The End is Near....

Had a doc appt yesterday. Saw a different doc. When he came in, he asked how I was. I told him I was looking for an end to this pregnancy and he said he was too. What? The only issue I have had that some of the docs don't like is my blood pressure. It has been 140/90 for past 3 weeks at my appointments. Not a huge worry as I don't have anything else that concerns them. My numb hand is getting really annoying though.

Warning - Yucky pregnancy stuff below:

Of course he checked me. He told me I was dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced. And he continued to check me. And he checked some more. Right when I was going to say something he said "I know, I know, you can stop checking me now." I told him I thought it was a bit excessive and then he told me he was stripping membranes to see if that would help things. I did have some contractions last night and I still have pain in the left side of my back but no labor.

They also scheduled me to be induced in case she decides not to come out. He wanted Monday or Wednesday - I ended up with Thursday. With a doc I have never met. Oh well. I think it may get to the point where I don't care if my husband delivers her, let's just get on with it.

I want to start recovering so I can get back on track. I decided to move up my last day at work to yesterday. Teaching 1st grade is tiring. At 39 weeks pregnant, I don't need to be doing all that. I was ready and a good thing since one way or another, Evie is coming this week!

I just need to put some more crap away but I am tired today so I think I will be napping. Interrupted only by eating and playing with my dogs (and they are old and don't play a ton).

Hopefully next post will have some super good news and a picture or two. Enjoy your weekend!

Pregnant....STILL

I am still here. Still pregnant. Uncomfortable. Ready for her to be here so my life can be changed for the better. So I can start to feel like I have a normal body again. Like breathing normally and getting the feeling back in my numb hand.

Had doc appt last Friday. Have another one this Friday. Last week she was head down, looking good. I was dilated to a 2. Sunday I lost my mucus plug (gross, I know). I have had horrific heartburn for 3 days and felt a little sick today. I think this maybe her week (or maybe that is wishful thinking since I am ready to be finished with pregnancy). This maybe my last week at work. I am just so uncomfortable. It is hard to do 50 things at a time with a class of 1st graders when you feel like you are gasping for air.

Not much else to say. School stuff is ready, her stuff is ready, had the house professionally cleaned, dogs are groomed. Now we just need Evie to make her appearance. Hopefully sooner rather than later. I will post again after this week's appointment!

37 Week Photo

Evie is large and in charge in there. After a nap today, I decided I wanted to go out to dinner. We almost NEVER go out to dinner. But hubby thinks we get better service when I am pregnant so he is willing to go. We went to Outback (I wanted bread and veggie pasta). It was very good and then something unusual happened. The bartender came around offering free samples of margaritas! AN ENTIRE TRAY OF DELICIOUS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN FRONT OF MY FACE. I had to tell him that was cruel. That is one of the things I miss with a passion! I think I will avoid restaurants until I can partake in those beverages.

Decisions Are Being Made!

Well friends, it has been quite a crazy last few days. Working on school stuff so I can be ready for my sub, ANOTHER baby shower, doc appt with sonogram and more!

I cannot believe I had another shower and people were so generous again!! Baby girl got TONS of stuff. Over 40 people came to the shower. I work with awesome people. I don't have all the pics yet but here are a few of us eating cake....YUM! I am the second in on the left.

Went to the doc on Friday. I was there for an hour and a half. I totally imagined them doing unspeakable things to me but it was not near as bad as I thought. I will not relive it all for you but I left pretty happy. My blood pressure is on the high side now so I am trying to take it easy. Kind of hard for my personality but I want a healthy baby and no emergency hospital visits or bed rest.

The sonogram looked good. She is measuring back on schedule for her Oct 24th due date. She did flip and is head down now (I am not saying crawling around on my hands and knees did it but I am sure that did not hurt). She is measuring 19 1/2 inches long and weighs about 6 lbs 9 oz. I am dilated 1 cm.

Today I used hundreds of dollars in gift cards. I made hubby go with me to Babies R Us. I hate that store. Always full of dumb people or screaming babies but I was on a mission. I had items to exchange with no receipt, items to return - some with receipts, some without, and a special purchase that I wanted my extra 10% off on. It was quite a good idea I had and it seems to have worked out but it took us well over an hour and waiting in many lines and dealing with many uneducated people. Let's just say part of my deal was placing a special order at the special order desk to get something from the online store. The dude at the counter told me if they did not sell it in the store, he could not order it. I had to explain to him that if I could get it in the store THEN IT WOULDN'T BE A SPECIAL ORDER. He tried it and I was right. Ha! Hubby and I both laughed at him. He was nice but come on.

I hired a cleaning lady. She is coming to deep clean in 8 days. YAHOO!!! I pick things up but I am too big to bend over and scrub. I have gotten so many things from showers I have run out of room, still working on that. I am packing my bag for the hospital. I am hoping to at least make it through next week. Lots of school stuff and best bud will be out of the country. Don't really want to go through this without her.

But the biggest accomplishment? Hubby agreed to baby girl's name today!!

Her name is Evie Friday (the middle name Friday is after my grandfather's family and we have had that picked out from the beginning). It really took us a while on the first name. Although hubby did not want to decide, he did not suggest any names either so I was SHOCKED today when he came in the room and asked if I was sure that should be her name. I told him there is no turning back now. Evie means little life and she sure is a lively one.

Hope all is well in your world. The time is coming soon. I am hoping to be back in pants with real buttons and zipper by the end of the year.

Blame it on the Rain!

Saturday was our annual walk for ovarian cancer in Grapevine, TX. It was a 5K. And let's say it was a little damp. That is me pushing my twin god daughters. Their mom (best bud) was team captain and photographer. She did an awesome job gathering a HUGE team, getting them to walk in the rain and serve them breakfast.

Hubby and I finished. Completely soaked (undies included) and looking extremely unattractive.Me and best bud at the finish line (right before me eating a huge, awesome breakfast and heading home for sweats and a 3 hour nap). I don't think we a have picture together where we look worse. But it was fun splashing in the puddles with her.

Sunday - hubby, best bud, her hubby, the girls and myself headed to the Texas State Fair because I wanted to be entertained and walk around. This is Big Tex.

We got to take the girls to the awesome petting zoo. They like to feed animals.

The best part of the day was best bud and my hubby having to dance with a Gaelic dance troupe. So hilarious (hubby hates to dance and had to be called up with a microphone - I am still laughing).

I leave you with the other awesome unflattering photo by best bud as I helped the girls share a popsicle. I include it to share my ever expanding 36 week prego belly. So no baby yet. I am working so hard to get things ready at work to be out. If she can hold out at least another two weeks I think I will be in good shape.

Hope you had a good weekend too!

Sam I Am

Yesterday was the AWESOME Dr. Seuss themed baby shower hosted by Best Bud. She made over her restaurant and it was spectacular. There was one picture of us together and she did not like it so I think she deleted it. Bummer. Oh well, here are some other pics.

Me and the baby bump as the Cat in the Hat

A small section of the food table. That is one ginormous diaper cake in the middle.

Some of the table decor.

More table decor.

Green eggs and ham sandwiches (best bud was also the chef).

Lots of candy to match Dr. Seuss books.

Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes (red velvet topped with cream cheese frosting and blue cotton candy).

Best bud decorated EACH Cat in the Hat cookie by hand!

Close up of that insane diaper cake.

The core group of girls from the gym came. I include this to say to you all that they came in one vehicle!! Minus me in the flowered dress. They amaze me in many ways. Just love them!

And I leave you with the cutest part of the day - Thing 1 and Thing 2. Best bud's beautiful twin daughters whom she ordered these special Thing 1 and Thing 2 dresses for. No detail escaped her. Not enough words to say thank you and express how blessed I am to have such an awesome (and perfectionistic) best friend. This child is so lucky and loved already. It amazes me and the hubs everyday. We are speechless (it happens once in a while).

What an Astronomer Studies

Here are my updates.

1st - how I feel - kind of like I have been hit by a truck. I think I have aged 40 years in the past 2 weeks. I am busy as can be and pass out between 7:30 and 8:00 at night. This is going to be a long month.

2nd - went to the doc today - I was a little nervous because she feels different, not kicking as hard. Her heart rate was 148 (good). She is measuring 37 weeks (big but within a normal range). Then I asked him to tell me what position she was in. The pushing did not feel pleasant. Result? She is breech. So in two weeks I get another sonogram (another one to be disappointed in I am sure). After that? Who knows what they will say. They gave me a flu shot today and I never even felt it - bonus!

3rd - I love the kids in my class - I am trying to teach them about scientists. So I gave them the names of some special scientists and they had to figure out what they studied. Since I teach 1st grade, I had to give hints. So when I asked what an astronomer studies, I had to say it was outside but it was not a plant or an animal. I got blank stares so I said if you went out at night and looked up you could see what they studied. One little girl said - "Oh!! Jesus!! They study Jesus!" You learn something new everyday.

4th - I leave you with this picture - me in my classroom reading to my little friends from best bud's moms group. It was a school playdate. I have never seen myself from this angle before. Hello BIG baby belly! Polka dots are not my friend. Oh well! At least I wore leggings so no one got a show.

Have a happy Friday!!! Best bud is working her little heart out for the CUTEST shower for me this weekend. I will post pictures soon!

34 Weeks Pregnant - Still

My in-laws drove in last night - 6.5 hours. They finished corn harvest and wanted to escape the farm. It was awesome. Hubby was off so he cleaned - my refrigerator and microwave have never looked so good. Today for lunch we decided to take them out. We don't go out too much but we had seen a place on the Travel Channel with a hot wings challenge. Pluckers. Hubby wanted to try it. They are called Fire in the Hole.

This is who tried them first. We were shocked. I heart my mother-in-law. She is so fun.

Hubby ate the bulk of them (there were only 5), eyes watered but he did not cry. The challenge is 25 wings. He thinks he can do it. The all time champ ate 110. That just cannot be good for you.

My father-in-law could not be left out so he tried them too. As for me, I like my taste buds and do not want to burn them. I opted for a cool salad and ice water. I think the place was okay. I would much rather go to best bud's restaurant (Lazy Bones in Grapevine, TX). Their food is awesome, especially the chicken wrap. Maybe they can create a wing challenge that my hubs can try.

I will leave you with this picture of me at 34 weeks. Proof that I am still here and still pregnant. Still good (especially if I could get rid of this crappy hand pain, today it hurt to hold a fork). After we took this pic, we put on swimsuits and jumped in the pool. Sometimes it is okay to live in the SUPER hot state of Texas.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

What Pregnancy Has Done to Me

Pregnancy has done many things to me. Overall, I have been lucky. I have had a bit of the crazy symptoms. The problems I have been bothered by most are the stretching of ligaments - super irritated planters facitis, messed up shoulder and now carpal tunnel which is causing lots of pain in my hands - mostly my thumbs. The reason these are so bothersome is because it makes my exercise painful. But I also have had a bit of the pregnancy brain. So I thought I would share.

Example #1 - I was trying to sing a song with my two year old twin god daughters when I had to ask best bud "who is the dude who went to town riding on a pony?" I could remember all the words but Yankee Doodle.

Example #2 - the day I had to call the vet to see if I ever got my male dog fixed because I thought I found testicles. I had him neutered 7 years ago. The vet drew me a diagram this weekend of a doggie erection (sorry, but he did) to explain the lumps. Testicles do not grow back. (For the record I never thought they grew back, I just could not remember if they had been removed).

I am sure there are more examples I am just choosing not to remember at the moment. All is well here, just trying to last out the rest of this pregnancy so I can start getting my body back to normal. I am having a super great weekend! Hope you are too.

Went to the doc on Friday. Baby girl is good, still measuring a little large but it is still fine. I have decided to stop looking at the scale and asked them not to tell me. I have decided that she is healthy and I eat pretty well and am still exercising so I am going to gain what I am going to gain. This way I will not resent pregnancy and definitely not my daughter (I could never resent her, no matter how big I get). I will just have to work really hard to get it all off.

In other news, I tried on my fat pants. You know the pair or two you save from when you were at your heaviest for comparison? Well they are still too big in the belly and I am 8 months pregnant now. I was shocked and pleased. I also decided to run a bit down my street the other day. I can still do it although my back is not a fan and she slams down on my bladder repeatedly. I think I will wait until she is born to take that up again.

Weight Update and Baby Shower #1 Pics

First of all, I wanted to update you. Friday I went to the doc. Glucose test. If I failed, I have yet to hear. I was measuring at 28 weeks - a little large but they are not concerned. However, my weight gain was more than needed - AGAIN. My total weight gain now is at 39 pounds. Seriously, I don't know anyone who works out as much as I do and puts on weight this fast. I am facinating, even to myself. Put myself back to strictly counting calories today. 2000 per day. I am ending the day around 1900. I am happy with that. I HAVE GOT TO GET SOME OF THIS OFF. I am okay with it coming off of me while going on her. I am still being healthy with vitamins, skim milk, tons of water, lots of fresh veggies and fruit.

I have to say that is what pisses me off about the 39 pounds. You would think I am eating everything in sight and not telling myself no to anything. If I was going to gain like this I should have stopped exercising and ate McDonalds everyday. But I have done nothing even close to this. It is rare that I even have a drink with sugar in it. I drink so much water, I could be a sprinkler. Oh well, I can only try and fix it from here. Won't be easy since I am leaving town again. And now I have to go to the doc every 2 weeks. Not much time to get my act together.

Enough of that. On with baby shower pics.

Ever been to Caddo, Oklahoma? No? You are not missing much. This place is on the side of the highway (literally). After years of laughing at it (it used to be called the Beef 'n Bean), hubby decided we had to stop. This sign is the best part about this place.

Poor kid without a name. Her cake still turned out cute. Safari theme, like her room.

My sister-in-law, me and my mother-in-law.

Man we got a ton of stuff! Even more stuff arrived after I opened all of these. My Rav4 was full on the way home.

My in-laws are farmers. My father-in-law loves John Deere. He has been in their commercials and advertisements. There are lots of John Deere things in the family. This was a hand-me-down from one of the cousins.

Man, little kids love presents. Okay, so do I.

Hubby's cousin is pregnant and due about 3 weeks after me. She looks so cute but feels sick. She is in the pink. I am in black.

I know I am 5'10 but man I feel huge next to everyone.

My mother-in-law has a pool and bought misters for the kids to play in. This is what my niece did with it.

Hubby was not forgotten. He did get a gift or two.

I spent most of today cutting off tags and taking things out of boxes. There is a lot of trash now. So glad best bud and the twins helped. More happened today but this post is long enough. Perhaps I will post more tomorrow!

Have a super terrific day!

Life at my house....

Life at my house is always interesting. Yesterday I was signed up to take a breastfeeding class at the hospital. I signed my husband up too (the computer program made me). I had no intention of making him go. Last week after we left the childbirth class he said he had seen enough boobies. Once I got there, I saw I was the only one there without their husband. I sent him a text to tell him he was a lucky bastard. While I was gone, he made this:

That would be a blurry 3.5 pound cheeseburger. He was inspired by a place he went with his buds this weekend. I worry about the things he will teach our daughter. I know we live in Texas but bigger is not always better.....especially with food.

So when I got home he wanted to know how class was. I told him it was kind of weird because they made us pull our boobs out and they had these life-like dolls that could suck like real babies. Now this was a complete lie. If they asked me to do that, I would have left. The worst I saw was a video of breast feeding. Mostly it was just informative. So I am proud of myself for not laughing while telling him this. This was his reaction:

Hubby: You had to pull out your boob in front of all those other guys?

Me: Yep. Weird, huh?

Hubby: Man I sure am glad I didn't go.

Me: Why? You don't want to see my boob?

Hubby: No. I have seen your boobs. I do not want to see those other people's boobs. And the videos? They find the grossest people for those. Hey, want to see the pictures of my burger?

That is what life is like at my house. I never told him the truth. I am hoping he will tell this story to someone else and they will laugh at him for believing it. Or perhaps he will only ever talk about his epic burger for the rest of his life.

In other news - I am still exercising a lot. Last week I did weight training 3 times (bodypump) and 3 one hour cardio sessions (body attack, turbo kickboxing). I also walked the dogs everyday. I am also eating pretty well. I am all of a sudden not liking fruit again. I am so sick of it (but still making myself eat it for baby girl) that I have turned to drinking fruit smoothies. I did that the past 2 days and today I ate an apple with peanut butter. Something to help me want to eat it. Sad. I am like a small child sometimes.

Hope you all are having a great week!! Stay cool. Cause man is is HOT!!!

Happy 2nd Fattiversary!

Yesterday was July 15th. That would be my 2nd fattiversary. Ironically, I weigh close to what I did last summer. I did lose more weight but the pregnancy has the scale going back up. Even though I was not at my goal weight and size for too long (about 4 months or so) before the pregnancy took over, there are some things I miss. ALOT. Here they are:

1. Working out at a lighter weight (meaning my body) and doing all the high-intensity moves that I love.
2. Diet Coke. Drinking diet coke. Every day. Even though it was one can a day, I loved it. Sweet, sweet diet coke.
3. Shopping. Or at least trying on lots of clothes at Banana Republic (my favorite store after weight loss).
4. My jeans. Oh.....my jeans.....the size 10 Banana Republic jeans that I love. I wonder if I will ever get back into them.
5. Sleeping on my belly. It hurts to sleep on my right side so that leaves me the left side. One position. It is hard to sleep in one position all night (minus all the bathroom breaks).

Despite all my complaining, I am really excited about having a daughter (she still has no name, we call her baby girl). In fact, as of today there are 100 days until my due date. After she comes, I am also excited about trying to get back to where I was when I got pregnant. It will be a whole new challenge.

This weekend I will be 26 weeks along. Here is an updated baby bulge picture for you! She is super active which is kind of fun. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Took me by SURPRISE!

When I was home I had to stop at the grocery store to get some lemons for my mother. While at the check out, the only magazine there was Family Circle. It was the August issue. At the beginning of July. So I flipped through and there I was. On page 142. I could not help myself but throw it in my husband's face and shout "It's me!" The people behind us in line could not believe it (maybe because of my huge belly now). So I bought 5 copies and then gave them to the family that came over that day and finally got myseld a copy yesterday. My 15 seconds of semi-fame. Check it out next time you are at the store.

IN OTHER NEWS....
Hubby and I went to a childbirth preparedness class all day yesterday. Some good info, some funny stuff, lots of videos and posters. Here is my favorite. The other folks in class did not laugh, just me. I wonder why?

Tools for labor? Fear, tension and pain. Sounds like a winner. And seriously? It looks like it was created in the 60s. I hope the tools used during labor are a little more advanced and impressive. Especially the pain meds.


Enjoy what is left of your weekend!!

Humility

This pregnancy has taught me a little bit of humility. I am a pretty open and honest person. I take the advice of others. I learn from my mistakes. However, it is hard for me to admit that I cannot do the things I was doing a few months ago. I love to exercise now. A little of piece of me feels unfulfilled when I cannot do the high impact moves in class. Sometimes I do them anyway and then extreme guilt consumes me. What if something turns out to be wrong with this baby because I just HAD to jump around in my workouts? Then I back off. I still work hard. I still burn alot of calories. But it is not the way I am used to. It is not the exact way I want to do it.

Most humiliating moment of the summer (so far)? Well let me just remind you that I will take the most difficult cardio classes. I will do (or try) every high-intensity move to up my burn. I will take the class repeatedly until I get it. I have spent 2 years going out of my comfort zone and pushing through pain to get to the next level. This is the best and most accomplished I have felt in my entire life (and this includes graduating from college - undergrad and grad). But I did not feel that way Tuesday.

I decided to take a water aerobics class for some cardio and toning. I was running in the pool for about 10 minutes when it started. This horrible pain on my right side. So I push through it. Or I tried. After 5 minutes it got worse. I tried to bring it down a little, adjust my stance. More pain. Then guilt about what my body was trying to tell me. After 20 more minutes I could not take the guilt anymore. I swam through a full pool of 70 year-olds and climbed the ladder to land. I lasted 30 minutes. In water aerobics. Me. Me who loves turbo kickboxing and body attack. Me who competed in the Mud Run and completed it. After I was out, the pain stopped. Turns out to be round ligament pain from my super stretching uterus (now the size of a basketball). I know I made the right choice but it saddens me to feel like less than I was.

Triumphant moment of the summer (so far)? Well. I have been waking up around 3AM about twice a week, starving. The only way I was able to go back to sleep was to eat. I was eating cereal. And then something crunchy. And perhaps one more thing. But twice this week I awoke hungry at 3AM yet again. I did not eat a thing. I watched TV until I felt I could sleep again. I waited to eat until breakfast around 8AM. VICTORY!!! This did not happen before I was pregnant. And I hope it will eventually stop.

Doc appointment today. I gained 6 pounds in the last 4 weeks (my scale says it was 5). My percentage of weight gain per week is decreasing. I am hoping to get it down even more. My total gain is already at 28 pounds. And I feel it. I know she weighs over 1 pound now so at least that one is not on me. I feel pretty happy. I eat healthy stuff, I exercise daily, I feel the baby moving everyday, and doc did not say anything about my size or weight gain. Although, it is pretty obvious there is nothing she can say to me that I do not say to myself before I get there.

I ate better this week because of the appointment. But today is my birthday and there will be a lot of crab legs eaten tonight. I will enjoy myself and worry about the next weigh-in in a week or so.

Stay cool, get in a pool!

Girls Just Want To Have Fun!

It has been a nice weekend. Relaxing. Yet I am still tired. Someday I will quit complaining, or at least complain about something else. I went shopping with best bud yesterday and we swam with the girls. Trying to teach them that they can float on noodles. So cute!! Want to know what is not cute? When someone poops in a swim diaper. This is our 3rd summer of swimming and the 1st poop. Yuck! That is when it is nice to hand them over to mom.

Today hubby and I went to the store I hate most - Babies R Us (I tend to be there when lots of unhappy, screaming children are present). We are in the process of working on baby girl's room so we went to buy 1 piece of the bedroom set to see what color of paint to go with. I am still undecided. We bought the window valance and hung it. It has been SO WEIRD all day passing that room and seeing that in there. That is actually going to be a little person's room. My little person. I am still amazed. I am not a super girly person so here is what we are going with.

We both like it. It has awesome textures for the baby touch. Man she is moving around so much right now. It is like she knows I am typing about her. This is way easier to pick than a name. Man, I want to make a huge list to consider but I am at 3 names. Lots of names just turn me off. Maybe I have too many years of teaching already. Some names, you never want to hear again.

Got to workout, swim, read and nap today. But I have also seen quite a few episodes of Man vs. Food on the Travel network. If you want to feel like you have an uber healthy diet (even if somethings are questionable) just watch what this dude has been eating. I do love this show! What a great weekend! Hope you are enjoying yours.

Summer is Here!!!

What do teachers do when summer begins?

Take children to water parks, of course!

Do I have any children of my own? Nope. Working on one but none currently available. I spent yesterday with best bud, her kids and her nephews (and their folks) at Great Wolf Lodge. A long yet awesomely fun day.

Today I picked up my favorite student ever. And yes, teachers do have a favorite of all time. If they say they do not, 85% of the time they are lying. I had not seen her in a long time because her mom has moved her around so much. I had her in kindergarten and 1st grade. She has been through more in her short life than I ever will. We went through some hard times (when her parents divorced, she was very angry and she took it out on me at school - understandable as I am pretty safe).

I took her to Hawaiian Falls - an all outdoor waterpark. So fun! She is lovely and brilliant and just really learning to swim so she swims like a spaz (hilarious!). Here we are (before getting all drenched and sunburned). Isn't she super cute?!? Ignore my super not cute maternity suit.

This is the only slide I could not really go down because I can no longer lay on my tummy.
But Catherin sure loved it!

My eating yesterday was crappy (but it tasted good). Today was much better but not perfect. I did do my water aerobics, walking the dogs and push-ups. The result? After 5+ hours at the waterpark (and climbing all those stairs over 25 times), my legs were like jell-o. Sore and tired. Ready for bed. Tomorrow, lunch with fellow teacher friends (and probably more swimming).

Oh, and I can feel the baby like everyday now. Nothing big but when I sit really still I can feel her like twist around (at least that is what it seems like she is doing).

Oh summer is sooooo sweet!!!

Exhaustion

Exhaustion has taken over my body. Probably due to the baby. Man, about 6:30 or 7 I just want to crash (and have). It was a long, fun weekend but I survived.

Update on old friend - well she does not seem psycho. In fact, she seemed a lot like she did in the old days. We talked tons, no awkward silences. Our husbands got along well. Her baby is pretty perfect. Makes me jealous. I just keep thinking about the law of averages. The more people I meet with awesome kids (i.e. old friend and best bud) the more likely (it seems) my chances are of having a spaz for a child. Anywho, I met old friend at her hotel Saturday thinking we would spend a couple of hours together. We did - like 8. She came over on Sunday and it was about the same. We also had fun posting really old, bad pics of friends on facebook. She was very sweet and got my baby a gift - her kids favorite toys. Very thoughtful. I must say that there was no alcohol involved this weekend so that is probably why things went so well.

Then Monday best bud and family came over so I got to spend the day chillin' with those I love most. So fun. The girls (2 now) loved the pool. Yay because that is where I plan on spending my summer.

It is also the last week of school which is super crazy busy. We had splash day which meant water slides. Huge, inflatable water slides. Like 30 foot tall, inflatable water slides. There were also dry ones which were not as fun because it was so hot. But my large student (the one who love hot pockets) could not climb the ladder so I did it to show her how. Man, I shimmied right up that thing and it was a complete vertical climb.

I have gained about 22 pounds with this pregnancy so far. Way too much, I know. I have been depressed about this. I have for sure eaten too much and my foot is out of whack so I have not been doing my high-impact aerobics. In fact, the past week I have been so busy and tired I have not done much of anything. Once school is out (this weekend) I am joining another gym. I am going back to the YMCA (along with my other memberships) so I can do water aerobics. I need something BAD. I need daily cardio and a class with others that push me. I am competitive like that so the old folk in class better watch out!

Despite my recent, heavy gain and being 5 months prego, I shimmied up those water slides and went flying to the bottom. SO MUCH FUN!! I had to do it more than once (sorry kids). I was so proud and happy because when I was heavy I know I could not have done it. I know this because I tried to help a student a few years ago and could not get up the 8 foot, 45 degree angle ladder. It felt so good that I could still reap some benefits of my weight loss.

Remember last summer how I put myself through a self-imposed fat camp? Well this year it will be pregnancy camp. It will involve a lot of water aerobics, some weight training and lots of naps. I would just like to stop gaining for a little while and get some energy back.

Hope you all share your summer workout plans. I need your inspiration! Enjoy your week. The weekend is right around the corner.

I'm having....

A BABY!!!

Oh, are you wondering what it is going to be? Well, it was a long, painful sonogram ('cause I had a full bladder and the baby was uncooperative). Finally, after 40 minutes (and lots of pushing and poking) the baby revealed its true self. Last night hubby and I went out and bought this outfit.

Oh yeah, she seems pretty healthy too. HOORAY!!! Yesterday was a very good day (except for getting on the scale, but that will be another post)! Hope you have a super holiday weekend!!

Family Circle Magazine

Family Circle magazine is a pretty good magazine. Full of recipes and tips on life. The clincher is that it only cost $1.99 (US dollars). Cheap entertainment and advice. Most issues have a health section that includes a "How I Lost It" story. It is filled with people like us. It is a small blurb with pictures - an interesting read. I used to go through tons of magazines looking for inspirational stories to provide motivation before I found you all. I wanted to pay it forward a little. I am going to be one of the "How I Lost It" blurbs. I just got the email this week that my issue went to print. It will be in the August issue so if you are in the grocery store check out, trying to avoid looking at the candy, pick up an issue and check it out (well, you will have to wait til August if you want to see MY blurb). It is a great magazine - totally worth the $1.99. By the way - I did the initial interview for this little article at the beginning of January. That is how long the process is.

Funny story of the day - My class (1st grade) heard that I was going to find out the sex of the baby this week. They are so excited. We took a poll to see what they thought it would be. I told them they did not have to vote for what they were. Girls could think it was a boy and vice versa. It came back at 14 to 7 favoring a girl. Then the comments started.

Boy #1 said - "You can handle a boy." Why is that, I ask. "Because you don't have to do hair and stuff."

Later in the day, while working at my table next to two girls, boy #2 said - "I hope you have a girl." (Now this is THE biggest trouble-maker I have and he has 2 brothers) Why is that, I ask. "Well (and in a low voice he says), they are so cute. Just look at (and says the name of a little girl sitting at my table with a shy smile)." To this I answer - you are right the girls in this class are quite cute but I am also fond of the boys.

So the general opinion of most (class, co-workers, gym folks) is that it is a girl. I have never asked them what they think, they just offer it. However, those I do ask - mother, best bud, hubby - we are stumped. Can't really say one way or another. I thought once I was pregnant I would have a feeling one way or another. Nope. Just confusion. Even on-line tests tell me it is inconclusive. Too close to tell. Let's just hope the baby cooperates on Thursday so I can know and start decorating.

Enough of my chatter. Hope you all have a great week. 6 more days of class!!! YAHOO!!!!

Feeling a bit like arse.

Hey all. I finally have my internet back (let's hope for good). Sorry I have been absent. I have spent every spare moment this weekend sleeping. No lie. I took two naps today. As I got dressed to go to the gym I contemplated a second one but put it off until after my workout.

I have done no laundry, no grocery shopping, no cooking. I have done dishes but then I had to recover with a nap.

Yesterday was my 6th wedding anniversary. I knew it was coming but then it left my brain until the day before. So I told my hubby the 6th anniversary was the sock anniversary and bought him two packages of socks (because he needed them bad). He got me nothing because we were spending the day together and thought he would buy me something shopping. However, I never made it shopping so I asked for my internet back. It maybe a little late but he did deliver.

Lots has been going on actually. Even with all my sleep. I will explain in a longer post later. Interesting, bizarre stuff (to me anyway). 11 more days until my next ultrasound. I look forward to reading some blogs and sleeping. Hope you had a great weekend!