So close I can smell it...

We are past 37 weeks, officially full-term according to the Dr. - whom I love by the way. He literally cracks me up. We were at the Drs office the other week, week 25 and were going over all the fun details of labor. Of course, if you know my husband at all - you know that he's quite fond of blood and surgery (not). So he is asking the dr all these questions, "where will I be standing?", "What will I be able to see..", "How long will she recover?", etc. The Dr looks at me, I'm not at all surprised by these questions - and says "Dont worry, in a weeks time she will be making your peanut-butter sandwiches and waiting on you hand and foot." We all chuckled - yet Patrick and I know it to be true. After going over all the details, they bonded over the thought of never having to do labor themselves. Dr Hill states, "If I was a woman, Id never go through all this to have a kid! No way." I thought I was invisible, but then I remembered my weigh-in at the beginning of the appt., at that weight no-one could be invisible.

I am glad the Dr. assured Patrick that he will be OK during labor, so he wont get ill. Which wouldnt be the first time a situation like this has happened. A couple years ago, I went in to get some cysts removed from my head -  I made Patrick go with me for moral support, since they had to shave a little hair and cut my head open, essentially. Well, as we sit in the operating room - I'm sitting in a reclined-like chair, they are slicing the cysts off and theres an assistant soaking the blood with gauze.  My husband, who was such a trooper puts a finger up "excuse me, can you guys hold on a minute..." and so the Dr stops for a min, and patrick is putting his head in between his legs and asks permission to eat his cheese-nips from his lunch pale so he doesn't pass out. I forget if the Dr laughed or just continued on with my scalp.. but needless to say Im packing some cheese nips for Patrick in my hospital bag, just in case.  Between my husband and baby, I'm going to have my hands full - I just know it. Bring it on.. I couldn't be more lucky.

I am ready as ever to see my little man and get out of the fat suit I have been wearing for far too long. But I am trying to enjoy these last couple weeks (hopefully) as much as I can since I will never be able to feel my first born moving inside like taebo instructor. So I shall embrace these last weeks with joy and ... oh whose kidding who here - get outta my belly! I want to kiss his sweet little face.

He is quite the active one, I tell you. Now he's pretty much on a schedule, I know when hes going to be rowdy and when hes taking a nap. And its never on my schedule - talk about perfect timing - welcome to parenthood, right? So he typically starts my day waking me up around 4a, stays pretty active til after 6-630a, then he decides hes had enough Partying, I think hes on his uncle Dante's schedule - I'm not sure. Then passes out again, til about when I wake up at 815.  I wake up and pat his little butt to wake up so I can count his kicks and make sure hes all well in there. He usually kicks me back pretty hard, which lets be serious he takes after me. I'm a real treat to wake up in the morning. My family and friends in college would almost go the extent of drawing straws not to wake me up, haha.

So i always get a good kick out of it - no pun intended - when i go to wake him up with a little pat on the butt (where i think his butt is, anyway) - a little knock knock on the belly. And pow-bam-pop to my side his foot goes, "DONT MOM, Im sleeping!" haha. Then hes usually awake during my morning meetings when im trying to sit still and he hears all these random voices, it must be interesting to him since he kicks and punches me in all sorts of directions - "get me outta here, i wanna be part of the party!" (Believe me kid, not much partying at these meetings). Then he usually takes a long snooze, probably cause he enjoys the motion of me walking around and listening to music in my office. Then a peek of activity when im making dinner and he hears his dad for the first time in the day - "hey dad! I'm here, its me! Hello!" And then he usually sleeps til about 11p when I am about to go to sleep. If hes already awake when we go to sleep, we sing him a song or read him a book in hopes to lull him to sleep. Typically doesn't work. Patrick will have his hand placed on my stomach, and most always take it off after a few minutes "wow, hes really active.. " and im like YEA I KNOW, yet I still feel the kicks and jolts as my husband slips into deep slumber, dreaming - probably about a three-some with Natalie Portman and Veronica Varekova. So I lay there trying to get comfortable and not squish my little kickboxer and fall asleep once he decides his pool party is over. Sleep is something of a distant relative at this point, but I guess it doesnt get better - so I'll just lay awake wondering what our little man will look like..

Have you ever bought a car, and then all you ever see is that car driving around? Same goes for pregnant women. Now that Im pregnant, I see so many pregnant women around I feel like theyre following me. You make eye-contact, smile and nod "i know what youre going through." And walk on with the 30lb belly. Patrick and I always try and guess how far along they are. She looks angry, she must be about 35 weeks. Or shes still happy, shes in her 2nd trimester. Haha.


Like this woman who we saw walking around Target the other night, looking for maternity clothes, smiling like shes skipping through a meadow of sunflowers - I liked her but thought, "oh honey, just wait...". They were due in June, shes got some time to enjoy the beautiful glow yet. While we were there, I thought heck ill look for some maternity clothes - cause just the last week my blouses and things no longer fit. So I have 3-4 dresses and a couple sweaters to rotate. I needed an outfit or two for the summer days. So we go to Target, I was told they had cute stuff. Well cute, yes but for women who are 5'10 and pregnant. These dresses not only looked like mumu's on me, but I was dragging around the bottom like a train on a wedding dress. So after a meltdown, they come very often these days, Patrick and I went to the juniors section. I got a dress out of there, probably doesnt 'fit' properly - but whose really going to judge me at this point? Especially when its 90 degrees out, who has time to judge in the midst of all the sweating.

Speaking of sweating, oh-my-lanta, last week we had a couple 90+ degree days. One of which we had a going away happy hour for my lovely gf, April on top of the rooftop of a bar. I could feel myself swelling by the second. Everyone was laughing and having a joyous time - and all i could think about was the girl from willy wanka blowing up after eating those berries - that was me. Although I wasnt purple. Finally we got home, and I made dinner and eventually elevated my feet - i could not see any sign of an ankle nor vein in either foot. I officially had cankles, with a roll over my non-exsistent ankle. It was omg-hilarious. It was so big, we were taking photos as if I were applying to be a side-show for Wringley brothers. Thank goodness the swelling has subsided, since its been in the 60-70s now. I doubt the circus pays well anyway, but if they had good maternity benefits - I could consider. Wouldn't that be funny..

Another funny thing I came across recently is black men finally dig me. Ive always had girlfriends that get hit on by black men, but never me - I was always secretly jealous. Thought it was the short legs, small bubble butt, or even the blonde hair - but now watch-out ladies. A couple funny stories... so Im walking home from work and I am in a tunnel like area, and two black men not only whistled but then said "hey beautiful, can we come home with you?" I of course, looked around - a full 360 - no way they were talking about me, this huge preggo manatee. But they were, "Yea, were talking to you!" I think i even giggled like a school girl. It made my day, more like my week. I came home like a kid who just won a goldfish at a fair - just had to tell Patrick. Even so, I still thought it was a one-time deal, maybe they just had a lot to drink that afternoon and really didnt notice the huge honk'n watermelon on my front end. But then, I knew it wasnt just bad eye-site or a prank someone was playing on me because Patrick and I are walking with friends in Adams Morgan. And evidently I was walking a little ahead, and BAM! I got checked out - our friend Eli said "Did those guys just turn and check out your pregnant wife!?" I could have thrown a party for myself, I felt so special. You really take what you can when youre pregnant. But damn, i felt good. lol! Victoria Secret, I'm ready for the cat-walk!

As time dwindles down, and baby Brady is creeping up on the time he enters the real world, I get more and more excited. I have soo many seersucker pants and bow ties for him to wear, he must get here soon. I know, I need to not go all cray-cray when shopping for him, cause he will likely poop or puke all over every cute thing he owns. But for that snap-shot, that quick photo, that moment -- hes going to be the most handsome little man on the planet. So watch out Mark Zuckerburg - your server is about to crash! Baby Brady coming to facebook pages near you..

Shit people say..

It's amazing to think were in our 8th month already, one baby Brady.. comin' up! :)

Honestly, up until the last month or so it really has flown by.. such a breeze. lol! JK ;) But now the back issues, intense upper rib pain, sleepless nights & days that are never ending... things are becoming more difficult.  I guess my little man is prepping me for the sleepless nights ahead, he is just so considerate. Definitely gets that after his mommy, sorry dad.

Speaking of things getting more difficult.. Patrick and I went shopping the other day for baby Brady. PBKids, what-what? (insert hands-up motion here)! Anyway, we decided to check out Foot Locker for some new running (let's be serious, walking) shoes for me. Well, needless to say I was being stared at like I had a third nipple on my forehead! Getting my foot up on my lap so I could put my shoe on, was a real task. I had to take breaks, you think I'm kidding. Patrick seeing me struggle, "do you need help?" Me being the stubborn-ass that I am, wanted to do it on my own. Finally, 5 mins and countless pity smiles later - I said screw the shoes - not out loud of course, cause I was too out of breath. I was defeated by some ugly nikes, that's when you know you've hit bottom. lol, jk.

Actually I think rock bottom was when Patrick left me for an evening with his boss. After shopping, making myself dinner, and then trying to relax.. i found myself on Facebook (shocker, right?). Well I of course went through some photos, and of course got to my wedding albums. Pregnancy rule #1: Do not, under any circumstance look at your pre-pregnancy self in photos. Well after say 400+ photos later, I found myself a tad bit upset. And when i say a tad-bit I mean, my husband came home to find me buried under blankets and pillows sobbing like Jim Carrey just tore my birds head off.

Poor Patrick has seen many of those moments lately. Like Sunday, for example, we were going to go to the gym.. and my cute gym tops no longer fit. So I had to ask to borrow one from him, never thought I'd see the day. Well, we're almost out the door, and I catch a glimpse of my super-sized self.. (the shake came with this fry) I say, "Im actually not going to go.." Patrick, not sure what happened, since were literally walking out the door.. asks why? (Here come the water-works..) I didn't want to see people like that, not only was I mis-matched (a fashion no-no), but looked as if I just got kicked off the 'Biggest Loser'. Needless to say, my fabulous husband talked me off the 'i'm so fat, I could kill all skinny people so i don't look fat' ledge and we went to the gym. Good thing I didn't see any skinny girls at the gym. (Avoid eye-contact, ladies!)

So the belly is getting out of control, to put it lightly. I just cant contain it anymore, lol. And its becoming more and more obvious and expanding out by the day, I can't even get used to it. Knocking it into things, catching myself tipping over. Pregnancy has it's really embarrassing moments.. like when you go to lean over to wash your hands in a public bathroom.. then look up to see your belly just sat in a pool of water and you now have an obvious strip of water at the base of the belly right before a big meeting. That's me.. Ta-daa!

Thankfully it's only noticeable from the front (and of course the side) that I'm pregnant. Or at least I hope. I only think this because every morning I walk up about 10 flights of stairs to work.. and up until a month ago I could do it without stopping, but now I get winded by 80-85 stairs, and I either slow down or stop for a break. WELL on one fine morning, I was walking up and then toward the top, I slowed down and was taking my time for the last 10 stairs. And this man behind me says, "Come-onn you're almost thereeee!" I whipped my head around, ready to throw him down the 90 stairs he just came from.. stepped over to let him pass me and said "You try it at 7 months pregnant!!!" Before I could get the words out, he noticed the belly and his face dropped in shame. I was surely slow for a reason and when he apologized, I just gave him the 'Say one more word, and I will cut you!' look. And I went about my day. I guess on the up-side my back side looks pretty good, and by pretty good i mean not pregnant. lol!

It's not as bad as what happened this morning. . I was at starbucks with my girlfriend Jackie. I've probably gotten 5 hours of total sleep in 3 nights, so Im exhausted to say the least. Went to grab my quarter-caf vanilla latte. When a lady looked at me (and had the nerve to say) "Coffee, really?!" (pointing to my belly). I said, "Yea, really!" smiled and walked away. What I should have said was "Yea, I would have gotten some crack too, but your mother was all out!"* What nerve does this lady have to comment on anything I do, shes not a doctor. If my doctor says I can have a cup of coffee or two a day, whats-it-to-ya! Pregnancy rule #2 - don't be afraid to slap a bitch when she needs it. Haha! Only half kidding, or in my case quarter-kidding! LOL. Now where''s my bottle of tequila? ;)

With all the craziness and fun stories to share, we are super ready for our little man to come! Thanks to our amazing Baby shower, he has everything he needs for his arrival. And his room is all ready, clothes are clean, drawers are filled, diapers are stocked and most importantly mama wants to get out of this fat suit, jk. lol. We're patiently waiting as he gets big and strong! Although I think he is running out of room in there, based on the jabs and constant pushing on my right rib, I think he's making it his own in there. Lately he has been doing this new move, he winds up and does a double-kick causing my whole belly to shake. He must like the sensation or just likes to hear me yelp each time! He takes after his daddy there, likes to make me squirm! 

 
Speaking of daddy, I have to give him a BIG shout-out... He is the most patient and understanding husband I could ever ask to share this journey with. What a lucky woman I am! Ok, enough mushiness.. NOW bake me a cake, babe! lol. (jk - go buy one, lets be serious.. baking isn't your forte).  

Til next time, all. xoxo.

  
*Thank you, James S.!

Baby-mama drama

So as we are approaching week 30.. I'm already feeling like a well done turkey just waiting for my timer to pop, and I know I have soo many weeks left. I'm ready to get this little munchkin out and in my arms, although I want him to grow big and strong and come when he's ready.  See, I cant keep my mind straight, I'm literally going bananas in this body of mine. Not to mention driving my husband bat-shit-cray with my emotional roller-coaster ride.

I mean, where do I start? Well the latest is the other night when I had a beautiful contraction, you know a little preview to birth-day. (Thank you body, you're doing me well) And my husband is passed out, as it is like 5 am. I'm so upset, I am loudly saying his name "Patrick! PATRICK!" with no response, I go to kick him (very hard, I may add) and while doing so I pulled a muscle or pinched a nerve in my back. Now in more pain, I scream "PATRICK!" this time. He wakes up to me, the crazy lady on the other side of the bed! So half asleep, he asks what he can do.. I tell him to rub my back - duh! The guy falls asleep after what feels like 10 seconds with his 400lb arm over my belly, as if that was making things more comfortable. So I of course, with 100% sanity, hit him over the head with my stuffed teddy-bear, (it may have been more than once, I cant remember) he barely budges and just starts to rub my back for maybe 5 more seconds until his snoring begins. So then I cried myself to sleep, dramatic are we? I think so. ;)

What else, oh yes yelling at him in the dr's office. . in front of the nurse. That was a proud moment of mine. I am hoping she sees this more often. Or maybe that's why a lot of the women in the waiting room come without husband, to avoid embarrassment. Haha, I'm catching on slowly obviously.  So everytime you go to the dr's office, they make you get on a scale, which is such crap! Yes, I'm gaining weight, cant you tell by looking at my ever-so-expanding belly?! I mean you're supposed to drink 500 gallons of water, eat every 2 hours and then they want to weigh you after a full days meal, its just rude. So anyways, I get on the scale and cover the number because my husband loves to be nosey. So she jots it down, it clears and then I uncover the god-forsaken number. We get into the room and shes taking my blood pressure, etc and there's my annoying baby-daddy looking at her chart on the counter!!! I scream, "STOP IT! You don't have to know my weight!!!!!" The nurse chuckles and then excuses herself because the Dr. is calling her. Which i think she just got scared of me with needles and heavy equipment around. Baby-mama drama.  LOL! So then Patrick, trying to calm me "Babe, you are just under what you should be at this point according to the book, etc.' All I hear is blah blah blah, you're fat, blah blah fat blah! So I cry, more like ball, like a baby missing its pacifier.

My weight is definitely a touchy subject, poor Patrick has to watch everything he says. Not only about me, but about himself. Saturday, we had Rishi's birthday to attend to that evening. And Eve & Joey were coming over first for some dinner and drinks. So I had to find something to wear, and not one of the 6 outfits I usually rotate either, this was a special occasion- lol. Well Patrick gets home from the gym after running like 10 miles, and I'm sitting in my closet on the floor defeated by my clothes options. He passes the closet "I feel great! What a good workout. Im going to shower, babe." Of course, I start balling. So happy YOU FEEL GREAT! Is it selfish to want him to gain the weight i have to, too? And the sad thing is, I make our meals, we eat the same exact things, I even eat smaller portions. Yet hes Mr Skinny and I am.. well you've seen me! lol. Its just a snowball of dog shit! I'm an emotional wreck, it's out of my control. LOL.

Something else I just cant control is some noises coming out of my body lately. Like belching, I hate belching and especially when its coming out of me. But they've contributed to some of the most embarrassing moments of my life (up til now - with pregnancy). For example, I was in the middle of a meeting with our editorial staff, and during mid-sentence I belched. I of course am surrounded by 5 men, no women, so noone can back me up that I'm not a pig, I'm just burbing from the 65 glasses of water I had that day! Thankfully they've been pretty silent lately.. so I'm able to control at least people hearing me if they cant see it while looking at me and the look of horror that's on my face afterwards. So classy. But I will block it out of my head, as I'm sure men don't think too much about belching.. right?

Yet, there was another instance last weekend that I will never be able to forget or block out of my head. Patrick, Dustin and I were at home depot getting paint for the baby's room. And we were walking around Home Depot for a good 95 hours, making me really uncomfortable. Finally leaving, we are about to get in Dustin's 2dr jeep, I have to lift the seat up for Patrick to get in the back. But before doing so I kindly, let out a little bit, teeny-tiny bit of gas that I had been holding onto for those 95 hours. Of course i didn't look around before doing so, I just assumed no-one was around besides my husband, of course. For Dustin had already hopped in the car. Well to my horror surprise, there was a man at his car next to us with his window down. Which I had no clue until Patrick states "I'm sorry sir, let me apologize for my wife, shes pregnant." I instantly was mortified and was screaming at him to get into the jeep, cause i couldn't get into the jeep until he got into the back seat. Of course he's taking his sweet time, a little part of me is dying inside every second he takes. I couldn't look at the man, i couldn't let this man see my face. Finally my annoying husband who thinks its hilarious when Im embarrassed climbs into the back and I hop in and yell to Dustin, "GO! GO!" Needless to say, I was mortified. But I cant control my body, I'm telling you. It's like this little man inside me is like his Daddy,  already loves getting pleasure out of embarrassing me. I cant wait to tell him these stories on his wedding day, a little payback I tell you.

Regardless of the horrifying instance in the parking lot, the baby's room looks fantastic! Better than the pinterest room where I got the idea. The guys did a great job! It's coming along nicely and getting ready for baby-Brady. We put the crib together last week, dressers up, and got a picture framed that's going on the wall. It is starting to feel real, I mean as if it didn't already with the belly protruding from my body. It's going to feel even more real this weekend, we have family and friends coming into town to celebrate our baby shower. We are really looking forward to it, even though finding a dress to wear has been quite the challenge. But after multiple shopping trips, multiple returns and credits,  hours.. maybe even days of online shopping, headaches and tears we may have a winner! But we shall see Saturday, won't we.

Well with all that, I am so excited for our little man to come. Not to mention so thankful for my amazingly patient husband that really has been fantastic through-out this miracle of a journey. We are absolutely blessed to be pregnant, even if it does seem like a rollarcoaster ride that you just cant seem to get off of! ;) Better keep my seat belt on, the rides still going.. all hands and feet inside the cart!

Cheers to 10 more weeks!

More cushion for the pushin'

So as I approach the 3rd trimester in just a few days, I think its time to invest in some maternity tops! I have been able to get away with standard tops until now. Although I'm rotating the only same 6 shirts that still fit, flowy blouses and leggin's - you rock!

But I get discouraged not only with spending the money on fat-clothes but what really chaps my ass is the fact that these 'maternity models' are not even pregnant. I mean c'mon.. who are they trying to fool? I just get mad shopping online because I see these skinny-brats with their little pillow stuffed under their shirt, sun-kissed tan, and little waste & hips, "Biiiatch, I know you just got off the beach with your skimpy bikini drinking a mai-tai, skinny ass"- You're not foolin me! Is it normal to hate everyone whose skinny? Cause I do. lol. As my husband would say, "Babe, you're not fat - you're pregnant." It's all the same to me, haha. Not to mention my hips are wider than ever before, Dr. says they have to get ready for the baby to get through. I'm OK fine - well then why do my thighs have to get bigger too? Is that for cushion for the baby to come out? More cushion for the pushin', now I know they were talking bout us preggos? 

SO not only do I have to shop online and start at these skinny posers, has anyone seen maternity wear lately, its frumpy and dumpy! Im like we already look fat, can we at least look stylish? I have to shop in the UK to even get some cute dresses and tops - shh, dont tell my husband. I'm not sure how Im going to slip these packages into the new apartment without him knowing. Especially cause I wear the same 6 things over and over - hes likely to see a change. I cant pull off the "This? So old, Its from my fat college days.. can you believe it fits?!" Ill just bust out the tears - he's been pretty good at letting things go once I start crying like a kid in church.  I'm just prepping him for whats to come in the next few months - you're welcome babe.

So the new apartment is great, although the move was a real treat this week. We had been packing for a good week or two, who knew we had accumulated so much crap over the 5.5 years we lived at 770. But boy did we, and when I say we .. I say 'things I just had to have, in the back of a closet with dust on them'. Such as 4.5 or so years ago, we were in Punta Cana for his sisters wedding and we stopped off at a gift shop. I just had to have these leather coasters that sat in a leather boat with 'Punta Cana' written on it. Patrick, of course saying we dont need it and its a waste of money. After arguing in the store and not getting my way, I run outside to cry and pout cause we werent going to have any memories from Punta Cana, like the 450 pictures i took werent enough. But when his dad approached him and said, "Son, sometimes its just better to say OK and let them have it." So Patrick purchased them and we got on the bus and I was a giddy school girl. Well, those coasters I just had to have, Patrick found in a closet, leather hard as rocks and literally dustier then your running shoes, "Remember these?" I of course forgot we had them, haha, needless to say after another discussion - were keeping them to remind me of my shopping issues. lol. They're in a box, I guess ill be reminded of it when I am unpacking again in a couple years. I guess I was crazy before I got pregnant too, but then I at least got to blame it on the alc..alc..alcohol! (remember that song?)

In addition to the weight gain, anger toward skinny people, and consistent craziness I'm always tired too. So you could imagine, how Patrick was feeling when Id pack a box and sit down for 20 min's, pack a box and sit. He was a great husband and didn't say anything - probably cause he didn't want to poke the sleeping bear. But even packing just a few boxes I was exhausted. So I took a nap one day. After a couple hours, I woke up to make dinner and pack some more. After only a few hours of being awake, we went to bed. We were laying there and hes talking up a storm, which is typically me at night but I was so tired from all the packing and resting I was doing. Finally I said, "Babe, Im sorry - Im really tired. Can we go to bed.. ". He responds, "How are you tired, you slept most the day?" I snapped "IM MAKING A BABY!" He kindly responds, "Lets not toot our own horn here." I don't know if he gets it..

Sleep is far from consistent these days - my little boy acts as if hes practicing taebo in there, treats it like his own personal kick boxing studio. So I wake up from time to time during the night and early mornings. This is a pretty daily occurrence. So it annoys me when I look over and my handsome husband is sleeping ever so nicely. So sometimes I try to wake him up in the most discrete way, although if the discrete way doesn't work - I just do what I did the other night. So I'm laying there, staring at him sleep as if his son isnt beating up my insides. And oh so softly I tap his pillow, like a cat, purrrr. Nothing. So I do it softly again, soft tap on his pillow. Nada. So being my impatient self, I give it a ol' hard push and tap. He wakes up, looks at me and I say "Hii".  Lets just say, he wasn't up for a chat. So after a few nights of kicking him cause i had a "twitch", or coughing cause I had a "hair-ball", and cuddling cause "I'm cold".. I now just let the poor guy sleep. He's less cranky that way. So me and my little head-butter just do our own thing from 4-6a. lol.


Speaking of my handsome husband.. I'm getting the idea that he thinks his sons room is going to be a little man cave for all the things I don't want/have space for in the apt. Like pictures of Detroit, random sports memorabilia and this awful bronze baseball player statue he got on one of his man dates with Joey. "But Joey gets to have his out!" So right now it's on the book shelf in the baby's room, which is still a cluster - so we shall see if it stays. Thanks Joey Case. Speaking of 'thanking Joey Case' The most recent is for Grover's first birthday party, It was Ravens themed event from the balloons down to the New Orleans street names on the walls, clever. Although genius, he didn't fool me - someone say Superbowl party? A lot easier to get 'birthday party' idea past the wife, lol.  So as my husband commented on the 'great' decor every 5 mins, I choose to keep my 'dont even think about it' comment to myself and I quietly thanked my lucky stars the Lions have a slim chance in going to the superbowl - so I shouldn't be too concerned. LOL.

Well as we are creeping on 27 weeks, I am starting to get the nesting syndrome everyone talks about. Poor Patrick has a honey-do list the size of California. Paint the baby's room is the next to-do. So we need to get to work on the room itself, right now its our storage/box room which just wont cut it for much longer. Although the room is a disaster, his closet is coming along quite nicely. He's got a bunch of outfits to match Daddy's. Would you expect anything less from my husband who has more clothes than a Nordstrom warehouse and I who has a serious shopping addiction... :) So having his little closet set up - somehow gives me piece of mind. Even when my husband pulls out a dusty ol' nick-nack and says "Babys room?". Ahh boy or should I say ahhhh boys. I'm going to have my hands full with these Brady boys, I just know it.

Onto kicking my 3rd trimesters ass..  

OH BOY, were trucking along..

So were over the halfway point and things are starting to happen faster now. My belly is getting bigger by the day I swear, the pounds are going on a lot easier too. I always thought 13 was my lucky number, but not when its the number of your weight gain. Haha. Ah well, as my husband says "You're only going to gain more.."! So I guess ill strap on my seat belt and enjoy the rest of the ride. :)

So on top of the weight gain and belly bulge you hear about all these glorious things to look forward to like thicker & fast growing hair, stronger and longer nails, and this beautiful glow. I don't know what glow they are talking about, if it means because you lost all skin color and are whiter than a ghost - maybe that's supposed to be glowing? That's the only glow I see.. :) But in all seriousness,  I was really looking forward to the thicker and fast growing hair because I have poker-straight (as my husband likes to call it), baby fine, and soo ungodly thin hair. Every time I'm at the salon I hear "you have such thin hair".  Do they expect me to say, "I DO? This whole life of mine, it never dawned on me!" So, I have been so excited for these long locks to come in --- well it must have missed me or were they talking about the hair that starts to grow on your stomach and arms? Because I'm surely seeing a some new hair sprouting up there - thank God for blonde hair!

People also don't tell you that your mommy instincts aka the over-active-anxiety that kicks in as well. I already had anxiety about just about everything in life as it is, now you throw a baby in the mix and I'm about as anxious as a dog waiting to fetch a bone. Like the other night, we went to see a movie.. Standard thing we do considering we live right behind a move theater. We went with Erica & Rishi on a double date fun-night. And it was an action movie, however we were sitting in the far back but I was overcome with a sense of aniexty knowing that my little growing boy was being subject to shootings and explosions. So I took all three jackets next to me bundled them up over my stomach, my knees bended and plugged my ears - as if closing my ears would some how shield some noise? I'm not sure what I was thinking, but it surely made sense at the time. Patrick looking over at me probably wishing he sat next to Erica or Rishi (the sane ones in the group) and says "Babe, its OK!" I immediately start to cry - why you ask - no idea?! After the action subsided for a good 20 mins, I realized there was still 45 mins left in the movie which means more action scenes were still to come. So I got up to "use the restroom" and sat in the lobby where my little mans ears were safe. So thank you to Eve, Erin and Jill for calming me down when I was in straight panic mode that I was had hurt my little one.  Needless to say... Hormones -1. Sam - 0. Actually at this point I think its Hormones - 1000. Sam - 0, lol.

On a less stressed note, we had a wonderful holiday with the Brady's. We flew back to Michigan to spend it with Mom & Dad. We hadnt given them the good news that it was a boy yet. So after a flight - insert aniexty + stress here - they picked us up and we went to Bob Evans. Dad loves Bob Evans when they're 'on the road' so we went for some breakfast that morning. Which was perfect because we had a gift to give them to announce the sex of the baby! :) So on the way we were discussing what they thought it was, and Dad had been thinking and calling him his grandson for over a month now. Yet,  Mom thought it could be a girl.  So we just kept the discussion going for fun.. keeping the suspense going. Side note - as you all know, Patrick has a massive noggin. When he was born, it literally was 1/2 the size of his body. So its been a worry of mine for years now, let alone as his little boy grows inside me. How the heck will I get that through the passage way? lol.  I mean, Katie (his mom) is smaller than me, so i hope if she can do it I can. :) Back to the point of the story.. when they were talking about how fashionable the little girl would be etc. they said "Its not the head that you'll have to worry about at delivery, its the heels shell be wearing" Hahah. Thank goodness its a boy my first time around, right? So we shocked them with a blue onsie that said "I got my good looks from my Pop". They were on top of the world, a Brady boy to pass along the Brady name! :) Couldnt have been happier! Needless to say it was a good breakfast. Especially since my biscuits and gravy were oozing with goodness. Yumm..

So since we found out we were pregnant with little brady here, we have been having some life changes in progress. Such as getting a new apartment to fit him and all his things. I know hes a boy, but if hes anything like his mother hes going to come with a lot of things. As Patrick says, I use him to justify new purchases. "But I need this new Kate Spade bag so i can carry all the prenatal vitamins, I need them for the baby!" To give you a little taste - hahah. So needless to say, were getting a bigger place in Old Town, VA. Old town is the cutest area right outside the district, in a safe and adorable area. Cute shops and eats. Perfect for our little growing family. If it cant be Chicago, Old town VA it will be. :) So we finally signed our lease yesterday for our 2 bathroom and 2 bedroom. Next month, we are buying a car to fit the little munchkin in. In addition to the fact that we dont want to have my water break and then wait for 12 mins for the metro - metro has a strict policy regarding liquids "no liquids of any kind" so we just HAVE to get a car, right?? There it is... justified.

So anyways with all these changes Patrick said, just because were moving doesn't mean we have to redecorate the whole apartment - who does he think hes talking to? Oh that's right, he knows me very well. I had already started multiple boards on pinterest, shhhh he doesn't know that. But the other night, he and Brad were getting ready for a boys night out and I a little me time IN. What was I going to do? Of course when you leave me alone for long enough, I shop. Its a problem, I know. So, while they were sipping on some brewskeys I was browsing on some sites. Patrick says drinking is his escapes from the stresses of life (aka his crazy moody wife) and I escape by shopping. Fair, I think.

So I had to get new linens, towels, and shower curtains for both bathrooms in our new place. It's just a necessity, obviously. You cant shower without a shower curtain and how would you dry off or what would you wipe your feet on? I mean, it was a must-have. So it doesn't really count in redecorating, right? So, im looking around online and Patrick has to have blue for the babies/guest bath - hes speaking on behalf of our little boy he says - i think he just wants to have blue around him when hes in there for 45 mins playing baseball he feels like its his man cave? I dont know. Maybe itll help with the flow of things, Ill give him the benefit of the doubt.  So I said OK. With that said i found a bunch of options, of which was this navy blue thick striped curtain and he loved it - I did not. So finally i found light blue seersucker-like curtain from pottery barn, I just had to have it. It was much more subtle and I could work with the color. So of course its 2 on 1 (he thinks he counts for two votes now since he's speaking of behalf of our little boy), actually 3 on 1 cause Brad was there too, gung-ho for the navy/white option. I was feeling very overwhelmed, a little preview to what my life will be like when little Brady comes. So, hes telling me all the reasons why we should buy the dark blue. "Babe, you decorate every other room in the house", "Babe, you picked out that new duvet.." i interrupted with tears ready to flow "But youre getting a boyyyyyyyyyy!" Needless to say, light blue is in - navy is out! :)

Tears and emotions are flowing a lot easier these days, and poor Patrick has the brunt of it. Like when were in Michigan for our last night and I really love this pizza place there. We always go, and we actually had already gone that week. But i wanted it before we left. So i asked patrick to suggest we go there to his parents, but not to mention I wanted it. I guess his Mom said that she was going to make Spagetti, he just thinking hes doing right by his pregnant and hormonal wife says "Sams really craving it" And of course, she said OK. Well I who was unaware of the last part of the conversation, was upstairs getting ready and his Dad said "I hear you're craving pizza" and I instantly got upset and went into our room to cry. (Again, i know now how insane this sounds - at the time I felt it was totally justified..) So Patrick comes in and really doesn't understand why Im upset since were going for Pizza like I wanted. But it was just that I wanted pizza but didnt want anyone to know that, so I was thoroughly upset when they all knew I was the one who wanted pizza. Therefore I didn't want pizza anymore. So as I'm yelling at Patrick - cause I think it makes sense - hes apologizing and I tell him I dont want to see his face. So he goes to leaves the room and of course I start wailing that he left. . so he comes back in.. and is really confused at what i want. Do i want pizza? Do i want him in the room? I mean is it too much to ask when i say i dont want to see your face, for him to just move to the other side of the bed so i didnt have to look at him but i knew he was there and bring me pizza in bed? HA.  All aboard the crazy rollarcoaster... I'm just thankful hes not checking me into the mental hospital. P.S. the pizza was scrumptious.

Needless to say Pregnancy has its joys and laughs, but I'm so thankful every moment of the day that I am so fortunate to be pregnant. Many women have trouble getting pregnant and some aren't able to bear a child at all. So I am beyond blessed and thankful for the opportunity to be able to tell the stories about our journey with our growing baby boy.

Just call me Dash..

So I'm in the awkward stages of pregnancy, where I can fit into some of my clothes but yet some wont even come close to buttoning. So I have been wearing a lot of leggings these days paired with silk blouses - pretty sure thats my new style. It's comfortable and doesnt look like I ate a 15lb turkey!

So here's a funny story of my husband trying to relate and make me feel better about my weight gain and expansion. We are getting ready in the morning, per usual, and i cant seem to find anything to wear. And of course I get discouraged and my loving husband turns to me and says "Babe, you're just in that awkward stage! Its just like that buzz cut i got last year - remember when it was in between a buzz cut and growing out, it was that awkward stage!" I looking at him trying so hard to give him a high-five for trying to relate to me, but my inner-self was like is he SERIOUSLY comparing a hair cut to my pregnancy!?!?!?!?! I looked at him, with a half-smile and said "Not really the same, but thanks!" Hahah. 

So as you know or may have read, I have a little bit of an issue going to the bathroom at night alone. But since all of you have been making fun of me to my face, I have been trying to get better about it. And I really had a 'OK, Sam' moment when Patrick's God daughter Therese and cousin Sam came over (everyone was in for Thanksgiving) and were looking at the distance I had to go to get to the bathroom and everyone thought it was just soo funny. I mean, it is funny at day light when I'm around people, I too can laugh! But at night, when I wake up and its dark its a whole different story. But I have been getting better - although now Patrick wakes up to what he calls my "Wind Sprints". So now, I do go alone and I even flush (Patrick was not enjoying the unflushed pee when he got up in the morning, hahah i dont know why!) But anyway. So I go pee, stand, prepare my sprint-like stance,  flush and high-tail it out of there! And when i mean high-tail it, I run, actually its more of a Incredible's like dash back to the bedroom and shut the door behind me then tie my draw string on my shorts. I figure this way, they (you know the monster in the tub or small gremlin in the toilet) cant catch me in time! I mean, its all very rational at 2am to me that is! After the first week of this and Patrick was waking up each time giving me that 'whats she doing now look' and falling back asleep, he finally says "Its like youre doing wind sprints to a finish line! What are you doing?!" I mean, I guess i'll work on quieter sprints now- either way its a loose loose for him and the monsters too, hahah. Poor Patrick ;)

Speaking of sleeping, well if any of you have shared a bed with Patrick you know hes quite the bed hog. And when I mean bed hog i mean, he takes up 99% of it and leaves me with an edge on the corner still telling me to "scoot over"! Hahah. This is one of the few things we constantly fight about - bed space. He thinks since he is 2x the size of me, he gets 2x the space in the bed. And even now that im pregnant and i have to sleep on my left side, facing him. It becomes more aggravating beacause hes so close to me considering weve sleeping on a FULL mattress. Yes, people, not a queen a FULL for 5+ years (thank god, we got that king bed finally yesterday). So as some of you know, or will know when you are pregnant its hard to get comfortable and espcially get to sleep. Well Im laying in bed with the fastest falling asleep husband in america and I cant sleep, so i instantly get annoyed he is. So im staring at him, as i slowly get more mad that hes got the good end of the deal of this - and he opens his eyes and is like "what?" Clearly a bit freaked out. I calmly stated, "I want to smother you in your sleep" (of course, half kidding). He's like "O.K., that's not very nice." And then of course hes a bit awake now - probably fearing for his life LOL! And says I'm going to email the baby tomorrow and say "Moms threatening to kill me, shes a real joy. Get here soon. Love Dad!" We both laugh and he turns over - smart move - and we go to sleep! (aka He then I) ;)

You may wonder, email? Our friends Eve & Joey gave us this great idea. I recommend it! Create an email account for the baby and email him/her from time to time and then you cant print them out and put them in a scrapbook or something later on. Well Patrick and I have been pretty frequently, so has his Nana & Pop! :) So its something to keep for later and update the little one on things that are going on in its life (before birth that is). Its quite nice. If you wanna send a note - ill give you the addy, let me know! ;)

Anywho -- we find out the sex next week. I can find out who this little person is break-dancing inside my tummy countless times a day! (which by the way makes all this other stuff worth it) :) We are out of our minds excited to know the gender, I can barely stand it! :) So until then, we will be patient and enjoy our 18th week of pregnancy! :) Although my back hurts like a biatch, my stomach looks like I ate an entire 20lb chicken (head, feet, and all), my skin is dryer than a dessert, I'm constantly short of breath, taste buds are shot, face is breaking out like a 14 year olds, Im always hungry, forget my name most days, cant walk a straight line, and i have to pee more than i blink - I'm really enjoying pregnancy! ;)

Until next time.. ;)

"Someone had to say it!"

Second trimester seems to be a bit more tolerable than that of the first. At this point, I have gotten used to being the sober girl out and not being able to order that glass of vino at the restaurant. Although i have been licking the wine glass of many friends just to get the taste in my mouth - haha. Only semi-kidding.

It was a good weekend, we had a bunch of friends and family in town for Patrick's 30th birthday  - Medieval Times. It was a great time with everyone here and just watching how excited the guys got over it all! I mean, you would have thought they were at the Superbowl! Patrick had a great time, he thinks were doing Medieval Times for my 30th (2 years away)! He must have pregnancy brain, too. But with inflation and % of income at that point - hes going to throw me an even better one. HAHAH! Just kidding, kinda. ;)

Some of Patrick's best friends came in from NYC for the Medieval extravaganza! Most of them left Sunday but we had the pleasure of hanging out with Jeff & Sadia for another couple days! Which leads to a couple funny stories - theres always a funny story when Jeff is involved. Well, every Sunday Patrick and I read 'this weeks' chapter on our pregnancy. It just so happened Jeff was over and we suggested he read aloud to us! Mind you, some of this stuff I don't even want to read. Lol. Well, he starts and first its all very informational and basic - baby is the size of a softball this week, skin layer is thin and you can see the veins, etc. Then to the good stuff - weight gain, breast tenderness, and even pap smears. The whole room was dying laughing, it was hard to be serious when the wild one of the bunch is talking about a woman's body and its changes!

Speaking of changes, my taste-buds have changed on me too. Last night we went to dinner to celebrate Sadia and Jeff's 3 year anniversary and I ordered, my favorite Filet Oscar at a DC Steakhouse. Well it came out cooked to perfection, perfectly pink! I took one bite, just couldn't wait for the taste to hit my buds! And gag-me! It was like someone milked a dead donkey and dumped it on my beautiful 8oz chunk of meat! I was like - whats going on, they trying to poison me!!? Patrick tasted it said it tastes good! I wanted to cry, why me?! Why didn't it taste good to me? I wanted to go Real Housewives of NJ and flip my table I was so disappointed. So after the waiter came by a time or two - i had to ask for them to make me a plain one. When the waiter came back with my steak, Jeff shouted "SHES PREGNANT!" The gentleman laughs and tells me to enjoy. As he walks away, Jeff said "Someone had to say it!" haha! It was hilarious. Needless to say, I have a feeling I'm going to be a bit more high maintenance than normal for the next 5 months! Oh no, watch out friends. Good thing you can drink..

Speaking of drinking.. So you know I have to drink like 12 glasses of water daily, which count it - its hard! So my bladder which is small anyway, is constantly knocking on my door telling me to go pee! It really inconveniences my day! And now this little bebe is getting bigger, size of a softball, its harder to hold it in. Which is why this next story is quite understandable although embarrassing. But I thought for all of you ladies that will have babies in the future or soon, you're not alone.

So after a long days work of drinking like 8 glasses of water, I have to drink 4 in the evening when i'm trying to relax. Well I got all ready for bed, and even peed prior to going to sleep. Well I have this thing about going to the bathroom in the middle of the night - i get really scared lately. So if I have to pee, i hold it until Patrick gets up for the bathroom and as hes climbing out of the bed i bolt there first - so hes awake in case the boogy man gets me. He gets annoyed, but at least I can pee and go back to bed with peace of mind. Well the other night, I woke up having to pee and thought "why hasn't he gone yet! UGH" So i fell back asleep, until I felt a little warmth on my leg and realized I was peeing the bed! I SHOT UP and ran to the bathroom - yelling at myself the whole time! Well I ran back and changed my shorts and hopped into bed! MORTIFIED, this is what pregnancy is like!? Im peeing myself now? Thankfully, Patrick didn't seem to wake up in the midst of all this. So the next morning, hes like "what happened last night, you jumped out of bed!?" I was bent on not sharing the episode with him, cause he gets grossed out so easily. When he grilled me until finally I blurted out "I peed the bed babe!!" Of course he goes into full disgust mode, typical male. And then we laugh - Haha.

So since then I have learned my lesson, and have not been waiting until he gets up to pee, but i do something else that grosses him out - evidently. Well when i wake up, i peek my head out the door down our hallway to the bathroom. If it's clear, no gremlins or monsters I sprint there and use the rest room. Well when im done, I get so scared Im going to flush and somethings going to pop out of the shower or toilet and catch me that I refrain. This way they will expect me to flush and by the time they realize im not there, ill be back in bed with my head under the covers. (They = figments of my pregnant imagination) Well Patrick has been waking up and now calls me into flush the toilet before he can pee - which i dont mind cause then at least he can fight off the monster if he comes out! Needless to say, it's surely been a time of laughs. I laugh, Patrick not so much - which makes me laugh more. :)

Something that we can agree to laugh on, now that is - I am a Cermak so I am irritable by nature. It's not something I can control and I really do try to fight it - sometimes it just can be contained. Well since pregnancy its been quite worse at times. So the other week Patrick and I were watching my show, Revenge. We have one TV so we alternate our tv nights. So I had to record and now Im watching it a day or so later. Its called compromise ;) So as I get home from a long days work and make dinner for us, we eat, we clean up I finally sit down to relax and watch my shows. Well Patrick was making his lunch, while doing so decided to make himself a plate of celery and cream cheese - he has weird cravings now - I think im contagious. So he sits down and is CRUNCHING on the celery, i gave him a look - it was a warning that my crazy is about to come out. He continued to eat the celery, so i yelled "GO EAT THAT IN THE BEDROOM!", well if you know anything about Patrick and I you know we like to do things that annoy the other for laughs and our own guilty pleasure. You can deny you do it to your spouse/partner but we all do it from time to time. So he walks slowly in front of the tv, crunching even louder and it was like i was turning into the hulk. My skin was going green and i was about to go bizurk, i threw my cell phone at him and he picked it up and laughed and ran to the bedroom. It was his evil plan and it worked. Needless to say, after chasing him into the bedroom and him having me jumping up and down trying to reach it from his hand which was held directly above his head - my inner hulk had subsided and i invited him back into the living room - of course celery was not welcome. F-U celery.

So a couple days later, we are sitting at the dinning room table and he in all seriousness says just feet across from me - "You know what i was thinking today?" (I was instantly like 'oh gosh..') And he continues "You should wake up every morning and look over to me and say 'Im sorry for the crazy things I will say and do today!'" I looked at him, again containing my inner hulk - realizing he must be kidding. And i respond "You should wake up every morning and say to me 'I forgive you for anything you may say or do today because you are carrying my baby for 9 months and your body and mind arent what they used to be'" Basically, we agreed to disagree, and later had a good laugh.

Needless to say, there is going to be a lot more laughs and good & surely embarrassing stories to come. But in all seriousness, laughs aside Patrick and I are so very excited for Baby Brady. He is amazing and supportive during this time and I am very lucky to share a family with him. In addition, we are extremely thankful to have soo many friends and family being supportive and sharing this time with us. We love you, thank you!

xoxox,
Patrick's baby-mama ;)