Hey everyone. So, here I am now with an 11 day old baby boy. It's really amazing and it's really a lot harder than I expected. Everything about his big arrival was a lot harder than I expected. But, we're making it just fine.
So, I'll start by explaining my labor and delivery for you guys. Like I said, it was a LOT harder than I ever expected. Christian and I think I got a raw deal on labor since I had such an easy pregnancy! haha So, contractions started coming at regular intervals at around 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb.16. So, they weren't too painful that evening so we went to bed around 10 o'clock that night and then the painful ones started around midnight. I finally woke Christian up at about 1:30 a.m. and called the doctor. Doctor told us to go to the hospital to be checked in triage and so we did. We got to the hospital around 2:30 a.m. and was checked about an hour later and I was only 2 cm and 90% effaced. So, they had me walk around for an hour to see if any progress would be made. I was still having pretty hard contractions that made me crouch down on the floor when I was walking the halls but I kept on walking. So, about an hour and a half later, I got checked again and NO PROGRESS! So, they gave me the option of going home and I took it. I knew I'd be able to eat and rest at home a little more comfortably. Plus, I knew Christian was super tired. So, around 7 a.m., we headed home. I went straight to bed but the contractions only got stronger. I dealt with them until about 10 a.m. when I came downstairs and Christian made me eat something. He cooked me eggs and bacon so I barely got that down. Then, he made a fire in the fireplace and I sat on the floor moaning (and cussing) through contractions until they were definitely only five minutes apart. I called the doctor again telling him I was in a ridiculous amount of pain and he told me to go back to the hospital. So, I forced myself to eat a little more before we headed back to the hospital around 2 p.m. When we got back to the hospital. My OB was there and he checked me and I had made it to 5 cm and was 100% effaced! I was so excited and it gave me an extra jolt of energy. So, they admitted us and I had a new source of confidence in dealing with the pain so I made it through about another hour and half before I was checked again and really didn't make much progress since I was admitted. So, Dr. Grossman wanted to break my water and that scared me because I knew labor would get much more intense at that point so after discussing it with Christian, I opted for an epidural. Christian was really a cheerleader for me going natural and I appreciate the way he handled it. He just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be disappointed in myself for getting pain meds. So, I knew at that point that I wouldn't be upset because it was so painful and to me, going through that for God knows how long just wasn't worth it. Especially since I was so exhausted and knew I had a long way to go. So, a little while later, the anesthesiologist came in and administered the epidural. That went fine and didn't even hurt. But, about five minutes after I got it, I started getting chest pains and my heart rate skyrocketed to about 128 bpm. YIKES! About four docs ended up in my room and Christian and I were scared, of course. So, they did an EKG which turned out fine and they had a cardiologist check me over. Everything checked out fine so they just kept an eye on me for the next couple hours until the chest pressure went away. We think it was just nerves and indigestion. So, from there, everything just progressed slowly and FINALLY at around 1 a.m., I was ready to push. Well, turns out Max's head was facing up so it was going to be a pretty tough feat for me to turn him and get him out. At one point, his heart rate dropped SUPER low and scared everyone. We ended up having about six people in there at that point as they tried to roll me on my sides to see if he was just lying on his cord but nothing was working for about three minutes. Then, I heard the doc say "get the room ready". At that time, I knew I might have to have an emergency c-section. SCARY! But, Christian reassured me that everything would be fine and soon, Max's heart rate started to come back up and stayed up. So, after about two hours of pushing and being ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED, Max was still face up and having a hard time coming out. So, the doc finally offered to use a vacuum and possibly do an episiotomy and at that point, I didn't give a shit what had to be done. I just wanted him out of me! So, the doc got the vacuum ready and ended up pulling Max out without having to do an episiotomy. Whoa.... what a relief. He was immediately placed on my belly and then whisked away to be cleaned up before Christian brought him back so I could nurse him. Christian cut the cord and all was well. :)
So, long story but that was NOT fun, not enjoyable, not anything pleasant. haha. It was freaking TOUGH! I give major props to moms who can do it totally naturally but being in labor for around 30 hours is crazy. Hopefully the next one will be easier.
The next couple days in the hospital were OK. I was super sore all over my body and I just felt like I was hungover for a couple days. So, obviously my body went through hell. Max did well in the hospital but his bilirubin levels were a little elevated so they had to prick his heel a few times to keep checking. The level kept decreasing so they let us go home Monday afternoon but we had to take him back Tuesday morning to be tested once more and everything was fine and he was good.
So, the first night at home.... it was a challenge to say the least. I don't remember much of it but I was emotional and he wanted to stay on my boob for about two hours. It was crazy. We weren't prepared with a good sleeping environment for him really so we were a little disorganized. The second night I fixed up his cradle so it wouldn't swing like crazy, I brought in the white noise machine and kept lights and voices low when he would wake up. That seems to have helped. He's been sleeping about four-five hours at a time during the night so that's been good. I'm definitely tired because I'm not used to having interrupted sleep but I guess I need to get used to it for a while. :( He sleeps a good part of the day too but every day he seems more and more alert. He pretty much eats, sleeps and poops. Typical, right?
Breastfeeding is going well but it's really demanding on me. Having to stick to an every 2-3 hour feeding schedule during the day is just draining. And, the fact that no one else can really help me out with that is hard. But, I'm producing enough milk and he was already back to his birth weight last Friday. So, that's good.
We're doing the cloth diapering here and there. It's a little tough because we have to do laundry every night when we're doing it. He just goes to the bathroom SO MUCH right now. Speaking of going to the bathroom, he pees all over the place. Last night, every time I had to change him (two or three times- can't remember), he peed all over.... even almost hitting me in the face. Awesome. haha Luckily we keep a waterproof pad under him when we change him at night.
So... then there's the baby blues. Wow, they suck. I've had them pretty bad since he was born. I'm just feeling depressed and I miss my old life a hell of a lot. That makes me feel super guilty and then that makes me feel even worse. Ugh, it's like a vicious cycle. I'm feeling OK today but yesterday was rough. Some days are good, others are bad. I've been told it all gets better but right now it really sucks. I'm not one to sugar coat a situation so I'm not going to say that this is the best time of my life or that this is all absolutely amazing because, frankly, it isn't. It's tough, it's draining, it's daunting, it's tiring, it's hard. I know it will get better but I wish I could fast-forward to the easier time! Oh well. Just say a little prayer for us that we get through everything OK and without any emotional breakdowns. haha
Well, that about sums up everything that has been going on here. My mom came in town last Friday and then leaves this coming Sunday. She's been a huge help in keeping dishes washed and letting me take showers and naps. So, it will be tough to not have her around but I think that will also make me suck everything up and deal with it.
Then, Christian leaves March 14th for about 17 days. I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT! He has been my ROCK through this and keeps me happy. I miss him so bad when he's at work and I know those 17 days are going to be hard. But, my Dad and step-mom are coming up for a weekend and Mom might come back up during that time too. So, we'll make it. Again, just pray for us.
Anyway, I'm going to relax a little before I feed little man and we head out to Christian's squadron to meet people and watch him play volleyball for a little bit. Hope y'all are having a good week.
xoxo,
Chrissi
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Down to single digits!
We're down to single digit days left before my due date! Holy moly! It's kind of crazy that I can reply with "next Sunday" when someone asks me "when are you due?".
I had a little false alarm Wednesday night. I woke up to go to the bathroom at around 1:30 a.m. and was having some intense cramps and then started having a few contractions. I laid in bed for about an hour not really sure what to do before it all started to subside! I didn't wake Christian up or anything because I just didn't get the feeling that it was too urgent. Yeah, it was uncomfortable but it wasn't crazy painful. My doc says I'll know when it's real labor. Basically, I'm hoping my water breaks so I don't have to second guess myself. haha So, after it all subsided, I just went back to sleep and woke up feeling fine yesterday. And, everything is still good to go! It's just a waiting game now.
I've still been working out almost every day which I totally believe is responsible for me feeling so good in these last weeks. I really don't feel much different or any more uncomfortable than I have most of my pregnancy. Yes, this huge belly gets in my way and the extra 35 lbs I've tacked on hurt my back and legs but other than that, I'm really feeling good...awkward, but good.. I've pretty much kept up with my pre-pregnancy workout routine, minus the running. I stopped running when I got into my second trimester just because it seemed weird to me. I do about 20 minutes on the elliptical along with strength training about three days a week and the other two or three days I just do cardio. I'm doing a little lighter weight now and I don't do things where I lay on my back or anything that could possibly make me fall off balance (weighted squats, etc). But, everything else is pretty much fair game as long as I feel comfortable and my heart rate doesn't sky rocket. I'm just hoping this really helps after baby is here so I can get back into shape as soon as possible. Plus, I'm hoping for an easier delivery because of it!
Well, it's Friday and I hope all of you are planning a great weekend! We have a very interesting day planned for tomorrow! One of my good friends up here, Vicki, has an uncle who is a World War II vet. His name is Tony. He was a pilot and Vicki connected him with Christian and they chat over email and Tony sends all kinds of amazing stories about his career. So, a couple weeks ago, we were hanging out with Vicki and her boyfriend, Matt, and mentioned that we'd love to officially meet Tony so the five of us (me, Christian, Vicki, Matt and Tony) are all going to meet out at base tomorrow so Christian can show him around the C-130. Then, we're going to head over to NAES Lakehurst (about 25 minutes from McGuire-where Christian is stationed) so we can do a little tour of where the Hindenburg crashed, see some of the huge airship hangers that were used back in the World Wars and go through a small museum over there. I'm so excited! Seriously, y'all would be so entertained by some of the stories Tony has about his flying days. They are absolutely amazing. Christian tells me that military aviation is so different now and there's no way he'd be able to have any stories that compare to Tony's. It's really interesting! So, that will be a lot of fun. I'll take lots of pictures.
Those are our only plans for the weekend as of right now. I know those of you on Mom's side of the family will be enjoying the 60th anniversary party for Grannie and PawPaw. I wish so badly that we could be there! I can't wait to come home and see everyone in April! We'll be there for about a week for Alison's wedding and a little beach vacation. And, of course, we'll have Max with us! That will be super exciting! I'm a little nervous about the logistics of traveling with him but we'll figure it all out.
Well, enjoy the weekend and continue to send positive ju-ju our way so this little boy will come out! haha
Love y'all!
Chrissi
I had a little false alarm Wednesday night. I woke up to go to the bathroom at around 1:30 a.m. and was having some intense cramps and then started having a few contractions. I laid in bed for about an hour not really sure what to do before it all started to subside! I didn't wake Christian up or anything because I just didn't get the feeling that it was too urgent. Yeah, it was uncomfortable but it wasn't crazy painful. My doc says I'll know when it's real labor. Basically, I'm hoping my water breaks so I don't have to second guess myself. haha So, after it all subsided, I just went back to sleep and woke up feeling fine yesterday. And, everything is still good to go! It's just a waiting game now.
I've still been working out almost every day which I totally believe is responsible for me feeling so good in these last weeks. I really don't feel much different or any more uncomfortable than I have most of my pregnancy. Yes, this huge belly gets in my way and the extra 35 lbs I've tacked on hurt my back and legs but other than that, I'm really feeling good...awkward, but good.. I've pretty much kept up with my pre-pregnancy workout routine, minus the running. I stopped running when I got into my second trimester just because it seemed weird to me. I do about 20 minutes on the elliptical along with strength training about three days a week and the other two or three days I just do cardio. I'm doing a little lighter weight now and I don't do things where I lay on my back or anything that could possibly make me fall off balance (weighted squats, etc). But, everything else is pretty much fair game as long as I feel comfortable and my heart rate doesn't sky rocket. I'm just hoping this really helps after baby is here so I can get back into shape as soon as possible. Plus, I'm hoping for an easier delivery because of it!
Well, it's Friday and I hope all of you are planning a great weekend! We have a very interesting day planned for tomorrow! One of my good friends up here, Vicki, has an uncle who is a World War II vet. His name is Tony. He was a pilot and Vicki connected him with Christian and they chat over email and Tony sends all kinds of amazing stories about his career. So, a couple weeks ago, we were hanging out with Vicki and her boyfriend, Matt, and mentioned that we'd love to officially meet Tony so the five of us (me, Christian, Vicki, Matt and Tony) are all going to meet out at base tomorrow so Christian can show him around the C-130. Then, we're going to head over to NAES Lakehurst (about 25 minutes from McGuire-where Christian is stationed) so we can do a little tour of where the Hindenburg crashed, see some of the huge airship hangers that were used back in the World Wars and go through a small museum over there. I'm so excited! Seriously, y'all would be so entertained by some of the stories Tony has about his flying days. They are absolutely amazing. Christian tells me that military aviation is so different now and there's no way he'd be able to have any stories that compare to Tony's. It's really interesting! So, that will be a lot of fun. I'll take lots of pictures.
Those are our only plans for the weekend as of right now. I know those of you on Mom's side of the family will be enjoying the 60th anniversary party for Grannie and PawPaw. I wish so badly that we could be there! I can't wait to come home and see everyone in April! We'll be there for about a week for Alison's wedding and a little beach vacation. And, of course, we'll have Max with us! That will be super exciting! I'm a little nervous about the logistics of traveling with him but we'll figure it all out.
Well, enjoy the weekend and continue to send positive ju-ju our way so this little boy will come out! haha
Love y'all!
Chrissi
Saturday, February 4, 2012
15 more days!
I truly can't believe that any day now, I could become a MOM! What the heck!? I'll be the first to admit, it scares me a little bit. Don't get me wrong, I really think I'll be a great mom and Christian will be a wonderful dad but the whole life-turning-upside-down thing freaks me out. Of course, I know that anxiety will go away once I see my little man's face. But, whoa.... it's a change. haha (Ironically, I'm listening to Seal's version of Otis Reading's "A Change is Gonna Come" right now)
Well, nothing much has been going on since my last post. More and more preparation and cleaning constantly so I won't have to come home to an unorganized house. I'm getting a little frustrated with the whole cloth diapering thing. We're definitely still doing it but it's a little annoying that I have to order everything online and can't touch, feel, rub things before I buy them! I just have to believe the thousands of reviews and suggestions people have. There isn't a single cloth diapering or "green baby" store around here! I can't believe that... especially since we're so close to a big city. If I knew we were staying in this area, I would definitely consider going into that business in Philly. I think there's ONE store over on the west side of the Philly area in Media, PA. It would take me like 45 minutes to get over there so it's just not worth it. There's one woman around here in Collingswood, NJ that offers a cloth diapering workshop but she doesn't have a store. And, the next workshop she's hosting isn't until March. So, looks like we're just going to have to wing it. I'm pretty excited about doing it and the little challenge. We'll see how it goes. :)
Speaking of ordering things online.... looks what my darling husband got me!!! New Ugg slippers for my trek around the hospital... and, around anywhere really. :) The red (actually more of a red-salmon color) will be here Tuesday! I'm so excited. I wear the crap out of my Ugg boots now b/c my feet stay cold at home and I don't like wearing socks (picture me in a nightgown, pregnant, with Ugg boots..... haha). The boots are a bit bulky so I'm super pumped about the slippers.
Well, nothing much has been going on since my last post. More and more preparation and cleaning constantly so I won't have to come home to an unorganized house. I'm getting a little frustrated with the whole cloth diapering thing. We're definitely still doing it but it's a little annoying that I have to order everything online and can't touch, feel, rub things before I buy them! I just have to believe the thousands of reviews and suggestions people have. There isn't a single cloth diapering or "green baby" store around here! I can't believe that... especially since we're so close to a big city. If I knew we were staying in this area, I would definitely consider going into that business in Philly. I think there's ONE store over on the west side of the Philly area in Media, PA. It would take me like 45 minutes to get over there so it's just not worth it. There's one woman around here in Collingswood, NJ that offers a cloth diapering workshop but she doesn't have a store. And, the next workshop she's hosting isn't until March. So, looks like we're just going to have to wing it. I'm pretty excited about doing it and the little challenge. We'll see how it goes. :)
Speaking of ordering things online.... looks what my darling husband got me!!! New Ugg slippers for my trek around the hospital... and, around anywhere really. :) The red (actually more of a red-salmon color) will be here Tuesday! I'm so excited. I wear the crap out of my Ugg boots now b/c my feet stay cold at home and I don't like wearing socks (picture me in a nightgown, pregnant, with Ugg boots..... haha). The boots are a bit bulky so I'm super pumped about the slippers.
And, speaking of my trek around the hospital, I did the tour of the Labor/Delivery/Mother/Baby units this morning. As many of you know, I'm not huge on healthcare. For whatever odd reason (which I don't even know), I just don't trust hospitals and healthcare in general. I just feel like there are so many cases where things are done to the benefit of the hospital/doctor and not to my benefit or in my best interests. So, seeing the rooms, nurses, contraptions, and all that jazz did not help ease any anxiety that I have. And, the fact that I'm attempting to have a natural birth throws a whole other loop in that knot of anxiety. Bottom line is that I don't feel super supported in my best case scenario birth plan. I'm not sure if I just didn't do enough research to find the best doc or what but none of the docs that I've seen have been like "OK, super!" when I told them I want to have my baby naturally. They all tend to tell me some version of "well, we don't like our patients to be in pain". Really guy? Ugh. Oh well, we'll just see how much of a crazed lunatic I have to become to make sure people do what I want. :) Remember- I said best case scenario.... I know things could change and medical intervention could become necessary.
Ok, enough about that. Anyone have any big plans for the Superbowl tomorrow? Christian has a drill weekend this weekend so he's working most of the day tomorrow. We have no plans for the game. I was thinking about making tailgating food (meatballs, cheese dip, etc) and just hanging out here at the house. That sounds like fun to me! Plus, I'm down to a very limited wardrobe now days so finding something cute and comfortable is no fun when trying to get ready to go out somewhere! haha I guess I'll be rooting for the Giants simply because of our proximity to their stadium. Other than that, I really couldn't care less. I'm pretty pumped to see Madonna's performance and the new commercials.
Well, anyway, I hope you all have a great weekend! Do a little rain dance or something to help me go into labor! haha
xoxo,
Chrissi
Monday, January 30, 2012
OK, my body is no longer in my control.
Well, I'm officially full-term now and baby Max's organs should all be fully developed and ready for the this fascinating world. We have 20 days left until my due date and I am convinced that someone else is now controlling my body. Seriously, the things that are happening now days are things I refuse to take responsibility for.
For instance, tonight, while cooking spaghetti carbonara for dinner, I was shaking some pepper into the dish and just like in a cartoon, I sneezed my head off. That's not the weird thing though. The weird thing is that when I sneezed, I totally peed my pants. Yep, enough pee to make me change my jeans. That's just ridiculous. So, dinner was put on hold so I could run upstairs and make a costume change. I made Christian aware of my little incident and he insisted I share it with you guys. He also insisted that I let you all know of another bodily function that I refuse to take responsibility for. We were laying in bed the other night and he was singing some hilarious little song he made up and it made me laugh really hard and I all of sudden sounded like a fog horn. I'll let your imaginations figure out what I'm talking about there. Mind you, in the FOUR years that Christian and I have been together, that has only happened ONCE before.... ON ACCIDENT! Of course, he thought it was absolutely hilarious. Ugh, seriously... what else is to come? This is craziness.
I figured you'd all get a kick out of my pregnancy woes. So, you're welcome. :)
For those of you who have read Jenny McCarthy's hilarious pregnancy book, "Belly Laughs", or who have had these pregnancy symptoms on their own, you know exactly what I'm talking about. She is soooo spot on! haha
Anyway, I head back to the doctor tomorrow for my weekly appointment and I'm guessing it will just be another routine visit. I'm starting to have more and more Braxton Hicks contractions and I'm feeling more and more pressure down there so I'm hoping I'm progressing! I'm not having any major pains or anything so I'm assuming it's all good. I REALLY don't want to go late and have to be induced! I also can't wait for Mom (soon-to-be-known-as "JuJu") to get here! I'm so excited to see her and for her to be the first family member Max will meet! Woohoo! I really wish we were closer to the whole family so we could have people come see us in the hospital but that's not possible so we'll just work it the way we can! We have internet access in the hospital so we'll be available on Skype! So, if you guys want to see Max live and in color, get your Skype accounts ready and find me on there. My Skype name is "Chrissi Jenkins" and Christian's is "Christian Jenkins". Easy enough to remember, right?
Well, I hope all of you have a fantastic week and I hope this little post helped give you a little giggle to start your week off right. haha Talk soon!
xoxo,
Chrissi
For instance, tonight, while cooking spaghetti carbonara for dinner, I was shaking some pepper into the dish and just like in a cartoon, I sneezed my head off. That's not the weird thing though. The weird thing is that when I sneezed, I totally peed my pants. Yep, enough pee to make me change my jeans. That's just ridiculous. So, dinner was put on hold so I could run upstairs and make a costume change. I made Christian aware of my little incident and he insisted I share it with you guys. He also insisted that I let you all know of another bodily function that I refuse to take responsibility for. We were laying in bed the other night and he was singing some hilarious little song he made up and it made me laugh really hard and I all of sudden sounded like a fog horn. I'll let your imaginations figure out what I'm talking about there. Mind you, in the FOUR years that Christian and I have been together, that has only happened ONCE before.... ON ACCIDENT! Of course, he thought it was absolutely hilarious. Ugh, seriously... what else is to come? This is craziness.
I figured you'd all get a kick out of my pregnancy woes. So, you're welcome. :)
For those of you who have read Jenny McCarthy's hilarious pregnancy book, "Belly Laughs", or who have had these pregnancy symptoms on their own, you know exactly what I'm talking about. She is soooo spot on! haha
Anyway, I head back to the doctor tomorrow for my weekly appointment and I'm guessing it will just be another routine visit. I'm starting to have more and more Braxton Hicks contractions and I'm feeling more and more pressure down there so I'm hoping I'm progressing! I'm not having any major pains or anything so I'm assuming it's all good. I REALLY don't want to go late and have to be induced! I also can't wait for Mom (soon-to-be-known-as "JuJu") to get here! I'm so excited to see her and for her to be the first family member Max will meet! Woohoo! I really wish we were closer to the whole family so we could have people come see us in the hospital but that's not possible so we'll just work it the way we can! We have internet access in the hospital so we'll be available on Skype! So, if you guys want to see Max live and in color, get your Skype accounts ready and find me on there. My Skype name is "Chrissi Jenkins" and Christian's is "Christian Jenkins". Easy enough to remember, right?
Well, I hope all of you have a fantastic week and I hope this little post helped give you a little giggle to start your week off right. haha Talk soon!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Good morning to a short week! :)
Good morning everyone! I hope all of you had a great holiday weekend and had good weather. Christian got back last Thursday from his last trip before the baby and we had a pretty low-key weekend. It was a really pretty few days but it was COLD! The high Sunday was about 29 degrees. Yikes! But, I'm not complaining because most of the days have been full of sunshine and no snow! I'm just hoping this isn't the calm before the (snow)storm.... specifically any storm on the day that I have to go have a baby! This winter has been pretty mild so far and my friend Sharon, who is from here, says that they sometimes go a few years without snow. So, here's hoping 2012 is one of those years. :)
So anyway, this weekend, like I said was pretty low-key. Saturday Christian cooked his famous lasagna all day (it takes forever) and then we went over to our friends' house (Aiji & Sharon) to watch the sad Saints game and then half of that awful Denver game. Christian works with Aiji and we have a great time with them.... they're super fun.
Sunday was just a day at the house. We had to have the toilet replaced in the nursery because it's an older one and wasn't working properly so John (husband of the woman who owns our house) was over for a few hours working on that. While that was happening, I was going through another one of my "nesting crazes". I organize and reorganize stuff all the time. I've been cleaning everything lately. It's wild. Not that I wasn't cleaning a lot before but now I'm doing things like every other day that maybe I would normally do once a month. haha So, now I'm worried that I'll get everything super clean and when Max gets here I'll just have to sit back and watch all my hard work go downhill. haha Oh well, I'll figure it all out.
So, a little update on pregnancy/baby. Max is still doing great and moving around like crazy. I feel/see his little feet poke out all the time but I can't really see any definition. He gets hiccups a lot so hopefully he'll get the hang of breathing soon. I was getting some pretty bad heartburn but that has pretty much stopped. I stopped drinking orange juice every morning and that helped a lot! So, we'll see if the heartburn myth that he'll have a lot of hair rings true! And as far as pregnancy goes.... Um, I'm over it. haha I'm 35 weeks and two days and this little guy couldn't come soon enough. Of course, I want him to develop as much as he needs to but as soon as he's ready, I'm just waiting! I've had a fantastic pregnancy and haven't really had anything to complain about but I'm just getting uncomfortable now. I feel fat, I can't bend over, none of my "cute" maternity clothes really look cute anymore, and I want my old body baaaaaacccckkkk! haha Oh well, soon enough, right? It's all for a fabulous cause. :) I need to seriously cherish this time and take advantage of my solitude. It's hard to relax though because I'm so anxious about everything!
Speaking of body.... we had our maternity photos taken this past Friday here at the house. I can't wait to see them! There are some really cute poses and ideas that we tried to recreate. She's supposed to send me a log-in to an online gallery of them within 10 days so I'm anxiously awaiting that! It was SOOOO cold outside and we actually did a few outside shots and poor Christian was in a t-shirt and jeans and I was wearing jeans, a tank top and a VERY thin cardigan. So, we were laying on the ground shaking from the cold while trying to smile and make a cute picture. haha It was quite entertaining. Hopefully they turn out good.
Well, that's about it for now. Have a great week, everyone!
xoxo,
Chrissi
So anyway, this weekend, like I said was pretty low-key. Saturday Christian cooked his famous lasagna all day (it takes forever) and then we went over to our friends' house (Aiji & Sharon) to watch the sad Saints game and then half of that awful Denver game. Christian works with Aiji and we have a great time with them.... they're super fun.
Sunday was just a day at the house. We had to have the toilet replaced in the nursery because it's an older one and wasn't working properly so John (husband of the woman who owns our house) was over for a few hours working on that. While that was happening, I was going through another one of my "nesting crazes". I organize and reorganize stuff all the time. I've been cleaning everything lately. It's wild. Not that I wasn't cleaning a lot before but now I'm doing things like every other day that maybe I would normally do once a month. haha So, now I'm worried that I'll get everything super clean and when Max gets here I'll just have to sit back and watch all my hard work go downhill. haha Oh well, I'll figure it all out.
So, a little update on pregnancy/baby. Max is still doing great and moving around like crazy. I feel/see his little feet poke out all the time but I can't really see any definition. He gets hiccups a lot so hopefully he'll get the hang of breathing soon. I was getting some pretty bad heartburn but that has pretty much stopped. I stopped drinking orange juice every morning and that helped a lot! So, we'll see if the heartburn myth that he'll have a lot of hair rings true! And as far as pregnancy goes.... Um, I'm over it. haha I'm 35 weeks and two days and this little guy couldn't come soon enough. Of course, I want him to develop as much as he needs to but as soon as he's ready, I'm just waiting! I've had a fantastic pregnancy and haven't really had anything to complain about but I'm just getting uncomfortable now. I feel fat, I can't bend over, none of my "cute" maternity clothes really look cute anymore, and I want my old body baaaaaacccckkkk! haha Oh well, soon enough, right? It's all for a fabulous cause. :) I need to seriously cherish this time and take advantage of my solitude. It's hard to relax though because I'm so anxious about everything!
Speaking of body.... we had our maternity photos taken this past Friday here at the house. I can't wait to see them! There are some really cute poses and ideas that we tried to recreate. She's supposed to send me a log-in to an online gallery of them within 10 days so I'm anxiously awaiting that! It was SOOOO cold outside and we actually did a few outside shots and poor Christian was in a t-shirt and jeans and I was wearing jeans, a tank top and a VERY thin cardigan. So, we were laying on the ground shaking from the cold while trying to smile and make a cute picture. haha It was quite entertaining. Hopefully they turn out good.
Well, that's about it for now. Have a great week, everyone!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Another little thing to peruse on one of your vacation days. :)
http://www.oprah.com/packages/your-happiness-plan.html
Is it 2012 yet?!
The Christmas decorations are down, the house looks "normal" and "decluttered"- obviously, I was quickly over all the holiday stuff. I always love when a new year comes. It's like a fresh start. Nothing will really change immediately for us in 2012 but I like the idea of it. It makes me want to put fresh yellow flowers in the house and pretend that it's springtime. Yeah, good luck with that, huh? haha We have a good four months of this cold weather left before we get anything that resembles a spring day.
But, luckily for us, we have something coming smack in the middle of those four months to bring some brightness to our lives! Less than two months and baby Max will be here! I'm so excited, I can't stand it. I have two friends giving birth to their babies this week and I am j-e-a-l-o-u-s! haha Laura and Stan are having their twins, Lilah & Colin, this Friday and I'm SOOOO excited for them! And, Christina and Chad went into the hospital this morning to have their baby boy, Hudson, today! Plus, great for the 2011 tax returns! haha
I'm pretty much ready for this pregnancy thing to come to a happy ending. I'm uncomfortable now, I'm not very fond of the extra junk in my trunk anymore, I now like staying behind the camera instead of in front of it, and I can't sleep through the night, or more than about an hour for that matter, without waking up for any of the following reasons: my back hurts, my hip hurts, I catch myself laying on my back and then I can't breathe, Christian nudging me because apparently I'm a champion snorer now, or because, of course, I have to pee. Plus, I'm tired of not being able to hug or kiss my husband without practically bending over. haha It's all very awkward. But, I know he needs to stay in there a little while longer. Plus, Christian made a good point the other day: he's easier to keep track of while he's in my tummy. haha
So anyway, on to other things. We had a great Christmas as I hope all of you did! We went to Western Maryland to visit Christian's family for the weekend. The warm winter has hit over there this year too so we didn't have a white Christmas. That's pretty odd for the mountains but I'm not complaining. As many of you know, Christian and I don't really exchange gifts for Christmas so there's nothing to report there but we are planning a beach vacation at the end of April that will count as somewhat of a late Christmas present. We planned on a ski trip this year between Christmas and New Years but that fizzled out due to not being able to get everything coordinated with a larger group. But, anyway, for those of you who did exchange gifts, I hope you got what you wanted/needed!
Anyone have any New Year's resolutions?? I don't really have one this year. I definitely want to get back in shape ASAP after Max is here but I already work out so that really can't be a resolution.... I'd like to read more but I know with baby here, that will be close to impossible to keep up with.... So, I think I'll just stick to the good ol' "maintain a happy life by choice" motto as my resolution. It's been working pretty dang well for the past two years! I hope all of you have a fabulously happy 2012! Make it a priority and a choice!
Oh, I have an idea.... some of your resolutions should be to visit Chrissi & Christian more often! That would be fabulous! ;-) We love having company and any of our friends and family are more than welcome anytime!
Now, I just want to touch on a few things in the news lately. First off, the funeral of North Korean leader Kim Jung Il. Have any of you seen the footage of the people "crying" and going into convulsions? It's a bit much. The news is saying that it's mostly fake because people don't want to seem unsupportive of the regime but WOW! Christian and I watched some of Anderson Cooper 360 last night and he showed the footage and we were blown away and were kind of laughing at how dramatic it was. Yes, it's sad that someone (anyone) passed away but there were no tears and the people who didn't think the camera was capturing them weren't even grimacing. Craziness. So, I guess we'll see how his son does.
Secondly, have any of you heard of breastfeeding "nurse-ins" going on around the country? Let me first make something clear: I am all about breastfeeding and I think it's 100% natural and beautiful and all that jazz. But, is it really necessary for a Texas woman to sit ON THE FLOOR in the women's clothing department of a Target store and breastfeed her child? I've provided a link to this story about the TX woman.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2011/12/breastfeeding-at-target-moms-stage-national-demonstration/
She was on GMA yesterday talking about how offended she was that people kept giving her bad looks and shaking their heads. She was even offered a dressing room by one of the Target employees but refused it and that's when she says she kept getting bad looks. I'm a woman about to have a child who I will hopefully breastfeed but even I get a smidge uncomfortable when I see women doing this in a wide open public place. Is it so hard to find a place a little more private than the floor of Target? I'm not a fan of this...
Third news story... the awful, awful Christmas Eve fire in Connecticut. The mother lost her parents and her three children. The fire was caused by embers from the fireplace being discarded outside the home but still close enough to the home to catch fire. They were trying to be safe by getting the embers outside but I guess they weren't safe enough. There were no smoke detectors in the home as it was being renovated. This is such a sad story. If any of you are thinking you're having a bad day, bad year, bad anything, just think, it could be WAY worse. Also, please take time in the next day or two to check your smoke detectors! After hearing this story, I replaced batteries in all of ours.
Ok, so anyway, I hope all of you are having a great week! Tomorrow is Friday! Enjoy the long weekend and have a SUPER happy New Year!!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
But, luckily for us, we have something coming smack in the middle of those four months to bring some brightness to our lives! Less than two months and baby Max will be here! I'm so excited, I can't stand it. I have two friends giving birth to their babies this week and I am j-e-a-l-o-u-s! haha Laura and Stan are having their twins, Lilah & Colin, this Friday and I'm SOOOO excited for them! And, Christina and Chad went into the hospital this morning to have their baby boy, Hudson, today! Plus, great for the 2011 tax returns! haha
I'm pretty much ready for this pregnancy thing to come to a happy ending. I'm uncomfortable now, I'm not very fond of the extra junk in my trunk anymore, I now like staying behind the camera instead of in front of it, and I can't sleep through the night, or more than about an hour for that matter, without waking up for any of the following reasons: my back hurts, my hip hurts, I catch myself laying on my back and then I can't breathe, Christian nudging me because apparently I'm a champion snorer now, or because, of course, I have to pee. Plus, I'm tired of not being able to hug or kiss my husband without practically bending over. haha It's all very awkward. But, I know he needs to stay in there a little while longer. Plus, Christian made a good point the other day: he's easier to keep track of while he's in my tummy. haha
So anyway, on to other things. We had a great Christmas as I hope all of you did! We went to Western Maryland to visit Christian's family for the weekend. The warm winter has hit over there this year too so we didn't have a white Christmas. That's pretty odd for the mountains but I'm not complaining. As many of you know, Christian and I don't really exchange gifts for Christmas so there's nothing to report there but we are planning a beach vacation at the end of April that will count as somewhat of a late Christmas present. We planned on a ski trip this year between Christmas and New Years but that fizzled out due to not being able to get everything coordinated with a larger group. But, anyway, for those of you who did exchange gifts, I hope you got what you wanted/needed!
Anyone have any New Year's resolutions?? I don't really have one this year. I definitely want to get back in shape ASAP after Max is here but I already work out so that really can't be a resolution.... I'd like to read more but I know with baby here, that will be close to impossible to keep up with.... So, I think I'll just stick to the good ol' "maintain a happy life by choice" motto as my resolution. It's been working pretty dang well for the past two years! I hope all of you have a fabulously happy 2012! Make it a priority and a choice!
Oh, I have an idea.... some of your resolutions should be to visit Chrissi & Christian more often! That would be fabulous! ;-) We love having company and any of our friends and family are more than welcome anytime!
Now, I just want to touch on a few things in the news lately. First off, the funeral of North Korean leader Kim Jung Il. Have any of you seen the footage of the people "crying" and going into convulsions? It's a bit much. The news is saying that it's mostly fake because people don't want to seem unsupportive of the regime but WOW! Christian and I watched some of Anderson Cooper 360 last night and he showed the footage and we were blown away and were kind of laughing at how dramatic it was. Yes, it's sad that someone (anyone) passed away but there were no tears and the people who didn't think the camera was capturing them weren't even grimacing. Craziness. So, I guess we'll see how his son does.
Secondly, have any of you heard of breastfeeding "nurse-ins" going on around the country? Let me first make something clear: I am all about breastfeeding and I think it's 100% natural and beautiful and all that jazz. But, is it really necessary for a Texas woman to sit ON THE FLOOR in the women's clothing department of a Target store and breastfeed her child? I've provided a link to this story about the TX woman.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2011/12/breastfeeding-at-target-moms-stage-national-demonstration/
She was on GMA yesterday talking about how offended she was that people kept giving her bad looks and shaking their heads. She was even offered a dressing room by one of the Target employees but refused it and that's when she says she kept getting bad looks. I'm a woman about to have a child who I will hopefully breastfeed but even I get a smidge uncomfortable when I see women doing this in a wide open public place. Is it so hard to find a place a little more private than the floor of Target? I'm not a fan of this...
Third news story... the awful, awful Christmas Eve fire in Connecticut. The mother lost her parents and her three children. The fire was caused by embers from the fireplace being discarded outside the home but still close enough to the home to catch fire. They were trying to be safe by getting the embers outside but I guess they weren't safe enough. There were no smoke detectors in the home as it was being renovated. This is such a sad story. If any of you are thinking you're having a bad day, bad year, bad anything, just think, it could be WAY worse. Also, please take time in the next day or two to check your smoke detectors! After hearing this story, I replaced batteries in all of ours.
Ok, so anyway, I hope all of you are having a great week! Tomorrow is Friday! Enjoy the long weekend and have a SUPER happy New Year!!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Ok, ok... so it's been (almost) a month since I've blogged. Sorry folks.
Gosh- so much to catch up on! I haven't blogged since before Thanksgiving and I feel I should catch everyone up on this life of mine.
So, last time I blogged, we were getting ready for a LONG drive down to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. And, boy was it a long drive.... especially since we started it off with two flat tires just 40 minutes into our trip. We must have run over something on our way out of town. The "low tire pressure" alert went off for the rear right tire and then immediately "dinged" for the front right tire. Christian watched the tire pressure gage in the truck slowly creep down as we hurried to get off the freeway. We were able to make it off the freeway and were only ONE MILE away from the Midas garage when we weren't able to drive anymore. So, we had to wait about 30 minutes on roadside assistance to come pump the tires and plug them well enough for us to make it to the tire place. We made it to Midas and about an hour and half later, we were patched and ready to hit the road. We only got about four hours of driving in that day but made it safely to Florida the next evening. Sixteen hours was our total time. Blahhhh.
We got to Pensacola the weekend before Thanksgiving and just spent time with family and friends the first few days. Then, we went to New Orleans for Thanksgiving day and night with my mom and step-dad. That was a fun thing to do and it was different.... kind of a change of scenery from the typical Thanksgiving hooplah that usually takes place. :) So, it was nice. Then, the day after Turkey Day, we headed back to Florida where I hosted my best friend's (Alison) bridal shower with some of our closest friends. It was a fun time and it was great to see everyone. The Sunday that followed was my first baby shower and it was so fantastic! It was hosted by Karyn, Alison and Ali and I couldn't have been happier with the turnout! We got some GREAT gifts for Max and the food was delicious! Christian had to leave that day to head to Dallas for a class for work. So, he was gone for the rest of my time in Florida. He flew back into Pensacola on Thursday, I picked him up from the airport and we got about six hours of driving in before we stopped for the night on our way back to NJ.
There really is nothing quite like being back at home when you've been gone for about two weeks. Our bed never feels better than that first night back! Plus, I was anxious to get all of our nursery stuff put away and organized! Speaking of- the next day, my friends Vicki and Paige hosted another baby shower up here for me! It was also fantastic! They put so much work into it and it was beautiful and so thoughtful! Most of my NJ/PA friends were able to make it so it was a lot of fun! And, we got even more great gifts!!
The same day as my shower, we had Christian's squadron's Christmas party that night. It was fun and it was good to see all the folks he works with. I never realized how many people were in his squadron! It takes anArmy (err... Navy), I guess!
Maybe all that going, going, going is what put me down for the count this past Monday. I felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks that afternoon. My whole body hurt, I was coughing and had a horrible headache. Then, to top it all off, I pulled a muscle or something in my right side that made it painful to breathe! I felt awful. But, I'm slowly getting over the remnants of whatever it was. I still have a little bit of a cough, sore through when I wake up and some congestion but I'm pushing through!
In the middle of all that junk, I had a MUCH needed hair appointment! I ended up having about six inches cut off of my hair and I really couldn't be happier with that decision!!! My hair was looking raggedy and definitely needed a fresh look. So, I lightened it up some and chopped it into a long bob. It's resting on my shoulders now and looks SO much healthier!
So, then we come to this past weekend. Dad and Rhonda flew in Friday around lunchtime and we had a great weekend with them. Friday was spent just shopping around town and taking them to Ikea for the first time. haha Then, we all got up early Saturday morning and hopped on the train to NYC. We had great chilly weather the whole day and the city was jammed packed with other Christmas tourist. We spent most of the morning walking around and seeing all of the decorations for the holidays. In the early afternoon, we got to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular show featuring the Rockettes! It was a GREAT show! It was so pretty and kind of magical! Then, we walked up to Central Park and got a horse and carriage ride through the park before we headed off to dinner at the Time Warner Center. We had a great day! Thanks to Dad for the show and dinner!
It was a quick trip for them as they flew out on Sunday. But, we had a great time. Sunday was spent shopping for baby stuff that we still need. We got our monitor and made some other decisions on items that we still need to get now that I've price shopped all of them. I'll probably be making another trip to Babies R Us this afternoon to scratch off a few more items on our "we need" list. Our crib arrived today and I can't wait for Christian to get home from work so we can put it together!!!
I had my last ultrasound today! Everything went really well and Max is measuring great! He's already moved into the head down position, which is great and he weighs three pounds and eight ounces and is around the 50th percentile for most of his measurements. I can't wait for his arrival! I know I should really slow down and cherish these last weeks of pregnancy (and sleep and quietness) but I'm just so excited to see what he looks like and actually hold him.
That pretty much sums up everything that has been going on in our lives. This weekend, we're heading down to Annapolis, MD for a wedding. I have an interview appointment with a pediatrician this week too to see if she's one I'd like Max to see. I need to schedule these with a few more docs but I'll start with this one first.
Then, can you believe that Christmas is less that two weeks away?!?!?!! CRAAAAZY! I hope all of you are having fun Christmas shopping and getting into the holiday spirit! Have a great week!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
So, last time I blogged, we were getting ready for a LONG drive down to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. And, boy was it a long drive.... especially since we started it off with two flat tires just 40 minutes into our trip. We must have run over something on our way out of town. The "low tire pressure" alert went off for the rear right tire and then immediately "dinged" for the front right tire. Christian watched the tire pressure gage in the truck slowly creep down as we hurried to get off the freeway. We were able to make it off the freeway and were only ONE MILE away from the Midas garage when we weren't able to drive anymore. So, we had to wait about 30 minutes on roadside assistance to come pump the tires and plug them well enough for us to make it to the tire place. We made it to Midas and about an hour and half later, we were patched and ready to hit the road. We only got about four hours of driving in that day but made it safely to Florida the next evening. Sixteen hours was our total time. Blahhhh.
We got to Pensacola the weekend before Thanksgiving and just spent time with family and friends the first few days. Then, we went to New Orleans for Thanksgiving day and night with my mom and step-dad. That was a fun thing to do and it was different.... kind of a change of scenery from the typical Thanksgiving hooplah that usually takes place. :) So, it was nice. Then, the day after Turkey Day, we headed back to Florida where I hosted my best friend's (Alison) bridal shower with some of our closest friends. It was a fun time and it was great to see everyone. The Sunday that followed was my first baby shower and it was so fantastic! It was hosted by Karyn, Alison and Ali and I couldn't have been happier with the turnout! We got some GREAT gifts for Max and the food was delicious! Christian had to leave that day to head to Dallas for a class for work. So, he was gone for the rest of my time in Florida. He flew back into Pensacola on Thursday, I picked him up from the airport and we got about six hours of driving in before we stopped for the night on our way back to NJ.
There really is nothing quite like being back at home when you've been gone for about two weeks. Our bed never feels better than that first night back! Plus, I was anxious to get all of our nursery stuff put away and organized! Speaking of- the next day, my friends Vicki and Paige hosted another baby shower up here for me! It was also fantastic! They put so much work into it and it was beautiful and so thoughtful! Most of my NJ/PA friends were able to make it so it was a lot of fun! And, we got even more great gifts!!
The same day as my shower, we had Christian's squadron's Christmas party that night. It was fun and it was good to see all the folks he works with. I never realized how many people were in his squadron! It takes an
Maybe all that going, going, going is what put me down for the count this past Monday. I felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks that afternoon. My whole body hurt, I was coughing and had a horrible headache. Then, to top it all off, I pulled a muscle or something in my right side that made it painful to breathe! I felt awful. But, I'm slowly getting over the remnants of whatever it was. I still have a little bit of a cough, sore through when I wake up and some congestion but I'm pushing through!
In the middle of all that junk, I had a MUCH needed hair appointment! I ended up having about six inches cut off of my hair and I really couldn't be happier with that decision!!! My hair was looking raggedy and definitely needed a fresh look. So, I lightened it up some and chopped it into a long bob. It's resting on my shoulders now and looks SO much healthier!
So, then we come to this past weekend. Dad and Rhonda flew in Friday around lunchtime and we had a great weekend with them. Friday was spent just shopping around town and taking them to Ikea for the first time. haha Then, we all got up early Saturday morning and hopped on the train to NYC. We had great chilly weather the whole day and the city was jammed packed with other Christmas tourist. We spent most of the morning walking around and seeing all of the decorations for the holidays. In the early afternoon, we got to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular show featuring the Rockettes! It was a GREAT show! It was so pretty and kind of magical! Then, we walked up to Central Park and got a horse and carriage ride through the park before we headed off to dinner at the Time Warner Center. We had a great day! Thanks to Dad for the show and dinner!
It was a quick trip for them as they flew out on Sunday. But, we had a great time. Sunday was spent shopping for baby stuff that we still need. We got our monitor and made some other decisions on items that we still need to get now that I've price shopped all of them. I'll probably be making another trip to Babies R Us this afternoon to scratch off a few more items on our "we need" list. Our crib arrived today and I can't wait for Christian to get home from work so we can put it together!!!
I had my last ultrasound today! Everything went really well and Max is measuring great! He's already moved into the head down position, which is great and he weighs three pounds and eight ounces and is around the 50th percentile for most of his measurements. I can't wait for his arrival! I know I should really slow down and cherish these last weeks of pregnancy (and sleep and quietness) but I'm just so excited to see what he looks like and actually hold him.
That pretty much sums up everything that has been going on in our lives. This weekend, we're heading down to Annapolis, MD for a wedding. I have an interview appointment with a pediatrician this week too to see if she's one I'd like Max to see. I need to schedule these with a few more docs but I'll start with this one first.
Then, can you believe that Christmas is less that two weeks away?!?!?!! CRAAAAZY! I hope all of you are having fun Christmas shopping and getting into the holiday spirit! Have a great week!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Energy needed!!!
Good morning everyone!
I'm dragging this morning and cannot get any energy! I'm on my second cup of tea so hopefully I'll get a little pep in my step soon enough. I feel like I have a zillion things to do before we leave this Friday to head down to Florida. I like to have the house super clean and everything in order before we leave so we can come back home to a house that isn't in need of anything. So, I have two days to do all of that. Christian is thinking he'll get out of work pretty early on Friday so I'll have to have everything packed and ready to go tomorrow evening so we can get on the road as soon as he gets home Friday. So much to do!
Well, someone who doesn't seem tired is this little man inside my belly. He's jumping around and rolling around like crazy all day. My stomach looks like something from the Aliens movies. Weird. I read on one of my weekly pregnancy updates yesterday that my amniotic fluid has decreased by half and that's one of the reasons I can feel and see every single little movement now. It's kind of funny because Max seems the like my lower left side. He always seems to burrow down into that area and when he does, I get a lop-sided belly. You know, something that I've been thinking about for a while is how I can't even logically comprehend the fact that I am growing a person inside of me. Seriously, it's mind blowing. When I start to think about it, I just have to stop because it's just too much to really understand. I've always thought the human body was pretty amazing but now, I have a totally new respect for my body and the crazy, wild things it can do. Really neat.
Ok, so... moving on. :) If any of you are looking for a good book, I should recommend one that I finished last week. I can't remember if I've already mentioned it to you guys but if I have, sorry for the repeat. It's called The Glass Castle. It's such a good book! It's written by Jeanette Walls who is a regular contributor to MSNBC and has also done work for the NY Times, Esquire and USA Today. This book is actually a memoir. It's a book that is full of some amazing stories about her childhood, her alcoholic father and artist mother. As screwed up as her childhood was, there were some amazing life lessons learned through crazy experiences and from her parents' "live free or die" lifestyle. It's an easy read and so, so great. The story-telling capability that she has reminds me of the great stories my uncle, Glen, used to tell me and Ali when we were little. I've always loved a good, exciting story. So, it's great!
I'm now reading a book called Republic: A Novel of America's Future. It was recommended to me by a friend of mine from high school. I'm about 100 pages into it and it reads pretty easily. It reminds me a little of the writing style that James Patterson has. So, hopefully it will be pretty good.
Anyway, I'm so excited to be heading home this weekend. I can't wait to see family and friends! I miss everyone so much!!! Another little thing I'm super excited about is the fact that we will be spending Thanksgiving in New Orleans this year! Christian, me, Mom, John and hopefully Adam and his lady-friend will be heading over Thanksgiving day. As many of you know, New Orleans is my favorite place on earth so I'm super excited to spend some time in this great city. Plus, a great cajun style Thanksgiving dinner! We're staying right on Bourbon Street so we're trying so soak up as much New Orleans charm as possible in the one night that we are there.
I also have Laura's baby shower for the twins and Alison's bridal shower while we're in town which I'm so excited about! And, my first baby shower! I'm super excited about that too! Good times!
Well, anyway, I hope y'all are having a good week! Take some time to enjoy some "me time" for yourself! Here's a great quote I want to share:
"Optimist: A person who travels on nothing from nowhere to happiness"
Have a fabulous day!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I'm dragging this morning and cannot get any energy! I'm on my second cup of tea so hopefully I'll get a little pep in my step soon enough. I feel like I have a zillion things to do before we leave this Friday to head down to Florida. I like to have the house super clean and everything in order before we leave so we can come back home to a house that isn't in need of anything. So, I have two days to do all of that. Christian is thinking he'll get out of work pretty early on Friday so I'll have to have everything packed and ready to go tomorrow evening so we can get on the road as soon as he gets home Friday. So much to do!
Well, someone who doesn't seem tired is this little man inside my belly. He's jumping around and rolling around like crazy all day. My stomach looks like something from the Aliens movies. Weird. I read on one of my weekly pregnancy updates yesterday that my amniotic fluid has decreased by half and that's one of the reasons I can feel and see every single little movement now. It's kind of funny because Max seems the like my lower left side. He always seems to burrow down into that area and when he does, I get a lop-sided belly. You know, something that I've been thinking about for a while is how I can't even logically comprehend the fact that I am growing a person inside of me. Seriously, it's mind blowing. When I start to think about it, I just have to stop because it's just too much to really understand. I've always thought the human body was pretty amazing but now, I have a totally new respect for my body and the crazy, wild things it can do. Really neat.
Ok, so... moving on. :) If any of you are looking for a good book, I should recommend one that I finished last week. I can't remember if I've already mentioned it to you guys but if I have, sorry for the repeat. It's called The Glass Castle. It's such a good book! It's written by Jeanette Walls who is a regular contributor to MSNBC and has also done work for the NY Times, Esquire and USA Today. This book is actually a memoir. It's a book that is full of some amazing stories about her childhood, her alcoholic father and artist mother. As screwed up as her childhood was, there were some amazing life lessons learned through crazy experiences and from her parents' "live free or die" lifestyle. It's an easy read and so, so great. The story-telling capability that she has reminds me of the great stories my uncle, Glen, used to tell me and Ali when we were little. I've always loved a good, exciting story. So, it's great!
I'm now reading a book called Republic: A Novel of America's Future. It was recommended to me by a friend of mine from high school. I'm about 100 pages into it and it reads pretty easily. It reminds me a little of the writing style that James Patterson has. So, hopefully it will be pretty good.
Anyway, I'm so excited to be heading home this weekend. I can't wait to see family and friends! I miss everyone so much!!! Another little thing I'm super excited about is the fact that we will be spending Thanksgiving in New Orleans this year! Christian, me, Mom, John and hopefully Adam and his lady-friend will be heading over Thanksgiving day. As many of you know, New Orleans is my favorite place on earth so I'm super excited to spend some time in this great city. Plus, a great cajun style Thanksgiving dinner! We're staying right on Bourbon Street so we're trying so soak up as much New Orleans charm as possible in the one night that we are there.
I also have Laura's baby shower for the twins and Alison's bridal shower while we're in town which I'm so excited about! And, my first baby shower! I'm super excited about that too! Good times!
Well, anyway, I hope y'all are having a good week! Take some time to enjoy some "me time" for yourself! Here's a great quote I want to share:
"Optimist: A person who travels on nothing from nowhere to happiness"
Have a fabulous day!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Good morning!
Good morning everyone and happy Thursday!
I hope you have had a good week so far! Tomorrow's Friday!! I'm pretty excited about tomorrow being Friday because we're leaving tomorrow morning to head to Texas! We're going to Houston for our friend's wedding. We have a lot of friends going also so it should be a fun weekend. Plus, as weird as it sounds, I'm excited about the four hour flight tomorrow because I just got a Nook this week and downloaded a book that was recommended to me by a friend and it's a pretty good one so far! Plus, I have the December Issue of O Magazine which is the Favorite Things issue! So, plenty of great reading material!
Then, a little update on our travels down to FL for Thanksgiving. We're getting in town quite a bit earlier than we had planned. Christian's leave starts on Tuesday the 22nd but he's just going to take a comp day for that Monday and we're actually going to start heading down there next Friday and get there Saturday. We're so excited to come home! I miss my family so much so I'm definitely excited about the extra time. And, actually, we'll be staying a little longer than planned too. Christian has a class to attend in Dallas the week after Thanksgiving so he'll fly out of Pcola on the 27th for that and I'll just stay in town until he flies back into Pcola that Thursday and then we'll start our drive back up here that day and be home by Friday. Good stuff. :)
So, some updates on baby Max. Everything is still going well. I went for a check-up yesterday and everything is perfect! I'm so happy to be feeling so well. The only thing going on is the occasional back pain and I know that definitely comes with the territory. So, everything is good! I have to have a Rhogam shot next week since I'm Rh Negative but that's the only thing going on that's somewhat outside the norm.
Christian and I went to our first labor related class last night. It was a Breathing and Relaxation class and it was pretty helpful. It was nice because it forced us to actually do the breathing methods and relaxation techniques. So, I definitely wasn't complaining about all the massages Christian got to give me last night! ;) Most of the stuff I could have learned from a book but we were glad they forced us to do it. And, I'm surprised by how few jokes Christian made about everything. haha He was a great sport and he'll be a great coach throughout labor. One thing that was funny about the class was that I didn't read any of the paperwork that was sent to me about the class so we were the only couple that showed up without pillows and blankets. haha So, we had to sit on the hard floor but we made our way through it. I felt like a dummy though. haha
Another thing that made me feel like a total airhead this week was when I realized that I had screwed up my best friend's bridal shower invitations that have already been mailed out. hahaha I went up to my office to send out a few more of the invites and realized that I had put her name as Alison Leja, NOT Alison Collier. So, basically, I put her soon-to-be married name and not her current maiden name. When I realized that, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. Haha I literally flipped through every single invite that I still had to make sure this was actually happening. I called Alison immediately but she didn't answer! haha Gosh, I felt so stupid. So, I emailed the group of girls we invited and 'fessed up to my mistake. Goodness.... this pregnancy brain thing is amazing. haha
So, anyway, I guess the whole country has heard this morning that Joe Paterno has been fired as the head coach of Penn State. Christian is a huge Penn State fan so it's kind of a weird thing to think about. He's such a legacy and to see that legacy end in such an unfortunate way is really sad. And the quote that sits beside JoePa's picture on the cover of the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning says it all; "I should have done more." Yes, he should have. As much and I love this 84-year-old man who has the winningest career in college football, he made a very bad decision to not take the disgusting information to police. Sad, sad stuff.
Well, I hope y'all have a fan-freakin-tastic weekend coming up! I'll be seeing a lot of you soon!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
I hope you have had a good week so far! Tomorrow's Friday!! I'm pretty excited about tomorrow being Friday because we're leaving tomorrow morning to head to Texas! We're going to Houston for our friend's wedding. We have a lot of friends going also so it should be a fun weekend. Plus, as weird as it sounds, I'm excited about the four hour flight tomorrow because I just got a Nook this week and downloaded a book that was recommended to me by a friend and it's a pretty good one so far! Plus, I have the December Issue of O Magazine which is the Favorite Things issue! So, plenty of great reading material!
Then, a little update on our travels down to FL for Thanksgiving. We're getting in town quite a bit earlier than we had planned. Christian's leave starts on Tuesday the 22nd but he's just going to take a comp day for that Monday and we're actually going to start heading down there next Friday and get there Saturday. We're so excited to come home! I miss my family so much so I'm definitely excited about the extra time. And, actually, we'll be staying a little longer than planned too. Christian has a class to attend in Dallas the week after Thanksgiving so he'll fly out of Pcola on the 27th for that and I'll just stay in town until he flies back into Pcola that Thursday and then we'll start our drive back up here that day and be home by Friday. Good stuff. :)
So, some updates on baby Max. Everything is still going well. I went for a check-up yesterday and everything is perfect! I'm so happy to be feeling so well. The only thing going on is the occasional back pain and I know that definitely comes with the territory. So, everything is good! I have to have a Rhogam shot next week since I'm Rh Negative but that's the only thing going on that's somewhat outside the norm.
Christian and I went to our first labor related class last night. It was a Breathing and Relaxation class and it was pretty helpful. It was nice because it forced us to actually do the breathing methods and relaxation techniques. So, I definitely wasn't complaining about all the massages Christian got to give me last night! ;) Most of the stuff I could have learned from a book but we were glad they forced us to do it. And, I'm surprised by how few jokes Christian made about everything. haha He was a great sport and he'll be a great coach throughout labor. One thing that was funny about the class was that I didn't read any of the paperwork that was sent to me about the class so we were the only couple that showed up without pillows and blankets. haha So, we had to sit on the hard floor but we made our way through it. I felt like a dummy though. haha
Another thing that made me feel like a total airhead this week was when I realized that I had screwed up my best friend's bridal shower invitations that have already been mailed out. hahaha I went up to my office to send out a few more of the invites and realized that I had put her name as Alison Leja, NOT Alison Collier. So, basically, I put her soon-to-be married name and not her current maiden name. When I realized that, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. Haha I literally flipped through every single invite that I still had to make sure this was actually happening. I called Alison immediately but she didn't answer! haha Gosh, I felt so stupid. So, I emailed the group of girls we invited and 'fessed up to my mistake. Goodness.... this pregnancy brain thing is amazing. haha
So, anyway, I guess the whole country has heard this morning that Joe Paterno has been fired as the head coach of Penn State. Christian is a huge Penn State fan so it's kind of a weird thing to think about. He's such a legacy and to see that legacy end in such an unfortunate way is really sad. And the quote that sits beside JoePa's picture on the cover of the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning says it all; "I should have done more." Yes, he should have. As much and I love this 84-year-old man who has the winningest career in college football, he made a very bad decision to not take the disgusting information to police. Sad, sad stuff.
Well, I hope y'all have a fan-freakin-tastic weekend coming up! I'll be seeing a lot of you soon!!!!
xoxo,
Chrissi
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