Goodbye 2009... Hello House!

So we did it! We closed on our house yesterday! Closing took forever. I was hoping for that magical moment when I would suddenly feel like a homeowner... Perhaps I would hear angels singing when the keys were handed across the table or the sun would burst out of the gray, hailing sky. I at least thought there would be a SOLD! banner on the real estate sign in the front yard that I could take a proud picture in front of. But nope. We just kept signing paper after paper. The lawyer did a good job of distilling each page of teeny tiny print into a one-sentence summary, but at the end of the day, I just slapped my signature on it like I was told. I thought it would be weird seeing the sellers, but they turned out to be completely lovely people (a good thing, since we were stuck there together for more than an hour while the law firm dealt with technical difficulties). But in the end, we got our shiny gold keys and fancy new house! And our wonderful real estate agent gave us an elegant box of stationary with our new address as a present. And she doesn't even know how much I adore snail mail! (And for the record, she totally offered to put up a SOLD! sign just for me, but I told her not to worry about it. Apparently that doesn't really happen anymore. But at least the for sale sign was gone by the time we finished closing.)

Naturally, to celebrate spending all that money, we went straight to Target so we could spend some more on a baby crib and take it to Olde Atlanta. I had a slight moment of panic when we walked in and all I could think of were all the things we needed to do, pack, move, fix, paint, change, buy... But then I remembered that this is our house to live in for a long, long time and we don't need to have everything perfect right away. I mean, like we would actually eat in our dining room even if we had furniture?! Still, it will be a relief to be in and unpacked. After moving every two years and religiously saving boxes each time so they can be reused, I really might light a huge bonfire with them after we're done with this move.

Now I just have to learn how to park in a garage. Knowing my skills, it will be harder than it looks!

And thus does 2009 draw to a close. We end it in a vastly different place than when we started. Never in my life would I have thought that this would be the year we got pregnant and bought our first house. That plan was so totally not on the agenda at this time last year, not even by a long shot. Why, my biggest goal at the beginning of 2009 was to run the Peachtree Road Race! And 2010 promises to be even bigger. As Donald Trump would say, it's gonna be the hugest, most amazing year ever. We'll keep you posted - thanks for coming along for the ride. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! We'll be celebrating with our families, reviving some of our favorite holiday traditions. Frantically wrapping presents the night before. The Christmas Eve Swedish/Italian feast with my parents, complete with Swedish meatballs and stuffed shells and that molded jello salad thing. Yelling at dad for wanting to clean up all the wrapping paper instead of joyously throwing it on the floor as we open each gift. Driving through McIntosh Corner to check out the lights (this year with an added critical eye of how we'll decorate our own house next year!) Finding a Christmas Eve service with real candlelight and tearing up during Silent Night. Being told to hurry up and take a shower so we can open presents Christmas morning at the Loughman's after eating Lee Anne's famous breakfast casserole. Going on a last minute mission to find some eggnog after my mother-in-law figured we wouldn't want any because it's so bad for you. (For the record, none of us have a problem with that. Bring on the nog!) Trying to decide which of all the new books I received I want to crack open first. Eating too much. And then eating some more. Making the annual pilgrimage to return the gifts that don't fit, and then coming away even happier because the after-Christmas sales are so awesome. Napping. And knowing throughout it all that this is our last Christmas as just the two of us. Next year there will be a little girl to share all these traditions with, and we'll be making some new ones as a new family. Or as my friend Robin eloquently pointed out, "I hope Santa is good to you this year, because next year it will be all about the baby!" And you know, I'm probably okay with that.

I didn't send out cards this year, but I hope all of you know how much each of you mean to us. Wishing you love and joy and hugs this holiday season. May your days be merry and bright.

Here's looking at you, kid!

A new poll is up! Who will our baby girl look like when she's born? Will she have dark, curly hair like her mom? Blue eyes like her dad? Will she be bald like her Grandpa Frank? Or will she, like all babies, look like Winston Churchill? Vote now!

'Tis the Season

Can you believe we're already halfway through December? How did this happen?! Maybe it's because I'm not putting up decorations this year, but I'm having a hard time getting into the holly-jolly spirit. The only signs of the holiday around our apartment are the foot-tall tree on the end table, a handful of cards and a cup with candy canes. Oh well. It will make next year all that more spectacular!

So we finally made our baby registry. My friend and mom extraordinaire Heather walked me through Babies R Us and pointed to everything we could possibly need. And babies need a lot. I had no idea pacifiers come in different sizes, or that babies don't always like every brand. Same for bottles. We debated the pros and cons of washcloth thickness and types of bath toys. It's nuts to think that within the first year, babies go from helpless infants to crawling, walking, grabbing machines. Apparently I can kiss my earrings goodbye for quite a while. But Heather's advice was excellent and I know I'll be putting her on speed dial once this baby shows up and I have no idea what to do with her!

It is slowly starting to dawn on me that in 11 short weeks, I'll go from being pregnant to being a mom. With a child. Who will be mine forever. I've gotten used to being pregnant. I mean, after 29 weeks, you will get used to anything. But soon she'll be here, filling my arms. And the thought simultaneously thrills and terrifies me!

So to lighten things up a bit, here is one of my all-time favorite baby products, modeled by my sweet Teddy. A little background on Teddy. I got her for my second birthday, when my family lived on the O.M. ship Logos. I think my birthday party was held in a lifeboat and we had Coke out of glass bottles. Teddy (such an original name, I know) used to have a little red felt tongue, but in a fit of jealous rage, one of my childhood playmates ripped it off. And she used to be much plumper, but years of love have worn her down better than a Weight Watchers diet. But she's stuck with me through it all and looks just charming in her new outfit:

A baby bathrobe!! I can't help it, I love them. Everyone tells me I'll never use them. In fact, this one came from Heather. Her daughter Lucy, you guessed it, never used it. But I don't care. I think they are so cute.

And here's something else that might become a new favorite item. It's the Fisher-Price Ocean Wonders Soothe and Glow Seahorse and apparently it will change our lives. Here's the story. Matt and I were registering at Target. Seeing us with the registry gun and looks of complete bewilderment, a random woman felt compelled to walk up to us and recommend the Seahorse. Apparently it has magical powers that will send babies straight into a blissful sleep. She talked about it with the reverence generally reserved for national treasures or priceless artifacts. Hearing our conversation, another random woman stopped by and corroborated the story, again with the slightly glazed look of a devoted follower. I practically heard angels singing when she talked. So naturally we had to add this Holy Grail to the registry. Although for some reason, it never made it on there. And Target online wasn't even showing it. And Babies R Us showed it out of stock. Hot items, I guess. Finally I found one on Amazon and stuck in on my wish list, which is when I discovered something very suspicious:


Pink things cost more than blue things! What the heck?! Blue seahorse: $9.99. The pink version? More than $25! I call it the Pink Privilege. It's insane! And this isn't the first time I've noticed. I saw some closet organizers - the pink version was at least five bucks more than the blue version. Why?! I, for one, will not be playing that game. Baby Girl will just have to be happy with blue. And to be perfectly honest, too much pink is going to get a bit nauseating. I'm more irritated than anything. What a scam! I am NOT paying more for something just for the privilege of getting it in pink.Anyway, that's my soapbox and I'm stepping down now.

UPDATE: Bah humbug on Target for not letting me add the Seahorse to our baby registry. Bah humbug on Babies R Us for not having the Seahorse in stock. And the biggest bah humbug of all on Amazon, for wanting to charge 15 bucks more for the pink version of the Seahorse! A big Merry Christmas goes out instead to Walmart, for stocking both colors of the little Seahorse, for the same price. Matt and I have officially bought our first baby gift... Baby Girl will be getting not one but BOTH Seahorses, the blue and the pink.

It's almost Christmas! Let the eggnog flow! We're looking forward to seeing lots of family and friends this holiday season. Everyone stay safe! More to come...

Home Sweet Home!

We are officially under contract on a house! I'm so excited! We spotted this house months ago, before we were even formally house-hunting. We adored the neighborhood... when we drove by one Saturday, everyone waved at us! It's like they already wanted us to move in. So when it was still on the market as our home search got underway, we decided to take a look. And when they dropped the price, we decided to make an offer. After making a bid, we drove back by and the neighbors were out in the yard with their two little kids and they waved at us too! I took it as a good sign. And after a lightening quick negotiation, it was ours! It is the perfect starter home for us - four bedrooms, a great sunroom, screened-in porch and deck, right on the golf course (!) Okay, so it's way better than we ever imagined for our starter home. I even have the nursery all picked out and I already love the color - no paint needed! We hope to close by the end of December, giving us two months to get everything settled before Baby Girl makes her appearance.

It is a huge relief to have a house, I'm not going to lie. Already walking up our apartment stairs is starting to get to me... I can't imagine doing it while lugging a baby carrier and diaper bag and purse and groceries. But people aren't kidding when they say house buying is one of the more stressful things to do in your life. There is so much second guessing. For me, the most important factor was always the neighborhood. The house I can live with or fix up or change. But you can't change a neighborhood. I found myself critically examining the other homes... why was the lawn not cut over there? Why did those people have eight cars parked in the driveway? Why were there so many Michigan fans on that street? It felt snobby, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to find a place where I would feel safe taking the baby on a walk, or wouldn't worry that five years down the road everything is foreclosed on. Fortunately, we found a house in one of our favorite neighborhoods where I have zero worries about any of the above concerns. And as a bonus, we love the house! Win-win!

I'm continually amazed by Matt's confidence and assurance going through this process. From planning our budget to researching various loans and closing attorneys, he has been a rock. He has thought of details that would never have crossed my mind. I'm too busy trying to pick fabric for the nursery and worrying about a few leftover nail holes that need to be patched! The more stressed I've gotten, the more calm he's been. (Aren't we the perfect pair?) And soon all the hard work will pay off. Now I just have to pack up our apartment - a tricky feat since I'm not supposed to be lifting anything heavy. But with a little holiday music and some hot chocolate for energy, I'm all set to go.

Next up: I have a doctor's appointment this Thursday, including my glucose test. Fun, fun! I also expect a frightening report from the scale. Over the last month, I have gone from "I'm pregnant!" to "I'm PREGNANT." It will be interesting/horrifying to see how much weight I've packed on. In the meantime, Baby Girl continues to perfect her Dancing with the Stars routine, getting so worked up at times that Matt has actually pulled his hand off my belly with a horrified "how do you stand that?!" But in all seriousness, I have been blessed with an incredibly easy pregnancy thus far, and here's hoping it stays that way for the next 12 weeks. (I know, 12 weeks. That's really not that much time. I try not to think about it or my hands start sweating.) More updates to come!

Anyone want some cereal?

I'm about to fly my nerd flag, but I don't care. I just had the best shopping experience at Publix. I generally only shop Publix for their buy one get one free deals, and in the cereal aisle, I found something even better. Four boxes of Fiber One cereal for 10 bucks. Now I have never eaten Fiber One cereal. It sounds overly healthy and possibly gross, although the pictures on the box look okay. But more importantly, a box normally costs 4.49 or something obscene like that. And here I was, getting it for 2.50. Can't pass up that deal! (I can rarely pass up anything on sale.)

But it gets better! In the Publix sales flyer, there was a coupon for 4 dollars off the purchase of four boxes of Fiber One cereal. So now, instead of four boxes for 10 bucks, I was getting four boxes for 6 bucks! THEN I realized I had another coupon for an additional dollar off! Stay with me, folks... I just bought four boxes of cereal, regularly prices at 4.49 a box, for a grand total of 5 bucks. I win!

And who cares that there are now 14 unopened boxes of cereal in my pantry (we stocked up on Quaker Oat Squares while they were bogo; it is our absolute favorite cereal). We'll eat it eventually!

Post-Thanksgiving Wrap-Up, Plus Some Nursery Ideas

So it's been a while... I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We spent it with my parents and Matt's parents. Finally after nine years of togetherness, we've finally managed to convince our families that it makes more sense to share Thanksgiving. That way we only have to eat one turkey meal instead of stuffing ourselves twice! So they have obliged and this was our second annual Fortunato-Loughman gathering. It was nice. Much thanks was given. Much food was eaten. (Check out that belly, huh?! Now if that doesn't impress, I don't know what will.)

But now that Thanksgiving is done, we can move on to more important things - Christmas! (Poor Thanksgiving... ever feel like it just gets forgotten, sandwiched in between the more fun holidays of Halloween and Christmas? I mean, they were playing Christmas music on the radio before the turkey was even in the oven!) Did anyone heed the siren's call of 5 a.m. doorbusters on Black Friday? I've been in the past. But truthfully, I always buy more for myself on that day than I do for anyone else. And since Matt and I are in serious money saving mode, shopping for myself just hasn't had the same allure it normally does. I'm a coupon clipping queen these days, not a self-spender. So I opted to stay home, snug in bed, and hit up Amazon for some good deals plus free shipping. (Gotta have the free shipping or what's the point?)

And while I'm at it, let me pause for a moment and pay homage to the Amazon Wish List. Do you have one? Because you should. When it comes to Christmas presents, I'm a firm believer in getting people what they want. That way you're happy and I'm happy (plus I don't have to wrack my brain trying to think of the perfect gift for you). Otherwise I'm just buying you something for the sake of having a present to give, hoping you like it and we that haven't both just wasted our time and money. Anyway, back to the Amazon wish list. First off, Amazon sells everything. Secondly, even if they don't, they have the Universal Wish List button that allows you to add anything from any other site to your list. And finally, Amazon read my mind and added the "buying it somewhere else?" button. So if you see something on a person's list, but you know you can get a better deal at your local Wal-mart, you just tell Amazon that you're buying it elsewhere and they go ahead and remove it from the wish list, eliminating the dread that someone else will also buy it and the poor receiver will get two of the same thing. So smart. Thanks, Amazon!

So while I didn't score on Black Friday, the following day the grandmas and I went to Joann's Fabric to see about finally getting some nursery decorating ideas. I have scoured the internet looking for crib bedding that I like, but to no avail. Everything seemed far too pink and babyish and cutesy and fluffy. Just not me. I wanted the nursery to look like a room I'd actually want to spend time in. Bright and colorful and modern and fun. Which you can only attain if you're willing to drop 400 bucks on a crib bedding set. And since they don't have coupons for those, it wasn't likely to happen. Enter the generous offer from my mom and mother-in-law to make the crib bedding themselves! Ah, to be related to someone with a sewing machine! We spent an awesome two hours taking over the fabric department, matching patterns and debating colors, getting excited about all the potential. I felt like I was on some HGTV design show! I have two very creative, crafty ladies in my life. I am thrilled at the results.Isn't it pretty? We have stripes! And circles! Polka dots! Hot pink! Lime green! It's bright and colorful! I love it! Lee Anne is making a quilt featuring all the patterns seen here, plus some coordinating pillows. My mom is making the crib skirt and bumper, and perhaps some curtains. There is plenty of fabric left over so I can make some wall decorations or picture frames. Everything is going to look awesome in the nursery, which will be painted bright green to match. I really wanted something with a lot of different colors that I could pull out as accents, and this fabric definitely accomplishes that. I finally have a vision of it in my mind; I can finally start picturing what it will be like to sit in the rocking chair, holding Baby Girl, humming a lullaby...

We're getting closer! We're into week 27 now. The baby weighs around two pounds, or about as much as a head of cauliflower, according to the produce scale. I've officially outgrown anything that doesn't have "maternity" on the label or come from Matt's closet. Total strangers are starting to comment (such as the waiter at Mellow Mushroom who urged me to eat another pretzel because I am "eating for two"). Although I have to say, most people have asked before touching the belly. (The exception is my brother, but since he's the newly appointed god father/guardian, I figure he's allowed to pat his neice whenever he wants.)

House hunting update coming soon... Stay tuned!

Tales from the Treadmill

Ah, the treadmill, my old nemesis. I finally went back to the gym this week, for the first time since running the Peachtree and finding out I was pregnant. Back in the day, I was a regular, hitting the machine at least three times a week in preparation for the 10K. It was awful. I'm just not a runner. The only time I can honestly say I enjoyed running was when Matt, my dad and I took a practice run around Lake Peachtree about a week before the real race. Now that wasn't bad. Pretty flat, nice scenery, encouraging company, plenty of friendly PTC people waving good morning. But around my lovely L-ville apartment, there just aren't many places to take a jog, so I resorted to the treadmill in the clubhouse gym. Most days, catching reruns of Fraiser were enough to keep me going until I collapsed, gasping, at the four mile mark.

Anyway, like I said, I was a regular this past spring and summer. Most mornings I would have the place to myself, save for the sweet cleaning woman who would pop in to wash the windows or tidy up. Over time, we developed a bit of a friendship. She'd come in, watch me pounding along with my red, sweat-drenched face, grin and say hi. I'd gasp out a hello in return. Eventually she asked me if I was training for something and I told her the Peachtree Road Race resolution. It wasn't much, but she always had a smile and greeting for me. When I returned to the gym after our trip to Texas and Yellowstone, she remarked that I had been gone and asked how my running was going. It was nice.

Then, the day after the Peachtree, I found out I was pregnant. I hadn't stepped foot back inside that gym until this week, when I finally realized that not having a job or school anymore pretty much left me out of excuses. So I hopped back on the dreaded treadmill, this time for a leisurely stroll rather than a heart-pounding run. And just like old times, the cleaning lady popped in as I was exercising. She seemed happy to see me, greeted me like an old pal just back from a long absence. And then "Oh my gosh, you're pregnant!" She grinned. I grinned. She peppered me with questions. "So were you pregnant back then while you were training for your race?" I admitted that I had been, unknowingly. She seemed genuinely pleased for me, this woman who I barely know, can't even tell you her name. It's funny, the people you brush by in life, the little bonds you can form without even meaning to. My family and friends, I know you all are happy for me, I know you mean it when you tell me. But this woman, practically a stranger, made my day with her warm, heart-felt congrats. Needless to say, heading back to the treadmill just got a little easier.

And 11 pounds later...

So I've finally recovered from the world's worst cold. I eventually broke down and saw the doctor about it, and even though I'm pretty sure he knew it was just a cold and there wasn't anything to be done, he took sympathy on my pathetic self and gave me some antibiotics. I doubt they helped (except mentally, perhaps) but regardless, I am back to my normal self. The whole time I was sick I was bummed because I had a list of things to do come November, and there I was, stuck on the couch with a tissue stuffed up my nose, accomplishing nothing. And as many of my friends know, there is nothing I love more than crossing off my to-do list. So I'm doing my best to make up for it now. Here are some of the things that have been keeping me busy:

1. Getting My Teaching Certificate!
With student teaching done, the only thing standing in the way of my teaching certificate was my certification portfolio. Basically, it was a 20 page paper describing my teaching philosophy, what I've learned, what I still want to learn, etc. Plus I had to pull one work sample from every grad class I've taken and explain why it represented my understanding of teaching. Even through my cold-induced haze I pressed on and I'm glad to say the portfolio was signed, sealed and delivered to my advisor last week. Now I just have to wait for grades to be posted, paperwork to be signed and I will officially be able to mold young minds. This was the last step in a process that started two years ago when Matt pointed out that maybe what I really wanted to be doing in life was teaching. I told him to shut up, thought about it, and admitted he was right. I took the GRE, quit my job, commuted four nights a week to Athens, and finally find myself here. It's been quite a road.

2. Discovering the Clearance Bin
Ever since this pregnancy become noticeable to the naked eye, I knew maternity clothes were inevitable. But I wanted to make it through student teaching without having to buy any, if possible. I knew that once I was done, I could live in sweatpants and Matt's t-shirts if I had to. But finally even I had to admit that some new clothes were needed. And here's the thing. I wasn't opposed to buying maternity clothes. But they are so expensive! I mean, you have to buy them and they know it. And I'm a clearance rack girl. I can't tell you the last time I paid full price for anything in my closet. So I was already dreading the sticker shock I was about to endure. I almost threw up when my $100 tab at the local maternity store netted me only a pair of jeans, a pair of leggings, and two long sleeved shirts. My five dollar sweatpants were looking better and better. But then a wonderous thing happened. Old Navy emailed me a "30 percent off your entire purchase" coupon. A quick search revealed a maternity section in the Mall of Georgia store. So off I went. Now the maternity section was a mere two racks, one shelf and half a wall of clothes. But, holy grail! There was a clearance section! This time, I proudly walked away with three dresses, two sweaters, two long sleeved shirts, a pair of jeans, a cami, pj's and a WINTER COAT, all for $175. I can't tell you how nice it feels to be able to say "hmm, what shall I wear today?" instead of "I guess I'll have to wear that shirt again". How I love those orange clearance stickers. I'd say I'm set for quite a while now.

3. Blaming it on the Boots
So I had another doctor's appointment last week. I scored the H1N1 flu shot and suffered the obligatory weigh-in. Now up until this point, there hasn't been much action on the scale. A pound here, two pounds there, this is what I've been seeing each month. At my last appointment, I had gained a grand total of 4.5 pounds. So imagine my shock when the doctor cheerfully announced my total weight gain this time was a stunning 11 pounds! Um, what? (I swear when I went to my regular doc about my cold, his scale had me at a much more acceptable eight pounds.) So I promptly blamed the extra numbers on the fact that I was wearing boots. That's fair, right? RIGHT? Yeah, that's what I thought. It's definitely not the peanut butter and banana sandwiches I've been eating every day. Or the chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Next month I take the glucose test to determine if I've developed gestational diabetes, and after that the visits will start happening a little more frequently. I guess that means we're in the home stretch! (Also, the baby weighs about the same as a rutabaga this week. Yeah, I don't know what that is either. But it's 1.5 pounds and kicking!)

4. On the Hunt!
And in the biggest news, Matt and I started house hunting last weekend! That's right, it's time to find ourselves a little nest for this baby girl. I thought we were in a pretty good position, with zero debt and a plump down payment saved up. But there's nothing like house hunting to make you feel poor. The houses we really like are just a bit out of our price range, and the houses we can afford are older or in neighborhoods we don't love. (At this point Matt would probably want me to point out that we've only been looking for two days and it's much too early to be freaking out and getting discouraged.) The good news is that we have a wonderful agent and I plan to make house hunting my full-time job until we find the perfect place. I'm going out again tomorrow, in fact. (I'm also seriously considering applying to be on HGTV's House Hunters!) But in the meantime, if anyone wants to buy me a lottery ticket, I wouldn't turn it down.

And there you have it. Sorry this post doesn't have any pictures... they are all on the other computer and the cat has firmly taken over my lap, making it a little difficult to get at them. Besides, I'm not sure anyone really wants to keep looking at my belly. I really should take some more interesting photos - I'll work on that. Until then...

Happy November! Oh, and I'm sick.

This post really should have been written yesterday, when the weather matched my mood. Yesterday was gloomy and overcast and all around yuck. Today the sun is shining, the sky is brilliant blue and it actually looks like fall outside, with yellow and red leaves galore. But none of that natural beauty changes the fact that I am sick. Terribly, horribly sick. And no, before you (or my mom) asks, it's not swine flu. I've been checking my temperature every few hours or so and no fever. It's just the common cold. The worst common cold I have ever had. My throat is raw. My nose is clogged. My head feels like it's been stuffed with wet, congealed oatmeal. Poor Matt has put up with me either sitting around with tissues stuffed up my nose (that used to be embarrassing but we're way past that point now) or waking him up with my whistling snore. (As he described, it was like I was having a conversation with some whales.) I don't know if it's because I'm pregnant, or my body just gave out on me after 10 weeks of student teaching, but it's bad. And although I'm approved to take a surprising amount of meds even in my condition, the thought kind of creeps me out, so I've only taken what Matt has absolutely insisted is necessary for both our sakes.

But enough complaining. You guys didn't come here to listen to me whine about my cold. How about some pictures? Here is a belly bump update, from top to bottom: 20 Weeks, 21 Weeks, 22 Weeks. (Today is the start of week 23, but that picture is going to have to wait until I can remove this tissue from my nose.) Fun fact! Week 21 features my five dollar sweatpants from Target! I'm currently wearing them as I type this. In fact, they're pretty much all I've worn since I wrapped up student teaching this past Friday. They might be the only pair of pants I wear again, that's how awesome they are. I've even worn them...gasp!...IN PUBLIC! Trust me, you have not seen the last of these sweatpants.

And for those of you keeping track, Baby has progressed from banana to carrot to spaghetti squash. Today she is a large mango! Mango Loughman... it has a nice ring to it. Ten bucks says some celebrity steals the name one of these days. As you can see from the current poll, celebrities are nuts when it comes to naming their children. Just because you are famous doesn't mean you can saddle your child with Diva Muffin (my favorite!) I mean, as a nickname, sure. But as a legal, given, stuck-with-forever name? Wow. For the record, Matt's been pulling for Moxie Crimefighter, so we'll see who comes out the winner in this poll. As for real baby names, Matt and I are still debating. It might have come down to three, all of which I like. One has sentimental value, one is a little controversial, and one is just pretty. But that's for another post.

Let's see, what other news do I have to share... Well, I wrapped up my student teaching on Friday. As a parting gift, my sweet students gave me this cold (awesome, thanks!) and an Umbrella of Love! They took an umbrella and all drew their pictures and names on it. So now every time I use it, I'll be "showered" with memories of my time with them. See what I did there? So witty. Anyway, it was an awesome experience, I'll miss them, and I've promised to visit again once this baby is born. One student hoped to hold the baby one day. When I expressed some hesitation, he attempted to reassure me. "No, I meant hold the baby with my hands." I told them they'd have to admire from a distance.

Wow, for someone claiming to be sick as a dog, this post is going on and on... In some super quick family news, my dad was in a scary car accident recently. One foggy morning he was traveling down a road he's driven on 5000 times, the weather obscured his view and he ended up skidding right off the road, 150 feet through the woods and into a ditch. It took two tow trucks to get the car out. Although the vehicle was a total loss, fortunately he is okay. So wear your seatbelts, folks. They really work. And if you're looking to sell a car, let me know. And congrats to my cousin Stephanie, who gave birth to a baby boy a few days ago. She labored 40-plus hours and ended up having a c-section. I will be discussing this with my midwife because 40-plus hours seems a little... excessive.

Okay, that's all for now. Sorry this one got long-winded. I've been cooped up in this house for too long now. Happy November everybody!

Happy Birthday Matt!

An Ode to My Husband
On the Occasion of His Thirtieth Birthday

I hope you'll all join me cheering
A big Hip Hip Hurray!
For my dearest husband Matt
Turns the big 3-0 today!

Even though he's all grown up
Matt still has the stuff
Here he is on the beach
Looking manly and buff


























(Seriously, what could be more manly than throwing a javelin?)

Some of you don't know this
But among his other feats
Matt is quite the master chef
Thanks to Alton and Good Eats!
(Matt's latest culinary success was cashew butter (like peanut butter, but with cashews) thanks to one of the hundreds of Good Eats episodes saved on our Tivo)

Sometimes it's the little things
That show how much Matt cares
Like how he walks in front of me
When we go down the stairs
(Just in case I trip and fall, you know... Being pregnant has made me clumsy!)

And when our baby cries at night
I know he'll be a winner
He's already used to getting up
When the cat throws up her dinner
(Seriously, Matt's ears are tuned for the sound of Spooky vomiting. I'll be sound asleep and all of a sudden Matt will be out of bed, running with a paper towel to clean up a hair ball. So sweet. I hope this also works when the baby cries at 3 a.m.)

For our stay-home date night
He went to the grocery store
And bought me alcohol-free wine
What girl could ask for more?


















(I didn't even know they made alcohol-free wine! It didn't really taste like wine, but it was nice nonetheless!)

Matt is so considerate
When we watch football on tv
He only drinks beer I don't like
So I won't be filled with envy
(Like Red Stripe. Gross.)

And although being pregnant
Has made me tired and boring
Matt doesn't mind, he even puts up
With my loud new pregnancy snoring
(Did you know being pregnant makes you snore? Apparently it does. Matt told me.)

Well, that wraps up this little rhyme
But i just wanted to say
I love you, Matt! I hope you have
A wonderful 30th birthday!

Man Talk

As you know we got the exciting news about "baby girl" Loughman last Tuesday after spending a relaxing weekend in Charleston. While touring the USS Yorktown, Kristine was finally asked in public by a stranger how far along she was, no doubt due to her protruding baby belly.

She's still all set for arrival next February (not March if Dad has anything to do about it because there are already too many March birthdays to remember!). According to Kristine, Baby is quite the little Beckham, so with all the kicking hopefully she won't hanging out in the womb too far past her due date!

ahhh, the fun begins. Such as:

• Names! This normally consists of Kristine coming up with a really cute, great name and me saying something like "ah, I'm not sure I like that one..." or "hmmm, I'll think about that one" which she quickly figured out was code word for "no". I'm much better at "no's" than I am at coming up with viable alternatives.
• Feeling her kick and kick and kick. Kristine says Baby is really active after eating oatmeal cookies so we should eat a lot of them. I can figure out code words too :P
• Watching other people's children at Chick-Fil-A and wondering if our kids are going to be that loud! I'm guessing that since she's half mine the answer is going to be yes.
• Seeing all my ladies hanging out on the La-z-boy together (that used to be mine!)
• And last, but certainly not least, maternity clothes. Oh, to enter the world of stretchy pants. Kristine hasn't actually worked up the courage to go the store yet, but that trip CAN'T be too far away. It's getting cold and I should get to wear my own sweat pants every once in a while.

Well, we're working on the naming process and realizing pretty quickly that she's stuck with the name we give her. Quite the burden! There are a couple names leaping towards the front of the line, and possibly a winner, but nothing permanent yet.

GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!

X marks the spot! Just look at that sweet little girl! She has 10 fingers, 10 toes, all her organs, no problems, a great heartbeat and she was wiggling away on the ultrasound. She got a lecture in the car on the way to the doctor's office, admonishing her to be good and show us the important parts. Wouldn't you know it, the technician plopped that wand on my belly and Baby was sitting there, butt first, giving us the perfect view. It didn't take more than three second to pronounce her a "her"! What a good, smart Baby!Can you see her hand, right over her belly? Look for five little white dots... I think she's making a fist, getting ready to give me a poke. Right above her hand, the jellyfish looking blob, is the umbilical cord. You can also see the white line of her spine running down her back. Wow... a lot has been happening in there since that last time we saw pictures!
Look at that foot! I'm sure that's what I've been feeling these last few days. Wow. It is such a relief to finally know which pronoun to use. I felt HER kick. SHE poked me again. Although I never voted in the poll, and officially I would have been thrilled no matter what the baby turned out to be, secretly I was hoping for a girl. (A few other people I know were not-so-secretly pulling for a girl as well!) Now I finally know which rack of clothing to aim towards when I go shopping! Next up, the name game! (Any suggestions?)

Going Bananas!

We have officially passed the halfway mark! And our baby is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Tomorrow we head to the doctor to determine X or Y, but I just couldn't wait that long, so I took it upon myself to take a few tests I found on the Internet. And you can believe everything you find on the Internet! Here's how the results shook out...

According to some Chinese calendar, it's a girl. This was based on some complicated formula of my age plus the month we conceived. Supposedly it's pretty accurate.

I found another test based on old wives tales for predicting gender. It asked questions like my fondness for OJ and if dad was also gaining weight. (Why Matt gaining sympathy weight would have any baring on what gender the baby is, I have no idea. I'm pretty sure those two factors don't correlate.) For the record, Matt is as fit as ever and apparently there is a 57 percent chance we are having a boy. Another gender predictor took the birthdates of mom and dad, plus the month of conception, and predicted boy.

And my favorite test of all, including such scientifically-based questions as which way I prefer to pick up a mug (by the cup or the handle) and which way I show someone my hand (palm up or down) gave me the stunning, totally reliable, ever so intelligent result of: 50/50! As Matt said, we should have just flipped a coin.

It should be noted that Matt refused to let me take the Drano test (you pee on some Drano and the color predicts the gender) because as he put it, there would be no gallivanting around with my pee if he had anything to say about it. We waited this long, we can wait some more. And there you have it. Apparently you fine folk seem to think we're having a girl while the Internet gives boy a slight edge. All will be revealed tomorrow! In the meantime, have yourself a banana and stay tuned.

Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge

I felt the baby move!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing. Right up there with hearing the heartbeat and seeing that little nudger for the first time on the ultrasound. Okay, that's all. Just wanted to share. :)

X or Y?

X or Y, do or die
Pain and joy, it's a girl or a boy
Friend or foe, you'll never know
But it's no lie that it's X or Y

If it's X, a gal is next
But if it's Y, you get a guy
If it's pink or blue, it all comes from you
So you don't have to try because it's X or Y

- "X or Y" by Loudon Wainwright III

The countdown is on! One week from right now, we'll know if our little nugget is made of sugar and spice, or lizard tails and (I really don't know what else little boys are made out of). So if you haven't voted, make your pick on the poll. I have to say, girl has been hanging onto the lead ever since this thing went live. Hmm. I wonder if you folks know something I don't... But the mystery all ends next Tuesday! Unless, as Matt keeps pointing out, Baby decides to play modest and keep his/her legs crossed. Which is unacceptable. Baby might get its first spanking, or at least a nice, encouraging poke, if it plays that game.

In other news, Matt and I went to the Eastlake Golf Course and took in the beautiful weather, saw Tiger Woods, had visions of our child becoming a billionaire golf pro, and purchased the lovely shirt you see me modeling on the right. (It has absolutely nothing to do with the golf tournament or Eastlake, but it was by far the cutest one there.) Do they even make caffeine-free diet Cherry Coke? I haven't found it yet, so this shirt is my only way to support my favorite Coke flavor. But just look at that Bump, circa Week 18!

Week 19's picture is less attractive (not the Bump's fault), but I'm giving myself bonus points because we took it right after getting some exercise at one of our nearby parks. Also, my jeans don't fit. My last pair, the good old stand-by "I'm feeling chubby today" jeans that never let me down, no matter how many slices of pizza I've had... well, they're about to surrender. And speaking of, my tee-shirts (see picture at left) are being stretched pretty thin. Matt has graciously offered to let me wear his clothes.

Alright everyone, that's it for now. Cast your X or Y votes, and stand by!

The Tale of the New Shirt

Once upon a time, there was a shirt. It was a lovely white, lace shirt and it longed to make someone look beautiful. One day, the shirt was spotted by Lee Anne. She bought it and took it home, only to find that when she put it on, the pretty shirt made her look, well, pregnant. (She didn't really look pregnant, it was all in her head. I'm sure she looked just lovely, but there's no point arguing.) So she decided to save the shirt until her daughter-in-law might have need of it.

Lo and behold, the day came when Kristine announced she was expecting, and Lee Anne happily gave her the beautiful white shirt. Kristine was thrilled, and as soon as her Bump appeared, she proudly put on the shirt and wore it to work, where she received numerous compliments. That afternoon, as Kristine and the shirt stood next to the kindergarten class as they waited to enter the cafeteria, a little voice piped up. Kristine looked down and saw that it belonged to one of her sweet students. The little girl was studying the Bump under the shirt with careful eyes. "Ms. Loughman," she piped up, voice full of curiosity, "you havin' a baby?"

Kristine was surprised. She hadn't told any of her students yet, not wanting to field the difficult questions that might come next. But it seemed the shirt had spilled her secret for her. (Secretly, she didn't mind, because it meant that Bump was really starting to grow and show!) She nodded, and a chorus of excited cries went up. Another little voice spoke up. "Hey," the boy asked, "where's the dad?!" Kristine couldn't help but laugh. "He's at work!" she replied, ushering the students into the cafeteria and ending the conversation. Or so she thought.

Later that day, as the students prepared for home, another little girl peered at the Bump. "Why's your stomach blowing up?" she asked, wrinkling her forehead in concern. "Why do you think?" Kristine asked, curious to hear the response. "Because there's a baby in there?" the student replied, starting to smile, confident in her answer. "Yep," Kristine confirmed, smiling back. "What's it doing in there?" a boy wanted to know. And Kristine was quickly reminded why she didn't want to have this conversation with her kindergarten kids in the first place.

So Kristine and her shirt headed to the doctor's office, where she heard the baby move, learned she had gained a whopping three pounds (of which only 5 ounces could be blamed on baby), and
discovered that the baby was now the size of a turnip, a vegetable Kristine is pretty confident she has never eaten or even seen in real life.

Bump Watch 2009

Well, after 15 weeks and plenty of dessert, we finally have visible proof. Please join me in welcoming Baby Bump Loughman! Trust me, folks, I worked hard to get this. As in, I had to take a lot of pictures before the bump could be accurately displayed. I feel like it's been there for awhile, but apparently these things are much harder to capture on film. And even still, I probably look more like I had a few extra Krispy Kremes this morning, rather than I've been incubating a baby for close to four months.

Today marks Week 16, aka The Avocado. To celebrate, I'll probably eat a lot of guacamole. Yum! Speaking of eating, I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday. At my last visit, I hadn't gained any weight. I fully expect that to change this time around. Culprits include: Baby, the above mentioned guacamole, and all the teachers at my school who seem intent on forcing brownies and chocolate cake on me. If I protest (which I do... for about ten seconds), all I hear is "Baby wants a cupcake!" Alas, neither the baby nor I possess much self-control when it comes to sweets.

And on a final note, football season just isn't the same when you're sipping a caffeine-free Diet Coke. But at least the Dawgs squeaked one out against South Carolina last night. However, things better improve rapidly because I'm pretty sure Baby can hear now and it was treated to an earful of colorful language yesterday. Matt thought he felt the first flutter, though, so the kid obviously agrees with my opinion of Georgia's defense.

When life gives you a lemon...

We've got ourselves a lemon, folks! (For those of you keeping score on the produce scale, last week was a peach. Don't ask me why lemons are bigger than peaches... apparently I need to pay more attention next time I visit the grocery store. But for now, I'll take our little Lemon Loughman!) As I enter the second trimester, I thought I'd recap the first. Here are the top 5 questions I've heard since announcing the news.


1. How are you feeling?!
I feel great! I threw up exactly zero times. My biggest pregnancy symptom was probably feeling tired all the time. Oh, and that pregnancy glow they talk about? Mine was more like pregnancy zits. I'm still waiting on that glow. Let me know if you see it.
2. When did you find out?!
July 5th, the day after running the Peachtree Road Race for the first time. To be completely honest, I had a pretty strong hint around mile 5, strong enough that I took a test the next day. Regardless of the hunch, it was still shocking to actually see the words pop up on the test. Oh, and I strongly recommend the digital read-out that will tell you in plain English one way or another. See? Nice and obvious. You'll still have to look at it four or five times before you believe it though.
3. Are you showing yet?
Only after I eat. So I'm not sure that counts. In the morning, I look normal. By lunch, it looks like I swallowed a cantaloupe. Maybe by the time the baby is actually the size of a cantaloupe, I'll look officially pregnant, and not like I just lost self-control at the McDonald's drive-thru.
4. Any cravings?
Um, dessert? But I always want dessert. I've been a little obsessed with Caesar salads lately. The other day I really wanted a hamburger. But none of the weird pickles-and-ice-cream people always talk about.
5. Can I touch your belly?
Okay, this one isn't true. People don't ask. They just swoop in and start rubbing. It's not a magic lamp, people. And as you can see from number 3 above, there's not much there, folks! Right now, you're just feeling some chub, and perhaps my McDonald's lunch. (Although when Tatum put his hand over my belly and intoned "blessings," I really did feel blessed.)

And now, things I'm looking forward to in the second trimester. A real belly. Maternity clothes (or rather, shopping for them). The X or Y results! Ten fingers and ten toes. Getting to park in the expectant mothers space at Kroger without getting dirty looks.

Hello Week 13! No new ultra sound pictures this week, but Amoeba had another excellent heartbeat at our checkup. (Future mommy is doing okay too, but we all know who the real star of the show is now.) But because we can't get enough of our peach (yep, baby is peach-sized on the produce comparison scale), here is a picture from four weeks ago.

If I am pregnant, I will feel...

A word of wisdom should you ever find yourself in a university health center for a pregnancy test. Be prepared. And don't worry if no one initially jumps to the "congrats!"

After taking a home test the night before, I scheduled an appointment at UGA's health center the next day (coincidentally, the first day of July classes). Once there, I had to take an online survey answering the question "If I am pregnant, I will feel..." The options included: happy, sad, nervous, confused, devastated, terrified, etc. One lone positive emotion, followed by a range of terrible, horrible, no good, very bad feelings. A little strange, but at least my choice was pretty easy to make.

Next, the nurse took me to a room for the blood pressure, scale, temperature routine. Once in there, she gave me a careful look. "So..." she asked hesitantly, "were you trying to get pregnant?" When I assured her that yes, we did this on purpose, she looked relieved.

After the test, I'm in yet another room, waiting on the results. I was pretty confident, but still. Finally the doctor walked in. Again, the careful look. "So..." she started, hovering reluctantly near the door, "...congratulations???" "YAY!" I said with a big grin. And only then did the doctor smile back.

Then I realized. It is a university health center, after all. I guess they're not used to happy reactions to the positive news. Plus, once they realized I was glad, they were all very nice and congratulatory. Good times!

Coming February 27, 2010

Baby Loughman! Only 8 weeks young, our amoeba already has the beginnings of a brain (Yay! That will come in handy!) and a heartbeat.