Who am I kidding?

We're up in Mystic, Connecticut right now... My cousin, Amy, is getting married tomorrow. While it rained both days that we were driving up here, the weather has been absolutely gorgeous while we have been in town. I actually should have brought some clothes better suited for warm weather; I thought it would be much cooler while we were here!

My family is loving their first chance to meet Sparky. He's been slightly fussy lately, which is kind of unusual for him. Then, this morning, what should appear but a tiny little tooth poking through his bottom gum! I would be cranky, too! One day after his sixth-month birthday, Sparky sprouted his first little tooth...

I had efficiently procrastinated doing some schoolwork before leaving town for a few reasons. Reason #1 was that I was so freaking busy getting everything ready for our trip that I simply didn't have time. Reason #2 was that I rationalized that I would have some down time on the road and here in the hotel between events to get some stuff done. Haha! Riiiiiiight....

In addition to the test that I have to make up on Thursday and the client notes that I have to finish before my supervision on Thursday morning, I got a nice email from one of my professors reminding us of a paper that is due in class on Wednesday night. Son of a... While the paper won't take that much time to throw together and the notes aren't a huge time burden, I'm really stressing about finding time to study sufficiently for the test, especially considering how far behind on the reading I am in that class.

Anyway, I guess I could be using this time to study or work on the paper or on my notes, but it is 12:15 a.m. Eastern time and I think it will just have to wait until we begin the drive home on Monday...

Does anyone have any Pepto?

When I found out I was pregnant, I thought I was pretty much aware of all the dietary restrictions I would have to abide by for the next nine months or so.

I immediately voluntarily quit drinking caffeinated beverages and suffered slight withdrawal headaches for a couple of days, but, hey... this is for the baby, right?

I also gave up on steak with any tint of pink in it; the first time I ordered a steak, it wasn't cooked enough, so I politely asked for the waitress to have the cook throw it back on the grill for a few more minutes. When the steak was returned to me, it had the distinct rubbery taste of having been nuked in the microwave. Yum...

Then at the first doctor appointment, the nurse practioner suggested that I stay away from all fish. Not just the fish like shark, albacore tuna, or tilefish that contain high mercury content, but every type of fish - you know, just to be safe.

(She did, however, give me a prescription for a fish oil supplement, since DHA is good for a developing embryo/fetus... How's that for irony?)

I was then admonished at work for eating a roast beef sandwich for lunch. Apparently, lunch meat has nitrates, which are bad for the baby.

At the most recent doctor appointment, I was instructed to avoid any foods that have partially-hydrogenated oils. This includes most peanut butter and microwave popcorn.

Lucky for me, though, I don't really feel like I'm being restricted from much of anything, because although the food that I'm "allowed" to eat is an ever-dwindling list, none of it is appetizing, anyway. Or, if I do find something that is approved by the pregnancy diet, I eat it and then barf it up. Just thinking of eggs or ice cream makes me feel swirly.

I'm glad Mac & Cheese is on the approved list, because that is about the only thing that sounds digestable to me these days...

One fun side note, though - - I am experimenting with the various flavors of Freezoni's and Smoothies at the local QuikTrip. They make the whole vomiting experience lots more exciting, to see what those bright colors (pink, lime green, purple) make the rest of the food look like on the way up!!!

Quick Observation

Life has been very busy lately... I haven't had any time to even think about blogging, but I will give you this little gem that I realized the other day at the doctor's office...

I was nervous about getting a mammogram done. I mean, I just turned 27 years old! I had heard that it was a painful procedure, but overall, I didn't think it hurt very much at all. The technician even warned me that it would probably be more painful than most because I'm younger than most of the women who have the procedure done.

Here's the realization I came to: You know how when somebody pinches the large, thick part of your arm, it doesn't usually hurt too much? But, if they take just a tiny piece of skin and squeeze it between their fingers, it hurts like a bitch?

Yep... That's right. I was saved from the pain of the mammogram by my (slightly-larger-than-the-average-woman's and REAL) boobs.

I knew you wanted to know that.

*By the way, the mammogram and the ultra-sound of the axillary area were fine. There is some dense tissue that they want me to go to have looked at again in 6 months, but they are assuming it is benign at this point in time. They'll see if there are any changes later.

Just for Fun...

I don't know about you, but my week has been crazy busy.

But, if you are having more free time than I am this week, here are a couple of things to entertain you for a few seconds:

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There was a little girl,

Who had a little curl,

Right in the middle of her forehead.

And when she was good,

She was very, very good.

And when she was bad,

She got a fur coat, jewels, a waterfront condo, and a sports car!

**********

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*Thanks, Diana, for the sending the first cartoon to me!

Back to School

So, today I go "back to school." Well, the kids don't have to go back to class for another two weeks, but it is 5:30 a.m. and I am getting ready to hop in the shower and head to work.

Where did the summer go? It sure as hell still feels like summer outside!

The Yo-Yo....

I am about as uncoordinated as most people could ever get. I run into things constantly, am persistantly falling, and just generally drop 25% of the things that I am trying to carry. This "grace" is just part of my charm.

I'm jealous of people who can dance and play sports and.... walk and chew gum at the same time. The fad of the hackey sack during my middle and high school years was a source of constant agony. I've always wanted to learn how to juggle. But, most of all, I'm jealous of people who can yo-yo.

As a kid, I could usually manage to get the yo-yo to perform the typical up and down rhythm required as a basic skill. But, I could never figure out how to do any of those fancy-schmancy tricks. The problem is that yo-yo-ing seems easy enough that everybody should be able to do it... That is everybody in the entire world except me.

Walk the Dog, Gravity Pulls, Pinwheels, Time Warps, Ferris Wheels.... All beyond me.

I've given up trying to learn to become graceful and have accepted my role in society as somebody without any cool, eccentric talents that can land me a spot on one of those late night television shows. But, I definitely still watch with envy anytime I see some kid showing off with a yo-yo.

Oh, You Can't Get to Heaven....

So, Dave and I were out at dinner a while back and for some reason, one of us (probably me) began singing that silly kids' song "Oh, you can't get to heaven...." You know the one:

Oh, you can't get to heaven
(Oh, you can't get to heaven)
On roller skates
(On roller skates)
'Cause you roll right by
('Cause you roll right by)
Those pearly gates!
(Those pearly gates!)

Which then led us to creating our own verses, with the other person singing the echo part. Some of my favorite original verses:

Oh, you can't get to heaven
In a mini-skirt
'Cause God don't like it
When you're a flirt.

Oh, you can't get to heaven
In a three-legged race
'Cause you'll probably trip
On your shoelace.

Oh, you can't get to heaven
With your pet cats
'Cause heaven don't have
Any mice or rats.

Anyway, you get the picture. It was pretty sad how long this game was able to keep us entertained. Any suggestions for additional funny verses?

Marco!.....

Skin and Bones

So, I was listening on the radio the other day and they were talking about some scientific study (and by scientific study, I mean pretend survey that they made up five minutes ago to have something to talk about on the air) regarding people's views of the importance of being thin. It focused on what people would do if they could be thin for the rest of their lives.

50% of people said they would give a year of their life if they could be thin for the remainder of it.

33% of people said they would give a limb to be skinny.

10% of people said they would give up their sight in order to not have to fight the battle of the bulge for the remainder of their years.

Now, I admit that I am an American woman who feels like I should lose about fifteen to twenty pounds. I also admit that I would much rather do ten million other things instead of getting my ass to the gym. But, would I be willing to give up a year of my life, my left arm, or my sight in order to fit the (unrealistic) standard of beauty?

Thanks, no.

Now, excuse me, but I think I just heard the pizza delivery guy pull up.