "question mark column" though.

I came to the conclusion that I think Matt will be a pretty good coach. He took all things the instructor said very seriously...umm, a little too seriously at times, including breathing along with me (the other coaches weren't so enthusiastic), and telling me...rather loudly... after each fake contraction she led us in, how great I was doing, how wonderful I am (isn't she grand?...refer to baby shower post), etc. The other coaches did not. In fact, it was hard to even hear the other women's breathing...I felt like I was the only one. I also had a very difficult time keeping a straight face. I have no idea how the other ladies did it, but Matt stared at me each time we breathed and did, "hee, hee, hoo," and I could not keep all my chuckles in. I have a very difficult time containing laughter in serious situations as it is. I suppose we were the annoying, immature ones, but hey, Matt was the only coach to take notes and answer some questions (correctly!). We broke for snack, and all the ladies took out a banana, one lady had grapes. I didn't get the memo. I munched on my crackers and cheese. We broke for lunch later. Matt and I sat in the parking lot with our packed lunches and everyone else scattered. We, of course, had extra time, so we made our way over to that grocery store again. Do not take this lady out without a mission! We pull back in to the office parking lot eating our icecream cookie sandwiches! (This truly was an exceptional day in the nutrition department.) The other couples sat in their cars, and I can only imagine what they were thinking about our food choices of the day. The best part of the afternoon was when we learned the different massage techniques, and the most important piece of information I took away from the class was this: If a 128 pound young woman on the day she gave birth can deliver (her first) naturally an 11 pound baby (which was quite the surprise), I can give birth too (to my petite baby...that's what you have to tell yourself...what good does it do to anticipate a 15 pound baby?)! That was my confidence builder and one of my info peices I wrote on my hospital bag index cards. (Oh yes, I have a list of things!) There you have it. I'm all about the positive thinking and confidence builders.

38 Days!!

I have 38 days left to go till my due date! How excited am I? Very! I've had some significant soreness that was just getting worse going down my legs, and my doctor says the baby's head is ready to go and sort of pushing on my pelvic bone and nerves. I call it the "cowboy syndrome" since I end up walking like a cowboy by the end of the day. Hoping that means the baby will come sooner rather than later.

Last Sunday, I had my baby shower! It was so wonderful to see so many friends, family, and church people. This baby sure is loved already! I am still blown away by all we were given. We are ready to bring this baby home. Pictures are on their way...I need to get them from my Mom then they'll be posted. We also have some pictures to post of that baby's room. So, be looking for a picture post! We got an amazing deal on our high chair. I love coupons and deals! Matt was excited to set it up, and I love seeing every glimpse of that. I told him there was no rush since the baby obviously won't need the high chair right away, but nevertheless, he wanted it all set up. He even put it right at the table...Oh, he makes me smile.

Funny little story. I have not been able to sleep very well lately and the week before the shower, I was just way too excited to sleep. I was thinking how this means we're getting closer to the baby's arrival and how blessed we are to be given this little miracle. So, one morning, I decided to write our baby story. (We totally could be on the show...haha, whatever.) I thought it might be neat to put together a few scrapbook pages with ultrasound pictures and little Matt and little Becky pictures. So the day before the shower, Matt and I went out to get some cute baby scrapbook paper on an errand run. I enlisted Matt to look down one end of the racks while I looked down the other. I found some boy paper for his pictures and wanted a girl sheet for mine. He pointed to a red page, and I doubled over laughing. He was completely serious, as always. The bottom of the sheet said in big letters, "Isn't she grand?" Apparently, he thinks I'm quite grand. So, I had him pull the sheet out all the way, so he could see all the other lovely sayings for a Grandma! This man makes me laugh more than anyone else. He has seriously given me contractions from laughing so hard. We did end up finding more appropriate paper to use for the occasion.

It's been interesting hearing all the comments and seeing all the looks I get when out and about. Yesterday, I got several. They usually include how big I look or how small I look (it's like different people see different me's). One cashier was quite talkative and asking me many questions. Being in a clothing store that does not sell maternity clothes, makes me feel quite awkward these days. I get these looks like, "you think you can really fit in that?" as I head to the dressing room. So, while checking out (yes, I got 2 shirts...I just buy them in the bigger sizes), I mention how hard it is to find maternity clothes. She just looked at me and said, "Well, you are pretty big!" Then in like another breath she asked how I stayed so slim. Huh? Didn't you just tell me I'm basically ...huge? (Matt enjoys calling, "Timberrr" when I, ahem, gracefully fall into bed at night!) Anyway, another cashier asked me when I was due. I said another month, and she said, "Ohh, right in the heat of the summer!" She must not be from around here. It could still be snowing!

So, a pictures' post is coming, and I'm still working on the post about the new blog name....and Saturday we have our birthing class! We should provide some good entertainment for our instructor and have some funny stories to share.

Happy Easter!

I have some updates to share, but today is Easter! Happy Easter!

For some excellent Easter truth reading, click on over to dear MckMama's blog. And, how wonderful it is to hear little Stellan is doing much, much better!

Confessions of a Not So Girly Girl

Last night, I had my first bout of contractions/braxton hicks? I had 9 within an hour and am to pretty much rest today. Because I'm unable to do much, I thought I'd whip out this post.

This past weekend, I went to a "make-up party." I'm sure you all know what I mean. I've been to "candle parties," "cookware parties," and "scrapbooking parties." Never, have I been to a make-up party. Normally, I just go to these parties for the social aspect. I'm not one to be rolling in dough, so I'm typically not a big spender for these things if I'm even a spender at all. So, for the social aspect, I went to this "make-up party." However, here's a not so big secret: I don't know anything about make-up. As soon as I walk in and see tables with little stations set up for applying make-up, the panic light goes off inside me. This doesn't happen at candle parties. This doesn't happen at scrapbooking parties. Ok, you can look and smell the candles. You can try out a few scrapbooking supplies. But, nothing is mandatory! So, maybe my common sense flew out the window. I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting that. What am I going to do?

I sit down and remember my brother's lovely advice I mention a lot on here. "Just pretend like you know what you're doing." (Yes, when he was teaching me to drive that's what he told me.) So, we started with a hand scrub. Not too bad. It smelled peachy, and my hands came out nice and smooth. Now, I have to put stuff on my face. We put on cleanser and other stuff. We wiped that off. We put on moisturizer and other stuff with vitamins. Then there was probably something else before the foundation. Foundation? I have to do this?

I'm the type of girl who wears dollar store mascara some days a week, and maybe a bit of blush and lip gloss (or smackers...haha) on Sunday. I literally put it on in the car on the way to church. I'd rather have a few extra minutes to sleep than to have to take time for make up. Growing up, to be honest, it used to bother me how long it took my mom to get ready in the mornings. Sometimes, I'd watch her do her hair and put make-up on, and it seemed like such a waste of time to me. I thought she was just beautiful without it. I also grew up with 3 older brothers, and though I liked playing with dolls and testing out that little girl lipstick in my Christmas stocking, I liked doing whatever they did. Such girly things weren't high on the list. (Hmm, possibly another reason why I'm not sure I'm ready for a little girl yet.) Maybe the whole real turn off to the make-up happened at one of our open houses as a kid. My dad's a pastor and growing up, once a year or whenever we moved, we'd have an open house for all the church people to come over for desserts. Another boy took that little girl pink lipstick of mine and wiped it across another's "lower" cheeks. Umm, that lipstick was chucked. Then there were all the times Mom and little Becky were at the mall and she'd sample the perfumes. I tried once and the squirty part was messed up...and the perfume shot directly into my eye! Oh the burn! I didn't get my ears pierced until my 22nd birthday. No joke. I was always in sports and couldn't wear jewelry anyway, so it didn't make much sense to me to do it. The lady at the mall honestly looked at my license and couldn't believe this was my first piercing.

So after the liquid mask, I mean foundation (I feel I could just go for a run and have the same feeling on my face from sweat and oil), came other things, I don't even know the names of. There was bronzer and oh, that wrinkle stretching stuff to make you feel like you've had a face lift. I even learned to use my pinky to dab stuff under my eyes to get rid of those wrinkles. I felt ridiculous. If I'm worried about wrinkles at 25, I think I need to resort my priorities. Next was the lip scrub before the lip gloss. "If you've never used this before, it may burn a little bit." This was to get rid of the dead skin. My lips have been terrible this winter and really peely. As soon as I get this stuff on, my lips shed...and shed...and shed gobs of white skin from that scrub. Everyone else has a smooth look. I try to wipe it off quickly (umm, but over and over) before the lady notices that obviously, I'm not a regular user. After all was said and done, I was so self-conscious. This is just not me. On to the paper-work. "What facial products do you currently use?" Umm, ____ daily facial moisturizer...somewhat daily. And, that was it for that question. "What products are you interested in today?" Ha! An empty compact was 18 dollars! I don't care if it is scratch and smudge proof (though, I saw smudges)...it would have to be bullet proof for me to think about spending that! "Why are you interested in our line of products?" One of the choices was something to the effect of "raising my self-esteem." I couldn't believe it. This was mentioned at least 2 or 3 times. No beating around the bush here. If you use make-up (or our products), you will feel better about yourself, at least that's one of the goals.

Now, I'm not totally anti-make-up. However, I don't think make-up should be the avenue to feel better about yourself. (Ha, I felt worse about myself...I felt so self-conscious with all this stuff on my face. It's not me, and I worry I look like a clown.) God created women beautifully. I think we should try to take care of ourselves, and sure, you can accentuate your beauty with a little make-up. Our self-worth does not come in a bottle, certainly not from an $18 empty compact! (Sorry, I'm a little hung up on that.) It should come from our Creator. I also know I'm blessed with a husband who loves me and finds me attractive without a lick of make-up on. I came home, and he just smiled. He told me I looked cute and tried to cover some chuckles as my foundation was flaking off my dry forehead.

So, I probably won't be going to any more "make-up parties" anytime soon, but it provided me with some good laughs...after the fact. If those are your thing, party on, but remember where your worth comes from. I sure would be up a creek if mine came from an $18 empty compact.

"We have a Problem"

That's what I was told by our flight attendant this weekend on our way home from New Mexico. All passengers had finished boarding, and Matt and I settled into our seats....the very last seats in the back of the plane (you know, right in front of the bathroom?). I was actually relieved to be sitting in that seat in case I needed to get up and use it, or you know, in case I went into labor on the plane at least I could have an ounce of privacy being totally in the back. (Yes, that was in the back of my mind...our first flight had quite a bit of turbulence, making me feel not so well, and every time I stepped onto a plane this weekend, I could see the thoughts running through people's minds as they looked unamused at my belly....this lady is going to give birth on the plane and make us all late.)

Anyway, the flight attendant came back and announced to us, "We have a problem. There is too much weight in the back of the plane (catch her glance at me). We are going to need to move you." Hmm, why didn't the captain come over the intercom and announce, "Would the pregnant lady in the back, yes you - with the calzone stain on the front of your shirt, please move forward so we can get this plane off the ground?" Now, I'm not sure if I shared the whole story about Matt telling me months ago that to be helpful at the gas station I could sit on top of the car to keep it from blowing over. (He didn't really mean it.) Well, that cute little comment doesn't hold a candle to my preventing a large aircraft from taking off the ground!! True story, true story. As we moved to our new seats towards the front of the plane (excuse me, pardon me, excuse me), I waved goodbye to the bathroom and flight attendant (ahem, private) area.

This May Not Come as a Surprise

to you...but, we're pregnant. Yes, "we're" pregnant. That's how Matt always says it, cracking me up. Well, we are in this thing together. 29 weeks along.









So before I get flagged for having a pregnant man picture on my blog, I'll tell you it's just a basketball. I was kind of curious to see how big I am compared to it....and we are just ridiculous and get these wacky ideas.... It was all I could do just to take the picture...this belly was just a-shakin' as I was roaring. Oh, he is a silly man, and the best! (Oh, and sidenote: those really are shadows under our arms....that dark circle/sweat ring isn't there in real life...haha.) So, catch this post while you can...it may not be up forever!