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!