Grown-Up Stuff

We have been using my used college furniture since we got married in 2008.  After years of browsing through furniture stores, we finally ordered dining room furniture and a new sofa.  It almost looks like adults live in our house!

Here is a shot of our old dining room set:

Notice that it is a tiny table with only three matching chairs.  The white chair was one that I rescued from the side of the road when an old neighbor in Missouri was moving.

Here's our new table:

So pretty!  It's a large table with six chairs.  Six!  We can invite people over to dinner now.  

It came with a matching hutch, too:

Isn't it nice?  I still have no idea what to put on the shelves of the hutch.  It's quite an improvement on the old set.  We still need to paint the walls and buy an area rug, but we're getting there.

Oh, we also purchased an amaaaaaaazing new sofa.  I love it.  Michael loves it.  We fight over who gets to sit in the corner.  Plus, it's leather (or a leather blend? I'm not positive.), so puppy hair wipes right off.

Now if only we could pull up the carpet in the living room...

Oh, and in other news, my husband has been distracted the last few days, and here's why...

It's BIG.  He's proud.

I Would Do This

At work I am frequently pushing residents around in their wheelchairs.  I take them to and from meals, therapy, the beauty shop, et cetera.

Not all of my residents have foot pedals on their chairs.  When this is the case, I often remind them to hold their feet up so that they don't get caught underneath.  If I'm behind them, I will tap them on the arm so that they know I am talking to them (some are hard-of-hearing).

Today was no different.  I was pushing a new resident to lunch.  As usual, I tapped on the shoulder...

...and immediately realized I was tapping on a prosthetic arm.

The nurse saw me and started cracking up.  It was a bit embarrassing, but luckily the resident didn't seem phased by it at all!

The Best Money We Ever Spent

I have had several vacuum cleaners in the six years or so since leaving my parents' home.  Each one was an improvement on the last.

A couple of years ago I posted about getting a new vacuum cleaner when Circuit City bit the dust.  My previous vacuum cleaner was old and used, so any new vacuum would be an improvement.  I thought it was a great vacuum.

Until two months ago...

We took the plunge and invested in a Dyson Animal.

[Photo Source]

Oh. My.

You have never used a vacuum cleaner until you've used a Dyson vacuum cleaner.  I had vacuumed our entire house three days earlier with our old vacuum.  I was shocked at how much the Dyson picked up.  Dust, hair, debris.  You name it, it sucked it up.

The hair... It's common knowledge that we have three chihuahuas.  They shed quite a bit.  I vacuum with our new Dyson every few days and the canister is always full when I am finished.  Our carpets have never been so "clean."

If you don't have a Dyson vacuum, I would seriously advise that you purchase one.  Work overtime.  Sell a kidney.  Have a lemonade stand.  Do something.  Just buy one!

To the Vet!

This morning the dogs and I went off on an adventure to the veterinarian's office.

Yes, I took all three dogs.

Yes, I was alone.

No, it was not fun.

Re-Pete is the oldest and was the first to be weighed this morning.  He weighed in at 6.9 lbs!  He didn't like being placed on the scale and managed to pee all over it (horrifying moment #1).  However, of all of my dogs, he received the cleanest bill of health.

Re-Pete doesn't do well with vaccines.  The last time he had the rabies vaccine, he went into anaphylactic shock and, had I not been sitting in the waiting room of the veterinary school at MU, very nearly died.  

Our new vet wasn't comfortable giving him the rabies vaccine, even with an antihistamine shot, which is just fine with us (better safe than sorry!).  The only problems that came up were his teeth (his breath smells like his behind), but at nearly 7 years old, that's to be expected.  He'll likely be going in again soon to have his pearly whites cleaned.

Penelope, drama queen extraordinaire, did surprisingly well at the vet.  She weighed 7.5 lbs, which isn't too bad considering she's had two litters of puppies and is spayed.  I blame her cute face and attitude for the weight gain.  It's tough not to share with her when she looks at you with her sad, puppy dog eyes.

Anyway, she had a bit of gunk in her left ear.  It's the ear that was broken when she was a puppy, so she doesn't like having it touched.  While the vet was doing the exam, Penelope let out the loudest fart I have ever heard come from a dog (horrifying moment #2).  Of course, the vet was pretty close to her hind end when it happened.  I nearly died.

Penelope's biggest issue today was about her knees.  Apparently they have a tendency to pop out of place.  One was out of place during the exam and the other popped out and back in to place.  So long as it's not causing her any serious pain or lameness it isn't an issue, though she may have to have surgery one day down the line.

The vet described Wally as a "potato with a tiny head."  Yes, he's a bit chubby, I won't deny it.  He weighed in at a whopping 8.6 lbs.  It may be time for a diet.

Of all of our dogs, Wally is the least socialized, so he did not enjoy the trip to the vet.  He, too, managed to fart in Dr. R's face (horrifying moment #3), though, if you're going to squeeze a dog's belly, you've got to be ready for it.

Wally's ears were full of black gunk.  It was nasty.  What's funny, though, is that he is always cleaning the other dogs' ears (Re-Pete's ears were spotless), but they don't always return the favor.  The vet got out a handful of giant cotton swabs and started digging stuff out.  I was shocked at how gross they were (horrifying moment #4).  Of course, he came home with a medicated ear wash to help get rid of any infection he has down there.

So we survived our trip to the vet's office.  I'm not sure I ever want to do it again, at least not alone.  It is nice to know that all three are (relatively) healthy!

15 Weeks

15 weeks down, 25 to go!  I would say that I am thrilled to be at 15 weeks, but tonight I am exhausted and don't feel well.  Ask again later.

What a difference a few weeks can make.  I'm quite a bit larger around the midsection than I was at 10 weeks.  See for yourself!

At 10 weeks I was simply round, but at 15 weeks you can see the lower part of my abdomen beginning to protrude!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 15 weeks
Size of baby: According to the What to Expect app on my phone, 4.5 inches or so.
Total Weight Gain/Loss:  I actually have not weighed myself lately.
Maternity Clothes: We had casual Friday last week and I wore regular jeans.  They were mostly unzipped and I wore my Bella band.
Gender: It's a... baby!!!  We will find out the sex of the baby in a few weeks!
Movement:  Still no movement.  I hope that I'll start feeling the baby move a bit in the next few weeks!
Sleep: I've been getting at least 9 hours of sleep each night with at least one trip to the bathroom.
What I miss:  Sleeping on my stomach.  Sleeping through the night without having to go to the bathroom.
Cravings: No cravings this week. Does this make me strange? Aren't I supposed to be craving strange things?
Symptoms: Many, many trips to the bathroom.  I'm also exhausted after work.  I was sick this morning, but I am fairly certain it had nothing to do with my pregnancy.  Time, however, will tell.

Maundy Thursday

Books 14-18

My goal is to read 75 books before December 31, 2011.  Here's the list of books I've read so far:

1. Firefly Lane -- Kristin Hannah (January)

2. The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy -- Sara Angelini (January)

3. Sundays at Tiffany's -- James Patterson (January)

4. The O'Hurley's Return* -- Nora Roberts (January)

5. Serena & Caine* -- Nora Roberts (January)

6.  This is Where I Leave You -- Jonathan Tropper (January)

7.  Marley & Me -- John Grogan (January)

8. The Wedding -- Nicholas Sparks (February)

9.  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone -- J.K. Rowling (February)

10.  Black Heels to Tractor Wheels -- Ree Drummond (February)

11.  What to Expect When You're Expecting -- Heidi Murkoff (March)

12.  Sweet Valley Confidential -- Francine Pascal (March)

13.  Happens Every Day -- Isabel Gillies (March)

14. The Judgment -- Beverly Lewis (April)

15. The Covenant -- Beverly Lewis (April)

16.  The Betrayal -- Beverly Lewis (April)

17.  The Sacrifice -- Beverly Lewis (April)

18.  The Prodigal -- Beverly Lewis (April)

I have made quite a dent in my list in the last few weeks, having read five books so far in the last two weeks.  Perhaps my goal isn't so lofty after all?  Only time will tell.  I am 1/4 of the way to my goal and we are just over 1/4 of the way through the year.

14 Weeks

Hello, 2nd trimester!  This bun is officially 1/3 of the way baked!

 

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 14 weeks
Size of baby: According to the What to Expect app on my phone, 3.5 inches or so.
Total Weight Gain/Loss:  According to the scale this morning, I am still down 7 lbs from my pre-baby weight.
Maternity Clothes: I wear scrubs to work, so there's no need for maternity clothes yet.  I did wear my new maternity capris out the other day and was quite comfortable.
Gender: It's a... baby!!!  We will find out the sex of the baby in just over a month!
Movement:  I find it strange to think that something nearly 3.5 inches long is moving around in there and I can't feel it.
Sleep: Still sleeping just fine, but I wake up at least twice to use the bathroom.
What I miss:  Sleeping on my stomach.
Cravings: No cravings this week.
Symptoms:  Frequent urination.  I seriously used the bathroom 10 times in my 8 hour shift on Friday.  It's ridiculous.

13 Weeks, Part Deux

I did take a belly shot on Sunday, I just didn't have it uploaded to my computer when I posted the blog.  So you don't feel neglected, I'll share it with you now.  

Warning: it's a horrible picture.  Seriously.  It was late in the afternoon following a long day at work.  I look like garbage and the quality of the photo is abysmal.

 

See?  I clearly have no idea how to use my fancy camera.  Also, a white t-shirt against a white wall really does not help show my expanding waistline (hopefully the wall color will change in a few weeks).  Over the last week, I've started to notice that my jeans are getting snug.  Before I would button them in order to zip them before unbuttoning them and using a hair tie.  The last few times I've worn them, it's been taken a couple of tries to get them zipped, and then they're uncomfortable when zipped all the way.

Here's a side-by-side comparison of my belly at 9 weeks and 13 weeks.  There isn't a huge difference between the two photos, taken 4 weeks apart, but there is a difference.

I should really brush my hair more often.  It looks awful.  I am seriously amazed that I was able to find a husband looking like I do!

13 Weeks

Holy cow, 13 weeks!  It seems like just yesterday I was sobbing on the phone with my husband, having just taken a positive home pregnancy test.  Thankfully, time is flying by now.  The first few weeks went by slowly, but I think it has more to do with the fact that we were keeping it a secret from everyone we knew.

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 13 weeks
Size of baby: According to the What to Expect app on my phone, my little bundle of joy is now 3 inches long!
Total Weight Gain/Loss:  At my appointment last week, my weight was the same as it was at my first appointment.  It feels good knowing I haven't gained a mountain of weight yet.
Maternity Clothes: My husband bought me a pair of maternity capris the other day at Target.  The hair tie isn't working out as well any longer.  I think I'm having a growth spurt in my midsection.
Gender: It's a... baby!!!  We will find out the sex of the baby in approximately 6 weeks!
Movement:  He or she is moving around, but it's still too early to feel anything.
Sleep: I am staying up later now that I'm nearing the end of the first trimester. I used to be half-asleep on the sofa by 7PM and now I've been reading in bed until 9PM.
What I miss:  Clothes that fit.  My clothes are beginning to get snug all around.
Cravings: No cravings this week.
Symptoms:  Lots of mood swings (poor Michael!)

12 Week Appointment

I had my 12 week appointment today.  It's hard to imagine that I have already been pregnant for three months.

I was anticipating hearing the heartbeat today, but that was not the case.

Either my doctor marches to the beat of his own drummer, or else he wants me to give all of my money to the healthcare system of America... I don't know.  For some reason I don't quite understand, he did another ultrasound (this makes #3).

I wasn't complaining (though, I might later when we get the bill), I got to see my baby again.

And now it looks like a baby!

It has fingers!

Let me tell you, fetal fingers may just be the most precious thing in the world.

So here's my little acrobat at 12 weeks 4 days:

I added in the text and the arrows for those of you who can't decipher the little blobs.  The baby is upside-down.  It's amazing that in six weeks the baby went from a tiny blip to taking up the entire screen.

Of course, the baby may be growing, but I'm not.  I haven't gained any weight yet (Go, me!).  I was still down six pounds this morning from my weight on February 1 (the day after I found out I was pregnant), but I had just eaten lunch and drank my weight in pink lemonade, so my weight at the doctor was the same as it was at my first appointment.

My goal is to read 75 books before December 31, 2011.  Here's the list of books I've read so far:

1. Firefly Lane -- Kristin Hannah (January)

2. The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy -- Sara Angelini (January)

3. Sundays at Tiffany's -- James Patterson (January)

4. The O'Hurley's Return* -- Nora Roberts (January)

5. Serena & Caine* -- Nora Roberts (January)

6.  This is Where I Leave You -- Jonathan Tropper (January)

7.  Marley & Me -- John Grogan (January)

8. The Wedding -- Nicholas Sparks (February)

9.  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone -- J.K. Rowling (February)

10.  Black Heels to Tractor Wheels -- Ree Drummond (February)

11.  What to Expect When You're Expecting -- Heidi Murkoff (March)

12.  Sweet Valley Confidential -- Francine Pascal (March)

13.  Happens Every Day -- Isabel Gillies

Oh, my!  I am behind on my goal.  Way behind.  In order to make my goal of 75 books by the end of 2011, I need to read 6-7 books each month.  I did fine in January, but fell off the wagon in February and March.  I blame the pregnancy fatigue.  If I really put my mind to it, I can likely make my goal.... assuming I read like it's nobody's business the next 7 months before the baby gets here.  

I can do it!

Right?

12 Weeks

I can't believe I just posted the above picture.  I don't look pregnant, I look fat.  I'm not really showing yet.  The really depressing part about taking your picture from the side is realizing just how big your butt is.  Even with baggy sweatpants on, you can tell I have a lot of junk in my trunk!

All right, enough with the self-bashing, onto the good stuff...

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 12 weeks
Size of baby: According to the What to Expect app on my phone, my little bundle of joy is 2.5 inches from crown to rump and weighs 1/2 an ounce.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have lost almost 9 lbs, though from where, I have no idea.
Maternity Clothes: I own one pair of maternity pants, but since I'm not showing, they fit poorly.  As a result, I still rock my regular blue jeans with a hair tie.
Gender: It's a... baby!!!  We will find out the sex of the baby at some point in May.
Movement:  He or she is moving around, but it's still too early to feel anything.
Sleep: I am staying up later now that I'm nearing the end of the first trimester. I used to be half-asleep on the sofa by 7PM and now I stay up until around 8PM.
What I miss:  Margaritas? haha, just kidding. I gave up caffeinated soda when I found out I was pregnant.  Some days I'd really like a Mountain Dew or a Sunkist.
Cravings: All I can think about today is Easter candy (I blame the newspaper ads).  I've been eating a lot of fruit this week, which I am happy about.
Symptoms:  I really don't have a lot of symptoms.  I don't have any morning sickness, though I did throw up last weekend (my dog threw up on me first!).  Mostly I'm just tired.  OH... and I have serious mood swings.  My husband says I had some sort of psychotic fit the other night, which resulted in me laying on the floor of the nursery with my pillow and blanket in a pool of my own tears.