sleepytime trio

Daylight Savings Time is already screwing with me. Normally I pass out as soon as my head hits the pillow (thank you to the little bean inside of me for that) but last night I laid there for one… two… three hours. I kept trying to play with Luke to pass the time but he would have none of it. Even he was sleeping, it was awful. I tried to turn my brain off and just lay absolutely still but there was just too much running through it. Hopefully it won’t take my body two weeks to catch up like it did when we gained an hour a few months back.

As far as the little baby/bean is concerned, this week it is the size of a lime (much better than a prune). During this week, "your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future." How cute. The fruit updates don’t quite get me the way they used to because I’m struggling with other not-so-cute aspects of the pregnancy… the most frustrating being my migraines that I can’t take anything for (extra strength Tylenol is useless). They’re basically ruling my life at the moment, until I have a chance to make it to the doctor. The only relief they can give me is Tylenol 3 (pretty bizarre that codeine is considered safe)… I’m assuming that means no driving once I take that so I’ll most likely have to leave work for the headaches. Oh well. What can you do. I bought Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy because I heard it was hilarious and brutally honest (which it was) but it was about a 45 minute read. I’ll pass it along to the next pregnant lady I have in my life so she can be entertained for slightly less than an hour. I also flew through Beautiful Boy by David Sheff recently – it was extraordinarily close to home but an interesting read and I’ve passed it along to my mom... I think she’ll get a lot out of it.

Most of this past weekend was surrounded by basketball – championship tournament, team party at Glory Days, All-Star practice last night and finally the All-Star game tonight. I was pretty bummed last year when the season ended because it’s always fun to coach… but this year I’m just too exhausted so it’s ending at the perfect time. Our record doesn’t really prove how well we did but I think everyone had fun and that’s what counts. Other than basketball, we had a pretty relaxing weekend. I think we’re heading down to Richmond next Saturday for the day with my mom and sister to do some shopping… eat some food… and Steve wants to stop by Salvation to meet with Jimmy about finishing his arm. He has some good ideas and has taken awhile to figure out what he really wants – he’s big on his tattoos meaning something extremely important to him rather than just looking good, so he takes quite awhile in between to plan… he’s too cute. His next tattoo will be representative of our honeymoon – awww.

I stopped at Manhattan Bagel this morning on my way to work… I don’t normally eat breakfast that early but I scarfed a blueberry bagel down in the car and now I’m uncomfortably stuffed and it’s a Monday morning at work. Can this week please hurry up already?

epiphany

I had an epiphany tonight. Steve has been trying to slowly convince me of this for the past few days but I kept shrugging it off. Yes, I'm bloated... but I'm not this bloated:

Nope, that's just pregnant.

dun dun dun...

The nurse called from my doctor's office and after a lot of medical mumbo jumbo relayed to me that I have some wacky blood (my verbiage, not hers) so... yeah... we'll need to draw more blood during your next appointment. My arm just healed from its last stabbing and you already want more? Leave my little veins alone!

I waited on nationals.com in their 'virtual waiting room' for ages this morning only to see a pop-up announcing "We're sorry! Opening day tickets are no longer available." Bummer. Steve and I were really excited to go to opening day in their brand new stadium... we've only been to one other Nats game where the stadium looked remotely crowded, so this was a good opportunity to wave the foam finger among thousands and thousands of (non-Yankee) fans. I'd like to go when they play the Cubs but unfortunately that falls on the same night of the JEW/Paramore show... but maybe we can make it to the Sunday afternoon game. I hear the new stadium is amazing.

Every month our project makes a sad attempt at keeping us happy by having 'Terrific Tuesday'. It's a lame name for a lame breakfast - bagels and fruit. It never used to be lame. The fruit used to be delicious and arrive on these giant fruit trays with huge pieces of pineapple and canteloupe and lots of grapes for me (and only me)... the quality of the fruit tapered off over time until they eventually settled on these big bowls of mixed fruit instead. It's bizarre but each piece of fruit tasted the same - like vinegary garbage. True story. Everyone mumbled to themselves about how sad it is that they can't at least get us some decent fruit when we're one of Accenture's biggest contracts... and what do I find on this first Tuesday of the month (aka Terrific Tuesday)? No more fruit bowl... in fact, no fruit at all! You guys suck. I just want some pineapple with my bagel.

It's beautiful outside... we've been taking the dogs on some great walks, enjoying the weather, grilling hamburgers... but it's all a tease. By this weekend, we'll be freezing again. Enjoy it while it lasts!

we've got a heartbeat!

We spent a couple of hours at the doctor yesterday morning covering some of the necessities - lots of tests for me (my arm is still killing me from the seven vials of blood drawn), meeting with the women's health nurse to learn about the practice, signing a stack of forms for the delivery and aftercare and, finally, listening to the heartbeat! The nurse carefully explained to us that we should be prepared to come back in a couple of weeks because there was a possibility we wouldn't be able to find it... she spent four or five minutes with the doppler device rolling all over my tummy listening to my heartbeat (very creepy - sounded like it was a submarine) and I am pretty sure she was about to give up when all of the sudden we heart it - the steady, rapid and loud beating of a little baby heart! She let us listen to it for a minute or so and I just laid there with my mouth open - pretty amazing. I know it was a relief for Steve... he was really counting on hearing it at that appointment so I know he left happy. My official (albeit estimated) date of delivery is now September 29, 2008. I'll be happy if he/she is born in either September or October because I think they're both great months... so it works out well.

Speaking of the baby, we are now in week ten! This week the baby resembles a prune (as far as size is concerned), but I'd really prefer something cuter... like a walnut. This week, "with bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. (Soon, legs will too.)" Great success!

We officially have our tickets to see Jimmy Eat World and Paramore on April 26th - we bought them presale. Morgan is actually going which is awesome because she never goes to shows... and I finally get to bring my little sister (plus her friend) to her first show. It would have been better had it been at 9:30 instead of Bender Arena but I think she'll still be blown away. Steve and I are going to see Tracy Morgan tonight, too. I'm super excited because we've seen him before so we know how shocked the crowd is going to be by his act - he is dirty dirty dirty, but hilarious. We also have the first games of our basketball tournament this afternoon so today is pretty packed - I should go shower... but I figured this needed an well-deserved update - hearing that heartbeat yesterday blew my mind and we've moved onto a new (yet uglier) fruit.

How embarassing is this - this week in my car I toggled between two songs on my iPod: Dizzy by Jimmy Eat World (not embarassing, just the best song on their new album)... and that freaking Miley Cyrus song. I can't get it out of my head. Help!

olive you!

Our little thing (or "it" as my sister so generously likes to call it) is now the size of a green olive. This week, "your little embryo has now officially graduated to fetus-hood. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like... well... a baby!" Pretty amazing! I'm going to call this week to find out exactly what our appointment on Friday will entail (other than the piles of paperwork and family history questions). I'm hoping we'll be able to hear the heartbeat and not have to wait another two-three weeks. I took off the entire day (just because!) so I only have a four day work week! Hallelujah.

It's been a long weekend without the hubby and I'm exhausted... I'm off to watch some Oscar red carpet and eat Ben and Jerry's (just because!) all night. Oh yeah, p.s. screw you, Ralph Nader.

change we can believe in

I’m quickly tiring of the Obama bashing that the Clinton campaign has been stirring up… the way to come from behind and reclaim your lead isn’t by desperately negative attacks on your opponents character and “truthiness” (I’d like to thank Stephen Colbert for that golden nugget). How can we unite as a Democratic party if you continually attempt to divide us? How can we band together to win in November when at every campaign stop and in every debate you make disparaging and inaccurate remarks about a man who, although he is competing against you, is technically on your side in this political war? Unfortunately for us, the conservatives have selected a man to back (for the most part) and have months to build steam… we, on the other hand, have Hillary’s negative commentary driving a wedge in the middle of our party. I’m just praying that she’s unsuccessful in the weeks to come.

So, where’s this snow we’re supposed to have? All I see is rain and yet every school district and government agency is closed for the day… I’m jealous. Only two more hours before I leave work and get to go home and sleep all afternoon… zzZzZZZzzzZz...

only tuesday

We won our basketball game on Sunday, 32-31. It was a nail biter. The vacation list has been whittled down to Cancun/Isla Mujeres, Costa Rica, St. Thomas or St. Kitts... I'm okay with all of the above - I just want a beach to look forward to. June can't come soon enough. I just realized that last week's Valentine's Day was our tenth Valentine's Day together (!) and I still can't imagine my life any other way. Take that whoever won future Mr. and Mrs. senior year of high school (Steve was bitter). I'm over two months pregnant now (crazy!) and feeling it. My mom just came back from a week in Ireland with the most adorable wool baby hat and gloves... the small collection of miniature clothes that we're accruing is exciting. Our first appointment is next week... it'll be the first of hundreds, so I'm enjoying my appointment-less schedule right now. Steve will be out of town this weekend at a race with his dad, so we know what that means - time to shop. Jimmy Eat World/Paramore tickets also go on sale this weekend - we'll take six. Unfortunately, they're playing at Bender Arena (what's up with that?) and not 9:30/Rams Head/Sonar/Toad's Place... too bad. We'll still take six, thanks. I'm being ultra-productive at work today which I'm sure is hard to believe considering I'm blogging... but I'm finished now. Back to work.