Got To Admit It's Getting Better.

I've had some serious bronchitis for the past three weeks now and am getting rather sick of it. This last week was a rollercoaster of emotions for me as I went from thinking I was getting better to finding out that I had made it all worse by overdoing it. I mean, God I hadn't had a day off for the last 25 days! Doctors were telling me that I might have to be put on steroids (which aren't good for the baby AT ALL) and have chest x-rays (also bad news for baby). And I've been taking so many antibiotics that poor Baby Henry was probably seeing bright colors and thinking "What the crap is going on in here?!"

Good news today though! I went to a pulmonologist and he says that I should be getting better if I just take it easy for the next few days. That means absolutely no working, exercising, or being around large groups of people until Monday (fingers crossed it's that early!)

This week has been really hard for me...not necessarily the whole sick part of it but the making myself stop and slow down part. I've gotten in the habit lately of running myself into the ground, working long hours and giving every ounce of energy to my jobs. It's a struggle for me to make myself wind down but I've made myself so sick that the doctor actually told me to just take a break for a while and let my body heal itself. I think I've over scheduled myself with job after job and tons of after-hour lesson plans/project planning so that my mind would stay active and less focused on my growing belly and the stresses that brings.

But if this scary week has taught me anything, it's that making yourself rest and even being a little selfish is really an okay thing sometimes.

27 Weeks...

and growing!

The Veggie System.

CONGRATULATIONS! Your baby is now as tall as an English hothouse cucumber and weighs about the same as a large head of cauliflower!

Apparently the easiest way to visualize the size/weight of your baby is by really knowing your veggies. Measuring a baby by common, well known objects is a great idea...my doctor even uses the "veggie system". But seriously, could they have chosen any more bizarre vegetables to give parents an idea of their baby's size?

At ten weeks little baby was the size of a kumquat. I've never even seen a kumquat before. At 17 weeks he was the size of a turnip and just a few weeks ago marked the day his weight was equal to the weight of a rutabaga.

Now that I am 27 weeks along, I get to start comparing my baby to vegetables by weight only. No more, "Your baby is as tall as a sesame seed". Congratulations to me because from now on it's, "Your baby weighs as much as a large jicama".


* picture from babycenter.com

Picture Update!

26 Weeks

Visiting Joe and Maile at Disney World.

Joe and Maile.

G Makes Black Bean Burgers!

Washington State's Not So Bad After All...

Fall is here, although it hasn't even felt like it until today. I'm getting tired of hot and muggy days, one right after the other. October is supposed to be sweater weather...this just doesn't feel right. Today, however, has been perfect. It's been raining and dark all day and even a little "chilly" (Savannah's "chilly" is like Washington's "warm"). And this morning G made pot roast with vegetables in the crock pot and it's making the whole house smell like a home. I haven't had pot roast in forever, growing up my mom used to make it all the time. It has got to be one of my favorite dishes, especially on colder days.

Last night I realized that I've gotten really bad at social situations. In Chicago I was capable of being around a group of people I barely knew. I was more outgoing, less stressed, and not awkward. I actually found going out enjoyable and looked forward to doing it. Apparently since we've moved here I've managed to loose all of that. Maybe it's the fact that we have no real friends here. It is hard going from hanging out with the same one person (thanks G) every night of the week, to being around a bunch of people your age that you hardly know. Or maybe it's the fact that I'm pregnant so I already feel like I stick out in a group of socializing peers. It's like, "Hey guys. I really have nothing in common with you...unless you've had a baby before." And it's not like you can tell people, "I really used to be good at this social stuff a few months ago. I swear I used to fun. You should have known me last year...Blah, blah, blah".

Lately I've been thinking about how much this baby is going to change our lives. There's the obvious- less sleep, fewer nights out, baby toys scattered across the house. But it's the not so obvious that's been creeping up on me lately. The baby stuff you never think about until you are actually having a kid (oh crap). Like the fact that from here on out, we are responsible for a life other than our own. Like the fact that our priorities are changing and we're really having to grow up. Fast. Like the fact that the old things will never be the same again. Like, oh crap I wish I had done more carefree, stupid things while I was only responsible for my own life.

Because starting in three months we're going to be watching our old lives quickly change into something new. We'll be saying goodbye to our old lives and accepting change. Nothing will be the same as it used to.

And while it's hard and scary to realize this, it is the most exciting and wonderful thing that we have ever experienced.

So while I might be awkward and boring, I'll raise an O'douls to our new life as a family of three and watch our priorities evolve into ones that actually matter for once.

Dance Babies.

I smile so much every time these guys dance together. Seriously too cute, it's the best part about my job!

This thing gets even BIGGER?!

The internet at our house is down, so I'm trying to catch up on everything while the kids I watch are asleep. Everything is going really well, been super busy with work and baby making (not that kind...already did that!) The other day at Target a girl asked me if I was pregnant and I just about flipped out. I seriously could have hugged her right then and there, if it wasn't for the counter separating us. Holy crap this belly is really popping! 25 weeks- in baby months thats about six already! Grow baby, grow!

I really like this picture because it shows how my belly is un-rounding. That's a made up pregnancy term for a lop-sided, almost triangular belly shape. It's not rounded fat anymore. Just a few weeks ago it was just a little bit of pudge and now...Oh my goodness! There's really a baby in there!

By this time, the baby's brain and nerve endings are developed enough for it to be able to feel things and it's arms are already the size they will be at birth! He weighs about one and a half pounds and is thirteen and a half inches long. And this thing gets even bigger? Yikes!

I took my camera into work yesterday and snapped some photos of the ridiculously cute (and wild) children in my class. They really aren't supposed to be climbing in their cubbies like they are but seriously, come on. Would you be able to remove them?


I finally completed the first baby outfit I have officially ever sewed. Unfortunately it wasn't the little green jumper I was hoping to make, I got in waaay over my head with that one. This onezie was pretty easy and a lot of fun to make. One of my new favorite things is Heat N' Bond. I think I'll make a giraffe one next but there are a million possiblities it's so hard to choose.

23 1/2 Weeks.

The other day I was at the grocery store and I couldn't find what I was looking for. I walked up to someone stocking the shelves and said, "Excuse me, do you know where I could find cornstarch?" And instead of looking at my face, he stared at my stomach for a bit. I was so excited and have decided that it's much more fun being a bit more pregnant than just walking around with what could be nothing more than just a beer and pizza belly.

Every night around 11:00 this baby starts to dance. I can feel him wiggling all around and even kicking off of my stomach. Sometimes I grab G's hand, waking him from his sleep and say, "QUICK! FEEL THIS!" Of course, once I place his hand on my stomach the baby holds completely still. He thinks he's been able to feel him move at least once.

I want to be having bizarre food cravings but so far there's been nothing. I guess I eat more lemons and cheese than I'm used to and there's hardly ever a time when Mexican food doesn't sound good. I guess the whole pickles and ice cream story is just a myth.

Right now we both really like the name Henry. And Elliot. Henry Elliot Marr? Hmmmm.

Oh, and did I mention G's back from Montreal? It was a loooong and super quiet week here without him and both me and cat are very excited to have him back. It's fun to have someone to laugh, talk, and bicker with again. And at the end of the work day, it's especially nice to have someone to curl up next to in our big comfy bed.

He's Back!

And it feels so good.

The Window Lizard.

One of our favorite things lately has been our window lizard. Every night around 8:00, a tiny lizard appears and clings to the same window screen for about forty five minutes. He's been here a whole week in a row. We were really surprised to see it at first, but now just expect it to be there. Even Cat, who was really into chasing it at first, has gotten so used to its company that when it comes she just kind of stares at it and then falls back asleep.

I feel like I'm getting HUGE, although I still seem to be much smaller than most girls at week 21.
WEEK 21?!

Holy crap.