10 Annoying Things

Alright, I'd love for everything to peaches and cream all of the time but this week I thought I'd vent about a couple annoying things about being pregnant right now.

10 Annoying things about being pregnant this week:
1. None of my pants fit. Not only because of this growing baby in my belly but because my butt has gotten bigger too. And as nice as it is to wear skirts all of the time I only have 3 of those left that fit. And it's blasted cold outside this week.

2. My gums bleed when I brush my teeth. It doesn't hurt or anything but I'm just getting sick of the taste of blood.

3. It's getting increasingly more difficult to get up and off of our couch.

4. It's so hard to get comfortable in bed at night.

5. This has nothing to do with being pregnant but it's the dead of winter and I could really use a little color on my face. I look dead. And while I'm at it how about a little HUMIDITY. It is soo dry here, I think I am going to shrivel up and blow away.

6. Indigestion. Whenever I drink a lot of water (which I am supposed to be doing) or when I take my vitamins. I'm getting tired of burping up whatever I just ate. (sorry for the mental image)

7. Mood swings, I've never been this bipolar. If I don't eat at regular intervals, I lose it.

8. Again, nothing to do with being pregnant, but my husband is sick and I think I'm catching his disease... in more ways than one... he he, just kidding, that sounded so dramatic :)

9. I keep eating all the food in the house and that means I have to get up off the couch and go to the grocery store again.

10. Did I mention my butt got bigger?

xo

week 23

(my husband likes to take crooked pictures)

ten good things

ten good things about being pregnant this week:

1. prenatal yoga (twice a week!)
2. yesterday was the first time a complete stranger asked when my baby was due
3. only one pair of my old pants still fit and all of my shirts are nicely snug
4. I finished knitting my itty bitty baby sweater
5. next I'm going to knit a pair of booties
6. eggs benedict and The Rainbow restaurant in general
7. thai chicken noodle bowl for lunch from Toy's Thai
8. the baby kicking along with Pink Floyd in the car
9. back rubs
10. belly rubs (now I know how my dogs feel!)

xo

Mondo Beyondo: part II - intentions

In the year 2008 I intend to:

learn how to care for a newborn baby.

evolve my relationship with my husband to include this new little person.

continue to evolve my creative businesses and increase my profits.

grow a kick-ass garden in my backyard.

create, build and set up my new studio in the renovated garage.

find new and better ways to live comfortably in a small house with two adults, one baby and five dogs.

read more. learn more.

continue my conscientious approach towards food and consumerism.

laugh a lot. cry a little. and be inspired by one little thing everyday.


Now for the Mondo Beyondo part:


In 2008 I intend to...

take steps towards creating my own design empire. I will be three steps closer to being the next Martha Stewart, only I will be so much cooler. And not as stuck up or prissy.

Someday, I'm gonna be big. (but still small)

xo

Week 22

Just a photo for now.

xo

Mondo Beyondo - Part One

(copied from the Superhero Journal blog)

1. What do you want to acknowledge yourself for in regard to 2007?
(What did you create? What challenges did you face with courage and strength? What promises did you keep to yourself? What brave choices did you make? What are you proud of?)

2. What is there to grieve about 2007?
(What was disappointing? What was scary? What was hard? What can you forgive yourself for?)

3. What else do you need to say about the year to declare it complete?

Question #1
I want to acknowledge the fact that 2006/2007 was a year of change and of growth.
I ended a six year relationship with my ex-fiance because I finally had the courage to admit to myself that I deserved better. I knew it was not what I wanted and I had the courage to change even when it was very difficult. I'm proud to say that I listened to my gut feelings and didn't waiver when it came to getting what I wanted. I am proud of the fact that I moved out on my own, in my own place, without a job or any sense of security and I survived just fine.
I am extremely proud of the fact that I faced my fears and reached out and apologized to someone that I should have made peace with long ago. I finally forgave myself for the way I had treated this person in the past.
I am proud of myself for recognizing true love when it knocked on my door and not being afraid to follow my heart completely, albeit abruptly. I planned a wedding and got married (two completely different and separate tasks) The wedding was a huge success; perfect in every sense of the word and getting married was the best moment of my life. In May, I lost our first baby and I am proud of myself for dealing with this blow fully and unashamedly. Now I am proudly pregnant again.
I started 3 different businesses on Etsy.com and I am happy to report that they are all three profitable. I expanded and evolved my jewelry business to better suite my creative needs and it is more prosperous than I imagined it would be.

Question #2
I grieve the loss of my grandfather who died unexpectedly and before our wedding. I only hope he can see how happy I am. I also grieve the loss of our first baby. I forgive myself for being so hard and demanding when I should have shown myself some understanding and compassion. I forgive myself for breaking someone else's heart. I forgive myself for feeling like I let old friends down.

Question #3
I am grateful for the old friends I have found and their unconditional love. I am grateful for my dogs, all five of them who bring me endless amounts of joy and laughter. I am grateful for this house that my husband built and the fact that I can call it my home. I am grateful for the sunshine and the snow. For the rain and the grass. I am eternally grateful for my new life.

Last year, I bid you adieu.
Thank you for teaching me and for letting me learn.
Fondly,
Whitney


Your turn.
xo

today's 10 good things about being pregnant

So here I am.
It's 8:45 I'm dressed and ready to go to my first yoga class (finally) and it's cancelled.
No big deal, really, I guess I'll go on Friday instead.

What is it about doing new things that is hard?
Sometimes, if I don't think about them (the new things) too much and don't have all of this time to plan and imagine what they'll be like, it really is no big deal.
But other times...
ask me if I like doing yoga (yes)
ask me if I want to get out of the house meet some more pregnant mommies (yes)
ask me if I'd like to go and just stretch for an hour (yes)
but ask me if I want to go to a yoga class right now and I freeze (well, um, maybe, um).
What is that?

A fear of the unknown. I've struggled with that. I like to know as much as I can about something before I do it.

I'm happy to say that being pregnant is different.
I'm excited to learn as I go and fly by the seat of my pants. It's like an adventure. A private adventure just for me and my husband. The more the baby moves and the more I learn about things that have to do with actually living with this new little person, the more excited I get. As you know, in the beginning I was a little dismayed by the books filled with all the what-could-go-wrongs and I swear everything I read only talked about annoying things that could happen when you're pregnant. Like hemorrhoids and varicose veins. And back pain and heartburn. And stretch marks and gum disease. I still haven't found the book that points out all of the good things but I have begun to watch for them. So here is:

Today's 10 Good Things About Being Pregnant:
1. Feeling the baby move.
2. Watching my tummy move when he kicks.
3. Knowing he's a healthy little boy.
4. Learning about baby wearing.
5. Second hand maternity clothes shopping.
6. Knitting little sweaters and hats for my boy.
7. Always having a comfortable place to put my hands.
8. Big sexy boobs.
9. Sea salt scrub on a growing belly.
10. Delicious homemade food.

Remind me next post to tell you about my mom's recipe for quiche.
I will admit, I am addicted.

xo

week 21

Not much news on the belly front.
It is definitely growing faster these days. We'll have to start taking pictures twice a week!
Here's a couple other ones:





Today, I go back to work.
I had a lovely and much needed holiday vacation followed by some slight interruptions (Mick tore out his new stitches, I had to re-run the electric dog fence so that Gretta and Charlie would stop escaping...)
But this morning I'm back at it.
Expect tons of new jewelry, loads of new vintage stuff and a little bit of an updated look.

But first things first, what should I have for breakfast?

xo

putting the world in perspective

I had a fantastic day today.
You know one of those days where the radio won't stop playing good songs, traffic lights turn green, and every store you go into is having a sale.

Not to mention...
WE'RE HAVING A BOY!!

eek!

I'm so excited.

So my day rocked, I found everything I needed (knitting needles, yarn, kitchen jars, vintage slips) and all of it was on sale. I was driving home, grooving to a little AC/DC when I realized that there was a funeral procession in front of me. Today was grey and overcast and I started thinking about what those people must be feeling. Isn't it strange how when you stop and think about it you're just one small, tiny, itty, bitty part of this world and your good day might be someone else's bad?
It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:

"Be kind - everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." -John Watson

Speaking of, there's a story my mom told me that has affected the way I react to annoying situations. This is how I remember it:
One day there was a woman stuck in traffic, driving across town. She was getting very upset at the lady in front of her who kept slamming on her brakes, swerving the car and basically driving like a moron. Finally, she was able to pass the other woman and as she drove past she shot her a nasty 'I'll teach you' look and realized that the woman in the other car had a baby in the backseat who was choking.
That's my motto.
Baby in the backseat.
You NEVER know what is going on with other people. NEVER.
Take a wild guess and you're probably not even close to the truth.

xo

Mondo Beyondo

I'm not very big on traditional New Year's resolutions but check out what my Superhero does...
Mondo Beyondo
Stay tuned, there's a 2007/2008 version on it's way.

xo

I think I swallowed a goldfish

The baby moved!

It all started after my emotional outburst #5. I was feeling upset because everyone kept asking me if the baby had moved yet and I really wasn't sure, and everyone just kept saying "oh, you'll know!" (Which is a very annoying answer to me so I'll try to describe what it feels like so that if anyone else is reading this they might feel better.)

Anywho, I was laying in bed that night and it felt like a little goldfish flopped over in my belly. You know when they buck their head and tail and flip over. That's what it felt like. But that was it, so I went to sleep not sure what I had felt.

The next morning I was sitting on the couch and felt a little something flutter. Kinda like the fish feeling but a little more pokey. I put my hand on my belly and felt it again! With my hand! I wasn't completely sure I was feeling the baby because I get a little gassy every now and then and sometimes that feels a little fluttery too. But I sat really still and it felt like the flutter was moving around. But I still wasn't 100% convinced...

Later that night I was sitting on the couch again and I was telling my husband about the little flutters when I felt another one. I grabbed his hand and put it on my belly and the little baby moved again and he felt it too! We sat there for about 20 minutes feeling the baby move and groove. At one point s/he had slowed down so I started knitting again and then s/he kicked right straight under my belly button and made me jump! My husband was laughing so hard.

It really was an absolutely wonderful moment.

xo

P.S. My next doctor's appointment is tomorrow morning.
If the baby cooperates we're going to find out if it's a boy or a girl!

just a little, tiny complaint

Sometimes it can be lonely being the first one to do things.
We're the first couple in our group to get married and now the first to have a baby. Everyone is so insanely excited for us but most of our friends are boys and they all dream of producing a little hockey team all on their own. I only have a couple of good girlfriends and they're nowhere near this stage in their lives. My tiny complaint is that right now all I hear from are women who's children are grown. I'd like to hear from some women my age. I need some good books to read. So far, all of the ones I have picked up are mostly about what might go wrong. I want a book that celebrates what is going right. Does that exsist? I just want a little reassurance at times and a little humor and maybe some spirituality mixed in there. Any suggestions?
I do believe that when you are searching for answers, if you sit still and pay attention, you'll find them.
So, here I am.
Sitting still.
Just waiting...

xo

Week 20

xo

Week 19

We're taking pictures every week (maybe sometimes more) and later my brother is going to stream them all together into a super cool time lapse. We're also keeping track with a chalkboard outline.
p.s.
Like how I can't zip my skirt up all the way anymore?

xo

forget the burritos

We were all ready to snuggle into the couch. My husband was making me smothered burritos and I had just gotten over emotional outburst number 4, or was it 5. Our skinny black dog was laying on the couch and he didn't want to get up to eat so we gave him his food 'in bed' and giggled about how spoiled our dogs are. Then when I reached for his empty bowl I noticed he had been licking his chest a lot. I took a brief glance and everything looked fine. My husband took a closer peek and found a puncture wound the size of a nickel right next to his armpit! Forget the burritos, we ushered mick into the car and off to the emergency vet's office we went. Poor Mickey, we had to sit there for a couple of hours and then the vet came in and said they would have to stitch it up and they'd call us when he was all done a ready to be picked up. About 1:00 am we went back and picked up our poor morphine laden Mick. The wound had tore a small amount of muscle so she had to stitch that up and then close the opening (except for a drainage hole, lovely, I know.) He now has to wear a t-shirt to keep from picking at the stiches and then there's antibiotics, pain meds and an appointment in 2 weeks to get the stitches out. I tried to find the most masculine shirt I had so that the other dogs wouldn't laugh at him.


So today it's just me and Mick. All of the others are outside entertaining themselves.
Wishing you a happy new year.
xo