Kimba

Baby Bump Wednesday: Week 12

Last week of the first trimester, which is so odd. You mean I've been "technically" pregnant for three entire months?! Didn't I just pee on the stick? No? Crazy. At this rate I'll be having this baby in no time. Maybe I should start to think about cribs and strollers and bedding and furniture and the like. Not to mention decide if we're going to try and find another home to rent, and let me tell you, we're both REAL excited about that thought. It's not that we aren't enjoying this place, we are, I just can't picture my little baby playing on the hardwood floor, and this morning I lay awake wondering where in the world we were going to store all the diapers and clothes and all the other odds and ends that come with taking care of a child. Cause right now I have no idea, we're using both mini-closets and WHERE ARE THE ONESIES GOING TO GO?!??!??!

And this goes on and on until oh! huh, that's Caleb's alarm going off. Wonderful. I just lost two hours of sleep. Sweet.

I am officially entering the Headache Stage of pregnancy, and hoo boy are they somethin'. Nice deep, throbbing pain in the temples. My first clue that these headaches meant business was this weekend when I had one from Friday evening until Sunday morning. It was great. Sometimes I imagine a little gnome inside twisting some kind of mini vice and shrieking with glee. A walk used to be part of my after-work routine and now I'm back to lying in bed, both fists jammed into my temples and waiting for the Tylenol to kick in. Dreaming about Excedrin. Oh Excedrin, how I miss thee!

But! I think I'm officially down to one pee-run a night and while that might not mean anything to you, it means an extra two hours of sleep for me and duuuuuuude.  So nice.

So today I went to my FTS (First Trimester Screen) ultrasound, a genetic screening test.  Basically determining my chances for the baby to have either Down Syndrome or Trisomy 18. I told Caleb he didn't need to come because I wasn't exactly sure what to expect and it was in the middle of the day and....that was a mistake. It was awesome, I can't believe how fast they grow. It's starting to look like a real live baby, with a cute little nose and everything. It wasn't in the right spot for the test so the technician dude (yes, these are technical terms) practically beat my stomach like a bongo drum to get the baby to move. It worked, thank heavens, because I had to pee again (for like the bazillionth time today, somethin' about that Propel...) and had he continued we both would have been sorry.

People, my baby has lips! And they moved! And check out those nuchal folds down there, (white lines on the baby's neck area) those are some good lookin' folds. So far so good. I'll have another test around 18 weeks to double check.

According to some websites I should be starting to show now, even having people ask me how far along I am, and according to others I shouldn't be showing for another few weeks. So. I'm definitely not in either category, more in the woah-girl-lay-off-the-seconds-category. And put down that donut. (Except I hate donuts...so maybe put down that delicious chip) I'm slowly running out of shirts that fit, and the need for a new bra is high. I checked out the bra's at Target but was turned off by the huge, loose grandma bra's they had marked as "Maternity Bra's". Are they serious? Do they realize that women these days don't wear Mom Jeans anymore? Times have changed! We need support!

Ah, sleep lines. If only they meant I'd actually been sleeping, rather than worrying since 5 am.

Triaging your To Do List...

Recently Caleb went to the eye doctor to get a new prescription for his contacts. He's been meaning to do this for a while, but has um, avoided making the call. Seems to be a default in the male gene somewhere. He came home and rested after because his eyes were so dilated. I came home from work a few hours later to find him still dilated, and consequently refused to look him in the eye the rest of the evening. He looked like a shark, like a frightened shark, and he used it to his advantage all night long.

"Kim! Kim! Look in my EYES!!!!"

But I wasn't falling for it. Cause I'm smart like that.

He received his contacts in the mail and went on exclaiming all day long about how WELL he could SEE!! It's AMAZING!!!

And we were suddenly reminded of a skit from our favorite stand up comedian, Brian Regan. Enjoy.

Just one of many

One of the many differences between Caleb and I:

Yesterday I put Bear outside after finding evidence that he'd been on the couch again, so that I wouldn't do anything rash.

Last night Caleb fluffed Bear's bed before we went to sleep.

Enough said.

Baby Bump Wednesday: Week 11

Another week and not a lot of changes. I've had a few queasy days but nothing that's forced me to use my pills or Seabands, so I think that's doing well, right?

Over the weekend I had a wicked craving for A&W Root Beer. Big time. But there isn't one super close to us so we ended up at KFC and I decided I could settle for Mug Root Beer. Only...the syrup was out. Of course.  So I suffered through Sierra Mist, which, bytheway, is not delicious. We went grocery shopping a few nights ago and bought some Diet A&W and let me tell you, that was the best can of soda I've ever had. I enjoy a good soda now and then, but this was insane, like finally getting a drink of water after working out all day long. It was that satisfying.

Thursday, as I mentioned already, we went to our last infertility ultrasound and saw the baby move for the first time, which was so wild. Apparently he / she is now 3 - 5 cm long and weighs 8 grams. Which doesn't really mean anything to me, but grams are pretty small, right? Amalah from Zero to Fourty said that the baby is about the size of a lemon, so I'm going with that. I can imagine a lemon. Also! We've got fingernails! And toenails! Woo! Just like on Juno. ("All babies want to get borned! All babies want to get borned!") I also read somewhere that not only is the baby bouncing around in there, but it also gets the hiccups! How crazy is that? I get the hiccups nearly every time I walk into a Target (Caleb says because I'm so excited, but I don't believe that...) and I wonder if the baby does too. Probably not though.

My nose is still a Super Sniffer, which was very apparent on Saturday when we went to pick out a bike for Caleb. We went with a guy in our ward who knows a lot about bikes and could help Caleb figure out what kind he wanted and he took us to a few...well, hole in the wall bike shops. You know the kind, where the men running them (always men) are in their sixties or seventies, thin, wild Doc Brown style hair, that go on...and on....and on....about bikes. We literally sat there for hours (or so it seemed) while he rattled off about this bike and that...well. I don't know anything about bikes so I can't even say what he talked about, I just looked at the pictures on the walls and waited until Caleb made his decision. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is the bike shops REEKED. Nine million rubber tires and grease and stale coffee and metal and junk all potpourried together to make one horrifically rancid stench.

All in all though, I know I'm lucky. Today I went to a prenatal nutrition class and one woman there was 13 weeks along and has been puking three times a day every single day since she became pregnant. This is what I was expecting to happen to me and have been pleasantly shocked by my good fortune. I never get lucky. Until now. I can only hope and pray it continues until we have a beautiful healthy baby. I can't wait.

Because apparently skinning is frowned upon

Every single day Caleb and I are forced to fill our couch with random items from the house so that Bear won't jump on it. This is because years and years ago Caleb let Bear chill on the couch AND the bed, and this is permanently ingrained into the mutt's brain. Such items usually include the didgeridoo I bought in Australia (which Bear is frightened of and we use to our full advantage), books, baskets, etc. etc. etc. It's a pain but it has to be done, especially on our new baby. For my sanity, and for the preservation of the mutt's life.

The last two days I've come home during lunch to discover one of the items shoved off the couch and tell-tale (tale-tell?) little white hairs scattered around.

You know how in cartoons when the antagonistic character really pisses off the main character and his face turns red and smoke blows out his ears? Yeah, that's sort of how I felt.

The mutt, he is devious. He won't even attempt to get on the couch when we're home. Much like he wouldn't go near the garbage can before we got our fabulous, new one. He won't jump on the counter, but I've come home way too many times to find our saved dessert, spice packets, bread, etc. etc. etc. long gone. He knows when he's alone and can get away with these things, and I've pretty much had it up to HERE (hand as high above my head as I can get it). So. I did some research today.

Scat Mat. A clear mat you place on your couch that emits a small "static correction" and freaks 'em out. One reviewer described the sensation (don't ask me why she sat on it herself, I think we all know we're living in a world of idiots) as a bunch of "red ants biting my bum". Caleb thinks I'm sadistic, but I think this is a fabulous idea. Also? I sortof want to set up a camera to watch what he does the first time he jumps up. Come on, I'm not the only one, right? It's a bit pricey, but this is driving me that insane. My love for this dog is slowly diminishing into the Black Hole of his devious ways, and I'm ready to shove him out the door and lock it.

Does anyone have any other ideas? Besides sending him to the country I mean, cause trust me, I've already suggested that and was met with Caleb's cold don't-even-go-there stare. But something has to be done. I've thought of locking him in a room but previous experience has shown that he only barks himself silly all day long, and we've already had a letter dropped on our doorstep by our neighbor that I've never seen saying she is sick and our dog kept her up all day long.  (And apparently she has an affinity for calling the cops for ridiculous reasons and we don't want to mess with that.)  He had accidentally locked himself in the laundry room, which is a one butt tiny space. The spoiled mutt has never been crated and it shows. Leaving him outside is equally out of the question, because he gets frantic without Caleb and has been known to blow through entire fences to get out. (And again, this would solve my problem, but leave me with an incredibly pissed / devastated husband.) So. Scat Mat? Sedatives? Can't I just freeze him while we're gone?

I can now die happy

Tonight on "Unwrapped" they featured lollipops and finally the age old question was answered. 

So...how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

211.

My life is complete.

Turtle Baby

On Thursday we had our last ultrasound with the infertility clinic and we got a fabulous look at our little baby. It was so fun to see how much he / she had changed in just two short weeks. Not only did we get to see little arms and legs, but we got a dance! Caleb said it was a Birthday Dance, since it also happened to be his birthday. The little guy wiggled after the doctor nudged him a bit, and even rubbed his eyes. It just made this whole thing seem more real. There really is a little baby in there!

We've also decided it is no longer our Pixel Blob. Rather, it's our Turtle Baby.

This is the only real shot we got, an upside down, backwards view. Hanging like a monkey, looks a little like a turtle. An adorable turtle. A dancing turtle.

Weekend To Do's

1. Make dinner for the missionaries. Includes cleaning the house, making the meal, setting the table, whip up dessert, clear table, wash dishes, and then collapse.

2. Watch Juno: Happy (late) Birthday to Caleb!

3. Sleep in. Wake up and then roll over and sleep a bit longer just because I can.

4. Do some laundry, and only because I just got my new bedspread (ohmigosh I love it...three cheers for sales on Design Public!!) and I need to wash my sheets because you can't have a new bedspread without crisp, clean sheets.

5. Maybe hit Ikea up because I sorta accidentally broke our little glass jar that holds my eye makeup remover pads. Now they're chillin' with the Q-Tips and we can't have that. Probably comparing notes and stuff.

6. Revel in the fact that I'm not chained to a desk. Or filing. Or...gulp...entering data...

7. I was going to say I planned on having another dark chocolate covered Joe Joe, but after looking up a link to show ya'll, in case you're not fortunate enough to have a Trader Joe's near you (I'm sorry...they're lovely), I ran into one with the nutrition content and...wow. But they're so good. Also, I can't find a good link. They're all natural Oreos basically. And they're good.

8. Try to figure out a way to teach four three year olds and actually have them retain...something.

9. Try not to cry watching Juno. What is my deal?

10. Try not to think about Monday.

An Ode

Today is Caleb's birthday and instead of my usual teasing, I thought I'd tell you all some of the things I love about him. (Alright, there may be a bit of teasing in there, I can't help myself.)

One of the things I love most about Caleb is his ability to make people laugh. He's goofy and silly and people remember his jokes and some of the things he's said for years. He took my sister and her friend skiing once and made some joke in the middle of the day about "BANANAS!" and they've been laughing about it ever since. I still have no clue what the joke was. Whenever I'm feeling sad he'll whip out The Chicken Dance and no matter how hard I try, I can't help but grin. It's so hysterical.

He relates well to people. Whenever we move into a new neighborhood he'll have met and made friends with four or five people before I've had a chance to talk to anyone. Honestly the only people I know in our current church ward is because of Caleb. He's outgoing and friendly and easy to get along with.

He is always trying to do things to make me happy or to show me he loves me. The other day he brought home sour gummy Life Savers (not the cherry ones, where ARE THEY?!?!) because he knew I'd appreciate something tart. A few months ago we were both sick and at home and he woke up in the morning and made eggs benedict from scratch, including the sauce. I've had eggs benedict in some really fabulous restaurants and none have even come close to tasting like the ones he made that morning. Honest. Not to mention the wonderful hot sandwiches he creates, the smoothies, the fun drinks, the omeletts - he enjoys creating things to make people happy. He likes to make memories, make things special for us. Like last Valentines Day.   

Caleb is very understanding and is always pushing me to do and be my best. This compassion and understanding extends to anyone. He seems to somehow find those people that need to be pushed, and he pushes until they succeed. 

I really enjoy the way he is with kids. We started dating when my littlest sister was three and he's always played with her and been a fabulous older brother. He's become one of Owen's best friends, and I think he has more fun playing than Owen does. He's going to make an excellent daddy.

Happy Birthday Cabe!  I couldn't ask for anyone better. 

Baby Bump Wednesday - Week 10

Double digits, baby! Woo! It feels like I've been pregnant forever and it's only been six weeks since we first found out. Nine months feels like an eternity, but everyone tells me it will go fast. So....I'm waiting for that.

Sunday was sort of a momentous (I just double checked that spelling, does it look odd to anyone else?) day, I decided to not take my nausea pill to see if I was over that. And....it seems for the most part that I am. Every once in a while (like this afternoon) I get a little queasy but as long as I keep food in my stomach I'm okay. I'm still really shocked by my good fortune, I was honestly expecting to be on my deathbed just like my mother was. I don't know how I lucked out, but I'm grateful nonetheless.  Exhaustion and a little (okay, sometimes a lot) of bloating are much easier to deal with than the constant puking, and my heart goes out to all the pregnant women out there suffering from it. May it pass soon.

Everyone keeps asking me if I have any cravings yet and for the most part the answer is no. I'm not eating dirt or demanding that Caleb make a midnight run to Taco Bell or anything. There are some things that certainly sound better than others, like potato wedges from KFC or Sour Cherry gummy Lifesavers (which I saw in a store once but didn't purchase and have been searching for them ever since). Anything tart, really. Sugar free Jello pudding, which sounds good around 3 pm every day. Cold cereal is a staple.

The other day I found a pregnancy calendar online that you can cater to your due date and print out. Each day there is some little nugget of information or just randomness. For instance, this last week it says that I should be able to hear the baby's heartbeat via a doppler, that it  now measures 1.2 inches and weighs .25 oz. The heart development is complete, and oh yeah, warm or cold compresses may help with headaches.  And some women experience only mild pregnancy symptoms. Thanks for that.  One thing I wasn't really thinking about is that I'm halfway through my third month, which seems weird. Isn't that weird? That sounds a lot better than 10 weeks though.

I'm getting a little...emotional. On Sunday I was getting our dinner ready to be cooked while we were at church and we had on a religious program. They have several different commercials reminding us about how important family is, always ending with the line, "Family - isn't it about...time?". One particular commercial came on where a little girl is asking her dad to read her a story, and by the end I was all teary and blubbery and "Oh, she just wants her Daddy's attention!". And I was all annoyed, like, come on, I've seen this commercial hundreds of times, why do I have to lose it now? And of course, chalked it up to pregnancy. Then the next commercial came on about a daughter leaving for college and her dad not able to quite say how much he'll miss her, and suddenly I hear Caleb laughing. Already on guard, (not wanting him to find out I've just cried because of a commercial) I yelled out to him, "Don't make fun!", and then heard him sniff a little as he was laughing. I dropped the vegetable I was chopping and ran into the room to find him trying to discreetly wipe tears. I asked him, a little incredulously, if he was crying, and he immediately started defending himself. I don't know how it happened, one minute I was fine and the next... I triumphantly pumped my fist in the air and teased him about it all day. I just told him yesterday that uh...I had cried too, just during another commercial. Doesn't stop me from teasing him though. Other random things I've cried over? The end of Bruce Almighty, when one of the kids hugged another on Jon & Kate Plus Eight,  and The Breakup, nearly the entire last 45 minutes or so. Though that one isn't quite random, who could have a dry eye in that movie? Seriously?

Tomorrow Caleb and I have our last ultrasound with the infertility clinic, after which we officially "graduate" and I move on to my regular OB/GYN. I'm gonna be a little sad, the doctor we've been seeing has been great and we definitely owe this pregnancy to her. I feel like I should bring something...send a card at least? I'm excited to see our little baby again and also just to have the relief that everything is going along as it should. Because so far I don't really feel that connected to the baby or the pregnancy, it sort of still feels like it isn't really happening to me. As much as I think about it I don't really register that yes, I am honestly pregnant. Meaning, at the end of this we're going to have a real live baby. I'm hoping that will change as I progress and start to look pregnant and feel the baby move etc.

Is that a bit of a bump? Or just early morning bloat? Or maybe I'm just imagining things. I can't tell. Also? I probably should have put the toilet lid down, but uh...it's just easier to have it ready. Sometimes it's that necessary. Especially at 2 am.

Where you'll find me this summer...

This has to be quick because apparently someone has to work. Earn a living and all that. Gees.

Anyway, I wanted to share my new obsession, even though I haven't even tried it yet. Red Mango frozen yogurt. I read an article online about it and became intrigued, nay, obsessive. I must try this! Apparently there is one near my home town (Fort Union, for all my fellow Utahns) and I was all set to try it out when I'm home next month. And then! Caleb did some research (read: checked the website) and discovered they're building one literally just down the street from us in a ritzy outdoor mall. And I got so excited I squealed, "I LOVE LIVING HERE!!! I LOVE LIFE!!"

It better be open late, because I'm feeling a craving coming on. Big time.

Why ya'll want to be my friend...

I've been tagged by lovely Heather, and this is a fun one. An easy one. For me.

20 Reasons Why I Suck

1. When I meet people I NEVER remember their names. Never. I try, I listen when they tell me, but it literally goes right over my head. I'll remember their face forever, but their name is a mystery.

2. Every morning when my alarm goes off I have an inner battle on whether I should call in sick for work. Most mornings I win (or...lose?) and go, but every once in a while...I can't help it. I'm not in love with it and am always exhausted and sometimes that seems like enough.

3. I think I'm addicted to the internet. Wait...wait...nope. I am.

4. I hate milk. Won't drink it. It's fine in dishes, and I use it on cereal (however I drain my spoon with each bite) but I can't stand it. Even the smell gets me. Ugh.

5. I don't think I have talent in anything I'm interested in, so I don't try. Rather, I stay in the same job and whine about it.

6. I think about my weight every single day. Without fail.

7. Secretly? I love to be lazy. My bed, the TV, a magazine...I'm in heaven.

8. Sometimes...when I see no other option...I put my gum under the table at restaurants. I will not swallow my gum, ever, and sometimes that's the only place for it to go. Caleb recently saw me do this for the first time (in Hawaii) and hasn't stopped talking about it since. Like, for real. And I'm not proud of it, it's just sometimes there's no where else. No extra wrappers, no paper napkins. Anyway...

9. Sometimes when I'm bored at church I'll yawn really loudly just to see how many people I can get to yawn as well. And I count them. And giggle inside.

10. I never sit down in public restrooms or places I'm not sure of their cleanliness. I always squat. 

11. I pick my cuticles and it shows. I'm doin' it right now.

12. I barely know how to sew on a button. I can do it, sure, but it doesn't look good.

13. I make faces at the dog when he's bugging me. He just stares right back, totally oblivious. And continues whatever he's doing, like leeching and staring and whining for Caleb when he's been gone a total of 2.5 seconds.

14. I have an insanely difficult time making up my mind about the silliest things. Give me more than 5 options at a restaurant and I'm toast. I've been contemplating a certain console table for our entry way for a month now. Still haven't purchased it.

15.  I haven't read a single Harry Potter book and I'm only barely watching Lord of the Rings, and only because my good friend Mark is super insistent.

16. Sometimes I don't answer the phone when people call. Just because I don't feel like talking.

17. I love to tease Caleb. And he hates this.

18. I always fall in love with items that are way out of my price range. And then I think about them. A lot. (However, this came in handy when it was time to get our couch...I chose wisely.)

19. I stare at people. I can't help it, I'm a curious person, but it drives Caleb insane. He's always telling me not to stare at someone. If we go out somewhere he'll have to say it at least once.

20. I can be really controlling and bossy. Just ask Caleb. I sort of have this set way of how things should be and how they should be done and I can get...flustered...if it doesn't happen that way. I'm working on it, but most of that time that means I just internalize my frustrations and say, "Thank you Cabe for putting the dishes away...but...where...is...the...garlic press?"

(This list would have been much different if Caleb or, like, my sisters  had written it.)

I tag everyone who'd like to. Always enjoyable to poke a little fun at yourself.

Tension is high, folks

Anybody else think these two need to just make out and get it over with? I mean seriously, that's like the 10th picture I've seen that looks exactly like this.  Just do it and get it over with, is all I'm sayin'.

(For great spoofs, please see Obama Clinton Kiss on YouTube. Classy...)

Return of the Bag...and the Bloat.

Caleb had an amazing idea last night to try and find his lost suitcase. He called his old cell phone number, the one that is on our luggage (duh...I know...). He had a lovely chat with a "Brian" in Oregon (I think the man was lonely...it was a lovely long chat...) and Mr. Brian said, "Why yes! I have had a few calls about lost luggage!"

FANCY THAT.

So Caleb made the rounds and left messages on Aloha's, ATA's, and Hawaiian Airline's message system last night and then also tried again this morning. (I think he really wants his "That's What She Said" shirt back.) And guess what? They found it! It's on the Big Island, which is awesome because we were never on the Big Island, but whatever. They're shipping it and it should arrive Monday or Tuesday. I don't know whether I've ever seen Caleb so excited about his clothes, all night long he's been gasping and oohing and ahhing over his socks!! His white socks!! His underwear!! His Nike shoes!! His new shirt!!

I'm just thankful we don't have to go purchase more luggage. Though sadly, three years later and our wedding luggage is lookin' sad. Missing handles and everything. Apparently we fly a lot?

In other news, thanks everyone for the support and stuff. I know it's not technically FAT. I know I'm supposed to grow large with child, it's just hard to remember at ten o'clock at night when I'm tired and The Bloat is large and in charge. Seriously, there is a major reason I take my Baby Bump pictures in the morning, because if I took them at night you'd all think I was carrying sextuplets. Honest. Today was the worst actually, and I stood in front of the mirror laughing at myself. 9 weeks pregnant! HA! More like 40!!

And then I promptly assume my uniform (pajamas) and make dinner. Except this night I didn't, I went on a little jog / fast walk with the mutt! Real live exercise! I've heard a bazillion different things about what your heart rate should be, formulas and ish's and all that jazz, and I've decided to stick with caution and go with the formula in the pregnancy book which puts my heart rate limit at about 140. Which, if you exercise and keep track of this crap, you'd know was like, nothin'. Like, jog for about 20 seconds and then fast walk. (Have I lost some of you yet? I think I'm boring myself...) Needless to say, despite my 40 Weeks Pregnancy Bloat I feel better because I was finally able to do something.

Now I just really wish I had my iPod back...anyone know if that's covered under renters insurance? Worth a shot, right?

Baby Bump Wednesday - Week 9

This week I thought I was getting out of the peeing-all-the-time stuff, but the last few days have shown me that it's not quite over yet.

Nope...still there.

This morning I was so tired from the last few days of such little sleep I nearly told my boss I was leaving to go home to bed. At 9 am. I literally couldn't imagine working the rest of the day. Thankfully I had a few errands to run and some air conditioning and loud music woke me up a bit. And strangely, I came home tonight and still had the energy to clean the house and make dinner, something I haven't done in a long time. Usually my routine would have been to come home and vacuum the bathroom, Swiffer the house, clean the counter tops, vacuum the rugs, and start dinner. As of late it's been come home, take off my pants, and crawl into bed until Caleb gets home and literally drags me out. I hope this is a sign of what's to come, the second trimester (just around the river bend!) energy.

I've had a lot of dreams lately, or maybe I'm remembering more because I wake up so much. The other night I had a rather disturbing one where I was forced to watch this hideous man eat the fat off a freshly killed pig. Seriously. You can imagine the state of my stomach when I woke up, I'll give you a hint, I was late for work.

Today I went to Target during my lunch break and bought my first maternity clothes, a shirt and a dress, all of which could be worn right now. I'm lucky the style these days is loose and comfortable. I was a little lost looking through the isles, everything looked so...big, even the smalls. It was hard to rewire my brain and get something that may be a little large right now but would be perfect in just a matter of weeks. I'm slowly running out of shirts that fit, mostly because of "my girls" (I'm trying to come up with all sorts of lovely ways to describe them...) and this weekend I plan to buy a new bra. Cause. I need one. Their size was made quite apparent today when I found a streak of mustard that had escaped my Subway sandwich and landed square on my "shelf" (that's a favorite used by my sisters and I...). Of course, as my luck goes, I didn't spot this for a while, not until my arm came away wet. By the way? Tide To Go pens don't work very well on older stains...I never spill on myself, in fact, we always tease my sister for this exact thing happening to her ALL THE TIME. Kathy? (If you could read this) You know it's true.

This also happens to Caleb, and he has no shelf to blame. Hmm.

So guess what? My favorite salad dressing? The one I said I could literally drink? The one I loved so much I was going to buy a case? No longer sounds good. It sounds absolutely revolting right now actually, as does nearly everything else I used to rely on for a quick snack. String cheese? Ugh. Yogurt? Blah. I'm onto kiwi, sugar-free pudding, and....random things. Usually nothing I have on hand, but whatever. I'm back to the green apples and peanut butter that I was so hooked on last year, and today I boiled a dozen eggs because they sounded good. I hope they still do tomorrow, because it's too late to have one.

They look pretty though, don't they?

I read this week that my uterus is the size of a grapefruit and my baby is the size of a grape. Which makes me feel a little better about not being able to quite button my jeans at the end of the day (or sometimes in the beginning...). I just re-read a section in The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy, a lovely book every pregnant woman should read (along with one that's maybe a bit scientific) and cried because it's okay to gain weight! It really is! So far it's just water and bloating anyway! Which is why I take these pictures in the morning...I just wish I was okay with it so far, like I said before, I'm all ready to have the cute baby bump, just not the I-eat-entire-pints-of-Chunky-Monkey-in-bed...ness. Apparently this is normal, which is somewhat comforting.

Putting on pants that used to fit just weeks ago? Not so much. Bella Band? Here I come!

(Right after I pee, of course...) 

The Places You'll Go!

I got home from work today to find a little package from my dear friend (and old manager at Cold Stone, she's the one who first started calling me Kimba) Heather. In it was a cute little note and this book, "Oh Baby, the Places You'll Go!", a book to be read "in utero" from the works of Dr. Seuss. Apparently near the end of his life he became fascinated with the idea that babies could hear their parents talking while in the womb. There's a little note in the front from Dr. Seuss' wife Audrey. She said:

"The researchers found increased uterine activity during the reading - and a gradual settling down afterward. This response to the book continued after delivery. The baby apparently recalled having heard the story before...in utero!"

Isn't that interesting? It's such an adorable little book, I just read it (out loud!) and it sort of pays tribute to all the famous Dr. Seuss books and ends with a sweet little nod to the baby that I "can't wait to meet!". Heather, thank you! This is so much fun and so adorable. I'd heard of something like this before, but now I'm intrigued. Thank you, thank you!! I'm so blessed to have such wonderful friends.

High Roller

On Sunday we took a long walk before lunch because I wanted to show Caleb these flowers I'd seen growing in someone's yard.

I don't know what they are, but I love them. I've never seen such a delicate yellow.

Caleb took a few shots as well:

And of course, this:

He needs another shaving. Badly.

And then we got home and Caleb decided he wanted to capture Bear's jumping abilities. Bear is an absolute nut for the frisbee, as I've mentioned before. Every time we let him out to go to the bathroom he finds his frisbee (Caleb's old Frisbee Golf frisbee) before he does anything else and waltzes around the yard a bit. He always knows exactly where that thing is. Caleb's worked pretty hard with him, and he can do some mean flips in the air for it.

He'll do anything for that frisbee.

Sunday Dinner

I haven't posted a recipe here in a long time, not since the website move, and I thought I'd change that. In large part because I tried a new roast recipe and really enjoyed it. Except the part about being home all day to smell it, and WOW was it potent. Like, two minutes after I put it in I could smell it, entire hours before Caleb could. Anyway.

Pot Roast ala Kimba

Ingredients:

2 lbs. roast (I used top round, but chuck is my favorite and what I'll be using next time)

1/2 onion, chopped

Baby carrots, left whole

Fingerling potatoes, left whole

2 c. beef broth

1/2 c. Worcestershire sauce

1 onion soup packet

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt & pepper

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. flour

Salt and pepper entire roast and brown on all sides, sealing in all those lovely juices. Place in slow cooker and surround with carrots, chopped onion, and fingerling potatoes, in that order. Side note, this is my first time using fingerling potatoes and I loved them. No need to cut! One less step, and that's all the reason you need. Combine beef broth (I used those bouillon cubes since I don't tend to buy beef broth, so that works if you don't either) onion soup packet, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and pour over roast. Cook for 8 hours on low.

For gravy:

Scoop out all of the vegetables and place in 250 degree oven to keep warm. (I also put the roast in as well while making the gravy) Strain remaining juices into a pot (there will be some leftover onions and I like a smooth gravy, but you can keep them in if you like) and heat to boiling. Combine water and flour and shake real good like for about thirty seconds. Slowly add to boiling pan juices, whisking the entire time. Whisk for a few minutes and then let boil for several minutes, 5 or so, whisking every so often until you're ready to serve.

So delicious. The gravy has a bit of a bite to it because of the Worcestershire, if you know your family will be picky about this, back off the Worcestershire a bit. 1/4 cup or so. I grew up in a very bland-eating family and I'd probably have to do this for them. We enjoyed it though, along with the following drink:

Pomegranate Cooler

Ingredients:

4 oz. pomegranate juice

1 oz. fresh lemon juice

Club Soda, to taste

(Makes one serving, we doubled it for the both of us and it worked fine.)

Combine pomegranate and lemon juice and add to cup. Add Club Soda to fill the glass, admire, and then stir. Caleb wanted his a little sweeter, so he added a bit of sugar, 1/4 tsp. or so. I liked mine tart and put in about half that. Really delicious and tart, perfect for summer. Next time I'm going to figure out the exact ratio of Club Soda (Caleb was making it while I did the gravy) so I can make it for larger groups. It would be perfect for little get togethers. Baby showers or something.

Pre-stirring, just to give you the effect. Happy spring!

Tagged!

I've been tagged by my lovely friend Bridgette and I've been meaning to complete it for a while now. So here goes.

Here are the rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages).
2. Turn to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog
5. Tag 5 people

I'm reading (among like, 10 other things right now and ohmigosh, I haven't even started the book for my online book club for LAST month, which I will blame on Caleb because he stole it in Hawaii for something to read) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, a book Caleb's sister sent me, it being one of her favorites. So far I'm lovin' it.

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, " she said sharply, putting sugar in her cup and stirring it. But she looked unconvinced by her own words, and I pressed on.

Nice and enticing, right? Trust me though, it's good.

And now I shall tag: Bethany, Kjersti, Kristy, Jessica, and  Heather. And anyone else who wants to, please let me know! I'm always looking to add to my ever-growing Books to Read list. 

(Psst! We picked up a few clothes for Caleb today and I'm just waiting for Aloha or ATA to call and tell us they've found his bag. Cause that's our luck. I hope so, because I can't handle one more sad sigh from Caleb as he remembers yet another "fabulous" (not his words....he'd want me to clarify that) shirt that is lost forever...)

In which you realize the full capacity of our power...

So, our flight home. Really eventful and lasted much longer than it should have. Wanna hear our story? Grab a pillow, maybe some Ho Ho's (just kidding...I'm steerin' clear of those...) cause it's long and involved and only something that would happen to us (read: Caleb).

Rewind to last Sunday night. Caleb is at the pool's condo trying to get internet service so he can download the movie I purchased on iTunes (first movie purchase! yeah! except now I can't watch it! Read on kids!) to my iPod. I get a call from him saying that I'll never believe it, but Aloha Airlines, the airline we flew over on and were supposed to fly back on, was going out of business. Tomorrow. The day we were supposed to fly home.

You can imagine what ensued next, long hours of waiting on hold to see if we were going to be able to get home, and if not....what to do about it. Around 1 am we finally hit the hay with a very tentative answer that our flight to Oakland via Honolulu would be the last mainland flight. No worries!

We got to the airport and seeing the line for Aloha, checked our four bags (we gathered beach chairs and a cooler from my parents during the trip) curbside and waltzed through security thanks to our curbside dude who checked us in and everything! So nice! We tipped him extra!

Oh, and he also told us that our flight from Honolulu to Oakland would be on ATA Airlines, so we were good. Phew!

(Also? This information would have been wonderful SUNDAY. Would've saved us a lot of sleep...)

Blah, blah, blah, we get home at 10 pm, tired, starving (ATA doesn't even pass out peanuts, people...), and ready to be home. An hour later we have 3 of our 4 bags, Caleb's suitcase being the missing one. Of course. We go through the usual routine and head home, stopping off to pick up some toiletries for Caleb and some dinner. We ate Taco Bell at 12:30 am. I don't think I need to tell you the state of my stomach the next morning, let's just say it wasn't good.

The next few days pass and Caleb calls every day to find out where his bag is at, and no one seems to know anything. It's a little difficult to find your bag when the airline you flew on is, uh, bankrupt. But ATA was working with us and promised to search and /or reimburse us.

Last night I finally put away my things (I HATE unpacking...) and realized my iPod and armband were gone. Fell out of my purse, left on the plane...all I know is that Caleb had it last and that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Of course, no one's seen it, so there goes my very first iPod, aged three whole months.

Sigh. I'm gonna miss that thing.

This morning Caleb rolls over after the alarm goes off and immediately pulls up the latest news headlines on his Blackberry, as is his morning tradition. "Kim, you'll never believe this, but...."

Yup. You may have heard. ATA Airlines filed for bankruptcy today.

Caleb has no "regular" clothes. No white socks. Very little underwear. I have no iPod. Both airlines that we flew home on are, uh, no longer in business. Our chances of finding his bag get slimmer by the day...

This is something that would only happen to Caleb, but we thought things were different this year. This, as he says, is His Year. The Year of the Rat. But the rat may have lost it's charm on us. As of Sunday.

In other (happier) news, we had our second ultrasound today, and! Only one baby in there! Wanna see our larger pixel blob?

 

Ma baby has one big head! As we were looking at the picture in the car Caleb chose that moment to remind me he was over 8 lbs and had one giant head. Lovely.

Baby Bump Wednesday: Week 8

I feel like I just wrote one of these, or maybe I'm just not feeling very different. I'm still doing well because of my Magic Pills (Reglan, actually, if you were interested. I highly recommend them!). Still peeing all.the.time, and am still for the most part...bloated.

I am so sexy, right?

A few of my shirts don't fit anymore because of two ever-growing objects, and of course, the ever-present bloat. This sucks for many reasons, the main one being I don't own very many clothes. My pajamas are fast becoming my go-to gear as soon as I get home from work. Not that it's very different than how things usually are, I've always enjoyed getting cozy after a long day of work, but now I'm doing it because it's the only thing I don't feel like a blimp in. Getting larger is hitting some old nerves, ones I've been fighting ever since I got married, and it hasn't been easy. I know I will get MUCH larger, and that's fine, I know that, but right now I don't look pregnant. I look like I've had one too many Ho-Ho's (my, don't those sound good right now?) and it's hard not to dip back into very old, very ingrained, very bad habits. It would help if I could be active, but until now the aforementioned large objects have sort of hindered that. It's only been in the last day or so that jogging doesn't seem like torture, which was just in time for our flight home from Hawaii (which is another long story and I'll get into that tomorrow maybe), cue the jet lag, little sleep, and pregnancy tiredness. Today I actually took a sick day because of that, and slept in until 1 pm. It's 10:30 and I'm exhausted and the idea of another night's sleep sounds oh-so-lovely. I can't get enough sleep, and "they say" that will finally subside during the second trimester and I'm really looking forward to it. My house is far less clean than it usually is, which bothers me, but not enough to actually do something about it. Hopefully it's true, and I'll only have one more month of this zombie-ness.

One thing that's started this last week is that I've been insanely itchy, especially at night. At first I thought it was connected to my recent sunburn, but I think by now that would have stopped. I'm itchy all day long, mostly on my legs and back (lovely areas to scratch might I add, especially at work) and when I wake up to pee at night I spend the next 20 minutes to an hour itching, trying not to itch, trying not to think about itching, and trying to fall back asleep. It's like a mosquito bite all over. I read on Zero to Forty, the pregnancy calendar written by a blogger I've been reading since I started, that the only thing that's helped her was Aveeno lotion with menthol and I'm heading to Target tomorrow to get me sommathat. 

Yesterday I went to a Prenatal Orientation, a two hour class which was basically useless except that they set up all my next important appointments (we find out if it's a boy or girl May 30th! Woo!) and made me pee in two separate cups and drew 5 vials of blood (and I didn't even pass out! Thank heavens for reclining phlebotomy chairs!) and sent me on my merry way. I have another "real" appointment tomorrow to check on my pixel blob and determine if there really is only one little blob in there. I think we've only got one, and that's what I'm going with. I'll let ya'll know, of course.

My after-work gear, or today's all day outfit. Don't tell Caleb, but I totally changed into normal clothes and spruced up before he came home, just so he wouldn't know I'd been in my pajamas all day long.

Now you know, Cabe. That's what I wore until 5:45 pm. And I loved every minute of it.

Survivor

Here's a few shots of our trip to Hana. It was a long and windy road.

That is the largest understatement I may have ever made.

To be honest, it's 52 miles, 56 bridges, and 617 curves that lasts for three long hours. Or more, depending on how many stops you take. Oh, and then times that by two since you do have to drive back... Normally, I'm a get-there type of girl, I don't like to stop a lot on road trips, I want to get there. I've always wanted to drive across the country but I wonder if I could really handle it, or if I'd want to buckle down and make like the astronaut and get there as quick as possible. (You know, the one who wore a DIAPER so she wouldn't have to stop?) But on this drive I wanted to stop as much as possible, to see anything really, just please stop the freakin' turning back and forth!

It may have had something to do with me being pregnant, but then, my entire family was pretty much sick of the car by the end of the day. It was gorgeous, for sure. And we may have enjoyed it more if we'd been able to swim in the 7 Pools, the last and "best" stop on the Road to Hana. But they were overflowing and no one could get in. So...it was a long drive to look at some gorgeous waterfalls and bamboo forests and that's about it.

This was our driver. He was happy because this was the beginning of the trip and we had no idea we wouldn't be at this exact location for another 12 hours.

And this was our mode of transportation. We went to Hawaii with three other families, and therefore had to rent 6 Jeeps.

My family, at the first stop. The side of the road really, just to stop for a minute and enjoy this:

The bamboo forest. My little sister Emily was enthralled, her first love is panda bears.

Another stop, to pee. And eat. Well, I ate, I was starving. Nothin' like a turkey and mustard sandwich.

We are so happy to be out of the car at and this gorgeous beach.

This was my favorite stop, an un-pronounceable beach (at least by me), nicknamed Black Beach. For obvious reasons. It was absolutely gorgeous.

Emmy and I in the black cave. She is such a little poser...

Cabe and I on Black Beach. My hair, looking oh-so-wind-and-water tousled.

Black rocks on black beach. And my neon orange toes that everyone made fun of but secretly loved. I know they did. I just know it.

Waterfall at the 7 Pools. The ones we couldn't swim in. The ones we drove all day to see and swim in, and then turned around and drove back.