Monkey update

So Tre and I had our BIG ultrasound today. The one where they check out all the baby's structures, take tons of measurements and where you may be able to find out the gender ...all over a L-O-N-G half an hour, made more agonizing by the fact that the mom-to-be's bladder is FULL. What a treat! Aside from the unpleasantness of having someone intentionally press on your full bladder, it was amazing to really see Monkey for the first time! Monkey now looks a bit like Skeletor from He-Man, but we're sure that will take care of itself as the baking process continues over the next few months.

Tre and I have decided to let the gender be a surprise at delivery. Despite the fact that I've long been a firm believer in letting this part of the process be a true surprise, I've been quite the waffler when presented with the option. Originally, long long before I was pregnant, I firmly believed that the gender of the baby was the 'last true surprise' in life and should be kept as such until delivery. Fast forward to NOW, where most of our friends have found out before the delivery and thus call him/her by their name and buy appropriately gender specific clothing and decor items. I've found myself feeling left out. I DO want to know who's in here...who's been kicking and doing acrobatics, making me crave grapefruit in a way that is completely unnatural...but I also want to enjoy that complete surprise at the end of all the hard work that is labor and delivery. So, after many discussions on the matter, delving into the why's, what ifs and complicated parlays on the use of too much technology in our day and age. With Tre's help, I have remained steadfast in being surprised in July. And so this babe I carry will continue to be a she-Monkey/ he-Monkey until the grand unveiling!

Anyway, on to the good stuff...some pics to share.

A view of Monkey from behind. You can see the head on the left and the vertebrae shooting to the right. I was a bit alarmed by the twisted spine, but it seems Monkey is quite the mover and shaker and was doing some form of "The Twist" in utero.

Here's a pic of Monkey showing some leg. It's kinda cool to see the pelvis at left, the thighbone (which is actually the thin bit more on the left side) that then connects to the calf (the thicker part more on the right) and finally some little toes at the end. The ultrasound tech tried to get a pic of the toes, but the printouts are so small they just look like smudges.

Here's a pic of our little Skeletor darling waving. You can see their hand up along the side of their head towards the top of the pic. Seems that Monkey keeps their hands up by their head alot. Maybe drowning out daddy's singing?

We also got to see the little beating heart, the full bladder (Monkey's, not mine...although the tech did show me my full bladder near the end of the scan...which made me want to wet myself even more), toes, fingers and we watched in amazement as Monkey darted around, swinging arms and legs. Must like to shake their booty like Tre does! ;) It was pretty cool!

I'm continuing to feel good. I still don't have a ton of energy, which I blame on my long and stressful days at work, but I'm usually able to stay awake till at least 10pm, which is an improvement from my nights of falling asleep at 7:30-8pm.


I've also started getting a belly. I was convinced for awhile that I wasn't really pregnant and that everyone was just lying to me. But my little belly started popping out just this week. The jeans that fit completely last week are a bit snug this week (but still wearable thanks to hair rubberbands that I don't have enough hair to use). I think next week I'll have to graduate to elastic waisted items or maybe just buck up and wear the Bellyband...which I find uncomfortable and quite exposing since I never seem to be able to keep the little band around my hips thus the barn door is perpetually open! HORRORS!


Basically, nothing is fitting well these days. In a week's time, I've gone from having a scant but still usable wardrobe, to having a frighteningly scarce amount of acceptable attire. So, this weekend was quasi spent maternity clothes shopping. And if you know me, you know that shopping is just NOT my thing. I dislike the whole process quite a bit, thus the reason I'm really not such a fashion plate. Despite my reluctance to shop, it's a necessity so I've started by hitting the maternity resale shops here in Portland, of which there are quite a few! I hate shopping but if I feel I can get a good deal, it takes some of the ache away.


I'm trying to find things that will work ok now, but will also be somewhat usable when I'm the size of a small country, closer to my due date in the summer. Dresses seem to be a good option for that and I've already picked up three! I'm not really a dress-wearing girl, but they really appeal to me right now. Probably has something to do with the ample fabric and tent-like coverage they provide! Viva la dresses!


So, that's a Monkey update. Due date is still predicted for July 19th which means I'm just over 18 weeks now. It's hard to believe I'm already about 1/2 way through this whole process! Can this be?

stalking and getting tagged

So, I blog stalk people constantly. Actually I think I'm more of a lurker in that I don't always comment or let my presence be known. Today is different.

I was tagged by Carrie Lynn. Here goes...

1. Go to the 4th folder in your photos

2. Select the 4th picture in the 4th folder.

This was taken at the Apple Blossom Festival a couple years ago. My mom and I wound our way up Mt. Hood to view the orchards in bloom. Quite lovely although you wouldn't be able to tell that from this pic. I guess I thought fruit crates were quite the craze?! Who knows!

To follow suit on who my stalkers are: I tag Shannon and Jen 'Brazenlilly'.

I'm excited to see what the 4th pictures is in your 4th folder!

pregnancy is making me stupider

Case in point.

It's Monday morning, which means I'm the early nurse at work. I'm the one that gets everything set up, gets the coffee made (see my time at Starbucks really did come in handy), spikes the IV bags, etc. I've taken my standard exceptionally long shower and am now racing around because I'm running late. It's 7:45, the dogs are kenneled, I'm presentable and all I've got to do is get on the road to get to work on time.

Where are my car keys?!
I CAN'T FIND MY CAR KEYS!
I can't even find the spare key we keep in a very obvious and accessible place.

I call hubby because he used my car on Friday to haul some stuff to the dump and he should know where my keys are...or at least where the spare key is. He doesn't answer. I leave a pointed message because I'm sure he has my car keys hidden away in his pants pocket somewhere and I'm angry that the spare keys aren't where they're supposed to be. I call 3 more times in the span of 5 minutes. I'm sure he'll understand that the plethora of calls in such a short time period portrays urgency and frustration...he's picked up quite a bit of 'woman speak' lately.

In between stalking hubby, I've been frantically looking in all my coat pockets, in little hiding places, even looking in some of Tre's pants pockets...all to no avail.

He finally calls back. He doesn't have my keys but he knows where the spare keys are. They are outside in the garage in the top of his new workbench. Hmmm. Even though he knows where the spare keys are, he's still on my poopie list because they spare keys weren't where they SHOULD be. I thank him curtly and probably even slide in a jab about the spare key not being in its proper place. Somehow this comforts me.

It's 8:03 and I grab my stuff and race to the car. It's only on the ride in to work that I look down to where my house keys should be ( I always keep them in the console in my car)...but they aren't there and the spare car key doesn't have a spare house key. GREAT!

Now I'm locked out of my house too!

Several minutes later it dawns on me...I realize where my car keys are.
And worse yet, Tre really didn't do anything with them.
It's all on me.

I remember that Hubby and I participated in a much over-due house cleaning on Saturday. His Dad was coming to visit and it seemed like an opportune time to get all the pine needles swept up, the dog hair vacuumed and the shelves dusted. During this organization craze, I decided to put my wallet, ipod and car/house keys in my rarely used purse which was dangling on the side of one of the dining room chairs. Of course I'd remember putting them in such an obvious place!

But I forgot. My hormone overloaded brain forgot. This is monumental people! I've never lost my keys. Never. NEVER EVER. I'm an organized person. In fact I rarely lose anything because I put things in specific places for specific reasons....so I won't forget.

I used to think that pregnancy brain was a myth. Like the Tooth fairy or Lock Ness Monster. Nope. I've become a believer. Someone needs to keep a watchful eye over me...to keep me in line lest I misplace other things. What if it becomes 'normal' for me to lose things? I shudder to think it!

And lastly, how did I get back in my house you ask?

Well, just imagine for a minute, a tired-from-work gal with an ample booty and a smaller than ample dog door at ground level that just happens to be a little muddy. My sincere apologies for the visual I just provided. You can bill me for the therapy! Just know that some things in life should never be witnessed by another human being...and this is definitely one.

Excessive apologies to hubby have been made, I made it to/from work safely and even managed to squeeze my body through the dog door to get back inside the house. All in all, everything's ok.

Pregnancy brain is alive and thriving...

the GINOURMOUS issue

...ginourmous because...

...it's been SO very long since I've blogged

...there are SO many things to catch you up on

...it may be awhile before I blog in the near future

So, today will consist of several posts to share our goings-on.

Grab a tasty beverage, a comfy seat and settle in for a long read.

Do be warned: there are A LOT of pictures accompanying these next 3 posts!

Happy New Year

We went to the Oregon coast with our good friends Andy and Paige for New Year's. Our goal was some hardcore R & R! So, there was a lot of tv watching (for the guys that mostly included ANYTHING sports...especially football), plenty of book reading, engorging ourselves with copious amounts of good food, ringing in the New Year with champagne, enjoying the beach (weather permitting) and an educational trip to the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

We rented this amazing little house on a quiet dead end street with a wonderful view of the surf and plenty of room for the 4 of us...complete with an outdoor hot tub. Tre brought along his PlayStation and Guitar Hero, which became quite the entertainment during our time there. And the house had a Foosball table so we had at least 2 couple v couple Foosball tournaments. While the guys watched the college football play-offs, I devoured the first two books in the 'Twilight' series. (I had sworn to never get involved in the cliche teen romance series, but I got sucked in...and I LOVED it!) We only spent a couple hours one day walking on the beach as the weather was pretty stormy for most of the time we were there. We even had 70 mile-an-hour winds on New Year's eve night! Pretty crazy!

Paige conquering Guitar Hero...go Paige!

Andy rockin' on Guitar Hero

New Year's itself was tons of fun. We played Hoopla and had quite a riot making fun of each other, especially during the drawing and acting-out portions. HA! As a quartet, we're a pretty good team and we beat the clock each time! Paige is the queen of finding really cool headgear for New Year's! Last year we rocked some awesome antennae and this year she found these really funky hats of all different shapes...shiny and with feathers...SO FUN! Champagne was uncorked, we toasted and watched the ball drop as a crazy storm raged outside our little beach house. I think we stayed up until 3:30 or 4 AM. I have not seen those AM hours in YEARS...probably since my days at Milligan. Needless to say, we all slept in quite late the next day!

A New Year's group pic!

Andy and Das Boot

A New Year's smooch

The guys outside on the porch...cool blur, huh?

Our New Year's pic

Cheers!

Tre wearing his New Year's hat...holla!

After the storm we did make a trip to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. They had this exhibit called 'Oddball' with all these peculiar and unique little creatures. I cannot, by any stretch, begin to recall everything we saw, but I did take a few pics and overall, we had a really great time!

Jellyfish. Aren't they cool?

Jellyfish. My favorite in the exhibit. Not too 'odd' but crazy beautiful!

Eel...Moray, I think!

Andy & Paige at the Aquarium

Nautical Tre...now that's a scary sea creature!

Bird. I should remember the type...I'll look it up!

A Japanese Spider Crab...I cannot tell you how massive these are! Actually I can...see next pic!

Now you can see just how big the crab is...as big as a human head! Thanks Andy!

A lionfish...grrr!

A toadfish...isn't it cute?!?

After several days of crazy storm weather, the day we left was beautiful and sunny...go figure! Due to all the flooding along the coast because of the insane amount of rain, we had to go south and take a much longer route home. But because the weather was so nice, it was hard to be too upset about it! All in all, we had an amazing time and were even contemplating a summer trip to our new found treasure of a rental house!

Waves crashing on rocks at Boiler Bay, the beautifully sunny day we went home.

Winter Storms and Snow

A couple weeks before Christmas, we had A LOT of snow, especially for the Portland area. At first it was magical, beautiful and serene and after 2 weeks of insanely cold weather, knee deep snow and aneurysm inducing driving conditions the snow became annoying, ugly and intolerable. It's easy to tell who your natives are around here...they don't mind the rain but excessive snow gets every ones undies in a bunch!



Tre worked several of the snowy days and I had several days of work off. On my days off, I watched the snow fall, read books, slept and laughed as I spied on the dogs frolicking in the snow in the backyard. They were too funny...like little bunnies hibbity hopping through snow up to their shoulders. When Tre and I were both home together we spent time walking the dogs, running errands and enjoying some lovely fires in our fireplace.

Our snugly little house in the snow

Tre with the pups in our wintry neighborhood

Tre and the furries

Just thought these leaves were cool, all caked in ice

Me and my furries


Thankfully, we had just had our drafty upstairs windows replaced a couple days before the snow arrived. Here are the old ones that were left on the side of the house. I thought they looked rather picturesque!


Some grass covered in snow and ice...so lovely


A snowy bough

The St. John's Police station on a snowy eve. I love how you can actually see the snow falling!

Surprise!

Yep, that's what you think it is. An ultrasound picture. The fuzzy peanut in the middle is a baby. And surprisingly enough, this is MY uterus.

I know.

I freaked out too!

We were definitely NOT trying. We had other things on our minds...trips we wanted to take, projects we wanted to do around the house...all this 'stuff' to get done before we 'settled down' enough to start a family.

SURPRISE!

I'm 15 weeks along now. Over the nausea and GI issues. Now on to headaches and migraines...woo hoo! We have our big ultrasound in mid-February where they'll check all the physical structures and take lots and lots of measurements. This is also the ultrasound where we could find out the gender...but we've decided to keep that a surprise...at least we hope to refrain for begging the ultrasound tech to "TELL US!" We'll see how that goes!

So, Tre and I are going to have a baby! I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything...but I still have several months to process before this new little Clayton, whom we affectionately call 'Monkey' , will enter our world.

Our lives are a changin'!