toto, i've a feeling we're not in kansas anymore...

where does the time go. a couple months ago i was happily updating this blog with the latest pictures of my growing belly and now? now i'm nursing every three hours, getting up at night, remembering that i forgot to eat dinner and changing poopy (make that POOPY) diapers. yes, after giving birth on march 6th (via cesarean, thanks god...she was over 10 pounds after all) my husband and are rapidly becoming accustomed to life with a baby. did i mention the cutest, hairiest baby i've ever seen? ok, maybe i'm a little biased (on the cute thing, not the hair...she looks like a hobbit, i swear). but when she smiles at me, which she is doing spontaneously and in response to my smile (and not just because of gas) the whole world fades around me and it's only her i see. it's really something else.

38 weeks, 5 days. but who's counting?

almost to the 39 week mark; no turning back now! in just a few days tony and i will be meeting our daughter in person! never thought this day would actually get here (actually, it hasn't yet; i'd better not jinx myself...). because this stubborn little girl refuses to flip, we're scheduled for a cesarean and know exactly what day (and practically what time) our baby will be born. i'm pretty much ready (mentally and physically; this belly is getting hard to lug around!). still have some things to do around the house, but not much.

Still working on a middle name for the kid; who knew it'd be so hard to choose one? it took us about five minutes to come together on a first name, but for some reason tony and i have been back a forth about a middle name for weeks. go figure.

not a lot to report around here. cat's seem very unsuspecting (poor things; they're in for the shock of their lives). better post a picture or two of them because after the weekend i'm thinking their usual face time might be replaced by a tiny, screaming human that (hopefully) has tony's eyes.

37 weeks.

it's been several weeks since i've sat down and updated this blog. i'm currently 37 weeks along and one official year older (happy birthday to me!). my husband has taken to calling me 'the eclipse' because i block the sunlight when i stand in front of the window (according to him) and random strangers feel that it's ok to say things to me like 'wow, you look ready to pop'. gee, thanks.


my appointment schedule has really picked up in pace as i am now in the clinic for one ultrasound, one ob check and two non-stress tests per week. i basically live at the doctor's office. apparently this is what it's like to be a 'high risk pregnancy' (due to the diabetes and now, my age if you can believe it). thankfully, i rarely live up to people's standards because this pregnancy has really been anything but 'high risk' (knock on wood). my blood sugars have been great for pretty much the whole pregnancy, the baby in my belly is very healthy and developing normally (if not a little on the large side) and i have pretty much enjoyed almost every hour of the last 37 weeks. granted, now that i'm headlong into my ninth and final (yikes!!!) month, i am getting more and more tired and worn out. this kid is getting a bit heavy to lug around, at least in my uterus. my back is starting to get a little more sore and i find it more and more difficult to reach any area on my body outside of arm's length. not that i'm complaining (yes i am), but i think i might ready to meet this little one face to face.


biggest news of late is that i am officially scheduled for a cesarean. disappointing to say the least, but best for everyone involved. our little girl is 'frank breech' (head in my ribcage, butt by the cervix and feet by her face) and absolutely refuses to move! i went to the hospital for a scheduled external cephalic version (ugh) to try and turn the baby, but it was unsuccessful. so, unless this stubborn little girl decides at the last minute to flip, i'm looking at a slice and dice and missing out on the 'joys' of labor. no 'honey it's time' situation, no counting contractions, no breathing through the pain (wait, am i complaining?). truthfully, i definitely feel like i'm going to miss out on something really special, but it all comes down to the health of our kid; as long as she arrives healthy and happy, i guess i really don't care how she gets here. and besides, people say cesarean babies and quite beautiful. no pointy head, so we've got that to look forward to.


the excitement around out house is palpable. still have things to get done around here, but the nursery is looking pretty much complete. i'm blessed to have awesome family and friends who have thrown me not one but two baby showers in my honor; both were fun days filled with lot's of smiles and great food. i recently bought a baby book to start putting together, which i'm really looking forward to; there is a spot for an ultrasound picture (we have a TON of them) and think i'll choose either one where she's sucking her thumb (hello braces) or one where you can see her fuzzy hair really well. every time we go in for an ultrasound, the tech will say something like 'wow! look at all that hair!'. tony says if the baby comes out with an afro, he's demanding a paternity test. i asked him if he's looked in a mirror lately; if that kid comes out with an afro, it's definitely his.


me at 37 weeks...(you knew i couldn't be so lucky to avoid stretch marks completely, didn't you?)

let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!

yes! let it snow! it's so beautiful and i've been dreaming of a white christmas! ok, ok. so i wouldn't be nearly as excited about all this white stuff if i had to, say, drive to work or go christmas shopping. but lucky for me, i've got the weekend off and thanks to the internet, a visit to the mall is not in my future (which makes me happy no matter what the weather is)!

sitting here in my warm and cozy home i am so content with cats meowing at my feet, tea on the stove and a dateline murder mystery on the television. ahhh, tis the season. can't wait to see all the members of both sides of our family over the holidays; lot's of laughing and happiness, home cooking and relaxing. have i mentioned that i love this season?

riding my winter sleigh into the third trimester of my pregnancy (officially in my 28th week now and starting the home stretch), i have had no time to do any decorating around here. i've barely had time even to keep up on the dishes! tony and i do what we can, but with times being tight we've been trying to work a little extra here and there. i still feel great (except for the heartburn!!! this kid better be a hairy ape for all the suffering i'm doing!) and am almost feeling a little sad about having to share her with other people in a few months. but all the happiness she will bring is worth it and though i'll miss feeling all these kicks in belly, by week 38 i'll probably be begging for an induction.

the latest picture of pregnancy...

24 weeks.

ok. at this point, my husband should really know that food is an integral part of my day. as in, if i don't have breakfast within a half hour of waking up i'll either a) barf, b) tear into him like an angry ferret or c) both. luckily (for me anyway) i chose b today. too bad for him. but that's what he gets for talking on the phone 22 out of 24 hours a day. ok, so it's not totally his fault. first, if my friends called me as often as his do, i might think they were stalking me. also, his shut off valve for ending conversations has a leak (and he looooves to claim that everyone else gabs too much; please). also, i suppose it would be just as easy to take the breakfast reigns myself, but some mornings the idea of making an eggo waffle sounds resembles the building of the pyramids. besides, if i can't use this pregnancy to demand breakfast service, well what good is it? long story short, i did finally get to eat, but only after getting crabby enough to make eggs myself (did not go well). much better now. and tony's over the tongue lashing i gave him. his injuries will heal...eventually.

in my 24th week at this point. feeling big as a house and i know, i know...it's only going to get worse. i hope i don't have to listen to one more person tell me that, because I KNOW. but sometimes i just feel like commenting on my current girth, ok? without people telling me that i'm only going to get bigger. oh really? you mean the my baby won't weigh 1.5 pounds when she's born? and will be longer than a standard envelope? wow. maybe i should buy a book or something. thanks for the heads up.

we have another level II ultrasound on monday. yay! i can't wait because the last one was so awesome and cool and fun to watch. now, six weeks later, i can't imagine all the changes! i think i have been feeling her move around, especially mid-morning. crazy little kid. maybe she'll have tony's energy. heaven help me. maybe she'll have his energy level and my stubborn side. heaven help us all if that's the case...

23 weeks.

currently 23 weeks (until wednesday) and feeling great! tired though i may be, i'm totally enjoying being pregnant; i think it suits me. it's the labor i'm not too excited about! today tony and i went to my ob appointment and all the news was good, of course. my ob doctor (she rocks!) always makes me feel at ease. she met tony for the first time today and was surprised to find that he really does exist! my weight is right on track (hallelujah, because losing it when all is said and done will be hard enough), and my uterus is, well, big. i love hearing that heartbeat; sounds so strong!

coffee and scones after the appointment with my hubby (yes! you can drink coffee while your pregnant, now leave me alone!). it was fun going out with him, even if it was only for a half hour; we get so busy and stuck in our schedules that we forget what it was like to be "dating". why do i feel like that's going to become an even more distant memory in the not too far away future?

it's good to have tony back; he had gone hunting up north for a few days and it's always a little too quiet around here without him. he brought back no venison this time, which is probably a good thing since we are still eating last year's deer. tony was hoping to get one though with the economy being like it is; i think he was hoping to live off a deer carcass for many months. his loss is my gain!

maybe they're better at photography than they are at hunting!

watch out defenseless forest creatures! this bunch is not one to mess with!

stylish in camo!