June 21, 2009

Two Weddings and a Graduation Party

So I’ve been busy.  How many times have you heard me say that?  Too many, I know.

It just seems to go in spurts, these moments of calm followed by chaos and busyness and holy spotted cow, I’m tired.

We’ve attended two weddings this month, and one graduation party, and then we did some other things.  I can’t really remember what.

I’ve been having more headaches a lot lately, and I’m starting to worry.  Headaches while pregnant can mean blood pressure trouble.  I’ve been monitoring it at home and it’s only slightly elevated, but when I get 3 or 4 headaches in one day (or one BIG headache that goes away and reappears like painful magic), I get nervous.

Also, it’s freakin’ hot.  I complained how the first part of June was cold and rainy and sucky.  Now I want to rip out my tongue.  The humidity has arrived, bringing with it swollen ankles, sticky heat and general discomfort.  Add that crap to pregnancy and Dear Heavenly God, please, PLEASE send me air conditioning.  I just may die without it.

So, in lieu of a real post, I give you pictures of the fabulous times we’ve been having.

First we have my friend Kim’s Wedding:

Next we have my brother Frankie’s graduation party:

And finally, photos from K & T’s Wedding:

Doug and I had a wonderful time at each wedding, and my little brother’s graduation party was lots of fun, too.  We’ve got so many things coming up this summer… I don’t know if I can keep up!

What have you been up to?

June 17, 2009

Soon I Will Be a Mother of Two…Boys

I had the long awaited second ultrasound on Tuesday morning.  I was anxious all day on Monday so when I finally arrived at my doctor’s office, and sat in the lobby with a full bladder and a restless right leg, I was ready to see the baby.  Doug stayed home with Dawson to keep him occupied.  There was no way he’d sit through another ultrasound.  He barely made it the last time.

The ultrasound technician called me back to the exam room ten minutes later and told me to lay on the table with my pants pulled down to the pubic bone.  She asked me if I wanted to know the baby’s gender and I explained that, yes, I did, but my husband did not.  I told her that if she could tell me the gender that was okay because I planned on keeping it a secret.

Now, before I continue, I have to tell you that from the moment we discovered I was pregnant, Doug believed we were having another boy.  I had a hunch we were having a girl.  We even went so far as to bet $20 on it.

So, my very nice ultrasound tech proceeded to rub my belly with warm gel and she placed the wand in the center of my stomach.  I looked at the screen and there he was, my baby boy, spread eagle, boy parts showing.  My jaw dropped.

“Holy, penis!” I said.  “Looks like I owe my husband $20 bucks.”

“In all my six years of doing this job, never has this happened before,” the tech said.  “I usually have to poke and prod the babies in order to get a good look at their parts.”

“I can’t believe it,” I told her.  “It’s a beautiful baby boy.”

“And he’s not shy!” she replied.

I was so happy to see my little boy yawning, sucking his thumb and fingers, playing with his toes and kicking fiercely.  Even though my hunch was wrong, I was so excited.  I wanted Dawson to have a little brother, and considering there will be five years between my children, I secretly hoped for a boy so they’d be somewhat close in age.

However, I’ve always wanted a daughter, too.  I had dreams about buying girly clothes and braiding hair, so I think I was hoping for a girl as well.

No matter.  As long as my baby is healthy, I’m happy.  And the ultrasound tech said everything looked good from her point of view.

When the ultrasound was over I called Doug while I walked to the car.  I told him I knew what the baby’s gender was, and told him how I found out.  He laughed.  I told him I would try my best to keep it a secret.

I took the photos of the boy parts out of the stack and put them in a separate envelope so as not to ruin the surprise, but when I got home I could tell Doug was curious.

“If you want to know, I’ll tell you.” I told him.

He hemmed and hawed, and told me he didn’t want to find out.

“Well what to you think it is?” I asked.

“Well, you’re really happy, so I’m guessing it’s a girl.” he said.

I started laughing, “I guess you’ll have to wait and see.”

Needless to say, Doug finally gave in and wanted to know.

“I owe you a twenty,” I said.  “You were right.  It is a boy!”

I showed him all the photos and a huge grin appeared on his face.

The fun part was telling Dawson.  He looked at the pictures and when he got to the one of the baby’s legs and penis, he said, “Mumma, what is that?”

“That is your brother’s penis.” I told him.

“It’s a boy?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“WOO HOO!” Dawson shouted, and ran around the living room.

He was beyond excited.  He was elated.  Walking on clouds, even.

“I’m having a baby brother!” he sang.

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, he began calling his brother by name.  First and middle.  It was the most joyful moment of my day.  In fact, every so often he’ll ask about “Baby [Insert name here].”  (No, we’re not telling.)

We’re all so very happy.  I still can’t believe I’ll have two boys.  Two beautiful, rambunctious, happy boys.  I’ll forever be outnumbered by all the penises in this house.

I’ll post ultrasound pictures as soon as I have good light.  I tried to scan them, but that did not work at all.  They came out very dark.  So, tomorrow I’ll take a few pictures of the pictures to share.  Stay tuned.

TWO BOYS!  Can you believe it?

June 15, 2009

Links I Love

I’ve been blog hopping lately.  I sorta kinda disappeared from the blogosphere.  I wrote posts when I felt like blogging, but I didn’t have the time to read and comment on other blogs because, holy guacamole, life was crazy and busy and full of chaos.  Well, that and pregnancy took over every cell in my body making it hard to function in every day life.

But things have become somewhat calmer and I’m back to doing the things I love, in addition to the things I have to do.

• While blog walking, I came across this post at Design Mom, one that she found at Blog con Queso.  The photography is just awesome (Karen of Chookooloonks has talent I envy) and The Bloggess is Beautiful. Yes, with a capital B.  Katherine is an artist with beautiful handwriting.  I LOVE.  I sorta wish she could write beautiful words over my burgeoning belly.  Wouldn’t that be cool?  (I’m a wee bit self-conscious of the pregnant belly, so I don’t think I’d have the courage to say yes, anyway.)
• So after that I clicked over to Dooce and she just had to go and FREAK ME OUT about the Freebirthing thing she watched on Discovery Health or maybe it was TLC?  I don’t know.  But don’t get me started on A Baby Story.  Cannot. Watch. Any. More.  I’m now terrified of labor, delivery, C-sections, episiotomy and crapping on the table.  You’d think I’d never given birth before.
• I read Catherine’s post and started to cry.  I cannot imagine what her sister is going through.  Tanner’s story touches me and breaks my heart and makes me wonder why certain things happen in this life.  But the photos of Wonder Girl make me smile.
• Y is going through a transformation.  When I read her post I felt so happy for her and I remember exactly how I felt when I was losing weight and gaining self-confidence.  Go read this one.  Cheer her on!
• This right here? Like reading a page out of my own book.

Go forth and enjoy!

June 14, 2009

AIG: Arrogance, Incompetence and Greed, Indeed

I used to work for a company called Travel Guard International, based in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.  It’s a travel insurance company that protects travelers from most of the things that go wrong on a trip.  Cancellations due to illness or injury, trip interruptions due to inclement weather, baggage loss due to airline incompetence, etc.  Many readers have probably purchased this insurance.

The job was wonderful for the first few years.  But when AIG bought Travel Guard, things were quite different.  Management was quite different.

The merger brought many changes and problems and ultimately I’d had enough.  I was no longer an employee of a small town company with a national and international client base.  I became an AIG employee and I hated it.

There are many other reasons why I quit, but some of them are too private to share and I really don’t want to rehash it three years later.  Not only that, they do sell a great product.  I use it whenever I fly.  It’s just too bad that the management, well… sucks.

After AIG received bailout money from that fabulous government we have, Travel Guard dropped the AIG name.   I’m think it was because Travel Guard CEO (and original owner of the company), John Noel, was embarrassed by the big corporation’s schemes and bad dealings.  Of course I’m merely speculating because the local newspaper reported that PR exec Dan McGinnity stated the Travel Guard name sold more insurance than the AIG brand.

Go figure.   AIG has a bad name? Insert sarcasm here.

When I read that the AIG company is refusing to pay claims to the passengers of US Airways Flight 1549, I wasn’t at all surprised.  Instead I was furious.

[But] aviation liability insurance is different. It is activated by a finding of negligence on the part of an airline. If there is no negligence, then arguably there is no liability, and no obligation to pay claims.That poses a problem for the passengers of US Airways Flight 1549. They suffered real losses and injuries, but they are widely perceived as having been saved from sudden, violent death by their heroic and quick-thinking flight crew, led by Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger.

While I’m sure the passengers of the flight are grateful to Capt. Sullenberger for saving their lives, they still suffered many injuries and inconveniences.  They lost luggage and laptops and other valuables that, yes, can be replaced, and should be replaced by the airline’s insurance company.

When I worked with claims at Travel Guard, the company insured some of these items at face value minus depreciation.  I don’t think the passengers are asking for too much by requesting reimbursement for medical expenses and compensation for lost or damaged luggage and electronic items.

AIG needs to belly up to the bar of responsibility and buy a damn drink.  They’ve got government money they so desperately needed (again, sarcasm) to stay afloat and pay outstanding claims (or maybe it was to pay all those billionaire salaries?).  Now they’re going to bulk and screw over the very people paying for that damn bailout?

I’m so mad I could spit nails.  Thank God, I don’t work for that company any longer.