Weird Day

I had some errands to run and my experiences varied from fun to not so fun (bordering on disturbing) today. 

FUN - First off, I mailed my sister's bridal shower invites YAY.  Unfortunately, I can't attend, but it was fun to be part of the planning.  It will be an intimate celebration with her and her closest friends.  Mocha sat under the table the entire time I made these invites... I think he is excited too ;)

I went to a boutique maternity shop looking for a maid of honor dress.  This shop was quite cute and had lots of neat fun things.  For instance, I loved the t-shirts that said, "Does this baby make my butt look big" or "Waistlines are overrated"  Also, I think I may have found a very cute black dress that just might work for the wedding.

And to top off the fun - I did it - I bought my first pair of maternity pants at Macy's - a pair from Heidi Klum's line that were on clearance.  They are a super cute pair of tan skinny jeans. 

NOT AS FUN- At the same boutique maternity store there was some breast pump stuff with a few pictures that reminded me of a dairy farm and I just wasn't mentally ready to see the human/cow comparison pictures that were popping in my head...  I'll spare you the details of the picture on the box.... I will hint at one thing though there was a laptop in this particular product picture ... yep a lap top .... what? huh? why is that there? why do I need detailed goofy pictures on the box....

I went to David's bridal to look at some dresses and it was a mortifying experience.  I had a guy pick out a few dresses that work for maternity.  This is a place where you just take whatever size fits and they order you the proper color.  I should have known right there and then it was going to be bad since the dresses I was holding were a pale pale yellow a peach and some other color that I have blocked from my memory.  So, I try on the first dress, I can already tell that the dress might look pretty bad, but they had NO mirrors in the dressing room - NO MIRRORS.  I had to parade through what felt like a million people all hanging outside of the dressing rooms in a dress that fit poorly, looked horrible with my skin tone and just about cracked the mirror when I looked at myself.  Cutting my losses since that was the best dress of the bunch I ran out of there like there was a fire. (BTW, I had little black socks on... hahaha ... nice huh)

I'll take FUN over NOT SO FUN anyday... but I guess everything can't be FUN!

Long Form Birth Certificate?

I wanted to be topical so I thought I'd choose birth certificates to talk about.  Obama released his long form birth certificate yesterday, which to me begged the question, "long form?"  How many forms are there?  I just have the one and I don't remember ever seeing, knowing about or asking for a specific type of birth certificate. 

I think back to all of my moves through college (I think I moved to four different places in one year) and after college and this is one of the few possessions that actually has been with me that whole time.  It gets taken out of its hiding place every 5 years or so for some weird record keeping reason.  Less so once I changed my last name and lost my original identity (something I refer to as the marriage identity crisis). It is funny to think that you can be standing somewhere (say the DMV) with 10 things with your name on it, you can clearly see if someone is a boy or girl (most of the time anyway) and they may still need this document to really believe you are somebody.  Just think when baby Hahm is born he/she will get the only document that really states that he/she exists through time, yet that is something that isn't on my checklist of items to get from the hospital/government entity ;).  I'll be sure to ask for the short, medium and long form versions just in case he/she runs for president.   Oh and by the way... do you know where your birth certificate is right now?

Fruits, vegetables and babies oh my

Ok, so every week I get an email about what fruit or vegetable is most similar to my babies current development size.  Olives, plums, lemons, etc.  At first it was cute, but now sometimes I find it comical.  For instance, I'm an onion now that I'm 17 weeks along - well last week I was an avocado.  Kevin said out loud what I was thinking, " what is the difference between an onion and avocado" ... I don't know.  Some future listings are bananas, hothouse cucumbers, cauliflower... rutabaga (huh?? isn't that a type of car).  Also, sometimes they throw in a similar weighing item.  This week my baby weighs what a turnip weighs.  I am not sure I've even ever held a turnip let alone remember how much it weighed.  They have countdowns and t-shirts that have these fruits and veggies listed.  Can you see me sporting around a t-shirt that says 'My baby is a cantaloupe"  I'll admit it does bring a quirky fun angle to pregnancy and I will be VERY VERY scared when it says I'm holding a watermelon or small pumpkin - YIKES!!

Super smeller

I've always been fascinated by a dog's ability to smell so well.  I've always wondered what it would be like to have that ability.  A dog has somewhere between 125 million sensory cells to many multiples of that in their noses.  Breed and size of dog determine the number of cells.  For instance a dachshund is on the lower end while a bloodhound is on the upper end.  Humans by contrast have only around 5-10 million of these same cells.  These sensory cells and the corresponding nerves that travel to the brain are on a sponge like membrane in the nose.  A human's sponge like membrane is about the size of a postage stamp whereas a dog's area containing these cells and nerves is roughly the size of a piece of paper.  The area of a dog's brain devoted to smell translation is something like 40% greater than humans.  All of these differences combined allow dogs to smell a thousand to a million times better than us.  It is amazing that they can follow scents up to a week or more old, detect tumors on cancer patients and are a big part of search and rescue operations. I saw a show recently where a dogs sense of smell has been used for disease detection through smelling human breath.  I just think that is so cool.

I have had my own brush with a doglike super smeller as of late.  Apparently, pregnancy enhances your ability to smell in some women (of course it is hormone related like everything else).  The bright side of this is that I can smell spring flowering trees way down the street and baked goodies have never smelled so good.  On the not so bright side is that the garbage has never smelled so gross and I've had to hold my breath in public bathrooms.  There was one day Kevin and I went into the Borders that was closing down and there were so many people and so many smells that I had olfactory overload (and not in a good way) and had to get out.  I could smell about 40 different types of BO and perfumes... not good. Although morning sickness has been linked with women who do start super smelling I escaped that little side effect - thank goodness! It is quite fun to be like 'ewh' or 'wow that smells great' and Kevin has no idea what I'm smelling - proof positive of my new pregnant super ability.  I tease the dogs that I can smell like them now, but they just turn up their **noses** and give me a 'you wish' look....  

Cool spring evenings on the patio

The weather is perfect for lounging on your favorite restaurant patios enjoying your favorite beverage.  The days are hot, but the early evenings have enough chill left to make it relaxing.  This is usually when I'm most excited for this years summer micro brews to start appearing.  A creamy hefeweizen with a hint of lemongrass or a crisp red.... YUM...   Well, this year is going to be different. 

I mean I can still enjoy the great weather, but it just really isn't any fun to go sit on the patio and watch Kevin drink a good frosty beer.  Plus, they usually don't have caffeine free sodas so I just drink water.  Yes, that is right it is me and Kevin sitting there while I drink water and he drinks beer... LAME.  If for some reason we couple dinner with this it might be ok, but the few times Kevin has asked me to go I just ate about an hour before so that hasn't worked either (my pregnancy eating schedule is every couple of hours).  We really aren't planners so our usual spontaneity in meeting for happy hours isn't going to work as well.  Needless to say, this is the start of me really missing drinking a cold beer on hot summer days.  

Mini Easter Melt Down

I hope everyone is having a Blessed Easter.

I woke up this morning thinking I will wear a skirt today to church.  It is finally spring weather and it felt like it would be fun to wear for a change.  I usually just wear dress pants since it is easy and I'm usually running late.  Well, because it hasn't really been that warm and I  haven't really had a need to wear a skirt in awhile I didn't realize that I wasn't going to be able to find one to wear.  I mean I have only gained like ~3 pounds, but my skirt wardrobe seems to think I gained 15.  Most of my skirts are quite fitted - I didn't really think about that until today.  They zip up the side or back and there isn't a whole lot of extra room like pants.  My 'fatty pant' extender buttons don't cut it for skirts.  I guess all ~3 pounds are right in front so it makes the fitted waist area quite snug.  So it is 9:30 and we are suppose to be on the road ... instead I'm still throwing around skirts getting increasingly more frustrated.  In my head I'm thinking even if I find a skirt what are the odds there is a shirt or shoes to match.

This is where the pregnancy hormones kicked in I guess.  I haven't really had many ups and downs hormone wise (no more than my normal anyway) I think most people would say I'm pretty easy going in general.  In this moment I just got emotional within a few seconds instead of my normal just whatever attitude.  It isn't about feeling or looking fat obviously (although it is an awkward stage where people don't know your pregnant but it looks like you ate 20 donuts for breakfast) I just felt uncomfortable and like I had ZERO options.  Normally, when I have wardrobe issues it is about not finding the right shirt or color etc... today I had no alternatives - at least in my hormonal head. 

** I'm secretly thinking too that if Kevin even thinks about coming in here to tell me I'm running late that I'll probably throw a shoe at his head. Luckily, he must have had some instinct in him to know not to bother me  :) **

I finally found something and I think my words to Kevin as we left hurriedly out the door were that this is barely acceptable and that I look horrible, but let's go.  At this point it wasn't just the outfit, but I had spiraled to hating my hair, my make-up, purse, what I ate for breakfast, the color of the sky and any other nonsense I could think of...In the car I was on the verge of tears for no real reason that is why I'm POSITIVE it was pregnancy hormones, this is just very uncharacteristic of me (unless I'm watching a sad animal story cuz then I cry every time).  I didn't even know why I was really upset all I know is I just was.  After a few deep breaths and views of baby cows on the ride I was back to normal.  It was all very weird and silly.  And to top it off my outfit was cute once I thought about it later.  Now I understand finally what other women are talking about when they say they had hormonal episodes and it is hard to really think rationally in that moment.  Luckily, the moment is fleeting and easily forgettable :)      

Cute, Ick, Ugg and YAY

Cute - First off is a little Mocha story.  I heard Mocha barking off and on in the back yard so I thought I would go check it out since he hardly ever barks.  At first I couldn't tell what was going on... there were three boys from across the street pointing and laughing at Mocha at our fence and Mocha was running up to the fence barking at them and then taking off running full speed to the other side of the yard and then back to bark at them.  I then noticed Mocha had their lacrosse ball in his mouth.  They hit it over the fence and Mocha thought it was the coolest thing ever and was having so much fun running around with it and teasing them.  The boys were like 'your dog is funny' and 'he can have it' and 'I think it is stuck in his mouth' hahaha.  It was pretty funny.  After asking Mocha to drop it a few times I eventually got it and gave the boys their ball back - lacrosse balls are heavy.

Ick - Tennessee has the most bugs of anywhere ever.  Today I found a icky gross red clover mite on my computer before typing this.  They are super small and when you squish them they leave a horrible red streak.  YUCKO

Ugg - Last night and today I feel pregnant.  Something I haven't really felt much of yet.  It feels like I swallowed a big rock for some reason.  Just an uncomfortable dense, full filling and stretching isn't helping.  I guess my abdomen is actually filling up with baby - hee hee. 

YAY - Got the rest of my genetic screening values back (the 2nd trimester Quad test) and everything came back normal.  I don't have the exact numbers and will have to call the doctor for those, but I'll take normal for now.  I guess most people don't want the #s or find them confusing so they don't usually give them out, but I'm a numbers gal and like the hard solid facts.  Numbers or not - YAY for *normal*! 

Driving Dilemma

I headed out to grab a Starbucks today and I brought the dogs like I usually do if I am just running through a drive thru.  It gets the dogs out of the house and breaks up their routine so I always like to bring them along.  They are pros at going through drive thrus since I do tend to take them and with all of our moves it is something they just know.  They get treats from Starbucks on occasion, free ice cream at some fast food places, nuggets from Chick fil a - they really have fine tuned how to look cute and work it.  The only downfall is that Kona is a drooler and sometimes gets a little ahead of herself and drools before we even get to the window making her look a little gooey, but cute nonetheless.  Yes, it is true like a Pavlov dog experiment that the mere sight of a drive thru line causes drooling as a conditioned response in Kona because she has been through so many that have given her food.  If I can say anything positive about this apparently bad habit is that it is 95% sbux and not fast food :) so that must count for something. 

Well, today it really did hit me that this normal activity that we do is going to have to be changed since the baby will be in the backseat.  Kevin had brought this up the other day, but today I realized that I need to figure out a solution and practice here very soon.  We bring them to parks and all kinds of places so leaving them at home isn't an option, we just need room for a cross species 5.  My first 2 thoughts are either 1) they go in the very back, but there isn't an open window back there making a **ride** a lot less fun for a dog (I mean leaning out of a car window with the wind in your hair is something that has to be in a dog's list of favorite things to do in life) or 2) I sit in the back with baby and 1 dog and the other dog gets the front seat....   Well, we will just have to figure this out because I can't wait to go on walks and go to the park with all of us in tow.

I'm probably in the minority on this...

I am sure I am one of only a few with this opinion, but I just don't really care about the Royal wedding.  I guess I should be impressed with the pageantry and gloriousness of it all, but for some reason I just have no interest in it.  The endless coverage on news channels just leaves me wanting to know less.  How is it that I know about Kate's Dukan diet to lose weight for the dress (a very unhealthy diet by the way) or the fake look-a-like engagement ring you can buy or how much the suite is that they are staying in or how much all of the security is going to cost.... all without wanting to know one bit of information...I learned all of this by just existing while the news was on.  There are shows on cake recipes that should have been used, are being used or didn't make the cut.  The same type of design shows were done on her wedding dress... just for fun.  Maybe I just don't get it because I don't remember Princess Diana marrying Prince Charles and I only really heard about all the scandals.  Maybe these scandals took the romance out of it for me.  It could be I just don't know enough history about the British Monarchy so the relevance of this event is wasted on me.  I guess one good thing is she is a 'commoner', which is a fun fact.  Maybe I need to grab some popcorn and watch the 'William and Kate' movie on Lifetime and maybe I'll fall in love with their love story.... I'm skeptical though knowing myself.  While I may be the only one not up at 4am to watch what is sure to be a beautiful event in history I'm sure I'll see clips over and over and over all day .... 

Hot showers are AWESOME

Let's be honest.. who doesn't love a hot shower??  Hot showers are great because they let you melt away stress, have alone thinking time and/or just space out.  I swear things and situations just become clearer in a hot relaxing shower.  Now, I have always been conscious of the environment and I don't like to just waste water for selfish reasons so I have really tried to limit my enjoyment.  That being said, since I've been pregnant I can't get enough of that hot water relaxing my sore back and just the comfy feeling of the warmth.  I actually look forward to it every day and it really helps my overall mental outlook - I'm pretty sure my day would be askew without this joyful daily little thing.  It is funny how several of my pre-pregnancy normal activities have taken on slightly new meanings.  More examples of those to come... 

Appt #3 - Quick & Easy

Babies heartbeat is a good 155.  My weight, blood pressure, etc are good.  I had blood drawn to finish off some of the genetic testing.  It is called a quad test.  These screening values combined with my first trimester screening values give me an idea of a possible genetic disorder, this time it includes neural tube defects.  I started out with a 1:100 chance of a genetic disorder due to my age.  After the first round of screening tests my chance was 1:3100 and even less of a chance for Trisomy 18 (1:10,000) YAY!!  They will combine all the screening tests to come up with a new at risk value.  Anyway, I am hopeful everything will come back great.  These tests are only screens and aren't diagnostic, but I like knowing things are pointed in the healthy direction.

We have decided to find out the sex of baby Hahm.  This appt is set for May 13th...Friday the 13th... should I be worried about finding this out on freaky Friday??? 

The only bad news (which wasn't bad) was that my sore thigh muscles during sleep are definitely normal and here to stay.  My pelvic area and tendons are to blame... this is when I wish I was more like gumby or plastic man.  Owell. 

H20

First a quick multiple choice quiz.. What is this picture??:  A) Painting workshop for students on how to paint a dining room B) A new version of feng shui  C) a garage sale or D) a 'Mocha' blockade so that he isn't constantly ripping the painters tape off of the dining room molding...  if you guessed  D   you are correct.... silly dog and both dogs could not keep from smelling the brown paint.. it looked like melted chocolate and apparently smelled like it too.  Kona hasn't been interested in the smell of paint ever so there must have been something good to sniff.  Seriously, this paint looked like something I could dip strawberries in... I was craving chocolate all day.

Anyway, back to the topic of the day.  I've always been a person who did not drink enough water.  I have always had to consciously think about drinking it, yet I'm never really dehydrated.  I attribute my super abilities of water retention to my childhood in the desert.  Maybe I developed specialized kidneys and intestines like a camel so that my body doesn't require the usual amount.  (BTW, water isn't stored in the camels humps like rumored - it is usually fat stored in their hump and the hump size is an indication of overall nutrition)... ok back to my water issues.  Now that I have baby Hahm I have been keenly aware of my water intake and I just don't cut it most days.  Even though I have post-its everywhere reminding me to drink water and an on the hour iphone alarm reminder I just can't seem to get enough (just kidding I don't really do either of those things, but maybe I should).  The one time of day I am thirsty is nighttime since I'm a night owl.  This habit doesn't really align with my new bladder size since getting up in the middle of the night isn't fun. So, as I head to the kitchen to get some water I'd love to hear any ideas on fun ways to remember to drink enough earlier in the day.... cheers!!

What is happening to my belly button?

It has begun, my belly button is starting to take its journey of transformation.  I was looking at it last night and was surprised - It happened so fast , like it got weird overnight.  What used to be a kind of squished and understated inny belly button has sort of opened up.  I guess that means baby Hahm is expanding and the bump is appearing.  I guess this whole pregnancy thing is really happening, every once in awhile I forget and find myself still in disbelief.  As I made this discovery last night I felt it appropriate to sing... "Happy trails to you, until we meet again  /  happy trails to you, keep smiling until then" to my cute little inny belly button... 

How am I feeling?

Just a quick note today to give a rundown of my general well-being since that is the question I get most often.

Overall, I am still feeling quite great. Yay! I have had a headache or two that I'm pretty sure are related to my readjusting body.  This readjusting body stuff has also toyed with my sleeping slightly.  I have really tried to start sleeping on my side since this is the recommended position for proper fetal development.  For some reason this causes a dull pain in my upper outside thighs so I flip throughout the night to relieve whatever thigh I am sleeping on disrupting my sleep a little (and Kevin's).  I am hoping this sensation will lessen.  Basically though no complaints.   

I have been making sure I walk everyday and just added pregnancy yoga to my at home exercise routine.  I have always been way to antsy, goofy and not graceful enough for yoga, but the stretching will help with the 'growing' pains so I have enjoyed it.

I continue to focus on my diet.  One thing I am trying to make sure of during the second trimester is that I have enough iron in my diet so that I don't become anemic.  As a vegetarian I don't always get enough iron and with the increased red blood cell production it has become more important this trimester.  One thing I did discover is that the list of iron rich foods contains a ton of food I already eat so I am most likely getting enough (lima beans, raisins, baked potatoes, tofu, kidney beans (veggie chili)...)

My next appointment is Monday April 18th and I'll be sure to share anything exciting, although it is just a basic appointment.  I feel weird not having a laundry list of questions for the doctor like every book and website tells me to have prepared, but I just don't really have any... sometimes maybe ignorance is bliss ;)

Pregnancy Patience Formula

Wal-Mart sucked every bit of blog inspiration that I had today.  I ran in there for a few items and I'm pretty sure I had a backwards makeover by the time I left.  I am usually the person in the crowd that says 'Walmart isn't too bad and at least it is cheap'... well it might be awhile before I even give that tepid review.  There were extra things in every aisle, it was like navigating an obstacle course - an obstacle course with random (let's just say inefficient) people thrown in to make you turn around and choose new paths.  The few items that I was interested in buying did not have a price anywhere in the vicinity of where I was looking.  Instead of going on a quest to find a price checker and adding yet another variable to my shopping experience I just cut my losses and either put the item back or I just figured I'd buy it at whatever price.  I was reaching the upper limit on the 'pregnancy' patience scale and decided to head to the check out. 

Pregnancy Patience Formula: pregnancy patience decreases as the rate of the following factors increases 1) need for bathroom break + 2) amount of germs + 3) amount of sick people + 4) annoyance level of environment    

Now I'm one of those people that park at the garden center entrance to avoid the bumper car part of the normal parking lot.  Not only do you usually get a closer, less aggravating, spot but you can quickly check out at the garden register.  As I approach the garden register I notice a line of 5 people - 5 PEOPLE!! After observing for about 2 seconds it is apparent there is a newly hired cashier... I decide, no problem, I'll give the guy a break and I'll just wait.  5, 4, 3 people to go ... I notice the people who checked out in front of me all coming back in.. weird.. I guess the garden doors are locked.  This voids some of the advantages of my parking plan - urgh.  I decide to cut my losses since this cashier is taking forever and I head to the front of the store.  I figure I have to go out this way now anyway so I might as well go to a speedy check out.  Au contraire, mon frere... I was there forever too.

I happened to pick the check out next to all of the 'as seen on tv' items.  Wow, is there a lot of crazy little things out there to buy.  For instance there is something called 'Easy Feet'... a product that states you will never have to bend down to clean your feet again.  When did we get so lazy that the general public can't clean their feet? Or there is a triangle piece of material that you can buy that fits in your bra and looks like you have a cami on.  Why are we not just wearing a real cami?  Is this the new age Dickey garment?  I could have bought an exerciser shaker, a more elaborate plane pillow, something to shave my heels (ick) and a myriad of other things that really started to crack me up. 

Waiting waiting waiting...needless to say, I was at the upper limit of the Pregnancy Patience scale.  I finally made it to my car and home and now have a freshly brewed french vanilla coffee and I'm starting to slowly return to normal life.

I hope my long unnecessarily drawn out account of a Walmart trip leaves you as equally uninspired .... misery loves company  ;-)

Missing Mako

April 12th was Mako's birthday.  I always think of him on this day and even more so this year.  Mako was my first real adult responsibility - It was the first time that anything really depended on me for things.  He was there when I got my first real job after college, he was with me during grad school, when I got married and got my first home.  I have so many fond memories that include him that I can't imagine much without him during my twenties and early thirties.  He was and still is a huge part of my family history.  Yes, dogs are family to me and that won't change even with baby Hahm.  I foresee baby Hahm being a HUGE dog lover too!

One reason Mako has been on my mind quite a bit lately all started with a conversation I had with a friend.  The conversation started by wondering how anyone could abandon their older dog at a shelter.  I (actually we) could not ever imagine just dropping off our older dog because he/she has become harder to take care of, it is unimaginable to us both.  Now, I'm not talking about big life changes that force these kind of decisions (even then I hope people try their hardest to rehome before dropping their buddy off at a shelter).  This topic then transitioned to talking about how hard it is to make that decision to put your dog to rest.  I got immediately verkclempt as I recalled that horrible day with Mako.  I remember trying not to be emotional with him and not cry so that he wouldn't be scared.  Although dogs are quite astute at reading your emotions so I'm sure he knew how torn up I was inside even if I wasn't outwardly showing it.  As I cuddled with him and helped him enter into the next phase of his life I turned in to a bawling sad mess as soon as it was over.  I literally felt like a part of my heart died that day.  I remember I made Kevin just drive somewhere, anywhere because I just couldn't go home.  We crawled up and down a Florida highway as I just stared out the window.  The song that reminds me of Mako and of that day is 'Chasing cars' by Snow Patrol. It was real popular that year and the radio station was playing it quite often.  Now back to present day and my conversation with my friend...  that same night of our conversation that song was the first song of the musical episode of 'Greys anatomy'.  This propelled Mako to the forefront of my thoughts for sure. 

As I sat there watching 'Greys anatomy' all I could think about is how bummed I was that Mako wouldn't be here with baby Hahm.  He was such a great dog...and would have made a wonderful family dog.  He was gentle and kind and only had good in his heart, zero aggression towards anything.  I remember once at our home in Tempe our nephew was visiting us.  Our nephew was young and would on occasion just throw things at Mako's head and Mako basically just sat there and wagged his tail.  This was a dog that didn't have much exposure to kids and yet was happy as heck to be a good sport.  It is sad to me that he won't get to share that disposition with a kid, he would have been awesome. 

"Dogs' lives are too short.  Their only fault, really"

I miss you little buddy and think of you often.....

Mako and a newly adopted Kona

I like it HOT - Ole'

It is possible that baby Hahm will come out breathing fire based on the amount of spicy food I continue to eat.  A few notables are hot and sour soup, spicy Thai and of course Mexican food.  Anyone who knows me knows I can basically eat Mexican food for all 3 meals a day for any length of time and wouldn't even notice.  To illustrate this - Has anyone ever asked you if you were deserted on an island what 3 things would you bring??  The one thing that always pops in my head is chips and salsa.  While this is not a smart idea for survival that is how addicted to this food I am.  I am talking about that restaurant style red salsa that is so yummy.  None of those wimpy salsa alternatives (I walk out of any restaurant that calls itself a Mexican restaurant and has some sort of fruit in the salsa (one exception is coupled with some fish dishes, but this strays from traditional Northern Mexican food).  Of course, and because of my addiction, I don't turn down any respectable salsa - a good tomatillo is right up there as one of my favorites. 

Now why I bring this up is because I keep waiting for the day that I will no longer be able to eat my favorite spicy foods and most importantly chips and salsa.  I read so many accounts of pregnant women having such horrible heartburn and bloating from anything spicy that they basically eat all things "Bland".  We are talking the old Furr's cafeteria "Bland".  Now, I know it is only the beginning of the second trimester, but I have a pretty good feeling that baby Hahm is going to share my affinity for spicy cuisine... Fabuloso!!

Weekend tidbits

1) Pregnant = No painting :( ..We picked out some paint colors for our dining room and spare rooms YAY!!  The hard part is letting Kevin do the majority of the work. We picked a 'Green/earth friendly' low VOC paint, but we figured we would play it safe and still not have me up there. We are hoping to get to a room a weekend.  I filled in the holes and taped up everything and cut in around door frames, but then I had to leave before it got too fumy.  Is fumy a word? - anyway it is hard for me to not be up there monitoring the work.  I think I'm more of a control freak than I realized ;-) I do feel a little guilty as I sit and enjoy The Masters while he works away.  I do yell highlights on occasion. 

2) I did a small favor for a friend yesterday.  She is one of those single moms that somehow pulls off everything and makes it look super easy.  I think to myself if I can be half the mom she is (even with Kevin's help) I'll be lucky!  She pulls off having a GREAT career, super well-mannered and respectful kids and volunteers for lots of activities with them.  It is amazing what being a great parent can do for your kids well-being!! 

3) Dogs = Humor...  Painting with Mocha around is sort of like watching a kids comedy movie.  You look one way and he has grabbed the tape and run off.  You get the tape back and he has managed to rip the painters tape off the baseboards that you just put down.  You look again and he is licking the Starbucks cup hoping for a taste.  But for me (and Kevin) it is hard to get mad because he just looks so cute with tape stuck to his nose.  Seriously, it is super cute.  Meanwhile, Kona has heard some mystery sound that we can't put our finger on that has kept her paranoid of going outside.  She was so panicked at the back door that she managed to let her self in.  The door handle is one of those long ones, not round, so she managed to paw at it just right to get in.  Poor little girl has been a foot behind me all day looking like a sad mess.  I still have no idea what happened.  

4) Pregnant = No Sushi... Boo! I miss sushi for sure.  I drooled as Kevin enjoyed some tasty looking sushi for dinner on Friday.  I'll say it again... I miss sushi.

Epidural EECK

I received my daily pregnancy email from one of the various baby websites.  The theme of the email today was 'What you need to know about epidurals'.  I admittedly don't know much except for what people have told me about them.  Mostly, what I have heard is 'GET THE DRUGS' so I figure that is what I'll do since I am a super duper wimp.  Now, I am not excited about that gynormous needle sticking into my spine, but I figure the majority of the people I know can't be wrong, right?? RIGHT??

Well, as I started reading this article my concerns grew.  I had kind of wondered to myself before reading this article if the epidural slowed down labor - I sort of/kind of, have heard and read that over time.  I rationalized this and chalked this up to every one probably handles the medicine and labor differently and wasn't sure it was directly related to epidurals.  Well, it turns out it might be true.  This article had 3 advantages for using epidurals versus 13 disadvantages... I don't really like those odds.  Now, your first reaction might be that this article or website was skewed towards natural childbirth, but in fact it isn't. Sooo... now i guess I will just erase some of those disadvantages out of my head since I am pretty positive that I'd want the drugs.  I am going to try and be sensitive to the disadvantages though and go in smart and make wise decisions for baby Hahm :) 

Two things that stick out in my mind are that women with low blood pressure (women like me) should be concerned since it can lower your blood pressure even more; also, there is a possibility you may need a catheter which sounds pretty dreadful. Now, I know a lot of people don't understand why anyone wouldn't have a natural birth, but I believe it is always a personal choice and doesn't make anyone any less of a mom.  I guess I could be biased as I'd get the drugs hee hee... but there is one thing I know.... whether I feel all of the pain or not I love the kid the same (actually, maybe I'd love the kid more if I didn't have as much pain... hahaha j/k) 

A new mall experience

I headed out to the mall today to go to our Kirkland's that is shutting down.  Everything in the store is 75% off so I figured I'd go check it out.  I got there only to realize the ENTIRE store was already sold out... so I decided not to waste the trip to the mall and do a little shopping around.  This is where things got a little strange for me.  I was headed to my usual favorite stores... GAP, Banana Republic, etc.., only to realize that shopping for clothes has become super lame.  I can't buy any clothes right now, not really now that I'm pregnant, not from these stores anyway.  I mean there is a shirt or tank top here or there that is definitely something I could **grow** into and would look cute, but overall my options were considerably limited.  I quickly changed my game plan and went to Pottery Barn, Williams and Sonoma and then left the mall.  I didn't leave empty handed I found some nice lounge wear (drawstring pants) that I can definitely use throughout the pregnancy, but the new spring fashions just weren't as exciting.  There were some spring dresses that might be great options as I get bigger, but I'll save those for later once I can try them on with an actual **bump** to make sure they don't look ridiculous :)  I guess the good thing about all of this is that I'll save some money by not shopping. 

Zoo babies are sooooo cute

Kevin took me on a bit of a midday date yesterday that included a nice lunch and then a trip to the Nashville Zoo.  I had been wanting to go forever and the weather was perfect, it is early spring so no bugs, plus there weren't any crowds on a random Tuesday.  One reason I had been wanting to go is that it had been pretty big news around Nashville when a baby giraffe was born.  The baby is now 5 months old and just as cute as ever.  As I was looking at the young giraffe I couldn't help but think about how her mom gave birth to a baby that was 5 ft 10 inches tall! Now that is a big baby.  I of course gave the mom a nod of respect as she walked by us :)

"It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again"

Do you remember this line from Silence of the Lambs??  This quote pops in to my head quite often now that I am constantly rubbing lotion on my belly.  Now I've read over and over and over again that nothing can stop stretch marks (at least proven scientifically and being a scientist this means something), but boy is there a lot of varying opinions out there.  I've read everything from using pure olive oil, vitamin E caplets, aloe vera, etc... Now I'm a firm believer that genetics pretty much trumps all of the lotion claims.  If your mom or sister have them there is a really good chance you will get them too or vice versa.  I do think that drinking lots of water, gaining weight at a steady pace and using lotions helps, especially after birth when your body goes back to normal (ok I say normal loosely) and those stretch marks start to heal.  It is because of this I will continue to grease myself up with copious amounts of oils and lotions and hope it is making some sort of impact.

I have seen this quote pretty much on every pregnancy website... "Think of stretch marks as pregnancy service stripes" Joyce Armor .. well I'm no soldier, but if and when I get stretch marks I guess I'll wear them proudly!

Flowers and tornados

Mixed in with our Starbucks runs were our weekend errands ... wait flip that around.  Iced mochas are still delicious even in decaf form.  We are still working on decorating and organizing various rooms in our house to fit our taste.  We have had to switch gears a bit since the baby news changed our room designations and so we are moving whole rooms around. We do lots of looking for furniture, decorations, rugs, paint colors, etc. (no baby furniture shopping yet... it is still early).  We like finding good deals and it takes us forever to find anything we both actually want to commit to so sometimes these trips seem never-ending, but fun regardless (well maybe more never-ending for Kevin).  It has been years since we've owned our own house or lived somewhere for over a year so this year when I saw all of the fun flowers for spring I finally wanted to buy some and spruce up our entry with a splash of color.  There were lots of bumble bees diving at Kevin's head as he planted the flowers we picked out and because of this I did not help at all - I hate bugs!! Even though he lost his patience a little trying to get those tiny flowers out of the those tiny containers he did a great job .... skip to Monday afternoon, one day later, and me and the dogs are in the closet as tornado sirens go off.  This is not something you learn about growing up in Arizona.  Its pouring and the wind is quite strong.  I have heard that 50,000 people lost electricity and funnel clouds have touched down nearby.... but instead of being scared or anything I sat in the closet and all I could think about was that I hope our flowers aren't ruined by the weather, they looked so pretty. (mid storm pic ... they seem to be ok)

"Mommy, I have to go potty"

Pee pee peepity pee.... enough said, right?  As everything else seems to be getting larger my bladder has become 1/10 of its original size.  I know it gets worse, WAAAY worse.  I can't wait to tell the tales of my escapades looking for restrooms in various establishments.  Finding those 'Gems' of bathrooms in questionable locations.  And by 'Gems' I am thinking 'GERMS'.  So I guess I'll stock up on travel size Lysol and hope for the best!! 

Too many choices....well at least for now

We decided to stroll through the baby gear section at Target.  I figure we need to start looking so as I read hints, tips or suggestions I'll have some idea of what is being talked about.  For instance, the word 'pack and play' meant nothing to me so telling me what options it should have meant less than nothing.  After about 10 minutes in this baby gear section (10 minutes might be a stretch) my attention span wandered and I was looking at the home goods across the aisle.  It wasn't because I wasn't interested, but all I could really tell between the major items was that they differed in cutesy patterns.  Your choice of car seat, stroller and pack and play primarily differed by if you wanted a girl pattern, boy pattern, a pattern trying to be unisex or a very lively animal print.  Now I know it is more complicated than this, but for now I think I garnered all the info I needed.  The overall conclusion I came to was I guess I better wait until I know the sex of the baby.  Once I know that little nugget of info I can concentrate on the various cool options each had and of course pick the appropriate cutesy pattern.  I've added a Boy/Girl poll to the side if you'd like to vote :)

3 things that might make you chuckle

1- I've read that playing baby sounds for the dogs can help get them accustomed to what will be their new environment.  Instead of buying the actual cd i just go to Amazon and play the free snipits (I like to be sensitive to the Hahm budget).  The worst scenario is that the dogs look scared and anxious at the sounds... I myself thought I'd get all kinds of cute tilted head looks as the dogs tried to curiously figure out what the heck those noises were.  Instead, Mocha didn't even look up and I'm pretty sure he fell asleep and Kona while slightly more interested raised her head, but then looked at me like I was crazy.  If they only knew what was coming.... (actually I've read dogs can smell and sense your pregnancy before you, but I guess we'll never know)  Test run #1 with baby sounds - Complete

2- My search for what I like to call 'fatty pant' buttons.  As I am well into week 13 some of my pants are quite snug, they are wearable, but can be uncomfortable.  I envision baby Hahm in there wondering why he/she is getting squished to death sooooo I went on a quest to find something I had seen on tv.  The commercial showed buttons that you put on your pants that give you an extra inch of waist.  I looked at Target, Walgreens and various other stores.... NO LUCK and there was NO WAY I was asking where they were from the young whipper snapper store clerks.  Can you just see me asking for something I only refer to as fatty pant buttons, I did not know the actual name.  After almost giving up I saw them advertised on a circular for Kmart.  I grabbed a very reluctant Kevin and dragged him to Kmart and we found them.  I must say they do work and now I have at least another month's worth of use out of my pants.  I know there are belly bands and stuff, but these seem to work better with my existing wardrobe Woo Hoo.

3- In an effort to be cheap (I know my thriftiness is not something new) I go to Bed Bath and Beyond (BBYB) to weigh myself on occasion to see how I am growing and to make sure I am keeping things in check.  I use the same sample scale each time I go.  Not a bad plan, right?? I didn't realize how silly and cheap this was until Kevin gave me a 'your crazy' laugh and look and stated for at least the third time that I can buy a scale.  I just hate the idea of wasting money on a scale so I may resist awhile longer..... and yep there is a planned trip to BBBY this weekend!!! :)