Sunday, January 29, 2012

Simple Pleasures

2 out of 3 of the old roomies from college.  Josie (in blue) is getting married this year!


Friday, January 27, 2012

Crazy-Person Time: Mompetition with Myself

Basically all I can keep up with these days is school, homework, and baby.  My mantle has been bare since Christmas came down (the shame!), our back room is filled with random stuff that needs sorting, and Tony has been completely taking care of the house these days (without complaint, I might add)... Blogging is sooo lacking and I hate it.  But I wanted to write up something quickly that's been floating through my mind lately - and guess what? - it has to do with babies. :)


Mompetition.  I think that's the word at least.  I did some googling with mixed results.  But basically it's that thing I've heard about from friends and bloggers alike where moms feel the need to compete with each other or have their babies compete in some imaginary race to milestones or greatness or whatnot.  I don't know.


But basically I'm engaged in this competition all by myself.  Like a total crazy pregnant person.  I'm not sure if it even counts when your baby is still a tiny lemon-sized inside-baby.  But I'm calling it that, regardless.


Bear with my crazy.  I'm competing with moms who have no idea they are competing... and winning... in my head.


So I said it from the beginning - I've always looked so forward to being pregnant and sporting a big old belly.  I've never been thin, and besides the seasonal "oh man I should lose some weight but I'm lazy" thoughts in my head, I've never been one to be overly concerned with body image.  But I feel like I'm huge already - and I find myself comparing my bulging belly to any and every expectant mother I can find out there.  It seems like everyone is pregnant, in blogland and real life (which is fun!), but that means there's a lot to compare to.


I'm plagued (again, like a crazy person) by fears that I'm getting too big too fast (even though I've only gained a few pounds) or that my belly is bigger than it should be this far along.  Crazy, I know.  I've got to sound so ridiculous and maddening, to those who are trying to have a baby or those who are worrying that they aren't showing enough.  But it's how I've been feeling.  I feel self-conscious around those who I fear are judging me.  I know that every body handles pregnancy differently, but I feel the need to tack on a few extra weeks each time someone asks how far along I am... It doesn't help that I keep hearing, "Are you sure there aren't two in there??"


It has nothing to do with not loving my body - it's all about the mompetition - feeling like I'm somehow not doing it right, even this early in the game.  My jeans were insanely tight at about 8 weeks - some people are practically giving birth wearing their regular clothes.  I seriously saw this picture - of a SUPERMODEL at five months - and felt bad about myself!  When else would I  EVER feel the need to compare myself to a SUPERMODEL???


So lame, I know!  Promise, the whining is almost over!


So, the thing is - at home - I love my big pregnant belly.  I'm constantly pointing to it or making Tony feel how solid it is.  Why can't I get over the crazy and realize that I should embrace this, regardless of what others might be thinking - even though the likelihood is, they are thinking nothing but positive??


This is absolutely not a plea for compliments or anything of the sort.  Just wanted to put my feelings out there.  Maybe those of you who have been knocked up had crazy feelings like this too??  :)   Now that I've put it out there, I'm determined not to feel ashamed of my maternity leggings - regardless of how far along I am.  Thanks for bearing with me.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Simple Pleasures

Sorry it's just been pictures of our dogs around here lately, but they've pretty much been all I've had as subject for my new camera.


Wait for it........



Wait for it......................



Caught!













Monday, January 16, 2012

Words

Since it's Martin Luther King Day (and I get a very early-on day off from school!) I felt obliged to post this.  I'm student teaching in a social studies class, so we watched part of a video on his life last week.  We talk a lot about MLK here in Georgia, and rightfully so.  I've seen this speech a hundred times, as I'm sure you have as well, but it had been a while.  My pregnant self was tearing up in the back of the room.  His words are so powerful and since they have become so popularized, it's easy to brush them off and forget to look at what he is truly saying.  It's too easy to confine his message to the past and not apply it to today.  


In reading something for my Georgia History class, I came across this quote from Abraham Lincoln from the beginnings of the Civil War that I've also heard before, but hit me in a new way this time:  "In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free..."



Lots of inspiring words to live by.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Simple Pleasures

Ok, I know not everyone is into seeing the insides of people's bodies... but I don't have any other pictures to use for this week's SP, so here you go:

11 Weeks


I know it's not the clearest thing ever... but see that little hand sticking up??  And that big head?  My kid's already a genius.  Of course.


The coolest part was when she first started the ultrasound, Baby S was in the middle of doing what must have been a flip, almost standing up before settling back down like this.  Pretty amazing to see.  That, and a fast-beating heart going to town in there.  


Grow baby grow!

Thank You!!

Thanks so much - everyone - for the amazing comments you left on my last post.  I truly appreciated each and every one of them!  I always get overly crazy excited when I find out someone is pregnant, so it means a lot that others do the same!  


And sorry to let that crazy face of mine linger on the top of my blog for a week... I started student teaching this week, so that was a big adjustment!  This semester it's full time, everyday, in addition to my own classes I take twice a week.  It's certainly manageable, but makes for a long day and a very sore back!  I'm in a wonderful school in a 6th grade social studies classroom, so the semester should be quite rewarding!


I'll be spending this long weekend in sweats working on homework.  Hope you are able to enjoy it!  

Monday, January 9, 2012

There's a Baby in There!



I couldn't help it.  Had to take a nerdy photo to help tell you all that we are having a baby!! 


Hooray!! 


I'm due July 27th  :)


True Confession:  Back in 2008 when I started this blog, I seriously did it so that I would have an established blog all ready to go once I had a baby.  No joke. I had this brilliant epiphany at work one day after seeing a friend-of-a-friend's blog who had pictures of herself pregnant and then with her baby.  I thought, Wow! great idea!  So that's what a blog thing is for!  I want to start one now so I won't have to do that once I'm pregnant.


Lucky for me (and you) I realized there is much more to a blog than that, and so many other things you can talk about!  The willy-nillyness of this little blog has probably reflected my total lack of direction and focus from the start, which lucky for me means I just talk about my life most of the time.  Baby S will be a part of my life for ... well, ever... so I will probably talk a lot about that.  Sorry.  Warned you.  However, we have a lot of projects coming up to get ready for this, so I will certainly share alllll about that as well.  Probably overshare.  But that's what I do.


Anyway, we are excited!  My due date is actually finals week for summer semester.... which, not ideal, but I'm taking online classes so I hope it will be ok.  Also, wow.  They are not joking about morning all day sickness.  I have been pretty much incapacitated for the past 6 weeks, but hoping it's coming to an end soon. I literally had to stop using Pinterest for a while because the sight of the food made me sick.  Tony has starved because I won't let him cook basically anything.   Ick.  Good thing it's all worth it.  And thank goodness for Canada Dry and saltines.


And probably due to my complete disregard for proper nutrition over the last month (inadvertently, sorry Baby... use that monster vitamin well) I feel like my stomach got huge early (despite the fact that I've lost weight...).  I totally get that it's not baby and more so the inability to suck in what was already there, but I'm running with it.  I've been waiting to replace fat bump with baby bump  :)  Plus, my generous sister and sister-in-law gave me a bunch of cute clothes that I just want to wear.  So there. :)


Yay baby!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Simple Pleasures

Oh Canon, how I love thee.


I've only mastered complete auto focus at this point, but look how amazing these are!  Before I could never catch Roxy with her eyes open due to a long shutter.  Now - dog nose perfection.  Sandy looks pretty good too.  




Tuesday, January 3, 2012

DIY Toddler Photo Book

Christmas is still up at our house.  The tree's gone, but everything else is literally piled and sitting on our hearth, ready to be packed away.  I decided it's a better use of my time to write this than to pack it up.  Wise, I think.


I wanted to share just onemore Christmas craft with you guys, made by me.  Seeing as how I've done very little the past few months in the way of craftiness, I had to make sure I put this one out there.  And I think it's a fun gift idea for others who have nieces or nephews!


My niece Lyla loves to look at picture frames around my mom's house, carrying them around and pointing out the people.  Selfishly, I want her to look at my picture often to make sure she doesn't forget about me between visits.  So I wanted to make her something a little more portable and toddler-friendly.
Forgive the photos.  It was literally Christmas Eve and gifts needed to be wrapped!
Basically the only reason this book worked was because I happened to have photos of both my (ie - Lyla's mom's) side and her dad's side of her family because we all took a trip together for my sister's wedding.  Otherwise, it would have been a little one-sided and biased towards my family!  




I made this for Lyla because I knew how much she likes pictures, but I definitely want to make one for the other niece in my life!  I just might have to swipe some Facebook pictures to capture the other side of her family!!  


I tried to include Lyla in everyone's photo when possible.
  


There were 10 whole pages in total, with 16 photo pages.  


I didn't take any in-progress shots, because, well, I didn't.  But it's easy. 


You need:

  • Scrapbook paper (12x12) - I cut mine down to about 7x7
  • Photos
  • Hole punch
  • Ribbon or ring
  • Printer
  • A paper cutter helps a ton!
  • Tape
  • Access to store that does lamination
  • Imagination (ha!)
I did it front and back to save on lamination costs and added a colorful non-photo front and back cover.  I found that it was better to just tape the two sides together with little tape circles than to glue it.  That way, there is no rippling, and the lamination glues everything flat together anyway.  

The lamination was the most expensive part - about $1.50 a sheet - but it's super durable and hopefully will outlast a toddler's wrath for a little while at least.  So far she really liked looking through it and pointing everyone out.  Once she can read the words will help too.  Oh, and I included a few pictures of just her in there by herself - big hit!  Narcissistic toddlers...

So there you have it.  My burst of creativity for the month.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

New Year, New and Improved List

Well, one year down, another to go!


2011 was a pretty great year for me - I got to quit the job I wasn't meant for and follow my dream by going back to school to become a teacher.  Comparing my life last  last-last! year (2009) to what it was like this last year (2010) is amazing.  I had time to spend with Tony, friends, and family, as opposed to always being at work or commuting.  I got to put my brain to use again (hooray!) and spend some time in the daylight - on weekdays no less!  All in all, I had a great year, and something tells me 2012 will be even better!


I did want to address my resolutions I made for 2010, i.e. my List.  I was so excited to make that list, and I had fun working to cross some things off.  However, I kinda knew it was a lofty goal to hit all 50.  I didn't even come close - only got 16 1/2!  For some, I would give myself partial credit, but I didn't feel right about crossing it off altogether (for instance, be a better friend - how can you quantify that and check it off??).  

So I didn't come close - but so what?  In January 2011 I had no idea what life would end up looking like.  Basically my life changed so much and my time was used in such a different way (hellllo homework!) that I couldn't have anticipated what was realistic.  That, and we tightened our finances even more to make the one-income thing work, so a few projects I hoped for are still in limbo.



With all that said, I want to keep the list going through this next year, and maybe beyond.  I've adapted it below based on a year's perspective.  I've replaced the ones I checked off with new ones, and got rid of the downright unreachable ones.  Who knows how much more I will achieve this year, but it's good to have a goal in mind, right?  :)



The [New & Improved] List:

{Purple = New or adapted items} {Gray = carryover}
  1. Do something that really scares me 
  2. Be confident!
  3. Eat a healthy diet
  4. Learn to garden - herbs in containers at least!
  5. Tell Tony what he means to me, often
  6. Read 50 books
  7. Sight see during fall leaf time
  8. Get professional photos of Tony and I 
  9. Learn how to make 3 new recipes that are edible 
  10. Refinish a large piece of furniture from the thrift store
  11. Make my wedding scrapbook
  12. Eat more fresh fruit
  13. Become a regular walker
  14. Give up Diet Coke altogether
  15. Tell people more often how much they mean to me
  16. Hand make 3 cards/gifts
  17. Revamp my blog's look
  18. Do something totally life-changing [again? why not!]
  19. Stop gossip and negative talk
  20. Go on a bigish vacation 
  21. Go on a little vacation 
  22. Organize our garage, for real this time
  23. Try a new smoothie recipe
  24. Build something from wood
  25. Be a better friend
  26. Start a new tradition
  27. Take a vitamin every day
  28. Volunteer more
  29. Buy/Build as needed so our closets can finally be organized.
  30. Read one article about the teaching world once a month
  31. Put up crown molding in our house (with Tony's help!)
  32. Add in arm workouts
  33. Plant fall bulbs for a spring surprise
  34. Stop procrastinating with school work
  35. Throw a party
  36. Make it to the lake at least once (or more!)
  37. Figure out how to backup my blog's history
  38. Go on a long bike ride
  39. Visit Atlanta landmarks I've missed
  40. Do a home safety check
  41. Go one month without fried foods - at all - no cheating
  42. Cancel our cable
  43. Floss more 
  44. Eat outside in balmy weather
  45. Reduce my sugar intake
  46. Redo two rooms in our house
  47. Find a daily/weekly cleaning routine I can stick with
  48. Improve our landscaping
  49. Paint the furniture in our guest room
  50. Love life, every day! 

I'd love to hear what your goals are, if you haven't already blogged about it!  Anyone else do the list method and actually make better progress than I did??
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