Belly Progression - as of today!

Corporate Christmas Party

This year I was assigned the task of finding gag-gifts for everyone and presenting them at the event. It was a hit - everyone had a lot of fun and I received a few compliments on my MCing ability. Here are a few pictures from the party. By the way, my gag gift was a button that said, "I knit so I won't kill anyone." Pretty fitting, isn't it? :)

Pictures from Thanksgiving

For Mom

Here's proof that I am wearing the "Grape Mess" shirt. And yes, I am getting a few compliments on it too. Mother knows best!

24 weeks = 6 months = 3rd Trimester?!?!

So I am officially 24 weeks, 2 days along now which means... I'm in the 3rd trimester now, aren't I? Oh #&@#!

We're experiencing a lot of emotions right now as the days tick by, closer and closer to inevitable parenthood, and panic is our emotion of choice. Will we be good parents? Are we ready? Will we be ready? Will we lose our love for each other once we become parents? Can we afford this? What did we get ourselves into? Fear is creeping over me and I don't like it! I know this is a normal, typical stage that everyone goes through - I get that. But it doesn't calm the doubt in my head... ((sigh)) I guess if you guys can do it, so can we!

Oh, by the way, I'm gaining too much weight... I'm already 25 lbs more than when I started, with the average being 25-35 TOTAL pounds gained. My cravings for reubens are still high, and I'll have to work around that - salad for dinner! And I've started walking again - hopefully I can keep that up this time. And I'm trying to eat a veggie with every meal. But those darn in-laws... I'm blaming them! Cake, pie, thanksgiving leftovers, more cake, doughnuts, oh my!!

But aside from the desserts and leftovers they give us, we've been getting a lot of great support from Mom2 (as she likes to be called) and Dad. I guess they were waiting for our cue to help us get the baby's room ready. Just last weekend Dad and Brian installed the electrical for the ceiling fan in Melanie's room and Mom2 took over painting the room. She wouldn't even let me help - even when I assured her I could be just as anal-retentive as she is! I couldn't be more grateful to my in-laws and just want to give them props! They've been taking care of our needs before we realize we even had a need. Thanks Mom2 and Dad!

Our Daughter's Name (Officially)

We've decided that our daughter's name will be Melanie Haven Pitt. Doesn't that sound nice?

There's no special meaning behind the names, except Melanie is one of the few names Brian and I agreed on. And the first character I associate Melanie with is Gone With the Wind, which is a great character to think of when you're having & raising a daughter (watch her be more like Scarlett though...).

As for Haven, the word just popped into my head one morning and I liked it. Since "Haven" came out of absolutely nowhere, I'm thinking little Melanie asked an angel to whisper it into my ear for her.

The Nesting Week

Starting last Saturday (the 28th), Brian and I have been making huge changes in the house in preparation for Melanie's arrival. We (well, Brian mostly) cleaned out the shed, the attic, the garage room, the baby room, the man-den (Brian's videogame room) and the bedroom. We've also done a deep cleaning on the living room, kitchen and bathrooms. So every room in our house has been purged! Before we started, we were busting at the seams with what turned out to be sheer junk. I'm telling you - we had at least 20 full-size garbage bins toppled over with trash!

Now we have a clean house, that still smells like PineSol. We have a practially empty attic, a dust-free garage (storage) room, and a baby room which is mostly-painted (I need to do the trim and detail work this weekend).

I'd like to state for the record how awesome Brian is. If it were up to me, we wouldn't have taken on this project. But he woke up every morning with a goal for the day, and pressed on until it was completed. As much as I wanted and tried to help, he did most of the heavy lifting and dirty work. And I'm sure I irritated him with my many "I gotta sit down" breaks, but he didn't once complain. And I know this is going to shock you all - but we spent six whole days together doing manual labor and we didn't argue once! I got a great husband, friend and partner, don't I?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Christmas? Easter? Thanksgiving? Birthdays? Granted, they're all very good holidays, filled with family, food, good times and tradition... but they aren't my favorite day of the year. So what does that leave? BLACK FRIDAY of course!!

After much ad scouring, penny-counting and soul-searching (Should we have one last shebang, or should we be responsible? How much do I really need that pillow, that shiatsu massager, that blue snuggie, those lego packs, OOH! I really do want a mini-slider grill, don't I?) we decided to get just 4 things - 1 at Toys R' Us, 3 at Best Buy. We're being 90% responsible!

So we decided to go to Wesley Chapel, where there's a Best Buy within walking distance of the Toys R' Us. I had my doubts though - would all those Toys R' Us midnight shoppers meander over to Best Buy once they've gotten what they wanted there? What if they all want what we want?! What if they run out?! It said LIMITED SUPPLIES!! We gotta get up early!!

We went to bed around 8pm, sorta. I woke up at 10, 11, 11:45 and midnight. Finally I couldn't take anymore. We got to go! So after rousing the sleepy lion of a husband, putting on multi-layers of maternity shirts and taking the tired, much-confused dogs out for a potty break, we were on our way.

Just as I had feared, the line for Best Buy was littered with tents, camp chairs, and people huddled up in large groups from the Best Buy entrance, past two more big retail stores to the street corner. I stood in line at the corner, fearful that we were already too late, while Brian found a parking spot and brought over the camping chairs. We picked our line-buddy, a mom of two kids waiting in line for a washer and dryer. And since we had 4 hours of doing nothing, she knows ALL about you guys! :)

A note to all potential Black Friday shoppers: even if the thermometer says its 45 degrees, and you THINK you can tough it out, wear the scarves, mittens/gloves, knit hats and long johns anyway. You'll thank me later! We weren't so smart... so Brian and I took turns finding warm solace in various places. I cashed in all my time in at Toys R' Us around 2am, using the bathroom and standing in line to buy our one completely unnecessary but GOTTA HAVE IT toy (where I had my first, "How far along are you?" inquiry!). Brian got us all hot chocolate at Dunkin Donuts, and took warm-up breaks in the car.

The doors opened at exactly 5am, and people began shuffling/crowding around (but not enough to cause an anxiety attack) to get in. I couldn't tell if they were there for the sales, or the heat.

But I had a secret weapon: I stuck out my belly as far as I could. Why do you ask? Because I'm a pregnant woman - and I'm it cashing in! I walked right up to the area where my item was, and within a minute got the "Can I help you find something ma'am?" Why yes you can! ((sucker!)) :) I want this, this and this. Okay, here, here and here you go! Why thank you so much! You're very welcome!

So within 30 minutes we got inside, got what we wanted, paid for it, got home and were back in our warm, toasty bed. It may not have been the most eventful Black Friday, but it was EXACTLY what we wanted to do.

So, to sum up: Dress Warm, Make Friends and if you're a female - stuff your shirts to look pregnant. You got a first class ticket with that!

If you "Give a Damn..."

After much debate we have decided to name our daughter Melanie. It's a name that both Brian and I like, and I can't help but think of Gone With the Wind, so it's a good name association. Her middle name is still up in the air! Suggestions are welcome, as always!

We're Rocking and Rolling Now!

I've determined that our little girl isn't "feel-able" for outsiders unless I'm lying down after a meal or it's close to bedtime. So last night, after a tasty meals and while waching TV in bed, Brian finally felt our baby move. It was an awesome but unsettling experience for Dad. He knows the baby is coming by seeing my waistline and seeing her on the ultrasounds, but to actually FEEL her made it all the more real for him.

We're having... ((drumroll please))

A Girl!!

We went to the sonographer today and she said she's 90% positive we're having a little girl. She checked three times, and saw three lines each time (which is the indication it's a girl).

Maternity Clothes are AWESOME!

This past weekend, I travelled up to Jacksonville to meet my newest nephew, Luke Daniel Bailey. Mom, Dad, Becky, Kevin and Camden made me feel so welcome and spoiled rotten - I had good times, good company and good food the whole time!

Little Luke is so precious but right now he's loving eating more than sleeping which is causing some trouble for the parents. Camden is slowly adjusting to being a big brother and he's still the apple of my eye! Becky's a little overwhelmed, but that's to be expected with the arrival of a new baby. Kevin seemed to be the only one unfazed by the change... that's either due to his mellow nature or he's a realy good actor, I can't tell.

While there, I was taken on a yard sale extravaganza with Mom and Dad - got some sweet deals! And I was able to dip into Becky's old maternity clothes. So now I'm wearing now what Becky was wearing in the third trimester. (That darn skinny, lanky, chicken legged punk!)

But oh what a relief it is! Funny thing is, ever since wearing the maternity clothes, everyone - professional and personal contacts - are catering to me more.
You shouldn't be on your feet."
"You need to rest."
"You stay put, I'll get it!"

It tickles me! :)

I always feel like, somebody's kicking me

I discovered on Friday, October 30th that I was able to feel the baby move. It's weird, kinda like a muscle spasm deep within your belly. I was hoping for something more substantial - like a crouching tiger/hidden dragon karate kick - but it's still neat. Since that day, I've been enjoying feeling Lil' Spooky moving around but really wanted to share that sensation with Brian.
This past Saturday morning, I woke up in the middle of the night and had trouble going back to sleep. Lil' Spooky was kicking up a storm so I put my hand on my belly just to see if I could feel it from the outside, and I'm pretty sure I did feel the kick! But, no one else was awake... ((sigh)) so I had no one to share it with.
Last night, while munching on a steak salad for dinner, it felt like Lil' Spooky was doing cartwheels (this kid LOVES ranch dressing!). So I quickly laid down on the couch next to Brian and put his hand on my belly & told him to press down hard. Brian said he felt something, but the baby stopped moving so we aren't a 100% sure. We'll keep you posted! :)

My First Official Visit at Labor of Love - 11/02/09

And you know what, I'm glad we made the switch. Unlike the MD office, where they hole you up in a room and forget about you, Bea and the staff at LOL talked to me, let me know what they're doing, when they can see me & then actually see me. And unlike the MD office where they push you out the door as soon as you run out of questions, Bea held an actual conversation with me and we discussed things that had nothing to do with the pregnancy. And one more thing - Bea held out her arm to help me sit back up after I was lying on the table. Very courteous and friendly there - I sure felt spoiled!

Bea checked the heartrate and she said it was in the 160s, but couldn't give a definite number because Lil' Spooky kept moving around too much (Lil' Spooky was vry hungry at this point).

And we find out the sex of Lil' Spooky on November 13th - that's right! Very fitting, we find out Lil' Spooky's gender on Friday the 13th! :)

I've Definitely "Popped"

I've been having a coworker take pictures of my belly at the end of each month to keep track of how big my belly is getting and WHOA!!

Yes Indeed I'm Walking!

I've started walking thirty minutes during my lunch hour. I wouldn't say I've developed a pattern yet, but I'm on my way. I usually walk a mile and a half in thirty minutes, making sure I'm staying cool and hydrated before, during and afterwards. It feels really good to walk and I've noticed that since I've started, I've been able to sleep through the nights more often. Coincidence? Maybe. But I'll take it!

I need fresh towels, boiling water and something to bite down on!

For the past 3 years, ever since my friends and family have been having babies, I've been listening and learning and determining what our birth plan would be. I know that I don't want to be induced, I want to have the baby naturally - without an epidural, I don't want to be linked to monitors & IVs so I could move around freely and I don't see the point in staying in a hospital for two days after having the baby if there's no reason for me to stay. With all that, it seemed obvious that having the baby at a hospital would be more of a hindrance than a blessing.

Obviously, I'm not going to escape the hospital with the baby as soon as I have feeling in my legs, and I seriously doubt the hospital would let me go if I asked them nicely. So, I began researching alternatives to hospitals, and came across Labor of Love (http://laborluv.com/).

Labor of Love is a birthing center - a place to have the baby completely naturally with a skilled mid-wife and assistant present to provide emotional support and medical back-up, if needed. The center has two birthing suites complete with bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchenette and a jacuzzi tub for water births. So we'll be completely free to have the baby how & when the baby & I see fit.

So, that's our plan. I have my first appointment with Labor of Love in a couple of weeks, and the following appointment will be our chance to see if it's a boy or a girl. I'll keep you all posted!

He might not want me to tell you this, but...

Last night, while we were watching TV in bed, Brian laid his head on my shoulder and began rubbing my belly. :)

Butterfingers and Potato Chips

Just as I was told, the second trimester brought upon a welcoming change to my pregnancy. Gone are the days of complete exhaustion, multiple trips to the bathroom and my morning sickness. Now I am able to stay awake until 10:00 most nights, I've eaten without worrying about how the food would taste coming back up and just been a lot happier.
(Granted, I'm still a moody little witch with a new nickname at work: "SnapDragon". I like it, it fits me.)
But now that I'm able to eat again, I'm not doing the right thing... I'm eating what I want... and I want butterfingers. I've eaten a butterfinger everyday for the last 10 days. And right behind that is potato chips - particularly the salt and vinegar, but I have yet to say "no thank you" to any chip I come across.
I'll try my best to eat healthy... next week. Right now I have a bag of chips calling out to me... and what's that? I think it's the call of a butterfinger trapped at the convenience store!

Bun in the Oven

Yesterday I began to actually "feel" pregnant. Not meaning I haven't suffered from other symptoms of pregnancy (boy have I!), but I finally felt that that there's something in my belly. All it feels like is a lump of dough: a heavy, round and prominent lump of dough that's very sensitive to pressure. Huh! Lump of dough = bun in the oven??

So, I searched the origin of the phrase "bun in the oven" and found this:
The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang notes that the word "oven" has been used to mean "vagina" or "womb" since the end of the 17th century. And the late scholar Beryl Rowland has described the expression as "a colloquial use of an ancient folk metaphor" with roots in classical times. In an article in the journal American Speech, she wrote: "The ancient gods such as Zeus were conceived as millers and their consorts as mills; the human race was the product they ground and baked, and on a terrestrial scale, man and woman performed similar functions."

Luke's Baby Blanket

Man, I can't wait to be done with this blanket. This will mark the last in a long line of baby blankets I've knitted for my siblings babies... for now... hopefully.

I've already "re-watched" all the Buffy The Vampire episodes and a season of Angel. I quoted "re-watched" because you can't really pay too much attention to what's on TV because you have a pattern to follow... and this is by-far the most detailed pattern to date. I'm definitely taking braggin' rights pictures of this monster when I'm through!

Now, all my siblings better be knitting me some sweet blankets to keep our little'un warm! :P

For those of you asking, "What will you do with Tonka?"

If you are an owner of a dog or know someone who has a dog which belongs to a 'dangerous breed' category, or if you have a child visiting your house,
please take this as a warning.

Don't leave your dog with any small child unattended under any circumstances!

Only one little moment was enough for the following to happen.

Guess Who's Coming!