Cancer sucks

So the word "sucks" isn't so articulate but that is how I'm feeling right now. I'm angry at cancer - breast cancer, brain tumors and peritoneum cancer in particular. Haven't heard of that last one? Well, it sucks too and it requires the same treatment that makes you lose your hair, makes you sick, keeps you from hugging and holding your loved ones just because flu season started early this year. I'm feeling a little down because too many people that I know and love are dealing with seriously life altering events because of this dreaded disease right now. These thriving, lovely people still have many, many years of living left to do, so if you can't find a cure for cancer immediately, please at least add them to your prayer list, if praying is something you do....

Aunt Kay Walton
Julie Williams
Jenny McGee
Steve Stewart

Up, up and away

I know that there are much more important things to worry about in the world, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t glued to my computer yesterday when the “balloon boy” was allegedly flying through the air. Maybe it’s the new mom in me, but I was pretty nervous for the kid. That thing was going really fast, really high in the air. Well, we all know how it ended. The little punk was in a cardboard box hiding in the attic the whole time. And then he got sick on national television this morning. Twice. I watch the Today show every morning because Meredith and Matt somehow make my early mornings a bit easier. I don’t watch it to see a little kid barf in a Tuperware container as his famewhoring dad tries to talk his way out of a corner. I’m officially over the balloon boy. Ick.

Back on the saddle

Wow. I really dropped the ball on this blogging thing. I've been reading a few really stellar blogs lately and they have inspired me to open up shop again. I got too busy with life and growing the little seed that is now named Calvin. There is so much to tell. I guess I didn't feel like I had much to say over the last 10 months but there was a lot going on. My life was consumed with baby-growing and, man, that made me tired. I would like to introduce you to my new little time suck.....
I'll be better with this blogging gig. I promise.

Boy, was I wrong.

I’m becoming one of those bloggers that just takes up space on the internet. With the holidays and work craziness after the first of the year, I turned my back on the blogging world for a bit. I’ll try to be better.

The holidays turned out pretty much like we expected. I got to spend lots of extra time with my family since I went down a few days earlier than Jeff. That was fantastic. I also got to see some out-of-towner friends that I missed terribly (I guess I’m an out-of-towner now too). Brianne and I got to spend a whopping 30 minutes together after not physically seeing each other for almost 2 years. It doesn’t matter though because we are lifers. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were pretty exhausting since we hit all sides of the family within 24 hours. Annie was even a crab when we rolled into St Louis for the Buergler Christmas. We are so thankful for our families but something is going to have to give next year since we will have the little one in tow.

Speaking of which, all the old wives tales did not hold water for us in the gender department – the high heart rate, the Chinese birth calendar, etc… they all said we would have a girl. But as you can see for yourself, Little Man is definitely a little man. We found out on January 5th when I was almost 17 weeks. I was stunned into silence and Jeff turned into Chatty Kathy with the ultrasound tech. I simply could not believe that it was a boy! I had people ask me if I was disappointed which is quite frankly a ludicrous and tacky question. No, I’m not disappointed! I was shocked because we had moved into a new phase of the pregnancy. Instead of a shadowy blob on an ultrasound, I have a tiny little boy swimming around in there and it is simply amazing.

Now that I’m right at 21 weeks, things are moving right along. The 2nd trimester really is a honeymoon period. I have tons of energy and a HUGE appetite. I finally have a definite bump that I don’t mind showing off. He kicks me quite a bit but it’s still the fluttery, muscle-twitchy kicks, nothing with any power yet.

The last thing certainly worth mentioning is Jeff had a BIG birthday on January 23rd. He started out as a party pooper when I made any celebration suggestions. Finally, on his actual birthday, he got into the spirit of things and we ended up celebrating with good friends all weekend long. Since I’m not a terribly romantic person, I told him to pick out his own gift to which he promptly ran to Sports Authority and bought a treadmill and several other things for a home gym. He claims that he has no problem turning 30; however, I can’t help but think that that turning 30 and becoming a father in the same year didn’t have something to do with this purchase :-).

The state of things

I’m out of the first trimester. YEE-HAW!! I wish I had some exciting baby bump pictures to post but I don’t. The bump has failed to appear as of yet. I have a feeling that it will make an appearance over the holidays though. I am 14 weeks as of today and I better see something soon!

I’ve taking on a bit of a droopy pants look lately and I must say, it’s not very flattering. Given my utter repulsion of most food for the first 12 or so weeks, I dropped a few pounds. On a shrimpy gal like myself, that’s all it takes to alter the proper fitting of a nice pair of pants. Again, with the holidays right around the corner, I’m sure I’ll have easily found those lost pounds.

So what else is new on the pregnancy front?

• Now that I have energy, I’ve signed up for 2 prenatal yoga classes that start after the first of the year and am going to the gym on a regular basis. I got the red light from my OB at around 8 weeks on the running due to some minor complications, so I don’t exactly leave the gym dripping in sweat.
• I still can’t go through the night without going to the bathroom at least 3 times.
• I have an inexplicable rash on my arms.
• I still haven’t had a drop of caffeine since day one.
• Pickles are a very true craving stereotype, at least for me. I think about mini dill pickles during the day and immediately eat 3 of them as soon as I walk in the door. I do not share these jars of pickled goodness with Jeff.
• The baby has a super high heart rate and everybody thinks I’m having a girl which automatically leads me to believe that it will be a boy.
  
  That’s about all I know at this point.

The of Story of Us - one year later.

One year ago today we ended the many miles of driving to see each other every weekend to become permanent roommates. December 1, 2007 did not include the bitter cold and snow that we have today. It was relatively warm and windy - we were even able to take a few pictures outside. This day was many years in the making even though we had only been together a little over 2 years when we said our vows. Our mutual friend, Beth, planted the seed many years ago at a time when exploring a new relationship wasn't possible for either one of us.

A long distance relationship didn't seem like a very attractive option until about 30 minutes into our first date. Then it didn't seem so unlikely. And so began the thousands of miles travelled. Here we are, 1 year later, 1 house later, 1 tiny baby on the way. Marriage isn't easy but the benefits far outweigh the costs. Yep, we are blessed.

Whatchu talkin' bout?

I’ve been contemplating how I’m going to put this news out there for a while. Actually, I already did in my last post but that wasn’t a formal announcement (or was it?). So here it goes – we are having a baby. To actually type that is so odd to me. Saying it out loud is stranger still. I have to keep something alive. Inside of me. For a total of 9 months. Crazy.

We found out the first week in October. It was a Wednesday and Jeff was out of town on business. I had peed about 15 times a day for the last few days but didn’t think anything was up. I’m not sure what possessed me to take that test but I when I got home from work, I walked straight into the bathroom and did it. The “line” appeared immediately. My first instinct was that the test was defective. Then I calmly changed clothes and went for a run. But first I took a picture of myself with the test.

I sat in a semi-comatose state for the next couple of hours after my run. Jeff was supposed to arrive home soon so I snapped back into reality and decided to get creative with my announcement. The best my scattered brain could come up with was to write on his bathroom mirror in lipstick because I knew he would go straight upstairs and take a shower after arriving home.

So I did and he did and we hugged and I got the shakes and I shook for the next 2 days. I’m not shaking anymore though. I’m just kind of sick :-).