10 things in 2010

I'm jumping on the bandwagon and as we close out 2010 I'm taking a few moments to reflect on what a spectacular year it has been!

In 2010 I have...

1. Carried a baby while working hard teaching for 5 months.
2. Raised $5,898 for CF research ($10,081 as a team!) and walked 3 miles while 8 months pregnant

3. Pushed an 8 lb. baby out of my... ahem... body

4. Immediately fell in love with said baby

5. Watched two close friends get married

6. Remodeled our bathroom

 7. Trained for and ran a 5K

8. Been reassigned to 2 new jobs
9. Traveled to San Francisco CA, Tahoe NV, Toronto ON, Nashville TN, Seattle WA, and San Fransisco CA again

10. Watched amazed as my baby boy has grown and changed so much!

From this...

To this!

Saturday Substitute

Hello, I'm your substitute today, Señor Flood. Señora Flood has taken the morning off (she's not in labor though!).

I don't read this blog as much as I should, given the fact that Diane is carrying my offspring. But I've read it enough to know that she points out and talks about the differences between reality and perception and the different ways pregnancy is viewed.

These last couple weeks have been interesting for me, the father, as far as reaction from coworkers, family, and friends. I got a part time job a couple of months ago to help offset the future rising cost of living in June and to get me out of the house after working from home so long. This new job is at a golf course. One of the few places where a man can talk without worrying about offending anyone. My two bosses are around my age. One is single and not losing that moniker anytime soon he hopes, while the other is married but content with his two dogs. Pretty much everyone else that works there is single, or at least without children. But the club also has a volunteer program that gives the one-day-a-week volunteers free/cheap golf. Most of the volunteers are older, like my grandparents age, or at least old enough to have kids away at college. The difference between the two groups' ideas of a baby is completely opposite.

My bosses at work comment like "oh, man, I am just not ready to do that," or "glad it is you not me."  On the other hand, many of the volunteers who know are really excited for me. They tell me there is nothing better than having a baby. One of the older guys, Charles, has been asking me daily if Diane's started to go into labor yet (he was a doctor and has been calling for her to go early for like two weeks now). One said that you don't know unconditional love till you have your fist child.

This got me thinking of my friends in general. My friends that have kids see Floodling's birth as the coolest thing ever for me. I will get to experience all the cool things about having a baby. We can do all these great kid's events together. My friends without kids see this as the death of our friendship and getting to hang out. I will never again get to get drunk at their house and hang out till 2 am. I'll never get the opportunity to do the thing related to my Friday night Facebook status. They assume the joy being expressed by those who do have kids is just joy of them not being the only ones in misery.

I don't really think that this is the end of my friendship with my non-kidded friends.  I don't plan on being a homebody and not taking my boy anywhere.  I remember being dragged around with my parents when I was young to their friends' houses.  It will be good for him to get out of the house and be around other people.  I know that I have no idea what to expect though. I don't pretend to know what to expect. I'm sure I'll figure it out though and we'll all do just fine. Just don't go thinking we'll never hang out and that our lives are over. They are just getting started!

Why I'm NOT ready

 At 38 weeks I know a lot of women are just "done" with pregnancy.  They're over the whole thing, tired of sharing their body and all the aches, pains, and side effects caused by it.

I, however, am apparently not at that point yet.  It could be partially due to my long "to-do" list which looks something like this:

1. PACK!
2. Install car seat!
3. Clean carpets
4. Get glider cleaned and moved
5. Make curtains
6. Hang wall art
7. Find a solution for bookshelves
8. Finish organizing nursery

I need more time!

I'm sure there's a "fear" element too.... fear of not being a good mom, not knowing what to do, not being able to handle things, not getting enough sleep, and overall life changing so drastically!  But I'm also super excited to meet this little guy and get to see who he looks like, what he'll be like, and who he'll grow up to be!

It could also be due to the fact that I'm simply not miserable.  What I'm about to write makes me nervous because I could be ruining everything, right here, right now, as I bring up all the things I have yet to suffer.  I could be "jinxing" myself to say these thing "out loud" (okay, in writing, but still...).  But here goes....

Overall I feel I've had a really good pregnancy.  Except for the pretty rocky beginning (see these posts: 1, 2, 3) I've skipped out on a lot of the typical complaints, as I've mentioned before.  I have been happy not to suffer from:

• Morning sickness- except for the one morning I actually threw up and an overall sense of "bleh" for a little while, I never really had a problem with morning sickness
• Itchiness- I don't know if it's been the stretch mark creams, or what, but I am thankful that my belly and skin haven't been driving me nuts!
• Moodiness- even ask Jason, he'd tell you overall I've probably been more level-headed than normal.  Until the last few weeks that is... I'm getting a little irritable and the stress of the unknown with my job is getting to me too... but still, I don't seem to have "whoa, watch out for the pregnant lady!" mood swings.
• Trouble sleeping- okay, this one is kind of surprising me.  I still only get up once, maybe twice, a night to go to the bathroom, then I go right back to sleep!  Sleeping is not as comfortable as it used to be, but it really doesn't take me long to fall asleep, nor do I wake up out of discomfort or from Floodling squirming around.  I used to be an incredibly light sleeper, but things have changed and now I sleep like a rock.  I swear this kid could kick me right between the ribs and I wouldn't even roll over.  Kind of makes me worry about when he arrives.... will I wake up when he cries!?
• Painful kicks- I've heard a lot of people complain about their little ones getting their hands or feet all tangled up in their ribs, or getting really painful kicks.  Every once in a while Floodling will do something that makes me go "oof" (especially if he hits my bladder) but it hasn't been bad at all!
• Swelling- unless I sit in a chair for too long I really haven't had any swelling!
• Food cravings/aversions- I've had a few things that I've had "hankerings" for- spicy pickles in the beginning, steak in the middle, and right now it seems to be s'mores, but I haven't sent Jason out in the middle of the night to grab me anything because I haven't needed anything "right now!!".  Nor is there anything that just completely turns me off.
• Weight gain- I've put on the appropriate amount of weight, not too much, not too little, so I feel good and mobile still! 
• Stretch marks- I know I still have 2 weeks to go, and he's going to grow a lot in those two weeks, so I really shouldn't say anything yet, but so far, so good!  My secret? Check here!
• Heat- I really haven't been overly hot at all. I think, though, that I've really just become more like a normal person.  I am usually always freezing cold and my husband and I would always argue over the house temperature.  I think he's fairly pleased that I am now happy to have the temperature set where he likes it!

Now I'm not going to say I haven't had my complaints....

• Back pain- if I move the wrong way, or sit in the wrong type of chair, my back gets so achey that the only thing I can do to make it go away is lay down.  I can't even do the stretches I love at the gym because they make my back hurt!  And spending more than an hour at a restaurant? No thanks!
• Bending- it's getting incredibly difficult these days, and so, of course, I seem to be dropping everything!  I can thankfully still tie my shoes, though that is a long and annoying process in and of itself!  I'm loving that it's summer break and I can wear flip flops all the time!
• Getting around- getting up off the couch, out of the car, out of bed.... everything takes a little extra effort these days and it's getting a little old.
• Exhaustion- trying to get my "to do" list finished seems impossible sometimes because I get half a task completed and am just too tired to keep going!
• Bras- This is probably THE one thing that is getting to me the most.... the pain I posted about earlier has still not gone away!  Even after giving the bra a break for a bit.... the doctor thinks Floodling must have a foot there or something and it's stretching the muscles or skin.  I don't know, but living with this stabbing/burning sensation constantly is one thing I am looking forward to getting rid of!
• Bathroom- for someone who used to go maybe 3 times a day, it's hard sometimes having to go 3 times in one hour!  But I do have to admit that's not the norm for me.  I think I went from peeing like a camel (hardly at all!) to peeing like an actual normal person.

But overall I don't have the feeling yet that I'm just ready for this to be over.  (Of course, nor do I feel like I want to do this forever!)

My grandmother said that her mom told her not to wish away the pregnancy because "they're easier to take care of on the inside than the outside!".  So for now I'm happy to go with the flow and not wish away my time. 

We'll see how I feel in another week or so........

It's that time again!

It's been four weeks, so I'm "technically" in a new month.... month 7? (My discussion of my confusion with the months can be read here).

I forgot about the "pregnancy reflections" last month, so this month's reflection is a little longer... (questions come from www.babycrowd.com)


Buying maternity clothes was: fun, but frustrating too.  I bought them kind of early (while visiting with mom and sis) so it made it hard to know what would look good later when I was actually big.  I need to go again and get more spring stuff (I have mostly winter). I'm not looking forward to it as I'm getting to a point where I look at everything and just think "geez... I look pregnant!"

The biggest change in my body has been: my belly of course!  I can't get over how much it grows, and I'm terrified of what it will look like in three months!  I'm so happy to have a cute belly right now though!

My favorite change in my body has been: my clear skin! 

My least favorite change has been: my belly button!  It seems like I wake up to a new belly button every morning... how many changes can it go through? Right now it's practically flat (probably will be popping out by the end) but it has an extra "pocket".  Where did that come from??

I've started thinking about the nursery: We finally decided to go with the golf/argyle/blue/green theme. My mom and I are going to design/make the comforter.  I'm considering attempting to paint some wall art.... and my mom is going to paint the room when she is visiting next weekend! :D

I used to love food! Now I avoid: mostly I try to avoid foods that are "empty calories"... ie. I'm trying to eat healthy.  I am by no means perfect (I had ramen noodles for lunch yesterday! A girl can't be perfect all the time...) but overall I'm trying to pick whole grain, high fiber, high protein foods.... and I'm eating TONS of fruits and veggies! (I swear the grocery cart is probably half full of produce bags these days...and that's definitely not a bad thing!).

I never thought pregnancy would make me: so happy!  I mean, this is what I wanted, so of course I'm happy, but I expected to be an emotional wreck nonetheless.  I've technically been diagnosed with PMDD (basically super-PMS) and hormones tend to make me fly off the handle, but so far I've been really good.  I have to admit that I did spend this past Sunday crying ALL day for no apparent reason, but that was really a first!

I can't wait to: see who our baby most looks like! I can't wait to see if he'll have our curly hair, my brown eyes or Jason's blue eyes, whose nose he'll have... and I really can't wait to actually meet him and learn about his personality and what he'll be like!

At this month's prenatal visit I learned: about the circumcision process.  Yet another decision to be made, but I guess Jason has made it easy for me ("ummm... of course he'll be circumcised... dugh!").  That is if I can just let it be at that... but I'm sure you guys have figured out that I'm pretty obsessed with researching both sides of an issue...

My hopes: to keep stretch marks at bay with cocoa butter (at least it smells awesome!)

My fears: of getting so large that I just look...well... something like this. (Don't know if that's photoshopped, or if that woman is expecting multipes...but yikes!)

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Of course, be on the lookout for my new monthly belly shot... I know I'm horrible for always making you wait but you can blame Jason.  He's the main reason I don't do weekly shots... I can't very well take the photos myself (I've done the timer thing, but that involves moving things around so I have somewhere to set the camera) but getting him to take a simple photo is like pulling teeth.  He just doesn't understand the "why". So... when I actually convince him to take the photo it will be posted here!

Month Five Reflections

Just to clarify, I had found these monthly pregnancy reflection questions on another website, and thought it would be fun to do each month.   It was kind of more exiting at first because I combined a couple of month's questions into one, so there was more to say.  Now it's only a couple of questions, but still fun to think about.

The first time I felt baby kick: I can't really pinpoint an exact first time because I felt a lot of flutters here and there and I wasn't sure if I was feeling actual kicks or just gas bubbles.  I now know that they were actually little kicks.  The first time I was certain I felt kicks though I was sitting doing my medicine (at 6:00 am) and was surprised by how bouncy my tummy felt!  I was sad that I was the only person awake... not only in the house, but that I couldn't really call people.

It felt like: I would describe it as muscle twitches or spasms, kind of like an eyelid twitch (when you're stressed) but much bigger!  That is the big kicks, of course.  Everything else feels like flutters in my tummy or gas bubbles, as mentioned above.  That's what I feel most often and still get excited when I feel bigger kicks that I can feel from the outside.

The strangest food craving I've had is: either Texas Pete pickles (yes, they're pickled in a brine that has hot sauce added, yummy!) or steak!  Steak isn't a strange food craving exactly, but it is for me after having been vegetarian for almost 7 years!  This is part of what made me think I might be having a boy... all the meat and cheese cravings!

This month's prenatal visit taught me that: I need to ask my questions, even if it makes me feel stupid.  I have a right to know what's going on with my body and my baby's!

My hopes: That we'll eventually find some suitable names that we both like!!  We have one we like, but we're just not certain.  I'd like to "meet" baby before making a final decision, but I'd also like to have a narrowed down list of choices before then.

My fears: That we won't get everything together in time.... feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions that have to be made- crib, car seat, stroller, high chair, baby monitor...... what kind of diapers and wipes???  Oh my....

On that note, I've been trying to kind of settle on a nursery theme.  I really don't like how all the sets you find are so matchy matchy. (Side note: if you press ctrl while clicking it will open the page in a new window rather than navigating away from the blog.)  And I also don't like very typical boy themes: cars, sports, and even jungle/animal themes.

I like the idea of kind of solid or simple colors, like brown and green or brown and blue, then adding some touches here and there of a theme we like.  With the above being said, we're kind of thinking of dinosaurs, or golf.  Both fit into those themes that I don't like, but I guess the uniqueness of them make them okay to me.  They're also both "passions" of Jason's, so that makes me enjoy them as well.  Jason is a very avid golf player, and apparently loves dinosaurs (his all-time favorite movie is Jurassic Park, it took me a while to realize that the dinosaur thing went beyond the movies).

It's hard to find bedding in either of these themes, but this is what I've found so far for dinosaurs.  Again, I'd take a piece or two to add to some solid colors or a simple pattern.

For golf I haven't found anything specific, but I really like the green and blue argyle in this photo... my mom says she could make some bedding, which would definitely be a nice touch.

So, I want your opinions.  What do you like? Golf? Dinosaurs? Or something else, like turtles?? (I think this would be really cute too!)

P.S. Floodling already has a cute dinosaur outfit, and a cute golf outfit!! :)  Actually, several dinosaur outfits (one thanks to Bad Aunt Laura!).  The golf outfit was from my mom!  Grandma Simpson I guess.... :P

Month Four Pregnancy Reflections

What I least expected with this pregnancy was: for it to be so easy so far. I've definitely had my complaints, but in the grand scheme of things I think I've been really lucky.

The best bit of advice I've received is: make sure to use the stretch mark cream on the underside of your belly, not just the big round part.

What made me realize that I was really pregnant was: my clothes not fitting.  Especially when I put on a t-shirt, then went to wash my face and was shocked as the cold counter touched my belly- there was a huge gap between my normally fairly long t-shirt and my pants!

This month's ultrasound was: sadly, nonexistent.  Though I will have one next month and will find out the sex! (As long as baby cooperates of course)

At my prenatal visit this month I discovered that: everything is going well.  The baby's heart rate was in the 130s.

When people touch my belly: I actually kind of enjoy it.  I thought I would be annoyed, but it really makes me feel like I'm actually pregnant and that other people are excited by the changes going on as well.  I may change my mind when random people start touching my belly, but as long as it's family and friends it's fine.

My hopes and fears: I keep thinking about how much things are going to change when we have a baby in the picture and am scared at the thought of not getting to sleep in anymore, not getting to go out to dinner at the drop of a hat, or not making weekend trips with friends once the baby is here.  I keep thinking of things I want to do, then thinking I may not get a chance to do them anymore.  My hope is that Jason and I will remember to take time for ourselves, and realize that, yes, life will change drastically, but we can still fit in the things we want to do.... maybe just in a different way than we had planned.

Reflections on life from a 90-year old

Less than 200 days to the due date now! Just thought I'd point that out! :)  It's funny to think I didn't even have this long to plan my wedding!

I got this in an e-mail today, and while it's probably the 15th time I've gotten it and read, it always make me think and smile.  So, even if you've read it before, take the time to read through it again....

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Pregnancy Reflections

I found these questions on a website, and thought they would be fun to do.

I stated thinking I might be pregnant when:

I cried because of a clip played on the radio from Grey's Anatomy... a show I don't even watch.

I found out I was pregnant when I:

took a test... on my sister's birthday actually.

I felt:

very happy, but scared too, given what had already happened. I was scared to get too excited.

The first person I told was:

Jason

They reacted by:

smiling and saying "okay".

The first ultrasound was:

incredibly amazing, especially since I was extremely scared. I couldn't believe that everything was okay!!

My baby will be born:

in mid-June.  Thankfully I'll have some time off school to just be lazy beforehand!

The hardest thing for me to give up is:

margaritas!! Seriously... Mexican restaurants are so painful now... :P

What I'm enjoying most about my pregnancy so far:

Learning about the amazing things going on inside my body.

Names that I've been thinking of:

Haven't thought a whole lot yet... and I'm not really ready to share the few I have been thinking of.... but I am willing to take suggestions!

Girl or Boy? I think it will be...

I've really gone back and forth. I'll definitely be happy either way though. I know that's a cop out answer, but that's all I've got.

The old wives tales predict:

Chinese gender prediction chart says girl.  Heart rate says girl.  Dangling a ring over my belly says girl (I guess... kinda hard to tell... especially since some sites say if it goes in a circle it means girl, and others say that means boy). Lack of morning sickness says boy (of course my mom didn't have morning sickness and had two girls, and my grandma was the same and she had 4 girls). I've been craving a little of everything, salty and sweet... so who knows there (sweet means girl, salty or sour means boy).  My face already looked bad, so that's hard to tell too (supposedly girls steal their mother's beauty thus causing acne during pregnancy).  Of course, most of these are really silly and have been proven not to be true, but they're still fun!

Hopes:

That everything continues to go well.

Fears:
That I'm not going to be ready or able to care for a child.