Snow Days

As I last posted, we started getting snow late Tuesday night. From Wednesday to today (Friday), we've had school off. Although I like having time off to rest, I'm not too enthused about making any days up. Below are some pictures from Wednesday night. This is right outside our front door...I wasn't going to venture any farther.I took advantage of having the mornings together and made yummy fruity pancakes while Tim made bacon. Mmmm so good!
Since I left my report cards at school, I decided to put my extra time toward getting ready for baby. Thankfully, Tim was able to work from home a couple days so he did all the heavy lifting. We set up the Pack n' Play in our bedroom, dressed the crib, washed and put away clothes, and organized. The only furniture we have left to purchase and assemble is the bookcase and rocker. Below is a picture of Tim after a job well done!
As you can see we still have a lot to do. But at least we have the essentials done, so if she comes early we won't be stranded. So some friends who weren't able to come to my showers have asked about what we still need. We need whatever is still on our Babies R Us and Target registries. We have enough newborn onesies, but we need more one-piece body play outfits (below is picture). You can also buy clothes in bigger sizes. If you purchase anything that will go in her mouth (pacifiers, etc) please make sure it is American made. We're buying those things from a special website. Anything and everything is much appreciated :)

Birthday Wish?

Yesterday was my wonderful husband Tim's 31st birthday! He celebrated early in DC with the guys Monday night, and took Tuesday (his birthday) off. Apparently, he spent his special day playing video games, computer games, and eating honey nut cheerios. He's still a boy at heart :)

We celebrated his day with dinner at our favorite steak restaurant Rays the Steaks! If you live in VA and haven't gone, you definatly need to go! It is amazing food, better than Ruths Chris, and a more casual atmosphere. Two dinners and two glasses of wine usually runs you about $100, which is not bad for this area. So enough free publicity... I got my usual filet minon with blue cheese sauce and Tim got the 28 oz porterhouse. The waitress cautioned him about the size, but he was determined. My mid-western husband put that steak away like nobody's business, and shocked the waitress!

After dinner, we headed back home. I quickly made dark chocolate brownies and topped them with mint chocolate chip ice cream, all Tim's favorite desserts. Then we watched a Star Trek marathon... yes Star Trek. He loves it, and it was his birthday :)

As we were getting ready for bed, I remember the weather report of possible snow overnight. I was feeling really pregnant yesterday and wished really hard for a day off to rest, or at least extra sleep in the morning. So I woke up this morning, and what do I see... SNOW! Not a lot here in the city, but enough for a snow day in the suburbs! I couldn't believe it! I read the emergency announcement online at least 5 times to make sure I was correct. So I am writing to you in my pajama's and wishing all my fellow teachers a Happy Snow Day!!

PS- I had an amazing baby shower at school on Monday, so hopefully I'll have pictures to post soon :)

Please pray for a friend...

A coworker, I'll just call her D, lost her husband on Friday. He was not sick. He had a cardiac arrest with no known cause. She is pregnant with their first child who is due in May. Her and I joked that we kept copying each other. We were married the same year, and our first children were due the same year. She is an amazing sweet woman who always had a smile on her face and a heart for our low-income families. Please pray for her, and especially her child. Many studies show that the stress of death can have immediate impact on the fetus' development. Thank you so very much for all the prayers I know you send her way!

Showered with Love

On Saturday, my good friend Jessica threw me a wonderful baby shower! My aunt and six friends came over for yummy food and games. I told Jess that I didn't really care what we played, just not the melted candy bar in the diaper game (gross!). We filled in the blank of nursery rhymes, racked up points in a purse scavenger hunt, and tried not to say "baby." My favorite was the onezie decorating contest. Each lady decorated a white onezie with puff paint, and they all turned out pretty cute!The day also came with two surprises! Gorgeous long steam pink and red roses delivered from my amazing husband! And my mom attended the shower via Skype! (Thank you again Jess for helping her with that). I know my mom was sad she couldn't be there, but the computer was the second best thing. My dad even popped in for a sec to say hi :)

Then we went downstairs and opened lots of presents! We got various little things, lots of cute girly outfits, the crib bedding, and baby essentials.Brinkley was really excited about all the presents (especially the bows and paper)!This was my piggy bank when I was little, which my mom received at the baby shower for me!

We ended the event with good conversation and a big cookie cake and Jess' famous chess-cake squares.

After everyone left, we had TONS of food leftover. When Tim came home with a friend from watching football at the bar, they were pleasantly surprised by the feast I had out for them! We even had enough food for lunch and dinner with Jess on Sunday, and lunch and dinner on Monday! I'm reluctantly going to take the remaining desserts to work tomorrow :)

PS- Are there enough photos Kendall? Love you!

33 Weeks

Today marks 33 weeks! This means that we officially have less than 2 months to go...holy crap! I feel the same way I did just before our wedding...more stress than excitement but trying to cherish the time. I had a melt down yesterday when I realized this will be the last 7 weeks when it will only be Tim and I! So we spent the day window shopping while sipping coffee and treating ourselves to a nice lunch. We ended the afternoon with a trip to Babies R Us. We spent half an hour in their rocking chairs having a good conversation about finances and logistics. I was very thankful to the employee who let us just hang out.

On Tuesday, I had another checkup. Everything is looking good! Little Miss is measuring on target and moving a lot. I usually gain about a pound a week, but with the holidays that went up a bit. I've gained a total of 20 pounds since my six week appointment. I'm hoping to not exceed 30 pounds, because anything past 20 pounds is mine to loose. One of the midwives I have seen several times is wonderful! I told her about how I'm stressing out, and she gave me a quick free sonogram. I got to see Little Miss and her chubby cheeks, which quickly put me at ease :)

On Thursday, Tim and I went to our first of two child birthing classes. Our class is the express class of two three-hour sessions at our hospital. Neither of us wanted to attended the classes that last four to six sessions. So there were about six other couples who are all having their first child. We went over the signs of true labor, when to call your dr, stage one of labor, and some breathing techniques. It was actually pretty good! It wasn't scary, and time went by quickly. Next week, we go over stage two of labor (pushing) and I think we might have to watch the infamous birthing video... yuck!

Next Saturday, my good friend Jess is throwing me my first baby shower! I'm really excited to have some much needed girl time :)

A little time to rant...blame it on the hormones

Why do strangers and women I barely know think it's ok to tell me about every little freakin' thing they know about pregnancy?! Do I want to know about how you powered through labor without drugs? No, I am perfectly ok with my decision to get an epidural. Do I want to know about how I better breastfeed? No, I'm already planning on that. Do I want to hear about your neighbor's baby who died from SIDS? Absolutely not!

Here is how a recent interaction went with a coworker I hardly know because she is part-time and awful so I try to avoid her...

I reach for a croisont at our monthly staff breakfast
Her: Are you eating healthy?
Me: (laugh) Yes, for the most part.
Her: (looking at my breakfast choice) Well you really should.
I reach for a single donut hole.
Her: You know, if you eat too much sugar the baby will be allergic to a lot of things.
Me: Uh huh
I reach for some fruit (which I was already planning on eating)
Her: Yes, the baby can have terrible skin if you eat too much sugar.
Me: Uh huh
By now I'm trying to walk away
Her: Are you going to have a natural child birth?
Me: ( polite laugh) No, I plan on having an epidural.
Her: Oh no, you should have a natural one. I did and it was fine. You should too. It's what is best.
I decided she was not going to take a hint, so I just walked away.

It is crappy people like that who make pregnancy sometimes a drag. I am not a walking poster of "Come talk to me about something very personal." I love being pregnant! But I hate everyone's two cents that comes with it!

PS- This does not pertain to the women I love and care about :)