I never....

Before I was pregnant there were so many things I thought I would never do. It's amazing how your views can change though when you're actually getting ready to have a baby. Things I would have NEVER considered before are becoming a reality.

I kind of feel like one big hypocrite.

Pot meet kettle.

But I figure you're allowed to change your mind!

Breastfeeding

5 years ago. Gross. The entire process gave me the creeps. There was no way I was ever going to do that. Bottles and formula all the way.

Now. Not so gross. I'm going to give it a whirl. If it doesn't work out, I won't be devastated (or so I tell myself). It's convenient and certainly more cost effective. Plus it's best for baby...so why not at least try. I only get to stay home for 6 weeks before hauling back to the salt mines so I know this won't be an exclusive thing. That's why god invented pumps. I'll be like the human equivalent of a milk factory. And I'm okay with that. Weird.

Cloth Diapers

5 years ago. Ummm...no freakin' way.

Now. Do you know how much diapers cost?? Do you know how many the average baby goes through in a day?? It adds up pretty fast and it's scary expensive. Like new car....college education...Alaskan cruise expensive. Plus it is better for the environment, which honestly for me is just kind of an extra perk. I'll be the first to admit I'm not much of a recycler, judge if you must. But hello I have become thriftier lately and I'm all about saving the green for something a little more exciting than disposable poop collectors.

Natural Delivery

5 years ago. Hahaha. Those women are cuh-razy. Drugs were invented for a reason....and I say yes please!

Now. I wonder how bad it really is. I hate needles. And the thought of a scary epidural spinal tap has me thinking maybe I could be supermom.

Being a stay at home mom

5 years ago. No way. How boring. I went to college for four years to get a degree why would I sit at home and play mommy all day? Isn't that why daycare was invented??

Now. Why would I slave away at work all day to pay someone else to take care of my child? Plus hello, do you know how much daycare costs?? It's redonkulous. Unfortunately we aren't in a position right now where I can stay at home, so I will be going back to work practically from the moment little Jamie is born. I've been trying to find some good in home care cause honestly, the organized day cares are depressing. Even the nice expensive ones (which we couldn't afford anyways). Luckily we're only looking at needing someone 3 maybe 4 days a week...so that's helping ease my mind (and pocketbook) a little.

Hand me downs

5 years ago. Yeah right. I'm a working gal remember. I can afford to buy my child the very best and that doesn't include someone elses used stuff. (Wow. 5 years ago me was kind of a snob)

Now. Yes please. I have no pride. Baby gear is hardly used. The swing, bouncer, jump-a-roo AND exersaucer that everyone seems to think are all must-haves last the average baby a few short months before they outgrow it/get bored with it/maybe never even liked it to begin with. I think there will be some serious consignment store shopping and garage sale-ing in my future. The hubs is taking longer to warm up to the idea....until I showed him the price tags and then our bank account....oddly enough he's not so weirded out by it anymore. Don't worry, I haven't jumped off the deep end, the important stuff with safety hazards like car seats and cribs are new. I said I didn't have pride but a girl still has standards.

Woah. Who is this girl?? If only the me of 5 years ago could read this blog, probably wouldn't believe it! Now if none of it works out and I am still become a formula feeding, epidural having, disposable diapers using working mom....that will be okay too. My baby will be one well cared for, well loved little guy and that's what really matters, but it's kind of fun exploring other options too!

Bump Day -- 25 weeks

How far along? 25 weeks

Weight gain/loss: This week: Down 1 pound. Woo hoo I'll take it! Total: Up 9 pounds. Back in the single digits....no complaints here! Bring on the Ben & Jerry's!

Maternity Clothes? Yes please...and starting to fit! I tried on a few "real waisted" maternity pants...haha, that was funny. Maybe if I had a higher, basketball belly they'd have worked but even in a size up from my normal they were no where near buttoning over my low rider. Looks like it's nothing but elastic waists from here on out!

Sleep: Some nights it's great. Others I toss and turn.

Stretch marks: Nope, nothing new at least. I suppose that's the one "advantage" to having that fat year in college....

Best moment this week: Going to my monthly appt to have my doctor gush all over me about how cute my bump is (she has to say that right?) and how perfect my pregnancy is going. I love when doctors use the word perfect. I mean I already knew my baby was, but it's nice to hear someone else say it. Haha. :)

Movement: Lots! I'm noticing patterns now too....he's pretty active in the morning, crashes after lunch (lucky guy) and then is back up right about the time I'm trying to go to sleep. I usually lay in bed with my shirt up and just stare at my belly as I watch him kick and punch away in there. It really is the coolest thing ever. He even put on a show for the doctor yesterday, kicking at the doppler microphone every time she tried to listen to his heartbeat. Apparently he doesn't like other people in his space!

Food cravings: The sweet tooth is back! I still indulge in my salty chips and ranch dressing now and again, but a bag will last more than a few days now. The ice cream however doesn't stand a chance!! Oh, and rainbow chip frosting straight out of the can....drool.

Gender: Franks and beans!

Labor Signs: Nada.

Belly Button in or out? In

What I DON'T Miss: Shaving my legs all the time. And no, I'm not walking around like the amazon woman...but apparently when you're pregnant the hair on your legs doesn't grow as fast. It's a good thing too, cause pretty soon I'm wondering how I will even reach them....

What I'm looking forward to: Painting the nursery. I've FINALLY decided what I want to do and it's going to be fabulous! (You'll all just have to wait for the big reveal) The best part is we have a new hardware store opening this weekend and they are having a buy one get one free sale on gallons of paint....plus (and this really is the best part) FREE pancakes for breakfast and FREE hot dogs for lunch. I told the hubs if we plan it right we can hit them up twice. Nothing motivates a pregnant woman like free food!

Weekly Wisdom: Staring at your baby registry does not make things magically get purchased no matter how many times a day you check it.

Milestones: They gave me the dreaded sugar drink for my next OB appt....here's to hoping in 3 weeks they don't tell me I have diabetes...that would really put a wrench in my frosting obsession.

The one with all the random thoughts

It was brought to my attention on Friday that I never officially announced Baby EyeCanSee's name to the blog world. Oops! I wasn't trying to leave you all in the dark, but we're only 99% sure at this point, poor kid has to live with it his whole life afterall! However we haven't really tossed out any new ideas lately...so it's pretty safe to say this one's gonna stick!

I got a text this morning that my best friend is officially having her baby! I am so excited for her and her husband, I only wish I could be there to meet their little bundle of joy! Lots of love to Baby K....can't wait to finally find out if you're a boy or a girl!!

My other best friend turned the big 3-0 over the weekend. It's hard to believe we're kicking off a new decade....even harder to believe that in 14 short months I'll be joining her on the other side! Happy Birthday Best Friend!!! Just seven short days after moving in and one emotional breakdown that we'd NEVER get everything unpacked...I managed to host a dinner party. Ok, so it was just my brother and sister in law, but I was pretty impressed with myself. Didn't my table look fabulous with all our fun new wedding things! (Pay no attention to the boxes in the background...at least I was able to find the table!)

We got our first Baby Shower invite this weekend for the hubs side of the family!! I've already been stalking the registry...I think I need counseling for registry stalkers anonymous. The hubs and I were at Target aka the best store in the world....and bought the new Cheeseburger Doritos. We decided they were AWESOME at first, but slowly lost interest. I will be sticking with my Kettle cooked chips and ranch dressing. The cable guy came out on Saturday and informed us the portal box (?) was 400 ft away and would require digging up our neighbors patio. Great. Luckily we have this said box for another carrier in our back yard...so we're going with them. They can't come until next Monday. Great. Another week with no cable or Internet. Don't they know how hard it is to feed my stalking habits without my computer??? Since we have no cable, we've been watching TV on DVD. How I Met your Mother may be my all time favorite sitcom...even ranking over Friends. I've decided I'm going to move to NYC so I can be friends with Robin, Ted, Marshall, Lily and of course Barney. They're like the awesomest people ever. I just got a prank phone call at work. All I could make out was the word "boobie" followed by lots of laughing. Hehe. That will probably be the best part of my day.

Happy random Tuesday everyone!!

Bump Day -- 24 Weeks

Had to bust out the cell phone for my pic this week...lord only knows where my camera is. Pardon the blah bathroom, I'm working on it, maybe next week it won't look so boring!

How far along? 24 weeks

Weight gain/loss: This week: Up 3 pounds. Not surprised. There was a lot of eating out last week. Oh well. I'm growing a baby. Total: 10 pounds. The double digit landmark wasn't as scary as I was anticipating.

Maternity Clothes? Yes. And the sudden influx of warm weather....80s in April WTF....has made me realize I may need one or two more staple wardrobe pieces to get me through the summer. On a side note, while unpacking clothes yesterday I was amazed at how small some of my pre-pregnancy things looked. I held up a pair of underwear that looked child size and asked my husband if I'd EVER fit into them again. I sure hope so, they were pretty cute undies.

Sleep: Meh. I blame it on the new house. I don't sleep well in strange places, plus it's been so warm out and I refuse to use my A/C in April. The last two nights were much better though...I'm finally starting to feel more at home and I didn't hear the train, not once!

Stretch marks: Nope

Best moment this week: Seeing the crib all put together and hanging Jamie's growing wardrobe in the closet! It's a constant reminder every time I walk by the room that, holy crap we're having a baby!

Movement: We have a mover and a shaker! Adam hasn't really felt any good kicks lately and I keep trying to get him to see the movement, but usually just when I have him look Mr. Stubborn stops moving. What a stinker! Just like his mama!

Food cravings: I ate an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey the other night. In one sitting. That's quite an accomplishment. The funny part is I really wanted Phish Food, but I knew the hubs wouldn't touch the banana ice cream and I wasn't about to share!

Gender: BOY!

Labor Signs: Nada.

Belly Button in or out? In. Though I noticed this week it's getting kind of shallow....I honestly don't think it will ever pop out completely. At least I'm hoping not, the outties give me the creeps.

What I Miss: Feeling in my right leg. This baby is literally on my nerves and I have a tingly thigh to prove it. I could handle the sleepy feeling, but this week with all my moving business it's started to hurt and send burning sensations down my leg....awesome.

What I'm looking forward to: Getting my hair done today!! I haven't had it done since October...before I was even pregnant. I was a little superstitious to color it during the 1st Tri no matter how many people told me it was safe. Well now I as I quickly approach the 3rd Tri I feel I'm in the clear. I cannot WAIT until 4pm....these locks need some serious TLC!

Weekly Wisdom: Cut yourself some slack now and again. You're pregnant. You aren't super woman. It's ok to sit down even though there are boxes to be unpacked.

Milestones: Vitality day!! Apparently at 24 weeks if this little man were born he'd have a chance of survival....I think we'll let him cook a little bit longer though!

Buried alive

This is the post where I whine....a lot.

You've been forewarned.

I feel like I've been buried by boxes.

Literally.

It's to the point where I just trip over walk by them now and pray that someone else will unpack them.

Probably not going to happen.

We made good progress over the weekend. The kitchen is 99% done, I've even managed to cook a few meals AND we're using our new wedding dishes. FINALLY! I love them. They are as gorgeous as the day we picked them out.....2 years ago.

Since the weekend however, the progress has been pretty nonexistent.

I had all these goals of unpacking every night this week so by the weekend...when we get cable and Internet back we could sit back and enjoy it.

Well....that sure looked good on paper. In reality...not so much.

After working full days, coming home, cooking/eating some dinner, it's pushing 9pm and the thought of opening yet another box of crap I have no idea what to do with is enough to just make me want to kill myself. Or move back to my parents house where things are put away and clean.

The main problem is you never have as much space as you remember BEFORE you moved in. It's hard to put things away when every time you open a box you stare at it and think, "I have no freaking idea where I'm even going to put this." Sigh. Rifle through it for minute. Give up. Move on to next box. Open and repeat.

That walk-in closet in the master bedroom. Yeah, not so spacious. We've already used the entire spare bedroom closet for our extra hanging clothes. And let me tell you people, we don't have THAT many clothes. At least I never thought so....we didn't even come close to filling the Taj Mahal closet we'd been spoiled with at my parents place. Shoes. We won't even go there. I have no clue what we're going to do with shoes...they're currently all over the floor. The bathroom storage also poses a few issues. No linen closet and one small single vanity sink. Can't use the regular closet as spill over storage since we've already covered how much extra space there is in there. We did manage to put together an over the toitey cabinet for all our towels...so that's helped some. How is it that we seemed to have more closet/storage space in an 800 sq ft condo than we do in this entire HUGE house??

My head hurts. I really need a game plan. Or some explosives to just get rid of all it.

Do you suppose my Homeowners Insurance covers crazy pregnant fits of rage??

My dogs are a barkin'

And I don't mean the canine variety.

Three solid days of packing, moving and unpacking really takes a toll on a person...it nearly kills the pregnant ones.

Thank god for Two Men & a Truck plus the extra hands from my family. If it hadn't been for them I'd probably have given up long ago.

We are however, 99% moved in. All that's left at the old place is one small car load which we will get on Tuesday so the hubs can watch Glee. Priorities people. No cable or Internet at the new house until next Saturday. Not sure if that motivation to get settled or pure torture!

It's been quite the treasure hunt unpacking! Between the things we haven't seen from storage in 6 months, the wedding gifts we've never used, the childhood things my parents finally made me take back and the few things of my husbands I've never even seen...we decided we have a lot of shit really great stuff. How we ever lived in 800 sq ft is a mystery because I feel like this place is already full! We are definitely loving the new space, I'll be loving it even more when everything has it's place and I'm no longer tripping on boxes.

Here's to a busy week! I'll try my best to check in from work!

Bump Day -- 23 Weeks

(Drum roll please....my last ever belly shot in this bathroom! Next week we will be in the new house!!)

How far along? 23 weeks

Weight gain/loss: This week: Up 1 pound. Total: Up 7 pounds. I am already fearing the day I hit double digits. Yikes!!

Maternity Clothes? Yep...and apparently having a long torso means that now even a few of my maternity shirts aren't long enough. Awesome. OH! And I braved the wide world of maternity swimwear. I don't have a cute enough bump to brave the two piece, but I managed to find a tankini that didn't make me look like an old grandma....or so my mother told me. Summer here I come!

Sleep: Blah. But this week my allergies are too blame. Maybe one day I will be able to breath through my nose again.

Stretch marks: Nada. At least nothing new.

Best moment this week: Closing on our house Monday!! It's not directly baby related, but he's sure going to be glad he gets his own room now and won't have to bunk up with mom and dad for the rest of his life!

Movement: Everyday...and it never gets less exciting. Even yesterday when my leg was numb and my back was killing me from packing all day it managed to make me smile. He's also started flipping over so his back and butt are facing out...at least that's my best guess when all of a sudden I feel all this weird pushing and pressure down there. It can't be confirmed, but if I had to guess by the kicking patterns and the lack of protruding belly I'm going to say he's transverse most of the time.

Food cravings: Still nothing. What kind of pregnant woman am I?? It doesn't help that I haven't been to the store in awhile....trying to clean out the pantry before we move cause packing up and toting food is the worst in my opinion. Oh, that and my sinuses are so stuffed I can't taste much anyways...kinda takes the fun outta food.

Gender: Team Blue!

Labor Signs: Nada.

Belly Button in or out? In. I kind of have a "B" belly going on right now. My belly up top, dip into the belly button, then bulge back out for the baby. It's an interesting look to say the very least.

What I miss: Being able to function at a regular pace. I haven't really been affected by my pregnancy yet, but last Saturday I was on my feet shopping all day and was exhausted by the end of it. Then yesterday while trying to clean and pack around the house, it took me twice as long and every time I sat down I would groan like an old man. Whew.

What I'm looking forward to: Setting up the nursery. There will definitely be stripes, can't decide if we are going to do the whole wall, put up a chair rail and only do the bottom half or do wainscoting with stripes on the top. Decisions, decisions. The hubs and my brother aka the male versions of Lucy and Ethel are going to put the crib together this weekend. Too bad I don't have a video camera cause this could be interesting, hopefully the crib makes it out alive!

Weekly Wisdom: Don't let all those skinny minnie pregnant women fool you into thinking maternity underwear is not necessary. For those of us that already started at the top of the food chain, there is no next size up in regular skivvies....and if you think wedgies are bad, try having panties that constantly roll down giving you eternal muffin top. I want to thank The Gap for making the best maternity underwear ever.

Milestones: Last weekend my mom and I hit up the outlets hard core to build up this little man's wardrobe. I've been going to these shops since I was a kid and never once realized how many awesomely fantastic baby stores they have! Jamie is going to be one well dressed stud! I can't WAIT for next Easter...let's just say JCrew-esque embroidered palm tree pants and sweater vests will be involved. Whoever said boys clothes aren't as cute obviously wasn't looking hard enough!