T Minus 60 Days!

And there it is... the baby BELLY! :)

I have 60 days left in my pregnancy and it really seems like just yesterday that we even found out! I guess this is life, you get older and time passes much quicker. What I would have given to speed through high school in the same way that I have sped through the last few years.

I've received a lot of compliments about how I'm handling my pregnancy. Apparently somethings are a huge topic of discussion amongst the people I see daily: my lack of complaining at work, lack of time off from work, ability to remain active, and most importantly, I remain level headed. The funny thing is that I can hear my inner monologue and no one else can. I am to the point where I am chipper for a few hours and exhausted the rest of the day. I'm snapping at people and have less of a filter when I'm interacting with people. I'm staying active only because I have a fear of gaining 50 pounds and because the bathroom is not close to my desk. I guess I'm just putting up a good front (and that is a great thing)!

This is how I feel on weekdays but ask me to get up at 6AM on a weekend and my body is all for it!

So, because I can, here is my list of 10 selfish things that I can't wait to do:

1. Go for a Run (more importantly run Tinkerbell in January!)
2. Drink a Glass of Red Wine...
3. ... while eating Sushi
4. Get off the couch without thinking, "How am I going to do this?"
5. Sleep without needing to pee every hour
6. Wear high heels without my feet swelling
7. Breathe through my nose without smelling the soap in my neighbor's shower (or my coworkers or the food that is eight miles away, etc.)
8. Drink coffee without feeling guilty
9. Vacuum without getting winded
10. Make it through the day without having a moodswing or a heartburn attack

My husband, by the way, is either getting advice from women he works with, reading a book for expectant Dads, or is just an exceptionally amazing man. I have my suspicions but generally just think he's a pretty cool guy. The other day, while gazing at my bare belly (or bear belly), I said, "I wish I had realized ALL the things that came with pregnancy." So, I start listing the things that are bugging me and at the end of my ramblings he says, "Well, don't forget the baby. That comes with pregnancy too and that's pretty cool." *insert a kiss on the cheek and a smile* Well geez, when you put it THAT way. At first I was like, wow... I'm a horrible person for complaining but then I just counted my blessings. I'm glad I have someone who can put me in my place while making me feel a thousand times better at the same time.

And now, my sappy list of  things I can't wait to do with Miss Baby D because my moments of selfishness will be fleeting:

1. Hear her laugh for the first time
2. Read her my favorite book - But No Elephants
3. Realize in her first moment of girl rebellion that she doesn't like my favorite book and decides to pick her own
4. Watch her wrap her Dad around her little fingers
5. Teach her how to walk the dog, even if she is still only crawling
6. Sing to her, sing together
7. Arts & Crafts time (oh newborn baby feet!)
8. Take pictures that will embarrass her later in life
9. Become well acquainted with the stroller and take lots of walks
10. Teach her the messiest way to eat Spaghetti

Time flies when you're pregnant/exhausted/hungry/thirsty

First things first... I got an apology phone call from that store. The woman was so disgusted with the situation that she said she had to figure out the appropriate response and had no idea how to apologize in a way that would be completely sincere. She said, "I bet offering you a gift card to our store wouldn't do much good, huh?" I told her I didn't need to be paid off, I just wanted a personal apology. So I got what I asked for and I'm OK with that. No, I don't have the intention of posting the store's name on the internet. If I hadn't received a response, I would be tagging up their Facebook page like crazy. I just don't have it in me to ruin a store's reputation because of one bad employee.

In just a few days, I will officially be in the final trimester of my pregnancy! Holy shit, where did the time go?

These are my last ultrasound photos from the beginning of March... Miss Baby D is yawning (or maybe already screaming?) on the left and smiling and dancing on the right. Geez, the end of June will be here before I know it!

 

I've had a great pregnancy thus far. The only problem has been that I get so sore when I am active. So the running hobby is on hiatus though I'm dying to run the Santa Rosa Half Marathon in August (this is so not happening, by the way). The swag this year is awesome and includes a bottle of wine... oh well! I WILL be signing up for the Tinkerbell Half in January. It's not just running or walking that gets me sore. I was gardening for a couple hours the other day and was completely spent. But then again, sitting the wrong way on the couch will do me in sometimes. Like the day I spent all afternoon sewing stuffed animals for the nursery, I was sorer than I was after finishing my last half marathon. But at least the stuffed animals are cute! I'm planning to make a crib mobile so I was practicing in big sizes first...

I had to go in today to take get my blood drawn as part of the 1 hour Glucose Tolerance Test. The nurse looked at me as she handed me my fruit punch glucose drink and said, "Are you sure you aren't doing this too early? Usually women have to be at least 24 weeks before they get this order." That made me feel good considering the shit I went through last week. I also had a chance to chat it up with a bunch of pregnant ladies in the waiting room who were all there for the same kind of blood work. The glucose drink wasn't bad but after about 30 minutes, the baby was practicing karate moves and within 40 minutes, I was dizzy, faint, clammy, shaky, and nauseous. I had to go to the window and ask the nurse to get me water. Before she looked at my face, she told me the water fountain was down the hall. Once she took a good look at my face, she rushed down the hall to get me water. By the time my blood was drawn, I was feeling much better. Apparently, this type of reaction happens often but geez... if I had passed out BEFORE getting my blood drawn, it would give my family more reasons to make fun of me for my hospital-phobia. :)

My boss told me about a month ago, "Just wait until you start nesting!" and I couldn't help but respond with, "I think I already am!" I know nothing about the nesting process but I know that I am definitely in "decorating" mode. I bought an adorable, custom quilt for the nursery and I've already started buying other decor and obsessing over details (what colors go well with purple and grey? do I have enough room to walk over there? did I ask for enough hangers?) plus I've been bossing my husband around about cleaning the house. My husband is really great at cleaning but usually only does it when HE feels like it. I haven't just been decorating the baby's room, I've also been trying to decorate the rest of our house. I gotta take it slow so my husband can adjust to not having the white walls that he loves so much!

  

 

Misadventures of a Pregnant Lady

Dear (Store Name that I'm not going to mention right now),

I am writing today to tell you about a recent experience in your Fresno, California store. I could just tell you that I am "highly dissatisfied" or that the store's customer service was lacking but I don't think that would quite cover my feelings.

I am in the sixth month of my first pregnancy and I am extremely aware of the new addition to my midsection (not to mention the additions to my thighs, arms, face, and chest). I'm desperately clinging to my pre pregnancy wardrobe and I don't want to be stuck wearing only maternity clothes. I walked into your store on Saturday because I saw a dress in the window that I instantly loved and was hopeful that it would be "the one".

The young woman at the counter gave me a once over as I asked her where the dress was on display in the store and smiled as she said, "I'm sorry but I don't think we have your size." After I asked again, she started leading me in the right direction but not before she added the additional comment, "I already told you, we don't have a size to fit your fat ass." Not only did I mention that I heard her but I also let her know that I am 6 months pregnant and that my size is none of her concern. What was her snarky response, you ask? "Well, that is no excuse to let yourself go!"

Man or woman, pregnant or not pregnant, plus sized or model thin, no retail store customer service employee has the right to judge a customer based on his or her size. It is absolutely unacceptable and uncouth. The lack of empathy that I received when I spoke to the manager of the store was equally as disturbing. I'm not a size two or a four, I'm a pregnant woman who is a respectable size 10. A size, by the way, that you do happen to carry in your store and it is not the largest size that you carry. I could have easily decided on my own whether or not my size was available on the rack. I could have easily tried on the dress and decided in the dressing room that it was cuter on the rack than on my body. It should have been my decision to make, not your employee's.

I'm pregnant with a little girl and it is treatment like this that makes me scared out of my mind to find a way to raise her to be confident with herself despite the callousness of others. How can I tell my daughter that the only opinion that matters is her own when a situation like this has caused me to question my own self confidence? Maybe before your employee opens her mouth to put down a customer, she should realize that your company profile advertises that you design and carry clothes to enhance a woman's confidence, to assist a woman in being captivating. Don't you think that her customer service focus should be based on that rather than practically turning someone away who is apparently a fat ass who has let herself go?

Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you in regards to an apology in the near future.

-----

Seriously? I should have never needed to write that email to ANYONE. But the sad truth is that I did. And do you know what? I walked into a maternity store less than an hour later and almost started crying in the dressing room because "nothing fit right" and because I "was too big for everything". I was in desperate need of shirts because the belly requires MUCH longer t-shirts. (I found this out the hard way when I realized I was flashing the top of my maternity jeans to unsuspecting coworkers) Out of desperation, I bought t-shirts and tank tops and went home cursing humanity and stuffing my face with Chipotle. When I put one of the shirts on yesterday, I was so happy with how it looked and how it fit. I should have waited to go shopping until I felt better!

It's obvious... I've totally let myself go. Oh well, Chipotle still sounds good for dinner.

Excuses, Reasons, and/or other BS

I've spent a lot of time being irritated with myself. This seems completely backwards to me right now but I guess it deserves an explanation. Did you know that pregnancy can cause self esteem issues? I look and feel great for being 21 weeks pregnant and deep in my brain and soul, I know that I've been really lucky. I've only gained about 14 pounds, I still fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans, and I've been able to easily maintain a healthy diet. But then I have days like today where I feel like I've eaten the same number of calories as my 1200 pound performance horse (in case you weren't aware, that is a lot of calories). It's days like today where I just feel... out of control. I feel like I'm suffering from fear of weight gain even though the end result will be amazing. I can look in the mirror in the morning and be completely at ease and at night, I feel horrified by the changes I see. It's completely and utterly ridiculous and I just need to stop. I need to channel the girl from this blog post of mine from back in June. I need to get it through my skull that this isn't permanent and that if properly motivated, I know I can bounce back with no problems.

I'm only a celebrity in my own mind and I doubt anyone is judging me but if it weren't for all the negative shit you read about pregnancy weight gain and such, I don't think I would feel this way. The bullying of women who are gaining weight to support a life just has to stop. Can I get an amen? A what-what? A hoot? A holler? Maybe just a "yeah, ok, sure Melanie!"?

I haven't been to crazy on Facebook... though I did admit to craving Pickles & Mac n Cheese...

In other news, I am determined to be the best darn coworker that a girl can be. My three immediate coworkers all decided to go on a diet together and I vowed to be a damn supportive coworker despite my pregnancy and my own image issues. Unlike my peers around this time last year, I was determined to do the little things that would help my coworkers succeed. I planned to bring my own lunches, not flaunt cake or ideas for potlucks, and help them through tough cravings. I've been there, I've done that, and I feel like I could be helpful. Yeah, that's all well and fine until the diet ends before it even really starts.

"And this is why I've gained 20 pounds." "You guys are a bad influence." "Now I feel like a big french fry." "I only had water to drink, that has to make it a little bit better." "Now I feel really sick."

Gaahhh. Been there, said that! No one can hold you back from making a change if you really want to make one. A quote I posted slightly over a year ago was, "The longest journey begins with a small step taken by a brave person." (geez, Melanie! Listen to yourself and follow your own freakin' advice! Holy crap, woman!)

I'm not judging them, really I'm not. It's just that I see myself in all of them. Excuses, Reasons, and a bunch of BS. This is the fourth diet attempt they have started so it's hard for me to not shake some sense and reason into them. It's hard for me to not preach about how great it feels to accomplish the overall goal. It's hard for me to see them fail because once they make the right changes for their own body and lifestyle, it is SO EASY to finish and change for the better.

This is how I feel right now... but it's not true. I'm only judging myself!

Meet Baby D!

Little MISS Baby D, to be exact!

This ultrasound was the single coolest, most life affirming event that I have ever experienced. I was with my husband and our parents, watching Miss D float and kick around on a big screen TV that was mounted on the wall. She was being shy and was perfectly content to stay in her own little corner.

So, without further ado, here she is! (And no, I'm not flaunting her girl parts on the internet. I'm determined not to be an embarrassing Mom... yet.)

Thumbs up!

Her face is on the left hand side and her hand is right above her chin. You can also see her heart!

Her "fantastic and strong" legs (words from the ultrasound tech)

Next challenge, creating a beautiful, non-pink nursery for my little girl. Challenge Accepted!

It's almost time...

... to find out if we're having a boy or a girl!

I was browsing Pinterest for gender reveal ideas and found something similar to this and went with it! I admit it, I had a little bit too much fun...

das Liebster Award-ness

So my buddy Jaime over at The Unlikely Competitor nominated me for the Liebster Award. Don't you worry, I won't let this incredible honor get to my head in any way, shape or form.

Errr... I mean...

Unfortunately, I don't read any blogs that fit the bill to be nominated for the Liebster Award (see below) but I am going to participate in answering these really fun questions and then I'm going to create a list of 11 questions that anyone reading my blog can feel free to answer at their leisure. Though, when I do come across a blog of incredible worth, I will make sure to add a link to it and then reference this post. This is my solemn oath!

 

"So what is the Liebster Award?

The Liebster Award nomination goes to those bloggers who have a following of less than 200 to promote other bloggers to comment and share - even get to know each other! I think this is great, because it gives you the potential to gather a larger following! If you get nominated, you cannot nominate the person who nominated you (No tagbacks!).

The point of the Liebster Award is to answer questions, tell 11 secrets about yourself, and nominate 11 other bloggers who fit the criteria. Here it goes!"

1. If you could get on a plane and go anywhere, where would it be and why?
Australia! First of all, I think the opportunity to sit on a plane for 14 hours or so would be amazing. Also, traveling "forward" in time and then "backwards" in time would be well worth the cost of the ticket.

Kangaroo Island

But seriously, I've always wanted to go to Australia. There is a place in South Australia called Kangaroo Island and I would love to explore the cliffs, beaches, and the Shipwreck Trail. Seeing wild Kangaroos, outside of a zoo environment, would also be pretty amazing. (Yes, there are actually Kangaroos there!) I also want to tour the Sydney Opera House and see a show there, ANY show.

2. What is one major thing you would like to accomplish in your life time?
This is a tough one because I'm still young and feel like I still have so many things I want to accomplish (Masters Degree, have a baby, not take out a loan to pay for my child's education, etc.). But since I need to choose, I would like to write a book and publish it (self published or otherwise, doesn't matter to me) and actually have people enjoy it!

3. What was your favorite class in high school or college and why?
My English class, Senior Year of High School. I was lucky enough to be placed in an Arthurian Legends themed English class and I absolutely loved it. I was already obsessed with  Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon so it was the perfect fit for me. We had to read all the standard books for Seniors but we got the added benefit of studying Arthurian Legend and having an AWESOME teacher. At the end of the year, we also got to go to England on a 10 day Arthurian Tour and it was an amazing experience.

4. What is one thing that always makes you smile?
My dog, Hank.

Hank with his 3rd Birthday "Gift"

5. If you were going to try a new hobby, what would you try?
Rock Climbing!

6. What is your favorite kind of music?
I absolutely love every type of music but I love discovering local Indie Rock bands before they hit the big time. You know, kinda like The Decemberists. (No, I'm not from Oregon but I did listen to the Decemberists before the were more well known)

7. What is your favorite race and why?
Out of the three races I've run, my favorite has been the California Classic in Fresno. The course was interesting, we ran through the zoo, and even though I swore, "never again" at the finish, I had a really good time. Other than running a Disney Race, I really want to do a Run Catalina Island race. Can't have Fresno be the most interesting course I've run!

8. If you could live anywhere for a year where would it be?
If living didn't require working, I would live in Greece. Preferably on the Peninsula somewhere but close enough to a city that if I wanted to do "city-style" exploring, I could.

9. What made you start blogging?
I blogged on Livejournal in High School. It started as a way to keep track of all the silly things that my friends and I said during the day as well as chronicling the trials and tribulations of High School. I went back and read some of my old entries and deleted the blog right after. Then I got back into blogging last year when I was attempting to make light of the fact that I needed to lose weight, badly. It has ended up helping me out more than I expected, plus it is fun to chronicle the "joys" of getting in shape.

10. If you could meet a famous person, past or present, who would it be?
If you knew me in high school, you knew that History class was my least favorite class. I did everything I could to get out of taking History classes, including taking a one night a week Junior College course my Junior year of high school. One semester, one day a week... AMAZING. Anyway, as an adult, I've found a new love of history. I don't have to take exams and remember exact dates and that's exactly how I like it!

Anyway, I think Anne Boleyn is such a tragic, misunderstood figure. I would love to meet her and just have a discussion with her about her life.

11. What is something you have done that you are really proud of? 
Prior to May of last year, I would have said that completing my Bachelor's Degree in four years was my greatest accomplishment. Now, I can say that completing three half marathons has been my greatest accomplishment. I hated running prior to last year and could hardly run 30 seconds at a time when I started. Now, I can proudly say that prior to my pregnancy, running 5 miles at a time is a piece 'o cake!

11 fun facts about me:

1. My favorite musical is The Music Man.

2. I play the Clarinet and Bass Clarinet.

3. I don't chew gum because the sound annoys me.

4. When I was 9, I trained my aunt's Pekingese to do agility.

5. I buy wine based on the awesomeness of the label and/or name.

6. My book as a kid was called But No Elephants and my favorite song was Rockin' Robin.

7. No matter how stupid or silly the episode is, I find great joy in watching America's Next Top Model. Don't tell anyone.

8. My favorite movies are The Goonies, The Sandlot, Hook, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

9. I have an irrational fear of spiders and if I see one above my bed, I can't sleep well for at least three days.

10. I love answering questions asked by song and confusing everyone around me.

11. In high school, I drove a train at a park in town and I can still repeat my script, word for word. "Welcome aboard the C.P. Huntington, Engine # 74...."


And now for 11 questions to those I've nominated (Errr... will nominate in the future):


1. What made you start blogging? ( STOLEN! :))

2. What is your favorite book and your favorite quote from that book?

3. If you were given the chance to complete five of your bucket list activities this week, which ones would you choose and why?

4. What makes you happiest after a stressful day?

5. How would you be if you didn't know how old you are?

6. What do you do that makes you lose track of time?

7. Turn on your favorite music listening device. What is the next song? What is the most played song? What is the least played song?

8. Slippers or socks?

8. You can only have one picture displayed in your entire house. Post the picture that you would choose, no explanation required.

9. If you could go back in time, which era would you choose to visit?

10. What's your favorite meal?

11. Quick, what do you see when you look at this.... ?