Have you been watching?

Ok, I am just going to stop promising y'all posts, because whenever I do, inevitably stuff comes up and I look like one lame lady.

Anyway, we are headed out of town for this long weekend, so I can get my crazy sorority woman skills  revving at sorority formal recruitment. If that sentence made no sense to you, don't sweat it.

In the meantime, summer TV kinda sucks, but is kind of awesome at the same time. Have you been watching these gems?


The Week the Women Went

The premise is that all the women above the age 18 leave the town to go somewhere unknown (a killer fun resort) and the men and children have to take care of the town. For a week. A WEEK people. You would think some of these guys were being marched to the executioner from the way they are reacting. Anyway, it's supposed to be no phone calls, etc. back and forth, but of course people are breaking the rules all over the place.

As A and I were watching the second episode, we were introduced to a couple who had spent every day together since they were 12. LIKE EVERY DAY. Maybe some people think that is sweet, we thought it was crazy. We've been together since we were 16, but we have definitely done our own things in our relationship. So, this couple didn't even make it 48 hours before the husband sent a friend to go pick up the wife and bring her back home. They were all crying and everything. I mean, geese louise.

Don't even get me started on how some of these couples would react to deployment. Ha! Of course, not everyone is willing to sign up for the military lifestyle, and I totally get it. Shizz gets hard when you are single parenting or just single all of a sudden for weeks, months and sometimes years on end.

Now THAT would be a good show. But then again, maybe not, because most of us just suck it up and make it work a la Tim Gunn.

Watch on Lifetime if interested.


I'm Having Their Baby

UM, Tears galore on this show. This show follows two pregnant moms in each episode who are going through the adoption process and putting their babies up for adoption.

Some of the moms end up changing their minds in the end, which is all very much part of the process in real life, but I think this show does a pretty good job of showing a lot of different women and families in a bunch of different situations trying to make the right choice for their children.

Probably not good for a pregnant woman with a little baby at home to be watching as I cry buckets every.single.time. I catch this one, but mostly I am just so happy for the adoptive parents who are completely thrilled to finally fulfill their dreams of parenthood.


A Baby Story

Yes, you're right, this is not a new show. It has been on TLC for as long as I can remember, that's for sure. I used to watch this show obsessively in college as I was so very very curious about all things childbirth related (And I could pay attention at the beginning, and then mute it in the middle to do some homework and come back for the baby's birth).

Back then, all the births were relatively the same. Then this show and I had a break up when I was actually pregnant and learning about childbirth because they TOTALLY only showed women who were routinely getting induced, epidurals, and c-sections. If they ever happened to show a natural childbirth, not only the parents, but the medical staff were portrayed as crazy, or better yet the medical staff was super unsupportive and talked to the crew like the parents were crazy. Nope, no thanks.

BUT, I have recently returned to watching it during nap time - again, a good background show - and let me tell you, in the last two weeks there have been 4 natural childbirths portrayed. FOUR. And NONE of them have been crazy. They have had home births, birth center births and hospital births with midwives and doulas in attendance.

One of those was a woman who ended up with a face presentation of her baby (her 4th delivery, btw) which means that the baby's face came out first instead of the crown of the head. Not only did she and her midwife remain calm, cool and collected, but they successfully delivered that baby. Naturally. Boom.

I will admit that I was hella impressed because the photo of just such an occasion in Ina May's book when I was pregnant with Ev was legitimately the most frightening thing I had seen in my pregnancy. I had no idea such things could happen. It is still really rare, but I mean, it was on a BABY STORY. Coolness abounds. I love that this show is now showing a wide variety of birth stories in a nonjudgmental and supportive tone.


So, that's what I am watching, and a little Disney Junior, for the bug.

Check em out, or let me know if there's something else to tide me over until Modern Family returns.



Evelyn Rae is thirteen months old and I am 16 weeks (almost 17!) along with Baby Ferris

...and its a good thing I finally woke up refreshed again today to run this marathon that is sorority recruitment this weekend. With no caffeine. Oy.

Annnd.

I am once again a BIG FAT LIAR.

I promised y'all TWO posts on Friday, and then my auto publish didn't work, for whatever reason.

ANYWAYS.

I am now 16 weeks pregnant, and that update will come tomorrow...

But, if you are wondering what was going on LAST week. Here 'tis.

Evelyn Rae is 13 months old and I am 16 weeks along with Baby Ferris

...and walking/transitioning nap times has CLEARLY overwhelmed and bewildered this Momma. Ready to run some more...

16 weeks

***The photos from this week have been lost somewhere in the digital airwave space. Let's not talk about it, it's better that way.***

Nausea

Bah. Still hanging around a bit, mostly just queasiness, but thankfully I am feeling much better in general.

Skin

Sort of clearing up? I need some sun though, pale does not look good on this girl. Well, this pale anyways.

Weight/Clothes
Feeling pretty good actually, I definitely have a bump there, but that's not so different from what happened when I was pregnant with Ev. I will never be one of those "I didn't know I was pregnant girls" I guess. 

Cravings/Aversions

Meh, food tastes good again, that is all. 

Cramps/Pain
Stretching, pain, boo. I am wondering if my lower back is hurting worse than last time because of you know, that whole chasing, hauling around a toddler thing, or if it would have been like this the first time around too if I wasn't just sitting all day. Who knows. Husband seems to think my complaints are about the same as last go round, so who knows. Mayhap I have just put a rosy glow over the whole pregnancy experience.

Sleeping

Sleeping is rough, yo. Weird dreams. Weird, weird dreams. Like, last time I had "Mommy Visions" when I slept, bad and good, but they were all with some ambiguous little baby that I couldn't really picture or know yet. So the "bad" dreams (dropping your baby, etc.) weren't really that scary. Scary, but not like now, because now, of course, I picture Evelyn. Cue waking up in a panic to gran the monitor and make sure that, yes, indeed she is still sleeping like a rock.

Heartburn

Starting to creep. I have Tums on my bedside table.

The Girls

Sensitive. Not much bigger, but experiencing the same darkening as before. At least I know (hope) they will go back to normal post baby.

New this time around

I am seriously so tired, even though we are in the second trimester. So weird. I am tempted to nap every day when Ev takes her afternoon nap, but that would mean never getting anything done, soooo, yeah. I am feeling energetic in the mornings though and pretty much every other time until 1pm or so.

Oh yeah, this again.

Pain, stretching pain. Boo. I thought my uterus would be all, oh yeah, this again, NBD. but apparently not.

Mental State

Thankful that the sickness has gone, and excited to go have fun at recruitment this coming weekend! Hopefully I can keep my energy up!

16 weeks, last go round

Evelyn Rae is 13 months old, I am 16 weeks along with her little brother or sister

...and ::yawn:: is it time for my nap yet?

15 weeks

Nausea

To be honest, I actually threw up this week - a few times - but I am not sure if that has to do more with the fact that I am like, death ill (or have been anyway) or because of pregnancy. It's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.

Skin

Besides that I look like death from being so sick? Oh, fine.

Weight/Clothes
No idea. I have legit been SUCH a bum this week. I haven't been eating a whole lot because I have felt like such trash, but food is starting to have a taste again - yay! - so we are working on it. Don't worry, I have still been managing to eat a bit every day for the sake of this lil baby.

Cravings/Aversions

Ugh, food is gross.

Cramps/Pain
Round ligament pain makes a triumphant return! I have been coughing so much, and that's really the only time I can feel it, so overall doing pretty well.

Sleeping

I have been sleeping super badly this week thanks to not being able to breathe, but you know, such is life. 

Heartburn

None this week. 

The Girls

Sore, yo! I don't know if Evelyn's teeth are growing in more or what, but breastfeeding is starting to hurt for me for the first time...well...ever.

New this time around

I keep forgetting I am pregnant. So weird. Last time I feel like I had so much time to reflect, now I am just trying to keep up with life.

Oh yeah, this again.

No good medicines are cleared for preggos who are sick like moi. Lame. Totally forgot about that.

Mental State

I want to be well! The days of summer are waning and I want to enjoy them with my family before it is entirely over. WHOMPS. Cold, cold, go away.

15 weeks, last go round.

Evelyn Rae is thirteen months old and I am 15 weeks, 5 days along with Baby Ferris

...and clearly we managed to get these photos Sunday before I started feeling like CRAPOLA.

Toddlin'

Today you will get TWO whole posts, because I am so v. v. v. behind on life.The second will be coming just as soon as this baby goes down for her nap and I fold the 28 loads of laundry waiting for me.

I might be exaggerating.

BUT, you get two posts because as of yesterday morning, my baby is officially walking! I can't even believe it. I mean, I can. But, holy crap does it make her seem even less like a baby.

So here's the lowdown - girl has been pulling herself up and cruising around the furniture FOREVER. When she was eleven months, she started just standing up on her own, not holding onto anything or pulling herself up on anything. But, even time she would do it, she would just sort of look around with raised eyebrows as if to say, "Um, how did I get here?" and then she would slooooowly sink to the ground, where she would happily resume crawling about in her ridiculously fast pace.

She has been walking around holding our hands for like three months now? Longer maybe? She has been cruising behind her walking contraptions forEVER. And loving it. We thought for sure she would walk before a year, because girl was so happy running around behind all of her rolling, walking everything. She even started pushing ottomans and other items around like a walker. It was natural that she wash just going to let go and do it herself, right?

Wrong.

Every time we would leave her standing on her own and try to tempt her with other things to get her to move, she would just sit down and crawl towards it. So, a year came and went, still no walking. I decided to just let Ev "do her". I knew she would do it eventually, and clearly she was working it out in her head. You could see those little gears working, but every time it would seem as if she just arrived at a mental shrug and calculated that she could crawl faster to whatever she wanted. Which is true, so kudos to your logic, kiddo.

Yesterday morning, she was standing there, looking at me, and just started moving her feet. One little step, then she would sit down. Stand her back up, and again and again. One little foot movement, then down. I grabbed my camera.

Just in case.

Then she looked at me, stood up, and just walked over to me. 

LIKE IT WAS NO BIG THING.

Then I hugged her and cried and screamed "Good Job!" and all sorts of ridiculous mommy things. And she grinned at me and put her hand on my cheek as if to say, "Oh Mommy, I could have done this weeks and weeks ago, I just didn't feel like it."

Alrighty then baby girl. I got ya.

I sent Daddy the video at work and he was bummed that he had missed it, but that all vanished when he came home and she walked towards him. (I will try to upload the video later, but am SUPER embarrassed because I am screaming like a crazy person. Seriously.)

Today we have done so many laps around the house, her just walking beside me, holding my hand, occasionally letting go, and occasionally reaching up to make sure I am still there. No big deal.

So there it is, she flipped the switch, and is officially off on her own.

Evelyn Rae is thirteen months old and I am 15 weeks, 6 days along with Baby Ferris

...and I am so freaking proud and excited for her, and yet a little heartbroken at her being so grown up at the same time. Parenthood - the most thrilling and exciting bittersweet experience ever.

Quick post

Quick post today, because WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY LIFE?!

We have been bouncing all around like a ping pong ball lately, sick, better, baby sick, errands, getting this house in SOME SORT OF ORDER. Ugh.

Anyway, yesterday amidst errands I decided to say "Screw it, we're going to the park." And we did. So we played and had a good time.

While there though we met a family with three kiddos...named:

• Carson
• Cora
• Colton

I mean, I get that you want your kids' names to go together and all...but am I the only one who thinks all the name matching is a bit much sometimes? Twins, I get. It is complimentary. But, separately birthed kiddos? I just don't know how I feel about it.

Evelyn Rae is thirteen months old and I am 15 weeks and 5 days along with Baby Dos

...and I live in fear of falling in love with a name that rhymes with Evelyn. I CAN'T BE THAT MOM.

The End of an Era

Late last week came the end of an era.

My sister moved out.

She is headed to a PhD program (smartypants) in Northern Virginia, and we are so freaking excited for her making this move and achieving new dreams. I think many of us grown folks can attest to the fact that it would be difficult to go from a grown up salary paying job and the perks that go along with it ($$) back to the life of a full time student. But, she is doing it! Hooray for her!

Miss Ash has been with us, since, well, we moved into this house. She and I actually lived here together before my loving husband even did. He was on deployment when we closed and Ash moved right in with me. I loved having her here while I was still trying to get things right, needing a second opinion, applying for jobs, and trying not to wallow in my newly-married state of loneliness without my husband. I don't think any of us thought she would live here for almost exactly three years, but we are so glad she did.

"Isn't it hard living with your sister?" people would ask. My honest reply was, "Nope." After living in the same room with the girl for 15 years, living in the same house was a breeze. Granted, there were a few, um, moments throughout the time she was here, but I wouldn't trade it.

She was here for so many moments - moving in, dinner parties, she was the first one we told that Evelyn was on her way, she timed my contractions for me while A was on the ship and I was in labor, she was sitting beside me as I delivered that baby girl into the world, and held her shortly after her arrival. She discovered the pregnancy test wrapper in the bathroom that I had neglected to throw away when I discovered that Baby #2 was on the way.

Luckily, girl is family, so she will never completely leave. We are excited to get used to being a family 'alone' (and to get to use that fourth bedroom), but will miss our 'oldest kid',

Best of luck Smash! We love you.



Evelyn Rae is thirteen months old and I am 15 weeks, 2 days along with Baby Ferris

...and there is going to be a bunch of room swapping and project-ing going on around this place in the next few months!

Road to Recovery

Well, I may still sound like I am about to hack up a lung from time to time, and I may still be leaving a trail of tissues wherever I go...

BUT, I think I am on the road to recovery. I have felt like  human being since last Friday or so, and as of yesterday I can even breathe out of my nose!

Even Miss Evelyn, who ended up catching a little bit of this heinous bug, seems to be feeling her normal happy self today.

Thank goodness.

Back to "work" tomorrow.


Evelyn Rae is thirteen months old and I am 15 weeks along (!!) with Baby Ferris

...and my house is some kind of a wreck after being out of it for the past week. Yikes!

Combo

As I have stated before, I am quite possibly the worst sick person on the face of the planet. Admittedly, one of my bigger faults.

I have complained before about being sick and pregnant, and I was pretty sure I had complained on this blog about being a sick mom to a little baby, but I can't find the post. Rest assured, I have complained about it, at the very least on Facebook. Being a mom is not for the weak.

But now? Now I am experiencing the combo. Sick while pregnant and a momma to an adorable and happily, thankfully, still healthy one year old.

It started yesterday with a sore throat and runny nose.

Today? I've thrown up twice.

Ugh.

Go away whatever this is and let the health come back. The usual cast of non-medicinal interventions are lined up; saline spray, tissues, Vick's and the humidifier.

Bless that baby though.

She has been playing on the ground in the living room while I lay on the couch sniffling into my tissues, and every so often she comes over to me, pulls herself up onto the couch and lays her little head on my chest for a few minutes. Then she looks up at me and smiles as if to say, "You'll be fine soon Mommy."

Bless.that.baby.


Evelyn Rae is thirteen months old, I am 14 weeks and 3 days along with Ferris

...and I am so, so ready to feel like myself again.

Secret Posts.

All the "secret posts" have been published!

They have all been published with a label - II - attached. So, if you have a whole bunch of time on your hands, or are just really curious - you can click on the link over to the right to bring up all the posts that have been published about Baby Gage No. 2.

Whew!

I am so relieved that I can get to posting in a normal way, where my mind can be whole and one again instead of continually watching myself for any little thing that I might say to give it away.

So glad I am back.


Evelyn Rae is thirteen months old, and I am 14 weeks along with "Ferris"

...and husband doesn't know how he feels about that little nickname. You'll get it if you read back to the very first few Baby II posts ;)

14 weeks

Nausea
a little better this week. Shh! Don't jinx it for me.

Skin

Also on the upswing? Please?

Weight/Clothes
I think I have officially popped. Like, today. Like as in, I all of a sudden looked super pregnant - TODAY. Belly band, both my husband and sister saying, "Wow. You look pregnant. Today." and they see me every day. So, yeah. See photo evidence. Holy crap. BABY IN THERE. You know, the size of a peach and all.

Also - I found a prenatal yoga class to fit our schedule. SO EXCITED.

Also - now that the news is out - yay for tight t-shirts and such again! woo!

Cravings/Aversions

All over the place depending on if I am nauseous or ravenous. I would really, really like a glass of wine (or 12) though. Sad faces. Sitting on the porch drinking a chilled white wine is one of my favorite things to do in the summer.  Sigh.

Cramps/Pain
Weird pullings and feelings that if I didn't know better I might think were baby movements. But with that dang placenta in the way, I know they aren't. So, just weird stuff.

Sleeping

Dreaming and stuff. But, in a rare gift, my darling daughter has started sleeping a bi later in the morning. THANK YOU EVELYN RAE. Your mommy loves you. So, so much.

Heartburn

None this week. 

The Girls

A little sore for the first time really, but still the same size...as far as I can tell.

New this time around

Thinking about my baby girl being a big sister. I just still can't believe it. Though, she picked out a baby doll at the store a few weeks back and she is freaking adorable with it. She holds it to her chest and rocks it back and forth. So.cute.

Oh yeah, this again.

The stage where people don't know if you are fat or pregnant - people being strangers that is, since we made the big reveal on Facebook and this here blog this last week.

Mental State

So, so blessed and overwhelmed. I don't know why I was nervous to reveal to the whole world, you know nothing is official till its on Facebook, right? Everyone was seriously so amazing. The phone calls, text messages, blog comments and Facebook comments...I was so overwhelmed. I have been veering between excitement and anxiousness about two kiddos under two, but this week was definitely closer on the excitement side of the track over the last week. So thankful for happy friends and family.

14 weeks, last go round

Oh, and hey, lookey here!

I call this one, "Pregnancy with a one year old." Please note the crazy faces, the shirt tagging and imagine the adorable high pitched giggling.

Evelyn Rae is one year old, and I am 14 weeks along with Ferris 

... and let's all cross our fingers and hope that I am on an upswing for the energy and fun parts of pregnancy! 

It's Official!

We have a new header, which you can see above. Or below, if you are on Google Reader or something...

And, more importantly, Baby Gage No. 2 is on their way.

Surprise!

Did you guess this was the reason for the new header? I'll bet some of you suspected. You smarty pants. I didn't have to find a new "me" after all, as it turns out that the pregnant lady is still very symbolic of, well, me! (I'll still be messing with some of the dimensions for a bit, but  couldn't wait anymore!)

This is another of the "distractions" that has been keeping me from blogging as regularly lately, or really doing anything as regularly lately, really.

One, it was super, super hard not to slip up and mention, you know, BEING PREGNANT, in recent posts. Especially since this was a surprise to everyone involved!

Two, some posts got put on hold (like Ev's 12 month letter) because I couldn't leave out that we told her she was going to be a big sister!

Three, let me tell you - as much as I was exhausted while pregnant the first time around? Running after a one year old while doing it is insane. I have been so, so tired and am really ready for that second trimester peak of energy to surge in and make things great again.

Speaking of, as of Sunday I was officially 13 weeks along and due February 10th. Squee!

I have been doing "secret" blogs having to do with this pregnancy and baby all along, so I will be publishing those tomorrow, when they really happened, along with a special label link so that you can read 'em all without digging back through old posts and such.

The "official" announcement is going up on Facebook today, along with this photo...

Evelyn Rae is one year old and I am 13 weeks, 5 day along with No. 2 (or whatever nickname we finally settle on)

...and HOLY EXCITEMENT! I am having a baby!

Annnnd...

I'm a big fat liar.

Tomorrow?

I promise?

Ugh. There is one.little.detail. that isn't quite right yet and driving me nuts...

But, ugh. Friends.

I am le tired.

So, à demain.


Evelyn Rae is one year old

...and girl has been crazy busy and all over the place lately. Crazy, I tell ya.

New Header!

Coming tomorrow.

Hahaha.

Psyched you out.

No, seriously.

Putting on the finishing touches and it will debut tomorrow... or overnight tonight. Or sometime.


EXCITE.


Evelyn Rae is a whole year old

...and girl deserves a shout out on the header too, don't you think? ;)

13 weeks

Nausea
THE WORST it has been. Seriously. I still haven't thrown up, thank goodness, but now it is in the morning and at night. WHAT the heck. I need this to be done. Now. I just joked with the ladies at our 12 week screen today (done a little late because of a cancelled business trip the hubs originally had scheduled). 

Skin

Getting better, maybe? I hope so. Le sigh. At least I don't have fat face yet. 

Weight/Clothes
Wore my first belly band this week. Just because the button style couldn't handle the hairband trick though, and things still button, they are just uncomfortable by the end of the day. 

I am also gaining weight differently. Like, I have only gained 6.8 pounds overall, but it is sort of all around my body instead of just up front, if that makes sense. Puffiness on my hips - not used to that. Lame.

Cravings/Aversions

Ugh. Food. Coconut water, and strangely enough, SlimFast shakes have been my friends. NO, I am NOT TRYING TO DIET. Let's get that straight, that is crazy talk. But, something about those shakes helps to coat my stomach and settle the nausea. Anything that works is a-ok in my book. 

Cramps/Pain
Eh. Weird stuff. Random little things that feel like movement, but aren't - probably organs moving and stuff. No movement yet, and apparently not for a while as I just found out at this ultrasound that my placenta is square in the front of my uterus. Lame-o.  

Sleeping

Oy. Vivid dreams are BACK. Weird stuff. Weird, weird stuff.

Heartburn

None this week. 

The Girls

Chillin'.

New this time around

The lightheadedness is for real. This week while walking around Target with Ev in the cart, I had to steer into a makeup aisle and sit down on the edge of the bottom display shelf for a minute. 

Why the makeup aisle? Because it is heavily populated with women and I actually thought, "Surely, someone here would be smart enough to pick up my baby out of the cart and try to rouse me should I actually pass out." I didn't so that's good. The doc says to keep her informed, but if I am drinking tons of water, check, and eating a good amount of food, check, then I should be fine here in a bit.

Oh yeah, this again.

The hair growth, like everywhere. I have shaved my legs like daily. This is ridiculous, come on fall.

Mental State

Doing well, especially after everything looked a-ok at our screening appointment today. A and I are trying to figure out a whole bunch of stuff, like the fact that we may in fact find out the sex of this baby in advance - eek! - and if we do, and it's a girl - what's her name? and if it's a boy - what about the whole circumcision thing? I won't say who is on which side of the debate, but it is going to need to be a discussion.

Also, we took the announcement photo yesterday! Eeek! We are going to tell people this week!

Apparently I had no 13 week post last time? Lame.

Evelyn Rae is one year old, and I am 13 weeks along with Ferris 

... and I am sort of nervous to tell "the world" and I don't know why!