Geeking out

Today was my last radio event until after the baby. I did a remote with our lovely music director Amy. We were at the beautifully remodeled Ace Hardware near Hilldale. Ace is running a contest for budding business people. If you pass a serious of tests and interviews you could potentially win your own million dollar store.
To help promote this Bill Rancic from Season 1 of the Apprentice.
Who by the way is one of the nicest men I have ever met. I completely expected him to not be so nice. One he is famous engaged to one of my favorite tv personalities. Two he has a pretty solid income. Three he works for Donald Trump.
Not only did he make a point of using my name in conversation he rubbed my baby belly. :)
You can tell he is from the Midwest. He is nice.

On top of it the employees of Ace Hardware were lovely as well. So nice that I am going back to buy paint for the baby's room there.
What a nice way to end prior to baby hiatus!!!

Reconnecting...

So now that I am going to become a Mom, my Mom and I have become even closer.
This reconnection started with my wedding, petered out a little and is back in high gear.
My Mom has these great stories about being pregnant with me and a hippie Mom. What is also cool is I get to talk about things with her that we just normally don't.
Like politics. My Mom is a smart cookie but because she is a farm girl with only a high school education I think she gets a complex.
She shouldn't, she has had an amazing life and brings a lot of wordly wisdom to the table.
She used to be shy about telling me about her political leanings. Lately not as much. The more we talk the more I realize I get some of my personality from her as well as my Dad.
I just hope my children will have a good relationship with us.
Something to work on.

Really? ugh...

So I may offend my feminist friends here and you know who you are :). But Hillary Clinton running for president?! Yuck.
I am sorry but I had issues with that woman when she was married to Bill. She has done some good things but she also tends to run at the mouth and say some pretty offensive things.
I am all about a woman running for president but my preference would be someone along the lines of the late, great Ann Richards.
Not Mrs. Clinton.
I am really nervous about our options so far for president.
With the state of things as they are now it's pretty obvious we need a drastic change but let's not go crazy here.
How about a Happy Medium?
Who that is? I have no idea...
And that concludes my political ramblings for this week. :)

Oh my friends you make me giggle... :)

Paul and Beth how you make me laugh!
Both your baby name suggestions are lovely just lovely!
Unfortunately I have a baby daddy who I have to convince of things as well. I love my husband but we are definitely facing roadblocks in picking out names.
Therein lies my problem.
Chris and I are struggling to agree on names...
Since you had such great boy name suggestions - what about girl's names?!

In two weeks...

We find out if we are having a boy or a girl and get to see our first picture of our baby.
I am very excited and a little nervous. Since I had a heart condition when I was little I have been poked and prodded the last few visits to see if the baby will have any problems. This next appointment will hopefully be the last of it's kind.
Chris and I are leaning toward not telling people if we are having a boy or a girl. Which I know is lately unheard of. But we would really love to have this to share with each other.
Once we find out the quest for a baby names continues. We had some picked out but now that the time is getting closer we keep changing our mind.
One of my personal favorites for a little boy: Ian Lorenzo. My husband not too jazzed about thqat one. :)
We will have to see ....

Poor Mr. Max

My poor dog :). He and I have been spending a lot of time together now that I only work part time. One of my new afternoon rituals with him is watching The Dog Whisperer.
A few things I have learned - my dog is actually quite well behaved. Imagine writing the book Marley and Me and having your current dog eat the family chickens.
Yikes!

Watching the Dog Whisperer though has also given me some great suggestions on how to handle some bad habits Max does have. Specifically barking at everything! I appreciate that he barks at the door to door sales people but not our poor neighbor two doors down who is just trying to shovel his driveway.
So I have been showing him that I am the dominant dog. My husband finds it comical. Max however seems to be benefiting from it. I know I have. He comes inside when called and knows if I snap my fingers that means it is time to sit. He even is slowly learning the elusive Down command!
I just feel bad for him he was kind of skating by then I saw the Dog Whisperer and found out you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Belly

I have popped some more. We are actually going to take a picture and email it to friends and family. For the last few months I have been so worried about not putting on enough weight for the baby then my belly starting growing.
I am still light on the weight side of things for what doctors suggest for pregnant ladies but my baby seems to be doing ok.
The biggest adjustment is people randomly feeling compelled to touch or ask me about my pregnancy. Which I guess is nice but I don't know you. Please be gentle to my tummy.

I am going to start swimming after work to try and help me control my blood pressure also it will be great excercise. Just feel bad for my fellow swimmers who will see me in my swimsuit.
It is still hard to grasp the fact that next year this time we will have a little person.
I am pretty stoked.
I hope the baby likes us as much as we are going to like and love it.

Four months...

So I have entered my fourth month as a Baby Momma. I have to say if one get through the first trimester the second trimester is not too shabby. My only real issues and some would say not issues - I am hungry all the time, I have heartburn all the time, my back is always sore and there is a nerve in my booty that constantly hurts. Compared to my first three months I am serious when I say - welcome issues.
Because why? I can eat.
My cravings are letting up a little but I still love me a good burger with everything including a big old raw onion.
Shockingly I am still not putting on much weight but as my husband says I have become all belly.

My coteacher has brought her 3 month old by a few days this week and holding her felt so good. She even had a serious fit and I thought it was the longest 15 minutes of my life waiting for her warm bottle to appear but I survived with a smile on my face. This gives me hope, crying babies though have never been an issue for me. I feel bad but now that is how they tell you what's up. So you figure out the cry and get them what they need. It may take 3 minutes or 3 hours but eventually it will come.

My biggest concern - childcare. Where I work they offer free childcare but if the baby gets fussy or needs a change they call my classroom. With family so far away this will be a hurdle. But again we will make it work.

In a few weeks I get to see a picture of the little one in my tummy. Can't wait!

Welcome 2007

2006 was a rough year for Chris and I. The biggest highlight was obviously finding out we were going to be parents.
Unfortunately some very important people are not here to share in our happiness.

So we are excited for a new year and new beginnings.
The end of 2006 was definitely heading toward the positive here is hoping it will continue.

We are having people over to watch the Bowl game.
I am torn I love my Badgers but my love for my Grandma creates a soft spot for the Razorbacks.
Either way go Red. :)