There are a few thing they don't tell you about pregnancy body changes that I'm currently experiencing first hand ...
First, my teeth and gums are so sensitive. I have to buy the uber-soft toothbrushes to keep my gums from bleeding regularly. Bro-in-law DT is probably thinking I'm just scrubbing the enamel off my teeth with the pressure of brushing. But ALAS, I REALLY barely touch my gums and I could choke on the blood that results - nice visual, isn't it?
Second, I'm sensitive to COTTON - 100% cotton shirt that turned my neck and back red as the color of the shirt. Luckily the irritation goes away but it happens almost every morning. I think nudity should be an option during pregnancy.
Finally, I SWEAR to you that my vision is changing ... for the better. Just a few months ago (approximately 4 1/2), I had to use reading glasses to comfortably read the print on my computer. I used them to take the strain off of flipping from computer to book reading. This meant that I wore contacts AND reading glasses for the whole day. Now, I don't need them. Done. No strain. No squinting. I told the eye doc about this and he acknowledged that there could be a change in my eyes but it's very rare and changes usually occur in the health of the eyes, not the vision. Well, I'm an exception. And what does he know, he's never been preggers? I'm hoping to continue this pattern and maybe next year by this time, I won't need contacts either!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Stay Home!
In a little town that seems to be experiencing an epidemic of flu, H1N1 or otherwise, I feel lucky to have been spared by sickness so far. Three office co-workers were home today and many others in the hallways and across the town have been debilitated by the effects of this terrible flu. Although I extend sympathy to all those who are sick, I am so angry at the people, like the woman in the grocery store, who are in such a public place that she could single-handedly affect a good number of people. The woman was coughing to the point where she had to stop in the aisle to catch her breath because she couldn't walk without rest. She couldn't go 2 feet without coughing. I quickly moved past her and stayed out of her wake but I'm sure we had to cross paths at one point in the small grocery store. I am struggling with the logical side that says she might not have any other choice but to get food for herself. But my emotional side (which is the one that wins out more often than not nowadays), makes me angry and ready to write a letter to the editor to tell people they have to stay home and get well. This epidemic could get a lot worse and affect a lot more people if the sick don't heed the advice of the CDC and other professionals who urge people to just stay home.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Home Improvements - Go Local!
Since June, our little house at 1040 has been getting some updates. First, we started with a new roof - badly needed and gladly done. We hired a well-known roofer from right here in little ol' Helena. He was fast and good and our roof looks great. Then we got the outside painted. Again, we hired a local guy that does everything from remodel to paint to floors. He did a great job and worked hard in the middle of a few really hot days (some of the only ones we had this summer). It looks great and blends in well with our natural sorroundings. Then, DocFam spent their July 4th weekend with the Jakes' sanding and staining the deck - another much-needed and gladly spent weekend and money. The result outside has been quite an update and will add some curb appeal in the near future when we outgrow our little house with Herbie's arrival (the story of how we named our unborn child is forthcoming). The outside improvements have gone by mostly without a hitch and have been fairly easy to execute even where we did the work ourselves.
I attribute those easy times to going with local professionals or doing the work ourselves. Whenenver possible, buy local, hire local and trust the locals. They know best...
Then we moved to the inside of the house and the "fun" began. We bought new appliances. And despite our better judgment, we got them at Lowe's. For a delivery that was promised to take 1 day for the fridge and dishwasher, and, at most, 2 weeks for the fridge, we waited 3.5 for all the appliances. It doesn't seem like such a big deal but by the time we finally got the appliances, we could have had 24 appliances delivered from the locally-owned place. Time is money. So the money we saved by going to Lowe's, the big box store owned by some corporation somewhere, we could have saved in time over and over and over again. Additionally, to make matters worse, I didn't get ONE phone call from Lowe's throughout the entire 3.5 weeks. I called them, inquired, was promised a call back, never received it, was told I'd get a call when they would deliver, didn't get a call. Finally called one day and they told me I was scheduled for delivery THAT day and "would 11 a.m - 2 p.m. delivery work for you?" Thankfully it did because the next delivery was another 4 days away. Hopefully we learned our lesson.
Now we need new countertops. And because we learned our lesson, I talked with a local guy who does cement countertops that look shockingly like granite, slate, or even river rock if that's our choice. But the estimate was outside our budget and the cement, while sustainable and trendy, may not be practical for our countertops because of the uneven and ridiculously designed island in the middle of our kitchen.
Sooo, forgive me for I have sinned: I went BACK to the box-store, chain, owned by corporations far and wide, Home Depot this time. I swore I wouldn't do it, but DAMMIT, I'm weak. The cost estimate, thankfully, was similar to my first quote so the price won't be my excuse for going to Home Depot. But the convenience might be. I shouldn't be swayed by convenience cuz making the right decision isn't always the easiest. I know this. But wow, they drive a hard bargain. Everything is included and easy. Paul comes out, measures, takes out the old, puts in the new and it takes about 24 hours and VOILA. Done. Easy. NO hassle. Except that's what I thought last time with Lowe's.
Now that I've bared my soul and confessed my sins to the cyberworld. I'm reinvigorated to go to a local guy tomorrow and get another estimate. Even if it takes another day or so to get it done, it's got to be worth it. ALRIGHT, I'm gonna do it. Wish me luck. Practice what I preach, right? Here I go ... I'll post pictures when it's all said and done.
I attribute those easy times to going with local professionals or doing the work ourselves. Whenenver possible, buy local, hire local and trust the locals. They know best...
Then we moved to the inside of the house and the "fun" began. We bought new appliances. And despite our better judgment, we got them at Lowe's. For a delivery that was promised to take 1 day for the fridge and dishwasher, and, at most, 2 weeks for the fridge, we waited 3.5 for all the appliances. It doesn't seem like such a big deal but by the time we finally got the appliances, we could have had 24 appliances delivered from the locally-owned place. Time is money. So the money we saved by going to Lowe's, the big box store owned by some corporation somewhere, we could have saved in time over and over and over again. Additionally, to make matters worse, I didn't get ONE phone call from Lowe's throughout the entire 3.5 weeks. I called them, inquired, was promised a call back, never received it, was told I'd get a call when they would deliver, didn't get a call. Finally called one day and they told me I was scheduled for delivery THAT day and "would 11 a.m - 2 p.m. delivery work for you?" Thankfully it did because the next delivery was another 4 days away. Hopefully we learned our lesson.
Now we need new countertops. And because we learned our lesson, I talked with a local guy who does cement countertops that look shockingly like granite, slate, or even river rock if that's our choice. But the estimate was outside our budget and the cement, while sustainable and trendy, may not be practical for our countertops because of the uneven and ridiculously designed island in the middle of our kitchen.
Sooo, forgive me for I have sinned: I went BACK to the box-store, chain, owned by corporations far and wide, Home Depot this time. I swore I wouldn't do it, but DAMMIT, I'm weak. The cost estimate, thankfully, was similar to my first quote so the price won't be my excuse for going to Home Depot. But the convenience might be. I shouldn't be swayed by convenience cuz making the right decision isn't always the easiest. I know this. But wow, they drive a hard bargain. Everything is included and easy. Paul comes out, measures, takes out the old, puts in the new and it takes about 24 hours and VOILA. Done. Easy. NO hassle. Except that's what I thought last time with Lowe's.
Now that I've bared my soul and confessed my sins to the cyberworld. I'm reinvigorated to go to a local guy tomorrow and get another estimate. Even if it takes another day or so to get it done, it's got to be worth it. ALRIGHT, I'm gonna do it. Wish me luck. Practice what I preach, right? Here I go ... I'll post pictures when it's all said and done.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Compromising Positions
Pilates! I love it! I've been going for a few weeks now at the im=x studio in town. They offer a prenatal pilates on Mondays at noon. And I take regular pilates on Thursdays at noon as well. I feel like my core is already in better shape than when I was simply just running the hills. And I might even be able to take some labor breathing pointers from the crazy breathing techniques they use in class. The thing I love the most about the workout is that the time FLIES by for that hour. I barely think I'm getting going and I'm already done.
As I'm lying there, I often have a thought about how hilarious we must look to the passersby on the sidewalk outside. I've never really seen anyone pausing enough to take note of what's going on inside the windows in the downtown studio. But last Thursday during our class, the water cooler delivery man had to deliver during our class. He had to maneuver through the pilates machines with participants on them to get to the back of the room. Just when he reached the back of the room, I hope without knowing it, our instructor had us start the full-leg twist movement. And the delivery man had to turn around and come back through the room. We lie on our backs on the machines with our legs in the straps that provide resistance as we make circles with our legs wide apart to pull them back into a circular motion over and over again - all the while using the aforementioned breathing technique. The breathing amounts to what we've all seen as television labor breathing: LOUD, forceful breaths to focus on tightening the core.
The poor dude couldn't pass by with our legs spinning around in his way. So he was pinned to the back of the class with nowhere to go and nowhere to look but at our wide-spread legs and crotches as we made the moves. Finally, our instruction either noticed or took pity on the poor guy and asked that we stop to let him through. He looked straight ahead, eyes pinned to the door and literally RAN out the door. I couldn't help but start to laugh and with my first slipped giggle, the rest of the ladies busted out laughing too. I'm not sure who had the more embarassing moment but certainly I was amidst a bunch of ladies in the same position lying comfortable on my back. And not, like this poor guy, thrown into the middle of something unsuspecting and so foreign. We exercised our core a bit more with a few laughs and the agreed that next time we'd take pity on the delivery man and refrain from that particular move while he was in the room.
It was worth a good laugh though.
As I'm lying there, I often have a thought about how hilarious we must look to the passersby on the sidewalk outside. I've never really seen anyone pausing enough to take note of what's going on inside the windows in the downtown studio. But last Thursday during our class, the water cooler delivery man had to deliver during our class. He had to maneuver through the pilates machines with participants on them to get to the back of the room. Just when he reached the back of the room, I hope without knowing it, our instructor had us start the full-leg twist movement. And the delivery man had to turn around and come back through the room. We lie on our backs on the machines with our legs in the straps that provide resistance as we make circles with our legs wide apart to pull them back into a circular motion over and over again - all the while using the aforementioned breathing technique. The breathing amounts to what we've all seen as television labor breathing: LOUD, forceful breaths to focus on tightening the core.
The poor dude couldn't pass by with our legs spinning around in his way. So he was pinned to the back of the class with nowhere to go and nowhere to look but at our wide-spread legs and crotches as we made the moves. Finally, our instruction either noticed or took pity on the poor guy and asked that we stop to let him through. He looked straight ahead, eyes pinned to the door and literally RAN out the door. I couldn't help but start to laugh and with my first slipped giggle, the rest of the ladies busted out laughing too. I'm not sure who had the more embarassing moment but certainly I was amidst a bunch of ladies in the same position lying comfortable on my back. And not, like this poor guy, thrown into the middle of something unsuspecting and so foreign. We exercised our core a bit more with a few laughs and the agreed that next time we'd take pity on the delivery man and refrain from that particular move while he was in the room.
It was worth a good laugh though.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Stork Delivery Scheduled
I've been without the creativity and subjects necessary to post new entries ... until now, or until 14 weeks and 4 days ago: Hubs and I are going to be parents. Our little lemon is due to arrive by stork delivery on March 20, 2010. We are excited about the prospect of another part of our family to arrive so soon.
I've marveled at the rate at which the little lemon is growing inside of me. I keep track of it on http://www.babycenter.com/ which tells me that at 14 weeks, I can expect that the developing baby inside of me to be merely the size of a lemon. It's equally astonishing that something so small can already cause all this havoc in my life.
I've been fortunate to avoid a heavy dose of nausea. But what I lack in the Barf Department, I make up for in the Fatigue and Debilitating Headache Department. If I complained before about not being able to take a nap, I think I could compete in the Napping Olympics now. And apparently because the insanity of hormones and emotions had already set in, at one point early in my pregnancy, I recall saying to BFF that I WISHED I had even one symptom that would help convince me that I was still preggers; that the FOUR pregnancy tests I took weren't a figment of my imagination. It was that stage, knowing mothers, when you haven't yet seen the midwife to confirm, and you certainly aren't showing yet, and you haven't yet been hit with the usual undeniable signs of preggersville, where I was blissfully unaware of how I would regret actually ASKING for those symptoms. SHEESH. Perspectives change when the stork is scheduled to arrive.
Today, though, marks that day when I can officially say that I can no longer button my pants. I've employed the tactics of millions of other pregger ladies across the world that simply stop buttoning their pants. Hubs and I joked this morning about how the little lemon is protesting inside my belly against tight pants; probably even picketing with signs that say: "NO MORE TIGHT PANTS," and "MUMUs FOREVER." And although I can still fit into a number of my more forgiving pants, this day will be the day that I'll mark as the first real sign of what's to come of the belly bulge that promises to pop even more buttons in the very near future.
I've marveled at the rate at which the little lemon is growing inside of me. I keep track of it on http://www.babycenter.com/ which tells me that at 14 weeks, I can expect that the developing baby inside of me to be merely the size of a lemon. It's equally astonishing that something so small can already cause all this havoc in my life.
I've been fortunate to avoid a heavy dose of nausea. But what I lack in the Barf Department, I make up for in the Fatigue and Debilitating Headache Department. If I complained before about not being able to take a nap, I think I could compete in the Napping Olympics now. And apparently because the insanity of hormones and emotions had already set in, at one point early in my pregnancy, I recall saying to BFF that I WISHED I had even one symptom that would help convince me that I was still preggers; that the FOUR pregnancy tests I took weren't a figment of my imagination. It was that stage, knowing mothers, when you haven't yet seen the midwife to confirm, and you certainly aren't showing yet, and you haven't yet been hit with the usual undeniable signs of preggersville, where I was blissfully unaware of how I would regret actually ASKING for those symptoms. SHEESH. Perspectives change when the stork is scheduled to arrive.
Today, though, marks that day when I can officially say that I can no longer button my pants. I've employed the tactics of millions of other pregger ladies across the world that simply stop buttoning their pants. Hubs and I joked this morning about how the little lemon is protesting inside my belly against tight pants; probably even picketing with signs that say: "NO MORE TIGHT PANTS," and "MUMUs FOREVER." And although I can still fit into a number of my more forgiving pants, this day will be the day that I'll mark as the first real sign of what's to come of the belly bulge that promises to pop even more buttons in the very near future.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Just been hangin' around, doin' nothing ...
Internet, I'm still here and I think of you often ... in between thinking about:
My sister's wedding is in 16 sleeps and I'm getting uber-excited. It'll be almost as fun (I SAID ALMOST HUBS) as my own wedding except I won't have to be the center of attention. YEAH. Except when I sing out of tune. And except when I trip over my heels coming down the aisle. And except when I cry in front of the 250 people. And except when the slideshow doesn't work. And except when I dance my white ass in front of the awesome band. And except ... oh what else can go wrong?
My sister's wedding is in 16 sleeps and I'm getting uber-excited. It'll be almost as fun (I SAID ALMOST HUBS) as my own wedding except I won't have to be the center of attention. YEAH. Except when I sing out of tune. And except when I trip over my heels coming down the aisle. And except when I cry in front of the 250 people. And except when the slideshow doesn't work. And except when I dance my white ass in front of the awesome band. And except ... oh what else can go wrong?
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Certainly NOT Mr. Rogers ...
Spring in MT comes with at least one bout of teasing warm weather during which I dream of warm summer nights, flip flops, brown skin and backpacking. And that bout is followed shortly thereafter by cold weather and snow, snapping the nervous system back to the reality of at least 6 more weeks of winter no matter what Mr. GH says. Yesterday was the snap back to reality.
The tempurature wasn't unbearable but the snow came down for what seemed like days and days. But in reality, there were only hours and many inches to count: 7 inches where I live. It was the kind of dump only skibums and grooming machines dream of! It stuck to the road, to the trees, to the top of my car, even to the top of my Boss' head as he walked across the street from the Capital. I would have loved every minute of it had I not experienced a panic attack about making the drive up to my house after hours of record-breaking falling snow.
I went home for lunch yesterday and had to attempt 2 times to make it home. And then I stupidly turned back around and went back to work. As I got closer and closerto work and my wipers couldn't keep up with the accumulation, I got more and more panicked about the drive back to my house after the days end, in another 4 hours and another 4 inches. I walked into my office, gathered up some work and walked right back out to my car to head home.
On the drive back to my house, I had to attempt 4 times to make it up the hill. Each time I made it a little further and then spun my tires and ended up back down the hill sliding backwards the whole way. The third and almost final time I got stuck in the middle of the hill. As I spun and rocked and spun and rocked ON A HILL, I plead with my little car to go just a liiiiiiiiiittle farther. It didn't. And while I plead and urged my little car, my neighbor walked out of his house and looked right at me in that compromising predicament. I felt a sense of relief because all I really needed was a little push to make it over that last little hump. My neighbor walked to his big fat gas-sucking ugly asstruck, backed it up, turned around and MANEUVERED AROUND MY STUCK CAR to pass and go down the hill. Didn't even pause.
I ended up back down the hill and tried one more time swearing the whole way. I think the sheer weight of my anger and frustration put more traction on the tires and I finally made it; 35 swear words later, I was at home. And two hours later, the snow stopped and the sun came out.
And it was beautiful. No thanks to my neighbor.
The tempurature wasn't unbearable but the snow came down for what seemed like days and days. But in reality, there were only hours and many inches to count: 7 inches where I live. It was the kind of dump only skibums and grooming machines dream of! It stuck to the road, to the trees, to the top of my car, even to the top of my Boss' head as he walked across the street from the Capital. I would have loved every minute of it had I not experienced a panic attack about making the drive up to my house after hours of record-breaking falling snow.
I went home for lunch yesterday and had to attempt 2 times to make it home. And then I stupidly turned back around and went back to work. As I got closer and closerto work and my wipers couldn't keep up with the accumulation, I got more and more panicked about the drive back to my house after the days end, in another 4 hours and another 4 inches. I walked into my office, gathered up some work and walked right back out to my car to head home.
On the drive back to my house, I had to attempt 4 times to make it up the hill. Each time I made it a little further and then spun my tires and ended up back down the hill sliding backwards the whole way. The third and almost final time I got stuck in the middle of the hill. As I spun and rocked and spun and rocked ON A HILL, I plead with my little car to go just a liiiiiiiiiittle farther. It didn't. And while I plead and urged my little car, my neighbor walked out of his house and looked right at me in that compromising predicament. I felt a sense of relief because all I really needed was a little push to make it over that last little hump. My neighbor walked to his big fat gas-sucking ugly asstruck, backed it up, turned around and MANEUVERED AROUND MY STUCK CAR to pass and go down the hill. Didn't even pause.
I ended up back down the hill and tried one more time swearing the whole way. I think the sheer weight of my anger and frustration put more traction on the tires and I finally made it; 35 swear words later, I was at home. And two hours later, the snow stopped and the sun came out.
And it was beautiful. No thanks to my neighbor.
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