Halfway There!

Yes, you read that right.  This week marks the halfway point through our pregnancy!!!

We are so excited--getting more and more pumped as every day passes.  I honestly don't know how I'll make it through waiting 5 more months.. not that I have much say in the matter :)

THIS WEEK we find out if Baby Paul is a boy or girl!!!  WE ARE THRILLED!! Brian and I have both had SUPER stressful work weeks lately and this is such a shining light we are looking forward to :)

I am completely STUMPED as to what we are having... a few times people have asked me "what is your 'motherly instinct' telling you?  AND I HAVE NO IDEA!!  Sometimes I think GIRL.. because I'm totally breaking out like a junior high band kid, ADORE sugar and ice cream, and maybe.. just a bit of wishful thinking to go overboard on frilly dresses and cute clothes.  BUT.. I'm carrying STRAIGHT OUT.. looking at me from the front you don't even see I'm pregnant.. and according to the Chinese Baby Chart thing it'll be a boy.  PLUS, my mom changed her vote to a boy.. based on 'how I'm carrying'... that folklore business is serious stuff, folks :)  Plus.. I always wanted a big brother.. Brian would have a buddy to watch football and baseball... etc.

Either way we'll be ecstatic.  We just pray Baby is healthy and happy.

In the meantime, I've started pouring over "What to Expect In The First Year".. and I've had a few moments (including last night) I've actually had to put the book down and walk away because I got TOO EXCITED!!!  I have no patience.  I make Brian open his gifts days before holidays... I can't help but giving clues to people when I have a surprise for them.. I'M RIDICULOUS.  This is no different.

So there you have it!! 4 MORE DAYS and we get to see Baby Paul's sweet little face!!

HALFWAY THERE!

Stealing From Molly

And proud of it :)

BRANDI'S 10 on Tuesday

1. What’s the one thing you always do when you’re stressed?
Listen to my I-Pod.. when I can. Or nerd out with crossword puzzles or computer games.



2. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done for a friend?
Helped a bride use the bathroom in her dress.  I just had to explain to a male friend at a wedding last weekend WHY bridesmaids need to assist in this endeavor.


3. What cleaning supply could you not live without?
Laundry detergent.  I HATE the smell of B.O. and REFUSE to wear clothes, febreezed or not, if there is even a trace of it.


4. How long do you plan on living where you currently reside?
FOREVER.  Because selling a house is a NIGHTMARE. However, Brian and I do have a little dream of retiring in a condo in San Diego someday.


5. Do you usually vote straight party, a mixture, or not at all?
As a journalist, I am NOT sharing my vote on this question :)


6. What’s something that you love to do, but seem to never make time for?
Scrapbooking.  Playing sports.  Karaoke.  Baking for my husband.  What can I say.. being pregnant has not helped my lazy-ass tendencies.


7. What’s your favorite store to buy things for other people?
Target. Molly is GENIUS.


8. What’s the weather like around you today?
Gloomy.  Humid.  Icky.


9. What’s the worst book you’ve ever bought and read?
Recently, the Golden Compass.  SO disappointed.


10. What’s the closest thing to you that is yellow?
Adrian's Fatburger certificate for completing the Triple King Challenge.  Gross.

Shopping Spree

Brian has banned me from buying anymore baby clothes until we know if we are having a boy or a girl.

I've banned either of us from buying ANYTHING unnecessary until we get our taxes and plates paid on both of our new cars.

So why was I even TEMPTING myself today by browsing these baby onesies online?

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it says ONE DOLLAR, BOB!  It's a Price Is Right inside joke...

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PEOPLE!

I AM OUT OF CONTROL!!

But damn, our kid will be cute.

Don't Mind Me!

Over my dinner break, I was sitting on the couch watching a few minutes of TV before heading back to the station.  Mack, my trusty side kick, was sitting right next to me on the floor.

squeak!

Mack's head swiveled around so he could look at the source of the sound...
his own behind.

About 3 minutes later...

squeak!

No head turn this time.. no shame, no embarassment, no acknowledgement.

As I got up to leave...

URP!

Same source.. different end. 

I got back to work, checked my cell phone, and had a message from Brian reading,

"You're right..Mack is constantly farting..Good God!"

I don't know what he ate today.. but hey, at least we know he's not afraid to be himself at home.

I Knew Babies Were Expensive.. BUT...

I don't think any book can prepare you for how many things change when you are preparing to have a baby.  Your home, your surroundings, your clothes, what you eat, your lifestyle.. AND YOUR CAR. 

In our case.. your CARS... plural.

FLASHBACK... NOVEMBER OF 2009...

"Brian?? I really want a baby."

9 seconds later

"Brian? I really want a Coupe."

I think I'm a pretty smart girl.  So WHY, OH WHY didn't I think to myself, 'hey, a 2-door vehicle probably won't work when we need to wiggle a carseat in and out of the back.. day in and day out."

Nope..I just thought pretty white coupe.

DUMB. DUMB. DUMB.

So in all likelihood, I'll be trading in my coupe and my 2+years left of my lease negative equity, for this bad boy

Nissan Altima Sedan

It's not all bad.  I REALLY miss my Altima Coupe.. and I love my bestie Dani's Altima Sedan.

My payments'll stay about the same.. other than the processing fees and taxes you have to pay getting into a new car.  Stupid government.

So just as I was accepting this fact.. and preparing to make the financial/automotive switch.. The Lord of the Jeeps decided to poop on us.  Brian's Wrangler needs needed new tires, new internal-ma-bobs, etc (clearly, I know a lot about cars.)  So today, another switch.

2011 Jeep Cherokee Laredo

Ladies and gentleman (who am I fooling.. LADIES..) I present to you Brian's new ride.  My husband is a stallion and finagled his way down to a payment that's only slightly more than what we were paying for his Wrangler.  But AGAIN.. stupid taxes to get into a new car.  REALLY stupid taxes in Nebraska to get into a new car.  We thought about just fixing up his Wrangler, but when Baby is born, I'll be the drop-off-at-Grandma's parent.. and he'll be the pick-up-from-Grandma's parent.  So again.. there wasn't really any way we were going to cart around Baby Paul in a Jeep with the doors off and the top down.  As much as I'm sure he/she would enjoy it.

SOOOO, here we are.  When I break it down.. I know we can handle it.  And I know we HAD to do it for Baby's sake.  We are successful individuals who manage our money responsibly. 

SO WHY AM I HYPERVENTILATING?? :) 

2 cars in 2 days... Momma needs a cocktail.  And since that's not an option.. Momma bought Pop-Tarts.

Oh, Mack...

"Momma.. don't go to work! Stay home and play with me!"

Sometimes Often, I feel the need to remind my dog that he is in fact, a DOG.

Nevermind that my recent nickname for him is Monkey, which Brian says confuses him.

I digress.. lately, Mack's adventures have been pretty comical, and at least one of them, NOT dog-like.

Mack V. The Treadmill

We 'borrowed' my parents treadmill and moved it to our house, in the hopes that I will use it to get back in shape at home post-delivery while Baby Paul is sleeping and such.  Right now, it's parked in our office/Mack's room right off the living room.  When we Brian and my Dad first moved the thing in, Mack sniffed the hell out of it and examined every inch of it.

"What's this?!? A new toy? Something to lie on? A new bed? Whatisitwhatisitwhatisit?!?"

That night, when I turned it on and used it for the first time at our place.. Mack FREAKED.

"Holycrapwhatisthat?!?! Get closer.. get closer..NO!! TOO CLOSE!!! Must watch it, can't take eyes off it... maybe from behind.. yeah, I'll sneak up on it from the hallway..yeah.. NOOO!! TOO CLOSE!!"

Hopefully, that paints a picture.  Though he appears to be terrified of it--the noise, the rhythm, whatever--he cannot take his eyes off it while I'm using it.  He just paces in front of it, or lowers down on his front legs to 'attack' mode, or comes into the office from the hallway and smells it as I'm running.

Funny at first, but when my routine hits running sprints, I'm gasping "OUT.... MACK...NOW" in between breaths.  No longer funny.

Ok, it is still kinda funny :)

Mack V. The Fence

One of the things we were SOOOO looking forward to when we moved, was that we were going to immediately build a fence.  Mack is a big boy, and he doesn't get nearly enough exercise.  We were JAZZED at the thought of just opening the door and letting him frolic with nature without one of us being dragged around behind him on a leash.

It timed out PERFECTLY that the first weekend the fence was up,

was also the weekend we hosted Brian's family for our nephew Jace's 5th birthday. 

Or so we thought... 

"Ohmygoshwho'sthat? Who'sthis?Theysmellnew, mustsmellmore, mustjumpandlick..whoareyou??OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh!!!!!"

Lots of people + large dog who turns PSYCHOTIC when new people are around

=

PISSED OFF MOMMA AND DADDY.

So we put Mack outside.

He didn't like that.

First, he tried to claw his way back inside and ripped apart our back screen door. Then, the second we let him back inside, he escaped out the front door as more people showed up and SPRINTED up the street, zigzagging through various new neighbors front yards and backyards, before getting into a "smelling confrontation" with the black lab across the street.

We didn't like that.  So we put him BACK outside.

Now, every time we try to let Mack out, even to do his business, he RUNS in fear with his ears down and tail between his legs, and hides under our dining room table.  We have to literally drag him by his collar to the back door, and even after we shut it, he stands on the deck and watches to make sure we stay there before he turns to head down the deck.

Negative reinforcement, anyone?

Mack V. Momma's Sense of Discipline

Despite all of this, I'm definitely the softy of Mack's parents.  Brian may be his Daddy that he cowers to if Brian even LOOKS at him wrong.. but he lays by me in the living room and follows me around.

Probably because he knows I'll always rub his belly and give him a treat when his Daddy's not looking.

This morning, after a really tough workout (this Momma's OUT-O-SHAPE!!) I basically collapsed on the floor just to breathe without movement for a few seconds.  Mack walked up (treadmill was turned off by this point.. once the evil-enemy-machine was asleep, Mack returned to normal), he plopped down next to me, and just laid there. 

For a few seconds.. just peace.

"It's OK, Momma.  I'll help.  Belly rub?"

He may be crazy, but he's our boy :)

You Know You're Pregnant When...

Everything became clear tonight as I was driving back to work.

Sundae cones.. better known as "Drumsticks" to many.. are GENIUS.

Seriously, the person who came up with this should be given a Nobel Prize.

A snack that combines salty (peanuts) with sweet (the ice cream) and leaves you with savory (the crunchy cocoa-laden cone), in which you eat every component and therefore have no mess. 

No spoon, no cup, no fuss.  AND DELISH!

You know you're pregnant when you're blogging about ice cream....

pretty sure this is a cry for help.

Or a reason to stop at Bakers for more on my way home tonight :)