Best line ever

Yesterday, at my brother's house, we celebrated by having brunch.  My mom was talking about the sausage balls.  Aaron said, "Your mom just said, "Balls."  All of the siblings and spouses died out laughing.  Most of us we're sitting at the dining room table together with no kids.  I said, "I do believe that this is the kid's table."  Leave it to my husband to put a smile on our faces and to make us laugh.

How could I forget?

I forgot to mention one of my best gifts, a ticket from B to the Liz Phair concert on January 30th at Mercy Lounge. Word!  I also got some owl decals, which I'm not sure if I'm going to use in the nursery or take back, and a Target gift card.  Make that two Target gift cards, after the celebration with my family yesterday.

I was going to venture out and use the gift cards today, but I decided, due to the fact that I work the next two days and I'm already going out on Thursday, I'll wait until Thursday to use them.  I've already decided that, since I'll know the baby's sex on Thursday, I'd pick something up for him/her while I'm Target.  See, this works out much better. 

So, today, I'm lounging in my pjs, picking up the house, and putting our Christmas gifts in their new homes.  I'm still snotty, but I feel better than yesterday.  After my brother's house, I came home and fell asleep around 5:30 and slept until 8:30.  I must kick this illness before New Year's Eve or I probably won't make it until midnight.  That would be a tragedy. 

More later on the gifts I got from my Mom with pictures to boot!

Words for the New Year

    (Image from Everything Fabulous)

For the record

• I can now feel the baby move!  (B, hope you didn't just throw up in your mouth a little)  It started last Tuesday. Although, I did think I felt it around 15 weeks, but not again, so I was a tad bit worried.  Well, let me just say I usually don't start to feel it until around 9:00pm.  This baby totally has night and day confused.  That's going to be loads of fun when he/she is here.  I've been feeling it pretty much every day since.  Sometimes a lot and sometimes just a few times.  Pretty much exclusively late at night, except for last night around 7:30 when Aaron and I were watching White Christmas during one of the musical numbers.  Apparently, the child likes some music. 
• Speaking of music, Aaron bought me a Squeezebox for Christmas.  For those of you that don't know what a Squeezebox is, it's like a radio that plays different Internet and social network music.  Like, I can play the music on Facebook or on Pandora (Pandora being why I wanted it).  Ever since I experienced it at B and D's house, I have wanted one.
• I'm totally getting sick.  Ugh.  I was just bragging last Wednesday night at work that I haven't been sick, since November of last year.  Well, flash forward to my drive home that night and suddenly my throat was sore.  I'm going to try to fight it off, but I'm pretty sure my sinuses have already thrown in the towel.  Thanks for that, my friends.
• Ultrasound on Thursday.  Yes, we will find out the sex!  Woot!  This baby better cooperate.  I'm going to promise things like ponies, castles and candy, if he/she will just not be modest for one day.
• We're celebrating Christmas with my family tomorrow.  I cannot wait!  I've already had a pretty fantastic Christmas.  The family time and cuddling with Aaron has been amazing.  Not to mention that everyone must think I've been good this year because I've gotten way too many gifts.  Here are some of things that I've received so far:  the Squeezebox, Juno, a zombie video game (that I lost interest in after 30 minutes, but Aaron played for an hour), two new scarves, a Baby-G watch, a new hair dryer, my Kat Von D eyeliner, multiple sweet pea hand sanitizers, date night gift cards, one for Chiles/Macaroni Grill/Maggiano's and one for the movie theater, a meat thermometer that you put into the meat your cooking, but the base stays on the counter top, lots of lotion, felt flower brooches hand made by B, candy, cold hard cash that I used for the Portia De Rosi book and my Baby Bargains book (I still have $70+ left), a cute owl figurine/decor thingy, a new Christmas ornament, and more things that I can't think of right now.  Insane, right?  I still have tomorrow too.  
• I reached out to the Bio dad's mom, who really was the one that took care of me when I went to his house.  She's called me about a million times since and I still have not called her back, but I plan on it.  I didn't realize the bio dad lives with her, so he could answer the phone.  I did it for the baby though because I guess he/she has a right to know them.  I love my grandmother to death, so I should have reached out sooner, but it was complicated.  I'll leave it at that.  I have this bad feeling like, "What have I done?" 
• I get to drive home on slick roads. Yea!  Not.  I love snow when I'm at home and not having to drive home at 1:00am in the morning.  I love when people keep walking in saying, "Those roads are getting bad out there."

That's it and that's all for now.  I'll have something more interesting to say later, if you're lucky!

The most wonderful day of the year

That was actually yesterday when Aaron and I celebrated Christmas together.  I cooked a big meal, we opened gifts, and watched White Christmas.  It was perfection really.  I'm at work today.  Blah.  We've been slammed, but actually have become less slammed (we don't say slow in the ER or it comes back to bite us).

I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  I hope you're Christmas was filled with love and was the best day of the year.  Now onto the New Year that holds nothing, but good things and happiness for us all.  I'm willing it that way. :)

One for the gratitude journal

After writing the last post, it made me start to think about about the man we saw outside of Target last weekend when my mom and I went Christmas shopping.  It was cold and raining.  He was standing out in the rain with no umbrella and a jacket, not a coat.  He held a sign that stated that he had been laid off from work, had a wife and two kids, and they had been evicted from their home.  He was selling Hersey's chocolate bars for whatever people would pay.

I learned from working downtown, that you can't always believe those signs or the people that are holding them.  It makes me sad that we live in a world where people would take money from other people based on a lie.  However, this man seemed different.  First of all, he had to be absolutely freezing.  It's almost wintertime, the temperature had drastically drop and it was raining.

I was driving and couldn't reach my purse, but my mom said that she had some cash to give him.  She rolled down her window and handed him a $5 bill.   She told him that he could keep his candy to sell to someone else.  Never have I witnessed such profound gratitude. He thanked her over and over and said that he hoped that it came back to her a 1,000 times.  He could not have been more appreciative. 

My mom and I both got teary-eyed as we drove away.  When I tried to tell Aaron the story later that night, I started to cry.  To be honest, I'm crying now.  Call it the hormones, but really I've always been a sucker for warm heart filled gestures and making/seeing people happy.  That $5 may as well have been $1,000 by the way he reacted.  The man was desperate enough to stand out in the freezing cold rain in a jacket with no hood and no umbrella to sell candy bars for his family. 

I've prayed for him and his family to be taken care of in this holiday season and new year.  I hope they are at least warm and that those kids have a winter coat, a roof, and food in their bellies.  Thinking about his situation, made me ashamed of my last post.  The post about wanting only necessities and having money to buy something I wouldn't ordinarily buy just because I have the money.   

As you can see, my momma is a really good person.  She instilled her values in me.  I've been told at work and other times that I have a really kind soul, how sweet I am, and how they can tell I actually care about people.  One of my coworkers said to me one day not too long ago, "Does your momma know what a good job she did with you?  I want you to tell her how great she did and that I said  so."  I did tell her and her face lit up.  It kind of made my day.  It's not about monetary things or huge things, it can be a smile to someone who's having a bad day or holding the door open for someone.  It doesn't take much to lift some one's spirits.

I've been told that when I smile, you can tell I really mean it.  Of course, I do!  Why would anyone smile at someone and not mean it?  I am so not fake.  Besides, I don't want that negative karma coming back at me. I completely believe that whatever energy you put out is what you are going to receive back.   

I try to live my life in a way that I can be proud of and hold my head up high.  In a way, that I hope my children will admire and follow after.  After all, I had an excellent role model that steered me in the right direction. And for that, I am forever grateful. 

All this cheddar and nothin' to buy

I got some money for Christmas from the O parents.  Do you know how sad it is for me that I can think of nothing really to buy for myself, besides some Itunes songs?  All I can think of are necessity things that I can buy myself, like maternity clothes, new scrubs, new bras and underwear or things for the baby/nursery.  Things that I would have bought with my own money.  How sad is that? 

I may buy some new black boots, but even that idea is just ho hum.  Last year, I had a list of things that I wanted.  I guess I'm truly turning into a mother now, necessities and things for the kids only.  Pretty soon, I'll be in Mom jeans and a sweatshirt with my hair in a ponytail with no makeup on. 

It makes me curious to see what other people bought for me, especially my mom and Aaron, since I really didn't tell them anything that I wanted, besides some Sephora Kat Von D eyeliner that I know I'm going to get from Aaron because I begged for it and complained about my current eyeliner until he asked me if I just wanted it now, which means he already bought it and because the little Sephora bag is peaking out from under his nightstand, but don't tell him I know, he hates ruining the surprise of presents.

Calling all crafters

Can I tell you how much I love waking up at 5:00 am to go to the bathroom, only to have the husband's alarm go off when I crawl back into the warm bed?  Now, maybe I could have gotten past those two things if my dang stomach would have stopped growling so loudly.  Did I mention that I worked last night? 

I did finally manage to fall back asleep after playing on my phone (reading blogs, emails, facebook, and craigslist) for three hours!  I totally killed my battery.  What did I do again before the iphone?  It definitely wasn't lay in a warm bed with the whole world of the internet at my fingertips.  That phone is like crack when you have nothing better to do.

Speaking of crack, most people who are in the Brentwood/Franklin area are smoking some crack with their prices of their furniture on Craigslist.  I'm sorry that you over paid for your furniture, but I'm not paying $600 for your used and not that impressive furniture. 

I did find something that caught my interest.  I've been scouring the internet looking for a rocker for the nursery.  Let me say, I want a rocker that looks like a regular chair with rockers on the bottom and not one of those gliders.  Think Pottery Barn, but I'm steering clear of their $1,000 price tag for one. 

I found this chair on Craigslist today. I like the size, though it may be too big, and style.  Surprisingly, it's in Brentwood and only $50. 

Now, you're probably wondering two things:  1.  Do I actually like that color?  and 2.  That chair doesn't rock, does it?  No and No.  I want to get it reupholstered, but I have no idea where to go or how much it's going to cost.  I need some advice.  As far as the rocking, my mom's boyfriend asked to speak to me the other day when I was talking to her on the phone, turns out, he had a fantastic idea.  He told me, since it's going to be hard for me to find a rocker that I actually like the fabric of that isn't $500+, he suggested that I find a chair that I like and he can add rockers to it, as long as the legs are attached in a way that they can come off easily.    He's a great woodsman/craftsman or whatever you want to call it.  He told me that the rockers would probably cost about $50 to make, depending on the wood I choose.  I'm telling you, he and my mom are all about this baby.  I'm thankful for his suggestion because I wouldn't have thought of that. 

Now, as far as, the reupholstering, has anyone ever had anything reupholstered or know of anyone that has used a local company to do it or even that has done it themselves?  Ask your friends and family (hide yo' kids and your wife...if you haven't seen this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y54yESyq6Io, watch it now.  It's high-larious!) for me, please.  I realize it's probably at least $200, not counting the fabric.  If anyone wants to learn how to reupholster and help me, let me know too!

Token pregnant blogger post

 -  This heartburn/reflux is ridiculous.  Seriously.  I've heard it's only going to get worse.  Thank goodness, I can take Tums.  Otherwise, I'm sure my esophagus would already be eroded by now.  I can no longer drink soda or hot tea.  They are by far the worst at producing burning results on my poor throat and chest.  Hmm, maybe it's your body's way of making sure you don't ingest any caffeine.

-  I want this stroller so badly.  Too bad it's the price of our house payment.  The PA that is also pregnant at work bought the more expensive stroller in this brand.  Who knew I could get so jealous over a stroller!

-  I'm having really vivid dreams.  I wouldn't say that they are all nightmares, but they aren't laid back ones either.  The one where the baby was born premature at a pound and 6 ounces and the doctor's just stood there while her lips were turning blue and I started yelling at them to do something and then finally jumped up and started CPR on my own child.  Yeah, that one wasn't a good one.  I bolted awake and when I fell back asleep, I went right back into the dream, only this time the doctors said they had to keep the baby underwater in the ocean in a type of pod to keep her alive.  Most of my friends were there helping us out at the beach.  By the way, Beaz you feel in love (or like) with my ex-boyfriend, who was also there helping us.  See, completely bizarre.  Last night I dreamed I was not married, but instead pregnant by a guy who I had only known about 4 months or so.  We were living with two of his best friends.  It turned out that all three were criminals.  I was trying to explain to the cops that yes I was pregnant with his child and living with these guys, but I had no idea that they were criminals. They left me high and dry too.  Though, the baby daddy did call and apologize to me.  I ended up finding them and running from the cops with them.  We held some girl up by gun point and made her ride with us. I don't remember why now.  Oh yeah, in the dream, I propositioned the baby daddy's best friend to sleep with me. You all know I'm such a slut and all.  He told me that he would love too, but that he knew that I would regret it later.  Um, what guys says that?  Apparently, the gender roles were reversed in that dream, fo' sure.  I wonder what tonight will hold for me?

-  Last time I checked I was up 6 pounds.  I haven't weighed again, since Thursday.  I know, I've gained more.  I'm afraid to look.  My stomach came out of no where in the last two days.  Granted, I still don't look pregnant really, but the belly pooch is much more noticeable now.  It looks like I've been enjoying the holidays a little too much!  I think it's probably because I'm enjoying milk a little too much.

-  We're, hopefully, going to find out the sex of the baby on December 30.  I am so excited.  No, I don't have a feeling either way.  People keep asking me that like I'm supposed to know.  I don't have a clue.  The only thing that I have is that the baby is always a girl in my dreams.  I'm sorry to my son, if "she" turns out to be a boy. 

-  I feel much better than in the beginning.  My energy has returned.  I'm able to stay up until 1:00 or 2:00 without a problem, which is great, since that is my work schedule and all.  Speaking of that, I'm totally dreading returning to that schedule when I get back from maternity leave.  I won't see the baby or Aaron at all on days I work, unless I have to get up and feed the baby early, which I probably will.

-  I still haven't felt the baby move yet.  Though, I do think I did about a week ago, but that was the only time.  I'm hoping that I start to feel it soon. 

Now, on to 17 weeks on Thursday!  Time is really flying by. 

A puzzle smack down

Oh yeah, Saturday night we went to Aaron's boss's party.  They always do a dirty santa, where they supply all the gifts.  I scored yet again this year because I came home with two different serving pieces and last year I did the same.  Aaron sacrificed for me, two years in row. 

The highlight of the evening was not the dirty santa game, it was the big gift giveaway, which was a tool bag, which costs $130 alone, filled with hundreds of dollars worth of tools.  Aaron told me that he really wanted it and that whatever we had to do to get it, he wanted us to do it.  No pressure, right?  Well, finally they explained what we all had to do.  We had to work a 100 piece puzzle in teams of two, which worked out because just about everyone arrived with their wives or girlfriends. 

Well, let me just tell you guys, we won!  We worked a Sponge Bob puzzle so fast.  We came from behind too.  There was another couple there and they were ahead of us, but they didn't use our strategy.  I told Aaron that I would build the edges, if he would start building the main characters in the puzzle, Spongebob and Gary.  It turns out, that was the way to do it, because when I finished the border and he had what he had done, we were over halfway finished and then just worked to fill in the gaps.  We were both shaking by the end because we knew it was close.  It was exhilarating to win too!  Everyone needs a little dose of competition every now and again.

I think I have the happiest man alive right now.  An Xbox, his bag full of tools, and a baby on the way, it's been a pretty great Christmas for him already and it's not even Christmas yet!

A mini adventure!

Aaron and I braved the snow tonight.  It wasn't the snow that made it such an adventure, it was the other drivers.  Oh my goodness, we almost wrecked twice because two different people pulled out in front of us, so that we had to swerve out of the way.  It was ridiculous!  People had lost their minds out there.  Not to mention, our neighborhood, the one full of hills, had people stopped all over the place in the center of the lane with their flashers on.  Who does that!?  All because they couldn't, or should I say, didn't try to make it up the hills.  It took us an hour to get to Providence.  Seriously.  We did turn around and come home to get my car.  His truck wasn't such a good idea.  Plus, the back way we took to Providence was blocked by cop cars, so we had to turn all the way around and go the main road way. 

After making it out of our neighborhood and into Mt. Juliet, we stopped at Wal-Mart to pick up some tape, so that I can finish wrapping gifts, and to pick up one of Aaron's gift from me.  I went ahead and told him what I planned on getting him because I wanted to make sure that I was making  a good purchase.  Needless to say, not at that Wal-Mart because they were sold out, but at the other Wal-Mart across town, I bought him a Xbox 360.  I was dead set against this in the beginning because we have a Play Station 3 and a baby on the way, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized, that we aren't going to be able to get everything we want when the baby gets here, so this is his last big gift for a little while.  Plus, I want this to be a special Christmas, since it's the last time, it'll just be the two of us.  Yes, I know, presents don't make Christmas special.  I don't need a Christmas lecture.  Giving does make it special and I gave him what he really, really wanted (a baby and an Xbox :) ).  He's so excited.  He's setting it up now.  He's not one of those guys that plays all the time though and for that I'm grateful. 

Oh and just so you guys can think that I've completely lost my mind, I asked him to get me a video game for the Play Station 3.  I was actually going to buy it for him, but I kept talking about it.  It's in my stocking now.  It has zombies!  Yes!  I know, you guys are shaking your heads in shame now.

Speaking of zombies and zombie lands, I loved being out tonight.  The later we were out, the less people were out. It was just us and the salt trucks driving in the white snow.  I would love for it to be like that all the time.  It was so peaceful and everything looked so serene. 

We went to see the new Chronicles of Narnia movie.  I also loved being one of five people in the theater watching it.  Snow is great time to catch a new movie.  I can't wait to read that series to my kids.  We have the Ordonez family set from when they were kids and the O mom read it to them. 

Tonight was perfect.  We laughed, cuddled, and enjoyed each other's company.  I'm going to savor every night that we have left like tonight.  Speaking of which, on Christmas Eve, we plan on it just being the two of us.  I'm roasting a chicken, making mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roasted carrots and parsnips, rolls and an apple pie.  We're going to feast and then watch White Christmas (and maybe The Polar Express), play Scrabble, drink hot chocolate and open our Christmas gifts.  It will probably be the best night of the year.  It's definitely something I've been looking forward to for a while.  Have I mentioned lately, how much I love my husband? 

A little of this, a little of that

The O parents are no longer in the building.  Let me say that I love them dearly and I'm so glad that we got to see them.  With that being said, Aaron's mom rearranged my spice cabinet and combined things, not to mention insulted my dish at Thanksgiving.  I have to now rearrange the spices back to the logical order that I had them in, not her logical order, which is just confusing to me.  I would never touch some one's cabinets without asking them.  I told Aaron that this better not happen when she comes in to help with the baby.

Thanksgiving was otherwise very good.  Audra made some great sweet potatoes and Amara used a recipe out of one of my cookbooks for squash casserole.  It was so good!  It kind of soured my mood at Aaron's family after the comment, but at least Aaron and I got to come home alone that night.  That made up for it. 

My family's dinner was great.  My mom's boyfriend brined and fried a turkey.  I had never had one before, but it was delicious!  I didn't like the fried skin, but the meat was so tender. I love my mom's dressing too.  I look forward to it every year.  It's typical southern cornbread dressing.  Oh yeah, my sister informed us that she is pregnant too.  I think it's awesome that we can be pregnant at the same time and that our babies will be practically the same age.  I just hope it all works out.  She doesn't go to the doctor until the end of December, but as of right now, we believe that she is around 7 weeks, which means she'll be due in July.  I somehow managed to go through this holiday time without a single picture.  I need to use my camera soon.  I need some pics on this blog.

We celebrated Aaron's birthday on his birthday.  Of course, he requested his mom make enchiladas.  Well, she finally showed me how to make them!  I'm going to try my hardest to get them the same if not better.  Aaron also requested that I make him strawberry shortcake and eggplant ratatouille.  I made the shortcake on his birthday.  I made ratatouille on Monday and we ate it on Wednesday.  It's so much better on the second or third day.  It was delicious!
We started putting up the Christmas decorations.  Aaron and I are going to finish the tree today, hopefully.  I love being in the house with glowing Christmas lights everywhere.  I absolutely love Christmas time.  I love the decorations, the spirit of it, giving gifts, and, of course, the food.  I kind of dread finishing my Christmas shopping.  Usually I'm excited about it, but I think I have to many gifts left to buy.  I'm usually almost done by this point.  It's overwhelming, knowing that I only have today and next Saturday and Sunday.  Oh, and whatever days in the week I have off.  I have to work the last three Saturdays of December/January.

In other news, I'm still up 5.5 pounds.  According to one of my many pregnancy websites, it said that I've probably gained 5 pounds by week 15, so being only 0.5 pound more than that makes me feel good.  My belly defiantly has a pooch, but I think my boobs are way more noticeable.  I haven't noticed anywhere else growing yet.  I hope it stays that way at least for a little while!  I go to my doctor on Monday. Finally, I get to see her.  I know she'll be happy for me.  I'm going to try to get her to schedule the next ultrasound for the end of December.  My insurance changes in January.  It is not in favor of the pregnant woman.  I thought working for a hospital that I would have great benefits.  Well, my benefits with the state and with the American Heart Association were way better than these. Can nurses get any love, fo' reals?

I'm wrapping Christmas gifts right now.  Aaron got called into work today.  Boo.  I hate that when I'm finally off after two days, where I only see him sleeping, he has to go into work.  We're supposed to go to a Christmas party tonight, but now, we may not be going.  It all depends on when he gets off and if he feels like going.  I was looking forward to it too.  A nice cozy night at home decorating the Christmas tree sounds good too.

Oh, I watched Eat, Pray, Love the other night.  It was excellent.  You should see it, if you haven't.  So random, and there you have it.

Happiness in November

November was another busy month, but any time near the holidays is busy.  The busyness brought with it lots of smiles and good times.  Here's some of the things that made November so great.

*  celebrating Mr. O's birthday  *

*  homemade enchiladas and learning the recipe..finally *

*  putting up Christmas decorations  *

*  nighttime farmer's market events with friends  *
*  Suzy Wong's House of Yum  *

*  pumpkin butter  *

*  Thanksgiving and having a lot to be thankful for  *

*  being loud in coffee shops full of quiet people  *

*  spending quality time with the fams (both sides)  *

*  finding out my sister is pregnant too  *

*  phone chats with my bro while we're both making dinner  *

*  family pics and lunch out with the fam  *

*  movie nights with the nieces and nephew  *.

*  Toy Story 3  *

*  celebrating good friend's birthdays  *

*  checking people off my Christmas list  *

*  sleeping until 11:00 a.m.  *

*  outing ourselves out on Facebook and getting such wonderful comments  *

* lunch with THE one and only beaz  *

*  dancing in the shower to pop music  *
* lunch with my some of my lovely coworkers  *

*  seeing the baby moving, swallowing, and being stubborn via an ultrasound  *

*  having that ultrasound come back normal  *

* my mom's cornbread dressing  *

*  seeing the O parents  *

*  My brother asking, "Who's the daddy?" in front of my sister's boyfriend when she told him she was pregnant.  He is one funny dude  *

*  getting my brother the perfect Christmas gift  *

*  The Walking Dead  *

*  not getting the stomach virus that is rapidly taken over Hendersonville and the ER  *
*  popcorn and movie nights with Mr. O  *
*  chocolate and regular milk, I seriously can't get enough  *
*  lunch and shopping with Marcia  *
*  receiving The Very Hungry Caterpillar as a gift for Baby O  *
* surviving a hellish night in the ER without a tear shed  *
*  having my niece say, "There's a little girl in there."  We'll see if she's right  *
*  five days off of work  *
* pleasure plans (I'm not elaborating on this one)  :)  *
*  finding a babysitter/daycare in our neighborhood..hopefully, it turns out to be great  *

Lots of goodness happened in November.  I'm sure December will bring much of the same.