Ramsey Shamsey

If Dave Ramsey really wants to help get you out of debt, why does he charge you $125 to tell you how? Um, do you take Visa, Dave? How about monthly installments?

The baby in my belly....the rump in my rib

So, I've been reading that book...you know the one, What to Expect When You're Expecting. Well, there's a lot you should be expecting...they don't tell you all of it though. Apparently my uterus is now the size of a basketball! So...I guess I look like I swallowed a basketball...a 20 pound basketball at that! The baby, however, only weighs about one of those pounds. Therefore my uterus (that is such a wierd word) is a big ol swimming pool to him. He's down, he's up, he's doing flips, he's kicking, he's punching, somersaults, flips, and even wedging himself into corners. I've mostly felt him moving around down south, but I swear the other night he was stuck under my ribs. I think he swam up there, bent over, and couldn't get out for about half a day. You know like when Winnie the Pooh got stuck in the rabbit hole and couldn't get out so Rabbit put a frame around his bum, which by the way I think is going to be my halloween costume...a frame around my belly with a squiggly smiley face on it...

The other side...Pregnancy Positives!

1. When people can tell you're pregnant now and make sweet comments even if they are lying. Oh , you look so cute! Your belly is perfect! You're glowing! Your boobs look awesome! Then they want to rub it which I don't really mind now (if I know the person, no strangers please!). It wasn't ok when I was like 2 days pregnant!

2. Awesome cleavage!

3. I can't lift that I'm pregnant.

4. I'll get it. You rest.

5. Naps!

6. Hearing the baby's heartbeat!

7. Seeing the baby on the blurry screen doing flips!

8. And finding out if it's a boy or girl on Friday!

Pregnancy Pet Peeves aka Triple P

When you tell people you're pregnant one of the first things they ask you is, "Were you trying?" I cringe at this question every time! I always want to come back with a smartass answer like, "Well, we were having sex." And then proceed to go into the gory details. Or, "No, we accidentally had sex. We didn't mean to." I mean ultimately it is a good possibility that the outcome of sex will be creation of a baby. But I'm not going to get any more into that. I usually just smile and giggle and say something like, "Well, we just thought we'd see what would happen." (by having "unprotected" sex!) That's #1.

2. It's time to announce you're pregnant (you being the one that's actually going to birth the child). You and the baby daddy say together at the same time, "We're pregnant!" WE???? um excuse me, were you gagging this morning while you were brushing your teeth? Did you get up five plus times in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom? Have you gained ten pounds already? (Well, probably yes b/c you're having "sympathy" cravings! whatever). Are your boobs spilling out of your bra? I'm pregnant and yes you helped and yes you will be there to love and support me and help raise our child, but you my friend are not pregnant. Therefore you are not allowed to use the term, "We're pregnant!"

3. Slang for "pregnant." Really? preggo (Isn't this a spaghetti sauce?) , preggers (sounds like chiggers), bumpies, (do I have the mumps?) Whatever happened to the good ol fashioned terms for being pregnant? with child, bun in the oven, knocked up? I might as well start referring to the baby as the fetus in my uterus or I could make is slang and say the feet in my ute. Well, no, that's silly and absurd as are some of the aforementioned slang terms in my opinion. Let's call a spade a spade: I'm pregnant.

4. In addition to slang there are acronyms as well. For example, I couldn't help myself and logged onto www.thebump.com (another slang!) and kept seeing the abbreviation TTC. What is TTC? Well I finally figured out that it is short for "Trying to Conceive" Honestly? I don't even know what to say. This just seems a little demeaning of what for many people is a sensitive issue. It shouldn't bear a "tag" like TTC.

5. To each his own. People keep asking me where my belly pictures are. Well, they are non existent. For some people this is cute and acceptable. For myself, I do not feel so inclined to do so. I usually respond by asking if they'd like to see a picture of my ever expanding nippular area. Now that is worth documenting! Good Grief! Really though, when I get good and pregnant (meaning full term) I would like to have pictures taken with my belly and my husband to remember this special time.

6. Do you know what it is yet? Yes, it's a baby!!

To be continued....

30 before I'm 30!

Well, today I am having an age crisis. Though I'm not in my "early" twenties anymore I still consider myself pretty young. When I mentioned having to get my license renewed in a couple of weeks to a coworker, that person said, "How old will you be, 30?" My mouth dropped! Then I started thinking, "Wow, do I really look 30?" Most people I know who are 30 do not even look 30! I even faithfully use eye cream and face lotion. I blame my mother-in-law for the stress lines and wrinkle appearances. (and gray hairs!) So, I've decided this spring break is time for a makeover! Facial, eyebrows, haircut/color, makeup, mani/pedi, and of course some new clothes! I've also decided to make a list of things to do before I am 30...you've seen it before...30 before I'm 30. Where did the twenties go? And now I only have barely more than 2 years left!! I'll post my list ASAP. I'll have to give it some major thought and consideration. Clock is ticking! haha To Be Continued.....

Masta D

So, you've probably seen those ridiculously silly billboards with the Snickers commercials? i.e. Sir Snacks-a-lot, Master P-nut, etc. Corny as corn on the cob. Well, you can just call me Masta D, cuz i'm done, son. That's right, I'm an offical master's degree holder. Now, how 'bout that raise? Which I will certainly need since apparently we're receiving a 2% paycut for the upcoming year. Budget cuts, budget cuts....blah, blah....BUT the good news (according to the board) is that we will still receive 98% of our salary. Whooppee. Thank goodness they did that math for me! I'm gonna have to get a 2nd job to pay off the Gs I borrowed to get the degree in the first place!

A sad note....today is the last day of my bowling league:( What am I going to do on Mondays now?? The good news is I get my very own customized bowling ball drilled to fit my fingers precisely and we're having pizza party today! Bowling alley pizza...YES!!

Exciting notes.....babies! I just became an "auntie!" Now, I know that technically I am not my cousin's baby's aunt, but to this one I am! And I am going to be an "auntie" again in july, august, september, and october consecutively! Lots of babies being born! Lots of boys so far. Come on Chinese calendar!!

http://www.thebump.com/calculators/ChineseGenderChart.aspx

Bowling Burns!

So, in December I joined a bowling league! Let me tell you it is so much fun and at the end of the season bowlers get their very own bowling balls! Thank goodness bowling burns calories (over 200 for one hour!)...which is just enough to burn off the Coke that I drink while I'm bowling! I figure it's OK to indulge at the bowling alley...I've been strong enough to resisit the nachos and pizza also served there. My team is called the "Spare Tires." haha. We all joined the Biggest Loser competition at work. I've already lost one whole pound! woo-hoo! So after this competition we can change our name to just the Spares. Cuz we know how to pick 'em up! I found this calorie burning calculator to help with the weight loss challenge.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/fitness/tools/calorie

Yogi Panda

Well, thank goodness for yoga Wednesdays! Last week there was a big crowd which I think it is great that more people want to take up yoga, but I kinda like the smaller crowd better. I'm able to concentrate more. I'm glad one of my work friends has decided to join me every week! This week I've been a little "off" if you will. I missed two meetings at work! All because I was in my own little world not paying attention to what's going on. Evidently I didn't miss much, though. I'm looking forward to clearing my mind at yoga tonight so maybe that will help me think more clearly. One perk for working for the government is MLK day coming up. Thank goodness Martin had a dream! It's gonna be a cold one so bundle up.

Death Becomes Us

Death is a strange thing. We all know it's coming, but there's nothing we can do to prepare for death--that of a loved one, or our own. It's very emotional, traumatic, and awkward. Death is shocking--even if you know today is the day that it's "coming." Wow, I just saw that person yesterday, I just talked to him, her, I just hugged that person. Now, I'll never physically see that person again. No one ever knows what to say when a loved one dies. What can you say? Close friends and family will mourn with us, but sooner or later we start to act like nothing ever happpened. Well, yes that was hard to lose a family member, but it's been three months now, why are we still talking about it? Because it's still fresh. Because it still hurts. Because it happened. Death is such a hush, hush topic. Don't bring it up. Don't remind that person that he or she lost someone. I think we have to talk about it. Death is a natural part of our life cycle. Sure some people feel invincible and may feel like they will live forever. Some people even spend their whole lives preparing for death. Preparing for the "next world." Heaven to most people I presume. Many people use that as a comfort. "Well, we know she's with the good Lord now." "God was ready for her." "He needed her more than you do." "This is a test of your faith." "God took that person from you so you'll be closer to Him." "Cling to God." Does God really go around picking people to take so He can have them with Him in Heaven? To teach us a lesson? I don't think God is that selfish. He's not selfish at all really. I can of course find comfort with God during difficult times. I just don't believe that God "takes" people to teach others a lesson, to use the families as a testimony. We are a living testimony. Our lives are testimonies. Not our deaths. Life is short. Death certainly makes us realize that. We wish we had more time. We wish we would have done more, said more, been more. People are important. All people. Young and old. Especially old.