That's one expensive skillet!

So today I went to a Princess Party. I had not heard of this kind of a party before and thought...is it sex toys, princess stuff for little girls, candles?????  Apparently, after a google search I found out it is or bakeware/cookware. And I did need to get some small containers for storing Hunter's food, but then I thought...after seeing an awesome demo of a nonstick non PFOA skillet that was awesome and actually worked cooking an egg, I thought what the heck, I'm going to get it. My husband might kill me for spending a little over a hundred dollars on an egg skillet, but seeing as I cook eggs for my son and I almost every other day and we have a cheap crappy skillet, I thought it was a good investment.

So, now that I've bought the skillet, I have to wait about a week to get it, but that's ok.

So today was my 30 week appointment and I measured at 32 so I'm wondering if my little girl will come a little early like her brother. I'm hoping that she's not too early, but I am excited at getting just a little closer. And she's dropped so now I feel her moving around lower and not kicking my ribs so much which is nice. Although, the exchange is that she gets to punch my hips so that kinda sucks. Oh well, that's what happens.

I also managed to make whoopie pies today...something I've wanted to do again since I tried the recipe and made them for the first time about a month ago. They were like heaven and I couldn't wait to make them again. Luckily, my friend LOVES them so I made them and gave most of the rest of them to her so I wouldn't have to endure eating 8 of them all by myself (not to mention try to keep my little boys hands off them since he's not allowed to eat much of that stuff).

Well, I suppose seeing as it's 9:30 I should probably hop off here, get ready for bed and read some more as I'm halfway through my book and it's due back at the library a week from today.  Until tomorrow!

2:30am, seriously people!

So last night, or this morning rather, I was woken up to the sound of dogs barking (thankfully not my own) and what I couldn't really tell until I lifted my head up and listened was two people screaming at each other. I looked at the clock...2:30am. Seriously, you're having a fight in the middle of the night outside on the road?  So, of course as any good respectful neighbor would do, I got up to peek out the blinds and see what was going on. I look down the road and I see a light (a phone perhaps) waving all over creation about three houses down across the street. Now, my windows are closed, mind you, and I can hear the conversation to the point it woke me up. I listen and hear "it ain't worth it," "I'll call the cops," and "why don't you go home with him tonight."  I can only assume this domestic dispute must have been over a cheating wife or girlfriend as the husband/boyfriend was pretty pissed, but then again so was she. Now, I'm just laying in bed thinking, "if I can hear this over here with my windows closed, I can only imagine what the neighbors next to those people can hear" and I know they have kids. Sadly, today I happened to notice two kids in the house of angry people, so I'm hoping that they are sound sleepers or that it wasn't their parents as there are three vehicles that reside in the driveway. Anyway, my point is, why yell at the top of your lungs outside your house at 2:30am on a Sunday night when you know everyone is home and they're trying to sleep. Not only that, you know there are kids around. I guess in the heat of the moment you don't care, but I would have at least got in the car or gone to another place.

Normally I wouldn't complain too much about a disturbance revolving around noise, but this past weekend I was subjected to 4 hours of bass and later that night at 10:30pm I got to hear more bass from the same house as a jerk decided to pick someone up and leave the music on and car running for 20 min. It's great to have oh so soothing obnoxious bass when you're trying to fall asleep.  All I can say is I'm so over my noisy neighbors. I had to endure several hours of bass from the same house the weekend before so lets just say I'm glad I'll get a break from it soon.

My next doctors appointment, and last one until I get my new doctor, is tomorrow. I have to say I wish I could keep my current doctor, but alas she is not located close to my family so I will be starting fresh and hopefully with a doctor that is open to natural birth and minimal to no medical interventions. Here's hoping it all goes well! Oh, and on a side note, Chipotle has come to town and is opening soon!  I'm so excited! Not that I'll really get to go there opening day or anytime soon thereafter since it's not super close to my house and my son isn't a big fan, but the fact that it's available is awesome! Well, here's hoping all goes well at my appointment tomorrow and that my week is a great one!

Frosting??

Ok, so I have a confession to make. For the past 30 minutes I've been sitting at my computer looking up nothing important while eating about 5 apricots and about 1/8 cup of frosting...maybe a 1/4 cup!  I can't seem to stop my sweet tooth and I bought a can of frosting for a recipe I wanted to make a few weeks ago (it was a HUGE hit by the way) and frosting was part of a filling I needed. I didn't use the whole can and instead of wasting it I thought, what can I eat it with because I'm out of chocolate! I managed to find some dried apricots and low and behold I had a horribly sweet and oh so tasty snack. I even thought about making pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream for dinner!  I feel like I need a chaperone in my house to make sure that I don't eat or bake sugary things every second. I bet this girl's gonna love sweets when she gets older. She'll have a long way to go before her lips ever taste a swiss cake roll or candy, but man is she making me crave them. Of course, last time it was cottage cheese, this pregnancy it's chocolate and sweets. Great...add those pounds to my butt. Luckily, my butt has not reached max capacity for my jeans, but still. I'm going to have to post photos of really buff people all over my cabinet doors to keep the guilt up so I don't overload on sugar. Hmm.

Anyway, I've been reading about having a natural birth and after having read loads of books with my first pregnancy, I've decided to focus on natural birth, rather than birth in general, for my second pregnancy. Lets just hope that this birth goes as well as the first did! I should probably be reading that now instead of sitting on the computer, but I'll read it after I finish this post I guess. Back to the topic. So, I've been enlightened about the world of natural birth and how medicine and doctors took over the birthing scene in the 1900's and eventually a revival of natural birth and education about birth came about in the 1960's. I was inspired to have a natural birth after knowing that my mom had natural births with me and my sister and how so many people thought it was impressive (and crazy) that a woman would willing put herself through that pain. Honestly, I find the pain of birth and giving birth naturally a write of passage into the parenting world and far worth it than getting an epidural. No needles in my spine please and I'd like to feel my body. Not only that, but a woman's body was made for this.  It's what we're supposed to do...have kids. Since we've been on this planet we've been able to do it naturally. Why mess with mother nature?  So, my quest to find a doctor was supposedly over since I found a practice that had midwives and it was covered on my insurance...until I found out the midwives relocated to their own practice which is no covered by my insurance. :(  Needless to say, I was feeling a little worried considering that in two weeks I will need to find a new doctor and see them in 3weeks!  After some digging and asking around I may have found three doctors I'm willing to work with and that will deliver at the hospital I want to have the baby at. I guess when you're in the military you just get used to "here's your provider" and go with whoever you get..unless you really dislike them and decide to switch. But in the "civilian" world you get to choose who you want and be a bit more selective. Sadly, I really like the midwife I have now, but since I'll be relocating to have the baby I'll need a new doctor/midwife. Here's hoping I can find someone! Monday will be the day of phone calls and questions! I also have to find a pediatrician...that is one thing I'm happy about as my last option with the military wasn't the greatest for my son.

Anyway, all that aside, things are moving fast...I'll be moving, the due date is approaching, my husband is gone, but will be back for R&R in a couple months and I'll be with my family and will have a lot more support very shortly, and I have so much to do before I relocate. Not only do I need to clean house, I need to pack up a TON of stuff for a garage sale and rent a trailer to put it all in, do a few crafty things for the nursery, and find a doctor. I have to say I welcome this craziness because with it comes distraction and I'm so distracted with everything else I have little time to think about the loneliness. Here's hoping that it stays at bay for many months to come. Hmmm, no more frosting...what else do I have that's sweet??? Just kidding!  : )

I think I'm addicted to chocolate

So, it's getting closer and closer to the time when I'll be getting picked up and moved for a while so I can have this baby in the presence of family and (hopefully) my husband if he gets back in time!  It's getting so real now as I go from day to day realizing the changes and stress pregnancy has on your body.

I have an insatiable appetite for chocolate and cereal...neither of which fill me up or help my weight!
I have a (what I feel like is a) HUGE belly and I can see the stretch marks I had from my first pregnancy and I'm just hoping I don't end up with a bunch more. I'd like to still be able to wear a bikini after this!  So far I'm confident that if they stay as they are I should be good...but who knows. Sometimes I feel as if there's no where she could possibly go if she gets any bigger, which she obviously will. It really is amazing the changes a woman's body goes through to have a baby. Not only do I feel stretched to max capacity, rolling over in bed is a joy since it's as if I can't breathe when I go from one side to the other...not to mention I have to shift the pillow that supports my leg and keeps my hips from killing me. Then there's the moment when you step on the scale and think...do I really weigh that much??  Luckily, I think I'm doing better this time than with my first pregnancy. And there's the fun hiccups she has that I get to experience multiple times a day (which is fun at first, but then gets a big annoying when it's often during the time you're trying to fall asleep). My son had them too and just like him, she's making sure I know she's there just before I drift off to sleep.

However, throughout it all, many women decide to go through this process more than once in their lifetime. There are a lot of things to complain about (and I don't even have swollen ankles or hands or many of the other unpleasant pregnancy "symptoms"), but all and all it's an amazing experience. The pain of birth aside, I wish everyone could go though this and know what it's like to carry your child and feel the bond that you do with your child when it's born. Having children is something I didn't know if I wanted to do until just 3 years ago. I was happy with my freedom, my job, my sleep, my life, but something told me it was time to consider it and after talking it over with my husband we both decided it was time to move on from dogs to babies. While I do miss my previous life, I'd never go back knowing what amazing gift being a parent can be. I enjoy every day with my son and despite his father being away for awhile, he keeps me happy and helps with the loneliness of the deployment. I have found it harder to keep up while being pregnant chasing a toddler. I know that chasing a toddler around instead of the desk job I had when I was pregnant with said toddler is a lot more challenging, but some days I have to remind myself I can do this and keep chugging along.

Deployments are no fun and I think sometimes they give you a chance to reflect on your life and your marriage. Some people are torn apart, some are brought together. During my first deployment it was rough and I hated the first few months. Loneliness was everyday and phone calls were only once a week if that (while my friends all had skype to talk to their hubbies). This time things are different. I'm sure the loneliness will hit me worst when I'm back home on my own with two children and no help, but I suppose I will have to look at this as a challenge. I have been strong on many fronts before and this is just a test of my strength. Although, to be honest, the real test of strength will be the day this baby arrives and the strength both emotionally, physically, and mentally I'll need should my husband not be there for the big moment. And while I will become a mother yet again, I have to say there is no greater time when you want your mother and thankfully this time I will have her there to support me regardless of my husbands presence. I think strength is the one thing that sets the success from the failure. I aim to be strong and make the most out of what may be a hard situation.

Drinks at night on the beach...oh how I miss you.

Today was yet another productive day!  I managed to get to the toy store...after I went there an hour earlier only to find out they didn't open until 10...and the craft store. I got all the things I needed to finish the crafty projects I have planned and even started and finished a couple things. I got the frames I've been working on hung (3 of them) and can now finish the other two crafty projects I have. I bought another train set for my son so he has more to play with and can take some to grandma and grandpas.  I had to stand and wait with a not so happy baby boy for what must have been a solid half and hour for the sale associate to ring it up since the coupon I had printed from an email they sent me didn't register and they had to create a new code. Two squeezy fruit pouches and a binky later we were at our wits end, but luckily he maintained composure enough to only slightly annoy a few people I'm sure. I thought I was going to have an all out tantrum, but luckily it was only some crying and fussiness due to being ready for a nap.

After getting back home, starting on one of the other crafty projects and wasting some time on the computer I get my little guy back up, played a bit, and eventually got to go outside and enjoy the AMAZING weather we had. A storm is brewing this evening and should probably wake me up in the middle of the night, but so far this evening has been nothing but warm air perfect for shorts and a t-shirt. I even had to turn on the ac. I love warm weather.  I suppose I probably better shove my dogs outside before the bad weather gets here to avoid any pinching of the cheeks and possible accidents in the middle of the night.

Right, so dogs have been outside and if you would have added the sound of waves and the salty smell in the air, I could have been in Hawaii. Perfect ocean breeze and warm temperature that was just like when I used to sit on the beach and enjoy a nice drink...or several. Oh how I miss those days!

Well, I suppose I better hop off here, do some more crafty stuff and head to bed. It's been a great day.

For the love of pants

So much has been going on lately and just when I think I'm going to go to bed early or maybe take a nap, I end up on the computer or doing something distracting that keeps me up. I may regret that in a few months time when I'm up every two hours in the middle of the night or when I can't get either child to take a nap at the same time. Oh well.

This week I've managed to get out with my little boy and enjoy the warm weather, go to the library, cook some great new recipes, and do some shopping. And it's only Tuesday night! I've gotten a lot of things situated with bills and medical stuff while I'm moving back and forth so that is good.

I stumbled upon an AMAZING whoopie pie recipe (thank you Parents magazine), a delightful chicken parmesan recipe (compliments of Progresso), and a wonderful breaded chicken recipe (by way of Kraft's new seasoning and shredded cheese mixes).  Not only have I made these, I've also tried a few other recipes that I know I like and have never made myself and one that I just threw together in hopes of finding a healthy alternative to the traditional very bad for you version. All and all, my cooking has been a big success, but my son is getting picky so he's liked about 3/4ths of them, but not all.

I've now made it into the third trimester and boy do I feel HUGE! I'm not sure if I'm really that huge, but I feel like I am. I have a serious problem with lacking will power when it comes to chocolate, so that doesn't help my after diner snack.  And here lately, I just can't help but want to eat something sweet all the time. Luckily, my brain isn't totally absent and tends to remind me (after I've eaten what I probably shouldn't have and guilt has set in) that I should lay off the snacks and sweets or I'll be 180lbs by the time I'm done!  No, I won't let that happen!

So, with the weather getting warmer I'm starting to enjoy the outdoors and am dying to get back to running. I see these women running and I can't help but feel a tinge of jealousy as I want to have a nice stomach and much smaller butt again!  I will get into my old clothes eventually, but it sucks that it will probably be fall by the time that happens. I do have plans to run a half marathon next year so I know I'll be starting my running routine again, but I don't know exactly how that will go given that I will have two kids and no daddy to watch them and my babysitter might be getting a job. Guess I'll be trying to figure that out when I get the go ahead to go running again. And to think I was finally comfortable in those tight running pants...now I have to start from scratch again. Oh well, I kept my older running clothes just in case I ended up in my current situation again. But to be honest, there are some women I've seen wearing some tight stretchy pants (not running or working out, mind you, but as a fashion statement) that really ought to have known better. One woman really blew my mind when I got out of the car to go to Walmart and saw the most amazing and disturbing backside sashaying away from me. Not only was it not meant to wear those painted on crazy (animal print/80's style??) pants, but they had squeezed into these pants to the point that I felt bad for the pants having to stretch so much you could see the white tag through the stretched fabric.  I did get a good chuckle at it though as my husband was utterly beside himself at the boldness that woman possessed when she decided that it was a good look. Of course, you could go to Walmart in your worst, holy, stained pjs, and some people wouldn't think twice. I prefer to make myself presentable no matter if it's Walmart or not, although, I have considered how nice it would be to just flop out of bed, put my son in the carseat, and shlep ourselves over to Walmart to buy the milk I should have gotten the day before since I knew I would need some in the morning.

Well, as expected I've just given another half hour over to my computer when I should have been sleeping peacefully like the three dogs I have all around me. Guess it's time to sign off and hit the hay.

Girl Scout cookies are the devil....because you can eat the whole box in a day then you have guilt...lots of guilt!

It takes some getting used to...having a deployed spouse. There's the obvious depressing thought that they're so far away and will be for a long time, but one thing that seems to be hard to do is start a routine and eat healthier.

Yesterday I polished off the last of the Somoas and half the thin mints I got on Monday! I seem to be suffering from lazy mom syndrome. I don't feel like thawing meet, after finding some recipe in a wild game cookbook, and making a fancy lunch or dinner. Lunch yesterday was a turkey sandwich and some steamed veggies with the girl scout cookies. My son had fruit instead of cookies and seasoned chicken breast instead of the sandwich (he still hasn't grasped the concept of a sandwich is supposed to have two pieces of bread with something in the middle...it always gets taken apart). Dinner was an easy frozen garlic chicken and veggies with pasta bag that I cooked in a skillet and dumped into a bowl. While it is quite tasty and I do have left overs I feel bad not taking the time and effort to cook a meal from scratch. Perhaps the need to go to the grocery store and actually buy the ingredients I need to make nice meals is deterring me since it's a wet mess outside.

While days like this make me want to stay in and not do a darn thing, I know i need to get out and buy the lizard and salamander their food as well since I'm out. To be honest, I'd rather curl up in a chair (with an abundance of pillows to support that ever growing belly) and some hot chocolate and read a book or watch mind numbing tv. I've got a case of being lazy and i need to shake it! I did get some cleaning done yesterday and today so that was at least something productive. I also managed to finish some frames I'm putting in the babies room...also productive, but the food...I just don't feel like cooking. I think maybe it's the constant dishes to clean. I HATE cleaning dishes, but I also HATE having a pile of them in the sink. Thank God for my dish washer; which helps but can't do all my dishes. I think what I need is just to get a weeks worth of meals planned out and stick to it. Dishes or not, I need to get my butt in gear and make some healthy meals and not rely on quick simple meals for me. At least my son always eats healthy..I take the time to make his lunches and we eat the same dinners usually.  Right, I think I'll be finishing the rest of the thin mints, then try to start over with good wholesome foods and really try to be healthier. I've had a few days of eating a lot of crap...time to get in gear!  The more crap I eat now, the fatter I become and lord knows I don't want to get too big since I have to work it all off after the baby gets here!  Right...time to go find some healthy meals for the week!

It starts

Today is day two of the deployment...well technically it's about day 1 1/2, but we'll just go with 2. It started with a good cry on the way home from post. I turned up the music and took off the mirror I attach to see my son so it wasn't so obvious to my little one that mommy was upset. As I drove home I realized he won't see his daddy for a long time and he was just starting to really connect with him.

My husband and son haven't had a close bond like I do with our son, but that is mostly because I'm the main caregiver and he's usually at work and doesn't have much time to spend with him when he gets home. So, it breaks my heart to see them having such a great time and enjoying each others company so much only to have to be ripped apart. I could tell my our son was really enjoying having his daddy to play with and I was really enjoying the help and watching the bond form between them. Sadly, this is what can happen when a parent gets deployed. I only hope that he is excited to see his daddy when he comes home (hopefully in time ) for the birth of our second child.

Someone else missing their daddy is a beloved hunting dog who has been rather friendly and close to me since her daddy left. I don't know how I'm going to handle having all the craziness of three dogs and a toddler, but luckily the toddler and our sweet, but crazy hunting dog are fast becoming playmates.

As for me, well as I said I've had a good cry, felt pretty sad, bored, and lonely, and have managed to eat a ton of sweets in the past few days. However, I have to get myself into a routine and get focused on all of the many projects I have lined up.  I have to train our newest canine addition (she's a nightmare on a leash and has no patience just a ton of energy), make some things to put in the nursery (getting my crafty side ready to go again), learn to actually sew clothing not just pillows and simple things, and many more ideas. I'm not sure how many I'll get sorted before I have the baby because I'm sure once I have a toddler and a newborn my "me" time will be zilch, but I look forward to the challenge anyway.  Currently I'm just trying to figure out how my baby belly could possibly get any bigger to accommodate this little one and thinking about how I can't wait to get back to running and being able to do the simple things like lay on my stomach, back, or any variation of sleeping position that doesn't require extra pillows. While I love having a tiny baby to hold, I hate having my body stressed (one flight of stairs feels like 4 these days) and stretched beyond comprehension. I look forward to the day when I'll be thin again, able to run my 8.5 min mile, lift something more than 30lbs without feeling the muscles in my side ache, and be able to sleep a whole night without having to get up to pee! All that aside, I have been blessed with a child and soon to be another one. I have never had problems conceiving and for that I am thankful as I know some who have not been so lucky.  The journey continues and each day I'm sure I'll have new challenges. I guess I just have to get my butt off the internet (this blog is not helping!) and get started on my projects, get a routine figured out, and make sure to stay connected (both myself and our son) to someone who is halfway across the globe. Deployments suck and I'll be glad when this is over, but I am proud and I know that this is one price (a very big one) I have to pay to be able to have the life I have today.  Tomorrow is another day and I guess a good way to look at it is that it's one less day to be alone.