Yes, I'm still here...

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but I'm a busy and tired girl. But here's a rundown recent events (that I can remember!)

::Haircut and color on Saturday, Nov. 18th. Hair is a little darker (not drastically) and shorter-about collar bone length.

::Last OB visit was OK. Abby weighed about 3 lbs. A little big for her age, but within the normal range. Heart rate, etc. were good. My BP was a little high, but not bad. The doc said my amniotic fluid was "borderline low" so I go back Dec. 6th for another ultrasound. I go from not really worried to totally freaked out about this development.

::Started getting the dreaded itchy-scratchy throat/cough combo the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and felt pretty crappy on Turkey Day.

::Was better by Saturday for all my family to visit, just in time for Ashleigh to be sick with a crazy fever-spiking virus. She played just a little bit with her cousin, but not alot. She was a big time Mama's girl. But she was wonderful Sunday. At least Cory and Josh got to see her in her usual play hard mode.

::That's really about it. Now you see why I haven't posted!

Oh! The ceiling fixture in our kitchen bit the dust Saturday afternoon. I'm hoping to talk Kenneth into replacing it Sunday. I think proper lighting is very important in the kitchen! (We have lots of "task lighting" so I'm not cooking in the dark!

Another tidbit: I decided after much deliberation to forgo my big ole 7.5' tree this year. Just not enough time or energy. AND Ashleigh is a bit of a Christmas Tree terrorist. Many of my mother-in-law's ornaments met their death on Monday. So I got a 4.5' pre-lit tree and it's on top of a piece of furniture in the living room. It's not a Charlie Brown tree, it's nice and full. The only problem is most of my ornaments are really big, so I can't use them. And I'm not using those colored glass balls because my daughter seems to think they taste good. I've got to find a way to add some more color and I think I'll be done with that.

This weekend, in addition to making more progress on the nursery, a little trip to Tupelo is in order. Have to go to Hobby Lobby to get canvases, etc. to paint for Abby's room. I'm so ashamed. I think all Ashleigh's paintings were finished by this point! Man, I'm getting stressed just thinking about it. We still have to paint the walls!!!

Another thing, my sweet child has lost her mind. Also known as the terrible twos or learning boundaries, trying to gain independance...I don't care what you call it. She's went nuts! All is well one moment, then she's crying or whining and won't/can't tell you why. She'll ask for something, then doesn't want it. Gives you something, then is furious because you took it...it's very trying to say the least. I've had some moments where I'm convinced I'm a horrible mother, but I remind myself (or get Kenneth to remind me) that it's just a phase, this too shall pass. But I feel so darned guilty for feeling so frustrated with her! I just want to shake her, yell at her, give her the butt-whipping of a lifetime...you get the point. But I've realized something today: I'm NOT a bad Mom because I don't do that stuff to her. Don't get me wrong, she'll get a swat on her hand or leg but that hurts her feelings more than anything. (And if you don't believe in that-save your breath-I'm old school and believe spankings never hurt anyone. Not beatings-just a spanking.) I just think that parents are human (and I'm a pregnant one at that) and that no matter how much you love your cute little offspring it's perfectly normal for them to drive you bonkers when they are at this psycho time in their lives. (and I know this won't be the only psycho phase she goes through) But as long as I don't physically/emotionally abuse her and she always knows that she is loved I'm doing alright. Because the worst thing that's going to happen to her when she throws herself down to throw a fit because she's been corrected is maybe a bump on the head if she's overly dramatic.

OK, there's a long post to do you awhile! ; )

Only 27 Weeks?

Yep. That's me today. I am 27 weeks and 1 day pregnant. I hate to even tell my people my due date at this point because I really look like I could go into labor at any moment! The common reaction I get now is, "You'll never make it to February!" I certainly feel alot closer to my due date, that's for sure. I'll have to post some comparison photos so you can see just how much bigger I am this time around. Oddly, I don't weigh more. Hmmm.....

Random Thoughts...

::I feel like I kinda look like Jabba the Hut these days. I'm sure I'm not THAT grotesque, but I feel that way, just the same.

::I think some of my shoes make me look like an elf. My black loafer-type and brown loafer-type shoes (that are becoming a staple of my pregnancy wardrobe) are curling up at the toes a bit. I'm sure nobody notices, but the make me feel a little like an elf. Especially the black ones, they're worse.

::On the subject of elves, I know what Santa feels like when he laughs and his belly shakes like a bowlful of jelly.

::I'm getting so excited about Ashleigh's birthday and Christmas. She's getting some things I know she'll really like. She's really getting into imaginative play, so I'm sure after Christmas, we'll be cooking and doing all sorts of things with her new goodies!

::I think some of my co-workers and I should form a posse to catch the toilet paper bandit(s). I'm referring to the person(s) who always leave an empty roll on the holder. I mean, are they in that big a hurry? Take the time, put a new roll on. It's not hard. We have the same kind of holders that are common in homes across the country. While we're at it, we need to find the person(s) who regularly leave in ungodly stench in the restroom and make sure they get the medical attention they obviously need. Trust me, it is foul!

::A week or so ago I bought new eyeliner and mascara because what I had was old and bothering my eyes. I was way to excited about trying it out the next morning. Rather than thinking that's sad, I prefer to think I'm easy to please. I'm sure Kenneth would disagree. ; )

::I'm looking forward to a nice weekend. My parents are coming to visit tomorrow and that's especially exciting because I really didn't expect them to make the trip this soon after my Mom's total knee replacement. She's doing really well. If I can just get her to sit down a bit while they're here.

::I'm still in the ohmigosh-how're-we-gonna-get-the-nursery-completed frame of mind, but not as bad now. I've come to the realization that everything really WILL be OK.

::Gotta find some tv time. My DVR is getting all full...

It's NOT just my imagination...

My belly really is MUCH larger this pregnancy. For those of you not in the know on pregnancy doctor visits, the doctor measures your uterus from top to bottom and it should measure about 1 cm per week of pregnancy. I usually measured 1-2 weeks "big" with Ashleigh, meaning I might measure 25.5cm at 24 weeks. Not a big deal.

WELL. Today I am 26 weeks pregnant. BUT my uterus measures 30!!! Oh my God. This doesn't mean anything is wrong, because all my bloodwork came back perfect (as in no gestational diabetes, YAY!!!) and Abby is definitely doing well. Dr. Chaney thinks she might be a soccer player, the way she started kicking and wiggling when he tried to listen to her heartbeat.

All this "bigness" really means is 1) I get a much wanted ultrasound in 2 weeks; and 2) He hinted at an earlier C-section.

As for the #1, I had already asked him for another one because I can NOT shake this nagging feeling that Abby is actually a Mason. Never felt gender-doubt with Ashleigh and I'm probably just being crazy. Their sonographer has an EXCELLENT track record, so I really have no reason to doubt her. She was sure our little baby is a girl.

As for the #2, AAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let me explain. I'm already freaked out that I am scheduled to have a baby three months from today. There's just so much to get done before she arrives! And I have holiday festivities taking up time that I feel I don't have. And to think I could have even LESS time? It freaks me out. Just...ALOT!! But it'll all be alright. It always is. We have all the essentials (except little bitty diapers) and the baby bed is still up in Ashleigh's room. But you know me, I want everything done just the way I want it.

Cute Ashleigh Story
This morning it was really foggy at our house. Probably the foggiest it's ever been since she's old enough to notice such things. Well, I never could understand what she was calling the fog, but she would stick her finger up in the air, then put it in her mouth and say it was yummy. And we couldn't leave until I had tasted the yummy fog too. And this was another moment when I realized what a total Mom I am: I didn't feel the least bit silly standing there with my almost-2-year-old, tasting the fog with my finger and telling her that yes it was very yummy. Then the pregnancy hormones kick in and I get all sad because I know these moments won't last forever.

Halloween

Well, things have been a little crazy and Ashleigh and I have both been a little under the weather this week, BUT here are some photos of our little fairy princess:






And this one isn't blurry...it's a special effect...the fairy effect... ; )