It makes me laugh to think back on past NYE...most of the time I am content and happy to have people over to our house for NYE. Mostly because I can drink and not worry about driving anywhere. lol Last NYE was our first in Boston and we determined that it was too cold to go to First Night downtown. We were asleep by 11:30pm. This NYE we went to the grocery, are making dinner at home, watching bowl games, and probably will be asleep by 11:30pm.
A couple years ago we had NYE at our house in Valdosta with our friends Emily and Clay. I attempted to make strawberry martinis a la The Cheesecake Factory; however, just guessed as to how they made theirs and ended up with Em and I drinking glasses of slightly strawberry flavored vodka. I also may have farted when we were playing Wii. (I'm nothing if not classy)
Another year I spent NYE with my friend Mary, my ex Billy who was at that time Mary's boyfriend, and my sister out on Siesta Key in Sarasota. There is nothing more depressing than being a 3rd wheel with your friend and her boyfriend when her boyfriend had been your boyfriend. Luckily he and I were still good friends at that time and we all had a good time.
Those are really the only 2 NYE I can recall. When we were growing up we always spent NYE watching the ball drop with our dad, but as an adult nothing really stands out for me. I guess I have always been boring. lol
I don't really do resolutions, mostly because I never keep them. Heck, I've resolved to lose weight for the past 15 years and I weigh the most I've ever weighed (even not counting being pregnant).
I guess if I was going to to put in writing the things I would like to change in 2011 I'd have to say:
1) Learn how to be a good mom. Demonstrate patience and love in all situations. Always let Paul know how much he means to me and not to let him get pushed aside as I grow into being a mother.
2) Stand up to my parents, mostly my mom. I know she will have some strong opinions as to what we should be doing to raise our child, but I need to let her know that she is the grandma and I am the mom. She will be a great grandma.
3) Run a more successful household. Since I won't be working I need to be on the ball with cooking, cleaning, etc. The end of 2010 has put us in such a weird space with me being on bedrest, Paul assuming all of the household chores, and what not. I need to find my groove in 2011. I never thought I'd be excited to be a 1950's military housewife, but I am.
4) Garden, garden, garden! I did not flowers this year and was only able to work in my vegetable garden the first part of the summer. Our yard looked like crap all summer and this is just not acceptable to me. I want to enjoy working outside. When I lived in FL most weekends I was up early working in my yard (you had to get out early before the temp got to 150 degrees). I really enjoyed it and I am not sure why I stopped.
5) Be a better friend. I feel so blessed in the support and love that I've gotten from my friends through out my pregnancy that I want to be a better friend to others.
6) Make healthier food choices. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Learn to make my own baby food.
7) Exercise. I don't want to teach Emma that it's okay to be fat and lazy. I want her to have a healthy lifestyle and the only way I can do that is to lead by example. I want us to go for regular walks and I want to lose weight as a result of eating healthier and moving more.
8) Stop procrastinating. Paul and I are horrible procrastinators.
9) Find some kind of work that I can do from home that I love. Finally apply to FSU for some professional certification programs (see #8).
10) Learn how to turn off these stupid hot key/shortcuts on my computer! They drive me crazy!
11) Give back to society even if its in a small way.
12) Be a positive example to others.
I hope everyone has a safe NYE and a blessed 2011. I hope people focus on the things they have to be grateful for and stop putting negative energy into the world (myself included). And I hope the Noles have a great 2011 season! haha
Love to all!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
33 weeks
Doctors appointment today. I am def getting to be a cranky bitch. Everyone and everything seems to annoy me (to be fair I'm not talking about people I know, but rather random strangers and things/people on tv). This couple at the doctors today made me want to slap them within 5 minutes of them walking in the room. I feel like the most ungrateful, awful person for even going on about this, but their cigarette/cheap perfume smell almost made me throw up. Of course they sat very close to me despite the fact that I was huddled in the farthest corner for not wanting to infect anyone else with my cold (and so I could pull a chair over and put my feet up). Although I think I was already confused by the amount of people wearing leggings. My FB status updates went like this:
There are a lot of women at the ob office wearing leggings. I wouldn't wear leggings at home if you paid me much less prego in public.
Jenn McArtor Of course the 8 lbs I've gained since my last appt may also have something to do with that cause trust me when I say no one wants to see what I'm rocking in leggings.
8 hours ago ·Jenn McArtor -Another couple just came in and have immediately annoyed me. They have that weird cigarette smoke/cheap perfume smell and are playing some kind of phone game that consists of the woman giving the man the answers. FYI even with the 2 of them playing they still lost.
8 hours ago ·Jenn McArtor- Seriously the cigarette/perfume thing is gonna make me throw up.
8 hours ago ·.Jenn McArtor- Omg he just knocked a magazine out of her hands and she called him a f**king a**hole. Seriously? Seriously? He seems to have the maturity of a 5 year old. I hope they're here to get some meds for an STD and not because she's pregnant.
8 hours ago ·Jenn McArtor- Ugh I'm awful.
Seriously I am OUT OF CONTROL with my snarkiness! Is snarky just a nicer way of saying judgmental?
But the way the guy was acting...I just wanted to shake him and say what is wrong with you? He was like a 5 year old in constant need of attention. Every time this poor woman tried read something quietly he was tugging on her shirt begging for attention. Who knocks a magazine out of someones hands? I would've punched him.
But in other good news...
The doctor says everything looks great! She agrees that I can slowly start increasing my activity (and slowly increasing activity does not mean working she said, but it means I can fold laundry or put away some groceries) and wants me to continue to take the progesterone for a couple more weeks. I just refilled it so I figure I'll use it till I run out or get my cerclage out.
Speaking of cerclages...I have a check up in 2 weeks (at the 35 week mark) and then will get my cerclage out on January 21st! The doctor wants everything to stay status quo for at least 2 weeks and then after the cerclage is out baby Emma could be here at any time! Although Dr. Roque had told us only a small percentage of women actually go into labor when their cerclages are out I do not think Emma will wait until her Feb. 17th due date. I think she'll come on Super Bowl Sunday just to make her daddy soooo happy! Of course we are going to the appointment on the 21st with the car seat in and my bag packed just in case. We do have a little bit of a track record of expecting a normal doctors appointment and ending up in the hospital. lol
January 8th is my baby shower and then we'll be running out to get whatever else we think we may need before the 21st.
It is so hard to believe that Emma could be here in as little as 3 weeks! When I started bedrest at week 20 this point seemed so far away! Emma has been quite the active little bunny today and still love feeling her move even when she kicks me good. Its such a blessing to know that she is active and happy in there. Heartbeat is good and cervix is closed. What more could I ask for?
And I even took a nap today! Since I slept all of maybe 3 hours last night between the peeing and the acid reflux and the coughing I was exhausted when I had to get up to go to the doctors this morning. She told me to take Robitussen DM and previously had told me Sudafed for congestion so after meeting Paul for lunch I stopped at the BX on base for the Robitussen. As much as I didn't want to take any cold medicine I am just too miserable not to. Despite having gained 8lbs since my appointment 3 weeks ago (the nurse said she though her scale was broken because everyone had gained so much weight today lol) this is what I left the BX with:
The Toblerone originally $7. I got it on sale for $3.50. How could I pass that up???? I already ate half of it. haha (j/k I ate 3 triangles). Plus that Ghiradelli peppermint hot chocolate is da bomb! And the peppermint mocha creamer...well, I've never tried it, but I figure the powdered kind has to stay good forever. Too bad I didn't have any coupons. The ones Paul ordered last night online shipped today by the way.
Hope everyone is going to have a fabulously fun NYE...we shall be at home, probably watching TLC. lol
There are a lot of women at the ob office wearing leggings. I wouldn't wear leggings at home if you paid me much less prego in public.
Jenn McArtor Of course the 8 lbs I've gained since my last appt may also have something to do with that cause trust me when I say no one wants to see what I'm rocking in leggings.
8 hours ago ·Jenn McArtor -Another couple just came in and have immediately annoyed me. They have that weird cigarette smoke/cheap perfume smell and are playing some kind of phone game that consists of the woman giving the man the answers. FYI even with the 2 of them playing they still lost.
8 hours ago ·Jenn McArtor- Seriously the cigarette/perfume thing is gonna make me throw up.
8 hours ago ·.Jenn McArtor- Omg he just knocked a magazine out of her hands and she called him a f**king a**hole. Seriously? Seriously? He seems to have the maturity of a 5 year old. I hope they're here to get some meds for an STD and not because she's pregnant.
8 hours ago ·Jenn McArtor- Ugh I'm awful.
Seriously I am OUT OF CONTROL with my snarkiness! Is snarky just a nicer way of saying judgmental?
But the way the guy was acting...I just wanted to shake him and say what is wrong with you? He was like a 5 year old in constant need of attention. Every time this poor woman tried read something quietly he was tugging on her shirt begging for attention. Who knocks a magazine out of someones hands? I would've punched him.
But in other good news...
The doctor says everything looks great! She agrees that I can slowly start increasing my activity (and slowly increasing activity does not mean working she said, but it means I can fold laundry or put away some groceries) and wants me to continue to take the progesterone for a couple more weeks. I just refilled it so I figure I'll use it till I run out or get my cerclage out.
Speaking of cerclages...I have a check up in 2 weeks (at the 35 week mark) and then will get my cerclage out on January 21st! The doctor wants everything to stay status quo for at least 2 weeks and then after the cerclage is out baby Emma could be here at any time! Although Dr. Roque had told us only a small percentage of women actually go into labor when their cerclages are out I do not think Emma will wait until her Feb. 17th due date. I think she'll come on Super Bowl Sunday just to make her daddy soooo happy! Of course we are going to the appointment on the 21st with the car seat in and my bag packed just in case. We do have a little bit of a track record of expecting a normal doctors appointment and ending up in the hospital. lol
January 8th is my baby shower and then we'll be running out to get whatever else we think we may need before the 21st.
It is so hard to believe that Emma could be here in as little as 3 weeks! When I started bedrest at week 20 this point seemed so far away! Emma has been quite the active little bunny today and still love feeling her move even when she kicks me good. Its such a blessing to know that she is active and happy in there. Heartbeat is good and cervix is closed. What more could I ask for?
And I even took a nap today! Since I slept all of maybe 3 hours last night between the peeing and the acid reflux and the coughing I was exhausted when I had to get up to go to the doctors this morning. She told me to take Robitussen DM and previously had told me Sudafed for congestion so after meeting Paul for lunch I stopped at the BX on base for the Robitussen. As much as I didn't want to take any cold medicine I am just too miserable not to. Despite having gained 8lbs since my appointment 3 weeks ago (the nurse said she though her scale was broken because everyone had gained so much weight today lol) this is what I left the BX with:
The Toblerone originally $7. I got it on sale for $3.50. How could I pass that up???? I already ate half of it. haha (j/k I ate 3 triangles). Plus that Ghiradelli peppermint hot chocolate is da bomb! And the peppermint mocha creamer...well, I've never tried it, but I figure the powdered kind has to stay good forever. Too bad I didn't have any coupons. The ones Paul ordered last night online shipped today by the way.
Hope everyone is going to have a fabulously fun NYE...we shall be at home, probably watching TLC. lol
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Extreme Couponing
Extreme Couponing
So, I’m watching this show on TLC called Extreme Couponing and all I can think is “Holy shit.”
Couple #1
Bought over $1071, Only paid $52
The first couple shown was overweight. Now I’m not saying anything negative about them being overweight (hello, I’m a fatty myself), but perhaps the reason this couple is overweight is the fact that in 6 hours of grocery shopping they bought not 1 item that wasn’t canned, boxed, or full of preservatives. Nothing fresh, no vegetables, no fruits, no milk. I hesitate to say the word couple because the only thing the husband is guilty of is letting his wife have this crazy ass addiction to couponing. She has even overtaken his man cave with her “stockpile” of groceries. This woman admits that despite having a full time job and 2 children she spends 70 hours a week looking up coupons and deals online. She spends hours in the store not buying things, but writing down the deals in the 2 groceries and 2 pharmacies she shops at. Hours. She sees nothing wrong with running out of her house at 11:30 at night to purchase something on sale so she can get a good deal. The show said they had enough toilet paper for 40 years and yet she continues to purchase more. She bought 125 boxes of pasta and at least 50 boxes of those noodles that are like ramen. How on earth are you going to eat all that? She admits she is addicted to shopping. I would shoot myself if I was in the store with this woman. She had 9 shopping carts and it took 4 cashiers to ring her crap up. She complained about it and complained because people were giving her nasty looks. I’d give her ass a nasty look too. It took 2 cars and she used plastic bags. I thought my head was going to explode. I hate plastic bags and think they should be outlawed and to watch all that waste…I shudder.
Coupon #2
Bought over $638.64. Spent only $2.64
This is a young couple in their late 20’s. This woman’s couponing addiction has turned their garage into a mini grocery store. She dumpster dives and thinks nothing is wrong with having her 4 year oldish son in the dumpster with her looking for newspaper circulars. Apparently dumpster diving is a weekly family outing for her and her son. Her husband did seem to think this behavior may be a little off, but didn’t really say anything when she came in to the kitchen with her plastic bin of garbage coupons. Her couponing “book” weighs 8lbs. 8lbs and she carries that huge ass binder to the store several times a week! She won’t buy anything if it doesn’t have a coupon. This woman talks about how store items typically go on sale every 3 months so she buys 3 months worth of sale items…in her world this equates to 40 jars of pasta sauce. Now I love pasta, but there is no way I could eat 40 jars of pasta sauce in 3 months.
Woman #3
Bought over $230.38, Spent only $6.92
At least this woman uses hippy bags…now she also goes to all her neighbors every morning and asks them for their newspaper circulars and coupons. And she bought fresh foods so I can’t say anything bad about her (even her neighbors seem to like her). Her use of coupons seems normal. And she was funny because she stops people in the store and tells them how to coupon. I need her as a teacher for couponing.
Couple #4
In 3 orders, in 1 grocery trip bought over $769.27, spent only $56.76; bought over $974, spent only $35.55; bought over $4000, spent under $150=In total bought over $5743 and only spent $241
This couponer is a male. He has enough deodorant to last 150 years. One hundred and fifty years…why on earth do you need 150 years worth of deodorant? And yet he continues to buy more. He buys 10 newspapers a week. His entire garage is full of his “stockpile.” He is married to a woman, but I feel his heart lies with the other team. He is the most feminine “straight” man I’ve ever seen on tv. He donates the free items to the food bank at his church. Thank God. He had to special order cereal because he got so many boxes. He bought 300 toothbrushes, 60 bars of hand soap, and 1100 boxes of cereal. This family is also paying off their debt and that is always admirable. So, even though I think his extreme couponing hobby is a little weird I give him mad props for helping the food bank.
I’m sorry, but I’m just not willing to devote rooms of my house to hoard groceries, nor am I willing to devote hours of my time to find coupons (and certainly not to paying other people to cut coupons for me as 2 of these families do). Most of our grocery purchases are fresh items, not canned or boxed items. It seems like these people are purchasing items on sale just to purchase items on sale like an addiction (which I’m not willing to do). They get a high from getting a ton of groceries for little to no money. I can honestly see how there could be a certain competitiveness or sense of accomplishment in that, BUT again what are you going to do with all that stuff???? There is no way in your lifetime that you could even use half of it. If you are having to throw away expired groceries than really that is just wasteful. Plus our grocery doesn’t double coupons and all these families went to groceries that doubled coupons.
So, what’s my verdict on extreme couponing??? Crazy, crazy, crazy!!!! Paul on the other hand is intrigued. Lol
If you have to devote 70 hours a week to couponing…it may be time to seek professional help. If your “stock pile” of groceries has overtaken 4 rooms of your house and your entire garage…it may be time to seek professional help. If your addiction to couponing causes you to neglect your husband and children…it may be time to seek professional help. If you think it’s acceptable to dig through a dumpster in search of coupons that other people have thrown away…it may be time to seek professional help. If the items you purchase will expire before you could ever possibly eat them…it may be time to seek professional help.
So, I’m watching this show on TLC called Extreme Couponing and all I can think is “Holy shit.”
Couple #1
Bought over $1071, Only paid $52
The first couple shown was overweight. Now I’m not saying anything negative about them being overweight (hello, I’m a fatty myself), but perhaps the reason this couple is overweight is the fact that in 6 hours of grocery shopping they bought not 1 item that wasn’t canned, boxed, or full of preservatives. Nothing fresh, no vegetables, no fruits, no milk. I hesitate to say the word couple because the only thing the husband is guilty of is letting his wife have this crazy ass addiction to couponing. She has even overtaken his man cave with her “stockpile” of groceries. This woman admits that despite having a full time job and 2 children she spends 70 hours a week looking up coupons and deals online. She spends hours in the store not buying things, but writing down the deals in the 2 groceries and 2 pharmacies she shops at. Hours. She sees nothing wrong with running out of her house at 11:30 at night to purchase something on sale so she can get a good deal. The show said they had enough toilet paper for 40 years and yet she continues to purchase more. She bought 125 boxes of pasta and at least 50 boxes of those noodles that are like ramen. How on earth are you going to eat all that? She admits she is addicted to shopping. I would shoot myself if I was in the store with this woman. She had 9 shopping carts and it took 4 cashiers to ring her crap up. She complained about it and complained because people were giving her nasty looks. I’d give her ass a nasty look too. It took 2 cars and she used plastic bags. I thought my head was going to explode. I hate plastic bags and think they should be outlawed and to watch all that waste…I shudder.
Coupon #2
Bought over $638.64. Spent only $2.64
This is a young couple in their late 20’s. This woman’s couponing addiction has turned their garage into a mini grocery store. She dumpster dives and thinks nothing is wrong with having her 4 year oldish son in the dumpster with her looking for newspaper circulars. Apparently dumpster diving is a weekly family outing for her and her son. Her husband did seem to think this behavior may be a little off, but didn’t really say anything when she came in to the kitchen with her plastic bin of garbage coupons. Her couponing “book” weighs 8lbs. 8lbs and she carries that huge ass binder to the store several times a week! She won’t buy anything if it doesn’t have a coupon. This woman talks about how store items typically go on sale every 3 months so she buys 3 months worth of sale items…in her world this equates to 40 jars of pasta sauce. Now I love pasta, but there is no way I could eat 40 jars of pasta sauce in 3 months.
Woman #3
Bought over $230.38, Spent only $6.92
At least this woman uses hippy bags…now she also goes to all her neighbors every morning and asks them for their newspaper circulars and coupons. And she bought fresh foods so I can’t say anything bad about her (even her neighbors seem to like her). Her use of coupons seems normal. And she was funny because she stops people in the store and tells them how to coupon. I need her as a teacher for couponing.
Couple #4
In 3 orders, in 1 grocery trip bought over $769.27, spent only $56.76; bought over $974, spent only $35.55; bought over $4000, spent under $150=In total bought over $5743 and only spent $241
This couponer is a male. He has enough deodorant to last 150 years. One hundred and fifty years…why on earth do you need 150 years worth of deodorant? And yet he continues to buy more. He buys 10 newspapers a week. His entire garage is full of his “stockpile.” He is married to a woman, but I feel his heart lies with the other team. He is the most feminine “straight” man I’ve ever seen on tv. He donates the free items to the food bank at his church. Thank God. He had to special order cereal because he got so many boxes. He bought 300 toothbrushes, 60 bars of hand soap, and 1100 boxes of cereal. This family is also paying off their debt and that is always admirable. So, even though I think his extreme couponing hobby is a little weird I give him mad props for helping the food bank.
I’m sorry, but I’m just not willing to devote rooms of my house to hoard groceries, nor am I willing to devote hours of my time to find coupons (and certainly not to paying other people to cut coupons for me as 2 of these families do). Most of our grocery purchases are fresh items, not canned or boxed items. It seems like these people are purchasing items on sale just to purchase items on sale like an addiction (which I’m not willing to do). They get a high from getting a ton of groceries for little to no money. I can honestly see how there could be a certain competitiveness or sense of accomplishment in that, BUT again what are you going to do with all that stuff???? There is no way in your lifetime that you could even use half of it. If you are having to throw away expired groceries than really that is just wasteful. Plus our grocery doesn’t double coupons and all these families went to groceries that doubled coupons.
So, what’s my verdict on extreme couponing??? Crazy, crazy, crazy!!!! Paul on the other hand is intrigued. Lol
If you have to devote 70 hours a week to couponing…it may be time to seek professional help. If your “stock pile” of groceries has overtaken 4 rooms of your house and your entire garage…it may be time to seek professional help. If your addiction to couponing causes you to neglect your husband and children…it may be time to seek professional help. If you think it’s acceptable to dig through a dumpster in search of coupons that other people have thrown away…it may be time to seek professional help. If the items you purchase will expire before you could ever possibly eat them…it may be time to seek professional help.
Monday, December 27, 2010
I love blogs
There I said it. I admit that I am obsessed with blogs. I constantly am on the lookout for interesting blogs and I can spend hours (and by hours I really do mean hours...I mean come on...I have the time to spare) reading about other people's lives. I am always am in awe of bloggers who have over 100 followers much less thousands. How do they do that? (okay, I may easily awed, but still you have to admit that is impressive). I actually feel a sense of disappointment when my good friend's haven't updated their blogs recently (Chelsea and Brittany, I am calling you out here!). My dream is to have my own website much like these faves of mine: Our Old Southern House (love, love, love this blog), Kelly's Korner (she has over 9000 followers and always has links to other good blogs), The Pioneer Woman (she has the best recipes!), and Lucie's List (a great guide for moms). I love writing and I am narcissitic enough to think that I have an interesting life that people actually want to read about and to love knowing that people enjoy my writing. Or at least I hope they enjoy my writing and think I am interesting. If you don't think either of those things please don't tell me. I probably will discount what you are saying and choose not to believe you anyways. :)
Another thing I would love to do, besides becoming a blogging goddess, is to write an advice column. I've learned over the past several months of bedrest (okay, I'm lying--I've always know this) that I love giving advice. I can also spend hours a day on Babycenter commenting on people's posts and questions and giving advice to people on everything from relationships (a lot of women seem to have a lot of relationship problems during pregnancy--makes me sad--despite all the changes of 2010 Paul and I have continued to have an amazing relationship--God has blessed us with each other for sure) to child rearing to pregnancy questions (mostly related to cerclage and things my high risk obs have told me). Plus I think my background in social work/mental health makes me qualified to write an advice column. I feel like I give good, sound advice.
So, I have no idea how to create my own website, but if anyone out there would like to help me or create one for me I'd be eternally grateful and I'd give you all the credit on your brilliant piece of design (also if you could tell me how to turn off these stupid hot keys on my laptop I'd be grateful to. I hate everytime I hit T and something else I get taken to a new internet explorer window or bing search or what not). And if anyone knows of any newspapers or websites hiring advice columnists then please let me know.
We are sitting at home, listening to the wind, everything covered in snow, watching a show on how Spiderman really could be plausible on History. I have a cold and don't feel like doing much. I've been on a big murder/thriller book spree lately (J.T. Ellison has the best series involving a character Taylor Jackson--I've read 4 of this series over the weekend) which may explain why I dreamt last night that I took down an armed suspect holding a woman hostage last night. Of course covering myself head to toe in Vicks Vapor Rub because of my cold could have had something to do with it, too. FYI covering the bottom of your feet in Vicks and putting socks on really does help. God love Paul for allowing me to sleep in our bed with the odor of menthol wafting about our room. I def will be taking a bath tonight and utilizing the Vicks.
Hard to believe in less than 7 weeks our baby girl will be here. That's only 52 days and to say I'm excited to meet her would be an understatement. Excited and terrified all at once. Well, maybe not terrified. A good scared for sure. Going into the unknown is always a little daunting as I'm sure all new parents will attest to.
How far in advance did y'all have your bags packed for the hospital, car seat installed, and crib bedding on? We got our car seat and stroller set up last night, the nursery is almost done (although I haven't put the sheet on yet, but the mattress is aired out not that it really needed to be as of course no one should be surprised that my crazy ass got an organic foam mattress), we have a baby shower on the 8th, and then will purchase whatever else we need to get after that. Did anyone else use a Graco pack and play with newborn napper? How did your baby like/do in the newborn napper part?
Hope everyone is staying warm and safe in this snowy weather!
Another thing I would love to do, besides becoming a blogging goddess, is to write an advice column. I've learned over the past several months of bedrest (okay, I'm lying--I've always know this) that I love giving advice. I can also spend hours a day on Babycenter commenting on people's posts and questions and giving advice to people on everything from relationships (a lot of women seem to have a lot of relationship problems during pregnancy--makes me sad--despite all the changes of 2010 Paul and I have continued to have an amazing relationship--God has blessed us with each other for sure) to child rearing to pregnancy questions (mostly related to cerclage and things my high risk obs have told me). Plus I think my background in social work/mental health makes me qualified to write an advice column. I feel like I give good, sound advice.
So, I have no idea how to create my own website, but if anyone out there would like to help me or create one for me I'd be eternally grateful and I'd give you all the credit on your brilliant piece of design (also if you could tell me how to turn off these stupid hot keys on my laptop I'd be grateful to. I hate everytime I hit T and something else I get taken to a new internet explorer window or bing search or what not). And if anyone knows of any newspapers or websites hiring advice columnists then please let me know.
We are sitting at home, listening to the wind, everything covered in snow, watching a show on how Spiderman really could be plausible on History. I have a cold and don't feel like doing much. I've been on a big murder/thriller book spree lately (J.T. Ellison has the best series involving a character Taylor Jackson--I've read 4 of this series over the weekend) which may explain why I dreamt last night that I took down an armed suspect holding a woman hostage last night. Of course covering myself head to toe in Vicks Vapor Rub because of my cold could have had something to do with it, too. FYI covering the bottom of your feet in Vicks and putting socks on really does help. God love Paul for allowing me to sleep in our bed with the odor of menthol wafting about our room. I def will be taking a bath tonight and utilizing the Vicks.
Hard to believe in less than 7 weeks our baby girl will be here. That's only 52 days and to say I'm excited to meet her would be an understatement. Excited and terrified all at once. Well, maybe not terrified. A good scared for sure. Going into the unknown is always a little daunting as I'm sure all new parents will attest to.
How far in advance did y'all have your bags packed for the hospital, car seat installed, and crib bedding on? We got our car seat and stroller set up last night, the nursery is almost done (although I haven't put the sheet on yet, but the mattress is aired out not that it really needed to be as of course no one should be surprised that my crazy ass got an organic foam mattress), we have a baby shower on the 8th, and then will purchase whatever else we need to get after that. Did anyone else use a Graco pack and play with newborn napper? How did your baby like/do in the newborn napper part?
Hope everyone is staying warm and safe in this snowy weather!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Sleep Sleep Where For Art Thou Sleep
I have always struggled with periods of insomnia so for me getting less than 8 hours of sleep at night or waking up during the night isn't unusual...except now I am 8 months pregnant and tired!
For example: last night. Last night I had wicked bad acid reflux...you know the kind where you wake up with a mouth full of stomach acid. (gross I know and perhaps TMI, but hey) I took tums after tums after tums (and always wonder what taking tums and NOT brushing my teeth afterwards cause its the middle of the night is doing to my teeth--I've decided either all that extra calcium sitting on my teeth is going to make them super strong or I'm going to have some awful cavities when this pregnancy is over). For sure I am going to have to go to the gastroenterologist after baby gets here for an endoscopy with all the acid reflux I've had.
So, the only other thing I have to do, besides the tums, is to prop all my pillows behind me and try to fall asleep sitting up. I can fall asleep, but then wake up in a panic wondering if I've put too much pressure on my vena cava and so then I immediately switch to laying on my left side.
Now these brief periods of sleep are occurring in between the 5 times a night that I now get up to pee and the 25 times a night that I have to wake up to roll over.
My dear husband, on the other hand, could sleep through a hurricane. He occasionally wakes up to ask if I'm okay when I'm choking on stomach acid, but other than that nothing. Around 5am this morning I woke up to pee, had the acid, took a tums, and hear Paul ask what time is it. I tell him and he then goes on to say how wide awake he is and if he had to work he would just get up and go to work. I'm pretty wide awake myself and thought about saying let's get up and go to breakfast, but decided it was too cold to do that.
5 minutes later...Paul is fast asleep. 90 minutes later I am still wide awake and having to get up to pee again. Paul still sleeping.
9:30am my alarm goes off, but I was already awake. Paul still asleep. We finally get up at 10am so we can eat breakfast and go see Harry Potter (11:40am Christmas Eve morning is the best time to go to the movies...no lines and plenty of seats!). Surprisingly I did not have to pee during the movie despite the large cherry coke I drank (and Paul for once did). I loved the movie even though Paul and the little girl behind us kept asking where Ron was the whole time and Paul had no idea what was going on for the entire movie. lol The nachos I ate were pretty good, too.
Now home and exhausted, but not really enough to nap (although like a 90 year old I could at some point fall into a narcoleptic sleep sitting in my recliner). I figure if I nap during the day that is even less sleep that I'll get during the night. And I laugh when all my mommy friends talk about how tired and how little sleep I'll when the baby is here because I already get no sleep. And I am the lightest sleeper used to waking up at every little sound and not being able to fall back to sleep. Of course this paragraph could come back to bite me in the ass someday (not that I'd ever admit it haha).
Can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Day...I think I am most looking forward to the cinnamon rolls, bacon, and fresh squeezed oj we will be having for breakfast. I was going to try and make home made cinnamon rolls this year, but decided to postpone that endeavor till next year.
Alright, enough rambling. Taco Bell is calling my name! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
For example: last night. Last night I had wicked bad acid reflux...you know the kind where you wake up with a mouth full of stomach acid. (gross I know and perhaps TMI, but hey) I took tums after tums after tums (and always wonder what taking tums and NOT brushing my teeth afterwards cause its the middle of the night is doing to my teeth--I've decided either all that extra calcium sitting on my teeth is going to make them super strong or I'm going to have some awful cavities when this pregnancy is over). For sure I am going to have to go to the gastroenterologist after baby gets here for an endoscopy with all the acid reflux I've had.
So, the only other thing I have to do, besides the tums, is to prop all my pillows behind me and try to fall asleep sitting up. I can fall asleep, but then wake up in a panic wondering if I've put too much pressure on my vena cava and so then I immediately switch to laying on my left side.
Now these brief periods of sleep are occurring in between the 5 times a night that I now get up to pee and the 25 times a night that I have to wake up to roll over.
My dear husband, on the other hand, could sleep through a hurricane. He occasionally wakes up to ask if I'm okay when I'm choking on stomach acid, but other than that nothing. Around 5am this morning I woke up to pee, had the acid, took a tums, and hear Paul ask what time is it. I tell him and he then goes on to say how wide awake he is and if he had to work he would just get up and go to work. I'm pretty wide awake myself and thought about saying let's get up and go to breakfast, but decided it was too cold to do that.
5 minutes later...Paul is fast asleep. 90 minutes later I am still wide awake and having to get up to pee again. Paul still sleeping.
9:30am my alarm goes off, but I was already awake. Paul still asleep. We finally get up at 10am so we can eat breakfast and go see Harry Potter (11:40am Christmas Eve morning is the best time to go to the movies...no lines and plenty of seats!). Surprisingly I did not have to pee during the movie despite the large cherry coke I drank (and Paul for once did). I loved the movie even though Paul and the little girl behind us kept asking where Ron was the whole time and Paul had no idea what was going on for the entire movie. lol The nachos I ate were pretty good, too.
Now home and exhausted, but not really enough to nap (although like a 90 year old I could at some point fall into a narcoleptic sleep sitting in my recliner). I figure if I nap during the day that is even less sleep that I'll get during the night. And I laugh when all my mommy friends talk about how tired and how little sleep I'll when the baby is here because I already get no sleep. And I am the lightest sleeper used to waking up at every little sound and not being able to fall back to sleep. Of course this paragraph could come back to bite me in the ass someday (not that I'd ever admit it haha).
Can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Day...I think I am most looking forward to the cinnamon rolls, bacon, and fresh squeezed oj we will be having for breakfast. I was going to try and make home made cinnamon rolls this year, but decided to postpone that endeavor till next year.
Alright, enough rambling. Taco Bell is calling my name! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Oh Emma
I had an appointment with my PCM today or so I thought. Imagine my surprise when I was in the exam room waiting and someone else walked in. Apparently my PCM took leave for the week (I guess she is allowed a vacation). All I needed was a referral to the dermatologist. I have some questionable things going on that I need looked at (Rebekah is probably happy she was off this week) and possibly removed.
So, there is this young SSgt who in the real world is like the nurse who takes your blood pressure, temp, etc. He comes back in with a fetal doppler to hear the baby's heartbeat. I'm guessing this must be standard operating procedure because I couldn't figure out how it had anything to do with my referral. I get on the exam table, lean back, and have my shirt up and my pants pushed down before he can utter a word. I've done this a time or 500 by now.
Our base doesn't deal with anything prenatal so the poor guy clearly is not sure what he is listening for. I wanted to take the doppler and do it for him, but then how would he learn. And Emma is going crazy. She had a VERY active morning and was jumping like a fish out of water the entire time I was in the waiting room. He finds what he thinks is the heartbeat and looks to the doctor for confirmation. She nods and starts to explain that the other noises we are hearing is the baby moving except the baby is moving so much that the doctor starts laughing and then I start laughing and this poor guy is still trying to count the baby's heartbeat for 30 seconds using his watch. He came up with 65 which seems low to me (wouldn't that only be 130 beats per minute?), but they seemed to think it was normal. I personally think he didn't count correctly, but how can you count something that sounds like a galloping horse? Plus I'm sure my hysterical laughter didn't help him at all.
He leaves and I show the doctor my concerns. She walks me over to referral management and they get my information and let me know they'll call this afternoon. My only request is to see a female and to see someone close to home. The military thinks anything within 60 miles of your house is close to home and they warned me that there were not a whole lot of options for dermatology near us. I've noticed that since Hanscom is such a small (tiny) base our medical choices with Tricare are very limited in terms of specialists. I'm lucky that I found a obgyn that I love and who is reasonably (aka 25 minutes driving time) close.
I get a message from referral management this afternoon. They scheduled me an appointment for Dec. 28th (ok) in Westford (not as bad as it could be...probably 20 miles away, maybe 30 minutes driving time depending on traffic) for 7:45AM (NOT OK). The only reason I'm getting up at 7:45AM these days is because Paul wakes me up when he leaves for work which always results in me having to get up to pee. Then the referral management nurse tries to justify it by saying that she's driven that way in the morning and traffic wasn't that bad. Not making things better and just because traffic wasn't bad on the day you went does not mean it won't be horrific on the day I go. So, I may be calling to reschedule that appointment. I just don't know if I can commit to leaving my house at 7am for a doctors appointment. Plus maybe I can reschedule it around lunchtime because there is a restaurant I like in Westford.
After my doctors appointment and lunch I was exhausted and had to come home and rest on the couch all afternoon.
Happy Christmas Eve Eve!
So, there is this young SSgt who in the real world is like the nurse who takes your blood pressure, temp, etc. He comes back in with a fetal doppler to hear the baby's heartbeat. I'm guessing this must be standard operating procedure because I couldn't figure out how it had anything to do with my referral. I get on the exam table, lean back, and have my shirt up and my pants pushed down before he can utter a word. I've done this a time or 500 by now.
Our base doesn't deal with anything prenatal so the poor guy clearly is not sure what he is listening for. I wanted to take the doppler and do it for him, but then how would he learn. And Emma is going crazy. She had a VERY active morning and was jumping like a fish out of water the entire time I was in the waiting room. He finds what he thinks is the heartbeat and looks to the doctor for confirmation. She nods and starts to explain that the other noises we are hearing is the baby moving except the baby is moving so much that the doctor starts laughing and then I start laughing and this poor guy is still trying to count the baby's heartbeat for 30 seconds using his watch. He came up with 65 which seems low to me (wouldn't that only be 130 beats per minute?), but they seemed to think it was normal. I personally think he didn't count correctly, but how can you count something that sounds like a galloping horse? Plus I'm sure my hysterical laughter didn't help him at all.
He leaves and I show the doctor my concerns. She walks me over to referral management and they get my information and let me know they'll call this afternoon. My only request is to see a female and to see someone close to home. The military thinks anything within 60 miles of your house is close to home and they warned me that there were not a whole lot of options for dermatology near us. I've noticed that since Hanscom is such a small (tiny) base our medical choices with Tricare are very limited in terms of specialists. I'm lucky that I found a obgyn that I love and who is reasonably (aka 25 minutes driving time) close.
I get a message from referral management this afternoon. They scheduled me an appointment for Dec. 28th (ok) in Westford (not as bad as it could be...probably 20 miles away, maybe 30 minutes driving time depending on traffic) for 7:45AM (NOT OK). The only reason I'm getting up at 7:45AM these days is because Paul wakes me up when he leaves for work which always results in me having to get up to pee. Then the referral management nurse tries to justify it by saying that she's driven that way in the morning and traffic wasn't that bad. Not making things better and just because traffic wasn't bad on the day you went does not mean it won't be horrific on the day I go. So, I may be calling to reschedule that appointment. I just don't know if I can commit to leaving my house at 7am for a doctors appointment. Plus maybe I can reschedule it around lunchtime because there is a restaurant I like in Westford.
After my doctors appointment and lunch I was exhausted and had to come home and rest on the couch all afternoon.
Happy Christmas Eve Eve!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
32 weeks aka 8 months (as of tomorrow)
We had an appointment today with Dr. Roque, one of our high risk obs at maternal fetal medicine. We had brought the MFM ladies, doctors, and u/s techs cookies for Christmas. I cannot tell you how much their care and support has meant to us. The ladies that make the appointments could not be any nicer. They were packed today because it was the only day this week that they were seeing patients. Luckily the coffee ladies came by and gave us all coffee or hot chocolate. Of course as soon as I got my very delicious decaf we got called back in for the ultrasound. It was still delicious and I still got to drink it as we waited.
The u/s tech said Emma is weighing 5lb 1oz. I can't believe we still have 8 weeks to go, but am glad to see Emma will be a healthy sized baby! And as far as we know she is still a she! If she ends up being a he, she is going to be a feminine he in a pink room with lots of girl clothes. lol And the tech said my cervix measured 3cm (of course each u/s tech could get a different measurement based on how they measure).
And then Dr. Roque came in. He said I looked wonderful! I preened a little bit because I do take time to do my hair and make up and actually get dressed to go to appointments and then I realized he meant my cervix. He was very pleased with how both Emma and I have done and then he broke my heart. He said today was going to be our last appointment with him at MFM. I don't really like change and I get very attached to people so the fact that I didn't start bailing hysterical surprised even me. Paul had tried to warn me on the way to the hospital that it might be our last appointment, but I didn't want to believe him. Okay, realistically Dr. Roque and Dr. Lim are both leaving MFM to go into private practice at the end of December so I would've had to see a new doctor anyways if I had kept going, but still.
Dr. Roque said I could start slowly increasing my activity level. I can't go out and go crazy (or clean or cook elaborate meals or lift heavy things), but what I have been doing has been working great! I'm still considered on modified bedrest, but now we are preparing me for when the baby gets here because as he pointed out she won't care that I'm tired or out of breath or dizzy...I need to get my stamina back!
Dr. Roque is so funny and so much the attending doctor at the hospital...every time you ask a question he has a 15 minute long explanation and educational lesson for you. Today we talked about the baby's movements and my soreness. I am soooo sore at night that I wake up every time I need to roll over. My hips hurt so bad as do most of the areas down there (pretty much everywhere my undies touch). I'll refrain from giving a more in depth explanation to the agony I feel at night...suffice it to say certain areas feel like they are being stabbed with burning knives. Rolling over takes almost a feat of God and I often end up stuck on back like a turtle, thrashing about, and then have to wiggle like a snake to finish the roll. It's not a pretty sight and God has truly blessed Paul in that he can sleep through all that. I am not sure how I haven't bounced him right off the bed yet. Probably because we have one of those coil less beds that you are supposed to be able to balance a glass of wine and jump on it without spilling the wine. I haven't tried that experiment yet mostly because I enjoy wine too much to waste a glass if the manufacturer lied and it did spill. Who wants to waste a good glass of wine?????? Wow, that was quite the tangent.
So, then I had to break the ladies hearts by telling them it was our last appointment and they said they looked up how many weeks I was before I got there and figured it would be. They are so sad that they won't be seeing us every week cause we are their favorite patients, but I did promise to bring Emma in once she's born and to bring them a picture. FYI they both said Emma Grace is a beautiful name and of course Paul had to point out it's the most popular name of 2009. Party pooper!
So, here we are....32 weeks as of tomorrow and winding down my pregnancy. We got to see Emma take some practice breaths today courtesy of the u/s tech bouncing the wand thingy on my stomach until Emma was pissed off. I think Emma is going to be stubborn and feisty. She has moved a lot today (although I did have a pepsi...I know gasp...and a decaf coffee...and a decaf peppermint mocha from Starbucks).
Paul stayed home from work and after I ran up to the library we both napped on the couch. Well, he was on the couch while I was sitting in the recliner.
Tomorrow I go see my PCP (or as they are called in the military PCM) for a referral to the dermatologist. My friend Rebekah may see more of me than she ever wanted to...the joys of being friends with your PCM! lol Good thing I have no shame in my game!
PS New reality show coming in February called Glamour Bells...not sure when Alabama became the new New Jersey, but I'll check it out for ya!
The u/s tech said Emma is weighing 5lb 1oz. I can't believe we still have 8 weeks to go, but am glad to see Emma will be a healthy sized baby! And as far as we know she is still a she! If she ends up being a he, she is going to be a feminine he in a pink room with lots of girl clothes. lol And the tech said my cervix measured 3cm (of course each u/s tech could get a different measurement based on how they measure).
And then Dr. Roque came in. He said I looked wonderful! I preened a little bit because I do take time to do my hair and make up and actually get dressed to go to appointments and then I realized he meant my cervix. He was very pleased with how both Emma and I have done and then he broke my heart. He said today was going to be our last appointment with him at MFM. I don't really like change and I get very attached to people so the fact that I didn't start bailing hysterical surprised even me. Paul had tried to warn me on the way to the hospital that it might be our last appointment, but I didn't want to believe him. Okay, realistically Dr. Roque and Dr. Lim are both leaving MFM to go into private practice at the end of December so I would've had to see a new doctor anyways if I had kept going, but still.
Dr. Roque said I could start slowly increasing my activity level. I can't go out and go crazy (or clean or cook elaborate meals or lift heavy things), but what I have been doing has been working great! I'm still considered on modified bedrest, but now we are preparing me for when the baby gets here because as he pointed out she won't care that I'm tired or out of breath or dizzy...I need to get my stamina back!
Dr. Roque is so funny and so much the attending doctor at the hospital...every time you ask a question he has a 15 minute long explanation and educational lesson for you. Today we talked about the baby's movements and my soreness. I am soooo sore at night that I wake up every time I need to roll over. My hips hurt so bad as do most of the areas down there (pretty much everywhere my undies touch). I'll refrain from giving a more in depth explanation to the agony I feel at night...suffice it to say certain areas feel like they are being stabbed with burning knives. Rolling over takes almost a feat of God and I often end up stuck on back like a turtle, thrashing about, and then have to wiggle like a snake to finish the roll. It's not a pretty sight and God has truly blessed Paul in that he can sleep through all that. I am not sure how I haven't bounced him right off the bed yet. Probably because we have one of those coil less beds that you are supposed to be able to balance a glass of wine and jump on it without spilling the wine. I haven't tried that experiment yet mostly because I enjoy wine too much to waste a glass if the manufacturer lied and it did spill. Who wants to waste a good glass of wine?????? Wow, that was quite the tangent.
So, then I had to break the ladies hearts by telling them it was our last appointment and they said they looked up how many weeks I was before I got there and figured it would be. They are so sad that they won't be seeing us every week cause we are their favorite patients, but I did promise to bring Emma in once she's born and to bring them a picture. FYI they both said Emma Grace is a beautiful name and of course Paul had to point out it's the most popular name of 2009. Party pooper!
So, here we are....32 weeks as of tomorrow and winding down my pregnancy. We got to see Emma take some practice breaths today courtesy of the u/s tech bouncing the wand thingy on my stomach until Emma was pissed off. I think Emma is going to be stubborn and feisty. She has moved a lot today (although I did have a pepsi...I know gasp...and a decaf coffee...and a decaf peppermint mocha from Starbucks).
Paul stayed home from work and after I ran up to the library we both napped on the couch. Well, he was on the couch while I was sitting in the recliner.
Tomorrow I go see my PCP (or as they are called in the military PCM) for a referral to the dermatologist. My friend Rebekah may see more of me than she ever wanted to...the joys of being friends with your PCM! lol Good thing I have no shame in my game!
PS New reality show coming in February called Glamour Bells...not sure when Alabama became the new New Jersey, but I'll check it out for ya!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Vick's Vapor Rub...God's blessing or the devil?
I love, love, love Vick's Vapor Rub! I use it all the time for sinuses/headaches/colds/anything, travel with it if I'm staying at a hotel, and sometimes use it just to help me get to sleep (I don't know why a little dab of Vick's under my nose helps me sleep, but it does). FYI Vick's also can be used for sore muscles. Just so you know. I seriously couldn't live without this magical little ointment.
Paul, God bless him, got a cold and was miserable last night so I handed over the Vick's. He put the tiniest little dab under his nose so I told him he needed to use more and he needed to put some on his cheeks over his sinuses. So, he does and then....
"It burns my eyes. I can't open my eyes. It hurts. Why does it hurt so much? My face is one fire. Why would you do this to me? Ow. Ow. Ow. It's burning. Make it stop. Is this what the icy hot felt like? The pain, the pain. My eyes. I can't see. My face is burning. It hurts." On and on and on.
What am I doing during this entire monologue? Laughing hysterically of course! (in reference to the Icy Hot...I asked Paul to put icy hot on my back one day pre-pregnancy and he used what seemed like half a jar...it felt like I was on fire).
So, I ask you...Vick's Vapor Rub~beautiful savior or devil in disguise?
Paul, God bless him, got a cold and was miserable last night so I handed over the Vick's. He put the tiniest little dab under his nose so I told him he needed to use more and he needed to put some on his cheeks over his sinuses. So, he does and then....
"It burns my eyes. I can't open my eyes. It hurts. Why does it hurt so much? My face is one fire. Why would you do this to me? Ow. Ow. Ow. It's burning. Make it stop. Is this what the icy hot felt like? The pain, the pain. My eyes. I can't see. My face is burning. It hurts." On and on and on.
What am I doing during this entire monologue? Laughing hysterically of course! (in reference to the Icy Hot...I asked Paul to put icy hot on my back one day pre-pregnancy and he used what seemed like half a jar...it felt like I was on fire).
So, I ask you...Vick's Vapor Rub~beautiful savior or devil in disguise?
Monday, December 20, 2010
Karma's a bitch
AN ACTUAL PERSONAL AD
To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me InDowntown Savannah night before last.
Date: 2010-05-27, 1 :43 a.m. E.S.T.
I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend, threatening our lives. You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.
First, I'd like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn't expect you to actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket. The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason. My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 ....45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening. Obviously you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head .... isn't it?!
I know it probably wasn't fun walking back to wherever you'd come from with that brown sludge in your pants. I'm sure it was even worse walking bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again].
After I called your mother or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you'd done. Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station, -- on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful!
I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]
I then threw your wallet into the big pink "pimp mobile" that was parked at the curb ... after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver's side of the car.
Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell phone. Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what 's going on with that? Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA's office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target.
The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc.).
In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you, but I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you've chosen to pursue in life. Remember, next time you might not be so lucky. Have a good day!
Thoughtfully yours,
Alex
To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me InDowntown Savannah night before last.
Date: 2010-05-27, 1 :43 a.m. E.S.T.
I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend, threatening our lives. You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.
First, I'd like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn't expect you to actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket. The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason. My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 ....45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening. Obviously you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head .... isn't it?!
I know it probably wasn't fun walking back to wherever you'd come from with that brown sludge in your pants. I'm sure it was even worse walking bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again].
After I called your mother or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you'd done. Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station, -- on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful!
I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]
I then threw your wallet into the big pink "pimp mobile" that was parked at the curb ... after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver's side of the car.
Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell phone. Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what 's going on with that? Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA's office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target.
The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc.).
In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you, but I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you've chosen to pursue in life. Remember, next time you might not be so lucky. Have a good day!
Thoughtfully yours,
Alex
Overwhelmed
I am FREAKING OUT! We have 8 weeks or less until Emma makes her arrival and all of the sudden I do not feel ready. I think it's because I went upstairs to put her clothes away and reorganize her dresser so that all her clothes will fit (God bless our family and friends who have sent clothes--she has enough clothes for the first 12 months easy). As I sat on the floor folding her tiny little outfits I started to become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff you are supposed to have to have a baby. It seemed like there is not enough space to put everything and there are still things we need to get. And then I started to think that maybe I'm not ready for this. I mean, who teaches you all the things you are supposed to know to be a mom?
We haven't been able to take any new baby classes due to my bedrest (and the fact that um, $190...are you kidding me?). Luckily, the baby RN from the base can come to our house two times or more to teach us things. Plus the hospital sends a nurse out to check on us after the baby is born if we want (Um, yes please). So, I've been thinking about things to ask her.
How is she going to stay warm at night? I am freezing in our house at night. How do we keep a tiny baby warm?
How do I cut her nails?
What do I do if she's constipated, has gas, has a stuffy nose, on and on and on?
There just seems like too much. Do I really have instincts that are going to magically kick in when she's born?
I will say thought her little nursery is so cute! It is exactly what I wanted (and yes, I know I still need to post pictures. I am waiting for Paul to hang her quilt up and for my MIL to mail the "M" that we need to complete EMMA on the wall. I can't post pictures until everything is done).
These are times when it would be nice to have more mommy friends and family near by.
Although Miss Emma is already going to be quite the social butterfly with tons of visitors. I think Paul's mom and grams are planning on coming up in March as is my dad and his lady friend. In April, our friend Anne-Marie (and hopefully the Brownings and Hulls) will be up to visit. In May, Emma and I will be driving down to NJ to meet my mom there and see my grammy and other aunts and then my mom will come up here for a few days. Over the summer I am sure there will be visitors or we will be traveling and then in September we are going to Cape Cod. Plus Paul promised we could go down to FL for Christmas next year (assuming we can find someone to come pet sit at the house for us while we are gone) since we were confined to home this year.
Okay, deep breaths. Time to relax and not worry about it. Countless other people have had children and lived to tell about it so I am sure we will be able to do the same thing.
But let me ask you this...if you, as a mom, could give a new mom one piece of advice that no one told you what would it be?
We haven't been able to take any new baby classes due to my bedrest (and the fact that um, $190...are you kidding me?). Luckily, the baby RN from the base can come to our house two times or more to teach us things. Plus the hospital sends a nurse out to check on us after the baby is born if we want (Um, yes please). So, I've been thinking about things to ask her.
How is she going to stay warm at night? I am freezing in our house at night. How do we keep a tiny baby warm?
How do I cut her nails?
What do I do if she's constipated, has gas, has a stuffy nose, on and on and on?
There just seems like too much. Do I really have instincts that are going to magically kick in when she's born?
I will say thought her little nursery is so cute! It is exactly what I wanted (and yes, I know I still need to post pictures. I am waiting for Paul to hang her quilt up and for my MIL to mail the "M" that we need to complete EMMA on the wall. I can't post pictures until everything is done).
These are times when it would be nice to have more mommy friends and family near by.
Although Miss Emma is already going to be quite the social butterfly with tons of visitors. I think Paul's mom and grams are planning on coming up in March as is my dad and his lady friend. In April, our friend Anne-Marie (and hopefully the Brownings and Hulls) will be up to visit. In May, Emma and I will be driving down to NJ to meet my mom there and see my grammy and other aunts and then my mom will come up here for a few days. Over the summer I am sure there will be visitors or we will be traveling and then in September we are going to Cape Cod. Plus Paul promised we could go down to FL for Christmas next year (assuming we can find someone to come pet sit at the house for us while we are gone) since we were confined to home this year.
Okay, deep breaths. Time to relax and not worry about it. Countless other people have had children and lived to tell about it so I am sure we will be able to do the same thing.
But let me ask you this...if you, as a mom, could give a new mom one piece of advice that no one told you what would it be?
Sunday, December 19, 2010
8 weeks 4 days aka 60 days aka OMG
It is hard for me to believe that on Thursday I will be 8 months pregnant. 8 months. It seems crazy when 10 weeks ago it didn't even seem like I would make it to 7 months. And now I'm in the home stretch! I am obsessed with feeling our baby move. My favorite parts of the day are when she is squirming, swimming, and kicking me even when it's uncomfortable or makes me slightly nauseous (when she is right against my belly button and front it makes me want to throw up a little). If I don't feel her for several hours I break out the fetal doppler and take a listen. Hearing her heartbeat is the best sound in the world right now.
Even though we have had quite a few more ultrasounds than the average expecting couple (we estimate at weekly ultrasounds with a specialist since week 18 plus my regular ob care plus an ER visit plus a surgery Tricare has probably paid over $30k for this pregnancy so far--thank you taxpayers) I couldn't imagine NOT getting to see our baby girl weekly or biweekly. I am not sure how regular pregnant people go so long between ob appointments!
I think my biggest fear at this point, in addition to stillbirth, is something happening to me during labor. Having read about http://www.mattlogelin.com/ in a magazine...well, I can't imagine. His wife died in the days following the birth of their child. I don't want to be taken from my daughter. I want to be her mom. I want to be here to cuddle her as a baby, to watch her learn to walk, to grow as a toddler, and to become a teenager (okay, the teenager thing throws me because that means we'll be OLD). I want to carry her around in the Moby wrap (although I am loving the http://www.meitaibaby.com/ one right now, too). I want her to have siblings and can't wait to adopt a sibling group. Paul wants her to have a baby brother (I remind him that during this pregnancy is NOT the time to discuss future pregnancies). I want us all to retire together to our Christmas tree/pumpkin farm with a petting zoo in TN when Paul retires. I want a big ole log cabin or farm house for us to live in. I want to work part time as a therapist and embarrass Emma (and our future kids) and love on her and let her sleepovers and watch her play with the dogs. I want our friends to come visit and sit around the fire at night and drink wine and talk about how funny/awful/wonderful our kids are and the good ole days when we were kid free and crazy. I want Paul to build our kids a tree house and go on a cruise with my bestie and her fam and watch the kids swim and play in the ocean. I want to watch my parents are grandparents and my sister as an auntie. I want to raise kids who are confident and friendly and funny and loving and caring.
There is too much left that I have to do/that I want to do. So, God, just to put it out there...I'm not ready to leave yet. I know it's not my choice and it's Your plan, but if you could grant me this and let me realize all of the above (or at least work on it) I would really appreciate it. Thank you.
Even though we have had quite a few more ultrasounds than the average expecting couple (we estimate at weekly ultrasounds with a specialist since week 18 plus my regular ob care plus an ER visit plus a surgery Tricare has probably paid over $30k for this pregnancy so far--thank you taxpayers) I couldn't imagine NOT getting to see our baby girl weekly or biweekly. I am not sure how regular pregnant people go so long between ob appointments!
I think my biggest fear at this point, in addition to stillbirth, is something happening to me during labor. Having read about http://www.mattlogelin.com/ in a magazine...well, I can't imagine. His wife died in the days following the birth of their child. I don't want to be taken from my daughter. I want to be her mom. I want to be here to cuddle her as a baby, to watch her learn to walk, to grow as a toddler, and to become a teenager (okay, the teenager thing throws me because that means we'll be OLD). I want to carry her around in the Moby wrap (although I am loving the http://www.meitaibaby.com/ one right now, too). I want her to have siblings and can't wait to adopt a sibling group. Paul wants her to have a baby brother (I remind him that during this pregnancy is NOT the time to discuss future pregnancies). I want us all to retire together to our Christmas tree/pumpkin farm with a petting zoo in TN when Paul retires. I want a big ole log cabin or farm house for us to live in. I want to work part time as a therapist and embarrass Emma (and our future kids) and love on her and let her sleepovers and watch her play with the dogs. I want our friends to come visit and sit around the fire at night and drink wine and talk about how funny/awful/wonderful our kids are and the good ole days when we were kid free and crazy. I want Paul to build our kids a tree house and go on a cruise with my bestie and her fam and watch the kids swim and play in the ocean. I want to watch my parents are grandparents and my sister as an auntie. I want to raise kids who are confident and friendly and funny and loving and caring.
There is too much left that I have to do/that I want to do. So, God, just to put it out there...I'm not ready to leave yet. I know it's not my choice and it's Your plan, but if you could grant me this and let me realize all of the above (or at least work on it) I would really appreciate it. Thank you.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Miracle Blanket
I have heard so many awesome things about the Miracle Blanket and was so excited to get one at my virtual baby shower last weekend! That being said I have also become a contest enterer and so am entering a contest at http://rootsandrings.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/its-a-christmas-miracle/#comment-8801 to win a Miracle Blanket!
Apparently if you have a very popular blog people give you stuff to give away (so everyone who reads this blog better sign up as a follower of my blog so I can start to give stuff away--thanks!). lol
Emma is due in 63 days or 9 weeks! Soooo soon, soooo scary!
Apparently if you have a very popular blog people give you stuff to give away (so everyone who reads this blog better sign up as a follower of my blog so I can start to give stuff away--thanks!). lol
Emma is due in 63 days or 9 weeks! Soooo soon, soooo scary!
Gratitude in grief
“Happiness is the greatest paradox of nature. It can grow in any soil, live under any conditions. It defies environment. It comes from within; it is the revelation of the depths of the inner life as light and heat proclaim the sun from which they radiate. Happiness consists not of having, but of being; not of possessing, but of enjoying. A martyr at the stake may have happiness that a king on his throne might envy. Man is the creator of his own happiness; it is the aroma of a life lived in harmony with high ideals. For what a man has, he may be dependent on others; what he is rests with him alone. Happiness is the soul’s joy in the possession of the intangible. It is the warm glow of a heart at peace with itself.”
I read this quote in a book (The Summer Kitchen) and it has really stuck with me. I know so many people who seem to be stuck in a rut of sadness. Their focus is on the losses they've experienced in life or the changes their lives have undergone and they can't move on from that. Grief, loss, death are a part of the life cycle. As hard as it is to say goodbye and to let go of those we love we have no other choice. That is the world we signed up for. That is "life" as we know it. When you stay focused on the negative you miss out on all the wonderful things happening in the world. Perhaps I am being naive for choosing to see the world through rose colored glasses, but perhaps I just refuse to contribute any more negativity to the world. Our world is negative enough as is without me adding to that. And it frustrates me to hear people portray themselves as needing to be pitied all the time, to be so locked into the negativity that they allow to consume their lives. You live that way if you choose to live that way.
I have wondered what I have done to be so blessed with my friends and family. I cannot stop thinking about the love I felt during my pregnancy and how blessed I have been by the people who have sent items for Emma. She, for sure, is going to be a much loved little girl and I can't wait to share her with all our loved ones. I can't wait to pass along items to my next friend to get pregnant (or perhaps my sister some day--hint, hint--get on it Karin).
Being pregnant (31 weeks today) and counting down the days until our little one gets here I've spent many nights wondering how I would deal if, God forbid, Emma was stillborn or died of SIDS or any of the other worries parents go through. Would I be able to recover from that loss?
And being on bedrest I spend a lot of time reading other people's blogs. Strangers I don't know whose lives have provided me with joy and sorrow. And it amazes me the gratitude and joy that people can feel in the face of overwhelming loss. From a parent who has lost their child born too soon to survive to a parent who has a lost a child born too sick to survive past 5 years of age to a parent who has suddenly lost one of their twin toddlers just before Christmas....all these blogs I have read have had one common theme...through their seemingly insurmountable grief these families have relied on their faith in God to help them face their loss with gratitude and even joy for the time they got to spend with their little one.
I read a blog today written by a mother of 20 month old twins. On December 9th one of her twins died suddenly in her sleep. I cannot imagine the grief this family must feel and yet this mother chose to write her blog today about gratitude....the gratitude she feels for her pastor and church family; for the person who paid for her daughter's funeral service; for the 700 people who came to celebrate their daughter's life; for the 20 months she got to spend with her child; for their friends who came to visit; for their friends who cleaned up the house they have for sale; for the person who put a new roof on their house; for the pictures and videos they have of their children; and she said this, "My prayer for you is that you will love your babies every day, you will kiss them every day, you will hug them every day and you will cherish every minute you spend with them. I think back to the last day i spent with Evie. She wanted me to hold her and i was frustrated because i had so much christmas shopping, wrapping and cleaning to do. Did that matter, not one bit. I gave her a bath, put her pjs on, we read a book, i laid her in her bed and kissed her. If i had only known that would be the last time. You never know when something will be your last." She said she can feel God's grace upon her and that she looks forward to the day when she can be with her two daughters (I believe she had previously lost another child at birth--both daughters she lost have the middle name Grace).
And she ended the blog with these words, "May God bless you as much as he has blessed me."
If this mother can face her life with gratitude during a time of terrible loss then surely we can look to the blessings bestowed upon us with the same grace and gratitude.
So I will leave you with her words, "May God bless you as much as he has blessed me."
Reasons why prisoners have more freedom than pregnant ladies on bedrest
1. Daily showers--prisoners are allowed to take daily showers. Sure they may have to fend off the unwanted advances of their same sex, but at least they get to experience soap and water (just don't bend over if ya drop the soap). Bedrest mamas are lucky to shower every other day for 2 minutes. Do you know how hard it is to wash your body and hair in under 2 minutes especially when you're told not to bend over and can't reach your feet???? Other ladies are limited to whore baths (pits, tits, and ass) or showering once a week using a shower chair. Invalid much? Plus even if you do get to shower more often after prolonged periods on bedrest you are so exhausted from inactivity that the thought of standing in the shower just seems too overwhelming.
2. One hour of exercise daily--prisoners are allowed free time to exercise. Bedrest ladies are allowed time to sit up...if they're lucky.
3. Fresh air and sunshine--prisoners are allowed to go outside once per day. Bedrest ladies...not so much. The only fresh air I get is when the mailman rings the doorbell to deliver a package or I go to the doctors. Plus I live in MA. It's dark here at 4:30pm in the winter. The only sunshine I see is through the window overlooking the backyard. Women on hospital bedrest are limited only to the sunshine they show on tv!
4. Spending time with other people--Prisoners get more visitors than women on bedrest. Plus prisoners have each other. My social interaction is limited to the few brave souls who have come to the house, my husband, Facebook, and Babycenter. Perhaps this goes back to the not showering?
5. Conjugal visits--bedrest is often accompanied by pelvic rest. Need I say more?
6. A good nights sleep--prisoners may have to share their room, but they get to rest pain free. Bedrest ladies have pain in their hips all the time from constantly lying down on their sides. Add to that acid reflux/heart burn, insomnia, constant need to pee, and the inability to roll over. When I start to roll over at night I end up getting stuck on my back like a turtle and then thrash around in bed until I get onto my other side. How Paul sleeps through this I will never know? Plus I am either freezing or lying in a pool of sweat or lying in a pool of sweat, wake up to use the bathroom, and then come back to a freezing cold pool of sweat.
7. 3 meals a day--bedrest ladies are told not to cook. Food choices are limited to what you can whip up in under 5 minutes (not a lot of choices) and what your hubby makes for dinner. Prisoners are given 3 hot meals a day. I would've killed someone for some Cracker Barrel oatmeal with brown sugar and milk this morning. It was all I could think about last night as I lay in bed. Heck, I would've settled for some Quaker instant oatmeal except we don't have any.
I am a hot mess.
Maybe I should start writing to prisoners?
2. One hour of exercise daily--prisoners are allowed free time to exercise. Bedrest ladies are allowed time to sit up...if they're lucky.
3. Fresh air and sunshine--prisoners are allowed to go outside once per day. Bedrest ladies...not so much. The only fresh air I get is when the mailman rings the doorbell to deliver a package or I go to the doctors. Plus I live in MA. It's dark here at 4:30pm in the winter. The only sunshine I see is through the window overlooking the backyard. Women on hospital bedrest are limited only to the sunshine they show on tv!
4. Spending time with other people--Prisoners get more visitors than women on bedrest. Plus prisoners have each other. My social interaction is limited to the few brave souls who have come to the house, my husband, Facebook, and Babycenter. Perhaps this goes back to the not showering?
5. Conjugal visits--bedrest is often accompanied by pelvic rest. Need I say more?
6. A good nights sleep--prisoners may have to share their room, but they get to rest pain free. Bedrest ladies have pain in their hips all the time from constantly lying down on their sides. Add to that acid reflux/heart burn, insomnia, constant need to pee, and the inability to roll over. When I start to roll over at night I end up getting stuck on my back like a turtle and then thrash around in bed until I get onto my other side. How Paul sleeps through this I will never know? Plus I am either freezing or lying in a pool of sweat or lying in a pool of sweat, wake up to use the bathroom, and then come back to a freezing cold pool of sweat.
7. 3 meals a day--bedrest ladies are told not to cook. Food choices are limited to what you can whip up in under 5 minutes (not a lot of choices) and what your hubby makes for dinner. Prisoners are given 3 hot meals a day. I would've killed someone for some Cracker Barrel oatmeal with brown sugar and milk this morning. It was all I could think about last night as I lay in bed. Heck, I would've settled for some Quaker instant oatmeal except we don't have any.
I am a hot mess.
Maybe I should start writing to prisoners?
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Shame
Oh the shame I felt at my tv choices today...it's just that I was so tired and worn out from my whirlwind weekend with my sister and having to stand up for 15 minutes every hour and it was cold out and I just wore my jammies all day...I have a thousand excuses, but none that really counteract my shamefulness.
Today from 1pm to 7pm I watched....a Jersey Shore marathon (the 1st season). 6 hours. 6 hours of my life I can never get back. 6 hours of Ronny beating people up and girl fights and Snookie showing her goodies for all the world to see and the situation talking about how awesome he is and really none of the girls he brings home sleep with him. I may have gotten an STD just from watching it. Why? Why? Why do I do this to myself? And the new season starts January 6th and I feel like these idiots have sucked me into their bizarro world.
And while I watched tv today (I did watch Kathie Lee & Hoda, too) I ate 2 English muffins, 7 slices of bacon, cantaloupe, a hard boiled egg, a Carnation instant breakfast, hot chocolate, and 4 cookies. And then Paul brought home Girl Scout cookies which I will be tasting, while I watch Biggest Loser, as soon as I finish typing. To be fair I only gained 1/2lb in 3 weeks between doctors appointments. On the flip side of that I was overweight BEFORE getting pregnant so...whatcha gonna do? I love the sugar and cookies.
And I just realized this morning that Christmas is only 10 days away so I guess I should mail Christmas presents off. Yikes! Of course I just ordered my Christmas photo cards today. We'll call them New Years cards and be done with it.
And I only have 9 weeks, at most, until baby Emma gets here. I actually don't feel that stressed about all we need to do probably because I will be able to do more activity each week and will be able to get all the small stuff done. And really if it doesn't get done who is gonna know? The nursery is done. She has a place to sleep. I am going to produce milk. She has a wardrobe to rival Kim Kardashian's. What else does she need?
Tomorrow though I vow to be more productive!
Today from 1pm to 7pm I watched....a Jersey Shore marathon (the 1st season). 6 hours. 6 hours of my life I can never get back. 6 hours of Ronny beating people up and girl fights and Snookie showing her goodies for all the world to see and the situation talking about how awesome he is and really none of the girls he brings home sleep with him. I may have gotten an STD just from watching it. Why? Why? Why do I do this to myself? And the new season starts January 6th and I feel like these idiots have sucked me into their bizarro world.
And while I watched tv today (I did watch Kathie Lee & Hoda, too) I ate 2 English muffins, 7 slices of bacon, cantaloupe, a hard boiled egg, a Carnation instant breakfast, hot chocolate, and 4 cookies. And then Paul brought home Girl Scout cookies which I will be tasting, while I watch Biggest Loser, as soon as I finish typing. To be fair I only gained 1/2lb in 3 weeks between doctors appointments. On the flip side of that I was overweight BEFORE getting pregnant so...whatcha gonna do? I love the sugar and cookies.
And I just realized this morning that Christmas is only 10 days away so I guess I should mail Christmas presents off. Yikes! Of course I just ordered my Christmas photo cards today. We'll call them New Years cards and be done with it.
And I only have 9 weeks, at most, until baby Emma gets here. I actually don't feel that stressed about all we need to do probably because I will be able to do more activity each week and will be able to get all the small stuff done. And really if it doesn't get done who is gonna know? The nursery is done. She has a place to sleep. I am going to produce milk. She has a wardrobe to rival Kim Kardashian's. What else does she need?
Tomorrow though I vow to be more productive!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Costco
Costco may be the worst place ever to learn to operate a motorized scooter. Since the dr wants me to increase my activity and gave me the green light to go to the store as long as I sat in a wheelchair we decided to head to Costco with my sister to check it out. I called ahead to make sure they had wheelchairs or motorized scooters "for guests needing assistance" (yes, those are the actual words I used when I called) and off we went!
First off it has been a rather warm (and by warm I mean for MA in December) day, but the unrelenting rain we've had all day has made it seem very cold and damp out. Luckily my prego status enables me to get curbside drop off and pick up by my wonderful hubby while he hunts down a parking spot. He dropped Karin and I off at the doors and we went inside to search out a wheelchair or scooter for me.
The scooters are conveniently located up front near the exit And let me tell you people exit Costco like the store is on fire. So, we find a scooter with a full battery supply, figure out how to turn it on, and then have to figure out how to back up withoutkilling running someone over. Not an easy task when there are no directions on the scooter except for 2 pictures labeled forward and reverse that are THE EXACT SAME PICTURE! What am I supposed to learn from that????
Remember how when you were learning to drive and you'd jerk and halt and proceed in fits and starts...well, me learning to drive the scooter was exactly like that. So, I'm trying to back up and do a 3 point turn to get the scooter facing the direction that actually allows me to go into Costco while trying to avoid the throngs of people pushing giant flat screen televisions and cases of wine and tubs of pretzels out the door like they are looting after a riot and of course not one Masshole (ok, we were in NH, but really most New Englanders seem to be pretty rude as a whole--remember these are the people who will make left hand turns like kamikaze pilots on a suicide mission, but who can't merge on to the interstate without slowing down to 30 mph) stops to let me proceed until finally a store employee takes pity on me and gives me 3 seconds to turn around and move out of the way.
Finally, after what seems like an eternity, we enter the store. And now I have to avoid the crowds of people rushing about trying to buy discounted electronics and bargain buys on jeans and frozen foods. I quickly, and by quickly I mean at the speed slower than my grandmother wheeling herself down the halls of her nursing home in her own wheelchair using only her feet for propulsion, make my way to the outskirts of the store. Of course Paul is behind me, sees something he wants me to look at in an aisle I've already passed, and forces me to turn around to come back and see. By this time I am exhausted and we've only been in Costco for 10 minutes, not counting the 20 minutes it took me to figure out how to use the scooter in the entrance. He decides to go get a cart and we decide to hang in this aisle until he gets back. The first thing he says when he gets back, "You guys didn't see those wheelchairs by the front door?" Um, apparently not because I'm in this death trap called a scooter! By this point there is no way I'll make it up front without taking someone out with the scooter so I decide to roll on with my fly ride.
We decide to save cold foods for last and make our way up to the pharmacy at the front on the other side of the store and work our way back. I've figured out that it is much easier to go down one aisle and come up the next versus trying to turn around. And that people do not care that they are about to be run over and even though the aisles in Costco are wide enough to drive a mini van through that they are not wide enough for crazed Christmas shoppers and 1 woman on a motorized scooter (b/c crazed Christmas shoppers take up the entire aisle especially the ones with wild eyed children whose parents aren't paying attention to them). Rest assured that I will run anyone over and do not discriminate so ya best keep those children out of my way.
Once we had eaten our free samples (really the best part of Costco) and made our way back to the meat section Paul decides to go purchase a membership. Karin and I grab all the meat we could ever need and head towards the front. I stop a Costco employee to ask where diapers and formula was and his response, "I have no idea." Really? Really? Cause your Costco name tag implies that you work here and should in fact know where items in your store are located. Um, okay. Thanks for the help.
So, we find the diapers and formula and check those out and head over to the candy and snack section and then the bras and panties (cause as you grow in pregnancy you have to continuously buy larger sizes of things as you expand in all areas--you could set a tray of cookies and tea on my ass right now and use my stomach to hold your cream and sugar), but alas, no sizes large enough for this large and in charge momma. Paul finds us and we head back up to pay.
I decide to go put my scooter away except I cannot figure out how to get back to the front of the store. Eventually I go out the in door, have to wait for a break in traffic, and run into the wall to stop (and again because the 2 pictures on the scooter are NO HELP). I chillax there while I wait for Paul and Karin.
Still raining and Paul goes to get the car and we finally head home where I sit my prego ass on the couch in front of the fireplace for the rest of the day.
This is me terrified of the scooter just inside the store.
First off it has been a rather warm (and by warm I mean for MA in December) day, but the unrelenting rain we've had all day has made it seem very cold and damp out. Luckily my prego status enables me to get curbside drop off and pick up by my wonderful hubby while he hunts down a parking spot. He dropped Karin and I off at the doors and we went inside to search out a wheelchair or scooter for me.
The scooters are conveniently located up front near the exit And let me tell you people exit Costco like the store is on fire. So, we find a scooter with a full battery supply, figure out how to turn it on, and then have to figure out how to back up without
Remember how when you were learning to drive and you'd jerk and halt and proceed in fits and starts...well, me learning to drive the scooter was exactly like that. So, I'm trying to back up and do a 3 point turn to get the scooter facing the direction that actually allows me to go into Costco while trying to avoid the throngs of people pushing giant flat screen televisions and cases of wine and tubs of pretzels out the door like they are looting after a riot and of course not one Masshole (ok, we were in NH, but really most New Englanders seem to be pretty rude as a whole--remember these are the people who will make left hand turns like kamikaze pilots on a suicide mission, but who can't merge on to the interstate without slowing down to 30 mph) stops to let me proceed until finally a store employee takes pity on me and gives me 3 seconds to turn around and move out of the way.
Finally, after what seems like an eternity, we enter the store. And now I have to avoid the crowds of people rushing about trying to buy discounted electronics and bargain buys on jeans and frozen foods. I quickly, and by quickly I mean at the speed slower than my grandmother wheeling herself down the halls of her nursing home in her own wheelchair using only her feet for propulsion, make my way to the outskirts of the store. Of course Paul is behind me, sees something he wants me to look at in an aisle I've already passed, and forces me to turn around to come back and see. By this time I am exhausted and we've only been in Costco for 10 minutes, not counting the 20 minutes it took me to figure out how to use the scooter in the entrance. He decides to go get a cart and we decide to hang in this aisle until he gets back. The first thing he says when he gets back, "You guys didn't see those wheelchairs by the front door?" Um, apparently not because I'm in this death trap called a scooter! By this point there is no way I'll make it up front without taking someone out with the scooter so I decide to roll on with my fly ride.
We decide to save cold foods for last and make our way up to the pharmacy at the front on the other side of the store and work our way back. I've figured out that it is much easier to go down one aisle and come up the next versus trying to turn around. And that people do not care that they are about to be run over and even though the aisles in Costco are wide enough to drive a mini van through that they are not wide enough for crazed Christmas shoppers and 1 woman on a motorized scooter (b/c crazed Christmas shoppers take up the entire aisle especially the ones with wild eyed children whose parents aren't paying attention to them). Rest assured that I will run anyone over and do not discriminate so ya best keep those children out of my way.
Once we had eaten our free samples (really the best part of Costco) and made our way back to the meat section Paul decides to go purchase a membership. Karin and I grab all the meat we could ever need and head towards the front. I stop a Costco employee to ask where diapers and formula was and his response, "I have no idea." Really? Really? Cause your Costco name tag implies that you work here and should in fact know where items in your store are located. Um, okay. Thanks for the help.
So, we find the diapers and formula and check those out and head over to the candy and snack section and then the bras and panties (cause as you grow in pregnancy you have to continuously buy larger sizes of things as you expand in all areas--you could set a tray of cookies and tea on my ass right now and use my stomach to hold your cream and sugar), but alas, no sizes large enough for this large and in charge momma. Paul finds us and we head back up to pay.
I decide to go put my scooter away except I cannot figure out how to get back to the front of the store. Eventually I go out the in door, have to wait for a break in traffic, and run into the wall to stop (and again because the 2 pictures on the scooter are NO HELP). I chillax there while I wait for Paul and Karin.
Still raining and Paul goes to get the car and we finally head home where I sit my prego ass on the couch in front of the fireplace for the rest of the day.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Surprise!
Last night Paul tells me he has to go to a meeting on base at 7pm. Although outside the norm he has a good explanation and off he goes. His meeting starts at 7:30pm and he initially says it's going to be a couple hours. 10pm I'm texting him to ask if he's almost done. 11pm I'm getting really annoyed. 11:30pm and he's finally on his way home and I am wicked annoyed at him, but he asks me to wait up with him. Just before midnight I go down to the basement to let the dogs outside and I kind of hang out down there until I'm gonna let them in. I hear Paul come in and he calls out for me. I yell that I'm in the basement and then I hear a dog collar jingling. The next thing I know my sister's dog Lil Dude runs down the stairs. I start up the stairs and there is my sissy! I go up as fast as my fat ass can handle it to hug her and start crying. My hubby and sister had planned a surprise visit.
Then this morning Paul wakes up and says he is going to go get donuts and coffee for us and repeatedly asks me if I'm going to get up and shower while he's gone. Yes, yes, yes. So, I get up early (9am) and shower and actually get dressed (cause my sister is here and we are going to get a Christmas tree this morning) and even put on make up (cause I'm going out in public). Paul returns just as I get downstairs and we eat our donuts and watch tv and then he says he's going into the basement to watch sports.
After awhile I hear him on the phone and then he calls me to come downstairs. Karin and I head downstairs and there are all these boxes. It was like Christmas morning! And there are baby showers decorations and Paul tells me we are having a virtual baby shower and his computer is on and all my friends are on there (well a lot of them). Paul had rented a po box for people to send the gifts to and then kept them at his office. The po box got so many boxes that they emailed Paul and told him he had to come pick them up. lol
So I sit down and we have a skype baby shower (thank you Paul, Karin, and Emily and everyone who helped plan it)! Thank goodness skype upgraded their service to be able to have video conference calls where you can see all the people. And my Valdosta friends had mimosas and a huge brunch spread and we got to see Anne-Marie's Charlie Brown Christmas tree and Cory's snow and it was so great to see everyone! I couldn't believe how many gifts Emma got.
The entire day all I could think about was how blessed in friendship I am. It is humbling. Truly I can't imagine how I got so lucky to have so many people who are willing to put up with me. lol And the people that I call friends are truly amazing, inspiring people as are my sister and husband.
After my fantastic, surprise shower we went and got the Christmas tree and came home and decorated it (Karin and I haven't decorated a tree together in umpteen years) and then my loving husband went and got us Cheesecake Factory take out for dinner and we all watched a movie in front of the fireplace.
What a great, great day!
Then this morning Paul wakes up and says he is going to go get donuts and coffee for us and repeatedly asks me if I'm going to get up and shower while he's gone. Yes, yes, yes. So, I get up early (9am) and shower and actually get dressed (cause my sister is here and we are going to get a Christmas tree this morning) and even put on make up (cause I'm going out in public). Paul returns just as I get downstairs and we eat our donuts and watch tv and then he says he's going into the basement to watch sports.
After awhile I hear him on the phone and then he calls me to come downstairs. Karin and I head downstairs and there are all these boxes. It was like Christmas morning! And there are baby showers decorations and Paul tells me we are having a virtual baby shower and his computer is on and all my friends are on there (well a lot of them). Paul had rented a po box for people to send the gifts to and then kept them at his office. The po box got so many boxes that they emailed Paul and told him he had to come pick them up. lol
So I sit down and we have a skype baby shower (thank you Paul, Karin, and Emily and everyone who helped plan it)! Thank goodness skype upgraded their service to be able to have video conference calls where you can see all the people. And my Valdosta friends had mimosas and a huge brunch spread and we got to see Anne-Marie's Charlie Brown Christmas tree and Cory's snow and it was so great to see everyone! I couldn't believe how many gifts Emma got.
The entire day all I could think about was how blessed in friendship I am. It is humbling. Truly I can't imagine how I got so lucky to have so many people who are willing to put up with me. lol And the people that I call friends are truly amazing, inspiring people as are my sister and husband.
After my fantastic, surprise shower we went and got the Christmas tree and came home and decorated it (Karin and I haven't decorated a tree together in umpteen years) and then my loving husband went and got us Cheesecake Factory take out for dinner and we all watched a movie in front of the fireplace.
What a great, great day!
Friday, December 10, 2010
30 weeks
So great to have another good doctor's appointment. I truly enjoy going to my doctors (and not just because I get to leave the house) because they are amazingly nice people.
Saw Dr. Roque at maternal fetal medicine first. He is the attending doctor who did my cerclage. He, and Dr. Lim, both seem so smart to me. I think it's the fact that they are Beth Israel doctors. All the people in the maternal fetal medicine dept at Winchester Hospital are super friendly. I have an appt on the 22nd and I will def be bringing coffee and muffins or something for them. Maybe I'll make cookies. We didn't get a baby pic today b/c Emma is face down facing my back and of course would not cooperate for a picture. She is weighing in at a healthy 4lbs 1oz. And my cervix is holding steady. Yay cerclage!
Dr. Roque wants me to be on my feet for 15 minutes of every hour to start rebuilding my stamina. Right now if I am on my feet too long I am exhausted, nauseas, and light headed. So frustrating! And I'm afraid to drive. But he also said I could go to the mall or a store in a wheelchair! So of course after our appt we went to Target to pick up a rug and curtains for the baby's room. I think everything is about done in there now! Of course after my dr appt (to which I go in the wheelchair) and walking into Target by the time we got to the check out line I had to go sit back in the car. I have my next appt in 2 weeks.
Then we went to an appt at Dr. Cole's. She is so nice, too! She said I looked fantastic and the baby looks great and she is impressed at how well I am handling bedrest. I have my next appt in 3 weeks and then 2 weeks after that and then I think the following appt will be to get my cerclage removed! When I think of it in those terms I can't believe we are so close to meeting our little girl!
This weekend my goal is to fold and put away Emma's clothes (thanks to everyone who has sent us beautiful hand me downs--Emma is going to be much more well dressed than her mother). Tomorrow we are going to go get a Christmas tree and hopefully Paul will install our new shower door and closet doors in our bedroom.
I just am so excited to meet our little Emma! She was doing gymnastics last night and Paul got quite the show. She kept kicking and stretching right under his hand. He does admit at this point it's a little freaky b/c it's not just a quick kick it's a prolonged yoga stretch.
Will post nursery pics soon!
Saw Dr. Roque at maternal fetal medicine first. He is the attending doctor who did my cerclage. He, and Dr. Lim, both seem so smart to me. I think it's the fact that they are Beth Israel doctors. All the people in the maternal fetal medicine dept at Winchester Hospital are super friendly. I have an appt on the 22nd and I will def be bringing coffee and muffins or something for them. Maybe I'll make cookies. We didn't get a baby pic today b/c Emma is face down facing my back and of course would not cooperate for a picture. She is weighing in at a healthy 4lbs 1oz. And my cervix is holding steady. Yay cerclage!
Dr. Roque wants me to be on my feet for 15 minutes of every hour to start rebuilding my stamina. Right now if I am on my feet too long I am exhausted, nauseas, and light headed. So frustrating! And I'm afraid to drive. But he also said I could go to the mall or a store in a wheelchair! So of course after our appt we went to Target to pick up a rug and curtains for the baby's room. I think everything is about done in there now! Of course after my dr appt (to which I go in the wheelchair) and walking into Target by the time we got to the check out line I had to go sit back in the car. I have my next appt in 2 weeks.
Then we went to an appt at Dr. Cole's. She is so nice, too! She said I looked fantastic and the baby looks great and she is impressed at how well I am handling bedrest. I have my next appt in 3 weeks and then 2 weeks after that and then I think the following appt will be to get my cerclage removed! When I think of it in those terms I can't believe we are so close to meeting our little girl!
This weekend my goal is to fold and put away Emma's clothes (thanks to everyone who has sent us beautiful hand me downs--Emma is going to be much more well dressed than her mother). Tomorrow we are going to go get a Christmas tree and hopefully Paul will install our new shower door and closet doors in our bedroom.
I just am so excited to meet our little Emma! She was doing gymnastics last night and Paul got quite the show. She kept kicking and stretching right under his hand. He does admit at this point it's a little freaky b/c it's not just a quick kick it's a prolonged yoga stretch.
Will post nursery pics soon!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
A reason, a season, or a lifetime
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that
person..
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need
you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with
guidance and support,
To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an
end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire
fulfilled, their work is done and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has
come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional
foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson,
love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other
relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
Thank you for being a part of my life,
whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that
person..
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need
you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with
guidance and support,
To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an
end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire
fulfilled, their work is done and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has
come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional
foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson,
love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other
relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
Thank you for being a part of my life,
whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.
The month before Christmas
*Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda..*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was nowhere to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penney's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
Not Happy Holiday !*
Please, all Christians join together and
Wish everyone you meet during the
Holidays a
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda..*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was nowhere to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penney's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
Not Happy Holiday !*
Please, all Christians join together and
Wish everyone you meet during the
Holidays a
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Christmas and consumerism
It seems as if the Christmas ads started early this year...earlier than in the past. We barely made it into October before we started to become bombarded with everything we could buy our loved ones for Christmas. Love your spouse...buy them a new car! Love your children...buy them a new gaming system. Want the best deals...wake up early on black Friday and SHOP! On and on and on it went till it seemed as if Thanksgiving was forgotten all together or overshadowed by black Friday shopping. Halloween was remembered, but only to urge us to buy candy, candy, candy. And all of it makes me sad that our Christmas season has truly become a season of consumerism.
The joy of the Christmas season should not be the joy of giving mass produced gifts to your loved ones, but rather should be the joy of helping others. Kids now a days seem to have more toys than they know what to do with. I am sure that there is a risk of our daughter being no different, but truly I DO want her to be different. I want to teach her the importance of making a positive impact on the world, that little things do matter, and that gifts are just items. I want our families to know that Christmas for us will not be about how many toys we can fit under the tree for Emma, but rather that there will be a price limit (because I also don't want to take away from our family giving something to their granddaughter/niece/etc). I do get the joy of seeing a child open a gift they really wanted, but I also want Emma to know that there is more to Christmas than gifts. I want Emma's first thoughts on Christmas not to be about what toys she wants Santa to bring, but how can she help others this year.
Today I wrapped and dropped off at the library gifts that we had purchased from a wish tree for our local state hospital. Part psych hospital, part rehab hospital, located just 2 miles from us, on beautiful grounds, but it is a truly old school hospital on the inside. If you've never chosen to purchase a gift off a wish tree for Christmas let me assure you that what people ask for will truly make your heart ache. Growing up I've asked for and received computers, expensive perfumes, name brand purses, a grill, a Playstation 2, a Wii...my sister and I almost always got everything we asked for and never thought anything else about it. But as I got older and was in a position where I could afford to purchase items from a wish tree I started to realize how truly spoiled and blessed we have been.
So if you see a wish tree I urge you to grab a tag and purchase a gift for someone else. That heart ache thing...for around $30 we purchased gifts for 3 people, 2 females and a male. What they asked for for Christmas...cosmetics, sweat pants, and green socks...all things that I would purchase for myself without a second thought and yet, out of everything they could've asked for for Christmas, these are the items that these 3 wanted for Christmas.
Another charity we always support is Toys for Tots....we have a large bag of toys that we've purchased and saved through out the year ready to be donated. This is a wicked easy way to help those less fortunate because after holidays like Easter stores like Walmart will sell the leftover stuffed animals for $1. Stock up and save those items for Toys for Tots. I think after last Easter we got an entire shopping cart worth of stuff for under $30.
Find your favorite charity and make a donation in loved ones names. St. Jude is a great organization that never turns anyone away for inability to pay. God forbid you end up in a situation where your child has to be treated at St. Jude, but how great to know that there are people out there making it affordable for you to go there. If you go to their website they will send the cards out to whoever you designate with your donation AND they have beautiful gifts for sale that proceeds support the hospital.
Salvation Army. What a huge organization that provides so many great services for our homeless and substance abuse populations among numerous others. Will you really miss that $1 or 50 cents that it's in your wallet or the change from the purchase you just made?
Charity should not be confined to the holidays though. There are little things that cost nothing that you can easily do year round. For book lovers/book purchasers donate books to your local library after you read them. Most libraries have book sales to raise money for library programs, etc.
Another thing that I never would have thought of, but that my mom has done is to contact local hotels and ask them for their old sheets/towels/blankets. In most cases hotels just throw away these items even though they are still good. Go pick up the linens and take them to your local humane society/animal shelter. For sure those places always needs linens for the animals they assume care of.
Volunteer. Mentor. Even look a homeless person in the eye and say hi to him/her. Recognize them for the person they are. When you are at the grocery pick up an extra canned good or 2 and drop it in the bin for the local food pantry.
We are all so blessed in our lives and the thought that is always in my mind is "There but for the grace of God."
Leave a comment and let us know what your favorite charities or volunteer activities are. You may inspire someone to make a difference in a new way.
Merry Christmas!
The joy of the Christmas season should not be the joy of giving mass produced gifts to your loved ones, but rather should be the joy of helping others. Kids now a days seem to have more toys than they know what to do with. I am sure that there is a risk of our daughter being no different, but truly I DO want her to be different. I want to teach her the importance of making a positive impact on the world, that little things do matter, and that gifts are just items. I want our families to know that Christmas for us will not be about how many toys we can fit under the tree for Emma, but rather that there will be a price limit (because I also don't want to take away from our family giving something to their granddaughter/niece/etc). I do get the joy of seeing a child open a gift they really wanted, but I also want Emma to know that there is more to Christmas than gifts. I want Emma's first thoughts on Christmas not to be about what toys she wants Santa to bring, but how can she help others this year.
Today I wrapped and dropped off at the library gifts that we had purchased from a wish tree for our local state hospital. Part psych hospital, part rehab hospital, located just 2 miles from us, on beautiful grounds, but it is a truly old school hospital on the inside. If you've never chosen to purchase a gift off a wish tree for Christmas let me assure you that what people ask for will truly make your heart ache. Growing up I've asked for and received computers, expensive perfumes, name brand purses, a grill, a Playstation 2, a Wii...my sister and I almost always got everything we asked for and never thought anything else about it. But as I got older and was in a position where I could afford to purchase items from a wish tree I started to realize how truly spoiled and blessed we have been.
So if you see a wish tree I urge you to grab a tag and purchase a gift for someone else. That heart ache thing...for around $30 we purchased gifts for 3 people, 2 females and a male. What they asked for for Christmas...cosmetics, sweat pants, and green socks...all things that I would purchase for myself without a second thought and yet, out of everything they could've asked for for Christmas, these are the items that these 3 wanted for Christmas.
Another charity we always support is Toys for Tots....we have a large bag of toys that we've purchased and saved through out the year ready to be donated. This is a wicked easy way to help those less fortunate because after holidays like Easter stores like Walmart will sell the leftover stuffed animals for $1. Stock up and save those items for Toys for Tots. I think after last Easter we got an entire shopping cart worth of stuff for under $30.
Find your favorite charity and make a donation in loved ones names. St. Jude is a great organization that never turns anyone away for inability to pay. God forbid you end up in a situation where your child has to be treated at St. Jude, but how great to know that there are people out there making it affordable for you to go there. If you go to their website they will send the cards out to whoever you designate with your donation AND they have beautiful gifts for sale that proceeds support the hospital.
Salvation Army. What a huge organization that provides so many great services for our homeless and substance abuse populations among numerous others. Will you really miss that $1 or 50 cents that it's in your wallet or the change from the purchase you just made?
Charity should not be confined to the holidays though. There are little things that cost nothing that you can easily do year round. For book lovers/book purchasers donate books to your local library after you read them. Most libraries have book sales to raise money for library programs, etc.
Another thing that I never would have thought of, but that my mom has done is to contact local hotels and ask them for their old sheets/towels/blankets. In most cases hotels just throw away these items even though they are still good. Go pick up the linens and take them to your local humane society/animal shelter. For sure those places always needs linens for the animals they assume care of.
Volunteer. Mentor. Even look a homeless person in the eye and say hi to him/her. Recognize them for the person they are. When you are at the grocery pick up an extra canned good or 2 and drop it in the bin for the local food pantry.
We are all so blessed in our lives and the thought that is always in my mind is "There but for the grace of God."
Leave a comment and let us know what your favorite charities or volunteer activities are. You may inspire someone to make a difference in a new way.
Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Ways to screw with your local police
A few weeks ago I heard the dogs barking in the back yard around 5:45pm and opened the window to yell at them. When I opened the window I heard a small child yelling. We have 1 acre of land that backs up to a service road leading to a gravel pit and conservation land. Kids play out there all the time and teens go out there to race dirt bikes and party. But this clearly was 1 elementary school age child in distress. Even Paul agreed that it sounded suspicious so we decided to call 911 and let them come investigate.
So while I'm on the phone with the 911 dispatcher Paul goes through our backyard, climbs the fence, and heads into the woods. Keep in mind it is now pitch black in Mass at 4:30pm so 5:45pm is like the dead of night and all Paul can find is a pen sized flashlight.
The dispatcher asks me if I can still hear the child and I say yes and she tells me to call to him so I am standing in our backyard yelling, "Are you okay? Do you need help?" And telling her there is no response. And of course I wandered too far into our yard and our motion sensor light goes off and now I can't see anything and I'm too far away to trigger the motion sensor (and anyone who knows me knows that I hate the dark so being outside in the dark is like my worst nightmare).
I'm headed towards the side of our house, I can't see Paul's flashlight anymore (no wonder since it only spread light for a distance of 1.5 feet), and 2 cops walk around the side of our house. I explain what we heard, throw our neighbors under the bus (they have an autistic son who wanders), and tell them my husband is out back on the road. They say they know that officers have met him on the service road.
This service road has a gate across the front and 4 cop cars full of cops are parked in front of the gate because they don't have a key to the gate. Keep in mind they think a small child is in distress and they could easily walk down the service road or break the gate down.
As I'm talking to the cops I see Paul walking backs through our yard (why he didn't just go up the service road to the main road which would've been quicker and not required him to walk through the woods with a pen light and climb a fence is beyond me) and we finally go back into the house secure in the knowledge that the cops have things under control.
We don't hear anything on the news about a missing child and the cops don't come back so we feel like everything is okay.
So fast foward to this past week and Paul is telling someone at work about what had happened. The guy tells Paul that his first thought would've been that its a fisher cat. What the hell is a fisher cat? Keep in mind that we are from the south...our wild animal knowledge consists of alligators, snakes, and spiders.
This apparently is a fisher cat:
Are you friggin kidding me???? This thing looks like it will tear your ass up!
This is what may be living in my backyard somewhere????? No.
And all websites indicate that this may ATTACK and KILL small dogs and cats because it is a predatory, territorial animal. Great something else to worry about!
It looks like a small bear! I would turn and run the other way if I saw this in our yard. Okay, so I wouldn't run because I'm lazy, but I would walk very fast.
If you want to hear what we heard click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLU_a-gDF9M. Some people said that this was a red fox.
Regardless we, okay I, called 911 and the entire police department came out to search FOR A WILD ANIMAL! It's okay. We don't live in a high crime area so they probably weren't doing too much anyways.
So while I'm on the phone with the 911 dispatcher Paul goes through our backyard, climbs the fence, and heads into the woods. Keep in mind it is now pitch black in Mass at 4:30pm so 5:45pm is like the dead of night and all Paul can find is a pen sized flashlight.
The dispatcher asks me if I can still hear the child and I say yes and she tells me to call to him so I am standing in our backyard yelling, "Are you okay? Do you need help?" And telling her there is no response. And of course I wandered too far into our yard and our motion sensor light goes off and now I can't see anything and I'm too far away to trigger the motion sensor (and anyone who knows me knows that I hate the dark so being outside in the dark is like my worst nightmare).
I'm headed towards the side of our house, I can't see Paul's flashlight anymore (no wonder since it only spread light for a distance of 1.5 feet), and 2 cops walk around the side of our house. I explain what we heard, throw our neighbors under the bus (they have an autistic son who wanders), and tell them my husband is out back on the road. They say they know that officers have met him on the service road.
This service road has a gate across the front and 4 cop cars full of cops are parked in front of the gate because they don't have a key to the gate. Keep in mind they think a small child is in distress and they could easily walk down the service road or break the gate down.
As I'm talking to the cops I see Paul walking backs through our yard (why he didn't just go up the service road to the main road which would've been quicker and not required him to walk through the woods with a pen light and climb a fence is beyond me) and we finally go back into the house secure in the knowledge that the cops have things under control.
We don't hear anything on the news about a missing child and the cops don't come back so we feel like everything is okay.
So fast foward to this past week and Paul is telling someone at work about what had happened. The guy tells Paul that his first thought would've been that its a fisher cat. What the hell is a fisher cat? Keep in mind that we are from the south...our wild animal knowledge consists of alligators, snakes, and spiders.
This apparently is a fisher cat:
Are you friggin kidding me???? This thing looks like it will tear your ass up!
This is what may be living in my backyard somewhere????? No.And all websites indicate that this may ATTACK and KILL small dogs and cats because it is a predatory, territorial animal. Great something else to worry about!
It looks like a small bear! I would turn and run the other way if I saw this in our yard. Okay, so I wouldn't run because I'm lazy, but I would walk very fast.
If you want to hear what we heard click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLU_a-gDF9M. Some people said that this was a red fox.
Regardless we, okay I, called 911 and the entire police department came out to search FOR A WILD ANIMAL! It's okay. We don't live in a high crime area so they probably weren't doing too much anyways.
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