Countdown

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90 days

As of today, there are a mere 90 days left until my sweet girl is due to arrive. She still doesn't have a name, but we are getting closer to narrowing down our options. She has a place to sleep, a way to get home from the hospital, diapers (but no wipes), and a couple of outfits. Though we could be (and will be) a lot more prepared, we are ready with the bare minimum of what she will need once she is here... and I am so ready to meet her! I hate to admit this, but I am not one of the ladies you hear about that glows during pregnancy. I pretty much hate everything about how I feel right now. I am so tired of the extra weight, of not being able to breathe or bend down to pick something up off the floor, of the heartburn, etc etc etc. But I would not trade it for anything. Knowing that I am about to have a daughter is one of the most amazingly HUGE things I have ever faced in my entire life. I am so thrilled, so in awe of the surprising path God has placed before me, and yet so terrified that I won't be ready, that we won't have the money to do what we need to do, that I will do something wrong and scar her for life! Life is already changing at an alarming rate - who would have ever thought that I would rather go buy a stroller than a new outfit?? I say all this to get it off my chest, but I hope that you all know how happy and excited I am. I want nothing more than to have this baby - despite the uncomfortable body, or any fear. In fact, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God has me, Drew and baby in His hands, and has since before she was even conceived. I know that He will continue to provide for our needs (even when we find that Blockbuster online is not a true need :) ). I am so excited to see our family grow - SO very excited for her first Christmas, her first time to go to the Fair with me. I await with anticipation those days when we can snuggle on the couch and watch a Pixar movie and eat popcorn. Every time I even begin to think of another little stocking hanging from my mantle I just tear up and get so happy. And footie pajamas... let's not even start on how amazingly cute and snuggly that will be!

I wanted to commemorate 90 days left with a picture, so I quickly snapped one this morning on my way out the door with my phone. I'll try to remember to get Drew to take a real one later to put in the Belly Book. I can't even remember what my waist looks like! I want it back!!

This weekend we went to Babies R Us and got a GREAT deal on her stroller and car seat. Isn't this box huge? I was considering last night what furniture we have in our house that I can get rid of so that we have room for all the baby stuff and a Christmas tree, haha. As soon as Drew carried the box in the house, Clark pawed and marked it as his - he doesn't have claws, so when he paws at something, that is his way of saying "Mine". Oh what changes are in store for our sweet kitty, haha.

Drew was a trooper and went with me to Babies R Us after dinner and the mall... can you believe that they are open until 11 pm on Friday nights??? Who decides "Hey, Target is closed and we have nothing else to do, let's go shop for baby gear!"?? Just crazy, I tell you. They are having some great deals right now, and it was hard for me to not be tempted to buy things I know we will need instead of waiting til after the shower. It was a good thing I had my level headed hubby with me :)

Ok baby, 90 days or less, are you listening to your Mama??

Ok, I'll admit, not the best looking stuff in the world. But OH SO TASTY!

Hatch King Ranch Chicken

1 jar Cromwell Hatch Chili Stew mix (you can get this at Central Market)
10 or so corn tortillas
4-6 hatch chilis, diced and seeded (you can get these now at Central Market, but I have made the recipe when I did not have access to them, and it turned out well)
1 can tomatoes with juice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
about half a pound of chicken, cooked and cubbed (use a rotisserie chicken!)
1 tsp chili powder
1 cup green onions, chopped
2 cups shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, combine green onions, chilis, tomatoes, chicken and chili powder and mix well.

In a 13x9 pyrex baking dish (or you can use 2 of the smaller ones and freeze one for later), layer approximately 1/4 cup of the green chili stew mix. Put a layer of tortillas, then the chicken mixture. Layer on the can of cream of mushroom soup, and most of the cheese, then pour about half of the jar of stew mix on top of all that. Add another layer of tortillas, then the rest of the stew, then cover in cheese.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until it is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.

DELISH!

6 and a half months

Week 26, captains log...
oh wait. scratch that. :)

Week 26 has definitely been a trying one. Not necessarily because of anything having to do directly with the baby (well, the fatigue is probably a contributing factor, but I digress). This has been one of the longest weeks I can remember in the past 26 weeks... trying, annoying, tiring, but also productive and successful. I have to say, there have been days where I have had little daydreams about what it would be like to quit my job in an angry fashion. But when I am actually teaching, I love it, and I think about my sweet little one and all the things that she needs before she arrives and I decide to keep my day dreams as dreams, and persevere. Gotta keep remembering the Bible verse that says that "perseverance must finish it's work so that [we] may be mature and complete. Not lacking anything."

Sunday, Drew and I headed to the church we have been visiting for a while now and had a great Sunday school and church service. We headed home for lunch and some relax time, and then headed out to Central Market for Hatch Chili Festival! Hatch Festival is my 3rd favorite time of the year, directly below Christmas and then the State Fair. I am a foodie, and proud of it. I got the freshest Hatch tortillas I have ever seen, and they were SO good! I ate one in the car on the way home, and then I have made quesadillas a couple of days to take to school. I also made Hatch King Ranch Chicken one day for dinner. I'll post the recipe this afternoon when I get home. So good!

Monday, Drew started back to school. Though I totally feel for him having to wake up so early every morning, it is nice for us to both be back on a schedule. I can not tell you how hard it was for me the few days last week that Drew didn't have to work to wake up and get dressed in the dark... hard to actually wake up that way :) He is such an amazing teacher, and I thank God for that man every day of my life. I am truly blessed.

Wednesday, Drew went back to taking classes at El Centro. He is currently working on taking courses in paralegal studies.

The best thing about Wednesday... a friend of mine sold me a Groupon she bought for a house cleaning. Bit A Bliss House cleaning came out on Wednesday afternoon and cleaned my kitchen, fridge, bathroom and bedroom... sparkling clean! And it smelled nice too! It was such a blessing, and it inspired me to do a TON of ironing (did Drew even have any shirts left??), and clean in the den. The house isn't perfect, never will be, but I can not tell you how nice it is to have that all clean now. Everytime I try to do what the girl did when I clean, I end up sneezing my head off and being sick for a day. No fun!

Yesterday was one of those days... I was annoyed at so many things, and so thankful that my sweet husband and my BFF were there to listen to me vent all my frustrations.

And now we are to Friday... oh THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!! It started out with a rough patch... my maternity jeans don't fit anymore!! GAH! And it was Spirit day, so I could wear an FBA t-shirt, but after trying on 4 and none of them fitting, I finally found just one that was stretchy enough to accomodate my growing belly. Oh so ready to have my body back the way it is supposed to be! I miss my waist!

This weekend, Drew and I plan on a trip to Babies R Us for a great deal they are having right now. www.babiesrus.com/trade-in If you bring in old baby gear, you can get 25% off select new baby gear, and the stroller I have had my eye on is part of the deal. We have a crib that is missing a part, and they will take it as a trade in for the stroller! I will feel so much better having a car seat for my baby girl... then at least we will have a place for her to sleep, a few packages of diapers, a way to get her home from the hospital, and a couple of outfits. There are so many other things she needs, but this would at least get us started :)

Ok, you know you are pregnant when... last night I actually had a DREAM about eating a Dairy Queen Blizzard. How bad is that? I so want to get one this weekend :)

10 things Never to do or say to a pregnant woman

Someone posted this on one of the many message boards I check that give me far too much information on being pregnant and birthing a child. I thought some of them were hilarious and thought I would share. I agree with most of these, but some of them don't bother me so much. See my additions in red.

1. The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations!" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you a jerk. This includes such statements as "It's going to completely change your life" or "You'll never go to another party again". Yes, I do realize it is going to change my life, but I do not plan on becoming a hermit because I have a child.

2. Through the wonders of science, we now know babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents or anyone else for that matter. Unless the baby is in your uterus, or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not use the phrase "my baby"

3. On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in 2., the pregnancy, birth and the raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it. Mom and Diane, I actually do value your opinion on this, haha... as with most women who have had babies before me. I think #3 is really speaking about people who offer opinions without being asked, or are constantly negative in their advice.

4. The body of a pregnant woman should be treated the same way as any other body. You would not randomly touch someones stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix, or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman. I actually don't mind when people touch my belly.... as long as it is an appropriate time and not for too long :) The talk about whether or not I will breastfeed is kind of odd to me though... especially when a guy asks. Why on earth do they want to know or care??

5. Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering you think she is about to pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!" This really really does make me mad. On my first day back to school for In Service, I can't tell you how many times I heard "Marcie, looks like you put on a little weight this summer." I'm sensitive enough about how much I weigh, and don't need to be reminded that this cute, tiny thing inside me is making me look like the Goodyear Blimp!

6. Most of us have picked up on the fact that summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes. And on the same note, I don't want to hear how "freezing" you are in 90 degree weather. I still sweat 24/7.

7. There is a reason that tickets to L&D are not sold yet on ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, MIL or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt or genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents. I am announcing this publicly to the world: I am totally fine with having my friends and family visit in the hospital while I am laboring, however, the moment a doctor or nurse comes in to "check" anything, get out. And along the same lines, while I am delivering my child, it will be me and Drew in the room... you can wait a few minutes and see her after I've done the hard work :)

8. Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are not invited. This includes doctor visits, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital, and the parents home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth, or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out". If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it. I'm ok with visitors. If I want you to leave and tell you to get out, though, please don't take offense... just remember I'm tired and hormonal :)

9. If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more then the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules, and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from various locations lift a finger in housework is not helping. Word.

10. The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth, or ask you to wait 3 weeks to visit, appreciate that you are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less. Again, we are family oriented people - those close to us will be included, especially since she will be born around the holidays! But whining is never a good idea!

6 Months

It has been an awfully long time since my last blog post, and instead of trying to recap everything that has happened and make myself crazy, I'll give you some of the highlights from my belly book since I tend to keep that a little more consistently than I do my blog:

Week 21:
Left to go to Missouri to visit Drew's family. Kept very busy doing fun things. Drew went fishing, kayaking and shooting with his dad, while Diane and I did our best to stay cool, near bathrooms and well fed, haha. We did lots of antiquing and found the perfect dresser/changing table to use in the nursery. With Diane's help, we got it refinished and "antiqued" so that it will look perfect with the vintage/quilt theme I have chosen for the nursery.

Week 22:
Since Sunday marks a new week, the first day of week 22 was by far one of the best. The sweet friends at Mike and Diane's church threw a wonderful shower for us. Nicole was the ring leader to the wonderful festivities and I highly appreciate all she did. It was beautiful, and we came home with lots of clothes and diapers for our sweet little one. I need to snap some photos of the sweet things we got and post them here. We feel truly blessed after that wonderful party!
I didn't feel great this week, but that has stopped surprising me. I love being pregnant because of the baby, but I hate everything else about being pregnant, haha. I haven't been comfortable in quite a while now, and I'm just kind of ready to feel some semblance of normalcy again.
Another great thing about week 22 was that we went to go see Despicable Me. Seriously one of the funniest movies I have ever seen in my LIFE! I can't wait to see it again.

Week 23:
Last week was a bunch of nice, covered in sneezes and itchy eyes, haha. Drew and I had a nice time resting and relaxing at home after our 2 week trip to Missouri, but it seems that as soon as I got in the car to come home, my allergies switched into demonic gear and haven't let up since. My eyes are so itchy that they are starting to look swollen and totally red. Luckily I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so maybe she can suggest something different to help me get some relief.
On Thursday, we decided to make a somewhat impromptu trip to the Hill Country for a mini vacation this summer since we really hadn't gotten to do any fun traveling together this summer. On our way to San Marcos for the night, we stopped at Innerspace Caverns. I have always wanted to stop there, and though I am glad to have the experience, it definitely did not live up to my expectations. It is a privately owned cave, rather than on public land, and so it was much more expensive than either of us expected. They cram as many people on each tour as they possibly can, and then take you from the bright Texas sun, down a tunnel into a dark cave, where the first thing they do is put you in front of bright spot lights and take your picture with a bright flash. Then they shuffle you back into the dark cave before your eyes adjust. On the path back to the cave, they happen to have a huge rock that juts our into the path at apparently 6'1" exactly... and poor Drew's head connected with the rock and he got a pretty huge gash on the side of his head. Looks pretty horrible. So, in this picture, he doesn't look so happy because he has a bloody gash on his head:

The cave was pretty cool, and they do let you take photos, which is nice. Longhorn caverns, which is a much nicer experience, only let you take photos without a flash, which is difficult at best in the darkness of a cave. Though, I did see on their website recently that they offer a photographer's tour... might be something I want to look into. This next photo is of a painting by a local artist of the types of animals they found in an archeological dig of one of the sink holes in the cave. I can't remember the name of it, but they said this particular animal was as big as a volkswagon bug, and they found a ton of them buried in the cave that fell in from one of the sinkholes.

After leaving the cave, and stopping at Dairy Queen for one of many blizzards on the trip, haha, we headed to San Marcos. Our first stop was the Aquarena Center at the University, where we took a glass bottom boat tour of the springs of the San Marcos River, and checked out the aquarium and other spots along the start of the river. Absolutely beautiful, clear, blue waters. I would have liked to have spent more time on the river, but we had things to do and places to see!

We stayed at a B&B overnight that was very nice, but warm and bright lights at night... not to mention the train that passes through near the University ALL NIGHT LONG! I didn't sleep very well that night. But I am getting ahead of myself.

After checking into the B&B, we headed to the famous Salt Lick for dinner. This is a very well known bbq place in Driftwood, Texas and it definitely lived up to it's name. We had a great time talking and enjoying some tastey bbq, and Drew proved his excellent driving skills on the 2 lane, curvy, hilly, high speed limit drive on the way there and back. Have I mentioned lately how much I love that guy??

Friday, we woke up and went to breakfast at the... bed and breakfast... yeah. Did I mention that I hadn't slept very well? Well, as soon as we sit down, the lady puts a champagne type glass in front of me full of OJ, and before she had even filled Drew's glass, the first thing I do is spill the whole dang thing all over their nice, white table cloths. Lack of sleep, pregnancy hormones, and the Asian guy at the next table who laughed at me had me at the verge of tears, but I reminded myself that we do not cry over spilt OJ and did my best to enjoy the breakfast. I was sure that this was an omen for a horrible day ahead, but I was wrong Thank God!

After breakfast, we donned our swimsuits and headed out to Hamilton Pool. This place was AMAZING! It was kind of a trek down to the swimming pool, so I didn't take my camera, but it was by far the most beautiful location we have seen in a while.

I borrowed this image from http://attractions.uptake.com/blog/hamilton-pool-nature-preserve-texas-2601.html so that you could see how amazingly beautiful this place is. It is this cool little swimming hole that is fed by a river that falls into this cave like area by waterfall. You must go there sometime.

After swimming for a bit, we hit up the Nutty Brown Cafe for lunch and had the biggest chicken fried chicken I have ever seen (as big as my face, no lie) and some of the most amazing mashed potatoes I've ever had. Again with the not taking pictures thing... I blame it on starvation, haha.

All in all, it was a great trip and I am so thankful to have such a wonderful Hubby to take me to all these cool places. He was so sweet watching out for me and taking care to make sure I didn't get hungry or dehydrated... not to mention stopping for my many potty breaks. This baby thinks it's hilarious to kick in the bladder area. So not funny - and if she keeps it up, she's grounded!

People have been asking for a new belly shot lately, so I quickly got Drew to snap this one this afternoon after my nap. Not quite the best photo ever, but you can see how big my baby bump is getting. I can't wait til this little girl is here!

Six months down, 3 to go... 3 very busy, full, exciting months to go!