has anyone seen any tumbleweeds around these parts?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
I'm still alive!
Has it really been 3 months since my last post?! I guess life has certainly been a bit crazy and turned upside down and sideways, so posting has been on the bottom of priority list. Heck, I barely even check my Facebook anymore, if that tells you anything!
We are alive and well. Maggie is my little phenom.
I'll try to post something of more substance in the next couple weeks. Family and life takes priority of blogging for me right now. I know you all understand. :)
We are alive and well. Maggie is my little phenom.
I'll try to post something of more substance in the next couple weeks. Family and life takes priority of blogging for me right now. I know you all understand. :)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Two Months and Thensome
Maggie's two-month checkup was on Monday, April 27. It has officially been confirmed that not only do I have awesome baby-growing breastmilk, my baby is off the charts...literally. She has grown so much in just one month, it is almost unbelievable. She weighed in at 15 lbs. 8 oz., measured a whopping 24.75 inches, and her head circumference even gained some centimeters at 44 cm.
There have been some tough days over the past month...namely when John went to NYC for a manly men baseball trip, and then was supposed to head to Buenos Aires from there. During that time, Maggie either got sick (she was running a slight fever and not sleeping at all) or was in serious growth mode, leaving me with about two hours of sleep over a 4-5 day period. John made the decision to postpone the trip to BA since it wasn't critical, and now we are considering going down as a family sometime in the next month or so. We need to get Maggie's passport before any plans of us leaving the country really happens though. I'm also just really unsure about leaving the country already; well before she hits the 6 months old mark. I am thankful J opted to not postpone the trip and has even volunteered to take baby duty for several nights since he's been back from NYC. Not many dads volunteer themselves for that duty, and I definitely do not take it for granted.
Motherhood thus far has been such an incredible period of adjustment. Margaret is a really easygoing, mellow baby, which is why it completely freaked me out when she was seemingly so ill a couple weeks ago. And which is also why it stresses me out so much when she gets fuss budgety or has a serious crying jag. Margaret is just so amazing to me, and as each day passes I see her little personality starting to come out and her physical appearance morphing from that somewhat stock newborn look, to more of an individual, I'm my own baby, look.
Maggie started sleeping in her crib last week and has successfully slept through the night for a grand total of five nights now. Can you believe it? This recent development has surprised me being that she is only 10 weeks old, oves sleeping with her mama and/or in the bassinet next to the bed, but with her getting to be so long, the bassinet was really no longer an option. She's just a bundle of surprises. I've been told her all night sleeping jags are going to change back to getting up every few hours once she starts teething, but I'll definitely take the 6-8 hour stretches of sleep she is granting me and John. My sleep schedule is still totally out of whack, but it is nice to have a couple hours of calm for myself to catch up on household things, read a book, or hang out with John before I am able to crash myself.
Margaret smiles all the time, speaks and holds baby cooing conversations with me throughout the day, she can gaze at faces in mirrors for long periods of time and gets very excited about it, loves being read to, and absolutely loves Beethoven - dancing to it and just listening to the music. She is so curious about everything and I often worry I am overstimulating her, but I think she lets me know by getting fussy if certain activities become too much. Margaret recently discovered her hands and has since been putting her little baby fists into her mouth and sucking on them every chance she gets, which makes for a very drooly baby. :) She's also a very active and social baby, which is good to see, and is also interesting because I just knew she would be active while I was carrying her. And the most recent accomplishment is that she rolled about halfway over last week, but hasn't done it again since then, so I'm thinking it was a fluke, but who knows...as I said before, Maggie is just a bundle of surprises.
As I kind of talked about already, we have had some stumbling blocks, but nothing major. There was the mystery bout of sickness and/or growth a couple weeks ago that I already mentioned and a couple other somewhat minor things. We've found out that Maggie definitely has her dad's sensitive skin, with a couple pretty serious cases of diaper rash she's gotten even though we are vigilant about changing her and keeping her bottom dry. It can be so painful and my heart hurts when I think about it. Then there is the fact that Maggie abolutely abhors tummytime. I've tried it with her several times over the past two months, to no avail. She is having none of it. It makes her unbelievably cranky and hysterical. We've tried tummytime on the floor, on the couch, on her gym mat, and in her crib. Still not having any of it. The only other stumbling block we've really had to deal with is when Maggie gets herself all worked up over not getting fed fast enough...that's where the highly active baby thing becomes a curse. She will squirm and wiggle to the point where I can barely keep her both in my arms and on the Boppy to feed. Then she will also start smacking her face and pulling on it so aggressively I get scared she's going to hurt herself. Luckily these events are few and far between, but can definitely take their toll on my heart.
I'm just amazed at what an awesome baby I was blessed with. This is one journey I never really knew I'd be able to make, but I am glad it worked out that I am able to do this. Being a mom to Miss Margaret is everything I hoped it would be. At least so far. ;)
There have been some tough days over the past month...namely when John went to NYC for a manly men baseball trip, and then was supposed to head to Buenos Aires from there. During that time, Maggie either got sick (she was running a slight fever and not sleeping at all) or was in serious growth mode, leaving me with about two hours of sleep over a 4-5 day period. John made the decision to postpone the trip to BA since it wasn't critical, and now we are considering going down as a family sometime in the next month or so. We need to get Maggie's passport before any plans of us leaving the country really happens though. I'm also just really unsure about leaving the country already; well before she hits the 6 months old mark. I am thankful J opted to not postpone the trip and has even volunteered to take baby duty for several nights since he's been back from NYC. Not many dads volunteer themselves for that duty, and I definitely do not take it for granted.
Motherhood thus far has been such an incredible period of adjustment. Margaret is a really easygoing, mellow baby, which is why it completely freaked me out when she was seemingly so ill a couple weeks ago. And which is also why it stresses me out so much when she gets fuss budgety or has a serious crying jag. Margaret is just so amazing to me, and as each day passes I see her little personality starting to come out and her physical appearance morphing from that somewhat stock newborn look, to more of an individual, I'm my own baby, look.
Maggie started sleeping in her crib last week and has successfully slept through the night for a grand total of five nights now. Can you believe it? This recent development has surprised me being that she is only 10 weeks old, oves sleeping with her mama and/or in the bassinet next to the bed, but with her getting to be so long, the bassinet was really no longer an option. She's just a bundle of surprises. I've been told her all night sleeping jags are going to change back to getting up every few hours once she starts teething, but I'll definitely take the 6-8 hour stretches of sleep she is granting me and John. My sleep schedule is still totally out of whack, but it is nice to have a couple hours of calm for myself to catch up on household things, read a book, or hang out with John before I am able to crash myself.
Margaret smiles all the time, speaks and holds baby cooing conversations with me throughout the day, she can gaze at faces in mirrors for long periods of time and gets very excited about it, loves being read to, and absolutely loves Beethoven - dancing to it and just listening to the music. She is so curious about everything and I often worry I am overstimulating her, but I think she lets me know by getting fussy if certain activities become too much. Margaret recently discovered her hands and has since been putting her little baby fists into her mouth and sucking on them every chance she gets, which makes for a very drooly baby. :) She's also a very active and social baby, which is good to see, and is also interesting because I just knew she would be active while I was carrying her. And the most recent accomplishment is that she rolled about halfway over last week, but hasn't done it again since then, so I'm thinking it was a fluke, but who knows...as I said before, Maggie is just a bundle of surprises.
As I kind of talked about already, we have had some stumbling blocks, but nothing major. There was the mystery bout of sickness and/or growth a couple weeks ago that I already mentioned and a couple other somewhat minor things. We've found out that Maggie definitely has her dad's sensitive skin, with a couple pretty serious cases of diaper rash she's gotten even though we are vigilant about changing her and keeping her bottom dry. It can be so painful and my heart hurts when I think about it. Then there is the fact that Maggie abolutely abhors tummytime. I've tried it with her several times over the past two months, to no avail. She is having none of it. It makes her unbelievably cranky and hysterical. We've tried tummytime on the floor, on the couch, on her gym mat, and in her crib. Still not having any of it. The only other stumbling block we've really had to deal with is when Maggie gets herself all worked up over not getting fed fast enough...that's where the highly active baby thing becomes a curse. She will squirm and wiggle to the point where I can barely keep her both in my arms and on the Boppy to feed. Then she will also start smacking her face and pulling on it so aggressively I get scared she's going to hurt herself. Luckily these events are few and far between, but can definitely take their toll on my heart.
I'm just amazed at what an awesome baby I was blessed with. This is one journey I never really knew I'd be able to make, but I am glad it worked out that I am able to do this. Being a mom to Miss Margaret is everything I hoped it would be. At least so far. ;)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Have I mentioned
that I can't wait to get the For Sale sign in the front yard? No? Well, I can't wait. I'm especially agitated with the state of the house today. Probably due to the apocalyptic rainfall which means the house probably sprung another leak somewhere. Or maybe it's being confined to one main living space with baby, kitty, and mommy to cavort. One main living space with hardwood floors and mommy's sciatic nerve flaring up, so not much fun to be had on the floor. And man, that cat is driving me berserk today. Quarters are too close. I sure do hope this house sells within a year. For the sake of not only my sanity, but for J, Maggie, and Lucy. Because living with me when I am like this sure can be challenging.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Speed Racer
I got my first ever speeding ticket tonight. I was by myself, luckily, but I still feel like such an idiot. I'll probably be beating myself up about this for the next several weeks...if not months. *sigh*
Friday, April 17, 2009
Yet another reason I can't wait to move within the next two years...
I haven't posted a super venty (not to be confused with venti chai tea from the sbux) blog lately, and today seems to be the opportune time to do so...So I was poking around online earlier today and found that somehow our address was reported in some 2008 report the city of Blankity-Blank-Blank Blanks posted online. This mysterious report listed a number of people who were fined for having "noxious weeds affecting the public safety, health, and welfare." Say whaaaa?!?! This is the FIRST I had heard of this. The report contains statements saying individulas listed were given notice to rid the property of said weeds prior to being fined. I'm sorry, we were never notified. EVER. I'm militant about taking care of things and keeping current/abreast of bills, mail, you name it, so I know this is true. We NEVER got a prior notification. I looked and haven't been able to find anything in our files about notifications regarding noxious weeds.
The only thing I can think of is when we were out of the country for several weeks last spring and upon our return we received some mysterious fine from the city via USPS for them supposedly doing some grass cutting. No one from the city had actually cut our grass and we received no prior notification. Just a fine with no details. We refused to pay the fine when no one at city hall could tell us what exactly it was for, who cut the grass, and why. The whole idea of being fined is/was totally ridiculous because we had already paid someone to mow the lawn and care for our kitty while we were gone and it was done, so it couldn't have been that.
We have a huge property - an acre and a half - and I haven't seen any noxious weeds on it since I moved in, so I was thinking maybe the city was trying to stick us with a bill for the ravine on the lot next to ours, but is certainly NOT OUR PROPERTY. Then when J went to pay the property taxes last year, again there was nothing said or written about the mysterious fine by the city. We thought it was gone since there was no actualy proof of anything when J called to inquire about it, it was resolved, and we didn't have to pay, aaaand we didn't receive anything else in the mail regarding the mysterious grass cutting caper. Now I see this report online. What the heck?! This really chaps my hide. I just emailed J about it, but don't expect much in return for the next several days since he is out of the country until the end of April.
I tried to like this suburb of Cleveland, this house, and this neighborhood since I moved in with J, but it just hasn't worked out that way. The people are rude (i.e. If I wave to you, you should wave back. Or if I say hello, maybe you should as well.), or the people are a lot older than we are with no kids or their kids are all grown up, there aren't any sidewalks, people drive down the road like bats out of hell, somehow garbage ends up strewn on our lawn at the end of our property line bordering the street at least once a week, and I plain don't like living in a house I had no choice in choosing...just to name a few reasons why I don't like it.
I've wanted to move to a different area/suburb that better fits our needs for quite some time now, and just recently got J to commit to moving the family out of this fixer house from his previous marriage to a new house within the next two years. We are going to make the necessary renovations and then hopefully sell the house even stevens. I tried, I really tried, but it just isn't going to work out. It really is/was a little too much baggage for me to handle. Then reading that report today just added fuel to the fire. UGH.
The only thing I can think of is when we were out of the country for several weeks last spring and upon our return we received some mysterious fine from the city via USPS for them supposedly doing some grass cutting. No one from the city had actually cut our grass and we received no prior notification. Just a fine with no details. We refused to pay the fine when no one at city hall could tell us what exactly it was for, who cut the grass, and why. The whole idea of being fined is/was totally ridiculous because we had already paid someone to mow the lawn and care for our kitty while we were gone and it was done, so it couldn't have been that.
We have a huge property - an acre and a half - and I haven't seen any noxious weeds on it since I moved in, so I was thinking maybe the city was trying to stick us with a bill for the ravine on the lot next to ours, but is certainly NOT OUR PROPERTY. Then when J went to pay the property taxes last year, again there was nothing said or written about the mysterious fine by the city. We thought it was gone since there was no actualy proof of anything when J called to inquire about it, it was resolved, and we didn't have to pay, aaaand we didn't receive anything else in the mail regarding the mysterious grass cutting caper. Now I see this report online. What the heck?! This really chaps my hide. I just emailed J about it, but don't expect much in return for the next several days since he is out of the country until the end of April.
I tried to like this suburb of Cleveland, this house, and this neighborhood since I moved in with J, but it just hasn't worked out that way. The people are rude (i.e. If I wave to you, you should wave back. Or if I say hello, maybe you should as well.), or the people are a lot older than we are with no kids or their kids are all grown up, there aren't any sidewalks, people drive down the road like bats out of hell, somehow garbage ends up strewn on our lawn at the end of our property line bordering the street at least once a week, and I plain don't like living in a house I had no choice in choosing...just to name a few reasons why I don't like it.
I've wanted to move to a different area/suburb that better fits our needs for quite some time now, and just recently got J to commit to moving the family out of this fixer house from his previous marriage to a new house within the next two years. We are going to make the necessary renovations and then hopefully sell the house even stevens. I tried, I really tried, but it just isn't going to work out. It really is/was a little too much baggage for me to handle. Then reading that report today just added fuel to the fire. UGH.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Big Baby
It's official. As of last week, Maggie has outgrown all of her 0-3 months clothes. She's not even two months old yet! That is one big baby!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
One Month Stats
With my computer deciding to go up sh** creek without a paddle a few weeks ago, I was unable to post the CRAZY stats my daughter had during her one month checkup at the pediatrician.
Well, I think they are crazy stats, especially considering that I had to box up Margaret's 0-3 month clothes today. Seeing as how she has outgrown all of them. That's right. I did not stutter. The 0-3 month clothes are out and the 3-6 month clothes are in...And I probably should have boxed her small clothes up a week or two ago, but alas, I was holding on to the fact that she is just so young still! I mean, barely a month old and outgrowing your 0-3 month clothes...NOOOO! NOT YET!
One month checkup stats: Weight: 12 pounds even. Height: 22 1/2 inches long.
That's one big baby!
Well, I think they are crazy stats, especially considering that I had to box up Margaret's 0-3 month clothes today. Seeing as how she has outgrown all of them. That's right. I did not stutter. The 0-3 month clothes are out and the 3-6 month clothes are in...And I probably should have boxed her small clothes up a week or two ago, but alas, I was holding on to the fact that she is just so young still! I mean, barely a month old and outgrowing your 0-3 month clothes...NOOOO! NOT YET!
One month checkup stats: Weight: 12 pounds even. Height: 22 1/2 inches long.
That's one big baby!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Computer Woes
Two weeks with no computer. TWO WEEKS. Talk about unplugging.
Well now that my new laptop is theoretically fixed, I'm hoping I'll be able to pop online a little more often...especially now that Margaret is getting older and is supposedly going to start sleeping more often and regularly.
This whole experience of my new laptop going on the fritz has been quite frustrating. Considering my old laptop was almost three years old before it started dawdling and acting up. My new laptop had problems from the get-go. I got it in December and had issues from Day 1. This last time it decided to crap out on me was the third time Dell had to be called in to intervene. John got a service tech to come out and fix it - apparently my motherboard was fried for some reason - which is beyond me considering I hadn't installed anything on the new laptop other than Office.
If this thing keeps acting up, I'll do as John suggested and just get a Powebook next time I need a laptop. I know John has had minimal problems with his, and that seems to be the consensus with everyone else I know who had/has one.
Needless to say I'm glad to have a fast-functioning computer.
Well now that my new laptop is theoretically fixed, I'm hoping I'll be able to pop online a little more often...especially now that Margaret is getting older and is supposedly going to start sleeping more often and regularly.
This whole experience of my new laptop going on the fritz has been quite frustrating. Considering my old laptop was almost three years old before it started dawdling and acting up. My new laptop had problems from the get-go. I got it in December and had issues from Day 1. This last time it decided to crap out on me was the third time Dell had to be called in to intervene. John got a service tech to come out and fix it - apparently my motherboard was fried for some reason - which is beyond me considering I hadn't installed anything on the new laptop other than Office.
If this thing keeps acting up, I'll do as John suggested and just get a Powebook next time I need a laptop. I know John has had minimal problems with his, and that seems to be the consensus with everyone else I know who had/has one.
Needless to say I'm glad to have a fast-functioning computer.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Stroke
Today marks the 10 year anniversary of my mom's horribly debilitating stroke. I just want to say that I am so happy she survived and is still alive and kicking. I hope she continues the good fight and will be around for many more years to come. I love you, Mom.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Baby Arrived!!!
I've been so lax in posting since I had the baby. But she did finally arrive! After 20 hours of labor, then having to have an emergency c-section, she joined the ranks of the Swanson-Headlee household. Hooray! She was a surprising baby, and I even ended up naming her something different than I had initially anticipated. And while I don't plan on having any more babies, if I do end up with another little girl somehow, I still have another name at the ready...
Margaret Elizabeth was born on February 18, 2009 at 251PM. She weighed in at 9lbs., 5oz., and was 21.25inches long. Her head measured at 40cm. Her ranks were as follows: Weight: 90%ile, Length: 97%ile, and Head Circumference: 99%ile.
I just knew she would have a fairly large head based upon both mine and John's noggins. I also knew she was going to weigh more than the 6.5-7.5 pounds my OB projected. Yep. I was right in both respects...and that makes me feel good because even though I've had a severe case of placenta brain since becoming pregnant, my intuition didn't completely suffer.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Valentine's Day and Still No Baby
Well baby, you were supposed to be here by today, but apparently you are not quite ready yet. So here I am. Still. Waiting.
We can't wait for you to get here already!
We can't wait for you to get here already!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Any Day Now
Last Thursday night I went to the hospital because my doctor thought I might be in labor due to my intense back pains/spasms. As it turns out I was having contractions and they were 1-3 minutes apart lasting about 45 seconds to a minute. This had been going on throughout the course of the day then continuing along the same path for a couple hours at the hospital. But then something happened. The contractions started to wane. 3-5 minutes apart. Then 7-9 minutes apart. Then back to 3-5 minutes apart. My dilation had made some progress, but not enough to induce, so I was told that I could get a morphine drip and stay in the hospital overnight and take it from there, or I could go home and brave it with some Tylenol. Being that I was starving from not being able to eat since around 100AM earlier that day and not wanting an IV of anything unless absolutely necessary, I opted for the latter. J and I left the hospital around 1145PM and then headed directly to the closest 24 hour restaurant establishment we could find - which happened to be the Eat and Park. It was a decent breakfast meal, although I could have done without the table full of idiot redneck types sitting next to us. I mean seriously.
There were six of them, all at least in their late twenties, and not only were they obnoxiously loud, their conversation revolved around things like, "You know what they say about a guy with big feet..." ARGH! Not such good ambience EVER let alone for a ravenous, angry pregnant lady who is in the midst of still having contractions and wants nothing more than some delicious eggs over easy and french toast. And it didn't help that what I really wanted was IHOP deliciousness instead of the Choke and Puke. The IHOP I speak of is about a block up from the hospital, but it was mysteriously closed that night...and now I am hoping that it hasn't permanently closed. That would be a travesty for me while I'm in the hospital. You see, I have already told John that my first meal after I have the baby will be pancakes with strawberry syrup from the IHOP. Oh yes, my mind is oh so often still on the pancakes. Has been for several weeks or is it months now. Talk about a craving. So let's just hope the IHOP isn't, in fact, closed permanently.
Fast forward to today. Tuesday. My front labor pains have pretty much ceased, other than a few an hour, and I am still waiting. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and I'm hoping everything will be a go to induce this weekend. With my family history, I am really hoping I won't need to have the dreaded c-section, but with five out of six sisters needing them, the odds aren't really in my favor. What I am ready for is for the baby to be here. Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy the time I have now, but it is a challenge to enjoy this time when I feel so isolated and incapacitated. And then it didn't help today when I literally walked into a wall in my house, then about 15 minutes later proceeded to fall down about five stairs. Yeah, I would definitely say I am ready for the baby.
There were six of them, all at least in their late twenties, and not only were they obnoxiously loud, their conversation revolved around things like, "You know what they say about a guy with big feet..." ARGH! Not such good ambience EVER let alone for a ravenous, angry pregnant lady who is in the midst of still having contractions and wants nothing more than some delicious eggs over easy and french toast. And it didn't help that what I really wanted was IHOP deliciousness instead of the Choke and Puke. The IHOP I speak of is about a block up from the hospital, but it was mysteriously closed that night...and now I am hoping that it hasn't permanently closed. That would be a travesty for me while I'm in the hospital. You see, I have already told John that my first meal after I have the baby will be pancakes with strawberry syrup from the IHOP. Oh yes, my mind is oh so often still on the pancakes. Has been for several weeks or is it months now. Talk about a craving. So let's just hope the IHOP isn't, in fact, closed permanently.
Fast forward to today. Tuesday. My front labor pains have pretty much ceased, other than a few an hour, and I am still waiting. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and I'm hoping everything will be a go to induce this weekend. With my family history, I am really hoping I won't need to have the dreaded c-section, but with five out of six sisters needing them, the odds aren't really in my favor. What I am ready for is for the baby to be here. Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy the time I have now, but it is a challenge to enjoy this time when I feel so isolated and incapacitated. And then it didn't help today when I literally walked into a wall in my house, then about 15 minutes later proceeded to fall down about five stairs. Yeah, I would definitely say I am ready for the baby.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Books Read - January 2009
Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner
Stephen King, Just After Sunset
Henry Kuttner, The Last Mimzy & Other Stories
Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island
Stephanie Meyer, New Moon
James Patterson, Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports
Stephen King, Just After Sunset
Henry Kuttner, The Last Mimzy & Other Stories
Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island
Stephanie Meyer, New Moon
James Patterson, Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Well, That's That
I joined facebook today. As my friend, John (a la HIDEOUS KINKY), said, "The mighty have FALLEN."
Try not to judge too harshly.
Try not to judge too harshly.
Fourteen Days Until D-Day
I'm due in 14 days. At my doctor's appointment this week, I found out my dilation and effacement had no change from the previous week. Well then. There went my high hopes of having the baby before the due date, but still full-term. I feel kind of bad for saying this, but I am ready to be done. I can barely get up off my couch without help, and let's not even talk about what an ordeal it is for me to get out of bed at night for the billionty times I have to pee. Then there are the mysterious migraine-type headaches I've been getting for about a week now, generally feeling like a pile of dog poop, the OHMYGOSH my left foot is so swollen I can't get a shoe on it, the surge in my weight (again), and the swollenest face I've EVER had - IN MY LIFE. My doctor mentioned the weight herself because she was surprised at just how swollen I was at my 900AM appointment and she thinks I might be showing signs of toxemia, but since my blood pressure is still in the normal range for me - even though it's higher than my usual 90/60, and my proteins are still normal, she doesn't think it's toxemia quite yet. I am monitoring the blood pressure daily now, and have been relegated to "no more manual labor" and "resting with your feet elevated above your heart."
I have entirely too much stress on my back from the baby, which we also found out earlier this week when I was scrubbing the bathroom and it literally took me twenty minutes to get myself switched from all fours on the floor, to propped up against the bathtub with my butt on the floor, then heaved up onto the edge of the tub to sit, then miraculously to my feet. No more manual labor. I don't know how I will be able to handle this. I am, by nature, an obsessive person when it comes to keeping things tidy and clean. It's taken me a long time to be begrudgingly, but somewhat okay with John's love of stacking piles of stuff, which I call stacks of crap, and I don't know how I am going to handle not really being able to do all the cleaning up type duties that I perform on a regular basis. Cleaning is cleansing to me. Cleaning is catharsis.
From previous experience, I know I can't relax when chores aren't done and everything is more or less cleaned up and back in place. And I also know from previous experience, that I have greeeeeeeeeeat difficulty in relying on someone else to shoulder the responsibilities and that when I do, things are never done as efficiently, effectively, or as well as I do them. Heck, we used to have a cleaning person, but we stopped that after I noticed that the shower had gone one too many times without the proper cleaning. My standards aren't/weren't met. J says I hold myself and others to ridiculously high standards...I don't know about that. But I guess I will find out more about my standards and limits over the coming weeks when I have to rely on him more than I am used to in order to get the regular chores done around the house. I don't know how I am going to react to this change, but I am hopeful that we will able to cope. That I am able to cope.
I've been told that my world is going to be turned upside down once the baby gets here. Maybe I will change and be able to let messy rooms go for longer than I'm used to doing. Maybe I won't. And while I believe others when they say my world is totally going to change, at least I'll be able to get on my hands and knees to clean the floors again.
I have entirely too much stress on my back from the baby, which we also found out earlier this week when I was scrubbing the bathroom and it literally took me twenty minutes to get myself switched from all fours on the floor, to propped up against the bathtub with my butt on the floor, then heaved up onto the edge of the tub to sit, then miraculously to my feet. No more manual labor. I don't know how I will be able to handle this. I am, by nature, an obsessive person when it comes to keeping things tidy and clean. It's taken me a long time to be begrudgingly, but somewhat okay with John's love of stacking piles of stuff, which I call stacks of crap, and I don't know how I am going to handle not really being able to do all the cleaning up type duties that I perform on a regular basis. Cleaning is cleansing to me. Cleaning is catharsis.
From previous experience, I know I can't relax when chores aren't done and everything is more or less cleaned up and back in place. And I also know from previous experience, that I have greeeeeeeeeeat difficulty in relying on someone else to shoulder the responsibilities and that when I do, things are never done as efficiently, effectively, or as well as I do them. Heck, we used to have a cleaning person, but we stopped that after I noticed that the shower had gone one too many times without the proper cleaning. My standards aren't/weren't met. J says I hold myself and others to ridiculously high standards...I don't know about that. But I guess I will find out more about my standards and limits over the coming weeks when I have to rely on him more than I am used to in order to get the regular chores done around the house. I don't know how I am going to react to this change, but I am hopeful that we will able to cope. That I am able to cope.
I've been told that my world is going to be turned upside down once the baby gets here. Maybe I will change and be able to let messy rooms go for longer than I'm used to doing. Maybe I won't. And while I believe others when they say my world is totally going to change, at least I'll be able to get on my hands and knees to clean the floors again.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
2008 Recapper Meme
I wanted to post this before January somehow slipped away from me.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
-- Switched career paths. Got pregnant. Worked on my commitment issues and devoted myself to my relationship with J. Lived in Buenos Aires for 6/7 weeks.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
-- I don't do resolutions, but I make annual goals. And yes, I made some goals for 2009.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
-- Yes. A couple people, actually.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
-- No. Thankfully.
5. What countries did you visit?
-- Argentina
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
-- Being more spiritually connected.
7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
-- April/May: Argentina trip. AWESOME time. Professionally and personally. June 28: Took some home pregnancy tests. Was 99.8% sure I was pregnant. August 11: Saw the Flash on ultrasound for the first time at 13.5 weeks along in my pregnancy. September 26: Got the 3D ultrasound and found out we were having a girl.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
-- Commitment and perseverance
9. What was your biggest failure?
-- Not exercising as frequently as I needed and wanted
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
-- Five months of debilitating 24/7 morning sickness
11. What was the best thing you bought?
-- Geekery: the new camera (Canon G-10!) and the tv
12. Where did most of your money go?
-- Besides the usual cycle of bill payments, the other money went to getting rid of all credit card debt, dental work, all things baby, MINI maintenance/repairs, travel, and geekery
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
-- Having a baby
14. What song will always remind you of 2008?
-- Even though it's a few years old, "Everybody's Changing" by Keane
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? Happier
Thinner or fatter? Fatter and pregnant
Richer or poorer? Richer and in less debt
16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
-- Work, exercise, practiced more spirituality, and relaxation
17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
-- Being sick
18. How did you spend Christmas?
-- Christmas Eve, went to Cambridge Springs, PA for celebration with my immediate family. Christmas Day, hung out at home in Cleveland, OH.
19. Did you fall in love in 2008?
-- I did.
20. How many one-night stands?
-- Zero
21. What was your favorite TV program?
-- Top Chef, Project Runway, Big Bang Theory, and all five seasons of Six Feet Under which I watched maniacally for the first time - and yes, I could see what all the hype was about
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
-- Gee whiz. Hate is such a nasty word. I don't think I hate anyone.
23. What was the best book you read?
-- Geek Love and The Road
24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
-- That the baby really gets moving inside of me when I listen to Weezer, Arcade Fire, Beethoven, Chopin, and Mozart
25. What did you want and get?
-- J to get a new car.
26. What did you want and not get?
-- A chest freezer and a pair of Crocs for my aching feet while shopping on Black Friday with two of my sisters.
27. What was your favorite film of this year?
-- None of these came out in 2008, but were nevertheless my faves of the year: Ils (Them), The Savages, El Orfanato (The Orphanage)
28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
-- I stayed in as J was out of town and the weather was pretty horrible. We got takeout and celebrated when he got back. I turned 31.
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
-- Not being so sick for several months
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
-- Comfort. Growing the Flash has been an exercise in putting total comfort first. Can we say yoga pants?!
31. What kept you sane?
-- Family, friends, the support system
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
-- None?
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
-- Economy
34. Who did you miss?
-- My Knoxville family
35. Who was the best new person you met?
-- Ana down in BA
36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
-- You need to practice honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, and diligence in all aspects of your life.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
-- Switched career paths. Got pregnant. Worked on my commitment issues and devoted myself to my relationship with J. Lived in Buenos Aires for 6/7 weeks.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
-- I don't do resolutions, but I make annual goals. And yes, I made some goals for 2009.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
-- Yes. A couple people, actually.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
-- No. Thankfully.
5. What countries did you visit?
-- Argentina
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
-- Being more spiritually connected.
7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
-- April/May: Argentina trip. AWESOME time. Professionally and personally. June 28: Took some home pregnancy tests. Was 99.8% sure I was pregnant. August 11: Saw the Flash on ultrasound for the first time at 13.5 weeks along in my pregnancy. September 26: Got the 3D ultrasound and found out we were having a girl.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
-- Commitment and perseverance
9. What was your biggest failure?
-- Not exercising as frequently as I needed and wanted
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
-- Five months of debilitating 24/7 morning sickness
11. What was the best thing you bought?
-- Geekery: the new camera (Canon G-10!) and the tv
12. Where did most of your money go?
-- Besides the usual cycle of bill payments, the other money went to getting rid of all credit card debt, dental work, all things baby, MINI maintenance/repairs, travel, and geekery
13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
-- Having a baby
14. What song will always remind you of 2008?
-- Even though it's a few years old, "Everybody's Changing" by Keane
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? Happier
Thinner or fatter? Fatter and pregnant
Richer or poorer? Richer and in less debt
16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
-- Work, exercise, practiced more spirituality, and relaxation
17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
-- Being sick
18. How did you spend Christmas?
-- Christmas Eve, went to Cambridge Springs, PA for celebration with my immediate family. Christmas Day, hung out at home in Cleveland, OH.
19. Did you fall in love in 2008?
-- I did.
20. How many one-night stands?
-- Zero
21. What was your favorite TV program?
-- Top Chef, Project Runway, Big Bang Theory, and all five seasons of Six Feet Under which I watched maniacally for the first time - and yes, I could see what all the hype was about
22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
-- Gee whiz. Hate is such a nasty word. I don't think I hate anyone.
23. What was the best book you read?
-- Geek Love and The Road
24. What was your greatest musical discovery?
-- That the baby really gets moving inside of me when I listen to Weezer, Arcade Fire, Beethoven, Chopin, and Mozart
25. What did you want and get?
-- J to get a new car.
26. What did you want and not get?
-- A chest freezer and a pair of Crocs for my aching feet while shopping on Black Friday with two of my sisters.
27. What was your favorite film of this year?
-- None of these came out in 2008, but were nevertheless my faves of the year: Ils (Them), The Savages, El Orfanato (The Orphanage)
28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
-- I stayed in as J was out of town and the weather was pretty horrible. We got takeout and celebrated when he got back. I turned 31.
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
-- Not being so sick for several months
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
-- Comfort. Growing the Flash has been an exercise in putting total comfort first. Can we say yoga pants?!
31. What kept you sane?
-- Family, friends, the support system
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
-- None?
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
-- Economy
34. Who did you miss?
-- My Knoxville family
35. Who was the best new person you met?
-- Ana down in BA
36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
-- You need to practice honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, and diligence in all aspects of your life.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Insomnia Returns
I thought I was supposed to lose sleep AFTER the baby was here. Nope. This is sooo not the case. I've recently found out the loss of sleep starts early. For the past month or so, I've had terrible sleep. Terrible as in the insomnia I used to experience in high school, college, and into my mid-twenties. I don't think I've written about my battles with insomnia on here, but let me tell you one thing, insomnia is definitely not something that will maximize your productivity (unless you are hopped up on something). And insomnia is certainly no fun. No fun indeed.
In order to conquer the worst bits of my insomnia, it's really taken a lot of time, money, and energy to get to a point where I can sleep for more than a couple hours at time, but with help, I found a solution...well I used to have one, that is until the past month or so reared its ugly head. Over the past couple years, I've grown accustomed to a good solid 7 hours of sleep a night and the recent disruption in my sleep patterns has really messed with my mojo. If I'm not getting up to pee every 40 minutes, I'm only sleeping for an hour (two, if I'm lucky) at a time. Totally unfair.
And while I am trying to look at this disruption as preparation for when the baby gets here, it's hard to keep an objective mind about it when I can see my fuse getting shorter and shorter every day. I thought pregnant/mom brain was bad enough, but combine that with lack of sleep, and you get one majorly bad case of goofy brain. I say this as I am on Day 3 of getting less than 2 hours of total sleep in one night. I just want one more night of good solid sleep before the baby gets here. But I think that may be too much to ask.
In order to conquer the worst bits of my insomnia, it's really taken a lot of time, money, and energy to get to a point where I can sleep for more than a couple hours at time, but with help, I found a solution...well I used to have one, that is until the past month or so reared its ugly head. Over the past couple years, I've grown accustomed to a good solid 7 hours of sleep a night and the recent disruption in my sleep patterns has really messed with my mojo. If I'm not getting up to pee every 40 minutes, I'm only sleeping for an hour (two, if I'm lucky) at a time. Totally unfair.
And while I am trying to look at this disruption as preparation for when the baby gets here, it's hard to keep an objective mind about it when I can see my fuse getting shorter and shorter every day. I thought pregnant/mom brain was bad enough, but combine that with lack of sleep, and you get one majorly bad case of goofy brain. I say this as I am on Day 3 of getting less than 2 hours of total sleep in one night. I just want one more night of good solid sleep before the baby gets here. But I think that may be too much to ask.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Goals 2009
1. Make necessary doctor's appointments that I have been avoiding; Go to scheduled appointments and proceed as advised.
2. Acclimate to motherhood positively and to the best of my abilities, relax a bit, and ask for help when I need it after the baby gets here; Enjoy and make productive use out of the time I have with my new child; Make appropriate decisions regarding going back to work on a full-time, part-time, or on a purely per project-based schedule.
3. Travel to and live in Argentina for one month with the new family unit.
4. Continue to learn how to better manage finances and stick to budget; Put together a financial action plan and make forward progress with our goals.
5. Decide whether to keep or sell the MINI.
6. Find my way back to a workable workout regimen after the baby arrives; Workout 4-5 times a week as long as it is not detrimental to my recovery; Decide whether or not to join a new workout facility, purchase cardio equipment, and/or join CrossFit with J.
7. Practice proactivity in my recovery; Recognize when I need help and ask for it since that was somewhat of a struggle for me in 2008; Continue to use the support system I have in place.
8. Make the two most vital home improvements to the house: 1. New roof, and 2. Start gutting and remodeling the second floor of the house in order to have more functional, livable space for a growing family; Complete the finished room in the basement and get the new home office completely set-up and useable; Get better organized and rid our lives of unnecessary clutter, donate and/or throw away items we no longer need or want; Finish landscaping the front yard of the house; Start making decisions on how to proceed with future improvement projects.
9. Maintain current healthy relationships, purge the unhealthy relationships, improve relationships I want to keep but are currently suffering, and develop and grow healthy new relationships.
10.Work on the spiritual side of my life.
2. Acclimate to motherhood positively and to the best of my abilities, relax a bit, and ask for help when I need it after the baby gets here; Enjoy and make productive use out of the time I have with my new child; Make appropriate decisions regarding going back to work on a full-time, part-time, or on a purely per project-based schedule.
3. Travel to and live in Argentina for one month with the new family unit.
4. Continue to learn how to better manage finances and stick to budget; Put together a financial action plan and make forward progress with our goals.
5. Decide whether to keep or sell the MINI.
6. Find my way back to a workable workout regimen after the baby arrives; Workout 4-5 times a week as long as it is not detrimental to my recovery; Decide whether or not to join a new workout facility, purchase cardio equipment, and/or join CrossFit with J.
7. Practice proactivity in my recovery; Recognize when I need help and ask for it since that was somewhat of a struggle for me in 2008; Continue to use the support system I have in place.
8. Make the two most vital home improvements to the house: 1. New roof, and 2. Start gutting and remodeling the second floor of the house in order to have more functional, livable space for a growing family; Complete the finished room in the basement and get the new home office completely set-up and useable; Get better organized and rid our lives of unnecessary clutter, donate and/or throw away items we no longer need or want; Finish landscaping the front yard of the house; Start making decisions on how to proceed with future improvement projects.
9. Maintain current healthy relationships, purge the unhealthy relationships, improve relationships I want to keep but are currently suffering, and develop and grow healthy new relationships.
10.Work on the spiritual side of my life.
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