Stupid, lazy bloggers

I hate people who don't update for weeks at a time.

Anyhow, Happy Thanksgiving. Now it is time to hang the Christmas lights and shop 'til I drop! But I have promised myself that this year, I am going to be generous where it counts; I will be generous and unselfish with time, and I will have a lot of patience with my mother when it's time to clean her house before any sisters arrive in town. I am not, however, going to be generous to a fault when purchasing gifts. This is like my New Year's Resolution a month early. It will be hard, but I am not going to overspend just because I'm worried about whether I got each person "enough." My family has a terrible habit of over-spending and over-giving for no good reason. It's ridiculous to spend as much money as we do for many reasons, including but not limited to: it's hard for several family members to transport gifts they give and receive, it's gluttonous and wasteful to give and receive gifts for and from people who already have so much, and it's financially irresponsible to go into debt every December. So, I am setting my limits and although I will feel like I'm somehow slighting people, I'm sticking to it.

Lastly, Mike and I are committed to donating toys and gifts to charity in lieu of over-purchasing for our families. I bought a good quality set of building blocks for a needy child, but I researched our local Community Center that houses, trains and employs previously homeless families, and they distribute gifts to the children in those families. They have a lot of adolescents and teenagers who usually don't receieve gifts because it's more fun for people to donate toys, so Mike and I are determined to give something that can ge given to a teen. So far, I've thought of a new backpack and perhaps art supplies. And for girls, makeup and maybe hair stuff. Any suggestions?

Thumper

The baby is now kicking all the time. Thump, thump, thump. I imagine it being like that fat little bunny in Bambi:
Bambi: "Whatcha doin'?"
Thumper: "I'm thhhhumpin'!" [bam, bam, bam, bam, bam with the monster foot]

This is going to be one cute kid. Even if it's ugly, it'll be so ugly it's cute. Like this one:



This is exactly what my kid will look like. Pout and all. And it'll thump.

The nursery

Okay, the moulding is stained, though I think Mike is disappointed in the color. But I think it's terrific. And the stars are all painted, but won't be nailed in until the moulding is all installed, and it was still drying yesterday.

But this is what we have so far! I just stuck on the stars and one tiny segment of moulding with painter's tape, but I think it gives a lovely image of the room.

Oh! And Mike put a dimmer switch on the light, and we bought a beautiful new glass shade for the existing light. I love the dimmer, and I can sneak into the room to check on baby without waking it up. I'm still having trouble imagining myself even putting the baby in this room, ever, but it'll have to happen one day. When it outgrows the co-sleeper next to our bed, it'll just have to use its own crib in its own room. It just breaks my heart!

This is another shot of the longer side of the room, but you have to imagine it with the moulding over the white/navy line and also at the ceiling. But it's going to be so cute!

I don't know what the big rush is, since we still have 3 1/2 months until baby will be here, but I am anxious to see it all put together. I guess it's so we can register. We're really not at all sure of what furniture we have, will need, or will use. I'd love to have it all ready by Christmas so these decisions are made. Wish us luck!

The belly

So this is what my belly is looking like these days. This was taken two weeks ago, though, and I think it's bigger now. I should put one up each week.

Also new since this picture was taken, my hair is chopped short again! I figured that by the time the baby comes, it'll be on or past my shoulders and I can pony-tail it easily.

I love football

Well, you know how it is, rockin' and rollin' and what not!

The baby is on the move. I think I now feel it predictably every hour or so, and I can tell when it's really strong, and I can grab Mike's hand, and he can feel it all, and he makes the most adorable face of surprise and pleasure, mixed with slight fear and even slighter repulsion. Actually, his face looks a lot like a two year old seeing a jack-in-the-box for the first time: utterly delighted, but ready to freak out at any second. I'm sure it's very overwhelming. It is pretty creepy that there's a little person thrashing around in there. I still don't understand why it doesn't drown, but I guess I just have to trust that it's supposed to happen this way.

In other news, I keep meaning to post pictures, but I guess I'm just too lazy. I will try to remember tonight.

Unbelievable!

So last night, I finally was able to feel my child for the first time!

We were in our normal positions on the couch, me on the left, Subby to my right laying on her back with her head on pillows and her legs stretched out over my lap. West Wing was on and we were a few episodes behind so we were in some catch up mode to get to the latest episode, which we never made it to anyway. When Subby hit pause and said baby is really moving right now, so she placed my hand on her belly in the best place to feel it and applied pressure with her hand.

After about 15 seconds I felt a bump on the palm of hand. I looked shocked, dumbfounded, curious and unfulfilled all at the same time. When Subby asked me if I felt that I said, "yes, was that you or the baby?" Well I don't know how she would be able to make that kind of movement, so it must have been the baby. I don't think I gave the reaction I was expecting to give or that Subby was expecting to get, but I wanted more.

So after the baby slept for a little (how do I know this, well that is Subby said nonchalantly), maybe an hour or so, she grabbed my hand again and this time it was definite! I felt a thud on my ring finger and Subby said the is exactly where I felt it. Then another one right after that on the palm of my hand again.

It was a great moment for the both of us and I don't know if I was dreaming it last night or if I felt the baby again while I slept with my hand on Subby's belly, but now I feel really connected to our baby.

It is a wonderful feeling...And now today I get to take it in and be happy knowing that I finally got to feel my child!

Sick day

I pride myself on being tough. Granted, I might scream like a little girl when a stinging insect flies around my head, but when it comes to being sick, I'm a Man, and Mike is the little girl. (And he knows it. I would worry about offending him, but, uh, I'm just not worried about it. I love him despite his totally infantile behavior when he has a cold.)

But I'm not going to be tough today, and I'm going to whine until my heart's content.

I'm sick. And it sucks. And I'm sick of being sick. And my head aches, and my throat aches, and I sound like a frog, and there is shit seeping from every orafice in my skull. And I wanna go home!!!

I did my first telephone interview of the day from 8:30-9:30 this morning, and I have another scheduled for 10:00, but I just might call it quits and reschedule her. I don't think I can take it.

Bah. I'm going to do it because I'm a sucker. Then maybe I'll leave.

When will it be my turn...

Over the last 4 1/2 months the pregnancy has all been about Subby, how she feels, how she is reacting to certain foods, environment, etc...not to take anything away from her, since she is the one who is enduring a body transformation for the betterment of our family, but when will it by my turn to hear or feel the baby?

We were laying on the couch last night with my head on her big preggy belly, straining to hear a heartbeat or movement or trying to feel something that (according to the books, we should be able to hear the heartbeat whenever we want and I should be able to feel kicks) just still isn't there. This instinctive reaction on my part was not supposed to be said out loud because, like a wedding the day is all about the bride, this pregnancy is all about my wife! I am completely and totally exicted for this opportunity, but in the end this is all about Subby.

By my big mouth blabbing this to Subby was just my way of showing some love and attachment to the baby and that I really do want to feel it or hear it. I guess I will just be in a waiting mode until that time comes.