Life in the Sun

So happy

2010-02-14T23:06:00.003-07:00

She has the best sense of humor. Look at this infectious giggle.

All this because mommy was laughing...lol...

Sick

2010-02-04T22:40:00.003-07:00

Poor Kinsey has been sick. The high fever (103.5), puking, too sick to even cry sick. Fortunately, it seems to have just been a virus and it ran its course pretty quickly - 3 days later she is almost back to normal. Kinsey and I spent the time laying around in our bed, napping, and watching Sprout.

We are so blessed that this was only the second time she has been super sick (double ear infections about a year ago). I know so many little ones who are constantly sick, especially the ones that are in day care. Having been a teacher and worked in a daycare, I can tell you, germs spread like Hollywood gossip.

So, I am thankful that I can stay home with her, sick or not, to take care of her.

Need a Hug?

2010-01-30T14:32:00.002-07:00

Sometimes, a girl just needs a dog to love on... since our two are not so lovey, Kinsey substitutes her new Build A Bear puppy, whom she appropriately named "Hug".

Party at the Park

2010-01-30T14:22:00.006-07:00

Kinsey's friend Aaralyn turned 3 today and had her birthday party at the park. Kinsey had an absolute blast. There was a pinata full of candy...
balls to play with and lots of open space to run around...
a bounce house, which Kinsey thought was 100 times better than bouncing on the bed...
and best of all... There was CAKE! Yummm!

Happy Birthday Aaralyn, and thanks for the party!

Valentine's Day... only 17 days away

2010-01-28T11:33:00.001-07:00

I finished the Valentine's Dress and it is too cute.
I couldn't resist posting this one of Kinsey pouting while I tried to take her picture!

Ribbitt!

2010-01-27T21:17:00.007-07:00

Kinsey recently got new slippers. Aren't these little froggies too cute? Slippers really aren't the most practical item for her...she sleeps in footie pajamas when it is cold and the rest of the year, well, let's just say the need for slippers at 120 degrees is pretty low. Anyhow, we saw these and had to get them...So, of course, we had to make froggie jammies to go with them! This pattern is from the awesome book my mom got me for Christmas. It is full of retro/hippie children's patterns. I love it! And best of all, so does Kinsey.

This is the book. All of the patterns are super easy (I can finish them in an hour, so even you no-sewers could do this!) and super cute. Check it out...

I am off to make the dress on the cover. I found the cutest Valentine's Day fabric with love birds on it ;)

All Girl

2010-01-26T17:40:00.003-07:00

I made this cute little top for Kinsey on Sunday night after she had gone to bed. When I was finished, I hung it on a hanger on the door and went to sleep. On Monday morning, Kinsey found the shirt and woke me up to put it on, over her jammies. When we finally got dressed for the day, of course she wanted to wear her new shirt.

Kinsey never sits still long enough to get a good "clothes" shot, so I snuck one when she finally went down for a nap.

She loved it so much that I made another one last night and she dug this one out of the dirty clothes hamper and has been playing with it all day. This girl LOVES clothes!

Yum!

2010-01-23T21:25:00.002-07:00

Tonight, I cooked. This sounds like I don't cook very often, which would be a lie, but tonight I went all out.

Our friend Jim came over with his son, Noah and we had a down home Cajun boil, complete with crawfish, crab, shrimp, andouille sausage, corn and potatoes. It was fabulous.
Mike, Noah, and Jim digging in.
Even though Kinsey had eaten dinner before this, she wanted in on the action too.

The best part of Cajun boil? No dishes! For dessert, we had homemade Bananas Foster, but we ate it ALL before I remembered to take a picture!

Rain, Rain Go Away

2010-01-22T14:36:00.003-07:00

It has been raining for five days. Not straight, but everyday. I, for one, would like to say, "Thanks, I am good." My backyard is flooded. The neighborhood park is now a lake, and my lawn chairs are somewhere in New Mexico by now.

To top it off it has been cold (i.e. 50ish degrees) and my spoiled rotten dogs have decided that they don't like being cold AND wet when they do their business, so they will just stay inside to poop. Hawkeye at least had the good graces to hide before pooping, but Luxe, in his permanent quest for dominance, pooped right in the hallway. Eewwwww. Needless to say, both dogs got to spend some "quality time" outside today.

Please, send sun.

That song in my head

2010-01-19T19:53:00.003-07:00

My younger brothers and sister were big Barney the Dinosaur fans. I was a teenager and hated everything about that purple mascot. I swore that MY kids would never watch anything so stupid. As it is, I didn't let Kinsey watch TV until she was 18 months old, and now, we try to stick to the Sprout channel. It has very limited commercials and the programs are all age appropriate with positive messages.

They also have really catchy theme songs.

So, as I go about my day, I have a constant stream of chatter in my head that sounds like this: "I'm just a kid whose 4...They call me Kipper, the dog with a sniffer...When you hear that fire alarm, Sam is always cool and calm...Play with me Sesame, Play with me Sesame...Wake up, Jeff!

You get the picture. It's awful.

But, Kinsey LOVES the shows and loves to dance to the tunes, so it looks like we are in this for the long haul.

And PS... It doesn't seem that Barney has filmed any new episodes. I remember every single one that has come on this week. Ugh.

Scheduled: Meeting with the Tooth Fairy

2010-01-19T11:43:00.001-07:00

Yep. It looks like Kinsey will be having a meeting with the Tooth Fairy in a month or so. And not just for one tooth, but two.

Last night, she tried to climb off our bed (something she has done successfully for a long time) and she face planted into the carpet. I heard the thunk and ran in to the bedroom to find her face down on the carpet. I scooped her up and gave her some love, thinking that the wind had just been knocked out of her. When I pulled her away from me to look at her, I saw the blood running out of her mouth.

We iced, we Tylenol-ed, and this morning we went and saw the pediatric dentist. The X-ray’s look like Kinsey has fractured the roots of both front teeth. Not severed, so there is a SMALL chance they might heal but it is still likely that the teeth will have to come out. Right now, Kinsey is stuck on a diet of soft food so she doesn’t use the front teeth and we go back in a month to see if the teeth have healed.

One of the worst parts is that she can’t latch on without pain, so she can’t breastfeed right now either. I don’t mind weaning at this age, but I hate to think she HAS to give it up because it hurts her, not because she wants to :(

She Wants It So Bad…

2010-01-14T22:18:00.002-07:00

Kinsey loves flip flops. I caught her trying mine on several times, so when I spotted them at the Children’s Place recently, I bought her two pairs. They are absolutely adorable and she loves them. In fact, she carries them everywhere. That’s right, carries them. Because she hates they way they feel ON her feet.

But she is determined. Every day, several times a day, she brings me her flips flops and asks me to put them on her. So I do. And she lasts about 3 steps before she cries and pulls them off.

I’d let the issue drop, but she wants to wear flip flops SO bad. We will do the on/off routine over and over until she gives up or learns to wear them.

So far it’s all good.

2010-01-13T22:39:00.001-07:00

Yep, I am enjoying 7 much more than I did Vista (do you hear me Mr. Gates? Vista sucked. So much so that I had reverted to XP just to get away.) The only problem…I have one program that is not 7 compatible. Not bad, not bad…

Windows 7

2010-01-13T14:49:00.001-07:00

So, I just got a new laptop with Windows 7 and it has a feature in the dock that is supposed to make blogging more convenient. So, here it goes…let’s see if I become a more frequent blogger!

Halloween

2009-11-06T20:36:00.002-07:00

This Halloween we were the Queen and the Princess. I made our costumes :)

Summering

2009-07-10T22:24:00.003-07:00

It is supposed to be 115 degrees in Phoenix this weekend. Thank the Lord we are in Colorado again! Kinsey and I flew back last week and we will be dividing our time between my mom and my dad. We are scheduled to fly home on the 20th, a week before I have to go back to work.

I love Phoenix, but the summers are HOT (hmm...biggest understatement of the year??). I always joked about wanting to be one of those people, the ones who could afford to "summer" elsewhere. Of course, there is no way I could afford a summer house, so I am super lucky to have parents who don't mind me returning to the nest for several weeks at a time (I think this is 100% due to Kinsey, but hey, I'm not picky) and a job that allows me summers off! I am also lucky that Mike doesn't mind us being gone for so long!

We have been having a great time doing nothing. We play outside A LOT and I have been practicing the slack line my little brother has set up. I can even get up holding Kinsey! Kinsey went on her first bike ride today, in the bike trailer, and she was not so thrilled. She has learned a new dance (in addition to the typical knee bender) and waddles around like a penguin. SO cute. I am working on getting in on video...

And the winner is...

2009-06-29T23:00:00.001-07:00

KINSEY!

At the Arizona's Cutest Kid Pageant this weekend, Kinsey was the Overall Winner! Congratulations, baby girl, on your first big win!

Kinsey the Torturer

2009-06-29T22:52:00.002-07:00

Our Airedale, Hawkeye, is unlike most other Airedales. Sure, he looks the same on the outside, but his temperament is... unusual. Maybe it came from growing up with Luxe, but Hawkeye is timid, passive, and quite jumpy. He runs from loud noises and is quite comfortable running completely backwards to get away from something,

Enter Kinsey...

And her new maracas.

It took about 2 minutes before Kinsey realized she could make Hawkeye run by chasing him around while shaking her maracas. It is absolutely hilarious.

Boating in NM

2009-06-27T22:37:00.003-07:00

Last month, we visited my family in New Mexico and went out on my sister's new boat. SO MUCH FUN! Kinsey loved driving with Uncle Bruce and loved having the wind in her hair.

Forecast: Frosting!!!!

2009-04-23T12:31:00.001-07:00

It is a flipping frosting downpour over here! The PET scan is negative!

My life is a Frosted Mini Wheat

2009-04-22T09:35:00.003-07:00

There is very little frosting on my Mini Wheats this morning. That pretty much sums up my life right now. Blah with the occasional bit of sweetness (Kinsey).

Mom2 is having her PET scan today. Depending on the results, this afternoon could be a frosting downpour or my life could become All Bran (just plain crappy).

Here's praying for frosting.

Kinsey's New 'Do

2009-02-26T08:06:00.002-07:00

Last Friday, Kinsey went to a birthday party at Build A Bear Workshop for one of my kindergartners. We go to Build A Bear fairly frequently, but this time one of the sales girls asked if I would like to see what Kinsey would look like with hair. Turns out the bear wigs are just the right size for babies...

Kinsey sporting a blond bob.

25 Random Things...

2009-02-11T10:53:00.002-07:00

1. I don't forward emails, tags, or anything. So far, I this has led to me not having my wish granted, not winning a million bucks, and missing out on a million other good things that were "guaranteed" to happen if I kept the chain going. Oh well.
2. I did participate in a panty chain letter once though (you send a note to 10 people asking them to send you a pair of panties, then they do the same). I got 0 pairs of panties.
3. My daughter is my everything.
4. I have 2 degrees in education and more student loans than are reasonable. A little help for the teachers here?
5. I have been to the Playboy Mansion.
6. I played rugby in college because the cheer coach was evil.
7. I think epidurals are the best thing in the world... and I would have been SOOOO mad if I went 28 hours without drugs, only to end up in the operating room anyway. (That happened to my cousin, poor thing).
8. I gained 60 pounds while I was pregnant... and NO strech marks! Thank you genetics!
9. I scrapbook whenever I get the chance. I used to love just buying the supplies, but now I actually use them.
10. Despite our great nanny, I have working mommy guilt. As a result, Kinsey is a litle bit spoiled...
11. Drink of choice: Patron gimlet, up
12. Rolled my car at 100+ MPH (supposedly, I say it was more like 85) and flew out the window, butt first. First thing I asked the EMT? "Are my boobs the same size? They're new!"
13. I actually used the dating sight "SugarDaddyforMe.com". It works if you aren't looking for love.
14. I would love more kids. I think I might be secretly jealous of the lady who just had octuplets. Not that I wish it were me, I'd just love more.
15. I danced on stage with Alien Ant Farm.
16. I cocktailed my way through college...My biggest tip ever was $702 from Charles Barkley. Then I met Mike and he gave me $703. Horrible pick up line, but it worked. We are still together 6 years later
17. I've taken the Wilton Cake Decorating courses and even made my brother's wedding cake.
18. Cupcakes are my weakness. Preference? The Les Deux from Cupcakes in Scottsdale.
19. Favorite restaraunt: Copeland's of New Orleans. Nearest location? Several states away.
20. I hate Missouri.
21. Secret Wish: To be on "Are You Smatrer than a 5th Grader." I even submitted an application.
22. I can sing. But only nursery rhymes and kindergarten tunes.
23. I am addicted to the Secret Life of the American Teenager.
24. My passport is empty. Next time I go to Mexico, I am going to make them stamp it. Kinsey's too.
25. My little brother is an official miracle for the Catholic Church.

Originally posted on Facebook.

Cheeseball

2009-01-21T19:29:00.003-07:00

I have been so blessed to have such a happy, happy baby. From Day 1, she has been such a sweet, easy baby and as she gets older, she is becoming quite a funny, silly little girl. Just recently, she has perfected her "cheeseball" grin, and she loves to flash it at any unsuspecting individual. Here she is, grinning at Grandma Vause.

Like me, Kinsey has HUGE eyes but when she smiles they disappear. I love her little toothless grin and I am both excited and saddened to know that any day, that smile will be gone forever, replaced by a big kid toothy smile. Here's another picture, just so I can laugh at her sweet face...
I don't think I blogged about this, but I did talk about it with a few people... we submitted Kinsey's picture to a handful of local modeling agencies. She is "in the books" at a few of them, and a few others expressed interest but wanted $700-800 for pictures and other 'fees'. Of course we told those companies no (I think my actual words were "She is too cute to pay YOU. YOU should be paying US!") and I had kind of forgotten about the idea until last week. Then, on the same day, we received two phone calls. One was from Agency A, with whom we had never spoken to, and they wanted to meet with her. The other was from Agency B, who we had pretty much told to shove their fee, and they wanted to meet with her again and waive the fee.
We met with both agencies, and both want to sign Kinsey to a 2 year contract. One is a smaller boutique agency, where Kinsey would be one of 6 or 7 babies and the other is the largest, most connected agency in town and Kinsey would be one of many, many babies. I just can't decide which agency to sign with - personal attention or connections with Disney???? I am waiting to talk to someone from Agency B (drives me crazy that their baby agent only works on Saturday. A bad sign?) about my concerns, then we will decide.
I do realize that Kinsey could get work with either agency, or she might never work no matter who she signs with. I don't want to push her into anything or exploit her (no pageants until she is old enough to make the decision), but I would love for her to have a cushion to fall back on when she is older. I know I made some bad decisions because I needed money, and I hope she is never in that position.
So, that's where we are with my little cheeseball.

I VOTED, SO YES, I CAN COMPLAIN.

2009-01-20T11:14:00.004-07:00

I am grumpy today, for a few reasons, but mostly because of the inauguration of Barack Obama. I didn't vote for him. I voted for McCain.
But this really isn't about being a sore loser, because yeah, I know, you win some, you lose some.
It isn't about race, because I don't mind having an African American President. Congratulations, America. You have moved past the hatred that was slavery.
I am grumpy because today if Obama signs the Freedom of Choice Act like he has said he is going to do, it is a bad day to be an unborn baby.
I am pro-life. Not a bomb-wielding, stalking, angry pro-lifer, but a regular mom, Catholic, teacher, loves children kind of pro-lifer. I have always been a "no abortions for me" kind of person, but since the birth of my daughter, I am more of a "no abortions period" kind of person. I actually get physically ill when I think of killing a baby. I saw Kinsey at 5 weeks, when they couldn't even tell me if she was viable. I saw her at 7 weeks and rejoiced at her little heart. I saw her again at 13, 16, 20 weeks. And every single time, I KNEW she was "a real little human being". Maybe it has a little to do with how hard I worked to get pregnant, but I loved her before I even knew she was in there.
I had the chance to be born (Thanks, Mom). So did you. And so did Barack Obama. So who are we to say that abortion is a right? And the possibility of it being a tax payer paid for right? That just pisses me off. I'd rather keep working to pay welfare than work to pay for abortions. I can think of a few adults I'd like to kill instead (not really, but where do we stop?).

If you can't make it, fake it.

2009-01-07T10:54:00.003-07:00

I saw a segment on 20/20 recently that profiled women who have "fake" babies - expensive, life-like dolls that they dress up, take out in public, and basically treat like a real baby. These women are nuts! When the reporter asked one of them why she didn't just adopt (she was unable to have children on her own, something I CAN sympathize with), she said it was because it was too expensive. Huh? And paying hundreds of dollars per doll, plus cribs, clothes, strollers and all the other baby gear is cheap?

Anyway, I definitely think these women need help. But while I checked out the website of the doll company, I noticed that they make custom dolls... How cool would it be to get Kinsey a baby doll that looks EXACTLY like she did as a baby? Not that I am in the market to pay $700 for a doll (I just want to be able to afford American Girl dolls), but still, a very cool idea. Add that to my lottery winning s plan!

Sample doll from Baby Love Reborns

My new obsession

2009-01-06T14:06:00.001-07:00

Have you seen The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family? I "discovered" it Sunday when ABC Family was running a marathon in preparation for the new season that started last night. LOVE IT!
While I have to say that it really isn't the most accurate portrayal at teen pregnancy, it is a great little drama. Molly Ringwald is the mom, and the young woman playing the lead is amazing.
Check it out Mondays at 9 AZ time.

When 2 - 3 is the highlight of your day...

2009-01-06T13:58:00.004-07:00

I guess this means I am a mom. Either that or I seriously need to get a life.

Kinsey was running low on diapers and was nearing the top of the weight range for her Pampers Swaddlers (18lbs). She hasn't been blowing out or anything, but let's face it, the kid's legs are HUGE! Anyway, I headed to Target, dreading the decision that was about to come next. Do I go up to size 3? And if so, what brand? I have only used Pampers Swaddlers thus far, and they don't come in 3's. I have Pampers Baby Dry?? Should I try Cruisers? Huggies? Luv's? Aaaggghhhhh!!!!!

I am such an indecisive person and this was killing me. What to do? Then, like a ray of sun from heaven (I swear I still hear the angels singing)... I saw Pampers Swaddlers Size 2 - 3. Fits 14 - 22 lbs! Perfect! And now, my decision has been pushed back another 4.5 lbs!

Mrs. A, our nanny, laughed at me when I told her the story. I guess it's true. Diapers were my #1 highlight last night, lol.

Three Christmases

2009-01-01T22:04:00.003-07:00

Because Mike and I both come from split families, Santa came over and over again. Santa came to Nana and Papa Vause's house... to Grammy and Grandpa Burgie's house,

and to Nana and Papa Acosta's house.

We are still hoping to get out to Grandma and Grandpa Kuba's house soon. However, Kinsey made out like a bandit this year. Toys, toys, toys, and a gift card to our favorite store, the Children's Place (can't wait to shop there!) Like so many kids her age, Kinsey's favorite present was the shiny wrapping paper.

I too did well... the most novel gift was a Dough-Nu-Matic Doughnut Maker. I made a batch last night, and all I can say is...YUM!

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-01T21:51:00.002-07:00

2009... A new year, new start, blah, blah, blah. But in the spirit of things (and of course due to the fact that I love list making), here are my New Year's Resolutions:

Blog more - According to some medical study, blogging actually helps reduce stress, even when no one reads it...
Get back into my Rock and Republic Jeans - Considering that I will never again be able to afford a new pair, I better get my ass back into the ones I have. This will involve eating better, toning back up by working out and probably even weaning when Kinsey turns 1.
Learn Spanish - We have all 3 levels of the Rosetta Stone software, but currently, mi no habla espanol. (Neither Mike nor I have done lesson 1).
Pay down my debt - I have 2 credit cards and Kinsey's cord blood banking to pay off... less than $5,000 all together. As for my truck and student loans...maybe next year.
Start working towards National Certification - I think the only thing stopping me is the cost... like $2,000. I think their are scholarships, so I'll start there.
Scrapbook more - I want to stay up to date with Kinsey's and finish re-doing mine, plus start a few other projects. This is the only thing I do for me, so I want to make sure I carve out time to do it. Our nanny will still be coming this summer (part time) so hopefully, I will finish a few projects then.
Start sewing - Got a new machine and can't wait to o a few fun projects.

Oh.

2008-11-04T19:42:00.003-07:00

So this weekend, I kind of thought Mike proposed. I joked that if it was a proposal, it was one of the worst. Turns out, it was the worst. Not the worst proposal, just the worst. He doesn't want to get married. He wants a 'break'.

How in the hell did I read that one wrong????

I want to be witty, to be strong, to be...graceful and dignified as I write this. But really? I just want to puke, to scream and cry. I work so hard to teach my kindergartners how to use words to voice their feelings, and all I can think of is "I am sad because he doesn't want to be my friend anymore."

I keep saying that I am okay, that I am glad he is doing it now, before Kinsey is old enough to know, but really, inside I am screaming. I look at her pictures, and I just don't understand how you cannot love her, not want to be with her, not protect her? How can you reject her?

The question of the day is "Is there someone else?" I don't know. He says there isn't, but just weeks ago, he begged me never to leave for a week again. So??? Maybe there is. Maybe there isn't. I don't think it even matters at this point.

He says he isn't "moving out" - he is leaving most of his stuff here and just taking his clothes etc. So, for the time being, I am keeping Kinsey (obviously), the house, the dogs, the nanny, housekeeper, and landscaper. All the trappings of my life, except for the man I thought was my partner.

This sucks.

How pretty!

2008-10-27T21:39:00.001-07:00

Not much to say... just had to share a few new pictures.

How is this possible?

2008-09-27T19:47:00.003-07:00

I have been back at work for a week and a half, and at least twice every day, I sit down at my desk, yank up my shirt and pump (yes, I wait until my class is gone). I would say this is a 50% successful mission. 50% in that my right side consistently gives me 4 - 5 oz. 50% in that the left gives 1.5 - 2 oz. It's as if I am losing my milk supply...on one side! So far, the visible effects seem to be minimal (I don't look lopsided to anyone but me).

I talked to Cami, a wonderful lactation consultant and mom of a dear college friend, who offered me a few tips for increasing my milk supply. Warm compresses, double feeds, and brewers yeast (aka dog food pills) are now part of my life. I am also trying to take better care of myself by eating well and trying to stay un-stressed (i.e. no more starving myself back into my Rock and Republics, even unintentionally). Hopefully this will boost the supply in the left side, without also boosting the right side. The last thing I need is the right side to get even bigger and the left to stay 'deflated'.

On Wednesday, I stayed home with Kinsey (nanny had an emergency) and noticed that she was polishing off the 3 oz bottles, so I started prepping 4 oz bottles the next day. Now she is polishing those off too. If this keeps up, I am going to need to pump at least 15 oz a day to keep up with her demand... agh! Right now, I am only averaging 10 oz, so come on boobies!

Happy Days with Nanny

2008-09-18T21:26:00.002-07:00

Thank the Lord for our wonderful Nanny!

To Whom It May Concern - UPDATED

2008-09-16T11:03:00.004-07:00

Please accept this notice that my daughter, Kinsey, will not be starting in your infant room this week. We visited the center on Monday, September 15th, to allow Kinsey to get acquainted with the idea of day care. After our visit, I am no longer comfortable leaving my child in your center.

I would like to begin by saying that the three women in the infant room were exceptionally nice and professional, and in no way should this reflect poorly on them. That being said, I would like to let you know what influenced my decision, so that you may rectify these issues.
· I registered and pre-paid first week’s tuition for my daughter on July 28, 2008. Even with this advanced notice, when we arrived Monday, I found that she was assigned to “the broken crib”. When I asked the teacher where Kinsey’s stuff would be stored, since she was the only one without a drawer, I received an honest answer that she “wasn’t sure” and was looking for a place…in the meantime, it would just stay in her crib. I was told that a maintenance order had been put in, but it was unknown when it would be fulfilled.
· Both swings and both bouncers/rockers had dead batteries. I mentioned this and was told that “they were all out of batteries up front”. As a former Curriculum Specialist for your company, I am aware that supplies are procured on an as needed basis, and it seems to me that maintaining a battery supply for the infant room would be a priority at this location as well. Given that my daughter is less than 3 months old and cannot sit up on her own, I expect that she would be placed in a swing or bouncer at times, but when that equipment doesn’t move, it is the equivalent of leaving her in her crib.
· I am fully aware that state regulations allow for a 1:5 or 2:11 ratio, and for all non-walkers/under one years to be in the same class, but when I sat down with Kinsey on the floor area, I was barely able to keep a much larger child from falling on her head. I was not expecting Kinsey to receive 1:1 care, but without it yesterday, she would have been hurt.
· When I asked about getting a card for building access, I was told that the system was “still broken” and that I could just ring the door bell. The fact that the access system is broken leads me to question the security of my daughter while in your center.

As a result of our experience, I have decided to hire an in-home nanny for Kinsey, beginning immediately. I am aware that the registration fee is non-refundable, however, I do expect a refund of tuition, seeing that Kinsey was never officially enrolled (her paperwork is not complete- missing shot record) and that she never attended your center. If the refund is not issued, I will be forced to go ahead with a chargeback on my credit card.

Sincerely,

Meridith

BlogNotes: Yep, that is where we are at, and I go back to work TOMORROW!!! I am working on a few nanny interviews for this afternoon, and Princess Nana (Mike's mom) has offered to take tomorrow of, if necessary. Oh, the drama.

UPDATE: We have a nanny! Mrs. A came by this afternoon, and from the minute I opened the door, I loved her. And...she is CPR/first aid certified, DES licensed and has a DPS fingerprint clearance card. She is okay with the dogs, and can start tomorrow! Hooray!

Our Busy, Busy Trip to Colorado

2008-09-11T14:56:00.004-07:00

Kinsey and I traveled to Colorado again last week. Thankfully, this trip was MUCH better than our July trip, due mostly to the fact that I am no longer half dead from the c-section. We had a great trip and were VERY busy.

Item 1: My mom, Kinsey and I drove up to the mall in Denver to meet up with Starr, my nanny from the time I was 6 weeks old until we moved to Texas 5 years later. Starr (aka "Nanny") was like a second mom to me. Her daughter and I were best friends and still keep in touch. It was great to see Nanny again after all these years and to show off my baby. I only wish I had someone like Nanny to watch Kinsey in Arizona.

Me, Kinsey and Nanny

Item 2: My cousin Molly and I were born 3 months apart, and to our surprise and delight, we became pregnant only weeks apart. Kinsey and her cousin Miles are 5 weeks apart (Miles is older, Kinsey is bigger, lol). They 'met' while they were both in our tummies, but this was their first time to meet in 'the real world'. Molly, her husband Coleman, and Miles drove down from Fort Collins for the weekend. Being so young, the mostly played near each other, but I like to think they had a good time... until Miles used his toes to pull Kinsey's hair!

Miles was fascinated with his toes, a milestone Kinsey hasn't reached yet.

Item 3: For the second year in a row, we walked the 5k in the Race for the Cure at the Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs. Last year, Molly, my mom, my aunt Karen, and I walked together in Celebration of my mom and her sister/Molly's mom. This year, we were joined by Coleman and Miles, but Auntie Karen couldn't join us (my step-dad, Mike, runs each year).

This year, we walked in celebration of Grammy (my mom), Molly's mom, AND Auntie Karen, who was diagnosed after the race last year. Fortunately, all three beat cancer, but it does mean that Molly and I (and Kinsey) have to be extra vigilant. I walk in hope that Kinsey will never have to fight like Grammy and her great aunts.

When Kinsey moved to the Snuggli, I didn't have a hat!

Thankfully, Grammy did.

With Grammy before the race. Kinsey's sign says,

"I roll for Grammy"

Item 4: On Sunday, we also celebrated Kinsey's Baptism. While I love my church and priest here in Arizona, I wanted Father Brad to celebrate the sacrament for us. Father Brad was the priest at the church I went to in high school, and is close to our family (he was there for the aftermath of Luke's miracle and will hopefully travel to Rome with us when Maria Teresa Bonzel is made a saint). Although he is no longer at the church in Colorado Springs, he was recently transferred to a nearby town, so we were still able to have him perform the ceremony.

My mom and step-dad are Kinsey's god parents, both because their religious convictions are what brought me back to the church when I wandered and because I honestly don't have many Catholic friends/family anymore. I thought about asking my sister Jill and one of my brothers, but Jill is now a "seeker" and the boys are at that 'questioning their faith' stage. It was important to me that I pick people who had a solid Catholic faith to help guide Kinsey, so my parents it was.

Mom, Mike, me, Kinsey and Fr. Brad

Luke, Tim, me, and Kinsey after mass

We also enjoyed some beautiful weather, great BBQ (seriously, we ate at the Front Range BBQ FOUR times!) and being with family.

Kinsey with Grandpa Burgie. I love this picture.

Thoughts from Kinsey

2008-09-02T17:53:00.003-07:00

I am a Sun Devil, people! Can't you see I am not a Hawkeye's fan? Good thing their colors are similar. I am gonna stick Sparky over the Iowa logo.
Well, maybe when I am older... Sparky is a little scary right now! Anyway, here is me in 18 years. See? Not afraid of Sparky anymore!

I lost half my dog. Mom says Hawkeye got a summer hairdo, but what happened to my dog???

And last, here is me sleeping next to Dad. Lately, we've been falling asleep at the same time!

Love, Kinsey

Even Kinsey is naked

2008-09-01T21:42:00.003-07:00

It is hot here. Really. And while this is no surprise (It is Arizona. In the Summer. 'Nuff said.), it has been really, really muggy here lately. My usual reply to the "Oh, at least it's a dry heat" comment is a sarcastic "So is an oven", but I take it all back. I will take an 110 degree oven over a 97 degree sauna any day.

Last week, we had a serious monsoon, with 2 inches of rain, tons of lightning, and 100 mph winds, and I do appreciate a good thunderstorm, but seriously, the aftermath is not so fun. The humidity has been high ever since, causing more rain and frizz. Lots of frizz.

Anyhow, our upstairs is much cooler than down, so we spend most afternoons and evenings just hanging out on our bed in our underwear. Even Kinsey has gotten in on the trend, hanging out in just her diaper. Please join our prayers for fall (aka 80 degrees).

Kinsey Goes Day Drinking

2008-09-01T21:19:00.005-07:00

One of the things "cool" college kids do around here is Day Drinking. (One of the popular bars even sells "Day Drinker" t-shirts, of course, the bar is referred to as the Trailer Park, but whatever). Granted, I am no longer in college, and most of our friends never were, but Day Drinking is something we just can't give up. In a nutshell, Day Drinking involves... are you ready for this? Drinking (alcohol) during the day. Yep. That's it. As if giving it a name makes having your first beer before noon okay, lol. In it's defense, there is a little more to it. You have to be outside, sitting on the patio of a local bar, with a big group of friends. Food is optional, but usually a good bet.

Anyway, today, we met a group of friends out at Gordon Biersch, a local brewery with good beer and the World's BEST garlic fries. It was Kinsey's first time going Day Drinking, and I think she had a pretty good time. The girl loves misters and ceiling fans, and the patio at Gordon Biersch has both.

Afterwards, the boys hit the movies (Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D aka "Meridith is Sure to Puke") so Kinsey and I hit the sale at The Children's Place. We picked up a few things for our trip to Colorado this week - I sure hope it is cool there because she won't be wearing jeans and sweats here for a LONG time. They even had little yoga pants, so of course, we got those too.

All in all, a good day. And the first time I actually am awake and sober after Day Drinking!

Two Months

2008-08-25T19:30:00.002-07:00

Happy two month birthday, baby girl! These have been the two BEST months of my life
(yes, even with the horrible surgery recovery, the kidney infection and ER visit, the hernia and CT scan with the awful barium drink, and the oppresive Arizona heat). You have made my life complete.

The Birth Story

2008-08-25T19:22:00.006-07:00

I copied this from Kinsey's scrapbook...

After being sent home from the hospital that morning, I spent Monday grocery shopping and relaxing at home. I did notice that I seemed a little “leakier” than usual, but it never crossed my mind that maybe my water had broken. After all, I had been discharged from the hospital only hours earlier, being told to come back in 4 days to be induced. Around 6PM, Daddy and I were having dinner when I thought I felt a contraction. I started timing (I timed 3 contractions…yep, just 3) and realized that they were less that 5 minutes apart and made the connection to the constant “leak”. I told Daddy that we needed to go to the hospital and grabbed my suitcase – still packed and downstairs from my morning trip. On the way to the hospital, I told Daddy that if they sent me home again and told me that I had just been peeing myself all day, I did not want to hear any teasing!

At the hospital, it was determined that my water had in fact broken, probably right after I left that morning, and that there was meconium in the fluid. My contractions weren’t strong, but because of the meconium and my group B strep status (+), I was admitted. This was it…I was having a baby!!!

The nurse started my antibiotics for the group B strep and said that once they had gotten 2 doses in, they would start pitocin to get things moving. Daddy’s parents stopped by and we all hung out and chatted. About 45 minutes later, I started to itch and turn red…yep, I am allergic to Vancomycin. This is usually a ‘last resort’ drug, so there were no other options. My doctor decided that they would just treat you as if you had been exposed, and she started the pitocin.

Around 10PM, Daddy and his parents left because the nurse figured it would be morning before I would be ready to push. I promised to call if I got to 8cm, and said goodbye.
By this point, I was starting to get a little uncomfortable and I asked for some drugs. The nurse checked me and said since I was at 5cm I could get an epidural if I wanted… yes! The anesthesiologist got it started and I was quickly feeling no pain. I laid around, enjoying the last few hours with you inside me and tried to sleep. By 1AM, I was at 8 cm…things were moving fast – hooray! I called Daddy and his parents and they headed back over.

For the next 11 hours (!) very little happened. It was finally determined that you were not in the right position for birth. The nurse had me try different positions to get you to flip (thankfully the epidural still allowed me to move), but nothing helped. Then you started having heart decelerations, so I was put on oxygen and put back on my back.

At 1PM, I was finally at 10cm. My doctor told me that I had one hour to try to push you into position; if I couldn’t, we were headed for the operating room. So, I pushed and pushed to no avail. After an hour, I knew we were destined for the operating room, but the doctor had to deliver a baby in the next room first. Finally, Daddy donned his surgical garb and we headed for surgery. The mood was light and we even took my IPOD and speakers for some tunes. The surgery was quick and easy (I said it felt like an inchworm crawling on my stomach), though it took quite a bit of tugging and pushing to pull you out.

At 2:57PM on June 24, 2008, ‘Baby Girl Acosta’ was born, weighing in at 9lbs 4 oz and 21¼ inches long. It would be the next day before you would become “Kinsey Margaret Kuba”. Between the rough labor and all the pulling, you came out with lots of bruises on your face and under your arms and raw spots on your head, but you were the most beautiful (if not the chubbiest) baby I had ever seen.

Kudos to you

2008-08-12T01:53:00.003-07:00

Yes, I really am working on the birth story, but I just have to take a minute to give props to any one who bottle fed their baby, and especially those who bottle fed expressed breast milk. I exclusively breastfeed Kinsey, and I plan on pumping for her when I go back to work. This arrangement has worked wonderfully for us and has made nights so much nicer for us - she even slept "through the night" (5+ hours) before 7 weeks.

However, I had to have a CT scan of my abdomen this Monday morning. The radiologists had warned me to have 48 hours of breast milk pumped and stored for Kinsey, as I would be unable to breastfeed due to the contrast I would be given (I have since found out that 24 hours is more than sufficient, thank the Lord!). I thought "No big deal" and began pumping. I stored up milk and went for my CT scan...that is when all hell broke loose. See why...

1. Kinsey? Not a fan of the bottle.
2. Me? Not a fan of washing the bottle.
3. Kinsey? Not a fan of the eye dropper feeding method.
4. Me? Not a fan of waking up in the middle of the night to heat the bottle.
5. Kinsey? Not a fan of the cup feeding method.
6. Me? Not a fan of getting up in the middle of the night to "pump and dump"
7. Kinsey? Not a fan of the second style of bottle.
8. My breasts? Not a fan of constant pumping. Ouch.
9. Kinsey? Still not a fan of the bottle. Doesn't mind middle of the night upheaval, because hey, she can sleep anytime she wants to.
10. Me? I really miss cuddling up with Kinsey and feeding her. And I feel awful when she is screaming because she is hungry and hates the bottle.

So, needless to say, as soon as 24 hours are up, we are back to the boob. I will keep pumping once a day to start a stock pile for when I go back to work, and to occasionally try to get Kinsey to accept a bottle before then, but I am so looking forward to not having to do all the work associated with bottle feeding. Call me lazy, but I have so much else to do!

So, kudos to all those moms who bottle fed for any length of time. I sure as hell can't. (Yes, it is 2 AM. Thanks for noticing).

Kinsey doing what she does best. How else do you think I have a 12 pound baby?

Update...

2008-08-06T15:35:00.003-07:00

So, I have been a horrible blogger. It's not that being a mom has been so overwhelming that I didn't have time to blog, it's more that even when I do have time, I'd rather sit and stare at the little miracle asleep next to me... and so I do.

Kinsey is 6 weeks old today, and I have finally decided to update the blog so she will have something to read about when she is older. Plus, I have so many pictures to share with family and friends that I have to update this.

But, Kinsey is waking up and fussy... she must be in the middle of a growth spurt because she is eating like a contestant in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest.

Up next...the birth story. Until then, here is a picture to keep you satisfied.

Mmmmm...milk!

40 weeks and FALSE labor...

2008-06-23T16:07:00.003-07:00

TMI ALERT...

This morning, I woke up feeling a little crampy, and went I went to the bathroom, there was blood. Not the "bloody show" I had expected (mucous-y) but just...blood. I laid down on the couch and rested for a little while before it dawned on me that I hadn't felt the baby move since I woke up. I called the doctor's office and got the after hours nurse. She suggested I lay down for an hour, count kicks, and monitor the bleeding. If it improved, call the doctor, if not, head to the hospital.

At this point, Mike calls from the gym and asks me to bring him his office key. I say sure, thinking I'll just monitor movement in the car. I hurriedly clean up the kitchen (no movement), race upstairs to get dressed (no movement) and throw the last of my things in my hospital bag (no movement). At the last moment, I decide I must have clean sheets when I come home from the hospital and I throw my sheets in the washer (still no movement). In a little panic, I race to the gym to drop off Mike's key, and finally get one solid kick (not the 6 I was hoping for, but at least I knew she was okay). I relax a little, drop off the key, and head to the hospital.

In labor and delivery, the quickly hook up the monitors and not only is the baby's heart rate a solid 150, but you can hear her kicking and moving around. The nurse was surprised that I couldn't feel anything, and decided to keep monitoring me. Then she looks at the contraction monitor and says... "You don't feel those? You are contracting every 2 - 4 minutes!" To which I had to say, "Nope. I feel nothing."

After an hour and a half of monitoring, the nurse checked my cervix, and I was still barely at 1 cm and maybe 70 % effaced. No change from Thursday, or last Thursday, even with all the contractions. So, I was diagnosed with false labor and sent home to wait for my induction on Friday.

I was a little stressed that my mom wasn't here yet, but apparently, this little one is waiting for grandma, so it's all good. And, I got to grocery shop (I spent almost $400 in a panic... I kept thinking of things we might need... so now I have tons of food and extras of all the necessities... TP, laundry soap, dishwasher soap, etc). I still need to clean my floors, but in an effort to keep false labor from progressing to real labor, I am going to leave it for my mom.

We've got a plan...

2008-06-19T13:45:00.002-07:00

So over the last few weeks, I have been hanging out at home, scrapbooking, and just generally waiting for this baby. Boy am I ready for her to get here! She, on the other hand, is not. Last week, at my 38 week appointment, I was 70% effaced, almost 1 cm dilated, and little Maggie was still floating up in my rib cage (as opposed to my pelvis). No contractions, no dropping, no anything that might signal that labor is immanent.

So, today, at my 39 week appointment, my doctor cheerfully tells me that I am 50% effaced, 1 cm dilated, and the baby is still not engaged. That's right... not only did I not make any progress in a week, I actually went backwards! I am LESS on the road to labor than I was 7 days ago! WTF???

Because my OB doesn't let patients go past 41 weeks, I know this baby has to come out - someday. Apparently she is going to need a little incentive, so we scheduled an induction for next Friday, June 27th. Unfortunately, my favorite doctor is not on call from my due date until July 6th, and she won't let me wait that long, so it will be the one doctor I haven't met (which I totally prefer to the doctor I don't like).

Anyway, I am totally thrilled to have a plan...and to know that next Friday (my dad's 60th birthday, by the way) I will definitely have a baby!

PS. Hawkeye is getting fixed on Tuesday... he, ummm, got a little excited on Luxe's face recently and I have had enough. Good bye testosterone.

Lazy Days of Summer

2008-05-27T18:02:00.002-07:00

Today was my first official "no work" day. School is out and even though I will be returning in the fall (although whether or not it will be in time for the first day of school is still up in the air), I am enjoying my temporary status as a stay-at home mom. I slept in - until 7:30, which was awesome because Mike got up with the dogs at 6 and let me sleep - had breakfast and cleaned my bathroom. Then I showered, went and got a haircut, did some shopping, and took a nap. SO NICE!!! I can't believe how quickly the day passed!

I cut off most of my hair today. I kept waffling between growing it out and cutting it short, and after sweating buckets while drying my hair this morning, I called Lethan (who has been cutting my hair since '99) and asked if he would give me a 'mom' cut. It turned out really cute, kind of a funky bob hairdo, and it is feels so nice. I think it will be much easier with a baby and this heat. And, I think it might look good if I don't straighten it (I'll find out soon). Last night, I thought I was in labor (obviously not) and I told Mike that I couldn't go to the hospital looking like I did, LOL. I guess that was my warning - Do not 'slum it' until this baby gets here!

I do have a one room a day cleaning plan for the beginning of this vacation. After a VERY frenzied weekend of nesting (more on that later), I have slowed down and hope to get the house cleaned slowly before the baby gets here. I gave up on the backyard, and ended up paying a lawn company to do it. It was pretty expensive, but WOW! was it worth it. I also have a the carpet cleaners coming in on Friday. I can't even vacuum because Lowe's stopped carrying our brand of vacuum bags, so I am waiting for some that I ordered online (seriously, if our vacuum wasn't so awesome, I would just buy a new one).

Like I mentioned, I had a serious nesting splurge this weekend. On Friday, despite the very real possibility of a broken foot, I went to Babies R Us and got a lot of the things left on our registry, and then went to look at diaper bags, before going to the OB (who immediately sent me to urgent care for my foot, which is not broken, just seriously bruised). On Saturday, I hit Ikea, Target, Babies R Us (again), a few websites, Target (again). I have just about everything ready for this baby. I put together her dresser, from Ikea (which I carried upstairs one piece at a time), and got everything organized. Her room is set up, I am just waiting for the crib to be delivered, and the baseboards to be installed. I am also waiting to order the rocker and ottoman I want. I have the playpen and swing ready downstairs, her car seat installed (to be checked by the fire department on Friday), and have a supply of bottles washed and sterilized. I am hoping to breastfeed, but after 2 breast surgeries, there are no guarantees. Plus, when I go back to work, she will be bottle fed, either expressed breast milk or formula, so the bottles are necessary, but I am holding off on buying a breast pump until I know for sure I can breastfeed.

I have 28 days left until my due date, but for some reason, I really feel like she will be here in two weeks. (All you experienced moms, feel free to laugh at me). Here's hoping!

.967

2008-05-12T19:51:00.002-07:00

I finally finished my Master's degree. Technically, graduation was last Thursday, but I didn't go. (Between the cost of gas to get to main campus, the parking mess, and my lack of desire to purchase another gown and hood, I just couldn't motivate myself). My final grades were posted today, and it's official...I am DONE! Hooray!

I am proud of myself for finishing (and being more than half way done with a second Master's degree), but I am still sore about one thing... the A- I received during my first semester as a grad student. While I don't argue that I deserved a better grade, it does bother me that not one single other professor in the College of Education uses the +/- scale, so I have never been able to off set that A-. As a result, my final GPA is a 3.967, not a 4.0. A stupid reason to be irritable, and I realize that NO ONE else will ever care about my GPA, but still. It's the principle of the matter.

'Nuff Said

2008-05-07T06:09:00.002-07:00

0 days 'til Sprinkles opens (although I am not driving to Scottsdale today)!

7 days 'til Krispy Kreme opens again!

13 days 'til school is out!

16 and 17 days 'til the baby showers!

48 days 'til my due date!

Whoo Hoo!

Wife needs a farmer...

2008-05-02T20:54:00.002-07:00

Have you seen that new TV show "Farmer Needs a Wife"? It is horrible and I can't say I like any of the girls or the farmer on the show, but it is still better than Flavor of Love (HATE that show. Words cannot even begin to describe.)

Anyway, I would like to live on a farm. Be a farmer's wife. Wander the orchard with the sun beating down, my little girl in my arms or at my side. Nothing sounds better. No, the show did not get to me, but rather, the farm did. Today was opening day for peaches at the farm down the road. I first started going last year, and I have been anxiously awaiting peach season ever since.
For $1.75 a pound, you can wander the dusty orchards, picking your own organic peaches.

I stopped by today after school, climbed out of my truck, grabbed a box, and headed into the orchard. When I arrived, I was tired, irritable, and just... weary. As I reached up into the trees, the warm sun shining, the sweet smell of ripening peaches, the stress just started to fade away. I picked 15 or 20 small, ripe peaches (the big ones come later in the season...), stopping to eat a few. By the time I left, I had peach juice dripping down my chin and staining my shirt, and I was full of peace. Which left me wanting more. Not just more peaches, but more... more something. I want to be surrounded by nature and just enjoy the peace that it brings.

Yes, I am sure being a farmer is hard work. But since this is a pipe dream anyway, might as well ignore the reality, huh? I just want to wander the fields, the orchards, picking my food, and not dealing with the real world. Sign me up for season 2 of "Farmer Needs a Wife".

I should be sleeping...

2008-04-25T15:47:00.005-07:00

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Nor did I have this baby, or do anything really exciting since my last post. I have just been swamped. So here is the run down:

My doctor says I am fat.

No joke. At my 30 week appointment, I saw the third doctor in the practice, a German woman, just so I would know everyone who might be on call when I deliver. According to her scale (different office than my usual one), I had gained 10 pounds in 2 weeks. Nevermind the fact that I had just finished lunch AND drank a route 44 tea on my way to the appointment. I tried to explain to her that there was no way I had gained 10 pounds, but she didn't listen and read me the riot act about high blood pressure, high blood sugar and a million other problems. When I pointed out that I have none of these complications, she eased up a little, but not much. According to her, I am restricted to 5 pounds max in the next 10 weeks. What is she gonna do? Sew my lips shut?

Parental, personal, and public opinion think this doctor is nuts. I may gain more than the recommended 35 pounds, but it is ALL in my stomach and boobs. It's not like I have fat legs or something. Needless to say, I can't stand her and am angling to schedule an induction to avoid going into labor when she is on call.

Updated: At my 32 week appointment, my regualr doctor said my weight was much better (I was down 5 pounds - no diet, I just didn't have a route 44 drink on my way in). And that was a big "no" on the induction question.

2 weeks til graduation!

Needless to say, I am working my butt off to finish everything I need to get finished so I can finally get my degree!

Mike went back to work

Which means I am now back in charge of all household related duties. Fair? Nope. True? Yes. Now I am just waiting for him to start making money so I can hire help. LMAO.

My mom, step dad and brothers came out to visit for my Confirmation.

We had a great time. It was great to have them here for such an important event. Here are a few pictures.

I even got Mike to pose for a picture with me. This is our only picture together in almost 6 years. Look close... you might not see another for a LONG time.

And here is the fam... poor Luke was feeling pretty crummy. We made him go to Carraba's with us anyway. It must suck being the baby.

Sad, sad news

2008-04-08T17:19:00.002-07:00

A colleague of mine, who was a few weeks farther along than I am, lost her baby today. It was quite a shock...everything seemed okay yesterday, and by this morning, her world had turned upside down. My kindergartners made cards for her, and as they thought of nice things to say to make her feel better, I started to cry. They may be only five and six, but their little hearts are so pure.

I think the scariest thing is realizing that even this far along, God and fate still have an uncontrollable impact on how things turn out. Medical science may be able to keep a baby alive at 24 weeks gestation, but it can do nothing when God's will isn't there. As a pregnant lady, it is hard not to demand details, to look for the reason, if only to console myself, to say, "Well, that can't happen to me."

I have my hospital tour this evening, and it is the same hospital where my colleague is at. I bought some flowers and a card and plan to take everything, including my kids' cards when I go.

Celebrating... with ice cream... and banana bread

2008-03-28T19:49:00.002-07:00

Hooray, no gestational diabetes! I actually passed ALL four of the blood draws, which is amazing because I have NEVER passed my fasting glucose test. I have been right on the bordelrine for diabetes for years, until now. Guess my body just like being pregnant (I know my heart and brain sure do).

MMM... Glucola

2008-03-22T16:42:00.002-07:00

I had my 3 Hour Glucose Tolerance Test this morning. Other than being sleepy (I had to be at the lab by 7 AM) and long... it wasn't that bad. I got to drink the Fruit Punch flavored Glucola, which in my opinion, is WAY better than the Orange flavor. While I was waiting, I did a cross word puzzle, and I don't know if it was the glucose or what, but I was on FIRE! Good times! Which seems to be a bad thing... all my mom remembers about having GD is that she felt great after drinking the Glucola (she almost passed out when she drank it and didn't have GD). If that is any indicator, looks like I am in the club.

I'll post the results as soon as I find out...

She's got legs...

2008-03-21T10:14:00.002-07:00

I had my 28 week ultrasound today (even though I am only 26w3 days, I wanted to get it done before my appointment next Friday and while I am on Spring Break). One of the first things the tech asked me was if Mike was tall, because apparently, little Maggie has some LONG legs! She definitely didn't get the tall gene from me! LOL. Mike isn't tall (5'9"?), but my dad, maternal grandparents, and lots of other family members are all at or over 6 feet.

Thank goodness we got the money shot last time, because Maggie was pretty modest this time. The tech and I kept poking her, trying to get her to uncross her legs! Finally, at the very end, she shifted and we were able to see the goods, and she is definitely a girl :)

Here are a few of the pictures...

Little girl even has some hair already! Not a lot, but enough to see!

And don't you just love the "alien view"? It always makes me laugh (only after I have seen in profile that she looks like a human!).

In other pregnancy news, while I was getting my ultrasound, my OB's office called to tell me that I flunked my 1 Hour Glucose Screen and I am anemic. I have the 3 Hour Glucose Screen tomorrow at 7 am (yikes!), just because I don't want to have to take extra time off work and I don't want to wait until after my Texas trip before getting this under control.

Looks like I am going to Texas!

2008-03-19T18:31:00.002-07:00

I got a call from my assistant principal today, who said that the superintendent remembered me saying that if the district decided to recruit in Texas, I'd be game to go (seriously, when did I say this and how in the hell did the superintendent remember this???) Well, the district is recruiting in Texas in two weeks, and they would like me to go for 3 days to try to persuade a few Texans to give Arizona a try. After all, who better than a former Texan to tout the perks of Arizona?

It looks like my assistant principal, who is also pregnant, and I will be hitting San Antonio, San Marcos, and some place else... a little pregnant lady va-cay. More details to come!

Rare White Whale Lands in Arizona Back Yard

2008-03-19T18:21:00.004-07:00

First off, let me just say how much I love living in Arizona (save this post to throw in my face when I am 9 months pregnant and it is 115 degrees out). I am on Spring Break this week and spent my afternoon laying out in the back yard, as it was a beautiful, sunny 80 degrees outside. I (barely) squeezed into one of my pre-pregnancy bikinis, slathered on some yummy coconut scented lotion and hit the lawn chair. After about 20 minutes, I realized that while my front side might get golden bronze, my back side is doomed to whiteness unless I can find a way to lay on my belly for an extended period... my best idea yet is to purchase an inner-tube, stick my belly in the hole, and hope for the best. In the meantime, I asked Mike to take my picture. When I saw the picture, all I could think was, "Whoa! I am gonna need a stronger chair by June!"

I also stopped at the OB's office today, because I am a little concerned about my recent weight gain... according to my scale, 5 lbs in 2 weeks, with no change in diet or exercise. Well, my OB's scale confirmed this weight gain, and they told me to call in a few days to see if they have received the results of my glucose screen. GD here I come...

Jumping the Fence and the Big Clean...

2008-03-17T14:23:00.002-07:00

So, yesterday was Palm Sunday. For Catholics, and I think for all Christians, this is a pretty big day. At church, they read/re-enact the Passion of Christ in preparation for Easter/the Resurrection next week. This does make for a rather long Mass, so I put on my maternity brace and some comfy shoes and headed off to the gym (yes, my church meets in a gym until we raise the 6 MILLION DOLLARS the dioceses wants us to raise before they start building our church - but that is a whole 'nother story).

Mass was crowded, but I found a spot and settled in. When it was time for the Passion, the priest asked us to sit down, and we did. What happened next blew my mind. The lady next to me pulled out her nail file and began to file her nails. She didn't just fix a hang nail, she filed all ten nails, then pulled out cuticle cream and starts doing her cuticles. The lady ended up giving herself a freakin' manicure while the priest re-told the story of Jesus's final days! And she wasn't the only one! The guy in front of me was smacking his gum, the kid behind me kept kicking my bleacher, and the lady next to me was playing SpiderMan with her 8 year old. WTF has happened to the sanctity of Mass? I understand infants and toddlers needing a distraction, but everyone else needs to rethink why they are there in the first place. And that is my pregnant, hormonal opinion.

By the time we celebrated Communion, I had had just about enough and decided to leave before I told off someone sitting near me. I went out the back door, so as not to disturb anyone, only to realize that the back door leads to a locked and gated courtyard. I turned around to go back inside, figuring that it was a sign that I was supposed to stay at Mass. But the door locked behind me! I was stuck. I looked around, and short of banging on the door until someone came to let me in, the only way out was to jump the 6 foot chain link fence. So I did. Almost 6 months pregnant and I hopped that fence and ran for my car. I bet someone would pay good money for video footage of that feat!

* * *

I am on Spring Break this week, and while most rational people would choose to relax, I have decided to take on a major Spring Clean. I made lists for every room in the house, down to scrubbing the baseboards and cleaning the air vents. So far, I have finished one bathroom, the laundry room, and 1/2 of the kitchen. Holy crap, this is a huge job! It wasn't as if our house was that dirty, but so many of these details get overlooked when I do my regular clean and really need to be done now, before the baby gets here. What makes it worse is that I can only work for an hour or so before my back gets really achy and I need to rest. I would enlist Mike to help, but he is out of commission this week with the gout. I am about ready to call in a cleaning service.

The Big 4-0

2008-03-16T21:54:00.002-07:00

P.S. I hit the big 4 - 0 today. That's right, I am almost 2/3s as big around as I am tall. (40 inch waist, 62 inches tall). Mike threatened to roll me down a hill. We'll see what April brings... and May... and June...

100 days...and sleeping

2008-03-16T21:43:00.003-07:00

According to my ticker, I only have 100 days left to go! I shared this great news with Mike and he promptly told me... "Only 2400 hours to go!" I am not sure if that makes it sound better or worse.

And I finally fell asleep yesterday... Luxe had to have a bath because he had rolled in something... unpleasant. I couldn't find the puppy shampoo, so I had to use Aussie and he smelled so nice. After his bath, we curled up on the couch and I fell asleep. Finally!

This really isn't the most flattering angle... and yes, I am WHITE! I stopped tanning years ago and have substituted with self tanner, but at my current size, I am quite sure that I could not reach all of my body to rub it in, so I would be quite splotchy and only partially tan... I am almost seriously considering Mystic Tan, but really who cares? It's not like anyone is going to be checking out this "hot bod" in a swimsuit this season!

25 Weeks and Outgrowing My Clothes

2008-03-13T21:26:00.003-07:00

So, I outgrew at least two of my maternity shirts already... pretty much anything that ties or cinches under the boobs is out, since my boobs are just too big. I guess it is time to go up a size... or three. At least my maternity pants still fit!

Here is my most recent picture, taken today at 25 weeks 2 days. For a frame of reference, those boobies are size 36J+!

A parent at school saw me today and said to another teacher, "Wow! That is one pregnant woman!" She was shocked when she found out I still had 15 weeks to go! Trust me, me too, me too.

Sleep has become a little elusive. Insomnia is my new friend. Hooray for cable and Law and Order marathons. Other than that, everything is going smoothly, and I am thankful for that.

24 Weeks - Hooray

2008-03-04T19:41:00.002-07:00

Today makes 24 weeks! Only 16 weeks to go... and I am so excited. Everything went well at my doctor's appointment today, minus one (temporary) HUGE shock. As I was making my 28 week ultrasound and doctor's appointment, the receptionist mentioned that, with my insurance, I needed to go to an outside facility for my ultrasound. I asked if this was a new thing, since my other 4 ultrasounds were all done in office. She said no and seemed surprised - then she checked my file and confirmed that I had already had 4 ultrasounds and she whispers "They're like $700 each!" My stomach dropped as I repeated, "I've had 4!" Thank goodness she looked at me and said, "Oh, we can't bill you, we'll have to eat it..." Whoo!!! I was terrified for a minute!

I also have my glucose screening to look forward to, which I am almost certain to fail. My fasting blood sugar is always borderline diabetic (like 124, with 125 being the cut off), so I imagine this will be no different, especially after drinking the glucose drink. Oh well...

My wonderful neighbor took me out to the fabric store today to pick out material for a blanket, and we had a great time. The blanket is going to be beautiful. I am so lucky to have such great neighbors (she brought fresh home-made cookies over when we moved in.)

Attitude is Everything

2008-02-21T17:56:00.003-07:00

I borrowed this from Anns over at A Brief History of You. I love it.

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

"Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today."
So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

"Hmm," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today."
So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.

"Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."
So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

"YEA!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything.
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... it's about learning to dance in the rain.

EEEEKKKKK!

2008-02-20T21:06:00.004-07:00

Wow, I can't imagine how moms with more than one baby manage to stretch so much! Here I am at 19 weeks, feeling big...

Two weeks later, at 21 weeks... feeling bigger...

And, holy crap, only a week after that (today) at 22 weeks...

WTF? In a week???? And I still have 18 weeks to go! I know I haven't put on crazy weight... all of my jewelry, undies, and other "non-belly" stuff still fits. All the weight is between my boobs and my belly.

Nope... Just 1! And a girl to boot!

2008-02-04T17:57:00.001-07:00

I finally had my 20 week ultrasound, and they are now sure that there is just one baby. And she is a girl! Yea!!!!!!

Oh, Lord! Twins!!

2008-01-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful visit with both of my families over the holidays and while I was in Colorado visiting my mom, I had dinner with Bonnie and her family. Being the wonderful best friend that she is, Bonnie offered to do a free ultrasound for me the following day (my ultrascreen scheduled for Dec. 21 had been mis-scheduled by my doctor's office, so I didn't get to do it and I wanted to see my baby!). Bonnie is the lab supervisor at a local hospital, and while she isn't an ultrasound tech, she does know how to run the ultrasound machine, so I immediately took her up on her offer.

The next day, (Dec. 30th) my mom and I went up to the hospital and Bonnie settled us in an exam room to do the ultrasound. She quickly found the baby and was just about to print a few pictures when she moved the wand and came across a baby that was in a COMPLETELY different position that the baby we had been looking at. My mom jumped up, Bonnie's mouth dropped, and I laughed. Two babies!!! She couldn't get both babies in one picture, and Bonnie kept saying that she wasn't sure, and I promised not to hold her responsible if she was wrong, but my mom was confidant that she had seen two babies.

I quickly told Mike, and everyone close to me. My dad and step mom were pretty skeptical, which rubbed off on me and I kept thinking, "There is no way."

When I got back to AZ, I saw my OB on Friday, January 4th. I explained the situation to my nurse, who said it was a bummer that there were no open ultrasound appointments that day, but that she would listen for two heartbeats and see what she could find. Well, she couldn't find one heartbeat, much less two, so she went to get another nurse who had more experience listening for twins. She came in a quickly found the first heartbeat, then moved about four inched and immediately found the second. I was shaking I was so amazed. My doctor was surprised too, and scheduled an ultrasound for Monday at 10:50. So, technically, I am still waiting for the final confirmation, but... 2 BABIES!!!!

Is it possible?

2007-12-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

I am one day shy of 13 weeks and I think it might be possible that a little bit of my energy is coming back. Today, we went out to eat, and when we came home, I wrapped all of the Christmas gifts, did 5 loads of laundry, unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned the kitchen, and swept the downstairs! Wow! Not really a lot, but compared to what I was getting done on the weekends (laundry only), it is crazy. Yea!

My best friend Kacey asked me to take a picture of my stomach so she could see it. Since she lives in Washington, she won't get to see my belly until she comes out to visit in April. To be honest, I hadn't taken ANY pictures so far... while I am "proud" of my bump, I just haven't wanted to record the growth for posterity. But, here is one of the pictures. Keep in mind that those are E+ boobs on tops of that belly, if that gives you some perceptions of size.

According to LMP date (which my doctor is using), I am 12 weeks 6 days. According to ovulation/fertilization date, I am only 12 weeks 1 day (I ovulate late, when at all). Either way, I feel big. I really would like to be exercising more (or at all, since I have done nothing in the way of exercise since I got pregnant) but my hip pain has made it kind of difficult. Even walking isn't really an option and I did a 1 hour yoga class with my mom over Thanksgiving and was pretty uncomfortable. I do want to start swimming and think I will join the local gym with a pool when I get back (my gym, which I suspended the membership to while I am pregnant, doesn't have a pool). This is our first house without a pool (it figures), so I can't swim at home. Hopefully, my brace will be here soon and will make it more comfortable to walk and eventually exercise.

Bits and Pieces...

2007-12-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't written lately, mostly because I don't think anyone religiously checks for updates (I blame myself, if I'd just stop calling my mom 3 times a day, she'd probably actually read my blog for info...), so I have slacked off. So here's what's up.

The Bean:

The baby, whom I call Maggie, is doing great. On the 7th I heard her heartbeat at the doctor's office, and while I hadn't expected to be too excited (I'd heard it during both ultrasounds...), I was over the moon. It totally made my weekend. But, I was really bummed that my next scheduled ultrasound wasn't until 19 or 20 weeks. So, I suggested the NT screen, only because I knew it had to be done at 13 weeks. While my dr. seemed surprised that I wanted to do it, she agreed and my ultrasound is next Friday, the 21st. I am excited to have new pictures to take home over the holidays and I am (secretly) hoping that Maggie will be totally immodest and the tech will be able to see her girl parts.

My Body:

Oh, dear Lord. Of the six or seven pregnant ladies at work, I am the least far along. But, I am the biggest. And it's not like I have just packed on the pounds... I put on a respectable five pounds in the first trimester, and it is ALL in my boobs and stomach. I've gone up 2 cups sizes (to an E!!! OMG!) and even that has gotten snug in the last week, and my stomach is 6 inches bigger than it used to be. The hip pain has become a constant, so I have been ordered into a maternity brace by my doctor. Is this hot or what?

It should be delivered any day. Part of me can't wait to see if it helps, the other half is mortified. It's a back brace, people!

School:
It has been 4 days since my kids had recess or gym. Need I say more? No wonder I am perpetually exhausted. They drive me batty. I hope the playground dries out soon. All the rain we got has created a lake that is refusing to dry.

Thanksgiving wrap up

2007-11-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

This Thanksgiving, my mom's family met at Casa Estrella (the Star House - my Uncle Bubba and Aunt Sue's ranch) in Texas hill country. This was my first visit back to Texas since we moved 12 years ago. Wow! Dallas is so different than I remember it as a non-driving teenager, but the country is just as beautiful and appealing as I remember.

I had a great time catching up with family and relaxing. Everyone was excited to see my little pregnant belly and we also found out that my cousin Molly is expecting too! We were born just a few months apart, and now we are due just a few weeks apart (she is due in May). Molly lives near my mom, and I am hoping to see her at Christmas - she didn't make it to Texas.

This is Casa Estrella. From this angle, you can kind-of see that the house IS star shaped. The two back patios make up the other two points of the star. As their photo album states...

A single star. A Texas brand.

There's no doubt you're on Cornil land.

This is one of the ponds off of the house. Hill country is beautiful!

And in true Texas form...

This is the view that greeted us as we pulled up (my sister, Jill, started screaming). By week's end, there would be another deer hanging next to this one. Yes, they do eat the meat, and this is a hunting ranch. It's Texas. Luke even learned how to shoot on this trip. He didn't actually hit anything (he had a doe in his sights, but she looked at him and he couldn't fire - I love that boy), but he had a great time. The cutest thing of all is my cousin's four year old Trip. That boy loves to hunt with his daddy. All weekend long, he was grabbing his gun and dragging his dad out to the blind.

I had such a good time that I threatened Mike that I wasn't coming home - I was going to stay at the ranch and have a ranch baby! This trip, combined with my daily reading of The Pioneer Woman's blog has really made we want to live out in the country.

Good bye pretty shoes...see you next summer. Maybe.

2007-11-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

Since the hip pain started, I have pretty much been wearing tennis shoes everyday. Today, I decided to go with a nice wedgie AeroSole loafer. Come on, AeroSole - another word for comfortable shoe! By 3 PM, I was limping like it was seven years ago.

So, I guess that's it. Good bye new Coach wedges. Good bye comfy Cole Hann mules. Good bye favorite high heeled sandals from Target that go with anything. I am going to be one of those funny looking people in dress slacks and tennis shoes. Dresses and tennis shoes. Jeans and tennis shoes. The thought is kind of depressing, but kind of appealing. Think of the comfort! The padding! The arch support!

Hopefully, the tennis shoes will keep the pain at bay... Otherwise, just picture me at 8 months pregnant on a walker... Try not to giggle.

Thanks Steph!

2007-11-25T18:55:00.001-07:00

A big thank you to Stephanie for changing my blog banner to reflect the new addition to my life! I love it! Check out her blog for your own custom banner.

Planning in Advance to Slack Off...

2007-11-25T18:44:00.000-07:00

So, I began my Master's degrees a year and a half ago. I had only intended to get one degree, but ASU scheduling wouldn't let me finish in a year and I was interested in multiple areas of education, so I decided to get two degrees in two years. It has been a challenge at times, but I am still on track to finish in May. Except for one slight problem... I don't want to.

That's right. I don't want to take the necessary 4 classes to finish both degrees. I am only one class shy of my first choice in degrees (Early Childhood Education), so that is the degree I am going to finish. In my current school district, the pay increase for having two masters degrees, compared to one masters plus 18 additional hours (which I will easily have by taking the one class I need) is $0. That's right $0. Nothing. So there goes that incentive.

When I began my degrees, I wasn't working, wasn't pregnant, and had tons of energy and motivation to dedicate to learning. Now, I just want to sleep. And eat. And sleep some more. Add that to working full time and coaching, and preparing for this baby, and I am pooped. I am hoping the exhaustion eases up in the next trimester, but why push it? So, I am going to take it easy next semester, finish one degree, and relax. And I feel good about my decision. That's the best part.

Ouch...Feelin' like I'm 80

2007-11-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

Ugh... Seven and a half years ago, I was thrown out the window when I rolled my car. Fortunately, my butt took the brunt of the impact and I walked (well, crawled) away relatively unscathed. However, breaking the window with my butt did some damage to one of the joints in my hip. I spent 6 weeks using a walker while it healed (too much road rash under my arms to use crutches), but I was so thankful that it was my hip and not my head that was broken that I didn't think of the long term implications.

Fast forward to today, and I am feeling the pain. Being pregnant is exacerbating the weakness in my hip, and the "loosening" of hip ligaments has made it extremely difficult to get comfortable, whether I am walking, sitting, or laying down. The achiness is pretty constant with sharper pains in my butt muscle. I can only imagine what it is going to feel like when I am carrying an extra 30 pounds in 7 months.

Regardless, I am sure this is all going to be worth it in the end.

Overachiever

2007-11-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

I went in for my second ultrasound yesterday and was a little (okay, a LOT) anxious to see what had transpired in my uterus since last week. I had spent the last ten days trying to relax, rest, eat well (lots of Heart Healthy smoothies from Jamba), and did pretty well until I got a killer stomach bug Tuesday night and lost 5 pounds in fluid over night. It was awful...and they put me on Zofran until I could start keeping fluids down. So, by Friday, I was a little nervous...

I went into the ultrasound room (side note, I LOVE how my doctor's office always on-time) and the tech was...hesitant. She said we should probably do the trans vaginal again, and reminded me that we were looking to see if the heartbeat had sped up any - because I needed reminding about why I was there. The words "ultrasound for viability" weren't tattooed in my heart.

Anyway, I hopped up, put my feet in the stir ups and we began. She found the baby pretty quickly and said "it looks faster to my eye...", and she aimed the wand and zoomed in to get the heartbeat... 160!!!!! Hooray!!!!! I was so happy and relieved that I almost started crying. She went on to measure everything and discovered that the baby (whom I will probably start referring to as "she" even though I have no clue yet) had done some serious growing. Last time, she was measuring smaller than expected and this time, not only had she caught up to dates, but had passed that mark by 5 days.

(I do know that dating is not an exact science, but I like to think of her as a little over-achiever, like me. She was just chilling until someone noticed that she was slacking off, then she kicked it into high gear, caught up and went ahead...)

The tech asked what I had been doing for the past week and I told her "Heart Healthy smoothies from Jamba". They should make me a spokesperson...

Anyway, I am so happy and thrilled that things are looking normal... I had subconsciously stopped reading my pregnancy books after the last ultrasound, but I am back!

The 1st Ultrasound - The Good, the Bad, and the Oh...

2007-10-31T20:13:00.001-07:00

For as excited as I was about my first ultrasound on Tuesday, you are probably thinking it is a little weird that I didn't post anything about it. First of all, let me say, it was good. The tech started with the abdominal U/S and was able to see the gestational sac, but nothing else. She said it was still so early (less than 6 weeks) that she wanted to do a vaginal u/s to be able to see better.

So, we switched to the lovely vaginal "wand" and were able to see the sac, the baby, and the heartbeat, which was really exciting! While doing all the measuring, the tech mentioned that I was measuring smaller than the 5 weeks 6 days that I thought I was. I do know that when I do ovulate it seems to be late in my cycle, and I mentioned this to her. She thought I was closer to early 5 weeks, instead of late in the week. It's funny how much of a difference a few days can make when the baby is so tiny!

The other thing she mentioned was that the baby's heartbeat was 98. Not knowing what it should be, I thought this was great. Come to find out, not so much. According to this month's Pregnancy magazine, low heartbeat "say, anything lower than 100" increases the chance of miscarriage to 1 in 2. Yeah. I cried.

Then, I saw my doctor, who told me that she is not worried, particularly if I am earlier than we think, but she does want to do another u/s in a week and a half to check on things. She says she has lots of babies who are "slow starters". And she said that the fact that the slight nausea that was my morning sickness has turned into full blown dry heaves, puking, and wanting to crawl into bed nausea is a good thing. So now I am thankful to feel like crap.

I also talked to my dad and mom (stepmom), who both have medical "expertise" and I feel better. They seem to think that 5 or 6 weeks is way too early, and both asked me to say off the Internet and not read anything.

So I did. For about 2 hours. I distracted myself with a Heart Happy smoothie from Jamba Juice (hey, doing what I can). But then the lure of the Internet won out and I Googled. I expected the worst. And while I did see lots of disappointing posts, most low heartbeats that ended in miscarriage were in the 60s. And one actually reputable site I found said that for 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 weeks, average heart rate was 90 - 110, which makes the bean (my name for the baby...which will not lead to any Courtney Love type "Bean" names for my child) totally normal.

So, until next Friday (the 9th) I am trying to stay calm, relaxed, and to take it pretty easy. Mom added the bean and I to the nuns daily intentions log, which for me, is the spiritual guarantee I needed to relax. These nuns are good...they are responsible for my brother Luke's miracle recovery when he was a little. And when I say miracle, I mean miracle. Certified by the Vatican. Endorsed by the Pope. The real Catholic deal. So, I am asking for a little divine intervention to keep the bean safe.

Infertility's Common Thread

2007-10-31T20:07:00.000-07:00

I saw this on another blogger's website and I love it. I totally agree with the reasoning and idea behind it. So many times do I remember looking longingly at a pregnant belly and just being green with envy, never knowing how easy or hard that belly was to come by. If anything, seeing this bracelet would have, at least, stopped my jealousy. So take a look...
http://stirrup-queens.blogspot.com/2006/09/history-of-infertilitys-common-thread.html.

He gets it!

2007-10-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

This morning, I woke up and found that Mike hadn't come to bed. This wasn't much of a surprise, as he was lost in online poker at 3, when I woke up to pee. I expected to find him passed out on the couch, so I headed downstairs. There he was... but to my surprise, he was awake. I started making breakfast and Mike looks up at me and says,

"Do you realize that we're going to have a baby? Have you thought about that?!!!"

Um, yeah. I've thought about it. Constantly. I tried to explain that sometimes, my face hurts from smiling because I am so happy. I don't know if he knows where I am coming from, but at least he finally gets that we are pregnant. Of course that means that now he has started worrying about all of the things that could go wrong. Not with the pregnancy, but when the baby is a teenager. I tried to assure him that we had lots of time to work on that, but he seems a little stressed today... oh well.

I am just excited to have my U/S on Tuesday. Yea!!!

My First OB Visit

2007-10-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

Today was my first OB appointment. While surfing a few bulletin boards, I read many posts about women complaining that their doctor wouldn't see them until 8 or 9 weeks, so I was happy to be able to get in so quick - they actually had an opening for last Thursday, the day after I got my BFP, but I needed an after school appointment, so today it was. I am officially 4 weeks and 5 days, although I feel much more than that (more on that later).

Everything went great, the doctor I saw today is one of four doctors at the office (it is a huge practice - 13 or 14 doctors- with multiple locations) and I will see all of them during my pregnancy, so that I am comfortable with whomever is on call when I deliver. I am pretty easy going, so I am not worried about which doctor is there...I'd rather know them all than have a scene like that in Knocked Up, where her one and only OB is out of town. Anyway, they deliver at the brand new hospital down the street, which is beautiful and totally family based, so the baby can stay in the room with me.

Anyhow, my exam was fine and afterward, I had my urine and blood tests done at the lab next door. I went ahead and did the CF screening, even though we have no history of it in either of our families.

Also in good news, I got a prescription for Natelle C, which is my favorite prenatal. I thought they quit making it (at least that's what my pharmacist told me when they had me switch to something else).

So anyway, I told my doctor that I feel more than 4 weeks pregnant. I have only gained 1 pound, but already, my pants barely button and my bra...well, my cups runneth over. And I cannot even describe the fatigue...I slept for 14 hours yesterday. My doctor did say that some women show way more in the first trimester than others, so maybe that is my problem. Any way, she scheduled an ultrasound for next week (right at 6 weeks) just to make sure that I am not further along, or carrying more than one (which I would love...) So, again, I am extra thankful that my doctors are so accommodating and don't insist on waiting until farther along.

Ohhhh, this ends well!

2007-10-18T22:20:00.001-07:00

So, I finally put the money down for 3 rounds of IUI with injectibles. I was committed. Ready to go. All I needed to do was wait for CD1. So, I patiently waited, counting down the days, which was much less stressful than the 2ww, since I knew I wasn't pregnant and CD1 would mean the beginning of my treatment cycle. So, on Day 29 of my normal 30 day cycle, I thought it was odd that I hadn't has any spotting, but didn't think anything of it. I went to bed, and when I woke up the next morning, my arm brushed my breast and I thought, "Wow, that's tender."

Freeze. I don't get breast tenderness with AF. Maybe it's because of my implants, or whatever, but I don't. I had a HPT in the closet, so I grabbed it and headed for the bathroom, fully expecting another BFN, and AF to actually begin as I peed. Nope. Almost instantly, two lines showed up!!! OMG!!! I am pregnant! I seriously sat and laughed on the toilet.

I am so thankful to God for this wonderful blessing. I had given up on this happening naturally (obviously) and was ready to start IUI, but God stepped in and I am so so so thankful.

The last two days have been a blur of happiness and complete mental shut down. I am praying that this "preggo brain" is just a temporary combination of fatigue and excitement. If not, I am in deep crap because I cannot remember anything! Other than that, I am doing great. Just a little nausea so far, nothing bad.

How Good Am I?

2007-09-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

Apparently, pretty darn good! Because this week, I got, not one, but TWO new pairs of Coach shoes! Wow! They were presents from Mike, and can I just say how absolutely in love I am with these shoes?! As soon as I get off my butt, I will run upstairs and get my camera and take a picture... or just use links I found on the Internet...

These wedges are SO comfortable. Love them.

I got these ballet flats in black and they are so cute...a little rough to break in (it feels like the same high quality leather and fabric as the purse) but so worth a few days of limping.

Ahh, Coach. Love those people. My stepmom once told me that she thought my Coach tennis shoes were the ugliest things she'd ever seen... To each his own, I guess.

Oww!

2007-09-23T16:29:00.000-07:00

So, I look like I have this HUGE zit right in the very center of my forehead. It is red and swollen and looks like I have been picking at it... We went to the mall today, and I actually debated what was worse, trying to cover it with makeup or just putting a band aid on it... The makeup won out, but I was still self-conscious...

The funny part about all of this is that I DO NOT have a huge zit on my forehead. Last night, Luxe and I were wrestling and playing tug-o-war (inspired by the UFC fight that was on TV) and he jumped up as I leaned down and I got head butted so hard it split my head open! Seriously. It dazed me and as I stood up, one of Mike's friends said "Is Meridith bleeding?" I reached up to see if I had a bump (I did) and my hand came away bloody. Fabulous. In addition to the zit looking trauma on my head, I have a lingering headache and extra pain every time I scrunch my forehead... Ugh. I have to give Luxe credit though - it didn't seem to phase him. That dog has a skull made of bricks.

On a side note, I am seriously upset that Chuck Liddel lost his fight last night.

Yep...it's me

2007-09-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

Okay...this is me. This summer. In my high school cheerleading uniform. Yep. Pretty funny, huh? And this past weekend, I was goofing off in the park with my brothers and sisters and was pulling off a few of my less impressive tumbling moves...and as I was working my way towards a back handspring, I realized how old I am! Ugh! I am just not as bendy as I used to be!

But, I guess I was always a cheerleader at heart, which is why it is awesome that I was asked to be the Cheerleading coach/sponsor at my school. Because we are a K-8 school, we have a middle school athletics program, but I had planned on waiting until next year to get involved (once I finished my master's and had a little more time available). Then, this afternoon, our awesome assistant principal asked if I would do student council or cheer or something...and I said yes. I guess it was meant to be...yeah, it will mean that I will be even crazier busy than I have been, but things really are starting to settle down.

The "food poisoning" from the weekend turned into a rotten cold all week, but thank goodness it is finally starting to get better. I am looking forward to a nice quiet weekend, getting ahead on my planning, homework, and cleaning... 1st stop...both dogs are off to PetSmart for grooming.

Running with the runs...(Sorry, TMI)

2007-09-09T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today was the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the whole reason why I came up to Colorado. The problem? Last night, I went out with Bonnie and started to feel sick - not like drunk sick, since I had had only one drink, but like sick sick. I blamed it on the Red Bull (sugar and caffeine?? Not something my body likes or is used to), discretely puked in the bathroom and stuck with water for the rest of the night, although that didn't make me feel better. When I got home, I had a piece of toast and went to bed. Within an hour, I was up sick. Really sick. And as I am "being sick" in the bathroom, all I can think about is how my mom is going to think I got drunk before the race and am hungover - even though that was no where near the truth. So, I try to stay quiet and return to bed, only to get up two more times during the night. Just minutes before we all had to wake up, a loud retching noise wakes my mom up - she comes running into the living room, thinking one of the dogs is puking, but it is Luke, who has gotten confused and did not make it to the bathroom.

In respect for Luke, I will not go into details, but let's just say, it will be a big family joke for a while.

(Side note: Luke and I have had this weird bond since he was little, where he and I both come down with the exact same thing, even when we are hundreds of miles away from each other. Given that the Catholic church has declared him a miracle - really - I have always just taken this in stride. Not sure who was really sick today, and who had sympathy sickness, but either way, it sucked for both of us.)

Anyway, at this point, I decide to tell my mom that I am sick too, but that NOTHING will stop me from going to the race. Everyone thinks I am a little nuts, but they let me go. It was cold, I was hungry but scared to eat, and it was cold (really, really, must be mentioned twice it was so cold). I finished the race with only a few moments of fearing that I was about to have an Alli moment, and went home and napped all day before heading to the airport to fly home. The puking has stopped, but, to be polite, my digestive track is not back to normal and I am feeling a little ill... Not sure if it was food poisoning or a stomach bug, but no one else got sick. Oh well. I'll sleep on the plane. I'll add pictures as soon as my mom emails them to me.

PS. The Race was really inspirational and I cried as my mom and the other survivors marched into the area for a balloon release. What a beautiful sight, to see over 500 women and men who have survived this disease.

Stella B - Updated

2007-09-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

This is Stella, my mom's Golden Doodle (half Golden Retriever, half Poodle). Despite looking like a walking shag carpet, she is so funny and perfect for my mom. However, her beautiful curly hair is horribly matted and dreadlock-y, mostly due to the night she lay under the grill to try to lick any drippings, which of course dripped in her hair, and not in her mouth. After some discussion, my mom and I decided that the best way to handle it would be o shave Stella and start over. So at some point this weekend, we are planning on giving her a nice little trim before the Colorado winter kicks in. I promise to post pictures... Be forewarned, my mom has confessed to being scissor happy (my brothers will no longer let her near their heads) and I, well, let's just say that one boyfriend actually yelled at me "I said half an inch!!!!! Half an inch!!!! That was like 2 inches!!!!" Oops! So this could be very interesting...

UPDATE: Okay, so this is bad. My cousin Molly, who works in a vet's office, said that Stella's fur was so matted that our only option was to shave her bald and start over. Really, I swear, I am not making this up. So we set out with the scissors or shaver...

This is Stella while we took a break waiting for the shavers to cool down. Yep, there was so much matted hair that the shavers overheated. See the Ace Bandage? I was trying to cut through a really tough mat and accidentally cut her leg. It looked so bad that I wanted to cry, but she acted like it barely phased her - one yelp and she was up running around without any limp or anything...
Shortly after our break, the shavers died completely - and we weren't done! And those light patches? Those are spots where the hair was pulled so tightly into the mat that when we shaved her, the hair cut VERY short.

Stella has an appointment with the groomer tomorrow to finish our hack job, but in the mean time, she is LOVING it. She loves to feel hands, wind, and water run over her skin and she is prancing around like she is somebody. Thank goodness she has no idea that she looks like a lion with the mange...

Kids reactions: Tim - nothing. Luke - very upset, he almost cried, promised to brush her every day when her hair starts to grow back in. Jill - walks in, sees Stella, and immediately yells at my mom "I told you you are not allowed to cut hair!" LOL.

Thank Goodness I Am Handy!

2007-09-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

I normally consider myself a pretty handy person. Yes, I use terms like "one of those ch-ch-ch things" (i.e. a ratchet) that make the Home Depot people cringe, and I can and do many projects using a butter knife and a high heel (instead of a screw driver and hammer), but I do know how to use most tools and have done lots of home improvement projects, most completely successful (I have even laid tile and replaced a toilet). So when I found myself facing the irritation of backpacks all over my floor (seriously, what kindergarten room does not have cubbies?), I decided to get handy. My first idea was to actually build cubbies, but after deciding that lumber would be fairly expensive, I decided to go with hooks. A simple 2x4 with hooks for backpacks. Simple, right?

My first problem came when I realized the wall I wanted to use was cement block. The Home Depot (I never ever go to Lowes - they don't let dogs in) people were really helpful, but it sounded difficult, so I said I'd just find a spot on my regular wall. I bought all my tools, painted my 2x4's and went to school to hang these bad boys up. One problem...because we are a new school, we have metal studs, and my screws were not going in deep enough. So back I went to Home Depot for self-tapping screws, some that were supposed to be able to go through metal. No luck. So, I called my dad, who was a contractor before deciding to become a nurse, and is still the handiest person I know, and begged for help. Unfortunately, he wasn't home, but I did get my mom, who also knows quite a bit of handy knowledge, and suggested Liquid Nails (like me, she goes for the best easy option - love her). Best of all, she had some and since I was coming to visit the next day, she would give it to me! Hurray!

So after my visit home, from which I also got a dispensing gun, one of my dad's more powerful drills, a drill bit, and some other great stuff, I tried again, prepared to Liquid Nail the hell out of these 2x4's. I followed the directions and...NOTHING. Nothing came out, I squeezed like I have never squeezed, still nothing... WTF? Am I incompetent? Finally, I decide to just cut the stupid tube open and spread the glue with a pencil (I was at school - no putty knife insight). When I cut it open, I found the glue had solidified! How freakin long had this been in my dad's shed?????

So I bought a new tube of Liquid Nails (Industrial Strength) and tried again, using my personal philosophy that if some is good, then more must be better... This time...success!

The HSG

2007-08-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

I had my HSG on Wednesday, and really it wasn't that bad (doesn't everyone say that about things that are excruciatingly painful? Childbirth? Root Canals?). The good news is that both tubes are open and my uterus is normal, although a little tilted and off center. This was of great concern to me until my doctor said that very few people are actually centered...

So the next step is Mike's SA, which is becoming quite an issue, as he thinks it is some invasion of privacy or something. Hello, I just had radioactive dye inserted into my uterus, along with some rogue air bubbles that (thank God) cut the whole thing short! Whatever.

My next cycle will be the CCCT, and if Mike has done his SA and has normal numbers, a treatment cycle as well.

I am going to my dad's for the holiday weekend, and to my mom's next weekend. After finding out my plans, my older sister called me and asked if I was coming home to announce that I was pregnant... nope. Just miss my nephew and doing the Susan G Komen run... Wishful thinking...

In the meantime, I am just praying that God leads me in the right direction.

Will it be this bad wih my children?

2007-08-31T09:30:00.000-07:00

So, most people know that Luxe is my baby. From a 2 1/2 pound, carry in my purse puppy, to the 60+ and growing pound monster he is today, he has always been my baby. We used to spend our days lunching out side of AJ's - I'd have the BBQ, he'd have the grilled chicken, and our evenings at Yappy Hour at 3 Dog Bakery. This little guy has it good. We even have a service that comes by and picks up his poop, so his yard is so fresh and so clean.

But, lately, I have been a little carried away. See for example, my new license plate:

And my new debit card (notice: this is a mock up - NOT MY ACTUAL DEBIT CARD NUMBERS).

But worst of all, Luxe's new bed:

Yep... that is a cherry wood, toddler sleigh bed. With Pottery Barn chamois sheets. Uh-huh...I know. I have lost it. But I couldn't handle this monster sleeping in MY bed anymore, and the nicest thing I could think of was to but him his own miniature version of it. So he now has a little bed that looks very similar to my big bed. It is in the corner of the Master bedroom, so he is still in the room. And best of all - he likes it! And I have my bed back. Life is good - I mean Luxe.

The Rock

2007-08-31T09:14:00.001-07:00

So a couple of weeks ago, my mom mentioned that she had fallen in love. With a rock. Seriously, she spent ten or fifteen minutes telling me about this huge rock that was just perfect for sitting on and meditating, and had two hand shaped dents on top that were perfect for gathering rain, or just the right size for your booty. She had it bad.

Fortunately, this rock was at a sand and gravel store in Colorado Springs, and not in the middle of the forest somewhere. So, I did what any good child would do - I made plans to buy the rock and have it delivered. My mom is my world, and anything she wants, she can have. She has been so strong and brave through this whole cancer thing, and through my very rough teenage years, that I will buy her as many rocks as she ever wants.

But it was not going to be easy. I wanted it to be a surprise, because my mom would never let me spend so much money on a rock. When I called the rock store, they told me that they had hundreds of rocks like this. So, I called in my little sister. She convinced my mom to show her the rock while they were out shopping one day, then she went back that afternoon and pointed out the one we wanted. I called and paid for the rock, and the store called my mom and told her that they needed to schedule delivery of her rock, and she was just floored. Of course, my little sister ended up telling her who had paid for the rock, so I did get the "You shouldn't have!" speech, but she sits on it every night and drinks her oolong tea and meditates. Beats Tamoxifen (a cancer drug) any day.

First an apology

2007-08-31T09:04:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't written. I am just been swamped. But the good Lord always provides, and even though it meant wiping out power in a small Arizona town, I now have a five day weekend. So I promise to spend part of that getting caught up on my blogging.

I do have to go into to school today to hang my new back pack rack that I made yesterday, so I thought I would post a few pictures of my classroom.

And yes, I did have to fort in my desk. Let's just say I have a few that I cannot seem to keep out of things, and after an unfortunate incident involving a sharpie that was IN MY DESK and my whiteboards, I took protective action. This is the first time ever that I have not been able to leave things out for the kids. Hopefully, this will only have to be a temporary measure.

Success!

2007-08-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

Don't know if it is anything to brag about, but I have finally succeeded in running myself into the ground. I knew it was going to happen, I was just hoping I could prolong the agony. But, it is official. After class (my master's class, not kindergarten) tonight, I went to Target for 3 things: water (love that canned carbonated water from LaCroix), cheese, and body wash. I left with over $115 worth of stuff, mostly junk food (mmm...Pillsbury Toaster Strudels...my daily vice, cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies), two movies, and a new shirt. Exhaustion + AF = absolutely no self control. Oh well.

So tonight, I am waiting for Mike to come home, so we can eat dinner - yes, I wait for him every night, even though it sometimes means that I need a snack at 6 PM to hold me over - and then curl up in his lap and go to sleep. I have been so tired and cranky lately, and Mike has been so wonderful and loving, that it only makes me love him more. What a great guy!

Ooh, he is home. Time to eat and hit the hay. More later.

uh?? what??

2007-08-14T23:05:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I am seriously that drained. I am absolutely LOVING kindergarten, but my body is definitely not used to chasing after 23 five years olds anymore. Add to that I am now normally at work before 7 AM, am on the go all day, and usually working until 10 or so at night (doing at home prep work, shopping, etc.) and I am so tired. And yes, I added shopping to my working list. My classroom had nothing in it, so I have been buying stuff everyday. I don't want them to remember kindergarten as the class with nothing to do (seriously, I had nothing. No puzzles, blocks, crayons, posters on the wall, nothing.) I am trying to be as economical as possible, considering that I am the one paying for everything, but even so, I think I am somewhere in the ballpark of $1000 and we are only 7 days into the year. I need to find a way to establish myself as a business, so I can take this as a loss this year. Teacher's do get a $250 tax credit, but really, that was one trip to Lakeshore Learning...

And for those of you that are wondering why I didn't have more stuff of my own, at my last school, all of our supplies and centers were provided, so while I bought a few things (usually with school funds), I really didn't need much.

But, like I said, I am so happy, and being with the kids makes it all worth it. And I am almost at the end of my cycle (day 27) so I can schedule my HSG and Mike's SA soon. And next cycle (after the HSG cycle), with any luck, will be a treatment cycle! Yea! I am still optimistic that that cycle works...

Back to Munchkin Land

2007-08-08T20:48:00.001-07:00

Woo Hoo! After staying up late last night, trying to plan out two solid days worth of standards based lesson plans (damn you No Child Left Behind!), I got to school early this morning and set to work trying to make the best of things. Ten minutes into the school day, our principal and a strange man walk into my room. I am a little startled, until she says, "I have good news and bad news..."

The good news was that I was being reassigned to Kindergarten! The bad news, I was being reassigned RIGHT NOW. Never mind that I had no age appropriate material, nothing planned, nada. I did my best to explain what was happening to my 4th graders, who were very sad, and headed off to Munchkin Land. I did promise the 4th graders that we could be reading buddies, where they will come to my K room and read to the little ones.

After school, I had to move all of my stuff from my old room to my new room, and tried to organize the new room as best as possible. Then I had to hit Wal-Mart (which was having its grand opening!) to get more stuff and came home to load all of my existing stuff into my truck...all 10 boxes of stuff. But, I survived the first day and am so excited to go in ready tomorrow. I love kindergarten. I really do. God works in such wonderful ways, and I am so thankful for all of the blessings I have received lately.

Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing

2007-08-07T17:38:00.000-07:00

What a start to the week. I am so completely overwhelmed right now. I have no clue what kids are supposed to learn in 4th grade, which means I am having to start COMPLETELY from scratch. I was hoping to get ideas from the other 4th grade teacher, but our teaching styles are very different. I prefer interactive projects and discussions over worksheets...having never taught 4th grade, I can only hope that I can make this philosophy work... I have so much work ahead of me.

My kids are great, though. Quite a few of them came in asking for Mrs. Teeba. I had no clue who they were talking about, but they kept insisting that there was a 4th grade teacher named Mrs. Teeba. Finally, it dawned on me... on the class lists, my class was listed as TBA, since I hadn't been hired yet, and the kids all thought that was my name. They are too funny.

Sorry to keep this short...I have papers to grade and lessons to plan...

Just call me Miss Acosta...but teacher works too!

2007-08-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who prayed for me to find a teaching job - I did! It isn't the kindergarten position that I had interviewed for, but I am just as excited. Starting Monday, I will be teaching 4th grade! Much like how this whole chain of events began, this happened so suddenly. This morning I got a call asking if I would consider being a long term substitute. I said of course and was asked to go down to the district office to sign paperwork.

Problem? The district office was over an hour away from ASU. So, I hopped in my truck and drove. When I got there, the clerk looked at my education and said I'd be perfect for the permanent position. I told her that I really wanted a full time position, so she had me fill out all of the sub and regular teacher paperwork. Then she sent me to interview with the principal. That went well (though I thought I was interviewing for 2nd grade) and I was asked to teach 4th. The kids come back to school on Monday (yikes!) so I will be working this weekend to get everything ready for the first day of school!

4th grade will be new for me, but I am looking forward to the challenge. My sister teaches 4th/5th combined and was Teacher of the Year last year, so I have a great person to turn to if I run into any problems! Go Mountain Lions!!!

More Congrats...and prayers

2007-08-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

Seems like everyone is having their babies. Suzanne and Joe gave birth to their quads yesterday (see their blog, including pictures here) . Congratulations to all of the new families and I hope y'all join me in prayer wishing for the speedy recoveries of both moms and all 9 babies.

As for me, I finally had my initial consult with Dr. Faber at ARMS yesterday. I think overall it was good...until I mentioned that I had registered to be an egg donor 5 years ago (ah...to be young and stupidly optimistic again). She had thought the files were mistakenly added to my file, so when I told her that it was actually me, she seemed a little concerned and changed her plan. I guess my LSH levels were a little on the high side after my CCCT five years ago (especially for being 22 at the time). It was enough for them to drop me from the donor program, but not enough for them to warn me that their might be problems. Fast forward five years, and here I am not pregnant. So I have to do the CCCT again, but not until after I have done the HSP and Mike has done his SA. If Mike does have sperm, and I respond to the Clomid this time, they will turn that cycle into a treatment cycle and do IUI then. If not, we have to meet with the doctor again and plan something a little more intense. (FYI: I don't think my FSH was all that high...way below the 10 cut off for IVF. Anybody want to share what normal is? I think mine was 4.8 on cd# and 6.1 on cd10...could be reversed.) Here's hoping for everything being OK and two cycles from now actually being my first treatment cycle!!!!!

As for the HSP, I wasn't too worried about that until, during the pelvic exam, she says "I don't feel anything." Huh? Nothing? I had a laparoscopy last year and I am sure I would have remembered if they had told me something (or worse, everything) was missing...so now that has the potential of being bad too. So I am again counting down...this time to cd 1 so I can schedule the HSP.

In what I am hoping turns into better news, I had a job interview today. It is for a kindergarten position that starts next Wednesday (the kids, I'd start immediately). I think the interview went really well, and within 5 minutes of me leaving, they had called for more references. So, I gave them a few more and kept praying. 5 minutes later, my bff Bonnie called and said they had already called her. Of course her recommendation was glowing, now I just hope the rest are as good. On the upside, they told her they loved me. On the downside, it is now 1:15 and I haven't heard anything back from them. Of course, my interview was at 10 this morning, but isn't 3 hours enough time to realize you love me? The stress is eating away at me. I seriously want to puke. Or maybe that is the Chik-Fil-A chicken biscuit and the potluck Chocolate cake I ate while trying to calm my nerves...

I want this sooooo bad, and I know there aren't many positions open, with the school year starting or already started. So, if anybody isn't too overburdened by my earlier prayer requests (for the babies) please send one my way. Thanks!

PS... Why does my spell check keep telling me all of my infertility lingo is wrong? Does it not realize I already feel like I am living in some sort of alternate universe?

Congratulations to the Wilkinsons!

2007-07-31T16:12:00.000-07:00

Rachelle and Jayson Wilkinson's five little miracles were born today here in Phoenix. Mom and all five babies are doing great. See their blogs here and here (the second link even has a video). It is absolutely amazing to see the miracles God provides for us.

I realize that they are from Texas (me too, me too!), but I can't believe the local news hasn't mentioned anything today...instead their top stories are about a local home that sold for 3.76 million, IPod etiquette (WTF? Seriously?) and all of the violent, depraved, miserable things going on in town. How about a little coverage of the powerful faith of this family and the miracle of their children????

It is also comforting to know, that if this whole fertility treatment thing leads to a little more than I've ever dreamed of, that I already live near one of the best maternal-fetal medicine doctors in the world. And he's on my insurance plan! And on the insurance plan at the district I hope to teach in... (LOL, yes I know I am not even pregnant yet, but I like to plan things out...) .

And in other happy news, my appointment is tomorrow with the fertility specialists. Yea! I should probably go Google what to expect...

Still smiling...

2007-07-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

I briefly mentioned in my last post that I had gotten my teaching license back. I had never actually lost my license, but I let my background clearance lapse, and as a result, I have been out of the classroom for 2 years. Finally, I have gotten my background clearance back. I applied in late 2005 and they just now re-issued my clearance. While some might complain that it took eighteen months (talk about governmental backlog), I am just thrilled that everything is finally cleared up. It is really a gift from God. I had even been told that since it had been so long, I had probably gotten lost in the system and should start all over. Just as I was gearing up for another round, I received the letter saying that I was good to go. Yea!

So, of course, I have spent this weekend filling out applications for teaching positions. And what good timing...the school year is getting ready to start, and with any luck, I will be back in a classroom by the time school starts this fall. I don't live near the school where I used to work, so I am having to apply to a few new districts, but I am confident in my teaching ability, and with all of the work I have put into my Masters degrees, I think I will be able to find a kindergarten position. I still plan on finishing both degrees by this spring, and may even pursue my doctorate (though not at the frenzied pace at which I have pursued my Masters).

I just can't explain how happy I am. I have tried to explain it to Mike, but he doesn't understand the concept of a job being something you love, something that is an integral part of you. Mike wants to retire by the time he's 35. I want to teach until I am 75. Take some time off to raise babies, but then I want to be back in the classroom. It's where I belong. Having worked a "real job" (i.e. desk job) for much of the last few years, I did get to experience what I guess many people feel about their jobs...hating Mondays, hating work, just being drained by the negative energy. I can't wait to return to a job I love, look forward to, and strive to excel in. I wish everyone had a job like that...something fulfilling, whether it is staying home with your children, nursing, whatever...

Added to the fact that I only have two days until my appointment with the fertility specialist, I am on cloud 9...

Poor baby Luxe...

2007-07-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

My poor baby Luxe... today he had his 1 year old exam at the vet. I dropped him off this morning and picked him up at 5 when I took Hawkeye in for his shots. The vet warned me to watch Hawkeye for signs of allergic reaction to the shots, but since Luxe had all of his shots as a puppy, the booster shouldn't be a problem... Wrong. Hawkeye sailed through, and within an half an hour of being home, Luxe was in trouble. Hie eyes swelled shut and his snout doubled in size... I threw him in my truck and headed for the Emergency Animal Clinic. By the time we got there, he was covered in hives and looking bad. He got a shot of steroids and a shot of Benedryl and sent home, after passing his blood tests with flying colors. The vet did say that most allergic reactions to vaccines occur within 30 minutes, and since Luxe was there all day, he most likely got his shots early and the reaction is to something else, maybe a bug bite. These pictures were taken an hour after he got the shots, so the swelling has gone down quite a bit, and you can imagine how bad it was. I was terrified that I might lose Luxe only 3 weeks after putting Duke down.

* * *

And in super, awesome, fabulous news... I GOT MY TEACHING LICENSE BACK TODAY!!!!! I almost didn't check the mail today, with the rain and all the drama with Luxe... But I did and HOORAY!!! I know how my weekend will be spent...filling out applications to teach! Goodbye ASU Foundation!

This is ridiculous

2007-07-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

So, my appointment with the Doctors at Arizona Reproductive Medical Specialists is next Wednesday, and I can barely contain my excitement. I feel like a 5 year old at Christmas. And why? It's not like I am going to be pregnant next Wednesday... but still, I am having a hard time concentrating on anything else and it's even making me sleep poorly! This is ridiculous. But at the same time, I know that I am happy that we are finally doing something (not that charting and blowing through a zillion OPK's wasn't proactive, but you know...).

So in the meantime, I have tried to occupy myself with any distractions I can find. Even though I am still on summer break, I have started working on my Master's project for one of my degrees. I am doing research on Alphabet books (yes, those cute little "A is for Apple, B is for Bear" books actually have research done on them) and then I am not sure where I am going to go from there...maybe design a curriculum using a bunch of books? I don't know...

And I have started scrap booking again. I am one of those people who loves to collect and organize scrap booking materials, but I haven't been very good and actually scrapping. But, I met this great girl down the street whose family owns one of the biggest scrap book stores in the area, Scrapbooks Etc. so I have been making an effort to get some work done so that I will have an excuse to do some more shopping. My goal started out as a page a night, but lately, I have been finishing at least 2, so maybe it will start to come easier. I hope so... I have 26 years left to finish before I have any kids of my own...

And I have totally been slacking off at the gym lately too. Blame it on AF. And the appointment excitement that keeps me up at night. I need to get going... Only 4 months (oh, wait, that's a long time!) til the 3 day walk.

Meridith needs...

2007-07-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

I saw this on someone else's blog, and figured, "What the heck, I'm not doing anything." Go to Google and type in "(Your name) needs" and see what you get. Here's mine and my thoughts on each.

1. "Meridith needs to find my mom a cool job" Ummm...Meridith needs to find herself a cool job.
2. "Meridith needs a ride home" Why? Did something happen to my truck? I promise I'll pay the registration!!!!!
3. "Meridith needs a real man" Again, why? Did something happen to Mike?
4. "Meridith needs "what not to wear" intervention" I don't think so! Flips Flops are acceptable no matter where you are.
5. "Meridith needs to be responsible with conclusions" Probably. Is this karma telling me that I shouldn't be stressing about this infertility thing until I see the doctor next week?
6. "Meridith needs to stay where she is" At work? You are out of your freaking mind.
7. "Meridith needs her a** whooped for sleeping with George" I didn't. I swear.
8. "Meridith needs to have some interaction with you" Yes, you. Seriously people. Post a comment.
9. "Meridith needs no description" Probably not to anyone who knows me. Bonnie actually wrote a paper in college about "bad girls". It was about me.
10. "...that's probably all the motivation Meridith needs" Yep. Doesn't take much to get me going...

Probably would have been funnier before Gray's Anatomy...that Meridith screwed it all up.

So happy I am not famous...

2007-07-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

Bad News: So, Lindsey Lohan got arrested again this morning. Another DUI and drug possession charge... and only 12 days out of rehab. So much for that alcohol monitoring bracelet she has been wearing. But really, while I don't feel bad for her (you drink and drive, you deserve whatever you get - and to do it more than once?) I do feel sorry for her. She is obviously lost and floundering. The girl needs help. I hope she finds it and finds the peace that is so clearly missing from her life.

Good News: The NFL has ordered Michael Vick to stay away from training camp while they investigate whether or not he violated the NFL Player Code of Conduct, and although he will still get paid, at least it is a beginning.

In other news... Mike and his friend Jim have decided to do the Body for Life Challenge, a 12 week fitness competition. The national winner receives $50,000 plus a bunch of other stuff. I am really happy for both of them for making the commitment - except that Mike has decided that I should do it too. Apparently there is a couple division and he is sure we can win. The catch? I have to pack on at least ten pounds of FAT before we begin. Ummm...NO! I'm not saying that my body is perfect now, but there is no way I would put on extra weight knowing that I have to turn around and lose it all again. That would totally undo all of the trips I've already made to the gym. And while I am completely ready to accept any weird body changes that come with fertility treatment and hopefully, pregnancy, I am not getting fat just to enter a contest. Maybe for a movie roll with a million dollar pay check... Ha ha.