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Friday, October 24, 2008

I've been trying to find time to sit down and write an actual blog post for a few days now.
It's not that I don't have things to write about; I do and in mass quantities. I have a lot to be thankful about right now and more things keep coming in to keep my spirits up and positive while I feel like the size of a house. Ha.
Instead, I give you this list of "10 Things to help make a Happier Marriage" from the book Happiness for Two: 75 Secrets for Finding More Joy Together by Amy Stoddard.

  1. Write each other's New Year's resolutions. If written, prods weren't nags.
  2. Begin each encounter with a smile.
  3. It feels good to look good.
  4. Write love notes.
  5. Give the gift of eye contact.
  6. Grumpiness is contagious. Being more mindful of mood could ward off secondhand blues.
  7. Try not to interrupt.
  8. Generous compliments lighten the heart.
  9. Control your tone.
  10. Celebrate more.

Try it!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Yeah, I know... not as "real" as I had hoped either

When was your first kiss?
Um, well, it was this boy named Dan at summer camp..... strangely enough, it was pretty crappy. Shortly thereafter, I started dating my now-husband and our first kiss was much more memorable.
Who's your celebrity crush?
I have a sincere girl-crush on Angelina Jolie, Natalie Portman, Kate Hudson, and Gwen Stefani. However, if we are talking about man-candy, Owen Wilson, Johnny Depp, Jonathon Rhys Meyers, and the quintissential Brad Pitt take the cake.
What's the girl fashion trend that confuses you?
Right now, it would be these scarves. I think they make people look like banditos! All they need is a donkey and some cocaine.
What's the girlie movie you secretly love?
50 First Dates is my all-time guilty pleasure. I have probably seen it over a thousand times (not an exaggeration... just ask Shark Fin) and can quote the entire thing. MY FAVE FOR REALZZZZ.
What's your TV guilty pleasure?
My love for Gossip Girl is well known already, but I also heart watching both The Biggest Loser and SuperNanny. Oh and Two and a Half Men on My TV Z!
Who would play you in the movie version of your life?

Natalie Portman. She's got my nose! (And unlike my twin, Winona Ryder, she does not have a theft problem!)
What's your dream job?
Pediatric or oncology nurse. Really awesome and creative stay-at-home-mom/wife. Radio City Rockette (I would need rhythm for that).
If you could trade places with anyone in the world for one day, who would it be?
Hrm. Alessandra Ambrosio for sure.
Who in your family are you closest to?
My sister-in-law...... and probably, my mom by default. <---- she's more observant than she lets on!

What's your favorite Web site?
My iGoogle page. Or this or this. Or this. OOOH! Or this! Since I am whipping my husband and my father-in-law's bootays in our league!
What's the fast food you can't live without?
Any fountain soda from any fast-food place (usually McDonald's is the most reliable) or a chocolate milkshake from Hardee's (definately don't taste like a fast-food milkshake). Everything else, I'll pass on.
What's your worst habit?
I am a scab-picker. Gah. So juvenile. But, it's true. Since childhood, I have this disgusting unneccesary love with picking my scabs off and watching the blood come out. Gah. So awful.... not to mention now I have a crap-ton of scars.

What's the last song you listened to on your iPod?
Wow that was a while ago. I believe, though, it was "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac, which is ironic. :)

What's the last thing you bought?
See my fast-food confession AND a slurpee at 11:15am today.
What did you dream about last night?
I dreamt, like I have for a few nights in a row now, dreamt that I tried to breastfeed Baby R and it didn't work out and she was tiny and starting to shrink as I held her, the more I tried to force her to nurse, so I started screaming for "FORMULA!!!! NOW!" and the nurses wouldn't give it to me. So I ran through the naval hospital, buns flpping out the back of my gown, clutching Baby R, and got outside, where coveniently nextdoor was a store with a big flashing sign called "Formula R Us" and I busted through the door, screaming, "my baby needs food!"

TRAUMATIC.
How much money is in your wallet right now?
I just gave my last $3 in cash to a co-worker for a Boss' Day flower arrangement.
Fill in the blank: When I was 17, I was ____________.
Hrm. Angst-ridden and had burgundy hair-ed. :)

NieNie Link!

Real blog post for today is coming....... in the meantime, here is a link to one of my favourite NieNie blogs:

On Being Proud - Originally Posted 9/15/05

Friday, October 10, 2008

Again, things I love

This post on Segullah about big families.

I realize that I am not LDS. I realize that I was raised for most (if not all of my life) to think that LDS-ers are CRAZY!RADICALS! that wear magical underwear, believe that God is going to give them a PLANET after they die, and only have valid marriages if they are married in the temple.
WHATEVERRRRR.

No longer care about all that.

Why? Because of these two LDS wimmenses and their blogs, I have new affection for their LDS outlook on marriage, family commitment, etc.

CJane and her amazing sister, NieNie

(Read 'em one day when you have a lot of time and a big mug of apple cider. Believe me, you won't be able to stop!)

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Shopping Website I Love

Shabby Apple


Now, I haven't ordered anything from them yet...... but the dresses are sooooooo loverly I may not be able to wait until after Baby R is born to order something.


We will see....

Saturday, September 27, 2008

RIP Paul Newman

Seriously, the hottest "classic" actor out there.


A great obituary article is here.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Things I am thankful for......

(......at this particular moment. )

  1. This blog. Why? Because I am overwhelmed every post I read from c jane. Despite everything her family has been going through since this in August, despite the fact that she has an INFANT and is caring for three out of her sister's four kids, despite all of that and the day to day workings of her own life, she is optimistic, writes beautifully about her hopes/fears/memories/struggles/etc. She has such incredible FAITH in our Heavenly Father and his plans for her, her sister's family, and how they are all intertwined. They are able to daily surprise me with their unending strength, positivity, and love that I really really hope and pray that Shark Fin and I are able to emulate even a fraction of what they do.... that our little tribe grows up with as deep of connections to eachother as c jane and her sisters have, as all their kids have.
  2. It's finally FALL in Virginia. Thank goodness. It's my favourite season of the year, probably because to me, it's the time when the earth looks most like a rich oil painting. All the gorgeous deep colours, the full moons, the crisp breezes... not to mention pumpkins, apples and apple cider, corn stalks, hay rides, crunchy leaves under your feet. *sigh* BEAUTIFUL. (as a side note on the apples, I made this recipe from the September issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine and yes, it was just as tasty [and EASY!] as it sounds!).
  3. Our church and the relationships that continue to bloom there. I know I have struggled, complained even, often recently about living here in Virginia. So far away from the people and places I am familiar with (I would say we but Shark Fin has a way of just going with the flow that I both find annoying and am envious of), being pregnant with our first baby and missing them all terribly, feeling out of place still in the place we have lived for 2 years! Gah. It sucks, sometimes. But then, we have this amazing church - incredibly inspriring, passionate, ON FIRE - and we have so many people we know through church. They want to see us prosper, to see us thrive and do big things. They have faith in what we are capable of, even when we don't. They are always there, to pray with us and for us. I just have to make more of an effort to rely on them for the things they are so willing to provide for us - support, prayer, coversation even. I'm resolving to do that.
  4. Shark Fin. I know, how cliche.... but really, I couldn't have created a better husband, soulmate, life companion, keeper of my heart if I had tried. God really did make him just for me.

I think four is good for right now. :) What are YOU thankful for?

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Boops

This article makes me smile.

Why? Because, even though I haven't made a decision yet about MY baby, it's nice to know other, non-breast moms feel the same way I do about boobie-mom attitudes.

Today is a good day.

The weather is finally Fall-ish, worthy of calling it Fall at least. My favourite season.
I have reconciled myself to what is to come with the toxicity I posted about previously. I am trying to be "less of me, more of God" and so far, it has brought me some of the peace I was hoping for. That is wonderful.
My hair is long and beautiful. The cooler weather is allowing me to fully appreciate it, without getting angry at how hot it makes me head. It is a lovely shade of honey brown. It flips in cute places and stays flat in others. It is soft and light and bouncy.
A blessing, a bright light, has popped up in terms of my job with the City. After so many prayers for peace of mind where our family finances and the impending arrival of this baby are concerned, I believe this is the answer we have been seeking. God has planted this seed in front of me/us, and now I/we have to make it grow. I am so thankful for it, so hopeful for it's possibilities, and praying now for wisdom, guidance, and favor as we progress. God is GOOD!
The baby in my tummy is happy and healthy. She is moving and bouncing and kicking all the time. She gets the hiccups a few times a week and loves to hear her daddy talk or sing or anything really. She likes to stick her feet out and let me rub them. She kicks the puppies when they rest their faces on my belly. We have our first baby class ("Baby Boot Camp") this Saturday and I am kind of nervous. I know it sounds silly, but the classes starting means we are really, really close to meeting our little girl and moving into the next phase of our lives: parenting.

Today is a good, no, a REALLY good day.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Hair

I straightened my hair today.

It's effing long.


Wow.

Monday, September 15, 2008

GOSSIP GIRL is for BOYS TOO!

And this article from Newsweek totally proves it!


I WIN

Family Moment Monday

(Since I am a slacker of epic proporations, this is only my second participation in FMM but I'm working on being more consistent, I swear!)

Today we are going to talk about something that involves my whole little family, from Shark Fin to Xeusy to Lunabell, and even my mom when she was here visiting this past week.

It's STROLLER PRACTICE.

Yes folks, Shark Fin and I decided that the best way to prep our fur-covered babies for the arrival of Baby R is to set up as much as possible, as early as possible, and to interject things about her into our regular routine. And so began Stroller Practice.

We received a stroller/travel system thing from one of Jeff's co-workers at the squadron. Judging by the color scheme (it's silvery-grey and black) I think it is the SQUADRON'S stroller, but whatever, it was free and until we require the double stroller, we have free use of it. ANYWAYS, every evening that the two of us are home together, we try to take the dynamic doggy duo out for a long walk prior to dinner time. It's a good time for all of us to bond in the great outdoors, plus we have an open field over by us that they can go off-leash in and chase eachother at warp speed. Unless I feel like complete crap, it's been pretty consistent, too.
Recently, we decided to intergrate pushing the baby stroller into the evening stroll. The first couple times, we left the stroller empty. They adjusted to it rolling along beside them pretty well, (well, after getting nudged by a wayward wheel or two).
But this weekend, we added another element to the walk.
We have been training them on us carrying the "baby" around using this stuffed monkey doll for a few months now. This weekend, I dressed the monkey in one of Baby R's outfits and a hat and put the monkey in the stroller, too.

It was EXCITING.

Now, after three or so walks with the monkey, the excitement has kind of died down, but the residual idea of getting them adjusted to a highly desireable being in the stroller still holds firm. Even over in the field, the puppies will run and run and run...... htne come over to me and the stroller, give the monkey a kiss and then take off again.

And really, that's the way it should be. :)

Thoughts on the arrival of my favourite season

As the arrival of this little person approaches, I have been thinking more and more about where our life is at right now.
What kind of situations we are bringing her into the middle of, and what changes, if any, need to be made prior to her arrival.
And, let me tell you, that shit is HARD sometimes. I've never been so able to step back and reflect on my life, my choices, my experiences that got me to where I am right now so clearly or with such vigor.
I want her to be able to come into an environment and her little mini-world of PEACE more than anything else. And for that to happen, there are some things I have been battling that need to be confronted and remedied.

I'm quite frankly, a complete pussy when it comes to confrontations with people that know me, people that have spent time with me, past or present.... it makes every blow that is delivered open further, sink deeper, scar thicker... way worse for everyone at the time of impact than if it's an aquaintance, y'know? I am committed, for her sake, to making the effort to move towards the peaceful place that I know is just on the other side of this tangled, thorn-filled forest, though.
Since graduating from high school way back when, so many changes have already taken place. People have moved in and out of my life, some are deeply missed, some not so much.
Some people moved out only to recently try to make their way back in again.
I struggle with how to address those relationships. On one hand, we were obviously friends at that past point in time because we had something in common, a bonding element, to sustain our relationship. It may have been a common group of friends or a class or a belief.... whatever it was, it did exist then. But, as we moved forward into life, that common element was lost or separated or done away with (at least I feel like it was) and new, different people filled that place the relationship with the previous person had vacated... or the need for that type of person in my life went away. Whatever the reason or the outcome, the relationship went dormant. Distance between the two parties entered and was established. Life moved forward, apart.

And then, life happens. The "expected chain of events" starts churning forward and we are thrust back into common spaces. Contact is re-established......

What do you do when the effort necessary to sustain a friendship is undesirable to you? When, you reflect on the relationship at hand and are more happy, more fulfilled, more content to reflect on times past than on any possibility of times to come? What if you want the memories, but no new ones? What if you were content to say goodbye back then and move forward, only to be pulled back in by thoughts of obligation, common history, and shared relationships with people that still hold the same place in your hearts that they always have?........ places that this other person no longer resides in.

This is what I am struggling with.
I have never been a confrontational person. I am more than happy to avoid the dynamics of a difficult situation with a person until it either disappears or works itself out on it's own. It's even worse of a feeling when I know this struggle is a solitary one. I, by no means, want to cause anyone any pain but sustaining this relationship causes me distress, more than any good emotion and I can't do that either.... not with this little person coming into the world. How could I ever teach her about the importance of honesty, self-worth, and confidence when in this situation I currently have none? How do you end a friendship, on good terms, when one person is pushing so hard to make it work and you are ignoring it's even happening.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Angelina, how I love thee!

Shark Fin and I went to see "Wanted" last night, for our semi-regular midweek date night.

We usually choose to go to the movies during the week or early during the day on the weekends because tickets are only $5 per person instead of $10, and the movies are usually less crowded (well, unless you're going to see Wall-E). The customer service at the local AMC Theatre is generally better, too, depending (again) on what movie you're going to see and how many small people you have in tow. I know, I know, we could just go to another theatre (there are Regal Cinemas and Cinema Cafes here, too), but I am really partial to the AMC. Their theatres and restrooms are clean, the lobby and concession stand are well-stocked, and the seats are all those ones that convert to loveseats if you're feeling snuggly. The only issue I have is that they seem to really book their popular or first-weekend shows to capacity, and they give you no notification when you buy tickets that you may have to bribe the people already in the theatre to scooch over so you can find somewhere to sit. But, that's a gripe for another time....

This post is about Angelina.

It may surprise some people that do not know me very well, but I have an extreme affection for all things Angelina Jolie. From her black-leather wearing, Billy-Bob-Thorton's blood carrying days to her humanitarian efforts and mother of the world attitude, she fascinates me and captivates me and I just think she is amazing. I love how she can seemlessly blend her tattoos and her creativity and her openmindedness with her love for her children (and the world's children), her compassion for those around her and her overall air of selflessness. Aside from her lack of belief in God, she is the type of person I strive to be. In the movie, she was completely bad-ass. Okay, I'm not so bad-ass. As a matter of fact, I can kind of be a wimp when it comes to anything I may become injured doing. She (obviously) does not have this fear. It is something I would like to overcome. There is one scene in the film where she is driving away from a car chase and the Dodge Viper she's driving is all torn up from the chase. She pulls up next to these two college age guys, who turn to look at the car (imagining some big guy driving it) and find Angelina in her sunglasses and tattoos. I want to experience that, only I want to give to have the sunglasses and the tattoos and the sweet car, and then after they look at me like, "wow, she's soooo hot!" have my little girl from the backseat chime in with, "mommy, put gwen stefani on."
Priceless.

So, revised goasl for the complete Angelina Jolie experience:

  1. Continue to grow long hair. Keep it pretty brown color. Be nice to it.
  2. Get more tattoos.
  3. Find a workout routine that I love and can stick with, to get some muscle tone, but still stay thin.
  4. Help babies to become awesome people.
  5. Find a charity or volunteer opportunity I love and promote it in my daily life.

I think that's enough for now.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Large

Today, I finally feel the size of a house.
I know, I know, I'm pregnant. I'm supposed to get larger than normal.


But today...... today, I feel larger than everything. My pants (the ones I bought after I gained some baby weight) are tight. My maternity-esque shirts are even riding up a bit. It was hard to walk the puppies back up the stairs after our walk today. I had to park farther away from the gas pump than normal just to make sure I could get out of the Jeep. I could go on(and on!), but the point is, I finally FEEL 26 WEEKS PREGNANT.

Reminds me that I still have a lot to do to get ready for Baby R. I need to pace myself better, set goals I can hit, and enlist the assistance of the people that are getting ready to visit. AND I need to set time aside for fun stuff for ME because me-time is going to become scarce here in a few months.

I feel adult right now.

Scary.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

August

I haven't blogged since July.

I know, slacker me.

It's not that I haven't had things to write about or rant about or just hash out in front of the eyes of the world...... it's more that I haven't properly made time to do so.

And let's be real here. I need to make time.

Otherwise, the pandemonium that is the day to day activities of my brain will implode shortly and then who will bring Baby R into the world in November and teach her all the awesome things about random daytime TV, crafting, and the wonderfulness that is No Doubt? Seriously. Her life would be sad and empty without me. :)



Really, a lot has been going on here in Virginia.

From our progress with the baby's room to my cutting of hours at work, we have been doing and seeing and experiencing a roller coaster of emotions.
We put a screen door on the front door, to increase the airflow throughout the house (once the intense Virginia heat goes away). Shark Fin even made sure to put a lock on it, so neither baby nor doggie can escape! I was very excited about getting it, so much I think I beamed every time I opened the front door and saw it... for about 4 days. Haha. I have always wanted a white screen door.
Xeus had his 2nd birthday on the 28th and well, it was a quiet affair. (Actually...... we forgot about it until the 30th, my best friend's birthday. I'm a bad fur-baby mom!) We got him a new collar. It's black with white bones on it. I'll have to post a picture of him all handsome in it later on. The new collar on the birthday is like their doggie right of passage. Lunabell desperately needs a new one, but she will have to wait until October for that. For now, since she has broken 3 this year already, she's wearing Xeus' old one with the turtles on it. She makes it bad-ass. Haha. Anyways, it's hard to believe my little french-toast scented furbaby is 2 years old! We used to snuggle on the couch everyday from Days of Our Lives til Oprah and now, I don't know if we both would fit on our couch! He's still a snugglebug, even though he's 82.5 pounds, and he's become the gentle giant I always knew he would be. I know we got him on a whim and I know it hasn't always been easy (boxing gloves and wedding shoes, anyone?), but I wouldn't trade that doggie for the world and I know Shark Fin feels the same way (if not stronger). Happy Birthday Xeusy!
I started construction on my first baby-stuff project yesterday and have passed it on to my test subject. My fingers are crossed, as well as my toes, that it gets a good review. If it doesn, whoo buddy! the sky is the limit! Baby Empire here I come.
And, for the final revelation, let me wave my dork flag high.

I started playing World of Warcraft with Shark Fin.

Go ahead and make fun of me. I kinda like it. :)

Happy Tuesday y'all.

ps. One more thing. My bestest most wonderful sister in law is coming to stay with me for a weekend the end of the month. Now if that doesn;t kick ass, I don;t know what does!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Date Ideas!

Check this out!

Cheap date ideas!

(I totally stole this from Motherhood for Dummies, she rocks!)

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

SERIOUS! LIFE!

Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about. - Oscar Wilde

Let's discuss this quote, shall we.

As I sit here at my desk on a Tuesday morning, I am overwhelmed with the frailty of my life and the life that I am carrying. Not because anything bad has happened recently, moreso because I have realized over the last few weeks that I am not the same person, physically, mentally or emotionally that I was before I became pregnant and, more importantly, that I will probably never go back to the way I was. This pregnancy, and the process of being pregnant, has forever altered the way I "do" life, the way Shark Fin "does" life, and probably, the way our families "do" life. Really, aside from when we adopted the puppies, neither one of us have ever had someone depend so solely on us for every little thing they need. This baby will be doing just that, more than the puppies ever could. We have done more planning, preparing, debating and discussing for this little person that anything before it.
We have talked about where we will be in three years when this enlistment for Shark Fin is up, because right about that time, Baby R will be getting ready to head into preschool. Do we want to stay in the sunshine and sand of Virginia? Or, do we want to move back to the Midwest, where our families are based? How important is it to us that Baby R, and the other children to come, have their family around them? Or, are we comfortable enough in Virginia, to make our own "family" of friends here and really put down roots (ie. move out of Alcatraz into something with a bunch of bedrooms & bathrooms, a yard and a garage)?
(And really, we will probably have another baby in three years, so we will have even more to consider.)

But, going back to the quote...... Life is WAY! IMPORTANT! and really people, our every step is not up to us. It is dictated by the decisions we make and are in the process of making, the people and environment we surround ourselves with, the food we eat (and the indigestion it gives us!), the amount of sleep we get, and primarily, our every step is in God's hands. And I really believe it can change at any moment. God could tell me tonight that he wants us to move to Seattle, and as much as I would hate moving again, I'd do it because that would be where I am supposed to be. God could put it in Shark Fin's lap to go on deployment again, to do an IA in Iraq, to get promoted, to leave tomorrow for a really dangerous training across the country.... and we would do it, because that is where we are lead.
If we are too serious and mull over too many minute details about every little thing we do, we will get bogged down and frustrated with our lives, when our lives are meant to be ENJOYED, to be EXPERIENCED, to be LIVED. That's right. LIVED.
This baby is going to have a great, incredible, awesome life no matter what color my nursery walls are or what kind of crib set it has or if I decide to breast- or bottle-feed. Why? Because it will be LOVED and it will get a chance to really LIVE.

Everything else? Well, we'll decide that when the time comes.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Family Moment Monday

Here I am participating in Family Moment Monday, courtesy of Motherhood for Dummies.



My current favorite family moment is what I like to call "Baby Building."

See, I have Shark Fin working his TAIL OFF with little projects to get ready for the impending arrival of Baby R. I am pretty much rendered useless at present, either by the ridiculous Virginia Heat or various other pregnancy no-nos, but believe you me, list-making and project-planning is fa skill I have in tenfold!

Since I cannot actively assist in many of my projects, my position in the construction is that of cheerleader, cold-drink provider and mistake-pointer-outer (hehe!).

This weekend, we accomplished these things:


  1. We framed in the window seat/storage space in the kitchen. Yay! I have been planning this project for almost two years, but once I drew up the plans (on graph paper! in proportion!), Shark Fin was all over it.

  2. We set up the crib (Shark Fin's), scraped all the old stickers and what-not off the dresser (mine), and re-arranged the furniture upstairs to the baby room set-up. Now, all we have to do is paint the furniture white and get a couple more pieces of it, and that part of the planning will be done!
I love that Shark Fin and I are able to come together on something like this, since it gives us both a real sense of purpose and direction and focus for this baby. By working towards these common projects and goals, and seeing them take shape together, we feel more and more like we are really ready to welcome this baby into the world... in just 120-ish short days!

What are your Family Moments?

Monday, July 14, 2008

The "Momfia" - Some Thoughts from a Soon-To-Be

It's no surprise to anyone reading this blog, that I am due to have a baby in November. Many things about the incoming arrival make me cringe, hyperventilate, or some combination there-of. However, my upcoming induction into the "Momfia" makes me want to hurl daily.
Pretty much everything about being a "Mom" is terrifying to me, but the whole "mom vs. mom" thing...

Breastfeeding MOm vs Formula Mom
Stay At Home Mom vs. Working Mom
Cry It Out Mom vs. Rock & Soothe Mom
ETC.
.... is flipping ridiculous. Seriously!
Article I read on MSN today puts it in perspective a bit...... why are Mom's (you know, all of us taking part in raising children that we somehow have responsibility for) so mean to eachother when we differ in opinion, decision, or preference? As long as it does not cause harm or endanger the child...... anyways, I just hate it and it terrifies me.

Friday, July 11, 2008

OMG! HELLO KITTY BABY THINGS!!!! &*%#$%&&@

(Yes, I lead a pathetic existence. But, this is what I do....)

I WANT THIS!!!!!

The end. :)


First Kid, Second Kid

1st kid: After dropping the pacifier on the floor, boil it for at least 5 minutes.
2nd kid: After dropping the pacifier on the floor, blow off any visible dog hair.

1st kid: Create a beautiful, peaceful nursery with an aquatic design theme and a bookshelf full of carefully arranged toys and books.
2nd kid: Toys and books spread all over house. "Theme" can be described as "extra storage room where a baby happens to sleep".

1st kid: Entertain the baby with expensive developmental toys featuring age-appropriate patterns and colors.
2nd kid: Hand the baby a plastic measuring cup.

1st kid: Expose baby to television rarely, and only in the form of Baby Einstein-branded DVDs.
2nd kid: Have baby watch HBO during his late-night feedings. Explain some of the more complicated Eff Words if need be.

1st kid: Immediately discard milk in bottle if it sits out more than ten minutes.
2nd kid: Immediately discard milk in bottle if there's a cat hair floating in it. Okay, two cat hairs.

1st kid: The baby's crying! Hurry, tend to him immediately!
2nd kid: Huh, the baby's crying. I hope it's not bothering the neighbors.

1st kid: Gingerly clip baby's nails with the special infant clipper, hyperventilating the entire time.
2nd kid: File baby's nails with your emory board while watching So You Think You Can Dance.

1st kid: Keep a detailed log of your baby's feedings and diaper contents, carefully updating it after every single feeding/diaper change.
2nd kid: Ha ha ha haaaaaa! ARE YOU KIDDING? HAAAAAA.

1st kid: Put adorable pair of Robeez on baby whenever you leave the house.
2nd kid: Cover baby's bare toes with your purse if someone gives you the stinkeye.

1st kid: Obsessively read infant development books so you can anticipate all upcoming milestones and fret over potential illnesses.
2nd kid: Enjoy baby.

(I borrowed this from Linda Lee's blog on parentdish.com. Here's the link, she's a good time!)

Meme Friday is coming......

Thursday, July 10, 2008

No Water Means No Washing

Or "You don't desire me right now."

This post could really be called either. Let me start with the first one.....

This morning, the water in Alcatraz was shut off. Not just in our little homey home home, but for the all 6 units in our building. Guess who forgot they were going to do this?
Me.
Guess who had to rinse her shampoo-filled hair out with Aquafina from the refridgerator?
Me.
And go to work without (ew!) brushing her teeth or washing her face or any of those necessary human upkeep activities, etc. etc.
So gross. So, needless to say (but I'm going to anyways) I came to work looking like a bus hit me today, and none too happy. I haven't been sleeping all that great either, with the baby doing little dances every time I try to lay down and my mind racing with all the things I still have to do to get ready for it. Don't get me wrong, I love making a good to-do list and planning out my activites or projects for weeks at a time (Shark Fin can attest to this - his "honey-do" list grows daily!), but this is getting a bit crazy. I can't be writing things down at all hours of the night - I'm going to have to attach a pen & notebook to myself! I think the other part about all this baby-mess that's really hard for me is I just don't have the time or the funds to do every little decorating thing I want to do... yet. Patience is truly a virtue I am still working on.
I went home for lunch at 1:15, though... and the water was back! Yay! Guess who called in an extra half-hour and BATHED?
Me. :)

Which brings me to Part Deux of this post: the " You don't desire me anymore" part.
This preganancy has been hard in a lot of ways: the sleepiness, the nausea, the lowered sex drive, the want for all the best things, the doctor's appointments, the "breast/bottle" debate, the general crankiness. And a lot of it isnt' founded on anything at all, besides just me, being pregnant for the first time, scared out of my mind about bringing a human into the world that I will be responsible for feeding/bathing/clothing/educating/making sure doesn't DIE.
But, it's been especially hard on Shark Fin.
He gets all of the bad parts without the good parts I am getting to experience - feeling Baby R move and dance and bonding with the person inside, feeling semi-secure in knowing I am providing all it needs to survive right now. And it's really hard on him..... I think my decreased sex drive is especially hard, since it was pretty regular and consistent before, not too mention that we waited our whole lives to share it with just eachother and now it's like, "Thanks for the sperm! Here's 9 months of forced celibacy for you." Ouch. However, this is one thing I just don't know how to fix. I just don't want to do it right now, either because I'm tired or overwhelmed or just not interested in taking all my clothes off to expose how big my midsection is getting (yes, yes, "there's a baby inside you so it's okay." I know. just bear with me here. it's a yay/nay struggle with me.). I'm trying to express my love in other ways: making his favorite desserts and dinners, packing his lunch with little notes, awesome Father's Day presents!, etc. But last night, I really got hit hard with the reality of how bad it's gotten for the love of my life when he said to me, "You just don't look at me like you desire me anymore."

Ouch. That would be my heart breaking.

What do I do, though? I don't ever want our intimate moments to be me just going through the motions, but he needs that sort of closeness so much and it's something that I am just not in the midset to give enough right now. I really don't want him to spend the next 4 months depressed and withdrawn, especially since I have heard it is not much better for a few months post-birth either. How do I get to that intimate point right now? I feel so big so often and I know baby inside baby make body grow baby needs extra weight gain blha blah blah..... but that doesn't change the fact that I feel like I have no control over my body oftentimes, something I just don't like.
Ugh. Need to fix this.... just no idea how.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Ah, Blogger. How I've missed thee.

I'm back. *evil laugh*
My apologies for the absence; things in our world have been quite hectic and tumultuous over thepast few months, hence my neglect of this blog. Again, bad choice, but hey, it happens. Life takes over.... things, important things, suffer.
Though for now, life is semi-back on track and here I am, writing away.
Everything with the incoming Baby R is on track and I have finally recovered from the first trimester nasties. Thank God! It was getting ridiculous, and really, who can survive on McDonald's and yogurt?! No one! I hit 21 weeks today and have gained 12 glorious pounds since making it out of week 12. My knees and hips are feeling those pounds, as I have never gained so much weight in my life. I know, I know, make all the snarky "skinny twig girl" comments you want, but it's true and the pain & general joint strain is true, too. Yucky. Other than that, things are back to normal for our little family at Alcatraz.
We took an incredibly wonderful trip back up to Michigan June 26 - July 3. I was in a dear friend's wedding (hence the new picture) and had a great time! I got to spend three days leading up to the big day with the lovely bride and some friends, getting pedicures, setting up for the reception and just catching up. Made me feel old to watch her get married (even though I've been hitched to Shark Fin for almost two years!). It was really a great time though and I wish both Casey & Jon much happiness! :) Loves!
Shark Fin & I had a combined baby shower for Baby Jethro while we were up there, and man, what a turn out! We were the recipients of a ton of great stuff.... so much we couldn't fit it all in our Jeep to come back to Virginia and his momma is bringing the rest of it down this weekend. THANKS TO EVERYONE that came for helping us get this baby set up right!
Now that we know what we're having.... did I say that? Yes, we know, we just ain't telling!...... I can work on adding some gender-appropriate accents to my sage green and chocolate brown stuff. I am so darn excited for this baby!
I am still working for the city and I will probably be here til they close our office doors on October 3. After that, I am just going to focus on having a healthy baby for a while. Shark Fin & I have been really concerned about our financial status once I go out on maternity leave and whether I would need to find a job after the baby is born to help keep us afloat. (One thing I do have to say I hate, loathe, despise about Virginia is the ridiculous cost of living.) Turns out, though, after some finagling with our monthly budget, it looks like I will be able to stay home with the little person for a while. We will still get a small monthly "allowance" (what Shark Fin & I call the money we don't have to be accountable to anyone for) to allow us some freedom and Shark Fin will be able to rest easy knowing his little person is not trapped in a disease infested daycare center (which is a discussion for another post entirely. I went to daycare!) At any rate, that is a huge blessing and we are extremely thankful for it.
I am , however, already thinking up some schemes for making a little money on the side. We inherited an incredible Singer sewing machine from my grandmother by way of my mom, and once I get it cleaned & oiled, it will become my new best pal. I have plans for aprons, dish towels, burp cloths, blankets, crib sets, binky leashes... pretty much any textile item I can think of. Watch for me on Etsy. I'm gonna be a star! Haha.

I think that's it for now. :) LOVE!

Friday, March 28, 2008

And so commences Meme day

A - Allison. That's my name.
B - Brunette, my natural hair color. It didn;t really see the light of day until these past couple years, but it is growing on me (not funny), so I keep it.
C - Christian, can't get around that.
D - Doggie owner, and I love my FURBABIES!!! Xeus and Lunabell are my pride and joy (well, they will have to share Baby Jethro in a few months), and I am overjoyed to have their happy little tails in my life!
E - Ecstatic, since we are expecting our first baby in November! (Here's hoping it's twins.)
F - Fashionista. I am happy to be one of those pathetic consumerist girls that purchases new items every season and wears them to death. :)
G - Girlfriend - I love to hang and dish with all my friends. (As a side note, I miss my close girlies terribly)
H - Hot, as in it's 80 degrees here today and it's 35 back in Michigan. Yay Virginia!
I - Inner-diva. I tend to be a little over-dramatic when it comes to things not going my way. It's sad, but a fact of reality I have come to embrace and accept.... no only if Shark Fin could do the same.
J - Jewelry. Coming from a family that owns two fine jewelry stores, I have more of it than I will ever wear. Also, I have a crap-ton of costume jewelry since I tend to over-accessorize. Hehe. :)
K - Kitchen Diva, something I never thought I'd say, but I really like cooking. A LOT. Cooking is fun! AND TASTY!
L - Laughs.... I. LOVE. TO. LAUGH!!!!!
M - Mamacita on the way.... scary, scary thought. I'm terrified.
N - Northerner. Gah, to be from Michigan, land of ice and sleet and generally nastiness for 6 months out of the year. And yet, to pine for my family to the extent I am considering moving back to the state (not to the nastiness of the Tri-Cities, mind you) after Shark Fin's time in the South is up. What a mess!
O - open to interpretation. I tend to ramble and can be selfish and complain and be sleepy a lot and really like material things, but I LOVE MY FAMILY more than anything. The rest, you can take how you want. I don't care.
P - praise-worthy.... at least I think so. :)
Q - Questionable, both towards myself and everything else. I am just curious person by nature. And I don't like rules for some things.
R - Redundant. I tend to say things I like a lot, to anyone who will listen, including myself.
S - Seeker of Truth, see C (and Q)
T - Truthful. I just don' like liars and (as hard as it may be sometimes), I try my darndest not to lie myself, not matter how much easier it will be. It's definitely a struggle for me, though, but one I am finally able to admit to to and address.
V - Vulnerable to depression, low self-image, etc. Dumb, but true.
W - Wonderful wife to the amazing, talented, and compassionate Shark Fin, my personal superhero. :)
X - X-pensive to maintain. Even with our budgeting trials and tribul;ations of present, I stil need a lot of food, and fun to survive. Just now, I was asking Shark Fin if we could re-institute my allowance. (It needs more convincing evidence)
Y - Young.... I'm only 24
Z - Zestfilled! What would life be without it?!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The most boring day ever

I officially think today is the most pointless day EVAH to be at work. It's 4:25 and really, I have only been here since about 11:30.... but OMG!!!! What a waste! I haven;t had to answer the phone to help parents or anyone, really, at all. I have just been sitting here at my desk, aimlessly crusing the interewebs, reading up on celebrity gossip and Rachael Ray recipes, watching the minutes click by ever so slowly. It sucks the big one.

I had enough time to call TriCare, oh lovely military insurance, and find out that my referral was fixed, AND I got to call and make my first appointment with the OB. April 18 at 9am. (That remins me, I must email my supervisor to tell them about that... right. Done.) Anyways, I am pretty flippin' excited about it and hoping & praying for everything to be on track.

To top it all off, it's 74 degress out, sunny and gorgeous.

I did have a nasty bout of "morning sickness" today which led me to a stop at the Walgreens on my way to work to get a large bottle of ginger ale. I made off with the ale, plus some 50% off Easter candy, some folic acid, and a lunchable. Apparently, the appetite had recovered.

Anyways, I hope Shark Fin makes something tastey for dinner.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Dandelions

I got this neat little card with a quote on it from church this weekend. (I wish I had a scanner at work so I could show it to y'all!) Anyways, it's chocolate brown with this awesome silhouette of of a white, poofy dandelion on it, with some of the little pods being blown all around like there is some breeze only it can feel. It has this quote on it:


" We were born to manifest the glory of GOD that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light
shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
- MaryAnne Williamson
I love it.
In other news, this weekend was A-MAY-ZING in a big way. Shark Fin and I labeled it as the "Purge Party Weekend," which is basically a fun way of stating that we had a lot of junk that needed to be dealt with to a) get ready for Baby Jethro and b) because we don't need it at all and it should have probably never made the trip here from Michigan in the first place. It was quite successful. We took one truckload to the Salvation Army on Saturday and my Jeep is full with another to go sometime this week. We took probably 20 bags of stuff to the dumpster and have a few items to put on Craigslist, mostly appliances that we got as wedding gifts and never touched after I unboxed them. Whoops. Shark Fin's momma and poppa, The Monarchy, sent us a care package, which as usual, was incredibly generous and large. I will never be one of those girls that hates their in-laws. They are WONDERFUL..... and not just because they sent us the Horton stuffed elephant from Horton Hears a Who for Baby Jethro. :)
My momma, Short Stuff, wants to plan a trip out to see us for a weekend in May. My relationship with her can be slightly complicated at times, mostly due to the fact that I was (and am) an extremely strongwilled and hard-headed child. I stopped wanting to be parented at an early age, and I am big on forging my own way, mistakes & all. She says this is why I never learned to cook or sew properly or swim.... all because when she was willing and ready to teach me, I wasn't having it. Oops (this is why I still cannot swim and am terrified of drowning). I can, unfortunately, be abrasive at times, which although unintentional, can hurt Short Stuff's feelings, making our interactions even more complicated. The point is, now that I'm pregnant, I kind of miss my Short Stuff and when she asked, ever so gently, if I would mind her coming out in May (in addition to her already planned trip in September and my trip to Michigan the end of June), I honestly said, "I'd love to have you come." Who ever thought that would happen?! Must be the hormones.....
Shark Fin works late tonight, till 10 or so. Boo. I hate the late nights, mostly because of the exhaustion and the fact that even if I do take a nap when I get home, there is no human to play with even though I have energy again. (No offense to my furballs)
Back to the AMAZING weekend, though..... it was so good because Shark Fin and I really came together for a common goal. We worked hard, cleaned closets and cupboards out, deciding if any other crazy person could ever want this item, what we could donate and what should just be tossed. We made bologna sandwiches and blue lemonade kool-aid, reminisced about when we were youngins' in high school & college.... all that type of stuff. It was, well, to be honest it was just NICE. And Sunday was great, too. Something about Resurrection Sunday always makes me beam from ear to ear. Just celebrating and thanking God for how much he has doen for ME, his amazing grace, his love, his sheer belief in my abilities and dreams is always re-affirmed and solidified on Easter..... and my ham wasn't too bad either.
Ah, weekends.
The good ones alwasy end too fast.

Friday, March 21, 2008

DEATH!

And THIS is why stingrays are one of favourite animals.

Oh man.

Boyeez

After my post from a few days ago, I decided it was time to do some searching for boy names. (Someday, when I'm feeling particularly brave, I'll post my Baby Name Spreadsheet. Right now, though, I'm not ready to be that embarrassed.)

Here's what I came up with (and their meanings, 'cause I'm sucker for that):

Caden - Battle
Rhys – Enthusiasm
Findley – Fair Warrior
Ronan – Seal
Seamus - Supplanter
Torin – thunder


and these we already have:

Draco (dragon)
Griffin (reddish, also a mythological half-lion half-eagle creature)
Cooper (barrel maker)

Ultimately, I want to have five solid choices for each, with middle names from our friends & family. I know I'm neurotic, but such is life. :)

Thoughts?

Starting now, Friday is Meme Day!

Four Films I’d Watch Again
1. Dream for An Insomniac... although I can already quote the whole movie, I love it dearly and will watch it ill the cows come home (whatever that means). If I loved a quote from the movie even before I ever saw it, is it fate?
2. 50 First Dates.... truly one of my favourite movies EVAH. Again, highly quotable.
3. Singin' In The Rain.... What can I say? My childhood was filled with musicals, not cartoons.
4. PS I love You.... truly, a great chick flick. How can a girl not love the Irish accents?!

Four Places I’ve Lived
1. Saginaw, Michigan... home, sweet home.
2. Bay City, Michigan... my first apartment.
3. Ann Arbor, Michigan.... my first year of college. (ugh!)
4. Hampton Roads, Virginia.... bring on the BEACH! :)

Four TV Shows I Watch
1. Gossip Girl.... don't mock it till you try it.
2. Beauty and The Geek.... sad, but true.
3. Ugly Betty.... me loveee it.
4. Grey's/Private Practice.... they've been off for so long that I don't know if I even love them anymore!

Four Things to Eat
1. Mashed potatoes.
2. Jell-O No Bake Cheesecake with the cherry topping.
3. Chicken fried rice and an eggroll from Chen's.
4. Chili Cheese Fries from Sonic.

Four Places I’d Rather Be
1. In a new house
2. With Jess in Ft. Collins, Colorado.
3. Puerto Rico, brushing up on my Spanish
4. At the mall shopping, and being able to spend whatever I wanted (ain't that the truth!)

Consider yourself tagged!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

When I am Queen

There are certaing that just must happen when I am queen.

  • Everyone will work jobs they love. If at any point in time, they are no longer in love with their job or the place they are employed with that job, they may quit and move to a happier job/workplace with no repercussions or complaints.
  • Families will get mandatory 6 month paid family leave following the birth of any child.
  • Dinner will be a family event. Period.
  • Holidays will also be a family event. Each newly-married, or newly-babied family will get to have at least one major holiday at their home, by themselves, within the first year of said event, with no complaints from mother-in-laws or parents or grandparents.
  • Women will get one child/husband/boyfriend-free day each month, for gabbing and relaxing with girlfriends.
  • I will be able to bring far-away friends and family to where I am with the twitch of my nose. (I will also be able to send them back the same way)
  • Instead of looking for a parking space like a vulture, with a snap of my fingers, my car will fit in my pocket, no matter how crammed the backseat.
  • My children will take naps everyday. Period. One hour minimum.
  • I will have a fountain drink dispenser in my kitchen. Varieties will change weekly, with the exception of Cherry Coke & Lemonade Tea for me and Root Beer (ew!) for Shark Fin.
  • Pizza Hut Pizza, chinese food and mexican yummies will be calorie & fat-free, yet extremely tasty...... and delivered to my house at random. :)
  • Shark Fin will get long weekends once a month. He'll love that.
  • Housing in Hampton Roads will be affordable and come with large yards. Someone will by our condo (aka Alcatraz) one month after we list it. Happiness will ensue.
  • I will graduate from college with my Registered Nursing certification... in the next two years. *sigh*
  • Cheesecake will be a weekly occurance.
  • SpellCheck will automatically happen on anything I write.... even if no but me will see it.

There's more coming.....

It's early

Hope you all didn't miss me too much yesterday. I had a bout of what could be considered morning sickness and ended up staying home, doing a lot of sleeping and television watching. The most boring day ever, really.
Lucky for me, Shark Fin got out of work early and was home by 3, so at least I had him to entertain me for a little while. Also, my GYN ended up calling with the results of my two blood tests last week. She said that my cells are multiplying, but they are lower than she'd like. I don't even know what that means, but it doesn't really sound all that great. She wanted me to go give another blood sample, so I did that yesterday afternoon, too. I'm kind of getting sick of it. And, this time, I am kind of nervous about it. I mean, what does "low cells" mean exactly? I need to do some more research, I guess. Google search, here I come. :)

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Week 5

Here we are again, celebrating a lovely Tuesday. Today, Baby Jethro and I hit the 5 week mark. Yay for us.
I have registered on more pregnancy and baby informational sites in the lst few days than I ever thought possible. The newest one is called Parents Connect and it is a partnership site of the Nickelodeon conglomerate we know all children love. It looks like it is going to be a great site, but you can definitely tell that it is still in it's beginning stages. If you're on it, feel free to look me up. My screenname is LadybugBaby. :) (It's also connected to BabyNamesWorld.com, the web's largest baby naming site.)
I am considering the name Scarlette again and Isabeau instead of Isabella ( I also like the name Francesca but Shark Fin has vetoed it until further notice). I happen to love the character of Scarlett O'Hara and Gone With The Wind in general, so giving a daughter such a strong, confident name seems appropriate. Convincing Shark Fin of that, however, may be a bit more complicated. Boy's names are causing me more issues, as it very hard to find names that both of us can agree on and that are unique enough for our tastes. As you can tell from my previous post about names, we like 'em a little weird. :) Funny thing is, boy names are the ones I should be searching for, since I am really hoping for a little boy this first time around. I know it sounds patriarchal, but I like the idea of starting our family our with a "big brother type." I was the oldest in my family and I inevitably adopted the attitude of "I need to fix everything" in my family, from my mom's breast cancer to my little brother's legal trouble and my dad's recent divorce. In boys, (like Shark Fin, who is the oldest in his family), I think there is a protection-vibe that goes along with this care and concern, enabling a boy to create a safe environment for their siblings but protect against the emotional turmoil associated with the bad events that I seem to be so prone to. Older girls only seem to cultivate the care, concern, and emotional distress (or empathy, but I seem to have the distress) over the bad situations. I'd like my family to have the "big brother" type to run to if they don't want to come directly to us. I also think that big brother is a stabilizing element in the family. (Of course, I may be totally wrong, but this is how I feel.) Anyways, I need more boy names.
I did find another interesting historical character that I'd like to share: Alice Roosevelt Longworth. She's pretty freakin' sweet.
Shark Fin had to fly late last night and when he climbed into bed at 1am this morning, he informed me that it is in our best (financial) interest for me to have my OB and prenatal care/birth at the Naval Hospital. Seems our insurance will cover more if I stick with a military doctor/facility, rather than try and go all civilian on them. Oh well. Let's hope I get a good doctor first time and don't have to switch because he's creepy. Darn it. I was really hoping for a girl... or a midwife.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Cue the scary music

Welcome to your daily dose of me. Today is Saturday, my most beloved day of the week. Today is slightly less wonderful since Shark Fin has to work from 4-midnight today, but we will make it work. We always do. :)

We have everyone necessary told about the impending arrival, so I can shout it from the rooftops as much as I want. That is kind of cool. We got a lot of support from our young married group last night and I was able to have a really good conversation with one of the other girls about my initial mixed feelings about this whole thing. It was really cathartic to be able to be completely honest about my first feelings towards the "invasion" of Baby Jethro, even though now I am completely falling in love with this little person on the way. For example, right now, I am overwhelmed with this feeling of great responsibility, and even greater thankfulness that God believes I am ready for and can handle this challenge. I am really looking forward to the next 36 weeks of incubating my little person. Secretly, I think I am hoping for a little boy, but we have decided not to find out until the birth. Yes, this will make a lot of things harder than normal, but we both want to be surprised, and hey, I was going to do the room in greens and browns anyways. 
As usually, I have already started doing some "pre-shopping" and have picked out some patterns for the necessary items. (It's to be able to justify the online shopping for something legitimate, instead of "I need a pair of green shoes to go with my new shirt and purse.") For example, we've decided to do the carseat, stroller, pack-n-play, etc. in Graco's Kasbah pattern. You can see it here . I just think it is so attractive and more importantly, long-lasting and gender-neutral. I also picked out some cute green crib sets and stuff, but the crib itself is a bit of a sore-spot for us right now. Shark Fin's parents still have HIS crib from the 80s, one that has been used for about 4 babies since him, back in Michigan and said we can have it "whenever we are ready." Now, not to be greedy or unappreciative, but I really am not feeling having that crib when there are teeth marks and several babies nastiness on it. I know, I know, you can disinfect anything and with a coat of white paint, it would probably be just as nice as any other crib. Maybe I just have "first-baby syndrome" or something, but I really want to get as much stuff as we can for this first baby new, so that it will be able to last for all our babies still to come. (Have I mentioned yet how Shark Fin and I want a tribe of children? This stuff needs to be durable.) Needless to say, no decision has been made on the crib situation. We have many months left for that anyways. 
In the world of the OB situation, I have a couple I think I'm considering picked out. I am going to take my doctor's referral to the Naval hospital and see what I think of them, but I am also going to see about my friends' Jen & Carley's OB, Dr. LeCourt, and one I found out of the parenting magazine we get at my office, Dr. Valentine. The latter's practice is midwife based, which I kind of like the sound of. Anyways, we'll see. 
That's all for now. Happy weekends to everyone!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Issues

I talked to my beloved Jess a few hours ago and she now knows all about the baby on the way.
All we need to do is verbally tell our young married group and then I can post it anywhere on the internet I want! Yay!
I think the things I am most worried about right now is our living and financial situation. We currently live in a condominium we own on the third floor. Normally, not so bad for a young married couple. We own it, for one, and it does have beautiful cathedral ceilings, laminate wood flooring in the living room, and lots of natural light, which I love. However, it IS on the third floor. And I am having a baby. Plus, we have two big dogs that I might have failed to mention....

Xeus (the brown boxer-lab mix)
& Lunabell (the brindle American Staffordshire Terrier)



We adopted Xeus about two months after we got married and Miss Lunabell in February 2007. Needless to say, not having a yard for them to run around in has made us much more active people (since they need a lot of walking and romping to calm down). Now that I am incubating a human baby, the need for more space has become even more apparent. I am more hellbent on it then Shark Fin, mostly because we cannot even consider purchasing another home until we sell this one. The housing market down here is awful right now, and being that it is a condominium with extra homeowner's association fees and it is on the third floor, it will take a specific type of person (ie. young married or professionally-minded couple with no kids, or a single person) to purchase it, anyways. We are dilligently working on a plan to eliminate the rest of our debt (from credit cards, car loans, and student loans) but even then, we are steadily spending about 60-70% of our monthly take-home income just to live. That needs to stop sometime soon if we are ever going to get out of this condo. No matter what, we will have to do 100% financing anyways, which, well, sucks. I am steadily devising a plan to shave off some of what we spend every month and with trading the Scion (although better on gas mileage) for the Jeep Cherokee, we already are saving about $40 per month. I'm going to start documenting my progress and setbacks in here, so I have something to base my success (and failure) on in writing.

In the meantime, as far as the housing situation is concerned, we are having our realtor come in to give us some tips on what areas we should invest and improve on to make our unit shine above the rest. I am going to call T-Mobile (our wireless provider) tonight and move us from MyFaves to mobile to mobile and from unlimited texting to 300 per line. That should save us a little more money.

Due Dates & OB

Per Dr. Dawn, Baby Jethro is due November 24.

Th fun part is that is my dear friend Gus' wedding anniversary. I like that.


The not-so-fun part is that I do have to find an OB. Boo. I am going to start a search online, and check the Tidewater Parent magazine, but I also have our young married group tonight where we are going to tell them, and I know some of them will have suggestions.

I told my super-wonderful friend Erica, who I have been friends with for close to 17 years, about Baby Jethro yesterday and she was more excited than ANYONE else I have told. I really expected her to be diappointed, because Erica is really career-minded and having her "me" time right now, and she really thinks I should be doing the same with Shark Fin, but she immediately screamed "I'm going to be an AUNT?! That's AWESOME!!!!!" Who just goes to show that I have the best people ever as friends.

I'm full of love right now.

The announcement of Baby Jethro

The only person of my inner sanctum that I haven't been able to contact about the impending hillbilly baby spawn called Baby Jethro is my best friend Jessica.
She and I have been best friends for about 5 years now, all starting back when we were working the retail world of Charlotte Russe in the Fashion Square Mall in good ol' Saginaw Michigan. We clicked the first day of training when we both ended up at Arby's for roast beef sandwiches and turnovers for lunch in the food court when everyone else was eating salads at Subway. :) Nothing like bonding over food.
We became roommates a few months later and stayed together through two apartments, numerous fights with our significant others, many many nights of stolen Style Network and my wedding planning. Once I discovered Shark Fin was going to be stationed in Virginia and I was going to be moving, Jess made the decision to move, too, to Colorado State University to pursue her dream degree in Metalsmithing. Why? Because she's amazing like that and that is all the reason she needs. Anyways, I miss her terribly. She's probably the closest to a twin I'll even have and having her two time zones away, frankly, sucks. She is one of the people I really, really want to know and share the excitement with me, because I lurvvvvvvvvve her. Combined with my exhaustion lately and the aforementioned time zone difference, we haven't caught up yet.

Tonight, though........ will be the night.

I hope.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Pregnancy Shockwave, Day Two

Welcome, my friends, to day two of the pregnancy shockwave.

I think I am a little more accepting of it now.... especially since I lost a lot of sleep thinking about it last night. I have an appointment with Dr. Dawn, my current OB/GYN at noon, so I will get some more answers then, as well as the "do not eat/touch/do/go near" list. That will be interesting. I say "current" OB/GYN because I am getting mixed reviews about if she does OB or just GYN. Never having been in this situation before, I have no idea. If she doesn't do OB, though, I will be commencing The Great OB Search. Oh man. A lot of girls I am friends with have recently had babies or become pregnant, so I am sure I will get some excellent recommendations. I am just super-picky about my medical people and I hate having to re-interview new ones.

Based off the lovely due date predictor thing-y I found last night from a Google search, current estimated due date for Baby Jethro is November 18. A winter baby, just like me and Shark Fin.

More after the appointment. Keep your fingers crossed.



Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Dammit

So, for anyone interested, my life has altered SIGNIFICANTLY in the last 3 hours or so. 


why, may you ask?

i'm pregnant. 

:: head to desk ::

Meghan McCain

Now, let me say that I am 85% sure I will be voting for Barack Obama in this coming election. Why? He and I tend to agree on a lot of things, like healthcare, Iraq, same-sex marriage, etc. Plus, there's my general like for having a president that is young enough to not have the possibility of dying from old age during his term in office. Buth that's just me.....
anyways, back to my point. even though I will probably be voting for Barack, i am presently fascinated by none other than Meghan McCain. For being the daughter of a presendential candidate, she makes Chelsea Clinton look like crap! and I know she doesn't talk a lot of the "issues" or post anything but fun pictures of her dad and the other people on the campaign trails and her minions, but i like her. a lot. she's fashionable, well-spoken, and provides us 20-somethings with an inside look into the life of a possible-presedential daughter. i think that's pretty sweet.
here's the link to her blog: http://www.mccainblogette.com/

enjoy.

Names

let me the first to admit i am a little south of "normal" when it comes to most things.... eating habits (i eat all day, everyday, and i am still one of those women other women like to hate), taste in music (my faves are no doubt, aerosmith, and country, at the moment... make that connection!), and now, baby names.
not that i am having a baby or even actively trying to procreate one. but, for the sake of making the baby-naming process easier whenever that will become a need, i have made a baby name chart, in Excel, complete with first and middle names, and their meanings.

my question is: how big of a raging weirdo does that make me?

i want some opinions on some of the first names i like. yes, i know i'm a little odd. yes, i know the names are a little odd. spare me those comments. please, weirdness aside, tell me what you think:

Girls
Wren
Noelle
Isabella
Eisley
Addisyn
Boys
Cooper
Titus
Jackson
Draco (can you tell Shark Fin likes this one best?)
Griffin

and to round today's post up, another fun thing that has recently happened is i got a new car! yayayayayaya! it's a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. sweet.

xo!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Hola!

hello, blogging world.
(that sounded dumb)

anyways, welcome to the inevitable, the expected, the delightfully deranged..... my blog.
my little slice of home on the web. i figured i should open this little baby up by explaining a little bit about my self and what brough me here (all of which will be available, once again, on my about me page in about five minutes). :)

my name is Ally and i live in the lovely state of virginia, about 10 minutes from the atlantic ocean.
(pleased to meet you)
i am originally from michigan, and moved here about two years ago after i got married (9/2/06) to my high school sweetheart, who will for blogging purposes be known as Shark Fin. he'll like that because he's a big goon. i am (unfortunately) a Navy wife. i love my husband and i love my country, but man, do i loathe the Navy. mostly because i feel it is not condusive to a family of any sort, but hey, that's for another post.
i am twenty-four years young and i love being in my twenties. to me, it truly is the time life gets started. i am the proud momma to two rescue puppies: Xeus, a boxer-lab mix, and Lunabell, an American Staffordshire Terrier. no human babies, yet, but you never know.
i recently discovered i love medical things, like blood and bones and medications, so after almost six years of lollygagging around, i am entering nursing school, in the fall of 2008. i used to have pink hair and a bunch of piercings, and i miss them a lot some days. i think i may get my nose re-pierced anyways. i love the Spanish language, green things, cheap yet chic fashion, and the Oprah magazine (unfortunately). i don't usually capitalize anything but my own name. i apologize if this bugs you. that's a me thing.
Life is good...... sometimes hard, sometimes rough..... but always, always good.