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Pumpkinpalooza

Friday night was our Halloween party and boy, it was awesome. You know how you always have people you want and need to meet up with but there just simply isn’t enough time to visit everyone? Well, I got caught up with like thirty people in one night because so many people showed up.

I baked pretty much all day and thought we would have way too much food (cake balls, chocolate covered pretzels, caramel apples, and sugar cookies) but everything was eaten by the end of the night. We carved pumpkins, played Catch Phrase, and roasted hot dogs on the fire pit out back.

I put up quite a fight with the costume because I knew that skeletons were really “in” this year. I saw them online, on pinterest, and at a bunch of Halloween shops. And heck, there were three in The Office dressed up as skeletons. I like being original, but I’m glad I was a skeleton, they turned out great and the baby skeleton was a huge hit.

Pretty creepy face painting, don’t you think? Plus, it was hard to read his facial emotions all night.

My old coworkers from the library.

Doc from Back to the Future roasting a mallow.

Baby Evette… cutest baby ever and wearing the Halloween outfit I bought her, by the way.

An iPad Jack-o-Lantern. Awesome.

I carved the “D”, the haunted house in the back and that stripey one (which looked cool when lit).

Our door at the Ward Halloween Party.

Oh, and since I mentioned the Ward Halloween Party… if I wasn’t baby hungry before, I would have been by the end of that party because there were tons of babies and toddlers dressed up in the cutest outfits you’ve ever seen. Seriously, it was ridiculous. They had a little parade where each of them walked across the stage and I got tears in my eyes (I know I say that a lot, but what do you expect out of hormonal prego?). Anyway, that party was also fantastic and it was so fun to have the little kids come around to each door and Trick-or-Treat.

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Baby Shower Back Home

When I was back in Kentucky, my mom and my sister Ashley threw me a baby shower. It was overwhelming to see how many people were there supporting me and crazy to think how each of them affected me in my life. There were many past Sunday School teachers, Young Women leaders, neighbors, and old friends from high school in attendance.

One of the activities at the shower was where everyone wrote the baby a little note of advice. I just read through them this morning and they were so sweet. Some of them even brought tears to my eyes. Here’s what my friend Blair from high school wrote… hers made me laugh and I’m sure she won’t mind me sharing it. (The first bullet point is referring to when my mom gave me mashed bananas instead of apple sauce for my medicine.)

The baby got a lot of great gifts. So many cute clothes (even baby jeggings thanks to my friend Beth from church), a hand crocheted baby blanket from Mrs. Doran (a neighbor that has been like my second mom growing up), and gift cards that  bought the changing table.

I wish I would have remembered to take pictures of the whole group, but we only took a couple. Thanks again to my mom and sister for making the shower a success.

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And the baby’s name is…

Noname

Pronunciation: No-nah-mee

As in, we still haven’t come up with a baby name that we are sold on/agree on. I’ve read the books. I’ve checked the apps. I’ve visited the websites. I even have a ginormous chalk board with about 20 favorite names. But we still can’t decide.

On the topic of baby, I had a dream about her.

“Noname” came out in a body of a 16-month old. A toddler. I was trying to breastfeed her, holding her in that football style I read about, and she wrapped around my whole body. Her mouth was so big that… well… it was awful. I was embarrassed to take her out to the mother’s group because she was so much bigger than the other babies and the other mothers judged me.

Oh, Noname, please don’t come out that big. I know my mom had an 11 pounder, but please… PLEASE, stop growing…

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I’ve got another one for ya

Strangers amaze me. Listen to this.

My mom and I were in a boutique this afternoon. She shops their often because the man who owns it gives her decorating advice. So, we were chatting with him and then he asked me when I was due.

“Six weeks.”

“Wow, that soon?! And you’re already that big?!”

“Oh, I know… pretty crazy…” I replied, trying to laugh it off and not take it personally this time.

“Yeah, yesterday there was a woman in here who was also pregnant. She told me she was past her due date but compared to you, she was barely even showing,” he said.

I try to laugh but look at my mom with a face like YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

“You probably shouldn’t say that to a pregnant woman,” my mom told him in a joking tone, hoping it would make him stop.

“Oh, really? Well, maybe it’s just the way the coat is laying on her belly… or something…” He tried to recover.

“You have a really nice store, thanks.” I end the conversation, walk out of the store with my mom and as soon as I shut the door, I burst into tears.

I realize now, I shouldn’t have cried or let it get to me… but seriously?!? I can see why the man said the first comment. People don’t always know what to say to pregnant women and so they say the first thing that comes to mind. But for him to go on and say that second comment? I am amazed. Even if I am that big, you DON’T need to say it to my face!

I told my mom she’s not allowed to shop there anymore.

 

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“You see that girl…”

Yesterday, I slept in until 11… but when my dad tried to give me a hard time about it, I reminded him not only that I am pregnant, I also am still on Mountain time and so it was really only 9 am back home. We got ready for the day and then I ran a couple of errands with my dad while my mom was teaching. For lunch, we ate at this fabulous German restaurant in Newport called the Hofbrauhaus. Cincinnati is known for its German heritage and so this place sits next to the river decked out in German decor with German music playing in the background. I got a schnitzel sandwich and my dad got a wurst with saurkraut. Delish.

A little bit later in the day, I met up with my mom and we went downtown to shop. For Christmas each year, we go to see the decorations downtown, but since I’m not coming home this year, we decided we’d see what was up at Macy’s at least. I couldn’t believe how dead the mall was down there, even Annie Anne’s had closed. So, other than Macy’s and TJ Maxx, the place was a ghost town.

Oh, when we were at TJ Maxx checking out, a very eccentric man (maybe he was homeless or had some mental problems… not sure) was talking to the girls at the counter. He looked over to me and said very loud for everyone to hear,

“You see that girl, she has two girls and a boy in her belly right there!”

He continued saying something like, “You know how I can tell? They’re moving and punching like this.” Then he started moving like Elaine from Seinfeld when she dances.

We all laughed, but then he kept going and I knew I needed to get out of there before the laughter turned to tears. Anyway, funny strangers. They always know what to say to pregnant women.

For dinner, we had Skyline of course. That’s always first on my list when I come into town. And to finish up the night, my parents and I headed to Newport on the Levee to see a movie called The Big Year. It is with Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, and Jack Black. It is seriously one of the best movies I have seen in a really good time. It’s a PG, so it’s very clean, very funny, and has such a sweet ending. Go see it!!!

And that is the end of Day 1.

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Home, Sweet Home

I am in Kentucky right now. I always forget how many trees there are out here. It is like a jungle. A beautiful, fall-colored jungle.

Not much to report so far, other than how the Provo airport was ridiculously tiny. The lobby felt like a motel lobby and the waiting room like an office. There wasn’t an intercom system, just a guy who spoke up so the people in the one gate could hear him. But I did love not having to drive up to Salt Lake, especially since I flew into Louisville which is two hours away from my home.

This morning I went through my baby book. I got emotional as soon as I started to look through it… crazy prego hormones. I’ve looked through that book a hundred times, but I guess looking through it as a soon-to-be-momma really got to me (especially when I read a note from my mom that said she couldn’t wait for me to one day have my own daughter). Here are a couple things I learned about myself as a baby:

  • I was 9 lbs, 9.5 ounces. So, when my baby comes out looking like a beast, please don’t judge me… it’s just in my genes!
  • I started crawling at six months and walking at nine.
  • I wouldn’t ever take a bottle and I hated being in the car.
  • When I was 2 and a 1/2, I loved puzzles and would say, “Puzzle me,” when I wanted to do a puzzle. (Which makes me know why I love The Office so much when they say, “Beer me.”
  • When I was born, I didn’t have too much hair but by 9 months, it had grown out of control!

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Long Time Coming

I know it may not seem that long since I last posted, but to me… it seems like it’s been months. Not that much has happened or anything. I just haven’t been in the mood. I almost feel like I’ve been mad at my blog or something. And this morning I realized why.

My last post. It made it seem like I was ungrateful. Ungrateful for being pregnant.

I want you all to know that I am very grateful for this tremendous blessing. And although at times it may not be a daydream, overall it is more than worth it and I know we are so blessed to have this baby in our life.

Anyway, that being said. I’m going to try my best not to complain about pregnancy anymore… I can’t promise anything… but I will try my best.

 

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Listening to the Rain

 

Sometimes I’m amazed by how no one prepared me for certain pregnancy symtoms. I mean, I had heard the gist of it, but there are random things I never knew about until I experienced them myself. So, I’m going to prepare you. Here’s the newest symptom: I can’t get a full breath very often. My Mayo Clinic book says it’s nothing to worried about and that I’m still getting more oxygen than I was before I was pregnant. The baby is getting bigger, so there’s just less space for the ol’ lungs. But it’s almost hard to believe because it feels like the baby is using my lungs as squeeze toys. When I finally get a good breath, I am so surprised, I say out loud, “Wow, that was a good one!”

Another thing as you get bigger, when you stand up, your belly and baby follow gravity and there’s some strange pressure going on down there. I can’t describe it, you just will have to wait and see how it feels.

And lastly, forget about baby kicks. Well, they still happen regularly and often, but the newest sensation is how the baby likes to stretch out  and really push right up against the wall in there. It’s the most bizarre feeling ever. I try to push her back into a more comfortable place. But if that doesn’t work, I start talking to her telling her she must move because it’s starting to really hurt me and more importantly, freak me out. Then I realize that I have gone crazy because I’m talking to the nameless baby in my womb.

Overall, pregnancy is really weird. I hope you’re not offended by me saying that. I just am definitely not one of those people who will tell you that being pregnant is the best time of my life. And it’s not because I’m sick, I have had a mild couple of months. I just hate how close I am to the baby, yet I’m still so far away from her. I want to hold her, dang it, right here in my arms! I try and try to picture what she will look like and pray to have dreams about her, but in the end, I have to wait. A full 40 weeks. And when you realize how long that is, the pregnancy hormones kick in harder than the baby kicks and you just cry and cry and cry. It’s pathetic.

But in the end, I know it will all be worth it. Less than two months and this baby will be right here with me. I’m down to the last stretch here. We will listen to Justin Bieber’s new Christmas album together and it will be the greatest time of my life.

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Ten Things

  1. I was watching Home Alone 2 and eating some apples on Sunday when T.J. said to me, “How is it having a built in table?” I didn’t know what he meant at first, but then realized he was referring to me resting the bowl of apples on my belly. My table. Yes, I have now succumbed to using my belly as a table and the saddest thing about it is, I don’t even know when it started.
  2. I got a $10 gift card to Kohl’s in the mail, just a promotional thing. I almost threw it away but realized there were no tricks and it worked on sale items. So, I bought a maternity blouse that was $30, on sale today for $16, and with my card, it was only six bucks! SIX!
  3. I woke up with a sore throat yesterday. Horrible. If you only knew how many hot chocolates, herbal teas, soups, and smoothies I have had since then, you’d be amazed. I’m amazed. But it looks like it paid off because the sore throat is just about gone.
  4. T.J. skipped his first class this morning because he’s been up so late doing homework recently. It was so wonderful. Usually I go to bed without him and wake up without him/right when he’s about to leave. I wish he could skip class everyday.
  5. As you might have seen on my facebook, I’ve had a couple incidents with people commenting on my large belly. Yes, it’s big, and guess what… it is only getting bigger. So, here are a little ground rules that strangers should follow.
    • Just don’t say anything. You don’t even need to ask my due date or say congratulations.
    • If you insist on saying something, think it out first and stick with simple things such as congrats or when’s your due date. When I reply, you can just smile.
    • If you must say something after I tell you my due date, just say something such as congrats, great, oh boy.
    • That’s it. Nothing more to it.
    • Oh and strangers, please do not rub my belly or else I might rub yours back and that would just be awkward, don’t you think?
  6. I drove through the canyon with a friend on Saturday and it was absolutely gorgeous. If you haven’t gone on a fall drive yet, you need to do it soon because the leaves won’t stay like that for long!
  7. I’m going home next month!
  8. I am in love love love with the name Elizabeth for our baby. I can’t get past it, but unfortunately T.J. thinks it’s too formal, too long, and isn’t into it. I like the formality of it, plus it’s a classic name and sounds like it belongs to a beautiful girl. How do I convince T.J.???
  9. Why don’t they sell maternity skinny jeans at regular stores?
  10. Was I the only one mildly disappointed about the Modern Family episodes last week? They weren’t premiere material, I don’t think. But The Office was great… surprisingly great, along with Parks and Rec.
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It walked on my pillow!

I am currently sitting the Long Beach-JetBlue terminal and it turns out this place is like a trailer in the middle of an Alabama summer. Clarification: It looks like a trailer, made like a trailer, and is sticky and hot just like Alabama in July. But it has free wi-fi so that’s fine with me.

Oh, and there’s a bird walking/flying around. I don’t understand why no one else seems to care. I keep laughing at it and trying to take pictures of it, but it seems like me and the three year old girl prancing around are the only ones who have noticed there is a bird inside.

This morning a girl I bought juice from in the SLC airport told me she liked my outfit and then a couple seconds later said, “Oh, I didn’t even see your bump!” If you think that was the best compliment I have received since I’ve gotten pregnant, you are right. Thank you, airport worker, for making my day.

On the opposite scheme of emotions, I forgot for a brief second that in the rest of the world, I “look” too young to be having a kid. I keep seeing people look at me in the airport and I know what those wandering eyes are thinking. So, FYI: I HAVE A WEDDING RING ON & I AM A COLLEGE GRAD! And even if I didn’t have a ring and wasn’t graduated… stop judging, y’all!

Maybe they weren’t judging. But I’m just putting it out there.

Welp, this is me worrying that I won’t get a seat on the next plane and trying to take a picture on my computer without anyone noticing (it’s kind of awkward). Flying standby is awesome because it’s free but I’m getting nervous that I’m going to have to sit in this trailer a little longer than planned!

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