Ending summer early?

I know this is going to be a little weird but- I am ready for the holidays! Despite my love and longing for summer- I feel like it's already over now that the family reunion has passed, we don't have any more vacations (even thought I tried desperately to throw in a babymoon), the kids are going back to school soon- in particular the freshman be moving into housing next week where I work, and all that's left is labor day :(

Every year I always say I am going to make the most of my summer by doing every.single.thing I can- the sad part is: I haven't been to a beach all summer long :( It's partly because of my self-consciousness of my growing belly and partly because there were other things going on. At times I just wanted to drive down the parkway but my husband always had different plans. Now I'm just kind of nesting and waiting the birth of my baby :)

This fall I want to get a few things accomplished. First I would like to hold a coat drive at my church. I've been wanting to do this for a few years now. Although this has to be the absolute easiest community outreach program ever- I feel like I can never plan properly enough. Once I collect the coats then what? Where am I going to send them? I know there must  be a ton of places that will accept them but finding the right place has been a challenge. Secondly, I would like to throw a Holyween party. As the former youth director at my church (and I say former because the youth group has kind of disbanded) I feel a responsibility to continue to have programs that the youth will love and want to participate in and have it in a safe environment that parents will feel comfortable with. This too is something I've been wanting to do for years. This event requires a lot more preparation than I can handle alone. My family is extremely supportive in all of my endeavors so I don't foresee that being too much of a problem but financing this is a whole 'nother story. You see we have the perfect location- right at the church! Our church is well over 150 years old and is structurally equivalent to back int he day churches, back when churches were the community hang out and multi purpose centers of the city. The big budget items I would need assistance with really is music, food, and decor. Many of our congregants would probably donate things like snacks, candy, juices, water, etc. But in my mind we need to have graveyard cakes and
I understand you don't NEED those things to have a successful party- but it would be a party that the kids would love and look forward to year after year. While Christians would not celebrate such a secular holiday- it's origins can sometimes be traced to more religious roots of All Hallows Eve which is the day before All Saint's Day. As with all other Christian holidays I believed Halloween was taken over by the secular world and commercialism for profit and it's original meaning was lost in the process. Look at how many non-Christians celebrate Christmas! I think having a Holyween party would be a great activity for the youth.

A few years ago my mother-in-law would score us some tickets to a not so local pumpkin patch exhibit. I enjoyed it a lot and want to take little one. Yes, I know baby will have absolutely no idea what the heck is going on but I don't care. Pictures say a thousand words and my baby will have pictures to re-tell the story for him or her years down the line.

Then of course we would need to start preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday. The Christmas and Thanksgiving holiday has always been busy for me and my hubby since we seriously started dating. We have two families to spend time with and my husband likes to squeeze in a few friends during our extended breaks from work. Once you add a 3/4 month old in the mix- things are going to get even crazier. At times I wish we had the space to entertain both families at our house for at least one of these events- I mean come on it's my baby's first holiday- but in practicality that's not going to happen, our apartment just cannot hold that many people. Plus my sister-in-law is coming real close to the purchase of her first home and I am sure she is going to want to christen the crib with one of her fabulous hosting jobs. You should see the spreads she makes... what I am saying you will see it... right here! I'm nervous about packing up baby, not forgetting anything, traveling to two households (gotta visit with my family too!) and breastfeed comfortably (although I'm sure I'll be a pro at it by then). Either way- we're not hosting but I would like to decorate a little for baby- even though he or she won't have a clue as to what's going on.

Then there's the issue of baby's first Christmas. In the past we've celebrated Christmas Eve with my in-laws and even spent the night a time or two and Christmas day with my family. This works out perfectly, right? We'll see how Christmas plans go this year with a brand new baby...

No matter how we divide our time- I am so ready for the holidays!

My Christmas 2007 outfit- I told you I love the holidays! Now I am on a quest to find the one Melissa Gorga from ROHNJ wore on the Christmas (Season 3 episode 11).

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Okay, so this particular birthday wish comes a day late to my blog.

My dad's birthday was actually yesterday- but we were so busy celebrating that I didn't get to post about it and tell the world!

Dad's birthday celebration began last week when we surprised him by stopping at the Professional Football Hall of Fame on the way to our family Reunion.

We kept the party going by giving him his now most beloved man toy (I think I want one now!)

Last night my mom, dad, brother, and I reconvened at my parent's house for some of my moms good home cooking :) and baking :) My husband is insanely jealous because I left his piece of cake at my parent's by accident (I claim pregnancy brain on that one).

This weekend we get to keep celebrating because my parents, aunts, cousins, husband, and sibling are going to dinner! I am so excited. I love hanging out with these guys- it's always full of laughs.

Dear Dad,

(because I know you are reading this) I love you more than words can say. I'm sure you enjoyed your birthday celebration over the past week and I told you that you had no idea :) I hope you have many many more birthdays to share with your new grandchild (and the rest of the family too). Love you much!

36 weeks!

9 months! I can't believe I begin my 9th and final month today!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. S/he now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. S/he's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his/her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during his/her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her/his first bowel movement.
At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely s/he's in a head-down position. But if s/he isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying s/he'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating his/her from the outside of your belly.


Pregnancy: 36 weeks!

Gender: Team Green

Name: Still not interested in finalizing a name.

Weight Gain: I cannot believe how well I have been doing with staying on track. I was watching Tia & Tamera last night and Tia said at that particular point in her pregnancy she had gained 50 pounds. I think she is still super pretty but I would definitely be on freakout if I had reached a 50 pound weight gain.


Sleep: *rolls eyes*

Feeling: I am so sore. At times I feel like I have been working out for hours straight. My body MUST be preparing for childbirth because my pelvis hurts! I am also sleepy at the most random times throughout the day. One minute I'm okay and then the next I feel like I am just going to fall asleep right where I am- even in line at the store!

Health: Good I guess. Every few hours once in a while I have a freak out moment about the baby coming early- so I scheduled another appointment with my doctor.

Movement: I feel this little one moving and rolling and twisting and turning. I hope baby is comfy in there!

Belly: Woah!

Next Appointment: Tomorrow! I couldn't wait another week to see how things are going. I also think I want to start my disability leave sooner rather than later- depending on what she says tomorrow.

PSA: August is...

Breastfeeding Awareness Month

I couldn't find any logos for the campaign :( But I did find this which I think is absolutely hilarious.

Breastfeeding is a truly personal decision that has to be made by a family based on what's best for all parties involved. While there are many benefits to breastfeeding your baby- I can see why some women still choose not to whether it's for work related reasons or otherwise. I personally plan to breast feed. My initial thoughts on this were "I'll do it if it works" then the more I researched, the more I found out that it will always work- you just can't give up. I remember a friend telling me that "her baby just didn't want it". well come to find out there are babies who are very fussy about it and often turn away from the breast- especially if they are uncomfortable. It's up to mom to find a way that will work for her and baby (perhaps changing a position will help). Attending the breastfeeding class was one of the better decisions I've made throughout this pregnancy. I think my husband has become more aware of what's involved with breastfeeding and this is important because I think often times men, because of the absence of boobs, just don't get certain things. Since he has learned all that goes into breastfeeding- I think he will be even more supportive. Don't get me wrong he supported my decision to breastfeed from the beginning but I think that if I we have a difficult start he will understand some of the issues that could arise and may be able to assist with trouble shooting.

My other decisions to breastfeed include cost savings, bonding with baby, and release of hormones that cause uterus to contract. My baby will benefits by receiving food that's easier to digest, good for baby antibodies, and larger IQ!*

I am arming myself with as much info as possible to make this a success. I get that it may not be easy at first but I am willing to make it successful. I still have a few qualms left to tackle regarding breastfeeding like when to switch baby to breast milk from the bottle so dad (and baby sitters) can get involved, being comfortable when pumping when I go back to work and determining when the time is right to start weaning.

Ahh the joys of motherhood.





*Benefits of breastfeeding info was compiled from a number of sources including www.breastfeeding.com, Women's Health, the La Leche League, and Kelly Mom

Weekend Wrap-Up: Part 2

Okay, so now to what actually happened.

This was an extended weekend of sorts. We had a lot we wanted to accomplish so we had to get an early start. This year the reunion was in Illinois. My parents have very close friends there so we used this as an opportunity to spend some time with them. On Tuesday afternoon we loaded up the rental car and headed out. Funny thing is our neighbors thought we purchased a new family vehicle:

While the mini-van was a pretty comfy vehicle for our trip- I'm still not convinced that I will ever be a mini-van driving mom.

So we started our seemingly 12 hour journey, however we had something up our sleeves. My mom, husband, brother, and I had preplanned to stop at the Pro Football Hall of Fame and surprise my dad as an early birthday gift. After driving about 7 hours we told my dad that we were going to get a hotel room overnight because if we kept going we would get to our friends house in the middle of the night and we didn't want to disturb them at that hour. We also used the excuse that we thought it would take a lot longer because I expected to make way more bathroom stops. So we got a hotel (that just so happened to be a mile from the gas station we stopped at), checked in and had dinner at a nearby Outback Steakhouse. The TV's at dinner was showing info for that weekend's upcoming HOF induction. It was perfect! My dad said he would like to go there one day but he never thought to plan a trip there because he felt there was nothing to do besides go to the HOF then go home. In actuality there are a ton of things to do in and around Ohio including the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame and the Canton Classic Car museum. So, the next morning we had breakfast (included in the hotel room rate), checked out, and hit the road. When we pulled into the HOF parking lot and my dad realized where we were going- it was priceless. My parents aren't excitable people but his reaction said it all... he was excited!

I know he really enjoyed the museum tour. It is self guided and no time limit. I really wish I could show you the pictures we took but I am sure that would bore you. My husband enjoyed it as well. Although he's been before it's been about 7 years so he got to see a few more classes added to the hall. And now they have plans to expand the museum and the expected completion is 2013. I think there is going to be people who expect to go back in about two years.
After the HOF we hit the road again and we still had one more surprise (for my dad) up our sleeves. We also gave my dad and Ipad 2 which he has been talking about for months now. At one point I thought he might kill over and die if he didn't go out and get one. The only thing stopping him from purchasing himself one is that the company he works for and their union was in contract negotiations and he didn't want to spend unnecessary money in case they went on strike. His new man toy kept him occupied for the rest of our journey.

My brother and I are huge Micheal Jackson fans. Have been since we were little and always will be. So my husband (who was the brains behind all of our surprises) suggested we stopped at MJ's birthplace since we had to drive through Indiana anyway. It turns out that his childhood home is only about 3 miles from the highway road so it wouldn't be too much of a deviation. My brother figured out where we were going when we took the exit that said 'Gary, Indiana... that way' but he was excited too nonetheless. I tried desperately to distract him so wouldn't see the exit sign but it didn't work... at all.

It's no secret that Gary, IN isn't the richest town in the world but I definitely expected more. When we pulled up even my brother said "So where is it?"

Yep, that's it. This tiny 300 square foot corner property home housed some of the greatest musical legends of all time. I thought for sure someone would use this as an opportunity to capitalize off of MJ's fame. There was guy sitting across the street playing MJ music and selling paraphernalia but he was the only person. There were some neighbors casually sitting on their porches enjoying the weather, cars driving by and then us. We didn't know if we should get out and take pictures or just keep it moving. Luckily another vehicle pulled up behind us and they all started to get out, no longer making us look crazy.

I expected there to be a tour guide, a parking lot where you had to pay $10 for 30 minutes and slew of other things. There wasn't. In fact I'm not sure if you can actually go into the home. The lawn is very well maintained and there was lots of mementos and things- it was all very sort of ... peaceful.

My brother and I signed one of the boards that must have had a million signatures with messages to MJ and then we were off again. We arrived at our friend's house that evening and had dinner with them. We stayed until Friday afternoon which was the official start of the family reunion weekend.

This year's theme was Denim & Diamonds. Friday evening welcome reception was so much fun. This year the hosts planned activities where you earn 'diamond dollars'. So after each event you completed you earned a certain amount of dollars for that event. At the end of the weekend all the dollars earned were pooled together and names were randomly chosen to win a first, second, and third place prize. The first event for Friday was a puzzle. The hosts had cut up various boxes of food products and we had to put it back together. This was a really inexpensive way (provided you eat those foods) to get everyone working together as a team.

They also had a line dance instructor come out and teach some line dances. Not country line dances but the more urban popular ones. I must admit this was fun- especially when I went up there to participate with a 8 month belly and no one thought I could do it. This pic is pretty blurry (sorry) but the instructor gave the girls the belly dancing skirts (I don't know why) and mine barely fit around the baby. When I tried to put it around my actual hips (what's left of them) it kept falling off. But I did it. The DJ made fun of me, everyone swore I was going to go into labor, and when we were done I was exhausted but I did it.

The funniest part of the whole thing is that I don't remember any of the dances even though we did it several more times that weekend! So for Friday night I earned a total of about 7 diamond dollars. My mom, brother, husband, and dad earned about 2 for that puzzle.

Saturday is the family outing day. We had lunch at the Golden Corral and way too much fun at Brunswick Zone. I've never actually eaten at Golden Corral before and I had a pretty positive first experience. I think the staff was a little overwhelmed (but wouldn't you be if you have 100 hungry people staring at you). It was at the Golden Corral that I learned some of the real relationships that I had with my cousins. I was trying to explain how I was related to someone to my husband and in the process completed confused myself. This prompted a google search and the returns prompted a lot of useful information that I think we are going to use at our next family reunion. Essentially, I learned the meaning (and how to properly use it)of first cousin once removed and the true meaning of 2nd cousins (it's definitely not what I thought it was). The Brunswick Zone location we went to was a bowling alley that also had an attached bar/lounge (for the of age evening crowd), laser tag, bumper cars, pool tables, and arcade games. About 20 of my cousins played guys versus girls laser tag. I wanted to play so bad but my brother refused for fear that somebody might bump me (I can't blame him- it's dark in there) or I might get accidentally run over. We were able to watch but you can't really get that good of a view from where they let you watch. So I left them be and went and played trivia games with my dad. The guys whooped the girls by almost 20,000 points (glad I sat that one out) and my dad murdered me in trivia and skeeball (but who's counting).

The only way you could earn diamond dollars at Brunswick Zone was to bowl- but I didn't do that (I am REALLY bad at bowling) so no dollars for me that day. We had so much fun though. The bumper cars were out of control. I thought I was going to pee myself at one point from laughing too hard. Of course I didn't get on but laughing at them from the sidelines might have been funnier than getting whip lash.

I can't believe I didn't get a picture of our t-shirt. When I unpack I am going to have to take a picture of it and post it. My shirt was an XL and it fit! When we first send in our registration I was barely showing and I had no idea how much weight I would gain so I was a little nervous about the size. I had a back up outfit in case it didn't fit but I would have been extremely disappointed if it didn't.

Every evening everyone hangs out until the wee hours of the morning. I just could not this year- I was way too exhausted. One night (actually every night) they decided to go to one of the clubs in downtown Chicago. It was there that they "partied" with Nas ( a famous rapper who is nearly irrelevant right now- for those of you who have no idea who I am talking about). My brother got really good pics of him and I decided to share that bit of info.

On Sunday we went back to my parents friends house this time to take to my Aunt who didn't travel with us on the first leg of the trip. We had lunch there and then headed back to the hotel for the banquet. Now as I told you before- I missed one year of dressing up in our theme and I will never do it again. From the moment we got the family reunion package I scoured the stores trying to find a denim maternity dress. I found one for $60 bucks and waited til the absolute last minute to buy it because you all know how I feel about spending a boat load of money on maternity clothes. In this case procrastination paid of because I found a dress in the motherhood maternity outlet for $30 bucks. It wasn't my ideal price range (I would rather spend $20) but it saved me 50%. I had a ton of rhinestone jewelry from my proms, sweet 16's, and high school days so the diamonds part was not a problem. I took a picture of my final outfit on my brother's camera so I can't post it right now- but I think I looked pretty good.

For the diamond dollars drawing my cousin, her husband, and her dad wone first, second, and third place- which everyone couldn't believe. The third and second place prizes were cash and first first place prize was a free night's stay at the hotel which was used to comp his stay (he didn't have to come back to redeem it) so he paid for 2 night's instead of 3...sweet!

Monday's farewell is never easy. We have so much fun during the weekend that no one wants to leave. I think the best part of the reunion this year was

- showing up pregnant and everyone's surprise when they saw me

- spending time with family we only get to see once a year

- learning how to do the wobble and then forgetting it hours later. BTW that's not my family in the link but it was the best video I could find.

- seeing my dad and brother's reaction when we pulled up to their suprises.

- being away on vacation

-and the million other memories that was made this year.

I could go on forever about the weekend's festivities as this post doesn't even scratch the surface. Hopefully in the coming days while it is fresh on my mind, I am going to make a picture book with all the pictures we took that recounts the week/weekend so baby will know what his or her first family reunion was like.

If you are still reading this- bless you...