Happy Holidays and All That Jazz

25 weeks and 5 days!

For this post I'll go ahead and start with the musical number of the day!  Since it's in the title, I figured why not add it to the blog as I love this little ditty.

Bob Fosse is my favorite choreographer, too!

I know, I know, it's been way too long since my last post.  The holidays kept me busy as they always do, but on top of that we also had a major ice/snow storm for these parts and spent from Christmas until yesterday with no electricity!  So I wasn't neglecting the blog, I just had no reasonable access to working internet.  I mean, who wants to try and write a blog from their cell phone?  Not this chica!

I am very happy to announce that I am moving into my third trimester this week, yay!!!  I've been told it is the roughest one due to the whale-like size increase, but I think I'm relatively prepared to deal with all that.  I mean hell, I fell out of my office chair a couple of weeks ago trying to pick up a prenatal vitamin I managed to miss my mouth with twice!  The change in size has already began to take its toll, and I kind of find it all a bit amusing.  While it can be annoying when trying to tie one's shoes, mostly I laugh at myself a lot and enjoy when others do, too. If you can't maintain your sense of humor you are doomed!

I see this is not a new concept!

So what's new with me right now...let's see....

I have absolutely horrible pitting edema in my left foot.  I have a bit of swelling in my right foot too, but nothing as compared to my left.  Basically, pitting edema is swelling that causes pits in the skin to remain after you push on the swollen area.  My pits last for well over a minute, so I've got it pretty bad.  I like to call the left foot the Stretch Armstrong foot.  Remember him?

Now do you remember?

Well whatever goo was inside that awesomest of toys, that is what is now inside my foot!  Well at least that is what it feels like.  It's smooshy and gooshy and pliable and just a wee bit icky, but it provides loads of entertainment when I'm feeling particularly bored.  What can I say, sometimes the day goes too slow!

I almost had an emotional breakdown Christmas Eve because Piper hadn't moved very much in a couple of days.  I actually had to leave my house and run some errands to get my head straight.  In all honesty, I ran to my office to take care of part of an X-mas gift, but I rushed the leaving of the house before my nieces got there.  I was so afraid they would ask about Piper and that I would burst into tears, so I hurried myself out the door before they arrived.  Everything is fine, no worries.  Apparently I am not the only soon-to-be mom who freaks out between 23 to 25 weeks along.  During these few weeks it is not uncommon for the baby's movements to decrease for a bit.  This can be caused by a number of reasons like moving to a different position, such as facing towards your spine and therefore kicks are harder to feel.  Also, the wee one could be sleeping more due to growth spurts.  Whatever the reason, I  found I was not the only pregnant woman on the planet to almost burst into tears from worry at this stage.  Two days after I almost broke down, Piper was back to her usual gymnastics and I am feeling oh so much better!

Over the break, my mom and I completed the painting of the nursery.  What an accomplishment!  I am so absolutely thrilled at what an amazing job we did.  We are practically Michaelangelos of the nursery world!  The cloud ceiling with the misty violet walls and citron crown moulding...it just all works so well together, even better than I expected.  And the fact that we did it all ourselves, that is remarkable in and of itself!  It couldn't have turned out more beautiful if we had paid professionals do it.  So kudos to us!  

Cloud ceiling with accidental bunny!

Misty violet walls with citron trim!

Another shot of it all sort of together!

Plates in citron and plug in violet!

Speaking of break, I had a couple of extra days off due to the ice/snow storm.  We had 10" of snow on top of a pretty good layer of ice Christmas night.  While it was absolutely gorgeous to look at, it made for a disaster the days following.

Lots of pretty!

Winter wonderland for sure!

Living in the deep South, snow is not something we have on a regular basis.  Therefore when we do, the whole city gets shut down.  Usually the whole town will shut down for even just an inch of the white stuff, but when 8-10" falls, it REALLY shuts down!  The layer of ice before the snow took it's toll on all of us.  We had two trees come down over the driveway to the house and another 6 or so in the backyard.  Granted the backyard goes right into the woods, but those were just the trees within the property boundaries.  In other words, it's a mess!

Tree almost took out the 4-wheeler!

Another angle of the largest tree that fell.

Of course, we were not the only household dealing with downed trees.  This occurred throughout the state.  Needless to say, this took out a chunk of the power lines everywhere!  We luckily had a generator purchased after the even worse ice storm of Christmas 2000, so we at least had some form of electricity...no internet, ability to do laundry, nor cook a hot meal, but heat and light and television (once it came back online).  And we did have internet access through our phones, so that was nice.  But in the end it was still an inconvenience to be trapped for a few days and have our creature comforts interrupted.  We finally got power restored yesterday, but there are still some I know who have yet to got their electricity back.  We may be a bit more careful around here when next wishing for a white Christmas...be careful what you wish for, for sure!  

(UPDATE:  just found out the power is back off again, sheesh! May be till midnight tomorrow before it is back on.  Happy New Year!)

Yeah, sure you do! Lie to me some more!

(UPDATE DOS: power is back on again!)

Now that we are back in the world of 21st century (for now), all is shaping up to be a nice ending to a remarkable year.  At the beginning of 2012 I had no idea by four months in I would be trying to have a baby solo.  It was not part of last years New Year's resolutions, it wasn't even on  my mind at that point.  As usual, however, life changes in the blink of an eye.  One mistake or misstep can open up a world of possibilities which turn that mistake/misstep into the greatest thing that could have ever happened to you.  Of course I am referring to my last relationship.  The proverbial straw that broke the camels back relationship.  I had no idea that that disastrous affair would become my turning point in life.  I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason, and I am never disappointed.  From every negative seed that is planted, something fruitful blooms.  It may take time for the positive to emerge, but it always does without fail.  Knowing that the good is just around the corner from the bad is one more reason to look forward instead of to the past.  I know, a bit Confucius says there, but it's 100% true!  I should really go back an thank every bad relationship I was ever in, for each and every one of them brought me to where I am today...they all brought Piper to me, and that is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my life.  

I would like to remind people that not every relationship I had was bad.  Some were just bad timing, but quite good otherwise.  Timing can be everything.  So no I am not Miss Pessimistic when it comes to love.  I still believe in love and maybe now that I am past that push to make something work because my time to create life is running short, well maybe now I'll be more open to letting things take a more natural instead of pressured course.  Plus, I'll have Piper to worry about and that will also give me something else to weigh my decisions against.  No longer will it just be me in the equation, now it will be us.  Making good decisions for us instead of bad decisions for me because the consequences are so much greater, well that may just turn my dating life around somewhere down the line.  I'm not going to hold my breath on it, but we'll see.  I know quite a few single mothers who have found their true loves after the fact.  While none of them went my route with the choosing to be a single mom, the outcome is relatively the same.  They are still single mom's who didn't give up on finding that someone special because of past hurts.  They all got on with their lives, raised their kids to the best of their ability, and kept on trucking!  Cheers to the strong, single mothers of the world!

I do believe some single moms will get this!

Okay, I'm done with the sappy stuff for now!  On to some more baby updates!  As of yesterday, I was measuring at 44 1/2" around my belly, which is 2" up from Christmas Eve.  Wait, just measured again, I am now at 45" around! (see opening blog pic) Yep, expanding like crazy!  I absolutely adore the way I look.  I think I am more beautiful looking now than at my most fit in my 20s!  There is just something wonderfully stunning about the pregnant female body.  I love looking at myself in the mirror, not that I didn't before, but even now with the larger butt and thighs, not to mention the larger boobs, it all just seems breathtaking.  You ever see one of those Venus figurines?  

I'm not that big, but I get it now!

Sure they may be a bit over dramatic with the proportions, but they're pretty damn accurate overall.  I'm sure some women don't gain any extra weight anywhere but their belly, but I'm okay with the extra roundness I have come into.  I know most of it will leave once I give birth, so I'm not all that hung up on thinking my body will never be the same.  I mean it never probably will, but who gives a shit right?  I'm 38 and having a baby, it's not like my 22-year-old body is going to re-emerge afterwards.  I've definitely learned to be happy with my shape, and that's a blessing.  My ka-dunk-a-dunk is off the hook and it was quite fabulous to begin with, hahahaha!  

Oh yes, I still do!

Okay boys and girls, that about catches all things up to the present moment.  I have my next prenatal visit this  Friday, and I think I may be getting the glucose test then.  That'll be something to blog about!  Oh, and the nursery carpet goes in on Thursday.  I, of course, bought the highest grade available like a crazy person, so I can't wait to see it.  Very soon all the nursery furniture should start to trickle in.  The teacup bookcase got a little behind schedule as the artist got backed up, but it should be coming soon.  I'm thinking the dresser and chest should be here by the end of the month or very beginning of February at the latest.  And last but not least, the crib should be here mid to late February.  It was made to order so took about 11 weeks to complete and ship.  I'm anxious to get started on the decorating part as that is going to be a blast!  Also, I decided that instead of a valance for the window, I am going to have a fabric cornice board.

Love this style!

I've been eyeballing the arched one pictured above.  Of course it would be done in the harlequin fabric and I am still pondering what other fabric I would use for the ties in the middle.  Or...

I adore this one, too!

I could go with this simpler one and have just the harlequin fabric with an accent froo-froo dangle piece (artistic technical terms there).  Either way, I'm going with the cornice board!  From there the main harlequin curtains would be tied back on either side with the colored sheers in the middle.  It all works perfectly in my head, you will all just have to trust me on this one.

Well that about completes my entry for today.  It's Monday, I was off four days last week and will be off again tomorrow, so I should probably get back to work.  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas or whatever holiday it is you may celebrate.  And I hope everyone has a great New Year!  I'm looking forward to having my best year ever so far!  Just think, a little over 3 more months and Piper will be here!  You will all get your next up-close look at her around the 15th of this month, however, when I get my 4-D ultrasound done.  I'm very excited about it and cannot wait to share the videos with the world!  But for now, take care and be happy!

Now time for the repeat...

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Until next time...

The End...get it?