Reasons I must be pregnant

Other than the countless days of nausea that left me glued to the couch, here are a few strong indicators that I have a human being growing inside of me:

I hate the news.
I love celebrity gossip.
I cry at Starbucks, Subaru and diaper commercials on a regular basis.
For the first time ever, I bought a jar of pickles at the grocery store. And for no apparent reason, other than it just felt like the right thing to do.
I keep losing and forgetting things.
I eat everything.

If you ask my husband how he can tell I'm pregnant, apparently:

I sit like a man.
I hate the news, but insist on watching it anyway.
I bore him with celebrity gossip.
I cry at everything.
I keep demanding that he buy me a Subaru.
I lose the mail key - every day.
I eat everything. And what's left uneaten, is probably spilled or stained on my clothes.
And my favorite -
I'm always right. :)

13 Weeks

That's my lucky pregnancy number.
That's how many weeks pregnant I was with Adeleigh when the "all day sickness" finally subsided and my green, always frowny face started to resemble more of a happy pregnancy glow. That's how many weeks pregnant I was when I had enough energy again to walk a further distance than from the couch to the bathroom without stopping to rest or throw up. That's how far along I was when I magically forgot the previous 9 weeks of misery that consumed me, day in and day out.

I am at 13 weeks today and after the last few months of nausea, aches and blah without any lasting relief, I was losing hope that history would repeat itself this morning.

And then I woke up...
...for the first time in 9 weeks, earlier than anyone else in the house, including the dog. I laid there for a few minutes with my eyes open, trying to determine how my belly was holding up.
Fine.
I jumped out of bed and for the first time in 9 weeks, had this crazy idea that I would walk the dog. I woke him up and took Rico on a short walk along the path behind our building.
Still feeling fine.
I came inside to a half-asleep husband and daughter and started cooking them breakfast for the first time in 9 weeks. Phaeton put his glasses on, looked up at me and said, "Who are you?"
I chuckled. "Thirteen weeks! I'm at 13 weeks today! I feel like myself again for the first morning in a long time."
Phaeton - "I can tell because you're doing everything that I've been doing for the last few months and it's not even 7:30am. This is awesome! But, can you please stop the vacuuming until we wake up?"

Our eventful day went on without a single bout of nausea or headache. And for the first time in 9 weeks, I'm awake after 10pm.

Phaeton - "I feel like you're back....I've missed you."
~~

I'm really hoping this lasts!

I needed this

I took the last two days off from work. Not because anyone is sick. Not because we are moving, packing or unpacking. I just took a break.
And it was just what I needed.

Monday
I spent all to myself. No toddler. No husband. No agenda.
I had enough energy to complete a load of laundry.
I scheduled myself a prenatal massage.
I painted my toenails, realizing that in a few short months, I'll no longer be able to reach them.
I conquered my fear of shopping with a toddler and took her out after I picked her up from daycare.
She was perfect :)

Tuesday
After 10 hours of much needed sleep, I woke to a little girl hugging my cheeks and kissing my nose.
My midwife told me that I should eat whatever I want and not feel guilty about it.
We spent the day playing with family we hadn't seen in over a year.
I had my first 12-hour stretch in 7 weeks without any nausea or headaches.
We heard the baby's healthy heartbeat for the first time -
which put it all into perspective for me....for the first time.
Today was perfect :)

I needed these last few days to re-focus. It must have worked. Because even with all the chaos and uncertainty going on around us, for the first time in months, everything just feels right.

:)

She's going to be an opera singer someday

You know that sound that you wish you would have the power to create, in the event that a stranger started attacking you? The sound that would alert the world around you that you need immediate help? That noise that would cause the stranger to run away in pure terror, scared of what other powers you possess?

Adeleigh has more than perfected that sound. And her favorite time to practice her S.O.S. scream, without fail, is while shopping with Mom.

Yesterday, she exercised her vocal cords in the bakery section of Sam's Club. The entire town dropped what they were doing and turned away from the sampling stations they were snacking at, to hone in on the stranger that must have been abducting a small child.

Hi everyone. Yeah, everything is okay over here. It's just my daughter, mildly upset that she can't have that one M&M cookie that is tucked in the middle of the 3-foot by 4-foot 350-piece cookie tray. I promise she belongs to me.

Phaeton left the salmon sampling station to come and find us. He just followed the train of stares and scowls until he spotted us. Fortunately by then, Adeleigh had calmed down. 

Phaeton - "Oh man, that was loud! What happened?"

Me - "Oh, you know. The usual. She wanted a c-o-o-k-i-e and I offered her fruit snacks instead. You can't just buy 1 c-o-o-k-i-e here."

Phaeton - "The chef cutting the fish said that she's going to make a great opera singer someday...[We chuckled]...Want a sample of some salmon?"

She's at that age where she's learning how to manage the many emotions of toddler hood. It isn't always going to be easy for her to gauge what an appropriate reaction is, or where is an appropriate setting for such a reaction. I feel like it's our job to teach her that. Yet oftentimes, I struggle with what to do when she decides to project her operatic voice-in-training in public. I try my best to validate her feelings, to re-direct and to teach her appropriate behavior. And I know that these moments are learning opportunities for each of us. I just feel like I've got a long ways to go. And I feel like she's got some time before her toddler-insanity-scream translates into music to my ears.

So Adeleigh, in the meantime, the next time you want to go shopping, Daddy is in charge of taking you. I promise though, that I'll be there when you want to buy your prom dress. 

Growing

If you haven't seen or heard from me in awhile, here are some excuses I have -

I've been stuffing my face with sausage and mushroom pizza, vanilla ice-cream smothered with crushed M&M's and ginger ale.

I've been sitting on the couch, allowing the house to get ridiculously mangy, and not really caring about cleaning it.

I've been demanding that my husband please stop eating onions.

I've been sleeping curled up on the couch while my wonderful husband does everything - cooks, lets the dog out, entertains Adeleigh, does the dishes, washes and folds laundry, grocery shops - everything.
I've been told I look a little green. I've been feeling a little green.

I've been telling my husband how amazing and wonderful he is for doing everything - except for eating onions.
I've been asking my husband to drive to all ends of town, to pick up whatever it is I'm craving.
I've been hissing at anyone that gets near my food.

I've been waking up in the middle of the night to munch on Cinnamon Chex.
I've been caught crying while watching car commercials.

I've been thinking about packing for our move in a few weeks, but I haven't been able to get up off the couch.

I've been fantasizing about getting a bigger couch -

We'll need a bigger couch for our bigger home - our 3 bed, 2.5 bath town home that we are moving into next month. And this October, every single one of those 3 bedrooms will belong to someone.....

Because I'm growing. And so is our family!

Sometimes I bribe her

Yes I bribe my child. Don't judge me. I bribe her because it works.

To the child who hasn't eaten anything except a few bites of cheese and a vitamin in three days:
"Hey, Adeleigh. If you eat five bites of your dinner, you can have a scoop of icecream."
The outcome: five more bites of sustenance and one more serving of dairy in a belly that I'm wholeheartedly convinced is starving.

To the child who never, ever eats her veggies:
"Hey, Adeleigh. If you eat that one teensy piece of broccoli on your plate, you can have two chocolate chips."
The outcome: a very dramatic production of facial expressions of disgust while stomaching the smallest broccoli floret ever. And two fewer chocolate chips for me...

To the two-year-old who argues why she should be able to wear her diaper while taking a bath:
"Hey, Adeleigh. If you take your diaper off before sitting down in the tub tonight, you can have five bedtime stories."
The outcome: a toddler that rips her own diaper off and throws it away without throwing a tantrum in the tub, and five bedtime stories.

After a sleepless night of constant interruptions from a toddler who is no longer confined to a crib and can move about the condo at her own free will:
"Hey, Adeleigh. If you stay in your bed all night long tonight, you can have a treat tomorrow morning."

As I'm thinking about what treat I might offer her, the only "treat" we have in the house right now are chocolate chip cookies....And who eats cookies for breakfast?

.......{crickets}........

Certainly not this Mom.  :)

And who lets their children ever eat cookies for breakfast?

If this actually works tonight - Definitely this Mom.

Don't judge.

Horror Story

After a 10-year horror movie strike, I allowed American Horror Story to come into our home.
Biggest. Mistake. Ever.

Phaeton - "So, I'm going to watch a really scary show. If it freaks you out too much, just tell me to turn it off and I'll watch it when you're not here."
Me - "What is it?"
Phaeton - "American Horror Story."
Me - "You can watch it. I'm not really paying attention."

Twenty minutes later -
Me - "!@#$%^&*(!! Holy m$#@#!. This show is messed up."
Phaeton - "Do you want me to turn it off?"
Me - "Ummm...let's just see how the rest of it goes."

Two episodes later -
Me - "Let's watch another one."
Phaeton - "Bedtime."
Me - "Fine. Where's the nightlight?"
Phaeton - "No, don't turn any lights on. I can't sleep with the lights on."
Me - "I'm watching horror shows with you. You owe me. We're sleeping with the lights on."

Five days and eleven episodes later -
Phaeton - "!@#$%.....This show is really messed up."
Me - "I'm done. I can't watch it anymore. It's too disturbing."
Phaeton - "We only have one episode left! You really don't want to finish it with me?!?!"
Me - "I haven't watched horror movies in ten years. I haven't needed a night light in over twenty years. It's been years since I've slept with my head under the covers. I've started doing all of that in the last five days again. I don't want to start getting night terrors like I did when I was little too.....I can't watch it anymore."
Phaeton - "I bet we watch it tomorrow night."

I turned the night lights on and we kissed good night. Phaeton began snoring within seconds. He has that amazing gift. I, on the other hand, couldn't close my eyes. I was too freaked out. I saw a faint light coming from above the covers, so I peeked. The television set was turned on. I stared at it blankly, completely confused at how that happened. Then, it turned off. The remote was sitting on the bedside table.
True story.

I freaked.
Me, shaking my husband awake - "Phaeton! Phaeton!"
Phaeton - "!@#$%  What?!"
Me - "The TV just turned itself on and off."
Phaeton - "Honey. No it didn't. Go to bed."
Me - "Seriously, Honey. I'm not making it up."
Phaeton - "Nubi did it."
Nubi, our cat, sound asleep across the room - "Prrrrrr..."
Me - "Sweetie. Seriously. I'm freaking out right now."
Phaeton - "Honey, go to bed!"
Me - "You don't believe me, do you?"
Phaeton - "Well, I saw someone standing next to the TV, but I thought that was you..................[pause]..................Tee hee hee....."
I shoved him in the arm.
Me - "Not cool."
Phaeton - "Yeah, but that was funny."
Me - "Not really. How are you not freaking out right now?"
Phaeton - "Because it was a nice ghost...And he was probably bored, so he wanted to watch a show. But nothing was on. So he turned it off.....[then Phaeton put two earplugs in]....Good night!"
______

I love my husband a lot. But not enough to watch horror shows with him...Ever. Again.

Back on strike.

Networking & Vinegar

Last week I attended my first networking event for my job. Leading up to it, I was nervous. Networking is hugely out of my comfort zone and I was doing it solo, so I sought out a few words of encouragement from fellow team members.
"You're going to do great!"
"Don't feel like you have to walk away with a ton of business cards or a ton of new contacts."
"It's okay to be a wallflower and let people approach you first."
"This will be a great start to getting you more comfortable."
.....
I walked in, grabbed the first open seat at a table of other young professional women and was instantly greeted by the gal I sat next to. I introduced myself and told the ladies who I was and what I do. They did the same. We helped ourselves to some food. I exchanged business cards with the girl sitting next to me. Then the presentation started.

In the middle of the presentation I remember thinking, I'm doing just fine! This is fun! I was proud of myself for branching out of my comfort zone for a little while. And it was nice to break away from the office for a bit. Then, I started telling myself to not do anything embarrassing. I was sitting toward the front of the room and the way my chair was positioned, everyone in the room had a clear view of my seat. I picked up my water bottle, took a swig, and I thought, That would be such a "Heather thing" to do if you dribbled water down your face right now...Don't dribble water down your face right now, Heather.
...
Success.
I went to set my water bottle back down on the table. That would be such a "Heather thing" to drop your almost full water bottle all over the table right now...Don't do it!
...
...
...
...
"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean....Oh my gosh, how embarrassing."
Girl sitting next to me - "Oh no. It's fine. Don't worry about it. Really. No big deal at all."

No, I didn't dribble water down my chin. No, I didn't spill my water bottle all over the table, or all over the girl sitting next to me.
But, as I was pulling my arm back from successfully putting my water bottle down, I "successfully" knocked my plate of half-eaten salad directly upside down onto my suit jacket. Not only was salad and dressing all over me, all over my chair, and all over the floor, but I had spilled salad and dressing all over the girl sitting next to me's ridiculously nice, expensive purse.

That was such a "Heather thing" to do.

But, on the bright side -
It was a good event and gave me some good networking experience. And at least I walked away with a business card. If nothing else but to send the girl sitting next to me an apology email for making her nice, expensive purse smell like vinegar.

Auld Lang Syne

It's 11:15pm, New Year's Eve and my husband just brushed his teeth and crawled into bed.

Me - "What are you doing?"

Phaeton - "I'm going to bed."

Me - "Wait, what? It's New Year's Eve! You're not going to stay up with me?"

Phaeton rolled his eyes, whispered expletives under his breath and stood back up.

Me - "hee hee hee"

Phaeton - "Fine. But we're watching Avengers."

~

I think 2012 was a trying year for many. We definitely had our struggles. But it's been a year of fun, with those we love; and a year of growth, individually and as a family.

Here are a few things we've learned this year -

Adeleigh learned yoga.

And started teaching it.

We learned that onions have purple flowers.

And you don't need toys when you have leaves.

We love leaves.

I learned that the holidays are much more fun with a child around.

And that some of the best moments are captured in your jammies....

...Or maybe at the toy store...

~
We may be finishing the year out with Kleenex up our noses and the smell of cough drops on our breath, but I feel positively about the year ahead.

Auld Lang Syne, 2012. It's been fun.

And they meet

Merry Christmas!

Love, Adeleigh & Kris Kringle