February 26, 2009

Too Tired to Title This

I’ve spent most of today either peeing or sleeping.  Thankfully, I’m not peeing while sleeping.

I’ve also watched an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 in which the character Noah talked about Christina Aguilera.  Oh, how that cracked me up.  I love the SOAP Network.  I must have missed this episode when it originally aired in 1999, but it was so strange to see young Christina perform Genie in a Bottle at the After Dark.

My cold has finally gone away (Yay!) but now I’m really feeling pregnant.  Exhaustion and frequent trips the bathroom are taking up most of my time, and the bouts of nausea (Boo!) are making me sick (pun intended).  Also, I’m hungry all the time.  I’m trying not eat everything in sight, and I’m doing my best to eat healthy, but all I want is pizza.  And Mexican food.

When I was pregnant with Dawson, fajitas and quesadillas were my weakness.  I craved them for seven months.  This time the cravings are beginning much earlier.  It’s insane.  Since it’s Lent, I’m trying not to give in.

Back to this being tired thing.  Good gravy, I could sleep all day.  This morning Dawson had a preschool field trip to the Natural Science museum at UWSP, and I was a chaperone.  Wrangling a bunch of 3- and 4-year-olds is like work!

We got to learn about animals and my son, my brave little boy, got to pet a snake.  I was totally freaked out.  Dawson was scared, so I had to go up to the snake handler with my son, but he actually pet the creepy. little long reptile.  The museum was a lot of fun, but I had the creepy-crawlies the rest of the afternoon.

It’s been a lazy day and I’m being lazy…I think I need to eat again.  Who wants left-over pizza?

February 24, 2009

Refresh My Memory

So I’m five weeks pregnant tomorrow, and I’m starting to feel it.  I’ve been exhausted for nearly two weeks, partly due to the cold that is finally going away, and of course I’m tired because a tiny baby the size of a sesame seed (according to babycenter.com) has taken up residence in my uterus.

My hormones are raging, too.  Yesterday I accused my husband of shrinking my favorite black sweater.  It was big on me when I bought it two months ago, and now it’s a wee bit snug in the tummy area.  So, as I’m yelling at the poor guy, he says, “Did it ever occur to you that maybe you’re getting a little bigger in that part of your body?”  Of course I ran to the scale to check my weight.  I’ve gained 4 pounds since last month.  Granted, I had a thick cable knit sweater and jeans on, so technically it’s probably only 2 or 3 pounds. But still. Weight gain, already?

So now I’m freaking out about gaining weight because Geez Louise, I’m only 5 weeks and I shouldn’t be gaining weight or popping out this early, right?  So then that bitch Google tells me that women tend to get bigger faster during a second pregnancy and I started to cry.  I don’t know why, maybe because the progesterone is turning me into a crazy person?

I was talking on the phone with a friend tonight, and she asked me if I still had my maternity clothes from the last time.  I remembered that I gave my maternity wardrobe to another friend last year when she was expecting.  I called her to ask if she still had those clothes and she told me she gave them to Goodwill.

“I didn’t think you’d want them back since you were having trouble conceiving,” she told me.  I didn’t know what to say so I just told her it was okay.  But honestly?  It would be nice to not have to go shopping for materity clothes in a few months.  I did not have fun the first time I had to do it.

The stores around here do not make them big enough.  I mean have you been to Target lately?  I saw a pair of maternity pants in a size 4.  Why on Earth do they put numbered sizes on maternity clothes?  Are they trying to make moms-to-be feel like fat asses?  Ugh.  It’s hard enough to watch your belly grow, and realize your normal clothes will no longer fit.  Anyone have any suggestions on where to find size appropriate, comfortable and stylish maternity clothes?  I need all the help I can get.  (I don’t need to buy anything yet, I just want to be prepared for when that time comes.)

I also realized that we don’t have a car seat or stroller anymore.  We donated those items and some of Dawson’s old baby clothes to a woman who lost her stuff in a house fire.  I don’t have the heart to ask for those things back.  I would never dream of it.  At least strollers don’t come in numbered sizes, so that’s an easy purchase. (Feel free to send your suggestions my way.  I know the products and styles have changed through the years.)

In other baby related news, I’m starving all the time.  I’m doing my very best to eat properly.  I’ve cut out salt for the most part.  I still have a dash on hard boiled eggs but that’s it.  I had pre-eclampsia when I was pregnant with Dawson, and salt was the first thing to be elimated from my diet.  I do not want to go through that again.

Doug is doing is best to be good to me.  He knows I’m tired and he’s been wrangling Dawson so I can rest.  God bless him.  He’s also doing a lot of the cooking so that I can take care of other things.  I love that man.  I feel bad for being such and ass to him yesterday.  I know he’ll forgive me.  He’s just that kind of guy.

Okay, time to scavenge the fridge for something to snack on.  I’m craving cucumbers.  Gosh, it really is early for the food cravings isn’t it?  Tell me, what kinds of stuff went on in your pregnancies?  I want to know!  Refresh my memory…

February 22, 2009

Wrapping Up the Weekend

I think I see the light at the end of this viral tunnel.  I started feeling better yesterday, but today is the first day that I’m feeling human again.  The sore throat is gradually disappearing, I’m no longer barking like a seal and alas, I can breathe through my nose.  That right there makes me happy.

I hosted a Lia Sophia jewelry party yesterday afternoon.  It was nice to hang out with my friends and family.  Of course the topic of the day was my being pregnant, and my mother kicked off the conversation with baby name suggestions.  Let me preface this by saying that I love my mother very much, but her taste does not mesh with mine.  Some of her favorites were…..outdated.  (That’s putting it nicely.)

Everyone had a great time trying on jewelry and talking about babies.  Two of my friends shared their labor and delivery stories and I started freaking out in my head.  This is going to sound crazy, so bear with me.  In my mind, I knew that at the end of this pregnancy I’d walk out of the hospital with a baby, but I haven’t had the chance to really contemplate labor.  I’m barely five weeks pregnant (my EDD went from October 23 to October 28 based on my BBT chart which shows delayed ovulation).  I haven’t had time to think about the fact that a baby will have make it’s way through my vagina.  I’ve been through this before, I know what to expect, but I still can’t help but freak out just a little.  Totally normal, right?

After the party I had a few moments to relax with Doug and Dawson before going to my parents’ church fundraiser.  St. Casimir’s church hosts a polka dance (once called the Paczki Dance, now known as the Sweetheart Dance) every February to raise money for the parish.  It’s a ton of fun, and last night my uncle Michael’s band, Paper City Sounds was playing at the dance.  We bought tickets for the dinner as well.  The menu consisted of chicken dumpling soup, chicken, ham, roastbeef, stuffing, boiled potatoes (for the soup) and mashed potatoes, gravy, peas and desserts galore.  It reminded me of my Polish wedding.

Dawson had never been to a dinner like this before, and he freaked out when I put a boiled potato into his soup bowl and followed it up with a ladle of chicken soup.  This is a Polish tradition and it’s delish!  Growing up in my family we learned to love it.  I’ll have to work on teaching the Doodlebug all about his Polish heritage and customs.

After dinner the band started to play and I attempted to dance one slow polka (known as an oberek) with my brother.  I was afraid to dance a real polka because I didn’t want to hurt myself or The Poppy Seed.  Then the band played the polka called “She Likes Kielbasa” and I insisted on dancing to that one, too, albeit very slowly.  We left shortly after that because I was feeling very tired.

Today I worked a double shift and then went to Mass.  The Crossroads, our church choir and 3-piece band (piano, bass guitar and drums), was performing one last time before Lent (which starts this week on Ash Wednesday).  I love this group.  They are so talented and the music is very upbeat.  I believe they call it Contemporary Worship music.  Either way, it’s great.

After church I finished working and then went to my friend Melanie’s house.  (Melanie is also expecting.  She is 17 weeks pregnant with identical twin boys.  We had a great time talking about babies and pregnancy.)

Melanie was having a Scentsy party and Dawson tagged along with me.  Scentsy is awesome.  A few weeks ago another friend held a book show, and I bought one of these warmers and some of the Scentsy bricks.  This company has over 80 different scents and I’ve got a list of favorites.  This is definitely “the hottest new thing in candles.”  I love the Sun Kissed Citrus scent.

After Melanie’s party I came home to finish cleaning my house and doing the dishes.  I also spent some time playing video games with Dawson (he loves to kick my butt in Mario Kart DS) and reading books to him.

Doug worked a later shift tonight and after he got home we watched the news and then discussed baby names.  I know we’ve got 8 months to do this, but it’s fun to throw some choices out there.  Also, we’ve made the decision (well, Doug did, I’m still thinking about it) not to find out the baby’s gender this time.  He says he wants to keep the element of surprise alive.  I see his point, but I’m so curious!  It will be hard for me not to find out.  So if we do in fact wait until delivery, we’ll need two name choices and I figure a head start is always a good thing.  (And, we’ve actually agreed on a boy’s name.  No, I’m not telling.  We might change our minds.)

So, now I’m just trying to wind down before going to bed.  It’s been a long and busy weekend.  I hope yours was just as great!

February 20, 2009

People Let Me Tell You ‘Bout My Best Friend

My BFF Amanda turned 30 on February 16th, the same day I got the fabulous news I was pregnant.  Before I could say the words, Miss Manda knew.  She looked at my stomach and with a huge smile on her face, she shouted, “Yay!”

Amanda was my first visitor in the hospital when I gave birth to Dawson.  At that time in 2004 she was living in Texas and managed to drive home for a visit during the same week I was admitted to the hospital for induction.

Amanda and I have known each other since the eighth grade.  Her mom, also named Dana, became fast friends with my parents and they were part of the same social circles.

Amanda and I have never had a fight.  Not once.  We both hung out with different groups of friends when we were in high school, but we always managed to pick up our friendship wherever it left off.  After graduation, Amanda moved to Texas to go to school (her mother’s family is from Texarkana, Arkansas, and her father’s family is from Wisconsin) and I stayed in Stevens Point to attend college.

Whenever Amanda came home to visit we made time to hang out and catch up.  On my 21st birthday, I went to Longview, Texas to visit her.

Miss Manda (a nickname given to her because she’s from the south and still has her southern drawl) is the kindest person I could ever want as a friend.  She’s always got a smile on her face and she loves to have fun.  Whenever we get together it’s inevitable that I end up sounding like Scarlett O’Hara.  Her “accent” is contagious.

We celebrated Amanda’s big 3-0 by having dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Mezcal, with a few other friends.  I only stayed for dinner (too tired from the day’s excitement) but told Miss Manda to have a drink or two for me.  Of course she obliged (and promptly ordered a shot of Tequila).

Happy Birthday, girl!  Here’s to being 30!  I’m right behind you, dahlink!