5 on Friday, v.6

5 Things...

 

...I'm working on today

 

1. Crib skirt for Baby M's nursery

 

2. Burp cloths (also for Baby M, in case you thought I had a spit up problem).

 

3. Wrapping presents - yay for Christmas!

4. Leftovers.

 

5. Wining back the family poker trophy - poker night is tonight!

 

...I'm excited about

1. I officially have only 15 days left of work before my maternity leave starts!

 

2. Christmas is less than a month away!

 

3. With Christmas less than a month away, that means Baby M's due date is fast approaching!

 

4. Finally getting to put some Christmas decor up in our house - yep I'm one of those who waits until after Thanksgiving is over.

 

5. Um...leftovers, duh.
 

...Happening in 2014

1. While I'd love for her to show up a little early in 2013, by 2014, Baby M will definitely be here!!

2. Handsome Husband will finish his second, and start his third year of law school.

3. I will have three months off work to bond with my new little friend.

4. HH and I will turn 26 - yikes.

Celebrating our 25th birthday this year, tacky Las Vegas style!

 

5. We will celebrate our third wedding anniversary, and our sixth year of being together as a couple.

New Years Baby Bumpdate: Week 34

Happy Thanksgiving, Stress Case readers!  Hope you're having a lovely day filled with family, friends, and lots of good food!

Would you believe it if I told you I managed to forget to take a bumpdate picture this week?  Not proud, let me tell you!  This really not great photo of me at a cooking class with the ladies from HH's family last weekend will have to suffice.  As you can see, the bump is really getting large and in charge.

with MIL Red and Cousin Study Buddy

What's up with Baby this week? Baby girl is about 20 inches tall, and is pretty maxed out on height.  She will still steadily gain weight until she arrives, and currently weighs as much as 5.5 pounds!

Symptoms? My lovely new groin pain is alive and well, especially at night.

Gender? Girl.

Excited For? More progress on Baby M's nursery!  I've also started washing her clothes, and am looking forward to finishing those up and looking at drawers full (okay okay, like half way full, baby girl isn't that much of a diva).  I am also looking forward to a little crafting and present wrapping day at my Gardening Mom's house over the holiday weekend! 

Maternity Clothes? Have switched over to casual tops with scrub bottoms almost exclusively, and the only non-maternity I can get away with outside of work is some sweaters, yoga pants, sweats, and big t-shirts to sleep in.

Sleep? Sleeping okay, but lots of waking up for bathroom breaks and some pains in the middle of the night that are waking me up.

Movement? I think she has moved positions recently, because I feel her pushing very far over to the side, whereas before it was mainly in the middle.  Who knows how this little girl is hanging out in there!

Belly Button Status? I don't know that I'd call it in anymore, it's more...flush with the belly at this point.

Missing Anything? Easily being able to pick things up from the floor, and sleeping on my stomach and back.

Milestones?

34w2d Started doing baby laundry for the first time!  It is way more fun to wash these teeny pink and frilly clothes and blankets than it is to wash my own!

Cravings? Nothing special this week.

Weight Gain? My doctor says up 26 pounds. Which isn't so bad except for that I am terrified that I am going to be gaining a pound a week at this rate and I've still got 7 weeks left!

A Blog Rut

As some of you very diligent readers may have noticed, I am in a bit of a blog rut. 

 

I'm simply finding myself out of things to say, and all that I have to talk about relates to pregnancy and Baby M and I'm reluctant to let this blog turn into a complete pregnancy gab-fest.  Though it might be better than letting it turn into a non-active blog, I suppose!

 

I don't want to stop blogging, I love sharing my thoughts here and being able to look back over the years.  I will continue to blog, but it may not be as regular as it has been in the past.  Or perhaps I will feel overwhelmed with inspiration again, and I will get back to posting like my life depends on it.  Only time will tell.

 

Are there any topics you'd like to read about on Stress Case?  If so, please do tell!  Maybe you'll inspire me to blog more often, I might just be missing your great idea!

Quotable Tuesdays

New Years Baby: Week 33

33w2d

 

What's up with Baby this week? Little one is 5 pounds, and could be as long as 20 inches!  Her fingernails are full grown now, and will be ready for a trim almost as soon as she makes her appearance!

Symptoms? I've been having a new mysterious pain in the ... groin area?  My OB says it's from the baby pushing down, and that it's completely normal.  But it is rough, especially at night.  Heartburn is still a nightmare.

Gender? Little lady.

Excited For? Thanksgiving!  I'm not a huge Thanksgiving dinner fan, but I love the warm fuzzy feeling that the holiday brings!  I am also attending a fun cooking class with some ladies in HH's family on Sunday I am looking forward to.

Maternity Clothes? Have switched over to casual tops with scrub bottoms about 50% of the time at work, because my tops are getting a little too snug.

Sleep? Not getting great sleep the past week.  It is incredibly painful every time I turn over, and I get up at least twice a night to hit the little girls' room.

Movement? Little miss has active days and slower days, but I feel her every day and I can't wait to meet this little kicker.

Belly Button Status? I don't know that I'd call it in anymore, it's more...flush with the belly at this point.

Missing Anything? My clothes, high heels and being able to bend over at the waist.

Milestones?

33w2d My second and final lovely baby shower thrown by Best Friend Cute Apartment!

Cravings? Craving water all the time, and ice!  I'd still eat a few apples a day if I ever bought enough.

Weight Gain? My doctor says up 26 pounds. Which isn't so bad except for that I am terrified that I am going to be gaining a pound a week at this rate and I've still got 7 weeks left!

My how I've grown!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Maybe A Few of my Hopefully, if I'm Lucky, Favorite Things would have been a more fitting title for this little Christmas wishlist post!  I always know when we're really getting into the holiday shopping season when I start getting requests from Gardening Mom and Grandma Beach Bum for a wishlist, and both have asked in the past week, so it looks like Christmas time is a'comin!

Here are some things on my wishlist this year:

{1} Graco Pack and Play {2} A new makeup bag/case {3} An HD video camera that I can easily connect to my computer {4} Perfume!  Chanel Chance is one of my favorites {5} Photoshop Elements {6} Polar Fitness Heart Rate Monitor {7} Ergo baby carrier {8} Timi and Leslie diaper bag

As you can see, this year my list is a little dominated by Baby M items, but what can I say?  I'm excited!

What's on your list this year?

{Down with the Dearmore's}

Quotable Tuesdays

The One Where My iPhone Luck Runs Out

I've rocked the iPhone since 2009.  I put off getting one for a few years, because I am never really the type to rush out and buy the newest gadget on the shelves.  However, since buying one and becoming an iPhoner, I can't imagine having a different phone, as materialistic as that may sound.

I've had relatively good luck with iPhones.  I know so many people who've shattered multiple screens, spilled something on their phones, lost their phones, or gotten them stolen not once but multiple times.  I always felt pretty proud that a scatter-brain like myself managed to dodge a lot of iPhone killing bullets!  (Okay, there was one time where my iPhone fell into the toilet and may or may not have stayed there for like thirty minutes before I realized it.  One time!)

That is, until this week, when my pretty and not even a year old iPhone 5 went from perfect to this in a split second launch from my waistband:

Not having access to a cell phone is not an option for me, being that I need to be accessible for work, and I'm 33 weeks pregnant.  So off to the AT&T store we found ourselves, and $150 later (I'm really in baby mode, because I all I kept thinking was how many different baby items we still need that I could have bought with that), I was the reluctant owner of a brand-new iPhone C in white.

Reluctant because I just wanted to keep my own damn phone!  I didn't want to spend the money on a new phone I don't even really like the look of (no offense, but the 5C looks like a toy)!  I didn't want to spend the money on a phone at all when we have so many other purchases I'd rather be making!  I didn't want to deal with this!

Before heading down the road of a full-blown meltdown about the phone situation, my sweet and much more level-headed and easy-going Handsome Husband reminded me that shit happens, and that it's not the end of the world.

And then I remembered what a #firstworldproblem my iPhone catastrophe was, and how lucky I am to have a man who can remind me of that.

New Years Baby: Week 32

32w2d

What's up with Baby this week? Baby is gaining weight at the rate of almost a half a pound per week, and could gain an inch in length this week alone!  With so much baby in there, amniotic fluid is maxed out, so her pokes and jabs can feel pretty sharp these days.

Symptoms? Back pain seems to start nearly every day around lunch time, and lasts until the next morning.  The belly has felt a little sore all week, too.

Gender? Girly girl.

Excited For? Seeing how our maternity photos turned out, and my second baby shower with some fabulous girls this weekend!

Maternity Clothes? Have switched over to casual tops with scrub bottoms about 50% of the time at work, because my tops are getting a little too snug.  Rocked a pre-pregnancy dress (in the 32 week photo above!) and felt pretty good about it!

Sleep? Getting comfortable is way harder than staying asleep, but the 2-3 bathroom breaks a night are not doing wonders for my REM sleep, I'll tell you that.

Movement? Little miss has active days and slower days, but I feel her every day and I can't wait to meet this little kicker.

Belly Button Status? I don't know that I'd call it in anymore, it's more...flush with the belly at this point.

Missing Anything? Cocktails, and not dreading walking up and down stairs.

Milestones?

32w1d The first person other than Handsome Husband was able to feel baby girl kick from the outside - lucky Mother-in-Law Red.

32w4d We spent some time with a photographer capturing this happy time in our life - maternity photos done!

Cravings? Still loving apples.

Weight Gain? My doctor says up 24 pounds. Which isn't so bad except for that I am terrified that I am going to be gaining a pound a week at this rate and I've still got 7 weeks left!

My how I've grown!

On Complaining During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is not all fun all the time.  If you've been pregnant, you know from experience, and if not - you've heard all the complaints in books, movies, and from people you know.  The heartburn, the back aches, how you can barely move as you get close to the end without struggling, the sore boobs, the sore tummy, the swollen hands and feets - there's lots of pieces of pregnancy that are not only not fun, but they actually blow.

While usually complaining is something I think of myself as a master of, I really hate complaining about pregnancy.  Or really, I try to avoid complaining about pregnancy to anyone outside of my husband, my mother, and my best girl friend. 

Why?  Because I remember when I wanted so badly to get pregnant and how much it stung to see and hear women bitch about being pregnant.  There was one girl in particular I am friends with on Facebook that did nothing but complain about being pregnant, though she did note that her pregnancy was planned and that she was delighted about it.  Each nasty complaint on Facebook drove me crazier and crazier, to the point I actually had her "hidden" from my Newsfeed for some time to avoid seeing her bitching.

Look, I get it.  I'm currently sweating my ass off even though my thermostat says it's 69 degrees in here, and I've already taken two acetaminophen for back pain today.  I get it. 

But the thing is - when you hear people say they feel blessed to have gotten pregnant, to have stayed pregnant, and to be closer and closer to welcoming their new family member into their lives, they should mean it*.  And with good things come some trade-offs.  I really do feel blessed and honored nd grateful for the opportunity to carry a child, and to welcome a child into our family.  And sometimes I feel paralyzed with fear that something could go wrong, and how terribly I would regret the complaints.

So pregnant ladies, the next time you update your status, or complain to a friend that may or may not be suffering from the invisible pain of struggling to get pregnant, or tweet a little complaint about pregnancy - remember how blessed you truly are.  And take a moment and decide whether you really want to complain.

32w2d

*This is not to say people who complain do not, in fact, feel blessed.  However, perception is everything, and constant complaints make it hard to view someone as truly feeling grateful.

Quotable Tuesdays

Empathy

During a quarterly forum meeting at my work, they showed this video, and I had to share.  Even if you don't work in healthcare, we truly never know what is going on with our coworkers, strangers we encounter, and even sometimes our family and friends.  It's a wonderful reminder to remember that when someone rubs us the wrong way, or comes off as cold, rude or unkind.  Of course, there's always the off-chance they could just be an asshat, but let's try and give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

 

New Years Baby: Week 31

 
31w3d

What's up with Baby this week? Baby is doing lots of practicing this week - from swallowing and breathing to kicking and sucking!

Symptoms? What am I not feeling this week?  I'm exhausted, my back is killing me by noon every day and doesn't let up until I wake up the next morning, and sitting up in bed is getting to be a whole production.

Gender? Lady.

Excited For? Getting lots of baby items last weekend, and taking our maternity photos this weekend!

Maternity Clothes? Almost exclusively maternity outside of work, though I do still wear some pre-pregnancy jeans with a belly band because I never managed to find a good pair of maternity skinny jeans.

Sleep? Sleep is going okay, but lying in bed is not nearly as comfortable as it used to be.  Often times my Handsome Husband is wondering what all the commotion is when I'm simply trying to move positions in bed.

Movement? More movement some days than other, but she is most active in the evenings.  She has taken to what feels like pushing from the inside.  Not kicking, not adjusting, but pushing.  Maybe she's trying to make more room!

Belly Button Status? I don't know that I'd call it in anymore, it's more...flush with the belly at this point.

Missing Anything? Lying on my stomach in bed, and not feeling like a whale.

Milestones?

31w2d Did a lot of baby shopping, much to the unhappiness of my bank account (and maybe my husband).  I picked up the swing I'd been longing for, some cute swaddles for little miss, and my first nursing bra!

Cravings? Nothing really this week.  There was one night I would have killed for a bagel.

Weight Gain? My doctor says up 24 pounds. Which isn't so bad except for that I am terrified that I am going to be gaining a pound a week at this rate and I've still got 8 weeks left!

My how I've grown!

November Goals

So, my Ocotber goals may have been a little lofty.  And by lofty I mean that I barely got anything done.  So, take a little looksie below my updates because you'll be seeing lots of the October goals again under November!

October Goals

 

Update all the photos in our house, and add some picture frames to our TV stand in living room. - Fail!

 

Finally paint the little table for Baby M's nursery. - Fail!

Decide on and purchase outfits for maternity photos. - Counting this as done, though I haven't laid the outfits out, I know what we're doing in my head.

Organize kitchen cabinets. - Fail!

Purge and organize master bedroom closet, and dresser. - Fail!

Start organizing Baby M's closet - order or purchase modular unit and/or extra bar and install it! - I managed to pick up the fabric bins for the closet organizer (the organizer I tried to buy but coulnd't because I was alone and it was ridiculously heavy!).  I still need the closet organizer to really get started, but I did buy some hangers!

Have HH put crib together! - Good job, HH!

Put Christmas 2013 spreadsheet together and decide what homemade gifts I'll be doing this year. - Yes!  We budgeted our holiday spending, and I decided what gifts I'll be making this year!

Finally clean up the remainder of the junk we pulled from the second bedroom. - Counting this as done, though HH does have some things to put away in the garage!

Go on an honest-to-goodness real date with HH. - Done and done!  That's right, we got 2 dates in this month!

 

Get my fall decorations out, put them up, and make at least 2 more to add to our home!  And blog about them! - Okay, I did not get a chance to make any decorations, and while I'd love to say that will happen in November, it's simply not happening this year with the amount of baby stuff to get cracking in (we're less than 2 months out!).  But my fall decor is up, and though it is not much, it makes me feel a little more festive!

November Goals

Get thank you notes out for both showers, and any gifts received for Baby M.

 

Update all the photos in our house, and add some picture frames to our TV stand in living room.

 

Decide on a pediatrician for Baby M.

Finally paint the little table for Baby M's nursery.

Organize kitchen cabinets.

 

Order shelves for Baby M's nursery.

 

Wash Baby M's newborn and 0-3 months and organize her dresser.

Purge and organize master bedroom closet, and dresser.

Start organizing Baby M's closet - purchase modular unit and have HH set up!

 

Order remaining wall decor for nursery.

 

Make mobile and crib skirt for Baby M's nursery.

 



 

Quotable Tuesdays

Goodbye, October!

In October...

 

Handsome Husband and I were lucky enough to be invited to the new beautiful home of The Esquire and Baker Girl.  We enjoyed seeing their brand new place, and an amazing dinner prepared by BG!

 

I had the dreaded 1-hour glucose test, failed, freaked the eff out, took the 3-hour test, and passed!  Very typical Stress Casey behavior to have a meltdown before the problem entirely presents itself.

 

I had a lovely time catching up with an old high school teacher of mine over coffee (well, decaf tea for me).  It was so nice to hear about a program I was heavily involved with in high school (Model United Nations, for those wondering), how it's changed, and to get Mr. T updated on many of his former students and the awesome things they are doing nowadays.

 

HH and I got to head to San Diego for a soccer game on the field I spent so many days and nights watching him play on!  This season will be the last that there are players on the team HH played with, so it is a little sad for him, the end of an era, if you will.

 

We had one busy Saturday in mid-October!  We started the day off with a kickball game (okay, I watched a kickball game) with some of HH's newer friends from law school, were hosted to a lovely BBQ at Best Cousin's new place, and ended the evening with a viewing of Captain Phillips after being invited by Aunt Fancy Chef to join her and some family at the luxury movie theater!

 

 

We got to support some fundraising Kindergarten Teacher was doing for her chosen charity by attending an evening at a local wine bar.  Though my glass was longing for wine instead of water, the conversation with some of my favorite ladies made up that.

 

Handsome Husband and I set sail on a Tiki Cruise around Newport Harbor with some law school students. 

 

Gardening Mom and I got a start on our Christmas Shopping at Citadel Outlets' annual Shopping Extravaganza!  This year, MIL Red and Grandma Beach Bum decided to join also, so it was fun to meet up for lunch and a break from the shops.

 

Aunt Fancy Chef invited us to a lovely charity event for South County Outreach called Empty Bowls, where we got to try lots of yummy soups from local restaurants, bid on some silent auction items (though we didn't win, boo!) and listen to some lovely speakers.

HH and I at Empty Bowls

 

Handsome Husband attended a Boot Camp for New Dads!  Though he said he didn't find it all that informative, I still think it's cute!

 

I was showered with love and some pretty awesome gifts for our little New Years Baby at my family baby shower!

 



 

We celebrated Cousin Halloween's 7th (he's getting way too old these days!) with pizza and cupcakes during a mid-week birthday party!

 

Halloween ended the month, and we were content with eating fajitas and handing out candy to our whopping two trick-or-treaters!  We also spent some time thinking about how fun it will be when our baby girl is here for next Halloween!

 

In November ... We've got a lot going on!  There's a few birthdays coming up, some holiday events, our maternity photos, a second baby shower for this little lady, and lots and lots of prepping for her impending arrival!