Update on Craziness

I am here, but absent. Mainly just busy, so here is a quick recap:

• I have NOT had the baby yet. 6 weeks to go.
• Starting on Thursday I will be working from a home office. Great news. Bad news is I have to completely clean out my current office. By tomorrow. Yikes!
• I still have no car, but will be getting one on December 15th. I can't believe the deal we found and I am getting more car than I ever dreamed of. I'm getting one of these.

• It's a 1999, but it is fully loaded and my hubby says it is heaven. I haven't seen it or driven it, but I cannot wait to get it!!!!!
• Work is crazy busy as I try and finalize all my plans for next year before this baby decides it is time to pop out.
• Still trying to get the baby's room done.
• Trying to get a home office put together.
• Today is my two year wedding anniversary. We both temporarily forgot.
• Today is my step mother's b-day.
• Christmas is coming... (sound effect of Jaws music)
• Hanukkah is coming... (sound effect of Jaws music)
• Did I mention we celebrate both?
• Did I mention they are on the same day this year?
• My birthday is coming up. Not biggie, not on the radar, hubby will be out of town.
• My sister's b-day is coming up.
• I'm broke.
• We only have 2 packages of newborn diapers. Think I need some more? ;-)
• Baby bag is packed. My hospital bag is packed. Car seat is in the car, not installed, but at least it is in the car.
• Did I mention we only have one car right now.

Well that about covers it. What's new with you?

Speedracer has bit the dust

My poor old car has finally had it. It started overheating on Sunday so we took it in yesterday after it started overheating again on my way to work. The short story, it will cost more to fix the car than the car is worth. So, the good news: I get a new car. The bad news: we can't afford one. The bad news also means that instead of waiting until next year and maybe getting what I wanted, we will just have to get me what we can afford. Bummer.

You would think I would be happy about getting a new car. Somewhere deep inside me I am, but part of me is not. Blame it on the pregnancy hormones, but I will miss that car. It was the first new (used for 1 year) car that I ever had. It would be 10 years old next year. It got me through the end of college and the beginning of my new life in Houston. It made many a trip from Austin to Houston as I commuted back and forth on the weekends between school and boyfriend. I am truly mourning the loss of my car. How silly is that. There are so many things wrong with that car, yet I like my car.

I have spent 5 years locking and unlocking the car from the passenger side because the lock in the driver's door fell out. Until my husbnad put in a CD player and windshielf antennae two year ago, radio was a commodity that I sometimes got and sometimes didn't. Otherwise I used the tape deck or a portable CD player hooked into the lighter. The lighter is just a hole because I lost the lighter part long ago. There are wounds in the car from my smoking days where I didn't quite make it out the window or accidentally rammed my lit cigarette into the ceiling or dropped it in my lap. The hubcap that fell off 7 years ago that I never got fixed is still in the trunk. The ceiling sports some mean water stains due to the sun roof leaking. It was a horrible trip to Dallas in a major storm that was the first time I realized the sun roof leaked. Conveniently, it happened right after my warranty expired. I drove from Austin to Dallas with a drip on my head and a puddle in my passenger seat.

I had my first wreck in that car. It was two days after my first ever speeding ticket. I was 21 years old. Me and my room mate were leaving 6th street and it was drizzling. I was going very slow, but didn't quite stop in time for the red light. I hydroplaned into the Buick in front of me. Not a scratch on the Buick. My car is plexiglass in the front so it was torn up pretty bad. I was hysterical. My newish car, my first wreck. I was sure the car was totalled. It was the end of the world. Yet, I made it through. $2000 worth of damage and a month later, I had my car back in one piece.

I had my second wreck in that car. This one was worse. I pulled out of a blind intersection and was hit by a lady going about 35 miles an hour. Neither of us was too hurt. I had some bruises and hit my head, but my car was not so good. Neither car was driveable. I was even more of a basketcase this time because I had a warrant for an unpaid speeding ticket. Nothing too exciting, just never paid the ticket because I was a) lazy and b) broke and my money went to drinking and school instead of important things like staying out of jail. The police were nice enough to let me go since I was a crying, hysterical ball of estrogen. This time it was more money and more time and the place that fixed it, didn't so much fix it as jam it all back together and call it fixed. It never ran the same.

Goodbye old friend. I will miss you terribly. You have been good to me, even when you didn't want to run and I pushed you anyway. Goodbye.

Times, They Are A-Changin'

What a week of change. I

did finally do something in the baby's room. It's not much but it is a start.

Today I chopped my hair off, about 3.5 inches and I love it!

I got a flu shot today. I don't normally get flu shots, but my doctor suggested I do it just in case, being preggo and all.

I have another shower tomorrow and I'm excited about that. I will get to see my group of girl friends that I really haven't seen much of lately and I miss them.

And then... I have big news. It has to do with work and you know how we shouldn't talk about work, lest we get dooced, but I will tell you that the news involves a moving of offices and less of a drive.

I'm feeling bigger than ever and am definitely in full pregnant glory. Sore hips, slight swelling, waddle and all. So, I've got that going for me.

My dear, sweet hubby drove all the way into H Town today and picked me up a recliner. I have not been so excited to own a recliner in my life. Heck, I never thought I would even own a recliner. But do you know what a recliner means, people? It means I might actually get to sleep in the next 2 months. Yippee for sleep!

All in all, Life... it is good.

Breakin' into the Rap World

I may try to keep this here blog pretty clean, but in real life, I have quite the potty mouth. Some how typing cuss words makes me think twice about "saying" them "out loud". But stick me in a car in everyday traffic and I let it fly. I have even had a baseball player tell me to watch my mouth. That was in my college days where not only did I cuss like a sailor, but I was the Captain Cusser. Now I try to curb it a little more, and there are certain terms that I just won't use anymore except for if I am dangling off the deep end by one thumb, but I still cuss quite a bit. I'm trying to cut down on that of course so as to not have my baby's first word come out as Sh&% or F#$%. My husband doesn't cuss at all. He might occassionally let one slip when he is really mad, but never around me does he let one fly. My husband is constantly calling me big cusser and telling people he is married to a sailor. Just now my husband told me my rap name is Big Cusser.

"I love it when you call me Big Cusser"

Bitchfest '05

I think I have done pretty well during this pregnancy of not complaining since I haven't had too much to complain about. I know that I am very lucky in this regard. But all of that changed last week and now the time has come for Bitchfest November '05.

Walking: walking used be something that I didn't think much about. I just did it. One foot in front of the other, no problem. Now? This baby is so low that sometimes I get up and I don't know if I can walk "around" the kid. Can you please get out of my hips? Nobody likes a waddler.

Sleep: Ah, sleep, that wonderful thing of the past. I know that my body is probably preparing me for nights to come once the little one is here, but being up for 3 hours in the middle of the night for no reason has got to stop. It is especially fun when I have taken Tylen*l PM, but still wake up a couple of hours later in a nice groggy drugged state thinking about things that make no sense what-so-ever, like aliens and Indians. And then I'm up for three hours, for NO REASON. No reason.

Hiccups: The little one has started getting hiccups. It is cute really and I like to keep my hand there and feel him/her fight through them. But last night? I could feel the hiccups in my butt! I don't know what your idea of a great place to hang out is, oh little one, but Mommy's rear end has enough problems, thank you very much. Also, that nice little placement makes Mommy think she has to go to the bathroom, when she really doesn't. But at least just a little pee comes out, so at least it's not a total waste when I waddle to the bathroom 50 times a day and night.

Swelling: I haven't had to deal with swelling too much, but lately it has increased a little. And Mommy no likey. I like my shoes to fit when I put them on. I miss my wedding ring too! And my feet, well, they look better as a size 6 narrow, so please leave them alone. I will drink more water, I promise.

Baby Room: What baby room? This is the baby's room right now.

I'm almost 32 weeks and starting to freak out! What if this baby comes early? We are soooo not ready. Everyday I say I am going to work on it when I go home. And everyday I go home exhausted and tired and lay on the couch like a big sack of lazy. My goal is to tackle it tonight. At least to start. There I said it. Now that it's out there, maybe I will be held accountable and so maybe that will motivate me to actually tackle this room. Agh.

So, I warned you with the name of this post, if you made it this far, congrats. Here's a belly pic.

Showered in baby

I had my first baby shower on Wednesday evening. My dear friend D was nice enough to be the hostess for my work shower. Even though we don't work together anymore, I can't imagine anyone else throwing me a shower. D threw me my first bridal shower too. I had a cute little cake and got lots for the baby. Goodness did I get some great stuff. I really am blessed with wonderful friends and co-workers.

I still have not cleaned out the baby room, but I really do have to get on that soon or this baby will have all his/her clothes still in bags. Will do as soon as I get some time. No, really I will.

I am finally starting to not feel sick which is nice, but sleep evades me every night and I'm getting a little cranky. I know I have to get used to it, but when I'm up for no reason what so ever and I'm exhausted, I don't like it. Being up with a baby at least has a purpose.

This week has been a crazy week with family and friends and ups and downs and I'm really ready for it to be over. We have a wedding that is about 5 hours away this weekend and although I'm looking forward to seeing family I haven't seen since last year, I am dreading the drive.

Junk in the Trunk

My MIL sent this to me awhile back and it made me laugh. I had to share it. It is from a Nike ad.

MY BUTT IS BIG
and round like the letter C
and ten thousand lunges
have made it rounder
but not smaller
and that's just fine.
It's a space heater
for my side of the bed
It's my ambassador
to those who walk behind me (I love this line in particular)
It's a border collie
that herds skinny women
away from the best deals
at clothing sales.
MY BUTT IS BIG
and that's just fine
and those who might scorn it
are invited to kiss it.
JUST DO IT.

Happy Halloween. I'm back at work and hopefully going to make it through the day. Feeling much better, but still dragging a little bit. Thank you for all the words of encouragement to get better. I am officially 30 weeks pregnant. I can't believe it! 2 months to go. And the baby room? Still nothing. But that is changing this week. I got the bed out of there so that is a start!

Sniff

I have been sick for a week and a half now. Cold has kicked my butt. I guess since the baby get's all the good stuff, my body can't fight off the infection. I'm so tired of being sick and tired. Hope to be back soon.

Baby Talk

I am amazed that I have not talked non-stop about this pregnancy. Strange for me. So I thought I would fill you all in on a little baby talk, because who doesn't like baby talk?

On Sunday I will officially by 7 months. Jazzy Baby moves around a lot these days, but mostly at night and in the morning as is usually the case. I have had a pretty easy 2nd trimester. Some small aches and pains, but in general I have felt great and have enjoyed being pregnant. Even in my first trimester I enjoyed being pregnant despite feeling pukey all the time. I guess I just always wanted to be a Mom so I am just thrilled to have this little life growing inside me.

I have read some pregnancy books, but tend to just read as far as I am along. I really need to start getting to that birth and after part so that I am prepared. Speaking of prepared, I'm not really. I mean, I'm as prepared as you can get to be a Mom, but the baby's room? Does not exist. We moved into our house a year ago this Thanksgiving and the guest room was never really unpacked. Well, guess what room is going to be the baby's room? That's right. I have done nothing in terms of cleaning out that room. I keep putting it off and I keep telling hubbie that I can't clean that one out until he cleans the office, because half of what is in the guest room has to go in the office. My first shower is November 2 and if I don't get that room cleaned out, I don't know what I am going to do with all the stuff I have to bring home!

We are doing a surf/beach theme in the room. As most of you know, we do not know if we are having a boy or a girl and won't be finding out until I give birth. I am not a real girlie girl and my hubbie is a big surfer/beach guy and I love the beach too, so hence the theme. I love the colors since they are not pastel, I hate pastels! If we have a girl, it will be a little masculine, but we will add lots of red, my favorite color, and white to tone down the boyishness. Unfortunatley for us, all of this was their summer stuff so most of it is gone. Some of it can be found on ebay and my step mother and MIL bought a lot of it before it left the stores.

We are going to paint the room yellow with a blue ceiling. One wall is going to have a beach mural painted on it. I am going to put those glow in the dark stars on the ceiling so that it looks like night. I can't wait to see what it looks like when it's done. But I guess that means I really need to get started cleaning it out!

We have some basics, like a stroller and carrier, and some clothes, but that is about it. I am slowly starting to freak out about getting ready for this baby. In the next three months I have exactly two weekends that are not booked with a trip out of town or a shower or a wedding or people visiting. TWO free weekends, people. And money for all the stuff we need! I am going to have to pull it out of my butt! I guess I better get used to it. So, I'm starting the slow slide to panic, but I'm not there yet.

I think I felt the baby have hiccups yesterday morning. Felt kind of like a muscle spasm, but it ws pretty consistent on my left side. I am getting bigger and starting to have a harder time getting comfortable at night. I know it's only going to get worse. I have gained some more weight, but feel like I am doing pretty good. As of my last doc appointment I had gained a total of 14 pounds. I hope to stay on that track and gain a total of 30. I'm surprised at how well I have done considering I was slightly overweight when I got pregnant and I eat ice cream and gummi bears almost every day. Watching the Astros game they were talking about Eckstein who plays for the Cardinals (booooo) and saying that he is 5'7" and weighs 165. I am 5'3" and weigh 164. Maybe I can go play major league baseball? I thought it was pretty funny.

Well, that's the update.

In other baby news, Bekah is going to be an Aunt today. Go tell her congrats!!!!!!!!!

Blog it Forward

No, not the kind we are used to, well kind of. This week, not one, but two of my friends have broken down and started blogging. I am so excited!!!!

Ms. Southern Snob just got married a couple of weeks ago, I got to be the token pregnant bridesmaid! And the title of her blog does not do her justice, because she is so NOT a snob.

And my friend D left me here at work to go work from home lucky dog, but now I can keep up with her on her blog.

Both of them are dear friends of mine and I am so glad they decided to start blogging! Let the blog addiction begin!! Now go say hi!

What to do with a belly for Halloween?

I don't really want to go to a costume party dressed as a pregnant nun. That's so old news and so ordinary. So I'm looking to you dear internet and your breadth of creativity to help me come up with a costume for me and my belly.

Some ideas I have seen are to go as Brittany Spears pregnant and my hubbie to go as Kevin Federline, but I don't think I want to show that much skin and I don't think I can talk hubby into that one. Also, painting the belly. I also thought I could just take a baby outfit and pin it upside down onto a shirt and go as a pregnant Mommy. Boring.

So help! What should I go as? Possible prizes to be awarded for best ideas and the idea that I use. Special bonus points for it being cheap and easy, because, hello, I'm pregnant!

Vacation Pictures

View from Sheraton in Boston

Boston Architecture
Plymouth Rock
Mayflower II
Cheers - The Original
Fog in Booth Bay Harbor, Maine
Lighthouse
Schooner
Doggie Driver
Hampton Beach, New Hampshire

I'm backkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

I'm back, but swamped.

Just a couple of quick things to update.

Vacation was fabulous! Pictures to come soon!

Baby getting bigger. Glucose test fine despite gallons and gallons of ice cream and tons of gummi bears I eat now.

UT beat the hell outta OU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooo hoooo!

Astros went the distance and beat the Braves!!!!!!!!! Woooooo Hoooooo!

Texans kept to their potential and lost as usual. We've come to expect that.

Work crazy. It took me all day to get through my 400+ emails.

Running out of time to do anything for this baby including getting showered. We have so many weddings and out of town trips in the next three months, we may have to baby shower after the baby is already here!

I'm glad to be home, but I need a vacation from my vacation.

Maine here we come

In all this Rita talk, I had not really had time to get excited about our upcoming vacation. We leave on Saturday for a week up in the great Northeast. We fly into Boston and then on to this place for a week of relaxation and exploration. I am so excited! I have never been to this area of the country and can't wait to see what a real Fall looks like with changing leaves and the like.

I did just look at the weather up there and OMG High of 70ish and lows in the 40's. I'm gonna freeze. Lucky for me I have a built in oven on my belly, but I am still going to freeze. I know those of you that live in those areas are laughing your butts off at me, but today we have a heat index of 115 possible. Right now it is almost 5 and it feels like 104. so dressing for the plane ride from here to Boston should be interesting.

I have nothing to wear in cold weather seeing as none of my normal winter clothes fit over my belly. I guess it's time for a belly shot too. I'll get right on that.

Rita not so Rocky for Houston

Well, I'm back to the grind and things are fairly normal for me, but I am one of the lucky ones. We safely made it to Austin on Thursday evening. It took us about 6.5 hours, which compared to some people's nightmare trips, was nothing. I took us through the back roads of southeast Texas and it worked out well for us. Luckily we live on the northside of Houston so we didn't have to come through all the bad traffic and we didn't have to get on any major freeway until we got to Austin.

It took my MIL 9.5 hours to get from her house to our house which is normally a 1 hour drive. She left her house at 1 in the morning too, but that didn't help. My parents went to Shreveport, we have family there, to ride out the storm. It took them 17 hours to get there (it's normally a 4-5 hour drive). And unlucky for them, Rita passed right over Shreveport at some point. They got a lot of rain, but other than that are okay.

Granted, my experience was a pretty good one so I am probably not a good cross section, but I think the state and local officials did a pretty good job with the evacuation. There really is no good way to evacuate 3 million people. The main problem really is the gas shortage. We still don't have gas at any station near our house, but right now I am okay on gas.

I'm so glad that all of my family and friends made it through this storm safe. My heart goes out to those in East Texas and Western Louisiana who were not so lucky. I'm sorry for their losses.

Thank you to everyone who had good wishes for me and my family. We did come home to find our two pear trees from our front yard laying mostly in the street. We lost one completely it looks like, but the other one may be salvagable. It will look funny without it's twin though. All in all not too bad. The winds were still strong when we got home on Saturday, but other than that we have had hot, humid weather, with heat indexes of 112 possible today. Fun stuff.

Safe and Sound

Yesterday we decided to be better safe than sorry and made our way to Austin. We waited for my mother in law who left her house at 1 AM Thursday morning and got to our house, normally an hour and 15 minute drive, 9.5 hours later. Poor thing. Then we turned around and got in out cars and drove to Austin. I took us a bunch of back roads, some out of the way, but we got to Austin in about 6 hours, which considering what has happened to some people, is really good. And we both had half tanks of gas. We are safe and it looks the like worst of the storm will miss us. I am praying for all those in the direct path of Rita though. If you are still in the path, be safe and God bless.

No Ritas for Me

I guess Rita hasn't heard that I am pregnant and therefore not allowed any of her kind. I guess she doesn't really care.

At this time we are planning on riding the storm out at the house. Work is an unknown for the next two days, but I will for sure not be around on Friday, but tomorrow is questionable. I hope to at least be able to leave early the next two days as the major route home is also one of the major evacuation routes.

So, everyone who might be affected by this storm, be careful, be safe and be smart. God Bless.

Pooper slots

My husband just called me pooper slots. And that is normal believe it or not. No wonder I ended up with the name Shooter.

Babbling Post

I've been crazy busy and hence the no posting lately. So here is what has been going on lately in a nutshell.

Work is nuts; moved my office across the building from the rest of my department because we ran out of room and I'm the only one that is moveable. And I'm so busy that I haven't had time to unpack a thing except what was on my desk when I moved.

We leave in two weeks for a week vacation to Maine (yippee). Leave on the day of a major event in which I have to have all of my holiday events planned and printed.

In wedding this past weekend. It was beautiful and the bride was gorgeous. I'm exhausted. I can't hang like I used to. Got to dance which I haven't done since before I got pregnant. There is something just wrong about a 6 month pregnant woman rolling to Usher. But I had a blast.

Have another wedding next weekend. Have 3 more between then and the end of the year. Fun stuff really.

Oh and we are in the middle of planning for next year at work on top of everything else.

We have done absolutely zero on the baby's room. In fact, I haven't even cleared out the room from when we moved in last Thanksgiving.

So, needless to say, Momma is exhausted and busy and blogging has unfortunately taken a back seat. I miss it though and hope to be back soon.

Oh and hubby bought us a computer. Not sure when we get it or when we will get internet, but OMG I am excited!!!!!!!!!!!

Random Question Day

How do you make a connection?