Beautifully Boring

I laugh when people ask how my weekend was these days. Life with a "water buffalo belly" isn't the same as it once was. Before, when asked, I would go into details of all the places we went to, dinners and drinks, friends and funnies...now life is enjoying the simple things and there's really not a whole lot of excitement to it. Not to most people at least.

This weekend I chased sunsets, watched a woodpecker & laughed when I was told "watch out, you gain the most weight in your last two months". Oh and by the way, pregnancy has done something to my laugh. It's no longer a chuckle or a giggle or a hardy-har-har. Tim says I cackle. whoa. Cackle? Really? That's not a pretty, fun, Mama kind of laugh. I'm going to have to work on that a bit. 

What I'm loving right now:

This cozy little crib: ready and waiting for Little B!

Tucker snoozing under the daybed that's in Little B's room. He wants to spend all of his free time in there now.  He's nesting too.

The small, but important pieces of the nursery that Tim and I are putting our own touches on to make Little B's room unique.

And even though I grumble, and want my body with my own clothes back - yes, I am loving this belly.  (I won't even mention the fact that all of the great spring/summer catalogs are being delivered to my mailbox daily right now.)

It freaks me out sometimes and makes me very uncomfortable, but it's all worth it.  

So even with life's changes and the weather feeling more and more like spring, I'll take the beautifully boring weekend.  Beautifully boring still comes with good stories and fun, it's just a different flavor.

My bologna has a first name...

This is what I picture Tim like as a kid. adorable.

Sometimes there are moments in time that are just too funny that you have to write them down.
Since Tim and I became Tim and I, there have been many of these moments that I will forever cherish in my heart. One being when Tim tried to teach me how to use tinsel on the Christmas tree because that's what his family did. Another being the discussion of just what is the right amount of peanut butter to jelly in a PB&J sandwich.  There are things that Tim grew up with and things that I grew up with that are very different. It's no secret that we remember pieces of our childhood based on food, the smell, the taste, the special occasion that it was made for. Because Tim and I were both lucky enough to be both the first child and first grand children in our families, there was a lot of growth and...well, ginney-pig-ness.  I don't really know how else to describe it.  I can't speak for Tim's memories, but I know that I loved nothing more than what my mom and I called a "girl's night" where we would rent a movie and make a taco salad or pigs-in-a-blanket. It was cheap and easy for my Mom and I loved it -- a win/win.

While at the grocery store on Saturday, Tim requested some bologna. I cringed. I didn't grow up eating sandwiches, instead I was that strange kid with cheese & crackers or veggies and ranch dip (before ranch made the small to-go dipping cups, mind you). So, this morning when I went to make Tim's sandwich for his lunch, I picked out some ham and the bologna and made the sandwich as I usually do. Two pieces of bread, mayo, cheese and the meat.  Nothing fancy, we wouldn't want it to get soggy sitting in a truck most of the day.

((Now, before you go nuts because I make Tim's lunch. Let me just say, it saves us money, we don't waste food and it's much better for us than going out every day. It takes all of 5 minutes and it makes sense. He knows he's lucky that I make his lunch. There's no need to give him a hard time about it.))

Alright, so back to the story:
After I made our lunches, I went back upstairs to get ready for work. I told him about the surprise bologna in his sandwich and he LIT UP. I mean it. It was like I told him that we were playing hookie and going fishing tomorrow.  Then he asked, "how much ketchup did you put on the sandwich? not too much right?"

Um. WAIT. excuseme? whatwasthat? didyoureallyjustsay ketchup?.

I told him that there wasn't any ketchup on his sandwich and then explained how I had made it. He cringed and the lit up look had vanished!

Apparently his bologna sandwich requires bread, ketchup & bologna. That's it. What was I thinking? How could I?

*He did call to let me know he ate the sandwich the way that I made it, but that he ate it with a small look of disgust. I'll have you know that my face was filled with disgust too. That all sounds repulsive to me! Who's really pregnant here, Tim's the one busy nesting and having cravings (that sound beyond weird).

Feather Your Nest

We had another productive weekend and I even had a free day on Monday thanks to President's Day!

I'm starting to feel like Tim and I are both "nesting" in different ways. There are things that he's obviously wanting to get ready for too and I'm not sure why I didn't think of that sooner.

We cleaned, worked out, spent time with the dogs, discussed projects, accomplished some goals and worked out some things that were spinning around both of our heads.

Today I went and had some lab work done: a glucose screening and some different kinds of blood work. I had been warned that the deathly, orange drink I was going to have to drink was horrible and that I was going to have to sit there for an hour before they actually drew the blood.  I decided it would be much better to go today since I already had the day off, so I packed my book and made sure my phone had plenty of juice.

It really wasn't so bad. It just tasted like flat orange soda. What made me laugh more was that the nurse told me that I had to finish the dink in 4 minutes. I told him that I was just going to pretend it was a really bad drink that someone bought be on 6th street!

Highlights:

 Valentine's Day Surprises!

Catching up on my reading and looking through a window treatment book for my SUPER awesome Mother-in-Law.  I'm so thankful that she's willing to help me get Little B's windows covered and looking cute!  Other than repairing a few costumes in college and watching my Mom & Grandma make some dance costumes for me as a kid, sewing is definitely not one of my strengths.

Tim helping me look through some of the goodies that we've received or collected. He thinks Little B is going to love this monkey towel more as a cape. 

Life is good.

Dear Little B...

And we'll collect the moments one by one

I guess that's how the future's done.

-feist

February 14th! February 14th! Did you hear me Little B? It's less than 100 days until you're set to arrive! We're in the last trimester! WAHOO! Celebratory Shirley Temples & Roy Rogers all around~! That's right go ahead, we definitely deserve two cherries!

I. WE. CAN'T. WAIT!

You move, oy do you move. We sing. We dance. Your Daddy gives you raspberry's too. He likes to play hide and seek with you, or even patty cake sometimes. I like to tell you stories and whisper secrets about your life and the people that you are going to meet and be a part of your world.  I've been working on a Little B playlist that we jam to sometimes. Some of the songs are songs that my Mom used to sing to me because she didn't know all the lullabies.  Sometimes I wonder if I liked those songs so much when I was little because they had more of a dancing/rocking beat than lullabies tend to.

I really hope that you get a good chunk of the ol' Benton sense of humor because the men in that family are truly talented when it comes to making people giggle. Just wait, you'll see...

Let's just say that you'll know the characters in your life in a heartbeat!

There's a light at the end of the tunnel and even though I know you're not done cookin' in there, it's exciting to have a double digit countdown instead of a triple digit one!

We're getting your room ready and I'm driving your Daddy crazy with ideas and projects, but he loves us so he usually only pretends to ignore me the first time I mention something that sounds like work.  You're growing so much now and the gymnastics that you seem to be doing are much better than any cartwheel that I ever tried. Promise!

"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."

-Winnie The Pooh

I pray that you're growing strong and wise, that you're not hating the things I'm eating or the fact that you're Dad is so ready to wrestle with you.  Don't worry, he'll start out really gentle...and I've always got your back. I know that you're feeling the love that surrounds you and that you think it's funny when I ask your opinion on what I should wear in the mornings.

I giggle when I think about all that has already happened since you've been in there. You've been to some pretty spectacular concerts and plays, witnessed snow in Texas (which doesn't happen often) and so much more!

Happy Valentine's Day Little B!  We love you!

People Respond to Bellies

I can tell that it's become very noticeable that I'm expecting now. I mean sure I knew it before and could tell the difference in my body, and most of the people that see me daily can too.  It's the other people though, the ones that that realize that all of a sudden I've changed and don't quite know what to say. 

It's been comical to say the least.

I don't want to name any names, or make anyone feel bad, because really it's all happy & fun around here.

Person A: Whoah! Look at You! (pointing at my stomach)

Me:  Oh yea, thanks, 

Person B:  Oh my gosh, I shouldn't have said that. I'm so sorry I said that.-That was so wrong.-I know better.-It's just that I hadn't realized or paid attention before.-I'm so sorry.-but it's great.-you look great. really.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Me: Oh hi there! Haven't seen you in a while! How are ya?

Person B: Guess Not! What happened to you?

Me:  Alien got me. Crazy freak accident.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Person C: So you're getting fat huh?

Me:  Yup just getting fat.  Really enjoying all the stuff that's really bad for me.

Person C:  Oh gosh, I know your pregnant, I asked __________. I didn't want to say something and then you not be pregnant. 

(So glad you asked someone else first! I really can't imagine how badly the conversation would have started if you hadn't double checked first!)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

There are definitely others, but I think I'll save them for another day. 

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Warning: Hormones Are Everywhere

Whether I like it or not.

Ever since I was a little girl, if I started "acting up", my Grandfather would say that I was just learning how to be a woman. It was another one of his famous anecdotes.

I like to think that I'm very normal (I'm sure most women do), and I maintain a very laid-back attitude. Tim would chime in at this point and disagree just to make me argue with him, but really I'm not even close to high-maintenance. We wouldn't be together if I was because Tim wouldn't have the patience for all that.

I've maintained my go-with-the-flow extremely well since getting pregnant. I've heard the scary stories about hormones and I refuse to let them take over my brain. Up until now Tim would try to tease me with them and I would say, "we don't talk about hormones in this house". He thought it was hysterical and became an ongoing joke; hormones had become the word that we weren't allowed to say and when one of us said it, we both froze.

Well Saturday night when we decided that we were going to go out to dinner the evil hormones we don't talk about fell into my lap and would. not. leave.
I hate them. They are the devil.

I had told Tim to decide where he wanted to go to dinner because he had let me pick what we did earlier in the weekend. Plus, since I can't drink and he can, he should definitely get to pick where he wants to get a drink.  Well Tim was trying to be sweet and let his pregnant wife decide. We must have gone back and forth with suggestions 100 times, but neither of us would make a decision. All this indecisiveness I can handle...the tears that came because of it, I can't. What the heck is wrong with me? I will not get crazy. I will not get crazy. I will not get crazy.
(We ended up at Chilli's of all places, after driving around for probably 25 minutes. We even had to stop along our trek for a bathroom break. It was that bad people.)

These terrible hormones make you over-think & over-emotionalize E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!  I will continue to try and fight them out of my life because I seriously can't handle them, but should you catch me starting to lose it, just know that I am ninja-fighting them within like you have no idea!

Seven Things I Loved This Weekend

1.  We had a sleepover with the youngest of the kids that I used to nanny for. When I started there, he was two and now he's an awesome 10 year-old! We got burgers, played games and watched Hook! Love that movie & this munchkin!  His laughter gets me every time! 

 

  

2.  Receiving a SLEW of packages from one of my best friends from college that lives in New York. She told me it was because she didn't think that she ever got us a wedding present, but I know it's because she's already loving Little B!  The mailman loves her and the extra work that she gave him too! :)

3.  Finishing the first book of The Hunger Games! I'm enjoying it, but not obsessed.  Some parts are very far-fetched for me, but the story and the characters are interesting.  I'm sure that I'll see things totally different then the movie once it comes out, but I really enjoy comparing what I imagine and what the screenwriters for a movie do.

4.  Tim and I are having an ongoing battle with toilet paper. He thinks it's hysterical, while I'm beginning to cave. It started with the fact that we didn't have a trash can in our actual "loo" so one day Tim complained because he found 2 empty rolls in the bathroom that hadn't been put away. He described it as a homeless camp. Then friends of ours had a public outcry on facebook regarding the correct direction that the toilet paper should come off of the roll. I had to explain that one to Tim. Now every time I go to the restroom I notice that he's changed the toilet paper to go in the "wrong direction" just to see if I catch it, or maybe to irritate me. You choose. Each time, I change the Charmin back to the correct way without saying a word.  Now we've reached a problem in the phases of the war on toilet paper and he's succumbed to this:

This is NOT GOOD no matter how you look at it.  I've got to come up with some retaliation!

5.  Not this weekend, but late last week my Mom brought me this box...because she had a coupon. That's right, Little B is already forcing family members to clip coupons for the necessities!  I mean don't get me wrong, I gladly except expressions of love in the form of diapers, at least for the next two years! I just thought it was hysterical that baby things are showing up in all kinds of shapes & sizes, especially when  I least expect it (or should I say where -- she brought these to the office).

6.  My Grandfather had shoulder surgery on Friday and even though I've been told that he's been sort of a pain in the patient department, I am excited & happy that it all went well and that with the right amount of physical therapy he'll be back to doing the things he loves (GOLF!) hopefully by summer!  First stop, shoulder surgery...next stop meeting Little B!

7.  Putting together the last piece of furniture for Little B's room. There's no more room so that's got to be it. I know that there will always be toys and things to assemble, but phew that furniture stuff can be a bit tricky! I'll be posting pictures of the room later on. There's too much goodness in there and really I'm just not ready to share.  Call me selfish...I'll live.

Stay tuned for another post this week about something I'm not loving...HORMONES (shhh! Rule#1 don't talk about them in front of me - I refuse to be affected by them)!

  

If I Only Had a Brain...

We got so much accomplished this weekend! There was just the right amount of productivity and relaxation that I really didn't want it to end.
However...
I must admit that the term "pregnancy brain" has infiltrated our home.  I tried to look up a definition online of the term pregnancy brain, but could only find explanations like this one:
"Pregnancy and motherhood don't cause women to have memory lapses and other cognitive problems, even though the concept of ''pregnancy brain'' and ''momnesia'' are widely accepted, according to a new Australian study."

I wouldn't say that it's all memory lapse, I'd say it's that things just don't come as quickly and c o r r e c t l y  as they used to. Tim is hoping, no praying, that my brain is back to its old self again once the baby comes, but friends say it doesn't happen as quickly as you'd like because then the lack of sleep + the to-do factors take over. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. 

Pregnancy Brain Example #1: 

I was making dinner the other day and continued to open the freezer every time I meant to open the fridge. I must have put freezer foods in the fridge 3 times and every time I did it I laughed at myself. 

Pregnancy Brain Example #2:

Shampooing my hair twice in the shower yesterday morning!

Pregnancy Brain Example #3:

As we were getting the different parts of the crib out of it's large box on Sunday, I was stating how shocked I was that I couldn't find the directions anywhere. Tim started giggling and then got his phone out and was taking a picture of me. I asked him what he was doing and he said he was just going to let his Mom and his Brother in on our game of Eye Spy to find the directions. I looked behind me and BAM! there were the directions taped to one of the sides of the crib. Geesh! Talk about feeling silly! 

I'm sure that there are a lot more examples, but those are the ones that stand out right now. Here's hoping that for the most part my brain stays intact. 

The World of Baby Registry

The State of the Union was about to come on TV and Tim and I were going back and forth about watching it. I mean sure it's our American duty to listen to our President, but we weren't all that excited about it since it's really just another campaign speech anyway. So I talked Tim into a late night visit to Babies R' Us for some registry shopping with the cool zapper.

              

* stolen from lifeatthirty.com *

They fool us people. Here's the store that teaches people how to become hoarders for their children's junk.  Have you looked at the "must have" lists that they give you? It's a "must have" of over 100 items. Tim told me I couldn't register for anything that Little B wouldn't need after 6 months of age because he wasn't going to store it. Can you tell that we're somewhat minimalists? Wait scratch that...we're minimalists depending on what it is. If it's a tool, and it's something that we could potentially need, then you bet your bottom dollar we've got one or will get one in that garage. If we're discussing the fact that I have a dress up box at the age of 31 and that Tim hates that it's sitting in the attic, then we've still got our fair share of stuff.  Truth be told, we'll just wait and see what this baby does to us...are we pack rats in the making?  I, for one, am keeping my fingers crossed that the answer is no.

So we basically ran through the store with the zapper, a list and a whole lot of laughs. Tim was embarrassed at the female isle with all the pumping items. I was beyond overwhelmed looking at all of the monitors and different systems, wondering what the heck happened to a good ol' fashioned crying baby? Or better yet, can't we just rig up a walkie-talkie for Little B? It'll be much more adventurous! As we came upon the bibs and Tim began to get a little tired of the lights and sounds in Babies R Us, my Father-in-Law called to make us laugh the rest of the way through. He's right, life really has changed since Tim and I were babies. There weren't mandatory car seats, or BPA free items. Life was what it needed to be at the time. I guess it is what it needs to be now too, depending on how you look at it. 

Anyway, I was impressed because Tim and I were out of Babies R' Us in record time. I think we got the essentials. As long as Little B has the basics before he/she arrives, we'll be good to go. It's all a learning process. If you see us shortly after Little B's arrival and IT's already living in just a diaper, just know that the minimalist lifestyle won in a Benton World.  Luckily, it'll be summer in Texas and a half-naked baby isn't really all that uncommon.