A happy, health pregnancy is drawing to a close -- I hope

The days are getting closer (14 to be exact) until Baby Boy is due.  He'd better not be late, I'll be so disappointed.  Husband is very excited to meet him.  I am very excited to meet him.  Part of me feels like time has gone by so fast and yet looking back it seems like the events from last year were so long ago!

As far as pregnancies go, I feel very fortunate.  Monday one of my neighbors had her baby boy.  I've never been so glad that someone's pregnancy was over in my whole life.  I understand that people get excited to have new little one's in the world.  Other parents are excited that now someone else's life can be just as miserable, uh, I mean wonderful as theirs.  But I think the real celebration is in the fact that women have overcome a huge hurdle (literally).

I don't know why some pregnancies are easier than others, but I do think there are things that can be done to alleviate a lot of the problems.  I don't know why I never had morning sickness or a lot of the things women complain about, but I do know why I have gained a healthy amount of weight and why I have been able to avoid a lot of pain.  Granted, don't get me wrong...pregnancy is not comfortable.

One night husband and I were watching TV and I had to roll off the couch (literally) to go to the bathroom for the 1,000th time that night.  He looked at me and asked "is it really that hard?"  I know he was being sarcastic, but yes, it really is that hard.  I told him to strap a 25 lb. ball to his belly and try to move.  Not an easy feat.

A couple of years ago I discovered CrossFit.  I know that it sounds like I drank the Kool-Aid, and I probably have, but this is a program that has changed my life.  First, it started out as a way for me to take a break from the daily grind of life - get up, go to work, go home...  Then it became a hobby that husband and I could do together on the weekends.  Then we became really committed and changed everything about the way we workout and eat.  These changes have been a great addition to my life.  I've met some great people, learned how to move my body correctly and learned that food is fuel.

From the time we became truly committed to CrossFit, husband and I lost a total of 60 pounds.  It wasn't just weight loss, it was fat loss and we gained muscle and tone.   By eating The Zone I am convinced I was able to overcome health issues that have plagued me for as long as I can remember.  I always just assumed my body was broken, but it wasn't my body, it was how I was treating it.  Once I overcame bad eating habits and eliminated stress from my life we are now fortunate to welcome our baby boy into the world.

Even after I discovered I was pregnant I have continued to workout.  People look at our workouts -- even when not pregnant -- and think I am insane, but there is no better way to alleviate pain and uncomfortableness than to go and throw some weight around and move into squats that relieve pain.  It also puts baby to sleep.  Granted, I can't do everything full scale.  One weekend I tried and while I felt good mentally my body wasn't so happy.

CrossFit has helped me keep my human figure while pregnant but more importantly it has helped me keep my body healthy and in proper form.  I don't (think) I waddle when I walk.  I am able to sit correctly and get out of a chair (as long as it's not a soft comfy couch) with little problem.  I am able to lift and carry things without harming myself.  Also, I feel like I am better prepared to raise a healthy, active child.  Hopefully I'll be able to do so :)

A fine line

I wonder what the line is in trying to be a supportive parent and a realist. "Sweet Pea" had a complaint about her mother that while she was growing up she had big dreams -- a singer, dancer, home decorator, and many other things. While some were obviously a huge stretch but others I believe that if that was what she wanted she could have obtained, but I tend to believe if a person works hard enough one way or another everything eventually works out.

I understand that "Sweet Pea's" mother was trying to protect her from disappointment, but at the same time couldn't be a little supportive with the dreams that could potentially be obtainable?

If any one was to support your ideas shouldn't it be your own mother? It's hard to be confident in yourself and abilities when the people who should support you most, don't. Where does a parent draw the line?

A happy place

I have so much running around through my brain that I have no idea where this random rant will take me -- this could be kind of fun, kind of lame or kind of scary....

So baby J is coming in a few short weeks -- I guess depending on how you look at the calendar it could be a ways off, or it could be just around the corner.  I hope, hope, hope that he doesn't come early (but not late either).  What are the changes of him coming right on time?

A couple of weeks ago my sister threw an "open house" for baby J.  The greatly appreciated items are still sitting in my living room waiting to be put away, although the clothes have been washed.  It was fun to launder the tiny little things.  I know that it is probably the only time that laundry has been or over will be fun.  One thing of note, have you ever noticed how soft the lint from the dryer is from baby stuff?

It seems so hard to find time to do things -- as I'm sitting on the couch, watching a TV show I hate, and writing this gibberish.  This last week was hectic and next week isn't looking much better.  I just wonder how people find time to do things and what ends up being sacrificed?  I haven't cleaned my house since the "open house".  Cleaning definitely gets pushed to the bottom of my list.  I feel guilt for having an environment that may not be sterile enough for a kid. (How pathetic is that?!  I know baby J will never notice and if anything will make more of a mess than the two of us ever did.)

There's still a lot do to and get before baby J comes.  T and I have been going to prenatal classes.  It makes for a really late night and it's okay that we have one night we don't make it to the gym.  I'm really bad about doing my "homework" though.  I rarely practice "relaxation".  The assignment for this week is writing about my "happy place".  How pathetic it is that trying to find such a place is stressful and "just one more thing to do"?  Perhaps I should just give up and be medicated the second I go into labor.  During out last class my happy place was cuddled up on our living room couch.  It truly is a very comfy couch and a happy place to be, but there are way a few things about the room that drive me nuts -- so while it is a happy place, it's probably not the "perfect" happy place. 

Where is your happy place?

Can I borrow it?

Overall, I've been happy with this pregnancy.  It sure was an unexpected surprise.  It's been so fun to feel him kicking around in there.  I think I'll miss that when he's out, and not so quiet :).  It will be very fun to see where this next journey takes us.  Hopefully we'll be ready.

2010 in review

It seems like all my days are the same and run together until I took a minute to realize that another year has come and gone.  Amazingly all those mundane days resulted in a busy, okay year.  Everything changes and yet seems to stay the same.

In the fall hubby and I discovered that we would be welcoming our first child.  I had been so, so, so tired and run down.  I thought it was related to the stress of work, but around the time I became so tired the stressful work conditions had been resolved and were almost history.  My boss asked me if I could be pregnant.  I laughed and told her no way, impossible and then I wondered.... 

I had long since given up on the idea of having a family of my own and I really enjoy just spending time with my husband - just us.  Sure, 50 years down the road we may be lonely, but for now, it is pure bliss.  While we don't have a huge income - we have enough for what we need and enough to plan to make changes to our house, take vacations, and do whatever we want.

I wish I could say I was thrilled when I saw the little "+" on the dip stick.  I wasn't upset or anything, I just thought "Well, that's different."  I left a "present" for hubby when he came home with the news and I got a text back "Wow".  He's excited, but it's a shock for us both. 

The news has been very overwhelming, but at the appointment at the doctor did an ultrasound and we saw the heartbeat and little arm.  It's hard not to be just a little excited at that point, but I was still overwhelmed and wouldn't say "excited".  Twelve weeks later we were at the 20 week ultrasound where we were able to find out the gender of our child.  At that point - it's impossible not be in love.  I don't know that I'll be a very good mom, but there's no doubt I will love my child.

I am excited for April 30th - when we will meet my son.  (Yes, he will arrive on his due date because everything else has worked out exactly as I've planned so far- please send the dripping sarcasm in that phrase.) 

Overall, I have felt very lucky that this pregnancy has not been so tough.  I've avoided morning sickness and nausea for the most part - meat is disgusting, but it is now getting better.  I have continued to work out and every test seems to be normal and healthy - I hope that continues to be the case.

Decisions

"At times men are perplexed and full of trouble..."  I don't remember who said that quote, but it is true.  I think it is fascinating to watch people -- at any time, but particularly during times of confusion or in a state of minor emergency.  Watching a little child process something they are seeing for the first time is amazing.  Observing the individual complaining about circumstances that could have been avoided if they had considered the consequences rather than living on impulse.  Life is experienced through "living", but I think a lot of life can be learned through viewing too.

When life throws hard things at you, how do you cope with them?  When life is "easy" are you grateful?  While my life isn't quite as I imagined it to be I wouldn't change much about it at all.  I have learned a lot watching the experiences of others.  Some things I have tried or would love to try to implement things in my life.  Other things have made me more aware of behaviors that would be best avoided, not only for my own personal happiness, but to make the lives of those whom I affect easier.

I am grateful to all those people who have been example of positive and the polar opposite examples to me.  I wonder who I would be without experience that I have enjoyed and observed. 

Love list

Lately I have felt that life is very mundane.  I do the same thing every day that it is easy to forget all the many little things that I am grateful for.  I'm stealing someone else's post to see if this will help me feel better about where I am in life:

10 Things I'm thankful for:

1. My husband:  We've been married 7 years ago today.  I've loved every single moment and am looking to so many more.

2.  To not be hurt by a bad economy:  With so many people struggling with their homes, loss of jobs, unable to feed their families, I feel almost guilty that I am glad the economy allows my husband to keep his job, but still come home early enough to spend more time with me.

3.  To have a job:  Not only a job, but a career where I feel like I can make a difference in the world.  Not very many people can say that.

4.  Health:  This past year my husband and I have worked hard to improve our health and fitness.  I am thrilled that we have seen physical benefits, but I am more have a good understanding on how to remain healthy and be so clear into old age.

5.  Family:  I'm admittedly a bad daughter, granddaughter, sister, and aunt, but I love my family and my husband's family even though I don't show it.  It is good to have a support system.

6.  Technology:  How cool is Google?  If you have a random question about soil samples, bam, you can find it in a matter of seconds.  It's enough to make me want to try to garden.

7.  Farmers:  I'm so glad I don't have to grow my own food.  I'm afraid I would die.

8.  A good massage:  There's nothing like a spa day - whether it be a massage, facial, pedicure, etc to bring energy back into the tired body.

9.  Water:  I like waterfalls, drinking water, looking at the ocean, the sound of rain.  Water is a very invigorating life source.

10.  Lastly, but hardly least:  My testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation.  I can't imagine living without knowing the purpose to life and that there is so much more than what I currently am experiencing.

A whole new blog on how my husband sucks....

Remember the Robert Browning poem written for his beloved wife?  "How do I love thee, let me count the ways..."?  This blog is the opposite of that.

I had started a blog about nothing, when my husband said "you're not hungry are you?"  It is 7:00 and we were going to call to order dinner from Cafe Rio for our "it's Saturday, let's sit on the couch and not let the lady cook day."  I said that I was kind of hungry and asked him to call (we have the number in both of our cell phone address books - that's how pathetic we are.  Worse than that, the kid at Cafe Rio knows our order before we even reach the pick up counter).  Anyway, Terry picked up the phone, dialed and passed it to me, disrupting my blog and saying "are you going to write a whole new blog on how your husband sucks?" so that is what I am going to do...

1. 

Even though he is very frustrating sometimes, I can't think of any reasons why he sucks.  I don't know of anyone else who would put up with my many idiosyncrasies.  He read me an article tonight advising women to stop looking for Mr. Right because they will never find him.  While Mr. Perfect does not exist I can confirm that Mr. Right does.  I found him at the perfect time and have had a perfect life since.

Happy almost 7th anniversary, Toad.

Love, The Lady