Monday, September 26, 2011

The Sickies

If you're a regular, you saw how my day went from gloom to glory on Thursday.  Then things took a turn for the worse.  Miss T got sick and B had to go back to his meeting.  T had a fever and was cranky, whiny, and clingy all day and I just had to get stuff done at work.  Luckily, my hero, Colleen came to our rescue for a few hours and with mere minutes to spare, I was able to finish what I needed to do and come home.  Just before I got home, I received this picture of my babe:



Now my child is not the kind to just fall asleep anywhere; rarely in her carseat, almost never outside of her crib.  For her to have fallen asleep on the couch told me she was really, really sick.  Sure enough, her temp was 102.5F.  Poor thing.  We spent the next two days on the couch watching Sesame Street.  Despite my own nausea and urges to be sick, I stayed by her hot little side.  The sweet girl that she is, she kept trying to be happy and be interested in things, but you could tell just how miserable she was.



We did do some little crafts to take breaks from TV.  We made welcome home cards for B inspired by our (really, my) favorite night-night book "Guess How Much I Love You", and I finally got around to making something with her seashells and pebbles from the beach this summer.



Saturday night, she was still on fire, but was clearly feeling better.  I could only hope that the next day, her fever would be gone.  This little girl happily appeared Sunday morning!



Just look at those pigtails!  Those were her first!  And, yes, she picked out the Ugg-like boots.  This girl loves shoes and I love letting her choose her footwear every day.  Sometimes I nix her choices, like flip-flops on a cold rainy day, but most of the time, she does a pretty decent job!  I'm so glad she's better.  I knew to expect the sickies now that she's in daycare, but its just such a horrible helpless feeling to know you can't do anything to make your child better.  Ah, well, all is back to normal.  B is home, T is in daycare, and I'm back at work.  I'll leave you with one last close up of those piggie tails!  Love them!


p.s. Don't mind the blur, all pics taken with my iPhone!
p.p.s She became sooo attached to her minky and binky while sick, it will take us days to break her of it!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Just like the movies...

B has been out of town since Tuesday.  He's attending a toxicology meeting and taking an exam to be certified as a toxicologist.  It's been a long road with him trying to fit studying time in at least 5 days a week and we're so thankful that the time finally came for him to take the test, even if it meanth his time away would be for nearly a week.

With him gone though, I've been pretty lonely and kind of just going through the motions.  Yesterday was day two of B's exam and he texted me when he was done that he was going to get some lunch and try to relax.  I got the things done that I needed to do and started to get ready to go home.  I still had to take Dru to the park, and pick up T from daycare.  I was possibly thinking of running to the store to get some construction paper for some toddler craft time.

As I was headed out the door, B texted me "Are you picking up T first or taking Dru?"

I replied "Taking Dru first".  Feeling kind of sad, I didn't elaborate on my plans and just got on my way.  I got home, grabbed DRu and headed to the park.  Now, Dru has a bad habit of running outof the park to bark at people walking by.  He'd never do anything, but his bark tends to make people nervous.  We always check to make sure no one is around before letting him off leash.  As we got to the park, the coast was clear and I let him run.  Just as I stood up, I could see through the tree in front of me that a guy was walking by the park.

"Oh great," I thought, "Now I have to grab Dru again".  But then I stopped.  I thought I recognized that walk.  But looking through the tree it was hard to be sure.  Trying not to look so obvious, in case it wasn't who I thought it was, I started to walk around the tree to get a better look.  Wait, what?  Could it be?  A few steps closer and there was no doubt, B had come home early and surprised me at the park!  I took off in a run and we hugged for a full five minutes, tears streaming down my face.  I had missed him so much in the couple of days he was gone, thinking I wouldn't see him for a few more.  He was able to stay home last night and go back this morning.  I am so thankful that after 13 years of being together, and 6 years of marriage, I still look forward to seeing him this much.  This was the best surprise I've had in a long time!  I love you B!



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Tuesday Ten: Food

I know, I know.  Being pregnant you're probably expecting me to list all the crazy foods I've been craving and just can't get enough of.  Well, if that's the post you're looking for, check back again in about a month or so.  As of right now, food disgusts me.  That's right.  I think I want something and by the time its in front of me, hot and ready to consume, I am green up to my ears.  So, here's a lovely list of ten foods that I normally love (and I LOVE food), that currently make my stomach turn:

  1. Coffee.  I hate to even say it, but yes, coffee, we need to break up for a while.
  2. Salad.  I was really starting to love it, putting all kinds of fun things on it.  It still tastes pretty good.  The problem is the lasting taste in my mouth that won't go away.  Sorry lettuce, veggies, and dressings, we must part ways.
  3. Chips and queso.  After a particularly rough evening of being nauseous to the point of tears, I was finally able to eat a bunch of chips and glorious queso. Consider it a last meal - for the chips and queso of course.
  4. Mexican food in general.  This is particularly rough.  Not being able to eat meat, I get a lot of protein from beans and I find Mexican food very accomodating and the whole family likes it too.  Oh well.  I even made B get rid of the Mexican gumbo when I wasn't home because I couldn't even look at it anymore.
  5. Pasta casserole.  So easy to put together,just throw pasta, veggies and a sauce topped with some cheese, baked and you're got a healthy vegetarian friendly meal ready to go.  Not anymore.  I actually tossed the one I had frozen away because the mere awareness of its existence taking up real estate in my freezer was sending me to the ..., well you know.
  6. Mints.  If one more person gives me pregnancy anti-nausea advice that includes mints, I'm going to make them sit there with me the next time cookies are being tossed.  Mints don't work and I'm sick of hoping they will only to be let down.
  7. Alcohol.  Now this one is sort of obvious, except that even the smell of alcohol is completely revolting to me.  We were at a fabulous family wedding a couple of weeks ago.  I had to leave the dance floor because the smell of booze was going to knock me down!
  8. Ice cream.  Poor ice cream.  We had a good run, didn't we?  Snuggling up together every single night.  And you never got jealous when I wanted to try another flavor!  I hope that we can work things out.  Maybe we just need some time apart, some space to find who we are individually.  Don't call me, I'll call you.
  9. Peanut butter crackers.  At one time a life saver, you always had a place in the bottom of my purse.  I think I abused you and now, I just can't even look at you anymore.
  10. Well, I'll just leave this one blank.  I mean, it won't be long until another one (or ten) are added to the list.  Oy just 5 more weeks of this (hopefully!).
Let me just say that this post was both challenging and sad to write.  Coffee and Ice Cream might be my most favorite edible things ever!  The challenging part was trying to remember the things that the mere thought of make me sick - without getting sick!  Phew.  Ok.  I did it!  Hmmm.  Not feeling so well now.  Maybe the mints will work this time...  :p

I'm linking up here!




UndertheTableandDreaming




Friday, September 16, 2011

BOOM

(Just to be clear, everything is going perfectly fine wtih this pregnancy.  We are 10 weeks along, I'm nauseous most of the time, and we've seen a heartbeat.  However, sometimes I write blog posts that I never intend to publish.  It's therapeutic for me to get my thoughts out, organized and stored away.  While I didn't intend to publish this one, (we were trying not to spead the word too much before we knew for sure), I think it's important to share.  I know so many women who have had to face one or several miscarriages in their lives and there are many more who have never shared that kind of heartbreak.  None of us talk about it, but I bet many of us feel the same way.  Leading up to our first OB appointment, these were my thoughts and feelings.  I hope that for those who have had to face this too, you can read this and know you're not alone.  For those that haven't had to go through this, perhaps this can help you relate to those that you know who have.  I know I had no idea before I went through it myself.)

Written 8/29/11, four days before our first OB/GYN appointment:

For the past several weeks, I have been a ticking time bomb.  At any moment, I feel like my world could explode... again.

As very few of you know, we are pregnant.  I am about 9 weeks along and waiting for that "first" ultrasound.  I say "first" because, impatient people that we are, and having the resources/connections that we do, we had an off-the record ultrasound a few weeks ago, courtesy of B's friends who are residents, training in ultrasound at the hospital.  And though B said he saw "something", I didn't see anything.  Just a speck.  And that's when my fuse was lit.

Just over two years ago, B and I miscarried.  It's still hard for me to type it, never mind say it.  Those weeks were such a roller coaster.  From total elation that we were pregnant, to denial, that something would of course start to show up in the many, many ultrasounds, to the absolute dread of the D&C.  I was in a funk for a long time.  No, not just a funk, I was flat out depressed.  I felt like a failure as a woman.  I know it wasn't "my fault" and that I didn't do anything wrong.  I know in my head that it was nature's way of screening out the incompatible combinations of chromosomes.  I know that miscarriage is very common and happens to so many women (but why do none of us talk about it?). 

None of that information got to my heart though.  In my heart, I still grieve for the child that never happened.  Despite the fact that we were able to conceive relatively quickly afterward and had a beautiful, complete, perfect little girl, I still miss the idea of what that first pregnancy might have been. 

And now, having seen a preliminary speck, similar to what we saw the first time, where it  was just the empty sac, the blighted ovum, the dread has returned.  Have I failed again?

We'll know for sure on Thursday when we have our first OB/GYN appointment and our first official ultrasound.  At that point, if there will be a baby, then there will be something to see.  And if not...  Well, we've been down that road before...  I hope this bomb is a dud.  I hope that the joy that is Miss T will help carry me through and remind me that even though this one might not be successful, the next one might.  I hope I can be strong enough to face Thursday and the information we might receive.  The few family members we have told are so excited for us.  They talk about it as if they are sure of the outcome.  I find myself reeling them in, refusing to celebrate until I know.  I refuse to board the roller coaster again, I'll just stay on the platform until Thursday.  Until then, I'll take try to take some comfort in the daily, non-stop nausea that I didn't have with the first pregnancy, the frequent night wakings, and the already growing belly.  Tick, tick, tick...

Of course, as we announced here, everything seems to be going well.  I've finally allowed myself to start getting excited and thinking/dreaming about our new addition to our family.  I'm finding myself falling asleep with my hands on my belly.  It surprises me how real the pain of our miscarriage still is, even now.  Anyways, I think I'll leave you with a positive note, a very silly picture of me trying to capture my 10-week bump in my bathroom mirror!  My acceptable wardrobe is getting smaller every day!


Thursday, September 15, 2011

Daycare Education

Things T has learned at Daycare recently

Let me start by saying that I love the daycare we found for T. Everytime I think there might be an issue, all of my concerns are put to rest and then some. She loves it there and I love bringing her there.

I think there might be some enhancement of her learning in the presence of other kids.

Here are my favorites so far:

She has learned what sound the letter B makes.

She has peed on the potty once (and clapped for herself upon doing so!).

T has learned where her elbow is. Constantly, for the last week, the girl looks like she's about to put down a serious wrestling move on the next person to look at her funny. You've been warned.

She has learned where her armpit is. Great. Musicals to follow.

T has also learned where her tongue is, and she likes to show it to you - the whole thing!

She has learned where her belly button is. She likes to find it, despite whatever outfit she is wearing. She will pull her shirt (or dress) up, almost over her head, look down, push in her little belly to find her button and stick her finger as far into her belly button as she can. It looks painful.

Aside from all this, she is also learning a ton about social interaction and gaining confidence - so awesome! The first two weeks, she would cling to the closest part of me that should could grab. Now, I put her down and off she goes. I'm the one clinging to her before I leave!  Is there somewhere I can go that will build my confidence?

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Tuesday Ten: My Purse Contents

I like to try and stay up on current fashion and trends.  I may not always be able to implement them due to expenses or current fitness, but I at least like to be aware.  The other day, a friend of mine told me to expect the return of small purses this fall, that big Grandma bags like mine were out.

"Noooooooo!"  Say it isn't so!  That has been my saving grace!  The diaper bag has just been too clunky and I can fit all the necessities in my big purse and still look like I have it all together (I don't, I just look the part!).

As I thought about these implications, I started thinking about how my purse is a reflection of my current state of life.  A much younger me would have had vastly different items collected, such as (gasp) makeup, lip gloss, money, recent ticket stubs, etc.  Who has time for these things now?

Here is a sampling of things in my purse currently that exemplify my life:



1. iPhone: the only thing holding me together right now, a compact solution to the calendars of three people, contacts, connecting to the outside world and being able to take 3 seconds to check my email any time of day.
2. Pencil case: my last grip on organization.  It actually still contains pencils/pens, probably because T hasn't learned that there is something interesting inside.  We'll see how long that lasts.
3. Loose Cheerios: I probably don't need to explain this to any moms out there at all.  However, I do need to state the I detest Cheerios.  I hate their smell, I hate the smell of Cheerio breath, I simply cannot stand them.  Only because I love Miss T so much do I put up with them taking residence in my purse.
4. Peanut butter crackers:  if you read my last post, you probably have an idea why these are in there.  You never know when all of a sudden you are going to be completely starving.  Should that happen during traffic or church, I'm all set.
5. Mint Mentos: Just as starvation can attack without notice, so too can the swing to complete and utter nausea.  These can provide some temporary relief.
6. Hand sanitizer: I'm a mom, enough said.
7. Bandaids: See #6, but also, fall is back and being in a lab, I feel that the summer flip flops need to go and the fall flats need to come back.  Along with them come blisters, many, many blisters.
8. Dr.'s appointment reminder card: every month for a while.  I'll need to brush up on my skills of peeing in a cup again.
9. Wallet: with more receipts than actual money.
10. Half eaten bag of animal crackers: just like her Mummy, T gets sudden hunger swings too!

So that's my life, a combination of preggo mummy needs and the last vestiges of an organized life.  Is your life reflected in your purse?  Are you ready/able for a downgrade this fall?  Leave me a comment and let me know what's your 10 items in your purse that exemplify your life!

BTW, I usually announce new posts on facebook for all of you to see, but in the coming months, just as I did earlier this week, we'll have special announcements that I thought might be fun to give my subscribers a sneak preview for a couple of days before announcing.  If you'd like to be on the inside track, click the "join this site" button over there on the right under "follow me", or the "follow me by email" button.

I'll be linking up this post to these blogs:

UndertheTableandDreaming

Friday, September 9, 2011

Miss T's future

Every month, my wonderful husband collects all the pictures we have taken of T from two cameras, two iPhones, and those sent to us by our family and friends, sorts them, corrects them for various things, and publishes them for all of our friends and family to see.  I know of a couple people specifically (ahem, you know who you are) who fiendishly wait for the beginning of each month to see our pictures from last month.

As T and I were looking over these pictures yesterday (yes, she likes to look at them too), I started day dreaming about what her future might look like.  Do all moms out there do this?  Did my mom ever dream that I would be a scientist? 

Based on these pictures, here are my predictions for T's future employment:
 Wild life conservationist
Museam curator
 Musician
 Architect
 Professional student
 Professional soccer player (Look out Hope Solo!)
 Dog Groomer
Librarian (man!  wish I caught her whole face in this one, but I love this pic anyways!)


Of all these things, there is one thing I know she will be in the very near future...

A BIG SISTER!

Friday, September 2, 2011

I'm famous - ok, not really

This will be a short post that I share today, but I was so touched and excited, I just had to share.

Because of the Grand Prix traffic issues in the city, I took the day off.  On our morning walk, T, Dru and I ran into a neighbor that I hadn't met yet at the dog park.  She looked at me quizzically and asked if I was the one who blogged about the "lounge" that wanted to open up in my neighborhood.  Unsure, I answered that I had blogged about it (I couldn't be the only one though, right?  See here and here.).  Then she said, "It's the one with the really great name, something about bugs, right?"

Well there you have it!  Apparently my neighbor, Narda, was one of the team of people that presented to the Liquor Board to block the lounge from opening.  They had done their homework, uncovered all the lies that Ambrosia was putting out there and had collected the letters and other forms of protest from the neighborhood, including my blog!  She said that my blog really struck a chord with the liquor board and very accurately outlined the major issues facing this predominantly residential neighborhood.  She was so thankful for my having written about it and sharing my thoughts and concerns.  I thanked her for stepping out and representing us to the Liquor Board!

Sometimes, I write this blog and I wonder why.  Not that many people subscribe.  I tell most of my friends my stories in person anyways.  Days like today, though, totally confirm that this blog does have a place amongst the internet!  I felt so honored that she had read it and used it to fight the lounge.  I was slightly embarassed too!  I don't usually like attention directly on me!  It was so cool though. :)

BTW, Narda and her husband are sculptors, have a sculpture garden in Pigtown, and are so cool!  I am going to have to find this garden and take some pictures to share with all of you!  Until then, if you are familiar with B'more, Narda's husband was the sculptor who created the William Donald Schaefer memorial statue in the Inner Harbor.  Who knew we had such talented and famous artists living here!