Top Ten you know you're pregnant when...

1) The thought of getting up and moving is more exhausting than physically doing it.
2) You drop something on the floor and hope and pray that someone, anyone, will pass by to pick it up for you. If not then it just stays put, even if it is your wallet.
3) Everyone tells you to enjoy your sleep now - but you haven't slept in months.
4) You seriously wonder if wearing depends to bed at night so that you don't have to get up 8 times to pee is a bad idea.
5) You've developed the skills to pee in a cup without being able to see the cup, and you don't splash. This makes you proud.
6) You only wear shoes that do not require you to bend over, i.e. forget about laces.
7) You cannot sit down, stand up, lay down, roll over or bend over without grunting, groaning, huffing and puffing.
8) You sound like you are running a marathon if you walk and talk at the same time.
9) You google things like "inducing labor early" and "ways to make the baby get out."
10) You would rather take a five minute foot rub than a $1000 giftcard to Saks.

Full Moon didn't work, perhaps Friday the 13th?

Harper was violent again last night. I swear she is trying to escape. I think she wants out and I wish she would either calm down, or let labor take it's natural (with drugs) course. Brad was awake for the episode last night. This morning while we were getting ready for work he said "Do you think we could avoid another night like last night? I'm tired." Yeah. Let me just have a little chat with your unborn child and ask her nicely to please not keep Daddy up by clawing around inside Mommy's tummy. I'm thinking of doing some jumping jacks tonight and eating spicy food all weekend. We are 37 weeks now and I am ready for her to get here whenever!

Have you seen the movie Alien?

Because that is the only way I can describe what happened to me last night. No, I did not give birth or go into labor, but I swear, my baby was trying to claw her way out of me last night. I was still up reading, Brad was out like a light. All of a sudden Harper was VIOLENTLY moving inside of me. She was all over the place and I swear on my epidural she was trying to get out. It was a full moon last night and I am full term as of tomorrow so as far as I was concerned I was hoping the gravitational pull of the full moon would move things along. Maybe it did have an effect on her, I don't know. All I know is I was begging my unborn to please stop hurting mommy. I was yelping in pain and Brad slept through the whole thing. Guess I will need to invest in a gong so he'll wake up when I go into labor.

not that I need it but...

There is a small shop in our building that sells lunch, snacks n' stuff. I have been down twice this week to get my weekly chocolate long john (I have limited myself to one a week as a treat because I would eat them every day if I could. also have the same limitation on chocolate milkshakes - my Sunday treat). Anyway, twice this week I was there too late to get a long john. This morning I was late again and they were all gone...or so I thought! The cute gal at the register had saved one for me! She had it hidden for me because she knew I would be back. This big baby belly will take you places people. It will take you far...

People love pregnant women...

People do stuff for you when you are pregnant. I have to admit, this has been easy to get used to. I swear everyone loves the sight of a pregnant woman! When I walk in to a store, if someone is coming out at the same time I am going in, they will literally back up, hold the door and let me pass! I've had people walk back inside of stores to hold the door open. I always pat my belly, smile and say thank you. I think they deserve at least that much from me.
Yesterday I had to fly somewhere and people let me cut in line, one man insisted on carrying my briefcase down the ramp for me to the gate check area. The briefcase is on rollers....he would not let me even roll it down the ramp.
I was at Target a couple weeks ago and had just unloaded my cart into my car when I turned and saw a lady taking off with my cart. "I'll put this back for you!" she said in a sing-song voice.
Have I mentioned the free stuff? Whenever I go in to order lunch or take out, they almost always offer a free cookie. It could just be that the places I go regularly are being nice because I am a good customer, but I have been going to the same place for lunch over ten years and the free cookie thing is NEW.
I am afraid I am in for a rude awakening after Harper gets here!

Top Ten: you know you're hormonal when...

1. your husband orders you a new broiler pan without asking and you think it is so sweet you start to cry. 2. you try to tell your husband that IF you need a C-section, you would like them to drop the sheet when they take the baby out...but you can't get the sentence out without crying. 3. you must, I repeat MUST have a chocolate milkshake from Brahm's or you think you may die. 4. you hear the Bush twins reading their letter to the Obama daughters and you have to completly re-do your makeup before going to work because you sobbed and slobbered it all off 5. you have a "row" with the lady at Hobby Lobby because she refuses to return your items without a phone number but you refuse to give it to her and you reach a stand-off. Never mind the people waiting in line behind you, it's about the principle. You cave and give her the number to Big Al's where you normally get lunch. Ha. that showed her. 6. you can not watch a single moment of television that is even slightly sentimental, sad or depressing, because you will cry...even if you just turned to the channel the second before Ty yells "move that bus!" you know what I'm talking about. 7. diaper cakes make you cry. 8. someone else crying makes you cry. 9. the girl next to you in the bowling alley doesn't wait for you to bowl (bowling etiquette dictates you always wait on the bowler to your left) and instead of throwing your ball down the lane you really want to roll it into her ankle. 10. you drop a little rice down the front of your shirt and you start bawling because you think your thighs have gotten bigger. (I know there is no correlation, but this is how it works).

for the other preggos out there

Things to buy now and save for when you need them:
Bella Bands - you can wear your jeans or slacks totally unzipped and they will stay up with a bella band. you can go several months without having to wear maternity pants until you are bigger.
Power Mama Spanx - I just discovered these and I can't believe I have gone this long without them. They are regular spanx with a higher waist and a built in special spot for your growing belly. But they lift suck and tuck everything else!
Gap Body yoga pants - these are the greatest. they are not maternity but I swear some woman designed these with pregnant women in mind. the waist band folds over so you can adjust as you get bigger. they look cute and they are super comfy.
Martinelli's Sparkling cran-apple - when everyone else has a glass of wine, you can pour this in a wine glass and not feel so left out. It's red, yummy and cheap. just how I like my wine. I know a guy who sells it by the case. Let me know, I'll hook you up.
Hane's 360degrees panties - you can get these at Target. these things stretch like nobody's business. don't waist your money on maternity underwear. trust me.
I hope this helps. If I can help even one pregnant woman make the transition into preggo belly-ville any easier, I will have done my job.

Brad's Birthday Dinner

Emily helped baked a pie and Brad learned from his Dad, Chris, how to grill a turkey! It was all delicious.

Giving thanks...

I am thankful for:
family and friends and being overwhelmed by their constant love;
Brad, and that we have each other;
Harper and every time she kicks or punches me in the gut, reminding me of the miracle growing inside me;
good health;
my home and the food on my table;
my job and the wonderful people I work with.

I am thankful because no matter what life throws at me, I know I can survive and there is always a silver lining. I am thankful that I have so many things to be thankful about.

Now that I am done being cheesy, here is a too cute photo of Mara and Reaghan helping to tear bread for the stuffing at Thanksgiving. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Check this out!!

My friend Manden got married this summer at the most awesome wedding ever. She had a bridal portrait session after the wedding and they shot a "trash the dress video" where they went into nature for the most beautiful photos.
Watch! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygdn-CfL5qU

That 70's Show

Saturday night Brad and I were invited to a dinner-theatre murder mystery event. The theme was a 70's disco and everyone was encouraged to dress up. I was SO excited because Mom has the cutest maternity outfit that she wore when she was pregnant with Laura and me....in the 70's. It was perfect.


Brad looked scary! He had the best disco outfit, complete with an afro wig that I begged him to burn at the end of the night. He refused and I anticipate it will not be the last time we see Brad in his wig.


Anyway, we get there and get settled in with the first course. After the first murder, the "detective" comes in. He is the main character and he started to talk...stopped...and stared at me. Then he said "Holly Hobby is that the best 70's outfit you could come up with? Stand up."


He made me stand up and he made fun of my outfit! "It's vintage!" I retorted. He called me Holly Hobby or Lolly Hobby or Hobby Lobby the rest of the night. I couldn't believe it. Judge for yourself. I thought I looked cute.

Why I dont have a dog.

Nuf said.

That’s just not sanitary.

Random story for the day. So I was at the doctor’s office yesterday. You know the drill, go in, write your name on a styrofoam cup, pee in the cup, then leave it inside a built in door in the wall where someone will pick it up and test it for…whatever. I believe some of you already know the story about how I figured out it really is best to write your name BEFORE the cup is filled.

So I get to the restroom and I am about to burst. I drink a TON of water lately and I really needed to go. I walk in and lock the door and turn toward the cups when I see it. Someone has left their filled cup on the table by the other clean cups. GROSS! That cannot be sanitary.

But I have got to go, it cannot wait. I try to ignore the half filled cup sitting there and grab my own cup, write my name (how dirty is that pen anyway) and go through the motions of filling it. While mid-filling I am looking around the room and I can’t help but notice the name on the cup. Another Jennifer. Hmm. Weird.

I finish and set my cup on the table next to, but as far away as possible, Jennifer Arwood’s cup. I can’t help but feel slightly victorious. My cup is way fuller and my urine is much lighter in color. This girl should really be drinking more water. Water is very important. Especially when one is preggars.

To answer your question, no, I did NOT put her cup in the wall for her. That is just not sanitary. I was going to mention it to the nurse, but forgot. Then while waiting to see the doctor I hear them call out her name. She looked like she may give birth any second so I decide to let this one slide.