Who Doesn't Love Oreos?

Oreo has never been what you might call "normal". When I moved in with Alex Oreo was about 3 or 4 and I could tell it was going to take some time for he and I to get used to each other as I'm not totally a dog gal...

But as you can see, his personality is hard not to love and his choices of sleeping positions and places is more then creative.

I give you (as loveinly second named by Paige last year) Oreo Mc CookiePants

As A Puppy

So we don't forget him, he packed himself.
When You're comfy, you're comfy!

Oreo "being Green" he recycles by using anything, including garbage bags, to sleep on.
He's now-a-days commonly found on top of jackets, shoes and bags near the front door.
When he was younger, he could fit anywhere - and now that he's older he still thinks he can it just takes a little more time to get himself out of places....
And lastly, I never did understand how either of these positions were comfortable, but until the rug full of shoes and coats was around here is where we would find him. Just like this.
Happy Howl-Days Everyone!

It's Got To Be A Girl

As of late, I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping, anything food related has made me run in the opposite direction and because of that I haven't been putting on weight.

All of this was a bit odd to me. I didn't remember any of this from my last 2 rounds of being pregnant (though admittedly my long term memory can be patchy and I often remember odd and useless things over the helpful.) and of course went in to the doc to be reassured I'm not a total lunatic (I'm not...so shush!)....as it turns out I didn't even need the doctors appointment. If I had just pulled out my keepsake calendar I used while pregnant with Paige in 2004, I would have had all the reassurance I needed - and realized I was probably having a girl again....

Here's a short run down on my 40 weeks pregnant with Paige, see the purple info next to the weeks to see whats going on with me NOW compared to then which is in black.....


WEEK 6 - I was 7 and 3/4 toilet paper squares around I started out at 8 and 1/4 this pregnancy
(in my due date club we all measured on Tuesdays how many squares we were, it was the only thing in the house we all had the same thing of - it was called Toilet Paper Tuesday)

WEEK 7 - Started not being able to sleep at night, wasn't hungry for anything.

WEEK 13 - Already had the baby's room painted! Right now, we don't even know where we're going to actually PUT this baby let alone have the room painted!

WEEK 17 - Wore first Maternity clothes, but could still wear my regular stuff mostly. Yeah, I was in maternity clothes this time around at 10 week!

WEEK 23 - FINALLY put on 5 pounds. Baby's heart rate was 150

WEEK 26 - 9 Toilet Paper Squares around At 14 weeks this time I'm already 9 and 1/4

WEEK 30 - Baby Shower

WEEK 32 - Put on 10 pounds, baby's heart rate was 150

WEEK 38 - Last recorded Toilet Paper Measure - at a 10

WEEK 40 - Baby born

So far this baby's heart rate has been about 150. I can't sleep, all food is gross....we'll see how long it takes me to put on that sacred 5 lbs...

I don't recall any of this with pregnancy number 1, even though it was so long ago. I do very much remember being bellied up to the counter of Joseph's Restaurant in Stillwater MN, slamming back milk shakes, baskets of fires and fresh strawberry pie almost EVERY day! I'm guessing that weight gain thing wasn't an issue with the boy....and even though I was 17 I don't recall nor does my family whom I lived with at the time, of me having any sleepless nights...

I'm pretty much convinced it's a Girl.

(**Picture is of 14 weeks pregnant, NOW)

Other Peoples Children

Before I start let me apologize for being gone for so long. I fear that most of what I wanted to say (in a pregnant rage usually) would have gotten me in a little bit of trouble with friends and family for sure! Haha. Not to mention that there's been nothing of major greatness happening around here but sleepless night, gift wrapping and eating....

What I want to say....oh lets face it...complain about....today is simple. And it's something I have been noticing since Paige started Pre-K. I can not handle other peoples kids. Outside the handful of kids I know and am used to in my own family or belong to my friends, who I accept for their great personalities and quirks...other peoples kids annoy the pants off me.

I find myself sitting in awe at some of the the ways these children behave in front of their parents while waiting to be let into the classroom. Are the parents too tired to even bother as the child will be off for 2 hours in a matter of minutes? Or do they really not even bother at home either. This questions plagues me.

Just so you don't think, like a certain sister-in-law I have does (wink wink!) that I'm simply being a Nazi mom :0) Let me give you an example.

Paige was sitting on the floor trying as hard as a 4 year old could to get those huge winter boots off her feet. She was mostly done with boot number one, when out of no where "Boy" came flying at her, tackled her, smacked her head into the ground behind her then got up and claimed it was a hug, but then told another boy seconds later he meant to hurt her. Paige, tears in her eyes looked to me for help and I of course first look to his mother who saw the whole thing. She stared blankly at me, so I said " 'Boy' we don't knock people over like that, Paige got hurt" He could have cared less and went on to stomp on and knock over 3 other kids before his mother chimed in " 'Boy' remember to ask before hugging"

Hugging? What kind of family do you have? I understand for all intents and purposes that boys are usually a bit more rough then girls, but that doesn't mean you can fail to teach them manners and it's a scape goat. Paige was obviously a bit scared of this, rather small boy mind you because all in all, she holds her own quite well with her boy cousins who she very much enjoys rough housing with.

On top of that, the blatant not listening to simple directions "Please wait over there" being repeated 10 times while you watch the teachers aid try not to explode with anger because you know she would have handed out a time out by attempt 2, or the nastiness in which some kids speak to their parents....at 4! ALl of this totally blows my mind.

Paige tried that obnoxious attitude today with me after 2 kids we snottily talking to their parents then to each other, I mentioned I forgot to give her something this morning and Paige looked at me and said "Mom, I was not talking to you!" and shot me a look she shouldn't even know until she was 15....so I replied "We don't talk to our parents like that Paige, and we'll just skip that candy when we get home instead ok?"

She didn't even argue she sat quietly and said she was sorry. And a few moms across the way looked at me like "How'd you do that?" Was a bit rough because she was only following suit...maybe but I won't tolerate 2 things, back talk and direct and intended violence on another.

I'm in NO way saying my way is right, or the best by any means, I could be doing things all wrong for all I know. And maybe each mom and dad at this school is a little tough about laying down rules at home but doesn't want to seem rude in public...who knows (although sorry, I do highly doubt that...). All I do know is if my kid intentionally meant to hurt another by tackling them and smacking their head into the ground there would be a time out for sure with no question, certainly not a "That wasn't a very good decision now was it?" with a smile on my face.....if I were a kid that would be to me an opportunity to see how many more times I could get away with it before a punishment was laid out....

School isn't meant to raise your kids for you people, it's supposed to teach them the fundamentals of learning. You still have to do your job at home!

Ugh, you know I realized I'm not annoyed by other peoples kids....it's the parents....

POP!

About a week ago I noticed I was significantly larger then the previous week. Normal, yes for pregnancy - not so much for someone who, at the time was only barely over 10 weeks.

Forgive the terrible photo, I had to take it myself - but as you can see from the 2 photos below - the 8 week photo I'm a little "bump-ish" and then in this photo I am 10 wks 3 days...so 2 weeks later and POP!


I'm now 11 weeks, and hoping that things taper off a bit. If I keep growing at this rate I won't be able to fit through my front door by the time the baby is due!

The Belly

Just so that everyone can keep up with my weight gain (haha), I'm going to to start posting the belly photos....watch me grow!

Here's photo number one at 4 weeks - since we were trying to conceive we knew on the first possible day that we were expecting...
And here I am at 8 weeks - they say you pop out sooner if this is your 2nd or 3rd pregnancy. Apparently so.....

When Ignorance is Bliss, Try a Little Logic.

I don't claim to be the smartest person in the world. I happen to know him, he lives in Denmark and is currently studying in Liverpool....and him I am not....:0) Sorry I realize that may only be funny and/or cute to a small group of people...

Anyway, like I was saying, I don't claim to be. I don't claim to know everything about everything, but I would like to think I know a little something about a lot of stuff. For instance, I know there isn't any risk to my unborn child if I have an ultrasound. I know this, based on logic. I can logically state that if there was a significant chance of it, my doctor and the millions of other doctors around the worlds wouldn't do hundreds of them a day. And because I have never once heard of a deformed baby being born and the cause being it's routine 20 week ultrasound.

Logic.

Why do I bring something like this up. Because I host a board of pregnant woman, and today one reminded me of this couple I met in birthing class 5 years ago, when I was pregnant with Paige. It wasn't her, per say that reminded me of them more of the whirling mind of mine that remembered this couple in a strange "8 Degrees of Kevin Bacon" kind of way.

This couple was the "Green" couple, and back then when green wasn't the new black...it was just annoying. She sat there sipping her wheat gluten shake while he tapped his obnoxiously clean penny loafers on the carpet. Blah. I remember joking with Paige's dad that they were probably all normal in public but that the scarf on her neck was covering up asphyxiation marks from weird sex fantasies.

I thought this until they asked the teacher a question, and pretty much staged a coup, yes....a coup about a typical medical device they would refuse to use. When we were touring the birthing center, we were shown the Uterian Contraction Monitor that they attach to your tummy to read contractions during labor. This couple started off slowly by asking questions about the radioactive waves that could harm the baby. WHAT!? There's no radio active waves!

The doctor showing us around assured them there was no harm possible to the baby with this contraption. They went on to state they would not use it in the hospital, nor ultra sounds or even the fetal doppler to detect a heart beat. All non evasive ways of determining the heath of the baby and when it's coming....things of that nature.

I think at this point the doctor was flabergasted and was left with only one thing to say, to which I wanted to applaud. He told them if they didn't want to use current, up-to-date and state of the art equipment for the birth of their child, they should seek out delivering at home with a doula or mid-wife because delivering at the hospital could only get "so low tech".

The couples response about floored me. They stated they didn't want to take the chance of delivering at home and there being a problem with the baby and it needing to go to the NICU. Apparently medical equipment can only harm the baby before it was born. And might I point out, had they had any of the routine things done like ultrasounds and heartbeat detection they would KNOW if there was a problem and they could have prepared for it....LOGIC!

Ignorance. It apparently can stem solely from not taking the 15 minutes to research something on that wonderful thing called the internet or asking a medical professional. Hear one thing, see it on the cover of a tabloid and WALL AH! It's the newest craze.

So after that story I ask you to PLEASE, for the sake of all things human when you hear something, research it before jumping on the bandwagon! And by research I mean, read opposing studies too, not just one...thats not research...that's called believing everything you read.

Honestly, I think that if I actually have to read one more hocus pocus study that the amount of rain fall in your area can be linked to Autism, or that an ultrasound can harm your baby, or that jumping up and down or frequent movement will give the unborn baby, Shaken Baby Syndrome - I might scream. Back it up with cold hard medical facts and studies and I'll believe it. Until then I will logically keep listening to my doctor, and trust in the medical profession as a whole. Hell, I didn't go to school for this. Why go if I'm not going to listen to them?

So Far This Season!

I have been busy, making a wedding invite and holiday cards for friends and family. Here's are a few of the holiday cards I have whipped up for them :0)

For Cally & Nick and sweetie pie, little Cooper.

For my wonderful new inlaws :0)

For the Beautiful Jen who helped so much with my wedding!

And yours could be next! I'm having such fun with it this year! And even though I'm extra busy with the baby,being sick (fun!), BabyZone hosting and creating, and the house....it's still so much fun!

First Impressions.

On Saturday I wasn't feeling well, and not in a pregnant kind of way. I was sure I was getting strep. Something all the other members of the family managed to dodge when Paige brought it home from pre-k.

I had an eye doctors appointment that morning I wasn't going to miss, because Alex's was right after mine and if I rescheduled one he would want me to do both and I wasn't waiting another month for a Saturday appointment there. Luckily they didn't dilate my eyes, because I'm early on in the pregnancy so one of us was able to drive when we were through. Alex on the other hands looked rather humorous trying to read the prices on the frames in the lobby, I often had to go up and help him as he brought it closer, then further away from his face...squinting. Poor guy.

We zipped off to a local Minute Clinic when we'd both picked out glasses, to find out what was wrong with me. Medically...not mentally.

I didn't think about it at the time, but Alex and I must have been quite the sight. His eyes were dilated to "cartoon character" levels and I looked like I had track marks on my arm from all the blood thats been drawn from me over the past 2 months. I even remember for not particular reason telling the nurse, while she took my blood pressure, how I was surprised I was always bruised on that arm and not my other, laughing about it and yapping away. Just like a druggie would do when trying to cover something up.

I'm sure they were extra pleased to find out the addicts were pregnant.

I don't think I'll be going back there any time soon.

The Strep Test by the way, was positive...but I'm getting better!

The Holter Monitor

I called the nurse the other day to see if the heart palpitations I was having were normal, expecting a yes as the answer.

I didn't get so lucky.

Even though my sister, an expert in heart conditions in my book....okay so she didn't go to medical school but she had surgery and that makes her pretty smart to me......said that she remembered the same thing in her pregnancy and all the girls I asked on Baby Zone said it was normal...I was feeling good about things.

They had me come in, were a little perturbed that I couldn't make it in that day and said it was really important. I didn't have a car! I wasn't hoofing it to Stillwater for crying out loud! Made sure to freak me out by telling me if I was short of breath or losing consciousness I needed to be seen asap.

So I did what any responsable parent would do - taught my 4 year old how to dial 911 and hoped she wouldn't need it. Luckily she didn't, because even though I posted the number by the phone, in quizzing her through out the day she consistently got the number wrong.

So I ended up going in the next day as promised, which was actually yesterday (you keeping up?) and the doc decided to hook me up to this Holtor Monitor for 24 hours. No big deal, other then I feel a bit like the back side of our entertainment center with all these wires, and they had to sand paper the areas where the 5 connectors went on my body.

They also did blood tests, and as I didn't get a call yesterday I'm confident that means nothing was standing out as a huge issue...fingers crossed.

I have to return the monitor to the clinic today and hopefully will have info back in a week or so...I'll keep you all updated!

Olive You!

I'm officially 9 weeks along! My little "Bean" has graduated from embryo to fetus and looks a lot more like a human then a small tadpole.

It's roughly the size of a medium green olive. Maybe I should change the baby's pet name from "Mr Bean" to "Olive" :0)

I have also found my two new food cravings....mmmmm food! I had fried pickles at Hooters today, could totally eat those day after day!!! And my tummy calmer is apple cinnamon instant oatmeal...;0) Don't think I will ever eat them together but you never know...hahaha !

Hopefully with this new found tummy calmer and the momentous occasion of my first trimester being over I will find more time to blog, about more things then just my pregnancy!

Useless.

Is it just me, or are baby names books totally useless? I picked one up last night that has 60,000 name in it.

60,000.

You would think that from that I would be having some luck...but it turns out that at least 75% of the names in the book are either Japanese, Korean, Chinese, or Vietnamese. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against those cultures it's just that since I am an all American white girl, of mostly Irish decent I'm probably not going to name my child Hyun Mi.

On each of the pages of this book, I have found maybe 2 names that don't fall into those categories. I have to scroll the page, looking at it's origin before even reading the name.

Luckily the book was only $5.99, yet I must admit I am still disappointed. If there is a wonderful Asian woman out there, pregnant with out a clue what to name their child, I have a great book for you! And I'm happy to ship it to you!

Mr. Bean.

I'd like to introduce you all to Mr. Bean. It might be a funny thing to call you're unborn baby, but trust me it's far better then the "bBlly Bob" Alex was calling it...lol.


Now it's not actually that bog black blob, for those of you who don't look at a lot of ultrasounds. It's actually that tiny little speck in there. Squint, and you'll see it.

I'm only 6 weeks a long....what more do you want from me! :0)

I'm perfectly healthy and my hCG levels (the 3rd run) are in at 26,396! At 6 weeks a long, thats good. So good my wonderful doctor took the time to tell me today that she's not ruling out twins just yet because of it.

So who knows, maybe my grandmother was right....maybe there will be a Mr and Ms Bean...I'll have a whole set! LOL.

Until next time!

Holy Cow, I Neglected You!

Things have been busy around here lately! I'm so sorry I haven't posted anything. I say this as if people are actually anxiously awaiting my updates....how vain am I...lol!

Well we are still pregnant! That'ds always a good thing. I had a doctors appontment (DA) early this week with a ultrasouns (u/s). They couldn't really see anything int he u/s because I wasn't far enough along, but they saw enough to measure a bit, and just little enough to make me panic...lol.

I had my hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) levels drawn on Tuesday and was to get results on Wednesday.....that didn't happen, they took enough blood but ut it in the wrong vile and were not able to use it. So I had to go in on Wednesday for another draw and they marked it "stat" and I had my results of the first draw, the base line in an hour. It was 7,748! Just a note, I'm only 5 weeks or so, and the average for that week of pregnancy is 18 - 7,340, I'm above average!

I had my second draw today, the number in a normal healthy pregnancy will have doubled in the 48 hours between blood draws. And they have! They are at 14,189! Woo Hoo!!!

So far things are going great, so much so that I am hosting a Due Date Club for moms due in June 2009, on the great BabyZone and I'm really excited about it because I have been using this site since 2003 when I found out I was pregnant with Paige. It's pretty much why I haven't been around, I've been trying to get my bearings over there. I promise I won't leave you hanging this long anymore!

I'm off to clean and find something to eat!

Road Trip!

As you may have noticed from my last blog, Alex and I went to Duluth to see Rodney Carrington this past weekend. We had a great drive up, it only took about an hour and a half to get there. I don't know how fast Alex was going....I kept passed out like a sophomore at a frat party about half way up.

When we got into town we found out hotel we booked through Orbitz, to save money we opted for a Motel....sad I know. I should have known things were not going to go so well when we asked to have the wireless internet charge added to our room for the 2 days we would be there and were told that "It's not yet available in the smoking rooms"

IT'S WIRELESS!?

So we asked for a non-smoking room, because we requested one in the first place, and were told that there were none available. Why is it no matter what room type you ask for you almost never get it?

We just decided to let it go and made it up the death stairs to our room. Before the door was completely opened I was gagging. Yay for pregnancy gag reflex!

The beds I kid you not, sagged in the middle and the comforters were so worn and gross it was like they had never been washed. The room smelled like someone chain smoked a carton of smokes, sealed the room then opened 150 years later..HACK! I'm going to puke just thinking about it. I don't even want to think about what I would have found with a black light in there...

Needless to say, we left, got our money back and checked into a much nicer place that was double the cost per night, but clean.

Things went well after the motel from hell experiance, here's a few shots from the weekend!

Our Upgraded Hotel from the crap Motel. The Suites in Duluth, every room has a jacuzzi in the bedroom, a mini kitchen complete with plates, cuts, silverware, everything. It was great! A little plain....but more like your first apartment!

I look like pure crap in this photo...I believe if you look hard enough my undies are even hanging out...but I post it to point out that I had to perch the camera on a rock, push the timer button , run downhill on jagged rocks in my Converse (no traction) PREGNANT to take it...and this was take 2 because the first time I didn't hit the timer button hard enough. Alex could have jumped in....lol realized that AFTER the pic was taken.

Here's the Largest Boat on the Great Lakes coming into harbor at Duluth. It was INSAINE! I thought it was going to take out the lift bridge more then once!

The Lift Bridge, that the boat above went under.

The Glensheen Mansion in Duluth - beautiful! This is the front door.

Stone Bridge on Glensheen property that lead to the Scandinavian Cemetary

Arbor in the garden - I want one of these in my yard!

Engor Park, on the top of Duluth. This tower is there and it's cool...but hiking up those stairs was annoying! LOL And man it was windy!

shot from the top!

Pssst....Hey Dude.....

I had to get a picture of this, it cracked me up! While out at dinner at Old Chicago in Duluth Alex nd I saw this guy playing Big Buck Hunter, a hunting video game for those who don't know.

I guess someone forgot to tell him that he didn't need to wear camouflage, the deer can't see him because it's just a game...

That's Funny - Week 4

I've been zipping around the internet looking at all the baby sites I used to look at when I was pregnant with Paige, and some new ones and came across a great site with a weekly pregnancy comic that is too funny!

Babygaga Comics has a great way of making light of all the hormonal, uncomfortable and not so pleasant aspects of being pregnant. I think that they are so funny I have add them to my blog!

Here's Week 4!

credit - babygaga.com

My Eggo Is Preggo

Yup! It really is! I had given up hope on this month and written it off, and then yesterday on the way home from my moms I just didn't feel right. I was suddenly overcome with a wave of sudden fatigue. I almost passed out driving, and that wasn't fun as my daughter was with me. I began to panic a little because of it and was so glad to finally pull into the driveway.

I figured "Eh, I'll take this last test and see what it says"

I was more then shocked when I saw this:

My due Date is June 13th, and we're really excited...still a little shocked...even though we were trying...but shocked :-)

How Rude!

One of my favorite lines from TV was when on Full House, Stephanie would say "How Rude!" I think that I should have little recorder on me at all times that plays because I seem to always find away to get the one employee/person who's only goal that day is to avoid helping me any way they can and generally is pretty snobby about it too.

This happened to me yesterday with a bank employee, who's name I sadly don't recall or you'd better believe I'd have it up here! I called a near by branch to discuss an issue I was having with my account. Since my bank is still located in Wisconsin I do all my stuff over the phone or online. It's been working out great, until yesterday when I got "Cranky Pants McGee" on the phone.

I had an issue with my account, a strange check had been written for a strange amount of money, and normally when I click on the check number in my online backing account, it will show me a photo of said check. This way I can see that, yes I actually wrote it out and ohhhh look there's my signature. Well this strange check, and this strange amount of money combined with the fact that there was no image of the check, worried me. As it would and should anyone...

I explained the situation to "Cranky Pants" who was mostly delightful still at this point. After my detailed explanation of why I was worried her response to me was an annoyed "Okay?"

So I tried again, cliff notes version this time. Bear in mind this call to the bank is long distance, so every minute she spends being stupid, it's costing me!

She clicked on her keyboard a second, and said "I'm sorry there's no image available of that check."

Thank you Capitan Obvious.

Once more, this time very carefully I asked the same questions I had been asking "Yes I understand that, that is the problem, I need to know what that check is. Since you guys have the check I would like to know if you can look as I don't remember writing a check for that amount.

"Well ma'am, if you wrote in your check ledger then you would know what it was" she replied.

That one stopped me in my tracks. It took everything I had not to climb through the phone and slap her with my shoe.

Since now I was obviously having to defend myself, and we were no longer actually discussing my bank account I went into a lengthy description about how I don't ever, and I mean EVER write checks. How I use the the online banking to keep track of things and how I just changed my name and shredded my old checks so I didn't have the duplicates.

She clicked on her computer again and the conversation that happened next was probably the most ridiculous conversation I have ever had over $2.00. (Grumpy Pants McGee is in italics, so you can keep things straight)

"Well I can tell you what the check is"

Oh thank GOD!

"Thank you" I said

"For $2.00" she replied

"Excuse me?"

"Yes ma'am it's a $2 fee"

"Since when?"

"Always ma'am"

"Okay, then how come every check in the past that have written shows up on my account no problem and I have never had a fee for those?"

"Ma'am I don't know"

"Is that part of the online checking free? The click on the check number, see the image thing?"

"Yes ma'am"

"Then why are you trying to charge me for something that's free?"

"It's policy Ma'am."

"It's the banks policy to charge me for something free, when I've called because I'm worried about possible fraud on my account?"

"Ma'am you can speak to my manager but it's $2.00, and he will tell you the same thing."

"Will that check ever show up on my account"

"Yes ma'am by the end of the week"

"So why didn't you tell me that instead of trying to charge me for something that's free?"

"You didn't ask ma'am"

AARRRRGGGHHHH!

Is it really that difficult for people to do their job these days! Isn't that what she gets paid for, I don't frickin' work there. Needless to say I called another branch, and was told what check it was 15 minutes later after a little digging. No $2 fee. No sarcasm. No bitchiness

I sure wish I remember her name, I'm in the mood to write a strongly worded letter to her boss.

BFN!

It's another Jargon lesson from Amber! You might need these in following th pursuit of us TTC, should you ever find yourself a bit confused and looking for some help - simply go to the labels on the right, and choose "Jargon"

BFN = Big Fat Negative
BFP - Big Fat Positive
TTC - Trying to conceive
BD - Baby Dance (you can figure out what I mean by that on your own!)
POAS - Pee On A Stick (take a preg. test...duh)
(Hey I don't make them up - I just use them on the chat boards and on here....lol)
AF - "Aunt Flo" (you know, mother natures "gift")

That should get you started.

I know, I'm continually trying to confuse you with, what seems to be almost text message like phrasing on things. Well I assure you, that at least as far as the baby jargon goes, it has been around much longer the then OMG's and AYFKM's of the world (10 point to any NON texter over the age of 30 who can tell me what those are...lol) ..now onto the actual blog...

Well today's blog is called BFN for a reason, it's exactly what I got this morning when I POAS. I know I'm 4 days out yet from testing, but the box says "results 4 days sooner" and to be honest I'm not really good at waiting...not a strong point for me.

So I planned it all out last night, yes it takes planning. See every morning I have to go to the bathroom at about 5 am. (Never fails!) Well...I didn't exactly think that I would be at my highest coordination level at 5 am, and decided that I probably didn't want to attempt to POAS at that time, it would have ended up a POAH....ewww! What was my totally brilliant idea......hold it in.

Yes this is why I don't work for NASA.

I waited until about 8 am when Alex got up and stumbled into the bathroom like I was drunk, fumbled with the package and POAS. I didn't even wait the whole 2 minutes, or whatever the timing is...it was BFN, and I tossed it in the trash. That line is either starting to faintly show up almost instantaneously, or it's not there and won't be unless you draw the damn line on yourself! I climbed back into bed swearing I wouldn't test again unless AF decided not to visit this month. And I certainly wouldn't be holding it in anymore either because I was in a good amount of pain when I got up at 8 am from that zinger of an idea.

All was well until my conscious got the best of me. Go look at the test again, it said. Double check...it said....has anyone found a shut of button for that voice yet...I was trying to sleep!

After 10 minutes of this I got back up, OUCH! pain from holding it in was still there. Walked like Hugh Laurie in House with out his cane to the bathroom. (Hey I could some of that vicodin) and fished the test out of the trash. Still BFN. Gee sure am glad I made the trip for that.

Back to bed. I limped. After washing my hands of course.

Want To See My Pic?

Of course you do....if you don't already stalk or follow my Wedding Blog (and thank you to those who do) you can zip over to Trip To The Altar and check out my professional wedding pictures, they are being added daily and in sets! So keep checking back!

ALSO - Shameless promotion on my part....

Please let me make you're holiday cards this year!

- $35.00 Flat Rate

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I'll even show you inexpensive and high quality places to order you're cards from! Spend .19 - .89 a card depending on where you order from!

Become a Follower of this and my Trip to The Alter Blog and receive $5.00 off!!!

Tag Your It!

I got "tagged" today by Hwong14 of Holy #$!% We're Engaged! So here you go hun!

4 Things I Did Today

1. Drove Paige to pre-school
2. Went to Dairy Queen for huge ice cream sundaes!
3. Played at the park at White Bear Lake
4. Went to dinner with my husband at one of our local favorites - Bear Town

4 Things On My To Do List

1. Take pregnancy test in 7 days - who would have ever thought that I would bee looking forward to that time of the month and praying that "Aunt Flo" doesn't come!!! This two week wait to test is insane and I have to admit I've tested 2 times already during it....getting a BFN (Big Fat Negative) both times....



2. Finish the thank you cards and continue to kick myself for not writing down a few peoples address'. Sometimes I irritate myself.

3. List a few of Paige's items on ebay for sale and hope that I didn't wait to long to sell them and that I will get a ton of money for the :-)

4. Sleep in tomorrow because after this week, zoloft withdrawals a possibly (and hopeful, but doubtful) pregnancy and being run ragged by my four year old who is with her dad this weekend I DESERVE IT!!!

4 Of My Guiltiest Pleasures

1. People Magazine and I finally got myself a subscription to it! But I don't want to say too much on that because I planned to blog about that tomorrow...


2. Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia Ice Cream. I seriously can. and have eaten an entire pint in one sitting! My favorite part is getting a big huge-mungous cherry chunk! Mmmm they really need to put more in there, even if they just sold it as a limited time offer thing!!!

I have also (totally not pregnant at the time) found it very good to eat with Flamin' Hot Cheeto's, not like ON it but eat a few hot Cheeto's then cool everything off with the ice cream - I know it sounds weird...mmm but you have to try it!


3. Relax Riesling. It's sometimes hard to find but when you do...mmmm. You know how some couples have songs, well Alex and I have a wine! It was one we shared in the early days of our dating and one we continue to enjoy as often as possible!

4. The clearance racks at American Eagle and Gap! I know, lame right. Most people would say "shopping" flat out, but I'm frugal and realistic...so I'm telling the truth! I really do love them, because the only thing better then getting new clothes, is getting that at a deal!!!

4 Random Facts About Me:

1. I am legally blind in one eye, and I have been since I was 10 days old. Even stranger, it took until I was 26 to find out that it was actual legal blindness and could never be changed or fixed. Talk about waiting for a diagnosis!

2. I have been to 13 countries including Russia, Poland, England and Newfoundland.

3. I was in The Mighty Ducks Two and met Joshua Jackson (oh Pacey!) and Aaron Lohr (you won't remember him unless you loved the movie and also saw Newsies...love that movie!) You can see me in the wide screen version of the movies sitting directly behind the hockey players bench on several scenes and when I realized this, in the theater I jumped up and screamed. It was my dream to be on that screen in a movie....and while it's not exactly the extent I hoped for...but it will totally do! Plus...I met PACEY (I was a Dawsons Creek fan, bet you can't tell)

4. My great Aunt Elizabeth Quinlin was the first woman to EVER run her own department store, building it from the ground up and traveling all over the world for materials and items to sell at her high end store The Young Quinlin Store in Minneapolis. The building still stands to this day and it's beautifully restored and part of a great shpoping strip in Mpls!


And now, it's time for me to TAG you! Here's my 4 Blogs I chose to do this as well....so get blogging gals!

The Grundmans

Wedding Poop

The Sunnier Side

I'm No Movie Critic, But.......

Alex and I are members of Netflix, and I totally love it. 3 movies at a time means 1 that Alex likes, 1 I like and 1 for Paige...works out great! The trouble is, now that we don't actually have to pay $5 per rental and risk late fees or "restocking fees" as they now call it, we're a lot less picky about what we watch and basically just try to see everything new that comes out. So sometimes we get all excited about a movie, only to sit there dumbfounded when it's over a little upset we'll never get that 90minuts of our life back. Last night was one of those nights.

We watched 2 movies, one with Paige, called "Another Cinderella Story" staring Selena Gomez, who is also in one of Paige's favorite TV shows Wizards of Waverly Place on Disney. And "Prom Night", a horror flick, because I love my horror flicks!

"Another Cinderella Story" was sadly the best out of the two. I say sadly only because I'm 28 and I shouldn't have liked it as much as I did, and be admitting it publicly for that matter. Now, don't worry, the fact that I am picking a tween-ish aged movie over an adult movie is bothering me a little too. I don't know if it's because I liked the music in it, the fact that I used to dance and wish I had stuck with it long enough to actually not look like Elaine on Seinfeld when I go out on the dance floor these days - or the fact Paige loved it. But it was a good twist on an old favorite and if you have kids around that you can pretend to be watching it with..go for it. What have you go tot lose? Besides that, with the competition that it had last night in Battle of the Netflix Worriors, I think that anyone would have picked this over the Horror movie wannabe that we watched after Paige went to bed.


"Prom Night" was a horrible attempt at a Horror Movie. We were sent the "Unrated Version" which in most cases will be a lot more bloody, ten time more frightening, and totally inappropriate. This had so little blood in it I could have seen more watching "A Baby Story" on Lifetime! Even more importantly, the plot and the means of hiding and disposing of bodies was so not believable that I found myself laughing a few times through it, and having to remind myself I was in fact watching a horror movie. Hello People! I get that Horror movies are meant to scare and not necessarily make sense, and I'm not forensic scientist or doctor but but I would assume that if you stabbed someone over a dozen times...there might be some blood on the killer or the wall??? How much does fake blood really cost a studio anyway?

On a scale of 1-10 I give it a 2, I've seen worse, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It's rather Suck-ish!

Now I'm not a movie critic, I don't get paid to be rude and annoying. It sure would be great if I did though..man I'd make millions! But I felt that sharing this info with you all was needed...and really - there's only so much a stay at home mom can blog about....Hopefully I find the time to tell you about other movies we watch from time to time...hey maybe I'll get a job with Ebert and Ropert!

Come on Man....Gimmie The Drugs

Those of you who read my other blog Trip To The Altar, will remember that about a month or so before my wedding I started taking Zoloft. It really helped me stay calm, not freak out and panic at everything, and not randomly start killing off members of the wedding party for sport.

It worked out really well, it did it's job and kept me happy, which in turn kept Alex wanting to marry me. Always a bonus. But not as I sit, a month after the wedding, plans of babies in the future, and knowing that I was never going to stay on it for good, I made the decision to stop.

This had all been discussed with my doctor when I went in to be put on The Big Z in the first place. Never once did she make mention of any side effects or things to look out for once I did stop. So I assumed, stupidly, that stopping would be even easier then starting it. And since starting it caused me to feel sick to my stomach and gag at even the though of water, I was looking forward to an easy jump off. Yeah. Wrong-O! It wasn't easy.

About 2 days after I stopped, I woke up with this desire to scream at anyone in my way. I was beyond irritable, constantly tired, dizzy, you name it I had it. At first I thought - YES I'm pregnant! All the symptoms matched. That little fairy tale was ended when I looked up Zoloft Discontinuation Symptoms and realized they too were all like being pregnant.

For days I have been awake and then in such need of a nap that if I don't find a soft surface to sleep on in 60 second, I will simply lay down in the street if I have to. I have morphed to and from the Good Witch to The Wicked ol' Witch more times in one day then can even be counted. And I am pretty sure that if I don't change soon, Alex is going to lock me in our bedroom and move himself downstairs until this transformation is complete.

It feels like it's tapering off, but I'm still completely unaware why this information wasn't given to me when I started taking it in the first place. Maybe the doctors think it's funny...who knows.

Back to "coming down" LOL!

It's Done!

For those of you who do not know, I make photo cards for all occasions and enjoy doing it so much! I just finished making my thank you card for my wedding, so if you were there and like surprises - don't look any further or you'll see it before it arrives at your house.

I felt horrible waiting so long to get them out, but I did have to wait on my photos after all, and I didn't want to annoy my photographer too much wondering where they were. You shouldn't rush the talents of such artists!

Here it is, in all it's glory, complete and being printed as we speak. Now to just address all the envelopes.....sigh.

Follow Me.

I added this "Followers" program to let me know who reads my blog, please add yourself or I'll look lame like I have no friends...lol. You can find it directly on the top of the right hand column, just click "Follow" and that's that.

Thanks everyone!

And The Award For "Stupidity" Goes To....

I've never claimed to be the smartest person in the world, but I would like to think that I have an average amount of common sense. Enough so that I could properly function while getting ready for the day, and realize that there's really no point in grabbing the hot end of a curling iron unless you're just a total moron.

Hi. I'm a total moron!

Now I didn't do it on purpose. I wasn't trying some new age tactic of teaching Paige why you shouldn't grab hot things, although I think I scared her away from curling irons until she's at least 20. I was just under caffeinated and tired from the 4 day battle I have had with my raging hormones that I had forgotten I changed the normal position I have it in on the counter to save Paige from bumping into it while I did her hair for school pictures.

I blindly reached for it and...well you know that sound chicken makes when you first toss it on the skillet....yeah....that happened.

And it couldn't be Good Ol' Lefty, the hand I don't use for anything, at all, ever! No, it had to be my good friend Righty. Which made driving Paige to school interesting, but not nearly as interesting as having to teach my self how to...."clean up" after going to the bathroom.

Today is going to suck I think....but at least you all got a giggle out of it, and that it afterall what I'm here for.

My Daily Fix of The Paranormal

I actually not only bought myself a book yesterday, but I read it last night too. Well, some of it.

For those of you who don't find this feat as extraordinary as I do, well you obviously don't have kids. I don't recall the last time I sat down to read a book that was more then 10 pages and didn't have cartoon ducks going to school, or ponies forming a rock band in it. I got a real, grown up book.

I made sure it was quite possibly the thickest book I could find, over 600 pages. I mean who knows when then next time I can spare $25 for a new book will be, I wasn't taking any chances! It also had to be on a topic I can enjoy at any given moment when I might find time to read. Ghosts and paranormal activity.

Okay so maybe you don't believe in such things, and it really is one of those topics you either believe or you don't and think that anyone who does is a total nut case...which ever you are is fine with me. I believe, as does the majority of my family. We don't wander around with EVP detectors, snapping photos into the darkness and trying to communicate with them (but how cool would it be to do that!?) we simply have had personal experiences and enjoy hearing about others.

The book I picked up, is called Real Ghosts, Restless Spirits, and Haunted Places. It's made up of hundreds of different personal experiences from all over the world, ranging from things like the Amityville Horror, to simple hauntings in homes in Wisconsin in 1876. Each personal account of events is no more then 2 pages long and it makes for great reading for a mom because I can zip through one story and be able to put the book down to do whatever is needed at the time, pick the book back up later and not have to back track to figure out where I left off.

Plus it makes me feel better that there are others out there who share the same experiances as me. Makes me feel less crazy...lol.

Aside from the fact that Halloween is coming and these books were laid out all over the store, I actually went in looking for something on this topic. To be specific a book called Ghosts Caught On Film, Photographs of the Paranormal? as I had recently become interested in the photographed images people "claimed" to be of paranormal activity. I found some of these types of images in a group I stumbled across on Facebook the other night. As most of what is in the group was obviously nothing more then the wild imaginations of less then amature photographers, I wanted to check out this book to see what photos could have been so good they were published. I just basically wanted to flip through it in the store and save myself the trouble of buying it, but they didn't have it.

With the book not on the shelf and being utterly burned out trying to explain to someone why there is a light trail in their photo because of a combination of the light in the area, the night setting they have their camera on and the lack of tri-pod use....I picked the the 600 page book I mentioned before to satisfy my paranormal needs. As for now it and the weekly dose of Paranormal State on A&E is keeping me happy.

I'm so simple it's almost embarrassing...

TTC or Not TTC - That is the Question

For those of you not "hip to the lingo" TTC stands for Trying to Conceive, and it has been a topic of conversation between Mr S and I for sometime.

At first the question was when we would start to try. A year after marriage went to 6 months, which then turned into right away but hopefully before christmas. The it was "were not really trying our hardest but if it happens, great"

I stopped birth control about 2 months before the wedding. Not being controlled by little yellow pills sure is a wonderful freedom. Not to mention, I am pretty sure that they were responsible for the majority of my irrational moments....stupid hormones!

So we went on the honeymoon, sans birth control and "tried". For someone who's had 2 children since she was 17, both "little surprises" I have to admit when I wasn't immediately pregnant simply from the thought of sex, I began to wonder what the hell was wrong with me. Sure I can accidentally get knocked up like a champ but once I actually start trying....

Yeah and ok, it was a week, it's not like we've been plugging away at this (no pun intended) for years like some couples who can't conceive with out a lot of help. So when we weren't pregnant after a week (gasp!) we decided maybe we will wait until the money situation is under control and we know where exactly we might stick a little bundle of joy in this 2 bedroom house.


We were both ok with the idea, for about a day, and then someone started to think....someone who might be writing this blog....that money is never under control, and our house will probably never really be big enough for our family. It's typical, it's life and if we put those stipulations on things well, hell we probably won't ever have any kids!

So the case was reopened. And by reopened I mean that over a beer, after Paige was in bed, out of the clear blue sky and after 15 minutes of silently watching TV I blurted out "I want a baby"
to which Alex happily replied "Ok", almost laughing at me because of the total indecisive front I had put up about this situation only a week before hand.

Now, we know it's not as easy as it seemed to have been for me in the past....but we're going to try, see what happens and I won't be upset when I'm not pregnant...for more then a few hours or as long as it takes for me to snarf down a pint of Ben & Jerrys Cherry Garcia ice cream...;-)

Wish us *Babydust* and let's hope I don't change my mind again....hahaha.

Welcome!

Well, can you believe it - the wedding is over, the honeymoon is over and life is moving right a long. Paige is in school, dance and soccer - she's one busy 4 year old and you can keep up with her at Perfectly Paige, just in case you can't get enough of it here.

Alex is busy with work, he's in Texas this week trying to help them stop messing up the production line. I'm home with Paige running to appointments, the post office, the bank, school and what not. Ah the life of a "Soccer Mom". Anymore things to do and I think I'll be required by law to buy a mini van.

So what's on the agenda for this blog? Well some DIY projects I'm sure, hopefully I'll be blogging about expecting a baby before the year is out, and just life in general. Hopefully this blog will be as popular as the last :0)

See ya soon!