Disney World

Last Friday we took off for a fun filled week in Orlando, FL. We met up with Erick's brother and sister-in-law (Denis and Lisa) at a condo there and hit up Sea World first. Sea World was fun, but Elise was not as interested in the dolphins and whales as I thought she would be -- she even slept through most of the Sea Lion show.

On Monday Erick, Elise and I went to the Magic Kingdom. We got to ride just about everything we wanted that first day there (good thing because when we went back n Thursday it was PACKED). Elise seemed to enjoy the rides but the BIGGEST thrill for her was the luncheon we did with Pooh and Company. She was SO EXCITED. Everytime they left our table she would crane her neck and turn around in her chair trying to find them in the restaurant again. The characters really enjoyed her too. Pooh came back to see Elise four times while we were there and he was only supposed to make rounds once...but I guess when most of the other little ones are crying when you get near their table, it's refreshing to see one that is just thrilled to see you.



That afternoon, we took advantage of our Park Hopper and jumped on the bus to Hollywood Studios. We rode The Great Movie Ride and watched the Beauty and the Beast Show while Erick rode the Tower of Terror. The line for the roller coaster was really long and it was raining so we left. Erick and I went back to the Magic Kingdom that night for the fireworks show (thanks again Denis and Lisa for watching Elise!) and we rode a few more rides.

The next day all five of us made our way to Epcot (probably my least favorite of the parks). Future world needs an update BIG TIME because it just screams 80s. We rode just about all the rides - Soarin' is awesome - and visited the World Showcase. It was a very hot day so we spent a lot of time in the Innoventions buildings playing with the exhibits and letting Elise play on the floor. Other parents had the same idea because she made a few new friends in there and got kissed by a little 8 month old boy about three times. We got to take advantage of being a Rewards card member in Epcot. The line for meeting the characters was super long so we weren't going to do that but then in the Innoventions building we saw a sign for a photo opportunity for Disney Visa members - there was no line and Elise got to meet Minnie and Goofy.

On Wednesday we hit up the Animal Kingdom - probably the neatest place in all of Disney World. We got there when the park opened and were given Fast Passes to the Lion King Show. We rode Expedition Everest a ton and did the Safari twice - probably the greatest rides in all of Disney. We also rode Dinosaur which was TERRIFYING...Lisa and I were not fans of that one AT ALL.

When we got back to our condo we decided to take a nice dip in the pool. This was Elise's first time in an actual swimming pool so I was excited to see how she would react. I think she had a good time - but the silly girl kept sticking her hand in the water and scooping it up to taste it.

Thursday we did Magic Kingdom again - and Erick ran over to Hollywood Studios to ride the Rockin' Roller Coaster. Thursday was SWELTERING hot and the park was packed with Junior High kids (apparently it was field trip day or something) so it was very difficult to ride a lot that day with Elise. We still stayed at the park until about 5ish and then called it a day. They are expanding Fantasyland and I am SO excited to see it when it is finished. They are adding Ariel's castle, Belle's castle and Dumbo's Circus...plus a whole mess of other things...it's gonna be AWESOME! I can't wait to go back - we had such a good time and Elise just loved it!!

The Tough Mudder

On March 12, 2011, Erick, some folks from ASBC and I participated in the Tough Mudder course in Cedarpoint, GA. The Tough Mudder, for those who don't know is a grueling test of endurance, strength, and mental fitness. I sort of scoffed at that last one...but that's the one that got me in the end.

We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to do this; a mild, sunny morning. We left Alabama at 5:30 that morning to make our start time at 10:40...we should've left earlier. We got to registration at 10:30 and had to run to the start line as soon as we branded ourselves with our bib numbers. (Marked our heads and arms with a sharpie). This meant that we did not have time to eat the bananas we had brought to sustain us and NO TIME TO STRETCH!! So unstretched and relying on the breakfast we had eaten 3 hours before, we began the Tough Mudder with the infamous Braveheart Charge.

We ran down a hill and then up into a wooded path before meeting our first obstacle: a run/swim through muddy water about the length of a swimming pool. No big deal, right? After all, it is the Tough MUDder. But given that we were not "warm" yet and it was a mild day...that water was FREEZING. It absolutely took my breath away and all I wanted to do was get out of it. The end came, I clambered up the muddy bank, did some huggers to warm up, turned the corner and saw that we were jumping right back in and going back to the other side of the river. In I went, but this time, my body seized up and I swear my heart stopped. I was so cold and my body was just not cooperating. It took every last bit of strength and mental grit I had to force myself to keep moving...I knew I had to and that's what I did. Tough Mudder, indeed.

The first plunge - that water was COLD!

Once out of the water, we were faced with a series of muddy hills...this comprised our first two miles. Among these muddy hills were scattered obstacles. The first: The Texas Smokehouse. This was a building that was filled with a dense fog. We Mudders clambered blindly through windows to find ourselves in waist deep...muddy water (again with the cold water)....sloshing through this muck, we found a muddy barrier that we had to clamber over and then found ourselves sliding into another waist deep water pit. At this point, the fog was so dense it was nearly impossible to see the hand in front of your face, let alone anything or anyone else. Moving forward, I found the other end of the smokehouse, but saw we had to climb over another muddy mound to get to the window. Try as I might, I kept sliding back down into the pit of water...thankfully other Mudders give you a hand...Matt, you're awesome!

Part of the Roller Coaster Run

The next obstacle in these first two miles was the Boa Constrictor. I thought, being claustrophobic, that this was going to be my toughest obstacle. But, honestly, it wasn't that bad. We climbed on our hands and knees through the first tube and found our selves waist deep in water...old news, right? No....as if the water wasn't already cold enough, we found that we were surrounded by muddy ice cubes...the pit was FULL of them. That was the first time I wanted to get into an enclosed space as fast as I could....but the Tough Mudder staff....they thought of that too...because the next tube was lined with...more ice. By the time I clambered out of the last tube, my hands were stinging with numbness and I was EFFIN' COLD!! (But I was having the time of my life!!)

No idea who this is -- but this is a good pic of the ICE!

The muddy hills continued on (side note: muddy hills are HARD to run...both on the way up and the way down). At some point we had to do what is called the Devil's Beard (going under a cargo net while climbing up a muddy hill) we slid on our backsides, front sides, whichever sides down a muddy hill, we did the Kiss of Mud (army crawling in the mud under a series of wires), a dear little challenge called the Cliff Hanger, and another flat version of the Devil's Beard.

Me and Erick doing the Kiss of Mud

The Cliff Hanger was easier than I thought it was going to be. It was a steep climb up a muddy muddy hill (and when I say muddy folks, I'm talking Georgia Clay...goopy, sticky, thick, slick, stuff). I made it 3/4 of the way up before one of the Tough Mudder staff got out the water hose....thanks. This made me hightail it across to the flags lining the obtacle...once there, I clambered to the top on my hands and knees. More muddy hills followed this...and then we began the Death March (Miles 2-6).

Don't know this guy - but note the hose!

The Death March....there are no words. It started off harmless enough...hiking up some steep inclines in the woods...clambering back down. But after a while of doing this, it was getting kind of tiresome....we had already done two miles of muddy hills...these weren't too muddy - but they were steep, rocky and full of tree roots. Some of the declines were worse than the inclines....I know several of us sat down and scooted down some of them just because we were not sure of our footing. When we hit mile marker 4 we were ready for a break...but there was no water station. Thankfully, the path leveled off into a nice path...this I ran, and it was a GOOD run. I was happy with my progress thus far and I felt full of energy despite the grueling tasks we had just completed. At mile Marker 5 there was a stream which we Mudders took the opportunity of washing off in (not that it helped...the water was orange). The climb had made us hot, there hadn't been a water station in 3 miles, and we needed a break.

I didn't want to take too long of a break...I was raring to go...and I didn't want to get my heart rate too low and have to work it back up. I began jogging up the path and was faced with what I like to call the ACTUAL Cliffhanger of the Tough Mudder. This hill was so steep..it reminded me of the Stairs that Gollum took Frodo to in the Lord of the Rings Movie. But I was not deterred. Thankfully, the Mudders that had come before had made some nice "steps" into the earth that I used for my footing. When those proved ineffective or were just nonexistent, I used trees and roots...anything to secure my one foot so I could clamber up this thing. I never looked down and I never looked up...except to find my next source of footing. When I made it to the top I waited there with others from our group for the rest and we continued on...at this point, desperate for some stinkin' water. We were tired of the woods...all we saw around us were paths going up and down and other Mudders marching up and down them...it felt like it was never going to end. Thankfully, end it did (after several more steep inclines and declines). The path leveled off again and I found myself running towards what would be the Mystery Obstacle.

The Turd's Nest and beyond - the water we waded through to get to it

As we left the woods, we saw a sign indicating the Mystery Obstacle ahead - but to get to it - we had to wade through waist deep water (about the size of two swimming pools). This felt good for about 1/4 through...then the coldness set in again and I was ready to be out. The bottom of this pit was so muddy that it was difficult to get your footing and so the going was sadly, quite slow. Finally out, we stood in line for the mystery obstacle....the Turd's Nest. We had to clamber up an 8ft wall via a rope - walk across a cargo net draped over a pool of muck and make it to the platform on the other side. Again - thanks to the other Mudders for helping me get myself up this one. Mud had made traction impossible on the wall...the rope was so cover in mud that it was pretty useless too...so basically arms were being pulled and feet were being supported. The scariest part of this for me was climbing off this thing. Again, mud and wet boards with muddy muddy shoes makes for a very slick and dangerous situation.

This was Mile 6 and after this we were back in the woods for a nice run on some gently sloping (slightly muddy) hills. When we reached a clearing we FINALLY came to a water station...except it wasn't for us...it was for the folks on the other side of the trail barrier. These Mudders told us to get water now...so we clambered over the barrier and did...and boy am I glad we did. Next Up: The Moonshine Trail Run.

This was advertised as a "nice run in the woods to cool off." Bull Crap. I don't know anyone who could run that. It was the Death march all over again....except not quite as steep...and when I say not quite...I mean it was slightly less. Maybe I was just tired...but that was rough. Two miles of that and we were at the "Hold Your Wood" obstacle. A 1/4 mile march through the woods with a ginormous log on your shoulders (could be carried by a team). Off we went for another run in the woods...more hills. We came upon that water station that we had hit up before the Moonshine Trail Run and found they had run out of cups....so we slurped the water from a hose.

By this time, my back was in spasms...and my legs were tight and sore. The next obstacle was the Berlin walls (12 ft walls that we had to climb over) and I opted out of it (so did another of our group). We walked until the boys caught up with us and then we ran to the Funky Monkey (greased monkey bars over a pit of water), Mile 10 and our first sighting of SPECTATORS!!. Erick clambered his way the way across...I just walked across ( I can't do monkey bars even when they're not greased).
- Mile 10 -

The next mile was BRUTAL. Sloshing our way through shin deep, Georgia clay we made our way to Twinkle Toes ( walking across a shaky beam over a pit of water). I was thankful I fell in the water, because that at least washed some of the mud off of my shoes (it felt like they each had 5 pounds of weight on them). But alas, there was more mud to be stomped through and yet more pits full of muddy water before we arrived at the Fire Walk ( a run through a path lined with burning hay bales). I ran this because I couldn't breathe and I couldn't see...and the heat was awful. I was face to face with the Finish line....it was Walk the Plank (a run up a 15 foot ramp and a jump into the same river of water we sloshed through at the beginning...followed by a swim across to the opposite bank) and then Electro-Shock Therapy. I could see it...I was at the end, FINALLY! But then, our path turned...we arrived at the 11 mile markers and I saw that we were not finished- even though the course was advertised as 11 miles long. No, no - the path had us going back over the roller coaster run (the series of muddy hills) that we had done in the beginning - two more miles of mud and hills (and I later found out, the obstacles that we had done in the beginning). This was it for me...and for my partner in crime - Shari. We had had it -- the finish line was behind us and that's where we were going.

We're done!

I do regret that I caved...I should have stuck it through to the end....but I also just completed a grueling 11 mile obstacle course with no stretch time, very little food, and very little (drinkable) water. I was tired, I was sore, I was hungry...and mostly I just wanted to be done. They waved the finish line in front of our faces as a cruel joke only to put us through more crap and I just couldn't mentally withstand that...I almost sat down and cried. And I think if I had continued and saw that we had to do the uphill Devil's Beard, Kiss of Mud and Cliffhanger again, I would've cried or had a nervous breakdown right there in the middle of the Tough Mudder course.

I went through the Finish Line, I got my t-shirt, my power bar and my head band. In my mind, I finished what I paid for (11 miles) and that's a personal best for me, so I'm happy with that. Would I do a Tough Mudder again? Probably. It was FUN. Seriously, the sense of teamwork with our group and just the camaraderie with the other Mudders (otherwise known as complete strangers) was great. We had a lot of laughs out there and that helped make the obstacles a lot less daunting. Next time, I hope to finish finish...but for my first - I'm proud of what I accomplished. I have bruises, scars and enough sore muscles to last a lifetime...but it was worth it. Erick was a man and made it through to the end -- he's my hero. He said the plunge into the river was rough....it was so cold you kind of freeze up and then it felt like an eternity trying to break back through the surface. Makes me kinda glad I just went to the finish line...with how orange that water was I think I might have just sunk to the bottom and no one would've been able to find me to fish me out.

My little Roly - Poly girl

Alright so I just posted a blog -- but I actually wrote that last one two months ago and like a big doofus forgot to post it.

We've had a pretty eventful Summer and Elise is now 4 months going on 5 and she has made leaps and bounds in a short amount of time. Elise has always been a pretty strong girl -- as a newborn -- we're talking a week old here -- she was pushing herself up off her chest and looking around. Well now she has discovered the roll and she loves to do it. She thinks it is hilarious -- especially when she does it in her crib. The problem is that she still has trouble rolling from her back to her stomach, so when she rolls onto her back, she needs some help getting back over sometimes....and that sometimes is usually about 2'0 clock in the morning. It's cute though -- when she hears us coming, she gets really quiet and then just as we peek over her crib, she kicks her legs and squeals....it's pretty funny. She's also starting to crawl....it's more like an Army crawl right now, but she can move.

She smiles, she laughs and giggles, and she tries to sing. She's pretty good at Twinkle Twinkle right now; she's got the rhythm down, but of course there is no melody....yet. We got her a jumper when we took her in for her 4 month shots -- she hasn't quite figured out the jumping part, but she likes to sit in it and play with the toys.

She's cute and she knows it. She loves her mommy and daddy. One of her favorite things to do is to sit on the couch between us like a big girl. I love to shop for her -- girls are so much fun.

Oops I forgot to post this one

So I survived labor and delivery!! And here two months later (because of a reminder from a dear friend) I am going to fill in the blanks of what has been going on since last I posted.

Labor and Delivery

Okay so being induced was the best thing EVER. Well, maybe not the best thing ever, but if I ever get the option to do it again, I will TOTALLY sign up for it. There was no stress in going to the hospital. When I got there, they had my room ready and waiting and then it was just a matter of hooking me up to the IV and waiting. My water broke at 8:30AM the next morning and Elise was born at 1:01PM amid conversations (led by my awesome Doctor) of how great anything made by Apple is and how the ladies on I Didn't Know I was Pregnant were the stupidest people in the world.

I got the epidural at 11:00 the previous night - not because of pain - but because I wanted the catheter in so I wouldn't have to keep getting up to go to the bathroom (which was like every time I had a contraction). Hoping this would allow me to sleep, I was in for a rude awakening when they told me they would be checking my blood pressure every five minutes and coming in to flip me over from time to time. Having absolutely no feeling in my legs, the flipping was a bit more on the tough side than I would have thought. So no sleep was had....

In recovery, I was slowly getting the feeling back in my legs and was amazed at how difficult it is to stand when don't have complete sensation in the lower half of your body. I was so thankful for those nurses who kept me from falling on my way to the bathroom. In recovery the nurses came in every few hours to check on either me and my vitals or Elise and her vitals....so again, no sleep was to be had.

First Month

At home, that first week was tough. I couldn't relax at night because I was terrified that Elise was going to just stop breathing...so again, no sleep was had. By Friday, I was going on about 5 hours of sleep for the entire week and this did not sit well with Erick. So I finally drugged myself - (2 Benadryl) and passed out leaving Erick in charge.

The first month flew by....Erick was home for two weeks for paternity leave and we spent most of it trying to establish some sort of schedule and sneak in as much sleep as we possibly could - which wasn't much. Those two weeks were probably the most exhaustive of my life - every coo, every sigh, and I was up checking on what was "wrong." I can't speak for Erick...that man can sleep anywhere during anything. Writing this now, it seems so silly, but during that time, I was a nervous wreck. Elise, meanwhile, slept ALL the time and if she could have talked at this point, she probably would have told me to chill out and just sleep already.

Finally getting over my paranoia by the end of the first month, we started putting her in her crib and laying her on her (gasp!) belly. We had tried so many different positions and methods for her to sleep at night...the poor thing slept in her car seat or her Boppy for most of the first month because she would not sleep flat on her back. Again, I resorted to Benadryl to make it through the first couple nights of this new sleeping position, leaving Erick "on the watch". With many assurances from other mothers and seeing how well Elise slept on her stomach and lifted her neck to move her head - I became totally sane again and sleeping has finally become a normal thing again in our household.

Second Month

Visitors!! Elise got her first visitors as we approached her two month birthday. Uncle Denis came for training at ASBC...and then my family came (my two sisters, my nephews, my dad, stepmother, step niece and my grandparents)...now Denis' wife is here and soon Erick's parents will be here. The real highlight of the second month, however, is her smiling face. She smiles and vocalizes A LOT now and her little personality seems to be shining through. And maybe I'm doing some wishful thinking here, but I think she totally knows who her mommy is and misses me when she doesn't get to cuddle with me. Why do I think this? Because after a day of not being with mommy she is a bit fussy...until mommy holds her and then she promptly passes out....with her little hands gripping onto my shirt for dear life.

She got her shots this week and that was really tough. I had to lay her on the table and "distract" her so that the tech could do his work. There she was smiling and giggling at me and then suddenly this look of terror came across her face and the crying commenced. After I got her settled down, she looked at me like I had betrayed her....it just about broke my heart.

We took her to her first baseball game on Wednesday and she did SO well....didn't cry at all, just hung out with mommy, daddy, Uncle Denis and Aunt Lisa. I did have a moment of angst when Erick handed her off to one of his students who ran up to him and asked to hold her...I didn't know this person - why is she holding my baby!?!?! I would worry about these semi-irrational fears, but I figure that kind of insanity comes with motherhood.

Anyway, she is the greatest blessing in our lives and we love her SOOOOO much.

My Doc Rocks

So, I went in for my weekly appointment (wk 38) and the doc tells me that after my last visit, he went ahead and scheduled me for an inducement on Sunday the 18th which would have me delivering on the 19th (most likely). As Erick and I just sort of stared at each other (I'm assuming in a deer in the headlights kind of way) he quickly added, "But we can wait, if you prefer to just let her come when she wants." To which I quickly responded, "Are you kidding? I would SO prefer this way because at least now I can plan.". Does he know me or what? My doc gave the excuse that he doesn't like women to go past their due date because "it's not good for anybody." But why he scheduled me for week 39, I'm not sure.....but I think he kind of likes to plan too....not because he's all crazy like me - but this is Alabama...and he seems like a real laid back kind of guy and probably likes to schedule deliveries around his fishing schedule or something. Whatever the reason - he rocks my face - now I don't have to worry about going into labor in the middle of Target or something (unless of course, I go into labor in the next few days). He also informed me that I can get an epidural as soon as I want...because some nasty books will tell you that they run out and so you should get it only when you're at 4cm....my doc says that's a load of crap - and added, "why wouldn't someone get an epidural? That's like going to the dentist for a root canal and saying, 'No, I'm good' to the novacaine." Did I mention he's awesome? So today I'm going to go out and buy a few last minute baby items, a giant book of crossword puzzles, and I'm going to put a few digital movie copies on my Ipod. I thank you all for your funny stories and encouragement...hopefully they will buoy me up in that last great hurdle of pregnancy: childbirth.

So the end is near...and I'm hoping that means just the end of my pregnancy ( I haven't forgotten GC....that guy is like my least favorite General Authority now). ; P

Holy Crap

I've been really good with keeping the panic level to a minimum throughout this whole pregnancy, but this past Monday, I became "full-term" and as the doc says - could deliver any day now. BRING ON THE HYSTERICS!!

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about the whole motherhood thing - mostly because I just can't wait to dress her up and do all that fun stuff that moms get to do - but holy freakin' crap - I've got to GIVE BIRTH first!!!! I'm totally ready for this baby belly to be gone (back aches, late night dance parties in my stomach, acid reflux, and crazy pelvic pressure will not be missed) - but the methods by which it could/will be removed has me freaking out every time I feel the slightest tinge of pain that could signal the beginning of labor. I know millions of women have done it since the beginning of time - so what makes me so different? I don't know...but it certainly didn't help that one talk during General Conference was devoted to a list of women who had either died in child birth or lost a child during child birth...(I really hope the Lord wasn't trying to tell me something)...yeah, seriously, did not help with the nerves AT ALL.

I know everyone gets nervous....it's a BIG, life changing event and from what I've heard, a wee bit on the painful side. I've already decided on getting an epidural...I'm not nuts...so the pain is not what is freaking me out...it's more the something going wrong that has me chewing my fingernails day in and day out. Sigh. I'd say I would be like Pam on The Office, refusing to go to the hospital under the guise of some other excuse...only to be actually scared to death about what is to come....but I'm more afraid of having my baby in the toilet at home ala I Didn't Know I was Pregnant to put off going to the hospital for too long after labor begins -- in fact, I'll probably go in too early.

Erick is a total trooper...he just laughs at me when I have my little "moments"...which actually makes me feel better...because I know he'll be there and if he can keep me laughing through labor and delivery, I think I may just keep him around. Granted, it's easy for him to laugh and make jokes because he's not getting poked, prodded, and ultimately emitting another human out of his body, but as they say, laughter is the best medicine....so bring on your funny (NOT YOUR SCARY...seriously folks, it's not cool to do that to someone) pregnancy and labor and delivery stories. (Crystal - your little Edna Mode nurse is currently my fav.) I want to be laughing all the way to the delivery room...hmmmm....I wonder if I can download episodes of I Didn't Know I was Pregnant - that one where the lady has a baby in her pants is pretty darn amusing.

Reflections

So I'm at about 33.5 weeks right now...nearing the end of my pregnancy and I've been reflecting on the ride it's been (so far). Here are some things I have learned:

People are WAY nicer to you when you are pregnant. I have had more conversations with random strangers in the past few months than I care to count. It seems everywhere you go people want to know what you are having, when you are due, would you like a hand with your bags, are you feeling okay, would you like a seat, etc. Chivalry is alive and well....if you are expecting.

Strangers can get too personal. The Flip side to the random conversations, are, of course, the people who get a little too personal. Belly touching aside, I get a little weirded out when someone I don't know starts asking me personal questions about me, my unborn child and my husband. As a matter of fact today, some lady (who I have never met or spoken to before today) called me at work from the DC CAP unit...she had heard I was pregnant and wanted me to SEND HER PICTURES when my baby is born. Um,... how about, NO. I don't know you, you don't know me - why on earth would I send you pictures of my brand new baby? That's a little weird to me.

Heartburn/Acid Reflux is the pits. I never had heartburn before I was pregnant. So after six weeks of a hacking cough which started resulting in a revisit of breakfast/lunch/dinner - I went to the doctor to see what in the heck was wrong with me....his diagnosis: Acid Reflux. This is a whole new world of ickiness that I hope goes away as soon as the baby comes out...it sucks.

You can still do push-ups when your pregnant! I have kept up my pre-pregnancy workout routine for the most part (minus the running, unless it's in place and I can get to a bathroom pronto) but as I have gotten larger, it's been harder to do some of the more intense stuff. Plus with this nasty acid reflux cough, I've had to really watch my exertion rate so I don't have a coughing and vomiting fit. So I bought a Pregnancy workout DVD designed for the 3rd trimester....the cardio is ridiculously easy, but I was amazed to find that I was not "overdoing it" with my push-ups....they are part of they preganancy DVD!! Granted, we hugely pregnant women cannot get down as low (our stomachs kinda get in the way) but we can still do them!!

Pregnancy prepares you for the demands of motherhood. This is something my pregnant friends used to tell me and I never really understood or appreciated it until now....granted I have not had the child yet, but I know what they mean. Between 3 or 4 potty breaks in the middle of the night, countless changes of sleeping positions, leg cramps, and now with the acid reflux, coughing: I'm averaging about 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night and I am still able to function the next day...in fact, most days I feel really quite rested despite all of my late night/early morning activities.

Everyone has an opinion about YOUR baby. Whether it's a stranger in the grocery store, an acquanitance or a close friend or relative, everyone seems to want to put in their two cents about YOUR child. For the most part, this advice is welcomed...at least on my part. But sometimes, just sometimes, it can get a little annoying - especially when it's something that scares the H-E-double hockey sticks out of you. I understand, labor and delivery is no picnic, but do you have to tell me about the time when..*horror story of choice here*..?

Pews were not designed for pregnant women. Hard seats in general were not designed for pregnant women, but I was amused at discovering how uncomfortable pews are given the fertility rate of LDS women....I had never heard a complaint about them before. I have since discovered that many preggo ladies bring pillows along...I am too forgetful to bring a pillow so I just sit in the lobby on the nice big comfy couch. Granted, my seating discomfort only just started - so it's more of a late-term pregnancy thing - but it was still surprising to learn.

Pregnant women lose a lot of things during pregnancy: thier toned ab muscles, their memory, their feet, the ability to shave their legs properly...but one thing that I found while sitting in Relief Society last Sunday, was that my lap has disappeared. I used to be able to set the hymn book on my lap and juggle the Missionary Calendar and the RS Roster with no problems. Last Sunday, however, as I set my hymnal securely on my lap and opened the Roster, I found that no sooner had I set the hymnal on my lap, then it was in the floor. As for the other things I am missing, I am looking forward o their return....my toes (from what I can see of them) look hideous....I will be scheduling a pedicure sometime in the near future to take care of that problem -- the technician will just have to overlook the splotchy shave job on my legs.

Consignment is the way to go! I am fortunate to live in a place where Consignment sales are a HUGE thing. There are so many here - they are seasonal - and they last for a week - so it's almost like the Fair coming to town....it's very a very exciting event. Baby clothes are ridiculously expensive for the amount of time baby spends in them. I'm sorry, but $30.00 for a baby outfit (cute or not) is a little much for me. I went with some pals to a consignment sale and I got Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Baby Gap, and Old Navy clothes for my baby girl..some that still had tags on them - all for around $1.50 - $8.00 each. E-bay is another great outlet for baby clothes/shoes. They are only in these clothes for a couple months at a time....why break the bank?

Being pregnant is cool. Yes, pregnancy can be the pits sometimes...the nausea, fatigue, the growing belly, the added weight. But how cool is it to have that little person inside of you? Granted the kicking made me a little queasy at first and it still freaks me out at times....but now that I am accustomed to it, it's kind of neat feeling that little person move around in there. Seeing the baby on the ultra-sound and hearing the baby's heartbeat is just the icing on the cake....it's so flippin' awesome. Plus, you are automatically inducted into a club of all the women who have come before - you share a little bond with each one of them because you've all "been there".