Okay, not to reference the book or movie...just my nightly adventures! Most of my friends and family know that I have WILD dreams on a regular basis...add pregnancy to that and that just get Ka-razier! Holy Moly! Some nights I actually look forward to what adventure may happen and other nights I dread the craziness! Also, most nights I can track my dreams to what I've watched, read, or done lately. Not so much these days! Now it is full on wack-a-mole craziness happening in my brain. If some scientist could ever figure out how to put a USB port in my brain to allow people to "plug in" they would be highly entertained...and maybe a little scared. Here are some highlights:
Lately I've been dreaming about kittens. Seriously? Kittens? I am highly allergic to cats! HIGHLY so I stay as far away from them as possible. Not because I'm not an animal person and not because I don't like them but because I physically can't be around them...so get this:
One night I dreamed that I was eating kittens...with chopsticks. It was like it was totally normal. I had a takeout box of rice on the left and a box of kittens on the right and I was going to town eating my rice and kittens. I remember picking up one and thinking, "Oh, you're too fluffy and fat. You won't go down well." And I put it back in the box and proceeded to eat some rice instead. So, now I want to go eat some Japanese but seriously, what were the kittens about?
The very next night I dreamed that one of my favorite kids wanted to give me a kitten. He lives on a farm and they have lots of animals and I dreamed that he told his dad he wanted to give me a kitten and when I got to work they were waiting on me and they gave me this kitten. I didn't tell them I was allergic (or that apparently I now eat them) or that I don't want a cat in the house and that cats aren't good for babies (right?). I took the kitten and loved it and took it home to be my pet. Okay...
Then last night I dreamed that a good friend in Memphis had me be a bridesmaid in a wedding for a girl I didn't know. The intended bridesmaid couldn't be in the wedding and I was the only person that she could think of that would fit in the dress and I could still fit in the dress but the whole time we tried to hide the fact that I was pregnant...and my parents knew the bride's family but I didn't. It was SO strange! And then the bride was wearing this necklace and we all thought it was gorgeous costume (fake) jewelry...and it turns out that it was REAL and it was worth Billions. Even the bride didn't know it was real until a wedding guest told her. It was just all so bizarre.
All my dreams are so bizarre! Of course, I guess I am, too!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
All Good in the Hood
We just got finished with our November doctor's appointment. I really wasn't thinking about what I wear to the doctor's office and how that can (and probably did) affect my weight. I am wearing my boots today and I had on my coat and this nurse gave me a look like, "I know you're not about to waste my time taking all that stuff off." So, I hopped on the scale with boots and coat on and what do you know...I'm up NINE pounds from last month! Hey, I'm not denying a weight gain but I certainly don't feel like it was NINE pounds. I wanted to ask for a re-do before we left but she had disappeared and you know I'd probably break the thing trying to turn it on and Jeff was ready to go...so I'm up a total of 14 pounds since August. Any bets at what I'll be in December?
So, after she weighed me we went in the exam room and she was trying to check the baby's heartbeat. Just when we'd start to hear it, it would stop...personally I think she should have left that wand on the spot where she picked it up but she thought my stomach was a race track and that little wand was her match car so she was zooming all around my belly. She finally got a "decent" reading but she didn't seem happy with it. Way to go Ricky Bobby! Maybe if you'd slow down a little and focus in on the BABY you'd get a decent reading. I wish Bren had been with me to tell this lady to stick to what she knows (that's a Juno reference for all you non-Juno lovers out there). The "disappointing reading" was 144 and to quote the nurse, "You've got a floppy baby!" She left and I looked at Jeff and said, "We've got a floppy baby." He looked at me funny and said, "I thought that's what she said."
So, all is well in the womb and we'll go back in December.
Bren: Oh, you think you're so special because you get to play Picture Pages up there? Well, my five year old daughter could do that and let me tell you, she's not the brightest bulb in the tanning bed. So why don't you go back to night school in Mantino and learn a real trade.
Juno: Bren! You's a dick! I love it!
Thank you...and scene.
So, after she weighed me we went in the exam room and she was trying to check the baby's heartbeat. Just when we'd start to hear it, it would stop...personally I think she should have left that wand on the spot where she picked it up but she thought my stomach was a race track and that little wand was her match car so she was zooming all around my belly. She finally got a "decent" reading but she didn't seem happy with it. Way to go Ricky Bobby! Maybe if you'd slow down a little and focus in on the BABY you'd get a decent reading. I wish Bren had been with me to tell this lady to stick to what she knows (that's a Juno reference for all you non-Juno lovers out there). The "disappointing reading" was 144 and to quote the nurse, "You've got a floppy baby!" She left and I looked at Jeff and said, "We've got a floppy baby." He looked at me funny and said, "I thought that's what she said."
So, all is well in the womb and we'll go back in December.
Bren: Oh, you think you're so special because you get to play Picture Pages up there? Well, my five year old daughter could do that and let me tell you, she's not the brightest bulb in the tanning bed. So why don't you go back to night school in Mantino and learn a real trade.
Juno: Bren! You's a dick! I love it!
Thank you...and scene.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Facebook, Gender and Clothes?
Please feel free to give me your thoughts and opinions on these subjects. These are thoughts that have been "marinating" for a while. I've always had thoughts, like I'm sure every adult does, "When I have a kid I will..." "When I have a kid I won't..." And the reality is that we won't know until we have that kid and begin to find that whole family balance and what we can, can't, will, and won't tolerate! I just don't know how I'm going to react to things and here are the things that I've been thinking about as we get further along in this pregnancy and closer to finding out who my passenger is and closer to "D-Day".
Facebook: The older I get and the more I look at Facebook the less I like it. And yes, this comes from a person that checks it at least twice a day, sometimes more depending on what is going on with my day! I LOVE being able to keep up with family that is out of town and dear friends that live far away. I LOVE being able to see pictures of them and their families and what they are doing with their lives now. I HATE some of the train wreck people on there and yet I can't seem to delete them because they are kind of fun/funny to watch and make me feel better about myself and my life (sad but true). And so while I just said that I LOVE seeing my far away friends and pictures of them and their families I have had ZERO desire to post my news (Baby, new job, etc.) on FB and really don't feel like anyone posting my news either. It is OUR news (Jeff HATES all social media and hates that I have a FB account). I feel like it is OUR choice whether to say anything on social media and whether we post anything pertaining to us. For some reason I am loving having this bit of information semi-private. It's not a secret. We want the world to know but we want the world to know the old fashioned way, calling, visiting, e-mailing, texting. I just don't feel ready for social media...and then I have this other thought. This little nugget is too small to make the decision about whether he/she wants their life splashed across social media. What if this kid runs for president? What if this kid becomes an admiral, general, preacher, doctor, lawyer, environmental advocate...ANYTHING. Does this professional adult really want the world to be able to see silly baby pictures of him/her in the bathtub? Dressed for Halloween? I just don't know! I want to share this joy with my friends and family and I want to respect who this person may become one day. These are super deep thoughts about social media, I know...but that's what I'm thinking about lately! What's your take on these things?
Gender Reveal: So, I really feel the desire to NOT find out. Jeff wants to find out. Jeff Lester can keep a secret. He can rival Fort Knox. I'm pretty sure if Jeff Lester were ever kidnapped and dosed with truth serum he still wouldn't give up his secrets. He's that good. But if the doctor, nurse, ultrasound tech tells him I know it will eat at me for the remaining months that he knows and I don't! So, since he wants to know so badly I feel like we should find out. I feel the need for him to make some decisions about this baby, too and we will eventually find out so why not in December instead of April? Now, the second part of this is if we know do we tell others? I kind of want to keep it private (just the two of us). We can know and we can buy bedding and the bigger items and we can register for lots of yellow and green things for everything else and the world can be surprised in April. Well, I have a big mouth! Yep, even I know it. And I know that I would say, "Well, his room is almost ready" or "She's going to be..." and just blow that right out of the water. Why I want to hold and cherish this nugget of information is beyond me...but I do. And then there is the "fairness" of telling people. Who do we tell first? Do we have a party? Do we ask our family to keep our secret? I do feel if we decide to tell our family what we're having then we won't ask them to keep it a secret. I can't ask them to do something I'm not sure I can do myself! So, we'll probably find out and probably tell our family at Christmas and then tell our extended family and friends the way we told them we were expecting.
Names: I really do think we might keep the name to ourselves. Again, don't know why. I just think we've told everything else, we might as well savor something before the world gets to know. I have a lot of friends that haven't told the names of their passengers and I didn't get it at first and now I do! Different reasons from different people. One friend didn't want her family to bash the name she and her husband picked so they didn't tell. Another friend didn't tell because she didn't want a bunch of monogrammed clothes that she couldn't pass down to other possible future children. I kind of like both of their reasoning. I'm not saying there will be future babies...or there won't. I'm just saying that if we have a kid now we might want to be able to share clothes with friends and family members and by not having names and monograms on them we can actually share. Another thing that a friend said is that she and her husband didn't share what they were having because they didn't want to get a sea of blue items or a sea of pink. They wanted bottles, diapers, and other useful items. She was telling me that when people know what you're having they ditch the registry and buy the cutsie things they want instead of what you need. And yet another friend said the style of your child is something that you get to choose and when people know what you're having they seem to want to buy clothes for your kids when in reality you probably don't like anything they buy. Which brings me to my next topic..clothes.
Clothes: If this is a girl there will be no sequins or rhinestones or a lot of other things...we're having a daughter, not a stripper. If this is a boy, no jon-jon embroidered mess. I told a friend once long ago that I thought it looked like people really wanted a girl and dressed their boy in those frilly clothes to try and compensate for the gender they didn't get. So, save your money folks. Well dress him or her in the clothes we feel are appropriate for their gender and age!
See, I'm thinking of all these things and we've got SO long to go! I don't know how I'll actually feel, react and be by the time we get to find out, pick a name and deliver this nugget. I just don't know but these are some of the random thoughts that are rumbling through my head!
Facebook: The older I get and the more I look at Facebook the less I like it. And yes, this comes from a person that checks it at least twice a day, sometimes more depending on what is going on with my day! I LOVE being able to keep up with family that is out of town and dear friends that live far away. I LOVE being able to see pictures of them and their families and what they are doing with their lives now. I HATE some of the train wreck people on there and yet I can't seem to delete them because they are kind of fun/funny to watch and make me feel better about myself and my life (sad but true). And so while I just said that I LOVE seeing my far away friends and pictures of them and their families I have had ZERO desire to post my news (Baby, new job, etc.) on FB and really don't feel like anyone posting my news either. It is OUR news (Jeff HATES all social media and hates that I have a FB account). I feel like it is OUR choice whether to say anything on social media and whether we post anything pertaining to us. For some reason I am loving having this bit of information semi-private. It's not a secret. We want the world to know but we want the world to know the old fashioned way, calling, visiting, e-mailing, texting. I just don't feel ready for social media...and then I have this other thought. This little nugget is too small to make the decision about whether he/she wants their life splashed across social media. What if this kid runs for president? What if this kid becomes an admiral, general, preacher, doctor, lawyer, environmental advocate...ANYTHING. Does this professional adult really want the world to be able to see silly baby pictures of him/her in the bathtub? Dressed for Halloween? I just don't know! I want to share this joy with my friends and family and I want to respect who this person may become one day. These are super deep thoughts about social media, I know...but that's what I'm thinking about lately! What's your take on these things?
Gender Reveal: So, I really feel the desire to NOT find out. Jeff wants to find out. Jeff Lester can keep a secret. He can rival Fort Knox. I'm pretty sure if Jeff Lester were ever kidnapped and dosed with truth serum he still wouldn't give up his secrets. He's that good. But if the doctor, nurse, ultrasound tech tells him I know it will eat at me for the remaining months that he knows and I don't! So, since he wants to know so badly I feel like we should find out. I feel the need for him to make some decisions about this baby, too and we will eventually find out so why not in December instead of April? Now, the second part of this is if we know do we tell others? I kind of want to keep it private (just the two of us). We can know and we can buy bedding and the bigger items and we can register for lots of yellow and green things for everything else and the world can be surprised in April. Well, I have a big mouth! Yep, even I know it. And I know that I would say, "Well, his room is almost ready" or "She's going to be..." and just blow that right out of the water. Why I want to hold and cherish this nugget of information is beyond me...but I do. And then there is the "fairness" of telling people. Who do we tell first? Do we have a party? Do we ask our family to keep our secret? I do feel if we decide to tell our family what we're having then we won't ask them to keep it a secret. I can't ask them to do something I'm not sure I can do myself! So, we'll probably find out and probably tell our family at Christmas and then tell our extended family and friends the way we told them we were expecting.
Names: I really do think we might keep the name to ourselves. Again, don't know why. I just think we've told everything else, we might as well savor something before the world gets to know. I have a lot of friends that haven't told the names of their passengers and I didn't get it at first and now I do! Different reasons from different people. One friend didn't want her family to bash the name she and her husband picked so they didn't tell. Another friend didn't tell because she didn't want a bunch of monogrammed clothes that she couldn't pass down to other possible future children. I kind of like both of their reasoning. I'm not saying there will be future babies...or there won't. I'm just saying that if we have a kid now we might want to be able to share clothes with friends and family members and by not having names and monograms on them we can actually share. Another thing that a friend said is that she and her husband didn't share what they were having because they didn't want to get a sea of blue items or a sea of pink. They wanted bottles, diapers, and other useful items. She was telling me that when people know what you're having they ditch the registry and buy the cutsie things they want instead of what you need. And yet another friend said the style of your child is something that you get to choose and when people know what you're having they seem to want to buy clothes for your kids when in reality you probably don't like anything they buy. Which brings me to my next topic..clothes.
Clothes: If this is a girl there will be no sequins or rhinestones or a lot of other things...we're having a daughter, not a stripper. If this is a boy, no jon-jon embroidered mess. I told a friend once long ago that I thought it looked like people really wanted a girl and dressed their boy in those frilly clothes to try and compensate for the gender they didn't get. So, save your money folks. Well dress him or her in the clothes we feel are appropriate for their gender and age!
See, I'm thinking of all these things and we've got SO long to go! I don't know how I'll actually feel, react and be by the time we get to find out, pick a name and deliver this nugget. I just don't know but these are some of the random thoughts that are rumbling through my head!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Ferocious Mama Bear
Have any of you ever seen how protective I can be of Jeff? Yeah, it's a bit of an issue I have. And it's not so much a "don't mess with my man" thing as, "Don't hurt my partner!" I love that guy more that I thought it was possible for people to love their husbands and I only want good things for him and I have a hard time with situations and people that I think might be hurtful and painful for him...even though he is a grown man and knows his own limits and doesn't do anything he can't handle. I still have a strong need to stand and protect.
Guys, it's going to get worse! If you think I'm a little over the top about Jeff then just wait for this nugget to arrive and see if I don't get arrested. It's going to be VERY hard for me to just let things happen and not try to control situations and people. I am going to need EVERY ONE'S help. Seriously, I need your prayers, support and understanding. I want this kid to grow up in a loving, happy and supportive environment...and a lot of that is on ME! I need to let this kid experience the love, support and affection (or lack thereof) from the world as it comes. I need to raise a happy, healthy child that is balanced and well adjusted enough to take the lumps that comes his/her way, as well as all the great things. I will need every one's help with this truly!
I am super sensitive to...everything right now. Smells, food, people, music, commercials, EVERYTHING! You name it and I will treat it like the spectators of the Gladiators all those years ago. Thumbs up or thumps down...I don't seem to be capable of easy middle ground. I either love stuff or I want to make it stop!
Smells: I have never been super sensitive to smells. Jeff is the person in the house with the "dog nose". But now I smell everything and it is ROUGH! There is an air freshener at work that I seriously contemplated asking our office manager to remove from the building because I swear it gives me a headache! One morning we met Jeff's family for breakfast at IHOP and I had to leave the table because the guy seated behind me smelled like smoke, wood smoke and cigarette smoke. I had to move away from someone at a dinner one night because her perfume was too strong for me. I hate going into certain shops because of all the smells, candles, air freshners, etc.! And there are some people that smell SO good! Someone at work has the best smelling perfume! I haven't figured out who yet but she smells great! Oh, and cookies! I love the smell of cookies....or bakeries. I swear I'd bake cookies every night just to make the house smell like fresh baked cookies! Once I tried to clean out the fridge and while nothing smelled offensive to me the thought of something smelling offensive sent me running to the bedroom and I was yelling at Jeff to clean out the fridge!
So, FYI friends and family! If I find your smells, your house, your perfume, your pheremons offensive I will move away...and I hear you can't bathe newborns every day so DO NOT come to the hospital or my house reeking of something offensive. And if your perfume makes the list...tough noogies. You have two choices; don't wear the offensive smelling agent or don't come over. If I can't wash the kid's clothes and body every day I won't smell that nastiness every day either! You are forewarned!
Noises: noises have always bothered me and the way certain people (myself included) have baby-talked and treated babies like dogs. I have never worn dangly, jangly bracelets and necklaces and I really don't like them on other people...I don't want to "hear" you when I can't see you. And when you are expressive and talk with your hands (like I do) it bothers me even more! There are so many times lately (since our nephew and all our friends have been having kids) that I have noticed people talking to babies like they are dogs, snapping and clicking, clucking and being SO loud and annoying with them...If you treat my kid like a dog I will tell you that it is a human not a canine and tell (NOT ASK) you to stop. And if you baby talk my kid in that super annoying way (wish I could explain that better) I will tell you that we have a mini-human, not a clown and there is no need to treat my small, short, tiny human in such a way. Yeah, words are totally fine with us...stick with them.
AND multiple noises! I can't take multiple things going at the same time. If we (a group of people) are talking I can't take someone turning up the TV. If we're watching TV I can't handle the radio going. If we're listening to music I can't handle having the TV, unless it's on mute and there is a game on. I need one activity, one noise maker, one thing at a time. It's like brain-overload if there are multiple things happening at once...like people talking, TV going and someone singing. Nope, can't handle it. So, FYI, if you're at our house there will be only one thing going at a time and if this is after the kid has arrived it will probably be music, no TV.
There are going to be SO many things that bother me. And some of it is because I'm going to be the inexperienced mother trying to find the work, home, family, life balance. Some of it will be things that annoyed me before either still annoy me...or are amplified now that I'm pregnant...and soon to be a mother. I am not kidding and I am not being silly and I am not over-exaggerating when I say I need your love, support, understanding and prayers as I try to tackle this new adventure. I will need my family and friends to tell me that I am overracting and to snap out of it (think of Cher in Moonstruck!) and sometimes I'm going to need a hug and a "Tori, you're being a little riducluous" and sometimes I'm going to need you folks to say, "How can I help?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x-fkSYDtUY
You know the old saying, "It takes a village to raise a child?" I will need my village! We will need all of you to help us become the parents we want to be and we will need all of you to help, love and support this kid. Together we can make it through and have a happy, healthy, balanced, loving child that grows into a happy, healthy, balanced loving adult. It will take a village and we are blessed to have such a strong and special village!
Guys, it's going to get worse! If you think I'm a little over the top about Jeff then just wait for this nugget to arrive and see if I don't get arrested. It's going to be VERY hard for me to just let things happen and not try to control situations and people. I am going to need EVERY ONE'S help. Seriously, I need your prayers, support and understanding. I want this kid to grow up in a loving, happy and supportive environment...and a lot of that is on ME! I need to let this kid experience the love, support and affection (or lack thereof) from the world as it comes. I need to raise a happy, healthy child that is balanced and well adjusted enough to take the lumps that comes his/her way, as well as all the great things. I will need every one's help with this truly!
I am super sensitive to...everything right now. Smells, food, people, music, commercials, EVERYTHING! You name it and I will treat it like the spectators of the Gladiators all those years ago. Thumbs up or thumps down...I don't seem to be capable of easy middle ground. I either love stuff or I want to make it stop!
Smells: I have never been super sensitive to smells. Jeff is the person in the house with the "dog nose". But now I smell everything and it is ROUGH! There is an air freshener at work that I seriously contemplated asking our office manager to remove from the building because I swear it gives me a headache! One morning we met Jeff's family for breakfast at IHOP and I had to leave the table because the guy seated behind me smelled like smoke, wood smoke and cigarette smoke. I had to move away from someone at a dinner one night because her perfume was too strong for me. I hate going into certain shops because of all the smells, candles, air freshners, etc.! And there are some people that smell SO good! Someone at work has the best smelling perfume! I haven't figured out who yet but she smells great! Oh, and cookies! I love the smell of cookies....or bakeries. I swear I'd bake cookies every night just to make the house smell like fresh baked cookies! Once I tried to clean out the fridge and while nothing smelled offensive to me the thought of something smelling offensive sent me running to the bedroom and I was yelling at Jeff to clean out the fridge!
So, FYI friends and family! If I find your smells, your house, your perfume, your pheremons offensive I will move away...and I hear you can't bathe newborns every day so DO NOT come to the hospital or my house reeking of something offensive. And if your perfume makes the list...tough noogies. You have two choices; don't wear the offensive smelling agent or don't come over. If I can't wash the kid's clothes and body every day I won't smell that nastiness every day either! You are forewarned!
Noises: noises have always bothered me and the way certain people (myself included) have baby-talked and treated babies like dogs. I have never worn dangly, jangly bracelets and necklaces and I really don't like them on other people...I don't want to "hear" you when I can't see you. And when you are expressive and talk with your hands (like I do) it bothers me even more! There are so many times lately (since our nephew and all our friends have been having kids) that I have noticed people talking to babies like they are dogs, snapping and clicking, clucking and being SO loud and annoying with them...If you treat my kid like a dog I will tell you that it is a human not a canine and tell (NOT ASK) you to stop. And if you baby talk my kid in that super annoying way (wish I could explain that better) I will tell you that we have a mini-human, not a clown and there is no need to treat my small, short, tiny human in such a way. Yeah, words are totally fine with us...stick with them.
AND multiple noises! I can't take multiple things going at the same time. If we (a group of people) are talking I can't take someone turning up the TV. If we're watching TV I can't handle the radio going. If we're listening to music I can't handle having the TV, unless it's on mute and there is a game on. I need one activity, one noise maker, one thing at a time. It's like brain-overload if there are multiple things happening at once...like people talking, TV going and someone singing. Nope, can't handle it. So, FYI, if you're at our house there will be only one thing going at a time and if this is after the kid has arrived it will probably be music, no TV.
There are going to be SO many things that bother me. And some of it is because I'm going to be the inexperienced mother trying to find the work, home, family, life balance. Some of it will be things that annoyed me before either still annoy me...or are amplified now that I'm pregnant...and soon to be a mother. I am not kidding and I am not being silly and I am not over-exaggerating when I say I need your love, support, understanding and prayers as I try to tackle this new adventure. I will need my family and friends to tell me that I am overracting and to snap out of it (think of Cher in Moonstruck!) and sometimes I'm going to need a hug and a "Tori, you're being a little riducluous" and sometimes I'm going to need you folks to say, "How can I help?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x-fkSYDtUY
You know the old saying, "It takes a village to raise a child?" I will need my village! We will need all of you to help us become the parents we want to be and we will need all of you to help, love and support this kid. Together we can make it through and have a happy, healthy, balanced, loving child that grows into a happy, healthy, balanced loving adult. It will take a village and we are blessed to have such a strong and special village!
Getting real in November
So, here we are in November. I am fifteen weeks pregnant and the "What to Expect" app says that our little baby is the size of an Avocado this week. And I'm slowly starting to feel pregnant again. I have always been a stomach sleeper! ALWAYS! And I am finally "big" enough that I am very uncomfortable on my stomach. I remember when I went to prenatal yoga with a friend years ago that it was discussed in class that you shouldn't sleep on your back (which I've never liked anyway) and I'm trying to sleep on my side...my right side. Anytime I happen to flop over to the left side I get a huff and shove from Jeff to go back the other way. So, I've got three pillows and I'm trying to get comfortable but it's just not happening. What we NEED is a new bed. We were supposed to get each other a king sized bed for Christmas last year. At the moment I don't care if we keep our queen...I just want/need a new and firmer mattress and bed frame. After 10 years the bed and mattress are worn out. GET ME A NEW BED!
Wednesday we had two childhood friends lose their grandmother's and we were supposed to go to the visitation for one and the funeral for the other. It was going to be a long night but these two guys are important to us and we wanted to show them our love and support. Well, Wednesday around lunch I started cramping terribly. It hurt so badly that I was nauseous and had a headache! I went to talk to our office manager (she's had two kids) and asked her if I should call the doctor's office or if this was normal. I had looked it up online and it said that "lower abdominal achiness" was normal as the muscles and ligaments were stretching to support my growing baby. Well, being the weirdo that I am I called in any way just to be safe. The nurse was very calm and reassuring. She said it could be gas pains (we did have chili dogs at bunko the night before) and it could be my muscles, bones and ligaments moving, shifting and stretching to make room. She told me to take a Tylenol and give it two hours. If it was still hurting then they'd have a doctor see me. Lunch, Tylenol and putting my feet up for a few minutes really helped a lot but the cramps were still there and the thought of going around and visiting all night long just felt like too much for me. I asked Jeff if we could stay home. He said he would have made me even if I'd tried to power through. So, we stayed home and he cooked me dinner and I popped another Tylenol and went to bed at 8:00! Oh, it hurt SO bad! I really, really HURT and while it's hard to explain. It wasn't a cramp that freaked me out like, :"Uh oh, somethings wrong!" It wasn't that. But I definitely felt the need to stay home, lay down and rest. There are times to listen to your body and I really felt like my body was telling me to rest and as much as I wanted to be there for our friends during this difficult time in their lives I really felt like staying home and resting was the best thing for me.
Right now we refer to this baby as "Nugget". We've joked with friends that even when we find out what we're having and finally pick out a name we'll still call this baby, "Nugget." The best Christmas present we'll get this year will be to find out what the gender of "Nugget" is!
And I think I've got this personal time frame of Christmas = gender so I'm ready to put the tree up today! I have NEVER put up a Christmas tree before Thanksgiving...but I am SO ready to do it this year!! If you drive by our house and the tree is up...don't judge! I'm a little too excited this year!
Wednesday we had two childhood friends lose their grandmother's and we were supposed to go to the visitation for one and the funeral for the other. It was going to be a long night but these two guys are important to us and we wanted to show them our love and support. Well, Wednesday around lunch I started cramping terribly. It hurt so badly that I was nauseous and had a headache! I went to talk to our office manager (she's had two kids) and asked her if I should call the doctor's office or if this was normal. I had looked it up online and it said that "lower abdominal achiness" was normal as the muscles and ligaments were stretching to support my growing baby. Well, being the weirdo that I am I called in any way just to be safe. The nurse was very calm and reassuring. She said it could be gas pains (we did have chili dogs at bunko the night before) and it could be my muscles, bones and ligaments moving, shifting and stretching to make room. She told me to take a Tylenol and give it two hours. If it was still hurting then they'd have a doctor see me. Lunch, Tylenol and putting my feet up for a few minutes really helped a lot but the cramps were still there and the thought of going around and visiting all night long just felt like too much for me. I asked Jeff if we could stay home. He said he would have made me even if I'd tried to power through. So, we stayed home and he cooked me dinner and I popped another Tylenol and went to bed at 8:00! Oh, it hurt SO bad! I really, really HURT and while it's hard to explain. It wasn't a cramp that freaked me out like, :"Uh oh, somethings wrong!" It wasn't that. But I definitely felt the need to stay home, lay down and rest. There are times to listen to your body and I really felt like my body was telling me to rest and as much as I wanted to be there for our friends during this difficult time in their lives I really felt like staying home and resting was the best thing for me.
Right now we refer to this baby as "Nugget". We've joked with friends that even when we find out what we're having and finally pick out a name we'll still call this baby, "Nugget." The best Christmas present we'll get this year will be to find out what the gender of "Nugget" is!
And I think I've got this personal time frame of Christmas = gender so I'm ready to put the tree up today! I have NEVER put up a Christmas tree before Thanksgiving...but I am SO ready to do it this year!! If you drive by our house and the tree is up...don't judge! I'm a little too excited this year!
Go, go, go October
So, October was the craziest month of the year for us! The first weekend in October we went to Alabama for a family reunion with my mom's side of the family. I told my mom she could tell everyone because Jeff and I would have quietly told our family members individually and let the news spread over the weekend. Patti wanted to do one big announcement so I told her it was all up to her. Saturday morning the guys got up and went golfing (see a theme?). The girls were scattered around different houses doing different things. I was at my cousin Robin's house and her sister, my other cousin Rachel was there. I was doing so well not telling anyone anything but Rachel and I were in the kitchen alone and it was just too perfect not to tell her when she said, "When are you going to have a kid?" and I replied, "April". Her eyes got big! It was just too good of a moment to pass up! Well, two cousins-in-law showed up and the kitchen got busier and we were all getting ready to go to my aunt & uncle's house so I didn't say anything to any of the other cousins.
Well, Rachel snuck off and told her sister Robin while we were all packing up. Robin, Rachel & I had to stop at the grocery store and Rachel told me that she had told Robin so while the three of us ran errands and shopped we talked families and babies and stuff like that. I hate that we live four hours away but I sure do love the fact that no matter how long it's been since we've seen each other we pick up right where we left off and have the best time when we're together! LOVE IT! Jeff and I joke that if we ever win the lottery we're going to move to Athens and have our "home base" there as we travel around. We love that town and the family that lives there (and around it!)
So, the guys finally get back from golf and we're all hanging out in the backyard watching football and enjoying a great afternoon. Jeff leans over and tells me he told Trevor (which I expected him to do). I told him I told Rachel & Robin (which he expected me to do). My dad was sitting next to us and we asked if they had told anyone. Either he didn't hear or he misunderstood and nodded his head yes. So, I turn around and tell Robin's husband Dee. And when my dad realizes what I'm saying to Dee he says, "No!" so we wait to spread the news and let Patti & Scott make their "big" announcement. Finally we get everyone together for the prayer before our big meal and Scott & Patti sit on the back steps ans show everyone the ultrasound picture. My Aunt Yvonne had the BEST response! It was so funny to watch. I don't know what she was expecting Scott & Patti to show her but by her reaction it certainly wasn't that Jeff & I were expecting a baby! Classic moment, for sure!
After that trip to AL, the next weekend we took a trip to Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC for our 10 year wedding anniversary! Do you know it was our first trip alone together? Ever! Truly! We were both a little worried that we'd run out of things to talk about or something since we'd always traveled with friends. Nope, it was great! Just the two of us for a whole magical week! We ate, and ate, and ate...and talked and talked and talked. It was such a great trip. I am so ready to win the lottery so we can do that full time instead of the whole work thing. Who's with me?!
After our anniversary trip Jeff packed up and went to Atlanta for a week for his last week of Trust School. He came home Saturday, October 26 and we've been lazy ever since!
The week that Jeff was gone to school I had my second appointment. It was fast. Much faster than I expected! They weighed me (up two pounds) and then they took me in a room and a nurse was trying to find the baby's heartbeat. She put that cold gel on my tummy and when she put the wand on my tummy it picked up the heartbeat immediately! I was very happy to hear that sweet sound again! As soon as she found it my stomach growled and the machine picked it up and amplified the growl and we both started laughing. And laughing and laughing! Well, don't you know this little bugger went into hiding! She searched all around to find that heartbeat and it took forever...especially when my stomach would growl and we'd get tickled again. She finally found that joker and held it on the spot long enough to get a good reading, 155. So, we've still got a hyper baby.
The doctor came in and asked if I had any questions and I was happy to report that I didn't. At the end of our vacation I moved into the second trimester and I was shocked by how fast those first trimester symptoms went away. Since the symptoms (tired, rough mornings, etc.) started so slowly I figured they'd fade away slowly, too. Nope. It was like someone flipped a switch. Gone. So, now in this second trimester I didn't really feel pregnant anymore. I wasn't nearly as tired (just a normal Tori, lazy tired) and I didn't feel bad in the mornings and I felt great. I told the doctor that it didn't feel real since I didn't have any symptoms. He assured me that it is in fact real and I'd be feeling things that would remind me that it's real very soon!
And in October I had my first face to face job interview in over five years. Yeah, job interview! The American Cancer Society. I interviewed the week Jeff was in Atlanta at school and they called and offered me the job on Wednesday, October 30 and I accepted. I gave my boss my notice the next day (Halloween and it was no prank). I cried the whole time I was in his office! He has been so wonderful to me and it felt like such a betrayal to leave him but my head and heart both want to work for ACS! I honestly felt like God led me to this job at the American Cancer Society! I felt led there...seriously. I HAVE to go for it. So, I have a lot of changes happening in my life! This was one of the many things that Jeff and I talked about while we were on our trip. Is there ever a good time to have a baby? Is there ever a good time to change jobs? Is there ever a "good" time for anything? I guess there is if you feel led by God, which we do. So, in December I'll start my new job and in April (or May, if this kid is stubborn and decides to be late) we'll have a baby!
Ch-ch-ch-changes!
Well, Rachel snuck off and told her sister Robin while we were all packing up. Robin, Rachel & I had to stop at the grocery store and Rachel told me that she had told Robin so while the three of us ran errands and shopped we talked families and babies and stuff like that. I hate that we live four hours away but I sure do love the fact that no matter how long it's been since we've seen each other we pick up right where we left off and have the best time when we're together! LOVE IT! Jeff and I joke that if we ever win the lottery we're going to move to Athens and have our "home base" there as we travel around. We love that town and the family that lives there (and around it!)
So, the guys finally get back from golf and we're all hanging out in the backyard watching football and enjoying a great afternoon. Jeff leans over and tells me he told Trevor (which I expected him to do). I told him I told Rachel & Robin (which he expected me to do). My dad was sitting next to us and we asked if they had told anyone. Either he didn't hear or he misunderstood and nodded his head yes. So, I turn around and tell Robin's husband Dee. And when my dad realizes what I'm saying to Dee he says, "No!" so we wait to spread the news and let Patti & Scott make their "big" announcement. Finally we get everyone together for the prayer before our big meal and Scott & Patti sit on the back steps ans show everyone the ultrasound picture. My Aunt Yvonne had the BEST response! It was so funny to watch. I don't know what she was expecting Scott & Patti to show her but by her reaction it certainly wasn't that Jeff & I were expecting a baby! Classic moment, for sure!
After that trip to AL, the next weekend we took a trip to Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC for our 10 year wedding anniversary! Do you know it was our first trip alone together? Ever! Truly! We were both a little worried that we'd run out of things to talk about or something since we'd always traveled with friends. Nope, it was great! Just the two of us for a whole magical week! We ate, and ate, and ate...and talked and talked and talked. It was such a great trip. I am so ready to win the lottery so we can do that full time instead of the whole work thing. Who's with me?!
After our anniversary trip Jeff packed up and went to Atlanta for a week for his last week of Trust School. He came home Saturday, October 26 and we've been lazy ever since!
The week that Jeff was gone to school I had my second appointment. It was fast. Much faster than I expected! They weighed me (up two pounds) and then they took me in a room and a nurse was trying to find the baby's heartbeat. She put that cold gel on my tummy and when she put the wand on my tummy it picked up the heartbeat immediately! I was very happy to hear that sweet sound again! As soon as she found it my stomach growled and the machine picked it up and amplified the growl and we both started laughing. And laughing and laughing! Well, don't you know this little bugger went into hiding! She searched all around to find that heartbeat and it took forever...especially when my stomach would growl and we'd get tickled again. She finally found that joker and held it on the spot long enough to get a good reading, 155. So, we've still got a hyper baby.
The doctor came in and asked if I had any questions and I was happy to report that I didn't. At the end of our vacation I moved into the second trimester and I was shocked by how fast those first trimester symptoms went away. Since the symptoms (tired, rough mornings, etc.) started so slowly I figured they'd fade away slowly, too. Nope. It was like someone flipped a switch. Gone. So, now in this second trimester I didn't really feel pregnant anymore. I wasn't nearly as tired (just a normal Tori, lazy tired) and I didn't feel bad in the mornings and I felt great. I told the doctor that it didn't feel real since I didn't have any symptoms. He assured me that it is in fact real and I'd be feeling things that would remind me that it's real very soon!
And in October I had my first face to face job interview in over five years. Yeah, job interview! The American Cancer Society. I interviewed the week Jeff was in Atlanta at school and they called and offered me the job on Wednesday, October 30 and I accepted. I gave my boss my notice the next day (Halloween and it was no prank). I cried the whole time I was in his office! He has been so wonderful to me and it felt like such a betrayal to leave him but my head and heart both want to work for ACS! I honestly felt like God led me to this job at the American Cancer Society! I felt led there...seriously. I HAVE to go for it. So, I have a lot of changes happening in my life! This was one of the many things that Jeff and I talked about while we were on our trip. Is there ever a good time to have a baby? Is there ever a good time to change jobs? Is there ever a "good" time for anything? I guess there is if you feel led by God, which we do. So, in December I'll start my new job and in April (or May, if this kid is stubborn and decides to be late) we'll have a baby!
Ch-ch-ch-changes!
You're going to be grandparents!
Okay, one of the best things about having that first appointment is that we finally felt we could tell our family and our friends! The reactions to this news has been SO much fun! I'll share my favorite reactions:
The first person we told was Margie, Jeff's mom. Jeff had been trying to get Jeremy and his family to meet us for breakfast so we could tell them all together but without us being too obvious and telling him NOT to hunt on a weekend morning we had to tell her and then tell them later. So, we called Margie one Saturday morning and made a plan to meet at Cracker Barrel. Because our clinic was so generous we were able to give her and my parents pictures of the ultrasound. So, I was trying to judge when it would be the best time to give her the news...it's tough to find the "right" opening to say, "By the way, we're pregnant!" So, we ate our meals and were sitting there wrapping up the meal and visit and I looked at her seriously and said, "Are you done?" She said yes. I asked her if her hands were clean and she gave me a strange look (understandably so) and said, "Okay, then you can have this" as I handed her the ultrasound picture. Margie was speechless! It was definitely a moment. Funny and sweet all a the same time. She didn't cry and neither did we, thank goodness! So, we finished our meal and went home to await the next announcement later that night.
Later that night we meet my parents and grandmother for dinner. My mom's birthday was the 19th but she was sick on her birthday so we didn't get to celebrate her birthday then and it was the perfect time for us to meet for her birthday and to spring the news on them! We went to eat dinner and then we went back to my grandmother's house to have pie and open presents. She opened her birthday present and after she opened it we told my dad to go sit by her and to open this next gift together. We told them it was a bleated birthday present for both of them. It was ready on his birthday (September 2nd) but was finally ready. So, they opened a picture of the ultrasound and at first I don't think Scott got it and Patti was screaming, "Are you for real?" She jumped up and down and was screaming and fist bumping and acting like a teenager. Scott had to put his head down and take a moment. He got all teary-eyed. It was fun to watch!
The next day we stopped by Jeremy & Julia's house to tell them. We bought Jonah a shirt (which I tried to add a picture here but couldn't get it to post) that said, "If you mustache I'm going to be a BIG COUSIN". Jeremy and Julia didn't seem shocked or surprised at all. They both seemed like we told them, "we're going to work on Monday." It was just "Oh, cool. Okay." After three super excited grandparents their calm acceptance was probably more shocking to us than if they'd actually been shocked!
So, after we told our parents and Jeremy and his family we started telling our family and friends. We were texting, calling and e-mailing tons of folks. I won't share names but I will share some of our favorite reactions from friends:
"I'm glad Jeff realized he could do more with that thing than just pee."
"What the F&$^?!?! Are you Kidding?!?!?"
"That's great. I just hate to see you rush into something like this."
"Patti is happy to have another reason to shop."
(Mother/daughter conversation that was recorded and sent to me)
The Mom: Guess who is pregnant?
The Daughter: It's not you, is it?
The Mom: (Laugh) No
The Daughter: Good! Because I would have thrown myself out of the car!
The Mom: It's Tori and Jeff!
The Daughter: Oh! Tori and Jeff are pregnant! Congratulations!
I'm sure there are other and if I find/remember them I'll be sure to add them!
The first person we told was Margie, Jeff's mom. Jeff had been trying to get Jeremy and his family to meet us for breakfast so we could tell them all together but without us being too obvious and telling him NOT to hunt on a weekend morning we had to tell her and then tell them later. So, we called Margie one Saturday morning and made a plan to meet at Cracker Barrel. Because our clinic was so generous we were able to give her and my parents pictures of the ultrasound. So, I was trying to judge when it would be the best time to give her the news...it's tough to find the "right" opening to say, "By the way, we're pregnant!" So, we ate our meals and were sitting there wrapping up the meal and visit and I looked at her seriously and said, "Are you done?" She said yes. I asked her if her hands were clean and she gave me a strange look (understandably so) and said, "Okay, then you can have this" as I handed her the ultrasound picture. Margie was speechless! It was definitely a moment. Funny and sweet all a the same time. She didn't cry and neither did we, thank goodness! So, we finished our meal and went home to await the next announcement later that night.
Later that night we meet my parents and grandmother for dinner. My mom's birthday was the 19th but she was sick on her birthday so we didn't get to celebrate her birthday then and it was the perfect time for us to meet for her birthday and to spring the news on them! We went to eat dinner and then we went back to my grandmother's house to have pie and open presents. She opened her birthday present and after she opened it we told my dad to go sit by her and to open this next gift together. We told them it was a bleated birthday present for both of them. It was ready on his birthday (September 2nd) but was finally ready. So, they opened a picture of the ultrasound and at first I don't think Scott got it and Patti was screaming, "Are you for real?" She jumped up and down and was screaming and fist bumping and acting like a teenager. Scott had to put his head down and take a moment. He got all teary-eyed. It was fun to watch!
The next day we stopped by Jeremy & Julia's house to tell them. We bought Jonah a shirt (which I tried to add a picture here but couldn't get it to post) that said, "If you mustache I'm going to be a BIG COUSIN". Jeremy and Julia didn't seem shocked or surprised at all. They both seemed like we told them, "we're going to work on Monday." It was just "Oh, cool. Okay." After three super excited grandparents their calm acceptance was probably more shocking to us than if they'd actually been shocked!
So, after we told our parents and Jeremy and his family we started telling our family and friends. We were texting, calling and e-mailing tons of folks. I won't share names but I will share some of our favorite reactions from friends:
"I'm glad Jeff realized he could do more with that thing than just pee."
"What the F&$^?!?! Are you Kidding?!?!?"
"That's great. I just hate to see you rush into something like this."
"Patti is happy to have another reason to shop."
(Mother/daughter conversation that was recorded and sent to me)
The Mom: Guess who is pregnant?
The Daughter: It's not you, is it?
The Mom: (Laugh) No
The Daughter: Good! Because I would have thrown myself out of the car!
The Mom: It's Tori and Jeff!
The Daughter: Oh! Tori and Jeff are pregnant! Congratulations!
I'm sure there are other and if I find/remember them I'll be sure to add them!
Am I Pregnant?
So, I've had MANY, many friends ask me to blog about my pregnancy. I will do my best but considering that I'm almost at the end of 3rd month you can see I'm really on top of things. I do want to blog for two reasons, to make my friends laugh with stories of my experiences and so I can go back and read about what was going on with me and us one day. So, I'll start from WAY back. I will try my best to use general terms and go to give too much information with all this stuff...but be forewarned. I may have to embarrass myself, Jeff, a friend or family member by what I write...with no intention of doing so! I will try my best to not make this awkward and to make it fun and funny.
So, last year in July (2012) I was on antibiotics to try to get rid of something, probably a sinus infection or some such infirmity. While I was on these antibiotics...I was nice and I was "excited" and Jeff and I REALLY enjoyed this week off from birth control. And I kind of felt like I wasn't feeling the best while taking the BC so we decided to try other methods instead of me taking a pill. I waited until the end of August/beginning of September to quit and met with my GYN before taking the plunge into a non-BC world. She was ecstatic! She'd been wanting me to get off BC for years and I was finally making her dream come true. Well, Jeff and I still didn't feel the need to venture into the possibility of parenthood so we tried different things for a while but then as the year went on we were kind of thinking, "Well, let's see what happens. We're not getting any younger." And every month I received a monthly visitor so I was beginning to think we couldn't or wouldn't without medical help. Some months I was very UNHAPPY for that monthly reminder that I'm an adult female...and other months I would think "Oh! Thank goodness! I'm not ready for a kid yet!"
And then August 2013 rolled around...First of all I had agreed to co-chair a big event at church and the event date was August 24 so I was neck deep in planning for that. Work was the BUSIEST month I'd ever had at the law firm! We had commercial closings that were big complicated deals happening every other day it felt like and to top off the roller coaster of fun my grandmother found out she needed to have open heart surgery for 3 bypasses and a valve replacement. My head was spinning to say the least! And enter the first possible idea of an alien form in my body.
One weekend we went to Murfreesboro to hang out with family and meet my cousin Trevor's baby. Saturday morning all the guys got up and went golfing and all the girls stayed at the house. I got up relatively early. I took my shower, got ready (full hair and makeup) and got dressed and was so bone tired that I got back in bed! I didn't tell my aunt or cousin-in-law! I just disappeared and got back in bed and fell right back to sleep. The guys got back from golfing and Jeff came in to wake me up. We both figured that I was just tired from work. That Friday I was supposed to leave work at noon for us to get to Murfreesboro at a decent hour...I didn't leave work until 4:00! I was worn out after a MAJOR commercial closing! So, I got up and asked Jeff if he brought me a Sprite and my cousin-in-law looked at me funny and asked, "Are you pregnant?" I surly didn't think so and told her no as emphatically as possible, especially since my parents were playing with her new baby and sitting right next to me!
So, fast forward a few weeks and my grandmother is home and healing and work felt like it was starting to mellow out and it was the day of my event at church. I could finally see the light at the end of this crazy tunnel and felt like I'd be able to rest and relax soon! As I was driving to church that morning of the 24th I remember thinking to myself, "shouldn't I have started by now?" Then I waved the thought away and figured that all the stress and as busy as I was that my system was off and I was just out of wack. So, I get to church and start trying to put the final touches on things, make sure everything is in order and trying to help the vendors set up their wares to sell. One vendor was a girl that went to high school with Jeff and his husband is big buddies with Jeff so I was looking at her items and a church member was asking her about her pregnancy and if she wanted to find out what she was having. It was my light bulb moment! As soon as I heard them talking I know I got wired and hyper and that event could NOT end fast enough! To quote the old lady from Happy Gilmore, "Get me outta here!" I knew right then that I was going to making a stop at CVS before I went home! The event went great. I was able to listen and enjoy the speaker and do a little shopping and eat the fabulous lunch before I hit the door running!
I went to CVS to buy a pregnancy test. The second test I've ever bought but the first that was ever for me! I stood there for a good few minutes thinking, "Which one do I buy?" I finally bought a digital one that had two tests in it...got to make sure, right!? I didn't say a word to Jeff about this! I thought for sure I was just getting over-excited and that really it was all the stress and anxiety of work, family and church that was getting to me. So, I took the first test and took a nap. I didn't check it and I didn't say anything to Jeff! He woke me up to get ready for the Starlight Symphony. I checked the test and lo and behold that little screen said, 'Pregnant'! So, I took the second test and put it in the cabinet (still not telling Jeff) and we went to Starlight Symphony and enjoyed a night with our friends. When we got home I checked the second test and don't you know that one said 'Pregnant', too! So, being the romantic souls that we are, as we were in the closet putting on our pajamas we bumped into each other and Jeff said, "Move fatass." I laughed and said, "Not yet, but I'll get there." He gave me a funny look and I showed him the tests. He just said, "hmm, I figured." WHAT?!?! He figured? I didn't have a clue! Help a sister out, would you?!
So, I waited a few weeks and finally decided to call and make a doctor's appointment. It wasn't until September 25...a whole month between taking the test and seeing a doctor...torture, or at least it felt like it! Jeff refused to talk about it. I understand. He didn't want to jinx us and get too excited and I honestly didn't either. As the month went on I slowly started getting symptoms. I was tired. I had the hardest time waking up in the mornings! I was so slow in the mornings. There were MANY mornings that I went to work with wet hair, didn't wash my hair or looking and feeling ROUGH. I never got sick and I never felt nauseous but I sure didn't feel good! I just wanted to stay in the bed. The weekends were much easier. I don't know if it was because I was able to sleep more or if it was because I didn't feel rushed to get to work or what but I cherished my weekends during those first few weeks!
Finally September 25 rolled around and we went to our first appointment. The first stop of the visit was the ultrasound, and what a wonder visit. We got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. It was a very fast 187! I think even though neither of us had talked about the baby or the pregnancy we were both so happy and so relieved to hear that little heartbeat! And it wasn't NEARLY as bad as I expected. I hate to say this but everyone knows what a pop culture, TV/movie junkie I am and while my friends and some family members had told me PLENTY about "birthin babies" I still didn't know what to expect and the movie "The Back-Up Plan" was in my head and I just knew it would be like that. So, after we left the ultrasound (with the proof of pictures that I was "with child") we met with the OB nurse. She went over too much information in my opinion. And she also made me do that glucose test! I wasn't expecting that at my first appointment and it made me nervous because I'd heard so many horror stories about people getting sick or almost sick and how they hated it, etc. She gave me lemon/lime flavor and it didn't taste bad at all! My problem was having to chug it in such a short time frame. And the nurse kept looking over at me and asking me, "Are you okay?" which made me feel like I shouldn't be...but I was fine!
After the OB nurse we finally met with the doctor. The doctor is a friend! So, it was good and awkward all at the same time! While he performed his exam Jeff played on his phone and I had my hands over my eyes. He was VERY professional and in "doctor mode" and didn't cut up with Jeff until it was all over and we were ready to leave. So, he was asking me if I had a feeling about what gender the baby was. I didn't. We talked about some of the old wives tales. The baby's heartbeat was 187 which the OWT says girl. I crave sweet things to eat and drink and the OWT says girl. Then the doc asked if we'd checked a Chinese gender calender. He said he and his wife and checked it for both their kids and it was right both times...so we checked three different sites and all three said boy...so, who will be right? Chinese gender calendars or OWTs? We get to find out in December!
And let's not lie...whenever anyone asks Jeff what we want he automatically gives the generic appropriate response, "A happy, healthy baby." But again, let's not lie. Jeff Lester wants a boy so bad he could spit! So, I kind of feel the need to cheer for the pink team to make it even...but I promise I don't have any feelings and I don't really care. I watch Jeff play with our nephew and some friends kids that are boys and I think, "Oh, he'll be so good with a little guy!" then he'll be so sweet and fun with a little girl and I think, "Yeah, he'd be a good dad for a little girl." So, I guess the good news is that I don't care and he'll do well with either even if he seems to want a boy something fierce! And, I told a friend recently that Jeff was SO close with his dad and if this is a boy it will be the Jeff and Junior show that I'm still going to need a dog to keep me company as those two ride off in the sunset together. Not really...but I am still using any excuse to get a dog in this house! I've even said to him, "Are you really going to deny your child the love of a pet?" I'll turn that screw any way I can!
So, a horrible and funny "pregnancy brain" story...the first of many! And please remember this is BEFORE I knew! My Aunt Pat was planning to set up a booth of her pottery art at our church event in August. My Aunt Peggy sent my mom and I a text message that said, "Pat's kiln failed. We can't come this weekend." When I first read that message I did NOT comprehend Peggy's message and I called my mom to ask her if she'd gotten Peggy's message. She said no. I said, "Pat's KIDNEY has failed. They aren't coming this weekend." My mom got eerily silent, and understandably so! Finally she said she'd call Peggy and find out what was going on. I sat in our den and then my brain actually kicked in! I re-read the message and it finally clicked, her KILN! How I got kidney from kiln I don't know. Why I thought Peggy would text us about Pat's kidney and not call, I don't know! Seriously! So, I called my mom and was super embarrassed to say, "it's her pottery kiln...not her kidney." Seriously, Tori!? Seriously! Yeah, I did that. *insert head shake*
Oh, and the end of August and pretty much the whole month of September I never craved anything certain food in particular...just food that I didn't buy at Kroger and food that we didn't prepare at our house! We ate out just about every day and night that first month! Yeah, when I looked at our budget and bank statement in September.. WHOA NELLY! I busted that food budget wide open! Thank goodness that has gone away! I finally feel like food being cooked at our house is acceptable to eat and I would actually prefer a home cooked meal instead of eating out! Geez, this is a roller coaster!
My favorite quote from a friend so far is, "Motherhood is the best worst job in the world."
And I am SO happy that we're the last of our friends and family to be having a baby instead of the first! There are so many people we can talk to and ask for advice and help...and great cousins and friends for this joker to play with!
And so it begins...
So, last year in July (2012) I was on antibiotics to try to get rid of something, probably a sinus infection or some such infirmity. While I was on these antibiotics...I was nice and I was "excited" and Jeff and I REALLY enjoyed this week off from birth control. And I kind of felt like I wasn't feeling the best while taking the BC so we decided to try other methods instead of me taking a pill. I waited until the end of August/beginning of September to quit and met with my GYN before taking the plunge into a non-BC world. She was ecstatic! She'd been wanting me to get off BC for years and I was finally making her dream come true. Well, Jeff and I still didn't feel the need to venture into the possibility of parenthood so we tried different things for a while but then as the year went on we were kind of thinking, "Well, let's see what happens. We're not getting any younger." And every month I received a monthly visitor so I was beginning to think we couldn't or wouldn't without medical help. Some months I was very UNHAPPY for that monthly reminder that I'm an adult female...and other months I would think "Oh! Thank goodness! I'm not ready for a kid yet!"
And then August 2013 rolled around...First of all I had agreed to co-chair a big event at church and the event date was August 24 so I was neck deep in planning for that. Work was the BUSIEST month I'd ever had at the law firm! We had commercial closings that were big complicated deals happening every other day it felt like and to top off the roller coaster of fun my grandmother found out she needed to have open heart surgery for 3 bypasses and a valve replacement. My head was spinning to say the least! And enter the first possible idea of an alien form in my body.
One weekend we went to Murfreesboro to hang out with family and meet my cousin Trevor's baby. Saturday morning all the guys got up and went golfing and all the girls stayed at the house. I got up relatively early. I took my shower, got ready (full hair and makeup) and got dressed and was so bone tired that I got back in bed! I didn't tell my aunt or cousin-in-law! I just disappeared and got back in bed and fell right back to sleep. The guys got back from golfing and Jeff came in to wake me up. We both figured that I was just tired from work. That Friday I was supposed to leave work at noon for us to get to Murfreesboro at a decent hour...I didn't leave work until 4:00! I was worn out after a MAJOR commercial closing! So, I got up and asked Jeff if he brought me a Sprite and my cousin-in-law looked at me funny and asked, "Are you pregnant?" I surly didn't think so and told her no as emphatically as possible, especially since my parents were playing with her new baby and sitting right next to me!
So, fast forward a few weeks and my grandmother is home and healing and work felt like it was starting to mellow out and it was the day of my event at church. I could finally see the light at the end of this crazy tunnel and felt like I'd be able to rest and relax soon! As I was driving to church that morning of the 24th I remember thinking to myself, "shouldn't I have started by now?" Then I waved the thought away and figured that all the stress and as busy as I was that my system was off and I was just out of wack. So, I get to church and start trying to put the final touches on things, make sure everything is in order and trying to help the vendors set up their wares to sell. One vendor was a girl that went to high school with Jeff and his husband is big buddies with Jeff so I was looking at her items and a church member was asking her about her pregnancy and if she wanted to find out what she was having. It was my light bulb moment! As soon as I heard them talking I know I got wired and hyper and that event could NOT end fast enough! To quote the old lady from Happy Gilmore, "Get me outta here!" I knew right then that I was going to making a stop at CVS before I went home! The event went great. I was able to listen and enjoy the speaker and do a little shopping and eat the fabulous lunch before I hit the door running!
I went to CVS to buy a pregnancy test. The second test I've ever bought but the first that was ever for me! I stood there for a good few minutes thinking, "Which one do I buy?" I finally bought a digital one that had two tests in it...got to make sure, right!? I didn't say a word to Jeff about this! I thought for sure I was just getting over-excited and that really it was all the stress and anxiety of work, family and church that was getting to me. So, I took the first test and took a nap. I didn't check it and I didn't say anything to Jeff! He woke me up to get ready for the Starlight Symphony. I checked the test and lo and behold that little screen said, 'Pregnant'! So, I took the second test and put it in the cabinet (still not telling Jeff) and we went to Starlight Symphony and enjoyed a night with our friends. When we got home I checked the second test and don't you know that one said 'Pregnant', too! So, being the romantic souls that we are, as we were in the closet putting on our pajamas we bumped into each other and Jeff said, "Move fatass." I laughed and said, "Not yet, but I'll get there." He gave me a funny look and I showed him the tests. He just said, "hmm, I figured." WHAT?!?! He figured? I didn't have a clue! Help a sister out, would you?!
So, I waited a few weeks and finally decided to call and make a doctor's appointment. It wasn't until September 25...a whole month between taking the test and seeing a doctor...torture, or at least it felt like it! Jeff refused to talk about it. I understand. He didn't want to jinx us and get too excited and I honestly didn't either. As the month went on I slowly started getting symptoms. I was tired. I had the hardest time waking up in the mornings! I was so slow in the mornings. There were MANY mornings that I went to work with wet hair, didn't wash my hair or looking and feeling ROUGH. I never got sick and I never felt nauseous but I sure didn't feel good! I just wanted to stay in the bed. The weekends were much easier. I don't know if it was because I was able to sleep more or if it was because I didn't feel rushed to get to work or what but I cherished my weekends during those first few weeks!
Finally September 25 rolled around and we went to our first appointment. The first stop of the visit was the ultrasound, and what a wonder visit. We got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. It was a very fast 187! I think even though neither of us had talked about the baby or the pregnancy we were both so happy and so relieved to hear that little heartbeat! And it wasn't NEARLY as bad as I expected. I hate to say this but everyone knows what a pop culture, TV/movie junkie I am and while my friends and some family members had told me PLENTY about "birthin babies" I still didn't know what to expect and the movie "The Back-Up Plan" was in my head and I just knew it would be like that. So, after we left the ultrasound (with the proof of pictures that I was "with child") we met with the OB nurse. She went over too much information in my opinion. And she also made me do that glucose test! I wasn't expecting that at my first appointment and it made me nervous because I'd heard so many horror stories about people getting sick or almost sick and how they hated it, etc. She gave me lemon/lime flavor and it didn't taste bad at all! My problem was having to chug it in such a short time frame. And the nurse kept looking over at me and asking me, "Are you okay?" which made me feel like I shouldn't be...but I was fine!
After the OB nurse we finally met with the doctor. The doctor is a friend! So, it was good and awkward all at the same time! While he performed his exam Jeff played on his phone and I had my hands over my eyes. He was VERY professional and in "doctor mode" and didn't cut up with Jeff until it was all over and we were ready to leave. So, he was asking me if I had a feeling about what gender the baby was. I didn't. We talked about some of the old wives tales. The baby's heartbeat was 187 which the OWT says girl. I crave sweet things to eat and drink and the OWT says girl. Then the doc asked if we'd checked a Chinese gender calender. He said he and his wife and checked it for both their kids and it was right both times...so we checked three different sites and all three said boy...so, who will be right? Chinese gender calendars or OWTs? We get to find out in December!
And let's not lie...whenever anyone asks Jeff what we want he automatically gives the generic appropriate response, "A happy, healthy baby." But again, let's not lie. Jeff Lester wants a boy so bad he could spit! So, I kind of feel the need to cheer for the pink team to make it even...but I promise I don't have any feelings and I don't really care. I watch Jeff play with our nephew and some friends kids that are boys and I think, "Oh, he'll be so good with a little guy!" then he'll be so sweet and fun with a little girl and I think, "Yeah, he'd be a good dad for a little girl." So, I guess the good news is that I don't care and he'll do well with either even if he seems to want a boy something fierce! And, I told a friend recently that Jeff was SO close with his dad and if this is a boy it will be the Jeff and Junior show that I'm still going to need a dog to keep me company as those two ride off in the sunset together. Not really...but I am still using any excuse to get a dog in this house! I've even said to him, "Are you really going to deny your child the love of a pet?" I'll turn that screw any way I can!
So, a horrible and funny "pregnancy brain" story...the first of many! And please remember this is BEFORE I knew! My Aunt Pat was planning to set up a booth of her pottery art at our church event in August. My Aunt Peggy sent my mom and I a text message that said, "Pat's kiln failed. We can't come this weekend." When I first read that message I did NOT comprehend Peggy's message and I called my mom to ask her if she'd gotten Peggy's message. She said no. I said, "Pat's KIDNEY has failed. They aren't coming this weekend." My mom got eerily silent, and understandably so! Finally she said she'd call Peggy and find out what was going on. I sat in our den and then my brain actually kicked in! I re-read the message and it finally clicked, her KILN! How I got kidney from kiln I don't know. Why I thought Peggy would text us about Pat's kidney and not call, I don't know! Seriously! So, I called my mom and was super embarrassed to say, "it's her pottery kiln...not her kidney." Seriously, Tori!? Seriously! Yeah, I did that. *insert head shake*
Oh, and the end of August and pretty much the whole month of September I never craved anything certain food in particular...just food that I didn't buy at Kroger and food that we didn't prepare at our house! We ate out just about every day and night that first month! Yeah, when I looked at our budget and bank statement in September.. WHOA NELLY! I busted that food budget wide open! Thank goodness that has gone away! I finally feel like food being cooked at our house is acceptable to eat and I would actually prefer a home cooked meal instead of eating out! Geez, this is a roller coaster!
My favorite quote from a friend so far is, "Motherhood is the best worst job in the world."
And I am SO happy that we're the last of our friends and family to be having a baby instead of the first! There are so many people we can talk to and ask for advice and help...and great cousins and friends for this joker to play with!
And so it begins...
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