Pictures

Finally, here are pictures of the nursery.

I'm at home today, trying to get some work done. It snowed a little, with some sleet underneath that...I don't know what the roads are like. I'm not feeling too good anyway. I couldn't breathe all night so I didn't sleep much. My vaporizer apparently doesn't work anymore (I don't know if it actually doesn't work or if it just doesn't help me anymore).

Ice (sort of)

So, the big Ice Storm of 2009 was mostly uneventful for us. I woke up and saw that city schools were out, so I figured it must be terrible. But the roads are fine. Supposedly it might snow some tonight but I doubt it. We have the world's most boring weather. The ice has messed up our phones though. I haven't had cell service all day, and our office phones are also not working properly. I don't like not having cell service when all I have is a cell phone. They should really pro-rate our bills so we don't have to pay for this. I'm sure AT&T will get right on that.

I promise I do have pictures to post of the completed nursery (minus the name and a shelf). I just have to find time to upload them. I found a really cute line of Fisher Price stuff to buy (the play yard, high chair, bouncer, swing and some other smaller things). I'm excited to buy the fun stuff, but it's expensive.

Long Weekend

I enjoyed my three day weekend. Nick had to work, but gets off for President's Day. He finished our nursery this weekend. The furniture is put together and in place, and we have the bedding in the crib (as much as we can, without having a mattress yet). We just have to hang some things on the walls, and we're totally finished. Although I don't think we'll ever be totally finished. I am enjoying this part of the pregnancy, because I can finally feel my body changing. I can't lay on my stomach anymore, which is hard for me. I always read that it would be uncomfortable, and I was like, well not for a long time. I'm not very big yet, but it is painful. And since I'm not supposed to lay on my back, my body wakes itself up. So it's getting hard to sleep. I have to sleep on my side, but my arms fall asleep really easily. Luckily I got to sleep in a little Saturday and today. I am beginning to be able to feel the baby move around a lot more now too. Nick felt her for the first time, although it's usually not that hard. I started playing music for her over the weekend. It's kind of funny that my child's not even born and already listening to an iPod. I'm going to start reading to her soon. We bought a baby doll, because we're supposed to have one for childbirth class (and also because I've read it helps dogs become accustomed to a new baby). It cries and makes different noises. Sydney couldn't really care less, but Izzy is very freaked out. She wants to sit by her and stare at her, but if we move her or she makes noise, it scares Izzy. I worry about them, especially given the amount of attention they're used to.

Hawaii

http://www.govisithawaii.com/2008/10/09/beware-hawaii-is-addictive/

I like this story. I hate cold weather, and it's so cold here. And 8 years seems like a long time to wait to go back to Hawaii.

Sports...ugh

I love sports, obviously. But why? I mean, seriously. The Braves are going to be terrible again (my mother says they're going to be bad forever), WKU is bipolar (that's probably not politically correct, but true), and the stupid Titans are out of the playoffs. I don't even like the NFL, but I usually watch the Titans, and this year Nick and I watched most of their games on tv. Nick told me they would lose Saturday, because it seems like they had been getting a little worse each game. But I tried to be optimistic, and after they didn't have a completely terrible first half (they have a problem with first halves), I thought they'd be ok. Especially when it's such a low-scoring, close game and Rob Bironis is your field goal kicker. He's pretty awesome. And the no call on the play clock thing kind of ticked me off. But honestly, they played terrible. Who has that many penalties in a play off game? For real, was Coach Elson out there coaching? Obviously next year I should not be as interested in football...although it might be easier to get tickets now.

Anyway, Nick and I have a busy schedule this week, which I'm starting to get tired of. Our furniture (minus the chair) should be here this week, so I'm assuming that will take up the weekend as well. I really envy those people who have free time (do they exist?).

Smoltzie

I know I haven't posted about this yet...but I'm a little angry with the Braves right now. I understand that Smoltz has been hurt, might not be ready for opening day, blah blah blah. But to me, the Braves have always (for the 17 years I've been watching) been about loyalty. And it's not like Smoltz is a terrible player. I mean, he's John Smoltz. And now Chipper is pissed, so this will probably be his last year in Atlanta too. I've always loved the Braves, and I'll watch them even when they suck, like now. But will I watch them if they get rid of everyone, even though they apparently have lots of money? I'm not sure. My kid will never know who John Smoltz is. That's sad.

Flutter

I felt the baby move for the first time Tuesday. It's a very weird feeling...not that I'm complaning, because it's cool. But it's surreal. It's like I've been drinking lots of water and then working out...that weird feeling like liquid is sloshing around in my stomach. Which is a weird way to characterize my daughter's first movements...or the first ones I've felt anyway. Also, it kind of feels like acid reflux. Like I said, it's bizarre. We ordered the furniture this week, and we're ordering our glider Saturday. Once all that is assembled and in the room, I can put up the things I got for the walls...and then everything will be finished. For now. I think we have decided on a name. I hope so, because I want to buy the letters and paint them. Which might be a bad reason to rush choosing a name. Oh well.

And it's a...

Girl! I told you. I'm excited, except that the girl clothes are pink. I hate pink. No pink for my kids! Seriously, I'll take it back. Anyway, here are pictures from the ultrasound, the nursery, and Mikaela's baptism.

What in the world am I going to name a girl?

Today

So, today is our ultrasound. Finally. Hopefully they will be able to tell us if it's a boy or a girl (so I can quit saying "it"). I thought for the longest time that it was a girl, and now I think maybe a boy. So really, I have no idea. Nick would really like a boy...and also, I keep thinking back to myself as a teenager. I think (hope) boys are easier during that time. But I think they're a little harder during the toddler years. Of course, those might just all be stereotypes with no truth to them. Guess we'll find out. Eventually we'd like a boy and a girl, so whichever one God wants us to have first. I'm a little afraid I might end up with something crazy, like 7 girls. That would be my payback...and Nick probably will keep trying until we get a boy. So if it was up to me, I would have the boy first and adopt a girl. I like deciding on things, and then seeing what God does. If it is a boy, Nick has already picked out a John Deere blanket for us to get. The ultrasound is today at 4:00pm, so pray that everything goes well. It's not just about finding out the gender...they look for other things also, although I don't really know what.

Mikaela got baptized yesterday. I got to baptize her (with Cindy). It was pretty cool. She's at a cool age (for me, though not for my parents) where we can talk about things like God now. I hope I can continue to be a good influence on her, and set a good example for her. Nick took a few pictures, so I'll try to post one or two later. My parents were worried that she would be nervous and mess up, but she was fine.

Since Nick was off work for 3 days last week, he finished the nursery. Well, he has to touch up the paint on the trim and chair rail, but he got it all painted and put up the chair rail. I also have pictures of that to post later. I think it looks really good. I think it's so cool to have a husband who can do that stuff. We don't have to pay people to do stuff for us. Quite a change for me. We're going to order the furniture today. We had found furniture we liked, and then I checked yesterday and the prices had gone way up. But I found a couple things I like better at Babies R Us. However, there's not a crib to match, so we'll have to order it and hope it matches. And if not, we'll paint it. I'll be glad to get this stuff ordered and in the room.

Anyway, our weekend was not too eventful. We watched a lot of basketball (like UNC getting beat and UofL beating UK!), went to see our guys play, and hung out a little. I love college basketball season. I'm also glad that Nick loves sports as much as I do...it would be weird to be married to someone who didn't. Or who loved boring sports. Although we are going to see the Predators play next month. Still, I don't think we'll ever become hockey fans.

Vegan

I bought this book (http://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Bitch-Bun-Oven-Becoming/dp/0762431059). It's pretty funny and entertaining, until I came to the chapters about not eating dairy and meat. Nick has this philosophy about not reading or seeing something if it will upset you, but I like to be informed. And also I like animals. And mostly I think avoidance as a way of life is silly and immature. But now that I know these terrible things they do to animals, how can I eat them? It's not like I just read the book and believed it all. I did some research too. And I have an easier time with no meat...but no dairy? I love dairy...especially ice cream and cheese. I know that there are a lot of substitutes for dairy, but not so much here in BG. Especially not at Walmart. But I'm going to give it a try. It's kind of overwhelming. Peta has a list of companies that test on animals, and it's pretty much everything I use. They also call for a boycott of Petsmart, and I love that store. All we have is a Petco, but they sell animals also. I think that all this is going to do is make me feel guilty (I own things made with leather, my dogs didn't come from the shelter, my deodorant is tested on animals!). I asked Nick about it last night...he loves meat and dairy and thinks I'm stupid. But he used to work at Perdue, which is a poultry plant. I asked him about some of the things my book said, and he couldn't deny them. And he still loves chicken. So, add to my list of new year's resolutions becoming a vegan.