This is my view. 

I am sitting totally and completely straight.  I took the picture directly from the center of my lovely body.  Nothing in this photo is skewed.  My stomach is really that lopsided.  {In fact, it’s often way more pronounced than that.}  This little monster just loves to curl up right there on my left side.  I tried telling him he would be much more comfortable snuggled up in my arms, but so far he hasn’t listened.

{Wrote this Saturday.  This blog is also my journal, so don’t expect this to be fun or interesting or anything else!  It’s purely for my own selfish purposes.}

So not my most favorite game.  Why do I listen to the doctor and get my hopes up?  I was right.  3 cm and 80% doesn’t mean ANYTHING.  I should know better.  I have braxton hicks like crazy, and lots of cramping.  My hips kill and feel like they’re going to dislocate.  Anything I swallow, prenatals included, gives me indigestion.  I pee 6082 times a day.  I’m bigger than a house, and I’m an emotional disaster.   

But in all honesty, I don’t necessarily know what I’m waiting for because I don’t know what a “real” contraction feels like!  With Samuel, my water broke 2 days after my due date, before any signs of labor (which I found out happens to only 8% of women–so much for hoping the same thing will happen this time.)  I remember driving to the hospital at 2:30 am and telling Erik, “Oh, maybe that was a contraction . . .”  Once checked in and on Pitocin, I only had back labor, which was atrocious.  The nurse said it was because of Sam’s position and the fact that I had lost my amniotic fluid.  I made it for maybe 30 minutes before getting that sacred epidural.

So here I sit, just waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen.  I am so ready.  Samuel actually talks about the baby regularly, which is really fun.  He reminds me often that he gets to bring a monkey to “Baby Brudder.”  In all reality, I don’t think Sam has a clue what he’s in for.  Hehe.  But, probably niether do I!!  I just know I am so done with this part.  So so so so DONE.

Triana pulled through for me again.  Go take a look!  http://blog.trianaordphotography.com/?p=232

But seriously, I am so sick of being pregnant.  Can I say that??  Well it’s true.  Blah.

You know what?!  The end is actually in site.  I just might make it.  I’m going to have a baby.  Soon!  Some pleasantries that have come with this new outlook include more indigestion, more discomfort, more swelling, more Braxton Hicks, more cramps, more stomach, less room, less sleep, and, ooooh my favorite yet, stretch marks.  Yep.  A lot of them.  First ones spotted on Mothers’ Day, how appropriate.  Found some on my legs last night.  FUUUN!  I have another appointment Tuesday, and from here on out they’re every week.  I as so looking forward to getting this little boy out of my tummy and into my arms.  4 more weeks, FOUR MORE WEEKS!

24 out of 40.  That’s 6 tenths.  Which is also 3 fifths.  Or 60%.  No matter how you look at it, it’s just not that much.  Certainly not enough to be looking like this already . . .

But besides being a mondo monster, huger than huge, things are aok!  This is the “good” part right?  I actually really like being pregnant, and I kind of think it suits me well.  Hehe.  I just can’t believe how big I am already.    

Samuel has already got a contender for most active non-stop moving child.  Little Brother likes it to be known that he is there and wide awake.  He’s even tried to push Sam’s knee out of the way several times when I’ve been holding him.

At my appointment today, everything checked out great.  I measured right on for 24 weeks, even though I managed to gained 6 — Six.  Six!  S.I.X. — pounds since my last check up.  My back kills, I can’t sleep at night even when surrounded by all five of my pillows, I have braxton hicks very regularly, my hips are starting to hurt, and I’ve even had a few sciatic twinges already.  Sixteen more weeks?!  That’s a joke right?!  Ha.

But, in all honesty, I’ll take the side effects and discomforts.  I am healthy and so is Little Brother.  It’s kind of crazy that I will have 2 kids!  Samuel is also starting to take an interest, which makes this experience that much more exciting.  I know how truly blessed I am.  Life is pretty dang good.

I need to get my video editor program fixed and I definitely need to start taking pictures again.

In the mean time . . . one more tag for everyone’s entertainment.  Or really, just for my own entertainment as Erik spends another night working till 4 am.

Names I go By

1. Mommy
2. Al
3. Honey

Restaurants I Love

1. Rumbi
2. El Torito
3. Market Street Grill

Trips to Plan on this Year

1. Idaho
2. California
3. Colorado

Things I Want Badly

1. New bra
2. New jeans
3. Vacation to celebrate Erik’s 30th bday and our 5th anniversary

Pets I’ve Had

1. Cricket the Siberian Dwarf Hamster
2. Hartley the Heartwarming Mutt
3. Rand the He-She-I-hate-it Cat

Things I did Yesterday

1. Helped put out flyers for a missing teen
2. Took a nap
3. Made corn chowder and apple spice cake

Things I Ate Today

1. Gandolfo’s Upstate
2. Apple
3. Corn chowder and crusty bread

Fears

1. Moths
2. Lizards
3. Being alone

Things I Plan on Doing Today

1. Wash my face
2. Crawl into bed
3. Go to sleep

Things I Plan on Doing Tomorrow

1. Take Sam to church by myself {Hallelujah, nursery!}
2. Nap
3. Drink hot chocolate and watch it snow

Favorite Holidays

1. Christmas
2. Thanksgiving
3. Halloween

Favorite Beverages

1. Water with lemon
2. Coke
3. Sonic Cranberry Limeade

People I Tag

1. Caroline
2. Caroline
3. Anyone else who’s boring like me . . . CAROLINE

A little late for jumping on the bandwagon I guess.  Oh well.  It’s a slow night around here.

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn’t matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It’s actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I’ll assume you’re playing the game and I’ll come to your blog and leave one about you {if I haven’t already!}

And while I’m here, I might as well continue with the jumping on of the bandwagon.

I am . . . pretty much in a constant state of anxiety.

I am glad . . . we decided to go to Idaho in a few weeks.

I think . . . I need to get working on food storage and emergency preparedness.

I know . . . I worry way too much.

I want . . . new bras and a new pair of jeans.

I have . . . way too many unfinished projects.

I wish . . . I could go on an amazing vacation.

I hate . . . stupid idiot drivers and rude oblivious people.  Funny how the two {four?} often go hand-in-hand.

I fear . . . being alone.

I feel . . . a little sick from Costa Vida tonight.

I hear . . . the fan and Samuel talking to his monkeys.

I smell . . . nothing right now.  But I did wake up at 1:30 last night to pee, and smelled the cookies Erik was baking.

I wonder . . . why I have such a hard time motivating myself.

I regret . . . giving up dance.

I love . . . my sweet wonderful family.

I hope . . . I one day hear these same words, Enos 1:27.

I always . . . feel tired.

I am not . . . buying Sam any more toys until his birthday.

I believe . . . there is a specific plan for each one of us.

I don’t always . . . shower.

I win . . . nothing.  Never ever.  Not once.

I lose . . . things and can’t find them all the time.  It drives me crazy,

I never . . . get a good night’s sleep.

I listen . . . to Sam’s silly cds.

I am scared of . . . being unsuccessful as a mother.

I read . . . way too many blogs.

I am happy about . . . where I am in my life right now.

I have such a kind husband.  These are on their way in the mail right now.  I can’t wait.  Thank you, Erik!

Not my baby.  Pishaw!  A {friend’s} baby . . . and her baby shower this Saturday.  I could not wait to post this!  Huh-LLO!!  Look how stinkin’ cute this diaper cake is!!!  So many thanks to Triana for her help.  Two creative heads are definitely better than one.

And here is the quilt I made.  Well, the top anyway.  My mom is going to quilt it for me, and then I am going to finish up the binding.  Anyone else want to let me throw them a baby shower?  Cause I LOVE this stuff!

What’s a wife to do when the baby is asleep and her husband is on a campout with the scouts?  Blog.  Der!  Heather did this and tagged me, and I thought it was super cute, so I spent some time putting one together for myself.

Goal I Have

Drop some serious poundage.  “Serious” poundage would be nice, but so would a good 10.  It sucks not being happy with yourself, and it sucks even more to get up the motivation to do something about it.  Believe it or not, I have been trying.  Old habits die hard, though.  Bleck.

The Town I Live In

Place I Want to Visit

Denmark!  There are so many places I would love to travel to, but right now this is number one.  I desperately want to go back.  It has been sooooo long, and I really want to share it with Erik and Sam.

Nickname I Have Had

My parents were sticklers on none of us kids having nicknames.  That might be why having a nickname was always so desirable to me!  Then, when I started 8th grade at a new school, I got dubbed “Al” when one girl said she would never remember “Annelise.”  It stuck with me all through high school, and my family still calls me Al, too.

My Favorite Food

It’s actually pork chops and chutney, but I couldn’t find a picture of that.  Cinnamon rolls are certainly a favorite, though, and just about anything else cinnamon.  Except chocolate covered cinnamon bears.  Sick.

My First Job

Home of the Fishamajig and Chicken Fribble.  I worked at Friendly’s most of high school.  It was totally the cool place to work.  It was a blast most of the time, and I thought I was so cool toying with the hearts of the cooks and dishwashers.  Seriously, Friendly’s was the place.

Age at My Next Birthday

My Favorite Place

It’s a toss up.  I love New England not just for its beauty, but for its rich history.  And there is nothing — nothing! – like a New England fall.  I am also crazy about the beach.  I love everything about it, except for seaweed.  I would be either place in a heartbeat if I could.

I tag Julie {you’re not working, come on!} Caroline {please don’t take 9 months to do this one} mi Madre {she’s said a few times she wants something to blog about} Triana {your prize for making tonight so much easier is more work! haha!} and anyone else.  I think this is a fun tag!

Now, I am going to let my Pizza Factory dinner digest and watch 27 Dresses on Pay-Per-View while I work on my quilting project.

I probably should have given credit to the photos, but I thought of that too late.  Oops.  Thanks for the pics, whoever you all are.