Amusement

So I decided to snoop on the forum for one of the preggo websites that get emailed to me.

Hysterical!!! I now read them because these people are soooo neurotic that I feel normal.

There was an entire post on pooping. Seriously? Pooping? And people who are at the same stage as me who still don't know that the office visits are mostly just chit-chat sessions where they check your bp and measure you tum.

Maybe I am just lucky because I have a few books and an EXCELLENT OB. But I pray for these women. If they are this clueless now...what's to come with an infant?

Ahhh! Scary! I hope I don't break it!

NU Con

Happy Labor Day! So sorry for those who had to work yesterday. =(

This weekend was full of gaming fun and frivolity as we celebrated NU Con 1.0 in Charlotte. 5 couples and their dependents together chatting, playing games and reminiscing about their days in Chicago.

More than once I heard "when did we all grow up?" in response to everyone's new homes, jobs, children, significant others and myriad of other random accomplishments and post-grad stories. (Mine adult contribution was curtins in the living room...oh and pending Baby Bryan!).

It is times like this that I am amazed at the dynamic of true friendships. Okay, maybe amazed is the wrong word, but definitely pleasantly in awe. I haven't seen some of these people since my own wedding 4 years ago, and it seems like the conversations just pick up where they left off the last time. Yes, there is the "what are you up to", "what's new", blah blah blah, but when its all said and done and, in this case, the Settlers of Catan come out, we are all warped back to the way we fondly remember trading sheep for ore.

True, I was only a transient member of this cohort. I appeared occasionally on the El and disappeared just as quickly, but have noticed it in all close knit groups. Here is my shout out to the TSD crowd! Get us on the dance floor to Kung Fu Fighting and you can just envision us exactly as we were before we were scattered across the country.

So I raise a glass of alcohol-free "beverage" to all those friends out there, near and far, that I miss dearly. And I hope that no matter where the wind takes us and how long until we meet again that we can always just pick up the conversation.

Cheers!
Jess

September!!??

Excuse me, but what happened to 2009?

Don't get me wrong I love the fall, but it seems like this year has just flown. It could be denial that I still haven't unpacked my house in over a year...but we'll just pretend that isn't the case.

At the same time it feels like I have been waiting for this little critter to makes it debute forever! Here's hoping that the third trimester goes quickly and smoothly!

PS. I would like to say a prayer of thanks for the break in the heat! I realize it is coming back, but I'll enjoy this while it lasts!

88 Days...but who's counting?

Hooray! Down to the double digits. It seems like things are starting to fall into place.

The nursery base coat is done! The pencil sketch for the mural is done! (Note that after helping draw the vertical lines for the grid, Dave suggested I take a nap and rest while he finished.)

Crib and changing table are ordered and waiting for pick-up. Shower plans are coming along.

28 week U/S is on Monday along with the glucose screen that I am fully prepared to fail.

Only 2 more day care centers to scope out.

Things of note as we finish up the 2nd Tri...

1. The triage nurses at OB's have to be the most patient people on the Earth.

2. Baby is moving a lot and seems to like to rest its foot in my lung.

3. Dave and I are working on names. Girls name...easy and done...Boys name...not so much. Each of us made a list of 20 names that we were then going to compare. Alas not a single overlap! So now its just a random "how about ...", followed by "ooo, I kinda like that" or "eeewwww no way." May have to get a book.

4. Notable name rejections: Orion Bryan (seriously??!), Thor (not even acknowledging that one), and Phineas (sure to be born with a pocket protector).

5. The generally cranky phase seems to have passed, back to the ole' anxiety phase.

That's all for now. Hope everyone had a great summer! Yay fall! My favorite season.

JKB

Ode to my Pontiac

Oh Pontiac! How you have sucked me dry!

From the moment I drove you off the lot to so many years later you still find ways to ensure I never pay off my credit card debt.

You have gently glided into walls, attracted blocks of cement, and randomly stopped working on so many important occasions. You occasionally spew smoke from your interior and now leave us stranded across town at midnight.

And why? Was it lack of love and nurturing on my part? Perhaps.

Did your mother not show you all the love you deserved? Ummm...well.

True, we had some good times too. But those were less expensive.

So here's to you, oh grey beast of burden! Ye who neither quilfies for cash for clunkers or is yet old enough to trade in. Please start today.

The end.

Random Musings

It has been an eventful couple of weeks!

We have travelled south to visit family and north to celebrate friends.

In Hilton Head we discovered that GZ can indeed swim (though he prefers not to) fairly well considering the current was probably pretty strong for a 10lb pup. We also got to see Dave's niece and nephew along with other family that we haven't seen since the wedding! It was so nice to catch up with everyone. And it was nice to get away for a weekend...there is just something about driving away that resets the perspective.

Last weekend landed us in Cinnci for a wedding. It was a great time. A reunion of TSD people that I haven't seen in years. It's times like these that you can appreciate good friendships that just pick up where you left off....no matter how long its been. =) I miss all of those folks a lot so the visit was very cathartic for me. Despite the fact that I felt a little like a polka dotted cow with this whole body make-over c/o baby.

We also got to visit with one of Dave's grad school friends who was gracious enough to drive us around and give us a place to crash for the night. Congrats to him on his engagement! Yay! We visited the Cinncinatti zoo, which was really nice. (I love zoo's!)

Hmmm what else. Ahh...mamacita has uprooted again and landed happily in North Carolina. We are off to Asheville to visit them this weekend.

Work is work with both of our jobs presenting their own frustrations. However we remain grateful that we have employment, especially with the baby!

Oh yeah...the baby. We are more than 1/2 there now! Yay! I can't say that I am one of those glowing preggo ladies that cherish every hormone-induced moment, but I am thankful that everything has been progressing smoothly. This whole pregnancy thing was definitely not designed for the impatient, pathological worriers. =) And now I am reassured by the random somersaults that go on throughout the day. Sadly the kicks aren't quite hard enough for Dave to witness which has resulted in some drill-like commands at my tummy "kick harder! Ahp cha ki!"

Hope everyone has had a nice July..cause well...its pretty much gone. Amazing how quickly summer slips away.

Real Life

I had a great weekend!

Everything from an awesome concert/picnic in the park with my hubby to a meet and greet with the neighbors for the 4th. There was doggie play time, cleaning, reading, chilling and just general mirth.

I finally dug out the futon in my office. Now I can set up my own little reading space. Yay!!

We have some really awesome neighbors! Most of us had only done the casual wave while walking around the block, but by the end of the evening you would think we all knew each other for ever. It was very comfortable. It was nice to feel like I am finally settled into a place. Note...that I am guessing I will feel a bit unsettled come November. But...almost all of the families have kids...so at least I will have some experience nearby!

On a more "meh" note. My weigh in at the doctors was a bit humbling yesterday, so I am trying to be more careful. I even fired up my new Pilates tape today after work. Man was that an eye-opener. It has been a LONG time since I couldn't finish a workout. Guess at least now I have a goal. GZ didn't really help. He kept chasing my foot around and licking my face. At one point he decided that he was going to perch on my head while I was trying desparately to keep up with the nice smiling lady who was waaayyyy more preggo than me. Now I just have to figure out what is good tummy pain and what is bad tummy pain when doing workouts.

GZ and I "cooled down" from Pilates with a walk around the neighborhood. Cool is a relative term around here...but it wasn't unbarable. He is currently passed out on his pillow.

Off to nibble some veggies.

JKB

Today is a B- at best...

Did you ever have one of those days...you know...the one where you are convinced that the heavens did not intend for you to participate in society? Okay...it wasn't terrible, parts of it were nice....but...overall meh.

1. GZ would not willingly come out of his crate this morning so I went after him. But then because I was still sleepy, my balance is a little off and cause I am a klutz...could not get back up. So, dog in one hand I tried to brace myself against the night stand and WHACK knocked the poor dog's head right off the handle. It was met with a sad and tiny whimper.

2. So there I was, late for work, trying to check the dogs pupils but he wouldn't let me because he was much more interested in chewing on my hands....fine. I pop him in the crate and head to work...where I spend most of my day worrying whether or not the dog has an intercranial bleed. (Turns out he's fine in the end).

3. Because I am running late I have to grab breakfast on the way to work. I figure that an egg and cheese biscuit would cheer me up...and it did...until part of the biscuit fell down my shirt into the no-mans land that is baby belly. I thought that I had successfully retrieved it. But as I was chatting with one of the other nurses at work I reach up to scratch my belly and....hey look at that...my biscuit! All she could do was laugh.

4. My boss was annoyed because I had no news for him...because the hospital census is low and there aren't any patients to enroll in the study. Really not much I can do about that. Turns out that people don't want to be in the hospital on the 4th of July.

5. As I was walking over to the patient side of the hospital I encountered a very frustrated woman who was lost. I tried to verbally explain where she needed to go...but she yelled at me and told me that she was just there. Well, I said, that's where your appointment is...so I am not sure what I can do for her. But I decided that I will walk her to the area (which was nowhere near where we were). As we are walking she is spewing an endless rant about how poorly the hospital was designed and that the signs were inadequate and she was sure I wasn't going the right way because she had never gone this way before and blah blah blah. I delivered her safely to the elevator lobby where there was a lovely sign telling her to go to the 6th floor. I did not ride up with her. She did not thank me. I DIDN'T BUILD THE HOSPITAL!! I AM TRYING TO BE NICE TO YOU!! At any rate I hope she found the rest of her way and all is well.

6. I then spent 4 hours trying to fix an issue. I am not even going to get into that....but suffice it to say that if people would take the time to READ life would be easier.

7. 4:00 rolls around...I can almost taste the 3 day weekend. And then I get another call from my boss. Thanking me for taking care of aforementioned issue and asking me if I am going to be in tomorrow. Uhhhhh....do you really need me to be here. Long story short...Jess going to work in the morning. But hopefully the census won't change over night and I can be home before everyone else is awake.

In fairness the rest of the day was okay. Nice walk with Dave and GZ, Mac&Cheese for dinner and the results show for "so you think you can dance"!

Have a great 4th of July...and check your shirt for extra food. =)

Jess

Is Chivalry Dead?

I am not one of those hard hitting "open the door for me because I am woman" types, but there are some things that should not have gone out of style.

I don't mind standing in church. Especially if its my own fault. But days like today make me wonder what would have happened if some nice able-bodied male would have let me sit down.

Some background facts:
1. I have never dealt well with heat and humidity and used to pass out in church all the time when I was young.
2. Yes, I am "with child" but currently look more chubby than preggo.
3. I was late to mass and not remotely surprised that I would have to stand.

But, had someone taken pity on me I may not have had to stagger out of the sanctuary TWICE before I finally gave up and went home. Not only that...but no one even thought to ask if I was okay. Sigh.

I think the only thing that kept me from passing out was the fact that I didn't want to be lumped with the little old lady crowd. It seems that they are always the ones being hoisted out of the pews and carried off to make sure they are okay. So far...since I have been there at least....they have. That and I didn't want to wake up in the ER with an ambulance bill looking me in the eye.

Oh well. Live and learn. Maybe next time I will take one of those little personal fans with me. I think I have one shaped like Winnie the Pooh.

Have a great week all! Most of us get Friday off! Yay!

Summer

There is something to be said about the magic of summer. Nothing in my world actually changes (except the electric bill...thank-you Charlotte humidity). I still go to work during the week, still walk the pup in the evening etc etc, but there is just something about it.

I LOVE chilling out with friends outside. Tonight we went to hear some live music and chat with some friends. It was awesome (and I got a yummy Five Guys grilled cheese!). It reminded me so much of those lazy summers that actually did mean a change of schedule and a bit more chill time. Too bad we can't take summers off from work!

It is amazing to me how our senses can transport us to a totally different place and time. Sometimes its a smell, a song or a taste that rockets us into childhood playing kickball at the neighborhood rec field.

My favorite example is green Kool-Aide. Every time I drink it or think about it I go back to picnics at my grandma's house. Everyone got together for whatever random summer holiday was going on and we had a picnic. Grilled fish or hamburgers, sliced cucumbers, watermelon, potato salad and green Kool-Aide (the real stuff with sugar). I doubt that anyone else in my family can even relate these events to a beverage...but I do every time. To me, that is the traditional American family summer.

Now obviously that is a smidge on the egocentric side...cause that is my upbringing, but I loved it. I have a clear image of the yard, the tree (that Pap tried to kill), the picnic table that could flip over if the weight ratio wasn't quite right, Grammy's clothes line, Prince's dog house the croquet set ready for the Kearney rules....as if I was standing in the yard right now. Everyone is there too, performing their duties (Aunt Linda was always the creator of the green Kool-Aide).

Amazing. All that from Kool-Aide. It brings me happiness, peace and a little twinge of...gee I wish I could be there and then right now. I would take Dave back with me...maybe we could get him to like potato salad if we start him young. =)

Anyway...raise a glass of your favorite childhood beverage and remember the good ole' days when summer was 3 months of pure randomness!

Cheers!

Puppies

I have become one of those pet owners. Yes, I do think my dog is the cutest ever. And yes, I do find it necessary to tell everyone about him.

Cute/funny/bizarre stuff GZ has done recently:

1. I bought some pretty sweet shoes for an even sweeter price recently. Sadly they are a little rough on the heels. But no worries. GZ thinks it's a fun game to sneak up on me at the end of the day and steal the bandaids off my feet.

2. Our daily walk is a 2 mile loop around the neighborhood. Typically he trots around with his tag wagging and plops down in random patches of clover for breaks. However, Monday was a little hotter than usual and as we were rounding the 1/4 mile mark he sat down, looked at me, turned around and started trotting back home. Okay then...so much for that walk.

3. Today he woke us up at 400am to pee...oh wait...that wasn't cute.

4. This isn't new...but is bizarre. If Dave lies on the floor to play with him, GZ will literally lick his face for 15 minutes strait. He has this little determined face that goes with the ritual. He even does the shaved part of the back of Dave's head. Odd really.

5. He is terrified of the marble in front of the fireplace. If one of his toys lands there he stretches out as far as possible (pretty far considering) and tries to nip it. If he can't reach he sits there and cries until one of us rescues it.

6. His best doggie friend is Juno. If we accidentally tie both of them out without letting them sniff GZ will bark at the end of his rope and Juno will whine at the end of his. The sit in their respective yards yearning for a longer leash.

Okay...that's all. At some point I'll figure out how to upload pics.

Bye bye
Jess

Blog Hiatus

It seems that with all of the things that require my attention for update, my poor little blog has gone by the wayside. Too bad because this is my favorite of the social networking entities.

So...where to start...I guess with the obvious topic...pregnancy.

I am thinking this will be an ongoing segment because from what I understand, this is a 10 month commitment (that's right kids 40 weeks...that 9 month thing is a myth to lure you into conception). For now it has been mostly fun with periods of panic, dismay and utter exhaustion. For your chuckling pleasure I have made up a top 10 list...

Carefully Guarded Secrets of the First 16 Weeks

1. This one is pretty common...but for those out there that were unaware....MORNING Sickness. Ha! Morning Sickness would be a blessing. No no ladies, it is all day with no warning sickness. Sitting at your desk at work, still haven't told anyone so playing it cool, all of a sudden someone walks past your office with, what would normally be a yummy smelling PopTart, and BAM...you are scurrying down the hall.

***Jess's magic cure: Jolly Ranchers!***

2. Pants. Who needs them. Unless you are blessed with the cutesie basketball pregnancy you can kiss your favorite dress pants good-bye after week 14 (or if you are super stubborn...go ahead and wiggle into them at week 17...but don't expect to sit down at work).

***Jess's current number of buttons that have been "moved": 6**** (PS...yes I did buy 3 new pair of maternity pants...but am still convinced that I am forced to wear them before my time).

3. Dreams. Holy crap! This one I read about...but I repeat...Holy Crap! You go from terrible dreams of being left alone on a deserted island with no Jolly Ranchers in the first Tri to well...lets just say that there is a whole industry related to the ones you get in the Second.

***Jess has no words for this one...just don't forget to wake up...and don't be mad at your mate for your hormone's featured presentation.***

4. Hunger. Second breakfast. Need I say more?

***Cravings of interest: Pad Thai, Open Faced Turkey Sandwich, McDonalds Fish Sandwich and Egg and Cheese Biscuits*** (any wonder about those buttons?)

5. Potty breaks. My sincere apologies for harassing my dear friends that had to pee more that 3 times per day...cause I am begging to be cathed! Please...give me a bag that I can carry around and not trot down the hall 800 times/day! Please!!

***Of note....B vitamins (the bulk of your prenatals) make your pee a pretty color and icky smell.***

6. THAR SHE BLOWS!!! If society is so focused on women not tooting and burping in public they would make men have the babies. Yikes.

***Foods to be wary of...Broccoli. Soooo yummy....sooo volatile!***

7. Bipolar...has nothing on me! Yep, its true, you can go from happily sitting at your desk to wanting all of a sudden to kill the next person that has the audacity to exist. Weird really. I had a mirror in my desk drawer to make sure that the crazed look I was feeling wasn't actually making its way out.

***Jess's tip: Remember that not killing your mate thing.***

8. Exhaustion. I am too tired to write on this one. Seriously though, for someone like me that used to survive on very little sleep quite well...this is ridiculous. I am talking 10 hours/night. Who has time for that??

***Jess's tip: After much research and personal interviews. One caffeinated beverage/day seems to be pretty Kosher...though talk to you MD in case you are Special.***

9. Swelling. Maybe its just me...but my feet really swell up at the end of the day. Now, true, they used to do that anyway, but good grief! This is supposed to be a 3rd trimester thing.

***Jess's tip: screw fashion, go for comfy!***

10. Fitness. Eep. Go from 5K to barely being able to walk around the 2 mile loop in your neighborhood. Okay...this was my fault...I was a smidge terrified the first few weeks so I crawled in my little bubble and hid...but MAN is it hard to get back into it. My dog (with the 2.5 inch legs) can totally out trot me on walks.

***Jess's tip: Keep up your normal routine unless the doc says no!!***

11. Okay...this is a top 11 list...Memory. I used to pride myself on my ability to multitask and remember stuff. Oh no my friends. If you would believe it, I now rely on Dave's memory. Baby Brain is not a myth!

***Jess's tip: WRITE IT DOWN!! Otherwise consider it gone.***

That's all.

Toodles.

Wobbly!?

My legs are wobbly....so much so that I am doubting if I'll make it downstairs for lunch.

So I admit.

I fell off the wagon...heck...I fell off, rolled down the hill and floated down the lazy river a piece. I let my job and "stuff" make excuses for me...but really...my fault.

As some of you know I started a campaign in 2007 my "29 by 29." I didn't reach my goal, but I came damn close. Beyond the weight loss though, I had my goals in line. I was as organized as I could be in that crazy lifestyle that I was living. Now I am floating through life, half if not a quarter less busy than I was then, and I have gained almost all my weight back, have no set exercise plan and am completely disorganized.

What does this say about me. 1. I am a glutton for punishment. I cannot be motivated unless I am stressed. 2. I have crappy time management skills when I have too much time and not enough stuff to manage. 3. Part of my drive has run out of gas.

So I sat down and made a new plan. It was my "15 point resolution for 2009" which was fun to organize. =) It was basically my 2009 bucket list highlighting my fitness goals, books I would like to read, places I would like to visit and activities I would like to try or restart, etc.

Today I started the action part of the fitness goals, knowing full well that it has been a good long time since I have done anything worth while. It is possible that I pushed myself a smidge too hard, but wow! I am OUT OF SHAPE! Sad really.

So back to the beginning I go. New job, new goals. Beware complacency! Poor Dave, he probably thinks I'll never stop throwing new stuff into the mix.

Any words of wisdom? Or is this normal?

Sunshine and good music

Maybe its just me...but when the sun is shining and there is good music on...all of life's little annoyances seem so much smaller.

It is a beautiful winter Sunday in the south today. Godzilla and Sissy have both secured sunny spots to nap in. =) I am having lunch with my girls and have NOTHING important to do today! Yay!

Quick update...I will be starting my new position as research nurse on March 9th! Wow! I have no idea what I am supposed to do on that day...but I am guessing someone will at least show me where to store my lunch. ;)

I really am going to miss my patients, but it is time to spread my wings and work towards the goal that I set!

I hope everyone is doing well. We'll see if anyone even checks on my blog anymore.

Adios!